consideration of it stirring vp loue towards God for such a benefit by which we are vnited vnto him although indeed in euerie one of these my treatises I shew all the aforesayd three wayes But because Christ instituted this B. Sacrament before his Passion and was immolated mysticallie before he was sacrificed on the Crosse reallie I first present thee Gentle Reader with my Meditations on the B. Sacraments and after them I will make thee partaker of those of the Passion which shall follow these former God graunt that both thou and I in them may find out and follow the aforesayd three wayes to perfection that wee may attaine to the perfection of vertue and grace in this life and soe to the perfection of glorie which is our last and greatest perfection in the next THE FIRST MEDITATION VVhat loue Christe shewed at his last supper THE Sonne of God Christe Iesus God man in the whole decourse of his life neuer ceased to giue vs signes and tokens of his loue towards mankind For besides that he was incarnat became man onlie for man not for Angells he was borne for man in tyme of a Virgin-Mother without a Father who was borne of his Father of the wombe of his diuine substance without a Mother from all eternitie Psal 2. 109. and he who feedeth all liuing creatures was fedd and nourished by the same Virgin Mother Psal 135. was swadled by her in poore clowts who was inuested with his Fathers glorie was rocked by her a sleepe whose diuine eyes are euer open was circumcised woare the badge of a sinner who could not sinne fasted praied preached and all for the loue of man hee neuer breathed neuer walked neuer talked neuer wrought miracles or other good workes but for mans example redemption But as S. Ep. Io 3. Iohn testifieth and his testimonie is true vnto the end and in the end of his life Ioan. 13. he loued vs and gaue the greatest signes of loue that euer he gaue Loue is shewed in twoe thinges especiallie to wit in giuing and suffering For if you present one with some rich diamant or other pretious thing you shall thereby shewe your great loue vnto him loue shewing it self by guifts as fire doth by sparcles and if you giue him nothing yet do suffer much for him ether in your goods or bodie you do no lesse shewe your loue to him yea somuch the more by how much it is harder to suffer then to giue Our Blessed Sauiour the true louer of maÌ„ kind at his last supper which was the twye-light of his daâ—e and the euening of his life gaue vnto man the greatest guift which heauen and earth could shewe and which was more worth then a thowsand heauens and earthes to wit his sacred bodie bloud and euen himself God and man in the Blessed Sacrament And although he then suffered not death reallie for vs yet he did soone after and euen then in that in the Blessed Sacrament he represented his bodie onlie vnder the shapes of bread and his blood onlie vnder the formes of wine and so apart he was immolated and sacrificed for vs mysticallie and dyed for vs in representation before he died in veritie and soe as some Saints to shew their desire to dye and to prepare themselues the better to death haue put on a winding sheete or haue entred into their Tombe or monument before their death Soe Christ Iesus in the Blessed Sacrament and at his last supper to shew the great desire he had to dye reallie for vs did as it were put on the winding sheete of the shapes of bread and wine and wrapped himself in them and so died in figure and mysterie for vs before he died in veritie and by this figuratiue and mysticall death prepared himself to a reall death which soone after that is the next daie he suffered for vs and soe in the end of his life he shewed his great loue vnto vs both by giuing and suffering But as he first shewed his loue by giuing himself in the Blessed Sacrament and by immolating himself in it mysticallie onlie and in representation so let vs first imploy our best thoughtes and meditations vpon the Blessed Sacrament and Christ his last supper in which for a louing farewell he bestowed vpon his disciples the most precious banquet that euer was seene on earth consisting of no lesse then his sacred body bloud seasoned and sauced with the diuinitie it selfe And heere after in an other litle treatise we shal contemplate what he suffered for vs in his sacred Passion This Sonne of God and louer of mankind shewed great loue vnto vs in that by Incarnation and hypostaticall personall vnion of our nature with his diuine person he bestowed his diuine nature on it therfore S. Ioan. 3. Iohn expresseth this his loue with a Sic or soe saying So God loued the world that he gaue his onlie begotten Sonne and yet thus