for the same ende As for example If we will examine whether a medicine be conuenient for a disease we must consider the accidentes of the disease and the proprieties and vertues of the medicine and when we haue seene what proportion there is betwene the one and the other we maie then iudge whether the medicine be conueniente for the same disease or not And euen in like maner is it in this case for whereas it is euidente vnto vs that the passion and bloud of our Sauiour Iesus Christe is a generall medicine for all the miseries and necessities of man if we will trye the conueniencie of this medicine we must make a longe comparison betwene the medicine and the desease and in case we be able to searche and examine well both th' one and th' other we shall certainlie finde that this medicine is so fitte and conuenient for the curinge of this disease and of all the braunches and accidentes of the same as if the medicine had bene onelie instituted for the curinge of each defecte in the disease the which vndoutedlie is a matter able to bringe a man that shoulde consider of it attentiuely into a great astonishement and admiration If thou be not fullie perswaded herein tell me then I praie thee what satisfaction coulde be offered more sufficiente for payment of the common debtes of mankinde than the most pretious bloude which the sonne of almightie God shead for vs vpon the Crosse To cure also the woundes of our pride couetousenes ingratitude pleasures delightes and the loue of our selues with all other euils which proceed thereof what thinge coulde be more conuenient than God vpon a crosse Likewise to geue vs knowledge of the goodnes and mercie of almightie God to enkendle vs more in the loue of him to strengthen more our confidence and to awake more our forgetfulnes and vnthankefulnes what thinge coulde be more conuenient than God vpon a crosse Moreouer to enriche a man with merites to exalte him vnto greater honour to enkendle his spirite in deuotion to comforte him in his tribulations to succoure him in his temptations to helpe him in his labours to encourage him vnto great enterprises and finally to geue a perfecte example of all vertues what thinge coulde be more conueniente than Iesus Christe vpon the crosse And to comprehende all in one worde if the Euangelicall lyfe be well considered it is nothinge els but onely a continuall crosse and so consequentlie what thinge coulde be more conueniente to direct a kinde of lyfe which is altogether a crosse than an other crosse And if thou be yet desirous to vnderstande this conueniencie more euidentlie consider attentiuelie what thinge a Christian lyfe is for the leadinge of a Christian lyfe is the ende of all the traueills and paines of our Sauiour Christe Note well this poynte and the same consideration will declare verie plainlie vnto thee what conueniencie there is betwene this meane and this ende A Christian lyfe takinge it in his full perfection is not such a kinde of lyfe as the Christians vse to liue at this daie in the worlde what a Christian lyfe is but such a lyfe as our Sauiour Christe liued and such a lyfe as his disciples liued whose paines labours and miseries were so great that one of them saieth thus of them 1. Cor. 4.9 We are become a spectacle vnto God vnto Angels and vnto men For truelie so great are our paines and miseries and in such wise are we reuyled and persecuted of the worlde that as though we were wilde beastes baited at a stake we are spetially looked vpon not onely of men and of Angels but also of almightie God him selfe And afterwardes he saiethe thus Vntil this presente houre we doe susteine hunger thirste nakednes and blowes and haue not somuch as a denne wherein to hyde our selues We goe from place to place and we gaine the bread that we eate with our owne handes They curse vs and we blesse them They persecute vs and we suffer them They blaspheme vs and we praie for them To conclude in such wise are we turmoyled and contemned of the worlde as if we were the very dust and dirte that they tread vndernethe their feete And as thoughe we were most wicked and abhominable men the worlde is fullie persuaded that nothinge can be more acceptable vnto almightie God than to procure our deathe and condemnation This is my dear brother a Christian lyfe This verie Christian lyfe did the Prophetes liue and so did also the Martirs the Cōfessors and those blessed holie Mounkes that liued in the primitiue Church in the wildernes To be shorte this Christian lyfe did all the Saintes liue And this Christian lyfe the Apostle describeth verie plainlie in his Epistle to the Hebrewes in these wordes Heb. 11. The saintes were mocked scourged apprehended imprisoned stoned sawed in peices tempted and put to death with the sworde They went in this worlde apparailed in sheepes and goates skinnes very poore needie and afflicted of whom the worlde was not worthie They liued in wildernes and in solitarie places aparte from the companie of men and had none other habitation but