penurie may taxe vs of excesse that liue in Epicureal riot consuming our daies in security and carelesse prophanation of God and his sacred ministers neither vsing reuerence to them nor him for in contemning them wee contemne him as he the father of verity hath spoken O deere christian we haue too long dallied with sinne too long delaied the time of our conuersion Turne turne from thy euill waies least thou be cut downe in his fury the vials of his wrath haue beene long in diffusing but so much longer the stroke is delaied so much it returnes more violent O let vs relinquish earths vanitie and plant our affections vpon heauens beauty why should we loue such things as breede lothing hauing bitternesse in their tast and producing no fruits but the distastfull weedes of repentance Who so is bewitched or captiuated with the pie-coloured vanities of this world deserues a pie colord coate to describe the foole in his follies Learne to be wise in spirituall affaires that the commerce which thou hast had with the factors of vanity may be now disualued hauing reference to the maine price of thy redemption working out thy saluation with feare and trembling Thou seest the race thou must of necessity run not the race of lasciuious prodigals whose exorbitance makes their house die in infamy nor the race of the Auaricious Miser that treasures vp vengeance for himselfe and his posterity making the issue of his loines the heires of shame nor the race of adulterers that wast their estate in the brothels of licentious delights but the christian race making thy beginning a hopefull proeme of a successiue end thy end a happy concluder of so faire beginnings Runne thus and thou shalt obtaine not a temporall reward but the crowne of eternitie that God who reclaimed thee from thy sinne may be glorified in thy members consecrated to holinesse and integrity Meditate of this contemplate this exercise the faculties of thy soule in these and the like spirituall meditations so shall the deceipts of Sathan be diuerted the gracious operations of Gods spirit renewed and the promises of God to thee performed in supernall Syon A SERMON of Saint Barnard vpon the passion of the Lord. LEt vs celebrate deere christians with diuine honours Iesus of Nazareth by the Iewes innocently condemned by the Gentiles crucified Let vs that are Christians worshippe with all reuerence embrace with all feruentnesse and imitate with all faithfulnesse as it is meet comfortable and glorious the infirmities of our Sauiour for these sufferings be those instruments by which the omnipotent power and inscrutable wisdome of God hath wrought wonderfully and powerfully the restauration of the whole world For Christ our Lord hath so wrought for vs that he became lesse then Angels to make vs equall vnto Angels And who will not humble himselfe for Christs sake Christ our Lord was crucified for our sinnes and hath sweetened the bitternesse of the Crosse to such as loue his Crosse. He died and destroied death that through him we might liue and who will not loue Christ our Lord who will thinke much to suffer for Christ Christ by the ignonimie of his Crosse passed to the glorie of heauenly excellence and all power in heauen and in earth is giuen vnto him by God his father for his reuerence All the Angels of God doe worshippe him and in the Name of Iesus let euery knee bow of things heauenly earthly or whatsoeuer is vnder the earth wherein O Christian canst thou glory saue in the Name of our Lord God crucified and in the name of Christ which is aboue all names in which whosoeuer is blessed shall be blessed vpon earth Glorie in the Name of the Sonne your redeemer and ascribe honour to your Sauiour who hath done great things for vs and magnifie his name with me saying we worship thee O Christ thou king of Israell and of all Nations King of Kings Lord of the whole earth God of Sabboath the most sure strength of the omnipotent God We worshippe thee that art the precious price of our redemption the peace offring who alone by the inestimable sweetenesse of thy perfumes hast moued thy father whose dwelling is on high to behold the things which are on earth appeasing his indignation conceiued against vs. We declare thy mercies O Christ and we vtter the remembrance of thy sweetenesse in aboundance We offer vnto thee O Christ the sacrifice of praise for the multitude of thy goodnesse showen vnto vs of a depraued seede wicked and rebellious children For when wee were thy enemies O Lord and death had entred vpon all flesh to which all the seede of Adam became subiect by the condition of our originall sinne thou remembredst thy mercie and lookedst downe from thy high habitation vpon this vale of teares and miserie Thou sawest the affliction of thy people and being inwardly touched with the sweetenesse of charitie thou conferredst the thoughts of peace and redemption vpon vs and when thou was the sonne of God very God coeternall and consubstantiall with God the father God the holy Ghost inhabiting an inaccessible light and supporting all things with the word of thy strength thou disdainedst not to bow downe thy maiesty to this fraile prison of our mortality whereby thou mightest both tast swallow down our miserie and aduance vs to thy glory It had beene but little to thy charity to finish the worke of our saluation by deputing the consummation thereof to some Cherubin or Seraphin or one of thy Angels but thou vouchsafedst thy self to come vnto vs being commanded by thy father whose exceeding charity we haue tried in thee Thou camest I say not by changing thy place but by exhibiting thy presence vnto vs by taking vpon thee our flesh Thou camest from the royall throne of supreme glory into the wombe of a Virgin humble and abiect in her owne eyes sealed with the religious vow of virgins continence in whose sacred wombe the ineffable power alone of the holy spirit made thee to be conceiued and to be borne in the Nature of true humanity so as the occasion of thy birth did neither impaire in thee the power of thy maiestie nor in thy mother the purenesse of her virginitie O amiable and admirable humility that being God of infinite glorie became as a contemptible worme of miserie Thou being God of all became a seruant vnto all It seemed too little in thy sight to be our Lord and father but thou vouchsafest likewise to be our brother and thou Lord of the whole earth standing in neede of nothing from the beginning of thy Natiuitie refusedst not to tast the inconueniences of pouertie For as the Scripture saith thou hadst not when thou wast borne anie place in an Inne nor cradle which might receaue thee in thy tender infancie but in the base crib of a filthy stable Thou which containest the whole earth in thy selfe art wrapped vp in swathling clouts and placed in a desperable repose Hence is
