meditate that good word of Thankes-giuing euer shall thy mouth in what estate soeuer sound out thankefulnesse vnto God that whilst thou giuest thankes for continuall benefites thou maist thereby bee disposed to receiue better benefites 2 Our petitions and requests vnto God consist generally in two things namely in begging remission of our sinnes and in begging some other grace vertue or good thing wee desire to haue The things which wee are to aske of God are all contained in the Lords prayer but besides these generall petitions which daily are in the first place to bee made euery one ought to aske certaine speciall things most necessary vnto him which either hee must retaine in his memory or else keepe a catalogue of them with him which hee may at pleasure in his mentall prayer vse First therefore hee must aske of God grace well to performe the offices and duties of that place wherein God hath put him secondly to spend the time profitably thirdly to extirpate and subdue vice and all imperfections fourthly to gaine that vertue and those helpes to godlinesse which hee stands most need of but chiefly charity humility the gift of prayer and increase of faith praying with the Apostles Lord teach vs to pray Luk. 11. Luk. 17. and Lord increase our faith 1 Euery Christian I confesse must generally labour with God for remission of all their sinnes but yet it shall much helpe his conceite and memory to distinguish them thus desiring first remission of all the euill hee hath committed secondly of all the good hee hath omitted thirdly of all the time hee hath wickedly spent or to desire the pardon of all his euill thoughts words and workes and of the omission of his good thoughts words and workes But especially a man may cast the eye of his minde vpon these foure first the commandements of God and his lawfull Gouernours secondly to the seuen mortall sinnes thirdly to the three powers of the soule the Vnderstanding Will and Memory fourthly to the fiue senses of the body For in these are all the sinnes that any man can commit comprehended therefore let him reason with himselfe in his minde a little vpon euery one of these points and desire specially pardon of his sinnes committed against this or that commandement in such a kinde of sinne with such a power of the soule or externall sense of the body 2 Wee must generally pray for all men and things as Christ hath taught vs in that blessed prayer of his owne and especicially for speciall men and things but chiefly and necessarily for these first for the whole Church of Christ wheresoeuer dispersed or howsoeuer despised ouer the face of the earth secondly for the conuersion of all Heretickes Schismatickes and erronious persons that they may bee brought home into the bosome of Christs holy Church thirdly for the whole kingdome where thou liuest and namely for the Kings Maiesty and all the Gouernours and Magistrates Ecclesiasticall and Ciuill fourthly for all our Benefactors who doe vs good and minister to our necessities fifthly for those that are committed to our charge or vnder whose charge wee are sixthly for our enemies and persecutors seuenthly for all that are in any necessity or suffer any aduersity in body or minde This prayer for others Chrys as a Father saith of all others is most acceptable vnto God vnto it wee are many wayes obliged and therefore it is no day to bee omitted And as wee must pray for others so must wee not bee vnmindefull to giue thankes for others for the benefites conferred vpon all men for benefites bestowed vpon all Christians priuate or publique persons and aduisedly considering both the persons and the benefites seuerally to giue God thankes for them no lesse then if wee giue thankes for our selues 3 If you aske of whom wee must looke for all these benefites and vnto whom wee must giue thankes the answere is easie and ready at Gods hands wee receiued all and vnto him alone must wee giue thankes hee it is that heareth the prayer and therfore vnto him alone must all flesh come this is taught vs out of the blessed mouth of our Sauiour When you pray say Lnk. 11. Our Father which art in heauen c. 4 The last thing is to know how wee must aske surely wee must bee furnished if wee will speed first with those three diuine graces Faith Hope and Charity Faith considering that God is able to doe all that hee will and as much as wee stand need of Hope considering his infinite goodnesse and thence conceiuing a desire and assurance of obtaining our petitions Charity asking the things onely that may make meerely for the glory of God and the good and saluation of our selues and our neighbours secondly that in asking wee vse all incessant and important obsecrations such as in our Litanies our Church vseth thirdly in humbling our selues and setting forth our owne vility and indignity as the most vnworthy wretches in the world 3 I said that in our businesse with God as wee must giue thankes to him and begge of him things needefull so wee must also offer vnto him our selues this is a sacrifice vnto him