This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. Searching, reading, printing, or downloading EEBO-TCP texts is reserved for the authorized users of these project partner institutions. Permission must be granted for subsequent distribution, in print or electronically, of this text, in whole or in part. Please contact project staff at eebotcp-info@umich.edu for further information or permissions.
THe perfectiō, presupposed of all the estates before de∣clared, euen vnto this pre∣sent, cosisteth in an vtter forsaking of al pretēces whatsoeuer, & not to pretend any other thing, but God only, in a most excellent, and a most perfect manner, in all our actions, whereby we may attayne vnto a most high perfectiō, which consisteth in the examen follow∣ing,
distinguished into seauen points.
1. The first is, when the soule apprehendeth any trouble or affli∣ctiō, that of new is presented vnto her. For that then by the suggestiō of the inferiour, or infirme part, the apprehension of such a crosse is accustomed to be very vehement: and with this, a thousand exagge∣rations wilbe presented, that will cause it to appeare more violent, wherby the soule is accustomed to take this affliction with much dif∣ficulty, and many repugnances.
To remedy this, and to prouide for it throughly, it is necessary that the superior part of the soule, pro∣pose all this before her, as a iudge doth, who before he giue his sen∣tence, harkeneth to the reasons of both parties, prouided alwayes that she be not mooued any thing with their reasons, but that she re∣mayne
without passiō or any kind of alteration, suspending her iud∣gement, vntill she find out what may be according to reason: and that she may the better vnderstand it, these two meanes will ayd her. The one is, that she enter into her∣selfe, and consider how Almighty God knoweth, and seeth all her troubles, and whatsoeuer she en∣dureth, and therfore she ought to remit it wholy into his hands, to dispose thereof as he seeth most ex∣pedient. The second is to consider, & belieue assuredly, that euen as the diuine boūty desireth nothing but our good; euen so his diuine prouidence (which is hid from vs, not being permitted vnto vs to seeke too curiously into it) know∣eth very well how to prouide & remedy all in time, and manner, as it shall seeme best vnto him, and not as best liketh vs, nor as it may
best please vs. Of this suspension, and repose of spirit follow two things; the first, that she putteth a∣way, and reiecteth all the hinde∣rances, and trouble, and the de∣ceytes that might happen by this apprehension: and secondly it wil follow, that she shall come to con∣ceaue a true, pure, sincere, and ma∣ture apprehension of all her af∣fayres.
The second point is, that when the soule is come to receaue, and accept this affliction, as comming from God.
SHE must not rest herself heere, or permit herselfe to accept of it, as often many soules are accu∣stomed to doe, to wit, basely with an infinit number of difficultyes, of excuses, and seeking of them∣selues, but she must accept thereof 〈2 pages missing〉〈2 pages missing〉
••o offer it, & returne it vnto God, accepting it only in him, and for him.
4. The fourth point, is to know, in what manner the supe∣riour part must suffer with the in∣feriour, and with the exteriour senses, in the repugnances, & con∣trarieties which they feele, as hath bene said before.
THE superiour part ought to doe all, that hath bene said before, in the behalfe of the inferi∣our, and weakest partes, in such sort, that it be not with a certaine excessiue violēce, which may cause thē wholy to loose their strength, and vigour, or so as may trouble, or make the soule pusillanimous and fearefull, or els vtterly vnable to support so great a blow; but she ought for this cause somthing to
suffer with them, and encourage them with all the reasons the can imagine, and she must doe all this with the greatest discretion that she can possibly, in giuing now and then some relaxation vnto their trauailes, and afflictions, & in seeking the most conuenient remedies that she can aduise her∣selfe of. Euen as one that would haue a horse, or any other beast to serue his turne, will giue him more meat, to the end he may be strong, and able to trauaile better when there is need. And when by rea∣son of diuine subtraction she can∣not vse the force of any act of cō∣sola••iō, or ra••sing vp of her mind, she ought to repose in this, and procure the partes that are inferi∣our, to repose in the will of God, and this by meanes of the diuine conformity, which will bring much more true and strengthning
consolation, although it doth not seeme so.
5. The fift point is, how she ought to comport herselfe with selfe-loue in this case, or the like.
SELFE-Loue is accustomed to pretend & seeke in all thinges her owne interest, and particuler cōmoditie directly, or indirectly; and it doth so also in this, vnder pretence of many good reasons, yea euen of vertues, and purposeth many thinges that are not to the purpose; & for this cause the soule with the purity of a right intentiō ought to discouer by the light of the loue of God, all his deceipts, & oppose herselfe against this selfe loue very freely, and effectually; & by the force of a pure & cleane loue, she ought to reiect all parti∣culer and selfe respect, and follow
purely that which God shall in∣spire, and teach her.
6. The sixt point is, how that the superiour part ought to ans∣were to the propositions or offers, that our Lord will make vnto her concerning these paines, and affli∣ctions, or other greater.
