that are to be demanded in Petition.
First thou must desire of our Lord these four virtues, which be as it were the foundation of all the spiritual life: the which virtues we must always have before our eyes, because they be always necessary in all the steps of our life.
These virtues be a comely composition of the inward and outward man: discretion, and attention in all such things as we shall either do, or say, that every thing may be directed according to the judgement and order of reason: and withal to bridle our tongue, and to take a due accompt of it: and to use rigor, and austerity in the government of our person. Now among these virtues we have put the comely composition of the inward and outward man in the first place: because it is the beginning, that disposeth unto all the others. The composition of the inward man consisteth in having almighty God present in his heart: And the composition of the outward man consisteth in doing all things in such sort, as is seemly for one that is always in the presence of almighty God, and that hath him always before his eyes, as the judge and witness of his whole life.
After these do follow other four virtues, wherein consisteth the sum of perfection, which virtues be in such wise annexed and linked the one to the other, that the one can not be had without the other. These virtues be perfect obedience: Mortification of our own proper will: Fortitude to overcome all manner of difficulty, and labor: and to have a hatred and contempt of ourselves. For it is manifest that the sum of all Christian doctrine is a perfect obedience and conformity unto the will of almighty God, as well in all such things as he commandeth, counseleth, and inspireth, as in all that he ordaineth, and disposeth, concerning us. This obedience can not be kept unless we have a knife in our hand, to cut away all the inordinate appetites of our sensuality, and will, which do withstand the will of almighty God. But this stroke no man is able to give, unless he have great fortitude of mind to fight with himself, and to make mortal war against his own inclinations, and appetites. And this kind of war none other shall ever make, but he that hath for the love of God attained to have a true and holy abhorring and contempt of himself. For look where abhorring is, there doth easily follow evil entreating and contempt of the thing that is abhorred: but where is nothing but love, there doth a man very unwillingly take the whip in his hand, to deal roughly with that thing which he loveth. Whereby it appeareth, that no one of these virtues is able to move one step, without the help and succor of the others.
After these do follow immediately other four very high and noble virtues, which be, Humility both inward, and outward: Poverty both of spirit, and of body: Patience in all adversities, and tribulations: Pureness of intention in good works, doing all things that we shall do all only for the love of God, without mixture of any commodity, or respect, either temporal, or spiritual.
After these do follow other four virtues: which are the beginning and end of all perfection: to wit: a most firm faith of such things, as almighty God saith, and promiseth: and an assured hope in him, as in our true and loving father in all the necessities and tribulations that shall happen unto us: a love of almighty God, which must always burn in our hearts: and jointly with this love, to have a fear and reverence of his great majesty, and justice, which must evermore accompany all our works.
And with all this aforesaid we must join perseverance and continuance in the exercise of all these virtues, the which causeth a man in a small time to attain to the top of perfection. In these foresaid virtues doth the sum of all perfection principally consist: and therefore all our study, and diligence, must be employed in seeking them by all means possible, and especially by prayer, which is the principal mean, whereby all goodness is obtained.
Here I think good to give this advice, that when a man shall demand of almighty God any of these virtues, he stay himself therein for a time, and make as it were a station in every one of them, in considering briefly the principal motives that may most induce us to the love and exercise of such a virtue. As for example. When we shall desire of almighty God the virtue of charity, which is the love of God, we may say in this wise: Grant me grace O Lord I beseech thee, that I may love thee with all my heart, and with all my soul, for that thou art an infinite goodness, and excellency, that deserveth to be loved with infinite love: and besides this, for that thou art my only benefactor, my father, my creator, my last end, and the spouse of my soul, unto whom all love is due. In the like manner when thou shalt desire the virtue of hope, thou mayest say in this wise: Give me grace also O Lord I beseech thee, that in all the necessities and tribulations that shall happen unto me in this life, I may trust in thee, seeing thy mercy is infinite, and thy promises true, and the merits of thy only begotten son be of infinite value, which do speak and make intercession for me. After this sort mayest thou desire the fear of God, and humility, with other virtues. The form of which petitions I think not meet to note here particularly in writing. For like as it is said, that that meat doth more profit the sick man, which he himself eateth and cheweth with his teeth, than that which is given unto him in drink: even so is that prayer wont to be more profitable which is framed by him that prayeth with such words as the holy Ghost teacheth him, than that prayer which is made and compounded with other folks words, which often times be said and passed very lightly over, without any manner of attention, or affection.
This last part which is petition (besides that it is very easy to be done) is also very profitable. For (as we said before) it is not only an exercise of prayer, but also of all virtues, and as it were a reading and conference of them all: wherein a man reneweth all his good purposes, and desires, and recordeth in his memory the principal points and articles of the law of God, which is the continual exercise of the just man: of whom it is said, that he meditateth upon the law of our Lord both day, and night.
