abide to take so littell labour as he should bestowe in preparinge him selfe for the receauinge of this most holie Sacrament he will rather want the benefit of so great and inestimable diuyne treasure which is of greater valewe then all that euer almightie God hath created The fower-the cause This heauenlie bridegrome desired also to be loued of his spouse with a passinge great loue and therefore he ordeined this diuine misticall morsell consecrated with such wordes that whosoeuer receaueth it worthelie is forthwith towched and striken with this loue O wonderfull misterie worthie to be engraued euen in the innermost parte of our hartes Tell me o thou vngratefull man if a prince should beare such a great affection and loue towardes a seelie wenche that were his bond slaue that he coulde finde in his hart to take her for his spouse and make her quene and ladie of all he is Lord of how great woulde we saie that the loue of that prince had bene that woulde doe such a deede And if peraduenture after the mariage solemnized this slaue should showe her selfe coldlie affected towardes the prince her husbande and he vnderstandinge the same woulde as a man forlorne goe to seeke with all diligence for some pretious morsell and geue it her to eate whereby to winne her loue vnto him how passinge great would we saie that the loue of that prince were that should be thus affected towardes her Now therefore O kinge of glorie what meaneth this that thou for the entiere loue thou bearest vnto me hast vouchesafed not onely to take my soule to be thy spouse beinge as she was the verie bonde slaue of thine ennemie the deuill but seinge her also all this notwithstandinge verie coldlie affected towardes thee hast ordeined for her this misticall and diuine morsell which thou hast transformed with such wordes that it hath vertu in it to transforme such soules into thee as shall feede thereon and make them to burne with liuelie flames of loue There is no one thinge that declareth the affection of loue more euidentlie then when a man hath a desire to be beloued Considering therefore that thou hast bene so greatlie desirous of our loue that thou hast sowght it with such strange inuentions who shall from hence forth stand in dowte of thy loue we be certayne that if we loue God God will loue vs agayne Certayne I am o may most louinge and mercifull Lord that if I loue thee thou also louest me And certayne I am also that I neede not to seeke anie inuentions to allure thy hart to loue me as thou hast sowght toi allure my harte to loue thee That most sweet bridegrome would also be absent from his spouse The fifte cause and yet because loue cannot abide to be absente from the beloued he would depart in such wise that he might not altogether departe from her and he would so goe awaie that he might also remaine with her wherefore consideringe that it was not expedient for our Sauiour to tarrie here still and the spouse mighte not as then goe from hence with him he deuised a meane that althowgh he went his waie and his spouse remained still behinde yet should they neuer be seperated and set a sonder For this cause therefore he instituted this diuine sacrament that by meanes thereof the soules might be vnited and incorporated spirituallie with Christ and that with such a stronge bonde of loue that of them two there should be made one thinge For like as of meate and of him that eateth the meate there is made one same thinge euen so likewise after a certeine maner is there made of the soule and of Christ sauinge that as Sainct Augustine saith Christ is not changed into our soules S. August but our soules be changed into him not by nature but by loue conformetie and likenes of life Moreouer our Sauiours will and pleasure was to assure his spouse The sixte cause and to geue her a pledge of that blessed inheritance of eternall glorie that she being fortified with the hope of this felicitie An assured hope to enioye the felicitie in the kingedome of heauē maketh a mā to despise all worldelie thinges might passe chearfullie throwghe all the trowbles aduersities afflictions and persecutions of this life For trulie there is no one thinge that causeth vs so muche to despise all thinges that are to be had in this life as a assured hope of that blessednes and felicitie we shall enioye in the life to come According as our Sauiour signified vnto vs in those wordes he spake to his disciples before his passion Ioan. 14. If ye loued me said he ye would be right glad of my departure because I goe to the father As thowgh he had said it is a great felicitie to goe to the father For althowgh the waie to goe to him be throwgh whippes thornes nailes crosses and all other tribulations and martirdomes of this life Yet all that notwithstanding it is a thinge of inestimable gaine and cōfort to goe vnto him Wherefore to the intent that his spouse might haue a verie firme and assured hope of this felicetie he left her here in pledge this inestimable diuine treasure which is of as great vallue as al that is there hoped for that she should not mistrust but that almightie God will geue himselfe vnto her in glorie where she shall liue whollie in spirite seinge he denieth not himselfe vnto her in this vale of teares where she liueth in fleshe Our Sauiour purposed also The seuenthe cause at the houre of his death to make his testament and to leaue vnto his spouse some notable legacie to be as a releife and comforte for her at all times and so he left her this most blessed sacrament wherein Christe himselfe is trewlie and reallie presente which was the most pretious and most profitable bequest that he could possible leaue vnto her 4. Reg. 2. Elias when he woulde depart awaie from the earth left his clooke to his disciple Elizeus as one that had none other riches whereof to make him his heire But our most sweete louinge sauiour and master when he woulde ascende into heauen left here vnto vs the clooke of his sacred bodie in this most holie sacrament appointing vs here to be his heires as by the right of children of this so great and inestimable diuine treasure With that mantell Elizeus passed the waters of the floude Iourdan and was neither drowned nor wetshod and with the vertue and grace of this most blessed sacrament the faithfull do passe the waters of the vanities and tribulations of this life without sinne and without danger To conclude The eighte cause our Sauiour intended to leaue vnto our soules sufficient prouision and foode wherewith they might liue forso much as the soule hath no lesse nede of her proper sustenance The soule hathe as greate neede of spirituall foode as the bodie hathe of
