Delicious entertainments of the soule written by the holy and most reuerend Lord Francis de Sales, Bishop and Prince of Geneua. Translated by a Dame of our Ladies of comfort of the order of S. Bennet in Cambray

THE FOVRTEENTH ENTER∣TAINEMENT.

••GAINST SELFE-IVDGMENT AND THE tendernes vvee haue ouer our selues.

••. 1. THe first question is: If it bee a thing verie contrarie to perfection, to bee subiect to ••nes selfe-opinion: wherevnto I aunswere, that to ••••e subiect to haue selfe-opiniōs or not to haue thē, •• a thing that is neither good nor euill, for so much 〈◊〉〈◊〉 it is naturall to euerie one to haue selfe-opiniōs, ••ut this doth not hinder vs from attayning to per∣••••ction, prouided that vvee tye not our selues ••erevnto, or that vvee loue them not; for it is ••nely the loue of our ovvne opinions which is ••finitly contrarie to perfection, and this is that which I haue so oftentimes sayed, that the loue ••f our proper iudgment, and the esteeme wee ••ake of it, is the cause that there are so fevve per∣••ct; there are found many persons, vvhich re∣••ounce their proper will, some for one subiect, ••••d others for another: I say not onely in Religi∣••n, but amongst seculers, and in the Courts of ••rinces themselues: If a Prince commaund a cour∣••er any thing, hee vvill neuer refuse to obey; but to

auowe that the commaundement is well made, th•• arriueth rarelie. I vvill doe vvhat you commaun•• mee in the manner you desire, will hee aunswer but they allwaies pause vpon their, but; which is much as to say, that they knovve vvell it should b•• better othervvise. None can doubt (my deare da••¦ghters) but that this is verie contrarie to perfectio•• for it produceth ordinarilie vnquietnesse of spiri•• variances, murmurations, and in fine it nourishe•• the loue of proper estimation; And therefore pr••¦per-opinion and selfe-iudgment ought neither •• bee esteemed nor loued! But I must tell you th•• there are persons, vvho ought to forme their op••¦nions, as Bishops, and Superiours are to doe, vv•• haue charge of others, and all such as haue goue••¦ment: Others ought not to trouble themselues, v••¦lesse obedience so ordayne: For otherwise th•• should loose their time, vvhich they ought to i••¦ploy faythfully in retayning themselues with Go•• and as the inferiours should be esteemed little atte••¦tiue to their perfection, if they would settle the•• selues to consider their selfe opinions; so likevvi•• the Superioures should bee held incapable of th•• charges, if they did not forme their opinions, a•• would not take sinall resolutions, although th•• ought not to content themselues therein, nor to t•• themselues therevnto: for this should bee contra•••• to their perfection. The great Saint Thomas, w•• had one of the greatest spiritts that a man co•• haue, vvhen hee formed any opinions, h•• did ground them vpon the most pregnant re••¦sons that hee could: and neuerthelesse if hee four•• any one who did not approue that which hee h•• iudged good, or contradicted him therein, h•• would not dispute nor bee offended in himself•• but suffered it willglye. VVherein bee manifest•• verie well, that hee did not loue his ovvne opinio••

y••t so that hee did not disapproue it neither, leauing so as others should find it good or no; after hee ••d performed his part hee troubled himselfe no ••rther. The Apostles were not addicted to their ••ne opinions, no not euen in things appertayn∣••••g to the gouerment of the Holy church vvhich ••as an affayre of so great importance, so that after ••cy had determined the cause by the resolution ••hich they had takē, they were not offended if any ••d censure the same, and if any did refuse to agree their opinions, although they were verie well ••ounded; they did not seeke to make them to bee ••••ceaued by contesting nor by disputes. If then the ••••periours would change opinions at all encoun∣••s, they vvould bee esteemed light, and imprudēt their gouernments: so also if those vvho haue no ••rges, would tye themselues to their opiniōs, de∣••cing to mayntaine them, and cause them to bee ••ceaued, should they not be held for obstinate? yes ••elie. For it is a most assured thing, that the loue selfe-opinion degenerateth into obstinacie, if it ••e not faytfully mortified and cut off. VVe see an ••mple of it euen amongst the Apostles: It is an ••mirable thing that our Lord hath permitted ••ny things that the Apostles haue done, vvorthy ••elye to haue bene written, to lye hidden vnder ••rofound silence, and that the imperfectiō, which ••gee at Sainct Paul and Sainct Barnaby commit∣•• together, hath bene vvritten: It is vvithout ••ubt a spetiall prouidēce of our Lord, who would ••••e it so for our particular instruction: they went ••th together to preach the holy Gospell, and tooke ••th them a young man called Iohn Marke, vvho ••s kinsman to Sainct Barnabee; These two great ••ostles fell into dispute whether they should take 〈◊〉〈◊〉 with them or leaue him, and finding themsel∣•• of a contrarie opinion vpon this fact, and not

