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I LIBRARY I
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MEDITATIONS
MYSTERIES OF OUR HOLY FAITH,
#
^o Wo IjOVII
L Jo
MEDITATIONS
ON THE
MYSTERIES OE OUR HOLY FAITH;
TOGETHER WITH
A TREATISE ON MENTAL PRAYER.
BY THE TEN. EATHEE LOUIS DE PONTE, S. J.
BEING THE
TRANSLATION FROM THE ORIGINAL SPANISH BY JOHN HEIGHAM. REVISED AND COHEECTED.
TO WHICH ARE ADDED
THE EEV. F. C. BORGO'S
MEDITATIONS ON THE SACEED HEAET.
TRANSLATED FEOM THE ITALIAN.
IN SIX VOLS.— VOL. I.
3Pinniig!gu ^uptviorum.
L O N DON :
EICHAEDSON ANP SON,
172, FlEET-STEEET ; 9, CArEL-STREET, DuBLlN ; AKD DeEBY.
MDCCCLII.
n""^ -4 1954
TO ins EMINENCE
ferMnnl i^kmEti, Slrrlitii3lin|i nf tS^dmiiisbr,
WHOSE SUPERIOR ENDOWMENTS OP MTND, AND ILLUSTRIOUS SERVICES IN THE CAUSE OP
THE CATHOLIC FAITH IN ENGLAND,
HAVE MERITED AND RECEIVED, AS WELL
FROM THE VICAR OP CHRIST THE HIGHEST TOKENS OF APPROVAL,
AS
FROM THE ENEMIES OF THE CHURCH THE BITTEREST EEVILINGS ;
WHO IS ALIKE AN EXAMPLE AND A PATRON
TO ALL WHO ENDEAVOUR, HOWEVER HUMBLY, TO PROMOTE
THE GLORY OF GOD, AND THE GOOD OF SOULS,
THE FOLLOWING WORK IS, BY PERMISSION,
RESPECTFULLY AND GRATEFULLY DEDICATED,
BY HIS eminence's
MOST OBEDIENT,
HUMBLE .SERVANTS,
THE EDITORS.
ADVERTISEMENT TO THE READER.
Of the ''Venerable" Author of the following work the reader will find a full and edifying account in the excellent " Life of F. Ludovico de Ponte," lately pub- lished by the Fathers of the Oratory ; of the work itself the subjoined extract, from the same life, is at once a glowing and a truthful testimony.
"It is in truth an immortal work, in which the reader scarcely knows which to admire most, either the extensive learning, or the order of arrangement, or the multiplicity and correctness of the reflections, or the unction with which the mysteries are unfolded : it cannot be read without feeling the will excited to devotion, or without a desire to profit by it. It passed through three editions, and was translated into several other languages within one year after its first appearance. In it he explains admirably the practice of prayer, at the same time furnishing ample materials for it. In it directors and confessors may find wherewith to instruct those committed to their charge. In it religious of every order may find
Vlll
celestial manna for the daily food of their devotion. In it, in fine, every person of every state may learn how to appreciate the eternal truths and the myste- ries of our holy faith ; and also how to live well, if they will frequently read and meditate upon them."
To this eulogium little else need now be added further, than that the "Meditations" of De Ponte constitute a most complete practical development of the science of mental prayer, framed on the model of the " Spiritual Exercises" of St. Ignatius.
The three *'ways" or "states" through which the soul advances, as sketched out in that admirable book, viz., the "Purgative," the "Illuminative," and the " Unitive," will be found to succeed each other in their due order, each one separately complete, and forming together a perfect and consecutive whole ; so that the exercitant, whether he seek to go through the entire course in regular succession, or only to apply himself to a particular part, will be able equally to attain his object.
How the Venerable Author has treated each medi- tation, and made it bear on the scope of the division to which it belongs, can be tested only by diligent practice. Certain it is, that he has brought to the work all the knowledge of a profound theologian, the experience of a consummate master of spirits, and the light and unction of a soul in close and habitual intercourse with God. Hence, whilst the points of
IX
the meditations are stored with sound reasoning and argument, the colloquies are so many out-pourings of the heart in prayer, always natural and impressive — not unfrequently suhlime. It may be added, that every expression of the soul, and every tone of the heart, so they be in earnest and rightly disposed, will not fail to find an echo in those deep and devout breathings.
Nor are the quotations from Scripture and the Fathers the least excellence of the work. They are scattered through the meditations, pointing and sanc- tioning the truths set forth, with a force, frequency, and appositeness which bespeak a rare amount of scriptural and patristic learning.
Those who, through God's grace, feel happily drawn to aspire to this " science of the saints," will find in the Introduction a course of instruction admirably adapted to initiate and lead them on. Nor will it be consulted without profit even by the more advanced.
As a proof of the estimation in which this work has ever been held, it may be observed that it passed through three editions within one year after its first appearance, and has gone through at least fourteen more subsequently.
The edition of which the present professes to be a reprint, is by John Heigham, who is mentioned by J3odd, in his history, as a gentleman chiefly residing abroad and occupying himself in translating works of
piety from the Spanish language into English ; and when we take into account that his translation was made upwards of two centuries ago, and under adverse circumstances, it is not surprising that it should require extensive revision. In revising it, however, it has heen the object of the editors to retain the general features of the original, which, though anti- quated in style, will not, it is presumed, be found ill-suited to matter of so serious and weighty moment. The corrections are chiefly those of spelling and punctuation, with occasional omission and alteration of words either obsolete or redundant, or not fully expressive of the author's meaning.
The references to the Fathers have been carefully noted in the text, and the scriptural quotations veri- fied and corrected. Moreover, pains have been taken to make the divisions of the meditations clear, by the use of a notation, according to which, the principal and subordinate members are distinguishable at first glance; while, to assist the memory, the sig- nificative words have been marked by the use of italics.
Although the editors have used their humble en- deavours in preparing the present reprint, they are far from considering it free from imperfections. These, however, it is hoped, will be no bar to the attainment of the one object they had in view; — that of supplying those souls which " hunger and thirst after justice," (1)
(1) Matt. V. 6.
XI
— now through God's mercy happily on the increase — with that mystical food which will " strengthen them in their journey to the mount of God," (1) and with those heavenly waters, of which whosoever drinketh, '' they shall become in him a fountain of water, springing up into life everlasting." (2)
(1) 3 Kings xix. 8. (2) John iv. 14.
CONTENTS OF THE SIX VOLUMES.
VOL. I. — (P ART I.)
Introduction. — On mental prayer. Meditations on the Mysteries of our holy Faith. I.— For Beginners in the Purgative Way.
Introduction.— On Purity, which is the end of the Purgative Way. Meditations.— 1, On Sins; 2, On the last Things of Man; 3, Others, with forms of prayer in order to the mortification of the vices ; 4, Preparatory to Confession and Communion.
VOL. II.~(P ART II.) II.— For Proficients in the Illuminative way.
Introduction. — On the perfect imitation of our Saviour Christ.
A.— Meditations on the Mysteries of the Incai-nation and Infancy of
our Lord Jesus Christ until His Baptism. Appendix, containing Fr. C. Borgo's "Meditations on the Sacred Heart."
VOL. III. — (P ART ill)
Introduction.— On the Active, Contemplative, and Mixed kinds of Life. B.— Meditations on the chief Mystei^fes of His life, teaching, and miracles, up to the end of His preaching.
VOL. IV. — (P ART IV.)
INTRODUCTION.— On Mental Prayer on the Passion of our Saviour Jesus Christ. C— Meditations on the Mysteries of the whole Passion.
VOL. V. — (part v.) III.— For the Perfect in the Unitive Way.
Introduction.— On Union with God the end of the Unitive Way. A.— Meditations on the Mysteries of His Resurrection, appearances, and Ascension, up to the Coming of the Holy Ghost and the pro- mulgation of the Gospel.
VOL. VI. — (P ART VL) Introduction.— On fervent affections of Love and Thanksgiving. B.— Meditations on the Mysteries of the Divinity, Trinity, attributes, and perfections of God ; and the benefits, natural and supernaUual flowin? from Him.
TABLE OF CONTENTS OF VOL. L
PAGE.
iNTaoDUCTiON. — On mental prayer, containing' a summary of the things
to be minded in the practice of it . . . . .13
CiiAi'TEii. I.— On the nature of mental prayer, showing what it is . 16
„ II.— On the manner to be observed in speaking- to God in
mental prayer . . . . . ,21
,, III. — On the virtues accompanying mental prayer, and their
excellences ...... 26
,, IV. — On the matter of mental prayer fit for meditation . 29
„ V. — On entrance into prayer ..... 34
„ VI. — On the manner of meditating and reasoning in prayer
and the means of resisting distractions that there
assail us . . . . . . .39
„ VII,— On the manner of aiding ourselves with the imagination
and the tongue, and the rest of the faculties for
mental prayer ..... 44
„ VIII.— On the examination of prayer, and the fruits to be
drawn from thence ..... 47
„ IX. — On the several forms of praying on different matters
accommodated to different persons and times . 49
„ X. — On contemplation, and on the manner to be used by
some in mental prayer without variety of reasoning . 53 „ XI. — On the extraordinary form of mental prayer, and tiic
divers manners in which God communicates Himself
in it . . , . . . . 57
., XII. — On the ordinary and extraordinary time to be employed
in mental prayer, and on ejaculatory prayers . 66
„ XIII. — Certain directions concerning the meditations ensuing Ti
PART 1. — Meditations on sins and on the last ends of man Introduction. — On purity of soul, which is the end of the meditations
of the Purgative Way ...... 77
Fundamental Meditation I.— On the end for which man and all
things that serve him were created .... 80
1.— On sin. Meditation If. — On the grievonsness of sin, by the examples of the sin of the angels, of Adam, and of some others in particular ...... 89
Point 4. — On the greatness of our sins, understood by the pains
that Christ our Lord suffered for them ... 98
Meditation III. — On the multitude of sins, and on the grievonsness of them by reason of their multitude and re- pugnance to reason ..... 100
„ IV. — On the grievonsness of sin understood by the base-
ness of man that offends God, and by the nothing that he has of his own . . . . 104
„ v.— On the grievonsness of sin understood by the
greatness of Almighty God's infinite Majesty, against wliom they are committed . . 108
II VI,— On the grievousness of sin, by comparing it with
the temporal and eternal i>ains with which it is chastised . . . . . UG
XX CONTENTS OF VOL. I.
2.— Meditations on the last things of man to move us to a detes- tation of sins ....... 124
Meditation VII.— On the pro jierties of death ... 125
„ VIII. — On those things that cause anguish and affliction
to a man on the approach of death . • 131
„ IX. — On the particular judgment made of the soul in
the instant of death .... 139
„ X. — On that which happens to the body after death,
and on the grave ..... 153 „ XI. — On the remembrance of death, and on the dust
into Avhich we shall be converted in the grave 161
„ XII. — On the deceit and great dangers occasioned by the
forge tfulness of death, and their remedy . 167
,, XIII. — On the general judgment, and the signs preceding
that day ...... 174
„ XIV. — On the resurrection of the dead, and the coming
of the Judge, and His proceedings before giving
the sentence ..... 182
,, XV. — On the sentences in favour of the good and against
the wicked, and their execution . . . 196
„ XVI. -On hell, as to the eternity of the pains and the
horror of the place, and on its inhabitants and
the tormentors . . . . . 211
„ XVII.— On the pains of the senses and interior faculties,
and on the pain of loss or damnation which is
suffered in hell . . . . .220
3. — Meditations, with foi-ms of prayer, to obtain purity of soul and
perfect mortification of its vices and passions . . 228
Meditation XVin. — On piide and vain glory . . . 230
,, XIX. — On gluttony and temperance . . . 237
„ XX,— On luxury and chastity .... 243
XXI.— On avarice 252
„ XXII. — On anger and impatience .... 258
XXIIl.— Onenvy 263
XXIV.— On sloth 269
„ XXV.— On the Ten Commandments of the divine law 274
,, XXVI. — On the five senses and exterior faculties . 289
„ XXVII.— On the interior faculties of the soul . . 295
„ XXVIII.— On the form of prayer by making every night an
examination of conscience . . . 303
„ XXIX.— On another form of prayer by making three times
a day a jjarticular examination of some one
vice in order to uproot it . . . 309
4.— Meditations in preparation for Confession and Communion . 315
Meditation XXX.— On the excellences of the Holy Sacrament of
Confession, on the virtues exercised in it, and
on the graces that are received . . 316
„ XXXI.— On preparation to receive the Holy Sacrament
of Penance ..... 323
XXXII.— On thanksgiving after Confession . . 331
„ XXXIII.— Meditation on the most blessed Sacrament of
the Altar before Communion . . . 336
„ XXXIV.— A spiritual communion, or a disposition for
Sacramental Communion, and for hearing
Mass profitably .... 344
„ XXXV.— On thanksgiving after Communion . . 349
„ XXXVI.— On Purgatory, to encourage us to works of
penance .,...■ 355
INDEX
MEDITATIONS UPON THE GOSPELS OF THE SUNDAYS AND FEAST-DAYS,
According to the me of the Church, applicahle for Preachers,
Part M. Pt.
Is^ Sundaij of Advent. There shall be signs in the Sun. Luke xxi. 25, &c. ... 1 13
Zrd Sunday of Advent.
The Jews sent. John i.
19. &c 3 2
ith Sunday of Advent. Now in the fifteenth year.
Lukeiii. 1 3 12
Prepare ye the way. Luke
iii. 6 2 15 3
Christmas Eve. When Mary, the mother of Jesus, was espoused. Matt, i. 18 2 14
Christmas Day. And it came to pass that in those days there went out a
decree. Lukeii. 1 2 16
The Shepherds said. Luke
ii. 15 2 19 1
And the Word was made fleshr 2 1 1,2 Johni. 14 V 8 9
St. Steph&)i. Stephen, full of grace. Acts vi. 8 5 28
St. John Evangelist.
Jesus said to Peter, Follow
me. John xxi. 19 5 13 3
The Holy Lmocents. An angel of the Lord. Matt, ii. 13 2 28
Sunday within the Octave of Christmas-day. Joseph, and Mary the mother of Jesus, were wondering. Lukeii. 33 2 25 2,3
The Circumcision. After eight days Avere ac- complished. Luke ii. 21. ... 2 20
Eve of the Epiphany. But when Herod was dead. Matt. ii. la 2 28 3
The Epiphany. Where Jesus was born. Matt. ii. 1 8 22
Part M. Pt. Sunday ivithin the Octave of the Epiphany. When Jesus was twelve years old. Luke ii. 42 2 29 2
Octave of the Epiphayiy.
I saw the Spirit coming down.
Johni. 19 3 3 3
ind Sunday after the Epiphany.
There was a marriage. John
ii. 1 3 9
'Ird Sunday after the Epiphany. And behold, a leper. Matt. viii.2 3 33
ith Sunday after the Epiphany. When Jesus entered into a boat. Matt. viii. 23. ... 3 18
Wi Sunday after the Epiphany. On the cockle. Matt.xiii. 24. 3 45
6th Sunday after the Epiphany. On the grain of mustard- seed. Matt. xiii. 31. ... 3 46
Septuagesima Sunday. The kingdom of heaven is like to a householder. Matt. XX. 1 3 54
Sexagesima Sunday. A sower went out to sow. Luke viii. 4 3 44
Qainquagesima Sunday. Behold, we go up to Jeru- salem. Luke xviii. 31. ... 4 3 A certain blind man. Luke xviii. 35 3 35
Ash Wednesday.
On Fasting 3 4,5
Lay not up for yourselves.
Matt. vi. 19 6 51
Remember, O man, that thou
art dust. Gen. iii. 19. ... 1 11
Thursday before \st Sunday of Lent. There came to him a centu- rion. Matt. viii. 5 3 10
XVI
INDEX.
Part. M.Pt. Friday bef. IstSund. of Lent. Be you therefore perfect.
Matt. V. 48 3 13 3
On the love of enemies. 4 45
Saturday hef. \st Sund. of Lent. When it Avas late, the ship was. Mark vi. 47 3 19 2
1st Sunday in Lent. Jesus was led. Matt. iv. 1. 3 4,5
Monday of \st week in Lent. When the Son of Man. Matt. XXV. 31 1 15
Tuesday of 1st week in Lent. When He was come into Je- rusalem. Matt. xxi. 10, ... 3 10 1
Wednesday {Ember). For as Jonas. Matt. xii. 40. 3 10 2
Thursday {Ember). On the Cananean. Matt. XV. 21 3 29
Friday {Etnber). Tliere was a festival of the Jews. John V. 1 3 33
Sattirday {Ember). Jesus taketh unto him Peter. Matt. xvii. 1 3 21
2nd Sunday in Lent. q / 21
Same ''\22
fFednesday of 2nd iveek in Lent. Behold we go;up. Matt. xx. 17 4 2 2 Then came to Him the mother of the sons of Zebedee. Matt. xx. 20 ...3 13
Thursday of 2nd tceek in Lent. There was a ceitain rich man. Luke xvi. 19 3 24
Friday of 2nd week in Lent. On the Vineyard. Matt. xxi. 33 3 55
Saturday of 2nd iceek in Lent. On the Prodigal Son. Luke XV. 11 3 49
2rd Sunday in Lent.
Jesus was casting out a devil. Luke xi. 14 3 37
Friday of 3rd week in Lent. Jesus came to a city of Sa- maria. John iv. 5 3 26
Saturday of 3rd week in Lent. And the Scribes and Phari- sees bring unto Him a woman. John viii. 3 3 27
4ih Sunday in Lent.
Jesus went over the sea of Galilee. John vi. 1. ... 3 17
Monday ofith week in Lent. He found in the Temple them that sold oxen. John ii. 14. 3 10
fFednesday of iih week in Lent. On the man born blind. Johnix. 1 3 36
Part. M. Pt.
Thursday of ^th week in Lent. Jesus went into a city. Lukevii. 11 3 40
Friday of ^th week in Lent. On the raising of Lazarus. Johnxi. 1 3 41
Passion Sunday.
On the memory of it. ... 4begin.
On the end of meditating on it 4 intro. Abraham, your father, re- joiced. John viii. 56. ... 4 „
Thursday after Passion Sunday. One of the Pharisees desired Him to eat. Luke vii. 36... 3 25
Friday after Passion Sunday. The Chief Priests and the Pharisees therefore. John xi. 47 3 42
Palm Sunday. And when they drew nigh. Matt. xxi. 1 4 3
Monday in Holy JFeek. Now Jesus, six days before the Pasch. John xii. 1. ...4 5
Maundy Thursday.
Before the festival day of the Pasch. John xiii. 1. ... 4 8
Good Friday. History of the Passion. ... 4 thrght
Easter Sunday. On the resurrection of our Lord, &c 5 2,3
Easter Monday. Two of the disciples. Luke xxiv. 13 ... 5 7
Easter Tuesday.
Jesus stood in the midst. Luke xxiv. 36 5 8
Wednesday in Easter week. Jesus showed Himself again. John xxi. 1 5 12
Thursday in Easter week. Mary stood. John xx. 11. ... 5 4
Friday in Easter week.
The eleven disciples. Matt, xxviii. 16 5 14
Saturday in Easier tceek. The first day of the week. John XX. 1 5 6
Lo^o Sunday. Whenitwaslate. Johnxx.19. 5 8
2nd Sunday after Easter. When therefore they had dined. John xxi. 15. ... 5 13 On the man seeking the lost sheep 3 48
3rd Sunday after Easter. A little while. John xvi. 16. 5 16 3 A woman, when she is in labour. John xvi. 21. . . 4 18 4
Wi Sunday after Easter.
I go to Him that sent me. ) 5 17 John xvi. 5. ... ... | 5 22 2
INDEX.
xvu
Part. M. Pt.
Wi Sunday after Easter.
If you ask the Father any- ) 4 18 3 thing. John xvi. 23. ... ) 6 33 Rogation days — Monday. Which of you shaU have a > 4 18 3 friend 1 Luke xi. 5. ... i 6 .33 Eve of the Ascension.
Jesus, lifting- up His eyes.
John xvii. 1 ' ... 4 19
Ascension Day.
On the Ascension of our ) 5 1 8sq Lord. xMarkxvi. 14 ... j 5 14 Sunday ivithin the Octave of the Ascension. When the Paraclete cometh.
John XV. 26 5 22
Whit Sunday. When the days of Pentecost were accomplished. Actsii. 1. 5 23 Trinity Sunday. All power is given to me.
