Of Meditation. Cap. VII

AFTER Readinge it followeth that we doe meditate vpon the place that we haue read. Concerninge which pointe it is to be knowen,¹ that this meditation is sometimes vpon thinges that maie be figured with the imagination: as are all the pointes of the lyfe and passion of our Sauiour Christ. And some times againe this meditation is vpon thinges that doe rather appertaine to the vnderstandinge, than to the imagination: as when we thinke vpon the benefites of almightie God, or vpon his goodnes, and mercie, or vpon anie other of his perfections. This maner of meditation is called INTELLECTVAL: and th'other IMAGINARIE: and we vse both the one maner and the other in these exercises, accordinge as the matter of the thinges doth require.

And therefore when the misterie whereupon we intende to meditate is the lyfe and passion of our Sauiour Christ,² or of anie other thinge that maie be figured with the imagination: as of the last daie of Iudgemente, or of hell, or of Paradise, we must then figure and represente euerie one of these matters in our imagination, in such wise as it is, or in such wise as it passed, and make accompte, that euen there in the verie same place where we are, all the same passeth in our presence. And this maner of meditatinge serueth to this ende, that by meanes of such a representation of these thinges, the consideration and feelinge of them maie be the more liuely in vs. Some there be,³ that imagin that euerie one of these thinges whereupon they meditate passeth within their owne harte: for sithence our harte is able to contayne within it the forme of cities, and kingdomes, it is no great matter for it to cō tayne also within it the representation and forme of these misteries. And this maner of meditatinge is certainlie a great helpe also to kepe in the minde more closelie recollected, by causinge it to attende to her worke, after the maner of bees, which worke their honie combes within their owne hyues. Either of these two waies we maie vse in this kinde of imaginarie meditation. For in case we goe with our cogitation to Ieruzalem, to meditate the thinges that passed there each thinge in his owne proper place, it is a thinge that doth commonlie weaken and hurte the head.

And for this verie cause likewise a man must not fixe his imagination ouermuch vpon the thinges whereupon he meditateth.⁴ For besides that it wearieth the head, a man maye also falle into some deceite by reason of this vehemente apprehension, in perswadinge him selfe that he seeth the thinges reallie in verie deede, which he imagineth with such vehemencie, and force.