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The Spiritual Guide Which Disentangles the Soul

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The Spiritual Guide which Disentangles the Soul Author(s): Molinos, Miguel de, 1628-1696. (Editor) Publisher: Wheaton, IL: Christian Classics Ethereal Library Description: "My only scope was to teach the naked truth, with humility, sincerity, and perspicuity." Thus open Miguel Molinos© Spir- itual Guide. Miguel Molinos was a pious, 17th century mystic and the founder of Quietism. Eventually his Quietist teachings were condemned, and he was jailed. Nevertheless, for a few years, his book Spiritual Guide was widely circulated. (It was even translated into every language in Europe at the time, within six years of its release.) In it, Molinos claims that true spirituality consists in passive reflection of God and withdraw- al from the world. He interacts with many of the Church fathers, often citing their work. The overarching purpose of Spiritual Guide is to encourage believers to conform their will to that of God©s. This version also includes a lesser-known work of Molinos: Brief Treatise Concerning Daily Communion. In that work, Molinos argues that believers should be allowed to take communion every day for their own spiritual benefit. Spiritual Guide is a controversial work, but many believers have found it spiritual food enlightening and helpful. Tim Perrine CCEL Staff Writer Subjects: Practical theology Practical religion. The Christian life Quietism i Contents Title Page 1 An Account of the book 3 The Author to the Reader 6 The Preface: First Advertisement 9 The Preface: Second Advertisement 11 The Preface: Third Advertisement 13 The Preface: Fourth Advertisement 15 The First Book 16 CHAP. I. 17 Chap. II 19 CHAP. III 21 Chap. IV. 23 Chap. V. 25 Chap. VI. 27 Chap. VII. 28 CHAP. VIII. 30 CHAP. IX. 31 CHAP. X. 33 CHAP. XI. 35 CHAP. XII. 38 CHAP. XIII. 40 CHAP. XIV. 43 CHAP. XV. 45 CHAP. XVI. 48 CHAP. XVII. 51 The Second Book 53 ii CHAP. I. 54 CHAP. II. 56 CHAP. III. 58 CHAP. IV. 60 CHAP. V. 61 CHAP. VI. 63 CHAP. VII. 66 CHAP. VIII. 68 CHAP. IX. 70 CHAP. X. 72 CHAP. XI. 74 CHAP. XII. 76 CHAP. XIII. 78 CHAP. XIV. 80 CHAP. XV. 82 CHAP. XVI. 84 CHAP. XVII. 86 CHAP. XVIII. 88 The Third Book 90 CHAP. I. 91 CHAP. II. 93 CHAP. III. 95 CHAP. IV. 97 CHAP. V. 100 CHAP. VI. 103 CHAP. VII. 104 CHAP. VIII. 107 CHAP. IX. 109 CHAP. X. 110 CHAP. XI. 112 CHAP. XII. 114 CHAP. XIII. 116 iii CHAP. XIV. 118 CHAP. XVI. 121 CHAP. XVII. 123 CHAP. XVIII. 125 CHAP. XIX. 127 CHAP. XX. 129 CHAP. XXI. 131 CHAP. XXII. 133 A Brief Treatise Concerning Daily Communion divided into three chapters 135 The Preface 137 The Author's Advertisement 139 A Short Treatise Concerning Daily Communion 140 CHAP. I. 141 CHAP. II. 149 CHAP. III. 156 Indexes 160 Index of Scripture References 161 Index of Citations 163 Index of Names 167 Latin Words and Phrases 171 iv This PDF file is from the Christian Classics Ethereal Library, www.ccel.org. The mission of the CCEL is to make classic Christian books available to the world. • This book is available in PDF, HTML, ePub, Kindle, and other formats. See http://www.ccel.org/ccel/molinos/guide.html. • Discuss this book online at http://www.ccel.org/node/2877. The CCEL makes CDs of classic Christian literature available around the world through the Web and through CDs. We have distributed thousands of such CDs free in developing countries. If you are in a developing country and would like to receive a free CD, please send a request by email to [email protected]. The Christian Classics Ethereal Library is a self supporting non-profit organization at Calvin College. If you wish to give of your time or money to support the CCEL, please visit http://www.ccel.org/give. This PDF file is copyrighted by the Christian Classics Ethereal Library. It may be freely copied for non-commercial purposes as long as it is not modified. All other rights are re- served. Written permission is required for commercial use. v Title Page Title Page THE Spiritual GUIDE WHICH Disentangles the Soul, AND Brings it by the Inward Way TO THE Getting of Perfect Contemplation AND THE Rich Treasure of Internal Peace 1 Title Page Written by Dr. Michael de Molinos, Priest With a short Treatise concerning Daily Communion, by the same Author Translated from the Italian Copy, Printed at Venice, 1685. Printed in the Year, MDCLXXXVIII This document is a transcription of an English translation of The Spiritual Guide by Miguel de Molinos The English translation was published in London, in 1688, and is a translation of an Italian edition published in Venice, in 1685. The English translation has the author as “Dr. Michael de Molinos”. The transcription was performed in November and December of 1997, from a microfilmed copy of the 1688 English translation. The microfilmed copy was produced by University Microfilms International Ann Arbor, Michigan 48106 U.S.A. and is catalogued as M2387 Molinos, Miguel de. The spiritual guide. [London], printed, 1688. 