he bestowed not his diuine person on euerie one in particular but onlie on that nature particularlie which he tooke of the Virgin-Mothers wombe by it on mankind in generall But in the Blessed Sacrament hee imparteth himself to euerie one of vs in particular by communion by which he giueth vs his bodie bloud soule and diuinitie and so at the end of his life Ioan. 13. and at his last supper he especiallie loued vs. O my soule seing that thy God and louing spouse Christ Iesus hath giuen himself soule body bloud and diuinitie vnto thee what shouldst thou seeke for any other thing why shouldst thou loue any other thing then him or for him He is thine in this Blessed Sacrament thy possession thy inheritance and richesse Psal 143. O thou thrice happie and infinitlie rich cuius Dominus Deus tuus whose God is thy Lord O my soule thy spouse seemeth to content himself with thee content thy self with him If he can not content thee in whom be all the treasures of wisedome and knowledge Col. 2. in whom is all perfection beautie and goodnes nothing will content thee Noe say vnto him Quid mihi est in coelo Psal 72. a te quid volui super terram what is to me in heauen and besides thee what would I vpon the earth my heart is so ample capable that as it can not so neither desireth it to be enriched but by tuee If I haue thee as in the B. Sacrament I haue I ame rich enough and without thee I ame poore and miserable though I had all but thee If I haue thee I haue all and if I haue not thee though I had all else which is in heauen and earth I esteeme myself to haue nothing Thou o my Lord art my parte my All let me desire nothing but thee Psal 75. let me loue nothing but thee or for thee and as thow hast loued me all thy life time but especiallie at the end
an Emperour is but thy vassall It is honour ô Lord to much for me to be seruant to such a Prince how much more then to much to be thy freind Speake Dauid what thinkest thou of this honour which God doth to men in accounting them his freinds To mee saith hee thy freinds are become honourable exceedinglie nimis honorati Psa 38. to much honoured Nay God is not content onlie to be our freind but hath contracted with vs a firmer freindship and more indissoluble then euer was betwixt man and man Damon and Pythias Pylades Orestes and others are famous for their freindship which was so greate that the one esteemed thâ— other another himself and therefore the one was readie to dye for the other but this freindship ô Lord is not comparable to thy freindship which thou hast contracted with man Thou first hast contracted freindship betwixt thy self and man by Incarnation by which thou art linked to man in a most admirable vnitie in one person by which God is man and man is God which freindship is so faste firme and indissoluble that so long as God shall be God he shall be man and man shall be God O my soule be thou neuer so vngratfull as euer to forget this freindship It is the ground of all other freindships the most honourable Damon and Pythias were linked onlie in affection so was lonathas and Dauid 1. Reg. 1â— whose soule is sayd to haue been gâ—â—ed to Ionathas his soule but by this freindship of Incarnation God man were vnited in one person reallie and substantiallie O Lord what is man that thou shouldst so grace fauour him as to Vouchsafe to be so neerlie linked in freindship to him as to be one person with him Secondlie thou hast linked thyselfe in freindship with man by grace and charitie and this is an effect of the former freindship because the Incarnation is the fouÌ„taine of al grace Iac. 2. Abrahamindewed with this grace is called by S. Iames. Amicus Dei the freind of God And Christ speaketh to his Apostles in those freindlie and comfurtable words Ioa. 15. You are my freinds if you do the things that I commaund you now I call you not seruants for the seruant knoweth not what his Lord doeth but you I haue called freinds because all thinges whatsoeuer I heard of my Father I haue notified vnto you And all the Iust by this freindship are freinds to him and he to them This freindship once made on God his part is neuer dissolued for he neuer ceaseth to be our freind till we turne his enemies by mortall sinne And although by sinne this freindship be to often broken on our part by particular men yet it is generallie so firme that there was neuer so firme a freindship betwixt man and man as there is by grace and charitie betwixt God and man There is no greater freindship or charitie saith our B. Sauiour then that a man yeald his life for his freinds which few freinds haue done for one another and yet our Io. 15. B. Sauiour hath died not onlie