sakes aboue fiue thowsande strypes we beleue not yet that he loueth vs. But what shall we saie if to all these strookes and woundes which he receaued for vs at the pillar we adde moreouer all the other paines and trauaylles of his whole life all which proceeded of loue What browght thee downe o Lorde from heauen vnto the earthe but onelie loue What thinge pulled thee out of thy fathers bosome and lay de thee in thy mothers wombe What thinge caused thee to take the garmente of our fraile nature vpon thee and to become partaker of our miseries but onelie loue What thinge placed thee in an oxe staulle and swaddeled thee in a manger and chased thee into strange coūtreis but onelie loue What thinge made thee to carrie the yooke of our mortalitie for the space of so manie yeares but onely loue What thinge made thee to sweate to traueill to watche to continewe wakinge all the longe nighte and to passe ouer bothe sea and lande seakinge after lost soules but onely loue What thinge bounde Sampson hande and foote shaued his heare Iudic. 16. spoyled him of all his force and caused him to be mocked and scorned of his ennemies but onelie the loue of his spouse Dalida And what thinge hath bounde thee our true Sampson and shaued thee and spoyled thee of thy force and strengthe and geuen thee into thyne ennemies handes to be so reprochefullie lawghed spitted and scoffed at but onelie the loue that thou bearest vnto thy spouse the Catholicke Churche and vnto each one of our sowles Finallie what thinge hath brought thee to be crucified vpon the tree of the crosse there to stande so cruellie tormented from toppe to toe thy handes nailed thy syde opened thy members racked one from an other thy bodie all of a goore bloude thy vaines exhausted and voide of bloude thy lippes pale and wanne thy tonge bitter to be shorte all thy bodie wholie rente and torne What thinge coulde haue wrought such a most cruell fowle mangelinge and boucherie of thee as this was but onely loue O passinge great loue o gratious loue o loue seemelie for the great vnspekeable mercie and infinite goodnes of him who is infinitlie good and louinge yea wholie loue Hauinge therefore so great and so manie testimonies of thy loue o my sweete Lorde and sauiour as these be how can I but beleue that thou louest me Sith it is most certeine that thou hast not changed that most charitable louinge harte beinge now in heauen which thou haddest when thou diddest walke here vpon the earthe Thou art not like that cuppe bearer of kinge Pharao Genesis 40. who when he sawe him selfe in prosperitie forgat his poore friendes that he had left in prison but rather the prosperitie and glorie that thou doest now enioye in heauen moueth thee to haue greater pittie and compassion vpon thy children whom thou hast lefte here in earthe Now then sith it is certaine that thou louest me so much as I see verie euidentlie thou doest why doe not I loue thee againe why doe not I put my whole trust and affyance in thee why doe not I esteime my selfe verie happie and riche hauinge euen almightie God him selfe so constante and louinge a frynde vnto me It is vndowtedlie a great wonder that anie thinge in this life dothe make me carefull and heauie hauinge on my syde so riche and so mightie a louer throwghe whose handes all thinges doe passe I H S THVRSDAIE MORNINGE THIS daie when thou hast made the signe of the Crosse and prepared thy selfe hereunto thou hast to meditate and consider How our Sauiour was crowned with thornes how Pilate said of him to the people ECCE HOMO Beholde the man and how he bare the Crosse vpon his shoulders Christus passus est pro nobis vobis relinquens exemplum vt sequamini vestigia eius 1 pet 2.21 The text of the holie Euangelistes VHEN our Sauiour had bene thus whipped ād scourged Math. 25. Marc. 15. the souldiars of the president tooke him into the common haull and there gathered about him the whole bande And they stripped him and put vpon him a purple roobe and platted a crowne of thornes and put it on his head and a reede in his right hande And they bowed theire knees before him and mocked him sayeinge Haill o kinge of the Iewes and spitted vpon him and tooke the reede that he helde in his hande and smoote him on the head therewith Ioan. 19. Then Pilate went forthe againe and said vnto them Beholde I bringe him forthe to you that ye maie knowe that I finde no faulte in him at all Then came Iesus forthe wearinge a crowne of thornes and a purple garmente And Pilate said to them Beholde the man Then when the highe preistes and officers sawe him they cried sayeinge Crucifie him Crucifie him Pilate said vnto them Take ye him and crucifie him For I finde no faulte in him The Iewes answered and sayed we haue a lawe and by our lawe he owght to die because he made him selfe the sonne of God Then when Pilate haerde that worde he was the more afraied and wente againe into the common hall and said vnto Iesus Whence art thou But Iesus gaue him no answere Then said Pilate vnto him Speakest thou not vnto me knowest thou not that I haue power to crucifie thee and haue power to loose thee Iesus answered Thou couldest haue no power at all against me except it were geuen thee from aboue Therefore he that deliuered me vnto thee hath the greater sinne From thenceforthe Pilate late sowght to loose him But the Iewes cried out requiringe to haue him crucified and theire cries preuailed And Pilate determined to accomplishe theire requeste And he let loose vnto them him Luc. 23. that for an insurrection and murder was cast into prison whom they desired and deliuered Iesus vnto them to doe with him what they woulde And they tooke Iesus Ioan. 19. and led him awaie And he bare his Crosse and came into a place that was called Caluarie Luc. 23. And there folowed him a great multitude of people and of women which bewayled and lamented him But Iesus turned backe vnto them and said Daughters of Ieruzalem weepe not for me but weepe for your selues and for your children For beholde the daies will come when men shall saie Blessed are the barren and the wombes that neuer bare and the pappes that neuer gaue sucke Then shall they beginne to saie to the mountaines falle vpon vs and to the hilles Couer vs. For if they do these thinges to the greene tree what shal be done to the drye I H S MEDITATIONS VPON THESE POYNTES OF THE TEXT COME forthe O yee dawghters of Sion and beholde kinge Salomon with the crowne wherewith his mother crowned him at the daie of his espousels and vpon the daie of the ioyefulnes of his harte O my sowle what doest thou O my harte what thinkest thou O my
