Volume I, Treatise V, Chapter XXVIII

Of Spiritual Reading; How Important It Ts; How T Ts to be Done Properly

SPIRITUAL reading is a very great help to prayer, and it is upon

this account that St. Paul, writing to Timothy, recommended

to him “to apply himself to reading.” (1 Timothy 4:13) St.

Athanasius esteems it so necessary for one who would walk in

the path of God, that, in an exhortation he made to religious o

he says—‘ You will see no one truly intent on God’s service who is not also given to reading.” (Exhor. ad Relig.) We can neither practise nor leave it off without receiving profit or prejudice. St. Jerom also testifies the esteem he had of it, when writing to Eustochium—“Let sleep,” says he, “surprise you with a book in your hand, and let the Holy Scripture receive your declining head.” In fine, all saints in general recommend unto us spiritual reading, and experience, moreover, lets us clearly see the profit thereof; because history records innumerable wonderful conversions that God has wrought by this means.

The founders of religious orders, relying upon the doctrine of St. Paul and upon the authority and experience of saints, have been so convinced of the importance and profit of this exercise, that all of them have prescribed the practice of it to their religious. Humbertus says that St. Bennet was not content with prescribing a time for the daily practice of it, but ordered, moreover, that at the time allotted for it, two of the ancient religious should make their visit round the monastery, to see if there were any that omitted this duty, or that withdrew or hindered others from it. By this we may see in what estimation it was held by this great saint; and here it may be proper to observe, that the visits daily made amongst us, whilst we are employed in our spiritual exercises, had their origin in the direction and experience of the most ancient saints. He ordered, moreover, that such as should be found faulty should, for the first and second time, be gently corrected; but that afterwards, if they were found guilty, they should be severely punished, and be made examples to others. We have also in our society a rule for spiritual reading, which says—‘“That the religious should twice a day employ therein the time allotted for examen of conscience, for meditation, and spiritual reading, and with all possible care and diligence apply themselves thereunto in our Lord; and the superior and spiritual prefect is to take care that each one daily employs therein the time allotted for these exercises.” (Reg. I. Com.) Lastly, spiritual reading is practised by all that make profession of piety; whereupon I shall content myself to set down such things as may render the practice of it more profitable. ‘

- St. Ambrose, exhorting us to apply ourselves as much as we can to spiritual reading, says—‘“Wherefore do you not employ all the time you are out of the church in spiritual reading?

‘Wherefore do you not return to take a view of Jesus Christ? Why do you not speak to him? And why do you not hearken to what he says to your For we speak to him whilst we are in prayer; and we hear him speak whilst we read the Holy Scripture.” (Amb. 1. i. Offic. c. xx.) Let this, therefore, be tHe first means we adopt to profit by spiritual reading; let us believe that it is God speaks to us, and that it is he who dictates to us what we there. read. ‘“Read the Holy Scripture in such a manner as always to bear sn mind that all the words that are therein are the words of God, who would have us not only know his law, but also fulfil it.” (Aug. ep. cxliii. ad Virg. Demet.)

What the saint says elsewhere furnishes us with another very profitable means, and many most pious reflections. ‘The Holy Scripture,” says he, “is like so many letters sent. us from our own country” (Id. serm. lvi. ad frat. in Er.); let us, therefore, read them with the same eagerness that a man would read the letters he receives from his native country, from which he has been a very long time absent, and from which he is far away. Let us read them to see what news we receive from heaven, which is our true country; to see what they tell us of ‘our fathers, brethren, and friends, that are there, to see what they say of that place, to which we so earnestly desire to go.

