this Diuine fire that hee may defend him selfe from windes and from the intollerable ycenes of the frozen region of this world Hetherto belong these short succinct Prayers which for this cause are called darting because as it were are the darts of a louing soule which with great celerity are shot forth and do wound the heart of God by force of which the soule is stirred vp and is more enflamed with the loue of God Very many versès of Dauid are profitable conducent vnto this purpose which a man ought alwaies to haue in readines that by them he may be lifted vp vnto God not alwaies after the same manner least the assiduity of the same wordes breed wearines but with all variety of affections which the holy Ghost doth stirre and rayse vp in his soule for hee shall finde conuenient and meete verses for all these in this heauenly seminary of Psalmes Sometimes he may lift vp his heart by the affection of repentance and desire of remission of sinnes by these wordes Turne away thy face O Lord from my sinnes and put away allmine iniquitities Erect in me a cleane hart O God and renue a right spirit within me Sometimes he may say with the affection of thankfulnes My soule praise thou the Lord and forget not all his benefites Sometimes hee may say with the affection of Loue and Charitye I will loue thee deerely O Lord my strength The Lord is my rocke my fortresse hee that deliuereth me my God my strength in him will I trust As the Hart brayeth for the riuers of water so panteth my soule after thee O God My soule thirsteth for God euen for the liuing God when shall I come appeere before the presence of God My teares haue beene my meate day night while they daylye say vnto me where is thy God Afterwards being inflamed with the loue of eternal happines let him crye O Lord of hostes how amiable are thy Tabernacles My soule longeth yea fainteth for the courtes of the Lord. Saint Hierome writeth in a certaine Epistle that the Fathers of Egipt had wont to haue very often in their mouthes a short verse of the same Prophet and to say O that I had wings like a doue then wold I fly away rest Somtimes with a confession of his owne misery a desire of the diuine grace let him cal Incline thine eare O Lord heare me for I am poore needy And to cōclude let this breefe verse be very often in our speeches conferences O God hast thee to deliuer me make hast to help me O Lord. In like manner let the times places businesses which we attend and whatsoeuer we see or heare minister occasiō by other meanes and affections to lift vp our harts vnto God for he that loueth God truly be holdeth God in al things thinketh that al things doe inuite him vnto his loue In the morning the chirping harmony of birds in the night silence quiet calmnes inuite vs to praise the Lord. In our eating the grace which is bestowed vpō our meates for our satisfying when in the morning wee arise the grace which hath kept vs in our sleep that wee are refreshed with it the beauty of the Sunne and starres and the decking embellishment of the fieldes doe intimate insinuate vnto vs the prouidence beautie of our Creator and the misery calamity of other creatures doth witnes and testifie vnto vs the diuine grace which God vseth in freeing and deliuering them When the clocke giueth a signe of the passed hower let vs call to mind the hower of our death also that hower in which God vouchsafed to dye for vs let vs read meditate on those words which a holy Father teacheth saying Blessed be the houre in which my Lord Iesus Christ was born dyed for me So oftē as any temptation doth assaile vs or any impure or hurtfull thought doth enter into vs praier is very necessary to cast it out of our harts In like manner as often as we enterprize and vndertake to doe any thing wherein we feare that wee shall find contradictions hindrances or dread new occasions of daungers it behooueth vs to defence and arme our selues with the weapons of Prayer When we at any time goe out of our doores when we are to haue busines with a wrangling a contentious mā or to deale in any matter of great moment consequence when wee come to a banket wherein there is danger of sinning eyther through gluttony or too much talke in these and suth like matters a great preparation of Prayer is to be sent before By this means all thinges will become motiues vnto vs to haue alwaies somthing to doe with God of all things we shall receiue fruite and at all times haue occasion to pray This is that continuall exercise to the which the Apostleinuiteth vs saying Touching admonishing your own selues in Psalmes hymmes spiritual songs singing with a grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatsoeuer ye shal doe in word or deed doe all in the name of the Lord Iesus giuing thankes to God euen the Father by him This exercise very much helpeth to Deuotion for it is as the watchman keeper of the house watching that none beside God enter to take possession of