the dennes and cliftes of the earthe This is indeede the perfection of the Christian lyfe which the gospell teacheth vs and which our Sauiour Christe came to bringe into the worlde This Christian lyfe if it be well considered is a continuall crosse and death of the whole man to the intent that after he is thus mortified ād annihilated he maie be able and desposed to be transformed into God For like as there can not be generation without corruption forsomuch as that thinge which is must perishe to the ende that that maye be made which is not euen so this spirituall regeneration and transformation of man into God can not be made vnlesse the olde man doe first die that so by death and corruption of the olde man he maie be transformed into God Whereupon it plainlie enseweth that all the Euangelicall lyfe is nothinge els as we haue saiede but death and a crosse And thererefore what thinge can be more conuenient to directe such a kinde of lyfe as is altogether a continuall crosse than an other crosse And if there be nothinge more apte and conueniente to ingender a fier than an other fier and if euerie thinge be most apte to ingender a thinge like vnto it selfe what thinge can be more proportionable and conueniente to ingender a crosse than an other crosse Vndoubtedly so it is and therefore there is nothinge of greater force to encourage and strengthen at this daye all holie Catholike men and women to suffer paines vniustice wronges pouertie subiection discipline honger thirste colde nakednes and to be shorte all the troubles calamities afflictions persecutions imprisonmentes tormentes and miseries of this worlde and all the austerite of the Euangelicall lyfe than to fixe their eies vpon the crosse Our of this schoole of the crosse came the
to drinke that geueth vs the cuppe of saluation he that was so innocent he that was so iust or rather verie innocencie and iustice it selfe was accompted emonge theeues the euerlasting truth was accused with false witnes the iudge of the whole worlde was condemned bywicked men and the worde of god receaued the sentence of death with sylence Consider moreouer at what tyme the Sauiour of the worlde was nailed vpon the crosse and at the verie houre of his death when the sterres were obscured the elementes troubled when the earth quaked when the light was darkened when the sonne tourned awaie his eies and would not suffer his beames to shyne vpon the earth least happelie it might see such a great crueltie Consider I saie how euen at this time our Sauiour did not so much as once open his mouthe or moue him selfe how he would not at the verie last howre and point of death discouer the glorie of his maiestie but suffered continuallie that extreme and violent conflict euen vntill the ende intendinge thereby to leaue vnto vs an example of perfect pacience Yea moreouer and all this if those cruell blouddie ministers that crucified and tormented his most blessed bodie would haue conuerted and bene penitente he was readie to receaue them to his grace and fauour euen at the verie last instant neither would he haue shut vp the gates of his church from anie man Now therefore what thinge in the worlde can possiblie be of greater benignitie and patience then the bloude of Christ that giuethe life euen vnto them that shed the same bloude But such and so great is the patience of our sweete Sauiour Christ which if it had not bene such and of so great power the churche had not had Saint Pawle in it at this daie Hetherto be the wordes of Sainct Ciprian OF THE MOST BLESSED SACRAMENT OF THE AVLTAR and of the causes wherefore it was instituted Panis quem ego dabo caro mea est pro MUNDI vita Johan 6 5◠Accipite et comedite hoc est corpus meum Matth. 26.26 § II. ONE of the principall causes of the comminge of our sauiour into this worlde was to enkendle the hartes of men in the loue of almightie God For so said he by sainct Luke Luc. 12. I am come to put fier in the earth and what would I els but that it should burne This fier did our sauiour put in the earthe when he bestowed vpon men such and so manie wonderfull benefittes when he wrowght so great workes of loue emonge them whereby he might steyle awaie there hartes from them and whollie inflame them in this fier of loue Now albeit that all the worckes of his most holie life doe serue to this end Yet of al other those doe most effectually serue for this purpose which he did in the end of his life according as Sainct Iohn the Euangelist signefieth sainge His fryndes that he had in the world Ioan. 13. he loued them espetially in the end For at that time he bestowed greater benefittes vpon them and discouered vnto them greatest pledges and tokens of his loue Emonge which singular pledges one of the most principall was the institution of the most blessed Sacramēt of the Aultar the which thinge shall appeare verie plainlie vnto him that will consider with good attention the causes of the institution of the same But in this behalfe I beseach thee o most mercifull