this time the feare and terrour of the wicked shal be so great that as the Prophet Esaie saieth Esa 2.19 they shall seike the cliftes of stones and the hollowe places of the rockes to hide them selues therein for the great feare they shall haue of oure Lorde and of the glorie of his maiestie when he commeth to iudge the worlde To conclude this feare shal be so great Apoc. 20. that as S. Iohn saieth both the heauens and the earthe shall flye from the presence of the iudge and shall finde no place where to hide them selues Now ô ye heauens why doe ye flye awaie What haue ye done Why are ye afraide And if by the heauens be vnderstode the blessed spirites that are in heauen O ye blessed spirites that were created and confirmed in grace At the daye of generall Iudgmente euen the blessed spirites shal be afrayde to see so greate maiestie and indignation in Christe the iudge why doe ye flye awaie What haue ye done Why are ye afrayde Vndowbtedly they are not afrayde for anie daunger that is towardes themselues but they be afrayde to beholde in the iudge such a great maiestie and indignation the greatnes whereof shal be able to stryke all the heauens with terrour and admiration When the Sea is outragious and tempestious euen he that standeth safe vpon the shore is in a kinde of feare and admiration When the father goeth like a lion about his howse in punishinge his bond slaue his innocent sonne is also afraide although he knowe right well that his fathers rage is not bent against him but against the slaue Now what shall the wicked doe at this time when euen the iust shal be so greatly afrayd If the heauens flye for feare what shall the earthe doe And if those that be wholly spirite doe tremble and quake what shall they doe that haue bene wholly fleashe Esa 64. And if as the Prophet saieth the mountaines shall melt in this daie before the face of almightie God What stonie harde hartes then haue we that for all this be nothinge at all moued The holie crosse shall come before Christe the Iudge at the daye of generall iudgemente and be a witnes againste the wicked Math. 24.30 Before the Iudge there shall come that royall standarde of the crosse to be a witnes of the redemption and remedie which almightie God sent to the worlde and that the worlde woulde not receiue it And so the holie crosse shall there iustifie the cause of almightie God and leaue the wicked voide of al maner of comforte and excuse Then shall all nations of the earthe saieth our Sauiour weepe and lament and they all shall stryke and beare vpon their brestes O how great cause shall they then haue to weepe and waile They shall weepe because at that tyme they can neither doe penanceÌ„ nor flye from the iustice of almightie God nor appeale from his sentence They shall bewaile their sinnes past their shame present and the tormentes that are to come They shall bewaile their miserable happe their vnfortunat birthe and their cursed ende For these and manie other causes they shall weepe and waile verie bitterlie and as persons whollie dismayed and fettered in all partes and without all maner of comforte and remedie they shall wringe their handes and stryke theÌ„ selues vpon their brestes Our sauiour Christe the Iudge shall make a seperatioÌ„ betwene the good and the wicked Math. 25. Then shall the Iudge make a diuision betwene the euill and the good and place the goates at his left hande and the sheepe at his right hande O how happie and blessed shall those persons be that shal be though worthie to haue a place emonge those elected sheepe O Lorde I most humblie beseeche thee let me haue tribulation here in this worlde Punishe me here cutte me in peeces here burne me here so that I maie there be placed at thy right hande Then shall the generall iudgement beginne to be solemnised and the causes of each one shal be throughlie scanned and examined Accordinge as the Prophet Daniell writeth in these wordes Daniel 7.9 I stode saieth he attentiuely and I sawe certaine seates set in their places and the auncient of yeares sat downe whose garmente was white as snowe and the heare of his head like the pure wolle The throne wherein he sat was like flames of fier and the wheeles thereof like burninge fire And a riuer of raginge fire issued and came forthe from before him Thowsande thousandes were attendant to serue him and tenne hundered thousande thowsandes stode waitinge before him c. I behelde all this in the vision of the night and I sawe one comminge in the cloudes who seemed to be the sonne of man Hetherto are the wordes of the Prophet Daniell Wherevnto S. Iohn addeth and saieth Apoc. 20.12 I sawe all the dead both great and smalle standinge before this throne and there the bokes were opened and an other boke opened which is the boke of lyfe and the dead were iudged accordinge to the contentes in those bokes accordinge to their workes Beholde here deare Christian brother the measure whereby thou shalt be iudged Beholde here the taxe and prices whereby all thinges that thou doest shal be valued and esteemed and not by the fonde iudgement of the worlde which hath the false and counterfeit weightes of Canaan in their handes Osâ—â— 12. in whose ballance vertue and vice are iudged to be of smalle weight and accompte In these bokes are written all our whole lyfe and that with such care and diligence that a worde hath no soner passed thy mowth but it is foorthwith noted and set in his proper register But of what thinges trowe ye will the Iudge require an accompte of vs Of what thinges we must giue an accompte Iob. 31.4 O Lorde saieth Iob thou hast nombered all the steppes of my lyfe Certainly there shall not be somuch as one idle worde nor one onely thowghte whereof an accompte will not be required in that iudgement Yea Math. 12.36 and not onely of those thinges that we either thinke or doe but also of those that we leaue vndone of such thinges I meane as we are bownde to doe If thou saie at the daie of Iudgment ô Lorde I haue not sworne the Iudge will answere that thy sonne or thy seruant hath sworne whom thy dutie was to haue chastised and corrected And we shall geue an accompte not onely of our euill workes but also euen of our good workes with what intention and after what maner we did them Finally as S. Gregorie saieth S. Gregorie Math. 12.36 An accompte shall there be required of vs of euerie point and moment of our lyfe how and after what sorte we haue spente them Consideringe therefore that such a strait accoÌ„pte shal be required of vs how happeneth it that we that beleue this as a most certaine truthe doe neuerthelesse liue with such securitie and
this worlde And espetially remember thy kynsfolke thy companions and familiars and some of the worshipfull and famous personages of great estimation in this worlde whom death hath assaulted and snatched awaie in diuers ages and vtterlie beguyled and defeyted them of all their fonde designementes and hopes I knowe a certaine man that hath made a memoriall of all such notable personages as he hath knowen in this worlde in all kinde of estates which are now dead and sometimes he reedeth their names or calleth them to minde and in reheresall of euerie one of them he doth breifly represente before his eies the whole tragedie of their lyues the mockeries and deceites of this worlde and withall the conclusion and ende of all worldly thinges Whereby he vnderstandeth what good cause the Apostle had to saie That the figure of this worlde passeth awaie 1. Cor. 7.31 In which wordes he geueth vs to vnderstande how litle grownde and staie the affaires of this lyfe haue seinge he woulde not calle them verie thinges indeede but onely figures or shewes of thinges which haue no beinge but onely an apparance whereby also they are the more deceitefull Thirdly consider how fraile and bryckle this lyfe is and thou shalt finde Of the frayletie and brycklenes of this lyfe that there is no vessell of glasse so fraile as it is Insomuche as a lytle distemperature of the aier or of the sonne the drinkinge of a cuppe of colde water yea the verie breathe of a sicke man is able to spoyle vs of oure lyfe as we see by dailie experience of manie persones whom the least occasion of all these that we haue here reheresed hath bene able to ende their liues and that euen in the most florishinge tyme of all their age Fourthly consider how mutable and variable this lyfe is Of the mutabilitie of this lyfe and how it neuer continueth in one selfe same staie For which purpose thou must consider the great and often alterations and chaunges of our bodies which neuer continewe in one same state and disposition Consider likewise how farre greater the chaunges and mutations of our mindes are which doe euer ebbe and flowe like the Sea ād be cōtinuallie altered and tossed with diuers wyndes and surges of passions that doe disquiet and trouble vs euerie howre Fynally consider how great the mutation in the whole man is who is subiecte to all the alterations of fortune which neuer continueth in one same beinge but alwaies turneth her wheele and rowleth vp and downe from one place to another And aboue all this consider how continuall the mouinge of our life is seinge it neuer resteth daie nor night but goeth alwaies shorteninge from time to time and consumeth it selfe like as a garment doth with vse and approcheth euerie howre nearer and nearer vnto death Now by this reckenynge what els is our life but as it were a candle that is alwaies wastinge and consuminge Our lyfe wastethe awaye lyke a burninge candle and the more it bourneth and geueth light the more it consumeth and wasteth awaie What els is our life but as it were a flowre that buddeth in the morninge and fadeth awaie at noone daie and at eueninge is cleane dried vp This verie comparison maketh the Prophet in the Psalme where he saieth Psal 89. The morninge of our infancie passeth awaie like an herbe it blosommeth in the morninge and sodeinlie fadeth awaie and at eueninge it decaieth and waxeth harde and withereth awaie Fiftly consider how deceitfull our life is which peraduenture is the worst propertie it hath Of the deceytefulnes of this lyfe For by this meane it deceaueth vs in that beinge in verie deede filthy it seemeth vnto vs beawtifull and beinge but shorte euerie man thinketh his owne lyfe wil be longe and beinge so miserable as it is in deede yet it seemeth so amiable that to mainteine the same men will not sticke to ronne through all daungers trauells and losses be they neuer so great yea they will not spare to doe suche thinges for it as whereby they are assured to be damned for euer and euer in hell fier and to loose lyfe euerlastinge Sixtly consider how besides this that our lyfe is so short as hathe bene saied yet that litle time we haue to liue is also subiecte vnto diuers and sundrye miseries as well of the minde How that litle tyme we haue to lyue is also subiecte to many miseries both of bodie and mynde as of the bodie insomuche as all the same beinge dewlie considered and layed together is nothinge els but a vale of teares and a maine Sea of infinite miseries S. Ierome declareth of Zerxes that most mightie kinge who threwe downe mountaines and dryed vp the Seas that on a tyme he went vp to the toppe of a highe hill to take a vewe of his huge armie which he had gathered together of infinite nombers of people And after that he had well vewed and considered them it is said that he wepte and beinge demaunded the cause of his weepinge he answered and saied I weepe because I consider that within these hundred yeares there shall not one of all this huge Armie which I see here present before me be lefte aliue Wherevpon S. Ierome saieth these wordes O that we might saieth he ascende vp to the toppe of some towre that were so highe that we might see from thence all the whole earth vnderneath our feete From thence shouldest thou see the ruins and miseries of all the worlde Thou shouldest see nations destroied by nations and kingdoms by kingdoms Thou shouldest see some hanged and others murdered some drowned in the Sea others taken prisoners In one place thou shouldest see mariages and myrthe in an other dolefull mourninge and lamentation In one place thou shouldest see some borne into this worlde and caried to the Church to be christened in an other place thou shouldest see some others die and caried to the Church to be buried Some thou shouldest see exceadinge wealthie and flowinge in greate abundance of landes and riches and others againe in great pouertie and begginge from dore to dore To be short thou shouldest see not onelie the huge armie of Zerzes but also all the men women and children of the worlde that be now aliue within these fewe yeres to ende theire liues and not to be seene anye more in this worlde Consider also all the diseases and calamities that maie happen to mens bodies Of the diseases and calamities that happē to mens bodies and of the afflictions and cares of the mynde and withall all the afflictions and cares of the minde Consider likewise the daungers and perilles that be incident aswell to all estates as also to all the ages of men and thou shalt see verie euidentlye the manifolde miseries of this lyfe By the seinge whereof thou shalt perceaue how smalle a thinge all that is that the worlde is able to geue thee and this consideration maye cause thee more