and weightie burthen his knees tremblinge vnder him his bodie crowchinge vnder the crosse his modest eies and face all blouddye with that dolorous garlande of thorne vpon his heade and besides all this annoyed with those most shamefull opprobrious exclamations and outcries which they gaue out in the waye against him But now in the meane tyme o my soule withdrawe thyne eies a little while from this cruell sight The sorowfull tydinges hereof to the blessed virgin Marie and hye thee with quicke speede with heauines of harte and greate store of teares trickelinge downe by thy checkes towardes the howse of the blessed virgine Marie And when thou art come thither cast thy selfe downe at her feete and speake these wordes in most dolefull and lamentable wise vnto her O Ladye of angells and Quene of heauen O gate of paradice and aduocate of the worlde O refuge of sinners and health of the iust O ioye of the Sainctes and teacher of vertues O mirrour of cleannes O patterne of patience and example of all perfection Woe is me O blessed ladie woe is me why am I preserued aliue to see this present howre How can I liue hauinge now seene with myne eies that dolefull sight which I haue seene What neede more wordes Alas deere virgine and most blessed mother I haue left thy onely begotten sonne my sweete Lorde and Sauiour in the cruell handes of his malitious ennemies with a crosse vpon his shoulders where vpon he shal be crucified Now what vnderstandinge is able to comprehende how deepely these sorowfull newes pearced the most tender harte of that most blessed virgin Here her sowle beganne to waxe fainte Her face and all the partes of her vnspotted maydenlie bodie were couered all ouer with a deadlie sweate which might haue sufficed to ende her life sauinge that by diuine dispensation she was reserued for greater angwishes and so consequentlie for a greater crowne and rewarde in the kingdome of heauen Now the holie virgin walkethe towardes her sweete sonne and the great desire she hath to see him restoreth vnto her againe the force and strengthe which sorrowe and greife had taken awaie She hearethe a farre of the classhinge of armour the trowpes of the people and those most shamefull exclamations and outcries which in most dispitefull wise were thundered by his outragious cruell enemies against him And incontinentlie she seethe the glisteringe speares and halbardes which were holden vp a loft She fyndethe in the waye the droppes and traces of bloude whereby she might easelie tracke him which waie he had gone and she needeth none other gwide to conducte her vnto him She approcheth nearer and nearer vnto her deerlie beloued sonne she openeth her eies which were verie sore dymmed with sorowfull weapinge to proue whether she might see him whom her soule so exceadinglie loued O what a strange combatte was there now of feare and loue in the dolorous harte of the most blessed virgin Marie In one respecte she had a desiere to see him and in an other she was vnwillinge to see him thus miserablie and most cruelly disfigured At the lengthe when she was come where she might see him indeede then those two lightes of heauen doe beholde one an other and theire hartes embrace sweetly together by meanes of theire eies How beit the sight of one an other in this dolefull wise was a verie great corsie to bothe theire afflicted soules Theire tongues were dōme so that neither of them both for a while spake one worde but the naturall affection of that most sweete sonne spake priuely to the heauie hart of the most blessed virgin and saied vnto her Why commest thou hither my doue my beloued and my deere mother Thy sorowe increaseth myne and thy tormentes do augment my paines and be a great torment vnto me Departe my deere mother departe I beseach thee and retourn home againe to thy howse For it is not seemelie for thy virginall shamefastnes and puretie to be here in the companie of murderers and theeues And if it woulde please thee so to doe it woulde certeinly asswage both thy sorrowe and myne And I will remaine here to be sacrificed for the worlde For this office apperteineth not to thee but vnto me and thy innocencie deserueth not this torment Genes 8. Retourne therefore my doue to the arcke vntill such time as the waters of the floude doe cease forsomuch as here thou shalt finde no place where thou mayst rest thy feete There mayst thou attende to thy accustomed diuout praier and contemplation And there by liftinge vp thy soule in godlie meditations aboue thy selfe thou shalt passe ouer more easely this thy dolefull sorowe and greiffe Now this beinge saide the sorowfull heauie harte of the holie mother made answere to her sonne and saied vnto him Why doest thou commaunde me to doe thus my deere sonne Why wouldest thou haue me to depart awaie from this place Thou knowest o my Lord God that in thy presence each thinge is lawfull vnto me and that there is non other Oratorie but where thou arte How can I then departe awaie from thee vnles I shoulde departe from my selfe This griefe and sorrowe so possesseth my harte that trewlie I can not thinke vpon anie other thinge I can goe no whither without thee neither can I seeke or receaue comfort of any other but of thee Vpon thee is fixed all my whole harte Within thee haue I made my habitation And my life whollie dependeth of thee Seinge therefore thou hast vowchesaffed for the space of nine monethes to inhabite within my bowels and to take my bodie for thy dwellinge place why maye not I for these three daies take thy bowels for my habitation If thou wilt thus receaue me within thee when thou art crucified then shall I be crucified with thee and when thou arte buried then shall I be buried also together with thee With thee woulde I drinke of the gaule and vineger With thee woulde I suffer vpon the crosse And with thee woulde I yeelde vp my ghost Such wordes as these spake the blessed virgin in her dolefull harte as she went And after this sort she passed ouer that painfull and ircksome waie vntill she came to the place of the Sacrifice I H S FRIDAIE MORNINGE THIS daie when thou hast made the signe of the crosse and prepared thy selfe hereunto thou hast to meditate vpon the misterie of the crosse And vpon these seuen wordes which our Sauiour spake beinge crucified on the same Vere filius dei erat iste Math. 27.54 Peccata nostra ipse pertulit in corpore suo super lignum ut peccatis mortui iustitiae viveremus pet 2.24 The text of the holie Euangelistes THEY came saieth the holie Euangelist to the place called Golgotha Math. 27. that is to saie the place of dead mens skulles And they gaue him vinegar to drinke mingled with gaule And when he had tasted thereof he woulde not drincke It was then three a clocke And
