The yong mans gleanings Gathered out of diuers most zealous and deuout fathers, and now published for the benefit of euerie Christian man, which wisheth good successe to his soule at the later day. Containing these foure subiects. 1 Of the mortality of man. 2 The poore mans harbour. 3 The mirror of vaine-glory. 4 Saint Barnards sermon on the passion of Christ. Whereunto is adioyned a most sweete and comfortable hymne, expressing the euerlasting ioy of a glorified soule. By R.B. gent.

A Meditation of Saint Barnard where∣in he describes the method of prayer, and how a zealous Christian should pray.

HAue mercie on me (O Lord) for I sinne there the most, where I ought to reforme my selfe the most for in the priuate Monastery, oft times whilest I pray, I giue not attention to that I pray: I pray with my mouth (and implies thereby a lippe labour) but my minde is wandring abroade, and therefore am worthily depriued of the fruite of my prayer: in bodie I am inward, but in heart outward, and therefore I lose the be∣nefit of my speech: for little aualleth it vs to sing onely with the voice without the pure intention of our heart: where∣fore it is great peruersenesse, nay, great madnesse, when we presume to talke fa∣miliarly with God in our prayer, being of so exceeding Maiestie, sencelessely to diuert our mindes from him, and prosti∣tute our hearts to I know not what folly. Great madnes is it likewise (& greatly to bee punished) when vile dust and ashes

composed of nought but sin, disdaineth to heare the creator of this vniuerse speaking vnto him. But ineffable is the humilitie of his diuine goodnesse, daily beholding vs (vnhappie wretches) tur∣ning our eares, hardning our hearts, yet vouchsafeth he incessantly to crie vnto vs, saying, returne you that be of an vn∣circumcised heart▪ behold and see I am your Lord and God▪ God speaketh vn∣to me in a Psalme, and I vnto him, nei∣ther yet when I say the Psame doe I con∣sider whose Psalme it is: therefore doe I a great iniurie vnto God, when I desire him that hee would heare my prayer, which I, when I powre it before him, doe not heare my selfe.

I beseech him to incline his eare vnto my prayer, but I incline mine eare nei∣ther to my selfe, nor to my prayer, but which is worse, by meditating of vnpro∣fitable and sensuall affections, I oppose a most filthie and horrible corruption, in the consideration of my hearts pol∣lution, before the eies of his all-seeing Maiestie.