this time the feare and terrour of the wicked shal be so great that as the Prophet Esaie saieth Esa 2.19 they shall seike the cliftes of stones and the hollowe places of the rockes to hide them selues therein for the great feare they shall haue of oure Lorde and of the glorie of his maiestie when he commeth to iudge the worlde To conclude this feare shal be so great Apoc. 20. that as S. Iohn saieth both the heauens and the earthe shall flye from the presence of the iudge and shall finde no place where to hide them selues Now ô ye heauens why doe ye flye awaie What haue ye done Why are ye afraide And if by the heauens be vnderstode the blessed spirites that are in heauen O ye blessed spirites that were created and confirmed in grace At the daye of generall Iudgmente euen the blessed spirites shal be afrayde to see so greate maiestie and indignation in Christe the iudge why doe ye flye awaie What haue ye done Why are ye afrayde Vndowbtedly they are not afrayde for anie daunger that is towardes themselues but they be afrayde to beholde in the iudge such a great maiestie and indignation the greatnes whereof shal be able to stryke all the heauens with terrour and admiration When the Sea is outragious and tempestious euen he that standeth safe vpon the shore is in a kinde of feare and admiration When the father goeth like a lion about his howse in punishinge his bond slaue his innocent sonne is also afraide although he knowe right well that his fathers rage is not bent against him but against the slaue Now what shall the wicked doe at this time when euen the iust shal be so greatly afrayd If the heauens flye for feare what shall the earthe doe And if those that be wholly spirite doe tremble and quake what shall they doe that haue bene wholly fleashe Esa 64. And if as the Prophet saieth the mountaines shall melt in this daie before the face of almightie God What stonie harde hartes then haue we that for all this be nothinge at all moued The holie crosse shall come before Christe the Iudge at the daye of generall iudgemente and be a witnes againste the wicked Math. 24.30 Before the Iudge there shall come that royall standarde of the crosse to be a witnes of the redemption and remedie which almightie God sent to the worlde and that the worlde woulde not receiue it And so the holie crosse shall there iustifie the cause of almightie God and leaue the wicked voide of al maner of comforte and excuse Then shall all nations of the earthe saieth our Sauiour weepe and lament and they all shall stryke and beare vpon their brestes O how great cause shall they then haue to weepe and waile They shall weepe because at that tyme they can neither doe penanceÌ„ nor flye from the iustice of almightie God nor appeale from his sentence They shall bewaile their sinnes past their shame present and the tormentes that are to come They shall bewaile their miserable happe their vnfortunat birthe and their cursed ende For these and manie other causes they shall weepe and waile verie bitterlie and as persons whollie dismayed and fettered in all partes and without all maner of comforte and remedie they shall wringe their handes and stryke theÌ„ selues vpon their brestes Our sauiour Christe the Iudge shall make a seperatioÌ„ betwene the good and the wicked Math. 25. Then shall the Iudge make a diuision betwene the euill and the good and place the goates at his left hande and the sheepe at his right hande O how happie and blessed shall those persons be that shal be though worthie to haue a place emonge those elected sheepe O Lorde I most humblie beseeche thee let me haue tribulation here in this worlde Punishe me here cutte me in peeces here burne me here so that I maie there be placed at thy right hande Then shall the generall iudgement beginne to be solemnised and the causes of each one shal be throughlie scanned and examined Accordinge as the Prophet Daniell writeth in these wordes Daniel 7.9 I stode saieth he attentiuely and I sawe certaine seates set in their places and the auncient of yeares sat downe whose garmente was white as snowe and the heare of his head like the pure wolle The throne wherein he sat was like flames of fier and the wheeles thereof like burninge fire And a riuer of raginge fire issued and came forthe from before him Thowsande thousandes were attendant to serue him and tenne hundered thousande thowsandes stode waitinge before him c. I behelde all this in the vision of the night and I sawe one comminge in the cloudes who seemed to be the sonne of man Hetherto are the wordes of the Prophet Daniell Wherevnto S. Iohn addeth and saieth Apoc. 20.12 I sawe all the dead both great and smalle standinge before this throne and there the bokes were opened and an other boke opened which is the boke of lyfe and the dead were iudged accordinge to the contentes in those bokes accordinge to their workes Beholde here deare Christian brother the measure whereby thou shalt be iudged Beholde here the taxe and prices whereby all thinges that thou doest shal be valued and esteemed and not by the fonde iudgement of the worlde which hath the false and counterfeit weightes of Canaan in their handes Osâ—â— 12. in whose ballance vertue and vice are iudged to be of smalle weight and accompte In these bokes are written all our whole lyfe and that with such care and diligence that a worde hath no soner passed thy mowth but it is foorthwith noted and set in his proper register But of what thinges trowe ye will the Iudge require an accompte of vs Of what thinges we must giue an accompte Iob. 31.4 O Lorde saieth Iob thou hast nombered all the steppes of my lyfe Certainly there shall not be somuch as one idle worde nor one onely thowghte whereof an accompte will not be required in that iudgement Yea Math. 12.36 and not onely of those thinges that we either thinke or doe but also of those that we leaue vndone of such thinges I meane as we are bownde to doe If thou saie at the daie of Iudgment ô Lorde I haue not sworne the Iudge will answere that thy sonne or thy seruant hath sworne whom thy dutie was to haue chastised and corrected And we shall geue an accompte not onely of our euill workes but also euen of our good workes with what intention and after what maner we did them Finally as S. Gregorie saieth S. Gregorie Math. 12.36 An accompte shall there be required of vs of euerie point and moment of our lyfe how and after what sorte we haue spente them Consideringe therefore that such a strait accoÌ„pte shal be required of vs how happeneth it that we that beleue this as a most certaine truthe doe neuerthelesse liue with such securitie and
