if I parte my goods liberally to others Or contrarily If I bee prowde and vindicatiue If I seeke my temporall proffit with the hurt of my neighbour and with the losse of spirituall good and so making reflexion hereupon I will endeuour to bee a Sheepe of this soueraigne Shepheard confidently trusting that with greate prosperitye hee will place mee on his right hande The fourth Pointe Of the publication of ConscieÌ„ces D. Tho. in addit q. 87. 1. Cor. 4.5 Daniel 7.10 Apoc. 20.12 Libri aperti suÌ„t alius liber quâ—Ì„ est vitae THe fourth Pointe shall bee to consider the Publication that shall bee made at the day of Iudgement of all the Consciences of the good and euill before men and Angells discouering as the Apostle S. Paule saith the things that were couered in darkenesse and manifesting the Secrets that were inclosed in their heartes with a speciall light that God shall communicate to haue them seene VVherein I will ponder how God our Lord in that day shall open as the holy Scripture saieth and vnfolde the bookes of Consciences which during the time of this life were shut vp so that all shall reade what is written in the booke of euery ones coÌ„science euery one what is written in the booke of conscience of all and according to the contents of those bookes Iudgement shall bee made and Sentence pronounced that all may see the vprightnesse of Gods Iustice aswell for the honour of the good as for the confusion of the wicked From whence I will collect how much it behoueth mee too consider well what I write in the booke of my conscience for I may now write what I list and couer it as I will but in that day in spite of my Heart all shall come to light and if the booke of my conscience bee well written according to the booke of Life which is Christe IESVS my booke saithe Iob shall bee my defence my honour Iob. 31.35 and my Crowne But if it bee contrary to that of Christ IESVS it shall bee my accuser my dishonour Colloquie and Condemnation O most pious Sauiour vvhose booke in the daye of Iudgement shall bee opened that thy life may bee as a Lavve and liuing rule by the vvhich Iudgement shall bee made of ours permitte mee not to vvrite in the booke of my Conscience any thing that may bee contrary to thy booke and if at any time thorough my frailetye I shall so vvrite ayde mee to blott it out vvith penance that in the daye of my account thou seeing mee conformable to thee in Life mayest likevvise make mee conformable to thee in Glorie Amen 2. But particularizing more at large what is to passe in this publication I will ponder that then the secret Sinnes of the Hearte shall bee published and the foule Sinnes of Acte that were committed in corners and those which for Shame were concealed in Confession or were couered with excuses and shiftes Then shall also bee manifested damned Intentions secret Treasons Hipocrisies and all other workes that seemed holy and were in truthe wicked There shall bee knowne vnfaithfull Seruauntes false friendes fained Christians with very greate confusion to see themselues discouered for if I feele it so much to haue my secret Sinne published before ten men how shall I feele it to haue all my Sinnes togither published before all men and before all the Angells O my Soule hovv darest thou sinne in secret if thou beleiuest that thy Sinne shall bee published and manifested before all the VVorlde Hovv canst thou in confession couer some Sinnes for Shame if thy Faithe telleth thee of this confusion that thou shallt suffer for concealing them Remember vvhat thy Redeemer saithe Luc. 12.2 Nihil opertum quod non reueletur neque occultum quod non sciatur Nothing is hid that shall not bee reuealed nor secrete that shall not bee knovven Therefore cease to committe that Sinne that thou wouldst not haue manifested 3. Then will I ponder how God our Lord shall manifest the good VVorkes of the Iust how secret soeuer they haue beene their pure thoughtes their holy affections their intentions so close hidden that the left hand knewe not what the right did and their exteriour workes which they couered for Humillitye and those which the worlde esteemed for euill and for them calumniated and condemned them for the which not withstanding they shall bee honoured and exalted O how foule and abhominable shall Vice then appeare and how pleasing and beautifull Vertue O what honour and credit shall it then bee to haue beene obedient and humble and to haue suffered Injuries silently without execuses or diuertings O happy they which embrace these Vertuous exercises seeing for them they shall receiue so greate glorye Couer o my Soule Colloquie thy good vvorkes vvith Humillitye that Pride may not robbe thee of them for in his good time our Lord to thy greate glorye shall discouer them 4. Lastly I will ponder how the Iust Iudge in that daye will discouer as well the good workes which the euill did as the euill workes which the good did buth with a different ende and successe For the good workes of the euill shall arise to their greater Ignominie for not hauing perseuered in that good loosing the rewarde thereof for mingling them with many euills And when they shall see the aduises and good Counsells which they gaue to the elect they shall bee much the more ashamed that they tooke them not for themselues nor made proffit of them Contrarily when God shall publish the Sinnes committed by the Iust hee will likewise publish the Penance which they did and the good they collected thereout so that they shall not bee to them an occasion of confusion but rather a motiue to praise God that pardoned them and freed them by his greate mercye from so greate miserye And all shall redounde to the greater confusion of the wicked seeing others that committed the same or greater Sinnes then theirs in so greate honour for hauing donne Penance for them in time The fifth Pointe Of the Accusations and Imputations against the VVicked Apoc. 12 10. Orat. 1. de amore erga DeuÌ„ proximum THe fifth Pointe shall bee to consider the terrible accusations and imputations that shall arise out of this publication against the wicked in fauour of the good For first of all the Diuell the Accuser and Calumniatour of men at this day which is the last of his office shall doe it with greate vehemencie exaggerating the Sinnes of the wicked the more to confounde them as S. Basile saieth before the whole VVorlde for turning himselfe to the Iudge hee will say I created not these neither gaue I them life nor sustenance nor the goods which they enjoyed I neither suffered nor died for them nor promised them any eternall rewarde and yet not wich standing forsaking thee that diddest all these things for them they serued and obeyed mee Therefore mine they
