particular accompte of all their dissolute and wicked lyfe Wherefore it is verelye to be thought that the diuell labourethe all he can to make vs vtterlie to neglecte and forgette the remēbrance of our accompte The diuell laboureth all he can to make vs neglecte and forgette the accompte we must make of all our whole lyfe at the hower of our deathe that we must make at the verie hower of our deathe because he knoweth full well what great proffit and commoditie woulde arise vnto vs by the continuall remembrance of the same For otherwise how were it possible that men shoulde forget a thinge that is so terrible and fearefull yea such a thinge as they knowe most assuredly will come and steale verie shortelie vpon them at their owne howses If we haue but the least doubte or suspition in the worlde of losynge a litle wordly riches or of some other like thinge it maketh vs oftentimes very carefull and watchfull and causeth vs to lose both our sleepe and our health How happeneth it then that the remembrance of death which aswell to the bodie as to the sowle is the most horrible and dreadfull thinge that maie come vnto vs causeth vs not to be likewise verie carefull and watchfull in makinge prouision beforehande for the cōminge of it Suerlie it seemeth vnto me a thinge verie much to be meruayled at that men shoulde be so carefull as they be in tryfles and matters of smalle importance and liue so negligently and without all care in thinges that are of so greate importance vnto them as is their euerlastinge saluation or damnation The consideration of our deathe prouoketh vs not onelie to liue a good lyfe but also to dye well Thirdly this consideration of our death is a great helpe not onely to prouoke vs to liue a good lyfe as it hath bene saiede but besides that to die well In thinges that be harde and difficult foresighte and preparation beforehande is a very great helpe to bringe them well to passe Now so great a leape as is the leape of death which reacheth from this lyfe to the euerlastinge lyfe to come can not well be leaped vnles we make a great course and fetche a longe race to ronne the same No great thinge can be well and perfitlie done at the first time Seinge therefore it is so great a matter to die and so necessarie to die well it shal be verie expedient for vs to die oftentimes in our life that we maie die well at the verie time of our death The souldiors that be appoynted to fight doe first practice themselues in such feates and exercises as whereby they maie learne in time of peace what they must doe in time of warre The horse also that must ronne at the Tilte trauerseth all the grownde before and trieth all the steppes thereof that at suche time as he cōmeth to make his cowerse he be not founde newe and straunge in doyinge his feate Wherefore sith we all must needes ronne this cowerse forsomuch as there is no man aliue but must die consideringe also that the waie is so obscure and stonie as all men knowe and the daunger so great that whosoeuer falleth shal be tombled downe headlonge into the bottomles pit of hell fyer it shal be requisite that we doe now tread diligentelie before-hand all this waie and consider particularlie all the steppes and places thereof one by one forsomuch as in euerie one of them there is much to be considered And let vs not thinke it enoughe to consider onely what passeth outwardelye aboute the sicke mans bedde but let vs endeuour much more to vnderstande what passeth inwardlie within his harte Of the vncertaintie of the hower of death And what a greife it is at that tyme to departe from all thinges of this lyfe § I. TO beginne now euen from the beginninge of this conflicte Consider how when death shall come vpon thee Deyth stealeth vpon vs at such a tyme as we thincke least of it 1. Thess 5.2 it will come at such a time as when thou thinkest thy selfe in most safetie and suspectest least of the comminge thereof as we see by experience it is wont to happen vnto manie The daie of our Lorde saith the Apostle shall come like a thieffe Which watcheth alwaies to come at such times as men are most careles and thinke themselues in most safetie that it maie take vs vpon a sodeine at vnwares And so we see it happeneth most often that euen at that time when men doe least thinke to dye and when they are least mindfull of their departure out of this lyfe yea when they cast their accomptes before hande to make great purchases and buildinges and to set vpon great enterprises of many daies and yeares then cōmeth death sodenly vpon them and disapointeth them of all their vaine hopes and designementes and vtterly ouerthroweth all their fonde imaginations and buildinges which they made in the aier And so is that sayenge fulfilled of the holie kinge Esa 38. My lyfe saieth he was cutt of like as the weauer cutteth of his thread while I was as yet in the beginning he cut me of from morninge to eueninge thou wilt make an ende of me The first stroke of death is the feare of deathe The first stroke wherewith death is wont to strike is the feare of death Suerlie this is a very great anguishe vnto him that is in loue with his lyfe and this forewarninge is such a great greife vnto a mā that oftētimes his carnall friēdes doe vse to dissemble it and will not haue the sicke man to beleue it least it shoulde vexe and disquiet him and this they will doe sometimes although it be to the preiudice and destruction of his miserable sowle Kinge Saule had a verie stowte and valiant courage but after that the shadowe of Samuell appeared vnto him and had tolde him that he shoulde die in the battell addinge moreouer theise wordes 1 Reg. 28. Tomorrowe both thou and thy sonnes shal be here with me The feare and terror which he conceaued at these tidinges was so great that at that very instant he lost all his force and courage and fell downe to the grounde as a dead man Now what a greife will it be to a man that is in loue with this life when such lyke newes shal be signified vnto him For immediatly vpon this denuntiation there shal be represented vnto him his departure and perpetual bannishement from this worlde and from all thinges that be in the same Then shall he see that his howre is now come and that the dawninge of that dreadfull daye appeareth now at his howse wherein he shall departe from all thinges that he hath loued in this lyfe His bodie shall die but once but his harte shall die as often as he shall remember the losse of all those thinges whereunto it beareth loue and affection Forsomuch as death shall put the knife betwene him and
corporal foode to maintein her in the spirituall life then the bodie hath of his propre foode for mayntenance of the corporall life If thou thinke otherwise tell me I praie thee why hath the bodie neede of his ordinarie meat euerie daie vndowtedlie the cause is for that the naturall heat continuallie wasteth and consumeth the substance of our bodies and therefore it is nedefull that that be restored againe with daielie sustenance which is consumed with dailie heat For otherwise the naturall strēgth of man woulde verie soone be at an ende and his powers woulde quicklie decaie O that it pleased almightie God that men might by this vnderstand the great necessitie they haue of this diuine sacrament O that they coulde by this conceaue the greate wisedome and mercie of him that hath instituted and ordeined the same for our behoufe Is it not a thing well knowen that we haue within these bowelles of oures a certein pestilent hear that came vnto vs by the occasion of sinne with consumeth all the goodnes that is in man This is that which inclineth vs to the loue of the world of our fleshe of all vices of all sensuall pleasures and delites and so by these meanes seperateth vs from almightie God maketh vs to relente and waxe colde in the loue of him and causeth vs to become verie dull slouthfull and heauie to all good workes and verie quicke and liuelie to worke all wickednes If than we haue this continuall waster and consumer so rooted within vs were it not good reason trow ye that there should be some restoratiue prouided to restore that alwaies againe which is alwaies wasting and consuming If we haue a continuall consumer The cause of the greate feruēcie and zeale of Christians in the primetiue Church ād of the littel or no zeale of Christians in our corrupt age and haue not withall a continuall repayrer what maie be loked for of vs but a continuall decaienge and with in sort time after a most certeine and vndowted ruine For proofe hereof it shall suffice to consider the course of the Christian people by comparinge the great feruencie and zeale in religion of the Christians in the primetiue Churche with the littell or rather no zeale of the Christians in our corrupt age For in the primitiue Churche when the Christians did eate contiuuallie of this diuine meate they liued therewith a verie spirituall life and had thereby force and strength not onely to obserue Gods lawes and commaundementes but also euen to die and suffer martirdome for Gods sake But now alas in this our corrupt age the Christians for the most parte are founde to be verie weake and feable in their faythe and verie dissolute and licentious in their liues because they eate not of this diuine foode and therefore in the end they perish and die for honger Esa 5. As the prophet signified when he said Therefore was my people caried awaie into captiuetie because they had no knowledge of God and there nobles perished for honger and the multitude of them died for thirst For this cause therefore hath that wise phisition our Sauiour Christ who had also felt the pulses of our weakenes ordeined this most holie and diuine sacrament and for this purpose hath he instituted the same in forme of meate that the verie forme wherein he instituted it might declare vnto vs the effect it worketh and withall the great necessitie our soules haue of the same Consider then now if there maie be found in the whole world anie greater showe of loue then that almightie God himselfe should leaue vnto vs his owne verie fleshe and bloude for our susteynance and releefe We maie reade in manie histories Iosephus that some mothers beinge constrained with intollerable honger haue embrewed their handes in the fleshe and bloude of there owne littell children to susteine them selues with feedinge vpon them and that for the great desire they had to liue they haue bereued their owne verie naturall children of there lifes thereby to preserue their owne life This haue we red ofentimes But who hath euerred that anie mother hath fed her childe that was readie to perish and die for honger with her owne verie fleshe or that she cut of one of her owne armes to geue her childe to eate and that she would be cruell vpon her selfe to shewe her selfe pittiefull towardes her childe Certeinlie there was neuer mother liuinge yet in the earthe that euer hath done such a dede But our most louinge and sweete sauiour Christ farre passing anie mother in loue perceauinge thee to be readie to perish and die for honger and seinge withall that there was none other better meane to maintein by life then to geue thee his owne verie sleshe to eate commeth downe from heauen and yeldeth himselfe here to the cruell bouchers and tormētours to be put to deathe that thow mightest preserue and susteine thy life with this diuine meate And this he doth not at one time onelie but his blessed will is that it shal be done continuallie and therefore he ordeineth this most blessed sacrament that thou mightest hereby vnderstand an other degree of greater loue which is that as he geueth thee alwaies the same meate to witt his owne verie bodie in this most blessed Sacrament so is he readie alwaies to paie the same price and redemption if it were necessarie for thee Besides all this thou must consider Note that our sauiour hath restored man vnto his aunciēt dignitie so muche by grace as he had fallen by sinne that so by grace he maye be able to liue a holie and spirituall life that this most holie reformer of the worlde intēded to restore man vnto his auncient dignitie and to raise him vp againe so much by grace as he had fallē by sinne And therefore as his falle was frō a life that he had of God which life our first father Adam before his falle had enioyed to the life of beastes wherein after his falle he remayned euen so contrariewise his will was that he should be raised vp againe from the life of beastes in which he remayed to the life of God which throwgh sinne he had lost and so for this ende hath our sauiour Christ ordeyned the communion of this most holie and diuine sacrament by meanes whereof man atteyneth to be partaker of God and to liue the life of God as our sauiour himselfe signifieth in those most high wordes which he said He that eateth my fleshe Ioan. 6. and drinketh my bloude dwelleth in me and I in him And like as by the dwellinge of my father in me the life that I liue is altogether conformable to the life of my father which is the life of God euen so he in whom I shall dwell by meanes of this diuine sacrament shall liue as I do liue and so shall he not now liue the life of a man but euen the life of god For this is that most highe diuine sacrament wherein God
as by the merite of that vnspekeable charitie and humilitie with which thou hast humbled thy selfe to take vpon thee all my sinnes thou hast not onelie deliuered me from them but also made me partaker of thy graces and treasures For in takinge vpon thee my deathe thou hast geuen me thy life in takinge vpon thee my fleshe thou hast geuen me thy spirite and in takinge vpon thee my sinnes thou hast geuen me thy grace So that ô my mercifull redeemer all thy paines Our sauiours paynes are our treasures and riches are my treasures and riches thy purple clotheth me thy crowne honoreth me thy strookes bewtifie me thy sorowes comforte me thy angwishes susteine me thy woundes heale me thy bloude enricheth me and thy loue makethe me dronke And what wonder is it if thy loue make me dronke seinge the loue thou barest towardes me was able to make thee also dronken and to leaue thee like an other Noe to appeare dishonored and naked Geness to the open sighte of the worlde The purple of bourninge loue causeth thee to susteyne the purple of shame and reproche the earnest zeale thou hast of my profit and furtherance causeth thee to be contente to holde this reede in thy hande And the compassion thou hast of my losse and damnation moueth thee to beare this dolorous crowne of ignominie vpon thy head OF THOSE WORDES OF THE GOSPELL ECCE HOMO Beholde the man Opprobrium hominum et abiectio plebis psalm 21.7 J◠〈◊〉 presturam habâ—bitis sed 〈◊〉 ego 〈…〉 Johan â—6 33 § II. VHEN they had thus crowned and scorned our Sauiour the Iudge tooke him by the hande in such euill plight as he was and leadinge him out to the sighte of the furious people said these wordes vnto them ECCE HOMO Beholde the man Whiche is as much as if he had saied If for enuie yee seeke his deathe beholde him here in what a pitiefull and dolefull case he is A man vndowtedlye not to be enuied but to be pittied If you were afrayed least he shoulde haue become a kinge beholde him here so wholie disfigured that scarcelye he seemeth to be a man Of these handes so faste and stronglie bounde what cause is there why ye shoulde feare Of a man in this wise so sore whipped and scourged what woulde ye require more By this maist thou vnderstande ô my soule in what a lamentable case our Sauiour was at his goinge out of the iudgement haulle seinge that euen the Iudge himselfe verelie belieued that the pittiefull case in which he was mighte haue suffised to mollifie and breake the vnmercifull cruell hartes of his ennemies Whereby thou maist well perceaue what a dangerous and vnseemelie thinge it is for a Christian not to haue compassion of the most grieuous and bitter paines and sorowes of our sauiour who so loueth Christ taketh greefe and compassioÌ„ of his bitter paynes and sorowes seinge they were so great that they were able as the Iudge was perswaded to mollifie those most sauage and cruell stonye hartes of the Iewes Where loue is there is also sorrowe How can he then saie that he loueth our Sauiour Christe that beholdinge him tormeÌ„ted in this most pittiefull and dolefull plighte hath no coÌ„passion of him And if it be so wicked a thinge not to haue compassion of our Sauiour Christ what a heynous matter is it to encrease his paines and martirdomes and to adde thereunto sorowe vpon sorowe Suerlie there coulde not be anie greater crueltie in all the worlde than after that the Iudge had shewed our sauiour Christ vnto them so pittiefullye berayed for his ennemies to answere with such cruell wordes Crucifige Crucifige Crucifie him Crucifie him Now if this was so great a crueltie in the Iewes what a crueltie is that in a Christian who in his deedes and workes saieth euen as much as the Iewes did althowgh he expresse it not in wordes Heb. 6. The wycked Christians doe as it were crucifie Christ againe by theire euill and synnefull workes For dothe not S. Pawle saie That he that sinneth crucifieth the sonne of God againe Forsomuch as towchinge his parte he doth a thinge whereby he woulde binde him to dye againe if his former death had not bene sufficient How is it then ô Christian that thou hast thy harte and handes readie bent to crucifie our Lorde and redeemer so often tymes in this wise with thy sinnes Thou owghtest to consider that like as the Iudge presented that so pittiefull forme to the Iewes supposinge there was none other more effectuall meane to withdrawe them from theire furie than that dolefull sight euen so the heauenlye father presenteth that same dolefull sighte daily vnto all sinners meaninge thereby that in verie dede there is none other more effectuall meane to withdrawe them from sinne than to set before them this so pittiefull a forme Make acompte therefore that euen now the heauenlie father laieth also the same pittiefull forme of his most deere and onelie begotten sonne before thy face and that he saieth vnto thee ECCE HOMO Beholde the man As thowghe he shoulde saie Beholde this man in what a dolorous case he standeth and remember withall that he is God almightie and that he standeth in this most dolefull and lamentable plighte as here thou seest him not for anie other cause but for the verie sinnes of the worlde See into what plighte God is browght by the sinnes of man Consider how necessarie it was to satisfie for sinne And consider also How abhominable a thinge synne is in the sighte of God how abhominable and horrible a thinge sinne is in the sight of almightie God seinge it so disfigured his owne onelie sonne to destroye it Consider moreouer what a sore reuenge almightie God will take of a sinner for such sinnes as he himselfe committeth sithe he hath so sharpelie punnished his owne most dearlie beloued and innocent sonne for the sinnes of others Last of all consider the rigour of the iustice of almightie God and the fowle stayninge malice of sinne which appeareth so dreadfullie euen in the verie face of Christ the sonne of God Now what thinge coulde possiblie be done of greater efficacie both to cause men to feare God and also to abhorre synne It seemeth hereby that almightie God hath showed him selfe towardes man as a good louinge mother is wont to doe towardes her wicked dawghter that seeketh lewde meanes to plaie the harlot For when neither wordes nor punnishement be able to diswade her from her wicked diuelish purpose she tourneth her rage against her owne selfe she beateth her owne face and teareth her heare and when she is thus disfigured she setteth her self before her dawghter that thereby she maie vnderstande the greatnes of her offence and that at the least for verie pittie and compassion of her mother she maie be moued to leaue her wicked purpose Now it seemeth that almightie God hath vsed the verie same remedie here
now first how vncertain that houre is Of the vncertaintie of the houer of our deathe in which death will assault thee For thou knowest not neither what daie nor in what place nor how thou shalt be disposed when death shall come vnto thee Onely this thou knowest for most certain that die thou shalt all the rest is vncertain sauinge that ordinarily this houre is wonte to steale vpon vs at such a time as a man is most careles and thinketh least of it Secondlye consider what a separation shall then be made Of the separation from all worldlie thinges and of the partinge of the sowle from the bodye at the hower of our deathe not onely betwene vs and all the thinges we loue in this worlde but also euen betwene the sowle and the bodie which haue bene such auncient and louinge companions If it be thought so grieuous a matter to be banished out of our natiue countrie and from the naturall aier in which a mā hath bene bredde and brought vp although the banished man myghte carie awaye with him what soeuer he loueth how much more grieuous then shall that vniuersall bannishement be from all thinges that we haue from our landes from our goodes from our howse from wife father mother children kinsfolke friendes and acquaintance from this light and common aier yea to be short from all thinges of this worlde If an oxe make so great a bellowinge at what time he is seperated from an other oxe with whom he hath bene vsed to be yoked and to drawe in the ploughe what a bellowinge will thy hart then make when death shall seperate thee from all those thinges wherewith thou hast bene yoked and carried the burthens of this lyfe Consider also what a grieuous paine it shal then be to a man Of the payne that is at the houre of our deathe to consider what shall then become of our bodie and sowle when a certayne representation shal be made vnto his mynde foreshewinge in what case his bodie and sowle shal be after his death For as towchinge the bodie he knoweth for certaine alreadie that though it hath bene heretofore neuersomuch cherished and honored yet there shall no better prouision be made for it but onelie a hoole seuen foote longe where it shall remayne in companie of other dead bodies But as concerninge the sowle he knoweth not certainlie what shall becomme of it what considerations maye moue vs at the houer of death both to hope and feare nor what lotte shall fall vnto it For although the hope which he hath in the mercie of almightie God maie strengthen and comforte him yet the consideration of his owne sinnes maie dismaie him and make him afraied especiallie if he consider withall the greate iustice of almightie God and the profoundnes of his iudgementes who vseth oftentimes to crosse his handes and to alter the lottes of men Luc. 23. The theiffe went vp from the crosse to paradise Math. 27. and Iudas fell downe from the honorable dignitie of Apostelshippe into hell fier Manasses also after his so manie abhominations 2. Paral. 33. and wickednes obteined grace to become repentant And as yet we knowe not whether Salomon obteined the like for all his vertues This is one of the greatest grieffes and angwishes that men are commonlie trowbled withall at the houre of death to vnderstande that there is to ensue glorie euerlastinge and paine euerlastinge and that then a man is so neare both vnto the one and to the other and yet knoweth not whether of these two lottes beinge so farre different as they are shall fall vnto his share Of the particular accounte we must make to almightie God at the houer of our deathe of all our whole lyfe Arsenius After this angwishe there followeth an other no lesse then this to witt the particular accompte of all our whole lyfe which at the verie hower of euerie mans deathe must be made vnto almightie God This accompt is so dreadfull that it causeth euen the most stowtest men that are to tremble and qwake for verie feare It is written of the famous holie father Arsenius that beinge at the point of death he beganne to be afraied whereat his schollers meruayled and saied vnto him What father are you now afraid of your accompt Vnto whom he answered yea yea my sonnes this feare is no newe thinge in me for I haue alwaies liued with the same At that time all the synnes of a mans former lyfe are represented vnto him lyke a squadrone of enemies readie sette in battayle arrye to assaulte him Then are the greatest sinnes and those wherein he hath taken greatest delight represented most liuely vnto him and are the cause of greater feare Then commeth the yonge virgine to his minde which he hath dishonored Then come the maides and howsholde seruantes whom he hath solicited and prouoked to lewdnes Then come the poore folkes whom he hath iniuried and euill entreated Then come his neighboures whom he hath offended Then shall there crie out against him not the bloode of Abell Genes 4. but the pretious blood of our Sauiour Iesus Christ which he shedde when he gaue scandale and offence to his neighbour And if his cause must be adiudged accordinge to the lawe that saieth Eie for eie Exod. 21. tooth for tooth and wounde for wounde what shall he looke for that by his euill counsell or lewde example hath bene the occasion of the losse of a Christian sowle if he be iudged by that lawe O how bitter shall the remembrance of the delightes and pleasures past be at that time vnto him which at other times seemed so sweete Vndowtedly the Wiseman had verie good cause to saie Prouerb 23. Looke not vpon the wine when it is redde and when it shewethe his coullour in the glasse for although at the time of drinkinge it seeme delectable yet at the ende it will byte like a serpent and poison like a cockatrice O that men woulde vnderstande how true a sayinge this is that we haue here rehearsed What serpentes stinge is there that doth so prycke and and vexe a man as the dreadfull remembrance of his pleasures past shall doe at the howre of his death These are the dregges of that poisoned cuppe of the enemye Ierem. 51. These be the leauinges of the cuppe of Babilon Apoc. 14. that seemeth so gaylie gilted in outwarde apparance After this there followeth the Sacrament of Confession the blessed Sacrament of the Aultar and last of all the Sacrament of extreme Vnction How the Catholicke Churche cōforteth ād helpeth the sycke person with Sacramētes and prayers at his departure our of this worlde which is the last succour and releefe that our mother the Catholike Churche maie helpe vs withall in that troublesome time And as well herein as in the other thinges thou hast to consider what great greiffe and anguishe of mynde the sycke person shall then abide in
callinge to minde his wicked and synfull lyfe and how gladly he wishethe at that time that he had taken a better waie and what an awstere kinde of lyfe he woulde then determine to leade if he might haue time to doe the same and how fayne he woulde then enforce himselfe to call vpon almightie God and to desier him of helpe and succour Howbeit the verie paine greife and continuall increasinge of his syckenes and death will scarcely permitte him so to doe Consider then also those last accidentes and panges of the sicknes Of the pāges of deathe which be as it were the messingers of death how fearfull and terrible they be How at that time the sicke mans breast panteth his voyce waxeth hoarce his feete begynne to die his knees waxe colde and stiffe his nostrels ronne out his eies sincke into his head his countenāce looketh pale and wanne his tonge faultereth and is not able to doe his office finally by reason of the hast of the departure awaye of the sowle out of the bodie all his senses are sore vexed and troubled and they doe vtterlie leese their force and vertue But aboue all the sowle is then in most payne Of the greate payne ād agonie the sowle abideth at her departure out of the bodie and suffereth greatest greifes and troubles For at that time she is in a verie great conflicte and agonie partely for her departure from the bodie and partely for feare of her dreadfull accompte which is then to be made Because she is naturally lothe to departe from the bodie and she liketh well her lodginge and is in verie great dread to come to her accompt before almightie God Now when the sowle is thus departed out of the fleashe yet there remayne two voiages for thee to make with him the one to accompanie the bodie vntill it be layed in his graue the other to followe the sowle vntill her cause be determined And thou hast to consider diligentlie what shall become of eache one of these two partes Of the funeralles ād buryenge of the bodie Consider now in what plight the bodie is after the sowle hath forsaken it and what a worthie garment they prouide to winde it in and what haste his friendes and executors doe make to get him quickly rydde awaye out of the howse Consider also the funerals with all the other circumstances that are wonte to happen therein The often ringinge of the belles the goinge aboute of the belman cryinge vnto the people to praye for his sowle the questionynge in the streates one of an other who is dead the diriges and dolefull seruice of the Churche the accompanyinge of his corps to the Churche and mourninge of his wife children kynsfolke seruātes and friendes for him and finally all th' other particulars that are then wont to happen vntill the bodie be laide and lefte in the graue where it shall lye buried vntill it be raysed agayne by the terrible sownde of the trompet at the generall daie of iudgement And such is the great chaunge and alteration in worldlie affaires that it maie so come to passe as a time maie happen when some buildinge maie be made neare vnto thy graue be it neuer so gaie and sumptuous and that they maie digge for some earthe out of the same to make morter for a walle and so shall thy seelie bodie beinge now changed into earth become afterwardes an earthen walle although it be at this present the most noble bodie and most delicately cherished of all bodies in the worlde And how manie bodies of Kinges and Emperors trowest thou haue come already to this promotion Now when thou hast left the bodie in the graue what becōmethe of the sowle after it is departed out of the bodie goe from thence forthwith and followe after the sowle and cōsider what waie it taketh through that newe region whither it goeth what shall euerlastinglie become of it for euer and euer and what iudgement it shall haue Imagin that thou arte now present at this iudgemēt and that thou seest all the whole cowert of heauen to expecte the ende of this sentence Eccles 12. vers 14. Iob. 14.13 Iob. 31.14.23 where the sowle shal giue a particular accōpte and be chardged and dischardged of all that he hath receaued euen to the valewe of a pinnes poynte yea Math. 12.36 Math. 19.17 Rom. 2.6 1. Co. 4.4 1. Cor. 9.27 2. Cor. 5.10 Ephes 6.8 Philip. 2.12 Haeb. 9.27 1. Peter 4.18 2. Pet. 1.10 Apoc. 2.23 Apoc. 14.7.13 and as our Sauiour himselfe affirmeth of euerie idell worde There an accompt shal be required of his life of his lādes ād riches of his howseholde ād familie of the inspiratiōs of almightie God of the meanes and opportunitie he hath had to leade a vertuous and godlie lyfe and aboue all he shal be streitelie examined what estimation he hath made of the most pretious bloude of our sauiour Christe and of the vse of his Sacramentes And there shall euerie man be iudged accordinge to the accompt he shall make of the giftes and graces he hath receaued of almightie God THE THIRDE TREATISE WHEREIN IS TREATED OF THE consideration of death Where the former meditation is declared more at lardge THE consideration of death is verie profitable for manie purposes and espetially for three First for the obteyninge of true wisedome that is to knowe how a man ought to gouerne and frame his lyfe For as the Philosophers doe saie in thinges that are ordeined to anie ende The consideration of death causeth a man to gouerne and frame his life the rule and measure whereby to directe them is to be taken of the same ende and therefore when men doe either builde or Saile or doe anie thinge they haue alwaies their eie fixed vpon the ende which they pretende and accordinge to the same doe frame and direct all the rest of their doinges Now consideringe that emonge the endes and tearmes of our lyfe death is one of them whither we goe all to take our rest he that will endeuour to direct his lyfe in good order let him fixe his eies vpon this marke and accordinge to the same let him dispose and directe all his affaires Let him consider how poore and naked he must depart out of this worlde and what a strait iudgement he must passe at the hower of his death and how he shall lie in his graue all betroden and quyte forgotten of all men and accordinge to this ende let him consider how to frame and direct the whole order and course of his lyfe By this rule a certaine Philosopher gouerned and directed his lyfe that saied Naked came I out of my mothers wombe Iob. 2. and naked must I retourne againe to my graue To what purpose then shoulde I lose my time in purchasinge and heapinge together landes and riches seing nakednes shal be my ende For want of consideration of this our ende doe growe all our errours and
