receaving of â—hy blessed body Th. Kem. â— 4. â— 2. n. 2. The Visitation of S. Elizabeth II. PART I. THe blessed Uirgen retiring her thoughts from her owne praises turnes her hart to God lessening what ever may seeme to relate to herself and magnifing the worke of God in her as every one ought to doe And she Magnifies him with her whole soule and strength cleerly discerning what was due to him and what to herself And as S. John leaped for joy in his and her presense and at the benefit receaved soe did she exult in the glorie which God receaved by her sonne and Saviour aÌ„d that he vouch safed to vse her as handmayd in this greate my sterie for which she was not only to be eternally in heaven but successively heere on earth proclaymed Blessed through all the generations and Countries of the world II. As she acknowledged that God by his sole power and mercy had wrought great things in her for which she sanctified and blessed his name so consider with in thyself from time to time what greate things God hath done for thee in soule and body above thoâ—sands vpon whom he hath not cast so favorable an eye And that his Mercyes may last vpon thee feare him reverence him serve him love him the more III. Admire his iudgements who with a strong hand punished the Angelical spirits for their pride of minde and threw them downe from the high preferments which they might have inioyed if humble and obedient and tooke coâ—passion of this worme of the earth Man subiect to hungâ—â— and thirst and a thowsand miseries Thirst thou after iustice for those that neglecting it make themselfs or account themselfs rich towards the world will be found pore and â—mptie in the sight of God IV. Apply thyself to receave thy God who for thy sake hath made himself a Child meerly of his mercy thou deserving never to be looked on see how punctual God is in his promises and neglect not what hath once passed from thy hart to thy mouth to promise him Be â—ercyful that thou mayst find mercy and receave the â—ewards which are promised Amen The Nativitie of S. Iohn Baptist. I. PART I. ELizabeths full time was come to be delivered and she bare a jonne And her neighbours and kinsfolk heard that our Lord had magnified his mercies with her and did congratulate her The life of the iust hath fulnes sayth S. Ambrose the dayes of the wicked are emptie They shew themselves full of spiritual graces who bring forth â—olid fruit of vertuous actions with thes the Angels doe congratulate and the whole companie of the faithful servants of God with whome alone we are to accompanie and converse as neighbours and kinsmen For from synners far is saluation Though even from these the works of God doe drawe prayse and commendation and they are to be holpen towards him II. And when they came the eight day to circumcise the Child they called him by his fathers name Zacharie His Mother answering sayed not so but he shall be called 〈◊〉 And they sayed vnto her ther is none in thy kindred that is called by that name And they made signe to his father and demanding a table booke he wrot Ihon is his name and they mervailed As we are borne sonnes of wrath so ordinarily by the worâ—d we are putt into courses which send to wrath vnles the Mother of Grace and Mercy prevent vs. If thy neighbours and kindred cal vpon thee to follow their les iustificable or less vpright courses as vsually because others doe so answer resoluedly with S. Elizabeth Not so but Grace shall prevaile Turne thy self to thy heavenly father and yeald thy self as a cleane table-booke that he may write in thee what he pleaseth and let whosoever will marvyale at thee so God be more and more glorified III. Forthwith the mouth of Zacharie was opened and he swordâ— blessing God and â—eare came vpon all the neighbours and all these things were bruited over all the countrey And all that hearâ— layed them vp in their hart saying what an one trow yee 〈◊〉 this Child be for the hand of our Lord was with him Behold the effects of an heroicall Acte All doe admire it their mouths aropen to the prayse of God in it those that are otherwise affected are afrayd to moue against it seing the resolution they reverence him that persevers in such acts the sweete odor of it spreads itself through the whole howse and countrey the good are preferred before the evill as over â—opping them however greate they seeme The good example sticks in the minds of the beholders and they ar encouraged to doe wel and to think of the eternal reward What an one doe yee think this man wil prove This who is so contemptible in his owne eyes This whose life wee esteemed madnes c. But the hand of our Lord is with him c. Againe what an one doe you think this man would prove if the hand of â—od were not continually with him c. Gratia tua nos quâ—esumus Domine semper preveniat sequatur aâ— bonis operibus iugiter