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1. IT is every way convenient, to choose a Master experienced in the inward Way, because God will not do to all, what he did to St Catharine of Siena, whom he took by
the Hand, and immediately taught the mystical Way. If in the Progress of Nature there is a necessity of a Guide; how must it be in the Progress of Grace? If in the outward and vi∣sible Ways there is need of a Master; how must it be for the internal and secret? If it must be so for the moral, scholastick and expositive The∣ology, which are plainly taught; how must it be for that which is mystical, secret, reserved and obscure? If in external and political Acti∣ons and Practices it is so; how must it be in the internal Transactions with God?
2. A Guide is in like manner necessary for resisting and overcoming the Craft and Wiles of Satan. St Austin gave many Reasons why God appointed, that in his Church, Doctors and Teachers, men of the same nature with others, should, for Light and Doctrine, have the Prece∣dency: The chief is, to free us from the craft and cunning of the Enemy; for should we be left to our own dictates and natural impulse, for the conduct of our Actions, we would trip and stumble every foot, and at length fall head-long into the Pit; as it happens to Hereticks and proud People: Now if we had had Angels given to us for Masters, then would the Devils have dazled our eyes by transforming themselves into Angels of Light: therefore it was convenient that for Guides and Counsellors, God should give us men like our selves. And if such a Guide be ex∣pert, he'll soon know the tricks and subtilties of the Devil; which being once known, as wanting substance, they soon evanish.
3. A Ghostly Father ought to come from the Hand of God, and therefore without previous Circumspection and Prayer; he is not to be cho∣sen, but being once chosen, he is not to be left, but for most urgent reasons; such as are, for not knowing the Ways and States, through which God guides the Soul; because no man can teach what he does not know, according to that true Maxim of Philosophie.
4. And if he conceive not (as St Paul saith) the things of the Spirit, that will be Ignorance in him; because they are to be examined Spiritu∣ally, and he wants Experience: but the spiritu∣al and expert Man sees every thing clearly, and judges of it as it is. If a Guide then want Ex∣perience, it is a chief reason why one should leave him, and chuse another more expert; because without such a one, the Soul will not profit.
5. To pass from a bad into a good State, there is no necessity of Counsel; but to change what is good into better, there is need of Time Prayer, and Advice, because every thing which is best in it self, is not best for every one in par∣ticular; nor is every thing that is good for one good for all: Non omnibus omnia expediunt Some are called for the outward and ordinary Way; others for the internal and extraordina∣ry, and all are not in the same State; so tha•• there being so many and various persons wh•• are engaged in the mystical Way, it is impos∣sible for one to make a step in those secret and internal Paths without an experienced Guide•• because instead of going right, he'll tumble into •• Precipice.
6. When a Soul walks with Fear, doubting if it walk safely, and desires to be clearly rid of these fears and doubtings, the securest way is to submit to a Ghostly Father; because by the inter∣nal Light he clearly discovers what is Tempta∣tion, and what Inspiration, and distinguishes the motions that spring from Nature, from the Devil, and from the Soul it self, which ought totally to be Subjected to him who hath Experience, and he can discover the engagements, the idols and bad habits that hinder the Soul's flight; which by this means will not onely be delivered from the Snares of the Devil, but will proceed more in one Year, than it could have proceeded in a thousand, with other Guides of no Experi∣ence.
7. In the Life of the Illuminated Father, Fri∣er John Tauler, it is related what that Lay-man who went before him in the State of Perfection, says of himself, How that being taken off from the World, and desirous to be Holy, he gave himself to great Abstinence, till at length being extenuated and weak, he fell into a Dream, and heard a Voice from Heaven, which said to him, Man, if thou voluntarily kill thy self, before the time, thou shalt pay dear to thy self for it. Being full of terrour, he went into a Desart, and there imparted the way he had taken, and his Absti∣nence, to a holy Anchorite, who, by the favour of Heaven, freed him from that diabolical De∣lusion. He told him, That he followed that course of Abstinence that he might please God. But the Anchorite having asked him, By what
Advice he did it? And he having made answer, By none. The Anchorite replied, That it was a manifest Temptation of the Devil. From that time foreward, he opened his eyes, and knowing his own Perdition, lived always by the Direction of a spiritual Father; and he himself affirmed, That in seven Years space he gave him greater Light, than all printed Books whatsoever could do.
8. THere is far greater Advantage to be had from having a Master in the mystical Way, than from the use of Spiritual Books; be∣cause a practical Master tells in the nick of time, what ought to be done; but in a Book one may fall upon a thing that is less proper, and by that means the necessary Instruction is wanting: Besides, by mystical Books men raise to them∣selves many false Notions, the Soul thinking to have that, which in reality it hath not, and to be farther on in the mystical State, than as yet it is; whence spring many prejudices and dangers.
9. It is certain that the frequent Reading of mystical Books, which are not founded in pra∣ctical, but meer speculative Light, does rather hurt than good, because it confounds, instead of enlightening Souls, and fills them with discour∣sive
Notions that mightily hinder them; since though they be Notices of Light, yet they enter from without, render the Faculties dull, and fill them with Idea's instead of emptying them, that God may replenish them with Himself. Many do continually Read in these speculative Books, be∣cause they will not submit to him who may tell them, that such Reading is not convenient for them; whereas there is no doubt but if they do submit, and the Guide be a man of Experience, he will not allow it them: And then they would profit, and not mind such Studies as the Souls do who are submitted, have Light, and make improvement. Hence it follows, that it con∣tributes much to inward Quiet and Security, to have an experienced Guide, who may govern and instruct with actual Light, that the Soul may not be deluded by the Devil, nor by its own Judgment and Opinion: However, we do not condemn the Reading of spiritual Books in general, seeing here we speak in particular of Souls purely Internal and Mystical, for whom this Book is written.
10. All holy and mystical Masters confess, that the Security of a mystical Soul, consists in a cordial Submission to its Ghostly Father, com∣municating to him, whatever passes within it. And therefore, he who lives after his own Opi∣nion, without applying himself to a spiritual Di∣rector, (though he take himself to be, and is re∣puted Spiritual) opposes himself to the Doctrine of the Saints, and of enlightned Souls; because the more a Soul is illuminated and united with
God, the more humble, submiss, subjected and o∣bedient to the spiritual Guide it ought to be. For proof of this truth, I'll relate what the Lord said to Donna Marina d'Escobar: It is reported in her Life, that being Sick, she asked the Lord, If she should be Silent, and omit the acquainting her spiritual Father with the extraordinary things that happened in her Soul, that she might not tire herself, nor trouble the same Father. To whom the Lord answered, That not to give an Account of them to her Ghostly Father, would not be well done for three Reasons: First, Because as Gold is tried in the Furnace, and the value of Stones known by touching them with the Touch-stone; so the Soul is purified, and the worth of it known, when the Minister of God tryes it by the Touch-stone. Secondly, Because to avoid Errour, it was convenient that matters should be governed, according to the Order instituted by God in his Church, in the Scri∣ptures, and in the Doctrine of the Saints. Thirdly, That the Mercies which his Divine Majesty shews to his Servants and pure Souls, may not be conceal∣ed, but made manifest, that so Believers may be en∣couraged to serve their God, and he be glorified in them.
11. In the same place she hath the following words, conform to the aforesaid truth: My Con∣fessor being Sick, and having enjoyned me that I should not make a full Discovery of all things that happened to me, to him, to whom, in the mean time, I Confessed my self, but onely of some with pru∣dence: I bewailed my condition to the Lord, that I had not one to whom I might communicate my Af∣fairs;
and his Majesty made me answer, Thou hast one already who supplies the want of thy Confessor; tell him all that happens to thee. I presently replied, Not so Lord, not so Lord. (Why?) said the Lord. Because my Confessor commanded me that I should not give him Account of all; and I ought to obey him. His Majesty said to me, Thou hast pleased me by that answer, and that I might hear thee say so, I said what thou hast heard: Do so; yet still thou mayest acquaint him with some things, as he himself bad thee.
