Page:Goldentreatiseof00pete.djvu/192

 affection. And no doubt but he who provideth for all creatures, according to their several necessities, will graciously accept it, if their culpable negligence doth not deserve the contrary.

The seventh document is, that he that is visited with divine consolations in or out of prayer, ought to have a special care to spend that time, above other, with fruit unto his soul; for whilst this prosperous gale doth blow, he will go further in his journey towards heaven, in one hour, than otherwise he hath, or shall do, in many days. So did the holy Father, St. Francis do, of whom St. Bonaventure writeth, that he had such a solicitous care of divine visitations, that whensoever upon the way he was recreated with them, he would either go before, or stay behind his companion awhile, until he had digested this divine morsel sent unto him from heaven. They who are negligent and careless to answer divine visitations, are commonly chastised with this punishment from God — that when they seek they will hardly find them.

The last document and of greatest moment is, in this exercise of prayer, we must join meditation to contemplation, seeing one is, as it were, a ladder unto the other; wherefore, it is the part of meditation, with diligent attention, to consider and ponderate celestial things, first