aspirations, which St. Augustine calleth jaculatory prayers; for these do guard the palace of the mind, conserving devotion in her fervor, that a man is always willing to pious actions, and ready to holy prayer. This document is one of the principal instruments of a spiritual life, and the only remedy for those, who have neither time nor place with opportunity, to insist to long prayer and meditation; and they which do thus bestow their labor to frequent aspirations, will, in a short time, profit much. Seventhly, perseverance in good exercises, that so times and places be duly observed, especially morning and evening, as fittest times for prayer. Eighthly, corporal abstinence and austerities do much help devotion, fasting from meat, a frugal table, a a hard bed, hair cloth, discipline, and the like. As they originally proceed from devotion of the mind, so they do not a little cherish, conserve, and nourish the root from whence they spring, which is devotion.
Lastly, works of mercy, are a great spur unto devotion, because they increase the confidence we have to appear before God, and to be presented before his sacred Majesty. They do accompany our prayers; and, finally, they merit that they be sooner heard by God, especially seeing they proceed from a merciful heart.