as it were an other hemespherie where it findeth a new heauen a newe earthe an other kinde of lyfe and an other maner of vnderstandinge and knowledge The sowle then after it is departed out of the bodie entereth into this newe region where those that by liuinge neuer entered a place full of feare and terrour and of shadowes of death But now what shall this new straunger doe in this so straunge a countrey vnlesse it be so that he hath deserued in this lyfe to haue the garde and defence of Angells for this time O my sowle saieth S. Bernarde what a terrible daie shal that be when thou shalt enter all alone into that vnknowen region where those hellishe monsters that are so horrible and vglie to beholde shall encounter and assault thee in the waie Who will then take thy part Who will then defende thee Who will then deliuer thee from those rampinge lions which beinge raginge madde for honger do lie there in waite to deuour thee At the hower of deathe the sowle müst rendre a particular accompte vnto almightie God of all thinges aÌ„d then it shal be iudged what shall become of her for euermore and this is termed her particular iudgemeÌ„t Math. 12.36 1. Peter 4.18 Vndoubtedlie this is a verie fearfull waie but the iudgment that shall then so solemnlie be geuen is farre more terrible Who is able to declare how strait the decision of this particular iudgement shal be How righteous the iudge How busie and solicitous the deuills our accusers How fewe intercessors on our syde What a particuler examination shal be made of euerie point of our accompte And what a longe proces shal be drawen of all our whole lyfe And as our Sauiour affirmeth we must then render an accompte of euerie idell worde Wherefore if the iust man as S. Peter saieth shal hardly be saued where shall the sinner and wicked man shewe them selues It is a thinge trulie verie worthie to be noted that whereas a man woulde thinke that those thinges that we haue most loued and for which we haue taken most paines shoulde most helpe vs in this greate distres it falleth out quite contrarie For they shall not onely not helpe vs but also be an occasion at that tyme of more paine and griefe vnto vs. 2. Reg. 14. 2. Reg. 18. The thinge that AbsoloÌ„ loued aÌ„d esteemed aboue all thinges was his goodlie heare of his head And that verie heare almightie God ordeined by his iust iudgement to be the cause of his death The thinges that we loue most in this lyfe shall make our accompte more dowtefull and be greater greife vnto vs at the hower of our deathe Now the verie same iudgement is prepared for all wicked persons at that howre that those thinges that euerie man most loued in this lyfe and for which he committed most haynous offences against almightie God the verie same thinges shall make his accompt more doutfull and be occasion of greater torment vnto him There shall our children whom we sought to enriche not passinge whether it were by right or wronge accuse vs. There shall the nawghtie harlotte for whose wanton loue we haue broken the lawes and commaundementes of almightie God pleade against vs. There shall our landes our goodes our offices our dignities our pleasures and delightes which were our idolles be our hangmen and tormente vs most cruellie There shall almightie God geue iudgement vpon all the gods of Egipt ordeyninge the matter in such sorte that those verie thinges wherein we haue put all our glorie shall at that tyme be the cause of our ruine Now if the seueritie of the dreadfull sentence of almightie God be answerable to our sinnes who shal be able to abyde it One of those auncient holie fathers that liued in the wildernes was wont to saie that of thre thinges he liued continually in greate feare The first was when his sowle shoulde departe out of his bodie The seconde when it shoulde be presented before the iudgment seat of almightie God The thirde when the sentence of his cause should be geuen and pronounced But now which is most terrible of all what if almightie God shall geue this most terrible sentence ageinst thee that thou shalt be damned for euer and euer to the horrible tormentes of hell fier there to continewe infinite millions of yeares and worlde without ende In what a terrible strait shalt thou then be What sorowe What greife What anguishe shalt thou then feele Againe what ioye and triumphes will the deuills thyne enemies make at that tyme Then shall that sentence of the Prophet be fulfilled sayeinge Ierem. Lam. 2. vers 16. All thine enemies shall open their mouthes vpon thee they shall laughe thee to scorne and gnashe their teath at thee and saie we will deuour him this is the daie we haue so longe loked for we haue found him we haue espied him But thou ô sweite Iesus Psalm 12. Illuminat the eies of my sowle I beseeche thee that I steipe not in death that myne enemie maie neuer saie I haue preuailed against him Amen THVRSDAIE NIGHTE OF THE GENERALL DAYE OF IVDGEMENT Oâ—â—â—â— nor â—â—â—festari Oportâ—t aâ—â—e Tribunal Christi est Refâ—â—â—â—Vnusquâ—â—◠〈◊〉 Coâ—â—â—â—◠〈◊〉 gâ—ffâ—t finiâ—â—â— sinâ— inâ—â—â— sciâ—utes ingo timoteâ—â— domini hominibâ—s sundâ—â—â— 2. Corinth 5.10 Si Justiâ— vix saluabitur impius et peccâ—â—â—Vâ—â— pâ—rrâ—â—â— 1. petr 4. â—â— THIS DAIE WHEN THOV HAST MADE THE SIGNE OF the Crosse and prepared thy selfe hereunto thou hast to meditate vpon the daie of the generall iudgement that by meanes of this consideration those two principall effectes maye be stirred vp in thy sowle which euerie faithfull Christian ought to haue to wit the feare of God and the abhorringe of sinne CONSIDER first what a terrible daie that shal be Of the dreadfulnes and terrour of the generall iudgemente in which the causes of all the children of Adam shal be througlie examyned the proces of all our liues diligently perused and a generall definitiue sentence geuen what shall become of vs all for euermore That daie shall comprise in it all the daies of all the ages and times both present past and to come For vpon that daie the worlde shall reÌ„dre an accompte of all these times And then shall almightie God power out the anger and indignation which he hath gathered together in all ages How violentlie shall the maine floude of gods wrathe and indignation breake out at that daie which conteineth in it so manie floudes of anger and wrathe as there haue bene sinnes committed since the beginninge of the worlde vntill that daie And therefore the Prophet had good cause to saie That daie shal be a daie of anger Soph. 1.15 a daie of calamitie and miserie a daie of obscuritie and darckenes a daie of cloudes and tempestious stormes a daie of the trompette and alarom against the stronge cities and against the highe towers Of the dreadfull signes that shall goe
OF PRAYER AND MEDITATION WHEREIN ARE CONTEINED FOVVERTIEN DEVOVTE Meditations for the seuen daies of the weeke bothe for the morninges and eueninges And in them is treyted of the consideration of the principall holie Mysteries of our faithe WRITTEN FIRSTE IN THE SPANISHE tongue by the famous Religious father F. LEWIS de GRANADA Prouinciall of the holie order of preachers in the Prouince of Portugall Si quis vult post me venire abneget semet ipsum et tollat crucem suam quotidie et sequatur me lux 9. vers 23 Qui dicit se in ipso manere debet sicut alle ambulavit et ipse ambulare ◠Johan 2. verse 6. Imprinted at Paris by Thomas Brumeau at the signe of the Olyue Anno Domini M.D.LXXXII TO THE RIGHTE HONORABLE AND WORSHIPFVLL OF THE fower principall howses of Cowerte in London professinge the studie of the Common Lawes of oure Realme RICHARDE HOPKINS wishethe dewe cōsideration of the holye mysteries of the Christian Religion THE holye scriptures affirme in diuers places Dan. 9.11 12. Matt. 24. Marc. 13. Luc. 21. 2. Thess 2. 1. Tim. 4. 2. Tim. 3. 2. Pet. 2. Apoc. 11.12 13. that the nearer we approche towardes the comminge of Antichriste and the ende of the worlde the more perillous will the tymes be for all Christians And the perill hereof arisethe cheefelye of the greate enuye and malice of Satan who fearinge the ende of the worlde knowinge that then his tyrannous kingdome therein will haue an ende also therewith extendeth the vttermoste of his rage againste all faithfull Christians and assaulteth them dailie more and more with diuers wilie temptatiōs and terrible persecutions to procure them thereby to folowe his most wicked rebellious example that is to breake gods holie commaundements to contemne his diuine ordināces to neglecte his seruice and honoure and by pryde and rebellion to lose the image of god and embrace the image of Satan and so to be vtterlie vnapt to attaine vnto those euerlastinge heauenlie māsions of felicitie and glorie for which man was created Wherfore to the intent that all Christians might be more circumspecte and strēgthened to resiste faithfullye against all Satans wylye deceytefull temptatiōs in this our daungerous age approchinge so neare towardes the comminge of Antichriste and the ende of the worlde as by manye coniecturall signes it seemeth a holye Angell hath forewarned vs hereof verye preciselye in the revelacions of S. Ihon thunderinge out theise woordes with a greate voice Apoc. 12. vers 12. woe be to the lande and sea because the Deuill is descended vnto you hauinge a greate rage for that he knoweth he hath but a shorte tyme. And this greate rage of his is the more to be feared in this our corrupte age for that we reade also in Sainte Ihons revelations Apoc. 20. vers 3. that the Deuill shal be let lose towards the ende of the worlde for a smalle tyme. In other ages and tymes of our holye christian forefathers the deuills exceedinge greate malice and mightie power hath bene moche restrained and bownde throughe the greate vertue of the Crosse The deuill shal be let lose more and more the nearer that Antichriste approchethe and Passion of our Saviour Iesus Christe communicated then verie plentifullie vnto the Christian people generallye by their devoute frequentinge of the holie Sacramentes of the Catholike Churche which be holie vessells of grace whereby our Christian forefathers have bene greatelye strengthened to resiste faithfullye againste the moste horrible temptations of Schisme Heresie Infidelytie and Atheisme and to live generallie verie holie and austere Christian liues in the feare and service of almightie god and in dewe reuerente obediēce to the Catholike Churche But nowe whereas in this our vngratious age suche a number of horrible sectes and heresies and suche a generall corruption with pride dysobedience lyenge detraction gluttonie incontinencie infidelitie Atheisme and all kinde of dissolute wickednes doe abounde and raigne more and more in all partes of Christēdome woe bee therfore to the Lande and sea as the holye Angell hath forewarned vs because the Deuill is nowe discended and let lose towardes the ende of the worlde for a smale time hauinge a greate rage for that he Knoweth he hathe but a shorte tyme to continewe his tyrannous kingdome in this worlde And the verie cause of this so extraordinarie lettinge lose of the deuil nowe more and more towardes the comminge of Antichriste in the ende of the worlde 2. Thess 2. vers 10. 11. saincte Paule seemeth to explane in this sense that for so muche as the wicked will not receiue the trew doctrine of the Catholike Churche with charitie The Catholicke religion daylie decreasinge heresies daylie increasinge vnto worse and worse sectes is an euident argument that the diuell is more and more let lose towardes the comminge of Antichrist humilitie obediēce and thankfulnes to the ende they maye be saued therfore Almightie god letteth lose the devill nowe emonge them by permittinge him to sowe in their prowde inconstante wilfull myndes manye erronious opynions and heresies that thei maye believe in lyenge And certainlie if we will aduisedlye consider the wylie procedinges of the deuill in sowinge so manifolde Sectes and heresies in this vngratious age Note Satās wylie prociedinges in this corrupte age and the finall ende whereunto he directeth them we maie euidentelie perceaue that it is to cause all Christians nowe towardes the comminge of Antichriste to be first dissolute in their liues and after dowtefull in their faithe and then to contemne all the holie Sacramentes and other Mysteries of the Christian Religion and afterwardes hauinge by degrees remoued awaie out of their Churches all holie memories of our Saviour Christe and of his blessed Mother Apostles Martirs other of his glorious Saintes and also out of their myndes all feare of God and of his dreadefull iudgementes then they be easelye induced by him shortelie after to become harde harted and vnsensible to conceiue anie spirituall thinges and also at the laste to become Atheistes without anie conscience Religion or beliefe that there is a God And so Antichriste findinge his waie so open and readie prepared for him maie then come frielye when he will and cause himselfe to be receiued as a Messias and adored as God findinge the Christian people generallie without anye deuotion and Zeale to the seruice and honour of our Sauiour Iesus Christe and without anye beliefe that there is a God Nowe emonge all the wylie deceitfull deuises of Satan for ouerthrowinge of the Christian Religion and so to prepare the waie for Antichristes comminge there is none in my simple iudgemente of greater force and consequence than his so earnest endeuour to procure all Christians vtterlye to contemne and forgette all the holie misteries of the Christian faithe Which if he coulde possiblie compasse as he laboureth verie earnestlie therein by diuers craftie meanes in this our corrupte age
