miserable and accursed nothing Yet such a nothinge it is that man becomes nothing therby nihil fiunt bomines cum peccant yea worse then nothing since it is the verie death of the soule peccatum mors est animae Or take it from him with the whole Catholike Church in more ample and expressiue tearmes Sinne is a vvord a thought a deede against the eternall lavv or prime reason which is God himselfe What doe we then when we sinne but speake thinke or doe against Gods eternall Lawe or God himselfe AFFECTION and RESOL. Ah my soule my soule it is too hard for thee to kicke against the pricke which by how much more we assault it by so much more we are wounded by it It is against God himselfe that sinne ryseth vp against that great dreadfull all-mightie reuengfull God whom were it in its power it would destroye since the sinner as such would neither haue God wise to know nor iust and powerfull to punish his iniquitie Alas what aduantage can wormes and pismires expect by wrasling with Elephants Our strength is like to a spiders webbe how dare we then strugle with omnipotencie whose will none resistes In wrasling we shall onely meete with our owne ruine In disputing neuer find repose nor be able to ansvver one for a thousand for to conclude with S. Paule ô man vvho art thou that dost ansvver God THE II. POINTE. Of the lamentable effects of sinne Consider what grieuous domages the poore soule receiues by mortall Sinne. It depriues of grace ban̄isheth the holy ghost out of the hart which it did inhabite It breakes the league of freindshippe which was betwixt God vs leaues vs his enemyes and slaues of the Diuell his our worst enemie It robbs vs of the right we had to possesse God for euer leaueinge only Hell for our inheritance It wounds makes hideous euen Kills that otherwise im̄ortall soule of ours in a word it makes vs crucify Iesus Christ againe in effect tread the sacred bloud of Iesus vnder our feete AFFECTION RESOLVT Oh accursed fruites of Sinne O saith God himselfe by the mouth of Ieremie Know see how euill bitter a thinge it is for thee to haue left the Lord thy God Ah my soule these are not dreames imaginations or rethoricall amplifications but euen Christian truthes which none dare deny how doe we then dare to dally with danger to seeke occasions to drinke downe sinne like water If therefore the world the flesh or the Diuell tell of I Know not what delightes let vs haue this generouse replye still before our eyes but they are too dearely bought with the losse of the holy ghost and all his giftes Gods freindshippe and his eternall inheritance become the obiecte of his hate This moment of false libertie is not worth beinge aslaue to the Diuell for euer This honnor lookes fawningly vppon mee but it were madnesse to purchase it with eternall disgrace This gold glitters agreeably yet it is not worth the hauing since it will serue onely to buy Hell THE FIRST MEDITAT FOR THE THIRD DAY Sinne is detestable to God THE FIRST POINTE. COnsider in what horror and detestation wee should haue it since wisdome it selfe doth soe abhorre detest it The Almighty eternall God whose goodnesse cannot be questioned without impiety nor his iustice be impeched without blasphemy nor his mercy be exacted without presumption he beinge indeede not soe much good as euen essentially goodnesse it selfe nor soe much iust as iustice it selfe nor soe much mercifull as mercy it selfe for one sinne of pride throwes downe the third parte of the Angells into hell irrecouerably without any further hope of mercy AFFECTION RESOLVT If my soule this be not lesse a truth which all the Christian world willingly imbraces then the former how comes it to passe that mans follie dare be soe damnably aduenturous as to fall in loue with Sinne which wisdome soe highly detests How how I say dare we liue in league with it be willinge to meete with it at euery turne If it haue made Angells Diuells what priuiledge haue men not to dreade the like effects not for one or a few but euen for thousands of sinnes euery man makeinge reflection in himselfe of the multitude of his sinnes downe then my soule downe place thy mouth in the dust and whilst thou canst not penetrate the rigour of Gods iustice to the Angells turne thy selfe more earnestly to admire his incōparable mercy to thee humbly confessinge that otherwise Hell had beene longe since thy habitation makeinge a firme resolution to singe his mercyes eternally THE II. POINT Adam by sinne turned out of Paradise Consider how the same God who is equally goodnesse mercy and iustice for one acte of disobedience throwes Adam out of the happie state wherin he had placed him and subiects him and all his posteritie to multitudes of miseries of body and mynde such as we all daylie expeperience to heate cold calamities innumerable sorts of sicknesses and euen to death it selfe and that too not onely to the dearh of his body but euen to a second death the death of the soule so that there was not any saluation left for all the sonns of men at any lesse rate then the death and bloud of a God-man Iesus-Christ AFFECTION and RESOL. O my soule if this truth be taught vs by faith if we feele it by a sadd and vniuersall experience if it be made manifest to vs by the death of a God let it printe in our hartes an absolute horrour and detestation of sinne which is so horrible and detestable in the sight of God and which his iustice punishes so rigourously And let vs noe lesse adore that sterne iustice of his then extolle and dearly imbrace his mylde mercy who to expiate the sinne of an vngracicus disloyall seruant sacry ficeth the bloud of a dearely beloued and dearely louing and wholy obedient and onely child Be that Iustice alwayes admired and dreaded and be that mercy magnified and loued by men THE II. MEDITATION FOR THE THIRD DAY Sinne putt a God to death THE FIRST POINTE. COnsider that our sweete Sauiours paines the deare price of our redemptiō are vniuersall noe parte of his body passes without its particular punishment His head is tormented with pullinge of the haire with blowes with thornes His face with foule spittings boxes His tongue with thirst veneger gale His torne shoulders with the heauie loade of the Crosse His armes with rude extentiōs rackinge His hāds feete with cruell nayles His whole body all ouer with stripes His Sinewes with conuulsions His arteries and veynes with witherednesse His vitall partes with an incredible effusion of his pretious bloud soe that what the prophet foretolde was fully verified from the sole of his foote to the crowne of his head there was noe soundnesse See then whether there be any sorrow like his sorrowe AFFECTION Alas it is but too
is noe lesse vncertaine our youth may deceiue vs as it hath done many our manhoode or middle age is not priuiledged our ould age cannot last longe What then must we doe but with S. Augustine quitt the vncertaine and forth-with fixe vppon the certaine meanes a good penitentiall life to preuent the danger of that which cannot otherwise be auoyded by mortall man THE SECONDE POINTE. Nothinge more certaine for the thinge nothinge lesse certaine as to the manner Consider that as we are most certaine that dye we must as vncertaine when soe are we noe lesse ignorant where and how this irreuocable sentence is to be executed Shall it be in France or in England at Paris or in the Coūtry at home or abrode in our chābers or in the Church or Garden Shall it be by a violent accidentall or naturall death Shall we be found dead in our beds as we haue seene some heard of many Or else be wrought downe by a loge and lingeringe disease in the presence of many Shall we finally haue the benefit of the Sacraments which we now haue with soe much ease yea want not without blame To all this the wisest amonge men is not able to answer That dye we must is appointed by a reproachlesse iustice but when but where but how mercy saith S. Augustine hath concealed that we might expect attend prouide for it in all times places occurrences AFFECTION and RESOL. If certainely we must dye my soule yet neither Know when where nor how and if vppon that certaine vncertaine houre an eternity of blisse or woe depends what a necessity