for his frends but euen for his foes to make them freinds and those his freinds haue bene so louing and so constant to him that many millions of Christians haue died for him as appeares in our so many Martyrs whom no threatning of Tyrants could soe daunt no promises so allure no torments so terrifie no deaths so scarre as to make them denie Christ or his religion but strengthened with grace chatitie they triumphed ouer all and for his loue they forsooke all as lands liuings life rather then they would forsake him and as he first died for them so did they dye for him O Lord tye me by this linke of freindship vnto thee that I may preferre thy loue before the loue of all but thee or for thee confirme me so in this freindship that by no mortall Sinne it may be dissolued but that I may remaine thy fast freind euen to death and may neuer againe shake hands with the world flesh and deuill thy sworne enemies or any creature whose loue is offensiue to thee that I may not only liue but also dye louing and so loue thee for euer The third fâ—eindship ô Lord which out of thy most ardent loue thou contractest with vs is by this B. Sacrament of the Altar by which thou art vnited vnto vs not only in affection as comonlie freinds are but also in substance The first freindship of Incarnation if we may iudge of the cause by the effect is the greatest and noblest because it caâ—seth a greater and more noble vnion with God for that by Incarnation man was made the naturall sonne of God whereas by the freindship of grace and charitie he is only th' adopted sonne of God and the frendship of Incarnation is altogether indissoluble in so much that death which separated Christs soule from his bodie could not separate his humaine nature from his diuinitie the freindship of grace and charitie in this life is often broken by mortall sinne The freindship also of Incarnation in some respects exceedeth the freindship made by the B. Sacrament because by Incarnation man became God and God man whereas by the B. Sacrament man is not Deus but deifer not God but a bearer of God in soule and substance yet in one respect the freindship made by the Blessed Sacrament is greater then that of the Incarnation because by Incarnation preciselie taken that freindship was contracted onlie with that particular humain nature which God assumed vnto him in the vnitie of person but by the B. Sacrament Christ vniteth himself in substance to all those whoe receaue him in it By Incarnation none but Christs humaine nature was formallie deified and sanctified by the B. Sacrament all are sanctified who worthilie receaue it Yet in this B. Sacrament Christ hath shewed himself a greater freind then euer man was to man meÌ„nes freindship coÌ„sisteth only in affection but the freindship made by the B. Sacrament importeth a reall vnion of Christs substance with ours and therefore humain freindship causeth onlie a metaphoricall vnion betwixt those who are freinds but this freindship implieth a reall vnion of our substance with the substance of Christ and of our flesh and bloud with his And by humaine freindship external goods of fortune as riches lands monyes are common betwixt freinds according to the common saieng Inter amecos omnia sunt communia amongst freinds al things are common But the goods of their bodies as health strength beautie c. are not common nor can they but by this freindship made in and by this B. Sacrament Christs bodie bloud soule yea and diuinitie are imparted to vs and made common to vs and our substance is reallie vnited to his ô the admirable freindship Freinds although they be sepated in bodies and places yet by mutuall loue they are vnited in wills soule and spirit and especiallie if their freindship be
the world bread of life and the like which are names sounding and importing loue mercie and benignitie but aboue all the name of Pastour pleaseth thee that implying greatest loue and charitie and therefore thou professest thyself to be a Good Pastour and such an one as is readie to giue his life for his sheepe Io. 10. then which there can be no greater charitie Other shepheardes in some Countries to winne the loue of their sheepe and to familiarize themselues the better with them do inuest themselues with sheep-skinnes with the wooll outwards and thou ô louing Pastour that thou mights be the lesse terrible and more amiable to vs thy sheepe wouldst not appeare in thy glorious habit and weed of thy diuinitie Exod. 19. 