are Tempted and afflicted the leaues thereof shall bee the healthe of such as are Soule-sicke the odoriferous flowers thereof shall comfort such as are Young beginners in Vertue the sweete fruites thereof shall fortifye such as are Proficients and doe goe formard therein and the round cup thereof shal bee the resting place of such as are Perfect For all shall finde meditations and formes of Praying accomodated to their Estates as soone after shall bee seene And that it may appeare how the Pietie and Soueraignety of misticall Theologie is founded vpon the rigorous veritie of Scholasticall Diuinitie the third Fountaine of what I shall say shal bee the Schoole-Doctors of whome I will onely alledge the Angelicall Doctor S. Thomas for that hee alone is auaileable for ten thousand witnesses whose Doctrine is sounde secure and well approoued and with the Verities of Scholasticall Theologye hee pointeth at the profoundest conceiptes and highest sense of mysticall Diuinitie for both of them are Sisters and in both is notably excellent this glorious Doctor as was his master S. Augustine and his Companion S. Bonauenture of whose Doctrine I shall likewise make vse And because that notwithstanding I haue had so good guides yet as a man I may erre in what I shall write my will is that all whatsoeuer shall bee subject to the correction of holy mother Church which is the foundation and piller of Truthe from the which whensoeuer either thorough ignoraunce or negligence I shal departe I forth with reuoke whatsoeuer I shall haue saide VVhat Mentall Praier is § 1. MEntall Praier whereof wee heere intreate is a worke of the three interiour Faculties of the Soule Memory Vnderstanding and VVill Ex P. Ignatio in 1. exer citio primae hebdomadae Ex D. Tho. 2.2 q. 83. art 1. q. 180. art 1. 3. 4. 3. p. q. 31. exercising by Gods fauour their Actes about those mysteries and Truthes which our holy Catholike Faithe teacheth and speaking within our selues to God our Lord conuersing familiarly with him begging of him his guiftes and negotiating all what soeuer is necessary for our Saluation and perfection in such sorte that the Substance of mentall Praier consisteth principally in these foure thinges 1. The first is with the memory to bee mindefull of God our Lorde with whome wee are to speake and to negociate and to bee mindefull also of the mysterie that is to bee meditated passing breifely thorough the memorye with clearenesse and distinction that which is to be the matter of the meditation as it is taught by faithe and as it is diuided into seuerall pointes in the forme that heereafter wee shall set downe And that this memorye or recordation bee not drye it is good to joyne thereunto the Actions of Faithe beleeuing with the greatest liuelynesse that wee can the verities of that mysterie because God whoe is all Truthe hath reuealed them making of Faithe a Ladder to mount vp to perfect knowledge Cap. 7. iuxta 70 D. Hier. ibid. seeing that as Isaias saithe vnlesse you beleeue you shal not vnderstand 2. The second thing is with the vnderstanding to make seuerall discourses and considerations about that mysterie inquiring and searching out the Verities comprehended therein with all the causes proprieties effectes and circumstances that it hath pondering them very particularly In such sorte that the Vnderstanding may forme a true proper and entire conceipt of the thing that it meditateth and may remaine conuinced and perswaded to receiue and to embrace those Truthes that it hath meditated to propound them to the VVill and to moue it therby to exercize its Actions 3. The third is with Free will to drawe out sundry Affections or vertuous Actes conformable to that which the Vnderstanding hath meditated some ordained to himselfe others ordained to God our Lord as are Hatred of our selues Sorrowe for our Sinnes Confusion of our owne misery Loue of God Trust in his mercye Praises of God Thankesgiuing for benefits receiued Desire to obtaine true Vertues effectuall Purposes to doe good workes and to change and amende our Life Resignation of our selues to the VVil of God offering to doe and to suffer whatsoeuer God shall ordaine and dispose and other such like the which wee call Affections for that they are to bee donne with the Affection and Liking of the VVill moued by what the Vnderstanding hath demonstrated vnto it and in these consisteth that which wee call substantiall Deuotion from the which ariseth the spirituall peace and alacritye of the Soule And to them as saith S. 2.2 q. 82 art 3. q. 180. art 7. ad 1. Lib. 3. de fide orthodoxa cap. 24. Thomas is principally ordained meditation and contemplation and those other Actes of the Vnderstanding which are exercized in Mentall Praier for which cause S. Iohn Damascene saide of it that it is Ascensus mentis in Deum an Ascending of our Spirit to God joyning vs with him by actuall knowledge and Loue. 4. The fourth thing is to make Petitions to God our Lord holding speeche and conference with him in reason to aske of him what the VVill hath desired and the Vnderstanding hath seene and all else that wee haue neede of wherein consisteth that which wee properly call Praier which is an humble confident and feruent Petition of such things as are conuenient for vs and wee desire to obtaine of our Lorde These Petitions and colloquies or speeches are to bee directed sometimes to the eternall Father other sometimes to his onely begotten Sonne Christ IESVS and other sometimes to the whole most blessed Trinitye alledging to them Titles and Reasons that may moue them to graunte vs what wee demaund These Titles may bee taken from three partes Ex D. Th. 2.2 q. 83. art 17. some from the parte of God as hee is God to witte asking him something for his Goodnesse for the Loue that hee beareth vs for the Desire hee hath of our good for that hee Commandeth vs to aske him for the Glorye of his holy name that hee may bee praised by all his Creatures and finally there may bee made as it were a Litanye of his Perfections and Attributes saying vnto him Graunt mee o Lord what I require of thee for thy owne sake for thy Charitye for thy Mercye for thy Liberallitye for thy VVisdome for thy Omnipotencye for thy Immensitye and Eternitye c. Other Titles there are on the parte of Christ IESVS our Lord true God and man to witte by his Incarnation and Natiuitye by his Circumcision and Presentation in the Temple by his flying into Egipt by his Fastings by his Hunger Colde and Nakednesse and by all the Labour and Trauell of his Preaching Againe by the Dolours Ignominies and Torments of his Passion and Deathe alledging his Sweating of Blood his Imprisoning his Scourging his Crowne of Thornes his Nailing his Gall and Vineger and the rest Sometimes speaking to the eternall Father beseeching him to heare mee for the Loue
himselfe and for the Glory giuen to him by the Saintes in heauen and for the seruices donne him by the Iust vpon the earthe and rejoicing within ourselues for the hope of eternall good and for the possession which the blessed doe enjoy saying that of the Apocalips Apoc. 19.6 Alleluia because our Lord God the omnipotent hath raigned Let vs bee glad and reioice and giue glory to him because the mariage of the Lambe is come and his vvife hath prepared herselfe Thankesgiuings are Actions of thankefullnesse for the benefits wee haue receiued of our Lorde recounting them all very often and praising him for euery one of them and I am not onely to giue him thankes for the benefits I my selfe haue receiued but also for those which hee hath donne to the Angells in Heauen and to all the men vpon earthe and to the insensible creatures that knowe not how to thanke him yea and for those hee hath donne to the Deuills themselues and to the Damned that haue no will to bee thankefull vnto him VVith these 4. Affections wee may speake to our Lord in Praier to the ende to glorifye him procuring as S. Paul sayeth the holy Spirit to bee the beginning of our Interiour speeches the midle or Mediatour to bee Christe IESVS our Sauiour and the ende and person to whome they bee directed to bee the Father euerlasting albeeit as hath beene saide they may likewise bee directed to all the three Persons 2. The second ende why wee are to speake vnto God our Lord is to require of him newe coelestiall guiftes and graces ordained to our owne saluation and