‘St. Gregory, writing upon the same subject, says, that the Holy Scripture is like a looking-glass, which we ought to set before the eyes of our soul, to behold our interior; and in which it is very easy to perceive what good or bad there is within us; and how near to, and how far off we are from perfection. For sometimes it sets before us the admirable exploits of the saints, to excite us to imitate them, that the sight of their victories and triumphs may augment our courage in temptations and sufferings; sometimes it speaks also of their falls, that we may both know wherein we are to imitate them, and what we ought to take care to avoid. Sometimes it sets before us the example of Job, whose virtue increased amidst temptations, as foam does amidst the waves and billows of the sea; sometimes also it represents David to us, who fell at the first attack. The constancy of the one helps to strengthen us in the greatest trials; and the frailty of the other teaches us always to have an humble fear, even in prosperity, and amidst the consolation that grace brings along with it; and never to presume. upon ourselves, or our own strength, but to conduct ourselves always with all precaution imaginable. St. Austin speaks in the same manner as St. Gregory does—“You will make a good use,” says lie, “of Holy Scripture, if you use it as a looking-glass, that your soul beholding itself therein, may correct what is bad, and perfect what is good in her.” (Id. ep. sup.) What the one and the other say of Holy Scripture, may also be applied to all kinds of spiritual reading.

But to descend more to particulars, and to declare what method we are to observe herein, we must take notice, that to profit by this sort of reading, we ought not to perform it in haste, as when we read something for the amusement of our minds; but at leisure, and with very great application. For as violent and tempestuous rains do not penetrate the earth, or render it fruitful; but only gentle and continual showers do work this effect; so to make our spiritual reading enter into our heart, and that it may be received therein, we must make it with tranquillity and attention. It is also very good, when we meet with any passage that strikes or moves us, to dwell a little longer upon it, than upon others; and to pause a little, and think upon what we have read, hereby to move the will; in the same manner as we are wont to do in time of meditation. Yet we ought not, in our reading, to spend so much time on our thoughts and considerations, as we do in meditation; where things should be ruminated and digested at greater leisure; but at least, we must give them some proportionable space. And this is what the saints counsel us to perform, when they say, we must in reading do as birds, who, whilst they drink, take different draughts, and every time they drink, lift up their eyes to heaven.

We see by this what connexion and resemblance there is between spiritual reading and prayer. In effect, this connexion is so great, that when we would train up any one to prayer, and would by little and little prepare him for it, agreeably to his genius and disposition; the first thing we counsel him is to read good and pious books, and to stop now and then whilst he is reading; and it often happens by this means, that God raises him to the exercise of mental prayer. We also direct such as have not a facility in prayer, and despair ever to compass it, by reason of their continual distractions, to join spiritual reading with prayer, reading a little at a time, and each time meditating upon what they have read. For the mind being thus collected, and fixed upon the things we read, has not so much occasion of spreading itself from side to side as when it is altogether free, or when the senses are not arrested by any object.

The facility of reading and praying together, is no doubt what induced the saints to set so high value on spiritual reading, that they in a manner praise it as much as they do prayer. For they say that reading is the spiritual food of the soul, which fortifies, and renders it firm against all temptations; which inspires it with the only thoughts and desires of heaven; which enlightens the understanding; heats and inflames the will; comforts it in that irksomeness, occasioned by all the afflictions it meets with in this world; and produces that true and spiritual joy, that is found only in God.

St. Bernard gives us another instruction, how we may profit by spiritual reading—‘“He who sets. himself to read,” says he, “does not so much seek to learn, as to taste the things of God.” (Bern. in spec. monach.) For the bare or simple knowledge of the understanding is dry and barren, if it warms not the will, and excites not that fervour, which renders the reading profitable and fruitful, and which is truly the end thereof. This advertisement is, moreover, of very great importance; for there is a very great difference between reading to learn, and reading to advance in virtue; between reading for others, and reading for ourselves; the one is a pure study, and the other is spiritual food. So that in reading, if you apply yourself only to the knowledge of things, or to gain something whereby to be better able to instruct others; this is not such a spiritual reading as is to be made for your own advancement; but it is a study you undertake to advance another. There are other times for this; “all things have their times.” (Ecclesiasticus 3:1) That of spiritual reading must not be employed in study, but in that which I have here set down.