y e soule It is profitable also to preserue the heate of Deuotion hence it is that they that are freequent in this consideration doe very easily call vnto them their minds gather together their sences and spirits when they are to pray For what other cause doest thou think there is that one forth with at the beginning of prayer doth enioy tranquility and peace of minde an other scarcely aftermany houres after long praier can quiet his heart make it peace able The cause is obuious common because the one hath his heart gathered vnto him warmed with these short succinct prayers the other through forgetfulnes of God is waxen key cold therefore the one sooner waxeth hot the other later Wee see this in a fornace which if it be wel heated in y e morning is kept hot all the day after with a little fire but if it grow stone colde againe it requires a great deale of fire before it be thorowly heated again so it is necessary that they doe that will be deuout that this diuine heate may be preserued in their hearts vnlesse they will vndergoe new troubles in heating them so often as they goe to pray For the Deuoton of our heart is as heate in water or in yron which naturally is cold but accidentally hot for when it is taken frō the fire of which it was made hot foorth with it returneth to his former and proper estate condition He therefore that would alwaies keep yron hot it behooueth him either alwaies to
and so far remoued from themselues as if they had neuer begun or as if they had neuer heard no not by a dreame what praier is Therfore they betake themselues to new purposes and they choose againe vnto themselues a new exercise and when they haue somewhat proceeded eyther through wearines or because they think they haue taken paines enough they returne vnto rest forget their labour And so they spend their whole life in building pulling downe and in rowling as it is said the stone of Sisyphus which when they haue rowled to the midst of the mountaine suddenly it falleth downe and so in beginning and in rowling they consume their whole age Such are they that vpon euery small and light occasion dooe forsake their prayers and laudable exercises to whome it often happeneth as I haue tryed by experience that whilst they purpose to intermit their prayers onely for two or three dayes they intermit it all their life long For when they would returne vnto it they finde no gate nor entrance vnto it and the way vnto it becomes dayly more difficult vnto them therefore they stay without and returne to the custome of their auncient life For a man without prayer and without spirituall exercise is as Sampson without his hayre who forth with loseth his strēgth and remaineth feeble and weake like other men and is greatly endangered least he fall into the hands of his enimies Therefore it behooueth vs to bee firme and stable in this exercise for it is certaine that of the constancye and ordering of it dependeth all our life Contemplate in the celestiall bodies howe great a constancy and firmenes they keep in theyr course motion which they neuer chāged since the time wherin they were created For seeing that they weretobe y e causes on which the administration of the whole world was to depēd it was needfull that in them there should be great constancye that the world might bee alwayes well ordered and disposed So seeing that of this spirituall exercise the whole order and processe of a spirituall life dependeth as experience teacheth it is meete and requisite that hee that would haue his life well ordered and disposed that hee haue the causes well ordered and disposed on which the ordering of it dependeth See with what constancye the Prophet Daniel did obserue these three times of prayer when neither by the feare of death nor by the gayn-sayinge of hys enimyes hee could bee brought from hys accustomed order so that hee chose rather to endaunger his life then to breake off his set course of prayer So also a deuout man ought so firmely to purpose with himselfe and inuiolablye decree to attend and waite vpon God at his accustomed howres that he would rather faile in al other his businesses which concerne not God then in this one so greatly commended of GOD. Imi tate the naturall prudency of Serpēts who hiding their heads do yeilde their whole bodyes to the smiter that that being lost which is of lesse weight they may preserue that which is of greater valew Imitate the wisdome of the most holy Patriarke Iacob who returning out of Mesopotamia and beeing to receiue entertaine his brother whome he greatly feared sent before his sheep oxen and camels with all his substance after them he placed both his mayds their children after them Leah her children but Rachel Ioseph as most precious estimable treasures he ordred in the last safest place signifying that he had rather hazard all the rest then those two whom he so much esteemed Tell me O thou seruant of God what hast thou in y e