Matt, xxviii. 18 5 14 2
Corpus Christi. This is my body. 1st Cor. ./ll to
xi.24, &c *\15
On the Holy Sacrament of
the Altar 6 39,40
Sacred Heart of Jesus. ( Trans- , .
iated from F. C. Borgo, ^'^-PP^n- S. J. ' ^^^• i. On the ends for which the B. Sacrament was insti- tuted 1
ii. The Sacred Heart of Jesus lives in the B. Sacrament a life of Happiness. ... 2
iii. — a life of Grace 3
iv. — a life of Sacrifice. ... 4 V. — a life of Humiliation. ... 5 vi. — a life of Love. ... ... 6
vii. — an active life 7
viii. — a hidden life 8
ix.— a glorious life. ... ... 9
X.— a life of entire Surrender. 10 xi. OnthePriceof the Sacred
Heart 11
xii. On tlie excess of the love of the Sacred Heart, and our ingratitude 12
ist Sunday after Pentecost. Part M. Pt. Be ye merciful. Luke vi. 36. 6 12,13
2nd Sunday after Pentecost. A certain man made a great supper. Luke xiv. 16. ... 3 56
'^rd Sunday after Pentecost. On the lost sheep. Luke XV. 1 3 48
ith Sunday after Pentecost. Leaving all things, they fol- lowed Him. Luke v. 11. ... 3 6 4
Part. M.Pt.
bth Sunday after Pe7tteeost. Whosoever is angry. Matt, v. 22 1 22
Qth Sunday after Pentecost. I have compassion on the multitude. Mark viii. 1. ... 3 17
%th Sunday after Pentecost. On the unjust Steward. Luke xvi. 1 3 52
^th Sunday after Pentecost. Seeing the city. Lukexix41. 4 4
\(yth Sunday after Pentecost. Two men went up, Luke xviii.9 3 53
Wth Sunday after Pentecost. And they bring to Him. Mark vii. 32 3 37
12^/j Sunday after Pentecost. A certain man went down.
Luke X. 30 3 50
Thou Shalt love the Lord thy God. Lukex. 27 6 11
\'6th Sunday after Pentecost. There met him him ten men that were lepers. Luke xvii. 12 3 34
\Uh Su?iday after Pentecost. Be not solicitous. Matt. [31 vi. 31.... 6132
1 5th Sunday after Pentecost. Jesus went into a city called Nairn. Luke vii. 11. ...3 40
nth Sunday after Pentecost. Thou shaltlove the Lord thy God. Matt. xxii. 37. ... 6 11
IQth Sunday after Pentecost. The kingdom of heaven is likened to a king who made a marriage for his son. Matt. xxii. 1 3 56
20th Sunday after Pentecost. Unless ye see signs and wonders. John iv. 48. ... j 39 2lst Sunday after Pentecost. On the servant who owed ten thousand talents. Matt.
xviii. 23 3 51
22nd Sunday after Pentecost. Whose image and super- scription is this? Matt.
xxii. 20 6 25 3
23/'^ Sunday after Pentecost. Behold, a certainruler. Matt.
ix. 18 3 39
1 And behold, a woman who
was troubled. Matt. ix. 20. 3 31 2'ith Sunday after Pentecost. I On the universal judgment. i Matt. xxiv. 15 1 13
'di3J
XVlll
INDEX.
OX THE FEASTS Part. M.Pt.
St. Andrew. Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren. Matt. iv. 18 3 6
Conception of the B. V. Mary. On the Immaculate Concep- tion of the B.V. Mary. ...2 3
Expectation of the B.V. Mary's Delivery. The angel Gabriel was sent. Luke i. 26 2 6
St. T'homas Apostle.
Now Thomas, one of the twelve. John XX. 24. ... 5 10
Conversion of St. Faul. Saul, breathing out threaten- |29 ings. Acts ix. 1 5 \30
Purification of the B. V. Mary. After the days of the purifi- j
cation of Mary. Luke ii. 22. 2 24
St. Matthias. Peter, rising up. Acts 1. 15. 6 21
St. Joseph.
When Mary the Mother of 1
Jesus was espoused. Matt.
i. 18 2 14 j
Annunciation of the B.V. j
Mary. The angel Gabriel was sent. I
Luke i.26 2 6 |
On the incarnation of our \
Lord 2 1
St. Mark.
The Lord appointed other seventy-two. Luke x. 1. ... 3 15
.S'S". Philip and James. ... 4 18 4
Nativity of St. John the Bap- ( 2 13 tist I 3 1
Vigil of SS. Peter and Paul. Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me ? John xxi. 15 ... 5 13
SS. Peter and Paul.
Whom do men say that the Son of Man is? Matt.xvi.l3. 3 20
Commemoration of St. Paul. On the life of St. Paul. ... 5 31
OF THE SAINTS.
Part.M. Pt.
Visitation of the B.V. Mary. Marj', rising up in those fll days. Luke i. 39 2(12
Octave of SS. Peter and Paul. Jesus obliged his disciples to go up into the boat. Matt, xiv. 22. ... 3 9
St. Mary Magdalen. One of the Pharisees desired Jesus. Luke vii. 36. ... 3 25
St. James. Then came to Him the mother of the sons of Ze- bedee. Matt. xx. 20. ... 3 23
Transfiguration of our Lord. Jesus taketh unto HimPeter, and James, and John. Matt. xvii. 1 3 21
Assumption of the B. V. Mary. Jesus entered into a certain
town. Luke X. 38 3intrd.
On the History of the As- |34,35 sumption .^l&seq
St. Bartholomew.
Jesus went out into a(3in.c.8 mountain. Luke vi. 12 ...(3 6
Decollation of St. J. Baptist. Herod sent and apprehended John. Mark vi. 17 3 16
Nativity of the B. V. Mary. On the Nativity of the B. V. Mary 2 4
St. Mattheiv Ap. and Ev.
Jesus saw. Matt. ix. 9 ... 3 6
Dedication of St. Michael. Their angels in heaven al- [34 ways see. Matt, xviii. 10 .. 6150
SS. Simon and Jude.
These things I command
you. John xv. 17 4 18 2
Feast of All Saints. Jesus seeing the multitude. Matt. V. 1 3 11
Commemoration of the Faith'
ful Departed 1 36
Presentation of the B.V.Mary 2 4 2
ON THE
Dedication of a Church. Jesus enteringin. Lu.xix. 1. 3
Common oj an Apostle. This is my commandment.
John XV. 12 4
Behold, we have left all things. Matt. xix. 27.
Of Evangelists. The Lord apptd. also. Lu. x. 1. 3
Of one Martyr. If anv man will come after
me. "Matt. xvi. 24 3
If any man come to me. Luke xiv. 26 3
Of many Martyrs. Jesus, descending from the mountain. Luke vi. 17. ...3
18 2 6 48 3
COMMON OF SAINTS.
Of Bishops. A man going into a far coun- try. Matt. XXV. 14 3.58
Of Doctors. You are the salt of the earth. Matt. V. 13 3 12
Of Confessors. A certain nobleman went into a far countrv. Luke xix. 12. ... * 3 58
Of Virgins. The kingdom of heaven shall be like to ten virgins.
Matt XXV. 1 3 57
j The 1 ingdom of heaven is like to a merchant seeking 1 1 I good pearls. Matt. xiii. 45. 3 47
15
11
THE
INTKODUCTION TO THE MEDITATIONS,
CONTAINING
A SUMMARY OF THE THINGS TO BE MINDED
IN THE
PRACTICE OF MENTAL PRAYER.
So high and sovereign is the exercise of mental prayer, in which we meditate upon the mysteries of our holy faith, and converse familiarly with Almighty God, that the prin- cipal master of it can be no other but the Holy Ghost Himself, who, as St. John says, (1) is the unction from whom we receive all things ; by whose inspiration the holy Fathers learned it, and left us in writing many counsels, and documents of much importance, how to exercise it with profit, following the motion of that principal master whom they followed; in imitation of whom, availing myself of their doctrine and experience, I will here make a summary of the principal things which mental prayer comprehends, which shall be brief, clear, and distinct, that all may understand it, and re- duce it to practice ; referring, wherever I shall be found too brief, to that which other doctors have written more at large.
Nevertheless, for the manifestation of the truth, and autho- rity of what I am to say, as well in this summary as in the meditations of this book, I will allege in the margin the (1) 1 Joan ii. 27.
14 THE INTRODUCTION
sources whence I have drawn the same, which are three, i. The first is the sacred Scripture, the principal fountain of this opiritual science, in which is contained life everlast- ing, (2) and the most excellent means of attaining a foretaste of it in this life, and full possession of it in the life to come, ii. The second fountain is, the holy Fathers, who were the masters of mystical divinity, amongst whom I shall make choice of the most ancient and most illuminated in it by Almighty God — such as were SS. Dionysius, Basil, Augustine, Chry- sostom, Oassian, Gregory, Bernard, and such others; and with them I will likewise take for my guide our father and founder blessed Ignatius of glorious memory, following the order and form which he left us in his book which he made of Spiritual Exercises, the authority of which is very great, as well because we believe, (and not without great foundation,) that he wrote it by special revelation and in- spiration of Almighty God, as the Holy Spirit interiorly dictated to him, and taught him these exercises ; as also be- cause it was approved by Pope Paul III. in a bull granted the year 1548, which is in the beginning of the said book, whose approbation experience has confirmed by the marvellous effects which our Lord God has wrought and daily works in those who exercise his meditations; as is largely prosecuted by Father Pedro de Eibadeneyra in the history (3) which he wrote of the life of this excellent man. I will here add only concerning the said book, that the kingdom of heaven, which is comprehended in the doc- trine it lays down, is (as is also the divine Scripture (4) whence he extracted it) like a grain of mustard-seed, which being the least of all seeds, grows up to such greatness that it becomes as it were a tree, upon whose branches the fowls of the air repose: for if we behold but the outside and appearance of this book, it is little, and brief, and written (2) Joan V. 39. (3) Lib. i. c. 8. (4) Matt. liii. 32.
ON MENTAL PRAYER. 15
in a plain and simple style ; but if we regard what it con- tains within, it is effectual in virtue, ardent in affections, lofty in sense, large in discourse, and ample in the several manners of prayer and contemplation ; insomuch that upon the branches of it they may find rest and spiritual food who, like the fowls of the air, soar aloft in contemplation, having (as St. Paul says) their conversation and interest in heaven. (5) And this will be clearly made manifest by that which we shall point at in this brief introduction, and shall more amply discourse of in the six parts of this book; which are, as it were, six branches of the tree of these sove- reign exercises, whose shadow (6) will be the refuge of such as are tempted and afflicted — its leaves (7) will be the health of such as are soul-sick — its odoriferous flowers (8) will com- fort such as are young beginners in virtue — its sweet fruits will fortify such as are proficients and go forward in it — and whose round cup will be the resting-place of such as are perfect. For all will find meditations and forms of praying accommodated to their states, as soon after will be seen.
iii. And that it may appear how the piety and sovereignty of mystical theology is founded upon the rigorous verity of scholastic divinity, the third source of what I shall say will be the school-doctors, of whom I will only allege the angelical doctor St. Thomas, for that he alone is fully avail- able for ten thousand witnesses ; whose doctrine is sound, secure, and well approved ; and with the verities of scholas- tic divinity he points at the profoundest conceptions and highest sense of mystical theology ; for both of them are sisters, and in both of them this glorious doctor is surpassingly excellent, as was his master St. Augustine, and his companion St. Bonaventure, of whose doctrine I shall likewise make use. And since, notwithstanding I have had so good guides, yet as a man I may err in what I shall write, my
(5) rhil. iii. 20. (6) Cant. ii. 3. (7) Apoc. xxii. 2. (8) Cant. ii. 6.
b2
16
THE INTRODUCTION
will is that all shall be entirely subject to the correction of our holy mother the Catholic Church, which is the foun- dation and pillar of truth, from which whenever, either through ignorance or negligence, I shall depart, I forthwith revoke whatsoever I have said.
Chap. I. On thb nature of mental prayer, showing
WHAT IT IS.
Mental prayer (of which w^e here treat) is a work of the three interior faculties of the soul, memory, understanding, and will, exercising, by God's assistance, their acts about those mysteries and truths which our holy Catholic faith teaches ; and speaking within ourselves to God our Lord, conversing familiarly with Him, begging of Him His gifts, and negotiating all whatsoever is necessary for our salvation and perfection : insomuch that the substance of mental prayer consists principally in these four things. (1)
1. The first is, with the memory to be mindful of God our Lord, with whom we are to speak, and to negotiate ; and to be mindful also of the mystery that is to be medita- ted, passing briefly through the memory, with clearness and distinction, that which is to be the matter of the meditation, as it is taught by faith, and as it is divided into several points in the form that we shall hereafter explain. And that this memory or recordation be not dry, it is good to join to it the acts of faith, believing with the greatest live- liness that we can the verities of that mystery, because God, who is all truth, has revealed them, making of faith a ladder to mount up to perfect knowledge, seeing that (as Isaias says) " unless you believe, you shall not understand." (2)
2. The second thing is, with the understanding to make several reasonings and considerations about that mystery,
(1) S. P. Ignatio in 1 exercitio primee hebdoraadse. S. Tho. 2,3, q. Ixxxiii., art. 1, et q. clxxx., art. 1, 3 et 4, et 3, p. q. 31.
(2) Cap. vii. juxta Septuag. S. Jer. ibid.
ON MENTAL PRAYER. i /
inquiring and searching out the verities comprehended in it, with all the causes, properties, effects, and circumstances that it has, considering them very particularly, in such a manner that the understanding may form a true, proper, and entire conception of the thing that it meditates, and may remain convinced, and persuaded to receive, and to embrace those truths that it has meditated, to propound them to the will, and to move it thereby to exercise its actions.
3. The third is, with the freedom of our will to draw forth various affections or virtuous acts, conformable to that which the understanding has meditated — some with regard to oneself — others with regard to God our Lord; as are hatred of ourselves, sorrow for our sins, confusion for our own misery, love of God, trust in His mercy, praises of God, thanksgiving for benefits received, desire to obtain true vir- tues, effectual purposes to do good works and to change and amend our life ; resignation of ourselves to the will of God offering to do and to suffer whatsoever God shall ordain and dispose, and such other like ; which we call affections, because they are to be done with the affection and liking of the will, moved by what the understanding has demonstrated to it: and in these consist that which w^e call substantial devotion, from which arises the spiritual peace and alacrity of the soul. And for the sake of them (as says St. Thomas) is meditation and contemplation principally ordained, and those other acts of the understand- ing which are exercised in mental prayer ; for which cause St. John Damascene (3) says of it, that it is " ascensus men- tis in Deum," " an ascending of our spirit to God," joining with Him by actual knowledge and love.
4. The fourth thing is, to make petitions to God our Lord, entertaining speech and conference with Him, by way of asking of Him what the will has desired and the under-
(3) S. Tho. 2, 2, q. Ixxxii., art. 3, et q. clxxx., ars. 7, ad 1, Lib. 3, de fide orthodoxa, c. 24.
18 THE INTRODUCTION
standing has speculated, and whatsoever else that we have need of; in which consists that which we properly call prayer, which is an humble, confident and fervent petition of such things as are convenient for us, and which we desire to obtain of Almighty God.
These petitions and colloquies are to be directed some- times to the Eternal Father, at other times to His only-be- gotten Son Christ Jesus, and at other times to the whole most Blessed Trinity, alleging to them titles and reasons that may move them to grant us what we demand.
i. These titles may be taken from three parts — (4) some from the part of God, as He is God, as for instance, asking Him something for His goodness for the love that He bears us ; for the desire He has of our good, for that He com- mands us to ask Him ; for the glory of His holy name, that He may be praised by all His creatures ; and finally, there may be made as it were a litany of His perfections and at- tributes, saying unto Him, " Grant me, 0 Lord, what I re- quire of Thee, for Thine own sake," "for Thy charity," "for Thy mercy," "for Thy liberality," "for Thy wisdom," "for Thine omnipotence," "for Thine immensity," "for Thine eternity," &c.
ii. Other titles there are on the part of Christ Jesus our Lord, true God and man, as, for instance, by His incarna- tion and nativity ; by His circumcision and presentation in the Temple ; by His flying into Egypt ; by His fastings ; His hunger, cold, and nakedness, and by all the labour and travel of His preaching ; again, by the dolours, ignominies, and torments of His passion and death ; alleging His sweat- ing of blood, His imprisonment. His scourging, thorns, nails, gall, vinegar, with the rest ; sometimes speaking to the Eter- nal Father, beseeching Him to hear me for the love of His Son, for the services He did Him, and the pains that for His love (4) S. Th. 2, 2, q. Ixxxiii., art. 17.
ON MENTAL PRAYER. 19
He endured ; at other times speaking to the Son of God, alleging unto Him the love that He bore us, the office that He holds of our Redeemer and Advocate, and the great price that we cost Him ; at other times speaking to the Holy Ghost begging of Him the like, for the love that He bears to Christ Jesus our Lord, and for His merits. And here like- wise we may make another litany of th,e virtues of our Redeemer, alleging His humility of heart. His poverty of spirit, His meekness. His obedience. His patience. His mercy, and His charity, with all the rest.
iii. Other titles there are on the part of our necessity and misery, alleging before our Lord, like David, that we were conceived in sin, (5) that we have disordered passions, strong enemies, very great occasions and dangers, and that with- out Him we are able to do nothing ; that we are His creatures . made according to His own image (6) and likeness, and that for this cause the Devil persecutes us to destroy us, and that therefore it appertains to Him to protect us. And in con- clusion we may make another catalogue of our own sins and miseries, counting them before God, and exaggerating them very much with sorrow of heart; for the more we shall exaggerate them the more we excite God's mercy to remedy them.
Beside this, those men that are perfect may in some case allege with humility their fore-passed services in imitation of Holy King Ezechias, who asked of God the prolongation of his life, alleging to Him that he had "walked before" Him " with a perfect heart." (7) And the like did Christ our Lord, when, after the sermon of the Supper, he prayed to his Father, (8) as will be seen in its proper place.
These three kinds of titles may be mingled one with another, after the form that David said : " For thy name's sake, O Lord, thou wilt pardon my sin, for it is great." (9) (5) Psal. 1. 7. (6) Psal. cxviii. 73. (7) 4 Reg. xx. 3.
(8) Joan xvii. 4. (9) Psal. xxiv. 11.
20 THE INTRODUCTION
These and other such-like reasons may be alleged in prayer, rather to move our own heart to ask with fervour, devotion and confidence, than to move God to hear us. For our Lord much more desires to hear us, and to give us the good spirit that we ask, than we to receive it, seeing (as St. Augustine says) (10) " God would not have commanded us to ask of Him, if He had not a will and a desire to give us what we ask ;" and asking of Him in the manner aforesaid, we fulfil all that which the Apostle commands us when he says that our petitions should present themselves before God, not alone, but accompanied with three marvellous actions, (11) that is to say — with "prayer," which may raise our spirit and the affections thereof to the presence of God — with "supplication" which may allege reasons for being heard — and with " thanksgiving" for benefits received, which may dispose us to receive those which we ask afresh.
These are the principal things which mental prayer comprehends, whose order St. Augustine declares, saying, " Meditatio parit scientiam, scientia compunctionem, com- punctio devotionem, devotio perficit orationem." (1 2) " Fre- quent meditation engenders science and knowledge of a man's self and of God ;" knowledge engenders affections of compunction for our sins and miseries ; compunction awakens affections of devotion towards God for His greatness and mercies ; and devotion perfects prayer, making our spirit to join itself lovingly to Almighty God, and to ask of Him things decent and fitting, and in such manner as is convenient.
It remains that we explain and declare the manner how every one of these things is to be done, beginning with that which is most proper and essential to prayer.
(10) Lib. de Verbis Domini, et Serraone v. 29. (11) Philip, iv. 6. 1 Tim. ii. 1. S. Tho. 2, 2, q. Ixxxiii., art. 17. (12) Lib. de Spiritu et Anima, cap. 70, qui ei tribuitur.
ON MENTAL PRAYER. 21
Chap. II. On the manner of speaking to God in mental
PRAYER.
By what has been said, it appears that the essence or nature of mental prayer properly consists in speaking within ourselves to God our Lord, for two principal ends.
1. The first is, to praise Him and bless Him for what He is ; and to give Him thanks for the benefits and rewards He bestows upon us, exercising that sovereign manner of prayer which St. Paul counsels us, saying, " Be ye filled with the Holy Spirit, speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns, and spiritual canticles, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, giving thanks always for all things, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, to God and the Father by him." (1) In which words the holy Apostle points at four divine affections, with which we may speak in our hearts to God our Lord for the end aforesaid, that is to say, psalms, hymns, spiritual canticles, and thanksgiving.
i. Interior '^ psalms" are acts of the love of God, with effectual desires and determinations to serve and obey Him, in which we offer ourselves to keep most perfectly His com- mandments and counsels. This is that music which David calls the "psaltery" "of ten strings:" (2) for as he that plays on the psaltery, or harp, handles all its ten strings at one time, at other times some of them, and sometimes all of them together, so in prayer making this music to God, we are to have fervent desires to exercise the virtues of obedience, humility, patience, and the rest, now one, then another, and sometimes all together; as likewise stedfast pur- pose to keep God's commandments and His counsels, laying hand now upon one, then upon another, and sometimes upon all together.
