and mercifull towards sinners that of vncleane filthy wretches thou hast made them holy and righteous men that with the fire of thy loue which as the Prophet sayth thou thy selfe art calling thee a fire which dooth consume thou wouldest purge burne vp and vtterly consume all mine iniquities and imperfections making mee of a stone-cold sinner a most ardent louer and feruent follower of thee and of thy precepts and commaundements Neyther only purge me from my sinnes past but Wash mee throughly from my wickednesse and cleanse mee from my sinne Wash mee so ô Lorde and so cleanse all mine inward parts that there may not any thing remaine in mee that may solicite mee to sinne againe Giue me strength and fortitude to ouercome the world the deuil and the flesh least I returne to mine olde wayes former errors And because I knowe ô Lord that no man doth lyue that of himselfe can be iustified in thy sight and presence and that thou doost onely vvill this that hee that desireth to haue forgiuenes of his sinnes do acknowledge and confesse himselfe a sinner and that hee lament and bewayle his misdeedes I being such a one doe say For I acknowledge my faults and my sin is euer before mee I doe acknowledge I say my faultes and confesse them not onely outwardly but also inwardly For although there are some that beeing spotted and polluted with vaine hipocrisie and with some other vice doe deceiue men vnder a shadowe of pietie yet Lord no man lyuing can possibly deceiue thee with a show of outward sanctitie if inwardly he be not so indeed I haue learned by experience that the inwarde sinne is opposite and contrary to euery one which accuseth vvithout intermission and gnaweth the conscience like a worme by the gnawing of which that horrible voyce of the damned ariseth who say We haue wearied our selues in the way of wickednesse and destruction and wee haue gone through dangerous wayes but wee haue not knowne the way of the Lord. The Heathen in tymes past dyd confesse theyr errors and offences to Mars Venus Iupiter Mercurie and to other vaine Gods fictions of Poets and many at thys day do offend because they haue riches honours and the glorie of thys world doe confesse that they haue offended against all these because they haue erred by the meanes of them haue not attained vnto theyr desires But I ô lorde doe contemne all these do confesse my sinnes vnto thee because Against thee onely haue I sinned done euill in thy sight For all my sinnes are against thee as against the Lord the maker and preseruer of all thinges from whom they cannot be hid but are open to the eyes of thy diuinitie as all other thinges are whether they bee in heauen in earth or in the depth of the Sea And truely my sinnes transgressions bee so many and so great that some beeing in the same state of damnation with mee and not considering of thine omnipotencie but measuring thee according to their ovvne frailety and weakenes haue in theyr peruerse cogitations descended into iudgemēt against thee saying My sins are greater then can bee forgiuen And giuing no credite to thy words promises suppose that thou art angry and cruell and doost thinke vpon punishment and vengeance and not vpon pardon and forgiuenes And such when they shall see that thou ô my Lord doost forgiue mee my sinnes will bee of another minde and be confounded in theyr iudgements shal confesse that which thou spakest by thy Prophet saying As the heauens are higher then the earth so are my wayes higher thē your wayes and my thoughts aboue your thoughts Therefore haue mercy vpon me ô Lord and blot out mine offences That thou mayst bee iustified in thy sayings and cleare whē thou art iudged But if a greater acknowledgement of them be necessary for the remission of my sins or if it carry any show of excuse to repeate them frō the first beginning and originall I say ô lord and plainly confesse that I was shapen in wickednes and in sinne hath my Mother conceiued mee And that through that olde transgression of our Father Adam which hee hath traduced and conueyed to all his posteritie which hath made vs subiect first to bodilie death and thē to spiritual to both which deaths we had still beene subiect vnlesse the seconde heauenly Adam Christ our Lord and thy beloued sonne had freed and deliuered vs from them by his most precious blood and had instructed vs by his doctrine and examples and had showed vnto vs the true way by which wee might againe returne to that first estate of innocencie in which we were created in the garden of Parradice For thou louest truth in the inward affections and shalt make mee to vnderstand wisedom in the secret of mine hart For seeing that thou art that ineffable vnspeakable truth which thou louest and which is acceptable to all thine by obseruing it according to thine owne promises thou gauest him who is the desired of Nations and promised in thy law that is thy selfe that we being deliuered frō the feare of our enemies might serue thee not with that olde seruile loue which was for feare of punishment and vengeance but vvith a filiall loue as a Lorde and Father who neuer ceaseth to showre downe his benefites vpon vs his children VVhich loue and name of children we haue obtained by Iesus Christ thy Sonne our lord for by the vertue of his merrits because hee would bee our brother in this worlde hee hath giuen vs boldnesse that wee dare vvith confidence call thee Father thou also callest vs sonnes not naturall Sonnes for Christ alone is thy onely begotten and naturall Sonne and of one substance with thee but vvee are adopted sonnes by vvhich adoption if wee doe our duties wee come to the inhearitance of thy kingdome vvith him therefore to vs being such Thou hast manifested the sescrete and hidden things of thy wisedome That is the misteries of our redemption which neither Socrates nor Aristotle nor Plato nor any other of the Grecian or Romaine Phylosophers could euer find out by all their immeasurable study and long searching yea thou hast shewed that al those things in which they placed the last end and chiefest felicitie to bee meere foolishnes extreame vanity and that which they supposed foolishnes thou hast showen to be true wisedome that thou mightest declare manifest howe little mans strength can preuaile without thy help and that thou mightest giue an example that none heereafter shoulde trust to his owne vvit or power but thou dost giue ioy and strength to them that with humilitie offer vnto thee theyr misery and weakenesse and him thou fillest with thy wisedome that with a sincere minde offereth vnto thee his ignorance and to bee briefe him thou iustifiest that yeeldeth vp himselfe vnto thee humbled as a sinner VVhich seeing it is so I desire thee O Lord That