being able to agree, they separated themselues o•• from the other? Now therefore tell mee, oug•• we to bee troubled, when wee see some defect a¦mongst our selues, since the Apostles did also co••¦mitt them?

§. 2. There are certayne great spiritts that a•• verie good, but who are so subiect to their opiniō and esteeme them to bee so good, that they w•• neuer forgoe them, and good heed must bee tak•• not to aske it of them incircumspectlie and vn••¦wares: For after wards it is almost impossible, •• make them acknowledg and confess, that they ha•• fayled, for so much as they thrust thēselues so fa•• into the search of reasons, to mayntane that whi•• they haue once sayed to bee good, that there is •• meanes, vnlesse they giue themselues to an excel•• perfection, to make them vnsay vvhat they ha•• sayed. There are also found great spiritts, and ve•• capable, that are not subiect to this imperfectio•• but verie vvillinglye dismisse their opinions, •• though that they bee verie good; they arme •• themselues to the defence of them, vvhen any co••¦trarietie, or contrarie opinion is opposed to t•• which they haue iudged for good and well assu•• euen as vvee haue sayd of the great Saint Thom•• vvhereby you see it is a naturall thing to bee subi•• to opinions; ordinarilie melancholie persons •• more giuen therevnto then those that are of a ••¦uiall and pleasant humour; for these are eas•• tourned at euerie hand, and facile to beleeue•• which is sayed to them. The great Saint Paula •• obstinat in mayntaining the opinion that she •• formed to her selfe, of exercising great austerit•• rather then she vvould submitt herselfe, to the ••¦uise of many that did councell her to abstaine; a•• likevvise many other Saints vvho thought th•• must macerate their bodies verie much to pl•• God, in such sort that they therefore refuse••

obey the phisition, and to performe that which was requisite to the conseruation of their perishing and mortall bodies; and although this was an imperfe∣ction, they leaue not for this to bee great Saints and ••erie acceptable to God; the vvhich teacheth vs, ••hat vvee ought not to trouble our selues, vvhen wee perceaue in our selues imperfections, or incli∣••ations contrarie to true vertue, prouided that wee ••ecome not obstinate to perseuere willinglie in ••hem: For Saint Paula and others rendring them∣••elues stifneckt, although it was in a small matter, ••aue bene reprehensible in the same. Concerning our selues wee must neuer omitt so to forme our opinions, but that wee will vvillinglie depose them ••vhen it is needfull, vvhether vvee bee obliged or not obliged to forme them. Therefore to bee sub∣••ect to esteeme of our ovvne iudgment, and to ••eeke out reasons to mayntaine that vvhich vvee ••aue apprehended and found to bee good, is a verie ••aturall thing: but to permitt our selues to goe ••hereafter, and to bee fastned thervnto vvould be a notable imperfection. Tell mee, is it not time vn∣profitably lost, espetiallie in those that haue not ••harge, to muse on this?