is put vppon vs if we will not for moments loose eternities to be ready in all tymes places We Know not my soule we Know not when where or how death may surprise vs onely this wee Know that we haue yet an houre left vs to rise out to four slumber and it is now his present houre Now then without further delay will we by Gods grace dye to that that that c. that death findinge vs already dead may not be able to hurt vs but onely translate vs to à life which Knowes nor feares not death THE II. MEDITATION FOR THE SAME DAY Nothing more dreadfull to the obstinate sinner then death THE FIRST POINTE. COnsider that as death contaynes the greatest certaintie and withall the greatest vncertaintie imaginable so it bringes alonge with it the greatest dreade and the greatest comforte possible That to the obstinate sinner this to the humble penitent The sinner vpon the approche of death hath all the sinnes of his whole life placed before his eyes which he still placed behinde his backe and would neither see them nor sorrowe for them which now the vile Tempter aggrauates and makes appeare in their vttermost inorminitie And hence the sinner begins before hand to suffer the tormentes which he alwayes beleeued tho fruitlessely through his obstinacie to be due to his crymes And thus Knowing his guilt and the punishment most iustly due to the same he deeply apprehends it a thinge full of horrour to fall into the hands of a liuing God Thence he rages and despaires seeing himselfe vpō the verie brinke of endlesse perdition and readie to be deliuered vp into the hands of his cruell Tormenteres for all eternitie AFFECTION and RESOLVT O horrour which hath nothing equall to it To apprehend ones selfe to be vpon the verie brinke of eternall perditiō O daunting dreade incomparably surpassing all that ought to be dreaded To be within a moment of falling into the hands of that euer-liuing Maiestie which is able to throw both the body and soule into Hell fire What riches honours pleasures were they neuer so opulent superlatiue and prosperous and remayned they too till that moment in their full possession wheras indeede they all are vanished away like nightly dreames were able to conteruayle so daunting and damning a disaster O my soule those accursed wretches shall then say with in themselues repenting and sighing too late for anguish of spirit What hath pride profited vs Or what aduantage hath the vaunting of riches brought vs Or what comfort hath the most prosperous pleasure of our whole life now left vs. Alas alas none at all but contrarilie a comfortlesse fruitlesse endlesse peniteri THE II. POINTE. Nothing more confortable to the humble penitent Consideration But when the innocent and iust soule or the poore humble penitent perceiues death to creepe vpon her she lifts vp her lōge deiected heade with ioy because her redemption is euen at hand She had vsed her best endeuours mournfully to purge her sinnes in the bloud of the lambe who was slaughtered for vs and thence she cōceiues an humble confidence to meete with mercy and to be ioyfully admitted in to that celestiall mariage of his In fine she eyes death as the immediate obiect of her ioy since it alone has power to deliuer her out of her loathed prison of flesh and to deliuer her vp into the deare hands and diuine imbraces of her dearest spouse whom she loues alone AFFECTION and RESOLV Sitt downe seriously my 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 soule and count to what a high degree of consolation it will then amounte to heare those heauenly inuitations of the heauenly spouse saying come come my spouse thou shalt be Crovvned Crowned I say vvith that crovvne of iustice vvhich is layd vp for and by a iuste Iudge shall be rendered to them that loue his coming The shewers of repentāt teares are now blowen ouer the sharpe winter of temptations tribulations vexations and crosses which we willingly endured for the loue of God are quite gone ryse vp my friend and come O what excesse of deare delight shall that happie soule inioye at that houre THE FIRST MEDITAT FOR THE FIFTH DAY Of Iudgment THE FIRST POINTE. COnsider that dye wee must that is this soe much neglected soule of ours must be turned out of the body which was pampered caressed too carefully looked to by vs presently after death Iudgment saith the great Apostle we must all of vs be brought and be made manifest before Christs Tribunall that euery one beare away accordinge to his woorks We haue left the world vnwillingly while willingly the world leaues vs the dearest freind that euer we had will not goe alonge with our abandoned soule nor euen permitt the body which they loued to ly foure and twentie houres in the Roome with them They that offended with vs will not answer for vs but leaue vs alas to answer all alone AFFECTION and RESOL. Aye me vppon what is it that we fixe our hopes is' t vppon our selues bus alas these muddie walls fall the immortall inhabitant is turned out Vppon the freinds that we haue purchased by sinne or
other wise but they haue left vs our body is throwne into the earth our poore soule is left alone to be iudged Ah how much better were it saieth S. Augustine to chuse him for our freind aboue all our freinds vvho vvhen all forsake vs vvill be sure to make good his trust at the day of our death vvho vvhen all departe from vs vvill not leaue vs but vvill defend vs conduct vs by a countrie vvhere vve haue yet noe acquaintance Thou art my Iesu noe other be thou therefore my choyce in tyme in eternity THE II. POINTE. Cōsider in what a dauntinge anxiety dreadfull expectation the poore soule must needs be findinge herselfe all alone to be sentenced by a Iudge who is all knowinge all things lyinge open naked before his Eyes All powerfull for who resists his will all holy souerainly hates Sinne. Iustice it selfe which can neither be corrupted by bribes nor moued by prayes And to behold this knovvledge this povver this sanctitie this iustice armed with implacable vvroth and inflexable zeale against the sinner AFFECTION and RESOL. Alas and woe my soule whither shall we run for shelter To his mercy but her tyme is past she leaues the place to iustice To his sanctitie But our sinnes are quite opposite to the holynesse of that thrice Holy To his Iustice But alas our iniquitie stopps our mouthes Shall we call vpon the mountaines and rockes to hide vs But his power is a hammer bruising the rockes in sunder his knowledge penetrates the mountaines and his zeale and furie spares none Such certainly my soule and infinitly more dreadfull then we can imagine it will that dismale day be found Howbeit we are yet in a tyme of mercye we can yet safely flye from Christ to Christ from his iustice to his mercye from his power to his impotencie in his cradle c. From the zeale and wroth of Maiestie to the sweetnesse and myldnesse of the Lambe who comes to take away the sinnes of the world Finally we haue yet the meanes to hide our selues in the holes of the the saueing rocke and to saue our selues THE II. MEDITATION FOR THE SAME DAY Of Hell THE FIRST POINTE. COnsider that as mercy iustice are equall in God or euen God himselfe soe by the law of contraryes they will be followed with equall effects If God out of his mercy then haue possessed the blessed of the collection of all good thinges vnder his heauenly raigne which is beatitude he will throw the accursed into the possession of a collection of all euill vnder the tyranie of the Diuell which is damnation Let vs therefore imagine all that we are able of horrour of hope turned vnto dispaire of the loue of God and all we euer had deare into hatred detestation let vs add wormes which neuer dye weepinge wailing gnashinge of teeth brimstone and flouds of fire yet we must conclude that it is not that which the damned suffer which will indeede bee that which neither eye hath seene nor eare hath heard nor hath entered into the hart of man AFFECTION RESOLVT Ayme my soule into what a vast sea of misery disaster dispaire doth sinne cast downe poore man we imagine all that euer we can of terrour of horrour torment of im̄ortall wormes fire brimstone yet we fall short We adde the collection of all