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
Christian Churches and to terme them in blasphemous manner Antichristian inuentions and to preache openlie in pulpittes and publishe in printed bookes whatsoeuer newe hereticall opinions the ennemie of mankinde sug gesteth into their fantasticall heades the faithe of Christians is thereby generallie become so weake and inconstante and in verie manie or most persons so wholie vndermined and vtterlie ouerthrowne and their hope is so transformed into presumption and their charitie is waxen so colde and so litle pietie loue deuotion reuerence and Zeale remaine in them towardes the seruice of Almightie God and so muche Pride gluttonie incontinencie lyenge detraction disobedience with moste horrible contention schisme heresie infidelitie Atheisme and all kinde of iniquitie doe generallie abounde throughout Christendome that we haue good cause to feare leaste that terrible time approcheth nowe verie neare at hande which our Sauiour forewarned vs in the gospell to wit Luc. 18. vers 8. that at his comminge to iudge he shoulde hardelie finde faithe in the earthe Wherefore we haue nowe verie greate neede of extraordinarie spirituall helpes to strengthen our weake mindes to withstand so manie deceitfull temptations of the enemie of mankinde in this so corrupte and daungerous age And for this purpose I haue translated out of the Spanishe tongue diuers bookes of a verie holie and famous learned religious father called Lewis de Granada whose deuoute manner of writinge hath in my simple iudgemente a singular rare grace to pearce the harde harte of a dissolute sinner and to moue and dispose his minde to the abhorringe of synne to the contempte of the worlde and to the feare lone and seruice of Almightie God And I vnderstande that his bookes haue wroughte wonderfull muche good not onelie in Spaine and Portugall but also in Italie Fraunce and Germanie And I thinke there bee fewe countries in Christendome but haue his Spanishe woorkes traÌ„slated into their tongues And it is nowe about foureteene yeares agoe since the time that Master Doctor Hardinge a man for his greate vertue learninge wisdome Zeale and sinceritie in writinge againste heresies of verie godlie and famous memorie perswaded me earnestlie to translate some of those Spanishe bookes into our Englishe tounge affirminge that more spirituall profite wolde vndoutedlie ensewe thereby to the gayninge of Christian sowles in our countrie from Schisme and Heresie and from all sinne and iniquitie than by bookes that treate of controuersies in Religion wich as experience hath nowe plainelie tried doe nothinge so well dispose the common peoples myndes to the feare loue and seruice of almightie God as bookes treatinge of deuotion and howe to leade a vertuous life doe The dewe consideration whereof hath so prouoked or rather pricked me in conscience that I haue resolued to publishe godwillinge in printe all my translations in case I shall perceiue that suche as be godlie wise and learned shall like of them And first as it were for an assaie I haue here printed his deuoute Meditations of the principall holie Misteries of the Christian Religion which booke I finde greatelie commended by diuers godlie learned men It maie be that some readers of this booke beinge not greatelie acquainted with the holie exercises of a spirituall life Obiection will imagin that the Authour dealeth to austerelie in some of theise meditations as namelie in his Meditations of synnes of the hower of death of òur dreydfull accompte at the terrible daie of iudgemente and of the moste horrible paines of hell And perhaps some politique wise men will saie that for so muche as thè common people in our countrie haue beene for the moste parte of our corrupte age altogether accustomed with hearinge and readinge of diuers other contrarie newe erronions doctrines tendinge directlie to a careles dissolute life thei be therfore nowe waxen so carnall and negligent of the saluation of their sowles that theise Meditations be to full of threateninge and terror for suche nice and lose consciences For answere to this obiection Answere it is to be noted that the Authór beinge as I am informed not onelie a greate learned and religious deuout olde father but also of greate wisdome grautie iudgemente discretion and of longe experience as well in preachinge and hearinge of CoÌ„fessions as in diuers gouernementes in his religious order and perceyuinge verie euidentlie that farre more Christian sowles be loste in this our corrupte age with ouermuche presumptuous confidence and securetie of their saluation than with ouermuche feare of leesinge the same hathe therfore framed his manner of writinge in theise meditations chieflie againste the infinite nomber of presumptuous and careles dissolute ChristiaÌ„s that presume most certainlie and assuredlie to be saued and yet doe liue verie dissolutelie all their whole lyfe time without all care of keepinge gods commaundements and without all feare of their accompte at the dreadeful daie of iudgemente notwithstandinge that our Sauiour Christ himselse who shal be then our Iudge hathe by plaine and expresse wordes forewarned vs in the gospell of saînt Mathewe Matt. 19. vers 17. that if we will enter into the Kingdome of heauen we muste Kepe his commaundementes which euerie Christian maie be able to kepe beinge assisted strengthened and holpen therein with the grace of God which is neuer denied to anie that praâ—eth dulie for it and also that we muste at the daie of iudgemente geue an accompte of euerye idle worde Matt. 12. vers 36. And verelie if we peruse diligentlie the holie scriptures we shall finde that not onely Enoch in the lawe of Nature Epist Iude. vers 14. and afterwardes all the Prophets but also sainte Ihon Baptiste and our Sauiour Christe himselfe vsed the same manner of preachinge that this religious godlie father dothe here And they thought it to be the verie best and rediest waie for conuersion of sinners from their sinfull dissolute lifes to shewe plainelie vnto them the damnable state they liue in and to put them in mynde of the seuere iustice of almightie God at the terrible daye of iudgemente against all suche as endeuour not to kepe his commaundementes Acts 10. vers 42. And saint Peter protesteth as it appeareth in the Actes of the Apostles that our Sauiour Christe commaunded likewise him and the reste of the Apostles to preache and testifie this poynte espetiallye that Christe is appointed to be the Iudge bothe of the quicke and the deade 1. Pet 1. vers 16. And therefore in an other place he requireth all Christians to liue in feare duringe the time of their conuersation vpon the earthe 2. Cor. 5. vers 10. 11. And sainte Paule maketh also the like solemne protestation of the terrible daie of iudgemente and what a straite accompte euerie one of vs muste make at that dreadefull time and exhorteth the Corinthians with the knowledge and consideration there of to perswade all men to liue in the feare of God And disputinge also before the President Felix of the Christian religion Act.
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
corporal foode to maintein her in the spirituall life then the bodie hath of his propre foode for mayntenance of the corporall life If thou thinke otherwise tell me I praie thee why hath the bodie neede of his ordinarie meat euerie daie vndowtedlie the cause is for that the naturall heat continuallie wasteth and consumeth the substance of our bodies and therefore it is nedefull that that be restored againe with daielie sustenance which is consumed with dailie heat For otherwise the naturall strēgth of man woulde verie soone be at an ende and his powers woulde quicklie decaie O that it pleased almightie God that men might by this vnderstand the great necessitie they haue of this diuine sacrament O that they coulde by this conceaue the greate wisedome and mercie of him that hath instituted and ordeined the same for our behoufe Is it not a thing well knowen that we haue within these bowelles of oures a certein pestilent hear that came vnto vs by the occasion of sinne with consumeth all the goodnes that is in man This is that which inclineth vs to the loue of the world of our fleshe of all vices of all sensuall pleasures and delites and so by these meanes seperateth vs from almightie God maketh vs to relente and waxe colde in the loue of him and causeth vs to become verie dull slouthfull and heauie to all good workes and verie quicke and liuelie to worke all wickednes If than we haue this continuall waster and consumer so rooted within vs were it not good reason trow ye that there should be some restoratiue prouided to restore that alwaies againe which is alwaies wasting and consuming If we haue a continuall consumer The cause of the greate feruēcie and zeale of Christians in the primetiue Church ād of the littel or no zeale of Christians in our corrupt age and haue not withall a continuall repayrer what maie be loked for of vs but a continuall decaienge and with in sort time after a most certeine and vndowted ruine For proofe hereof it shall suffice to consider the course of the Christian people by comparinge the great feruencie and zeale in religion of the Christians in the primetiue Churche with the littell or rather no zeale of the Christians in our corrupt age For in the primitiue Churche when the Christians did eate contiuuallie of this diuine meate they liued therewith a verie spirituall life and had thereby force and strength not onely to obserue Gods lawes and commaundementes but also euen to die and suffer martirdome for Gods sake But now alas in this our corrupt age the Christians for the most parte are founde to be verie weake and feable in their faythe and verie dissolute and licentious in their liues because they eate not of this diuine foode and therefore in the end they perish and die for honger Esa 5. As the prophet signified when he said Therefore was my people caried awaie into captiuetie because they had no knowledge of God and there nobles perished for honger and the multitude of them died for thirst For this cause therefore hath that wise phisition our Sauiour Christ who had also felt the pulses of our weakenes ordeined this most holie and diuine sacrament and for this purpose hath he instituted the same in forme of meate that the verie forme wherein he instituted it might declare vnto vs the effect it worketh and withall the great necessitie our soules haue of the same Consider then now if there maie be found in the whole world anie greater showe of loue then that almightie God himselfe should leaue vnto vs his owne verie fleshe and bloude for our susteynance and releefe We maie reade in manie histories Iosephus that some mothers beinge constrained with intollerable honger haue embrewed their handes in the fleshe and bloude of there owne littell children to susteine them selues with feedinge vpon them and that for the great desire they had to liue they haue bereued their owne verie naturall children of there lifes thereby to preserue their owne life This haue we red ofentimes But who hath euerred that anie mother hath fed her childe that was readie to perish and die for honger with her owne verie fleshe or that she cut of one of her owne armes to geue her childe to eate and that she would be cruell vpon her selfe to shewe her selfe pittiefull towardes her childe Certeinlie there was neuer mother liuinge yet in the earthe that euer hath done such a dede But our most louinge and sweete sauiour Christ farre passing anie mother in loue perceauinge thee to be readie to perish and die for honger and seinge withall that there was none other better meane to maintein by life then to geue thee his owne verie sleshe to eate commeth downe from heauen and yeldeth himselfe here to the cruell bouchers and tormētours to be put to deathe that thow mightest preserue and susteine thy life with this diuine meate And this he doth not at one time onelie but his blessed will is that it shal be done continuallie and therefore he ordeineth this most blessed sacrament that thou mightest hereby vnderstand an other degree of greater loue which is that as he geueth thee alwaies the same meate to witt his owne verie bodie in this most blessed Sacrament so is he readie alwaies to paie the same price and redemption if it were necessarie for thee Besides all this thou must consider Note that our sauiour hath restored man vnto his aunciēt dignitie so muche by grace as he had fallen by sinne that so by grace he maye be able to liue a holie and spirituall life that this most holie reformer of the worlde intēded to restore man vnto his auncient dignitie and to raise him vp againe so much by grace as he had fallē by sinne And therefore as his falle was frō a life that he had of God which life our first father Adam before his falle had enioyed to the life of beastes wherein after his falle he remayned euen so contrariewise his will was that he should be raised vp againe from the life of beastes in which he remayed to the life of God which throwgh sinne he had lost and so for this ende hath our sauiour Christ ordeyned the communion of this most holie and diuine sacrament by meanes whereof man atteyneth to be partaker of God and to liue the life of God as our sauiour himselfe signifieth in those most high wordes which he said He that eateth my fleshe Ioan. 6. and drinketh my bloude dwelleth in me and I in him And like as by the dwellinge of my father in me the life that I liue is altogether conformable to the life of my father which is the life of God euen so he in whom I shall dwell by meanes of this diuine sacrament shall liue as I do liue and so shall he not now liue the life of a man but euen the life of god For this is that most highe diuine sacrament wherein God
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
negligence as we doe Wherein doe we put our affiance Wherewithall doe we perswade and flatter our selues in the middest of so manie dreadfull perilles and daungers How commeth this to passe that those persones that haue most cause to feare this dreadfull daye doe least feare it and those that haue least cause to feare it doe liue in greatest feare thereof Iob. 2. vers 3. Holie Iob was a iust man for so almightie God witnessed of him with his owne mouthe and yet for all this he liued in so great feare and dread of his accompte at the daye of Iudgment that he saiede What shall I doe Iob. 31.14 when almightie God commeth to iudge and when he beginneth to question with me what answere shall I make vnto him Suerlie these be wordes that procede from a verie sore afflicted and troubled harte What shall I doe saieth he As if he had saiede One care I haue that troubleth me continually One naile I carrie alwaies fixed in my hart that will not suffer me to take any rest What shal I doe Whither shall I goe What answere shall I make when almightie God shall enter into iudgemente with me But ô holie and blessed man Iob why art thou thus afrayd Why art thou thus troubled ād vexed Iob. 29.15.16 Art not thou he that saiede I haue bene a father vnto the poore an eie vnto the blinde and feete vnto the lame Art not thou he that saied Iob. 27.6 that In all thy lyfe time thy hart neuer reproued thee of anie wicked deede Now beinge a man of so greate innocencie why ô holie Iob art thou thus afrayde Trulie the cause is for that this holie man knewe right well that almightie God looked not with fleashlie eies and that he iudged not accordinge to the iudgemēte of men in whose eies often times that thinge shyneth verie gaye and bright which in the sight of almightie God is verie abhominable Thou art ô holie Iob verie iust indede yea euen for this cause thou arte verie iust becauthou liuest in so great feare This feare of this holie man Iob my deare brethern condemneth our false securitie These wordes of his ouerthrowe our vaine confidence For which of vs hath at anie time in respecte of this care of our dreadfull accompte at the daye of Iudgment once refrained from his dynner or supper or broken his sleepe Whereas those deuout godlie persons that thinke herevpon as they ought to thinke doe oftentimes loose their sleepe and their appetite to their meate yea and sometimes more than that also We reade in the liues of the auncient holie fathers that whā one of those holie mē sawe one of his scholers laughinge he reprehended him for it and saiede What knowinge as thou doest that thou must yeeld an accompte to almightie God before heauen and earthe art thou that notwithstādinge so bolde as to laughe This holie father thought that that mā which looked earnestly for this dreadfull accompt coulde hardly laughe Now as touchinge accusors and witnesses there shall not want in this behalfe For our owne verie consciences shal be witnesses and crie out against vs All creatures which we haue abused shal be witnesses against vs And aboue all our Lorde him selfe whom we haue offended shal be also a witnes against vs As he himselfe hath signified by one of his Prophetes sayeinge Malach 3.5 I wil be a swifte witnes against inchaunters adulterers periured persons and against those that seeke cauels to defeit the labourer of his daie wages and against them that doe euill intreat the widowe and Orphan and oppresse pilgrimes and straungers For they doe not feare me saieth our Lorde The diuell shall accuse the wicked at the daye of iudgmēte Neither shall there want accusors against the wicked For the diuell himselfe shal be a sufficient accusor who as S. Augustine writeth shall alledge verie exactly before the iudge his right and title and shall saie vnto him O