§. 3. You say, vvhat must vvee doe then to mor∣••ifie this inclination? we must cutt of that vvhich ••ourisheth it; it commeth into your mind that ••our Superiour erreth in commaunding this or that ••o bee done in such manner, and that it vvould bee ••etter done so as you haue conceaued? turne from ••ou this thought, saying to your selfe, Alas •• what ••aue I to doe vvith it since it is not committed to mee? It is allwaies much better to vvithdravve our ••hought simply, then to search reasons in our mind ••o make vs beleeue that vvee haue done vvrong▪ ••or in steed of doing it, our vnderstanding vvhich ••s preoccupated of her particular Iudgment will

giue vs the change; in such sort that in steed of an∣nihilating our opinion, it will giue vs reasons to maintayne it, and acknovvledg it for good. It is all∣vvaies more profitable to contemne it vvithout re∣garding it, and to chase it away so promptly vvhen vvee perceaue it, that vvee knovve not vvhat it was that it vvould say. It is verie true that wee are not able to hinder this first motion of complacence vvhen our opinion is approued and followed; for this cannot bee auoyded: but wee must not muse vpon this complacence, vvee must blesse God and passe it ouer, not troubling our selues more vvith this contentment then of a little feeling of greife, vvhich vvould come to vs if our opinion vvere no•• followed or found good. VVee must vvhen it is required, either for Charitie or of obedience to propose our aduise vpon the subiect vvhereof th•• question is, doe it simply; but for the rest wee mus•• yeald our selues indifferēt, vvhether it bee receaue•• or noe. VVee may somtimes argue vpon the opi∣nions of others, and shevv the reasons vvhervppon our reasons doe depend but wee must doe this mo∣destly and hūbly, not dispising the aduise of others nor contesting to make ours to bee receaued. I•• may bee you vvill aske, if it be not to nourish thi•• imperfection, to seeke aftervvards to speake vvit•• those vvho haue bene of your opinion, vvhen ther•• is no more question of takeing resolution, it being alreadie determined what ought to bee done; vvith∣out doubt this vvould bee to nourish, and main∣tayne our inclination, and consequentlie to com∣mit an imperfectiō▪ for it is a true marke that on•• submitteth not her selfe to the aduise of others, and that she allvvaies preferreth her ovvne particula•• iudgment. The thing being determined which had bene proposed, vvee must not so much as speak•• nor thinke thereof, vnlesse it vvere a thing notabl••

vvicked: for then if vvee could yet further find some inuention to alter the execution, or to reme∣dye the businesse, wee ought to doe it the most cha∣ritably that could bee, and the most innocently, to ••he end not to trouble any person, nor to contemne that vvhich they should haue found to bee good.

§. 4. The sole and onelie remedie to cure proper ••udgment, is to neglect that vvhich commeth into our thought, applying our selues vnto some better thing: for if wee will permitt our selues to make reflection vpon all the opiniōs that diuers encoun∣ters vvill suggest vnto vs; what will arriue but a continuall distraction, and an impeachment of things more profitable, and vvhich are proper for our perfection, making vs become incapable to make holie prayer? For hauing giuen leaue to our spirit to muse it selfe in the consideration of such deceates, it vvill allvvaies thrust it selfe more for∣wards, and vvill produce thoughts vpon thoughts, opinions vpon opinions, and reasons vpon reasons which vvill maruelouslye importune vs in prayer: For prayer is no other thing then a totall applica∣tion of our spirit vvith all her faculties vnto God. Novv being vvearied out in the poursuite of vn∣profitable things, it becommeth so much lesse able and apt for the consideration of the mysteries, on vvhich vvee vvould make our prayer. Consider then this that I had to say vpon the subiect of the first questiō, by the vvhich wee haue bene taught, that to haue opinions is not a thing contrarie to perfection; but to haue the loue of our ovvne opi∣nions and consequentlie to esteeme them. For if vvee did not esteeme them, vvee should not bee so amorous of them: and if wee did not loue them, wee should little care to haue them approued, and wee should not bee so readie to say, lett others be∣leeue vvhat they vvill, but as for my selfe: doe you

knowe what that is you would say (as for my selfe) verilie no other thing but I will not submitt my selfe; but rather I wilbe constant in my opinion and resolution. This is, as I haue manie times sayed, the last thing that wee leaue; and notwithstanding this is one of the most necessarie things to bee quitted and renounced for the attayning of true perfectiō, for otherwise wee shall neuer gaine holie humi∣litie, which hindreth and forbiddeth vs to make any esteeme of our selues or of all that depēdeth there∣on; and therefore if we haue not the practice of this vertue in great recommendation, wee shall all∣waies thinke our selues to bee better then wee are, and that others come short of vs, & ovve vs res∣pect.

