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That Prayer and Consideration are two books or Inter∣preters very sure ones to understand holy Scri∣pture, and how a man ought to serve himself of them.
I Hold it for a very certain and very true thing, that for the understanding of holy Scripture, the best, the most certain, and the high∣est interpreters of all, that a man can find, are
these two, Prayer, and Consideration. Prayer as I understand, discovers the way, and opens, and manifesteth it: And Consideration I under∣stand, puts a man into it, and makes him walk therein.
Furthermore I understand, that it is necessa∣ry that these two interpreters or books should be helped on Gods part, he inspiring him who prayes, to pray. For I understand that he who prayes, not being inspired to pray, prayes out of his own proper phantasie, out of his own proper affection, and out of his own proper will; and not knowing to pray as he ought, is not heard in his prayer: and he who prayes be∣ing inspired to pray, prayes for the glory of God, and prayes for the will of God, and knowing to pray as he ought, he is heard in his prayer, that being granted him which he de∣mands.
Consideration, as I understand, ought to be helped on mans part, who considereth of spiri∣tuall things with his proper experience. I would say that he who considers, should have proved in himself those things, of which holy Scripture speaks; in such manner, that by what he finds, and knows in himself, he comes to understand that which is written in holy Scripture. They who consider without this experience, go in the dark, and go groping, and albeit they sometimes divine, and some other times they do hit right,
not having the proof thereof in themselves, they neither know, whether they do hit right, nor relish that wherein they do hit right.
And they who are in prayer helped from the holy spirit, and in consideration are helped by their own proper experience, oft-times hitting right, or rather as it were alwayes, they do both know that they hit right, and they do re∣lish that, wherein they do hit right. To be bet∣ter understood, I declare my self with two au∣thorities, one of S. Paul, and the other of Da∣vid, daring to put the example in my self. I say that reading that of S. Paul, Even as the testi∣mony of Jesus Christ is confirmed in you, and willing to understand it well, first I will work with the book of prayer, praying God that he will open unto me the way for the understand∣ing of these words; and in my prayer I stand steady, as much as I can keep my mind firm in it. Afterwards opening the book of considera∣tion, I begin to consider within my self, of what Christian matters I have any experience; and I begin also to examine, what is that testimony of Jesus Christ, which he brought unto the world. And finding in me the government of the holy spirit, and feeling my self justified in the justice of God executed in Christ (which two things are so joyned together, that a man can hardly understand, which of them he feels most, either the government of the holy spirit, or the justifi∣cation
by faith;) and understanding that the testimony, which Christ published unto the world, doth principally resolve it self into two parts, that is, into that; The kingdome of hea∣ven, or the kingdome of God (which is all one) draws near; and into that, which he speaking of his own bloud saith, For you, and for many it shall be shed to remission of sinnes: Of which two parts, one hath intent unto the kingdome of God, which is begun to be felt, and tasted in this present life, and is continued, and perpetu∣ated in life eternall; the other unto the justifi∣cation that is by Christ: I come to resolve my self, that S. Paul understood, that the Corinthi∣ans might testifie by their proper experience, that Christ spake the truth in the testimony which he gave unto the world, as well touching the coming of the kingdome of God, as also of ju∣stification by the justice of God executed in his most precious flesh. And I understand, that so much a man may call, and judge himself a Chri∣stian, inasmuch as he hath this testimony of Christ our Lord confirmed in himself. In like manner willing to understand that of David, For I am a stranger with thee, &c. and having opened the book of Prayer, I open that of Con∣sideration, and I go examining in what man∣ner I am a Pilgrim, and stranger in this present life. And finding, that I am such, inasmuch as I am not known, nor am prized, nor esteemed
in the world, and inasmuch as I do not prize, nor esteem the world: And finding likewise, that God in this self same manner is a Pilgrim in the world; for he is not known, nor prized, nor esteemed in the world; and because he nei∣ther prizeth, nor esteemeth the world, holding it for that which it is, I understand, that David would say: Lord, because the world doth that with me, which it doth with thee, and I do that with it which thou dost, I am a stranger with thee. And I understand, that in this manner the Saints of the Law were strangers with God; and in this manner are the Saints of the Gospel, and amongst them as the head the Son of God our Lord.
In this manner I understand a man is to serve himself of these two divine books: and I under∣stand, that the one helps the other marvellous∣ly: And I also understand, that he who can consider with his proper experience, doth al∣wayes erre, when he sets himself to consider without having first opened the book of Prayer. And I think that alwayes as it were, when he is moved to pray, the motion is the instinct of God.
Out of all this I gather, that this being true, that the true understanding of the Scripture ought to be sought by means of these two inter∣preters or books, which are Prayer, and Con∣sideration: and that prayer needs to helped with the inspiration of God, and Consideration with
the experience of that man that considers; it is also true, that to the pious Christian, who sets himself to holy Scripture, it appertains to live in a continued desire, that God would give un∣to him his holy spirit, and to attend to the mor∣tification of all that which is flesh and humane wisdome in him, to the intent, that vivification may succeed to mortification: for they onely, who have begun to be mortified, and to live, can consider by their own proper experience; for they onely feel in themselves the spirituall gifts of God, which they obtain, who believe in Je∣sus Christ our Lord.