most iust and righteous iudge thou canst not of iustice but geue sentence and adiudge these wicked traitors to be myne forsomuch as they haue bene alwaies myne and haue in all thinges fulfilled my will Thyne they were I graunt because thou diddest create them and make them after thy Image and likenes and redeime them with thy bloude But they haue defaced thy Image and put on myne They haue refused thyne obedience and embraced myne They haue dispised thy commaundementes and obserued myne They haue liued with my spirite They haue imitated my workes They haue walked in my steppes And in each thinge haue followed my counsels Consider how much more they haue bene myne than thyne as appeareth herein that notwithstandinge I gaue them nothinge I promised them nothinge nor laid my shoulders on the Crosse for them yet haue they alwaies obeied my commaundementes and not thyne If I commaunded them to sweare and forsweare to robbe and to kill to commit adulterie fornication simonie and vsurie and to denie thy holie name all this they did willingly and with great facilitie If I commaunded them to bestowe their landes their goodes their lyfe and their sowle for a point of honour and estimation which I perswaded them in anie wise to mainteine or for a false delighte whereunto I inuited them they did forthwith verie willinglie hazarde all this for my sake But for thee that art their God their creator and their redeemer that gauest thē their lādes their goodes their healthe and lyfe that hast offered vnto thē thy grace and promised them thy glorie and aboue all this hast suffered most cruell deathe vpon the crosse for them they neuer toke the least paine and labour in the worlde How oftentimes hast thou come to their doores in great pouertie nakednes and full of sores And what almes haddest thou of them but a waiewarde answere and shuttinge their doores in a great furie and anger vpon thee they beinge then more carefull to feede their hawkes their dogges and their horses and to clothe their walles with hanginges of tapessarie silke and golde than to relieue clothe and helpe thee Wherefore seinge thou art a most Iust Iudge and knowest that this is most certainlie true the verie order of iustice requireth that they shoulde be now punnished for their iniuries and contemptes done to so great a maiestie Now this accusation beinge founde most true Christe the iudge wil pronounce that terrible sentence against the wicked Math. 25. sayeinge Depart ye cursed into the euerlastinge fier which is prepared for Satan and his angels for I was hongrie and ye gaue me not to eate I was thirstie and ye gaue me not to drinke c. And then shall the good goe to lyfe euerlastinge and the wicked to fyer euerlastinge Now who is able to expresse what an intollerable anguishe and griefe it wil be to the damned persons when they shall heare those most terrible wordes pronoūced against them There shall they crye out to the mountaines to
did to cause thee to be the more in loue with him by reason of this benefite and to make thee the more beholdinge vnto him by this example ād to make thy redemption the more aboūdant by reason of the great treasure that he bestowed vpon it and to geue thee more clearlie to vnderstande how much good will he beareth vnto thee that thou shouldest beare towardes him the like agayne and to shewe playnlie vnto thee how much interest thou hast in him that thou shouldest repose thy whole trust and affyance in him This is that benefite which the Prophet Esaie extolleth and that for great good cause in these wordes which after the translation of the septuagintes sownde thus In all the tribulations of men he neuer fainted Esa 43. neither was he euer wearie in sufferinge for them Neither woulde he sende anie Embassadour or Angell to redeeme them but vouchsaffed of his great mercie to come him selfe in person to redeeme them and to carie them vpon his shoulders all the daies of this worlde notwithstandinge that they did euill acknowledge this benefite Ephes 4.30 but did greiue and prouoke the holie Ghost to anger How greatlie we are bounde to our Lorde for the maner of our redemption And if thou be so much bounde to our Lorde for that he vouchsaffed to come him selfe in person to redeeme thee how much more art thou bounde vnto him for the maner of thy redemption which was by sufferinge so great paines and tormentes It were certainly a great benefite if a kinge woulde pardon a theife that had deserued to be whipped But if the kinge woulde vouchsafe him selfe to receaue the lasshes vpon his owne shoulders for him this were without comparison a farre greater benefite Consider therefore how manie benefites are comprehended in this benefite of thy redemption Lift vp thyne eies vnto that holie roode and consider all the woundes and paines that the Lorde of maiestie suffereth there for thy sake For euerie one of them is a benefite of it selfe yea and a singuler great benefite Our sauiours bodie Beholde that most innocent bodie of thy sweite sauiour and redeemer all of a gore bloude with so many woundes and bruses on all partes of him and the bloude gusshinge out on euerie side His head Beholde that most sacred head fallinge downe for verie faintnes and hanginge vpon his shoulders His face 1. Pet. 1.12 Beholde that diuine face which the Angels are desirous to beholde how disfigured it is and ouerflowed with streames of bloude in some partes freshe and redde coloured in other partes very fowle and blacke His visage Beholde that most bewtifull visage of all creatures and that coūtenance that delighted the eies of all such as behelde it how it hath now lost all the flower of his former bewtie Ieremie Thren 3. Beholde that holie Nazareth more pure than snowe more white than milke better coloured than olde Iuerie how he is now become blacker than cooles and so much disfigured and beraied that scarcelie his owne fryendes are able to knowe him Beholde that holie mouthe His mouthe His lippes how wanne and deadly it looketh Beholde his lippes how blacke and blewe they seeme Beholde how they moue desiringe pardon and mercie euen for those that are his verie tormentours Finally wheresoeuer thou beholdest him thou shalt finde that there is no one parte of him free from paine and greife but that he is couered all ouer with lashes and woundes euē from the toppe of his head to the soles of his feete His forehead His eies That goodly cleare forhead and those eies more bewtifull than the Sonne are now dimmed and darkened with the bloude and presence of deathe His eares Those eares that are wonte to heare the songes of heauen doe now heare the horrible blasphemies of synners His armes Those armes so well fashioned and so large that they embrace all the power of the worlde are now disioynted and stretched out vpon the crosse Those handes that created the heauens His hādes and were neuer iniurious to anie man are now nayled and clenched fast with harde and sharpe nayles His feete Those blessed feete that neuer walked in the waies of sinners are now deadly woūded and pearced throughe Our sauiours narrowe and harde bedde vpon the crosse without anie pillowe or other thinge wherevpō to reste his head 〈◊〉 His syde But aboue all this beholde the bedde where he lyeth and whereupon that heauenly bridegrome sleapeth at none daie how narrowe and hard it is and how he hath nothinge whereupon to rest his head O pretious head of my sweete sauiour what meaneth this that I see thee thus afflicted and tormented for my sake O blessed bodie conceaued by the holie Ghost how is it that I see thee thus wounded and euill entreated for my sake O sweete and louinge syde what meaneth this great wounde and open cleft in thee What meaneth this so great abūdance of bloude Alas wretche that I am what a pittiefull sighte is this to see thee thus furiouslie pearced with a speare for my sake O rigorous crosse be not now I beseeche thee so stiffe but mollifie a litle thy hardnes bowe downe vnto me these highe braūches let downe to me this most pretious fruite that I maie tast thereof O cruell nayles leaue I praie you those innocēt handes and feete of my innocēte Sauiour and come ād enter into my harte and pearce it throughe for it is I that haue sinned and not he O good Iesus what hast thou to doe with so manie cruel tormentes What hast thou to doe with death With sharpe nailes ād with the crosse Vndowbtedlie the Prophet had good reason to saie Esa 28.21 That his workes shal be verie straunge and farre vnlike him selfe What is more straunge and more contrarie to lyfe than deathe What is more disagreable to glorie than paine What is further of from the nature of most perfect holines and innocencie than the image and shape of a synner This title and shape ô Lorde is certaynlie very straunge for thee O true Iacob Gen. 26. that with wearinge the garmentes of others and with disguisinge thy selfe in a straunge habite hast purchased for vs the blessinge of our heauenlie father For by takinge vpon thee the image of a sinner thou hast purchased for vs victorie against synne O goodnes inspekeable O mercie vndeserued O loue exceidinge all vnderstandinge O charitie incomprehensible Tell me ô most mercifull Lorde what sawest thou in vs What seruice haue we done vnto thee With what workes haue we bounde thee to suffer such greiuous and cruell tormentes for our sakes O wonderfull bountiefulnes that without anie merite of our parte and without anie necessitie of thyne owne parte wouldest vouchesafe onely of thy mere grace ād mercie to purchace our redēption after this sorte Tit. 3.4 The benignitie and clemencie of our sauiour saieth the Apostle hath appeared not in
with inwarde quietnes and simplicite and desire him of his grace that he maie be able to proceid in his prayer and meditation without such great trouble and daunger vnto him And in case it shall please our Lorde to graunte him this quietnes of mynde he shall feele a more inwarde hartie deuotion thereby than he was wont to feele with the disquietnes of his minde and it shall endure much longer After this sorte maie a man continewe in prayer and meditation a longe time together without feelinge anie heauines or greife but that man can not so doe that shall meditate after the other enforced maner before specified And for this cause we must take diligent heede that if at anie time there doe arise in the sowle verie feruent motions of sensible deuotion or excessiue sobbinges and sighinges we suffer not our selues to be caried awaie with thē but we must temper them with great moderation and dissemble them as much as we can and withall endeuour to kepe and continewe that consideration and thoughte within vs which caused those feruent motions I meane hereby that we must remoue awaie from vs those stormes and alterations of the fleashe to wit these vehemēt sobbinges and sighinges and enioye in our sowle with quietnes the light and deuotion which almightie God hath then sent vnto vs. And after this sorte we shall continewe in our exercise a longer time and our consolation shall take deeper roote inwardly in our sowles and shall not geue any outwarde shewe thereof with weepinge sobbinge and other externall signes which can hardlie be auoyded without great paine in case a man doe once accustome him selfe verie much vnto such sensible motiōs and feruours which the stronger and mightier they shewe outwardly the more doe they quenche the light inwardly and be an impedimente vnto vs that we can not proceede forwarde in our prayer ād meditation True it is that at the first beginninge of nouices in spirituall exercises such feruours can verie hardlie be eschewed For then the great wonder that a man hath of the newnes and profoundnes of diuine thinges maketh him to enter into so great an admiration and astonishmente that he can not refraine him selfe from this feruencie But after that with the vse of dailie meditation of diuine thinges the newnes of them ceaseth then is his harte quieted and although he loue almightie God with greater vehemencie yet hath he not such sensible feruour and disquietnes in his loue And so we see that the newe wyne and the potte of water when it beginneth first to trye the vnwonted heat of the fier it boyleth so forceablie that it bubbleth vp and runneth ouer the brimme but after that it hath boyled a certaine space it seetheth then much better and is much hoatter and yet with lesse noyce and vehemencie That man which was lame from his mothers wombe whom S. Peter healed as it is declared in the actes of the Apostles so soone as he perceyued him selfe to be whole and perfetlie cured of his former lamenes Act. 3.8 the holie Scripture saiethe that he walked and leaped and praised almightie God This man was not contented onely to goe but as one that had bene so longe time as it were bounde hande and feite and findinge by experience his newe libertie he then stretched forthe his limmes to the vttermost he coulde and leaped and skipped with great ioye and admiration Howbeit it is to be thought that afterwardes he woulde walke more quietly and not leape and skippe all his life time but as then the great ioye he had of his newe and vnaccustomed health woulde not suffer him to be in quiet The fourthe aduise which followeth of the foresaide aduises And here it is declared what maner of attention we ought to haue in our exercise of prayer and meditation § IIII. OF all these aduises aforesaiede we maie gather what maner of attention we ought to haue in praier For in this exercise it is cheiflie expediente for vs to haue our harte not heauie nor dulle but liuely attente and lifted vp on highe In figure whereof we reade that the Angell saiede to the Prophet Ezechiel Ezech. 2.1 that he shoulde arise and stande vpon his feite when the Angell woulde talke with him and declare vnto him the diuine misteries In like maner we reade that those two Cherubins which Salomon placed at the two sides of the Arke of the testament stode with their winges lifted vp on highe 3. Reg. 6. and stretched abroade as if they woulde flye to signifie what a great attention and liftinge vp of the spirite a man ought to haue at such tyme as he presenteth himselfe before almightie God to speake and stande before him But as it is necessarie on the one side to be in prayer with such an attention and close recollection of the mynde euen so on th' other side it behoueth that this attention be qualified with temperance and moderation that it be neither preiudiciall to our healthe nor anie impediment to deuotion For some there be that doe wearie their heads with ouermuch violence whiles they labour to be attente vnto those thinges that they meditate vpon And others againe there be that to avoide this inconuenience are in their meditation verie slacke and negligente and verie easie to be caried awaie with euerie winde Now to eschewe these two extremities it is expediente that we vse such a meane that we doe neither with ouer much attention wearie our head nor with carelesnes or negligēce suffer our thoughtes to goe wāderinge whither so euer they wil. So that like as we vse commonlie to saie vnto him that rydeth vpon a kickinge flinginge horse that he must take good heede how he holdeth the reines of his bridle and kepe a meane therein that is he must holde them neither to harde nor to slacke that the horse neither turne backewarde nor runne to headlonge forwarde Out attention must proceed with moderation and not with violence Prou. 30.33 euen so must we endeuour that our attention maye proceede in our prayers with moderation and not with violence and with a temperate carefulnes and diligence and not with excessiue labour and traueill Of both these poyntes we be aduertised in the holie Scripture For of the one Salomon saiethe Who so squiseth ouermuch the pappes to get out milke shall wringe out bloude And of the other poynte the Prophete Esaie saieth Esa 66.10.11 Reioyce with her all ye that mourne for her that ye maie sucke and be satisfied with the breastes of her consolation Howbeit in case we feyle of the meane and doe leane vnto anie of these two extremeties Of the two extremeties it is lesse hurt to haue ouermuch attention in our prayers than no care or regarde of our attention therein it is lesse hurte to leane vnto ouermuch attention than vnto carelesnes and neglectinge of our attention For a man is prouoked to carelesnes and negligence by his
