this time the feare and terrour of the wicked shal be so great that as the Prophet Esaie saieth Esa 2.19 they shall seike the cliftes of stones and the hollowe places of the rockes to hide them selues therein for the great feare they shall haue of oure Lorde and of the glorie of his maiestie when he commeth to iudge the worlde To conclude this feare shal be so great Apoc. 20. that as S. Iohn saieth both the heauens and the earthe shall flye from the presence of the iudge and shall finde no place where to hide them selues Now ô ye heauens why doe ye flye awaie What haue ye done Why are ye afraide And if by the heauens be vnderstode the blessed spirites that are in heauen O ye blessed spirites that were created and confirmed in grace At the daye of generall Iudgmente euen the blessed spirites shal be afrayde to see so greate maiestie and indignation in Christe the iudge why doe ye flye awaie What haue ye done Why are ye afrayde Vndowbtedly they are not afrayde for anie daunger that is towardes themselues but they be afrayde to beholde in the iudge such a great maiestie and indignation the greatnes whereof shal be able to stryke all the heauens with terrour and admiration When the Sea is outragious and tempestious euen he that standeth safe vpon the shore is in a kinde of feare and admiration When the father goeth like a lion about his howse in punishinge his bond slaue his innocent sonne is also afraide although he knowe right well that his fathers rage is not bent against him but against the slaue Now what shall the wicked doe at this time when euen the iust shal be so greatly afrayd If the heauens flye for feare what shall the earthe doe And if those that be wholly spirite doe tremble and quake what shall they doe that haue bene wholly fleashe Esa 64. And if as the Prophet saieth the mountaines shall melt in this daie before the face of almightie God What stonie harde hartes then haue we that for all this be nothinge at all moued The holie crosse shall come before Christe the Iudge at the daye of generall iudgemente and be a witnes againste the wicked Math. 24.30 Before the Iudge there shall come that royall standarde of the crosse to be a witnes of the redemption and remedie which almightie God sent to the worlde and that the worlde woulde not receiue it And so the holie crosse shall there iustifie the cause of almightie God and leaue the wicked voide of al maner of comforte and excuse Then shall all nations of the earthe saieth our Sauiour weepe and lament and they all shall stryke and beare vpon their brestes O how great cause shall they then haue to weepe and waile They shall weepe because at that tyme they can neither doe penanceÌ„ nor flye from the iustice of almightie God nor appeale from his sentence They shall bewaile their sinnes past their shame present and the tormentes that are to come They shall bewaile their miserable happe their vnfortunat birthe and their cursed ende For these and manie other causes they shall weepe and waile verie bitterlie and as persons whollie dismayed and fettered in all partes and without all maner of comforte and remedie they shall wringe their handes and stryke theÌ„ selues vpon their brestes Our sauiour Christe the Iudge shall make a seperatioÌ„ betwene the good and the wicked Math. 25. Then shall the Iudge make a diuision betwene the euill and the good and place the goates at his left hande and the sheepe at his right hande O how happie and blessed shall those persons be that shal be though worthie to haue a place emonge those elected sheepe O Lorde I most humblie beseeche thee let me haue tribulation here in this worlde Punishe me here cutte me in peeces here burne me here so that I maie there be placed at thy right hande Then shall the generall iudgement beginne to be solemnised and the causes of each one shal be throughlie scanned and examined Accordinge as the Prophet Daniell writeth in these wordes Daniel 7.9 I stode saieth he attentiuely and I sawe certaine seates set in their places and the auncient of yeares sat downe whose garmente was white as snowe and the heare of his head like the pure wolle The throne wherein he sat was like flames of fier and the wheeles thereof like burninge fire And a riuer of raginge fire issued and came forthe from before him Thowsande thousandes were attendant to serue him and tenne hundered thousande thowsandes stode waitinge before him c. I behelde all this in the vision of the night and I sawe one comminge in the cloudes who seemed to be the sonne of man Hetherto are the wordes of the Prophet Daniell Wherevnto S. Iohn addeth and saieth Apoc. 20.12 I sawe all the dead both great and smalle standinge before this throne and there the bokes were opened and an other boke opened which is the boke of lyfe and the dead were iudged accordinge to the contentes in those bokes accordinge to their workes Beholde here deare Christian brother the measure whereby thou shalt be iudged Beholde here the taxe and prices whereby all thinges that thou doest shal be valued and esteemed and not by the fonde iudgement of the worlde which hath the false and counterfeit weightes of Canaan in their handes Osâ—â— 12. in whose ballance vertue and vice are iudged to be of smalle weight and accompte In these bokes are written all our whole lyfe and that with such care and diligence that a worde hath no soner passed thy mowth but it is foorthwith noted and set in his proper register But of what thinges trowe ye will the Iudge require an accompte of vs Of what thinges we must giue an accompte Iob. 31.4 O Lorde saieth Iob thou hast nombered all the steppes of my lyfe Certainly there shall not be somuch as one idle worde nor one onely thowghte whereof an accompte will not be required in that iudgement Yea Math. 12.36 and not onely of those thinges that we either thinke or doe but also of those that we leaue vndone of such thinges I meane as we are bownde to doe If thou saie at the daie of Iudgment ô Lorde I haue not sworne the Iudge will answere that thy sonne or thy seruant hath sworne whom thy dutie was to haue chastised and corrected And we shall geue an accompte not onely of our euill workes but also euen of our good workes with what intention and after what maner we did them Finally as S. Gregorie saieth S. Gregorie Math. 12.36 An accompte shall there be required of vs of euerie point and moment of our lyfe how and after what sorte we haue spente them Consideringe therefore that such a strait accoÌ„pte shal be required of vs how happeneth it that we that beleue this as a most certaine truthe doe neuerthelesse liue with such securitie and
