Sobre aquest llibre
II. THE ART OF DIVINE MEDITATION: PROFITABLE FOR ALL
CHRISTIANS TO KNOW AND PRACTISE; EXEMPLIFIED WITH TWO
LARGE PATTERNS OF MEDITATION; THE ONE OF ETERNAL LIFE, AS
THE END; THE OTHER OF DEATH, AS THE WAY.
Dedication to SIR RICHARD LEA, Knight..........
Chapter
Page
43
I. The Benefit and Uses of Meditation.-Which are universal to
all Christians, and not to be appropriated to some professions 44
II. The Description and Kinds of Meditation........
III. Concerning Meditation Extemporal.....
IV. Cautions of Extemporal Meditation.......
V. Of Meditation Deliberate ;-Wherein 1. The QUALITIES OF
THE PERSON :—of whom is required; 1. That he be pure
from his sin...........................
45
ib.
46
47
VI. 2. That he be free from worldly thoughts.........
48
IX. n. Of the CIRCUMSTANCES of meditation :—and therein, 1. of the Place.......................
VII. 3. That he be constant; and that, (1.) In time and matter...... ib.
VIII. (2.) That he be constant in the continuance............
49
51
52
XII. . Of the MATTER and SUBJECT of our meditation..........
XIII. IV. The ORDER of the work itself..........
53
54
.... ib.
X. 2. Of the Time.......
XI. 3. Of the Site and Gesture of the Body.............
XIV. 1. The ENTRANCE into the work:-(1.) The common entrance,
which is Prayer............
XV. (2.) Particular and proper entrance into the matter, which is in
our Choice thereof..............
55
XVI. 2. The PROCEEDING of our meditation :—and, therein. a Me-
thod allowed by some Authors rejected by us............................... 56
XVII. Premonitions concerning our proceeding in the FIRST PART of
meditation..............
..... 57
XVIII. The Practice of meditation, wherein, 1. We begin with some
Description of that we meditate of............
XIX. 2. Follows an easy and voluntary Division of the matter medi-
tated.........
....... 53
59
XX. 3. A consideration of the Causes thereof, in all kinds of them... ib.
XXI. 4. The consideration of the Fruits and Effects..............
XXII. 5. Consideration of the Subject wherein, or whereabout, it is.... 60
XXIII. 6. Consideration of the Appendances and Qualities of it......... ib.
XXIV. 7. Of that which is Diverse from it, or Contrary to it............ 61
XXV. 8. Of Comparisons and Similitudes, whereby it may be most
fitly set forth...................................
63
64
XXVI. 9. The Titles and Names of the thing considered........................................
XXVII. 10. Consideration of fit Testimonies of Scripture, concerning our
theme...............
... 65
XXVIII. Of our SECOND PART of meditation: which is the Affections :-
Wherein is required, 1. A Taste and Relish of what we have
thought upon.........
........
XXIX. 2. A Complaint, bewailing our wants and untowardness......... 66
XXX. 3. A hearty Wish of the soul, for what it complaineth to want 67
XXXI. 4. An humble Confession of our disability to effect what we
wish......
XXXII. 5. An earnest Petition for that which we profess to want.... 68
XXXIII, 6. A vehement Enforcement of our Petition............
XXXIV. 7. A cheerful Confidence of obtaining what we have request-
ed and enforced............
XXXV. The CONCLUSION of our meditation, in what order it must be.
1. With Thanksgiving.......
XXXVI. 2. With Recommendation of our souls and ways to God....
XXXVII. An Epilogue: Reproving the neglect, and exhorting to the
use of Meditation........
69
70
71
A Meditation of Death, according to the Former Rules..... 73
III. CHARACTERS OF VIRTUES AND VICES. IN TWO BOOKS.
Dedication to EDWARD, LORD DENNY........................ ...............
Book I. Characterisms of Virtues,
The Proem........
The Wise Man.......
The Honest Man.......
The Faithful Man.......................................
The Humble Man....
The Valiant Man......
The Patient Man.....
The True Friend.........................
The Truly-Noble..
83
85
86
87
88
£9
90
91
92
Epistle
FIRST DECADE.
1. TO JACOB WADSWORTH, lately revolted, in Spain.
Expostulating for his Departure, and persuading his Return.. 120
Of Gratulation, for the Hopes of our Prince; with an ad-
vising Apprecation.....
126
5. TO SIR THOMAS CHALLONER.
A Report of some Observations in my Travel................ 128
6. TO SIR DAVID MURRAY.
Concerning the Miracles of our Time........
133
7. TO MR. WILLIAM BEDELL, at Venice.
Lamenting the Death of our late Divines, and inciting to
their Imitation.............
8. TO MY LORD, THE EARL OF ESSEX.
Advice for his Travels..........
9. TO SIR ROBERT DRURY, AND HIS LADY.
Concerning my Removal from them.......
10. To MR. J. B. and dedicated to my Father MR. J. HALL.
Against the Fear of Death........
137
.... 139
142
144
A Preface to his Relation of the Russian Affairs................ 159
7. TO STANISLAUS BUCHINSKI, late Secretary to Demetrius, Emperor
of Russia.
Of the Comfort of Imprisonment.........
8. To my Father-in-Law, MR. George Wenyffe.
Exciting to Christian Cheerfulness.......