world which thou art so much to regard as this Rachel Ioseph What is Rachel but a contemplatiue life what is Ioseph but the spirituall sonne which is borne of her which is innocency purity of life wherfore that treasure is more to be esteemed then the losse of anye temporal thing so that thou must make account rather to lose these then fayle in the other Therfore my brother hap what wil alwaies keepe with thee thy Rachel thy Ioseph Do not imitate them who haue prayers exercises spirituall thinges for a cloake colour of their negligence who when they are to doe or lose any thing they alwayes expose the spirituall thing to the daunger that they maye keepe and defend the temporall I knew a godly religious woman who as often as she heard the sound of the howre in which she was wont to pray at that very same time as it is also reported of those holy Fathers of Egipt all other thinges beeing set aparte without delay she betooke her to her exercise When she conferred with an other godly woman with whose conuersatiō she was greatly delighted forth-with after shee heard the stroke of the passed houre she departed from her abruptly breaking off her speech saing If to day I shall omit mine ordinarye taske for this cause to morowe I shall omit it for an other for euery day bringeth his hinderance and stil so proceding I shall commit a thousand errors At another time the same deuout woman beeing with me the like circumstances fell out where at her departure frō me she shewed no token of vanitye but of great edifying so that scarcely three times in a yeere she fayleth in this her moste holye exercise I haue brought this example for the benefite of those that be negligent but I dare not remēber the fruite that she obtained by this perseuerance For these times and dayes wherein we liue are so enuious and so full of iniquitye that they will not abide that the vertues of the liuing should be published as the examples of many Saintes do testifye There is not any thing in y e world y e more speedily bringeth a man to the height and top of perfection then this continuance and perseuerance as well in the exercises of Prayer as in the diligence and order of his life for a traueller that euery day goeth forward a little if he perseuer and continue in his progresse soone commeth to the end of his iorney but if he faile and faint in it and a little after begin his voyage a new consumeth all his life in it neither euer cometh to the end of his iorney But if at any time a casualty happen which cannot be refused in this life so that thou doest stumble and fal and through weaknes doest faint doe not discourage thy selfe nor cast away thy hope but albeit thou fall a thousand times in a day ryse againe and be conuerted a thousand times in a day in what place thy threed was broken knit it together a-againe doe not goe backe to the beginning for if thou doest thou shalt disturbe all thy worke labour Neyther onely is constancy needfull in the very exercises thēselues but also in the manner of them For there be some that doe not fayle in their dayly
of them that be desolate and afflicted for his loue Giue ye saieth Salomon strong drinke vnto him that is ready to perishe and wine vnto them that haue greefe of heart Let him drinke that he may forget his pouerty and remember his miserye noe more Therefore to cure this griefe God ordained this medicine which he sendeth not to the house of the whole but of the sicke Consolation saith Barnarde is a delicate and dainty thing neither is it giuen to him that seeketh it without God A wife chast and lawfull who deserueth and is worthy to be loued alone thinketh an iniury to be done vnto her if she be loued together with others So also doth God A figure of this wee haue in Exodus for Manna which had so great sweetnes in it was not giuen to the Israelits in the wildernes before the meale was spent which was brought out of Egipt so neyther shall that bread of Angels be giuen vnto man in this exile and banishment vntill he hath renounced al the delights and comfort of this world Humane comfort is a verie iniurious stepdame if any man take it in steed of Diuine consolation therefore it is necessary that it be cast out of doores least perhaps it be an hindrance vnto the other They doe the contrary who on the one side will partake of the diuine consolation and sweetnes in Prayer and afterwardes this exercise being ended will enioy worldly delights and pleasures will eate and drinke daintily be cloathed sumptuously and liue in all wantonnesse and delicacy to bee breefe who will so enioy God that they will not loose nor forgoe the vanitye and do lights of the world But let them certainely perswade themselues that they shall neuer profit in the way of the Lord so long as they walke thus lamely and haltingly Birdes that doe both swimme â—…nd flye in the holy Scriptures are â—…ounted vncleane And what â—…oe these birdes signifie vnto â—…s Surely