A treatise of adhering to God; written by Albert the Great, Bishop of Ratisbon. Put into English by Sir Kenelme Digby, Kt. Also a conference with a lady about choyce of religion.

CHAP. XIII. Of the quality and utility of prayer: and how ones heart is to be recollected within it selfe.

BUt sithence, we are not able of our selves, either to love, or to doe any o∣ther good worke, nor can of our owne stocke offer any thing to God (from whom alone floweth all that is good) that is not already his: the only thing which remain∣eth for us to doe, is, that according to the instructions which he hath vouchsafed to give us by his owne divine mouth and blessed example, we have recourse to him by prayer in all our occurrences; and that we prostrate our selves before him, like poore needy beggers, like wretched miser∣able bondslaves, like feeble desolate chil∣dren; and so with deep groanes lay open our hearts before him, representing our distressed condition with all ingenuity & sincerity, with feare and shame; yet ming∣led with confidence and love; and beseech∣ing him with the utmost vehemence and fervour of our soule, to protect and assist us in our imminent dangers; and in the close admitting and abandoning ourselves en∣tirely and securely into his hands, with∣out

reserving any thing at all to our selves; but acknowledging whatsoever we have, or are, to be absolutely his. And then, that will be fulfilled in us, which the holy abbot Isack (speaking of his manner of prayer) saith in the following words: Then we shall be one in God, and our Lord, and only he will be all in all to us; when that perfect love of his with which he loved us first, shall likewise on our side have passed and bee converted into the affection of our heart. Which will be when all our love, all our desire, all our study, all our endea∣vour, all that we shall think, imagine, speak and hope will be God alone; and that a like unity as is between the father and the sonne, and againe betweene the sonne and the father, shall be transfused into our soule and mind: that as he lov∣eth us, with a sincere, pure, and indissol∣vable charity, so we may be joyned also to him by a perpetuall and inseparable di∣lection; whereby thus linked unto him, all that we shall desire and hope for, that we shall understand, that we shall speake of, and that we shall direct our prayers unto, may be God only. This therefore ought to be the intention, the

ayme, and the end of a spirituall man, that he may come to possesse herein his corruptible body, an image of the next lifes beatitude; and that he may begin in this world, to receive a kind of earnest penny, and tast some drops of that beati∣tude, conversation, and glory, which we shall have in heaven. This I say is the end of all perfection; that our soule being pu∣rified from all carnall drosse; it may day∣ly be refined and sublimed up to spiritu∣all objects, untill our conversation, and all the motions and affections of our heart do become one continued prayer. And when our soule, free from all earthly alloy, shall thus breath and pant after God onely (on whom alone the intention of a spirituall man ought to be fixed, and so such an one, the least separation from him will seem a present and cruel death,) and shall be in a manner sent beforehand to him, by injoying so high a calme from all carnall passions (which might inveigle and draw it to their objects) that it may firmly and in∣dissolubly adhere to that one supreame good; then the direction of the Apostle will be fulfilled, who biddeth us pray without intermission; 1. Thes. 5. and in a∣nother

place, lifting up pure hands eve∣ry where without anger and contention. 1. Tim. 2. For where the operation of the mind is absorbed (if so I may say) with such purity, and is transformed from a terrene and grosse nature, to a spirituall and Angelicall shape; then whatsoever she shall receive into her selfe, whatsoever she shall employ her self about; and whatsoever she shall doe, will be a most pure and a most sincere prayer. To conclude, if you shall continue, without interruption, that course I have traced from the beginning of this discourse, it will be as easie and ready for you in your introversion and recollection, to contem∣plate and to injoy God, as in nature it is to live.

Notes

• Cassian. Collect. 10. Chap. 6.
• Cass. Col. 9. cap. 5.