Christian Churches and to terme them in blasphemous manner Antichristian inuentions and to preache openlie in pulpittes and publishe in printed bookes whatsoeuer newe hereticall opinions the ennemie of mankinde sug gesteth into their fantasticall heades the faithe of Christians is thereby generallie become so weake and inconstante and in verie manie or most persons so wholie vndermined and vtterlie ouerthrowne and their hope is so transformed into presumption and their charitie is waxen so colde and so litle pietie loue deuotion reuerence and Zeale remaine in them towardes the seruice of Almightie God and so muche Pride gluttonie incontinencie lyenge detraction disobedience with moste horrible contention schisme heresie infidelitie Atheisme and all kinde of iniquitie doe generallie abounde throughout Christendome that we haue good cause to feare leaste that terrible time approcheth nowe verie neare at hande which our Sauiour forewarned vs in the gospell to wit Luc. 18. vers 8. that at his comminge to iudge he shoulde hardelie finde faithe in the earthe Wherefore we haue nowe verie greate neede of extraordinarie spirituall helpes to strengthen our weake mindes to withstand so manie deceitfull temptations of the enemie of mankinde in this so corrupte and daungerous age And for this purpose I haue translated out of the Spanishe tongue diuers bookes of a verie holie and famous learned religious father called Lewis de Granada whose deuoute manner of writinge hath in my simple iudgemente a singular rare grace to pearce the harde harte of a dissolute sinner and to moue and dispose his minde to the abhorringe of synne to the contempte of the worlde and to the feare lone and seruice of Almightie God And I vnderstande that his bookes haue wroughte wonderfull muche good not onelie in Spaine and Portugall but also in Italie Fraunce and Germanie And I thinke there bee fewe countries in Christendome but haue his Spanishe woorkes traÌ„slated into their tongues And it is nowe about foureteene yeares agoe since the time that Master Doctor Hardinge a man for his greate vertue learninge wisdome Zeale and sinceritie in writinge againste heresies of verie godlie and famous memorie perswaded me earnestlie to translate some of those Spanishe bookes into our Englishe tounge affirminge that more spirituall profite wolde vndoutedlie ensewe thereby to the gayninge of Christian sowles in our countrie from Schisme and Heresie and from all sinne and iniquitie than by bookes that treate of controuersies in Religion wich as experience hath nowe plainelie tried doe nothinge so well dispose the common peoples myndes to the feare loue and seruice of almightie God as bookes treatinge of deuotion and howe to leade a vertuous life doe The dewe consideration whereof hath so prouoked or rather pricked me in conscience that I haue resolued to publishe godwillinge in printe all my translations in case I shall perceiue that suche as be godlie wise and learned shall like of them And first as it were for an assaie I haue here printed his deuoute Meditations of the principall holie Misteries of the Christian Religion which booke I finde greatelie commended by diuers godlie learned men It maie be that some readers of this booke beinge not greatelie acquainted with the holie exercises of a spirituall life Obiection will imagin that the Authour dealeth to austerelie in some of theise meditations as namelie in his Meditations of synnes of the hower of death of òur dreydfull accompte at the terrible daie of iudgemente and of the moste horrible paines of hell And perhaps some politique wise men will saie that for so muche as thè common people in our countrie haue beene for the moste parte of our corrupte age altogether accustomed with hearinge and readinge of diuers other contrarie newe erronions doctrines tendinge directlie to a careles dissolute life thei be therfore nowe waxen so carnall and negligent of the saluation of their sowles that theise Meditations be to full of threateninge and terror for suche nice and lose consciences For answere to this obiection Answere it is to be noted that the Authór beinge as I am informed not onelie a greate learned and religious deuout olde father but also of greate wisdome grautie iudgemente discretion and of longe experience as well in preachinge and hearinge of CoÌ„fessions as in diuers gouernementes in his religious order and perceyuinge verie euidentlie that farre more Christian sowles be loste in this our corrupte age with ouermuche presumptuous confidence and securetie of their saluation than with ouermuche feare of leesinge the same hathe therfore framed his manner of writinge in theise meditations chieflie againste the infinite nomber of presumptuous and careles dissolute ChristiaÌ„s that presume most certainlie and assuredlie to be saued and yet doe liue verie dissolutelie all their whole lyfe time without all care of keepinge gods commaundements and without all feare of their accompte at the dreadeful daie of iudgemente notwithstandinge that our Sauiour Christ himselse who shal be then our Iudge hathe by plaine and expresse wordes forewarned vs in the gospell of saînt Mathewe Matt. 19. vers 17. that if we will enter into the Kingdome of heauen we muste Kepe his commaundementes which euerie Christian maie be able to kepe beinge assisted strengthened and holpen therein with the grace of God which is neuer denied to anie that praâ—eth dulie for it and also that we muste at the daie of iudgemente geue an accompte of euerye idle worde Matt. 12. vers 36. And verelie if we peruse diligentlie the holie scriptures we shall finde that not onely Enoch in the lawe of Nature Epist Iude. vers 14. and afterwardes all the Prophets but also sainte Ihon Baptiste and our Sauiour Christe himselfe vsed the same manner of preachinge that this religious godlie father dothe here And they thought it to be the verie best and rediest waie for conuersion of sinners from their sinfull dissolute lifes to shewe plainelie vnto them the damnable state they liue in and to put them in mynde of the seuere iustice of almightie God at the terrible daye of iudgemente against all suche as endeuour not to kepe his commaundementes Acts 10. vers 42. And saint Peter protesteth as it appeareth in the Actes of the Apostles that our Sauiour Christe commaunded likewise him and the reste of the Apostles to preache and testifie this poynte espetiallye that Christe is appointed to be the Iudge bothe of the quicke and the deade 1. Pet 1. vers 16. And therefore in an other place he requireth all Christians to liue in feare duringe the time of their conuersation vpon the earthe 2. Cor. 5. vers 10. 11. And sainte Paule maketh also the like solemne protestation of the terrible daie of iudgemente and what a straite accompte euerie one of vs muste make at that dreadefull time and exhorteth the Corinthians with the knowledge and consideration there of to perswade all men to liue in the feare of God And disputinge also before the President Felix of the Christian religion Act.
