nothing els then so manie effects of his free grace without which we are not able of our selues to thinke one good thought nothing lesse then so many new obligations heaped vpon vs obligations I saye to imploy the rest of our tyme here belowe without intermission as the Angells their eternitie aboue in ioyfull Alleluya's that is peales of hartie Prayses and thankes-giuing for so great benefits Affection Say my soule with the great S. Augustine Let our Lord be alwayes magnifyed neuer my selfe in no place my selfe how euer I haue profitted to what degree of vertue soeuer I may haue attayned but our Lord alwayes Am I a sinner let him be magnified that I may be called to pennance Doe I confesse my sinnes let him be magnified that he may pardon me Doe I liue a good life let him be magnified that he may guide me Doe I perseuere to the end Let him be magnified that he may glorifie me Be he therefor alwayes magnified Let this alwayes be the iust mans profession and the profession of all those who seeke our Lord. Fruits of Christs Resurrection II. POINT CONSIDER how necessarie this Resurrection was to confirme our staggering faith to erect our daunted hope and to inflame our drooping charitie Wee did hope said the Disciples as who should saye but now we haue cause to doubt and so should we all haue said had not his resurrection bene rendred vndoubted For what did his poore natiuitie speake but a man borne in miserie And what did his death preach but a man dyeing in torment But his glorious Resurrection by sealing the truth of all the Prophecies wonderfully hightens our hopes and inflames vs with the loue of him who through loue of vs gaue waye to death from which he had strength enough in three dayes to raise himselfe Affection Well might our weake faith my soule haue staggered in seeing our God but a day olde in hearing him weepe like another childe in beholdinge him in pouertie and miserie Well might our faith haue been shaken when we sawe a God most ignominiously dye But now seeing him gloriously rise againe how can we doubt of all the rest Nay what may we not iustly hope for from so much goodnesse as would dye for vs and so much power as could rise againe And how is it possible that our harts should not burne with his loue who dyeing for ours makes good the faith of his Deitie by his so powerfull so manifest and glorious a Resurrection THE VIII MEDITATION Other fruites of our Sauiours Resurrection I. POINT CONSIDER as a second fruite of our Sauiours Resurrection a strong and constant hope of the Resurrection of our mortall bodie being first subdued by death Let the pagan Philosofers doubt and dispute as much as they will the resurrection of the dead is the vndoubted faith of the Christians after the resurrection of Christ and by vertue of the same For saith S. Leo If we beleeue in hart what we professe with our mouth in him we are crucified in him we are dead in him we are buried and in him we rise againe Affection Yes yes my soule the Resurrection of my Sauiour hath put this out of doubt Man is risen in him and therefore we shall also rise and we confidently professe with holy Iob that we know our Redeemer liueth and in the last day we shall rise out of the earth and we shall be compassed againe with our skinnes and in our flesh we shall see God whom we our selues shall see and our eyes shall behold and no other This hope is 〈◊〉 vp in our bosome II. POINT CONSIDER as the third fruite of this ioyfull and glorious day our Blessed Sauiours triumph and raigne ouer all the world happily beginning at Hierusalem and extending it selfe to the vttermost confines of the same thereby making his words I haue ouercome the world appeare in effect For if the world had malice enough to haue razed his name out of the hartes of men by his death vpon an infamous Crosse he contrarily had goodnes and power enough by the same death to imprint his memorie much deeper in their mindes to abolish Idolatrie the worshipp of false Gods and true Diuells and in their places to establish the worshippe of one true God ouer all the face of the earth all which at this day with much ioy to true Christian hartes we see effected Affection Reioyce my soule to see that Gods goodnes hath turned the malice of men to the aduantage of his owne glorie and their Saluation What excesse of ioy ought it not afforde to a true Christian hart to see the faith of a God-man infamously dyeing vpon a Crosse willingly imbraced all the world ouer To see that Crosse erected in triumph in euerie place To see regall and imperiall Crownes fall at the feete of it To see Idolles fall and Diuells flye at the verie signe of it Finally to see Iesus of Nazareth crucified acknowledged imbraced magnified adored in euerie corner of the earth THE IX MEDITATION I. POINT CONSIDER how our blessed Sauiour appeares a true louer of man not only in his life and at his death but euen after his Resurrection also And still becomes all to all that he might gaine all In the garden he