Lord that thou wilt vouchsafe to open our eies and graunt vs light that we maie see what causes they were that moued thy louinge hart to institute for vs this so wonderfull a Sacrament and to leaue it vnto vs. Now that we maye vnderstande some what of this diuine misterie it is to be presupposed good Christian reader that no tounge created is able to expresse the passinge great loue The passinge greate loue Christe bearethe towardes his Catholike Churche and to euerie soule that is in the state of grace Ephes 3. that our sauiour Christ beareth towardes the Catholike Church his spowse and consequentlie vnto euerie soule that is in the state of grace For so much as euerie such sowle is also his spouse For this cause one of the thinges that the Apostel Sainct Paule requested and desired was that almightie god would reueale vnto vs the greatnes of his loue which vndowtedlye is so great that it farre passeth all the wisedome and knowledge created yea thowgh it were euen that wonderfull knowledge of the angelles Wherefore this our most sweete Bridegrome The causes of the institution of this most holie Sacramente The first cause when he minded to depart out of this life and to absent him selfe from the Catholike Church his deere spouse to the intent that this his absence might not be anie occasion vnto her to forget him he left vnto her for a remembrāce this most blessed Sacramēt wherein he himselfe would remaine for he could not beare that betwene him and her there should be anie lesse pledge to prouoke her to be myndefull of him then euen himselfe And therefore he pronunced at that time those sweete wordes Luc. 22.1 Cor. 11. So often as ye shall doe this thinge doe it in the remembrance of me that is doe it that ye maie be alwaies mindfull how much I am willinge to doe for you and how much I goe now to doe and suffer for your saluation The seconde cause Moreouer this most sweete and louing bridegrome intended in this his longe absence to leaue some cōpanie to his spouse that she might not remayne solitarie and comfortles And therefore he left her the companie of this most holie Sacrement where euen the bridegrome himifelfe is reallie present which is in verie deede the best and most delitefull companie that he coulde possiblie leaue her At that time also our sauiour would goe to suffer death for his spowse The thirde cause and to redeeme and enriche her with the price of his owne most precious bloude and to the intent that she might whensoeuer she woulde enioye this most pretious and diuine treasure he left her the keis thereof in this most blessed sacrament For as S. Chrisostome saith S. chrisost So often as we come to receaue this most blessed Sacrament we must make accompt that we come to laie our mowthes to Christes verie side to drinke of his most pretious bloude and to be partakers of this soueraigne and diuine misterie Consider therefore in what a dangerous case those men are that for a litle slouthfulnes doe absteine to come vnto this royall banket and to enioye such a great and most inestimable diuine treasure These be those vnfortunate slouggardes of whom the wiseman speaketh Prouerb 19. sainge The slouggard hideth his hand in his bosome and suffereth him selfe rather to die for honger then he will lift it vp to his mouthe Now what greater slouthfulnes can there be imagined in a man than this is that because he will not
hande that shall betraie me And whiles he yet spake lo Iudas one of the twelue came and with him a great multitude with swordes and staues and torches and lanternes beinge sent from the highe preistes and elders of the people Now he that betraied him had geuen them a token sayinge whom so euer I shall kisse that is he laie handes on him And forthwith he came to Iesus and said hayle maister and kissed him Then Iesus said vnto him Freynd Ioan. 18. wherefore art thou come And Simon Peter drewe out his sworde and strooke a seruante of the high preiste and cut of his right eare This seruant was called Malcus Then Iesus said vnto Peter put vp thy swoord into the scabbord The cuppe that my Father hath geuen me wilt thou not that I drinke it And he towched the eare and forthewith made it whole At that time Iesus said to the high preistes Luc. 22. and to the officers of the temple and to the elders that came vnto him Ye be come out as it were Math. 26. against a theefe swoordes and staues I sat dailie emonge you teachinge in the temple and ye laid no handes on me But this is your howre and the power of darkenes Ioan. 18. Then the souldiers and the captaine and the officers of the Iewes tooke Iesus and boūd him and led him awaie to Annas first for he was father in lawe to Caiphas who was the high preist for that yeare Math. 26. Then all the disciples forsooke him and fled MEDITATIONS VPON THESE POYNTES OF THE TEXT VHAT doest thou o my soule what thinkest thou It is no time now to sleepe Come with me I praye thee into the garden of Gethsemanie ād there shalt thou heare and see great misteries There shalt