The spiritual guide which disintangles the soul, and brings it by the inward way, to the getting of perfect contemplation, and the rich treasure of internal peace. / Written by Dr. Michael de Molinos, priest : with a short treatise concerning daily communion, by the same author. Translated from the Italian copy, printed at Venice, 1685.

THE PREFACE.

THE following Treatise was approved of at Rome by Fryer Peter Damian, a Discalceate Carmelite, Visitor General and Reader of Theology in the Convent of S. Mary della Scala, in the Year 1675, when the foregoing Book was so highly applauded and set out with so many Formallities: And after him, Nicho∣las Martinez, a Jesuite, Chief Reader of Theology in the Roman Colledge, (which is one of the emi∣nentest Offices in one of the most eminent Houses of Education in the whole City) comes to set his Ap∣probation to it: And then, after these two, our old Friend, that we were beholden to before, Fryer Do∣minick of the most Holy Trinity, Qualifier of the Holy Office in Rome, &c. he tells us, that foras∣much as he found nothing in it contrary to Faith or good Manners, or repugnant to the Reverence due to the Sacrament, &c. he takes it to be worthy to be Printed for divers and sundry reasons. So that though it met not with those Acclamations which the former Book did, (the reasons whereof you will presently smell out, when you read it) yet these three Testimonies (besides the pains that that

devout Priest (as he calls himself) took to get it out of Spanish into Italian) were enough to give it Credit and Authority in the World: And as it came tack't to t'other Book so 'twas pity to make it part Company.

But whilst these Reverend Gentlemen have been so kind to help it into the World, and speak such good things of it, 'tis plain that they either wink't at, or did not know one gross Contradiction that it makes to the foregoing Book; and that is this: That this Mich. Molinos does lay it down as a Prin∣eiple, in his Spiritual Guide, That the Penitent ought to resign up his Will, his Judgment, his Know∣ledge, his Choice to the determination of his Spiri∣tual Director. And produces Examples for it, and tells him, that he must be led blindfold by his Confessor, though he should put him upon never so useless and nonsensical Penance and Mortification, as planting Lettice with the Roots upwards, &c, (a specimen of which sort of asinvne and und sputing Obedience is to be seen pressed by the Founder of the Jesuitical Order, in his Epistle to the Brethren of his Society, Reg. Soc. Jesu, Cap. 18. wherein he instances in Abbot John, that watered a withered Tree for a whole Year together: (Which did him as much good as if he had tied a Whiting to his Girdle.) And, at his Superiour's command, tried to move a vast Stone which was beyond the strength of many men together to do; (which he had no more reason to do, than to knock his Head against it). And the reason that is given for this sort of affected and foolish Humility, forsooth, must be be∣cause the Father Confessor is in God's place, and

whatever he enjoyns his Penitent, must be done by an absolute and unlimited Obedience, without ask∣ing, why or wherefore, or entring into any thoughts of the reasonableness or unreasonableness, conveni∣ence or inconvenience, good or hurt of such a rant∣ing sort of Discipline: And what fine work may there be sometimes done, when a silly Priest meets with a Penitent that is as wise as himself? But if the business be really thus, then what's the reason that this Author doth so often in this Treatise, flie in the face of the Ministers, (who, in his sense, are these Confessors) and tax them with I know not what, and make most lamentable out-cries against 'em for hindring their Penitents from Daily Com∣munion? This is going backward and forward, saying and unsaying again: For if the Confessor have a power of disposing of his Penitent's (I was going to say Client's) Will, &c. as he pleases, and an unaccountable Empire and Government over him; I would fain see how he can advise him a∣miss? And why should all this noise be made a∣gainst these Ministers who are made Judges of the disposition of their People, whom they Shrine, and therefore are presumed to do no more than what there is reason for, in hindring 'em from Daily Communion?

If the foregoing Book were first Penn'd by the Author, then he either retracted his judgment, in this Treatise, or else forgot himself, (which he pres∣ses often as a Duty of Religion.) If this Treatise was Penn'd first, then the Author was willing to give Confessors more scope and power in [his Spiri∣tual Guide] than he thought fit to allow 'em in his

[Daily Communion.] However the matter was, there is a filthy Mistake some where or other; to press blind Obedience to Confessors in one Book, and yet bawl at 'em for requiring it in another. The least that can be said of it, is, that 'tis an argu∣ment of an inconstant or forgetful Head. And I leave it to him to make it out, or to any body else that has a mind to clear the point. The Treatise it self is like other Popish Treatises upon that Sub∣ject; onely 'tis a question, whether the Author be so far Annihilated yet (as his word is) as to believe Transubstantiation so stoutly as others of that Com∣munion would make us believe they do. He hath been mightily conversant in Modern Casuists and Schoolmen, and that makes him so ill a Divine, as to tell us of receiving good by the Sacrament ex opere operate; i. e. Never minding what is done, but only the doing the bare action of it. I could not for•••••••• shewing a mark of dislike, when I found him qu••••••ing two such bouncing Authorities out of St Austine and St. Jerome for delivering Souls out of Purgatory by the efficacy of Mass. I confess they are very pregnant for his purpose, if he can but shew us those Words in the true Writings of those two Fathers: but to send us to the Man in the Moon to know fur∣ther, this is not fair nor Scholar-like. If any man else will undertake to shew us those Words in the undoubted and unforg'd Works of St. Austine and St. Jerome, he will make me (for my part) in that point

A Quietist.