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         Title: The Spiritual Guide which Disentangles the Soul
    Creator(s): Molinos, Miguel de, 1628-1696.
                (Editor)
   Print Basis: London: Methuen, 1907.
        Rights: Public Domain
    LC Call no: BV5099.M65
   LC Subjects:

                Practical theology

                Practical religion. The Christian life

                Quietism
     __________________________________________________________________

                                      THE

                                Spiritual GUIDE

                                     WHICH

                             Disentangles the Soul,

                                      AND

                          Brings it by the Inward Way

                                     TO THE

                        Getting of Perfect Contemplation

                                    AND THE

                        Rich Treasure of Internal Peace


  Written by Dr. Michael de Molinos, Priest

  With a short Treatise concerning Daily Communion,

  by the same Author



  Translated from the Italian Copy,

  Printed at Venice, 1685.



  Printed in the Year, MDCLXXXVIII


    This document is a transcription of an English translation of

    The Spiritual Guide

    by

    Miguel de Molinos


   The English translation was published in London, in 1688, and is a
   translation of an Italian edition published in Venice, in 1685. The
   English translation has the author as "Dr. Michael de Molinos".


   The transcription was performed in November and December of 1997, from
   a microfilmed copy of the 1688 English translation.


   The microfilmed copy was produced by

   University Microfilms International

   Ann Arbor, Michigan 48106 U.S.A.

   and is catalogued as

   M2387 Molinos, Miguel de. The spiritual guide.

   [London], printed, 1688. 8°.


   The transcription was performed by Art D'Adamo (dadamo@voicenet.com,
   http://www.voicenet.com/~dadamo). Corrections and comments appreciated.


   Note: The pagination of the original was not reproduced.
     __________________________________________________________________


                                       AN

                                    ACCOUNT

                                Of the following

                                      BOOK

                            To all sorts of Readers.


   The Book that is here presented ye, is a Translation from the Italian
   Copy, Printed at Venice in 1685. The first Man that got it, with
   difficulty, out of the Authour's hands, and then had it Printed at Rome
   in 1675, with all the solemnity of approbations, was Fryer John of St.
   Mary, who styles himself Provincial; and he speaks very fine things of
   it, and he had so heartily read it over, that the impression which it
   made in his Mind, gave him the exact cue and knack of that sort of
   Language which the Author uses, when he throws himself headlong into
   darkness and obscurity: And when this Man had recommended the Book to
   the sincere Reader, after his way; the next that appears to give a
   Grace to it, is no less a Man, than the Most Illustrious and most
   Reverend Lord, the Archbishop of Rhegium, who tells us how many great
   Offices in the Church he had pass'd through; he says in his Approbation
   of the Book, that tis a hard matter to make a judgement of it, without
   some experience of the things contained in it: And that how high soever
   the secret of it be above all humane Discourse, yet they are not only
   not contrary to the right dictates of Reason, but altogether
   conformable to it: Which is as fitting a Preface to some things in the
   Book, as any man in the World could have made with the Study of Seven
   Years: First, to say that these sovereign Secrets, which the Book
   treats of, are above all human Discourse; and then in the very next
   words, to say they are conformable altogether to the dictates of
   Reason: as if the dictates of Reason and human Discourse had entered
   into a Combination never to come to a right understanding of one
   another. He that would be further satisfied of the fitness of this
   Archbishop's Character to the Book, will be gratified, by reading
   patiently some things of the Nineteenth and Twentieth Chapters of the
   Third Book: But tis enough, that this great Man speaks well of his
   Countryman Molinos's Doctrine, that tis according to the judgment of
   the holy Fathers, and the usual way of Mystical Divines, he says again,
   that the Author of this Book, does not speak his own Capricios, but
   follows the footsteps of the Ancients, and builds upon their
   Principles, and spiritual Foundations, that he reduces em to a right
   and clear Method, bringing forth (says he) out of his Treasures, things
   new and old; And for the Stile of the Book, he allows it to be clear,
   easie, plain, and full in such crabbed hard and lofty Subject; adding
   withal, that the Man doth not decline Proofs of Scripture, Doctrines of
   the Fathers, Decrees of Councils, nor the Principles of Morality, and
   therefore he judges it to be a useful Piece, and very worth to be
   Printed: and what can be said more to set any Book off.

   Next to the Archbishop's Approbation, in comes that of Fryer
   Francis-Mary, Minister General of the whole Franciscan Order, given
   from his Convent of Ara Coeli, who speaks mighty kindly and favourably
   of the Book, & recommends it to the Press.

   Then appears the Approbation of Fryer Dominic of the most holy Trinity,
   Qualifier and Counsellour of the holy Office of Malta, and of the
   Inquisition of Rome, Rector of the College of Missionaries, at St.
   Pancrace, and he blesses himself as he sits in judgement upon it, and
   gives his sense & liking, as formally as the rest.

   After this comes a famous Jesuite, another Qualifier of the Roman
   Inquisition, and he takes it to be a Book of singular esteem and use,
   and recommends it to others with as much cordial kindness, as he
   fancied he had received good by it.

   And next to him a great Capucine, that could not forbear (either for
   the credit of the Book, or himself) to tell the World, that he had been
   no less than four several times, Provincial of Andaluzia, and was at
   present Definitor General of all his Order; and expresses himself much
   taken with the Book, and as a good proof of so being, discourses upon
   it in that Mystical Way, and would by no means have it kept from being
   Published.

   All this is Roman Approbation which signifies but little to a Book,
   that must be Printed in Venice; and therefore the Reformers of the
   University of Padua, who License Books receiving a Certificate from
   their Secretary, that the Book had nothing in it against Princes, or
   good Manners, gave leave to a Stationer of Venice to Print it again
   there, in 1676, upon the Authority of which License it came out once
   more, in 1685; which was the Copy, that this Translation goes by. So
   that this Book, it seems, has been sufficiently dispersed in the World,
   by all these Impressions: And who can say any thing more for it, than
   such men as these, that have Read and Censur'd it so Candidly, and
   Kindly? If what has since happened to the Author and his Reputation, do
   make his Vouchers wish that they had not been so free of their
   Courtesie, let them look to that: But whil'st the poor Man is so
   harassed in Rome, it would become the Mercy of this religious Nation,
   to hear him speak his Mind by an Interpreter: What has stung the Court
   of Rome may be partly guessed at by this Book: Till we know further of
   the Author, there is no more to be said of him than that sometimes he
   lights upon shrew'd Truths, and very excellent Thoughts, as well as
   mere Trash and Foppery. Do but pardon him his rich Vein of Enthusiasm
   and Gibberish, and give him leave now and then to speak further than
   you can see or apprehend, and you will find things enough to make you
   think and attend to what he says: But withal let me tell you, that tis
   a Blessing to you to live in a Country, where the Ministers of Religion
   do not use to put Tricks up on your Understanding nor lead you blindly
   you know not whither. And so I rest.


   In Molinos's Style,

   No-BODY.
     __________________________________________________________________

THE

Spiritual Guide,


    Which disentangles the Soul, and by the

    inward way, leads it to the Fruition of

    Perfect Contemplation, and of the

    rich Treasure of Internal Peace.


  The

  Author to the Reader.


   There is nothing more difficult, than to please all People, not more
   easie and common than to censure Books that come abroad in the World.
   All Books, without exception, that see the light, run the common Risk
   of both these inconveniences, though they may be sheltered under the
   most sublime Protection, what will become of this little Book then,
   which hath no Patronage? The Subject whereof being mystical, and not
   well-seasoned; carries along with it the common censure, and will seem
   insipid? Kind Reader, if you understand it not, be not therefore apt to
   censure the same.

   The Natural Man may hear and read these Spiritual Matters, but he can
   never comprehend them, as St. Paul saith; (I Cor.c.2) The Natural Man
   receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God. If you condemn it, you
   condemn your self to the number of the wise men of this World, of who
   St. Denis says, that God imparts not this Wisdom to them, as he does to
   the simple and humble, though in the opinion of Men they be ignorant.

   Mystical knowledge proceeds not from Wit, but from Experience; it is
   not invented, but proved; not read, but received; and is therefore most
   secure and efficacious, of great help and plentiful in fruit; it enters
   not (Mat.II.) into the Soul by Ears, nor by the continual Reading of
   Books, but by the free Infusion of the Holy Ghost, whose Grace with
   most delightful intimacy, is communicated to the simple and lowly.

   There are some Learned Men, who have never read these Matters, and some
   Spiritual Men that hitherto have hardly relished them and therefore
   both condemn them, the one out of Ignorance, and the other for want of
   Experience.

   Besides, it is certain, that he who hath not the experience of this
   sweetness, cannot pass a Judgement upon these Mysterious Secrets; nay,
   rather he'll be Scandalized (as many are) when he hears of the Wonders
   which the Divine Love is wont to work in Souls, because he finds no
   such Rarities in his own. Who shall limit the goodness of God, whose
   Arm is not shortened, but that he can do now what he hath wrought at
   other times? God calls neither the strongest nor the richest for their
   Merit; but calls rather the weakest and most wretched, that his
   infinite mercy may shine forth the more.

   This Science is not Theoretical, but Practical, wherein Experience
   surpasses the most refined and ingenious Speculation. Hence it was that
   St. Tiresia admonished her Ghostly Father, that he should not confer
   about Spiritual Matters, but with Spiritual Men; Because, said she, if
   they know but one way, or if they have stopped mid-way, there is no
   success to be expected.

   It will soon appear that he hath no experience of this practical and
   mystical Science, who shall condemn the Doctrine of this Book, and who
   hath not read St. Dennis, St. Austin, St. Gregory, St. Bernard, St.
   Thomas, St. Bonaventure, and many other Saints and Doctors approved by
   the Church, who like expert men, approve, commend, and teach the
   Practice of this Doctrine.

   It is to be taken notice of, that the Doctrine of this Book instructs
   not all sorts of Persons, but those only who have the Senses and
   Passions well mortified, who have already advanced and made progress in
   Prayer, and are called by God to the inward way, who encourages and
   guides them, freeing them from the obstacles which hinder the course to
   perfect Contemplation.

   I have taken care to have the Style of this Book devote, chaste, and
   useful, without the ornament of polite Sentences, ostentation of
   Eloquence, or Theological Niceties, my only scope was to teach the
   Naked Truth, with humility, sincerity and perspicuity.

   It is not to be wondered at that new Spiritual Books are every day
   published in the World, because God hath always new Light to
   communicate, and Souls stand always in need of these Instructions. All
   things have not been said, nor every thing written, hence it is that
   there will be Writing to the end of the World. Wonderful were the
   Lights that God Almighty communicated to his Church by means of the
   Angelical Doctor St. Thomas, and at the hour of his Death, he himself
   said that the Divine Majesty had at that instant communicated to him so
   much light, that all he had before written came short of it. God has,
   then, and always will have new Lights to communicate, without any
   diminution to his own Infinite Wisdom.

   The many and grievous pains and difficulties of the inward way ought
   not to make a Soul despond, because it is but reasonable that a thing
   of great value should cost dear. Be of good comfort, and believe, that
   not only those which are here represented, but many others also will be
   overcome with the Grace of God and internal Fortitude.

   It was never my design to treat of Contemplation, nor in defence of it,
   as many have done who have learnedly and speculatively published whole
   Books, full of efficacious Reasons, Doctrines and Authorities of Saints
   and of the Holy Scripture, for confuting the Opinion of those who
   without any ground have condemned, and do condemn it.

   The Experience of many Years (by reason of the many Souls who have
   trusted to my insufficiency, for their conduct in the inward way, to
   which they have been called) hath convinced me of the great necessity
   they are in of having the obstacles taken out of their way, the
   inclinations, affections and allurements removed, which wholly hinder
   the course and obstruct the way to perfect Contemplation.

   This whole Practical Book tends chiefly to this end, because it is not
   enough to ascertain the inward way of Contemplation, if the obstacles
   be not taken out of the way of those Souls that are called and assured,
   which hinder their progress and spiritual flight; For which end I have
   made use rather of what God out of his infinite mercy hath inspired
   into me, and taught me, than of any thing that the speculative reading
   of Books has suggested unto me, or furnished me with.

   Sometimes (though very seldom) I quote the Authority of some practical
   and experienc'd Author, to show that the Doctrine which is here taught
   is not singular and rare. It hath been my first scope then, not to
   ascertain the inward way but to disentangle and unpester it; My next
   hath been to instruct the Spiritual Divertors, that they may not stop
   those Souls in their course which are called by these secret Paths to
   internal Peace and Supreme Felicity. God of his infinite Mercy grant,
   that an end so much desired may be obtained.

   I hope in God, that some of those Souls, whom his Divine Majesty calls
   to this knowledg, will find profit from what I have writ; for whose
   sake I shall reckon my pains very well employed. This has been the only
   But of my desire, and if God (as certainly he will) accept and approve
   those pure desires, I shall be content and have my reward.


   Farewell
     __________________________________________________________________

                                      The

                                    PREFACE.

  First Advertisement.

   By two ways one may go to God, the first by Meditation and Discourse or
   Reasoning; the second by pure Faith and Contemplation.


   1. There are two ways of going to God, the one by Consideration and
   Mental Discourse, and the other by the Purity of Faith, an indistinct,
   general and confused knowledge. The first is called Meditation, the
   second Internal Recollection, or acquir'd Contemplation. The first is
   of Beginners, the second of Proficients. The first is sensible and
   material, the second more naked, pure and internal.

   2. When the Soul is already accustomed to discourse of Mysteries, by
   the help of imagination, and the use of corporal Images; being carried
   from Creature to Creature, and from Knowledg to Knowledg (though with
   very little of that which it wants) and from these to the Creator; Then
   God is wont to take that Soul by the hand (if rather he calls it not in
   the very beginning, and leads it without ratiocination by the way of
   pure Faith) making the Intellect pass by all considerations and
   reasonings, draws it forward, and raises it out of this material and
   sensible state, making it under a simple and obscure knowledge of
   Faith, wholly aspire to its Bridegroom upon the wings of Love, without
   any farther necessity of the perswasions and informations of the
   Intellect, to make it love him, because in that manner the Soul's love
   would be very scanty, much dependent on Creature, stinted to drops, and
   these too but falling with pauses and intervals.

   3. By how much less it depends on Creatures, and the more it relies on
   God alone, and his secret documents, by the mediation of pure Faith,
   the more durable, firm, and strong will that Love be. After the Soul
   hath already acquired the knowledg which all the meditations and
   corporal Images of Creatures can give her; it, now, the Lord raise her
   out of that state, by stripping her of ratiocination, and leaving her
   in divine darkness, to the end she may march in the streight Way, and
   by pure Faith, let her be guided, and not love with the scantiness and
   tenuity that these direct; but let her suppose that the whole World,
   and all that the most refined conceptions of the wisest understandings
   can tell her, are nothing, and that the goodness and beauty of her
   beloved, infinitely surpasses all their knowledg, being perswaded that
   all Creatures are too rude to inform her, and to conduct her to the
   true knowledg of God.

   4. She ought then to advance forward with her love, leaving all her
   understanding behind. Let her love God as he is in himself, and not as
   her imagination says he is, and frames him to her; And if she cannot
   know him as he is in himself, let her love him without knowing him
   under the obscure veils of Faith; in the same manner as a Son who hath
   never seen his Father, but fully believing those who have given him
   information of him, loves him, as if he had already seen him.

   5.The Soul, from which Mental Discourse is taken, ought not to strain
   her self, nor solicitously seek for more clear and particular
   knowledge, but even without the supports of sensible consolations or
   notices, with poverty of spirit, and deprived of all that the natural
   appetite requires; continue quiet, firm and constant, letting the Lord
   work his work, though she may seem to be alone, exhausted and full of
   darkness: and though this appear to her to be idleness, it is only of
   her own sensible and material activity, not of God's, who is working
   true knowledg in her.

   6. Finally, the more the Spirit ascends, the more it is taken off of
   sensible Objects. Many are the Souls who have arrived and do arrive at
   this gate, but few have passed or do pass it, for want of the
   experimental guide, and those who have had, and actually have it, for
   want of a true subjection and intire submission.

   7. They'll say, that the Will will not love; but be unactive, if the
   Intellect understand not clearly and distinctly, it being a received
   Maxim, that that which is not known, cannot be loved. To this it is
   answered, that tho' the Intellect understand not distinctly by
   ratiocination, Images and Considerations, yet it understands and knows
   by an obscure, general and confused Faith; which knowledg, tho' so
   obscure, indistinct, and general, and being supernatural, hath
   nevertheless a more clear and perfect cognition of God, than any
   sensible and particular notice, that can be formed in this life,
   because all corporal and sensible representation is infinitely distant
   from God.

   8. We know God more perfectly (says St. Denis - Mystic. Theol. c.I.§.2)
   by Negatives, than by Affirmatives. We think more highly of God, by
   knowing that he is incomprehensible, and above all our capacity, than
   by conceiving him under any image or created beauty, according to our
   rude understanding. A greater esteem and love then will flow from this
   confused, obscure and negative, than from any other sensible and
   distinct way; because that is more proper to God, and abstracted from
   creatures; and this, on the contrary, the more it depends on creatures,
   the less it hath of God.
     __________________________________________________________________

                                  The PREFACE.


  Second Advertisement.


   Declaring what Meditation and Contemplation are, and the difference
   that is betwixt them.


   9. St. John Damascene (Lib. 3. de fide, c.24.) and other Saints say,
   that Prayer is a sallying out or elevation of the Mind to God. God is
   above all creatures, and the Soul cannot see him, nor converse with
   him, if it raise not it self above them all. This friendly
   conversation, which the Soul hath with God, that's to say, in Prayer,
   is divided into Meditation and Contemplation.

   10. When the Mind considers the Mysteries of our holy Faith with
   attention, to know the truth of them, reasoning upon the particulars,
   and weighing the circumstances of the same, for the exciting of
   affections in the Will; this mental discourse and pious Act is properly
   called Meditation.

   11. When the Soul already knows the truth (either by a habit acquired
   through reasoning, or because the Lord hath given it particular light)
   and fixes the eyes of the Mind on the demonstrated truth, beholding it
   sincerely with quietness and silence, without any necessity of
   considerations, ratiocinations, or other proofs of conviction, and the
   will loves it, admiring and delighting it self therein; This properly
   is called the Prayer of Faith, the Prayer of Rest, Internal Recognition
   or Contemplation.

   Which St. Thomas (2.2.q.180. Art. 3. p.4) with all the mystical Masters
   says, is a sincere, sweet, and still view of the eternal truth without
   ratiocination, or reflexion. But if the Soul rejoyces in, or eyes the
   effects of God in the creatures, and amongst them, in the humanity of
   our Lord Christ, as the most perfect of all, this is not perfect
   Contemplation, as St. Thomas (ibidem.) affirms, since all these are
   means for knowing of God as he is in himself: And although the humanity
   of Christ be the most holy and perfect means for going to God, the
   chief instrument of our salvation, and the channel through which we
   receive all the good we hope for, nevertheless the humanity is not the
   chief good, which consists in seeing God; but as Jesus Christ is more
   by his divinity than his humanity, so he that thinks and fixes his
   contemplation always on God (because the divinity is united to the
   humanity) always thinks on, and beholds Jesus Christ, especially, the
   contemplative man, in whom Faith is more sincere, pure and exercised.

   13. As often as the end is obtained, the means cease, and when the Ship
   arrives in the Harbour the voyage is over. So if the Soul after it hath
   been toiled and carried by means of meditation, arrives at the
   stillness, tranquility, and rest of Contemplation, it ought then to cut
   off all reasonings, and rest quiet with an amorous attention, and
   simple Vision of God; seeing and loving him, sweetly rejecting all the
   imaginations that present themselves, calming the Mind in that Divine
   Presence, recollecting the Memory, and fixing it wholly on God, being
   contented with a general and confused knowledge, which is had by the
   Mediation of Faith, applying the whole Will to love him, wherein
   consists all their fruit of enjoyment.

   14. St. Denis (Myst. Theol.) says, As for you, most dear Timothy, in
   applying your self to Mystical Speculations, abstract from the Senses
   and Operations of the Intellect; from all sensible and intelligible
   Objects, and Universally from all things that are, and are not; and in
   an unknown and inexpressible Way, as much as lies in the power of Man,
   raise your self to the Union of him, who is above all Nature and
   Knowledge. Thus far the Saint.

   15. It concerns us then, to forsake all created, sensible, intelligible
   and affected Beings; and in short, every thing that is, and is not,
   that we may cast our selves into the loving Bosom of God, who will
   restore to us as much as we have left, increasing in us strength and
   power to love him more ardently, whose love will maintain it self
   within this Holy and Blessed Silence, which is of more worth than all
   Acts joined together

   16. St. Thomas (Quest. 27. 2.ad secuedum ar.) says, It is the least
   thing, that the Understanding can know of God in this Life, but much
   what the Will can have of Love.

   17. When the Soul attains to this state, it ought wholly to retreat
   within it self, in its own pure and profound Center; where the Image of
   God is, there is amorous attention, silence, the forgetfulness of all
   things, the application of the Will, with perfect resignation, hearing
   and talking with God hand to hand, and in such manner, as if there was
   no other but them two in the World.

   18. Good reason have the Saints to say, that Meditation operates with
   toyl, and with fruit; Contemplation without toyl, with quiet, rest,
   peace, delight, and far greater fruit. Meditation sows, and
   Contemplation reaps; Meditation seeks, and Contemplation finds;
   Meditation chews the Food, Contemplation tasts and feeds on it.

   19. All this was said by Mystical Bernard, upon these Words of our
   Savior; Querite & invenietis; pulsate & aperietur vobis. Lectio opponit
   ori solidum cibum, Meditatio frangit; Oratio japorem conciliat,
   Contemplatio est ipsa dulcedo que jucundat & resicit. Thus ye have an
   account what Meditation and Contemplation are, and the difference that
   occurs betwixt them.
     __________________________________________________________________

                                  The PREFACE.


  Third Advertisement.


   What is the Difference betwixt the Acquired and Active Contemplation,
   and the Infused and Passive. With the Signs whereby it is known, when
   God will have the Soul to pass from Meditation, to Contemplation.


   20. There are moreover two ways of Contemplation: The one is Imperfect,
   Active and Acquired; The other Infused and Passive. The Active (whereof
   we have treated hitherto) is that which may be attained to by our
   Diligence, assisted with Divine Grace; we gathering together the
   Faculties and Senses, and preparing our selves by every way that God
   would have. So says Boias and Arnaia.

   21. St. Bernard (Psal. 85) recommends this Active Contemplation,
   discoursing upon these Words, Audiam quid loquatur in me Deus. And he
   says Optimam partem elegit Maria, licet non minoris (fortasse) meriti
   sit apud Deum humilis conversatio Marthæ, sed de electione Maria
   laudatur: quoniam illa omnino (quo ad nos spectat) eligenda, hæc vero
   si injungitur patienter est toleranda.

   22. In like manner St. Thomas (Secund.q.182. art. 2.&3.) inculcates
   this acquired contemplation in the following words; Quanto homo animam
   suam, vel alterius propinquius deo conjungit, tanto sacrificium est deo
   magis acceptum, unde magis acceptum est deo quod aliquis animam suam &
   aliorum applicet contemplationi quam actioni. Very clear Words to stop
   the Mouth of those who condemn acquired contemplation.

   23. How much the nearer a man approaches his own Soul, or the Soul of
   another to God, so much the more acceptable is the Sacrifice to God;
   from whence it is inferred (concludes the same Saint) that the
   application of a man's own Soul, or the procuring that of anothers to
   Contemplation, is more acceptable to God, than the applying of the same
   to Action. It cannot be said, that the Saint speaks here of infused
   Contemplation, because it is not in the power of man, to apply himself
   to the infused, but to the acquired.

   24. Though it be said, that we may with the Lord's help, set our selves
   to acquired contemplation; nevertheless, no man ought of his own Head
   to be so bold, as to pass from the state of Meditation to this, without
   the counsel of an expert Director, who shall clearly know whether his
   Soul be called by God to this inward way; or for want of a Director,
   the Soul it self is to know it by some Book, that treats of these
   Matters, sent to him by Divine Providence, for discovering that, which
   without knowing what it was, he experimentally felt within his own
   Heart. But though by means of the light which that Book gives him he
   may obtain assurance enough, to leave Meditation for the quiet of
   contemplation, yet his Soul will still retain an ardent desire of being
   more perfectly instructed.

   25. And to the end it may receive good Instruction in order to that
   point, I'll here give it the Signs whereby it shall know that call to
   contemplation. The first and chief is, an inability to meditate, and if
   the Soul meditate, it will perform it with much disquiet and
   irksomness, provided that proceed not from the indisposition of Nature,
   or a melancholy Humour, or a Dryness, springing from the want of
   Preparation.

   26. It will be known not to be any of these defects, but rather a true
   call, when that Soul passes a Day, a Month; nay, and many Months,
   without being able to discourse in Prayer. The Lord guides the Soul by
   Contemplation (says the holy Mother Teresa) and the Mind finds it self
   much disabled from meditating the Passion of Christ, since Meditation
   is nothing else but a seeking of God; the Soul once finding him, and
   retaining the Custom of seeking him of new, by the operation of the
   Will, it will not be baffled with the Intellect. Thus far the Saint.

   27. The second Sign is, that though it is wanting in sensible Devotion,
   yet it covets Solitude, and avoids conversation.

   The third, that the reading of godly Books is usually tedious to it,
   because they speak not of the Internal Sweetness that is in its Heart,
   tho' it know it not.

   The fourth, that though it find it self destitute of ratiocination, yet
   it hath a firm purpose of persevering in Prayer. The fifth is, that it
   will experience a sense (with great confusion) of it self, abhorring
   guilt, and entertaining a higher esteem of God.

   28. The other Contemplation is perfect and infused. Wherein (as St.
   Teresa says) God speaks to a man, sequestrating his intelect,
   questioning his thought, and seizing (as they say) the word in his
   mouth; so that if he would, he cannot speak, but with great pain. He
   understands, that without the noise of words, the Divine Master is
   instructing him, suspending all his powers and faculties, because if at
   that time they should operate, they would do more hurt than good. These
   rejoyce, but know not how they rejoyce; the Soul is inflamed with love,
   and conceives not how it loves; it knows that it enjoys what it
   desires, and knows not the manner of that enjoyment; well it knows,
   that that is not enjoyment which the intellect longs for. The Will
   embraces it, without understanding how; but being unable to understand
   any thing, perceives it is not that good, which can be merited by all
   the labours put together which are suffered upon earth for gaining it.
   It is a gift of the Lord of the Soul, and of Heaven, who in the end
   gives as he is, and to whom he pleases as he pleases: Such is his
   Majesty in this, that it does every thing, and his operation is above
   our nature. All this we have from holy Mother, in her Way to
   Perfection, chap. 25. From whence it follows, that this Contemplation
   is infused, and freely given by the Lord to whom he pleases.
     __________________________________________________________________

                                  The PREFACE.


  Fourth Advertisement.


   The Burden of this Book consisting in rooting out the Rebellion of our
   own Will, that we may attain to internal Peace.


   29. The way of inward Peace, is in all things to be conform to the
   pleasure and disposition of the Divine Will. (Hugo Cardinalisin Pf.
   13.) In omnibus debemus subjicere volis tatem nostram voluntatis divine
   hæc est enim pax voluntati nostra ut sit per omnia confirmis voluntati
   divine. Such as would have all things succeed and come to pass
   according to their own fancy, are not come to know this way, Viam pacis
   non cognos verunt, and therefore lead a harsh and bitter life, always
   restless and out of humour without treading the way of Peace, which
   consists in a total conformity to the will of God.

   30. This conformity is the sweet yoke that introduces us into the
   regions of internal Peace and serenity. Hence we may know, that the
   rebellion of our Will is the chief occasion of our disquiet; and that
   because we will not submit to the sweet yoke of the Divine Will, we
   suffer so many streights and perturbations. O Soul! if we submitted our
   own to the Divine Will, and to all his Disposition, what tranquility
   should we feel! what sweet peace! what inward serenity! what supreme
   felicity and earnest of bliss!. This then is to be the burden of this
   Book: May it please God to give me his Divine Light, for discovering
   the secret Paths of this Inward Way, and chief Felicity of perfect
   Peace.
     __________________________________________________________________

THE

Spiritual Guide



Which leads the Soul to the fruition of Inward Peace.


  The First Book.

    Of the Darkness, Dryness, and Temptations wherewith God purges Souls, and of
    Internal Recollection.
     __________________________________________________________________

CHAP. I.


   To the end God may rest in the Soul, the Heart is always to be kept
   peaceable in whatsoever Disquiet, Temptation and Tribulation.


   1. Thou art to know, that thy Soul is the Center, Habitation, and the
   Kingdom of God. That therefore, to the end the Sovereign King may rest
   on that Throne of thy Soul, thou ought to take pains to keep it clean,
   quiet, void and peaceable; clean from guilt and defects; quiet from
   fears; void of affections, desires, and thoughts; and peaceable in
   temptations and tribulations.

   2. Thou ought always then to keep thine Heart in peace; that thou may
   keep pure that Temple of God, and with a right and pure intention, thou
   art to work, pray, obey and suffer, without being in the least moved,
   whatever it pleases the Lord to send unto thee. Because it is certain,
   that for the good of thy Soul, and for thy spiritual profit, he will
   suffer the envious enemy to trouble that City of Rest, and Throne of
   Peace, with temptations, suggestions and tribulations, and by the means
   of creature, with painful troubles and grievous persecutions.

   3. Be constant, and cheer up thine heart in whatsoever disquiet these
   tribulations may cause to thee. Enter within it, that thou may overcome
   it; for therein is the Divine Fortress, which defends, protects, and
   fights for thee. If a man hath a safe Fortress, he is not disquieted,
   though his enemies pursue him; because, by retreating within it, these
   are disappointed and overcome. The strong Castle, that will make thee
   triumph over all thine enemies, visible and invisible, and over all
   their snares and tribulations, is within thine own Soul, because in it
   resides the Divine Aid and Sovereign Succour. Retreat within it and all
   will be quiet, secure, peaceable and calm.

   4. It ought to be thy chief and continual exercise, to pacifie that
   Throne of thy Heart that the Supreme King may rest therein. The way to
   pacifie it, will be, to enter into thy self by means of internal
   recollection; all thy protection is to be Prayer and a loving
   recollection in the Divine Presence. When thou seest thy self more
   sharply assaulted, retreat into that region of Peace, where thou'lt
   find the Fortress. When thou are more faint-hearted, betake thy self to
   this refuge of Prayer, the only Armor for overcoming the enemy, and
   mitigating tribulation: thou ought not to be at a distance from it in a
   Storm, to the end thou mayest, as another Noah, experience tranquility,
   security and serenity, and to the end thy will may be resigned, devote,
   peaceful and courageous.

   5. Finally, be not afflicted nor discouraged to see thy self
   faint-hearted, he returns to quiet thee, that still he may stir thee,
   because this Divine Lord will be alone with thee, to rest in thy Soul,
   and form therein a rich Throne of Peace; that within thine own heart,
   by means of internal recollection, and with his heavenly Grace, thou
   may look for silence in tumult, solitude in company, light in darkness,
   forgetfulness in pressures, vigour in despondency, courage in fear,
   resistance in temptation, peace in war, and quiet in tribulation.


     __________________________________________________________________

CHAP. II


   Though the Soul perceive it self deprived of Discourse, or
   Ratiocination, yet it ought to presevere in Prayer, and not be
   afflicted, because that is its greater Felicity.


   6. Thoul't find thy self, as all other Souls that are called by the
   Lord to the inward way, full of confusion and doubts, because in Prayer
   thou hast failed in Discourse: It will seem to thee that God does no
   more assist thee as formerly, that the exercise of Prayer is not in thy
   power; that thou losest time, whilst hardly and with great trouble thou
   canst make one single Ejaculation as thou wast wont to do.

   7. How much confusion, and what perplexities will that want of
   enlarging thy self in mental Discourse raise in thee? And if in such a
   juncture thou hast not a ghostly Father, expert in the Mystical Way,
   thoul't certainly conclude that thy Soul is out of order, and that for
   the security of thy Conscience, thou standest in need of a general
   confession; and all that will be got by that care, will be the shame
   and confusion of both. O how many Souls are called to the inward way,
   and the spiritual Fathers for want of Understanding their case, instead
   of guiding and helping them forwards, stop them in their Course, and
   ruin them.

   8. Thou ought then to be perswaded, that thou may not draw back, when
   thou wantest expansion and discourse in Prayer; that it is thy greatest
   happiness, because it is a clear sign, that the Lord will have thee to
   walk by Faith and Silence in his Divine Presence, which is the most
   profitable and easiest Path; in respect, that with a simple view, or
   amorous attention to God, the Soul appears like a humble Supplicant
   before its Lord, or as an innocent Child, that casts it self into the
   sweet and safe Bosom of its dear Mother. Thus did Gerson express it,
   Though I have spent Fourty Years in Reading and Prayer, yet I could
   never find any thing more efficacious, nor compendious, for attaining
   to Mystical Theology, than that our Spirit should become like a young
   Child and Beggar in the presence of God.

   9. That kind of Prayer is not only the easiest, but the most secure;
   because it is abstracted from the operations of the Imagination, that
   is always exposed to the Tricks of the Devil, and the extravagancies of
   Melancholy, and Ratiocination, wherein the Soul is easily Distracted,
   and being wrapt up in speculation, reflects on it self.

   10. When God had a mind to instruct his own Captain Moses, and give him
   the two Tablets of the Law (Exod. 24.), written in Stone, he called him
   up to the Mountain, at what time God being there with him, the Mount
   was Darkened and environed with thick Clouds, Moses standing idle, not
   knowing what to think or say. Seven days after God commanded Moses, to
   come up to the top of the Mountain, where he show'd him his Glory, and
   filled him with great Consolation.

   11. So in the Beginning, when God intends after an extraordinary
   manner, to guide the Soul into the School of the divine and loving
   Notices of the internal Law, he makes it go with Darkness, and Dryness,
   that he may bring it near to himself, because the Divine Majesty knows
   very well, that it is not by the means of ones one Ratiocination, or
   Industry, that a Soul draws near to him, and understands the Divine
   Documents; but rather by silent and humble Resignation.

   12. The Patriarch Noah gave a great instance of this; who after he had
   been by all men reckoned a Fool, floating in the middle of a raging
   Sea, wherewith the whole World was overflowed, without Sails and Oars;
   and environed with wild Beasts, that were shut up in the Ark, walked by
   Faith alone, not knowing nor understanding what God had a mind to do
   with him.

   13. What most concerns thee, O redeemed Soul, is Patience, not to
   desist from the Prayer thou art about, though thou can'st not enlarge
   in Discourse. Walk with firm Faith, and a holy Silence, dying in thy
   self, with all thy natural Industry, trusting that God who is he who
   is, and changes not; neither can err, intends nothing by thy good. It
   is clear that he who is at dying, must needs feel it, but how well is
   time employed, when the Soul is dead, dumb, and resigned in the
   presence of God, there without any clutter or distraction, to receive
   the Divine Influences.

   14. The Senses are not capable of divine Blessings; hence if thou would
   be Happy and Wise; be Silent and Believe; Suffer and have Patience; be
   Confident and Walk on; it concerns thee far more to hold thy Peace, and
   to let thy self be guided by the hand of God, than to enjoy all the
   Goods of this World. And though it seem to thee, that thou does nothing
   at all, and art idle being so Dumb and Resigned; yet it is of infinite
   fruit.

   15. Consider the blinded Beast that turns the Wheel of the Mill, which
   though it see not, neither know what it does, yet does a great Work in
   grinding the Corn, and although it taste not of it; yet its Master
   receives the fruit, and tastes of the same. Who would not think, during
   so long a time that the Seed lies in the Earth, but that it were lost?
   Yet afterwards it is seen to spring up, grow and multiply. God does the
   same with the Soul, when he deprives it of Consideration and
   Ratiocination: Whil'st it thinks it does nothing, and is, in a manner
   undone, in time it comes to itself again, improved, disengaged, and
   perfect, having never hoped for so much favour.

   16. Take care then that thou afflict not thy self, nor draw back,
   though thou can'st not enlarge thy self, and discourse in Prayer;
   suffer, hold thy peace, and appear in the presence of God; persevere
   constantly, and trust to his infinite Bounty, who can give unto thee
   constant Faith, true light, and divine Grace. Walk as if thou were
   blindfolded, without thinking or reasoning; put thy self into his kind
   and paternal hands, resolving to do nothing but what his divine Will
   and Pleasure is.

     __________________________________________________________________

CHAP. III


   A Sequel of the same Matter.


   17. It is the common opinion of all the holy Men who have treated of
   the Spirit, and of all the Mystical Matters: That the Soul cannot
   attain to perfection and an union with God, by means of Meditation, and
   Ratiocination: Because that is only good for beginning the spiritual
   Way, to the end one may acquire a habit of Knowledg, of the beauty of
   Vertue, and ugliness of Vice: which habit in the opinion of Saint
   Teresa, may be attained to in Six Months time and according to S.
   Bonaventure (In prolp. de Mist. Theol. page 655) in two.

   18. O how are, in a manner infinite numbers of Souls to be pitied, who
   from the beginning of their Life to the end, employ themselves in meer
   Meditation, constraining themselves to Reason, although God Almighty
   deprive them of Ratiocination, that he may promote them to another
   State, and carry them on a more perfect kind of Prayer, and so for many
   years they continue imperfect, and in the beginning, without any
   progress or having as yet made one step in the way of the Spirit;
   beating their Brains about the frame of the Place, the choice of the
   Minutes, Imaginations, and strained Reasonings, seeking God without,
   when in the mean time, they have him within themselves.

   19. St. Austin (Soliloq. C. 31) complained of that, in the time when
   God led him to the Mystical Way, saying to his Divine Majestie, I,
   Lord, went wandering like a strayed Sheep, seeking thee with anxious
   Reasoning without, whil'st thou wast within me, I wearied my self much
   in looking for thee without and yet thou hast thy habitation within me;
   If I long and breathe after thee, I went round the Streets and Places
   of the City of this World, seeking thee and found thee not; because, in
   vain I sought without for him, what was within my self.

   20. The Angelical Doctor St. Thomas, for all he was so circumspect in
   his Writings, may seem yet to jeer those, who go always in search of
   God, without by means of Ratiocination, when they have him present
   within themselves. There is great Blindness, and excessive Folly in
   some, (says the Saint - Ocuse. 6. C. 3. infin.) who always seek God,
   continually sigh after God, often long for God, invocate and call upon
   God daily in Prayer; they themselves (according to the Apostle) being
   the living Temple of God, and his true Habitation, since their Soul is
   the Seat and Throne of God, where he continually rests. Who then, but a
   Fool, will look for an Instrument abroad, when he knows he has it fast
   shut up within Doors? Or who can refresh himself with the Food he
   desires, and yet not taste it? Such exactly is the Live of some just
   men, always seeking, and never enjoying, and therefore all their Works
   are imperfect.

   21. It is certain, that Our Lord Christ taught Perfection to all, and
   ever will have all to be Perfect, particularly the Ignorant and Simple.
   He clearly manifested this Truth, when for his Apostles, he chose the
   Smallest and most Ignorant, saying (Matth. II.) to his Eternal Father,
   I thank thee, O Father, Lord of Heaven and Earth, because thou hast hid
   these things from the Wise and Prudent, and hast revealed them unto
   Babes. And it is certain, that these cannot acquire Perfection, by
   acute Meditations, and subtle Reasonings, though they be as capable as
   the most Learned, to attain to Perfection, by the affections of the
   Will, wherein principally it consists.

   22. St. Bonaventure, teaches us not to form Conceptions of any thing,
   no not of God, because it is Imperfection to make Representations,
   Images, and Ideas, how subtle or ingenious soever, either of the Will,
   or of the Goodness, Trinity, and Unity; nay, of the Divine Presence it
   self: In respect that, though all these Representations appear Deiform,
   yet are they not God, who admits of no Image, nor Form. Non ibi (says
   the Saint - Mist. Theol. p.2., Vn. p. 685.) oportet cogitare res de
   creaturis nec de, Angelis, nec de Trinitate, quia hæc sapientia per
   affectus desideriorum, non per meditationem, præviam debet consurgere.
   We must not here think any thing of Creature, of Angles, nor of God
   himself, because that Wisdom and Perfection, is not acquired by nice
   and quaint Meditation, but by the desire and affection of the Will.

   23. The holy man cannot speak more clearly; and thou would'st disquiet
   they self, and leave off Prayer, because thou know'st not, or can'st
   not tell how to enlarge therein, though thou may'st have a good Will,
   good Desire, and pure Intention? If the young Ravens forsaken of the
   old, because seeing them without Black Feathers, they think them
   Spurious, are by the Dew of Heaven fed that they may not perish; what
   will he do to redeem Souls, though they cannot speak nor reason, if
   they believe, trust, and open their Mouths to Heaven, declaring their
   wants: It is not more certain that the Divine Bounty will provide for
   them, and give them their necessary Food?

