The Spiritual Exercises

Sixth Note. The sixth: When such good soul wants to speak or do something within the Church, within the understanding of our Superiors, and which should be for the glory of God our Lord, and there comes to him a thought or temptation from without that he should neither say nor do that thing - bringing to him apparent reasons of vainglory or of another thing, etc., - then he ought to raise his understanding to his Creator and Lord, and if he sees that it is His due service, or at the least not contrary to it, he ought to act diametrically against such temptation, according to St. Bernard, answering the same: "Neither for thee did I begin, nor for thee will I stop."

WHICH WE OUGHT TO HAVE IN THE CHURCH MILITANT Let the following Rules be observed. First Rule. The first: All judgment laid aside, we ought to have our mind ready and prompt to obey, in all, the true Spouse of Christ our Lord, which is our holy Mother the Church Hierarchical. Second Rule. The second: To praise confession to a Priest, and the reception of the most Holy Sacrament of the Altar once in the year, and much more each month, and much better from week to week, with the conditions required and due. Third Rule. The third: To praise the hearing of Mass often, likewise hymns, psalms, and long prayers, in the church and out of it; likewise the hours set at the time fixed for each Divine Office and for all prayer and all Canonical Hours. Fourth Rule. The fourth: To praise much Religious Orders, virginity and continence, and not so much marriage as any of these.

Fifth Rule. The fifth: To praise vows of Religion, of obedience, of poverty, of chastity and of other perfections of supererogation. And it is to be noted that as the vow is about the things which approach to Evangelical perfection, a vow ought not to be made in the things which withdraw from it, such as to be a merchant, or to be married, etc. Sixth Rule. To praise relics of the Saints, giving veneration to them and praying to the Saints; and to praise Stations, pilgrimages, Indulgences, pardons, Cruzadas, and candles lighted in the churches. Seventh Rule. To praise Constitutions about fasts and abstinence, as of Lent, Ember Days, Vigils, Friday and Saturday; likewise penances, not only interior, but also exterior. Eighth Rule. To praise the ornaments and the buildings of churches; likewise images, and to venerate them according to what they represent. Ninth Rule. Finally, to praise all precepts of the Church, keeping the mind prompt to find reasons in their defence and in no manner against them.

Tenth Rule. We ought to be more prompt to find good and praise as well the Constitutions and recommendations as the ways of our Superiors. Because, although some are not or have not been such, to speak against them, whether preaching in public or discoursing before the common people, would rather give rise to fault-finding and scandal than profit; and so the people would be incensed against their Superiors, whether temporal or spiritual. So that, as it does harm to speak evil to the common people of Superiors in their absence, so it can make profit to speak of the evil ways to the persons themselves who can remedy them.

Eleventh Rule. To praise positive and scholastic learning. Because, as it is more proper to the Positive Doctors, as St. Jerome, St. Augustine and St. Gregory, etc., to move the heart to love and serve God our Lord in everything; so it is more proper to the Scholastics, as St. Thomas, St. Bonaventure, and to the Master of the Sentences, etc., to define or explain for our times the things necessary for eternal salvation; and to combat and explain better all errors and all fallacies. For the Scholastic Doctors, as they are more modern, not only help themselves with the true understanding of the Sacred Scripture and of the Positive and holy Doctors, but also, they being enlightened and clarified by the Divine virtue, help themselves by the Councils, Canons and Constitutions of our holy Mother the Church. Twelfth Rule. We ought to be on our guard in making comparison of those of us who are alive to the blessed passed away, because error is committed not a little in this; that is to say, in saying, this one knows more than St. Augustine; he is another, or greater than, St. Francis; he is another St. Paul in goodness, holiness, etc.

Thirteenth Rule. To be right in everything, we ought always to hold that the white which I see, is black, if the Hierarchical Church so decides it, believing that between Christ our Lord, the Bridegroom, and the Church, His Bride, there is the same Spirit which governs and directs us for the salvation of our souls. Because by the same Spirit and our Lord Who gave the ten Commandments, our holy Mother the Church is directed and governed. Fourteenth Rule. Although there is much truth in the assertion that no one can save himself without being predestined and without having faith and grace; we must be very cautious in the manner of speaking and communicating with others about all these things. Fifteenth Rule. We ought not, by way of custom, to speak much of predestination; but if in some way and at some times one speaks, let him so speak that the common people may not come into any error, as sometimes happens, saying: Whether I have to be saved or condemned is already determined, and no other thing can now be, through my doing well or ill; and with this, growing lazy, they become negligent in the works which lead to the salvation and the spiritual profit of their souls.

