euen a good Christian It must so farre see as to be able to discerne Gods part because the Decree is without exception that vve ought rather to obeye God then men But where we doe not manifestly see that Gods right is trenched vpon or violated we ought absolutly to obeye a superiours commande in all things without reserue wherin he is superiour And this kind of obedience falls vnder your vowe and is absolutly necessarie AFFECTION and RESOLV O my soule if our owne reason were made the Rule of our obedience with what confusions and endlesse wranglings would not Monasteries be replenished They would not so much be found sacred and silent solitudes as cententious Academies It is at the death of our rebellious wills that postilent source of mans miserie and mortall poison of a sprituall life that obedience aymes which is not effected by proude disputes but by humble submissions hauing continually in mynd that all povver is from God and he vvho resists povver resists Gods ordonnance Let vs then my soule humbly and promptly obeye God in our superiours person standing alwayes in a blissed in differencie with S. Paule to heare him by their mouthes and to obeye him in their persons saying What is thy holy vvill I should doe THE II. POINTE. Of the diuers degrees of it Consider that tho necessarie obedience to which you are tyed by vowe consists in obeying Superiours cōmands according to Rule and Constitutiōs or what conduces to the due obseruance therof Yet are not the pious spouses of Christ to stoppe there but to be still striuing to emulate the better gifts and to render themselues wholy agreeable to their diuine spouse Be perfect as your heauenly father is perfect saith our sauiour by endeuouring still to obeye in the most perfect manner which that great seruant of God Ruisbrochius putts downe as followes In the first place it must be prudent and discreete 2. simple 3. cheerfull 4. prompt 5. couragious 6. deuoute 7. humble AFFECTION and RESOL. O what a blessed life is ledd where all these conditions meete O what a Heauen appeares in earth where earthly Angells thus liue Let this be our cheife endeuour my soule as it is the happinesse securitie and ornament of a religious life Let vs with prudence and discretion discerne Gods will by our superiours mouth and whether we be commanded to watch to fast to pray or worke c. or els vpon occasions at their pleasure to leaue them off let it be done simply and with assurance that by how much more simply by so much the more fruitfully and excellently it s done Let that discreete simplicitie be secōded with quicke and cheesfull execution for God loues a free and merrie-harted giuer If the thinge commanded appeare hard yet imbrace it with a manly courage heauen is worth more and he who gaue the commande can giue strength to performe it Finally let all this be done with humilitie and deuotion not so much to please men as that our heauenly father may be glorified THE FIRST MEDITAT FOR THE 6. DAY Of the excellencies of Obedience THE FIRST POINTE. COnsider with deuoute Ruisbrochius that obedience is a vertue of so great excellēcie that the verie least worke be it of what kinde it will being done by vertue therof is much better and more acceptable to God then euen other geate workes done without it as for example hearing of Masse reading praying contemplating or any other worke you can thinke of Which lesson we are yet taught by a greater Master Kings 1. 15. Will our Lord haue Holocausts and victimes and not rather that his voyce should be obeyd For better is obedience then victimes and to harken rather then to offer the fatt of rammes Because c. it is as it vvere the vvickednesse of Idolatrie to refuse to obey AFFECT and RESO It is not so much the greatnesse of the thinge then my soule we ought to looke vpon as the greatnesse of the obedience with which we are to performe it Commandes of great and herociall actions rarely occurre wheras obedience may be daylie exercised and merite increased in a number of smale matters Nor is it easily to be conceiued what riches are to be treasured vp for heauen therby Deuoute obedience knowes how to render the poore widowes myte a gratfull offering Industrious obedience negotiates vpon trifles and yet like the honiebee stores her hyue with huge riches Many other vertues daughters of Charitie gather maine heapes of treasure togeither yet obedience so farre outstripps them all that she makes her selfe more gratefull to God then a sacryfice THE II. POINTE. Of vvhom vve ought to learne Obedience Consider that we ought to learne this best of morall vertues of the best of Masters of moralitie Iesus Ch. Who is as well the Master as the Disciple of it He was the Master of it at his coming into the world while he liued in it and at his departure out of it At his coming S. Paule