euills yet we cannot reach to it What is it alas what is it that lulles vs asleepe makes vs senselesse of things soe sensible O that we could descend into Hell aliue consider who amongst vs were able to liue in the midest of deuouringe flames And yet into such is the sinner throwne by the doome of eternall Truth Goe you accursed into eternall fire THE II. POINTE. Consider yet more particularly that as the accursed had misused all that God had giuen them for his seruice to offend him as body soule senses soe shall they all meete with theire seuerall tortures The body soule become fewell for deuouringe flames All the senses are replenished with obiects of horrour the eys are full of dreedfull gastly Ghosts the ears of howlinges roareings execrable maledictions blasphemies the smell of the stinckinge odours issuinge from the bodyes of the damned the taste is glutted with what can be imagined most bitter abbominably loathsome Finaly the sense of touchinge meets with nothinge but flouds of tormentinge flames AFFECTION RESOLVT O horrour consternation despaire O lamentation of lamentations woe woe woe woe to the corruptible body which waighed downe the poore soule woe to the soule that quickened that fleshly lumpe gaue way to its badd inclinations Woe to the eys eares which lay open to vanities franticke madnesse conueyed poyson into the harte Woe to all the rest of the senses members which conspired to the seducinge of the soule to bringe it themselues to lye tormented in this flame THE II. POINT Consider that if the miserable state of the damned be most vnhappie by the continuall presence of the whole collection of all euill What an infinite addition is made to it by the priuation of all good and that for an eternitie To be for an Eternitie separated from all the blessed were they neuer soe deare vnto vs while they liued with vs for an eternitie to be depriued of the peerelesse beautie of the Queene of Heauen the societie of all the Quires of Angells For an eternitie to be exiled from the glorious face of God which is man Angells essential beatitude to detest curse blaspheame it for euer Neuor to haue one moment of ease consolation or rest or euen the least hope of any for all eternitie AFFECTION and RESOL. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 O God of mercy now turned the Lord of reuenge what hart hath assurance ennough not to endure but euen to beholde this calamitous condition of the damned ouerwhelmed with all sortes of torments remoued from all hopes or euen desires of comfort not for some millions of millions of yeares but for an eternitie O eternitie eternitie how longe thou art Noe number of yeares are able to expresse thee the sands of the sea cannot equalise thee after all thou still remainest what thou art Eternitie Ah my soule let vs vse a timely preuention not make our selues away to eternall ' torments for light short delightes such or such c. nor yet for the auoydinge of such or such smale crosses afflictions or temporall losses Let vs couragiously plucke out the Eye and cutt of the hand which scandalises hazards our eternall losse conclude with holy S. Augustine Let me here be burnt let me here be cutt in peeces soe that I may not perish eternally
euident my dearest Lord thy sorowes passe all our sorowes yet my soule it is maiestie that is thus smitten it 's innocencie which thus suffers It 's indeede the God of Gods whose immensitie cannot be comprehended whose perfections excellencies cannot be numbred whose goodnesse is boundlesse whose mercyes cannot be matched Alas my deformed hidden crucifyed Lord whither hath mercy goodnesse loue to miserable man ledd thee was it thought fittinge to this goodnesse that thy wounds should be without number as are thy perfectiōs mercyes to man soe to make an absolute demonstration that as there is noe loue soe are there noe sorrowes like to thyne Let me not liue but to loue thee suffer for thy sake THE II. POINTE. Consider further that he sufferd in all his senses by the presence of all the obiects of sorrow He saw his choysen Apostles sleeping while he was sweating bloud He saw the Trayter whom he had newly fedd with his owne blessed body bloud come in the heade of a barbarous band to apprehend him He saw the execrable crueltie of an vngratefull nation which he had alwayes oblidged and loued by preference Finally his eares were full of blaspheemies scoffes and scornes and his eyes and harte of the sorrowes teares and bloud of a God dying AFFECTION And yet my soule it is the very naturall sonne of God that suffers all this He is the splendour of his fathers glorie and the figure of his substance And shall we his poore sonns taken in by adoption onely see with drye eyes his full of teares and bloud or shall we after this sad sight permitt them any more to be filled with vanitie Shall our eares lye open to destractions adulations and found rumours which hurt our soules whyle his for our sake are filled with contumelies and blasphemies Shall we Christians pamper the rest of our senses with sweetes and delicacies while our Christs so hugely suffers in them all Ah! be it euer farre from vs to pay his loue with such intolerable ingratitude THE III. POINT He suffers in his soule But if his body vniuersally and all his senses be ingaged in the sufference is his soule at least free Ah noe it s sadd to death it s replenished vvith euill or sorrow the bitter vvaters of tribulations haue broken in vpon it The horrour of death the ingratitude of mē the scorne of Nations Pilates iniustice Herods mockerie Annas and Cayphas blasphemie the Scribes and Pharisies circumuentions the Ministers and Soldiers crueltie the peoples preference of Barabbas and their tumultuous and vniust Crucifige See then vvhether there be any sorrovv like to his sorrovv AFFECTION and RESOL. O man of dolours and accustomed to sufferances from thy youth Were not thy sorrowes and in them thy loue to man sufficiently expressed in abandonning that innocent chast and tender virginall body of thyne to the cruell persecutours wills vnlesse thou didst withall permitt the bitter flouds of tribulatiō and deadly saddnesse enter into and take possession of thy blessed soule Consider my soule and see whether their be any sorowe like to this sorrow or any loue like to his loue who gaue vp his soule to such sorrowes for thy sake If the horrour of death inuade thee thy Master went before thee waded through to death it selfe Proue friends vngratefull so they were to thy Lord. Are others of lesse worth preferred before thee but so was Barrabas before thy Master Christ Remember remember my soule that the seruant is not greater then his master c. THE IV. POINTE. He suffers vvithout a comforter Consider his body 's tormented his senses offended his soule afflicted and oppressed Is none left to comfort him Noe none relictus est solus he 's abandoned left all alone to wrastle with all the legions of sorrowes Non est qui consoletur eum There is none left to comfort him Was there euer so pittious a spectacle His Apostles are fled Peter followes a farre of and sweares he knowes him not The dolorous mother stands neere the Crosse indeed but her presence affords so smale solace that her sorrowes serue to redouble his The Angells come not neere His heauenly father abandonns him nay yet more Heauens stand amaysed at it he is euen forsaken by himselfe while he stopps the influence of his diuinitie that it flow not vpon his humanitie leauing it to suffer all alone without all comfort See then vnhether there be any sorrovv like to his sorrovv AFFECTION and RESOL. O my soule looke vpon the face of thy Christ Admire his his vn wearied suffering loue Hartily acknowledge that there is noe sorrow like his sorrow Imprint in thy harte at what a deare rate thou wast bought Ah my soule it was not with gold and siluer and such corruptible thinges but with the sorrowes and teares and bloud and death of a God-man our Sauiour Iesus With sorrowes which spredd thēselues so vniuersally ouer body senses and soule with teares and bloud so plentifully and freely powred out with death so ignominious so deuoyd of all comfort so abandonned that it forced from