perfection and to his Glory These Petitions and Colloquies may bee made in many formes according to the diuerse disposition of him that prayeth and speaketh to God Sometimes wee are to speake vnto him as a Sonne speaketh vnto his Father asking of him all such things as a good Sonne may and ought to aske of a good Father with the Spirit of Loue and Confidence And in this sorte wee speake vnto God in that praier of our Pater noster where Christe our Lord declareth what things wee are to aske as wee shall see in the Meditation which shall bee made vpon that praier in the third parte Sometimes wee are to speake vnto God as a poore wretche doth to a riche and mercifull man begging of him an almes Psal 24.16 39.18 Ad Rom. 10.12 VVith this Spirit prayed Dauid very often calling himselfe a poore wretch and a begger begging a spirituall almes of God who as S. Paule saith is riche tovvard all that inuocate him Sometimes wee may speake to God as a sicke man speaketh to a Phisition declaring vnto him his Infirmityes and desiring remedie thereof or as a man that hath a processe or one that is guilty speketh to a Iudge when he informeth him of his right requireth a fauourable sentence or pardon of his Crime And in this case our Colloquye must bee accompanied with Affections of humilliation of Sorrowe for Sinne of Purposes of satisfaction amendmēt Of the which wee shall see forward many exāples in the meditations vpon the Miracles Parables of our Sauiour Christe Finally other sometimes wee may speake vnto God with that Spirit that a Scholler speaketh vnto his Master requiring of him Light and Instruction in such things as wee knowe not Or as one friende speaketh vnto another when hee talketh with him of some waighty affaire asking him Counsaile Direction and Aide And if Confidence and Loue shall so farre imbolden vs our Soule may speake vnto God as the Bride speaketh to her Spouse in seuerall Colloquyes wherewith the booke of Canticles is replenished In all these sortes wee may speake to our Lord in praier clothing ourselues with the foresaide affections sometimes with one and sometimes with another for all are fitting vnto vs with our God who is our Phisition our Iudge our Friende and the Spouse of our Soules Truth it is that the greatest certainety in these Petitions Colloquyes dependeth principally vpon the holy Spirit Ad Rom. 8.26 who as S. Paule saith requesteth for vs vvith gronings vnspeakeable for with his inspiration hee teacheth vs and mooueth vs to aske ordering our petitions and rowzing vp those Affections wherewith they are to bee made To which purpose S. Serm. 15. in Cantica Bernard saide that Deuotion is the Tongue of the Soule which whosoeuer hath is very skilfull in talking and reasoning with the eternall VVorde But this notwithstanding wee for our parte must aide ourselues and learne to treate and conferre with God obseruing the manner and the affection wherewith men speake one to another in the cases rehearsed VVhereunto I adde that albeit Praier is properly a speeche Colloquy with our Lord wee may not withstanding speake therein to ourselues haue conference with our owne Soule Sometimes our selues as S. Paule saieth exhorting ourselues Ad Colos 3.16 reuiuing ourselues in the affections petitions rehearsed Other sometimes reprehending ourselues for our faultes for our want of zeale beeing ashamed of our selues that wee serue God so euilly In this sorte Dauid spake many times to his Soule saying O my Soule why arte thou sorrowfull Psal 41.12 42.5 Psal 61.6 and why art thou troubled hope in God for still I haue time to praise him and to confesse that hee is my Sauiour and my God Subject thyselfe to God o my Soule for vpon him dependeth my Patience From these Colloquyes wee must make a step to speake to God himselfe as did the prodigall Sonne when hee spake to himselfe saying Hovv many of my Fathers hirelings haue aboundance of breade and I heere perish for famine Luke 15.17 I vvill arise and vvil goe to my Father and say to him Father I haue sinned against Heauen and before thee I am not novv vvorthy to bee called thy Sonne make mee if it so please thee as one of thy Hirelings Finally wee may likewise in Praier speake to our blessed Lady the Virgin to the Angells and Saintes for the same forsaid two endes either to praise and blesse them for their Sanctitye Vertues and for the benefits which they doe vs or to require them to aide and fauour vs in the businesse of our Saluation For the which wee may likewise alledge vnto them some of those Titles which we laid downe in the precedent § other speciall ones beseeming eche of them To the most sacred Virgin may bee alledged that shee is our mother and the Aduocatrice of Sinners and that for our remedie her Sonne gaue her this Office in charge alledging also the Loue that shee beareth him and her desire that all should loue and serue him beseeching her to doe for vs the office of a mother and an Aduocatrice and to demonstrate vnto vs that her Loue and Desire in obtaining for vs what wee request that wee may the better serue him whome shee so dearely loueth Also to our
will consider the extreamest that may bee truely saide of Sinne which is that though the euills of paine onely which are suffered in Hell are so terrible yet it is Incomparably a greater euill then all they In such sort that if one man should suffer the paines of Hell without Sinne and another should haue but one mortall Sinne onely this last should bee more euill and miserable then the other And if all the paines of Hell deuoyde of Sinne were put on one side on the other side one mortall Sinne onely and that I must of necessity choose one of these two I saith S. Lib. de similitudinibus c. 190. Bern. sermo 35. in Cant. Anselme would choose rather to throwe myselfe into Hell then to committe onely one mortall Sinne. And with holy Eleazar I would say Praemitti velle in infernum That I would rather enter into Hell itselfe without Sinne then remaine with Sinne in the VVorlde for the Deathe of Sinne saieth the VViseman is most wicked and the worst that may be Eccle. 28 25. Colloquie Et vtilis potius Inferus quam illa The graue yea Hell itselfe as touching paine is more profitable then it O Infinite God settle this Truthe in my Hearte that I may feare Sinne much more then Hell seeing in truthe there is no vvorse hell then to bee in Sinne. O my Soule bevvaile bitterly thy Sinnes not onely for Hell vvhich thou hast deserued but much more for the greate euill thou hast committed against God Cease presently to Sinne that God may not strike thee vvith a cruell chastizement and vvith the stripe of an Enemye Ier. 30.14 permitting thee to vvaxe obdurate in thy Sinnes to chastise thee vvith neuer ending paines Concerning this last Ponderation it is to bee considered that it is not set downe because it is needefull to make this Comparison For Hell is neuer without Sinne neither can there bee any case wherein Hell may bee chosen not to committe a Sinne but onely that heereby wee may see how greate an euill Sinne is and how worthy it is to bee much more extreemely abhorred then Hell yea allbeeit there were no Hell at all VVhereupon S. Ambrose saithe Lib. 3. de offic c. 4. 