(1) Eph. V. 19. Coloss. iii. 16. S. Th. Lectio 7 in Ephes. v. (2) Ps. xxxii. 2.
b3
•22 THE INTRODUCTIOS'
ii. " Hymns'^ are affections of the praises of God, reckon- ing up all the excellences and perfections that He has, and the works that He has done, for which He is worthy to be praised and glorified of all creatures. Sometimes I may say with the Seraphim, " Holy, holy, holy Lord God of hosts !" (3) or instead of this word "holy " I may put in other like words, saying, "Good," "merciful," "just," "wise" and "powerful" — " art Thou, my Lord, and most worthy to have Thy sanctity and Thy greatness preached by the Seraphim." Sometimes, with the elders in the Apocalypse, I will say, "'Worthy' art Thou, 0 ' Lamb ' of God who didst die for us, ' to re- ceive power, and divinity, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and benediction ' for ever and ever. Amen." (4) And at other times, with the three children of Babylon that were in the furnace, (5) I will invite all crea- tures to praise and glorify God. And, with David, (6) I will excite my own soul and all its faculties to bless our Lord.
iii. " Spiritual canticles" are affections of spiritual joy and alacrity, rejoicing that God is who He is, and for the infinite good that He has in Himself, for the glory given to Him by the saints in heaven, for the services done Him by the just upon the earth ; rejoicing within ourselves for the hope of eternal good, and for the possession which the blessed enjoy, saying that of the Apocalypse, " Hallelujah ! for the Lord our God the almighty hath reigned. Let us be glad and rejoice, and give glory to Him : for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and His wife has prepared herself." (7)
iv. Thanksgivings are acts of thankfulness for the be- nefits we have received of our Lord, recounting them all very often, and praising Him for every one of them ; and I should not only give Him thanks for the benefits I myself have received, but also for those which He has done to the
(3) Isa. vi. 3. (4) Apoc. v. 12. (5) Dan, iii. 57.
(6) Ps. X. 1. (7) Apoc. xix. 6.
ON MENTAL PRAYER. 2S
angels in heaven, and to all the men upon earth, and to the insensible creatures that know not how to thank Him, and even for those He has done to the devils themselves, and to the damned, that have no will to be thankful unto Him.
With these four affections we may speak to our Lord in prayer, to the end of glorifying Him, endeavouring (as St. Paul says), that the Holy Spirit be the beginning of our in- terior speeches, Christ Jesus our Saviour be the middle or mediator, and the Father everlasting the end and person to whom they be directed, although, as has been said, they may likewise be directed to all the three Persons.
2. The second end why we are to speak to God our Lord, is to require of Him new celestial gifts and graces, ordained to our own salvation and perfection and to His glory. These petitions and colloquies may be made in many forms, accord- ing to the particular disposition of him that prays and speaks to God.
Sometimes we must speak to Him as a son speaks to his father, asking of Him all such things as a good son may and ought to ask of a good father, with the spirit of love and confidence. And in this manner we speak to God in that prayer of our Pater-noster, where Christ our Lord de- clares what things we are to ask, as we shall see in the meditation which will be made upon that prayer in the third part.
Sometimes we must speak to God as a poor wretch does to a rich and merciful man, begging of him an alms. With this spirit prayed David very often, calling himself " poor " and " a beggar," (8) begging a spiritual alms of God, who, as St. Paul says, "is rich unto all that call upon Him." (9)
Sometimes we may speak to God as a sick man speaks to a physician, declaring to him his infirmities, and desiring remedy of them ; or as a man that has a suit, or as one (8) Ps. xxiv. 16 ; xxxix. ] 8. (9) Rom. x. 12.
24 THE INTRODUCTION
that is guilty, speaks to a judge, when he informs him of his right, and requires a favourable sentence or pardon of his crime. And in this case our colloquy must be accompanied with affection of humiliation, of sorrow for sin, of purposes of satisfaction and amendment ; of which we shall see here- after many examples in the meditations upon the miracles and parables of our Saviour Christ.
Finally, at other times we may speak to God with that spirit that a scholar speaks to his master, requiring of him light and instruction in such things as we know not ; or as one friend speaks to another when he talks with him of some weighty affair, asking counsel, direction and aid. And if con- fidence and love shall so far embolden us, our soul may speak to God as the bride speaks to her spouse in several colloquies, with which the book of Canticles is replenished.
In all these ways we may speak to our Lord in prayer, clothing ourselves with the affections before mentioned, some- times with one and sometimes with another ; for all are fitting to us to use in treating with our God, who is our physician, our judge, our friend and the spouse of our souls = True it is that the greatest certainty in these petitions and colloquies depends principally upon the Holy Spirit, who (as St. Paul says) " asks for us with unspeakable groanings :" (10) for with His inspiration He teaches us, and moves us to ask, ordering our petitions, and stirring up those affections with which they are to be made. To which purpose St. Bernard said that " devotion is the tongue of the soul," (11) which whosoever has is very skilful in talking and reasoning with the Eternal Word. But notwithstanding this, we, for our part, must aid ourselves, and learn to treat and confer with Almighty God, observing the manner and the affection with which men speak one to another in the cases rehearsed.
To which I add, that although prayer is properly a (10) Rom. viii. 26, (11) Serm. xlv., ia Caatica.
ON MENTAL PRAYER. 25
speech and colloquy with our Lord, we may, notwithstand- ing, speak in it to ourselves, and confer with our own soul ; sometimes, (as St. Paul says,) exhorting (12) ourselves, and reviving ourselves in the affections and petitions re- hearsed ; at other times reprehending ourselves for our faults, and for our want of zeal, and being ashamed of our- selves that we serve Almighty God so negligently. In this way David spoke many times to his soul, saying, " Why art thou cast down, 0 my soul ? and why dost thou disquiet me ? Hope thou in God, for I will still give praise to Him, the salvation of my countenance, and my God." (13) "Be thou, 0 my soul! subject to God; for from Him is my patience.'' (14) From these colloquies we must next proceed to speak to God Himself, as did the prodigal son when he spoke to himself, saying, "How many hired servants in my father's house abound with bread, and I here perish with hunger ! I will arise and will go to my father, and say to him, ' Father, I have sinned against heaven and before thee, I am not now worthy to be called thy son : make me,' if it so please thee, * as one of thy hired servants." (15)
Finally, we may likewise, in prayer, speak to our Blessed Lady the Virgin, to the angels and saints, for the same two ends aforesaid ; either to praise and bless them for their sanctity and virtues, and for the benefits which they do us, or to ask them to aid and favour us in the affairs of our sal- vation : for which we may likewise allege to them some of those motives which we laid down in the preceding chap- ter, and other special ones beseeming each of them. To the most sacred Virgin may be alleged that she is our mother and the advocatrix of sinners, and that for our remedy her Son gave her this office in charge ; alleging also the love that she bears Him, and her desire that all (12) Coloss. iii. 16. (13) Ps. xli. 12 ; and xlii. 5.
(14) Ps. Ixi. 6. (15) Luke xv. 21.
26 THE INTRODUCTION
should love and serve^ Him, beseeching her to do for ns the office of a mother and advocatrix, and to demonstrate to us that love and desire of hers in obtaining for us what we request, that we may the better serve Him whom she so dearly loves. Also to our angel guardian may be alleged, that he comply with the office he holds to present our prayers to God, and to procure a good despatch of them ; and that his honour is interested in our being good and having a happy issue of our endeavours for heaven ; and that, seeing that the Devil sleeps not to tempt us, that he sleep not, but be watchful to defend us. After this manner we may speak to the rest of the saints that shall offer themselves in the matter of meditation, or to whom we are devoted, rather to stir up devotion in ourselves than to move them by it : for, as they love us and desire our salvation, so they are very much inclined to solicit it.
Chap. III. On the virtues AccoMrANYiNG mental
PRAYER, AND THEIR EXCELLENCES.
By what has been explained in the two preceding chap- ters, it follows how excellent a thing mental prayer is, in which are exercised so many and so heroic acts of the principal virtues that there are in the Christian life. On this account St, John Chrysostom said, with very great reason, that " as when a queen enters into a city there enter with her, in her company, many ladies and noblemen of the court, beside her guard and innumerable people that follow her, so when prayer enters into the soul, there enter with her all the virtues accompanying the spirit of prayer." (1) Some virtues go before, preparing the way and disposing the soul to pray as it ought, as are faith, humility, reverence, and purity of intention ; and others which we shall speak of hereafter, according to that saying of the Wise Man, (1) Lib. ii. de orando Deo, ad finem.
ON MENTAL PRAYER. 27
" Before prayer prepare thy soul, and be not as a man that tempteth God." (2) Other virtues go side by side with her, as are charity, religion, devotion, and wisdom, and those other gifts of the Holy Ghost which illuminate the under- standing, and aid marvellously to prayer, as will be seen in the twenty-seventh meditation of the fifth part of this work. Innumerable other virtues follow after her, as are fervent desires and purposes of all that is good in matter of obe- dience and patience, of temperance, modesty, chastity, and the rest. And as well the one as the other interlacing themselves with prayer, exercise among themselves divers acts that are an ornament and decking the one of the other ; for humility joins herself with confidence and charity ; charity with religion and thanksgiving ; religion with obedience and resignation ; and thus with a celestial and divine accord they make a harmony of many voices. Upon which many holy Fathers (3) say that prayer makes men like angels, not only because it is a work of the superior faculties, in which men are like them, but because it communicates to men an angelical life full of purity and sanctity. By prayer (when it is perfect) they participate in the ardent love of the sera- phim— the fulness of knowledge of the cherubim — the peace and quietness of the thrones — the rule over themselves of the dominations — the power against devils of the powers — the magnanimity for marvellous things of the virtues — the dis- cretion in government of the principalities — the fortitude in difficult and hard things of the archangels-— and the obe- dience in all things of the angels — and, finally, the wisdom, chastity, and cleanness of the celestial spirits. " For there can be nothing (says St. Ohrysostom) more wise, more just, or more holy than a man that speaks to God as it is meet for Him from whom he receives most abundantly those gifts
(2) Ecclus. xviii. 23.
(3) S. Chrys. lib. i. de oraudo Deo. Homil. iu Ps. iv. Nilus c. 513, de oralione ; Climacus, Qradu. xxviii.
28 THE INTRODUCTION
and graces in which consists true wisdom and perfect justice and sanctity." The reason of this is, that as our Lord is very gracious and gentle, and inspires us to pray, He speaks to us when we speak to Him, and converses familiarly with those that enter into their heart to treat and converse with Him. And the conversation and speech of God is not of words alone but of works ; for (as St. Bernard says) " Lo- cutio verbi est infusio doni." (4) " For God to speak is to communicate gifts infusing his graces and virtues upon them to whom he speaks ;" filling them with that spiritual "joy unspeakable," (5) and with that "peace that surpasses all understanding." (6) And upon this David said, " I will hear what the Lord God will speak in me ; for He will speak peace unto His people, and unto His saints, and unto them that are converted to the heart." (7)
It is for this cause that in prayer we must speak in such a manner to God, as to be attentive to hearken, and to hear what He speaks to us by His inspirations, to obey them, and to dispose ourselves to receive those gifts which thereby He intends to communicate to us ; as we shall see in the second part in the twenty-sixth meditation.
By what has been said appears the excellency and necessity of mental prayer, of which Cassian says, (8) that it has such a connexion with all virtues, that neither can they be perfectly obtained nor preserved w^ithout prayer, nor perfect prayer be obtained without them ; for it is (says he) the end of all, and to it are directed all the labours and pains we take to gain them ; inasmuch as prayer, of which we here treat, in its perfect degree embraces union with God, by the means of actual knowledge and love, with great joy in possessing Him. Hence it arises that God (as St. John Olimacus says) in prayer pays in ready money
(4) Serm. xlv. in Cautica. (5) 1 Peter i. 8. (6) Phil. iv. 7.
(7) Fs. Ixxxiv. 9. (8) CoUat. ix., c. 1.
ON MENTAL PRAYER. 29
a hundred times the double of that which is left or en- dured for His cause, beside great pledges of the last reward that is to be given in the life everlasting. (9) I might say many things of this sovereign virtue which I omit, because this book is written for those that desire to exercise it on account of the great estimation in which they hold it. And in the prologues and introductions to every one of the six parts of this book, something will be spoken to discover the excellence of this sovereign exercise, and the good that proceeds of the same.
Chap. IV. On the matter of mental prayer fit
FOR meditation.
The matter of mental prayer in which the three faculties of the soul (especially the understanding) are to exercise their acts, is all that which God has revealed in the divine Scripture, especially the principal mysteries of our faith, which are most expressed and recommended in it.
These mysteries may be reduced in general to three orders, accommodated to the different states of those that meditate, among whom some are sinners that desire to get out of their sins, or beginners that desire to mortify the vices and passions of their former life ; and these walk in the way which we call the purgative way, (1) whose end is to purify the soul of all these vices, and to obtain cleanness of heart. Others pass more forward, and become proficients in virtue, and these walk in that way which we call the illuminative way, (2) of which the end is to enlighten the soul with the splendour and brightness of many verities and virtues, and to obtain great augmentation and increase of it. Others are already perfect and very much exercised, and these walk in that way which we call unitive, of which the
(9) Gradu. xxviii.
(1) S. Dionys. c. 3, de Eccles. Hier, cap. 3 et 5. S. P. Ignat. aunotatio 10.
(3) James iv. 8. Ps. xxxiii. 6.
30 THE INTRODUCTION
end is to unite and join our spirit to Almighty God, (3) in the union of perfect love.
Each one of these persons is to have matter of medita- tion, accommodated and agreeing to his state and aim, from which he may easily draw forth the affections and purposes that his necessity requires. And although this matter may be reduced to three orders of mysteries and verities, accom- modated to those three states and ways which have been described, yet, for the greater perspicuity and clearness, we reduce it in this book to six parts ; assigning two to those that are beginners, two to those that are proficients, and other two to those that are most perfect, in this form ensuing.
1. Sinners who desire truly to be converted, and to turn to God, and to change their life, are to take for the matter of their meditation their own sins, and all such things as may aid them to know the number and enormity of them, or that may cause a detestation of them, and sorrow for having committed them. And inasmuch as fear is usually the beginning of justification, whatever awakes this fear is matter of meditation accommodated to them ; such are the last things of man, as death, judgment particular and uni- versal, hell, and such other like things, which will be put in the first part, with certain forms of prayer, accommodated for the examination of the conscience, for confession, and communicating, and for the obtaining of perfect justifica- tion, which is the end of the purgative way.
2. Such as are already justified, and desire to treasure up virtues, and to increase in them, are to take for the proper matter of their meditation the mysteries of the humanity of our Lord Jesus Christ, whilst He lived in this mortal life ; because His life and doctrine. His passion and death, formed a most perfect pattern of all virtue for all classes of those
(3) 1 Cor. vi. 17.
ON MENTAL PRAYER. 31
that are just, although in a different manner; for (as St. Augustine said, and after him St. Thomas) (4) charity, when it is already begotten^ and is born by the means of penances, has those three states which have been men- tioned— of spiritual childhood, of augmentation or increase, and of perfection.
The newly justified, which are the beginners, and, as it were, infants newly -begotten in the being of grace, are to take for the matter of their meditation the mysteries of the incarnation and childhood of our Saviour Jesus Christ, of which we treat in the second part, and in those meditations they will find sufficient motives, as well to prosecute and continue on the journey of the purgative way, mortifying and purifying themselves from those vices and passions which have remained in them as dregs of their former life, as also to begin the journey of the illuminative way, treasuring up virtues contrary to their vices, and accommodated to their state.
Such as are proficients, and go onward increasing in virtue, have two ways to this — the one by doing, and the other by suffering; I mean, either by exercising divers works of virtue of their own election, which appertain to the active and contemplative life, or by suffering with great perfection the troubles, persecutions, and afflictions inflicted upon them by the hand of another. And this way, though it be the sharper, is the most effectual to increase in virtues, and to attain to their perfection.
In these two ways our Saviour Christ walked with great excellence, of whom St. Augustine says, that His ex- ercises among men were " mira facere et mala pati," (5) " to do marvellous things and to suffer painful things," and all for our instruction ; of which we treat in the meditations of
(4) Tract. 5, super 1 Joan. S. Th. 2, 3, q. xxiv., art. 9. (5) In Ps. xl.
32 ..^ THE INTRODUCTION
the third and fourth part. For in the third we will put the mysteries of what He did and said the three years of His preaching, from His baptism to His last entrance into Jerusalem, and in the fourth the mysteries of His passion and death. And although both mysteries teach us to do and to suffer, yet the one is most resplendent and shining in the first, and the other in the last, which are the most powerful to move us to all kind of virtue, with greater ex- cellence and perfection.
3. Finally, those which arrive to the state of perfection, walking in the unitive way, have two other paths to attain to the perfect union of love. The first is, by contemplating the glorious life of our Saviour Christ, and the wonderful works that He did after His resurrection, sending upon His disciples the Holy Ghost, which is the Spirit of Love ; and of these mysteries the fifth part treats. The other way is, by contemplating the mysteries of the Divinity and Trinity of God, His perfections and benefits, of which the sixth part treats. And these two last parts are most proper to such as are perfect, according to the saying of David in Psalm ciii. " The high hills are a refuge for the harts, the rock for the irchins ;" (6) giving us to understand in a mystical sense, (as Cassian notes,) that perfect men who, like stags, run lightly in the way of heaven, feed themselves with the consideration of the mysteries of the divinity and glory of Christ, figured by the high mountains ; but men full of prickles like irchins, with the prickles of their sins and imperfections, or afiiicted with troubles, take for remedy the consideration of the earth and dust, and the mysteries of the humanity and humility of Christ Jesus our Lord, figured by the rock, in whose wounds they repose, and with whose doctrine and examples they sustain and profit themselves, (7)
(6) Psal. ciii. 18. (7) CoUat. x. cap. 13.
ON MENTAL PRAYER. _^,..^-- S^'
By what has been said it follows that the meditations of these six parts are as the six wings of the Seraphim which God has upon earth, like unto those which the Prophet Isaias saw ; (8) with which they depart from what is gross and earthly, and fly to that which is celestial and heavenly, where, after they have purified, illustrated, and perfected themselves, they fly likewise to purify, illustrate, and perfect others, desiring to have all burn with the love with which they burn ; since these meditations conduce to all these ends, and in all of them ought all men to be exercised — even those that have most advanced, though with a dif- ferent end and manner. And the reason is, that as in the three degrees of souls, the vegetative proper to plants, the sensitive proper to brute beasts, and the reasonable proper to men, the superior, besides his own works, does likewise the works of the inferior, though after a more excellent manner; so also (as St. Thomas says) (9) in the three states of people that' dedicate themselves to prayer and to the service of God, those which are proficients must exercise themselves in the meditations and works of the beginners, and the perfect in those of them both, but after a more per- fect manner, drawing out of them the fruit which they in- tend with more advantage, that is, more perfect mortifica- tion of themselves, and a more excellent manner of imitating our Saviour Christ in His virtues.
Besides this, experience teaches, that when a great spirit or affection for any virtue whatsoever is predominant in a soul, upon what thing soever it meditates it takes occasion to feed and augment itself. If the spirit of humility pre- dominate, whether he meditate upon hell or upon heaven, whether he think upon his own miseries or upon the divine excellences, he will draw out of all affections of humility. And if in his heart the spirit of love predominate, though (8) Isaiah vi. 2. (9) 3, 2, art. ix., ad. 3.
34 THE INTRODUCTION
he meditate upon judgment and hell, he converts all into the affections of love. So likewise beginners, proficients, and those that are perfect, upon whatsoever they meditate, may draw forth those affections and purposes that are fitting to their state and necessity.
Hence it is, that although by the ordinary law we are to observe the order propounded, yet need we not be so tied to it that it shall not be lawful to change it ; it is some- times even convenient ; for some cannot apply themselves to considerations of fear who yet are easily moved with medi- tations of love, and others contrarily. Some find devotion and profit in considering the mysteries of the childhood of our Saviour Christ ; others in considering the mysteries of His Passion ; some in one mystery and some in another ; and it is not good to force them overmuch, nor to draw them from their consideration to pass them to another in which they find not what they desired. And for this cause our Lord has provided the matter of meditation to be so copious and ample that every one may find somewhat that is fitting to his purpose.
Chap. V. On entrance into prayer. It is the counsel of the Holy Ghost, before prayer to " prepare the soul ;" (1) for to go without preparation is as it were to tempt God, proposing the end and fruit of prayer without using the means ordained to obtain the same. It is therefore necessary before we enter into prayer to carry the matter foreseen, which we are to medi- tate upon; for ordinarily meditation cannot be attentive, nor recollected, if the matter be not first prepared, well digested, and divided into points after that manner that we here shall prescribe. And yet for all this nothing hinders, if our Lord by special inspiration shall move us to think upon some other (1) Ecclus. xviii. 23.
ON MENTAL PRAYER. 35
thing, but that we may occupy ourselves therein, omitting till some other time that which before we had premedi- tated, because divine impulsion or moving is the principal cause of this work which we are to follow, provided, how- ever, that it proceed not from lightness of mind nor instability of heart, to jump from one matter into another without sufficient cause. This being premised, before we begin meditation we are to do these things following.
