which followeth of the foresaid advices: And here it is declared what manner of attention we ought to have in our exercise of prayer and meditation.
Of all these advices aforesaid we may gather what manner of attention we ought to have in prayer. For in this exercise it is chiefly expedient for us to have our heart, not heavy, nor dull, but lively, attent, and lifted up on high. In figure whereof we read that the Angel said to the Prophet Ezechiel, that he should arise, and stand upon his feet, when the Angel would talk with him, and declare unto him the divine mysteries. In like manner we read, that those two Cherubins which Salomon placed at the two sides of the Ark of the testament, stood with their wings lifted up on high, and stretched abroad, as if they would fly, to signify what a great attention and lifting up of the spirit a man ought to have at such time as he presenteth himself before almighty God, to speak and stand before him.
But it is necessary on the one side to be in prayer with such an attention, and close recollection of the mind, even so on the other side it behooveth that this attention be qualified with temperance, and moderation, that it be neither prejudicial to our health, nor any impediment to devotion. For some there be, that do weary their heads with overmuch violence, whiles they labor to be attent unto those things, that they meditate upon. And others again there be, that to avoid this inconvenience, are in their meditation very slack, and negligent, and very easy to be carried away with every wind. Now to eschew these two extremities, it is expedient that we use such a mean, that we do neither with overmuch attention weary our head, nor with carelessness, or negligence suffer our thoughts to go wandering whither so ever they will. So that like as we use commonly to say unto him that rideth upon a kicking flinging horse, that he must take good heed how he holdeth the reins of his bridle, and keep a mean therein, that is, he must hold them neither too hard, nor too slack, that the horse neither turn backward, nor run to headlong forward: even so must we endeavor that our attention may proceed in our prayers with moderation, and not with violence, and with a temperate carefulness, and diligence, and not with excessive labor, and travail. Of both these points we be advertised in the holy Scripture. For of the one Salomon saith: Who so squeezeth overmuch the paps to get out milk, shall wring out blood. And of the other point the Prophet Isaias saith: Rejoice with her all ye that mourn for her, that ye may suck, and be satisfied with the breasts of her consolation.
Howbeit in case we fail of the mean, and do lean unto any of these two extremities, it is less hurt to lean unto overmuch attention, than unto carelessness, and neglecting of our attention. For a man is provoked to carelessness and negligence by his own corrupt and evil inclined nature: but he is not so provoked unto attention. And therefore like as a house that is built upon the side of a hill should not loose much in the building, if at such time as it can not be built by line and level just upright, the building thereof do more bend rather upward, than downward: even so shall not our attention take any prejudice, if at what time it cannot continue in our prayers in such a mediocrity as we desire, it do rather decline to that extremity wherein is least danger, which is (as we have said) rather to overmuch attention, than to carelessness, and negligence.
This advice is of so great importance, that for want hereof we have seen that certain persons have passed over many years with taking little profit by their prayers, for that they have been careless, dull, and as it were neither hot nor cold therein. And others contrariwise have fallen into great sickness, and have hurt their heads with overmuch heat, and vehemency, which they have used in their meditations. But especially we must be well wary, that at the beginning of meditation we do not trouble and weary our head with overmuch attention. For by so doing we shall want force and strength to pass forwards therein: as it commonly happeneth to the traveler, when he maketh to great haste in his going at the beginning of his journey.
OF PRAYER AND MEDITATION 