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.

CHAP. XI. Declaring the Nature of internal Recollecti∣on, and instructing the Soul how it ought to behave it self therein, and in the Spi∣ritual Warfare, whereby the Devil en∣deavours to disturb it at that time.

64. INternal Recollection is Faith, and Si∣lence in the Presence of God. Hence thou oughtest to be accustomed to recollect thy self in his Presence, with an affectionate atten∣tion, as one that is given up to God, and united unto him, with Reverence, Humility and Submission, beholding him in the most in∣ward recess of thine own Soul, without Form, Likeness, Manner, or Figure; in the view and general nature of a loving and obscure Faith, without any distinction of Perfection or Attri∣bute.

65. There thou art to be with attention, and a sincere regard, with a sedate heedfulness, and full of Love towards the same Lord, resigning and delivering thy self up into his hands, to the end he may dispose of thee, according to his good Will and Pleasure; without reflecting on thy self; nay, nor on Perfection it self. Here

thou art to shut up the Senses, trusting God with all the care of thy Welfare, and minding nothing of the affairs of this Life. Finally, thy Faith ought to be pure, without Representations or Likeness: Simple without Reasonings, and Universal without Distinctions.

66. The Prayer of Internal Recollection may be well typified by that Wrestling, which the holy Scripture says, the Patriarch Jacob had all Night with God, until Day broke, and he Bles∣sed him. Wherefore the Soul is to persevere, and wrestle with the difficulties that it will find in internal Recollection, without desisting, un∣til the Son of internal Light begin to appear, and the Lord give it his Blessing.

67. No sooner wilt thou have given thy self up to thy Lord in this inward Way, but all Hell will conspire against thee, seeing one single Soul inwardly retired to its own Presence, makes greater War against the Enemy, than a thousand others that walk externally; because the Devil makes an infinite advantage of an internal Soul.

68. In the time of the recollection, Peace and Resignation of thy Soul, God will more e∣steem the various impertinent, troublesome and ugly thoughts that thou hast; than the good pur∣poses, and high sentiments. Know that the ef∣fort, which thou thy self mayest make to resist Thoughts, is an impediment, and will leave thy Soul in greater anxitie. The best thing that is to be done, is sweetly to despise them, to know thine own wretchedness, and peace∣fully

make an Offering to God of the Trou∣ble.

69. Though thou canst not get rid off the an∣guish of Thoughts, hast no Light, Comfort, nor spiritual Sentiment: Yet be not afflicted, neither leave off recollection, because they are the Snares of the Enemy: Resign thy self at that time with Vigour endure with Patience, and persevere in his Presence; for whil'st thou per∣severest after that manner, thy Soul will be in∣ternally emproved.

70. Doest thou believe that when thou co∣mest away from Prayer dry, in the same man∣ner as thou began it; that that was because of want of Preparation, and that hath done thee no good: That is a Fallacy: Because the fruit of true Prayer, consists not in enjoying the Light, nor in having Knowledge of spiritual things, since these may be found in a speculative Intel∣lect, without true Virtue and Perfection; it on∣ly consists in enduring with Patience, and perse∣vering in Faith and Silence, believing that thou art in the Lord's Presence, turning to him thy Heart with tranquillity, and purity of Mind. So whil'st thou perseverest in this manner, thou'lt have the only Preparation and Disposition which at that time is necessary, and shalt reap infinite fruit.

71. War is very usual in this internal Recol∣lection, which on the one hand will deprive thee of sensibility, to try, humble, and purge thee. On the other, invisible Enemies will assault thee with continual Suggestions, to trouble and dis∣quiet

thee. Nature her self, apparently, will torment thee, she being always an Enemy to the Spirit, which in depriving her of sensible Pleasures, remains Weak, Melancholy, and full of Irksomness, so that it feels a Hell in all Spiri∣tual Exercises, particularly in that of Prayer, hence it grows extreamly impatient to be at an end of it, through the uneasiness of Thoughts, the lassitude of Body, importunate Sleep, and the not being able to curb the Senses, every one of which would for its own share, follow its own Pleasure. Happy art thou if thou canst persevere amidst this Martyrdom!

74. That great Doctoress, and Mystical Mi∣striss, Santa Teresa, confirms all this by her heavenly Doctrine, in the Letter she wrote to the Bishop of Osmia, to instruct him, how he was to behave himself in Prayer, and in the va∣riety of troublesome Thoughts, which attack us at that time, where she says: * 1.1 There is a necessity of suffering the trouble of a Troop of Thoughts, importune Imaginations, and the impetuosities of natural Notions, not only, of the Soul through the dryness and disunion it hath, but of the Body also, occasioned by the want of sub∣mission to the Spirit, which it ought to have.

73. These are called drynesses in Spirituals, but are very profitable, if they be embraced and suffered with Patience. Who so shall accustom himself to suffer them without repining, will from that Labour draw vast advantage, It is certain, that in recollection the Devil frequent∣ly charges the Soul more fiercely with a Batta∣lion

of Thoughts, to discomfit the quiet of the Soul, and alienate it from that most sweet and secure internal Conversation, raising horrours, to the end it may leave it off, reducing it most commonly to such a state, as if it were led forth to a most rigorous Torment.

74. The Birds, which are the Devils, knowing this (said the Saint in the above-cited Letter) pricks and molest the Soul with Imaginations, troublesome Thoughts, and the Interruptions which the Devil at that time brings in, transporting the Thought, distracting it from one thing to another, and after he hath done with them attacking the Heart, and it is no small fruit of Prayer, patient∣ly to suffer these Troubles and Importunities. That is an offering up of ones self, in a whole burnt Sacrifice, that's to say, to be wholly consumed in the Fire of Temptation, and no part spared. See, how this heavenly Mistress encourages to suffer and endure Thoughts and Temptations; be∣cause, provided they be not consented to, they double the profit.

75. As many times as thou exercisest thy self, calmly to reject these vain Thoughts, so many Crowns will the Lord set upon thy Head, and and though it may seem to thee that thou do'st nothing, be undeceiv'd, for a good desire with firmness and stedfastness in Prayer, is very plea∣sing to the Lord.

76. Wherefore to be there (concludes the Saint) without sensible profit, is not lost time; but of great gain, whil'st one toyls without Interest, and meerly for the Glory of God; and though it may

seem to be toyling in vain, yet it is not so, but it is as with Children, who toyl and labour under the power of their Father: though in the evening they receive not the wages for their day's work, yet at the year's end they enjoy all. In fine, you see how the Saint confirms our document with her pre∣cious Doctrine.

Notes

• * 1.1

  8. of her Epistolary.