appeares a Gardener to S. Marie To the Disciples fishing at sea as a passinger desiring fish To the two Disciples walking to Emmaus as a Pilgrime who accompaigned them to witt whether we seeke him with Magdalen or we follow our ordinarie imployments according to our state and calling with the Apostles or wee walke betwixt feares and hopes with the two Disciples Iesus sorsakes vs not for Iesus also himselfe approching went with them saith S. Luke Affection Ah my deare Lord to what excesse doth not thy loue goe into what posture doth it not put it selfe to gaine mans loue For him he dyes for him he riseth from death he walkes with him he talkes with him he eates with him he suffers his perfidious hand to sound his deare wounds Ah my euer dearest Rabboni how iustly may we saie with one of thy great Saintes Thou bestowest great blessings vpon vs euen caressest vs least we might waxe wearied in the waye Thou correctest whippest and smitest vs least we might wander out of the waye whether therefore thou dost caresse vs least we might faint in the waye or thou dost chastice vs least we might stray from the waye thou deare Lord art alwayes our Refuge II. POINT CONSIDER with whom it is that Iesus doth willingly walke in the waye of this our pilgrimage with whom he doth comfortably discourse and you shall finde by the example of the two Disciples goeing to Emmaus that it is with such as seriously conferre together or meditate vpon those deare passages of the life and death of our sweete Sauiour According to that of the Psalmist in my Meditation the fire begins to burne vp Affection Let vs. then my soule euer hence-forth make it our
enterchange sacred kisses with hym Nothing but sweet words as my beloued is myne and I am his is heard Le ts thus my soule find out receiue and entertayne our deare spouse 2. Point Consider that faith hope and charitie can neuer be more profitably and agreeably imployed to the making vp of a perfectly good preparation then vpoÌ„ the death and passion of our deare Sauiour who left vs himselfe in this Blessed Sacrament for a speciall memorie therof saint Bernard giues vs this assurance With such ornaments as these is our heauenly Spouse delighted gladly enters he into the Bride chamber of the harte where he finds the ensignes of his Passion his Crosse crowne and lance diligently reflected vpon and made familiar Affection Yes my soule for what can be more desire in vs then that for which he so louingly left himselfe with vs to the end of the world where could euer faith be more meritoriously exercised then vpon a God dying for his sinfull people where humane reason found nothing but a man ignominiously dying Where could hope more firmely ancor then where it mett with such excesse of mercy Where could charitie so delightfully solace it selfe as in the continuall memorie of a God dying for loue Let our thoughtes then ô my soule be wholy taken vp in the memorie of Iesus-Christ and him crucified THE INSTITVTION OF the B. Sacrament THE XI MEDITATION Of the truth of the reall presence And while they supped Iesus tooke bread and Blessed and broke and gaue to his Disciples and said take and eate this is my body c. Matt. 26. Mar. 14. Luc. 22. And. S. Paule 1. Cor. 11. saith I receaued from our Lord what I deliuerd vnto you because our Lord Iesus the night in which he was deliuered toke bread and giuing thankes broke and said take and eate this is my body which shall be deliuered for you doe this in remembrance of me I. POINT CONSIDER that ether these testimonies doe manifestly and infallibly conclude the truth of the realitie of our Sauiours presence in the consecrated hoste or els we can neuer expect any certaine truth out of holy Scripture Nothing is more vnanimously deliuered in all Scripture This is my body saith S. Mathew This is my body saith S. Marke This is my body saith Saint Luke This is my body concluds saint Paule Noe words can be deuised either shorter or clearer to expresse the same truth The nature of the busines exacted clearenes for he gaue vs an example of what we were to doe in imitation and memorie of him and againe it was a last will and that some few houres onely before he knew he was to dye for vs wherin all men striue to expresse themselues clearely and sincerely without all varnish trope figure equiuocation or mentall reseruation as far as may be Affection O God how thou hast closely besieged as it were and left no passage to euasion forcing in a manner this Confession from us that vpon this truth thy testimonies are too too credible for is it credible that 3. Euangelists and the great Apostle of the Gentiles would vnanimously conspire to misleade all their posteritie Or can it be imagined that Truth would striue to deceaue vs by leauing vs affirmatiues to be vnderstood for negatiues in a matter of practise would a tender Father teach his rude and ignorant children by hisbodie to vnderstand not his bodie to witt bread Would the goodnesse and wisedome of heauen in his verie