tells vs in his person in the heade of the booke it is vvritten of me that I should doe thy vvill then said I behold I come that I may doe thy vvill o God His whole life was spent in the doing the will of his heauenly father who sent him and in obeying his mother S. Ioseph and euen all creatures for his sake At his departure he vvas obedient euen vnto death and the death of the Crosse And he was the Disciple of it too sithens as S. Paule affirmes though he were the sonne of God he learnt obedience by the thinges vvhich he suffered and vvas made the cause of eternall saluation to all that obey him AFFECTION and RESOL. O what an excellent lesson of obedience hath the sonne of God left for the sonnes of men to imitate He who as God could be obedient to none being God-man be comes obedient to all men for his heauenly fathers sake All his life was a cōtinued obedience till by his painfull death he consummated the great worke of mans redemption for which he was sent Father I haue consummated the vvorke vvhih thou gauest me to doe saith that intirely obedient sonne The worke which we are to doe my soule which is as it were our whole businesse is to obey God in our superiours commandes and by such submission and their care to secure our blessed eternitie By their eyes we best discerne By their iudgements we most wisely iudge by their directions and orders we most surely walke to mans beatitude THE II. MEDITATION FOR THE 6. DAY That Charitie must be the roofe of this spirituall building THE FIRST POINTE. COnsider that be the foundationes neuer so deeply digged be the walls neuer so firme and confirmed and the interior partes neuer so fairely adorned yet if the roofe be not sutable to the rest and be not established aboue the rest it lyes but vselessely open to receiue winds and shewres and is vnfitt for the vse of man being indeede noe perfect
soule that we build Or rather doe we not heape negligences tepidities vanities and impurities of intention vpon the good fundation we haue layd Are we not in verie deed cold and slowe in the loue of God and ther vpon as carelesse of our neighbour as though the care of him had not at all bene commended to vs Let vs therfor in imitation of our good Patron say with him Giue me ô Lord to loue thee as much as I desire and as much as I ought and my neighbour for thee and in thee c. THE VII MEDITATION Hovv he behaued himselfe in Faith I. POINT COnsider that he putt down with Saint Paule whose best scholler he was that Faith is the substance of things to be hoped for an argument of things not appearing or as he saith in another place it is the fundation of all good things the verie begining of mans saluation It is an illustration of the mynd by which it is illuminated by the Prime Light to discerne spirituall things AFFECTION and RESOL. Doe we ô my soule ayme at the true knowledge of spirituall things doe we desire our saluation or hope we for those eternall waights of glorie those ineffable things which appeare not to the eye sound not to the eare nor enter into the hart of man which God hath prepared for those that loue him know then that it is by the benefit of the heauenly light of Faith That is the illumination that the fundation that the very substance and somme of all II. POINT Consider that he putt downe for his seconde ground with the same Apostle that without Faith it is impossible to please God I saith he none shall be admitted into the number of the sons of God without it None without it shall obtayne iustifying grace in this world nor possesse eternall life in the next which is giuen to the loue of God alone Nor can any loue whom he knowes not nor doth any know God but he to whom it is reuealed by the Father through faith in his onely son Christ Iesus AFFECTION and RESOL. If without Faith we know not without knowledge we loue not without loue we remayne in the iawes of death if in death there be no grace nor without grace any hope of glorie If we haue no right to the denomination of sons nor consequently iust Title of Heyres Oh of what con-consideration ought faith to be with vs how constantly ought we to imbrace it how carefully to conserue it For alas if we misse to be numbered amongst the sons of God we shall not misse to be counted amongst the flaues of the Diuell III. POINT Consider further with him that the begining of our faith is from Christ from vvhom by vvhom and in vvhom are all things It is not bought by our riches procured by our industries or giuen to our merits but is a pure and free gift of Gods mercy to which he is nether necessitated nor induced saue onely by the abundance of his owne vncompelled goodnes AFF. and RES Blessed be thy goodnes for euer ô my Lord God who daynedst me with this great gift whilst I nether deserued nor desired nor euen thought of it Farre be it from