are the least difficult. It is thus also in natural things: if you would go to sea, embark on a river, and you will be conveyed to it insensibly and without exertion. Would you go to GOD, follow this sweet and simple path, and you will arrive at the desired object, with an ease and expedition that will amaze you. O that you would but once make the trial! how soon would you find that all I have advanced falls short of the reality, and that your own experience will carry you infinitely beyond it ! is it fear that prevents you from instantly casting yourself into those arms of Love, which were widely extended on the Cross only to receive you? Whence can your fears arise? What risque do you run, in depending solely on your GOD, and abandoning yourself wholly unto him? Ah! he will not deceive you, unless by bestowing an abundance beyond your highest hopes: but those who expect all from themselves, will inevitably be deceived, and must suffer this rebuke of God by his prophet Isaiah," Ye have wearied yourselves in the "multiplicity of your ways, and have not said, let us "rest in peace.” (Isa. lvii. 10. vulgate.)

THE

CHA P. XIII.

OF REST BEFore God.

HE soul advanced thus far, hath no need of any other preparative than its quietude for now the Presence of GOD, which is the great effect, or rather continuation of Prayer, begins to be infused, and almost without intermission. The soul certainly enjoys transcendent blessedness, and feels that "it is no longer she "that lives, but CHRIST that liveth in her ;" and that the only way to find him is introversion. She no sooner closeth her bodily eyes than she is wrapt up in Prayer: she is amazed at so gre it a blessing, and enjoys an internal converse, which external matters cannot interrupt, The same may be said of this species of prayer, that is said of wisdom: "all good things come together with "her." (Wisdom vii. 11.) For the virtues flow from this soul into exertion with so much sweetness and facility, that they appear natural and spontaneous: and the living spring within breaks forth so freely and abundantly

into

into all goodness, that she becomes even insensible to evil. Let her then remain faithful in this state; and be aware of choosing or seeking any other disposition whatsoever than this simple Rest, as a preparative either to confession or communion, to action or prayer: for her sole business is to expand herself for the full reception of the Divine infusions. I would not be understood to speak of the preparations necessary for the sacraments, but of the most perfect dispositions in which they can be received.

"THE

CHAP. XIV.

OF INTERNAL SILENCE.

HE Lord is in his Holy Temple, let all the earth "keep silence before him." (Hab. ii. 20.) Inward silence is absolutely indispensible, because THE WORD is essential and eternal, and necessarily requires dispositions in the soul in some degree correspondent to his nature, as a capacity for the reception of himself. Hearing is a sense formed to receive sounds, and is rather passive than active, admitting, but not communicating sensation; and if we would hear, we must lend the ear for that purpose: so CHRIST THE ETERNAL WORD, without whose Divine inspeaking the soul is dead, dark and barren, when he would speak within us, requires the most silent attention to his all-quickening and efficacious voice.

Hence it is so frequently enjoined us in Sacred Writ, to hear and be attentive to the voice of GOD: of the numerous exhortations to this effect, I shall quote a few: "Hearken unto me, my people, and give ear unto me, "O my nation!” (Isa. li. 4.) and again, " Hear me, all 66 ye whom I carry in my bosom, and bear within my "bowels:" (Isa. xlvi. 3.) and farther by the Psalmist, « Hearken, Ò daughter! and consider, and incline thine "ear; forget also thine own people, and thy father's "house; so shall the King greatly desire thy beauty." (Psal. xlv. 10, 11.)

We should forget ourselves, and all self-interest, and listen and be attentive to the voice of our GOD: and these two simple actions, or rather passive dispositions, attract his love to that beauty, which he himself com

municates

municates. Outward silence is very requisite for the cultivation and improvement of inward; and, indeed, it is impossible we should become truly internal, without the love and practice of outward silence and retirement. GOD saith, by the mouth of his prophet, "I will lead ❝ her into solitude, and there will I speak to her heart :” (Hos. ii. 14. vulg.) and unquestionably the being internally engaged with GOD, is wholly incompatable with being busied, and employed in the numerous trifles that surround us. (Luke xxxviii, 42.)

When through imbecility or unfaithfulness we become dissipated, or as it were un-centered, it is of immediate importance to turn again gently and sweetly inward; and thus we may learn to preserve the spirit and unction of prayer, throughout the day; for if prayer and recollection were wholly confined to any appointed halfhour, or hour, we should reap but little fruit,

CHAP. XV.