thou see ioye stroken with sadnes fortitude waxen afraide strengthe discomfited maiestie and omnipotencie confounded greatenes and mightines verie narrowlie streytened and glorie it self obscured and darkened Of Christes prayinge in the Garden Consider now first how after that supper which was so full of misterie was ended our sauiour went with his disciples vnto the mownte Oliuet to make his praier before he would enter into the combat of his passion In all troubles and temptatiōs of this life we must haue recourse to praier as to a holie ancker and refuge to geue vs thereby to vnderstand that in all troubles and temptations of this life we must alwaies haue recourse vnto praier as it were to an holie ancker by vertu whereof the burden of tribulation shall eyther be taken quite awaie from vs or els we shall haue strength geuen vs to be able to beare it which is a farre greater grace For as S. Gregorie saith our Lord doth vs a greater benefit S. Gregorie when he geueth vs force and strength to be able to susteine troubles and temptations then when he taketh the same troubles and temptations awaie from vs. Our sauiour tooke with him to accompanie him in this waie three of his best beloued Disciples to witt S. Peter S. Iames and S. Iohn which three a little before had bene witnesses of his glorious transfiguration And this he did that the verie same persons might see what a farre different shape he tooke nowe vpon him for the loue of men from that glorious shape wherein he had shewed him selfe vnto them at his transfiguration And because they should vnderstand that the inward troubles and agonie of his soule were no lesse then those that begane to be discouered outwardly he spake vnto them those sorowfull wordes My soule is heauie euen vnto death tarrie me here and watche with me That verie God and trewe man that man that farre excellethe both our humane nature and all thinges created whose de alinge and conference was with the verie breste of the highe Deitie it selfe with whom onelie he communicated his secretes is now fallen into so great sorrowe and heauines that he is contented to geue part of his paines vnto his creatures and to require of thē theire companie saying tarrie me here and watch with me O treasure of heauen o perfet felicitie who hath browght thee o Lord vnto such a narrowe straight who hath driuen thee to seeke at other mens gates who hath caused thee to become a beggar euen of thine owne creatures who hath done all this but onely the verie greate loue thou hast to make them riche Tell me o most sweete and mercifull redeemer wherefore art thou now so much afraide of death which before thou diddest so much desire seinge the fulfilling of the desire is a cause rather of ioye then of feare Verelie the Martirs had neither the fortitude nor yet the grace that thou hast They had onelie a little portion which thou beinge the fountaine of grace diddest impart vnto them and yet they with that onelie smale quantitie of grace entred verie cheerfullie into the combat of there martirdomes and atcheiued the victorie And art thou o Lord beinge the geuer of strength and grace sad and fearfull now The verie cause both of Christes feare and of the fortitude of the Martyrs euen before the battell beginne Assuredlie o Lord this thy feare is not thyne but myne as likewise the strength and fortitude of thy Martirs was not theires but thyne The feare that thou hast commeth of that thou hast of vs and the strength and and fortitude that the martyrs had came of that they had receiued of thee The weakenes of my humane nature is discouered in that God was afraide and the strengthe of thy godhead is showed in the fortitude of man So that this feare is myne and that fortitude is thyne And therefore thy reproche is myne and my praise is thyne There was taken a ribbe bone out of the side of our forefather Adam Genesis 2. to forme a woman thereof and in steede of the bone that was taken awaie there was put weake and feeble fleshe Now what elles is signified hereby but that the euerlastinge father tooke from thee beinge our second Adam the force and strengthe of grace to place the same in thy spouse the Catholick Church and tooke from her the feeble fleshe and weakenes to place it in thee by meanes whereof thy spouse remayned stronge and thou weake she stronge by reason of thy strength and thou weake by reason of her weakenes Thou hast herein o heauenlie Lord bestowed a dowble benefit vpon vs in that thou hast vouchsaffed not onelie to clothe vs with thee but euen also to clothe thy selfe with vs. For these two so singuler benefittes the angelles praise thee for euermore for that thou hast bene no niggarde in communicatinge thy benefittes vnto vs nor yet disdayned to take vpon thee our miseries Now when I consider these thinges o Lord what ells should I do but seinge my selfe as it were loden with thy mercies glorie in thee and seinge thee to be likewise replenished with my miseries for my sake take compassion
