The Christians guide: a treatise shewing the grounds, necessity, and end of devotion With rules and directions for the leading an holy life. As also meditations and prayers suitable to all occasions.

CHAP. III. Of the too great sensibility towards earthly Pleasures: The third source of Indevo∣tion.

THis Love of the World is a great Trunk, which divides it self into many Branches, that are also sources of Indevotion. The first branch of this Love is the too great sensibility towards earthly pleasures. These pleasures are of two sorts: The first are highly cri∣minal, and are those we call Debauches of the Men of the times: and of these, certain it is, that not only the excessive sensibility but the least taste we take of them is the mortal Enemy of Devotion. Spiritual pleasures are of a taste so vastly different from carnal ones, that at the same time one cannot love the one and the other. A palat imbrued with Gall and Wormwood, and which has never tasted of other Savours, cannot en∣dure our Sugar and Honey: A man sunk into the un∣savoury sweetness of Sin, will find all the sweetnesses of Grace of ill taste. There is another sort of worldly Pleasures, whose Innocence the World maintains, be∣cause the crime is not so visible: They are called Innocent, and they may be so, if they did not soon be∣come criminal by the abuse of them, and they all may be great obstacles to Devotion, more than we are aware of. The Holy Ghost is called the Comforter; and the taste which the Pious find in the Exercises of Holiness is termed Spiritual Consolation. But to whom is the Comforter and the Consolation destin'd but to the afflicted? For certain therefore those Souls that are filled with the joy of the World, are not pro∣per

to receive these Divine consolations, and the whole∣som impressions of the Divine Comforter; 'Tis fo•• this reason the ever blessed Jesus saith, Blessed an•• they which mourn, for they shall be comforted. And St. Austin saith to God: Thou art the only true and the onl•• Sovereign pleasure capable of filling the Soul: Do th•• cast far from me all those false pleasures, and at the sam•• time enter thou into their place, thou, who art more swee•• and more agreeable than all Pleasures, tho not to Fles•• and Blood. The Manna did not fall upon the Israelite•• but when the Victuals they had brought out of Egy•••• were consumed. And questionless that divine Manna 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Grace, those Ravishments and those joys of Devotio•• are not communicated to those that have a magazi•• furnished with the things of Egypt, and the pleasures o•• the World.

A person that returns from a Ball or a Comedy i•• very much indisposed for Devotion. Some may s•••• in favour of the Theater, that it is become chaste, an•• and that we see there more Lessons of Vertue th•••• Examples of Vice: But others may say, that the Pass••¦ons do not appear there animated but in defence o•• Honour, and that there are produced no other sentimen•• but those of Generosity. For my part, I say, that th•• Vertues of the Theater are crimes, according to th•• mind of the Gospel; and when there is any thing go•••• heard there, it is very much sullied by the impuri•• of the Lips and the Imaginations thorough which 〈◊〉〈◊〉 passes. Oh Impiety! said Clemens Alexandrinus, you ha•• made Heaven to descend upon the Theater, and God is b••¦come a Comedy. Oh Impiety! we may say, in imitati•••• him, you have made Vertue to mount the Theate•• and you have made her an Actress: Our Saviour w•• not have his Preachers wear Buskins on their feet 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Masks on their face. Tragedy, saies St. Cyprian, makes 〈◊〉〈◊〉 ancient Crimes to revive in its verses, so as they may••

die of old age. It draws them out from under the Tomb of ten or twelve Ages: And in the present age we learn such Crimes, as perhaps we should never have thought on; we observe, that what has bin done heretofore may also be done to day; So we make examples of those Actions which had ceas'd to be Crimes; nevertheless the innocence of Tragedy may be pleas'd with more colour. The La∣cedemonians were wise men, who banished these evil Arts from among them, by reason, said they, that it was not safe to violate the Laws, even in appearance, and that one ought to respect them even upon the Theater.

This makes me remember a saying of Cicero, that it is not honest by way of sporting the mind to exercise one's Philosophy and Rhetorick against the Gods, in arguing either their Existence or their Providence without being an Atheist. This veneration we owe to them of not diverting our selves at their expence. I say the same of Vertue. It is not handsome to please ones self in seeing Vertue or rejoycing or wronged. But besides all this, these sights are absolutely disagree∣ing with Devotion, since they fill the Soul with vain Passions, and we have need of a free mind. They make real Joys and Griefs to spring up for imaginary Ad∣ventures. Into the Mind they put Idea's, and into the Heart vain Motions, which ruine the holy Dispo∣sitions that we would establish in a devout Soul.

The same I say of a Play; a Fury which agitates men like a kind of Demoniac Spirit. A Man sees his Life and his Death, (that I may so speak) his Fortune and his Misfortune a rouling, with inconceivable Transports and Inquietudes. His Soul is agitated at the same time with a thousand Passions, with Fears, Desires, Hopes, and his Heart is entirely put besides the Seat. Is such a Man in a Condition to lift up his Soul to God? Such fine Devotions as these are they, which are made af∣ter having past half the Night in this exercise. The Tempest has been over great, a long time will the

Waves be moving; the Soul will be a good while 〈◊〉〈◊〉 levelling it self: and yet after this the Sweetnesses o•• Devotion will not be according to the Palate, for tha•• they are not carnal Pleasures, of which alone it i•• sensible. Whence it comes to pass, that young Peo∣ple are very rarely fit for the Elevations of Devotion They are but lately come into the World, and all it it appears mighty fine. These Pleasures they gulp down by long Draughts, and nothing appears pleasant unto 'em but what flatters Flesh and Blood, which boils in their Veins. Hence also it comes, that the Constitution, where the Blood has the Ascendan•• which is the Temperament of the World's Joy, is les•• proper for Devotion than that which has the Ingredi∣ents of Earth and Melancholy: the former is like t•• Matter extreamly combustible, which takes fire a•• the least Sparkle; but the latter being more difficul•• to be moved, is less sensible of what charms other•• and that which pierces through them, negligentl•• passes it by.