OF CONFESSION AND SELF-EXAMINATION.

SELF-EXAMINATION should always precede con

fession, and in the nature and manner of it should be conformable to the state of the soul: the business of those that are advanced to the degree of which we now treat, is to lay their whole souls open before God, who will not fail to enlighten them, and enable them to see the peculiar nature of their faults. This examination, however, should be peaceful and tranquil; and we should depend on GOD for the discovery and knowledge of our sins, rather than on the diligence of our own scrutiny. When we examine with constraint, and in the strength of our own endeavours, we are easily deceived and betrayed by self-love into error; we believe the evil "good, and the good evil :" (Isa. v. 20.) but when we lie in full exposure before the Sun of Righteousness, his Divine beams render the smallest atoms visible. It follows from hence, that we must forsake self, and abandon our souls to GOD, as well in examination as confession. When souls have attained to this species of prayer, no fault escapes reprehension; on every commission, they are instantly rebuked by an inward burning and tender confusion!

confusion! such is the scrutiny of him who suffers no evil tobeconcealed; and under its purifying influence, the one way is to turn affectionately to our judge, and bear with meekness the pain and correction he inflicts. He becomes the incessant examiner of the soul; she can now indeed, no longer examine herself, and if she be faithful in her resignation, experience will convince her, that she is a thousand times more effectually examined by his Divine Light, than by her own most active and vigorous inspection.

Those who tread these paths should be informed of a matter respecting their confession, in which they are apt to err. When they begin to give an account of their sins, instead of the regret and contrition they had been accustomed to feel, they find that love and tranquillity sweetly pervade and take possession of their souls: now those who are not properly instructed, are desirous of withdrawing from this sensation, to form an act of contrition; because they have heard, and with truth, that it is requisite: but they are not aware, that they lose thereby the genuine contrition, which is this Infused Love, infinitely surpassing any effect produced by selfexertion, and comprehending the other acts in itself as in one principal act, in much higher perfection, than if they were distinctly perceived, and varied in their sensation. Be not then troubled about other things, when GOD acts so excellently in you and for you.

To hate sin in this manner, is to hate it as God does. The purest love is that which is of his immediate operation in the soul: why should she then be so eager for action? Let her remain in the state he assigns it, agreeably to the instructions of Solomon: "Put your confi"dence in GOD; remain in quiet where he hath placed "you." (Eccles. xi. 22.)

The soul will also be amazed at finding a difficulty in calling her faults to remembrance: this, however, should cause no uneasiness; first, beeause this forgetfulness of our faults is some proof of our purification from them; and in this degree of advancement it is best: secondly, because,

* Though this_instruction relates immediately to the customs of the Romish Church, it is however very applicable to Enlightened Souls on their approaching the LORD's TABLE, and at other seasons of solemn confession.

because, when confession is our duty, GOD will not fail to make known to us our greatest faults; for then he himself examines; and the soul will feel the end of examination more perfectly accomplished, than if it could possibly have been by the utmost exertion of our own endeavours.

These instructions, however, would be altogether unsuitable to the preceding degrees, while the soul continues in her active state; wherein it is right and necessary she should in all things use her utmost industry, in proportion to the degree of her advancement. it is those that have arrived to this more advanced state, whom I would exhort to follow these instructions, and not to vary their one simple occupation even on approaching the communion; they should remain in silence, and suffer GOD to act freely and without limitation. Who can better receive the Body and Blood of CHRIST, than he in whom the HOLY SPIRIT is indwelling?

CHAP. XVI.

OF READING AND VOCAL PRAYER.

IF, while reading, you feel yourself recollected, lay

aside the book, and remain in stillness: at all times read but little, and cease to read when you are thus internally attracted.

The soul that is called to a state of inward silence, should not encumber herself with long vocal prayers: whenever she does pray vocally, and finds a difficulty therein, and an attraction to silence, she should not use constraint by persevering, but yield to the internal drawings, unless the repeating such prayers be a matter of obedience. In any other case, it is much better not to be burdened with and tied down to the repetition of set forms, but wholly given up to the leadings of the HOLY SPIRIT; and herein, indeed, is every species of devotion inclusively fulfilled in a most eminent degree.

CHAP.