Prayer (to define it properly) is a petition we make unto almighty God, for such things as are appertaining to our salvation. Howbeit prayer is also taken in another more large sense: to wit, for every lifting up of our heart unto god. And according to this definition, both Meditation, and Contemplation, and every other good thought may be also called prayer. And in this sense we do now use this word, because the principal matter of this book, is of Meditation, and Consideration of things appertaining to Almighty God, and of the principal mysteries of the Catholic faith.
The very thing that moved me to treat of this matter, was for that I understood that one of the principal causes of all the evils that be in the world, is the want of consideration: According as the Prophet Jeremias signified, when he said. All the earth is destroyed with desolation, because there is none that thinketh with attention upon the things appertaining unto God. Whereby it appeareth, that the very cause of our evils is not so much the want of faith, as the want of due consideration of the mysteries of our faith. For truly if there were no want in this behalf, the mysteries of our faith be of so great virtue, and efficacy, that if the very least mystery of them were considered with attention, and devotion, even the same would be a great bridle, and redress of our life. For who would ever go about to commit any sin, if he considered that almighty God died for sin? And that he punisheth sin, with perpetual banishment out of the kingdom of heaven, and with everlasting pains, and torments in the horrible fire of hell?
Whereby ye may see, that although the mysteries of our faith be of very great force to incline our hearts unto goodness: yet because there be very many Christians that have no due consideration of the things they believe, therefore they work not such effect in their hearts, as such mysteries being well weighed, considered, were able to work. For like as the physicians affirm, that if we will have a medicine to help a sick man, it is necessary it be first wrought and digested in the stomach with natural heat, (because otherwise it shall not be any profit to him at all:) even so also, if we will have the mysteries of our faith to be profitable and healthful unto our souls it is requisite they be first wrought and digested in our hearts, with the heat of devotion, and meditation: because otherwise they shall profit us very little. And for want hereof, we see that many Christians, which are very whole and sound in matters of faith, be yet in their lives very licentious, and dissolute. And the reason is, because they do not consider, and weigh the holy mysteries which they believe: and so they keep their faith, as it were fast locked in a corner of a chest, or as a sword in the scabbard, or as a medicine in the apothecaries shop, and use not the benefit thereof for such purposes as it serveth. They believe generally, and as it were in a fardel, or gross sum, all such things as the Catholic Church believeth. They believe that there shall be a judgement, that there shall be pains for the wicked, and glory for the good: but how many Christians shall ye find, that do consider after what sort this judgement, these pains, and this glory shall be, with other the like circumstances?
Now this is the cause, why the holy Scripture so earnestly commendeth unto us the continual consideration, and meditation of the law of God, and of the mysteries thereof: which is indeed the study of true wisdom. Consider I pray you, how instantly Moses that great prophet, and friend of God commendeth this unto us: saying: Print these my words in your hearts, and carry them bound as it were for a sign in your hands, and teach them to your children, that they may think upon them. When thou shalt be sitting in thy house, or traveling in the way, when thou shalt lie down to sleep, or rise up in the morning, think and meditate upon them, and write them on the thresholds, and gates of thy house, that thou mayst always have them before thine eyes. With what more effectual words could he commend unto us the continual meditation, and consideration of heavenly things, than with these? And no less doth Salomon commend the same holy exercise unto us in his Proverbs: where he exhorteth us, to carry the law of God always as it were a chain of gold about our necks, and at night to go to bed with it, and in the morning so soon as we awake, to begin immediately to exercise ourselves in the same. Blessed is that man, that is so occupied. And so doth Ecclesiasticus term him, when he saith: Blessed is the man, that dwelleth in the house of wisdom, and meditateth upon the law and the commandments of God, and exerciseth himself in justice, and reasoneth of holy things by his understanding. Blessed is he that considereth her ways in his heart, and understandeth her secrets. He shall look in at her windows, and hearken at her doors. He shall abide beside her house, and fasten a stake in her walls. He shall pitch his tent beside her.
Now what other thing may we infer of all this, but that the holy Ghost intended by all these metaphors to express unto us the continual exercise, and consideration, wherewith the just man is always occupied, in searching the works, and wonders of almighty God. And for this very cause, among the praises of the just man, this is put for one of the most principal: that his exercise is to meditate upon the law of our lord day, and night: and that he is always conversant in the secrecy of parables: giving us hereby to understand, that all his trade and conversation must be in searching, and meditating upon the secrets, and wonderful works of almighty God. And even for this very cause also, were those mystical beasts of Ezechiel represented unto us with so many eyes: to signify unto us, that the just man standeth in greater need of the continual consideration, and fight of spiritual things, than of a number of other exercises.