1 . First, we are to lift up our heart and the faculties of our soul to God our Lord, beholding Him as He is there present with an interior, attentive, reverend, and loving regard; since if a man is to speak with a prince, it is necessary that he go to his palace, or to the place where he is, and present himself before him ; for with one that is absent we cannot speak ; and seeing God is present in heaven, and in earth, and in every place, assisting all and beholding all, when I am about to pray, and to speak to Him, I need not go to seek Him in any other place, but to quicken my faith, and to behold how He is there present, persuading myself that when I pray I am not alone, but that there is also with me the most holy Trinity, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, to whom I speak, who sees me and hears me, and is accustomed to answer within my heart, with inspirations and illuminations, communicating the light of truth to the understanding, and fervent affections of devotion to the will, and infusing gifts and virtues, and other graces, into the soul, as has been said before.
Sometimes I may behold God as he is round about me encompassing me on every side, and myself within Him, as the fishes are within the sea. At other times I may behold Him as he is within me by essence, presence, and power, knowing what I do, and aiding me to do it. And in this manner is fulfilled the saying of our Lord Christ, " When thou shalt pray, enter into thy chamber," that is, into thy
36 THE INTRODUCTION
heart, " and having shut the door" of thy senses, " pray to thy heavenly Father in secret ; and thy Father who" is there, and " seeth in secret, will repay thee," (2) that is, will give you what you ask.
This truth of the presence of God within me and round about me wheresoever I am praying, I am much to quicken, that it may move me to reverence, confidence and due atten- tion. And if with this consideration I perceive myself moved to these and other like affections of devotion, I may well detain myself to enjoy this taste that God gives me, for the time it will last ; for this already is a prayer, and a very good one. But the ordinary rule will be to detain my- self in this thought during a Pater-noster, although in all the time of my meditation I must not lose out of sight the pre- sence of God, according to that of David : " The meditation of my heart is always in Thy sight :" (3) but in the time of my petitions and colloquies I must renew it with more fer- vour, " pouring out," as David says, " my prayer," in the " sight" of our Lord. (4)
2. Secondly, this done, I must make a great and profound reverence to the Majesty of God, bending before Him the knees of my heart, (5) and of my body, once, twice, and three times, as they do that enter into the presence of kings. I am to adore him in spirit, acknowledging Him for my God and my Lord, the Father of immense Majesty, and the King most worthy of infinite reverence; and with my hody to humble myself, even to the fastening my mouth to the ground ; and yet more, to prostrate myself, as did our Lord Jesus Christ in the prayer of the garden, of whom St. Paul says, that He " was heard" by the Eternal Father, for the great " reverence" (6) He bare Him ; giving us to under-
(3) Matt. vi. 6. S. Hilar, can. v. in Matt. Amb. lib. vi. de Sacra, c. 3. Aug. cone. ii. in Psal. xxxiii.
(3) Ps. xviii. 15. (4) Ps. cxli. 3. (5) Oral. Manassee, " flecto genu cordis mei." (6) Heb. v. 7.
ON MENTAL PRAYER. 37
stand how much it imports to reverence God in prayer, to the end that He may hear us.
3. This humiliation being made, I will kneel down in the place appointed for prayer, and forthwith it is good to cross myself^ with inward feeling of the words that then are spoken ; desiring of God by that sign to deliver me from those enemies that are wont to molest us in prayer, saying with this affection, " Per signum crucis de inimicis nostris libera nos Deus noster," " By the sign of the cross from our enemies deliver us, our God ;" and then presently I should add, "In nomine Patris, et Filii, etSpiritus Sancti," " In the name of," &c., as one that intends to begin his prayer not in his own virtues, but in the virtues of the most blessed Trinity. Some are accustomed immediately to say the general confession, in order to begin with humiliation, and to comply with the saying of the Wise man, that " the just" man in the beginning of prayer is first an accuser of himself. (7) Others are used to begin with thanksgiving, following the order that St. Basil prescribes ; of which we will speak in the first part, in the meditation of the examination of the conscience.
But although everyone may begin with that which is most conducive to his devotion, yet that which generally is convenient for all is, to begin with a short prayer, prepara- tory, as it were, to that which we intend ; in which we may beseech our Lord to direct that work to His honour and glory, and to give grace necessary to perform it as He re- quires. This brief prayer I must make speaking to God our Lord, whom I behold as present, saying to Him with great earnestness and affection of heart :
Colloquy. — I offer to Thee, O Lord, whatever I shall here think, speak, or treat of, to the end that all may be ordained purely to Thy honour and glory ; and
(7) Prov. xviii. 17, juxta Septuag.
38 THE INTRODUCTION
I beseech Thee by what Thou art to assist me in this hour, to the end that I may assuredly pray in such manner as Thou requirest, for the glory of Thy most holy Name, and for the profit of my soul. Amen.
This manner of prayer may be directed to the Three Divine Persons in this form :
Sometimes to the Eternal Father, saying to Him, " Sove- reign Father, I offer unto Thee this my prayer, united and incorporated with that of Thy only-begotten Son Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I beseech thee to aid me to pray in such manner as He prayed, that my prayer, as His was, may be acceptable to Thee."
At other times it may be directed to the Son of God, say- ing to Him, as did the Apostles, (8) " My Eedeemer and Master, teach me to pray, and aid me to pray with atten- tion, purity, and fervour like to that which Thou hadst when Thou didst pray to Thy Father, that my prayer, as Thine w^as, may be acceptable to Him."
At other times to the Holy Ghost, saying to Him that of the apostle St. Paul : (9) " Most Holy Spirit, I am an igno- rant and wretched sinner, I know not what to pray for, nor how^ to ask it as behoveth me. Thou, my God, ask within me, moving me to ask with groanings unspeakable, that my j)rayer may be well received, proceeding from so noble a beginning as Thou art, to whom be honour and glory world without end. Amen."
In this way is fulfilled that which St. Dionysius (10) says, that every theological or divine act (which that is that beholds God, and treats of Him and with Him) ought to begin with prayer, invoking and calling upon the favour of the Most Holy Trinity, who is present in every place, delivering up ourselves to Him with pure petitions, with a settled
(8) Luc.xi.l. (9) Eom. viii. 26.
(10) C. 3. de divinis nominibus.
ON MENTAL PRAYER. 39
mind, and with an affection well disposed for the union which we aim at in this holy exercise.
Chap. VI. On the manner op meditating and dis- coursing IN PRAYER, AND HOW WE ARE TO RESIST DIS- TRACTIONS THAT THEN ASSAIL US.
The work of the understanding, which we call medi- tation, is one of the most difficult and hard that there is in mental prayer. For though it is easy to meditate upon divers things, running from one to another without order or method, yet it is very difficult to meditate upon one thing alone with attention, having the memory and understanding fixed upon God, without being distracted and diverted to other things. Even the greatest saints were wont to be sometimes molested by this, and complain of it. Job said of himself, " My thoughts are dissipated, tormenting my heart ; they have turned night into day ;" (1) because they deprive me of the quietness of recollection, in which I was wont to spend the night. And David cried to God, saying, " My heart hath forsaken me," and has departed from my house: "be pleased, 0 Lord, to deliver me" (2) from this trouble.
This very evil we all have experience of, and it is wont to proceed from divers roots and beginnings : i. From the Devil, to hinder us from the fruit of prayer, ii. From our own imagination, which is free, untamed, unstable, and ill- governed, iii. From some affections unmortified, which draw our thoughts after them ; for "where" the ''treasure is there" is also the "heart."(3) iv. From cares which sting and divide the heart into a thousand parts, v. From weakness and coldness, through not enforcing nor applying ourselves to this noble exercise, vi. From ignorance, through not knowing how to reason or meditate, or how to search
(1) Job xvii. 11, 12. (2) Ps. xxxix. 13. (3) Matt. vi. 21.
c2
40 THE INTRODUCTION
out the hidden truths, or to ponder them in such a way that they may move the will, and stir up affections of devo- tion. This ignorance, by the favour of Heaven, will be reme- died by that form and method which I shall here prescribe.
i. In meditation, we are to establish ourselves very well in the truth of the mystery which faith teaches us, labouring to believe and to understand it truly as it passed and as it is revealed, ii. We are to inquire the true causes and roots from whence proceeded the matter that we meditate, ex- cluding the causes that are false and apparent, iii. By reasoning, we are to search out the true ends for which it was ordained, excluding all others that are contrary, iv. We are to inquire the effects proceeding from the matter ; that is, the good or harm that it brings with it. And v. Certain properties and circumstances that accompany it. This will be clearly understood by this example.
If I would meditate upon the mysteries of the Incar- nation— i. I must well consider and understand what our faith teaches ; that is to say, that the Son of God joined to Himself in unity of person our human nature, in such a way that God is truly man, and man is God. ii. I am to inquire out the things before propounded, considering how the causes and roots of this work were not our merits, but only the bounty and mercy of Almighty God; and the ends were the redemption of the world and the manifestation of His divine goodness and charity, iii. I will consider the profit that thereby came to us, viz., pardon of sins, destruction of death, entrance into heaven, and such like ; and then the loss we had sustained if this work had not been done, remaining all enemies of God, slaves of the Devil, and condemned to hell. iv. The circumstances of this work touching place, and time, and manner ; and what properties of body and soul Almighty God took when He was incarnate.
ON MENTAL PRAYER. 41
In each of these things the understanding is to make a pause, detaining itself in every one so long as it shall find devotion and spiritual relish, v^ithout caring to pass to an- other, moving the will to divers affections of love and con- fidence, as has been said, making petitions and colloquies with our Lord according to what has been meditated and desired. And when our understanding has considered well one of these things, it may pass to another with the like quietness and calmness of mind, and so proceed in the rest. Of all this we shall see manifest examples in the ensuing meditations, especially in the first, which will be a pattern for the rest.
I only notice that when the Holy Spirit, with special inspiration, moves us to pray, all is easy and sweet; for He refreshes the memory, revives the reasoning, rains showers of meditations, enkindles the affections, grants the petitions, disposes the colloquies, and makes perfect the whole w^ork of prayer, ourselves co-operating without trouble. But when this special succour is wanting, it is necessary that we ourselves, using our free will with the assistance of grace, which never fails us, apply our faculties to the exer- cise of their acts in the form aforesaid, by which we invite the Holy Spirit to aid us with the special succour of His inspirations. For spiritual men who exercise prayer should not be like ships of high building, that cannot sail without wind, but rather like galleys, that navigate both with the wind and with the oar ; and when they fail of the prosper- ous wind of divine inspiration, they are to navigate with the oar of their faculties, aided by the divine favour, though it be not so sensible. And this kind of prayer is wont to be sometimes most profitable, (though it be not so pleasing,) on account of its greater merit, in fighting against distrac- tions and dryness of heart. And if we persevere, using the oars of prayer, in His time Christ our Lord will come to visit
42 THE INTRODUCTION
US, with whose visitation this tempest will cease ; as it hap- pened in a like case to the holy apostles, (4) as we shall see hereafter.
The weapons to fight against these distractions of heart and dryness of spirit are principally four.
1. The first is profound humility, acknowledging our weakness and misery, and being ashamed of ourselves to stand before God with such distraction ; and accusing our- selves of our offences past and present, for which we are now chastised ; for whoever in this manner " humbleth him- self" in prayer "shall be" in that "exalted." (5)
2. The second is fortitude of mind, making a manly resolution not advisedly to allow entrance to any thought that may separate us from that matter out of which we make our prayer, though it be one that ministers to us much pleasure, or seems of very much importance ; for at that time nothing imports so much as to attend to my prayer and to God, before whom I am to pray ; and when unwittingly I find myself diverted, I will turn again to tie the thread of the good thought and reasoning begun; and if a thousand times I should be diverted, I will turn a thousand times to the same without losing my courage or confidence, remem- bering that Abraham, persevering in chasing away the im- portunate birds that approached to the sacrifice, came to sleep a mysterious sleep, in which God discovered to him great secrets, and passed like fire through the midst of the sacrifice in testimony that He accepted it. (6) So labouring with perseverance to chase away importunate thoughts that disquiet me in the sacrifice of prayer, I shall come, with God's favour, to sleep the quiet sleep of contemplation, in which He may illuminate my soul with His light that I may know Him, and inflame it with the fire of His love that I may love Him.
(4) Matt. xiv. 25. Marc. vi. 48. (5) Luc. xiv. 11.
(6) Gen. xv. 11. S. Gregor. lib. xvi. mor. c. 19.
ON MENTAL PRAYER. 43
3. The third weapon is prayer itself, beseeching our Lord to "build" in my soul a city of "Jerusalem," (7) that it may be- come a vision of peace, collecting my thoughts and wandering affections that they may inhabit there and busy themselves quietly in prayer. The like will I beseech the holy angels, who assist those that pray. And in this manner I will employ all my strength ; (for prayer is so powerful that it can obtain of God all things, and itself with them ;) using in the midst of these disturbances some brief prayers to this pur- pose. Sometimes I will say with David, " My heart hath forsaken me: be pleased, 0 Lord, to deliver me" from the violence I suffer, and " look down, 0 Lord, to help me." (8) At other times I will say with the same royal prophet, " My soul is as earth without water to Thee ; hear me speedily, O Lord, my spirit hath fainted away." (9) At other times I will cry out with the apostles in the midst of the tempest, saying, "Lord, save" me, for I " perish." (10) Or like the blind whose prayer was hindered by the press of the people, I will lift up my voice, saying, " Son of David, have mercy on me." (11) And if I persevere cry- ing, though it be with dryness and violence, our Lord Jesus Christ will not fail to have compassion on me, as He had or this blind man ; which we shall consider in its place.
4. The last weapon must be a great confidence in God our Lord, persuading ourselves that, seeing He commands us to pray. He will give us grace and help for the same, by which we may be able to resist the Devil, to bridle our imagination, to repress our passions, to moderate our cares, and to cast from us our lukewarmness, that they may not hinder us in the exercise of prayer. But with this con- fidence we must join diligence, endeavouring, as Cassian says, before prayer to remove all such occasions as we
(7) Ps. oxlvi. 3. (8) Ps. xxxix. 13. (9) Ps. cxlii. 6.
aO) Matt. viii. 25. (11) Luc. xviii. 38.
44 THE INTRODUCTION
would not should distract us in it, imitating in this the sub- tlety of our adversary, who (as St. Nilus the abbot says) (12) ordains all his temptations, with which in the daytime he tempts spiritual persons, to hinder them from prayer and its fruit. He tempts them with gluttony to make them in prayer heavy and sleepy. He tempts them with impatience to disquiet them ; with curiosity of the senses to distract them; with multitude of business to disturb them; and with pride and ingratitude to make them dry. And see- ing we ought to be no less provident and careful of our good than the devil is of our evil, there is great reason so to order our works and business of the day that they may all help to further well our prayer. And so with this, in some way, we shall fulfil what Christ our Saviour said : "It behoveth always to pray, and not to be weary;" (13) for he always prays that spends his whole time in prayer or in preparing himself for it. With this confidence I should enter into mental prayer, saying to the devils that of the psalm, " Depart from me, ye malignant, and I vsdll search the commandments of my God." (14) And to my powers, thoughts, and affections I will say that of another psalm : "Come, let us adore and fall down and weep before the Lord that made us ; He is the Lord our God, and we are the people of His pasture and the sheep of His hand." (15)
Chap. VIL On the manner of aiding ourselves with
THE imagination AND THE TONGUE, AND THE REST OP the FACULTIES FOR MENTAL PRAYER.
Although mental prayer, as has been said, is the work of the three supreme faculties of the soul, in regard of that part which is pure spirit, and is called mens, from whence this prayer also is called mental — yet, notwithstanding, the
(12) Collat. ix. c. 2, and Collat. xiii. c. 13. Cap. 48, 49, 50. . (13) Luc. xviii. 1. (14) Ps. cxviii. 115. (15) Ps. xciv. 6.
ON MENTAL PRAYER. 45
other faculties of the soul which are inferior also aid the exercise of it.
1. Among these, the first is the imaginative ; which, when it is untamed and disordered, as it notably hinders prayer, 80 also aids much, when it can with facility form within itself certain figures or images of such things as are to be meditated, as if it were present. According to this, it were good before we begin meditation to endeavour w^ith the imagination to form within ourselves some figure or image of the things we intend to meditate with the greatest vividness and propriety that we are able. If I am to think upon hell, I will imagine some place like an obscure, strait, and horrible dungeon full of fire, and the souls therein burning in the midst of those flames. And if I am to meditate on the birth of Christ, I will form the figure of some open place without shelter, and a child wrapped in swaddling-clothes, laid in a manger ; and so in the rest.
But here we are to notice, that this be done without fa- tiguing the head : for whoever finds much difficulty in forming such figures, it were better to leave them, and use only the spiritual faculties in the manner already mentioned. And contrariwise, those that are very imaginative are to be very well advised ; because their vehement imaginations may be to them an occasion of many illusions, by supposing their imagination to be revelation, and that the image which they form within themselves is the thing itself which they imagine; and so, through their indiscretion they come to confuse their head, and convert to their hindrance that which, taken with moderation, might have been to their profit.
2. The tongue likewise may help in prayer, for (as St. Thomas says) mental prayer, and vocal, which is done with exterior words, are not contrary, but sisters, that help one another. (1) Mental prayer is wont sometimes to break out
(I) % 1, q. Ixxjdii., art. 12.
c3
46 THE INTRODUCTION
into vocal, speaking to our Lord exterior words arising from the interior fervour and devotion : (2) and vocal prayer is used to quicken the soul, to make it more attentive to mental. For when, being in it, we perceive ourselves to be distracted or dry, it is a good remedy to speak some words that may awaken and re-collect us either speaking to our Lord or to ourselves; for as the body aids the soul, so the works of the body are accustomed to aid those of the soul ; (3) and the exterior word, and that which the tongue speaks, helps to touch the heart. This (as St. Bonaventure remarks) (4) may be practised in two manners.
i. The one is, everyone composing the words as his necessity or devotion shall dictate to him, not standing upon this, whether they be well or ill ordered : for our Lord regards rather the disposition of the heart, and the fervour of the affections, than of the words, and He is better pleased with the rude speeches of the stammering child and penitent sinner than with the well-composed words of a learned man that is proud.
ii. The other manner is, saying some prayer made by another, as are those of the Church, or of some saint, ap- propriating them to himself, and speaking them with such feeling and affection as if he himself were composing them ; after that manner which we will prescribe in the ninth chapter.
3. As for our corporal senses, there can be no certain rule given; for some find themselves best holding their eyes shut; others help themselves with opening them, looking up to heaven, or beholding some image. Some are troubled with the hearing of anything ; others are inflamed with hear- ing some song or music of the Church ; some feel devotion with striking themselves often on the breast, as St. Jerome
(2) Ps. XV. 9. (3) S. Aug. epis. 121, ad Probam. cap. 9.
(4) Processu. 7 religionis cap. 3.
ON MENTAL PRAYER. 47
did in imitation of the Publican ; others with much bending of the knee, as did Simeon of the pillar, who prayed bowing the knee with his head even to the ground, and then raising up himself and repeating this innumerable times.
The like we may say of other motions and gestures of the body, as to stretch the arms in form of a cross, to lie prostrate on the ground, to stand fixed in one place, to walk in some part, or to sit in some lowly seat ; in all which we must make choice of that which helps most to the quietness and devotion of the heart, having consideration of the weak- ness of him that prays, and of the edification of such as are present if the place be public ; for in such case that settling of the body is to be used which may not be offensive to the standers by.
Chap. VIII. On the examination of prayer, and on
THE FRUITS THAT MAY BE DRAWN FROM THENCE.
Prayer being ended, it is exceeding profitable to examine what has passed in us in it, and although this examination ought to be made after any work or exercise whatsoever of vocal prayer, v/hether it be divine ofiices, the Rosary or the Mass, yet particularly it ought to be done after retired mental prayer, in which a man has spent one or more hours.
1. First, I must examine whether I have observed the directions of those things that precede prayer; as whether I premeditated the matter of the meditation ; whether I put myself well in the presence of God; whether I offered to Him this action in spirit ; and what purity of intention I had in it, with such other like ; being very sorrowful for any defect that I find, and purposing from that time forward to amend it.
2. Secondly, I must examine whether I was attentive, or distracted; whether devout or dry; whether I contented myself with discoursing only, (for that were no prayer, but
48 THE INTRODUCTION
study,) or whether I had good affections and purposes; whether I begged of God, and spake to Him in my col- loquies with reverence and confidence, or without it. And if I find that it has gone well with me in all, I will give thanks to God for it, attributing this good success not to my diligence, but to His grace and mercy : but if I find that it has gone ill with me, I will examine the cause, whether it were any fault of mine, or any passion or disordered affection, or any negligence or remissness : and, being sorry for my fault, I will purpose to amend it, with determination to mortify myself, and to remove the cause of this defect.
3. Thirdly, I must examine the motions, and inspirations, or illuminations, and spiritual taste that I have felt ; marking well what effects they have wrought in me, to know whether they spring from a good spirit or not, and to gain experience that may help me to know the variety of spirits. To which end it will help much to know the rules that are prescribed for this, of which we shall give many in the discourse of these meditations.
