Apostle did know when he saide By the grace of God I am that I am and because his grace in me is not in vame his grace remaineth in mee This double knowledge had Abraham of himselfe when he saide Beholde I haue taken vpon me to speake vnto the Lord which am but dust and ashes In truth man is but dust for as dust is forced about with euery winde and is cast downe and there remaineth So man may fall into euery vice neither can moue to rise except the mercy of God ayde him Also man is ashes because as ashes bringeth forth neyther budde nor sproute of it selfe neither the receiued séede springeth out of it So a man neither can doe good nor remaine in any good thing without the grace of God Therefore wée ought to render great thankes vnto God because hee hath granted many good things vnto vs and many euils that wee haue done hee hath pardoned vs and hath preserued vs from many euils which wee might haue done as likely as many others which wee haue committed done for what euill soeuer wée haue not done it is through his mercy that we haue not done it for if he had suffered it surely we had done it aswell in déed as will And in sooth I do not know whether wee ought to loue him more for those thinges which hee hath forgiuen vs or for those sins which hée hath kept vs frée from For although wée haue not done them wée ought to thinke as if wée had done them and as though hee had forgiuen them for somuch as we had at the least done theÌ„ willingly if he had suffered it In very truth whosoeuer in such maner doth acknowledge himselfe he is both humble before God and men He loueth God and all men for God his sake And if hée haue perfect charity hée iudgeth no man he accuseth no man he condemneth no man he beareth no malice hée mooueth no brawles â—ée soweth no discorde hée doth not persecute innocents he hâ—reâ—â— not those which reproue him hée committeth no theft no false witnesse no periury he slandereth no man be hurteth no man hée hateth none but loueth all men It is written yée shall loue one another for so familiar is charity with God that hee will not dwell in him in whoÌ„ charity is not Who so euer therefore hath charity hath God because God is charity And who so hateth one man looseth God and the good that he doth Wherefore let euery one be carefuâ—l least for the hating of one man he looseth God and euery good thing CHAP. XI That euery man should know himselfe KNow thy self know from whence thou commest and whither thou shalt how thou liuest how much good thou dost or failest therein how farre thou art from God or how neare not as in space betwéene places but in the likenes and vnlikenes of good life and behauior Know how thou art a man whose conception was in sinne to bée borne in misery to liue in griefe and paine and that to die there is no remedie Certaine is it that thou shalt die but vncertaine how or when or where because death expecteth thée euery where And thou if thou be wise expect it euer Therefore carefully take héed what thou doest or what thou oughtst to do if thou hast anything to doe do it If it be to doe good mixe it not with any euill if it be good that thou shouldest doe accomplish it with much vprightnesse as thou oughtest If it be for another doe it as if thou shouldest doe it for thy selfe If thou thy selfe doest good doe it so well that it be a good example to others And thus as the Prophet Dauid sayeth and willeth Thou shalt decline from euill and doe good CHAP. XII What Meditation is BY Meditation wée may the better know God our selues Meditation bringeth knowledge knowledge bringeth compunction compunction causeth deuotion deuotion causeth prayer Meditation is an often moouing of the minde very diligent and foreséeing to search or finde out the meaning of thinges which are hard to bee vnderstood and to bring secrete thinges to knowledge Knowledge or learning is when a man is inlightned by often Meditation to the knowledge of himselfe Compunction is when through the consideration of his owne euills the heart is touched with an inward griefe Deuotion is a godly and an buÌ„ble affection towardes God Hamble by the knowledge of his owne infirmities godly by the consideration of the diuine mercy Prayer is a deuotion of the minde conuerting to God thorough holy and humble affection Affection is a certaine selfe will and swéete inclination of the mind wholy towardes God for there is nothing mouing God so much to loue and mercy as the pure affection of the minde Mens natures is to loue and prayse the knowledge of heauenly and earthly thinges But they are much better that preferre before this knowledge the knowledge whereby to know themselues For truely more prayse worthy is the soule that knoweth his owne infirmity and misery then it which searcheth the course of the starres and