deceites Hereof commeth our presumption our pride For wante of consideration of our death doe growe all our fonde errours and deceites our couetousnes our pleasures our nicenes and delicatenes and the vaine castelles and towres of winde which we builde vpon sande For if we woulde consider in what case we shal be after a fewe daies whan we are once lodged in that poore selie cottage of our graue we shoulde be more humble and more temperat in our lyfe How cowlde he possiblye haue anie sparcke of presumption that woulde consider that he shal be there dust and asshes How cowlde he finde in his harte to make a God of his belly that woulde consider that he shall become there wormes meate Who coulde euer be perswaded to occupie his brayne in such loftie and phantasticall thoughtes and deuices if he did but consider and wayghe how fraile and weake the foundation is wherevpon all his fonde designementes are grownded Who woulde endaunger the losse and destruction of himselfe in seekinge for riches both by lande and Sea if he considered that at his death he shoulde carie no more with him but a poore windinge sheete To conclude all the workes of our lyfe woulde be dewlie corrected and framed in good order if we woulde measure and square them out by this rule The lyfe of a wise mā is a contynuall thinkinge of deathe For this cause the Philosophers saied that the lyfe of a Wiseman was nothinge els but onely a continuall cogitation and thinkinge of death forsomuch as this consideration teacheth a mā what thinge is somewhat and what is nothinge what he ought to followe and what to eschewe according to the ende whereunto he must certaynelye arriue It is written of those Philosophers called Brackmanni that they were so much geuen to thinke vpon their ende that they had their graues alwaies open before the gates of their howses to the intent that both at their entrie and goinge forth by them they might alwaies be mindefull of this iourney and passage of death Almightie God saied vnto the Prophet Ieremie Ierem. 18. that he shoulde goe downe into a howse where earth was wroughte for that he woulde there speake with him Almightie God coulde haue spokē with his Prophet in anie other place but he chose to speake with him in that place to geue vs to vnderstande that the howse of earthe which is our graue is the schoole of true wisedome where almightie God is wonte to teach those that be his There he teacheth thē how great is the vanitie of this worlde There he sheweth vnto thē the miserie of our fleashe ād the shortnes of this life And aboue al there he teacheth them to knowe themselues which is one of the most highest pointes of Philosophie that maie be learned Wherefore ô thou man discend downe with thy spirite into this howse and there shalt thou see To knowe a mans selfe is one of the highest pointes of philosophie who thou art whereof thou art come where thou shalt rest and wherein the bewtie of thy fleashe and glorie of this worlde do ende so shalt thou learne to despise all those thinges that the worlde hath in reuerence for wante of dewe knowledge how to consider it Because the worlde considereth no more but onely the paynted face of Iezabel that shyned verie bewtifully and gaylie at the windowe 4. Reg. 9. 3. Reg. 21. It considereth not the miserable extreme partes of her which after that her bodie was deuoured with dogges almightie God woulde haue to remaine whole that thereby we might see that the worlde is an other maner of thinge in deede than it appeareth in outwarde shewe and that we shoulde in such wise consider the face of it as to be mindefull also of the extreme greifes and sorrowes wherein the glorie of it endeth Secondlye this consideration is a great helpe to cause vs to eschewe and forsake sinne accordinge as Ecclesiasticus witnesseth sayeinge Eccles 7. Remember the last ende and thou shalt neuer sinne It is a great matter not to sinne and a great remedie also for the same is for a man to remember that he must die S. Iohn Climacus S. Iohn Climacus writeth of a certaine monke that beinge sore tempted with the bewtie of a woman whom he had seene abroade in the worlde and vnderstandinge that she was deade went to the graue where she was buried and rubbed a napkin in the stinkinge bodie of the dead woman And he vsed alwaies afterwardes whensoeuer the deuill troubled him with anie euill thought of her to take the stinkinge napkin and to put it to his nose and saie to him selfe Beholde here thou miserable wretche the thinge thou louest and beholde here what ende the delightes and beawties of the worlde haue This was a great remedie to ouercome this synne And the deepe consideration of death is of no lesse importance than it S. Gregorie as S. Gregorie saieth There is nothinge that doth so mortifie the appetites of this our peruerse fleash as to consider in what plight the same shal be after it is deade The same holie father rehearseth a like storie of an other monke who hauinge his table readie prouided to goe to dinner to eate somewhat for the refresshinge of his weake and wearie bodie chaunced sodenly to haue a remembrance of death which cogitation euen as though it had bene a constable or other lyke officer there readie to attache him put him in such a terrour and feare that it caused him to refraine from his meate Consider therefore how much the remembrance of the dreadfull accōpte that we must make at the houre of our deathe is able to worke in the harte of a iust man seinge it caused this holie monke to abstaine from a thinge that is so lawfull and necessarie to be done Certainlie this is one of the most wonderfull thinges in all the worlde that men knowinge so assuredlie Math. 12.36 Hebr. 9.27 1. Pet. 4.18 Apoc. 14.7.13 that at the verie howre of their death a particular accompt shal be required of them of all their whole life yea and of euerie idell worde will notwithstandinge ronne headlonge with such facilitie into sinne If a waiefaringe man hauinge but one farthinge in his purse shoulde enter into an inne and placinge him selfe downe at the table shoulde require of the host to bringe in Partridges Capons Phesauntes and all other delicates that maie be founde in the howse and shoulde suppe with verie great pleasure and contentation neuer remembringe that at the last there must come a time of accompt who woulde not take this fellowe either for a iester or for a verie foole Now what greater folie or madnes can be deuised than for men to geue them selues so looselye to all kindes of vices and to sleepe so sowndlie in them without euer remembringe that shortly after at their departinge out of their Inne there shall be required of them a verie strayt and
sowle in a merueilous great conflict and agonie not so much for her departure as for feare of the howere of her dreadfull accompt approchinge so neare vnto her Then is the time of tremblinge and quakinge yea euen of such as be most stowte and couragious The blessed holie father Hilarion S. HilarioÌ„ as he was passinge out of this worlde beganne to tremble and feare and was lothe to die howbeit the holie man encouraged himselfe sayienge Goe forth my sowle goe foorth out of this bodie whereof shouldest thou be afraid It is threescore and tenne yeares that thou hast serued Christ and art thou yet afraide of death Now if this holie man were afraid of his passing out of this worlde who serued Christ so manie yeares what shall he doe who peraduenture hath offended him so manie yeares Whither shall he goe Whom shall he call vpon What counsell shall he take O that men vnderstode how great this perplexitie and anguishe is at this dreadfull howre Imagin now I beseach thee in what a dolefull case the harte of the Patriarke Isacke was Genes 22. when his father held him bounde handes and feete and had laide him vpon the woode to sacrifice him when he sawe his fathers glisteringe sworde ouer his heade and vnderneth him the flames of fiere burninge and the seruantes that might haue succoured him stayinge at the foote of the hill and he himselfe bownde handes and feete in such sort that he cowlde neither flie nor defende himselfe in what plight trowe yee was the harte of this blessed younge man when he sawe himselfe in so narrowe a strayte In what greate perplexitie the sowle of the wicked man is at the hower of deathe And surelie in farre greater perplexitie is the sowle of the wicked man at this dreadfull hower because he can tourne his eies on no syde where he shall not see occasions of great terrour and feare If he looke vpwarde he seeth the terrible sworde of the iustice of almightie God threateninge him If he looke downwarde he seeth the graue opeÌ„ euer gapinge and tarienge for him If he looke within himselfe he seeth his owne conscience gnawinge and bytinge him If he looke about him there be Angels and deuils on both sides of him watchinge and expectinge the ende of the sentence whether of them shall haue the praie If he looke backwarde he seeth his dolefull wyfe his littell younge children his poore seruantes his kinsfolke his freindes his companions his acquaintance his howse his landes and the goodes of this lyfe to remaine all behinde and are not able to succoure him in this his great distresse forsomuch as he must depart all alone out of this lyfe and they all must remaine still here To conclude if after all this he take a vewe of him selfe and consider what he is inwardelie he shal be wonderfully amased and afraide to see himselfe in such a daungerous and terrible state insomuch as if it were possible he woulde flie awaie euen from himselfe Nowe alas to depart from the bodie is a thinge intollerable To continewe still therein is a thinge impossible And to differre his departure anie longer will not be graunted All the time past seemeth vnto him but as a blast of wynde and that which is to come appeareth as it is in deede infinite Now what shall the miserable sowle doe beinge thus compassed and enuironed about with so manie straites O how fonde and blynde are the sonnes of Adam that wil not prouide in time for this terrible passage HOW FILTHIE AND LOTH-some the bodie is after it is dead And of the burâ—inge of it in the graue Eccle. 3â— 23 Eccle. â—â— â—◠§ VII LAST of all when this great conflict is ended the sowle is violently taken awaie from the bodie and departeth from her auncient habitation the bodie remayninge vtterly spoyled of all the beawtie and qualities it had Now let vs consider what lotte each one of theise two partes must haue First consider in what case the bodie is In what case the bodie is after the sowle is departed out of it after the sowle is departed out of it What thinge is more esteimed than the bodie of a prince whiles he is a liue And what thinge is more contemptible and more vyle than the verie same bodie when it is dead Where is then that former pryncely maiestie become Where is that royall behauiour and glorious magnificence Where is that highe authoritie and soueraintie Where is that terrour and feare at the beholdinge of his presence Where is that cappinge and kneelinge and speakinge vnto him with such reuerence and subiection How quicklie is all this gaye pompe vtterly ouerthrowen and come to nothinge as if it had bene but a mere dreame or a plaie on a stage that is dispatched in an howre Then out of hande the wyndinge sheet â—s prouided and brought forth The richest man in this worlde shall haue no more with him of all his gooddes at the hower of his deathe but onelie a wyndinge sheete Psal 48.17.18 which is the â—ichest iewell he maie take with him out of this lyfe And this is the greatest recompence that the richest man in this worlde shall haue of all his goodes at that hower I wâ—she this pointe were well considered by eâ—erie couetous man and by those that make their money their God whose blindnes and follie the Prophet reprehendeth in theise wordes Be not afraide when a man waxeth riche and when thou seest the glorie of his howse verie much multiplied and increased for when he dieth he shall not carie his goodes awaye with him neither shall his glorie goe downe with him Of the buriall of the bodye Then doe they make a hole in the earthe of seuen or eight foote longe and no longer though it be for Alexander the great whom the whole worlde coulde not holde and with that smalle rowme onelie must his bodie be contence There they appoint him his howse for euer There he taketh vp his perpetuall lodginge vntill the last daye of generall Iudgment in companie with other dead bodies There the wormes crawle out to geue him his interteinment To be short there they let him downe in a poore white sheete his face beinge couered with a napkin and his handes and feete fast bownde which trewlie needeth not for he is then suer enough for breakinge out of prison neither shall he be able to defende himselfe against anie man There the earthe reâ—eyueth him into her lappe There the bones of dead men kisse and welcome him There the dust of his auncesters embraceth him and inuiâ—e him to that table and howse which is appointed for all men liuinge And the last honour that the worlde can doe vnto him at that time is to cast a litle earth vpon him and to couer him well therewith that the people maie not feele his stinckinge sauour aÌ„d beholde his dishonour And the greatest pleasure that his verie deare and
farre the one exceedeth the other Now if a man to escape that tormente woulde not sticke to put him selfe to all daungers labours and paines be they neuer so great what then ought all we to doe to escape this most horrible extreme tormente of hell fyer Consider also what a terrible kinde of tormente that was which Phalaris that cruell Tyrante inuented of whom it is written that he vsed when he woulde put men to death to cause them to be inclosed within the bellie of a bull made of mettall and then caused a fier to be made vndernethe it and this cruell maner of punnishemente he deuised that the miserable man by the heate of the yron shoulde burne within the same by litle and litle and not be able to escape nor defende him selfe nor haue anie other remedie but onely to burne and rore and tumble and tosse him selfe within that strait place vntill he were dead What harte can heare of this crueltie but that his fleashe will tremble and quake onely in thinkinge of it Wherefore tell me now ô thou Christian what is all this in comparison of that most greiuous and horrible tormente which we here treate of but onely a meere dreame or shadowe Now if the verie imagination and thinkinge of these horrible paines of hell doe make vs afraide what shal it be not to thinke of them onelie but euen to suffer them in verie deede Certainlie it is so horrible a matter to suffer paines and tormentes euerlastinglye that althoughe there were but one alone emonge all the children of Adam that shoulde suffer in hell in this wise it were enoughe to make vs all to tremble and quake There was but one emonge Christes disciples that shoulde sell his master and yet when Christ saied One of yow shall betraie me Math. 26.21 all beganne to be afraide and waxe sad for that the matter was of so great importance Now then why doe not we much more tremble and quake knowinge certainlie Eccles 1.15 Math. 7.14 Esa 5.14 That the nomber of fooles is infinite and that the waie vnto life euerlastinge is verie narrowe ād strait ād that hel hath enlardged her mouthe without anie limitte to receiue the multitudes that goe into it If we beleeue not this If a Christian did cōsider the euerlastinge continuance of the horrible paynes of hell it woulde make him loke better to the dewe framinge of his lyfe where is our faith If we doe beleeue and confesse it where is our iudgemēmente and reason And if we haue both iudgement and reason why doe we not publishe and preache this matter in the open streates and market places Why goe we not into the desertes as manie of the Sainctes haue done there to doe penance for our synnes and to liue an austere lyfe emonge beastes that we maie escape these most horrible and euerlastinge tormentes How is it that we can sleepe in the night Yea how happeneth it that we be not quite out of our wittes when we doe thinke attentiuelie and consider of so straunge a perill as this is seinge lesse daungers than these haue bene able not onelie to frighte and bestraught men out of their wittes but also to bereue them of their liues This is the greatest payne that the miserable damned persons haue in hell to vnderstande that almightie God and their most greiuous tormentes shal be of one lyke continuance and therefore their miserie can haue no comfort because their paine hath no ende If the damned persons coulde be perswaded that after a hundered thowsande millions of yeares their paynes shoulde haue an ende euē that persuasion alone woulde be a great comfort vnto them For then all their tormētes albeit it were verie lōge woulde yet at the lengthe come to an ende S. Gregorie But assured they are that their paines shall haue no ende at all For as S. Gregorie saieth There the wicked haue death without anie death an ende without anie ende and a defecte without anie defecte For their death alwaies liueth their ende alwaies beginneth and their defecte neuer faileth And for this cause the Prophet saieth Psal 48.15 They are in hell as it were sheepe and death feideth vpon them The herbe that is there fed vpon is not wholie plucked vp because the roote is aliue which is the beginninge of lyfe and this causeth the herbe to springe againe that it maie still be fed vpon And therefore the pasture of those feildes is immortall forsomuch as it is alwaies eaten and alwaies reuyueth againe Now after this sorte shall death feede vpon the damned persons and as death cannot dye so shall it neuer be filled with this kinde of foode nor euer be wearie in doinge this office neither shall it euer make an ende of deuowringe this morsell For that death shall euermore haue somewhat in them to deuoure and they shall euermore minister somewhat vnto death to be deuoured so as the damned in hell shall suffer their most horrible paines and tormentes for euer and euer without anie ende SATTVRDAIE NIGHTE OF THE EVERLASTINGE GLORIE AND FELICITIE OF THE KINGDOME OF HEAVEN Corinth 2.9 THIS DAIE WHEN THOV HAST MADE THE SIGNE OF the Crosse and prepared thy selfe hereunto thou hast to meditate vpon the felicitie of eternall glorie in the kingedome of heauen THIS consideration is so profitable that if it were holpen with the lighte of a liuely faithe it were able to make all the bitter paines and labours which we shoulde take for the attaininge thereof to become sweite and pleasant For if the loue of landes and riches doe cause the paines and labours that be taken for them to seime sweite and pleasant If the loue of childrē also doe cause women to wishe for the paines of childebearinge what woulde the loue of this most excellent and passinge great felicitie doe in comparison whereof all other felicities are of non accompt If it be saied of the patriarke Iacob Genes 29.20 that his seuen years seruice feemed but shorte vnto him in respecte of the great loue he bare to Rachel what woulde the loue of that infinite bewtie worke in our hartes what woulde that euerlastinge mariage cause vs to doe if it were considered with the eies of a liuely faieth Fiue pointes to be considered in this meditation Wherefore that thou mayst vnderstande somewhat of this felicitie thou hast to consider emonge other thinges these fiue pointes that are in it to witt The excellencie and greatenes of the place The fruition of the companie of those blessed inhabitantes The vision of almightie God The glorie of the Sainctes bodies And finallie the perfect fruition of all good thinges that are there First of all therefore consider the excellencie of the place The excellencie and greatnes of the heauēs and especially the greatnes thereof which is surelye very wonderfull For when a man readeth in certaine graue awthors that euerie one of the starres of heauen is greater than all
fiue kindes to witt to the benefites of creation conseruation redemption vocation and to the secrete benefites that euerie one hath receyued particulerly in him selfe As concerninge the first benefite which is of creation The benefite of creation Consider first with great attention what thou wast before thou were created and what almightie God hath done for thee and bestowed vpon thee before thou diddest merite or deserue anie thinge at all to witt he gaue thee thy bodie with all thy members and senses and thy sowle which is of so great excellencie created after his owne image and likenes for so highe and excellent an ende as to haue the fruition of almightie God And withall he gaue thee those three noble powers also of thy sowle which be Vnderstandinge Memorie and Will And cōsider well with thy selfe that to geue thee this sowle was to geue thee all thinges For it is cleare that there is no perfection nor habilitie in any of all the inferior creatures but that man hath the same in him in a farre more highe and greater perfection and by meanes of the vertue and habilitie of his sowle he is able to attaine vnto it Whereby it appeareth that by geuinge vnto vs this thinge alone to witt our sowle he gaue vs therewith at once all thinges together As concerninge the benefite of conseruation The benefite of conseruation consider how all thy whole beinge dependethe of the prouidence of almightie God How thou art not able to liue one momente nor to steppe so much as one steppe were it not by meanes of him Consider also how he hath created all thinges in this worlde for thy vse ād seruice insomuche as he hath appointed euen the verie Angels of heauen for thy garde and defence Consider moreouer how he hath geuen thee healthe strengthe lyfe sustenaunce with all other temporall helpes and succours And aboue all this consider well the manifolde great miseries and calamities into which thou seest other men falle euerie daye and how thou thy selfe mightest also haue fallen into the same had it not bene that almightie God of his greate mercie preserued thee As concerninge the benefite of redemption thou mayst consider therein two thinges The benefite of redemption First how manie and how great benefites almightie God hath geuen vs by meanes of the benefite of redemption And secondlie how manie and how great miseries he hath suffered in his most holie bodie and sowle to purchase these benefites vnto vs. As concerninge the benefite of vocation consider first of all The benefite of vocation what a great benefite it was of almightie God to make thee a Christian to calle thee to the Catholike faith by meanes of the holie Sacramente of Baptisme and to make thee also partaker of the other sacramētes And then if after this callinge of thee thou hast fallen into deadlie synne and thereby loste thyne innocencie in case now our Lorde haue raised thee vp from synne and receyued thee againe into his grace and fauour and set thee in the state of saluation how canste thou be able to geue him sufficient praises and thāckes for this so inestimable a benefite What a great mercie was it to expecte thee so longe time to suffer thee to committe so manie synnes and in the meane time to sende thee so manie diuine inspirations and not to shorten the daies of thy lyfe as he hath done to diuerse and sundrie others that were in the verie same state and laste of all to calle thee with so mightie a grace that thou mightest ryse vp againe from death to lyfe and open thyne eies to beholde the eternall lighte What a great mercie was it also after that thou wast conuerted to geue thee grace not to returne vnto deadlie synne againe but to stande and vanquishe thyne enemie and to perseuere in good lyfe This is that morninge and eueninge dewe that almightie God promised by the Prophet Ioel sayeinge And yee sonnes of Sion reioyce Ioell 2.23 and be glad in our Lorde God for he hath geuen you a teacher of iustice and he shall cause the morninge and eueninge dewe to rayne and poure downe vpon you Meaninge hereby that almightie God geueth vs firste his preuentinge grace 1. Grace preuentinge wherewith we beginne to sowe the seede of vertues and afterwardes he geueth vs his grace subsequent 2. Grace subsequente and finall and final which bringeth this seede to his full rypenes and happie ende These are the publike and knowen benefites Of secrete benefites But besides these there be other secrete benefites which no man knoweth but he onely that hathe receiued them Agayne there be other benefites also so secrete that euen he himselfe that hathe receiued them knoweth not of them and he onely knoweth them that is the geuer of them How manie times hast thou deserued in this worlde either throughe thy pride negligence or vnthankfulnes that almightie God shoulde haue withdrawen his grace from thee we falle frō God eyther throughe our pride negligēce or vnthankefulnes and vtterlie forsaken thee as he hath done to manie others for some one of these causes for whosoeuer they be that doe falle from God they falle by some of these meanes and yet hath not almightie God dealte thus with thee How manie euilles and occasions of euilles hath our Lorde prevented and turned awaye by his prouidence in ouerthrowinge the snares of the deuill thine enemye and stoppinge him of his passage and not permittinge him to execute his wylie practises and deceites vpon thee How oftentimes hath he done for euerie one of vs as he saiede he did for S. Peter Luc. 22. Beholde saiede our Sauiour how Satan goeth busilie aboute to sift you as corne in the barne but I haue praied for thee that thy faith faile not Now who knoweth these secretes Benefites positiue but onely almightie God The positiue benefites be such as a man maie sometimes vnderstāde and knowe them but those benefites that are called priuatiue Benefites priuatiue which consiste not in doinge benefites vnto vs but in deliueringe vs from hidden and secrete euilles that were comminge towarde vs who is able to vnderstande Wherefore as well for these benefites as for the others it is reason we shoulde alwaies shewe our selues thankefull to our Lorde and vnderstande how farre in arrerages we be in our reckeninge with him and how much more we be indetted vnto him than we are able to paie consideringe we are not able so much as to vnderstande what they are THE SEVENTHE TREATISE OF THE CONSIDERATION OF the benefites of almightie God Wherein the former meditation is declared more at large ONE of the greatest complaintes that almightie God maketh against men and wherewith he will most charge them at the daie of their accompte Almightie God will charge vs at the daye of our accompte with our vnthankefulnes and ingratitude for his manifolde benefites Esa 1. is their vnthankfulnes and
