The Christians Guide to Devotion, Part 2 – Part 3
PART II. Of the Sources of Indevotion.
CHAP. I. Of Impurity of Life: The firſt Source of Indevotion.
SInce Indevotion is ſo great an evil, let us try to find out its ſources, that we may cut up this evil by the very Roots. Now one of the principal ones is Impurity of Life; nothing diſconcerting an heart ſo as an evil Eſtate of Conſcience; nothing more extinguiſhing the fire of Piety, than the loathſom and muddy waters of Sin. Fire does not eaſily take in things ſoak'd in water: Devotion cannot eaſily be brought to fit Souls penetrated with Vice, one flame puts out another, and the fire of Covetuouſneſs choaks that of Zeal, as the flame of Gunpowder extinguiſhes that of a Candle. Devotion is a certain alacrity of heart, that diſpoſes us to draw nea… to God with confidence; but how ſhould we have this Diſpoſition, when we are guilty of the Vice, in going to preſent God with ſuch offerings, as we our ſelves know ought to be abominable to him? for we know, that God does not care for a ſullied and unclean Sacrifice. Go, ſays he, I hate, I deſpiſe your ſolemn feaſts, your meat-offerings and ſat beaſts: I receive them as the price of Whoredom, as the bloud of a Swine, and as a Dogs head. Alas! the moſt ſpotleſs man is not enough ſo to preſent himſelf before God with Aſſurance, and the Prophet could ſay: Wo is me, for I am undone becauſe I am a man of unclean lips: mine eyes have ſeen the King, the Lord of Hoſts. 'Tis impoſſible therefore, that he who has not the Wedding-Garment on, whoſe Veſtment is ſtained with the ſpots of the Fleſh, muſt needs be put into a vaſt conſternation in thinking of him before whom the Stars and the Angels are unclean. And how can this Fear, or to ſpeak better, this Horour agree with Devotion, which is all love and all aſſurance? Let us go with confidence, ſays the Apoſtle St. Paul to all devout Souls, to the Throne of Grace, that we may find mercy in the time of need. To bring to God a criminal Conſcience, is to bring to him a witneſs againſt our ſelves to make our own proceſs: 'tis to deliver us up into the hands of his ſevere Juſtice. We need not therefore be ſtartled, if the wicked be Indevout and fly the preſence of God: And ſince Impurity of life wou'd do nothing elſe than take away the Hopes of being heard; This would be enough to hinder and ſtifle all Devotion. All the Vertues are intereſſed, and he that would take away hope takes their very life away. How then can a wicked creature that knows God will not hear him, pray devoutly? When you ſpread forth your hands I will hide mine eyes from you: yea, when you make your prayers, I will not hear: your hands are full of Blood. It is for this reaſon that St. Paul would have us lift up pure hands without wrath and murmuring: And David ſays, If I had Iniquity in me, the Lord would not have heard me. 'Tis for this cauſe, he profeſſes elſewhere, that he waſhes his hands in Innocency, before he goes to Gods Altar. And why ſhould God have any regard to the Prayers of thoſe that have none for his Commandments? upon theſe Principles, the wicked man ſays to himſelf, why ſhould I preſent my ſelf before God? Have not my Iniquities barr'd up againſt me the Gates of Heaven, and why ſhould I go to ask of him that is reſolved to refuſe me? Unprofitable Devotions wou'd theſe be, and ſubmiſſions that wou'd only ſerve to haſten my Puniſhment. I cannot have the impudence to deſire any thing without promiſing to my ſelf ſomewhat; but I am reſolved to bridle nothing within me, and to continue in this way of living. 'Tis better therefore that every one holds where he is. Devotion is of a great extent; it takes up the whole heart; it cannot dwell in a Soul divided betwixt Avarice, Ambition, Violence, Pleaſure, and the love of the World. Wherefore if you ſometime ſee thoſe worldly Perſons, who refuſe nothing to their heart, to have their Days of Devotion well regulated, and even ſometimes to ſhed more Tears, and fetch up more ſighs than the Faithful; you may, without heſitating, conclude, that theſe are Hypocrites and pretended Zealots who would pay God with Phiſiognomy and Poſture, and cheat the World with fine Appearances. Perhaps ſome there are, who believe they are not ſuch badly devout People, when they attone for a Months Debauch with a day of faſting. But they deceive themſelves, for true Devotion is not unequal nor full of Sallies. It does not reſemble thoſe Summer-Torrents, which roul with a head-long impetuoſity, and do not continue but for a day. So that holineſs of Life is a preliminary of abſolute Neceſſity to obtain Devotion. This Vertue is one of the moſt excellent Graces that we receive from Heaven, & one of the moſt precious Gifts of the holy Spirit; but 'tis a Pearl, which is not to be caſt before Swine. 'Tis an Ennamel only to be layed upon Silver or Gold: 'Tis, in one word, a Favour communicated only to priviledged Souls, that is to ſay, to the pure and clean in heart: But as we ſhall have occaſion to touch again upon this ſubject in another Rencounter, we will not drain it dry here.
Meditation.
WHo can expreſs the Evils and the Diſorders that Sin has cauſed in my Soul? Who can recount all the Miſchiefs wherein the Impurity of my heart ingages me? Over and above all other Evils it brings me this too, it renders me incapable of Devotion. Sin has put a ſeparation between my God and my ſelf: and therefore I am dead, for God is my life, and the Soul of my Soul; I am blind, for God is my Light. Separated from him, I am poor, for he is my Treaſure and makes up all my Riches. I am naked, for he alone gives me Rayment: Sick I am, for my health and ſtrength comes from that Sun of Righteouſneſs, who carries healing in his wings. Sin has rob'd me of him, and has ecclipſed him as to me, and I continue languiſhing away, being far from the Principle of my Life. In this faintneſs I know not how to produce thoſe vigorous movements of Devotion that elevate the Soul, and carry it towards Paradice. Sin is a thick, foggy, heavy Wet that ſticks to my Wings; it is a Weight which oppreſſes me, arreſts all my Soarings, and renders all my efforts uſeleſs. I feel a La… in my Members, which Wars and oppo… ſes it ſelf to the Law of my Mind, and makes me the ſlave of Sin. Inſomuch a… I do not the Good that I would, yet I do the Ill that I would not.
Prayer.
O Divine Sun of my Soul! break out, and Diſſipate theſe Clouds. Thou great Deliverer, break theſe Irons, open this Priſon, and free me from this Bondage and Captivity. Thou art moſt pure, let me not be unclean; Almighty, let me not be miſerable; All Life let me not be dead: Draw me out of this calamitous Eſtate, this deplorable nothing. Diſengage me from under this Burthen of Mortality and corruption, ſo as I may walk lightly and chearfully, or rather I may fly ſwifth even to thee. Pardon all my Sins, that they may not terrifie me, and baniſh me from thy Throne. Stop the courſe of my Iniquities, that they may not hinder my Prayers from mounting up before thee. Let me not ſtill continue to render my ſelf unworthy of thy Favours, by the ill uſage I make of thee, nor to grieve thy holy Spirit by the uncleanneſs of my Life that only can inſpire me with the Ardour I ſeek after: That only can render my Soul devout: and it's preſence only can warm my Affections. But will it be pleas'd to bring it's light into a Soul ſo polluted and ſo dark as mine? Prepare for thy ſelf, O my God, a lodging within me worthy ſo great a Gueſt and Stranger, that it may come and enliven me, that I may live, and love-thee; that I may burn with the Fire of thy Love, and with that of Devotion.
CHAP II. Touching the love of the World: the ſecond Source of Indevotion.
