so liberally 3. Iesus will not be known singly by his words but by his works Our words must agree with our good actions as the needle of a clock agrees with the springs When we have heard or read some good doctrine that Sermon or reading must passe into our manners It is surely a strange thing that many imploy that leisure to know much and yet will not spend some considerable time to make themselves good Christians We must be Philosophers more by imitating the example of God then by any curious enquiry of his greatnesse Our Christianity teacheth us that we should be more knowing skilfull in the practise of our life then of our tongue and that we are rather made to perform great actions then to speak them We must have a speciall care that our hands do not give our mouth the lie What can we gain in the judgement of God by being like those tres which haue a fair outside garnished with leaves yet good for nothing but to give a shadow and to make a little noise when the wind blows God requires of us fruit since he is the father of all fertility nothing is barren in the land of the living Aspirations O My God I know thee because thou was first pleased to know me Thou hast known me by thy goodnesse and I will do my best to know thee that I may obtain all happinesse O that I might know that my name is written in the book of life and also know the life which I may possesse within the heart of Iesus in which so many lives do live O how should I then find my spirit ravished in those beautifull Ideas of glory Fix thine eyes on me O Lord and thou shalt thereby bring me to the fountain of all happinesse The Father hath given me to thee I am the conquest of thy precious bloud Suffer not a soul to be taken away from the which hath cost thee so many sweats sufferings I am thine by so many titles that I will be no more mine own but only to have the right of renouncing that which I am and to establish what shall be thine in this little kingdome of my heart The Gospel upon Thursday the fifth week in Lent S. Iohn 7. Upon S. Mary Magdalens washing our Saviours feet in the Phariseâ— house ANd one of the Pharisees desired him to eat with him And he being entred into the house of the Pharisee he sate down to meat And behold a woman that was in the Citie a sinner as she knew that he set down in the Pharisees house she brought an Alabaster box of ointment and standing behinde beside his feet she began to water his feet with tears and wiped them with the hairs of her head and kissed his feet and anointed them with oyntment And the Pharisee that had bid him seeing it spake within himself saying This man if he were a Prophet would know certes who and what manner of woman she is which toucheth him that she is a sinner And Iesus answering said to him Simon I have somewhat to say unto thee But he said Master say A certain creditour had two debtors own did ow five hundred pence and the other fifty they having not wherewith to pay he forgave both whether therefore doth love him more Simon answering said I suppose that he to whom he forgave more But he said to him Thou hast judged rightly And turning to the woman he said unto Simon Doest thou see this woman I entred into thy house water to my feet thou didst not give but she with tears hath watered my feet and with her hairs hath wiped them Kisse thou gavest me not but she since I came in hath not ceased to kisse my feet With oyl thou didst not annoint my head but she with ointment hath anointed my feet For the which I say to thee many sins are forgiven her because she hath loved much But to whom lesse is forgiven he loveth lesse And he said to her Thy sins are forgiven thee And they that sate together at the table began to say within themselves Who is this that also forgiveth sins And he said to the woman Thy faith hath made thee safe Go in peace Moralities 1. SAint Mary Magdalen is under the feet of Jesus Christ as is that work of Saphires mentioned in Exodus under the feet of God It is a work wrought by the right hand of the Highest the wonder of women the most happy of all lovers who made profit of sin which destroys all who sanctified that love which so little knew the way to any sanctity This is the fountain mentioned in the Book of Hester in the vision of Mardocheus A fountain which became a River and after changes it self into the Sun which gives beams and showers at one instant She is a fountain at the Pharisees table she is a â—iver in her solitary grove she is a Sun both in Paradise in that great exaltation wherein the Catholick Church now beholds her Being now in glory she doth not yet forbear to open fountains of tears by imitation of her within the souls of repentant sinners of whom incessantly she procures the conversion Happy is that heart which is pierced with the imitation of her virtues thereby to gain some part of her crowns 2. Every thing is admirable in her conversion A sinner wounded with love cures her self by love She changes the fire of Babylon into that of Ierusalem She plucks out of her wound the venomous dart of worldly love to make large room for the arrows of Iesus which pierce her heart and at an instant make a