A Short Method Of Prayer Part 5
CHAPTER XVII.
DISTINCTION BETWEEN EXTERIOR AND INTERIOR ACTIONS--THOSE OF THE SOUL IN THIS CONDITION ARE INTERIOR, BUT HABITUAL, CONTINUED, DIRECT, PROFOUND, SIMPLE, AND IMPERCEPTIBLE--BEING A CONTINUAL SINKING IN THE OCEAN OF DIVINITY--SIMILITUDE OF A VESSEL--HOW TO ACT IN THE ABSENCE OF SENSIBLE SUPPORTS.
The actions of men are either exterior or interior. The _exterior_ are those which appear outwardly, and have a sensible object, possessing neither good nor evil qualities, excepting as they receive them from the interior principle in which they originate. It is not of these that I intend to speak, but only of interior actions, which are those actions of the soul by which it _applies itself_ inwardly to some object, or _turns away_ from some other.
When, being applied to G.o.d, I desire to commit an action of a different nature from those which He would prompt, I turn away from G.o.d, and I turn towards created things more or less according to the strength or weakness of my action. If, being turned towards the creature, I wish to return to G.o.d, I must commit the action of turning away from the creature, and turning towards G.o.d; and thus the more perfect is this action, the more complete will be the conversion.
Until I am perfectly converted, I need several actions to turn me towards G.o.d. Some are done all at once, others gradually; but my action ought to lead me to turn to G.o.d, employing all the strength of my soul for Him, as it is written, "Therefore even now, saith the Lord, turn ye even to me with all your heart" (Joel ii. 12). "Thou shalt return unto the Lord thy G.o.d ... with all thine heart and with all thy soul" (Deut.
x.x.x. 2). G.o.d only asks for our heart: "My son, give me thy heart, and let thine eyes observe my ways" (Prov. xxiii. 26). To give the heart to G.o.d is to have its gaze, its strength, and its vigour all centred in Him, to follow His will. We must, then, after we have applied to G.o.d, remain always turned towards Him.
But as the mind of man is weak, and the soul, being accustomed to turn towards earthly things, is easily turned away from G.o.d, it must, as soon as it perceives that it is turned towards outward things, resume its former position in G.o.d by a simple act of return to Him.
And as several repeated acts form a habit, the soul contracts a habit of conversion, and from action it pa.s.ses to a habitual condition.
The soul, then, must not seek by means of any efforts or works of its own to come near to G.o.d; this is seeking to perform one action by means of others, instead of by a simple action remaining attached to G.o.d alone.
If we believe that we must commit no actions, we are mistaken, for _we are always acting_; but each one must act according to his degree.
I will endeavour to make this point clear, as, for want of understanding it, it presents a difficulty to many Christians.
There are _pa.s.sing_ and _distinct_ actions, and _continued_ actions; _direct_ acts and _reflected_ acts. All cannot perform the first, and all are not in a condition to perform the others. The first actions should be committed by those who are turned away from G.o.d. They ought to turn to Him by a distinct action, more or less strong according to their distance from Him.
By a _continued_ action I understand that by which the soul is completely turned towards its G.o.d by a _direct_ action, which it does not renew, unless it has been interrupted, but which exists. The soul being altogether turned in this way, is in love, and remains there: "And he that dwelleth in love, dwelleth in G.o.d" (1 John iv. 16). Then the soul may be said to be in a habitual act, resting even in this action.
But its rest is not idle, for it has an action _always in force_, viz., _a gentle sinking in G.o.d_, in which G.o.d attracts it more and more strongly; and, following this attraction, and resting in love, it sinks more and more in this love, and has an action infinitely stronger, more vigorous, and more prompt, than that action which forms only the return.
Now the soul which is in this _profound and strong action_, being turned towards its G.o.d, does not perceive this action, because it is direct, and not reflex; so that persons in this condition, not knowing how rightly to describe it, say that _they have no action_. But they are mistaken; they were never more active. It would be better to say they do not distinguish any action, than that they do not commit any.
The soul does not act of itself, I admit; but it is drawn, and it follows the attracting power. Love is the weight which sinks it, as a person who falls in the sea sinks, and would sink to infinity if the sea were infinite; and without perceiving its sinking, it would sink to the most profound depths with an incredible speed. It is, then, incorrect to say that no actions are committed. All commit actions, but all do not commit them in the same manner; and the abuse arises from the fact, that those who know that action is inevitable wish it to be _distinct_ and _sensible_. But sensible action is for beginners, and the other for those more advanced. To stop with the first would be to deprive ourselves of the last; and to wish to commit the last before having pa.s.sed the first would be an equal abuse.
Everything must be done in its season; each state has its commencement, its progress, and its end. There is no act which has not its beginning.