12. What Santa Teresa said of herself, comes in very pat in this place: When ever (says she) the Lord commanded me any thing, if my Confessor told me another, I turned to the Lord, and told him, that I must obey my Confessor. Afterward his Ma∣jesty returned to him, to the end he might enjoyn it me of new. This is sound and true Doctrine, which secures Souls, and dissipates the illusions of the Devil.
13. THere is not a more accepta∣ble Sacrifice to God, * 1.1 (says St. Gregory) than the ardent Zeal of Souls: For
that Ministery, the eternal God sent his own Je∣sus Christ into the World, and ever since it hath been the most noble and sublime of Offices. But if the zeal be indiscreet, it brings a notable ob∣stacle to the progress of the Spirit.
14. No sooner does thou find in thy self any new and fervent light, but thou would'st lay thy self wholly out for the good of Souls; and in the mean time, it's odds, but that that is self-love, which thou takest to be pure zeal. This uses sometime to put on a garb of a disordinate de∣sire, of a vain complacency, of an industrious affection, and proper esteem; all Enemies to the peace of the Soul.
15. It is never good to love thy Neighbour, to the detriment of thine own spiritual good. To please God in purity, ought to be the only scope of thy Works; this ought to be thy only desire and thought; endeavouring to moderate thy dis∣ordinate fervour, that tranquility and internal peace may reign in thy Soul. The true zeal of Souls, which thou oughtest to strive for, should be the true love of thy God. That is the fruit∣ful, efficacious, and true zeal, which doeth wonders in Souls, though with dumb Voices.
16. St. Paul recommended to us first the care of our own Souls, before that of our Neighbour. * 1.2 Take heed unto thy self, and unto thy Doctrine, said he in his Canonical Epistle. Struggle not to over-do; for when it is time convenient, and thou canst be any way useful to thy Neighbour, God will call thee forth, and put thee in the employment
that will best suit with thee: That thought be∣longs only to him, and to thee, to continue in thy rest, disengaged, and wholly resigned up to the Divine Will and Pleasure. Do'nt think that in that condition thou art idle: He is busied e∣nough, who is always ready waiting to perform the Will of God. Who takes heed to himself for God's sake, does every thing; because, one pure Act of internal Resignation, is more worth than a hundred thousand exercises for ones own Will.
17. Though the Cistern be capable to con∣tain much Water, yet it must still be without it, till Heaven favour it with Rain. Be at rest, blessed Soul, be quiet, humble and resigned, to every thing that God shall be pleased to do with thee, leave the care to God, for he as a loving Father, knows best what is convenient for thee; conform thy self totally to his Will, perfection being founded in that, inasmuch as he who do∣eth the Will of the Lord, * 1.3 is his Mo∣ther's Son, and Brother of the Son of God himself.
18. Think not that God esteemeth him most, that doeth most. He is most beloved who is most humble, most faithful and resigned, and most correspondent to his own internal Inspira∣tion, and to the divine Will and Pleasure.
19. LET all thy desires be conform to the Will of that God, who can bring streams of Water out of the dry Rock, who is much displeased with those Souls, which in help∣ing others before the time, defraud themselves, suffering themselves to be transported by indis∣creet zeal, and vain complacency.
20. As it was with the Servant of Elisha, * 1.4 who being sent by the Pro∣phet, that with his Staff he might raise a dead Child; because of the complacency he had, it had not the effect, and he was reproved by Eli∣sha. In like manner the Sacrifice of Cain was rejected, being the first that was offered to God in the World, through the vain-glory he had of being the first, and more than his own Father Adam, in offering Sacrifice to God.
21. In like manner the Disciples of our Lord Christ, were infected with that evil, feeling a vain joy, when they cast out Devils, and there∣fore were sharply reproved by their hea∣venly Master. Before Paul preached to the Gentiles the Gospel of the Kingdom of Heaven, being already a chosen Vessel, a Citizen of Hea∣ven, and chosen of God for that Ministery, it
was necessary to try and humble him, shutting him up in a close Prison; and would'st thou be∣come a Preacher, without passing through the tryal of Men and Devils? And could'st thou thrust thy self into so great a Ministery, and produce Fruit, without passing through the fie∣ry tryal of temptation, tribulation, and passive purgation?
22. It concerns thee more to be quiet and resigned in a holy ease, than to do many and great things, by thy own judgment and opinion, think not that the heroick Actions which great Saints have done, and do, in the Church, are Works of their own Industry; for all things as well spiritual as temporal, to the making of the leas•• Leaf are by Divine Providence Decreed from all Eternity. He that does the Will of God, does all things; this thy Soul ought to en∣deavour, resting in a perfect Resignation, to what∣ever the Lord is pleased to dispose of thee; ac∣knowledge thy self unworthy of so high a Mini∣stery, as the guiding of Souls to Heaven, and then thou'lt put no obstacle to the rest, internal peace, and heavenly flight of thy Soul.
23. THou'lt think and with great confidence too, that thou art in a condition to guide Souls in the way of the Spirit, and per∣haps, that may be secret Vanity, spiritual Pride, and plain Blindness; seeing besides, that this high employment requires supernatural light, to∣tal abstraction, and other qualities, which I shall mention to thee in the following Chapters; the Grace of a Call is also necessary, without which all is but vanity, confidence, and self-conceit; because, though it be a holy and good thing to guide Souls, and conduct them to Contemplati∣on; yet how know'st thou that God would have thee so employed? And though thou knowest (which yet is not easie) that thou hast great light and experience, yet what Evidence hast thou that the Lord would have thee to be of that Profession?
24. This Ministery is of such importance that it is not our parts to take it upon us, until i•• please God, by means of our Superiours and spi∣ritual Guides, to place us therein; otherwise i•• would be a heavy prejudice to us, though i••
might be profitable to our Neighbour. What availeth it us to gain the whole World to God, if our own Soul thereby suffer detriment?
25. Howsoever evident it may be to thee, that thy Soul is endowed with internal light and experience; the best thing still that thou canst do, is to keep quiet and resigned in thine own nothingness, until God call thee for the good of Souls: That belongs only to him, who knows thy sufficiency and abstraction: It is not thy part to make that judgement, neither to press into that Ministery; because, if thou art go∣verned by thine own opinion and judgment, in an affair of so high concern, self-love will blind, undo, and deceive thee.
26. If then experience, light, and sufficiency are not sufficient, without the grace of a Call, to qualifie one for that employment, how must it be without sufficiency? how must it be with∣out internal light? without due experience, which are gifts not communicated to all Souls; but to abstracted and resigned Souls, and to such as have advanced to perfect annihilation, by the way of terrible tribulation, and passive purgation. Be perswaded, O blessed Soul, that all works which in this profession are not govern∣ed by a true zeal, springing from pure love, and a purged Soul, cloath the Soul with vanity, self-love, and spiritual pride.
27. O how many self-confident men, by their own judgment and opinion, undertake this Mi∣nistery; and instead of pleasing God, empty∣ing and abstracting their own Souls, (though
they may do some good to their Neighbour) are filled with Earth, Straw, and Self-conceit! Be Quiet and Resigned, renounce thy own Judge∣ment and Desire, sink down into the Abyss of thy own Insufficiency and Nothingness; for there onely thou'lt find God, the true Light, thy Hap∣piness, and greatest Perfection.
28. THe highest and most profitable Mini∣stry, is that of a Confessor, and spiritu∣al Director; and irreparable are the damages, if it be not well performed.
29. It would be prudently done, to chuse a Patron for so great a Ministery; and that should be the Saint to whom one has greatest Devoti∣on.