4. Fourthly, I must examine the resolutions that I made in prayer, to see when and how I am to put them in execution ; and generally I must examine what fruit I draw from prayer and conversation with God : for if my prayer be a tree with- out fruit, it will be cursed like the fig-tree, and presently wither ; (1) but if it bear fruit, it shall be blessed and grow up like a tree planted nigh to the streams of waters. (2) The fruits of prayer are these : — To reform manners, to with- draw us from sins, be they never so light, to avoid the occa- sions of them, and of all imperfection ; — to subdue passions, to curb the senses, to mortify sinister inclinations, to vanquish the repugnances and difficulties that I find in virtues ; — to fight valiantly against temptations, to animate myself to suffer much affliction with alacrity ; — to encourage myself to fulfil
(1) Matt. xxi. 19. (2) Ps. i. 3.
ON MENTAL PRAYER. 49
readily the will of God declared in His holy law, in the Evangelical counsels, and in the rules and orders of my state and office; — to procure also the augmentation or increase of virtues, imitating those of Christ Jesus our Lord, especially His charity and humility. His obedience and patience in afflictions, His love of the cross and of contempt, and of chastising the flesh. And particularly every one is to seek that virtue that he has most need of according to the quality of his state, w^hether it be modesty, or chastity, or fortitude, or any other of the theologial or moral virtues, with a most effectual resolution and purpose, as shall be ex- plained in the twenty-ninth meditation of the first part. And when I shall make an examination of prayer I must make good trial whether I have drawn out any of these fruits in the manner aforesaid.
Chap. IX. On the several forms of praying on
DIFFERENT MATTERS, ACCOMMODATED TO DIFFERENT PERSONS AND TIMES,
The taste of man is so easily disgusted in spiritual exer- cises, that it soon begets tediousness and loathing, if his food be given him dressed always after one fashion, though it be never so precious; as the Israelites were cloyed with manna(l) though it was exceeding sweet, because it was always the same. For this cause the saints and spiritual masters have invented different forms of prayer, accommodating it in different manners, with this variety, to take away the weari- ness we might have in the exercise of it, when the Spirit of God goes not always renewing the delight of it, making us (as David says) always to " sing" " to the Lord a new canticle." (2)
In this the seraphical doctor St. Bonaventure was very excellent, in his many and large treatises that he made of
(1) Num. xxi. 5. (2) Psal. xcv. 1, and xcvii. 1.
50 THE INTRODUCTION
these matters ; and no less was our glorious father Ignatius, couching in his little book not only variety of matter for meditation, but also several forms of praying for the exami- nation of the conscience, for the application of the interior senses of the soul, and for divers similitudes and parables ; and especially he taught three very profitable forms of prayer, accommodated to those who walk in the three ways above mentioned — purgative — illuminative — and unitive, — although they are all three of great profit for them all.
1. The first form of praying is upon the coynmandments of God — upon the seven capital sins, commonly called the seven deadly sins — upon the three faculties of the soul — and upon the five senses, taking all this for matter of medi- tation and prayer. This form is proper to those that walk in the purgative way, labouring to cleanse themselves of their sins. And so we will declare this form in the first part, making special meditations of all these things, with the rest that belong to the manner of praying, examination of conscience, and preparing oneself for confession and com- munion, whereby is purchased purity of soul.
2. The second form of praying is upon ivords ; by taking for matter of meditation some psalm of David, or some ser- mon or sentence of our Saviour Christ, or some prayer or hymn of the Church, ruminating every word by itself, and drawing forth the spirit and affection that is in them. For as the words of Holy Scripture were dictated by the Holy Spirit, so they have all some mystery worthy of con- sideration. And as the Church is governed by the same Holy Spirit, so it speaks not a word, but it contains much spirit.
The /o^7^ of meditating these is, to consider wJio speaks that word, to whom it is spoken or directed ; — to what ends, with what manner and spirit it was spoken ; — and what is its signification ; — that is to say, what it is that it commands
ON MENTAL PRAYER. 51
or counsels, threatens or promises, or what it is that is required or intended therein, drawing out of all affections agreeing with what has been formerly considered.
For in another way are those words to be meditated which God speaks to man than those which man speaks to Qod : — The first, as a man that hears God, who is his Mas- ter, Lawgiver, Counsellor, Protector and Rewarder ; hear- ing Him with desire to learn what He teaches, to execute what He commands, to follow what He counsels, to fear what He threatens, to hope for what He promises, and to love Him for what He says : — The second are to be rumi- nated with that spirit with which He that ordained them spake them, and according to the end to which they are directed, which is manifestly seen in the psalms of David ; for some he made with the spirit of praising God, and thanking him for the benefits which he had done to his soul and to his people ; — some with a spirit of contrition, to ask Him pardon of his sins ; — and others with a spirit of afflic- tion, joined with great confidence to implore His aid in tri- bulations. And therefore to ruminate them, or to say them with profit, we must clothe ourselves (as Cassian (3) directs) with the same spirit with which they were spoken, as if we ourselves had made them to the same end.
And even experience teaches us that he that feels himself cheerful for the benefits received from God recites with de- votion the psalms of joy, as are, " Benedic anima mea, Domino ; et omnia quae intra me sunt, nomini sancto ejus,'* etc. ; " Bless the Lord, O my soul ; and let all that is within me bless His holy name." " Laudato Dominum de coelis," etc. ; " Praise ye the Lord from the heavens." And at such time he finds not so much relish in the psalm of " Miserere mei Deus ;" " Have mercy on me, 0 God I" And, on the other hand, he that is afflicted with his sins says with devo- (3) CoUat. X. cap. 10.
52 THE INTRODUCTION
tion the psalm of "Miserere mei," "Have mercy on me," and applies not himself then to the psalms of joy. This we are to consider that we may choose for matter of medi- tation those words and prayers which accord with that spirit which we feel, and with the end that we aim at.
This second form of prayer is most proper to those that walk in the illuminative way, pursuing the knowledge and understanding of the truths of faith so to increase in spirit ; and of this we will explain the practice in the second and third part, meditating in this way upon the salutation of the angel, upon the canticle of the Virgin, upon the prayer of the " Our Father," and upon certain sentences and prayers of our Lord Christ, upon whose words we will always meditate with more attention, because, as the Spouse said, " His lips are as lilies dropping choice myrrh," (4) that is, they teach most excellent virtue, the first and most surpassing of all other ; and (as St. Peter said) His words are " the words of eternal life ;"(5) and our Lord Himself says that His " w^ords are spirit and life." (6) And therefore whosoever meditates them as is fitting shall draw forth abundance of spirit and most pure life of grace, by which he may be worthy of life everlasting.
3. The third form of prayer is by way of aspirations and affections, which answer to the respirations of the body, taking care that, between respiration and respiration, there may breathe out from the inward part of our soul some holy affection, or some groaning of the spirit, or some short prayer of those which we call ejaculatory, spending the whole time, that is, between one respiration and another, in the pondering or understanding and spiritual taste of what we desire or ask, or of the thing for which we groan and sigh to God. This form is most accommodated to those that walk in the unitive way, aspiring and thirsting (4) Cant. V. 13. (5) Joan. vi. 69. (6) Ibidem, 64.
ON MENTAL PRAYER. 63
for actual union with Almighty God ; and with this desire they labour to pray with the greatest continuance and fre- quency that they can: for prayer is as necessary for the perfect spiritual life of the soul as respiration is for the life of the body, according to that of David which says, "I opened my mouth and panted, because I longed for Thy commandments." (7) And in testimony of this, as often as they open their mouth to brea,the, so often would they pray. And now, seeing this is not possible through our imbecility, they take at certain times some space for this exercise, fre- quenting in this way the ejaculatory prayers, of which we will presently speak, casting them up to heaven like darts or arrows which are shot from the heart as from a bow with vehement affection and love.
Chap. X. On contemplation, and on the manner how
SOME MAY USE MENTAL PRAYER WITHOUT VARIETY OP DIS- COURSE.
By what hitherto has been said the ordinary forms that are to be used in mental prayer are explained, which are accommodated to all sorts of persons that desire to treat with Almighty God, though all proceed not after one man- ner. For some in their prayer have more discourse and less affection; others, on the other hand, content them- selves with little discourse, and busy themselves most in affections. Others, again, have need of no more but a single sight of ihe truth, and with that they are moved to all the acts of devotion that have been rehearsed; and these enjoy that which we call contemplation ; which (as St. Thomas says) is a single view of the eterual truth, with- out variety of reasoning, penetrating it with the light of heaven, with great affections of admiration and love, (1) to which ordinarily no man arrives but by much exercise (7) Ps. cxTiii. 131. (1) S, Tho. 3, 2, q. clxxx., art. 3.
54 THE INTRODUCTION
of meditation and discourse. In the same manner as a woman, when she intends to marry a man, spends many days in asking and certifying herself what he is, inquiring of his lineage, wealth, condition, health, affability, discretion, virtue, and other parts, reasoning and thinking much upon them ; and, finding him to be to her liking, is content to love him and take him for her husband ; but afterwards, when she has known him and taken him for her husband, she needs make no new discourses, but with only seeing him, or remembering him, or hearing his name, she loves him, and desires to give him content and to be always with him. The like happens with a scholar that would make choice of some new master ; or with a servant that intends to take a new lord ; or with one friend that desires to make a new and strict league of friendship with another.
2. Even in like manner beginners in virtue and in the exercise of prayer had need to spend much time in medita- tions and reasonings, inquiring what and who God is, who Christ our Saviour is, what be His perfections, virtues, and His marvellous works ; moving themselves with these con- siderations to love Him, and to take Him for their Master, for their Lord, for their friend and spouse of their souls. But after they are much exercised and practised in this, it happens oftentimes that a single view or remembrance of God, without new discourses, is enough to inflame them in His love and in the other affections aforesaid. There are even some that with only hearing the name of Jesus or Father, or but hearing the name of mortal sin, hell, or heaven, penetrate in a moment what is comprehended in them with great affections of love or sorrow. True it is, that as our understanding lays not much hold on things that it perceives not with the senses, it easily loses the estimation of spiritual and divine things and forgets them, and so has need often to renew those meditations and reasonings which
ON MENTAL PRAYER. 55
it made at the first; for otherwise it will find itself much distracted and dry, unless it be a time when our Lord by special favour will without them give light and knowledge enough to enkindle the affection of love, by communicating the grace of contemplation.
3. By what has been said I infer, for the comfort of some persons that are desirous to use mental prayer, and yet for want of health or some other cause dare not reason nor dive to the bottom of that which is inclosed within the mysteries of our faith, that they despair not of the principle contained in this sovereign exercise ; for to such God uses to grant, under the title of their necessity or infirmity, what He gives unto others under the title of many services and large meditations wherein they have been exercised. For as He is so liberal and easily contented, He asks of no man more than what, according to his portion, he can give Him, supplying that which is wanting with His divine illus- trations.
Such persons, therefore, as doubt their capacity for the intellectual part of meditation, ought to be admonished that the end of all the meditations and discourses that shall be put in the six parts of this book is to attain to three notions or sorts of knowledge : — One of himself, and of his innumerable necessities and miseries of body and soul ; the other of Christ Jesus our Lord, true God and man, and of His excellent vir- tues, especially those ivIMl which were resplendent in His nativity, passion, and death ; and the third of Almighty God Three and One, and of His infinite perfection and benefits, as well natural as supernatural, that proceed from Him. (2) These three sorts of knowledge go linked one with another, entering and issuing from one to another ; ascending from man himself, and from Christ to God, and descending from God to Christ and to himself. And from them (says St. Thomas)
(2) Joan. X.
56 THE INTRODUCTION
springs that devotion which comprehends three sorts of affections corresponding to them in the will. (3)
4. Some affections concern himself; confounding himself for his sins and want of zeal, being exceedingly sorrowful for them, purposing amendment, and humbling himself for that instead of fruit he has brought forth nothing but sin. Others concern Christ our Lord ; compassionating His afflic- tions, rejoicing in His virtues, desiring in them to imitate Him, and asking His grace to that end. Others concern God our Lord, admiring His greatness, praising Him for it, giving Him thanks for the benefits He has done us, and offering ourselves very sincerely to serve Him in return for them, mingling with this petitions of celestial graces and gifts for himself, and for the whole Church, and for his neighbours, particularising those things of which he has greatest necessity.
5. This presupposed, any person whatsoever desirous to use mental prayer, however weak he be, may put himself in the presence of the living God, w^hom he has near him and within him ; and renewing the knowledge which he has by faith of the three things aforesaid, may quietly exercise the affections corresponding to them, sometimes confessing to God all his miseries one by one, with affections of grief and humiliation, and desiring remedy of them — sometimes call- ing to memory the virtues resplendent in some mystery of Christ our Lord, His humility, obedience and patience, with affections and desires to imitate them — at other times recount- ing the benefits he has received of God, with affections of thanksgiving : or remembering the infinite perfections of God, His bounty, mercy and providence, with affections of prayer and joy. And these affections by God's favour will be drawn forth without any difficulty ; for the mysteries and verities of our faith are like flint-stones, which, in touch- es) 2 2, q. Ixxxii., art. 8.
ON MENTAL PRAYER. 57
ing them with the steel of any single consideration, cast out sparkles of love, which if the soul, like tinder, be well disposed to receive, they presently raise up flames of great feeling and affection. To do this with more facility, it will help much to have first read some one of the meditations which ensue, labouring always to re-collect in the memory some of the most notable truths of our faith, which may be as it were tlie repast of tliese feelings, saying with the Bride, " A bun- dle of myrrh is my Beloved to me. He shall abide between my breasts ;" (4) giving us to understand that she had recol- lected many truths of those mysteries which belong to her Beloved, which she set before her, regarding them simply with the eyes of the Spirit, and embracing them with the enkindled affections of the heart, and applying them to her- self with effectual purposes of imitation.
6. Of these we are to take sometimes one and sometimes another for the foundation of mental prayer, as did our Sa- viour Christ, re-collecting Himself to pray in the garden of Gethsemane, who took three times for the theme and foun- dation of His prayer these brief words : " My Father, if it be possible, let this chalice pass from Me ; nevertheless, not as I will, but as Thou." (5) And in the weight and sense of these words He spent a long time, as in its place we shall see hereafter.
Chap. XI. On the extraordinary forms of mental
prayer, and the divers manners god communicates
Himself in it.
1 . By those things that have been said concerning prayer, it manifestly appears, as St. Augustine says, that it is the gift of the Holy Spirit, promised by God our Lord to His Church, (1) when He said, " I will pour down upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem," **spiritimi
(4) Cant. i. ]2. (5) Matt. xxvi. 39. (1) Epis. 105, prope fin.
58 THE INTRODUCTION
gratise, etprecum," "the spirit of grace and of prayer," (2) without which spirit none pray rightly. For, as St. Paul says, "We are" not " sufficient to think anything" holy " of ourselves, as of ourselves," (3) nor do " we know" " what we should pray for, as we ought," (4) if the Spirit of God does not teach us and move us to it. For this He has divers ways, guiding some one way and some another, so that it would be an intolerable error to imagine that all are to go by the same way that I am guided; for the Spirit of God " est unicus et multiplex," is " one" only and " manifold ;" (5) one only in the substance and principal end which it aims at, and mani- fold in the means and ways it takes to obtain it.
2. These ways, in general, are two: one ordinary, which comprehends all the forms of prayer that hitherto we have treated of; the other extraordinary, which comprehends other forms of prayer more supernatural and special, which we call prayer of quiet or silence, with suspension, extacy, or rapture, and with imaginary figures of truths which are discovered, or with only an intellectual light of them, (6) to- gether with revelations and interior speeches, and with other innumerable means that Almighty God has to communicate himself to souls, of which no certain rule can be given, be- cause they have no other rule but the teaching and direction of the Sovereign Master, who teaches it to whom He will and how He will. For such sorts of prayer are not to be desired nor attempted by ourselves upon pain of being proud and presumptuous, and in that case unworthy of them — nay, rather on our part we are to refuse them with humility, because of the danger we may incur of being deluded by Satan, transfigured into an angel of light. But when God shall communicate them, they are to be received with humi-
(2) Zach. xii. 10. (3) 3 Cor. iii. 5. (4) Rom. viii. 26.
(5) Sapient, vii. 22.
(6) S. Tho. 2, 2, q. ckxiv., art. 1 ad 3 ; ibid. S. Isidor ; et art. 3, et q. civ, ; art. 1 et 2, ad 1 et 2.
ON MENTAL PRAYER. 59
lity and thanksgiving, and with great wariness and pru- dence, following certain directions which we shall give in this book, especially in the third part, in meditating the mi- racle in which Christ was held for a phantasm ; and in the fifth part, in meditating the apparitions and revelations that Christ our Lord made to His apostles and disciples ; in which we will describe the signs and effects that are wrought in the soul by the visitation of God and the coming of the Holy Spirit, and to what height of life He exalts men by the means of His seven gifts and celestial inspirations, which is the thing we all ought to desire and pursue.
3. But that we may have some light of these extraordinary and marvellous means that God has to cheer souls, and to communicate Himself to them in mental prayer, I will point at some of them ; in which also are touched certain things that pass ordinarily in all, and it is good to know them, for they will help to understand an ordinary form of prayer by application of the senses, of which we are hereafter to treat.
4. For explanation of which I premise, that as the body has its five exterior senses with which it perceives the visibls and delectable things of this life, and takes experience of them, so the spirit, with its faculties of understanding and will, has five interior acts proportionable to these senses, which we call seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting, and touching spiritually, with which it perceives the invisible and delect- able things of Almighty God, and takes experience of them ; from which springs the experimental knowledge of God, (7) which incomparably exceeds all the knowledge that proceeds of our reasonings, as the sweetness of honey is much better known by tasting a little of it than by using much reasoning to know it. (8) And so by these experiences mystical theo- logy is obtained, which is the savoury wisdom and science of
(7) Cassian, collat. xii. cap. 13. (S ) Gerson, 3 p. tract de mystica. Theologia, c. 2. S, Dionys de divini
livinis nominibus.
60 THE INTRODUCTION
God, in Bucli way that St. Dionysius says of divine Hierotlieus that he had knowledge of divine things, not only by the doctrine of the Apostles, nor only by his industry and dis- course, but by affection and experience of them, which is obtained by means of the five interior senses, of which the said Scripture makes much mention, and the holy fathers, especially St. Augustine, (9) Gregory, Bernard, (10) and others, whose sayings St. Bonaventure copiously allegesin his treating of the seven ways to eternity, in the sixth way ; from whom I will borrow somewhat of that which I am about to state, presupposing that (as the glorious St. Bernard says), " In hnjusmodi non capit intelligentia, nisi quantum experientia attingit ;" " In many of these things the understanding attains no more than that which experience perceives." (11) And therefore I will go on also pointing as it were to that which belongs to all.
i. First, God our Lord communicates Himself sometimes by a spiritual j9?'es<?7ic^ with His illuminations, communicating to the understanding a manner of light so elevated that by it, like another Moses, it beholds and regards the invisible as if it were visible. (12) And although it retains the virtue of faith, yet it retains it so illustrated and perfected concern- ing the mysteries thereof, that it appears another light. This sight is used to go accompanied with a kind of spiritual alacrity, which is called joy, leaping as it were with pleasure and joy for the strangeness of the divine greatness that it has seen, according to that which is written in Job, "He shall pray to God, and He will be gracious to him, and he shall see His face with joy." (13)
To this manner of contemplation or interior beholding our Lord Himself invites us, saying, " Be still, and see that
(9) Aug. lib. X. coufes., et lib. de spiritu et aniraa, c. 9.
(10) Bern. lib. de dign. et natura araoris divini, c. 6 et sequentibus.
(11) Serm. xxii. in Cant. (12) Heb. xi. 27. (13) Job xxxiii. 26,
OF MENTAL PRAYER. 61
I am God :" (14) which is to say, Cease from sins, and dis- engage yourselves from earthly business, and attend carefully to the consideration of my works, and you shall come to see with great light that I only am God, glorious among the nations and exalted over the whole earth. Somewhat of this our Lord communicates very ordinarily to His servants by certain sudden illustrations, which, like lightnings, dis- cover to them some verity of our holy faith, after a man- ner very different from what they perceived before, (15) which, although they pass suddenly, yet leave the heart very much inflamed with manifold affections of the love of God or sorrow for sins, according as the verity requires which with that light they have contemplated.
With these same illuminations our Lord God also touches sinners to convert them, discovering to them on a sudden the greatness of their sins, the danger of their damnation, and other like truths to move and allure them to change their lives ; which we shall speak largely of in the fifth part, in the 29th meditation of the conversion of St. Paul.
ii. The second manner of our Lord's communicating Him- self to us is by a spiritual hearing, speaking within our soul by His inspirations certain interior lively and effectual wordsf and sometimes even as distinct as those which are heard with our bodily ears; with which He teaches some truth, or discovers His will with such efficacy as to work its ful- filment. And sometimes (as the Spouse says of herself) the soul is mollified, waxes tender, and melts (1 6) in the love of Almighty God. And he who had his heart sad, dis- mayed, frozen and hardened touching spiritual matters, with one of these interior words in a moment becomes joyful, confident, enkindled and softened for whatsoever God will do with it.