   24. Manifest it is, that it is a great Martyrdom, and no small Gift of
   God, for the Soul, finding it self deprived of the sensible Pleasures
   it had, to walk by holy Faith only, through the dark, and desart Paths
   of Perfection, to which, notwithstanding, it can never attain but by
   this painful, though secure means. Wherefore endeavour to be constant,
   and not draw back, though Discourse be wanting to thee in Prayer,
   believe at that time firmly, be quietly silent, and patiently persevere
   if thou wouldest be happy, and attain to the Divine Union, eminent
   rest, and to the Supream Internal Peace.


     __________________________________________________________________

CHAP. IV.


   The Soul is not to afflict it self, nor intermit Prayer, because it
   sees it self encompassed with dryness.


   25. Thou shalt know that there are two sorts of Prayer, the one tender,
   delightful, amicable, and full of sentiments; the other obscure, dry,
   desolate, tempted, and darksome. The first is of Beginners, the second
   of Proficients, who are in the progress to Perfection. God gives the
   first to gain Souls, the second to purifie them. With the first he uses
   them like Children; with the second he begins to deal with them as with
   strong men.

   26. This first Way may be called the Animal Life, and belongs to them
   who go in the tract of the sensible Devotion, which God uses to give to
   Beginners, to the end that being endowed with that small relish, as the
   natural man is with the sensible Object, they may addict themselves to
   the spiritual Life. The second is called the Life of men, and belongs
   to those, who not minding sensible Pleasures, fight and war against
   their own Passions, that they may conquer and obtain Perfection, the
   proper employment of men.

   27. Assure thy self, that dryness or aridity is the Instrument of thy
   Good, because it is nothing else but a want of sensibility, that
   Remora, which puts a stop to the flight of almost all Spiritual Men,
   and makes them even draw back, and leave off Prayer: as may be seen in
   many Souls, which only persevere whil'st they taste sensible
   Consolation.

   28. Know that the Lord makes use of the Veil of Dryness, to the end we
   may not know what he is working in us, and so be humble; because if we
   felt and knew what he is working in our Souls, satisfaction and
   presumption would get in, imagining that we were doing some good thing,
   and reckoning our selves very near to God; which would be our undoing.

   29. Lay this down as a firm ground in thine Heart, that for walking in
   the inward Way, all sensibilitie should first be removed; and that the
   means God uses for that is driness. By that also he takes away
   reflection, or that view, whereby the Soul Eyes what it is doing, the
   only impediment that obstructs the advancing forward, and God
   communicating himself, and operating in it.

   30. Thou oughtest not then to afflict thy self, nor think that thou
   reapest no fruit, because in coming from a Communion or Prayer, thou
   hast not the experience of many sentiments, since that is a manifest
   Cheat. The Husbandman Sows in one time and Reaps in another: So God,
   upon occasions, and in his own due time, will help them to resist
   Temptations, and when least thou thinkest, will give thee holy
   purposes, and more effectual desires of serving him. And to the end ,
   thou mayest not suffer thy self to be transported, by the violent
   suggestion of the Enemy, who will enviously perswade thee, that thou
   do'st nothing, and that thou losest time, that so thou mayest neglect
   Prayer: I'll declare to thee some of the infinite fruits, that thy Soul
   reaps from that great dryness.

   31. The first is to persevere in Prayer, from which fruit springs many
   other advantages.

   II. Thou'lt find a loathing of the things of the World, which by little
   and little tends to the stifling of the bad desires of thy past Life,
   and the production of other new ones of serving God.

   III. Thou'lt reflect upon many failings on which formerly thou didst
   not reflect.

   IV. Thou'lt find, when thou are about to commit any evil, an advertency
   in thy Heart, which restrains thee from the execution of it, and at
   other times from Speaking. Lamenting, or Revenging thy self; that'll
   take thee off from some little earthy Pleasure, or from this or t'other
   Occasion, or Conversation, into which formerly thou was running in
   great Peace and Security, without the least Check or Remorse of
   Conscience.

   V. After that through frailty, thou hast fallen in to some light fault,
   thou'lt feel a Reproof for it in thy Soul, which will exceeding afflict
   thee.

   VI. Thou'lt feel within thy self, desires of suffering, and of doing
   the will of God.

   VII. An inclination to Virtue, and greater ease in overcoming thy self,
   and conquering the difficulties of the Passions, and Enemies that
   hinder thee in the way.

   VIII. Thoul't know thy self better, and be confounded also in thy self,
   feel in thee a high esteem of God above all created Beings, a contempt
   of Creatures, and a firm Resolution not to abandon Prayer, though thou
   knowest that it will prove to thee a most cruel Martyrdom.

   IX. Thoul't be sensible of greater Peace in thy Soul, love to Humility,
   confidence in God, submission, and abstraction from all Creatures; and
   finally the Sins thou hast omitted since the time that thou exercised
   thy self in Prayer, are so many signs, that the Lord is working in thy
   Soul, (though thou knowest it not) by means of dry Prayer; and although
   thou feelest it not whilst thou art in prayer, thou'lt feel it in his
   due time, when he shall think it fit.

   32. All these and many other fruits are like new Buds that spring from
   the Prayer, which thou would'st give over, because it seems to thee to
   be dry, that thou seest no Fruit of it, nor reapest no advantage
   therefrom. Be constant and persevere with Patience, for though thou
   knowest it not, thy Soul is profited thereby.


     __________________________________________________________________

CHAP. V.


   Treating of the same thing, declaring how many ways of Devotion there
   are, and how the sensible Devotion is to be disposed; and that the Soul
   is not idle, though it reason not.


   33. There are to be found two sorts of Devotion, the one essential and
   true; the other accidental and sensible. The essential, is a
   promptitude of mind to do well, (1) (S.Thom.2.2.q.82.art.I.) fulfil the
   commands of God, and to perform all things belonging to his service,
   though, through humane frailty, all be not actually done as is desired.
   (2) (Suar.t.2.de.Pel.l.2.c.6.n.16&18.) This is true Devotion, though it
   be not accompanied with pleasure, sweetness, delight, nor tears, but
   rather it is usually attended with temptation, dryness, and darkness.

   34. Accidental and sensible Devotion is, (3) (St.Bern.Ser.I.de
   Nat.Dom.Suarez in Molin de Oration. c.6.) when good desires are
   attended with a pleasant softness of heart, tenderness of tears, or
   other sensible affections. This is not to be sought after, nay, it is
   rather more secure to wean the will from it, and to set light by it;
   because besides that it is usually dangerous, it is a great obstacle to
   progress, and the advancement in the internal way. And therefore we
   ought only to embrace the true and essential Devotion, which is always
   in our power to come by, seeing every one doing his duty may with the
   assistance of the Divine Grace acquire it. And this may be had with
   God, with Christ, with the Mysteries, with the Virgin, and with the
   Saints.

   35. Some think that when Devotion and sensible Pleasure are given them,
   they are Favours of God, that thence forward they have him, and that
   the whole life is to be spent in breathing after that delight; but it
   is a cheat, because it is no more, but a consolation of nature, and a
   pure reflexion, wherewith the Soul beholds what it does, and hinders
   the doing, or possibility of doing any thing, the acquisition of the
   true light, and the making of one step in the way of perfection. The
   Soul is a pure Spirit and is not felt; and so the internal acts, and of
   the will, as being the acts of the Soul and spiritual, are not
   sensible: Hence the Soul knows not if it liveth, nor, for most part, is
   sensible if it acteth.

   36. From this thou mayest infer, that that Devotion and sensible
   Pleasure, is not God, not Spirit, but the product of Nature; that
   therefore thou oughtest to set light by, and despise it, but firmly to
   persevere in Prayer, leaving thy self to the conduct of God, who will
   be to thee light in aridity and darkness.

   37. Think not that when thou art dry and darksom in the presence of
   God, with faith and silence, that thou do'st nothing, that thou losest
   time, and that thou are idle, because not to wait on God, according to
   the saying of St. Bernard (Tom.5.in Fract. de vit. solit.c.8.p. 90.),
   is the greatest idleness: Otiosum non est vacare Deo; inimo negotiorum
   omnium hoc est; And elsewhere he sayeth, that that idleness of the Soul
   is the business of the businesses of God. Hoc negotium magnum est
   negotium.

   38. It is not to be said, that the Soul is idle; because though it
   operate not Actively, yet the Holy Ghost operates in it. Besides, that
   it is not without all activity, because it operates, though
   spiritually, simply, and intimately. For to be attentive to God, draw
   near to him, to follow his internal inspirations, receive his divine
   influences, adore him in his own intimate center, reverence him with
   the pious affections of the will, to cast away so many and so
   fantastical imaginations, and with softness and contempt to overcome so
   many temptations: all these, I say, are true acts though simple, wholly
   spiritual, & in a manner imperceptible, through the great tranquility,
   wherewith the Soul exerts them.


     __________________________________________________________________

CHAP. VI.


   The Soul is not to be disquieted, that is sees it self encompassed with
   darkness, because that is an instrument of its greater felicity.


   39. There are two sorts of darkness : some unhappy, and others happy :
   the first are such as arise from sin, and are unhappy, because they
   lead the Christian to an eternal precipice. The second are those which
   the Lord suffers to be in the Soul, to ground and settle it in vertue;
   and these are happy, because they enlighten it, fortifie it, and cause
   greater light therein, so that thou oughtest not to grieve and disturb
   thy self, nor be disconsolate in seeing thy self obscure and darksom,
   judging that God hath failed thee, and the light also that thou
   formerly had the experience of; thou oughtest rather at that time
   persevere constantly in Prayer, it being a manifest sign, that God of
   his infinite mercy intends to bring thee into the inward path, and
   happy way of Paradise. O how happy wilt thou be, if thou embrace it
   with peace and resignation, as the instrument of perfect quiet, true
   light, & of all thy spiritual good.

   40. Know then that the streightest, most perfect and secure way of
   proficients, is the way of darkness: because in them the Lord placed
   his own Throne; And (Psalm 18.) He made darkness his secret place. By
   them the supernatural light which God infuses into the Soul, grow and
   increases. Amidst them wisdom and strong love are begotten, by darkness
   the soul is annihilated, and the species, which hinder the right view
   of the divine truth, are consumed. By this means God introduces the
   Soul by the inward way into the Prayer of Rest, and of perfect
   contemplation, which so few have the experience of. Finally; by
   darkness the Lord purgest the senses and sensibility, which hinder the
   mystical progress.

   41. See now if darkness be not to be esteemed and embraced. What thou
   oughtest to do amidst them, is to believe, that thou art before the
   Lord, and in his Presence; but thou oughtest to do so, with a sweet and
   quiet attention; not desire to know any thing, nor search after
   delicacies, tenderness or sensible devotions, nor do any thing but what
   is the good will and pleasure of God; Because otherwise thou wilt only
   make circles, all thy life time, and not advance one step toward
   perfection.


     __________________________________________________________________

CHAP. VII.


   To the end the Soul may attain to the supreme internal peace, it is
   necessary, that God purge it after his way, because the exercises and
   mortifications that of it self it sets about, are not sufficient.


   42. So soon as thou shalt firmly resolve to mortifie thy external
   senses, that thou may'st advance towards the high mountain of
   perfection, and union with God; His divine Majesty will set his hand to
   the purging of thy evil inclinations, inordinate desires, vain
   complacency, self-love and pride, and other hidden vices, which thou
   knowest not, and yet reign in the inner parts of thy Soul, and hinder
   the divine union.

   43. Thou'lt never attain to this happy state, though thou tire thy self
   out with the external acts of mortifications and resignation, until
   this Lord purge thee inwardly, and discipline thee, after his own way,
   because he alone knows how secret faults are to be purged out. If thou
   persevere constantly, he'll not only purge thee from affections and
   engagements to natural and temporal goods, but in his own time also he
   will purifie thee with the supernatural and sublime, such as are
   internal communications; inward raptures and extasies, and other
   infused graces, on which the Soul rests and enjoys it self.

   44. God will do all this in thy Soul by means of the cross, and
   dryness, if thou freely giveth thy consent to it by resignation, and
   walking through those darksom and desart ways. All thou hast to do, is
   to do nothing by thy own choice alone. The subjection of thy liberty,
   is that which thou oughtest to do, quietly resigning thy self up in
   every thing whereby the Lord shall think fit internally and externally
   to mortifie thee: because that is the only means, by which thy Soul can
   become capable of the divine influences, whil'st thou sufferest
   internal and external tribulation, with humility, patience, and quiet;
   not the penances, disciplines and mortifications, which thou couldest
   impose upon thy self.

   45. The husbandman sets a greater esteem upon the plants which he sows
   in the ground, than those that spring up of themselves, because these
   never come to seasonable maturity. In the same manner God esteems and
   is better pleased with the vertue, which he sows and infuses into the
   Soul (as being sunk into its own nothingness, calm and quiet, retreated
   within its own center, and without any election) than all the other
   vertues which the Soul pretends to acquire by its own election and
   endeavours.

   46. It concerns thee only then, to prepare thine heart, like clean
   paper, wherein the divine wisdom may imprint characters to his own
   liking. O how great a work will it be for thy Soul to be whole hours
   together in Prayer, dumb, resigned, and humble, without acting,
   knowing, or desiring to understand any thing.


     __________________________________________________________________

CHAP. VIII.


   A Sequel of the same.


   47. With new efforts thoul't exercise thy self, but in another manner
   than hitherto, giving thy consent to receive the secret and divine
   operations, and to be polished, and purified by this Lord, which is the
   only means whereby thou will become clean & purged from thine ignorance
   and dissolutions. Know, however, that thou art to be plunged in a
   bitter sea of sorrows, and of internal and external pains, which
   torment will pierce into the most inward part of thy Soul and Body.

   48. Thoul't experience, that the creatures will forsake thee, nay,
   those too from which thou hoped'st for most favour and compassion in
   thy streights; the brooks of thy faculties will be so dried up, that
   thou shalt' not be able to form any ratiocination, nay, nor so much as
   to conceive a good thought of God. Heaven will seem to thee to be of
   brass, and thou shalt receive no light from it. Nor will the thought
   comfort thee, that in times past so much light and devote consolation
   have rained into thy Soul.

   49. The invisible enemies will pursue thee with scruples, lascivious
   suggestions, and unclean thoughts, with incentives to impatience,
   pride, rage, cursing and blaspheming the Name of God, his Sacraments,
   and holy Mysteries. Thou'lt find a great lukewarmness, loathing, and
   wearisomness for the things of God; and obscurity and darkness in thy
   understanding; a faintness, Confusion and narrowness of heart; such a
   coldness and feebleness of the will to resist, that a straw will appear
   to thee a beam. Thy desertion will be so great, that thou'lt think
   there is no more a God for thee, and that thou are rendered incapable
   of entertaining a good desire: so that thou'lt continue shut up betwixt
   two walls, in constant streights and anguish, without any hopes of ever
   getting out of so dreadful an oppression.

   50. But fear not: all this is necessary for purging thy Soul, and
   making it know its own misery, and sensibly perceive the annihilation
   of all the passions, and disordinate appetites, wherewith it rejoyced
   it self. Finally, to the end the Lord may refine and purifie thee after
   his own manner with those inward torments, wilt thou not cast the Jonas
   of sense into the sea, that thereby thou mayest procure it? With all
   thy outward disciplines and mortifications, thou'lt never have true
   light, nor make one step towards perfection: so that thou wilt stop in
   the beginning, and thy Soul will not attain to the amiable rest, and
   supream internal peace.


     __________________________________________________________________

CHAP. IX.


   The Soul ought not to be disquieted, nor draw back in the spiritual
   way, because it finds it self assaulted by temptations.


   51. Our own nature is so base, proud and ambitious, and so full of its
   own appetites, its own judgements and opinions, that if temptations
   restrained it not, it would be undone without remedy. The Lord then
   seeing our Misery and perverse inclination, and thereby moved to
   compassion, suffers us to be assaulted by divers thoughts against the
   Faith, horrible temptations, and by violent and painful suggestions of
   impatience, pride, gluttony, luxury, rage, blasphemy, cursing, despair,
   and an infinite number of others, to the end we may know our selves and
   be humble. With these horrible temptations, that infinite goodness
   humbles our pride, giving us in them the most wholesome medicine.

   52. All our righteousness (as Isaiah saith) are as filthy rags, (Chap.
   64. 6.) through the stains of vanity, conceitedness, and self-love. It
   is necessary they be purified with the fire of tribulation and
   temptation, that so they may be clean, pure, perfect and agreeable to
   the eyes of God.

   53. Therefore the Lord purifies the Soul which he calls, and will have
   for himself, with the rough file of temptation, with which he polishes
   it from the rust of pride, avarice, vanity, ambition, presumption, and
   self-conceitedness. With the same, he humbles, pacifies and exercises
   it, making it to know its own misery. By means thereof he purifies and
   strips the heart to the end all its operations may be pure, and
   inestimable value.

   54. Many Souls when they suffer these painful torments, are troubled,
   afflicted, and disquieted, it seeming to them, that they begin already
   in this life to suffer eternal punishments; and if by misfortune they
   go to an unexperienced Confessor, instead of comforting them, he leaves
   them in greater confusion and perplexities.

   55. That thou mayest not lose internal peace, it is necessary thou
   believe, that it is the goodness of divine mercy, when thus it humbles,
   afflicts and trys thee; since by that means thy Soul comes to have a
   deep knowledge of itself, reckoning it self the worst, most impious and
   abominable of all Souls living, and hence with humility and lowliness
   it abhors it self. O how happy would Souls be, if they would be quiet
   and believe, that all these temptations are caused by the Devil, and
   received from the hand of God, for their gain and spiritual profit.

   56. But thou'lt say, that it is not the work of the Devil, when he
   molests thee by means of creatures, but the effect of thy neighbours
   fault and malice, in having wronged and injured thee. Know that that is
   another cunning and hidden temptation, because though God wills not the
   sin of another, yet he wills his own effect in thee, and the trouble
   which accrues to thee from another's fault, that he may see thee
   emproved by the benefit of patience.

   57. Doest thou receive an injury from any man? there are two things in
   it, the sin of him that does it, and the punishment that thou
   sufferest; the sin is against the will of God, and displeases him,
   though he permit it; the punishment is conform to his will, and he
   wills it for thy good, wherefore thou oughtest to receive it, as from
   his hand. The Passion and Death of our Lord Christ, were the effects of
   the wickedness and sins of Pilate, and yet it is certain, that God
   willed the death of his own Son for our redemption.

   58. Consider how the Lord makes use of another's fault for the good of
   thy Soul. O the greatness of the Divine Wisdom, who can pry into the
   depth of the secret and extraordinary means, and the hidden paths
   whereby he guides the Soul, which he would have purged, transformed and
   deified.


     __________________________________________________________________

CHAP. X.


   Wherein the same Point is handled.


   59. That the Soul may be the habitation of the celestial King, it is
   necessary, that it should be pure and without any blemish; wherefore
   the Lord purifies it as gold in the furnace of terrible and grievous
   temptations. Certain it is, that the Soul never loves, nor believes
   more, than when it is afflicted and baited with such temptations;
   because those doubtings and fears that beset it, whether it believe or
   not; whether it consent or not, are nothing else but the quaintnesses
   of love.

   60. The effects that remain in the Soul make this very clear; and
   commonly these are a loathing of it self with a most profound
   acknowledgment of the greatness and omnipotence of God, a great
   confidence in the Lord, that he will deliver it from all risk and
   danger; believing and confessing with far greater vigour of faith, that
   it is God who gives it strength to bear the torments of these
   temptations, because it would naturally be impossible, considering the
   force and violence wherewith sometimes they attack, to resist one
   quarter of an hour.

   61. Thou art to know then, that temptation is thy great happiness, so
   that the more it besets thee, the more thou oughtest to rejoyce in
   Peace, instead of being sad, and thank God for the favour he does thee.
   In all these temptations, and odious thoughts, the remedy that is to
   work, is to despise them with a stayed neglect, because nothing more
   afflicts the proud Devil, than to see that he is slighted and despised,
   as are all things else that he suggests to us. And therefore thou art
   to tarry with him, as one that perceives him not, and to possess thy
   self in thy peace without repining, and without multiplying Reasons and
   Answers; seeing nothing is more dangerous, than to vie in reasons with
   him who is ready to deceive thee.

   62. The Saints in arriving at holiness, passed through this doleful
   valley of temptation, and the greater Saints they were the greater
   temptations they grapled with. Nay after the Saints have attained to
   holiness and perfection; the Lord suffers them to be tempted with brisk
   temptations, that their Crown may be the greater, and that the spirit
   of Vain-glory may be checked, or else hindred from entring in them,
   keeping them in that manner secure, humble, and sollicitous of their
   condition.

   63. Finally thou art to know, that the greatest Temptation is to be
   without Temptation; wherefore thou oughtest to be glad when it assaults
   thee, and with Resignation, Peace and Constancy resist it: Because if
   thou wilt serve God, and arrive at the sublime Region of Internal
   Peace; thou must pass through that rugged Path of Temptation; put on
   that heavy Armor; fight in that fierce and cruel War, and in that
   burning Furnace, polish, purge, renew, and purifie thy self.


     __________________________________________________________________

CHAP. XI.


   Declaring the Nature of internal Recollection, and instructing the Soul
   how it ought to behave it self therein, and in the Spiritual Welfare,
   whereby the Devil endeavours to disturb it at that time.


   64. Internal Recollection is Faith, and Silence in the Presence of God.
   Hence thou oughtest to be accustomed to recollect thy self in his
   Presence, with an affectionate attention, as one that is given up to
   God, and united unto him, with Reverence, Humility and Submission,
   beholding him in the most inward recess of thine own Soul, without
   Form, Likeness, Manner, or Figure; in the view and general nature of a
   loving and obscure Faith, without any distinction of Perfection or
   Attribute.

   65. There thou art to be with attention, and a sincere regard, with a
   sedate heedfulness, and full of Love towards the same Lord, resigning
   and delivering thy self up into his hands, to the end he may dispose of
   thee, according to his good Will and Pleasure; without reflecting on
   thy self; nay, nor on Perfection it self. Here thou art to shut up the
   Senses, trusting God with all the care of thy Welfare, and minding
   nothing of the affairs this Life. Finally, thy Faith ought to be pure,
   without Representations or Likeness: Simple without Reasonings, and
   Universal without Distinctions.

   66. The Prayer of Internal Recollection may be well typified by that
   Wrestling, which the holy Scripture says, the Patriarch Jacob had all
   Night with God, until Day broke, and he Blessed him. Wherefore the Soul
   is to persevere, and wrestle with the difficulties that it will find in
   internal Recollection, without desisting, until the Son of internal
   Light begin to appear, and the Lord give it his Blessing.

   67. No sooner wilt thou have given thy self up to thy Lord in this
   inward Way, but all Hell will conspire against thee, seeing one single
   Soul inwardly retired to its own Presence, makes greater War against
   the Enemy, than a thousand others that walk externally; because the
   Devil makes an infinite advantage of an internal Soul.

   68. In the time of the recollection, Peace and Resignation of thy Soul,
   God will more esteem the various impertinent, troublesome and ugly
   thoughts that thou hast, than the good purposes, and high sentiments.
   Know that the effort, which thou thy self mayest make to resist
   Thoughts, is an impediment, and will leave thy Soul in greater anxitie.
   The best thing that is to be done, is sweetly to dispise them, to know
   thine own wretchedness, and peacefully make an Offering to God of the
   Trouble.

   69. Though thou canst not get rid of the anguish of Thoughts, hast no
   Light, Comfort, nor spiritual Sentiment: Yet be not afflicted, neither
   leave off recollection, because they are the Snares of the Enemy:
   Resign thy self at the time with Vigour, endure with Patience, and
   persevere in his Presence; for whil'st thou perseverest after that
   manner, thy Soul will be internally emproved.

   70. Doest thou believe that when thou comest away from Prayer dry, in
   the same manner as thou began it; that that was because of want of
   Preparation, and that hath done thee no good: That is a Fallacy:
   Because the fruit of true Prayer consists not in enjoying the Light,
   nor in having Knowledge of spiritual things, since these may be found
   in a speculative Intellect, without true Virtue and Perfection; it only
   consists in enduring with Patience, and persevering in Faith and
   Silence, believing that thou art in the Lord's Presence, turning to him
   thy Heart with tranquillity, and purity of Mind. So whilst thou
   perseversest in this manner, thou'lt have the only Preparation and
   disposition which at that time is necessary, and shalt reap infinite
   fruit.

   71. War is very usual in this internal Recollection, which on the one
   hand will deprive thee of sensibility, to try, humble, and purge thee.
   On the other, invisible Enemies will assault thee with continual
   Suggestions, to trouble and disquiet thee. Nature her self, apparently,
   will torment thee, she being always an Enemy to the Spirit, which in
   depriving her of sensible Pleasures, remains Weak, Melancholy, and full
   of Irksomness, so that it feels a Hell in all Spiritual Exercises,
   particularly in that of Prayer, hence it grows extreamly impatient to
   be at an end of it, through the uneasiness of Thoughts, the lassitude
   of Body, importunate Sleep, and the not being able to curb the Senses,
   every one of which would for it own share, follow its own Pleasure.
   Happy art thou if thou canst persevere amidst this Martyrdom!

   74. That great Doctoress, and Mystical Mistress, Santa Teresa, confirms
   all this by her heavenly Doctrine, in the Letter she wrote to the
   Bishop of Osmia, to instruct him, how he was to behave himself in
   Prayer, and in the variety of troublesome thoughts, which attack us at
   that time, where she says (8. Of her Epistolary.): There is a necessity
   of suffering the trouble of a Troop of Thoughts, importune
   Imaginations, and the impetuosities of natural Notions, not only, of
   the Soul through the dryness and disunion it hath, but of the Body
   also, occasioned by the want of submission to the Spirit, which it
   ought to have.

   73. These are called drynesses in Spirituals, but are very profitable,
   if they be embraced and suffered with Patience. Who so shall accustom
   himself to suffer them without repining, will from that labour draw
   vast advantage. It is certain, that in recollection the Devil
   frequently charges the Soul more fiercely with a Battalion of Thoughts,
   to discomfit the quiet of the Soul, and alienate it from that most
   sweet and secure internal Conversation, raising horrours, to the end it
   may leave it off, reducing it most commonly to such a state, as if it
   were lead forth to a most rigorous Torment.

   74. The Birds, which are the Devils, knowing this (said the Saint in
   the above cited Letter) pricks and molest the Soul with Imaginations,
   troublesome Thoughts, and the Interruptions which the Devil at that
   time brings in, transporting the Thought, distracting it from one thing
   to another, and after he hath done with them attacking the Heart, and
   it is no small fruit of Prayer, patiently to suffer these Troubles and
   Importunities. That is an offering up of ones self, in a whole burnt
   Sacrifice, that's to say, to be wholly consumed in the Fire of
   Temptation, and no part spared. See, how this heavenly Mistress
   encourages to suffer and endure Thoughts and Temptations; because,
   provided they be not consented to, they double the profit.

   75. As many times as thou exercisest thy self, calmly to reject these
   vain Thoughts, so many Crowns will the Lord set upon thy Head, and
   though it may seem to thee that thou dost nothing, be undeceiv'd, for a
   good desire with firmness and stedfastness in Prayer, is very pleasing
   to the Lord.

   76. Wherefore to be there (concludes the Saint) without sensible
   profit, is not lost time; but of great gain, whil'st one toyls without
   Interest, and meerly for the glory of God; and though it may seem to be
   toyling in vain, yet it is not so, but it is as with Children, who toyl
   and labour under the power of their Father: though in the evening they
   receive not the wages for their day's work, yet at the year's end they
   enjoy all. In fine, you see how the Saint confirms our document with
   her precious Doctrine.


     __________________________________________________________________

CHAP. XII.


   A Sequel of the same Matter.


   77. God loves not him who does most, who hears most, nor who shows
   greatest affection, but who suffers most, if he pray with faith and
   reverence, believing that he is in the divine presence. The truth is to
   take from the Soul the prayer of the Senses, and of Nature, is a
   rigorous martyrdom to it, but the Lord rejoyces, and is glad in its
   peace, if it be thus quiet and resigned. Use not at that time vocal
   Prayer, because however it be good and holy in it self, yet to use it
   then, is a manifest temptation, whereby the enemy pretends, that God
   speaks not to thy heart, under pretext that thou had not sentiments,
   and that thou losest time.

   78. God hath no regard to the multitude of words, but to the purity of
   the intent. His greatest content and glory at that time, is to see the
   Soul in silence, desirous, humble, quiet, and resigned. Proceed,
   persevere, pray, and hold thy peace; for where thou findest not a
   sentiment, thou'lt find a door whereby thou mayest enter into thine own
   nothingness; knowing thy self to be nothing, that thou can'st do
   nothing, nay, and that thou hast not so much as a good thought.

   79. How many have begun this happy practice of Prayer, and Internal
   Recollection, and have left it off, pretending that they feel no
   pleasure, that they lose time, that their thoughts trouble them, and
   that that Prayer is not for them, whil'st they find not any sentiment
   of God, nor any ability to reason or discourse; whereas they might have
   believed, been silent, and had patience. All this is no more, but with
   ingratitude to hunt after sensible pleasures, suffering themselves to
   be transported with self-love, seeking themselves, and not God, because
   they cannot suffer a little pain and dryness, without reflecting on the
   infinite loss they sustain, whereas by the least act of reverence
   towards God, amidst dryness and sterility, they receive an eternal
   reward.

   80. The Lord told the venerable Mother Francesca Lopez of Valenza, and
   a religious of the third Order of St. Francis, three things of great
   light and consequence in order to internal recollection. In the first
   place, that a quarter of an hour of Prayer, with recollection of the
   senses and faculties, and with resignation and humility, does more good
   to the Soul than five days of penitential exercises, hair cloaths,
   disciplines, fastings, and sleeping on bare boards, because these are
   only mortifications of the body, and with recollection the Soul is
   purified.

   81. Secondly, That it is more pleasing to the Divine Majesty, to have
   the Soul in quiet and devote Prayer for the space of an hour, than to
   go in great Pilgrimages; because that in Prayer it does good to it
   self, and to those for whom it prays, gives delight to God, and merits
   a high degree of glory, but in pilgrimage, commonly, the Soul is
   distracted, and the Senses diverted, with a debilitation of vertue,
   besides many other dangers.

   82. Thirdly, That constant Prayer was to keep the Heart always right
   towards God, and that a Soul to be internal, ought rather to act with
   the affection of the Will, than the toyl of the Intellect. All this is
   to be read in her Life.

   83. The more the Soul rejoyces in sensible love, the less delight God
   has in it; on the contrary, the less the Soul rejoyces in this sensible
   love, the more God delights in it. And know that to fix the Will on
   God, restraining thoughts and temptations, with the greatest
   tranquillity possible, is the highest pitch of Praying.

   84. I'll conclude this Chapter by undeceiving thee of the vulgar errour
   of those who say, that in this internal Recollection, or Prayer of
   Rest, the faculties operate not, and that the Soul is idle and wholly
   unactive. This is a manifest fallacy of those who have little
   experience, because although it operate not by means of the memory, nor
   by the second operation of the Intellect, which is the judgment, nor by
   the third, which is discourse or ratiocination, yet it operates by the
   first and chief operation of the intellect, which is simple
   apprehension, enlightened by holy Faith, and aided by the divine gifts
   of the holy Spirit. And the Will is more apt to continue one act, than
   to multiply many; so that as well the act of the Intellect, as that of
   the Will are so simple, imperceptible, and spiritual, that hardly the
   Soul knows them, and far less reflects upon them.


     __________________________________________________________________

CHAP. XIII.


   What the Soul ought to do in Internal Recollection.


   85. Thou oughtest to go to Prayer, that thou mayest deliver thy self
   wholly up into the hands of God, with perfect resignation, exerting an
   act of Faith, believing that thou art in the divine Presence,
   afterwards setling in that holy repose, with quietness, silence and
   tranquility; and endeavouring for a whole day, a whole year, and thy
   whole life to continue that first act of Contemplation, by faith and
   love.

   86. It is not your businesses to multiply these acts, nor to repeat
   sensible affections, because they hinder the Purity of the spiritual
   and perfect act of the Will, whil'st besides that these sweet
   sentiments are imperfect, (considering the reflection wherewith they
   are made, the self-content, and external consolation wherewhith they
   are fought after, the Soul being drawn outwards to the external
   faculties) there is no necessity of renewing them, as the mystical
   Falcon hath excellently expressed it by the following similitude.

   87. If a Jewel given to a friend were once put into his hands, it is
   not necessary to repeat such a donation already made, by daily telling
   him, (Sir, I give you that Jewel, Sir, I give you that Jewel), but to
   let him keep it, and not take it from him, because provided he take it
   not, or design not to take it from him, he hath surely given it him.

   88. In the same manner, having once dedicated, and lovingly resign thy
   self to the will of God, there is nothing else for thee to do, but to
   continue the same, without repeating new and sensible acts, provided
   thou takest not back the Jewel thou hast once given, by committing some
   notable fault against his divine Will, tho thou oughtest still to
   exercise thy self outwardly in the external works of thy calling and
   state, for in so doing thou dost the Will of God, and walkest in
   continual and virtual oration: He always prays (said Theophylact) who
   does good works, nor does he neglect Prayer, but when he leaves off to
   be just.

   89. Thou oughtest then to slight all those sensibilities, to the end
   thy Soul may be established, and acquire a habit of internal
   recollection which is so effectual, that the resolution only of going
   to Prayer, awakens a lively presence of God, which is the preparation
   to the Prayer that is about to be made; or to say better, is no other
   than a more efficacious continuation of continual Prayer, wherein the
   contemplative person ought to be settled.

   90. O how well did the venerable Mother of Cantal, the spiritual
   daughter of St. Francis of Sales, practice this Lesson, in whole Life
   are the following words, written to her Master: Most dear Father, I
   cannot do any act, it seems to me always that this is the most firm and
   secure disposition: my spirit in the upper part, is in a most simple
   unity; it is not united, because when it would perform acts of union
   (which it often sets about) it finds difficulty, and clearly perceives
   that it cannot unite, but be united. The Soul would make use of this
   union, for the service of Mattins, the holy Mass, preparation for the
   Communion, and thanksgiving; and in a word, it would for all things be
   always in that most simple unity of spirit, without reflecting on any
   thing else. To all this the holy Father answered with approbation,
   perswading her to persist, and putting her in mind, that the repose of
   God is in peace.

   91. Another time she wrote to the same Saint these words: Endeavouring
   to do some more special acts of my simple intuition, total resignation
   and annihilation in God, his divine goodness rebuked me, and gave me to
   understand, that that proceeded only from the love of my self, and that
   thereby I offended my Soul.

   92. By this thou wilt be undeceived, and know what is the perfect and
   spiritual way of Praying, and be advised what is to be done in Internal
   recollection: Thou'lt know that to the end Love may be perfect and
   pure, it is expedient to retrench the multiplication of sensible and
   fervent Acts, the Soul continuing quiet and resting in that inward
   Silence. Because, tenderness, delight, and sweet sentiments, which the
   Soul experiences in the Will, are not pure Spirits, but Acts blended
   with the sensibility of Nature. Nor is it perfect Love, but sensible
   Pleasure, which distracts and hurts the Soul, as the Lord told the
   venerable Mother of Cantal.

   93. How happy and how well applied will thy Soul be, if retreating
   within it self, it there shrink into its own nothing, both in its
   Center and superiour Part, without minding what it does; whether it
   recollect or not, whether it walk well or ill; if it operate or not,
   without heeding, thinking, or minding any sensible thing? At that time
   the Intellect believes with a pure Act, and the Will loves with perfect
   love, without any kind of impediment, imitating that pure and continued
   Act of Intuition and Love, which the Saints say the Blessed in Heaven
   have, with no other difference, than that they see one another there
   Fact to Face, and the Soul here, through the Veil of an obscure Faith.

   94. O how few are the Souls, that attain to this perfect way of
   Praying, because they penetrate not enough into this internal
   recollection, and Mystical Silence, and because they strip not
   themselves of imperfect reflection, and sensible pleasure! O that thy
   Soul, without thoughtful advertency, even of it self, might give it
   self in Prey to that holy and spiritual Tranquility, and say with St.
   Austin (In his Confess. lib. 9. cap. 10.), Sileat anima mea, & transeat
   se, non se cogitando! Let it be silent and do nothing, forget it self,
   and plung into that obscure Faith: How secure and safe would it be,
   though it might seem to it that thus unactive and doing nothing it were
   undone.

   95. I'll sum up this doctrine with a Letter that the Illuminated Mother
   of Cantal wrote to a Sister, and great Servant of God: Divine Bounty
   (said she) granted me this way of Prayer, that with a single View of
   God, I felt my self wholly dedicated to him, absorpt and reposed in
   him; he still continued to me that Grace, though I opposed it by my
   Infidelity, giving way to fear, and thinking my self unprofitable in
   that state; for which cause, being willing to do something on my part,
   I quite spoil all; and to this present I find my self sometimes
   assaulted by the same Fear, though not in Prayer, but in other
   Exercises wherein I am always willing to employ my self a little,
   though I know very well, that in doing such acts, I come out of my
   Center, and see particularly that that simple View of God, is my only
   remedy and help still, in all troubles, temptations, and the events of
   this Life.

   96. And certainly, would I have followed my internal Impulse, I should
   have made use of no other means in any thing whatsoever, without
   exception; because when I think to fortifie my Soul with Arts,
   Reasonings and Resignations, then do I expose my self to new
   temptations and straights: Besides that, I cannot do it without great
   violence; which leaves me exhausted and dry, so that it behoves me
   speedily to return to this simple Resignation, knowing that God, in
   this manner, lets me see, that it is his Will and Pleasure, that a
   total stop should be put to the operations of my Soul, because he would
   have all things done by his own divine Activity; and happily he expects
   no more of me, but this only View in all spiritual Exercises, and in
   all the pains, temptations and afflictions that may befal me in this
   life. And the truth is, the quieter I keep my Spirit by this means, the
   better all things succeed with me; and my crosses and afflictions
   suddenly vanish. Many times hath my blessed Father St. Frances of
   Sales, assured me of this.

   97. Our late Mother Superiour, encouraged me firmly to persist in that
   way, and not to fear any thing in this simple View of God: She told me,
   That that was enough, and that the greater the nakedness, and quietness
   in God are, the greater sweetness and strength receiveth the Soul,
   which ought to endeavour to become so pure and simple, that it should
   have no other support, but in God alone.

   98. To this purpose I remember, that a few days since, God communicated
   to me an Illumination, which made such an impression upon me, as if I
   had clearly seen him; and this it is, That I should never look upon my
   self, but walk with eyes shut, leaning on my Beloved, without striving
   to see nor know the way, by which he guides me, neither fix my thoughts
   on any thing, nor yet beg Favours of him, but as undone in my self,
   rest wholly and sincerely on him. Hitherto that Illuminated and
   Mystical Mistress, whose Words do Credit and Authorize our Doctrine.


     __________________________________________________________________

CHAP. XIV.


   Declaring how the Soul putting it self in the Presence of God, with
   perfect Resignation, by the pure act of Faith, walks always in virtual
   and acquired contemplation.


   99. Thou wilt tell me (as many Souls have told me) that though by a
   perfect Resignation thou hast put thy self in the Presence of God, by
   means of pure Faith, as hath been already hinted, yet thou doest not
   merit nor emprove, because thy thoughts are so distracted, that thou
   canst not be fixed upon God.

   100. Be not disconsolate, for thou do'st not lose time, nor merit,
   neither desist thou from Prayer; because it is not necessary, that
   during the whole time of recollection, thou should'st actually think on
   God; it is enough that thou hast been attentive in the beginning;
   provided thou discontinue not thy purpose, nor revoke the actual
   attention which thou hadst. As he, who hears Mass, and says the Divine
   Office, performs his Duty very well, by vertue of that primary actual
   attention, though afterwards he persevere not, in keeping his thoughts
   actually fixed on God.

   101. This the Angelical Doctor St. Thomas confirms, in the following
   words (2.2.quæst.82.art. 13. ad I.): That first intention only and
   thinking of God when one Prays, has force and value enough to make the
   Prayer, during all the rest of the time it continues, to be true,
   impetratory and meritorious, though all that while there be no actual
   contemplation on God. See now if the Saint could speak more clearly to
   our purpose!

   102. So that (in the Judgement of that Saint) the Prayer still
   continues, though the Imagination may ramble upon infinite numbers of
   thoughts, provided one consent not to it, shift not Place, intermit not
   the Prayer, nor change the first Intention of being with God. And it is
   certain, that he changes it not, whil'st he does not leave his Place.
   Hence it follows in sound Doctrine, that one may persevere in Prayer,
   though the Imagination be carried about with various and unvoluntary
   thoughts. He prays in Spirit and Truth (says the Saint in the
   fore-cited place) whoever goest to Prayer with the Spirit and Intention
   of Praying, though afterwards through Misery and Frailty his Thoughts
   may straggle. Evagatio vero mentis quæ fit præter propositum, orationis
   fructum non tollit.