all this but that the holie Ghost intended by all these metaphors to expresse vnto vs the coÌ„tinuall exercise and coÌ„sideration wherewith the iust man is alwaies occupied in searchinge the worckes and wonders of almightie God And for this verie cause Psalm 1. Eccles 31. emonge the praises of the iust maÌ„ this is put for one of the most principall that his exercise is to meditate vpon the lawe of our lord daie and night and that he is alwaies coÌ„uersaÌ„t in the secrecie of parables geuing vs hereby to vnderstand that all his trade and coÌ„uersatioÌ„ must be in searching and meditating vpoÌ„ the secretes and woÌ„derfull worckes of almightie God And euen for this verie cawse also Ezech. 1. were those misticall beastes of Ezechiel represented vnto vs with so manie eies to signifie vnto vs that the iust man staÌ„deth in greater neede of the continuall consideration and sight of spirituall thinges then of a nomber of other exercises By this therefore we see plainlie what great neede we haue of this holie exercise and consequentlie how blyndelie and fowlie they are deceaued that either despise or make little accompt of the holie exercise of praier and meditation not considering that this is openlie to gaynesaie and contemne that thing which the holie Ghost hath with so great instancie commended vnto vs. I wishe that such persons would reade those fiue bookes of coÌ„sideration which S. Barnard wrote vnto EVGENIVS the Pope And there shall they perceaue of how great importance this holie exercise is towardes the obteyning of all vertues Now for this cause manie Catholike and religeous persons vnderstanding what great and inestimable fruit ensueth of this godlie meditation haue gone abowt to exercise them selues ordinarilie therein and haue appointed euerie daie certein speciall times and howeres for the same Howbeit oftentymes they waxe colde and geue ouer this holie exercise by reason of two difficulties they finde in it Two difficulties in the exercise of praier and meditation The one is the want of matter and of consideratioÌ„s wherein they maie occupie there cogitation at that time And th' other is the want of feruencie and deuotion which is verie requisite to accompanie this holie exercise in case we mind to haue anie fruit and commoditie thereby In steed whereof they find manie times great drynes of hart and withall a great combate of diuers and sondrie thowghtes The ordre and diuisioÌ„ of the contentes of this booke For remedie of which two inconueniences I haue ordeined this present booke which is deuided into two principall partes The first part for remedie of the first inconuenience treateth of the matter of praier The firste parte of this booke or meditation wherein are conteined fowertience meditations seruing for all the seuen daies of the weike both in the morninge and euening And these meditations do conteine the principall places and misteries of our faith and especially the consideration of those misteries that are of most force and power to brydle our hartes and to incline them to the loue and feare of God and to the abhorring of sinne In like maner there are sett out the fiue partes of this exercise which be Preparation readinge meditation thankes geuing and petition which is done to this end that a man maie haue great varietie of matters wherein to occupie his hart wherewith to procure and stirre vp the tast of deuotion and withall wherewith to illuminat and instruct his vnderstanding with diuers coÌ„siderations and instructions Besides this there is also treated therein of six kindes of thinges that are to be considered in euerie one of the pointes of the PassioÌ„ of our Sauiour that both they and all the rest maie minister vnto vs more plentifull matter for meditation These three thinges are sett forthe in the first part of this worcke for remedie of the first inconuenience The seconde parte of this booke The second part for remedie of the seconde inconuenience treateth of those thinges that do helpe vs vnto deuotion and likewise of those that doe hinder vs from the same It treateth also of the most common temptations that are wont to molest deuout persons Moreouer there are geuen certein aduices to be a direction vnto vs that we erre not in this waie These fowre articles are sett out in the seconde part of this booke The thirde parte of this booke After these I haue added the third parte in which is treated of the vertue of praier and of her two companions fasting and almes deedes to the intent that when a man seeth that in all the booke there is treated of praier and of the paines he owâ—â—ht to take for the same he maie vnderstand how well his labour is employed which is bestowed in obteining of a thinge of so great and wonderfull profitt Peraduenture the Christian reader wil be offended with the length of the meditations which we haue here sett fourth for the seuen daies of the weike Howbeit for this I haue manie answeres The first is considering that in these meditations is treated of the principall places and misteries of our faith the consideration whereof is of so great importance for the due orderinge and reforming of our liffe it behoueth me therefore to enlarge my style in these matters espetiallie by reason of the great fruit and commodetie that maie ensue vnto vs by the same For in this booke our meaning is not onelie to geue matter of meditation but much more to showe the ende of meditation which is the feare of God and amendment of our liffe The ende of meditation is the feare of God and amendemente of our life For the procuring whereof one of the thinges that most helpeth vs is the profound and long consideration of the misteries that are treated in these meditations For certeinlie these fourtene meditatioÌ„s be as it were so manie sermons in which is laide as it were a certein batterie to mans hart to cawse it to yeald so much as is possible and to surrender it selfe vp into the handes of his rightefull and true souereine Lorde This was the cheifest cause that moued me to make the meditations so longe Besides this I see not why the ghest that is inuited should complaine that the table is to full furnished with manie dishes sith we bynd him not as by waie of constraint to make an ende of them all but onely emonge so manie sundrie thinges to make his choice of that which serueth best for his purpose Moreouer that there might be the lesse occasion of complaint I haue putt the somme of each meditation at the beginninge thereof to the intent that such as minde not to passe anie further might there haue such thinges breiflie abridged as be necessarie for the time they intend to bestowe in this holie exercise THE ENDE OF THE PROLOGE THE FIRST PARTE WHICH TREATETH OF the matter of consideration THE FIRST CHAPTER Wherein is treated of the great profitt and necessitie of
hath with a rare wisedome in such wise tempered the doctrine and accommodated him selfe vnto all states and conditions of persons that neither the verie highe and learned haue anie cause to leaue it as ouer base for them nor the verie lowe and vnlearned to refuse it as ouer highe for their capacities For here is made a conuenient prouision of competent meates both for the one sort and for the other And because the Awthor vnderstode right well howe farre the mouthes of men now adayes are owt of tast and how much they are more affectionate vnto the sleshe pottes of Egypt than to the breade of Angels I meane hereby rather to the readinge of prophane bookes by reason of the pleasant stile wherewith they thinke they are written than to the bookes of spirituall doctrine which are commonly written with more simplicitie he hath therefore dressed this meate in suche wise and hath written this doctrine in such a sweete and pleasant stile that it maie prouoke an appetite vnto this boke euen in such persons as doe otherwise lothe good and holesome foode besides that the verie matters them selues are exceedingly well chosen and of great profite And because it were the parte of rude and rusticall persons to geue thankes to the bees that make the honie combes and not vnto almightie God who created the flowers from whence the bees gather the honie which they worke in their hiues I exhort all persons to geue thankes to the deuoute and Learned Author of these workes for these so sweete and sauorie honie combes which he hath here geuen vs in such sorte that they omit not to procede further and to geue