If it please thee viewe the bodies of them who are departed out of this life and thou shalt finde nothing in them besides ashes wormes stinke lothsomnes What thou art novve they sometimes were what they are nowe thou shortly must be they were mē as thou art now they did eate drink as thou doost They spent theyr dayes in wealth suddainly went down to the graue See how the fleshe nourished in delights now beeing meate for wormes lyeth in the graue how the vnhappy soule descendeth that it may be fuell for the infernall fire without any hope that euer the torments and punishments shall haue end VVhat shall thē theyr vaine glory profit them in what steede shall then the power of thys vvorlde stand thē what shal then their carnall delights couetousnes of riches help them where are then their merry disports where is then their boasting presumptiō of false ioy O into hovve grieuous miseries are they fallē after a short pleasure frō a counterfet mirth they are fallen into assured misery eternall torment What hapned vnto thē may also happen vnto thee for thou art both a man compounded of the same dust ashes that they were framed of man of earth slime of slime and after death thou shalt bee turned into dust ashes neyther knowest thou where whē or how Wherfore seeing that death waiteth for thee in euery place if thou beest wise expect him in like manner at all times and in euery place Let the louers of this worlde remember sayth Isidore how short the felicitie of this world is how barren slender the glory of it is and howe weake and fraile the power is Tell me if thou canst where are the Kinges Princes Emperors of ancient times vvhere are the rich and mighty men of this vvorld They are all passed away as a shadow vanished as smoake and if a man seeke for them hee shall not finde them VVhat if wee say that manie of those Kings Princes Emperours thought that they shoulde alwayes conquer and neuer die O blinde and ignorant beholde it is not so beholde the matter is fallen out quite otherwise they are dead as other men are theyr lyfes haue fayled them as the lyfes of other Princes that liued and ruled before them What the estate of man is after death Saint Bernard dooth very well teach VVhat saith hee is more stinking then a carkasse what is more horrible then a dead man He that was of a beautifull coūtenance and comely stature whilst hee liued after death lyeth with a gastly and fearefull face for vvormes putrefaction horror follow a dead man Which thing seeing it is so vvhat doe riches delicacies and honours profit Riches doe not deliuer from death nor delicacies frō wormes nor honours from corruption And Saint Chrysostome sayth Hast thou not seene manie that haue dyed amidst theyr delights euen in their drunkennesse in other fonde pleasures of thys lyfe Where are they now that not long since ridd through the streets brauely mounted swelled with pride richly attired in silkes garded with attendants and seruitours smelling of perfumes oyntments and spices fawned vppon with flatterers and parasites where is now all their pompe and vaine toyes gone Where are nowe theyr large costly banquets theyr immoderate laughters theyr ease and idlenes theyr effeminate luxurious and riotous lifes All is gone What is become of their bodies that ere vvhile vvere vvayted vppon vvith so great troupes and were kept so neate and finicall Behold they are gone downe into the graue Contemplat the dust ashes worms the beauty of that pulchritude aud thou wilt sigh bitterly Behold with diligence and pry narrowly into each of their monuments serch their graues and Sepulchers tosse turne ouer theyr bones and ashes thou shalt finde nothing heere but ashes nothing besides the reliques of worms which haue eaten their bodies and see what is the end of them albeit they liued in this world in delights and glory I pray God that thou mayst diligently consider of these things and that they may neuer slip out of thy memory But ô greefe the vnhappy sonnes of Adam neglecting true and wholsom studies and endeuours doe seeke for and hunt after vaine and transitory pleasures If therefore ô my brother thou wilt alwayes in thine hart meditate of these things and consider the misery and vildnes of this life thou wilt be humbled and wilt detest pride seeing that thou art not ignorant that pride is the badge and cognisance by which the children of the deuill are knowne For he is as holy Iob saith the King ouer all the children of pride Gregory confirmeth this Pride saith he is a most euident token of reprobates but contrarily humility is a badge of the elect Seeing therfore that euery one is knowne by that he hath hee is easily found vnder vvhat King he warreth For euerie one carrieth as it were a certain title of his labour whereby hee euidently sheweth vnder whō he serueth that is whether vnder Christ or the deuill O cursed pride hated of GOD and men This tumbled Lucifer headlong out of heauen banished Adam out of Paradice drowned Pharaoh with his Army in the red Sea depriued Saul of his kingdome transformed Nabuchodonozer into a beast and destroyed Antiochus with a most horrible and hideous death The second Meditation for Tuesday of sin and what discommodities come by it HE that committeth sinne saith the beloued Disciple of Christ is of the deuill for the deuill sinneth from the beginning for this purpose appeared the Sonne of God that hee might loose the works of the deuill Sinne is so heauy a burthen that neyther heauen nor earth can beare it but with the Author and worker of it it descendeth into hell Euery word deed and thought contrary to the lawe of God according to Saint Augustine is sinne which ought none otherwise thē hell to be eschewed of all them who aspire to the heauenly kingdome and that for three causes the first of which is because it displeaseth God the second because it pleaseth the deuill the third because it is hurtfull and bringeth many discommodities to man First I say thou oughtest to eschew sinne because it exceedingly displeaseth thy Creatour in which place we are to consider what God hath done by reason of sinne No man is ignorant that for sinne God hath destroyed the workes of his owne hands that for sinne he hath cast Angels out of heauen disparadiz'd men and drowned with flood of waters all mankinde as the booke of Genesis vvitnesseth Other Kings and Emperours that they may reuenge the iniury done vnto them of theyr enemies doe spoyle and wast their Countries Dominions but God subuerted and destroyed his owne kingdome because sinne had entred into it Neyther doth God only hate sinne but all that which by any manner of way pertaineth vnto sin Men although the vvine hath lost his vertue
doe not therfore cast away the siluer bowles in which the wine is but reseruing them they poure out the wine but God not onely casteth out sinne but also together with sinne hurleth downe headlong into the deepest Ocean of hel the vessels in which it is which are creatures reasonable soules made according to his owne image and redeemed with his precious blood Wherupon the wiseman saith Vngodlines and an vngodly man are alike hated of God That most patient man Iob sayth Thou doest visite me euery morning and triest me euery moment Therefore in vvhat should I hope or wherin should I trust but in the mere mercy of God and in the affiance of celestiall grace For bee it that I dwell amongst honest men be it that I conuerse and dyet with religious deuoute and faythfull friends be it that I reade holy Bookes godly Treatises and sing heauenly Himnes yet they little or rather nothing at all profit mee if the fauour of GOD forsake mee and leaue me to my nakednes and necessity Therefore there is none other remedy but to embrace patience to deny my selfe and vvholy to yeelde vp and offer my selfe vnto the deuine will and pleasure There was neuer any man so religeous who did not sometimes feele himselfe depriued of diuine consolation and that hee wanted the zeale and feruour of the spirit There neyther is nor hath at any time been any Saint vvhom temptation hath not sometimes taken holde of Certainely hee is not woorthy of that high and sublime contemplation of GOD vvho before hath not