points enough both for beleefe and practise which might have averted them Prayse God for all and have confidence in him c. The Mysterie Of the Mysterie of the most Blessed Trinitie I. A Principall effect of the coming of our Saviour into this world was the declaration of the Mysterie of the most Blessed Trinitie hidden even from the Iewes though the chosen people of God and not mentioned but in very darke and hidden resemblances But our Saviour did openly proclayme it specially after his resurrection commanding his Apostles to baptize all nations in the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the Holy Ghost as three persons equall in all things and one in name that is in povver auctoritie and essence wherin we have cause to admire and adore the force of the light of the holy Ghospell by which our Saviour intending to abolish the beleefe and worship of many Gods brought in by the craft of the divel working vpon mens corrupt affections and desires established the beleefe of one true God yet so that they should beleeve in that one essence three persons equall to one another though vnder Appellations which according to our meane expression might signifie inequalitie it being impossible for vs to conceive the divinitie cleerely as it is â—ayth therfore must supply that which reason cannot comprehend and with reverence submit to what our vnderstanding cannot reach Adoring equally in three and one the Omnipotencie Eternitie infinite knowledge and goodnes and all Perfection the Immensitie the Immutabilitie the Beautie the sanctitie of God contayning all and more then we can imagin by the help or comparison of all creatures and all most perfectly and with out multiplicitie in one II. Adore the Father as the incomprehensible source of the divinitie with out beginning and of all things created in time when he thought fit to give them a beginning Adore the Sonne who being equall to the Father vouchsafed for our sakes to take vpon him our humane nature to instruct vs by word and example and by his sacred blood shed vpon the crosse to wash avvay our synns and open vs avvay to the eternall inioying of God by perseverance in his commandments Adore the Holy Ghost as the mutuall and recipâ—ocall love of the Father and Sonne the Auctour of our love tovvards God the cause of our adoption by his grace infused and by himself inhabiting in our soules the spirit of truth which leadeth vs into all truth and by his heavenly lights disperseth the clouds of darknes and facilitates our way to heaven by his heavenly vnction III. Adore all three in one one in nature one by consent one in operation Begge of him that we may be one with him by submission to him and to his blessed will one by constant fayth one by never decaying love one by operation esteeming ourselves in all our woâ—ks as instruments of his divine pâ—wre and goodnes and so disposing ourselves in thought and action that we may not differ from him in the least which he of his goodnes grant Amen The obligation which we haveto love God I. PART I. SO soone as Moyses had declared to the people of â—srael that God was one he instantly inferres the commandment of loving him Heare Israel our Lord God is one Lord. Thou shalt love thy Lord God wiâ—h thy whole hart c. And our Saviour in his answer to the lawyer tells vs it is the greâ—test and the first commandement and with reason ought we to think so and accordingly apply ourselves to love him For as we were worse then beasts if we did not love those who are beneficiall to vs much more if welove not God from whom we have absolutely all that we have The law therfore of nature doth impose this vpon vs so soone as we come into the world vpon which account S. Thomas and other divincâ— doe hold it a greate offense if so soone as we come to the vse of reason in our Childhood we doe not turne ouâ—â—arts to God with loving acknowledgment that he is ouâ— creatour and Lord. And the holy Text infinuates as much presently after the commandment saying And these words which I command thee this day shall be in thy hart and â—hoâ— shalt 〈◊〉 them thy Children to wit that they may knovv thier duty in time II. It is also the first commandment in dignitie and excellency for it hath the highest obiect that can be to wit God and the noblest way of service to wit for love not for feare of punishment oâ— hope of reward but riseth vpon consideration of his greate excellencie With in himself and greate goodnes tovvards vs. And besides it gives vs the greatest excellency that we can attayne vnto in this world and prepareth farre greater in the world to come for as by loving base things we become base and contemptible so by loving God and other things as they belong to God we become â—onoâ—rable in the â—ight of God and men and there can be no greater honour and excellency imagined then that to which those have risen who have loved God in perfection Iâ—I It was like wise first in the intention of the lavvgiveâ—s all other commands and directions and indeed all the works and wonders of God which he hath shevved vs tending finally and properly to this that in thought word and deed we should expresse our love to him for how could any thing subsist if it had not been thy will or been preserved if not called by thee Thou sparest all because they are thyne â—o Lord who lovest soules As he therfore did and doth all things out of love so is it expected from vs that all should proceed from love and further more as in the naturall love of one an other we must not only not shew aversion from the thing which our srend doth not synfully love but even observe his wayes of proceeding much more ought we to love that which God loves and commands because we love him and he loves vs for which reason the Apostle sayth The fullnes of the law is love even of our neighbour because we love him for God IV. It is the greatest command because most necessarie of all other precepts as with out which no other iâ— thoroughly avaylable or â—â—â—ly commendable Foâ— the feare of God is but an introduction to love and some way or other must be perfected into some degree of love els it will fall of the effect we desire and how many things doth the Apostle reckon which are nothing with our Charitie If I have the tongues of Angels if Prophecie if Fayth if knowledge if I give my goods to the poore if my body to the fire and have not Charitie it avayleth me nothing On the other side it doth set an inestimable price vpon the least of our actions when ever they are done for the love of God so that with out it all with it nothing is lost V.
should depend vpon our correspondence with his graces and consequently that his infinite merit should be in a manner in greate part lost by our vntovvardnes or at least hazarded which as on the one side to those who indeavour to make vse of his love it is a greate incitement to love him the more who for the fruite in a fevv would suffer and taketh from all men all occasion of despayre so on the other side by reason of our weakenes it doth necessitate vs not to presume but to live in feare for the time of our seiourne and to labour by good works to make sure our vocation and Election VVhich designe of his we must everence and lovingly submiting to his divine ordination industriate ourselves to concurr the more diligently with it and with his love tovvards vs in it III. The depth of his love appeareth in the extraordinarie vocations of some and graces extraordinarie bestovved vpon persons oftimes in which we cannot only not discover any merit but rather much demerit and desert of the contrarie of whom that saying of God and of the Apostle comes to be verifyed I will have mercy on whom I have mercy and I will shew mercy to whom I will shew it And with good reason for he is Lord of his gifts and free to give of them more or lesse to whom and when he will So that as we may admire and must reioyce and not envy when he doth bestovv them so we must not grudge when and where he doth not bestow them but attend that our eye become not naught because he is good as our Saviour himself once answered IV. O my God! give me grace so to consider this thy love that I may increase in love tovvards thee give me grace that by measuring this thy greatenes I may grovv greater in thy favour and by reaching to thy height wax higher in thy sight and by diving into the bottomles depth of thy infinite charitie sink deeper into thy love that being wholy absorpt in it I may ever find myself wholy drovvned in thee my God my love Amen The depth of the love of God II. PART I. FInally in this matter of the love of God it will be profitable to reflect with a devout personage of this age I. First that it was not possible for God to create man after a heigher modell then according to the image and similitude of God 2. It was not possible to create him for a heigher end then the cleere vision and fruition of God 3. It was not possible to give him a greater Gift then God himself and all creatures 4. It was not possible to give him a heigher or more noble imployment then to serve God and in some sort to serve himself of God to deâ—â—â—e in a manner himself and others 5. It was not possile to give him a more perfect Guide in his pilgrimage then our Saviour and the holy Ghost 6. It was not possible to feed him with more choyce sustenance then the body and blood and divinitie of our blessed Saviour 7. It was not possible to expresse a greater esteeme of man then by shedding his blood for him 8. It was not possible to give him a greater motive to abhorre synne then that God dyed to abolish it 9. It was not possible to give a greater ground never to despayre then by constituting himself his Advocate 10. It was not possibble to inable synfull man to coâ—rrespond to these and other his benefits but by giving him the merits of Christ dignified infinitely in his divine