great reuerence and deuotion before any attempt against his enemie his wont was to receiue the holy Eucharist Euseb. in vita Constantin By the force of this Sacrament the force of the diuell is rebated Ignatius ad Ephes. Saint Cyprian calleth this blessed Sacrament a ioyfull solemnitie Cypria de caena Dom. Of the olde Christians it was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an assembly of loue Charitie it selfe A prayer of thanksgiuing after the receiuing of the most holy Communion I Giue thee thankes O most louing Iesus Christ who hast vouchsafed to admit me a sinfull creature to the magniâ—â—cent and quickning feast of thy sacred table Thou wouldst that I shuld bee as the Arke of Couenant where thou thy selfe vouchsafest to abide Thou wouldest that in this Arke Mâ—nna should bee kept wherewith thou didst feede thy people vntill they entred into the Land of Promise Cause I beseech thee that this Manna nowe receiued wherof that was but a figure may bee preserued in my Soule that I may feele the effectual fruit of thy passion for the remission of my sinnes the merit of righteousnes and reward of euerlasting glorie Cause also that like as in the Arke the Tables of the Lawe were kept so a desire of fulfilling thy will may bee contained in my Soule Graunt that I may honour loue and obey thee that I be seperated from this loue by no allurement whatsoeuer of my ghostly enemie Tarrie with mee O blessed Iesu vntill the euening of my age and when the night of death approacheth I will not let thee goe till thou hast blessed mee and yeelded to this petition of my sobbing soule O Lord fulfill her desire neuer depart from her What blessing shal I giue vnto thee O my deere Sauiour where shall I beginne to expresse by loue and duetie towardes thee which hast sayd Behold I am with you euen vnto the end My soule desireth to be satisfied in the beholding of thy countenance euen as the Hart longeth for the fountains of water Turne thee O my soule into thy rest for the Lorde hath done well for thee hee hath shewed thee maruailous great kindnes in the land of the liuing Fâ—r this cause also shall my flesh rest in hope Blesse thou the Lord O my Soule Another forme of thanksgiuing OMnipotent most louing father I cannot giue thee thaÌ„ks worthy inogh according to the desire of my minde for the treasure of this heauenly foode which thou hast now giuen mee in this heauenlie mysterie ineffable that is to say the true bread of heaueÌ„ that euerlasting meat that aabideth for euer thy blessed Sonne our Lord and Sauior Christ Iesus in whom I haue obtained by the gift of this hâ—ly Communion a pledge of an inheritance to come Grant O Lord that I may daily profit in vertue godlines that this sacred vnion with Christ may bee of such force in me that reiecting al euill waies I may goe forward in pietie towards God instruction towards my selfe charitie towards my neighbour to thy good pleasure through the same our Lord sauior Iesus Christ Amen The Soloquie AWake O my â—oule and behold the new â—â—uor wherewith louing 〈…〉 prosecute thee Thou hast good cause to reioyce that the Lord of Maiestie vouchsafeth to come vnto thee to comfort thee Continue onely a good will for all this bountie Bee not as the nine vnthankfull Leapers who forgat their cuâ—ing Cast all thy care vpon him who careth for thee cease not to magnifie him O my soule for he that is mightie hath magnified thee and done great things for thee Thou knowest how the son of God loued thee when departing out of this world vnto the Father hee left so comfortable a remembrance and seale of all his mercyes O loue without measure returne O my soule vnto thy rest for the Lord hath blessed thee Returne vnto thy gracious Sauiour of whome thou mayst say Here will I rest here will I dwell foreuer Can it bee O Lord that thou wouldest follow man with such loue as to vnite thy selfe vnto him Reioyce O yee sonnes of Adam for no longer shall that of the Prophet be applyed against you My teares haue beene my meate day and night whilst they yet daily sayd where is nowe thy God Teares are now no longer your meare but the gladsome foode of Angels your God is with you euen vnto the end The poore do eate and are satisfied O Lord graunt mee the grace of Deuotion and thankfulnes that I may aske it instantly expect it patiently receiue it gratefully conserue it humbly vse it diligently to the glorie and honor of thy holy and blessed name Amen I desire to offer my selfe my soule and body a sacrifice vnto thee nay I offer vp all my sinnes both originall and actuall vpon the acceptable Altar of thy mercy consume them with the sacred fire of thy loue and let this offering as Abels offering be well pleasing in thy sight but to returne vnto this heauenly foode now offered Ah hard and peruerse hart of mine how canst thou continue earthly when as thou art fed with the bread of heauen When at length wilt thou become heauenlie Howe is it that thou dost remaine sensuall and alienated from the