laste words haue left to his deare Spouse the Church an ineuitable occasion of error and perpetuall Idolatrie euer since Farre is it from a Christian vnderstanding and farr be it euer from the hartes of thy seruants whom thou feedest with thy flesh which is truly meate and with thy blood which is truly drinke We deuoutly adore thee ô hidden Deitie who art truly and really vnder the formes of bread and wine Let 's rather dye then denye depart from or entertaine the least doubt of this certaine Truth Of the tyme of the institution 2. Point Consider that our Sauiour instituted this Sacrament of loue in a tyme where most loue and tendernes vseth to be expressed to witt at his last supper with his Apostles as the last memorie of a dying man as a pledge of his loue which he desired to imprint deepely in their harts And this too expressed in words full of loue Desiderio desideraui I haue earnestly desired to eate this Pascall or passe-ouer with you before I suffer To witt the present apprehension of his paynefull death is not able to allay the pressings of his tender loue of which he will euen leaue himselfe a pledge Affection Sweete Sauiour Iesu to what higth doth thy Charitie burne Was it not enough for that deare Lord of ours to haue instituted this Sacrament of loue wherein loue left God to man for his food vnlesse still more and more to commend the same loue vnto vs he had performed it in a circustmance of most loue and tendernesse euen iust when he was readie to goe out to signe with his pretious blood spilt for our loue the deed of gift of his bodie blood left for our food And that too acompaigned with dearest expressions loue could inuent 〈◊〉 haue exceeding earnestly desired to eate this Passcâ—all with you before my departure And wilt not thou then ô my soul feruently approch to this Sacrament desiring it with all the desires of thy hart not receiuing it with coldenesse and out of custome c. OF THE CAVSES OF THE Institution of the B Sacrament THE XII MEDITATION The 1. Cause to leaue a Sacryfice Gods worshippe CONSIDER that Christ did institue this Blessed Sacrament and Sacryfice that the holy Church his spouse might be alwayes prouided of a meanes to offer to God the highest worshipe imaginable yea euen condigne and proportionable to his owne infinite dignitie while a victime of an infinite value is offered to him to witt Christ God and man and there-for equall to himselfe as worthy as good as great as himselfe so that nothing ether greater or better can ether be payd owen or exacted nay euen be wished for or imagined by the wisdome of heauen it selfe Affection O great dignation ô infinite loue and bountie of God to man Man was not furnished with any thing worthy of God all the worshipe he could exhibite as proceeding from a pure and poore creature was base and vile and bore noe proportion to the great Creatour What doth he then doe but bestowe a sone and that sone himselfe vpon vs in this Sacred Mysterie himselfe not whit inferiour to his heauenly father and by that meanes inables vs to make an offering of equall worshipe and to pay more then we could euen contract O too too rich and happie Christians if we would know and consider our owne worth and happines The second Cause To leane vs a Legacie of Loue. II. POINT CONSIDER that the second cause of the Institution of
Augustine though such as vowe Virginitie to God hold a more ample degree of honour and dignitie in the Church of God yet are not they without mariage for they belonge to the mariage with the whole Church wherin Christ is the spouse Affection O admirable dignitie of the Virgine where the humble handmayd is raysed to the honour of a Bride to Christ himselfe the Bridegroome whom whē she loues she is chaste whom when she touches she is pure whom when she takes in mariage she is a Virgine O supercelestial mariage from whence fidelitie and fertilitie is expected as well as in other mariages for such as breake this first faith haue damnation saith the Apostle and the happie state of Virgines assures S. Augustine is more fruitfull and fertile not to haue bigge bellies but great mynds not to haue breasts full of mylke but harts full of candour and in lieu of bringing forth earth out of their bowells they bring forth heauen by their prayers Hence issues a noble progenie puritie iustice patience mildnesse charitie followed by all her venerable traine of vertues This is the Virginns worke to be sollicitous of what belongs to God and to haue her whole conuersation in Heauen THE SECONDE MEDITATION FOR THE SAME SVNDAY CONSIDER yet a third sort of mariage wherin the whole Catholike Church that is all faithfull soules are espoused to Christe in faith hope and charitie but especially by charitie which as Queene drawes a longe with her all the powers and affections of the soule to conforme and subiect them to the pleasure of her diuine spouse making but one will and nill of two wills to witt that of God and man And this conformitie saith the deuoute S. Bernard