(14) Ps. xlv. 11. (15) Ps. Ixxvi. 3, and xcvi. 4, 11.
(16) Cunt. V. 6.
D
62 THE INTRODUCTION
And although these interior speakings are used to come after such extraordinary manner that it is only known to Him that hears them, yet after another ordinary manner they pass through all, and are called inspirations ; for (as the glorious Doctor St. Augustine says) " The interior speaking of God our Lord is a secret inspiration, by the which invisibly He discovers to the soul His will or His truth." (17) With this He speaks to just and to sinners ; but oftenest to those that are very spiritual, whom He teaches, corrects, repre- hends or exhorts, comforts and moves to works of virtue and perfection. And therefore David, as one well experienced in feeling these inspirations and divine impulses, said, "1 will hear what the Lord God will speak in me;" (18) de- siring that He would speak to him, and showing himself prepared to comply with whatsoever He should say.
These two manners of prayer or contemplation by spi- ritual seeing and hearing holy Job touched when he said to God, " With the hearing of the ear I have heard Thee, but now my eye seeth Thee;" (19) in which he gives to under- stand, (as St. Gregory (20) notes,) that it is a more noble manner of knowing God by an interior beholding than by the hearing ; for the hearing has more obscurity in the dark- ness of faith, and the sight more perspicuity, beholding God more near, and as it were more present ; at other times in the Scripture supreme contemplation is declared by means of hearing, as we shall hereafter see in the introduction of the third part.
iii. The third manner of God's communicating Himself interiorly is by spiritual smelling, infusing into the soul an odour and fragrance of spiritual things so sweet that it com- forts the heart and revives it to aim at and seek them, run- ning (as it is said in the Book of Canticles) "after" Him ''to
(17) Lib. de triplici habitaculo. (18) Ps. Ixxxiv. 9.
(19) Job xlii, 5. (20) Lib. xxxv. moral, c. 4.
OF MENTAL PRAYER. 63
the odour of" His sweetest " ointments." (21) And the glo- rious Evangelist St. John, as one well experienced in this inward conversation with Almighty God, was w^ont to say, " Odor tuus, Domine, excitavit in nobis concupiscentias eternas :" (22) " Thy odour, 0 Lord, has raised in us eternal desires and affections." Odour he calls a very spiritual sensibility of eternal things which we see not and yet be- lieve and hope to obtain, from which proceed fervent acts of hope, with enkindled desires to aspire after them, and great animosity and courage to use all possible means to obtain them with a great alacrity, which the Apostle St. Paul calls "rejoicing in hope." (23) For as hounds by the scent follow the chase with great swiftness and pleasure, not staying till they come to the place where (if they can) they lay hold of it ; — so souls that in prayer . receive this scent and odour of the divinity of God our Lord and of His most sacred hu- manity, of His charity and bounty and His other virtues, run with great fervour and diligence in the pursuit of those eternal things which they have scented, not staying till they possess them in such manner as they may in this life, with hope to possess them entirely in the other. Of which we have some token in such persons as God calls to a religious life, and gives them any sense and odour of the sweet- ness, security, and sanctity that they shall find in it, for which they tread under foot a thousand difficulties, and rest not till they obtain what they desire. And for this very cause, (says St. Paul,) that the just " are the good odour of Christ" (24) our Lord ; because their notable examples comfort and move us to follow them and to imitate Christ, from whom they principally proceed.
iv. The fourth manner of God our Lord's communicating himself is by a spiritual taste, communicating to the soul such fervour and sweetness in spiritual things that those of
(21) Cant. i. 3. (22) S.Bonavea. sup. distinct. 6.
(23) Rom. xii. 12. (24) 2 Cor. ii. 15.
d2
64 THE INTEODUCTION
the flesh seem unsavoury to him. And (as David says) " My heart and my flesh have rejoiced in the living God" (25) and in alh His works ; and by the experience of this sweetness and of the marvellous effects of it come to know the greatness of God, the excellence of His law, of His virtues and celestial rewards. Upon which David said, "Taste, and see that the Lord is sweet;" (26) that is to say, if you taste what God is and the works that He does within you, by this taste you shall know how sweet He is, how good, how wise, how potent, how liberal and how merciful. And after the same manner may we say, Taste and see how sweet is His yoke and His law, how sweet His obedience and humility, patience, temperance, chastity and charity. For every virtue has its proper sweetness, upon which the same David said, "How great is the multitude of thy sweetness, 0 Lord, which thou hast hidden for them that fear Thee !" (27) He calls it great and manifold, to signify that as in meat there is variety of savours, so God has in His mysteries and virtues much variety and greatness of consolations. For if manna, being but one meat, had the savour of all meats to cherish the just with its corporal sweetness, (28) with how much more eminence has God the sweetness of all things for the consolation of those that con- verse with Him by the means of prayer? For to some He gives it meditating His perfections ; — to some, meditating His benefits; — and to others, meditating His holy law, w^hich David said was sweeter unto him " than honey and the honeycomb." (29) But this sweetness is hidden for those that fear God and reverence Him, for they only taste it with most abundance, but having once tasted it, they have (says Cassian) no tongue to declare it, for it far surpasses all whatsoever our sense attains to. (30)
(25) Ps. kxxiii. 3. (26) Ps. xxxiii. 9. (27) Ps. xxx. 2.
(28) Sap. xvi. 20. (29) Ps. xviii. 11, and cxviii. 103
(30) Collat. xii. c. 12.
OF MENTAL PRAYER 65
True it is that God gives part of this to beginners, and even to sinners to wean them from the milk of their earthly consolations ; but much more abundantly He gives it to those who for His love have mortified themselves in depriving themselves of them.
V. The fifth manner of God's communicating Himself is by a spiritual touching; touching with his loving inspira- tions the recesses of the heart, and our Lord joining Himself to the soul with such gentleness and affection, as cannot be expressed but by those similitudes of which the Book of Can- ticles makes mention; (31) which I omit, lest our grossness should be dazzled with so much tenderness ; but yet all rest in this saying of the Apostle St. Paul, that " he that is joined to the Lord is" become " one spirit" (32) with Him ; for God interiorly embraces him with the arms of charity, and che- rishes him, giving him inward testimonies of His presence, of the love that He bears him, and of the care that He has of him, with great tokens of peace and very familiar friend- ship. And whosoever perceives himself so favoured, embraces within him God Himself, with the arms of love, saying that of the Bride, "I held Him," and "I will not let Him go." (33) And here are exercised those tender colloquies, those petitions with groanings unspeakable, and those acts called anagogical, high elevated in matter of spirit, which our Lord grants of His singular grace to whom He pleases ; but these are not to be ambitioned, but received when they shall be given, as already has been said.
5. These are the extraordinary manners of our Lord's communicating Himself by the interior senses of the soul. It belongs to our account only, by God's grace to mortify very well the five corporal senses, that God may open to
(31) Osculetur me osculo oris sui. — ^Venter meus intremuit ad tactum ejus — Dextera ejus amplexabitur me. — Cant. i. 1, ii. (5, v. 4. (33) 1 Cor. vi. 17. (33) Cant. iii. 4.
66 THE INTRODUCTION
US the spiritual ; for, as St. Gregory says, (34) if the exterior sense be shut, forthwith the interior sense is open. And contrariwise, as St. Augustine says, the interior sense sleeps, if the exterior be given over to its pleasures.
6. Besides this, we may use another means more easy to apply the interior senses of our soul upon the mysteries of our holy faith; the practice of which will be seen in the second part, in the 26th meditation ; with which let us so dispose ourselves that our Lord, if it be His good pleasure, may com- municate to us that part which shall be convenient for us of what has been said.
Chap. XII. On the ordinary and extraordinary time
THAT IS TO BE EMPLOYED IN MENTAL PRAYER, AND OF EJACULATORY PRAYERS.
1. The time that is to be spent in mental prayer is of two sorts : the one ordinary for every day so long as life and health shall endure ; the other extraordinanj, re-collecting ourselves at certain times for the space of a week or two, or more, spending them all in these meditations and exercises, which may be done for divers ends and upon divers occasions.
i. First, w^hen one is heavy laden with sins and desires to make a true confession and perfect conversion, it is an admi- rable means to withdraw one's self for some eight days or more to some retired place, spending all that time in think- ing upon his sins and in meditations that may move to sorrow for them and to make a very perfect renovation and change of life.
ii. Secondly, when any one desires to learn this mystical science of the spirit to know how to pray mentally, how to converse with Almighty God, and to gain herein some use and experience, it is good to dedicate a month or two to this exercise, until he prove well versed. For although the (34) S. Bonaven. sup. distinct. 4. Lib. iv. de spiritu et anima, c. 9.
OF MENTAL PRAYER. 67
principal master of this science is God Himself, yet it is also a help to have a visible tutor that may direct him, and to take time to learn and practise what he shall teach.
iii. The third occasion is, when one desires to take some state of life, and doubts which were fittest for him to choose for his salvation and perfection ; — or when he desires to be- gin any great enterprise in the service of God, and stands in doubt of our Lord's will and pleasure therein ; — or, being assured of it, he desires to enter with good footing, and to prepare himself with prayer, imploring God's favour to have good success therein ; — in such cases, it is very convenient to take some time of retirement, as Christ our Lord, before He began to preach, retired Himself forty days into the desert. (1)
iv. The fourth occasion is, when those that use this men- tal prayer perceive themselves cold, distracted, and dry in it, and, besides, find themselves very slack in matters of divine service. In these cases, the most effectual means to renew themselves and to re-enter into their former fervour is to dedicate eight days to these meditations, spending therein the greatest part of the day ; and as this slackness ordinarily enters by little and little into all, it is good once every year to re-collect one's self some eight days to this end.
v. Finally, although a man find no slackness, yet it is good now and then to give himself an abundance and fulness of God, so to increase in His love and to excel the more in His service, as many saints were accustomed to do, who by this means attained to very high degrees of sanctity.
2. As for the ordinary time, there can no general rule be given for all ; for this time must be measured by the health and ability, by the state and office, and by the necessary obligations and occupations of every m.an. But all this con- sidered, the more time that may be employed in this exercise without being wanting to the things above mentioned, the (1) Matt. iv. 3.
68 THE INTEODUCTION
better it is. Ordinarily, it were meet for a man to retire himself an hour in the morning or night, seeing that not without cause our Saviour Christ spent an hour in that retired prayer which He made in the garden of Gethsemane, as we may collect out of the reprehension He gave St. Peter, saying, " Could you not watch one hour with me ?" (2) But he that by reason of his business cannot be an hour, let him be half an hour ; and if he cannot be half an hour, yet let him employ, if he please, but a quarter of an hour in that mental prayer which we call examination of the conscience, in the manner that we shall hereafter prescribe ; and let him allow himself some longer time for prayer upon holy- days, because they were instituted to attend to the service of Almighty God.
3. Concerning this ordinary time, we must be very consi- derate that after a man has set down his time that he intends to employ daily in prayer, whether it be in respect of the rule of his state (as some religionists do), or by special devo- tion, or direction of his ghostly father, he must be very con- stant in spending that whole time entirely in his holy exercise, without letting slip the space of one day, or losing even one " credo" of the hour allotted ; for the devil, with great solici- tude, invents a thousand devices, sometimes of corporal occasions, and sometimes of cares and business, under the pretext of piety, to make us interrupt our prayer; for omitting it one day through any sinister end, a man comes to omit it afterwards another and another day, and at length to omit it altogether. Whereupon St. Chrysostom (3) says, that a just man should hold it for a thing more sor- rowful than death itself to be deprived of prayer ; imitating in this the holy prophet Daniel, who was accustomed to pray three times a day (4), and although the King of Persia commanded that no man upon pain of his life should pray
(2) Matt. xxvi. 40. (3) Lib. i. de orando Deo. (4) Daniel vi. 10.
OF MENTAL PKAYER. 69
to God for thirty days, yet he would not omit his accus- tomed prayer : " Ne tantillum quidem temporis sustimiit ab orando cessare." He did not so much as for the least time cease to pray to Almighty God ; for he understood that his spiritual life depended upon prayer ; and for fear of the death of the body he would not endanger the life of his soul; which (says St. Chrysostom) is as dead when it wants prayer as the body is dead when it is abandoned by the soul. And as Daniel, although by occasion of praying he put himself in danger of death (for he was cast into the lion's den), yet in effect he died not, for God delivered him from that danger, shutting the mouths of the lions because he opened his mouth to pray, so also we may believe that for accomplishing the task of our prayer w^e shall lose neither life, nor health, nor content, nor the happy despatch of other business ; nay rather, by the means of prayer we so dispose ourselves that Almighty God may take them to His charge, and perform with His omnipotence and wisdom what we ourselves are not able to do by reason of our imbe- cility and ignorance. And if at any time, out of real want of health or for other lawful or urgent cause, we shall be forced to interrupt our prayer, the impediment being past, we are forthwith to return to our exercise ; that the inter- ruption which began through pure necessity be not con- tinued by sloth and tfepidity.
4. Lastly, that no man may exempt himself from this so high and sovereign an exercise, I add, that all in general, as well those who have a set time for retired prayer (if they will preserve their devotion) as also those that have not this time, to supply this defect ought to exercise themselves oftentimes every day in the brief acts of mental or vocal prayer which w^e call ejaculatory prayers, of which we have made mention in the ninth chapter, in which (as St. Augustine (5) reports) the Fathers in the deserts exercised (5) Epis. cxxi. ad probam. c. 10 ; S. Chrysost. hom. 79, ad pop.
D 3
70 THE INTEODUCTION
themselves very often every day, briefly putting themselves in mind of Almighty God and of His benefits or else of their own sins, and shooting forthwith like a dart a fervent affection up to heaven, or some brief petition for some virtue, saying as it might be thus : — " 0 Lord, that I had never offended Thee ! 0 my God, that I may love Thee ! Oh ! that I may obey Thee ! Give me, 0 Lord, purity of soul, humility of heart and poverty of spirit 1 Pardon my sins, 0 my Redeemer, because they are exceedingly grievous ! "
5. This manner of prayer being short is easy to all, and may be made with very great attention and zeal, as Cas- sian (6) tells us. And for this cause' they usually are very effectual to obtain of our Lord what we require; for (as St. Basil says) (7) it is more available to pray a little and well with attention, than to pray much after another man- ner ; for God is not overcome with the multiplicity of our prayers, but with the weight and fervour of them.
6. The brevity of these prayers is to be recompensed with their frequency, labouring by means thereof to fulfil in some sort that which our Saviour Christ said, " We ought always to pray, and not to faint." (8) That is, not to fail either in the time assigned for prayer or in the fervour thereof, or in confidence, or, if possible, in the frequency thereof; multiplying these ejaculatory prayers, which (as David says) (9) are "the remainders of" those holy thoughts that we had in the morning, making to ourselves a feast, and preserving our devotion all the day.
7. St. Chrysostom says that at the least we ought every hour to offer to God one of these prayers : " Ut orandi cursus cursum diei sequet;" (10) that the course of prayer may equally go with the course of the day, so that when the clock
(6) Lib ii. de Instit. cap. 10, et col. ix. cap. 35. (7) In consti. monast. c. 3. (8) Luc xviii. 1. (9) Ps. kxv. 11. (10) Lib. i. deoraudo Deo ad finera.
OF MENTAL PRAYEE. 71
strikes the hour it may serve as an alarum to prayer. But those that are very fervent employ much more frequency, imitating the holy monks of Egypt, of whom Cassian says, that when they laboured, all that day they also prayed : "Preces et orationes per singula momenta miscentes ;" (11) " Mingling with their handiworks prayers and affections every moment of the day :" and by this short method they arrived in a little time to much sanctity and attained to great merits. Nor is it to be wondered at that we should be very eager of this holy exercise ; for fas St. Bona- venture(12) says) at all times and at all hours we may gain by prayer that which is of much more value than the whole world. And we see manifestly that so it is ; for if a man should waste the whole day in framing interior acts of blasphemies, vengeance, hatred of God, and purposes of other great and enormous sins, in the end of the day he shall have merited most terrible torments ; so, on the other hand, if he spend it in the interior acts of this mental prayer, multiplying good desires and determinations to please Almighty God, with petitions of virtues, in the end of the day he will find himself enriched with incredible gain of celestial gifts and of an everlasting reward; for God is no less liberal in rewarding than he is rigorous in chastising.
8. We Mali put many of these ejaculatory prayers in the meditations of this book, especially in the third part ; con- sidering some short prayers that were made to Christ our Lord by some leprous and blind men, by the woman of Canaan, the sisters of Lazarus, and other such like.
(11) Lib. iii, c. 2. et lib, ii. c. 14; (12) Opusc. de perfec. vitse, c. 2.
72 THE INTRODUCTION
Chap. XIII. Certain directions concerning the
MEDITATIONS ENSUING.
1. For the better use of the meditations ensuing I pre- mise that there ma}^ be divers ends in the reading of them, as there were in the writing of them.
i. The first end is to employ some little time in that most noble and profitable exercise which we call spiritual reading, in which (as the holy Fathers say) (1) God speaks to the heart the same that is in the book, illustrating the under- standing with the light of the truths written in it, and in kindling the will with the fire of other like affections. And for this cause in some meditations I enlarge myself somewhat, mixing certain admonitions and rules of perfec- tion concerning the vices or virtues of which I treat in them, that they who read them to this end may learn also this science of the spirit. But they must read them with atten- tion and repose, ruminating and pondering what they read with inward feeling of it, so that with their reading they join some manner of meditation, first beseeching our Lord to illuminate them, and to speak to their hearts the words of that book, saying with Samuel, " Speak, Lord ! for Thy servant heareth." ("2)
ii. The second principal end of reading these meditations is, to recollect matter of prayer and contemplation, retired and alone by oneself with our Lord. For (as St, Bernard says) (3) reading disposes and aids meditation, which, with- out it, or something equivalent, is wont to be straying, wan- dering and distracted. And in such cases they are only to read those points that serve them for meditation in their hour assigned. And because sometimes one point is large,
(1) S. Aug. ser. 22, ad. frat. S.Isid. lib. iii. desummobono, c. 3. S. Bern, ser. 30, ad. sororem.
(2) 1 Reg. iii. 10, 3) la sea claustralium.
OF MENTAL PRAYEE. 73
comprehending some three or four considerations, whose number is noted in the margin ; it will be good to divide such a point into many, and briefly to gather for the medi- tation two or three verities of those considerations, to ruminate them more at leisure. And if any one desire to have more copious matter of meditation he may make of two points one.
Yet it is to be noted that although we prescribe in them the practice of mental prayer, exercising affections, petitions, and colloquies, yet we tie no man to those words in which they are delivered ; but he himself may invent them, as our Lord shall dictate the same to him, and the light of the verity which he considers, and his own feeling of devotion, which (as has been said) is the tongue of the soul, may suggest ; and whosoever has it knows very well how to speak with Almighty God, (4:) and without it is as it were mute and dumb ; and then it is good to make use of those colloquies here set down, making them as if they were his own.
iii. The third end of reading these meditations may be to practise them with others; for it belongs to spiritual masters and confessors to give and prescribe such points of meditation to their disciples and penitents, exercising them in this manner of prayer when they are capable thereof; but they are not to give all alike to all, but select those meditations, points, and considerations that are most accom- modated to the state and capacity of him that receives them.
iv. And besides this, they may also help themselves with these for their own sermons or spiritual speeches, which are used to be made in common to such as live in religion or out of the same, with desire to obtain that perfection that is proper to their state.
(4) Cap. ii. S. Bern, serra. 45 in Cantic.
74 THE INTRODUCTION
2. For all these ends I have endeavoured that the medi- tations should go confirmed and accompanied with places and sentences of Holy Scripture which were written for the same ends. So that here are declared, in a manner, all the four Evangelists : — the greater part of the Acts of the Apostles: — the beginning of Genesis, and many other places of the Old and New Testaments. And as many of them may have divers senses, I have endeavoured to make choice of the most received, according to the exposition of the saints, from whom I have collected these considerations ; as also from that which other spiritual men have experienced to whom our Lord has communicated these tastes and feelings.
