ought to say and in what manner. The director ought to make use of him as his instrument in whatever way he thinks will be most useful to the exercitant.

6. With regard to food, the retreatant should be asked what he wishes to be prepared for him, and that which he has asked for should be brought to him.

7. With the exception of the one who waits on him he ought not, generally speaking, to be visited by others. As regards seculars there can be no question, unless some necessity requires it. One or other of our Fathers, however, may be sent to him, if he should ask this of his director, or if without being asked the director should judge that it would be a help and comfort to him.

8. But whoever visits him ought to take care that only useful conversation be held, and that it be confined to spiritual matters without however any indication of a wish to urge him to this or that state of life, least of all to entering the Society. For besides the fact that vocation ought to be free, and to come from God, those who are deliberating about this matter are wont to be repelled if they think or suspect any such intention, and on the other hand, as experience often shows, they are stimulated and drawn on when they find in our Fathers no such desire.

CHAPTER V

What manner of person he who gives the Exercises ought to be, and what he ought to do

1. As for him who is to give the Exercises, the chief advice given by S. Ignatius (Constitutiones, P. IV, cap. viii. § 5) is that he should first have experience of them himself, so as to be able to explain their method, and to be well skilled in giving them. And in order that he may more easily acquire this experience and skill, he ought first (as is said in the Declaration on the same passage) to give the Exercises to persons in whose case the loss would be less considerable if he should make any mistake, as for instance in the case of young persons, or those who are not going to enter upon the election of a state of life. It will also be good for him to compare his own method of procedure with that of some one more experienced, noting carefully anything he may find to be useful or the reverse. So that this is the first and most important thing, that the director should be

well versed in spiritual things, and especially in these Exercises. 2. Moreover let him be prudent and discreet, cautious and reserved, circumspect in speech; gentle also rather than austere, especially towards those who suffer from temptations, or desolation, aridity, and weariness.1 These he ought to console, inspire, and encourage with suitable counsel and advice, and to help them with his own prayers and the prayers of others. It is expedient also that he should be personally acceptable to the exercitant, since in that case the latter will trust him more fully, and open himself more freely.

3. Further, in dealing with him he should be careful always to preserve a certain authority, as a person of maturity and gravity, especially when the exercitant is of superior rank or station. For it is very conducive to his spiritual profit that the director should preserve the position and character of a master, as in truth he is. Yet this authority ought to be tempered with a religious humility, showing itself in his words and acts, so that there should not be the least trace of any vanity. In this he should imitate Christ our Lord, who, though so lowly in outward appearance, yet, as it is written, taught as one having authority. Thus he ought to execute his office with all freedom whether in giving instruction, or admonition, or direction, wherever he sees anything that needs to be set right or corrected.

2

4. And let him take care when he sees any good results in those who are making the Exercises, not to attribute anything to his own efforts or skill, seeing that all these good results are due solely to the grace of God, and that counsel also from without (besides that it too, if good, comes from the same God) is helpful and effective only so far as God concurs and co-operates with it. On the other hand, let him put great trust in God, and confidently hope for His help both for himself and for the exercitant.

5. He should be very careful also not to add anything merely of his own; but, seeing that all such counsel ought to come from divine inspiration, let him be on his guard not to urge anything upon the exercitant with indiscreet zeal: rather let him leave it to God to deal with His creature according to His own good pleasure. And in order that he may the better and more easily do this, let him keep himself in a disposition of complete indiffer 2 S. Matt. vii. 29; S. Mark i. 22. 3 Annotation xv.

1 Annotation vii.

ence, desiring nothing else but that the most holy will of God be fully and perfectly fulfilled in that soul; and let him endeavour only that the exercitant may know how to seek the will of God, and to free himself from the snares with which the devil is wont to hold men back.

6. Let him be careful also to take note of the exercitant, not only as to his state and condition, whether noble or of humble rank, learned or unlearned, etc., but also as to his special capacities, whether he is artless or intelligent; advanced in spiritual things or as yet unskilled and a novice; whether he is of good understanding and ability, or on the other hand dull and slow. For persons of different characters will have to be dealt with in different ways; with the rude and ignorant things must be more fully explained, with others more briefly, etc.

