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CERTAIN ADVISES TO BE OBSERVED IN THESE FIVE partes aboue named, and espetially in Meditation. CAP.…

HAVINGE now spoken of the principall partes of prayer, I thinke it conuenient to geue certain aduises, and instructions, which ought to be obserued in them all, and espetially in meditation, whereof we minde to treate principally in this place.

The first aduise: that in our meditation we must not for the obseruinge of our ordinarie cowerse…

THE first aduise is (concerninge the matter of meditation) that although it be well done for a man to obserue these spetiall pointes of meditation, accordinge as they be here before deuided by the daies of the weke, for to exercise him selfe in thē: yet if in the middest of his waie there be offered vnto him anie other consideration, wherein he findeth more sweitnes, or profit, he ought not to put the same awaie from him to fulfill his ordinary taske. For it standeth not with reason, that we shoulde extinguishe the light which the holie Ghost hath begonne to geue vs in any good thought, for to occupie ourselues in an other thought, wherein perhappes the same light shall not be geuen vnto vs. And besides this, sith the principall ende of these meditations is to obtaine some deuotion, and feelinge of diuine thinges, it were against reason, when we haue alreadie obtained the same with some good consideration, that we shoulde goe about to seike for it by an other waie.

Howbeit althoughe this be verie true (speakinge ordinarily,) yet maie not a man therefore take herein so great libertie, as vpon euerie occasion that is offered vnto him, to be moued forthwith verie lightlie to forgoe that thinge out of his handes, which he hath as it were in possession, for some other thinge which he is desirous to haue: vnlesse it be at such a time, as he perceyueth a more certaine proffit in the one, than in the other.

The second aduise: that in our Meditation we must eschewe the superfluous speculation of our…

THE seconde aduise is, that he labour to esche we in this exercise the superfluous speculation of the vnderstandinge, and endeuour to vse this matter rather with affections, and feelinges of the will, than with discources, and speculations of the vnderstandinge.

It is therefore to be noted, that the vnderstandinge on the one side helpeth, and on the other side it maie hinder the operation of the will: to witt, the loue, and feelinge of diuine thinges. For as it is necessarie that the vnderstandinge doe goe before the will to guide it, and geue it knowledge what it ought to loue: so when the speculation of the vnderstandinge is ouermuch, then it hindereth this operation of the will: forsomuch as it suffereth it not to haue place and time to worke. And therefore like as it is saied of the poison which is put into treacle, that if it be litle it is holsome, and necessarie, but if it be ouermuch it is hurtfull: euen so likewise maie we saie after a sorte in this exercise, that the seekinge to knowe God with simplicitie helpeth the will the more to loue him, but the seekinge to knowe him with ouermuch speculation hindereth the will, and causeth the operation thereof for that time to be the more feeble, and weake. And the reason hereof is, for that the vertue ād power of our sowle beinge finite and streyted within certaine boundes, and limittes, the more it employeth her vertue and force on the one parte, the lesse remaineth to be employed on the other: euē like the foūtaine that rūneth throughe two pypes, the more water that it dischargeth by the one pype, the lesse it hath to yeilde throughe the other. And after the like sorte doth the sowle principallie by the operation of the vnderstandinge, by the which (for that it is so noble and so excellent a power) the sowle employeth and powreth out all her whole force in such wise, that in a maner she worketh nothinge at all by her other powers, at such tyme as the vnderstandinge is verie attente, and earnestlie occupied in the vehement speculation of anie matter. And therefore we finde by experience, that a man maie with more facilitie preserue the affection of deuotion in anie exercise of the bodie wherein he labourethe with his handes, than when he hath his vnderstandinge busely occupied and attente in the speculation of anie matter. For the vnderstandinge, and the will, be as it were two ballances of our sowle, the which are disposed in such sorte, that the ascendinge of the one is the descendinge of the other, and so contrariewise. So that if the speculation doe increase ouermuch, then the affection thereby decreaseth: and if contrary wise the affection doe increase, then the speculation forthwith decreaseth. And this is the cause why the Patriarke Iacob was made lame of one of his feete at what time he receyued benediction:1 for whereas our sowle hath two feete wherewith to goe vnto almightie God,2 which be the vnderstandinge, and the will, it is requisite that the one foot[…] be weakened, to witt, the vnderstandinge in his speculation, if the will which is th'other foote shall enioye almightie God in the rest and quietnes of contemplation. And so it is seene by experience, that in case at such tyme as the sowle is enioyenge of almightie God, it doe but turne a-side to seke to vnderstande or searche some poynte or matter appertayninge vnto God, it loseth forthwith at the verie same instante the deuotion which it had, and that souereine good thinge vanisheth then awaie frō him, which before he enioyed. And therefore not without good cause doth the bridegrome aduise the spowse in the Canticles, sayeinge: Turne awaie thyne eies from me, 3 for they haue made me to flye. Wherefore I counsaile a man in this exercise of meditation to occupie his vnderstandinge in speculatiō with as litle curiositie as is possible, and to contente him selfe with a simple sighte and knowledge of diuine thinges, to the intent that the vertue of his sowle recollectinge all her forces together, maie employe her selfe by this affectiue parte (I meane, by the affections of the will) in louinge and reuerencinge the cheefest goodnes: to witt, almightie God.