did to cause thee to be the more in loue with him by reason of this benefite and to make thee the more beholdinge vnto him by this example ād to make thy redemption the more aboūdant by reason of the great treasure that he bestowed vpon it and to geue thee more clearlie to vnderstande how much good will he beareth vnto thee that thou shouldest beare towardes him the like agayne and to shewe playnlie vnto thee how much interest thou hast in him that thou shouldest repose thy whole trust and affyance in him This is that benefite which the Prophet Esaie extolleth and that for great good cause in these wordes which after the translation of the septuagintes sownde thus In all the tribulations of men he neuer fainted Esa 43. neither was he euer wearie in sufferinge for them Neither woulde he sende anie Embassadour or Angell to redeeme them but vouchsaffed of his great mercie to come him selfe in person to redeeme them and to carie them vpon his shoulders all the daies of this worlde notwithstandinge that they did euill acknowledge this benefite Ephes 4.30 but did greiue and prouoke the holie Ghost to anger How greatlie we are bounde to our Lorde for the maner of our redemption And if thou be so much bounde to our Lorde for that he vouchsaffed to come him selfe in person to redeeme thee how much more art thou bounde vnto him for the maner of thy redemption which was by sufferinge so great paines and tormentes It were certainly a great benefite if a kinge woulde pardon a theife that had deserued to be whipped But if the kinge woulde vouchsafe him selfe to receaue the lasshes vpon his owne shoulders for him this were without comparison a farre greater benefite Consider therefore how manie benefites are comprehended in this benefite of thy redemption Lift vp thyne eies vnto that holie roode and consider all the woundes and paines that the Lorde of maiestie suffereth there for thy sake For euerie one of them is a benefite of it selfe yea and a singuler great benefite Our sauiours bodie Beholde that most innocent bodie of thy sweite sauiour and redeemer all of a gore bloude with so many woundes and bruses on all partes of him and the bloude gusshinge out on euerie side His head Beholde that most sacred head fallinge downe for verie faintnes and hanginge vpon his shoulders His face 1. Pet. 1.12 Beholde that diuine face which the Angels are desirous to beholde how disfigured it is and ouerflowed with streames of bloude in some partes freshe and redde coloured in other partes very fowle and blacke His visage Beholde that most bewtifull visage of all creatures and that coūtenance that delighted the eies of all such as behelde it how it hath now lost all the flower of his former bewtie Ieremie Thren 3. Beholde that holie Nazareth more pure than snowe more white than milke better coloured than olde Iuerie how he is now become blacker than cooles and so much disfigured and beraied that scarcelie his owne fryendes are able to knowe him Beholde that holie mouthe His mouthe His lippes how wanne and deadly it looketh Beholde his lippes how blacke and blewe they seeme Beholde how they moue desiringe pardon and mercie euen for those that are his verie tormentours Finally wheresoeuer thou beholdest him thou shalt finde that there is no one parte of him free from paine and greife but that he is couered all ouer with lashes and woundes euē from the toppe of his head to the soles of his feete His forehead His eies That goodly cleare forhead and those eies more bewtifull than the Sonne are now dimmed and darkened with the bloude and presence of deathe His eares Those eares that are wonte to heare the songes of heauen doe now heare the horrible blasphemies of synners His armes Those armes so well fashioned and so large that they embrace all the power of the worlde are now disioynted and stretched out vpon the crosse Those handes that created the heauens His hādes and were neuer iniurious to anie man are now nayled and clenched fast with harde and sharpe nayles His feete Those blessed feete that neuer walked in the waies of sinners are now deadly woūded and pearced throughe Our sauiours narrowe and harde bedde vpon the crosse without anie pillowe or other thinge wherevpō to reste his head 〈◊〉 His syde But aboue all this beholde the bedde where he lyeth and whereupon that heauenly bridegrome sleapeth at none daie how narrowe and hard it is and how he hath nothinge whereupon to rest his head O pretious head of my sweete sauiour what meaneth this that I see thee thus afflicted and tormented for my sake O blessed bodie conceaued by the holie Ghost how is it that I see thee thus wounded and euill entreated for my sake O sweete and louinge syde what meaneth this great wounde and open cleft in thee What meaneth this so great abūdance of bloude Alas wretche that I am what a pittiefull sighte is this to see thee thus furiouslie pearced with a speare for my sake O rigorous crosse be not now I beseeche thee so stiffe but mollifie a litle thy hardnes bowe downe vnto me these highe braūches let downe to me this most pretious fruite that I maie tast thereof O cruell nayles leaue I praie you those innocēt handes and feete of my innocēte Sauiour and come ād enter into my harte and pearce it throughe for it is I that haue sinned and not he O good Iesus what hast thou to doe with so manie cruel tormentes What hast thou to doe with death With sharpe nailes ād with the crosse Vndowbtedlie the Prophet had good reason to saie Esa 28.21 That his workes shal be verie straunge and farre vnlike him selfe What is more straunge and more contrarie to lyfe than deathe What is more disagreable to glorie than paine What is further of from the nature of most perfect holines and innocencie than the image and shape of a synner This title and shape ô Lorde is certaynlie very straunge for thee O true Iacob Gen. 26. that with wearinge the garmentes of others and with disguisinge thy selfe in a straunge habite hast purchased for vs the blessinge of our heauenlie father For by takinge vpon thee the image of a sinner thou hast purchased for vs victorie against synne O goodnes inspekeable O mercie vndeserued O loue exceidinge all vnderstandinge O charitie incomprehensible Tell me ô most mercifull Lorde what sawest thou in vs What seruice haue we done vnto thee With what workes haue we bounde thee to suffer such greiuous and cruell tormentes for our sakes O wonderfull bountiefulnes that without anie merite of our parte and without anie necessitie of thyne owne parte wouldest vouchesafe onely of thy mere grace ād mercie to purchace our redēption after this sorte Tit. 3.4 The benignitie and clemencie of our sauiour saieth the Apostle hath appeared not in
for the same ende As for example If we will examine whether a medicine be conuenient for a disease we must consider the accidentes of the disease and the proprieties and vertues of the medicine and when we haue seene what proportion there is betwene the one and the other we maie then iudge whether the medicine be conueniente for the same disease or not And euen in like maner is it in this case for whereas it is euidente vnto vs that the passion and bloud of our Sauiour Iesus Christe is a generall medicine for all the miseries and necessities of man if we will trye the conueniencie of this medicine we must make a longe comparison betwene the medicine and the desease and in case we be able to searche and examine well both th' one and th' other we shall certainlie finde that this medicine is so fitte and conuenient for the curinge of this disease and of all the braunches and accidentes of the same as if the medicine had bene onelie instituted for the curinge of each defecte in the disease the which vndoutedlie is a matter able to bringe a man that shoulde consider of it attentiuely into a great astonishement and admiration If thou be not fullie perswaded herein tell me then I praie thee what satisfaction coulde be offered more sufficiente for payment of the common debtes of mankinde than the most pretious bloude which the sonne of almightie God shead for vs vpon the Crosse To cure also the woundes of our pride couetousenes ingratitude pleasures delightes and the loue of our selues with all other euils which proceed thereof what thinge coulde be more conuenient than God vpon a crosse Likewise to geue vs knowledge of the goodnes and mercie of almightie God to enkendle vs more in the loue of him to strengthen more our confidence and to awake more our forgetfulnes and vnthankefulnes what thinge coulde be more conuenient than God vpon a crosse Moreouer to enriche a man with merites to exalte him vnto greater honour to enkendle his spirite in deuotion to comforte him in his tribulations to succoure him in his temptations to helpe him in his labours to encourage him vnto great enterprises and finally to geue a perfecte example of all vertues what thinge coulde be more conueniente than Iesus Christe vpon the crosse And to comprehende all in one worde if the Euangelicall lyfe be well considered it is nothinge els but onely a continuall crosse and so consequentlie what thinge coulde be more conueniente to direct a kinde of lyfe which is altogether a crosse than an other crosse And if thou be yet desirous to vnderstande this conueniencie more euidentlie consider attentiuelie what thinge a Christian lyfe is for the leadinge of a Christian lyfe is the ende of all the traueills and paines of our Sauiour Christe Note well this poynte and the same consideration will declare verie plainlie vnto thee what conueniencie there is betwene this meane and this ende A Christian lyfe takinge it in his full perfection is not such a kinde of lyfe as the Christians vse to liue at this daie in the worlde what a Christian lyfe is but such a lyfe as our Sauiour Christe liued and such a lyfe as his disciples liued whose paines labours and miseries were so great that one of them saieth thus of them 1. Cor. 4.9 We are become a spectacle vnto God vnto Angels and vnto men For truelie so great are our paines and miseries and in such wise are we reuyled and persecuted of the worlde that as though we were wilde beastes baited at a stake we are spetially looked vpon not onely of men and of Angels but also of almightie God him selfe And afterwardes he saiethe thus Vntil this presente houre we doe susteine hunger thirste nakednes and blowes and haue not somuch as a denne wherein to hyde our selues We goe from place to place and we gaine the bread that we eate with our owne handes They curse vs and we blesse them They persecute vs and we suffer them They blaspheme vs and we praie for them To conclude in such wise are we turmoyled and contemned of the worlde as if we were the very dust and dirte that they tread vndernethe their feete And as thoughe we were most wicked and abhominable men the worlde is fullie persuaded that nothinge can be more acceptable vnto almightie God than to procure our deathe and condemnation This is my dear brother a Christian lyfe This verie Christian lyfe did the Prophetes liue and so did also the Martirs the Cōfessors and those blessed holie Mounkes that liued in the primitiue Church in the wildernes To be shorte this Christian lyfe did all the Saintes liue And this Christian lyfe the Apostle describeth verie plainlie in his Epistle to the Hebrewes in these wordes Heb. 11. The saintes were mocked scourged apprehended imprisoned stoned sawed in peices tempted and put to death with the sworde They went in this worlde apparailed in sheepes and goates skinnes very poore needie and afflicted of whom the worlde was not worthie They liued in wildernes and in solitarie places aparte from the companie of men and had none other habitation but the dennes and cliftes of the earthe This is indeede the perfection of the Christian lyfe which the gospell teacheth vs and which our Sauiour Christe came to bringe into the worlde This Christian lyfe if it be well considered is a continuall crosse and death of the whole man to the intent that after he is thus mortified ād annihilated he maie be able and desposed to be transformed into God For like as there can not be generation without corruption forsomuch as that thinge which is must perishe to the ende that that maye be made which is not euen so this spirituall regeneration and transformation of man into God can not be made vnlesse the olde man doe first die that so by death and corruption of the olde man he maie be transformed into God Whereupon it plainlie enseweth that all the Euangelicall lyfe is nothinge els as we haue saiede but death and a crosse And thererefore what thinge can be more conuenient to directe such a kinde of lyfe as is altogether a continuall crosse than an other crosse And if there be nothinge more apte and conueniente to ingender a fier than an other fier and if euerie thinge be most apte to ingender a thinge like vnto it selfe what thinge can be more proportionable and conueniente to ingender a crosse than an other crosse Vndoubtedly so it is and therefore there is nothinge of greater force to encourage and strengthen at this daye all holie Catholike men and women to suffer paines vniustice wronges pouertie subiection discipline honger thirste colde nakednes and to be shorte all the troubles calamities afflictions persecutions imprisonmentes tormentes and miseries of this worlde and all the austerite of the Euangelicall lyfe than to fixe their eies vpon the crosse Our of this schoole of the crosse came the
then vndowtedlye all the whole ChristiaÌ„ Religion and euen our Sauiour Christe himself and his blessed Mother and all his holie Apostles and Martirs and other of his glorious Saintes woulde consequentlie in a shorte time after be generallie contemned neglected and forgotten througheout all Christian countries And to write here freelie my minde as I thinke it woulde seeme verie meruailous vnto me if I were not fullie perswaded that the deuill is nowe more and more let lose as Saint Ihon in his reuelations hath forewarned vs he shoulde be for a shorte time towardes the ende of the worlde howe the deuill coulde preuaile so farfoorthe as to induce a whole newe late secte of heretikes that be called Puritans professinge in gaie wordes to be more pure more sincere and better professours of Christes gospell than anie other Christians either be or haue bene in anie age since the Apostles time to write of late so vnchristianlie by common consent euen in an Englishe printed booke againste obseruinge in the Churche the moste auncient yearelie solemne holie feastes of Easter In the puritans replie againste D. Vvhitgifte pag. 120. 121. 122. 163. and Pentecoste and againste all speciall meditations at anie one solemne time of the yeare more then at others of Christs Resurrection or of the Comminge of the Holie Ghoste or of the hower of our deathe because saie theie theise meditations shoulde be vsed continewallie euerie daie in the yeare and owght not to be appoynted by the gouernors of the Churche to be used at anie one speciall time more than at others Whereby euerie godlie christian reader maie easelie perceiue howe the deuill beinge no we let lose laboureth verie buselie by theise countersaite pure gospellers vnder a wylie deceitfull colour of aduauncinge continewal mediatation and memorie of the holie Misteries of the Christian Religion euerie daâ—e in the yeare to haue no manner of mediation or memorie of them emonge Christians anie daie at all that so by their suttle wicked doctrine a readie open waie maie be prepared in all ChristiaÌ„ mens Churches and mindes for Antichristes comminge But ô the wonderfull prouidence and care of our Sauiour Christe to preserue a continewal knowledge and reuerence of his holie Misteries emonge all faithfull Christians in his Catholike Churche How in all ages hathe bene preserued emonge Christians a coÌ„tinewal knowledge and reuerence of the holie misteties of our faithe Matt. 28. Vers 20. Iohn 14.16 Iohn 16.13 1. Tim. 3.15 as hath verie manifestelie appeared in all ages since Christes Ascension vntill this our corrupte age And surelie it is a matter worthie of greate and deuoute admiration for anie good christian to consider howe the Apostles and the aunciente holie Catholike Byshops their successours beinge by our Saviour Christes owne promisse assuredlie inspired assisted and directed by the Holie Ghoste from time to time in gouernement of the Catholike Churche in all truthe haue with suche diuine wisdome disposed the whole yeare into so manie seuerall holye festiuall daies as that thereby haue bene represented and preached vnto all Christian people in all Christian Churches throughout Christendome a continewal solemne instruction memorie and reuerence of the holie Mysteries of the Christian Religion In so muche as the common Christian people by those holie festiuall daies alone albeit they wanted not also diuers other holie instructions therein in confessions and Sermons were in all ages sufficientlie instructed in the holie Mysteries of their Christian beliefe I meane they were thereby made to vnderstaÌ„de so muche of them as hauinge withall a dewe religious respecte to preserue a continewal reuerence in them to the dignitie of suche highe holie Misteries was fullie conueniente for their weake capacities and for the comfortinge and strengtheninge of their faithe and as they were bounde of necessitie to knowe As for example The principall holie festiuall daies of the yeare by the aunciente institution of the holie feastes of Aduente of oure Sauiour Christes Natiuitie and Circumcision of his Adoration by the three Kinges and of the holie solemnitie of Lente at which time the Catholike Churche teacheth all Christian people to imitate so neare as they can our Sauiours fastinge of fourtie daies in the deserte and representeth then also with sorowfull mourninge penaunce and compassion all the whole order and historie of our Sauiour Christes moste bitter Passion and deathe for the redeÌ„ption of al mankinde And afterwardes the Churche solemni Zeth with greate Ioie the holie feastes of our Sauiours Resurrection from death to life of his Ascension into heauen and of the Comminge of the Holie Ghoste And then followe also the holie feastes of the blessed Trinitie and of the moste holie Sacrament commonlie called Corpus Christi daie And the holie feastes of the blessed Mother of our Sauiour And of Sainte thou Baptiste his precursor And then the holie feastes of Sainte Peter Sainte Paule and of other of our Sauiours holie Apostles and most famouse Martirs and Confessors And also the holie feastes of Sainte Michael the Archangell and of all the glorious Saintes in heauen And withall a solemne daie of deuoute memorie and generall praiers ana â—mesdedes for all faithfull Christian Sowles departed out of this transitorie life and as yet remayninge in the fier of Purgatorie to make satisfaction there for all paines dewe and prescribed for their sinnes in the mercifull iuste balance of the diuine Maiestie All which holie festiuall daies beinge so diuinelie and orderlie disposed into so manie seuerall partes of the yeare and adorned with the holie reuereÌ„â—e ceremonies appoyncted to be vsed in all Christian Churches througheout all Christendome with greate solemnitie and reuereÌ„ce vpon those holie daies haue yearelie from time to time in euerie age since the Ascension of our Sauiour Christ into heauen verie liuelie and continewallie preached represented and explaned vnto the common simple Christian people all the holie Misteries of the Christian Religion which theie had professed at their Baptisme and were taughte in the Apostles Creede to belieue And the reuerent solemnitie in euerie yeare of theise holie festiuall daies induced them vnto a continewall memorie admiration loue and reuerence of those holie Misteries and greatelie strengthened their faithe in them and caused them to haue a wonderfull feruente pietie deuotion and Zeale towardes the honor and seruice of Almightie God whereby they liued verie vertuous liues like the children of lighte as Sainte Paule termeth them Ephes 5. vers 8. and died generallie as holie faithfull Christians in the obedience loue and fauour of his diuine Maiestie But alas theise golden times be paste and ended and the deuill beinge let lose nowe more and more towardes the comminge of Antichriste and the ende of the worlde we finde by palpable experience that since the time that suche a free licentious libertie hathe been permitted vnto euerie lewde bablinge Minister to raile againste all the holie aunciente diuine ordinaunces vsed and allowed generallie so manie ages in all
which is the thinge that is of chiefest force to susteine the burthen of the lawe of God Ecclesiast 35. And therefore Ecclesiasticus saith He that keapeth the lawe multiplieth praier For whereas he seeth by experience that none can kepe the lawe of God by the obseruation whereof euerlasting glorie is obteined without the grace of God he helpeth him selfe by praier to obtein grace by meanes wheeof he maie be able to kepe the lawe of God The lawe commaundeth vs to be chast But besides this the holie Ghost addeth and saith by the wise man Vnderstanding that none could be chast Sap. 8. vnles thou o Lord diddest geue him grace for the same and it was a great grace to knowe of whose gifte this was I went vnto oure Lord and I demaunded of him this grace with all my hart Whereby thow maist see accordinge as we declared in the beginninge that the walle hath neede of a forewalle or bulwarke and the vessell hath neide of a cubbord to kepe it in and some vertues haue neede of other vertues to defend and garde one an other Now if this be true that thou arte bounde to kepe the lawe of God and not to commit anie deadlie sinne it is good reason that thou do seeke out all such meanes as maie helpe thee to kepe the same lawe and to preserue thee without deadlie sinne The which meanes although generally they be but of counsell yet sometimes they maie be of precept when the necessitie of exercisinge them as we haue said is so great that without the vse of those meanes the verie commaundementes them selues cannot be kepte and fulfilled as all the learned diuines do affirme Howbeit euerie christian that hath an earnest desier of his saluation owght not to expecte and delaie the seekinge for these remedies vntil the verie last and extreme danger when the knyfe is alreadie at his throte but he owght to make good prouision and to furnishe him selfe before hand by meanes of these for sayd spirituall exercises that he maie liue the more safe and secure from the perill of breakinge Gods commaundementes Againe I confesse that these meanes as we haue said do apperteine to the religious and to the laie people after a diuers sort and that praier and consideration it selfe which is one of these meanes must be vsed of them in diuers degrees For the religious person must exercise the same as a thinge appertening to his office and dewtie of his professiō because he walketh towardes perfection but the laie person must exercise it as a meane whereby he maie the better fulfill his bounden duetie of keping the commaundementes of almightie God And therefore the laye person must take so much of this medecine to witt of praier meditation c. as maie suffice to cure his disease and so much muste he take of these meanes as maie suffise to obtein his ende It is sufficient for the laye person to withdrawe him selfe sometimes for to enter and take an inwarde vewe within him selfe and then by meanes of these or anie other spirituall exercises and praiers to attende vnto the reparinge of his conscience and to the reformation of his life for considering that this is the greatest of all our busines it is requisite that this be not the last of our cares OF THE MATTER OF CONSIDERATION § XII HAVING now spoken both of the profit and necessitie of consideration and our hartes being nowe well affected herewith towardes this vertue lett vs beginne to treate of the matter of consideration which consisteth of certein godlie and deuout considerations which are of greatest force to induce vs to the loue and feare of God to the abhorring of sinne and contempt of the world For which purpose there be no considerations better nor of greater force and efficacie then those that are taken out of the principalle articles and misteries of our faith as the bitter passion and death of our Sauiour the remembrance of the terrible daie of iudgement of the horrible tormentes of hell of the glorie of heauen of the benefites of almightie God of our synnes and of our life and death For euerie one of these pointes beinge well weied and considered be able to prouoke our hartes verie much to all the effectes aboue mentioned These verie pointes S. Bonauenture hath treated in a boke that he intituled FASCICVLARIVS and hath diuided them into the seuen daies of the weke And thus he did that a man might haue euerie daie newe foode for his sowle and newe prouocations vnto vertue and so auoide the tediousnes that he should otherwise haue in thinking alwaies vpon one same matter And for this cause it seemed good vnto me to followe the same diuision which this renowmed and blessed holie father hath made who of all others hath treated most largelie of these matters And if there be anie that shall not well like of this diuision but will followe some other he is at free libertie so to doe and hath also examples to followe therein For it importeth not much what order and diuision he folow in the same And suerlie that is the best order The worde of god and the consideration of heauenlie matters be the foode of our soule to be vsed in these matters that each man fyndeth to be best for him selfe and wherein he taketh most profit and commoditie Moreouer I thowghte it expediente considering that the foode and sustenance of our sowle is the worde of God and the consideration of heauenly matters for therewith is our sowle susteined in the spirituall life which consisteth in the loue and feare of God that like as we geue ordinarily to our bodie his refection twise euerie daie to preserue it from feintinge in this life euen so we should also geue to our sowle her ordinarie refection twise euerie daie that she faile not in her life howbeit this is not a thinge of bounden dewtie nor of precept but onely of holesome councell espetially cōsideringe that the Sainctes haue vsed this exercise more often tymes For we reade Daniel 6. that the prophet Daniell with drew him selfe to this exercise three tymes in the daie Psalm 118. and the prophet Dauid also vsed to praise God seuen tymes in the daie After whose vertuous example our holie mother the Catholike Church hath instituted the seuen Canonicall howers of dailie seruice Here be two kindes of meditations assigned the one for the morninge and the other for the eueninge And for this cause haue we here assigned two kindes of meditations The one for the morninge which treateth of the most bitter passion of our redeemer and the other for the euening or night which treateth of the other pointes and matters here before mentioned But if anie man shall haue such want of tyme or of deuotion that he can not withdrawe him selfe vnto this exercise twise in the daie let him yet finde the meanes to withdrawe him selfe thereunto at the least once in the daie
they crucified him and with him two theues one at the right hande and the other at the lefte And so was the scripture fulfilled that saieth And he was reckoned emōge the wicked And Pilate wrote also a title and put it vpon the Crosse And it was written Iesus of Nazareth kinge of the Iewes This title manie of the Iewes did reade For the place where Iesus was crucified was neare to the citie and it was written in Hebrewe Greeke and Lattin Then said the highe preistes of the Iewes to Pilate write not the kinge of the Iewes but that he saied I am kinge of the Iewes Pilate answered what I haue written I haue written Then the souldiars when they had crucified Iesus tooke his garmentes and made fowre partes to euerie souldiar a parte And they tooke his coate also which was without anie seame wouen frō the toppe throwghout Therefore they saied one to an other Let vs not deuide it but cast lottes for it whose it shal be This was done that the scripture might be fulfilled Psalm 21. that saieth They parted my garmentes emonge them and vpon my coate they cast lottes So the souldiars did these thinges indeede And they that passed by Math. 27. reuyled him wagginge theire heades and sayeinge Fye on thee thou that destroiest the tēple and buildest it in three daies saue thy selfe If thou be the sonne of God come downe from the crosse Likewise also the highe preistes mockinge him with the Scribes and elders and Pharisies saied He saued others but he cannot saue him selfe If he be the kinge of Israell let him now come downe from the Crosse and we will beleue him He trusteth in God Let him deliuer him now if he will haue him For he saied I am the sonne of God The verie same wordes also did the theeues who were crucified with him cast in his teethe But Iesus saide Father pardon them for they knowe not what they doe And one of the malefactors Luc. 23. that was crucified with him blasphemed sayeinge If thou be Christe saue thy selfe and vs. But the other answered and rebuked him sayenge Neither doest thou feare God beinge in the selfe same cōdemnation We are iustlye punnished for we receaue accordinge to our doinges But this man hath done nothinge amisse And he saied vnto Iesus Lord remember me when thou commest into thy kingdome Then Iesus saied vnto him Verelie I saie vnto thee This daie shalt thou be with me in paradise There stoode by the Crosse of Iesus Ioan. 19. his mother and his mothers sister Marie the wife of Cleophas and Marie Magdalene And when Iesus sawe his mother and the disciple whom he loued standinge by he saied vnto his mother Woman beholde thy sonne Then he saied to the disciple beholde thy mother And from that howre the disciple tooke her for his mother Math. 27. Abowte the ninthe howre Iesus cried with a lowde voice sayenge Eli Eli Lamasabacthani that is My God my God why hast thou forsaken me And some of them that stoode there when they harde it saied This man called Elias Some other saied let vs see if Elias will come and saue him Afterwardes Iesus knowinge that all thinges were fulfilled Ioan. 19. that the scripture might be accomplished saied I am a thirst And there was set a vessell full of vinegar and they filled a sponge with vinegar and put it abowt an hisope stalke and put it to his mouthe Now when Iesus had receaued of the vinegar he saied It is finished And he cried againe with a lowde voice Luc. 23. Matth. 27. and saied Father into thine handes I commende my spirite And from the sixte hower there was darkenes ouer all the earthe vntill the ninthe hower And the veile of the temple was rent in two partes from the toppe to the bothom And the earthe quaked and the stones were clouen And the graues opened them selues and manie bodies of the Sainctes which slepte arose And there were manie of his fryendes and acquaintance and women beholdinge him a farre of Emonge whom was Marie Magdalene and Marie the mother of Iames the yonger and of Iosephe and Salome who had folowed him out of Galilee ministringe vnto him with manie other women that came in his companie to Ierusalem MEDITATIONS VPON THESE POYNTES OF THE TEXT VE are now come o my soule to the holie mounte Caluarie and we be nowe arriued at the toppe of the misterie of our redemption O how wonderfull is this place Verelie this is the howse of God the gate of heauen the lande of promise and the place of saluation Here is planted the tree of life Here is placed that misticall ladder that Iacob sawe Genes 28. which ioyneth heauen with the earthe whereby the angells doe descende vnto men and men doe ascende vnto almightie God This is o my soule the place of praier Here oughtest thou to adore and blesse our Lorde and geue him most humble and hartie thanckes for this his most highe and excellent benefit sayenge thus vnto him We worshippe and adore thee ô Lord Iesus Christ and we blesse thy holie name forsomuch as thou hast by meanes of this holie Crosse redeemed the worlde Thankes be geuen vnto thee O most mercifull Sauiour for that thou hast thus loued vs and wass hed awaie our sinnes with thy most pretious bloude and hast offered thy selfe for vs vpon the same Crosse to the ende that with the most sweete sauour of this noble sacrifice enkendeled with the fier of thy most feruent loue thou mightest satisfie and appease the wrathe of almightie God Blessed be thou therefore for euermore which art the Sauiour of the worlde the reconciler of mankinde the reparer of Angelles the restorer of the heauens the triumphant conqueror of hell the vanquisher of the diuell the awthor of life the destroier of deathe and the redeemer of them Luc. 1. that were in darckenes and in the shadowe of deathe All yee therefore that be a thirst Esay 55. come vnto the waters and yee that haue neither golde nor siluer come and receaue all these pretious treasures freely without payinge anie thinge Yee that desier the water of life this is that misticall rocke that Moyses strooke with his rodde in the wildernes Exod. 17. out of which there sprange water in great abondance to satisfie the thirst of his afflicted people Yee that desiere peace and amitie with alinightie God knowe yee that this is also that rocke Genes 35. that the patriarke Iacob annointed with oyle and erected vp for a title of peace and amitie betwene almightie God and men Yee that are desirous of wyne to cure your woundes Num. 13. this is that cluster of grapes that was browght out of the lande of promise into this vale of teares which is now crusshed and pressed vpon the presse of the Crosse for the remedie and redresse of our offences Yee that desire the oyle of the grace