natures of things For the soule which waiteth vpon the Lord moued by the feruency of the holy Ghost and imbaseth it selfe before him in his loue and though not able yet willing to enter into him and hee shining oâ— that soule it wayteth on him and findeth him and acknowledging the grief of minde not to bée compared to his mercy hath good cause méekely to wéepe and to beséech him that hee will haue mercy and compassion on it and to put from it all misery This poore soule néedy and sorrowfull knowledge puffeth not vp because loue and charity edifieth and establisheth it For man setteth before him knowledge that is to know himselfe and his owne infirmities rather then to know the force and vertue of hearbes and the nature of all liuing creatures and setting before him this knowledge hée setteth before him griefe and sorrow that is in what hee hath rebelled and lailed in in this his life and pilgrimage in the earth considering of his owne country which hee is to go to and to sée his liuing and eternal God He sorroweth that he is kept in banishment and exile because hee is delayed and put off from his kingdome Hee sorroweth whilest hee calleth to minde what and how great euils he hath done and what intollerable paines for them hee is like to suffer CHAP. XIII That the soule cannot containe it selfe in good thoughts WHen I doe consider what the nature of the Soule is which can giue life to the flesh but cannot as it desireth containe it selfe in good thoughts I doe finde a certaine spirit belonging to vnderstanding liuing by the power of the Creator and quickening the body which it nourisheth and maintaineth But notwithstanding subiect to vanity and changeablenesse which often times myrth and gladnesse lifteth vp feare troubleth iniquity mortifieth righteousnesse reuiueth for in trueth the life of the Soule is God the death of the Soule is
sinne for it is saide by the holy Spirite that the soule which sinneth shall die but that Soule which hath done Iudgement and righteousnesse shall liue and not die In such sort is the soule immortall that it cannot die and in such sort mortall that steaÌ„not but die By mortality it is mortall by immortality it is immortall Wherefore to the wretched and accursed death is without death end without ende wearines without wearinesse because death euer liueth and the ende shall euer beginne and wearines shal not know to be weary death shall kill and yet not end life paine shall torment and shall not put away feare and horror the flame shall burne but not driue away darkenes for there shall bee in fire darkenesse in darkenesse horrible feare and in burning vnspeakeable torment Thus the reprobate cast into hell fire shall féele in their punishment sorrow paine and in the extremity of sorrow shall be strooken with feare and shal euer suffer and euer be afraid because euer tormented without ende they shall euer liue without hope of pardon and mercy which is a misery aboue all miseries for after so many thousand of yéeres in number as they haue had haires on their head how many soeuer they were if they should hope to end their paines then yet they should much the better endure them But because they haue no hope nor shall haue they shall faint in dispaire and shall not suffice their torments Of them it is written by Esay the Prophet Their worme shall not die and their fire shall neuer bee put out because neither they shall euer bee consumed The worme shall gnaw their conscience the fire shall burne their flesh and because they haue forsaken their Creator in heart and body they shall be punished both in heart and body when the soule shall be seperated from the blessed life euerlasting the body shall be subiect to euerlasting punishment There shall be feare and heauinesse of heart mourning and sorrow There shall bée the tormentors sitting the worme gnawing the fire consuming sinnes discouered the guilty punished and all this euerlastingly Who soeuer shall come to these torments shall neuer go out againe where they shall sée detestable monsters of diuels and the vgly shapes of them And they shall also sée in the torments of fire their mates and followers which against the commaundements of God they haue loued in vnlawful loue and lust and beholding their distruction it shall afflict them in the increasing of their damnation Such shall not sée God which is the most misery of all miseries for who can expresse what a paine it is not to sée the Creator and framer of al things the redéemer and sauiour of the faithfull the King of heauen and earth the Lord of all by whom we are wée liue and haue knowledge Therefore it behoueth vs on euery side that we circumspectly looke about vs euery where watch that wée commit no euill or doe not those things rightly that wee are commaunded to doe And