for the loue of GOD been exercised in sundrie and manifolde tribulations Almost alvvayes the praecedent temptation is vvoont to bee a token that comforte is at the doores VVherefore heauenlie consolation is promised vnto them that are approoued and tried vvith temptations which the Scripture affirmeth when it is said To him that ouercommeth will I giue to eat of the tree of life which is in the middes of the Paradice of God Wherefore God hath not eyther in heauen or vpon the earth so deere and faithfull a familier friend whō he deadly hateth not if he finde deadly sinne in him Wherfore albeit Christ loued Saint Peter entirely yet he had condemned him if he had died in that sin when thrice he denied his lord and Maister Secondly Gods hatred to sin heereby also appeareth that he would haue his onely begotten Sonne dye for the sinnes of men as Esay testifieth saying For the transgression of my people haue I strucken and plagued him And certainly the Sonne of God himselfe that he might destroy sinne deliuered his owne soule into the hands of death as the same Prophet sayth Who was euer found boyling with so great wrath against his enemies who that he might destroy them slewe his onely Sonne Thirdly Gods detestation to sinne is heereby also gathered that he hath persecuted it euen from the beginning of the world to the end not in one place but wheresoeuer he found it He found it in heauen and thence he banished it when he saw it remaining vppon the earth he came in his owne person that hee might expell it thence and at the last in the finall iudgement he vvill confine include sinne within the limits and bonds of hell as in his naturall place as the Prophet testifieth saying And he will cast all our sinnes into the bottome of the Sea Fourthly how greatly sinne displeaseth God this similitude argueth vvithout all doubt that fault is very odious and abhominable that causeth a Mother to cast her beloued Sonne into a burning furnace and not once to assay to take him thence againe so certainly there must needes be some great matter in it and exceedingly odious vnto God for which hee should cast his children into eternall flames if hee finde sinne in them vvhom notwithstanding hee so loued that hee refused not to dye for them Thou seest heere ô sinfull soule how odious and abhominable all sin is vnto God Wherefore if thou desirest to please God it is necessary that thou keepe thy selfe free and clean from sinne so that it possesse not the least place in thee For shee shall be accounted a very vnfaythfull woman who admitteth into her bed an other man besides her husband but especially if shee admitte one that is his enemy and of whom hee is to expect many discommodities and iniuries so also vnfaithfull is that soule vvhich of purpose and vvillingly giueth place vnto sinne vvhich Christ our Redeemer the true spouse of our souls hateth so deadly which wrought him so many discōmodities so many losses so many torments and for vvhich he vvas hanged naked vpon the Crosse. Wherfore heere it pleaseth and liketh mee vvell to imitate that regall Prophet and svveete singer of Israell and saye Create in me a cleane hart ô God and renue a right spirit within mee VVee sayd that the second reason why sinne was to be eschewed is because it maketh merry our auntient enemy the deuill vvhich is gathered by three signes and tokens The first is because hee seeketh for nothing in the whole world so industriously he hunteth not after gold nor siluer nor precious stones but after soules as it is figured in Genesis where the King of Sodome sayth in the person of the deuill Giue mee the soules and take the goods to thy selfe Saint Gregory affirmeth the same thing Perswade thy selfe that the deuill seeketh for none other thing then to deceaue and destroy soules for as an Hawke desireth nothing so much as the hart of that bird which he pursueth so the deuill desireth nothing so much as the soule of a sinner The second signe whereby we know that the deuill doth loue sin is the continuall temptation by which he impugneth and molesteth men neyther is euer wearied in solliciting man vnto sinne For there are almost nowe past sixe thousand yeares in all which time hee hath onely applied himselfe to this study that he might sinne and make man to sinne neyther is he tyred yea hee daily findeth and inuenteth nevve kinds of sinne hee is still nimbler and busier in his endeuors and temptations daily bringeth men into new errours as wee see in the booke of Iob. For when as God asked him whence he came he aunswered From compassing the earth to and fro and from walking in it Hee is so busied in preferring sinne that he hath not time to take any rest as Iob testifieth They that pierce me through saith he doe not sleepe The third signe that sinne pleaseth the deuill is that hee can neuer be satisfied with sin For although infinit thousands of men haue descended to hell for their impiety and pollution of sinne of whom the deuill is the ringleader yet he is not satisfied but alwayes hungerly Like a roaring Lyon walketh about seeking whom hee may deuoure as Saint Peter testifieth in his first Epistle generall He so hungreth and
will refresh thee But if all these thinges my Brother which thou hast hetherto read of do not moue thee heare what the same famous Doctor of the Church Bernard sayth of the louers of the world Woe be vnto those vnhappy and wretched ones saith he for whom is prepared intollerable sorrow incomparable stinch and horrible feare Woe bee to them for whom is prepared that place where nothing shall be heard but vveeping and wayling lamentation and howling mourning gnashing of teeth where nothing shall bee seene but the worme vgly deformed and horrible tortures and terrible fearefull deuils where they shal cal seeke for death but shal not find it where there is no order but where perpetual horror euerlastingly abideth How great feare how great sorow how great mourning will there be whē sinners are seperated frō the righteous deliuered to the power of deuills with whom they shall be cast headlong into the eternall tormēts of hel without hope euer to see the face of the Lorde or heauenly glory without any hope to bee euer freed from those torments where neyther the torturers shal be wearied nor the tortures haue any ende where death shall neuer die nor lyfe bring any ioy Tell mee ô sinner sayth S. Ierome if we had the wisedom of Salomon the beauty of Absolon the strength of Sampson the long life of Enoch the riches of Craesus and the felicitie of Octauian what would these things profit vs when as our fleshe at the length is to be giuen to the wormes of the earth and our soules to the deuils to bee euerlastingly tormented with the rich Glutton in hell The shortnesse of time the breuity of life and the vncertainty of death ought to moue thee to contemne the worlde those vaine delights that be in the world Wherefore Saint Gregory sayth Reprobates doe many things wickedly because they hope to liue long heere Contrariwise the righteous whilst they consider the shortnes of theyr lyfe they auoyde the sinnes of pride and vncleannesse Of the breuity of this life S. Iames saith What is your life it is euen as a vapour that appeareth for a little tyme. And Saint Augustine sayth If thou haddest lyued all that time since Adam was expelled out of the garden of Paradice euen to this day certainly thou shouldest well perceiue that thy life was not perpetuall vvhich hath so