the mouth of a most obedient and dearest child My God my God vvhy hast thou forsaken me Resolue firmely then that neither sorrowes nor bloodshed nor abandonments nor death it selfe shall separate vs from the loue of that dearest Lord. THE FIRST MEDITAT FOR THE FOVRTH DAY Of Deathe THE FIRST POINTE. Nothinge more certaine then death lesse certaine then the tyme therof COnsider and striue to imprint in our harts that which we all know yet seeme not to know it that which we all beleeue and yet as it were beleeue it not to witt that as there is nothinge soe certaine as death soe is there nothinge soe vncertaine as the houre therof Consult our owne Knowledge vppō these truthes we Know that neither Salomons witt nor Samsons strength nor Absolons beauty were founde proofe against it They were and now are not mortui sunt is certaine Consult the word of truth and we shall finde that we are bound to beleeue what we otherwise Know. Consult our selues againe vppon the vncertaintie of it and we finde that we haue Knowne many taken away when they and their freinds least feared it some by violent some by naturall deathes some in their childhoode before they well knew what it was to liue some in theire flourishinge spring when vigourous youth promised them they could not dye Some in the decline of their age while death threatned and yet was not feared soe certaine it is that the houre of death is vncertaine to all as Christ himselfe makes it sure to faith Watch saith he because you neither know the day nor the houre AFFECTION and RESOLV Dye then we must my soule thereis nothinge soe certaine departe we must out of this cottage of clay Gods iustice hath pronounced the sentence Remember man that thou art dust in-to dust thou shalt returne But when must this sentence be put in execution that
the last day It highly behoues vs then to run ouer our life past in the bitternesse of our harts and obserue whether our holy professions haue bene seconded by answerable practises and whether due performances followed our solemne promises Haue we indeede my soule renounced the Diuell and all his pompes Or rather haue we not left Christ and followed his wicked allurements Vpon what follies haue we not feasted our eyes To what highth hath not our thoughtes aspired Of what impurities and disloyalties haue not our hartes at least bene brimme full Obserue and lament our miseries THE II. POINTE. Of the seconde obligation vvhich vve contracte in Baptisme Consider that the seconde obligation which we cōtracte in Baptisme is to be listed among the soldiers of Iesus Christ to fight vnder the banner of the Crosse and openly to professe his lawe That Sweete lawe of loue which conteynes all Christian dutie the loue of God incomparably aboue all other thinges as being infinitly louelie and comprisinge in himselfe all the motiues and obligations of loue and the loue of our neighbour as our selues that is in order to God in God and for God All the loue we can afford to the rest of the creatures is but onely for solaces to our necessities and pouerties as prouisions for the way of our pilgrimage to be vsed not to be inioyed not to haue our hates fixed vpon which are wholie due to God and our neighbour AFFECTION and RESOL. Ah my soule had we bene to haue made choyce of what lawe we our selues had most desired not to haue receiued it from the hand of our almightie maker who had full power to impose what lawe he pleased vpon the workes of his hands what other lawe would we haue wished but that which we haue A lawe by which we are not permitted onely but euen commanded to loue our Kinge the Kinge of Kinges the Kinge of glorie What more honorable To loue him wholy from whose loue and bountie we haue all that we haue What more reasonable To loue him from whose liberalitie we expect all that we yet want the possession of his heauenly Kingdome the inioyment of himselfe for all eternitie What more profitable And as to the other parte of the lawe what poore liues should we not leade nay what deathes and Hells should we not suffer did we in lieu of loue to our neighbour afford him onely neglect scorne and hatred Let me loue thee then ô my deare Lord and my neighbour in thee and for thee for euer THE FIRST MEDITAT FOR THE SECONDE DAY Of the third obligation contracted in Baptisme THE FIRST POINTE. COnsider that the third obligation that we contracted in Baptisme was that we are bound to liue the life of Christ according to that of S. Paule I liue not novv I but Iesus Christ liues in me for vve are buried togeither vvith him by Baptisme and ought also to ryse with him and walke after him in newnesse of life because he left vs an example and his will is that we should followe his foostepps that is that we should walke in the lowlie pathes of humilitie pouertie and abiection as he did from his verie first steppe into this world in labours hunger and thirst from his youth in suffering reproches contumelies and outragious contēpts all his life longe in being abandonned at his death by his Apostles and euen by his heauenly Father my God my God vvhy haste thou forsaken me AFFECTION and RESOL. The life of Christ my soule is our paterne the imitation of it is our obligation and the liuely expression of it is our perfection Let vs seeke noe other nor other way then by humbly following his footestepps To that he calls vs learne of me vvho am mylde and humble in harte not to high speculations with are more apt to fill vs with vanitie then feede vs with solide foode Caluarie was left vs for the imitation of his vertues Thabor onely to admire his Maiestie He is our Alpha and Omega our begining and our end Let all our applications be to him and our dependences of him Let all our conuersations be with him our desires followe him our discourses of him our continuall cryes to him O my dearest Lord and sauiour thou my loue thou my life Let this couenant be made betwixt vs. Let me wholy dye to my selfe that thou alone mayst liue in me Let my passions be wholy silenced that thou alone mayst be heard in me Let all my sollicitous cares which are fruitlesse without thee wholy cease that thou onely mayst worke in me THE II. POINTE. Consider that notwithstanding all those former benefits and obligatiōs contracted therby we haue bene so vngratfull and neglectfull of our owne good as litle to mynde them Nay like true Prodigalls we haue dissipated and spent all those gracious and Godlike talents and forgetting our promesses and obligations we haue returned backe into the slauerie of the Diuell And here it was indeede that our good God magnified his mercyes towards vs. We run from him into a foraigne land and he leaues the ninetie nine to seeke vs. Wee strike at him by sinne and euen crucify him againe and he supportes vs with patience We steppe downe to hell and he brings vs backe He frequently knockes at our harts by his holy word preached to our eares by his internall voyce inculcated to our hartes by wholsome tribulations multiplyed vppon vs and breakes through our deafness And hauinge himselfe wrought all this in vs he crownes his owne mercyes by takeinge vs againe into his familiarity and he and all his courte reioyceth at our conuersion AFFECTION and RESOL. O thou God of mercy to what a length hast thou extended thy patience with me It was I that ran from thee into a Land of disproportion I that forsooke thee the fountaine of liueinge water and made to my selfe cisternes broken cisterns which could hold noe water I that turned the vse of thyne owne giftes to abuse by loueinge them more then thy selfe in such or such an occasion I that stept downe into Hell at such or such a time soe or soe often and thou the while ceasedst not to redouble thy cryes Why vvilt thou perish ô thou house of Israëll Why dost thou loue vanity and seeke a lye loose thy chaynes from thy necke ô thou captiue daughter of Sion At least after all thy disloyaltyes call mee but Father Ah my soule be noe longer deafe to all these gracious inuitations but run though alas but too late to that Father of mercyes and say with a contrite and humbled hart Father I haue offended against heauen against thee I am noe longer vvorthy to be called thy Sonne deale with mee onely as with one of the hyrelings of thy house THE II. MEDITATION FOR THE SECONDE DAY The greeuousnesse of sinne THE FIRST POINTE. COnsider what sinne is and your holy father S. Augustine will teache you that it is noe substance at all but a