as by the merite of that vnspekeable charitie and humilitie with which thou hast humbled thy selfe to take vpon thee all my sinnes thou hast not onelie deliuered me from them but also made me partaker of thy graces and treasures For in takinge vpon thee my deathe thou hast geuen me thy life in takinge vpon thee my fleshe thou hast geuen me thy spirite and in takinge vpon thee my sinnes thou hast geuen me thy grace So that ô my mercifull redeemer all thy paines Our sauiours paynes are our treasures and riches are my treasures and riches thy purple clotheth me thy crowne honoreth me thy strookes bewtifie me thy sorowes comforte me thy angwishes susteine me thy woundes heale me thy bloude enricheth me and thy loue makethe me dronke And what wonder is it if thy loue make me dronke seinge the loue thou barest towardes me was able to make thee also dronken and to leaue thee like an other Noe to appeare dishonored and naked Geness to the open sighte of the worlde The purple of bourninge loue causeth thee to susteyne the purple of shame and reproche the earnest zeale thou hast of my profit and furtherance causeth thee to be contente to holde this reede in thy hande And the compassion thou hast of my losse and damnation moueth thee to beare this dolorous crowne of ignominie vpon thy head OF THOSE WORDES OF THE GOSPELL ECCE HOMO Beholde the man Opprobrium hominum et abiectio plebis psalm 21.7 J◠〈◊〉 presturam habâ—bitis sed 〈◊〉 ego 〈…〉 Johan â—6 33 § II. VHEN they had thus crowned and scorned our Sauiour the Iudge tooke him by the hande in such euill plight as he was and leadinge him out to the sighte of the furious people said these wordes vnto them ECCE HOMO Beholde the man Whiche is as much as if he had saied If for enuie yee seeke his deathe beholde him here in what a pitiefull and dolefull case he is A man vndowtedlye not to be enuied but to be pittied If you were afrayed least he shoulde haue become a kinge beholde him here so wholie disfigured that scarcelye he seemeth to be a man Of these handes so faste and stronglie bounde what cause is there why ye shoulde feare Of a man in this wise so sore whipped and scourged what woulde ye require more By this maist thou vnderstande ô my soule in what a lamentable case our Sauiour was at his goinge out of the iudgement haulle seinge that euen the Iudge himselfe verelie belieued that the pittiefull case in which he was mighte haue suffised to mollifie and breake the vnmercifull cruell hartes of his ennemies Whereby thou maist well perceaue what a dangerous and vnseemelie thinge it is for a Christian not to haue compassion of the most grieuous and bitter paines and sorowes of our sauiour who so loueth Christ taketh greefe and compassioÌ„ of his bitter paynes and sorowes seinge they were so great that they were able as the Iudge was perswaded to mollifie those most sauage and cruell stonye hartes of the Iewes Where loue is there is also sorrowe How can he then saie that he loueth our Sauiour Christe that beholdinge him tormeÌ„ted in this most pittiefull and dolefull plighte hath no coÌ„passion of him And if it be so wicked a thinge not to haue compassion of our Sauiour Christ what a heynous matter is it to encrease his paines and martirdomes and to adde thereunto sorowe vpon sorowe Suerlie there coulde not be anie greater crueltie in all the worlde than after that the Iudge had shewed our sauiour Christ vnto them so pittiefullye berayed for his ennemies to answere with such cruell wordes Crucifige Crucifige Crucifie him Crucifie him Now if this was so great a crueltie in the Iewes what a crueltie is that in a Christian who in his deedes and workes saieth euen as much as the Iewes did althowgh he expresse it not in wordes Heb. 6. The wycked Christians doe as it were crucifie Christ againe by theire euill and synnefull workes For dothe not S. Pawle saie That he that sinneth crucifieth the sonne of God againe Forsomuch as towchinge his parte he doth a thinge whereby he woulde binde him to dye againe if his former death had not bene sufficient How is it then ô Christian that thou hast thy harte and handes readie bent to crucifie our Lorde and redeemer so often tymes in this wise with thy sinnes Thou owghtest to consider that like as the Iudge presented that so pittiefull forme to the Iewes supposinge there was none other more effectuall meane to withdrawe them from theire furie than that dolefull sight euen so the heauenlye father presenteth that same dolefull sighte daily vnto all sinners meaninge thereby that in verie dede there is none other more effectuall meane to withdrawe them from sinne than to set before them this so pittiefull a forme Make acompte therefore that euen now the heauenlie father laieth also the same pittiefull forme of his most deere and onelie begotten sonne before thy face and that he saieth vnto thee ECCE HOMO Beholde the man As thowghe he shoulde saie Beholde this man in what a dolorous case he standeth and remember withall that he is God almightie and that he standeth in