The mirrour of religious perfection deuided into foure bookes. Written in Italian by the R. F. Lucas Pinelli, of the Society of Iesus. And translated into English by a Father of the same Society.

THE RELIGIOVS MANS LOOKING-GLASSE, Or a short way of attayning to Perfe∣ction in Religion.

I The principall study of a Religious man.

• 1. TO deny himselfe.
• 2. To roote out Vices.
• 3. To plante Vertues.
• 4. To dye to himselfe, and to the world.
• 5. To loue God.

II. What is necessary to obtaine peace of the mind.

• 1. To desire and seek what is most humble and abiect.
• 2. To keep silence.
• 3. Not to contradict.
• 4. Not to intrude himselfe.
• 5. With indifferency to accept all things at Gods hand.

III. A Religious man must exercise himselfe continually.

• 1. In Humility, and Charity.
• 2. In Patience, and Mortification.
• 3. In Reading, and Praying.
• 4. In Meditation of the life of Christ.
• 5. In Communication with God.

IIII. Thinges specially to be auoyded by a Religious man.

• 1. The familiarity of Women.
• 2. Singularity and proper iudgment.
• 3. Selfe-will, and selfe-loue.
• 4. Idlenes, and the care of the belly.
• 5. Pride, and Vaine-glory.

V. What a Religious man must do at home, and in his Cell, or Chamber.

• 1. To thinke God to be present, and to see all thinges.
• 2. To withstand the suggestions of the Di∣uell.
• 3. To read, and study how to do, and liue well.
• 4. To stir vp himselfe to Prayer and Medi∣tation.
• ...

• 5. To arme himselfe, that he may go forth with safety, and profit.

VI. The office of a Superiour towards his subiects.

• 1: To loue all alike.
• 2. To be watchful that Religious discipline be obserued.
• 3. To be exemplar himselfe vnto al.
• 4. To instruct, and correct in spirit of lenity and mildenes.
• 5. To pray to God for all.

VII. The office of a subiect towards his Superiour.

• 1. To loue him, as his Father.
• 2. To honour him, as his Lord.
• 3. To heare him, as a Doctor or Teacher.
• 4. To obey him, as Christ himselfe.
• 5. To pray to God for him.

VIII. A Religious mans offi••e and duty towards his brethren.

• 1. To loue them all in our Lord.
• 2. To hold them all f••r his betters.
• 3. To admonish them in Charity.
• 4. To support them with Patience.
• 5. To edify them by good Example.

IX. What is to be done in the morning early.

• 1. To arise speedily at the tyme appointed.
• 2. Forthwith to present himselfe in Gods sight, and seruice.
• 3. To giue him thanks for that nights pre∣seruation.
• 4. To conceiue good purposes.
• 5. To craue help and grace for the due execution thereof.

X. What is to be obserued about Prayer, and Meditation.

• 1. To prepare the mind, and the matter.
• 2. To expell Thoughts which diuert, or hinder vs.
• 3. To perseuere therein with Constancy.
• 4. With an humble hart to follow the in∣spirations of the Holy Ghost.
• 5. To be sorry for the defects committed therein, and to giue thankes for the good successe, if any hath beene.

XI. What thinges are often to be handled, and thought vpon in Prayer.

• 1. The Knowledge of our selues, and sorrow for our sinnes.
• ...

• 2. The foure last thinges of man.
• 3. The benefits of God.
• 4. The life, and passion of Christ.
• 5. Conuersation with God, and his Saints.

XII. What is to be obserued about Confession.

• 1. To examine our Conscience well.
• 2. To be hartily sorry for our sinnes.
• 3. To confesse our sinnes entierly.
• 4. Earnestly to purpose amendment of our life.
• 5. Forthwith to fulfill the pennance inioy∣ned vs.

XIII. What is to be obserued about the Sa∣crifice of the Masse.

• 1. To clense the Conscience first by Con∣fession.
• 2. To come vnto it with an humble, and contrite hart.
• 3. With reuerence and deuotion to offer it vp to the glory of God, for himselfe, and for the Church.
• 4. To communicate with a spirituall hun∣gar, and Charity.
• 5. To go away with thankesgiuing.

XIIII. What is to be done after Masse.

• 1. In hart to hide himselfe with Christ.
• ...

• 2. To offer himselfe all that he is, or can t•• Christ.
• 3. To lay open his owne, and others nece••¦sityes vnto Christ.
• 4. To aske of Christ many thinges for him∣selfe, and for others.
• 5. To desire & long after eternal Happine••••

XV. What is to be obserued in saying Office.

• 1. To purge the hart from whatsoeuer othe•• thoughts.
• 2. To procure deuotion.
• 3. To attend to the sense of the words, an•• to God.
• 4. To speake the words distinctly, and per∣fectly.
• 5. Not to make hast to come to an end.

XVI. What is to be done about the Examen of the Conscience.

• 1. To aske light of God.
• 2. To giue thankes for his benefits.
• 3. To discusse and examine well the Consci¦ence.
• 4. To be sorry for our sinnes.
• 5. To purpose amendment.

XVII. What is to be pondered in the examination of the Conscience.

• 1. The transgression of thy Vowes.
• 2. Thy tepidity & coldnes in Gods seruice.
• 3. The distraction of thy mind.
• 4. The bad motions of thy mynd.
• 5. Detractions, and Murmurations.

XVIII. What is to be obserued in the Refectory.

• 1. To be silent.
• 2. To seeke mortification.
• 3. To eate and drinke soberly.
• 4. To be attent to that which is read.
• 5. To feed the soule spiritually.

XIX. How to behaue thy selfe abroad without dores.

• 1. Diligently to guard and keep the gates of thy senses.
• 2. To obserue and keep Grauity, and Re∣ligious Modesty.
• 3. Not to giue eare to Vanityes or Nouel∣tyes.
• 4. To speake and treat of spiritual matters.
• 5. To dispatch quickly, and soone returne home.

XX. To be obserued in thy bad.

• 1. To commend thy selfe to God, to thy Angell Guardian, and other thy holy Patrons.
• 2. To thinke of Death, and of thy graue.
• 3. To arme thy selfe against temptations and suggestions of the Diuell.
• 4. To call vpon God, as often as thou awa∣kest.
• 5. Not to lye longer thē thou must needs.

FINIS.