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 [Miguel] de Molinos, Priest: I could heartily wish every distressed soul in America or elsewhere had one of them.

Page 172: Concerning ministers, he writes, those that preach with zeal and sincerity preach for God. Those that preach for themselves—feeding their hearers with the hurtful subtleties, giving them stones instead of bread, leaves instead of fruit, and unsavory earth mixed with poisoned honey instead of food—these are they [that] hunt after honor, raising up an idol of reputation and applause, instead of seeking God’s glory and spiritual edification of men.

Page 175: The study that is not ordered for God’s glory only is but a short way to hell, not through the study but the wind of pride that begets it.

Page 189: His mournful exclamation: O Divine Majesty! in whose presence the pillars of heaven do quake and tremble, O thou goodness more than infinite, in whose love the seraphim burn, give me leave O Lord to lament our blindness and ingratitude. We all live in mistakes, seeking the foolish world and forsaking thee who art our God. We all forsake thee, thou fountain of Living Waters, for the stinking dirt of this world.