none other thing then â—…he soule of a delicate and fleshly â—…an who will both swimme in â—…he riuer of his owne delightes â—…nd pleasures and contemplate â—…pon Diuine and high matâ—…ers Let no man deceiue himselfe â—…or as light and darkenesse canâ—…ot bee together so neyther â—…an humane and Diuine conâ—…olations agree together In like manner the fleshe â—…nd the spirit dooe striue and â—…ght in the selfe same man and â—…ee that will enioy the good of â—…he one it is necessary that hee â—…id warre and defiance vnto the â—…ther The Prophet Dauid very well vnderstood this when hee saith My soule refused comfort in earthly matters I did thinke vpon my God and I was delighted and prayed and my delight was so great that my spirit fainted in me Was this a good change or wilt thou say that the Prophet was heerein deceiued when as hee receiued for so small and ridiculous comforts so ample and large consolations with which his hart was so filled that he could not beare the greatnes of them This is the cause why manye come and sit by the fountaine of these delights without any other delight in the world for theyr soules are filled vp to the brinke with inward delights God is iealous with exceeding great feruour doth loue our soules as he himselfe confesseth therefore he will not admit other delightes and externall loues neither will â—…e that they should be mingled with his He therefore that would largeâ—…y enioy Diuine and heauenly coÌ„solations Let him followe the counsel of Augustine Let a man leaue all thinges that he may receiue all thinges for he shal find all thinges in God who leaueth all things for God THE SIXT IMPEDIment is too much carke and care CHAP. XXII THe contrary vnto the impediment of delight and pleasure is this of too much carke and care yet no lesse hurtefull then that for cares and pleasures as Christ saith are thornes which choke the word of God Wherfore not without cause it is said of Saint Barnarde that necessitie and desire are the two principall rootes of all the euils that be in the world For all euils that are committed in the world are done eyther that necessitie may be auoyded which bringeth punishment or that some delight may be obtained which procureth ioy Therfore the cares of this necessitye hindreth as well the tast of Deuotion as the quiet of Prayer for they do so pricke peirce y e hart that they do not permit a man to thinke vpon any other thing theÌ„ of the cause from whence they spring which alwayes presseth and pricketh the heart and knocketh at the gate neyther desisteth vntill it obtaine that it sought Who then can sleep or rest in â—…he middest of so many Flyes Waspes and Frogges as are â—…n the land of Egipt Heere sureâ—…y that wish of the Bridegroome â—…n the Canticles was to bee desired that the Spouse may enâ—…oy this sweete sleepe of life among so many and so diuers perturbations disturbances of things But thou wilt say Wilt thou giue mee any remedy whereby I may eyther roote out or chooke these encreasing cares which so greatlie doe tosse and turmoile my heart The presentest remedy is if with all endeuour thou studiest as much as is possible to with drawe thy minde from all sensuall loue of thynges created for from this loue all cares doe proceed as we haue shewed before Therfore if thou wilt cease or rather banish al afflicted thoughts and carefull pensiuenes labour to mortifie and kill in thee all externall and forraine loues And although many thinges are required that thou mayst liue in thys life without carking and caring yet they may all be contained in this short sentence Doe not loue and thou shalt not bee afflicted neyther be delighted in the creatures but as God hath willed Beleeue me where this hath place there true delight hath place a greeuous taxe is set vpon them that haue theyr loue and delight set vpon the creatures and much greater are the sorrowes of the bringing foorth then of the conception An other remedy is if we cast all our cares vpon God hoping most assuredly that God will dispose all thinges after the best â—…anner if we commit them vnto â—…im for hee hath commaunded â—…hat we should referre all our buâ—…nes vnto him and that it should â—…e our onely care how wee may â—…eep his commaundementes So â—…id the Spouse in the Canticles Wherfore she saith I am my welâ—…eloueds my welbeloued is mine â—…e is mine to procure prouide â—…r me all necessaries and I am â—…is to doe whatsoeuer pertaineth 〈◊〉 his worship and seruice by â—…hich words is insinuated that if â—…an will wholy apply himselfe â—…to the worship of his creator â—…at hee in like manner will bee â—…holy occupied in supplying the â—…ants and needs of his creatures â—…or the law of God is called in the â—…criptures a couenant for no oâ—…er cause but because such a coÌ„â—…act is made in it betweene God and