the verie brightest starrsfall from Heauen where pride can gett noe safe footing what ought we poore wormes to doe in earth but feare and keepe our selues within the compasse of what we are If they fell to Hell by aspiringe to be like to the highest let our firme resolutiō and whole strife be to ascende to heauē by affecting to be equall to or euen lesse then the lowest since Thruth hath said it nor can he deceiue vs that he vvho exaltes himselfe shall be humbled and be that humhleth himselfe shall be exalted Nay my soule since the same Truth comes to teach vs this lesson in his sacred passion let vs not proue so much contrarie to his blessed designe and our owne aduantage as not to endeuour to learne it with the whole strife of our hartes Howbeit sith he is as well the teacher as giuer of it let vs often say with S. Augustine thou commandest humilitie ô Lord giue vvhat thou commandest and commande vvhat thou vvilt THE II. MEDITATION FOR THE 2. DAY THE FIRST POINTE. COnsider that hence it was that the diuine wisdome or Word of God which was in the begining with God nay was God and therfor could thinke it noe stealth to be coequall coeternall consubstantiall with God the Father exinanited or powred himselfe out and became flesh Et Verbum caro factum est taking vpon him the shape of a seruant Earth is at a losse vpon this abismall humiliation litle kowing as saith S. Augustine what to say to it or what conceipt to make of it Nay the heauenly powers stand amaysed to sea the kinge of Angells become lesse then the Angells yee iust like to one of vs in all thinges saue sinne nay one of vs indeede flesh of our flesh bones of our bones poore man Vnlesse we should yet say further lesse then man Nouissimus virorum the least and last of men a vvorme and not a man with the royall Prophete AFFECTION RESOLVT Ah my poore soule if the gracious inuitations and mylde lessons of Wisdome cannot preuayle to plucke downe our proude harte let at least the abismall example of our humanised God the eternall Word made flesh put before our eyes dissipate and cure that pernicious tumour It is thy verie God that lyes humbled at thy feete my soule it is diuinitie it selfe which lyes as it were infirme before thee that so thy swelling being worne downe thou mightst deiect thy selfe and caste thy selfe prostrate vpon that great God Deus Deorum now for thy example become the last and least of men THE II. POINTE. Consider that if this heauenly designe and resolution be truly admirable farre farre aboue the reach of men and Angells and the execution of it ineffably gracious and euen rauishinge as speaking more sweetnesse and heauēly delightes to humane hartes then they are any way capable to comprehende so that they doe not so much intice as inforce the said hartes to humilitie if there be any sense of man left in man so the admirable circumstances which accompaignie it doe powerfully preach the same lessons to the eyes of the world If then it hath pleased him to build himselfe a cottage of the same claye wherof he made vs he will also haue all the rest suted to it This most humble Loue metamorfised-kinge will haue an humble mother Queene a poore handmayde of our Lord An humble putatiue father Ioseph a carpenter An humble Pallace a poore Rocke or caue An humble chaire of state a manger Humble attendants an oxe and an Asse vvith a fevve sillie shephardes and after that all his life longe poore tude simple fishermen AFFECTION and RESOL. What my soule will be euer able to decrye pride if this doe not And what will be able to imprinte humilitie deepe in the verie bottomes of our hartes if this proue not effectuall His poore abiect and despicable condition in the verie first steppe he made into this world began to publish it His lowlie obscure and hidden life all the tyme of his infancie declared it in his riper yeares he continually preached it the course of his whole life confirmed it and at his death he signed it with his pretious bloude humbling himselfe to death and the death of the crosse the most infamous of all deathes O my soule let vs then being forced by all these pressing and euen oppressing arguments either humble our selues to the ground in all occasions of humiliation or at least confesse to our confusion that we are the most vnworthy and vnsutable seruants to a diuine Master who was in all thinges so incomparably humble THE I. MEDITATION FOR THE THIRD DAY Of the Benefit of a religious vocation THE FIRST POINTE. COnsider that it seemed not enough to that Kinge of glorie First to haue made you a reasonable creature after his owne likenesse and all the other creatures for your vse 2. to haue regenerated you to a new and better life by the holy Sacrament of Baptisme 3. to haue giuen you the knowledge of the Catholike faith hauing culled you out of multitudes that daylie perish but his gracious beneuolence went yet further on with you and by this holie vocation to Religion called you to be his peculiar friend and seruant and Fauourite to haue a more neere and deare conuersation with him and to make it your businesse in earth to singe his prayses and mercyes as the Blessed shall doe for euer and euer in Heauen AFFECTION and RESOL. O the infinite goodnesse of my deare Lord who goes still on in my behalfe heaping benefit vpon benefit and fauours vpon fauours yea fauours of singular preference tender loue and greatest assurance towards the attayning of Beatitude that can be mette with vpon this perilous sea Fauours not granted to all nay scarce to a few among multitudes who daylie suffer shipwracke while thy free grace deare God not my merits hath guided my doubtfull nauigation to a safe harbour Where witnesse S. Bernard who experienced the same one liues more purely falls more rarely riseth more quicklie walkes more cautiously receiues grace more frequently reposeth more securely dyes more confidently and is rewarded more abundantly THE II. POINTE. That this vocation leads to a certaine state Consider that Gods goodnesse by meanes of this holie vocation leades you not to a certaine indifferencie of seruing him or not seruing him at your owne pleasure and election but he bringes you therby to a setled and permanent state wherin your body is tyed to stabilitie in a certaine place and all your actions are marked out and limited by Rule and constitutions and all these confirmed by the three essential vowes of Religion Pouertie chastitie and obedience according to S. Augustins Rule Which vowes are noe other things then sacred and solemne promises freely deliberatly and with out constrainte made to God in the face of the holy Church of thinges which are better as S. Thomas of Aquine teacheth AFFECTION and RESOL. This my soule was Gods singular goodnesse