It is for this reason that the saints recommend to us that we read not much at the time lest a long lecture should weary and tire out our mind, instead of fortifying it; and this counsel, which is very good for all persons, is most particularly necessary for those, who imagine that all consists in reading, or rather devouring, as I may say, a great many books. For as the nourishment of the body depends not upon the quantity of food, but upon the good digestion thereof; even so the nourishment of the soul consists not in reading much, but in ruminating and well digesting what we have read. And as hard matters rather tire us, than edify us; and rather dry up devotion, than increase it; therefore they counsel us to make our spiritual reading upon simple and easy matters, in which more and greater sentiments of piety, rather than profoundness of learning, are contained. Hugo of St. Victor says upon this subject, that a servant of God was counselled by a revelation, to discontinue the reading of all sorts of intricate or hard matters, and to apply himself to read the lives of saints, and other books of the like nature; and that by this means he made very great progress in piety.

St. Bernard more particularly teaches us, what we ought to ‘observe herein: ‘ We must,” says he, “take care to keep in our minds all day long, some passage we have that day read; that we may afterwards digest it the better; by calling to mind, and often ruminating upon it. And this must be something also that agrees with the good purposes and resolutions you have made before, and that may be proper to strengthen them, and hinder your mind from distracting or dissipating itself upon other thoughts.” (Bern. ep. ad frat. de mon. Dei.) For as we do not eat, only to spend the time that is taken up therein, but that the food we take may sustain and nourish us all the day after; so we must not apply ourselves to spiritual reading, which is the spiritual food of our souls, only to employ the time allotted for it; but we must perform it so as to make our profit by it the whole day after. For this end it will be very advantageous to us, if we elevate our minds to God before we begin to read, and beg his grace, that our reading may become fruitful, that it may penetrate our heart, and take such root in it, and so fortify it, that it may render us more ardent and fervent in virtue, let us see the deceits of the world, and make us also more firm and constant, in what regards our spiritual advancement and perfection. St. Gregory was wont to make his spiritual reading after this manner, to which he never applied himself, without being first prepared for it by prayer, and without ‘having recited this verse of the Psalmist, ‘“Retire from me, ye wicked spirits, and | will dive into, and penetrate the commandments of my God.” (Psalms 118:114)

But that we may still conceive a greater esteem of spiritual reading, and have a greater desire to apply ourselves thereunto, the saints compare it to the preaching of the Word of God, and affirm, that it has all the force and energy that the voice of a preacher can have; and has, moreover, a great many other advantages that preaching has not. First, it is not so easy to have a preacher at hand at all times, as to have a spiritual book.

Secondly, the best instructions of a preacher are soon over, and, therefore, cannot work all those good effects which this may; for in this we may often turn to any place we have read that moved us; we may examine and ponder it again and again, and insist and dwell so long upon it as we shall find necessary, to have it make a deep impression on our souls. Thirdly, in a spiritual book we have a good counsellor; for as a great philosopher said very well, “a book says boldly, and without any fear, that which no person dares tell us;” it tells the whole world their faults; exhorts and reprehends all with the same liberty. Moreover, by means of reading we converse with the greatest saints and the most famous doctors of the Church, and may entertain ourselves sometimes with one, sometimes with another, and hear them speak as if they were present with us, and as if we. heard them pronounce the same words we read. Therefore, they had great reason who said, that spiritual and holy books were a public and inexhaustible treasure. For, in effect, there is no one who every moment may not draw immense benefits and infinite riches from them. In fine, the advantages we may derive from spiritual reading are so great, that St. Jerom, speaking of the interior fervour of the soul, says, that it is not to be doubted, but that it proceeds from holy and spiritual books, by the reading of which the soul, inflamed with divine fire, remains entirely purified from all its defects. To prove this, he alleges those words of the disciples going to Emmaus: “Was not our heart inflamed within us whilst he spoke unto us as we walked with him, and when he explained the Scripture unto us.” (Luke 24:32) And that passage of the Psalmist: «‘ The words of the Lord are chaste; they are like silver that has been tried in the fire.” (Psalms 11:7) St. Ambrose also says, that “the reading the Holy Scripture is the life of the soul;” and this was what our Lord himself testified in St. John, when he said: “The words which I have said are spirit and life.” (Amb. serm. xxxv.; (John 6:63)) If, then, we would live a spiritual life; if we would walk in the spirit of God, and be inflamed with his love; let us apply ourselves to spiritual reading, and endeavour to make that good use of it which I have here noted.

