The miscellanie, or, A registrie, and methodicall directorie of orizons Exhibiting a presentment of the soules requestes in the high court of the heauenly parliament: prefaced with meditations of a three-fold distinct nature, preparatiuely instructing the Christian soule ...

6. Of a continuall Practizing our selues in good and virtuous exercises.

IT is not of any great moment and worth, to the in∣struction of a Christian Soule, onely to haue the good Motions and Suggestions of godly Thoughts, which notwithstanding are materiall, and much auaileable to excite and stirre vp the Will vnto Action, (it being the Fountaine from whence Action must issue:) But withall.

Wel-doing must of necessitie be produced, to manifest the inward affections of the Minde, sayth Christ. And it is to this purpose, that the Heart of man, is as his Treasure∣house: If it be good, it bringeth foorth good thinges; if it be euill, it bringeth foorth euill thinges: For out of the abundance of the Heart, the Mouth speaketh.

Neither shall it profit a man, to make a faire shew of good and godly Thoughts, by some few good corres∣pondent Actions, vnlesse also hee perseuere constantly in a continuall, and dayly practise thereof, to the Ac∣quisicion of the Habite of Well doing. When S. James speaketh of Fayth to be shewed out of Workes, he doth meane that Fayth, which hauing the quickening and liuely heate of Charitie from the Spirit, is alwayes stirring and forward vnto the Actions of true Christianitie, groun∣ded vpon the vnderstanding Zeale of a iustifying Fayth in Christ: And this kind of Fayth, cannot at any time cease from acting the workes of Pietie and Godlinesse. A very speciall Remedie to Deuotion, is this Continuall practizing of good, and virtuous Exercises.

Otherwise, either to purpose, and not to doe; or to begin well, and not to goe forward in it, is as the com∣mon speach hath, To weaue and vnweaue Penelopes Webbe. Who so are of this idle and vnprofitably working hu∣mour, they are vpon any slight and small occasion, with∣drawne easily from this Godly worke of holy Medita∣tion and Deuotion; and consequently for want thereof, (not inuring themselues to the spirituall exercise of Prayer,) they may be compared to Sampson, who when he had those Seauen fatall Lockes (as I may say,) of his head shauen off by Dalilah, had his strength also presently gone from him, and so was taken prisoner of the Philistims. &c. Which is to be vnderstood, that God forsooke and de∣parted from him, for contemning his Ordinance; which was, That he should be as one Separated from the world, and wholly Consecrated to God; and for that cause, the

Angell foretold Manoah his wife, that No Rasor should come vpon his head, because hee was appoynted A Naza∣rite vnto God from his Mothers wombe. Euen so is it to those, which accustome not themselues to spirituall Deuotion, and Prayer: For being once deuoyde of these, by sini∣ster occasions of worldly Affaires, or through negli∣gence omitting them, they appeare straight-wayes de∣stituted of the Grace of God: And thus left to them∣selues, are wholly weakened, (The Shield of Fayth, which is to Quench the fierie dartes of the Wicked, being taken from them,) and so become a prey to the Diuell; which can∣not be withstood, but by the Zeale of a true working Deuotion in Prayer, occasioned in vs, through the grace of God.

Therefore it is very expedient, that in this Spirituall exercise of deuout seruing of God, be vsed a very strict Constancie, and Resolution, as S. Paul counsayleth, say∣ing: Pray alwayes with all manner Prayer and Supplication in the Spirit: and watch thereunto, with all perseuerance.

The Celestiall Bodies, retaine the same course in their motions without change and variablenesse, which they receiued by appoyntment from God at their first creation; because on them doth depende the gouerne∣ment of the whole world; which else had long since de∣cayed. And shall wee not thinke, forasmuch as the whole course and order of our Spirituall life, is fully and perfectly interessed in the worke of this Spirituall Ex∣ercise; that therefore it is meete and right, hee doe well direct and dispose the orderly succession of causes, on which it dependeth, that hath a minde to haue his life godly instructed, vnto a Perpetuall Practize of Well doing? No matters, or intercurrent affayres whatsoeuer ought to diuert vs from the dayly exercising our deuotions in Prayer: Nay, wee are rather to be wanting to our selues in Temporall businesses, then not to take hold of all oc∣casions offered at all times, to be conuersant with God

This is to chouse with Mary, that Good part, which Christ sayd, should not be taken from her. And that other, is with Martha, To care and to be troubled about many thinges; which cause vs to forget and neglect the principall, viz. The hearing of Gods Word, and the practising of the same.