§. 5. Novv enough is sayed vppon this subiect, If you aske me nothing more wee will passe to the second question, vvhich is; If the tendernes that wee haue ouer our selues doe not hinder vs verie much in the way of perfection: That you may vn∣derstand this the better, I must put you in mind of that which, you knowe verie well, to witt, that we haue two loues in vs, the affectiue loue, and the ef∣fectiue loue: and this is aswell in the loue that wee beare tovvards God, as in that vvhich wee haue to∣wardes our neighbour, and furthermore tovvardes our selues: but wee will speake heere but of tha•• of our neighbour, and then wee will retourne to our selues. The diuines to make the difference o•• these tvvo loues to bee the better comprehended are accustomed to serue themselues vvith the com∣parison of a Father vvho hath tvvo sonnes, the one of them is a little minion, as yet a verie childe, o•• good grace: And the other is a perfect man, a braue and generous souldier, or of some other con∣dition. The Father exceedingly loueth these tvvo sonnes, but vvith a different loue; For hee loueth

the little one vvith an extreame tender and affe∣ctiue loue; marke I praye you, what is there that hee doth not permitt this little infant to doe vnto him? He dandels him, hee kisseth him, bee setts him vpon his knees, houldeth him in his armes, vvith exceeding delight asvvell to the child as to him∣selfe; if the child bee stung vvith a Bee, hee ceaseth not to blovve vpon the hurt, vntill such time as the greife be appeased; If his eldest sonne had bene stunge vvith a hundred Bees, hee vvould not haue vouchsafed to moue his foote, although he loue him vvith a great, strong, and solide loue. Consider I pray you, the difference of these tvvo loues; for although you haue seene the tendernesse that this Father hath to his little one, hee doth not therefore ••eaue his designe to send him forth of his house, ••nd to make him a Knight of Malta, appointing his ••lder sonne to bee his heire, and inheritour of his estate: This elder then is loued with effectiue loue, ••nd the other little one with affectiue loue, the one and the other are loued but differentlie; The ••oue that wee haue to our selues, is of this sort affe∣••tiue and effectiue. The effectiue loue is it, that ••ouerneth great persons, ambitious of Honour and ••f Riches; for they doe procure to themselues as much goods as they can, and are neuer satisfied in ••etting: these loue thēselues exceedinglie vvith this ••ffectiue loue: But there are others that loue them∣••elues more vvith the affectiue loue, and these are ••ose, vvho are verie tender of themselues, and who noe nothing but bemoane, dandle, cherish, and con∣••rue themselues, and who feare so much all that ••ay hurt them, that it is a great pittie to behould ••em: If they bee sicke, vvhen they haue no more ••••yne then in their fingers end, there is no∣••ing more hurt then they are, they say they are ••ost miserable, no euill, how great soeuer it bee,

is comparable to that they suffer, and they canno•• find medicines sufficient to cure them, they cease not to medicine themselues, and in thinking to conserue their health they loose it and ruinate i•• altogether: if others are sicke it is nothing; in fine there is none but they vvho are to bee bemoane•• and are subiect to weepe tēderlie ouer themselues endeuoring thereby to moue those that see them to compassion; They take little care, vvhethe•• others esteeme them patient or no, so that they be¦leeue them to bee verie sicke and afflicted: imper¦fections certainlie proper to children, and, if I dur•• say it, to vvoemen, and furthermore amongst men to those that are of an effeminate hart and lit∣tle couragious: for amongst the generous this im¦perfection is not mett vvith all, for vvell made spi¦rits stand not vpon these childish toyes and sottis•• delicacies, vvhich are proper for nothing but t•• stopp vs in the way of our perfectiō: and yet for a this, vvee cannot endure that one esteeme vs del••¦cate; is not t••is verie much tendernes?

