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. III. The means of obtaining Peace Internal, is not the Delight of Sense nor Spiritual Consola∣tion, but the denying of Self-love.

12. IT is the saying of S. Bernard, That to serve God, is nothing else but to do Good and suffer Evil. He that would go to Perfection by the means of Sweetness and Con∣solation, is mistaken: You must desire no other Consolation from God, than to end your Life for his sake, in the state of true Obedience and Subjection. Christ our Lord's way was not that of Sweetness and Softness, nor did he in∣vite

us to any such, either by his Words or Ex∣ample, when he said, —He that will come af∣ter me, let him deny himself, and let him take up his cross and follow me, (St Matth. 24.26.) The Soul that would be United to Christ, must be conformable to him, following him in the way of suffering.

13. Thou wilt scarce begin to relish the sweetness of Divine Love in Prayer, but the E∣nemy with his deceitful Craftiness will be kindling in thy Heart defires of the Desert and Solitude, that thou mayest without any bodies hindrance spread the sails to continual & delight∣ful Prayer. Open thine eyes and consider that this Counsel and Desire is not conformable to the true Counsel of Christ our Lord, who has not invited us to follow the sweetness and comfort of our own Will, but the denying of our selves, saying, Abneget semetipsum: As if he should say, He that will follow me, and come unto Perfe∣ction, let him part with his own Will wholly, and leaving all things, let him intirely submit to the Yoke of Obedience and Subjection, by means of Self-denyal, which is the truest Cross.

14. There are many Souls dedicated to God, which receive from his Hand great Thoughts, Visions, and mental Elevations, and yet for all that, the Lord keeps from 'em, the Grace of working Miracles, understanding hidden Se∣crets, foretelling future Contingencies, as he communicates these things to other Souls which have constantly gone through Tribulations,

Temptations, and the true Cross, in the state of perfect Humility, Obedience and Subjecti∣on.

15. O what a great Happiness it is for a Soul to be subdued and subject! what great Riches is it to be Poor! what a mighty Honour to be despised! what a height is it to be beaten down! what a Comfort is it to be Afflicted! what a credit of knowledge is it to be reputed Igno∣rant! and finally, what a Happiness of Happi∣nesses is it to be Crucified with Christ! This is that lot which the Apostle gloried in, Nos autem gloriari oportet in cruce Domini nostri Jesu Christi.) (Gal. 6.14.) Let others boast in their Riches, Dignities, Delights and Honours; but to us there is no higher honour, than to be deni∣ed, despised and crucified with Christ.

16. But what a grief is this! that scarce is there one Soul which despises Spiritual Pleasures and is willing to be denied for Christ, imbracing his Cross with love, Multi sunt vocati; pauci vero electi, (Matt. 22.) says the Holy Ghost: many are they who are call'd to perfection, but few are they that arrive at it: because they are few who imbrace the Cross with patience, con∣stancy, peace and resignation.

17. To deny ones self in all things, to be sub∣ject to another's judgment, to mortifie conti∣nually all inward passions, to annihilate ones self in all respects, to follow always that which is contrary to ones own will, appetite and judg∣ment, are things that few can do: many are those that teach 'em, but few are they that pra∣ctise 'em.

18. Many Souls have undertaken, and daily do undertake, this Way; and they persevere all the while they keep the sweet relish of their primitive Fervour; but this sweetness and sen∣sible delight is scarce done, but presently, upon the overtaking of a Storm of Trouble, Tempta∣tion and Dryness (which are necessary things to help a man up the high Mountain of Perfecti∣on) they falter and turn back: a clear sign that they sought themselves, and not God or Perfecti∣on.

19. May it please God, that the Souls which have had light, and been called to an inward peace, and by not being constant in dryness and tribulation and temptation, have started back, may not be cast into outer darkness, with him that had not on him a wedding garment; although he was a servant, for not being disposed, giving himself up to self-love.

20. This Monster must be vanquished, this seven-headed beast of self-love must be behea∣ded, in order to get up to the top of the high mountain of peace. This Monster put his head every — where; sometimes it gets a∣mongst Relations, which strangely hinder with their conversation; to which nature easily let's it self be lead: sometimes it gets, with a good look of gratitude, into passionate affection, and without restraint, towards the Confessor; some∣times into affection to most subtle Spiritual vain∣glories and temporal ones, and niceties of honour; which things stick very close; sometimes it cleaves to spiritual pleasures, staying even in the

gifts of God, and in his graces freely bestowed: sometimes it desires exceedingly the preservati∣on of health, and with disguise, to be used well, and its own proper profit and conveniences; sometimes it would seem well, with very curious subtilties: and lastly, it cleaves with a notable propensity, to its own proper judgment and o∣pinion in all things; the roots of which are closely fixed in its own will: All these are ef∣fects of Self-love, and if they be not denied, im∣possible it is that a man should ever get up to the height of perfect Contemplation, to the high∣est, happiest of the loving Union, and the lofty Throne of Peace Internal.