flowres of the field are prouided with feathers to clothe them and fitting nourishment to releiue them much more man then concludes our Sauiour who is the Lord and Master of them all Affection Let a diligent and moderate care my soule be vsed in all thinges but let inordinate care and sollicitude be banished from that Christiā harte which should be wholie free to seeke Christ his iustice and his Kingdome Those other thinges may be sought too but with moderation with iudifferencie without distrust of that great prouidence which doth furnish necessaries for farre lesse cansiderable thinges Let them be sought as thinges to be vsed in the way not to be inioyed not to take vp our thoughtes and ingage our hartes which must be reserued as a place for our Lord and a tabernacle for the God of Iacob THE SECONDE POINTE. For your father knoweth that you neede all these thinges CONSIDER that our Saniour goes still on to breake downe our sollicitude and selfe confidence that our cheife dependance may be of his diuine prouidence not in our owne First by reason of the litle power we haue being not able to adde one inch to our stature secondly because by that strange sollicitude we should be like the heathens who seeke the same thinges Thirdly because therby we forgett our owne happie condition of being children to an almightie Father who knowes that we neede all these thinges Affection To depende vpon our selues my soule is to depende vpon miserie and pouertie and to fayle in our expectation and hope in our Lord and pray to him and thou shalt be fedd in his riches There is noe want to those that loue him We haue a good father who is all-seeing and knowes what we wāt who is all-powerfull and able to giue it Let vs be good children then and intirely confide in his fatherly prouidence he loues vs nor doth he loue and forsake Nay saith that deare father of ours I will not leaue you orphants THE FIRST MEDITATION FOR THE XV. SVNDAY AFTER WHITSVNDAY Iesus went into a citie called Naim c. And behold a deade man was caried forth Luc 7. THE FIRST POINTE. CONSIDER that though God is iustly admirable and ought most iustly to be admired in all his workes yet it happens almost generally by mans stupiditie and dulnesse that he is more admired magnified and praysed for things lesse admirable while greater thinges are past ouer with litle consideration One younge man is here restored to life and the whole multitu de who accompaigned the corps magnified God publishing that a greate prophete was rysen amongst them and that God had visited his people Thousands are daylie restored to the life of the soule by verrue of the Sacramentes of Baptisme and pennance and litle notice is taken of it Affection Aye me my soule we are but litle ones and thence we speake as litle ones we vnderstand as litle ones we thinke as litle ones our thoughtes reach litle further then our eyes are able to see and by them we frame our iudgements not by the light of faith And thence it is that we more magnifie God for some temporall blessing as deliuerie from sicknesse danger or death then for multitudes of mercy which we daylie experience And more admire and loue him vpon the deliuerie of one body from a temporall death then a thousand thousand soules by his grace from an eternall death THE SECONDE POINTE. Behold a deade man was caried forth the onely sonne of his mother CONSIDER that as gray heires length of yeares and frequent infirmities doe daylie and hourely threaten the old man that he cannot liue longe so frequent experience ought to assure vs that young men may and often doe dye soone yea in the verie flowre of their age as did he here being the onely sonne of his mother whose corps was caried forth Wherin all her hopes of a successour fayled and howeuer he might haue fedd himselfe with the expectation of a rich inheritance all that falls to him from his poore mournefull mother mounts to noe more then her comfortlesse teares which fall fruitlessly to the grounde Affection For an old man to promise himselfe longe life is a thinge worthy to be laughed at so farre hath old age robbd him of all rationall hopes And for a younge man be he neuer so younge to giue himselfe assurance of a longe life deserues to be wept at Let noe man thinke he can make a league with death Youth is noe proofe against it Nay it is euen farre more subiect to innumerable dismall occasions therof as daily experience puts vs out of doubt What are we to doe then my soule but to banish all assurance of life from our thoughtes and so to liue as though we were euery houre to dye hearing continually with S. Hierome the trumpet sounding Arise ô yee deade and come to iudgement THE SECONDE MEDITATION FOR THE SAME SVNDAY Behold a deade man was caried forth c. accompaigned with a great multitude c. CONSIDER that a day will come God onely knowes how soone when the soule which now animates this body shall be driuen out and the poore senselesse lumpe shall be left to be brought forth as this young mans was