presuet 〈◊〉 intentos Per Christum Dominum nostrum The Nativitie of S. Iohn Baptist. II. PART I. AS we can never conceave highly enough of the Mysterie and benefit of the Incarnation of our Saviour nor admire it sufficiently so we can never bles and thank God for it to the ful Leâ— vs therfore ioyne with holy Zacharie now ful of the holy Ghost and saye Blessed be our Lord God of Israel because he hath visited and wrought the redemption of his people And now not of thos only who for a time and for ouâ— better instruction were his chosen people but the redemption of the whole world wherof I having been made partaker have the more obligation ever to bles him and for protecting and defending me from my Ghosthy enimies II. Secondly vpon his wonderfull perfourmance of his promises by his holy prophets from time to time I must rayse my confidence in him not only for the eternall rewards which he hath promised to those who live according to his law but for al which belongeth towards the helping of me to the atayning of those rewards as the continuance of his graces towards me in this life though he seemes for a time to leave me if I continue in my commanded duety and in the performance of whaâ— other helps I have by his holy inspiration vndertaken and chiefly that when ever I returne vnto him with harâ—y sorrow he will not reject me III. And if he hath called vs to a more retired life where with lesse iust feare of our Ghostly enimies then worldlings have we may serve him in sanctity and iustice in his sight all our dayes we have the more reason to blesse God for it and to indeavour to be gratefull by making vse of those particular means to
that is with a noble and large hart imbracing whatever may be for the advantage or will and pleasure of God II. Thou shalt love God with thy whole soulâ— Desire conjunction with him as the soule doth with the body and be as loth to be separated labour for dispositions fiting this conjunction Have feeling of no thing but what is for him or against him be ever moving towards him both thyself and others also VVithout the soule what is the body VVorse is the soule without God have a horrour from this separation both for it self and for the difficultie of returning to returne to life is a greate miracle so is this III. Love him with thy whole mind and strength that is imploy the whole force of thy mind and body to love him let nothing occur to thy mind out of which thou doest not draw some occasion to love him Be wholy transformed into love such as our Saviour expressed when that saying of the Prophet was verified in him the zeale of thy house hath consumed me making no reckoning of temporalls in comparison of the love of God Aspirations tending to the increase in the love of God in our soules The first Paragraphe O My God my love Blessed be thy infinite goodnes and Charitie by whose only gift it cometh that I may tearme thee my love O love â—ternall O that my love had been towards thee continuall as I find and feele thine to have been ever permanent towards me II. O love to whom it is never too late to come though in regard of thy all-deserving love all delay is long all coming is late because coming is a signe that there I was not before whether I now only come III. Alas where was I That now only I may say I come I know not where I was it is a shame for me to say it is a griefe for me to think where I was This certaynly I know and must confesse to all that I was not with thee in that measure of love which thou ever deservedst of me O measure without measure why doe I so measure my affections as not to give them to theâ— without any measure IV. I say I come and I think it is pleasing vnto thee aâ—d so it is for thou art easyly pleased and pleased with a little But in reason I should not still say I comes because so long as I come there is some distance betwixt thee and me which distance yet if it were only so that thy Creature cannot be even with thee My God and Creatour in love as I cannot be even with thee in nature and Essence I could be wel content because nothing ought to content me more then thy infinite perfection in all things to which no Creature can arrive But as long as I say I come there is some thing els betwixt thee and me and not only thy sole infinite goodnes which causeth this distance V. And this grieveth me againe and to think that there should be any thing betwixt thee and me or that there should be any creature so bold as to take part of my love from thee or rather I so foolish as to give it froÌ„ thee towards whoÌ„ it is apparent injustice not to give full abuÌ„daÌ„t measure which caÌ„not be without giving intirely all VI. Come therfore without measure to me and supply I beseech thee with thy infinite love the many defects which thou findest in myne Come who art never absent neither from those who absent themselves