§. 6. I remember a thing that hapned to m•• retourning from Paris. I encountered in a house t•• Religious vvoemen with this accident vvhich ser••¦eth to my purpose, and truelie I had more cons••¦lat••on in this encounter, then I had in all n•• iourney, although I had mett with manie verie ve••¦tuous soules; but this one did comfort mee abou•• all. There vvas in this house a maide vvho ma•• her ••riall or nouitiate she was meruelouslie gent•• docile, subiect, and obedient: in fine she had all t•• most necessarie conditions to bee a true Religio•• vvoeman: in the end it hapned by misfortune, th•• her sisters did marke in her a corporall imperfect vvhich vvas cause that they began to bee in dou•• whether they oug••t not to dismisse her for t•• cause. The mother Superiour loued her verie mu••

and vvas troubled to doe it: but notwithstanding the sisters did stronglie ground themselues vpon this corporall incommoditye: Novv vvhen I was there, the matter vvas referred to mee touching this good poore soule, vvho is vvell descended; she vvas brought before mee, being there she placed her selfe vpon her knees, It is true my Lord, sayed she, that I haue such an imperfection, vvhich truelie is so shamefull (naming it alovvde vvith great sim∣plicitie) I confesse that our sisters haue verie great reason, not to bee willing to receaue mee, for I am insupportable in my defect; But I beseech you to bee fauorable vnto mee, assuring you if they receaue mee exercising their charitie tovvards mee, that I vvill haue a great care not to trouble them, submit∣ting my selfe vvith all my hart to keepe the garden ••or to bee imployed in other offices vvhatsoeuer they bee, that may keepe mee farr of from their companie, to the end I may not molest thē. Truelie this maydē touched my hart, O she vvas not much tender of her selfe: I cannot hould my selfe from saying, that I vvould vvith all my hart haue the same naturall defect, and vvithall haue the courage to declare it before the whole world vvith the same simplicitye that she did before mee; she had not so much feare of being disesteemed as manie others haue, neither vvas she so tender ouer her selfe; she did not make any of these vaine and vnprofitable considerations, vvhat vvill the Superiour say if I de∣clare this or that to her? if I aske her any helpe or reliefe, she vvill say or thinke, that I am verie deli∣cate: and if it bee true, vvhy vvould you not that she should thinke so? But vvhen I tell her my necessitie she maketh mee so cold a countenāce, that it seem∣eth that she is not pleased vvith it: It may verie vvell bee, my good daughter, that the Superiour hauing other things enough in her head, hath not

allvvaies attention to smile or speake verie gra∣tiouslie, when you delare to her your greife, and this is it you say which troubleth you, and taketh from you the confidence to speake to her of your infirmities: O God! my deare daughters these are childish toyes, wee must goe simply: If the Supe∣riour or the mistrisse haue not entertayned you as you desire, one time, yea many; you must not bee disgusted therefore, nor iudg they doe allwaies the same: O no: Our Lord will touch them it may bee with his spiritt of sweetnes, for to yeald themselues more pleasing at our next retourne; so wee must not bee so tender as to desire allwaies to speake of all the infirmities wee haue, when they are not o•• importance: a little head ache, or a little tooth ache, which will quicklie passe perchance if you would beare it for the loue of God, there is no neede to goe speake to make your selfe to be beemoaned a little▪ it may bee you will not speake to the superiour, o•• to her that may take care to ease you; but with more facillitie to others▪ because say you that you would suffer this for God, O my deare daughter, if it were so that you would suffer it for the loue of God, a•• you thinke: you would not goe to tell it to anothe•• that you knovve well, will find her selfe obliged to declare your greife to the Superiour, and by this meanes fetching a cōpasse you shall haue your cō∣tentment, but in good earnest you had better make your demaūd simply to her that can giue you leaue to take it; for you knowe well, that the sister that you speake to of your headache, hath not povver to bid•• you goe lye downe on your bed; this thē is no othe•• designe or intētiō (although wee thinke not so ex∣preslie) but to the end to bee bemoaned a little by this sister, and this doth greatlie satisfie selfe-loue•• Now if it happē by encoūter that you speake it (the sister it may be asking you how you doe at that ti∣me)