30. The chief and most secure Document is, to endeavour the internal and continual Retire∣ment; and so he'll walk well in all the exer∣cises and employments of his own State and Cal∣ling, particularly in that of the Confession-seat; for when the Soul inwardly Recollected, sallies out to be employed in those external and neces∣sary Exercises, it is God who Illuminates and Works in them.
31. In the Conduct of Souls that are Inter∣nal,
Documents are not to be given to them, but with mildness and prudence: The Obstacles which hinder the Influences of God, are only to be taken out of their way; however, it may be need∣ful to arm them with that holy Counsel of, Se∣cretum meum mihi.
32. Many Souls think, that all Confessors are capable of internal Matters; but besides, that that is a mastake, it is found by experience to be a great prejudice to communicate them to those who are not so: Because, though God hath pla∣ced them in the inward Way, yet they'll not know these matters, nor advise them to Souls, for want of experience; so that they'll hinder the Progress to Contemplation, enjoyning them to Meditate by force, though they cannot; and by that means, they stun and ruin instead of help∣ing them in their Flight: for God will have them to advance to Contemplation, and they draw them to Meditation, because they know no other way.
33. If a Confessor would reap Fruit, he is not to look out for any Soul that he may Guide it; it concerns them to come of themselves, and all are not to be admitted, especially if they be Women, because they are not wont to come with sufficient disposition: Not to make ones self a Master, nor be willing to appear so, is an excel∣lent means of doing good.
34. The Confessor is to make use of the name of Daughter, as little as he can; because it is most dangerous, God being so Jealous, and the Epithet so Amorous.
35. The Employments which a Confessor ac∣cepts of, out of his Confession-seat, ought to be but few; because God will not have him to be an Agent in Business; and if it were possible, he should not be seen, but in his Confession∣chair.
36. A Godfather, or Executor to a Man's last Will and Testament, he ought not, so much as once, to be, all his life long, because it brings many disturbances to the Soul, all of 'um con∣trary to the Perfection of so high a Mini∣stry.
37. The Confessor or spiritual Director never ought to Visit his spiritual Daughters, not so much as in case of Sickness, unless he should in∣deed be then sent for, on the part of her that is ill.
38. If the Confessor procures an inward and outward Recollection, his words will be (though he knows it not) like Coals kindled, set∣ting their Souls afire.
39. In the Confessionary, his Reproofs must be ordinarily gentle and sweet, although in the Pulpit they are severe and rigorous; because in this he ought to be raging as a Lyon, and in that, he ought to put on the meekness of a Lamb: O how powerful is sweet Reproof for Penitents! In the Confessionary they are already moved; but in the Pulpit their blindness and hardness, makes it necessary to frighten 'um: yet these ought to be perswaded and reproved rigorously, who come indisposed, and would have Absolu∣tion by force.
40. When all that is possible, is done for the benefit of Souls, the Fruit of it is not to be lookt after; because the Devil doth subtilly make that seem his own, which is God's; and assaults with self-Conceit and vain Complacency, the ca∣pital Enemies of Annihilation; which the Con∣fessor always ought to bring about for such a spiritual Dying.
41. Although he often see that Souls are not advantaged, and that those which are edified, loose the Spirit; let him not be disquieted at this, but possess himself in peace, like the Guar∣dian Angels; then let him take courage inward∣ly, with the sence of his own Sincerity; because sometimes God suffers such a thing, among other ends, to humble him.
42. The Confessor ought to avoid himself, and perswade the Souls under his Conduct also to avoid all sort of outwardness, because it is much abhorred by the Lord.
43. Although he ought not to order Souls to be Communicated, nor take any Communion from 'em, whether for Tryal or Mortification, (since there are infinite ways of Trying 'em and Mortifying 'em, without so great a prejudice) yet he ought not to be niggardly with those Souls which are moved by a true Desire, because Jesus Christ indured not to be shut up.
44. Experience shews us that 'tis a difficult thing to fulfil a Penance, when it is great and immoderate: 'tis always best to have it of some profitable and moderate matter.
45. If the spiritual Father shews, with any
singularity, a greater Affection to a Daughter, and such as gives very great disturbance to o∣thers of her Sex: here he must use privacy and prudence, and must not speak to any with par∣ticularity; because the Devil loves to make strife with the Guide of Souls, and makes use of those very words to disturb others.
46. The continual and principal Exercise of Souls, purely Mistical, must be in the interior Man, producing with privacy, the destruction of Self-love, and the incouraging of 'em to the induring of inward Mortifications; by which the Lord Cleanses, Annihilates, and Perfects them.
47. The Desire of Revelations, uses to be a great hindrance to the interiour Soul, especially 10 Women; and there is not an ordinary Dream, but they will Christen it with the name of a Vision. 'Tis necessary to shew abhorrence to all these hindrances.
48. Although Silence be a difficult thing to Women, in the things which the Director orders 'em, yet must he procure it: since it is not good that the things inspired into him from the Lord, should become the Mark for Censures to shoot at.
49. THe Confessor ought to get Penitents in∣couraged to Prayer; especially when they often present themselves at his Feet, and make known to him their Desire that they have of their spiritual Good.
50. The Maxim which the Confessor ought mostly to observe, that he may never come into Perdition, is, Not to accept any Present, though the whole World were offered him.
51. Though there are abundance of Confes∣sors, yet they are not all good ones, because some of 'em know but little; others are very Ignorant; others betake themselves to the Ap∣plauses of the Gentry; some seek the Favours of their Penitents; some their Presents; some are full of spiritual Ambition, and seek Credit and Fame, getting a multitude of spiritual Chil∣dren to themselves; others affect their Master∣ship and Command; others affect the Visions
and Revelations of their spiritual Children, and instead of despising 'em, the onely way of secu∣ring 'em to Humility, they commend 'em, that they may not leave 'em off, and make them write 'em that they may shew 'em abroad for Osten∣tation: All this is Self-love and Vanity in these Guides, and great prejudice to the spiritual Pro∣fit of Souls: since it is certain, that all these re∣spects and interests serve onely to hinder the use and exercise of their Office, with advantage and profit; which requires an universal freedom from such things, and whose end and aim ought only to be the glory of God.
52. Other Confessors there are, which with ease and lightness of Heart, do believe, and ap∣prove, and commend all Spirits: Others falling into the vicious extream, do condemn, without any reserve, all Visions and Revelations; such things are neither to be believed all, nor con∣demned all: Others also there are, who are so inamoured of the Spirit of their spiritual Daugh∣ters, that whatever they Dream, let 'em be ne∣ver so much Deceits, they reverence 'em as sa∣cred Mysteries! O what a world of Miseries are known in the Church by these means! O∣ther Confessors there are also, having on the Garb of wordly Courtesie and Civility, having little regard to the holy Place of the Confessio∣nary, discoursing with their Penitents concern∣ing things vain, superfluous, distractive, and far from that decency which the Sacrament re∣quires, and from that disposition which should be fit to receive divine Grace; making parti∣cularly
like discourses and about the Houshold Affairs of their Penitents, before they come to Accuse themselves of their Sins: whereupon that little Devotion which they brought along with 'em to the Sacrament, becomes cool'd and good for nothing: Sometimes it happens that many Penitents are fain to wait to be Confessed, who are full of business of their own, and when they see such a long Demur, they grow weary and sad, and fall into impatience, losing the actual disposition of Mind wherewith they were be∣fore prepared to receive so healthful a Sacra∣ment: whereupon the medley of these distra∣ctive, superfluous and vain matters, not onely makes 'em lose their precious time, but also prejudiceth the holy Place, the Sacrament; the disposition of the Penitent who is Confessed, and that of others who wait to be Confessed; all of 'em considerable mischiefs, and worthy to be re∣dressed.
