CHAP. I.

THe greatest Impediment in the affair of our Salvation, is inte∣riour, which consists in the dis∣order of the powers and facul∣ties of the Soul and Passions, Rebellion Page  72 of the flesh, & infidelity of our Sences; all which enemies seem to conspire to our Perdition, & to destroy all Spiritual Life in us. For the preserving of which, a∣gainst them, we must practise Mortifica∣tion; by this means to subdue and regu∣late them, that we be not carried head∣long by their violence to our utter ru∣ine. In the first place it is necessary, to reform the three Spiritual Powers of the Soul, which are the Intellect, Will, and Memory, which are the principles and origine of humane Acts, from which they proceed and depend, if they be done knowingly and voluntarily; if these be infected and corrupted as ordinarily they are, no good can be expected to proceed from them. Concerning the Intellect, we ought to esteem the purga∣tion of it, as St. Augustine informs us. [St. Aug. lib. 1. de doctrin. Christ.] Quasi ambulationem & navigationem: As a walking and navigation to our Heaven∣ly Country. For it is the guide of the will which in it self is a blind power, and being troubled and disordered, causeth Page  73 an irregularity in all the other faculties. In the Intellect one may discover many faults to be reformed, as ignorance of things, one is obliged to know: Incon∣sideration and imprudence in executing; Errour, by which one apprehends whats false, for a truth: obstinacy, to defend and persevere in a mistake, after good infor∣mation and instruction, to which one ought to Acquiess; Temerity, to judg of the intentions, actions and designs of another; Carnal and sensual Pru∣dence and Craft, to circumvent others, and contrive (by ill expedients) worldly affaires. Curiosity, to know things, which it were more profitable to us to be ignorant of. The Intellect vitiated by these and the like faults, ought dili∣gently to be mortified and reformed, or els it will be the cause of many defor∣med humane Acts; This reformation may be made by divers means; the chief is, a diligent practise of Vertue, which produceth true intelligence, as the Pro∣phet David affirms [Psal. 128.] Man∣datis tuis intellexi: I got understanding Page  74 by observing thy Commands. The cu∣stome of doing well, and experience in Devotion, is the best Mistress, by which one apprehends and profits most. A∣nother means is, reading Spiritual Books, with an intention to obtain Purity of Mind, interposing Affective Prayers. A third means may be, conferrence with Illuminated Persons, from whom, they may receave good instructions of Salva∣tion, and directions for their conduct in all Doubts, Temptations, & ocurring Difficulties. As for the Memory, it ought to be reformed about the variety of I∣mages and Representations of terrene and vain objects, by which it is often soiled; and in pusuit of which, it im∣portunes the Will to evil desires and actions; one must labour in this Refor∣mation, by exercising himself in the frequent meditation of Divine things; which if a man exercise constantly, he will in time deface and race out the Phantasies and imaginations of vain Objects: so that after a faithful labour in this, the Soul will find it self, as it Page  75 were absorpt in God, and will entertain and delight it self in nothing so much, and so often, as in God. The Will pur∣chaseth it self proper satisfactions and in∣terests by the motive of self-Love, with which it is dangerously impoysoned, and which is the Mother and Nurse of all Sin and Vices; it perverts the recti∣tude of intentions, Rebells against the commands of God and Superiours; it is the Enemy of perfection, the Mur∣derer of an interiour and Spiritual Life. This Mortification and Reformation must be affected by a Dolorous Con∣trition for Sin, by Acts of Abnegation, by a total Submission and Conformity to the divine Will: In fine, the practise of all moral Vertues, with purity of in∣tention, embellisheth it, as Stars do the Firmament. Next, the sensual Appe∣tite (which is the inferiour portion of the Soul inclin'd to the commodities of the body) is to be mortified, with its Pas∣sions; which in the estate of corrupt Nature ordinarily are culpable: they are not to be condemned in Beasts, because Page  76 they are not governed by Reason; but it is far otherwise in Man, endued with a rational Spirit, able to discern between good and evill, and to unite himself to God his Soveraign good, whom he ought to prefer above all Created things; and by his superiour Reason, imploy and order all the powers and faculties of his Body, to attain this Good. But we see the contrary arrive to man, by means of his passions which turn him from the true love of God, replenish him with impetuous Solitudes, for the pur∣chasing of terrene things, and with fears and anxieties, for the loss of them. They fill him with impure phantasies, Imaginations and Delights, precipi∣tate him into many Errours and Irregu∣larities, employ him more for the cor∣ruptible Body, which is meat for Worms, then for his immortal Soul, the Divine Particle in him; causeing con∣tinually Rebellions in the interiour Ap∣petite, against the Superiour, preventing Reason and Judgment, and tyrannizing over the Spirit; so that they are the Page  77 source and origine of Sins, which ruine our Salvation, and further a Soul towards her Damnation; and as Lactantius speaks [Lactan. lib. 6. Institut. c. 5.] Omnia fere, quae improbe fiunt, ab his af∣fectibus oriuntur: Almost all evils com∣mitted, proceed from these passions and affections. If one would repress the im∣petuosity of choller, all clamours and contentions would be appeased, not any one would endamage an other; if one would moderate the desire of having, there would be no Theeves by land, no Pyrates on Sea, no Arms taken up to in∣vade others Dominions; if one would mortify the concupiscence of the flesh, every Age and Sex would be Holy; no person would do, or suffer, what is in∣famous in this kind; all these and the like discords come from the passions, not mortified and regulated according to reason. Passions thus ordered, are good, and about lawful Objects.