there is no harme, so that you tell it simply, without aggrauating it or bewailling your selfe; But more then this, must not be spokē but to the Supe∣riour, or to the mistrisse; you must no more bee a∣fraid, although they bee a little rigorous in corre∣cting such a fault; For, my deare daughter, you take not frō thē the cōfidēce and libertie to correct you, goe simply then, tell thē of your greife: I beleeue well that you take more pleasure, ād are more cōfi∣dēt to tell your payne to her who hath not the char∣ge to cōfort you, thē to her that hath care ād power to doe it: whiles you doe so; euerie one bemoaneth you, and all sett thēselues a worke to prouide you remedies, whereas if you told it to the sister who hath charge of you, you must enter into subiectiō to doe that which she should ordayne, ād whiles with all your hart you auoyd this blessed subiectiō, selfe-loue seeketh to be your gouernesse ād yet, mistrisse of your will, But if I tell the Superiour (you reply,) that I haue the headache, she will bidd mee take my rest, well: what is that to the purpose? If your neces∣sitie be not such, it will cost you little to say, mother or sister I thinke I am not so ill as to laye mee downe on my bedd; and if she say, you shall doe it notwith∣standing, goe your waies simply: for wee must all∣waies obserue great simplicitie in all things; to walke simply is the true way of the Religious of the visita∣tion, which is exceeding pleasing to God and most assured. But seing a sister that hath some trouble in her mind, or some other incommoditie, not to haue the confidence or courage to ouercome her selfe to declare it to you, and you perceaue verie well that the want thereof doth carrye her into some melancholie humour; ought you to call her to you, or to lett it come of her selfe? In this, consi∣deration must gouerne vs: for sometimes wee must condescend to informing our selues vvhat the

matter is, and at other times vvee must mortifie these humours, in letting thē alone, as vvho would say, you vvill not ouercome your selfe to aske re∣medie for your payne, suffer ir then in good time, you deserue it vvell.

§. 7. This delicacie is much more insurppor∣table in things of the spiritt then in corporall: and yet it is most infortunatlie practiced and nourished by spirituall persons, vvho vvould bee Saints in an instant, desiering notvvithstāding that it should cost them nothing, no not the sufferinge of the com∣batts the inferiour part causeth them, by the feeling that it hath in things contrarie to nature, and yet vvill wee or vvill vvee not vvee must haue courage to endure it, and consequentlie to resist these schir∣mishes all the time of our life in many encounters, if vvee vvill not become bankrupt in the perfectiō that vvee haue vndertaken. I allvvaies desire verie much that vvee distinguish the effects of the supe∣••iour part of our soule, from the effects of the in∣feriour part, and that vvee bee neuer astonished at the productions of the inferiour part of our soule hovv euill soeuer they bee. For that is not capable to stopp vs in the way, prouided that vvee hould our selues constanc in the superiour part, to aduāce our selues allvvaies forvvard in the vvay of perfe∣ction, vvithout studying and loosing our time, to bevvaile our selues, that vvee are vnperfect, and vvorthy of compassion, as if vvee vvere to doe no other thing, then lament our miserie and misfor∣tune, for being so backvvard to come to the topp of our enterprise. This good virgin of vvhom vvee haue spoken vvas nothing tender or reserued in speaking to mee of her defect: but she tould it me with a hart and countenance verie assured, vvherein she pleased mee much. But for vs it doth vs so great good to vveepe vpon our defects to content selfe

loue. VVee must (my deare daughthers) bee verie generous, ād not astonished to see our selues subiect to a thousand sorts of imperfections, and yet haue a great courage to contemne our inclinations, our humours, fantasticallnesse, and delicacies, faythfully mortifying all this at euerie occasion: and if notvvithstanding wee happen to committ defects novv and then, vvee must not therefore bee at a stay; but must raise our courage vp againe to bee more faythfull at the next occasion, and so passe fur∣ther, making progresse in the way of God, and in the renuntiation of our selues.