that thou dost O sweete Iesus what meaneth this so great abasinge of thy diuine maiestie O my sowle what wouldest thou haue thowght if thou haddest bene there presente and haddest seene euen almightie God himselfe kneelinge before the feete of men yea before the feete of Iudas O Cruell Iudas why doth not this so great humilitie mollifye thy stonie hart how is it that it causeth not euen thy verie bowells to burst and ryue in sunder considering this so great and wonderfull meekenes Is it possible thou traytor that thou hast conspired to betraye this most meeke and gentle lābe Is it possible that thou shouldest not feele some remorse of conscience in beholdinge this example O ye whyte and bewtifull handes how cowld ye vouchsaffe to towch such lothsome and abhominable feete O most pure and cleane handes why disdayned ye not to washe those verie feete that were all to be durted in fowle waies whiles they trauayled to shee l your bloude Beholde here o ye blessed spirites what your creator doth Come ye and beholde euen from the heauens and ye shall see euen the almightie him selfe kneelinge before the feete of men and tell me if euer he vsed the like kynde of courtesie with you O Lord I haue harde thy wordes and I was afraide I haue considered thy workes and was wholie amased O ye blessed Apostles why quake and tremble ye not at the wonderfull sight of this so great humilitie Peter what dost thou what Wilt thou condescende that this Lorde of maiestie shall washe thy feete Seint Peter when he behelde our sauiour kneeling before him woundered exceadingly yea he was altogether astonied thereat and begāne to saie in this wise What meaneth this o Lord. what wilt thou washe my feete art not thou the sonne of the liuinge God art not thou the creator of the worlde the bewtie of the heauens the paradice of the angells the redeemer of men the brightnes of the glorie of the father the fountaine of the wisedome of God which dwellest in the highest And wilt thou all this notwithstanding washe my feete what wilt thou being a Lord of so greate maiestie and glorie take such a vile and base office vpon thee wilt thou I saie thus abase thy selfe that hast laid the foundation of the earthe and bewtefied the same with so manie wonders that hast enclosed the wyde worlde within thy hand that mouest the heauens rulest the earthe diuidest the waters ordeinest the tymes disposest the causes bewtifiest the angells directest men and gouernest all thinges with thy wisedome Is it seemelie that thou shoudest washe my feete myne I saie who am but a mortall man a litle clode of earth and asshes a vessell of corruption a creature full freight with vanitie and ignorance full of infinite miseries and which exceedeth all miserie full of sinnes and yet all this notwithstandinge wilt thou o Lorde washe my feete what wilt thou beinge the Lord of all thinges abase thy selfe vnder me that am inferiour to them all verelie the highnes of thy maiestie and the profunditie of my miseries do as it were enforce me that I cannot consent to such a deede Leaue therefore o my Lord leaue I praie thee this base office for thy seruantes laie downe the towell and put on thy apparell againe and sit in thy seate and washe not my feete Beware that the heauens be not ashamed of it when they shall see how by this ceremonie thou dost set them benethe the earthe For by doing this seruyle office those verie handes into whose power the father hath committed the heauens and all other thinges should be abased vnder the feete of men Take heede that all naturall creatures be not verie much agrieued or rather in great disdaine to see them selues thus subiected vnder anie other feete then thyne Take hede also least the dawghter of kinge Sawle despise thee not 2. Reg. 6. when she shall see thee girded abowt with this towell after the maner of a seruant and saie that she will not take him for her spowse and much lesse for her God whom she seeth to attende vpon so base and vile an office Such wordes or the like spake Saint Peter as a man that had not as yet anie tast or feelinge of thinges apperteininge vnto almightie God and as one that vnderstode not what great glorie laie hidde in this worke which showed to the eie so base and vyle But our sauiour who knewe it right well and was with all desirous to leaue vnto vs for a memorie at that tyme such a wounderfull example of humilitie satisfied the simplicitie of his disciple and went forwarde afterwardes in the good worcke he had begonne The greate carefulnes of our Sauiour to make vs humble Here we haue to note with all diligence what a great and earnest care our sauiour had to make vs humble in that beinge now at the gate and entrie into his most greuons and bitter passion wherein he knewe he should geue vs such greate and wonderfull examples of humilitie as might suffice to astonishe both heauen and earth he thowght all that not enowgh but would furthermore adde this notable example also besides all the rest whereby this vertue of humilitie might the better be commended vnto vs. A commendation of the vertue of humilie O wonderfull vertue how great must thy riches be seinge thou art thus commended to vs how can thy treasures be but notoriouslie knowen seinge thou art by so manie waies set out vnto vs O humilitie that arte preached and tawght in all the whole life of our Sauiour Christ songe Luc. 1. and praised by the mouth of his owne most blessed mother O most bewtifull flower emonge vertues O diuine adamant that drawest vnto the euen the creator of all thinges Whosoeuer he be that bannisheth the awaie shal be bannished awaye from almightie God yea thowgh he be in the highest place of heauen And whosoeuer he be that embraseth thee shal be embrased of almightie God yea althowgh he be euen the greatest sinner in the world Great are thy graces and merueilous are thy effectes Thou pleasest men thou contentest the angelles thou confoundest the diuelles and byndest the handes of the creator thou art the foundation of vertues the deathe of vices the glasse of virgins and the habitation of the most blessed trinitie Who so gathereth without thee disparseth who so buildeth and not vpon thee pulleth downe And who so heapeth vertues together without thee the dust carieth them quite awaie before the face of the wynde Without thee Math. 25. the virgin is shut out of the gates of heauen Luc. 7. and with thee euen the publike sinner is receaued at the feete of Christ Embrace this vertue of humilitie O ye virgins that hereby your virginitie maie be availeable vnto you Ye that be religious persons see that you seeke earnestlie also for this vertu for without it your religion is but vaine and to no purpose And ye
Image of the glorie of the father What moued thee to vse this dispitefull kinde of most villeynous reproche vnto him Psal 44.3 who is the most bewtifull emonge all the sonnes of men How our Sauiour was led to the howse of bishoppe Caiphas But this was not the last iniurie our Sauiour suffered that night For from the howse of Annas they leade him to the howse of the Bisshoppe Caiphas whither reason woulde that thou shouldest goe with him to kepe him companie and there shalt thou see the sonne of iustice darkened with an Eclipse and that diuine countenance defiled most vnreuerentlie with spittell 1. Pet. 1.12 which the Angells desire to beholde For when our Sauiour was coniured in the name of the father to tell them what he was he answered treulie vnto their demaunde as it was meete he shoulde but those wicked men that were so vtterlie vnworthie to heare such a highe and excellēt answere beinge blinded with the brightnes of so great light assaulted him like mad dogges and disgorged vpon him all their malice and furie There each one to the vttermost of his power geuethe him buffettes and strokes There they spitte vpon that diuine face with theire diuelishe mowthes There they hoodwinke his eies and strike him on the face scoffinge and Iestinge at him sayeinge Areede A woūderfull example of humilitie and patience in our Sauiour who hath smitten thee O meruailous humilitie and patience of the sonne of almightie God O beawtie of the angells Was that a face to spit vpon Men vse commōlie when they are prouoked to spit to tourne awaie theire face towardes the fowlest corner of the howse and is there not to be fownde in all that pallace a fowler place to spit in than thy face O sweete Lorde O earthe and asshes why doest thou not humble thy selfe at this so wounderfull example How is it that there shoulde yet remayne in the worlde anie token of pryde after this so great and meruailous example of humilitie Almightie God holdeth his peace whilest he is spitted vpon and buffetted the angelles and all creatures holde theire handes and reuenge not the iniuries done vnto theire creator beholdinge him thus contemned and reuyled with most dispitefull reproche and villanie and yet thou beinge a poore seelie miserable worme turmoilest the worlde vp side downe with malicious chydinge brawlinge and fightinge in case thou be but touched in anie smalle poynte apperteyninge tō thy estimatiō Why wonderest thou ô man to see Almightie God thus beaten and euill entreated in the worlde sith the verie cause of his comminge was to cure the pryde of the worlde If the sharpenes of the medecine doe cause thee to wonder consider the greatnes of the wounde and thou shalt see that such a wounde required so sharpe a medecine as this was espetiallie consideringe that all this notwithstandinge the wounde is not yet whole Thou wonderest to see how almightie God hath humbled himselfe And I wonder to see thee for all this example so prowde and insolent in all thy talke dealinges and behauiour seinge almightie God hath so humbled himselfe to teache thee to be hūble Thou wonderest to see almightie God thus to abase himselfe vnder the dust of the earthe and I wonder to see that dust and earthe for all this aduaunceth it selfe aboue the heauens and woulde be honoured aboue almightie God himselfe How is it then that this so wonderfull example sufficeth not to subdue the pryde of the worlde The humilitie of Christ was sufficient to ouercome the harte of God to procure his fauour and to make him become gentle and mylde towardes vs. And shall it not suffice to ouercome thy harte and to make it humble and meike The angell saied to the Patriarcke Iacob Gen. 32.28 Thou shalt no more be called Iacob but Israell shal be thy name For seinge thou hast bene mightie against God how much more shalt thou be mightie against men If then the humilitie and meikenes of our Sauiour Christ preuailed against the furie and wrathe of almightie God why doth it not preuaile against our pride If it were able to pacifie and appease so mightie a hart as the hart of almightie God beinge then angrie with vs why doth it not alter and mollifie our stubborne hartes Suerly I am at my wittes ende and verie much astonished yea it passeth my reason to consider how this so great patience ouercommeth not thy anger how this passinge great abasinge aswageth not thy pride how these violent buffettes beate not downe thy presumption and how this deepe sylence emonge so manie iniuries is not of force to make thee leaue of thy quarrelinges and troublesome sewtes in lawe wherewith thou vexest and turmoylest thy neighboures about the vile mucke and transitorie pelfe of this worlde It is a meruailous great wonder to see how almightie God would by meanes of these so terrible iniuries ouerthrowe the kingdome of our pride and it is also greatlie to be meruailed at that notwithstandinge all this there remaineth yet a freshe liuelie memorie of Amelec vnder the heauens 4 Reg. 15. and that to this daie the relikes of this wicked generation doe for all that remayne and continewe Now therefore ô sweete Iesus I beseech thee to cure in me with the example of thy great humilitie the follie of my vaine arrogancie and pryde And forsomuch as the greatnes of thy woundes doe geue me playnlie to vnderstand that I haue great neede of a helper let it euidently appeare by the operation of thy grace and remedie in me that I doe now presentlie enioye the benefit of the same OF THE VEXATIONS AND TROVBLES OVR SAVIOVR SVFfered the night before his Passion and of the denyall of S. Peter § II. CONSIDER after this what troubles our sauiour suffered in that dolefull night when the souldiars that had him in custodie mocked and lawghed him to scorne as S. Luke saieth Luc. 22.63 and vsed as a mean to passe awaie the sleepines of the night to scoffe and ieste at the Lorde of maiestie Consider now ô my sowle how thy sweete spowse is set here as a marcke to receiue all the strokes and buffettes they could geue him O cruell night O vnquiet night in which thou O good Iesus tookest no rest at all neither did the souldiars repose them selues but accompted it euen a pastyme and recreation to vexe and torment thee The night was ordeined for this ende that all creatures shoulde therein take theire rest and that the senses and members that are wearied with the toyles and labours of the daie might be refresshed and relieued but these wicked men vse it now as a fit tyme to tormente all thy members and senses strykinge thy bodie afflictinge thy sowle bindinge thy handes buffettinge thy cheekes spittinge in thy face and lugginge thee by the eares that at such time as all members are wonte to take theire rest all thy members might be in great paine and