Thus they are Souldiers, which Se∣cond the endeavours of their cheif, the Spirit: they are Ornaments of ver∣tuous Page  78 actions; Ardours of the heart, without which it would languish. But the most part of men, by the corrup∣tion from original sin, follow their naturall inclinations and passions, by which they are hurryed into many disorders and damages, irreparably; therefore a strict mortification of these, is necessary to a good and well ordered life, and to conserve the in∣teriour state of the soul entire: with∣out the regulating of these, a man is so far from tending to perfection, that at last he will find himself, to become uncivil, barbarous, brutish, wholly governed by humours and phantasies, without repose in his Soul; continual∣ly agitated by disquiets, caused by his sensual affections, to which he hath resigned the dominion and empire of his affairs, not capable to govern them with any order. For which the An∣tients compared such a man unto an uncultivated field, over-run with weeds, thorns, bryars; as such a one or∣dinarily is, with sins and vices. These Page  79 passions and affections may often be hindred, from riseing and breaking forth, by a prudent foresight and pre∣vention of the occasions of them; for oftentimes when they seem to be mor∣tified in us, they lurk Secretly in the heart as fire under ashes, which will break forth, with a violence upon oc∣casions presented, if there be not a strong and vigilant guard set over them; for which reason St. Gregory Nazianzen ascribes the destruction of Saul, to one spark of his former pas∣sions, stirred and blowed up by occa∣sions: In this we should imitate a cunning Pylot, who shuns a tempest, when he sees he cannot easily resist it. Again, one may Suppress these passi∣ons, by combating generously against them, not once or twice, but as often as these assault us; for this reitera∣tion of resistance, will moderate and debilitate their violence and forces, according to that advice of St Augu∣stine, that we must frustrate by this means their attempts, that they may Page  80 not presume any more to rise; having so often assaulted us in vain. One may mortify and moderate passions and af∣fections, by yeilding something to them, and by making use of them a∣gainst themselves; which is done, by giving them supernaturall and right objects. This course our Blessed Sa∣viour took; St. Paul was of a choler∣rick-hot humour, but our Saviour Jesus converted it, he turned this fire into a flame of Apostolical Zeal; he did not Suppress this passion, but changed its object; so that by the same arms with which he persecuted his Name, he preached his Gospel; St. Mary Magdalen's passion was Love, he did not destroy it, but converted it, presenting himself to be the object of it; this is an easy cure, & an admirable triumph, to use passions themselves, for an instrument, whereby to gain a con∣quest over them. St. Augustine teach∣eth us this Art, councelling us, to over∣come fear by fear; the fear of the evills of the world, by fear of offend∣ing Page  81 God, of incurring hell, and losing Heaven. St. Isidore affirms the same, ex∣plicating those words of the Psalmist Irascimini, et nolite peccare: be angry, but Sin not: overcome (saith he) choller by choller it self; give somthing to this passion, but to the end to delude it; turn thy choller against thy bro∣ther, to a hatred against your self, and your passion; this was the advice of St. Basil, saying, Turn thy anger against the devil the destroyer of Souls, but have mercy upon thy Brother offending thee.