most acceptable and therefore the Apostle begges it so earnestly of all Christians I beseech you brethren Rom. 12.1 by the mercies of God offer vp your selues a holy liuing and acceptable sacrifice vnto God So that nothing lesse is this sacrifice but our whole liues our bodies soules our goods within vs without vs our thoughts words and workes all must bee sacrificed vnto him and dedicated to his honour neuer any more to bee vsed after the conceite of our owne peruerse will but according to the most exact rule of Gods most holy will And these things which I haue spoken concerning Thankes-giuing Petition and Oblation are to bee done mentally for these containe a most elegant manner of continuing in prayer a long time 2 Now must wee come in a word to vocall prayer this being either publicke or priuate in both which is required due preparation and attention wee will obserue these three things First that being about to pray hee first enter into himselfe recollecting himselfe a little and lifting vp his heart to God hee direct the whole worke hee is about to the onely glory of God begging of him assistance that he would establish his minde in him alone secondly in the progresse of his prayer it is good that first hee pronounce all the words distinctly without too much haste secondly that by some paw sings as in the end of the Psalmes where wee say Glory bee the Father c. hee renew his attention that if his minde bee distracted hee may gather it vp againe and beg pardon of God for this neglect Thirdly the prayer being ended thankes are to be rendred vnto God and pardon of sinnes and defects therein committed humbly begged There is another excellent way of vocall prayer both easie and full of deuotion and
nor doe engender ill affections They are ordered when they come reasonably that is in their owne time For not in their owne time euen to thinke good things is not without sinne as in praier to thinke of reading and in reading to thinke of prayer 3. In workes we must consider 1. That they be done out of a good intention a good intention is that which is simple right Simple without malice right without ignorance For that which is without malice hath zeale but that which is with ignorance hath not zeale according to knowledge Therfore the intention must bee right by discretion and simple by deuotion 2. That out of a right intention begun they bee with a perseuerant feruour brought out to the end that neither perseuerance may be sloathfull nor loue may wax cold 3. That they be commanded in the word of God Else God may say who required these things at your hands 4. That they proceed from faith else they will prooue to bee no better then birds without fethers that cannot flie and images without life that cannot stirre 5. That they bee done to the glory of God and the good of our selues and others which is the true and onely end of all our workes Now for our words we must consider in them that they be 1. True 2. Hurtfull to none 3. Necessary for some cause 4. That in fit time and place 5. In due maner spoken if in any of these wee offend concerning our thoughts that they bee lesse cleane or lesse ordered concerning the affections that they bee lesse right or lesse sincere concerning our workes that they bee lesse qualified then we haue spoken concerning our words that they be lesse true or lesse necessary wee must note it in our memorie that wee may the better conceiue a griefe for it and procure a purpose of amendement In thy examen of thy workes and words let this be thy forme for the auoyding of that detestable negligence which in this behalfe is vsed at some conuenient time bee thou a Iudge of thy selfe and take a strict account of thy Stewardship saying Oh euill seruant and slow tell mee how thou hast spent this daie Thou hast beene slow to do thy duetie vnto God Thou hast beene indeuout in doing it Thou hast spoken many words with little fruit thou camest late and labourest loiteringly Thou hast spoken vnprofitably demanded curiously iudged suspiciously reported dissolutely detracted wilfully thou hast beene mooued thou hast wandred both with thy heart and eyes Thou hast beene attentiue after worldly things negligent towards the things of God Thou hast beene to greedy of meate and drinke desired more and murmured at little Thou wast not patient at a little nor continent at more nor pleased in any thing Thou hast sought thy selfe in small things and hast left Charity and Fidelity vndone Behold where thou hast fallen and leaue to be proud giue God the glory for all thou hast receiued Euer deplore the state of the inner man with many passions intangled Search the secrets of thy heart if anger if enuy if concupiscence if malice if impatience or griefe hath mooued or ouercome thee Nor must thou search for euils committed onely but also for the good negâ—ected If thou receiued the benefits of God thankfully if thou hast praied as well for the enemies as friends if thou hast beene â—â—ithfull and obedient to those â—et ouer thee if thou hast beene compassionate to