5. That there is no paine more greiuous then the VVounde of Conscience nor no Iudgement more rigorous then the Domesticall where with euery one iudgeth himselfe guilty And though the Iust man saieth hee had Giges ring with the which hee might doe what hee would Inuisible yet would hee not Sinne for hee departeth not from Sinne for feare of Punishment but for the horrour of VVickednesse and Loue of Vertue That which in this meditation hath beene declared in generall shall more manifestly bee seene by that which shall bee declared particularly in the ensuing of the Last things of man and in the speciall Punishments that corresponde to the seuen deadely Sinnes Meditations of our last things to mooue vs to a Detestation of Sinnes THE meditations of the last things of man which are Deathe and the Graue Iudgement particular and Vniuersall Hell Purgatorie and Glorye are of most efficacye to moue vs to a Detestation of our Sinnes and to an effectuall Resolution neuer more to retourne vnto them Heereupon saide the Ecclesiasticus Eccles 7.40 Deut. 32 29. In all thy vvorkes remember thy last ends and thou shallt not Sinne foreuer And for the same reason saide Moyses to his People O that they vvere vvise and vnderstood and vvould prouide for their Last thinges giuing to vnderstand That our true VVisdome Vnderstanding and Prouidence consisteth in well meditating and ruminating those things which are to happen to vs in the ende of ouâ— Life and to bee prouided therefore And especially the meditation of Deathe as Experience teacheth vs is very proffitable for all those that walke in any of the three wayes Purgatiue Illuminatiue and Vnitiue wherein all men ought often to exercize themselues though with different endes The Principiants to purge themselues of their Sinnes before Deathe assaile them and take them vnprouided The Proficients to make hast to store vp Vertues seeing the Time of meriting is very short and Deathe cuts it of on a sodaine The Perfect to despise all things created with a Desire to vnite themselues by Loue with their Creator And therefore wee will pointe out Considerations that may proffit all but most especially those that aide to the ende of the Purgatine Life whereof at this time wee entreate The seuenth Meditation of the Properties of Deathe IN this meditation wee will consider some Properties of Deathe and what endes our Lorde pretended in them for our Proffit reducing them to three which are the most Principall The first Pointe THe first Propertye of Deathe is to bee most Certaine Ad Heb. 9.27 from the which none can escape in the time that God hath determined 1. VVherein wee are to ponder first That God our Lord from all eternitye hath determined the yeares of our Life Psal 38.6 and assigned the moneth the Day and Hower wherein euery one is to dye so that it is Impossible sayeth Iob to passe one minute thereof Iob. 14.5 neither is there any King nor Monarke that can adde to himselfe nor to any other one moment of Life aboue that which God hath determined So that as I entred into the VVorlde the same Daye that God would and not before so shall I departe out of the VVorlde the same Daye that God will and not afterwardes That by this I may Vnderstand that what daye soeuer I liue I receiue it of Grace and that those I haue liued haue beene of grace for our Lord might haue assigned mee a shorter time of Life as hee assigned to others that died in their Mothers wombe or in their Infancye And seeing my Life so dependeth vpon God there is just cause why I should spend all the time thereof in his Seruice that gaue it mee holding it for a greate Ingratitude to employe one onely moment to offend him 2. Secondly I am to consider that God our Lord in this his Decree shortned or inlarged the dayes that some men according to their naturall Complezion might haue liued for the secret endes of his soueraigne Prouidence For to some either for their owne praiers or for the praiers of other Sainctes hee inlarged the dayes of their Life as to king Ezechias hee added fifteene yeares 4. Reg. 20.6 because with Teares hee required it And the like hath succeeded to the Deade who miraculously haue beene raized to Life To some others hee shortneth the dayes of their life for one of two endes either for their Saluation Sap. 4.11 cutting them off as the VViseman saithe in their youth lest Malice should chaunge their vnderstanding or lest fiction might deceiue their Soule Or contrarily to punish their grieuous Sinnes and to stop their passages that they might not make an addition of greater Psal 54.24 VVhereupon Dauid fayed
art ignorant what shall become of thee to morrowe for thy life is as a Vapour which soone vanisheth awaye Therefore it were fitter thou shouldst say If our Lorde will and If I shall liue I will doe this or that for otherwise thou shallt finde thyselfe deceiued if God haue determined the contrarye The second Deceite is to promise to myselfe not onely long life but also to assure myseffe that I shall haue healthe strength and content with all the goods that I possesse and that they also shall last as long as I from whence it proceedeth that hereupon I exhort my Soule saying Requiesce comede bibe epulare Take thy rest eate drinke and make good cheere giue thyselfe to banquetting and Pleasure for thou shallt want nothing And this is a most grieuous Illusion for all this dependeth vpon God who can take from mee my goods before my life bee ended and though hee take not away them Eccles 5.18 hee may as ecclesiastes saith take from mee my healthe and strength that I may not enjoy them The third Deceite is to forget to prouide what is necessarye for the other life as if there were no more but this present And this was the most quallified folly of this riche man that hauing prouided his Soule of so much wealthe to passe this temporall life hee was alltogither obliuious to prouide it of those necessarye goods for life euerlasting for the which it must needes bee that the vnhappy Soule that in this miserable life did eate drinke and banquet must afterwardes endure perpetuall Hunger and Thirst and eternall miserye Pondering these three deceites I will examine if my Soule bee beguiled with them and will exhort her contrarily to this riche man saying vnto her O my Soule promise not to thyselfe many yeares Colloquie for peraduenture thou shallt not liue out this present Glory not of to morrovve for thou knovvest not vvhat the daye that is to come shall bring forth Giue not thyselfe to rest but to labour not to feastings and banquets but to Fasting and Teares Prouer. 27.1 Eccles 9.5 Haue a care of eternall life vvhich attendeth thee for after Deathe there is no meanes to meritte any durable rest or saciety O eternall God deliuer mee of thy Infinite goodnesse from these miserable Deceites before Deathe seaze vpon mee in them Exhort thou my Soule to vvorkes that are pleasing vnto thee that this day it may more and more separate itselfe from all such things as offend thee Amen The second Pointe SEcondly I am to consider the greate losses they suffer in Deathe that haue beene thus beguiled all their Life drawing them from the wordes of our Lord God to this riche man Stulte hac nocte animam tuam repetent à te quae parasti cuius erūt Thou foole this night they require they Soule of thee and the goods that thou hast scraped together whose shall they bee wherein are touched fower greiuous losses Psal 33.22 for the which king Dauid had greate reason to say that the Deathe of Sinners is very euill 1. Stulte The first Losse is to dye in his very Folly without falling into a reckoning thereof till it bee past remedye For late or earely both good and euill shall come to perceiue their errours but in a different manner for the wicked continue in their errour vntill Deathe and then with the experience of their torments and miseries they fall into a reckoning how much in their life time they were beguiled Sap. 5 calling themselues Insensati men without wit or Iudgement But the good in their lifetime perceiue their errour by the light of faithe prepare themselues for Deathe before Deathe seaze vpon them Therefore o my Soule to perceiue thine owne errours take for thy mistresse this diuine Light if thou willt not haue the experience of eternall miserye to bee thy mistresse and beware by other mens daungers before this Losse light vpon thee with thyne owne 2. Hac nocte The second Losse is to dye in the night that is by a sodaine and hasty Deathe in the midst of their Crimes for oftentimes when men are healthefull contented as this riche man was God intimateth vnto them the Sentence of Deathe and executeth it with all passing from a temporall night to an eternall Matth. 