◅ood alone with God Wherefore thou shalt doe a ◅hing right worth thy labour ◅f with all thy strength thou endeuourest that thou mayst alwayes haue with thee this presence and remembrance of the Lord for it shall much benefit and profit thee to consider that God is alwayes and euery where present not onely by his power and presence but also by his essence A King in all his territories is present by his power and in his pallace by his presence but by his essence he is no where but in that place which possesseth his body God after all these waies is present in euery place Which besides our faith this reason doth also prooue It is God that giueth to all creatures to bee and to liue God is the beginning and cause of all thinges But seeing that it is necessary that the cause be ioyned with the effect eyther by it selfe or by some vertue or influence it followeth that sithence God is the cause of all things that they are that hee is also ioyned vnto them giuing them to bee that they are and that not by some vertue or influence but by himselfe for in God there is that distinction of things which is in the creatures For whatsoeuer is in God is of God and therefore wheresoeuer ◅e willeth that somthing of him should be he is all that And because the Essence of thinges is the neerest vnto the things neither is any thing more inward in them it followeth that God is more in them then the thinges are in themselues What great thing is it then if thou hast God alwaies before thyne eyes who carrieth thee in hys armes who supporteth thee with his feete who gouerneth thee by his prouidence in whom by whom thou liuest hast thy being Remēber that he alwaies assisteth thy soule as the creature and gouernour who preserueth thee in thine Essence neither is he content that he assisteth thee as thy creator and preseruer but also hee is present with thee as thy iustifier bestowing vpon thee grace loue and many holy inspirations desires Let him be the witnes of thy life let him be the companion of thy pilgrymage commit vnto him part of thy busines commend thy selfe vnto him in all thy perils and dangers in the night talke with him in thy sleep and with him awake in the morning Sometymes contemplate him as a glorious God among his Angels in heauen sometimes as a mortall man among men conuersant vpon the earth now in the bosome of his Father now in the armes of his mother a little after wayte vpon him flying into Egipt thence returne again with him out of Egipt somtimes ioyne thy selfe vnto him praying in the Garden somtimes followe him to the Mount euen of Caluary neyther forsake hym hanginge on the Crosse. When thou sittest downe at the Table let his Gall and Vineger bee the sauce of thy meate and let the Fountayne of the bloode flowing from his most Noble and glorious breast bee the cup out of which thou drynkest When thou goest to bed imagine thy bed to bee his Crosse and thy Pillow his Crowne of Thornes when thou puttest off or on thy cloathes meditate with what great ignominye Chryste in his passion was sometymes arrayed and sometymes spoyled of his garmentes This is with those holy Virgins to followe the Lambe whether soeuer hee goeth by thys meanes thou mayest bee be a Disciple of Christ alwayes remaine in his companye In all these thinges alwayes talke with him with hūble speeches full of loue so he wil haue him self delt with who for the greatnes of his Maiesty ought worthily to be feared and for his goodnes exceedingly to be loued Although thou be busied with some manuall labour or with any other busines yet for this thou must not omit nor intermit this holy exercise For the Lord hath giuen this aptnes and promptnes to our heartes that in a moment they may be turned vnto him albeit the body remain occupyed in an externall worke none otherwaies then an handmayde who worketh in y e presence of a Queen she standeth before her Lady with great grauitye with presentnes of minde and orderly composition of body making neither losse nor delay in her worke that one busines hindreth not another so also our heart with due reuerence and attention may be lifted vp to that maiestye which filleth heauen earth not omitting norneglecting any of those thinges it doth Neither only when a man doth attend vpon any manuall labour but also when he speaketh studyeth or is busied c. he may somtimes haue his heart attentiue to his busines and yet neuertheles enter into the temple of his heart to worship the Lord withdraw himself from those things which his busines requires and speedily returne vnto GOD. Those holy creaturs are a figure of this which Ezechiel sawe cōming and going in the likenes of bright lightning wherby we vnderstand the swiftnes alacrity by which the righteous ought to be turned vnto the Lord whē as vpon some godly religious occasion they goe out of the closset of their deuotiō to succour and releeue their neighbour But if at any time a man shall linger loyter forget to returne vnto God he must be stirred vp with the spurs of attentiō and diligence by turning the reynes of