passed avvay but the lyfe of one man what is it adde as many yeeres as it pleaseth thee adde a very long and lasting old age what then Is it not yet morning Bee it that the day of Iudgement is farre of assuredly thy last day cannot bee farre of therefore nowe prepare thy selfe for as thou departest out of thys life so shalt thou bee presented to the other lyfe Thys sayth hee And in another place All the time that wee liue heere is taken from life so that the lyfe present is none other thing but a short way by which wee passe vnto death in which no man can long stay nor linger or walke softly and at leysure but euery day thou must finish by little and little some part of thy iourney All things passe away sayth Soneca and are in continuall diminution augmentation None of vs is the same in olde age that wee vvere in youth Not any one of vs is the same in the morning that wee were the day before Our bodyes passe away after the manner of running riuers vvhatsoeuer thou seest runneth away with the time Nothing remayneth steadie of all those thinges vve see behold they are changed whilst I speake and I also am changed And in another place The Fates doe ply their worke and doe take away frō vs the sence and feeling of our death and that death may creepe vpon vs more easily it lurketh vnder the very name of life Childhood cōuerts infancie into it youth childhood manly age youth and olde age takes away manly age The very increases if thou doost well account thinke of them will be founde to be losses If my deere Brother thou lettest these thinges into thine eares and meditatest on thē in thine hart well considerest them thou wilt say that thou rather runnest vnto death then that thou canst hope for long lyfe The fift Meditation for Friday of the vanitie of the glory and magnificence of this world THE Prophet Baruch detecting and laying open the great and intollerable mockerie of vaine glory and riches and the subtile deceits of this vvorlde in the third chapter of his prophecie sayth Where are the Princes of the Heathen and such as ruled the beastes vppon the Earth They that had their pastime with the foules of heauen and hoarded vp siluer and golde wherein men trust and made none end of their gathering For they that coyned siluer and were so carefull of their worke and whose inuention had none end are come to naught and gone downe to hell and other men are come vp in their steades Where are the inuincible victors and heroicke conquerours of Coutries who by theyr conquests purchased such tryumphs and by their riches prepared such magnificent feastes and banquettes Where are the Emperours and Captaynes of huge Armies Where are the managers tamers of horses and other creatures vvhere are the Iudges tyrants great theeues of the world they are novv nothing but dust and ashes Looke and looke againe looke I say into theyr Sepulchers whether this is a rich man or that a poore man Whether this man is valiant or that man faint-harted tosse turn ouer their bones distinguish if thou canst a rich man from a poore man a valiant man frō a coward a beautifull man from him that is deformed Wherfore my brother let vs be wise at the last being admonished by this Scripture and let vs assuredly persvvade our selues that all mans glory whence soeuer it commeth is to be auoided of vs. First because of his owne nature it is vile secondly because it is deceitfull in his promises thirdly because it is vaine brickle frayle fleeting and momentany fourthly because it is euill and malicious in rendering a reward First I say that mans glory is to be eschewed because of his owne nature and condition is vile and base as it is manifest in the first booke of the Macchabees where Mattathias dying sayth to his Sonnes Feare not yee the wordes of a sinfull man for his glory is but dong and vvormes VVhat in this world is more filthy thē dong What more vile then wormes Therefore if all mans glorie consisteth in dong it is not to be desired but auoyded Mans glorie as the Phylosopher sayth is as corruption and the rottennesse of vvood Which thing also experience teacheth vs for as the little vvorme Teredo that eateth vvood in the night shyneth and maketh a crackling but in the day time is knovvne to bee a worme putrefaction so also vayne glory shineth and glittereth vvith great
the poore and religiously rule ouer them who being drowned in riches and delicats and swollen with costly meates seeing the poore before their Pallace gates naked and perrishing through hunger and cold doe not stretch out their hands vnto them neyther are mooued vvith any pittie but gyuing themselues vvholie to playes sportings gaming 's feastings and banquets vtterly forget the poore the charge of whom is so often committed and commended vnto thē in the Scriptures neither doe they remember God at any time except perhaps lightly and by the way cursorily perfunctorily Let them certainly perswade themselues and remember these things when they shall feele try them that a most strict and exact aceount shal be required of them vvhy they haue not destributed to the poore those things which were superfluous vnto them and if they cannot giue an account nor purge themselues their soules shall suffer intollerable torments in the deepest pit of hel O how easily doe they offend and howe suddainly are they envvrapped in punishment vvho doe not consider hovve they must dye or howe God shall iudge them O how vncircumspect and vnhappy are they that do not remēber these thinges and doe not resist the temptations of the deuil I dare boldly affirme that if they did acknowledge God to be their Iudge think that they shold die that they wold not sinne at the least with so great security all feare set apart But now they come to Church not to heare the diuine word to pray but to see vanity beuty the pride of womē This is their thought this their intent this their sermon There they talk confer how they may heape riches together there they dispute of the sundry fashions of apparel there they inuite one another to feasts banquets to the dishonest delights of gluttony of whom S Bernard sayth O wretches what do yee who before the time do slay your own soules corrupt and putrifie your bodies Tell me whence comes infirmity whence groweth the sodaine death of yong men but of great aboundance of meats immoderate venery Wretched are ye because ye think that ye can delude God but in truth yee deceaue your selues because yee neglect your soules that yee may pamper your bodies so yee destroy them both before the time appoynted Your pleasure and reioycing shall continue but that short time yee liue but after death your bewaylings and torments shall endure with deuils in hell for euer and euer there shal be euerlasting shame and confusion there shal neither be sumptuous banquets nor delicate wines there with the rich Glutton who in thys world fared delicatly yee shall craue a drop of cold water and it shall not be giuen vnto you for there no man gathereth or reapeth any thing but that hee hath sown in this world What then ô miserable man doest thou Why doest thou not repent Why doest thou not amend thy life O hart harder then a rocke why doest thou linger Why doest thou deferre repentance for thy sinns Why doest thou prorogue thy cōuersion Behold how death commeth running swiftly to carrie thee avvay the deuill standeth ready to catch thy soule and the wormes greedily expect thy flesh which thou hast fatted vvith so fine cates