Spiritual Guide.pdf

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

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

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 EE .

The transcription was performed by Art D’Adamo (art@adamford.com,

http://www.adamford.com/molinos). Corrections and comments appreciated.

Note: The pagination of the original was not reproduced.

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 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 C œ li , who speaks mighty

kindly and favourably of the Book, & recommends it to the Press.

To the Reader.

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

cordial 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.

All this is Roman Approbation which signifies but little to a Book, that must be Printed in

Venice ; and therefore the Reformers of the University of Padua , who License Books receiving a

Certificate from their Secretary, that the Book had nothing in it against Princes, or good Manners,

gave leave to a Stationer of Venice to Print it again there, in 1676, upon the Authority of which

License it came out once more, in 1685; which was the Copy, that this Translation goes by. So

that this Book, it seems, has been sufficiently dispersed in the World, by all these Impressions:

And who can say any thing more for it, than such men as these, that have Read and Censur’d it so

Candidly, and Kindly? If what has since happened to the Author and his Reputation, do make his

Vouchers wish that they had not been so free of their Courtesie, let them look to that: But whil’st

the poor Man is so harassed in Rome , it would become the Mercy of this religious Nation, to hear

him speak his Mind by an Interpreter: What has stung the Court of Rome may be partly guessed at

by this Book: Till we know further of the Author, there is no more to be said of him than that

sometimes he lights upon shrew’d Truths, and very excellent Thoughts, as well as mere Trash and

Foppery. Do but pardon him his rich Vein of Enthusiasm and Gibberish, and give him leave now

and then to speak further than you can see or apprehend, and you will find things enough to make

you think and attend to what he says: But withal let me tell you, that tis a Blessing to you to live

in a Country, where the Ministers of Religion do not use to put Tricks up on your Understanding

nor lead you blindly you know not whither. And so I rest.

In Molinos’s Style,

No-BODY.

THE

Spiritual Guide,

Which disentangles the Soul, and by the

inward way, leads it to the Fruition of

Perfect Contemplation, and of the

rich Treasure of Internal Peace.

The

Author to the Reader.

There is nothing more difficult, than to please all People, not more easie and common than to

censure Books that come abroad in the World. All Books, without exception, that see the light,

run the common Risk of both these inconveniences, though they may be sheltered under the most

sublime Protection, what will become of this little Book then, which hath no Patronage? The

Subject whereof being mystical, and not well-seasoned; carries along with it the common

censure, and will seem insipid? Kind Reader, if you understand it not, be not therefore apt to

censure the same.

The Natural Man may hear and read these Spiritual Matters, but he can never

comprehend them, as St. Paul saith ; (I Cor.c.2) The Natural Man receiveth not the things of the

Spirit of God. If you condemn it, you condemn your self to the number of the wise men of this

World, of who St. Denis says, that God imparts not this Wisdom to them, as he does to the simple

and humble, though in the opinion of Men they be ignorant.

Mystical knowledge proceeds not from Wit, but from Experience; it is not invented, but

proved; not read, but received; and is therefore most secure and efficacious, of great help and

plentiful in fruit; it enters not (Mat.II.) into the Soul by Ears, nor by the continual Reading of

Books, but by the free Infusion of the Holy Ghost, whose Grace with most delightful intimacy, is

communicated to the simple and lowly.

There are some Learned Men, who have never read these Matters, and some Spiritual

Men that hitherto have hardly relished them and therefore both condemn them, the one out of

Ignorance, and the other for want of Experience.

Besides, it is certain, that he who hath not the experience of this sweetness, cannot pass a

Judgement upon these Mysterious Secrets; nay, rather he’ll be Scandalized (as many are) when

he hears of the Wonders which the Divine Love is wont to work in Souls, because he finds no

such Rarities in his own. Who shall limit the goodness of God, whose Arm is not shortened, but

that he can do now what he hath wrought at other times? God calls neither the strongest nor the

richest for their Merit; but calls rather the weakest and most wretched, that his infinite mercy

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