   103. But thou'lt say, at least, art thou not to remember when thou art
   in the presence of God, and often say to him, Lord abide within me; and
   I will give my self wholly up to thee? I answer that there is no
   necessity for that, seeing thou hast a design to Pray, and for that end
   went'st to that place. Faith and Intention are sufficient, and these
   always continue; nay, the more simple that remembrance be, without
   words, or thoughts, the more pure, spiritual, internal, and worthy of
   God it is.

   104. Would it not be impertinent and disrespectful, if being in the
   Presence of a King, thou should'st ever now and then say to him, Sir, I
   believe Your Majesty is here? It's the very same thing. By the eye of
   pure Faith the Soul sees God, believes in him, and is in his Presence,
   and so when the Soul believes, it has no need to say, My God thou art
   here; but to believe as it does believe, seeing when Prayer-time is
   come, Faith and Intention guide and conduct it to contemplate God by
   means of pure Faith, and perfect Resignation.

   105. So that, so long as thou retractest not that Faith, and Intention
   of being resigned, thou walkest always in Faith and Resignation, and
   consequently in Prayer, and in virtual and acquired Contemplation,
   although thou perceive it not, remember it not, neither exertest new
   Acts and Reflections thereon; after the example of a Christian, a Wife,
   and a Monk; who, though they exert us new Acts and Remembrances, the
   one as to his Profession, saying, I am a Monk, the other as to her
   Matrimony, saying I am a Wife, and the third as to his Baptism, saying,
   I am a Christian, they cease not for all that from being, the one
   Baptized, the other Married, and the third Professed. The Christian
   shall only be obliged to do good Works in Confirmation of his Faith;
   and to believe more with the Heart, than with the Mouth: The Wife ought
   to give demonstrations of the Fidelity which she promised to her
   Husband: And the Monk of the Obedience which he made profession of to
   his Superiour.

   106. In the same manner, the inward Soul being once resolved to
   Believe, that God is in it, and that it will not desire nor act any
   thing but through God, ought to rest satisfied in that Faith and
   intention, in all its Works and Exercises, without forming or repeating
   new Acts of the same Faith, nor of such a Resignation.


     __________________________________________________________________

CHAP. XV.


   A Sequel to the same matter.


   107. This true Doctrine serves not only for the time of Prayer, but
   also after it is over, by Night and by Day, at all Hours, and in all
   the daily Functions of thy Calling, thy duty and Condition. And if thou
   tell me, that many times thou forgettest during a whole day, to renew
   thy resignation, I answer, that though it seem to thee, that thou are
   diverted from it, by attending the daily occupations of thy Vocation,
   as Studying, Reading, Preaching, Eating, Drinking, doing Business, and
   the like; thou art mistaken; for the one destroys not the other, nor by
   so doing doest thou neglect to do the Will of God, nor to proceed in
   virtual Prayer, as St. Thomas says.

   108. Because these occupations are not contrary to his Will, nor
   contrary to thy Resignation, it being certain, that God would have thee
   to Eat, Study, take Pains, do Business, &c. So that to perform these
   Exercises, which are conform'd to his Will and Pleasure, thou departest
   not out of his Presence, nor from thine own Resignation.

   109. But if in Prayer, or out of it thou should'st willingly be
   diverted or distracted, suffering thy self deliberately to be
   transported into any Passion; then it will be good for thee to revert
   to God, and return into his Divine Presence, renewing the purest of
   Faith and Resignation. However it is not necessary to exert those Acts,
   when thou findest thy self in dryness, because dryness is good and
   holy, and cannot, how severe soever it be, take from thy Soul the
   Divine Presence, which is established in Faith. Thou oughtest never to
   call dryness distraction, because in beginners it is want of
   sensibility, and in proficient abstractedness, by means whereof, if
   thou bear it out with constancy, resting quiet in thine own emptiness,
   thy Soul will become more and more inward; and the Lord will work
   wonders in it.

   110. Strive then when thou comest from Prayer, to the end thou mayst
   return to it again, not to be distracted, nor diverted; but to carry
   thy self with a total resignation to the Divine Will, that God may do
   with thee and all thine, according to his heavenly pleasure, relying on
   him as on a kind and loving Father. Never recal that Intention, and
   though thou beest taken up about the Affairs of the Condition wherein
   God hath placed thee, yet thou'lt still be in Prayer in the Presence of
   God, and in perpetual Resignation. Therefore St. John Chrysostom said
   (Super, 5. ad Thessolon.), A just man leaves not off to Pray, unless he
   leaves off to be Just. He always prays, who always does well; the good
   desire is Prayer, and if the desire be continued, so is also the
   Prayer.

   111. Thou'lt understand all that has been said, by this clear Example,
   when a man begins a Journey to Rome, every step he makes in the
   Progress is voluntary, and nevertheless it is not necessary, that at
   every step he should express his desire, or exert a new act of the
   Will, saying, I am going to Rome, I go to Rome: Because, by vertue of
   that first intention he had of travelling to Rome, the same Will still
   remains in him; so that he goes on without saying so, though he does
   not without intending so; you'll clearly find, besides, that this
   Traveller, with one single and explicit of the Will and Intention,
   travel, speaks, hears, sees, reasons, eats, drinks, and does several
   other things, without any interruption to his first intention, not yet
   of his actual journying to Rome.

   112. It is just so in the contemplative Soul: A man having once made
   the resolution of doing the Will of God, and of being in his Presence,
   he still perseveres in that act, so long as he recals not the same,
   although he be taken up in hearing, speaking, eating, or in any other
   external good work or function of his Calling and Quality. St. Thomas
   Aquinas expresseth all this in few words (Contra Gentiles; l.3.c.I38.Vn
   2.), Non enim Oportet quod qui propter deum aliquod iter arripuit, in
   qualibet parte itineris de Deo cogitet actu.

   113. Thou'lt say, that all Christians walk in this Exercise, because
   all have Faith, and may although they be not internal fulfil this
   Doctrine especially such as go in the external Way of Meditation and
   Retiocination. It is true, all Christians have Faith, and more
   particularly they who Meditate and Consider: But the Faith of those who
   advance by the inward Way, is much different, because it is a lively
   Faith, universal and indistinct, and by consequent, more practical,
   active, effectual, and illuminated; insomuch as the Holy Ghost
   enlightens the Soul that is best disposed, most, and that Soul is
   always best disposed, which holds the Mind recollected; so
   proportionably to the Recollection the Holy Ghost Illuminates. And
   albeit is be true, that God communicates some light in Meditation, yet
   it is so scanty and different from that which he communicates to the
   Mind, recollected in a pure and universal Faith, that the one to the
   other, is no more than like two or three Drops of Water in respect of
   an Ocean: since in Meditation two or three particular Truths are
   communicated to the Soul; but in the internal Recollection, and the
   Exercise of pure and universal Faith, the Wisdom of God is an abundant
   Ocean which is communicated in that obscure, simple, general and
   universal Knowledge.

   114. In like manner Resignation is more perfect in these Souls, because
   it springs from the internal and infused Fortitude, which grows as the
   internal Exercise of pure Faith, with Silence and Resignation, is
   continued: In the manner that the Gifts of God's Spirit grow in
   contemplative Souls; for though these divine Gifts are to be found in
   all those that are in a State of Grace, nevertheless, they are, as it
   were, dead, without strength, and in a manner infinitely different from
   these which reign in contemplative Persons, by reason of their
   illustration, vivacity and efficacy.

   115. From all which, be perswaded, that the inward Soul, accustomed to
   go daily at certain hours to Prayer, with the Faith and Resignation I
   have mentioned to thee, walks continually in the Presence of God. All
   holy, expert and mystical Masters, teach this true and important
   Doctrine, because they have all had one and the same Master, who is the
   Holy Ghost.


     __________________________________________________________________

CHAP. XVI.


   A Way by which one may enter into internal Recollection, through the
   most Holy Humanity of Lord Christ.


   116. There are two sorts of Spiritual Men Diametrically contrary one to
   another: The one say, That the Mysteries of the Passion of Christ, are
   always to be considered and Meditated upon: The others running to the
   opposite extreme, teach, That the Meditation of the Mysteries of the
   Life, Passion, and Death of our Saviour, is not Prayer, nor yet a
   Remembrance of them; but the exalted Elevation to God, whose Divinity
   Contemplates the Soul in quiet and silence, ought only to be called
   Prayer.

   117. It is certain that our Lord Christ is the Guide, the Door, and the
   Way; as he himself hath said in his own Words (John 14.): I am the way,
   the truth, and the life. And before the Soul can be fit to enter into
   the Presence of the Divinity, and be united with it, it is to be washed
   with the precious Blood of a Redeemer, and adorned with the rich robes
   of his Passion.

   118. Our Lord Christ with his Doctrine and Example, is the Mirror, the
   Guide of the Soul, the Way and the only door by which we enter into
   those Pastures of Life Eternal, and into the vast Ocean of the
   Divinity. Hence it follows, that the Remembrance of the Passion and
   Death of our Saviour ought not wholly to be blotted out: nay, it is
   also certain, that whatsoever high elevation of Mind the Soul may be
   raised to, it ought not in all things to separate from the most holy
   Humanity. But then it follows, not from hence neither, that the Soul
   accustomed to internal recollection, that can no longer ratiocinate,
   should always be meditating on, and considering (as the other
   Spiritualists say) the most holy Misteries of our Saviour. It is holy
   and good to Meditate; and would to God that all men of this World
   practiced it. And the Soul, besides that meditates, reasons and
   considers with facilitie; ought to be let alone in that state, and not
   pushed on to another higher, so long as in that of Meditation it finds
   nourishment and profit.

   119. It belongs to God alone, and not to the spiritual Guide, to
   promote the Soul from Meditation to Contemplation; because, if God
   through his special Grace, call it not to this state of Prayer, the
   Guide can do nothing with all his Wisdom and Instructions.

   120. To strike a secure means then, and to avoid those two so contrary
   extreams, of not wholly blotting out the remembrance of the Humanity;
   and of not having it continually before our eyes; we ought to suppose,
   that there are two ways of attending to the Holy Humanity; that one may
   enter at the Divine Port, which is Christ our well being, The first is
   by considering the Mysteries, and meditating the Actions of the Life,
   Passion, and Death of our Saviour. The second by thinking on him, by
   the application of the Intellect, pure Faith, or Memory.

   121. When the Soul proceeds in perfecting and interiorizing it self, by
   means of internal recollection, having for sometime meditated on the
   Mysteries whereof it hath been already informed; then it retains Faith
   and Love to the Word Incarnate, being ready for his sake to do whatever
   he inspires into it, walking according to his Precepts, although they
   be not alwaies before its Eyes. As if it should be said to a Son, that
   he ought never to forsake his Father, they intend not thereby to oblige
   him, to have his Father alwaies in sight, but only to have him alwaies
   in his Memory, that in time and place, he may be ready to do his Duty.

   122. The Soul then that is entered into internal recollection, with the
   opinion and approbation of an expert Guide, hath no need to enter by
   the first door of Meditation on the Mysteries, being alwaies taken up
   in meditating upon them; because that is not to be done without great
   fatigue to the Intellect, not does it stand in need of such
   ratiocinations; since these serve only as a means to attain to
   believing, that which it hath already got the possession of.

   123. The most noble, spiritual and proper way for Souls that are
   Proficients in internal recollection, to enter by the Humanity of
   Christ our Lord, and entertain a remembrance of him is the second way;
   eying that Humanity, and the Passion thereof by a simple Act of Faith,
   loving and reflecting on the same as the Tabernacle of the Divinity,
   the beginning and end of our Salvation, Jesus Christ having been Born,
   Suffered, and died a shameful Death for our sakes.

   124. This is the way that makes internal Souls profit, and this holy,
   pious, swift, and instantaneous remembrance of the Humanity, can be no
   obstacle to them in the course of internal recollection, unless if when
   the Soul enters into Prayer, it finds it self drawn back; for then it
   will be better, to continue recollection and mental excess. But not
   finding it self drawn back, the simple and swift remembrance of the
   Humanity of the Divine Word, gives no impediment to the highest and
   most elevated, the most abstracted and transformed Soul.

   125. This is the way that Santa Teresa recommends to the contemplative,
   rejecting the tumultuary Opinions of some School-men. This is the
   strait and safe way, free from Dangers, which the Lord hath taught to
   many Souls, for attaining to repose, and the Holy Tranquility of
   Contemplation.

   126. Let the Soul then, when it enters into recollection, place it self
   at the Gate of Divine Mercy, which is the amiable and sweet remembrance
   of the Cross and Passion of the Word that was made Man, and Died for
   Love; let it stand there with Humility, resigned to the Will of God, in
   whatsoever it pleases the Divine Majesty, to do with it; and if from
   that holy and sweet remembrance, it soon fall into forgetfulness, there
   is no necessity of making a new repetition, but to continue silent and
   quiet in the presence of the Lord.

   127. Wonderfully does St. Paul favour this our Doctrine, in the Epistle
   which he wrote to the Colossians, wherein he exhorts them and us, that
   whether we Eat, Drink, or do anything else, we should do it in the
   Name, and for the Sake of Jesus Christ. Omne quod cumq; faritis
   inverbo, aut in opere, omnia in nomine Jesu Christi facite, gratias
   agentes Deo & Parti per ipsum. God grant that we may all begin by Jesus
   Christ, and that in him, and by him alone, we may arrive at perfection.


     __________________________________________________________________

CHAP. XVII.


   Of Internal and Mystical Silence.


   128. There are three kinds of silence; the first is of Words, the
   Second of Desires, and the third of Thoughts. The first is perfect; the
   second more perfect; and the third more perfect. In the first, that is,
   of words, Virtue is acquired; in the second, to wit, of Desires,
   quietness is attained to; in the third of Thoughts, Internal
   Recollection is gained. By not speaking, not desiring, and not
   thinking, one arrives at the true and perfect Mystical Silence, wherein
   God speaks with the Soul, communicates himself to it, and in the Abyss
   of its own Depth, teaches it the most perfect and exalted Wisdom.

   129. He calls and guides it to this inward Solitude, and mystical
   Silence, when he saies, That he will speak to it alone, in the most
   secret and hidden part of the Heart. Thou art to keep thy self in this
   mystical Silence, if thou wouldest hear the sweet and divine Voice. It
   is not enough for gaining this Treasure, to forsake the World, nor to
   renounce thine own Desires, and all things created; if thou wean not
   thy self from all Desires and Thoughts. Rest in this mystical Silence,
   and open the Door, that so God may communicate himself unto thee, unite
   with thee, and transform thee into himself.

   130. The perfection of the Soul consists not in speaking nor in
   thinking much on God; but in loving him sufficiently: This love is
   attained to by means of perfect Resignation and internal Silence, all
   consists in Works: The love of God has but few Words. Thus St. John the
   Evangelist confirms and inculcates it. (Epist. I. Chap. 3. v. 18) My
   little Children, let us not love in Word, neither in Tongue, but in
   Deed and in Truth.

   131. Thou art clearly convinced now, that perfect Love consists not in
   amorous Acts, nor tender Ejaculations, nor yet in the internal Acts,
   wherein thou tellest God, that thou hast an infinite Love for him, and
   thou lovest him more than thy self. It may be that at that time thou
   seekest more thy self, and the love of thy self, than the true Love of
   God, Because Love consists in Works, and not in fair Discourses.

   132. That a rational Creature may understand the secret desire and
   intention of thy Heart, there is a necessity that thou shouldest
   express it to him in Words. But God who searches the Hearts, standeth
   not in need that thou shouldest make profession and assure him of it;
   nor does he rest satisfied, as the Evangelist says, with Love in Word
   nor in Tongue, but with that which is true and indeed. What avails it
   to tell them with great zeal and fervour, that thou tenderly and
   perfectly loveth him above all things, if at one bitter word, or slight
   injury, thou doest not resign thy self, nor are mortified for the love
   of him? A manifest proof that thy love was a love in Tongue and not in
   Deed.

   133. Strive to be resigned in all things with Silence, and in so doing,
   without saying that thou lovest him, thou wilt attain to the most
   perfect quiet, effectual and true love. St. Peter most affectionately
   told the Lord, that for his sake he was ready, willingly to lay down
   his Life; but at the word of a young Damsel, he denied him, and there
   was an end of his Zeal. Mary Magdelen said not a word, and yet the Lord
   himself taken with her perfect Love, became her Panagyrist, saying that
   she had loved much. It is internally, then, that with dumb Silence, the
   most perfect Virtues of Faith, Hope, and Charity are practised, without
   any necessity of telling God, that thou lovest him, hopest and
   believest in him; because the Lord knows better than thou do'st, what
   the internal Motions of thy Heart are.

   134. How well was that pure act of Love understood and practised by
   that profound and great Mistick, the Venerable Gregory Lopez, whose
   whole Life was a continual Prayer, and a continued Act of
   Contemplation; and of so pure and spiritual Love of God, that it never
   gave way to Affections and sensible Sentiments:

   135. Having for the space of three Years continued that Ejaculation,
   Thy will be done in Time, and in Eternity; repeating is as often as he
   breathed; God Almighty discovered to him, that infinite Treasure of the
   pure and continued Act of Faith and Love, with Silence and Resignation:
   so that he came to say, That during the thirty six Years he lived
   after, he alwaies continued in his inward Man; that pure Act of Love,
   without ever uttering the least Petition, Ejaculation, or any thing
   that was Sensible, or sprung from Nature. O Incarnate Seraphim, and
   Dei-fied Man! How well did'st thou know how to dive into that internal
   and mistical Silence, and to distinguish betwixt the outward and inward
   Man?

     __________________________________________________________________

THE

Spiritual Guide,

Which leads the Soul to the fruition of Internal Peace.



  The Second Book.



    Of the Ghostly Father, the Obedience that's due to him; of Indiscreet Zeal,
    and of Internal and External Penance.


     __________________________________________________________________

CHAP. I.


   The best way to baffle the Craft of the Enemy, is to be Subjected to a
   Ghostly Father.


   1. It is every way convenient, to choose a Master experienced in the
   inward way, because God will not do all, what he did to St. Catharine
   of Siena, whom he took by the Hand, and immediately taught the mystical
   Way. If in the Progress of Nature there is a necessity of a Guide; how
   must it be in the Progress of Grace? If in the outward and visible
   waies there is need of a Master; how must it be for the internal and
   secret? If it must be so for the Moral, Scholastic and Exposive,
   Theology, which are plainly taught; how must it be for that which is
   mystical, secret, reserved and obscure? If in external and political
   Actions and Practices it is so; how must it be in the internal
   Transactions with God.

   2. A Guide is in like manner necessary for resisting and overcoming the
   Craft and Wiles of Satan. St. Austin gave many Reasons why God
   appointed that in his Church, Doctors and Teachers, men of the same
   nature with others, should, for Light and Doctrin, have the Precedency:
   The chief is, to free us from the craft and cunning of the Enemy; for
   should we be left to our own Dictates and Natural Impulse, for the
   conduct of our Actions, we would trip and stumble every foot, and at
   length fall head-long into the Pit; as it happens to Hereticks and
   proud People: Now if we had had Angels given to us for Masters, then
   would the Devils have dazled our Eyes by transforming themselves into
   Angels of Light: therefore it was convenient that for Guides and
   Counsellors, God should given us men like our selves. And if such a
   Guide be expert, he'll soon know the tricks and subtilties of the
   Devil; which being once known, as wanting substance, they soon evanish.

   3. A Ghostly Father ought to come from the Hand of God, and therefore
   without previous Circumspection and Prayer; he is not to be chosen but
   being once chosen, he is not to be left, but for most urgent reasons;
   such as are for not knowing the Waies and States, through which God
   guides the Soul; because no man can teach what he does not know,
   according to that true Maxim of Philosophy.

   4. And if he conceive not (as St. Paul saith) the things of the Spirit,
   that will be Ignorance in him; because they are to be examined
   Spiritually, and he wants experience: but the spiritual and expert Man
   sees every thing clearly, and judges of it as it is. If a Guide then
   wants experience, it is a chief reason why one should leave him, and
   chuse another more expert; because without such a one, the Soul will
   not profit.

   5. To pass from a bad into a good state, there is no necessity of
   Counsel; but to change what is good into better, there is need of time,
   prayer and advice; because every thing which is best in is self, is not
   best for every one in particular; nor is every thing that is good for
   one, good for all: Non omnibus omnia expediunt. Some are called for the
   outward and ordinary Way; others for the internal and extraordinary,
   and all are not in the same state; so that there being so many and
   various persons who are ingaged in the mystical way, it is impossible
   for one to make a step in those secret and internal Paths without an
   experienced Guide, because instead of going right, he'll tumble into a
   Precipice.

   6. When a Soul walks with Fear; doubting if it walk safely, and desires
   to be clearly rid of these fears and doubtings, the securest way is to
   submit to a Ghostly Father; because by the internal Light he clearly
   discovers what is Temptation, and what Inspiration, and distinguishes
   the motions that spring from Nature, from the Devil, and from the Soul
   it self, which ought totally to be subjected to him who hath
   experience, and he can discover the engagements, the Idols and bad
   habits that hinder the Souls flight; which by this means will not only
   be delivered from the Snares of the Devil, but will proceed more in one
   Year, than it could have proceeded in a thousand, with other Guides of
   no Experience.

   7. In the Life of the Illuminated Father, Frier John Tauler, it is
   related what that Layman who went before him in the State of
   Perfection, says of himself, How that being taken off from the World,
   and desirous to be Holy, he gave himself to great abstinence, till at
   length being extenuated and weak, he fell into a Dream, and heard a
   voice from Heaven which said to him, Man, if thou voluntary kill thy
   self, before the time, thou shalt pay dear to thy self for it. Being
   full of terror, he went into a Desait, and there imparted the way he
   had taken, and his Abstinence to a holy Anchorite, who, by the favour
   of Heaven, freed him from that Diabolical Delusion. He told him, That
   he followed that course of Abstinence that he might please God. But the
   Anchorite having asked him, By what Advice he did it? And he having
   made answer By none. The Anchorite replied, That is was a manifest
   Temptation of the Devil. From that time forward, he opened his Eyes,
   and knowing his own Perdition, lived alwaies by the Direction of a
   Spiritual Father; and he himself affirmed, That in seven years space he
   gave him greater Light, than all printed Books whatsoever could do.


     __________________________________________________________________

CHAP. II.


   Of the Sequel of the same Matter.


   8. There is far greater advantage to be had from having a Master in the
   mystical way, then from the use of Spiritual books; because a practical
   Master tells us in the nick of time, what ought to be done; but in a
   Book one may fall upon a thing that is less proper, and by that means
   the necessary Instruction is wanting: Besides, by mystical Books men
   raise to themselves many false Notions, the Soul thinking to have that,
   which in reality is hath not, and to be farther on in the mystical
   State, than as yet it is; whence spring many prejudices and dangers.

   9. It is certain that the frequent Reading of mystical Books, which are
   not founded in practical, but meer speculative Light, does rather hurt
   than good, because it confounds, instead of, enlightening Souls, and
   fills them with discursive Notions that might hinder them; since tho'
   they be Notices of Light, yet they enter from without, render the
   Faculties dull, and fill them with Ideas instead of emptying them, that
   God may replenish them with Himself. Many do continually Read in these
   speculative Books, because they will not submit to him who may tell
   them, that such Reading is not convenient for them; whereas there is no
   doubt but if they do submit, and the Guide be a man of Experience, he
   will not allow it them: And then they would profit, and not mind such
   Studies as the Souls do who are submitted, have Light, and make
   improvement. Hence it follows, that it contributes much to inward Quiet
   and Security, to have an experienced Guide, who may govern and instruct
   with actual Light, that the Soul may not be deluded by the Devil, nor
   by its own Judgment and Opinion: However, we do not condemn the Reading
   of spiritual Books in general, seeing here we speak in particular of
   Souls purely Internal and Mystical, for whom this Book is written.

   10. All holy and mystical Masters confess that the security of a
   mystical Soul, consists in a cordial Submission to its Ghostly Father,
   communicating to him, whatever passes within it. And therefore he, who
   lives after his own Opinion, without applying himself to a Spiritual
   Director (tho he take himself to be, and is reputed spiritual) opposes
   himself to the Doctrine of the Saints, and of enlightened Souls;
   because the more a Soul is illuminated and united with God, the more
   humble, submiss, subjected and obedient to the spiritual Guide it ought
   to be. For proof of this truth, I'll relate what the Lord said to Donna
   Marina d'Escobar: It is reported in her Life, that being Sick, she
   asked the Lord, If she should be Silent, and omit the acquainting her
   spiritual Father with the extraordinary things that happened in her
   Soul, that she might not tire her self, nor trouble the same Father. To
   whom the Lord answered, That not to give an Account of them to her
   Ghostly Father, would not be well done for three Reasons: First,
   Because as Gold is tried in the Furnance, and the value of Stones known
   by touching them with the Touch-stone; so the Soul is purified, and the
   worth of it known, when the Minister of God tries it by the
   Touch-stone. Secondly, Because to avoid Errour, it was convenient that
   matters should be governed, according to the Order instituted by God in
   his Church, in the Scriptures and in the Doctrine of the Saints.
   Thirdly, That the Mercies which his Divine Majesty shews to his
   Servants and pure Souls, may not be concealed, but made manifest, that
   so Believers may be encouraged to serve their God, and he be glorified
   in them.

   11. In the same place she hath the following words, conform to the
   aforesaid truth: My Confessor being Sick, and having enjoyned me that I
   should not make a full Discovery of all things that happened to me, to
   him, to whom, in the meantime, I Confessed my self, but only of some
   with prudence; I bewailed my condition to the Lord, that I had not one
   to whom I might communicate my affairs; and his Majesty made me answer,
   Thou hast one already who supplies the want of thy Confessor; tell him
   all that happens to thee. I presently replied, Not so Lord, Not so
   Lord. (Why?) said the Lord. Because my Confessor commanded me that I
   should not give him Account of all; and I ought to obey him. His
   Majesty said to me, Thou hast pleased me by that answer, and that I
   might hear thee say so, I said what thou hast heard; do so, yet still
   thou maist acquaint him with some things, as he himself had thee.

   12. What Santa Teresa said of herself, comes in very pat in this place:
   Whenever (saies she) the Lord commanded me any thing, if my Confessor
   told me another, I turned to the Lord and told him, that I must obey my
   Confessor. Afterward his Majesty returned to him, to the end he might
   enjoyn it me of new. This is sound and true doctrine, which secures
   Souls, and dissipates the illusions of the Devil.

     __________________________________________________________________

CHAP. III.


   The Indiscreet Zeal of Souls, and the disordinate Love of our
   Neighbour, disturb internal Peace.


   13. There is not a more acceptable Sacrifice to God (says St. Gregory,
   In Ezechiel,1 Hom.12) than the ardent Zeal of Soul: For that Ministry,
   the Eternal God sent his own Jesus Christ into the World, and ever
   since it hath been the most noble and sublime of Offices. But if the
   Zeal be indiscreet, it brings a notable obstacle to the progress of the
   Spirit.

   14. No sooner does thou find in thy self any new and fervent light, but
   thou would'st lay thy self wholly out for the good of Souls; and in the
   mean time, its odds, but that that is self-love, which thou takest to
   be pure zeal. This uses sometime to put on a garb of a disordinate
   Desire, of a vain complacency, of an industrious affection and proper
   esteem; all Enemies to the peace of the Soul.

   15. It is never good to love thy Neighbour to the detriment of thine
   own spiritual good. To please God in purity, ought to be the only scope
   of thy Works; this ought to be thy only desire and thought;
   endeavouring to moderate thy disordinate fervour; that tranquillity and
   internal peace may reign in thy Soul. The true zeal of Souls, which
   thou oughtest to strive for, should be the true love of thy God. That
   is the fruitful, efficacious, and true zeal, which doth wonders in
   Souls, though with dumb Voices.

   16. St. Paul (I Tim. 4.) recommended to us first the care of our own
   Souls, before that of our Neighbour. Take heed unto thy self, and unto
   thy Doctrine, said he in his Canonical Epistle. Struggle not to over
   do, for when it is time convenient, and thou canst be any way useful to
   thy Neighbour; God will call thee forth, and put thee in the employment
   that will best suit with thee: That thought belongs only to him, and to
   thee, to continue in thy rest, disengaged, and wholly resigned up to
   the Divine will and pleasure. Don't think that in that condition thou
   art idle: He is busied enough, who is always ready waiting to perform
   the Will of God. Who takes heed to himself for God's sake, does every
   thing; because, one pure Act of internal Resignation, is more worth
   than a hundred thousand Exercises for ones own Will.

   17. Though the Cistern be capable to contain much Water, yet it must
   still be without it, till Heaven favour it with Rain. Be at rest,
   blessed Soul be quiet, humble and resigned, to every thing that God
   shall be pleased to do with thee, leave the care to God, for he as a
   Loving Father, knows best what is convenient for thee; conform thy self
   totally to his Will, perfection being founded in that, inasmuch as he
   who doeth the will of the Lord, is (Mat. 12.) his Mothers Son, and
   Brother of the Son of God himself.

   18. Think not that God esteemeth him most, that doeth most. He is most
   beloved who is most humble, most faithful and resigned, and most
   correspondent to his own Internal Inspiration, and to the Divine will
   and pleasure.


     __________________________________________________________________

CHAP. IV.


   A Sequel to the Same.


   19. Let all thy desires be conform to the Will of that God, who can
   bring streams of Water out of the dry Rock, who is much displeased with
   those Souls, which in helping others before the time, defraud
   themselves, suffering themselves to be transported by indiscreet zeal,
   and vain complacency.

   20. As it was with the Servant of Elisha, who (2Kings, c.4.) being sent
   by the Prophet, that with his Staff he might raise a dead Child;
   because of the complacency he had, it had not the effect, and he was
   reproved by Elisha. In like manner the Sacrifice of Cain was rejected,
   being the first that was offered to God in the World, through the
   vain-glory he had of being the first, and more than his own Father
   Adam, in offering Sacrifice to God.

   21. In like manner the Disciples of our Lord Christ, were infected with
   that evil, feeling a vain joy, when they cast out Devils, and therefore
   were sharply reproved by their Heavenly Master. Before Paul Preached to
   the Gentiles the Gospel of the Kingdom of Heaven, being already a
   chosen Vessel, a Citizen of Heaven, and chosen of God for that
   Ministry, it was necessary to try and humble him, shutting him up in
   close Prison; and wouldst thou become a Preacher without passing
   through the Tryal of Men and Devils? And couldst thou thrust thy self
   into so great a Ministry, and produce Fruit, without passing through
   the fiery tryal of temptation, tribulation, and passive purgation?

   22. It concerns thee more to be quiet and resigned in a holy case, than
   to do many and great things, by thy own judgment and opinion; think not
   that the heroick Actions which great Saints have done, and do in the
   Church, are Works of their own Industry; for all things as well
   spiritual as temporal, to the shaking of the last Leaf, are by Divine
   Providence Decreed from all Eternity. He that does the Will of God,
   does all things; this thy Soul ought to endeavour, resting in a perfect
   Resignation to whatever the Lord is pleased to dispose of thee;
   acknowledg thy self unworthy of so high a Ministry, as the guiding of
   Souls to Heaven, and then thou'lt put no obstacle to the rest, internal
   peace, and heavenly flight of thy Soul.


     __________________________________________________________________

CHAP. V.


   Light, Experience, and a Divine Call, are necessary for guiding Souls
   in the inward Way.


   23. Thou'lt think and with great confidence too, that thou art in a
   condition, to guide Souls in the way of the Spirit, and perhaps, that
   may be secret Vanity, spiritual Pride, and plain Blindness; seeing
   besides, that this high employment requires supernatural Light, total
   abstraction, and other qualities which I shall mention to thee in the
   following Chapters; the Grace of a Call is also necessary, without
   which all is but vanity, confidence and self-conceit; because, tho' it
   be a holy and good thing to guide Souls, and conduct them to
   Contemplation; yet how know'st thou that God would have thee so
   employed? And though thou knowest (which yet is not easie) that thou
   hast great Light and Experience, yet what evidence hast thou that the
   Lord would have thee to be of that Profession?

   24. This Ministry is of such importance that it is not our parts to
   take it upon us, until it please God, by means of our Superiours and
   spiritual Guides, to place us therein; otherwise it would be a heavy
   prejudice to us, though it might be profitable to our Neighbour. What
   availeth it us to gain the whole World to God, if our own Soul thereby
   suffer detriment?

   25. Howsoever evident it may be to thee, that thy Soul is endowed with
   internal light and experience; the best thing still that thou canst do,
   is to keep quiet and resigned in thine own nothingness, until God call
   thee for the Good of Souls: That belongs only to him, who knows thy
   sufficiency and abstraction: It is not thy part to make that judgment,
   neither to press into that Ministry; because, if thou are governed by
   thine own opinion and judgment, in an affair of so high concern,
   self-love will blind, undo, and deceive thee.

   26. If then experience, light, and sufficiency are not sufficient,
   without the grace of a Call to qualifie one for that employment, how
   must it be without sufficiency? how must it be without internal light?
   without due experience, which are gifts not communicated to all Souls;
   but to abstracted and resigned Souls, and to such as have advanced to
   perfect annihilation, by the way of terrible tribulation, and passive
   purgation. Be perswaded, O blessed Soul, that all works, which in this
   profession are not governed by a true zeal, springing from pure love,
   and a purged Soul, cloath the Soul with vanity, self-love, and
   spiritual pride.

   27. O how many self confident men by their own judgment and opinion,
   undertake this Ministry; and instead of pleasing God, emptying and
   abstracting their own Souls, (though they may do some good to their
   Neighbour) are filled with Earth, Straw, and Self-conceit! Be quiet and
   Resigned, renounce thy own Judgment and Desire, sink down into the
   Abyss of thy own Insufficiency and Nothingness; for there only thou'lt
   find God, the true Light, thy Happiness, and greatest Perfection.


     __________________________________________________________________

CHAP. VI.


   Instructions and Counsels to Confessors and Spiritual Directors.


   28. The highest and most profitable Ministry, is that of a Confessor,
   and Spiritual Director; and irreparable are the damages, if it be not
   well performed.

   29. It would be prudently done, to chuse a Patron for so great a
   Ministry; and that should be the Saints to whom one has greatest
   Devotion.

   30. The chief and most secure Document is, to endavour the internal and
   continual retirement; and so he'll walk well in all the exercises and
   employments of his own State and Calling, particularly in that of the
   Confession seat; for when the Soul inwardly Recollected, sallies out to
   be employed in those external and necessary Exercises, it is God who
   Illuminates and Works in them.

   31. In the Conduct of Souls that are Internal, Documents are not to be
   given to them, but with mildness and prudence: The Obstacles which
   hinder the Influences of God, are only to be taken out of the way;
   however it may be needful to arm them with that holy Counsel of
   Sacretum meum mihi.

   32. Many Souls think, that all Confessors are capable of internal
   Matters; but besides, that is a mistake, it is found by experience to
   be a great prejudice to communicate them to those who are not so:
   Because, tho God hath placed them in the inward Way, yet they'll not
   know these matters, nor advise them to Souls, for want of experience;
   so that they'll hinder the Progress to Contemplation, enjoying them to
   Meditate by force, tho' they cannot; and by that means, they stun and
   ruin instead of helping them in their Flight: for God will have them to
   advance to Contemplation, and they draw them to Meditation, because
   they know no other way.

   33. If a Confessor would reap Fruit, he is not to look out for any Soul
   that he may Guide it; it concerns them to come of themselves, and all
   are not to be admitted, especially if they be Women, because they are
   not wont to come with sufficient disposition: Not to make ones self a
   Master, nor be willing to appear so, is an excellent means of doing
   good.

   34. The Confessor is to make use of the name of Daughter, as little as
   he can; because it is most dangerous, God being so Jealous, and the
   Epithet so Amorous.

   35. The Employments which a confessor accepts of, out of his Confession
   seat, ought to be but few; because God will not have him to be an Agent
   in Business; and if it were possible, he should not be seen, but in his
   Confession chair.

   36. A God-father, or Executor to a Man's last Will and Testament, he
   ought not, so much as once, to be, all his life long, because it brings
   many disturbances to the Soul, all of um contrary to the Perfection of
   so high a Ministry.

   37. The Confessor or spiritual Director never ought to Visit his
   spiritual Daughters, not so much as in case of Sickness, unless he
   should indeed be then sent for, on the part of her that is ill.

   38. If the Confessor procures an inward and outward Recollection, his
   words will be (tho' he knows it not) like Coals kindled, setting their
   Souls afire.

   39. In the Confessionary, his Reproofs must be ordinarily gentle and
   sweet, altho' in the Pulpit they are severe and rigorous; because in
   this he ought to be raging as a Lyon, and in that, he ought to put on
   the meekness of a Lamb: O how powerful is sweet Reproof for Penitents!
   In the Confessionary they are already moved; but in the Pulpit their
   blindness and hardness, makes it necessary to frighten um: yet these
   ought to be perswaded and reproved rigorously, who come indisposed, and
   would have Absolution by force.

   40. When all that is possible, is done for the benefit of Souls, the
   Fruit of it is not to be lookt after; because the Devil doth subtilly
   make that seem his own, which is God's; and assaults with self Conceit
   and vain Complacency, the capital Enemies of Annihilation; which the
   Confessor always ought to bring about for such a spiritual Dying.

   41. Altho' he often see that Souls are not advantaged, and that those
   which are edified, loose the Spirit, let him not be disquieted at this,
   but possess himself in peace, like the Guardian Angles; then let him
   take courage inwardly, with the sense of his own Sincerity, because
   sometimes God suffers such a thing among other ends, to humble him.

   42. The Confessor ought to avoid himself, and perswade the Souls under
   his conduct, also, to avoid all sort of outwardness, because it is much
   abhorred by the Lord.

   43. Although he ought not to order Souls to be Communicated, nor take
   any Communion from em, whether for Tryal or Mortification (since there
   are infinite waies of Trying em and Mortifying em, without so great a
   prejudice) yet he ought not to be niggardly with those Souls which are
   moved by a true Desire, because Jesus Christ indured not to be shut up.

   44. Experience shews us that tis a difficult thing to fulfil a Penance,
   when it is great and immoderate: tis alwaies best to have it, of some
   profitable and moderate matter.

   45. If the Spiritual Father shews, with any singularity, a greater
   affection to a Daughter, and such as gives very great disturbance to
   others of her Sex: here he must use privacy and prudence, and must not
   speak to any with particularity; because the Devil loves to make strife
   with the Guide of Souls, and makes use of those very words to disturb
   others.

   46. The continual and principle Exercise of Souls, purely Mystical,
   must be in the interior Man, producing with privacy, the destruction of
   Self-love, and the encouraging of em to the enduring of inward
   Mortifications; by which the Lord Cleanses, Annihilates and perfects
   them.

   47. The Desire of Revelations, uses to be a great hindrance to the
   interior Soul, especially to Women; and there is not an ordinary Dream,
   but they will Christen it with the name of a Vision. Tis necessary to
   shew abhorrence to all these hindrances.

   48. Although Silence be a difficult thing to Women, in the things which
   the Director orders em, yet must he procure it: since it is not good
   that the things inspired into him from the Lord, should become the Mark
   for Censures to shoot at.


     __________________________________________________________________

CHAP. VII.


   Wherein the same thing is treated of; Discoursing the Interests which
   some Confessors and Spiritual Directors use to have; in which are
   declared the Qualities which they ought to have for the Exercise of
   Confession, and also for the Guiding of Souls through the Mystical Way.


   49. The Confessor ought to get Penitents incouraged to Prayer;
   especially when they often present themselves at his Feet, and make
   known to him their Desire that they have of their Spiritual Good.

   50. The Maxim which the Confessor ought mostly to observe, that he may
   never come into Perdition, is, Not to accept any Present, though the
   whole World were offered him.

   51. Though there are abundance of Confessors, yet they are not all good
   ones, because some of em know but little; others are very Ignorant;
   others betake themselves to the Applauses of the Gentry; some seek the
   Favours of their Penitents; some their Presents; some are full of
   Spiritual Ambition, and seek Credit and Fame, getting a multitude of
   Spiritual Children to themselves; others affect their Mastership and
   Command; other, affect the Visions and Revelations of their Spiritual
   Children, and instead of despising em, the only way of securing em to
   Humility, they commend em, that they may not leave em off and make them
   write em that they may shew'em abroad for Ostentation: All this is
   Self-love and Vanity in these Guides, and great prejudice to the
   Spiritual Profit of Souls: since it is certain, that all these respects
   and interests serve only to hinder the use and exercise of their
   Office, with advantage and profit; which requires an universal freedom
   from such things, and whose end and aim ought only to be the glory of
   God.