this most dolefull and lamentable plighte as here thou seest him not for anie other cause but for the verie sinnes of the worlde See into what plighte God is browght by the sinnes of man Consider how necessarie it was to satisfie for sinne And consider also How abhominable a thinge synne is in the sighte of God how abhominable and horrible a thinge sinne is in the sight of almightie God seinge it so disfigured his owne onelie sonne to destroye it Consider moreouer what a sore reuenge almightie God will take of a sinner for such sinnes as he himselfe committeth sithe he hath so sharpelie punnished his owne most dearlie beloued and innocent sonne for the sinnes of others Last of all consider the rigour of the iustice of almightie God and the fowle stayninge malice of sinne which appeareth so dreadfullie euen in the verie face of Christ the sonne of God Now what thinge coulde possiblie be done of greater efficacie both to cause men to feare God and also to abhorre synne It seemeth hereby that almightie God hath showed him selfe towardes man as a good louinge mother is wont to doe towardes her wicked dawghter that seeketh lewde meanes to plaie the harlot For when neither wordes nor punnishement be able to diswade her from her wicked diuelish purpose she tourneth her rage against her owne selfe she beateth her owne face and teareth her heare and when she is thus disfigured she setteth her self before her dawghter that thereby she maie vnderstande the greatnes of her offence and that at the least for verie pittie and compassion of her mother she maie be moued to leaue her wicked purpose Now it seemeth that almightie God hath vsed the verie same remedie here
triumphant conqueror goeth downe into hell clothed with brightnes and strēgthe whose entrie Eusebius Emisenus describeth in these wordes O beawtifull light which shininge from the highest parte of heauen diddest geaue light with a suddaine and vnwonted brightnes to them that were in darckenes and in the shadowe of deathe For at the verie instant that our Sauiour descended thither immediatlie that euerlastinge darke night shyned verie brightlie and the noyse of them that there lamented ceassed forthwith and all that cruell route of tormentors trembled Exod. 25. to beholde our Sauiour Christ present There were the princes of Edom troubled and the mightie of Moab quaked for feare and the inhabitantes of the lande of Canaan were sore amased and astonied Incontinently all those infernall tormētors beganne in the middest of theire obscure darkenes to murmure emōge themselues and to saye Who is this that is so terrible so mightie and withall so bright There was neuer seene anie man like vnto this in oure quarters There was neuer the like person sent into these dennes from the beginninge of the worlde vnto this daie What he loketh as one that woulde rather assault vs than paie here anie dette and as one that woulde soner geue vs an ouerthrowe than be punnished as a sinner He seemeth to be a Iudge and no guiltie person He cōmeth with great might to fight and not to suffer anie payne Where stoode our garde and the porters of our gates when this conqueror brake our stronge inclosures and entered thus perforce vpon vs What maie he be that is of such a mightie puissance If he were faultie he woulde not haue bene so hardie And if he had broughte with him anie obscuritie of synne he coulde neuer haue thus geuen light to our darkenes with his brightnes If he be God what hath he to doe in hell If he be a man how is it that he is so bolde If he be God what hath he to doe in the sepulchre If he be a man how happeneth it that he hath spoyled our stronge prison of Limbus O Crosse that hast after this maner defeyted our hopes and bene the cause of this our great losse Genes 3. and dammage Vpon a tree we gayned all our riches and now vpon a tree we lose them all againe Suche wordes as these murmured those infernall feindes emonge themselues at what time the noble triumphant conqueror our Sauiour Christe entered therein to deliuer his prisoners There stoode all the soules of the iust gathered together that had from the beginninge of the worlde vntill that howre departed out of this lyfe There might yee haue seene one Prophet sawed a sonder an other stoned an other hauinge his necke brokē with a barre of yron and others that had with other kyndes of death glorified almightie God O gloriouse companie O most noble treasure of heauen O most magnificent and riche parte of the triumphe of our Sauiour Christe There were those two first persons to wit Adam and Eue who in the beginninge peopled and increased the worlde whiche two as they were the first in synne so were they the first also in faith and hope Genes 6. There was that holie olde man Noë who by buyldinge of the great Arke preserued seede that the worlde might be replenished and peopled againe after the ceasinge of the waters of the floude There was the Patriarke Abraham the first father of the beleeuynge people who deserued before all