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THis document not much differeth from the former, which not with∣standinge is equally necessarie, and this it is, that the seruant of god must not con∣tent himselfe, that he hath felt a little sen∣sible gust from meditation; as many doe, when they haue shed a little dry teare, or felt a little molifyinge of the heart, that they haue attained to the scope and end of this exercise.
But they are farr deceiued, for euen as to make the earth fruitfull one little shewer
which alaieth the dust, is not suffi∣cient, but it must haue a great deale of raine throughly soke into the rootes of the plantes, before it can giue any hopes of a fruitfull yeare: so the aboundance of ce∣lestiall waters, are necessarie to our soules for to make them bringe fourth the fruit of good workes. Wherfore we are not with out cause admonished by spirituall men, that we should spend as much time as possible we can in this holy exercise, and it is better to insist some longe time toge∣ther, then by fitts. For when the time is short, it wilbe almost all consumed, in quie∣tinge the immagination, and recollecting the heart. and it often happeneth, that whilst we should reape the fruit of our for∣mer trouble, meditation is quite broke of.
Concerninge the prefixed time for meditation, it seemeth to me, what soeuer is less the two howers, or an hower and halfe, is to little for this exercise, because al∣most one hower is spent in tuninge the instrument of our soules, repressinge idle and vnprofitable thoughts, and recolle∣ctinge the minde from temporall thinges: and some time also is necessarie to spend in reapinge the fruit of our prayer in the lat∣ter end.
Although I cannot deny, but after some
pious action the mind is better disposed for meditation: for as dried wood quickly burneth, so the mind that is well disposed, is sooner kindled with this celestiall fire.
The morninge also is the best time for meditation, because the mind is then most free from fancies, and therfore can with better facillitie apply it self to this holy exercise. But who by reason of the multi∣plicity of outward affaires, cannot spend so much time, yet at leastwise let them, with the poore widdowe in the ghospell, offerr vp to god the small mite of their syncere affection. And no doubt but he who pro∣uideth for all creatures accordinge to their seuerall necessities, will graciously accept it, if their culpable negligence doth not de∣serue the contrarie.