the inwarde man consisteth in hauinge almightie God presente in his harte And the composition of the outwarde man consisteth in doinge all thinges in such sorte as is seemely for one that standeth alwaies in the presence of almightie God and that hath him alwaies before his eies as the iudge and witnes of his whole lyfe After these doe followe other fower vertues wherein consisteth the somme of perfection which vertues be in such wise annexed and lincked th' one to th' other that the one can not be had without the other In these vertues consisteth the somme of perfection These vertues be perfecte obedience Mortification of our owne proper will Fortitude to ouercome all maner of difficultie and labour and to haue a hatred and contempt of our selues For it is manifest that the somme of all Christian doctrine is a perfecte obedience and conformitie vnto the will of almightie God as well in all such thinges as he commaundeth we can not haue a perfecte obedience and conformitie vnto the will of God vnlesse we denye our owne will and haue a holie hatred and contempté of our selues councelleth and inspireth as in all that he ordeyneth and disposeth concerninge vs. This obedience can not be kepte vnlesse we haue a knife in our hande to cut awaie all the inordinate appetites of our sensualitie and will which doe withstande the will of almightie God But this stroke no man is able to geue vnlesse he haue great fortitude of minde to fighte with him selfe and to make mortall warre against his owne inclinations and appetites And this kinde of warre none other shal euer make but he that hath for the loue of God atteyned to haue a true and holie abhorringe and contempre of him selfe For looke where abhorringo is there doth easilie followe euill entreatinge and contempt of the thinge that is abhorred but where is nothinge but loue there doth a man very vnwillingly take the whippe in his hande to deale roughlie with that thinge which he loueth Whereby it appeareth that no one of these vertues is able to moue one steppe without the helpe and succour of the others After these doe followe immediatlie other fowre verie highe and noble vertues which be Humilitie both inwarde and outward Pouertie both of spirite and of bodie Patience in all aduersities and tribulations Purenes of intention in good workes doinge all thinge◠that we shall doe all onelie for the loue of God without mixture of anie commoditie or respecte either temporall or spirituall After these doe followe other fowre vertues which are the beginninge and ende of all perfection to witt a most firme faith of such thinges as almightie God saith and promiseth and an assured hope in him as in our trewe and louinge father in all the necessities and tribulatiōs that shall happen vnto vs a loue of almightie God which must alwaies burne in our hartes and iointly with this loue to haue a feare and reuerence of his great maiestie and iustice which must euermore accompanie all our workes And with all these vertues aboue named we must ioyne perseuerance and cōtinuance in the exercise of all these vertues the which causeth a man in a smalle time to attaine to the toppe of perfection In these foresaid vertues doth the somme of all perfection principally consist and therefore all our studie and diligence must be emploied in seekinge them by all meanes possible and espetially by praier which is the principall meane whereby all goodnes is obtayned Here I thinke good to geue this aduise that when a man shall demaunde of almightie God any of these vertues he staie him selfe therein for a time and make as it were a station in euerie one of them in cōsideringe breifly the principall motiues that maie most induce vs to the loue and exercise of such a vertue As for example How to desier of God the vertue of Charitie When we shall desire of almightie God the vertue of charitie which is the loue of God we maie saie in this wise Graunt me grace ô Lorde I beseech thee that I maie loue thee with all my harte and with all my sowle for that thou arte an infinite goodnes and excellencie that deserueth to be loued with infinite loue and besides this for that thou arte my onely benefactor my father my creator my last ende and the spouse of my sowle vnto whom all loue is due In like maner when thou shalt desire the vertue of hope thou mayst saie in this wise How to desier the vertue of Hope Geue me grace also ô Lorde I beseech thee that in all the necessities and tribulations that shall happen vnto me in this lyfe I maie trust in thee seinge thy mercie is infinite and thy promises true and the merites of thy onely begotten sonne be of infinite value which doe speake and make intercession for me After this sorte mayst thou desire the feare of God and humilitie with other vertues The forme of which petitions I thinke not meete to note here particularly in writinge For like as it is saied that that meate doth more profite the sicke man which he him selfe eateth and cheweth with his teeth than that which is geuen vnto him in drincke euen so is that prayer wonte to be more profitable which is framed by him that praieth with such wordes as the holie Ghost teacheth him than that praier which is made and compounded with other folkes wordes which oftentimes be sayed and passed verie lightly ouer without anie maner of attention or affection This last parte which is petition besides that it is verie easie to be done is also very profitable For as we saied before it is not onely an exercise of praier but also of all vertues and as it were a readinge and conference of them all wherein a man reneweth all his good purposes and desires and recordeth in his memorie the principall pointes and articles of the lawe of God which is the continuall exercise of the iust man Psal 1.2 of whom it is saide that he meditateth vpon the lawe of our Lorde both daie and nighte These fiue partes aforesaid maie be vsed in the exercise of praier albeit as we haue saide they be not all necessarie to be vsed at all times For some times all the time of prayer is spente in meditation alone or in petition Neuerthelesse I thought good to specifie here all these partes of prayer that no man might leaue of this holie exercise for wante of matter and also that at such time as deuotion fayleth which is no iust cause why we shoulde relent and withdrawe our selues from good exercises a man might haue matter whereupon to occupie him selfe duringe that time doinge on his parte somuch as lieth in him which is the thinge that almightie God requireth principallie of vs. Here is diligentlie to be noted that emonge all these fiue partes of prayer the best is when the sowle talketh with almightie God as it doth in petition