with a Threnodia Thou foole this night shall thy soule bee taken away Alas so soone this was the first night it seemes of his rest aud must it be his last too yes Esay answereth him There is no rest to the vngodly hee is euer in discontent seeking to quench his hydropticke thirst with getting but is neuer satisfied They which should bee Gods Amners to distribute to the necessity of the Saints are oppressors beeing as sponges which sucke vp the laborious gaines of the poore Let there not bee a begger in Israell saith God to Moses but these regraters which exhaust and consume the meanes of the poore make many beggars in Israell But the Lord shall come in thunder and roote them from the face of the earth hee shall raze doune their buildings and make their dwelling with Ostriches For the Lords delight is in the poore that humbles himselfe beefore him his horne shall bee exalted with honour but for the mighty oppressors that grinde the face of the poore the Lord will chastice them in his fury and be auenged of them in his mightie displeasure O if the rich man knew being Gods dispensour how soone the sythe of humane frailety will cut him short hee would not promise to himselfe length of daies but with all integrity of heart feruencie of spirit and humility of minde fall downe before the Throne of Gods merie Sicut Apes flores quaesitant ita Sancti misericordiam Dei The Saints of God and such as are consecrate to him will seeke the mercie of God and with teares of entire compassion turne to the Lord that it would please him to turne from their sinnes They will not protract the time nor take day with their sinnes but with hearty contrition speedy conuersion and firme resolution not to commit the like sinnes again they purchase their atonement with God leauing off sinne before sinne leaue them For what is it when the Organs and naturall faculties of the bodie through their debilitie haue lost all power of sinning then to surcease from sinne No reserue the heate of the day for the Lords vineyard let not him haue the afterlings The first fruits were in ancient time giuen to the Priests and wilt thou detaine thy first fruits from him which is the head Priest O dedicate thy labors vnto him and be conuerted euen in the maturitie of thy time Thou art now able to cope with Antichrist to morrow it may be thou shalt be lesse able A valiant captaine in the siege of any Citty or fortresse will apprehend euery aduantage and occasion of attaining his purpose he will not intermit any time but with all alacritie prosecute the charge he hath in hand that his deportments may purchase him glory Sub vexillo meret moeret si non mereat Thou art in the same case in a straite siege beleagred with impetuous and violent enemies The world besiegeth thee on euerie side by those 5. Gates or breaches viz. thy fiue corporall sences eye eare tast smell and touch he woundeth thy soule as with most venemous Arrowes so as death entreth in at the verie window of thy soule Ismaell plaies with thee and deludes thee the flesh whom thou pamperedst rebels against thee thy verie housholds sinnes begin to wrastle with thee and Grauis lucta Graue est periculum contra domesticum hostem pugnare saith Barnard Thou must wrastle with sinne conspiring within thee with the flesh which enuirons thee and the voluptuous affections of worlds vanitie that seeke to surprise thee Show thy selfe resolute in this encounter fight a good fight and with the complete Armour of a spirituall warriour raze downe the tyrannicall kingdome of Antichrist Thou must passe many difficulties ere thou canst obtain the victorie Those Cyanea saxa those rockes of perill temptations of euery kinde but perseuerance will make thy victorie most eminent The yong man must needes take leaue of his friends before he can follow Christ. But thou must abandon friends estate possessions and all encombrances that thou may be thought a worthy follower of Christ. Qui Christum sequi petit equum est vt omnia relinquat quo Christum arctius teneat Riches were best demonstrated by the Romane word Impedimenta hinderances indeed for our heauenly expedition we should vse them in necessarie respects not to adore them if the price of gold had not beene knowne Baals golden calfe had not beene erected It is a cause of much false Adoration and many I am perswaded yet timerous in perswasion worship the idoll in their chest more then their Messias in his Temple O prophanation of Times when an externall appearance of tempting vanitie can seduce an Intellectuall soule from her Creator with the desire of a bare mettall ordained for the vse of his creature We are wise and vnderstanding in chymicke labours and are profoundlie read in minerals But that onely and principall good the select treasure of the minde is as farre estranged from our reading as Demas heart was from any thing saue what tasted of the world We can talke of eccentricke lines bodies motions temperatures affections but which amongst vs seekes to season the ill disposed temper of our minde O pittie and great pitty it is to neglect so diuine a substance let the Philosophers idle axiome alone the body should take her temperature from the soule and not the soule from the body Corpus Ancilla est vt pareat non domina vt imperet Confusion of Gouernors spoile euerie well gouerned state and those kingdomes be most happy where there be not the most but the best Kings Thou hast a monarchy and that 's the best kinde of Gouernement within