Sixteenth Rule. In the same way, we must be on our guard that by talking much and with much insistence of faith, without any distinction and explanation, occasion be not given to the people to be lazy and slothful in works, whether before faith is formed in charity or after. Seventeenth Rule. Likewise, we ought not to speak so much with insistence on grace that the poison of discarding liberty be engendered. So that of faith and grace one can speak as much as is possible with the Divine help for the greater praise of His Divine Majesty, but not in such way, nor in such manners, especially in our so dangerous times, that works and free will receive any harm, or be held for nothing. Eighteenth Rule. Although serving God our Lord much out of pure love is to be esteemed above all; we ought to praise much the fear of His Divine Majesty, because not only filial fear is a thing pious and most holy, but even servile fear - when the man reaches nothing else better or more useful - helps much to get out of mortal sin. And when he is out, he easily comes to filial fear, which is all acceptable and grateful to God our Lord: as being at one with the Divine Love.

Abstinence, Constitutions about to be praised Adam, Sin of Addition, Second, in Second Week Additions, Changes in Fourth Week - Changes in Second Week - Changes in Third Week - for Exercises - for Particular Examen - if observed diligently Alms, How to distribute Angel of light, Satan makes himself like Angel, See Satan Angels, Sin of Annotations Bed, before going to sleep in Blessed, No comparison of living persons with Bread, Rules for eating Candles in churches to be praised Christ as Man, Colloquy to - Triple Colloquy of First Week to Christ, Description of - Imitated in eating Church, Fourth Addition not to be made in - ornaments and buildings to be praised - precepts to be praised - rules for thinking with - same spirit as Christ Colloquy, How made - of mercy, at end of Second Exercise - on Hell - on the Kingdom of Christ - Triple - Triple, after Three Manners of Humility - Triple, after Three Pairs - Triple, in First Week - Triple, of the Two Standards Comforts, in Fourth Week Commandments, First Method of Prayer on the Communion at end of First Week - to be praised Composition of place, How to make Confession, General - to be praised Consolation, How to act in - if wanting in the Exercises

- office of Christ in Fourth Week - Spiritual, description of - to be prepared for in desolation - When to explain Rules of discernment of spirits in - without cause Contempt, Christ urges us to desire Continence to be praised Contumely, Christ urges us to desire Courage in beginning the Exercises - under desolation Creatures, End of Cruzadas to be praised Daybreak, First and Second Additions at Death considered in distributing alms - Election such as will please at point of Definition Desolation, Causes of - How to act in - How to treat exercitant - if absent in the Exercises - Spiritual, description of - When to explain Rules of discernment of spirits in Director, How to give Exercises - action of if there are no spiritual movements - not to influence to vow or state of life - to know spirits Discernment of spirits, Rules for - When Rules are to be explained for Disposition determines Exercises to be given Doctors, Positive and Scholastic Drink, Rules for Eating, Penance in - Rules for Education determines Exercises to be given Election, Matters for - Preamble to - Prelude to - sometimes made over again - Times for making - Ways for making - When begun Ember Days fast to be praised End of man considered in distributing alms

- to be kept in view in determining reform - to be kept in view in election Examen, General - Particular - Particular, in First and other Weeks - Particular, in Third Week - Particular, Subject of Exercise, full hour given to - over the hour in desolation Exercises, Duration of the, about thirty days - hours after Three Pairs - hours of in Second Week - how to be proposed by director - lengthening and shortening of, in Third Week - not to be concerned about future - number of, in Fourth Week - number of, in Third Week - number of, just before Election - Spiritual, meaning of - to be suited to Exercitant Eyes to be restrained Fasts, Constitutions about, to be praised Fear, filial and servile, helps Flesh, penance of Food, Quality and quantity of Foundation Generosity on beginning the Exercises God, comparison of myself with, What He is Good, What to do when tempted under appearance of Gospels, in Weeks after First Grace, How to talk about Hell, Meditation on Honor, a temptation to ambition Humility, Christ urges to - how reached - in consolation - Three Manners of Hymns to be praised Idle words, when sinful Illuminative life, Rules to Explain Images to be praised Imitation of Christ, in Weeks after First Incarnation Indifference

