The holy practises of a devine lover, or, The sainctly [sic] Ideots Deuotions the contents of the booke are contained in the ensuinge page.

THE XII. EXERCISE.

1. I Am resigned not to know what will become o•• mee hee∣reafter ••i••her for bodye, or soule: but

therin to referre my selfe to the pri∣uate, and secret Iudgement of God. And to be resigned, and contented that God doe reserue, and conceal•• to himselfe those his knowledges, & iudgements about mee.

2. And in particular not to know where, in what companye, with what assistance, and in what manner, of what kind of sicknesse, and whit∣her suddenly, or of a: longe sicknesse, or in what case as to the state of my soule I shall dye; as whither my soule shall goe to Heauen, or to Hell, or to Purgatori••. In all these cases I am to resigne my selfe, and to be con∣••••nted that God only doth know what will become of mee, and my 〈◊〉〈◊〉 to be Ignorant of itt.

3. Neuerthelesse (as to my soule) I hope, and with the Grace of God ••uer will hope (because hee is good, and commands mee to hope) that I shall be a saued soule; and shall one day sooner, or later enioye Him in Heauen for all Eternitie.

4. For the loue I beare vnto God, & purely for the loue and excellencie that is in him, I resigne my selfe to serue him all the dayes of my life with all my soule, and bodye: with∣out any reguard to a reward for soe doinge. In soe much as if there were neither Heauen, or hell, or Pur∣gatorie, or any Reward, or punish∣ment, in this life, or the next. Yet would I serue him in the best maner I could, and this only in reguard that his Goodnesse, and Other His ex∣cellencies doe deserue infinitly grea∣ter loues, and seruices then I, yea or all the Angels, and Saincts, and other creatures whatsoeuer are able to do••, or performe for him.

5. For the loue of God in whose sight I am, and vpon whom all my beinge depends. I resigne my selfe vnto him with all that I haue or can doe, or suffer in soule, Bodie, Fame, Friends, or externall goods: for tyme, and eternitie. Soe that I doe reserue to my selfe noe manner of will: but

in all things doe make the will of God to be my will vtterlye neglectin∣ge my owne will; as if I had none at all God by this meanes wholye rei∣gninge in mee, and doinge by mee, with mee, and about mee (as beinge but his instruement) whatsoeuer shall please him. And nothinge as for, or to my selfe; or any end of myne owne.

An Act for a timerous, or scru∣pulous Conscience.

6. For the loue I beare vnto God, I renounce, and giue ouer all manner of selfe will, and selfe conceit, or opinion in all matters generallye; and particularly in this; that I will hen∣ceforth stand to, and practise such aduise, and direction as hath beene giuen mee by such as I haue reason to giue creditt vnto in spirituall mat∣ters, about the sayinge of my Office, or about Confessions, or about iud∣ginge what is sinne, and what not; and what I am to iudge to be mor∣tall, and what not. Neither will I in

any point varie from such aduise, or directions: But will tye myselfe (out of the loue, and obedience I owe to God) to ••••and to such aduises as haue beene, or shall be giuen vnto mee, ••ither about the matter, manner, or frequencie of Confession; or about the iteratinge, or sayinge of my offi∣••e, or any part thereof, or about the Attention vnto it; or about iudginge what to be s••nn••, and ••hat not: and what to b•• morrall, and what not. Or about any, other thinge that shall concerne my Confession, or sayinge my Office, or otherwise con••erni••∣ge my soule, and conscience.

••. I ••es••gne my selfe to vnd••rg••e, and perform•• whatsoeu••r my sup••∣••io••, shall deli••era••••lye, and Abso∣••utely•• req••i••e of m••••, ••lb••i•• neu••r ••oe ••••pugn••nt ••o ••yn•• ow•••• natu∣rall will or 〈◊〉〈◊〉 And though it s••••m•• ••••ue•• ••oe r••pugnant to my natu••all rea••on, a••d iudg••ment•• and ••••••me to be ••ayne, and impertinent, or ag••••••st re••s••n•• 〈◊〉〈◊〉 pro•••• very p••••∣nefull

to my bodye, or preiudiciou•• to my Fame, and honour; yea, and though it seeme a thinge impossible to be done, yet will I attempt it, and endeauour to doe it the best •• can. Prouided alwayes there be nothinge commanded mee (as without doubt I hope, there neuer will be) against the Lawes of God, and His Church.

9. I likewise resigne my selfe wil∣linglye to vndergoe any pennance publike, or priuate that shall be en∣ioyned mee by my superior imme∣diate, or mediate; yea though such a pennance be neuer soe greate a ••on∣fusion, or shame vnto mee; or stay∣ne ••o my honour, or credi••t; and ••hough I be neuer soe innocent in the supposed crime for the which the p••••••an••e is imposed; and that ••ll Others doe e••••eem••, and iudge me•• guiltie of the crime though in∣d••ed I am n••t.

10. I resigne my selfe soe ••arre to ouercome the ••a••hfullnesse, or other diffic••l•••••••• ••ha•• i••, o•• shall ••e in mee,

for the discoueringe of my secret bo∣dilye necessities, or other secrets of my interior: That I will when there shall be cause for it therin mortifye my selfe, and will with the Grace of God open my case to my superior, or Ghostly Father accordinge to the na∣ture of my cases, and as it shall re∣quire, albeit my naturall will haue neuer soe greate an auersion from such my discouerie of my necessities, or of my interiour state.

Notes

• Espe∣cially to doe this in mat∣ter of Confes∣sion.