that you maie haue euer one windo we open towardes the heauenlie Ierusalem Dan. 6. vers 10. as Daniel had in his chaÌ„ber in Babylon prayinge there three times in the daie towardes the earthelye Ierusalem And in case your worldlie impedimentes be ouer greate then wisdome requireth that for saluation of your sowles you doe caste them awaie from you And imitate herein the worldlie foresighte of wise Marchauntes when they be in daunger of drowninge in a stormie tempeste vpon the sea who vse at suche times for saluation of their liues to cast into the Sea their ryche merchaundise and all their troublesome heauie encombrances thereby to cause their shippe to saile more safelye And I doe also humblie beseache all good Christian readers that shall like well of theise spirituall exercises to remember me in their deuoute praiers that I proue not like vnto those foolishe carpenters that made Noes arke who made it to saue others from drowninge in the generall fludde and yet were drowned them selues Thus with all due humble submission of my self and my trauailes herein to your honours and woorships I humblie craue pardon for passinge here somwhat the bowndes of my profession and treatinge as a diuine of spirituall matters accordinge as since my departure from the Middle Temple by some studie and readinge of diuers spirituall bookes and continewall conuersation theise fifteene yeares with manie vertuous and Learned Catholike Priestes in these partes I haue bene instructed And I moste humblie beseache almightie God that theise Godlie Meditations maie woorke so good effecte in all your myndes as I haue often times verie earnestlie requested of his dâ—uine Maiestie From Paris vpon the holie festiuall daie of Pentecoste In the yeare of our Lorde 1582. AN ADVERTISMENTE BY the translatour to the Learned Reader FOr so muche as the Author of this booke hath published at diuers times seuerall editions thereof in the Spanishe tongue and in the later editions hath from time to time verie muche and often corrected altered and augmented the same not onelie in manifolde wordes and sentences but also in diuers chapiters otherwise than in the former editions that were printed either in Toledo Salamanca Lisbone Andwarpe or in anie other place before the yeare of our Lord. 1567. I thinke it verie conueniente to giue notice of it to the Reader and withall that in my TranslatioÌ„ I doe folowe the edition in the Spanishe tongue printed at Andwarpe by Christopher Plantine in the yeare of our Lorde 1572. For I perceaue that the frenche TraÌ„slation differeth in duers places from this best corcted edition of Plantins and so doe likewise all the Translations that I haue seene in the Italian tongue printed in diuers yeares at Rome Naples and Venice by Michaël Tramezzino Horatio Saluiani IouaÌ„ni Baptista Guerra and Gabriel Iolito vntill that nowe of late all the Authors workes haue bene newlie translated into the Italian tongue and printed at Venice by Georgio Angelieri in the yeare of our Lorde 1581. AN EXHORTATION TO THE CHRISTIAN Reader made by the Righte Reuerende Father in God BERNARDE de FRESNEDA Bishoppe of CVENCA one of the priuie Councell of Estate to the mightie KINGE PHILLIPPE OF SPAYNE c. And his Ghostly Father to read this booke with good attention and with a desire to profite and procede forwardes in godlines Three thinges necessarie to preserue Iustice to wit prayer readinge and good woorkes IT is the doctrine of the holie fathers that there be three thinges verie necessarie and of inestimable importaunce to the iust man to preserue him in his iustice to witt Praier Readinge and doinge of good workes In these three thinges ought the iust maÌ„ to exercise himselfe euerie daye and deuide his tyme so discreetelie and so like a good Christian that he be euer founde occupied in some of them Prayer illuminateth purgeth comforteth reioyceth obteyneth feruour causeth all traueile to seeme sweete and lighte breedeth deuotion engendereth coÌ„fidence in case our owne spirite doe not reproue vs Prayer bannisheth awaie slouthe frayeth the ennemie and ouercometh temptation And therefore a certaine wise man saide Non te pigeat orare si vis à vitiis liberari Be not slacke to praye if thou wilt be deliuered from vices Prayer is verie necessarie towardes the obteyninge of the grace of God without which the spirituall life will vtterlie decaye and perishe And therefore prayer is preferred before readinge Tertullian speakinge of prayer saithe That thinge is alwaies to be vsed which is alwaies good And he addeth furthermore and saieth If prayer be necessarie in all places and at all tymes Continencie necessarie vnto prayer then is continencie necessarie also vnto prayer for so much as praier procedeth of continencie wherefore if thy continencie hath cause to be ashamed then shall thy prayer likewise be ashamed The spirite carryeth our prayer vnto God and if the spirit finde it self faultie then our prayer ascendeth with shame vnto him Againe Cassiodorus saieth that perseuerance in prayer auaileth much to obteine firmnes of harte By meanes of continuall prayer the deuills and their deceytfull snares are ouercome and by the same the iust man weakeneth their forces and vexations By meanes of prayer he maketh them become weake cowardly and easie to be conquered and by the same he maketh himselfe also become stronge and a conquerour ouer them If thou praye with perseuerance thou shalt obteyne sweetenesse and withall a more feruent desire to praie And then doe we praie in trueth when we haue none other thinge in our mynde but doe applie all our intention vnto heauenlie thinges and haue our harte wholie enflamed with the fyer of the holy Ghoste 1. There be three effectes of prayer The first effecte is common vnto all workes done in charitie Three effectes of prayer S. Thomas 2.2 quest 83. artic 1â— which is to be meritorious And for this effect actuall attention is not of necessitie required in prayer but it is sufficient to haue an habituall attention as in all other meritorious actes The second effecte is proper vnto prayer alone Our firste intention when we beginne our prayers muste be to attende to the seruice of God by them and â—f we doe nothinge willinglye whilest we praye contrarie to this our firste intention We shall obteine our Lawfull and necessarie requestes which is to obteyne of almightie God the thinge we desire And for this effecte it is sufficient also to haue the first inteÌ„tion which is the thinge that God respecteth in our workes for if this first intention fayle we shall not obteyne the thinge we require because almightie God will not heare his praier that seeketh not the thinge he asketh of him in such sorte as he ought and for such end as he ought 3. The thirde effect of praier is a spirituall refection of the soule And for this effect it is necessarilie required to haue an attention in praier and not onely such an attention as is attent to