4 Whereby it appeareth, that those men take not the righte trade herein, that in prayer doe meditate in such wise vpon diuine misteries, as if they shoulde studie to preach them: the which disorderlie maner is rather to cause the Spirite to wander more abrode, than to recollecte it: and rather to goe out of him selfe, than to kepe within himselfe. And hereof it commeth, that when they haue made an ende of theire exercise of praier, they remayne as drie, and without anie ioyce of deuotion, and as easely moued to followe euerie kinde of lightnes, and vanitie of the worlde, as they were before their exercise. For (to speake the verie trueth) they haue not praied, but rather talked and studied, which is a thinge farre diferēte from praier. Such persons ought to consider, that in this exercise of prayer ād meditatiō we rather come to heare, than to speake. For (as the Prophet saieth) Such as come to our Lordes feite, 5 shall receyue his doctrine: as he receyued it, that saiede:6 I will hearken, what our Lorde speaketh within me. Wherefore I conclude, that all this busines of meditation consisteth in speakinge litle,7 and in louinge much, and in geuinge place to the will, that it maie ioyne it selfe with all his forces vnto almightie God. And we must not spurre forwardes these two powers of the sowle a-like, nor walke in this waie with equall pases: but a spetiall dexteritie is requisite to be vsed, to stirre vp the will, and to quiet the vnderstandinge, that it hinder not with his curious discourses the operations of loue. And thou must make accompte that in this exercise thou goest in a chariot drawen with two horses, whereof the one is verie forwarde, and quicke,8 and the other verie slowe, and dull: and that thou must beare the bridles in thy hande with such dexteritie, that the one thou must hasten forwarde, and holde the other backe, that so they maie goe together the one by the other.

And if thou desire to haue an other more liuely example, make accompte that the vnderstandinge must behaue it selfe towardes the will, as the nource doth towardes the childe which she nourceth, who after that she hath chewed the meate, she then putteth it into the childes mouthe, that the childe maie taste and feede thereupon. For otherwise if the nource shoulde both chewe the meate, and also eate it vp her selfe, leauinge the childe without anie meate, it is certaine that she shoulde doe great iniurie to the childe, in sufferinge it to die for honger, by eatinge vp that meare which was geuen vnto her for the childe.9 Now in this wise must the vnderstandinge behaue it selfe towardes the will in the exercise of prayer: for it appertaineth to the vnderstandinge to chewe the spiritual matters, as the nource cheweth meate for the childe, but the vnderstandinge must not retayne the same spirituall matters for it selfe alone, but after that it hath once chewed them, it must offer them to the will, to the intent that the will maie taste and feede thereupon, and be the more enkendeled and confirmed in vertue, and goodnes, with the tast and feelinge of those spiritual matters.

The victuals that doe enter in by the gates of a cittie ought to paie onely a tribute, and impost: but in case the porter shoulde take vp all the victualles for him selfe alone, and suffer none to come to the market, it is certaine that the inhabitantes of the cittie woulde die for honger. Now in like maner, if the vnderstandinge which is as it were the first gate of our sowle, (whereby the spirituall sustenance entereth vnto it) doe take vp all that shoulde passe by it for it selfe alone, in what case shall the will then be, but euen verie hongrie, and drie, and in great necessitie of all vertue, and goodnes?