20. nor in fire nor lightning nor thunder nor in darke and terrible clouds as thou didst in the old law which was a law of terrour but wouldst put on the habit and fleese of our humain nature and so appeare bee man with men that so men might conuerse with thee with lesse feare more loue and familiaritie Phil. 2. for thou exinanitedst thyself taking the forme of a Seruant made into the similitude of men and in shape found as man that being man thou mightst the better conuerse with thy sheepe who are men In this shape of man thou wast so gratefull to the Iewes that whereas before that thou putst on this alluring habit they durst not approach to the mountaine where thou exhibitedst thy presence nor could endure to heare thy voice Exâ— 20. but cried to haue Moyses not thee to speake vnto them since that thou appearedst in the forme of man Tit. 3. and that the benignitie and kindnes towards man of our Sauiour God appeared Thousands of the Iewes followed thee to heare thy preaching and to see thy miracles and good examples and since that like a good shepheard in this forme of man for in the forme of God thou couldst not thou diedst for mankind all nations haue flocked vnto thee and will do till the worlds end O happie wee who are gouerned by a Pastour of our owne Kind in our owne shape and him so benigne milde and charitable Pastours and shepheards do gouerne their sheepe by their Pastorall staffe or hooke by their owne call or whistle or by their dogge these shepheards bring them to pastures or feelds most fit for them to grase in and where is most fit nourriture for them so thou a louing Pastour gouernest vs by the staffe of thy Pastorall authoritie which thou hast imparted to thy vnder Pastours and doctours of the Church yet so as whilest they direct vs outwardlie by lawes and commandementes thou directest vs inwardlie by grace which giueth vs force to obey them whilest they gouerne and feede vs outwardlie by preaching expounding scripture thou preachest inwardlie by thy grace inspirations whilest they minister the externall signes of the Sacraments thou feedest vs inwardlie by the grace which thou giuest as the principall Agent and they giue as ministers the Sacraments as instruments instituted by thee for our sanctification and in these pastures by this fodder most fatting and nourishing thou feedest thy sheepe And if whilest thy sheepe are grazing and feeding in the medowes of holy Scripture of which euerie sentence is as grasse to feed them if whilest they are feeding on the sodder of the holy Sacraments the Infernall wolfe the deuill or the worlde and flesh seeke to molest them by their tentations if the Heretike by his false call and whistle seeke to deceaue them then the vnder Pastours doe lay about them with their Pastorall staffe yea and as Christ his doggs they barke at them and chase them away being not as the Iewish pastours were Esai 36. dumme doggs not able to barke In the old law ô louing Pastour thou fedst thy sheepe with figuratiue Sacraments which were no causes but bare signes of grace and so could giue no grace therefore by thy Apostle are called egena elementa Gal 4. poore elements but in the new law thou feedest vs with Sacraments which are not onlie signes but also causes of grace and which do sanctifie nourish and feed our soules and therefore thy prophet Ezechiel forseeing these our happie times in which thou feedest vs so aboundantlie Ezech. 34. sayth in thy name In the most plentifull Pastures will I feed them and in the high mountaines of Israel shall be their pastures there shall they rest on the greene grasse and in fatte pastures they shall be fedde vpon the mountains of Israel O the loue thou hast shâ—wed to thy Christian sheepe in prouiding them so fatte pastures And in this thy loue hath shewed it self the greater because thou shewedst it vnto them after that they had forsaken thee by sinne and were quite lost for thou leftst the 99. sheepe to witt the 9. orders of Angels in the desert Mat. 12. that is in heauen which before thy comming into this world by Incarnation was a desert place and inaccessible to men because thou wast not Incarnat for Angels much lesse didst thou suffer for them but leauing them thou camest to vs by Incarnation in our forme and shape and thou camest to seeke mankind thy lost sheepe hauing found him thou carriedst him vpon thy shoulders when thou sufferedst on the crosse for him and broughtst this strayd sheepe to the folde of the Church where he is fedde in plentifull and fatte pastures Tertul. lib. de pudi cap. 7. And therefore in the primitiue Church as Tertullian witnesseth thou wast pourtraited vpon the holy chalices like a shepheard carying his lost sheepe on his shoulders Iacob the Patriarch a shepheard and figure of thee our good Pastour Gen. 31. said to Laban that he had kept his sheepe twentie