too too often from thee but standest at the doore and knocest expecting when we will open againe vnto thee Behold deere God now my hart is wholy thyne take it possesse it vse it fashion it as thou pleasest that it may still be more capable still more perfect in thy love Amen The second Paragraphe I. ABove all things give me grace to be ever preseÌ„t with thee who art never absent from me Ever in thee as thou art in me Present with thee by walking in thy sight who ever seest all things and to whom nothing is hiddeÌ„ that I caÌ„ think say or doe in the very secretest corner of my hart every twinkling of my eyes thou markest every glancing of my thoughts thou judgest Give me grace to marke them and to judge them myself that I may allwayes as I ought adjuge them to thee and direct them for thee to whom only they are wholy due and to no other but for thee II. In the light of the sunne who is nâ—t ashamed to offend if men looke much 〈◊〉 what if a Master a judge a king from whome reward or punishment is certaynly to be expected What if my love Shall I before his face reprochfully turne myself from him and imbrace in his sight whome he doth disdayne O eyes of pitty pardon that which is past forgiveme my love my many offenses committed in thy sight and let this thought of thy Allseeing eye ever fixed vpon me be a stay to my thoughts a temper to my actions that nothing may passe vnbeseeming thy presence III. Behold o my soule that God doth behold thee O dreadfull ô loving sight ô that I had allwayes lovingly feared thee and respectfully loved thee my God that thy eyes might have beheld with content thy worke vnde filed but now give me grace at least to bathe myself with teares and bitterly to bewayle my many losses that so I may appeare before thee with lesse shame and remayne more constant in thy service through the memorie of my finnes which in all reason I ought to endeauour to counterpoise with ten thousand times more love and more attendance vpon thee The third Paragraphe I. GRaunt me that I be ever in thee with a right intention and with pure Affection doing all things for thee and loving nothing in all that is but thee alone who art the life the love the All of all things II. I know there is no Creature that can in reason aske any thing of me but for thee but it will happen some times as there are many of them many times vnreasonable they will demand vnreasonably I myself too too often shall be inclined vnreasonably Graunt me that I give them but that which is reason And what can be reason which is not for thee Nothing Graunt me that I give them nothing but for thee no thought no word no worke no Affection but distast of all things where I find not thee III. The whole world is a booke the fayrest the learnedost the greatest that ever was made â— verie creature is a letter Everie Accident a line Everie motion a sentence Everie disposition a lesson the whole a most eloqvent Oration a most ample Treatise full of all Rhetoricall persuasions pregnant in teaching forcible in moving pleasant in delighting sounding out thy divine prayses speaking thy wonders inviting to thy service withdrawing from thy offence inflaming in thy love O that my vnderstanding were so instructed my will so inclined
blessed Sacrament and there wherâ— thou art in glorie when it shall please thee to call me to â—hee Amen The third seate the seate of Majestie I VVHen the Sonne of man shall come in his majestie aÌ„d all the Angels with him theÌ„ he shall sit vpoÌ„ the seate of his majesty and all nations shall be gathered together before him If his countenance were terrible when he tooke outhoritiâ— vpon him in this world what will it be when mounted on high vpon the Cloudes he shall have all the World before him at once and come with thousands of attendance to doe justice against all and coâ—vince all the impious of all the works â—f their impieâ—ie and shall thunder out that terrible sentence against those who shall have deserved it Go yee accursed into fire everlasting Art thou able to looke vp to that terrible seate Or rather looke downe into thy hart and wash it quickly with reates that that fire may not find where to take hold of thee That day is a day of â—ratâ— â— day of tribulation and anguish a day of calamitie and miserie a day of darkenes and mist a cloudy and stormy day a day of trumpâ—t and alarme against the strongest and highest that people â—hall even wither away with feare and expâ—ctation of what will come vpon them He preached here an acceptable day if here we receive what he preached we may be there accepted of if we neglect here that day will be little wâ—lcome to vs a dismall day to those who have here spent their dayes vnprofitably Iâ— S. Ihon in his Apocalyps describeth this seate saying I saw a greate white throne and one siting vpon it from whosâ— sight earth and