thy selfe O dispose then of thy affections like a Prince be inuested with a roabe worthy an Emperor the pure stole of integrity thy thoughts must be eleuate not depressed downe to this earthly centre It is reported that the Emperour Augustus could see as well by night as day thy eyes should be so not obscured or darkned with the night of error but euer tralucent that if there were windowes in thy heart the splendor of thy internall man might show her owne dignity But especially let me caution thee in this that thou be open handed and bountifully hearted to thy neeedfull brother it will make thee see more cleerely into the prouidence of God and excite thee to an acknowledgement of his mercies euer meditating of his bounty in bestowing and thy immerrited seruice in deseruing It will inflame in thee a perfect and exact measure of charity to giue freely because thou hast receiued more amply An affectionate charitie is approued by God and man making our selues in distributiue iustice Christians and imitating the inimitable patterne of Christ who sustained the weak supported the needy relieued the hungry being all to all that he might show his glory towards all his humility may asswage our pride and caution vs to be humble here that wee may be exalted elsewhere His
and prouide a repose in time for thy poore vessell least vanquished and oppressed with violence of Billowes and extremity of aduerse waues shee be enforced to split loosing both thy selfe and thy fraight spread not thy sailes too broad for the windes thy violent affections are most forced when thy sayles thy ambitious thoughts are most extended Ballace it light least it sinke with her Burden It is better to loose the fraight then the Merchant and the Phylosopher Mymus chused rather to lose his gold then himselfe Enter not thy Barke with any prophane man if his company doe not ruinate thee it may well depraue thee and when Bias came into any shippe or vessell with a wicked man where he was in danger of shipwrack he would neuer suffer the prophane man to pray saying take heede least the Gods heare thee for then wee can expect for no mercie But aboue all let the sterne the principall Organs and faculties of the soule bee euer with all vigilancie attended wisely gouernened and industriouslie employed Thou art to saile by Syrens those three daughters of Achelous and Callyope a naturall euitation of that which is good a naturall inclination to that which is euill and a naturall deprauation of the will reiect the pernicious embraces of sinne and impietie stop thine eares to the Syrens melodie and reduce thy thoughts to that retired harbour of tranquilitie a sincere and secure conscience it is a Christians brasen wall it makes vs secure of things past it aduertiseth vs of things present and prepareth it selfe for things to come No Monument so glorious no statue so specious for what will curious Sepulchers auaile vs when infamie perpetuates the memorie of vs. Vita mortuorum in Memoria viuentium posita est And vertue liueth after death The Ancient Patriarchs returned to the sepulchers of their Auncestours but that had beene but little if their vertues had not equalled their auncestors Desirest thou to haue the excellencie of this painted world the beautie of this earthlie Theatre charactred and displaied to thee in her colors Thou shalt see in her many seeming flourishes of happinesse many faire promises of a continuated eminence but shee failes in her performance her fruits are but flowers and her haruest soone tipe and soone rotten Sodoms apples were faire to the eye touch them they turne to dust Painted Sepulchers shew much beautie and seeme as if they would outliue time yet continuance defaceth them remaining memorable in nothing saue that they were once memorable Starres fixed shine the brightest fix thy thoughts vpon the morning Sun of righteousnesse and like the Sun thou shalt shine more bright at thy setting then at thy rising at thy death then thy birth let thy mind be established on that which can suffice it no terrestriall respect of earths vanitie but an expectance of heauens eternitie to receaue that Crowne for which it was created and not the wages of sinne for which shee was not ordained Thou hast many difficulties to passe in this wildernesse ere thou can see the Land of promise Thou must thirst hunger and wander thirst but for the well of life hunger but for the staffe of spirituall Bread wander but at last with the good Shunamite to returne from the mountaines of Gilboa to the vale of Bethlem the poole of Bethesda to the vale of Bethlem where thou may repose to the poole of Bethesda where thou may take repast yet must thou not murmure in this long peregrination Thou art but as thy forefathers haue beene if afflicted so was thy master Christ if tempted so was he if persecuted behold the whole Colledge of those blessed Apostles making their whole life a persecution a very martyrdome to propagate their masters glorie and to performe that worke for which they were sent Thou must not make profit of thy profession with Magus nor make sale of thy conscience with Demas nor sell thy Sauiour with Iudas Thou art inuested with Christs owne Garment endewed with more especiall priuiledges and prerogatiues then many of thy brethren boast not of that thou hast receaued he that did giue them thee can take them from thee and make thee naked that was once garnished with such singular ornaments bestowing them on others that shall better vse them since whilst thou hadst them thou didst abuse them Enuie not anothers gifts but rather thanke God for his ample benefits extended vpon thy brother that pernicious vice of enuie is the corrupter of many singular vertues and to describe her more perspicuously heare the ancient fathers how they decypher this vniuersall contagion of the world Enuie consumes all vertues by enuie was Christ crucified the historie whereof is mentioned vnto thee enuie and malice aboue all other vices inebriate the soule Where there is enuie there can be no Brotherly loue Who enuieth loueth not the law of the Diuell is in him because the diuell by enuie fell Therefore enuie is