maries the soule to God Whence results an ineffable content and pleasure and such a heate of diuine loue that the soule and all her affections are absorpt therin Affection Let the world then my soule boast as much as it will of the pleasures and contentements which it inioyes they are not like to the lawe of the Lord thy God that sweete law of loue in comparisō of which the most prosperous earthly pleasure is but vile and base The cheife Good is our Good of which Tertulian saith excellently soome goods as well as some euills bring an intolerable waight with them and most dearely and deliciously oppresse the soule Hence it was that that holie Apostle of the Indies cryed out Satis est Domine satis est It is enough ô Lord it is enough THE SECONDE POINTE CONSIDER yet a fourth sorte of Mariage which is made euery day to all kinds of faithfull soules which approche to the B. Sacrament Wherin we are made one with that diuinely deare spouse of ours not onely by charitie but euen in realitie and in verie deede we are mingled with that sacred flesh of his in that celestiall banket which he bestowes vpon vs to shew vs the excesse of his loue Whence S. Christome saith therfor it was that he ioynd himselfe with vs and mixed his body into vs to the'nd we might be come one with him as the body is ioyned to the heade for euen as one who powres melted waxe saith Cyrill into other waxe must necessarily wholy mixe the one with the other so he that receiues the body and bloud of our Lord is so ioyned with him that Christ is found in him and he in Christ Affection O excesse of goodnesse ô ineffable delightes of that most chaste and sacred mariage betwixt the kinge of heauen and poore man Here in this mariage banket is serued in the foode of Angells nay the kinge of the Angells himselfe becomes the whole feaste Nor is there neede there of any other wine then the precious bloude of the Lambe who dyed for our loue say then my soule and let all that loue and feare our Lord Iesus say with vs quoniam bonus quoniam in saeculum misericordia eius that he is infinitly good and his mercys are without end THE FIRST MEDITATION FOR THE THIRD SVNDAY AFTER THE EPIPHANIE If thou wilt said the Leper to our sauiour thou canst make me cleane Matt. 8. THE FIRST POINTE. CONSIDER that the poore Leper had found by a longe and painfull experience that there was noe hope of cure by the power of man all his owne and others endeuours prouing vneffectuall and therfor he wisely resolued in an humble confidence to haue recourse to him whom he knew by faith to be able to doe all that he would in heauē and in earth By adoration he acknowledges him to be God and by his words he publishes him to be all powerfull He came and adored him sayinge Lord If thou wilt thou canst and the present effects proue that his faith is powerfull and gratefull to Christ who graciously replyes I will Be thou made cleane and forth with his leprosie was made cleane Affection Our great and good Lord my soule neither wants power nor good will to cure all our infirmites if we aske as we ought If he some tyme delaye vs it is but the better to trye vs and more euidently to acquainte vs with our owne want of abilitie till he putt his powerfull hand to the worke for then our leprosie is forth with cured If he delaye vs and sometyme permitt vs for a longe space to languish and euen to be ouerspredd with our leprosie it is but the more perfectly to humble vs and throughly to cure the more dangerous desease of pride Finally if he delay the cure till we waxe more desparatly sicke it oblidges vs being at length cured the more highly to magnifie his mercy and publish his power to all men THE SECONDE POINTE. CONSIDER that there is noe stayne so deeply setled which Gods power is not able to fetch out noe leprosie of body or soule so inueterate and incurable which God with a word doth not cure Our application or addresse is onely to be looked to We must approche to the Lord of life and death as to one such with a liuely faith with an absolute confidence that with a word he can worke what he will his power being onely limited by his will as the faithfull leper plainly expresses Lord if thou wilt thou canst make me cleane Affection Be then my soule thy leprosie and other spirituall deseases neuer so peremptorie Be it that they haue growne on with thee since thy youth Seeme they rather to be another nature then natures defects yet haue but a frequent confident humble recourse to this souueraigne Physitian with a true acknowledgement of thyne owne miserable and otherwise desparate estate crying out with afirme faith O Lord if thou wilt thou canst cure all myne infirmities and infallibly in his good tyme we shall heare I will be thou made cleane THE SECONDE MEDITATION FOR THE SAME SVNDAY Of the Centurion or Capitaine of an hundred Soldiers who sued to our Sauiour for the cure of his seruante THE FIRST POINTE. CONSIDER that we may