yeares and that none of his sheepe or goates perished but he restored the damage Daie and night saith he was I parched with heate and with frest and sleepe did flie from myne eyes But thou ô my Sauiour ô my carefull Pastour playedst the Pastour amongest vs aboue thirtie yeares for euen by the merites of thy Infancie thou feddst vs dare and nâ—ght thou trauelledst for vs by night by praier by daie by preaching teaching and working of miracles thou suffredst heate and colde hunger thirst thou fastedst fortie daies and fortie nights to feed vs thou wast circumcised thou wast whipped at a pillar crowned with thornes nailed on a Crosse where like a good shepheard thou diedst for vs least the Infernal wolfe should deuoure vs. O how great must thy loue to thy sheepe be which made thee suffer so much for them Iacobs loue was so great to Rachel that he serued Laban twice seauen yeares for her Gen. 29. but thy loue was so great that it caused thee to suffer a most painfull life of more then 3 yeares for thy sheepe and this thy painfull life thou also concludedst with a most painfull and
contracted by grace and charitie and therefore of the first Christians though separated in bodies place Act 4. S. Luke giueth this testimonie the multitude of beleeuers had one heart and soule And Ionathas his soule by freinship loue was said to be conglutinata ioyned fast as it were glued to the soule of Dauid 1. Reg. 18. Lib. 4. Confes c. 6. And S. Austin speaking of a great freind of his who was dead saith I thought my soule and his soule to haue been one soule in two bodies and therefore my life to me was an horrour because I would not liue halfe and therefore perchance I feared to die least he shoud dye wholie whom I much loued But this vnion betwixt these freinds was onlie metaphoricall and in affection whereas by the freindship made in and by the B. Sacrament there is a realle vnion not only of Christs substance with those that receaue him by communion but also of the receauers communicants amongest themselues because they all receauing the same indiuiduall bodie of Christ are al reallie vnited in it and by it to one another O admirable freinship and no lesse admirable vnion greater then is the vnion betwixt children of one Father and mother their vnion is called consanguinitie by which they are vnited in flesh and bloud which they receaue frō the same parents which is counted a greater tye then any humain freindship can make and yet they receaue not from their parents the same indiuiduall flesh and bloud either with their parents or with one another but another and that distinct though of the same Kind they who receaue this B. Sacrament do receaue the same indiuiduall flesh and bloud which he hath and so are vnited to him and amongest themselues in one the selfsame flesh and bloud By this freindship we liue not onlie together in one howse as other freinds doe but as Christ saith Ioan 6. Ioan. 6. he that eateth his flesh and drinketh his bloud abideth in him and Christ in him and so they liue not onlie together in one howse but also one with in another O freindship excelling all humaine freindship and euen carnall consanguinitie and the neerest kinred O how should we loue this noble freind who out of his excessiue loue hath linked vs vnto him not onlie in affection as freinds are nor in the like flesh and bloud as children of one Father and Mother are but in the selfsame Indiuiduall substance of which he consisteth O how should wee loue one another and euen more then wee doe our brethren and sisters because we are linked not onlie in flesh bloud of the same kind taken from the same parents as they are but in one indiuiduall flesh and bloud of Christ which we all receaue in this B. Sacrament Freinds at their departure by death or by a long iorney do leaue onlie their freinds an Image or a ringe or some other guif◠for a remembrance and this argueth their great loue But Christ at his departure out of this world in respect of his visible presence hath left vs in this B. Sacrament the best thing he had not an Image or a ring or such like but euen his owne flesh bloud his owne selfe and so leauing vs visible remaineth with vs inuisiblie in this B. Sacrament and will soe remaine with vs to the worlds end How should we imbrace and loue this our so great freind VVhat shal we giue him for this guift he is more worth ten thousand times then we are or haue yet lett vs giue him ourselues as he hath giuen himself to vs and though there be infinite disparitie betwixt him and vs yet he will accept of our guift because it is asmuch as we can giue Some freinds and Confederates who haue made a firme