harmony of heavenly passions within the bottome of her soul She holds the wound dearer then life and goes streight to her conquerour ro desire death or increase of love 3. She appears most ingenious in her affections to provide no water wherewith to wash her Masters feet since she could draw it so fitly out of her own eyes This was the water which Iesus did thirst after when he asked of the Samaritan woman some to drink But the poor woman was so astonished that she forsook her pitcher forgot that which Iesus asked Now the holy Magdalen brings her eyes to the Pharisees table as two vessels full of christal water which was of that puâ—e stream which comes from the holy Lamb. Heaven is wont to vvater the earth but here the earth waters Heaven A soul w ich was before black and burnt up with the fi e of concupiscence provides a fountain for the King of highest Heaven She draws tears from her sins to make them become the joyes of Paradise 4. She sanctifies all that which vvas esteemed most prophane Her hairs which were the nets vvherein so many captive souls did sigh under the yoke of wanton love are now as the ensignes and standards of wicked Cupid trampled under the feet of her Conquerour Those kisses which carried the poison of a luxurious pâ—ssioÌ„
ENTERTAINMENTS For LENT First Written in French and Translated by Sir B. B. The delight of sinne is momentary the torment Eternal LONDON Printed for I. W. and are to be sold by Philemon Stephens the younger at the Kings Arms over against the middle Temple gate in Fleet-streete 1661. To the most Excellent Majesty of Henriette Maria Queen of Great Britain Madame AMongst all the publick joyes for your Majesties happy return I know not better how to expresse my own particular then by most humbly presenting to your Majesty my Translation of this excellent French Book in the solitude of a Prison which was made more easie by some relation it had to your Majesties service And I presume the rather upon this Dedication because all that good which is derived to us from France wherof I conceive this may be a part should receive honour and inâ—rease of value from your Majesty that it may so diffuse it self with moâ—e authority and profit amongst those who may be capable to receive â—t Your Majestie having read the Orginall â—oth well know that the principall scope of it is â—o teach the love of God and contempt of this world with many other principall virtues And for the practice of them all this age â—ould not have hoped for so rare an example to â—nstruct all the great Ladies of Christendome â—s it hath found in your Majesty as well by â—our admirable fortitude and perfect resignation to Gods holy will in all your Majesties extreme afflictions dangers and pressures at Sea and Land as also by your Majesties many sacred retirements in the most holy time of the year to sprinkle your pleasures voluntarily with some of that Gall which was upon our Saviours lips when he suffered his bitter passion and death for our sins Our great Divines affirm that the present sufferings of Mount Calvary lead directly to the future glories of Mount Thabor And therefore since your Majesty hath patiently endured so many unjust and rigorous Crosses in the Mount Calvary of this World we have great reason to hope that our blessed Saviour hath prepared for your Majesty a most glorious Crown in the next which will never have end And this shall ever be the incessant and fervent prayer of Madame Your Majesties poor and most humbly devoted Beadsman Basil Brook Table of all the Gospels and particulars of our Saviours passion mentioned in this book with their Moralities and Aspirations UPon the word of Genesis lib. 1. cap. 3. Thou art dust and to dust thou shalâ— return Fol. 1 Vpon the Gospel of Saint Matthew cap. 6. Of hypocriticall fasting 4 Vpon Saint Matthew the 18. af the Centurions words O Lord I am not worthy 8 Vpon Saint Matthew the 5. Wherein we are directed to pray for our enemies 12 Vpon Saint Matthew the 6. Of the Apostle danger at sea 15 Vpon Saint Matthew the 4. Of our Saviours being tempted in the desart 19 Vpon Saint Matthew the 25. Of the judgement day 25 Vpon Saint Matthew the 21. Iesus drove out the buyers and sellers out of the Temple 30 Vpon Saint Matthew th 12. The Pharisees demand a sign of Iesus 33 Vpon Saint Matthew the 15. of the woman of Canaan 38 Vpon S. Iohn c. 15. Of the probatick pond 42 Vpon Saint Matthew the 17. Of the transfiguration of our Lord. 46 Vpon Saint Iohn the 8. Iesus said to the Iews Where I go ye cannot come 5â— Vpon Saint Matthew the 23. Iesus said the Pharisees sit in Moyses chair believe therefore what they say 54 Vpon S. Matthew the 20. The request of the wise of Zebedee for her sons Iames and Iohn 58 Vpon Luke the 16. Of the rich Glutton and poor Lazarus 62 Vpon Saint Matthew the 21. Of the master of the vineyard whose sonne was killed by his farmers 67 Vpon S. Luke the 16. Of the prodigall Child 71 Vpon Saint Luke the 11. Iesus cast out the devil which was dumbe 77 Vpon S. Luke the 4. Iesus is required to do miracles in his own countrey 81 Vpon Saint Matthew the 18. If thy brother offend thee tell him of is alone 85 