Wherefore we must vnderstande that there be sixe thinges emonge manie others that maye be considered in the holie Passion of our Sauiour To witt The greatnes of his paines The greiuousnes of our sinnes The excellencie of the benefite The magnificencie of the goodnes of almightie God The multitude of the vertues of our Sauiour Christe which doe verie brightelie shine in his holie passion And the conueniencie of this meane whereby almightie God vouchsafed to worke our redemption These sixe pointes ought we to consider for sixe effectes wherein consisteth all the profite of the spirituall lyfe For we must consider the greatnes of the paines of our Sauiour Christe that we maie take compassion of them We must consider the greatnes of our owne sinnes that we maie abhorre them We must consider the greatnes of the benefite of his passion that we maie geue him thankes for it We must consider the excellencie of the goodnes of almightie God which in this holie passion of our Sauiour is discouered vnto vs that we maie verie hartely loue the same passinge great goodnes We must consider the multitude of the vertues of our Sauiour Christe which doe likewise shine verie brightlie in his passion that we maie be prouoked thereby to imitate them And we must consider the conueniencie of the misterie of his holie passion that we maie be brought thereby in admiratiō of the wisedome of almightie God and be the more confirmed in the faith of this holie misterie Of these sixe pointes we intende nowe to treate and of each one of them in his due place and order Of the passinge great paines and tormentes which our Sauiour Iesus Christe suffered in his most bitter Passion § I. FIRST we must consider the passinge great paines of our Sauiour Christe to prouoke our selues by that consideration to take compassion of them as reason it is that the members shoulde take compassion of their head Wherefore it is to be noted that the paines which our Sauiour suffered in his bitter passion were as the holie fathers saie the greatest that euer were suffered Summa S. Thomae 3. q. 46. artic 6. or euer shal be suffered in this worlde This shall appeare manifestlie to be true if we doe consider fiue principalle causes from whence the passinge greatnes of these paines proceeded The first cause was the passinge greatnes of his charitie which made him desirous to redeeme mankinde most abundantly and to satisfie most perfectly for the iniuries and offences committed against the diuine maiestie And because the greater paines he shoulde suffer the more perfectly he shoulde accomplishe both the one and the other and he wanted not the forces of grace to beare as great a burthen as he woulde therefore he woulde that his paines shoulde be passinge great that so likewise the satisfaction which he shoulde make for our dette and the worke of our redemption might be also passinge great The seconde cause which followeth hereof was that he suffered his payes without anie maner of ease or consolation For accordinge to the reason before mentioned he shutte vp from him selfe all the gates whereby anie maner of consolation might come vnto him either from heauen or from earthe insomuche that he was contente to be forsaken not onely of his disciples and freindes but also of his owne father yea and of him selfe also to the intent that so beinge destitute of all companie he might be burninge in the furnace of his most grieuous paines and tormentes without all maner of refresshinge of anie ease or consolation whatsoeuer that by anie meanes might come vnto him And therefore he saied in the Psalme Psal 87. I am become as a man destitute of all helpe I am left emonge the dead notwithstandinge that I alone am he that emonge the deade by righte am free from sinne and from deathe And in an other Psalme he saithe Psal 68. I am plunged in the bottome of waters and of myre and I finde no place where to staie my feete This is that forsakinge which our Sauiour signified vpon the crosse when he saiede Math. 27.46 My God My God why hast thou forsakē me Psal 21.1 For at that time his holie humanitie was forsakē in the middest of the furious streame of his paines and tormentes and was left destitute of all thinges that might either withstande or mitigate the force and vehemēcie of them Leuit. 16. This was figured in the lawe by those two beastes that were offered for the sinnes of the people of the which the one was killed and offered vp in sacrifice and the other departed awaye and was sent into the wildernes leauinge her companion alone in the tormentes The like was done in this heauenlie sacrifice where God and man was offered for the sinnes of the worlde and the one of the two natures to witt the humanitie was sacrificed and did suffer but the other nature to witt the diuinitie departed awaye leauinge her sister and companion all alone to suffer the tormentes For albeit that as concerninge the bonde of vnion the diuine nature neuer forsooke the humane nature which it had once taken yet as touchinge the consolation and ease of the paines and tormentes in the inferior parte it did wholy forsake the same And therefore we see that the Martirs when they went to suffer death shewed them selues verie courageous mearie and ioyefull as we reade of S. Agnes S. Agatha S. Laurence and of many others but our Sauiour beinge the verie fountaine of grace and of strēgthe through whose vertue the Martirs had such force and courage to be able to doe that which they did trēbled and sweated euen verie droppes of bloude when he wēt to suffer paynes and tormentes for vs. For in the martirs the vertue of charitie which redoūded into the inferior forces of the sowle caused them to haue verie great courage and ioye But in our Sauiour Christ both these and all other influences were by spetiall miracle suspended that so he might drincke the cuppe of his most bitter paines pure and without mixture of anie maner of ease or consolation The therde cause of his so grieuous paynes was the tendernes of his complexion For whereas his holie bodie was formed miraculously by the holie Ghost and the thinges that are done by miracle be more perfecte than those that be done by nature S. Chrisostome vpō S. Iohn 2. as S. Chrisostome declareth speakinge of the wyne which was turned into water at the mariage it followeth that our Sauiours bodie was the most best cōplexioned and most tender of all bodies that euer were or shal be insomuch as a holie father saiethe That if there had bene no externall violence done vnto our Sauiours bodie it woulde haue endured a verie great nomber of yeares by reason of the perfection and tendernes of the composition thereof And not onely the composition of his bodie but also the matter thereof was very tender forsomuch as the matter of
he ryseth notwithstandinge that goinge is a thinge so naturall and so customably vsed Now if the habilities which be so naturall and so much exercised doe so much decaye when they be not vsed what will the supernaturall habilities doe which are but as it were certain proppes and staies adioyned vnto vs Charitie and all other vertues will quicklie be lost vnlesse we exercise our selues verie often in them to supplie the defectes of nature And if charitie with all other vertues infused be in like maner to be reckened in this accompt in what case then shall we be if we doe but verie seldome or neuer exercise our selues in them For if that thinge that is euen naturall will be lost for waÌ„t of exercise how much more will that be lost that is supernaturall And if that thinge maie be lost that is fast riueted euen in our verie bowels what shall that doe that is but as it were onely fastened vnto vs with litle pinnes Againe if it be true that all amitie and fryndshipe is both preserued and increased by meanes of familiaritie and communication and by the wante thereof is vtterlie quenched and lost according as Aristotle affirmeth what shall then become of those persons that haue no maner of communication with almightie God at all And what can we hope of them that do neuer speake with him nor he with them nor so much as thinke consider or treate of anie heauenlie matters Thow seist then deare Christian brother of how great importance the exercise of consideration and communication with almightie God is vnto vs for the preseruation of this vertue of charitie HOW CONSIDERATION helpethe Deuâ—tion and all other vertues affectiue § IIII. AND consideration is no lesse behouefull to be had for all such vertues as are called affectiue that is apperteining to the affection whereof we haue made mention before Emonge which vertues what Deuotion is Summa S. Thomae 22. q. 82. art 1. one of the most principal is deuotion which is a certein heauenlie habilitie and gifte that inclineth our will to desier all such thinges with great affection and earnestnes as appertein to the seruice of almightie God which is one of the thinges that man hath most neede of in this state of nature corrupted For we see by experience that men do sinne not so much for want of vnderstanding as for wante of will I meane hereby that they sinne not so much for wante of knowledge what is good as for that they are vnwillinge to doe the thinge they knowe to be good And this vnwillingnes proceadeth not of the nature of vertue which of it selfe is most sweete delectable and verie agreable to the nature of man but of the corruption of man Now considering that this defect of our will is the verie cheefe and principall impediment we haue Our owne will is the principall impedimeÌ„te that hinderethe vs from vertue to hinder vs from vertue and goodnes our principal care must be to seeke a remedie for the curinge of this defecte For which purpose one of the thinges that helpeth vs most is deuotion For deuotion is none other thing but a heauenly refreshing and a blast or inspiration of the holie Ghost that breakethe and makethe his waye throwgh all these difficulties Note what a wonder full effecte deuotion workethe in a man shakith of this heauines cureth this lothsomnes of our will and causeth vs to haue a tast and sauour in that thinge that was otherwise vnsauorie and thereby maketh vs verie prompte agile and quick vnto all goodnes And this wonderfull effecte of deuotion the seruantes of God do dailie trye and perceiue by experience in them selues at what time they haue some great and singuler deuotion For then they finde them selues more willinge and lustie vnto all labour and paines then they be at other times And then it seemeth that the youth of their soules reioyceth and is renewed and then they trye by experience in them selues the trueth of those wordes of the prophett Psal 102. where he saith They that trust in our lord shall change their strength they shall take winges as it were of an Eagle they shall ronne and not be wearie Esa 40. they shall goe and not fainte Deuotion hath also an other propertie which is to be as it were a certein founteine Deuotion is a continual springe of holie desiers and perpetuall springe of good and holie desires For which cause in the holie scriptures it is commonlie called an oyntment Cant. 1. 4. which is compounded of manie sundrie sortes of odoriferus spyces and thereby yeldeth out from it manie sweete odors Now the verie like operation hath deuotion also for the time it endureth in our hartes for so much as it wholie spreadeth it selfe abroad into a thowsand sundrie kindes of holie purposes and desiers the which the more they increase and are dilated the more doth the stenches of our appetite decrease and diminish which are the euill desiers that procede from the same For like as the euill sauore in a sickmans chamber is not so much perceaued when there is a litle frankencence or some other odoriferus thinge burnt therein euen so the sauour of our euill desires is not so much perceaued so long as the most sweete sauore of this pretious oyntment continueth within vs. And for so much as it is certeine that all the corruption of our life commeth of the corruption and steÌ„che of our appetite and of the euill desires that procead from the same it shal be our part therefore to vse great diligence in procuring this heauenlie oyntment of deuotion which is of verie great force and efficacie to diminishe and consume this pestilent corruption And in like maner as consideration serueth in all the premisses euen so doth it also serue and further all the other vertues before mentioned which are the feare of God the sorowe for our sinnes the contempt of our selues wherein consisteth the vertue of humilitie No good affection can be in the will vnlesse it procede of some consideration of the vnderstanding Summa S. Thomae 22. q. 82. art 3. and thankes geuinge vnto almightie God for his benefites For as we haue said before there can be no good affection in the will vnles it procede of some consideration of the vnderstanding For how can a man haue sorrowe and contrition for his sinnes but by considering the filthenes and multitude of them the losse we receaue by them the hatred almightie God conceaueth against them and with all how polluted and corrupted the soule remaineth by reason of them Aganie how can a man stirre vp his harte vnto the feare of God but by consideringe the highenes of his maiestie the greatnes of his iustice the profoundnes of his iudgementes the multitude of his owne sinnes with other the like thinges How can a man humble and despise him felfe with all his harte vnles he consider the great nomber
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
to drinke that geueth vs the cuppe of saluation he that was so innocent he that was so iust or rather verie innocencie and iustice it selfe was accompted emonge theeues the euerlasting truth was accused with false witnes the iudge of the whole worlde was condemned bywicked men and the worde of god receaued the sentence of death with sylence Consider moreouer at what tyme the Sauiour of the worlde was nailed vpon the crosse and at the verie houre of his death when the sterres were obscured the elementes troubled when the earth quaked when the light was darkened when the sonne tourned awaie his eies and would not suffer his beames to shyne vpon the earth least happelie it might see such a great crueltie Consider I saie how euen at this time our Sauiour did not so much as once open his mouthe or moue him selfe how he would not at the verie last howre and point of death discouer the glorie of his maiestie but suffered continuallie that extreme and violent conflict euen vntill the ende intendinge thereby to leaue vnto vs an example of perfect pacience Yea moreouer and all this if those cruell blouddie ministers that crucified and tormented his most blessed bodie would haue conuerted and bene penitente he was readie to receaue them to his grace and fauour euen at the verie last instant neither would he haue shut vp the gates of his church from anie man Now therefore what thinge in the worlde can possiblie be of greater benignitie and patience then the bloude of Christ that giuethe life euen vnto them that shed the same bloude But such and so great is the patience of our sweete Sauiour Christ which if it had not bene such and of so great power the churche had not had Saint Pawle in it at this daie Hetherto be the wordes of Sainct Ciprian OF THE MOST BLESSED SACRAMENT OF THE AVLTAR and of the causes wherefore it was instituted Panis quem ego dabo caro mea est pro MUNDI vita Johan 6 5◠Accipite et comedite hoc est corpus meum Matth. 26.26 § II. ONE of the principall causes of the comminge of our sauiour into this worlde was to enkendle the hartes of men in the loue of almightie God For so said he by sainct Luke Luc. 12. I am come to put fier in the earth and what would I els but that it should burne This fier did our sauiour put in the earthe when he bestowed vpon men such and so manie wonderfull benefittes when he wrowght so great workes of loue emonge them whereby he might steyle awaie there hartes from them and whollie inflame them in this fier of loue Now albeit that all the worckes of his most holie life doe serue to this end Yet of al other those doe most effectually serue for this purpose which he did in the end of his life according as Sainct Iohn the Euangelist signefieth sainge His fryndes that he had in the world Ioan. 13. he loued them espetially in the end For at that time he bestowed greater benefittes vpon them and discouered vnto them greatest pledges and tokens of his loue Emonge which singular pledges one of the most principall was the institution of the most blessed Sacramēt of the Aultar the which thinge shall appeare verie plainlie vnto him that will consider with good attention the causes of the institution of the same But in this behalfe I beseach thee o most mercifull Lord that thou wilt vouchsafe to open our eies and graunt vs light that we maie see what causes they were that moued thy louinge hart to institute for vs this so wonderfull a Sacrament and to leaue it vnto vs. Now that we maye vnderstande some what of this diuine misterie it is to be presupposed good Christian reader that no tounge created is able to expresse the passinge great loue The passinge greate loue Christe bearethe towardes his Catholike Churche and to euerie soule that is in the state of grace Ephes 3. that our sauiour Christ beareth towardes the Catholike Church his spowse and consequentlie vnto euerie soule that is in the state of grace For so much as euerie such sowle is also his spouse For this cause one of the thinges that the Apostel Sainct Paule requested and desired was that almightie god would reueale vnto vs the greatnes of his loue which vndowtedlye is so great that it farre passeth all the wisedome and knowledge created yea thowgh it were euen that wonderfull knowledge of the angelles Wherefore this our most sweete Bridegrome The causes of the institution of this most holie Sacramente The first cause when he minded to depart out of this life and to absent him selfe from the Catholike Church his deere spouse to the intent that this his absence might not be anie occasion vnto her to forget him he left vnto her for a remembrāce this most blessed Sacramēt wherein he himselfe would remaine for he could not beare that betwene him and her there should be anie lesse pledge to prouoke her to be myndefull of him then euen himselfe And therefore he pronunced at that time those sweete wordes Luc. 22.1 Cor. 11. So often as ye shall doe this thinge doe it in the remembrance of me that is doe it that ye maie be alwaies mindfull how much I am willinge to doe for you and how much I goe now to doe and suffer for your saluation The seconde cause Moreouer this most sweete and louing bridegrome intended in this his longe absence to leaue some cōpanie to his spouse that she might not remayne solitarie and comfortles And therefore he left her the companie of this most holie Sacrement where euen the bridegrome himifelfe is reallie present which is in verie deede the best and most delitefull companie that he coulde possiblie leaue her At that time also our sauiour would goe to suffer death for his spowse The thirde cause and to redeeme and enriche her with the price of his owne most precious bloude and to the intent that she might whensoeuer she woulde enioye this most pretious and diuine treasure he left her the keis thereof in this most blessed sacrament For as S. Chrisostome saith S. chrisost So often as we come to receaue this most blessed Sacrament we must make accompt that we come to laie our mowthes to Christes verie side to drinke of his most pretious bloude and to be partakers of this soueraigne and diuine misterie Consider therefore in what a dangerous case those men are that for a litle slouthfulnes doe absteine to come vnto this royall banket and to enioye such a great and most inestimable diuine treasure These be those vnfortunate slouggardes of whom the wiseman speaketh Prouerb 19. sainge The slouggard hideth his hand in his bosome and suffereth him selfe rather to die for honger then he will lift it vp to his mouthe Now what greater slouthfulnes can there be imagined in a man than this is that because he will not