the materiall wordes or as the seconde attention that marketh the sence and meaninge of the wordes but moche more that attention that marketh and is attent to the end of prayer which is almightie God and vnto the thinge for which we praye The readinge of holie bookes The readinge of holie bookes conteininge fruitfull and profitable matters not onelie lighteneth our ignorance but it also dischargeth our dutie in well spendinge our tyme therein it correcteth our faultes teacheth good and holie maners discouereth vices exhorteth vnto vertues stirreth vp feruour causeth a feare of God recollecteth the mynde recreateth and comforteth the heauie sorowfull and discomforted soule Vndowbtedlie it procureth great profite and fruite to reade bookes of holie matters of such matters I meane as doe recollecte the soule that is distracted and wanderinge abroade emonge so manie diuers and sondrie thinges Readinge teacheth and sheweth vs the waye how to leade a good life Examples doe induce and prouoke vs to imitate and followe the same And prayer obteyneth vs grace to accomplish it fullie and perfect lie Readinge saie the holie fathers is good Praier vnto God is better but the doeinge of good woorkes for Gods sake is aboue all Out of holie readinge the good deuowt persons doe gather how to meditate vpon God And out of godlie meditation procedeth an earnest affection and a verie prompte and readie eleuation of the spirit vnto God out of which issueth that inwarde prayer that pearceth the heauens passeth aboue the highest places and hath a desire to vnite it selfe vnto almightie God in whom are all good thinges that may be desired Besides readinge and prayer it is necessarie to doe some good and profitable woorke But because our weaknesse is not able to continewe and perseuere alwayes in prayer and readinge it is therefore verie profitable yea and necessarie to worke also and to doe some thinge that is good and profitable which cannot chuse but so it wil be in case praier goe before the worke and yet it shal be moche better if praier doe accompanie it but best of all if the worke doe also end in prayer and then is the worke most perfecte To woorke with our owne handes is profitable bothe for our sowle and bodie To doe some kinde of worke with our owne handes besides that it is verie profitable and holsome for the bodie it helpeth our spirite also our neighbour is thereby edified and our sences are comforted and refreshed And in case thou finde thy selfe slouthfull heauie and vnwillinge to worke and labour with thy handes yet perseuere therein and thou shalt ouercome it O that we might once come to haue such a perseuerance and constancie as the Sainctes had Note howe the Saintes cōtinewed in prayer readinge and woorkinge with their handes who praied without intermission And yet notwithstandinge their continuance in prayer good Lorde it is merueilous to consider howe studious and continuall they were in readinge howe feruente and laborious in bodelie exercices and in doeinge of good workes in somuch as no kinde of labours paynes nor trauayles coulde euer ouercome them Now what other thinge is the life of the Sainctes vnto vs but onely a holie readinge which we ought to imitate without ceasinge Vvho so enforcethe himselfe to labour for gods sake shall obteine greater grace of God That man that shall enforce himselfe to take paynes and labours for Godes sake shall obteine the greater grace of his diuine good nesse and shall out of hande feele the profite and commoditie of his traueile An euill custome is ouercome by a good the which good custome if it be conuerted as it were into nature it waxeth so stronge that it tourneth the thinges that were harde and difficulte and causeth them to become easie and lighte And all this as Saint Paule saieth commeth to the iust man by meanes of continuall prayer And therefore he saieth sine intermissione orate 1. Thess 5. praye ye without intermissiō Saint Paule knewe right well that whilest we walke here in this life we are compassed all aboute with enemyes temptations tribulations and with infinite deceitfull ginnes with warres without and feares within 2. Cor. 7. and therefore he aduiseth vs to praye without intermission For whereas almightie God permitteth so manie vexations and troubles to come for the sinnes of the worlde his intent thereby is to stirre vp his electe and to awake them that they shoulde lifte vp their spirite vnto heauenly thinges 2. Tim. 2. For he that praieth not fighteth not and he that fighteth not manfully and maketh resistance is forthwith ouercome and leeseth his crowne and rewarde Who maie be able to praye and fighte cōtinewallie And if thou demaunde of me who is able to praye and fighte cōtinually I saie that euerie one can doe it that in trueth and humilitie of harte calleth vpon almightie God for succoure and putteth his full trust in him in verie deede Psal 144. For as the prophet Dauid saithe Our Lorde is mightie vnto them that calle vpon him if so be they calle vpon him in trueth We maie praie all waies with our spirite and with a godlye intention And if thou canst not praye continuallie with thy mouthe yet praye with thy spirite and with a godly intention For it is a very continuall sacrifice vnto almightie God in the soule of our hart to haue a desire to doe good workes and to serue him with all our harte And trulie that man doth alwayes praie that doth alwayes good workes And whosoeuer is hartelie sorie for his offences he hath committed and sigheth mourneth and longeth for the good thinges that are to come praieth alwayes and saieth with the prophet Dauid Psal 37. O Lorde before thee is all my desier and my mourninge is not hid from thee These three pointes nowe good Christian Reader which serue as we haue declared to preserue the righteous man in his righteousnes are so well taught and so wonderfullie set forth in these notable bookes of the Reuerēd religious Learned Father F. LEWIS de GRANADA that he must needes be verie harde harted who readinge them with attention deuotion and with a Christian desire to take profite by them doth not merueilouslie inriche him selfe with these three treasures to witte with prayer readinge and doeinge of good workes Wherefore whosoeuer is desirous to profite in these three thinges hath here verie Catholike sounde and profitable doctrine and in all pointes agreable with the vniuersall doctrine of the holie auncient Fathers and of the diuine Scriptures In these singular deuout holie bookes he shall not finde any thinge that may either offend him or bringe him into any errour or scruple Here shall he finde manie thinges that may edifie delighte teache and prouoke him to the loue of God and withall to the abhorringe of sinne and contempte of the worlde From receauinge which fruites no man is here excluded for so much as the Awthor
all this but that the holie Ghost intended by all these metaphors to expresse vnto vs the coÌ„tinuall exercise and coÌ„sideration wherewith the iust man is alwaies occupied in searchinge the worckes and wonders of almightie God And for this verie cause Psalm 1. Eccles 31. emonge the praises of the iust maÌ„ this is put for one of the most principall that his exercise is to meditate vpon the lawe of our lord daie and night and that he is alwaies coÌ„uersaÌ„t in the secrecie of parables geuing vs hereby to vnderstand that all his trade and coÌ„uersatioÌ„ must be in searching and meditating vpoÌ„ the secretes and woÌ„derfull worckes of almightie God And euen for this verie cawse also Ezech. 1. were those misticall beastes of Ezechiel represented vnto vs with so manie eies to signifie vnto vs that the iust man staÌ„deth in greater neede of the continuall consideration and sight of spirituall thinges then of a nomber of other exercises By this therefore we see plainlie what great neede we haue of this holie exercise and consequentlie how blyndelie and fowlie they are deceaued that either despise or make little accompt of the holie exercise of praier and meditation not considering that this is openlie to gaynesaie and contemne that thing which the holie Ghost hath with so great instancie commended vnto vs. I wishe that such persons would reade those fiue bookes of coÌ„sideration which S. Barnard wrote vnto EVGENIVS the Pope And there shall they perceaue of how great importance this holie exercise is towardes the obteyning of all vertues Now for this cause manie Catholike and religeous persons vnderstanding what great and inestimable fruit ensueth of this godlie meditation haue gone abowt to exercise them selues ordinarilie therein and haue appointed euerie daie certein speciall times and howeres for the same Howbeit oftentymes they waxe colde and geue ouer this holie exercise by reason of two difficulties they finde in it Two difficulties in the exercise of praier and meditation The one is the want of matter and of consideratioÌ„s wherein they maie occupie