24. vers 25. and namelie of the dreadefull daie of iudgemente he vttered suche wonderfull terrible thinges thereof that as the holie scripture mentioneth he made the verie President himselfe thoughe he were an infidell euen to tremble and quake for fearè with the onelie hearinge of them Apoc. 14. vers 7. And sain te thon likewise in his Reuelations affirmeth that he sawe an Angell preachinge the euerlastinge gospell vnto all Nations tribes tongues and people meaninge thereby that he preached as wel to the good as to the wicked without anie exception therein of the faithfull Christians sayenge Feare oure Lorde and giue honor vnto him becawse the hower of his iudgemeÌ„te is come And I am perswaded that all godlie wise and graue men will easelie agree in this opinion with me that this manner of preachinge of the terror of the daie of Iudgemente and of the moste horrible paines of hell is muche more needefull nowe in this our corrupte age in Englande and Scotlande than in Italie Spaine or other Catholike countries sithe so greate numbers of them are infected with so manie hereticall licentious doctrines that haue caused them to put quite awaie out of their myndes all feare of God and of his terrible iudgements and to presume moste certainelie and assuredlye to be saued by their onelie faithe Philip. 2. vers 12. 1. Cor. 4.4 2. Pet. 1.10 and so are generallie become vtterlie careles of endeuoringe to woorke their saluation with feare and tremblinge and doe liue as dissolutelie as anie barbarous Pagans and Atheists In so muche as all godlie aunciente wise men doe greatelye lamente to see by experience the terrible prophecie of Dauid to be generallie verified at this daie throughout our Realme which is that the iudgements of almightie God be taken quite awaye from the face of the vngodlye Psal 9. vers 26. And if theise and suche like godlie Meditations and considerations of the terrible threateninges and iudgements of almightie God againste the wicked be not a fitt remedie for their conuersion from their careles dissolute lifes what other remedie then can possiblie be deuised for them Howbeit I haue verie greate hope that with the grace of God theise godlie Meditations will woorke muche good effecte for the conuersion of manie of them For vndoutedlie that man is verie wilfull and obstinate in his wickednes that readinge aduisedlie all theise godlie Meditations is not moued inwardelie in his harte in some parte of them to the feare loue and seruice of almightie God and to the abhorringe of synne and amendement of his lise And suche readers as shal be inwardelie moued and called thereunto by almightie God I coniure them in his holie name and in regarde of their owne saluation Ephes 4. vers 30. Psal 94.8 not to make sad the Holie Ghoste in hardeninge their hartes and resistinge vngratefullie and wilfullie againste his diuine inspirations when it shall please his infinite goodnes and mercie with suche singuler loue to knocke and calle at the dore of their hartes but in anie wise to open it out of hande and receiue him most humblie into their hartes with suche louinge hartie interteynement submission thankefulnes seruice and honor as duetie requireth they shoulde doe vnto their most highe soueraigne lorde and Creatour that hath suche a speciall louinge care of their saluation Nowe this booke of Meditations and whatsoeuer els I haue translated and shall godwillinge hereafter publishe in printe I doe most humblie offer vnto the seruice of almightie God for the benefite of our countrie And for so muche as I am verie warie and assured that this boke conteineth not anie thinge whereby I maie iustlie incurre anie penaltie prescribed by anie lawes of our Realme I am the bolder humblie to recommende it by this my dedicatorie Epistle vnto your Honours and woorshipps partelie for that I haue spente some parte of my time in the studie of our Common Lawes in the Middle Temple emonge you and am verie moche bounde vnto diuers of you But chiefelie for that I knowe right well the greate capacitie and dexteritie of your spirites the grauitie of your iudgementes and your wisdomes experiences authoritie and example to be of suche principall estimation and worthie respecte in our Realme that in case ye doe Zelouselye emploie your endeuours to the due reuerente consideration of the holie Mysteries of the Christian Religion as I doute not but verie manie emonge you doe your holie example will generallie allure a greate nomber throughout our whole Realme from all contentious disputinge and iarringe aboute theise late newe controuersies in Religion to embrace firmelie and Zealouselie the aunciente Catholike beliefe and to imitate the vertuous liues of our holie Christian forefathers who had muche more aboundance of the grace and lighte of the Gospell of our Sauiour Christe than we haue in this our vngratious corrupte age as verie manifestlie appeareth by their so manifolde good Christian fruites lefte by them vnto vs to the glorie of our Sauiour Christ and of his deare spowse the Catholike Churche and to the continewall greate admiration confusion enuie and dispite of Lucifer and of all his rebellious wicked spirites and of all Iewes Turkes Heretiques and other Infidells his adherentes An exhortation to yonge noble men and gentlemen And requestinge here humbly pardon and licence to treate in a familiar maner with the yonger sorte I desire your Honors and woorshippes continewallie to remember what greate inclination ye haue vnto vertue more than others of obscure parentage and base estate in regarde of your noblenes and magnanimitie which euer inuiteth you to imitate the noble vertuous steppes of your noble Christian auncesters and to set vpon highe and noble vertuous enterprises and to doe all your workes noblie and excellentâ—â—e that ye take in hande As also to consider that a vertuous life is the greatest and moste noble ornamente of nobilitie And that for this ende cheefelie almightie God bestoweth vpon noble personages here in eaâ—the principalitie rule gouernemente and honor that thei shoulde giue vertuous and godlie example vnto all others that be vnder their rule and gouernemente And by experience we finde that ordinarilie no bysshoppe or other preacher is able with suche facilitie to plante vertue emonge the common people and cause them sincerelie to loue honor and embrace it as noblemen gentlemen Magistrates and Gouernours are able to doe in case thei them selues do giue good apparante example of vertue religion and deuotion and be Zealous also in procuringe all others to doe the like And therefore I beseeche you to determin with an honorable constant resolution to employe your time in the moste noble exercises of vertue and to feare loue serue and honor almightie God who is your most noble highe soueraigne Lorde and Creator and not to suffer either your studie or practise of the lawes or other your worldlye offices and affaires to be so greate an impedimente vnto your spirituall exercises but