his heart vnto God saying with the Prophet Returne O my soule into rest because the Lord hath blessed thee THE FIFT THING that stirreth vp Deuotion is the vse of short Prayers which in al places seasons are as dartes to be sent vnto God CHAP. VIII VVIthout doubt that man is exceding happy that knoweth well to obserue keep the precedent instruction and document But that no man may fayle in it it is most profitable in all places and seasons to vse those short succinct prayers of which Augustine speaketh The brethrē saith he are said to haue in Egipt oftē frequent prayers but those very short sodenly dartedforth least that erected and aduaunced vigilancy which is very necessary for him that prayeth vanish away through long delay and too much prolixitie Euen as they that inhabite the North partes of the world where the cold is vehemēt do keep within doores and in hot houses to defend themselues from the iniury and vntemperatenes of the weather but they that cannot do this come oftē to y e fire being somwhat warmed do returne againe to their labour so also the seruant of God liuing in this cold and miserable regiō of the world where charity is waxen key colde and iniquity doth rage abound must often repayre to the fire of prayer that he may grow warme He is truly happy to whome it is giuen alwayes to sit in that hot-house of which the Prophet speaketh And he shal be as one that it is hid from the wind couered from the tempest But let him that cannot haue this often come to
so in a manner they spend all their life time in vnbuckling theyr girdles in prouiding dressing superfluous meates and in drawing foorth their houres in sleep These therfore liue like Epicures as people borne to none other end then to eate and drink and to engrosse and fat their bellies intending none other exercise neither hauing regard of any other time or busines How then can any one say that these doe liue a long life or the life of a man when as scarcely they bestow one hower vpon any thing which is worthy the spirit nobility of man THE ELEVENTH IMpediment is the euill disposition and weakenes of the bodie CHAP. XXVII AN impediment contrary to the former is as saith Saint Bernarde too much abstinence and weakenes of body or whatsoeuer other euill disposition or debility whether it be hunger or thirst or colde or heate or whatsoeuer other accident For there is so great society and sympathy between the soule and the body that when as this is ill disposed or standeth need of any thing the other cannot lift it selfe vp freely inough to contemplate and meditate on heaueÌ„ly things with quietnesse and tranquilitye for the loue of her friend doth call her away and doth disquiet heâ—… and calleth her thither where it is greeued neyther granteth her leaue to attend any other busines vnlesse God of his especial grace doth dispence with it as many times he is wont to doe Therefore it is meete that a Deuout man keep that moderation and temperaunce in chasticing and exercising his body that it neyther growe grosse nor vnfit by superfluous delicates neyther that bee weakenes by too much rigour and austerity that it faint vnder the burden For as we are to obserue in a â—…harpe that the stringes be neyther stretched too streight nor loosened too slacke for then they are eyther broken or yeeld an vntuned and an vnpleasant sound so in this celestiall Musicke it is meet that the body bee neyther macerated by too much hunger nor fatted by two much plenty for both of them bring very much hurt to this exercise For this cause God commaunded in the old law that salt by which we vnderstand discretion should be spinkled vpon al the sacrifices that he might insinuat that none of our sacrifices although they be great are acceptable vnto him vnlesse they be seasoned with salt that is with the sauour of discreation But because it is a hard thing to keep a meane and the fleshe doth alwaies seeke it selfe therefore it is necessary that in these cases a mans own opinion bee alwaies suspected vnto himself if we must needs leane to one of y e extremities it is alwaies more safe that we chose that which is most repugnant to the flesh then that which fawneth smileth on â—…t for albeit wee doe bridle reâ—…aine it yet it will take an occaâ—…ion sometimes to satisfie the deâ—…ires neither is it enough that now then it be defrawded of necesâ—…ities but we must alwaies watch â—…or vnlesse thou doest diligentlie watch it will one time or other â—…reake out and steale many lustes â—…nd desires and those very superâ—…uous â—…FCERT AIN OTHER particular impediments CHAP. XXVIII THe precedent impediments are generall which comâ—…only are wont to meet with all â—…rts of people in the way of deâ—…tion There are also other particuler hindrances according to the naturall dispositions and affections of euery one As we see that certaine are so vnnaturally studious and diligent in that which they haue determined to doe that