there cogitation at that time And th' other is the want of feruencie and deuotion which is verie requisite to accompanie this holie exercise in case we mind to haue anie fruit and commoditie thereby In steed whereof they find manie times great drynes of hart and withall a great combate of diuers and sondrie thowghtes The ordre and diuisioÌ„ of the contentes of this booke For remedie of which two inconueniences I haue ordeined this present booke which is deuided into two principall partes The first part for remedie of the first inconuenience treateth of the matter of praier The firste parte of this booke or meditation wherein are conteined fowertience meditations seruing for all the seuen daies of the weike both in the morninge and euening And these meditations do conteine the principall places and misteries of our faith and especially the consideration of those misteries that are of most force and power to brydle our hartes and to incline them to the loue and feare of God and to the abhorring of sinne In like maner there are sett out the fiue partes of this exercise which be Preparation readinge meditation thankes geuing and petition which is done to this end that a man maie haue great varietie of matters wherein to occupie his hart wherewith to procure and stirre vp the tast of deuotion and withall wherewith to illuminat and instruct his vnderstanding with diuers coÌ„siderations and instructions Besides this there is also treated therein of six kindes of thinges that are to be considered in euerie one of the pointes of the PassioÌ„ of our Sauiour that both they and all the rest maie minister vnto vs more plentifull matter for meditation These three thinges are sett forthe in the first part of this worcke for remedie of the first inconuenience The seconde parte of this booke The second part for remedie of the seconde inconuenience treateth of those thinges that do helpe vs vnto deuotion and likewise of those that doe hinder vs from the same It treateth also of the most common temptations that are wont to molest deuout persons Moreouer there are geuen certein aduices to be a direction vnto vs that we erre not in this waie These fowre articles are sett out in the seconde part of this booke The thirde parte of this booke After these I haue added the third parte in which is treated of the vertue of praier and of her two companions fasting and almes deedes to the intent that when a man seeth that in all the booke there is treated of praier and of the paines he owâ—â—ht to take for the same he maie vnderstand how well his labour is employed which is bestowed in obteining of a thinge of so great and wonderfull profitt Peraduenture the Christian reader wil be offended with the length of the meditations which we haue here sett fourth for the seuen daies of the weike Howbeit for this I haue manie answeres The first is considering that in these meditations is treated of the principall places and misteries of our faith the consideration whereof is of so great importance for the due orderinge and reforming of our liffe it behoueth me therefore to enlarge my style in these matters espetiallie by reason of the great fruit and commodetie that maie ensue vnto vs by the same For in this booke our meaning is not onelie to geue matter of meditation but much more to showe the ende of meditation which is the feare of God and amendment of our liffe The ende of meditation is the feare of God and amendemente of our life For the procuring whereof one of the thinges that most helpeth vs is the profound and long consideration of the misteries that are treated in these meditations For certeinlie these fourtene meditatioÌ„s be as it were so manie sermons in which is laide as it were a certein batterie to mans hart to cawse it to yeald so much as is possible and to surrender it selfe vp into the handes of his rightefull and true souereine Lorde This was the cheifest cause that moued me to make the meditations so longe Besides this I see not why the ghest that is inuited should complaine that the table is to full furnished with manie dishes sith we bynd him not as by waie of constraint to make an ende of them all but onely emonge so manie sundrie thinges to make his choice of that which serueth best for his purpose Moreouer that there might be the lesse occasion of complaint I haue putt the somme of each meditation at the beginninge thereof to the intent that such as minde not to passe anie further might there haue such thinges breiflie abridged as be necessarie for the time they intend to bestowe in this holie exercise THE ENDE OF THE PROLOGE THE FIRST PARTE WHICH TREATETH OF the matter of consideration THE FIRST CHAPTER Wherein is treated of the great profitt and necessitie of
vertues and holie desires which there do beginne to growe and bud out And this is that thinge that Ecclesiasticus signified by other wordes when he said They that feare our lord wil prepare their hartes Ecclesiast 2. and sainctifie their sowies before him The which is principally done in the exercise of deuoute praier For there it is where the sowle presenteth her selfe most familiarly before almightie God as S. Barnard saith And there it is where by approching nere vnto the euerlastinge light S. Bernarde she seeth more cleerely her owne defectes and so bewaileth and accuseth them and seiketh remedie for them desiering our lorde of his grace and fully purposing an amendment on her part and thus by litle and litle she sainctifieth and amendeth her life Thow seest now good Christian reader what a great helpe this exercise of consideration is towardes the obteyning of those most highe and excellente vertues which are as we haue said peculiar to a Christian man HOW CONSIDERATION helpethe towardes the obteyninge of the foure Cardinall vertues which be Prudence Iustice Fortitude and Temperance § VI. MOREOVER consideration helpeth also after a sorte towardes the obteyninge of the other foure vertues called Cardinal vertues Note here the woÌ„derfull effectes of coÌ„sideration declared by S. Bernarde which be PRVDENCE IVSTICE FORTITVDE AND TEMPERANCE as S. Barnard plainlie affirmerh in his booke of consideration by these wordes First of all consideration purifieth and clenseth the verie fountaine from whence it proceadeth which is the soule Besides that it gouerneth our naturall passions it directeth our workes it correcteth our faultes it frameth our maners it beutifieth and directeth oure life to be short it geueth knowledge to a man of thinges bothe diuine and humaine It is consideration that distinguisheth thinges confounded it recollecteth those that be scattered abroade it searcheth secretes it seà keth for truthes and trieth and examinethe such thinges as are in deede but apparant and counterfait It is consideration that disposeth for the time to come and thinketh of the time past prouiding for the one and bewailing the other that so nothing maie remaine with out correction and due chasticement It is consideration that in the middest of prosperitie foreseeth aduersitie and therefore is not dismaide when it commeth for that it hath preuented the same before hand with considâ—ration Of which two thinges the one apperteineth to Prudence and the other to Fortitude It is consideration that sitteth doune as a iudge to geue sentence betwâ—ne pleasure and necessitie and appointeth to euerie of them their boundes and limites geauing to necessitie that which is sufficient and taking from pleasure that which is superfiuus and in so doinge it maketh and formethe the vertue of temperance whereunto this office apperteineth Thus farre be the wordes of S. Barnard whereby thou maist perceiue how great and general a helpe consideration is towardes the obteining of these vertues HOW CONSIDERATION HELPETHE TO RESISTE VYCES § VII AND consideration doth not onelie helpe to obteine vertues but also to resist the vices that be contrarie vnto them For what kinde of temptation