thankes to almightie God also who hath sent the flowers wherewith this honie is made And withall I make humble request vnto all men that I may be partaker of the prayets they shall make by meanes of the good disposition which I truste with the grace of God the readinge of theise holie and excellent deuoute workes shall cause in all godly and deuoute Christian Readers ✚ Bernard de Fresneda Bishoppe of Cuenca TO THE VERIE REVEREND FATHERS AND right honorable personnages DON ANTONIO DE CORDOVA and Father LORENÇO DE FIGVEROA The Epistle of the Awthor Note reader that theese to whome the awthor directeth this booke are two noble personages of the most noble and auncient howses of Spayne whiche haue forsakē all their wordlie possessiōs and entred into religion I Cannot find anie other place whither I maie better direct this my smale present then to your Reuerende handes For settinge a part diuers and sundrie reasons of great importance that bynde me so to do certeinlie the wonderfull change of liffe which your Reuerences haue made and the holie example which you haue geuen to the world in this our corrupte age are sufficient cawses to moue all such as doe anie thing desire the glorie of Christ to serue you in this your spirituall iourney that haue in such wise amplefied his glorie I might well speake of this matter more largelie in this place and surelie without lyinge or flatterie and to speake herein were not to emploie the time in the praises of men but in the praise of almightie god Forsomuch as it is manifest that this your wonderfull change of life hath not proceded of flesh and bloode but of the right hand of the highest But because it behoueth all men of our cote and profession to be free not onelie from all flatterie but also euen from all suspition of the same I will therefore content my selfe at this present onelie with geuing thāckes to our lord for this notable vertuous act of yours and I will confesse that we haue seene that wonder in our daies which the holie auncient father S. Ierome declareth to haue chaunced in his tyme. He writeth it in a certein Epistle to Ruffinus in theise wordes Bonosus thy frynd and myne is now gone vp by that misticall ladder S. Ierom. ad Ruffinum which the Patriarck Iacob sawe and according to the misterie of Moses he hath now sacrificed the brasen serpent in the desert where at this present he soweth with teares that hereafter he maic Reape with ioye Lett the truthe of this worthie act putt to sylence all the lyenge wonders which the Greikes and Lattins haue written in their histories Behold here a yong man brought vp in our companie and instructed in all good artes and learning who had no want neither of landes nor riches nor honor nor dignitie emonge his equales who forsakinge his mother and his sisters and aboue all his most deerlie beloued brother went to liue in an Iland which is verie solitarie and fearfull and enuironed with diuers seas there to dwell like a new inhabitor of paradice and being alone in this place howheit not alone forsomuch as he is in the companie of Christ he seeth now the glorie of almightie God which the Apostles them selues neuer saw but when they were alone in the mownt Thus farre be S. Ieromes wordes This holie example of Bonosus is treulie a thinge wherein almightie God is to be praised as in a singuler worke of his grace And suerlie no lesse is he to be praised in your Reuerend and most honorable personages who hauinge much more to forsake in the world than Bonosus had and being now in the verie flowers of your youth haue forsaken the world and all the vayne pōpe and pryde thereof and with all your great landes and possessions the dignitie of your highe noble estates and the hope of so great honorable promotions that were due vnto your nobilitie and vertue and to the renowmed desertes of your verie auncient and most noble families And all this yow haue dōne to embrace euen the pouertie nakednes and obedience of Christ you haue not done like that yong man in the gospell Math. 19. who remembring how great possessions he had refused to followe the waie of perferction which our sauiour Christ tawght him But ye haue done like that wise and prudent merchant who after he had found the pretiouse pearle Math. 13. sould all he had in the world to bye the same And if vnto this wonderfull change of yours we ioyne also the notable vertuous change of liffe which the most noble and renowmed Duke of Gandia hath made in our daies This Duke of Gandia forsooke his greate Dukedome in Spayne and became a religious mā of the holie societie of Iesus commōlie called Iesuittes Cantic 8. and the merueylous changes of sundrie other right honorable personages which might here be reheresed it will verie euidentlie appeare that there is more sweetenes in the waie of Christ then the world thinketh there is sithence euen those that haue had so long and so greate experience both of the one kinde of life and of the other do verie hartelie and willinglie renownce all that euer the world geueth and promeseth vnto them for the least crumme that falleth from Christes table sayinge
which is the thinge that is of chiefest force to susteine the burthen of the lawe of God Ecclesiast 35. And therefore Ecclesiasticus saith He that keapeth the lawe multiplieth praier For whereas he seeth by experience that none can kepe the lawe of God by the obseruation whereof euerlasting glorie is obteined without the grace of God he helpeth him selfe by praier to obtein grace by meanes wheeof he maie be able to kepe the lawe of God The lawe commaundeth vs to be chast But besides this the holie Ghost addeth and saith by the wise man Vnderstanding that none could be chast Sap. 8. vnles thou o Lord diddest geue him grace for the same and it was a great grace to knowe of whose gifte this was I went vnto oure Lord and I demaunded of him this grace with all my hart Whereby thow maist see accordinge as we declared in the beginninge that the walle hath neede of a forewalle or bulwarke and the vessell hath neide of a cubbord to kepe it in and some vertues haue neede of other vertues to defend and garde one an other Now if this be true that thou arte bounde to kepe the lawe of God and not to commit anie deadlie sinne it is good reason that thou do seeke out all such meanes as maie helpe thee to kepe the same lawe and to preserue thee without deadlie sinne The which meanes although generally they be but of counsell yet sometimes they maie be of precept when the necessitie of exercisinge them as we haue said is so great that without the vse of those meanes the verie commaundementes them selues cannot be kepte and fulfilled as all the learned diuines do affirme Howbeit euerie christian that hath an earnest desier of his saluation owght not to expecte and delaie the seekinge for these remedies vntil the verie last and extreme danger when the knyfe is alreadie at his throte but he owght to make good prouision and to furnishe him selfe before hand by meanes of these for sayd spirituall exercises that he maie liue the more safe and secure from the perill of breakinge Gods commaundementes Againe I confesse that these meanes as we haue said do apperteine to the religious and to the laie people after a diuers sort and that praier and consideration it selfe which is one of these meanes must be vsed of them in diuers degrees For the religious person must exercise the same as a thinge appertening to his office and dewtie of his professiō because he walketh towardes perfection but the laie person