9. To MR. W. R. dedicated to MR. THOMAS BURLY.
161
163
Consolations of Immoderate Grief for the Death of Friends.. 164
10. To MR. J. A. Merchant.
Against Sorrow for Worldly Losses......
THIRD DECADE.
167
1. To MR. SMITH, and MR. ROB. Ringleaders of the late Separation
at Amsterdam.
Setting forth their injury done to the Church, the injus-
tice of their cause, and fearfulness of their offence. Cen-
suring and advising them...........................
...... 171
2. To SIR ANDREW ASTELEY.
A Discourse of our due Preparation for Death, and the
means to sweeten it to us .................................... 173
3. To MR. SAMUEL BURTON, Archdeacon of Gloucester.
...
A Discourse of the Trial and Choice of the True Religion 176
4. To Mr. EDMUND SLENGH.
A Discourse of the Hardness of Christianity; and the abundant
Recompence in the Pleasures and Commodities of that
Profession
5. To MR. W. L.
Expostulating the Cause of his Unsettledness in Religion,
which is pleaded to be our Dissentions: shewing the In-
sufficiency of their motive; and comparing the Estate of
our Church herein with the Romish
6. To Sir EDMUND Lucy.
182
184
Discoursing of the different Degrees of Heavenly Glory; and
of our mutual Knowledge of each other above .....
186
7. To. MR. T. L.
Concerning the matter of Divorce, in the case of apparent
Adultery; advising the innocent party, of the fittest
Course in that behalf ......
8. To MR. ROBERT HAYE.
A Discourse of the continual Exercise of a Christian; how he
may keep his Heart from Hardness, and his Ways from
Error
......
9. To MR. I. F. one of the Company of the Turkish Merchants.
Discoursing of the Lawfulness of Conversation and Trade with
Infidels and Heretics; and shewing how far, and wherein,
it is allowable .......
10. To the GENTLEMEN OF HIS HIGHNESS'S COURT.
A Description of a Good and Faithful Courtier
188
190
192
.... 194
FOURTH DECADE.
1. To MR. WALTER FITZWILLIAMS.
A Discourse of the true and lawful Use of Pleasures; how we
may moderate them; how we may enjoy them with safety 198
2. To W. F. and dedicated to MR. ROBErt Jermin.
A Discourse of the bloody use of Single Combats; the Injus-
tice of all pretences of their lawfulness; setting forth the
Danger and Sinfulness of this false and unchristian manhood 200
3. To MR. MATTHEW MILWARD.
A Discourse of the Pleasure of Study and Contemplation;
with the varieties of scholar-like employments: not with-
out Invitation of others thereunto; and a Censure of their
Neglect .....
4. To Mr. J. P.
203
A Discourse of the Increase of Popery; of the Oath of Allegi-
ance; and the just Sufferings of those which have refused it 205
5. To my Brother MR. SA. HALL.
A Discourse of the great Charge of the Ministerial Func-
tion; together with particular Directions for due Prepara-
tion thereunto, and Carriage therein
6. To. MRS. A. P.
208
A Discourse of the Signs and Proofs of a True Faith ......... 211
7. TO MR. ED. ALLEYNE.
A Direction how to conceive of God in our Devotions and
Meditations .....
8. TO MR. THOMAS JAMES, of Oxford.
A Discourse of the Grounds of the Papists' Confidence in
appealing to the Fathers: applauding his worthy offers and
endeavours, of discovering the Falsifications and Deprava-
tions of Antiquity ...
9. To MR. E. A.
A Discourse of Fleeing or Stay in the time of Pestilence;
whether lawful for Minister or People
217
10. To MR. R. B.
A Complaint of the Iniquity of the Times; with a Prescrip-
tion of the Means to redress it
219
Dedication to Prince Henry
225
FIFTH DECADE.
1. TO MY LORD Bishop of Bath and Wells.
Discoursing the Causes and Means of the increase of Popery 226
2. To My Lord Bishop of WORCESTER.
Shewing the Difference of the Present Church from the Apos-
tolical; and Needlessness of our Conformity thereto in
all things........
230
3. To MY LADY MARY DENNY.
Containing the Description of a Christian; and the Differences
from the Worldling
233.
4. TO MY LADY HONORIA HAY.
Discoursing of the Necessity of Baptism; and the Estate of
those which necessarily want it
235
5. TO SIR RICHARD LEA, since deceased.
Discoursing of the comfortable Remedies of all afflictions.... 238
6. To M. PETER MOULIN, Preacher of the Church at Paris.
Discoursing of the late French Occurrences; and what Use
God expects to be made of them
241
7. TO MR. THOMAS SUTTON.
Exciting him, and, in him, all others, to early and cheerful Be-
neficence: shewing the Necessity and Benefit of Good
Works
5. To E. B. dedicated to SIR GEORGE Goreing.
Remedies against Dulness and Heartlessness in our Callings;
and Encouragements to Cheerfulness in Labour
9. TO SIR JOHN HARRINGTON.
Discussing this Question: Whether a man and wife, after
some years mutual and loving fruition of each other,
may, upon consent, whether for secular or religious
causes, vow and perform a perpetual separation from
each other's bed, and absolutely renounce all carnal
knowledge of each other for ever
10. To. MR. WILLIAM KNIGHT.
243
246
248
Encouraging him to persist in the Holy Calling of the Minis-
try; which, upon conceit of his Insufficiency, and want
of Affection, he seemed inclined to forsake and change ... 251