faithfull who are to raigne in that Kingdome to a mustardseede which is saith he the least or the least kinde of all the seedes What are we to learne hereby but that to be truly of the number of the faithfull to be fitt to raigne for euer in that celestiall Kingdome we ought to be litle and euen the least that may be in our owne esteeme and in our owne desires of being esteemed by others for knowing indeede our owne weaknesse miserie and nothing with what iustice would we haue others who know vs not to esteeme vs some thinge contrarie to our owne certaine knowledge and truth Affection Marke my soule how our humble Sauiour seemes to labour to imprint deeply into our soules that great litle vertue of humilitie which S. Paule qualifies Christs owne proper vertue virtus Christi This he doth by word and worke at all tymes and places in his birth life and death He neuer taught any other greatnesse in earth then to be litle He amongst you saith he who desires to be the greatest let him be the least Vnlesse you become like these litle ones pointing to the children you can not enter into the Kingdome of Heauen You must belike grains of mustard seed saith he here O saith S. Augustine so great a thinge it is to become litle that had not the great God of heauen taught it vs by his owne example we should neuer haue learnt it THE SECONDE POINTE. But when it is growne it is greater then all hearbes and becomes a tree CONSIDER that from the smale beginings of Christ and his fruitefull spouse the Catholike Church which appeared so abiect and contemptible in the eyes of the world that it was deamed a scandall to the Iewes a follie to the Gentils grew so great in the tract of tyme that noe woode brought out so faire a tree for its flowers for it fruite for its large branches which extend themselues all the world ouer So that as farre as the sunne spreads its light the light of the Gospell is spredd the faithfull preach and dye for Gods truth Affection Dost thou desire to be great indeede my soule begin from being the least So did thy Sauiour Christ and his Church wherof thou haste the happinesse to be a member Was there a mother to be choysen for the sonne of God The Highest looked downe vpon the litlenesse of Marie and was pleased in her Is that sonne to be lodged in earth A litle caue is prepared for his Louure Is he to subdue the world to his heauenly fathers seruice He exinanites himselfe and becomes a litle child Must this heauenly child haue Apostles to send to conuert the world He makes choyce of a litle troupe of sillie fishermen And yet by these and by this conquering litlenesse the world is vanquished Proud Philosophers fall into their netts Royall Diademes fall at their feete The ignominie of the Crosse turnes honorable and is planted ouer all the face of the earth O may these examples of prosperous litlenesse confound our pride and conuert vs. THE SECONDE MEDITATION FOR THE SAME SVNDAY So that the foules of the aire come and dwelle in it CONSIDER that as this tree sprunge frō this smale graine or mustardseede affords a place as well of repose as repaste to the smale innocent birds of the aire not to the great ones which being more earthly feede on carion and liue by rapine So doth the goodly large spredd Tree of the Catholike Church giue as well shelter as nourishement to those birds of Paradice the faithful of Christ who hauing their thoughts continually aboue affecte noe more vpon earth but a meere liuelyhoode wheras those that are great in their owne eyes and heauie harted are drouned in earth and earthly cogitations and can neuer be saciated Affection There is noe place my soule vpon this tree of the Gospell for those rauinous birds and soules of earth who can neuer be glutted with the base pleasures and grosse fare of the oynions and garlike and flesh potts in this Egipt of ours who by how much more they abound by so much more they starue while those other birds of Paradice feede deliciously and lodge securely vnder the sweete shade of the glorious tree of the Catholike Church whose fruite is sweete to their throte There those chaste turtles intertayne themselues with their belowed mates and singe one to one dilectus meus mihi ego illi my beloued is myne and I am his THE SECONDE POINTE. The Kingdome of heauen is like to a mustardseede CONSIDER that the Kingdome of heauen which by some Fathers is said to be the word of God in the holy scriptures is compared to a mustard seede and that most fitly Looke vpon a graine of mustarde slightlie and you shall neither find sauer nor taste in it so is fares also with the word of God which looked vpon curserily without due reflection makes smale impression in mans harte Marrie let that smale graine be brused and a strange firie vertue is felt which affects the braines and drawes teares from the eyes And doth not the word of God being diligently pondered blesse the hart with a strange sweetnesse aboue that of honie and the honie combe And is it not according to the Prophete vehemently burning and delightfully inflaming and drawing