Some hold, that the greatest expe∣dient to mortify these passions is, to Chastice the body, by fasting and rigo∣rous austerities; for which reason many of the Saints treated their bodies very rudely, that by this means, they being debilitated, their Souls might be more vigorous in their functions, and the flesh less rebellious & refractory to the decrees of reason. From hence proceed the austere Vows of religious, crucifying our carnal af∣fections, thereby to chastise the inso∣lencies Page  82 of the sensuall appetite, and to render the body a slave to the spirit. However, not to condemn corporall mortifications, if used with discretion, according to the Custom of all an∣tiquity, and not takeing Christ down from the Cross: In my judgment, the best and most efficatious means, is not to tame the spirit by the body, but to subject the body by the spirit; for the flesh is not the only and principal criminal to be thus handled; wherefore it is more ex∣pedient, to mortify these passions by the Superiour part of reason and the spirit; which, considering what is pro∣fitable, and what hurtful to its salva∣tion, from generous resolutions of pursuing the former, and declining the latter, and so sweetly draws the sensitive appetite after it, and forceth it to desist from following its vitious inclinations. For example, a man re∣flecting upon the motions of the sen∣sitive appetite, and perceiving it en∣gaged in the desire of things super∣fluous, and troubled about them, dis∣approoving Page  83 such a conduct; flyes to interiour repressions, considering that we were created for paradice; not inordinatly to desire and pursue tem∣poralls, but covet and seek eternalls; and that it is to little purpose, to dis∣quiet ones self, for the transitory af∣fairs of this world, but that rather we ought to possess our souls in peace and patience. After such considerations and interiour repressions, the soul with a great resolution frames desires of spiritualls, and forceth it self to re∣main in peace and silence; by which it attracts after it the sensitive appetite, and rationally orders the passions of it, at least as long as it remains in that condition. O my Soul, thou hast a difficulty to Suffer a disgrace, thy passions spur thee forward to reveng; consider with thy self, that it is far more reasonable for a Christian to imitate the clemency of his Saviour, and benignity of the same God. By the like considerations, according to the diversity of passions, a man will Page  84 become more vigilant over them, and more powerfull to suppress and mor∣tify them. This methode is more sweet and humane, more generall and easie for a good regimen of life, and is also a moderate chastisement for the body. I will conclude this first means with that of the Apostle [Rom ch. 8.] If you live according to the flesh, you shall dye; but if by Spirit, you morti∣fy the deeds of the flesh, you shall live.

CHAP. II.

BY speaking here of Interiour and Mental Prayer, I intend not to exclude Vocal, if it be performed with the attention of the mind, and the affection of the heart; for if these be wanting to it, I esteem it not worthy the name of Prayer. The necessity of Pray∣er, to sustain this spiritual life of ours, appears by this, That in Sacred Writ there is not any precept so often repeat∣ed, nor so seriously recommended to us, as this, Non impediaris orare semper; [Eccles. 18. 22.] Be not hindred from Praying alwayes. It is the Councel of Page  86 the Wise Man; no business howsoever profitable or necessary should hinder thee from the assiduity in this exercise. The Prophet David in many places of his Psalms, commends to us not any thing more than the study of Prayer, and praising God; our B. Saviour often and carefully puts us in mind of this, Oporter semper orare: [Luc. 18.] Ye ought alwayes to Pray; there is a necessi∣ty of it, not some time, not often, but you must alwayes Pray: And again, Vi∣gilate semper orantes, [Luc. 21.] Watch, alwayes Praying. He did not only teach us the necessity of Prayer, by words, but also by his own example; he often as∣cended Mountains, and retyred into de∣sert places to be more vacant to Prayer; and as St. Luke testifies, he often spent whole nights in Prayer; not for his own necessities, but for our instruction. St. Paul seriously commends and com∣mands this: [1 Thes. 1.] Be instant in Prayer, pray without intermission. And a∣gain, [1 Tim. 2.] Volo vos orare, &c. I will that you pray in every place.