spetiall friendes can doe then vnto him besides prayinge for his sowle is to honour him with castinge a handfull of earthe vpon him And therefore the faithfull people are wont to vse this ceremonie towardes the dead that almightie God maye dispose others to doe the same vnto them whē they shal be in the like case Now what greater confession and acknowledginge of our miserie can we diuise than to see how men doe preuent before hande that they may not want after their death so smalle a benefite as this is O greidie couetousenes of the lyuinge and great pouertie of the dead Why shoulde a man desire and gape after so manie thinges for this presente lyfe beinge so shorte as it is seinge so litle will content him at the howre of his death Then the graue maker taketh the spade and pykeaxe into his hande and beginneth to tumble downe bones vpon bones and to tread downe the earth verie harde vpon him Insomuch that the fairest face in all the worlde the best trimmed and most charily kepte from wynde and sonne shall lye there and be stamped vpon by the rude graue maker who will not sticke to laie him on the face and rappe him on the sculle yea and to batter downe his eies and nose flatte to his face that they maie lye well and euen with the earth And the fyne dapperde gentleman who whiles he liued might in no wise abide the wynde to blowe vpon him no nor so much as a litle heare or moore to falle vpon his garmentes but in all hast it must be brusshed of with great curiositie here they laie and hurle vpon him a donghill of filthines and dirte And that sweete mynion gentleman also that was wont forsooth to goe perfumed with Amber and other odoriferous smelles must be contented here to lye couered all ouer with earthe and fowle crawlinge wormes and maggottes This is the ende of all the gaie braueries and of all the pompe and glorie of the worlde In this plight doe all his freindes nowe leaue him lyenge in that strait lodginge in that earthe of obliuion and in that darcke prison where he shall remaine accompanied with perpetuall solitarines vntill the generall daye of Iudgment O worlde what is become of thy glorie O yee my howses landes and riches where is your power O my wyfe my children my freindes and kinsfolke where haue ye now left me How happeneth it that yee my olde freindes and companions doe so quickly forsake me and leaue me here in the earthe thus solitarie alone How chaunceth it that the wheele of my so great prosperitie and felicitie is so quickly ouerturned and defaced They that sawe Quene Iezabell when she was by the iust iudgement of God eaten with dogges 4. Reg. 9. when they sawe that there remained nothinge els of her bewtie but onelie her sculle and the extreme partes of her feete and handes those I saie that had knowen her before in so greate flourishinge and royall estate and sawe her at that time in such a miserable plight wonderinge at that so great alteration and chaunge demaunded and saied Haeccine est illa Iezabel Is this that Iezabell 4. Reg. 9.37 And as manie as passed by that waie and behelde her thus eaten with dogges repeted the same exclamation merueylinge at so great a chaunge and saied Is this that Iezabell Is this that great Quene and Ladie of Israëll Is this she that was so mightie that she vsurped and seased the landes and goodes of her subiectes by sheedinge of their bloude Is death able to bringe the mightie and puissaunte Princes to such a base and miserable calamitie Now therefore my deare brother goe downe I praie thee with thy spirit into the graues and Sepulchers of such Princes and great noble personages as thou hast either harde of or knowen in this worlde and consider what a horrible and deformed forme of their bodies is there to be seene And thou shalt see that thou hast good cause to make the like exclamation and to vse the same wordes and saie Is this that Iezabell Is this that amiable face which I knewe so faire and liuelie Are these those eies that were so cleare and brighte to beholde Is this that pleasaunt rowlinge tongue that talked so eloquently and made such goodlie discourses Is this that fyne and neyte bodie that was so trimlie pollished and adorned Is this the ende of the maiestie of Princes scepters and roiall crownes Is this the ende of the glorie of the worlde O how often times saieth a Wise man hath it bene my chaunce to enter into the sepulchres of some dead bodies where wonderinge or rather beinge greatlie astonied at the sight that I sawe I fixed mine eies aduisedlie vpon the shape of the dead corps I sette the bones in order I ioyned the handes together and sette the lippes in their proper places and spake thus secretlie to my selfe Beholde these feete that haue trauayled such crooked pathes and waies These handes also that haue committed so manie wicked actes These eies that haue behelde so manie vanities This mouth that hath eaten and deuoured so manie delicate and superfluous meates Beholde this sculle of his head that hath built so manie vaine castels and towers in the aier This dust and filthie skinne for whose pleasure and delight he hath committed so many sinnes and wickednes and for which cause the sowle of this bodie doth and shall perhappes suffer euerlastinge horrible tormentes in hell fier This done I departed out of that place wholy astonied and amased and meitinge with certain persons both men and women yonge and olde I behelde them likewise and considered that both they and I shoulde shortelie appeare in the like vglie forme and sieme as vyle and lothsome to beholde as those dead bodies are now presentelie Wherefore what a fonde wicked wretche am I to liue in suche wise as I doe To what ende is my purchasinge ād heapinge together of lādes and riches ād my buildinge of such sumptuous howses seinge I shall shortly be here so poore and naked To what ende are my gaie braueries and gorgious ornamentes in my apparell and furniture of howsholde stuffe seinge I shall shortly be here so filthie and lothsome to beholde To what ende are my delicate disshes my sugered sawces and deyntie fare seinge I shall shortly be here meate for the wormes and maggottes of the earthe Of the waie that the sowle taketh after it is departed out of the bodie And of the dreadfull iudgment and sentence that shal be geuen vpon it at that time § VIII Note that there be two iudgemētes one is at the hower of euerie mās deathe which is called the particular iudgemente And the other is at doomesdaye which shal be the vniuersall iudgmente of all mankinde together S. Bernarde LET vs now leaue the bodie lyinge thus buried in the graue and let vs see what waie the sowle taketh throughe that newe worlde which is
farre the one exceedeth the other Now if a man to escape that tormente woulde not sticke to put him selfe to all daungers labours and paines be they neuer so great what then ought all we to doe to escape this most horrible extreme tormente of hell fyer Consider also what a terrible kinde of tormente that was which Phalaris that cruell Tyrante inuented of whom it is written that he vsed when he woulde put men to death to cause them to be inclosed within the bellie of a bull made of mettall and then caused a fier to be made vndernethe it and this cruell maner of punnishemente he deuised that the miserable man by the heate of the yron shoulde burne within the same by litle and litle and not be able to escape nor defende him selfe nor haue anie other remedie but onely to burne and rore and tumble and tosse him selfe within that strait place vntill he were dead What harte can heare of this crueltie but that his fleashe will tremble and quake onely in thinkinge of it Wherefore tell me now ô thou Christian what is all this in comparison of that most greiuous and horrible tormente which we here treate of but onely a meere dreame or shadowe Now if the verie imagination and thinkinge of these horrible paines of hell doe make vs afraide what shal it be not to thinke of them onelie but euen to suffer them in verie deede Certainlie it is so horrible a matter to suffer paines and tormentes euerlastinglye that althoughe there were but one alone emonge all the children of Adam that shoulde suffer in hell in this wise it were enoughe to make vs all to tremble and quake There was but one emonge Christes disciples that shoulde sell his master and yet when Christ saied One of yow shall betraie me Math. 26.21 all beganne to be afraide and waxe sad for that the matter was of so great importance Now then why doe not we much more tremble and quake knowinge certainlie Eccles 1.15 Math. 7.14 Esa 5.14 That the nomber of fooles is infinite and that the waie vnto life euerlastinge is verie narrowe ād strait ād that hel hath enlardged her mouthe without anie limitte to receiue the multitudes that goe into it If we beleeue not this If a Christian did cōsider the euerlastinge continuance of the horrible paynes of hell it woulde make him loke better to the dewe framinge of his lyfe where is our faith If we doe beleeue and confesse it where is our iudgemēmente and reason And if we haue both iudgement and reason why doe we not publishe and preache this matter in the open streates and market places Why goe we not into the desertes as manie of the Sainctes haue done there to doe penance for our synnes and to liue an austere lyfe emonge beastes that we maie escape these most horrible and euerlastinge tormentes How is it that we can sleepe in the night Yea how happeneth it that we be not quite out of our wittes when we doe thinke attentiuelie and consider of so straunge a perill as this is seinge lesse daungers than these haue bene able not onelie to frighte and bestraught men out of their wittes but also to bereue them of their liues This is the greatest payne that the miserable damned persons haue in hell to vnderstande that almightie God and their most greiuous tormentes shal be of one lyke continuance and therefore their miserie can haue no comfort because their paine hath no ende If the damned persons coulde be perswaded that after a hundered thowsande millions of yeares their paynes shoulde haue an ende euē that persuasion alone woulde be a great comfort vnto them For then all their tormētes albeit it were verie lōge woulde yet at the lengthe come to an ende S. Gregorie But assured they are that their paines shall haue no ende at all For as S. Gregorie saieth There the wicked haue death without anie death an ende without anie ende and a defecte without anie defecte For their death alwaies liueth their ende alwaies beginneth and their defecte neuer faileth And for this cause the Prophet saieth Psal 48.15 They are in hell as it were sheepe and death feideth vpon them The herbe that is there fed vpon is not wholie plucked vp because the roote is aliue which is the beginninge of lyfe and this causeth the herbe to springe againe that it maie still be fed vpon And therefore the pasture of those feildes is immortall forsomuch as it is alwaies eaten and alwaies reuyueth againe Now after this sorte shall death feede vpon the damned persons and as death cannot dye so shall it neuer be filled with this kinde of foode nor euer be wearie in doinge this office neither shall it euer make an ende of deuowringe this morsell For that death shall euermore haue somewhat in them to deuoure and they shall euermore minister somewhat vnto death to be deuoured so as the damned in hell shall suffer their most horrible paines and tormentes for euer and euer without anie ende SATTVRDAIE NIGHTE OF THE EVERLASTINGE GLORIE AND FELICITIE OF THE KINGDOME OF HEAVEN Corinth 2.9 THIS DAIE WHEN THOV HAST MADE THE SIGNE OF the Crosse and prepared thy selfe hereunto thou hast to meditate vpon the felicitie of eternall glorie in the kingedome of heauen THIS consideration is so profitable that if it were holpen with the lighte of a liuely faithe it were able to make all the bitter paines and labours which we shoulde take for the attaininge thereof to become sweite and pleasant For if the loue of landes and riches doe cause the paines and labours that be taken for them to seime sweite and pleasant If the loue of childrē also doe cause women to wishe for the paines of childebearinge what woulde the loue of this most excellent and passinge great felicitie doe in comparison whereof all other felicities are of non accompt If it be saied of the patriarke Iacob Genes 29.20 that his seuen years seruice feemed but shorte vnto him in respecte of the great loue he bare to Rachel what woulde the loue of that infinite bewtie worke in our hartes what woulde that euerlastinge mariage cause vs to doe if it were considered with the eies of a liuely faieth Fiue pointes to be considered in this meditation Wherefore that thou mayst vnderstande somewhat of this felicitie thou hast to consider emonge other thinges these fiue pointes that are in it to witt The excellencie and greatenes of the place The fruition of the companie of those blessed inhabitantes The vision of almightie God The glorie of the Sainctes bodies And finallie the perfect fruition of all good thinges that are there First of all therefore consider the excellencie of the place The excellencie and greatnes of the heauēs and especially the greatnes thereof which is surelye very wonderfull For when a man readeth in certaine graue awthors that euerie one of the starres of heauen is greater than all