abide to take so littell labour as he should bestowe in preparinge him selfe for the receauinge of this most holie Sacrament he will rather want the benefit of so great and inestimable diuyne treasure which is of greater valewe then all that euer almightie God hath created The fower-the cause This heauenlie bridegrome desired also to be loued of his spouse with a passinge great loue and therefore he ordeined this diuine misticall morsell consecrated with such wordes that whosoeuer receaueth it worthelie is forthwith towched and striken with this loue O wonderfull misterie worthie to be engraued euen in the innermost parte of our hartes Tell me o thou vngratefull man if a prince should beare such a great affection and loue towardes a seelie wenche that were his bond slaue that he coulde finde in his hart to take her for his spouse and make her quene and ladie of all he is Lord of how great woulde we saie that the loue of that prince had bene that woulde doe such a deede And if peraduenture after the mariage solemnized this slaue should showe her selfe coldlie affected towardes the prince her husbande and he vnderstandinge the same woulde as a man forlorne goe to seeke with all diligence for some pretious morsell and geue it her to eate whereby to winne her loue vnto him how passinge great would we saie that the loue of that prince were that should be thus affected towardes her Now therefore O kinge of glorie what meaneth this that thou for the entiere loue thou bearest vnto me hast vouchesafed not onely to take my soule to be thy spouse beinge as she was the verie bonde slaue of thine ennemie the deuill but seinge her also all this notwithstandinge verie coldlie affected towardes thee hast ordeined for her this misticall and diuine morsell which thou hast transformed with such wordes that it hath vertu in it to transforme such soules into thee as shall feede thereon and make them to burne with liuelie flames of loue There is no one thinge that declareth the affection of loue more euidentlie then when a man hath a desire to be beloued Considering therefore that thou hast bene so greatlie desirous of our loue that thou hast sowght it with such strange inuentions who shall from hence forth stand in dowte of thy loue we be certayne that if we loue God God will loue vs agayne Certayne I am o may most louinge and mercifull Lord that if I loue thee thou also louest me And certayne I am also that I neede not to seeke anie inuentions to allure thy hart to loue me as thou hast sowght toi allure my harte to loue thee That most sweet bridegrome would also be absent from his spouse The fifte cause and yet because loue cannot abide to be absente from the beloued he would depart in such wise that he might not altogether departe from her and he would so goe awaie that he might also remaine with her wherefore consideringe that it was not expedient for our Sauiour to tarrie here still and the spouse mighte not as then goe from hence with him he deuised a meane that althowgh he went his waie and his spouse remained still behinde yet should they neuer be seperated and set a sonder For this cause therefore he instituted this diuine sacrament that by meanes thereof the soules might be vnited and incorporated spirituallie with Christ and that with such a stronge bonde of loue that of them two there should be made one thinge For like as of meate and of him that eateth the meate there is made one same thinge euen so likewise after a certeine maner is there made of the soule and of Christ sauinge that as Sainct Augustine saith Christ is not changed into our soules S. August but our soules be changed into him not by nature but by loue conformetie and likenes of life Moreouer our Sauiours will and pleasure was to assure his spouse The sixte cause and to geue her a pledge of that blessed inheritance of eternall glorie that she being fortified with the hope of this felicitie An assured hope to enioye the felicitie in the kingedome of heauē maketh a mā to despise all worldelie thinges might passe chearfullie throwghe all the trowbles aduersities afflictions and persecutions of this life For trulie there is no one thinge that causeth vs so muche to despise all thinges that are to be had in this life as a assured hope of that blessednes and felicitie we shall enioye in the life to come According as our Sauiour signified vnto vs in those wordes he spake to his disciples before his passion Ioan. 14. If ye loued me said he ye would be right glad of my departure because I goe to the father As thowgh he had said it is a great felicitie to goe to the father For althowgh the waie to goe to him be throwgh whippes thornes nailes crosses and all other tribulations and martirdomes of this life Yet all that notwithstanding it is a thinge of inestimable gaine and cōfort to goe vnto him Wherefore to the intent that his spouse might haue a verie firme and assured hope of this felicetie he left her here in pledge this inestimable diuine treasure which is of as great vallue as al that is there hoped for that she should not mistrust but that almightie God will geue himselfe vnto her in glorie where she shall liue whollie in spirite seinge he denieth not himselfe vnto her in this vale of teares where she liueth in fleshe Our Sauiour purposed also The seuenthe cause at the houre of his death to make his testament and to leaue vnto his spouse some notable legacie to be as a releife and comforte for her at all times and so he left her this most blessed sacrament wherein Christe himselfe is trewlie and reallie presente which was the most pretious and most profitable bequest that he could possible leaue vnto her 4. Reg. 2. Elias when he woulde depart awaie from the earth left his clooke to his disciple Elizeus as one that had none other riches whereof to make him his heire But our most sweete louinge sauiour and master when he woulde ascende into heauen left here vnto vs the clooke of his sacred bodie in this most holie sacrament appointing vs here to be his heires as by the right of children of this so great and inestimable diuine treasure With that mantell Elizeus passed the waters of the floude Iourdan and was neither drowned nor wetshod and with the vertue and grace of this most blessed sacrament the faithfull do passe the waters of the vanities and tribulations of this life without sinne and without danger To conclude The eighte cause our Sauiour intended to leaue vnto our soules sufficient prouision and foode wherewith they might liue forso much as the soule hath no lesse nede of her proper sustenance The soule hathe as greate neede of spirituall foode as the bodie hathe of
vpon thee For the one I will reioyce and be glad and for the other I will sorrowe and lament And so with ioye and lamentation together I will singe and bewaile the misterie of thy most dolorous passion and I will studie continuallie in that booke of Ezechiell the contentes whereof arâ— songes Ezechiel 2. and lamentations When our sauiour had spoken these wordes he departed from his disciples a stones cast where lyenge prostrat vpon the grounde he begane his praier with verie great reuerence sayinge O father if it be possible Matth 26. let this cuppe passe from me howbeit not as I will but as thou wilt Lucae 22. and after he had made this praier three times at the third time he was in such a great agonie that he beganne to sweat euen droppes of bloud which ranne downe all a longe his sacred bodie and trickeled downe to the grownd The causes of our Sauiours greâ— te agonie and sweâ—tinge droppes of bloud while he was prayinge in the garden Consider now attentiuelie in what a dolorous case our sauiour was and how there were then represented vnto him all the cruell paynes and tormentes he had to suffer euen as thowgh they had bene then presentlie in doinge before his eies all which he apprehended after a most perfet maner in his most excellent imagination eache one in such sort as they were prepared for his bodie which was certeinlie more tender and delicate then euer anie other bodie was in the whole worlde He set also at that time before his eies all the synnes of the worlde or which he should suffer and withall the greate vnthankfulnes and ingratitude of so manie soules as he knewe would neuer acknowledge this his singuler benefit nor further aid helpe themselues with this most pretious aid so costlie remedie These thinges being profoundelie wayed and considered by our sauiour at this time his soule was vexed in such sort and his senses and most tender fleshe were so wounderfullie troubled that all the forces and elementes of his bodie were distempered and his blessed fleshe opened on euerie side and gaue place to the bloude that it might passe and distille throwgh all partes of his bodie in verie great aboundance and streame downe to the grownde Now if the fleshe suffered suche greuous paynes with the onelie remembrance and imagination of that which as then was to come in what a dolefull case then trow ye was his soule that suffered those paynes euen directlie in it selfe In other men we see when they are disquieted with anie suddaine and great anguishe the bloude vseth commonlie to haue recourse vnto the hart leauinge the other members of the bodie colde and destitute of theire streÌ„gthe to comfort the most principall member Our Sauiour suffred his greauous paynes without anie maner of comforte But our sweete Sauiour Christ contrariewise because he would suffer without anie maner of comfort thereby to make our redemption more aboundant such was his passing loue towardes vs that he would not admit so much as that little releefe and comfort of nature Beholde our sweete sauiour now in this dolorous agonie and consider not onelie the paynefull anguishes and greifes of his soule but also the forme of his sacred and reuerent countenance The sweare is wont to haue his most cheefe and principall recourse to the forehead and to the face If then the bloud issued out through all the bodie of our Sauiour in such sorte that it trickeled downe to the verie earthe in what plight then was that goodlie cleare forehead thinke you that geueth light to the verie light it selfe And how was that face beraied which is so reuerenced of the heauens beinge as it was all in droppes and couered ouer with a blouddie sweat If such as be kinde and louinge are wont when they come to visit theire frendes being sicke and in danger of death to beholde theire countenance aduisedlie and to marke the colour and other accidentes that proceed of the disease tell me o my soule that beholdest the face of our sweete sauiour what thinkest thou when thou beholdest in the same such wonderfull strange and deadlie signes What painfull fittes and dolorous greifes are those like to be hereafter if in the verie beginninge of the disease he suffer such a great agonie In what dolorous panges is he like to be when he shall feele those most greuous paynes and cruell tormentes themselues if in the onelie thinkinge of them he sweateth euen droppes of bloude If thou be not moued to take compassion of our sweete sauiour seinge him in this dolefull case for thy sake If now when he sweateth droppes of bloud throughout all his bodie thou canst not sheede anie teares from thyne eies thinke verelie with thy selfe that thou hast a verie harde and stonie hart and if thou canst not weepe for want of loue towardes him yet at the least weepe for the multitude of thy sinnes forsomuch as they were the verie cause of this his agonie Our synnes were the verie cause of our Sauiours blouddye sweare and greife Now the tormentors doe not whippe him neither doe the souldiars crowne him with thornes It is not now the nailes nor the thornes that do cause the bloud to gushe out of his bodie at this time but it is thy verie synnes and offences those are the tormentors that doe torment him those are the heauie burden that cause him to sweat this so straÌ„ge and wonderfull blouddye sweat O my sweete sauiour and redeemer how redemption O my true Adam that art comme our of paradice for my synnes and labourest here in earth with thy blouddie sweat Of our Sauiours agonie and watchinge aboute our saluation whilest his disciples be in a heauie sleepe to get the bread that I must feede vpon Consider also in this place on the one side the great agonie and watchinge of our Sauiour Christ and on the other the sownde and deepe sleepinge of his disciples and thou shalt see here represented a great misterie For trulie there is nothinge more to be lamented in the worlde then to see how careles and negligent men be in there liues and how little accompt they make of a matter of so great importance as is theire owne saluation What thinge is more to be bewayled then to see men so careles in such waightie afaires Now if thou wilt vnderstand both the one and the other consider in this matter the doinges of our sauiour and withall the doinges of his disciples See how our sauiour applieng his minde earnestlie to this busines of our redemption is in such a great care and agonie therewith that it maketh him to sweate euen droppes of bloude and see on the other side how his disciples do lie a longe on the grownd and are so heauie a sleepe that neither theire maisters rebukynge of them nor theire ill fauoured aÌ„d harde lodginge on the bare grouÌ„de nor yet the obscure and darcke dewie night are able to
for the chastesinge of men settinge before them his own diuine Image to witt the face of his own most deerelie beloued sonne so euill vsed and disfigured to the end that where as they had bene so manie tymes admonished and rebuked by the mowthes of his Prophettes and yet woulde not forsake theire wickednes they might at the least be moued for verie compassion to forsake the same beholdinge that diuine forme of our Sauiour Christ in such pittiefull wise disfigured for theire synnes So that before he laid his handes vpon men but now he came to laie them vpon him selfe which trulie was the last refuge that coulde be deuised to withdrawe men from sinne And therefore as it hath bene at all times accompted a verie great wickednes to offende almightie God so now after that he hath taken such a shape vpon him to destroye sinne it is not onelye a great wickednes but also a verie great ingratitude and horrible crueltie to offende him with anie deadlye sinne If thou wilt continewe in the contemplatioÌ„ of this pointe besides that thou mayst learne hereby to abhorre sinne thou mayst also take great cowrage to put thy whole trust and affyance in almightie God by consideringe this verie dolefull forme of our sauiour Christ the which as it is of great sorce to moue the hartes of men euen so hath it no lesse force but rather farre greater to moue the harte of almightie God And therefore thou must thinke that what dolefull forme our Sauiour toke at that tyme vpon him in the sight of the furious people the verie same he presenteth now before the diuine eyes of his most pittiefull and mercifull louinge father so freshe and in such bleadinge wise as it was that verie same daie Now what image and forme can there be of greater efficacie to pacifie the eies of the heauenlie father than the pale and wanne countenance so pittiefullie disfigured of his onelie begotten sonne This is the golden propiciatorie this is the rainbowe of diuers colours placed emonge the clowdes of heauen with the sight whereof almightie God is pacified With this were his eies fed with this was his iustice satisfied here was his honor restored Here was such seruice done vnto him as was answerable and seemlie vnto his diuine maiestie Tell me now then ô thou weake and mistrustfull man if the shape and forme of our sauiour Christ was such at that tyme that it was able as the Iudge verelie beleued to mitigate the cruell eies of such ennemies how much more able is it to pacifie the eies of the most mercifull heauenlie father espetiallie consideringe that whatsoeuer our sauiour there suffered was for his honor and vnder his obedience Compare then eies with eies person with person and thou shalt see how much thou art more assured of the mercie of the heauenlye father by presentinge vnto him this dolefull forme of our Sauiour Christ than Pilate was of the mercie of the Iewes when he showed our Sauiour thus pittiefully disfigured vnto them Wherefore in all thy praiers and temptations take this Lorde for thy sheilde and buckeler set him betweene thee and almightie God and presente him before his diuine maiestie sayenge ECCE HOMO Beholde the man I haue here o almightie God the man whom thou hast so manie yeares sowght for to be a meane betwene thee and sinners I haue here the man whose iustice is such that it answereth thy godnes in euerie poynte I haue here the man who is so much punnished as our sinnes and offences required Wherefore o most mercifull louinge Lorde looke mercifully vpon vs I most humblie beseach thee And that thou mayst so doe fixe thyne eies vpon the face of thy Christ And thou o our sweete Sauiour and mediator cease not to presente thy selfe before the eies of thy father for vs. And forsomuch as thy loue towardes vs was so great that thou wouldest offer vp thy bodie to the tormentors to be tormented for our sakes vouchsaffe o Lorde with the same loue to present it vnto the heauenlie father beseachinge him that it maie please him for thy sake to pardon vs all our sinnes and offences HOW OVR SAVIOVR CARIED THE CROSSE VPON HIS SHOVLDERS Christo igâ—â—â—ur pasâ—a in carna et vos eadem cogitationa armaâ—â—ini 1 Patr. 