Of her minde are such, as hold Prayer, and exercises of Spirituall deuotion for pretences of excuse, to ha∣zard the Spirituall good, for the obteyning of the Tem∣porall: for, Martha was combred about much seruing, when Mary sate at Christes feete and heard his Preach∣ing; which, shee not regarding, as not knowing that one thing, is needfull, called to Christ for her sisters helpe, saying: Maister, doest thou not care, that my sister hath left mee to serue alone? It is an argument of great fol∣lie, for the lesser good, to lose the greater. In this poynt, the Serpent is naturally wiser then Man, which by a meere instinct of Nature, is taught to hide and couer the Head, in time of danger, and rather to expose the Body to the stroke, as seeking by hazarding the lesser, to saue the thing of greater consequence: For the Head direct••th Sense and Motion to the whole Body. But let the Patriarch Iacob be vnto vs for a president, and out of a particuler of his Wisedome, let vs exemplifie a gene∣rall document for our instruction in this matter. Iacob after his returne out of Mesopotamia, went to meete with his brother Esau, of whom hee stood greatly in feare, and sent before to his brother by Messengers, A Present of Goates, Ewes, Camels, Asses, &c. thinges of lesser value and regard, following himselfe after, with the Maydes, and their Children, Leah and her Children after, and Rahel and Ioseph hindermost: shewing thereby, that hee did chouse, rather to lose that which hee lesse regarded, then to hazard that which hee most loued, and had care to preserue from danger: for so were Rahel and Ioseph most deare vnto Iacab, and therefore of him placed be∣hinde, for their more securitie.

I say, this example may be vnto vs for imitation, and as it is allegorized, may fitly be applyed to this question in hand.

For what is Rahel by Allegorie? but the life contem∣platiue or speculatiue, as the Diuines write, which is al∣wayes busied and occupied in Diuine matters, Whose de∣light is in the Law of the Lord, and in his Law doth exercise it selfe day and night.

And to this sense is Rahel interpreted a Sheepe, from the name thereof, taking a signification of Meekenesse, Peace, and Quietnesse, which agreeth well with the speculatiue life, alwayes recording, and as it were chew∣ing the Cud of Gods Law, & of his holy Word, as I said before. And what is Leah? but Wearisomnesse through continuall labour and dayly paines taking, such as this world yeeldeth; and therefore by an Allegorie also, is sayd to be that actiue life.

To speake of Ioseph: was not hee borne of Rahel, after that God had opened her wombe? Hee is therefore called the Spirituall Sonne; signifying the puritie, and inno∣cencie of the inward Man. Now then, to end with this; Let not our Cares for temporall thinges, be such, as for them, we loose finally the things eternall: Let our Cares be seemingly employed for both; but yet so deuided, as that Leah haue her place, & Rahel her place, in due or∣der: and howsoeuer it falleth out with Leah, let vs be cir∣cumspect in the safe guarding of Rahel; & be wanting in our care, rather for Leah, then for Rahel, if the case so re∣quire, as hauing an eye specially intentiue to contem∣plation, alwayes according to the counsayle of Christ in the Gospell, saying: Lay not vp Treasures for your selues vpon Earth: But lay vp Treasures for your selues in Heauen: Forwhere your Treasure is, there will your Heartes be also.

God graunt we may herein be aduised as wee ought, receiuing from these wordes, spirituall instructions, such as may bee to the glorie of Gods name, and for the

euerlasting comfort of our Consciences in Christ Iesus. Amen.

This continuall practise of holy exercises, as it ma∣keth greatly for the confirming in vs, a habite of diuine meditations, with a delight of the minde, to the aduaun∣cing of the inward man, euen vnto a full groath; So hath it need to be aided, by certaine circumstaunces of Place, Time, and manner of Gesturing the Bodie, which are here to be considered accordingly: For these helpe much for the setling the Heart in a confirmed resolute deuo∣tion at time of Prayer.