in those things rightly done that we bee not proud in our thoughts therefore for many through their vertues that way haue fallen headlong into hell CHAP. XIIII Of the euill Angell IT is saide that Satan doth fill the minde of some not entring into them and their senses but intycing and inducing them by guile and iniquity doth by euery malicious meane bring lewde motions and alluring vices into their thoughts But the diuell doth not fill the soule by participation of nature or substance as some thinke as an inhabiter therein but by fraudulent deceite and malice filleth them whome it is saide he dwelleth in for it onely belongeth to the Trinitie to fill the nature and substance which it hath created CHAP. XV. That wee desire and seeke after good things WHosoeuer truely and vnfaynedly be waileth his sins and will feare to commit sinne and will rebuke himselfe in his smallest faults remembring how much hee hath offended in the greatest And although with how great vertue soeuer his minde may bee mighty and with how great constancie it may be in force yet childishly notwithstanding some fleshly toyes will outwardly bewray themselues And except with a certaine manly vehemency they be restrayned they draw the weake minde to all frailties and lightnesse wherin if by long custom it bee inured when it would rise it cannot being pressed downe by the weight of euill vse and custome Therefore as the Apostle sayth who soeuer standeth let him take héed he fall not and if he fall let him with an humble contrite heart very quickly rise againe let there be no deferring Let him bee the â—umâ—ler in his owne conscience the earnester and readier to repentance and the waryer not to offend againe for whosoeuer through the onely desire of heauenly blessednesse hateth these temporall things and loueth nothing of this world and séeketh onely his after euerlasting Country shall bee comforted and sustained with great peace and tranquility of minde How much the clearer doth man sée God when hee findeth himselfe with hâ—m alone For nothing is more present then God and nothing more secret Wée ought to desire therefore a seperation of the minde from the swarme of earthly delights and desires and then driuing out from the inward of the heart the commotions of vnlawfull imaginations thoughts wée should labour with diligence to our heauenly Country for the loue of eternall rest Let vs déepely consider what those companions of Angelles bée what that fellowshipp is of blessed soules What is the Maiestie of the vision of God and how God doth comfort his Saints with the sweete euerlastingnesse thereof For no man in this life can worthyly weygh in his mind how great that felicity is to see God face to face how much sweetnesse to heare that Angelicall melody how much gladnesse to enioy the company of al saints For euery one shall reioyce so much at the blessednesse of the other as at his own vnspeakeable ioy In that glory I bebeholde nothing more willingly I find nothing more delectable to contemplate then the affection of the inward loue wherewith euery one shall loue the other so much as himselfe God more then himselfe and God shall loue theÌ„ more then they shal loue them selues and that in perpetuall ioy There we shall see nothing strange wee shall loue nothing out of order wee shall heare nothing to offende out eares for all things there are agreeing al thinges delightfull all thinges quiet There is all felicity all pleasantnesse all gladnes al things goodly to beholde all beauty all swéetnesse Whatsoeuer is néedfull and whatsoeuer to delight is there as all riches and al daâ—nties all rest and all solace There is continuall tranquility pleasant sayrenesse eternall ioyfulnesse ioyfull and honourable praise and the full knowledge of al good things For what may be wanting there where God is which wanteth nothing How many so euer bee there are as Gods neither it néedeth
although a bad one vnworthy and a sinner But whatsoeuer I am either good or bad I am alwaies thine to whom should I flie but to thee If thou cast me off who shall receiue mee If thou dispise me who shal regarde mee O God I do acknowledge my selfe vnworthy flying againe to thee Lord thy mercy is greater then my iniquitie thy compassion is more then my vngraciousnesse towardes thée Thou canst forgiue more theÌ„ I can commit and canst pardon more then I can offend Despise mee not O Lord neither note the multitude of my sinnes but acording to the multitude of thy mercies pitty me and bee fauourable vnto me a haynous sinner Say vnto my soule I am thy sauiour which saydest I will not the death of a sinner but rather that he conuert and liue Conuert mee O Lord to thee and be not wrathfull against mee I beséech thee most gentle father for thy mercies sake that I may end my