must exercise it as a meane whereby he maie the better fulfill his bounden duetie of keping the commaundementes of almightie God And therefore the laye person must take so much of this medecine to witt of praier meditation c. as maie suffice to cure his disease and so much muste he take of these meanes as maie suffise to obtein his ende It is sufficient for the laye person to withdrawe him selfe sometimes for to enter and take an inwarde vewe within him selfe and then by meanes of these or anie other spirituall exercises and praiers to attende vnto the reparinge of his conscience and to the reformation of his life for considering that this is the greatest of all our busines it is requisite that this be not the last of our cares OF THE MATTER OF CONSIDERATION § XII HAVING now spoken both of the profit and necessitie of consideration and our hartes being nowe well affected herewith towardes this vertue lett vs beginne to treate of the matter of consideration which consisteth of certein godlie and deuout considerations which are of greatest force to induce vs to the loue and feare of God to the abhorring of sinne and contempt of the world For which purpose there be no considerations better nor of greater force and efficacie then those that are taken out of the principalle articles and misteries of our faith as the bitter passion and death of our Sauiour the remembrance of the terrible daie of iudgement of the horrible tormentes of hell of the glorie of heauen of the benefites of almightie God of our synnes and of our life and death For euerie one of these pointes beinge well weied and considered be able to prouoke our hartes verie much to all the effectes aboue mentioned These verie pointes S. Bonauenture hath treated in a boke that he intituled FASCICVLARIVS and hath diuided them into the seuen daies of the weke And thus he did that a man might haue euerie daie newe foode for his sowle and newe prouocations vnto vertue and so auoide the tediousnes that he should otherwise haue in thinking alwaies vpon one same matter And for this cause it seemed good vnto me to followe the same diuision which this renowmed and blessed holie father hath made who of all others hath treated most largelie of these matters And if there be anie that shall not well like of this diuision but will followe some other he is at free libertie so to doe and hath also examples to followe therein For it importeth not much what order and diuision he folow in the same And suerlie that is the best order The worde of god and the consideration of heauenlie matters be the foode of our soule to be vsed in these matters that each man fyndeth to be best for him selfe and wherein he taketh most profit and commoditie Moreouer I thowghte it expediente considering that the foode and sustenance of our sowle is the worde of God and the consideration of heauenly matters for therewith is our sowle susteined in the spirituall life which consisteth in the loue and feare of God that like as we geue ordinarily to our bodie his refection twise euerie daie to preserue it from feintinge in this life euen so we should also geue to our sowle her ordinarie refection twise euerie daie that she faile not in her life howbeit this is not a thinge of bounden dewtie nor of precept but onely of holesome councell espetially cōsideringe that the Sainctes haue vsed this exercise more often tymes For we reade Daniel 6. that the prophet Daniell with drew him selfe to this exercise three tymes in the daie Psalm 118. and the prophet Dauid also vsed to praise God seuen tymes in the daie After whose vertuous example our holie mother the Catholike Church hath instituted the seuen Canonicall howers of dailie seruice Here be two kindes of meditations assigned the one for the morninge and the other for the eueninge And for this cause haue we here assigned two kindes of meditations The one for the morninge which treateth of the most bitter passion of our redeemer and the other for the euening or night which treateth of the other pointes and matters here before mentioned But if anie man shall haue such want of tyme or of deuotion that he can not withdrawe him selfe vnto this exercise twise in the daie let him yet finde the meanes to withdrawe him selfe thereunto at the least once in the daie
Sauiour into that place of hell which is commonly called by the Learned diuines Limbus Patrum Of the Resurrection of his holie bodie Of his appearinge first to our blessed Ladie and afterwardes to S. Marie Magdalene and to the disciples The text of the holie Euangelistes VPON the Sondaie next ensuinge after this Fridaie of the Passion Ioan. 20. verie earlie in the morninge before the breake of the daie Marie Magdalen came to the sepulcher and sawe the stone remoued from the tombe and perceaued that the bodie was not there The which when she fownde not she stoode without the sepulcher in the garden weepinge And as she wepte she bowed her selfe downe into the sepulcher and sawe two Angells in white sittinge the one at the head and the other at the feete of the place where the bodie of Iesus was laid And they said vnto her Woman why weepest thou She made answere and sayd They haue taken awaie my Lorde and I knowe not where they haue laid him When she had thus said she turned her selfe backe and sawe Iesus standinge and knewe not that is was Iesus Iesus sayd vnto her Woman why weepest thou Whom seekest thou She supposinge that he had bene the gardener of that garden sayd vnto him Sir if thou hast taken him awaie tell me where thou hast laid him and I will take him awaie Then sayd Iesus vnto her Marie And she sayd vnto him Maister Iesus sayd vnto her Towche me not but goe and tell my brethern that I ascende to my father and your father to my God and your God Marie Magdalen came forthwith awaye and tolde these thinges vnto the Disciples sayenge I haue seene our Lorde and he tolde me these and these thinges that I shoulde tell them vnto you The same daie late in the eueninge when the doores were shut where the disciples were assembled for feare of the Iewes Iesus came and stoode in the middes of them and sayed vnto them Peace be with you And when he had so said he shewed vnto them his handes and his syde Then were the disciples glad when they had seene our Lorde Then sayd Iesus againe vnto them Peace be with you As my father sent me so sende I you And when he had sayd those wordes he breathed vpon them and sayd Receaue the holie Ghost Whose synnes so euer ye shall forgeue they be forgeuē vnto them and whose synnes so euer ye shall reteyne they are reteyned At that tyme Thomas one of the twelue who was also called Didimus was not with the disciples whē Iesus came The other disciples therefore whē he came saied vnto him We haue seene our Lorde But he sayd vnto them Except I see in his handes the prynte of the nailes and put my fynger into the holes of them and put my hande into his syde I will not beleeue it And eight daies after his Disciples were againe within and Thomas with them Then came Iesus againe when the doores were shutt and standinge in the middes of them sayd Peace be with you And after he sayd vnto Thomas Put thy finger here and see my handes and bringe hither thy hande and put it into my syde and be no more incredulous but faithfull Thomas answered and sayd My Lorde and my God And Iesus sayd vnto him Thomas because thou hast seene thou beleuest Blessed are they that haue not seene and haue beleued Manie other signes did Iesus worke also in the presence of his disciples