It hath been sufficiently spoken alreadie in the for∣mer Preface to this worke, of the place and manner of Composing our Gestures when wee pray. Onely by way of Admonition, (it being a thing to be left to the consideration of any vpon occasion deuoted vnto Prayer,) I say, as touching Outward gesture and cari∣age of the Body in time of Prayer, that it is to be vsed as conueniencie requireth, and the state of the bodie doth permit; For otherwise, if either standing, or kneeling too long, (the weakenesse of the Bodie not admitting either,) these Gestures, (through paine so occasioned,) may interrupt & hinder the course of Deuotion; which specially is to be regarded: a (For it is the Spirit, and in∣ward sound affection of the Heart, that God requireth in chiefe, at the times of seruing him; (and yet I confesse, that in those Externall signes, and Corporall Gestures, conspiring with the Heartes Deuotion, arguing true humilitie, God is well pleased to be honoured of vs. Therefore leauing these to be considered, of such as in a godly discretion shall haue cause to vse the same; I onely aduise, that in matters belonging to Gods seruice, whether publicquely, or priuatly, no one thing be inter∣preted of so light and small a moment, as that it ought for the qualitie thereof, to be reiected of vs, after our owne mindes, and meere santasies. Let Christ, who is

the teacher of all trueth, and did vse those outward Ge∣stures in Prayer, be onely to vs for example. And so I re∣turne to my purpose, and say; The obseruation of the Time, is rather heere to be entreated, and discussed.

The Wise man sayth in his Prouerbes; To him that seeketh for true goods, it auayleth much to rise vp early in the morning. The Children of Israel are sayd in Exodus, to haue Gathered Manna in the Morning. By this we are admonished in generall, of a fit and conuenient Time, to be necessarily employed in good Exercises, as noteth the Wise man in Ecclesiastes: To all thinges there is an appoynted time, to euery purpose vnder the Sunne. If for euery Purpose that man apprehendeth for his neces∣sarie vses, then surely there is a time to be limitted out, for performance of our godly Purposes, and Vowes vn∣to God. And of this time must wee take hold, because it is the Acceptable time, of which Isaiah speaketh, that God heard, and helped his Church; for it was the day of Salua∣tion, as Isaiah and also S. Paul calleth it. For at all times, wherein the Spirit of God mooueth our hearts to a zea∣lous Deuotion, God setteth before vs his infinite Loue and Mercie, by it, as it were inuiting vs vnto him, to re∣ceiue his Grace, sanctifying vs vnto all Godlinesse.

So then, no time is exempted from the seruice of God, whether by Prayer, or by any other spirituall function of the Soule, and Conscience. For both day and night, we are admonished out of the Scripture, to attend there∣vnto. Yet not to omit altogeather, the care of the seue∣rall affayres apperteyning to the seuerall vocations, in which God hath placed euery one, to seeke honestly and competently, for corporall food and sustenaunce, out of his particular prouidence, to be administred accor∣dingly.

This being aduisedly considered, let vs be bould to as∣sume all times, for this seruice. What they be by gene∣rall tearmes of Day and Night, the Scripture teacheth,

as before I noted.

The Sonne of Sirach telleth, that the man, Who applyeth his minde to the Law of God, and is occupied in the meditation thereof, is hee that giueth his heart to resort carely vnto the Lord that made him, and to pray before the most high &c.

Saint Luke sayth, that Christ In the Day time taught in the Temple; And all the people came in the Morning, to heare him in the Temple.

When Christ did choose his twelue Apostles, Luke noteth the time to be in the Morning, after hee had Spent the night in Prayer to God; For it followeth, And when it was Day, hee called his Disciples, &c.

And Dauid in his Psalmes testifieth of himselfe, That hee rose betimes in the Morning, to thinke vpon God, and to meditate on his Lawes. In one of his Psalmes, he witnesseth of him selfe, That hee returned seuen times in a day to prayse God.

And Daniel, made Prayers and Supplications, three times a day vnto God, vpon his knees.

All the faythfull in the Actes of the Apostles, Conti∣nued dayly with one accord in the Temple, praysing God.

It was dayly Prayer, that did procure God, to deliuer the Israelites from their enemies, in the Booke of Iudges.

Saint Paul willeth the Ephesians to Pray alwayes, with all manner of Prayer and Supplication in the Spirit: and to watch thereunto with all perseuer••••ce and supplication for all Saincts.

For himselfe writeth to Timothie, That without ceasing, he ••ad remembrance of him in his Prayers day and night.

And it followeth, in the same example, by way of ad∣monition vnto Timothie, That Widdowes in deed continue in S••pplications and Prayers Night and Day. Such a Widdow was A••••a a Prophetesse, who serued God with Fasting and Prayers day and night

Thus a perseuerance in Prayer and seruing God, is commended vnto vs in the Scripture, not for the Day ••••e onely, but also for the Night in particuler, and ex∣presly

by word.

Ieremiah sayth, Arise, Cry in the Night: in the beginning of the Watches, powr•• out thy Heart like Water, before the face of the Lord.