   52. Other Confessors there are, which with ease and lightness of Aeart,
   do believe, and approve, and commend all Spirits: Others falling into
   the vicious extream, do condemn without any reserve, all Visions and
   Revelations; such things are neither to be believed all, nor condemned
   all: Others also there are who are so enamoured of the Spirit of their
   Spiritual Daughters, that whatever they Dream, let em be never so much
   Deceit, they reverence em as sacred Mysteries! O what a world of
   Miseries are known in the Church by these means! Others Confessors
   there are also, having on the Garb of worldly Courtesie and Civility,
   having little regard to the holy Place of the Confessionary,
   discoursing with their Penitents concerning things vain, superfluous
   distractive, and far from that decency which the Sacrament requires,
   and from that disposition which should be fit to receive divine Grace;
   making particularly like discourses, and about the Houshold Affairs of
   their Penitents, before they come to accuse themselves of their sins:
   whereupon that little Devotion which they brought along with em to the
   Sacrament, becomes cool'd and good for nothing: Sometimes it happens
   that many Penitents are fain to wait to be Confessed, who are full of
   business of their own, and when they see such a long demur, they grow
   weary and sad, and fall into impatience, losing the actual disposition
   of Mind wherewith they were before prepared to receive so healthful a
   Sacrament: whereupon the medley of these distractive, superfluous and
   vain matters, not only make em lose their precious time, but also
   prejudiceth the holy Place, the Sacrament; the disposition of the
   Penitent who is confessed, and that of others who wait to be confessed;
   all of em considerable mischiefs, and worthy to be redressed.

   53. For Confession, there are some good; but for the Government of
   Spirits by the mystical Way, there are so few (says Father John Davila)
   that in a thousand, you shall possibly find one: St. Francis of Sales
   says, One among ten thousand: And the illuminated Thauler says, That in
   a hundred thousand, it was a hard thing to find one expert Master of
   Spirit. The reason is, because there are so few who dispose themselves
   to receive the mystical Science: Pauci ad eam recipiendam se disponunt;
   said Henry Arpias (Lib. 3. Par. 3. Cap. 22) Would to God it were not so
   true as it is. For then there would not be so many Cheats in the World,
   and there would be more Saints and fewer Sinners.

   54. When the spiritual Guide desires effectually, that all should be in
   love with Vertue, and the love which they have of God, is pure and
   perfect, with few Words, and few Reasons, he will reap a very great
   deal of Benefit.

   55. If the interiour Soul, when it is in the cleansing it self of
   Passions, and in the time of abstraction, has not a sure Guide to curb
   in the retirement and solitude, to which its Inclination and great
   Propension draws it, it will be unable and unfit for exercises of
   Confession, Preaching and Study, and also for those of its own
   Obligation, State and Calling.

   56. The skilful Director therefore, ought to mind carefully when the
   Powers of it begin to be imployed in God, that there may not be given
   too free access to solitude, commanding the Soul not to omit the
   outward exercises of its state, as of Study, and other Employments,
   altho' they should seem distractive, so that they be not contrary to
   his Calling; because the Soul is so much Abstracted in Solitude, is so
   turned inward in its retirement, and is removed to such a degree from
   Exteriority, that if it afterwards apply it self again, it doth it with
   toyl and resistance, and with prejudice to its powers, and the strength
   and soundness of Head: which is considerable hurt, and worthy the
   weighting of spiritual Directors.

   57. But if these have no Experience, they will not know when the
   abstraction is formed, and at the same time, thinking it Holy Counsel,
   will encourage em to Retirement, and find destruction in it: O how
   necessary it is that the Guide be expert in the spiritual and mystical
   way!


     __________________________________________________________________

CHAP. VIII.


   Pursues the same Matter.


   58. Those that govern Souls without Experience go in the dark, and
   arrive not at the Understanding of the states of the Soul in their
   internal and supernatural Operations, they only know that sometimes the
   Soul is well, and that it has Light; other times that it is in
   Darkness; but what the state of all these is, and what is the Root from
   whence these Changes grow, they neither know nor understand, nor can
   verifie it by means of Books, till they come to find it experimentally
   in themselves, in whose Furnace the true and actual Light is made.

   52. If the Guide hath not passed himself thro' the secret and painful
   ways of the interiour walk, how can he comprehend or approve it? It
   will be no small favour to the Soul, to find one only experienced Guide
   to strengthen it in insuperable Difficulties, and assure it in the
   continual doubts of this Voyage: otherwise he will never get to the
   holy and precious Mount of Perfection, without an extraordinary and
   singular Grace.

   60. The spiritual Director, which lives disinterested, longs more for
   the internal Solitude than the Employment of Souls: and if any
   spiritual Master is displeased when a Soul goes from him, and leaves
   him for another Guide, tis a clear sign, that he did not live
   disinterested, nor sought purely the Glory of God, but his own proper
   Esteem.

   61. The same loss and evil comes, when the Director is secretly
   diligent to draw some Soul to his direction, which goes under the
   government of another Guide; this is a notable mischief; for if he
   holds himself for a better Director than t'other, he is proud; and if
   he knows himself to be a worse, he is a Traytor to God, to that Soul,
   and to himself, during the prejudice he does to the advantage and good
   of his Neighbours.

   62. In like manner there is another considerable hurt that discovers it
   self in spiritual Masters, which is, that they do not suffer the Souls
   Guided by em, to communicate with others, tho they are more Holy,
   Learned, and Expert than themselves: all this is Interest, Self-love,
   and Esteem of themselves. They do not permit Souls thus to unburthen
   and vent themselves, for fear they should loose em, and that it may not
   be said, that their Spiritual Children seek that Satisfaction in
   others, which they cannot find in them; and for the most part, by these
   imperfect ends, they hinder Souls from being advantaged.

   63. From all these, and infinite other imputations, the Director is
   free that is once arrived at hearing the inward Voice of God, by having
   passed through Tribulation, Temptation, and passive Purgation; because
   that interior Voice of God works innumerable and marvelous Effects in
   the Soul, which gives place to it, hearkens to it, and relishes it.

   64. It is of so great Efficacy, that it rejects worldly Honour,
   Self-conceit, Spiritual Ambition, the desire of Fame, a wish to be
   Great, a presumption of being the only Man, and thinking that he knows
   all things; it bids adieu to Friends, Friendship, Visits, Letters of
   Complement, Commerce of the Creature, Interest with Spiritual Children,
   Mastership, and Business; it turns away too much inclination to
   Confessor-ship, the Affection that is disorder'd in the Government of
   Souls, that makes a man think he is fitting for it; it moves Self-love,
   Authority, Presumption, treating of Profit, making a shew of the
   Letters which a man writes, shewing those writ by his Spiritual
   children, to make known what a great Workman he is; it turns away the
   Envy of other Masters and Teachers, and the procuring more Customers to
   his chair of Confession.

   65. Lastly, this interiors Voice of God in the Soul of Director, begets
   a mean Value, and Solitariness, and Silence, and Forgetfulness of
   Friends, Relations and Spiritual Children; because it makes him never
   remember em, but when they are speaking to him. This is the only sign
   to know the Disinterestedness of a Master; and therefore such a one
   doth more good by silent, than thousands of others that make never so
   great a noise with their infinite Documents.


     __________________________________________________________________

CHAP. IX.


   Shewing how a simple and ready Obedience is the only means of for
   walking, safely in the inward Way, and of procuring internal Peace.


   66. If thou dost in good earnest resolve to deny thy Will, and do God's
   Obedience is the necessary means; whether it be by the indissoluble
   knot of thy Vow, made in the hands of thy Superior in thy Religion, or
   the free tying of thy self by the Dedication of thy Will, to a
   Spiritual and expert Guide, that hath the Qualities sewn before in the
   precedent Chapters.

   67. Thou wilt never get up the Mountain of Perfection, nor to any high
   Throne of Peace Internal, if thou art only govern'd by thy own Will:
   This cruel and fierce Enemy of God, and of thy Soul, must be conquered;
   thy own Direction, thy own Judgement, must be subdued and deposed as
   Rebels, and reduced to Ashes by the Fire of Obedience: there it will be
   found, as in a Touch-stone, whether the Love thou followest be thine
   own, or Divine; there in that Holocaust must thine own Judgment, and
   thine own Will be Annihilated and brought to its last Substance.

   68. An ordinary Life under Obedience, is worth more than that which of
   its own will doth great Pennance; because obedience and subjection,
   besides that they are free from the deceits of Satan, are the truest
   Holocaust which can be sacrificed to God on the Altar of our Heart.
   Which made a great Servant of God say, That he had rather gather Dung
   by Obedience, than be caught up to the third Heaven of his own will.

   69. You will know that Obedience is a ready way to arrive quickly at
   Perfection: tis impossible for a Soul to purchase it self true peace of
   Heart, if it doth not deny and overcome its own judgment and rebellion:
   And the means of denying and overcoming ones Judgment, is to be willing
   in every thing to obey with resolution, him that stands in God's place;
   because the Heart remains free, secure, and unburthen'd by all that
   which goes from the Mouth, with true Submission, to the Ears of the
   Spiritual Father. (Effundite coram illo corda vestra, Pl. 61.) The most
   effectual means therefore to advance in the way of the Spirit, is to
   imprint this in the Heart, that a man's spiritual Director stands in
   God's place, and whatever he orders and says, is said and ordered from
   the Divine Mouth.

   70. The Lord often-times manifested to that venerable Mother Ann Mary
   of S. Joseph a Fransciscan Nun; That she should rather obey her
   spiritual Father, then Himself, (History of her Life, § 42.) To the
   venerable Sister Catherine Paulucci, the Lord also one day said, You
   ought to go to your spiritual Father, with pure and sincere Truth, as
   if you came to Me, and not inquire whether he be or be not Observant,
   but you ought to think that he is Governed by the Holy Ghost, and that
   he is in My stead, (Her Life, Book 2. Ch. 16) adding, When Souls shall
   observe this, I will not permit that any be Deceived by him. O Divine
   Words worthy to be imprinted in the Hearts of those Souls which desire
   to advance in Perfection!

   71. God revealed to Lady Marina of Escobar, that if our Lord Christ
   would have her communicate after his mind, and her spiritual Father
   should say nay; she was obliged to follow the mind of her spiritual
   Father: And a Saint was lower'd down from Heaven to tell her the reason
   of it; which was, That in the first there might be Cheat, but in the
   second none.

   72. The Holy Ghost advises us all in the Proverbs (Ch. 3.) that we take
   Counsel, and trust not in our own Wisom: Ne innitaris prudentiæ tuæ.
   And says by Tobit, That, to do well, thou never oughtest to govern thy
   self with thine own proper judgment; but always must ask others mind
   and judgment, (Ch. 4. 14. Consilium semper a sapiente perquire.)
   Although the spiritual Father Err in giving counsel, you can never Err
   in taking it, and following it; because you act wisely: Qui judiceo
   alterius operatur, prudenter operatur. And God doth not suffer
   Directors to Err, that he may preserve, tho' it should be with
   Miracles, the visible Tribunal of the spiritual Father; from whence is
   known with all Safety, what is the Divine Will.

   73. Besides, that this is the common Doctrine of all the Saints, of all
   the Doctors and Masters of Spirit, Christ our Lord gave credit and
   security to it, when he said, That the spiritual Father should be
   understood and obeyed just like Himself: Qui vos audit, mea audit (St.
   Luke 10) And this even when their Works do not correspond with their
   Words and Counsels; as is manifest by St. Matthew, Chap. 1. Quæcunque
   dixerint vobis facite, secundum autem opera eorum nolite facere.

     __________________________________________________________________

CHAP. X.


   Pursues the same.


   74. The Soul which is observant of holy Obedience, is, as St. Gregory
   says (3. Lib. in Job, Cap. 13.) Possessour of all Vertues: It is
   rewarded by God for its Humilty and Obedience, illustrating and
   teaching its own Guide, to whose direction it ought (as being in God's
   place) to be every way subject, discovering freely, cleerly, faithfully
   and simply all the thoughts, all the works, inclinations, inspirations,
   and temptations that it knows of it self: In this manner the Devil
   cannot deceive it; and it becomes secure of giving an account of its
   actions to God without fear, as well those actions which it doth
   commit, as those it doth omit. Insomuch, that whoever would walk
   without a Guide, if he is not deceived, he is very near it, because,
   Temptation will seem Inspiration to him.

   75. Thou oughtest to know, that to be perfect, it is not enough to obey
   and honour Superiours, but it is also necessary to obey and honour
   Inferiours.

   76. Obedience therefore, to make it perfect, must be voluntary, pure,
   ready, chearful, internal, blind and persevering: Voluntary, without
   force and fear: Pure, without worldly interest and respect, or self
   love, but purely for God: Ready, without reply, excuse or delay:
   Chearful, without inward affliction, and with diligence: Internal,
   because it must not only be exterior and apparent, but from the mind
   and heart: Blind, without ones own judgment, but submitting that
   judgment with the will: to his that Commands it, without searching into
   the Intention, End, or Reason of the Obedience Persevering, with
   firmness and constancy unto Death.

   77. Obedience (according to St. Bonaventure (tract. 8. Collationum)
   must be ready, without a delay; Devout with tyring, Voluntary without
   contradiction, Simple, without examination, Persevering without
   resting; Orderly without breaking off; Pleasant without trouble;
   Valiant without Faint-heartedness, and Universal without exception.
   Remember, O blessed Soul! That altho thou hast a mind to do the divine
   Will, with all diligence, thou wilt never find the way, but by the
   means of Obedience. When a man is resolved to be governed by himself,
   he is lost and deceived: Although the Soul have very profound signs,
   that it is a good Spirit that speaks to it; yet unless it submit to the
   judgment of the Spiritual Director, let it be esteemed an evil Spirit:
   So says Gerson, (Tract. de dist. verar. Num. 19.) and many other
   Masters of Spirit.

   78. This Doctrine will be confirmed by that case of St. Teresa. The
   holy Mother, seeing that Lady Catherine of Cordona, led a life of great
   and rigid Penance in the Wilderness, resolved to imitate her, contrary
   to the judgment of her spiritual Father, who forbid her; Then the Lord
   told her (in her Life 366.) You must by no means do this, Daughter; the
   good way thou hast secure; thou seest all the Penance that Catherine
   doth, but I value more thy Obedience. She from that time forward, vowed
   to obey her spiritual Father: and in the 26th. Chapter of her Life, we
   read, that God often told her, that she must not omit to acquaint her
   spiritual Father with her whole Soul, and the graces that she had done
   her, and that she should always take care to obey him in everything.

   79. Thou seest how God hath been willing to secure that heavenly and
   important Doctrine by the holy Scripture, the Saints, the Doctors, by
   Reasons, and by Examples, a purpose to root out altogether the deceits
   of the Enemy.


     __________________________________________________________________

CHAP. XI.


   When, and in what things this Obedience doth most concern the interior
   Soul.


   80. That you may know when Obedience is most necessary, I will advise
   thee, that when thou shalt find the horrible and importunate
   suggestions of the Enemy, greatest upon thee, when thou shalt suffer
   most darkness, anguish, drowth, forsakings, when thou shalt see thy
   self most beset with temptations, wrath, rage, blasphemy, lust,
   cursing, tediousness, despair, impatience, and desolation; then tis
   most necessary for thee to believe, and obey an expert Director,
   resting thy self on his holy Counsel, that thou may'st not suffer thy
   self to be carried away by the strong perswasion of the Enemy, who
   would make thee believe in affliction, and heavy desertion, that thou
   art lost and abhorred by God, that thou art out of his favour, and that
   Obedience is past doing thee any good.


   81. Thou shalt find thy self encompassed with troublesome scruples,
   griefs, anguish, distress, martyrdoms, distrusts, forsakings of the
   Creatures, and troubles so bitter, that thy afflictions shall seem past
   comfort, and thy torments unconquerable. O blessed Soul! how happy wilt
   thou be, if thou dost but believe thy Guide, and subject thy self to to
   him and obey him? Then wilt thou walk safe by the secret and interiour
   way of the dark night, altho thou may'st seem to thy self to live in
   Errour, and that thou art worse then ever; that thou seest nothing in
   thy Soul, but abomination and signs of condemnation.

   82. Thou wilt think verily, that thou art possessed by an evil Spirit;
   because the signs of this interior exercise, and horrible tribulation,
   seem as bad as the invasions of infernal Furies and Devils. Then take
   care to believe thy Guide firmly, for thy true Happiness consists in
   thy obedience.

   83. You must consider that when the Devil sees a Soul totally denying
   it self, and submitting to the obedience of its Director, he makes a
   strange uproar all Hell over to hinder this infinite Good, and this
   holy Sacrifice: Full of envy and fury as he is, he uses to make strife
   between the two, inspiring the Soul with wearisomness, anger, aversion,
   resistance, distrust, and hatred against the Guide, and sometimes he
   makes use of his Tongue to bespatter him with many Reproaches; But if
   this Director be an expert one, he laughs at theses subtle Snares and
   diabolical Craftynesses. And however the Devil may perswade the Souls
   of such a state, with divers suggestions, not to believe their
   Director, that they may not obey him, nor profit under him; yet
   nevertheless they may believe, and they do believe enough to obey, tho'
   it be without their own satisfaction.

   84. Thou wilt ask of thy Guide some Liberty, or wilt communicate to him
   some Grace received. If in denying thee that Liberty, or rejecting that
   Grace, that thou may'st not grow proud, thou withdrawest thy self from
   his Counsel, and leavest him, it is a sign that the Favour was false,
   and that thy spirit walks in danger: But if thou doest believe and
   obey, altho' he do soundly displease thee, tis a sign that thou art
   alive and unmortified; nevertheless, thou wilt profit with that violent
   and working Medicine: because tho' the inferiour part be troubled and
   do resent, yet the superiour part of the Soul doth embrace him, and
   will be humbled and mortified; because it knows that this is the divine
   Will. And tho' thou dost not know it, yet satisction goes on emproving
   in thy Soul, and so doth the confidence that thou hast in thy Guide.

   85. The means of denying self love, and of laying down ones own
   judgment, you must know, is subjecting it altogether with true
   submission to the Counsel of the spiritual Physitian. If he hinders you
   your pleasure, or demands what you desire not, thousands of false and
   idle reasons do presently get about his holy Counsel; where it is
   presently known that the Spirit is not altogether mortified, nor his
   own judgment blinded, which are irreconcileable Enemies to a ready and
   blind obedience, and the peace of the Soul.

   86. Then tis necessary to overcome thy self and thy quick sentiments,
   to despise those false and lying reasons, by obeying, holding thy
   tongue, and executing his holy Counsel, because that is the way to root
   up thy appetite and thine own judgment.

   87. For this reason the ancient Fathers, as expert and skilful Masters
   of Spirit, did exercise their Disciples in divers and extraordinary
   Ways: To some they gave order to plant Lettice with the leaves
   downward; to others, to Water dry and whithered Trees; to others, to
   sew and unsew again, many times, their Cloaths; all marvellous and
   effectual stratagems to make tryal of simple obedience and to cut by
   their roots the weeds of their own Will and Judgment.


     __________________________________________________________________

CHAP. XII.


   Treats of the same.


   88. Know that thou canst not fetch one step in the way of the Spirit,
   till thou endeavourest to conquer this fierce Enemy, thy own judgment:
   And the Soul that will not know this hurt, can never be cured. A sick
   man that knows his Disease, knows for certain, that altho' he is adry,
   yet it is not good for him to drink, and that the Physick prescribed
   him, tho' it be bitter, yet is profitable for him: Therefore he
   believes not his Appetite, nor trusts in his own Judgment, but yields
   himself up to a skilful Physitian, obeying him in every thing, as the
   means of his Recovery and Cure: The knowledge that he is sick, helps
   him not to trust to himself, but to follow the wise judgment of his
   Doctor.

   89. We are all sick of the Disease of self love, and our own judgment;
   we are all full of our selves; we are alwaies desiring things hurtful
   to us; and that which does us good, is unpleasant and irksome to us:
   Tis necessary therefore for him that is Sick, to use the means of
   Recovery; which is, not to believe our own judgments and distemper'd
   sentiments, but the wise Judgment, of the spiritual and skilful
   Physitian, without reply or excuse, despising the seeming reasons of
   self-love; and so, if we obey, we shall certainly recover, and this
   love of ours, which is the Enemy of our ease, and peace, and
   perfection, and the spirit, will be overcome.

   90. How often will thine own judgment deceive thee? And how much wilt
   thou change thy judgment with shame, when thou hast trusted to thine
   own self? If any man should deceive thee twice or thrice, wouldst thou
   ever trust him more? Why therefore, dost thou repose confidence in
   thine own judgment, which has so often cozen'd thee? O blessed Soul,
   believe no more, believe not; subject thy self with true submission and
   follow blindfold this Obedience.

   91. Thou wilt be much satisfied to have an experienced Guide, and wilt
   esteem him a great Happiness; but twil little avail thee, if thou
   valuest thy own judgment more than his Counsel, and dost not submit to
   it in all truth and simplicity.

   92. Suppose a great man be sick of a dangerous Disease: He has in his
   House a famous and skilful Physitian; and he quickly knows the Disease,
   the causes, the conditions, and the state of it, and knowing for
   certain that the Distemper is to be treated with severe Cauteries he
   orders Lenitives for it: Now, is not this a great disorder? If his sure
   that Lenitives will do little good, and that Cauterizing is the proper
   way, why does he not apply it to him? Because, altho' the sick person
   would have his health, yet the Physitian knows best, and that he is not
   disposed to take those strong Medicines, and therefore like a wise man,
   orders him gentle Lenitives; because tho' he may not presently get up
   again by em , yet he keeps the Disease from being mortal.

   93. What matter is it, if you have the best Director in the World, if
   yet not withstanding you want true submission? altho' he be a man of
   skill and knows the grievance and the remedy, he doth not apply the
   proper Physick, which concerns you most to deny your Will; because he
   knows your very Heart and Spirit, that it is not disposed to let the
   infirmities of your own judgment be removed. So you will never be
   cured, and it will be a Miracle, if he can keep you in Grace, with so
   fierce an Enemy of your Soul about you.

   94. Thy Director will scorn all manner of Favours, if he be a wise man;
   as if thy Spirit may not be well grounded, believe him, obey him,
   embrace his Counsel, because with this contempt, if the Spirit be
   feigned and of the Evil One, the secret Pride formed by him that
   counterfeits these Spirits, will soon be known; but if the Spirit be
   real: though thou find'st displeasure in this humiliation: it will
   serve thee for an extraordinary good.

   95. If the Soul take delight in esteem, and in having the favours which
   it receives from God, made open and publick; if it doth not obey and
   believes not its Director, which thinks meanly of em, tis all a lie and
   cheat, and the Devil is that Angel that transforms himself. The Soul
   seeing that the skilful Director despises these cheats, if the Spirit
   be evil, withdraws the feigned affection, which it shewed him, and
   endeavours by little and little to get from him, seeking some other
   that its cheats may take with: for the proud can never keep company
   with those that humble em: but on t'otherside, if the Spirit be true
   and of God, by these means the love and constancy increases by enduring
   em, desiring much more its own contempt, from whence the soundness and
   sincerity of the Spirit becomes qualified without deceit.


     __________________________________________________________________

CHAP. XIII.


   Frequent Communion is an effectunl means of getting all Vertues, and in
   particular, Internal Peace.


   96. There are four things the most necessary to get Perfection and
   internal Peace: The first is Prayer, the second Obedience; the third
   frequent Communion; the fourth internal Mortification. And now since we
   have treated of Prayer and Obedience, it will be fitting to treat also
   of Communion.

   97. You ought to know that many Souls there are that deprive themselves
   of the infinite benefit of this precious Food, by judging that they are
   not sufficiently prepared, and that no less than an Angelical Purity is
   necessary for it. if thou hast a pure end, a true desire of doing the
   Will of God, without looking at sensible Devotion, or thine own
   Satisfaction, come with confidence, because thou art well disposed.

   98. On this Rock of Desiring to do the Divine will, all difficulties
   must be broken, all scruples overcome, all temptations, doubts, fears,
   resistances and contradictions: And although the best Preparation for
   the Soul, be often Communicating, because one Communion disposes it for
   another; yet I will shew the two ways of Preparation: The first for the
   exteriour Souls which have good Desire and Will. And the second, for
   Spiritual Ones which live Internally, and have a greater Light and
   Knowledge of God, of his Mysteries, of his Operations and Sacraments.

   99. The Preparation for the exterior Souls, is to be Confessed and
   retire from the Creatures, before the Communion to stand still and
   consider whet is to be received, and who is it that receives it, and
   that he goes to do the greatest business in the World, which is to
   receive the great God. What a singular favour is that Purity it self
   condescends to be received by Faith! Majesty by Vileness! the Creatour
   by the Creature!

   100. The second Preparation in order to the interiour and spiritual
   Souls, must be to endeavour to live with greater Purity and
   Self-denial, with an universal taking ones self off from the World,
   with an inward Mortification and continual Retirement: and when they
   walk in this Way, they have no need of any actual preparation, because
   their Life is a continual and perfect Preparation.

   101. If thou do'st not know these Vertues in thy Soul, for the same
   reason thou must often draw near to this Soveraign Table to get em.
   Never let it hinder thee, to see thy self dry, defective and cold;
   because frequent Communion is the Physick that cures those diseases,
   and increases Vertue: for the same reason that thou art Sick, thou must
   go to the Physian; and that thou art Cold to the Fire.

   102. If thou drawest near with humility, with a desire of doing the
   Divine Will, and with the leave of thy Confessor, thou mayst receive it
   every day, and every day thou wilt grow better and better. Never be
   afraid for seeing thy self without that affectionate and sensible love,
   which some men say is necessary: because this sensible affection is not
   perfect, and ordinarily it is given to weak and nice Souls.

   103. Thou wilt say that thou feelest thy self indisposed, without
   devotion, without fervour, without the desire of this Divine food, so
   as to ask how thou must frequent it? believe for certain, that none of
   these things doth hinder or hurt thee, whilst you preserve this purpose
   firm, not to sin, and your Will determined to avoid every offence: and
   if thou hast confessed all those that thou couldst remember, doubt not
   but that thou are well prepared to come to this Heavenly and Divine
   Table.


     __________________________________________________________________

CHAP. XIV.


   Pursues the same Matter.


   104. Thou must know that in this unspeakable Sacrament, Christ is
   united with the Soul, is made one thing with it, whose fineness and
   purity is the most profound and admirable, and the most worthy of
   consideration and thanks. Great was the pureness of him in being made
   Man; greater that of dying ignominiously on the Cross for our sake, but
   the giving of himself whole and entire to man in this admirable
   Sacrament, admits no comparison: This is singular favour, and infinite
   pureness: because there is no more to give; no more to receive. O that
   we could but comprehend him! O that we could but know him.

   105. That God being what he is, should be communicated to my Soul! that
   God should be willing to make a reciprocalty of union with it, which of
   it self is meer misery! O Souls, if we could but feed our selves at
   this Heavenly Table! O that we could scorch our selves at this burning
   fire! O that we could become one and the same spirit with this
   Soveraign Lord! who withholds us? who deceives us? who takes us off
   from burning like Salamanders, in the Divine fire of this holy Table?

   106. Tis true, O Lord, that thou entrest into me a miserable creature,
   but true also it is, that thou at the same time remainest in thy glory
   and brightness, and in thy self. Receive me therefore O my Jesus, in
   thy self, in thy beauty and Majesty. I am infinitely glad that the
   vileness of my Soul cannot prejudice thy beauty: thou entrest therefore
   into me, without going out of thy self; thou livest in the midst of thy
   brightness and magnificence, tho' thou art in my darkness and misery.

   107. O my Soul, how great is thy vileness! (Job 7 Chap.) how great thy
   poverty! what is man, Lord, that thou art so mindful of him? that thou
   visitest him and makest him great? What is man, that thou puttest such
   an esteem upon him, being willing to have thy delights with him and
   dwell personally with thy greatnesses in him? how, O Lord, can a
   miserable creature receive an infinite Majesty? humble thy self, O my
   soul, to the very depth of nothing, confess thy unworthiness, look upon
   thy misery, and acknowledge the wonders of the Divine Love, which
   suffers it self to be mean in this incomprehensible Mystery, that it
   may be communicated and united with thee.

   108. O the greatness of love, which the amiable Jesus is, in a small
   host? who is there subject in some manner to man, giving himself whole
   and sacrificing himself for him to the Eternal Father! O Soveraign
   Lord, keep back my heart strongly, that it may never more return to its
   imperfect liberty, but all annihilated may die to the world, and remain
   united with thee.

   109. If thou would'st get all Vertues in the highest degree, come
   blessed Soul, come with frequency to this most holy Table; for there
   they do all dwell. Eat, O my Soul, of this Heavenly Food, eat and
   continue, come with humility, come with Faith to feed of this White and
   Divine Bread: for this is the Mark of Souls, and from hence Love draws
   its Arrows, saying, Come, O Soul, and eat this savoury Food, if thou
   would'st get Purity, Charity, Chastity, Light, Strength, Perfection and
   Peace.

     __________________________________________________________________

CHAP. XV.


   Declaring when Spiritual and Corporal Penances ought to be used, and
   how hurtful they are, when they are done indiscreetly according to ones
   own Judgment and Opinion.


   110. It is to be known, that there are some Souls who, to make too
   great advances in Holiness, become much behindhand in it, by doing
   indiscreet Penances; ilke those who would sing more than their strength
   allows em, who strain themselves till they are tired, and instead of
   doing better, do worse.

   111. Many have fallen into this Precipice, for want of subjecting their
   judgment to their spiritual Fathers; whilst they have imagined, that
   unless they give themselves up to rigid Penances, they never can be
   Saints, as if sanctity did only consist in them. They say, that he that
   sows little, reaps little; but they sow no other seed, with their
   indiscreet Penances, than Self-love, instead of rooting it up.

   112. But the worst of these indiscreet Penances, is, that by the use of
   these dry and barren Severities, is begotten and naturalized a certain
   bitterness of heart towards themselves and their neighbours, which is a
   great stranger to the true Spirit: towards themselves, because they do
   not feel the sweetness of Christ's Yoke, the sweetness of Charity, but
   only the asperity of Penances; whereby their nature becomes imbitter'd;
   and hence it follows, that such men become exasperated with their
   Neighbours, to the marking and reproving much their faults, and holding
   of them for very defective, for the same reason that they see em go a
   less rigorous way than themselves: hence they grow proud with their
   exercises of Penance, seeing few that do after em, and thinking
   themselves better than other folks, whereupon they much fall in the
   account of their Vertues. Hence comes the envy of others, to see them
   less penitent and greater favourites of God; a clear proof, that they
   fixed their confidence in their own proper diligences.

   113. Prayer is the nourishment of the Soul; and the Soul of Prayer is
   internal mortification: for however bodily Penance, and all other
   exercises chastening the flesh, be good and holy and praiseworthy, (so
   as they be moderated by discretion, according to the state and quality
   of every one, and by the help of the spiritual Director's judgment) yet
   thou will never gain any vertue by these means, but only vanity and the
   wind of vain-glory, if they do not grow from within. Wherefore now thou
   shalt know when thou art to use most chiefly External Penances.

   114. When the Soul begins to retire from the World and Vice, it ought
   to tame the body with rigour, that it may be subject to the Spirit and
   follow the Law of God with ease; then it concerns you to manage the
   Weapons of Haircloth, Fasting and Discipline, to take from the flesh
   the roots of sin; but when the Soul enters into the way of the Spirit,
   imbracing internal mortification, corporal chastisements ought to be
   relaxed, because there is trouble enough in the Spirit: the heart is
   weakned, the breast suffers, the brain is weary, the whole Body grieved
   and disabled for the functions of the Soul.

   115. The wise and skillful Directer therefore must consider, not to
   give way to these Souls to perform such excesses of Corporal and
   External Penance, to whom he moves the great love of God, which they do
   conceive in the internal, darksom and cleansing retirement of em;
   because tis not good to spend the Body and the Sprit all at once, nor
   break their strength by rigorous and excessive Penances, seeing they
   are weakned by internal mortification. For which reason St. Ignatius
   Loyola said very well in his Exercises, That in the cleansing way,
   Corporal Penances were necessary, which in the illuminating way ought
   to be moderated, and much more in the unitive.

   116. But thou wilt say, That the Saints always used grevious Penances.
   I answer, that they did em not with indiscretion, nor after their own
   proper judgment, but with the opinion of their Superious and Spiritual
   Directors which permitted em to use them, because they knew them to be
   moved inwardly by the Lord to those rigours, to confound the misery of
   sinners by their examples, or for many other reasons. Other times they
   gave them leave to use them to humble the fervour of their Spirit and
   counterpoise their Raptures; which are all particular Motives and make
   not any general Rule for all.


     __________________________________________________________________

CHAP. XVI.


   The great difference between External and Internal Penances.


   117. Know that the Mortifications and Penances which some one
   undertakes of himself, are light (although they may be the most
   rigorous, which hithero have been done) in comparison to those he takes
   from another's hands: because in the first, he himself enters at his
   own will, which abate the grief, the more voluntary it is, whilst at
   last he doth but that which he is willing: But in the second, all that
   is indured, is painful: and the way also painful, in which it is
   indured, that is to say, by the will of another.

   118. This is that which Christ our Lord told St. Peter, (St. John 21.
   18.) When thou wast young and a beginner in vertue, thou girdest and
   mortifiedst thy self; but when thou goest to greater Schools, and shall
   be a proficient in vertue, an other shall gird and mortifie thee: and
   then if thou wilt follow me perfectly, altogether denying thy self,
   thou must leave that cross of thine, and take up mine, that is, be
   contented that another crucifie thee.

   119. There must be no difference made between these and those, between
   thy Father and thy Son, thy Friend and thy Brother; these must be the
   first to mortifie thee, or to rise up against thee, whether with reason
   or without reason, thinking the vertue of thy Soul, cheat, hypocrisie
   or imprudence, and putting stumbling-blocks in the way of thy holy
   Exercises. This, and much more will befall thee if thou wilt heartily
   serve the Lord, and make thy self pure from his hand.

   120. Hold it for certain, that however good those Mortification and
   External Penances be, which thou shalt undertake of thine own self,
   thou wilt never by those only purchase perfection: for although they
   tame the Body, yet they purifie not the Soul, nor purge the internal
   Passions, which do really hinder perfect Contemplation and the Divine
   Union.

   121. Tis very easie to mortifie the Body by means of the Spirit; but
   not the Sprit by means of the Body. True it is, that in Internal
   Mortification, and that of the Spirit, it much concerns you, for
   conquering your Passions and rooting up your own Judgment and
   self-love, to labour even to death, without any manner of sparing your
   self, although the Soul be in the highest state: and therefore the
   principal diligence ought to be in Internal Mortification: because
   Corporal and External Mortification is not enough, though it be good
   and holy.

   122. Though a man should receive the punishments of all men together,
   and do the roughest Penances that ever have been done in God's Church,
   yet if he do not deny himself and mortifie himself with interiour
   mortification, he will be far from arriving at perfection.

   123. A good proof of this truth is that which befel Saint Henry Suson,
   to whom after twenty years of rigorous Hair-cloth, Discipline, and
   Abstinence so great, that even to read em is enough to make ones hair
   stand on end, God communicated light by means of an Extasie, by which
   he arrived at the knowledge that he had not yet begun, and it was in
   such a manner, as that, till the Lord mortified him with temptations
   and great persecutions, he never could arrive at perfection, (his Life,
   chap. 23.) Hence thou wilt clearly know the great difference that there
   is between External and Internal Penances, and Internal and External
   Mortification.


     __________________________________________________________________

CHAP. XVII.


   How the Soul is to carry it self in the Faults it doth commit, that it
   may not be disquieted thereby, but reap good out of it.


   124. When thou fallest into a fault, in what matter soever it be, do
   not trouble nor afflict thy self for it: for they are effects of our
   frail nature, stained by Original Sin; so prone to Evil, that it hath a
   necessity of a most special Grace and Priviledge, as the most holy
   Virgin had, to be free and exempt from Venial Sins. (Council of Trent,
   Sess. 6. Can. 23.)

   125. If when thou fallest into a fault or a piece of neglect, thou dost
   disturb and chide thy self, tis a manifest sign, that secret pride doth
   still reign in thy soul: didst thou believe, that thou could'st not
   more fall into faults and frailties? if God permits some failings even
   in the most holy and perfect men, it is to leave em some remnant of
   themselves of the time that they were beginners, to keep em more secure
   and humble, it is that they may think always, that they are never
   departed from that state, whilst they still keep upon the faults of
   their beginnings.

   126. What dost thou marvel at, if thou fallest into some light fault or
   frailty? humble thy self; know thy misery and thank God that he has
   preserved thee from infinite sins, into which thou mn't have infallibly
   fallen, and wouldst have fallen according to thy inclination and
   appetite: What can be expected from the slippery ground of our nature,
   but stumps, bryers and thorns? Tis a Miracle of Divine Grace, not to
   fall every moment into faults innumerable. We should offend all the
   World, if God should not hold his hand continually over us.

   127. The common enemy will make thee believe, that, as soon as thou
   fallest into any fault, thou dost not go well grounded in the way of
   the Spirit, that thou walkest in Error, that thou hast not in earnest
   reformed thy self, that thou didst not make well the general
   confession, that thou hast not true grief, and therefore art out of God
   and of his favour: and if thou shalt sometimes commit again, by
   misfortune, a venial fault, how many fears, frights, confusions,
   discouragements and various discourses will the Devil put into thy
   herrt? he will represent to thee, that thou employest thy time in vain;
   that thou dost just as much as comes to nothing; that thy Prayer doth
   thee no good; that thou disposest not the self, as thou oughtest, to
   receive the holy Sacrament; that thou dost not mortifie thy self, as
   thou promiseth to God daily; that Prayer and Communion without
   Mortification is meer vanity: herewith would he make thee distrust of
   the Divine Grace, telling thee of thy misery and making a Gyant of it,
   and putting into thy head, that every day thy Soul grows worse instead
   of better, whilst it so often repeats those failings.

   128. O blessed Soul, open thine eyes, suffer not thy self to be carried
   away by the deceitful and gilded tricks of Satan, who seeks thy ruine
   and cowardise with these lying and seeming reasons: Cut off these
   discourses and considerations, and shut the gate against these vain
   Thoughts and diabolical Suggestions; lay aside these vain fears, and
   remove this faint-heartedness, knowing thy misery, and trusting in the
   Mercy Divine: and if to morrow thou dost fall again, as thou did'st to
   day, trust again the more in that supream, and more than infinite
   Goodness, so ready to forget our faults, and receive us into his Arms
   as dear Children.


     __________________________________________________________________

CHAP. XVIII.


   Treateth of the Same Point.


   129. At all times therefore thou oughtest, when thou seest thy self in
   fault, with out losing time, or making discourses upon the failing, to
   drive away vain Fear and Cowardise, without disturbing or chiding thy
   self, but knowing thy fault with Humility, looking on thy misery,
   rowling thy self with a loving confidence on the Lord, going into his
   presence, asking him Pardon heartily, and without noise of words; keep
   thy self reposed in doing this, without discoursing whether he hath or
   hath not forgiven thee, returning to thy Exercises and Retirements, as
   if thou has'st not Sinned.

   130. Would not he be a meer Fool, which running at Turneament with
   others, and falling in the best of the Career, should lie weeping on
   the ground, and afflicting himself with discourses upon his fall? Man
   (they would tell him) loose no time, get up and take the Course again;
   for he that rises again quickly, and continues his Race, is as if he
   had never fallen.

   131. If thou hast a desire to get to a high degree of Perfection and
   inward Peace, thou must use the Weapon of Confidence in the Divine
   Goodness, night and day, and always when thou fallest. This humble and
   loving Conversation, and total Confidence in the Mercy Divine, thou
   must exercise in all faults, imperfections, and failings that thou
   shalt commit, either by advertence or inadvertency.

   132. And although thou often fallest, and seest thy Pusillanimity, and
   endeavour to get courage, and afflict not thy self; because what God
   doth not do in forty Years, he sometimes doth in an instant, with a
   particular Mystery, that we may live low and humble, and know that tis
   the Work of his powerful Hand, to free us from Sins.

   133. God also is willing, of ineffable Wisdom, that, not only by
   Vertues, but also by Vices and the Passions wherewith the Devil seeks
   and pretends to strike us down to the bottomless Pit, we make a Ladder
   to scale Heaven with. Ascendamus etiam per vitia & passiones nostras,
   says St. Austine (Serm. 3. de Ascens.) That we may not make Poison of
   Physick, and Vices of Vertues, by becoming vain by em; God would have
   us make Vertues of Vices, healing us by that very thing which would
   hurt us: So says St. Gregory, Quia ergo nos de medicamento vulnus
   facimus, facit ille de vulnere medicamentum; ut qui virtute percutimur,
   vitio curemur, (Lib. 37.c.9.)

   134. By means of small failings, the Lord makes us know that his
   Majesty is that which frees us from great ones; and herewith he keeps
   us humbled and vigilant; of which our proud Nature hath most need: And
   therefore though thou oughtest to walk with great care, not to fall
   into any fault or imperfection, if thou seest thy self fallen once and
   a thousand times, thou oughtest to make use of the Remedy which I have
   given thee, that is, a loving Confidence in the Divine Mercy: These are
   the Weapons with which thou must fight and conquer Cowardise and vain
   Thoughts: This is the means thou oughtest to use, not to lose time, not
   to disturb thy self, and reap good: This is the Treasure wherewith thou
   must enrich thy Soul: and lastly, hereby must thou get up the high
   Mountain of Perfection, Tranquility and Internal Peace.