life well and with true and harty repentance of all my sinnes Amen Short Meditations THy hands O Lord haue made me and fashioned me I may say those hands which were nayled with nayles for mee Lord despise not the worke of thy hands Beholde in thy handes O Lord my God thou hast writen mee reade that writing and saue mee Beholde I thy creature sigh to thee thou art my creator renew me make me againe beholde thy workemanshippe I cry vnto thee thou art life quicken mee beholde I thy clay looke backe to thee thou art the Potter fashion me againe Lord haue mercy on mee for my daies are nothing c· Another THou full of pittie say vnto mee thy wretched seruant say vnto mee through thy compassions what thou art to me Say vnto my soule I am thy health doe not hide thy face from mee least I die Another SAue mee O Lord which art the true safety and that willest not the death of a sinner Lord haue mercy on my sinfull Soule loose the bonds thereof Sweete Iesu regarde my humility and blot out all my transgressions bee my ayde leaue me not neither despise mee O God mine onely comfort but tèach me to doe thy will O bountifull Iesu although though I haue offended whereupon thou maiest iustly damne mee yet thou hast not lost that whereby thou art accustomed to saue Good lord my Iesu why camest thou down from heauen to what ende yéeldest thou thy selfe to death but that thou wouldest saue sinners of which sort I am exceeding O vile sinner that I am take breath againe be of good cheare thou maist not despaire hope in him whom thou fearest flâ—e to him from whom thou hast fled call vpon him importunately whome proudly thou hast prouoked Say vnto him Iesu for thy sweete names sake do by me according to thy name Iesus is a name of fauour a name most delightfull a name comforting a sinner and a name of happy hope for what is Iesus but a Sauiour Therefore for thine owne sake O Iesu be Iesus to me be to me a mercifull Sauiour which art magnified and blessed world without ende Amen Godly Meditations of our Lord his sufferings O God who for the worldes Redemption wouldest bee reproued of the Iewes deliuered by the traitor Iudas and bee bound with bonds like an innocent Lambe led to the sacrifice Also vnseemely to bee brought before the beholding of Annas Caiaphas Pilate and Herod to bee accâ—used by false witnesses to bee tormented with whippes and reproches to be defiled with spittle crowned with thornes beaten with buffets stroken with a Reede blindfolded thy garmeÌ„ts put off wouldest be nayled on the crosse lifted vp thereon reputed among theeues drinke vinegar and gal and be wounded with a Speare O most mighty Lord how wonderful is thy kindnes and pitie that wouldest indure all these extreeme torments shames and cruell death and all for to appease the almighty father and be an attonement betweene him and sinfull mankinde I beséech thée most mercifull Iesu sithence all this was of excéeding loue that through those thy sharpe and bitter paines which I vnworthie wretch now meditate of and call to minde thou wilt defende and deliuer mee from the paines of hell and vouchsafe to bring mee whether thou broughtest the thiefe crucified with thee O meek and vnspotted lambe my onely righteousnesse and iustification haue mercie on me who with the father and the holy ghost liuest and raignest world without end Another HOrde Iesu Christ Son of the liuing God which hanging on the Crosse saying father forgiue theÌ„ for they know not what they do grant that I for the loue of thée may pardon euery one that doth euill vnto me And which saidest vnto the theefe this day thou shalt bee with me in paradise grant me so wel to liue that in the houre of my death thou say to me this day thou shalt be with me in Paradice And which saydst to thy mother Woman behold thy sonne Moreouer to thy Disciple behold thy mother graunt that thy loue and perfite charitie may accompanie me vnto thy mother And which saiedst My God my God why hast thou forsaken me grant me to say in all my afflictions griefes of mind mâ— Father my Lorde haue mercie on me a sinner and helpe mee my king and my God which with thy precious bloud hast redeemed mee And which saydest I thirst graunt that I may euer thirst after thee the fountaine of liuing water And which saidest Father into thy handes I commend my spirit Receiue me yeelding my self vp vnto thee And which saydest It is finished graunt that I may bee worthie to heare that sweete voyce of thine saying Come my Loue my dearly beloued spouse come that thou mayest go vp with me with my Angels and Saints to banquet reioyce and remaine together in my kingdome through infinite worlds of worldes Amen Another O Lorde Iesu Christ for the bitternesse which thou sustainedst for me wretch on the Crosse chiefly about that houre when thy