Dauid sayth, That euery Night he washed his Bedde, and watered his Couch with his Teares. And thought vpon him in the night Watches.

Christ is to vs in stead of a million of Examples; and hee is sayd To goe into a Mountaine to pray, and there to spend the Night in prayer to God.

In him therefore let vs rest our imitation, as by him, who is the very Truth, fully confirmed vnto the practise of this Diuine exercise, after the example of all the Sainctes; which though it be a matter out of question, and therefore needeth no further illustration; Yet I will recite here, as by this present occasion I am put in minds, for the worthinesse thereof, a very memorable president of a true zealous deuotion; and the rather, for that it is obserued by an Ethnicque.

Plinie writeth to Traian the Emperour, that there was a certaine people, who ••••ued without blame and offence to any, and had nothing fault worthy in them, saue one∣ly that they spent much time in singing Psalmes, and spirituall Songes, and H••mnes, to the pray se and honour of a Man, called Christ, who was crucified in Palestina A most worthy and singuler Example of true Deuotion in the primitiue Church, left to posteritie for imitation, and so accordingly to be practised of all the Children of fayth in Christ. And therefore generally it is in this manner written of all the Sainctes, that the most part of the Night watches, (for the Night was deuided into Watches, as appeareth in Matthew, who mentioneth the Fourth a Watch of the Night: And Luke, b who speaketh of the Second and Third Watch) was spent by them in the spirituall exercises of Prayers, in reading the Scriptures, in Contemplations and deuo••t Meditations, according

therein with the Psalmes, which willeth them to lift vp their handes in the Night vnto Holy thinges, and blesse the Lord. And therefore speake with Dauid, say∣ing: Our Soules waytes on the Lord, more then the Morning Watch watcheth for the Morning.

Let these suffice for a Preparatiue of instruction vnto Deuotion: And vnderstand, that a Perseuerance in Prayer, and other godly Exercises, is chiefly meant, in the true acception of these words (Morning, and Night,) as occasion may fitly correspond thereto; So bee the wordes to be interpreted; for so in that sense and mea∣ning they are taken in the Scripture. Dauid sayth, Let me heare thy louing kindnesse in the Morning: Hee meaneth not the Morning onely, but at all times of the Day; that is, Speedily, and in due season, let mee haue the counsell of thy holy Spirit, to direct mee in the way that I should walke in.

Likewise in the Canticles, the Church, which is the Spouse of Christ, seeking for succour, and helpe at her Loues hand, in all her troubles; to signifie the same, vseth the word Night, saying: In my Bedde by Night, I sought him that my Soule loued. By which wee are taught, that as afflictions come vpon the faythfull, so are they to call vpon their Lord and Sauiour CHRIST, whether in the Day or in the Night: For they happen at all times, and therefore at all times they must be readie, in a true Deuotion to craue helpe from their God, who heareth and deliuereth. To him therefore, the onely Wise and Immortall GOD, the all sufficient, powerfull, and most mercifull Lord of Heauen and Earth; Bee all Power, Dominion, Prayse, and Honour, for euer, throughout all Ages.

Notes

• Matth. 12. 35. 34.
• Iames. 2. 18.
• Iudges. 16. 18. 19, 20.
• Iudg. 13. 5.
• Ephes. 6. 16.
• Ephes. 6. 18.
• ••uke 10. 42. 41.
• vers. 40.
• Gen. 32. 13. 14. 15.
• Gen 33. 2.
• Psal. 1. 2.
• Gene. 30. vers. 22, 23, 24.
• Matth. 6. 19. 20. 21. Luk. 12. 33. 34.
• Fol. 13. 14.
• a

  I say in this case, wee are not to stand precise∣ly vpon those accedences, not so neces∣sarily be∣houefull.
• Exod. 16. 21.
• Eccle 3. 1.
• Esay. 49 8. 2. Cori. 6. 2.
• Eccl. 39. 1. 5.
• Luk. 21. 37. 38.
• Luk. 6. 12. 13.
• Psal. 130. 6. P••al 55. 17 59. 16
• Psa. 119. 164
• Dani 6. 10
• Act. 2. 46. 47.
• Iudg. ••0. 11. 12. 16.
• Ephes 6. 18.
• 2. Tim. 1. 3.
• 1. Tim. 5. 5.
• Luk 2 37
• Lamen. 2. 19
• Psal. 6. 6.
• Luk. 6. 12.
• a

  Mat. 14. 25
• b

  Luk. 12. 38.
• Psal. 143. 8.
• Cant. 3. 1.