The huntinge hounde if he be good, will not eate the hare that he hath taken, but kepeth it faithfully vntill his masters comminge: and in like maner ought our vnderstandinge to doe, when it hath founde out anie highe and secrete treuthes: forsomuche as it must not retayne all for it selfe alone, but reason woulde that it shoulde assigne them ouer to the will, that she as the mistres in this behalfe maie serue her selfe with them. And for this respecte diuers deuoute and simple persons are truelie verie happie, who as they knowe litle, so when they come vnto almightie God, they are litle hindered with the discourses of their vnderstandinge, and therefore in their prayers and meditations they finde their willes more tender, and more pliant, and better prepared vnto euery godly affection.

Now if thou desire to knowe how thou shouldest behaue thy selfe herein, emonge manie other waies that maie serue in this case, thou mayst vse this: In euerie good thinge that thou shalt thinke vpon either in praier, or out of praier, be carefull to goe out of hande therewith vnto almighie God, as the yonge childe doth, who with euerie thinge that he findeth goeth out of hande to his mother, and tattelleth with her of it. And so in like maner when in thy prayer or at other times thou findest anie spirituall iuell, thou must lifte vp thine harte to almightie God, eyther to loue him, or to adore him, or to reuerence him, or to praise him for the same, accordinge as the matter requireth: and thereby also to take occasion to humble thy selfe before him, and to desire of him his grace. It shalbe a great helpe also hereunto to haue the spirite of true humilitie, which causeth a man to appeare before almightie God very poore, and naked, and to prostrate himselfe before that most highe soueraigne maiestie, and to be more carefull to desire him of his mercie for the curinge of the great miseries which he knoweth in him selfe, than to searche the profoundnes of his highe misteries to vnderstande them. And by so doinge he commeth to be in the presence of almightie God, as a malefactour that is condē ned to death woulde be when he shoulde enter into the kinges pallace to aske him pardon: who woulde goe with such a great and deepe impression of his miserie, that he woulde scarcelie haue either eies to see, or harte to thinke vpon anie other thinge, but onely vpon his owne present daunger.

The therde aduise: which prestribeth also boundes and limittes to the will, that it be neither to…

THE former aduise teacheth vs how we ought to quiet our vnderstandinge, and commit all this busines to our will: but this present aduise prescribeth also boundes, and limittes to the will, that it be neither to excessiue, nor to vehement in her exercise. Wherefore ye must vnderstande, that the deuotion which we seeke to obteine, is not a thinge that maie be gotten with force of armes, (as some persones thinke,) who laye on great lode of enforced sighinges, and sobbinges, imagininge thereby to procure teares, and compassion, whē they thinke vpon the passion of our Sauiour. For such force dothe commonlye cause the harte to become more drie, and more vnable to receyue our Lordes visitation, accordinge as the holie father Cassianus affirmeth. Moreouer it doethe commonlie preiudice and hurte the healthe of the bodie, yea and sometimes leaueth the sowle so astomed, and agast, by reason of the litle taste she hath there receyued, that she is lothe to returne againe to this exercise, as to a thinge which she hath tryed by experiēce to haue bene verie painfull and irkesome vnto her. And therefore if our Lorde shall send vs teares or other the like feelinges in our prayer, we ought humbly to accept them, and to geue him thanckes for them. But for a man to wringe them out as it were with force of armes, it is no wisedome. He must content himselfe with doinge sincerelie what lyeth in him: that is, he must suppose him selfe to be present at such greiuous tormētes as our Sauiour hath suffered, beholdinge with a sincere ād quiet eie, aswel such paines as he hath suffered, as also the loue and charitie, that moued him to suffer them. And when he hath thus done, let him not vexe nor trouble him selfe anie further, thoughe our Lorde sende him not teares, and compunction of harte.

And he that can not thus doe, but shall perceyue him selfe to be ouermuch troubled in his exercise, let him not striue to passe forwardes, but let him humble him selfe before almightie God with inwarde quietnes, and simplicite, and desire him of his grace, that he maie be able to proceid in his prayer and meditation without such great trouble and daunger vnto him. And in case it shall please our Lorde to graunte him this quietnes of mynde, he shall feele a more inwarde hartie deuotion thereby, than he was wont to feele with the disquietnes of his minde, and it shall endure much longer. After this sorte maie a man continewe in prayer and meditation a longe time together, without feelinge anie heauines, or greife: but that man can not so doe, that shall meditate after the other enforced maner before specified.

