The first Pointe.
THe first pointe shallbee to call to Memorye the ende wherefore man was created, * that is, to praise, reuerence, and serue his God, and by this meanes to saue his Soule, according to the saying of S. Paule to the Romanes: You haue your fruits vnto Sanctification, and your ende Life euerlasting; as if hee should say: The aime, and ende of your workes in this Life, is to serue God with puritye, and Sanctitye: and the finall ende whereunto they are ordained, is, to obtaine Life euerlasting.
Vpon this Veritye the Vnderstanding is to forme its Discourses, to bring to light what is compre∣hended therein, pondering thus: VVho created mee, and ordained mee to this ende, and for what cause: How soueraigne an ende this is: How ill I haue pre∣tended it in my forepassed life, & in what perill I haue beene to loose it: VVhat heauye losses I su∣staine by loosing it; and How greate goods ensue if I obtaine it; and That there is greate reason, that from this daye forward, I should vigilantly pretend to obtaine it. VVith euery one of these Considerations, I will moue the VVill to the Affe∣ctions, and Actes that it requireth, in this manner. 1. First. I am to ponder, how the Infinite Maiestie of God, which hath no neede of his creatures, not for my merits, but of his meere Goodnesse, created mee to his Image, and Likenesse; Not that I should liue at randome to followe myne owne Lustes, nor that I should seeke Honours, or Dignities; Ri∣ches, or Delicacyes, or any other thing created; but onely That I should reuerence, and praise him; That I should loue, and obey him in this mortall Life, and afterwardes obtaine Life euerlasting. And although it had beene sufficient to giue mee for my Ende that, which my Nature required, yet Page 81God was not herewith contented, but of his meere mercie hee ordained, and raised mee to another more high, and soueraigne ende, which is to see him manifestly, to enjoy him, and to bee happy, and blessed, as are the Angells, or as God is himselfe, according to that of S. Iohn: * VVee shall bee in glo∣rie like vnto God, because wee shal see him as hee is. O Immense Charitie of our Soueraigne God! VVhat is this o Lorde that thou doest? A Creature so miserable as this litle silly vvorme Man, doest thou exalt to so high an ende, as to see thee apparently in thy Glorye? vvhat vvas not I obliged to serue thee freely, for no∣thing as thy Slaue? Then vvhy doest thou assigne mee so excellent a revvarde? Blessed bee thy Infinite mercy, and let all the Angells laude thee for this soueraigne Benefit. VVhat shall I retourne thee o Lord, * for so gre∣ate a merced? I offer myselfe to serue thee freely all my Life, vvithout pretending any other interest more then to serue thee; for to serue God, is to raigne. And seeing thou art my first beginning, and my last ende, giue forthvvith beginning to my nevve Life, and ayde mee vvith thy grace, that I may attaine to the finall ende thereof. Amen.
2. This donne, I will ponder, how ill I haue pre∣tended this ende in my forepassed life, liuing as if I had beene created not to serue God, but to serue my owne Lustes, and to seeke Honours, Delicacies, and Riches, committing for this cause innumerable Sinnes, * as if the ende of my Vocation had not beene Sanctification, but Vncleanenesse; not liberty of the Spirit, but Libertye of the fleshe. O vvretched I! hovv blindely haue I gonne astray, in that vvhich it most imported mee to knovve? O hovv Ingra∣tefull haue I beene to him that created mee to so high an ende, and hovv euilly haue I repayed him, that did mee so much good! O my Creator, Page 82that I had neuer offended thee? Pardon, o Lord, my Transgressions, for thyne ovvne sake, and helpe mee to get out of them, that I may leade the remainder of my life, conformably to the ende for vvhich thou hast giuen it mee.
3. Then will I consider the greate losses I su∣staine by loofing this ende: for what losse can bee greater then to loose my Soule, to loose Gods di∣uine grace, to loose the peace, and alacritye of Conscience, and to loose all Blessednesse? to which are joyned eternall Damnation, * and the forfaiture of God himselfe. For what shall it proffit mee to gaine the whole worlde, if I loose my Soule, and my God, in comparison of whome, all the worlde is as nothing?
4. Contrarily, if I attaine to this ende, I obtaine the possession of God himselfe, I shall saue my Soule, I shall haue peace, and cheerefullnesse of Hearte, I shall bee protected by the Diuine Proui∣dence, I shall finde quietnesse, and perpetuall re∣pose, as all things finde in their Ende, and Center. This then beeing so as it is, animate they selfe, o my Soule, to seeke the ende for which thou wast created by God, and heerein imploye all thy care, for there is nothing that more importeth thee. * Con∣uert thyselfe to God who is thy rest, for besides him, all, whatsoeuer, is torment. If thou seruest God, what wilt thou more? If thou hast God, what see∣kest thou more? If God bee thy Possession what wantest thou? Giue him pleasure in pretending him, and bee confident to obtaine him, for hee lo∣ueth his Creatures, and is delighted that they should obtaine the ende for which hee created them. * O Infinite God, Center of my Soule, conuert mee to thee, that I may take rest, for thou madest mee for thee, and my Heart is vnquiet vntill it come neare thee. O eternall Father seeing thou createdest mee that Page 83I might loue thee as a Sonne; giue mee grace for thyne ovvne sake, that I may loue thee as a Father. O onely begotten Sonne of the Father, and Redeemer of the VVorlde, seeing thou createdst mee, and redeemedst mee, that I might obey; and imitate thee, ayde mee that I may allvvaies obey thee, & imitate thee in all things. O most Holy Ghoste, seeing that of thy Goodnesse thou didst create mee to bee sanctified, graunt mee that it may bee so for thyne ovvne glorye. O Angells of Hea∣uen! O most blessed Saintes I that haue attained to the ende, for the vvhich you vvere created, beseeche this our Lord vvhome you enioy, that I may also obtaine him, ascending vp to enioy him in your Compagnie vvorlde vvithout ende. Amen.