me to extolle my selfe to arrogate it to my selfe as though I had had it of my selfe Nay contrarily vpon the thought of that singular goodnes I fall downe prostrate before thy Maiestie pronunceing in all humilitie that he vvho doth glorie should glorie in our Lord. THE VIII MEDITAT A CONTINVATION OF the same subiect I. POINT COnsider that though the begining of our faith be from God purely and cannot be merited by vs yet is the increase of it Gods grace being alwayes presupposed left in our hands to be procured by care and cultiuating and by continually accompaigning it with good workes We are not to be as it were secure in faith but we are to accompaignie a right faith with a right life The Apostles saih he had not left all contemning the hopes of the world had they not had some faith nor would they haue said Increase our faith had it alreadie bene perfect AFFECTION and RESOL. Blessed be our good God who doth not onely preuent vs with his benedictions before we deserue or yet thinke of them but also giues vs power by concurring with his grace to multiplie his good gifts yea he hath euen charged vs to negotiate vpon them till he come Le ts vs not therfore be wanting to our selues since the increase is left in our owne hands II. POINT Consider that though it be our part to make good vse of the good Talent which Gods grace freely bestowed vpon vs and by that good vse to multiplie it yet are we to know with our Saint that as no man is sufficient of himselfe to begin or perfect any good vvorke so is none of himselfe able to begin or perfect faith But the increase and perfection of it ought to be procured by our feruent and frequent prayers to the good Giuer saying AFFBCTION and RESOLV I beeseech thee and in a most suppliant manner I implore thy mercy ô God who are the fountaine and sourse of all good things the giuer and conseruer of all vertues increase in me holy right and immaculate Faith And make me performe workes sutable to it least a good faith may be defiled by vncleane workes and least I may deny thee by a bad life whom I confesse by a good beleife I beleeue ô Lord Yet helpe my incredulitie III. POINT Consider further with your holy Fa. that for want of good workes and feruent and frequent prayers our Faith in lieu of increasing falls into a deficiencie it sleeps waxes weeke and sicklie yea dyes Iesus some tymes sleeps in vs as he slept in the shippe that is our faith which is from Iesus sleeps in vs and then the winds and waues of temptation tosse vs too and fro We must therfore awake Iesus and the tempest shall be allayed that is we must recollect our faith and call it to practlse AFFECTION and RESOL. vve perish ô Lord vve perish haue mercy vpon vs. For alas why doth our faith sleepe but for want of being excited and stirred vp by feruent prayers whence is it weeke and sickly but for want of the nourishement of good workes whence is it dead but that it is not quickned by charitie We wil therfore Pray worke endeuour to loue God aboue all things and our neighbour as our selfe c. and when all is done we will ascribe all not to our owne strength but to Gods grace THE IX MEDITATION With vvhat modestie and humilitie he looked vpon matters of Faith And hovv high a rate he putts vpon it I. POINT COnsider that he aduentures not to diue into the knowledge of high misteries with hereticall pride and presumption as though witt were able to make way to all but by a truly Catholike submission and modestie vpon many occasions he makes open profession of his ignorance acknowledges the
a hart as a Heauen or Paradice since thou art made a Mansion for the God of glorie Doe not doe not my hart gadd abrode and by a degenerous conuersation forgett with whose presence thou art honored thou hast by loue gott Deus tuus omnia Contemne for his loue all other thinges saying Dilectus meus mihi ego illi III. POINT Consider whether a greater commendations could be putt vpon Charitie then by saying God is Charitie A short prayse and yet a great prayse Short in speech great in vnderstanding Yes it is quickly said God is charitie but good God whether are our thoughtes carried by that word God is Charitie By possessing Charitie then wee possesse God but God is all good things therfore by possessing Charitie we possesse all that good is in Heauen and in Earth AFFECTION and RESOL. O short and great commendation indeed sith so great as nothing can be added Since greater or better then God nothing can be imagined by men or Angells Nor is it a humane persuasion we haue for it but an assurance of faith that God is Charitie and vvho remaynes in Charitie remaynes in God and God in him O my soule what an honor and comfort is this amidst all the calumnies and afflictions of the world that by loue thou art able to become Gods Mansion and he thyne And if thy beloued