my soule and the banishing of those contentious words myne and thyne is a good steppe to beatitude since therby innumerable occasiōs of contentions and quarrells are cut off Yet alas that is not all that the spouses of Christ should ayme at who in their pouertie ought to expresse the pouertie of Christ who neither had them nor desired them nor the commodities and delights which accompanie them It profits vs not at all saith S. Caesarius to abandonne riches outwardly vnlesse we roote out withall the inward desire of them which sticke close to our hartes It is not too much my soule for poore naked man to follow poore and naked Christ THE II. MEDITATION FOR THE 4. DAY Of the vovve of chastitie COnsider that if humilitie hath placed the foundation and pouertie raysed the walls chastitie woud be at the cost to adorne it within for it is indeede Virginitie that is the begining of spirituall beautie and ornament All the beautie and glorie of the Kings daugher is vvithin Yea saith S. Bernarde virginitie is the best and most wishfull furniture and such as might euen proue a kind of enuie to the Angells themselues which though otherwise Virgines too yet are they not virgines inuironed with flesh and bloud whereas to liue in flesh and not according to flesh is not an earthly but a heauenly life saith S. Hierome AFFECTION and RESOLV With what other ornament my soule then virginall puritie was that royall Hall or earthly Paradice to be adorned which was to receiue the puritie of heauen which came downe to espouse mans nature If virginall puritie then was to giue intertaynement to the sonne of God in earth noe wonder that puritie too must adorne the spirituall building which we are raysing vp into the sight of God in heauen Let vs not fayl my soule to put an inestimable price vpon this angelicall vertue which heauen so highly values It being indeede the iuery Throne which the heauenly salomon built for himselfe And let vs neuer esteeme it safe but onely vpō its sure foundation humilitie THE SECONDE POINTE. That by the vovve of chastitie you are truly maried to God Consider to what a highth of dignitie you are admitted by this heauenly vowe certes to noe lesse then an absolute mariage with God So were we taught by Tertullian 14. hundred yeares agoe speaking to a virgine thou art maried to Christ to him didst thou deliuer vp thy body to him thon didst betrouth thy maturitie Walke on then according to thy spouse his vvill and pleasure Whence the Church of God till this day appoints these words to be said at your receiuing of the veyle receiue this sacred veyle vvherby you may be knovvne to haue contemned the vvorld and to haue subiected or espoused your selfe for euer to Christ the spouse of virgines AFFECTION and RESOL. O admirable dignitie of the Virgine where the humble handmayde is raysed to the honour of a Bride to Christ himselfe the Bridegrome whom when she loues she 's chaste whom when she touches she 's pure whom when she takes in mariage she is a virgine O supercelestiall mariage from whence fidelitie and fertilitie are expected as well as in other mariages because such as breake the first faith haue damnation saith the Apostle Yea the happie state of virgines assures S. Augustine is more fruitfull and fertile not by hauing great bellies but great myndes not by hauing breasts full of mylke but hartes full of candour and in lieu of binging forth earth out of their bowells by bringing forth heauen by their prayers Hence issues a noble progenie puritie iustice patience myldnesse charitie attended by all her noble traine of vertues the holy virgins heauenly issue THE FIRST MEDITAT FOR THE 5. DAY Of the vovve of obedience THE FIRST POINTE. COnsider that notwithstanding that in humilitie the ground worke is sure that riche pouertie hath raysed the walles and angelicall puritie hath adorned the worke interiourly Yet must transcendante obedience secure all or nothinge will proue stable All is sure in obedience all without it is in danger Obedience saith your holy Father is as it were the mother and keeper of all she continually watches that noe parte of our spirituall building may be lyable to any danger And this so necessarie vertue of obedience is nothing els but a voluntarie and rationall sacryfice of our ovvne vvill to the will of another which S. Iohn Climacus tearmes the death or graue of our ovvne vvill AFFECTION and RESOL. If then my soule our greatest assurance be found in obedience let our greatest care be imployed to purchace conserue and practise it By obeying our Superiours it is saith S. Gregorie that God is obedient to our prayers And your holy Father dares affirme that one prayer of an obedient person is sooner heard thet ten thousand of one disobedient It is obedience which makes vs secure obedience which frees vs from care and sollicitude Obedience which renders our meate drinke and play meritorious By obedience we equally aduance our iorney towards heauen in standing still as walking on in sleeping as wakinge O admirable aduantages of obedience O how happie and secure is the condition of an obedient soule of whom the wiseman pronounceth that she shall singe victories THE II. POINTE. That obedience is the most important of the three vovves Consider that though the vowes of pouertie and chastitie contribute much to the happie state of a religious life yet doth that of obedience farre excelle them and in some sorte conteynes them all according to the sense of the Angelicall Doctour For wheras Religion is a sacrifice wherin pouertie offers all her goods of Fortune and chastitie all those of the body obedience goes yet further and sacryficeth all those of the mynde as selfe-will selfe-iudgement and euen the whole man which certainly is incomparably more excellent then all the rest AFFECTION and RESOL. Pouertie and chastitie saith S. Bernard are the two winges by which obedience mounts aloft Yet it is she indeede not they that flye A douzen such winges would not be able to rayse proude disobedience one inch to heauen-wards It is neither our goods of fortune nor those of our body which will proue a pleasing sacryfice in the sight of God vnlesse they be accompayned with obedience the humble submission of the will and iudgement Banishe out of your harte this pleaseth and this displeaseth saith your brother a Kempis and nothing shall trouble you and S. Bernarde take avvay the vvill and there shall be noe hell THE II. MEDITATION FOR THE 5. DAY Of the extont of obedience THE FIRST POINTE. COnsider that as to make obediēce absolutly blinde were to depriue man of man that is of reason wherby he is differenced from a beast and to oppose that of the Apostle let your obseruance be reasonable so to leaue it wholy to the guidance and appointment of reason were rather to make a man a Phylosopher then either a good religious person or
euen a good Christian It must so farre see as to be able to discerne Gods part because the Decree is without exception that vve ought rather to obeye God then men But where we doe not manifestly see that Gods right is trenched vpon or violated we ought absolutly to obeye a superiours commande in all things without reserue wherin he is superiour And this kind of obedience falls vnder your vowe and is absolutly necessarie AFFECTION and RESOLV O my soule if our owne reason were made the Rule of our obedience with what confusions and endlesse wranglings would not Monasteries be replenished They would not so much be found sacred and silent solitudes as cententious Academies It is at the death of our rebellious wills that postilent source of mans miserie and mortall poison of a sprituall life that obedience aymes which is not effected by proude disputes but by humble submissions hauing continually in mynd that all povver is from God and he vvho resists povver resists Gods ordonnance Let vs then my soule humbly and promptly obeye God in our superiours person standing alwayes in a blissed in differencie with S. Paule to heare him by their mouthes and to obeye him in their persons saying What is thy holy vvill I should doe THE II. POINTE. Of the diuers degrees of it Consider that tho necessarie obedience to which you are tyed by vowe consists in obeying Superiours cōmands according to Rule and Constitutiōs or what conduces to the due obseruance therof Yet are not the pious spouses of Christ to stoppe there but to be still striuing to emulate the better gifts and to render themselues wholy agreeable to their diuine spouse Be perfect as your heauenly father is perfect saith our sauiour by endeuouring still to obeye in the most perfect manner which that great seruant of God Ruisbrochius putts downe as followes In the first place it must be prudent and discreete 2. simple 3. cheerfull 4. prompt 5. couragious 6. deuoute 7. humble AFFECTION and RESOL. O what a blessed life is ledd where all these conditions meete O what a Heauen appeares in earth where earthly Angells thus liue Let this be our cheife endeuour my soule as it is the happinesse securitie and ornament of a religious life Let vs with prudence and discretion discerne Gods will by our superiours mouth and whether we be commanded to watch to fast to pray or worke c. or els vpon occasions at their pleasure to leaue them off let it be done simply and with assurance that by how much more simply by so much the more fruitfully and excellently it s done Let that discreete simplicitie be secōded with quicke and cheesfull execution for God loues a free and merrie-harted giuer If the thinge commanded appeare hard yet imbrace it with a manly courage heauen is worth more and he who gaue the commande can giue strength to performe it Finally let all this be done with humilitie and deuotion not so much to please men as that our heauenly father may be glorified THE FIRST MEDITAT FOR THE 6. DAY Of the excellencies of Obedience THE FIRST POINTE. COnsider with deuoute Ruisbrochius that obedience is a vertue of so great excellēcie that the verie least worke be it of what kinde it will being done by vertue therof is much better and more acceptable to God then euen other geate workes done without it as for example hearing of Masse reading praying contemplating or any other worke you can thinke of Which lesson we are yet taught by a greater Master Kings 1. 