teares of heauenly delight from our eyes Affection Thus it happened to the two good Disciples in their way to Emaus where Iesus discoursed with them of which they said to each other did not our harts ardently burne when he Christ spoke to vs in the way and opened the scriptures to vs Thus fared it with him who hauing stript himselfe of his clothes said pointing at the bible it was this booke that robbed me And thus it will fare with vs my soule if we doe not onely reade but seriousy ponder and ruminate the word of God for it was in the meditation of it that the deuoute Dauid testified his harte was sett on fire MEDITATIONS FOR SEPTVAGESIME SVNDAY THE FIRST MEDITATION Of the great and wonderfull benefite of mans vocation to the knowledge of God THE FIRST POINTE. CONSIDER how the Almightie God that great Master of the familie of the whole vniuerse began earely in the morning to call workemen into his vineyard that is from all eternitie before tyme yet was being moued thervnto by noe other motiue then his owne immense goodnes and most iust will According to that of Ieremie In euerlasting charitie hane I loued thee and therfor haue I drawen thee taking compassion And S. Iohn not as though we haue loued him but because he hath loued vs and againe because he loued vs first Affection We were nothing my soule from all eternitie and in tyme so many thousands of yeares run ouer and still we lay in our nothinge There was nothinge then to moue that excesse of goodnesse to take me into consideration and call me to his seruice because I was nothinge at all Nothing
am couered with confusion to behold the abismall humiliation of thy eternallie begotten Sonne my Sauiour who without rapine is equall to thy selfe O humble Christ how this example of thine doth vtterly confound the pride of vs Christians How euer vpon the sight of our miserie and daylie imperfections we may a little stoope yet alas as soone as wee looke vpon our knowledge our power the honorable relations or dependances we haue how easily we swel and despise or slight such as are belowe vs THE THIRD MEDITATION Of Humilitie Cons 1. COnsider howe deare this vertue must needes be to our swete Sauiour and how considerable it ought to be to vs Christians which he so singularly recommends vnto vs. It was one of the first he began to teach vs and he will haue it to be one of the last too That exinanited or powred him forth in his blessed incarnation that lodged him in a stable in a manger in poore clothes that subicted him to the badge of a sinner in his circumcision that made him subiect to father and mother in the course of his life and that subiects him to his seruants while he drawes neere his death Affect Deare God! make me loue what thou louest and so effectuallie recommendst vnto me by word and deed by life and death from the beginning and to the end by which I see that as pride was the Angells disease so must humilitie be the salue of man that as he fell by rising so must we rise by fallinge and rest and repose by lyeing lowe low in our owne conceipts that as the pride of the wicked doth still ascend so the humilitie of the iust may still descend lower and lower that so learning of him who is milde and humble of hart we may not faile to finde reste to our soules Cons 2. Consider how the Euangelicall pen labours in painting out the particulars thereby the deeper to engraue this admirable example of Christs humilitie in the harts of Christians Christ rose from supper saith he put off his garments begirt himself with a linnen cloth powred water into a basine put himselfe downe at his Disciples feete c. and by this meanes stoppes our attention vpon this wonderfull spectacle To contemplate him who sitts vpon the Seraphins rise from table who is clad with glorie putting off materiall garments who showres downe raine from the heauens in due season powering water in earth To see him vpon earth who fills heauen that Master hand which sustains the heauens at the feete the foule feete of a seruant a sinner a Iudas Affect O here is nothing left me my deare Sauiour but admiration beholding thy wisdome thy power thy Maiestie brought soe lowe laide vpon the ground by this thy ineffable humilitie Nothing but confusion when I reflect vpon mine owne ignorance miserie rottennes poore neked nothing carried still aboue it selfe by pride and aspiring at thy seat And this conclusion I am forced to make that ether I must renounce the faith I professe and remaine vnnaturallie vngratefull and stupide or els I must absolutely resolue to become humble to bestowe my felf wholie vpon the acquisition of that vertue which is the sure foundation of the rest and that in contemplation of such and so powerfull an example therof as here is placed before mine eyes THE IV. MEDITATION Of Humilitie and Charitie Cons 1. COnsider how earnestlie our Blessed Sauiour endeauours to imprint this wholsome lesson in our harts how deepely he seemes to digg this best foundation of a Spirituall life It was