such as are weake in any teÌ„ptation if thou hast helped such as asked and comforted such as haue sorrowed if thou hast simply and purely sought the glory of God if thou hast strongly shunned the praise of men if thou hast frankly denied thy owne proper will if thou hast preferred thy selfe before no man if thou hast patiently taken correction if thou hast beene grieuous to no man if being hurt thou diddest loâ—â—ingly forgiue if thou hast asked pardon of him iniuried if thou hast done thy duety to God deuoutly if thou hast not beene peruerse if thou hast made hast to humble thy selfe if being contemned thou hast not contradicted if thou hast not thought to render euill for euill but hast laboured to ouercome euill with good if thou hast seriously repented thee thus we see many whole counsailes painted out before the eies of the mind to make vs ashamed who hauing so many occasions of growing daily more holy doe yet so defile our selues that wee haue iust cause rather of sorrow then solace from the tenor of our liues From these thou maist gather a dailie fardle of thy sinnes and a heape of sorrowes for them For placing these thy sinnes neere the benefits of God before remembred thou shalt see how little thou answerest vnto God for so many benefits how little thou dost recompence his gifts how vile and ingrate thou art who returnest him for benefits offences for gifts sinnes for loue obliuion and negligence Therefore thou maist well lament and powre out teares seeing thou hast so much matter of lamentation For thou canst neuer come to this examination but thou shelt finde sinnes ingratitudes and obliuions of thy Lord and creator these offences albeit they seeme small to the eyes of thy bodie yet with all the seruor thou canst for the loue of God detest and hate them because a faithfull soule beholding Gods goodnesse vnto it and its ingratitude towards God will count nothing small if he haue any celestiall knowledge that may offend so great and good a Maiesty 4 From this collation comparison of Gods benefits and thy ingratitudes and sinnes thou wilt deriue such sorrow and detestation of thy sinnes that thou shalt leaue no place to the smalnesse of faith Nay euen from this same that thou seest the soule soiled with so many sinnes and blemishes and thy most mercifull Lord to beare with thee so many yeers and to haue pardoned thee not 70 times seauen times but euen millions of times thou maist be lift vp to hope that God will neuer cast thee out so sorrowing and greeuing for thy sinnes but so often as thou shalt thus come vnto him and beg pardon he will redeeme thee as a most louing father 5 At the last set some paine vpon thy owne head for these thy many escapes and sinnes let it be an amercement proportionable to the quality of thy sinnes and ability of thy body that so thy repentance and sorrow for thy sins past may bee a barre against the propensitie of sinning after check and reproue thy selfe againe and againe and deale as a senere and iust iudge with thy soule and body imprisoning all thy sences and fettering thy affections that henceforth they may not stealt away thy pretious soule from thee But to end this point of discussion Whereas I haue often in this treatise made mention of this examination thou maist referre them all vnto two times namely before the Communion and before thou goest to bed For after thou hast taken a view of thy thoughts
impossible that euer any doctrine with his vse should bee applyed without the speciall directing hand of God Now God doth apply the doctrine with the vse at two seasons First from euerlasting for all things were present vnto him from euerlasting Secondly in time for nothing was done by him in time that was not concluded before all time euen from the beginning of the world and from euerlasting decerning and decreeing with himselfe concerning the doctrines and vses of doctrines to be applyed or not applyed to certaine men in time by the holy Spirit through the Preachers and their Hearers whom as ministring causes hee vseth as seemeth best to his heauenly Wisedome and good Pleasure 2. in time the holy Spirit of God hath applyed doth apply and vnto the end of the world will apply freely the doctrines with their vses that is to whom when and in what measure it thinketh fit and that by the meanes heereafter following And these things which I haue spoken of the application which is made by God are fitly remembred in the first place first because neither is the Preachers applicatiō or Hearers of any moment without it secondly because so wee meete with a two-fold errour first the opinion of opus operatum that is that it sufficeth to go to Sermons and heare them and that for the workes sake God will respect vs secondly the most dangerous opinion and perswasion of some hearers who thinke it in their power to apprehend wholesome doctrine and to bring forth fruits worthy thereof 2 The Preacher as the Ambassadour Seruant and chiefe Instrument of the great God doth not onely bring that spirituall medicine namely the heauenly