§. Sect. 5 The first rea∣son taken from the excellency of this exercise.
Which examples, that wee may imitate, let vs consider the reasons which may perswade vs vnto it. The first whereof, is the excellency of this holy exercise, which aduanceth vs vnto high and heauenly priuiledges. For it increaseth our sweet communion with God, the chiefe Goodnesse, in whose fruition consisteth all our happinesse, and giueth vs admittance in∣to his presence, and liberty to talke and conferre with him, as with our friend, about all things which concerne his glory and our owne saluation. It exalteth our mindes and soules aboue the highest pitch of worldly things, and causeth vs, euen whilest we are vpon earth, to haue our conuer∣sation in heauen. It causeth vs, whilest we carry about with vs this body of flesh, to be heauenly minded, and partakers of the Diuine nature, whilst by this neere society and familiarity, it maketh vs like vnto God, with whom wee conuerse in holinesse and happinesse. It entreth vs into the first de grees of the heauenly ioyes, and as our state of mortality will beare, it imparteth vnto vs some first beginnings of the vision and fruition of God, and inableth vs (with Moses) to discerne, as we are capeable, some small glimpses of his glory. And as his face did shine, when hee had conuersed with God in his bodily presence; so our soules doe shine in purity, bright∣nesse, and glory, by comming neere vnto him, and entertaining with him this spirituall communion. And as the waxe, which is yellow in its owne nature, by lying long in the beames of the Sunne, changeth the colour, and attaineth vnto a Virgin-like whitenesse and purity; so wee, who with the Spouse in the Canticles, are browne and blacke through naturall in∣firmities, doe become more bright and beautifull, whilest conuersing with our Bridegroome Christ in this neere familiarity, the beames of his loue and fauour doe shine vpon vs.