53. For Confession, there are some good; but for the Government of Spirits by the my∣stical Way, there are so few, (says Father John Davila) that in a thousand, you shall possibly find one: St Francis of Sales says, One among ten thousand: And the illuminated Thauler says, That in a hundred thousand, it was a hard thing to find one expert Master of Spirit. The rea∣son is, because there are so few who dispose them∣selves to receive the mystical Science: Pauci ad eam recipiendam se disponunt; said Henry Arpi∣us, (Lib. 3. Par. 3. Cap. 22.) Would to God it were not so true as it is. For then there would
not be so many Cheats in the World, and there would be more Saints and fewer Sinners.
54. When the spiritual Guide desires, effectu∣ally, that all should be in love with Vertue, and the love which they have of God, is pure and perfect, with few Words, and few Reasons, he will reap a very great deal of Benefit.
55. If the interiour Soul, when it is in the Cleansing it self of Passions, and in the time of Abstraction, has not a sure Guide to curb in the Retirement and Solitude, to which its Inclinati∣on and great Propension draws it, it will be un∣able and unfit for Exercises of Confession, Preaching, and Study, and also for those of its own Obligation, State and Calling.
56. The skilful Director therefore, ought to mind carefully when the Powers of it begin to be employed in God; that there may not be gi∣ven too free access to Solitude, commanding the Soul not to omit the outward Exercises of its State, as of Study, and other Employments, al∣though they should seem distractive, so that they be not contrary to his Calling; because the Soul is so much Abstracted in Solitude, is so turned Inward in its Retirement, and is remo∣ved to such a degree from Exteriority, that if it afterwards apply it self again, it doth it with toyl and resistance, and with prejudice to its powers, and the strength and soundness of Head: which is considerable hurt, and worthy the weighing of spiritual Directors.
57. But if these have no Experience, they will not know when the Abstraction is formed
and at the same time, thinking it holy Counsel, will encourage 'em to Retirement, and find De∣struction in it: O how necessary it is that the Guide be Expert in the spiritual and mystical Way!
58. THose that Govern Souls without Expe∣rience, go in the Dark, and arrive not at the Understanding of the States of the Soul in their internal and supernatural Operations: they onely know that sometimes the Soul is Well, and that it has Light; other times, that it is in Darkness; but what the State of all these is, and what is the Root from whence these Changes grow, they neither know nor understand, nor can verify it by means of Books, till they come to find it experimentally in themselves, in whose Furnace the true and actual Light is made.
59. If the Guide hath not passed himself through the secret and painful ways of the inte∣riour Walk, how can be comprehend or approve it? It will be no small favour to the Soul, to find one onely experienced Guide to strengthen it in insuperable Difficulties, and assure it in the continual Doubts of this Voyage: otherwise he will never get to the holy and precious Mount of Perfection, without an extraordinary and singu∣lar Grace.
60. The spiritual Director, which lives dis∣interessed, longs more for the internal Solitude than the Employment of Souls: and if any spiri∣tual Master is displeased when a Soul goes from him, and leaves him for another Guide, 'tis a clear sign, that he did not live disinterested, nor sought purely the Glory of God, but his own proper Esteem.
61. The same loss and evil comes, when the Director is secretly diligent to draw some Soul to his Direction, which goes under the Govern∣ment of another Guide; this is a notable mis∣chief; for if he holds himself for a better Di∣rector than t'other, he is proud; and if he knows himself to be a worse, he is a Traytor to God, to that Soul, and to himself, during the prejudice he does to the advantage and good of his Neigh∣bours.
62. In like manner there is another conside∣rable hurt that discovers it self in spiritual Ma∣sters, which is, that they do not suffer the Souls Guided by 'em, to Communicate with others though they are more Holy, Learned, and Ex∣pert than themselves: all this is Interest, Self∣love, and Esteem of themselves. They do not permit Souls thus to unburthen and vent them∣selves, for fear they should loose 'em, and that it may not be said, that their spiritual Children seek that Satisfaction in others, which they can∣not find in them; and for the most part, by these imperfect ends, they hinder Souls from be∣ing advantaged.
63. From all these, and infinite other impu∣tations,
the Director is free that is once arrived at hearing the inward Voice of God, by having passed through Tribulation, Temptation, and passive Purgation; because that interiour Voice of God works innumerable and marvellous Ef∣fects in the Soul, which gives place to it, hear∣kens to it, and relishes it.
64. It is of so great Efficacy, that it rejects worldly Honour, Self-conceit, spiritual Ambiti∣on, the desire of Fame, a wish to be Great, a presumption of being the only Man, and thinking that he knows all Thnigs; it bids adieu to Friends, Friendships, Visits, Letters of Complement, Commerce of the Creatures, Interest with spiri∣tual Children, Mastership, and Business; it turns away too much inclination to Confessor∣ship, the Affection that is disorder'd in the Go∣vernment of Souls, that makes a man think he is fitting for it; it removes Self-love, Authority, Presumption, treating of Profit, making a shew of the Letters which a man writes, shewing those written by his spiritual Children, to make known what a great Workman he is; it turns a∣way the Envy of other Masters and Teachers, and the procuring more Customers to his Chair of Confession.
65. Lastly, this interiour Voice of God in the Soul of the Director, begets a mean Value, and Solitariness, and Silence, and Forgetfulness of Friends, Relations, and spiritual Children; be∣cause it makes him never remember 'em, but when they are speaking to him. This is the onely sign to know the Disinterestedness of a
Master; and therefore such a one doth more good by being Silent, than thousands of others that make never so great a noise with their infi∣nite Documents.
66. IF thou do'st in good earnest resolve to deny thy Will, and do God's, Obedi∣ence is the necessary means; whether it be by the indissoluble knot of thy Vow, made in the hands of thy Superiour in thy Religion, or the free tying of thy self by the Dedication of thy Will to a spiritual and expert Guide, that hath the Qualities, shewn before in the precedent Chapters.
67. Thou wilt never get up the Mountain of Perfection, nor to any high Throne of Peace In∣ternal, if thou art onely Govern'd by thy own Will: This cruel and fierce Enemy of God, and of thy Soul, must be conquered; thy own Di∣rection, thy own Judgment, must be subdued and deposed as Rebels, and reduced to Ashes by the Fire of Obedience: there it will be found, as in a Touch-stone, whether the Love thou fol∣lowest
be thine own, or Divine; there in that Holocaust must thine own Judgment, and thine own Will be Annihilated and brought to its last Substance.
68. An ordinary Life under Obedience, is worth more than that which of its own Will doth great Penance; because Obedience and Subjection, besides that they are free from the Deceits of Satan, are the truest Holocaust which can be sacraficed to God on the Altar of our Heart. Which made a great Servant of God say, That he had rather gather Dung by Obe∣dience, than be caught up to the third Heaven of his own Will.
69. You will know that Obedience is a rea∣dy way to arrive quickly at Perfection: 'tis im∣possible for a Soul to purchase it self true Peace of Heart, if it doth not deny and overcome its own Judgment and Rebellion: And the means of denying and overcoming ones Judgment, is to be willing in every thing to Obey with Re∣solution, him that stands in God's Place; be∣cause the Heart remains free, secure, and un∣burthen'd by all that which goes from the Mouth, with true Submission, to the Ears of the spiritual Father. (Effundite coram illo corda ve∣stra, Ps. 61.) The most effectual means therefore to advance in the Way of the Spirit, is to im∣print this in the Heart, that a man's spiritual Director stands in God's Place, and whatever he orders and says, is said and ordered from the Divine Mouth.