But some may scruple here, how this precept of alwayes praying can be obser∣ved and practised? some expound it, that we ought to be always employed in some good, to the honour of God; eve∣ry good work, as they say, being a kind of Prayer: But this cannot be the true sence of it, because Christ maketh a difference between prayer and good works, and maketh Alms, Prayer, and Fasting, distinct things; therefore there is some other way how this may be un∣derstood. St. Augustine [St. Aug. E∣pist. 112. c. 9.] expounds it thus, To pray without intermission: what other thing doth it mean, then to desire without inter∣mission, Eternal Life? Let us desire this of our Lord, and we always pray; and by this we may easily conceive any man al∣ways to pray, and to spend both day and night in Prayer: And this desire in the heart of the godly doth never cease, but they alwayes seek and implore the Di∣vine assistance, whether they eat or drink, or what else soever they do; as a man in Prison clogg'd with Irons, al∣wayes Page  88 desires his Freedom. Others an∣swer to this doubt in this manner; we must not understand this so strictly, that we should not in a moment of time cease from prayer, but that very often and di∣ligently we should employ our selves in it, nor for other works less necessary, o∣mit it; as if a Physitian should say to his Patient, see that you always eat this kind of dyet, and never intermit it; he doth not mean by this manner of speech, that he should sit day and night at the Table eating; but that at convenient times, as at Dinner and Supper, he should not ab∣stain from it: So he is said always to pray, who every day hath set-times con∣secrated to prayer, and permits not him∣self to be called or hindred from thence. We may easily continue this exercise all the day, by the help of jaculatory prayers, which we may use at all times, in all places and company; for which St. Au∣gustine commended certain Monks in Egypt.

What work or company can hinder thee from lifting up thy heart to God, with Page  89 the Psalmist [Ps. 37] in these few words, Intend unto my aid O Lord God of my Salvation. Which words Cassianus affirms to bemost powerful & efficatious; or one may use a variety of such short speeches. This thou maist do saith St. Chrysostom, wheresoever thou art, no place can hin∣der thee from lifting up thy heart to God; if thou wert dressing meat, wash∣ing dishes, sweeping the house, or the like, thou may'st thus pray. I could wish that they who are delighted in pray∣er, and willingly spend their time in it, would not burden themselves with a multitude of Vocal prayers, and discour∣sive Meditations; but give more to the affection of the Will, than to the specu∣lation of the understanding; spending most of that time in setting their affecti∣ons on fire towards God, which is the true end of prayer.

A man may understand the necessity of prayer, who truly considers the mise∣rable estate of man, reduced to such a misery and poverty in spirituals, that he cannot of himself act, speak, or think a∣ny Page  90 thing that is grateful to God, unless assisted by his holy Spirit. What re∣mains for an infirm Beggar, who hath no art, no patrimony, nor strength to labour for his being? What remedy in this condition, but to beg, or else to perish? Doth not then our condition, like to this, enforce us continually to fly to God by prayer, and by this means to beg of him (who is rich in mercies) a supply of all necessaries for this our life, as we are instructed in the Pater Noster, by asking our daily bread? The Salvation of every Christian depends on God, whom we must daily implore for the ob∣taining of it, and because this Salvation of ours is in continual danger, and that every one is bound to procure it with all care and diligence he can; hence it is, that always we are bound to pray to God for it, seeing it is not to be obtained by any other means, than from him, and by him. Again, there is no man, who hath not somtimes sinned, nor that hath any warrant or security hereafter not to sin; and in this respect, it is most necessary Page  91 for us, by daily prayer, not only to seek that he would gratiously pardon and for∣give our former sins; but also that he would be pleased to prevent with his grace, lest we fall again into other sins, through which we may incur eternal Damnation. We have a continual War, as the Apostle informs us, with in∣visible and powerful Enemies, and of our selves we are weak and unable to resist and conquer; how can we be for a mo∣ment secure, if we neglect to implore aid and assistance from God? this St. Chry∣sostom sets out to us by that of Exodus; [Exod. c. 17.] where it is said, that when Moses lifted up his hands in prayer, Israel did overcome: but when he was remiss in it, the Amalekites his Enemies did prevail; from hence that Holy Fa∣ther concludes, that he is not to be ex∣cused, who would not have his Enemy o∣vercome, and yet ceaseth from prayer; O∣ratio jugis, infirmitas hostis, as he speaks, Continual Prayer is a weakning & worst∣ing of our Enemy. He affords weapons against himself, who ceaseth to weary his Page  92 Enemy by the instancy of prayer: and lastly, he concludes with this exhortati∣on; If thou desirest to be freed from dan∣gers, to overcome the Devil, to subdue the Flesh, to suppress the sensual Appe∣tites, to root out Vices, to procure Vertues, to contemn Temporals, to love and possess Eternals, give thy self seriously to Pray∣er. But prayer, to be powerful and efficatious, for a supply of all necessaries, must be qualified with these two conditi∣ons especially: First, it must be done with attention and recollection of Spirit; Christ by his own example in the Prayer he made in the Garden, immediately before his Passion, taught us this; he would not prostrate himself there to his Heavenly Father, before he was abstract∣ed and separated from his Disciples there with him, Quantum jact us est lapidis, [Luc. 22.] as far as the cast of a stone; to inform us, that in this exercise of prayer, we should abstract our selves from all Creatures.