15. Will our Lord haue Holocausts and victimes and not rather that his voyce should be obeyd For better is obedience then victimes and to harken rather then to offer the fatt of rammes Because c. it is as it vvere the vvickednesse of Idolatrie to refuse to obey AFFECT and RESO It is not so much the greatnesse of the thinge then my soule we ought to looke vpon as the greatnesse of the obedience with which we are to performe it Commandes of great and herociall actions rarely occurre wheras obedience may be daylie exercised and merite increased in a number of smale matters Nor is it easily to be conceiued what riches are to be treasured vp for heauen therby Deuoute obedience knowes how to render the poore widowes myte a gratfull offering Industrious obedience negotiates vpon trifles and yet like the honiebee stores her hyue with huge riches Many other vertues daughters of Charitie gather maine heapes of treasure togeither yet obedience so farre outstripps them all that she makes her selfe more gratefull to God then a sacryfice THE II. POINTE. Of vvhom vve ought to learne Obedience Consider that we ought to learne this best of morall vertues of the best of Masters of moralitie Iesus Ch. Who is as well the Master as the Disciple of it He was the Master of it at his coming into the world while he liued in it and at his departure out of it At his coming S. Paule tells vs in his person in the heade of the booke it is vvritten of me that I should doe thy vvill then said I behold I come that I may doe thy vvill o God His whole life was spent in the doing the will of his heauenly father who sent him and in obeying his mother S. Ioseph and euen all creatures for his sake At his departure he vvas obedient euen vnto death and the death of the Crosse And he was the Disciple of it too sithens as S. Paule affirmes though he were the sonne of God he learnt obedience by the thinges vvhich he suffered and vvas made the cause of eternall saluation to all that obey him AFFECTION and RESOL. O what an excellent lesson of obedience hath the sonne of God left for the sonnes of men to imitate He who as God could be obedient to none being God-man be comes obedient to all men for his heauenly fathers sake All his life was a cōtinued obedience till by his painfull death he consummated the great worke of mans redemption for which he was sent Father I haue consummated the vvorke vvhih thou gauest me to doe saith that intirely obedient sonne The worke which we are to doe my soule which is as it were our whole businesse is to obey God in our superiours commandes and by such submission and their care to secure our blessed eternitie By their eyes we best discerne By their iudgements we most wisely iudge by their directions and orders we most surely walke to mans beatitude THE II. MEDITATION FOR THE 6. DAY That Charitie must be the roofe of this spirituall building THE FIRST POINTE. COnsider that be the foundationes neuer so deeply digged be the walls neuer so firme and confirmed and the interior partes neuer so fairely adorned yet if the roofe be not sutable to the rest and be not established aboue the rest it lyes but vselessely open to receiue winds and shewres and is vnfitt for the vse of man being indeede noe perfect
buildinge but onely the materialls or ruines therof vpon which passers by looke with derision and say this man began to build but could not finish the same AFFECTION RESOLVT It is the end my soule that euery wise man acts for without which his worke is imperfect nor can he repose Pouertie indeede seemes more then humane Pure nature knowes noe such production Virginitie is truly Angelicall and diuine and is a fruite which is onely found in the bosome of the Catholike Church None but a virgine mother brings out virgines Obedience directs all secures all confirmes all and makes a fitt tabernacle for God in the harte of man by banishing thence selfe iudgement and selfe will But heauenly charitie as a glorious mother farr outstrips them all giues them all their begining increase and perfection For why indeede my soule did we first enterprise this holy worke but because we loue What could be able to robbe vs of all we haue but loue What did wowe vs to virginall chastitie but the loue of a virgine spouse What could moue men to depriue them selues of beloued libertie and to liue at the dispose of anothers will but the loue of him alone who chused rather to dye thē not to accomplish the will of his heauenly Father Loue then saith your holy Father and doe vvhat thou vvilt THE II. POINTE. That vvithout charitie nothing is done to secure our happie eternitie Consider that if humilitie put the foundation of your spirituall Towre it was by charities guidance and order for as humilitie goes not without charitie so charitie neuer leaues humilitie If pouertie raysed the walls it was with the treasure wherwith charitie furnished her If chastitie adorned it within it was with the pure burning gold which she had of charitie Finally if obedience confirmed and secured the whole worke it was by the force she receiued of charitie vvhich is as stronge as death In a word all is from charitie and all is for charitie AFFECTION RESOLVT He S. Paule knewe this truth my soule as certainly as he affirmes it vndauntedly to wit that not onely the foresaid vertues profit vs nothinge without charitie but euen that tho vve should haue all faith so that vve could remoue mountaines though vve should distribute all our goods to be meate for the poore finally though vve should deliuer our bodies to burne and yet vvant charitie it profits vs nothing Charitie saith holy S. Augustine is that which discernes the sonns of God from the sonns of the Diuell Charitie is that one necessarie thinge which alone sufficeth Charitie in a word is that Euangelicall gemme for which if a man should giue all his substance he shall repute it as nothing Come thē ô come then ô thou holy spirit Deus Charitas and replenish the hartes of thy faithfull and inflame them vvith the fire of thy loue THE FIRST MEDITAT FOR THE 7. DAY That all the vertues are loue THE FIRST POINTE. COnsider that so true it is that nothing is done without charitie that your holy Father makes noe difficultie to teach you that vvithout charitie the rest of the vertues are not indeede reputed vertues nay further that the rest of the vertues are but indeede loue and charitie so or so qualified For what is humilitie but charitie stooping and reputing her selfe nothing What is pouertie but charitie contemning all and stripping herself of all What is chastitie but loue preseruing corruptible man from corruption of bodie and mynde What finally obedience but loue freely and reasonably sacrifycing vp the will of man and making it supple and inclinable to euerie creature AFFECTION and RESOL. Charitie then my soule is that transcendant heauenly vertue without which there is noe true vertue at all It is she which gouernes as Queene giues life vigour and worth to all the other vertues He who loueth not remaynes in death It is she who perfumes them all with the odour and sweeenesse of holy loue since we doe not meerely imbrace them because they are vertues but rather in qualitie of thinges that are desired imbraced and beloued by