spirit which art spiritually conserued Is it because thou dost consist of earth O Iesus remember here what thou hast else wher sayd I come to send a fire and what is my desire but that it bee kindled Let it be kindled in mee that I may be carried vpward and seek the things where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God that though my body conuerse here in earth my affections may bee in heauen that from henceforth not so much I liue as thy grace may bee sayde to liue in mee The eleuenth generall Meditation to bee vsed aftâ—r the receiuing of the blessed Sacrament COnsider with what labours teares Adam after hee was cast out of Paradise did eate the bread of carefulnesse all the dayes of his life But now man receiued into the state of grace is come to feede on the bread of life it selfe 2 Consider that as the Israelites when they had eaten the Pascall Lambe were deliuered froÌ„ Pharaoes bondage made no stay in the darknes of Egipt but set forward forth with towardes the Land of Promise So after this our Passeouer wherein a mighty deliuerance from the hands of our spirituall Pharo is signified were to depart from the works of darknes to go forward without delay fâ—oÌ„ grace to grace froÌ„ vertue to vertue vntill we come to our heauenly Canaan 3 Consider how the wisemen when they had seene Christ at Bethlem and there done their humble reuereÌ„ce Math. 2.12 they returned not by ambitious and cruell Herod nor by troublesome Ierusalem but Per aliam vtam another waye So wee hauing visited Christ at our Bethlem which signifieth the house of bread and there offered our Soules and bodyes a sacrifice vnto him should returne towards our owne countrey which is
the Diuines Baptisma spiritus the Baptisme of the Spirit so doth it also happen in this spirituall Communion 3 The third howe wee reape profite by receiuing Christ into the holy desires of our Soule it may be easily vnderstood by the increase of loue While I was musing sayth the Prophet the fire kindled The eleuatioÌ„ of the mind vnto God doth take vs away from earthly affections and carrie vs vnto him on whom our desires are fixt 4 How acceptable this is vnto God wee all know hee that accepted the intention of Abraham and said vnto Salomon because this was in thine heart doth not onely accept of our good desires to embrace him in the armes of our affection hut also doth reward this desire as the deed done But we are to consider that we must not onely stay vpon the desire of our will and receiue Christ spiritually but wee must proceed farther to receiue him together both spiritually and sacramentally For it is not inough to follow Christ in our intention but wee must also receiue him in this holy mysterie wherein we shew reuerence vnto his blessed institution and that wee are become his Temple as the Apostle speaketh 1. Cor. 6. wherfore that we may be partakers of so great a blessing as is our vnion with Christ wee may not omit this speciall part of our Christian duetie which hee who will please God and proceede to the perfection of a Christian life must often vse that so hee may goe forward in all vertue and holinesse of life yea euen vnto the end That this holy Sacrament is giuen to the sicke as necessarie for the time of any visitation COnsider that amongst the effects of this heauenly Sacrament that to be cheeâ—ely numbred that it maketh those strong in induring temptations which worthily receiue it Whence it is that in times past it was giuen to men in places of visitation or danger of death that they might bee constant in the confession of Christ and able to withstand the temptations of the diuell 2 Consider that it also profiteth to attaine the health of the body seeing it is so auaileable to the saluation of the soule For if at the onely touch of Christs garment many receiued health what cannot Christ himselfe doe entring into the Soule of the sicke 3 Consider that Christ foreseeing our conflict to come ordayned this most holy Sacrament for the spirituall helpe of our soules we must think by how greater necessitie wee labour by so much this sacrament doth exercise more effectually his wholsome effects seeing it is proper vnto the Lord to helpe more readily then when greater necessity doth require 4 Consider that here the distressed either in bodie or mind may apply vnto himselfe in particular the merits of Christs passion and raise vp himselfe by a comfortable participation of this holy mysterie and say Thou hast good cause to reioyce O my Soule that the Lord of maiestie commeth vnto thee that hee may comfort thee departing this world and by thy assistant helpe against the assaults of Sathan who indeuoureth to draw thee away from the reward of life continue onely a good will for all though thou art faint and feeble though thy enemies bee many and mighty yet hauing receiued diuine strength thou shalt say I can doe all thinges in him that strengthneth me Cast all thy hope on Iesus and thou shalt neither be ouercome of theÌ„ nor