8.12 from the interiour Darkenesse of the Heart to the exteriour of Hell VVith this feare I will aske very earnestly of our Lorde that hee would in such manner aduise mee of the perill of my Deathe that I may haue time to dispose myselfe thereunto Isai 38.1 4. Reg. 20.1 as hee aduised king Ezechias by the meanes of the Prophet Isaias saying vnto him Order thy house for thou shalt dye But to this ende I am not to expect Reuelations from Heauen but my Prophet Isaias must bee the light of Faithe and of reason the Inspiration of God the Experience of the Deathe of others the greiuous sicknesse that assaileth mee and the aduise of the Phisition when hee telleth mee I am in daunger And generally seeing I haue no certaine daye of Life and euery daye I may expect Deathe it is wisdome to imagine that God sayeth this daye vnto mee Order to day thy Soule for to morrowe thou shalt dye to doe it presently 3. The third Losse is to dye by force Repetent and with violence requiring and pulling out their Soule in despite of them VVherein I will ponder the difference betweene the Iust vnbeguiled and betweene Sinners beguiled for the Iust offer themselues voluntarily to Deathe when Gods will is that they should dye and they say vnto him with Dauid Psal 141.8 Psal 30.6 Deliuer o. Lord my Soule out of this prison that it may praise thy holy name and Into thy handes I commend my Spirit for thou redeemedst mee o God of Truthe And although nature somewhat shunneth Deathe yet Grace preuaileth against it when God requireth of thē their Soule they yeilde it with greate resignation But the wicked abhorre Deathe and beare it very Impatiently therefore it is saide that the Deuills the ministers of Gods Iustice doe require and pull from them their Soule against their will Colloquie O eternall God graunt mee that I may liue so vnfleshed from all things of this life that there may bee no neede to pull from mee my Soule perforce Require it of mee vvhen thou vvilt for I am ready and vvilling to giue it vnto thee in vvhat day soeuer thou requirest it The third Pointe 1. THirdly I am to consider the dreadefullnesse of that terrible question that God our Lord maketh The things that thou hast prouided vvhose shall they bee wherein is represented the finall Losle of those who as hath beene saide liue forgetfull of Deathe which is sodainely and with greate griefe to leaue the goods which they possessed without enjoying them or disposing of them or knowing to whome they shall come
in resisting the committing it And therefore hee is no lesse admirable that with humility confesseth well his sinnes then hee that exercizeth other vertues These seuen actes so heroycall accompanie confession and make it of greate merit before God and of greate glorie before the angells and before discreete and prudent confessors and therefore I am to endeuour to exercize them with greate spirit that the fruite and the grace may bee more aboundaunt Eccles 14.16 saying to myselfe that of Eccesiasticus Giue and receiue and iustifie thy soule and seeing God is willing to giue thee pardon of the seuen deadely sinnes and grace with the seuen giftes thereof geue thou vnto him these seuen actes wherewith thou mayest dispose thyselfe to receiue thē crie out seuen times like the childe whome the Prophet Elizeus raized from deathe budding out these seuen affections 4. Reg. 4.35 that God may exalte thee to a newe life and exalt thee to the height thereof The third Pointe THirdly I am to consider the graces and fauours that God doth to those that confesse themselues receiuing the sacrament with that disposition which is requisite The which wee may reduce to three Ad Rom. 14.17 Math. 3.2 Ex D. Aug. in illud ps 95. Confessio pulchritudo in conspectu eius wherein S. Paul putteth the kingdome of God saying that it is iustice peace and ioy in the holy Ghost which kingdome is promised to those that truely doe penaunce First hee graunteth them iustice which is the grace of iustification iustifying them of all their sinnes making them his freindes and adoptiue children and inheritours of his heauē And with this grace hee giueth them charitye and vertues infused and the giftes of the holy Ghoste and the true beautye of the soule which goeth togither with humble confession And if they come to confession with iustice there it is augmented cōmunicating vnto them greater grace and fullfilling that which is saide in the Apocalips Apocal. 22.11 Eccl. 18.22 Hee that is iust let him bee more iustified endeuoring not to cease iustifying himselfe more and more vntill deathe 2 Secondly hee graunteth them peace supernaturall not onely for that hee reconcileth them to himselfe but also for that in rewarde of the glorious victorye which they obtaine of themselues vanquishing the difficulties of confession hee giueth them three victories ouer their enemyes destroying some putting others to flight ād subjecting the rest vnto thē Hee destroyeth sinnes casting thē into the profunditie of the sea the diuells with their tēptation fly away for there is nothing that more terrifieth them then to manifest the woundes of the consciēce to the phisition Prou. 16.7 that is to cure thē And the passions of the flesh begin to yeilde thēselues to the spirit for whē the waies of a man are pleasing vnto God hee will make his enemyes to bee at peace with him Ex Cassian collat 2. c. 10. 11. D. Bonauen in speculo disciplina p. 2. c. 3. Psalm 10.10 And threfore it is a greate meanes of vanquishing temptations and passions to manifest them to the confessor and spirituall father for while they remaine concealed the diuell is in peace and wee in a terrible conflict but in discouering them hee flyeth and wee remaine in peace 3 Thirdly hee graunteth ioye in the holy Ghost banishing the feares and heauinesse that spring from an euill conscience replenishing them with alacritie with the newes of pardon according to that of the prophet Dauid Thou shalt giue to my hearing ioye and gladnesse and my humbled bones shall reioyce For taking from them the most heauie burthen of their sinnes which wayeth them downe like leade and the spirit of sadnesse which withered and consumed them they growe greene againe and lift vp their heade with the hope of pardon and with the pledges they receiue of life euerlasting 4 VVith this consideration I am to resolue myselfe to execute all that is necessary for confession how painefull shamefull and troublesome soeuer it seemeth remembring that all is but litle in comparison of the greate good that God promiseth mee and of the eternall euill from which hee deliuereth mee And if I consider what Christe our Sauiour did for the pardon of my sinnes what dolours what ignominies and what paines hee suffered