LIBRARY OF CONGRESS. I 1 Shelf ..L3--mz UNITED STATES OF AIVIERICA. : AN Epistle of Jesus Christ Faithful Soul, that is devoutly affe6led towards Him Wherein axe contained certain divine infpirations teaching a man to know himfelf, and inflrudl- ing him in the perfe6lion of true Piety. Written in Latin by the devout fervant of Chrifl, Joannes Lanspergius, a Charter-Houfe Monk; and Tranflated into Englijlt by Lord Philip, XIXth Earl of Arundel, {Reprintedfrom the Edition of i6io.) Dedicated, by Permiflion, to HIS GRACE THE DUKE OF NORFOLK, Earl Marflial of England, &c., &c. A ""s*^^ NEW YORK: CATHOLIC PUBLICATION SOCIETY, 126, NASSAU STREET. — — Extradl fro^n the ''LiFE OF Philip Howard, Earl of Arundel," by His Grace the late Duke of Norfolk.{i) " But after his condemnation he fpent betwixt four and five hours every morning in prayer and meditation, and betwixt three and four in the after- noon. The reft of his time, excepting that Httle he fpent in walking or fome other corporal exercife appointed by the phyficians, he beftowed either in writing or tranllating books of piety. One book, Lanfpergius^ containing Alt Epijlle of Jejus Chriji to y^ Faithful Soul^ he tranflated out of Latm into Ejiglifh^ and caufed it to be printed, for the furtherance of devotion."—Page io6. " Philip Howard, nineteenth Earl of Arundel, was fon of Thomas, Duke of Norfolk, and the Lady Mary Fitz-Alan. This Book, and its author, are unnoticed by Walpole or Park. The latter and Mr. Heber affure me they have never heard of or feen another copy.'' Note by Dr. Blifs, The above note is infide the cover of the copy in the Britifh Mufeum. A copy of this tranflation, however, is in the poffeffion of the Right Hon. Lord Petre. Another copy of the fame edition as that in the Britifh Mufeum (1610) is in the Library of the Dominican Priory, Woodchefter. Another copy (imperfedl) of an earlier edition, Antwerp, 1595, is in the poffeffion of Alfred Blount, Efq. Publifher's Note. (^) London : Kuril and Blackett, 1857. TO HIS GRACE, THE MOST NOBLE HENRY FITZ-ALAN HOWARD, DUKE OF NORFOLK, Earl Marshal, Premier Duke and Earl of England, &c. &c. &c. This Reprint of a Translation from the Latin OF JOANNES LANSPERGIUS, made by his most virtuous ancestor, that noble Confessor of the Faith, THE LORD PHILIP, XIXth EARL OF ARUNDEL, During his Captivity in the Tower of London, Is, by kind Permission, DEDICATED By his Obedient and Humble Servant, JOHN PHILP. The Epijlle Dedicatory. {Third Edition^ 1610.) TO THE REVEREND MOTHER AND DEVOUT POOR SISTERS Of the Holy Order of S. Clare, in the firfl Englifh Convent eredled in Graveling. |HIS brief but . moft excellent Epistle of Jesus Christ to THE Faithful Soul (Reli- gious Poor Sifters), worthy, no doubt, both of the Author's piety and Tranflator's virtue, being fo much by you and others defired, and now the third time printed, I have thought it both to your profit and for your confolation to prefent the fame unto you, as a mirror or looking- glafs, who, being now entered into the path of virtue, do earneftly endeavour to arrive vi The Epijlle Dedicatory, to the height of Chriftian Religious Per- feftion ; efpecially at this time, when al- moft all virtuous life and devotion in our country, by the unfortunate fway of Schifm and Herefy, lieth, as it were, languifhing, and fick even unto death itfelf. That by this means fome little fparks of piety may be conferved alive within the embers of your religious breafts, thereby to enkindle and inflame the hearts, not only of thofe who, by this your virtuous example, fhall follow your footfteps, but of others alfo into whofe hands this Golden Treatife, fo particularly due unto yourfelves for the rare documents of perfe6lion it containeth, fhall happily come. Our fweet Saviour increafe daily your earneft defire of Re- ligious Piety, and preferve you ever, Amen, Yourfervant in Chrijl Jefus, I. W. Priejl, The Epijlle of the Author, TO THE VENERABLE MOTHER AND RELIGIOUS VIRGINS Of the Order called PremonJlrate7ifLs^ dedicated to Chrifl in the Monaflery of Hensberch. Joannes Lanspergius, Prior of the Carthufians, wijheth grace and peace, JO man I fuppofe to be fo ignorant (devout Virgins) as to think this enfuing fpeech or exhortation, afcribed to our Bleffed Saviour Chrift, was either fpoken by His own mouth or made by Him personally when He lived here on earth ; but that it is there- fore ftyled with fo glorious a title becaufe it containeth that very Do6lrine which is truly and really Chrift's, as His divine in- viil The Eptjlle of the Autlior. fpirations