doctrine in the name of God bearing witnesse of the singular power and profite thereof but also doth apply the same to his hearers and that at two seuerall times first in and at the Sermon whilst after the doctrine is handled and the vse shewed hee admonisheth the Hearer that it is not sufficient that he know the doctrine and profite thereof except hee apply them both also vnto himselfe For not the hearers but the doers of the Law shall bee iustified And also whilst hee declares to the hearer all those things in which true application consists of which wee shall presently speake Secondly after Sermon the Preacher applies the doctrine with the vse and that 1. Publiquely 2. Priuately First Publiquely not onely exhorting to thankes-giuing for the great benefite of the will of God manifested in his Word vnto vs and touching the doctrines which are to his glory and many waies to our owne comfort and benefite and to the destruction of the Kingdome of Satan and to serious inuocation that God would bee pleased more and more to write and imprint the doctrines with their vses in their hearts but also by giuing of thankes and calling vpon God for a blessing to giue a holy example of them both to the hearers And secondly more priuately after the Sermon the Minister applies the doctrine with the vses if by priuate prayers hee intercede with God not onely for himselfe and his family but also pray vnto God for his hearers that his labours may not bee in vaine if by application of the doctrines and vses hee by his owne example go before them and become the type of his Flocke if hee diligently obserue euery an and person vnder his charge and by others do enquire of them how they carry themselues in the application and practise of the doctrines and vses that if they do well hee may stirre them vp by commending their godly care to go forwards cheerefully if they doe euill hee may admonish blame correct with-draw them and not desist heerein till he perceiue the fruite of application in them And in this holy worke the assistance of euery Magistrate is required that hee haue a speciall care that those things which by the benefite of the Ministery God hath reuealed in his Word may flourish in the faith and life of their people that they may bee put in execution and so applied that they may bring forth fruite 3 From this duty of application the hearer can by no meanes be excluded For hee is by the working of the Holy Ghost according to the good pleasure of God to apply vnto himselfe the doctrines and vses deliuered by the Preacher Seeing the Holy Ghost vseth the hearer as his instrument to beginne and perfect his owne worke in him which holy duety the hearer is to performe to himselfe both at the Sermon and also after Sermon At the Sermon whilst the hearer by the benefite and motion of the holy Spirit applyeth especially to himselfe all those things which in generall were deliuered by the Preacher to the whole Assembly And after Sermon hee is also to make the like application both publiquely and priuately Publiquely whilst with a ioyfull thankes-giuing together with the Preacher and the Assembly hee prayseth the name of God for his singular and in estimable fauour of the reuelation of his sauing truth vnto him and by serious and ardent supplication intreate of God that by the working of his holy Spirit hee would bee pleased to bring to passe that the doctrines and vses hee hath heard may take deepe roote in his heart and may in his whole life aboundantly bring forth fruit acceptable to God And these two things let him priuately continue and often repeat But besides the hearer must priuately apply vnto himselfe the doctrines with the vse in euery condition of life as well in aduerse as prosperous times and that both before amongst and after all his actions But chiefly when any perplexed cases or intricate questions are obiected vnto vs either by others or by our owne flesh But chiefly when Satan sollicities vs by his Stratagemes sleights and grieuous temptations to errours in the saith or life that is to heresies and sins whilst he endeuours to bring to passe that either wee doe not at all regard the good of vertue or else performe it not lawfully or at the least not with a right end and so endeuours to bring vpon both body and soule not onely temporary but eternall dangers 2 Hauing shewed that God the Preacher and also the Hearer himselfe must all concurre in applying the doctrines and vses we must now see how and by what meanes this application is to bee made In the meanes and manner of application which must bee made of the hearer two things are chiefly to be obserued First what things are to bee eschewed as enemies to this application Secondly what things are to bee embraced as helpes vnto it In which two points are those other two parts formerly observed in handling this matter of application contained which I called the impediments and the aduancements of application and follow to bee spoken of in the third and fourth places 3 The impediments of application which are to bee abandoned being such as hinder the successe of Preaching and cause both doctrines and vses to bee