knowne by this that shee is neuer in charitie For by enuie was Christ crucified and consequently who enuieth his brother crucifieth Christ. Aug Enuie alwaies followeth vertue he is a valiant man that can conquer enuie with humility Hier Hee is sure an enuious man that taketh pleasure in seeing another mans dammage or punishment Ambros the error of enuie doth not onely inuade the Synagogues of the impious but the cels of the religious Euseb. Enuie manifesteth that we haue not the loue of God in vs. Effrem It is a rare thing to want enuie in prosperitie Iosephus where the good man profiteth there the enuious repineth as the Poet saith Inuidus alterius c. Isidorus Here thou feest enuie dismasked who euer with Ctesyphon kicketh against the Moles heeles there is no vertue can passe vncensured no exquisite worke vnreproued necesse est quôd Momum aut Mimum habet qui vertutem amat But run thou a religious course inclining neither on the right hand nor on the left on the right hand thou may be too precise in being too regular on the left hand insuccessiue being too sinister The Goulden mediocritie is as good a way and as secure as the Phylosophers Galaxia their milke way here is true consolation in spirit for the righteous bee glad and reioyce in it walke in this way and the suggestions of Satan shall not seduce thee for thou art in the way that leadeth vnto life not intangled in the Brakes of this world but expecting the glorious possession of those Ioyes aboue Continue in perfect charity with thy brother it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the fulfilling and perfecting of the Law it reconciles vs vnto God appeaseth his indignation conceiued against vs and assures vs of the performance of his promise made vnto vs in his sonne By the loue of God is the loue to our Neighbour ingendred by the loue to our Neighbour is the loue of God nourished here is a mutuall and reciprocall loue a threefold Cord is hardly broken But thou obiectest thou hast felt
King and yet reproched by his most despicable seruants treading vpon Crownes and yet his Crowne is a vexation vnto him wounding his beautifull head with a thousand pricks hee is clothed with roiall purple but in it hee is rather despised then honoured hee caries a Scepter in his hand but with it his reuerend head is wounded they worshippe him with bended knees and call him King but presently they besmere his amiable face with spitting dishonouring his cheekes and venerable aspect with their fists See O my soule how this man is afflicted and contemned of all sides Hee bowes himselfe vnder the burthen of his Crosse bearing that ignominie which was proper vnto thee where being brought vnto the place of execution his thirst is quenched with mirrhe and vineger vpon the Crosse saying Father pardon c. What kinde of man is this who in all his sufferings doth not once open his mouth or vtter one word of complaint or excuse or of threat or of curse against those reuiling doggs but concludes with such mild wordes of blessing as haue not bin heard before O my soule when hast thou seene any one more mercifull what can be more curteous then this man Behold him with more attention how worthy he is of admiration and most tender compassion Looke at him naked and torne with whips betwixt two theeues ignominiously nailed vpon the Crosse quenching his thirst with vinegar and after his death wounded in the side with a speare sending out plentifull riuers of blood from those woundes in his handes feete and side O my eies abound with teares and O my soule bee thou dissolued with the fire of compassion in condoling so mercifull a man whom thou seest amidst so great biternesse to bee afflicted with sorrowes And now O my soule thou hast seene his infirmicies and thou dost pitty him now thou hast looked vpon his maiesty and thou dost admire him for what saith the Scripture From the sixth hower vnto the ninth hower there was darkenesse vpon the whole earth and the Sunne was darkened and the vaile of the Temple rent asunder from the toppe euen to the bottom and there was an Earth-quake and the rockes cloue and the graues opened and many bodies of the Saints which were dead arose Who is this with whom both Heauen and Earth doe suffer and whose death doth raise men from death Know O my soule know that this is the Lord God Iesus Christ thy Sauiour the onely begotten sonne of God very God very man who of all men vnder the Sunne was onely found to be without sinne and behold how hee is accompted amongst the wicked and esteemed as one of the Lepars or as an abortiue birth throwne from his mothers wombe So is hee throwne from the wombe of his Mother the vnhappy Synagogue Hee that was the fairest amongst the children of men how deformed is hee made hee was wounded for our iniquities and broken for our sinnes he was made a burnt Sacrifice of sweete incense vnto thee O Father of eternall glorie to pacifie thy wrath conceaued against vs and to place vs in the celestiall mansions of glorie Behold O holy Father from thy Sanctuarie and from thy high habitation behold this our holy sacrifice which our Head-priest offereth vnto thee thy holy Sonne and our Lord Iesus offering himselfe vp for our sinnes and mercifully doe away the multitude of our transgressions Behold the voice of the blood of our Iesus crieth vnto thee from the Crosse. For what O Lord what is it that hangeth thereon hee hangeth euen now because things past are as things present before thee Take knowledge O Father vnto the coat of thy true sonne Ioseph Behold a sauage beast hath deuoured him and trampled vppon his garment in his furie staining his bewtie with the effusion of his blood behold he hath made pittifull rents in it This O Lord is the garment which thy inocent son left in the hands of that Aegiptian harlot thinking it better to lose his coate then his honour and chusing rather to be spoiled of the garment of his flesh and to descend into the prison of death then for the glorie of the world to harken vnto the voice of the Adultresse to that voice I say where it was said vnto him All this will I giue thee if thou wilt fall downe before me and worship me