BEhold one of the great reaſons, why there are ſo few Devout in the World: It is, becauſe all are in love with the World: and this Love is one of the moſt efficacious Temptations, wherewith the Devil ſerves himſelf to diſtract and call us elſewhere. This love has pierced our very marrow and entrails; and ſeeing 'tis the maſter of our Heart, can the love of God dwell there? can darkneſs and light, can Fire and Water, Life, and Death, be comparable together? In him that loveth the World, the love of the Father does not dwell. Where there is no love of God, how can there be any of Devotion, which is nothing elſe but love? what is it that makes up the fire and the zeal of Devout People, but Love? What is it that makes the deſires ſpring up of union with God in Devout Souls but Love? what makes us find a Guſto in the poſſeſſion? the ſame Love. What does indue good Souls with a readineſs and alacrity to ſerve God? Is it not Love that renders every thing eaſie to him that loves? But as much as the love of God ſuccours and helps Devotion, ſo much does the love of the World cruelly croſs it. It extinguiſhes heat; it ſtifles the deſires; it eſtranges from God; it takes away the taſte of heavenly things; it purloins the heart from it ſelf, and carries it elſewhere. Lot's Wife advances towards the Mountain, but hath her heart in Sodom, ſhe turns her Eyes thither. The ſuperiour part of the Soul, which is in love with Heaven, makes ſome efforts to lift it ſelf up to God: but this ſame lower part, wherein the Paſſions reign, turns its eyes towards the World, and wheedles the heart out of the Commerce whereinto it entred with its God: Rachel, in craving her fathers houſe, carries along with her his antick Images: In quitting the World to enter into our Cloſets, we bring with us its Idols, that is, its Ideas and vain Images: and from thence proceed our diſtractions, and thoſe unhappy thoughts that traverſe us in the midſt of our Devotion. Theſe are the Idols of Gold & Silver, the Devils of Ambition and Covetouſneſs, which an hundred times paſs and repaſs in our mind, in a quarter of an hour to diſtract us. When we come to Prayer, our head is filled with a thouſand I deas of good and evil, of Deſires and Fears, of Dangers, and diſtruſt of hopes and deſpair, of Joys and Divertiſe ments, and a thouſand other vain Objects A Soul at this rate taken up and imploy'd, can it give place to the Ideas of God's greatneſs, of his Majeſty, Goodneſs, Mercy, and Love? Faith, Repentance, Charity, Zeal, Hopes, Acknowledgments, and a thouſand other Vertues, which compoſe, or at leaſt, help Devotion, can they agree well with theſe Emotions that the commerce of the World communicates to us? We ſcarce ever think of things, but ſuch as poſſeſs our hearts: if we lov'd …e Worldleſs, twould not come ſo often into ourminds. We are hurried away with it: it is a Demon we know …ot how to lay: we cannot find a Sanctuary againſt its …erſecutions: the ſolitude and affrightful Objects of the …eſert, cannot baniſh it. An Antient tells us, that …mid his Macerations, his mind ſometimes tranſported him out of his Solitude into the company of young Women a dancing. I ſay then, we ought to imploy … our ſtrength to dry up this ſecond ſource, if we …ould be Devout. My little children, love not the World, or the things that are in the World. We ſhould Crucifie …he Old-Man, if we would preſent our ſelves to God a …ving, holy, and acceptable Sacrifice, which is our reaſo…able Service. So that one of the moſt profitable Me…itations, by which we can prepare our ſelves for …rayer, is that of the Worlds vanity. It is good to en…er into our ſelves, to conſider the brevity of humane …fe, the inconſtancy of the Worlds Glory, which flouiſhes in the morning and fades and withers in the eve…ing. It is good to repeat frequently to our heart, …hat the Holy Spirit has ſaid heretofore. All fleſh … as Graſs, and all the Glory of man as the flower of …raſs; the Graſs withereth, and the flower thereof fadeth …way. As for man, his days are as Graſs: as a flower of be field, ſo he flouriſheth; for the wind paſſeth over it, and … is gone, and the place thereof ſhall know it no more. Man that is born of a Woman is of few Days, and full of couble: he cometh forth like a Flower and is cut down: … fleeth alſo as a ſhadow, and continueth not. His riches …aniſh away, and his Sins continue: his honours aban…on him; but his torments do not quit him. Thus by …rying with a loud voice, Vanity of Vanities, in an heart …nfected by the bad Air of the World, it may chaſe away thoſe worldly thoughts, and fright away thoſe …irds which come to ſpoil our Sacrifices, and devoureth good ſeed of Piety, which the Heavenly ſower had … into our hearts.
Meditation.
HOw miſerable am I! I can ſtouth cry, Vanity of Vanities, to my Hea… depraved and corrupted with the love … the World, and yet ſtill it is never th… better. I am ſufficiently perſuaded of a… that is told me, I know mighty well, th… the World is only made up of appearances, I know it hath very much Gall an… Wormwood for a little Honey. I kno… that Pleaſures are Twiſts, that ſnarl an… intangle the Soul, and train it to Death But I am not yet acquainted, how the… knowledges remain in my underſtanding and make no manner of Impreſſion upo… my Will. I believe, I ſee, and I do nothing I ſee a thouſand and a thouſand People which the World plunges into corruption and brings to Hell. I ſee it is a great en… my of my Saviour, and that the chief thin… which it compaſſes upon them that giv… themſelves up to it, is, to take away fro… them the Love of God. 'Tis lewd, 't… dangerous, I know it; yet notwithſtanding I know not how to break the Cords which hold me tied to it. I fly it, it follows me: … lays hold of me in all places, and I meet … every where. O my Soul, make one …aſt and utmoſt effort to break theſe miſ…hievous Chains, to make a Divorce with his Enemy. Say to it with a firm voice, Get thee behind me, Satan, thou art an offence unto me. The love of the World …s an Enemy of the love of God; And al…o interchangably the love of God is an Enemy to the love of the World. Make therefore, O my Soul, the love of thy God …o enter into thee, that it may baniſh thence the love of the World: Setheſe two ene…mies to Daggers drawing, and favour his ſide, who wou'd ſave thee againſt him who wou'd deſtroy thee. Love him that loves thee, although he ſtrike thee ſometimes as if he did not love thee: And have a hatred for him that hates thee, albeit he acts as if he lov'd thee. Return to this fervent Spouſe a love as great as he has for thee.
Prayer.
BƲT without thee, O my God, I cannot love thee, nor ceaſe to love the World without thy aid. Pull up therefore this harſh and bitter Root, which ſhoots up, and turns me out of t… way of ſalvation. Open mine eyes, take th… Evil from off the World, draw away the Ma… and the Paint wherewith it is covered, th… I may ſee all its Deformity, and ſhiver at th… ſight. On the other ſide, make me to ſee th… face, and thy beauty, that my Soul may be raviſhed and I may no more run after the vanitie of the World. Enrich me with thy good things that my Soul being fulfilled, may wiſh nothing more, and that my deſires may all expire in th… joy of thy Love. Then ſhall I run in thy path… with all my might. Then my Soul, being inflamed and fulfilled with heavenly fire, ſhall not cannot any longer be hindred from lifting up its ſelf to thee with all the ardour that one ough… to have for the Sovereign Good. Then in its Devotions ſhall my Soul be no more troubled with the vain Idols of the World. Being filled with thee and with thy Love, it will not be able to furniſh and afford room for any thing elſe.
CHAP. III. …f the too great ſenſibility towards earthly Pleaſures: The third ſource of Indevotion.
THis Love of the World is a great Trunk, which divides it ſelf into many Branches, that are alſo ſources of Indevotion. The firſt branch of this Love is the too great ſenſibility towards earthly pleaſures. Theſe …eaſures are of two ſorts: The firſt are highly cri…inal, and are thoſe we call Debauches of the Men of be times: and of theſe, certain it is, that not only the …xceſſive ſenſibility but the leaſt taſte we take of them …s the mortal Enemy of Devotion. Spiritual pleaſures …e of a taſte ſo vaſtly different from carnal ones, that …t the ſame time one cannot love the one and the other. … palat imbrued with Gall and Wormwood, and which has never taſted of other Savours, cannot en…ure our Sugar and Honey: A man ſunk into the un…voury ſweetneſs of Sin, will find all the ſweetneſſes of Grace of ill taſte. There is another ſort of worldly …leaſures, whoſe Innocence the World maintains, be…auſe the crime is not ſo viſible: They are called …nnocent, and they may be ſo, if they did not ſoon be…ome criminal by the abuſe of them, and they all may …e great obſtacles to Devotion, more than we are …ware of. The Holy Ghoſt is called the Comforter; …nd the taſte which the Pious find in the Exerciſes of Holineſs is termed Spiritual Conſolation. But to whom is the Comforter and the Conſolation deſtin'd …ut to the afflicted? For certain therefore thoſe Souls …hat are filled with the joy of the World, are not proper to receive theſe Divine conſolations, and the wh… ſom impreſſions of the Divine Comforter; 'Tis this reaſon the ever bleſſed Jeſus ſaith, Bleſſed they which mourn, for they ſhall be comforted. An… Auſtin ſaith to God: Thou art the only true and th… Sovereign pleaſure capable of filling the Soul: Do … caſt far from me all thoſe falſe pleaſures, and at the… time enter thou into their place, thou, who art more … and more agreeable than all Pleaſures, tho not to … and Blood. The Manna did not fall upon the Iſrael… but when the Victuals they had brought out of … were conſumed. And queſtionleſs that divine Man… Grace, thoſe Raviſhments and thoſe joys of Devot… are not communicated to thoſe that have a mag… furniſhed with the things of Egypt, and the pleaſure the World.