for them that will soone appeare but litle vnto mee that God requireth for their pardon And againe if I ponder how much God might require of mee if hee would extend his rigour seeing I merited dolours ignominies and eternall torments I shall presently see that hee requireth of mee but very litle And therefore I may imagine that the same wordes are spoken to mee 4. Reg. 5.13 which were spoken to leprous Naaman by his seruantes Father if the prophet Elizeus had commaunded thee to haue donne some very grieuous thing to cure thy leprosie thou hadst reason to doe it how much more hauing tolde thee a thing so easye as to washe thyselfe seuen times in Iordan Colloquie O my soule if God should commaunde thee many things very sharpe and heauy to heale the leprosye of thy sinnes it vvere reason thou shouldst doe them vvith greate prōptnesse ād speede hovv much more bidding thee doe a thing so easie to doe as is Confesse thy sinnes and thou shallt bee healed vvashe thyselfe seuen times in the Iordan of penance accompanying thy confession vvith the seuen affections aboue named and thou shallt bee cleansed of the leprosie of thy sinnes Vaunt thyselfe like Iob Iob. 31.33 Eccles 4.24 of not hiding thy sinne as a fraile man nor couering vvith in thy bosome thy iniquitie Take the counsell of the vviseman vvho saieth for the saluation of thy soule bee not ashamed to confesse the truthe for there is one shame that dravveth on a nevve sinne and another that dravveth on greate honour and glorie If vanquished by shame thou cōcealest thy sinne thou encreasest it but if vvith shame thou confessest it thou shalt obtaine a crovvne of greate glorie for the victorie thou gainedst by confessing thy sinnes The XXXI Meditation of Preparation to receiue the holie Sacrament of Penaunce The ende of this Meditatiō is before my Confession to make of myselfe so perfect a Iudgement as may make plaine all the difficulties that may happen in the sacramentall Iudgement to bee made by the Confessour that I may bee secure in the last Iudgement which the supreme Iudge is to make of mee In this Iudgement I myselfe am to execute the office of the accuser the witnesse the Iudge and the tormentour And hereupon S. Gregorie saieth that conscientia accusat lib. 25. moral c. 26. ratio ludicat timor ligat dolor excruciat My conscience is to accuse mee of all my sinnes without omitting any one My reason is to iudge what I merit for them sentencing that I am worthy of greate punishment for hauing committed them The feare of God and of his rigorous iudgement is to binde mee
praise and the Holocaust of loue Fiftly he commeth as meate to sustaine me as to a child with the milke of his delitiousnesse and to vnite himselfe to me with the vnion of perfect loue and to giue mee the kisse of peace of reconsiliation and perfect amitie fullfilling the desire of the soule that said Let him kisse me with the kisse of his mouthe Cantic 1.1 make peace with me And in this forte I may runne through his other offices imagining that he cōmeth as a shepheard to gather me to his folde as a protector to defend mee and as a consuming fier to purifie inflame me 2 VVithall as I am pondring theese offices which Christ our Lord is willing to doe for me I will also ponder the great necessitie that I haue of them behoulding myselfe as a man captiued by the deuill for my sinnes sicke of diuers passions ignorante with many errours weake poore needy of sustētation for my soule to haue peace with my Creator and to bee gouerned protected and fauored by my Sauiour And making comparison betweene him and mee and beeweene his excellent offices my innumerable miseries I will breake out on the one side into affections of admirations and on the other into feruent desires of his comming Colloquie 3 Reg. 16.21 4. Reg. 4.34 saying vnto him O God of immense maiestie how is it that I am not beside myselfe considering this plotte of thy infinite Charitie Helias and Heliseus shrunke vp themselues ioyning themselues to a deade childe to restore him to life but thou restrainest thyselfe much more to a morsell of meate to ioyne thyselfe vnto mee and to raize mee againe to a newe and feruorous life It had beene sufficient that with thy worde thou hadst commaunded what thou wouldst and presently it had beene donne or that some seruaunt of thine like Gyezi had touched mee with thy staffe that I might liue but thou wouldest not but come in person to heale mee to reuiue mee and to recale mee Come then o my Sauiour and delaye not come and dissolue the miseries of thy seruaunt Awake thy omnipotencie and come that thou maiest presently saue mee Isai 64.17 Isai 45.8 O that thou wouldst breake the heauens and come that with thy comming the mountaines of my passions might dissolue and all my bowells might melt themselues in thy loue O heauens send this dewe O clowdes raine downe this iust one O land of the liuing bud out vnto mee this Sauiour O most sweete Sauiour come to my soule that longeth to receiue thee take from her all impeachements of thy entraunce exercize in her the offices that thou pretendest by thy comming Ioyne thee speedily vnto mee for I desire to see myselfe vnited with thee my onely summum bonum worlde with out ende Amen 3. This kinde of feruent Desiers is much to bee exercized in this Pointe for Christe our Lord will bee receiued with Desire and Hunger of his comming And this meate with how much the greater Hunger it is eaten with so much the more proffit it entreth And herein wee shall bee ayded with other places of diuine scriptur like vnto those which haue ben produced wherein the holy fathers declared the fēruent desier they had of the cōming of the Messias for the redemption of the worlde VVithe these desires I am to ioyne others of carrying the greatest purity of hearte that may bee endeuouring that as the body goeth to communicate fasting from all Corporall meate so that from the midnight before it must not haue eaten nor drunke any thinge how litle soeuer so also the soule may that day goe fasting of all sinne In such sorte that as neere as possibly may be from the night before 2. Corin. 7.1 it bee not spotted with any vncleanesse of fleshe or of spirit and that from my mouth there hath issued no idle worde nor from my hearte any euill thought for Christ our Lord being puritye itselfe it is our Dutie to receiue him with the greatest purity that possibly wee may And if thorough our Imbecility we doe fall into any sinne 1. Corin. 