be thyne and thou his what can be wanting to a well borne hart THE XVIII MEDITAT A continuation of the excellences of Charitie I. POINT COnsider that Charitie alone is not vexed at anothers felicitie because she knowes no emulation She alone is not transported with her owne felicitie because she swells not with pride She onely is not stung with a bad conscience because she wrongs no body Amidst contumelies she is secure amongst hatreds friendly amongst braules pleasant amidst deceipts innocent lamenting at iniquities and resuming hart vpon the discouerie of Truth AFFECTION and RESOLVT Who is then so happie as one inioying Charitie What hath the world which can giue so solide and sure a content Yea what hath it that is not brimme full of discontent Wheras the charitable man meets with no vexation no emulation no swelling but contrarily ioy peace patience vnder the shelter of a good conscience are that happie mans share O diuine Charitie how thou fillest the harts which thou dost possesse with delight sweetnes and tranquilitie Ah! they seeme euen to enter into the ioy of their Lord. II. POINT Consider that it is Charitie which makes all the good Angells and all Gods seruants compagnions in the bonde of sanctitie and it ioynes vs and them together amongst our selues and subiects vs to him AFFECTION and RESOLV See how it leagues heauen and earth together and putts vs in mynd what title we haue to it makes Angells and men fellow seruants and euen in a manner equall in honor and chaynes them together in linkes of holy loue which is true sanctitie ô wishfull and deare bonds See what a sweete order it establisheth betwixt man and man making each one loue and honor and deferre to an other without forgetting their due subiection to God to whom incomparably aboue all loue honor and glorie is due III. POINT Consider vvhat a huge great good Charitie is vvhich vvithout our labour makes vvhat is good in others our ovvne Hence it was that the Psalmist holily glories that he is made partaker of all that loue God and keepe his commandements AFFEDTION and RESOLV Ah my soule if thou hast but charitie all 's thyne owne There is no good worke done in heauē or in earth but thou hast a share of it Heauen and earth makes but one great Christiā comon wealth wherof Charitie is the Queene and lodgeth in thy hart What euer prayers fastings austerities almes-deeds sufferances are exercised within the compase of the Catholike Church are partly thyne while thou art rooted in Charitie THE XIX MEDITAT OF SOME MOTIVES of the loue of God I. POINT COnsider that S. Augustins first motiue of the loue of God was that he first loued him The loue wherby God loues vs cannot be comprehended nor changed for he loued vs not onely since the tyme we were reconciled to him by the blood of his son but he euen loued vs before the world was made that we together with his onely begotten son might be his sons before we were yet any thing at all AFFECT and RESOLVT While I yet was not and so was nothing my infinitly good God had thoughts of goodnes for me to rayse me out of that abisse of nothing and make me that something which now I am being made he fell in loue with his owne worke meerely out of the abundance of his owne goodnes without any neede he had of it at all and made vs sons sons and heirs of the heauenly Kingdome we had no title too Ah my soule if we will not begin to loue at least being thus graciously preuented let vs not sticke to pay loue for loue The hart is too hard which though it will not freely giue will not at least render what it owes II. POINT Consider that his second motiue was the excessiue greatnes of Gods loue to vs such as we were which went so farre that he spared not his owne onely son but deliuered him to death and the death of the Crosse for all of vs vs who where wicked sinners Remember how much he loued that we may not despaire whom or what kind of creatures he loued that we waxe not proude A son for a seruant an that a most wicked one deliuered vp to death and that à most ignominious one AFFECTION and RESOLV O God I cannot looke vpon that great price that infinitly great price the pretious blood of a son spent for the redemption of a seruant but of a son who was a first begotten an onely begotten and an onely beloued one one to thyne owne hart in whom thou wert intirely pleased one in a word in euery thing equall to thy selfe I cannot I say looke vpon it but with much loue and confidence Nor can I reflect vpon the seruant the poore miserable and sinfull seruant vpon which it was spent but with much confusion O God what is man that thou shouldst so putt thy hart vpon him but ô man what is God to thee And yet thy hart departs so easily from him III. POINT Consider that his third motiue was not that he loued vs first and most but euē prepared no other reward for our loue then himselfe What then saith he shall our worshipe of God haue noe reward Ah yes but noe other then the verie God himselfe whom we worshipe Seeke nothing of him without him he himselfe will suffice thee AFFECTION and RESOL. Ah! that hart is conuinced to be intolerably greedie and vnsatiable whom God sufficeth not At least Augustins noble hart finds all plentie meere want to him which is not his verie God And therfore he petitions for nothing