which was as if he shold haue slept with the Adultresse And now O my Lord we know that this thy sonne liueth and is Gouernour ouer all Aegypt and in euerie place of thy dominion for hee is aduanced from the prison of death and of Hell to thy Empire and attaining a Crowne of immortallity hath changed the garment of his flesh to reflourish within the immortality of the spirit where thou hast receiued him with much honour For hee hath subiected the empire of Pharoh vnto him and hath triumphantly ascended Heauen by his owne proper maiesty behold he is crowned with glorie and honour when hee sitteth at the right hand of thy maiesty mediating for vs for hee is our flesh and our brother Behold O Lord the face of thy Christ who became obedient vnto thee euen vnto death nor let the scars of his woundes euer depart from thy sight that thou maiest remember the satisfaction thou hast receiued for our sinnes I would O Lord thou wouldst but weigh our sins in a balance by which we haue deserued thy wrath and the calamity which thy sonne suffred to appease thy wrath Surely more forcible and more worthy would the cause appeare to show thy mercie vpon vs then by reason of our sinnes to powre downe the viols of thy Ire vpon vs. Let euery tongue O father giue thankes vnto thee for the exceeding aboundance of thy loue in not sparing thy onely begotten Sonne but giuing him ouer vnto death for vs that we might haue him as a faithfull Aduocate before thee in Heauen for vs. And thou O Lord Iesus most mighty most zealous of mans saluation what thanks shall I giue vnto thee that I may giue thankes worthie being but dust and the workemanship of thy hands for what couldest thou doe for my saluation and hast not done it from the sole of thy foot to the crowne of thy head thou hast plunged thy selfe wholly into the waters of thy passion that thou mightest draw me wholly from them and these passions haue entred euen vnto thy soule For thou subiectedst thy soule to death and desolation to preserue my soule from death and perdition and behold thou hast bound me in a double bond vnto thee First in that thou hast giuen thy life for mee and secondlie because my soule was giuen by thee twice vnto me once in my creation and once in my recreation wherefore I haue nothing that is fitter to giue thee then my soule which I had of thee for if I should in recompence of thy mercy giue vnto thee the Heauen the earth and all the excellency thereof yet
surely could not I attaine to the measure of that I owe thee sith that which I owe and that which is possible for mee to giue is thy gift without which I haue nothing to giue Thou art to be loued O my Lord with all my heart with all my soule with all my strength and thy imitable footsteps are to be followed by me because thou vouchsafedst to die for me and how can this be done in me but by thee let my soule cleaue vnto thee because all my power dependeth on thee And now O Lord my redeemer I worship thee as the true God I put my trust in thee I hope in thee and with my vtmost desires doe I sigh after thee helpe my many imperfections I incline my selfe wholly vnto the glorious signals of thy passion wherein thou hast perfected my saluation In thy name O Christ doe I reuerence the royall Banner of thy victorious Crosse. O Christ with all humility doe I adore and glorifie the remembrance of thy thornie crowne thy red-skarlet nailes besmeared with blood thy lance drenched in thy sacred side thy wounds thy blood thy death thy buriall thy glorious and victorious resurrection and glorification For the breath of life breatheth to mee in all these by these liuely and redolent odors raise my spirit O Lord from the death of sinne By the power of these preserue me from the subtilties of Sathan that the yoke of thy commandements may be vnto me easie and the burden of thy Crosse which thou commandest me to beare after thee may be light for what is my strength that according to thy commandement I might be able with an inuincible spirit to sustaine so manifold afflictions in the world Are my feete like Hindes feete that like a swift courser I may be able to runne ouer the thornes and difficulties of thy passions but heare my voice and lay thy corsse softly vpon thy feruant that crosse which is the wood of life to them that lay hold vpon it my hope is I shall runne swiftlie and shall carrie as constantlie the crosse which is giuen me of my enemies to follow thee Lay I say that most diuine crosse vpon my shoulders the breadth whereof is charitie the length eternitie the height omnipotencie and the depth inscrutable wisdome replenished with maiestie Naile my feete and my hands vnto it and conforme thy seruant O Lord whollie vnto thy passion Grant vnto me O Lord that I may abstaine from all the workes of the flesh which thou hatest and doe those workes of righteousnesse which thou louest and in both to seeke thy glorie I suppose it verie expedient that my left hand bee nailed vnto the crosse with the nayle of temperance my right hand with the naile of vprightnesse Grant that my soule may continually meditate vpon thy law fixing all her cogitations vpon thee and fasten thou my right foote to the same wood of life with the naile of wisdome Grant that the seeming felicity of this transitory life may not enfeeble the operation of my spirit with a sinister sensualitie nor that it be troubled with this present liues infelicity but that both my right hand and left may be fixed vnto the crosse with the naile of fortitude and that some appearance of the thornes which were platted vpon thy head may be resembled in me giue vnto my heart I beseech thee the wholsome compunction of repentance compassion of anothers miserie the pricke of feruent zeale which may be founde vpright before thee and to turne vnto thee in my affliction whilest my head is crowned with this threefold wreath of thornes I desire thee also to reach a spunge vnto my mouth by a reede and to minister the bitternesse of gall vnto my tast I desire also that by thy Scriptures thou wouldest illuminate my reason that I may tast and see how this flourishing world is as an empty spunge and all the concupiscenses