person by which we satisfie to the full for our offenses and gayne a proportion in our good works to the rewards promised II. O infinite goodnes O immense charitie O love imcomparable Where shall I find either conceptions or words or strength to expresse the least part of my greate obligation to thy love â—hat hart can love thee enough 〈◊〉 tongue prayse thee VVhat forces serve thee as thou deservest Help me yee blessed Angels and saints of heaven Assiste me all yee oreaâ—utes of my loving God O that I had so many tongues to prayse him so many harts to love him I knovv not what to say but with hart confounded and blushing countenance to offer my love and service such as it is conioyned with his because he is so pleased and begge of him that he will please himself with it and with his ovvne merits for otherwise whatever I can offer is nothing and that all creatures in whom he is most pleased will incessantly praysâ— him and glorifie him Amen The coming of the holy Ghost vpon the Apostles in firie tongues I. PART I. OVr Saviour vpon his Ascension had willed the Apostles to remayne in Hierusalem till they should be induâ—d with power from above which they observed carefully persevering together in prayer with our blessed Lady and others when behold the tenth day â—arely in the morning there was suddenly heard a sound from heaven as of a mightie wind and it filled the whole house where they were sitting and there appeâ—â—ed to them parted tongues as it were of â—ire and it sat vpon every one of them and they were all filled with the holy Ghost and began to speake with divers tongues as the holy Ghost gave them to speake Prayer and obedience and agreement together were dispositions novv as well as afterwards effects of the holy Ghost He came suddenly vpon them to teach vs perseverance in our devout imployments for we know not at what houre our Lord will come in prayer or reading or charitable action the wind was a token of dispersing the Cloudes of ignorance and deceite to which we are subiect with out the assistance of the holy Ghost and no wonder that is was a strong wind considering hovv closse the fallaciâ—s of the world doe stick vnto vs and hovv they are apt to possesse themselves of every corner of our house that is of soule and body The parted tongues as of fire signified the spirituall flame and fervour infused into thier harts and was then to manifest itself by thier tongues publikly and privately to be imployed in the prayses of our Saviour and of his law according as the holy Ghost gave to every one Begge of him every one of these his gifts and dispose thyself to receive them II. Consider that though the wind and firy tongues were figures of the inward operation yet the gift this day communicated was not only the proportionable effects wrought by the holy Ghost but the very person of the holy Ghost communicated vnto them and vs working these effects And as in the Incarnation of our Saviour the holy Ghost in person overshaddowed our blessed Lady so here he descended vpon the Apostles and the rest there gathered together though in such different measure as he thought good to communicate himself where we have cause to admire and adore the goodnes of God who would imploy his owne person in our
Crosse begge grace to profit by this Mysterie I. Consider first That so soone as sentence was given they proceeded to the Execution and at the gates of the Palace they layed a heavy Crosse vpon our Saviours shoulders to shevv to all the tovvne as he went that he was to be crucified vpon it see what a dint it made in his tender flesh hovv it strayned his backe being weake of himself and much more weakened by his nights watching his hurrying from place to place about the tovvne and the losse of so much blood and being also fasting In so much that he fell dovvne vnder it thrice in the way having a long mile to go though they tooke one by the way and compelled him to go along with him and to help him to carrie it O my soule what a sea of compassion hadst thou need to have to equall the griefe which thy Saviour felt in this passage looke and see againe and againe everie circumstance and follovv him step by step for he cannot go fâ—â—t though they hasten him and beate him on Marke the different humours of them that follovv him and them that go before him and them that compasse him round about to see the man in this case whom they had seen not long before farre othervvise attended Reflect among other things hovv thou mayest â—ase our Saviour of his burthen either by disburdening thy soule of synne or by corcuring to disburden others both of synns and afflctions orbytaking some pennance vpon thy self for satisfactioÌ„ of thyne oâ—vne and others synns and to pâ—event them or by bearing whatsoever Crosse not as it were by compulsion but willingly for his sake for it is some â—ase in sorrovv to have a companion in our sorrowes II. Consider secondly rhat wheras many people followed him and many women lamented his case he turned to them and speake in this sorte Daughteres of Hierusalem doe not weepe vpon me but weepe vpon yourselves and vpon your Children Because behold the dayes will come in which they will say blessed are the barren and the wombs which have not borne and the paps which have not given suck Then shall they begin te say to the mountayns fall vpon vs and so the hills Cover vs for if in the greenâ— wood they doe these things in the drie what shall be done Harken with what a Majestie he speakes these words and with compassion of them that little deserved it Ponder every tittle of them and see what svveetnes thou mayest gather to the benefit and instruction of thy soule out of them III. Consider thirdly That when he had gone about halfe way on his journey a devout matrone met him and taking compassion of him profered him a handkerchief to wipe of the blood and the svveate of his brovves he accepted it and wiping his face with it left the Image of his visage in the handkerchief and returned it to the woman Thou mayst easily imagin with what joy She received it and with what reverence She kept it and hovv well she thought herself payed for her charitable commiseration Such are the returnes which our Saviour makes of courtesies done to himself in his service or in his Servants he leaves the print of himself and of his love more deepely in thier harts which Surpasseth all treasures and makes vs the speedier to be in tertayned in his heavenly Court The Prayer To our Saviour offering our service to him according to the present circumstances and affections A Meditation of the Crucifying of our Saviour Preamble Having gotten a place somewhere vpon the hill as neere as thou canst to our blessed Lady and S. Ihon attend with all diligence and desire to see the end I. COnsider That our Saviour being with much difficult ie gotten vp the hill the first comfort he receives is a cup of wine mingled with Myrrhe and Gall to stint his bleeding and that he might not suddenly faint avvay he teasted it but would not drink â— it Then thy vnmercifully pulled of his clothes renevving most of his wounds and he at thier appointment layeth himself downe and spreadeth himself as well as he can vpon the Crosse to be nayled to it Here every circumstance is so full of compassion that it must be a hart of stone that doth not relent and much more greeve at the cause which are my synnes These were the GALL mingled with all his comforts and he had them too lively presented before his eyes to accept of more them a tast of the bitternes of them which is so greate that all bitternes of the vvorld is rather to be svvallovved then to svvallovv the least of synnes wittingly what then of so many II. Renevv not his wounds hy thy harshnes tovvards thy neighbouâ—s who are the living members of his mysticall body and are oft wounded sufficiently by otheâ— occafions deserving compassion see hovv willingly for God he layeth himself dovvne vpon his Crosse and imitate him But imitate not the vnmercifulnes of them that Strike the nayles into his hands and feete and so much as lyeth in them by thier obstinancie and often repeated offenseso are perpetually nayling him But nayle thyself by dayly and hourely purposes never to part from the will and appointment and commandment of God though it hath bitternes some times and a Crosse annexed III. Our Saviour being thus nayled vpon the Crosse as it lay vpon the ground with ropes and other instruments they reare it vpon one end and let it fall with a jumpe into a deepe hole where it was to stand Reflect what payne this bred to our Saviour in all his lims and at his very hart see hovv our blessed Lady weepes and is ready to faint with griefe Heare the outcryes of the people blaspheming him shaking their heads at him and saying he saved others let him save himself If he be Câ—rist if he be king of the Iewes if he be sonne of God let him now come downe and we will beleeve him This is the man that would destroy the Temple and buyld it againe in three dayes The Prayer Fixing thy eyes and thy thoughts vpon our Saviour Crucified never satisfiâ— thyself with vieâ—ving all circumstances with such acts of devotion and such devout petitions as the nature of the mysterie requires and the grace of God affords A Medation of the words which our Saviour spake vpon tho Crosse. 1. PART Preamble as in the former I. COnsider that in all this griefe and disgrace the first word which our Saviour spake vpon the Crosse was Father forgive them because they know not what they doe O endlesse mercy and meekenes He doth not crave revenge He doth not say o righteous judge but Father noâ— Revenge but forgive and forgive them whom But those that are even novv blespheming me and are not satisfied till they see me dead This is the greatest and truest triall of charitie if we love him that is contrarie to vs sayth S. Gregore II.