that they may haue more aboundant and more toothsom foode Doth not that horrible and fearefull day of iudgment come into thy mind in vvhich thou shalt not onely render a most stricte account of thy pride gluttony luxury vayne glory vanity and of thy time vnprofitably spent but also of euery idle word Beware that thou fall not into that dreadful condemnation which the Son of God not now a Lambe but a Lyon shal pronounce against the cursed saying Depart from me ye cursed into euerlasting fire which is prepared for the deuill and his angels Beholde sayth Bernard ô thou worldly sinner how farre thou wanderest out of the way if in this world thou seekest for honours pleasures and glory for thou shalt neuer finde that heere which may satisfie thee If thou desirest true ioy and true glory endeuour and labour to goe to heauen by the right way wher the ioyes are truer and better then euer eye hath seene or eare hath heard or hath at any time entred into the heart of man I pray thee for those eternall and euerlasting ioyes neglect and basely account of these transitory and momentary pleasures But what shall wee say of them who can neyther be induced by the feare or loue of GOD nor by the terrour of death nor by the horrour of hellish tormentes to forsake theyr sinnes yea vvhom it repenteth that that they haue not power and abilitie to liue as wickedly as they would that they might satisfie theyr lustes in all thinges O miserable wretches yee laugh in this vvorld but yee shall weepe in the other VVoe bee vnto you who desire momentanie and fading pleasures because yee shall suffer greate and euerlasting torments A lyttle tyme yet remayneth fill vppe the measure of your iniquityes and miseries that the indignation of GOD may bee more plentifullie powred dovvne vppon you Reioyce a lyttle giue ouer your selues to tryflings to toies fables sportings lyes contentions and enmities and let no time passe you in vaine What doe yee Scrape together for your children riches honours and dominions purchase nobility renowne for them that they may doe that which yee left to doe and finish what yee began that yee together vvith them may be tortured vvith greater torments But some man may say God is bountifull gracious mercifull hee receaueth euery sinner that turnes to him with all his hart and he pardoneth all their faults True it is my brother he is more mercifull then thou supposest when he so patiently suffereth sinners and so mercifully granteth thē space to repent in that they may amend themselues and if they returne vnto him he graciously receaueth them But I would haue thee to know that as he is mercifull in suffering expecting and pardoning so he is iust in correcting and punishing If thou shalt say Albeit a man sinne all his life time neither doe any good at all if hee repent at the very point instance of death God will forgiue him all hys sinnes O my brother hovve vaine is this comfort Howe false deceitfull is this cogitation for of an hundred thousand sinners that defer their repētance to the houre of death scarsely one is saued and obtaineth remission of his sinnes A man borne in sinne neuer lyuing according to the lavve of the Lord without the knowledge of him neuer willing to heare the worde of God not knowing what sinne is or what repentance is drowned in the businesses and cares of thys world afflicted with the loue of his children whom hee leaueth with the griefe of his riches which he forsaketh tormented without hope euer to enioy them again what repentance can he make who if any hope of longer life or recouery
did appeare vnto him would not be any whit carefull for repentance Of which I inferre that hee that in his youth and whilst hee is whole and sound neither feareth nor blusheth to offend God is vnwoorthy to haue his sinns forgiuen him in the agony of death For tell me what repentance is that which a man maketh when he plainly seeth that he can liue no longer yea who would liue more dissolutly then he did before if hee should recouer his former health Truly I my selfe haue seene very few rich men who haue repented at the houre of death and recouering agayne bodilie health haue not afterwardes beene woorse in theyr soules then they were before This I am assured and altogether perswaded of and I haue learned it by long experience and obseruation that they that alvvayes sinne vvithout anie feare and neuer in health will sette sinne at defiance nor renounce theyr pleasures that they sildome and very hardlie haue an happy ende as sayth Saint Hierome VVherefore my Brother if thou hast any discretion or if there bee anie light of reason within thee despise and forsake the riches honours and glorie of this world for his sake who created thee and who is ascended aboue all things VVhat shall it profit thee if thou gainest the whole world and loosest thy soule I knowe assuredly that the honours and glory of this world are impediments of grace and that which is worse hinderers of eternall saluation For it is no where reade that euer any man passed vnto eternall glory by the pleasures and delights of this world O howe vaine and false is the glory vvhich men hunt after and desire one of another and not of God He that desireth to be preferred before all men it is to bee feared least the higher hee ascends the greater will bee his fall That Angell was a Cittizen and an inhabitant of heauen who said I will ascend into heauen exalt my throne aboue beside the starres of God I will sitte also vppon the mount of the Congregation in the sides of the North. I will ascend aboue the height of the cloudes and I will bee like the most high But hee vvas made a deuill and fell into the deepest pitte of hell Therefore it is very well sayde of Saint Augustine O howe happie is hee vvhose heart onelie burneth vvith a desire of heauenlie glorie Who is not puffed vp in prosperitie nor cast downe in aduersitie Who as hee hath nothing in the vvorlde that hee loueth so hee hath nothing that hee feareth VVhat other thing is the glory of this worlde but a tickling of the eares O how cursed is he sayth Anselmus and ingratefull that seeketh for the glorie of thys vvorlde No honour is gotte vvithout trouble no dignitie vvithout disturbance no highnes without vanity Wherfore my brother if thou wouldest weightily consider of the great danger that follovveth vvorldly glorie vvithout doubt thou wouldest shunne and flie from all the vanity of this vvorlde and thou vvouldest onely desire to enioy that celestiall beatitude vvhich all the Saintes haue obtayned by so great labours and afflictions and now doe enioy with greater reioycing The sixt Meditation for Saterday howe death is to be feared and that a Christian ought so to liue that death may neuer finde him vnprepared BE mindfull saith the wiseman for death dooth not tarry the remembrance of it is the mother of many good things for the same Wiseman saith Remember the end and thou shalt neuer doe amisse And Saint Bernard saith Continuall remembrance of death is a great blessing Let a man alwayes carry this about with him and hee shall neuer offend And Saint Augustine sayth There is not any thing that more forciblie holdeth a man from sinne then the continuall remembrance of death This maketh a man humble lowly this bringeth a cōtempt of earthly things induceth a man to take vpon him the burden of repentance S. Hierome also doth subscribe vnto these saying Hee that perswadeth himselfe that he shall dye easily