Page:Goldentreatiseof00pete.djvu/218

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CHAPTER V.

OTHER CERTAIN ADMONITIONS NECESSARY FOR SPIRITUAL PERSONS.

The thing that affordeth greatest difficulty in this spiritual journey is, to know how to come to God, and to converse with him familiarly. Let, therefore, none dare to enter in this way without a good guide, and well instructed with necessary admonitions and documents, of which we will set down a few, according to our wonted brevity.

The first is whereby we are taught what end we must aim at in these our spiritual exercises. We must therefore know, that since to communicate with Almighty God of itself is most delightful, having no bitterness mixed with it, as the wise man testifieth: hence it Cometh to pass that many, allured with the pleasure of this admirable and unused sweetness, (which is greater than can be comprehended) come to God, and frequent these spiritual actions; as reading, prayer, meditation, use of the Sacrament, for the great content and delight they take in them, so that for the principal end, wherewith they are moved, is this admirable sweetness which they vehemently de-