A perſon that returns from a Ball or a Comed very much indiſpoſed for Devotion. Some may in favour of the Theater, that it is become chaſte, … and that we ſee there more Leſſons of Vertue th… Examples of Vice: But others may ſay, that the Pa… ons do not appear there animated but in defence Honour, and that there are produced no other ſentime but thoſe of Generoſity. For my part, I ſay, that Vertues of the Theater are crimes, according to … mind of the Goſpel; and when there is any thing go… heard there, it is very much ſullied by the impu… of the Lips and the Imaginations thorough which paſſes. Oh Impiety! ſaid Clemens Alexandrinus, you h… made Heaven to deſcend upon the Theater, and God is come a Comedy. Oh Impiety! we may ſay, in imitati… him, you have made Vertue to mount the Theat and you have made her an Actreſs: Our Saviour … not have his Preachers wear Buskins on their feet Masks on their face. Tragedy, ſaies St. Cyprian, makes… ancient Crimes to revive in its verſes, ſo as they may die of old age. It draws them out from under the Tomb of ten or twelve Ages: And in the preſent age we learn ſuch Crimes, as perhaps we ſhould never have thought on; we obſerve, that what has bin done heretofore may alſo be done to day; So we make examples of thoſe Actions which had ceas'd to be Crimes; nevertheleſs the innocence of Tragedy may be pleas'd with more colour. The Lacedemonians were wiſe men, who baniſhed theſe evil Arts from among them, by reaſon, ſaid they, that it was not ſafe to violate the Laws, even in appearance, and that one ought to reſpect them even upon the Theater.
This makes me remember a ſaying of Cicero, that it is not honeſt by way of ſporting the mind to exerciſe one's Philoſophy and Rhetorick againſt the Gods, in arguing either their Exiſtence or their Providence without being an Atheiſt. This veneration we owe to them of not diverting our ſelves at their expence. I ſay the ſame of Vertue. It is not handſome to pleaſe ones ſelf in ſeeing Vertue or rejoycing or wronged. But beſides all this, theſe ſights are abſolutely diſagreeing with Devotion, ſince they fill the Soul with vain Paſſions, and we have need of a free mind. They make real Joys and Griefs to ſpring up for imaginary Adventures. Into the Mind they put Idea's, and into the Heart vain Motions, which ruine the holy Diſpoſitions that we would eſtabliſh in a devout Soul.
The ſame I ſay of a Play; a Fury which agitates men like a kind of Demoniac Spirit. A Man ſees his Life and his Death, (that I may ſo ſpeak) his Fortune and his Misfortune a rouling, with inconceivable Tranſports and Inquietudes. His Soul is agitated at the ſame time with a thouſand Paſſions, with Fears, Deſires, Hopes, and his Heart is entirely put beſides the Seat. Is ſuch a Man in a Condition to lift up his Soul to God? Such fine Devotions as theſe are they, which are made after having paſt half the Night in this exerciſe. The Tempeſt has been over great, a long time will the Waves be moving; the Soul will be a good while levelling it ſelf: and yet after this the Sweetneſſes Devotion will not be according to the Palate, for th… they are not carnal Pleaſures, of which alone it ſenſible. Whence it comes to paſs, that young Pe… ple are very rarely fit for the Elevations of Devotion They are but lately come into the World, and all … it appears mighty fine. Theſe Pleaſures they g… down by long Draughts, and nothing appears pleaſ… unto 'em but what flatters Fleſh and Blood, whi… boils in their Veins. Hence alſo it comes, that th… Conſtitution, where the Blood has the Aſcenda… which is the Temperament of the World's Joy, is … proper for Devotion than that which has the Ingred… ents of Earth and Melancholy: the former is like … Matter extreamly combuſtible, which takes fire … the leaſt Sparkle; but the latter being more difficu… to be moved, is leſs ſenſible of what charms other and that which pierces through them, negligent… paſſes it by.
We ought therefore to draw Men out of this erro… They imagine they can divide themſelves betwi… heavenly and earthly Joy; but it is impoſſible. In th… Rank of unclean Creatures the Law plac'd thoſe Amphibious Birds which both ſwim and flye, and live in … double Element of Air and Water. This is the E… blem of worldly Men; evermore they ſwim in fleſhly Pleaſure, and ſometimes by weak Soarings they try to get out thence and reach Heaven: but it happen… to 'em juſt as it does to thoſe Aquatic Fowls, whoſe flight goes no further than to touch and curle the Superficies of the Water with their Wings, and then they forthwith fall down again. Delicate and rare, ſays St. Bernard, is the Divine Conſolation: 'tis a chast Woman, but jealous, who deſerving only to be beloved, cannot give her ſelf to him that runs after ſtrange Women. Wherefore Solomon pronounceth Vanity upon all the Pleaſures of the Earth, whereof he had made a very large Experience. It's for this alſo that David declares ſo of ten that he will not have any other Pleaſure than that of his God: To draw near to God is my Good; to be united to him is my All. Forſake all, ſays St. Auſtin, and thou ſhalt find all: for that Man will find all in God that deſpiſes all for God's ſake. Behold here one of the main Counſels which can be given to pious Minds which undertake to diſpoſe themſelves to Devotion. Renounce, renounce, thou devout Soul, all the Pleaſures of the Earth, and make choice of Spiritual ones; let reading in holy Writings charm thee, as worldly-minded People are charmed by their ill Books: let religious Aſſemblies and preaching of the Word divert thee, as much as they divert themſelves by their criminal Shows: let the Works of Mercy toward the Poor and Afflicted be uſed by thee, as the men of the Age uſe their vain Courſes, their Sports, and their Converſe: and if thou takeſt any Recreations and Refreſhments, let Honeſty and ſevere Vertue be the Governeſs of all thy Pleaſures.
Meditation.
HOW unhappy art thou, O my Soul, to be born in Aegypt, and not to be enſible of the bleſſings of the true Canaan? or this reaſon thou turneſt thy eyes ſo of…en upon the World: and at the ſame …our that thy Heart ſhould be intite in …eaven at the time of thy Devotion and …ravers, thou thinkeſt on Onions, Garlick …nd Fleſh-pots, which thou didſt eat, when thou waſt the Slave of the Devil and th… World. Thou haſt not yet taſted th… delights of Pious and Devout Souls, that ſay I am ſatisfied as with Marrow and Fatneſ… Oh! how good the Lord is, I have taſted him He brought me into his Banquetting-Houſe His Love is ſweeter than Wine, and th… Honey, Let him kiſs me with the Kiſſes … his Mouth. Would to God I were honoured with theſe ſecret communication whereof my Saviour makes ſome Priviledged Souls to partake; which fill them wit… Joy even in the midſt of Torments, an… make them find muſick in Priſons, and … the rattling of their Irons. Learn, O m… Soul, learn to ſeek thy Pleaſures and D… lights in God: he is the Source: All Jo… that comes not from him, terminates a… length in grief, ſaddneſs, lamentations, d… ſpair, and gnaſhing of Teeth. What do… my heart wiſh for? what does it hunger an… thirſt after? doſt thou love Beauty? In Go… thou wilt find it, and God will give it th… thy ſelf: for thou wilt become glorious an… full of light by the commerce thou ſha… have with him. Doſt thou love Life an… Health? He is the well of Life, and in … Light ſhall we ſee Light: and he will communicate a Life to thee ever healthful and vigorous, that is Eternal Life. Doſt thou love pleaſures? Lo, he will make thee drink at the Stream of his Delights; He will fill thee with the Wine prepared by the Divine Wiſdom, that ſaith, I have mixt my Wine, I have killed my fat Beaſts. He will cauſe thee to ſee ſuch Objects, as will raviſh thee: He will make thee hear a ſweet and charming Muſick in the conſort of Angels and Saints, who eternally ſing the praiſes of our God. After ſo many Bleſſings either already received or already poſſeſt in hope, can I ſtill be at all ſenſible of the vain Pleaſures of the Earth.
Prayer.
O My God, my divine Saviour, come and fill my Soul with thoſe ſweetneſſes that thou communicateſt to thy faithful ſervants; give me the bread which came down from Heaven, the true Manna and bread of Angels, that makes me taſte of pleaſures, which ſtifle and choak the ſenſe of worldly pleaſures, and the taſte of ſublunary divertiſements. Let thy Sabbaths be my Feaſt days: Let thy word be ſweeter to me than Honey, and than the drops of Honey; And let the meditation of thoſe joys which thou prepareſt for me in Heaven, raviſh me in ſuch a manner, that I may be no more either the World's or my own, but be intirely Thine. Make Heaven to deſcend upon Earth in my favour; Enlarge my heart; Make there a little Paradiſe: Shed down upon it ſo great an abundance of thy Light of Grace, as may imitate and approach the Light of Glory. Make thy Rivers to run a croſs this Paradiſe: Plant therein the Tree of Life: And lay up there ſo grand an influence of good things, that my own Wealth may make me look upon that of the World with an high diſdain and contempt; and that from under the Throne, where thou ſhalt have plac'd my Soul, it may conſider all the Palaces of the World like meer Cottages.
