hath received a benefit to his benefact our And value in the first place that he vouchsafeth to receive thy self of thy self 29. Meditation Of heedfull Attention to Gods Inspirations 1. COnsider that whereas God acteth all things which he doeth by his knowledge and his will and that every thing with all its parts and powers was made by him it is consequent that he knows them all and perfectly comprehendeth the effects of them in themselves 2. Lastly whatsoever is done through the whole Universe he hath as it were the History of it written in the Tables of his own Eternity that not the least dust can be divided not one sand grow together not a drop of water not a leaf of a tree can fall without his will and knowledge whatsoever he willeth is most efficaciously performed and wheresoever he â—â—â—lleth there most infallibly it faileth 1. Conclude not to be scandalized or sad for whatsoever shall come to pass besides thy own sins being certain that since it proceeds according to the counsell of him that is all wisedome tempered with perfect goodnesse it cannot all things considered but be best of all that it should so come to pass 2. Again never go about a long time before to consult and be solicitous concerning thy future life and actions since every plot of thine is uncertain and doubtfull whether it will be for good or bad since thou dost not throughly foresee even what is before thy eyes 3. Attend to God alone that thou maist do thy duty in whatsoever he commands or counsells thee but think that he commands that which now not to be done is wicked to counsell that which according to thy present knowledge and power seems to thee fit to be done without any passion or corrupt affection Neither be thou afterwards solicitous whether it succeeds or not being secure that wisely according to thy Conscience thou didst undertake it and as it was sitting for thee but alwayes stand vigilant and full of regard in the sight of him that doth see thee and thine whether outwardly by any opportunity or inwardly by any inspiration he offer thee any thing that thou mayest not omit it and more especially that thou mayest not attempt that thing which might displease him 30. Meditation Of the Reverence due to Saints 1. COnsider that those blessed Spirits which in joy God are the friends of God seeing his face and talking with him as one friend is wont to discourse with another knowing all the reasons of his Providence partakers of all the secrets of the wisedom of God as to whom he hath revealed all that he hath heard from his Father 2. Again consider that they are the most perfect and noble among creatures the treasures of wisedome and science having the fulnesse of Sanctity and Goodnesse naturally in a manner rooted within them elevated above their nature and the excellency of any possible creature they are deiformd full of God himself and unchangeable by an unspeakable participation of his Eternity 3. Moreover they are established in grace and as it were in like power by God for as he would communicate to us the goods and benefits of Nature by naturall causes for the manifestation of his bounty so he made choice of these to communicate and bestow morall goods at their intercession So much more mighty then upon the earth by how much more they do superabound in Charity 4. Consider them lastly to be such as have endured a hard combate before they attained Glory those that have remained in temptations with Christ for whom the vast compasse of the World was made and ages have run their race Conclude they are to be honoured according to the state of their eminency and dignity that they are to be reverenced and prayed unto according to the power and grace which they have with God that they are to be imitated in their vertue and abiding of battels for which they were given to be examples to thee If thou inquirest how much more then wise men more then those that are powerfull or princes more then thou canst do or invent because their dignity is more then that thou canst sufficiently admire 31. Meditation Of Devotion to our B. Ladie 1. COnsider that the blessed Virgin was so farre a cause that God should be Man as our Mothers are that we should be living and mortall And that Jesus did owe unto his Mother as he was Man as much in proportion for that benefit as we do to ours in that we have a being from them O wonderfull and inexplicable greatness 2. Again it was granted to her by God that out of her purest bloud she should give matter and nourishment unto Christ that she should take care of him in his infancy Nay moreover she received power over him as well for correction as direction for this is a mothers power and she was truly a mother 3. Adde that although a mother after her son is come to the age of freedome and emancipation ceaseth to be greater then her son by right and in princes is absolutely subject notwithstanding the authority and reverence and power which she hath by grace and good will in a good child remains nothing lesse