〈…〉 § III. NOW when Pilate sawe that all those extreme punnishementes that had bene so cruelly executed vpon that most innocent lambe were not able to asswage the furie of his ennemies he entered forthwith into the iudgemeÌ„t hall and sat him downe in his tribunall seate to geue finall sentence in that cause The Crosse was in the meane tyme prepared and made redie at the gate and that dreadfull banner was hoysed vp on highe in the aier whiche threatened the terror of a most cruell death to our Sauiour Now when that sentence was geuen and published althowghe it was of it selfe both vniust and cruell yet did his ennemies adde an other further crueltie vnto it to wit they laid vpon those tender shoulders that were so pittiefullie rent and torne with vnmercifull whippes and scourges the heauie tree of the crosse All which notwithstandinge our most mercifull Lorde and sauiour refused not to carrie that heauie burthen where vpon were laied all our sinnes but embraced the same with an vnspekeable great charitie and obedience for the verie loue he bare vnto vs. And so went on his waie as an other true Isaac Genes 22. with the crosse on his shoulders to the place of his sacrifice The cariadge was deuided betwene two The sonne caried the woode and the bodie that shoulde be sacrificed These two vertues loue and iustice did put the sonne of God vpon the crosse and the father caried the fier and the knife wherewith the sacrifice shoulde be made For truelie it was the fier of loue which he bare towardes mankynde and the sharpe knyfe of the diuine iustice that put the sonne of God vpon the crosse These two vertues contended together within the heauenlie fathers breste each one demaundinge his right Loue requested him to pardon mankinde and iustice required that sinners might be punnished Wherevpon to the ende that men might be pardoned and sinne punnished a mean was founde that an innocent to witt the sonne of God shoulde die for all mankynde This was the fier and knife that the Patriarke Abraham caried in his handes to sacrifice his sonne For it was the loue of our saluation and the zeale of iustice that cause the heauenlie father to offer his owne most deerlie beloued sonne to the crosse Now goeth the sweete innocent Iesus forwardes on his waie with that so heauie dolorous burthen vpon his weake and torne shoulders great multitudes of people folowinge after him and manie a pittiefull and sorowfull womaÌ„ accompanienge him with grieuous teares and lamentations What stonie harte had bene able to abstaine from most bitter weepinge beholdinge the kinge of angells to goe thus faintlie with such a great
sentence That there is nothinge more certaine than deathe nor nothinge more vncertain than the houre of deathe And therefore a certaine philosopher compared the liues of men to the belles or bubbles that are made in water pittes when it raineth of the which some doe vanishe awaie sodenlie euen at their verie risinge others doe endure a litle longer and out of hande are decaied others also doe continewe somewhat more and others lesse So that although they doe all endure but onely some litle time yet in that littell there is great varietie Wherefore if the ende of our lyfe be so vncertaine If it be so vncertein also when the dreadfull houre of our accompt shall come why doe we liue with such loosenes and negligence Why doe we not consider those wordes of our Sauiour where he sayeth vnto vs Matth. 24. watche because ye knowe not when the sonne of man shall come Marc. 13. O that men woulde waighe the force of this reason Luc. 12. Because ye knowe not the howre sayeth our Sauiour watche ye and be alwaies in a readines As if he had sayed in expresse wordes because ye knowe not the howre watche euerie howre because ye knowe not the moneth watche euerie moneth and because yee knowe not the yeare be still in a readines euerie yeare For although ye knowe not certainly what yeare he will call you yet most certaine it is that a yeare shall come in which vndowtedlie he will call you But that the force of this reason maie the better be perceaued let vs put an example Tell me if there were set before thee vpon a table thirtie or fourtie seuerall disshes of meat and thou haddest a certaine warninge geuen thee by some of thy friendes that in one of them there were poison durst thou geue the aduenture to eate of anie one of them althoughe thou were verie muche a hungered Vndowtedlie thou wouldest not doe it For the verie feare thou wouldest haue least thou mightest peraduenture light vpon that dishe that were poysoned woulde make thee to abstaine from all the rest Now let vs examin how manie yeares at the vttermost thou mayst hope yet to liue Thou wilt saie peraduenture after thou hast well considered the matter that thou mayest liue thirtie or fourtie yeares Well then if it be certaine that in one of these yeares thou art assured to die and thou knowest west not in which of them why art thou not then affraide in euerie one of them seinge thou art well assured that in one of them thy lyfe shal be taken from thee Thou wouldest not be so hardie as to put thy hande into anie one of the foresaied fourtie disshes although thou were in a verie sore honger because thou knowest that in one of them there is death present And wilt thou not also be affraide of euerie one of these fourtie yeares seinge thou art so well assured that thou shalt die in one of these yeares What answere canst thou make to this reason Harken yet to an other reason which is of no lesse efficacie than the other Tell me why doe men keepe a continuall watche in a Castell that standeth in the frontiers vpon the enemies Is it for anie other cause but onely for that they knowe not when the enemies will come to assaulte it Assuredlie for none other So that because they knowe not certainly at what time the enemie will come therefore doe they continuallie watche it at all tymes For if they knewe certainlie the time of their comminge they might be careles in the meane while and reserue the diligēce of their watche vntill that verie time Now I require thee hartely for the loue of God to be an indifferent Iudge towchinge that which I shall saye vnto thee Let vs consider well this poynte If thou watche thy Castle euerie nighte because thou art vncertain when thy enemie will come whether to daie or to morrowe this yeare or the next why doest thou not then kepe a continuall watche ouer thy soule seinge thou knowest not what howre death shall come to geue the assault vpon thee The verie same vncertaintie that is in the Castle is in thy soule also yea this vncertaintie is farre more and the matter is without all comparison of greater importance Now what iudgement haue they that are alwayes so vigilant in watchinge their castle and so careles alwayes abowt their soules so careles I saie as to sleepe alwaies without euer thinkinge vpon them What thinge can be more against reason Cōsider that thy soule is of greater valewe than all the castels and kingdoms in the worlde Yea if thou consider the price wherewith it was bought thou mayest well iudge that it is of more valewe than all the angels in heauen Cōsider also that thou hast greater enemies that doe endeuour cōtinuallie both daie and night to assault it Consider that thou canst by no meanes vnderstand the daye or the houre of assault Consider that the whole substance of the saluation or damnation of thy soule consisteth in this point whether thou be taken prouided or vnprouided at that dreadefull howre Forsomuch as accordinge to the parable of the Gospell the virgins which were founde readie and prepared entered into the mariage with the bridegrome Math. 25. and such as were founde vnprouided taried without To conclude therefore what cause is there why thou shouldest not alwaies watche as well ouer thy soule as ouer thy castell seinge the vncertaintie is greater the daunger greater the cause greater and all the rest without anie comparison farre greater and of more importance Of the frailtie of our lyfe § IIII. HOWBEIT our lyfe is not onely vncertaine but also verie fraile and brickle For I praie thee what glasse is so brickle and so subiecte to knockes and breakinge as the lyfe of man Some times the verie aier and heat of the sonne if it be vehement is able to spoyle vs of our lyfe But what speake I of the sonne seinge the verie eies yea the onely lookinge of some persone is able sometimes to bereaue a creature of his lyfe It shall not neede to drawe anie sworde or to vse anie kinde of armour or munition for the matter seinge the onely looke of some one man is able to bereeue an other of his lyfe Consider now what a sure castell this is wherein the treasure of our lyfe is kept seinge the onelie beholdinge of it a farre of is able to batter it cleane downe to the grownde But this were not so much to be wondered at in the age of infancie when the buildinge is as yet but newe and griene but the greater wonder is that after that the worke is setled and hath continued manie yeares together there happeneth some accident of no greater importāce than these beforenamed that is able vtterlie to ouerthrowe it If thou enquire and aske whereof dyed this man or whereof died that man they will answere thee that he died by drinkinge a cuppe of
vnweldie olde man but euen a sacke stuffed with greifes and diseases The greatest desire that men haue is to liue vntill they be olde at which age a man is in farre worse case than in all his lyfetime before and then he standeth in most neede and hath least helpe and succoure For the olde man is forsaken of the worlde He is forsaken of his owne kinsfolke friendes and acquaintance He is forsaken of his owne members and senses yea he forsaketh himselfe in that the verie vse of reason forsaketh him And he is onely accompanyed with his paynefull aches greifes and diseases For his companie and conuersation is then verie ircksome and troublesome to the whole howse where he dwelleth This is the marcke for sooth wherevpon the eie of man is so earnestlie fixed this is the happie state which all men doe so griedelie desire and hereunto tendeth the worldlie felicitie and the ambition of longe lyfe As concerninge the states of men we shoulde neuer make an ende There is litle conteÌ„tation in the states of men and eche one desireth to chaunge his state with the states of others if we shoulde rehearse the litle contentation that is to be founde in each of them and the great desire that euerie one hath to chaunge his owne state and condition with the state of others thinkinge that he shoulde haue greater hartes ease in an other mans state than he hath in his owne And thus doe men continually vexe and turmoyle themselues like vnto a sicke man that doth nothing els but tomble and tosse in his bed from one side to an other perswadinge himselfe that by meanes of these often chaunges and remouinges he shall finde more ease and rest than he had before and yet he findeth in verie deede that he is fowlie deceyued Forsomuch as the cause of his disquietnes resteth within him selfe which is his owne greife and disease To conclude such is the miserable state and condition of this lyfe that the Wise man had good cause to saie Eccles 40. Great and heauie is the yooke that the children of Adam carie on their neckes euen from the daie they come forth of their mothers wombe vntil the daie of their burial which is the common mother of all S. Barnarde And S. Barnarde was not affraied to saie that he thought this lyfe litle better than the lyfe of hell it selfe were it not for the hope we maye here haue to atteyne vnto the kyngedome of heauen The miseries of this lyfe are ordeyned as a punnishmente for synne and to withdrawe our hartes froÌ„ the inordinate loue of this lyfe And albeit all these miseries doe come vnto vs as a punnishement for synne yet was it a verie mercifull and medicinable punnishement For the prouidence of almightie God did so ordaine it meaninge thereby to withdrawe and separate our hartes from the inordinate loue of this lyfe The verie cause why he put so muche bitter mustarde vpon the breastes of this lyfe was to weane vs from it The cause why he suffered our lyfe to become so filthie was that we shoulde not set oure loue vpoÌ„ it The cause why he woulde haue vs to be molested and vexed so often times in this lyfe was that we might the more willinglie forsake it and sighe continuallie for the true lyfe whiche is in the worlde to come For if we be so vnwillinge to forsake this lyfe Exod. 16. beinge wholye so miserable as it is if we be now euer whymperinge and whyninge for the fruites and fleashpottes of Egipt what woulde we doe if al our lyfe were sweete and pleasant And what woulde we doe if it were wholie likinge and delitefull to our taste and appetite Who woulde then trowe yee contemne it for Gods sake Who woulde then exchaunge it for heauen Philip. 1. Who woulde then saie with S. Paule I haue a desire to be loosed from this fleashe and to be with Christ Of the last miserie of man which is deathe § VIII AFTER all these miseries succeedeth the last and of all others most terrible which is death This is that miserie whereof a certaine Poët lamented sayeinge The best daies of mortall men are those that passe first awaie and then succedeth a nomber of sicknesses and diseases and with them heauie and dolefull age and continuall trouble and aboue all the sharpenes of cruell deathe This is the lodge and ende of mans lyfe whereof holie Iob saied I knowe well ô Lorde Iob 30. that thou wilt deliuer me ouer to deathe where there is a howse prepared for all men liuinge How manie the miseries are that be included in this miserie alone I will not take vpon me to declare at this present Onely I will rehearse what a certaine holie father saieth by waie of exclamation against death in this wise O death how bitter is the remembrance of thee How quicklie and sodenly stealest thou vpon vs How secrete are thy pathes and waies How doutfull is thy houre And how vniuersall is thy seignorie and dominion The mightie can not escape thy handes the wise can not hide them selues from thee and the stronge loose their strengthe in thy presence Thou accomptest no man riche forsomuch as no man is able to raunsome his lyfe of thee for money Thou goest euerye where thou searchest euerye where and thou art euerie where Thou witherest the hearbes thou drinkest vp the windes thou corruptest the aier thou chaungest the ages thou alterest the worlde thou stickest not to sup vp the sea all thinges doe increase and diminishe but thou continuest alwaies at one staie Thou art the hammer that alwaies striketh Iob. 1â—â— thou art the sworde the neuer blunteth thou art the snare whereinto euerie one falleth thou art the prison wherein euerie one entereth thou art the sea wherein all doe perishe thou art the paine that euerie one suffereth and the tribute that euerie one paieth O cruell death why hast thou not compassion of vs but commest stealinge sodenlie vpon vs to snatche vs awaie in our best times and to interrupt our affaieres when they are well begonne and brought to a good forwardnes Thou robbest from vs in one houre as much as we haue gained in manie yeares Thou cuttest of the succession of kinredes and families Thou leauest kingdomes without anie heires Thou fillest the worlde with wydowes and orphanes thou breakest of the studies of great clerckes thou ouerthrowest good wittes in their rypest age thou ioynest the ende with the beginninge without geuinge place to the myddle To conclude thou art such a one as almightie God wassheth his handes of thee and cleareth himselfe in plaine wordes sayenge Sap. 1. 2. That he neuer made thee but that thou haddest thine entrie into the worlde by the verie enuie and craft of the diuell What fruite and commoditie maye be taken of the foresaied considerations § XI THESE are the miseries of our lyfe with infinite others the coÌ„sideration whereof a