to be accompaigned to the graue by some number of friends who happly may bestowe some fewe teares or smale commendation vpon it before they throw that vselesse and loathsome masse into the ground which some tymes had bene ouerualued at an vniust rate both by our sel-and others as now it too plainely appeares Affection This day my soule will as surely arriue as it is sure that man is but man that is a subiect of corruption and death to witt it is decreed in the supreame Court that men shall once dye That is the immortall soule shall be separated from this body of earth which did ouerloade itt and incline it to earthlinesse This masse of corruption was it which we so pampered so cherished so adorned so admired and loued to heare admired by others And loe now a tender mother will giue noe longer lodging to it tho it be all that 's left of her onely child but brings it forth to be cast into the earth THE SECONDE POINTE. CONSIDER that we reade in the Gospell of three sorts of deade bodyes restored to life by our Sauiour which perfectly represent three kinds of soules deade by sinne That of the Archsynagogues daughter who was truly deade but was not yet caried forth Representing a soule who consented to mortall sinne in thought without any exteriour action That of the widowes onely sonne who was deade and caried forth expressing one who did not onely consent in thought but performed it in effect Finally that of Lazarus who was foure dayes deade and began to be corrupted pointing out the soule which is not onely deade by sinne but euen deade and buried in the badd custome of sinning All which not-withstanding our Sauiour was mercyfull and powerfull enough to
who could profit thee nothing could bring nothing tothyne immensitie since indeede thou art thence conuinced to be our God because thou standest in neede of nothinge that is ours Howbeit if in lieu of gratitude we render nothing but ingratitude coldnesse and neglect we may iustly feare my soule that he will turne his loue into wroth and destroye vs disloyall wretches THE SECONDE POINTE. Many be called but few elect CONSIDER that this short sentence from the mouth of Truth it selfe ought most iustly to sticke to the verie rootes of our harte and continually to mynde vs that we are to worke our saluation with feare and trembling since God workes in vs both the velle and perficere the will and performance according to his good pleasure Many are called for the sound of the Apostles went out into all the earth and yet it is sayd who beleeueth our hearinge Many are called and giue credit to their calling too yet complie so ill with their vocation that Gods name is blasphemed in them Many againe are called and begin to run yet they perseuere not to be end they comprehend not Affection When I duely reflect dreade Lord vpon this doubtfull doome which issued from thy sacred mouth whence neuer any thinge issues but infallible truth in what a doubtfull perplexitie ought I not to stand Many are called and of those I haue had the happinesse to be one But few elected and who is wise enough to know that he is of that number What are we then to doe my soule but to be carefull to giue eare to the diuine call to lay faste hold vpon discipline least we might perish in a iust way to make sure our vocation by good workes and incessantly to pray for perseuerance to the end that we may so run as to comprehend THE FIRST MEDITATION FOR THE XX. SVNDAY AFTER WHITSVNDAY There was a certaine Lord or Prince whose sonne was sicke in Capharnaum Iohn 4. CONSIDER that as noe greenesse of yeares in our infancie nor vigour in youth nor strength in our more riper age can exempt vs from the assaults of infirmities sicknesse and death so can noe dignitie highth of power or principalitie free vs from the same Well may Potentates Lord it ouer townes and nations but against the deseases which growe upon them and the approches of death the most powerfull haue noe warrantie but all conditions of men are equally lyable to sicknesse and death the iuste punishments of sinne Affection My soule howeuer the greate power we may seeme to haue and the highth of dignitie wherin we are placed makes vs oft forgett that we are the banished sonns of Eue condemned to dye before we attayne to the vse of the light yet wholsome sicknesse makes vs all equally know that man be he neuer so powerfull is but man that is a poore creature borne of a woman liuing a short tyme replenished with many miseries The sicknesses the death the forgotten dust of all your Alexanders and Caesars crye out this truth that all men without exception are doomed to dye Make a vertue of necessitie my soule by willingly accepting Gods iust iudgementes herein which none euer yet or to the end of the world euer shall be able to auoyde THE SECONDE POINTE. CONSIDER that it oft happens with vs as it did with this afflicted … ce that that which we apprehend to be most disaduantagious and disasterous to vs proues the verie meanes which Gods sweete prouidence