then it was formerly as long as she behaves her self wisely 4. Out of which Considerations behold as fervently as thou canst the unspeakable dignity and power of the mother of God And adde whereas God distributeth his gifts according to the quality of those that receive them and that the quality of his mother was without comparison or measure he must have powred upon her the fulnesse of dignity power grace and eminency not in a higher degree of the same nature but in a manner more noble and large by the whole kind and nature of it Conclude that thy reverence and devotion though it ought to be in a more high degree unto the rest of the Saints then towards any other creatures in what power soever they are seated yet must it be notwithstanding particular whenas to the most blessed Virgin there is due a devotion perpetuall universall continuall in such manner inferiour to the worship of God as that it must not yet be separated but as it were concomitant or accompanying it and in a sort lesse in the essence alone in the circumstances almost equall as due to her who by grace and favour reigneth with him 32. Meditation Of the daily Sacrifice of the Catholick Church 1. COnsider that whereas a sacrifice is the consumption of some creature without our own profit for a testimony that we acknowledge God to be the fountain of all being and from whom are both our selves and all that is ours that he is the end for whom all things are and to whom we direct our selves and what is ours that he is Lord of life and death of bodies and of souls and according to whose will all things are or are not it therefore ought only to be offered unto God and by consequence
Conclude to observe watchfully to esteem nothing as of light moment that leads unto this misery nor willingly to enter by manner of sport into dalliance of this so great a mischief by means whereof man is easily debased and in a sporting folly is utterly undone in the sight of God himself and the world abhorre the very appearance and suspect the remotest allurements of the flesh assuring thy self thou canst only get the conquest by flying 38. Meditation Of the State of Wedlock 1. COnsider that whereas the love of man to his wife is the most strong and constant among all animall affections it is necessary the inconveniences arising from thence should also be most grievous If thy wife be a fool if a scold if proud or infamous or sluggish thou hast made thy self a slave to a most cruell prison and how small a number are free from such like vices or how canst thou be sufficiently cautious not to light upon some one that is such 2. But let it be granted that she is the best that may be yet art thou no longer at liberty to choose thy friends and familiar companions thou art tyed and must perforce endure those who are of your mutuall alliance of what condition soever If thou lovest thy wife all thy miseries are doubled because thou dost licence fortune to sway over thee in two bodies nay every misery invades thee with advantage because thy own sufferings grieve thee for her sake 3. Adde with what affection and how perpetually must thou serve her thou must sit at home pleasures must be set aside duties omitted and those sweet societies are to be broken off to which thou wert accustomed Then if thou hast no children thy house is solitary thy bed unfruitfull thy thoughts full of tedious emulation and thy endeavours seem unprofitable But if thou hast children thou must dread their infancy have a watchfull care over their vouth and provide for every age By a communication of affections thou art so many times miserable as thou numbrest so dear pledges And who can promise thee they shall be good if they are unfortunate if wicked if ungratefull if foolish if deformed they must not be cast away before thine eyes thou must perpetually bear the burthen of thine own folly 4. All these if thou diest before them thou forsakest them being needy and orphans If they passe out of the world before thee thou hast obtained a mournfull old age Whichsoever happens with what a torment of thy bowells art thou divided and as it were torn away from so dear pledges What should I speak of the attentive care of thy substance whereby to nourish and enrich them It is necessary that the soul which descended from heaven should be enslaved to dirt and to beasts and that precious leasure which was due to the consideration of heaven must be imployed upon dung 5. But perchance these miseries may not fall upon thee See if ninety of a hundred are not drowned in these difficulties and it is by grace from above and not the force of thine own wisdome if thou avoidest them But thou through courage of thy mind canst passe through all and never burn in the midst of the furnace A likely matter since thou couldst not warrant thy self being free but voluntarily didst run into the danger Conclude if thou art free out of necessity to blesse God and live contented if it be by choice of free will to pray unto God to preserve