there of more bitter then vinegar So my father may that Babilonian Cuppe diffused vpon the whole earth seeme bitter vnto me not able with her fruitlesse flourish to seduce me nor with her false sweetenesse to inebriate me as shee doth those who call darknesse light and light darkenesse that which is bitter sweete and what is sweete bitter Thy wine mixed with mirrh and gall is suspicious vnto me forasmuch as thou wouldest not drinke of it because it imploied the bitternesse of enuie and impiety of such as crucified thee Fashion thy seruant O Lord after thy liuely death so working in me that I may die in the flesh but liue in the righteousnesse of the spirit But that I may reioice in the carrying of the whole image of Christ crucified expresse in me a similitude of that which the insatiate malice of the wicked Iewes exercised against thee after thy death let thy quicke and effectuall word more piercing then the sharpest lance reaching euen vnto the diuision of my soule wound my heart and produce out of it as from my right side in stead of blood and water a loue O Lord vnto thee and to thy brethren finally wrappe my spirit in the pure syndon of my originall stole of innocencie that I may rest there going out and going in into the place of thy admirable Tabernacle hiding me till thy furie be ouerpast but in the third day after the day of my labour the day of punishment early in the first sabbath raise me thy vnworthy seruant and place mee perpetually among thy children that in my flesh I may see thy glorie and be satisfied with the light of thy countenance O my Sauiour and my God let the time come let it come I beseech thee that what I now beleeue I may behold with reuealed eyes what I now hope for I may at last obtaine that what I now desire vehemently I may embrace really may kisse louingly being plunged in the bottomlesse sea of mercie O my Sauiour and my God But blesse thou my Sauiour O my soule and magnifie his name O how good sweet art thou O Lord Iesus vnto the soule that seeketh thee O Iesus the redeemer of the lost the sauiour of the redeemed the hope of the banished the strength of the wearied refreshing to the distressed comfort to the desolate a sweete repose and a comfortable to the sorrowfull soule running O Lord speedily after thee till shee oreget thee the crowne of triumph the chiefest marchandise and the ioy of all the heauenly Citizens an euer-flowing fountaine of all spirituall graces the onely child of God and the great God Let all things which are in Heauen aboue or in earth below praise thee Great art thou and great is thy name O thou immortall glorie of the high God and the pure maiestie of the light eternall O life that quicknest all things O light that enlightenest all things O light that illuminatest euerie light and conseruest by thy eternall splendor Thousands and ten thousands of lights haue shined before the Throne
Giue me one houres respite Then his workes as if speaking together shall answer him and say Thou madest vs we are thy workes we will not leaue thee but abide euer with thee and attend on thee to thy iudgement his vices also with diuers and manifold criminacions shall accuse him and shall finde many false testimonies against him albeit one were sufficient to condemne him Nay the diuels with a terrible countenance a dreadfull aspect shall terrifie his soule persecuting her with implacable furie seazing on her so terriblie and so horriblie as they seeme willing to detaine and take possession of her if there were none to deliuer her Then the soule finding her eyes shut her mouth all other sences corporal by which she vsed to be delighted in these outward things stopped shall returne to her selfe where seeing her selfe desolate naked shee shall be exceedingly amazed languishing through despaire in her self falling below her selfe And because shee relinquished the loue of God for the loue of this world and the satisfying the pleasures of the flesh shal be miserably forsakē of God in that hower of necessitie and shall be deliuered ouer to the diuels to bee tormented in hell So shall the sinfull soule in the day which shee knoweth not and in the hower of which shee is ignoant bee taken away by death separated from her body whence shee goeth on full of miserie anguish and feare where hauing no excuse which shee can iustly shew for her sinne shee pineth languisheth and growes afraid to appeare before God shee is surprised with great horror and tossed with the sundry billowes of discomforting passions the dissolution of the flesh enforcing her and all meanes of assistant comforts leauing her shee considers her end appproching and after a little reuoluing shee findes that in this perpetuall state to which shee hastens there is no changing shee plainely considers with what seuerity the eternall Iudge will come and before the seuerity of such iustice what reasons can shee produce to quallifie his iustice for if all the workes which shee may consider in her selfe either committed or omitted had bin by her auoided yet shee is in feare there will such workes come before the terrible Iudge which she neuer apprehended her feare encreaseth when shee conceaueth how shee could in no wise passe the waies of this life without sinne nor that parte of her life which seemed most praise worthie could be exempted of guilt without recourse had to Gods mercie For who can duely consider or exactly number the euils wee haue committed in euery moment or what workes wee haue neglected for as sinne is the committing of euill so is sinne the forsaking of what is good A great depriuall of sanctitie sure when wee neither doe good nor thinke that is good but permit our hearts to wander by vaine and vnprofitable things It is to difficult a thing to restraine thy heart and preserue it from euery vnlawfull thought It is also a matter of too great difficultie to imploy our selues in terrene affaires without sin Wherefore I conclude that none can perfectly comprehend and iudge himselfe but being occupied with many cogitations hee must of necessity remaine in something ignorant to himselfe as not knowing what hee doth altogether tolerate