with him selfe and endeuoreth with the grace of God to doe so much as he is able to doe for his parte almightie God will then also doe that that appertaineth vnto him that is almightie God wil moue him that moueth himselfe Almightie God will helpe him that helpeth him selfe and helpe him that helpeth him selfe by helpinge our coÌ„sideration with the light of the holie Ghost and with the gifte of vnderstaÌ„dinge the which the more it penetratethe and vnderstandeth all these reasons that induce vs to the loue of God the more doth it enkendle and inflame vs in the same loue of him For like as that euerlastinge light and worde of the father is not a barren worde but a fruitfull worde which together with the father produceth the holie Ghost which is a loue consubstantiall euen so doth this light and worde of God worke in our hartes by enkendelinge and inspiringe this loue of God in them This maie yet be coÌ„firmed and declared more plainlie by an other reason For it is manifest that althwghe this vertue of charitie doe growe aÌ„d increase as we haue saied with the actes of all other vertues Vehement actes of charitie do increase charitie Summae S. Thomae 2.2 q. 24. art 6. beinge done in the state of grace yet doth it cheiflie increase with her owne proper actes when such actes be vehement accordinge as S. Thomas affirmeth For like as by writinge well and with an earnest care and diligeÌ„ce a man atteineth to be a good writer by paintinge a painter and by the exercise of singinge a musition Note that the vse exercise and continuance of louinge much almightie God maketh a man become a greate louer of god euen so likewise by louinge he maie become a louer I meane hereby that like as the vse of writinge well causeth a man to be a good writer and of paintinge well a good painter c euen so likewise the vse exercise and continuance of louinge much almightie God maketh a man at length to become a great louer of God For albeit this heaueÌ„lie habilitie and vertue be the gifte of God and a thinge which he infuseth powreth and worketh in our sowles yet neuerthelesse he worketh this by this meane I meane hereby that as well the vertues infused into our sowles by almightie God Bothe the vertues infused and the vertues acquisite doe increase with the exercise of their owne actes as the vertues acquisite to witt the vertues that be obteyned by our owne labour and industrie doe bothe of them growe and increase with the exercise of their owne actes althowghe in a different maner Whereupon we maie inferre thus much that the more a man shall multiplie the actes of the loue of God and the more he shal exercise himselfe in this vertue of charitie and the longer he shal endure and perseuere in this worke of loue we can not exercise our selues in actuall louinge of God without the knowledge and consideration of the causes that maye induce and prouoke vs to the loue of God The will cannot moue with out the vnderstandinge the more shall this heauenlie gifte of charitie be rooted and fortified in him But now how can this be done without the exercise of consideration How can the will be occupied in louinge of almightie God vnles the vnderstandinge be exercised in blowinge inkendelinge and discoueringe vnto it the causes of the loue of God For like as when two horses drawe in a chariot the one can not goe forwardes without th' other euen so these two powers to witt the will and vnderstandinge be in such sort lincked together that ordinarilie the one can not goe forwardes without the other at the least the will can not moue without the vnderstandinge Thow seist now good Christian reader how inwardlie and entierly the exercise of consideration is annexed to the loue of God Forsomuch as a man can neuer or verie hardly set him selfe to loue vnles he doe also consider or haue before considered such thinges as maie moue him vnto this loue And it is verie needefull for vs to vse some exercise of consideration not onelie for the increasinge of this vertue of charitie but also for the preseruation of the same that is to saye consideration is necessarie not onelie that charitie maie increase but also that it maie not faile and decrease emonge so manye contradictions and stumblinge blockes as it hath in this fraile and miserable lyfe We see that a fishe beinge out of the water dieth forthwith and a droppe of water beinge out of the sea is quicklie dried vp and the fier beinge out of his naturall region is incontinentlie coÌ„sumed Charitie is as it were a strauÌ„ger in this transitorie lyfe vnles there be some care and diligence vsed to feede and mainteine it by puttinge often times wood vnto it wherewith to preserue it Now the verie like neede hath the fier of charitie also to preserue it in this lyfe where it is as it were a straunger and pilgrime And the wood wherewith it must be preserued is the consideration of the benefites of almightie God and of his perfections For each one of these thinges beinge well considered is as it were a fagot or fierbrande that enkendeleth and inflamâ—â—â— this fier of the loue of God in our hartes Wherefore it behoueth vs to nourishe and maintein this fier of charitie oftentimes with the wood of consideration that this diuine flame maie neuer faile in vs. Accordinge as almightie God hath signified in the lawe when he saied Leuit. 6.12 Vpon my Aultar which is the hart of the iust man there shal be alwaies fier And therefore let good diligence and care be taken euerie daie in the morninge to maintein this fier of charitie with wood to witt with the consideration of all these thinges that by this meane it maie be alwaies preserued And so is it saied in the Psalme Psal 38.4 Throughe my meditation there is enkendeled dâ—fier to witt the fier of charitie This necessitie of consideration maie be proued by an other reason also For we see by experience in all habilities and graces both such as are naturall All vertues maie be lost by discoÌ„tinuaÌ„ce and wante of vse and exercise of them as those also that are acquisite I meane gotten by our owne traueile and industrie that like as they increase by vse and exercise euen so are they also forgotten if we leaue to exercise them And this we see playnelie verified euen in such thinges as be verie naturall and customably vsed For what thinge is more vsuall than the tonge and language which a man is enured and acquainted withall euen from his mothers pappes and yet maie it be forgotten in time if it be not vsed and exercised But what speake I of the tonge seinge it happeneth sometimes that when a man hath lyen sicke in his bed but onely foure or fiue monethes he can scarcely afterwardes frame him selfe to goe againe when