And for this cause we must take diligent heede, that if at anie time there doe arise in the sowle verie feruent motions of sensible deuotion, or excessiue sobbinges, and sighinges, we suffer not our selues to be caried awaie with thē, but we must temper them with great moderation, and dissemble them as much as we can, and withall endeuour to kepe and continewe that consideration and thoughte within vs, which caused those feruent motions: I meane hereby, that we must remoue awaie from vs those stormes and alterations of the fleashe: to wit, these vehemēt sobbinges, and sighinges, and enioye in our sowle with quietnes the light, and deuotion, which almightie God hath then sent vnto vs. And after this sorte we shall continewe in our exercise a longer time, and our consolation shall take deeper roote inwardly in our sowles, and shall not geue any outwarde shewe thereof with weepinge, sobbinge, and other externall signes, which can hardlie be auoyded without great paine, in case a man doe once accustome him selfe verie much vnto such sensible motiōs, and feruours, which the stronger and mightier they shewe outwardly, the more doe they quenche the light inwardly, and be an impedimente vnto vs that we can not proceede forwarde in our prayer, ād meditation.

True it is, that at the first beginninge of nouices in spirituall exercises such feruours can verie hardlie be eschewed. For then the great wonder that a man hath of the newnes and profoundnes of diuine thinges, maketh him to enter into so great an admiration, and astonishmente, that he can not refraine him selfe from this feruencie. But after that with the vse of dailie meditation of diuine thinges the newnes of them ceaseth, then is his harte quieted: and although he loue almightie God with greater vehemencie, yet hath he not such sensible feruour and disquietnes in his loue. And so we see, that the newe wyne, and the potte of water when it beginneth first to trye the vnwonted heat of the fier, it boyleth so forceablie, that it bubbleth vp, and runneth ouer the brimme: but after that it hath boyled a certaine space, it seetheth then much better, and is much hoatter, and yet with lesse noyce and vehemencie. That man which was lame from his mothers wombe, whom S. Peter healed, (as it is declared in the actes of the Apostles,) so soone as he perceyued him selfe to be whole and perfetlie cured of his former lamenes,10 the holie Scripture saiethe, that he walked, and leaped, and praised almightie God. This man was not contented onely to goe, but as one that had bene so longe time as it were bounde hande and feite, and findinge by experience his newe libertie, he then stretched forthe his limmes to the vttermost he coulde, and leaped, and skipped with great ioye, and admiration. Howbeit it is to be thought, that afterwardes he woulde walke more quietly, and not leape and skippe all his life time: but as then the great ioye he had of his newe and vnaccustomed health woulde not suffer him to be in quiet.

The fourthe aduise: which followeth of the foresaide aduises: And here it is declared what maner of…

OF all these aduises aforesaiede we maie gather what maner of attention we ought to haue in praier. For in this exercise it is cheiflie expediente for vs to haue our harte, not heauie, nor dulle, but liuely, attente, and lifted vp on highe. In figure whereof we reade that the Angell saiede to the Prophet Ezechiel,11 that he shoulde arise, and stande vpon his feite, when the Angell woulde talke with him, and declare vnto him the diuine misteries. In like maner we reade, that those two Cherubins which Salomon placed at the two sides of the Arke of the testament, stode with their winges lifted vp on highe,12 and stretched abroade as if they woulde flye, to signifie what a great attention and liftinge vp of the spirite a man ought to haue at such tyme as he presenteth himselfe before almightie God, to speake and stande before him.

But as it is necessarie on the one side to be in prayer with such an attention, and close recollection of the mynde, euen so on th'other side it behoueth that this attention be qualified with temperance, and moderation, that it be neither preiudiciall to our healthe, nor anie impediment to deuotion. For some there be, that doe wearie their heads with ouermuch violence, whiles they labour to be attente vnto those thinges, that they meditate vpon. And others againe there be, that to avoide this inconuenience, are in their meditation verie slacke, and negligente, and verie easie to be caried awaie with euerie winde. Now to eschewe these two extremities, it is expediente that we vse such a meane, that we doe neither with ouer much attention wearie our head, nor with carelesnes, or negligēce suffer our thoughtes to goe wāderinge whither so euer they wil. So that like as we vse commonlie to saie vnto him that rydeth vpon a kickinge flinginge horse, that he must take good heede how he holdeth the reines of his bridle, and kepe a meane therein that is, he must holde them neither to harde, nor to slacke, that the horse neither turne backewarde, nor runne to headlonge forwarde:13 euen so must we endeuour that our attention maye proceede in our prayers with moderation, and not with violence, and with a temperate carefulnes, and diligence, and not with excessiue labour and traueill. Of both these poyntes we be aduertised in the holie Scripture. For of the one Salomon saiethe: Who so squiseth ouermuch the pappes to get out milke, shall wringe out bloude. And of the other poynte the Prophete Esaie saieth:14 Reioyce with her all ye that mourne for her, that ye maie sucke, and be satisfied with the breastes of her consolation.