in himselfe wherefore neare his end hee is terrified with a more serious and retired feare because that albeit hee neuer remembers himselfe to haue omitted anything which hee knew yet hee fears himselfe to haue neglected many things which he knew not A Meditation of the short life of man extracted out of the deuout and zealous meditations of that mellifluous Father Saint Barnard THe daies of man are as a shadowe vppon earth there is noe stay for where wee seeme to stand it is in effect nothing Why therefore doth man so heape vp treasure vpon earth sith hee must passe without delay both that which is gathered and hee that gathereth it And thou O man what fruit dost thou expect in this world whose fruit is destruction and whose end is death I wish thou wouldest bee wise and vnderstand and discreetely prouide for the day to come I know one who for many yeres hath liued familiarly with thee hath sitten at thy table taken meate from thy hand slept in thy bosom hath conferred with thee when so ere hee would being thy seruant by way of inheritance But because thou hast pampered him delicately from his youth vp and hast spared the rod hee is become stif-necked hee hath lifted vp his heele against thy head and hath brought thee into slauery and tyrannically triumphs ouer thee Peraduenture thou wilt aske mee who this is It is the old man who treadeth vnderfoote thy spirit who little or nothing esteemes the desires of this earth because it tasteth of nothing but the distasts of the flesh This man was blinde deafe dombe inueterate in euill from his natiuity a rebell to vertue truth an enemy to the Crosse of Christ deriding the inocent simple man walking in great and wonderfull waies far aboue his apprehension or conceipt His pride exceedes his strength hee reuerendeth none saying in the foolishnes of his heart there is no God Hee repineth at the prosperity of others hee fattens himselfe with the aduersity of others hee is fed with beastly and sensuall cogitations nor is he wearied with them transgressing securely euen to the end hee consumeth and scattereth his owne estate like a prodigall hee desireth and deuoureth other mens estates like a couetous miser vnder pretence of dissimulation hee gathereth to himselfe shame and ignominie and subtilely prouoketh the wrath of God This man was wholy borne in sinne and so nourished and brought vp with the fiends of iniquity the children of death vessels of wrath created for dishonour and perdition And yet this man being such as you heare declareth the iudgements of God and taketh the testament of his word into his mouth hee hateth instruction hee casteth God behind his backe when hee sees a thiefe hee runs with him and deuideth his portion among adulterers hee asperceth reproch vpon the childe of his owne mother and heapeth vp the treasure of ire against the day of wrath vpon himselfe hee would gladly take thy inheritance from thee and quite roote thee from of the earth And thou reuengest not so great an iniury done against thee but dissemblest it thou speakest not one hard word vnto him nor shewest any discontent in thy countenance but smilest at him flattering thee playing with a deceiuer Thou art ignorant how it is Ismael that dallies with thee Nor is this play of his to bee imputed to childishnes simplicity or innocencie for it is the very illusion of the soule persecution death throwing thee headlong into the ditch hee had made for thee Now art thou become altogeather effeminate now art thou pressed downe with the yoake of most miserable bondage being trod vnder his feete miserablely and vildly O wreched miserable man who
shall deliuer thee from the bonds of this enthrallement let the Lord arise let this armed man fall before him let this man greatest enemy to man fal be confounded since he is a cōtemner of God a worshipper of himselfe his own illimited affections a friend to the world a seruant to the diuel How doest thou thinke of it if thou thinke rightly thou wilt say with me he is guilty of death let him be crucified Doe not therefore dissemble do not differre do not spare but with celerity magnanimity and instācy crucifie this mā But so as with the Crosse of Christ wherein there is saluation life for whosoeuer shal cal on Christ intentiuely incessantly shall presently haue his crucified old man inuiting him with all benignitie and Christ answering with as much mercie To day thou shalt be with mee in Paradice O the exceeding mercie of Christ O the inopinate saluation of the wicked made righteous by Christ So gratefull and approoued is the loue of God so admired is his sweetenes so vnexpected his louingnes so immerited his mercifulnesse that whosoeuer crieth to him is heard of him for the Lord is mercifull and cals to minde how hee made him O how great is the mercie of God how ineffable the compassion of the right hand of the almightie yesterday was I in darkenesse this day am I in light yesterday in the mouth of a Lion most bloodie this day in the hand of my mediatour full of mercie yesterday in the gate of hell to be tormented for euer to day in a paradice of perpetuall pleasure But what doe these letters of admonition profit vnlesse thou wipe from thy conscience those letters or characters of death what doe these writings profit what doe they both read and vnderstood auaile vnlesse thou both reads and vnderstand thy selfe applie thy selfe therefore to inward reading that thou may reade conceaue and apprehend thy selfe so reade as thou may loue God that thou may fight and by fighting vanquish the world and all thy enemies therein that thy labour may bee conuerted into rest thy lamenting into reioycing and after the darkenesse of this life ending thou may see the rising of that morning sunne of righteousnesse euer shining where thou may likewise see that meridian sunne of eternitie in whom thou shalt see the Bridegroome with his bride one and the same Lord of glorie who liueth and raigneth for euermore A Meditation of Saint Barnard wherein he describes the method of prayer and how a zealous Christian should pray HAue mercie on me O Lord for I sinne there the most where I ought to reforme my