fiue kindes to witt to the benefites of creation conseruation redemption vocation and to the secrete benefites that euerie one hath receyued particulerly in him selfe As concerninge the first benefite which is of creation The benefite of creation Consider first with great attention what thou wast before thou were created and what almightie God hath done for thee and bestowed vpon thee before thou diddest merite or deserue anie thinge at all to witt he gaue thee thy bodie with all thy members and senses and thy sowle which is of so great excellencie created after his owne image and likenes for so highe and excellent an ende as to haue the fruition of almightie God And withall he gaue thee those three noble powers also of thy sowle which be Vnderstandinge Memorie and Will And cōsider well with thy selfe that to geue thee this sowle was to geue thee all thinges For it is cleare that there is no perfection nor habilitie in any of all the inferior creatures but that man hath the same in him in a farre more highe and greater perfection and by meanes of the vertue and habilitie of his sowle he is able to attaine vnto it Whereby it appeareth that by geuinge vnto vs this thinge alone to witt our sowle he gaue vs therewith at once all thinges together As concerninge the benefite of conseruation The benefite of conseruation consider how all thy whole beinge dependethe of the prouidence of almightie God How thou art not able to liue one momente nor to steppe so much as one steppe were it not by meanes of him Consider also how he hath created all thinges in this worlde for thy vse ād seruice insomuche as he hath appointed euen the verie Angels of heauen for thy garde and defence Consider moreouer how he hath geuen thee healthe strengthe lyfe sustenaunce with all other temporall helpes and succours And aboue all this consider well the manifolde great miseries and calamities into which thou seest other men falle euerie daye and how thou thy selfe mightest also haue fallen into the same had it not bene that almightie God of his greate mercie preserued thee As concerninge the benefite of redemption thou mayst consider therein two thinges The benefite of redemption First how manie and how great benefites almightie God hath geuen vs by meanes of the benefite of redemption And secondlie how manie and how great miseries he hath suffered in his most holie bodie and sowle to purchase these benefites vnto vs. As concerninge the benefite of vocation consider first of all The benefite of vocation what a great benefite it was of almightie God to make thee a Christian to calle thee to the Catholike faith by meanes of the holie Sacramente of Baptisme and to make thee also partaker of the other sacramētes And then if after this callinge of thee thou hast fallen into deadlie synne and thereby loste thyne innocencie in case now our Lorde haue raised thee vp from synne and receyued thee againe into his grace and fauour and set thee in the state of saluation how canste thou be able to geue him sufficient praises and thāckes for this so inestimable a benefite What a great mercie was it to expecte thee so longe time to suffer thee to committe so manie synnes and in the meane time to sende thee so manie diuine inspirations and not to shorten the daies of thy lyfe as he hath done to diuerse and sundrie others that were in the verie same state and laste of all to calle thee with so mightie a grace that thou mightest ryse vp againe from death to lyfe and open thyne eies to beholde the eternall lighte What a great mercie was it also after that thou wast conuerted to geue thee grace not to returne vnto deadlie synne againe but to stande and vanquishe thyne enemie and to perseuere in good lyfe This is that morninge and eueninge dewe that almightie God promised by the Prophet Ioel sayeinge And yee sonnes of Sion reioyce Ioell 2.23 and be glad in our Lorde God for he hath geuen you a teacher of iustice and he shall cause the morninge and eueninge dewe to rayne and poure downe vpon you Meaninge hereby that almightie God geueth vs firste his preuentinge grace 1. Grace preuentinge wherewith we beginne to sowe the seede of vertues and afterwardes he geueth vs his grace subsequent 2. Grace subsequente and finall and final which bringeth this seede to his full rypenes and happie ende These are the publike and knowen benefites Of secrete benefites But besides these there be other secrete benefites which no man knoweth but he onely that hathe receiued them Agayne there be other benefites also so secrete that euen he himselfe that hathe receiued them knoweth not of them and he onely knoweth them that is the geuer of them How manie times hast thou deserued in this worlde either throughe thy pride negligence or vnthankfulnes that almightie God shoulde haue withdrawen his grace from thee we falle frō God eyther throughe our pride negligēce or vnthankefulnes and vtterlie forsaken thee as he hath done to manie others for some one of these causes for whosoeuer they be that doe falle from God they falle by some of these meanes and yet hath not almightie God dealte thus with thee How manie euilles and occasions of euilles hath our Lorde prevented and turned awaye by his prouidence in ouerthrowinge the snares of the deuill thine enemye and stoppinge him of his passage and not permittinge him to execute his wylie practises and deceites vpon thee How oftentimes hath he done for euerie one of vs as he saiede he did for S. Peter Luc. 22. Beholde saiede our Sauiour how Satan goeth busilie aboute to sift you as corne in the barne but I haue praied for thee that thy faith faile not Now who knoweth these secretes Benefites positiue but onely almightie God The positiue benefites be such as a man maie sometimes vnderstāde and knowe them but those benefites that are called priuatiue Benefites priuatiue which consiste not in doinge benefites vnto vs but in deliueringe vs from hidden and secrete euilles that were comminge towarde vs who is able to vnderstande Wherefore as well for these benefites as for the others it is reason we shoulde alwaies shewe our selues thankefull to our Lorde and vnderstande how farre in arrerages we be in our reckeninge with him and how much more we be indetted vnto him than we are able to paie consideringe we are not able so much as to vnderstande what they are THE SEVENTHE TREATISE OF THE CONSIDERATION OF the benefites of almightie God Wherein the former meditation is declared more at large ONE of the greatest complaintes that almightie God maketh against men and wherewith he will most charge them at the daie of their accompte Almightie God will charge vs at the daye of our accompte with our vnthankefulnes and ingratitude for his manifolde benefites Esa 1. is their vnthankfulnes and
Wherefore we must vnderstande that there be sixe thinges emonge manie others that maye be considered in the holie Passion of our Sauiour To witt The greatnes of his paines The greiuousnes of our sinnes The excellencie of the benefite The magnificencie of the goodnes of almightie God The multitude of the vertues of our Sauiour Christe which doe verie brightelie shine in his holie passion And the conueniencie of this meane whereby almightie God vouchsafed to worke our redemption These sixe pointes ought we to consider for sixe effectes wherein consisteth all the profite of the spirituall lyfe For we must consider the greatnes of the paines of our Sauiour Christe that we maie take compassion of them We must consider the greatnes of our owne sinnes that we maie abhorre them We must consider the greatnes of the benefite of his passion that we maie geue him thankes for it We must consider the excellencie of the goodnes of almightie God which in this holie passion of our Sauiour is discouered vnto vs that we maie verie hartely loue the same passinge great goodnes We must consider the multitude of the vertues of our Sauiour Christe which doe likewise shine verie brightlie in his passion that we maie be prouoked thereby to imitate them And we must consider the conueniencie of the misterie of his holie passion that we maie be brought thereby in admiratiō of the wisedome of almightie God and be the more confirmed in the faith of this holie misterie Of these sixe pointes we intende nowe to treate and of each one of them in his due place and order Of the passinge great paines and tormentes which our Sauiour Iesus Christe suffered in his most bitter Passion § I. FIRST we must consider the passinge great paines of our Sauiour Christe to prouoke our selues by that consideration to take compassion of them as reason it is that the members shoulde take compassion of their head Wherefore it is to be noted that the paines which our Sauiour suffered in his bitter passion were as the holie fathers saie the greatest that euer were suffered Summa S. Thomae 3. q. 46. artic 6. or euer shal be suffered in this worlde This shall appeare manifestlie to be true if we doe consider fiue principalle causes from whence the passinge greatnes of these paines proceeded The first cause was the passinge greatnes of his charitie which made him desirous to redeeme mankinde most abundantly and to satisfie most perfectly for the iniuries and offences committed against the diuine maiestie And because the greater paines he shoulde suffer the more perfectly he shoulde accomplishe both the one and the other and he wanted not the forces of grace to beare as great a burthen as he woulde therefore he woulde that his paines shoulde be passinge great that so likewise the satisfaction which he shoulde make for our dette and the worke of our redemption might be also passinge great The seconde cause which followeth hereof was that he suffered his payes without anie maner of ease or consolation For accordinge to the reason before mentioned he shutte vp from him selfe all the gates whereby anie maner of consolation might come vnto him either from heauen or from earthe insomuche that he was contente to be forsaken not onely of his disciples and freindes but also of his owne father yea and of him selfe also to the intent that so beinge destitute of all companie he might be burninge in the furnace of his most grieuous paines and tormentes without all maner of refresshinge of anie ease or consolation whatsoeuer that by anie meanes might come vnto him And therefore he saied in the Psalme Psal 87. I am become as a man destitute of all helpe I am left emonge the dead notwithstandinge that I alone am he that emonge the deade by righte am free from sinne and from deathe And in an other Psalme he saithe Psal 68. I am plunged in the bottome of waters and of myre and I finde no place where to staie my feete This is that forsakinge which our Sauiour signified vpon the crosse when he saiede Math. 27.46 My God My God why hast thou forsakē me Psal 21.1 For at that time his holie humanitie was forsakē in the middest of the furious streame of his paines and tormentes and was left destitute of all thinges that might either withstande or mitigate the force and vehemēcie of them Leuit. 16. This was figured in the lawe by those two beastes that were offered for the sinnes of the people of the which the one was killed and offered vp in sacrifice and the other departed awaye and was sent into the wildernes leauinge her companion alone in the tormentes The like was done in this heauenlie sacrifice where God and man was offered for the sinnes of the worlde and the one of the two natures to witt the humanitie was sacrificed and did suffer but the other nature to witt the diuinitie departed awaye leauinge her sister and companion all alone to suffer the tormentes For albeit that as concerninge the bonde of vnion the diuine nature neuer forsooke the humane nature which it had once taken yet as touchinge the consolation and ease of the paines and tormentes in the inferior parte it did wholy forsake the same And therefore we see that the Martirs when they went to suffer death shewed them selues verie courageous mearie and ioyefull as we reade of S. Agnes S. Agatha S. Laurence and of many others but our Sauiour beinge the verie fountaine of grace and of strēgthe through whose vertue the Martirs had such force and courage to be able to doe that which they did trēbled and sweated euen verie droppes of bloude when he wēt to suffer paynes and tormentes for vs. For in the martirs the vertue of charitie which redoūded into the inferior forces of the sowle caused them to haue verie great courage and ioye But in our Sauiour Christ both these and all other influences were by spetiall miracle suspended that so he might drincke the cuppe of his most bitter paines pure and without mixture of anie maner of ease or consolation The therde cause of his so grieuous paynes was the tendernes of his complexion For whereas his holie bodie was formed miraculously by the holie Ghost and the thinges that are done by miracle be more perfecte than those that be done by nature S. Chrisostome vpō S. Iohn 2. as S. Chrisostome declareth speakinge of the wyne which was turned into water at the mariage it followeth that our Sauiours bodie was the most best cōplexioned and most tender of all bodies that euer were or shal be insomuch as a holie father saiethe That if there had bene no externall violence done vnto our Sauiours bodie it woulde haue endured a verie great nomber of yeares by reason of the perfection and tendernes of the composition thereof And not onely the composition of his bodie but also the matter thereof was very tender forsomuch as the matter of