7. But above all it is necessary that he who is to give the Exercises shall have read through the whole book, and have it at his fingers' ends, especially the Annotations and Rules. Nor will it suffice to look through these in a cursory way; he must weigh everything, indeed almost every word, carefully, for there are some things very briefly expressed, but of great importance, so that there would be serious loss if they were unnoticed or passed over. Therefore both beforehand there will be need of careful study, and at the time of giving the Exercises everything should be read over again with renewed attention, especially whatever has to do with that part of the Exercises upon which the exercitant is at the time engaged.

8. It will be well also that the director should, if possible, spend a little time in meditating upon each Exercise himself before giving it, in order that he may impress it more forcibly upon the exercitant.

CHAPTER VI

Of visiting the exercitant

1. When the Exercises have begun the director should be diligent in visiting the exercitant at convenient times. It would seem to be expedient that he should visit him once each day, but not oftener, unless some necessity should arise, as sometimes happens during the First Week on account of the novelty of the matter, or in the Second on account of some difficulty in the Election.

2. On the other hand, in the case of some persons who are of a grave disposition, and have made good progress in spirit and devotion, it may be well occasionally to omit a day. As for the time of his visit, let him choose that which is most convenient and suitable. In itself the best time would seem to be the early morning, because then the mind of the exercitant is more active and penetrating; although towards evening there is usually more need of a visit, for that is often the time when temptations and desolations increase, because the mind is then less fit for contemplation, in consequence of which it sometimes becomes depressed, and is more exposed to temptations.

3. Let the director also consider whether it may not sometimes be expedient for special reasons, that immediately after dinner or supper he himself, or some other mature and discreet person appointed by him, should remain with the exercitant for suitable recreation.

CHAPTER VII

Of requiring an account of the meditation

1. Whatever time the director may choose for his visit, when he comes he will ask the exercitant how it has been with him since he last saw him, and especially in his meditations, inquiring what method he has pursued in them, what trains of thought and movements of the will he has had, what consolations he has experienced, and in which points.

2. If it has gone well with him, and he has had abundance of consolations, he ought not to praise him much, lest he should be pleased with himself, but rather instruct him how to reap solid fruit from those consolations. For if nothing further be done, then when that sweet affection, which does not usually last long, dies away, no fruit will remain. He should, therefore, be taught to direct these consolations to the amendment of his conduct and to the ordering of his life, as it is written: Not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified.1 At the same time he should be instructed to commit briefly to writing the chief consolations and lights that come to him, and also his good desires and resolutions;

1 Romans ii, 13.

for these will be very profitable to him at another time, when the present experience of them has passed away.

3. Let the director also prepare him for the time of desolation and aridity, which is often wont to follow, lest when it comes he should be unprepared. Moreover when all is going well, he ought not to stay long with the exercitant, but rather allow God to deal with His creature, and the creature in turn with God, unless it should seem necessary to give him some direction, or for recreation, if he should be too much absorbed in his own thoughts.

4. On the other hand, if the exercitant should suffer from aridity and desolation, or from distractions in his meditation, the director ought to question him as to his behaviour during the meditation, and especially as to how he has observed the Additions 1; and if he finds he has been remiss in any of these things, let him give him suitable advice and instruction.

5. Let him also open up a way for him in his meditation, touching upon, and as it were pointing out, some thoughts, which he may afterwards follow up for himself.

6. Let him exhort him to be patient and courageous, and not allow himself to be overcome by weariness, or to give up prayer because of its difficulty and the distaste he may feel for it,2 for if he bravely perseveres with hope and confidence in knocking at the door of the divine mercy, it will certainly be opened to him, as it is written: Though the vision tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry.3

7. Let him remind him also that the best way of obtaining devotion from God is to humble himself under His mighty hand, subjecting and resigning himself to the divine will; for oftentimes the depression and bitterness he feels comes not so much from fervour as from a certain secret pride which has its roots in self-confidence, or from ambition to excel, or from a self-love which is greedy of consolation. It is important, therefore, to remember, that when a man has done his best, he should leave all else to the loving will of God, and feel sure that the very aridity from which he suffers is permitted for his good, and that humility and subjection of himself to God is the surest way to win the grace of praying well.

8. Above all let the director be on his guard never to give the 1 Annotation vi. • Annotation vii. Rules for the discernment of spirits, First Week, viii.

2 Annotation xiii.

3 Hab. ii. 3.