11.28 wee are first to purifie our selues thereof by the meanes of Confession the which is obligatorie if it be a mortall sinne or by the meanes of Contrition when it is but a light sinne and that wee were lately at Confession The XXXIV Meditation of spirituall Communion which is a disposing for Sacramentall Communion and for hearing Masse profitably SPirituall communion is an exercize of excellent Interiour actes 3. p. q. 80. a. 1. ad 3. by the which as S. Thomas saieth without receiuing the Sacrament wee participate the fruite of the Sacrement which is vnion with Christe And it serueth for two tymes and for two endes The first is duely to prepare ourselues before sacramentall Communion adorning the soule with actes of vertues proportioned to this caelestiall banquet The 2. is to heare masse euery day with proffit As the preiste when hee saieth masse togither offereth the sacrifize and receiueth the Sacrament so when I heare masse it is good that I doe other two such like things The first is to offer that sacrifize in thankes giuing for the benefits receiued or in satisfaction of my sinnes or of the sinnes of them that are departed And to obtaine of God the benefits that I require him for myselfe and for the whole churche for to all this is this sacrifize ordained as in the fourth parte shall bee declared The 2. is to receiue likewise the Sacrament spiritually eating Christ our Lord with a desire by meanes of the Actes of the three Theologicall Vertues Faith Hope Charity according to the which the same Lord himselfe said I am the bread of life Ioan. 6.3 s. he that commeth to me shall not hunger and hee that beleeueth in mee shall neuer thirst The manner of this communion disposing itselfe for the sacramentall is that which foloweth The first Pointe First we are to exersize actes of faith concerning this mysterie Actes of Faithe breifely pondring first the excelency and firmenesse of the foure pillars vpon which this Faith relieth that is to say that God wanted not infinite wisdome to inuent this meanes of our spirituall sustentation nor goodnesse to will it nor omnipotencie to execute it And seeing God is infallible truth in all that he reuealeth and that hee hath reuealed this mystery I am to beleeue him with all assurednesse much more then if I had seene him with my bodily eies 2. Vpō this foundation Faith is to exercize her actes denying the Iudgmēt that proceedeth from the sences and firmly beleeuing that vnder those species of bread and wine is Christ Iesus true God and man with all the integritie glorie maiestie that hee hath in Heauen And as there he inuiteeh and filleth the Blessed with the cleare sight of his Diuinitie humanitie so here hee will inuite and fill our desires of good thinges with the sight by
was replenished with God vttered with her mouthe this soueraigne Canticle full of Affections of God which Canticle hath ten verses and is as it were a Psalterion or Harpe of ten strings like to those Psal 42.4 91 4. 143.9 which Dauid commaundeth vs to touche for to glorifye God and therefore it shall not bee amisse to meditate all her Wordes that wee may knowe how spiritually to rehearse them to the honour of the VIRGIN ioyning to euery worde or Verse some holy Affection or ioye of the Vertues of this our Ladye with the peticion and colloquye belonging vnto it My Soule doth magnifie our Lord. In this first Verse the sacred VIRGIN teacheth vs the Spirit of praising God thinking highly and magnificently of him magnifying that which is his in all that is possible that is his Bountye and Mercye his Wisdome and Charitye the excellencye of his Gouernment And this not only with corporall wordes but with the Soule and all her interiour Faculties inuiting them with Dauid to praise our Lord. Psal 102.1 103.1.33 And shee sayed not My Soule did magnifye or will magnifye but doth magnifye to signifye that her principall office and perpetuall occupation was to magnifye God doing on Earthe that which the Angells doe in Heauen O that my Soule might allwayes magnifye our Lorde Colloquie Eccl. 43.30 o Lord of infinite greatenesse litle can I magnifye thee with my praises But as I may I praise and magnifye thee and confesse that thou art greater then I am able to say or to thinke O Soueraigne VIRGIN Psal 33.4 whose Soule allwayes magnified our Lord and like another Dauid inuited all others to magnifye him impetrate for mee that my Soule may likewise magnifye him occupying herselfe continually in singing his Greatenesses worlde without ende Amen And my Spirit hath rejoiced in God my Sauiour In these Wordes the B. VIRGIN discouereth the manner of our rejoicing in God The manner of rejoicing in God nothing fiue Conditions of this Ioye to make it pure and perfect For first wee are not to place our principall Ioye and Alacritye in corporall thinges but in things spirituall nor so much in giftes receiued as in the giuer of Giftes who is God himselfe And allbeeit we are to rejoice in God as he is our Creator yet principally as he is our Sauiour and Sanctifyer for in this sorte he is the fountaine of spirituall Alacritye which is founded vpon the Saluation of the Soule sanctified by Gods grace And this loye is principally to consist in the Spirit or superiour parte of the Soule that it may be the more pure from all that tasteth of fleshe as the sensuall Ioye of the Bodye vseth to doe allbeeit sometimes the Ioye of the spirit redoundeth likewise into the fleshe Psal 83.3 15.9 according to that of Dauid My Hearte and my Fleshe reioiced in the liuing God Finally our Spirit is not to reioice in itselfe as if it had thorough it owne merites those giftes for which it reioiceth but our Ioye is to bee in God our Sauiour who gaue them vnto vs and vpon whome our ioye is to rest as saithe the Prophet Dauid My Soule shall reioice in our Lorde Psal 34.9 and shall bee delighted in our Sauiour Such was the Ioye of the blessed VIRGIN who at this instant behelde our Sauiour whome shee bare in her Wombe and rapt with his exceeding Loue shee saide My Spirit hath reioiced in God my Sauiour O my Soule exalt thyselfe aboue thyselfe in Spirit like the VIRGIN and reioice purely in Christ thy Sauiour placing in him only all thy Alacritye Psal 36.4 Ioan. 16.32.24 Matt. 25.21.23 If thou desirest Ioye reioice in God and hee shall fullfill the desires and petitions of thy hearte that thy ioye may bee full and that none may depriue thee of it vntill at last thou maiest enter into the eternall ioye of thy Lorde Because he hath regarded the Humillity of his Handmaide In this Verse and in those following the B. VIRGIN declareth ten soueraigne benefits three speciall and seuen generall which are the principall causes and respectes that shee hath to magnifye God to reioice in him and to shewe herselfe so thankefull The first is for that he regarded the Humillitye and lowlinesse of his Handmaide In which wordes the VIRGIN pointeth at two rootes of the Diuine Benefits The one principall of Gods parte and the other of our parte It is of allmighty Gods parte that he daigneth to regarde vs with a good eye and to be mindefull of vs to doe vs good For allbeeit it is truthe that he seeth all things yet he is not saide to regarde nor make account of those which he leaueth in the abysme of nothing or in the profunditye of their miserye but of those which he regardeth to vse towardes them his greate mercye The roote of our parte is the acknowledgement of our Lowelinesse by the which we may dispose ourselues to receiue the giftes of his Diuine Liberallitye And so the blessed VIRGIN as illuminated by God joyned both these togither magnifying God for that he daigned to regarde the Humillitye of his Handmaide By the which wordes shee confesseth not so much of herselfe that she hath the Vertue of Humillitye as she exercizeth it for as a true humbled one either she esteemeth not so herselfe or she would haue concealed it but with Humillitye shee confesseth that she is lowly base and contemptible as a Slaue or a Handmaide and that notwithstanding all this allmighty God disdained not to regarde her Whereby shee teacheth vs that the foundation of the Praises of God and of Thankesgiuing for the benefits he doth vs is to bee the acknowledging of our owne basenesse and indignitye for in this sorte there will be no perill of mixing vaine selfe-pleasing as it happened to the prowde Pharisee Luc. 18.14 Rather this Lowlinesse is to be the respect why to beseeche allmighty God to regarde mee with a good eye and to doe mee greate fauours Psa 112 6 for his Condition as Dauid sayeth is to beholde the lowely things in Heauen and on Earthe and to doe them greate mercyes Psal 30.8 And this the saide Dauid had experience of saying of himselfe Because God regarded my Humillitye and Lowelinesse he deliuered my Soule from all her miseries O highest God whose Habitation is in the highest Heauens Colloquie Psa 112.5 beholde the lowelinesse of this thy vile Slaue and vse towardes him thy accustomed mercye raising this begger from the Dust and this poore wretched one from the Dunghill to place him with Princes and to sanctifye him aswell as they Amen Beholde from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed And this is the seconde respect that the B. VIRGIN had to magnifye God for that from that moment that he behelde her Humillitye and that he regarded her all the nations of men that beleeued in Christ aswell the present as those to