These five parts aforesaid may be used in the exercise of prayer: albeit (as we have said) they be not all necessary to be used at all times. For some times all the time of prayer is spent in meditation alone, or in petition. Nevertheless I thought good to specify here all these parts of prayer, that no man might leave of this holy exercise for want of matter, and also that at such time as devotion faileth, (which is no just cause why we should relent and withdraw ourselves from good exercises) a man might have matter whereupon to occupy himself during that time, doing on his part so much as lieth in him, which is the thing that almighty God requireth principally of us.
Here is diligently to be noted, that among all these five parts of prayer, the best is, when the soul talketh with almighty God, as it doth in petition. For in reading, or meditation, the understanding discourseth with little labor wheresoever it thinketh good. But when we talk unto almighty God, then the understanding mounteth up on high, and after it followeth also the will, and then hath a man commonly on his part greater devotion, and attention, and greater fear, and reverence of the majesty of almighty God, with whom he speaketh, and withal an humble, and fervent desire of the thing which he demandeth of him. And this moving, and lifting up of the spirit, with all these acts of virtues accompanying it, do leave the soul in a more noble state, and better edified, than any other discourse whatsoever it be, as every man may perceive by experience in himself. For it is evident, that in the discourse of meditation there is none other thing but only a godly inquisition and consideration of spiritual things, the which as it is an act of the understanding, so is it of little profit, or commodity: but in the devout prayer there is made a concurrence and general assembly in a manner of all virtues, and with there wings the soul lifteth itself up on high, and attaineth to be joined and united with almighty God.
And although this spiritual communication and conference with almighty God be the best point of all the exercises of prayer, yet among all the communications with him, the best and most profitable is the communication of love, at such time as we be actually loving of almighty God, and praising him, and desiring him with great instancy, and most earnest desires, to grant us that we may love him. For sithence Charity is the greatest of all virtues, there is nothing more acceptable unto almighty God, nor more pleasant and profitable to a man, than the use, practice, and exercise of this so excellent a virtue.
This the holy fathers do call the exercise of aspiring unto the love of God. And to this end were meditation and prayer, and all other good exercises ordained. And therefore it is given for a general rule unto all such as do pray, that they labor and endeavor so much as lieth in them to lift up their spirit unto this divine communication, which is to speak and treat with almighty God himself, and especially concerning his love, and the exercises of aspiring unto him. And for this cause it shall do well to leave this petition of the love of God until the end of all the exercise of prayer, and so to reserve the best wine for the end of this banquet, to the intent that when a man is come to the end of his journey, he may stay himself herein so long as he listeth. Howbeit it shall not be amiss both to begin and end with this petition of the love of God, whensoever the holy Ghost shall open him a way, and direct him unto the same.
Moreover, I think it meet here to give this advertisement, that in all such things as we shall demand, we do allege always in our behalf the merits of Jesus Christ our only and true Savior: who (as the Apostle saith) Is our justice, wisdom, sanctification, and redemption. Upon his merits we ought principally to stay our confidence. And his merits we ought to present before the divine majesty, reckoning them, and offering them one by one unto the heavenly father, and taking (as St. Bernard saith) out of that treasure all such things as are necessary for us. For this is that Lord, that hath sanctified and offered himself in sacrifice, to the intent that we might be holy in deed. Wherefore If God be for us, who shall be against us? If God justify us, who shall condemn us? This is he (saith St. Peter) of whom all the Prophets bear witness: that by him is obtained pardon and remission of sins. So that in the virtue and name of this Lord we ought to take a good heart and courage with us, when we go to make our prayers to almighty God, and have this confidence, that whatsoever we shall duly demand by him shall be granted unto us. For the principal condition that our petition must have that it may be effectual before almighty God, is (as St. James saith) to make the same with faith, and confidence. And this confidence must not be grounded principally upon our own selves, nor upon our own works, and merits, but upon the works and merits of our Savior Jesus Christ, and jointly therewith upon the infinite goodness and mercy of almighty God, which can never be overcome with any kind of sin, or iniquity: and besides this, our confidence must be also grounded upon the truth of the words and promises of almighty God, who hath promised in all the holy scriptures never to fail that man that with all his heart shall convert himself unto him, and call upon him, and repose his trust and confidence in him. And albeit he that prayeth hath been until that time never so great and heinous a sinner, yet let him not therefore be dismayed: for (as St. Jerome saith) our sins past do not condemn us, if we take no delight in them. Whereby it appeareth, that they be deceived, that in considering their own defects, and weaknesses, do mistrust that almighty God will not hear them: and they do not consider that the principal foundations of this confidence are the merits of our Savior Christ, and the mercy of almighty God, and the truth of his holy word, which (as the Prophet saith) is a shield unto them that put their trust in him.
OF PRAYER AND MEDITATION 