Howbeit in case we feyle of the meane, and doe leane vnto anie of these two extremeties,15 it is lesse hurte to leane vnto ouermuch attention, than vnto carelesnes and neglectinge of our attention. For a man is prouoked to carelesnes and negligence by his owne corrupte ād euill inclined nature: but he is not so prouoked vnto attētion. And therefore like as a howse that is builte vpon the syde of a hill shoulde not lose muche in the buyldinge, if at suche tyme as it can not be builte by line and leuell iust vprighte, the buyldinge thereof doe more bende rather vpwarde, than downewarde: euen so shall not our attention take anie preiudice, if at what tyme it cannot continewe in our prayers in such a mediocritie as we desire, it doe rather decline to that extremetie, wherein is least daunger, which is (as we haue saied) rather to ouermuch attention, than to carelesnes, and negligence.

This aduise is of so great importance, that for want hereof we haue seene that certaine persons haue passed ouer manie yeares with takinge litle profite by their prayers, for that they haue bene carelesse, dull, and as it were neither hoate nor colde therein. And others contrariwise haue fallen into great sickenes, and haue hurte their heades with ouermuch heate, and vehemencie, which they haue vsed in their meditations. But espetiallie we must be well warie, that at the beginninge of meditation we doe not trouble and weary our head with ouermuch attention. For by so doinge we shall wante force and strengthe to passe forwardes therein: as it commonly happeneth to the traueller, when he maketh to greatest hast in his goinge at the beginninge of his iourney.

The fifte aduise: that we must not be desmayed, nor geue ouer our exercise of prayer, and…

BVT emonge all these aduises the principall is, that he that praieth be not dismaide, nor geue ouer his exercise, when he feeleth not forthwith such sweitnes of deuotion, at he desireth: as some persons vse to doe, who are verie much deceyued herein. Wherefore it is to be noted, that in verie deede the harte of man is very like vnto a troubled water,16 which can not sodainly be cleared againe, be the diligence neuer so great that is bestowed about it, but it must haue time, and space, to be cleared, and setled by litle, and litle. And in such case vndoubtedly is our harte, which as it is wonte to be troubled with the daily entermedlinge and dealinge in wordly affaires, so after that it is once troubled, it can not forthwith be setled and quieted in so shorte a space againe, but it must neides haue conuenient space and time for the same. And therefore Ecclesiastes saith verie well:17 That the ende of praier is better than the beginninge: because at the beginninge of praier the harte is troubled, and disquieted, but in the ende it is more setled, and quieted, and better disposed vnto this holie exercise.

Wherefore like as he that will enkendle a fyre in greene woode, must haue patience, and expecte vntill the wood be dried by litle, and litle: and besides all this, it is requisite, that he continewe for a tyme in blowinge and enkendelinge it, and doe sheade also some teares with the smoke, if he will enioye the fier accordinge to his desier: euen so it behoueth vs oftentimes to labour and perseuere in the beginninge of praier, in case we will in the ende enioye the sweite and cleare fyre of deuotion, and of the loue of God.

Now for this cause it is requisite for him that praieth, to expecte the comminge of our Lorde with longanimitie, and perseuerance. For it is verie conueniente, as well in respecte of the glorie of his high diuine maiestie, and basenes of our condition, as also for the greatnes and importance of the affaires we haue in hande, that we doe oftentimes attende and watche at the gates of his sacred pallayce.18 Blessed is the man (saiethe the euerlastinge wisedome) that heareth my wordes, and watcheth daily at my gates, and tarieth at the porche of my howse, for who so shall finde me, shall finde lyfe, and he shall receyue saluation of our Lorde. 19 And the Prophet Ieremie saieth. It is good to expecte the saluation of our Lorde God with silence.