which are not written in this booke but these thinges are written that ye might beleeue that Iesus Christ is the sonne of God and that beleuinge ye might haue life by him MEDITATIONS VPON THESE POYNTES OF THE TEXT THIS is the daie that our Lorde hath made Psalm 117. let vs reioyce and be merie in it why the daye of Christes resurrectiō is speciallie called our Lordes daye Our Lorde who is the maker of all times hath made euerie daie but this daie especiallie he is sayd to haue made forsomuche as on this daye he finished the most excellente of all his workes to wit the worke of our redemption Now as this worke is called by waye of excellencie the worke of God by reason that it farre passeth all his other workes euen so also this daie is called the daie of God for that vpon this daie he finished this worke which was the most excellente of all his workes It is also sayd that our Lorde made this daye because whatsoeuer was done in it was done onely by his owne hande In other feastes and mysteries of our Sauiour there is euer some thinge that we haue done our selues because there is alwaies in them some thinge of payne which payne grewe of our sinne and therefore there is some thinge belonginge vnto vs. But this daye is not a daie of trauell nor of paine but a puttinge awaie and bannishement of all paine and a fulfillinge of all glorie The ioyefull daye of Christes Resurrection and therefore it is whollie and purelie the daie of God Who is he then that will not reioyce vpon such a daye as this is This daie all the humanitie of Christ reioyced The blessed mother of Christ reioyced the disciples of Christ reioyced heauen and earthe reioyced yea hell it selfe had his part of this ioye This daie the sonne shyned more clearly than it did anie other daie because it was meete that it shoulde serue our Lorde with his light on this daie of his reioycinge as it had serued him before with his darkenes on the daie of his Passion The heauens which before in the daie of his passion became darke because they woulde not see their creator naked doe now on this daie shyne with a singuler clearnes to see him how he cōmeth fourthe as a conqueror out of the sepulchre Let the heauens therefore reioyce and thou ô earthe take part of this ioye because this daie there shyneth a greater brightnes out of the sepulchre than from the very sonne it selfe that geueth light in the heauens A certaine holie Father geuen muche to comtemplation sayth that euerie Sondaie morninge when he rose to mattins he tooke so great ioye by callinge to minde the misterie of this daie that it seemed to him that all creatures both of heauen and earthe did singe at that howre with lowde voices and saye In thy resurrection ô Christ Alleluia The heauens and earthe reioyce Alleluia Now to vnderstande somewhat of the misterie of this daye consider first of all howe our Sauiour hauinge finished that painfull iourneye of his passion as he ascended with passinge great charitie vpon the crosse for our sakes euen so did he descende downe into hell with the like loue and charitie to finishe the worke of our reparation For as he tooke death as a meane to deliuer vs from death euen so did he likewise goe downe to hell vsinge that as a meane to deliuer such as be his from hell Now therefore let vs consider how this noble
triumphant conqueror goeth downe into hell clothed with brightnes and strēgthe whose entrie Eusebius Emisenus describeth in these wordes O beawtifull light which shininge from the highest parte of heauen diddest geaue light with a suddaine and vnwonted brightnes to them that were in darckenes and in the shadowe of deathe For at the verie instant that our Sauiour descended thither immediatlie that euerlastinge darke night shyned verie brightlie and the noyse of them that there lamented ceassed forthwith and all that cruell route of tormentors trembled Exod. 25. to beholde our Sauiour Christ present There were the princes of Edom troubled and the mightie of Moab quaked for feare and the inhabitantes of the lande of Canaan were sore amased and astonied Incontinently all those infernall tormētors beganne in the middest of theire obscure darkenes to murmure emōge themselues and to saye Who is this that is so terrible so mightie and withall so bright There was neuer seene anie man like vnto this in oure quarters There was neuer the like person sent into these dennes from the beginninge of the worlde vnto this daie What he loketh as one that woulde rather assault vs than paie here anie dette and as one that woulde soner geue vs an ouerthrowe than be punnished as a sinner He seemeth to be a Iudge and no guiltie person He cōmeth with great might to fight and not to suffer anie payne Where stoode our garde and the porters of our gates when this conqueror brake our stronge inclosures and entered thus perforce vpon vs What maie he be that is of such a mightie puissance If he were faultie he woulde not haue bene so hardie And if he had broughte with him anie obscuritie of synne he coulde neuer haue thus geuen light to our darkenes with his brightnes If he be God what hath he to doe in hell If he be a man how is it that he is so bolde If he be God what hath he to doe in the sepulchre If he be a man how happeneth it that he hath spoyled our stronge prison of Limbus O Crosse that hast after this maner defeyted our hopes and bene the cause of this our great losse Genes 3. and dammage Vpon a tree we gayned all our riches and now vpon a tree we lose them all againe Suche wordes as these murmured those infernall feindes emonge themselues at what time the noble triumphant conqueror our Sauiour Christe entered therein to deliuer his prisoners There stoode all the soules of the iust gathered together that had from the beginninge of the worlde vntill that howre departed out of this lyfe There might yee haue seene one Prophet sawed a sonder an other stoned an other hauinge his necke brokē with a barre of yron and others that had with other kyndes of death glorified almightie God O gloriouse companie O most noble treasure of heauen O most magnificent and riche parte of the triumphe of our Sauiour Christe There were those two first persons to wit Adam and Eue who in the beginninge peopled and increased the worlde whiche two as they were the first in synne so were they the first also in faith and hope Genes 6. There was that holie olde man Noë who by buyldinge of the great Arke preserued seede that the worlde might be replenished and peopled againe after the ceasinge of the waters of the floude There was the Patriarke Abraham the first father of the beleeuynge people who deserued before all others to receiue the testament of God and the signe and separation of his familye from others by the marke of Circumcision in their fleashe Genes 22. There was his obedient sonne Isacke who in caryenge vpon his shoulders the woode wherewith he shoulde be sacrificed represented the sacrifice ād redēption of the worlde Genes 27. There was Iacob the holie father of the twelue trybes who by puttinge vpon him an others apparell and straunge garmentes gayned his fathers blessinge which figured the misterie of the humanitie and incarnation of the euerlastinge worde Luc. 2. There was the holie S. Iohn Baptist also as a guest and newe inhabitor of that lande and likewise the blessed olde man Simeon who woulde not depart out of this worlde vntill he had seene with his eies the redeemer of the worlde and receyued him in his armes and songe like a swanne before his death that sweete songe