compassion Howbeit the paines of our Sauiour Christe are not thus ended there be yet others without all cōparison farre greater than these to witt the paines of his blessed sowle For all these paines aboue-named doe for the most parte appertaine to the paines of the crosse wherein his bodie suffered outwardly but besides this visible Crosse The inuisible crosse of our sauiour wherewith his sowle was tormēted there was yet an other inuisible crosse wherein his most holie sowle was crucified within his bodie hauinge also foure armes and foure nailes which were foure dolorous considerations and these were a farre greater tormente vnto him than theverie outwarde crosse For first of all there were represented vnto him al the sinnes of the worlde that were present past and to come for all which he suffered and that so distinctlie as if they had bene the sinnes but of one man alone Now to him that bare such a passinge great loue and zeale vnto the honour of his father what an vnspekeable greife was it to beholde such an infinite nomber of abhominations and offences committed against so highe a maiestie For it is certaine that the sinnes of one man alone were able to tormente him more than al the tormētes of the crosse The which beinge so what a passinge greate greife woulde the sinnes of all men and of all worldes cause vnto him Suerly there is no vnderstandinge able to comprehende the passinge greatnes of this greife Secondly there was also represented vnto him the ingratitude and damnation of many men and espetially of many wicked Christiās which woulde neuer acknowledge this singuler benefite nor endeuour to profite and helpe thē selues with this so great and so costlye a remedie as he there prepared for them This was also a farre greater tormente vnto him than the tormente of the crosse For it is a greater paine vnto a labourer to be denied his daie wages and the fruite of his labour than the very labour it selfe albeit it were verie great And for this cause our Sauiour complained by his Prophete Esaie of this iniurie vnto his father sayeinge I saiede In vaine haue I trauailed In vaine Esa 49.4 and without cause haue I wasted my strengthe And he complained of this ingratitude not onely to his father but also euen vnto men them selues by S. Bernarde sayeinge O man S. Bernarde consider what cruell tormentes I suffer for thy sake There is no paine that tormenteth me so extremelie as thy ingratitude dothe I calle vnto thee that doe suffer deathe for thee Beholde the paines that doe torment me Beholde the nailes that doe pearse throughe my handes and fette Beholde the shamefull reproches and despites where with they dishonour me And although the paine which I suffer out wardly be so passinge great yet is the paine farre greater which I suffer in wardly when I see thee so ingratefull and vnkinde to wardes me for the same In like maner there was represented vnto him the horrible sinne of that miserable people of Iewrie and the terrible punishement that was prepared for them within a shorte time after which vndoutedlie was a greater greife and tormente vnto him than the cuppe of his bitter passion For if the Prophete Ieremie signified that the sinne which the Iewes committed in goinge about to kille him greiued him much more than his owne very deathe what a greife woulde it be to our sauiour who had without all comparison farre greater charitie and grace than the Prophete Ieremie There were moreouer represented vnto him the greifes and dolefull sworde of sorowe which pearsed the harte of his blessed mother Luc. 2.35 when she sawe him suffer betwene two theiues vpon a crosse the which vndoutedlie was so great a greife and paine vnto him as the loue was great which he bare vnto her which loue was inestimable forsomuch as next vnto the loue of God he loued her most of all creatures Now these fowre considerations and greifes were as it were fowre armes of an other inwarde crosse wherewith his blessed sowle was likewise crucified within his holie bodic So that our sauiour suffered that daie the paines and tormentes of two crosses th' one visible and tho'other inuisible Vpon th' one crosse his bodie suffered outwardly and vpon th' other his sowle suffered much more inwardly Now how passinge great the greife was which proceided of these foure considerations there is no vnderstandinge able to comprehende it and yet we maie coniecture somewhat thereof by that outwarde shewe of his blouddie sweate in the garden Whosoeuer then shall attentiuelie consider all these causes shall clearlie see how passinge great the paines and tormentes of our Sauiour were which is the intente of this first maner of meditatinge vpon his most bitter passion Howbeit this must not be the finall ende of this exercise but rather it must be vsed as a meane to come to other endes to witt to vnderstande hereby what a passinge great loue he bare vnto thee that woulde suffer so much for thee and what a great benefite he did vnto thee in byeinge thee with so deare a price and how much thou art bounde to doe for him who hath done and suffered so much for thee and aboue all this how greatlie thou oughtest to abhorre thy sinnes and be greiued with them sith they were the cause of his so lōge and painfull martirdome Nowe for these foure endes whereof we will intreat in the chapters followinge serueth this maner of contemplation Whereby it appeareth that this first maner of meditatinge by waie of takinge compassion of the bitter paines of our Sauiour is as it were a meane or a ladder vnto all the others And for this verie cause S. Bonauenture made great accompte of this maner of meditation vpon the passion because it is sensiblie seene that this maner of meditation openeth the waie vnto all the other maners of meditatinge vpon the same And the same holie father saiethe that for this purpose it shal be a great helpe also for vs to take some discipline which maie cause some smarte and doe no hurte to the bodie that so by the feelinge of that so litle paine of whippinge and scourginge our selues we maie the better lift vp our spirite to consider somewhat of the passinge great paines and tormentes which the most tender bodie of our sweite Sauiour suffered for our sakes How in the Passions of our Sauiour Christe appeareth verie manifestlie what a greyuous thinge sinne is in the sighte of almightie God § II. THE seconde point that we haue to consider in the passion of our Sauiour is the greiousnes of our sinnes whereby to moue our hartes to be sorowfull for them and to abhorre them Wherefore we must vnderstande that as all the holie learned fathers doe affirme our sinnes were the very cause why the sonne of almightie God suffered such greiuous paines tormentes and crewell death as he suffered in this worlde For it is certaine that if there
who when he was euill spoken of did not speake euill againe and when he was tormented did not threaten them but deliuered himselfe vnto him that did most vniustly condemne him And albeit that all vertues shined so brightly and in such excellent wise in all the lyfe of out Sauiour Christe yet did they much more perfectlie shine in his holie passion And therefore in his passion principallie it behoueth vs to beholde the bewtie and excellencie of his vertues the which doe much more euidentlie shyne there emonge his paines and tormentes than doe the flowers emonge the thornes Consider therefore first of all that so profounde humilitie Humilitie wherewith the most highe and onelie begotten sonne of almightie God vouchsafed to be contemned and lesse esteemed than Barrabas and to be crucified vpon a crosse betweene two theiues as though he had bene a Captaine and ringleader of malefactours Consider his so wonderfull patience in the middest of so many reprochefull iniuries Patience and tormentes and withall his so passinge great magnanimitie Magnanimitie in that he offered him selfe so willingly into the handes of his enemies and to suffer the greatest paines and conflictes that euer were suffered in this worlde Consider that so constant perseuerance Perseuerance which he had from the beginninge to the ende yea euen to suffer death vpon the crosse and to descende into hell and to finishe the worke of our saluation Consider his most feruent charitie Charitie which passeth all vnderstandinge by the which onely he was moued to offer him selfe in sacrifice for the sinnes of the worlde and to suffer deathe that he might geue life not onely vnto his freindes but also to his enemies yea euen to those very persones that shead his most pretious bloude Consider his most abundante mercie Mercie which extēded it selfe so farre forthe as to take vpon him all the miseries and debtes of the worlde and to make satisfaction for them as if they had bene peculiarly his owne debtes Consider that so perfecte obedience which he vsed towardes his father Obediēce whom he obeyed vnto deathe yea euen to the death of the crosse where finallie bowinge downe his head he offered vp vnto him his most holie sowle geuinge vs thereby to vnderstande that the worke of his obediēce was then perfectly fulfilled Consider that so passinge great meekenes Meekenes which he shewed in all the processe of his passion sufferinge him selfe to be caried like a sheepe to the bocherie and like a most meeke lambe that holdeth his peace when he is sheared Consider his so wonderfull silence emongest so manie false accusations Sylence and lyinge witnesses which was so greate that it was able to bringe the verie Iudge him selfe that condemned him in a great admiration of him Now if thou be desyrous to see a most perfecte paterne of the contempte of the worlde Cōtempte of the worlde and of all the honours riches pleasures and delightes that be therein beholde our Sauiour vpon the crosse so dishonored tormented and naked that he had none other bedde to lye vpon but onely a crosse none other pillowe to rest his head vpon but onely a crowne of thornes none other delicates to feede vpon but onely galle and vineger none other persons to comforte him but onely those cruell scoffinge ministers which wagged their heades at him Marc. 15. and saiede Fye on thee that destroiest the temple of God and in three daies buildest it vp againe c. I conclude therefore that the Euangelicall pouertie abstinence and austeritie of lyfe with all other vertues doe no where shyne more euidentlie than in the crosse But emonge all these vertues humilitie and patience doe shewe them selues most notablie in the bitter passion of our Sauiour For patience as the holie fathers affirme was the weddinge garmente wherewith the sonne of almightie God clothed himselfe when he came to be affyaunced with the Catholike Churche and to be maried with her By which Metaphore they geue vs to vnderstande that albeit our Sauiour Christe shyned most brightly with the garmente of all vertues when he came to celebrate matrimonie with the Catholike Chyrche vpon the bedde of the crosse yet did he most principally shyne there with the robe of patience For by meanes of the acte of this vertue which is to suffer he dranke the bitter cuppe of his passion by the valewe and merite whereof the Catholike Churche was redeemed bewtified and espowsed by our Sauiour Christe Now in these and other the like vertues we ought to fixe our eies when we meditate vpon the holie passion of our Sauiour to the intent that we maie be thereby prouoked to imitate somewhat of that which was there done not onely for our redemption but also for our example For the greatest glorie that a Christian can atteine vnto in this worlde is to haue a semblaunce and likenes vnto our Sauiour Christ Esa 14.14 Howbeit not such a likenes as prowde Lucifer desired to haue but such a likenes of life as our Sauiour Christe him selfe commaunded vs to haue when he saide Ioan. 13.15 I haue geuen you an example that as I haue done so shoulde ye doe likewise Of the conueniencie of the misterie of our Redemption § VI. THE sixte poynte that we haue to contemplate vpon in the holy passion Summa S. Thomae 3. q. 46. art 3. 4. is the conueniencie of the misterie of our Redemption to witt how cōueniente a meane this was which almighie God chose whereby to worke the saluation of man and to heale and cure him of his miseries This maner of contemplation serueth to illuminate the vnderstandinge to confirme it more firmelie in the faith of this misterie and to lift vp the harte of man into a great admiration of the goodnes and wisedome of almightie God who chose so wonderfull and conuenient a meane to heale our miseries and to relieue our necessities This is so copious and so plentifull a matter to meditate vpon that certainly if a man shoulde continewe thinkinge vpon it vntill the ende of the worlde he shoulde alwaies finde newe reasons of the conueniencie of this holie misterie and newe causes to induce him to lifte vp his spirite more and more in admiration of the high wisedome and prouidence of almightie God herein But because this volume woulde be to great in case I shoulde treate of this matter at large I will therefore at this presente onely shewe the order and foūdation of this consideration to the intent that the deuout and religious sowle maie hereby haue a waye opened vnto her to prosecute all the rest Wherefore it is to be noted that if we will see what proportion and conueniencie a meane hath with his ende it is necessarie to make a comparison betwene the same meane and the ende and the greater helpes that the meane hath towardes the atteininge of the ende the more proper and conueniente is the meane