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
is receaued corporallie not that he is changed into men Note what a wonderfull operation this blessed Sacramente worketh in him that worthelie receaueth the same but men are changed into him by loue and conformetie of will for so much as this diuine meate worketh the same operation in him that doth worthelie receaue it that is wrowght and represented in it when it is consecrated For like aâ— by the vertue of the wordes of consecration that which was bread is conuerted into the substance of Christ euen so by vertue of this holie communion he that was man is by a merueilous maner transformed spirituallie into God So that like as that diuine bread is one thinge and appeareth an other and was one thinge before consecration and is an other thinge afterwardes euen so he that eateth the same is one thinge before the receauing and an other thinge afterwardes and he appeareth one thinge outwardlie but in verie deede is an other thinge and that farre more highe and excellent inwardlie for somuch as he hath the beinge and substance of man and withall the spirite of God Now then what glorie can be geater than this what gifte more pretious what benefitt of more valewe what greater showe of loue let all the workes of nature kepe silence A notable commeÌ„datioÌ„ of this most blessed Sacramente and of the wounderful effectes it worketh in him that receaueth it worthelie let all the workes of grace geue place For this is a worke excellinge all workes and this is a singuler grace aboue all graces O most wonderfull sacrament what shall I saie of thee with what wordes shall I commend thee thou art the life of our soules the medecine of our woundes the comfort of our troubles the memorie of Iesus Christ the testimonie of his loue the most pretious legacie of his testament the companion of our peregrination the consolation of our bannishement the burninge cole to enkendle the fier of the loue of God in vs the meane whereby to receaue grace the pledge of euerlastinge felicitie and the treasure of the christian life By meanes of this diuyne meate the soule is vnited vnto her spouse by this the vnderstandinge is illuminated the memorie quickened the will ennamored the inward tast delighted the deuotion increased the bowelles mollified the founteine of teares opened the passions of the minde quieted the good motions awakened our weakenes fortified and by meane of this diuine meate we receue strength and lustines to ascend vpâ—euen to the hill of almightie God What tounge is able fullie to expresse the excellencie of this most blessed sacrament Who can geue worthie thankes for so great a benefit Who will not be altogether resolued into teares when he seeth almightie God vnited vnto him Assuredlie the more we goe about to consider the excellencie and vertues of this diuine souereyne misterie the more doe we want wordes to expresse it and the more doth our vnderstanding faile vs therein Now what pleasure what sweetnes what delightfull sauours of good life doth the soule of the iust man feele at that time when he receiueth this diuine sacramant There is none other sownd harde at that time but onely sweete songes of the inwarde man vehement burstinge out of holie desires yeelding of thaÌ„kes and vtteringe most sweet wordes all tending to the praise of our sweete sauiour Christ her beloued There the deuout soule throwghe the vertu of this most holie and reuerent sacrament is altogether inwardlie renewed and replenished with ioye There she is recreated with deuotion fed with peace fortified in faith confirmed in hope and tied fast with bandes and knottes of charitie vnto her most sweete sauiour and redeemer Whereby she waxeth dailie more feruent in loue more stronge in resistinge temptation more prompt and readie to susteine labour and trauaile more carefull and diligente to doe good workes and more desirous to frequent this most holie misterie Such are thy giftes o sweete Iesus such are the workes and delightes of thy loue which thou art wont to communicate vnto thy frendes by meanes of this diuine sacrament And this thou doest to the end that we beinge filled with these so great and mightie delightes should dispise all other vaine and deceitfull delightes Now therefore o most mellifluous loue open the eies of thy faithfull Catholicke people open them I beseach thee o most diuine light that with the bright beames of liuely faith they maie knowe thee and dilate there hartes that they maie receathee ue thee into them that beinge instructed by thee they maie seeke thee by thee and repose and rest them selues in thee and fynallie by meanes of this most blessed sacrament be vnited with thee as members with theire head and as braunches with theire vyne that so they may liue throwgh thy vertue and enioye the influences of thy grace for euer and euer worlde without end Amen The meditation being ended there followe immediatlye thankes geuinge and petition as hath bene before declared THIS DAIE WHEN THOV hast made the signe of the Crosse and prepared thy selfe hereunto thou hast to meditate vpon these two poyntes to witt vpon the praier of our sauiour in the Garden and vpon his apprehension The text of the holie Euangelistes VHEN supper was done Christ went with his disciples into a garden which is called Gethsemanie And he said vnto them Sit ye here whilest I goe and praie yonder And he tooke with him Peter and the two sonnes of Zebedee And he begane to be in a great feare and heauines And he said vnto them My soule is heauie euen vnto death Tarie yee here and watch with