Nunc dimittis c. Luc. 15. There had the poore seelie Lazarus mentioned in the gospell his place also who by meanes of his soores and patience deserued to be partaker of that so noble companie and hope All this quyer and assemblie of holie soules were there mourninge and sighinge for this daie And in the middest of them as maister of the chappell was that holie kinge and Prophet Dauid who without ceassinge repeted his auncient lamentation As the hart longethe after the fountaines of waters Psalm 41. euen so doth my soule longe after thee my God My teares were bread vnto me daie and night whiles they saie vnto my soule where is thy God O holie kinge Dauid if this be the cause of thy lamentation now maist thou cease from singinge this songe for here thy God is now present and and here is thy Sauiour whom thou maist now enioye Chaunge this songe therefore and singe that other songe which thou diddest singe longe before in spirite Psal 84. Thou hast blessed thy lande ô Lorde thou hast deliuered Iacob out of captiuitie Thou hast pardoned the iniquitie of thy people and hast dissembled the multitude of theire sinnes And thou holie Ieremie that wast stoned to death for the same Lorde shut vp now thy booke of lamentations which thou diddest wryte when thou beheldest the destruction of Ierusalem and the ruine of the temple of God For euen within these three daies thou shalt see an other temple builded vp farre more beawtyfull than that was and thou shalt see an other more goodlie Ierusalem renewed through out the worlde Now when those blessed fathers sawe their darkenes chaunged to a goodlie bright light The greate ioye of the olde fathers in Limbo patrū at the descendinge of our Sauiour thither to deliuer them frō thence Exod. 14. Exod. 15. when they sawe the tyme of their bannishemēt expired and their glorie now begonne what tonge is able to expresse the passinge inwarde ioye that they felt O how glad were they to see themselues now deliuered out of the captiuitie of Egipt and their enemies drowned in the redde Sea How hartelie did they singe altogether and saie Let vs singe vnto our Lorde for he hath gloriouslie triumphed He hath ouerthrowen both the horse and the horsemen into the sea With what inwarde affection trowe ye did the first father of all mankinde prostrate him selfe before the feete of his sonne and Sauiour and saie vnto him Thou art now come my dearlie beloued Lorde whome I haue so longe tyme loked for to redeeme my synne Thou art come to fulfill
to sleepe the thirde parte of the daie and night which is eight whole howres although there be a great sorte The thirde parte of our lyfe is consumed in sleepe that doe not content them selues therewith it followeth by this accompte that the thirde parte of our lyfe is consumed in sleepe and so consequently that duringe that time we doe not liue So that hereby thou mayst perceaue what a great parte of our short lyfe is spent in sleepe euerie daie This accompte therefore beinge thus made which vndowtedly is a very true accompt how muche is that that remaineth of a mans verie lyfe in deede euen of suche I meane as liue longest Certainlie that philosopher had verie great reason to doe as he did who beinge demaunded what he thought of the lyfe of a man tourned him selfe about before them that made the demaunde and sodeinly departed out of their sight Geuinge them thereby to vnderstand that our lyfe is no more but onely a tourne about and of shorte continuance Our lyfe is no more but as it were the shotinge of a sterre that passeth at a tryce and flassheth quickly awaie and within a litle while after euen that verie signe that was left behinde vanisheth owt of sight also For within verie fewe daies after a man is departed owt of this lyfe the verie remembrance of him dieth with his lyfe be the personage neuer so great or honorable To conclude this lyfe seemed so shorte to manie of the auncient wisemen that one of them tearmed it a dreame and an other not contented therewith called it the dreame of a shadowe seeminge to him that it was ouermuch to calle it the dreame of a true thinge in deede beinge as he thought it none other than a dreame of a vaine and friuolous thinge To compare this smalle remanente of our lyfe with the lyfe euerlastinge that is to come Eccles 18. Againe if we compare this smalle remanent of the lyfe that we here liue with the life to come how muche lesse will it yet appeare Ecclesiasticus saieth verie well If the numbre of a mans dayes be an hundred yeares it is muche Now what is all this beinge compared with the lyfe euerlastinge but as it were a droppe of water compared with all the whole Sea And the reason hereof is euident For if a sterre which is farre greater than all the whole earthe beinge compared with the rest of heauen seemeth so smalle a thinge how smalle shall this present lyfe which is so shorte seeme to be beinge compared with the lyfe to come that shall neuer haue ende And if as the astronomers affirme all the whole earthe in comparison of heauen be but as it were a litle pinnes point because the inestimable greatnes of the heauens causeth it to seeme so smalle a thinge what shall this litle puffe of our short lyfe seeme to be if it be compared with lyfe euerlastinge which is infinite Vndowtedly it will seeme nothinge at all For if a thowsande yeares in the sighte of almightie God Psal 49. be no more but as it were yesterdaie which is now past and gone what shall the lyfe of one hundered yeares seeme to be in his sight but onely a verie nothinge And thus it seemeth vnto the damned persones when they make comparison betwene this lyfe which they haue left behinde them with the eternitie of the tormentes which they shall suffer for euermore As they themselues doe confesse in the booke of wisedome in theyse woordes Sap. 5. What hath our pride auayled vs and the pompe of our riches All these thinges are past awaie as it were a shadowe that flieth and as one that rideth swyftelie in post or as the shippe that passeth by the waters and leaueth no signe where it hath gone or as an arrowe shotte at a certaine marke which so sone as the aier hath once opened and made him his waie forthwith it closeth vp againe and it is not knowen which waie it went Euen so it fareth with vs. For at that verie instant when we are borne we beginne to decaie and we leaue no memorie or signe of vertue behinde vs. Consider then how shorte all the time of this transitorie lyfe shall seeme there to all those miserable damned wretches seinge they doe playnelie confesse that they liued not at all but that so sone as they were borne forth with they beganne to fade and vanishe awaie Now if this be so what greater follie or madnes can be imagined than that a man for the enioyinge of this short dreame of so vaine pleasures and delightes shoulde goe to suffer euerlastinge damnation and tormentes in hell fier for euer and euer It is a mere follie to make so greate prouision for this shorte lyfe and not to prouide for the euerlastinge lyfe to come Furthermore if the time and space of this lyfe be so shorte and the lyfe to come so longe to witt euerlastinge what a mere follie is it to take so great labour and paines to prouide so manie thinges for this lyfe beinge so shorte and not to make anie prouision at all for the lyfe to come which is so longe that it shall neuer haue ende What a fonde parte were it for a man that mynded to liue in Spayne to spende and consume all he hath in byenge rootes and buildinge howses in the Indees and to make no