CHAP. IV. Of Worldly Troubles and Cares: a fourth Source of Indevotion.
NOW we come to another branch of the Love of the World, and a new obſtacle to Devotion; I mean earthly Cares and Riches. Black and horrid Devils, that come to croſs us, that draw us frequently out of the company of our Lord Chriſt Jeſus, to lead us among Sepulchres, and that walk, as in the ſad Ruines of our Fortune and Grandeur. There are more unhappy than happy Perſons in the World; ſo that this temptation is at leaſt as ordinary as the precedent are: and whereas the World poſſeſſes our Hearts, when we have loſt it, we bewail it moſt bitterly. A man, whom againſt his will, a contrary Wind drives from the Haven where he would be, always turns his Eyes on that ſide, and does not loſe the View of it, but with inconceivable Regret. If he would take any reſt, the Images of his Country, his dear Children, and his Friends, return inceſſantly into his mind to plague him and continue his Torture. So the afflicted Soul, that would retire into its ſelf, to be united with God, doth ſee, amidſt its Exerciſes, the Images of its misfortunes, which awaken its Grief and draw it from Heaven into the bottomleſs pit. Theſe are the Waſps and Flies, whoſe Stings are ſo piercing: whilſt we are fixt ſo on holy Work, and give up to it our whole attention, then theſe come and prick us ſo to the quick, that we are forced to lay our hands on the part affected. Theſe are the Whips, wherewith the Taſkmaſters of Aegypt ſerve 'emſelves to haſten us to the work of the Fleſh and the labour of Bricks. Theſe Taſk-maſters are the Devils, that ſay with Pharaoh; this People is idle; ſince they will ſerve their own God, let us redouble their Imployments: and hence they rowze up thoſe ſmarting and ſtinging cares, recalling into the memory of one; the loſs of a Cauſe in a Court of Judicature, and of another the Ill eſtate of his affairs, an he ruine of his Family. And theſe thoughts like ſo many ſtings, haſten a man to return to his works of Straw, to his worldly occupation, that make him to forget God's Service. When therefore we would eſpouſe our ſelves in the boſom of our God, we muſt drive and fright away theſe Gnats, that whizz about our Ears, and we muſt lay theſe Demons. And as the Spouſe ſaid, I charge you, O ye Daughters of Jeruſalem, by the Roes and by the Hinds of the Field that ye ſtir not up nor awake my Love till he pleaſe: So we ought to ſay, Go ye carnal thoughts, thy earthly anxities and netling Cares: away, ye Devils, return into your bottomleſs pits; let my Soul reſt, and do not diſturb its holy Converſations; do not draw it out of the Arms of its beloved, whoſe poſſeſſion makes up all its Joy and all its Beatitude.
Good remedies there are againſt this Temptation, which we ought to make uſe of. The firſt is, to diſcomfit and deſtroy in us the love of the World: when we ſhall love it no more, we ſhall no more be ſenſible of the miſchiefs and misfortunes that befall us on that ſide. So we do'nt love Money, Riches nor Grandeur, we ſhall not be touched with the loſs of them. So we love God only, we ſhall evermore be content, becauſe we ſhall never loſe him. The World makes men pay Intereſt for its Pleaſures: the grief it cauſes in abandoning us, is much greater than the joy we taſte in poſſeſſing it: and therefore we ſhould diffeize our ſelves in good time, that we may loſe it without trouble. If we have cares that ſeem lawful unto us, and which we know not how to part withall, let us follow the precept and example of David, Caſt thy care upon God, and he will take care for thee. We do not want examples to maintain this reliance. We can produce an Elijah, that was fed by Ravens; a Prophet in the Lions Den, that was reſpected by thoſe Monſters; Iſraelites in uncultivated and deſolate Places, upon whom the very Heavens rained down Bread. Have we need of Aſſurance and Promiſes? ſee that of our Lord Jeſus: Are not two Sparrows ſold for a farthing? and one of them ſhall not fall on the ground without your Father. Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many Sparrows. Behold the Fowls of the Air, they ſow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns, yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. God that takes care of the young Ravens, that call upon him, will he deſert us? without doubt we muſt have a great ſtock of Incredulity to reſiſt ſo great Promiſes. After all, let us remember to think, how our Cares do change nothing at all in the ſtate of our Concerns, and how they turn our Souls topſie turvy, and render them incapable of Devotion. Upon which account our ever bleſſed Jeſus would not have us take care for the Morrow, for fear it ſhould trouble our Devotion to day.
Wherefore, in entring into our Cloſet, we muſt ſay to our ſelves: why doſt thou take care for ſo many things, and it may be thou muſt die to morrow? Afraid thou art of wanting neceſſaries for Life, but thou conſidereſt not, that theſe neceſſaries may be reduced into a ſmall compaſs. Thou haſt loſt ſome Wealth, thou art afraid of loſing it, 'tis therefore God hath retrencht thee of the ſuperfluity. Whereas, how canſt thou be afraid of wanting any manner of thing, when in that moment thou goeſt to find God, to whom appertain all things, and addeſt with St. Auſtin, Caſt thy ſelf, O my Soul, into the Arms of God; and fear not, leſt he ſhould let thee fall, for his Arms ſuſtain Heaven and Earth. And having ſaid this, ſhut the door againſt all the troubles of the Fleſh, and caſt them under thy feet, as thou falleſt on thy Knees.
Meditation.
ALas! I have good reaſon to weep; Oh that my Head were Waters, and mine Eyes a Fountain of Tears, that I might bewail my Sins. This is a ſadneſs after a godly ſort, and a Repentance not to be repented of. In this Reſpect, mine Eyes are without moiſture, and dry as Rocks. Oh! that Moſes his Rod ſtruck me, and the Terrour of Gods Judgments ſeiz'd me, that I might be able to caſt out Currents of Water. Yet nevertheleſs I do not want tears to mourn my miſhaps, and my worldly misfortunes: So that I am not covetous of Tears, but I diſtribute 'em ill. Wherefore, O my Soul, art thou ſo toucht at the loſs of ſome goods whereof thou had'ſt only the uſe, and which Death at leaſt would have infallibly raviſht from thee? Doſt thou not know, that the World and its Fortunes are all of Glaſs? They ſhine, but they are brittle: The leaſt blow ſhatters them, and makes 'em to flye into a thouſand pieces; why then ſhouldeſt thou think it ſtrange that Glaſs ſhould break between thy Fingers? Why art thou ſo ſenſible of Injuries and Offences: And why doſt thou make the malignity of another thy own miſery? why doſt thou ſo bitterly lament the loſs of ſome Perſons that Death has taken up from thee? they were not thine, they were Gods, who lent 'em thee, and has retaken them. In ſhort, Why art thou ſo prodigal of Tears, whereof thou reapeſt no fruit? that is, to imploy ones Labour in that which profiteth not, When thou bewaileſt, O my Soul, thy misfortunes, thy tears do not make thy misfortunes to ceaſe; but mourn for thy Sins, and thy Tears will deſtroy them. They will whirl them away like a Torrent or a Deluge, and they will be found no more. Thy carnal anxieties trouble thy Devotion; But the Grief which thou ſhalt have for thy Sins and Infirmities will augment it, and God will comfort thee.
Prayer.
COme therefore, thou Holy Ghoſt, the Comforter, who wert promiſed to us by the Son in behalf of the Father. Come ſweeten my bitter Anguiſhes by thy Delights and Mercies. Come and recompence my loſſes by thy Riches. Give me ſuch joy as paſſes all underſtanding. Give me Piety, that I may have contentment of Mind, and that the one and the other being joyned together may be great Gain to me, and compoſe my ſoverign happineſs. Come and place my Soul in ſo firm a Seat and Poſture, that it may never be jogged or ſtagger'd even by the rudeſt blows. Come, and reſtore back to me what I have loſt, Goods, Poſſeſſions, Houſes, Husband, Wife, Children, Kindred, and my deareſt Frinds. Come my dear Saviour, and let me poſſeſs thee perfectly inſtead of all things. The World has taken away all it hath given me: But it cannot raviſh from me what thou ſhalt beſtow upon me. I make a Sacrifice to thee of all the Goods which I have loſt: If I have not loſt 'em for thy Name, yet at leaſt I at preſent patiently ſuffer the loſs of them for thy Name's ſake: And therefore I hope thou wilt reward me as if I had loſt them for thee. In this Hope I baniſh my Cares and Troubles far from me, to the end they may come no more to diſturb and interrupt my Repoſe. O my God, make the Walls of my Cloſet impenetrable Ramparts, ſuch as cannot be pierced by the Darts of my perſecuting Enemies: So that I may be there in thy Preſence as in a quiet and ſafe Haven againſt the Tempeſts wherein my Life is loſt; and that ſo the Commerce which my Soul would have with thee, may not be interrupted by the remembrance of my Misfortunes, but I may forget all my Griefs and Calamities in thy Preſence.