others to receiue the testament of God and the signe and separation of his familye from others by the marke of Circumcision in their fleashe Genes 22. There was his obedient sonne Isacke who in caryenge vpon his shoulders the woode wherewith he shoulde be sacrificed represented the sacrifice ād redēption of the worlde Genes 27. There was Iacob the holie father of the twelue trybes who by puttinge vpon him an others apparell and straunge garmentes gayned his fathers blessinge which figured the misterie of the humanitie and incarnation of the euerlastinge worde Luc. 2. There was the holie S. Iohn Baptist also as a guest and newe inhabitor of that lande and likewise the blessed olde man Simeon who woulde not depart out of this worlde vntill he had seene with his eies the redeemer of the worlde and receyued him in his armes and songe like a swanne before his death that sweete songe Nunc dimittis c. Luc. 15. There had the poore seelie Lazarus mentioned in the gospell his place also who by meanes of his soores and patience deserued to be partaker of that so noble companie and hope All this quyer and assemblie of holie soules were there mourninge and sighinge for this daie And in the middest of them as maister of the chappell was that holie kinge and Prophet Dauid who without ceassinge repeted his auncient lamentation As the hart longethe after the fountaines of waters Psalm 41. euen so doth my soule longe after thee my God My teares were bread vnto me daie and night whiles they saie vnto my soule where is thy God O holie kinge Dauid if this be the cause of thy lamentation now maist thou cease from singinge this songe for here thy God is now present and and here is thy Sauiour whom thou maist now enioye Chaunge this songe therefore and singe that other songe which thou diddest singe longe before in spirite Psal 84. Thou hast blessed thy lande ô Lorde thou hast deliuered Iacob out of captiuitie Thou hast pardoned the iniquitie of thy people and hast dissembled the multitude of theire sinnes And thou holie Ieremie that wast stoned to death for the same Lorde shut vp now thy booke of lamentations which thou diddest wryte when thou beheldest the destruction of Ierusalem and the ruine of the temple of God For euen within these three daies thou shalt see an other temple builded vp farre more beawtyfull than that was and thou shalt see an other more goodlie Ierusalem renewed through out the worlde Now when those blessed fathers sawe their darkenes chaunged to a goodlie bright light The greate ioye of the olde fathers in Limbo patrū at the descendinge of our Sauiour thither to deliuer them frō thence Exod. 14. Exod. 15. when they sawe the tyme of their bannishemēt expired and their glorie now begonne what tonge is able to expresse the passinge inwarde ioye that they felt O how glad were they to see themselues now deliuered out of the captiuitie of Egipt and their enemies drowned in the redde Sea How hartelie did they singe altogether and saie Let vs singe vnto our Lorde for he hath gloriouslie triumphed He hath ouerthrowen both the horse and the horsemen into the sea With what inwarde affection trowe ye did the first father of all mankinde prostrate him selfe before the feete of his sonne and Sauiour and saie vnto him Thou art now come my dearlie beloued Lorde whome I haue so longe tyme loked for to redeeme my synne Thou art come to fulfill
to kinge Ioram the sonne of Achab. Who when he had spente and emploied all his lyfe in the seruice and worshippinge of Idols and came in the time of his necessitie to the Prophet of God requestinge him of helpe and remedie 4. Reg. 3.13 the holie Prophet answered and saide O kinge Ioram what hast thou to doe with me Get thee hence to the Prophettes of thy father wheÌ„soeuer a synner earnestlie repenteth and coÌ„uerteth trewlie vnto God he will forgeue and receiue him but fewe sicke persons that haue liued dissolutelie doe so but if they recouer there health doe retorn ordinarielie againe to their former wicked lyfe Esa 57.13 At the hower of our deathe we wishe that we had more time to doe penance for our synnes and mother and desier them to helpe thee at this tyme. O how manie of vs doe followe this wicked kinge both in our life and death In our lyfe we serue the worlde and at the point of death we calle vpon almightie God What answere maie we looke to haue at that dreadfull howre but euen the same that he hath alreadie geuen in the like case Which is what hast thou to doe with me sith thou diddest neuer seruice vnto me Get thee hence to thy counsellors whom thou hast folowed and to thy idols whom thou hast loued serued and adored and speake vnto them to geue thee thy wages for thy seruice When yee shall crie saieth almightie God by his Prophet Esaie let them that yee haue gathered together deliuer you but the winde shall take them all awaie At this time the sicke man beginneth to wishe that he might haue some space to doe penance for his former wicked lyfe And he thinketh then with himselfe