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. XII. Inward Solitude is that which chiefly brings a Man to the purchase of Internal Peace.

119. KNow that although exteriour Solitude doth much assist for the obtaining in∣ternal Peace, yet the Lord did not mean this, when he spake by his Prophet, (Hos. 2.14.) I will bring her into solitude, and speak privately to her: But he meant the interiour Solitude, which joyntly conduces to the obtaining the precious jewel of Peace Internal. Internal So∣litude consists in the forgeting all the Creatures, in disengaging ones self from 'em, in a perfect nakedness of all the affections, desires, thoughts and ones own will. This is the true Solitude where the Soul reposes with a sweet and in∣ward serenity in the arms of its chiefest good.

120. O what infinite room is there in a Soul that is arrived at this Divine Solitude! O what inward, what retired, what secret, what spaci∣ous, what vast distances are there within a hap∣py Soul that is once come to be truly solitary! There the Lord converses and communicates himself inwardly with the Soul, there he fills it with himself, because it is empty; cloaths it with light, and with his love, because it is na∣ked; lifts it up, because 'tis low: and unites

it with himself, and transforms it, because it is alone.

121. O delightful Solitude, and Cifer of e∣ternal Blessings! O Mirrour, in which the eter∣nal Father is always beheld! There is great reason to call thee Solitude; for thou art so much alone, that there is scarce a Soul that looks after thee, that loves and knows thee. O Di∣vine Lord! how is it that Souls do not go from Earth to this Glory! How come they to lose so great a good, through the onely love and desire of created things! Blessed Soul, how happy wilt thou be, if thou do'st but leave all for God! seek him onely, breathe after none but him, let him onely have thy sighs. Desire nothing, and then nothing can trouble thee; and if thou do'st de∣sire any good, how spiritual soever it be, let it be in such a manner, that thou mayest not be disquieted, if thou missest it.

122. If, with this liberty, thou wilt give thy Soul to God, taken off from the World, free and alone, thou wilt be the happiest creature upon Earth; because the most High has his secret habitation in this holy Solitude; in this Desart and Paradise, is injoyed the conversation of God, and it is onely in this internal Retirement that that marvellous, powerful and divine Voice is heard.

123. If thou would'st enter into this Heaven of Earth, forget every care and every thought; get out of thy self, that the love of God may live in thy Soul.

124. Live as much as ever thou canst, ab∣stracted

from the Creatures; dedicate thy self wholly to thy Creatour, and offer thy self in Sacrifice with peace and quietness of Spirit: Know, that the more the Soul disrobes it self, the more way it makes into this interiour Soli∣tude, and becomes cloathed with God, and the more lonesome and empty of it self the Soul gets to be, the more the Divine Spirit fills it.

125. There is not a more bessed life than a solitary one; because in this happy life, God gives himself all to the creature, and the crea∣ture all to God by an intimate and sweet uni∣on of love. O how few are there that come to relish this true Solitude!

126. To make the Soul truely solitary, it ought to forget all the creatures, and even it self; otherwise it will never be able to make any near approach to God. Many men leave and forsake all things, but they do not leave their own liking, their own will, and themselves; and therefore these truly solitary ones are so few; wherefore if the Soul does not get off from its own appetite and desire, from its own will, from spiritual gifts, and from repose even in the Spirit it self, it never can arrive at this high felicity of internal Solitude.

127. Go on, blessed Soul! go on, without stop, towards this blessedness of internal Soli∣tude: See how God calls thee to enter into thy inward center, where he will renew thee, change thee, fill thee, cloath thee, and shew thee a new and heavenly Kingdom, full of joy, peace, con∣tent and serenity.