not enough to haue giuen vs an example of it in his owne person but what he had shewen in his practise he would also preach and presse by precept saying you call me Master and Lord and you saie wel for so it is indeede if then I beeing Lord and Master haue as you haue seene washed your feete you also are bound to washe one anothers feete that is to stand prouided in hart at all times and as occasion is offered to performe sometime anie office of Charitie though neuer so homelie and abiect and that to persons of meanest qualitie far inferiour to vs c. Affect See my hart how thy Sauiour concludes against thy pride but to thy profitt by word and deedc I a Master did it therefore thou a seruant oughtest to doe it argues he I the wisdome of heauen who am sent to teach thee all truth therefore thou who art nothing but errour and ignorance oughtest not to feare to stoope I who am an infinite Maiestie much more thou who art infinite miserie I who made thee of a peece of clay therefore thou whose origen present beeing and outgate is no other thing but clay dust and ashes c. Yee are therefore to humble yourselues vrges on our heauenlie Master yes for I haue giuen you an example of it saith he which I meant to haue obserued not neglected that as I had done to you so you to one another for surely the Seruant is not greater then the Lord nor one sent greater then hee vvho sent him O powerfull and pressing conclusion against which I cannot haue one word to mutter But ô dreadfull and oppressing confusion if in practise I proceede not accordinglie Cons 2. Consider how our sweete sauiour hauing thus in his owne person giuen vs that so necessarie lesson of profound humilitie begins now to teach his Disciples and in them all Christians the accomplishement of perfection charitie saying Mandatum nouum do nobis filioli my children I giue you a nevv commandement That you loue one another as I haue loued you and that as I doe giue my life for you so you loue one another euen vntill death yea those also who doe persecute and iniure you Marke how he confirmes his learning by his owne example giuing vs in testimonie of the greatest and dearest loue the greatest and dearest guift that euer was giuen to witt himselfe to eate Heauen had nothing better God could inuent nothing greater O strange inuention of a louer so to depart as yet to leaue himselfe to be enioyed by his beloued who are all faithfull soules Affect O my soule and all yee soules who are touched with the loue of a true louer was there euer the like seene to this ah behold wonder praise loue for loues sake le ts loue him t is himselfe he hath giuen vs le ts giue our selues to him t is himselfe he hath giuen vs true God and true Man O charitas ó pietas saith S. Augustine quis vnquam talia audiuit vvho euer heard the like to this THE V. MEDITATION Co. COnsider how being prouoked by nothing but his owne infinite Goodnes he loued man from all eternitie and not from eternitie onely but in time also in which he brought downe into the world the fire of that holie loue for no other end then that it should burne the harts of men He loued man not in the beginning onlie but euen to the end not
refuge that there I may securely liue and dye and euen be buried to this vvicked vvorld in that glorious TOMBE that so I may ioyfully rise vvith thee and to thee eternally Amen IHS REFLECTIONS IN forme of prayer vpon the particular partes of our Sauiour vpon the Crosse To his feete I Giue thee thankes my most humble Iesu for thy incomprehensible loue and the great paines which thou didst suffer in thy wounded feete casting my selfe wholy into those holes togeither with all the sinnes and delightes of my life past especially My pride vaine glorie and arrogancie My selfe will disobedience and irreuerence to thee and thy vicars My impatience anger and rancour My tatling detraction and the like to th end they may be abolished and expiated by thy pretious bloud beseeching thee by thy humilitie obedience patience and admirable silence to daigne to bestow vpon me all the same and all Such other vertues that hence forth by the assistance of thy grace in all my thoughtes words and workes I may be truly Humble reduceing my selfe to nothing vnder the feete of all creatures Obedient renounceing myne owne will vnder thee and all men Patient most willingly receiuing all aduersitie from thy holy hand Moderate in speaking interiourly and in high silence giuing eare to thy words alone And that all my life long butt especially at the terrible houre of my death my most certaine Refuge may be in those most sacred wounds of thine To his heade I Giue thee thankes my most wise Iesu for the loue and dolour of thy sacred and most holy heade which was wounded and torne with such excesse of crueltie and inhumanitie hyding my infirme heade togeither with all my senses and powers as also all my sinns and transgressions in the multitude of those sacred wounds in particular All obstinacie in sticking to myne owne prudence