By this therefore we see plainly, what great need we have of this holy exercise: and consequently how blindly and foully they are deceived, that either despise or make little accompt of the holy exercise of prayer, and meditation: not considering that this is openly to gainsay, and contemn that thing, which the holy Ghost hath with so great instancy commended unto us. I wish that such persons would read those five books of consideration, which St. Bernard wrote unto Eugenius the Pope. And there shall they perceive, of how great importance this holy exercise is, towards the obtaining of all virtues.
Now for this cause many Catholic and religious persons, understanding what great and inestimable fruit ensueth of this godly meditation, have gone about to exercise themselves ordinarily therein, and have appointed every day certain special times and hours for the same. Howbeit of ten times they wax cold, and give over this holy exercise, by reason of two difficulties they find in it. The one is the want of matter, and of considerations, wherein they may occupy their cogitation at that time. And the other is the want of service, and devotion, which is very requisite to accompany this holy exercise, in case we mind to have any fruit and commodity thereby. Instead whereof they find many times great dryness of heart, and withal a great combat of divers and sundry thoughts. For remedy of which two inconveniences, I have ordained this present book, which is divided into two principal parts.
The first part, for remedy of the first inconvenience, treateth of the matter of prayer, or meditation: wherein are contained fourteen meditations, serving for all the seven days of the week, both in the mornings, and evenings. And these meditations do contain the principal places and mysteries of our faith, and especially the consideration of those mysteries, that are of most force, and power, to bridle our hearts, and to incline them to the love, and fear of God, and to the abhorring of sin. In like manner there are set out the five parts of this exercise, which be, Preparation: reading: meditation: thanksgiving: and petition: which is done to this end, that a man may have great variety of matters, wherein to occupy his heart, wherewith to procure and stir up the taste of devotion, and withal wherewith to illuminate and instruct his understanding with divers considerations, and instructions: Besides this, there is also treated therein, of six kinds of things that are to be considered in every one of the points of the Passion of our Savior: that both they, and all the rest, may minister unto us more plentiful matter for meditation. These three things are set forth in the first part of this work, for remedy of the first inconvenience.
The second part, for remedy of the second inconvenience, treateth of those things, that do help us unto devotion, and likewise of those, that do hinder us from the same. It treateth also of the most common temptations, that are wont to molest devout persons. Moreover, there are given certain advices to be a direction unto us that we err not in this way. These four articles are set out in the second part of this book.
After these I have added the third part, in which is treated of the virtue of prayer, and of her two companions, Fasting and Almsdeeds: to the intent, that when a man seeth that in all the book there is treated of prayer, and of the pains he ought to take for the same: he may understand, how well his labor is employed, which is bestowed in obtaining of a thing of so great and wonderful profit.
Peradventure the Christian reader will be offended with the length of the meditations, which we have here set forth for the seven days of the week. Howbeit for this I have many answers. The first is, considering that in these meditations is treated of the principal places and mysteries of our faith, (the consideration whereof is of so great importance, for the due ordering and reforming of our life) it behooveth me therefore to enlarge my style (in these matters especially) by reason of the great fruit, and commodity, that may ensue unto us by the same. For in this book our meaning is not only to give matter of meditation, but much more to shew the end of meditation, which is fear of God, and amendment of our life. For the procuring whereof, one of the things that most helpeth us, is the profound and long consideration of the mysteries, that are treated in these meditations. For certainly these fourteen meditations, be as it were so many Sermons, in which is laid as it were a certain battery to mans heart, to cause it to yield, (so much as is possible,) and to surrender itself up into the hands of his rightful and true sovereign Lord.
This was the chiefest cause that moved me to make the meditations so long. Besides this, I see not why the guest that is invited, should complain that the table is too full furnished with many dishes, sith we bind him not (as by way of constraint) to make an end of them all, but only among so many sundry things to make his choice of that, which serveth best for his purpose. Moreover, (that there might be the less occasion of complaint) I have put the sum of each meditation at the beginning thereof, to the intent that such as mind not to pass any further, might there have such things briefly abridged, as be necessary for the time, they intend to bestow in this holy exercise.
OF PRAYER AND MEDITATION 