Epistolæ Ho-elianæ familiar letters domestic and forren divided into sundry sections, partly historicall, politicall, philosophicall, vpon emergent occasions / by James Howell.

XXXII. To Sir Ed. B. Knight.

SIR,

I Receiv'd yours this Maunday-Thursday: and wheras amongst other passages, and▪ high endearments of love, you desire to know what method I observe in the exercise of my devotl∣ons, I thank you for your request, which I have reason to be∣lieve doth proceed from an extraordinary respect unto me; and I will deal with you herein, as one should do with his Confessor.

Tis true, though ther be rules and rubrics in our Liturgy suf∣ficient to guide evry one in the performance of all holy duties, yet I beleeve evry one hath som mode and modell or formula∣ry of his own, specially for his privat cubicular devotions.

I will begin with the last day of the week, and with the latter end of that day, I mean Saturday evening, on which I have fasted ever since I was a youth in Venice, for being delivered from a very great danger: This yeer I use som extraordinary acts of devotion to usher in the ensuing Sunday in Hymns, and various prayers of my own penning, before I go to bed. On Sunday Morning I rise earlier than upon other dayes, to prepare my self for the Sancti∣fying of it; nor do I use Barber, Tailor, Shoo-maker, or any o∣ther Mechanick that morning; and whatsoever diversions, or lets, may hinder me the week before, I never miss, but in case of sicknes, to repair to Gods holy House that day, wher I com before prayers begin, to make my self fitter for the work by some praevious Me∣ditations, and to take the whole Service along with me; nor do I love to mingle speech with any in the interim about news or world∣ly negotiations. In Gods holy House I prostrat my self in the hum∣blest

and decent'st way of genuflection I can imagin; nor do I be∣leeve ther can be any excess of exterior humility in that place; therfore I do not like those squatting unseemly bold postures upon ones tail, or muffling the face in the Hat, or thrusting it in so•…•… hole, or covering it with ones hand; but with bended knee, and an open confident face, I fix my Eyes on the East part of the Church, and Heaven. I endeavour to apply evry tir•…•…le of the Service to my own Conscience and Occasions; and I believe the want of this, with the huddling up, and careless reading of som Ministers, with the commoness of it, is the greatest cause that many do undervalue and take a Surfet of our pub∣lic Service.

For the reading and singing Psalmes, wheras most of them are either Petitions or Eucharisticall ejaculations, I listen to them more attentively, and make them mine own: When I stand at the creed, I think upon the custom they have in Poland, and else-where, for Gentlemen to draw their Swords all the while, intimating therby, that they will defend it with their lives and bloud; And for the Decalog, wheras others use to rise, and sit, I ever kneel at it in the humblest and trembling'st posture of all, to crave re∣mission for the breaches pass'd of any of Gods holy Command∣ments (specially the week before) and future grace to observe them.

I love a holy devout Sermon, that first checks and then cheers the Conscience, that begins with the Law and ends with the Gos∣pell; but I never prejudicat or censure any Preacher, •…•…aking him as I find him.

And now that we are not only Adulted but ancient Christians, I beleeve the most acceptable Sacrifice we can send up to Heaven, is prayer and praise, and that Sermons are not so essentiall as either of them to the tru practice of devotion. The rest of the holy Sab∣bath, I sequester my body and mind as much as I can from worldly affairs.

Upon Monday morn, as soon as the Cinq-ports are open, I have a particular prayer of thanks, that I am reprieved to the be∣ginning of that week; and evry day following, I knock thrice at Heavens gate, in the Morning, in the Evening, and at Night; besides, Prayers at Meals, and som other occasionall ejaculations, as upon the putting on of a clean Shirt, washing my hands, and at lighting of Candles, which because they are sudden, I do in the third person.

Tuesday morning I rise Winter and Summer as soon as I awake,

and send up a more particular sacrifice for som reasons; and as I am dispos'd, or have busines, I go to bed again.

Upon Wensday night, I always fast, and perform also som ex∣traordinary acts of Devotion, as also upon Friday night; and Saturday morning, as soon as my senses are unlock'd I get up. And in the Summer time, I am oftentimes abroad in som privat field, to attend the Sun-rising: And as I pray thrice evry day, so I fast thrice evry week, at least I eat but one meal upon Wens∣days, Fridays, and Saturdays, in regard I am jealous with my self, to have more infirmities to answer for, than other.

Before I go to bed, I make a scrutiny what peccant humors have reign'd in me that day, and so I reconcile my self to my Crea∣tor, and strike a tally in the Exchequer of Heaven for my quie∣•…•…us est, ere I close my eyes, and leave no burden upon my Con∣science.

Before I presume to take the Holy Sacrament, I use som ex∣traordinary acts of Humiliation to prepare my self som days be∣fore, and by doing som deeds of Charity; and commonly I compose som new Prayers, and divers of them written in my own bloud.

I use not to rush rashly into prayer without a trembling prece∣dent Meditation, and if any odd thoughts intervene, and grow upon me, I check my self, and recommence; and this is incident to long prayers, which are more subject to mans weaknes, and the devils malice.

I thank God I have this fruit of my forrain Travels, that I can pray unto him evry day of the week in a severall Language, and upon Sunday in seven, which in Orisons of my own I pun∣ctually perform in my privat Pomeridian devotions.

Et sic aeternam contendo attingere vitam.

By these steps I strive to clime up to heaven, and my soul prompts me I shall thither; for ther is no object in the world delights me more, than to cast up my eyes that way, specially in a Star-light night; and if my mind be overcast with any odd clouds of me∣lancholly, when I look up and behold that glorious Fabric, which I hope shall be my Countrey heerafter, ther are new spirits begot in me presently, which make me scorn the World, and the plea∣sures thereof, considering the vanity of the one, and the inanity of the other.

Thus my soul still moves East-ward, as all the Heavenly bo∣dies

doe; but I must tell you, that as those bodies are over-ma∣ster'd, and snatch'd away to the West, raptu primi mobilis, by the generall motion of the tenth sphere, so by those Epidemicall infir∣mities which are incident to man, I am often snatch'd away a clean contrary cours, yet my soul persists still in our own pro∣per motion: I am often at variance, and angry with my self (nor do I hold this anger to be any breach of charity) when I con∣sider, That wheras my Creator intended this body of mine, though •…•… lump of Clay, to be a Temple of his holy Spirit, my affections should turn it often to a Brothell-house, my passions to a Bedlam, and my excesses to an Hospitall.

Being of a Lay profession, I humbly conform to the Constitu∣tions of the Church, and my spirituall Superiors; and I hold this obedience to be an acceptable Sacrifice to God.

Difference in opinion may work a disaffection in me, but not a detestation: I rather pity, than hate, Turk or Insidell, for they are of the same metall, and bear the same stamp as I do, though the Inscriptions differ. If I hate any, 'tis those Scismatics that puzzle the sweet peace of our Church, so that I could bee content to see an Anabaptist go to Hell on a Brownists back?

Noble Knight, now that I have thus eviscerated my self, and dealt so clearly with you, I desire by way of correspon∣dence that you would tell me, what way you take in your journey to Heaven; for if my Brest lie so open to you, 'tis not sitting yours should bee shut up to mee; therfore I pray let me hear from you when it may stand with your Conveni∣ence.

So I wish you your hearts desire here, and Heaven hereafter, because I am

Yours in no vulgar way of friendship, J. H.

London, 25 Iuly, 1635.