and iudgement as also the dissolution and abuse of my senses The neglect of thy feare and the feare and flatterie of men My indiscretion and too great want of moderation My impuritie of intention and seeking of my selfe and all other vices of the like nature to th end they may be expiated by thy most pretious bloud And I humbly beseech thee by thy wisdome feare discretion and vnspeakable simplicitie that thou wouldst voutchsafe to bestowe vpon me those vertues and all other of the like kind That hence forth by the assistance of thy grace I may in all my thoughtes words and workes be truly Wise being vnited and conioyned to thee by a disinterressed vnderstanding and will Piously fearefull keeping an inward and outward watch ouer my selfe least I might offend thée Discreete making choyce of vertue which is placed betwixt two extreámes Simple and internall dwelling onely in thee and purely seeking thee alone And that all my life long especially in the agonie of death I may find a most assured Refuge in thy wounded heade To his hart I Giue thee thankes most amiable Iesu for thy infinite loue and for the sorowes of thy sweetest hart which was run through with a lance while thy most sorowfull mother looked on deposing resigning and plunging my whole hart into that fountaine of all blesse as also all my sinnes and transgressions especially All priuate and vicious loue to created thinges of what kind soeuer and the abuse and neglect of thy sacramentes and benefits bestowed vpon me Diffidence infidelitie and errour Timerousnesse pusillanimity and despaire My carelesnesse and inconstancie in the thinges which belong to my state and calling and all vice leading thervnto to be abolished expiated in thy pretious bloud And I beseech thee by that charitie faith hope and vn speakeable constancie of thyne be pleased to grant me a share in those and such other vertues that henceforth by thy grace I may be in all my thoughts words and workes truly Feruent still breathing after thee and louing thee alone with all my strength Full of faith and hope wholy relying vpon thee as well in prosperitie as aduersitie Constant aymeing at nothing els by all my earnest endeuours but my aduancement in vertue And that all my life long but especially at the houre of my death this sacred wound may be my assured Refuge To his right hand I Giue thee thankes my most iust Iesus for the incomprehensible loue and doulour which thou didest expresse and suffer by the wound of thy most holy right hand casting my selfe wholy into it togeither with all my sinnes and transgressions especially All my iniustice to thee and thy creatures Biternesse of hart displeasure and enuie Falshood lying and hypocrisie Ingratitude to thee for all thy benefits to th end that all may be abolished and expiated in thy most pretious bloud and beseech thee by thy ineffable iustice mercy truth and gratitude to please to indue me with these and such other vertues that hence forth by thy grace I may be in all my thoughtes words and workes truly Iust giuing euery one what is due to them Mercifull wishing and doing good to all creatures Zealous of thy honour with puritie of intention conforming my selfe in all thinges to thee Gratefull rendering dayly thankes to thee and all my benefactours And that all my life longe but especially at the dreadfull houre of my death I may find and assured Refuge in these sacred wounds To his left hand I Giue thee thankes most strong Iesu for thy incomprehensible loue and for the paines of thy left hand casting my selfe wholy into it togeither with all my offences especially All my slouthfulnesse and mispending of tyme. All impuritie of body and soule All intemperance in meate drinke and clothes All couetousnesse vnlawfull desires and the like to be abolished and expiated in thy pretious bloud And beseech thee by thy ineffable power puritie temperance and pouertie to grant me those and such other vertues that hence forth by thy grace I may be in all my thoughtes words and workes truly stronge and diligent c. Chaste conseruing my senses and soule in all puritie Sober seeking onely necessaries Poore in meanes and mynde wholy relying vpon thee And that all my life long but especially at the houre of my death I may haue my certaine refuge in this wounde Amen A CONTEMPLATION or Meditation for Good friday 1. HAVING with what recollection quiet of mind and compassion you possibly can placed before your eyes three crucified demand who they are that suffer in such ignominious wise especially that one in the midst who seemes to be the capitall criminall Aske St. Iohn and he 'le tell you that it is the Sonne of God Sic Deus dilexit mundum vt filium suum vnigenitum daret St. Paule vsque ad mortem mortem autem Crucis Dauid Isaias and other Prophets foretold this truth Aske his mournfull mother Marie and if she can speake for griefe she will mournefully answere you that alas yes it is euen her deare sonne Iesus God and man S. Marie Mag. will tell you the