AFTER this that hath byn a∣boue said, our Lord is accu∣stomed to make many propositiōn to the soule: as for example, that he will send her many other affli∣ctions, or els make her endure this present affliction along tyme, yea that we will cause her to suffer euen the paines of hell; and then ought she with great promptnes to be wholy resigned vnto God. He also is accustomed to giue the choice of two kindes of afflictions for her to accept of one. And in
this case raysing & ••ixing the eyes of her soule wholy in the perfect loue of God, with a meruailous purity, she ought to make her ele∣ction in God, and this choice must be alwaies of that which will re∣dound most to his honour and glory.
7. The seauenth is, in what manner she ought to behaue her∣self, that she may vse all her pow∣ers in the execution of this affaire, or of this affliction, and of all that which shalbe necessary, to come to the height of this perfection.
FOR as much as ordinarily in the exercising of all these thinges, it is necessary that all the powers, & faculties of the soule concurre therunto, to put it duly in execution; she ought fully to resolue with herselfe to obserue all
that she hath deliberated vpon, in such sort, that aswell in generall, as in particuler, she may perfectly accomplish, & put in execu••iō all this that she hath already chosen, and resolued to doe in the present affliction, or in any other thing: and she ought to take heed dili∣gently to correct the faultes that may happē in the executiō, ••yther by reason of her imagination, and representation of afflictions, or of the vnderstanding, or of the will, or of all the other powers. And thus the soule that is perfect, shall become much more perfect: and all this is a disposition vnto the state, that rēdereth the soule who∣ly diuine.
TO giue God thanks for al be∣nefits formerly receaued, and especially of that present day.
2. To demaund grace & true light, to know & hate our sinnes.
3. To call our soules to ac∣compt, wherin we may haue that day offended God: hauing special considera••iō of such defects wher∣unto we are most inclined.
4. To craue pardon humbly of God for al sins & defects, wher∣of we find our selues guilty.
5. To make a firme purpose, through Gods grace to auoyd sin heereafter, with intention to con∣fesse those wherein we haue trans∣gressed. Lastly, say Pater noster. Aue Maria. Credo.
THE first is in the morning when, assoone as we awake, we must purpose to keep a diligēr watch that day ouer our selues, for the auoyding of some sinne or im∣perfection, which we are desirou•• to amend.
The 2. is at Noone, when we must demaund Gods grace, that we may remember how often we haue fallen into that particuler sin or defect, & be more heedful heer∣after. Then, let vs make our first Examen, calling our soule to ac∣compt, & running ouer euery houre of the day to that present, how often we haue fallen therin∣to: & let vs make so many marke••
in the former syne of the ensuing table. This done let vs purpose to keep our selues more warily the rest of the day.
The 3. Time, shalbe at Night after supper, when we must make the second Examen, running ouer euery houre from the former exa∣mination vntill that, calling to mind, & nūbring the times wher∣in we haue offended, making so many markes in the second line of the table mentioned before.
THE 1. is, that as often as we commit that particuler sinne, we be sory for it from our hart, in witnes wherof let vs lay our hand vpon our brest: which may be
done at all tymes, without being perceaued by others.
The 2. is, that at Night we number & compare the mathes of both lines togeather, the former line being appointed for the first examen, & the later for the secōd•• & let vs see, if from the former hath followed any amendment.
The 3. is, that we compare the examinations of the first & second day togeather, & marke whether any amendment hath byn made.
The 4. is, that by comparing two weeks togeather, it may ap∣peare what amendment hath byn made, or omitted.
It is also to be noted, that the first of the lines following, which is longer then the rest, is ap∣pointed for the first day, the second somewhat shorter for the second day, and so likewise for euery day, shorter & shorter. It being
meet that the number of our faults be dayly diminished.
BEFORE Prayer, the Soule must exercise it selfe in some acts of Humility, by considering its owne basenes, and the greatnes of God, with whom it is to treate, and falling down vpon our knees we must begin with the signe of the Crosse, blessing our selues, and crauing of the diuine Maiesty grace, to spend that short tyme
well, which we are to imploy in that holy Exercise; so as all out thoughts, words, and workes may be sincerely addressed to the grea∣ter glory of God. Moreouer we must imagine a certayne Compo∣sition of place, and therein accom∣modate our selues in such manner as is taught vs, by our spirituall Father and Directour in that case. Finally we must perswade out selues, that we stand in the pre∣sence of God, who is both within & round about vs, to the end that the imagination therof may incite vs to greater attention, cōfidence, and reuerence. Next we must aske of the diuine goodnes that, which we desire, answerable to the mat∣ter wherof the meditation is to be made. For example, if I meditate of sin, I will craue pardon for my owne &c.
We must also make one, or more
Colloquies at the end, according to the motions, & affection which the soule shall feele in it selfe, in speaking sometimes to the Blessed Trinity, sometymes to euery one of the three Diuine Persons, or to the B. Virgin, or the Saints, giuing thankes other whiles for benefits receiued, other whiles crauing Gods help, for getting of some one vertue in particuler.
The repetitions, that our B. Fa∣ther S. ••gnatius teacheth in the first Weeke of his Spirituall Exercises must be made after two, or three meditations, in such manner, as is specified in the same place, making three Colloquies, to wit, to the Father, to the Sonne, and to the B. Virgin.