CHAP. V. Of Exceſſive Buſineſs: A fifth Source of Indevotion.
THIS is alſo another branch of the Love of the World, and another let and hindrance to Devotion. We love the World, and give up our ſelves intirely to its Imployments One imploys himſelf in Traffique, and thinks of nothing elſe. Another he is oppreſſed with the Affairs of other men, which he makes his own through intereſt: He pleads, as he ſaith, for the defence of Juſtice, but it is too often for iniquity; and though he gains his Cauſe, yet he loſes his Conſcience. A phyſician Viſits his Patients with a deſign to make 'em pay dear for his Services and Attendance. The man of buſineſs is ever thumbing his Arithmetick: The Mechanick exerciſing his Trade: the Husband-man Agriculture: And to theſe ſeveral ways goes the greateſt and beſt part of their time. And ſo much is the World corrupted, as they think they deſerve praiſes, in that among the ſundry ways of ſpending time, this is the moſt innocent: but it becomes criminal as ſoon as it robs us of our God, and ſlackens our Piety. The mind of man is ſo made, as it cannot vigorouſly tend but to one Mark; it cannot ardently will but one thing: inſomuch as if thou giveſt up the ardour and force of thy deſires to thy Family and thy Occupations, God will but partake of the Reliques of thy Soul and thy languiſhing motions.
I do not pretend here, as if Perſons of all conditions could give up themſelves wholly to contemplation. This contemplative Life is the Life of Angels and not of men: and ſince that we are in part Body, we muſt alſo live after a manner partly corporal. A Bird let its wings be never ſo ſtrong, cannot always be flying: A Soul has not ſtrength enough to be evermore lifted up to Heaven. I know moreover we ought to ſerve the neceſſities of Nature. In a word, I do not oppoſe the Order that man has received from God to eat his Bread by the ſweat of his Brows, and by his labour ſix days in the Week; all I aim at is, that the imployments of Martha may not hinder the work of Mary, and that the Body, being the worſe Part of us, may not carry away the better part of our time. If there be any thing wherein we ought to laud and praiſe the great condeſcention of God to us, it is in this, all our time is his, but he pleaſed to give us ſix parts in ſeven: Six days ſhalt thou labour, and on the ſeventh reſt. Seeing he has forgone ſo much, we ought at leaſt to be very exact to pay him this Tythe of our time, one day in ſeven, one hour in ſeven. Six hours therefore ſhould not ſlip by in a day without returning to God, to give him the ſeventh. Do more, and imagine not you can do too much, ſince you owe him all.
Why will you not have the ſame regard and conſideration for the Soul as you have for the Body? On it you beſtow Refreſhment and Reſt, and for this you intercept your moſt important Concerns, that you may repair the decayed forces of Nature. Take heed there be not made too great a diſſipation of the Spirits of Grace: call the Soul to its exerciſes of Devotion as to repaſts, which renders it vigorous; and as to ſleep, during which it lyes in the Arms of its God; labour often in this Divine Recollection, and to withdraw the Soul from thoſe wandring courſes it makes in humane affairs.
Meals and repaſts haſtily taken are followed with a difficult digeſtion, and very little nouriſhment; and therefore we repoſe our ſelves while we eat let not any one t…en imagin he can ſerve God, whilſt he is doing ſomething elſe. Theſe ſtirrings and turbulent Devotions are of ill conſequence, and inſtead of nouriſhing do load and clog the Conſcience. We muſt therefore in our ordinary imployments ſet aſide ſome hour, wherein our Souls may retire themſelves, as it were in an Haven, to rejoyce over a Calm after a boyſterous Tempeſt. Whilſt the Water is rouling or ſtirring, it can neither receive nor reflect well the Image of the Sun: ſo a Soul in continual action cannot receive the impreſſions of Grace, the beams of the glorious Jeſus, nor the likeneſs of our great God. Thou raging and rouling Sea, hold thy ſelf then ſtill and huſt, ſtop thy Surges to be the Looking-glaſs of the Heavens, to the intent all thoſe matchleſs and illuſtrious lights may penetrate thee, and paint themſelves in thee. How can the knowledge of God, ſaid St. Baſil, enter into a Soul taken up with a crowd of carnal thoughts? It ought to be maſter of its time and its ſelf, to be preſented to God. Pharaoh knew this well, ſince he told the Iſraelites, What ye ſay, come and let us ſacrifice to our God, proceeds from that ye are Idle.
Certain I am, God does not love ſlothful People: and how ſhould he love idle Lives, that will take account of every idle word? But yet neither does he love People over buſie. Martha, Martha, ſays he, Thou art cumbered and troubled about many things; Thy Siſter Mary has choſen the good Part. She did not labour about Evil things, but too many things: She did even good works in doing what ſhe did; ſhe ſerved our Lord, ſhe prepared him meat and drink. If there could be exceſs in theſe holy Employments, when they hinder us from approaching often enough to the Throne of Grace; what muſt we believe touching the imployments of the World? what people will be excluded from the ſacred feaſt of our Saviour? Why, thoſe men of Buſineſs, one of whom, forſooth, bought a yoke of Oxen, and will go to try them; another has purchaſed an Houſe, and he muſt needs go ſee it: a third is contracted to a Wife, and he will wed her. Such Perſons will find the Gate ſhut and barr'd, they come not time, neither will they find any one to open unto the… It will be ſaid to them as it was to others, go ye w… kers of Nothing, I know you not. Let us not ſay the ſuch a way I muſt go to day, to morrow another; muſt do ſuch a thing, and finiſh ſuch an affair; afterwa… I will think upon God! O my Soul. Thy great concern… to ſet thee well with thy God; 'tis to conſult him often about the Diſpoſition, wherein he is with thee; 'tis to ſollicite his mercy, and implore the ſuccours of his Grace 'tis to pay him thy juſt Homages, and place all thy inte… eſt in him. It is the one thing neceſſary, chooſe then th… good part which ſhall not be taken away from thee: Thi… one thing I do, forgetting thoſe things which are behin… and reaching forth unto thoſe things which are before; … preſs toward the Mark.
Let not therefore the Indevout Perſon come with his Objection from the multiplicity of his Affairs: the moſt buſie ſteal their moments for Pleaſure, and wh… can't they then for a Duty? Let no one oppoſe us with the goodneſs and innocence of particular Imployments nothing is innocent that renders us culpable before God, in eſtranging us from him. But what ſhall we ſay of thoſe Perſons, who create to themſelves affairs of vaſt and mighty importance, in the due ſetting of a Tower, or accurate ſcituation of a Spot, who conſult their Glaſs an hundred times to place every thing in its proper order; who imploy the beſt part of their lives in-theſe Idle Buſineſſes; and amidſt all this, find ſcarce a minute to conſecrate to Devotion; I ſay, that theſe Women are to render an account of all, and of the time which they have ſo miſerably ſquander'd away, and of their Beauty, whereof they have made ſo bad a uſe, and of the unjuſt Diviſion they have made betwixt God and their own Idol; ſeeing they have given all their Hours to the Service of this, and to God only ſome moments of unadviſed and haſty Devotion.
Meditation.