league or freindship to make it firmer and more inuiolable haue let themselues bloud and haue signed it with their bloud So our B. Sauiour to make a firmer league freindship with vs did let himself bloud on the crosse and this his bloud he giues vs to drink daylie and his flesh also to eate in the B. Sacrament thereby to signe this league and to make it inuiolable O let vs not on our part break this freindship but let vs rather signe it with our bloud if the occasion be offered as Christ hath signed it with his which also he giues vs to drinke that we may neuer forget this league and freindship True freinds are readie to dye for one another as they say Pylades and Orestes and others were thinking themselues to liue though dead so long as their freind liueth and to dye though liuing when their freind dieth Our B. Sauiour hath sacrificed hīself once on the Crosse by a reall death and he daylie sacrificeth himself mysticalie in the B. Sacrament for vs lett vs be then alwaies readie in preparation of minde to dye for him who first died for vs let vs not thinke it much to giue our life for him who gaue his life for vs which being the life of God man infinitlie surpassed the liues of all men though neuer so great and manie yea and of Angels also if they could dye as they may be annihilated O my soule do thou resolue thyselfe into loue to shew thyself gratefull to so louing a freind doe thou imitate the Phenix burne thyself in thyne owne flames of loue that dying in this Fire to the world this life and thyself thou maist rise to heauen to an eternall life ô my soule stick to this freind so fast as that neither Father nor Mother sister nor brother prosperitie nor aduersitie life nor death nor al the creatures in the world may separate thee from him but as freinds liue willinglie together so thou maist liue in him and he in thee in this B. Sacrament so thou maist liue with him in the Church militant that thou maist euer liue with him in the Chuch triumphant so thou mayst liue with him heere by grace that thou maist raigne with him in heauen by glorie THE EIGHT MEDITATION How Christ hath shewed himself in this B. Sacrament a most louing spouse O My B. Sauiour ô louer of soules thou confoundest me with thy loue shewed to me in this B. Sacrament by so many waies I haue found thee in it by it a bountifull feastmaker prouident howse-holder a Father a Mother a Freind now I finde thee to bee in it and by it a most amorous spouse of our soules that so by one Title or other or altogether thou maist wrest out a reciprocall loue of ours towards thee As thou hast contracted three freindships with vs as we haue seene in the former chapter so hast thou contracted three Mariages with vs the first by Incarnation the Second by grace the third by this B. Sacrament By Incarnation thou art so fast wedded vnto vs and linked vnto vs by a knott so indissoluble that it excelleth the bond of carnall
shamefull death for them O my soule neuer do thou so much as thinke of leauing so louing a Pastour neuer do thou straic from his fold nor from his so plentifull pastures as sinners and especiallie Heretikes do But especiallie ô my sweet Iesusâ— thou hast shewed thyself a good Pastour Io. 10. in this B. Sacrament A good Pastour will die for his sheepe so didst thou dye reallie on the Crosse for vs and mysticallie in this B. Sacrament where thy death and passion is represented and applied to thy sheepe whereas other shepheards do onelie feede their sheepe with haye grasse and such like fodder thou o most louing Pastour giuest vs thy owne flesh to eate and thy owne bloud to drinke which by their vnion with the diuinitie are the most nourishing food that can be next vnto the diuinitie it self on which thy glorious sheepe the Saints Angels in Heauen doe feede by cleare vision and fruition of it O wonderfull loue of a Pastour ô loue and charitie aboue all other loues charities O loue aboue all loues not onlie of Pastours but euen of Fathers and Mothers Quis Pastor saith S. Chrys hom 60. ad pop Antioc Chrisostome oues pascit proprio cruore quid dico Pastor Matres multae sunt quae post partus dolores silios alijs tradunt nutricibus hoc autem ipse non est passus sed ipse nos proprio sanguine pascit per omnia nos sibi coagmentat what Pastour doth feede his sheepe with his owne bloud And what do I say pastour many mother 's there are who giue their children to other nurces but he would not suffer this but he himself doth feed vs with his owne bloud and altogether doth ioyne vs vnto him O my soule how canst thou be cruell like a wolfe who feedest on this milde lambe how canst thou be otherwise then chast who feedest