contemneth all things he despiseth the pride of lyfe who remembreth that ere long hee shall be cast into the earth for hee that knoweth that shortly he must be put vnder all mens feet be troden vpon by euerie one he will not desire to be extolled or to be lifted aboue others he that remēbreth that he must leaue all things by and by contemneth the lust of his eies but especially he despiseth the concupiscence of the flesh vvho considereth that after a short time his body shal be deuoured of the vvormes of the earth I wold to God saith S. Ierome that the kings Princes of the earth and the possessors of the riches of this worlde wold cōsider how after a short space of time they shall be carried out of theyr magnificent Pallaces and be enclosed included in a very narrow corner of a roome how they shall be caried out of their glistering famous buildings into a darke obscure Sepulcher out of their golden gilded houses painted with most beautiful most plesant flowers picturs into a Sepulcher replenished with crawling worms intollerable stink out of their Pallaces full of all the fine furniture riches of this world into an empty and hollow Sepulcher out of Pallaces in which a company of children and a troup of seruants daily attēded into a solitary desert forsaken Sepulcher seperated from all society and resort of men Tell mee where remayneth all that forepassed glory and pompe Where is the multitude of seruants and attendants that were wont to follow them Where are their costly delicate banquets They ioyed heere a little time and liued in their Pallaces in the midst of the delights of this world and nowe worms in a Sepulcher do frollick and feede on them Of this remembrance of death Petrus Damianus vvryteth vnto a certaine Countesse saying O that wee would remember deare Lady how the miserable soule is excruciated at the point of death with horrible feare cruell remorse and sharpe piercings it being now to depart out of the prison of the flesh It shall remember vices and sins committed which are so strictly forbidden It shall beholde the precepts of God which it hath not obserued partly throgh negligence and partly through contempt it shall lament the time spent without fruit which was granted it to repent in it shall mourne and bewaile because it hath so lately vnderstood the ineuitable and immutable vengeance of condemnation It shall bee compelled to forsake and leaue the flesh it shall desire to reuoke and recall the time past but it cannot neither shall it bee heard Looking backwardes it shall see all her life time as the tract and step of one pace And looking forwards seeing so euerlasting an age of eternity it shall howle and cry out that in so short a time it did not purchase that great glory which the Saintes shall enioy for euer and euer
thou wouldest purge me with hysope I shal be clean that thou wouldest wash mee and I shall bee whither then snow VVash mee ô Lorde with the water of that fountaine which floweth to eternall life vvhich thou didst promise to the vvoman of Samaria and purge me with the hysope of thy grace and with the fire of thy loue charitie burne away all the errors of my frailetie and all my wickednesse and then I shall bee cleansed frō all my sinnes then I shall returne vnto the state of innocencie then I shall be more pure and whiter then the whitest snowe Then Thou shalt make mee heare of ioy and gladnesse that the bones which thou hast broken may reioyce Then all my sences which hetherto serued the worlde the flesh and the deuill that lay drowned in pleasures world lie delights which are rather to be called sorrowes miseries afflictions and confusions shall receiue of thee ioy gladnesse and rest and they shall begin to heare and tast howe good and sweete ô lord thy Spirite is to them that serue thee with humilitie I hauing tasted of thy Spirit my flesh and bones which are nowe broken because they serued earthly and vile thinges shall returne with gladnesse to the obedience of thy Spirit They shall taste of the high misteries of thy workes shall know a great part of thy goodnesse graciousnesse which both heeretofore thou hast vsed and stil vsest daily to all the nations of the world wherefore they shall persecute those thinges vvith a deadly hate vvhich they haue passed thorow and that which heeretofore was sweet pleasant vnto them now they shall esteem it bitter that which they refused as bitter now they shall desire it as most sweet shall giue thee immortall thanks because thou hast deliuered them out of the depth of misery in which they wallowed beeing deciued with a false vizard of pleasure gladnes because now ô lord throgh thy gracious goodnesse I am come to the knowledge detestation of my sinnes beeing the ready way to saluation O Lord I pray thee Turne thy face from my sins and put out all my misdeedes Turne thy diuine face I say the beholding and contemplating of which is eternall lyfe deale not with me after my deserts but looke vpon mee with the eyes of thy mercy and take from mee all my wickednesse Purge me ô lord and cleanse me not only from sinnes past but from all those that may happen to mee heereafter Create in mee a cleane hart ô God and renue a right spirite within mee Take from me my stony hart which hetherto hath delighted it selfe with the loue and contemplation of abiect and vncleane things and therefore it is vncleane and polluted I pray thee ô lord take this from mee and vouchsafe to create another in me cleane pure and chast Take from me the spirit of pride of vaine-glory of couetousnes of luxury and of many other vices and slaueries which hath raigned in mee renew within me a right mild and humble spirit vvhich may thirst after all righteousnesse Thou knowest ô lorde that we are earth and a masse of iniquitie and that vnlesse thou doost support vs with thine hand we cannot do any thing but that which is earthly there-I pray thee Cast mee not away from thy presence and take not thy holy spirit from me But alwayes direct mee preserue mee with thy right hand that I may say as the Prophet sayd in times past The Lord is my Sheepheard I shall not want Take not from mee thy holie Spirit the true comforter of the afflicted who is the way of truth to all them that as wanderers lost and desolate doe enter into the blinde Laborinth of thys worlde yea rather Lord Restore to mee the ioy of thy saluation and stablish me with thy free spirit Giue mee grace that by meditating on those things vvhich thou hast wrought for our saluation and workest daily in beholding thy will who desirest not the death of a sinner but that hee may be conuerted and liue I may enioy that true ioy and rest which they enioy who beeing guiltie of eternall death doe heare that theyr sins are forgiuen them not of thē that haue no power to doe it but of him that is omnipotent who can neyther deceiue nor be deceiued who as hee cannot die so hee cannot fayle in his promise Take from me ô lorde the spirit of bondage which I haue hetherto obeyed and strengthen me in thy loue and grace with thy royall and free spirit not subiect to the worlde the flesh or the deuill that we may serue thee with ioy in the perfection of the works of righteousnes in the libertie of the Gospell to the which vvee are restored by thy Sonne Christ our lord and Sauiour And then ô lorde I beeing strengthened by thy mercie I shall not onely be free clean frō all sin but I shal march into the fielde as a couragious warriour valiant captaine