put to shame thou knowest well that the body of a certaine dead man was restored to life 2. Kin. 13. by the onely touch of the body of Elizeus If the boones of a dead Prophet had so great vertue that they restored one from death to life and the theeues amazed by the miracle of the thing durst doe no euill what will not the liuing and glorious bodie of Iesus doeâ— entring into thee I doubt not but it will exercise greater might in thee seeing hee is God omnipotent and Lorde of all and the diuell shall be ouercome and confounded at his presence O holy Daniel teach mee howe I ought to giue thankes to my louing Lord who seeing me in time of neede beset with infernall Lions doth sende me food not by the Prophet Abacucke Daniel 14. or by any heauenlie Angell but himselfe commeth to bee my foode O Loue without measure CoÌ„sider O my Soule this vnspeakeable mercie thou knowest thou wast loued of him in his greatest extremities when hee departing out of this life vnto the Father did institute this holy sacrament for thy welfare Thou seest also hee loueth thee in thy extremities it remaineth that crying out with the Prophet Dauid Psal. 8. Lord what is man that thou art so mindful of him or with the Apostle Rom. 14. If I liue I liue vnto the Lord if I die I die vnto the Lord to whom bee prayse and honor for euer Amen What he ought to doe who is to communicate before hee come to the holy table of the Lord. HEE who will doe the thing which he oght coÌ„cerning this Sacrament and that which the dignitie of such a mysterie doth require must lot out a certaine space of time to himselfe wherein hee may performe those things which pertaine to the preparation thereof And that we may discourse more at large of this matter and more familiarlie with them which doe often communicate I say they shall do very well if as Moyses commanded the people that three dayes before they were to receiue the Lawe they should prepare themselues So also they should prepare themselues in three dayes that they may bee apt and disposed to receiue the Lord which bringeth a Law not of death but of life not of the letter but of the spirit not of feare but of loue The holy Scriptures do testifie that the maides of the king Assuerus Hest. 2.12 coÌ„ming only into his sight but once in sixe moneths prepared theÌ„ with oyle of mirrhe and other sixe moneths with certaine sweet odors If these did doe this that they might find fauour with an earthly man what preparation shall bee required of vâ— that wee may find fauour in the sight of the true God One of the cheefest prayses of the blessed Virgine Mary for which the Angell did commend her he shewâ—th when he sâ—ith Thou hast â—ound fauour with God and ought it to seeme a hard and troublesome thing vnto vs to do for so great glorie and dignitie that which this women hath done for such vanitie With what face I pray will wee refuse labour yea although all the powers strength of our soules bodies were to be imployâ—ed that we may come at least but into the grace fauor of God specially when wee heare that these miserable maids spent their whole life that they might come into the fauour of one mortall man But because this is an hard thing for vs to doe at least let vs prepare our selues in those three daies whereof I haue spoken doing al that which in vs lyeth But if
light and sweete that if there were not that would imagine a labour in the precept it shuld not deserue the name of a burden or yoke O my soule now thou seest to how few thinges Christ hath bound thee and how he hath giuen thee aboundance of his grace in this life by the benefit of this most holy Sacramēt in the other life eternall Onely take heed to thy self that seeing the Lord of his infinite goodnes hath giuen thee so easily this inestimable commoditie thou dost not againe relapse into destruction Consider earnestly what thou shouldst doe not to receiue so gentle a Lord which cōmeth to enrich thee with his gifts were great inhumanity very pernicious vnto thy selfe But to receiue him vnwoorthily by th◠default were meere slouthfulnesse which procureth iniurie to him and punishment vnto thy selfe Thou shalt doe well to imitate the example of the poore country man who vnderstanding that the King would rest in his house remooued al things which hee thought might offende the Kinges eyes diligentlye swept all his house and although hee could not beautifie it according to the worthinesse of such a guest yet hee did as much as hee was able to receiue him in seemely and decent manner he goeth to meete the king with all speed receiueth him with great ioy giueth him many thankes for this so great fauour If then so many things are done to an earthly King what wilt thou doe O my Soule to the King of heauen who commeth not to liue at thy cost but to impart his goods vnto thee Labour therefore in clensing and decking thy selfe hange the chamber or vpper roome of thy best deuotion with the Tapestrie of holinesse and welcome him with loue who of Loue