We ought therefore to draw Men out of this error They imagine they can divide themselves betwix•• heavenly and earthly Joy; but it is impossible. In the Rank of unclean Creatures the Law plac'd those Amph••∣bious Birds which both swim and flye, and live in a double Element of Air and Water. This is the Em∣blem of worldly Men; evermore they swim in fleshl•• Pleasure, and sometimes by weak Soarings they t•• to get out thence and reach Heaven: but it happen•• to 'em just as it does to those Aquatic Fowls, who•• flight goes no further than to touch and curle the S••¦perficies of the Water with their Wings, and then the forthwith fall down again. Delicate and rare, sa•• St. Bernard, is the Divine Consolation: 'tis a chast W••¦man, but jealous, who deserving only to be beloved, can•••• give her self to him that runs after strange Women. Where¦fore

Solomon pronounceth Vanity upon all the Pleasures of the Earth, whereof he had made a very large Ex∣perience. It's for this also that David declares so of¦ten that he will not have any other Pleasure than that of his God: To draw near to God is my Good; to be uni∣ted to him is my All. Forsake all, says St. Austin, and thou shalt find all: for that Man will find all in God that despises all for God's sake. Behold here one of the main Counsels which can be given to pious Minds which un∣dertake to dispose themselves to Devotion. Renounce, renounce, thou devout Soul, all the Pleasures of the Earth, and make choice of Spiritual ones; let reading in holy Writings charm thee, as worldly-minded People are charmed by their ill Books: let religious Assemblies and preaching of the Word divert thee, as much as they divert themselves by their criminal Shows: let the Works of Mercy toward the Poor and Afflicted be used by thee, as the men of the Age use their vain Courses, their Sports, and their Converse: and if thou takest any Recreations and Refreshments, let Honesty and severe Vertue be the Governess of all thy Pleasures.

Meditation.

HOW unhappy art thou, O my Soul, to be born in Aegypt, and not to be ••ensible of the blessings of the true Canaan? ••or this reason thou turnest thy eyes so of∣••en upon the World: and at the same ••our that thy Heart should be intire in Heaven at the time of thy Devotion and ••rayers, thou thinkest on Onions, Garlick ••nd Flesh-pots, which thou didst eat, when

thou wast the Slave of the Devil and th•• World. Thou hast not yet tasted th•• delights of Pious and Devout Souls, that say I am satisfied as with Marrow and Fatnes•• Oh! how good the Lord is, I have tasted him He brought me into his Banquetting-Hous•• His Love is sweeter than Wine, and tha•• Honey, Let him kiss me with the Kisses 〈◊〉〈◊〉 his Mouth. Would to God I were hono••¦red with these secret communication•• whereof my Saviour makes some Priviledg¦ed Souls to partake; which fill them wit•• Joy even in the midst of Torments, an•• make them find musick in Prisons, and i•• the rattling of their Irons. Learn, O m•• Soul, learn to seek thy Pleasures and D••¦lights in God: he is the Source: All Jo•• that comes not from him, terminates a•• length in grief, saddness, lamentations, d••¦spair, and gnashing of Teeth. What do•• my heart wish for? what does it hunger an•• thirst after? dost thou love Beauty? In Go•• thou wilt find it, and God will give it th•• thy self: for thou wilt become glorious an•• full of light by the commerce thou sha•• have with him. Dost thou love Life an•• Health? He is the well of Life, and in h•• Light shall we see Light: and he will com¦municate

a Life to thee ever healthful and vigorous, that is Eternal Life. Dost thou love pleasures? Lo he will make thee drink at the Stream of his Delights; He will fill thee with the Wine prepared by the Divine Wisdom, that saith, I have mixt my Wine, I have killed my fat Beasts. He will cause thee to see such Objects, as will ravish thee: He will make thee hear a sweet and charming Musick in the consort of An∣gels and Saints, who eternally sing the prai∣ses of our God. After so many Blessings ei∣ther already received or already possest in hope, can I still be at all sensible of the vain Pleasures of the Earth.

Prayer.

O My God, my divine Saviour, come and fill my Soul with those sweetnesses that thou communicatest to thy faithful servants; give me the bread which came down from Hea∣ven, the true Manna and bread of Angels, that makes me taste of pleasures, which stifle and choak the sense of worldly pleasures, and the taste of sublunary divertisements. Let thy Sabbaths be my Feast days: Let thy word be sweeter to me than Honey, and than the drops of Honey; And let the meditation of those joys which thou preparest for me in Heaven, ravish

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me in such a manner, that I may be no more either the World's or my own, but be intirely Thine. Make Heaven to descend upon Earth in my favour; Enlarge my heart; Make there a little Paradise: Shed down upon it so great an abundance of thy Light of Grace, as may imi∣tate and approach the Light of Glory. Make thy Rivers to run a cross this Paradise: Plant therein the Tree of Life: And lay up there so grand an influence of good things, that my own Wealth may make me look upon that of the World with an high disdain and contempt; and that from under the Throne, where thou shalt have plac'd my Soul, it may consider all the Pa∣laces of the World like meer Cottages.