Indulgences to be praised Intellect, Exercises of the, in Meditation Judgment, Day of, to be considered in distributing alms Judgment, Election such as will please at Day of Kingdom of Christ Laughter, when not to be indulged in Learning, Positive and Scholastic to be praised Lenten fast to be praised Liberty not to be discarded in favor of grace Light, how to manage in Second Week - to be shut out in First Week - to be used in Fourth Week Love consists in interchange - contemplation to gain Lucifer, description of Man, End of Marriage not to be praised as much as virginity Mary, Apparition to - Blessed Virgin, Triple Colloquy of First Week to - Colloquy to - Imitation of Mass during Exercises - hearing of to be praised Memory, Exercise of in Meditation Midnight, First and Second Additions at - Meditation sometimes omitted in Second Week Mysteries Nativity Oath, Kind allowed Office, Divine, to he praised Orders, Religious, to be praised Pairs, Three Patience to be practised in desolation Penance in Fourth Week - in Second Week - Kind and purpose of Penances to be praised Perfection to be praised Pilgrimages to be praised Points, extra, in Fourth Week - extra, in Third Week - how to be given - in Second Week - to be prearranged

Posture in Meditation Poverty, Christ urges us to desire - What to do in tendency against Powers, Three, how exercised Prayer, First Method of - Second Method of Prayers, Long, to be praised - Third Method of - Three Methods of Predestination, How to talk about Prelude, First, How to make - Second, What to ask for Preludes in Weeks after First Preparatory Prayer before every meditation - - unchanged Presence of God, Act before meditation Presupposition Pride a temptation Principle Psalms to be praised Purgative Life, Rules to explain Purpose of Exercises Reading not beyond matter of the time Reform, How to determine Relics to be praised Religious Life, caution about making vow during Exercises Repetition - How to Make Repetition in Third Week Repugnance to Poverty, What to do in Retreat during Exercises Reverence more called for in acts of the will Review of Exercise Rhythm, Third Method of Prayer Riches, a temptation Saints' lives considered - - in weeks after First Satan acting on souls - attacks on weakest side - fights against consolation Scruples, Rules for Secrecy to be avoided in desolation Self-love, Progress measured by abandoning Senses, Application of - First Method of Prayer Sin, First, Second and Third, Exercise on - Mortal and Venial - Of Angels, Adam, Particular Sins, Exercise on personal

- First Method of Prayer on Deadly Sleep, Before going to - Penance in Solitude recommended Soul of Christ, Triple Colloquy of First Week Spirits, Discernment of - Movement during Exercises - When Rules of Discernment of to be explained Spirit, What to do when tempted under appearance of good Standards, The Two States, Preamble to consider Stations to be praised Summary of a Meditation Superiors' Recommendations to be obeyed - to be approved of Suscipe Temperance in Fourth Week Temptation, what to do in gross Tendencies, Disordered, to be got rid of Tendency against poverty - disordered, absent from divine vocation - - in distributing alms - - to be opposed Thinking with the Church, Rules for Thought during Second Week Thought, Kindred, in Fourth Week - - in Second Week - - in Third Week - - to meditation on Waking Thought, Sin of Thoughts to be kindred to matter of Exercises Vespers during Exercises Vigils, fast of, to be praised Virginity to be praised Vocation, divine, always clear and pure Vow, about what matter - caution on, during Exercises Vows to he praised Week, First, Matter of - - Purpose of - Fourth - - Method of - - Matter of - - Mysteries - Second - - lengthening and shortening - - matter of

- - Mysteries - Third - - Matter of - - Method of - - Mysteries Weeks of the Exercises Will, Exercise of in Meditation - Reverence more called for in acts of Word, Sin of Works, How to talk about