At first we must work with _effort_, but afterwards we enjoy the fruit of our labour.
When a vessel is in the harbour, the sailors have a difficulty in bringing it into the open sea; but once there, they easily turn it in the direction in which they wish to navigate. So, when the soul is in sin, it needs an effort to drag it out; the cords which bind it must be loosened; then, by means of strong and vigorous action, it must be drawn within itself, little by little leaving the harbour, and being turned within, which is the place to which its voyage should be directed.
When the vessel is thus turned, in proportion as it advances in the sea, it leaves the land behind it, and the further it goes from the land, the less effort is needed to carry it along. At last it begins to sail gently, and the vessel goes on so rapidly that the oars become useless.
What does the pilot do then? He is contented with spreading the sails and sitting at the helm.
_Spreading the sails_ is simply laying ourselves before G.o.d, to be moved by His Spirit. _Sitting at the helm_ is preventing our heart from leaving the right way, rowing it gently, and leading it according to the movement of the Spirit of G.o.d, who gradually takes possession of it, as the wind gradually fills the sails, and impels the vessel forward. So long as the vessel sails before the wind, the mariners rest from their labour. They voyage farther in an hour, while they rest in this manner and leave the ship to be carried along by the wind, than they would in a much longer time by their own efforts; and if they wished to row, besides the fatigue which would result from it, their labour would be useless, and would only serve to r.e.t.a.r.d the vessel.
This is the conduct we should pursue in our inner life, and in acting thus we shall advance more in a short time by the Divine guidance, than we ever could do by our own efforts. If only you will try this way, you will find it the easiest possible.
When the wind is contrary, if the wind and the tempest are violent, the anchor must be thrown in the sea to stop the vessel. This _anchor_ is trust in G.o.d and hope in His goodness, waiting in patience for the tempest to cease, and for a favourable wind to return, as David did: "I waited patiently for the Lord," he says, "and He inclined unto me"
(Ps. xl. 1).
CHAPTER XVIII.
THE DRYNESS OF PREACHERS, AND THE VARIOUS EVILS WHICH ARISE FROM THEIR FAILING TO TEACH HEART-PRAYER--EXHORTATION TO PASTORS TO LEAD PEOPLE TOWARDS THIS FORM OF PRAYER, WITHOUT AMUSING THEM WITH STUDIED AND METHODICAL DEVOTION.
If all those who are working for the conquest of souls sought to win them _by the heart_, leading them first of all to prayer and to the inner life, they would see many and lasting conversions. But so long as they only address themselves to the outside, and instead of drawing people to Christ by occupying their hearts with Him, they only give them a thousand precepts for outward observances, they will see but little fruit, and that will not be lasting.
When once the heart is won, other defects are easily corrected. This is why G.o.d particularly asks for the _heart_. By this means alone would be prevented the drunkenness, blasphemy, lewdness, enmity, and robbery which are prevalent in the world. Jesus Christ would reign universally, and the Church everywhere would be revived.
Error only takes possession of the soul in the absence of faith and prayer. If men could be taught to _believe simply_ and to _pray_, instead of disputing amongst themselves, they would be gently led to Christ.
Oh, how inestimable is the loss of those who neglect the inner life! Oh, what an account will they have to render to G.o.d who have the charge of souls, for not having discovered this hidden treasure to all those whom they serve in the ministry of the Word!
The excuse given is that there is _danger_ in this way, or that ignorant people are incapable of spiritual things. The oracle of truth a.s.sures us that G.o.d has hid these things from the wise and prudent, and has revealed them to babes. And what danger can there be in walking in the only true way, which is Jesus Christ, in giving ourselves to Him, looking to Him continually, putting all our trust in His grace, and tending, with all the forces of our souls, to His pure love?
Far from the simple ones being _incapable_ of this perfection, they are the most suitable for it, because they are more docile, more humble, and more innocent; and as they do not reason, they are not so attached to their own light. Having no science, they more readily suffer themselves to be guided by the Spirit of G.o.d: while others who are blind in their own sufficiency resist the divine inspiration.
G.o.d tells us, too, that it is to the _simple_ He gives understanding by the entrance of His Word (Ps. cxix. 130). "The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the _simple_" (Ps. xix. 7). "The Lord preserveth the _simple_: I was brought low, and He helped me" (Ps. cxvi. 6).
O ye who have the oversight of souls! see that you do not prevent the little ones from going to Christ. His words to His disciples were, "Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not; for of such is the kingdom of G.o.d" (Luke xviii. 16). Jesus only said this to His disciples, because they wished to keep the children away from Him.