3. So that, by this means, such as are lovers of variety in these exercises of the spirit will find in this book divers meditations for the several times of Advent, Lent, Sundays, and principal feasts of the year, accommodating themselves in every time to the spirit, which in them the Church re- presents. And as many have a devotion for meditations distributed according to the seven days of the week, they will here also find variety of them.
i. Those which treat of purifying themselves from vices in the purgative way will find meditations of the seven deadly sins, — for every day its meditation ; and they them- selves may easily collect others of the seven principal things that are in this life, that is to say, meditation of sins, death, judgment particular and universal, hell, purgatory, and the glory of heaven. As also of the seven notorious sinners that our Saviour Christ converted, namely — St. Matthew, St. Mary Magdalen, the woman of Samaria, the woman found in adultery, Zaccheus, the good thief, and Saul, other- wise called Paul.
ii. Those who treat of gaining virtues in the illuminative way will find meditations on the seven petitions of the
OF MENTAL PRAYER. 75
" Our Father," of the eight beatitudes, of the seven stations, in which is consummated the whole passion of Christ our Lord, of the seven words that He spake upon the cross ; and they may easily make choice of seven parables, or seven of His most notable miracles, for the seven days of the week.
iii. Those who treat of union in the unitive life will find meditations of the seven divine attributes, in which principally this union is fed; — that is to say, bounty, charity, mercy, immensity, wisdom, omnipotence, and provi- dence. And if they will meditate God's benefits they will find meditations of the works that Almighty God did the first six days of the world and his rest upon the seventh day; also of the seven rewards of glory which Christ our Lord declared in His sermon of the beatitudes, and those which He promised the seven bishops in the Apocalypse. And after this manner they will find various meditations of the most blessed sacrament and of our blessed Lady the Virgin, and for the fifteen mysteries of the rosary. All which they may easily seek in the tables of contents prefixed to each of the volumes.
4. Finally, every one part of the six parts which this book has, in which are divers meditations with different man- ners of praying and contemplating, is like a banquet of many and different meats, dressed after many and divers fashions, which are set upon the table, not that every one that is in- vited should eat of all, although he may make a trial of all, but that he should eat principally of that meat that gives him most relish, or which is most agreeable to his com- plexion or necessity, leaving the rest for others that shall find relish where he finds it not, because they have another complexion or necessity different from his. For it would be a great ignorance in this matter to seek to lead all after that form of praying that suits me, contemning those that
76 THE INTRODUCTION OF MENTAL PRAYER.
use another way. And therefore, every one guiding him- self partly by the counsel and directions of his spiritual master — partly by the experience of his own comfort and profit — must lay hold of those meditations and forms of prayer which arm him best to this end, although it is not amiss to " prove all ;" (5) for perhaps our Lord will open to me a way which I thought He had held very close shut.
5. By what has been said I conclude, that those who desire daily to climb the mystical ladder of Jacob, (6) which St. Augustine calls the " ladder of paradise," and St. Ber- nard, " the ladder of men who are religious ;" (7) the steps of which are, reading, meditation, prayer, and contempla- tion— will find in this book matter and instruction fit for this ascent, relying principally upon God's grace, by whose favour we shall all be able to climb and arrive to that union with our Lord, who is at the top inviting us to mount up thereby ; and to this end He sends His holy angels who ascend and descend for our good : they ascend to present to God our desires and petitions, and they descend with the good despatch of them, and always animate us to climb up every day with great perseverance, until we enter into the paradise of our God, where we may see Him and enjoy Him, world without end. Amen.
(5) 1 Thess. V. 21. (6) Gen. xxviii. 12. (7) In tomo 9.
THE FIRST PART
OF THE
EDITATIONS ON SINS
AND ON THE
LAST ENDS OF MAN;
WITH FORMS OF PRATER APPROPRIATED TO THOSE WHO WALK IN
THE PURGATIVE WAY, TO PURIFY THEMSELVES OF
THEIR VICES.
THE INTRODUCTION ON PURITY OF SOUL, WHICH IS THE END OF THE MEDITATIONS OF THE PURGATIVE WAY.
1. Among those excellences which the frequent use of meditation and mental prayer comprehends, the first that opens the way for many others is to purify (as St. Bernard says) (1) the fountain itself from whence it springs. And as it springs from two fountains, the one superior, which is God, with His inspirations, and the other inferior, which is the soul, with her faculties, its excellence consists in cleansing this second fountain in the virtue of the first, purifying the memory of culpable oblivions, the under- standing of errors, the will of depraved desires, the aj)pe- tites of their unbridled passions, the senses of their super- fluities, the flesh of her sensual cherishings, and the soul of her vicious customs ; upon which the Apostle St. Peter said that God purifies hearts by faith, (2) not because faith alone is sufficient for this, but because faith, quickened with the profound consideration of the verities and mysteries (1) Lib. 7. de considerat. ad Eugeniura. (2) Acts xv. 9.
78 THE TNTEODUCTION
which He reveals, awakens the acts and affections of the soul, which, with the divine grace, dispose to the perfect purification of the heart.
2. And although this excellence is found in all the medita- tions of the mysteries of our faith, yet it is most notably resplendent in those which appertain to the purgative way, whose principal end is to move the will to acts and exercises, with which perfect purity is obtained, and the trenches are dug for the edifice and building up of virtues.
3. These are reduced to three classes.
i. The first comprehends the acts of knowledge of our- selves with contempt of ourselves, wherein (as St. Bernard says) (3) true humility consists. And it is of two sorts ; — one is proper to the just that never sinned, and proceeds from the knowledge of the nothing that we have of our own growth ; and this is principally obtained by the meditations that will be put in the sixth part. The other is proper to sinners, and proceeds from the knowledge of the sins and miseries into which we have fallen ; and this is obtained by the meditations of this first part, whose acts are to despise ourselves, to hold ourselves worthy to be despised by all men, and as much as lieth in us to desire it, and take means to procure it, exercising some humiliations, and accepting those that happen to us in such a manner as we shall practise in the meditations themselves.
ii. The second class comprehends those acts which dis- pose to our justification, that is to say, fear of God's justice, hope of His divine mercy, perfect sorrow for our sins, strict examination of conscience, humble and entire confession of offences, and satisfaction with works of penance to revenge upon ourselves the injuries that we have done against Almighty God, and other such like.
iii. The third class comprehends those acts which aid (3) Tractat. de decern gradibus humilifcatis et serm. 36 in Cantic.
ON rURITY OF SOUL, 79
towards taking away the roots and remainders of former sins, in order never more to return to them — such are, chas- tising the flesh to subject it to the spirit, mortification of un- bridled appetites, reducing them to the rule of reason, abne- gation of our own will, to make it conformable to the will of God, detestation of ourselves and of all things that nourish self-love, that God our Lord and His holy love may find an entrance into our heart.
4. These are the paths in which we are to walk in the purgative way, to make a very perfect conversion. For sup- posing that, according to the counsel of the Wise man, (4) in all our works we are to be very diligent and fervent, yet in none more than in the work of our justification, and in the means ordained to that, fulfilling at the least that which St. Paul gave us in charge when he said, " As you have yielded your members to serve uncleanness and iniquity unto ini- quity, so now yield your members to serve justice unto sanc- tification." (5) And as St. Augustine says, " Quales impetus habebas ad mundum, tales habeas ad artificem mundi," (6) " Carry as great vehemency of love to the framer of the world as thou didst carry to the world itself," serving the Creator with that fervent affection wherewith thou wert wont to serve the creature, bearing as entirely the image of the heavenly Adam as thou bearest that of the earthly Adam. (7) And because the holy Apostle (as St. Gregory remarks) (8) spoke this as condescending to our weakness, it is reason that such as are fervent labour to be much more diligent in good than before they were in evil, complying with the counsel of the prophet Baruch, (9) when he says that we should convert ourselves "ten times" more to God than we separated ourselves from him. So did the glorious Mag-
(4) Ecclus. xxxi. 27 ; xxxiii. 23. (5) Rom. vi. 19.
(6) Prsefatione in Psal. xxxi. (7) 1 Cor. xv. 49,
(8) Lib. xix. moral, cap. 16. (9) Baruch iv. 38.
80 MEDITATION I.
dalen, Zaccheus, Saul, and other notable penitents, of whose marvellous conversions we shall make special meditations in the third part, in which those that have passed by these (which will be put here) may exercise themselves.
5. And although these are most proper to such as desire fervently to convert themselves to God our Lord, and to such as are beginners in virtue, who desire to purify themselves from all the dregs and ill customs of their former life; (10) yet (as the Holy Spirit says) because no man should lose the fear that his sin is not pardoned, and because the "just man" falls "seven times," (11) it is therefore reason that the just also now and then should renew these meditations, to purify them- selves of their present sins, and to assure themselves the better of the pardon of those passed; for to this end is the counsel of Ecclesiasticus, that we cease not to pray nor to justify ourselves until death. (12) And Christ our Lord says in the Apocalypse, " He that is just, let him be justified still, and he that is holy, let him be sanctified still ;" (13) in- creasing every day in purity of conscience and in sanctity of life.
THE FUNDAMENTAL MEDITATION I.
ON THE END FOR WHICH MAN AND ALL THINGS THAT SERVE HIM WERE CREATED.
This first meditation is the beginning and foundation of the spiritual life ; for (as Oassian (1) notes in his first Colla- tion of a Religious man's end) before all things we are to fix our eyes upon the end of our life and of our profession, as well upon the last end, which is the kingdom of heaven, as upon the nearer end and mark, which is purity of heart,
(10) Eccles. V. 2. (11) Prov. xxiv. 16. (12) Ecclus. xviii. 22. (13) Apoc. xxii. 11. (1) Cap. iv- et v.
ON man's FINAIi END. 81
without which this kingdom is not obtained. For the end is the rule of the means, and according to that all the works of our life are to be squared and directed ; so that in this meditation all those ought to exercise themselves very often that walk in any of the three ways above mentioned, seeing all of them come to rely and stay upon one and the same final end. And it will serve also for an example in which we may see put in practice what has been said concerning mental prayer.
2. Afterwards, having done those three things which we spoke of in the fifth chapter, before I begin meditation, to tie my imagination to one place, in such a manner as it may be done here. I will imagine God our Lord seated on a throne of infinite majesty, like an immense sea, (2) from whence issue out the rivers of creatures, all returning to Himself, as to their final end and place of perpetual rest. Then will I humbly beseech Him for what I desire in this meditation ; that is to say, celestial light to know my true final end, and to direct according to that my crooked life, saying with David, " Send forth, 0 Lord, from on high, Thy light and Thy truth," (3) that they may guide me, and bring me to Thy holy mount and to Thy everlasting habitations, for Thou didst create me to live in them. This done, I will begin my meditation in the form following.
POINT I.
The first point shall be to call to memory the end for which man was created: that is, to praise, reverence, and serve his God, and by this means to save his soul, (4) according to the saying of St. Paul to the Romans : " You have your fruit unto sanctification, and your end life ever- lasting." (5) As if he should say, " The aim and end of
(2) Apoc. iv. 2 ; xxii. 3. (3) Ps. xlii. 3.
(4) S. Ignatio in fundamento exercitiornin.
(5) Horn. vi. 22. Cas. ubi supra.
62 MEDITATION I.
your works in this life is to serve Aliniglity God with purity and sanctity, and the final end to which they are ordained is, to obtain life everlasting.
Upon this truth the understanding is to form its reason- ings to bring to light what is comprehended therein, con- sidering thus : — Who created me, and ordained me to this end, and for what cause ? How sovereign an end this is ! How ill I have pursued it in my past life, and in what peril I have been of losing it I What heavy losses I sustain by losing it, and how great benefits ensue if I obtain it ! and how great reason there is that from this day forward I should vigilantly seek to obtain it! With every one of these considerations I will move the will to the affections and acts it requires in this manner : —
1. First I am to consider how the infinite majesty of Almighty God, who hath no need of His creatures, not for my merits but of His mere goodness created me to His image and likeness ; not that I should live at random to follow my own lusts, nor that I should seek honours or dig- nities, riches or delicacies, or any other thing created, but only that I should reverence and praise Him, that I should love and obey Him in this mortal life, and afterwards ob- tain life everlasting. And although it had been sufficient to give me for my end that which my nature required, yet Almighty God was not contented with this, but of His mere mercy ordained and raised me to another more high and sovereign end, which is to see Him manifestly, to enjoy Him, and to be happy and blessed as are the angels, or as God is Himself, according to that of St. John : " We shall Bee Him as He is." (6)
Colloquy. — O immense charity of our sovereign God! What is this, O Lord, thou dost? A creature so miserable as this little silly worm — man, dost Thou
(6) 1 Johu iii. 2.
ON man's final end. 83
exalt to so high an end as to see Thee ajDparently in Thy glory ? What ! was I not obliged to serve Thee freely and for nothing as Thy slave ? then why dost Thou assign me so excellent a reward ? Blessed be Thine infinite mercy, and let all the angels praise Thee for this sovereign benefit ! What shall I return Thee, O Lord, for so great a reward ? (7) I off*er myself to serve Thee freely all my life, without desiring any other interest more than to serve Thee, for to serve God is to reign. And seeing Thou art my first begin- ning and my last end, give forthwith beginning to my new life, and aid me with Thy grace that I may attain to its final end. Amen.
2. This done, I will consider how ill I have pursued this end in my past life, living as if I had been created, not to serve God, but to serve my own lusts, and to seek honours, delicacies, and riches ; committing for this cause innumerable sins, as if the end of my vocation had not been " sanctifica- tion," (8) but uncleanness ; not " liberty" of the spirit, but liberty of " the flesh." (9)
Colloquy. — 0 wretch that I am, how blindly have I gone astray in that which it most imported me to know! O how ungrateful have I been to Him that created me to so high an end, and how evilly have I paid Him that did me so much good ! O my Creator, that 1 had never offended Thee ! Pardon, 0 Lord, my transgressions for Thine own sake, and help me to get out of them that I may lead the remainder of my life conformably to the end for which Thou hast given it me. Amen.
3. Then will I consider the great losses I sustain by losing this end ; for what loss can be greater than to lose my soul, to lose God's divine grace, to lose the peace and alacrity of
(7) Ps. CSV. 12. (8) 1 Thess. iv. 3. (9) Gal. v. 13.
84 MEDITATION I.
conscience, and to lose all blessedness to which are joined eternal damnation and the forfeiture of God Himself? For " what doth it profit me to gain the whole world, and suffer the loss of my own soul" (10) and of my God, in compari- son of whom all the world is even as nothing?
4. On the other hand, if I attain to this end I obtain the possession of God Himself, I shall save my soul, I shall have peace and cheerfulness of heart, I shall be protected by the Divine Providence, I shall find quietness and perpetual repose, as all things find in their end and centre. This, then, being so as it is, animate thyself, 0 my soul, to seek the end for which thou wast created by God, and herein employ all thy care, for there is nothing that more imports thee. Convert thyself to God who is thy rest, for beside Him all whatever else is torment. (11) If thou servest God what wilt thou more? If God be thy possession, what wantest thou more ? Delight Him in seeking Him, and be confident to obtain Him, for He loves His creatures, and takes contentment that they should obtain the end for which He created them.
Colloquy. — O infinite God, centre of my soul, convert me to Thee that I may take rest, for Thou madest me for Thee, and my heart is unquiet until it comes near to Thee. (12) O eternal Father, seeing Thou didst create me that I might love Thee as a son, give grace for Thine own sake, that I may love Thee as a Father ! O only-begotten Son of the Father and Redeemer of the world, seeing that Thou didst create me, and didst redeem me, that I might obey and imitate Thee, aid me that I may always obey Thee, and imitate Thee in all things. O Most Holy Ghost, seeing that of Thy goodness Thou didst create me to be sanctified, grant
(10) Matt. xvi. 26. (11) S. Cyp. ser. de asc.
(12) S. Aug. lib. i. confes. cap. 1.
ON man's final end 85
me that it may be so for Thine own glory. O angels of heaven ! O most blessed saints ! that have attained the end for which you were created, beseech this our Lord whom you enjoy that I may also obtain Him, ascending up to enjoy Him in your company, world without end. Amen.
POINT II.
In concluding the first point I must pass to the second, which is, to call to memory the end for which all the other things of the earth were created, that is to say, that they might help man to attain to the final end of his creation, taking them for a means to serve Almighty God our Lord and to save himself, according to that which the royal prophet David said of his people, God "gave them the lands of the Gentiles, and they possessed the labours of the people, that they might observe His justifications" or holy commandments, "and seek after His" holy "law." (13)
1. Upon this truth I am to consider first, how liberal Almighty God has showed himself towards me in creating such a multitude of creatures, so fair and so admirable for my sake, and not only created things necessary to preserve my life, but also many others for my delicacy and delight, and for the recreation of my sight, hearing, smelling, tasting, and touching, for which I am to give Him infinite thanks ; seeing that the good which He did to these creatures He did it more to me than to them, for that He did it to them in respect of me.
Colloquy. — Let all these Thy creatures bless Thee, 0 Lord, and let my soul praise and glorify Thee for them all. I give Thee thanks for the being which Thou givest to the heavens and to the elements, to beasts and to plants, and to all the other bodies of the earth. I give Thee thanks also for the beauty of
(13) Ps. ci 44.
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86 MEDITATION I.
the colours, for the harmony of the sounds, for the pleasantness of the odours, for the sweetness of the meats, for the softness of our raiments, and for all those things which recreate my five senses, seeing Thou createdst them for me that I might praise and serve Thee with them.
2. And then I will consider how well these creatures comply with the end for which Almighty God created them, serving me and nourishing me, because God so commanded it ; and contrariwise, how evilly J have complied and do com- ply with my end, using them evilly to offend God with all, placing in them my final end, as if I had been created to enjoy them, making the end of that which was but the means. And if I run through my senses, I shall find that they have gone lusting after creatures, using them only for their delight, and not to glorify God that gave them me ; for the which I justly deserved that God should take them from me, and that He should " set at liberty" (as he said by Oseas) His " corn and wine," His flour and His " wool" from the " ser- vice" (14) they are in under my possession, using them against their inclination to offend their Creator.
Colloquy. — O most just Creator, how is it that Thou didst not justice upon him that so abused thy crea- tures, using them against Thee ? O my soul, how art thou not confounded with such treachery as this? And how art thou not ashamed of this great baseness thou hast committed, abasing thyself to place thy final end upon a thing so vile as is the creature to the injury of the Creator ! O my God, how ungrateful have I been for Thy sovereign benefits ! for what Thou gavest me to serve Thee I converted into an occasion to offend Thee. Pardon, O Lord, my un- thankfulness, and assist me, that from henceforward
(14) Oseas ii. 9.
ON man's final end. 87
I may not use that so evilly which Thou gavest to me for my good.
3. I may also consider that these creatures were created, as the Holy Scripture says, that by them I might know the perfections and excellences of the Creator, (15) and that I might love Him with all my heart ; and so I may imagine that every one stands crying to me, and saying, " This perfec- tion which I have is better in God than in me. He gave it me. Know Him, love Him, and use it for His service." And with this consideration, I will excite myself to ascend from the visible creatures to the invisible Creator to unite myself to Him as to my last and final end.
POINT III.
1. The third point is, a practical conclusion drawn from what has been said in the two preceding points ; that is to say, hoiv from henceforward I am to use creatures and what indifference my will has to hold in the use of them, not coveting more than that which may help me to serve my Creator, and to obtain the end for which I was created, pro- curing as much as lies in me, not to desire riches rather than poverty, honour than dishonour, health than sickness, long than short life ; but only that which shall be most con- venient for my salvation. For it is a great part of wisdom not to take of the means more than is meet to obtain the end, as of any purgative drug we take not a greater quantity than is necessary for our health.
2. With this consideration I must also enter into my heart and make a dissection of the disordered inclinations and affections that it has to riches, honours and delicacies ; to parents, kindred and friends; and its own health and life; labouring to move my will to desire to mortify the
(15) Sap. xiii.4.
k2
88 MEDITATION I.
superfluous love of creatures, persuading myself to this by the motive aforesaid, and by others that I may inquire out with my reasoning, especially by that of the Divine Providence which most carefully assists those that wholly resign them- selves into the hands of God, " casting (as St. Peter says) all their cares upon Him," (16) to serve Him with the greater perfection. For it is most certain that Christ our Lord will fulfil His word which He gave us when he said : " Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His justice, and all these things shall be added unto you;" (17) as if He should have said, " First seek the kingdom of God, which is your final end, and its justice, which are the means to obtain it, and thus doing, be assured that the providence of your heavenly Father will provide you temporal things necessary to sustain your life."
3. But because with my own powers I am not able to attain to this resignation, I must have recourse to Him that can give them me, framing some colloquy with our Lord, and saying to Him very earnestly : —
Colloquy, — I confess, 0 my God, that my heart very much cleaves and is tied to creatures with inor- dinate love : seeing, therefore, I am so wretched and feeble that, having fastened myself to creatures, I can- not unfasten me; favour me with Thy omnipotence in my weakness, destroying this connexion, and weeding out from me this inordinate love, that I may love Thee, and serve Thee with all my heart and with all my powers. For Thou art my love and my repose, to whom be honour and glory, world without end. Amen.
(The matter of these three points shall be handled more at large in the sixth part.)
(16) 1 Pet. V. 7. (17) Matt. vi. 33.
ON man's final end. 89
POINT IV.