heauines of minde thy deere sonne crucified on the crosse to the ende that like as Eue by beholdinge with delite that fruite and tree of deathe was the occasion of the perdition of the worlde euen so thou ô blessed Ladie by beholdinge with greate griefe and sorrowe the fruite of life which then was hanginge vpon that tree of the Crosse mightest with thy presence and eies there see the remedie and redemption of the worlde AN OTHER MEDITATION OF THE DOCTRINE THAT MAIE be learned at the foote of the Crosse § IIII. THE holie Euangelist saieth Ioan. 19. that there stoode hard by the Crosse Marie the mother of Iesus and his mothers sister Marie the wife of Cleophas and Marie Magdalene O that I were so happie that I mighte stande in the companie of these three blessed Maries alwaies at the foote of the Crosse O yee blessed Maries who hath caused you to stande so constantly at the foote of the crosse What cheyne is this that thus holdethe you so fast lincked vnto this holie tree O sweete Christe which beinge deade doest mortifie the liuinge and geuest life to the deade O yee Angells of paradise be not offended with me thowghe I a sinner and a very wicked person be so bolde to come and ioyne with this holie companie because the loue I beare to my sweete sauiour draweth me vnto them and the verie same loue enforceth me to embrace this crosse If theise three Maries will not departe from the crosse How can I departe from thence knowinge that all my wealle and saluation consisteth in the same Assuredly the fyer shall first waxe colde and the water shall naturally become hoate before my harte shall departe from this crosse sythence I vnderstande what a lesson the loue of God teacheth me to wit How happie a thinge it is to stande alwaies at the foote of the crosse O holie crosse thou drawest the hartes of men vnto thee more stronglie than the Adamante stone draweth iron Thou geauest a more cleare lighte to our vnderstandinge thā the sonne doth to our eies Thou enkēdelest a more feruent heate in our soules than fyer doth in the verie cooles Drawe me therefore O holie crosse vnto thee with great force and might Illuminate me continuallie and enflame me with thy mightie power that my thoughte and mynde maie thinke vpon none other thinge but onely vpon thee and maye neuer departe from thee And thou ô good Iesus illuminate the eies of my soule that I maye vnderstande how to looke and fixe mine eies and thoughtes vpon the crosse to the ende that I maye not onelie beholde the cruell paynes and tormentes thou hast suffered for me and so by beholdinge them take compassion of them But also consider the examples of so manie wonderfull vertues as thereby thou hast discouered vnto me and inuited me to imitate and followe the same Wherefore O most wise maister and instructor of the worlde O phisition of soules Here I come to the foote of thy crosse to present vnto thee my soores and woundes Heale me ô my most mercifull and omnipotent Lorde and teache me what I ought to doe we may learne to ouercome our sensualitie and selfe loue by beholdinge our Sauiour Christe vpon the crosse I doe confesse and acknowledge playnelie vnto thee ô Lorde that I am verie sensuall and geuen ouermuche to the loue of my selfe and I see well that this greatlie hinderethe my profitinge and proceadinge in vertue and godlines Manie tymes for my recreation and pastimes sake or for feare of the paine of fastinge and risinge vp early in the morninge I passe ouer and doe leese the godly and diuout exercises of praier and meditation with other holie spirituall exercises by the losse whereof I leese my selfe also This sensualitie of mine is verie importune vpon me It woulde faine eate and drinke verie finelie and delicately at such howers and times as it liketh and after dinner and supper it woulde gladlie haue some idle talke or els some pastyme and recreation It delighteth at such tymes to be walkinge in a faire greene garden or orcharde and there to take some sollace and pleasure Teache me now ô my most louinge Sauiour and redeemer what I ought to doe whereby to followe thy example and helpe me with thy grace that I maie performe my dewtie in this pointe O what a greate shame is it vnto me to see after what sorte thou diddest handel thy blessed bodie which was more tender and delicate than all other bodies In the middest of the most bitter angwishes and grieuous tormentes of thy death thou diddest not geue vnto thy bodie anie other foode or electuarie but such as those cruell apoticaries had compounded of bitter gaule and sower vineger for thee Who then will from henceforthe haue anie tongue to complaine that the meate set before him is either to colde or to salte or to freashe or not well dressed or that it was ouer late or to tymelie made readie consideringe what a table was here prepared for thee ô my almightie God and that in the tyme of so great necessitie In steede of the mirthe and pleasante talke and entertaynmente which I seeke to haue at my suppers and feastes thou haddest none other but onely outcries and clamorous noices of them which shakinge theire heades at thee scorned and blasphemed thee sayenge Matth. 27. Fye on thee that destroiest the temple of God and in three daies buildest it vp againe This was the musicke and mynstrelsie of thy bankette and thy walkinge in a garden was to be fast nailed handes and feete to the crosse And albeit there was an other garden into which thou wentest after thou haddest ended thy supper yet was it not to walke in for pleasure but to praie not to take the aier but to shéide bloude not to recreat thy selfe but to be pensiue and sad and in a greate agonie of deathe Now what shall I saye of the other ease and refresshinges which thy blessed fleshe had My fleashe would gladlie haue a softe bedde curious and costly apparell and a large and wyde howse Tell me now ô my sweete Sauiour what maner of bedde hast thou What maner of howse hast thou And what is thy apparell Thy apparell is nakednes and a purple coate of mockerie and reproche Thy howse is none other but to stande openly abrode in the sonne and aier And if I seeke for anie other I fynde it to be nothinge els but onely a stable for beastes The foxes haue theire holes Math. 8. and the birdes of the aier theire neistes and thou that art the creator of all thinges hast no place where to rest thy head O curiositie and superfluitie How are ye two crepte in and so vsuallie and vniuersallie receaued in this our corrupte age throwghout all the countreys and nations of Christendome A notalbe admonitiō against the vyces of deyntienes and superfluitie O what maner of Christians be we that doe not vtterlie abandon
from vs all maner of fyne deyntienes curiositie and superfluities knowinge that our Lorde and maister vtterlie abandoned from him not onelie all maner of deyntienes and superfluities but also euen such thinges as were of necessitie I desire now O Lorde to see also what maner of thinge thy bedde is Tell me ô sweete Sauiour where doest thou lodge Where sleepest thou at noone daie Here I sette my selfe at thy feete Cant. 1. Teache me I most humblie beseeche thee what I ought to doe For this my sensualitie will not suffer me to vnderstande well this language of thy crosse I desire a softe bedde and if I awake early in the mornynge at the hower of praier and diuine seruice I suffer my selfe to be ouercome with slouthe and drowsienes we desire to lye on softe fether beddes and our sauiour Christe laye on the harde bedde of the crosse and I expect duelie for the morninge sleepe that my head maie take an other nappe and so haue his full ease and rest Tell me ô my most gratious and louinge Lorde what rest haddest thou on that harde bedde of the crosse When thou wast wearie in lienge on the one side how diddest thou turne thee on the other to take the better rest What harte is not ouercome and broken in sonder herewith What Is not this enoughe to kill all sensualitie in vs O what a comfort is this to the poore What a confusion to the riche What an encouragement to the penitentes And what a condemnation to nice delicate and sensuall persons Certeinly the bedde of our Sauiour Christe is not for such fyne delicate wantons neither is his glorie in heauen prepared for them Geue me grace ô Lorde that I maye by thy example mortifie this my sensualitie And if it be not thy blessed will to graunte me this request I beseache thee then euen now out of hande to ende my life For it is not meete nor seemelie that thou ô my omnipotent Lorde and redeemer beinge vpon the crosse and hauinge none other comforte nor refress hinge but onely bitter gaulle and sower vinegar I shoude seike for sweete sauoures delicate fare sugered sawces with other curious deynties pleasures and ease in this miserable life It is not meete that thou beinge thus poore and naked I shoulde goe wanderinge and leesinge my selfe after the transitorye goodes and riches of this worlde It is not reason that thou hauinge none other bedde but onely the harde and painfull crosse I shoulde seeke to haue a softe bedde and other delicacie and ease for my wretched bodie Be thou therefore greatelie ashamed How our Sauiour Christe rebukethe from the crosse our pompe delicacie curiositie and superfluitie ô my soule beholdinge our Lorde and Sauiour on the harde paynefull tree of the crosse and make accompte that from the same crosse he preacheth vnto thee and rebuketh thee sayenge O man I haue for thy sake worne a crowne of thornes and doest thou in contempte of me weare a garlande of flowers with golden chaynes aglettes bruches and gaye oystreche fethers I for thy sake haue stretched forthe my armes to be nayled and tormented vpon the crosse and doest thou stretche forthe thyne to pleasante games and pastimes I beinge a thirst at my verie death had not so much as a litle colde water and seekest thou after pretious wynes delicate meates and deyntie sugered sawces I was on the crosse and in all my whole life tyme full of dishonors reproches and grieuous labours and paines and doest thou spende all the daies of thy life seekinge after dignities offices promotions estimations pleasures and delites I was verie willinglie contented that my syde shoulde be opened to geue thee my verie harte and hast thou thyne open to vaine and dangerous loues of the worlde WHAT PATIENCE WE OVGHT TO HAVE IN ALL TROVBLES and aduersities followinge the example of our Sauiour Christ § V. THOV hast taught me now ô Lorde from the chaire of the Crosse the lawes of temperance teache me also at this present the lawes of patience whereof I haue suerlie verie great neide Thou hast cured that parte of my soule which is called concupiscible Cure also I beseeche thee that parte which is called irascible Forsomuch as thy crosse is a medicine for all the whole man and the leaues of that holie tree are the healthe of all nations Sometimes I haue sayd and purposed with in my selfe I will neuer from henceforthe falle out or be angrie agayne with anie man I will surelie keepe peace with all persones and therefore I thinke it good for me to auoyde all companie and thereby to eschewe all occasions of trouble contention and anger But now ô Lorde I vnderstande my weakenes in this poynte For to flee from companie is not a meane to subdue anger but rather to couer and hide myne owne imperfection And therefore I will from henceforthe carie euer with me a mynde readie prepared to liue not onelie with the good but euen with the wicked also and to keepe peace with such colericke waywarde and frowarde contentious persons as doe abhorre peace Thus I purpose from henceforthe to doe grawnt me thy grace therefore ô almightie God that I maie dewlie accomplishe this my good intent If others shall take my landes or goodes awaye from me graunte me thy grace ô Lorde that I be not angrie nor grieued therewith seinge I see thee thus spoyled and naked vpon the Crosse If they shall take my credite honor and estimation frō me let not that cause me to breake peace with them seinge I see thee here ô Lorde so despised dishonored and contemned If my fryendes and acquaintāce shall forsake me let me not therefore be confounded seinge I see thee thus left alone and forsaken not onely of thy disciples and fryendes but also of thyne owne heauenly father And if it shall seeme to me at anie tyme that I am forsaken of thee yet let me not for all that lose my confidence and trust in thee seinge thow diddest not loose thine but after thou haddest made an ende of saienge those wordes Math. 27. My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Diddest forthewith recommende thy spirite into the handes of him who had forsaken thee sayenge O father into thy handes I commend my spirite Marc. 15. Psalm 21. And therefore euen now at this instant I request that from henceforthe all troubles and persecutions maie come and falle vpon me and not to spare me forsomuch as all such thinges con doe nothinge els vnto me but geue me occasion to be a folower of thee my sweete Lorde and Sauiour Iesus Christ But now ô my Lorde what if the troubles and persecutions shal be verie great and longe wherewithall shall I then comforte my selfe For thy passions althoughe they were verie greate yet it seemed that they continued not anie longe tyme forsomuch as all the martirdome of thy passion did not continewe altogether twentie howers Now he that hath
they take from me they geue vnto thee forsomuch as thou enclosest him within thee whom I haue had enclosed in my bowelles My verie bones woulde reioyce if they might see them selues laied vp there and certainly there shoulde my life be laied also My harte and my soule will I burie there for that maie I doe but as for my bodie burie thou it there also ô Lorde I beseeche thee for that I maie not doe without thee O death why arte thou so cruell as to seperate me from him in whose life my whole life consisteth Thou arte sometimes more cruel in pardoninge thā in killinge Suerly thou haddest shewed thy selfe verie pittiefull towardes me if thou haddest taken vs both together But now alas thou hast bene cruell in killinge the sonne but farre more cruell in sparinge the mother Such wordes as these woulde the blessed virgin speake priuelie in her harte and the like might those holie Maries that accōpanied her speake also All that were present wepte very tenderly with her Those holie Matrones wepte those noble Gentilmen wepte heauen and earthe wepte Yea all creatures accompanied the teares of the blessed virgin Marie The holie Euangelist also wepte verie lamentablie The lamētation of S. Iohn the Euangelist and embracinge the blessed bodie of his maister sayd O my good Lorde and maister who shall be my teacher from henceforthe To whom shall I resorte to be resolued in my dowtes Vpon whose brest shall I rest my selfe Who shall imparte to me the secretes of heauen O what a straenge chaunge and alteration is this The last eueninge thou sufferedst me to rest vpon thy holie brest and gauest me the Ioyes of life and now doe I recompence that great benefit with holdinge thee dead on my brest Is this the face which I sawe transfigured vpon the mownte Thabor Is this that figure wich was more cleare than the sonne at noone daie Lykewise that holie sinner Marie Magdalen wepte full bitterlie also The lamētation of S. Marie Magdalene and embracinge the feete of our Sauiour said O light of myne eies and redeemer of my soule if I shall see my selfe ouercharged with sinnes who shall receaue me Who shall cure my woundes Who shall answere for me Who shall defende me agaynste the Pharisees O how farre otherwise helde I these feete and washed them whē thou receauedst me lyinge prostrate at them O my sweete hart roote and most entierly beloued who coulde bringe to passe that I might now die with thee O life of my soule how can I saie that I loue thee seinge I see thee here dead before myne eies and yet doe remaine aliue After the like maner did all that holie companie weepe and lamente The buriall of our Sauiours bodie in the sepulchre wateringe and wasshinge his holie bodie with there teares Now when the hower of his buriall was come they wynde his holie bodie in a cleane lynnen clothe They bynde his face with a napkin And layinge his bodie vpon a beere doe carie it to the place of his buriall and there they laye in that most pretious treasure The sepulchre was couered with a stone and the harte of the blessed mother with a darke clowde of heauines and sorowe There is she once agayne bereued of her sonne There beginneth she a freshe to lamente her solitarines There she seeth her selfe dispossessed of all her treasure And there her harte remainethe buried where her treasure was left A DECLARATION WHY THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARIE AND all iust persones are afflicted in this present transitorie life with diuers aduersities and tribulations § III. O Heauenly father sith of thy infinit goodnes and mercie thou wouldest that thy blessed sonne shoulde thus suffer for our synnes why wouldest thou that this holie virgin his blessed mother shoulde suffer also who neither deserued death for the sinnes of others forsomuche as thy sonnes death suffised for thē neither yet for her owne seinge she neuer committed anie maner of synne in all her whole life How easelie might this her tribulation haue bene tempered if at that time she had bene forthe of the cittie of Ierusalem where if she had bene absent she shoulde not haue seene with her eies the cruell death of her onelie and dearlie beloued sonne neither haue so greatelie augmented her sorrowe and griefe with the sighte of the present obiecte and with beholdinge him sufferinge his so manifolde and cruell tormentes vpon the crosse O wonderfull dispensation and counsell of almightie God! Thy will was ô Lorde that the blessed virgin shoulde suffer not for the redemption of the worlde but because there is nothinge in the worlde more acceptable vnto thee than to suffer for the loue of thee Emonge all thinges created there is nothinge more pretious than in heauen the glorious loue of the blessed Sainctes Note that nothinge is more precious in earthe thā the loue of God tryed in iust persons with sufferinge affliction and tribulation for Gods sake and in earthe the troubled and afflicted loue of iust persons I meane than the loue of iust persons that is tried with aduersitie affliction and tribulation In the howse of almightie God there is no greater honor than to suffer for the loue of God Emonge all the good workes and seruices that our Sauiour did vnto thee in this worlde this was that which thou hast appoynted and accepted for the most cheefe and principal worke to be the meane of our reparatiō ād redēption This was the iewel and pretious stone that emonge all the riches of vertues which that riche marchant laide before thee liked thee best for the which thou gauest vnto him whatsoeuer he demaunded which was the redemption of the worlde Now then if this iewell be of so great valewe and estimation in the sighte of almightie God it were not meete that such a riche piece as this is shoulde be wantinge in our blessed Ladie who was of all perfect women the most perfecte and most acceptable in the sight of almightie God Moreouer The most manifest and perfect shewe and proufe of trewe vertue is to suffer tribulatiōs for the loue of God there is no worke in this worlde that maketh a more manifest and perfect◠shewe of true vertue than to suffer for the loue of God For the proufe and tryall of true loue is to haue true patience for the beloued And there is no triall and proufe so farre from all suspition as this is And like as almightie God him selfe did neuer discouer the greatnes of his loue vnto men so clearelie and perfectly thoughe his other benefittes which he bestowed vpon thē were verie great vntill he came to suffer for thē euen so shall they neuer discouer their loue towardes him fully and perfectly be there other seruices they doe vnto him neuer so manie and great vntill they come to suffer tribulations for his sake Rom. 5. Patience is the proufe of trewe vertue if it be exercised it sufferinge for
thy promise and hast not forgotten them that did put their trust in thee The difficultie of the waie thou hast ouercome with thy great pittie and mercie and with thy passinge great loue thou hast ouercome also the painfull trauailles and tormentes of the Crosse No tonge is able to expresse the great ioye of these holie fathers But the ioye that our Sauiour had to see such a multitude of soules redeemed by the merites of his passioÌ„ was farre greater without all comparison O sweete Lorde how well wouldest thou then accompt the greate labours and paynes of thy crosse emploied when thou sawest what goodly frute that most blessed and sacred tree beganne to yeilde Genes 42. The Patriarke Ioseph when he had two sonnes borne vnto him in the lande of Egipt made none accompte of all his paines and traueils past and in signification thereof he called the first sonne that was borne in thâ—â— countrie Manasses sayeâ—â—â—e God hath caused me to forget all my â—â—â—â—â—illes and the howse also of â—â—â—â—er 〈◊〉 â—â—seph reioyced so muche at the birthe of â—â—e sonne What might our Sauiour now thinke when he sawe him selfe beâ—et on euerâ—e syde with such a nomber of sonnes after the ende of his tormentes and Martirdome vpon the crosse What might that pretious oâ—â—â—â— thinke when it sawe rownde aboâ—â—e her â—o many and such goodly braunches shootinge out on euerie syde OF THE RESVRRECTION OF THE BODIE OF OVR SAVIOVR CHristus resurrexit a mortâ—â—â— prâ—â—itiae dormientium â— Corinth â—â— 20. § II. BVT O my Sauiour what meanest thou that thou geuest no parte of this thy glorie to thy most holie bodie that lieth waytinge for thee in the sepulchre 1. Reg. 30. Thou knowest well ô Lorde that the lawe that was made concerninge the diuision of spoiles sayth that there shoulde be geuen as great a portion to him that remaineth in the tentes as to him that entereth into the battell Thy holie bodie hath remayned waytinge for thee in the sepulchre whilest thy most holie soule entered into hell to geue the battell Make therefore an equall diuision of thy glorie to thy bodie forsomuch as thou hast now wonne the battell The holie bodie of our Sauiour laie in the sepulchre in such a pittiefull forme as he had left it stretched out alonge vpon that colde stone wounde vp in his wyndinge sheete his face couered ouer with a napkin and all the partes of his bodie whollie rent and torne It was now after midnight and the dawninge of the daie approched neare at hande when the sonne of iustice had determined to preuent the sonne of the morninge and to be before him in this daies iourney In this blessed tyme therefore entered that glorious soule into his sacred bodie And how thinke you did it adorne the same Suerly there is no tonge able to expresse it in wordes Howbeit by an example we maie perceaue somewhat thereof We see sometymes towardes the west a verie obscure and darke clowde and if happlye the sonne doe take it before his goinge downe and beat vpon it and couer it all ouer with his beames it is wonte to cause it to appeare all beautifull all goodly and all glisteringe like golde insomuche as it seemeth to be the verie sonne it selfe Now in like maner did that glorious soule after it was inuestured in that holie bodie and entered into the same For it conuerted all the darkenes of the bodie into lighte and all his filthines into beautie and caused the bodie that was the fowlest of all bodies to become the fairest and most beautifull of all bodies After this sorte our Sauiour riseth againe out of the sepulchre altogether perfectlie glorious as the first begotten of the deade and the figure of our resurrection This is that holie Patriarke Ioseph Genes 41. who is nowe deliuered out of prison the heare of his mortalitie beinge cut of and apparailed with the garmentes of immortalitie and made Lorde of the lande of Egipt Exod. 2. This is that holie Moyses who was taken out of the waters and out of the poore rushe basket and is now come to destroie all the power and chariottes of kinge Pharao Hester 6. This is that holie Mardocheus who after he had put of his sackeclothe and asshes and was apparailed with roiall garmentes ouercame his enemie and crucified him vpon his owne crosse and deliuered all his people from deathe Daniell 14. This is that holie Daniell who is now come forthe out of the lyons denne and hath not receyued anie dammage at all of the furious hongrie and rauenous beastes This is that stroÌ„ge Sampson Iudic. 16. who beinge enuironed abowt with his enemies and enclosed within the citie ryseth vp at midnight and breaketh vp their stronge gates and lockes and so defeyteth the malicious purposes and designementes of his aduersaries Ionas 2. This is that holie Ionas that was allotted to die to deliuer his companions from deathe who entrynge into the belly of that great beast is the thirde daie cast vp againe vpon the coast of Ninyue Who is this that beynge betweene the hongrie Iawes of the deuowringe beast coulde not be eaten of her Who is this that was swallowed downe into the bothom of the waters and enioyed neuerthelesse the aire of lyfe Who is this that beinge sonke downe into the deapth of perdition caused euen death it selfe to serue him This is our glorious Sauiour who was snatched awaye by that cruell beast which is neuer satisfied to wit by death which after she had him in her mouthe and perceaued the worthines of the praie trembled and quaked for feare and coulde not holde it For althoughe the earthe swallowed him after he was dead yet findinge him free from all faulte and synne she was not able to detaine him in her howse For it is not the paine that maketh a man guiltie but the cawse which coulde not be founde in him HOW OVR SAVIOVR CHRIST AFTER HIS RESVRRECTION appeared to the holie virgin his blessed mother § III. NOW hast thou ô lorde glorified and reioyced thy most holie fleashe that suffered with thee vpon the crosse Remember likewise that the fleashe of thy mother is also thy fleashe and that she also suffered with thee when she sawe thee suffer vpon the crosse She was crucified with thee it is reason therefore that she also rise againe with thee Rom. 6.8 It is a sayeinge of thy Apostle 2. Tim. 2. that whosoeuer haue bene thy companions in thy paines shal be thy coÌ„panions likewise in thy glorie Forsomuche therefore as this blessed Ladie hath bene thy faithfull companion in all thy paines euen frome the maunger to the crosse reason it is that she shoulde be now partaker of thy ioyes also Wherefore clarifie that heauen that is now obscured discouer that moone that is now eclipsed dissolue those cloudes of her heauie soule drie vp the teares of her maidenly eies and now after the stormy winter of so manie
floudes commaunde the florishinge springe to retourne againe At this tyme of the resurrection of our Sauiour the holie virgin had withdrawen her selfe into her oratorie expectinge there the comminge of this newe lighte She cried inwardly in her harte and called like a pittiefull liones the therde daie vnto her dead sonne Psalm 56. sayenge Arise vp my glorie arise my harpe and my vyole Retourne ô triumphant conqueror vnto the worlde Gather together ô good pastor thy dispersed flocke Geue eare ô my deare sonne vnto the clamours of thy heauie aÌ„d afflicted mother And seinge by these clamours thou wast moued to descende downe from heauen into the earthe let the same moue the now also to ascende vp againe from hell into the worlde In the middest of these clamours and cries of the blessed virgin beholde that poore cotage of hers was sodainly brightened all ouer with a heauenly lighte and her sonne being now gloriouslie rysen againe from deathe to lyfe presenteth him selfe to the sight of his holie mother The morninge sterre appeareth not so beautifull the brighte sonne at noone daie shineth not so cleare as did that face full of all graces and that vnspotted glasse of diuine glorie in the eies of his holie mother She beholdeth the bodie of her sweete sonne rysen vp agayne from death and glorified all the disfigures of the former deformitie beinge cleane wyped awaie the comely grace of those diuine eies retourned and his former beautie was restored againe and increased She also beholdeth those gappes of his woundes which as they were before verie swoordes of sorrowe to her heauie and tender harte so are they now become fountaines of loue Whom she sawe before to suffer betwene two thieues she seeth now accompanied with Sainctes and Angells Whom she sawe before to commende her from the crosse vnto his disciple she seeth now stretchinge forthe his louinge armes and geuinge vnto her the sweete kisse of peace Whom she helde before dead in her armes she seeth now rysen vp againe before her eies The blessed mother now holdethe him and will not leaue him she embracethe him she desireth and prayeth him most instantly not to departe awaie from her Heretofore she was made speecheles for sorrowe and knewe not what to saye But now she is become speecheles for verie ioye and cannot vtter her inwarde gladnes vnto him Now what tongue can tell or what vnderstandinge is able to comprehende the exceedinge ioye that this blessed virgin conceyued inwardlie in her minde We cannot vnderstande the thinges that doe exceede our capacitie vnlesse we compare them to other lesse thinges and frame by them as it were a ladder to ascende by degries from the lower vnto the higher and so make a coniecture of the one by the other Now that we maye vnderstande somewhat of this her exceedinge ioye consider what a greate ioye the Patriarke Iacob felte when after he had bewailed his dearly beloued sonne Iosephe with so great abundance of teares supposinge him to be dead tydinges were browghte him that he was aliue and Lorde ouer all the lande of Egipt The holie scripture saieth Genes 45. that when these newes were tolde him he coÌ„ceyued so great ioye and astonishement therewith that as a man newlie awaked out of a heauie sliepe he coulde not call his wittes perfectlie together nor yet beleue the newes that his sonnes had tolde him no more than if it had bene a verie dreame But afterwardes when he was fullie resolued that it was true the holie scripture saith that his spirite reuyued againe and that he spake these wordes folowinge It is enoughe for me if my sonne Ioseph be yet a liue I will goe and see him before I die Now then tell me I praye you if Iacob that had eleuen other sonnes in his howse conceyued yet so great a ioye in his harte to vnderstande that euen one onely whom he supposed to be dead was yet aliue what an exceedinge great ioye conceyued the blessed virgin who hauinge no more but one sonne and that one such a sonne as our blessed Sauiour was so notable and so dearly beloued as he was vnto her after she had seene him with her eies bothe dead aÌ„d buried sawe him now againe rysen vp from deathe and withall glorified and made Lorde not onely of all the lande of Egipt but also of all thinges created Is there anie vnderstandinge able to comprehende this Vndowtedly her ioye was inwardelie so great that her harte had not bene able to susteine the force thereof had it not receyued some supernaturall streÌ„gth and comforte by speciall miracle of almightie God for that ende O blessed virgin this benefit alone maie suffice thee It is enoughe for thee that thy deare sonne is aliue and that thou hast him in thy presence and seest him before thy death so as now there remayneth nothinge els for thee to desire O Lorde how well knowest thou how to comforte them that suffer for thy sake The former paine of thy blessed mother seemeth not now to be great beinge compared with this passinge great ioye If thou ô Lorde doest comforte such as suffer for thee after this sorte blessed and happie are their persecutions and troubles seinge they shal be thus rewarded In like maner we haue to consider how our Sauiour appeared vnto his disciples and especially to S. Marie Magdalen whereof presently we doe not intreat because we woulde not make this meditation ouer longe The ende of the first seuen meditations for the seuen daies of the weke in the morninges HERE BEGINNE THE OTHER SEVEN MEDITATIONS FOR THE SAME SEVEN daies in the nightes And althowghe these Meditations be placed in the seconde place yet are they first to be vsed in the order of exercise Forsomuche as with them they must first beginne who are but newlie conuerted to the seruice of almightie God Accipite spiritum sanctum quorum remiseritis peccata remittuntur eis et quorum retinueritis detenta sunt Johan 20. vers 22. Multi 〈…〉 consiâ—â—tes et 〈◊〉 actâ—s suos Act. 19. vers 18. OF SYNNES MONDAIE NIGHTE THIS daie after thou hast made the signe of the Crosse and prepared thy selfe hereunto thou must atteÌ„de to the knowledge of thy selfe aÌ„d thou must vse diligence to call to minde thy sinnes and offences And this is the waie to obteine trewe humilitie of harte and repentance which are the two first gates and foundations of a Christian life For the better performance whereof Of the multitude of the synnes of thy former life thou must thinke firs t of all vpon the multitude of the sinnes of thy former lyfe and espetially vpon those offences that thou diddest coÌ„mit at what time thou haddest least knowledge of almightie God For if thou canst well vewe and examyne them thou shalt finde that they haue exceeded in nomber the verie heares of thy heade and that thou diddest liue at that time like an heathen that knoweth not what God is This done ronne ouer