heavâ—n fled and there was not plâ—ce found fâ—â— them and I saw the dead greate and little stand in the â—ight of the throne and bookes were opened and anothâ—r booke was opened which is of life and the deaâ— wereâ—â—dged of thosâ— things â—hich were written in the bookes aâ—cording to their workes and the sea gave thâ— dead that were in it and death and hell gave their dead that wâ—re in them and it was iâ—dged of every one according to their workes And death and hell were cast into the poole of firâ— This is the second death And he that was not found 〈…〉 in the bookâ— of lifâ— was cast into the poole of fire Behold againe and againe this greâ—te seatâ— of the judge and his Assessours behold the inhabitants of 〈…〉 declining as much as they can this sight but that they found no place to fly from him behold the dead of all sorts greate and little rich and poore Kings and slaves and no difference to be seen among them but by their workes Behold the bookes of every ones conscience layed open not only to the iudge and to every one of his Assessours but to all the standers by so that thousands and millions will be looking into thy secretest thoughts and actions and see that which thou wouldest not have God to have seen if it had been possible and not only thy actions but thy intentions so oft dissembled aÌ„d laboured to be cloked with I know not what Caâ—st thou abide these lookes Now thou canst not then of force thou must to thy vtter shame and confusion no wonder that the wicked are described to begin to say to the mountaines fall vpon vs and to the hills cover vs. For it will be an intollerable disgrace to be thus looked on How willingly would the allready damned have remained where they were and not have here appeared But death and hell must of force give vp their dead and the sea and the earth and wherever they were concealed Finally looke if thou canst for feare and trembling into that poole of fire so vast that it is capable of a whole world of corpses as stinking and as filthy as they are see how it gapes vpon thee see the vggly smoke that riseth from it Go downe into it living that thou mayest escape it dying III Doe not mistake thyself and think that this day so dreadfull is farre of it will be represented vnto thee as the greate world in a little mal at whatever houre thou shalt come to dy then the sunne will be darkened as to thee and the moone will not give the light all thy pretenses will fall to ground as so many starres on which thou wert gazing and the powers of those heavens in which thou hast placed thy hopes and thy felicitie will all fayle thee Anguish and confusion and troble and feare will â—eise thee if before hand thou hast not provided so that when the signe of the sonne of man shall appeare thou mayest say with S. Andrew O good Crosse long desired and now prepared for my loving soule I come vnto thee secure and ioyfull receive me also ioyfully who am the disâ—iple of him who did hang vpon thee O mercyfull Saviour who art to be my Iudge by thy infinite mercy I'beseech thee that thou wilt now protect me that I may be then protected delivet me from evill now that I may then be delivered in that evill day If thou be good to me here it will be then well with me for if God be for vs who will be against vs and he delivered thee for vs all as a pledge of his love and mercy towards vs as a mediatour for vs betwixt his mercy and his iustice Who then shall separate vs from the Charitie of Christ With which either he doth love vs or we him I am sure that neither death nor life nor Angels nor things presâ—nt nor things to come shall separate vs. c I reioyce with the multitude of Angels and Saints at thy victorie over thy eâ—imies and at thy iust iudgements over them Give me grace to ovbercome them here that with thee Lord God Omnipotent we may reigne for ever and ever Amen Alleluiâ— The fourth seate the seate of love I. HIs seate of love is the most blessed Sacrament of the Altar For what can be more lovely then Christ in our hands in our mouths in our breasts in our soules Here he doth act all the parts which possibly love can expresse he desireth to be continually with vs he accomodateth himself in a way that he may be witâ— vs and within vs with out all manner of offence because in the shape of bread and wine he beareth wtih our infintie and hourely imperfections and doth not avoyde vs for them He is continually giving vs himâ—elf in whome are all treasures And because it is neither necessarie nor fitting that he should againe die for vs yet he is so pleased with his death for vs that he will have it dayly commemorated and in a divine kind of manner acted and represented in this blessed Sacrament The bread and the Câ—alice being consecrated severally into his body and blood as if one were separâ—ted from the other He acts the part of a father