man ought to direct vnto two principal endes emonge others the one to the knowledge and contempt of the glorie of this worlde and the other to the knowledge and contempte of our selues For this consideration serueth verie well both for the one and the other But wilt thou vnderstande in worde what the glorie of this worlde is Marke and consider with attention the state and condition of mans lyfe and thereby shalte thou perceyue what the glorie of this lyfe is Tell me I praie thee can the glorie of man be more longe or more stable than the lyfe of man It is most certaine that it can not For this glorie is an accident which is grownded vpon this lyfe as vpon his subiecte or foundation and therefore when the foundation and subiecte faileth the accidentes must needes faile withall The riches pleasures and delites of this lyfe cannot contynewe anie longer than the lyfe it selfe And for this verie cause no riches no pleasures not delightes can coÌ„tinewe any loÌ„ger tyme with a man than vntill his graue Forsomuch as then faileth the foundation wherevpon all these thinges are built and haue their staie which foundation is our lyfe Now tell me then if this lyfe be such as thou hast now hearde described vnto thee to witt shorte vncertain fraile inconstante deceitfull and miserable how longe can the buildinge endure that shal be framed vpon this foundation How longe can the accidentes continewe that shal be grounded vpon so weake a substance When thou hast considered this point well with thy selfe thou must needes saye that they shall endure no longer than the foundation and substance it selfe endureth and thou must needes confesse that manie times they endure not so longe as we see by dailie experience in the goodes of fortune which with manie men haue an ende before their lyfe endeth Now if that sayeinge of the Poët Pindarus be true to witt That this lyfe is no more but a dreame of a shadowe What thinkest thou then is the glorie of this world which is of shorter continuance than our lyfe What accompt wouldest thou make of a goodly buildinge in case it stood vpon a false foundation What accompte wouldest thou make of an image of waxe very richlie and curiouslie wrought in case it were set against the sonne where it is certayne that so soone as the waxe shoulde be molten forthwith the forme of the image woulde vtterlie be defaced and leese his beautie Whie doe we make so litle accompt of the beautie of a flowre but because it groweth vpon so weake a subiect For so soone as it is nypt of from the stalke incontinentlie it looseth his faire glosse and beautie It is not possible to haue beautie of anie firme continuance in a matter so fraile and corruptible It followeth therefore that the glorie of man is such as the lyfe of man is For although glory doe continewe after the ende of our lyfe yet what shall that glorie auayle him that hath no sence nor feelinge thereof What dothe it auayle Homere now whilest thou so highelie praisest and commendest his Iliades Vndoutedly no more but as S. Ierome saieth speakinge of Aristotle Woo be vnto thee Aristotle that art praised where thou art not to witt here in the worlde and art tormented where thou art indeede to witt in hell Other inestimable commodities mayest thou gather owt of this consideration For if thou doe consider all theise miseries with good attention thine eies shal be opened forthwith and thou shalt wonder at the great blindnes of men yea the verie straungenes of it shall cause thee to saie to thy selfe Good Lorde what cause is there why this miserable lignage of Adam shoulde waxe prowde From whence commeth such puffinge and arrogancie of minde such hawtie and loftie courages so great contempt of others such estimation of our selues and so great forgetfulnes of almightie God What cause hast thou to be prowde thou dust and asshes Why doest thou magnifie and aduaunce thy selfe thou seely wretche of the earthe Why doest thou not holde downe thy peacockes taile beholdinge thy fowle feete to witt the vylenes of thy state and condition What cause hast thou to seeke so carefullie for the glorie of this worlde seinge it is myngled with so manie miseries What thinge is there so sweete but that it maie be made bitter with the mixture of so manie sower and bitter sawces Moreouer if this lyfe be a vale of teares a prison of guiltie persons and a bannishement of them that be comdemned how canst thou settle so greate vanitie so great pompe and pride of the worlde such gaye ornamentes and statelie furniture of houses and families in the place of teares How canst thou imagine to make this a place of pastymes and pleasures of feastes and bankettes How canst thou be so diligente to heape so greidelie together for the prouision of this worlde and be so forgetfull of the worlde to come as if thou were borne onely to liue here in earth with brute beastes and haddest no parte in heauen with the Angels Suerlie I must neides saie that thou art very much wedded to miserie and that thou camest out of a meruaylous miserable stocke if so manie argumentes of the miseries of this worlde be not able to open thine eies and make thee to discerne so grosse and so palpable a blindenes I H S WENSDAIE NIGHTE OF THE HOWER OF DEATHE O mors quam amara est memoria tua homini pacem habenti in substâ—â—â— suis. Eclesi 4â— 1 Gens absque consilio est et sine prudentia vtinam saperent et intelligerent ac nouissima prouiderent Deuter. 32. 28. THIS DAIE WHEN THOV HAST MADE THE SIGNE OF the Crosse and prepared thy selfe hereunto thou hast to meditate vpon the houre of deathe which is one of the most profitable consideratioÌ„s that a Christian man may haue as well for the obteyninge of true wisedome and eschewinge of sinne as also to moue him to begynne to prepare him selfe in time for the howre of death BVT to the intent that this consideration maie be proffitable vnto thee it shall behoue thee to make thy petition vnto almightie God beseachinge him to graunte thee some feelinge of such thinges as are woÌ„t to passe in this last conflicte that thou maiest dispose of thy landes and goodes accordinglie and direct thy lyfe in such sorte as at that time thou wouldest wishe thou haddest done Now therefore that thou maiest haue the better feelinge in this matter thinke vpon it not as thou wouldest of a thinge that were to come but as it were euen now present and thinke vpon it not as of a thinge that apperteyneth to others but as of a thinge that belongeth properlie to thine owne selfe makinge this accompte that thou lyest now verie sicklie and weake in thy bed aÌ„d in such a daungerous case that thou art vtterly forsaken of thy phisitions and that they are all perswaded that thou wilt die within fewe howers Consider
now first how vncertain that houre is Of the vncertaintie of the houer of our deathe in which death will assault thee For thou knowest not neither what daie nor in what place nor how thou shalt be disposed when death shall come vnto thee Onely this thou knowest for most certain that die thou shalt all the rest is vncertain sauinge that ordinarily this houre is wonte to steale vpon vs at such a time as a man is most careles and thinketh least of it Secondlye consider what a separation shall then be made Of the separation from all worldlie thinges and of the partinge of the sowle from the bodye at the hower of our deathe not onely betwene vs and all the thinges we loue in this worlde but also euen betwene the sowle and the bodie which haue bene such auncient and louinge companions If it be thought so grieuous a matter to be banished out of our natiue countrie and from the naturall aier in which a mā hath bene bredde and brought vp although the banished man myghte carie awaye with him what soeuer he loueth how much more grieuous then shall that vniuersall bannishement be from all thinges that we haue from our landes from our goodes from our howse from wife father mother children kinsfolke friendes and acquaintance from this light and common aier yea to be short from all thinges of this worlde If an oxe make so great a bellowinge at what time he is seperated from an other oxe with whom he hath bene vsed to be yoked and to drawe in the ploughe what a bellowinge will thy hart then make when death shall seperate thee from all those thinges wherewith thou hast bene yoked and carried the burthens of this lyfe Consider also what a grieuous paine it shal then be to a man Of the payne that is at the houre of our deathe to consider what shall then become of our bodie and sowle when a certayne representation shal be made vnto his mynde foreshewinge in what case his bodie and sowle shal be after his death For as towchinge the bodie he knoweth for certaine alreadie that though it hath bene heretofore neuersomuch cherished and honored yet there shall no better prouision be made for it but onelie a hoole seuen foote longe where it shall remayne in companie of other dead bodies But as concerninge the sowle he knoweth not certainlie what shall becomme of it what considerations maye moue vs at the houer of death both to hope and feare nor what lotte shall fall vnto it For although the hope which he hath in the mercie of almightie God maie strengthen and comforte him yet the consideration of his owne sinnes maie dismaie him and make him afraied especiallie if he consider withall the greate iustice of almightie God and the profoundnes of his iudgementes who vseth oftentimes to crosse his handes and to alter the lottes of men Luc. 23. The theiffe went vp from the crosse to paradise Math. 27. and Iudas fell downe from the honorable dignitie of Apostelshippe into hell fier Manasses also after his so manie abhominations 2. Paral. 33. and wickednes obteined grace to become repentant And as yet we knowe not whether Salomon obteined the like for all his vertues This is one of the greatest grieffes and angwishes that men are commonlie trowbled withall at the houre of death to vnderstande that there is to ensue glorie euerlastinge and paine euerlastinge and that then a man is so neare both vnto the one and to the other and yet knoweth not whether of these two lottes beinge so farre different as they are shall fall vnto his share Of the particular accounte we must make to almightie God at the houer of our deathe of all our whole lyfe Arsenius After this angwishe there followeth an other no lesse then this to witt the particular accompte of all our whole lyfe which at the verie hower of euerie mans deathe must be made vnto almightie God This accompt is so dreadfull that it causeth euen the most stowtest men that are to tremble and qwake for verie feare It is written of the famous holie father Arsenius that beinge at the point of death he beganne to be afraied whereat his schollers meruayled and saied vnto him What father are you now afraid of your accompt Vnto whom he answered yea yea my sonnes this feare is no newe thinge in me for I haue alwaies liued with the same At that time all the synnes of a mans former lyfe are represented vnto him lyke a squadrone of enemies readie sette in battayle arrye to assaulte him Then are the greatest sinnes and those wherein he hath taken greatest delight represented most liuely vnto him and are the cause of greater feare Then commeth the yonge virgine to his minde which he hath dishonored Then come the maides and howsholde seruantes whom he hath solicited and prouoked to lewdnes Then come the poore folkes whom he hath iniuried and euill entreated Then come his neighboures whom he hath offended Then shall there crie out against him not the bloode of Abell Genes 4. but the pretious blood of our Sauiour Iesus Christ which he shedde when he gaue scandale and offence to his neighbour And if his cause must be adiudged accordinge to the lawe that saieth Eie for eie Exod. 21. tooth for tooth and wounde for wounde what shall he looke for that by his euill counsell or lewde example hath bene the occasion of the losse of a Christian sowle if he be iudged by that lawe O how bitter shall the remembrance of the delightes and pleasures past be at that time vnto him which at other times seemed so sweete Vndowtedly the Wiseman had verie good cause to saie Prouerb 23. Looke not vpon the wine when it is redde and when it shewethe his coullour in the glasse for although at the time of drinkinge it seeme delectable yet at the ende it will byte like a serpent and poison like a cockatrice O that men woulde vnderstande how true a sayinge this is that we haue here rehearsed What serpentes stinge is there that doth so prycke and and vexe a man as the dreadfull remembrance of his pleasures past shall doe at the howre of his death These are the dregges of that poisoned cuppe of the enemye Ierem. 51. These be the leauinges of the cuppe of Babilon Apoc. 14. that seemeth so gaylie gilted in outwarde apparance After this there followeth the Sacrament of Confession the blessed Sacrament of the Aultar and last of all the Sacrament of extreme Vnction How the Catholicke Churche cōforteth ād helpeth the sycke person with Sacramētes and prayers at his departure our of this worlde which is the last succour and releefe that our mother the Catholike Churche maie helpe vs withall in that troublesome time And as well herein as in the other thinges thou hast to consider what great greiffe and anguishe of mynde the sycke person shall then abide in
as it were an other hemespherie where it findeth a new heauen a newe earthe an other kinde of lyfe and an other maner of vnderstandinge and knowledge The sowle then after it is departed out of the bodie entereth into this newe region where those that by liuinge neuer entered a place full of feare and terrour and of shadowes of death But now what shall this new straunger doe in this so straunge a countrey vnlesse it be so that he hath deserued in this lyfe to haue the garde and defence of Angells for this time O my sowle saieth S. Bernarde what a terrible daie shal that be when thou shalt enter all alone into that vnknowen region where those hellishe monsters that are so horrible and vglie to beholde shall encounter and assault thee in the waie Who will then take thy part Who will then defende thee Who will then deliuer thee from those rampinge lions which beinge raginge madde for honger do lie there in waite to deuour thee At the hower of deathe the sowle müst rendre a particular accompte vnto almightie God of all thinges aÌ„d then it shal be iudged what shall become of her for euermore and this is termed her particular iudgemeÌ„t Math. 12.36 1. Peter 4.18 Vndoubtedlie this is a verie fearfull waie but the iudgment that shall then so solemnlie be geuen is farre more terrible Who is able to declare how strait the decision of this particular iudgement shal be How righteous the iudge How busie and solicitous the deuills our accusers How fewe intercessors on our syde What a particuler examination shal be made of euerie point of our accompte And what a longe proces shal be drawen of all our whole lyfe And as our Sauiour affirmeth we must then render an accompte of euerie idell worde Wherefore if the iust man as S. Peter saieth shal hardly be saued where shall the sinner and wicked man shewe them selues It is a thinge trulie verie worthie to be noted that whereas a man woulde thinke that those thinges that we haue most loued and for which we haue taken most paines shoulde most helpe vs in this greate distres it falleth out quite contrarie For they shall not onely not helpe vs but also be an occasion at that tyme of more paine and griefe vnto vs. 2. Reg. 14. 2. Reg. 18. The thinge that AbsoloÌ„ loued aÌ„d esteemed aboue all thinges was his goodlie heare of his head And that verie heare almightie God ordeined by his iust iudgement to be the cause of his death The thinges that we loue most in this lyfe shall make our accompte more dowtefull and be greater greife vnto vs at the hower of our deathe Now the verie same iudgement is prepared for all wicked persons at that howre that those thinges that euerie man most loued in this lyfe and for which he committed most haynous offences against almightie God the verie same thinges shall make his accompt more doutfull and be occasion of greater torment vnto him There shall our children whom we sought to enriche not passinge whether it were by right or wronge accuse vs. There shall the nawghtie harlotte for whose wanton loue we haue broken the lawes and commaundementes of almightie God pleade against vs. There shall our landes our goodes our offices our dignities our pleasures and delightes which were our idolles be our hangmen and tormente vs most cruellie There shall almightie God geue iudgement vpon all the gods of Egipt ordeyninge the matter in such sorte that those verie thinges wherein we haue put all our glorie shall at that tyme be the cause of our ruine Now if the seueritie of the dreadfull sentence of almightie God be answerable to our sinnes who shal be able to abyde it One of those auncient holie fathers that liued in the wildernes was wont to saie that of thre thinges he liued continually in greate feare The first was when his sowle shoulde departe out of his bodie The seconde when it shoulde be presented before the iudgment seat of almightie God The thirde when the sentence of his cause should be geuen and pronounced But now which is most terrible of all what if almightie God shall geue this most terrible sentence ageinst thee that thou shalt be damned for euer and euer to the horrible tormentes of hell fier there to continewe infinite millions of yeares and worlde without ende In what a terrible strait shalt thou then be What sorowe What greife What anguishe shalt thou then feele Againe what ioye and triumphes will the deuills thyne enemies make at that tyme Then shall that sentence of the Prophet be fulfilled sayeinge Ierem. Lam. 2. vers 16. All thine enemies shall open their mouthes vpon thee they shall laughe thee to scorne and gnashe their teath at thee and saie we will deuour him this is the daie we haue so longe loked for we haue found him we haue espied him But thou ô sweite Iesus Psalm 12. Illuminat the eies of my sowle I beseeche thee that I steipe not in death that myne enemie maie neuer saie I haue preuailed against him Amen THVRSDAIE NIGHTE OF THE GENERALL DAYE OF IVDGEMENT Oâ—â—â—â— nor â—â—â—festari Oportâ—t aâ—â—e Tribunal Christi est Refâ—â—â—â—Vnusquâ—â—◠〈◊〉 Coâ—â—â—â—◠〈◊〉 gâ—ffâ—t finiâ—â—â— sinâ— inâ—â—â— sciâ—utes ingo timoteâ—â— domini hominibâ—s sundâ—â—â— 2. Corinth 5.10 Si Justiâ— vix saluabitur impius et peccâ—â—â—Vâ—â— pâ—rrâ—â—â— 1. petr 4. â—â— THIS DAIE WHEN THOV HAST MADE THE SIGNE OF the Crosse and prepared thy selfe hereunto thou hast to meditate vpon the daie of the generall iudgement that by meanes of this consideration those two principall effectes maye be stirred vp in thy sowle which euerie faithfull Christian ought to haue to wit the feare of God and the abhorringe of sinne CONSIDER first what a terrible daie that shal be Of the dreadfulnes and terrour of the generall iudgemente in which the causes of all the children of Adam shal be througlie examyned the proces of all our liues diligently perused and a generall definitiue sentence geuen what shall become of vs all for euermore That daie shall comprise in it all the daies of all the ages and times both present past and to come For vpon that daie the worlde shall reÌ„dre an accompte of all these times And then shall almightie God power out the anger and indignation which he hath gathered together in all ages How violentlie shall the maine floude of gods wrathe and indignation breake out at that daie which conteineth in it so manie floudes of anger and wrathe as there haue bene sinnes committed since the beginninge of the worlde vntill that daie And therefore the Prophet had good cause to saie That daie shal be a daie of anger Soph. 1.15 a daie of calamitie and miserie a daie of obscuritie and darckenes a daie of cloudes and tempestious stormes a daie of the trompette and alarom against the stronge cities and against the highe towers Of the dreadfull signes that shall goe