an inch of place or minute of time because she knovves all is too little for her ovvne expressions Importunitie and compassion will overcome her therfore settle thyself to it and say who will give me as fountayne a flood of teares that I may bowayle the Sonne of God thus slayne for my synns O cruell synne that thus killest tvvo at once me and my Saviour and as for me I am worthy of a thousand deaths and will die a thousand times before I offend againe But he what hath he deserved The Magdalen did not ceafe to kisse but I must not cease to weepe that I may wash avvay that which hath thus stayned my Saviour O blessed Magdalen have compassion on me III. Joseph of Arimathia held the riâ—ht hand and as he offered his ovvne nevv sepulchre to our Saviour for his buryal and the winding sheete and other necessaries so he poured forth his harth liberally to him offering himself to whatever future service to him or his sory that his sepulchre was not more rich and the sheete more white and costly to wrapp so greate a treasure No pretious stone could have been equall to his desert no gold or sylver enough to garnish it ô that my hart were not too hard or too base to lay thee in it whatever it is take possession of it and of all that belongs to it Thoâ— art God of my hart and my portion God for ever IV. At the left hand Nicodemus stood not having alltogeather shaken of his feares therfore he brought a mixture of myrrhe and aloes about perhaps not full a hundred pownd weight For so long as we are yet living we cannot be alltogether without feare to be cast of to the left hand and a moderate feare is profitable tovvards the buryall of our Saviour in our soules because we are earth and with the humble is his conversation Minmingle this holy feare with thy love it will serve to bind vp the spices with the body that they be not sâ—attered abroad with vayne complacencie in thy selfe or in this very actioÌ„ to the preiudice of charyty tovvards thy selfe and of thy neighbour who is an other receptacle for our Saviour V. Our blessed Lady having the sacred body in her lap had the wound of his side perpetually in her eye and her thoughts occupied in conteâ—plation hovv he was God and man immortall and yet dead extreamely deserving love and yet thus vsed Behold the teares silently trickling dovvne her cheekes some times sighing some times lifting vp her eyes and repeating our Saviours words my God my God wherfore didst thou thus forsake him father forgive them O my sonne Other motherly expressions were not wanting which she tempered with her wonted vertue and with her sonnes command Weepe not vpon me She applyed herself to the duties of his buryall and had her thoughrs vpon his resurrection c. Of the Passion of our Saviourby way of repetition I. PART I. PLace thyself in a corner of the Counsell Chamber wher Cayphas and the rest are met and first wondering with the Psalmist why they should be so fierce against a man from whom every body received so much good and they might if they would and acknovvledging that doe what they can God will at last turne thier counsels vpon themselves Qui babitaâ— in coelis irridebit cos c. Turne thou also Cayphas his verdict vpon thyself and acknovvledge thy ovvne blindnes and backvvardnes tovvards thy ovvne good Vos neseitis quicquam For wheras it is the generall document of all spirituall men and experience teacheth that every one hath some principall bad inclination or vice to which he is most prone and which dravves vs after it into many inconveniences either we doe not search after it or knovving it we doe not prosecute the rooting of it out as it were fitting Expedit vt vnus moriatur homo infectus non tota gens pereat II. Transferre thyself from thence to the Chamber where our Saviour made his last supper and reioy cing to be rather in that companie heare our Saviour foretelling his Apostles of thier weaknes in forsaking him and in being scandalized and be not presumptuous as Perer was at that time but acknovvledge rather the contrarie that though all should stand yet I have cause to feare a fall and by experience doe find many reasons for it taking myself in so many occasions not follovving him as I ought but a longe a farre of God wot even where there is no such matter of difficultie to be striven with but doe take easy denyalls for good excuses III. Beholding him washing his disciples feete begge of him that by the example and merit of this humble action he will give thee more strength and wash avvay what ever may cleave to thee offensive or disturbing his service Amplâ—us lava me ab iniquitate mea More deare lord and more for I never cease to soyle myself Fall dovvne at his feete and wash them with reares as the Magdalen and doe not cease to kisse them If thou hast any thing superfluous sayth S. Augustine give it to the poore and thou hast wipâ—d our Saviours feete To thee it is superfluous our Saviours feete have need of it If thou hast any quarell with any body give it into our Saviours hands to be washed avvay for if it be not washed thou shalt not have part with him for ever â—hou knovvest not what thou doest if thou doest not forgive thou wilt aftervvard knovv it to thy cost Lord not this only but if I were a thousand times â—hore offended I doe intirely offer iâ— into thy hands and freely doe forgive as I desire to be forgiven for I cannot answer one for a thousand that thou art able to lay against me Repitition of the mysteries of the passion of our Saviour II. PART I. VVAlking in the Garden of Gethsemanie cast thy eyes vpon our Saviours sorrovvfull hart and knocking thy breast say ô hart of myne that hast been cause of this griefe O that it were a fountaine of water breaking forth at my eyes to bevvayle the synnes which he bevvayleth sorrowfull is my soule that it is not full of sorrovves O dullnes and drovvsines Is this a time when thou beholdest thy Saviour svveating dropps of blood betrayed apprehended bound haled outraged like a rogue and a miscreant VVhere be thy resolutions to suffer prisonment and death for him VVhy doest thou not imprison thy wandering thoughts and confine them to this dolfull spectacle VVhy doest thou not die to thy desires of esteeme and case seeing him so affronted and misused II. And they brought him bound to Annas first VVhere consider that though he receive the boxe on the eare thou deservedst it and by right the fellovv might have sayed to thee Sic respondes Pontifici Is this the gratitude which thou shevvest to the Priest of the nevv Testament who shedding his ovvne blood for thee hath redeemed
her doe not touch me for I am not yet ascended to my Father not shall so soone departe but go to my brethren and say to them I ascend to my Father and you Father my God and your God He did not forbid her absolutely to touch him for it was the best respect she could doâ— to him but not to intertayne herself so long in that comfortable posture as to be a hindrance to the next good action which was to be done there will be apportunitie at another time I am not yet gone She went and told she disciples that she had seen our Lord and that these things he had spoken to her We may imagine hovv full her hart was of joy hovv ready to runne our Saviour being disappeared how she was comforted in rehearsing what had happened and that he had styled them his Brethren and called her by her name hovv she condemned or laughed at herself for taking him to be the gardiner and for not beleeving or forgetting what he had formerly sayed of his resurrection hovv she went to her brother Lazarus and to her syster Martha and gave them the good nevves as an eye witnes and what confortable discourses there passed betvvixt them concerning it Tuâ—ne thyself to him fall at his feere and remayne there till he bid thee rise and poure forth thy whole hart vnto him for he is thy Father and thy God loving and omnipotent willing and povverfull Our Saviour appeares to the women I. MArie Magdalen rann to and fro to and with the disciples and had the happines to see our Saviour as S. Mark relateth The other VVomen going forth fled from the monument for feare and trembling had invaded them and they sayed nothing to any body for they were afrayed Perhaps they rann also to the disciples but sayed nothing by the way to any body els or if not at all to any body we may reflect hovv often we fly and avoyde those things which we should rather love and imbrace hovv oft we feare where there is no cause offeare and doe not feare where there is cause Hovv silent we are in things of which we should speake and ready to speake of things which we should conceale Fly synne doâ— not fly the thought or memorie of death feare to offend and thou shalt not need to feare the later account The slothfull sayth there is lion abroad I shall be slayne in the midst of the streetes II. When they had delivered thier message and perhaps met with other women of their acquaintance and told them what had happened they were returning to the monument though not so fast as the Magdalen and behold Iesus meets them saying Hayle and they came neere and tooke hold of his feete and adored him If he had not spoken first to them he might have passed by vnknovven but he would revvard the good desires of seeing him or any thing belonging to him which himself had kindled in them for no man knovves Iesus vnlesse he be first saluted by Iesus from whom is all salvation It is our part to make vse of his favours and coâ—â—e neere Hovv oft doe we rather breake of first and turne to other thoughts we touch but doe not take hold of his feete Approch to God and he will approch to you III. Then Iesus sayed to them feare not go tell my brethren that they go into Galilee there they shall see me A happy houre when Iesus shall bid vs not feare In this