the materiall wordes or as the seconde attention that marketh the sence and meaninge of the wordes but moche more that attention that marketh and is attent to the end of prayer which is almightie God and vnto the thinge for which we praye The readinge of holie bookes The readinge of holie bookes conteininge fruitfull and profitable matters not onelie lighteneth our ignorance but it also dischargeth our dutie in well spendinge our tyme therein it correcteth our faultes teacheth good and holie maners discouereth vices exhorteth vnto vertues stirreth vp feruour causeth a feare of God recollecteth the mynde recreateth and comforteth the heauie sorowfull and discomforted soule Vndowbtedlie it procureth great profite and fruite to reade bookes of holie matters of such matters I meane as doe recollecte the soule that is distracted and wanderinge abroade emonge so manie diuers and sondrie thinges Readinge teacheth and sheweth vs the waye how to leade a good life Examples doe induce and prouoke vs to imitate and followe the same And prayer obteyneth vs grace to accomplish it fullie and perfect lie Readinge saie the holie fathers is good Praier vnto God is better but the doeinge of good woorkes for Gods sake is aboue all Out of holie readinge the good deuowt persons doe gather how to meditate vpon God And out of godlie meditation procedeth an earnest affection and a verie prompte and readie eleuation of the spirit vnto God out of which issueth that inwarde prayer that pearceth the heauens passeth aboue the highest places and hath a desire to vnite it selfe vnto almightie God in whom are all good thinges that may be desired Besides readinge and prayer it is necessarie to doe some good and profitable woorke But because our weaknesse is not able to continewe and perseuere alwayes in prayer and readinge it is therefore verie profitable yea and necessarie to worke also and to doe some thinge that is good and profitable which cannot chuse but so it wil be in case praier goe before the worke and yet it shal be moche better if praier doe accompanie it but best of all if the worke doe also end in prayer and then is the worke most perfecte To woorke with our owne handes is profitable bothe for our sowle and bodie To doe some kinde of worke with our owne handes besides that it is verie profitable and holsome for the bodie it helpeth our spirite also our neighbour is thereby edified and our sences are comforted and refreshed And in case thou finde thy selfe slouthfull heauie and vnwillinge to worke and labour with thy handes yet perseuere therein and thou shalt ouercome it O that we might once come to haue such a perseuerance and constancie as the Sainctes had Note howe the Saintes cōtinewed in prayer readinge and woorkinge with their handes who praied without intermission And yet notwithstandinge their continuance in prayer good Lorde it is merueilous to consider howe studious and continuall they were in readinge howe feruente and laborious in bodelie exercices and in doeinge of good workes in somuch as no kinde of labours paynes nor trauayles coulde euer ouercome them Now what other thinge is the life of the Sainctes vnto vs but onely a holie readinge which we ought to imitate without ceasinge Vvho so enforcethe himselfe to labour for gods sake shall obteine greater grace of God That man that shall enforce himselfe to take paynes and labours for Godes sake shall obteine the greater grace of his diuine good nesse and shall out of hande feele the profite and commoditie of his traueile An euill custome is ouercome by a good the which good custome if it be conuerted as it were into nature it waxeth so stronge that it tourneth the thinges that were harde and difficulte and causeth them to become easie and lighte And all this as Saint Paule saieth commeth to the iust man by meanes of continuall prayer And therefore he saieth sine intermissione orate 1. Thess 5. praye ye without intermissiō Saint Paule knewe right well that whilest we walke here in this life we are compassed all aboute with enemyes temptations tribulations and with infinite deceitfull ginnes with warres without and feares within 2. Cor. 7. and therefore he aduiseth vs to praye without intermission For whereas almightie God permitteth so manie vexations and troubles to come for the sinnes of the worlde his intent thereby is to stirre vp his electe and to awake them that they shoulde lifte vp their spirite vnto heauenly thinges 2. Tim. 2. For he that praieth not fighteth not and he that fighteth not manfully and maketh resistance is forthwith ouercome and leeseth his crowne and rewarde Who maie be able to praye and fighte cōtinewallie And if thou demaunde of me who is able to praye and fighte cōtinually I saie that euerie one can doe it that in trueth and humilitie of harte calleth vpon almightie God for succoure and putteth his full trust in him in verie deede Psal 144. For as the prophet Dauid saithe Our Lorde is mightie vnto them that calle vpon him if so be they calle vpon him in trueth We maie praie all waies with our spirite and with a godlye intention And if thou canst not praye continuallie with thy mouthe yet praye with thy spirite and with a godly intention For it is a very continuall sacrifice vnto almightie God in the soule of our hart to haue a desire to doe good workes and to serue him with all our harte And trulie that man doth alwayes praie that doth alwayes good workes And whosoeuer is hartelie sorie for his offences he hath committed and sigheth mourneth and longeth for the good thinges that are to come praieth alwayes and saieth with the prophet Dauid Psal 37. O Lorde before thee is all my desier and my mourninge is not hid from thee These three pointes nowe good Christian Reader which serue as we haue declared to preserue the righteous man in his righteousnes are so well taught and so wonderfullie set forth in these notable bookes of the Reuerēd religious Learned Father F. LEWIS de GRANADA that he must needes be verie harde harted who readinge them with attention deuotion and with a Christian desire to take profite by them doth not merueilouslie inriche him selfe with these three treasures to witte with prayer readinge and doeinge of good workes Wherefore whosoeuer is desirous to profite in these three thinges hath here verie Catholike sounde and profitable doctrine and in all pointes agreable with the vniuersall doctrine of the holie auncient Fathers and of the diuine Scriptures In these singular deuout holie bookes he shall not finde any thinge that may either offend him or bringe him into any errour or scruple Here shall he finde manie thinges that may edifie delighte teache and prouoke him to the loue of God and withall to the abhorringe of sinne and contempte of the worlde From receauinge which fruites no man is here excluded for so much as the Awthor
hath with a rare wisedome in such wise tempered the doctrine and accommodated him selfe vnto all states and conditions of persons that neither the verie highe and learned haue anie cause to leaue it as ouer base for them nor the verie lowe and vnlearned to refuse it as ouer highe for their capacities For here is made a conuenient prouision of competent meates both for the one sort and for the other And because the Awthor vnderstode right well howe farre the mouthes of men now adayes are owt of tast and how much they are more affectionate vnto the sleshe pottes of Egypt than to the breade of Angels I meane hereby rather to the readinge of prophane bookes by reason of the pleasant stile wherewith they thinke they are written than to the bookes of spirituall doctrine which are commonly written with more simplicitie he hath therefore dressed this meate in suche wise and hath written this doctrine in such a sweete and pleasant stile that it maie prouoke an appetite vnto this boke euen in such persons as doe otherwise lothe good and holesome foode besides that the verie matters them selues are exceedingly well chosen and of great profite And because it were the parte of rude and rusticall persons to geue thankes to the bees that make the honie combes and not vnto almightie God who created the flowers from whence the bees gather the honie which they worke in their hiues I exhort all persons to geue thankes to the deuoute and Learned Author of these workes for these so sweete and sauorie honie combes which he hath here geuen vs in such sorte that they omit not to procede further and to geue thankes to almightie God also who hath sent the flowers wherewith this honie is made And withall I make humble request vnto all men that I may be partaker of the prayets they shall make by meanes of the good disposition which I truste with the grace of God the readinge of theise holie and excellent deuoute workes shall cause in all godly and deuoute Christian Readers ✚ Bernard de Fresneda Bishoppe of Cuenca TO THE VERIE REVEREND FATHERS AND right honorable personnages DON ANTONIO DE CORDOVA and Father LORENÇO DE FIGVEROA The Epistle of the Awthor Note reader that theese to whome the awthor directeth this booke are two noble personages of the most noble and auncient howses of Spayne whiche haue forsakē all their wordlie possessiōs and entred into religion I Cannot find anie other place whither I maie better direct this my smale present then to your Reuerende handes For settinge a part diuers and sundrie reasons of great importance that bynde me so to do certeinlie the wonderfull change of liffe which your Reuerences haue made and the holie example which you haue geuen to the world in this our corrupte age are sufficient cawses to moue all such as doe anie thing desire the glorie of Christ to serue you in this your spirituall iourney that haue in such wise amplefied his glorie I might well speake of this matter more largelie in this place and surelie without lyinge or flatterie and to speake herein were not to emploie the time in the praises of men but in the praise of almightie god Forsomuch as it is manifest that this your wonderfull change of life hath not proceded of flesh and bloode but of the right hand of the highest But because it behoueth all men of our cote and profession to be free not onelie from all flatterie but also euen from all suspition of the same I will therefore content my selfe at this present onelie with geuing thāckes to our lord for this notable vertuous act of yours and I will confesse that we haue seene that wonder in our daies which the holie auncient father S. Ierome declareth to haue chaunced in his tyme. He writeth it in a certein Epistle to Ruffinus in theise wordes Bonosus thy frynd and myne is now gone vp by that misticall ladder S. Ierom. ad Ruffinum which the Patriarck Iacob sawe and according to the misterie of Moses he hath now sacrificed the brasen serpent in the desert where at this present he soweth with teares that hereafter he maic Reape with ioye Lett the truthe of this worthie act putt to sylence all the lyenge wonders which the Greikes and Lattins haue written in their histories Behold here a yong man brought vp in our companie and instructed in all good artes and learning who had no want neither of landes nor riches nor honor nor dignitie emonge his equales who forsakinge his mother and his sisters and aboue all his most deerlie beloued brother went to liue in an Iland which is verie solitarie and fearfull and enuironed with diuers seas there to dwell like a new inhabitor of paradice and being alone in this place howheit not alone forsomuch as he is in the companie of Christ he seeth now the glorie of almightie God which the Apostles them selues neuer saw but when they were alone in the mownt Thus farre be S. Ieromes wordes This holie example of Bonosus is treulie a thinge wherein almightie God is to be praised as in a singuler worke of his grace And suerlie no lesse is he to be praised in your Reuerend and most honorable personages who hauinge much more to forsake in the world than Bonosus had and being now in the verie flowers of your youth haue forsaken the world and all the vayne pōpe and pryde thereof and with all your great landes and possessions the dignitie of your highe noble estates and the hope of so great honorable promotions that were due vnto your nobilitie and vertue and to the renowmed desertes of your verie auncient and most noble families And all this yow haue dōne to embrace euen the pouertie nakednes and obedience of Christ you haue not done like that yong man in the gospell Math. 19. who remembring how great possessions he had refused to followe the waie of perferction which our sauiour Christ tawght him But ye haue done like that wise and prudent merchant who after he had found the pretiouse pearle Math. 13. sould all he had in the world to bye the same And if vnto this wonderfull change of yours we ioyne also the notable vertuous change of liffe which the most noble and renowmed Duke of Gandia hath made in our daies This Duke of Gandia forsooke his greate Dukedome in Spayne and became a religious mā of the holie societie of Iesus commōlie called Iesuittes Cantic 8. and the merueylous changes of sundrie other right honorable personages which might here be reheresed it will verie euidentlie appeare that there is more sweetenes in the waie of Christ then the world thinketh there is sithence euen those that haue had so long and so greate experience both of the one kinde of life and of the other do verie hartelie and willinglie renownce all that euer the world geueth and promeseth vnto them for the least crumme that falleth from Christes table sayinge