8°. The transcription was performed by Art D’Adamo ([email protected], ht- tp://www.voicenet.com/~dadamo). Corrections and comments appreciated. Note: The pagination of the original was not reproduced. 2 An Account of the book An Account of the book AN ACCOUNT Of the following BOOK To all sorts of Readers. The Book that is here presented ye, is a Translation from the Italian Copy, Printed at Venice in 1685. The first Man that got it, with difficulty, out of the Authour’s hands, and then had it Printed at Rome in 1675, with all the solemnity of approbations, was Fryer John of St. Mary, who styles himself Provincial; and he speaks very fine things of it, and he had so heartily read it over, that the impression which it made in his Mind, gave him the exact cue and knack of that sort of Language which the Author uses, when he throws himself headlong into darkness and obscurity: And when this Man had recommended the Book to the sincere Reader, after his way; the next that appears to give a Grace to it, is no less a Man, than the Most Illustrious and most Reverend Lord, the Archbishop of Rhegium, who tells us how many great Offices in the Church he had pass’d through; he says in his Approbation of the Book, that ‘tis a hard matter to make a judgement of it, without some experience of the things contained in it: And that how high soever the secret of it be above all humane Discourse, yet they are not only not contrary to the right dictates of Reason, but altogether conformable to it: Which is as fitting a Preface to some things in the Book, as any man in the World could have made with the Study of Seven Years: First, to say that these sovereign Secrets, which the Book treats of, are above all human Discourse; and then in the very next words, to say they are conformable altogether to the dictates of Reason: as if the dictates of Reason and human Discourse had entered into a Combination never to come to a right understanding of one another. He that would be further satisfied of the fitness of this Archbishop’s Character to the Book, will be gratified, by reading patiently some things of the Nineteenth and Twentieth Chapters of the Third Book: But ‘tis enough, that this great Man speaks well of his Countryman Molinos’s Doctrine, that ‘tis according to the judgment 3 An Account of the book of the holy Fathers, and the usual way of Mystical Divines, he says again, that the Author of this Book, does not speak his own Capricios, but follows the footsteps of the Ancients, and builds upon their Principles, and spiritual Foundations, that he reduces ‘em to a right and clear Method, bringing forth (says he) out of his Treasures, things new and old; And for the Stile of the Book, he allows it to be clear, easie, plain, and full in such crabbed hard and lofty Subject; adding withal, that the Man doth not decline Proofs of Scripture, Doctrines of the Fathers, Decrees of Councils, nor the Principles of Morality, and therefore he judges it to be a useful Piece, and very worth to be Printed: and what can be said more to set any Book off. Next to the Archbishop’s Approbation, in comes that of Fryer Francis-Mary, Minister General of the whole Franciscan Order, given from his Convent of Ara Cœli, who speaks mighty kindly and favourably of the Book, & recommends it to the Press. Then appears the Approbation of Fryer Dominic of the most holy Trinity, Qualifier and Counsellour of the holy Office of Malta, and of the Inquisition of Rome, Rector of the College of Missionaries, at St. Pancrace, and he blesses himself as he sits in judgement upon it, and gives his sense & liking, as formally as the rest. After this comes a famous Jesuite, another Qualifier of the Roman Inquisition, and he takes it to be a Book of singular esteem and use, and recommends it to others with as much cor- dial kindness, as he fancied he had received good by it. And next to him a great Capucine, that could not forbear (either for the credit of the Book, or himself) to tell the World, that he had been no less than four several times, Provincial of Andaluzia, and was at present Definitor General of all his Order; and expresses himself much taken with the Book, and as a good proof of so being, discourses upon it in that Mystical Way, and would by no means have it kept from being Published.
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