makes vse of to worke both our temporall and eternall felicitie For who I pray amongst vs doth looke vpon sicknesse with a good eye And yet had not this younge Princes sicknesse made his life be despaired of by his father he had happlie neuer thought of Christ neuer approched to him neuer sued for his sonns cure and so as well the father as the sonne had bene left to perish in their infidelitie Affection O happie affliction my soule which giues vs vnderstanding to knowe our selues O happie corporall infirmitie which brings forth the life of the soule Were we not some tymes thus lost to our owne apprehension we should forgett our selues and be lost for euer The deuoute Psalmist experienced this truth when he said it is good for me that thou didst humble me because before I was humbled I offended But being once humbled by aduersities I learnt thy iustifications I learnt that euery punishment was the punishment of sinne So that sinne brought out paine paine moued the harte to pennance and pennance couered the multitudes of sinne And thence bonum est mihi quia humiliasti me THE SECONDE MEDITATION FOR THE SAME SVNDAY The Prince saide come downe with me before my sonne dye THE FIRST POINTE. CONSIDER that this good Prince in being refused what in formall tearmes he demanded obteyned more then he either as yet wished for or euen thought of He stoode absolutly perswaded that vnlesse our Sauiour descended and went with him to his sicke sonne the cure could not be wrought His demande therfore was that Christ would come downe with him But our Sauiour though he went not wrought the cure notwithstanding at the same tyme and at that distance and thence powerfully perswaded him that he was God indeede who could doe equally all that he would as well in absence as presence Affection Learne hence my soule neuer to prescribe to God either the tyme the place or meanes how he is to performe what we demande of his mercy Leaue that vast power to worke as it pleases with out limiting the same to our narrow conceipts It reacheth from the one pole to the other and sweetly disposeth all thinges bene omnia fecit Haue patience my soule whether in his wisdome our great God refuse vs either absolutly what we desire or at least in the way we desire it and we shall find in the close that he did all graciously and to the best aduantage of the faithfull soule Ah should he grant vs all our owne desires we were lost for euer THE SECONDE POINTE. Goe saith our Sauiour thy sonne liueth The man beleeued the word which was said to him and went home CONSIDER the great fruites and comforts which accrued to this good Prince and all his by his simple faith obedience and good example He beleeued our Sauiours words and presently departed And loe he had not yet recouered his owne house but his seruantes came out to meete him and ioyfully assured him of his sonns perfect health He examined the tyme of his recouerie and found it to be the verie houre in which our Sauiour said goe thy sonne liueth whence he and his whole familie beleeued Affection Let vs humbly my soule giue credit to euery word of God whether it be written or spoken to our hartes by his frequent inspirations without disputing how it should come to passe or by what meanes it should be accomplished hope in his fidelitie and goodnesse leauing the rest to his sweete prouidence In his good tyme and euen
i' st your sute to liue I 'am endlesse life and endlesse life doe giue O then quitt vncoulth wayes hope not in lyes To find out truth nor th' life that neuer dyes In fading moments Ah you seeke in vaine To find true life in th'land where death doth raigne THE COMMVNICATION OF THE diuine goodnesse by imparting of his Glorie OVR sea of goodnesse still streames on there is Noe end in it we tend to endlesse blisse Those guifts of nature grace and all the rest Are gu'in to bringe vs to eternall rest Our joyes were great at the coming of that guest Our hearts reioyc'd to lodge him in our breast But ah he will not haue vs end our storie Till he conduct vs to the state of glorie So saith our faith to this our hopes are raysd With this excesse our charitie's amays'd That goodnesse free from want our dust should choose To place it's loue vpon and kindly loose Himselfe on man Ble'st prodigalitie By th' guifts of his diuine Hypostasie To be himselfe companion in his way To call him backe by grace in case he stray To feede and fatten him with his owne bloode O that this happinesse were vnderstoode To proue in death bis sauing sacryfice And endlesly to be himselfe his price So saith his word I 'le be my selfe thy hyre What more then this can vastest heart desire AN APOSTROPHIE TO THE DAMES OF SION O Then deare Dames let th' loue I dayly find Mongst you increase and all your hearts cobind In one loue-knott vse all your wit and Arte To haue but all one comon soule one heart This God command's this Austine doth aduise Doe this alone deare soules it will suffice FINIS SINE FINE GLORIA TIBI DOMINE MEDITATIONS