Wretched Soul, how miſerable art thou, to be obliged to ſerve perpetually a Body, that renders thee nothing but evil for all the good that thou haſt done it. Thou travelleſt after many things: Thou runneſt from one end of the World to the other: Thou ventureſt upon the Tempeſts of the Sea; thou expoſeſt thy ſelf to their fury. Thy Body is burnt by the heats of the Sun: From Icy Climates thou paſſeſt into the Torrid Zone: For whole years thou ſail'ſt upon the mouth of Abyſſes to ſeek Riches, Gold, Silver, precious Stones, and all manner of Delicates. If thou doſt not do this, thou doſt ſomewhat elſe, which is no better, and thou ſuſtain'ſt as great Labours, and which are no leſs vain, and all for a Body that is Duſt, and muſt return to Duſt. True it is, that to take care of thy Body is a Yoak that God has laid upon thee, but thou thy ſelf makeſt this Yoak infinitely more weighty. The Body would be content with a very little, if thou would'ſt ſerve it as it ſhould be ſerved; and by conſequence it would rob thee of but a little time, but thou giveſt it all. What blindneſs, and what fury is this? Wha… will return to thee of all thy Labours? Th… Body, for which thou takeſt ſo much pains will carry nothing away with it of theſe Riches which thou amaſſeſt for it, except a winding-ſheet, an herſe-cloth, and perchance will have and hold a ſhort while five or ſix feet of Earth. O my Soul, it's of thee, tho… ought'ſt to think, and for thee thou ought'ſt to provide. Thou art a Queen, and thou becomeſt a Slave: Thou ſhould'ſt be ſerved, and lo! thou ſerveſt. Thou neglecteſt to gather the true Riches together; and therefore thou art poor, blind, and naked. I counſel thee then to get Gold, Rayments, and Nouriſhment of him, who ſaith, Every one that thirſteth, come ye to the Waters, buy Wine and Milk without Mony and without price.
Prayer.
MAke me, O my God, to know that thou art the ſovereign Good, the only good, worthy alone to be ſought after, and worthy alone to be loved; that I may no longer run after the vain Shadows of Greatneſs and Glory. Make me to know the true Goods, ſo as I may beſtow all my Love and Care upon them; So as I may no more make the principal workings of my thoughts to reſpect worldly Employments; So as I may keep my Body under as a Slave that hath an inclination to rebell: but that I may ſerve thee as a Maſter whoſe inclinations are ever favourable unto me. Let me with aſſurance firſt of all ſeek thy Kingdom, and thy Righteouſneſs, and then all the reſt ſhall be added unto me; Suffer no Ingratitude nor Diſtruſt in my Soul: Nor let it doubt of the Goodneſs of him, who has given ſo many marks of his Care and Tenderneſs over it. How can it fear, O my God, that thou wilt let it want any thing, thou, who feedeſt the young Ravens, that cry unto thee, and the Lions Whelps that lay them down in their Dens. It labours about this Life, as if it were to be Eternal; and it neglects the other Life, as if it were never to come. I believe, O my God, but help thou my unbeleif. Make me to ſee the Truth and Excellency of Eternal Life, that I may flight the preſent Life; that I may make me ſuch Friends, as may receive me into everlaſting Habitations; that I may acquire ſuch Riches as I may carry along with me; and that I may make choice of that good Part which ſhall not be taken away from me.
CHAP. VI. The Cuſtom of letting the mind ramble … different Objects: A ſixth Source of Indevotion.
I Believe that this is alſo another Source of … Indevotion, and eſpecially of our Diſtraction. During Prayer we know not how to fire o… Heart, our mind wanders, and our attention i… loſt. Whence proceeds this, but from a pernicious cuſtom we have, of giving a ſoaring vaunt to our Imagination? It is in man, what Quick-Silver is in Mertals: It rouls, it runs glibly up and down; A little fire makes it evaporate, and as it were, to vaniſh into Smoak, it becomes ſo ſubtle. We ſuffer it to … what ever it pleaſes. When 'tis upon the Wing, ſometimes it flyes from Eaſt to Weſt, from South to North, from Heaven to Earth, and as if the limits of the Univerſe were too narrow for it; it over-paſſes them, and loſes its ſelf in the innumerable Whirle-poo… of Des-Cartes. And no more can it contain it ſelf within the bounds of Time, it flyes to Eternity, and asks what it is; It would know what was when there was Nothing. If it keeps its ſelf within this World amidſt this great ſpace, it curvets over all Beings, it ſwims over all Matter, and the compounds of it differently modified, and yet penetrates none of them: And, as if the prodigio… Maſs of Creatures did not furniſh Imployment enough to its Actions, it labours in the production, or rather creation of Beings of its own forming; It imagine Chimeras, Phantomes: it makes Mountains of Gold, Worlds in the Moon, Centaurs, and Hippogryphicks: And theſe motions for the moſt part are of ſuch quick …iſpatch, that in a quarter of an hours rambling we find …ur ſelves ſo far off, that the greateſt Parted man in …e World could never gheſs by our laſt thought, what was the firſt. And after this ſhall we ask, from whence …ome thoſe aberrations of our heart in the duties and exerciſes of Piety? can we expect that a Soul accuſtomed to wander, can fix and arreſt it ſelf all at once? It is an Horſe that has not as yet received the Bitt: it does nothing night or day but kick and skip up and down in the Meadows. When one would put the Saddle upon the back, or the Rein in the mouth, it flyes out and ſtruggles, it throws down him that gets up, and returns from whence it came. When we would gather our ſelves together, it diſſipates its ſelf like a Flame; it abandons us; it breaks the Rein of Piety, and before that we eſpy the firſt ways it took, we find it plunged in the diverſity of its vain thoughts. St. Auguſtine …acknowledges, that this is the cauſe of our Diſtractions When our mind is fill'd with theſe Phantaſins, ſavs he, and that inceſſantly it carries along with it an infinite number of vain thoughts, thence it comes to paſs, that our Prayers are oftentimes troubled and interrupted thereby; and that when being in thy preſence, O God, we indeavour to make thee hear the voice of our heart. An action of ſuch importance is frequently traverſed by frivolous Imaginations, which come from I know not whence, to break into the crowd in our minds.
If we did well comprize the nature of Evil, we might eaſily conceive the Remedy. Evils ought to be cured by their contraries: So that let us learn to give bounds to our imagination, and not permit it to go ſo far, that we may have the leſs trouble to bring it back again: That is to ſay, For the diſpoſing our heart to Devotion, we ought to accuſtom our mind to think a little of things and of good things: 'tis a Mercury, that muſt fix it ſelf in being applied to Silver or Gold, 'tis a lively faculty, whereto we muſt give the Bridle and the Rein. … let us not imagine that the ſecret to cure this Mala… of the Soul, conſiſts in retaining our mind in a privat… of all thought: this is not profitable to Nature nor uſe… to Grace. The imagination of man is too active; 'tis i… poſſible to hold it from doing nothing: 'tis to bring … Death upon it to leave it without imployment; ſinc… it lives no longer than it acts. God hath not given … ſuch noble faculties to bury them in an inglorious a… ſhameful Idleneſs. In ſhort, a mind that is habituat… to think on nothing, would nevertheleſs find it as mu… trouble to fix it ſelf upon the works of Piety, as o… would to withdraw it from its ramblings and courſe that it formerly uſed.
From all which I conclude, that the imployment of letter'd and knowing men, are perhaps the moſt deſtructive to Devotion as any that are in the World. The Eye is ſcarce ever weary with ſeeing, nor the Ea… with hearing; and we are ſo far from counting this among Defects, that we reckon it a great Vertue. Unde… favour to thoſe Great Names of Sciences, of fine knowledges, of curious Reſearches, of Sublime Speculations of miraculous Diſcoveries, there is eſtabliſhed in the World a method to mince the Soul, and almoſt infinitely to ſubdivide it without Remedy; would to God experience did not give us proofs of the Truth: But it's very certain and very well known, that Atheiſts are not to be found in the croud of the common People. The Epicures, the Protagoras's and Diagoras's were knowing men of great Wit. The thing is paſt into a Proverb: And they ſay, that they, who by reaſon of the Art, whereof they make profeſſion, are obliged to ſtudy Nature, and the ſecond Cauſes very much, do …ix themſelves ſo ſtrongly thereto, that they forget to aſcend to the firſt Cauſe. Theſe men ſo well read in Antiquity, and that make ſo great a noiſe in the Commonwealth of Learning for their knowledge, make none at …ll in the Church for their great Devotion. The ſtudy only of heavenly things can inſpire an habit of Piety: we alſo ſee enow great Divines continue bad Chriſtians, becauſe they refer not their Labours to God, nor to his Glory; all their induſtry is for themſelves, and they are the end of all their own watchings. I would never …herefore adviſe him that has a mind to be very devout, …o imbrace ſo many things, nor to fill his head with conjectures, and his memory with theſe May-bees, whereof thoſe rare Sciences, ſo called, are compoſed: beſides, that this Acquiſition brings in a habit of ſelf-conceited Pride, and ſurly Scorn, a great enemy to the Spirit of Devotion, and it puts the Virtuoſos up with Pyrrhoniſm and Doubt, which from Philoſophy paſſes into Divinity. And whereas ſome find nothing certain in humane Sciences, they take the ſame liberty to doubt of Divine Revelations. We accuſtom our ſelves to judge of things according to the light of Reaſon, for to condemn whatever does not agree with it: …nd we are raſh enough to introduce that Principle into the Church, which ought to have been left in the Schools. I do not ſay this, as if I would be the advocate of Ignorance: ſeeing we are Citizens of the World, it is allowed us to inquire a little of what is done …here: But the Author of Nature, whereof we make a part, makes us ſee plainly with what diſcretion and adviſedneſs we ought to advance in the Diſcovery of …er Secrets. He has not ſhewn us but the Effects, and has hid from us almoſt all the Cauſes: which teaches …s, that we may eaſily be without theſe knowledges, by reaſon that hidden things are not for us. I know not too, whether a little Ignorance would not make more for …he Glory of our Creator. If we underſtood Nature …s well as we would underſtand it, perhaps we ſhould have the leſs Admiration for its great Author: for, as they ſay, Admiration is the Daughter of Ignoran… and it is certain that we get an habit of not admiri… the fineſt and moſt wonderful things becauſe we ſee … and are over-acquainted with them.