miserable and accursed nothing Yet such a nothinge it is that man becomes nothing therby nihil fiunt bomines cum peccant yea worse then nothing since it is the verie death of the soule peccatum mors est animae Or take it from him with the whole Catholike Church in more ample and expressiue tearmes Sinne is a vvord a thought a deede against the eternall lavv or prime reason which is God himselfe What doe we then when we sinne but speake thinke or doe against Gods eternall Lawe or God himselfe AFFECTION and RESOL. Ah my soule my soule it is too hard for thee to kicke against the pricke which by how much more we assault it by so much more we are wounded by it It is against God himselfe that sinne ryseth vp against that great dreadfull all-mightie reuengfull God whom were it in its power it would destroye since the sinner as such would neither haue God wise to know nor iust and powerfull to punish his iniquitie Alas what aduantage can wormes and pismires expect by wrasling with Elephants Our strength is like to a spiders webbe how dare we then strugle with omnipotencie whose will none resistes In wrasling we shall onely meete with our owne ruine In disputing neuer find repose nor be able to ansvver one for a thousand for to conclude with S. Paule ô man vvho art thou that dost ansvver God THE II. POINTE. Of the lamentable effects of sinne Consider what grieuous domages the poore soule receiues by mortall Sinne. It depriues of grace ban̄isheth the holy ghost out of the hart which it did inhabite It breakes the league of freindshippe which was betwixt God vs leaues vs his enemyes and slaues of the Diuell his our worst enemie It robbs vs of the right we had to possesse God for euer leaueinge only Hell for our inheritance It wounds makes hideous euen Kills that otherwise im̄ortall soule of ours in a word it makes vs crucify Iesus Christ againe in effect tread the sacred bloud of Iesus vnder our feete AFFECTION RESOLVT Oh accursed fruites of Sinne O saith God himselfe by the mouth of Ieremie Know see how euill bitter a thinge it is for thee to haue left the Lord thy God Ah my soule these are not dreames imaginations or rethoricall amplifications but euen Christian truthes which none dare deny how doe we then dare to dally with danger to seeke occasions to drinke downe sinne like water If therefore the world the flesh or the Diuell tell of I Know not what delightes let vs haue this generouse replye still before our eyes but they are too dearely bought with the losse of the holy ghost and all his giftes Gods freindshippe and his eternall inheritance become the obiecte of his hate This moment of false libertie is not worth beinge aslaue to the Diuell for euer This honnor lookes fawningly vppon mee but it were madnesse to purchase it with eternall disgrace This gold glitters agreeably yet it is not worth the hauing since it will serue onely to buy Hell THE FIRST MEDITAT FOR THE THIRD DAY Sinne is detestable to God THE FIRST POINTE. COnsider in what horror and detestation wee should haue it since wisdome it selfe doth soe abhorre detest it The Almighty eternall God whose goodnesse cannot be questioned without impiety nor his iustice be impeched without blasphemy nor his mercy be exacted without presumption he beinge indeede not soe much good as euen essentially goodnesse it selfe nor soe much iust as iustice it selfe nor soe much mercifull as mercy it selfe for one sinne of pride throwes downe the third parte of the Angells into hell irrecouerably without any further hope of mercy AFFECTION RESOLVT If my soule this be not lesse a truth which all the Christian world willingly imbraces then the former how comes it to passe that mans follie dare be soe damnably aduenturous as to fall in loue with Sinne which wisdome soe highly detests How how I say dare we liue in league with it be willinge to meete with it at euery turne If it haue made Angells Diuells what priuiledge haue men not to dreade the like effects not for one or a few but euen for thousands of sinnes euery man makeinge reflection in himselfe of the multitude of his sinnes downe then my soule downe place thy mouth in the dust and whilst thou canst not penetrate the rigour of Gods iustice to the Angells turne thy selfe more earnestly to admire his incōparable mercy to thee humbly confessinge that otherwise Hell had beene longe