prouision for the countrie whereunto he goethe to dwell and make his abode Now how muche more foolishe and madde are they that spende all their goodes and substance in makinge prouision for this present lyfe where they shall liue so shorte a time and make no prouision at all for the euerlastinge lyfe to come where they must dwell and make their abode for euermore Espetially consideringe that they haue so good meanes for their prouision there by transportinge all their goodes thither by the handes of the poore As the Wiseman witnesseth Eccles 11. sayeinge Throwe thy bread vpon the ronninge waters for a longe time after shalt thou finde it againe Of the vncertaintie of our lyfe § III. BVT althoughe our lyfe endure but a shorte space yet if this shorte space were so certaine Esay 38. that we might be assured thereof as kinge Ezechias was vnto whom almightie God graunted fyftiene yeares of lyfe our miserie were the more tollerable But trulie it is not so For as our lyfe is verie short euen so that verie tyme we haue to liue how shorte or longe so euer it be is also vncertain and doutfull For as the Wise man saieth Eccles 9. Man knoweth not the daie of his ende but lyke as fisshes when they thinke them selues in most saftie are taken with the hooke and as birdes are cawghte in a snare when they thinke nothing lesse euen so death assaulteth men in an euill season when they thinke least of it Trulie that is a verie wise and approued sentence which is commonlie saied A notable
The verie birdes and brute beastes are fed without anie occupation labour or paine but man is constrained to sweat daye and night and to turmoyle both by Sea and lande to get his liuinge This is that miserie whiche the Prophet lamented when he saied Psalm 89. The daies of our lyfe consume awaie like the spyders webbe For like as the spyder laboureth daye and night in spynninge of her webbe wastinge euen her owne bowels and consuminge her selfe to bringe it to an ende and all this longe and costly trauell is ordeyned to none other purpose but onely to make a fine and tender nett to catche flies withall euen so the seely miserable man doth nothinge elz but labour and toile night and daie both with bodie and minde and all this his trauell serueth to none other ende but onely to catche flies I mean to procure vayne and trifelinge thinges and of very smalle valewe And sometimes it falleth so out that after much trauailinge vp and downe and great labour and paines taken therein when the webbe is fully finished and browght to an ende there commeth sodainly a blusteringe blast of winde that carieth awaie the webbe and the owner with all and so both the worke and the workman perishe who lye together at one instant And yet were it so that with all these paynfull trauels and labours Our shorte lyfe is not safe and secure 〈…〉 â—â—â—â—nite daungers and diseases our lyfe were safe and secure then our miserie shoulde not be so great as it is but though our lyfe be secure from famine and honger yet is it not from the plague and pestilence and from infinite other daungers and diseases that doe dailie and howrelie assault vs. Who is able to numbre how manie kindes and diuersities of diseases nature hath ordained for mans bodie The bokes of the phisitions are full fraught with the declaration of diuers diseases and remedies for the same And yet we see that their science increaseth euerie daie with the comminge of newe and straunge diseases insomuche as the number of the diseases whereof we haue presently experience were vtterlye vnknowen vnto the auncient phisitions that were in times past And yet emonge all these remedies scarcely shall ye finde one that is pleasant or delectable yea and there be manie of them that are more irckesome and painfull than the verie sicknes or diseases them selues Insomuche as one great tormente can not be remedied without an other greater than it And if there be anie complexions so happie as they haue not bene assaulted with these kinde of miseries yet are they not secure and exempte from other calamities and mischaunces wherewithall we see those men to be dayly molested that haue not bene much vexed with sicknes and diseases How manie thowsandes of men trow yee are drowned euerie daie in the Sea How manie are deuowred in warres How manie are endaungered by earthequakes How manie with ouerflowinges of riuers and great waters How manie with fallinge downe of howses How manie with the stinginge and strikinge of venemous beastes How manie wofull women in trauaile of their children doe purchase full dearlie their childrens liues with their owne painfull deathes Now althoughe it be so that the brute beastes doe fight against vs and although in a maner all thinges that were made to serue vs be no lesse noysome than seruiceable vnto vs yea rather it seemeth that they all haue as it were conspired against vs yet for all this I saye there might be some remedie founde if men woulde accorde and agree together emonge them selues and were as conformable in peace as they are in nature But alas it is farre otherwise For eueÌ„ they themselues are in armes against them selues Emonge all creatures man is most cruell against the companioÌ„ of his owne nature and emonge all creatures in the worlde there is none against whom man is more cruelly bent than against the companion of his owne nature How many kindes of engins artillarie munition and weppons haue men inuented to defende them selues and to offende others How manie are dailie spoiled of their liues by the cruell swoorde of their enemies How manie threatninges robberies iniuries woundes deathes reproches sclaunders and emprisonmentes doe men daily susteine by the malice and crueltie of other men We see that neither the lande nor the sea nor the highe waies nor the coÌ„mon streetes are free from theiues robbers murderers pirates and enemies The cruell anger and rage of the furyous man is at all times redie to be reuenged of his enemie yea and he taketh greate pleasure in it What meane so many kinde of weapons Such diuersitie of artillarie Such store of munition Such abuÌ„dance of gonpowder So manie deuisors and inuentors of newe kindes of stratagemes and cruell practices of warre but onely to multiplie and increase on euerie side the miseries and calamities of maÌ„kinde Insomuch as when we are not molested with the aier nor with the elementes we are persecuted by the companions of our owne verie nature It is written of one onely man called Iulius Cesar Iulius Cesar who emonge all the Emperors was most commended for clemencie that euen he alone with his armyes slewe in diuers battells aboue a million and a hundered thowsand men CoÌ„sider now how manie more woulde he haue slaine if he had bene cruell seinge he slewe so manie beinge commended and praised for a verie gentle and mercifull prince Tullye also maketh mention of a notable Philosopher who wrote a booke concerninge the deathes of men Tullye wherein he rehearseth many occasions of mens deathes that haue happened in the worlde as by fluddes plagues pestilences destructions of Cities concourse of wylde beastes which comminge sodainly vpon some nations haue vtterlie slaine and deuowred them And yet after all this he concludeth that a farre greater nomber of men haue bene destroied by men than be all the other kindes of calamities though they were all ioyned together Now what thinge can be more ruethfull and of greater greife and admiration than this This is that politique and sociable creature that is borne without nayles without weapons and without poyson to liue in peace and concorde with other liuinge creatures and yet he is full of hatred crueltie and desire of reuengement Of the miseries incident vnto all the ages and states of this life But now if we woulde make a discourse and ronne throughout the miseries that are incident to all the ages and states of this lyfe we shoulde finde our selues to be yet in farre worse case How full of ignorance is the time of our infancie How light and wanton are we when we growe to be striplinges How rashe and headlonge be we in the time of our youth How heauie and vnweldie when we waxe olde men What els is an infant but a brute beast in the forme of a man What is a yonge boie but as it were a wylde vntamed colte and vnbrydled What is a heauie and