The deſire of Knowledge deceives us; but let … guard our ſelves from its ſurpriſes: our firſt Parents: ſted the effects on't ſufficiently for their liquoriſh ha… kering after an equal knowledge of Good and Evil … the Gods. When they were in a good ſtate, th… knew not even if they were naked, and they acqui… not this knowledge with the reſt, but in the loſs of the Innocence. Only the knowledge of God ought to be … ſubject matter and end of our labours, and this is impl… ment enough for our whole life. Bleſſed is he that know thee, ſays St. Auſtin, though he knows nothing elſe: and … ed is that creature that knows every thing with knowing thee. But he who knows thee and every … elſe, is happy, not becauſe he knows thoſe other things, … becauſe he knows thee. Run not therefore, O my So… after thoſe vain ſhadows of Science, or if thou ru… after them, let it be as after ſhadows without fi … and without Love. Fix thy ſelf only to the com… plation of thy God, he is an admirable object, he is … finitely greater than all the Creatures together. … vertheleſs this vaſt Object will not cauſe that Diſſipa… ſo inſeparable from the contemplation of the Creatu… It is infinite, but contracts it ſelf in a point; It … Sun that re-unites all its rayes in the bottom of … Heart to fill it both with Light and Flame: Let the … vout Soul, ſays St. Baſil, be a Mirror and a pure G… that it may not receive the Image of any thing but its … vine Spouſe. Let it continue wholly imployed and t… up by this Image, ſo as foreign things approaching nigh, … not find a place there to paint and contemplate themſel… Thou eternal Star, ſaith another, who art the Source all created Lights, pierce thorough my heart with … thy beams, which may purifie me, and make me glad, which may illuminate and quicken my Soul to unite all its power to thee. If we do ſome violence to our mind to faſten it upon this one and ſole Object, we ſhall find the good we expect and ſeek after, it being a remedy againſt our indevout Diſtractions. When we have a long time held this ſlippery and evaporate Soul in the Chains of Divine Meditation, it will become more ſtayed and weighty: It will not eſcape us with ſo much eaſe: and as in flying us, it does not take its flight but in its known Roads, and ſtumbles only on the Ideas that are familiar with it, whilſt that divers thoughts will become eſtranged from it by the little Commerce it will have with them, it will not eaſily be able to get away.
Meditation.
HOW little do men know themſelves, or the extent of their Mind, to embrace ſo many Objects at once? Do thou, O my Soul, become wiſe by the faults of thy Neighbours: Thou haſt enough wherewith to buſie thy ſelf in the Contemplation of thy God. Labour to know him only; and if thou aimſt to know other things, do it in ſuch a ſort, as that all other Knowledge may conduct thee to the Knowledge of thy God. Vain is thy hope to joyn the Knowledge of the World with that of Heaven: Thy Heart is already too little for that God that is infinite, and for that Object, which hath no bounds: and if once thou ſuffereſt thy ſelf to be employed in the Images of all the Creatures, where wilt thou find room for God's Image? The Eyes of Owls, being accuſtomed to darkneſs, cannot endure the brightneſs and ſplendour of the Sun. A Mind always taken up in the contemplation of bodily things, cannot ſuſtain the brightneſs of that Being of Beings, of that pure Spirit, that ſhines with ſo great a luſtre.
Prayer.
O Inviſible and glorious Sun, that diſcovereſt not thy beauries, but to Souls purified from the vain Images of the World, cleanſe my Soul by the purity of thy Beams, chaſe away that Darkneſs that blinds my Eyes; And from my Imagination baniſh the vain Fantoms, which hinder me from contemplating ſolely the pure Lights of thy Truth. I know thee, O my God, becauſe it has pleaſed thee to reveal thy ſelf unto me: But what is it that I know of thy Greatneſs, in compariſon of what is really and what may be known of it? I ſee the obſcurity; I form to my ſelf an Idea of thy Eſſence and Majeſty, which ſinks infinitely below thy very ſelf. I do thee this wrong, O my God, yet I am not blame-worthy, for I cannot do otherwiſe. I ask thee forgiveneſs; I am very ſenſible, I do not know thee as thou art: 'Tis rather the fault of my Mind than of my Heart. Purifie mine Eyes, that I may behold thee which as vigourous an Aſpect as that of an Eagle, which looks upon the Sun. Let the Knowledge of thy Beauty charm me, and fill me in ſuch ſort as that I may conceive an holy diſtaſte for all that is called in the World rare Knowledge, and great Literature. Let me not ſcatter my ſelf in the circumference: Let all my looks be toward thee, who art the Center, from whence flows all the Beauty and Truth in the World. Let me but ſee thee, and in ſeeing thee ſhall I ſee all that can be ſeen. Let my Soul rally and recollect it ſelf upon this Object only that it may penetrate it, if it be poſſible. O God aid me in this deſign, make thy ſelf viſible, make me to enter into the bottom of thy Myſteries and into the ſecrets of thy infinite Wiſdome; that I may ſlight and deſpiſe as unworthy of mee all the curious ſciences, whereof the men of the Age make ſo great a Myſtery.
CHAP. VII. The Rareneſs and interruption of holy Exerciſes: The laſt Source of Indevotion.
THE foregoing Obſtacles, I confeſs, are very ſtrong, and the love of the World, its Pleaſures, its Troubles, its Employments, and the Ramblings of the Mind are ſuch evils, as are hard to be remedied: But nevertheleſs I believe, that we may come to an end in labouring about them with much care and affiduity; For the moſt evident Cauſe of our Indevotion is the ſeldomneſs and Interruption of holy Exerciſes. Certain it is, that ſpiritual Pleaſures are diametrically oppoſite to carnal ones. The rareneſs only and the difficulty render theſe brisk and eager. The taſt of Pleaſure we loſe amidſt Delights: And aſſoon as the Pleaſures of the World have loſt the Grace of Novelty, they have loſt their Value. Yeſterday a Begger counted himſelf happy with a ſmall ſum; To day he finds a greater; And to morrow he will be no more ſenſible of his felicity. If great Repaſts be made at a pretty diſtance of time from one another, the pleaſure of the Debauch will be ſomthing to you; return to 'em every day, ſeeing that this will be called an Ordinary, the pleaſure of feaſting will quite ceaſe, but on the other ſide return often to God, reiterate your commerces with him; and ſure I am, what appeared at the beginning unſavoury, will become a pleaſurable exerciſe. But if you do this rarely, you will immediately loſe the taſte. The reaſon of this myſtery is not difficult to be diſcovered: It is, becauſe Piety and its exerciſes are by us eſteemed Labours, by reaſon of the criminal diſpoſitions which Sin brings us. Now labour evermore is diminiſhing according to the meaſure wherein we continue it. The Traveler is weary at the end of his firſt days Journey; on the morrow he will be much leſs: before two days are over, his Journey will be a mighty trouble to him, but ſuch an one as will have proportion to his ſtrength, and in few Weeks it will become to him a divertiſement. By violence at firſt we bring our Soul to God: it follows with uneaſineſs: It thinks the way uneven, ſharp and craggy, but by little and little this Travel ceaſes to be a pain, and bleſſedly changes it ſelf into pleaſure. Is it not true, that the leſs we do a thing we do it not ſo well? The Vertues are habits; and tho Heaven beſtow 'em upon us by powring them within our Souls, it notwithſtanding gives us them much in the ſame manner, as we acquire them by divers reiterateed actions. Wherefore as no one is a Good Souldier for his having been in one Campaign, nor a Painter for his having had two or three Leſſons; So the Devout do not become ſo by one or two actions of Piety, but by long and frequent exerciſes. This is a Warr; wherein we have to fight againſt our thoughts, againſt the hardneſs of our own thick, Icy heart: At the firſt and ſecond rencounter, we are beaten oftentimes; ſo that at all bouts we muſt return to the charge. Indevotion is a monſter, which we are oblig'd to mortifie by little and little, for that we cannot kill it all at once. To day we ought to get one foot of it and to morrow another; but if we let it get breath never ſo little, it will ſoon regain what it had loſt. When we ſhall have come to deſtroy it almoſt intirely, let us not imagin, that Aſſiduity will be the leſs neceſſary: For if the rareneſs of devout exerciſes hinders their progreſs, let