life we cannot be absolutely without it O happy day when it shall be not only alayed with love but wholy turned into love and ioy in the meane time we must exhort ourselves and others to passe thither in thought and expectation and leese the sight of him here as little as we can Hold thyself by Iesus living and dying Thom à Kemp. lib. 2. c. 7. â— 2. Our Saviour appeares to the two disciples travelling I. PART I. TWo of the disciples went the same day towards Emaus and while they were reasoning of the things which had happened Iesus approching weÌ„t with theÌ„ but thier eyes were helf that they should not know him and he sayed vnto them what are these discourses which you hold with one another walking and are sad O Jesus Whether doe I wander insteed of staying for thee And what are my discourses when should think of thee How can I expect that thou shouldst approch to me I flying from thee Approch vnto God and he will approch to thee are the words of thy Apostle but thou seest my weakenes and I appeale to thy goodnes Have mercy on me because I am weake heale me o Lord because my very bones are out of order and my soule is much trobled even for this reason that my eyes are withheld from seeing thee How many things alas doe withhold me How many things doe blind me I acknovvledge thy just hand vpon me but be thou mercifull that I stay not from thee II. One of them sayed vnto him Art thou the only stranger in Ierusalem and hast not knowne of the things which have happened there these dayes To whom he sayed what things And they told him of Iesus of Nazareth who was a Prophet powerfull in worke and word in the sight of God and of all the people and how the chiefe Priests and Princes delivered him to be condemned to death and crucified him But we hoped it had been he who was to redeeme Israel and now to day is the third day since the things were done And certayne Women of ours made vs afrayd c. O Iesu Hovv patiently doest thou give earâ— to my poore discourse though full of imperfection fearing where I should not feare and doubting where I should not doubt It is a griefe and a greate confusion to me that I am so greate a stranger in those things which have happened to thee for my sake I heare them and as it were see them acted before my eyes but hovv little impression doe they make in me O my Jesus powerfull in worke and word worke thy word and will in me that I may be acceptable in thy sight and not offensive in the sight of men Thou after thou hast done and suffered all and more then was needfull to be done or suffered for me because the least of thy actionor sufferings had been abundant satisfaction and example doest aske what things As reckoning all little for the love thou bearest and what doe I III. O foolish and sâ—ow of hart to beleeve Ought not Christ to have suffered these things and so enter into his glorie This was thy ansvver and too much true in me but vpon thee what was it that could impose this necessitie of suffering but thy sole goodness t was indâ—ed an incomparable act to condescend vnto it for my greateâ— benefit and more pressing example and many rare congruties may be found in it but that it ought to be so caine from thy voluntarie acceptance
the Messias who would instruct her in all those high matters whervpon our Saviour differred her no longer but told her he was the Messias expected which she instantly proclaymed with greaâ—e ioy through the whole citty from whence she came and he was received in it with much satisfaction O powerfull word I am he who speakes with thee It is the Saviour of the world who doth thus familiarly impart himself vnto vs. Too greate a person to be put in balance with whatever thing created and his blessed presence too greate a favour that any thing should be admitted to stand in competencie with it Come and sâ—â— the man who is able to satisfy you in all your doubts and from whome you shall receive all goodnes take these things into your consideration that you may inioy the living waters which he promiseth and in which you will find eternall comforâ— V. His disciples returning from the toâ—ne with provision wondered to find him talking with the woman but 〈◊〉 more when inviting him to take his refection vpoâ— what they brought he answered that he had other meatâ— to feed on which they knew not and to take away thier â—ondering he declared himself that his food was to doâ— the will of his father and wheras it was then neere harvest time his harvest was the good of soules in all things indeavouring to rayse our thoughts from these temporall things to that which doth infinitely more import vs to wit our spirituall food and the harvest of which we arâ— to make ouâ— eternall living for which end he would remaine with vs continually vnder the shapes of bread and wine that as we cannot forget nor forgo for any thing our corporall food so we should be as mind full at leas of our spirituall food and sustenance and not neglect it or differâ—e it long for any temporall occasion whatsoever O Lord my God prevent mâ— with the sweetnes of thy blessings that I may devoutly and worthily approch to thy Sacrament stirre vp my hart towards thee and â—ake away the heavy dullnes â—hich possesseâ—h me Tho◠〈◊〉 Kemp. lib. 4. c. 4. Intertaynment of our Saviour with the penitent Magdalen I. S. Mariâ— Magdalen is set before vs as a patterne of the best love after harty repentance for our synns her teares bearing testimonie of her sorâ—ow her incessant kissing of our Saviours feete witneâ—â—ing her love and her annointing them her desire of making satisfaction to her power which three though at all times it behoveth vs to practice yet chiefly in order to the holy table of our Lord before and after receiving him wich might be the cause among others why he ordered her conveâ—sion to happen while he was sitting at board with the Pharisee whose invitation he accepted the rather because as in the Samaritan he had other food to feede on then was outwardly set before him and accordingly he wished him to take notice of what this woman was then doing to receive instruction how it had beeâ—â—itting for him to have behaved himself towards our Saviour in his receptiopn by discoverie of his errours comâ—itted in it II. The paâ—able which our Saviour vsed to the Phaâ—isee of two debters wherof one owed a greate summe of money the other a lesse and were both forgiven may serve vs for the first document and â—each vs that we are all debters to our Saviour more or lesse and that he that â—hall think himself lesse debter then another shall runne greate hazared to be grossely mistaken as we find this Pharisee was and that other who comparing himself with the Publican however in his owne eyes he thought he deserved better was found in the eyes of God to be farre behind Let every one therfore retire himself into the closet of his hart and looke over his obligations new and old he will not find them all cancelled if those for which he was eternally to lye in chaynes have been delivered vs vpon repentance and promise of amendment as to the servant that fell at his Masters feete and craved his patience let vs looke whether the obligation which we have to our Neighbour to deale by him as God hath dealt by vs be dischaâ—ged And if we fiâ—d no greate summes of this nature owing yet besides infinitâ— little debts which we dayly incurre we have the greate debt of his patient forbearance still lying vpon vs and of his more then patient love out of which he hath not been overcome with our often offenses but still favored vs with his graces in regard of all which we must prostrate ourselves with the Magdalen at our Saviours feete with teares acknowledging our Arriers More in numberâ— then the hayres of our head and poure them out largely as water confessing that all we can doe is not sufficient to discharge even this new obligation of his gracious admitting vs poore synners to his table What doth this pious condescendencie meane and this frendly invitation How shall I dare to approch who have nothing good wheron to presume Th. a Kempis lib. 4. c. 1. n. 3. III. But â—o draw so neere as we can to our discharge we must chiefly in this occasion practise acts of love which is two fold towaâ—ds God fignifyed by her incessant kisses and towards our Neighbour signifyed by the oyntment bestowed vpon our Saviours feete These two are the fullfilling of the law and in these two consisteth our Plenarie Indulgence and remissâ—â—â— for having received â—bsolution of all greate offenses which we could remember in the Sacrament of confession in this are forgiven more fully those which we could not remember and what other veniall synns we may have committed since confession being sory for them with purpose â—o amend and by acts of love and true contrition which are proper to this Sacrament of love much of the payne due to synne is â—eleased and the more the more we love as our Saviour sayed in conclusion of this blessed saint Many syns are forgiven her because she loved much he that finds lesse forgiven him it is signe he loved lesse And of that love which we owe our Neighbour the holy Ghost telleth vs that almes giving or works of mercy deliver from all synne and from death and will not suffer a soule to goe into darkenâ—sse Lord what is my confidence in this life or what greater comfort among all things vnder heaven is it not thou my Lord God IV. The Magdalen vnderstood her vnworthynes yet did not forbeare to approch to our Saviour but knowing the greatenes of her disease she came with humilitie to the Physitian whom she found able and willing to cure her she placed herself behind 〈◊〉 his feete shame commanding her to be bashfull love drawing her on to a reverent confidence she began with teares but never ceased to kisse his feete for whoever hath least cause to weepe hath most cause to love his synns being either forgiven him or prevented She considered what