if they haue the least thing in the world in hand they cannot rest till it be done nay they cannot sleepe in the night before they haue finished that they purposed and therefore they neuer haue any leysure to perseuere in Prayer Others as it were lunaticke toâ—… whome oftentimes hapneth sucâ—… an earnest longing and feruour oâ—… minde that they cannot containâ—… themselues vnlesse presently they haue their desires satisfied albeâ—… they vtterly forsake and renouncâ—… God This is proper vnto those meâ—… who are violently drawen and â—…aled of their appetites and affecâ—…ions and who are alwaies accuâ—…omed to haue their wils and deâ—…res fulfilled who like women â—…reat with childe are so tickled â—…ith immoderate appetites afâ—…ctions are so subiect vnto this â—…ce by reason of the euill habit â—…hich by long vse they haue put â—…n that if foorthwith they haue â—…ot their desires satisfied they eyâ—…er seeme to dye or els fal into a â—…sease These the deuill draweth â—…sily away from the exercise of â—…ayer drawing them after theyr â—…petites as if they were bound â—…th a chayne There are many â—…d the worlde is euery where 〈◊〉 full of them that when â—…ers goe to prayer they goe to â—…eyr worldly busines who driue their weekly labors to be done vpon the Saboath day when they should be at Church to pray and to heare Diuine seruice and Sermons Let these men knowe that they are the deuils slaues and that the Deuill leadeth them bound in chaynes whither he listeth euen to theyr perdition and destruction Therefore let them beware and seriously regard what is the cause of this their deuiation and seduction for without all doubt and so let them perswade themselues it is the worke of the deuill But aboue all particuler impedymentes the inordinate louâ—… of any thing doth more especially hurt which is embraced with the whole minde and with al thâ—… affection We must heer know that therâ—… is scarce one in the worlde sorâ—… ligious or so free from passions that hath not some idoll that he serueth and adoreth that is some thing vpon which he bestoweth his whole affections and for the loue of which he doth all that he can The minde of some is wholy swallowed vp in the studye of science and eloquence and vpon these two studies they bestow all their endeuour and paines so that they seeke no other thing in the worlde they respect no other thing but onely this supposing that there is nothing greater then this studye nor any thing more worthy the spirit and nobility of man The desire of worldly honour the fauour of Princes and great personages and the possessions of temporal goods doe draw others away Thou shalt see many who are altogether busied in heaping together great treasuries that they may enrich their heyres and be saide to be the authours and founders of some noble house and family There be also not a fewe whose mindes are lesse generous that then suppose themselues happy when they haue scraped together a certaine sum of money whereby they maye purchase for themselues some inheritance or some office There be others that thinke of nothing more then of some famous notable mariage either for theÌ„selues or for some of theirs whether he be son daughter or cosin german for this being obtained they suppose that there is nothing which may further be desired To be briefe others are caried awaye and bound with other
and complexion that they cannot for one momēt kepe their cogitatiōs fixed vpō God for whom this manner of praying is most fitt that by it following the sense and style of the words they may attend in heart vpon God and talke with him For seeing that they cannot speake vnto him with their own words and open their owne necessities vnto him with fit words it is a very good help for them if they be supported with the words of holy men and that their spirit and deuotion be ruled by them that by this manner they may more fitly declare their wants vnto God In this place deuout Christians are to be put in minde that making a prayer they do it with as much deuotion and affection as lieth in them for hereupon depēdeth all the fruit efficacy of prayer For in the eares of God as Bernard saith a vehement desire is a great clamour but a remisse intent is a submisse low voice for his ears are opē rather to the voice of the heart then to the voice of y e body By this it may be vnderstoode how barren and fruitles the prayers of certaine men are as wel ecclesiastical as temporal who with such hast and swiftnes doe runne ouer their praiers that they seeme not at all to talke with God For they would not deale so vnaduisedly and coldly with men if in good earnest they would obtaine any thing of them for as Salomon saith The poore speaketh with praiers but the rich answereth roughly For he that plainely acknowledgeth his owne want and misery desireth seriously to be helped in his need as he desireth it with all his heart so he prayeth with al his heart with the