§. 8. You demaund moreouer, if the Superiour seeing you more sadd then ordinarie, aske you what is the matter: and you seeing many things in your head that molest you, cannot tell vvhat it is; hovv must you doe then? you must say simply, I haue many things in my head, but I knovve not vvhat it is. You feare say you, the Superiour vvill thinke you haue not confidēce to tell her; But vvhat ought you to care, vvhat she thinketh or thinketh not; prouided that you doe your dutie, vvhereof doe you trouble yourselfe? so that to say, vvhat wil she say if I doe this, or that, or vvhat vvill the Supe∣riour thinke, is exceeding contrarie to perfection, vvhen vvee settle our selues therein. For you must allvvaies remember in all that I say, that I intend not to speake of that vvhich the inferiour part of the soule doth: for I make no reckoning of it, it is then the superiour part that must contemne this what will they say? or vvhat will they thinke? this hapneth to you, vvhen you haue rendred an ac∣count of your conscience because you haue not suf∣ficientlie told particular faultes; you say you thinke the superiour vvill say or thinke that you vvould not tell her all: it is the same of this rendring of ac∣count, as of confession: VVee must haue an equall

simplicitye in the one and in the other. Novv tell mee, should I say, if I confesse such a thing, vvhat will my confessour say, or what will hee thinke of mee? Let him thinke and say vvhat hee vvill, pro∣uided that hee hath giuen mee absolution, and tha•• I haue done my duty, it sufficeth mee: and as after confession it is not time to examine our selues, to see if wee haue tould all that wee haue done: but i•• is the time to keepe our selues in trāquillitye close∣ly attentiue to our Lord, vvith vvhom wee are reconciled, and to giue him thankes for his beni∣fitts, it being nothing necessarie to make a search o•• that which wee haue forgotten: in like manner it is vvhen wee haue rendred our accompt: That which commeth to our mind must bee simply told, afte•• it must no more bee though of: But euē as it woul•• not bee a good preparation to goe to confession not to bee willing to examine our selues, for fear•• of finding somthing worthy to bee confest: in lik•• sort wee must not neglect to enter into our selue before the rendring of accompt, for feare of findin•• somthing, which should be troublesome to speake Nether must you bee so tender to speake all, nor to rūne to the superiour to crie hola for the least payn•• that you feele, the which it may be wilbe past withi•• a quarter of an hower. wee may well learne to suf∣fer sōwhat generouslie these small matters for whic•• wee cannot procure remedie, being ordinarilie th•• productiōs of our imperfect nature; as are these in¦constancies of humours, of wills, of desires, vvhic•• produce sōtimes a little perplexity; sōtimes a desir•• to speake, and thē all of a sodayne a great auersiō t•• doe it, and the like, to which wee are subiect, an•• shalbe as lōg as wee liue in this passing ād decayin•• life. But touching this payne that you say you haue and which taketh frō you the meanes to keepe yo•• attētiue to God, vnlesse you goe presētlie to decla••••

it to the superiour, I say to you, that you must note that it may bee it taketh not frō you the attentiō to the presence of God; but rather the sweetnes of this attentiō: Now if it bee but this, if you haue the cou∣rage ād the will as you say to suffer it without seek∣ing of comfort, I tell you that you shall doe verie well to doe it; although that it doe bring you some little vnquietnesse prouided it bee not too great: but if it should take frō you the meanes to drawe neere to God, at that time you should goe to lett the Su∣periour knowe of it, not to seek comforte, but to gaine way in the presence of God, although there would be no great harme to doe it for your cōfort: moreouer the sisters must not bee so tyed to the kind entertaynment of the superiour: That if she speake not to them according to their content, pre∣sentlie they perswade thēselues by cōsequence that they are not beleued. O no, our sisters doe loue hu∣militie and mortification too much, to bee frō hen∣ceforth melancholie vpon a light suspition (which may be without groūd) that they are not so wel be∣loued as their selfe-loue maketh them desire to bee.

§. 9. But (some one will say) I haue com∣mitted a fault against the superiour, and therefore I enter into these apprehensions that she is displeased with mee, & in a word that she will not haue mee in so good esteeme as she hath had. My deare sisters, all this discontent is made by the cōmaundment of a certayne spirituall Father who is called selfe loue, who beginneth to say, how? haue I failed in this manner? what vvill our mother say or thinke of mee? O! there is nothing to bee expected that is good of mee, I am a poore miserable creature, I shall neuer doe any thing that may content our mother, and the like wise lamentations: they doe dot say, Alas! I haue offended God, I must haue recourse to his goodnes hopeing hat hee vvill strenghthen