vnchangeable most profound most euident and is wholy altogether for with one onely simple aspect it teacheth from one Eternity to the other seeing with one onely glimpse whatsoeuer is possible to be seene or knowne so that from that that God is God hee so knoweth whatsoeuer hee knoweth that hee can know nothing de nouo which before hee knew not because nothing can bee new vnto him for all things past present and to come and which by any meanes are possible hee knoweth distinctly and euidently without all mixture of doubt opinion or perplexity Whence I learne that as God forgets not mee but remembers mee and all mine so distinctly as if I were in the world alone so I should neuer forget my God nor the things that belong vnto him 4 If I would meditate of Gods Omnipotency I consider first that hee is infinitely Potent to do what hee will Luke 1. without any limits or bounds nothing is impossible with God Secondly that this Omnipotency is onely proper vnto God so that onely God in his owne nature and essence hath power but no creature hath any but participated from God onely God can doe what hee doth without the helpe of any other yet doth hee so participate this to his creatures that euery creature can doe that which is conuenient to his nature Thirdly that this Omnipotency of God doth exercise it selfe euermore in doing good vnto vs this being the Fountaine from whence all his Diuine Benefites do flow For hee created the heauen and the earth for vs wherein what benefites wee receiue by the Light by the Firmament by the Sunne and Moone by the Birds and Fishes by the Beasts of the earth and all the Treasures thereof the tongue of Men and Angels cannot declare And after the creation in that hee conserues the world and all that is in it for vs and by his Prouidence disposeth of all things for our good calling vs to the grace of his Iustification by the Ministery of his blessed Word and Sacraments and neuer leauing to accompany vs with his benefites and graces vntill hee bring vs to himselfe if wee will vse the holy meanes which to this purpose bee hath in Iesus Christ ordained for vs. Heere must wee giue diligence that the whole structure of our liues and of our considerations may chiefly depend vpon these three fingers of Gods Wisedome Omni-potencie and Goodnesse to which the actions and affections of these three Diuine Vertues of Faith Hope and Charity may answere For Faith answers vnto his Wisedome Hope to his Omni-potencie and Charitie to his Goodnesse Albeit all the three vertues and their actions respect the three Attributes of God together 5 If wee would meditate of the infinite Mercy of God then consider first that it goes before all his workes of Iustice for before God punish any sinners hee offers them infinite mercies Secondly that his mercy doth euer accompany the workes of Iustice Psal 76. for in the midst of punishment hee cannot forget to bee mercifull Thirdly Hab. 3. that the latitude of his mercy reacheth to all his creatures Sap. 11. Psal 35. and all their miseries yea euen to the bruit beasts Fourthly that hee is in a speciall manner mercifull vnto sinners and all kinds of sinne Psal 5. expecting â—â—ely their repentance that hee night cast their sinnes into the â—ottome of the Sea Mich. 3. and put them as farre from them as the East is from the West Psal 102 Math. 18 Hee forgiues seuenty times seuen times Ergo should I bee mercifull towards â—ny neighbour in imitation of his â—ercies vnto mee Ergo may I also conceiue great confidence of his mercy to mee a sinner Fifthly that in a more speciall manner hee is mercifull to such is loue and serue him such as are the vessels of mercy Rom. 9. This mercy of his towards his Elect is Eternall Psal 102 hauing neither beginning nor ending but is euen as God himselfe from euerlasting to euerlasting this mercy preuents accompanies and followes them euen to the last gaspe Rom. 8 This mercy is most high Ier. 31. for it aduanceth the elect to most excellent good things Psal 107. so that as the heauen is higher then the earth Psal 35. Psal 102. so is his mercy greater then their misery Sixthly and lastly he hath expressed his Mercie in the most exact manner that can bee possible For seeing as God hee could not bee sorrowfull for our hurt which is an effect of mercy his infinite Mercie prouided that his Sonne should take our nature on him Heb. 2. that hee might in all things bee like his brethren sin excepted and so become mercifull and sorrowfull for vs nay not content to haue inward compassion hee tooke on him all our miseries and paines Heb. 4. and hath not so left vs but by his Word and Sacraments hee helpes our necessities and infirmities considering wee are but men and stand in need of many remedies 6 If wee would meditate of the infinite Goodnesse of God First consider that hee hath in him all the degrees of goodnesse which are in the creatures infinitely more excellent then in them Secondly