the inwarde man consisteth in hauinge almightie God presente in his harte And the composition of the outwarde man consisteth in doinge all thinges in such sorte as is seemely for one that standeth alwaies in the presence of almightie God and that hath him alwaies before his eies as the iudge and witnes of his whole lyfe After these doe followe other fower vertues wherein consisteth the somme of perfection which vertues be in such wise annexed and lincked th' one to th' other that the one can not be had without the other In these vertues consisteth the somme of perfection These vertues be perfecte obedience Mortification of our owne proper will Fortitude to ouercome all maner of difficultie and labour and to haue a hatred and contempt of our selues For it is manifest that the somme of all Christian doctrine is a perfecte obedience and conformitie vnto the will of almightie God as well in all such thinges as he commaundeth we can not haue a perfecte obedience and conformitie vnto the will of God vnlesse we denye our owne will and haue a holie hatred and contempté of our selues councelleth and inspireth as in all that he ordeyneth and disposeth concerninge vs. This obedience can not be kepte vnlesse we haue a knife in our hande to cut awaie all the inordinate appetites of our sensualitie and will which doe withstande the will of almightie God But this stroke no man is able to geue vnlesse he haue great fortitude of minde to fighte with him selfe and to make mortall warre against his owne inclinations and appetites And this kinde of warre none other shal euer make but he that hath for the loue of God atteyned to haue a true and holie abhorringe and contempre of him selfe For looke where abhorringo is there doth easilie followe euill entreatinge and contempt of the thinge that is abhorred but where is nothinge but loue there doth a man very vnwillingly take the whippe in his hande to deale roughlie with that thinge which he loueth Whereby it appeareth that no one of these vertues is able to moue one steppe without the helpe and succour of the others After these doe followe immediatlie other fowre verie highe and noble vertues which be Humilitie both inwarde and outward Pouertie both of spirite and of bodie Patience in all aduersities and tribulations Purenes of intention in good workes doinge all thinge◠that we shall doe all onelie for the loue of God without mixture of anie commoditie or respecte either temporall or spirituall After these doe followe other fowre vertues which are the beginninge and ende of all perfection to witt a most firme faith of such thinges as almightie God saith and promiseth and an assured hope in him as in our trewe and louinge father in all the necessities and tribulatiōs that shall happen vnto vs a loue of almightie God which must alwaies burne in our hartes and iointly with this loue to haue a feare and reuerence of his great maiestie and iustice which must euermore accompanie all our workes And with all these vertues aboue named we must ioyne perseuerance and cōtinuance in the exercise of all these vertues the which causeth a man in a smalle time to attaine to the toppe of perfection In these foresaid vertues doth the somme of all perfection principally consist and therefore all our studie and diligence must be emploied in seekinge them by all meanes possible and espetially by praier which is the principall meane whereby all goodnes is obtayned Here I thinke good to geue this aduise that when a man shall demaunde of almightie God any of these vertues he staie him selfe therein for a time and make as it were a station in euerie one of them in cōsideringe breifly the principall motiues that maie most induce vs to the loue and exercise of such a vertue As for example How to desier of God the vertue of Charitie When we shall desire of almightie God the vertue of charitie which is the loue of God we maie saie in this wise Graunt me grace ô Lorde I beseech thee that I maie loue thee with all my harte and with all my sowle for that thou arte an infinite goodnes and excellencie that deserueth to be loued with infinite loue and besides this for that thou arte my onely benefactor my father my creator my last ende and the spouse of my sowle vnto whom all loue is due In like maner when thou shalt desire the vertue of hope thou mayst saie in this wise How to desier the vertue of Hope Geue me grace also ô Lorde I beseech thee that in all the necessities and tribulations that shall happen vnto me in this lyfe I maie trust in thee seinge thy mercie is infinite and thy promises true and the merites of thy onely begotten sonne be of infinite value which doe speake and make intercession for me After this sorte mayst thou desire the feare of God and humilitie with other vertues The forme of which petitions I thinke not meete to note here particularly in writinge For like as it is saied that that meate doth more profite the sicke man which he him selfe eateth and cheweth with his teeth than that which is geuen vnto him in drincke euen so is that prayer wonte to be more profitable which is framed by him that praieth with such wordes as the holie Ghost teacheth him than that praier which is made and compounded with other folkes wordes which oftentimes be sayed and passed verie lightly ouer without anie maner of attention or affection This last parte which is petition besides that it is verie easie to be done is also very profitable For as we saied before it is not onely an exercise of praier but also of all vertues and as it were a readinge and conference of them all wherein a man reneweth all his good purposes and desires and recordeth in his memorie the principall pointes and articles of the lawe of God which is the continuall exercise of the iust man Psal 1.2 of whom it is saide that he meditateth vpon the lawe of our Lorde both daie and nighte These fiue partes aforesaid maie be vsed in the exercise of praier albeit as we haue saide they be not all necessarie to be vsed at all times For some times all the time of prayer is spente in meditation alone or in petition Neuerthelesse I thought good to specifie here all these partes of prayer that no man might leaue of this holie exercise for wante of matter and also that at such time as deuotion fayleth which is no iust cause why we shoulde relent and withdrawe our selues from good exercises a man might haue matter whereupon to occupie him selfe duringe that time doinge on his parte somuch as lieth in him which is the thinge that almightie God requireth principallie of vs. Here is diligentlie to be noted that emonge all these fiue partes of prayer the best is when the sowle talketh with almightie God as it doth in petition
geuen vnto vs. And besides this sith the principall ende of these meditations is to obtaine some deuotion and feelinge of diuine thinges it were against reason when we haue alreadie obtained the same with some good consideration that we shoulde goe about to seike for it by an other waie Howbeit althoughe this be verie true speakinge ordinarily yet maie not a man therefore take herein so great libertie as vpon euerie occasion that is offered vnto him to be moued forthwith verie lightlie to forgoe that thinge out of his handes which he hath as it were in possession for some other thinge which he is desirous to haue vnlesse it be at such a time as he perceyueth a more certaine proffit in the one than in the other The second aduise that in our Meditation we must eschewe the superfluous speculation of our vnderstandinge and commit this busines to the exercise of the affections of our will § II. THE seconde aduise is that he labour to esche we in this exercise the superfluous speculation of the vnderstandinge and endeuour to vse this matter rather with affections and feelinges of the will than with discources and speculations of the vnderstandinge It is therefore to be noted that the vnderstandinge on the one side helpeth and on the other side it maie hinder the operation of the will to witt the loue and feelinge of diuine thinges For as it is necessarie that the vnderstandinge doe goe before the will to guide it and geue it knowledge what it ought to loue so when the speculation of the vnderstandinge is ouermuch then it hindereth this operation of the will forsomuch as it suffereth it not to haue place and time to worke And therefore like as it is saied of the poison which is put into treacle that if it be litle it is holsome and necessarie but if it be ouermuch it is hurtfull euen so likewise maie we saie after a sorte in this exercise that the seekinge to knowe God with simplicitie helpeth the will the more to loue him but the seekinge to knowe him with ouermuch speculation hindereth the will and causeth the operation thereof for that time to be the more feeble and weake And the reason hereof is for that the vertue ād power of our sowle beinge finite and streyted within certaine boundes and limittes the more it employeth her vertue and force on the one parte the lesse remaineth to be employed on the other euē like the foūtaine that rūneth throughe two pypes the more water that it dischargeth by the one pype the lesse it hath to yeilde throughe the other And after the like sorte doth the sowle principallie by the operation of the vnderstandinge by the which for that it is so noble and so excellent a power the sowle employeth and powreth out all her whole force in such wise that in a maner she worketh nothinge at all by her other powers at such tyme as the vnderstandinge is verie attente and earnestlie occupied in the vehement speculation of anie matter And therefore we finde by experience that a man maie with more facilitie preserue the affection of deuotion in anie exercise of the bodie wherein he labourethe with his handes than when he hath his vnderstandinge busely occupied and attente in the speculation of anie matter For the vnderstandinge and the will be as it were two ballances of our sowle the which are disposed in such sorte that the ascendinge of the one is the descendinge of the other and so contrariewise So that if the speculation doe increase ouermuch then the affection thereby decreaseth and if contrary wise the affection doe increase then the speculation forthwith decreaseth And this is the cause why the Patriarke Iacob was made lame of one of his feete at what time he receyued benediction Gen. 32. for whereas our sowle hath two feete wherewith to goe vnto almightie God The vnderstandinge and the wil be the two feete of our sowle whereby it goeth vnto God which be the vnderstandinge and the will it is requisite that the one foot◠be weakened to witt the vnderstandinge in his speculation if the will which is th' other foote shall enioye almightie God in the rest and quietnes of contemplation And so it is seene by experience that in case at such tyme as the sowle is enioyenge of almightie God it doe but turne a-side to seke to vnderstande or searche some poynte or matter appertayninge vnto God it loseth forthwith at the verie same instante the deuotion which it had and that souereine good thinge vanisheth then awaie frō him which before he enioyed And therefore not without good cause doth the bridegrome aduise the spowse in the Canticles sayeinge Turne awaie thyne eies from me Cant. 6.4 for they haue made me to flye Wherefore I counsaile a man in this exercise of meditation to occupie his vnderstandinge in speculatiō with as litle curiositie as is possible and to contente him selfe with a simple sighte and knowledge of diuine thinges to the intent that the vertue of his sowle recollectinge all her forces together maie employe her selfe by this affectiue parte I meane by the affections of the will in louinge and reuerencinge the cheefest goodnes to witt almightie God we must not meditate vpon diuine misteries in such wife as if we studied to preache them Whereby it appeareth that those men take not the righte trade herein that in prayer doe meditate in such wise vpon diuine misteries as if they shoulde studie to preach them the which disorderlie maner is rather to cause the Spirite to wander more abrode than to recollecte it and rather to goe out of him selfe than to kepe within himselfe And hereof it commeth that when they haue made an ende of theire exercise of praier they remayne as drie and without anie ioyce of deuotion and as easely moued to followe euerie kinde of lightnes and vanitie of the worlde as they were before their exercise For to speake the verie trueth they haue not praied but rather talked and studied which is a thinge farre diferēte from praier Such persons ought to consider that in this exercise of prayer ād meditatiō we rather come to heare than to speake For as the Prophet saieth Such as come to our Lordes feite Deuter. 33.3 shall receyue his doctrine as he receyued it that saiede Psal 84. I will hearken what our Lorde speaketh within me Wherefore I conclude that all this busines of meditation consisteth in speakinge litle In meditation we must chieflie exercise the affections of our will and in louinge much and in geuinge place to the will that it maie ioyne it selfe with all his forces vnto almightie God And we must not spurre forwardes these two powers of the sowle a-like nor walke in this waie with equall pases but a spetiall dexteritie is requisite to be vsed to stirre vp the will and to quiet the vnderstandinge that it hinder not with his curious discourses the operations of loue And