     __________________________________________________________________



THE



Spiritual Guide,



Which brings the Soul to the getting of Inward Peace.





  The Third Book.



    Of Spiritual Martyrdoms whereby God Purges Souls; of Contemplation, infused
    and passive; of Perfect Resignation, Inward Humility, Divine Wisdom, True
    Annihilation, and Internal Peace.


     __________________________________________________________________

CHAP. I.


   The Difference between the Outward and Inward Man.


   1. THERE are two sorts of Spiritual Persons, Internal and External:
   these seek God by without, by Discourse, by Imagination and
   Consideration: they endeavour mainly to get Vertues, many Abstinences,
   Maceration of Body, and Mortification of the Senses: they give
   themselves to rigorous Penance; they put on Sack-cloth, chastise the
   flesh by Discipline, endeavour silence, bear the presence of God,
   forming him present to themselves in their Idea of him, or their
   Imagination, sometimes as a Pastor, sometimes as a Physician, and
   sometimes as a Father and Lord: they delight to be continually speaking
   of God, very often making fervent Acts of Love; and all this is Art and
   Meditation: by this way they desire to be great, and by the power of
   voluntary and exteriour Mortifications, they go in quest of sensible
   Affections and warm Sentiments, thinking that God resides only in them,
   when they have em. This is the External Way, and the Way of Beginners,
   and though it be good, yet there is no arriving at Perfection by it;
   nay, there is not so much as one step towards it, as Experience shews
   in many, that after fifty years of this external exercise, are void of
   God, and full of themselves, having nothing of spiritual Men, but just
   the name of such.

   2. There are others truly Spiritual, which have passed by the
   beginnings of the Interiour Way which leads to Perfection and Union
   with God; and to which the Lord called em by his infinite Mercy, from
   that outward Way, in which before they exercised themselves. These men
   retired in the inward part of their Souls, with true Resignation into
   the Hands of God, with a total putting off and forgetting even of
   themselves; do always go with a rais'd Spirit to the Presence of the
   Lord, by the means of pure Faith, without Image, Form or Figure, but
   with great assurance founded in tranquility and rest Internal: in whose
   infused meeting and entertainment, the spirit draws with so much force,
   that it makes the Soul contract inwardly, the Heart, the Body and all
   the Powers of it.

   3. These Souls, as they are already passed by the interiour
   Mortification, and have been cleansed by God with the Fire of
   Tribulation, with infinite and horrible Torments, all of them ordained
   by his hand, and after his way, are Masters of themselves, because they
   are intirely subdued and denied; which makes them live with great
   Repose and internal Peace: and although in many occasions they feel
   Resistance and Temptations, yet they become presently Victorious,
   because being already Souls of Proof, and indued with Divine Strength,
   the motions of Passions cannot last long upon them; and although
   vehement Temptations and troublesome Suggestions of the Enemy may
   persevere a long time about them, yet they are all conquer'd with
   infinite gain; God being he that Fights within them.

   4. These Souls have already procured themselves a great Light, and a
   true Knowledge of Christ our Lord, both of his Divinity and his
   Humanity: They exercise this infused Knowledge with a quiet Silence in
   the inward entertainment, and the superiour part of their Souls, with a
   Spirit free from Images and external Representations, with a love that
   is pure and stripped of all Creatures; they are raised also from
   outward Actions to the love of Humanity and Divinity; so much as they
   enjoy, they forget, and in all of it they find that they love their God
   with all their Heart and Spirit.

   5. These blessed and sublimated Souls take no pleasure in any thing of
   the World, but contempt and in being alone, and in being forsaken and
   forgotten by every body: They live so disinterested and taken off, that
   though they continually receive many supernatural Graces, yet they are
   not changed, no not at those inclinations, being just as if they had
   not received em, keeping always in the in-most of their Hearts a great
   lowliness and contempt of themselves; always humbled in the depth of
   their own unworthiness and vileness: In the same manner they are always
   quiet, serene, and possessed with evenness of mind in Graces and
   Favours extraordinary, as also in the most rigorous and bitter
   Torments. There is no News that chears em; no Success that makes them
   sad; Tribulation never disturb them; nor the interiour, continual and
   divine Communication make em vain and conceited; they remain always
   full of holy and filial Fear, in a wonderful Peace, Constancy and
   Serenity.


     __________________________________________________________________

CHAP. II.


   Pursues the Same.


   6. In the external Way they take care to do continual Acts of all the
   Vertues, one after another, to get to the attainment of em: They
   pretend to purge Imperfections with Industries, proportionable to
   Destruction; they take care to root up Interests, one after another,
   with a different and contrary Exercise. But though they endeavour never
   so much, they arrive at nothing: because we cannot do any thing which
   is not Imperfection and Misery.

   7. But in the inward Way and loving Entertainment in the Presence
   Divine, as the Lord is he that works, Vertue is established, Interests
   are rooted up, Imperfections are destroy'd and Passions removed; which
   makes the Soul free unexpectedly, and taken off, when occasions are
   represented, without so much as thinking of the good which God of his
   infinite Mercy prepared for em.

   8. It must be known that these Souls, though thus Perfect, as they have
   the true Light of God, yet by it they know profoundly, their own
   miseries, weakness and imperfections, and what they yet want to arrive
   at Perfection, towards which they are walking; they are afflicted and
   abhor themselves; they exercise themselves in a loving fear of God, and
   contempt of themselves, but with a true Hope in God, and Dis-confidence
   in themselves. The more they are humbled with true contempt and
   knowledge of themselves, the more they please God, and arrive at a
   singular respect and veneration in his Presence. Of all the good Works
   that they do, and of all that they continually suffer, as well within
   as without, they make no manner of account before that Divine Presence.

   9. Their continual Exercise is, to enter into themselves, in God, with
   quiet and silence; because there is his Center, Habitation and Delight.
   They make a greater account of this interiour Retirement, than of
   speaking of God; they retire into that interiour and secret Center of
   the Soul, to know God and receive his Divine Influence, with fear and
   loving reverence; if they go out, they go out only to know and despise
   themselves.

   10. But know that few are the Souls which arrive at this happy State;
   because few there are that are willing to embrace contempt, and suffer
   themselves to be Refined and Purified; upon which account, although
   there are many that enter into this interiour Way, yet tis a rare thing
   for a Soul to go on, and not stick upon the entrance. The Lord said to
   a Soul, "This inward Way is tread by few; tis so high a Grace, that
   none deserves it; few walk in it, because tis no other than a Death of
   the senses; and few there be that are willing so to Die and be
   Annihilated; in which disposition this so soveraign a Gift is founded."

   11. Herewith thou wilt undeceive thy self, and perfectly know the great
   difference which there is between the external and internal Way, and
   how different that Presence of God is which arise from Meditation, from
   that which is Infused and Supernatural, arising from the interior and
   infused Intertainment, and from passive Contemplation; and lastly, you
   will know the great difference which is between the outward and inward
   Man.


     __________________________________________________________________

CHAP. III.


   The means of obtaining Peace Internal, is not the Delight of Sense nor
   Spiritual Consolation, but the denying of Self-love.


   12. It is the saying of S. Bernard, That to serve God, is nothing else
   but to do Good and suffer Evil. He that would go to Perfection by the
   means of sweetness and consolation, is mistaken: You must desire no
   other Consolation from God, than to end your Life for his sake, in the
   state of true Obedience and Subjection. Christ our Lord's way was not
   that of Sweetness and Softness, nor did he invite us to any such,
   either by his words or Example, when he said, --He that will come after
   me, let him deny himself, and let him take up his Cross and follow me,
   (St. Matth. 24. 26.) The Soul that would be United to Christ, must be
   conformable to him, following him in the way of suffering.

   13. Thou wilt scarce begin to relish the sweetness of Divine Love in
   Prayer, but the Enemy with his deceitful Craftiness will be kindling in
   thy Heart desires of the Desert and Solitude, that thou mayest without
   any bodies hindrance spred the sails to continual & delightful Prayer.
   Open thine eyes and consider that this counsel and desire is not
   conformable to the true counsel of Christ our Lord, who has not invited
   us to follow the sweetness and comfort of our own Will, but the denying
   of our selves, saying, Abneget semetipsum: As if he should say, He that
   will follow me, and come unto Perfection, let him part with his own
   Will wholly, and leaving all things, let him intirely submit to the
   Yoke of Obedience and Subjection, by means of Self-denyal, which is the
   truest Cross.

   14. There are many Souls dedicated to God, which receive from his Hand
   great Thoughts, Visions, and mental Elevations, and yet for all that,
   the Lord keeps from em, the Grace of working Miracles, understanding
   hidden Secrets, foretelling future Contingencies, as he communicates
   these things to other Souls which have constantly gone through
   Tribulations, Temptations, and the true Cross, in the state of perfect
   Humility, Obedience and Subjection.

   15. O what a great Happiness is it for a Soul to be subdued and
   subject! what great Riches is it to be Poor! what a mighty honour to be
   despised! what a height is it to be beaten down! what a comfort is it
   to be afflicted! what a credit of knowledge is it to be reputed
   Ignorant! and finally, what a Happiness of Happinesses is it to be
   Crucified with Christ! This is that lot which the Apostle gloried in,
   Nos autem gloriari oportet in cruce Domini nostri Jesu Christi) (Gal.
   6. 14.) Let others boast in their Riches, Dignities, Delights and
   Honours; but to us there is no higher honour, than to be denied,
   despised and crucified with Christ.

   16. But what a grief is this, that scarce is there one Soul which
   despises spiritual pleasures and is willing to be denied for Christ,
   imbracing his Cross with love, Multi sunt vocati; pauci vero electi,
   (Matt. 22.) says the Holy Ghost: many are they who are call'd to
   perfection, but few are they that arrive at it: because they are few
   who imbrace the Cross with patience, constancy, peace and resignation.

   17. To deny ones self in all things, to be subject to another's
   judgment, to mortifie continually all inward passions, to annihilate
   ones self in all respects, to follow always that which is contrary to
   ones own will, appetite and judgment, are things that few can do: many
   are those that teach em, but few are they that practise em.

   18. Many Souls have undertaken, and daily do undertake, this Way; and
   they persevere all the while they keep the sweet relish of their
   primitive Fervour; but this sweetness and sensible delight is scarce
   done, but presently, upon the overtaking of a Storm of Trouble,
   Temptation and Dryness (which are necessary things to help a man up the
   high Mountain of Perfection) they falter and turn back: a clear sign
   that they sought themselves, and not God or Perfection.

   19. May it please God, that the Souls which have had light, and been
   called to an inward peace, and by not being constant in dryness and
   tribulation and temptation, have started back may not be cast into
   outer darkness, with him that had not on him a wedding garment;
   although he was a servant, for not being disposed, giving himself up to
   self-love.

   20. This Monster must be vanquished, this seven-headed beast of
   self-love must be beheaded, in order to get up to the top of the high
   mountain of peace. This Monster put his head every-where; sometimes it
   gets amongst Relations, which stranglely hinder with their
   conversation; to which nature easily let's it self be lead; sometimes
   it gets with a good look of gratitude, into passionate affection, and
   without restraint, towards the Confessor; sometimes into affection to
   most subtle Spiritual vain-glories and temporal ones, and niceties of
   honour; which things stick very close; sometimes it cleaves to
   spiritual pleasures, staying even in the gifts of God, and in his
   graces freely bestowed; sometimes it desires exceedingly the
   preservation of health, and with disguise, to be used well, and its own
   proper profit, and conveniences; sometimes it would seem well, with
   very curious subtilties: and lastly, it cleaves with a notable
   propensity, to its own proper judgment and opinion in all things; the
   roots of which are closely fixed in its own will: All these are effects
   of Self-love, and if they be not denied, impossible it is that a man
   should ever get up to the height of perfect Contemplation, to the
   highest, happiess of the loving Union, and the lofty Throne of Peace
   Internal.


     __________________________________________________________________

CHAP. IV.


   Of two Spiritual Martyrdoms, wherewith God cleanseth the Soul that he
   unites with Himself.


   21. Now you shall know that God uses two ways for the Cleansing the
   Souls which he would perfect and enlighten, to unite em closely to
   himself: The first (of which we will treat in this and the following
   Chapter) is with the bitter Waters of Afflictions, Anguish, Distress,
   and inward Torments. The second is, with the burning Fire of an
   inflamed Love, a Love impatient and hungry: Sometimes he makes use of
   both in those Souls which he would fill with Perfection; sometimes he
   puts em into the strong steeping of Tribulations, and inward and
   outward Bitterness, scorching em with the Fire of rigorous Temptation;
   sometimes he puts em into the Crucible of anxious and distrustful Love,
   making em fast there with a mighty force; because so much the greater
   as the Lord would have the Illumination and Union of a Soul to be, so
   much the more strong is the Torment and the Purgation; because all the
   Knowledge and Union with God, arises from suffering, which is the
   truest proof of Love.

   22. O that thou would'st understand the great Good of Tribulation! This
   is that which blots out Sins, cleanses the Soul, and produces Patience:
   this in Prayer inflames it, inlarges it, and puts it upon the exercise
   of the most sublime act of Charity: this rejoyces the Soul, brings it
   near to God, calls it to, and gives it entrance into Heaven: The same
   is that which tries the true Servants of God, and renders em sweet,
   valiant and constant: that is it which makes God hear em with speed. Ad
   dominum, cum tribularer, clamavi & exaudivit me, (Ps. 119.) Tis that
   which Annihilates, Refines and Perfects em: and finally, this is that
   which of Earthly, makes Souls Heavenly, of Humane, Divine, transforming
   em and uniting em in an admirable manner with the Lord's Humanity and
   Divinity. It was well said by St. Augustine, That the Life of the Soul,
   upon Earth is Temptation. Blessed is the Soul which is always opposed,
   if it doth constantly resist Temptation. This is the means which the
   Lord makes use of to Humble it, to Annihilate it, to Spend it, to
   Mortifie it, to Deny it, to Perfect it, and fill it with this Divine
   Gifts: By this means of Tribulation and Temptation he comes to Crown
   and Transform it. Perswade thy self that Temptations and Fightings are
   necessary for the Soul, to make it Perfect.

   23. O blessed Soul, if thou knowest how to be constant and quiet in the
   Fire of Tribulation, and would'st but let thy self be washed with the
   bitter Waters of Affliction, how quickly would'st thou find thy self
   rich in heavenly Gifts; how soon would the Divine Bounty make a rich
   Throne in thy Soul, and a goodly Habitation for thee to refresh and
   solace thy self in it!

   24. Know that this Lord hath his repose no where but in quiet Souls,
   and in those in which the Fire of Tribulation and Temptation hath burnt
   up the dregs of Passion, and the bitter Water of Afflictions hath
   washed off the filthy spots of inordinate Appetites; in a word, this
   Lord reposes not himself any where, but where Quietness reigns, and
   Self-love is banished.

   25. But thou wilt never arrive at this happy State, nor find in thy
   Soul the precious Pledge of Peace Internal, although thou hast gotten
   the better of the External Senses by the Grace of God, till it become
   purified from the disordered Passions of Concupiscence, Self-esteem
   Desire and Thoughts, how spiritual soever, and many other Interests and
   secret Vices, which lye within the very Soul of thee, miserably
   hindring the peaceable entrance of that great Lord into it, who would
   be united and transformed with thee.

   26. The very Vertues acquired, and not purified, are a hindrance to
   this great Gift of the Peace of the Soul: and more, the Soul is clogged
   by an inordinate desire of sublime Gifts, by the Appetite of feeling
   spiritual Consolation, by sticking to Infused and Divine Graces,
   intertaining it self in em, and desiring more of em, to enjoy em, and
   finally, by a desire of begin great.

   27. O how much is there to be purified in a Soul that must arrive at
   the holy Mountain of Perfection, and of Transformation with God! O how
   disposed, naked, denied, annihilated ought the Soul to be, which would
   not hinder the entrance of this Divine Lord into it, nor his continual
   Communication.

   28. This disposition of preparing the Soul, in its bottom, for Divine
   Entrance, must of necessity be made by the Divine Wisdom. If a Seraphim
   is not sufficient to purifie the Soul, how shall a Soul that is frail
   miserable and without experience, ever be able to purifie it self?

   29. Therefore the Lord himself will dispose thee and prepare thee
   passively by a way thou understandest not, with the Fire of Tribulation
   and inward Torment, without any other disposition on thy side, than a
   consent to the internal and external Cross.

   30. Thou wilt find within thy self a passive dryness, darkness,
   anguish, contradictions, continual resistance, inward desertions,
   horrible desolations, continual and strong suggestions, and vehement
   temptations of the Enemy; finally, thou wilt see thy self so afflicted,
   that thou wilt not be able to lift up thy Heart, being full of sorrow
   and heaviness, nor do the least act of Faith, Hope or Charity.

   31. Here thou wilt see thy self forlorn and subject to Passions of
   impatience, anger, rage, swearing, and disordered appetites, seeming to
   thy self the most miserable Creature, the greatest Sinner in the World,
   the most abhorred of God, deprived and stript of all Vertue, with a
   pain like that of Hell, seeing thy self afflicted and desolate, to
   think that thou hast altogether lost God; this will be thy cruel
   cutting and most bitter torment.

   32. But though thou shalt see thy self so oppressed, seeming to thy
   self to be proud, impatient and wrothful; yet these temptations shall
   lose their force and power upon thee, they shall have no place in thy
   Soul, by a secret Vertue, the soveraign Gift of inward Strength, which
   rules in the in-most part of it, conquering the most affrightening
   punishment and pain, and the strongest temptation.

   33. Keep constant, O blessed Soul, keep constant; for it will not be as
   thou imaginest, nor art thou at any time nearer to God, than in such
   cases of desertion; for although the Sun is hid in the Clouds, yet it
   changes not its place, nor a jot the more loses its brightness. The
   Lord permits this painful desertion in thy Soul, to purge and polish
   thee, to cleanse thee and dis-robe thee of thy self; and that thou
   mayest in this manner be all his, and give thy self wholly up to him,
   as his infinite Bounty is intirely given to thee, that thou mayest be
   his delight; for although thou dost groan, and lament, and weep, yet he
   is joyful and glad in the most secret and hidden place of thy Soul.


     __________________________________________________________________

CHAP. V.


   How important and necessary it is, to the interiour Soul, to suffer
   blindfold this first and Spiritual Martyrdom.


   34. To the end that the Soul of Earthly may become Heavenly, and may
   come to that greatest good of Union with God, it is necessary for it to
   be purified in the Fire of Tribulation and Temptation: And although it
   be true, and a known and approved Maxim, That all those that Serve the
   Lord, must suffer troubles, persecutions and tribulations: yet the
   happy Souls which are Guided by God, by the secret way of the interiour
   Walk, and of purgative Contemplation, must suffer above all, strong and
   horrible Temptations and Torments, more bitter than those wherewith the
   Martyrs were crowned in the Primitive Church.

   35. The Martyrs, besides the shortness of their Torment, which hardly
   endured days, were comforted, with a clear light and special help, in
   hope of the near and sure Rewards. But the desolate Soul that must dye
   in it self, and put off, and make clean its Heart, seeing it self
   abandoned by God, surrounded by temptations, darkness, anguish,
   affliction, sorrows and rigid drowths, doth taste of Death every moment
   in its painful Torment and tremendous Desolation, without feeling the
   least comfort, with an affliction so great, that the pain of it seems
   nothing else but a Death prolonged, and a continual Martyrdom: wherein
   with great reason it may be said, that although there be many Martyrs,
   yet there are few Souls which follow Christ our Lord with Peace and
   Resignation in such Torments.

   36. Then it was men that Martyr'd em; and God comforted their Souls:
   but now it is God that afflicts and hides himself; and the Devils, like
   cruel Executioners, have a thousand ways to torment the Soul and Body,
   the whole Man being Crucified within and without.

   37. Thy sorrows will seem to thee insuperable, and thy afflictions past
   the power of comfort, and that Heaven rains no more upon thee: thou
   wilt feel thy self begirt with griefs, and besieged with sorrows
   Internal, from the darkness of thy powers, from the weakness of
   discourses: strong Temptations will afflict thee, painful distrusts and
   troublesome scruples; nay Light and Judgment will forsake thee.

   38. All the Creatures will give thee trouble; spiritual Counsels will
   bring thee pain; the reading of Books, how holy soever, will not
   comfort thee, as it used to do: If they speak to thee of Patience, they
   will exceedingly trouble thee: the fear of losing God through thy
   unthankfulness and want of returns, will torment thee to the Soul; if
   thou groanest and beggest help of God, thou will find, instead of
   comfort, inward reproof and dis-favour; like another Canaanitish Woman,
   to whom he made no answer at first, and then treated her as the
   Creature he was speaking of [* here Molinos is beside his Text.]

   39. And although at this time the Lord will not abandon thee, because
   it would be impossible to live one moment without his help, yet the
   succour will be so secret that thy Soul will not know it, nor be
   capable of hope and consolation; nay, it will seem to be without
   remedy; suffering, like condemned persons, the pains of Hell,
   (Circumdederunt me dolores mortis, & pericula inferni invenerunt me,
   Ps. 114) and it would change em, as such, with a violent Death, which
   would be a great comfort; but (like those) the end of those afflictions
   and bitternesses will seem impossible.

   40. But if thou, O blessed Soul, should'st know how much thou art
   beloved and defended by that Divine Lord, in the midst of thy living
   torments, thou wouldst find em so sweet, that it would be necessary
   that God should work a Miracle, to let thee live. Be constant, O happy
   Soul, be constant and of good courage; for however intolerable thou art
   to thy self, yet thou wilt be protected, inriched, and beloved by that
   greatest Good, as if he had nothing else to do, than to lead thee to
   Perfection, by the highest steps of love: and if thou do'st not turn
   away but preseverest constantly, without leaving off thy undertaking,
   know, that thou offerest to God the most accepted Sacrifice; so, that
   if this Lord were capable of pain, he would find no ease till he has
   completed this loving Union with thy Soul.

   41. If from the Chaos of Nothing, his Omnipotence has produced so many
   wonders, what will he do in thy Soul, created after his own Image and
   Likeness, if thou keepest constant quiet, and resigned, with a true
   knowledge of thy Nothing? Happy Soul, which, even when tis disturbed,
   afflicted and disconsolated, keeps steady there within, without going
   forth to declare exteriour Comfort.

   42. Afflict not thy self too much, and with inquietude, because these
   sharp Martyrdoms may continue; persevere in Humility, and go not out of
   thy self to seek aid; for all the good consists in being silent,
   suffering, and holding patience with rest and resignation: there will
   thou find the Divine strength to overcome so hard a warfare: he is
   within thee that fightest for thee: and he is strength it self.

   43. When thou shalt come to this painful state of fearful desolation,
   weeping and lamentation are not forbidden thy Soul, whilest in the
   upper part of it, it keeps resigned. Who can bear the Lord's heavy hand
   without tears and Lamentation? That great Champion Job, even he
   lamented; so did Christ our Lord, in his forsakings: but their weepings
   were accompanied with resignation.

   44. Afflict not thy self, though God do crucifie thee and make tryal of
   thy fidelity; imitate the Woman of Canaan, who being rejected and
   injured, did importune and persevere, humbling her self and following
   him, though she were treated as she was. It is necessary to drink the
   cup and not go back: if the scales were taken from thine eyes, as they
   were from St. Paul's, thou would'st see the necessity of suffering and
   glory, as he did; esteeming more the being Crucified, than being an
   Apostle.

   45. Thy good luck consists not in injoying, but in suffering with quiet
   and resignation. St. Teresa appeared after her death to a certain Soul,
   and told it, that she had only been rewarded for her pain; but had not
   received one dram of reward for so many Extasies and Revelations and
   Comforts that she had here enjoyed in this World.

   46. Although this painful martyrdom of horrible desolation and passive
   purgation be so tremendous, that with reason it hast gotten the name of
   Hell amongst mystick Divines, (because it seems impossible to be able
   to live a moment with so grievous a torment; so that with great reason
   it may be said, that he that suffers it, lives dying, and dying lives a
   lingring death) yet know, that it is necessary to endure it, to arrive
   at the sweet, joyous and abundant riches of high contemplation and
   loving union: and there has been no holy Soul, which has not passed
   through this spiritual martyrdom and painful torment. St. Gregory the
   Pope, in the two last Months of his Life; St. Francis of Assize two
   years and a half; St. Mary Maudlin of Pazzi five years; St. Rose of
   Peru fifteen years; and after such miracles, as made the world amazed,
   St. Dominick suffer'd it even till half an hour of his happy exit.


     __________________________________________________________________

CHAP. VI.


   47. The other more profitable and meritorious martyrdom in Souls
   already advanced in perfection and deep contemplation, is, a fire of
   divine love, which burns the soul and makes it painful with the same
   love: sometimes the absence of its beloved afflicts it; sometimes the
   sweet, ardent and welcome weight of the loving and divine Presence
   torments it: This sweet martyrdom always makes it sigh sometimes if it
   enjoys and has its beloved, for the pleasure of having him; so that is
   cannot contain it self; other times, if he does not manifest himself,
   through the ardent anxiety of seeking, finding and enjoying him: all
   this is panting, suffering and dying for love.

   48. O that thou could'st but come to conceive the contrariety of
   accidents that an inamour'd Soul suffers! the combate so terrible and
   strong on one side; so sweet and melting and amiable on the other! the
   martyrdom so piercing and sharp with which love torments it; and the
   cross so painful and sweet withal, without ever being in the mind of
   getting free from it whil'st thou liv'st!

   49. Just so much as light and love increases, just so much increases
   the grief in seeing that good absent, which it loves so well. To feel
   it near it self is enjoyment; and never to have done knowing and
   possessing, it, consumes its life: it has food and drink near its
   mouth, whil'st it wants either, and cannot be satisfied: it sees it
   self swallowed up and drown'd in a sea of love, whil'st the powerful
   hand that is able to save it, is near it; and yet doth not do it; nor
   doth it know when he will come, who it so much does desire.

   50. Sometimes it hears the inward voice of its beloved, which courts
   and calls it; and a soft and delicate whisper, which goes forth from
   the secret of the Soul, where it abides, which pierces it strongly,
   even like to melt and dissolve it, in seeing how near it hath him
   within it self, and yet how far off from it, whil'st it cannot come to
   possess him. This intoxicates t, imbases it, scares it, and fills it
   with unsatisfiableness: and therefore love is said to be as strong as
   death, whil'st it kills just as that doth.


     __________________________________________________________________

CHAP. VII.


   Inward Mortification and Perfect Resignation are necessary for
   obtaining Internal Peace.


   60. The most subtle Arrow that is shot at us from Nature, is, to induce
   us to that which is unlawful, with a pretence, that is may be necessary
   and useful. O how many Souls have suffer'd themselves to be lead away,
   and have lost the spirit by this guilded Cheat! Thou wilt never tast
   the delicious Manna [Quod nemo novit, nisi qui accipit, (Apoc. ch. 2.)
   unless thou dost perfectly overcome thy self even to die in thy self;
   because he who endeavours not to die to his Passions, is not well
   disposed to receive the Gift of Understanding, without the infusion
   whereof it is impossible for him to go in into himself and be changed
   in his Spirit; and therefore those that keep without having nothing of
   it.

   52. Never disquiet thy self for any accident: for inquietude is the
   door by which the Enemy gets into the Soul to rob it of its peace.

   53. Resign and deny thy self wholly; for though true self-denial is
   harsh at the beginning, tis easie in the middle and becomes most sweet
   in the end.

   54. Thou wilt find thy self far from Perfection, if thou dost not find
   God in every thing.

   55. Know that pure, perfect and essential Love consists in the Cross,
   in self-denial and resignation, in perfect humility, in poverty of
   spirit, and in a mean opinion of thy self.

   56. In the time of strong temptation, desertion and desolation, tis
   necessary for thee to get close into thy center, that thou may'st only
   look at and contemplate God, who keeps his throne and his abode in the
   bottom of thy Soul.

   57. Thou wilt find impatience and bitterness of heart to grow from the
   depth of sensible, empty and mortified love.

   58. True love is known, with its effects, when the Soul is profoundly
   humbled, and desires to be truly mortified and despised.

   59. Many there be, who, however they have been dedicated to Prayer, yet
   have no relish of God; because in the end of their Prayers, they are
   neither mortified nor attend upon God any longer: for obtaining that
   peaceable and continual attending, tis necessary to get a great purity
   of mind and heart, great peace of soul, and an universal resignation.

   60. To the simple and the mortified, the recreation of the senses is a
   sort of death: they never go to it, unless compelled by necessity and
   edification of their neighbours.

   61. The bottom of our soul, you will know, is the place of our
   happiness. There the Lord shews us wonders: there we ingulf and lose
   our selves in the immense ocean of his infinite goodness, in which we
   keep fixt and unmoveable. There, there resides the incomparable
   fruition of our Soul and that eminent and sweet rest of it. An humble
   and resign'd Soul, which is come to this bottom, seeks no more than
   meerly to please God, and the holy and loving spirit teaches it every
   thing with his sweet and enlivening unction.

   62. Amongst the Saints there are some gigantick ones, who continually
   suffer with patience indispositions of body, of which God takes great
   care. But high and sovereign is their gift, who by the strength of the
   Holy Ghost, suffer both internal and external crosses with content and
   resignation. This is that sort of holiness so much the more rare, as it
   is more precious in the sight of God. The spiritual ones, which walk
   this way, are rare: because there are few in the world, who do totally
   deny themselves, to follow Christ crucified, with simpleness and
   bareness of spirit, through the loansom and thorny ways of the Cross,
   without making reflexions upon themselves.

   63. A Life of Self denial is above all the Miracles of the Saints; and
   it doth not know whether it be alive or dead; lost or gained; whether
   it agrees or resists: this is the trne resigned Life. But although it
   should be a long time before thou comest to this state, and thou
   should'st think not to have made one step towards it, yet affright not
   thy self at this, for God uses to bestow upon a Soul that Blessing in
   one moment, which was denied it for many years before.

   64. He that desires to suffer blindfold, without the comfort of God or
   the creatures, is gotten too far onwards to be able to resist unjust
   accusations which his enemies make against him, even in the most
   dreadful and interior desolation.

   65. The spiritual man that lives by God, and in him, is inwardly
   contented in the midst of his adversities; because the Cross and
   Affliction are his Life and Delight.

   66. Tribulation is a great treasure, wherewith God honours those that
   be his, in this life: therefore evil men are necessary for those that
   are good; and so are the Devils themselves, which by afflicting us do
   try to ruine us: but instead of doing us harm, they do us the greatest
   good imaginable.

   67. There must be tribulation to make a man's life acceptable to God;
   without it, tis like the Body without the Soul, the Soul without Grace,
   the Earth without the Sun.

   68. With the wind of tribulation God separates, in the floor of the
   Soul, the Chaff from the Corn.

   69. When God crucifies in the inmost part of the Soul, no creature is
   able to comfort it; nay, comforts are but grievous and bitter crosses
   to it. And if it be well-instructed in the laws and discipline of the
   ways of pure love, in the time of great desolation and inward troubles,
   it ought not to seek abroad among the creatures for comfort, nor lament
   it self with them, nor will it be able to read Spiritual Books: because
   this is a secret way of getting at a distance from suffering.

   70. Those Souls are to be pitied, who cannot find in their hearts to
   believe, that Tribulation and Suffering is their greatest Blessing.
   They who are perfect ought always to be desirous of dying and
   suffering, being always in a state of death and suffering: vain is the
   man who doth not suffer: because he is born to toyl and suffering; but
   much more the Friends and Elect of God.

   71. Undeceive thy self, and believe, that in order to thy Soul's being
   totally transformed with God, it is necessary for it to be lost and be
   denied in its life, sense, knowledge, and power; and to die living, and
   not living; dying, and not dying; suffering, and not suffering;
   resigning up, and not resigning up it self, without reflecting upon any
   thing.

   72. Perfection, in its followers, receives not its glories but by Fire
   and Martyrdom, Griefs, Torments, Punishments and Contempt, suffered and
   endured with gallantry and courage; and he that would have some place
   to set his feet on and rest himself, and does not go beyond the reason
   of reason and of sense, will never get into the secret cabinet of
   knowledge, though by reading he may chance to get a taste and relish
   the understanding of it.

     __________________________________________________________________

CHAP. VIII.


   Pursues the Same Matter.


   73. You must know, that the Lord will not manifest himself in thy Soul,
   till it be denied in it self, and dead in its senses and powers: nor
   will it ever come to this state, till being perfectly resigned, it
   resolves to be with God all alone; making an equal account of Gifts and
   Contempts, Light and Darkness, Peace and War. In summ, that the Soul
   may arrive at perfect quietness and supreme internal peace, it ought
   first to die in it self, and live only in God and for him: and the more
   dead it shall be in it self, the more shall it know God: but if it doth
   not mind this continual denying of it self and internal mortification,
   it will never arrive at this state, nor preserve God within it; and
   then it will be continually subject to accidents and passions of the
   mind, such as are judging, murmuring, resenting, excusing, defending,
   to keep its honour and reputation, which are enemies to Perfection,
   Peace, and the Spirit.

   74. Know that the diversity of states amongst those that be spiritual,
   consists only in dying all alike; but in the happy, which die
   continually, God hath his honour, his blessing and delights here below.

   75. Great is the difference which is between doing, suffering, and
   dying; doing is delightful and belongs to beginners; suffering, with
   desire, belongs to those who are proficients; dying always in
   themselves, belongs to those who are accomplished and perfect; of which
   number there are very few in the world.

   76. How happy wilt thou be, if thou hast no other thought, but to die
   in thy self! thou wilt then become not only victorious over thine
   enemies, but also over thy self: in which victory thou wilt certainly
   find pure love, perfect peace, and divine wisdom.

   77. It is impossible for a man to be able to think and live mystically
   in a simple understanding of the divine and infused wisdom, if he does
   not first die in himself by the total denying of sense, and the
   reasonable appetite.

   78. The true lesson of the spiritual man, and that which thou oughtest
   to learn, is, to leave all things in their place, and not meddle with
   any, but what thy office may bind thee to: because the Soul which
   leaves every thing to find God, doth then begin to have all in the
   eternity it seeks.

   79. Some Souls there are, who seek repose: others without seeking have
   the pleasure of it; others have a pleasure in pain; and others seek it.
   The first do as good as nothing; the second are in the way towards it;
   the third run, and the last fly.

   80. The disesteem of delights, and the counting of em torment, is the
   property of a truly mortified man.

   81. Enjoyment and Internal Peace are the Fruits of the Spirit Divine;
   and no man gets em into his possession, if in the closet of his soul he
   is not a resigned man.

   82. Thou seest that the displeasures of the good pass presently away;
   but for all that endeavour never to have em, nor to stop in em: for
   they damnifie thy health, disturb thy reason, and disquiet thy spirit.

   83. Amongst other holy Counsels which thou must observe, remember well
   this that follows: Look not upon other mens faults, but thine own: keep
   silence with a continued internal conversation: mortifie thy self in
   all things and at all hours, and by this means thou wilt get free from
   many imperfections, and make thy self Commander of great Vertues.

   84. Mortifie thy self in not judging ill of any body at any time;
   because the suspicion of thy neighbour disturbs the purity of heart,
   discomposes it, brings the Soul out and takes away its repose.

   85. Never wilt thou have perfect resignation, if thou mind'st humane
   respects, and reflectest upon the little idol of what people say. The
   Soul that goes by the inward way, will soon lose it self, if once it
   come to look at reason amongst the creatures, and in commerce and
   conversation with em. There is no other reason, than not to look at
   reason; but to imagine that God permits grievances to fall on us, to
   humble and annihilate us and make us live wholly resigned.

   86. Behold how God makes greater account of a Soul that lives
   internally resigned, than of another that doth miracles, even to the
   raising of the dead.

   87. Many Souls there are, which, though they exercise Prayer, yet
   because they are not mortified, are always imperfect and full of
   self-love.

   88. Hold it for a true maxim, that no body can do a grievance or injury
   to a Soul despised by it self, and one that is nothing in its own
   account.

   89. Finally, be of hope, suffer, be silent, and patient: let nothing
   affright thee: all of it will have an time to end: God only is he that
   is unchangeable: patience brings a man in every thing. He that hath
   God, hath all things; and he that hath him not, hath nothing.


     __________________________________________________________________

CHAP. IX.


   For the obtaining of Internal Peace, tis necessary for the Soul to know
   its misery.


   90. If the Soul should not fall into some faults, it would never come
   to understand its own misery, though it hears men speak and reads
   spiritual Books; nor can it ever obtain precious peace, if it do not
   first know its own miserable weakness: because there the remedy is
   difficult, where there is no clear knowledge of the defect. God will
   suffer in thee sometimes one fault, sometimes another, that by this
   knowledge of thy self, seeing thee so often fallen, thou may'st believe
   that thou art a meer nothing; in which knowledge and belief true peace
   and perfect humility is founded: and that thou may'st the better search
   into thy mystery and see what thou art, I will try to undeceive thee in
   some of thy manifold imperfections.

   91. Thou art so quick and nice, that it may be if thou dost but trip as
   thou walkest or findest thy way molested, thou feelest even Hell it
   self: if thou are denied thy due or thy pleasure opposed, thou
   presently briskest up with a warm resentment of it. If though spiest a
   fault in thy neighbour, instead of pitying him, and thinking that thou
   they self art liable to the same failing, thou indiscreetly reprovest
   him; if thou seest a thing convenient for thee and canst not compass
   it, thou growest sad and full of sorrow; if thou receivest a slight
   injury from thy neighbour, thou chidest at him and complainest for it:
   insomuch that for any trifle thou art inwardly and outwardly
   discomposed and losest thy self.

   92. Thou would'st be penitent, but with another's patience; and if the
   impatience still continues, thou layest the fault with much pains upon
   thy companion, without considering, that thou art intolerable to thy
   self: and when the rancour is over, thou cunningly dost return to make
   thy self vertuous, giving documents and relating spiritual sayings with
   artifice of wit, without mending thy past faults. Although thou
   willingly dost condemn thy self, reproving thy faults before others,
   yet this thou dost more to justifie thy self with him that sees thy
   faults, that thou may'st return again afresh to the former esteem of
   thy self, than through any effect of perfect humility.

   93. Other times thou dost subtilly alledge, that is it not through
   fault but zeal of justice, that thou complainest of thy neighbour. Thou
   believest for the most part that thou art vertuous, constant and
   couragious, even to the giving up thy life into the tyrant's hand,
   solely for the sake of divine love; yet thou canst scarce hear the
   least word of anger but presently thou dost afflict and trouble and
   disquiet thy self. These are all industrious engines of self-love and
   the secret pride of thy soul. Know therefore that self-love reigns in
   thee, and that from purchasing this precious peace, that is thy
   greatest hindrance.


     __________________________________________________________________

CHAP. X.


   In which is shewed and discovered what is the false humility, and what
   the true; with the effects of em.


   94. Thou must know that there are two sorts of humility; one false and
   counterfeit, the other true. The false one is theirs, who, like water
   which must mount upward, receive an external fall and artificial
   submission, to rise up again immediately. These avoid esteem and
   honour, that so they may be took to be humble; they say of themselves,
   that they are very evil, that they many be thought good; and though
   they know their own misery, yet they are loth that other folks should
   know it. This is dissembled humility, and feigned, and nothing but
   secret pride.

   95. Theirs is the true humility, which have gotten a perfect habit of
   it; these never think of it, but judge humbly of themselves; they do
   things with courage and patience; they live and dye in God; they mind
   not themselves nor the Creatures; they are constant and quiet in all
   things; they suffer molestation with joy, desiring more of it, that
   they may imitate their dear and despised Jesus; they covet to be
   reputed trifles and sport by the World; they are contented with what
   God alots em, and are convinced of their faults with a pleasing shame;
   they are not humbled by the counsel of Reason, but by the affection of
   the Will; there is no honour that they look after, nor injury to
   disturb em.; no trouble to vex em; no prosperity to make em proud;
   because they are always immovable in their Nothing, and in themselves
   with absolute peace.

   96. And that thou mayst be acquainted with interiour and true Humility,
   know, that it doth not consist in external Acts, in taking the lowest
   place, in going poor in cloaths, in speaking submissively, in shutting
   the eyes, in affectionate sighing, nor in condemning thy ways, calling
   thy self miserable, to give others to understand that thou art humble:
   It consists only in the contempt of thy self, and the desire to be
   despised, with a low and profound knowledge, without concerning thy
   self, whether thou art esteemed humble or no, though an Angel should
   reveal such a thing to thee.

   97. The torrent of Light wherewith the Lord with his Graces inlightens
   the soul, doth two things: It discovers the Greatness of God, and at
   the same time the Soul knows its own stench and misery, insomuch, that
   no Tongue is able to express the depth in which it is overwhelmed,
   being desirous that every one should know its Humility, and tis so far
   from vain-glory and Complacency, as it sees that Grace of God to be the
   meer Goodness of him, and nothing but his Mercy, which is pleased to
   take pity on it.