darken him but to teÌ„per his shining if thou follow the visible sunne it forsaketh thee at the setting if thou doest not forsake God his light will never set to thee The light of the old law was confined to a smalle compasse and scarce appeared out of the land of Iury the light which our Saviour brought by his sacred presence is diffused farre and neere and excludeth none that will imbrace it It is vniversall yet darkenes is not avoyded by only knowing him but by following his steps and practising the doctrine which he taught I am the light others who teach not conâ—orâ—ably to him are not to be followed as being false lights which will deceive vs and leaâ—e vs in the darke O the wicked world That chooseth rather to follow their pleasures intemperately then waite vpon this light and in the meane time they walke and little think whether The light which our Saviour bringeth leads vs to an everlasting light and life and the very dignitie of the leader might justly intice vs to follow him for he is God the same that anciently sayed I am he that is Inlighten me sweete Iesus with the clearenes of internall light and expell ouâ— of the habitioâ— of my hart all darkenes II. You judge according to the flesh I does not judge any man and if I doe iudge my judgement is true because I am not alone but I and he that 〈◊〉 me They saw our Saviour as he was man and did not beleeve he was God iudging therfore according to that which they saw with their carnall eyes they erred he judgeth not man according to the outside or according to human affection but as â—â—e and his heavenly Father being God knoweth all things How many to this day judge no otherwise of him then as man And even among Christians how many think his wayes none of the best or the wifest measuring them either by their owne disordered appeâ—its or by their short vnderstanding and conceits And concerning one another we must follow the directions of S. Augustine Every one that is bad doth either therfore live that he may amend or that the good may be exercised by him so long as they are such let vs not hate them for we know not whether they will allwayes be such and oftimes when thou thinkest thou haâ—est thy enimie thou haâ—est thy brother and doest not know so much The divell and hiâ— Angels are declared to vs that they are damned their asmendment is alone to be despayred of III. I go and you shall 〈…〉 I go you cannot come you are from beneath I am from above you are of this world I am not of this world Therfore I sayed you shall die in your synnâ— for if you beleeve not that I am he you shall die in your synns Our Saviour was to go out of this world by death upon the Crosse the Jewes to this day seeke him as expecting still thier Messias and die in thier synnâ— of refusing him when he was vpon earth because they will not yet belâ—eve that he was the man they expected They were of the world and from beneath still harping vpon wordly freedome and wealth and honour and did not rayse their thoughts to the heavenly things and heavenly Kingdome which he did preach to them this was the cause of their blindnes of which we must also beware least with these things beneath we fall short of the heavenly A heavy saying to a soule I go and you shall seeke me and shall die in your synne He doth not depart so vnlesse he be forced away by our obstinacie in synne yet his parting at all times is heavy though but for a time of tryall in regard of our infirmitie but if we seeke him carefully and lovingly we shall find him to our greater comfort A little when I had passed the watch I found whome my soule loveth I have found him and will not suffer him to depart Where are the bowels of Christian compassion if bewayling the body that is forsaken by the soule thou bewaylest not the soule forsakeÌ„ by its Saviour He gives sight to him that was borne blind I. â—suas passing by saw a man blind from his nativitie and his disciples asked him who hath syâ—ned this man or his parents that he should be borne blind Iesus answered neither this man synned nor his parents but that the workes of God may be manifested in him and when he had sayed he spit vpon the ground and made clay of the spiâ—â—e and spred the clay vpon his eyes and sayed to him Go waâ—â— in the poolâ— of Siloâ— he 〈◊〉 and washed 〈…〉 Iesus his passing by is never without 〈◊〉 if we attend not more to curiosiâ—ies then solâ—de vertue Out 〈◊〉 to knâ—w the reason of things with never be able to diâ—â— so deepe to vs to come to the truth vnlesse our Saviour reveale it And as here he layed clay vpon the blind mans eyes to make him see however contrarie it might seemâ— to the standers by so our spirituall eyes are more opened by humbly shutting them to humane reason and beleeving our directours then by curious questioning This is the highest and the most profitable lesson the true knowledge and contempt of thyself We are durt and ashes wherfore should we be proude We are moreover defiled with synnâ— we must wash in the poolâ— appointed by our Saviour which is the Sacrament of Confession and doe it humbly and syncerly as this blind man did and with true desire to be cured II. The Iewes were more blinded in their minds theÌ„ he had been in his corporall sight for to so evident a miracle they gave little credit Some sayed this is the man that sat begging others sayed not but hâ— is like him They bring him to the Pharisees and they asked him how he saw And certaâ—ne of them sayed This man is not of God who keepeth not the Sabboth And they say to the blind Thou what sayest thou of him And he sayed He is a Prophet And the Iewes did not beleeve of him that he had been blind and saw They called his parents and asked them They called him againe And he still affirming the truth aÌ„d pleading for ouâ— Saviour they cast him forth A passionate man doth construe good to be evill and doth easyly beleeve that which is ill A good peaceable man doth turne all to good A miserable thing that some should be the more blinded the more they seeme to search after the truâ—h So long as they did looke that he would have denyed himself to have been blind they thought him worthy to be beleeved but finding him to speake the truth vndauntedly then they condemâ—e him When most of all they should have admired him III. Iesus heard that they hâ—d cast him forth and when he had found him he sayed vnto him doest thou beleeve in the Sonne of God He answered who is he that I may beleeve in him
him and runneth towards vs with more spâ—â—d then we towards him and condescendeth much to our infirmitie stooping to vs while we are not able to rayse ourselves so higâ— as he deserveth and affoordeth us the loving kisse of peace how ever we deserve rather to be punished He doth not say whence comest thou wherewert thou Where is thy substance thou caryedst away Wherfore didst thou change so much glorie with so much basenes Thesâ— things he leaves to our consideration but he is all love and mercy II. And the Father sayed to his servants quickly bring forth the first stole and doe it on him and put a ring vpon his hand and shâ—es on his feete and bring the fatned calfe and kill it and let vs eate and make merry because this my Sonne was dead and is revived was lost and is found And they began to make merry The loving Father would have him clothed before he should come in sight therfore he sayth quickly and it expresseth a greate deale of willingnâ—s which is in God to see vs not only out of our nastie rags of synne but clothed with those vertues which are most pleasing to him therfore not content to put on him the first stoolâ— that is the garment which he formerly vsed he calleth for a ring to his hand to beautify his workes and shooes to his feete to strengthen his affections against the allurements of the world Yet the first stools mentioned must put vs in mind that all the time spent farre from God is lost and returning we must begin where we left and happy we if we be not cast farther back then we were when we parted In a mysticall sence The father ranne to vs in his sonne when in him he descended from heaven my Father sayth he who sent me is with me He fell vpon his neck when in Christ the whole divinitie rested vpon our flesh and he kissed him when mercy and truth have met justice and peace have kissed each other He also is the faâ—ned calfe killed for our entertaynment to the end we might not only have sufficient to sustaine vs but abundance and of the best to delight vs much more in the service of God then in our former course III. But the elder sonne was in the field and when he came and drew nigh to the house he heard musick and dauncing and he called one of the servants and asked what all that should be And he sayed to him thy brother is come and thy Father hath killed the fatned calfe because he hath received him safe and he was angrie and would not go in His father therfore going forth began to desire him But he answering sayed to his father Behold so many yeares doe I serve thee and I never transgressed thy commandment and thou didst never give me a Kid to make merry with my frends But after that this thy sonne that hath devoured his substance with whores is come thou hast killed for him the fatned calfe But he sayed to him sonne thou art allwayes with me and all my things are thyne but is behoved vs to make merry and be glad because this thy brother was dead and is revived was lost and is foâ—nd This expresseth how consider that we should doe by others as we would have done to ourselves secondly how much we value the service which we doe as if God were beholding to vs for it Thirdly how blind we are in not discovering our