I shall teach thy wayes vnto the wicked and sinners shal be conuerted vnto thee Who seeing me to be made of wicked iust of weake mighty of a seruaunt free of a subiect thine adopted sonne and considering thys to be doone not by mans strength but by diuine power they will bee conuerted vnto thee with all their hart and with all theyr soule But I pray thee ô my lord and the GOD of my saluation whilst I am conuersant vvith wicked peruerse and vngodly men doe not suffer me to sin with them or to pollute my selfe with theyr blemishes But Deliuer mee from blood-giltinesse O God thou that art the God of my health and my tongue shall sing of thy righteousnesse As the sunne vvith his beames dooth pierce and penetrate all thinges both pure impure and is not onely not polluted but also dooth purge those things that are infected corrupted so I beeing clothed with the beames and heate of thy charitie and loue may with out spotte and blemish be conuersant among the impure vncleane Thys if thou vvilt grant mee my tongue beeing directed and guided by thy grace and ayde shall plant thy righteousnes in their harts and they shall be deceiued when they shall thinke that it is my worke seeing that it is thine For of my selfe I am not sufficient to doe it nay I am not able to speake a worde without thy helpe grace That therfore they may acknowledge this and yeelde thee thy due prayse and not bestowe it on mee Open thou my lippes ô Lorde and my mouth shall shew forth thy prayse And now ô lorde I offer thee my spirit afflicted troubled because I haue offended thee to which I add a purpose of amendement Which sacrifice I know doth please thee to be that which thou requirest For thou desirest no sacrifice though I woulde giue it thou delightest not in burnt offerings For now is the time in which no burnt offerings
times in going or labouring oftentimes is of greater dignity and efficacy then other prolixe exercises or copious prayers This exercise is more profitably done by desires and inward sighings and mournings then by words albeit wordes helpe at al times which a man may now and then vtter after this or such like manner O blessed Iesu ô the sweetnes and delight of my hart ô the life of my soule when shall I please thee in all things and at all times When shall I perfectly dye vnto my selfe Whē shall I preferre thee before all creatures When shall there not liue any other thing in mee besides thy selfe ô Lord Haue mercy vpon me ô Lord and helpe me I salute thy wounds ô Lord as it were fresh flourishing roses hide me ô lord in them and wash mee in them that I may be throghly cleane and inflamed with thy loue O Lord God ô admirable beginning ô the piety of amiable charity ô the dearest light of my vnderstanding ô the rest of my vvill vvhen shall I feruently and ardently loue thee Vouchsafe ô lord to shoote through my soule vvith the dart of thy loue vouchsafe to associate and vnite mee vnto thee that I may bee one vvith thee O my desire ô my hope ô my refreshing and comfort O that my soule were worthy thyne embraces that all the drowsines and luke-warmnes of my soule might be consumed with the fire of thy loue O the soule of my soule ô the life of my life I wholy desire thee and offer my selfe wholy vnto thee wholy to thee that art all in all one to one and only to thee alone O that it had place in me that thou spakest to thy Father O holy Father let them be one as wee are one I in them and thou in me that they may be made perfect in one I neyther will nor wish any other thing I desire none other thing I entreate none other thing of thee for thou alone art sufficient for me Thou art my father thou art my mother thou art my defender my leader and all my good Thou art wholy louely vvholy delightfull wholy faithfull Who was euer so liberall that would giue him selfe vvho euer loued so tenderly that would deliuer himselfe vnto death for a vile creature Who vvas euer so humble that hath so debased and ecclipsed his Maiesty O Lorde thou despisest no man disdaynest no man reiectest no man that sueth vnto thee yea thou callest and prouokest them to come meete thee for it is thy delight to conuerse with the children of men O Lorde the Angells doe blesse and prayse thee what other thing hast thou found in vs but pollutions and blemishes of sin Wherefore wouldest thou be with vs to the end of the vvorld Was it not enough for thee that thou sufferedst for vs but that thou must leaue thy Sacraments for a medicine vnto vs and thy Angells for our companions and protectours And albeit we be vnthankfull for so great benefites yet thou wouldest dwell among vs for thou art so good and gracious that thou canst not deny thy selfe Therfore ô Lord let vs make if so it please thee a league couenant take thou charge of me and I will take charge of thee Doe with me ô Lord as it pleaseth thee for thou knowest what I want and what is meete for mee I will be thine and no others Giue me grace ô Lord that I may not seeke nor desire any thing but thee and that I may wholy offer yeeld vp my selfe vnto thee O sire that enlightenest me ô charity that inflamest me ô light illuminating me ô my rest ô my life ô my loue who alwayes burnest and neuer art extinguished vvhen shall I perfectly loue thee When shall I embrace thee with the naked arms of my soule Whē shall I despise my selfe and the whole vvorld for the loue of thee When shall my soule with al her powers strength bee vnited vnto thee When shall I be swallowed vp in the bottomles depth of thy loue O thou most sweete most louing most beautifull most wise most rich most noble most precious and most worthy to be loued and worshipped when shall I so loue thee that I may lie drowned wholy in thy loue O the life of my soule who didst vndergoe the burthen of death that thou mightest reuiue me and dying didst kill death kill ô Lord me also that is slay all my peruerse inclinations to euill my will also and whatsoeuer hindereth whereby thou mayst not liue with mee But after that thou hast thus killed me make me to liue with thee by loue and a true faith that I may faithfully obserue all thy commaundements and the precepts of my superiours and that I may only prosecute follow those things that are of the spirit O most bountifull and gracious Iesu giue me a perfect hatred and loathing of sinne and a perfect cōuersion of hart vnto thee that all my thoughts and all my desires may be busied and conuersant in thee alone and about thee alone O life vvithout which I dye ô truth without which I am deceaued ô way without which I goe astray ô saluation without which I perrish ô light without which I walk in darknes Doe not ô Lord doe not suffer that at any time I should be plucked away from thee for in thee alone I liue without thee I dye in thee I am safe and without thee I perish in thee I am some body but without thee I am no body As I shall more manifestly declare in the sequent considerations which shall be vnto mee as a most cleare glasse which I looking into with open stedfast and constant eies shall see both the magnitude and multitude of my miseries A SPIRITVA'L and heauenly Exercise deuided into seauen pithy and briefe Meditations for euery day in the weeke one The first Meditation for Monday of the miserie in which man is created THE Prophet Ieremy deploring the misery of his own condition saith How is it that I cam forth of the wombe to see labour and sorrow that my dayes should be consumed with shame If the Prophet sanctified in his mothers vvombe so lamentablie spake of himselfe what shall I miserable and vvretched man say conceaued and borne of my Mother in sinne Hugo de S. Victore doth very well counsaile vs ô man sayth he learne to know thy selfe Thou art better if thou knowest thy self then if neglecting thy self thou knevvest the motions of the starres the vertue of hearbs the complexions of men and the natures of al heauenly earthly creatures For many men know many things and know not themselues vvhen as the knowledge of our selues is the chiefest Philosophy Consider therefore ô man vvhat thou wast before thou wert born what thou art now thou art borne vntill thou returne to dust and what thou shalt be after death Before thou wast borne wast thou any other thing but an impure and vncleane matter conceaued