From these same principles I must draw another practical conclusion, as the foundation of the purgative way ; that is to say, that I must detest sin above all the most detestable things of the world ; for that mortal sin only is contrary to my final end, and by it only is it lost. So that neither poverty, nor infamy, nor dishonour, nor pain, nor infirmity, nor baseness of parentage, nor rudeness of wit, nor want of natural sciences, nor all the other miseries of the world, are directly contrary to my final end ; nor shall I lose it for them, but only for mortal sin, by which, as much as lies in me, I destroy the true final end, which is Almighty God, " denying Him (as St. Paul says) my works." (18) I even devise another final end to myself, which is the creature, which I take for God. And upon this the same Apostle says that gluttons hold "their belly" for "their God;" (19) proud men their glory, " and covetous men make an idol of their money." (20)
(This truth shall be considered in the meditations en- suing, to move us to the abhorring of so great an evil as sin is, and to purify ourselves of it with great care.)
MEDITATION II.
ON THE GMEVOUSNESS OF SIN, BY THE EXAMPLES OP THE SIN OF THE ANGELS, OF ADAM, AND OF SOME OTHERS IN PARTICULAR.
1. The end of this meditation is, to know by examples the grievousness of sin, by which to abhor it, the terrible- ness of God's justice in chastising it, by which to fear Him, and to appease Him by penance ; and the instability of man in good, by which to know his weakness and not to
(18) Tit. i. 16. (19) Phil. iii. 19. (20) Eplies. v. 5.
90 MEDITATION II.
trust to himself, but to humble himself in the presence of God. And all this I am to beg of our Lord, at my entrance to meditation, beseeching Him to illustrate with His divine light my understanding to know it ; and to move my will to have a feeling of it with great affections of contrition, and to aid me that I may be warned by others' miseries, before the chastisement light upon my own head.
2. And that this meditation, and those which follow, may make the deeper impression in the soul, I am to form first in my imagination a figure of Christ Jesus our Lord, as of a judge seated upon his tribunal to give judgment — with a severe countenance (1) — from whose throne issues forth a river of fire to burn sinners ; and I will imagine myself be- fore Him like a deep and heinous offender, bound with the fetters and chains of innumerable sins, fearing and trembling like one that deserves to be condemned and burnt with that terrible fire.
POINT I.
The first point is to call to mind the sin of the angels who were created by God in the empyreal heaven, replen- ished with wisdom and grace ; but, abusing their free will, they grew proud against their Creator, for which they were thrown out of heaven and cast into hell; losing for ever the end and blessedness for which they were created. (2) In this truth of the Catholic faith there are three things.
1 . First, I will reason considering how liberal Almighty God w^as to the angels, creating them according to His own image and likeness, and communicating to them, without any merit of theirs, most excellent gifts of nature and grace. By reason of which w^e may say of all, as was said of one, that they were adorned with nine stones very precious — that is, with nine excellences, which Lucifer
(1) Dan. vii. 9. (2) S. Th. i. p. q. Ixiii. ; Isa. xiv. 12 ; Luc. x. 18 ; 1 Pet. ii. 4 ; Apoc. xii. 9.
ON SINS. 91
and the rest received in their creation. (3) For Almighty- God made them; i. pure spirits without admixture of body ; ii. immortal, without fear of corruption ; iii. intel- lectual with great delicacy of wit; iv. free, that nothing could force their will ; v. wise, with fulness of all natural sciences ; vi. powerful, above all inferior creatures ; vii. holy, wath the gifts of grace, charity, and the rest of the virtues ; viii. inhabitants of the paradise of delights, which is the empyreal heaven ; ix. and, finally, capable of seeing Almighty God clearly, with promise of this glory, if they persevere in His service, which they might easily do, and were obliged thereunto by the law of gratitude for these nine titles.
2. Secondly, I will consider how ungrateful some of them were against Almighty God, growing arrogant with these gifts, and arming themselves with them against Him of whom they had received them, not giving Him that reve- rence and obedience which they ought with humility to have given Him, but employing their liberty and powers to offend Him whom, on so many accounts, they ought to have served.
3. Thirdly, I will consider how terrible Almighty God showed Himself in chastising them instantly, without giving them respite or time of repentance, depriving them, for that only sin, of those gifts of grace which He had given them, and throwing them, like lightning from heaven, (4) into the everlasting flames and fires of hell, without respect either to the beauty of their nature or to the greatness of their state, or that they were His creatures made according to His image and likeness, or that they were exceeding wise, or that they had been once His friends ; for one mortal sin is alone sufficient to obscure all this, and is worthy of so terrible punishment which (as St. Peter says) God's justice
(3) Ezech. xxviii. 13. (4) Luc. x 18.
92 MEDITATION II.
permitted, and ordained for our example. " For if He spared not the angels tliat sinned, but delivered them drawn down by infernal ropes to the lower hell unto torments," (5) although they were so noble, how much less will He omit to punish men obstinate in their transgressions, being as they are so vile and so base? And if the angels, " fortitudine et virtute majores non portant adversum se execrabile judi- cium," " who are greater than men in strength and power, bear not the execrable judgment against them," (6) but with great raging and impatience; how much less shall feeble and wretched men be able to endure it ? Oh, how " fearful" " a thing is it to fall into the hands of the living God," (7) hands so heavy that the angels themselves cannot suffer them!
4. These three things I am to apply to myself, pondering how liberal Almighty God has been towards me, doing me innumerable benefits ; and how ungrateful I have been to Him, committing innumerable sins against Him ; and how I have deserved that God should punish me as He did the angels, and even much more, for their sin was but one, mine many ; theirs was but a sin of thought only in matter of pride ; mine both of thought, word, and deed, in matter of pride, of luxury, of wrath, and of other vices ; theirs was not injurious to the blood of Jesus Christ, for it was not shed for them ; mine are injurious against this blood of the Son of God, which was shed for me upon the cross. Then this being so, how just a thing were it that God should have sunk me into hell in the company of the devils, making me partaker of their pains, seeing I would needs be so of their sins !
Colloquy. — 0 God of vengeance, how is it that Thou hast not revenged thyself on a man so wicked as I ?
(5) 2 Pet. ii. 4. (6) 2 Pet. ii. 11. (7) Heb. x. 31.
ON SINS.
93
How hast Thou suffered me so long a time ? Who has withheld the rigour of Thy justice that it should not punish him that has deserved so terrible punish- ment ? O my soul, how is it that thou dost not fear and tremble, considering the dreadful judgment of God against His angels ? If with so great severity He punished creatures so noble, why should not so vile and miserable a creature as thou fear the like punishment ? 0 most powerful Creator, seeing Thou hast showed Thyself to me not a God of vengeance but a Father of mercy, continue towards me this Thy mercy, pardoning my sins and delivering me from hell, which most justly for them I have deserved.
POINT II.
The second point shall be to call to memory the sin of our first parents, Adam and Eve, who, having been created in Paradise, and in original justice, broke the commandment of Almighty God, eating the fruit of the tree which, upon pain of death, He had prohibited them, for which they were cast forth of paradise, (8) and incurred the sentence of death, and other innumerable miseries, as well for them- selves as for all their offspring.
1. Upon this verity of faith, I may reason as upon the former, considering how liberal Almighty God was to our first parents, creating them of His mere goodness according to His own image and likeness, and placing them in a paradise of delights, giving them His grace and original justice ; subjecting their appetites to reason and the flesh to the spirit; freeing them from mortality and penalties to which by nature they were subject, and granting them a happy and most contented state. And all this He did of His pure grace and mercy, granting it them not only for
(8) Gen. iii. 1 ; S, Th. 2, q. cLxiii., clxiv.
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94: MEDITATION II.
themselves but also for their successors, if they had per- severed in His service.
2. Secondly, I must consider how ungrateful they were to Almighty God, and what motive they had for that ; for the serpent coming to tempt Eve, and promising her guilefully that if she ate of the forbidden fruit they should not die, but should rather be as God Himself, having knowledge of good and evil ; she suffered herself to be beguiled, ate of the fruit, and invited Adam to do so ; who, to please her, ate also of it, treading under foot the pleasure of God for the pleasure of his wife, without making account either of the benefits that God had done him or of the punishments that He had menaced and threatened him with.
3. Then will I consider how terrible Almighty God showed Himself in chastising them, casting them out of para- dise, depriving them for ever of original justice, subjecting them to death and to all the miseries of a corruptible body, which miseries all we his children incur, because we all sin in him, and for his cause we are born the children of wrath, (9) enemies of God, and adjudged and condemned to the self-same death. And that which more affrights is, that from this original sin that we inherit of him, proceed as from their root those innumerable sins that are in the world, and the inundations of miseries that overflow it, (10) by which I may perceive how terrible, dreadful, and hideous an evil mortal sin is, seeing one alone deprives of so much good, brings so much evil, and so highly provokes the wrath of Almighty God, though He be much more inclined to mercy than to the rigour of justice.
Colloquy. — Who shall not fear Thee, (IJ) 0 King of worlds ? Who shall not abhor so great a mischief as to offend Thee ? O my soul, if thou knowest what thou dost when thou sinnest like Adam, doubtless
(9) Eph. ii. 3. (10) Rom. v. 12. (11) Apoc. xv. 3, 4.
ON SINS. 95
thou wouldst tremble at the heavy burden with which thou loadest thyself! (12) O sin, how heavy art thou to me ! Thou deprivest me of grace, robbest me of virtues, chasest me out of Paradise, condemnest me to eternal death, subjectest me to temporal death, takest away the life of my children (which are my works) depriving them of the merit of glory, dis- quietest the kingdom of my soul, and fillest it with innumerable miseries. O my God, deliver me from so great an evil ! O my soul, fly from sin (as the Wise man counsels thee) more than from snakes and serpents, (13) since one alone is more cruel and venomous than they are all being put together !
4. Besides this, I must make comparison of my sin with that of Adam, like as in the preceding point; for I (wretch that I am !) being tempted by the devil, suffered myself to be deluded by him, not once, but often. My flesh has been like to seduced Eve, that has provoked me to sin, and my spirit, effeminated like Adam, to please it, has a thousand times displeased God by breaking His commandments ; my pride and ingratitude have arrived to that height that I have often desired to be as God, usurping to myself that which is proper to His deity. Then, if God inflicted such punish- ment on my first parents for one sin of disobedience and pride, founded upon no more than eating one apple contrary to the precept of Almighty God, how great punishments have I deserved for so many acts of disobedience and pride, and for so innumerable offences as I have committed against Him ? Oh, how just had it been that, at my first sin, death should have swallowed me or all the miseries of the world showered down upon me !
5. Lastly, I will consider what a long penance Adam and Eve did for this sin of theirs, how bitter that morsel was to them, and how dear it cost them; for Adam having
(12) Ps. xxxvii. (13) Ecclus. xxi. 2.
96 MEDITATION II.
lived more than nine hundred years, spent them all in weeping and mourning, and suffering a thousand incom- modities which the state of his corruption attracted to it, but in the end, (as says the Divine Wisdom,) through penance he obtained pardon ; (14) and with this example I must animate myself to lament my miseries and to do penance for my sins, that Almighty God may deliver me from them, imitating in penance him whom I imitated in sin, and beseeching our Lord to chastise me as much as He will in this life, so that He pardon me and deliver me from the torments of the other.
POINT III.
The third point shall be to call to memory some mortal sin, as perjury, carnality, or such other like ; for which many souls are burning in hell, and that very justly, for injury done to the infinite majesty of Almighty God.
1. I must, then, descend with my consideration into hell, which is full of souls, among which I shall find many that are there burning for one only sin ; some for one perjury, others for a lustful thought consented to, and others for some other sin of word or of deed. And then I will con- sider how all these condemned persons were men as well as I, and many of them Christians as well as I, who enjoyed the same sacraments and sacrifices, and those sermons and sacred books, that I enjoy, and were perhaps some time very holy and highly in favour with Almighty God ; but by little and little they grew careless and came to fall into that mortal sin, and, by the just judgments of God, death attacked and fell upon them in it, and they were most justly condemned for the same. For (as the Apostle St. James says) whosoever shall " offend in one point," breaking a commandment, "becomes guilty of all," (15) the same as he
(14) Sap. X. 2. (15) Jac. ii. 10.
ON SINS. 97
wlio breaks many ; for he offends the God of infinite majesty, who commands them all to be observed.
2. Then must I make comparison of this sin with many of mine, pondering with how much more reason I have de- served to be in hell, as those souls are, for having offended Almighty God, not once, but often, in other kinds of sins than theirs, and that without number.
Colloquy. — Oh, how justly have I deserved that death should have attacked me in committing my first offence and crime, and that God should have given me no time of repentance ! What moved Thee, 0 my God! to bear with me more than with these? I confess that I deserve to be in their company, but seeing Thy majesty hath with so much mercy borne with me, I resolve, with Thy grace, to be very truly and entirely penitent.
3. I may also consider that it is no less a mercy of Al- mighty God to have preserved me from hell, withholding me from descending to everlasting torments, than if, after I had descended, He had delivered me from them; for which I may say with David, " I will praise Thee, 0 Lord my God, with all my heart, and I will glorify Thy name for ever," (16) for Thy mercy has been very great towards me, delivering my soul from the deepest hell. And to know how to esteem aright of this heavenly favour, and how to repay it as I ought, I may speak to myself, saying,
Colloquy. — If God should deliver one of these souls out of hell, and give it a time of repentance, what rigorous penance would it perform ? how thankful would it be to Almighty God? and with what fervour would it serve Him? Thou, therefore, art to do the like, considering that God has done to thee so sin- gular a favour as to deliver thee from the danger before thou didst fall into it.
(IG) Ps. kxsv. 13.
98 MEDITATION II.
POINT IV.
ON THE GREATNESS OP OUR SINS, UNDERSTOOD BY THE PAINS THAT CHRIST OUR LORD SUFFERED FOR THEM.
1. The fourth point shall be both matter of a sweet col- loquy and of a most devout consideration, to see the great- ness of sin and the dreadfulness of God's justice by another example, very different but no less effectual than the former ; that is, by the chastisements which the divine justice in- flicted upon Christ Jesus our Lord, not for His own sins, but for mine, and for the sins of the whole world ; that I may understand how He will chastise man laden with his own sins that so chastised Him that bore the burden of other men's sins, and how the guilty slave shall be handled when the innocent Son was so terribly punished, calling to mind that dreadful sentence which our Redeemer spake to the daughters of Jerusalem, '* If in the green wood they do these things, what shall be done in the dry?" (17) As if Ho should say to me, " If I be treated with such rigour being a green tree and full of fruit, with what rigour wilt thou be treated that art a dry tree and without any manner of fruit at all ? "
2. Then I must set before my eyes Christ Jesus crucified, beholding His head crowned with thorns. His face spit upon, His eyes obscured. His arms disjointed, His tongue embit- tered with gall and vinegar. His hands and feet pierced with nails, His back and shoulders torn with whips, and His side opened with a lance ; and then pondering that He suffers all this for my sins, I will draw various affections from the inwardest part of my heart, sometimes trembling at the rigour of God's justice, who (as the prophet Zacharias said) unsheathed his "sword" against the man that
(17) Luc. xxiii. 31.
ON SINS. 99
" cleaved with Mm" in person ; (18) sometimes bewailing my sins which were the cause of these sorrows, and sometimes animating myself to suffer somewhat in satisfaction of my offences, seeing Christ our Lord suffered so much to re- deem them. (19) And, finally, I will beg pardon of Him for them, alleging to Him for a reason all His troubles and afflictions, saying to Him in amorous colloquy : —
Colloquy. — 0 my most sweet Kedeemer, who descen- dedst from heaven and ascendedst this cross to redeem men, redeeming their sins with Thy sufferings, I present myself before Thy Majesty, grieved that my grievous sins have been the cause of Thy terrible pains. Upon me, O Lord, these chastisements had been justly employed, (for I am he that sinned,) and not upon Thee that never sinned. Let that love that moved Thee to put Thyself upon the cross for me move Thee to pardon me what I have committed against Thee. By Thy thorns I beseech Thee, draw out of my soul the thorns of my sins; by Thy scourg- ing, pardon my thefts ; by Thy gall and vinegar, pardon my evil works ; and by the wounds of Thy feet, pardon my evil steps. 0 Eternal Father, " look upon the face of Thy Son," (20) and seeing in Him Thou didst chastise my sins, let Thy wrath be appeased by these chastisements, and use towards me Thy mer- cies, " casting all" our " sins into the bottom of the sea," (21) in virtue of that blood that was shed for them. Amen,
(This point we shall dwell upon largely in the fourth part.)
• (18) Zacliar.xiii. 7. (19) Isa. liii. (20) Ps. Ixxxiii. 10. (21) Mich. vii. 19.
100 MEDITATION III.
MEDITATION III.
ON THE MULTITUDE OF SINS, AND ON THE GRIEVOUSNESS OF THEM, BY REASON OF THEIR MULTITUDE AND REPUGNANCE TO REASON.
POINT I.
1. The first point is to call to mind the multitude of sins that I have committed in all my former life, to which end I must run through all the stages of it, and through all the places where I lived, and through the offices, occupations, and employments that I have had, observing how often and in what manner I have offended in respect of each of the seven sins which we commonly call deadly, and of each of the commandments of the law of Almighty God and of His Church, and in respect of each of the laws and rules of my state and office : to which end it will help me to know the kinds of sins that may be committed in these matters, as they shall be put in the first points of the 18th meditation and nine following meditations.
And this remembrance of sins must not be dry, but moistened with tears full of shame and confusion, as was that of the holy king who said, " I will recount to Thee all my years in the bitterness of my soul." (1)
2. Having called these sins to remembrance, I will make in prayer an humble confession of them before God, like Daniel, (2) accusing myself of them all, at least of the principal of them, striking my breast as the publican, (3) and saying, " I accuse myself, 0 Lord, that T have sinned before Thee in pride, presuming vainly of myself, speaking boasting words, despising my neighbours, and rebelling against Thee." And in this manner will I prosecute the accusation in all the seven deadly sins, and throughout all the Ten Commandments.
(1) Isa. xxxviii. 15. (3) Dan. ix. 5. (3) Luc.xviii. 13,
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3. After I have confessed those sins which I know, I am to believe that there are very many other that I know not, which David calls " secret sins," (4) but they are not hidden from God who is to judge me, (5) and chastise me for them. And this must keep me careful and sorrowful. These sins are hidden from me for one of these three causes : — either be- cause I have already forgotten them ; — or because they were very subtle, as interior pride, rash judgments, sinister inten- tions, negligences and omissions ; — or because I committed them with some ignorance and error, or by the illusion of the devil, thinking that I did God service in them. And thus joining the sins that I know with the sins that I know not, I may believe that they amount to an innumerable multitude, and that they are (as David said) "more in number than the hairs of my head" (6) and (as King Manasses said) " many more than the sands of the sea." (7) Hence I will draw great admiration at God's patience in suffering me. For one injury, or two, anyone may bear; but so many, so often repeated, so divers, and done with so great perverseness, who can suffer but Almighty God ?
Colloquy. — Truly, O my God, there was need of such an infinite patience as Thine to bear with such an infinity of wrongs and injuries as mine; but seeing Thou hast not been wearied to bear with me, let it stand with Thy good pleasure to pardon me. Amen.
POINT II.
1. Hence I will ascend to consider the grievousness of these sins, by reason of their multitude, profiting from some simili- tudes used in the Divine Scripture. For if sin be like " a mill- stone hanged about the neck," with which man is thrown into the " depth" (8) of hell, my sins being as many as the sands of the sea or the hairs of my head, what an immense burden
(4) Ps. xviii. 13. (5)1 Cor. iv. 14. (6) Ps.xxxix. 13.
(7) In oratione ejus. (8) Matt, xviii. 6 ; Apoc. xviii. 21.
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MEDITATION III.
will they be ! with what a furious violence shall I fall with them into the abyss of hell ! If God of His goodness hold me not back, who shall be able to hold me ? And what are so many sins but an iron chain of innumerable links (9) with which I am linked, bound, and chained, which is so long that it reaches to hell, and at which Satan stands pulling to drag me to him. And if the sins of the angels (as says St. Peter) were "ropes" that drew them from heaven to the lower hell (10) how much stronger ropes shall my sins be, being twisted with so innumerable cords ? My soul is also en- compassed with this multitude of sins as with an army of "dogs" "lions," "bulls," (11) "serpents," and other savage beasts that terrify it with their roarings, tear it in pieces with their mouths, and rend it with their claws; like bees they sting, and like serpents they bite and gnaw the conscience. Finally, I am that " wicked servant'' that " owed" his lord " ten thousand talents," which is so great a debt that, although they should sell " all that he hath," " both his wife, his children" and himself, yet all would not suffice to pay the least part of it. (12)
Colloquy. — Then what dost thou, 0 my soul, with so great a burden of sins ? If this army of savage beasts made Christ sweat blood with anguish, how comes it that thou dost not weep tears of blood, of sorrow and pain ? O most merciful Saviour, by that sorrow and feeling that Thou hadst of my sins in the garden of Gethsemane, I beseech Thee, assist me to have such a feeling of them, that I may be acquitted and delivered of them. Amen.
2. To this I must add another circumstance that may much aggravate my sins, which is my relapse and repeated falls into the same sins, after Almighty God had pardoned me
(9) Isa. Iviii. 6. (10) 2 Pet. ii. 4.
(11) Ps. xxi. 13, 14, 17, 21, and 22. (12) Matt, xviii. 23.
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once and many times,