selfe the most for in the priuate Monastery oft times whilest I pray I giue not attention to that I pray I pray with my mouth and implies thereby a lippe labour but my minde is wandring abroade and therefore am worthily depriued of the fruite of my prayer in bodie I am inward but in heart outward and therefore I lose the benefit of my speech for little aualleth it vs to sing onely with the voice without the pure intention of our heart wherefore it is great peruersenesse nay great madnesse when we presume to talke familiarly with God in our prayer being of so exceeding Maiestie sencelessely to diuert our mindes from him and prostitute our hearts to I know not what folly Great madnes is it likewise greatly to bee punished when vile dust and ashes composed of nought but sin disdaineth to heare the creator of this vniuerse speaking vnto him But ineffable is the humilitie of his diuine goodnesse daily beholding vs vnhappie wretches turning our eares hardning our hearts yet vouchsafeth he incessantly to crie vnto vs saying returne you that be of an vncircumcised heart behold and see I am your Lord and God God speaketh vnto me in a Psalme and I vnto him neither yet when I say the Psame doe I consider whose Psalme it is therefore doe I a great iniurie vnto God when I desire him that hee would heare my prayer which I when I powre it before him doe not heare my selfe I beseech him to incline his eare vnto my prayer but I incline mine eare neither to my selfe nor to my prayer but which is worse by meditating of vnprofitable and sensuall affections I oppose a most filthie and horrible corruption in the consideration of my hearts pollution before the eies of his all-seeing Maiestie A verie profitable prayer taken out of Saint Barnard intreating of the forme and manner how euerie one ought to consider himselfe no lesse sententious then zealous IF I behold not my selfe I know not my selfe but if I behold my selfe I shall not endure my selfe because I finde so manie things in mee noe lesse worthie of reprehension then confusion and shame so as by how much more exactly and seriously I examine my selfe so manie more abhominations doe I finde in the corners of my heart For since the time I first began to sinne I could neuer passe one day without sinne neither as yet doe I cease from sinne but from day to day adde sinne vpon sinne which though I haue them before mine eyes and consider the exceeding measure of them yet doe I not lament them I see sinnes in mee to be ashamed of yet am not I ashamed I behold sinnes to be sorrowed for in me yet am not I sorrowfull which is an euident signe and token of death and damnation for that member which feeleth not paine is dead and a disease insensible is incurable I am sensuall and dissolute neither yet doe I correct my selfe but daily reiterate those sinnes which before I confessed neither am I aware of the ditch into which miserable soule that I am I haue fallen or made another to fall or seene him falling And whereas I ought to deplore my sinnes and with instancie of supplication pray for remission of them to wit for the euils which I had comitted and the good which I had neglected and omitted woe is me I did the quite contrarie for first I grew luke warme and after chill-could in the feruour of my praier and now I remaine key-could without any sence or apprehension of sinne and therefore cannot bewaile the sinne committed by mee because the grace of teares and remorse is departed farre from me That sinne is not to be excused VVhere I ought to haue amended my sinnes I added sinne vpon sinne when I was accused of them I either in a sort excused them or wholy denied them or which is worse I defended them and with impatience answered for them whereas there was no sinne with which I was not defiled or might haue beene defiled It is fit therefore that all occasion of delay set apart I promise amendment of all sides or by whomsoeuer I am accused to the end I may bee deliuered from the seruitude of sinne by me committed or which might be by me committed Qui ver saturin atrijs Dei oret deploret oret vt peccata eius remittantur deploret peccata que cōmittuntur speret in Deo vt possideat Deum in quo sperauit Ibid A Glorious Hymne of an ancient Father expressing the Harmonious vnion of the heauenly Citizens SAcred powers vnited euer Which no discord can disseuer So enrich'd by the heauenly giuer As empouerishd are you neuer Concords perfect ioyes vniting To melodious feasts inuiting Where all obiects be delighting Noe darke clouds your day benighting What one hath is not so priuate But his friend may likewise haue it And suppose he should not craue it Yet vnited loues receiue it There 's no light that moone doth borrow All 's one day there 's no morrow Perfect solace free from sorrow Yeere by yeere contented thorough Noe Ecclips of Sunne or Moone Neither of their lights be showen Heauen has tapers of her owne Which to heauenly saints are knowne Fruites so mellow full of pleasure Sacred mounts repleate with treasure Of which saints haue perfect seasure Reaping them at their best leasure There the Cedar and the Pine Fruitefull Olyue braunchie Vine Peacefull Mirtle Mirrhe diuine There the Rose and Eglantine Euerie flower in seemely order Stands to beautifie her border More then Art could ere afford her Since diuinest powers haue stord her There loues bird sits on a spray Chaunting out her roundelay Glorious soules their ioyes display Euerie saint keepes holiday Clad they be in goulden clothing Ophir gould to that is nothing Full of ioy yet without lothing Time-obseruing without soothing There the Topaz Emerald And the Diamond that 's cald The worlds beautie Citties walld Round with gould with gemmes empalld There is that Bethesdas poole Which refresheth euerie soule There the bookes which doe enroule Such as laugh and such as houle None must in that campe appeare Conquerors but conquerd heere Such as past their daies in feare To be cround for euer there Let vs fight that we may winne Mastrie ouer death and sinne That after life we may begin To renew our life with him Who has mercie still in store And doth liue foreuermore FINIS