them all and make an euerlastinge diuision The deeper rootes the toothe hath in the iawe the greater greife it causeth at what tyme it is plucked out Now the harte of a wicked man beinge so fast rooted in the loue of the thinges of this lyfe The more we be in loue with worldelie thinges the more griefe it wil be vnto vs to departe from them at the hower of our deathe S. Augustine it cannot be but that it must needes be a very great greife vnto him when he seeth the howre is now come wherein he must depart from thē all At that time those thinges whereunto he beareth most affection shall wounde his hart most greiuously and that thinge which was wont to be a comfort vnto him in his trouble shal be then a most cruell torment in vexinge him S. Augustine declareth that at what time he determined to seperat him selfe from the worlde and from all the pleasures and delightes thereof it seemed vnto him that they all represented themselues liuely vnto him and saied What wilt thou leaue vs for euer and wilt thou neuer haue any more to doe with vs Consider now then with thy selfe what a greife it wil be to a carnall harte when those thinges that he hath most loued doe represent themselues at that hower vnto him ād when he seeth that he shal be spoyled of them all in such wise that he shal be enforced to saie Now shall this worlde haue no more to doe with me neither this aier nor this sonne nor this element Now shall I haue no longer conuersation and comfort of my children my wife my howse my landes my goodes my pleasures and delightes Of all thinges I am now left naked and bare Now will death spoile me of them all Now is my olde age at an ende now is the nomber of my daies fulfilled now shall I die vnto all maner of thinges and they all vnto me Wherefore ô thou worlde I bid thee farrewell yee my landes my goodes and riches I bid you farewell my friendes my acquintance my kinsfolke my deare wife and my louinge children I bid you all farewell For now shall we neuer see one an other anie more in this mortall fleash There is yet an other separation after this more terrible and dreadfull then this is to witt betwene the sowle and the bodie which haue kept cōpanie so longe time together and haue bene such hartie friendes The deuill had spoyled the holie man Iob of all maner of thinges sauinge onely of his lyfe and it seemed vnto him that in comparison of the spoile thereof all the rest were of none accompt and therefore he saied Skinne for skinne and all that a man hath he will geue for his lyfe This is the thinge that naturally is most loued Iob. 2.4 and the separation whereof causeth most greife If the seperation of one waifaringe man from an other when they haue trauayled in iourney together anie time doe cause such greife and solitarines what a griefe shall it be when two such entier friendes and companions as the sowle and the bodie haue bene are seperated the one from the other which haue traueyled together from their mothers wombe vntill that verie houre and haue had so manie knottes and bondes of friendshippe betwene them What a greife will it be when the spirite shall saie vnto the fleash I must now remaine all alone without thee And the fleash shall likewise make answere vnto the spirite sayeinge and in what case then shall I be without thee seinge all the beinge I haue I haue receiued of thee Of the horror and lothsomenes of our Graue § II. AFTER this it commeth naturally to a mans minde to thinke what shall become of his bodie when his sowle is departed out of it And in thinkinge hereupon he seeth that the best happe his bodie maie haue can be no better than to be laide in a little graue of earthe The basenes of which conditiō maketh him to be as it were astonnied For cōsideringe on the one side what great estimation he hath made of his bodie in tymes past and seinge on the other side what a base and vyle place that is wherein it must now be laide he cannot but wonder excedinglie at it He considereth and waygheth with himselfe that the lodginge which they will prepare for him in the earth shal be strait and narrowe that it shal be also obscure stinkinge full of wormes maggottes bones and dead mens skulles and withall so horrible that it shal be verie ircksome to thē that be aliue onely to looke vpon it And when he seeth that his bodie which he was wont to make so much of his bellie which he esteimed for his God his mowth for whose delightes the lande and sea coulde scarselie serue and his fleash for which golde and silke was wont to be wouen with great curiositie and a soft bed prepared to laie it in must now be laide in such a filthie and miserable donghill where it shal be troden vpon and eaten with fowle wormes and maggottes and within fewe daies be of as owglie a forme as a dead Carrion that lyeth in the feildes insomuch that the waiefaringe man will stoppe his nose and ronne awaie in great hast to auoid the stinkinge sauour of it when I saie he considereth all this and seeth that in steede of his soft bed he must lie there vpon the harde grownde ād in steede of his pretious and gorgious apparell he must haue there but onely a seely poore windinge sheite and in steede of his sweete odoriferous parfumes and muskes filthie rottonnes and horrible stenches and in steede of his multitude of delicate dishes and waitinge seruinge men he must haue there such an infinite nomber of crawling wormes and fylthie maggottes feedinge vpon him he cannot chuse if he haue anie sense or Iudgment remaininge in him but merueill to see vnto how base a condition such a noble creature is now come and to consider with whom he must now keepe companie there euē fellowe and fellowe like who in his life tyme had no fellowe nor equal It is not the part of wise men to wonder at thinges and the customable seinge of thinges euerie daie taketh awaye from them be they neuer so greate all admiration and wounder And yet all this notwithstandinge the great Wiseman wondered at this miserie though it be a matter whereof we haue dailie experience when he saide If man and beast doe die both after one sort Eccles 2.3 what auaileth me that I haue trauailed so much in seekinge for wisedome If it were so that the bodie in this separation shoulde ende in some thinge that were of anie price or proffit it woulde be some kinde of comfort vnto vs. But this is a thinge to be wondered at that so excellent a creature shall ende in the most dishonorable and lothsome thinge in the worlde This is that great miserie whereat the holie man Iob wondered and
suerlie not without good cause when he saide Iob. 14. The tree after it is cut hath hope to reuiue and springe againe and if the roote of it doe rott in the grownde and the stocke be dead in the earth yet with the freshenes of water it springeth againe and bringeth forth leaues as if it were newlie planted But man after he is once dead withered and consumed what is become of him Great vndowtedlie was the tribute that was laide vpon the children of Adam for sinne And the euerlastinge Iudge vnderstode verie well what penance he gaue vnto man when he saide Thou art dust Genes 4. and into dust thou shalt retourne againe Of the great feare and dowte the sowle hath at the hower of deathe what shall happen vnto it after it is departed out of the bodie § III. HOWBEIT this is not the greatest cause of feare that a man hath at the hower of his death but there is yet one farre greater and that is when the sowle casteth her eies further and beginneth to thinke vpon the daungers of the life to come and imagineth what shall become of her hereafter For this is now as it were to depart from the hauen mowth and to launche into the mayne Sea where none other thinge is to be seene on what side so euer ye looke but onely heauen and the water the which is woūte to be occasion of greater feare in such as are but newe Seamen For when a man considereth that eternitie of worldes which followeth after death and withall casteth his eie into that newe ād straunge region which was neuer knowen nor traueyled by anie man aliue where he must now beginne to take his iourney when he considereth also the euerlastinge glorie or paine which there must fall to his lotte and seeth that wheresoeuer the tree falleth Eccles 11. there it shall remaine for euermore and knoweth not on which of the two sides he shal falle whē he considereth I saie all these thinges he cannot but be in a verie great feare and trouble of minde We reade that when Benadad kinge of Siria was sicke 4 Reg. 8. he was in so great anguishe and greife of minde for that he knewe not whether he should die of that sicknes or not that he sent the generall of his armie with fowertie Camels loden with treasure vnto the Prophet Elizeus requestinge him with wordes of great humilitie to rid him out of that perplexitie he was in and to put him out of all dowt whether he shoulde recouer of that sicknes or not Now if the loue of so short a lyfe as this is be able to cause a man to be in such a greate care and pensiuenes how great care will a Wiseman take when he perceiueth him selfe to be in such a case as that he maie trulie saie that within two howres he shall haue one of these two lottes to witt either lyfe euerlastinge or death euerlastinge and that he knoweth not certainlie whether of theise two shall come vnto him What martirdome maie be compared to such a painfull angwishe and greife as this is Put the case now that a kinge were taken prisoner emonge the Turckes and when his Embassadours shoulde come to raunsome him the Turckes woulde propounde that the matter shoulde be determined by castinge of lottes and that if he happened to haue a good lotte he shoulde be raunsomed and goe home with his Embassadours to his kingdome but if contrariewise that thē immediatly he should be throwē into a great fyerie furnace which were there prepared burninge and flaminge before him Tell me I praie thee at the time when they shoulde be castinge the lottes and puttinge their hande into the vessell to take them out and all the worlde in great expectation waitinge what shoulde be the ende thereof and the kinge him selfe standinge there present beholdinge the doutfull happe that must be alotted vnto him in what a dolefull case thinkest thou woulde he then be How troubled How fearfull How quakinge and tremblinge And how readie to promise and vowe vnto almightie God all he cowlde possiblye doe to be quite ridde out of that terrible angwishe Now what is all this be it neuer so great but as it were a shadowe if it be compared with this daunger that we speake of How farre greater is the kingdome that we seike How farre greater is the fierye furnace that we doe feare How farre more greiuouse is the perplexitie ād doutefulnes of this matter thā of the other For on the one side the angels shal be there expectinge for vs to carrie vs to the kingedome of heauen and on th' other side the deuills to cast vs into the horrible furnace of hell fier and no man knoweth whether of these two lottes shall happen vnto him which shal be determined eyther the one waye or the other within the space of one houre after his death Consider therefore in what a heauie plight thy harte shal be at this last instant how fearfull how humble how abased before the face of him who onelie cā deliuer thee out of this daunger Suerlie I am of this opinion that there is no tonge in the worlde able to declare this matter as it is indeede How we come to vnderstande hereby the errours and blindnes of our lyfe past § IIII. AFTER this anguishe there followeth yet an other as great as it namelye in such persons as haue liued a wicked and dissolute lyfe which is to come so late to thinke vpō the accōpt they haue then forthwith to make of all the disorders and offences of their former lyfe At the houer of deythe it is a great greife to a sicke man if he haue liued licentiouslie that he thinketh so late vpō his accompte O how wōderfullie shall the wicked be confounded at that time when the griefe of their paine shall cause them to open their eies which heretofore the delight and pleasure of sinne had closed vp insomuch as they shall then clearlie perceiue what false goddes those were which they haue serued and how deceitfull those riches were which they haue so greidelie gaped after and how by followinge that waie whereby they thought to haue fownde rest they finde in conclusion their vtter ruin and destruction The seruantes of the kinge of Siria came to apprehende the Prophet Heliseus and when almightie God had stricken them all blinde by meanes of the praier of the Prophet the Prophet said vnto them Come goe with me and I will shewe you him whom you seeke 4. Reg. 6. And when he had thus said he caried them with him vnto Samaria and brought them into the market place of the cittie in the middes of al their enemies And then made his praier againe and saide O Lorde open the eies of these miserable men that they maie see where they are Now tell me I praie thee when those men opened their eies and sawe whither they were come beleuinge certainlie before that