The prowde man and he that mistrusteth the promises of almightie God hath neither patience nor humilitie to expecte our Lordes comminge: but the humble man saithe (with the Prophet:) I expected againe,20 and againe for our Lorde, and he hearde my praier. If the fisher or hunter haue not patience to expecte for the game that he seiketh, what profite shall he get by his traueill? Now in this our fishinge and huntinge in praier, beinge of so greate importance as it is, we maye accounte a longe time well bestowed, that is ēployed in watchinge and expectinge for so riche and so happie a treasure, as is almightie God.

Of that couragious and constante woman which Salomon describeth in his Prouerbes (emonge other notable thinges) he saiethe thus: That she did as the merchantes shippe, 21 that brought his bread from farre countries. Whereby he geueth vs to vnderstande, that when we shall not finde this bread of lyfe forthwith accordinge to our desire, we must then traueill and saile so longe time, as shalbe necessarie vntill we finde it.22 If thou shalt perseuere in callinge,23 (saieth our Sauiour) assure thy selfe that at the lengthe thou shalt haue answere.24 For it happeneth often times that that thinge which is denied in the beginninge of praier, is graunted at the ende of prayer with great increase.

I haue vnderstoode for a certaine treuthe of a religious father that perseuered for the space of three yeares in these good exercises, vsinge dailie to bestowe in praier and meditation after matins two or three howres, and coulde get none other fruit thereby but drynes of harte, vntill such time as our Lorde consideringe the affliction of his sowle, powred vpon him the bountifulnes of his goodnes with such an abundant benedictiō of graces, that he was very well recōpensed for all the barrennes of the other yeares past. And the like is prooued daily by experience in manie other diuout persons. Happie therefore are those sowles, that perseuere in praier after this sorte: for vndowbtedlie the greater their perseuerance is, the greater abundance shall they haue of his grace. One of the principall thinges that those persones must haue that doe dispose them selues to receiue great giftes and fauours of almightie God is longanimitie and patience of harte, to expecte faithfullie so longe time for them as almightie God woulde they shoulde expecte: and in the meane season to comforte thē selfes with that hope of the Prophet, which saieth: If he shall delaye his comminge,25 I will not feile to tarie for him, for he will suerlie come, and will not staie ouer longe.

Now when thou hast after this sorte expected a certaine time for our Lordes comminge, in case our Lorde shall then come vnto thee, geue him most hartie thankes for his comminge: and if it seeme vnto thee that he commeth not, humble thy selfe then before him, and acknowledge that thou art not worthie to receiue that thinge which he geueth not vnto thee: and let this content thee for that tyme, that thou hast made a sacrifice of thy selfe, denied thine owne will, crucified thy appetite, striued with the diuell, and with thy felfe, and done at the least what thou couldest for thyne owne parte. And in case thou haue not adored our Lorde with sensible adoration accordinge to thy desire, it is sufficient that thou hast adored him in spirite, and in trueth, accordinge as his will is to be adored.26 And trust me assuredlie in this poynte, that this is the most daungerous passage of all this nauigation, and the place where trewe deuout persons are prooued, and tried: and that if thou escape well out of this daunger, thou shalt haue prosperous successe in all the rest.

To conclude, if all this notwithstandinge it seeme vnto thee, that it were but time lost to perseuere in praier, and to trouble and wearie thy head without anie profite, in such a case I accompt it not anie inconuenience, if when thou hast done what lieth in thee, thou take then some deuoute booke, and chaunge for that time thy prayer into readinge: Howbeit with this condition, that thy readinge be not passed ouer with to great hast,27 or speide, but leasurelie, and with great attention and consideration vnto such thinges as thou doest reade, and intermingle now and then in places conuenient praier with readinge, which is a thinge both verie profitable, and verie easie to be done by all kinde of persons, be they neuer so rude, and newly entered into this waie.

The sixte aduise: that we must endeuour to haue a longe and profounde praier, and great aboundance…