   98. Thou shalt never be hurt by Men or Devils, but by thy self, thy own
   proper Pride, and the violence of thy Passions; take heed of thy self,
   for thou of thy self, art the greatest Devil of all to thy self.

   99. Have no Mind to be esteemed, when God incarnate was called Fool,
   Drunkard, and said to have a Devil. O the Folly of Christians! that we
   should be willing to enjoy Happiness, without being willing to imitate
   him on the Cross, in Reproaches, Humility, Poverty, and in other
   Vertues!

   100. The truly humble Man is at rest and ease in his Heart; there he
   stands the Tryal of God, and Men, and the Devil himself, above all
   reason and discretion possessing himself in Peace and Quietness,
   looking for, with all Humility, the pure pleasure of God, as well in
   Life as Death: Things without do no more disquiet him, than if they
   never were. The Cross to him, and even Death it self, are Delights,
   though he make no such shew outwardly: But oh! who do we speak of? for
   few there are of these sort of humble Men in the whole World!

   101. Hope thou, and desire, and suffer, and dye without any Bodies
   knowing it; for herein consists the humber and perfect Love. O how much
   Peace wilt thou find in thy Soul, if thou dost profoundly humble thy
   self, and even hugg Contempt!

   102. Thou wilt never be perfectly hnmble, though thou knowest thy own
   Misery, unless thou desirest that all Men should know it: then thou
   wilt avoid Praises, embrace Injuries, despise every thing, that makes a
   fair shew, even to thine own self: and if any Tribulation come upon
   thee, blame none for it; but Judge that it comes from God's Hand, as
   the Giver of every Good.

   103. If thou would'st bear thy Neighbours faults, cast thine Eyes upon
   thine own: and if thou thinkest to thy self, that thou hast made any
   Progress in Perfection by thy self, know that thou art not humble at
   all, nor hast yet made one step in the way of the Spirit.

   104. The degrees of Humility, are the qualities of a Body in the Grave;
   that is, to be in the lowest place, buried like one that's dead, to
   stink, and be corrupted to it self, to be dust, and nothing in ones own
   account; finally, if thou would'st be Blessed, learn to despise thy
   self, and to be despised by others.


     __________________________________________________________________

CHAP. XI.


   Maxims to know a simple, humble, and true Heart.


   105. Encourage thy self to be Humble, embracing Tribulations as
   Instruments of thy Good; rejoyce in Contempt, and desire that God may
   be thy only Refuge, Comfort and Protector.

   106. None, let him be never so great in this World, can be greater than
   he that is in the eye and favour of God: and therefore the truly humble
   Man despises whatever there is in the World, even to himself, and puts
   his only trust and repose in God.

   107. The truly humble Man suffers quietly and patiently internal
   troubles, and he is the Man that makes great way in a little time, like
   one that sails before the Wind.

   108. The truly humble Man finds God inall things; so that whatever
   contempt, injury or affront comes to him by means of the Creatures, he
   receives it with great peace and quiet Internal, as sent from the
   Divine Hand, and loves greatly the instrument with which the Lord tryes
   him.

   109. He is not yet arrived at profound Humility that is taken with
   Praise, though he does not desire it, nor seek it, but rather avoids
   it: because to an humble Heart praises are bitter crosses although it
   be wholly quiet and immovable.

   110. He has no internal Humility who doth not abhor himself, with a
   mortal, but withal a peaceable and quiet hatred: But he will never come
   to possess this treasure, that has not a low and profound knowledge of
   his own vileness, rottenness and misery.

   111. He that is upon excuses and replies, has not a simple and humble
   heart, especially if he dost this with his Superiours: because replies
   grow from a secret pride that reigns in the Soul; and from thence the
   total ruine of it.

   112. Perfidiousness supposes little submission, and this less humility;
   and both together they are the fewel of inquietude, discord and
   disturbance.

   113. The humble heart is not disquieted by imperfections, though these
   do grieve it to the Soul; because they are against its loving Lord: nor
   is he concerned that he cannot do great things; for he always stands in
   his own Nothing and Misery; nay, he wonders at himself, that he can do
   any thing of Vertue, and presently thanks the Lord for it, with a true
   knowledge that it is God that doth all, and remains dissatisfied with
   what he does himself.

   114. The truly humble man, though he see all, yet he looks upon nothing
   to judge it, because he judge ill only of himself.

   115. The truly humble man doth always find an excuse to defend him that
   mortifies him, and least in a sound intention: Who therefore would be
   angry with a Man of good intention?

   116. So much (nay more) doth false humility displease God, as true
   Pride does; because that is Hypocrisy besides.

   117. The truly humble Man, though every thing falls out contrary to
   him, is neither disquieted nor afflicted at it; because he is prepared,
   and thinks he deserves no less; he is not disquieted under troublesome
   Thoughts, wherewith the Devil seeks to torment him, nor under
   temptations, tribulations and desertions, but rather acknowledges his
   unworthiness, and is affected that the Lord chastises him by the
   Devil's means, though he be a vile instrument; all he suffers seems
   nothing to him, and he never doth a thing that he thinks worth any
   great matter.

   118. He that is arrived at perfect and inward Humility, although he be
   disturbed at nothing, as one that abhors himself, because he knows his
   imperfection in every thing, his ingratitude and his misery, yet he
   suffers a great Cross in induring himself. This is the sign to know
   true humility of Heart by. But the happy Soul which is gotten to this
   holy hatred of it self, lives overwhelmed, drowned and swallowed up in
   the depth of its own Nothing; out of which the Lord raises him by
   communicating Divine Wisdom to him, and filling him with Light, Peace,
   Tranquility and Love.
     __________________________________________________________________

CHAP. XII.


   Inward solitude is that which chiefly brings a Man to the purchase of
   Internal Peace.


   119. Know that although exteriour Solitude doth much assist for the
   obtaining internal Peace, yet the Lord did not mean this, when he spake
   by his Prophet, (Hos. 2. 14.) I will bring her into solitude, and speak
   privately to her: But he meant the interiour Solitude, which joyntly
   conduces to the obtaining the precious Jewel of Peace Internal.
   Internal Solitude consists in the foregetting all the Creatures, in
   disengaging ones self from em, in a perfect nakedness of all the
   affections, desires, thoughts, and ones own will. This is the true
   Solitude where the Soul reposes with a sweet and inward serenity in the
   arms of its cheifest good.

   120. O what infinite room is there in a Soul that is arrived at this
   divine Solitude! O what inward, what retired, what secret, what
   spacious, what vast distances are there within a happy Soul that is
   once come to be truly Solitary! There the Lord converses and
   communicates himself, inwardly with the Soul: there he fills it with
   himself, because it is empty; cloaths it with Light, and with his Love,
   because it is naked; lifts it up, because tis low; and unites it with
   himself, and transforms it, because it is alone.

   121. O delightful Solitude, and Gifer of eternal Blessings! O Mirrour,
   in which the eternal Father is always beheld! There is great reason to
   call thee Solitude; for thou art so much alone, that there is scarce a
   Soul that looks after thee, that loves and knows thee. O Divine Lord!
   How is it that Souls do not go from Earth to this Glory! How come they
   to lose so great a good, through the only love and desire of created
   things! Blessed Soul, how happy wilt thou be, if thou do'st but leave
   all for God! seek him only, breathe after none but him, let him only
   have thy sighs. Desire nothing, and then nothing can trouble thee; and
   if thou do'st desire any good, how spiritual soever it be, let it be in
   such a manner, that thou mayest not be disquieted, if thou missest it.

   122. If, with this liberty, thou wilt give thy Soul to God, taken off
   from the World, free and alone, thou wilt be the happiest creature upon
   Earth; because the most High has his secret habitation in this holy
   Solitude; in this Desart and Paradise, is enjoyed the conversation of
   God, and it is only in this internal Retirement that that marvellous,
   powerful and divine Voice is heard.

   123. If thou would'st enter into this Heaven of Earth, forget every
   care and every thought; get out of thy self, that the love of God may
   live in thy Soul.

   124. Live as much as ever thou canst, abstracted from the Creatures;
   dedicate thy self wholly to thy Creator, and offer thy self in
   Sacrifice with Peace and quietness of Spirit: Know, that the more the
   Soul disrobes it self, the more way it makes into this interiour
   Solitude, and becomes cloathed with God, and the more lonesome and
   empty of it self the Soul gets to be, the more the divine Spirit fills
   it.

   125. There is not a more blessed Life than a solitary one; because in
   this happy Life, God gives himself all to the Creature, and the
   Creature all to God by an intimate and sweet union of Love. O how few
   are there that come to relish this true Solitude!

   126. To make the Soul truly Solitary, it ought to forget all the
   Creatures, and even it self; otherwise it will never be able to make
   any near approach to God. Many men leave and forsake all things, but
   they do not leave their own liking, their own will, and themselves; and
   therefore these truly solitary ones are so few; wherefore if the Soul
   does not get off from its own Appetite and Desire, from its own will,
   from spiritual Gifts, and from repose even in the Spirit it self, it
   never can arrive at this high felicity of internal Solitude.

   127. Go on, blessed Soul! go on, without stop, towards this blessedness
   of internal Solitude: See how God calls thee to enter into thy inward
   Center, where he will renew thee, change thee, fill thee, cloath thee,
   and shew thee a new and Heavenly Kingdom, full of joy, peace, content
   and serenity.


     __________________________________________________________________

CHAP. XIII.


   In which is shewed what infused and passive Contemplation, is, and its
   wonderful Effects.


   128. You must know, that when once the Soul is habituated to internal
   Recollection, and acquired Contemplation, that we have spoken of; when
   once tis mortified, and desires wholly to be denied its Appetites; when
   once it efficaciously embraces internal and external Mortification, and
   is willing to dye heartily to its passions and its own ways, then God
   uses to take it alone by it self, and raise it more then it knows, to a
   compleat repose, where he sweetly and inwardly infuses in it his Light,
   his Love and his Strength, inkindling and inflaming it with a true
   disposition to all manner of Vertue.

   129. There the Divine Spouse, suspending its Powers, puts it to sleep
   in a most sweet and pleasant rest: There it sleeps, and quietly
   receives and enjoys (without knowing it ) what it enjoys, with a most
   lovely and charming Calm: There the Soul raised and lifted up to this
   passive State, becomes united to its greatest Good, without costing it
   any trouble or pains for this Union: There in that supream Region, and
   sacred Temple of the Soul, that greatest Good takes its Complacency,
   manifests it self, and creates a relish from the Creature, in a way
   above Sense and all humane understanding: There also only the pure
   Spirit, who is God, (the purity of the Soul being uncapable of sensible
   things) rules it, and gets the mastership of it, communicating to it
   its illustrations, and those Sentiments which are necessary for the
   most pure and perfect Union.

   130. The Soul coming to it self again from these sweet and divine
   Embracings, becomes rich in light and love, and a mighty esteem of the
   divine Greatness, and the knowledge of its own Misery, finding it self
   all changed divinely, and disposed to embrace, to suffer, and to
   practice perfect Vertue.

   131. A simple, pure, infused, and perfect Contemplation, therefore is a
   known and inward manifestation which God gives of himself, of his
   goodness, of his Peace, of his sweetness, whose object is God, pure,
   unspeakable, abstracted from all particular thoughts, within an inward
   silence: but it is God delights us, God that draws us, God that sweetly
   raises us in a spiritual and pure manner, an admirable gift, which the
   divine Majesty bestows to whom he will, as he will, and when he will,
   and for what time he will, though the state of this Life be rather a
   state of the cross of Patience, of humility, and of suffering, than of
   enjoying.

   132. Never wilt thou enjoy this divine Nectar, till thou art advanced
   in Vertue and inward Mortification; till thou doest heartily endeavour
   to fix in thy Soul a great Peace, silence, forgetfulness and internal
   solitude: How is it possible to hear the sweet, inward and powerful
   Voice of God in the midst of the noise and tumults of the Creatures?
   And how can the pure spirit be heard in the midst of Considerations and
   discourses of Artifice? If the Soul will not continually dye in it
   self, denying it self to all these Materiallities and satisfactions,
   the Contemplation can be no more but a meer vanity, a vain complacency
   and Presumption.


     __________________________________________________________________

CHAP. XIV.


   Pursues the Same Matter.


   133. God doth not always communicate himself with equal abundance in
   this sweetest and infused Contemplation: sometimes he grants this Grace
   more than he doth at other times; and sometimes he expects not that the
   Soul should be so dead and denied, because this Gift being his meer
   Grace, he gives it when he pleases, and as he pleases; so that no
   general rule can be made of it, nor any rate set to his Divine
   greatness: nay, by means of this very Contemplation be comes to deny it
   to annihilate and dye.

   134. Sometimes the Lord gives greater light to the understanding;
   sometimes greater love to the will. There is no need here for the Soul
   to take any pains or trouble; it must receive what God gives it, and
   rest united, as he will have it; because His Majesty is Lord, and in
   the very time that he lays it asleep, he possesses and fills it, and
   works in it powerfully and sweetly, without any industry or knowledge
   of its own: insomuch, that before ever it is aware of this so great
   Mercy, it is gained, convinced, and changed already.

   135. The Soul which is in this happy state, hath two things to avoid,
   the activity of human Spirit, and interestedness: Our humane Spirit is
   unwilling to dye in it self, but loveth to be doing and discoursing
   after its way, being in Love with its own Actions. A Man had need to
   have a great fidelity, and devesting himself of selfishness, to get a
   perfect and passive Capacity of the Divine Influences; the continual
   habits of operating freely, which it has, are a hindrance to its
   annihilation.

   136. The second is interestedness in contemplation it self: Thou must
   therefore procure in thy Soul a perfect devesting of all which is not
   God, without seeking any other end or interest, within or without, but
   the Divine Will.

   137. In a word, the manner that thou must use, on thy part, to fit thy
   self for this pure, passive, and perfect Prayer, is, a total and
   absolute consignment of thy self into the hands of God, with a perfect
   submission to his most holy Will, to be busied according to his
   Pleasure and Disposition, with a perfect resignation.

   138. Thou must know, that few be the Souls which arrive at this infused
   and passive Prayer; because few of em are capable of these divine
   influences with a total nakedness and death of their own activity and
   Powers, those only which feel it, know it so, that this perfect
   nakedness is acquired (by the help of God's Grace) by a continual and
   inward mortification, dying to all its own inclinations and desires.

   139. At no time must thou look at the effects which are wrought in thy
   Soul, but especially herein; because it would be a hindrance to the
   divine operations, which enrich it, so to do: all that thou hast to do
   is to pant after indifference, resignation, forgetfulness, and, without
   thy being sensible of it; the greatest good will leave in thy Soul a
   fit disposition for the practice of vertue, an true love of the Cross
   of thy own contempt, of thy Annihilation, and greater and stronger
   desires still of thy greater Perfection, and the most pure and
   affective Union.




CHAP. XV.


   Of the two means, whereby the Soul ascends up to infused Contemplation,
   with the Explication of what and how many the steps of it are.


   140. The means whereby the Soul ascends to the felicity of
   Contemplation and Affective Love, are two; the Pleasure, and the
   Desires of it. God uses at first to fill the Soul with sensible
   Pleasures; because tis so frail and miserable, that, without this
   preventive Consolation, it cannot take wing towards the fruition of
   Heavenly things. In this first step it is disposed by Contrition, and
   is exercised in Repentance, meditating upon the Redeemer's Passion,
   rooting out diligently all worldly desires and vicious Courses of Life:
   because the Kingdom of Heaven suffers violence, and the faint-heart,
   the delicate never conquer it, but those that use violence and force
   with themselves.

   141. The second is the Desires. The more the things of Heaven are
   delighted in, the more they are desired; and from thence there do ensue
   upon spiritual Pleasures, desires of enjoying heavenly and divine
   Blessings, and contempt of worldly ones. From these desires arises the
   inclination of following Christ our Lord, who said, I am the way, (St.
   John 14. 6) the steps of his imitation, by which a Man must go up, are
   Charity, Humility, Meekness, Patience, Poverty, Self-contempt, the
   Cross, Prayer, and Mortification.

   142. The steps of infused Contemplation are three. The first is
   Satiety. When the soul is fill'ed with God, it conceives a Hatred to
   all worldly things; then tis quiet and satisfied only with Divine Love.

   143. The second is intoxication. And this step is an excess of Mind,
   and an Elevation of Soul, arising from Divine Love and satiety of it.

   144. The third is Security. This step turns out all fear: the soul is
   so drencht with love divine, and resigned up in such a manner to the
   divine good pleasure, that it would go willingly to Hell, if it did but
   know it so to be the will of the most high. In this step it feels such
   a certain Bond of the divine Union, that it seems to it an impossible
   thing, to be separated from its beloved, and his infinite Treasure.

   145. There are six other steps of Contemplation, which are these, Fire,
   Union, Elevation, Illumination, Pleasure, and Repose. With the first
   the Soul is inkindled, and being inkindled, is anointed; being
   anointed, is raised; being raised, Contemplates; Contemplating, it
   receives Pleasure; and receiving Pleasure, it finds repose. By these
   steps the soul rises higher, being abstracted and experienced in the
   Spiritual and Internal way.

   146. In the first step, which is Fire, the Soul is illustrated, by the
   means of a divine and ardent ray, in kindling the affections divine,
   and drying up those which are but humane. The second is the Unction,
   which is a sweet and spiritual Liquor, which diffusing it self all the
   Soul over, teaches it, strengthens it, and disposes it to receive and
   contemplate the divine truth: and sometimes it extends even to nature
   it self, corroborating it by patience, with a sensible pleasure that
   seems celestial.

   147. The third is the Elevation of the Inner Man over it self, that it
   may get fittest to the clear fountain of pure love.

   148. The fourth step, which is Illumination, is an infused knowledge,
   whereby the Soul contemplates sweetly the divine truth, rising still
   from one clearness to another, from one light to another, from
   knowledge to knowledge, begin guided by the Spirit Divine.

   149. The fifth is a Savoury Pleasure of the divine sweetness, issuing
   forth from the plentiful and precious fountain of the Holy Ghost.

   150. The sixth is a sweet and Admirable tranquility, arising from the
   conquest of Fightings within, and frequent Prayer; and this, very, very
   few have Experience of. Here the abundance of Joy, and Peace is so
   great, that the soul seems to be in a sweet sleep, solacing and
   reposing it self in the Divine breast of Love.

   151. Many other steps of Contemplation there are, as Extasies,
   Raptures, Melting, Delinquium's, Glee, Kisses, Embraces, Exultation,
   Union, Transformation, Expousing, and Matrimony, which I omit to
   explain, to give no occasion to Speculation: And because there are
   whole Books which treat of these Points; though they are all for him
   who finds nothing of em, any more than a blind Man doth of Colour, or a
   deaf Man of Musick. In a word, by these steps we get up to the Chamber
   and repose of the pacifick King and the true Solomon.


     __________________________________________________________________

CHAP. XVI.


   Signs to know the Inner Man, and the Mind that's Purged.


   152. The Signs to know the Inner Man by, are four. The first, If the
   understanding produce not other Thoughts than those which stir up to
   the light of Faith; and the Will is so habituated, that it begets no
   other Acts of Love than of God, and in order to him. The second, If,
   when he ceases from an External Work, in which he was employed, the
   Understanding and the Will are presently and easily turned to God. The
   third, if in entring, upon Prayer, he forgets all outward things, as if
   he had not seen nor used em. The fourth, If he carries himself orderly
   towards outward things, as if he were entring into the World again,
   fearing to embroil himself in Business, and naturally abhorring it,
   unless when Charity requires it of him.

   153. Such a Soul as this is free from the outward Man, and easily
   enters into the interiour solitude, where it sees none but God and it
   self in him: loving him with quiet and peace and true Love. There in
   that secret Center God is kindly speaking to it, teaching it a new
   Kingdom, and true Peace and Joy.

   154. This Spiritual, abstracted and retired Soul hath its Peace no more
   broken, though outwardly it may meet with Combats; because through the
   infinite distance, tempests do never reach to that serenest Heaven
   within, where pure and perfect Love resides; and though sometimes it
   may be naked, forsaken, fought against and desolate, this is only the
   fury of the storm, which threatens and rages no where but without.

   155. This secret Love within, hath four effects: The first is called
   Illumination, which is a savoury and experimental Knowledge of the
   greatness of God, and of its own nothing. The second is Inflammation,
   which is an ardent desire of being burnt, like the Salamander, in this
   kind and divine fire. The third is Sweetness, which is a peaceable,
   joyful, sweet and intimate fruition. The fourth, is a swallowing up of
   the Powers in God; by which immersion the Soul is so much drencht and
   filled with God, that it can't any longer seek, or will any thing, but
   its greatest and infinite good.

   156. From this fullest satiety, two effects arise. The first is, a
   great Courage to suffer for God. The second is, a certain hope or
   assurance that it can never lose him, nor be separated from him.

   157. Here in this internal retirement, the beloved Jesus hath his
   Paradise, to whom we may go up, standing and conversing on the Earth.
   And if thou desirest to know who he is, who is altogether drawn to this
   inward retirement, with enlightened Exemplification in God, I tell
   thee, it is he that in adversity, in discomfort of Spirit, and in the
   want of necessities stands firm and unshaken. These constant and inward
   Souls are outwardly naked and wholly diffused in God, whom they
   continually do Contemplate: they have no spot; they live in God and of
   himself; they shine brighter than a thousand Suns; they are beloved by
   the Son of God; they are the darlings of God the Father, and elect
   Spouses of the Holy Ghost.

   158. By three signs is a mind that is purged, to be known, as St.
   Thomas says in a Treatise of his. The first sign is diligence, which is
   a strength of Mind, which banishes all neglect and sloth, that it may
   be disposed with earnestness and confidence to the pursuit of vertue.
   The second is severity; which likewise is a strength of Mind against
   Concupiscence, accompanied with an ardent love of roughness, vileness
   and holy Poverty. The third is benignity and sweetness of Mind, which
   drives away all rancour, envy, aversion and hatred against ones
   neighbour.

   159. Till the mind be purged, the affection purified, the memory naked,
   the understanding brightened, the will denied and set a fire, the Soul
   can never arrive at the intimate and affective union with God, and
   therefore because the Spirit of God is purity it self, and light and
   rest, the Soul, where he intends to make his abode, must have great
   Purity, Peace, attention and quiet. Finally the precious Gift of a
   purged Mind, those only have, who with continual diligence do seek Love
   and retain it, and desire to be reputed the most vile in the World.

     __________________________________________________________________

CHAP. XVII.


   Of Divine Wisdom.


   160. Divine Wisdom is an intellectual and infused knowledge of the
   divine perfections and things Eternal; which ought rather to be called
   Contemplation than Speculation. Science is acquired and begets the
   knowledge of Nature. Wisdom is infused and begets the Knowledge of the
   Divine Goodness. That desires to know what is not to be attained unto
   without pains and sweat: This desires not to know what it doth know,
   although it understands it all. In a word, the Men who are scientifical
   entertain themselves in the knowledge of the things of the World; and
   the wise live swallowed up in God himself.

   161. Reason enlightened in the Wise is a high and simple elevation of
   Spirit, whereby he sees, with a clear and sharp sight all that is
   inferiour to him, and what concerns his Life and Estate. This is that
   which renders the Soul simple, illustrated, uniform, spiritual, and
   altogether introverted, and abstracted from every created thing. This
   moves and draws away with a sweet Violence, the hearts of the humble
   and teachable, filling them with abundance of sweetness, peace, and
   pleasantness. Finally, the wise Man says of it, that it brought him all
   good things at once. Venerunt mihi omnia bona pariter cum illa, Wisd.
   7. II.

   162. You must know, that the greatest part of Men lives by Opinion, and
   judges according to the deceivableness of imagination and Sence: but
   the Man that's wise judges of every thing according to the real verity,
   which is in it; whose business is to understand, conceive, penetrate
   into, and transcend every created being, even to himself.

   163. Tis a great property of a wise Man to do much and say little.

   164. Wisdom is discovered in the works and words of the wise; because
   he being absolute master of all his passions, motions, and affections
   is know in all his doings, like a quiet and still water, in which
   wisdom shines with clearness.

   165. The understanding of mystical truths is secret and shut up from
   Men who are purely Scholastical, unless they be humble; because it is
   the Science of Saints, and none know it but those which heartily love
   and seek their own Contempt: Therefore the Souls, who by imbracing this
   means, get to be purely mystical and truly humble, dive even to the
   profoundest apprehensions of the Divinity: and the more sensually men
   do live according to flesh and blood, the greater distance are they at
   from this mystical Science.

   166. Ordinarily it is seen that in the man which hath much scholastical
   and speculative Knowledge, divine Wisdom doth not predominate; yet they
   make an admirable composition, when they both meet together. The men of
   Learning, who by God's Mercy have attained to this mystick Science, are
   worthy of Veneration and Praise in Religion.

   167. The external actions of the mystical and wise, which they do
   rather passively than actively, though, they are a great torment to em,
   yet are ordered prudently by em, by number, weight, and measure,

   168. The Sermons of Men of Learning, who want the Spirit, though they
   are made up of divers stories, elegant descriptions, acute discourses,
   and exquisite Proofs, yet are by no means the word of God; but the word
   of Men, plated over with false Gold: These Preachers spoil Christians,
   feeding em with wind and vanity, and so they are, both of em, void of
   God.

   169. These Teachers feed their Hearers with the wind of hurtful
   subtilties, giving em stones instead of Bread, leaves instead of Fruit,
   and unsavoury Earth mixt with poisoned Honey instead of true Food.
   These are they that hunt after honour, raising up an idol of reputation
   and applause, instead of seeking God's Glory, and the spiritual
   Edification of Men.

   170. Those that preach with Zeal and sincerity, preach for God. Those
   that preach without em, preach for themselves. Those that preach the
   word of God with spirit, makes it take impression in the Heart; but
   those that Preach it without spirit, carry it no farther than to the
   ear.

   171. Perfection doth not consist in teaching it, but in doing it;
   because he is neither the greatest Saint, nor the wisest Man, that
   knows the Truth most, but he that practices it.

   172. Tis a constant Maxim, That Divine Wisdom begets Humility; and that
   which is acquired by the Learned, begets Pride.

   173. Holiness does not consist in forming deep and subtle conceits of
   the Knowledge and attributes of God, but in the Love of God, and in
   self-denial. Therefore 'tis frequentlier observed, that Holiness is
   more amongst the simple, and humble, than among the learned. How many
   poor old Women are there in the World, which have little or nothing of
   humane science, but are rich in the love of God! How many Divines do we
   see that are over head and ears in their vain Wisdom, and yet very bare
   in things of true light and Charity!

   174. Remember that tis always good to speak like one that learns, and
   not like one that knows: Count it a greater Honour to be reputed a meer
   Ignoramus, than a man of Wisdom and Prudence.

   175. However, the Learned, who are purely speculative, have some little
   Sparks of Spirit, yet these do not fly out from the simple bottom of
   eminent and divine Wisdom, which hath a mortal hatred to Forms and
   Species's: the mixing of a little Science is always a hindrance to the
   eternal, profound, pure, simple, and true Wisdom.


     __________________________________________________________________

CHAP. XVIII.

   Treating of the Same.


   176. There are two ways which lead to the knowledg of God. The one
   remote, the other near: The first is called Speculation; the second,
   Contemplation. The Learned, who follow Scientifical Speculation by the
   Sweetness of sensible Discourses, get up to God by this means, as well
   as they can, that by this help they may be able to love him: But none
   of those who follow that way which they call Scholastical, ever arrives
   by that only, to the Mystical Way, or to the Excellence of Union,
   Transformation, Simplicity, Light, Peace, Tranquility and Love, as he
   doth, who is brought by the Divine Grace by the mystical way of
   Contemplation.

   177. These men of Learning, who are meerly scholastical, don't know
   what the Spirit is, nor what it is to be lost in God: nor are they come
   yet to the taste of the sweet Ambrosia which is in the inmost depth and
   bottom of the Soul, where it keeps its Throne, and communicates it self
   with incredible, intimate and delicious affluence: Nay, some there are
   which do e'en condemn this mystical Science, because they neither do
   understand nor relish it.

   178. The Divine who doth not taste the sweetness of Contemplation, has
   not other reason to give for it, but because he enters not by the Gate
   which St. Paul points to, when he says, Si quis inter vos videtur
   sapiens esse, stultus fiat ut sit sapiens, I Cor. 3.18. If any one
   among ye seem to himself to be wise, let him become a fool that he may
   be wise; let him shew his humility by reputing himself ignorant.

   179. Tis a general Rule; and also a Maxim in Mystick Theology, That the
   Practic ought to be gotten before the Theory. That there ought to be
   some experimental Exercise of supernatural Contemplation, before the
   search of the knowledge, and an enquiry after the full apprehension of
   it.

   180. Although the mystical Science does commonly belong to the humble
   and simple, yet notwithstanding that, men of Learning are not uncapable
   of it, if they do not seek themselves nor set any great value upon
   their own artificial knowledge; but more, if they can forget it, as if
   they never had it, and only make use of it, in its own proper place and
   time, for preaching and disputing when their turn comes, and afterwards
   give their minds to the simple and naked Contemplation of God, without
   form, figure or consideration.

   181. The Study, which is not ordered for God's glory only, is but a
   short way to Hell; not through the Study, but the Wind of Pride, which
   begets it. Miserable is the greatest part of Men at this time, whose
   only Study is to satisfie the unsatisfiable curiosity of Nature.

   182. Many seek God and find him not; because they are more moved by
   curiosity than sincere, pure and upright intention: they rather desire
   Spiritual Comforts than God himself; and as they seek him not with
   truth, they neither find God nor Spiritual Pleasures.

   183. He that does not endeavour the total denying of himself, will not
   be truly abstracted; and so can never be capable of the truth and the
   light of the Spirit. To go towards the mystical Science, a man must
   never meddle with things which are without, but with prudence, and in
   that which his Office calls him to. Rare are men who set a higher price
   upon hearing than speaking? But the wise and purely mystical Man never
   speaks but when he cannot help it; nor doth he concern himself in any
   thing but what belongs to his Office, and then he carries himself with
   great Prudence.

   184. The spirit of Divine Wisdom fills men with Sweetness, governs them
   with Courage, and enlightens those with excellence who are subject to
   its direction. Where the Divine Spirit dwells, there is always
   simplicity and a holy Liberty. But Craft and Double-mindedness,
   Fiction, Artifices, Policy and worldly Respects, are Hell it self to
   wise and sincere men.

   185. Know that he who would attain to the Mystical Science, must be
   denied and taken off from five things: 1. From the Creatures. 2. From
   Temporal things. 3. From the very Gifts of the Holy Ghost. 4. From
   himself. 5. He must be lost in God. This last is the compleatest of
   all; because that Soul only that knows how to be so taken off, is that
   which attains to being lost in God, and only knows where to be in
   safety.

   186. God is more satisfied with the affection of the Heart, than that
   of Worldly Science. Tis one thing to cleanse the Heart of all that
   which captivates and pollutes it, and another to do a thousand things,
   though good and holy, without minding that purity of Heart which is the
   main of all for attaining of Divine Wisdom.

   187. Never wilt thou get to this Sovereign and Divine Wisdom, if thou
   hast not strength, when God cleanseth thee in his own time, not only of
   thy adherency to Temporal and Natural Blessings, but further, to
   Supernatural and Sublime ones, such as internal Communications,
   Extasies, Raptures, and other gratuitous Graces, whereon the Soul rests
   and entertains it self.

   188. Many Souls come short of arriving to quiet Contemplation, to
   divine Wisdom and true Knowledge, notwithstanding that they spend many
   Hours in Prayer, and receive the Sacrament every day; because they do
   not subject and submit themselves wholly and entirely to him that hath
   Light, nor deny and conquer themselves, nor give up themselves totally
   to God, with a perfect divesting and disinteresting of themselves: In a
   word, till the Soul be purified in the Fire of Inward Pain, it will
   never get to a State of Renovation, of Transformation, of perfect
   Contemplation, of divine Wisdom and affective Union.


     __________________________________________________________________

CHAP. XIX.


   Of true and perfect Annihilation.


   189. Thou must know that all this Fabriek of Annihilation hath its
   foundation but in two Principles. The first is, to keep ones self and
   all worldly things in a low esteem and value; from whence the putting
   in practice of this Self-divesting, and of Self-renunciation and
   forsaking all created things, must have its rise, and that with the
   affection, and in deed.

   190. The second Principle must be a great esteem of God, to love, adore
   and follow him without the least interest of ones own, let it be never
   so holy. From these two Principles will arise a full conformity to the
   Divine Will. This powerful and practical conformity to the Divine Will
   in all things, leads the Soul to Annihilation and Transformation with
   God, without the mixture of Raptures, or external Extasies, or vehement
   Affections: This way being liable to many illusions, with the danger of
   weakness and anguish of the understanding, by which path there is
   seldom any that gets up to the top of perfection, which is acquired by
   t'other safe, firm and real way, though not without a weighty Cross;
   because therein the Highway of Annihilation and Perfection is founded;
   which is seconded by many gifts of Light and divine Effects, and
   infinite other Graces, gratis datæ, yet the Soul that is annihilated
   must be uncloathed of it all, if it would not have em be a hindrance to
   it in its way to Deification.

   191. As the Soul makes continual progress from its meanness, it ought
   to walk on to the practice of Annihilation, which consists in the
   abhorring of Honour, Dignity and Praise; there being no reason that
   Dignity and Honour should be given to Vileness and a meer Nothing.

   192. To the Soul that is sensible of its own Vileness, it appear an
   impossible thing to deserve any thing; tis rather confounded and knows
   it self unworthy of Vertue and Praise: it embraces with equal courage
   all occasions of Contempt, Persecution, Infamy, Shame and Affront; and
   as truly deserving of such reproaches, it renders the Lord thanks, when
   it lights upon such occasions, to be treated as it deserves; and knows
   it self also unworthy, that he should use his Justice upon it; but
   above all, tis glad of contempt and affront, because its God gets great
   glory by it.

   193. Such a Soul as this always chooses the lowest, the vilest, and the
   most despised degree, as well of place, as of cloathing, and of all
   other things, without the least affectation of singularity; being of
   the opinion, that the greatest Vileness is beyond its deserts, and
   acknowledging it self also unworthy even of this. This is the practice
   that brings the Soul to a true Annihilation of it self.

   114. The Soul that would be perfect, begins to mortifie its Passions;
   and when tis advanced in that Exercise, it denies it self; then with
   the Divine Aid, it passes to the State of Nothing, where it despises,
   abhors and plunges it self upon the knowledge that it is nothing, that
   it can do nothing, and that it is worth nothing. From hence springs the
   dying in it self, and in its senses, in many ways, and at all hours;
   and finally, from this spiritual Death the true and perfect
   Annihilation derives its original; insomuch, that when the Soul is once
   dead to its will and understanding, tis properly said to be arrived at
   the perfect and happy state of Annihilation, which is the last
   disposition for Transformation and Union, which the Soul it self doth
   not understand, because twould not be annihilated if it should come to
   know it. And although it do get to this happy state of Annihilation,
   yet it must know that it must walk still on, and must be further and
   further purified and annihilated. [Here is most delicious Nonsence, and
   a very curious Bull.]

   195. You must know, that this Annihilation to make it perfect in the
   Soul, must be in a man's own Judgment, in his Will, in his Works,
   Inclinations, Desires, Thoughts, and in it Self: so that the Soul must
   find it self dead to its Will, Desire, Endeavour, Understanding and
   Thought; willing, as if it did not will; desiring, as if it did not
   desire; understanding, as if it did not understand; thinking, as if it
   did not think, without inclining to any thing, embracing equally
   Contempts and Honours, Benefits and Corrections. O what a happy Soul is
   that which is thus dead and annihilated! It lives no longer in it self,
   because God lives in it: And now it may most truly be said of it, that
   it is a renewed Phenix; because tis changed, spiritualized, transformed
   and deified.


     __________________________________________________________________

CHAP. XX.


   In which is shewed how this Nothing is the ready way to obtain Purity
   of Soul, perfect Contemplation, and the rich Treasure of Peace
   internal.


   196. The way to attain that high state of a Mind reformed, whereby a
   man immediately gets to the greatest Good, to our first Original, and
   to the highest Peace, is his Nothingness: Endeavour, O Soul, to be
   always buried in that misery. This Nothing, and this acknowledged
   Misery, is the means by which the Lord works wonders in thy Soul.
   Cloath thy self with this Nothing, and with this Misery, and see that
   this Misery and this Nothing be thy continual Food and Habitation, even
   to the casting down thy self low therein; and then I assure thee, that
   thou being in that manner, the Nothing, the Lord will be the Whole in
   thy Soul.

   197. Why, thinkest thou, do infinite Souls hinder the abundant Current
   of the divine gifts? Tis only because they would be doing something,
   and have a desire to be great: all this is to come away from internal
   Humility, and from their own Nothing; and therefore they prevent those
   wonders which that infinite goodness would work in em. They betake
   themselves to the very gifts of the Spirit, and there they stick, that
   they may come out from the Center of Nothing, and so the whole Work is
   spoil'd. They seek not God with truth, and therefore they find him not:
   For know thou must, that there is no finding of Him, but in the
   undervaluing of our own selves, and in nothing.

   198. We seek our selves every time we get out of our Nothing; and
   therefore we never get to quiet and perfect Contemplation. Creep in as
   far as ever thou canst into the truth of thy Nothing, and then nothing
   will disquiet thee: Nay, thou wilt be humble and ashamed, losing openly
   thy own reputation and esteem.

   199. O what a strong Bulwark wilt thou find of that Nothing! Who can
   ever afflict thee, if once thou dost retire into that Fortress? Because
   the Soul which is despised by it self, and in its own knowledg is
   Nothing, is not capable of receiving Grievance or Injury from any Body.
   The Soul which keeps within its Nothing, is internally silent, lives
   resign'd in any torment whatsoever, by thinking it less than what it
   doth deserve: It shuns the suspition of a Neighbour, never looks at
   other folks faults, but its own is free from abundance of
   Imperfections, and becomes Commander of great Virtue. Whilst the Soul
   keeps still and quiet in its nothing, it perfects it, it enriches it,
   the Lord draws his own Image and Likeness in it, without any thing to
   hinder it.

   200. By the way of Nothing thou must come to lose thy self in God
   (which is the last degree of perfection) and happy wilt thou be, if
   thou canst so lose thy self; then thou wilt get thy self again, and
   find thy self most certainly. In this same Shop of Nothing, Simplicity
   is made; interior and infused recollection is possessed, quiet is
   obtained, and the heart is cleansed from all manner of imperfections. O
   what a Treasure wilt thou find, if thou shalt once fix thy habitation
   in Nothing and if thou once gettest but I'snugg into the Center of
   Nothing, thou will never concern thy self with any thing that is
   without (the great ugly large step that so many thousand Souls do
   stumble at) unless it be as thy Office may call thee to it.

   201. If thou dost but get shut up in Nothing, (where the blows of
   adversity can never come) nothing will vex thee or break thy peace.
   This is the way of getting to the command of thy self, because perfect
   and true dominion doth only govern in Nothing: with the Helmet of
   Nothing thou will be too hard for strong temptations and the terrible
   suggestions of the envious enemy. [I defie all the Quakers in England
   to match this incomparable piece of Nonsence and Enthusiastick Cant.]

   202. Knowing that thou art nothing, that thou canst do nothing, and art
   worth just nothing, thou wilt quietly embrace passive drynesses, thou
   wilt endure horrible desolations; thou wilt undergo spiritual
   martyrdoms and inward torments. By means of this Nothing thou must die
   in thy self, many ways, at all times, and all hours.

   203. Who must awaken the Soul out of that sweet and pleasant Sleep, if
   once it comes to take a Nap in Nothing? This is the way that David got
   a perfect annihilation, without so much as knowing it. Ad nihilum
   redactus sum de nescivi, Psal. 17. Keeping thy self in Nothing, thou
   wilt bar the door against every thing that is not God; thou wilt retire
   also from thine own self, and walk toward that internal solitude, where
   the Divine Spouse speaks in the Heart of his Bride, teaching her high
   and divine Wisdom. Drown thy self in this Nothing, and there shalt thou
   find a holy Sanctuary against any Tempest whatsoever.

   204. By this way must thou return to the happy state of Innocence
   forfeited by our first Parents. By this Gate thou must enter into the
   happy land of the living, where thou wilt find the greatest Good, the
   breath of Charity, the beauty of Righteousness, the streight Line of
   Equity and Justice, and, in sum, every jot and tittle of Perfection.
   Lastly, do not look at nothing, desire nothing, will nothing, nor
   endeavour nothing, and then in every thing thy Soul will live repos'd,
   with quiet and enjoyment.

   205. This is the way to get purity of Soul, perfect contemplation and
   peace internal; walk therefore in this safe path, and endeavour to
   overwhelm thy self in this Nothing, endeavour to lose thy self, to sink
   deep into it, if thou hast a mind to be annihilated, united and
   transformed.


     __________________________________________________________________

CHAP. XXI.