that if he might obteyne it ô how he woulde fast and praie and doe great worckes of mercie Yea he woulde not contente him selfe with euerie common kinde of penaÌ„ce but woulde liue the most straite and austere kinde of lyfe of all men in the worlde But alas when he perceiueth by the encreasinge of his sicknes that his request will not be grauÌ„ted and calleth to minde what time opportunitie and meanes he hath had to prepare himselfe for this dreadful howre aÌ„d how fondly he hath suffered the same to passe in vaine then is he wonderfullie greiued and vexed for this losse and acknowledgeth him selfe to be well worthie of such punnishement for that he woulde not be mindfull beforehande of his dreadfull accompt but omitted to doe penance for his synnes when he had time and space to doe it O vnto how manie of vs doth it happen to be beguiled after this sorte speÌ„dinge and consuminge the time which almightie God hath geuen vs to doe penance for our sinnes in vanities and pleasures and afterwardes when we stande in most neede of it we wante it A verie apt similitude And so it happeneth vnto vs as it doth commonlie to the pages and seruitours in the Cowert who beinge alowed a candle to light them selues to bedde doe spende their candle in plaie all the night and afterwardes are constrained to goe to bedde darkelinge OF THE SACRAMENT OF EXTREME Vnction And of the agonie of death Infirmatur quis in vobis inducut prâ—sbitoros ecclesiae et orent supâ—r 〈◊〉 vâ—gentes cum oleo in domini Jac. cap. 5. vers 14. § VI. The Catholicke Churche helpethe her childreÌ„ at the hower of their deathe with prayers aÌ„d Sacramentes NOw approcheth the sicke person to his last ende and the Catholike Church as a verie louinge and pittiefull mother beginneth then to helpe her Children with praiers and Sacramentes and with all the meanes she maie possiblie doe And because his necessitie is so great for at that instant it shal be determined what shall become of him for euer and euer greate hast is made to calle vpon all the Sainctes in heauen that they all will helpe the sicke maÌ„ in this his great perill and daunger For what other thinge is the Letanye which then by commandement of the Church is to be saied ouer him that is at the poynt of death but that the Catholicke Churche as a pittifull mother beinge verie carefull for the daunger of her sicke childe knocketh at all the gates of heauen and cryeth vnto all the Sainctes desiringe them to be intercessors before the diuine maiestie for the saluation of him that standeth now in so great neede of their helpe at the time of his passinge out of this worlde The Preiste then annoyntethe all the senses and members of the sicke person Then the Preist out of hande annointeth all the senses and members of the sicke person with the holie Oyle accordinge as the holie Scripture commaundeth in the Epistle of S. Iames. cap. 5. vers 14. And desireth almightie God to pardon the sicke person all that he hath offended by any of his senses And then annointinge his eies he saieth Almightie God by this Vnction and of his diuine mercie pardon thee all the sinnes that thou hast committed by meanes of thine eies And in this wise he annointeth all the other partes of the sicke person Now if the miserable sinner haue bene dissolute in his eies or in his toÌ„ge or in anie other of his bodelie senses If all his former dissolute disorders and wanton pleasures be represented vnto him at that time in such sorte that he seeth well what litle fuite he is lyke to finde then by all his former delightes and pleasures If he perceiue withall into what a narrowe strait he is brought by meanes of his wicked and licentious life how can he chose but feele an extreme angwish and griefe therewith What woulde he geue at that time trowe yee that he had neuer lifted vp his eies from the grownde to beholde anie woman with anie wanton looke and that he had neuer opened his mowth to speake anie wordes of lyenge slaunder detraction or anie other wicked worde Of the agonie of deythe After this followe the panges and agonie of death which is suerlie the greatest of all the conflictes we haue in this lyfe Then is the holie Candle lighted and his friendes and executors beginne to prouide his wyndinge sheete and other thinges for his funerals Then they beginne to faie to the sicke man that the hower of his departure out of this worlde is now come and therefore they counsell him to recommende himselfe vnto almightie God and call vpon the holie virgin Marie his blessed Mother who is wonte at that hower to helpe all them that calle vpon her Then the sicke man beginneth to heare the woefull cries and pittiefull lamentations of his poore wife who now presently beginneth to feele the discommodities of her newe widowhode and solitarie lyfe Then the sowle of the sicke man is readie to departe froÌ„ the bodie and at the time of hir goinge euerie one of his members is sore grieued and vexed therewith Then are the cares of the sowle renewed a freshe Then is the