that all the goodnesse is so in his owne Essence that hee doth not participate it from any other thing nor can bee taken from it Thirdly that this Goodnesse so excels all the goodnesse of the creatures as the thing it selfe doth the name Fourthly that God is most propense and ready to communicate his goodnesse to all but chiefly to man for goodnesse hath a diffusiue power And this hee doth not constrainedly but onely out of his goodnesse nor doth hee communicate his goodnesse for his owne benefite as men doe nor yet doth hee suffer his propensity of goodnesse to bee idle but exerciseth it by all meanes possible powring it out according to the order of his infinite Wisedome Therefore when I pray I will poure out my soule in his sight 1. Reg. 1. Psal 141. I will poure out my prayer before him Nay I will poure out my heart before him O thou infinite Goodnesse which chiefly desirest to bee communicated if thou didst not communicate thy goodnesse it were impossible there should bee any goodnesse besides thee make mee partaker of these excellencies wherwith thou hast communicated thy selfe that I may loue thee serue thee obey thee not for feare but of loue willingly not for my owne benefite but onely for thy seruice not with a sparing minde and heart but with a liberall and generous Spirit Thus may wee meditate of all Gods other Attributes 15 How to meditate on the Lords Prayer or any words of the holy Scripture In meditating on either of them it is very good to pause and stay so long vpon euery word of the Lords Prayer or any sentence of Scripture as long as our soules should finde any rellish or profite by it In euery Petition I may meditate on these points following 1
promise protestation accusing of our selues weeping for our sinnes examination of our consciences admiration and such like actions are all of them certaine kindes of prayer and so to meditate contemplate giue thankes examine the conscience and the rest are nothing else but to pray yea to reade godly bookes to stirre vp our deuotions in this sense is nothing else but to pray For when to this end any doe reade godly bookes then God speakes to them euen as man speakes vnto God when hee prayes Bern. lib. de scala Claustr And this moued that deuoute Father to place the reading of godly bookes amongst the parts of prayer That therefore in this sense we may know what those things are which seeme to bee all one with prayer first it must be vnderstood that to meditate is nothing else but diligently and attentiuely to weigh and ponder the thing proposed to the end to pray vnto God or talke with him And this I doe therefore adde because the diligent consideration of the Mysteries of faith and other things as they are taught in the Church or as any other end of them is proposed is not to bee named prayer But this meditation or consideration is an act of the vnderstanding from which doth the act of the will immediately arise For man plainely knowing what is good and what is euill is most easily moued to the loue of the one and the detestation of the other Hence the Kingly Prophet saith that in his meditation the fire kindled Psal 38. And for this cause is prayer and meditation so coupled together that hardly can they bee handled asunder Secondly contemplation is a certaine excellent and full meditation of affections flowing out without any discourse or labour whilst the soule by knowledge and perfect loue is ioyned vnto God and delighted in him no otherwise then a man beholding a most elegant image with fixed eyes without turning his eyes this way or that for the singular delight that hee takes therein Thirdly the praise of God is to magnifie him for his excellent vertues and perfections inhaering in him Fourthly Thankes-giuing is to approue himselfe thankefull to him for his benefites receiued Fifthly Petition is to aske something of God without any obsecration Sixthly Obsecration is to aske something of God with some interposition of a sacred thing most acceptable vnto him by the power and sight whereof hee may bee moued to giue what we demand as when we aske him for the bloud and wounds of his most deerely beloued Sonne to grant our requests Seuenthly Oblation is to offer vnto him our soules bodies all our actions and whatsoeuer belongs to vs or is in vs. Eighthly the examination of our consciences is to remember our sinnes before God to aske pardon for them and promise from the heart an amendment of them Ninthly Admiration is an excellent act of prayer when the soule in contemplation doth vehemently admire and is astonished at the wisedome goodnesse power and other workes of God which for the most part is accompanied with inflamed affections and exclamations and very often with extasies and rauishments of the soule Luther was therefore wont to say that prayer bringeth more profite then many labours of learning and that therefore hee came to the knowledge of heauenly doctrine which hee had by these three instruments prayer meditation and temptation For prayer brings those sentences of Scripture which