70. The Lord often times manifested to that
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venerable Mother Ann Mary of S. Joseph, a Franciscan Nun, That she should rather Obey her spiritual Father, than Himself, (History of her Life, § 42.) To the venerable Sister Catha∣rine Paulucci, the Lord also one day said,
You ought to go to your spiritual Father, with pure and sincere Truth, as if you came to Me, and not enquire whether he be or be not Obser∣vant, but you ought to think that he is Govern∣ed by the Holy Ghost, and that he is in My stead, (Her Life, Book 2. Ch. 16.) adding, When Souls shall Observe this, I will not per∣mit that any be Deceived by him.O Divine, Words worthy to be imprinted in the Hearts of those Souls which desire to advance in Perfecti∣on!
71. God revealed to Lady Marina of Esco∣bar, That if our Lord Christ would have her Communicate after his mind, and her spiritual Father should say Nay; she was obliged to fol∣low the mind of her spiritual Father: And a Saint was lower'd down from Heaven to tell her the reason of it; which was, That in the first there might be Cheat, but in the second, none.
72. The Holy Ghost advises us all in the Pro∣verbs (Ch. 3.) that we take Counsel, and trust not in our own Wisdom: Ne innitaris prudentiae tuae. And says by Tobit, That, to do well, thou never oughtest to govern thy self with thine own pro∣per judgment; but always must ask others mind and judgment, (Ch. 4.14. Consilium semper a sa∣piente perquire.) Although the spiritual Father
Err in giving Counsel, you can never Err in ta∣king it, and following it; because you act wise∣ly: Qui judiceo alterius operatur, prudenter opera∣tur. And God doth not suffer Directors to Err, that he may preserve, though it should be with Miracles, the visible Tribunal of the spiritual Fa∣ther; from whence is known with all Safety, what is the Divine Will.
73. Besides, that this is the common Doctrine of all the Saints, of all the Doctors and Masters of Spirit, Christ our Lord gave credit and secu∣rity to it, when he said, That the spiritual Fa∣thers should be understood and obeyed just like Himself: Qui vos audit, me audit, (St Luke 10.) And this even when their Works do not corre∣spond with their Words and Counsels; as is manifest by St Matthew, Chap. 1. Quaecunque dixerint vobis facite, secundum autem opera eo∣rum nolite facere.
74. THE Soul which is observant of holy Obedience, is, as St. Gregory says, (35 Lib. in Job, Cap. 13.) Possessour of all Vertues: It is rewarded by God for its Humility and O∣bedience, illustrating and teaching its own Guide, to whose direction it ought (as being in
God's place) to be every way subject, discover∣ing freely, clearly, faithfully and simply all the thoughts, all the works, inclinations, inspirations, and temptations that it knows of it self: In this manner the Devil cannot deceive it; and it be∣comes secure of giving an account of its actions to God without fear, as well those actions which it doth commit, as those it doth omit. Inso∣much, that whoever would walk without a Guide, if he is not deceived, he is very near it, because Temptation will seem Inspiration to him.
75. Thou oughtest to know, that to be per∣fect, it is not enough to obey and honour Superi∣ours, but it is also necessary to obey and honour Inferiours.
76. Obedience therefore, to make it perfect, must be voluntary, pure, ready, chearful, in∣ternal, blind, and persevering: Voluntary, with∣out force and fear: Pure, without worldly inte∣rest and respect, or self-love, but purely for God: Ready, without reply, excuse or delay: Chear∣ful, without inward affliction, and with dili∣gence: Internal, because it must not only be ex∣terior and apparent, but from the mind and heart: Blind, without ones own judgment, but submitting that judgment with the will: to his that Commands it, without searching into the In∣tention, End, or Reason, of the Obedience Perse∣vering, with firmness and constancy unto Death.
77.
Obedience (according to St. Bonaven∣ture (Tract. 8. Collationum) must be ready, without a delay; devout without tyring, vo∣luntary without contradiction, simple without
examination; persevering without resting; or∣derly without breaking off; pleasant without trouble; valiant without faint-heartedness, and universal without exception. Remember,O blessed Soul, that although thou hast a mind to do the divine Will, with all diligence, thou wilt never find the way, but by the means of Obedience. When a man is resolved to be go∣verned by himself, he is lost and deceived: Al∣though the Soul have very profound signs, that it is a good Spirit that speaks to it; yet unless it submit to the judgment of the spiritual Director, let it be esteemed an evil Spirit: So says Gerson, (Tract. de dist. verar. Num. 19.) and many o∣ther Masters of Spirit.
78. This Doctrine will be confirmed by that case of St. Teresa. The holy Mother, seeing that Lady Catherine of Cardona, led a Life of great and rigid Penance in the Wilderness, resolved to imitate her, contrary to the judgment of her spiritual Father, who forbid her: Then the Lord told her (in her Life 366.) You must by no means do this, Daughter; the good way thou hast secure; thou seest all the Penance that Catherine doth, but I value more thy obedience. She, from that time forward, vowed to obey her spiritual Father: and in the 26th Chapter of her Life, we read, that God often told her, that she must not omit to acquaint her spiritual Father with her whole Soul, and the graces that she had done her, and that she should always take care to obey him in every thing.
79. Thou seest how God hath been willing
to secure that heavenly and important Doctrine by the holy Scripture, the Saints, the Doctors, by Reasons, and by Examples, a-purpose to root out altogether the deceits of the Ene∣my.
80. THat you may know when Obedience is most necessary, I will advise thee, that when thou shalt find the horrible and importu∣nate suggestions of the Enemy, greatest upon thee, when thou shalt suffer most darkness, an∣guish, drowth, forsakings, when thou shalt see thy self most beset with temptations, wrath, rage, blasphemy, lust, cursing, tediousness, de∣spair, impatience, and desolation; then 'tis most necessary for thee to believe, and obey an ex∣pert Director, resting thy self on his holy Coun∣sel, that thou may'st not suffer thy self to be car∣ried away by the strong perswasion of the Ene∣my, who would make thee believe in affliction, and heavy desertion, that thou art lost and ab∣horred by God, that thou art out of his favour, and that Obedience is past doing thee any good.
81. Thou shalt find thy self encompassed with
troublesome scruples, griefs, anguish, distress, martyrdoms, distrusts, forsakings of the Crea∣tures, and troubles so bitter, that thy afflictions shall seem past comfort, and thy torments un∣conquerable. O blessed Soul! how happy wilt thou be, if thou dost but believe thy Guide, and subject thy self to him and obey him? Then wilt thou walk safe by the secret and interior way of the dark night, although thou may'st seem to thy self to live in Errour, and that thou art worse than ever; that thou seest nothing in thy Soul, but abomination and signs of condem∣nation.
82. Thou wilt think verily, that thou art possessed by an evil Spirit; because the signs of this interior exercise, and horrible tribulation, seem as bad as the invasions of infernal Furies and Devils. Then take care to believe thy Guide firmly, for thy true Happiness consists in thy obedience.
83. You must consider that when the Devil sees a Soul totally denying it self, and submit∣ting to the obedience of its Director, he makes a strange uproar all Hell over to hinder this in∣finite Good, and this holy Sacrifice: Full of en∣vy and fury as he is, he uses to make strife be∣tween the two, inspiring the Soul with weari∣somness, anger, aversion, resistance, distrust, and hatred against the Guide, and sometimes he makes use of his Tongue to bespatter him with many Reproaches: But if this Director be an ex∣pert one, he laughs at these subtle Snares and di∣abolical Craftynesses And however the Devil
may perswade the Souls of such a state, with divers suggestions, not to believe their Director, that they may not obey him, nor profit under him; yet nevertheless they may believe, and they do believe enough to obey, though it be without their own satisfaction.