is set downe a forme of Prayer applying the interiour faculties of the Soule to the contemplation of the mysteries that haue beene meditated IN the eleuenth § of the Introduction of this booke I made mention of a forme of Praier by application of the Senses vpon the mysteries of our faithe and it is a forme rather of Contemplation then of meditation for as there it is saide in the tenth § Meditation runneth from one thing to another seeking out bidden verities as hitherto hath beene donne but Contemplation is a simple beholding of the Truthe without varietye of Discourse with greate affections of Admiration and Loue and as regularly it is obtained after meditation so after we haue meditated these mysteries of our Sauiour Christ it shall not be amisse to runne ouer eache of them againe with this manner of affectuous Contemplation which wee call Application of the faculties for as the exteriour faculties doe very breifely without the windings of discourses perceiue their objects and are delighted and pleased in them so in this Contemplation the interiour senses of the Soule which are her owne interiour faculties with the variety of their Actes without newe discourses presupposing those which haue beene donne at other times per ceiue these Verities and collect from thence meruailous affections of Deuotion our Lord preuenting them with his especiall grace without the which we shall erre in entring into this manner of Contemplation as in the place before cited hath beene saide Allbeit we for our parte may somewhat ayde ourselues in this manner that followeth The first Pointe THe first pointe shall be to beholde with the interiour eye of the Soule be it the Imaginatiue or the Intellectuall all such persons as were in the Inne at Bethlehem or in the Temple of Hierusalem and what they doe with the circumstances which are the object of the Sight collecting from them Affections of Admiration and Loue of Ioye or Compassion or Imitation and if from these there happen to proceede any newe ponderations and meditations as our Lord vseth to communicate in these cases I am to admitte them detaining myselfe in them all the time that the light shall continue that was giuen me The practize is this beholding God-man layed in a Stable with Beastes I will shrinke vp my shoulders with admiration and astonishment of so profounde Humillitye to be resplendent in a Lorde of so greate majestie Beholding him made a tender Babe to make himselfe more amiable because Babes ordinarily are amiable I will melt myselfe in the Loue of so precious and beautifull a Babe wantonning with him as with my elder brother the heire of my father and so much mine that he is borne for me and for my benefit Beholding the Hearte of the Childe burning in Loue and in Desier of my Saluation shedding teares of Sorrowe for my Sinnes and offring himselfe for them to the eternall Father I will joyne my Heart vnto his that he may fasten vnto it that Loue and that Sorrowe entring into Discourse with him that he may joyne me vnto himselfe So likewise beholding his Vertues his Pouertye Humillitye Meekenesse and Patience I am to collect them to my owne vse as one that gathereth a nosegay of mirrhe to weare before his brest and to joyne it to his Hearte saying vnto him with greate tendernesse Cano. 1.12 My beloued shall be to me as a bundle of myrrhe I will alwaies haue him in my eye that I may neuer loose the sight of him nor neuer forget him The like may be donne contemplating our blessed LADYE the VIRGIN and Mother with affections of admiration contemplating with what Modestye Deuotion and Reuerence she standeth before the Childe with a Desier to imitate her and beholding what compassion she hath of the Teares of the Childe with a spitit to accompanye her and to be compassionate with her Beholding likewise S. Ioseph or holy Simeon and the feruour and Spirit resplendent in them I will admire at the giftes that God hath giuen them with a desier to imitate them in all that I ought or am able according to my abilitie The Second Pointe THe second Pointe is to heare with the eares of the Soule the wordes that are there spoken attending to hearken vnto the interiour Wordes and Inspirations that God shall speake vnto my Hearte Wherein it is to be considered that not only in this pointe but for any other forme whatsoeuer of mentall or vocall Praier that as was pointed at in the third § of the Introduction of this booke being placed before God and contemplating these mysteries it is good for a while to staye with reuerence as one that attendeth to heare what is saied or to receiue the almes that is vsually giuen him placing himselfe as the Woman of Chanaan saide Matt. 15.27 like a whelpe that standeth at the table fixing his eyes vpon those that eate hoping they will cast him some small morsell of breade Psa 122.2 Or as the Prophet Dauid sayeth like the good Seruant that hath his eyes fixed vpon the handes of his Lord attending what he commaundeth him as did the Prophet Abacuch when he sayed Abac. 2.1 I will stand vpon my watche and fixe â—â—y steppe vpon the munition and I will behold to see what may be said to me and what I may aunswere to him that rebuketh me Which is to say Seated in my Contemplation I will hearken what God inspireth into me what he speaketh within my hearte either reprehending and correcting me for the euill that I haue committed or comforting and exhorting me to the good that I ought to doe or giuing me some interiour aunswere to what I desier as the holy Spirit did the like in praier to S. Simeon And hauing continued a while in this silence if I feele not some Inspiration of our Lorde I am not to stand Idle but to prouoke him to speake vnto mee I speaking vnto him and saying with Samuel 1 Reg. 3.9 Cant. 2.14 Speake Lord for thy Seruant heareth Or as he himselfe sayed to the Spouse Let thy Voice sounde in my eares for thy Voice is very sweete vnto mee O eternall God that saidest by thy Prophet Colloquie I will lead her into the wildernes and will speake vnto her hearte Ose 2.14 cause in my Spirit an interiour solitude of wandering Cogitations that thou only maiest speake vnto me with thy Inspirations and that I may heare and fullfill what therein thou commaundest mee Then putting myselfe in the presence of the Childe IESVS I will with the eare of my Soule hearken vnto the wordes which he speaketh to his eternall Father and vnto the amorous colloquies he holdeth with him vpon the businesse of our Saluation rejoicing to heare them and making my proffit of them I will also hearken vnto the exteriour Lamentations that he maketh and will learne to lament my sinnes I will heare what this Childe would say vnto mee if he should speake to me there