in reading wee conceiue into vse 2 But if you take prayer in the second signification then there are three sorts or kindes of prayer mentall or of the minde vocall or of the tongue and mixt of both and the reason heereof is for that man doth negotiate and speake with God three manner of waies namely in heart mouth and in both together and therefore there must needs bee three sorts of prayer First wee may call that mentall prayer when the soule speaks to God inwardly without speaking of any words or mouing of the lips This is true prayer and before all others most acceptable to the Maiesty of God of which our Sauiour speakes thus God is a Spirit and those that worship him Iohn 4. must worship him in Spirit and truth Secondly vocall prayer is that when the words of prayer are cōceiued vttered with the mouth Where yet we must obserue that it ought to proceed frō the heart first that the words which are recited ought to be reuolued pondred in the mind for if any with the tongue onely pray without any attention or consideratiō not labouring to anoide all distractions and wandrings of the minde hee is not to bee accounted to pray vocally but contrarily casts himselfe into a grieuous sinne with which the Prophet vpbraids his people This people honour mee with their lippes Esay 29. but their hearts are farre from mee Ergo this kinde of prayer is not therefore called vocall because onely vttered by the mouth but that it might bee distinguished from the mentall which being onely made in the minde the vocall also addes to the intention of the minde words besides Thirdly the mixt kinde of prayer composed of both these kindes is when hee that prayes doth partly with heart and partly with his tongue pray vnto God therefore it is not to bee called a mixt prayer when any shall at one and the same time pray with the Spirit and wordes conceiued reuoluing with himselfe the things which hee speaketh for that is vocall prayer but that is a mixt prayer when after the prayer conceiued onely in spirit and minde hee that prayes doth ioyne vnto it a vocall prayer of the mouth 3 It followeth then that wee discourse of the things required in prayer that wee may pray aright where as we shall finde diuerse things that may prouoke that duety so shall wee meete with many incumbrances and lets and therefore our industry must bee to gaine the one and shunne the other with might and maine But because I haue in the former tract of meditation spoken both of these helps and impediments I will onely heere name them referring the Reader to that place for a fuller satisfaction First then there is to this holy exercise required a fit time which euery day is to bee allotted vnto it Where wee may fitly obserue first that so much time euery day is to bee assigned to this exercise as the condition and state of the party may well spare secondly for no cause nor vpon any occasion to omit this time or put it off vnto another season but to perswade himselfe that this exercise is farre more worthy then any other though neuer so beneficiall thirdly if vrgent necessity enforce the interruption of this time to repaire that losse some other houre of the day if it possible fourthly that the best houre for prayer is mid-night in respect of the quietnesse thereof next to that is the morning timely before wee set hand to any businesse for that will season the labours of the whole day
great difficulty in seruing God after this sublime and heauenly manner For this purpose those that will serue God aright must consider their owne dispositions that they may be able aright to meete with their owne defects therefore they must know that the euill wherby they are drawen from seruing God after this most diuine manner proceeds from sin which hath weakened the soule and subdued it to it selfe For if sinne had not interposed it selfe we should haue done euery good thing with much facility but sinne once arryuing in the Soule all our desires wills and appetites are become so dissolute disordered and rebellious by that grieuous speciall disease arising from sinne that now loathing that which is good wee scarce loue affect or desire any thing saue the most abiect worth lesse and vitious things forgetting that infinit good vnto which wee were created as the thing wherein we haue neither rellish nor sauour And hence proceeds the confusion and perturbation of the soule which we feele in our selues so much distracted from the true God whereunto we were created that the thing which is absolutely and onely good being cast off we incline euer and greedily follow that which is euill Yet must we know that howsoeuer this sin hath made such a slaughter of graces in the soule that there is not one friend left to take armes against it yet doth not our obligation cease from binding vs to doe what is our duty and for which we came into this world For albeit this great infirmity doth so infeeble vs that we doe all good things with great difficulty yet doth it not make vs altogether so impotent but that we are capable of grace and diuine