Devotion be never ſo much advanc'd, the interruption and relaxation will deſtroy it. We may underſtand an art perfectly well, but if we don't exerciſe it, it is forgot. Above all, when we fight againſt our own inclinations, for a little abandoning them to their Bent, we ſhall find 'em again in the place, from whence we removed them. Our heart hath ſuch a ſlopeneſs towards Sin as one can't imagin, and eſpecially towards Indevotion, Let it be fortified with the beſt habits in the World, and let it be thoroughly confirmed in them, yet one inflaming thought coming acroſs preſently will ſet it all on fire, and choak the flames of Devotion by thoſe of concupiſcence. If the heart be ſo eaſy to be burnt by the fire of Sin, it is, on the contrary, very heavy and cold as to Devotion; inſomuch as after having been lifted up to Heaven by Machines and great ſtruglings, the interruption of a few days will ſpoil all, and bring it down again to its old Earth. To prove this truth, I deſire nothing but the teſtimony of fincere Souls. If ſome wordly Affairs, and ſome hinderances, to which you have given the name of unavoidable, have eſtranged you for ſometime from the place of religious worſhip, and have made you loſe your Cloſet-hours: at firſt this you doe with ſome ſort of pain, but inſenſibly you accuſtom your ſelves to it; and when you would return to the practiſe of Devotion and the exerciſe of Prayer, you do not know your ſelves any longer, and you feel an inconceivable heavineſs in your ſelves. The Conſcience reſembles the Stomach; ceaſe to give it meat, and after much abſtinence, it will ceaſe to ask it: Do but ſtay a little longer, and if you give it food, it will not know what to do with it; it cannot now digeſt it; it has loſt all its natural heat; its forces are quite ſpent; and doing no more of its wonted Offices, it will leave the body for Food to Worms. So the Conſcience loſes an habit of Devotion by ceaſing from its works, and the Soul dies in its crimes and Sins. In ſhort, Devotion is a Virtue, that puts all the faculties of our Souls into motion, as one Spring makes all the reſt in a Clock to move. Wind up this Clock without diſcontinuance, 'twill all go eaſily: but if you ceaſe the Wheels will ruſt, all will become heavy and mightily unfit for movement. Let the exerciſes of Piety be conſtantly going on, and the Soul will conſerve a Diſpoſition to devout motions: if they be interrupted, it will bring a naſtineſs into all the parts of the Soul, which will deprive it of an eaſineſs to move towards Heaven.
Theſe are the Sources of our Indevotion, and the Indiſpoſitions of Soul, which we ought to heal, to open unto us a way to this excellent Virtue. Others too we may find of them, but they will caſt us into two general conſiderations. As for example: Who can doubt, that the languiſhings of our Soul do not proceed from the weakneſs of our Faith, Hope, or Charity? If we were ſtrongly perſuaded that there is a God in Heaven that knows our though's and conſiders all our ways, that is called King of Men and Angels, opening Hell and Paradice, ſhould we not preſent our ſelves before him with a Spirit of due dread and ſubmiſſion? But alaſs! we believe after ſuch a manner, as God hath need to help our unbelief. To be devout we need only become Faithful: and therefore the Fathers found no counſel more uſeful to guard us from Diſtractions than this To remember him to whom we ſpeak. Can we doubt alſo, that our ſlackneſs does not come from the little love we have for God. One friend does not viſit another, nor a lover his miſtreſs with ſuch an air of negligence, as we ſhow in Gods Service. If we were kindled with Love, all our motions would receive impreſſions from that heavenly fire. In a word, if the hope of glory had touch'd our hearts. we ſhould not go ſo ſlowly to him, of whom we think to receive coeleſtial happineſs: But I know not, whether this can be counted among the Sources of Indevotion, ſince that the want of Faith, Hope and Charity, is Indevotion it ſelf.
To conclude, we muſt confeſs, that we often find our ſelves in ſome certain Indiſpoſitions of Heart, whereof we can render no account nor reaſon; to day we are all Fire, to morrow all Ice. An upright Soul inſtantly purſues and awakens its ſelf, thinks on every thing that may inflame it: It examins its own Conſcience, to ſee, whether it hath committed any thing to diſſorder, its heart and grieve the ſpirit of Grace it finds nothing whereof it can accuſe its ſelf, and knows not from whence it hath this coldneſs Whence then proceed theſe inequalities? Perhaps from the changable nature of man, who is not always himſelf; and peradventure from the Temperament too as well as the diſpoſition of the Air. As the Soul impriſoned in the Body does not act but by its Organs and depends extreamly on the motion of its humours; it's very manifeſt, that Devotion alſo depends on theſe duſty Springs and Wheels, whoſe pace is frequently ſeduc'd and ſpoyl'd. And it may be the Devil finds his time, and amidſt the good ſeed ſows his Tares, in our field. In ſome perhaps God's holy Spirit, the author of every good thought, has hid himſelf for ſometime. This drought and barrenneſs of the Soul may proceed from that God hath lock'd up the Sources of thoſe Waters ſpringing up to eternal Life. However it be, this miſchief does cauſe much trouble to devout Souls. We need not, for a cure, imploy any other remedy but Prayers and Tears. The Soul muſt ſay: Come Lord Jeſus, come thou Son of my Soul, diſperſe this darkneſs, make the morning Starr to riſe in mine heart. Why doſt thou hide thy ſelf? I have ſought thee in the night and found thee not. Open thy fountains, and make thy Rivers of Water to flow on me, that I may quench my thirſt and be refreſhed: make haſte, O God of my Salvation.
Meditation.
WHAT Negligence is this, I find in my ſelf? I take a great deal of pains to do all things well, which reſpect the preſent Life; but I take very little care of doing the only and main thing well, for which I ought to Labour. To make a progreſs in an Art, I exerciſe it often: I conſult Maſters, I make reflection on my Faults, that I may not fall into 'em again. But alaſs! my Soul, thou doſt not uſe thy ſelf ſo in the Exerciſes of Devotion. Very rarely it is, thou doſt them; And frequently without Reflection, and therefore thou doſt them ill. Thou doſt them rarely, becauſe thou doſt them without Pleaſure: And thou doſt them without any good, becauſe thou doſt them in a careleſs Faſhion and not with thy whole Bent of Heart. Return to 'em often, and thou ſhalt find ſuch Delights in them as the Heart of Man cannot conceive.
Prayer.
O my God, my divine Saviour, open the fountains of thy Grace, and let Rivers flow upon me. Make me ſenſible of the advantage of poſſeſſing thee, and the pleaſures of enjoying thee; ſo that I may not draw my ſelf both ſeldom and difficultly to the places, where thou ſpeakeſt to me and I to thee in thy Temple, or in the retreat of my Cloſet. Draw me that I may run after thee. When I deſign to approach thee by the actions of my Devotion, be not thou far from me. I know I am unworthy thou ſhould'ſt come under my Roof. 'Tis not long ſince mine heart was a den of Thieves and the haunt of unclean ſpirits: but theſe filthy Gueſts have left ſome remainder of Impurities behind them, which render this Tabernacle unworthy of thy Holineſs. Nevertheleſs, thou Sun of my Soul, whoſe rayes cannot be ſoil'd nor defil'd by the impurity of the places through which they paſs, pierce even to my Marrow, put thy Fire within me, which may purge me, and kindle me with the flames of thy Love. If I ſleep in ſecurity, awaken me; if I tumble into neglect, and happen to break off the holy exerciſes of Piety, ſo neceſſary to conſerve Devotion, knock at the Door of my heart, to make me vigilant and watchful: and if the hammer of thy word be not ſufficient, ſpare not even that of Afflictions. Rent me in-pieces rather than leave me in my own natural hardneſs: for thy blows will not wound my head; they will be to me ſweeter than Balm. Come to my help, O my redeemer, to accompliſh the victory over my Infirmities. I am heavy and material; make me ſpiritual and heavenly. The motions of Grace and of Devotion which lift me up on high, are oppoſite to the motions of Nature, that pull me down: In this Duel toſt I am grievouſly and turmoild betwixt two contraries. Nature hath the Inſolence to oppoſe Grace, and this Combat makes the exerciſes of my Devotion to be ſo few: But render them, O holy Spirit eaſy and pleaſant to me, that I may return to them frequently.