This at the first was a defect in St. Au∣gustine, as he confesseth, [Lib. 10. Page  93 Conf. c. 27.] Mecumeras, & tecum non eram: Thou wert with me, but I was not with thee. God was with him by his immensity, but he was not with him, by reason of his Distractions. St. Chrysostom Councelleth that our prayer ought to be Mysterium, a Mistery; so secret and intimate, as known only to God, and not so much as to our selves. Cassianus affirms, that not to be a per∣fect prayer, in which a man reflects up∣on what he prays, he should be not only distracted, but also so retired and ab∣stracted, as to be, not only seperated from others, but even from himself by Union with Gods will; and such a pray∣er is a true Mistery and secret. It is the advice of Origen, that the Soul should have always a fixed Altar in it self, in which it should offer up unto God the Sacrifices and Victims of praises and prayer: It is the admonition of our B. Saviour in the Gospel, that when thou prayest, Intra in cubiculum, Enter into thy Chamber or Closet; which is not only to be understood of a Page  94 material Chamber, or place of Retire∣ment, but of entering into the Heart, & remaining inclosed there from all the World, as St. Chrysostom Expounds it, In cubitulo orat: He prays in his Chamber, though it be in the Church. Qui Solum Deum attendit: who there only attends to God. St. Ambrose renders the same sence of our Saviours words, Habes ubi{que} cubi∣culum: Thou hast thy Chamber, which is thy Heart, every where; into that thou must Retire, and remaine there∣in inclosed, in the time of Prayer; the doors of the Sences being shut, and all distracted occasions and imaginations Excluded. This Chamber hath three Cells, into which thou must enter; these are the three Powers, Memory, Intellect, and Will: enter into the Memory, being only mindful of God, and what thou art to meditate of; into thy Intellect, con∣sidering God present in thy Soul, and contemplating those things only, which belong unto him, and being very atten∣tive what he speaks there, to thy Soul: into thy Will, produceing there, Acts Page  95 of Affection towards God. True Devo∣tion is of the nature of a Turtle, which seeketh solitary places, that there she may not be interrupted in her amorous Sighes and Languishings; which one should principally practise in Domestick and ordinary Prayers, not as many do, who say their Prayers in dressing them∣selves or by the fire-side in hast, and so their Prayers vanish as Smoak. As for Prayers in publick, as in Churches, where one cannot enjoy the retreat of a place, they must retyre the so much the more, to the retreat of their Heart, as the Alcyons, which in their little Nests injoy a calm in the midst of Waves, a repose in the Sea, tranqui∣lity in an Element troubled with Winds and Storms: which we may do, if we shut our Eyes, and regard not the objects which inviron us; our Ears by not hearkning to the discourses of o∣thers; our Mouths in talking only with God, our Imagination chasing away vain and imperfect Thoughts, by which we shall enjoy Peace and Retyrement in Page  96 the midst of Assemblies. Joseph would not manifest himself to his Brethren, till all the Aegyptians were out of the place, neither will Christ communicate his Comforts and Sweetness to a Soul, if Aegyptians be present, vain imagina∣tions and distractions, which disturbs the Peace of it. The second condition Required to the efficacy of Prayer, is purity of Mind, from the affection of Sin, as Women who go to fetch clean Wa∣ter, are careful to carry Pots or Ves∣sels cleansed from other Liquors. This God required of his People, by the Prophet Isay [C. 1.] Lavimini, mundi estote. Wash, and be clean. remove the evil of your thoughts, from my Eyes; Luxurious, remove thy im∣purity. Vindicative, thy Anger and Choller; Malitious, thy Envy; Proud, thy Arrogance; Covetous, thy Ava∣rice; Sinner, thy Abominations; for if thou come thus defyled and polluted before the face of God, he will reject your Prayers, as he assures you by his Prophet, Cum multiplicaveris orationes. Page  97 When you shall multiply your Pray∣ers, I will not hear you; Manus enim vestrae Sanguine sunt plenae. Because your Hands are full of Blood; your Hands are defiled with the Blood of your Neighbours by many injustices; with your own Blood, by Sin, which Murders your Souls. By the Blood of Christ, so unprised by you: and thus you presume to present your Prayers to me, with bloody Hearts and Hands, full of iniquity, without having clean∣sed them by the waters of true Contri∣tion, I will turn my Eyes from your de∣filed Hands, my Ears from your im∣pure Prayers, my Heart from your polluted Hearts; I will not hear you.