appertaininge vnto almightie God which before seemed verie vnsauerie vnto thee and withall conceiue a certaine lothsomnes and mislikinge of the thinges of the worlde which before seemed verie sauorie and delightfull vnto thee But now besides this what if thou doe consider vnto how manie others almightie God hath denied this benefite which he hath so freely graunted vnto thee And wheras thou beinge a sinner as well as they and as vnworthie of this callynge as they yet it hath pleased almightie God to suffer them to continewe in their wicked state and to calle thee vnto the state of saluation and grace With what thankes and with what seruices art thou able to recompence him for this inestimable speciall fauour and grace What an excerdinge ioye will it be vnto thee when by the vertue of this vocation thou shalt see thy selfe to haue the fruition of almightie God for euer and euer in the kingdome of heauen and shalt see other of thy companions and acquaintance for want of the like grace of God to remaine euerlastinglie tormented in the horrible raginge fier of hell O good Lorde what a nomber of thinges are there included in this grace to be well weighed and earnestlie considered vpon Tell me I praie thee Luc. 23. when the blessed theife who with one worde purchased lyfe euerlastinge seeth him selfe in that so great glorie which he now possesseth in the kingdome of heauen and seeth his companion also in those great horrible tormentes of hell fyer and calleth to minde withall that he him selfe was a theife also as well as the other and suffered for his robberies as the other did and that a litle before he blasphemed our Sauiour Iesus Christ in like maner as his companion did and that yet for all this it pleased almighie God to caste his mercifull eies vpon him and to geue him so great a light leauinge the other theife in his darckenes now in consideringe herevpon what thanckes thinkest thou doth he render to almightie God for this spetiall grace How wounderfullie doth he reioyce at so great a benefite How doth he meruaile at so great a iudgement With what a passinge great loue doth he loue him that woulde vowchsafe to preuent him with such a singular and wonderfull grace Now if this seeme so great a benefite vnto thee Remember thy selfe that our sauiour Christ hath bestowed the like inestimable benefite vpon thee when the same louinge Lorde vowchsaffed to cast his mercifull eies so speciallie vpon thee and did not with the like maner of callinge calle thy neighbour companion or freinde who peraduenture had lesse offended his diuine maiestie than thou Consider then how much thou art bownde to our Lorde for this his great benefite and what a great occasion is here offered vnto thee to desire euen to suffer deathe for the loue of him Besides all this consider how costlie and chargeable this benefite of our redemption was to our Sauiour Christ which was so freely geuen vnto thee Vnto thee it was geuen franckly and of mere grace Summa S. Thomae 3. q. 1. artic 2. 3. quaest 46. artic 1. 2. and it cost him euen his owne most precious bloude and lyfe also for it is manifest that without the same our synnes coulde not be pardoned nor our woūdes cured It is saiede of the Pellican that she bringeth forth her yonge-ones dead and seinge them in that case she stryketh her selfe vpō the breast with her beake vntill she cause bludde to issue out and therewith she batheth her yonge-ones and so they receiue heate and lyfe Now if thou wilt vnderstande how great this benefite is make accompte with thy selfe that when thow wast dead in synne that most louinge and mercifull Pellican our Sauiour Christ moued with most tender pietie and compassion stroke his sacred breast with a speare and wasshed the deadly woundes of thy sowle with the precious bludde of his woūdes and so with his owne death he gaue thee lyfe and with his owne woundes healed thy woundes Be not thou therefore vnthankfull vnto him for this so great and costlie benefite but as our Lorde admonisheth thee be mindefull of the daie in which thou camest out of Egipt This daie was the daie of thy Passeouer Exod. 13. this was the daie of thy Resurrection for so much as vpon this daie thou hast passed throughe the redde sea of the bludde of Christ vnto the lande of promise and vpon this daie thou hast risen againe from death to lyfe Of the particuler benefites that almightie God bestoweth vpon vs. § V. THESE benefites aforesaiede are generall Other benefites there are more particuler that be geuen to particuler persons the which benefites none other knoweth but onely he that hath receyued them In this accompte are reckened manie kindes of benefites either of fortune or of nature or of grace which almightie God hath geuen to each one in particuler and also diuers and sundrie miseries and daungers both of bodie and sowle from which he of his mere mercie hath deliuered vs. For which particuler benefites we are as well bounde to geue him thankes as for the former generall benefittes forsomuch as they are more certaine signes and tokens of the spetiall and particular loue and prouidence that our Lorde beareth towardes vs. Such benefites as these are can not be written in bookes but euerie one ought to write them in his harte and so to ioyne them with the other generall benefites and to geue most humble thankes vnto our Lorde for them Our Lorde preserueth vs manie times from secrete daungers and snares that woulde otherwise falle vpon vs. There be also other benefites yet more secrete and hidden than these which are vnknowen euen to the verie partie himselfe that hath receaued them These are certayne priuie daungers and secrete snares which our Lorde is wont to preuent and disapoynte by his diuine prouidence for that he vnderstandeth what great domage and preiudice they might doe vnto vs in case he shoulde not cutte them of and disapoynte theire cowerse What man is able to tell from how manie temptations almightie God hath preserued him and from how manie occasions of sinnes he hath deliuered him and how often times he hath stopped the passages and remoued awaye the deceytefull snares of the deuill our enemie that we shoulde not falle into them The deuill him selfe saieth of the holie man Iob Iob. 1.10 That almightie God had enuironed him on euerie side that nothinge might doe him hurte And euen so is our Lorde wonte to kepe and preserue such as be his as it were a glasse preserued in his case that nothinge maye hurt them A mā may haue manie secrete giftes and many secrete synnes that he knoweth not Psalm 28. It maie also be that a man hath receiued of almightie God some secrete giftes althoughe he him selfe knoweth not of them as also a man maie and is wont to haue manie secrete synnes which he