   Of the high Felicity of internal Peace, and the wonderful Effects of
   it.


   206. The Soul being once annihilated and renewed with perfect
   nakedness, finds in its superiour part a profound peace, and a sweet
   rest, which brings it to such a perfect Union of love, that it is
   joyful all over. And such a Soul as this is already arrived to such a
   happiness, that it neither wills nor desires any thing but what its
   Beloved wills; it conforms it self to this Will in all emergencies, as
   well of comfort as anguish, and rejoyces also in every thing to do the
   Divine Good Pleasure.

   207. There is nothing but what comforts it; nor doth it want any thing,
   but what it can well want: To die, is enjoyment to it; and to live, is
   its joy. It is as contented here upon Earth, as it can be in Paradise;
   it is as glad under privation, as it can be in possession; in sickness
   as it can be in health; because it know that this is the will of its
   Lord. This is its life, this is its glory, its paradise, its peace, its
   repose, its rest, its consolation and highest happiness.

   208. If it were necessary to such a Soul as this, which is gotten up by
   the steps of annihilation to the region of peace, to make its choice,
   it would chuse desolation before comfort, contempt before honour;
   because the loving Jesus made great esteem of reproach and pain: if it
   first endured the hunger of the blessings of Heaven, if it thirsted for
   God, if it had the fear of losing him, the lamentation of heart, and
   the fighting of the Devil; now things are altered, and hunger is turned
   into satisfying, the thirst into satiety, the fear into assurance, the
   sadness into joy, the weeping into merriment, and the fierce fighting
   into the greatest peace. O happy Soul, that enjoys here on earth so
   great a felicity! Thou must know, that these kind of Souls (though few
   they are) be the strong Pillars which support the Church, and such as
   abate the divine indignation.

   209. And now this Soul that is entered into the heaven of peace,
   acknowledges it self full of God and his supernatural gifts, because it
   lives grounded in a pure love, receiving equal Pleasure in light and
   darkness, in night and day, in affliction and consolation. Through this
   holy and heavenly indifference, it never loses its peace in adversity,
   nor its tranquility in tribulations, but sees it self full of
   unspeakable enjoyments.

   210. And although the Prince of Darkness makes all the assaults of Hell
   against it, with horrible temptations, yet it makes head against em,
   and stands like a strong Pillar; no more happening to it by em, than
   happens to a high mountain and a deep valley in the time of storm and
   tempest.

   211. The valley is darkned with thick clouds, fierce tempests of hail,
   thunder, lightning and hail-stones, which looks like the picture of
   Hell: at the same time the lofty Mountain glitters by the bright beams
   of the Sun, in quietness and serenity, continuing clear, like heaven,
   immovable and full of light.

   212. The same happens to this blessed soul; the valley of the part
   below is suffering tribulations, combats, darkness, desolations,
   torments, martyrdoms and suggestions; and at the same time, on the
   lofty mountain of the higher part of the Soul, the true Sun casts its
   beams; it enflames and enlightens it; and so it becomes clear,
   peaceable, resplendent, quiet, serene, being a meer ocean of joy.

   213. So great therefore is the quiet of this pure Soul, which is gotten
   up the mountain of tranquility, so great is the peace of its spirit, so
   great the serenity and chearfulness that is within, that a remnant and
   glimmering of God do rebound even to the outside of it.

   214. Because in the throne of quiet are manifest the perfections of
   spiritual beauty; here the true light of the secret and divine
   Mysteries of our holy faith, here perfect humility, even to the
   annihilation of it self, the amplest resignation, chastity, poverty of
   spirit, the sincerity and innocence of the Dove, external modesty,
   silence and internal fortitude, liberty and purity of heart; here the
   forgetfulness of every created thing, even of it self, joyful
   simplicity, heavenly indifference, continual Prayer, a total nakedness,
   perfect disinterestedness, a most wise contemplation, a conversation of
   heaven; and lastly, the most perfect and serene peace within, of which
   this happy soul may say what the wise man said of wisdom, that all
   other graces came along in the company with her. Venerunt mihi omnia
   bona pariter cum illa. Wisd. 7. 11.

   215. This is the rich and hidden treasure, this is the lost groat of
   the Gospel; this it the blessed life, the happy life, the true life,
   and the blessedness here below. O thou lovely greatness that passest
   the knowledge of the sons of men! O excellent supernatural life, how
   admirable and unspeakable art thou, for thou art the very draught of
   blessedness! O how much dost thou raise a soul from earth, which loses
   in its view all things of the vileness of earth! thou art poor to look
   upon; but inwardly thou are full of wealth: thou seemest low, but art
   exceeding high; in a word, thou art that which makest men live a life
   divine here below. Give me, O Lord, thou greatest goodness, give me a
   good portion of this heavenly happiness and true peace, that the World,
   sensual as it is, is neither capable of understanding nor receiving.
   Quem mundus non potest accipere.


     __________________________________________________________________

CHAP. XXII.


   A mournful Exclamation and lamentable Moan to God for the Small Company
   of Souls that arrive at Perfection, the Loving Union and the Divine
   Transformation.


   216. O Divine Majesty, in whose presence the Pillars of Heaven do quake
   and tremble! O thou Goodness, more than infinite, in whose love the
   Seraphins burn! give me leave, O Lord, to lament our blindness and
   ingratitude. We all live in Mistakes, seeking the foolish world, and
   forsaking thee, who art our God. We all forsake thee, the Fountain of
   Living Waters, for the stinking Dirt of the World.

   217. O we children of men, how long shall we follow after lying and
   vanity? Who is it that hath thus deceived us, that we should forsake
   God our greatest good? Who is it that speaks the most truth to us? Who
   is it that loves us most? Who defends us most? Who is it that doth more
   to shew himself a Friend, who more tender to shew himself a Spouse, and
   more good to be a Father? that our blindness should be so great, that
   we should all forsake this greatest and infinite goodness?

   218. O Divine Lord! what a few Souls are there in the World, which do
   serve thee with perfection! how small is the number of those, who are
   willing to suffer, that they may follow Christ crucified, that they may
   embrace the Cross, that they may deny and contemn themselves! O what a
   scarcity of Souls is there, which are disinterested and totally naked!
   how few are those Souls which are dead to themselves and alive to God,
   which are totally resigned to his divine good pleasure! How few those,
   who are adorn'd with simple obedience, profound knowledg of themselves;
   and true humility! how few those, which with an entire indifference
   give up themselves into the hands of God, to do what he pleases with
   em! how few are there of those pure Souls which be of a simple and
   disinterested heart, and which, putting off their own understanding,
   knowledg, desire and will, do long for self-denial and spiritual death!
   O what a scarcity of Souls is there which are willing to let the Divine
   Creator work in em a mind to suffer, that they may not suffer, and to
   die, that they may not die! How few are the Souls which are willing to
   forget themselves, to free their hearts from their own affections,
   their own desires, their own satisfactions, their own love and
   judgments! that are willing to be led by the highway of self-denial and
   the internal way! that are willing to be annihilated, dying to
   themselves and their senses! that are willing to let themselves be
   emptied, purified and uncloathed, that God may fill and cloath and
   perfect em! In a word, how small, O Lord, is the number of those Souls
   which are blind, deaf and dumb and perfectly contemplative!

   219. O the shame of us the Children of Adam! who, for a thing of meer
   vileness, do despise true felicity, and hinder our greatest good, the
   rich treasure and infinite goodness! Great reason has Heaven to lament,
   that there are so few Souls to follow its precious path-way. Viæ Sion
   lugent, eo quod non sint qui veniant ad solennitatem. Lam. 1.4



   I submit every thing, with humble prostration, to the Correction of the
   Holy Roman Catholick Church.

     __________________________________________________________________



  A BRIEF



  TREATISE



  CONCERNING



  Daily Communion.



  DIVIDED



  Into Three Chapters.





   Compos'd in SPANISH


   By Dr. Michael de Molinos Priest,


   And Translated into ITALIAN

   And Published by another Devout Priest.



   ENGLISHED

   From the COPY Printed at

   Venice in 1687.



   Printed in the Year, MDCLXXVIII




     __________________________________________________________________

  The Preface.


   The following Treatise was approved of at Rome by Fryer Pater Damian, a
   Discalceate Carmelite, Visitor General and Reader of Theology in the
   Convent of S. Mary della Scala, in the Year 1675, when the foregoing
   Book was so highly applauded and set out with so many Formallities: And
   after him, Nicholas Martinez, a Jesuite, Chief Reader of Theology in
   the Roman Colledg, (which is one of the eminentest Offices in one of
   the most eminent Houses of Education in the whole City) comes to set
   his Approbation to it: And then, after these two, our old Friend, that
   we were beholden to before, Fryer Dominick of the most Holy Trinity,
   Qualifier of the Holy Office in Rome, &c. he tells us, that forasmuch
   as he found nothing in it contrary to Faith or good Manners, or
   repugnant to the Reverence due to the Sacrament, &c. he takes it to be
   worthy to be Printed for divers and sundry reasons. So that though it
   met not with those Acclamations which the former Book did, (the reason
   whereof you will presently smell out, when you read it) yet these three
   Testimonies (besides the pains that the devout Priest (as he calls
   himself) took to get it out of Spanish into Italian) were enough to
   give it Credit and Authority in the World: And as it came tack't to
   t'other Book so twas pity to make it part Company.

   But whilst these Reverend Gentlemen have been so kind to help it into
   the World, and speak such good things of it, tis plain that they either
   wink't at, or did not know one gross Contradiction that it makes to the
   foregoing Book; and that is this: That this, Mich. Molinos does lay it
   down as a Principle, in his Spiritual Guide, That the Penitent ought to
   resign up his Will, his Judgment, his Knowledge, his Choice to the
   determination of his Spiritual Director. And produces Examples for it,
   and tells him, that he must be led blindfold by his Confessor, though
   he should put him upon never so useless and nonsensical Penance and
   Mortification, as planting Lettice with the Roots upwards, &c. (a
   specimen of which sort of asinine and undisputing Obedience is to be
   seen pressed by the Founder of the Jesuitical Order, in his Epistle to
   the Brethren of his Society, Reg. Soc. Jesu, Cap. 18. wherein he
   instances in Abbot John, that watered a withered Tree for a whole Year
   together; (Which did him as much good as if he had tied a Whiting to
   his Girdle.) And, at his Superiour's command, tried to move a vast
   Stone which was beyond the strength of many men together to do; which
   he had no more reason to do, than to knock his Head against it). And
   the reason that is given for this sort of affected and foolish
   Humility, forsooth, must be because the Father Confessor is in God's
   place, and whatever he enjoyns his Penitent, must be done by an
   absolute and unlimited Obedience, without asking, why or wherefore, or
   entring into any thoughts of the reasonableness or unreasonableness,
   convenience or inconvenience, good or hurt of such a ranting sort of
   Discipline: And what fine work may there be sometimes done, when a
   silly Priest meets with a Penitent that is as wise as himself? But if
   the business be really, thus, then what's the reason that this Author
   doth so often in this Treatise, flie in the face of the Ministers, (who
   in his sense, are these Confessors) and tax them with I know not what,
   and make most lamentable out-cries against em for hindring their
   Penitents from Daily Communion? This is going backward and forward,
   saying and unsaying again: For if the Confessor have a power of
   disposing of his Penitent's (I was going to say Client's) Will, &c. as
   he pleases, and an unaccountable Empire and Government over him; I
   would fain see how he can advise him amiss? And why should all this
   noise be made against these Ministers who are made Judges of the
   disposition of their People, whom they Shrine, and therefore are
   presumed to do no more than what there is reason for, in hindring em
   from Daily Communion?

   If the foregoing Book were first Penn'd by the Author, then he either
   retracted his judgment, in this Treatise, or else forgot himself,
   (which he presses often as a Duty of Religion.) If this Treatise was
   Penn'd first, then the Author was willing to give Confessors more scope
   and power in [his Spiritual Guide] than he though fit to allow em in
   his [Daily Communion.] However the matter was, there is a filthy
   Mistake some where or other; to press blind Obedience to Confessors in
   one Book, and yet bawl at em for requiring it in another. The least
   that can be said of it, is, that tis an argument of an inconstant or
   forgetful Head, And I leave it to him to make it out, or to any body
   else that has a mind to clear the point. The Treatise it self is like
   other Popish Treatises upon that Subject; only tis a question, whether
   the Author be so far Annihilated yet (as his word is) as to believe
   Transubstantiation so stoutly as others of that Communion would make us
   believer they do. He hath been mightily conversant in ModernCasuists
   and Schoolmen, and that makes him so ill a Divine, as to tell us of
   receiving good by the Sacrament ex opere operato; i.e. Never minding
   what is done, but only the doing the bare action of it. I could not
   forbear shewing a mark of dislike, when I found him quoting two such
   bouncing Authorities out of St. Austine and St. Jerome for delivering
   Souls out of Purgatory by the efficacy of Mass. I confess they are very
   pregnant for his purpose, if he can but shew us those Words in the true
   Writings of those two Fathers: but to send us to the Man in the Moon to
   know further, this is not fair nor Scholar-like. If any man else will
   undertake to shew us those Words in the undoubted and unforg'd Works of
   St. Austine and St. Jerome, he will make me (for my part) in that
   point.


   A Quietist.



     __________________________________________________________________


  THE

                                    AUTHOR'S

  Advertisement.



   Tis none of my intention to Discourse in this subject by the way of
   Humane Respect or Passion, nor to defend hard Controversies, nor
   promote my own Opinions; and though I have Written this short Treatise
   at the continual ingagements and instances of Zealous Persons, yet
   God's greater Glory, and the Spiritual advantage of Souls, have been my
   only desire: Nor is it any less my design, that by this Treatise and
   these Reasons, the Faithful should govern themselves in the business of
   frequent Communion, without the Prudent and Holy Counsel of their
   Spiritual Fathers; because I always look upon it more fitting to obey
   their Orders, though it should hinder the Communion, than to
   communicate every day according to their own Sense and Judgment. This
   Compendium of the Reasons and Authorities of Councils, Saints, and
   Doctors, is only drawn up a-purpose, that Confessors may see the small
   reason there is to hinder those Souls from taking the Communion, which
   desire it, receive good by it, and are obedient to their Directions.



     __________________________________________________________________

   A Short


   TREATISE


   Concerning


   Daily Communion.



     __________________________________________________________________

CHAP. I.


   No Minister ought to keep a faithful Person from the Communion, that
   does desire and ask it, whilst he doth not know his Conscience defiled
   with mortal Sin.


   The Council of Trent, treating of the Preparation which Priests and
   Layman ought to make for the worthy Receiving of the Holy Eucharist,
   hath these following words, (Sess. 13, Cap. 17.) The Custom of the
   Church makes it clear, that Examination and Proof is necessary in order
   to the Communion; that no man, knowing himself guilty of mortal Sin,
   though he may seem Contrite to himself, come to the Sacrament, unless
   he have before been at Sacramental Confession. Which comprehends all
   Christians, and even Priests, who are bound by their Office to
   Celebrate it: from whence tis clearly to be inferred, that the Council
   makes no other disposition necessary for the Communicating of Laymen,
   and the Priest's saying Mass, than not to have any mortal Sin. Why then
   should the Ministers be a hindrance to those which have that
   disposition?

   The Ministers will not say that their Authority is greater than that of
   the Council; nor that they are more Learned than all those Fathers of
   the Church that came to it; nor will they say, less, that they have a
   greater light from God, than that which he then communicated to his
   Spouse, the Church: Therefore the Ministers ought not to require a
   greater disposition, than being without mortal Sin, whilst the Council
   requires no more.

   Either the Ministers and Priests, which say Mass daily, have this
   Holiness and Perfection themselves, which they require in Laymen, or
   else they have it not: they will not say they have it, because it would
   then be pride in em: If they have it not, and yet Celebrate Mass every
   day, why do they require it from Laymen, in order to the granting em
   the Communion daily? Tis good to advise em to this Perfection, but if
   they should not have it, it will not be reasonable to deprive em of so
   great a good, because they may have reason to fear that Christ our Lord
   may say to em as he did to the Pharisees, (St. Matthew 23.24) That they
   bind heavy burthens upon men, and they themselves will not touch em
   with one of their fingers. And that also is verified which David said,
   (Psalm 61. 10) That men are deceitful in the weight. Mendaces filii
   hominum in stateris; Since they have one weight for themselves and
   another for Laymen.

   If the Council judges that not being in mortal Sin, is a worthy
   disposition towards saying Mass daily, consecrating and offering
   Sacrifice, which is the holiest Service, how much more worthy will such
   a disposition be for only the receiving the Communion?

   If Councils, the Church, Popes, Saints, and Doctors tequire no greater
   disposition to receive fruit from this Sacrament, than not being in
   mortal Sin, why must the Ministers require a greater?

   The Council of Trent hath the following words: (Sess. 28. Cap. 6.)
   Optaret quidem Sancta Synodus ut in singulis missis fideles adstantes,
   non solum spirituali affectu, sed Sacramentali etiam Eucharistiæ
   preceptione Communicarent, quo ad eos hujus sacrificii fructus uberior
   perveniret: That is, the holy Council would look upon it as a very good
   thing that in every days Mass, the Faithful who assist at it, would be
   Communicated, not only Spiritually and in their desires, but also
   Sacramentally by receiving the Holy Eucharist, that they might thus
   obtain the more abundant benefit by this most Holy Sacrament. The
   Council therefore desires that the Faithful would communicate every day
   that they hear Mass, with the disposition of having no mortal Sin, as
   it signified Sess. 13. chap. 7. Will any Ministers say, that this is
   not well, and so openly set themselves in opposition to the desires of
   the Church?

   The Congregation of the Council declared it an Errour that any Bishops
   in a Capriccio should limit and hinder Daily Communion from being taken
   by Merchants and House-keepers: The holy Rota reports it in the year
   1587 (Barbos. in Council. Trid. Sup. c. 22.) and after it had Decreed
   that all Laymen might be communicated, even every day, though they
   should be Merchants and House-keepers, it adds the following words: --
   Qua propter exhortandi sunt fideles, ut sicut quotidie peccant, ita
   quotidie medicinam accipient: That is, wherefore the Faithful are to be
   exohorted, that as they Sin daily, so they daily receive this Medicine
   of the Sacrament of the Eucharist. And the same Coucil of Trent says.
   (Sess. 13. c. 2. de Instit. Sanctiss. Sacr.) Qui manducat me, ipse
   vivet propter me, & tanquam antidotum, quo liberemur a culpis
   quotidianis & a peccatis mortalibus præfervemur: ---- The Communion is
   as an Antidote to free us from daily Sins, and preserve us from mortal
   Sins. If the Council and its Decree speaks here, not of the Basils and
   Antonies, nor of the Catharines and Clares, as some say it is required
   for em to be, but of those that Sin daily; why should they be kept from
   the Medicine, that they may not Sin?

   The Council of Milan (3 de Euch.) and that of Cabilon (Cant. 46.) are
   of the same mind.

   The blessed Pius Quintus says, (Catech. Rom. 2. p. c. 4. §. 60.) The
   Curates are bound to exhort the Faithful often, that as they hold it
   necessary to feed the Body daily, so they hold it also necessary to
   feed the Soul as often with this Sacrament: because the Children of
   Israel did eat Manna in the wilderness daily; and that Manna was the
   Figure of this sacred Food; And that sentence [Thou sinnest every day,
   be communicated also every day.] is not only St. Augustine's, but the
   saying of all the Saints.

   St. Ignatius, Bishop and Martyr, (Epist. ad Eph.) exhorts that we often
   come and receive the Eucharist; because the frequency of it weakens the
   power of Satan. The Council of Alexandria says, (De Euch.c. 5.) That
   without this frequency, it will be a hard matter to preserve Grace. St.
   John Chrisostome (In Epist. S. Paul ad Tim.) says, It is no rashness
   for a Christian to come often to the Sacrament: he that remembers not a
   great fault of himself, may come to it every day.

   Theophylact (In Prim. S. Paul ad Corinth. II.) says, To know whether
   thou mayest Communicate, be thou the Judge, and having examined thy
   self, thou mayest do it, without staying for a Festival., unless thou
   findest thy self burthened with a great fault.

   St. Cyprian (In Orat. Dom. Serm. 6.) says, Let us ask this daily Bread,
   being in no great fault let us receive this Bread every day, which
   gives us Life Eternal; and let us beg that our Bread, which is Christ
   our Lord, may be daily given us, to keep us in his Grace: No small loss
   it is, to forbear Communicating every day.

   St. Hilary says, (De Consectrat. dist. 2. cap. 51.) If thy Sins are not
   so greivous as to deserve Excommunication, not being mortal, if they
   should be mortal, after Confession, as Suarez expounds it, Disp.
   60.Sess. 3) never keep off from the daily Medicine, which is the Body
   and Blood of the Lord.

   St. Ambrose says, (5 de Sacram. c. 4.) Receive daily, that which is to
   help thee daily: he that does not deserve to receive it every day, doth
   not deserve to receive it in a whole year: Sins are daily committed,
   and therefore this Divine Bread is for every day. Thou offendest every
   day, wash thy self therefore of thy Sin every day in the Fountain of
   Repentance; and if thou comest every day to this Divine Sacrament, thou
   wilt find wholesome Medicine, and not the Poison of Judgment.

   St. Jerom says, (In Apol. Cont. Jovin.) We should always receive the
   Holy Eucharist, that we may be without mortal Sin: And in his time,
   which was the Year 470, he says, the holy Custom of Communicating every
   day, continued in Rome and in Spain.

   St. Augustine says, (Tract. 26. in Johan.) If thou comest without Sin,
   come and welcome; tis Bread and not Poyson;

   Again, (Ep. de ver. Dom. Ser. 28.) Tis better to Communicate for
   Devotion, than let it alone for Reverence. And in another place, This
   is the daily Bread, receive it daily, because it will daily do thee
   good, and thou mayest receive it every day.

   Some ascribe that sentence to the same Father, Quotidie Eucharistiæ
   Communionem percipere, nec laudo nec reprehendo. With which a Bishop
   reproved S. Catharine of Siena, because she took the Sacrament every
   day: and the Saint replied to him, how he durst reprove in her, that
   which St. Austine durst not reprove? Bellarmine therefore (De Script.
   Eccles. in the Year 420.) says that this sentence is not S. Austine's,
   but Gennadius's of Marseilles; and so many other Authors assure us.

   S. Gregory (De Confeor d. 2. c. Quid sit Sanguis.) says, The Lord gave
   us this Salutary Sacrament to pardon our daily sins; let us receive it
   every day.

   St. Bernard (In Serm. de Cæna Dom.) says, The wounded man seeks
   Medicine: we are all of us wounded, when we have Sinned; our Medicine
   is the Divine Sacrament: receive it daily and thou wilt recover daily.

   St. Apollonius (In vitis Patrum ejus vita.) advised his Monks to be
   communicated every day, that they might be preserved in Grace.

   St. Bonaventure, (De Pracept. Relig. Proces. 7. c. 21.) Though thou
   shouldst find thy self lukewarm, with little Fervour in thee, yet
   trusting in the Mercy of God, thou mayst safely come to the Communion:
   if thou think'st thy self unworthy, (so that thou remembrest no mortal
   Sin of thine own) come; because the weaker thou art, the greater need
   hast thou of the Physitian. Thou do'st not receive Christ to sanctify
   Him, but that he may sanctify thee.

   The Council of Alexandria (Cap. 5. de Euchar.) says, Without this
   frequency, tis hard to keep in Grace.

   S. Antony of Florence (Par. 3. lib. 14. cap. 12. § 5. & 6.) says, Those
   that live well must be sure to be advised to receive this most holy
   Sacrament frequently; because as long abstinence from bodily Food,
   weakens the Body, and disposes it for Death, so the much abstaining
   from this spiritual Food, weakens the Soul, spends the fervour, and by
   degrees inclines it to mortal Sin.

   Pope Adrian (In 4 Sent. Tract. de Euchar.) says, When once the
   preparation is made according to Humane frailty, tis safer to receive
   than keep from the most Holy Sacrament.

   St. Thomas Aquinas (3 Par. quæst. 80. art. 10.) asks, If it be lawful
   to Communicate every day? And answers with St. Austine, This is daily
   Bread: receive it every day, that thou mayest every day be profited by
   it.

   St. Isidore (Lib. 3. de Eccles. Offic.) hath this, Some say, that if
   there be no Sin, the Communion ought to be taken daily; and they say
   well, if they receive it with Veneration and Humility.

   St. Anaclete, Pope, (De Conscer. dist. I & 2. ca. Peracta.) perceiving
   Daily Communion grow into disuse, brought it up again, ordering, that
   after Consecration all those that were present should be communicated,
   because this Custom (as he says in a Decree of his) was established by
   the Apostles and kept hy the Roman Church: and those that did not
   communicate, were turn'd out of the Church.

   Innocent the Third (in tract. Miss. lib. 4. cap. 44.) says, He may
   communicate who has his conscience free from mortal sin, and is grieved
   for that which is venial.

   St. Athanasius, (I ad Cor. probit autem) having examined thy
   Conscience, always come to the Communion, without staying for a holy
   day.

   Henriquez relates it, (lib. 8. de Euchar. cap. 88. n. 2.) that St.
   Austin, St. Ambrose, and St. Jerome, do commend those who communicate
   daily, without fail. Those that the Confessor shall judge worthy of
   absolution, may be advised by him to receive the Communion, though they
   fear an easie relapse. Tis not necessary to make an experiment of
   frequent Communion from a man's good and profit by it: because
   spiritual profit (which is insensible) is much less found than corporal
   profit.

   Thomas a Kempis (lib. 4. de imit. Christi) says, If I am luke-warm when
   I do communicate, what should I be, if I should not communicate? I
   would add, if I am naughty when I do communicate, by not communicating
   I should offend the whole world and damn my self.

   The following Doctors defend Daily Communion with very strong reasons,
   which for brevity sake are omitted.

   Innocent the Third, tract. de Missa, lib. 4. cap. 44.

   St. Athanasius, I Cor. II. probit autem

   Heneriquez, lib. 8. de Euchar. c. 88. n. 2.

   Thomas a Kempis, lib. 4. de imit. Christi, cap. 3.

   Alexander of Hales, 4 part. quæst. 51. art. 10.

   Gerson, in opere tripart. cap 19.

   The Patriach of Jerusalem, in 4. dist. 12. quæst. 2.

   John Colaya, in 4. sent dist. 12. q. 2

   Ranier of Pisa, I part.tract. Euchar. cap. 26.

   Martin of Ledesma, p. I. q. 4. art 10.

   Nider, in præcept. 3. cap. 12. n. 12.

   Astensis, in sum. 2. par. lib. 4. tit. 27.

   Father Salmeron, tom. 9. tract. 41.

   Father Francis Suarez, tom. 3. disp. 63. sect. 3.

   Durandin 4, dist. 12. qu. 5.

   Victoria, in Sum. quæst.

   John of Friburg, sum lib. 3. de Euchar. tit. 24.

   John Altestaing, lib. 4. cap. 5.

   Gabriel Mayor, in sum.tract. 3. de Euch.

   Raimond, in sum. tract. 3. de Euchar.

   Peter de Soto, in 4 dist. 22. qu. I. art. 10.

   Lewis Blois, dialog. Suson.

   Stephen Boluser, lib. 4. dist. 12. qu. 14.

   Rosela, sum. tract. 3. de Euchar.

   Father Christopher of Madrid, de frequent. Commun. cap. I.

   Reynalds, de prudent. Conf. c. I I.

   Francis de Lavata, verb. Euchar. propof. 18.

   Dionysius Carthusianus, de Euch. cap. 5.

   John Mayor, in 4 dist. 9. qu. 1.

   Venantius Fortunatus, in Orat. Dominic.

   Cardinal Hosias, de Cerem. sol. 371

   Bishop Perez, de Sacram. qu. 80. ar. 9.

   Vivaldus, de Euch, n. 139.

   Christopher Morenus, lib. Claredad de simples.

   James Baius, de instit. relig. Christ. lib. 2. cap. 19.

   The illumniate Father John Thaulerus, Serm. I. Dom. 7 post Trin.

   Alphonse Rodriguez, 2. p. treat. 8. cap. 10.

   Antony Molina, tract. 7. pag. 870

   Lewis Fandone, tract. de divin. Sacram. p. 2. cap. II.

   Father Joseph of St. Mary, tract. de Com.

   Raimund Sebunde, dial 7. cap. 17.

   Mauras Antonius, de Euch. cap. 5.

   Peter Marsilia, Memor. Compost. fol. 62.

   Father Antony de Alvarado, in his Guide of Slaves, fol. 414.

   Alphonse of Chinchilla, tract. Commun. document. 3.

   Father Lewis of Granada, tract. 3. cap. 8. sect. 2.

   Villalobos, I part. tract. 3. dif. 4. n. 3.

   Almai, in 4 dist. 26.

   John Sanchez, dist. 23. n. 13

   Palao, in 4 dist. 31. disc. 2.

   Basil, lib. I Matrim. cap. 12. n. 6.

   Veracruz, 3. par. spec. art. 16.

   Sa. de verb, Euchar. n. 12

   Henry Henriquez, in sum. lib. 8 de Euchar. cap. 48

   Ferrer, Art of knowing Jesus, 3 part. dial. 5.

   Escobar, lib. 2. sess. 4. de notat. san.

   Mendoza, par. 3. tract. de Sacr. instr. 32.

   Cassian, in Vitis Patrum.

   Medini, lib. I. cap. 14.

   Jerom Perez, in sum. Theolog.

   Adrian, in 4 sent. tract. de Euchar.

   Finally, the illuminate Thauler says, that to receive the most holy
   Sacrament without mortal sin, as has been said, does more good than to
   hear a hundred Masses, or a hundred Sermons: and so say many Authors,
   as Jerom Perez relates (insum. Theolog. de Euch.) that he does but once
   receive the most holy Sacrament without mortal sin, gets more grace by
   it, than if he should go thrice in Pilgrimage to the holy Sepulcher at
   Jerusalem; and that never did any body communicate, without obtaining
   particular Grace thereby, and a singular degree of Charity which he had
   not before, though he were never so lukewarm and dry.

   A grave religious man adds this consideration, That if all the Charity
   should be put together, which all man have had or shall have, which
   have been, are, or shall be, and the merits of em all, and the praises
   that have been given and shall be given, and all the good works which
   have been done and shall be done, and the torments of Martyrs, the
   Fastings, Disciplines, and Hair-cloaths of all the Saints, Confessors,
   Patriarchs, Virgins and Prophets, with whatever else that shall be done
   as long as the World indures; put it all together, and it doth not
   please God so much, as the receiving of this Divine Sacrament.

   Others say, as the abovesaid Author relates, that if all the Quires of
   Angels, all the Courtiers of Heaven, and the most holy Virgin (Mistress
   of em all, who incomparably exceed em all) should meet together, it is
   not in their power to do a more pleasing Sacrifice to God, nor a more
   acceptable Offering, than Saying of Mass, or, when men communicate, to
   offer to his Majesty that Divine Sacrament.

   St. Cyril (in S. Johan, c. 37. & lib. 4. c. 17.) affirms, that the only
   delaying of it never creates a better disposition to it; and it
   commonly happens, that those who are slowest to come to the Communion,
   come less prepared: and further, these following Reasons do make it
   evident. To communicate worthily without mortal sin is good of it self;
   to forbear it, is not so: To go often to the Sacrament is a product of
   Charity: to delay it, comes from negligence or fear: better is the work
   of Charity than that of Fear. He that communicates gets the better of
   him that lets it alone in the good he receives by the Sacrament Ex
   opere operato: and at the most may easily be equal to him, since the
   desire of communicating worthily, is no less good, than keeping from it
   out of reverence. If it be sometimes good to abstain, it ought to be
   for the obtaining or preserving the reverence and devotion of it: and
   for this reason the frequency of the most holy Sacrament is not of less
   advantage, since thereby the Soul gets cleansed of those evil habits
   and affections and natural imperfections that we have.

   If the Scripture therefore in many places, if the Apostles, Councils,
   Popes, and the Saints and Doctors do advise us to daily communion,
   without limitation or laxing, and if there be no Law divine or humane
   to forbid it to him that has no mortal sin to hinder him, what is the
   reason that the Ministers should forbid or limit that which neither
   Christ nor the Church nor any Law does limit? Twill be prudence
   therefore not to oppose the Sayings of Doctors, Saints, Popes and
   Councils, to get free from the punishment given to many Ministers for
   forbidding of it.

   Father Bernadino of Villagas, in the Life of St. Lutgard, chap. 25.
   says, that among other persons that thought ill of the frequent
   communion of that Saint, the Abbess was one, who being led by an
   indiscreet zeal, ordered her not to communicate so often: to whom the
   humble Virgin returned this Answer, with great reverence, That she was
   ready and prepared to obey her order with content, but she knew for
   certain, that this disfavour she did her, would displease Jesus Christ,
   and that in the punishment which would follow, she would quickly
   understand how ill she did, in depriving her of the Communion. The
   Saint obeyed, and in recompence of her obedience, it seems, the Lord
   making good the Voice of her Prophecy, sent the Abbess a great fit of
   sickness, which afflicted her much with continual and sharp pains, till
   acknowledging her fault, and that this chastisement befel her for her
   indiscreet zeal used to the Saint, she sent for her and gave her leave
   to follow her holy custom, and so the fault ending, the punishment
   ended also, and the disease which had brought her to a very sad
   condition. Other persons also who in like manner used to keep a pother
   with the Saint about her often Communions, repenting of what they had
   done, askt her pardon. And other of their complices in their prate and
   gossippings, because they never laid to heart what they had said of
   her, were punished of God with a sudden death.

   In the third Book of St. Gertrudes Life chap. 23. tis told, that a
   certain Preacher or Confessor, being a little warm'd with the zeal of
   God's Honour, took a pet at some religious Women, thinking that they
   were often communicated: At this the Saint made a Prayer, and askt the
   Lord, Whether this were acceptable to him, or no? The Lord make her
   this answer; it being my delight to be with the children of men, and I
   having, of infinite love, left this Sacrament to be often received in
   remembrance of me, and being in it to the faithful to the World's end,
   whosoever shall, with words or other ways of perswasion, to go about to
   hinder any from taking it, who are free from mortal sin, doth in a
   certain manner hinder me, and rob me of my pleasure and delight, which
   I might have with em. Some Ministers there are who have had a mind to
   restrain this matter too much: as if the Sacrament were not instituted
   for Laymen, or as if they had no right to ask it as often as they are
   disposed to receive it. O, as if Christ our Lord had instituted it with
   a limitation or precept, that is should not be taken but by such and
   such men, and on such and such days.

   Expert Teachers do strangely wonder to see the scruple and
   cautiousness, with which some Confessors speak about this matter, as if
   the Communion were a very dangerous thing for Souls, or through the too
   much frequenting of it, the Honour of God or the Vertue of the
   Sacraments must need be lost or lessened: whereas the frequency of it
   is the very remedy and health of Souls and the work in which there is
   the greatest honour done to God and which they ought most to endeavour,
   who desire his glory.

   And if the Minister should at any time find himself dissatisfied at
   this, let him peruse that holy Appointment of the Church, (De Consecr.
   dist. 2. Aug. in Ps. 48.) Non prohibeat dispensator manducare pingues
   terra in mensa Domini. And if the dispenser himself cannot hinder this,
   much less can they hinder it, who have nothing to do to dispense it:
   and if this which has been said is not enough, let him be afraid of
   those infinite Punishments which God has rised upon those Ministers
   which have forbid it.

   But for all this, the Communion should always be used at the spiritual
   Father's order, who neither ought to hinder nor delay it, when he knows
   the Soul, that desires it and reaps good of it, to be so disposed as
   the Council requires. And if another Confessor should order him the
   quite contrary, let him follow the judgment of that ghostly Father, who
   knows better than any other, how his Conscience is, and by whose
   Counsel he goes and acts safely.



     __________________________________________________________________

CHAP. II.


   Answering the Reasons which those Ministers give, which hinder the
   Faithful from Communicating, and the Priest from Celebrating, having
   their Consciences free from Mortal Sin.


   Either the Communion must be forbidden to those that ask it and desire
   it without the guilt of Mortal Sin, because they are not worthy of it,
   or for the greater reverence of it, or, because much Familiarity breeds
   Contempt, or else for Mortification and Penance: The first reason, of
   not being worthy, is not sufficient; because if they make a Christian
   forbear, till he be worthy of the Communion, then he must never receive
   it: because no man is worthy to receive Christ, no not Heaven it self.
   Whereupon many holy men say, that the Communion taken to day is a
   disposition for that to morrow.

   Besides, that Councils, the Saints and Doctors do assure us, that not
   being in Mortal sin, is that necessary worthiness and disposition which
   is required for the Communion; we are not to go to it, as worthy, but
   as having need of it: we do not go to sanctifie Jesus Christ, but to be
   sanctified and healed by him, by the means of the Sacrament, as St.
   Ambrose tells us, -- I who do continually sin, ought continually to
   receive the Medicine of this Sacrament against the pestilent Disease of
   Sin. (Ep 208.)

   Nor may a Christian be debarr'd the Communion for the second reason of
   greater reverence, because tis contrary to St. Austin's Doctrine, who
   says, (Ep. 26. de verb. Dom. Serm. 28.) that tis better to communicate
   through Devotion, than let it alone through Reverence. Dionysius
   Carthusianus says the same thing, Tis better to communicate through
   Love, than abstain from it through Humility and Fear, (De Euch. cap. 5.
   sect. 6.) There is not more devotion, love and respect shewed to God by
   less frequent coming to the Sacrament: but rather he loves and fears
   God most, who without mortal sin, and with a desire of his own
   spiritual advantage, comes every day to it: and the delaying of it is
   not a greater disposedness nor veneration, but a manifest temptation.

   By keeping away, they think to find better devotion and fervour, and in
   the mean time they are dry, luke-warm and cold, as we see by
   experience. These people that will not communicate unless they be
   sensibly and actually devout, are like those who are cold, who will not
   come near the fire, till they are warm; or like those sick men that
   will not ask the Physicians counsel, till they are grown well. Christ's
   Body is like a spiritual fire, let us approach towards it, and it will
   warm us. The flesh of Christ, says Damascene, is a live coal, which
   heats and burns.

   The third reason which some give for the hindring Christians the
   Communion, that desire and ask it, is a certain whimsey or capricio,
   which they imprint in their minds, telling em, that to go frequently to
   the Sacrament is too much familiarity, and that this breeds contempt,
   Nimia familiaritas parit contemptum. O hurtful Deceit! O pernicious
   Doctrine! though, taught by the Ministers with no bad zeal. Is it
   possible, that among so many Saints and Doctors of the Church which
   have written professedly upon this Point, as is manifest by the former
   Chapter, none of em should light upon the reason, that these Ministers
   talk of? Tis well inferred therefore, that tis of small consideration
   and account.

   True it is, that to much familiarity is sometimes the occasion of
   contempt, but of what, and to whom? The too much familiarity with a
   vile thing, occasions contempt, but how can familiar conversation with
   a thing that is grave, good, and amiable, how can this cause contempt?
   In earthly things familiarity begets contempt; because the more one man
   gets acquainted and intimate with another, he discovers his defects by
   degrees, and so values him less then he did at first. But with God the
   thing is quite otherwise: because as the creature proceeds in the
   knowledge of that fountain of true perfection, by the same measure the
   love and esteem of that great Lord grows more.

   If by communicating daily there could be any defect discovered in Jesus
   Christ, certain it is, that this frequency and familiarity would breed
   contempt of him; but the more that boundless ocean of perfection is
   received, the more is his goodness known, and the greater doth the
   love, the respect and the reverence to him grow. And if it were true,
   that to much frequency occasioned contempt, it would be necessary to
   give laws to God himself, and take care not to render himself so easie
   and familiar to the Saints and Angels of Heaven, with whom he hath so
   great and continual an intimacy. Who is more familiar with God than he
   Angels who continually behold his divine countenance? and what, doth
   this make em leave off honouring, reverencing and loving him?

   But they will say, it is not good to abuse this familiarity and
   intimacy with God. What a blindness is this! what should the meaning of
   this be, unless they would not have us so united with God, and have a
   mind that we should serve him at a distance, and not near and more by
   name than affection. These words arise rather from the little will they
   have that we should receive this divine Lord, than from the respect of
   not displeasing him: if they had true charity, and did but heartily
   love Jesus Christ, they would despise all fear, and not remove us from
   the frequency of this divine Sacrament; nay, they would desire and
   prompt us on to receive him daily, that we might be united unto God.

   If they know, that Christ desires to be united with us, why should they
   be unwilling that we should be united with him our great Lord, fearing
   where no fear is? if they see that an infinite God desires our
   familiarity and friendship, what is it that they build upon, to hinder
   us from being his friends? do they think that by this continual
   frequency that will be tedious to us, without which every thing else is
   tedious? do they believe that that will make our life uneasie, which
   gives us life? that that good will be a trouble to us, from which all
   goodness proceeds? and in a word, that he who is the pleasure and
   delight of all Creatures, of all the Seraphims, of all the Saints, and
   of the whole Court of Heaven, will be a tediousness to us? true it is,
   that he satiates, but never becomes tedious.

