Page:TheParadiseOfTheChristianSoul.djvu/40

 no less  useful  for  the  former. Of all  the  ways  of  practising vocal prayer,  the  two  that  follow  are  the  most  perfect.

I. When  he  who  prays  recites  all  the  words  attentively and distinctly,  so  as  to  understand  at  the  same  time  what be reads,  but  without  pausing,  so  that  the  mind  dwells  and ruminates on  no  portion  of  what  is  read.

This is  the  common  mode  of  praying; but  the  spirit  of the  person  who  prays  is  thus  barely  nourished  with  any taste of  devotion. For no  sooner  does  a word  or  a sentence suggest  some  holy  feeling  or  affection,  that  it  escapes and disappears  in  the  course  of  transition  to  others.

Hence this  method  is  like  a copious  and  violent  shower of rain,  which  washes  the  surface  only,  but  does  not  penetrate or  moisten  the  ground,  from  which  it  flows  off  before it can  drink  it  in. So, too,  by  this  hasty  kind  of  vocal  prayer, the person  who  prays  is  only  sensibly  affected; but  the  mind is imbued  with  no  solid  feeling,  when  the  foot,  as  it  were,  is planted  nowhere,  and  passes  on  continually  to  something  else.

II. Vocal prayer  is  practised,  when,  in  praying,  the  mind not only  understands  the  words,  but  also  rests,  as  it  were,  a little  while  to  ponder  and  reflect  upon  each  of  the  words,  or at  least  of  the  sentences,  by  which  some  holy  feeling  is  produced, as  if  it  had  found  some  pleasant  pasture,  wherewith to refresh  itself.

Thus, for  instance,  in  repeating  the  Lord’s  Prayer,  or  the Psalms, we  may  pause  a little  at  the  words  or  sentences, and consider  what  portion  of  celestial  honey,  of  spiritual devotion, consolation,  or  doctrine  may  lie  within  it; by means  of  which  may  be  elicited  from  each  of  them  the  affections, for  example,  of  faith,  hope,  love,  &amp;c.

This kind  of  prayer  is  like  a continuous  rain,  which  falls in small  but  numerous  drops,  and  quickly  sinks  into  and penetrates the  ground,  watering  and  fructifying  it  abundantly. Such prayer  has  a fixed  and  definite  end,  and  thus leaves behind  it  affections  imprinted  fixedly  on  the  mind,  by which  it  is  thenceforward  the  more  copiously  refreshed, nourished, and watered.

This method  and  practice  of  prayer  has  been  exemplified with sufficient  clearness,  in  my  remarks  on  the  Lord’s  Prayer, in each  port  of  the  Paradise.

That F.  Leonardos  Lessius, a man  illustrious  for  his  holiness and  learning,  Was  in  the  habit  of  praying  thus,  is  related by the  author  of  his  life. Take, he  says,  as  an  example,  his use of  the  Lord’s  Prayer,  and  judge  from  this  of  his  other