This informs us, that we must come to prayer with contrition for our sins, with hearts pure from affection to e∣vill. As they report of the Viper, that when she goes to the fountain to drink, she vomits up her poyson, that she may not be endangered by it; or as the Oyster casteth our the salt water, Page  98 when she will open her shell, to re∣ceive the celestial dew, to conceive pearls: or as the place on which man∣na was to fall, was first purged from dust and filth by a precedent blast of wind; or as the victims which the an∣tient Jews offered to God, were wash∣ed in a cistern of water, placed at the port of the temple, for that use. In like manner, Wash, and be clean, before you come to pray, if you will have your prayers gratefull to God, and be∣neficiall to your Souls.

This is the ground of that incou∣ragement, in holy Job. [c. 11.] si ini∣quitatem abstuleris à te; if thou wilt remove from thee thy iniquity, then thou mayst lift thy face to God boldly, without offence.

The conditions requisite to prayer are comprehended in those few words of our Blessed Saviour to the Samaritan woman, Spiritus est Deus; God is a spirit, and ought to be adored in spirit and truth: in Spirit, by the interiour affection; in truth and verity, by the Page  99 purity of mind and intention; in spirit, without voluntary distractions; in truth, without hypocrisie; in Spirit, fervently and humbly; in truth, sin∣cerely and cordially.

O Soul! if thou didst but consider the benefit of spirituall prayer, how rich and liberall God is towards them, who truly invocate him, then would'st thou be diligent, fervent, per∣severant to knock at the door of his mercy; thou wouldst not permit whole dayes to pass without pray∣er: this would be thy exercise in morning, mid-day and night; pray∣er would open the begining, con∣duct the progress, conclude the end of all thy enterprises.