What I have said shews us clearly that those are very much deceived, who, when they have read a book, never read it the second time, how good soever they find it to be. A good book ought not to be read over only once; wherefore, take it again into your hands, the second reading will touch and move you more than the first, and the third more than the second, and you will always feel new pleasure and satisfaction in it, as they experience who read with a real intention of reaping fruit from it. And, on the contrary, it is a very laudable and profitable custom those have who, when they meet in a pious book with anything affecting or impressive, take very great care to note it down, that they may have always something by them wherewith to nourish their souls when they stand in need thereof, and wherewith to excite themselves to fervour, and that which may be a comfort to them in the time of aridity and affliction.

What I have said of the many advantages derived from spiritual reading, I might confirm by a great many examples; but I shall content myself with selecting one, which is of very great edification, and which I relate on the authority of St. Austin. He says, that he was visited by an African gentleman, called Potitianus, who, beginning to speak of the wonders of St. Anthony, which all the world talked of, said, that one day the Emperor being at Triers, busy in beholding the sports of the circus, he himself (Potitianus) and three of his friends took a short walk out of the city—that two of them entering an hermitage, took up a book in which the Life of St. Anthony was written, and that one of these had scarce begun to read, but he felt his heart inflamed with divine love, when, piously incensed against himself, he cried out to his companion: What do we aspire to, for all the services we have so many years rendered the Emperor? The most we can hope for is, to obtain his favour, and than this what can be more frail or dangerous’ For how much must we still encounter before we can arrive to any great fortune, which of itself is also very dangerous, and, therefore, is so much the more to be feared? But, should I endeavour to gain the love of God, I can do it with ease—I may obtain it in a moment—it suffices that I only earnestly desire it. In saying this, the approaching pangs of his birth to a new life caused such interior commotions in his soul, that he took up the book again, and the more he read the more he was disgusted with the things of the world, and the work of God was the more perfected in his heart, as the effect immediately after testified. For as soon as he had done reading, and that the storm which was raised in his heart became a little calmed and appeased: “Now,” says he to his friend with a sigh, “‘I am at ease; my mind enjoys repose renounce all hopes upon earth, to fix my thoughts only upon those of heaven; in short, I am resolved to serve God, and I declare that from this very moment I will never quit this habitation. For your part, if you desire not to make a similar resolution, at least lose not your time by going about to persuade me to no purpose to change the determination I have now made.” The other answered, “that he was resolved never to leave or forsake him, especially in an enterprise where there were so great recompenses to be hoped for.” And thus they both of them began together to raise a spiritual edifice of perfection, by abandoning all things to follow Jesus Christ. What is still no less wonderful and surprising is, that two young ladies to whom they were contracted, understanding the choice their lovers had made, consecrated their virginity to God. Behold here the example St. Austin relates, which, as he says, had so great influence upon himself, that turning to one of his friends, he cried out witha disgusted and agitated mind: “What will become of us? the ignorant rise, and take the kingdom of heaven by violence; and we, with all our learning, let ourselves be plunged into an abyss of misery.” (Lib. viii. Conf. e. 16.) Being thus disquieted in mind, he retired into an adjacent garden, where sitting down under a fig tree, and melting into tears, in atransport of mind he cried ouat—How long, O Lord! how lon will your anger against me continue? Will your wrath, O Lord! never have anend? Remember not, O Lord! my past iniquities.” And as he repeated these words, “How long, O Lord! how long? To-morrow, to-morrow; and why not as well to-day? Why may not my miseries find this day a happy end?” He heard a voice that said, ‘‘ Take up and read, take up and read. Whereupon he rose and took up the Epistles of St. Paul, to read the first passage he should light upon: for he had heard that the first thing that moved St. Anthony to leave all he had to follow Christ, was this passage of the gospel which he once heard by chance: “Go and sell all you have, and give it to the poor, and you shall have treasure in heaven; and come and follow me.” (Matthew 19:21) Excited, therefore, by this example, and far more by the voice he heard, he opened the book, and by the first words he read, he found himself struck with such light from above, and so changed, that from thenceforward he absolutely renounced all things of this world, and gave himself entirely to God..

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