Vpon Saint Matthew the 15. The Pharisees asked why do thy Disciples contradict ancient traditions 90 Vpon Saint Luke the 4. Iesus cured the fever of Simons mother in law 94 Vpon Saint Iohn the 4. Of the Samaritan woman at Iacobs well near Sichar 98 Vpon Saint Iohn the 8. Of the woman found in adultery 104 Vpon Saint Iohn the 6. Of the five fishes and two barley loaves 107 Vpon Saint Iohn the 6. Of the whipping buyers and sellers out of the Temple 113 Vpon Saint Iohn the 7. the Iews marvell at the learning of Iesus who was never taught 117 Vpon Saint Iohn the 9. Of the blind man cured by clay and spittle 121 Vpon Saint Luke the 7. Of the Widows son raised from death to life at Naim by our Saviour 128 Vpon Saint Iohn the 11. Of the raising up Lazarus from death 132 Vpon Saint Iohn the 8. Of our Saviours words I am the light of the world 137 Vpon Saint Iohn the 8. Of these words Who can accuse me of sin Vpon Saint Iohn the 7. Iesus said to the Pharisees you shall seek and not find me and he that is thirsty let him come to me 145 Vpon Saint Iohn the 7. Iesus went not into Iury because the Iews had a purpose to take away his life 149 Vpon Saint Iohn the 10. The Iews said If thou be the Messias tell us plainly 153 Vpon Saint Iohn the 7. Of Saint Mary Magdalens washing our Saviours feet in the Pharisees house 158 Vpon Saint Mary Magdalens great repentance 162 Vpon Saint Iohn the 11. The Iews said What shall we do for this man doth many miracles 164 Vpon Saint Iohn the 12. The chief Priests thought to kill Lazarus because the miracle upon him made many follow Iesus 167 Vpon Saint Matthew the 21. Our Saviour came in triumph to Ierusalam a little before his passion 172 Vpon Saint Iohn the 12. S. Mary Magdalen anointed our Saviours feet with precious ointment at which Iudas repined 177 Vpon Saint Iohn the 13. Of our Saviour washing the feet of his Apostle 181 Moralities upon the garden of Mount Olivet 187 Moralities of the apprehension of Iesus 192 Aspiration upon Saint Peters passionate tears 193 Moralities upon the Pretorian or Iudgement Hall 194 Moralities for Good Fryday upon the death of Iesus Christ 198 The Gospel for Easter day Saint Mark the 16. 211 The Gospel for Easter Munday S. Luke 24. 215 The Gospel on Tuesday S. Luke 24. 220 The Gospel on Low Sunday Saint Iohn the 20. 224 Entertainments for Lent And for the first Day upon the Consideration of Ashes THou art Dust and to Dust thou shall return Gen. 3. 1. It is an excellent way to begin Lent with the consideraon of dust whereby Nature gives us beginning and by the same Death shall put an end to all our worldly vanities There is no better way
which kills them and if you take from them the worm which makes them itch or the executioner who doth indeed torment them they believe you take away the chiefest of their felicity Happy is that soul which holds nothing so dear in this world but will forsake it willingly to find God and will spare nothing to gain Paradise 3. There is nothing more common nor so rare as man The world is full of vitious and unprofitable men But to find one very compleat in all good things is to find a direct Phenix There are more businesses without men then men without businesses For how many charitable employments might many lazy and idle persons find out So many poor mens affairs continue at a stand so many miserable creatures languish so many desolate persons long to find some man who with little trouble to himself would take some small care of their affairs and make up a little piece of their fortunes Jesus is the man of God desired of all ages to him we must apply our selves since he is both life and truth By him we may come to all happiness by him we may live in the fountains streams of life in him we may contemplate the chiefest of all truths Aspirations WHat patience have I in committing sins and how impatient am I in my sufferings for them I am ever most readie to execute vice unwilling to abide the punishment O good God there are many years in which I have retained an inclination to this disorder to that sin My soul is bound as it were with Iron chains in this unhappy bed wil there be no Angel to move the water for me But art not thou the Lord and Prince of Angels Then I most humbly beseech thee O blessed Saviour do thou command and by thy only word my affairs wil go well and receive a happy dispatch my body will become sound my soul innocent my heart at rest and my life an eternal Glory The Gospell upon Saturday the first week in Lent and the Sunday following out of St. Matthew 17. Of the Transfiguration of our Lord. ANd after six dayes Iesus taketh unto him Peter and Iames and Iohn his brother and bringeth them into a high mountain apart and he was transfigured before them And his face did shine as the Sun and his garments became white as Snow And behold there appeared to them Moses and Elias talking with him And Peter answering said to Iesus Lord it is good for us to be here if thou wilt let us make here three tabernacles one for Thee one for Moses and one for Elias And as he was yet speaking behold a bright cloud overshadowed them And loe a voice out of the Cloud saying This is my