this worlde And espetially remember thy kynsfolke thy companions and familiars and some of the worshipfull and famous personages of great estimation in this worlde whom death hath assaulted and snatched awaie in diuers ages and vtterlie beguyled and defeyted them of all their fonde designementes and hopes I knowe a certaine man that hath made a memoriall of all such notable personages as he hath knowen in this worlde in all kinde of estates which are now dead and sometimes he reedeth their names or calleth them to minde and in reheresall of euerie one of them he doth breifly represente before his eies the whole tragedie of their lyues the mockeries and deceites of this worlde and withall the conclusion and ende of all worldly thinges Whereby he vnderstandeth what good cause the Apostle had to saie That the figure of this worlde passeth awaie 1. Cor. 7.31 In which wordes he geueth vs to vnderstande how litle grownde and staie the affaires of this lyfe haue seinge he woulde not calle them verie thinges indeede but onely figures or shewes of thinges which haue no beinge but onely an apparance whereby also they are the more deceitefull Thirdly consider how fraile and bryckle this lyfe is and thou shalt finde Of the frayletie and brycklenes of this lyfe that there is no vessell of glasse so fraile as it is Insomuche as a lytle distemperature of the aier or of the sonne the drinkinge of a cuppe of colde water yea the verie breathe of a sicke man is able to spoyle vs of oure lyfe as we see by dailie experience of manie persones whom the least occasion of all these that we haue here reheresed hath bene able to ende their liues and that euen in the most florishinge tyme of all their age Fourthly consider how mutable and variable this lyfe is Of the mutabilitie of this lyfe and how it neuer continueth in one selfe same staie For which purpose thou must consider the great and often alterations and chaunges of our bodies which neuer continewe in one same state and disposition Consider likewise how farre greater the chaunges and mutations of our mindes are which doe euer ebbe and flowe like the Sea ād be cōtinuallie altered and tossed with diuers wyndes and surges of passions that doe disquiet and trouble vs euerie howre Fynally consider how great the mutation in the whole man is who is subiecte to all the alterations of fortune which neuer continueth in one same beinge but alwaies turneth her wheele and rowleth vp and downe from one place to another And aboue all this consider how continuall the mouinge of our life is seinge it neuer resteth daie nor night but goeth alwaies shorteninge from time to time and consumeth it selfe like as a garment doth with vse and approcheth euerie howre nearer and nearer vnto death Now by this reckenynge what els is our life but as it were a candle that is alwaies wastinge and consuminge Our lyfe wastethe awaye lyke a burninge candle and the more it bourneth and geueth light the more it consumeth and wasteth awaie What els is our life but as it were a flowre that buddeth in the morninge and fadeth awaie at noone daie and at eueninge is cleane dried vp This verie comparison maketh the Prophet in the Psalme where he saieth Psal 89. The morninge of our infancie passeth awaie like an herbe it blosommeth in the morninge and sodeinlie fadeth awaie and at eueninge it decaieth and waxeth harde and withereth awaie Fiftly consider how deceitfull our life is which peraduenture is the worst propertie it hath Of the deceytefulnes of this lyfe For by this meane it deceaueth vs in that beinge in verie deede filthy it seemeth vnto vs beawtifull and beinge but shorte euerie man thinketh his owne lyfe wil be longe and beinge so miserable as it is in deede yet it seemeth so amiable that to mainteine the same men will not sticke to ronne through all daungers trauells and losses be they neuer so great yea they will not spare to doe suche thinges for it as whereby they are assured to be damned for euer and euer in hell fier and to loose lyfe euerlastinge Sixtly consider how besides this that our lyfe is so short as hathe bene saied yet that litle time we haue to liue is also subiecte vnto diuers and sundrye miseries as well of the minde How that litle tyme we haue to lyue is also subiecte to many miseries both of bodie and mynde as of the bodie insomuche as all the same beinge dewlie considered and layed together is nothinge els but a vale of teares and a maine Sea of infinite miseries S. Ierome declareth of Zerxes that most mightie kinge who threwe downe mountaines and dryed vp the Seas that on a tyme he went vp to the toppe of a highe hill to take a vewe of his huge armie which he had gathered together of infinite nombers of people And after that he had well vewed and considered them it is said that he wepte and beinge demaunded the cause of his weepinge he answered and saied I weepe because I consider that within these hundred yeares there shall not one of all this huge Armie which I see here present before me be lefte aliue Wherevpon S. Ierome saieth these wordes O that we might saieth he ascende vp to the toppe of some towre that were so highe that we might see from thence all the whole earth vnderneath our feete From thence shouldest thou see the ruins and miseries of all the worlde Thou shouldest see nations destroied by nations and kingdoms by kingdoms Thou shouldest see some hanged and others murdered some drowned in the Sea others taken prisoners In one place thou shouldest see mariages and myrthe in an other dolefull mourninge and lamentation In one place thou shouldest see some borne into this worlde and caried to the Church to be christened in an other place thou shouldest see some others die and caried to the Church to be buried Some thou shouldest see exceadinge wealthie and flowinge in greate abundance of landes and riches and others againe in great pouertie and begginge from dore to dore To be short thou shouldest see not onelie the huge armie of Zerzes but also all the men women and children of the worlde that be now aliue within these fewe yeres to ende theire liues and not to be seene anye more in this worlde Consider also all the diseases and calamities that maie happen to mens bodies Of the diseases and calamities that happē to mens bodies and of the afflictions and cares of the mynde and withall all the afflictions and cares of the minde Consider likewise the daungers and perilles that be incident aswell to all estates as also to all the ages of men and thou shalt see verie euidentlye the manifolde miseries of this lyfe By the seinge whereof thou shalt perceaue how smalle a thinge all that is that the worlde is able to geue thee and this consideration maye cause thee more
abilitie to doe the same Some can goe others can swyme others can flie to be short each one of them is able without anie instructor to seeke for such thinges as it hath need of onely man knoweth nothinge neither is he able to doe anie thinge but must of necessitie be caried in other folkes armes How longe time is it before he can learne to goe And yet he must beginne to crawle vpon all fowre feete before he can goe vpon two How longe tyme is it before he can speake so muche as one worde And not onely before he can speake but also before he can tell how to put meate into his owne mowth vnles some others doe helpe him One thinge onely I must confesse he can doe of him selfe that is he can crie and weepe This is the first thinge he doethe A man weepethe so soone as he is borne into this worlde but he laugheth not vntill fourtye dayes after his byrthe and this is the thinge onely he can doe without anie teacher And although he can also laughe of him selfe yet can he not doe it before he be fowrtie daies olde notwithstandinge that he is euer more weepinge from the first hower of his comminge into this worlde Whereby thou mayest vnderstande how farre more prompt and readie our nature is to pewlinge and weepinge than to ioye and mirthe O mere follye and madnes of men saieth a Wise man who of so poore naked and base beginninge doe perswade themselues that they are borne to be prowde Now as concerninge the verie bodie of man Of the bodye of mā whereof men esteime them selues so muche and take suche a vaine conceite I woulde thou shouldest consider with indifferent eies what our bodies are in verie deede how gaye and beawtifull soeuer they appeare to our outwarde sighte Tell me I praie thee what other thinge is the body of a man but onely a corrupt and teynted vessell which incontinentlie sowreth and corrupteth what soeuer lycour is powred into it What other thinge is mans bodie but onely a filthie donghill couered ouer with snowe which outwardlie appeareth white and within is full of filth and vncleannes What muckhill is so filthie What sincke auoideth out of it such filthie geare through all his channells as a mans bodie doth by seuerall meanes and waies The trees the hearbes yea and certaine liuinge beastes also do yeelde out of them verye sweete and pleasaunte sauours but man yeeldeth and auoydeth from him such lothsome and fowle stynckinge stuffe as he seemeth trewlie none other thinge but onely a fountaine of all sluttishnes and filthines It is written of a great wise philosopher called Plotinus Plotinus that he was ashamed of the condition and basenes of his bodie insomuch as he was verie vnwillinge to heare anie talke of his lignage and pedegree neither coulde he euer be induced with anie perswasions to giue his consent that anie man shoulde purtraite him out in picture sayeinge that it was sufficient that he him selfe caried with him all the daies of his lyfe a thinge so filthie and so vnworthie of the noblenes of his soule although he were not bownde to leaue behinde him a perpetuall remembrance of his owne dishonour It is written also of the holie Abbot Isidorus Isidorus that vpon a time whilest he was at meate he was not able to refraine from weepinge and beinge demaunded why he wepte he answered I weepe because I am ashamed to be here feedinge vpon the corruptible meate of beastes whereas I was created to be in the companie of Angels and to feed vpon heauenly foode with them Of the myseries and conditions of this lyfe and first of the shortnes of the same § II. AFTER this consider the great and manifolde miseries of mans lyfe and espetially these seuen to witt How shorte this lyfe is Hou vncertain Hou fraile Hou inconstant How deceitfull and finally how miserable it is This done thinke vpon the ende thereof which is deathe Of the shortenes of our lyfe Iob. 1.14 Consider then first of the shortnes of our lyfe which thinge the holie man Iob considered when he saied O Lorde the daies of man are verie shorte and thou knowest the nomber of the monethes that he hath to liue We see at this daie what a great matter it is for one to liue three score and tenne or foure score yeares and this is commōly the ordinarie rate of mās lyfe Insomuch as when they liue so longe they accompt them selues not to be euill delt withall As the Prophet signifieth when he saieth Psal 89. The daies of mā are at the vttermost but threescore and tenne yeares and if the strongest do reach to fourescore all that that followeth is but labour and greiffe Now if thou wilt deuyde this accōpte into partes and not recken it thus in a grosse somme it seemeth vnto me The tym◠of infancye that thou canst not well recken the tyme of our infancie for anie part of our lyfe and much lesse the time that is consumed in sleepe because the lyfe of infancie when we are not as yet come to the vse of reason which onely shewethe vs to be men can not well be called the lyfe of men but rather the lyfe of beastes euen as it were the lyfe of a yonge goate that goeth here and there skippinge and leapinge espetiallie bycause we see that in al that age there is nothinge either learned or done The tyme consumed in sleepe that maie well beseeme the dignitie of a man Now as towchinge the time that is spent in sleepe I see not how it maye be called the time of lyfe seinge the principall parte of our life is to haue the vse of our senses and reason which as then both the one and the other are suspended in vs and as it were deade And therefore a certayne Philosopher saied that in the halfe of a mans lyfe there is no difference betwene the happie man and vnhappie forsomuch as duringe the tyme of sleepe all men are equall because they be then as is were deade It is cleare that if a kinge shoulde be detained as a prisoner for the space of one or two yeares we can not saie and saie trulie that he raigned duringe that time seinge he enioyed not the kingdome nor gouerned the same lyke a kinge How then can it be saied that a man liueth whiles he sleepeth seinge duringe that time the Seignorie and vse of his reason yea and of his senses also by which he liueth stande as it were in suspense For this cause a certain Poët tearmed sleepe the cosin germayne of death and an other called it the brother of deathe for the likenes and resemblance which he perceaued to be betwene the one and the other Now then if so great a parte of our lyfe be spent in sleepe what a great part is that wherein it cannot be sayed that we doe liue at all And if it be the common custome of men
sentence That there is nothinge more certaine than deathe nor nothinge more vncertain than the houre of deathe And therefore a certaine philosopher compared the liues of men to the belles or bubbles that are made in water pittes when it raineth of the which some doe vanishe awaie sodenlie euen at their verie risinge others doe endure a litle longer and out of hande are decaied others also doe continewe somewhat more and others lesse So that although they doe all endure but onely some litle time yet in that littell there is great varietie Wherefore if the ende of our lyfe be so vncertaine If it be so vncertein also when the dreadfull houre of our accompt shall come why doe we liue with such loosenes and negligence Why doe we not consider those wordes of our Sauiour where he sayeth vnto vs Matth. 24. watche because ye knowe not when the sonne of man shall come Marc. 13. O that men woulde waighe the force of this reason Luc. 12. Because ye knowe not the howre sayeth our Sauiour watche ye and be alwaies in a readines As if he had sayed in expresse wordes because ye knowe not the howre watche euerie howre because ye knowe not the moneth watche euerie moneth and because yee knowe not the yeare be still in a readines euerie yeare For although ye knowe not certainly what yeare he will call you yet most certaine it is that a yeare shall come in which vndowtedlie he will call you But that the force of this reason maie the better be perceaued let vs put an example Tell me if there were set before thee vpon a table thirtie or fourtie seuerall disshes of meat and thou haddest a certaine warninge geuen thee by some of thy friendes that in one of them there were poison durst thou geue the aduenture to eate of anie one of them althoughe thou were verie muche a hungered Vndowtedlie thou wouldest not doe it For the verie feare thou wouldest haue least thou mightest peraduenture light vpon that dishe that were poysoned woulde make thee to abstaine from all the rest Now let vs examin how manie yeares at the vttermost thou mayst hope yet to liue Thou wilt saie peraduenture after thou hast well considered the matter that thou mayest liue thirtie or fourtie yeares Well then if it be certaine that in one of these yeares thou art assured to die and thou knowest west not in which of them why art thou not then affraide in euerie one of them seinge thou art well assured that in one of them thy lyfe shal be taken from thee Thou wouldest not be so hardie as to put thy hande into anie one of the foresaied fourtie disshes although thou were in a verie sore honger because thou knowest that in one of them there is death present And wilt thou not also be affraide of euerie one of these fourtie yeares seinge thou art so well assured that thou shalt die in one of these yeares What answere canst thou make to this reason Harken yet to an other reason which is of no lesse efficacie than the other Tell me why doe men keepe a continuall watche in a Castell that standeth in the frontiers vpon the enemies Is it for anie other cause but onely for that they knowe not when the enemies will come to assaulte it Assuredlie for none other So that because they knowe not certainly at what time the enemie will come therefore doe they continuallie watche it at all tymes For if they knewe certainlie the time of their comminge they might be careles in the meane while and reserue the diligēce of their watche vntill that verie time Now I require thee hartely for the loue of God to be an indifferent Iudge towchinge that which I shall saye vnto thee Let vs consider well this poynte If thou watche thy Castle euerie nighte because thou art vncertain when thy enemie will come whether to daie or to morrowe this yeare or the next why doest thou not then kepe a continuall watche ouer thy soule seinge thou knowest not what howre death shall come to geue the assault vpon thee The verie same vncertaintie that is in the Castle is in thy soule also yea this vncertaintie is farre more and the matter is without all comparison of greater importance Now what iudgement haue they that are alwayes so vigilant in watchinge their castle and so careles alwayes abowt their soules so careles I saie as to sleepe alwaies without euer thinkinge vpon them What thinge can be more against reason Cōsider that thy soule is of greater valewe than all the castels and kingdoms in the worlde Yea if thou consider the price wherewith it was bought thou mayest well iudge that it is of more valewe than all the angels in heauen Cōsider also that thou hast greater enemies that doe endeuour cōtinuallie both daie and night to assault it Consider that thou canst by no meanes vnderstand the daye or the houre of assault Consider that the whole substance of the saluation or damnation of thy soule consisteth in this point whether thou be taken prouided or vnprouided at that dreadefull howre Forsomuch as accordinge to the parable of the Gospell the virgins which were founde readie and prepared entered into the mariage with the bridegrome Math. 25. and such as were founde vnprouided taried without To conclude therefore what cause is there why thou shouldest not alwaies watche as well ouer thy soule as ouer thy castell seinge the vncertaintie is greater the daunger greater the cause greater and all the rest without anie comparison farre greater and of more importance Of the frailtie of our lyfe § IIII. HOWBEIT our lyfe is not onely vncertaine but also verie fraile and brickle For I praie thee what glasse is so brickle and so subiecte to knockes and breakinge as the lyfe of man Some times the verie aier and heat of the sonne if it be vehement is able to spoyle vs of our lyfe But what speake I of the sonne seinge the verie eies yea the onely lookinge of some persone is able sometimes to bereaue a creature of his lyfe It shall not neede to drawe anie sworde or to vse anie kinde of armour or munition for the matter seinge the onely looke of some one man is able to bereeue an other of his lyfe Consider now what a sure castell this is wherein the treasure of our lyfe is kept seinge the onelie beholdinge of it a farre of is able to batter it cleane downe to the grownde But this were not so much to be wondered at in the age of infancie when the buildinge is as yet but newe and griene but the greater wonder is that after that the worke is setled and hath continued manie yeares together there happeneth some accident of no greater importāce than these beforenamed that is able vtterlie to ouerthrowe it If thou enquire and aske whereof dyed this man or whereof died that man they will answere thee that he died by drinkinge a cuppe of
and that there were directlie vnder him a verie great deepe well and he hanginge in such wise ouer it that when the threede happened to breake he shoulde forthwith falle into it In what euill case trowe yee woulde this man thinke himselfe to be O how fearfull and how sore troubled woulde he be How willinglie woulde he offer all the substance he hath to be deliuered of that daunger Now thou miserable wretche that darest continewe so manie dayes and yeares in synne contrarie to the lawes of almightie God why doest thou not consider that thou hangest in the like daunger Doest thou not plainlie see before thy face that when soeuer the threede of this fraile and short lyfe breaketh in sonder thou art assured continueinge still in this thy wicked and synfull lyfe to fall into the deepe bottomles pitt of hell fier How canst thou then sleepe How canst thou plaie How canst thou lawghe or be in anie quiet How is it that thou art so stone blynde as not to see such a terrible perill and daunger as hell and euerlastinge damnation to be readie euerie houre to falle vpon thee Of the mutabilitie of this lyfe § V. OVRE lyfe hath yet an other defect which is to be mutable and neuer to continewe in one staie accordinge as the holie man Iob affirmeth in a pittiefull discourse which he maketh of the miseries of mans lyfe in these wordes Iob. 14. A man borne of a woman liuinge but a smalle time is replenished with manie miseries he commeth forthe like a floure and withereth awaie out of hande his daies passe awaie like a shadowe and he neuer continueth in one state But now to passe ouer all other miseries what thinge is there in the worlde more fickle and mutable than man They saie that the Cameleon chaungeth him selfe in one houre into manie and diuers colours And the Sea called Euripus is by reason of his often chaunges accompted very infamous The Moone hath likewise for euerie daie a peculiar forme and shape But what is all this in comparison of the alterations of man What protheus was euer chaunged into so many formes as man chaungeth euerie houre Sometymes he is sicke sometimes whole Sometimes contented sometimes discontented sometimes sorowfull sometimes merie sometimes in good hope sometimes in despaire sometimes suspitious sometimes secure sometimes pleased sometimes angrie sometimes he will and sometimes he will not yea manie times he knoweth not himselfe what he woulde haue To be short he altereth and chaungeth himselfe so ofteÌ„ as there be accideÌ„tes happeninge vnto him euerie houre For all such accidentes doe tosse and turmoyle him each one in his seuerall kinde That which is past is ircksome vnto him that which is present troubleth and molesteth him and that which is to come vexeth and disquieteth him If he haue neither landes nor goodes he liueth in trauell If he haue them he liueth in pride And if he lose them he liueth in great griefe and sorrowe Now what Moone or Sea is subiect to so manie chaunges and alterations as the lyfe of man The Sea chaungeth not but when the windes tourne contrarie vnto it But in mans lyfe whether it be wyndie or calme weather there be euermore diuers alterations and stormes Now what shall I saye of the continuall mouinge and wastinge of our life Of the coÌ„tinuall mouinge and wastinge of our lyfe What minute of an houre passeth but that we goe one steppe forewarde towardes our deathe What other thinge trowest thou is the mouinge of the heauens but as it were a verie swifte wheele which is continually spynninge and windinge vp our lyfe For like as a roole of wolle is sponne vpon a wheele of the which at euerie tourninge abowt some parte is wounde vp at the first tourne a litle at the seconde tourne a litle more and so forthe at euerie tourne vntill all be ended so doeth the whiele of the heauens continuallie spynne and wynde vp our lyfe in that at euerie tourninge that it maketh a peice of our lyfe is sponne and wounde vp And therefore holie Iob saieth That his daies were more swyft Iob. 9. than one that rydeth in â—â—st For he that rideth in post though his mâ—â—â—â—ge require neuer so much haste yet someâ—â—â—â—â— necessitie causeth him to staie But our lyâ—â—â—euer staieth neither will it geue vs so much libertie as the space of one houre of rest Wherevnto S. Ierome agrieth verie well sayeinge S. Ierome Whatsoeuer I goe about what soeuer I write what soeuer I reade ouer againe and correct each thinge taketh awaie from me some parte of my lyfe And loke how manie pointes and minumes the notarie writeth so manie are the losses and decreasinges of my lyfe Insomuche that like as they that saile in a shippe whether they stande or sit are alwaies goeinge and sailinge and doe euer approche nearer and nearer to the ende of their nauigation euen so in this lyfe all the time that we liue we walke and saile still forwardes approchinge nearer and nearer to the common hauen and ende of our nauigation which is deathe Our lyfe is a continual walkinge towardes deathe and the hower of our deathe is the dreadfull hower of our iudgement Now then if our lyfe be nothinge elz but a continuall walkinge towardes death If the houre of death be also the dreadfull houre of our iudgement What other thinge is oure whole lyfe but onely a continuall walkynge towardes the tribunall seate of almightie God and an approchinge euerie hower nearer and nearer vnto his iudgement Now what greater madnes maye there be than for vs goeynge actually to be iudged to offende him as we be goeynge in the waye thitherwardes that must geue sentence vpon vs and so by our offences prouoke his anger more and more against vs Open thine eies therefore ô thou miserable man and consider the waie that thou takest thinke well with thy selfe whither thou arte goeynge and be ashamed or at least take compassion of thy selfe and consider how euill this that thou doest agrieth with that which thou goest to doe Of the deceitfulnes of our lyfe § VI. I cowlde well beare with all these miseries of our lyfe if it had not yet an other miserie in my iudgement farre greater and worse than all theise which is that it is deceitfull and seemeth in apparance otherwise than it is in verie deede For as it is true that is commonly sayed that Fayned holines is a double iniquitie euen so is it also most certainly true that Deceitful felicitie is a double miserie For if this lyfe woulde shewe it selfe plainlie as it is in deede and make no lye at all vnto vs vndoutedlye we woulde neither loose our selues for it nor yet trust vnto it but woulde alwaies liue redie prepared against it But verely it is so full of hypocrisie and deceit that whereas it is indeede filthie it is neuerthelesse solde vnto vs for beautifull and beinge shorte it seemeth vnto vs verie