fauour whereby to repaire this our former ouerthrow and destruction Besides we must obserue that by so much more doe we grow to an admirable disposition of seruing God aright which disposition had euer remained in the soule vnto all good things if sinne had not diseased it by how much more we shall haue our appetites and desires repaired and disposed which by sinne were formerly indisposed And he shall haue them repaired who with an attentiue care and profound consideration of the things we speake of shall direct them all to the Lord with a repugnancy to all things that are without the will of this Lord and a following of all such remedies as are here described And in that degree wherein any shall obtaine this in the same shall hee be aduanced here in sanctity and afterwards in glory And there is no doubt but herein one may so profit by assiduity and diligence as that he may doe all things with great faclity and delight to which hee shall be the more easily aduanced if he often and attentiuely read these instructions 5 Instruction That wee haue in our bodies and soules sufficient meanes for the reparation of this decay and ruine if they be stirred vp by the grace of Gods spirit As we haue both body and soule so wee haue in both of them instrumentes wherewith to worke For as the body hath feete to walke hands to worke mouth to speake and the like so the soule hath the vnderstanding where-with to know the will wherewith to desire and diuerse other faculties of the appetite But it must bee obserued that the more excellent the worker is together with the instrument so much more worthy is the worke so that all things concurring to the acte bee suteable Corporall actions haue so much more excellency in them by how much the instrument of the soule concurring to the act is more excellent Now that is called a singular instrument which to the production of the act is mooued by a good end Therefore the most excellent instruments are the vnderstanding and the will which can bee mooued of God alone as wee haue said in the second instruction Therefore of small worth are corporall things which doe not so proceede And this is it that Saint Paul said 1. Tim. 4. bodily labour profiteth little But the actions of the soule are of another kinde namely because of themselues they may bee of great profit As if one exercising his vnderstanding shoulde consider how base and abiect the honors of this world were and of what value those things which God commands are and how vnspeakable that glory is to which we aspire also to know how one may moderate his passions and the like Againe if one exercise himselfe in his will louing that which he knowes is good and refusing that is euill Such refusals of the soule should be very profitable albeit the body were very idle for by such exercises would be produced excellent habits and the euill habits destroied which thing of it selfe is very laudable albeit done for the only loue of vertue as Philosophers did yet much more being in a Christian who hath faith but most of all if in euery worke wee ioyne faith with our intention actually directed vnto God Hence may it be obserued how much euery one ought to be exercised in the actions of the soule which thing he may doe whether he bee imployed in body or no in euery time and place so that speaking with another in any temporall affaire yet may he in soule worke by louing God recaling to mind some of his works This may seeme difficult to him that hath not attained the habit thereof yet custome wil make it easie as we must remember that vertue is practised about difficult things Therefore violence is to be vsed to the wil that thou maist become an industrious workman to doe singular things with facility Which if thou doest not attempt no maruaile is it that thou canst not be more deuout towards God seeing hee is euer ready to assist thy desires vnto that which is good and to withstand thy pronenesse to euill so that thou doe rightly vse the meanes And be sure that if thou desirest on earth to be a great and excellent friend and seruant of God thou shalt the sooner attaine vnto it by how much thou dost daily more and more vse these instrumente of the soule thy vnderstanding and will at all times and places And this is it which aduanceth the Saints of GOD to so much glory in heauen the neglect whereof is so blameable on earth Seeing then our highest glory consists herein for the most part that wee worke by these instruments of the soule and our ruine in the neglect of this exercise Let vs see what course wee must take who haue as yet beene euen liuelesse to vse these instruments of the foule And that wee may begin with the vnderstanding leauing the will to the next instruction we will premise this theologicall and Philosophicall fundamentall rule that our naturall appetite doth naturally desire that to which it is inclined seemes pleasant to it not standing need of any thing to helpe or inuite vnto it but rather necessarily as it were coactedly desiring it But so doth not the will work bur first