well-beloved Son in whom I am well pleased hear ye him And the Disciples hearing it fell upon their face and were sore afraid And Iesus came and touched them and he said to them Arise and fear not And they lifting up their eyes saw no body but onely Iesus And as they descended from the mount Iesus commanded them saying Tell the vision to no body till the Son of man be risen from the dead Moralities 1. THe words of the Prophet Osee are accomplished the nets and toils planted upon mount Tabor not to catch birds but hearts The mountain which before was a den for Tigers and Panthers according to the Story is now beautified by our Saviour and becomes a place full of sweetness and ravishments Jesus appears transfigured in the high robes of his glory The cloud made him a pavilion of gold the Sun made his face shine like it self The heavenly Father doth acknowledge his Son as the true Prince of glory Moses and Elias both appear in brightness the one bearing the Tables of the Law and the other carried in a burning Chariot as Origen saith which made the Apostles know him For the Hebrews had certain figures of the most famous men of their Nation in books They both as Saint Luke saith were seen in glory and Majesty which fell upon them by reflection of the beames which came from the body of Jesus who is the true fountain of brightness The Apostles lose theÌ„selves in the deliciousness of this great spectacle and by â—eeing more then they ever did desired to lose their eyes O that the world is most contemptible to him that knows how to value God as he ought So many fine powders so many pendents and favours of Glasse so many Towers and Columns of durt plastered over with gold are followed by a million of Idolaters To conclude so many worldly â—ewels are like the empty imaginations of a sick spirit not enlightened by the beams of truth Let us rely upon the word saith Saint Augustine which remains for ever while men passe like the water of a fountain which hides it self in the Spring shews it self in the stream and loseth it self at last in the Sea But God is alwayes himself there needs no Tabernacle made by the hands of man to remain with him for in Paradise he is both the God and the Temple 2. Tabor is yet but a small patern we must get all the piece we must go to the Palace of Angels and brightnesse where the Tabernacles are not made by the hands of men There we shall see the face of the living God clearly and at full There the beauties shall have no vails to hide them from us Our being shall have no end Our knowledges will not be subject to errour nor our loves and affections to displeasure O what a joy will it be to enjoy all and desire nothing to be a Magistrate without a successour to be a King with out an enemy to be rich without covetousnesse to negotiate without money and to be everliving without fear of death 3. But who can get up to this mountain except he of whom the Prophet speaks who hath innocent hands and a clean heart who hath not received his soul of God in vain to bury it in worldly pelf To follow Jesus we must transform our selves into him by hearing and following his doctrin since God the Father proposeth him for the teacher of mankind and commands us to hearken unto him We must follow his examples since those are the originalls of all virtues The best trade we can practise in this world is that of transfiguration and we may do it by reducing our form to the form of our Lord and walking upon earth like men in heaveÌ„ Then will the Sun make us have shining faces when purity shall accompany all our actions and intentions Our clothes shall be as white as snow when we shall once become innocent in our conversations we shal then be ravished like the Apostles and after we have been at mount Tabor we shall be blind to the rest of the world and see nothing but Jesus It is moreover to be noted that our Saviouâ— did at that time entertain himself with discourse of his great future
have glorified cast a divine brightness upon his body But when he concealed himself the stars discovered him at his birth the Sun at his death all the Elements did then confesse him and all creatures gave testimony of his divinity 2. We should be well known of God if we did not so curiously inquire into the knowledge of the world Vanity at this day opens all her gates to manifest divers men to the world who should otherwise be buried in obscurity and darkness It maketh some appear by the â—uxurious excess of their apparell as so many sale creatures whose heads being high and coâ—ly drest up go to the market of idle love Others by the riches pomps of the world others by honours and dignities others by the spirit of industry and others by the deeds of arms and policy Every one sets out himself to be seen and esteemed in the world It seemeth that life is made for nothing but to be showed and that we should alwayes live for that which makes us die We are a kind of walking spirits which return late to our lodgings But yet nevertheless giving our selves so continually to the world methinks we should at least stay with our selves every day one short hour It is said that the Pellican hides her eggs