most excellent soule departed out of thy blessed bodie Grant I most humblie beseech thee mercie to my soule in the departure thereof and bring it into life euerlasting Amen Another I Beséech thée Lorde Iesu Christ throgh those thy woundes suffered on the Crosse and bringing Saluation vnto vs wounde this my sinfull soule for which also thou hast vouchsafed to die wound it with thy burning and most mightie dart of thy exceeding loue Thrust my heart through with the arrow of thy loue that my soule may say vnto thee I am wounded with thy loue so that out of that wounde teares may bountifully flowe day and night O Lord strike I beseech thee strike my most hard heart with the godly strong point of thy loue yea deepely to the bottome pierce it with thy mighty power who liuest and raignest worlde without ende Amen Another of the same KIng of the elect I beséech thee throgh him holie of all the holie ones through him my redeemer make mee to runne the way
of euils a Quéene of pride full of miseries and errours which is not to bee tearmed a life but death in wich wee die euery moment with diuerse kinde of deathes through sundry the defects of mutability Whether therefore we which liue in this world may call it a life which humors puffe vp sorrowes abate ayres infect meates breed diseases hunger makes leane disports makes dissolute sadnes cōsumes thought shortneth riches maketh proude pouerty debaseth youth aduanceth olde age maketh crooked and sicknesse ouer commeth And after all these euils furious death followeth and moreouer appointeth such an end to all the ioyes of this miserable life that when it ceaseth to be it may be suposed neuer to haue béene This death vitall and life mortal although it bee sprinkled with these and other bitternesses yet alas how many doth it deceiue with false promises And so this life as of it selfe it is false and bitter so also it cannot be hidden and vnknowne to the blinde louers of it yet notwithstanding it soketh and vtterly drunkeneth an infinite number of fooles with the golden cup it hath in hande Happie they are and they be but few that forsake the familiarity of it that despise the flitting ioyes of it and reiect the fellowship therof least that also they be compelled to perish with that perishing deceiuer Prayers in aduersity and trouble HAue mercy Lord haue mercy on me miserable sinner doing wickednes worthily suffering therefore continually sinning and dayly earning thy scourges If I weigh the euill dayly that I haue done it is not much that I suffer grieuous it is that I haue committed easie it is that I endure Thou art iust O Lord and thy iudgements are right all thy iudgements are iust and true Iust and vpright art thou our Lord and God and there is no iniquity in thee for not vniustly neither cruelly doest thou aflict vs sinners almighty and most mercifull Lord who when wee were not mightily madest vs and when wee had béene lost through our owne offence in thy mercy and goodnesse marueyloussy thou restoredst vs. I know and am sure that our life is not guided with rash motions but is ordered and gouerned by thee our Lord God whereby thou hast care of all chiefly of thy seruants who haue put their whole hope in thy onely mercy Therefore I beseech and humbly pray that thou doest not to mee according to my sinnes in which I haue deserued thy wrath but according to thy great mercy which passeth the sinnes of the whole world Thou O Lord which outwardly imposest plagues and scourges graunt alwaies an vnfainting patience so that thy prayse neuer depart out of my mouth haue mercy on me Lord haue mercy and helpe me as thou knowest how because I haue néed therof both in soule and bodie thou knowest all things thou canst doe all things which liuest and raignest world with out end Amen Of the felicity of the life which God hath prepared for them that loue him O Thou life which God hath prepared for them that loue him a life long hoped for a blessed life a peaceable life a glorious life a vndefiled life a chast life a holy life a life without knowledge of death ignorant of sadnesse a life without spot without paine without griefe without corruptiō without vexation without variety and change a life of all beauty and most full of honor where there is no aduersarie resisting where bee no allurements of sin where there is perfect loue and no feare where day is euerlasting and of all one spirit where God is seene face to face and the mind satisfied with this nourishment without want O thou life most happie where that souldiour the conquerer accompanied with all the companies of Angelles singing praises singeth to God without ceasing the pleasant song of the songs of Sion the perpetuall crowne compassing his honorable head I would to God the pardon of my sins granted me and this