longe and whereas it chaungeth it selfe euerie houre it beareth a countenaunce as thoughe it continued alwaies firme and stable in one same state Doest thou perceaue saieth S. Ierome when thou wast made an infant S. Ierome Canst thou tell when thou wast made a striplinge or when thou camest to mans state or when thou begannest to waxe an olde man Good Lorde what a wonder is this that euerie daie we die and euerie daie we alter and chaunge and yet for all this we perswade our selues verie fondelie that we shall liue here for euermore Vpon this affiance were those prowde and sumptuous buildinges of the Magarēces built of whom a certaine Philosopher saieth that they builded as thoughe they shoulde liue for euer The cause why manie be so carefull to prouide for this worlde and so careles and negligent to prepare them selues to dye and they liued as though they should dye the next daye Whereof I praie you commeth so great forgetfulnes of almightie God so great couetousnes so great vanitie so great carefulnes in purchasinge and heapinge together of landes and riches and so great negligēce in preparinge our selues to die but that we beleue and perswade our selues that our life shal be verie longe and endure a great time This false imagination maketh vs to beleue that we haue time enough for all thinges for the worlde for pleasures for vanities for vices and for many other vaine and curious exercises and that yet after all this we shall haue time enough also before we dye to prouyde our accompte redie and to make our attonemente with almightie God Insomuch that like as we make our accompt of a piece of clothe when it lieth vpon a table before vs appointinge one piece for one purpose and an other piece for an other euen so doe we make an accompt of our liues as thoughe we our selues had the seignorie and gouernement of times and might dispose both of them and of our lyfe at our owne wil and pleasure This fonde deceit growethe of a secreat perswasion and affiance that euerie man hath within himselfe grownded not vpon anie reason or true foundation but onely vpon selfe loue The which as it hateth and abhorreth death exceadinglie so will it in no case haue any remembrance of it nor be perswaded that it will come so soone to his howse as to other mens And all this is for auoydinge of the great paine and griefe which he woulde conceaue if he beleued it in verie deede we can easelie be persuaded that others will dye within a shorte tyme but we will not beleue but that we our selues shall liue verie lōge And hereof it commeth that he is easilie induced to beleue that other folkes shall die within a short space For as he is not greatly in loue with thē so is not the knowledge of that trueth so sowere and vnlikinge vnto him but that he can easelie beleue it But as towchinge himselfe he maketh an other maner of accompt For as he loueth himselfe exciedingly so is he verie lothe to beleue a thinge that maie be occasion of so greate paine and griefe vnto him as the same woulde be But we see daylie that such persons are oftentymes fowly deceyued and that their dreames tourne cleane contrarie to their fonde imaginations For as towchinge others of whose liues they had smalle hope that they shoulde haue anie longe continuance they liue a longer time than they euer imagined they coulde haue done And they themselues that thought to liue and remaine here a longe while doe leade the daunce and depart owt of this worlde before thē So that it fareth with thē as with younge sea men that beginne to saile in the Sea who when they come forth of the hauen mowth it seemeth vnto them that the lande and howses doe depart awaie from them which is nothinge so but contrariewise it is they themselues that moue and depart awaie and the lande remaineth still in his olde place Of the miseries of mans lyfe § VII ALTHOVGH our lyfe be subiect to all these miseries before rehearsed yet if that litle time of lyfe were wholie lyfe indeede it were somewhat but the greatest miserie of all is that the lyfe which a man hath to liue whether it be shorte or longe is altogether subiect to such a nomber of miseries and calamities both of bodie and minde as it maie more trulie be tearmed deathe than lyfe Wherefore accordinge as a Poët saied verie well Not to liue but to passe the lyfe well is lyfe So that although this lyfe be verie sparynge ād shorte in all other thinges yet in troubles and miseries it is verie plentifull and longe Vndoutedlye our life is but shorte respectinge the lyfe it selfe and if we respect the time of enioyenge it it is yet much shorter but if we consider how insufficient it is towardes the atteyninge of wisedome it is litle or nothinge at all Howbeit although it be indeede verie shorte for all good thinges yet in one thinge onely I fynde it longe that is in bearinge of paine and miserie O daungerous straite in which the lesse time thou hast to passe the more perill and daunger thou hast in the passage Certainlie if we had eies to consider our selues and to see our owne case we shoulde alwaies goe weepinge and lamentinge our owne state as men condemned by the iust iudgement of almightie God to suffer such great miseries But that our miserie might be yet more increased on euerie side this miserie is added to all the rest that beinge in miserable case we liue like men in a frensie and doe neither feele nor vnderstande our owne miserie and wretchednes Heralitus Domocritus Those two Philosophers Heraclitus and Democritus although they were infidels perceyued the same better than we doe of whom it is reported that the one passed his lyfe alwaies weepinge and the other alwaies laughinge forsomuch as they sawe clearly that all our lyfe was nothinge els but mere vanitie and miserie If thou dowte of this tell me I praie thee what meane all these carkes and cares wherein men doe liue What a nomber of infinite sorowes griefes anguishes feares passions suspitions malices with other the like tribulations and afflictions is the soule of man subiect vnto Vnto all which passions man is so prone that manie times he is in a passion without anie cause and feareth where there is no cause at all to feare and when there is no other man to vexe and tormente him outwardlie he then vexeth and tormenteth himselfe inwardly as holie Iob confessed in these wordes when he sayde why hast thou ô Lorde sett me against thee Iob. 7. I am become ircksome and burdensome euen to myne owne selfe Of the externall miseries of the bodie Now as towchinge the externall miseries of the bodie who is able to nomber them How great labour and paine must we take to gaine a piece of bread whereby to sustein our liues
vnweldie olde man but euen a sacke stuffed with greifes and diseases The greatest desire that men haue is to liue vntill they be olde at which age a man is in farre worse case than in all his lyfetime before and then he standeth in most neede and hath least helpe and succoure For the olde man is forsaken of the worlde He is forsaken of his owne kinsfolke friendes and acquaintance He is forsaken of his owne members and senses yea he forsaketh himselfe in that the verie vse of reason forsaketh him And he is onely accompanyed with his paynefull aches greifes and diseases For his companie and conuersation is then verie ircksome and troublesome to the whole howse where he dwelleth This is the marcke for sooth wherevpon the eie of man is so earnestlie fixed this is the happie state which all men doe so griedelie desire and hereunto tendeth the worldlie felicitie and the ambition of longe lyfe As concerninge the states of men we shoulde neuer make an ende There is litle conteÌ„tation in the states of men and eche one desireth to chaunge his state with the states of others if we shoulde rehearse the litle contentation that is to be founde in each of them and the great desire that euerie one hath to chaunge his owne state and condition with the state of others thinkinge that he shoulde haue greater hartes ease in an other mans state than he hath in his owne And thus doe men continually vexe and turmoyle themselues like vnto a sicke man that doth nothing els but tomble and tosse in his bed from one side to an other perswadinge himselfe that by meanes of these often chaunges and remouinges he shall finde more ease and rest than he had before and yet he findeth in verie deede that he is fowlie deceyued Forsomuch as the cause of his disquietnes resteth within him selfe which is his owne greife and disease To conclude such is the miserable state and condition of this lyfe that the Wise man had good cause to saie Eccles 40. Great and heauie is the yooke that the children of Adam carie on their neckes euen from the daie they come forth of their mothers wombe vntil the daie of their burial which is the common mother of all S. Barnarde And S. Barnarde was not affraied to saie that he thought this lyfe litle better than the lyfe of hell it selfe were it not for the hope we maye here haue to atteyne vnto the kyngedome of heauen The miseries of this lyfe are ordeyned as a punnishmente for synne and to withdrawe our hartes froÌ„ the inordinate loue of this lyfe And albeit all these miseries doe come vnto vs as a punnishement for synne yet was it a verie mercifull and medicinable punnishement For the prouidence of almightie God did so ordaine it meaninge thereby to withdrawe and separate our hartes from the inordinate loue of this lyfe The verie cause why he put so muche bitter mustarde vpon the breastes of this lyfe was to weane vs from it The cause why he suffered our lyfe to become so filthie was that we shoulde not set oure loue vpoÌ„ it The cause why he woulde haue vs to be molested and vexed so often times in this lyfe was that we might the more willinglie forsake it and sighe continuallie for the true lyfe whiche is in the worlde to come For if we be so vnwillinge to forsake this lyfe Exod. 16. beinge wholye so miserable as it is if we be now euer whymperinge and whyninge for the fruites and fleashpottes of Egipt what woulde we doe if al our lyfe were sweete and pleasant And what woulde we doe if it were wholie likinge and delitefull to our taste and appetite Who woulde then trowe yee contemne it for Gods sake Who woulde then exchaunge it for heauen Philip. 1. Who woulde then saie with S. Paule I haue a desire to be loosed from this fleashe and to be with Christ Of the last miserie of man which is deathe § VIII AFTER all these miseries succeedeth the last and of all others most terrible which is death This is that miserie whereof a certaine Poët lamented sayeinge The best daies of mortall men are those that passe first awaie and then succedeth a nomber of sicknesses and diseases and with them heauie and dolefull age and continuall trouble and aboue all the sharpenes of cruell deathe This is the lodge and ende of mans lyfe whereof holie Iob saied I knowe well ô Lorde Iob 30. that thou wilt deliuer me ouer to deathe where there is a howse prepared for all men liuinge How manie the miseries are that be included in this miserie alone I will not take vpon me to declare at this present Onely I will rehearse what a certaine holie father saieth by waie of exclamation against death in this wise O death how bitter is the remembrance of thee How quicklie and sodenly stealest thou vpon vs How secrete are thy pathes and waies How doutfull is thy houre And how vniuersall is thy seignorie and dominion The mightie can not escape thy handes the wise can not hide them selues from thee and the stronge loose their strengthe in thy presence Thou accomptest no man riche forsomuch as no man is able to raunsome his lyfe of thee for money Thou goest euerye where thou searchest euerye where and thou art euerie where Thou witherest the hearbes thou drinkest vp the windes thou corruptest the aier thou chaungest the ages thou alterest the worlde thou stickest not to sup vp the sea all thinges doe increase and diminishe but thou continuest alwaies at one staie Thou art the hammer that alwaies striketh Iob. 1â—â— thou art the sworde the neuer blunteth thou art the snare whereinto euerie one falleth thou art the prison wherein euerie one entereth thou art the sea wherein all doe perishe thou art the paine that euerie one suffereth and the tribute that euerie one paieth O cruell death why hast thou not compassion of vs but commest stealinge sodenlie vpon vs to snatche vs awaie in our best times and to interrupt our affaieres when they are well begonne and brought to a good forwardnes Thou robbest from vs in one houre as much as we haue gained in manie yeares Thou cuttest of the succession of kinredes and families Thou leauest kingdomes without anie heires Thou fillest the worlde with wydowes and orphanes thou breakest of the studies of great clerckes thou ouerthrowest good wittes in their rypest age thou ioynest the ende with the beginninge without geuinge place to the myddle To conclude thou art such a one as almightie God wassheth his handes of thee and cleareth himselfe in plaine wordes sayenge Sap. 1. 2. That he neuer made thee but that thou haddest thine entrie into the worlde by the verie enuie and craft of the diuell What fruite and commoditie maye be taken of the foresaied considerations § XI THESE are the miseries of our lyfe with infinite others the coÌ„sideration whereof a
suerlie not without good cause when he saide Iob. 14. The tree after it is cut hath hope to reuiue and springe againe and if the roote of it doe rott in the grownde and the stocke be dead in the earth yet with the freshenes of water it springeth againe and bringeth forth leaues as if it were newlie planted But man after he is once dead withered and consumed what is become of him Great vndowtedlie was the tribute that was laide vpon the children of Adam for sinne And the euerlastinge Iudge vnderstode verie well what penance he gaue vnto man when he saide Thou art dust Genes 4. and into dust thou shalt retourne againe Of the great feare and dowte the sowle hath at the hower of deathe what shall happen vnto it after it is departed out of the bodie § III. HOWBEIT this is not the greatest cause of feare that a man hath at the hower of his death but there is yet one farre greater and that is when the sowle casteth her eies further and beginneth to thinke vpon the daungers of the life to come and imagineth what shall become of her hereafter For this is now as it were to depart from the hauen mowth and to launche into the mayne Sea where none other thinge is to be seene on what side so euer ye looke but onely heauen and the water the which is woūte to be occasion of greater feare in such as are but newe Seamen For when a man considereth that eternitie of worldes which followeth after death and withall casteth his eie into that newe ād straunge region which was neuer knowen nor traueyled by anie man aliue where he must now beginne to take his iourney when he considereth also the euerlastinge glorie or paine which there must fall to his lotte and seeth that wheresoeuer the tree falleth Eccles 11. there it shall remaine for euermore and knoweth not on which of the two sides he shal falle whē he considereth I saie all these thinges he cannot but be in a verie great feare and trouble of minde We reade that when Benadad kinge of Siria was sicke 4 Reg. 8. he was in so great anguishe and greife of minde for that he knewe not whether he should die of that sicknes or not that he sent the generall of his armie with fowertie Camels loden with treasure vnto the Prophet Elizeus requestinge him with wordes of great humilitie to rid him out of that perplexitie he was in and to put him out of all dowt whether he shoulde recouer of that sicknes or not Now if the loue of so short a lyfe as this is be able to cause a man to be in such a greate care and pensiuenes how great care will a Wiseman take when he perceiueth him selfe to be in such a case as that he maie trulie saie that within two howres he shall haue one of these two lottes to witt either lyfe euerlastinge or death euerlastinge and that he knoweth not certainlie whether of theise two shall come vnto him What martirdome maie be compared to such a painfull angwishe and greife as this is Put the case now that a kinge were taken prisoner emonge the Turckes and when his Embassadours shoulde come to raunsome him the Turckes woulde propounde that the matter shoulde be determined by castinge of lottes and that if he happened to haue a good lotte he shoulde be raunsomed and goe home with his Embassadours to his kingdome but if contrariewise that thē immediatly he should be throwē into a great fyerie furnace which were there prepared burninge and flaminge before him Tell me I praie thee at the time when they shoulde be castinge the lottes and puttinge their hande into the vessell to take them out and all the worlde in great expectation waitinge what shoulde be the ende thereof and the kinge him selfe standinge there present beholdinge the doutfull happe that must be alotted vnto him in what a dolefull case thinkest thou woulde he then be How troubled How fearfull How quakinge and tremblinge And how readie to promise and vowe vnto almightie God all he cowlde possiblye doe to be quite ridde out of that terrible angwishe Now what is all this be it neuer so great but as it were a shadowe if it be compared with this daunger that we speake of How farre greater is the kingdome that we seike How farre greater is the fierye furnace that we doe feare How farre more greiuouse is the perplexitie ād doutefulnes of this matter thā of the other For on the one side the angels shal be there expectinge for vs to carrie vs to the kingedome of heauen and on th' other side the deuills to cast vs into the horrible furnace of hell fier and no man knoweth whether of these two lottes shall happen vnto him which shal be determined eyther the one waye or the other within the space of one houre after his death Consider therefore in what a heauie plight thy harte shal be at this last instant how fearfull how humble how abased before the face of him who onelie cā deliuer thee out of this daunger Suerlie I am of this opinion that there is no tonge in the worlde able to declare this matter as it is indeede How we come to vnderstande hereby the errours and blindnes of our lyfe past § IIII. AFTER this anguishe there followeth yet an other as great as it namelye in such persons as haue liued a wicked and dissolute lyfe which is to come so late to thinke vpō the accōpt they haue then forthwith to make of all the disorders and offences of their former lyfe At the houer of deythe it is a great greife to a sicke man if he haue liued licentiouslie that he thinketh so late vpō his accompte O how wōderfullie shall the wicked be confounded at that time when the griefe of their paine shall cause them to open their eies which heretofore the delight and pleasure of sinne had closed vp insomuch as they shall then clearlie perceiue what false goddes those were which they haue serued and how deceitfull those riches were which they haue so greidelie gaped after and how by followinge that waie whereby they thought to haue fownde rest they finde in conclusion their vtter ruin and destruction The seruantes of the kinge of Siria came to apprehende the Prophet Heliseus and when almightie God had stricken them all blinde by meanes of the praier of the Prophet the Prophet said vnto them Come goe with me and I will shewe you him whom you seeke 4. Reg. 6. And when he had thus said he caried them with him vnto Samaria and brought them into the market place of the cittie in the middes of al their enemies And then made his praier againe and saide O Lorde open the eies of these miserable men that they maie see where they are Now tell me I praie thee when those men opened their eies and sawe whither they were come beleuinge certainlie before that
they went to finde the partye they sought for how amased and ashamed were they when they sawe how fowlie they were deceiued Now what thinge in the worlde coulde make a more liuely resemblance of the proces and deceites of our lyfe We all doe walke here in this worlde by the waie of our appetites and desires Some seeke after golde others to purchace lādes others to make great buildinges others seeke for pleasures and delightes others for offices and dignities and each one is fullie perswaded that he taketh the best and wisest waie to obtein the thinge he disiereth But when the terrible presence of death and the daunger of our accompt discouereth the vanitie of our hopes then findinge our selues to be in arrerages for our accompt we shall clearlie perceiue how fowlie we haue bene deceiued and we shall see that by followinge that waie whereby we thought to haue founde quietnes and rest we finde our perdition O what miserable men are we How blindly doe we now wander vp and downe in the worlde What eies shall we then haue How shall our iudgement be then altered How farre different shall it be from that it was before Then shall we playnelie see how all the thinges of this worlde are miserable her goodes false her waies crooked her hopes vaine her promises lyinge her pleasures bitter her glorie shorte and vaine Then shall we perceiue though to late how her riches were thornes and her delightes poyson To be short then shall we see how our eies haue bene closed vp and that we neuer knewe whither we went and at the ende of our iourney we shall finde our selues in the streites of Samaria and in the snare of the iudgement of almightie God and compassed about with all our enemies to witt the diuells and our sinnes O how shall the wicked be confounded at that howre and how fowly shall they see them selues beguiled How truelie maye euerie one of them saie at that tyme O miserable wretch that I am what other commoditie haue I now by all my pleasures past but onely that I haue prouoked at this dreadfull howre the indignation of the iudge against me who must geue sentence vpon me Now my pleasures are all ended and gone and there remaineth of them neither relique nor memorie to comfort me withall no more than if they neuer had bene yea contrariewise they remaine as thornes that lye prickinge all about my harte they make my cause doutfull they torment my wofull sowle now presently and peraduenture shall torment it euerlastinglie for euer and euer This is the fruit that I haue gathered of my dissolute and wanton lyfe and of all my carnall delightes This is the settinge of my teeth on edge that my gluttonies past doe cause me now to haue My pleasures and delightes haue now forsaken me They are quite gone awaie and will neuer retourne againe yea perhapps in steede of pleasures that cōtinued but a momente there are prepared for me euerlastinge horrible tormentes in hell fier Now what blindnes can be greater than this How much better had it bene for me neuer to haue bene borne than to haue offended him of whose helpe and fauour I haue at this presente so great neide How much better had it bene for me that the earth had opened and swalowed me vp before I had once thought to offend him O vnfortunat daie O cursed howre wherein I offended thee ô Lorde Why did I not consider beforehande of this dreadfull howre Why was I not sooner mindfull of this terrible iudgement How were mine eies blynded with so smalle a glimse Is this the waie that I tooke to be so certayne and sure Is this the ende that all the honours of the worlde come vnto What are all those thinges which I haue so greatlie estiemeed heretofore of so litle accompte at this presente Of the terrour of the deadfull accompt we must make at the howere of our death vnto almightie God of all our lyfe past § V. AFTER this griefe there followeth also an other as great as this which is the feare of the accompt that shall then be required of vs. This is one of the greatest troubles and greifes we shall haue at that time For besides this that it is so terrible a matter to enter into iudgemēt with almightie God the very deuils also and fyendes of hell will increase this feare at that howre which before they were wont to extenuate and diminishe vnto vs with the hope and coulour of gods mercie Then will they put vs in minde of the greatnes and profoundenes of the iudgemēntes of almightie God and of his iustice which they will then shewe to be so great that he pardoned not his owne onely sonne for the sinnes of others Luc. 23. If this then be done in greine woode what shal be done saie they in drye woode Then the wicked man shall beginne to tremble and qwake for feare and saie to him selfe O miserable wretche that I am If that be true which al the scripture reporteth to wit that almightie God will geue to euerie one accordinge to his workes what maie I hope to receiue at his handes that haue done so manie wicked workes If the Gospell saie Math. 6. vers 27. Rom. 2.6 2. Cor. 5.10 Math. 3.10 Math. 7.19 That the tree shal be iudged accordinge to the frute that it yeldeth What iudgement maie I looke for that haue brought forthe so manie wicked fruites If it be true which the Prophet saieth That none shall ascend vp to the hill of God vnles he haue innocent handes Psal 23.3.4 and an vndefiled harte whither shall I then goe that haue had such wicked handes and such a filthie harthe If the sayeinge of the Wiseman be true Prou. 28.9 That whosoeuer shutteth his eares and will not heare the lawe shall crie and not be harde what maie I looke for that haue had mine eares shutt against almightie God and yet haue had them so open to harken after lies and vanities of the worlde Wherefore ô my omnipotent God with what face shall I now appeare before thee and desire thee to geue eare vnto me seinge thou hast so often times called me and I woulde geue no eare vnto thee How can I request thee to receiue me into thy howse seinge thou hast so often times called at my howse and I haue shutt my gates against thee How shall I finde thee now at the time of my neede seinge thou hast had so oftentimes neede of me in thy poore and impotent members and hast not found me By what title or right maie I request thee now at the ende of my iourney to graunt me heauē seinge I haue spente all my lyfe time in the seruice of the deuill thine enemie O how iustly maist thou then ô Lorde saie vnto me Thou hast serued the worlde and the deuill get thee therefore vnto them and let them geue thee thy hyre The like answere made the Prophet Heliseus
to kinge Ioram the sonne of Achab. Who when he had spente and emploied all his lyfe in the seruice and worshippinge of Idols and came in the time of his necessitie to the Prophet of God requestinge him of helpe and remedie 4. Reg. 3.13 the holie Prophet answered and saide O kinge Ioram what hast thou to doe with me Get thee hence to the Prophettes of thy father wheÌ„soeuer a synner earnestlie repenteth and coÌ„uerteth trewlie vnto God he will forgeue and receiue him but fewe sicke persons that haue liued dissolutelie doe so but if they recouer there health doe retorn ordinarielie againe to their former wicked lyfe Esa 57.13 At the hower of our deathe we wishe that we had more time to doe penance for our synnes and mother and desier them to helpe thee at this tyme. O how manie of vs doe followe this wicked kinge both in our life and death In our lyfe we serue the worlde and at the point of death we calle vpon almightie God What answere maie we looke to haue at that dreadfull howre but euen the same that he hath alreadie geuen in the like case Which is what hast thou to doe with me sith thou diddest neuer seruice vnto me Get thee hence to thy counsellors whom thou hast folowed and to thy idols whom thou hast loued serued and adored and speake vnto them to geue thee thy wages for thy seruice When yee shall crie saieth almightie God by his Prophet Esaie let them that yee haue gathered together deliuer you but the winde shall take them all awaie At this time the sicke man beginneth to wishe that he might haue some space to doe penance for his former wicked lyfe And he thinketh then with himselfe that if he might obteyne it ô how he woulde fast and praie and doe great worckes of mercie Yea he woulde not contente him selfe with euerie common kinde of penaÌ„ce but woulde liue the most straite and austere kinde of lyfe of all men in the worlde But alas when he perceiueth by the encreasinge of his sicknes that his request will not be grauÌ„ted and calleth to minde what time opportunitie and meanes he hath had to prepare himselfe for this dreadful howre aÌ„d how fondly he hath suffered the same to passe in vaine then is he wonderfullie greiued and vexed for this losse and acknowledgeth him selfe to be well worthie of such punnishement for that he woulde not be mindfull beforehande of his dreadfull accompt but omitted to doe penance for his synnes when he had time and space to doe it O vnto how manie of vs doth it happen to be beguiled after this sorte speÌ„dinge and consuminge the time which almightie God hath geuen vs to doe penance for our sinnes in vanities and pleasures and afterwardes when we stande in most neede of it we wante it A verie apt similitude And so it happeneth vnto vs as it doth commonlie to the pages and seruitours in the Cowert who beinge alowed a candle to light them selues to bedde doe spende their candle in plaie all the night and afterwardes are constrained to goe to bedde darkelinge OF THE SACRAMENT OF EXTREME Vnction And of the agonie of death Infirmatur quis in vobis inducut prâ—sbitoros ecclesiae et orent supâ—r 〈◊〉 vâ—gentes cum oleo in domini Jac. cap. 5. vers 14. § VI. The Catholicke Churche helpethe her childreÌ„ at the hower of their deathe with prayers aÌ„d Sacramentes NOw approcheth the sicke person to his last ende and the Catholike Church as a verie louinge and pittiefull mother beginneth then to helpe her Children with praiers and Sacramentes and with all the meanes she maie possiblie doe And because his necessitie is so great for at that instant it shal be determined what shall become of him for euer and euer greate hast is made to calle vpon all the Sainctes in heauen that they all will helpe the sicke maÌ„ in this his great perill and daunger For what other thinge is the Letanye which then by commandement of the Church is to be saied ouer him that is at the poynt of death but that the Catholicke Churche as a pittifull mother beinge verie carefull for the daunger of her sicke childe knocketh at all the gates of heauen and cryeth vnto all the Sainctes desiringe them to be intercessors before the diuine maiestie for the saluation of him that standeth now in so great neede of their helpe at the time of his passinge out of this worlde The Preiste then annoyntethe all the senses and members of the sicke person Then the Preist out of hande annointeth all the senses and members of the sicke person with the holie Oyle accordinge as the holie Scripture commaundeth in the Epistle of S. Iames. cap. 5. vers 14. And desireth almightie God to pardon the sicke person all that he hath offended by any of his senses And then annointinge his eies he saieth Almightie God by this Vnction and of his diuine mercie pardon thee all the sinnes that thou hast committed by meanes of thine eies And in this wise he annointeth all the other partes of the sicke person Now if the miserable sinner haue bene dissolute in his eies or in his toÌ„ge or in anie other of his bodelie senses If all his former dissolute disorders and wanton pleasures be represented vnto him at that time in such sorte that he seeth well what litle fuite he is lyke to finde then by all his former delightes and pleasures If he perceiue withall into what a narrowe strait he is brought by meanes of his wicked and licentious life how can he chose but feele an extreme angwish and griefe therewith What woulde he geue at that time trowe yee that he had neuer lifted vp his eies from the grownde to beholde anie woman with anie wanton looke and that he had neuer opened his mowth to speake anie wordes of lyenge slaunder detraction or anie other wicked worde Of the agonie of deythe After this followe the panges and agonie of death which is suerlie the greatest of all the conflictes we haue in this lyfe Then is the holie Candle lighted and his friendes and executors beginne to prouide his wyndinge sheete and other thinges for his funerals Then they beginne to faie to the sicke man that the hower of his departure out of this worlde is now come and therefore they counsell him to recommende himselfe vnto almightie God and call vpon the holie virgin Marie his blessed Mother who is wonte at that hower to helpe all them that calle vpon her Then the sicke man beginneth to heare the woefull cries and pittiefull lamentations of his poore wife who now presently beginneth to feele the discommodities of her newe widowhode and solitarie lyfe Then the sowle of the sicke man is readie to departe froÌ„ the bodie and at the time of hir goinge euerie one of his members is sore grieued and vexed therewith Then are the cares of the sowle renewed a freshe Then is the