is there against which a man doth not feight with the weapons of praier and consideration For althowghe it be most necessarie to vse other weapons for this purpose as fastinge takinge of discipline by scourginge our selues almes dedes austerite and affliction of bodie and to eschewe the occasions of euilles with other like thinges yet at a sodain what other weapon can be deuised more readie and as it were euer at hande then praier and consideration With what other weapons doth the iust man feight and ouercome in these battailes then with them If he be assaulted with the cogitation of carnall pleasure and delite he hydeth him selfe wholie in the holes of the rocke that is in the pretious woundes of our sauiour Christ crucified If he be assaulted with anger and desire of reuenge he thinketh vpon the wonderfull patieÌ„ce and meekenes of our Sauiour Christ and vpon those sweete wordes he spake when he desired pardon on the Crosse for those verie persons that crucified him If he be entysed with glotonie and delicious fare if he be allured with the desire to lye in a soft bed and to lead a delicate and wanton life he lifteth vp his eies and considereth the bitter gaulle and vineger which that fountaine of life our sweete Sauiour Christ drancke vpon the crosse and also the hard bed of the crosse whereupon he died and the paynefull and austere trowblesome life which he led for our sakes When he beginneth to be puffed vp with pride he considereth the greatnes of our Sauiour Christes humilitie When he is moued with couetousnes he considereth the extremitie of the pouertie of our sauiour Christ When sleepe and slouthfulnes maketh him to become heauie and dull he considereth the paynefull watchinges and traueiles that our sauiour endured for vs in his prayers When he is weried with the trowblesome laboures and paines of this present life he considereth the greatnes of the heauenlie treasures and glorious delites which he shall receue in the life to come When he is tempted with the fickle pleasures and delightes of this miserable worlde he considereth the euerlastingnes and bitternes of the horrible paines and tormentes of hell fier When he is molested and weried with the exercises of pennance he thinketh vpon the vertuous examples of the Martirs of the Apostles of the Prophetes and of the auncient holie religious Monckes and with the consideration of that which is past he causeth all that he doth presently to seeme litle vnto him And when it so happeneth that with all these defensiues he can not well susteine the weight of his burthen he addeth then vnto the diligence of consideration the voice of praier calling and cryenge with great anguishe of minde vpon almightie God who be you well assured will neuer forsake them that call vpon him but promeseth that he will geue eare vnto them and hath geuen vs verie manifest and sundrie examples that he neuer forsaked them that called vpon him with all their hartes This is that which the prophet Dauid affirmeth in a thowsand places he did when he sawe him selfe compassed about with the snares of his ennemies and with tribulations and afflictions saying I presented my prayer before him Psalm 141. and I impartid vnto him my tribulation HOW CONSIDERATION helpeth vs to atchieue and accomplishe all workes of vertue that be awstere and full of hardnes and difficultie § VIII AND consideration helpeth vs not onely in ouercomming the temptation of vices but also in euerie vertuous worke that is hard and full of difficultie vnto vs. For when takinge of discipline which is whippinge our rebellious fleshe for our synnes the wearinge of heare clothe the goinge barefore the fastinge with bread and water the rysinge to praier at midnight and the labours troubles and persecutions of this life be ircksome vnto vs if then we intende like
vpon thee For the one I will reioyce and be glad and for the other I will sorrowe and lament And so with ioye and lamentation together I will singe and bewaile the misterie of thy most dolorous passion and I will studie continuallie in that booke of Ezechiell the contentes whereof arâ— songes Ezechiel 2. and lamentations When our sauiour had spoken these wordes he departed from his disciples a stones cast where lyenge prostrat vpon the grounde he begane his praier with verie great reuerence sayinge O father if it be possible Matth 26. let this cuppe passe from me howbeit not as I will but as thou wilt Lucae 22. and after he had made this praier three times at the third time he was in such a great agonie that he beganne to sweat euen droppes of bloud which ranne downe all a longe his sacred bodie and trickeled downe to the grownd The causes of our Sauiours greâ— te agonie and sweâ—tinge droppes of bloud while he was prayinge in the garden Consider now attentiuelie in what a dolorous case our sauiour was and how there were then represented vnto him all the cruell paynes and tormentes he had to suffer euen as thowgh they had bene then presentlie in doinge before his eies all which he apprehended after a most perfet maner in his most excellent imagination eache one in such sort as they were prepared for his bodie which was certeinlie more tender and delicate then euer anie other bodie was in the whole worlde He set also at that time before his eies all the synnes of the worlde or which he should suffer and withall the greate vnthankfulnes and ingratitude of so manie soules as he knewe would neuer acknowledge this his singuler benefit nor further aid helpe themselues with this most pretious aid so costlie remedie These thinges being profoundelie wayed and considered by our sauiour at this time his soule was vexed in such sort and his senses and most tender fleshe were so wounderfullie troubled that all the forces and elementes of his bodie were distempered and his blessed fleshe opened on euerie side and gaue place to the bloude that it might passe and distille throwgh all partes of his bodie in verie great aboundance and streame downe to the grownde Now if the fleshe suffered suche greuous paynes with the onelie remembrance and imagination of that which as then was to come in what a dolefull case then trow ye was his soule that suffered those paynes euen directlie in it selfe In other men we see when they are disquieted with anie suddaine and great anguishe the bloude vseth commonlie to haue recourse vnto the hart leauinge the other members of the bodie colde and destitute of theire streÌ„gthe to comfort the most principall member Our Sauiour suffred his greauous paynes without anie maner of comforte But our sweete Sauiour Christ contrariewise because he would suffer without anie maner of comfort thereby to make our redemption more aboundant such was his passing loue towardes vs that he would not admit so much as that little releefe and comfort of nature Beholde our sweete sauiour now in this dolorous agonie and consider not onelie the paynefull anguishes and greifes of his soule but also the forme of his sacred and reuerent countenance The sweare is wont to haue his most cheefe and principall recourse to the forehead and to the face If then the bloud issued out through all the bodie of our Sauiour in such sorte that it trickeled downe to the verie earthe in what plight then was that goodlie cleare forehead thinke you that geueth light to the verie light it selfe And how was that face beraied which is so reuerenced of the heauens beinge as it was all in droppes and couered ouer with a blouddie sweat If such as be kinde and louinge are wont when they come to visit theire frendes being sicke and in danger of death to beholde theire countenance aduisedlie and to marke the colour and other accidentes that proceed of the disease tell me o my soule that beholdest the face of our sweete sauiour what thinkest thou when thou beholdest in the same such wonderfull strange and deadlie signes What painfull fittes and dolorous greifes are those like to be