since thy habitation makeinge a firme resolution to singe his mercyes eternally THE II. POINT Adam by sinne turned out of Paradise Consider how the same God who is equally goodnesse mercy and iustice for one acte of disobedience throwes Adam out of the happie state wherin he had placed him and subiects him and all his posteritie to multitudes of miseries of body and mynde such as we all daylie expeperience to heate cold calamities innumerable sorts of sicknesses and euen to death it selfe and that too not onely to the dearh of his body but euen to a second death the death of the soule so that there was not any saluation left for all the sonns of men at any lesse rate then the death and bloud of a God-man Iesus-Christ AFFECTION and RESOL. O my soule if this truth be taught vs by faith if we feele it by a sadd and vniuersall experience if it be made manifest to vs by the death of a God let it printe in our hartes an absolute horrour and detestation of sinne which is so horrible and detestable in the sight of God and which his iustice punishes so rigourously And let vs noe lesse adore that sterne iustice of his then extolle and dearly imbrace his mylde mercy who to expiate the sinne of an vngracicus disloyall seruant sacry ficeth the bloud of a dearely beloued and dearely louing and wholy obedient and onely child Be that Iustice alwayes admired and dreaded and be that mercy magnified and loued by men THE II. MEDITATION FOR THE THIRD DAY Sinne putt a God to death THE FIRST POINTE. COnsider that our sweete Sauiours paines the deare price of our redemptiō are vniuersall noe parte of his body passes without its particular punishment His head is tormented with pullinge of the haire with blowes with thornes His face with foule spittings boxes His tongue with thirst veneger gale His torne shoulders with the heauie loade of the Crosse His armes with rude extentiōs rackinge His hāds feete with cruell nayles His whole body all ouer with stripes His Sinewes with conuulsions His arteries and veynes with witherednesse His vitall partes with an incredible effusion of his pretious bloud soe that what the prophet foretolde was fully verified from the sole of his foote to the crowne of his head there was noe soundnesse See then whether there be any sorrow like his sorrowe AFFECTION Alas it is but too
of this vertue and humilitie This is my precept said that deare master of ours that you loue one another My litle children I giue you a new precept that you loue one another In this all men shall know that you are my Disciples if you haue loue one to another Holy Father I pray c. that they may be one as we also are one I in them and thou in me AFFECTION and RESOL. This is the great commandement indeede my soule this Christs speciall precept Loue one another this the badge by which he will haue all his seruants to be knowne If they loue one another If we come without this wedding garmēt we shall be repulsed If we knocke not hauing this oyle of charitie in our Lampes wherby we may be knowne to men to be Gods Disciples God vvill not knovve vs the dore vvill be shut What thinge more wishfull could we haue desired to haue heard thē by affording mutuall loue and assistance to one another which we haue all such neede of to secure our saluation And yet the most louing and beloued Apostle assures vs It is the precept of our soueraigne Lord and Master doe this saith he and it sufficeth Beare one anothers burden and so you shal accomplish the lavve of Christ THE SECONDE POINTE. Hovv vve ought to exercise Charitie to one another Consider that this ought to be done by his example who gaue the commande of it and afterwards came graciously downe to teach it by his owne practise Thus we are taught by the great Apostle Receiue helpe comfort support and loue one another as Christ receiued assisted supported and loued vs. But how did Christ loue vs c Marrie he loued vs first with a free and disinterested loue which looked vpon noe preceedant merites 2. With a right loue not to receiue any thinge from vs but to discharge the ouer-flowing riches of his mercifull breastes vpon our pouertie 3. With a perseuerant loue for louing his vvho vvere in the vvorld he loued them to the end 4. With a stronge loue euen as stronge as death it selfe he loued vs and deliuered himselfe for vs for vs men and for our saluation AFFECTION and RESOL. If then my soule we hope for any consolation in Christ if any solace of Charitie if any societie of spirit if any bowells of commiseration let vs endeuour to fulfill the B. Apostles ioy by being of one meaning having the same charitie of one mynd agreeing in one That nothing be done by contention nor by vaine glorie but in humilitie each counting others better then themselues In a word let vs receiue comfort support and loue our poore brethren