mee: They say O I knovv vvell that God is good, hee will not regard my vnfay••hfullnes, hee knovv∣eth verie vvell our infirmitye, A••? but our mother. This wee renevve still to continue our complaints: without doubt care must be had to please our su∣periours: For the great Apostle Saint Paule declar∣eth it and exhorteth therevnto, speaking to seruants and it may also bee attributed to children. Serue, sayeth hee; your Maisters to the eye, as if hee would say, haue a care to please them; but after hee also sayed. Serue not your maisters to the eye, as if hee had sayed, that they must looke vvell to them∣selues▪ for to doe nothing more in the sight of thei•• maisters, then they would doe being absent, be∣cause the eyes of God doth allvvaies see them, to vvhom they ought to haue a great respect not to doe any thing that may displease him, and in so doeing, they must not trouble themselues, nor car•• to desire allvvaies to please men, for it is not i•• their povver, doe the best you can not to vex or an¦ger any person: but after this if it happen, that by your infirmitye you discontent them sometimes recurr persently to the doctrine that I haue so of∣ten preached to you, and vvhich I haue had so grea•• a desire to graue in your harts, humble your selues instantlie before God, acknovvledging your frailty and weakenesse, and then repayre your fault wit•• an act of humilitye, if it deserue it, tovvardes th•• person that you haue disquieted, and this done ne¦uer trouble your selfe: For our spirituall Fathe•• which is the loue of God forbidds vs to doe so, tea¦ching vs that after vvee haue made an act of humi¦litie euen as I haue sayed, vvee should re-enter int•• our selues, for to cherish tenderlye and deareli•• this blessed abiection, vvhich hapneth to vs for hau¦ing offended, and this vvelbeloued reprehension that the Superiour vvill giue vs: wee haue tvv•• 〈◊〉〈◊〉

••vvo Iudgments and tvvo vvills, and therefore wee must make no recknoning of all that selfe loue, ••elfe iudgment, or selfe vvill suggesteth vnto vs, prouided that wee doe make the loue of God to ••aygne aboue selfe loue, the iudgment of Supe∣riours yea of inferiours and equalls aboue our ovvne (vvhich vvee must annihilate as neere as wee can) not contenting our selues to subiect our vvill, in doeing all that they will haue vs doe, but sub∣••ecting our iudgment to beleeue that vvee should haue no iudgment, if wee did not esteeme this to bee iustly and reasonably done, reiecting also abso∣••utelie the reasons that it vvould bring to make vs ••eleeue that the thing vvhich is commaunded vs, ••bould bee better done otherwise, then as they haue ••idden vs. VVe must vvith simplicitie alleage our reasons for once, if they seeme good; but then vvee must yeald vvithout more replies, to that vvhich ••hey say to vs, and by this meanes make our selfe-••udgment dye, which vvee esteeme so wise and ••rudent aboue all others; O God! mother, our si∣••ters are so resolued to loue mortification, that it vvilbe a pleasing obiect to behould them, consola∣••ions vvilbe nothing to them, in comparison of the ••rice of afflictions, drinesses and repugnances; so much doe they desire to render themselues like to ••heir spouse. Assist them therefore well in their en∣••erprise, mortifye them vvell & couragiously, not ••paring them: for it is that which they demaund, ••hey will no more bee tyed to cherishings, since it is contrarie to the generositie of their deuotion, the which vvill make them heerafter, to sett themsel∣••es so absolutely to desire to please God, that they will no more regard any other thing, if it bee not ••roper to aduance them in the accomplishment of ••his desire. It is the marke of a delicate hart, and a ••ender deuotion, to permitt our selues to bee car∣ried

away with euerie little encounter of contrad••¦ction: bee not afraid; these childeshnesses of a me¦lancholye and spightfull humour vvill neuer be•• amongst vs. VVe hane so much courage, thanke•• bee to God, that we wil apply our selues to mak•• so good progresse heereafter, that it willbe agre•• contentement to behould vs. In the meane time my Deare danghters, lett vs purifie our intention to the end that doing all for God, for his Honou•• and Glorie, we doe expect our recompence onli•• from him: his Loue shalbe our reward heere, an•• himselfe shalbe our recompence in all eternitie.