do daily witnefs. Which Doc- trine is not only felt inwardly in our hearts, but is alfo here fet down in charaflers, as if Chrifh Himfelf did feem to fpeak unto us, both in word and writing. And, indeed, man's mind is fo much the more vehe- mently ftirred up to liften and obey, by how much he doth now feel and receive this Do6lrine, as it were, not from man, but from Chrift. For who can doubt but that every doftrine doth fo much the more delight and perfuade the reader, by how much he who teacheth the fame is of greater dignity and eftimation ? Seeing, then, we greatly wifh that the hearts of all fuch as fhall read this book fhould be enlightened with the Spirit of Chrift, we do therefore perfuade all men to read the fame, not in our own but in Chrift's name, whereby every one may make himfelf worthy of fuch a Spirit. For the dulnefs of our Spirit, fo long as we remain in this our corruptible body, hath this pro- perty, that it is fooneft moved, ftirred up, and extended towards God with fen- fible things, and fuch as are more fami- The Epijlle of the Author. ix liar to human underftanding. And for this caufe hath the Holy Church received the divers ceremonies in her Divine Service which now-a-days fhe ufeth, as organs, fmging, and other the fundry ornaments thereof; as alfo in like manner are the Images and Pi6lures of Chrift and of His Saints, before which the common people do exercife their devotion ; as when, in be- holding them, they are either moved with the remembrance of Chrift's benefits to- wards them, or ftirred up to imitate their examples of fan6lity, or elfe, turning them- felves to Chrift, do offer up the wor- fhip of their devotion, not to ftocks or ftones, but unto Him whofe perfon the image reprefenteth. For although we are not ignorant that the pi6lure of Chrift which we fee is not Chrift, yet, notwith- ftanding, the devotion of him that prayeth before it doth no otherwife worfhip it than Chrift Himfelf, whofe pi6lure it is ; becaufe his mind is not then carried (or fixed) upon the pifture, but upon Him whom it repre- fenteth. In like manner may this Epiftle or Exhortation of Jefus Chrift be read ; not X The Epijlle of the Author. for that it was either written or fpoken by Himfelf, but as it were by Him ; feeing that whatfoever is here either taught or faid is daily fpoken by Chrift inwardly to the devout foul, His Spoufe. You, therefore, devoted Virgins of Chrift, who have contemned the vanities of this world, read thefe Exhortations of your Spoufe, Chrift Jefus, which, by a fecret kind of infpiration(if you mark it) He continually breathes into your hearts. And in fo doing fhall you read thofe things whereof you may be inwardly admonifhed, if you will vouchfafe to give ear, and hearken what is faid. For that herein is contained a Rule to live rightly and pioufly in the fervice of God, inftru6ling you in all fpiritual con- verfation. And for this caufe have I thought it convenient to write and dedicate the fame to your Holy Congregation, imitating herein the devotion of our Bleffed F, Denis of Ruremond, no lefs famous for fan6lity of life than learning, who, whilft he lived, dedicated many devout works unto confe- crated Virgins, and efpecially to your Holy Convent ; as for example, Of the Profefjion — The Epijlle of the Author, xi of Nuns ; Of Lively Mortification^ and In- ternal Reformation; Of Spiritual Profit and Watch over the Heart ; &c. Therefore, when as I perceive that you defire nothing more than to have fome chafte and pious doftrine inftilled into you (for which caufe you do fo greatly honour all thofe that be devoutly learned), I doubt not but that, this your defire being fatisfied, you will transfer your cogitations from men to God. Defire, therefore, eameftly this His doftrine, and think that Chrift fpeaketh unto you in thefe Exhortations, as it were in an Epiftle from Himfelf. Farewell, A Table of the Chapters Contained in the enfuing Treatife. Page N Epijile or Exhortation of Jesus Christ to the Soul that is Devoutly Affected i Chap I. A Rulefor a Spiritual Life . .22 Chap. H. How we mu/i Mortify all Unlawful Defcres and Wicked Inclinations , , . .27 Chap. HI. How a Man ought to Govern his Tongue . 30 Chap. IV. Of the Contemplative Life^ which is wholly withdrawn from the Cares and Affairs of this prefent World 33 Chap V. How we ought to Judge no Man . .36 Chap. VI. How we ought to Fight againfi Vice . 41 Chap. VII. How we muflfly the Occafcons of Temptation 63 xiv A Table of Chapters. Page Chap. VIII. When Spiritual Temptations are to be Con- quered .