Prophet calleth with strong crying saying I haue cryed with my whole heart Lord heare me I would to God that men would vnderstand and remember when they pray to whome they speake and what busines they haue in hand For if they vnderstoode that they had speach with that supreame Maiesty in whose presence the Angels tremble and that they haue to deale with him about weighty and important busines to wit about the remission of sinnes and the saluation of their soules their eyes would be opened and they would see that it is vnseemely yea that it is vniust that they should so negligently conferre with such a Lord about so great and weighty matters and to speake to him after that manner that they would not speake to a seruant if they would haue him to regard that they say These S. Bernard doth secretly reprehēd when he saith This I say briefely that certain as I suppose do somtimes in their prayer feele a drynes a certaine dulnes of mind that praying only with their lips they do not marke what they say nor to whome they speake the reason is because oftentimes they haue vsed so vnreuerētly to come vnto prayer without any care or premeditation Therfore it behoueth vs to be vigilant in all our actions but especially in our prayers for albeit that euery hour and in all places as Bernard saith the eies of the Lord do behold vs yet most especially in prayer for although we are always seene yet then especially when we speake vnto the Lorde and shewe ourselues face to face And in another place It is a danger if the prayer be too feareful but greater if it be rash the third danger is if it be luke warme and not proceeding from a liuely affection Because a feareful prayer doth not pierce heauē for immoderate feare doth pluck back the minde that y e praier cannot ascend much lesse pierce A luke warme prayer doth languish and faile in the ascending because it wanteth vigour A rash praier ascendeth but it reboundeth back againe for it is resisted neither doth it obtaine grace but deserueth punishment but that prayer which is faithfull humble feruent without doubt shall pierce heauen shal not return empty This saith he But those that either will not pray at all or that will not pray otherwise then we haue said y e is with too much haste negligently carelesly let them not take it in ill part that this is said vnto them for by this meanes their coyne is become base the worth of it is diminished and not set by THE SECOND ADmonition of the dignity and fruite of holy ceremonies and of externall workes CHAP. XXXXIII THe second precept which a deuout mā ought to obserue ◅s that as he ought to haue vocall prayer in estimation as wee sayd before so also he ought to haue in ◅euerence all holy ceremonies for ◅hey are very profitable vnto vs ◅eing meanes to stir vp our hearts with a Deuotion reuerence of Diuine things For as our soule so ◅ong as it continueth in this body ◅oth conceiue of thinges by the windows of the sences by which they are presented so it is a great helpe that wee may worthily esteeme of diuine matters to thinke reuerently of them and to vse them in that maiesty and reuerent sort that they are to be vsed in for the garments royall robes and great retinue which the great states of this world vse do moue men to such reuerence that they regard them as kings and princes For this cause that supreame Maiestie and glorious Gouernour of the world did institute ordaine the Sacraments of his Church in visible things that they might yeeld an inuisible grace For euen as he instituted them for man who is a creature mixt of body and soule that is compounded of a part visible and a part inuisible so also they are instituted that they might instruct vs that the sight and presence of that which is seene might stirre vp a deuotion reuerēce of that which is not seene Furthermore all holy ceremonies externall exercises besides that they are holy works and proceeding frō vertue are very conducent to get preserue internal vertues For euen as accidents do help much to y e preseruatiō of the substance without which it cannot be preserued so ceremonies externall works do much help to the preseruation of charity and ◅nnocency which is the especiall ◅reasure of our soules After the same manner because man is a treature consisting of soule body it is meete that he serue God with both bestowing his soule ◅pon his loue and knowledge ◅nd his body and all his mem◅ers and sences vpon his worship and seruice that all things which are of God may also serue God By this meanes man is made a pure and perfect sacrifice when hee is wholy and altogether n◅ no part of him being excepted bestowed vpon the seruice o◅ his Creator and then is fulfille◅ that commaundement of the Apostle who willeth vs to giue vp our bodyes a liuing sacryfice holy and acceptable vnto God and hee commaundeth that ou◅ bodies spirits and soules tha◅ is all that is in man bee kept in all purity and perfection for the glory