it being mindfull how it is folly to accuse fortune if being fairly admonished thou perishest through thy own willfulnesse 39. Meditation Of Gluttony 1. COnsider how short the delight of meat and drink is how it passeth in the twinckling of an eye how slight it is that except a man useth attention he cannot observe it and whensoever he hath attentively tasted a thing he can rarely judge of it except he have experience how vile and infamous it is that man for the most part will blush to acknowledge that he is led by it and those kind of people are most contemptible whom we term Parasites or Smelfeasts 2. In the mean how dishonourable is it rising from the table to turn himself presently to sleep or to discharge his belly over a close stool and to be impotent in duties belonging to his calling and wearisome to himself How uncomely is it to expresse any affection to good chear What shall I say of the crudities and nauseating of the stomach after a feast and of the diet also to be observed for severall daies if no disease ensue 3. Now he that hath got a custome of it what is he good for he casteth away his honour forsaketh his friends is made a scorn to his enemies a dishonour to his parents subject to idlenesse and sloth and prone to all kind of wickednesse Conclude to use such a mean of meat and drink as may serve for health and action if thou exceedest the usuall measure let it be done to that purpose that thy spirits may become more lively and not be oppressed and made sluggish bridle thy mouth with reason that by observation thou maist know what doth good how much doth hurt how much overloads and thus with giving of thanks accept what God shall provide for thee 40. Meditation Of Drunkennesse 1. COnsider that the peculiar deformity of drunkennesse consisteth in that the reason weakned with too much drink is compelled to serve the domineering appetite so that a drunkard is truly a beast nay so much worse as it is a thing more deformed for to make reason a slave then that it should be altogether wanting 2. Weigh considerately the comportment of a drunkard in his words in his eyes in his motion in his face how confounded and different is he from himself and even ridiculous to children 3. The life moreover of a drunkard is a shop of brawls and slaughters he never passeth out of his house that he is not alwaies subject either to do some mischief or suffer it for what he acted when he was in drink remains to be satisfied for when he is sober 4. Add that he is much weakned in the operations of his understanding he betraies secrets he tattles out his appetites and discovers his designs and actions he is tracked out by all men he is discerned he is scorned he is also unfit for the duties of a common life how many mischiefs through drunkennesse do fall upon a souldier a mariner or whosoever it is that hath any businesse of weight or moment committed to his charge In truth who is there that will commit any slight matter to the care of a drunkard since it is certain that he will in his drink either betray the businesse or spoil it by being circumvented 5. Lastly the life of a drunkard is base and odious ingratefull to ones familiars dishonourable to parents infamous to all and by custome usually arrives to that height of turpitude that neither reason nor body can execute the
ordinary functions of humane life Conclude to abominate so filthy a kind of vice and abhorre the company of drunkards as of so many beasts when any occasion of drinking offers it self if thou canst not avoid it be thou the last and trembling avoid every stroke know assuredly that there is poison contained in every cup that is drunk with excesse shun therefore what thou art able every glasse that is coming towards thee untill there creeps in some occasion whereby thou canst privily slip from the rest who are disturbed with drink Thou canst not perswade a beast to drink more then is necessary esteem therefore him unworthy of thy company nor to be accompted a friend or kinsman who induceth thee to the like 41. Meditation Of Anger 1. COnsider that anger is a desire of revenge revenge a part of justice to wit that he may suffer evil who hath done evil which is an act of reason anger is therefore so much the more deformed when it strayeth from reason by how much it is naturall for it to be joined with it 2. Again anger is joined with grief he therefore brings grief upon himself who cherisheth his anger See now how senselesse it is whenas another hath done thee an injury that thou shouldst therefore frame and create a new scourge for thy self He therefore who is angry rejoyceth his enemy and completes his desire which was that he should bring u pon himself misery and grief but he who ispatient in that very thing is a conquerour since he hinders that his enemy cannot heap a mischief and sorrow upon him for other miseries are therefore miseries in that they sad the soul 3. Farther a man that is angry is an impediment also to himself for whiles he betrayeth