AN other aduise there is, not much differinge from this aforesaied, nor of lesse necessitie than it: which is, that the seruante of God doe not content him selfe with euerie litle tast he findeth in his praier, as some persones vse to doe, who when they shead a fewe teares, or feile a litle tendernes of harte,28 perswade them selues forthwith that they haue then accomplished and performed their exercise. But surelie this is not enoughe for the obteininge of that thinge, which we here seeke to haue. For like as a litle dewe, or sprinkelinge of water is not sufficient to cause the earthe to bringe forthe fruite, (which doth no more but onely alaie the dust, and wette the vppermost parte of the grounde) but it is neidfull also to haue so great abundance of water, that it maie enter into the innermost parte of the earthe, and there soke and water throwghe the same: euen so if we will haue our sowle to bringe forthe the fruites of vertues, and good worckes, it is not sufficient to haue that litle dewe and sprinkelinge of deuotion, which at the turninge of the head, is dried vp with the least blast of wynde or heate of sonne that cōmeth, (with the which the sowle maketh some outwarde apparance that it is deuout, but in verie deide it is not so within) but it is also requisite to haue a longe profounde praier, and great deuotion, which after the maner of a great showre of raine may descende and sinke downe into the bothom of the harte, and there cause it to be so well watered and wasshed therewith, that neither sonne, nor winde, I meane hereby, that neither anie busines, nor cares of the worlde maie be able to drie it vp, nor make anie alteration therein. Accordinge hereunto we reade of the blessed holie religious woman S. Clare,29 that she rose sometimes from prayer, and meditation, so wholie absorpted in contemplation vpon almightie God, that she coulde not (but with verie great difficultie) frame her harte to deale in such busines as she was enforced to attende vnto by reason of her office. This kinde of deuotion is not like vnto that, which is caried awaie with the winde, and dried vp with euerie aier: but it is like vnto that deuotion, whereof it is written in the Canticles,30 That manie waters shall not be able to quenche the fier of charitie, neither shall the great riuers ouerflowe it.

31 And therefore we are counselled (and that for verie good cause) to take as longe a time for this holie exercise of prayer and meditation as we maie. And suerlie it is better to haue one longe tyme for the same, than two shorte tymes. For if the time of prayer be shorte, all is spente in setlinge the imagination, and in quietinge the harte: and then so soone as we haue quieted the same, we rise vp forthwith from our exercise at the very time when we shoulde beginne it. So that we are like vnto the Miner, which in searchinge for golde geueth ouer digginge at the verie time when he findeth the vaine thereof: and so loseth his former traueyll, when he shoulde presentlie enioye the fruit of his labour. For vndoubtedly the fruit and profite of a longe and profounde praier is wont sometimes to be so great, that a man hath thereby store enoughe to spende manie daies together,32 and to goe with Elias to the mounte of almightie God, with the vertue and force of the foode and sustenaunce which he hath there receyued.

33 But to descende more particulerlie in limitinge this time, I am of opinion, that what so euer is lesse than one howre and a halfe, or two howres, is to shorte a tyme for praier, and meditation. For often times there is spente more than halfe an howre in temperinge and tuninge our instrument, (to witt, our harte,) and in quietinge our imaginatiō, and so all the rest of this time is litle enoughe for the enioyinge of the fruit of praier. True it is I graunte, that when we goe to this exercise after some other holie exercises, as for example, after matins, or after that we haue harde or saied Masse, or after some deuoute readinge,34 or vocall praiers, our harte is then better disposed vnto this exercise. For then this heauenlie fier of deuotion is enkendeled with lesse difficultie in our harte, which by reason of the former holie exercise is verie apte (like drie wood) to take fier muche more quicklie therein. Likewise earlie in the morninge before daie the tyme of our praier and meditation maie be the shorter: because then our harte is much better disposed for this exercise, as hereafter shalbe declared. Howbeit in case it be so that a man by reason of his manifolde busines, and affaires, haue but litle time to bestowe in praier, and meditation,35 yet let him not omitte to offer vp his myte with the poore widowe in the temple. For (if he faile not of his dewtie herein through his owne negligence) almightie God who prouideth for all creatures accordinge to their nature, and necessitie, will prouide for him also accordinge vnto his necessitie.

The seuenthe aduise: that we must not receyue the visitations of our Lorde in vaine. § VII

AGREABLE vnto this foresayde aduise we will geue an other very like vnto it: which is, that when our sowle is visited either in praier, or out of praier,36 with anie spetiall visitation of our Lorde, we suffer it not to passe awaie in vaine, but take the commoditie and benefite of that occasion, that is offered vnto vs. For certaine it is, that with this winde a man shall saile more in one howre, than without it in manie daies. For as S. Peeter tooke more abundance of fishe at that one draughte when our Sauiour commaunded him to cast in his nette,37 than he had done in all the whole night before: euen so doth it happen vnto vs oftentimes in this heauenly fisshinge, in case we knowe how to helpe our selues by takinge benefite of the oportunities, and occasions, that be offered vnto vs therein. And therefore for good cause are we aduised by Ecclesiasticus, sayeinge:38 Omitte not to enioye the good daie that God sendeth thee, and suffer not the least parte of his good gifte to passe awaie without takinge benefite thereof.