owne falts I never transgressed as if to envie anothers good were not to transgresse it was not thy strength but thy fathers grace which was cause of it See on the other side the goodnes of God who goeth forth and desireth even the Stubborne Sonne and learne that to synne against him is to kill thy owne soule which is much more to be abhorred then the losse of our life The vnfaithfull Bayly I. HE sayed also to his disciples There was a rich man that had a Bayly and he was ill reported of onto him as he that had wasted his goods And he called him and sayed to him what heare I this of thee Give account of thy Baylyship for now thou canst no more be bayly Our Saviour Christ as God is the only powerfull King of Kings and Lord of Lords rich in all things and chiefly in his mercyes to whome we must give account of every thing for we are â—ords neither of life nor lim not thought nor deed but accountable for all neither can any thing escape his knowledge Though here that which he certaynly knoweth he reckoneth as heard by report because he is not rash or hasty in condemning and will give vs leasure to repeÌ„t while the cause is as it were depeÌ„ding before him He asketh an account that we may aske pardon aÌ„d happy we if by remorse of conscience he aske it here before the time of satisfaction be expired II. And the Bayly sayed within himself what shall I doe because my Lord taketh from me the Baylyship Dig I am not able to begge am ashamed I know what I shall doe that when I shall be removed from my Baylyship they may receive me into their houses A man allwayes desires to doe well when death comes and bereaves him of the time of doing good This question he should have asked himself before what shall I doe seeing every houre and every minute my Baylyship is vpon remouing from me Be I never soe rich to the world and abound in all things for this moment of time I am most miserable if for all eternitie I shall be a begger by it If I be not here able to worke how shall I there be able to suffer the punishments of the slouthfull If I be here ashamed to confesse and begge pardon what shame shall I vndergo there where there is no pardon It is not vnknowne to vs what we ought to doe that after this life we may be saved God grant we may take warning and be wise in time that we be not removed before we have adiusted our accounts and be ready to give in our reckoning III. Therfore calling together every one of his Lords debtors he sayed to the first How much doest thou owe to my Lord He sayeth an hundred pipes of oyle and he sayed to him take thy bill and sit downe quickly write fiftie and to another how much doest thou owe He sayed an hundred quarters of wheate he sayed take thy bill and write fourescore And the Lord praysed the Bayly of iniquitie because he had done wisely for the Children of this world are wiser then the Children of light in their generation And I say unto you make unto you frends of the Mammon of iniquitie that when you fayle they may receive you into the eternrll Tabernacles The Bayly of iniquitie is here praysed not because he did iust things but because according to the practise of worldlings he shewed himself witty and at his masters
in providing such sustenance for vs of a mother and nurse in feeding vs at his owne breast of a frend iâ— comforting and assisting vs All these kindnesses require loving coâ—respondence on our part let vs â—leare ourselves of as many imperfections as ws can that we may be lesse troblesome accommodate ourselves to his will and pleasute in all things and be continually giving ourselves even to death for his sake if he so require and be sure never to be from him by any grievous offence II It is sayed in the first of kingâ— that the soule of Ionâ—thâ—s was ioyned fâ—st to the soule of David and Ionathas lovâ—d him as he owne soule and they entred aleague and Ionathas striped himself of the coate where with he was clothed and gave it to David and thee rest of his garments vnto his sword and bow and vnto his belt Such ought to be our love towards our blessed Saviour in this most blessed Sacrament not only to be able to say with S. Paul Who shall separate vs from the Charitie of Christ Tribulation or distresse or famine or nakednes or danger or persecution or the sword But we must indeavour to have so tender a love towards him that we be as it Were one soule and one body for this is the inteÌ„t of this his loving and familiar communication of himself vnto vs forâ— as melted waxe if it be poured into other waxe they are throughly mingled one with the oother so he that receiveth the blessed body and blood of our Saviour is ioyned vnto him so that Christ is to be found in him and he in Christ. He being sonne to the king of heaven striped himself of his glorie to cloth vs with glorie and gave vs the rest of his garments that is his verâ—uous life and example to imitate of what should not we strip ourselves to offer vnto him Specially our passions of Anger and splâ—nâ— and revenge so contrarie to this Sacrament of lâ—ve and lay them at his feete never to take them vp but in his defence and purely in his cause III Our everlasting happines consisteth in our ever permanent vnion with God in celestiall blesse Of this happines this blessed Sacrament is a beginning and a pledge who would not be ever greedy to inioy it Entring into the ioy of his Lord so oft as â—e could and because knowledge is the greatest sput to love who would not be ever â—â—minating and ever loving his perfections and with the Cherâ—bins and Seraphins saying Holy holy holy Thoâ— art my God my Crâ—atoâ—r my Redeemer infinite in power in Wisedomâ— in goodnes in mercyes in liberalitiâ— in patienâ—e iâ— humilitie in all things imaginable Thou art the giver of all good gifts and fountaâ—â—e of living watâ—rs the â—â—tidotâ— against all evills my strength o Lord and my refuge with thee I wâ—ll dwell because thee have I choosen possesse thou I beseech thee my hart Absorbeat quaeso 〈◊〉 meam ignita ac melliflua vis amoris â—ui vt â—more amoris tui moriar qui amorâ— amoris mei dignatus es mori Amâ—n The fift seate the seate of Compassion I. THe seate of Compassion is the Crossâ— on which he hung At the foote wherof finding the Magdalen I will first with her bewayle my synns which have been cause of so painefull and so disgracefull a death of so happy and so worthy a person O synne what can setforth thy enorâ—itie more theâ— that to get pardon for thee and to deface thee it behoved thâ— sonne of God â—o suffer No blood could wash the away but the blood of this lambe of God O stayne in grayne no mâ—decine cure thee but the sacred flesh of this immaculaâ—e body thus brused O venome intollerable Who will give to my head water and to my eyes a fountâ—ine of teâ—râ—s and I will â—eepe 〈◊〉 â—â—ment day and night the death of this King of all â—ations slaughtered for my synns a King crowned with thornes which ought every one of them to pearce my hâ—rt and puâ—ish in me the pride and sensualitiâ— of which he never was guyltie O nayles in his hands and feete You have miâ—taken the place where you should have been struck They are my hands and feetâ— which have synned this man whâ—t harme hath he done I find no cause iâ— him O God my God wherfore hâ—st thâ—â— thou forsaken him aâ— given him over to such a cruell death O death I will be thy dâ—â—th I will be thy mortall bit â— Hell For ioyning myself With his powerfull grace and by the merits of this victorious death I will synne no more and die rather a thousand death then offend him II. Sorrow full 〈◊〉 my soulâ— vnto death And what wonder For if I follow thee from the place where thou didst make thy last supper to the â—rosse I find nothing but teares or blood nothing but tants and scâ—ffs nothing but bloâ—â—s â—nd stripes â—othing bâ—t wouâ—ds and tâ—rments nothing but 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 against thee my God my Saviour my love What doth this thy Prayer signifie Father if it be possiblâ— let this Chalicepasse from â—e O bitter Chalice Which so much sweetnes as was in thee would not alay I doe not say it could not for certainly the request thou didst make was possible to be granted but thou wouldest not Thou didst offer thyself uÌ„to it becausâ— thou wouldest Yet this doth not excuse me from compassionating thee for however there was a Kind of necessitie put vpon thee O hard necessitie O that from my eyes there could trickle downe such drops of blood as then from thy whole body O drowsie head of mine Why doe I sleepe in this occasion Behold the Traytâ—ur sleepeth not What doe these clubs and sâ—aves and swords about this mild and innocent lambe He was dayly in the Temple among you what did you heare from him but good Their eares are stopped they hale him away by night they buffet him they misvse him they condemne him to dye as guiltie of what What â—ccusâ—tion bring you â—â—â—inst this man I am the mâ—lefactour I â—m â—e that haâ—h synned I have done wickedly this lambe what hath he done Let this â—and I bâ—sâ—â—ch thee be turned vpon me and vpon the house of my soule which hath harboured so many vnlawfull tumultuoâ—s and â—iotouâ— guests against the law of God and man III. Harken what a sound the lashes give which were loded vpon his tendeâ— skin perhaps for houres together behold the â—urroâ—es which they hâ—ve made in his sacred flesh and hold thy eyes from weeping if thou be so stoutâ— and thy hart from faynting if it be so hard O shame O confusion Behold the mâ—n Is this the man so cryed vp not long â—ince and now so much cryed downe as to be set behinde a murtherer and a thâ—â—fâ— and a seditioâ—s fellow O sencelesse change Take him away 〈◊〉 him away cruciâ—ie him O cry vnmercyfull Take him into thy