and if it seeme vnto thee that he commeth not humble thy selfe then before him and acknowledge that thou art not worthie to receiue that thinge which he geueth not vnto thee and let this content thee for that tyme that thou hast made a sacrifice of thy selfe denied thine owne will crucified thy appetite striued with the diuell and with thy felfe and done at the least what thou couldest for thyne owne parte And in case thou haue not adored our Lorde with sensible adoration accordinge to thy desire it is sufficient that thou hast adored him in spirite and in trueth accordinge as his will is to be adored Ioan. 4.23 And trust me assuredlie in this poynte that this is the most daungerous passage of all this nauigation and the place where trewe deuout persons are prooued and tried and that if thou escape well out of this daunger thou shalt haue prosperous successe in all the rest To conclude if all this notwithstandinge it seeme vnto thee that it were but time lost to perseuere in praier and to trouble and wearie thy head without anie profite in such a case I accompt it not anie inconuenience if when thou hast done what lieth in thee thou take then some deuoute booke and chaunge for that time thy prayer into readinge Howbeit with this condition that thy readinge be not passed ouer with to great hast when our harte is verie much distracted it is good then to entermingle readinge and meditation together or speide but leasurelie and with great attention and consideration vnto such thinges as thou doest reade and intermingle now and then in places conuenient praier with readinge which is a thinge both verie profitable and verie easie to be done by all kinde of persons be they neuer so rude and newly entered into this waie The sixte aduise that we must endeuour to haue a longe and profounde praier and great aboundance of deuotion § VI. AN other aduise there is not much differinge from this aforesaied nor of lesse necessitie than it which is that the seruante of God doe not content him selfe with euerie litle tast he findeth in his praier as some persones vse to doe who when they shead a fewe teares or feile a litle tendernes of harte we must seeke in praier for aboundance of deuotion perswade them selues forthwith that they haue then accomplished and performed their exercise But surelie this is not enoughe for the obteininge of that thinge which we here seeke to haue For like as a litle dewe or sprinkelinge of water is not sufficient to cause the earthe to bringe forthe fruite which doth no more but onely alaie the dust and wette the vppermost parte of the grounde but it is neidfull also to haue so great abundance of water that it maie enter into the innermost parte of the earthe and there soke and water throwghe the same euen so if we will haue our sowle to bringe forthe the fruites of vertues and good worckes it is not sufficient to haue that litle dewe and sprinkelinge of deuotion which at the turninge of the head is dried vp with the least blast of wynde or heate of sonne that cōmeth with the which the sowle maketh some outwarde apparance that it is deuout but in verie deide it is not so within but it is also requisite to haue a longe profounde praier and great deuotion which after the maner of a great showre of raine may descende and sinke downe into the bothom of the harte and there cause it to be so well watered and wasshed therewith that neither sonne nor winde I meane hereby that neither anie busines nor cares of the worlde maie be able to drie it vp nor make anie alteration therein Accordinge hereunto we reade of the blessed holie religious woman S. Clare S. Clare that she rose sometimes from prayer and meditation so wholie absorpted in contemplation vpon almightie God that she coulde not but with verie great difficultie frame her harte to deale in such busines as she was enforced to attende vnto by reason of her office This kinde of deuotion is not like vnto that which is caried awaie with the winde and dried vp with euerie aier but it is like vnto that deuotion whereof it is written in the Canticles Cant. 8.7 That manie waters shall not be able to quenche the fier of charitie neither shall the great riuers ouerflowe it In prayer it is better to haue one longe time then two shorte times And therefore we are counselled and that for verie good cause to take as longe a time for this holie exercise of prayer and meditation as we maie And suerlie it is better to haue one longe tyme for the same than two shorte tymes For if the time of prayer be shorte all is spente in setlinge the imagination and in quietinge the harte and then so soone as we haue quieted the same we rise vp forthwith from our exercise at the very time when we shoulde beginne it So that we are like vnto the Miner which in searchinge for golde geueth ouer digginge at the verie time when he findeth the vaine thereof and so loseth his former traueyll when he shoulde presentlie enioye the fruit of his labour For vndoubtedly the fruit and profite of a longe and profounde praier is wont sometimes to be so great that a man hath thereby store enoughe to spende manie daies together 3. Reg. 17. and to goe with Elias to the mounte of almightie God with the vertue and force of the foode and sustenaunce which he hath there receyued One hower and a halfe or two howers is a conueniente time for the exercise of prayer But to descende more particulerlie in limitinge this time I am of opinion that what so euer is lesse than one howre and a halfe or two howres is to shorte a tyme for praier and meditation For often times there is spente more than halfe an howre in temperinge and tuninge our instrument to witt our harte and in quietinge our imaginatiō and so all the rest of this time is litle enoughe for the enioyinge of the fruit of praier True it is I graunte that when we goe to this exercise after some other holie exercises as for example after matins or after that we haue harde or saied Masse or after some deuoute readinge Earlie in the morninge before day is a verie fitte tyme for the exercise of praier and meditation or vocall praiers our harte is then better disposed vnto this exercise For then this heauenlie fier of deuotion is enkendeled with lesse difficultie in our harte which by reason of the former holie exercise is verie apte like drie wood to take fier muche more quicklie therein Likewise earlie in the morninge before daie the tyme of our praier and meditation maie be the shorter because then our harte is much better disposed for this exercise as hereafter shal be declared Howbeit in case it be so that a man by reason
imagination shall there be tormented with such a vehement apprehension of those paines that it shall not be able to thinke vpon any thinge els but onely vpon the paines that they suffer For if we see by experience that whē a greife is verie intensiue and sharpe we be not able thoughe we woulde to seperate our cogitation from the same because the verie greife it felfe occupieth the imagination so vehemently that it can not thinke vpō anie other thinge but onely vpon that which is the cause of our greife How much more maie we assure our selues this to be true in hell where the griefe and paine is without all cōparison much more intollerable thā all the greifes and paines of this worlde By this meane therefore shall the imagination cōtinuallie quicken and renewe the griefe and likewise the greife the imagination and so the tormente of the damned person shal be renewed and increased on euerie side These shal be the continuall meditations of them that woulde not whiles they liued calle to minde these paines So as they that woulde not thinke vpon these paines here and so by thinkinge vpon them bridle their affections in this lyfe shall suffer them there as a punnishement for their offence The memorie The memorie shall likewise tormente the damned persons when they shall there calle to remembrance their olde felicitie and prosperous state and withall the pleasures and delightes of the lyfe past for which they doe then abide such horrible tormentes There shall they playnlie perceiue how dearlie they paie for their miserable gluttonie and delicate bellye cheare and what a sharpe sawce is ordeined for their daintie sugered morsels which seemed before so sweite and delitefull vnto them Emonge all kindes of aduersities one of the greatest is as a Wise man saiethe to haue bene once in prosperitie and afterwardes to falle into miserie Now when the riche and mightie personages of this transitorie worlde doe looke backwarde and calle to minde their former prosperitie and abundance of their liues past when they see how after that abundance there succeedeth such a great barrennes and dearthe that they shall not haue so much as one onely droppe of colde water geuen vnto them when they see all their pleasures turned into paines all their delicacies into miseries all their sweite perfumes into lothsome stenches all their musicke into lamētation what torment can be so great as the verie remembrance of these thinges shal be at that tyme vnto them The pleasures of this lyfe continewe but a smalle time but the paynes of hel contynewe euerlastingelie Howbeit they shall yet haue a farre greater tormente when they shall compare the continuance of their former pleasures past with the continuance of their paines presente when they shall see how their pleasures haue endured but a moment where as their paines shall endure euerlastingly worlde without ende Now what a terrible greife and angwishe of minde shall that be vnto them when by castinge their accompte they shall perceiue that all the whole time of their lyfe was but a meere shadowe of a dreame and that for their wanton delightes and pleasures that were so quicklie at an ende they shall suffer most horrible paines and tormentes that shall neuer haue an ende Theise are the paines that the damned persons shall suffer in the memorie by callinge to minde their former prosperitie The vnderstandinge But the paines which they shall suffer in their vnderstandinge when they shall consider the euerlastinge glorie that they haue lost shal be farre greater Hereof commethe that worme that is alwaies gnawinge at their conscience which as the holie scripture doth so oftentimes threaten shall lye daie and night bytinge The worme of conscience and gnawinge and feedinge continually vpon the bowels of the damned persons And as the worme breedeth in the woodde and is alwaies eatinge the woodde wherein it was bredde euen so this worme of conscience proceedeth of synne and is euermore striuinge and settinge it selfe against the same synne whereof it was ingendered This worme of conscience is a certaine despite and raginge repentance which the damned shall haue for euer and euer when they consider what they haue lost and what good opportunitie and meanes they haue had in this lyfe not to lose it This opportunitie shall continuallye be before their eies This worme is alwaies gnawinge their bowels howbeit in vaine and it causeth them to saie euermore O what an infortunat wretche am I that had tyme and opportunitie to gaine that so blessed state which the vertuous doe enioye in the kingdome of heauen and woulde not vse the benefite thereof Alas a tyme there was when this felicitie was offered vnto me and I was exhorted and desired to receiue it yea it was franckly geuen me and I woulde not accepte it For the onelie confessinge and pronouncinge of my synnes with sorowe and contrition they had bene all forgeuen me For the onelie askinge of forgeuenes of almightie God it had bene graunted me For the onelie geuinge of a cuppe of colde water to the poore I had had lyfe euerlastinge graunted vnto me And now alas cursed caytiffe that I am I shall fast for euer now shall I weipe and waile for euer and repent me of that which I haue done for euer and all shal be vtterlie without anie fruite O how idlye and wickedlie hath my tyme passed awaie which shall neuer retourne againe What greate benefites receiued I of the worlde that mighte allure me to hazarde and lose the euerlastinge felicitie and blisse of heauen Althoughe the worlde shoulde haue geuen me all the riche offices mannors lordshippes kingdomes pleasures and delightes that it had although I might haue enioyed them so manie yeares as there be sandes in the Sea all this were nothinge in cōparison of the least paine and tormente which I now here alas doe suffer And whereas I haue not had the true fruition of anie of these thinges but onely a little shadowe of a fugitiue vayne pleasure for this must I nowe suffer euerlastinge horrible tormētes here in hel O vnhappie pleasure O cursed chaunge O infortunat howre and moment wherein I thus blynded my felfe O what a blinde bussarde haue I bene O what a miserable wretche and villaynous caytife am I O a thowsande yea a hundreth thowsande times vnhappie that haue so fondlie deceiued my selfe Cursed be he that deceiued me Cursed be he that shoulde haue corrected me and did not Cursed be my father and mother that so wantonlye brought me vp Cursed be the milke that I sucked Cursed be the bread that I did eate and the lyfe that I haue liued Cursed by my birthe and my natiuitie And cursed be all creatures that were anie helpes or meanes to bringe me to anie beinge O how happie and fortunate are they that had neuer anie beinge and they that were neuer borne Happie are the wombes that neuer conceiued and happie are the brestes that
neuer gaue sucke After this sorte shall the miserable damned wretches curse and banne all creatures and cheiflie them that were the cause of their damnation And so we read in the liues of the holie fathers of a blessed holie man that sawe by reuelation a verie deepe well full of great and horrible flames of fire and in the middest of them were the father and the sonne both of them manicled together and cursinge one an other with great furious rage and despite The father saied vnto his sonne Cursed be thou my sonne For I to leaue thee wealthie and riche became an vsurer and for vsurie am I nowe here in hell damned And the sonne saied likewise vnto his father Cursed be thou my father for that imagininge to enriche me hast bene the cause of my damnation in that thou diddest leaue me euill gotten landes and goodes and I for the wrongefull keepinge of them and not makinge dewe restitution to the righte owners am here now alas damned euerlastinglie The euill disposition of the will of the daÌ„ned againste the glorie of God and of his Sainctes Aboue all this how great shall the paines and tormentes of the malitious and euil disposed will of the damned be There shal be in the will a continuall and outragious malitious enuie against the glorie of almightie God and his electe which shal be euermore bytinge and gnawinge at their entrailes no lesse than the worme of conscience whereof we spake before Psal 111.10 Of this paine saieth the Psalme The sinner shall see and be angrie he shall gnashe with his teeth and consume And the desire of the wicked shall perishe The malice â—nd hatred of the daÌ„ned againste almightie God They shall haue also such a great abhorringe and hatred against almightie God because he deteyneth and punisheth theÌ„ in that place that like as a madde dogge stroken with a speare tourneth againe in great furie to byte and gnawe it euen so woulde the damned persons if they might possibly teare and rente almightie God in peeces because they knowe that it is he that pricketh them with his terrible speare and that it is he that striketh and tormenteth them from aboue with the dreadfull sworde of his iustice The greate obstinacie of the daÌ„ned in their wickednes They haue also a verie great obstinacie in wickednes for they are not sorie either because they are wicked or because they haue bene wicked but rather they wishe that they had bene worse And if they be sorie for their wicked lyfe it is not for anie loue they beare vnto almightie God but for the loue of them selues that so they might haue escaped these horrible tormentes if they had liued otherwise The perpetual desperation of the daÌ„ned Besides this they haue also a perpetuall desperation For they thinke so euill of almightie God and of his mercie that they haue no maner of hope therein that euer he can perdoÌ„ them and also for that they knowe for certayne that their most grieuous paines and tormentes shall neuer haue anie mitigation or ende This is the cause of their so horrible blasphemies and of their dispitefull raylinges against almightie God For as they haue no hope in him so doe they seike to be reuenged of him as much as they can with their outragious and malitious raylinge tonges Of the paine wich is tearmed by the diuins Poena damni that is the paine of losse of almightie God § III. VHO woulde thinke that after all these paines here before rehearsed there were yet more to be suffered And yet neuerthelesse it is certaine that all these paines in comparison of that which we haue now to speake of are as it were nothinge Consider then what a wounderfull payne this is like to be seinge that such horrible tormentes as we haue before mentioned maie be termed nothinge if they be compared with this tormente For all the paines that we haue hitherto spoken of appertaine for the most parte to the paine of the sense But besides all these there is yet an other paine called the paine of losse which we touched before the which without all comparison is farre greater than all the other as it maie wel appeare by this reason For paine is nothinge els but onely a priuation of some good thinge that was either had or in hope to be had Now the greater this good thinge is the greater paine and greife we haue when it is lost To loose almightie God is the greatest losse for that he is an infinite good thinge As it appeareth plainly in the losse of temporall thinges the which the greater they are in vallewe the greater is the greife that they cause Now then consideringe that almightie God is an infinite good thinge and the greatest of all good thinges it followeth necessarily that the wantinge of him shal be an infinite miserie and the greatest of all miseries Almightie God is the centre of the reasonable sowle S. Chrisostome Besides this almightie God is the center of the reasonable sowle and the place where it hath his perfect rest And thereof it commeth that the separation of the sowle from almightie God is the most grieuous and painfull separation of all that maie possibly be deuised And therfore S. Chrisostome saieth That if a thousande fiers of hell were ioyned together in one they shoulde neuer be so great a paine to the sowle as it is to the sowle to be separated in this wise for euer from almightie God It is not possible for anie man to expresse by wordes the exceydinge greatnes of this greife That seperation that is wont to happen in time of warre when the suckinge babes are taken from their mothers breastes is nothinge in comparison of the perpetuall diuision and separation which shal be from the fruition and separation which shal be from the fruition of almightie God And that thou mayst vnderstande somewhat hereof consider what a horrible kinde of death that was which certaine tyrantes caused some of the martirs to be put vnto They caused two toppes or greate boughes of two great trees to be bowed downe violentlie to the grownde and at the two endes of them they commaunded the feete of the holie Martyr that shoulde suffer death to be bounde this done they commaunded that the two bowghes shoulde sodeÌ„ly be losed with all violence that when they shoulde recoyle and mounte vp againe to their naturall places they shoulde hoyse vp the bodie on highe and so rente and teare it a sonder in the aier each one of the bowghes carienge with it that parte of the bodie that was bounde vnto it Now if this crewell separation of the partes of a mans bodie one from an other seeme so great a tormente what a torment thinke ye shall that be when the sowle shal be separated from almightie God which is not a parte but the whole of our sowle espetially seinge the separation and tormente must endure not onely