84. Thou wilt ask of thy Guide some Liber∣ty, or wilt communicate to him some Grace re∣ceived. If in denying thee that Liberty, or re∣jecting that Grace, that thou may'st not grow proud, thou withdrawest thy self from his Coun∣sel, and leavest him, it is a sign that the Fa∣vour was false, and that thy Spirit walks in danger: But if thou dost believe and obey, al∣though he do soundly displease thee, 'tis a sign that thou art alive and unmortified; neverthe∣less, thou wilt profit with that violent and work∣ing Medicine: Because, though the inferiour part be troubled and do resent, yet the superi∣or part of the Soul doth embrace him, and will be humbled and mortified; because it knows that this is the divine Will. And though thou dost not know it, yet satisfaction goes on emproving in thy Soul, and so doth the confidence that thou hast in thy Guide.
85. The means of denying self-love, and of laying down ones own judgment, you must know, is subjecting it altogether with true sub∣mission to the Counsel of the spiritual Physitian. If he hinders you your pleasure, or demands what you desire not, thousands of false and idle reasons do presently get about his holy Coun∣sel; where it is presently known that the Spirit
is not altogether mortified, nor his own judg∣ment blinded, which are irreconcileable Ene∣mies to a ready and blind obedience, and the peace of the Soul.
86. Then 'tis necessary to overcome thy self and thy quick sentiments, to despise those false and lying reasons, by obeying, holding thy tongue, and executing his holy Counsel, because that is the way to root up thy appetite and thine own judgment.
87. For this reason the ancient Fathers, as expert and skilful Masters of Spirit, did exercise their Disciples in divers and extraordinary Ways: To some they gave order to plant Let∣tice with the leaves downward; to others, to Water dry and withered Trees; to others, to sew and unsew again. many times, their Cloaths; all marvellous and effectual stratagems to make tryal of simple obedience and to cut by the roots the weeds of their own Will and judgement.
88. KNow that thou canst not fetch one step in the way of the Spirit, till thon en∣deavourest to conquer this fierce Enemy, thy own judgment: And the Soul that will not know this hurt, can never be cured. A sick
man that knows his Disease, knows for certain that although he is adry, yet it is not good for him to drink, and that the Physick prescribed him, though it be bitter, yet is profitable for him: Therefore he believes not his Appetite, nor trusts in his own Judgment, but yields him∣self up to a skilful Physitian, obeying him in e∣very thing, as the means of his Recovery and Cure: The knowledge that he is sick, helps him not to trust to himself, but to follow the wise judgment of his Doctor.
89. We are all sick of the Disease of self-love, and our own judgment; we are all full of our selves; we are always desiring things hurtful to us; and that which does us good, is unpleasant and irksom to us: 'Tis necessary therefore for him that is Sick, to use the means of Recovery; which is, not to believe our own judgments and distemper'd sentiments, but the wise Judgment of the spiritual and skilful Physitian, without re∣ply or excuse, despising the seeming reasons of self-love; and so, if we obey, we shall certainly recover, and this love of ours, which is the Ene∣my of our ease, and peace, and perfection, and the spirit, will be overcome.
90. How often will thine own judgment de∣ceive thee? and how much wilt thou change thy judgment with shame, when thou hast trusted to thine own self? If any man should deceive thee twice or thrice, wouldst thou ever trust him more? Why therefore, dost thou repose con∣fidence in thine own judgment, which has so of∣ten cozen'd thee? O blessed Soul, believe it no
more, believe it not; subject thy self with true submission and follow blindfold this Obedi∣ence.
91. Thou wilt be much satisfied to have an ex∣perienced Guide, and wilt esteem him a great Happiness; but 'twill little avail thee, if thou valuest thine own judgment more than his Counsel, and dost not submit to it in all truth and simplicity.
92. Suppose a great man be sick of a dange∣rous Disease: He has in his House a famous and skilful Physitian; and he quickly knows the Di∣sease, the causes, the conditions, and the state of it, and knowing for certain that that Distemper is to be treated with severe Cauteries, he orders Lenitives for it: Now is not this a great disor∣der? If he is sure that Lenitives will do little good, and that Cauterizing is the proper way, why does he not apply it to him? Because, al∣though the sick person would have his health, yet the Physitian knows best, and that he is not di∣sposed to take those strong Medicines, and therefore like a wise man, orders him gentle Lenitives; because though he may not present∣ly get up again by 'em, yet he keeps the Disease from being mortal.
93. What matter is it, if you have the best Director in the World, if yet notwithstanding you want true submission? although he be a man of skill and knows the grievance and the re∣medy, he doth not apply the proper Physick, which concerns you most to deny your Will; because he knows your very Heart and Spirit,
that it is not disposed to let the infirmities of your own judgment be removed. So you will never be cured, and it will be a Miracle, if he can keep you in Grace, with so fierce an Enemy of your Soul about you.
94. Thy Director will scorn all manner of Favours, if he be a wise man; as if thy Spirit may not be well grounded, believe him, obey him, embrace his Counsel, because with this con∣tempt, if the Spirit be feigned and of the Evil One, the secret Pride formed by him that coun∣terfeits these Spirits, will soon be known; but if the Spirit be real, though thou find'st displea∣sure in this humiliation, it will serve thee for an extraordinary good.
95. If the Soul take delight in esteem, and in having the favours which it receives from God made open and publick; if it doth not obey and believes not its Director, which thinks meanly of 'em, 'tis all a lye and cheat, and the Devil is that Angel that transforms himself. The Soul seeing that the skilful Director despises these cheats, if the Spirit be evil, withdraws the feign∣ed affection which it shewed him, and indeavours by little and little to get from him, seeking some other that its cheats may take with: for the proud can never keep company with those that humble 'em: but on t'other side, if the spirit be true and of God, by these means the love and constancy increases by induring 'em, desiring much more its own contempt, from whence the soundness and sincerity of the Spirit becomes qualified without deceit.
96. THere are four things the most necessary to get Perfection and internal Peace: The first is, Prayer; the second, Obedience; the third, frequent Communion; the fourth, in∣ternal Mortification. And now since we have treated of Prayer and Obedience, it will be fit∣ting to treat also of Communion.
97. You ought to know that many Souls there are that deprive themselves of the infinite benefit of this precious Food, by judging that they are not sufficiently prepared, and that no less than an Angelical Purity is necessary for it. If thou hast a pure end, a true desire of doing the Will of God, without looking at sensible Devotion, or thine own Satisfaction, come with confidence, because thou art well disposed.
98. On this Rock of Desiring to do the Di∣vine Will, all difficulties must be broken, all scruples overcome, all temptations, doubts, fears, resistances and contradictions: and although the best Preparation for the Soul, be often Commu∣nicating, because one Communion disposes it for another; yet I will shew the two ways of Pre∣paration:
The first for the exteriour Souls which have good Desire and Will; and the se∣cond, for the spiritual Ones which live Internal∣ly, and have a greater Light and Knowledge of God, of his Mysteries, of his Operations and Sa∣craments.
99. The Preparation for the exteriour Souls, is to be Confessed and retire from the Creatures; before the Communion to stand still and consi∣der what is to be received, and who it is that receives it, and that he goes to do the greatest business in the World, which is to receive the great God. What a singular favour is that Purity it self condescends to be received by Filth! Majesty by Vileness! the Creatour by the Creature!
100. The second Preparation in order to the interiour and spiritual Souls, must be to endea∣vour to live with greater Purity and Self-denial, with an universal taking ones self off from the World, with inward Mortification and continual Retirement: and when they walk in this Way, they have no need of any actual Preparation, because their Life is a continual and perfect Pre∣paration.
101. If thou do'st not-know these Vertues in thy Soul, for the same reason thou must often draw near to this soveraign Table to get 'em. Never let it hinder thee, to see thy self dry, de∣fective and cold; because frequent Communi∣on is the Physick that cures those Diseases, and increases Vertue: for the same reason that thou art Sick, thou must go to the Physician; and that thou art Cold, to the Fire.
102. If thou drawest near with humility, with a desire of doing the Divine Will, and with the leave of thy Confessor, thou mayst receive it every day, and every day thou wilt grow bet∣ter and better. Never be afraid for seeing thy self without that affectionate and sensible love, which some men say is necessary: because this sensible affection is not perfect and ordinarily, it is given to weak and nice Souls.