vnprofitable burden of the flesh put off I might enter to possesse the true rest to thy ioy And that I might go into the bright and beautifull walles of thy City to receiue a crown of life of the hand of the Lord that I might be in presence with those most holy companies that I might stand before the glory of the Creator with the most blessed spirits that I might see the present countenance of Christ that alwaies I might beholde that high and vnspeakeable and vnmeasurable light and so to bée moued with no feare of death but that I might reioyce of the reward of euerlasting incorruption without ende A Meditation of the celestiall Soule O My soul sigh feruently desire earnestly that thou mayest come into the Citie aboue of which so glorious things are spoken in which there is a dwelling of all reioysinges Thou mayest ascende through loue nothing is difficult to him that loueth nothing vnpossible The Soule that loueth ascendeth often and passeth familiarly through familiarly through the stréets of heauenly Ierusalem in visiting the Patriarks and Prophets in saluting the Apostles in marueling at the armies of Martyrs and Confessors and in beholding the companies of Virgins Let not heauen and earth cease to call on mee that I loue the Lord my God That all our hope and desire ought to bee to God ONe thing I haue asked of the Lord and this I request that I might dwel in the house of God all the dayes of my life For as the Hart desireth the water springs so my soule longeth after thee my liuing God O when may I come and appeare before thy face when shal I see my God whome my soule thirsteth for when shall I see him in the land of the liuing For in earth of dying men hee cannot bee seene with mortall eies What shall I doe wretch that I am bound with the setters of my mortality what shall I do Whilest wee are in this bodie wee goe on pilgrimage to God wee haue not heere any Citie to inhabit but wee seeke an other that is to come for our incorporation is in heauen Ah wo is me that I am constrained to dwel with Mesech and to haue my habitation amongest the Tentes of Cedar My soule hath long dwelt amongst them that haue beene enemies to peace Who shall giue mee wings like a doue and I wil flie and take m◠rest Nothing is so sweete to mee as to bee with my Lord for it is my good to cleaue vnto the Lorde Graunt mee O Lord whilest I am present in these frail lims to cleaue vnto thee according as it is written Hee that cleaueth to the Lord is one spirit with him Another THou O lord the hope of Israell the desire after which our hearts sigheth dayly make hast tarrie not Arise make speede and come that thou maist deliuer vs out of this prison to praise thy holy name that I may glory in thy light Open thine eares to the cries and teares of thine Orphanes which crie out vnto the.
namely that as thou hast raised vp my body from fast and sound sléepe so also thou wilt deliuer my mind from the sléepe of sinne and from the darknes of this world and after death restore the same body to life as well as thou hast called it again from sléepe For that which is death to vs is but sléepe vnto thée I pray and beséech thée that through thy goodnesse this body of mine may bee fellow and furtherer of all godlinesse to my soule in this life so as it may also be partner with it of the endlesse felicity in the life to come through Iesus Christ thy Sonne our Lord. For whose sake and by whom thou giuest vs all good and wholesome thinges to our welfare Amen Euening Prayer LOrd Iesus Christ to whose vnconsumeable goodnesse we bee beholden for all things which hast graunted the chearefull light of the day vnto all men both good and bad to doe their businesse in and mercifully giuen them the swéet stilnesse of the night to refresh the powers of their silly bodies and to put away the cares of their mindes to aswage their sorrowes For so much as thou thy selfe performest all these things much more beneficially to them that loue thée to whom thou giuest a farre greater light by the grace of faith to doe all déedes of godlinesse by then doth the shining of the Sunne vnto the world Insomuch as thy promises neuer suffer them to faint but the comfort of thy spirit putteth away all cumberances of minde farre more effectually then any sleepe of the body And the whole man resteth not more sweetly or safely in any thing then in thy mercy O deare Redéemer I â—eseech thee that if I haue done any thing this day through humaine frailty negligence which hath offended thine eies pardon it for thine wonted goodnesse sake and grant therwithall that this night may be happy to mee by thy prospering thereof pure by thy preseruing of me safe from the nightly illusions of wicked féends through thy protection so as this sléepe may make both my body and mind more