sayth My delight is to be with the sonnes of men Prou. 8.31 A Meditation for the day we are to Communicate in IN what day you communicate as soone as you awake early in the morning thinke that the Lord doth expect you this day at his heauenly table Thinke of putting on the inward ornaments of the Soule as Faith Repentance Deuotion Charitie Humblenes of mind such like 1 Consider how Christ in his conception tooke our nature and that wee in this spirituall conception of him should expresse many diuine qualities of his nature 2 Consider you are to receiue him this day in the state of grace who shall one day receiue you in the state of glory 3 Consider that of the first eating it was sayd that day thou eatest thou shalt die but by this eating that day thou eatest thou shalt liue Ioh. 6. 4 Esteeme thy selfe vnworthy and say Sweete Iesus what loue is this thou pursuest mee withall behold Lord I prepare my self this day to receiue thee into the poore Cottage of an humble hart but alas the Wiseman Salomon himself when he had in many yeeres and by much cost built thee a Temple 1. Kin. 8. Did notwithstanding maruaile that thou the God all Maiestie wouldst vouchsafe to abide and dwell in it what shal I say who haue bestowed so little paines so small cost in preparing thee a Temple I beseech thee to turne my Soule into a house of prayer to whippe out all euill affections that it may bee rightly sayd to bee Domus tuae Thy house 4 Make one repentance with Mary Magdalen one heartie repentance for al that is past A Meditation taken out of the History of Zacheus Luke 19 2. ZAcheus desirous to see Iesus but for that hee was of a lowe stature hee could not see him for the multitude of people he went vp into a tree where Christ should passe by 2 Christ passeth by and casting his mercifull eyes on Zacheus sayd Zachee make haste to come downe for today I must abide in thine house He came down then all reioycing and receiueth him into his house thinking that hee was greatly rewarded 3 Thirdly the Iewes when they saw Christ turne into the house of a sinner they murmured which Zacheus perceiuing turning to Christ sayd Behold halfe of my goods I giue to the poore and if I haue defrauded any thing from any mā I restore foure fould But Iesus sayd vnto him Saluation is come vnto thy house The application of this Historie THat thou mayst be partaker of saluation which is offered in this sacrament it is necessary that thou be desirous to know and tast Christ which is contained in this holy mysterie And to knowe him it is necessarie first that thou lift vppe thy mind on high and consider the greatnes of God keeping in the meane while the ground vnder thy feete as Zacheus kept it when hee stood vpon the tree that is to procure that our temporal businesse bee then vnder vs and not ouer our head by distracting vs in deuotion 2 Wee must receiue our Lord not with melancholie or anguish of doubts but as Zachee did with ioy which springeth from a vehement affection towardes this holie Sacrament 3 Consider that it is not sufficient to receiue Christ into our house then to put the hand in the bosome but wee must furnish the sacred Communion with good works by releeuing the necessities of our neighbours after the example of Zacheus and hee which doth so shall heare that comfortable voyce This day saluation is come into thine house The fruit THe fruit of this Meditation shall bee to desire and ask of God an affection to this Sacrament frō which affection springeth spirituall consolation necessarie to the Communion The Soloquie O My bountifull Iesus how liberall art thou towardes him who doth desire and seeke thee Zachee was held with desire of thee but of seeing thee onely and thou not onely didst shewe thy selfe to him to be seene but also calledst him and inuitedst thy self into his hous on whome to augment thy fauour thou bestowedst Saluation Oh how well hath the Prophet sayd of thee All Nations seeking thee shall reioyce and bee gladde And let them say alwayes which loue thy sauing health The Lord bee magnified Zachee thou worthily reioycedst because thou hast him in thine house which maketh al Angels to reioyce Onely reioyce and esteem as nothing if the Iewes murmur and cal thee sinner since hee is at hand for thee which can defend and iustifie thee ioyne thy selfe to him and he will be as a buckler for thee and thou shalt also vnderstand how sweet the Lord is O my soule thou hast also cause of reioycing and peraduenture greater then Zacheus had seeing to thee also this day commeth the fountaine of all ioy and gladnes Heare what the Prophet Zacharie sayth vnto thee Reioyce O daughter Sion and be gladde O daughter Ierusalem behold thy righteous King and thy Sauiour commeth vnto thee nor commeth hee to exact a tribute or to command any task but onely for the cause of sauing thee defending thee from the rebuke of thine enemies Think not that a greater benefite shewed to Zacheus then to thee for while thou dost spiritually receiue him