service however in a different way from that of our Saviour Veni Sancte Spiritus c. III. Reflect vpon the particular attributes of the holy Ghost that he is a comforter the spirit of truth the light of our harts spirituall vnction and doth not speake of himself but what he hath heard and enlarge thyself in affections towards him comformable to his properties that thou mayest be partaker of his gifts and honoured with his sacred presence Vene creator Spiritus c. The coming of the holy Ghost II. PART I. ANd there were dwelling in Hierusalem Iewes devout men of every nation that is under heaven and when this voyce was heard a multitude assembled and was astonished because every one heard them speake in his owne tongue And they were all amazed saying what meaneth this Others deriding sayed these men are full of new wine The impulsions of the holy Ghost are severall some times more gentle some times more strong Here it concerned the whole future Church of Christ and the taking away the false aspersion layed vpon him by the Iewes in his death vpon the crosse and the giving a happy rise to the Ghospell therfore it imported that a multitude should be assembled to receive the gladsome tidings and to receive it in this extraordinarie way with admiration and astonishment which should make them attentive and dispose them to imbrace the truth and yet we see a means so forcible did not worke in all the like effect by which we are admonished to have an eye over ourselves both to dispose ourselves towards the receiving of Gods graces and not to be forward to construe to the worst that which we doe not fully vnderstand or is not to our humour and to reverence things which are above our capacitie II. But Peeter standing with the eleven lifted up his voyce and spake to them these are not drunk as you suppose seeing it is the third houre of the day But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Ioel It shall be in the last dayes of my spirit I will poure out upon all flesh and every one who calleth vpon the name of our Lord shall be saved Two prerogatives of the law of grace are signified vnto vs first that it is not confined to one nation as in the law of Moyses were the promises of the Messias but to all nations of the world the benefit of saluation by Christ is proclaymed and whoever calleth vpon his name with lively sayth working by charitie shall be saved Secondly that the graces of the law of Christ are not scarce but abundant and plentifully poured forth vpon all sorts of people to enable every one to correspond with his calling in whatever state he liveth Be gratfull to God for these benefits and apply thyself diligently to make vse of them III. And hearing these things they were sory at hart and sayed to Peeter and to the rest of the Apostles what shall we doe And Peeter sayed to them doe penance and be every one of you baptized in the name of Iesus Christ for remission of your synns and yee shall receive the gift of the holy Ghost and there were baptized that day about three thousand We have reason to congratulate the Apostles these first fruits and to be thankfull to our Saviouâ— and his blessed spiriâ— that they have been propagated to our dayes with so much increase and to observe the means by which the benefit of Christ his sufferings are to be applyed to vs to wit by vse of thâ— Sacraments after baptisme and by dayly examen of what we are further to doe tovvards the fullfilling of his commandments and hovv we comply with them for so it is further sayed of the nevv converted They were persevering in the doctrinâ— of the Apostles and in the communication of breaking of bread and prayers Fruits of the holy Ghost in the first Christians I. THey were persevering in the doctrine of the Apostles VVhere we may observe the respect which they bare to thier teachers the submission of thier vnderstanding to the mysteries of â—ayth above the reach of humane wit thier constancy and peace of mind in the directions which they had received to all which they were incouraged by the miracles dayly wrought by the Apostles and by the same we have reason to this day to be confirmed in that which we beleeve as received from them II. They continued also in the communication of breaking of bread and in prayer It is a speciall fruite of the holy Ghost and a signe of his presence to have a pious affection and inclination to prayer and to the devout vse of the Sacraments and a due esteeme of them for if no man can say Lord Iesus but by the grace of the holy Ghost as the Apostle testifyeth much lesse can we continue calling devoutly vpon him but by his speciall assistance observing constantly our appointed houres and times for it and so much the more because it conduceth much to the worthy receiving of our Saviour in the blessed Sacrament and to the due interaynement of him after we have received besids the performance of that which our Saviour taught it behoveth allway to pray and not to faynt in it III. A third fruite was a greate contempt of humane things and of worldly wealth together with greate confidence in God tovvards thier reliefe and resolution to suffer for his sake who had suffered so much for vs for it is sayed of them that all that beleeved were together and had all things common thier possessions and substance they sold and divided them to all according as every one had need Not that every one was bound to doe so for S. Peeter sayed to Ananias who had made a shevv to quit all and fraudulently deayned part of his goods remayning did it not remayne to thee and being sold was it not in thy power thou hast not lyed to men but to God But the perfection of the doctrine of Christ tending to this heigh contempt of all things the better to serve him very many did imbrace that course in so much that it was apparently the fruite of the holy Ghost and the primitive spirit so to doe IV. A fourth fruite was â—nitie and peace and agreement among themselves they were dayly continuing with one accord in the Temple and breaking bread from house to house they tooke thier meate with ioy and simplicitie of hart Praysing God and having grace with all the people and our Lord increased them that should be saved dayly together So that in thier spirituall and temporall actions there was no disagreement but peace and ioy with out deceite and thier conversation was much to the glorie of God and to thier ovvne benefit and the benefit also of others who by the good example which they gave were invited and incouraged to follovv the like course and to imbrace the fayth of Christ wherin otherwise there were
ioyfully going through with them for he exhorts vs not only to patience but to ioy because our reward is to be plentifull in heaven To glorie in tribulation is not hard to him that loveth for it is to glorie in the crosse of our Lord. Other documents belonging to the Evangelicall law I. I Tell you unlesse your justice abound more then that of the Scribes and Pharisees that is then that which they reach and practise you shall not enter into the kingdome of heaven Then because Aâ—ger is a chiefe vice and passion which generally reigneth in all men he shewes how we ought to overcome it and come to the perfection of meekenes contrarie vnto it And first he sayth thus You have heard that it was sayed to them of old thou shalt not kill and who killeth is in danger of judgment But I say to you whoever is Angrie with his brother shall be in danger of judgment and whoever shall say to his brother Raca shall be in danger of a councell and whoever shall say thou foole shall be guilty of â—elâ—fire By degrees therefore of the falt as S. Gregorie tells vs the sentence doth also increase Anger without outward expression Anger with expression and clamour Anger with clamour and reproch are all of them condemned but differently punished If therfore thou offer thy gift at the Altar and there doest remember that thy brother hath ought against thee leave there thy offering and go first to be reconciled with thy brother Behold neither is sacrifice pleasing from the hand of them that are at variance II. You have heard that it was sayed an eye for an eyes and a tooth for a tooth but I say to you not to resiste evill but if one strike thee on the right cheeke turne to him also the other and to him that will take away thy coate let go also thy cloke This is a second degree of meekenes for having come so farre as not to expresse Anger neither by word nor outward signe but mastred it within ourselves we must indeavour after one iniury or hard dealing to be willing to receive another and not say I am not Angrie with him or I doe forgive him but I will doe by him as he hath done by me this being to contradicte by deed that which we seeme to say by word III. And yet to a third degree he endeavoureth to rayse vs saying you have heard that it was sayed love thy neighbour and hate thy enimie but I say to you love your eâ—imies doe good to them that hate you and pray for them that persecute you and abuse you that you may be children of your Father who is in heaven who maketh his Sunne â—ise vpon good and bad and rayneth vpon the just and vnjust for if you love them that love you what reward shall you have doe not also the Plublicans this and if you salute your brethren only what doe you more doe not also the heathens this Be you therfore perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect Many measuring the commandments of God by thier owne weakenes and not by the strength which is in saints esteeme these precepts to be impossible and say it is perfection enough not to hate our enimies but to love them is more then human nature can beare But they must know that our Saviour Christ doth not command things impossible but that which is perfect and such as David practised toward Saul and Absalon and S. Stphen