The reason, why most people in the world, are plunged in a carnal, and sensuall life, is the defect of In∣ternal and spirituall prayer, by the exer∣cise of which they would enter into their hearts, to discover the true causes of their distempers, and so be excited to apply convenient re∣medies Page  100 against them. If every one would be solicitous, to demand of God all graces necessary, for his souls conduct in his vocation and condition, it is impossible that God should re∣fuse him, or that he should suffer shipwrack of his Salvation; because God cannot lye, because he is enga∣ged by his word to give his grace; and his light, to conduct those, who demand it of him; if their prayers be accompanied with requisite con∣ditions, with confusion for their sins, a desire of his grace; with interiour attention, humility, perseverance. Dabit Spiritum bonum; he will give his good spirit, to those that demand it, and every one who seeks, shall find, si petiisses; if thou hadst asked, he would have given thee the water of life. But many spend whole days entirely, without thinking that there is a God, or that they have a soul to save, riseing and lying down with∣out once lifting their hearts to hea∣ven, Sicut equus et mulus; as horses and Page  101 beasts: others come to Church, to see and be seen, to prattle rather then to pray; others for the most part, pray for temporalls, as honours, riches, health and conveniences of the body, rather then for the grace and light of Gods spirit, to enable and direct them, in the affairs of their Souls Sal∣vation; The prayers of others, are ac∣companied with such distractions, ima∣ginations, and negligence, that we must conclude with St. James, [cap. 6.] petitis, et non accipitis; ye pray, and receave not, because you ask not as you ought. Of all prayers, all things equally considered, the morning pray∣ers are most profitable; and the earlyer, the better. It is a reprehension of St. Chrysostome [St. Chrisost. deoran∣do Deo] qua fronte: with what face do'st thou behold the riseing Sun, un∣less thou first adore God, who sends thee that gratefull light? Hence in the primitive times, the Christians, resorted to the Churches early in the morning, before day-light, as Ter∣tullian Page  102 and Eusebius relate; conforma∣ble to which, is that exhortation of St. Athanasius [St. Athana. do virg.] Oriens sol videat: let the rising Sun behold a prayer-book in thy hand. St. Basill informs us, it was the custome of Christians in his time, to prevent the rising Sun in their prayers. The Gentiles and Pagans, by the light of reason, did thus adore their Gods. Vergil [Li. 11. Aen.] relates of Aeneas, that first of all he did pay his vows to God; we read in Exodus [c. 7.] that God thus commanded Moses, vade; Go to Pharaoh early in the morning: behold, he goes then forth unto the waters, to perform some kind of a∣doration to them, as Abulensis and o∣thers affirm, upon that place: this Pagan understood, that morning ado∣ration was most proper for God. Elias [Reg. 3. 18.] granted to the prophets of Baal, the morning to sacrifice to him, for this reason, as Theodoret ob∣serves, left being confounded by his not hearing them, they might excuse Page  103 themselves, by saying that he did not first of all in the Morning receive a Sacrifice from them. The Prophet David found the benefit of this Morning Prayer, when he said, Domine mane: Lord in the Morning thou shalt hear my Prayer; this may be one Reason why these Prayers are most grateful to God; Because the first fruits, by all right, are due to him: so he offends against this, who gives them to another. Is it not a perversity in Christians to invert this order, to be intent and busied about o∣ther things? St. Chryfost. confounds Christians, negligent in this, by this Ex∣ample: A King comes into a place, and men think it honour to prevent others, and to be the first in rendring homage to him, and think it a neglect to suffer In∣feriours to go before them in it: But this diligence, saith he, is wanting in Christians, in rendring their Devotions and Service to God: they do not care if they be prevented in it, even by unrea∣sonable and inanimate Creatures: what is this but to prefer, and esteem more of Page  104 an Earthly King, than of the King of Heaven; but many here, saith the Ho∣ly Father, pretend excuses, by reason of necessary employments; but if the love of God were fervent, and the esteem of him the chiefest above all, such frivolous and cold excuses would not prevail: who more employed in necessary af∣fairs than King David was? and yet in the Morning he did consecrate the first∣fruits to God; lay thou aside all ex∣cuses, and cease to palliate Sloath and Tepidity under the Cloak of Necessity, which is so displeasing to God, that he is, as it were streightned and oblidged by it, to be sparing in bestowing bene∣fits, as he speaks by his Prophet Za∣chary, [c. 11.] Contracta est anima mea in eis; My Soul is streightned in them. Another reason, why these morning and early prayers are so grate∣ful to God, may be this; Because it is the proper Office of the Angels; and God, to render us like unto them, would have us joyn with them in praising him in this manner. That this Page  105 is proper to Angels, holy Job [Job 38. 7] informs us, calling the Angels Morning Stars, Cum me laudarent; when the Morning Stars did praise me together, and all the Sons of God exulted for joy. SSt. Hierome, Gregory, Bede, and others, by the Morning Stars understand the Angels which are said to be Morning Stars, because from the very beginning, as soon as they were Created, the first thing they performed, was to praise God. A last reason of these Morning prayers may be, because they are not so subject to distractions, being performed before we be ingaged in other things; and pre∣venting all affairs, they have a gratious influence upon all the good we do the day following, to direct it aright to the honour and glory of God; And thus every good work may be stiled a Prayer when it is done, in vertue of precedent Prayer; and so one may pray all the day long, by doing some good or other in vertue of his former Prayers.

I will conclude this with that of So∣lomon, [Eccles. 39.] The just man will Page  106 give his heart, to resort early to our Lord that made him, and will pray before the most high.

I have been somthing tedious about this Interiour and Spiritual Prayer, be∣cause of the great necessity of it, to re∣gulate and preserve a spiritual life, and because it is so much neglected in these times.