spetiall friendes can doe then vnto him besides prayinge for his sowle is to honour him with castinge a handfull of earthe vpon him And therefore the faithfull people are wont to vse this ceremonie towardes the dead that almightie God maye dispose others to doe the same vnto them whē they shal be in the like case Now what greater confession and acknowledginge of our miserie can we diuise than to see how men doe preuent before hande that they may not want after their death so smalle a benefite as this is O greidie couetousenes of the lyuinge and great pouertie of the dead Why shoulde a man desire and gape after so manie thinges for this presente lyfe beinge so shorte as it is seinge so litle will content him at the howre of his death Then the graue maker taketh the spade and pykeaxe into his hande and beginneth to tumble downe bones vpon bones and to tread downe the earth verie harde vpon him Insomuch that the fairest face in all the worlde the best trimmed and most charily kepte from wynde and sonne shall lye there and be stamped vpon by the rude graue maker who will not sticke to laie him on the face and rappe him on the sculle yea and to batter downe his eies and nose flatte to his face that they maie lye well and euen with the earth And the fyne dapperde gentleman who whiles he liued might in no wise abide the wynde to blowe vpon him no nor so much as a litle heare or moore to falle vpon his garmentes but in all hast it must be brusshed of with great curiositie here they laie and hurle vpon him a donghill of filthines and dirte And that sweete mynion gentleman also that was wont forsooth to goe perfumed with Amber and other odoriferous smelles must be contented here to lye couered all ouer with earthe and fowle crawlinge wormes and maggottes This is the ende of all the gaie braueries and of all the pompe and glorie of the worlde In this plight doe all his freindes nowe leaue him lyenge in that strait lodginge in that earthe of obliuion and in that darcke prison where he shall remaine accompanied with perpetuall solitarines vntill the generall daye of Iudgment O worlde what is become of thy glorie O yee my howses landes and riches where is your power O my wyfe my children my freindes and kinsfolke where haue ye now left me How happeneth it that yee my olde freindes and companions doe so quickly forsake me and leaue me here in the earthe thus solitarie alone How chaunceth it that the wheele of my so great prosperitie and felicitie is so quickly ouerturned and defaced They that sawe Quene Iezabell when she was by the iust iudgement of God eaten with dogges 4. Reg. 9. when they sawe that there remained nothinge els of her bewtie but onelie her sculle and the extreme partes of her feete and handes those I saie that had knowen her before in so greate flourishinge and royall estate and sawe her at that time in such a miserable plight wonderinge at that so great alteration and chaunge demaunded and saied Haeccine est illa Iezabel Is this that Iezabell 4. Reg. 9.37 And as manie as passed by that waie and behelde her thus eaten with dogges repeted the same exclamation merueylinge at so great a chaunge and saied Is this that Iezabell Is this that great Quene and Ladie of Israëll Is this she that was so mightie that she vsurped and seased the landes and goodes of her subiectes by sheedinge of their bloude Is death able to bringe the mightie and puissaunte Princes to such a base and miserable calamitie Now therefore my deare brother goe downe I praie thee with thy spirit into the graues and Sepulchers of such Princes and great noble personages as thou hast either harde of or knowen in this worlde and consider what a horrible and deformed forme of their bodies is there to be seene And thou shalt see that thou hast good cause to make the like exclamation and to vse the same wordes and saie Is this that Iezabell Is this that amiable face which I knewe so faire and liuelie Are these those eies that were so cleare and brighte to beholde Is this that pleasaunt rowlinge tongue that talked so eloquently and made such goodlie discourses Is this that fyne and neyte bodie that was so trimlie pollished and adorned Is this the ende of the maiestie of Princes scepters and roiall crownes Is this the ende of the glorie of the worlde O how often times saieth a Wise man hath it bene my chaunce to enter into the sepulchres of some dead bodies where wonderinge or rather beinge greatlie astonied at the sight that I sawe I fixed mine eies aduisedlie vpon the shape of the dead corps I sette the bones in order I ioyned the handes together and sette the lippes in their proper places and spake thus secretlie to my selfe Beholde these feete that haue trauayled such crooked pathes and waies These handes also that haue committed so manie wicked actes These eies that haue behelde so manie vanities This mouth that hath eaten and deuoured so manie delicate and superfluous meates Beholde this sculle of his head that hath built so manie vaine castels and towers in the aier This dust and filthie skinne for whose pleasure and delight he hath committed so many sinnes and wickednes and for which cause the sowle of this bodie doth and shall perhappes suffer euerlastinge horrible tormentes in hell fier This done I departed out of that place wholy astonied and amased and meitinge with certain persons both men and women yonge and olde I behelde them likewise and considered that both they and I shoulde shortelie appeare in the like vglie forme and sieme as vyle and lothsome to beholde as those dead bodies are now presentelie Wherefore what a fonde wicked wretche am I to liue in suche wise as I doe To what ende is my purchasinge ād heapinge together of lādes and riches ād my buildinge of such sumptuous howses seinge I shall shortly be here so poore and naked To what ende are my gaie braueries and gorgious ornamentes in my apparell and furniture of howsholde stuffe seinge I shall shortly be here so filthie and lothsome to beholde To what ende are my delicate disshes my sugered sawces and deyntie fare seinge I shall shortly be here meate for the wormes and maggottes of the earthe Of the waie that the sowle taketh after it is departed out of the bodie And of the dreadfull iudgment and sentence that shal be geuen vpon it at that time § VIII Note that there be two iudgemētes one is at the hower of euerie mās deathe which is called the particular iudgemente And the other is at doomesdaye which shal be the vniuersall iudgmente of all mankinde together S. Bernarde LET vs now leaue the bodie lyinge thus buried in the graue and let vs see what waie the sowle taketh throughe that newe worlde which is
as it were an other hemespherie where it findeth a new heauen a newe earthe an other kinde of lyfe and an other maner of vnderstandinge and knowledge The sowle then after it is departed out of the bodie entereth into this newe region where those that by liuinge neuer entered a place full of feare and terrour and of shadowes of death But now what shall this new straunger doe in this so straunge a countrey vnlesse it be so that he hath deserued in this lyfe to haue the garde and defence of Angells for this time O my sowle saieth S. Bernarde what a terrible daie shal that be when thou shalt enter all alone into that vnknowen region where those hellishe monsters that are so horrible and vglie to beholde shall encounter and assault thee in the waie Who will then take thy part Who will then defende thee Who will then deliuer thee from those rampinge lions which beinge raginge madde for honger do lie there in waite to deuour thee At the hower of deathe the sowle müst rendre a particular accompte vnto almightie God of all thinges aÌ„d then it shal be iudged what shall become of her for euermore and this is termed her particular iudgemeÌ„t Math. 12.36 1. Peter 4.18 Vndoubtedlie this is a verie fearfull waie but the iudgment that shall then so solemnlie be geuen is farre more terrible Who is able to declare how strait the decision of this particular iudgement shal be How righteous the iudge How busie and solicitous the deuills our accusers How fewe intercessors on our syde What a particuler examination shal be made of euerie point of our accompte And what a longe proces shal be drawen of all our whole lyfe And as our Sauiour affirmeth we must then render an accompte of euerie idell worde Wherefore if the iust man as S. Peter saieth shal hardly be saued where shall the sinner and wicked man shewe them selues It is a thinge trulie verie worthie to be noted that whereas a man woulde thinke that those thinges that we haue most loued and for which we haue taken most paines shoulde most helpe vs in this greate distres it falleth out quite contrarie For they shall not onely not helpe vs but also be an occasion at that tyme of more paine and griefe vnto vs. 2. Reg. 14. 2. Reg. 18. The thinge that AbsoloÌ„ loued aÌ„d esteemed aboue all thinges was his goodlie heare of his head And that verie heare almightie God ordeined by his iust iudgement to be the cause of his death The thinges that we loue most in this lyfe shall make our accompte more dowtefull and be greater greife vnto vs at the hower of our deathe Now the verie same iudgement is prepared for all wicked persons at that howre that those thinges that euerie man most loued in this lyfe and for which he committed most haynous offences against almightie God the verie same thinges shall make his accompt more doutfull and be occasion of greater torment vnto him There shall our children whom we sought to enriche not passinge whether it were by right or wronge accuse vs. There shall the nawghtie harlotte for whose wanton loue we haue broken the lawes and commaundementes of almightie God pleade against vs. There shall our landes our goodes our offices our dignities our pleasures and delightes which were our idolles be our hangmen and tormente vs most cruellie There shall almightie God geue iudgement vpon all the gods of Egipt ordeyninge the matter in such sorte that those verie thinges wherein we haue put all our glorie shall at that tyme be the cause of our ruine Now if the seueritie of the dreadfull sentence of almightie God be answerable to our sinnes who shal be able to abyde it One of those auncient holie fathers that liued in the wildernes was wont to saie that of thre thinges he liued continually in greate feare The first was when his sowle shoulde departe out of his bodie The seconde when it shoulde be presented before the iudgment seat of almightie God The thirde when the sentence of his cause should be geuen and pronounced But now which is most terrible of all what if almightie God shall geue this most terrible sentence ageinst thee that thou shalt be damned for euer and euer to the horrible tormentes of hell fier there to continewe infinite millions of yeares and worlde without ende In what a terrible strait shalt thou then be What sorowe What greife What anguishe shalt thou then feele Againe what ioye and triumphes will the deuills thyne enemies make at that tyme Then shall that sentence of the Prophet be fulfilled sayeinge Ierem. Lam. 2. vers 16. All thine enemies shall open their mouthes vpon thee they shall laughe thee to scorne and gnashe their teath at thee and saie we will deuour him this is the daie we haue so longe loked for we haue found him we haue espied him But thou ô sweite Iesus Psalm 12. Illuminat the eies of my sowle I beseeche thee that I steipe not in death that myne enemie maie neuer saie I haue preuailed against him Amen THVRSDAIE NIGHTE OF THE GENERALL DAYE OF IVDGEMENT Oâ—â—â—â— nor â—â—â—festari Oportâ—t aâ—â—e Tribunal Christi est Refâ—â—â—â—Vnusquâ—â—◠〈◊〉 Coâ—â—â—â—◠〈◊〉 gâ—ffâ—t finiâ—â—â— sinâ— inâ—â—â— sciâ—utes ingo timoteâ—â— domini hominibâ—s sundâ—â—â— 2. Corinth 5.10 Si Justiâ— vix saluabitur impius et peccâ—â—â—Vâ—â— pâ—rrâ—â—â— 1. petr 4. â—â— THIS DAIE WHEN THOV HAST MADE THE SIGNE OF the Crosse and prepared thy selfe hereunto thou hast to meditate vpon the daie of the generall iudgement that by meanes of this consideration those two principall effectes maye be stirred vp in thy sowle which euerie faithfull Christian ought to haue to wit the feare of God and the abhorringe of sinne CONSIDER first what a terrible daie that shal be Of the dreadfulnes and terrour of the generall iudgemente in which the causes of all the children of Adam shal be througlie examyned the proces of all our liues diligently perused and a generall definitiue sentence geuen what shall become of vs all for euermore That daie shall comprise in it all the daies of all the ages and times both present past and to come For vpon that daie the worlde shall reÌ„dre an accompte of all these times And then shall almightie God power out the anger and indignation which he hath gathered together in all ages How violentlie shall the maine floude of gods wrathe and indignation breake out at that daie which conteineth in it so manie floudes of anger and wrathe as there haue bene sinnes committed since the beginninge of the worlde vntill that daie And therefore the Prophet had good cause to saie That daie shal be a daie of anger Soph. 1.15 a daie of calamitie and miserie a daie of obscuritie and darckenes a daie of cloudes and tempestious stormes a daie of the trompette and alarom against the stronge cities and against the highe towers Of the dreadfull signes that shall goe
dead and come to iudgemente Who shall appeale from this sommons Who shal be able to auoide this iudgment Whose hart shall not tremble and quake for feare at the terrible sownde of this voyce This voyce shall take from death all her spoiles and cause her to restore againe all that she hath taken awaye from the worlde And so S. Iohn saieth that then The Sea shall restore the dead bodies which it hath had Apoc. 20. And likewise both death and hell shall restore all those bodies that they haue Now what a wounderfull sight shall that be to see the Sea and the earthe to bringe forthe in all partes such varietie of bodies and to see so manie huge armies and so manie sortes and diuersities of nations and people assemble together There shall the Alexanders appeare There the Zerxes and Artaxerxes There the Dariies and the Emperours of Rome and the most mightie Kinges and puyssante Princes of the worlde with an other maner of habite and behauiour and with other kinde of thoughtes much differinge from those that they had in this lyfe To be shorte there shall all the children of Adam meete together euerie one to geue vp an accompte of his owne lyfe and to be iudged accordinge to his workes There shal be a greate difference at the daye of resurrection betweene the bodies of the iust ād the bodies of the wicked Howbeit althoughe all persons shall rise agayne at that daye neuer to die anie more yet shall there be a great differēce betwene bodies ād bodies For the bodies of the iust shal rise verie bewtifull and bright like the Sonne But the bodies of the wicked shall rise verie darke and filthie euen like vnto death it selfe Now what a great ioye shall it be then vnto the sowles of the iust to see their desire now fullie accomplished What a ioye shal it be to see thē selues after so longe a banishement to be vnited and ioyned euerlastingly in cēpanie with their most deare and louinge brethern With what ioye maye the sowle saie then vnto the bodie O my bodie Of the ioyefull meeting of the sowles and bodies of the iust at the daye of generall iudgemēte and faithfull companion that hast holpen me to gaine this crowne that hast so oftentimes fasted watched and suffered with me the painfull strookes and lashes of discipline the trauell of pouertie the crosse of penance and the contradictions and reproches of the worlde How often times hast thou spared the meate from thine owne belly to geue it to the poore How often hast thou lacked clothes thy selfe to clothe the naked How often hast thou renounced and lost thine owne right and title for that thou wouldest not breake peace and be at discention with thy neighbour Wherefore it is meete that thou shouldest now be partaker of this heauenly treasure seinge thou hast holpēme to gaine the same And it is meete that thou shouldest be my companion in this my glorie seinge thou hast bene my companion in all my paines and labours Thē shall these two faithfull friendes be ioyned together in one subiecte not as they were in this lyfe with contrarie appetites and desires but with a leage of perpetuall peace and conformitie So as they maie singe and saie for euer Beholde what a good and ioyefull thinge it is Psal 132. Of the sorowful and greeuous meetinge that shal be of the sowles and bodies of the damned persons at the daye of generall iudgemente for brethern to dwell together in one But contrariewise what a heauines and greife shall it then be to the sowle of the damned person when he shall see his bodie in an vglie forme as there it shal be geuen vnto him to wit blacke filthie stinckinge and horrible Then shal he saie O cursed bodie O beginninge and ende of my paines and sorowes O cause of my damnation Now art thou no more my companion but mine enemie Now art thou no more my helper but my persecutor Now art thou no more my habitation but the chaine and snare of my destruction O cursed tast How dearlie doe I paie now for thy delicacies and delightes O stinckinge fleashe that hast thus brought me to these painfull horrible tormentes by yeeldinge to thy lustes and pleasures What Alas is this the bodie for whose sake I cōmitted so manie sinnes Were these the delightes of this bodie that caused me vtterlye to cast awaie my selfe Was it for this stinckinge muckhill that I haue lost for euer the kingdome of heauen Was it for this vyle and filthie carkas that I haue lost for euer the glorie of lyfe euerlastinge O ye infernall furies rise vp now against me and teare and rent me in peeces for I haue well deserued these horrible tormentes Cursed be the daie of my vnfortunat birthe seinge my happe must be so miserable as to suffer euerlastinge tormentes in the most horrible pitt of hell for so short pleasures and delightes These and other more desperate wordes shall the dāned sowle speake vnto that bodie which she loued so exceedinglie in this trāsitorie worlde But tell me ô miserable sowle why doest thou now so much abhorre that thinge which heretofore thou louedst so well Is not this fleashe thy dearlie beloued Is not this the bellie which thou madest thy God Is not this the face which thou diddest kepe so warily frō the sonne and winde Is not this the visage which thou diddest paint with so manie artificiall coloures Are not these the armes and fingers which glistered with ringes of golde and dyamondes Is not this the bodie for whose sake searche was made both by lande and Sea to furnishe a table for it with all delicate and deintie disshes to haue a fyne and softe bedde to procure curious and costly garmentes Who hath now so altered thy affection Who hath made thy bodie to looke now so horrible and vglie which before seemed so faire and amiable Thou seest here now Christian brother what ende the glorie of the worlde hath with all the vayne pleasures and delightes of the bodie Of the comminge of the Iudge Of the matter of the iudgement And of the witnesses and accusors that shal be there against the wicked § IIII. NOW when all mankinde shal be raised againe and assembled together in one place expectinge the comminge of the Iudge Act. 10. then shall he whom almightie God hath appointed to be iudge ouer the quicke and the dead come downe Note here the two cōminges of Christe the firste was with greate humilitie and the secōde shal be with great maiestie and glorie And like as at his first comminge he came with verie great humilitie and meikenes inuitinge men vnto peace and callinge them vnto penance euen so at his seconde comminge he shall come with verie great maiestie and glorie accompanied with all the powers and principalities of heauen threateninge all those with the furie of his anger that refused to vse the meeknes of his mercie At
respecte of the workes of iustice that we haue done but accordinge to his great mercie he hath saued vs. O how wonderfull desirous was our most gracious Lorde that we shoulde vnderstande his mercie when by the Prophet Esaie he spake those so notable wordes Esa 43.22 Thou hast not called vpō me ô Iacob ād thou ô Israel hast not trauayled in my seruice Thou hast not offered vnto me thy rāmes in a whole burnte sacrifice neither hast thou glorified me with thy sacrifices c. And yet for all this thou hast made me to serue in thy synnes and hast put me to paines with thyne iniquitie It is I It is I that doe pardon thy synnes for mine owne sake and that will neuer be mindefull of them Put me in minde and let vs enter into iudgemente and shewe if thou haue any thinge where with to iustifie thy selfe Wherefore ô most mercifull and sweite Lorde what thinge is there in me wherewith I maie recompence thee for this so great a benefite If I shoulde liue all the liues of the children of Adam and all the daies and yeares of the worlde If I were able to sustein all the trauels and paines of all the men that either be hath bene or shall be all this were as nothinge to recompence the verie least of the greifes and paines that thou hast suffered for me Consideringe therefore that I can by no meanes possible discharge this inestimable great dett let me paie thee ô my almightie God if it be thy blessed will with the continuall remembrance of the same I beseech thee ô Lorde euen by the bowels of thy infinite charitie that thou wilt wounde my harte with thy woūdes and make my sowle droncke with thy most pretious bloud in such sorte that whither so euer I shall turne my selfe I maie alwaies see thee crucified and wheresoeuer I shall cast mine eies all thinges maie seeme vnto me to shyne with thy pretious bloude Let this be all my consolation to be alwaies crucified with thee and let this be all my affliction to thinke vpon anie other thinge besides thee Consider ô my almightie God the great price wherewith thou hast bowghte me and suffer not so pretious a treasure to be shed in vaine for me And graunte me ô most mercifull Lorde that I be not as a childe that is borne before his time whom his mother bringeth forthe with exceidinge great trauell and paine and yet he enioyeth not the commoditie and fruit of lyfe Of the fourthe benefite to witt of Vocation § IIII. AFTER this thinke vpon the benefite of Vocation or callinge of almightie God without which all the other benefites tende to the greater damnation of a man Two callinges of God one vnto faithe and an other vnto grace But here it is to be noted that there be two kindes of callinges of almightie God one vnto faith by meanes of the Sacrament of Baptisme and an other vnto grace after that a man hath lost the first innocencie which he had by baptisme Consider now what a great benefite the first callinge of thee was by meanes of the Sacrament of holie Baptisme The first callinge is by Baptisme whereby thou wast clensed from originall sinne deliuered from the power of the deuill made the sonne of almightie God and an inheritour of his kingedome There he toke thy sowle to be is spowse and adorned it with such ornamentes as were conuenient for such a state to witt with the grace vertues and giftes of the holie Ghost and with other iewells and giftes that are farre more pretious than those that were geuen to Rebecca Gen. 24. whē she was takē to be the spowse of Isaac Now what hast thou done whereby to deserue so great a benefite as this is How many thowsandes not onely of men but also of nations and whole countreys are there that by the iust iudgemente of almightie God doe not obteine this inestimable great benefite What had become of thee if thou haddest bene borne emonge those infidels and wanted this knowledge of the true liuinge God and worshipped stockes and stones for God as the infidels doe How much art thou bounde to almightie God that emonge such an infinite nomber of lost and damned sowles it pleased him that thou shouldest be one of the nomber of them that shoulde be saued yea and be borne in the lappe of the Catholike Churche and be nourished there with the milke of the Apostles and with the pretious bloude of our sweete Sauiour Iesus Christe The seconde callinge Now if after the grace of this firste callinge thou hast throughe thyne owne default and synfull lyfe lost the innocencie which thou receiuedst in the Sacramente of Baptisme in case it hath pleased our Lorde all that notwithstandinge to call thee the seconde time yea and verie manie and oftē times how much art thou then bounde vnto him for this so passinge great benefite How manie benefites are conteyned in this benefite One benefite it was to expecte and tarrie for thy conuersion so longe time to geue thee space to doe penance and to suffer thee so longe to contynewe in that state of synne and wickednes and not to cutte downe the vnfruitfull and vnprofitable tree that occupied such a rowme in the earthe and receiued the influencies of heauen altogether in vaine An other benefite it was to suffer thee to committe so many and so heynous enormous synnes and not to cast thee downe therefore into the most horrible bothomles pitt of hell fier where perhappes manie others are now there tormented euen for lesse offences than thyne An other benefite it was to fende thee so many good inspirations and holie purposes euen in the middest of thy verie synnes and wicked life and to persiste in callinge thee so longe a time whereas thou in the meane season diddest nothinge els but offende him verie greiuouslie that called thee An other benefite it was also to bringe thy greate stubbornes and longe obstinate resistance at the lengthe to an ende and to calle thee with such a mightie and lowde voice that thereby thou mightest rise from death to lyfe and come forthe as it were an other Lazarus Ioan. 2. out of the darcke and obscure graue of thy wicked and synnefull lyfe and not with thy handes and feete bownde but losed and sett at free libertie out of the stinckinge prison and thraldome of the enemie of mankinde But aboue all this what a benefite was it to graunt thee then not onelie pardon for thy sinnes past but also grace from that time forwardes not to retourne vnto them againe geuinge thee moreouer all such other ornamentes Luc. 15. as were geuen to the penitente prodigall sonne when he was receiued into grace and fauour againe by meanes of which ornamentes and graces thow mightest liue as the childe of God and contemne and laughe at the malice of the deuill and triumphe ouer the worlde and take a sweete tast of the thinges
appertaininge vnto almightie God which before seemed verie vnsauerie vnto thee and withall conceiue a certaine lothsomnes and mislikinge of the thinges of the worlde which before seemed verie sauorie and delightfull vnto thee But now besides this what if thou doe consider vnto how manie others almightie God hath denied this benefite which he hath so freely graunted vnto thee And wheras thou beinge a sinner as well as they and as vnworthie of this callynge as they yet it hath pleased almightie God to suffer them to continewe in their wicked state and to calle thee vnto the state of saluation and grace With what thankes and with what seruices art thou able to recompence him for this inestimable speciall fauour and grace What an excerdinge ioye will it be vnto thee when by the vertue of this vocation thou shalt see thy selfe to haue the fruition of almightie God for euer and euer in the kingdome of heauen and shalt see other of thy companions and acquaintance for want of the like grace of God to remaine euerlastinglie tormented in the horrible raginge fier of hell O good Lorde what a nomber of thinges are there included in this grace to be well weighed and earnestlie considered vpon Tell me I praie thee Luc. 23. when the blessed theife who with one worde purchased lyfe euerlastinge seeth him selfe in that so great glorie which he now possesseth in the kingdome of heauen and seeth his companion also in those great horrible tormentes of hell fyer and calleth to minde withall that he him selfe was a theife also as well as the other and suffered for his robberies as the other did and that a litle before he blasphemed our Sauiour Iesus Christ in like maner as his companion did and that yet for all this it pleased almighie God to caste his mercifull eies vpon him and to geue him so great a light leauinge the other theife in his darckenes now in consideringe herevpon what thanckes thinkest thou doth he render to almightie God for this spetiall grace How wounderfullie doth he reioyce at so great a benefite How doth he meruaile at so great a iudgement With what a passinge great loue doth he loue him that woulde vowchsafe to preuent him with such a singular and wonderfull grace Now if this seeme so great a benefite vnto thee Remember thy selfe that our sauiour Christ hath bestowed the like inestimable benefite vpon thee when the same louinge Lorde vowchsaffed to cast his mercifull eies so speciallie vpon thee and did not with the like maner of callinge calle thy neighbour companion or freinde who peraduenture had lesse offended his diuine maiestie than thou Consider then how much thou art bownde to our Lorde for this his great benefite and what a great occasion is here offered vnto thee to desire euen to suffer deathe for the loue of him Besides all this consider how costlie and chargeable this benefite of our redemption was to our Sauiour Christ which was so freely geuen vnto thee Vnto thee it was geuen franckly and of mere grace Summa S. Thomae 3. q. 1. artic 2. 3. quaest 46. artic 1. 2. and it cost him euen his owne most precious bloude and lyfe also for it is manifest that without the same our synnes coulde not be pardoned nor our woūdes cured It is saiede of the Pellican that she bringeth forth her yonge-ones dead and seinge them in that case she stryketh her selfe vpō the breast with her beake vntill she cause bludde to issue out and therewith she batheth her yonge-ones and so they receiue heate and lyfe Now if thou wilt vnderstande how great this benefite is make accompte with thy selfe that when thow wast dead in synne that most louinge and mercifull Pellican our Sauiour Christ moued with most tender pietie and compassion stroke his sacred breast with a speare and wasshed the deadly woundes of thy sowle with the precious bludde of his woūdes and so with his owne death he gaue thee lyfe and with his owne woundes healed thy woundes Be not thou therefore vnthankfull vnto him for this so great and costlie benefite but as our Lorde admonisheth thee be mindefull of the daie in which thou camest out of Egipt This daie was the daie of thy Passeouer Exod. 13. this was the daie of thy Resurrection for so much as vpon this daie thou hast passed throughe the redde sea of the bludde of Christ vnto the lande of promise and vpon this daie thou hast risen againe from death to lyfe Of the particuler benefites that almightie God bestoweth vpon vs. § V. THESE benefites aforesaiede are generall Other benefites there are more particuler that be geuen to particuler persons the which benefites none other knoweth but onely he that hath receyued them In this accompte are reckened manie kindes of benefites either of fortune or of nature or of grace which almightie God hath geuen to each one in particuler and also diuers and sundrie miseries and daungers both of bodie and sowle from which he of his mere mercie hath deliuered vs. For which particuler benefites we are as well bounde to geue him thankes as for the former generall benefittes forsomuch as they are more certaine signes and tokens of the spetiall and particular loue and prouidence that our Lorde beareth towardes vs. Such benefites as these are can not be written in bookes but euerie one ought to write them in his harte and so to ioyne them with the other generall benefites and to geue most humble thankes vnto our Lorde for them Our Lorde preserueth vs manie times from secrete daungers and snares that woulde otherwise falle vpon vs. There be also other benefites yet more secrete and hidden than these which are vnknowen euen to the verie partie himselfe that hath receaued them These are certayne priuie daungers and secrete snares which our Lorde is wont to preuent and disapoynte by his diuine prouidence for that he vnderstandeth what great domage and preiudice they might doe vnto vs in case he shoulde not cutte them of and disapoynte theire cowerse What man is able to tell from how manie temptations almightie God hath preserued him and from how manie occasions of sinnes he hath deliuered him and how often times he hath stopped the passages and remoued awaye the deceytefull snares of the deuill our enemie that we shoulde not falle into them The deuill him selfe saieth of the holie man Iob Iob. 1.10 That almightie God had enuironed him on euerie side that nothinge might doe him hurte And euen so is our Lorde wonte to kepe and preserue such as be his as it were a glasse preserued in his case that nothinge maye hurt them A mā may haue manie secrete giftes and many secrete synnes that he knoweth not Psalm 28. It maie also be that a man hath receiued of almightie God some secrete giftes althoughe he him selfe knoweth not of them as also a man maie and is wont to haue manie secrete synnes which he