and that they must be stolen from her to make them disclose But vanitie is an egge which all the world hatcheth under her wings and none are willing to forsake it 3. If it be needful to shew your self to the world be then known by your virtues which are characters of the divinity Let men know you by your good examples which are the seeds of eternity and of all fair actions You must be known by your almes and bounty which are the steps with God left imprinted in this world If you must rise to honours and dignities take them as instruments of holinesse and be not powerfull but to be more obliged to do good by so being Aspirations O God which did conceal thy self how comes it about that I desire so much to be seen and make my self known to the world What can I discover if I shew that which I am but onely sin vanity misery and inconstancy which make the foure elements of my life To what serves this itch of seeing but onely to receive into our eyes the seeds of curiosity Why do we cover to be so much seen but to expose our selves to vanity and to carry a Torch in a blast of wind Alas O Mercifull Lord I have very long lived for my self and for the eyes of the world when shall I begin to live for thee Shall I never see those happy moments of my life which will receive light onely from the day of thy face Let me O most beloved of my heart be bind to all the world so that I may have eyes for thee If the condition of my estate must needs shew me to the world let it be to give it part of thy light without receiving any part of that darknesse which covereth it Let me be in the world to do good but let me dwell in thee as within the fountain of all goodnesse The Gospel upon Wednesday the fifth week in Lent Saint Iohn the 10. The Iews said If thou be the Messias tell us plainly ANd the Dedication was in Ierusalem and it was winter and Iesus walked in the Temple in Solomons Porch The Iews therefore compassed him round about and said to him How long dost thou bold our soul in suspence If thou be Christ tel us openly Iesus answered them I speak to you and you believe not The works that I do in the Name of my Father they give testimony of me But you do not believe because you are not of my sheep My sheep hear my voice and I know them and they follow me and I give them life everlasting and they shall not perish for ever and no man shall pluck them out of my hand My Father that which he hath given me is greater then all and no man can pluck them out of the hand of my Father I and the Father are one The Iews took up stones to stone him Iesus answered them Many good works I have shewed you from my Father for which of these works doe you stone me The Iews answered him For a good work we stone thee not but for blasphemy and because thou being as man makest thy self God Iesus answered them is it not written in your Law that I said you are Gods if he called them Gods to whom the word of God was made and the Scripture cannot be broken whom the Father hath sanctified and sent into the world say you That thou blasphemest because I said I am the Son of God if I doe not the works of my Father believe me not But if I doe and if you will not believe the works that you may know and believe that the Father is in me and I in the Father Moralities 1. THe Woolfs encompasse the good Shepheard counterfeiting Lambs to draw truth out of his mouth which they would persecute They resembled a certain Plant which carrieth the name shape of a Lamb but hath a contrary substance and different qualities for it is ravenous as a wolf devours all the herbs which grow about it So are there many who do insinuate themselves into the freindship of good men by fair but counterfeit respects to the end that afterward they may be made the object of their cruelty Those men look after the Messias in the Porch of Solomon as Herod sought after him in the manger not to adore but to kill him Their mouth carries honey when their heart hatcheth poison but nothing is unknown to God from whom hell it self hath not darknesse enough to hide it self 2. Jesus knows his flock his flock reciprocally knows him and in that consists all our happinesse to know God and to be known of him The cheifest of all wisdome is to know him and to be known by him to be written in the Book of life which is the last cheifest of all felicities It is true that he knows all things by the knowledge of a clear intelligence which serves the wicked onely to discover plainly their crimes where as he knows the just by a science of favour and approbation which indeed is eternall predestination If we be unknown to God we must make our selves known to him by some good virtue which doth not depend onely upon us The first beam is of prevenient grace and our vocation to Christianity which is part of our predestination and is not at all within our power We have not been elected because we have believed in God by our own forces but we believe because we have been elected The first knowledge comes purely from God but it is in us by his grace to pursue this first light and to advance our predestination to glory by forcing our selves to know him perfectly who hath known us