and that too as Christ gaue vs the example with a pure and disinterrested loue because it is his blessed pleasure that so it should be With a right loue not seeking that vvhich is profitable in particular to our selues but that vvhich is profitable to many With a perseuerant loue which is not to end but with the end of our liues Finally with a stronge loue readie to wrastle with obuious difficulties and euen with death it selfe for the good of our brother as our deare Lord gaue vs an example THE THIRD POINTE. What assurance this fraternall Charitie giues that vve are in happie estate Consider with S. Augustine that God out of his infinite goodnesse that man might haue noe excuse left if he learned not to loue him pleased to consummate and abridge his holy word or Lawe He made it short that none might be wearied with reading of it and cleare withall least any might haue said I could not vnderstand it And what is this short and cleare vvord Take it from S. Paule he that loueth his neighbour hath fulfilled the Lavve Hence S. Iohn affirmes confidently that vve knovv vve are translated from death to life because vve loue our brethren We knovv What doe we knowe saith your diuine Father that vve are translated from death to life But how doe we know it demandes he againe Because vve loue our brethren concludes he with the great Euangelist AFFECTION and RESOLVT O the great goodnesse of God to reduce his whole lawe to loue O easie fulfilling of the said Lawe which consists onely in louing of our neighbour O happie assurance receiued from the penmen of the holy Ghost O blessefull knowledge which makes vs know that we are gotten out of the possession of death into the Kingdome of life And all this at so easie a rate because vve loue our brethren Let vs not then be sollicitous ô my soule nor run to others to know our present state returne to our owne hartes and if we meete with brotherly charitie therin le ts rests secure saith your B. Father that vve are translated from death to life like as not finding it there we haue an accursed assurance that we are in death's possession he that loues not remaynes in death Let me loue thee then my euer deare louing Lord and my neighbours in thee and for thee If I euer forgett thee or them or this Couenant of loue let my right hand be forgotten and let my tongue sticke to my iawes if I remember thee not and place thee not in the heade of my dearest delightes For I am thy seruant I am thy seruant and the sonne of thy handmayde redeemed vvith a great price Thou hast broken my chaynes in sunder the chaynes of my sinnes the chaynes of ill custome the chaynes of the malignante world that by a happie escape from it I might be chayned to thee in the golden chaynes of Charitie And therfor I will sacryfice to thee a sacryfice of prayse of all that I haue or hope for and all that I am my life libertie and all and willingly ioyfully and without constraint I vvill render my vovves to thee in the sight of all thy people Amen FINIS
the last day It highly behoues vs then to run ouer our life past in the bitternesse of our harts and obserue whether our holy professions haue bene seconded by answerable practises and whether due performances followed our solemne promises Haue we indeede my soule renounced the Diuell and all his pompes Or rather haue we not left Christ and followed his wicked allurements Vpon what follies haue we not feasted our eyes To what highth hath not our thoughtes aspired Of what impurities and disloyalties haue not our hartes at least bene brimme full Obserue and lament our miseries THE II. POINTE. Of the seconde obligation vvhich vve contracte in Baptisme Consider that the seconde obligation which we cōtracte in Baptisme is to be listed among the soldiers of Iesus Christ to fight vnder the banner of the Crosse and openly to professe his lawe That Sweete lawe of loue which conteynes all Christian dutie the loue of God incomparably aboue all other thinges as being infinitly louelie and comprisinge in himselfe all the motiues and obligations of loue and the loue of our neighbour as our selues that is in order to God in God and for God All the loue we can afford to the rest of the creatures is but onely for solaces to our necessities and pouerties as prouisions for the way of our pilgrimage to be vsed not to be inioyed not to haue our hates fixed vpon which are wholie due to God and our neighbour AFFECTION and RESOL. Ah my soule had we bene to haue made choyce of what lawe we our selues had most desired not to haue receiued it from the hand of our almightie maker who had full power to impose what lawe he pleased vpon the workes of his hands what other lawe would we haue wished but that which we haue A lawe by which we are not permitted onely but euen commanded to loue our Kinge the Kinge of Kinges the