it was wholly most pure virgins fleshe taken of the most pure and virginall bowels of our blessed Lady S. Bonauenture without anie other kinde of mixture And for this cause as S. Bonauenture saiethe his bodie was the more tender and of a more perfecte sense in feelinge The fourthe cause of his so greiuouse paynes was the very kinde of death which he suffered with all the circumstances that happened in all the continuance of his passion forsomuch as each one of them if they be well considered was a kinde of martirdome by it selfe And that thou mayst more clearly perceiue the same Twelue most greiuous paynes which our Sauiour suffered in his passion beginne euen from the first entrie of his passion vntill the ende of it and thou shalt finde emonge others twelue most greyuous paynes which our Sauiour there suffered the which I wil rehearce here very breiflie notwithstandinge that in euerie one of them there is verie much to be said and considered The first was the agonie in the garden and that wonderfull bloudie sweate which trickled drowne througheout all the partes of his bodie vnto the earthe which was the most newe and most straungest thinge of all that euer hath happened in the worlde The seconde was to be solde for so base a price of his owne Apostle and disciple vnto so cruell enemies The therde was to be so often times caried throughe the common streetes bounde and manicled as if he had bene a verie theyfe The fourthe was the punishement with whippinge and scourginge which besides that the lashes were verie crewellie laid on him and verie manie in nomber it is not a punishement for a man of any credite or honestie but for bondeslaues vagabondes and men of most vyle and base condition The fifte was that most cruell inuention of the crowne of thornes wherein were ioyned together both most greiuous shame and dishonour and withall most greiuous paine and tormente The sixte was those so manifolde blasphemies and sundrie kindes of most villeynous mockeries iniuries and reproches which were ioyned with the tormentes as to spette so often times in his face as though he had bene a blasphemer to geue him buffettes and blowes as if he had bene a vagabonde to apparell him some times in white garmentes and some times in redde as if he had bene a foole to hoodwinke his eies and to ieste at him sayeinge Areede who hath smitten thee Leuit. 22.46 as if he had bene a verie dissarde to clothe him with a purple garment to set a reide in his hande to kneele on one knee before him to smyte him on the head with a reid as if he had bene a counterfait kinge and besides all this to proclaime him throughe the common streetes as a malefactour Who euer sawe so many kindes of reprochefull iniuries heaped together vpon one man The seuenthe was that wonderfull contēpte and despite which was done vnto him beinge the sonne of almightie God when they compared him with Barrabas and made lesse accompte of him than of Barrabas Insomuch as that Lorde by whom all thinges were created and in whom all thinges doe liue and are preserued was accompted more vnprofitable and more vnwourthy to lyue than Barrabas an infamous malefactour The eight was in that they enforced him to carie vpon his shoulders which were all to rēte and breused the verie same instrument of the crosse whereupon he shoulde suffer deathe The tormentors them selues which are commonlie the ministers of crueltie doe vse to hyde the eies of them that are to be beheadded that they maie not see the instrument that shall bereue them of their lyfe but here they doe not onely not vse this kinde of humanitic towardes our Sauiour but they laie the same instrument of his deathe euen vpon his owne shoulders to the intente that his harte might first suffer the tormente of the crosse inwardlie before that his bodie shoulde proue it outwardlie The ninthe was the very martirdome of the crosse which is a most cruell kinde of torment for it is not a speydie kinde of deathe as to be hanged or beheadded but very longe and lingeringe and the woundes be in the most sensible partes of the bodie to witt in the feete and handes which are most full of vaines and sinowes which be the iustrumentes of feelinge Moreouer his paines were increased with the poyze and weight of his owne bodie which alwaies tended and swayed dounwarde and so it euer rented and enlarged his woundes and augmented the greife of his tormentes continually and this caused his martirdome to become so extremely greiuous that althoughe he had no deadlie wounde yet by reason of the passinge greatnes of his paines his most holie sowle departed out of his most precious bodie The tenthe was that whereas our Sauiour was thus tormented vpon the crosse and there became a verie Sea of paines and tormentes yea whereas he was in such a dolefull case that if we shoulde see a verie dogge in the streete so pittiefullie tormented it were able to breake our hartes yet all this notwithstandinge his cruell enemies were so farre of from takinge anie pittie or compassion vpon him that euen at that verie time they mocked and scoffed at him and wagged their heades sayeinge Fye on thee that destroiest the temple of God Math. 27. and within three daies buildest it againe The eleuenthe was to haue his most innocent mother present before his eies at all these martirdomes knowinge so well as he did what a passinge great greife it was vnto her most innocent harte The twelfthe was such a crueltie as the like was neuer seene to witt that whereas his most holie bodie was all voide of bloude and all the fountains of his veines emptied and his bowels dried vp by reason of the great abundance of bloude which he had shead when he requested a litle water they did not onely not graunt it vnto him but in steede thereof they gaue him to drincke Easell and Galle Now what thinge coulde be more cruellie done than this True it is that that riche couetous man Luc. 16. which was tormented in hell had a droppe of water denied him when he required it but yet he had no galle geuen vnto him But here they doe not onelie denie the sonne of almightie God the thinge that he desired but besides that they increase his most greiuouse paines with an other newe kinde of tormente Euerie one of these pointes beinge considered seuerally by it selfe will minister sufficient matter of verie great greife and sorowe to anie good Christian harte And therefore whosoeuer is desirous to haue an earnest and inwarde compassion of the paines of our Sauiour let him goe throughe euerie one of them and make a station at eche of them and be he neuer so harde harted it is not almost possible but that in some one or other of them he shall sinde verie vehement motions to prouoke him vnto greife and
who when he was euill spoken of did not speake euill againe and when he was tormented did not threaten them but deliuered himselfe vnto him that did most vniustly condemne him And albeit that all vertues shined so brightly and in such excellent wise in all the lyfe of out Sauiour Christe yet did they much more perfectlie shine in his holie passion And therefore in his passion principallie it behoueth vs to beholde the bewtie and excellencie of his vertues the which doe much more euidentlie shyne there emonge his paines and tormentes than doe the flowers emonge the thornes Consider therefore first of all that so profounde humilitie Humilitie wherewith the most highe and onelie begotten sonne of almightie God vouchsafed to be contemned and lesse esteemed than Barrabas and to be crucified vpon a crosse betweene two theiues as though he had bene a Captaine and ringleader of malefactours Consider his so wonderfull patience in the middest of so many reprochefull iniuries Patience and tormentes and withall his so passinge great magnanimitie Magnanimitie in that he offered him selfe so willingly into the handes of his enemies and to suffer the greatest paines and conflictes that euer were suffered in this worlde Consider that so constant perseuerance Perseuerance which he had from the beginninge to the ende yea euen to suffer death vpon the crosse and to descende into hell and to finishe the worke of our saluation Consider his most feruent charitie Charitie which passeth all vnderstandinge by the which onely he was moued to offer him selfe in sacrifice for the sinnes of the worlde and to suffer deathe that he might geue life not onely vnto his freindes but also to his enemies yea euen to those very persones that shead his most pretious bloude Consider his most abundante mercie Mercie which extēded it selfe so farre forthe as to take vpon him all the miseries and debtes of the worlde and to make satisfaction for them as if they had bene peculiarly his owne debtes Consider that so perfecte obedience which he vsed towardes his father Obediēce whom he obeyed vnto deathe yea euen to the death of the crosse where finallie bowinge downe his head he offered vp vnto him his most holie sowle geuinge vs thereby to vnderstande that the worke of his obediēce was then perfectly fulfilled Consider that so passinge great meekenes Meekenes which he shewed in all the processe of his passion sufferinge him selfe to be caried like a sheepe to the bocherie and like a most meeke lambe that holdeth his peace when he is sheared Consider his so wonderfull silence emongest so manie false accusations Sylence and lyinge witnesses which was so greate that it was able to bringe the verie Iudge him selfe that condemned him in a great admiration of him Now if thou be desyrous to see a most perfecte paterne of the contempte of the worlde Cōtempte of the worlde and of all the honours riches pleasures and delightes that be therein beholde our Sauiour vpon the crosse so dishonored tormented and naked that he had none other bedde to lye vpon but onely a crosse none other pillowe to rest his head vpon but onely a crowne of thornes none other delicates to feede vpon but onely galle and vineger none other persons to comforte him but onely those cruell scoffinge ministers which wagged their heades at him Marc. 15. and saiede Fye on thee that destroiest the temple of God and in three daies buildest it vp againe c. I conclude therefore that the Euangelicall pouertie abstinence and austeritie of lyfe with all other vertues doe no where shyne more euidentlie than in the crosse But emonge all these vertues humilitie and patience doe shewe them selues most notablie in the bitter passion of our Sauiour For patience as the holie fathers affirme was the weddinge garmente wherewith the sonne of almightie God clothed himselfe when he came to be affyaunced with the Catholike Churche and to be maried with her By which Metaphore they geue vs to vnderstande that albeit our Sauiour Christe shyned most brightly with the garmente of all vertues when he came to celebrate matrimonie with the Catholike Chyrche vpon the bedde of the crosse yet did he most principally shyne there with the robe of patience For by meanes of the acte of this vertue which is to suffer he dranke the bitter cuppe of his passion by the valewe and merite whereof the Catholike Churche was redeemed bewtified and espowsed by our Sauiour Christe Now in these and other the like vertues we ought to fixe our eies when we meditate vpon the holie passion of our Sauiour to the intent that we maie be thereby prouoked to imitate somewhat of that which was there done not onely for our redemption but also for our example For the greatest glorie that a Christian can atteine vnto in this worlde is to haue a semblaunce and likenes vnto our Sauiour Christ Esa 14.14 Howbeit not such a likenes as prowde Lucifer desired to haue but such a likenes of life as our Sauiour Christe him selfe commaunded vs to haue when he saide Ioan. 13.15 I haue geuen you an example that as I haue done so shoulde ye doe likewise Of the conueniencie of the misterie of our Redemption § VI. THE sixte poynte that we haue to contemplate vpon in the holy passion Summa S. Thomae 3. q. 46. art 3. 4. is the conueniencie of the misterie of our Redemption to witt how cōueniente a meane this was which almighie God chose whereby to worke the saluation of man and to heale and cure him of his miseries This maner of contemplation serueth to illuminate the vnderstandinge to confirme it more firmelie in the faith of this misterie and to lift vp the harte of man into a great admiration of the goodnes and wisedome of almightie God who chose so wonderfull and conuenient a meane to heale our miseries and to relieue our necessities This is so copious and so plentifull a matter to meditate vpon that certainly if a man shoulde continewe thinkinge vpon it vntill the ende of the worlde he shoulde alwaies finde newe reasons of the conueniencie of this holie misterie and newe causes to induce him to lifte vp his spirite more and more in admiration of the high wisedome and prouidence of almightie God herein But because this volume woulde be to great in case I shoulde treate of this matter at large I will therefore at this presente onely shewe the order and foūdation of this consideration to the intent that the deuout and religious sowle maie hereby haue a waye opened vnto her to prosecute all the rest Wherefore it is to be noted that if we will see what proportion and conueniencie a meane hath with his ende it is necessarie to make a comparison betwene the same meane and the ende and the greater helpes that the meane hath towardes the atteininge of the ende the more proper and conueniente is the meane
our Sauiour Christe § III. fol. 61. Wensdaie morninge Of the presentation of our Sauiour before Annas Caiphas Herode and Pilate And of our Sauiours whippinge at the pillar fol. 62. Of the troubles and vexations that our Sauiour suffered the nighte before his Passion And of the denyall of S. Peter § II. fol. 69. How our Sauiour was brought before kinge Herode and mocked and accompted for a foole by him and his cowertiers fol. 72. Of the crewell whippinge of our Sauiour at the pillar folio 74. Thursdaie morninge How our Sauiour was crouned with thornes How Pilate saied of him to the people Ecce Homo And how he bare the Crosse vpon his shoulders fol. 79. Of those wordes of the Gospell Ecce Homo § II. fol. 85. How our Sauiour caried the Crosse vpon his shoulders § III. fol. 89. Fridaie morninge Of the misterie of the crosse And of those seuen wordes which our Sauiour spake vpon the Crosse fol. 93. A contemplation vpon the misterie of the Crosse § 1. fol. 98. How our Sauiour was nayled vpon the Crosse § II. fol. 100. Of the compassion the some had vpon his mother and the mother vpon her some hanginge vpon the crosse § III. fol. 101. Of the doctrine that maye be learned at the foote of the Crosse § IIII. fol. 103. What patience we ought to haue in all troubles and aduerseties followinge the example of our Sauiour christe § v. fol. 107. Satturdaie morninge Of the pearcinge of our Sauiours syde with a speare Of his takinge downe from the crosse Of the pittiefull lamentation of our blessed Ladie and of our Sauiours buriall fol. 109. How our Sauiour was taken downe from the Crosse § II. fol. 114. The pittiefull lamentation of the blessed virgin Marie fol. 116. A declaration why the blessed virgin Marie and all iust persons are afflicted in this present transitorie life with diuers aduersities and tribulations § III. fol. 121. Sondaye morninge Of the descendinge of our Sauiour into Limbus Patrum of the Resurrection of his holie Bodie of his appearinge first to our blessed Ladie and afterwardes to S. Marie Magdalen and to the disciples fol. 124. Of the Resurrection of the bodie of our Sauiour § II. fol. 132. How our Sauiour after his Resurrection appeared to the holie virgin his blessed mother § III. f. 144 The seuen Meditations for the same seuen dayes at nighte fol. 136. Mondaie nighte Of the knowledge of our selues and of our sinnes fol. 137. The first treatise Of the consideratiō of sinnes f. 141. Of the multitude of sinnes that thou hast committed in thy former life § I. fol. 142. Of the sinnes and defectes that a man may falle into after he is come to the knowledge of almightie God § II. fol. 145. Of the accusation of a mans owne conscience and of the abhorrings and contempte of him selfe § IIII. fol. 149. Tewsdaye nighte Of the miseries of this life f. 153. The secōde treatise of the miseries of mans life fo 157. Of the shortnesse of this life § II. fol. 161. Of the vncertaintie of our life § III. fol. 164. Of the frailtie of our life § IIII. fol. 166. Of the mutabilitie of this life § V. fol. 169. Of the deceitfulues of our life § VI. fol. 171. Of the miseries of mans life § VII fol. 173. Of the last miserie of man which is death § VIII fol. 177. What profite may be taken of the foresaide considerations § IX fol. 178. Wensdaie nighte Of the hower of deathe fol. 181. The therde treatise of the consideration of deathe fol. 185. Of the vncertaintie of the hower of deathe and what agreife it is at that tyme to departe from all thinges of this life § I. fol. 189. Of the horrour and lothsomnes of our graue § II. fol. 192. Of the greate feare and dowbte the soule hath at the hower of death what shall happen vnto it after it is departed out of the bodie § III. fol. 193. How we come to vnder stande hereby the errours and blindnes of our life past § IIII. fol. 194. Of the terrour of the dreadfull accompt we must make at the hower of our deathe of all our life past § V. fol. 196. Of the Sacrament of extreme vnction and of the agonie of death § VI. fol. 198. How filthye and loth some the bodie is after it is dead and of the buryenge of it in the graue § VII fol. 201. Of the waye that the soule taketh after it is departed out of the bodie and of the dreadfull iudgement and sentence that shal be geuen vpon it at that time § VIII fol. 205. Thursdaye nighte Of the generall daye of iudgement fol. 207. The fourth treatise of the consideration of the generall day of iudgemente fol. 211. How rigorous the day of iudgemēt shal be § I. f. 213. Of the terrible signes that shall goe before the day of the generall iudgement § II. fol. 215. Of the ende of the worlde And of the Resurrection of the deade § III. fol. 218. Of the comminge of the Iudge of the matter of the iudgement and of the witnesses and accusers that shal be there against the wicked § IIII. fo 221. Fridaye nighte Of the paynes of hell fol. 227. The fifte treatise of the consideration of the paynes of hell fol. 230. Of twoe kindes of paynes that be in hell § I. fol. 231. Of the tormentes of the inwarde senses and powers of the soule § II. fol. 235. Of the payne which is tearmed by the diuines poena damni that is the payne of losse of almightie God § III. fol. 239. Of the particuler paynes of the damned in hell § IIII. fol. 240. of the eternitie of the paynes of hell § V. fol. 241. Saturdaye nighte Of the euerlastinge glorie and felicitie of the kingdome of heauen fol. 244. The sixte treatise Of the consideratiō of the glorie of Paradise fol. 248. Of the goodlie beautie and excellencie of the place § I. fol. 249. Of the seconde ioye that the soule shall haue in the kingdome of heauē which is the enioyenge of the companie of the Sainctes § II. fol. 252. Of the therd ioye that the soule shad haue in the kingdome of heauen which is the enioyenge of the cleare vision of almightie God § III. fol. 255. Of the fowerth ioye that the soule shall haue in the kingdome of heauen which is the enjoyenge of the glorie of the bodie § IIII. fol. 257. Of the fifte ioye in the kingdome of heauen which is the euerlastinge continuance of the glorie and felicitie of the Sainctes § V. fol. 258. Sondaye nighte Of the benefites of almightie God fol. 259. The seuenthe treatise of the consideration of the benefites of almightie God fol. 262. Of the benefite of Creation § I. fol. 264. Of the benefite of Conseruation § II. fol. 266. Of the benefite of Redemption § III. fol. 269. Of the benefite of vocation § IIII. fol. 272. Of the particuler benefites that almightie God bestoweth vpon vs. § V. fol. 275. Of fiue partes that maie be exercised in prayer Cap. 4. fol. 277. Of Preparation vnto prayer Cap. 5. fol. 278. Of Readinge Cap. 6. fol. 283. Of Meditation Cap. 7. fol. 284. Of Thankes geuinge Cap. 8. fol. 285. Of Petition Cap. 9. fol. 286. Of the most necessarie vertues that are to be demaunded in Petition § I. fol. 288. Note the principall foundations of our confidence in prayer fol. 292. Aduises for Meditations Cap. 10. fo 293. The first aduise That in our Meditation we must not for the obseruinge of our ordinarie course put awaie from vs anie other good thoughte or consideration wherein we finde more deuotion § I. fol. 293. The seconde aduise That in our Meditation we must eschewe the superfluous speculation of the vnderstandinge and committe this busines to the oxercise of the affections of our will § II. f. 294. The therde aduise Which prescribeth also bowndes and limites to the Will that it be neither too excessiue nor too vehemēt in her exercise § III. fol. 297. The fowerthe aduise Wherein it is declared what manner of attention we oughte to haue in our exercise of prayer and Meditation § IIII. f. 299. The fyfre aduise That we must not be dismaied nor geue ouer our exercise of prayer and Meditation at suche time as we want deuotion therein § V. fol. 301. The sixte aduise That we must endeuour to haue a longe prayer and greate aboundance of deuetion § VI. fol. 303. The seuēthe aduise That we muste not receiue the visitations of our Lorde in vaine § VII fo 305. Of sixe pointes that are to be meditated in the holie Passion of our Sauiour Cap. vlt. fol. 307. Of the passinge greate paynes and torments which our Sauiour suffered in his most bitter passion § I. fol. 308. Howe in the passion of our Sauiour Christe appeareth verie manifestlie what a grieuous thinge sinne is in the sighte of almightie God § II. fol. 315. Of the passinge greate benefite of our Redemption § III. fol. 316. Of the wonderfull greate goodnes of almightie God which appeareth verie euidentelye in the passion of oun Sauiour Christe § IIII. fol. 319. Of the excellent vertues that doe shine verie brightelye in the holie passion of our Sauiour Christe § V. fol. 320. Of the conueniencie of the mysterie of our Redemption § VI. fol. 322. The ende of the Table
man ought to direct vnto two principal endes emonge others the one to the knowledge and contempt of the glorie of this worlde and the other to the knowledge and contempte of our selues For this consideration serueth verie well both for the one and the other But wilt thou vnderstande in worde what the glorie of this worlde is Marke and consider with attention the state and condition of mans lyfe and thereby shalte thou perceyue what the glorie of this lyfe is Tell me I praie thee can the glorie of man be more longe or more stable than the lyfe of man It is most certaine that it can not For this glorie is an accident which is grownded vpon this lyfe as vpon his subiecte or foundation and therefore when the foundation and subiecte faileth the accidentes must needes faile withall The riches pleasures and delites of this lyfe cannot contynewe anie longer than the lyfe it selfe And for this verie cause no riches no pleasures not delightes can coÌ„tinewe any loÌ„ger tyme with a man than vntill his graue Forsomuch as then faileth the foundation wherevpon all these thinges are built and haue their staie which foundation is our lyfe Now tell me then if this lyfe be such as thou hast now hearde described vnto thee to witt shorte vncertain fraile inconstante deceitfull and miserable how longe can the buildinge endure that shal be framed vpon this foundation How longe can the accidentes continewe that shal be grounded vpon so weake a substance When thou hast considered this point well with thy selfe thou must needes saye that they shall endure no longer than the foundation and substance it selfe endureth and thou must needes confesse that manie times they endure not so longe as we see by dailie experience in the goodes of fortune which with manie men haue an ende before their lyfe endeth Now if that sayeinge of the Poët Pindarus be true to witt That this lyfe is no more but a dreame of a shadowe What thinkest thou then is the glorie of this world which is of shorter continuance than our lyfe What accompt wouldest thou make of a goodly buildinge in case it stood vpon a false foundation What accompte wouldest thou make of an image of waxe very richlie and curiouslie wrought in case it were set against the sonne where it is certayne that so soone as the waxe shoulde be molten forthwith the forme of the image woulde vtterlie be defaced and leese his beautie Whie doe we make so litle accompt of the beautie of a flowre but because it groweth vpon so weake a subiect For so soone as it is nypt of from the stalke incontinentlie it looseth his faire glosse and beautie It is not possible to haue beautie of anie firme continuance in a matter so fraile and corruptible It followeth therefore that the glorie of man is such as the lyfe of man is For although glory doe continewe after the ende of our lyfe yet what shall that glorie auayle him that hath no sence nor feelinge thereof What dothe it auayle Homere now whilest thou so highelie praisest and commendest his Iliades Vndoutedly no more but as S. Ierome saieth speakinge of Aristotle Woo be vnto thee Aristotle that art praised where thou art not to witt here in the worlde and art tormented where thou art indeede to witt in hell Other inestimable commodities mayest thou gather owt of this consideration For if thou doe consider all theise miseries with good attention thine eies shal be opened forthwith and thou shalt wonder at the great blindnes of men yea the verie straungenes of it shall cause thee to saie to thy selfe Good Lorde what cause is there why this miserable lignage of Adam shoulde waxe prowde From whence commeth such puffinge and arrogancie of minde such hawtie and loftie courages so great contempt of others such estimation of our selues and so great forgetfulnes of almightie God What cause hast thou to be prowde thou dust and asshes Why doest thou magnifie and aduaunce thy selfe thou seely wretche of the earthe Why doest thou not holde downe thy peacockes taile beholdinge thy fowle feete to witt the vylenes of thy state and condition What cause hast thou to seeke so carefullie for the glorie of this worlde seinge it is myngled with so manie miseries What thinge is there so sweete but that it maie be made bitter with the mixture of so manie sower and bitter sawces Moreouer if this lyfe be a vale of teares a prison of guiltie persons and a bannishement of them that be comdemned how canst thou settle so greate vanitie so great pompe and pride of the worlde such gaye ornamentes and statelie furniture of houses and families in the place of teares How canst thou imagine to make this a place of pastymes and pleasures of feastes and bankettes How canst thou be so diligente to heape so greidelie together for the prouision of this worlde and be so forgetfull of the worlde to come as if thou were borne onely to liue here in earth with brute beastes and haddest no parte in heauen with the Angels Suerlie I must neides saie that thou art very much wedded to miserie and that thou camest out of a meruaylous miserable stocke if so manie argumentes of the miseries of this worlde be not able to open thine eies and make thee to discerne so grosse and so palpable a blindenes I H S WENSDAIE NIGHTE OF THE HOWER OF DEATHE O mors quam amara est memoria tua homini pacem habenti in substâ—â—â— suis. Eclesi 4â— 1 Gens absque consilio est et sine prudentia vtinam saperent et intelligerent ac nouissima prouiderent Deuter. 32. 28. THIS DAIE WHEN THOV HAST MADE THE SIGNE OF the Crosse and prepared thy selfe hereunto thou hast to meditate vpon the houre of deathe which is one of the most profitable consideratioÌ„s that a Christian man may haue as well for the obteyninge of true wisedome and eschewinge of sinne as also to moue him to begynne to prepare him selfe in time for the howre of death BVT to the intent that this consideration maie be proffitable vnto thee it shall behoue thee to make thy petition vnto almightie God beseachinge him to graunte thee some feelinge of such thinges as are woÌ„t to passe in this last conflicte that thou maiest dispose of thy landes and goodes accordinglie and direct thy lyfe in such sorte as at that time thou wouldest wishe thou haddest done Now therefore that thou maiest haue the better feelinge in this matter thinke vpon it not as thou wouldest of a thinge that were to come but as it were euen now present and thinke vpon it not as of a thinge that apperteyneth to others but as of a thinge that belongeth properlie to thine owne selfe makinge this accompte that thou lyest now verie sicklie and weake in thy bed aÌ„d in such a daungerous case that thou art vtterly forsaken of thy phisitions and that they are all perswaded that thou wilt die within fewe howers Consider