103. Thou wilt say that thou feelest thy self indisposed, without devotion, without fervour, without the desire of this Divine Food, so as to ask how thou must frequent it? believe for cer∣tain, that none of these things doth hinder or hurt thee, whilst you preserve this purpose firm, not to sin, and your Will determined to avoid e∣very offence: and if thou hast confessed all those that thou couldst remember, doubt not but that thou art well prepared to come to this Heaven∣ly and Divine Table.
104. THou must know that in this unspeaka∣able Sacrament, Christ is united with the Soul, is made one thing with it, whose fine∣ness and purity is the most profound and admi∣rable, and the most worthy of consideration and thanks. Great was the pureness of him in be∣ing
made Man; greater that of dying ignomi∣niously on the Cross for our sake; but the giving of himself whole and entire to man in this ad∣mirable Sacrament, admits no comparison: This is singular favour, and infinite pureness: because there is no more to give; no more to receive. O that we could but comprehend him! O that we could but know him!
105. That God being what he is, should be Communicated to my Soul! that God should be willing to make a reciprocal ty of union with it, which of it self is meer misery! O Souls, if we could but feed ourselves at this Heavenly Ta∣ble! O that we could scorch ourselves at this burning fire! O that we could become one and the same spirit with this Soveraign Lord! who withholds us? who deceives us? who takes us off, from burning like Salamanders, in the Divine fire of this holy Table?
106. 'Tis true; O Lord, that thou entrest in∣to me a miserable creature, but true also it is, that thou at the same time remainest in thy glo∣ry and brightness, and in thy self. Receive me therefore O my Jesus, in thy self, in thy beauty and Majesty. I am infinitely glad that the vile∣ness of my Soul cannot prejudice thy beauty•• thou enterest therefore into me, without going out of thy self; thou livest in the midst of thy brightness and magnificence, though thou art in my darkness and misery.
107. O my Soul how great is thy vileness! (Job 7 Chap.) how great thy poverty! What is man, Lord, that thou art so mindful of him?
that thou visitest him and makest him great? What is man, that thou puttest such an esteem upon him, being willing to have thy delights with him, and dwell personally with thy great∣nesses in him? how, O Lord, can a miserable creature receive an infinite Majesty? humble thy self, O my soul, to the very depth of no∣thing, confess thy unworthyness, look upon thy misery, and acknowledge the wonders of the Divine Love, which suffers it self to be mean in this incomprehensible Mystery, that it may be communicated and united with thee.
108. O the greatness of love, which the ami∣able Jesus is, in a small host? who is there subject in some manner to man, giving himself whole and sacrificing himself for him to the E∣ternal Father! O Sovereign Lord, keep back my heart strongly, that it may never more return to its imperfect liberty, but all annihilated may die to the world, and remain united with thee.
109. If thou would'st get all Vertues in the highest degree, come blessed Soul, come with frequency to this most holy Table; for there they do all dwell. Eat, O my Soul, of this Hea∣venly Food, eat and continue, come with humi∣lity, come with Faith to feed of this White and Divine Bread: for this is the Mark of Souls, and from hence Love draws its Arrows, saying, Come, O Soul, and eat this savoury Food, if thou would'st get Purity, Charity, Chastity, Light, Strength, Perfection and Peace.
110. IT is to be known, that there are some Souls, who, to make too great ad∣vances in Holiness, become much behind∣hand in it, by doing indiscreet Penances; like those who would sing more than their strength allows 'em, who strain themselves till they are tired, and instead of doing better, do worse.
111. Many have fallen into this Precipice, for want of subjecting their judgment to their spiritual Fathers; whil'st they have imagined, that unless they give themselves up to rigid Pe∣nances, they never can be Saints, as if sanctity did only consist in them. They say, that he that sows little, reaps little; but they sow no other seed, with their indiscreet Penances, than Self-love, instead of rooting of it up.
112. But the worst of these indiscreet Pe∣nances, is, that by the use of these dry and barren Severities, is begotten and naturalized a certain bitterness of heart towards themselves and their neighbours, which is a great stranger
to the true Spirit: towards themselves, because they do not feel the sweetness of Christ's Yoke, the sweetness of Charity, but only the asperity of Penances; whereby their nature becomes imbitter'd; and hence it follows, that such men become exasperated with their neighbours, to the marking and reproving much their faults, and holding of 'em for very defective, for the same reason that they see 'em go a less rigorous way than themselves: hence they grow proud with their exercises of Penance, seeing few that do after 'em, and thinking themselves better than other folks, whereupon they much fall in the account of their Vertues. Hence comes the envy of others, to see them less penitent and greater favourites of God; a clear proof, that they fixed their confidence in their own proper diligences.
113. Prayer is the nourishment of the Soul; and the Soul of Prayer is internal mortification: for however bodily Penance, and all other ex∣ercises chastening the flesh, be good and holy and praiseworthy, (so as they be moderated by discretion, according to the state and quality of every one, and by the help of the spiritual Di∣rector's judgment) yet thou wilt never gain any vertue by these means, but only vanity and the wind of vain-glory, if they do not grow from within. Wherefore now thou shalt know when thou art to use most chiefly Exter∣nal Penances.
114. When the Soul begins to retire from the World and Vice, it ought to tame the Body
with rigour, that it may be subject to the Spi∣rit and follow the Law of God with ease; then it concerns you to manage the Weapons of Hair∣cloth, Fasting and Discipline, to take from the flesh the roots of sin; but when the Soul enters into the way of the Spirit, imbracing internal mortification, corporal chastisements ought to be relaxed, because there is trouble enough in the Spirit: the heart is weakned, the breast suf∣fers, the brain is weary, the whole Body grie∣ved and disabled for the functions of the Soul.
115. The wise and skilful Director therefore must consider, not to give way to these Souls to perform such excesses of Corporal and Ex∣ternal Penance, to whom he moves the great love of God, which they do conceive in the in∣ternal, darksom and cleansing retirement of 'em; because 'tis not good to spend the Body and the Spirit all at once, nor break their strength by rigorous and excessive Penances, seeing they are weakned by internal mortifica∣tion. For which reason St. Ignatius Loyola said very well in his Exercises, That in the clean∣sing way, Corporal Penances were necessary, which in the illuminating way ought to be mo∣derated, and much more in the unitive.
116. But thou wilt say, That the Saints al∣ways used grievous Penances. I answer, that they did 'em not with indiscretion, nor after their own proper judgment, but with the opi∣nion of their Superiours and Spiritual Directors, which permitted 'em to use them, because they
knew 'em to be moved inwardly by the Lord to those rigours, to confound the misery of sin∣ners by their examples, or for many other rea∣sons. Other times they gave 'em leave to use them to humble the fervour of their Spirit and counterpoise their Raptures; which are all par∣ticular Motives and make not any general Rule for all.
117. KNow that the Mortifications and Pe∣nances which some one undertakes of himself, are light (although they may be the most rigorous, which hitherto have been done) in comparison of those he takes from another's hands: because in the first, he himself enters and his own will, which abate the grief, the more voluntary it is, whilst at last he doth but that which he is willing: but in the second, all that is indured, is painful; and the way also painful, in which it is indured, that is to say, by the will of another.
118. This is that which Christ our Lord told St. Peter, (St. John 21.18.) When thou wast young and a beginner in vertue, thou girdedst and mortifiedst thy self; but when thou goest
to greater Schools and shall be a proficient in vertue, another shall gird and mortifie thee•• and then if thou wilt follow me perfectly, alto∣gether denying thy self, thou must leave that cross of thine, and take up mine, that is, be con∣tented that another crucifie thee.