Kinge of glorie What more honorable To loue him wholy from whose loue and bountie we haue all that we haue What more reasonable To loue him from whose liberalitie we expect all that we yet want the possession of his heauenly Kingdome the inioyment of himselfe for all eternitie What more profitable And as to the other parte of the lawe what poore liues should we not leade nay what deathes and Hells should we not suffer did we in lieu of loue to our neighbour afford him onely neglect scorne and hatred Let me loue thee then ô my deare Lord and my neighbour in thee and for thee for euer THE FIRST MEDITAT FOR THE SECONDE DAY Of the third obligation contracted in Baptisme THE FIRST POINTE. COnsider that the third obligation that we contracted in Baptisme was that we are bound to liue the life of Christ according to that of S. Paule I liue not novv I but Iesus Christ liues in me for vve are buried togeither vvith him by Baptisme and ought also to ryse with him and walke after him in newnesse of life because he left vs an example and his will is that we should followe his foostepps that is that we should walke in the lowlie pathes of humilitie pouertie and abiection as he did from his verie first steppe into this world in labours hunger and thirst from his youth in suffering reproches contumelies and outragious contēpts all his life longe in being abandonned at his death by his Apostles and euen by his heauenly Father my God my God vvhy haste thou forsaken me AFFECTION and RESOL. The life of Christ my soule is our paterne the imitation of it is our obligation and the liuely expression of it is our perfection Let vs seeke noe other nor other way then by humbly following his footestepps To that he calls vs learne of me vvho am mylde and humble in harte not to high speculations with are more apt to fill vs with vanitie then feede vs with solide foode Caluarie was left vs for the imitation of his vertues Thabor onely to admire his Maiestie He is our Alpha and Omega our begining and our end Let all our applications be to him and our dependences of him Let all our conuersations be with him our desires followe him our discourses of him our continuall cryes to him O my dearest Lord and sauiour thou my loue thou my life Let this couenant be made betwixt vs. Let me wholy dye to my selfe that thou alone mayst liue in me Let my passions be wholy silenced that thou alone mayst be heard in me Let all my sollicitous cares which are fruitlesse without thee wholy cease that thou onely mayst worke in me THE II. POINTE. Consider that notwithstanding all those former benefits and obligatiōs contracted therby we haue bene so vngratfull and neglectfull of our owne good as litle to mynde them Nay like true Prodigalls we haue dissipated and spent all those gracious and Godlike talents and forgetting our promesses and obligations we haue returned backe into the slauerie of the Diuell And here it was indeede that our good God magnified his mercyes towards vs. We run from him into a foraigne land and he leaues the ninetie nine to seeke vs. Wee strike at him by sinne and euen crucify him againe and he supportes vs with patience We steppe downe to hell and he brings vs backe He frequently knockes at our harts by his holy word preached to our eares by his internall voyce inculcated to our hartes by wholsome tribulations multiplyed vppon vs and breakes through our deafness And hauinge himselfe wrought all this in vs he crownes his owne mercyes by takeinge vs againe into his familiarity and he and all his courte reioyceth at our conuersion AFFECTION and RESOL. O thou God of mercy to what a length hast thou extended thy patience with me It was I that ran from thee into a Land of disproportion I that forsooke thee the fountaine of liueinge water and made to my selfe cisternes broken cisterns which could hold noe water I that turned the vse of thyne owne giftes to abuse by loueinge them more then thy selfe in such or such an occasion I that stept downe into Hell at such or such a time soe or soe often and thou the while ceasedst not to redouble thy cryes Why vvilt thou perish ô thou house of Israëll Why dost thou loue vanity and seeke a lye loose thy chaynes from thy necke ô thou captiue daughter of Sion At least after all thy disloyaltyes call mee but Father Ah my soule be noe longer deafe to all these gracious inuitations but run though alas but too late to that Father of mercyes and say with a contrite and humbled hart Father I haue offended against heauen against thee I am noe longer vvorthy to be called thy Sonne deale with mee onely as with one of the hyrelings of thy house THE II. MEDITATION FOR THE SECONDE DAY The greeuousnesse of sinne THE FIRST POINTE. COnsider what sinne is and your holy father S. Augustine will teache you that it is noe substance at all but a