Opportunitie is of great force, and helpeth much in all thinges, and more in this exercise of prayer than in any other. For herein it seemeth, as it were,39 that the Angell descendeth to moue the water of the fisheponde, and to geue it vertue to heale. Or els to speake more plainlie to this purpose, it is as it were the descendinge of almightie God to drawe at the plowghe with a man, and to helpe him in his labour: whose helpe is more profitable, and auailable, than all the industrie and diligence in the worlde. The mariner when he seeth that the time serueth him well to get out of the hauen, forthwith he draweth vp his ankers, and hoyseth vp his saile, and staieth not anie longer, for feare of losinge that good opportunetie, which the time offereth vnto him. The like ought all spirituall persones to doe when they receyue anie visitations from our Lorde in their praier, and meditation: and their diligence shoulde be so much the greater, by how much this exercise of meditation is greater, and this diuine blast more necessarie for praier, than that for nauigation.

And so we reade that the blessed holie religious father S. Francis did,40 of whom S. Bonauenture writeth, that he had such a spetiall care of this poynt, that in case our Lorde did visite him with anie spetiall visitation while he was traueylinge by the waye, he caused his companions to goe before, and he staied alone behinde, vntill he had made an ende of chewinge and digestinge that sweit morsell, that was there sente vnto him from heauen. Whosoeuer they be that doe not well obserue this poynte,41 are wont commonly to be chasticed with this punishement, that they finde not almighie God when they seike him, because he founde not them when he sought for them.

These be the principall aduises, that are to be obserued in the exercise of meditation, and in euerie of the other partes that doe accompanie the same, in case we minde fullie to accomplishe this busines, and not to leaue it in the midde waie. Now it shall doe well that we make hast to proceede forwardes to treat of the rest, and so to bringe this first parte to an ende, which perhappes hath bene longer, than is requisite.

Footnotes

  1. Gen. 32. ↩

  2. The vnderstandinge and the wil be the two feete of our sowle, whereby it goeth vnto God. ↩

  3. Cant. 6.4. ↩

  4. we must not meditate vpon diuine misteries in such wife as if we studied to preache them. ↩

  5. Deuter. 33.3. ↩

  6. Psal. 84. ↩

  7. In meditation we must chieflie exercise the affections of our will. ↩

  8. In meditation our vnderstandinge is verie forwarde and quicke: and our will is verie slowe and dull. ↩

  9. The vnderstandinge is as it were a nource to feede the will in the exercise of prayer. ↩

  10. Act. 3.8. ↩

  11. Ezech. 2.1. ↩

    1. Reg. 6.
    ↩

  13. Out attention must proceed with moderation, and not with violence. Prou. 30.33. ↩

  14. Esa. 66.10.11. ↩

  15. Of the two extremeties it is lesse hurt to haue ouermuch attention in our prayers, than no care or regarde of our attention therein, ↩

  16. A mans harte distracted with busines is like a troubled water. ↩

  17. Eccles. 7.9. ↩

  18. Prou. 8.34. ↩

  19. Lament. Ierem. 3.26. ↩

  20. Psal. 39.1. ↩

  21. Pron. 31.14. ↩

  22. Math. 7. ↩

  23. Luc. 11. ↩

  24. Marc. 11. ↩

  25. Habat. 2.3. ↩

  26. Ioan. 4.23. ↩

  27. when our harte is verie much distracted, it is good then to entermingle readinge and meditation together. ↩

  28. we must seeke in praier for aboundance of deuotion. ↩

  29. S. Clare. ↩

  30. Cant. 8.7. ↩

  31. In prayer it is better to haue one longe time then two shorte times. ↩

    1. Reg. 17.
    ↩

  33. One hower and a halfe or two howers is a conueniente time for the exercise of prayer. ↩

  34. Earlie in the morninge before day, is a verie fitte tyme for the exercise of praier and meditation. ↩

  35. Luc. 21. ↩

  36. we must not suffer anie of our Lordes speciall visitations to passe in vayne. ↩

  37. Ioan. 21.6. ↩

  38. Eccles. 14.14. ↩

  39. Ioan. 5. ↩

  40. S. Francis. ↩

  41. How such be punished as make no accompte of our Lordes speciall visitations in prayer. ↩

Chapter 28 of 29