God To discouer à man truly vertuous we vse not to inquire what he beleeues or what he hopes for but what he loues If earth h'es earthly if Heauen he 's heauenly if God he 's Godlike for as such they become all desirable louing and louelie Let me loue thee then ô Lord let me loue thee and loue all other thinges which I loue and practise for thee and in thee that my beloued may be myne and I wholie his THE II. POINTE. That vve ought incessantly to desire and breath after charitie Consider that if as we haue seene Charitie be all in all our thoughtes ought to be sett vpon the continuall desire of it For what oughr we or doe we indeede desire but what euery one proposeth to himselfe for his end and the end of the lavve is loue What ought any Christiā to desire but the accomplishment of the lawe of God and the fulnesse of the lavve is charitie Nor fares it in those heauenly desires as in vaine worldly wishes a million of them puts not one pennie into our purses Wheras by the verie desire of the loue of God we begin to loue God indeed and still the more we desire it the more we loue Yea when this desire waxes stronge and hartie the desire is turned into fire and inflames the couering harte He that desires God vvith his vvhole harte has alreadie him vvhom he loues saith S. Gregorie And S. Augustine a holy desire is the vvhole life of a good Christian AFFECTION and RESOL. But alas my poore soule tho we clearely discerne this desire to be most iust aduantagious and most worthy of a christiā harte yet we somtymes perceiue our selues not to be so happie as euen to haue this desire Let vs then at least say with the Prophete my soule hath desired earnestly to desire thy iustifications at all tymes Let vs not fayle to haue this desire of desiring continually in our harte saying with S. Au. Giue me thy selfe restore me thy selfe for vvhat is not thy verie selfe is verie nothing to me and it will happen with vs as it did with the holie Prophete that in these holy thoughtes and desirs fire will flashe out and so throughly in flame our soule that as the stagge thirsteth after the fountaines of fresh water so shall we vehementlie couet and thirst after our good God that drainlesse fountaine of liuing water which flowes into life euerlastnig THE II. MEDITATION Of vvhom vve are to learne Charitie tovvards one another THE FIRST POINTE. COnsider that we ought to learne this most important lesson this one necessarie thinge of him who doth as well teach it as giue it our Sauiour Iesus who brought downe this sacred fire into earth and his vvill vvas it should burne the hartes of men And indeede neuer did he seeme so peculiarly to make himselfe the Master of any thinge as
of this vertue and humilitie This is my precept said that deare master of ours that you loue one another My litle children I giue you a new precept that you loue one another In this all men shall know that you are my Disciples if you haue loue one to another Holy Father I pray c. that they may be one as we also are one I in them and thou in me AFFECTION and RESOL. This is the great commandement indeede my soule this Christs speciall precept Loue one another this the badge by which he will haue all his seruants to be knowne If they loue one another If we come without this wedding garmēt we shall be repulsed If we knocke not hauing this oyle of charitie in our Lampes wherby we may be knowne to men to be Gods Disciples God vvill not knovve vs the dore vvill be shut What thinge more wishfull could we haue desired to haue heard thē by affording mutuall loue and assistance to one another which we haue all such neede of to secure our saluation And yet the most louing and beloued Apostle assures vs It is the precept of our soueraigne Lord and Master doe this saith he and it sufficeth Beare one anothers burden and so you shal accomplish the lavve of Christ THE SECONDE POINTE. Hovv vve ought to exercise Charitie to one another Consider that this ought to be done by his example who gaue the commande of it and afterwards came graciously downe to teach it by his owne practise Thus we are taught by the great Apostle Receiue helpe comfort support and loue one another as Christ receiued assisted supported and loued vs. But how did Christ loue vs c Marrie he loued vs first with a free and disinterested loue which looked vpon noe preceedant merites 2. With a right loue not to receiue any thinge from vs but to discharge the ouer-flowing riches of his mercifull breastes vpon our pouertie 3. With a perseuerant loue for louing his vvho vvere in the vvorld he loued them to the end 4. With a stronge loue euen as stronge as death it selfe he loued vs and deliuered himselfe for vs for vs men and for our saluation AFFECTION and RESOL. If then my soule we hope for any consolation in Christ if any solace of Charitie if any societie of spirit if any bowells of commiseration let vs endeuour to fulfill the B. Apostles ioy by being of one meaning having the same charitie of one mynd agreeing in one That nothing be done by contention nor by vaine glorie but in humilitie each counting others better then themselues In a word let vs receiue comfort support and loue our poore brethren and that too as Christ gaue vs the example with a pure and disinterrested loue because it is his blessed pleasure that so it should be With a right loue not seeking that vvhich is profitable in particular to our selues but that vvhich is profitable to many With a perseuerant loue which is not to end but with the end of our liues Finally with a stronge loue readie to wrastle with obuious difficulties and euen with death it selfe for the good of our brother as our deare Lord gaue vs an example THE THIRD POINTE. What assurance this fraternall Charitie giues that vve are in happie estate Consider with S. Augustine that God out of his infinite goodnesse that man might haue noe excuse left if he learned not to loue him pleased to consummate and abridge his holy word or Lawe He made it short that none might be wearied with reading of it and cleare withall least any might haue said I could not vnderstand it And what is this short and cleare vvord Take it from S. Paule he that loueth his neighbour hath fulfilled the Lavve Hence S. Iohn affirmes confidently that vve knovv vve are translated from death to life because vve loue our brethren We knovv What doe we knowe saith your diuine Father that vve are translated from death to life But how doe we know it demandes he againe Because vve loue our brethren concludes he with the great Euangelist AFFECTION and RESOLVT O the great goodnesse of God to reduce his whole lawe to loue O easie fulfilling of the said Lawe which consists onely in louing of our neighbour O happie assurance receiued from the penmen of the holy Ghost O blessefull knowledge which makes vs know that we are gotten out of the possession of death into the Kingdome of life And all this at so easie a rate because vve loue our brethren Let vs not then be sollicitous ô my soule nor run to others to know our present state returne to our owne hartes and if we meete with brotherly charitie therin le ts rests secure saith your B. Father that vve are translated from death to life like as not finding it there we haue an accursed assurance that we are in death's possession he that loues not remaynes in death Let me loue thee then my euer deare louing Lord and my neighbours in thee and for thee If I euer forgett thee or them or this Couenant of loue let my right hand be forgotten and let my tongue sticke to my iawes if I remember thee not and place thee not in the heade of my dearest delightes For I am thy seruant I am thy seruant and the sonne of thy handmayde redeemed vvith a great price Thou hast broken my chaynes in sunder the chaynes of my sinnes the chaynes of ill custome the chaynes of the malignante world that by a happie escape from it I might be chayned to thee in the golden chaynes of Charitie And therfor I will sacryfice to thee a sacryfice of prayse of all that I haue or hope for and all that I am my life libertie and all and willingly ioyfully and without constraint I vvill render my vovves to thee in the sight of all thy people Amen FINIS