hereafter if in the verie beginninge of the disease he suffer such a great agonie In what dolorous panges is he like to be when he shall feele those most greuous paynes and cruell tormentes themselues if in the onelie thinkinge of them he sweateth euen droppes of bloude If thou be not moued to take compassion of our sweete sauiour seinge him in this dolefull case for thy sake If now when he sweateth droppes of bloud throughout all his bodie thou canst not sheede anie teares from thyne eies thinke verelie with thy selfe that thou hast a verie harde and stonie hart and if thou canst not weepe for want of loue towardes him yet at the least weepe for the multitude of thy sinnes forsomuch as they were the verie cause of this his agonie Our synnes were the verie cause of our Sauiours blouddye sweare and greife Now the tormentors doe not whippe him neither doe the souldiars crowne him with thornes It is not now the nailes nor the thornes that do cause the bloud to gushe out of his bodie at this time but it is thy verie synnes and offences those are the tormentors that doe torment him those are the heauie burden that cause him to sweat this so straÌ„ge and wonderfull blouddye sweat O my sweete sauiour and redeemer how redemption O my true Adam that art comme our of paradice for my synnes and labourest here in earth with thy blouddie sweat Of our Sauiours agonie and watchinge aboute our saluation whilest his disciples be in a heauie sleepe to get the bread that I must feede vpon Consider also in this place on the one side the great agonie and watchinge of our Sauiour Christ and on the other the sownde and deepe sleepinge of his disciples and thou shalt see here represented a great misterie For trulie there is nothinge more to be lamented in the worlde then to see how careles and negligent men be in there liues and how little accompt they make of a matter of so great importance as is theire owne saluation What thinge is more to be bewayled then to see men so careles in such waightie afaires Now if thou wilt vnderstand both the one and the other consider in this matter the doinges of our sauiour and withall the doinges of his disciples See how our sauiour applieng his minde earnestlie to this busines of our redemption is in such a great care and agonie therewith that it maketh him to sweate euen droppes of bloude and see on the other side how his disciples do lie a longe on the grownd and are so heauie a sleepe that neither theire maisters rebukynge of them nor theire ill fauoured aÌ„d harde lodginge on the bare grouÌ„de nor yet the obscure and darcke dewie night are able to
to sleepe the thirde parte of the daie and night which is eight whole howres although there be a great sorte The thirde parte of our lyfe is consumed in sleepe that doe not content them selues therewith it followeth by this accompte that the thirde parte of our lyfe is consumed in sleepe and so consequently that duringe that time we doe not liue So that hereby thou mayst perceaue what a great parte of our short lyfe is spent in sleepe euerie daie This accompte therefore beinge thus made which vndowtedly is a very true accompt how muche is that that remaineth of a mans verie lyfe in deede euen of suche I meane as liue longest Certainlie that philosopher had verie great reason to doe as he did who beinge demaunded what he thought of the lyfe of a man tourned him selfe about before them that made the demaunde and sodeinly departed out of their sight Geuinge them thereby to vnderstand that our lyfe is no more but onely a tourne about and of shorte continuance Our lyfe is no more but as it were the shotinge of a sterre that passeth at a tryce and flassheth quickly awaie and within a litle while after euen that verie signe that was left behinde vanisheth owt of sight also For within verie fewe daies after a man is departed owt of this lyfe the verie remembrance of him dieth with his lyfe be the personage neuer so great or honorable To conclude this lyfe seemed so shorte to manie of the auncient wisemen that one of them tearmed it a dreame and an other not contented therewith called it the dreame of a shadowe seeminge to him that it was ouermuch to calle it the dreame of a true thinge in deede beinge as he thought it none other than a dreame of a vaine and friuolous thinge To compare this smalle remanente of our lyfe with the lyfe euerlastinge that is to come Eccles 18. Againe if we compare this smalle remanent of the lyfe that we here liue with the life to come how muche lesse will it yet appeare Ecclesiasticus saieth verie well If the numbre of a mans dayes be an hundred yeares it is muche Now what is all this beinge compared with the lyfe euerlastinge but as it were a droppe of water compared with all the whole Sea And the reason hereof is euident For if a sterre which is farre greater than all the whole earthe beinge compared with the rest of heauen seemeth so smalle a thinge how smalle shall this present lyfe which is so shorte seeme to be beinge compared with the lyfe to come that shall neuer haue ende And if as the astronomers affirme all the whole earthe in comparison of heauen be but as it were a litle pinnes point because the inestimable greatnes of the heauens causeth it to seeme so smalle a thinge what shall this litle puffe of our short lyfe seeme to be if it be compared with lyfe euerlastinge which is infinite Vndowtedly it will seeme nothinge at all For if a thowsande yeares in the sighte of almightie God Psal 49. be no more but as it were yesterdaie which is now past and gone what shall the lyfe of one hundered yeares seeme to be in his sight but onely a verie nothinge And thus it seemeth vnto the damned persones when they make comparison betwene this lyfe which they haue left behinde them with the eternitie of the tormentes which they shall suffer for euermore As they themselues doe confesse in the booke of wisedome in theyse woordes Sap. 5. What hath our pride auayled vs and the pompe of our riches All these thinges are past awaie as it were a shadowe that flieth and as one that rideth swyftelie in post or as the shippe that passeth by the waters and leaueth no signe where it hath gone or as an arrowe shotte at a certaine marke which so sone as the aier hath once opened and made him his waie forthwith it closeth vp againe and it is not knowen which waie it went Euen so it fareth with vs. For at that verie instant when we are borne we beginne to decaie and we leaue no memorie or signe of vertue behinde vs. Consider then how shorte all the time of this transitorie lyfe shall seeme there to all those miserable damned wretches seinge they doe playnelie confesse that they liued not at all but that so sone as they were borne forth with they beganne to fade and vanishe awaie Now if this be so what greater follie or madnes can be imagined than that a man for the enioyinge of this short dreame of so vaine pleasures and delightes shoulde goe to suffer euerlastinge damnation and tormentes in hell fier for euer and euer It is a mere follie to make so greate prouision for this shorte lyfe and not to prouide for the euerlastinge lyfe to come Furthermore if the time and space of this lyfe be so shorte and the lyfe to come so longe to witt euerlastinge what a mere follie is it to take so great labour and paines to prouide so manie thinges for this lyfe beinge so shorte and not to make anie prouision at all for the lyfe to come which is so longe that it shall neuer haue ende What a fonde parte were it for a man that mynded to liue in Spayne to spende and consume all he hath in byenge rootes and buildinge howses in the Indees and to make no prouision for the countrie whereunto he goethe to dwell and make his abode Now how muche more foolishe and madde are they that spende all their goodes and substance in makinge prouision for this present lyfe where they shall liue so shorte a time and make no prouision at all for the euerlastinge lyfe