chearefull and lusty to serue thee to morrow Moreouer because this life hath not one houre certaine whensoeuer the euentide therof commeth and the long sleepe of the body groweth vpon mee from which we shall not wake till the dead rise againe at the sound of thine Angelles Trumpet I beseech thee lighten thou then the eyes of my mind so as I may not sleepe in euerlasting death by the quenching of my faith but rest in thee to whom euen the dead are aliue Which liuest and raignest with the Father and the holy Ghost one God world without ende Amen Augustine his Ladder to Paradice BEing busied on a certaine day with the bodily labour of hands when I had begunne to consider of a spirituall mans exercise Foure degrees or steppes suddenly offered themselues vnto my consideration which were Reading Meditation Prayer and Contemplation This is the Ladder of secluded men of solitary men wherewith they are lifted vp into heauen it is a Ladder distinguished and noted but with a few degrees or stepps and yet of an vnmeasurable and incredible greatnesse The first part of the which is stayed vpon the earth but the vppermost part pierceth the clouds and searcheth the secrets of the Heauens These degrees or steps as in names and number they are diuers so in order and number they are distinguished· Whose properties and benefites surely euery of them what they may bring to passe in vs How betweene themselues they differ and excell if any one would throughly consider whatsoeuer labour or study he shal bestow in them be shall briefely and easily thinke and thinke againe vpon them in regard of the greatnesse of their profite sweetnesse and delight For Reading is a diligent and earnest looking on the scriptures with a bending and strayning of the mind Meditation is a studious action of the minde searching out the knowledge of the secret truth by the leading of ones owne and speciall reason Prayer is a deuout intention of the minde to God for the putting away of euill things and the obtaining of things that are good Contemplation is a certaine lifting vp of a stayed minde to God tasting the ioyes of eternall sweetnesse A discription of the parts and duties of those foure degrees THerefore the discriptions of the foure degrees assigned it remaineth that wee should sée their parts and duties Reading searcheth Meditation findeth Prayer sueth or maketh intercession Contemplation féeleth or tasteth Wherevpon the Lord himselfe saith Seeke and ye shall find knocke and it shall bee opened vnto you Seeke by reading and yee shall finde in meditating Knocke ye by Prayer and it shall bee opened to you in contemplation Reading setteth the mouth as it were to sound meate Meditation cheweth and breaketh Prayer obtayneth tast Contemplation is the same sweetnesse which gladdeth and comforteth Reading is in the barke or shell Meditation in the fat Prayer in the supplication of desire Contemplation in the delectation of gotten sweetnesse which that it may appeare more plaine I will apply one example out of many I heare in reading Blessed are the cleane ' n hart for they shall see God Beholde a short sentence but swéet and manifolde in knowledge I come ouer and beside to the feede of the soule as it were of a Grape the which thing after the soule hath diligently séene into it sayth within it selfe may there be any good I will come to my heart and will try if happely I may vnderstand and finde this cleannesse for this thing is precious and worthy to bee 1 wished for the possessors of which are called Gods to whom is promised the sight of God which is eternall use which is commended with so many testimonies of holy scriptures Therefore destring this thing more plainely to be expounded to it selfe it beginneth to chew and breake this grape and putts it into the presse vntill it mooueth reason to search out whether this cleannesse so precious and worthy to be wished for can be and how it may be bad The office of Meditation THEN commeth Diligent and earnest Meditation it farieth not behinde it hath not any thing in the superficie or outside of another it pitcheth foote it pierceth the inward parts it seeketh euery corner it considereth beedely that he hath not sayde Blessed be the cleane in body but in minde because it sufficeth not to haue harmeles hands from euill worke but that also we should bée â—lensed in mind from wicked thoughts Which is confirmed by the authority of the Prophet saying Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord or who shall rise vp in his holy place euen he that hath cleane hands and a pure heart Also this Meditation it considereth this cleannesse of heart which the same Prophet would Thinke also how carefull blessed Iob was in keeping this who said I haue made a couenant with mine eyes that I would â—ot thinke