   Nor any less ought a Christian to be denied the Communion, to mortifie
   him, which is the fourth reason: because in Mortification, to be
   without the Communion, he only exercises one Vertue, and in the
   Communion he exercises em all. Would it therefore be well that a
   Christian, for obtaining one Virtue, should be deprived of all the
   rest? Tis great pity to deprive him of the great good he receives in
   the Communion, only for mortification-sake: which being well thought
   of, will prove rather a privation of good than the vertue of
   mortification.

   Besides, to be able to say Mass and communicate perfectly, it is not
   the best way to leave off communicating and celebrating: but rather tis
   the best that can be, to say Mass and communicate every day, though it
   be with some imperfections. To inable a man to pray perfectly, or to
   obtain some vertue in perfection, tis not a good way to leave off doing
   acts of that vertue. Who will say, that to make a perfect Prayer, tis a
   good way to let it alone some days? and that to have patience, tis a
   good way not to do any acts of it? rather the best means to obtain
   patience and to make a perfect Prayer, is to exercise those things day
   by day, though there should be some imperfection in em.

   If the divine Majesty vouchsafes to be with sinners, to lodge in their
   houses, to eat with em at the same Table, (for which he bears for his
   Arms and commands to be fixed on the doors of his house an Inscription,
   that says, This Lord receives sinners and eats at one Table with em)
   why is the Minister and Servant of this same Lord so loath to receive a
   Christian, if he be changed and mended by repentance? is it therefore
   reason that the Ministers of this Lord should limit a thing not limited
   by their Master?

   The Lord invitesus, and calls us to his banquet: and will the servant
   pretend to give leave to those who are invited, when they are
   introduced to God in his own house? Let em come in, if they have no
   mortal sin about em: and if they have, tis washed away in the fountain
   of repentance. Put this on the account of their Lord, that will have it
   so, and commands it, though it seem inconvenient to the Minister,
   wherefore the Lord may answer him with great reason, "Tis well known,
   that the sinner costs the nothing, and that having so narrow a breast
   as thou hast, thou admittest him not to the Communion, though he
   desires it and I invite him to it: but I came down from Heaven for him,
   and was made man, suffering 33 years incredible torments, even to death
   it self. I will have him, thus penitent as he is, and because I am God,
   I have a heart of infinite extend, where all, how wicked soever they
   may have been, do come, if they turn to me and become reform'd by means
   of repentance."

   Christ our Lord moves the tongue of Angels to exhort men to frequent
   Communion, and the Prince of darkness moves the tongues of men to
   perswade em the contrary. The Angel said to Elijah, (I Kings 19. 7.)
   Arise and eat, for thou hast a long journey to go. So the Angel
   perswades him to the Communion; and not only once, but twice he awaked
   the Prophet that was asleep, to eat Bread, the figure of the Eucharist.
   Tis the propriety of Angels to invite to frequent Communion. Well did
   St. Jerom say, ---He is an Angel to thee who puts thee upon the
   Communion, and a Devil that hinders thee from it.

   Tis plain, that the Devil shews himself against this Sacrament more
   than any other, in that he seeks by so many disturbances and ways to
   hinder it, amongst which tis not the least powerful and effectual which
   he makes use of by Preachers and Confessors, and Ministers themselves,
   because many of em with a cloak of zeal disturb it. Those who reckon
   themselves Ministers of Jesus Christ, ought to make it their proper
   work and business to set themselves against the Devil's intentions; not
   depriving people of their Daily Communion, but advising em to it, and
   procuring it for em.

   Fryer Joseph of St. Mary, after he had told us the words of the holy
   Council of Trent, where he says --- that he desires that all men would
   communicate daily (in his Apology for frequent Communion) has these
   following words --- Is it therefore possible, O my Christian Fathers
   and Brethren, that the Church should have any such children who do so
   openly contradict her; and that, understanding from their Mother, that
   it would be a good thing for Christians to communicate every day, they
   should say it is not convenient, and so oppose themselves to her and
   contradict her? Certainly this looks like the Devil's temptation, to
   hinder the growth of Souls, though it be done with good zeal, and to
   such as be zealous of God's honour, and of the Church their Mother,
   this will not look well --- Thus far the Author.

   Now let any Summist and Learned Man, that has a great opinion of
   himself, see whether it be lawful to oppose the Authority of so great a
   Tribunal and the laudable Custom of the Church and her Declarations,
   against the Practice and Doctrine of the Apostles, and against the
   Preaching of the holy Doctors of the Church.

   Let not man mutter or deny the holy Communion, (says Lewis Fundone,
   tract. de diu. Sacr. p. 2. c. 21. fol. 149.) as if there were no
   occasion for it, and let him have a care that God do not deny him
   Heaven; since to condemn this, is to condemn the commendable Customs
   and most ancient Practice of the Church and the greatest Servants of
   God. -- Thus far the Author.

   Father Peter of Marselles, a Benedictine, (addit. ad memor. Compostel.
   fol. 62.) says, "That as often as a man communicates without the guilt
   of mortal sin, either by not having committed it, or by being pardoned
   it, he receives grace by it. This disposition is not of so small
   moment, as some think, since the holy Councel of Trent thinks it enough
   for reverence and holiness. They are mightily to be commended, that do
   their best to perswade the faithful to communicate daily; and
   consequently, what a great error and prejudice of Soul are they that
   hinder Lay-men the Sacramental Communion every day.

   Nothing but Mortal sin (says St. Thomas) can keep a Christian from the
   Communion. How therefore does it come to pass, that the Ministers keep
   men from it, when they have no Mortal sin to indispose em.

   It would be well considered that Christ is in this Sacrament for salve
   for our wounds, for comfort to our troubles, and for strength in our
   adversities, and lastly for a pledge and memorial of the love that he
   bears to Souls, and that this great Lord stands crying out whether
   there be any that would have him, and the Souls answer that they will
   have him, but asking the Ministers of the Church to give em their Lord,
   and divide to them their daily bread, the Ministers turn the deaf ear
   to it, being stewards for Gods house, and are very pinching and
   niggardly in distributing that which the Lord commands, and so freely
   gives.

   Such a stinginess as this is to be lamented with Tears of Blood. Who
   would not weep to see that when Gods hand is so open in giving, his
   servants should be so close-fisted and covetous in distributing: and
   that God being so bountiful of his own blessings which cost him his
   blood, they should be so greedy in a thing that cost em nothing? and in
   a word, this Sacrament being that open fountain of David, free to all
   the Sons of Jacob, who go to it for the precious water without giving
   any thing for it, the Ministers sell it so dear that it costs many even
   tears of blood to obtain it: which gives em the lamentation of Jeremy,
   that they are fain to buy the water which is their own, as dear as if
   it did belong to some body else.

   Master John d' Avila, a Man known sufficiently for his exemplar
   Goodness and Learning and Preaching, being asked whether a Superiour or
   one that had the cure of Souls, might deny the Communion to him that
   should ask it of him every day, not having lawful impediment, made
   answer thus, My opinion is, that no lawful impediment appearing, the
   Prelate (and he that in his room hath the business of Administrating
   the Eucharist) is obliged to give it to him that is under him, every
   time that he asks it. He that denies the most holy Sacrament, is
   unjust, and deprives him of his right and due that asks it. A Christian
   (as S. Thomas says) has so much a right to ask it, that the Prelate
   cannot deny it him, except if be for a publick sin. Asking it in
   publick he ought to give it him, though he knows that he has Sin in
   secret: and then how much more ought he to one that asks it devoutly?
   he is cruel, he takes away the Spiritual Bread from his Child, and I
   must condemn him for a sinner in it. All this says the above mentioned
   Author (in his Treat. 23. Part 3.)

   Will they say, if it be a good and holy thing to Communicate every day,
   why doth not the Church then command it? and why did not the Founders
   of Religions, who were indued with so much light, leave it for a rule?
   and why did not some Saints imbrace this frequency? Saint Mark the
   Evangelist cut off his Thumb, that they might not make him ordain.
   Saint Francis of Assise would never be a Priest. Saint Benet was a long
   time without Communicating. Before I come to answer, I will ask whether
   be well, that a man in health should not eat something every day,
   because the Law doth not command it? why have some Saints abstained
   from food some days? whether single life be good and not Marriage, as
   S. Paul says, (I Cor. 7.) because the Law commands it not? and why some
   Saints have not been Married? whether it be a good and holy thing to
   hear Mass daily, because the Church does not command it? and why some
   Saints have retired into the desert, where they could not hear it?

   Again, before I come to answer, I will suppose that some examples of
   the Saints are more to be admired than imitated, and that therefore
   they do not make a general rule; that if some have not Communicated,
   they were only a few; and they that did Communicate, numberless: and
   therefore twill be more safe to follow the most and not the fewest. I
   answer the difficulty and the question; that things necessary ought to
   be commanded, that which is evil ought to be prohibited, and that which
   is good and holy ought to be advised. The holy Church doth always act
   rightly, and therefore she doth not command the faithful to Communicate
   daily: because how holy and good a thing soever it be, yet tis not
   essentially necessary: and the precept of the Church, always looks at
   the benefit of the faithful, and so great is our luke-warmness, and the
   frailty of our times, that a precept of Daily Communion would be an
   occasion of sin and ruine, and therefore the Church does not injoyn
   Christians by precept any more than one Communion in a year, though the
   desires that through devotion men would Communicate every day.

   Many men shift off their coming daily to this Divine Banquet, that they
   may not be taken notice of for it, and that they may give no occasion
   to others to grumble: and the Ministers hearing this reason, hold their
   tongues and rest satisfied. O hurtful silence! must they permit, for
   worldly respects, that the faithful should lose so great a benefit? Is
   it possible that they should let em live at a distance, and separate
   from God and his sweet and loving friendship, because the world should
   not censure em? if there should be any great account made of what the
   world says, not only the soul would be lost, but also the judgment. Is
   it not known, that the world makes it its business to speak ill of what
   good is, and to persecute those that do not take part with it?

   All those that serve great men, do make open shew of the degree of
   their office, greatness and dignity; and shall a Christian think it a
   shame to himself to communicate, and be seen in the service of Jesus
   Christ? If it were an evil work to Communicate every day, it might
   breed scandal; but if it be the best work that a Christian can do, why
   should he keep from it through an idle fear of offending his neighbour?
   The Jews were offended at the good works of Jesus Christ, but for all
   that, his Majesty never left off doing em. He that doth ill and
   interprets the good that others do in an evil sense, tis he that gives
   cause for the scandal: but to do well, was never a scandal, much less
   can so great good, as Communicating be one. If a man should take
   offence by seeing us eat, surely we would not for all that be such
   fools as to starve our selves.

   We ought to take great heed of following vanities and wordly pleasures,
   that we many not by them offend or scandalize our Neighbour: from these
   vices we ought to keep our selves, not from Daily Communion, because
   this cannot cause scandal, but will rather edifie our Neighbour, and by
   our good example, it may be, he may come to change his life and resolve
   himself to frequent the Sacraments. O how many people are there that
   are cheated by these wordly respects! O unhappy men! they are not
   ashamed to be base in their lives, and yet they are ashamed to be
   Christians and to be known for such!



     __________________________________________________________________

CHAP. III.


   Wherein are shewn some of the great benefits, of of which a faithful
   man is deprived, by being prohibited the Communion, when he is
   sufficiently disposed for it.


   That the Minister may see and take good notice of the hurt which he
   does, by depriving the faithful of the Communion, that desire and ask
   it without the guilt of Mortal Sin, it will be necessary to lay before
   him some of those infinite benefits of which he defrauds em, only in
   one Communion, that he may undeceive himself that deprives em of
   infinite good for mortification sake.

   First he deprives such a one of the increase of grace and glory which
   he receives in the Communion, whose effect is infallible, ex opere
   operato, though he should have venial sins about him. He also deprives
   him of the mortification of all his five senses and powers, which he
   therein performs, whilst his Eyes, his Smelling, his Tast, his Touch,
   his Imagination, his Understanding and all his knowledge and capacity
   do tell him that that Host is Bread: by all this he is humbled,
   mortified, and subdued, whilst he belies that it is not that which he
   feels and tasts, but that his God and Lord is in it. He deprives him
   also, by taking the Communion from him, of the cleansing of his sins
   and evil habits, and being preserved from em for the time to come; of
   many helps which are therein administered to him for the performance of
   every good thing, and avoiding every evil one? and it may happen that
   the Eternal Salvation of Damnation of a Soul may depend upon one of
   these helps. He deprives him of the lessening the pains of Purgatory,
   which is participated in every Communion. He deprives him of the
   highest acts of Faith, Hope and Charity, which he exercises, by
   believing that he receives that God, who he sees not, nor feels, and
   hoping in him, whom he had not seen and being united with him by love.

   God is goodness it self, and he is willing to be communicated through
   love to Souls, by means of the Divine and Sacramental Bread: Is there a
   greater happiness in the world? can there be a greater felicity? and
   shall there be any Minister to deprive the Soul of this benefit? In
   this wonderful Sacrament Christ is united to the Soul, and becomes one
   and the same thing with it. In me manet & ego in illo (St. John 5.)
   which fineness of love is the most profound, admirable and worthy of
   consideration and gratitude, because there is not more to give nor to
   receive: and what Minister shall deprive the soul of this boundless
   grace?

   All Blessings do here meet together in this precious Food, here all
   desires of God are fulfilled, here is the loving and sacramental Union,
   here's the Peace, the Conformity, the Transformation of God, with the
   Soul, and the Soul with God. By receiving Jesus in this Sacrament, the
   Eternal Father and the Divine Spirit is also received; here are all the
   Vertues, Charity, Hope, Purity, Patience, and Humility: because Christ
   our Lord begets all Vertue in the Soul, by means of this heavenly Food:
   and what a Heart must the Ministers have to forbid the Soul so great a
   Happiness.

   If one only degree of Grace is a gift of inestimable Value and so
   precious, that 'tis not to be bought for a thousand Worlds being a
   particle of God himself, and a formal participation of the Divine
   Nature, which makes us his Children and Friends, Heirs of Heaven, and
   the Habitation of the most Holy Trinity: and if never so little Grace
   be worth more than all the Vertues, Alms, and Penances, and the
   removing Mountains (as St. Paul says) and giving all away to the Poor,
   is a meer Nothing without Grace: How then can it be well to deprive the
   Faithful of the increase of Grace, which he might find only in one
   Communion? How can the Minister deprive him of that and of many others
   that follow it, without giving em other things equivalent to those they
   lose?

   What can be of equal value with habitual Grace, which a faithful Man
   might receive? neither can the Humility which he may exercise, nor the
   Reverence, nor the Mortification, upon the account of which he leaves
   off the Communion, be worth so much; nor are they equivalent to that
   Grace only, which he loses, and which he might have had by receiving
   that Communion.

   And now lets make up this Account. If Restitution ought to be (as all
   the Doctors say) conformable to the Good, which was taken from one's
   Neighbour, what can he restore, which deprives a faithful Man of God
   himself?

   Would it not be great want of Charity to take from a Man a Mount of
   Gold, only to gather up a little Grain? Only for one Grain of
   Mortification, (if yet there is any in it) the Ministers do deprive a
   Christian of a whole Mount of Blessings, which are heaped up together
   in the Communion: If there were no other way to mortifie and try the
   Soul, but this, it ought not to be used; because by this Mortification
   they deprive him of a greater good: but there are infinite ways of
   proving and mortifying the Soul besides, without doing it so great a
   Spiritual Prejudice.

   The Blessings of this Sacrament don't end here; because, besides, the
   increase of Grace, it sustains and gives new strength to the Soul, to
   resist Temptations; it satisfies the desires, takes away the hunger of
   temporal things, unites with Christ and his Members, who are the Just
   and Righteous, breaks the power of Satan, gives strength to suffer
   Martyrdom, pardons the Venial Sins, to which he that Communicates doth
   not stand affected; and keeps from Mortal Sins, by vertue of the aid
   which it doth contribute.

   The Body of Christ (says St. Bernard, an Serm. Dom.) is Medicine to the
   Sick, Provision for the Pilgrim, fresh Strength to the Weary, it
   delights the Strong, it heals the wounded, it preserves the Health of
   Soul and Body. And whoever is a worthy Communicant, is made more strong
   to receive Contempt, more patient to suffer Reproof, more fit to indure
   Troubles, more ready for Obedience, and to return the Lord Thanks.

   St. Leo Pope (de præc. ser. 14. de pass. Domini) says, that when a man
   is Communicated, Christ comes to honour him with his Presence, to
   anoint him with his Grace, to cure him with his Mercy, to heal him with
   his Blood, to raise him by his Death, to illuminate him with his Light,
   to inflame him with his Love, to comfort him with his infinite
   Sweetness, to be united and espoused with his Soul, to make him
   partaker of his Divine Spirit, and of all the Blessings which he
   purchas'd us by his Cross.

   Dost thou seek (says St. Bonaventure, de præc.) where God is? thou must
   expect to find him in this Divine Sacrament, which being worthily
   received, does pardon Sins, mittigate Passions, gives light to the
   Understanding, satiates the Soul, revives Faith, encourages Hope,
   inkindles Charity, increases Devotion, fills with Grace, and is the
   rich Pledge of Glory.

   This Sacrament (says St. Thomas Opusc, 58. de Sacr. cap. 21, 22, 23)
   drives away evil Spirits, defends us from Concupiscence, washes off the
   Stains of the Heart, appeases Gods Anger, illuminates the
   Understanding, to know him inflames the Will, to love him, delights the
   memory with Sweetness, confirms the whole man in Goodness, frees him
   from Punishment Everlasting, multiplies the merits of good Life, and
   brings him to his Eternal Country. The Body of the Lord (as he pursues
   it, cap. 24.) produces Three principal Effects. First, it destroys Sin.
   Secondly, it increases Spiritual Blessings. Thirdly, it comforts men's
   Souls; and in Chap. 25 he says, it satiates the Spirit to follow what
   is good; it comforts and strengthens the Soul, to shun what is evil, it
   preserves the Life always to praise the Lord. As it is a Sacrifice, it
   remits the Sins of those who are a live, and lightens the punishment of
   those who are in Purgatory, and augments the accidental Glory of those
   who are in Heaven. Lastly, the Body of Christ is called the Sacrament
   of Charity; because it makes us partakers of the Spirit Divine, of the
   sweet Abode of Christ himself, and the rich Transformation of God.

   Twould be an endless thing to relate the Blessings, which, according to
   the saying of Saints, they do receive from this Sacrament, who come to
   partake of it without Mortal Sin: and of all these doth the Minister
   deprive a Christian, when he only forbids him one Communion.

   But more than this, depriving em of the Communion, he deprieves all the
   Saints of Heaven, all the Angels, the most holy Virgin, and Christ
   himself of that accidental glory which accrues to them by every
   Communion received in grace. If the Saints in Heaven have a special
   accidental glory, by every good work, though never so small, that is
   done here below, as many pious Authors are of opinion, with how much
   more reason will they have it by a work so sublime as the Communion is,
   wherein there is included an immensity of all the wonderful works of
   God? Memoriam fecit mirabilium suorum, Psal. 110.

   And if from one only Communion there are so many blessings, as are
   specified before, to be obtained, what will there be of the sacrifice
   of the Mass, the gravest, the highest work that is in Heaven or Earth?
   And shall there then be, Ministers, who under pretence of Penance,
   Mortification, or the old way, must hinder Priests so great, so holy,
   and so fruitful a sacrifice?

   Saint Jerom said, (in Missis defunct. Pavi. c. 14.) that at the least
   the Soul suffers not in Purgatory, whilst Mass is said for it ['twas
   well the Author did not point to us where this blind passage is, in
   Saint Jeromes Works.] Saint Austin assures us, (Ballester in the Book
   of the Crucifix of S. Saviour, f. 207.) that the Divine Sacrifice is
   never Celebrated, but one of these two things follow upon it, either
   the Conversion of a sinner, or the leting loose of some Soul out of
   Purgatory, [this is a much Saint Austins saying, as t'other is Saint
   Jeromes.] William Altisiodorensis was not contented with one Soul; but
   affirmed, that by every Mass there were the Lord knows how many Souls
   that got away from thence. Severius in St. Martin's Life gives an
   account that he set as many souls at liberty with his Masses, as
   persons assisted at the hearing of em.

   Venerable Bede says, that the Priest, who, being not lawfully hindred,
   doth neglect to say Mass, deprives the most holy Trinity of glory and
   praise, the Angels of joy, Sinners of pardon, the Righteous of grace
   and help, the souls in Purgatory of cooling and refreshment, the Church
   of the heavenly benefit of Jesus Christ our Lord, and the Priest
   himself of Medicine and help.

   If every Mass therefore has all this of its own, what Minister under
   the colour of zeal shall be so bold as to hinder and defraud the
   Trinity, the Angels, the Virgin, the Church, the Righteous, Sinners,
   the Souls in Purgatory, and the Priests themselves that desire to
   celebrate, so much glory and so much good? without doubt though this be
   done with zeal, yet tis want of consideration, and it will be well, to
   premeditate and consider it better, before any goes about to hinder it.



   THE END.

     __________________________________________________________________

                                    Indexes
     __________________________________________________________________

Index of Scripture References

   Exodus

   [1]24

   Numbers

   [2]19

   1 Kings

   [3]19:7

   2 Kings

   [4]4

   Job

   [5]7

   Psalms

   [6]18   [7]18   [8]48   [9]85   [10]114   [11]119

   Proverbs

   [12]3

   Song of Solomon

   [13]46

   Isaiah

   [14]64:6

   Lamentations

   [15]1:4

   Hosea

   [16]2:14

   Matthew

   [17]1   [18]2   [19]2   [20]12   [21]23:24   [22]24:26

   Luke

   [23]10

   John

   [24]5   [25]14   [26]14:6   [27]21:18

   Romans

   [28]2

   1 Corinthians

   [29]2   [30]3:18   [31]7

   Galatians

   [32]6:14

   1 Timothy

   [33]4

   1 John

   [34]3:18

   Revelation

   [35]2

   Tobit

   [36]4:14

   Wisdom of Solomon

   [37]7:2   [38]7:11
     __________________________________________________________________

Index of Citations

     * 2. p. treat. 8. cap. 10.: [39]1
     * 2.2.q.180. Art. 3. p.4: [40]1
     * 2.2.quæst.82.art. 13. ad I.: [41]1
     * 26th. Chapter of her Life: [42]1
     * 3 Par. quæst. 80. art. 10.: [43]1
     * 3 de Euch: [44]1
     * 3. Lib. in Job, Cap. 13.: [45]1
     * 3. par. spec. art. 16.: [46]1
     * 4 Sent. Tract. de Euchar.: [47]1
     * 4 part. quæst. 51. art. 10.: [48]1
     * 5 de Sacram. c. 4.: [49]1
     * 58. de Sacr. cap. 21, 22, 23: [50]1
     * Apol. Cont. Jovin.: [51]1
     * Apology for frequent Communion: [52]1
     * Art of knowing Jesus, 3 part. dial. 5.: [53]1
     * Ballester in the Book of the Crucifix of S. Saviour, f. 207.: [54]1
     * Barbos. in Council. Trid. Sup. c. 22.: [55]1
     * Cant. 46.: [56]1
     * Cap. 5. de Euchar.: [57]1
     * Catech. Rom. 2. p. c. 4. §. 60: [58]1
     * Contra Gentiles; l.3.c.I38.Vn 2.: [59]1
     * Council of Trent, Sess. 6. Can. 23.: [60]1
     * De Confeor d. 2. c. Quid sit Sanguis.: [61]1
     * De Conscer. dist. I & 2. ca. Peracta.: [62]1
     * De Consecr. dist. 2. Aug. in Ps. 48.: [63]1
     * De Consectrat. dist. 2. cap. 51.: [64]1
     * De Euch. cap. 5. sect. 6.: [65]1
     * De Euch.c. 5.: [66]1
     * De Pracept. Relig. Proces. 7. c. 21.: [67]1
     * De Script. Eccles. in the Year 420.: [68]1
     * Disp. 60.Sess. 3: [69]1
     * Ep 208.: [70]1
     * Ep. 26. de verb. Dom. Serm. 28.: [71]1
     * Ep. de ver. Dom. Ser. 28.: [72]1
     * Epist. S. Paul ad Tim: [73]1
     * Epist. ad Eph: [74]1
     * Euchar. n. 12: [75]1
     * Ezechiel,1 Hom.12: [76]1
     * Her Life, Book 2. Ch. 16: [77]1
     * Hugo Cardinalisin Pf. 13.: [78]1
     * I Cor. II. probit autem: [79]1
     * I ad Cor. probit autem: [80]1
     * I part. tract. 3. dif. 4. n. 3.: [81]1
     * I part.tract. Euchar. cap. 26.: [82]1
     * In his Confess. lib. 9. cap. 10.: [83]1
     * Lib. 3. Par. 3. Cap. 22: [84]1
     * Lib. 3. de Eccles. Offic.: [85]1
     * Lib. 3. de fide, c.24.: [86]1
     * Lib. 37.c.9.: [87]1
     * Life of St. Lutgard, chap. 25.: [88]1
     * Life, chap. 23.: [89]1
     * Memor. Compost. fol. 62.: [90]1
     * Missis defunct. Pavi. c. 14.: [91]1
     * Myst. Theol.: [92]1
     * Mystic. Theol. c.I.§.2: [93]1
     * Orat. Dom. Serm. 6.: [94]1
     * Par. 3. lib. 14. cap. 12. § 5. & 6.: [95]1
     * Prim. S. Paul ad Corinth. II.: [96]1
     * Quest. 27. 2.ad secuedum ar.: [97]1
     * S. Johan, c. 37. & lib. 4. c. 17.: [98]1
     * S.Thom.2.2.q.82.art.I.: [99]1
     * Saint Austin: [100]1
     * Saint Jeromes Works: [101]1
     * Secund.q.182. art. 2.&3.: [102]1
     * Serm. 3. de Ascens.: [103]1
     * Serm. I. Dom. 7 post Trin.: [104]1
     * Serm. de Cæna Dom.: [105]1
     * Sess. 13, Cap. 17.: [106]1
     * Sess. 13. c. 2. de Instit. Sanctiss. Sacr.: [107]1
     * Sess. 13. chap. 7: [108]1
     * Sess. 28. Cap. 6.: [109]1
     * St. Martin's Life: [110]1
     * St.Bern.Ser.I.de Nat.Dom.Suarez in Molin de Oration. c.6.: [111]1
     * Suar.t.2.de.Pel.l.2.c.6.n.16&18.: [112]1
     * Super, 5. ad Thessolon.: [113]1
     * Tom.5.in Fract. de vit. solit.c.8.p. 90.: [114]1
     * Tract. 26. in Johan.: [115]1
     * Tract. de dist. verar. Num. 19.: [116]1
     * Treat. 23. Part 3.: [117]1
     * addit. ad memor. Compostel. fol. 62.: [118]1
     * an Serm. Dom.: [119]1
     * de Cerem. sol. 371: [120]1
     * de Euch, n. 139.: [121]1
     * de Euch. cap. 5.: [122]1 [123]2
     * de Sacram. qu. 80. ar. 9.: [124]1
     * de frequent. Commun. cap. I.: [125]1
     * de instit. relig. Christ. lib. 2. cap. 19.: [126]1
     * de præc.: [127]1
     * de præc. ser. 14. de pass. Domini: [128]1
     * de prudent. Conf. c. I I.: [129]1
     * dial 7. cap. 17.: [130]1
     * dialog. Suson.: [131]1
     * dist. 12. qu. 5.: [132]1
     * dist. 23. n. 13: [133]1
     * in 4 dist. 22. qu. I. art. 10.: [134]1
     * in 4 dist. 26.: [135]1
     * in 4 dist. 31. disc. 2.: [136]1
     * in 4 dist. 9. qu. 1.: [137]1
     * in 4 sent. tract. de Euchar.: [138]1
     * in 4. dist. 12. quæst. 2.: [139]1
     * in 4. sent dist. 12. q. 2: [140]1
     * in Orat. Dominic.: [141]1
     * in Sum. quæst.: [142]1
     * in Vitis Patrum.: [143]1
     * in his Guide of Slaves, fol. 414.: [144]1
     * in opere tripart. cap 19.: [145]1
     * in præcept. 3. cap. 12. n. 12.: [146]1
     * in sum. 2. par. lib. 4. tit. 27.: [147]1
     * in sum. Theolog.: [148]1
     * in sum. lib. 8 de Euchar. cap. 48: [149]1
     * in sum. tract. 3. de Euchar.: [150]1
     * in sum.tract. 3. de Euch.: [151]1
     * insum. Theolog. de Euch.: [152]1
     * lib. 2. sess. 4. de notat. san.: [153]1
     * lib. 4. cap. 5.: [154]1
     * lib. 4. de imit. Christi: [155]1
     * lib. 4. de imit. Christi, cap. 3.: [156]1
     * lib. 4. dist. 12. qu. 14.: [157]1
     * lib. 8. de Euchar. c. 88. n. 2.: [158]1
     * lib. 8. de Euchar. cap. 88. n. 2.: [159]1
     * lib. Claredad de simples.: [160]1
     * lib. I Matrim. cap. 12. n. 6.: [161]1
     * lib. I. cap. 14.: [162]1
     * p. I. q. 4. art 10.: [163]1
     * par. 3. tract. de Sacr. instr. 32.: [164]1
     * sum lib. 3. de Euchar. tit. 24.: [165]1
     * sum. tract. 3. de Euchar.: [166]1
     * third Book of St. Gertrudes Life chap. 23.: [167]1
     * tom. 3. disp. 63. sect. 3.: [168]1
     * tom. 9. tract. 41.: [169]1
     * tract. 3. cap. 8. sect. 2.: [170]1
     * tract. 7. pag. 870: [171]1
     * tract. 8. Collationum: [172]1
     * tract. Commun. document. 3.: [173]1
     * tract. Miss. lib. 4. cap. 44.: [174]1
     * tract. de Com.: [175]1
     * tract. de Missa, lib. 4. cap. 44.: [176]1
     * tract. de diu. Sacr. p. 2. c. 21. fol. 149.: [177]1
     * tract. de divin. Sacram. p. 2. cap. II.: [178]1
     * verb. Euchar. propof. 18. : [179]1
     * vitis Patrum ejus vita.: [180]1
     __________________________________________________________________

Index of Names

     * Adrian: [181]1
     * Alexander of Hales: [182]1
     * Almai: [183]1
     * Alphonse Rodriguez: [184]1
     * Alphonse of Chinchilla: [185]1
     * Antony Molina: [186]1
     * Archbishop of Rhegium: [187]1
     * Astensis: [188]1
     * Basil: [189]1
     * Bede: [190]1
     * Bellarmine: [191]1
     * Bernard: [192]1
     * Bishop Perez: [193]1
     * Bishop of Osmia: [194]1
     * Cardinal Hosias: [195]1
     * Cassian: [196]1
     * Catherine of Cordona: [197]1
     * Christopher Morenus: [198]1
     * Damascene: [199]1
     * Dionysius Carthusianus: [200]1 [201]2
     * Donna Marina d'Escobar: [202]1
     * Durandin 4: [203]1
     * Escobar: [204]1
     * Father Antony de Alvarado: [205]1
     * Father Bernadino of Villagas: [206]1
     * Father Christopher of Madrid: [207]1
     * Father Francis Suarez: [208]1
     * Father John Davila: [209]1
     * Father Joseph of St. Mary: [210]1
     * Father Lewis of Granada: [211]1
     * Father Peter of Marselles: [212]1
     * Father Salmeron: [213]1
     * Ferrer: [214]1
     * Francis de Lavata: [215]1
     * Frier John Tauler: [216]1
     * Fryer Dominick: [217]1
     * Fryer Joseph of St. Mary: [218]1
     * Fryer Pater Damian: [219]1
     * Gabriel Mayor: [220]1
     * Gennadius's of Marseilles: [221]1
     * Gerson: [222]1 [223]2 [224]3
     * Gregory Lopez: [225]1
     * Heneriquez: [226]1
     * Henriquez: [227]1
     * Henry Arpias: [228]1
     * Henry Henriquez: [229]1
     * Innocent the Third: [230]1 [231]2
     * James Baius: [232]1
     * Jerom Perez: [233]1 [234]2
     * John Altestaing: [235]1
     * John Colaya: [236]1
     * John Mayor: [237]1
     * John Sanchez: [238]1
     * John d' Avila: [239]1
     * John of Friburg: [240]1
     * John of St. Mary: [241]1
     * Lady Marina of Escobar: [242]1
     * Lewis Blois: [243]1
     * Lewis Fandone: [244]1
     * Lewis Fundone: [245]1
     * Life 366.: [246]1
     * Martin of Ledesma: [247]1
     * Mauras Antonius: [248]1
     * Medini: [249]1
     * Mendoza: [250]1
     * Mother Ann Mary of S. Joseph: [251]1
     * Mother Francesca Lopez of Valenza: [252]1
     * Mother Teresa: [253]1
     * Mother of Cantal: [254]1
     * Mother of Cantal : [255]1
     * Nicholas Martinez: [256]1
     * Nider: [257]1
     * Palao: [258]1
     * Peter Marsilia: [259]1
     * Peter de Soto: [260]1
     * Pius Quintus : [261]1
     * Pope Adrian: [262]1
     * Raimond: [263]1
     * Raimund Sebunde: [264]1
     * Ranier of Pisa: [265]1
     * Reynalds: [266]1
     * Rosela: [267]1
     * S. Antony of Florence: [268]1
     * S. Austine: [269]1
     * S. Bernard: [270]1
     * S. Bonaventure: [271]1
     * S. Catharine of Siena: [272]1
     * S. Gregory: [273]1
     * S. Paul: [274]1
     * S. Thomas: [275]1
     * Sa. de verb: [276]1
     * Saint Benet: [277]1
     * Saint Francis of Assise: [278]1
     * Saint Henry Suson: [279]1
     * Saint Jerom: [280]1
     * Saint Mark the Evangelist: [281]1
     * Saint Teresa: [282]1
     * Santa Teresa: [283]1 [284]2 [285]3
     * Severius: [286]1
     * Sister Catherine Paulucci: [287]1
     * St. Ambrose: [288]1 [289]2 [290]3
     * St. Anaclete: [291]1
     * St. Apollonius: [292]1
     * St. Athanasius: [293]1 [294]2
     * St. Augustine: [295]1 [296]2 [297]3
     * St. Austin: [298]1 [299]2 [300]3 [301]4 [302]5
     * St. Austine: [303]1 [304]2
     * St. Bernard: [305]1 [306]2 [307]3 [308]4
     * St. Bonaventure: [309]1 [310]2 [311]3 [312]4
     * St. Catharine of Siena: [313]1
     * St. Cyprian: [314]1
     * St. Cyril: [315]1
     * St. Denis: [316]1 [317]2 [318]3
     * St. Dominick: [319]1
     * St. Frances of Sales: [320]1
     * St. Francis of Assize: [321]1
     * St. Francis of Sales: [322]1
     * St. Gregory: [323]1 [324]2 [325]3
     * St. Gregory the Pope: [326]1
     * St. Hilary: [327]1
     * St. Ignatius: [328]1
     * St. Ignatius Loyola: [329]1
     * St. Isidore: [330]1
     * St. Jerom: [331]1 [332]2
     * St. Jerome: [333]1
     * St. John Chrisostome: [334]1
     * St. John Chrysostom: [335]1
     * St. John Damascene: [336]1
     * St. Leo Pope: [337]1
     * St. Mary Maudlin of Pazzi: [338]1
     * St. Rose of Peru: [339]1
     * St. Teresa: [340]1 [341]2 [342]3
     * St. Thomas: [343]1 [344]2 [345]3 [346]4 [347]5 [348]6 [349]7 [350]8
       [351]9 [352]10
     * St. Thomas Aquinas: [353]1
     * St. Thomas Aquinas : [354]1
     * St. Thomas Opusc: [355]1
     * St. Tiresia: [356]1
     * Stephen Boluser: [357]1
     * Suarez: [358]1
     * Thauler: [359]1 [360]2
     * The Patriach of Jerusalem: [361]1
     * The illumniate Father John Thaulerus: [362]1
     * Theophylact: [363]1
     * Thomas a Kempis: [364]1 [365]2
     * Venantius Fortunatus: [366]1
     * Veracruz: [367]1
     * Victoria: [368]1
     * Villalobos: [369]1
     * Vivaldus: [370]1
     * William Altisiodorensis: [371]1
     __________________________________________________________________

Index of Latin Words and Phrases

     * , Nos autem gloriari oportet in cruce Domini nostri Jesu Christi:
       [372]1
     * Abneget semetipsum: [373]1
     * Ad dominum, cum tribularer, clamavi & exaudivit me: [374]1
     * Ad nihilum redactus sum de nescivi: [375]1
     * Ascendamus etiam per vitia & passiones nostras: [376]1
     * Audiam quid loquatur in me Deus: [377]1
     * Circumdederunt me dolores mortis, & pericula inferni invenerunt me:
       [378]1
     * Consilium semper a sapiente perquire: [379]1
     * Effundite coram illo corda vestra: [380]1
     * Evagatio vero mentis quæ fit præter propositum, orationis fructum
       non tollit.: [381]1
     * Ex opere operato: [382]1
     * Hoc negotium magnum est negotium.: [383]1
     * In me manet & ego in illo: [384]1
     * In omnibus debemus subjicere volis tatem nostram voluntatis divine
       hæc est enim pax voluntati nostra ut sit per omnia confirmis
       voluntati divine: [385]1
     * Memoriam fecit mirabilium suorum: [386]1
     * Mendaces filii hominum in stateris: [387]1
     * Multi sunt vocati; pauci vero electi: [388]1
     * Ne innitaris prudentiæ tuæ: [389]1
     * Nimia familiaritas parit contemptum: [390]1
     * Non enim Oportet quod qui propter deum aliquod iter arripuit, in
       qualibet parte itineris de Deo cogitet actu: [391]1
     * Non ibi: [392]1
     * Non omnibus omnia expediunt: [393]1
     * Non prohibeat dispensator manducare pingues terra in mensa Domini:
       [394]1
     * Optaret quidem Sancta Synodus ut in singulis missis fideles
       adstantes, non solum spirituali affectu, sed Sacramentali etiam
       Eucharistiæ preceptione Communicarent, quo ad eos hujus sacrificii
       fructus uberior perveniret: [395]1
     * Optimam partem elegit Maria, licet non minoris (fortasse) meriti
       sit apud Deum humilis conversatio Marthæ, sed de electione Maria
       laudatur: quoniam illa omnino (quo ad nos spectat) eligenda, hæc
       vero si injungitur patienter est toleranda.: [396]1
     * Otiosum non est vacare Deo; inimo negotiorum omnium hoc est: [397]1
     * Pauci ad eam recipiendam se disponunt: [398]1
     * Quæcunque dixerint vobis facite, secundum autem opera eorum nolite
       facere.: [399]1
     * Qua propter exhortandi sunt fideles, ut sicut quotidie peccant, ita
       quotidie medicinam accipient: [400]1
     * Quanto homo animam suam, vel alterius propinquius deo conjungit,
       tanto sacrificium est deo magis acceptum, unde magis acceptum est
       deo quod aliquis animam suam & aliorum applicet contemplationi quam
       actioni: [401]1
     * Quem mundus non potest accipere: [402]1
     * Querite & invenietis; pulsate & aperietur vobis. Lectio opponit ori
       solidum cibum, Meditatio frangit; Oratio japorem conciliat,
       Contemplatio est ipsa dulcedo que jucundat & resicit.: [403]1
     * Qui judiceo alterius operatur, prudenter operatur: [404]1
     * Qui manducat me, ipse vivet propter me, & tanquam antidotum, quo
       liberemur a culpis quotidianis & a peccatis mortalibus præfervemur:
       [405]1
     * Qui vos audit, mea audit: [406]1
     * Quia ergo nos de medicamento vulnus facimus, facit ille de vulnere
       medicamentum; ut qui virtute percutimur, vitio curemur: [407]1
     * Quod nemo novit, nisi qui accipit: [408]1
     * Quotidie Eucharistiæ Communionem percipere, nec laudo nec
       reprehendo: [409]1
     * Sacretum meum mihi: [410]1
     * Si quis inter vos videtur sapiens esse, stultus fiat ut sit
       sapiens: [411]1
     * Sileat anima mea, & transeat se, non se cogitando!: [412]1
     * Venerunt mihi omnia bona pariter cum illa: [413]1 [414]2
     * Viæ Sion lugent, eo quod non sint qui veniant ad solennitatem:
       [415]1
     * Viam pacis non cognos verunt: [416]1
     * ex opere operato: [417]1
     * gratis datæ: [418]1
     __________________________________________________________________

            This document is from the Christian Classics Ethereal
               Library at Calvin College, http://www.ccel.org,
                   generated on demand from ThML source.

References

   1. file:///ccel/m/molinos/guide/cache/guide.html3?scrBook=Exod&scrCh=24&scrV=0#viii.II-p8.1
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