Often the remedy is applied to the body, when the disease is at the _heart_. The reason why we have so little success in seeking to reform men, is that we direct our efforts to the outside, and all that we can do there soon pa.s.ses off. But if we were to give them first _the key of the interior_, the outside would be reformed at once with a natural facility.
And this is very easy. To teach them to seek G.o.d in their heart, to think of Him, to return to Him when they find they have turned away, to do all and suffer all for the sake of pleasing Him--this is to direct them to the source of all grace, and to make them find there all that is necessary for their sanctification. O you who serve souls! I conjure you to put them first of all into this way, which is Jesus Christ; and it is He who conjures you to do this by the blood He has shed for the souls He confides to your care. "Speak to the heart of Jerusalem" (Isa. xl. 2, marg.) O dispensers of His grace, preachers of His Word, ministers of sacraments! establish His kingdom; and, in order to establish it truly, make it reign over HEARTS. For as it is the heart alone which can oppose His empire, it is by the subjection of the heart that His sovereignty is most honoured. Alas! we seek to make _studied_ prayers; and by wishing to arrange them too much, we render them impossible. We have alienated children from the best of Fathers, in seeking to teach them a polished language. Go, poor children, and speak to your Heavenly Father in your natural language: however uncultivated it may be, it is not so to Him. A father loves best the speech which is put in disorder by love and respect, because he sees that it comes from the heart: it is more to him than a dry harangue, vain and unfruitful though well studied. Oh, how certain glances of love charm and ravish Him! They express infinitely more than all language and reason. By wishing to teach how to love Love Himself with method, much of this love has been lost. Oh! it is not necessary to teach the art of loving. The language of love is barbarous to him who does not love; and we cannot learn to love G.o.d better than by loving Him. The Spirit of G.o.d does not need our arrangements; He takes shepherds at His pleasure to make them prophets; and, far from closing the palace of prayer to any, as it is imagined, He leaves the doors open to all, and Wisdom is ordered to cry in the public places, "Whoso is simple, let him turn in hither: as for him that wanteth understanding, she saith to him, Come, eat of my bread, and drink of the wine which I have mingled" (Prov. ix. 4, 5). Did not Christ thank His Father that He had hidden these things from the wise and prudent, and had revealed them to babes? (Matt. xi. 25.)
CHAPTER XIX.
AFTER THE PRECEDING WAYS, THERE REMAINS AN AFTER WAY, PREPARATORY TO DIVINE UNION, IN WHICH WISDOM AND JUSTICE MAKE THE Pa.s.sIVE PURIFICATION OF THE SOUL, ALL WHICH IS TREATED IN DETAIL IN THE FOLLOWING TREATISE, ENt.i.tLED "SPIRITUAL TORRENTS."
It is impossible to attain divine union by the way of meditation alone, or even by the affections, or by any luminous or understood prayer.
There are several reasons. These are the princ.i.p.al.
First, according to Scripture, "No man shall see G.o.d and live" (Exod.
x.x.xiii. 20). Now all discursive exercises of prayer, or even of _active contemplation_, regarded as an end, and not as a preparation for the _pa.s.sive_, are exercises of life by which we cannot see G.o.d, that is, become united to Him. All that is of man, and of his own industry, however n.o.ble and elevated it may be, must die.
St John tells us that "there was silence in heaven." Heaven represents the depths and centre of the soul, where all must be in silence when the majesty of G.o.d appears. All that belongs to our own efforts, or to ourselves in any way, must be destroyed, because nothing is opposed to G.o.d but appropriation, and all the malignity of man is in this appropriation, which is the source of his evil; so that the more a soul loses its appropriation, the more it becomes pure.
Secondly, in order to unite two things so opposed as the purity of G.o.d and the impurity of the creature, the simplicity of G.o.d and the multiplicity of the creature, G.o.d must operate alone; for this can never be done by the effort of the creature, since two things cannot be united unless there is some relation or resemblance between them, as an impure metal would never unite with one that was pure and refined.
What does G.o.d do then? He sends before Him His own Wisdom, as fire will be sent upon the earth to consume by its activity all the impurity that is there. Fire consumes all things, and nothing resists its activity. It is the same with Wisdom; it consumes all impurity in the creature, to prepare him for divine union.
This impurity, so opposed to union, is appropriation and activity.
_Appropriation_, because it is the source of the real impurity which can never be united to essential purity; as the sun's rays may touch the mud but cannot unite with it. _Activity_, because G.o.d being in an infinite repose, in order that the soul may be united to Him, it must partic.i.p.ate in His repose, without which there can be no union, because of the dissemblance; and to unite two things, they must be in a proportionate rest.
It is for this reason that the soul can only attain divine union by the rest of its will; and it can only be united to G.o.d when it is in a _central rest_ and in the purity of its creation.