the mind that he hath to do a mischief he both makes his enemy wary to prevent it and that he also disturbed with his own passion sees not what is needfull to be done to effect his purpose 4. But for a wise man with whom should he be angry for he that commits the mischief doth it either justly and then it is an unjust thing to be angry for it or through ignorance and then it is unbeseeming a wise man for to wish any hurt to another for any thing which was done by chance or through ignorance or lastly out of passion or through an evil affection whom it is fit we should pitty for if it had been well with him he had never done the injury but being in a passion for the time he was a beast and as you are not angry with a dog or a bear so neither is it a thing becoming to be angry with such a man But he that hath contracted an irrationall affection is so much worse then a beast by how much he is more perseverantly and more deeply the same that a passionate man is for a short space 5. Adde to these the turpitude of an angry man in his countenance in the headlong rashnesse of his motions and gestures not seeing what is fit to be done speaking things unworthy himself vexing himself and hindring that very revenge which he most of all desireth Lastly anger is also hurtfull and causeth diseases in the body Conclude to embrace meeknesse and not to give the reins of reason to so unbridled and inconsiderate an affection when thou seest one angry view and consider in him how in thy anger thou art wont to behave thy self and learn to be vertuous by the consideration of the foulnesse of another mans vice 42. Meditation Of Learning 1. COnsider how that among those actions which are not vertues and yet may be vertuously used some of them do perfect other things and some of them man himself and of those some cultivate the body and others the soul of man in that wherein the soul is lord and excellent above other things and these necessarily excell all others as much as the soul excelleth the matters of the others 2. Adde that whenas man is man by reason of his soul those among men ought to be most eminent who take the care of instructing the soul whence it is that naturally men do out of their hearts admire and honour cordially such as are learned and scorn the foolish that are rich nay they do moreover willingly believe and submit themselves to the learned as greater then themselves from whence the Governours of Common wealths are addicted to learning and are accompted to know more then other men neither can wealth nor abundance be wanting to those that excell in power except they despise them 3. But the whole life of such as practise arts and sciences how much doth it excell others their pleasures purged from lees are purely tasted whenas corporall delights disturbed with a tumult of passions and sensible alteration make that themselves cannot be known They are constant and persevering but the corporall passeth presently into lothsomnesse and disdain They are more easily obtained because they stand in need of fewer instruments and those more ready at hand This life brings neither diseases to the body nor detriment to fame nor to our friends any defect of duty nay rather it exhorts and furnisheth us where with to avoid all these inconveniences 4. Lastly it is quiet and free from infinite troubles because it doth not mingle it self with such things for the obtaining whereof strifes and cares do besiege the life of man with so much importunity and by labours chained together draw it along in misery But if we will cast our eyes upon such businesses she playeth the great mistress by superiour discourses of a higher strain doth rule and order them Conclude to give thanks unto God that he hath placed thee in such a rank of men Resolve to use thy utmost endeavour in that Vocation and to be fixed in that 〈…〉 whereon thou are pitched to 〈◊〉 those who are hardned with such blindnesse that they can neither acknowledge thy happinesse nor their own vilenesse and think themselves wise whiles they attempt to seduce others and bring them to their condition 43. Meditation Of the study of Theology 1. COnsider that the perfection of a humane soul consisteth either in this that it self is made a partaker of those considerations which are of the highest rank and order or that it extends its own to such things as are inferiour to its self of the which the first comes by contemplation the other by action and for both these ends sacred Theology doth most eminently instruct it 2. For it reacheth to the highest contemplation of God and those spirituall substances which are next unto him it treateth also of the beginnings the end substance order and constitution of all things it considereth the operation providence and command as well of God as of spirituall substances and of all kind of action which is proper unto man and from whom neither the meanest of things can ly hid nor the greatest escape his capacity it is Theology that frameth and regulateth