Answ. It is lawful, and a du•y, and a great mercy to some, to live almost wholly, yea, all together1 in contemplation, and prayer, and such holy exercises. And that in these cases following: 1. In case that Age hath disabled a man to be serviceable to others by an active life: and when a man hath already spent his days and strength in doing all the good he can; and being now disabled, hath special reason to improve the rest of his (decrepit) age, in more than ordinary preparations for his death, and in holy communion with God. 2. So also when we are disabled by sickness: 3. And when imprisonment restraineth us from an active life, or profiting others; 4. And when persecution forceth Christians to retire into solitudes and Deserts, to reserve themselves for better times and places; or when prudence telleth them, that their prayers in solitude may do more good, than at that time their Martyrdom were like to do. 5. When a Student is preparing himself for the Ministry, or other active life, •o which a contemplative life is the way. 6. When poverty, or Wars, or the rage of enemies, disableth a man from all public converse, and driveth him into solitude by unavoidable necessity. 7. When the number of those that are fit for action, is so sufficient, and the parts of the person are so insufficient, and so the need and use of them in an active life so small, that all things considered, holy impartial prudence telleth him, that the good which he could do to others by an active life, is not like to countervail the losses which he should himself ⟨p. 310⟩receive, and the good which his very example of a holy and heavenly life might do, and his occasional counsels, and precepts, and resolutions, to those who come to him for advice, being drawn by the estimation of his holy life; in this case, it is lawful to give up ones self to a cont•mpl•ti•• life: For that which maketh most to his own good and to others, is past doubt lawful and a du•y. Anna departed not from the Temple, but served God with ••sting and prayer night and day, Luke 2. 36, 37.
Answ. It is lawful, and a du•y, and a great mercy to some, to live almost wholly, yea, all together1 in contemplation, and prayer, and such holy exercises. And that in these cases following: 1. In case that Age hath disabled a man to be serviceable to others by an active life: and when a man hath already spent his dayes and strength in doing all the good he can; and being now disabled, hath special reason to improve the rest of his (decrepite) age, in more than ordinary preparations for his death, and in holy communion with God. 2. So also when we are disabled by sickness: 3. And when imprisonment restraineth us from an active life, or profitting others; 4. And when persecution forceth Christians to retire into solitudes and Desarts, to reserve themselves for better times and places; or when prudence telleth them, that their prayers in solitude may do more good, than at that time their Martyrdom were like to do. 5. When a Student is preparing himself for the Ministry, or other active life, •o which a contemplative life is the way. 6. When poverty, or Wars, or the rage of enemies, disableth a man from all publick converse, and driveth him into solitude by unavoidable necessity. 7. When the number of those that are fit for action, is so sufficient, and the parts of the person are so insufficient, and so the need and use of them in an active life so small, that all things considered, holy impartial prudence telleth him, that the good which he could do to others by an active life, is not like to countervail the losses which he should himself ⟨p. 310⟩receive, and the good which his very example of a holy and heavenly life might do, and his occasional counsels, and precepts, and resolutions, to those who come to him for advice, being drawn by the estimation of his holy life; in this case, it is lawful to give up ones self to a cont•mpl•ti•• life: For that which maketh most to his own good and to others, is past doubt lawful and a du•y. Anna departed not from the Temple, but served God with ••sting and prayer night and day, Luke 2. 36, 37.
- 1Who are called to a contemplative life.