of the corruption of the flesh in the pollution of pleasure in the heat of lust and that vvhich is vvorst of all in the corruption of sinne Ponder also with thy selfe with what meat thou wast nourished being conceaued in thy mothers wombe surely with none other then with impure menstruous and hurtfull blood which stayeth in women from the time of theyr conceauing that by it theyr yong ones may be nourished in their wombes Remember that GOD hath created thee of the slime of the earth which is the basest element Hee created the starres and planets of fire birds of the ayre and fishes of water but men and other creatures of the slime of the earth Therfore compare thy selfe with the fishes and beasts bred of the water and thou shalt find thy self of a more abiect nature vilder condition then they are If thou beholdest the fowles and creatures that liue in the ayre neyther art thou to be compared vnto them if thou considerest the nature of the Planets starres and other things made of fire thou art much more ignoble Thou canst neyther be compared to celestiall things nor be preferred before terrestriall but if thou comparest thy selfe to brute creatures in these alone thou shalt find some semblance and likelihood with thy selfe as the Wiseman testifieth who sayth That the condition of the children of men and the condition of beasts are euen as one condition vnto them As the one dyeth so dyeth the other for they haue all one breath and there is no excellency of man aboue the beast For man hath not as touching his body any more then a beast hath seeing both of them are framed and created of earth and both of them in like maner are resolued into earth Remember that whē thou wast borne thou wast brought foorth into thys miserable world howling and weeping as it were foreseeing and therfore bewayling the labours dangers dolors which in this worlde are to be sustained and that which is vvorst of all deploring death it selfe Wherefore if perhaps thou beest borne in a noble and honorable place neither remembrest how vile a beginning and howe abiect an originall thou haddest if the beautie of thy countenaunce and comlinesse of thy proportion if the lineaments of thy body if the fauor of the people if the heate of youth aboundance of riches take away the knowledge of thy selfe frō thee yet neuerthelesse if thou desirest to knovve what man is heare vvhat that most glorious Father S. Augustine sayth the star and light of the doctors of the church hear I say what he saith Wretched man saith he what am I but a vessell ful of dung and corruption a stinking and detestable worm poore naked subiect to many necessities who knowes not whence I came nor whether I shall goe Miserable and mortall am I whose dayes vanish fade as a shadow whose life increaseth and decreaseth as the Moone and as a leafe vpon a tree nowe florishing and to morrow withering I am earth misery the child of wrath and a vessell of indignation reprobation I was borne in the corruption of sinne I lyue in miserie and labour and shall ende my dayes in griefe and anguish And Saint Bernard sayth Flesh wyth which thou hast so great societie is none other thing but froth fome made fleshe inuested in a fraile ornament but the time shall come vvhen it shall bee a miserable and putrified carkasse and the foode of vvormes For bee it neuer so gaily garnished and tricked vp it is alwayes flesh If thou diligently considerest vvhat goeth foorth by thy mouth and nostrils and the other passages of thy bodie thou neuer beheldest so vile a dunghill Consider ô man sayth hee vvhat thou wert before thy byrth vvhat thou art from thy byrth till thy death and what thou shalt be after this lyfe of thine is ended Certainelie thou vvast that thou vvert not after that thou haddst thy beeing of vile matter thou wast inwrapped in a most vile filme and nourished in thy mothers vvombe with menstrous blood Thy coate was a skin so attired and adorned camst thou vnto vs. And hath beauty fauour riches and youth So sotted thy sences deuoyd of truth That mindlesse thou art how base was thy birth And that all men are dust ashes and earth Man is none other thing but an vncleane sperme a sacke of dunge and foode for wormes After a man a worme after a worme stinch faetour So from a man to no man is turned this creature Hetherto S. Bernard with whom agreeth Innocentius O indignity saith he vildnes of mans condition Consider the plants trees they bring forth leaues flowers fruites pleasant to the tast delightful for smel but wretched man bringeth forth pestilent noysom sauours as the tree is such also is the fruite for an euill tree cannot bring foorth good fruit But wilt thou more manifestly know what man is after hee is borne heare most patient Iob Man saith he that is borne of a woman is of short continuance and full of trouble Hee shooteth foorth as a flower and is cut downe hee vanisheth also as a shadow continueth not Why do we seek for the testimonies of men let vs aske God himselfe he wil tel vs Remēber man that thou art dust to dust shalt thou returne This knowledge had holy Iob whē he said vnto God Remember I pray thee ô that thou hast made me as the clay and wilt bring me into dust againe O man of clay why art thou proude ô dust why growest thou insolent ô ashes for what woldest thou be commended vvhose conception is sinfull vvhose natiuitie is painefull whose life is labour and death necessitie Why dooest thou nourish thy body so delicately Why dooest thou adorne that vvith so precious garments which after a while shall in the sepulchre be eaten of vvormes VVhy dooest thou not rather beautifie thy soule vvith good workes which shal be carryed into heauen by the handes of good Angels VVhy dooest thou neglect thy soule and so extraordinarilye cocker thy flesh Behold confusion and prepostrous order the soule which ought to rule serueth the flesh and the fleshe ruleth which should obey Why sufferest thou the Ladie to bee the handmaid the hādmaid to vsurpe authoritie ouer the Lady Doost thou not know that thy flesh is a domestical homebred enemie vnto thy soule which vnder colour of friendship is more cruell then the most tirannous enemie When thou cherishest delicately nourishest it thou breedest and bringest vp thine own enemie when thou deckest beautifiest it thou armest thine enemy against thee whē thou arraiest it in precious garments and outlandish skins of wilde beastes thou robbest thy soule of all beautifull and heauenly ornaments Thirdly ô sinner cōsider what thou shalt be whē thou ceasest to liue Certainely thou shalt be none other but a miserable and corrupted carkasse an habitation foode for wormes