of the Virgin Mothers Sonne and of his chast flesh and bloud how canst thou be prophane who art nourished with so holie and sacred meate drinke how canst thou be carnall who art fedde with so spirituall foode as is the flesh bloud of Christ spiritualized by the diuinitie it selfe how diuine shouldst thou bee who art a God on earth by participation who art feasted with such diuine meate and drinke Graunt me ô sweet Iesus that as thou hast shewed thyself a good Pastour to me to vs all so I may shewe my selfe a good gratefull sheepe The sheepe is obedient to the shepheards whistle followeth none other make me obedient to thy vocations and diuine inspirations and let me not harken to the false whistle of false Prophets nor to the inchanting voices of the diuell world and flesh A sheepe is a most fearfull creature who when he runneth with the rest of the flocke is afraid of the noise of his owne his fellowes feete and if he espie the wolfe though a farre of he fleeth from him sudain lie repaireth to his flocke folde and shepheard Giue me grace to feare as Iob did all my owne actions and as soone as ether world flesh or deuill do beginne to tempte me to flie from them to auoid presentlie all occasions of sinne and to haue present recourse to thee my carefull shepheard and to thy Sacraments and other meanes thou hast prouided vs against sinne Sheepe are simple myâ—de and free from galle and euen when they are carried to be butchered they kicke not as the horse doth they cry not as the hogge doth they durre not with their hornes as the bull and cowe doth they bite not as the wolfe and dogge doth but they suffer patientlie without cryinge without resisting Onelie whethere they be grazing or chewing the cudde whethere they haue grasse in their mouth or the Butchers knife at their throate before the shearer and the butcher they are mute or they vse onelie their innocent Ba that onelie is their crye in prosperitie and aduersitie graunt me ô my deare Pastour and sweet sauiour to imitate this mâ—â—de patience and in aduersitie and prosperitie in sicknes and health in riches and pouertie to be euer the same and to vse the same sheepish Ba which Iob vsed Iob. 1. Our Lord gaue and our Lord hath taken awaye as it hath pleased our Lord so is it done the name of our Lord be blessed aswell for the one as for the other aswel for takeing away as giuing aswell for sicknes as health aswell for pouertie as riches aswell for aduersitie as prosperitie yea more for this then that because aduersitie borne patientlie is a greater benefite then whatsoeuer prosperitie O sweete Iesus make me simple and meeke as a sheepe as thou thyself wast who therefore biddest vs to learne of thee Mat. 11. 2. Peâ— 2. for that thou art meeke and humble of heart make me innocent as a lamb yea as an infant newlie borne The shepheard knoweth his sheepe Io. 10. they him as he hath his eye alwayes on them so they haue alwaies their eyes open to him O louing Pastour and Sauiour let thy carefull eye be euer on me and then I can not perish and let my eye be alwaies on thee let me alwaies thinke on thee and thy commandements and the benefits thou hast bestowed on mee It is a great honour to be knowne of thee to haue but thy good looke and gracious regard and it is as great a miserie not to be knowne thus of thee and to heare that dolefull voice Mat 25. nescio vos I know you not O let me neuer heare that voice And for me to know thee alwaies to haue myne eyes so setled on thee as to haue thee alwaies in my sight is a great comfort a great securitie a great bridle and restraint from sinne and as great a spurre to all virtue for who can do ill who can do otherwise then well who hath thee alwaies in his sight who knoweth that thy eyes are vpon him that he is neuer out of thy kenning O sweet Iesus o louing Pastour my soule is a sheepe of thy flock and fold it hath wandred and straied from thee and thy flocke by sinne but thou hast by thy grace sought it and found it brought it backe on thy shoulders giue me constancie that I neuer straie from thee againe O deare Pastour my soule is a sheepe of thy flocke and fold I commend it to thy care it is thy sheepe bought and redeemed with thy precious bloud it is thy sheepe fedde in this B. Sacrament with thy flesh and bloud it is thy sheepe gouerne it rule it direct it protect it guide it in the pathes of Saluation that it may one day graze and feede with thy Angels and Sainctes in the mountaine of Heauen and on thy sacred diuinitie which onelie can make it happie Graunt this ô my louing Pastour o graunt it These former 10. Meditations may be read more or fewer according to the deuotion of