to come where they must dwell and make their abode for euermore Espetially consideringe that they haue so good meanes for their prouision there by transportinge all their goodes thither by the handes of the poore As the Wiseman witnesseth Eccles 11. sayeinge Throwe thy bread vpon the ronninge waters for a longe time after shalt thou finde it againe Of the vncertaintie of our lyfe § III. BVT althoughe our lyfe endure but a shorte space yet if this shorte space were so certaine Esay 38. that we might be assured thereof as kinge Ezechias was vnto whom almightie God graunted fyftiene yeares of lyfe our miserie were the more tollerable But trulie it is not so For as our lyfe is verie short euen so that verie tyme we haue to liue how shorte or longe so euer it be is also vncertain and doutfull For as the Wise man saieth Eccles 9. Man knoweth not the daie of his ende but lyke as fisshes when they thinke them selues in most saftie are taken with the hooke and as birdes are cawghte in a snare when they thinke nothing lesse euen so death assaulteth men in an euill season when they thinke least of it Trulie that is a verie wise and approued sentence which is commonlie saied A notable
Martirs In this schoole learned also the Apostles And this schoole hath likewise taughte and strengthened the virgins the Confessors the holie mounkes and to conclude all the Sainctes to liue a holie austere kinde of lyfe And it was the crosse that hath accompanied and comforted them in all their labours trowbles paynes afflictions and persecutions Now when the deuout sowle findeth so many kindes of fruites in this tree of lyfe for all times and for all necessities she can not but wonder at the highe wisedome of that soueraine master that hath founde out such an excellente meane for our remedie and she is also prouoked thereby to acknowledge the vnspekeable goodnes of so mercifull a father who beinge able to haue holpen and remedied man with his onely will chose rather to put him selfe to so great paines and dishonours to the intente that man might be more honored and more holpen by this meane thaÌ„ by anie other The order that maye commonlie be vsed in meditatinge vpon the PassioÌ„ These be the sixe principalle waies to meditate vpon the holie passion and the order that maie commonlie be vsed in meditatinge vpon them is to beginne at the first to witt to consider the most grieuous paynes which our sauiour suffred for vs the which consideration is as it were the verie foundation of all th 'others and from that consideration we maye goe forwardes immediatlie vnto all the rest accordinge as the very cowerse of meditation will open vnto vs the waie and especiallie the grace of the holie Ghost who is the principalle teacher of these exercises For as we haue declared before when we haue considered the passinge great paines which our Sauiour suffered for vs we maie then immediatly proceide forwardes and consider the greatnes of our sinnes which caused him to suffer so manie greiuous paines and tormentes and withall the passinge greatnes of this benefite of our redemption in that almightie God woulde vouchesafe for the loue of vs to suffer such extreme paines And we maie likewise consider the highnes of the goodnes and mercie of almightie God who for the great loue he bare vnto vs abased him selfe so farre forthe as to suffer so manie reprochefull contemptes villaynies and miseries And aboue all this we may consider how great examples of vertues our Sauiour Christe hath geuen vnto vs herein to witt of patience obedience charitie humilitie meikenes constancie and of all other vertues whereof we haue hitherto treated Howbeit althowghe it be a verie conuenient order of meditatinge vpon this holie misterie to passe orderlie by degreis throughe all theise forsaid considerations takinge our beginninge at the first consideration and so to proceide in order from one coÌ„sideration to an other euen to the last yet is it not neidfull for a man so often as he meditateth vpon this holie misterie to goe in this precise maner through them all for many times he shall not haue sufficient time for the same but let him contente him selfe in his meditation with that consideration wherein he shall finde most spirituall taste and likinge Forsomuch as in these exercises we must haue respecte not to the great quantitie of the matter that is meditated vpon but to the great deuotion wherewith it is done The ende of the first parte of this booke DEO GRATIAS Faultes escaped in the printinge of this Booke to be amended by the gentle reader as followeth Folio 1. Page 1. Lyne 13. for lyffe reade lyfe fol. 1. pag. 1. lin 18. wordlie worldlie fol. 2. pag. 1. lin 25. perfection perfection fol. 3. pag. 1. lin 16. vorde worde fol. 26. pag. 2. lin 1. consideration prayer fol. 38. pag. 1. lin 23. humilie humilitie fol. 38. pag. 1. lin 12. greuous greiuous fol. 70. pag. 2. lin 2. pincipalitie principalitie fol. 87. pag. 2. lin 2. showed shewed fol. 81. pag. 2. lin 2. tracke trace fol. 107. pag. 2. lin 4. sutelie surelie fol. 115. pag. 1. lin 20. encrase encrease fol. 133. pag. 1. lin 4. inuestured inuested fol. 138. pag. 2. lin 25. thou had thou hast fol. 143. pag. 2. lin 24. one owne fol. 161. pag. 2. lin 21. as is as it fol. 162. pag. 2. lin 30. be but is but. fol. 174. pag. 2. lin 23. as they as that they fol. 179. pag. 1. lin 1. in worde in one worde fol. 187. pag. 1. lin 1â— consider it consider them fol. 196. pag. 2. lin 14. dâ—eadfull dreadfull fol. 197. pag. 1. lin 23. harthe harte fol. 202. pag. 2. lin 21. inuite inuiteth fol. 211. pag. 1. lin 7. routes rootes fol. 222. pag. 2. lin 13. heare hayre fol. 230. pag. 1. lin 1. they shalle when they shalle fol. 234. pag. 1. lin 1. pompes pompe fol. 234. pag. 1. lin 3. heyre hayre fol. 234. pag. 2. lin 21. all that all of that fol. 238. pag. 2. lin 24. for they for that they fol. 267. pag. 1. lin 29. beneâ—fites benefites fol. 284. pag. 1. lin 28. this meanes this meane A TABLE OF THE CONTENTES OF THIS FRIST PARTE AN exhortation made by the Bishoppe of Cuença to the Christian Reader to reade this booke with good attention and with a desire to profite and proceed for wardes in godlines The Epistle of the Awthor folio 1. The Prologue and Argument of this Booke fol. 3. Of the great profite and necessitie of consideration Cap. 1. fol. 7. How Consideration helpeth Faith § I. fol. 10. How Consideration helpeth Hope § II. fol. 11. How Consideration helpeth Charitie § III. fol. 13. How Consideration helpeth Deuotion § IIII. fol. 17. How prayer ioyned with consideration helpeth all the vertuous affections § v. fol. 19. How Consideration helpeth to wardes the obteyninge of the fower Cardinall vertues § VI. fol. 22. How Consideration helpeth to resist vices § VII fol. 22. How consideration helpeth to atchieue and accomplishe all vertuous workes of Austeritie § VIII fol. 24. How consideration excludeth not other particuler helpes vnto vertues § IX fol. 24. How the exercises of prayer and meditation apperteine not onelie to Religious persons and priestes but to the Laitie also § X. fol. 25. An answere to an obiection that some slouthefull christians doe make against the exercise of prayer and meditation sayeinge that they are bownde to no more but to kepe the commaundementes of God and of his catholicke churche § XI fol. 28. Of the matter of consideration § XII fol. 30. Of the fiue partes of Prayer cap. 2. fol. 32. The first seuen Meditations of the seuen daies of the weke in the morninges fol. 33. Mondaie morninge Of our Sauiours washinge his Apostles feete And of the institution of the most blessed Sacrament of the Aulter fol. 33. Of the most blessed Sacrament of the Aulter And of the causes wherefore it was instituted § II. fol. 42. Tewsdaie morninge Of the prayer of our Sauiour in the Garden And of his apprehension fol. 50. How our Sauiour was apprehended § II. fol. 58. Of those that doe spirituallie bynde the handes of