the martyr who praeyd for them that stoned him and S. Paul desired to be an outcast for them that did persecute him This Iesus taught and performed saying Father pardon them for they know not what they doe The fourth application to the most Blessed Sacrament I. THe dignitie of the most Blessed Sacrament is so very greate that no puritie of hart no perfection vnder God can be thought sufficient to receive it as it deserves to be received our Saviour himself God and man giving himself to vs in it Yet he vouchsafeth graciously to come vnto vs if we be but free from mortall synne much more if we endeavour withall to free ourselves froÌ„ the inveterate passions of the mind which consume the strength aÌ„d substance of our thoughts in things either impertinent or hurtfull The woman humbly touched the hemme of our Saviours garment and was cured She had done her endeavour for twelve yeares at last our Saviour tooke compassion of her and by this one act of devotion towards him the obtayned her desire he mercyfully also accepted the excuse of the sickman at the poole that in eight and thirty yeares he had not a man to help him in Have recourse to this man who is also God He hath prepared in thy sight a table against those who troble thee VVho be those that troble thee The suggestions of the enimie thy owâ—e passions and disordered desires the pleasures and honours of the world which thou lookest after Come to this table with feare and trembling and thy trobles will be turned into comfort those things which infirme flesh esteemes will become contemptible and spirituall things be held in that repute which they deserve II. Likenes in disposition and manners doe breed familiaritie VVhat was the disposition of our Saviour while he lived here on earth Of himself he sayth learne of me because I am meeke and humble of hart And the Pâ—ophet Esay sayâ—h of him He shall not contend nor clamour neither shall any man heare his voyce in the streete the bruised reed he shall not breake and smoaking flax he shall not extinguish he practised povertie froÌ„ the beginning to the eÌ„d of his life VVho more zealous for the honour of God who more mercyfull and desirous of making peace and yet who more persecuted and reviled These be the vertues in which according to the proportion of our state of life we must indeavour to appeare clothed that we may be the more welcome to this heavenly table For as he sayth by his Prophet vpon whome shall I rest or vpon whome shall I cast my eye but vpon the meeke and humble and him that trembled at my words The dove which was let out of the Arke found not where to set her foote till the secoÌ„d time the discovered an olive tree and brought a braÌ„che to the Arke And our Saviour in his life time resorted much to mount Ovelit signifying how much desire he had of peace of quiet and that we should follow him in it III. Our Saviour finding the man whome he had â—ured at the Poole in the temple sayed vnto him behold thou hast been cured synne no more least some thing worse befall thee By which passage we learne three things â—itting to be endeavoured after receiving First we must remaine in the Temple sometime in thanksgiving for so greate a benefit Secondly we must search into the causes of our long diseâ—ses and order remedie for them and specially
beware of those synnes which we have lately confessed begging assistance to avoyde them Thirdly we must indeavouâ— to increase in the knowledge and love and respect to our Saviour For the man before â—e presented himself this second time knew him not knowing him he proclaymed that it was Iesus who had done that greate miracle vpon him O sweete and mercyfull Iesus how much reverence and thanksgiving with continuall prayse is due vnto thee for the receiving of thy blessed body the dignitie wherof no man is able to explicate The narrow way commanded I. ENter by the narrow gate for broade is the way and large is the gate which leadeth to perditâ—oâ— and many enter by it But narow is the gate and straight is the way which leadeth to life and few there be that find it Blinded by their owne worldly and carnaâ—â— desires which they choose rather to follow and because they are pleasing to sence the way they walke in seemes large and pleasant but in fine it leads them to eternall perdition and they are hardly recoverable in this world when they are once entred because it is harder to leave the wayes of the world when one hath once pleased himself in them then if he never rasted them yet we must not think that the gate aÌ„d way to life of is so narrow as to be allwayes irksome but as S. Gregorie advertizeth The way of God to beginners is narrow to those who are perfect it is broade for the narrowest gate is widened by love and when a man considers that for temporall commodâ—ties forsaken he is to receive eternall ioy he begins to love that which otherwise would afflict him II. Not every one that sayth vnto me Lord Lord shall enter into the kingdome of heaven but he that doth the will of my Father which is in heaven he shall enter into the kingdome of heaven For what kind of confession is it so to beleeve in God as not to care what he commandeth or how can we say Lord from our hart if we contemne his precepts whome we acknowledge to be our Lord and Master Our hands therfore must go with our mouth and our works according to our belâ—â—fe for otherwise there will be many that will say in the latter day Lord have we not prophecyed in thy name and in thy name cast out divells and wrought many wonderous things and then I will confesse unto them that I never knew them depart from me you that worke iniquitie III. Every one therfore that heareth these my words and doth them shall be likened to a wise man that built his house vpon a rock And the raine fell and the fluds came and the winds blew and they beate against that house and it fell not for it was built vpon a rock And every one that heareth these my words and doth them not shall be like a foolish man that built his house vpon the sand and the rayne fell and the flouds came and the wind blew and they beate against that house and it fell and the fall therof was great The Rock on which we must build is our Saviour whose only merits doe vphold vs for of outselves we can doe nothing nor pretend any thing in the sight of God towards eternall life His doctrine is the ground of our faith His life is the sampler according to which we must frame ours to the end to be accepted at the later day and to be able in the meane time to withstand al our Ghostly enimies S. Ihon Chrysostome tells vs more over that a strong resolution to go forward in Gods service is the rock on which vnder our Saviour we must build our spirituall building For the other building sayth he was easyly overâ—â—rowne not by the violence of the Temptatations for so the first also might have fallen but by reason of the weakenes of the foundation that is of our resolution Temptation is not the cause of our fall but the vnconstantie of our mind and our want of courage by which oftimes even without any temptation we come to be overthrowne for sand of itself doth yeald but a diamond resisteth the force of the hammer Our Saviour cureth the servant of the Câ—nturion I. ANd he entred Capharnaum and the servant of a certaine Centurion being sicke was ready to dye who was deare vnto him and when he had heard of Iesus he sent vnto him the Ancients of the Iewes desiriug him to come and heale his servant They being come to Iesus besought him earnestly saying he is worthy that thou shouldst doe this for him for he loveth our nation and hath buylâ— a synagog for vs and Iesus went with them The Centurion went not to our Saviour in peâ—son with the strength of faith he went vnto him an Alien by birth by faith pertayning to his household And wheras others had recourse vnto him for divers infirmities this man alone intercedeth for his servant saying within himself this is my servant and I am servant to my Creatour if I doe not take pitty of my servant how shall I expect that my my Creatour will have mercy on me II. And when he was not farre from the house the Centurion sent his frends to him saying Lord troble not thyself for I am not worthy that thou shouldst enter vnder my roofe for the which cause neiâ—her did I think myself worthy to come vnto thee but only say the word and my servant shall be cured For I also am a man subiect to authoritie having solders vnder me And I say to this go and he goeth and to another come and he cometh and to my servant doe this and he doth it Beleeving and professing that as he being in command though a subiect had his servants and soldiers obedient vnto him much more our Saviour being Lord of the whole world could coÌ„mand any creature and it would obey without resistance Be ashamed at thy stownes in doing his commands whome sunne and moone and starres earth and heaven doe obey upon his word He beleeved also that it was not necessarie that our Saviour should so much as see the sick person but that whatever disease he had it would leave him upon his command wherfore though he received him not under his roofe he had him in his harâ— so much the fuller the more humbly he did demeane himself III. And Iesus hearing this message marvelled and turning to the multitude sayed Amen I say to you neither in Israel have I found so greate faith And I say to you many shall come from the East and west and shall sit downe with Abraham and Isaac and Iacob in the Kingdome of heaven but the Children of the Kingdome shall be cast out into the exteriour darknes there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth and he sayed to the CeÌ„turion God as thou hast belâ—ved be it done unto thee and the servant was healed at the same houreâ— The Iewes certanly