119. There must be no difference made be∣tween these and those, between thy Father and thy Son, thy Friend and thy Brother; these must be the first to mortifie thee, or to rise up against thee, whether with reason or without reason, thinking the vertue of thy Soul, cheat, hypocrisie or imprudence, and putting stumbling-blocks in the way of thy holy Exercises. This and much more will befall thee if thou wilt heartily serve the Lord and make thy self pure from his hand.
120. Hold it for certain, that however good those Mortifications and External Penances be, which thou shalt undertake of thine own self, thou wilt never by those only purchase perfe∣ction: for although they tame the Body, yet they purifie not the Soul, nor purge the internal Passions, which do really hinder perfect Con∣templation and the Divine Union.
121. 'Tis very easie to mortifie the Body by means of the Spirit; but not the Spirit by means of the Body. True it is, that in Internal Mor∣tification, and that of the Spirit, it much con∣cerns you, for conquering your Passions and rooting up your own Judgment and Self-love, to labour even to death, without any manner of sparing your self, although the Soul be in the
highest state: and therefore the principal dili∣gence ought to be in Internal Mortification; because Corporal and External Mortification is not enough, though it be good and holy.
122. Though a man should receive the pu∣nishments of all men together, and do the roughest Penances that ever have been done in God's Church, yet if he do not deny himself and mortifie himself with interior mortification, he will be far from arriving at perfection.
123. A good proof of this truth is that which befel Saint Henry Suson, to whom, after 20 years of rigorous Hair-cloth, Discipline, and Absti∣nence fo great, that even to read 'em is enough to make ones hair stand on end, God com∣municated light by means of an Extasie, by which he arrived at the knowledge that he had not yet begun, and it was in such a man∣ner, as that, till the Lord mortified him with temptations and great persecutions, he never could arrive at perfection, (his Life, chap. 23.) Hence thou wilt clearly know the great diffe∣rence that there is between External and In∣ternal Penances, and Internal and External Mor∣tification.
124. WHen thou fallest into a fault, in what matter soever it be, do not trouble nor afflict thy self for it: for they are effects of our frail nature, stained by Original Sin; so prone to Evil, that it hath a necessity of a most special Grace and Priviledge, as the most holy Virgin had, to be free and exempt from Venial Sins. (Council of Trent, Sess. 6. Can. 23.)
125. If when thou fallest into a fault or a piece of neglect, thou dost disturb and chide thy self, 'tis a manifest sign, that secret pride doth still reign in thy Soul: didst thou believe, that thou could'st not more fall into faults and frailties? if God permits some failings even in the most holy and perfect men, it is to leave 'em some remnant of themselves of the time that they were beginners, to keep 'em more se∣cure and humble, it is that they may think al∣ways, that they are never departed from that state, whilst they still keep upon the faults of their beginnings.
126. What dost thou marvel at, if thou fal∣••est into some light fault or frailty? humble thy
self; know thy misery and thank God that he has preserved thee from infinite sins, into which thou must have infallibly fallen, and wouldst have fallen according to thy inclination and ap∣petite: What can be expected from the slippe∣ry ground of our nature, but stumps, bryers and thorns? 'tis a miracle of Divine Grace, not to fall every moment into faults innumerable. We should offend all the World, if God should not hold his hand continually over us.
127. The common enemy will make thee believe, that, as soon as thou fallest into any fault, thou dost not go well grounded in the way of the Spirit, that thou walkest in Error, that thou hast not in earnest reformed thy self, that thou didst not make well the general confession, that thou hast not true grief, and therefore art out of God and of his favour: and if thou shalt sometimes commit again, by misfortune, a ve∣nial fault, how many fears, frights, confusions, discouragements and various discourses will the Devil put into thy heart? he will represent to thee, that thou employest thy time in vain; that thou dost just as much as comes to nothing; that thy Prayer doth thee no good; that thou disposest not thy self, as thou oughtest, to re∣ceive the holy Sacrament; that thou dost not mortifie thy self, as thou promisest to God daily; that Prayer and Communion without Mortifi∣cation is meer vanity: herewith would he make thee distrust of the Divine Grace, telling thee of thy misery and making a gyant of it, and putting into thy head, that every day thy Soul
grows worse instead of better, whilest it so often repeats those failings.
128. O blessed Soul, open thine Eyes; suf∣fer not thy self to be carried away by the de∣ceitful and gilded tricks of Satan, who seeks thy ruine and cowardise with these lying and seeming reasons: Cut off these discourses and considerations, and shut the gate against these vain Thoughts and diabolical Suggestions; lay aside these vain fears, and remove this faint∣heartedness, knowing thy misery, and trusting in the Mercy Divine: and if to morrow thou dost fall again, as thou did'st to day, trust again the more in that supream, and more than infinite Goodness, so ready to forget our faults, and re∣ceive us into his Arms, as dear Children.
129. AT all times therefore thou oughtest, when thou seest thy self in fault, with∣out loosing time, or making Discourses upon the failing, to drive away vain Fear and Cowar∣dise, without disturbing or chiding thy self, but knowing thy fault with Humility, looking on thy misery, rowling thy self with a loving Confi∣dence on the Lord, going into his Presence, ask∣ing him Pardon heartily, and without noise of words; keep thy self reposed in doing this,
without discoursing whether he hath or hath not forgiven thee, returning to thy Exercises and Retirements, as if thou had'st not Sinned.
130. Would not he be a meer Fool, which running at Turneament with others, and falling in the best of the Carrier, should lie weeping on the Ground, and afflicting himself with discour∣ses upon his Fall? Man (they would tell him) loose no time, get up and take the Course again; for he that rises again quickly, and continues his Race, is as if he had never fallen.
131. If thou hast a desire to get to a high degree of Perfection and inward Peace, thou must use the Weapon of Confidence in the Di∣vine Goodness, night and day, and always when thou fallest. This humble and loving Conver∣sation, and total Confidence in the Mercy Di∣vine, thou must exercise in all faults, imperfecti∣ons, and failings that thou shalt commit, either by advertence or inadvertency.
132. And although thou often fallest, and seest thy Pusillanimity, and endeavour to get courage, and afflict not thy self; because what God doth not do in forty Years, he sometimes doth in an instant, with a particular Mystery, that we may live low and humble, and know that 'tis the Work of His powerful Hand, to free us from Sins.
133. God also is willing, of ineffable Wis∣dom, that, not onely by Vertues, but also by Vices and the Passions wherewith the Devil seeks, and pretends to strike us down to the bottom∣less Pit, we make a Ladder to scale Heaven
with. Ascendamus etiam per vitia & passiones nostras, says St. Austine (Serm. 3. de Ascens.) That we may not make Poison of Physick, and Vices of Vertues, by becoming vain by 'em; God would have us make Vertues of Vices, healing us by that very thing which would hurt us: So says S. Gregory, Quia ergo nos de me∣dicamento vulnus facimus, facit ille de vulnere me∣dicamentum, ut qui virtue percutimur, vitio cure∣mur, (Lib. 37. c. 9.)
134. By means of small failings, the Lord makes us know that his Majesty is that which frees us from great ones; and herewith he keeps us humbled and vigilant; of which our proud Nature hath most need: And therefore though thou oughtest to walk with great care, not to fall into any fault or imperfection, if thou seest thy self fallen once and a thousand times, thou oughtest to make use of the Remedy which I have given thee, that is, a loving Confidence in the Divine Mercy: These are the Weapons with which thou must fight and conquer Co∣wardise and vain Thoughts: this is the means thou oughtest to use, not to lose time, not to di∣sturb thy self, and reap good: this is the Treasure wherewith thou must enrich thy Soul: and last∣ly, hereby must thou get up the high Mountain of Perfection, Tranquility and internal Peace.
In Ezechiel, Hom. 12.
1 Timoth. 4.
Mat. 12.
2 Kings, c. 4.