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MEDITATIONS OF

THE SECOND MEDITATION- On the End for which we were created.

Prepara- PLACE yourself in the presence of God.

tion 1.

2. Beseech him to inspire you. Considerations.- God has not placed you in this world for any need he has of you, who are altogether unprofitable to him, but only to exercise his goodness in you by giving you his grace and glory. And to this end he hath enriched you with an understanding to know him, with a memory to be mindful of him, with a will to love him, an imagination to represent to your­self his benefits, eyes to behold his wondrous works, a tongue to praise him; and so of the other faculties.

2. Being created and put into the world for this intent, all actions contrary to it are to be avoided and rejected; and whatever conduceth not to this end ought to be con­temned as vain and superfluous.

3. Consider the wretchedness of worldlings, who never think of this, but live as though they believed themselves created for no other end than to build houses, plant trees, heap up riches, and such like fooleries.

Affections and Resolutions.- 1. Confound yourself, re­proaching your soul with her misery, which has hitherto been so great, as that she hath seldom or never considered this. Alas! shall you say, how did I employ my thoughts, O God, when I placed them not upon thee? What did I remember when I forgot thee? What did I love when I loved not thee? Alas! I ought to have fed upon truth, and I have glutted myself with vanity; I have served the world which was created but to

serve me.

2. Detest your past Life. I renounce you, O vain thoughts and unprofitable fancies! I abjure you, O frivolous and hatefal remembrances! O unfaithful and disloyal friendships, lewd and wretched slaveries, ungrate. ful contentments, and irksome pleasures, I abhor you!