Vpon our blessed Sauiours Passion THE FIRST MEDITATION Of the last supper THE FIRST POINT CONSIDER that now the blessed tyme of grace and mercy drawing neere wherin our sweete sauiour Iesus-Christ had determined to pay mans ransome not with the corruptible price of gold and siluer but euen with the effusion of his owne pretious bloude he graciously daigned in testimonie of true loue to feaste with his beloued Apostles before his departure See him louingly accompanie them into the roome where they were to suppe and let vs take the humble boldnesse to follow him inn and to receiue some of his last words I haue had an ardent desire saith he to eate this pascall lambe with you it being the consummation of all the ancient sacrifices and the last I shall eate And say to him cordially Affection That in verie decede we find our selues exceeding hungerie but that we neither doe nor indeede can possibly find any meate which feeds and saciates vs saue himselfe or from his table The rest doe but puffe vp and swell they doe not solidly feed and fatten so that by how much more we eate by so much the more doe we languish and pine away Tell him that verily you are not worthy you know it well you confesse it to the whole world but thar it is he alone who makes vnworthy creatures worthy who makes sinners iust and that for your part you relie not vpon your owne merites which are none without his mercys but run intirely to his free mercy Tell him that euen your dogges eate the crums which fall from their masters tables and in that confidence you approche or els with an humble and contrite hart fall downe at his sacred feete with the mournfull Magdalaine and make lamentations teares and grones more fully speake your hart The seconde Pointe Consider with what compassion and mildnesse our blessed sauiour begins to comfort his disciples whyle he obserues them sorrowfull and sadd vpon the apprehensiō of his departure which he fore told them saying my deare Disciles be not sorrowfull let not your harts be troubled I vvill not leaue you Orphantes t is for your sakes that I goe But seeing them yet some weeping some sighing his fatherly bowells were wholie moued to compassion and he spoke to them in these sweete tearmes my tenderly beloued sons my deare Disciples be not terrified bee not troubled behold I am vvith you till the end of the vvorld Affect This sweet sauiour shall be my comfort in all my desolations that though thou seemest to absēt thy selfe yet wilt thou not leaue me an Orphā whether it be that thou goest from me by permitting me to fall into some temptations or spirituall drynesse for my greater trial and merite or it be that thou often lettest me fall into little faultes that I may better learne to run back to thee my louing father this shall still be my consolation that thou dearely sweete and loueing Lord ar◠still with me till the end of the world THE II. MEDITATION Of Christs humilitie and loue shevven at his last supper Cons 1 COnsider what is done at that his last supper looke about and you shall see him rise vp from the table to giue by his owne example and in his owne person that first and most necessarie lesson humilitie the ground of our christian building and euen of all christian discipline as S. Augustine esteemes it You shall see the master become all his seruants seruant the vertue of the highest lowe laid at his creatures foule feete him in whose name all knees are bowed kneeling to wash to drye to kisse his seruants feete in fine the king of glorie so farre as I may say forgett his glorie as humbly officiously and louingly to fall downe euen at a disloyal Iudas loathsome feete Affect Ah my soule what is this we behold are wee deceaud or is it the king of heauen we see at the traiterous Iudas his feete shall we euer then haue the hart and courage to swell againe after this wonderfull humiliation If God indured this for me shall not I endure this or that reflecting vpon some difficultie we haue to stoope for him nay for my selfe for myne owne aduantage and eternall good or if this cannot moue me what will be euer able to moue my proud hart O my sweet sauiour euen for thy felfes sake bestow vpon me some scrappe of this wholesome dishe and grant me in euerie occurrence of difficultie submission or humiliation to haue this thy blessed example liuely placed before myne eyes Consid 2. Consider that notwithstanding that Christ knew by certaine knowledge that his heauenlie father had giuen all power and authoritie into his hands that he came from him and went to him rhat is that he was indued with fulnes of knowledge issuing from him by his eternall generation and returning to him to take possession of his owne right yet disdained hee not for our example to rise from supper to putt off his vpper garment to take a linen and girt about him to putt water into a basine to washe his disciples feete to wipe them with the Iinen which he had put before him Affect O God I haue nothing to saie but am lost in astonishement and