me So he went a litle further from them where he cast him selfe downe prostrate on the earth and fell on his face and praied sainge O my Father if it be possible let this cuppe passe from me neuerthelesse not as I will but as thou wilt This done he came to his Disciples and fownd them a sleepe And he said to Peter what coulde ye not watch with me one howre watche and praie that ye enter not into temptation The spirite is readie but the fleshe is weake Againe he went awaie the seconde time and made the same praier saying O my Father if this cuppe cannot passe awaie from me but that I must needes drinke it thy will be done And he came the second time and founde his Disciples a sleepe for theire eyes were heauie So he left them and went awaie againe and praied the third time sayinge the same wordes Luc. 22. And there appeared an angell to him from heauen comfortinge him And beinge in an agonie he praied more at lengthe And his sweate was like droppes of bloude trickeling downe to the grownde Math. 26. Then he came to his Disciples and said vnto them Sleepe from hence forth and take your rest Behold the howre is at hand and the sonne of man shal be deliuered into the handes of synners Arise let vs goe beholde he is at
principall vertue of a Christian man is not to make anie accompte of the iudgementes and reputations of the worlde Our sauiour Christe is a good exaÌ„ple vnto vs not to make anie accoÌ„pte of the iudgementes and estimations of the worlde Wherefore thou hast here good Christian brother an occasion geuen thee whereby to learne this heauenlie philosophie and by this example to comforte thy selfe whensoeuer thou shalt see thy selfe to be vniustlie despised mocked and persecuted of the worlde For the worlde cannot doe thee anie iniurie nor beare false witnes against thee but it hath done the like vnto our Sauiour Christe before He was accompted as a malefactor and stirrer of sedition and for such a one they accused him before the iudges Luc. 23.2 and accordinglie demaunded sentence of deathe vpon him He was taken to be a nigromancer and as one possessed with a deuill Luc. 11.15 and so they saied That in the power of Bel-Zebâ—b he cast out diuelles Math. 9.34 He was taken for a glutton and great eater and so they reported him sayeinge Beholde this man is a glutton Math. 9.34 and a drincker of wyne He was taken for a man of euill behauiour Math. 11.19 Ioan. 8.48 Marc. 2.7 and as one that kepte euill companie sayeinge That he kept companie with publicans and sinners and that he did eate with them He was taken as one that was come of a wicked generation and of a nawghtie race and so they tearmed him sayeinge Thou art a Samaritane and art possessed with a deuill He was taken for an hereticke and blasphemer and so they said that he made him selfe God and forgaue synnes as God There wanted nothinge els but after all this to accompt our Sauiour as a foole and so is he now taken And that not of euerie common person but euen of the rufflinge nobilitie and gentilmen ye and of the chieffest counsellors magistrates and officers in kinge Herodes cowert And so they apparell our Sauiour like a foole that he might be also taken of all men for such a one O wounderfull humilitie of our sweete sauiour Christe O example of all vertu A singuler coÌ„fort for al troubled and persecuted Catholickes O comfort of all troubled and persecuted Catholickes Wherefore o thou Christian that art persecuted by Turckes Moores or heretickes for thy publicke zealous profession of the Catholike religion be of good comfort as a trewe Christian ought to be in bearinge patientlie and willinglie thy crosse in this worlde as a faithfull disciple of our Sauiour Christe And to the intent thou maist make the lesse accompte of the iudgmentes and estimations of the worlde and verie euidentlie perceiue how foolishe and franticke the worlde is in his sayeinges doinges opinions and iugmentes fixe thyne eyes vpon this liuelie purtraiture of all vertues looke vpon this generall comforte of all miseries and beholde here how the wisedome of almightie God is holden for follie vertu for vice truthe for blasphemie temperance for glottonie the peace maker of the worlde for a seditious disturber of the worlde the reformer of the lawe for a breaker of the lawe and the Iustifier of sinners for a sinner and a follower of sinners In all these goinges and comminges and in all these demaundes and answeres made before the Iudges consider diligentlie and note the constancie and modestie of our sauiour the grauitie of his countenance and the integritie of his minde which was neuer ouercome nor once dismaied for all these great conflictes And when he sawe him selfe in the presence of so many officers and Iudges sittinge in theire Iudgmente seates when he sawe him selfe in the middest of so manie iniurious villanies and furious blowes and in such a confusion of outcries and clamowrs thundered out vehementlie by the accusers and conspirers of his death when he sawe him selfe in such a thronge of outragious and cruell ennemies his death and Crosse standinge as it were presente before his face when our sauiour I saie sawe himselfe thus tossed and turmoyled vp and downe with so manye tempesteous waues and blusteringe stormes of all aduersitie and persecution it was wonderfull to beholde his constancie his patience and his temperance insomoche as what so euer he did or spake made a plaine demoÌ„stration of a noble harte and couragious minde in him There came no one bitter or sharpe worde out of his mowthe He neuer yeelded or submitted himselfe so much as to frame anie maner of supplication or intreatie to his ennemies for his life neither shed he anie one teare or made anie lamentation vnto them in that behalfe But in all pointes and respectes he obserued such a comelie grauitie and maiestie as was seemelie for the dignitie of so highe and worthie a personage What sylence kept he emonge so manie and those so false accusations How circumspecte was he in his wordes when so euer he spake How wiselie behaued he him selfe in all his answeres To conclude such was the forme and showe of his countenance and minde in these his trowbles that euen that alone with out anie further testimonie might haue suffised to iustefie his cause if the grossenes of theire wicked and malitious vnderstandinges had bene able to conceaue the highnes and excellencie of such a proofe OF THE CREWELL SCOVRGINGE AND WHIPPINGE OF oùr Sauiour at the pillar Communicantes Christi passionibus gaudete vt et in reuelatione gloriae eius gaudeatis exultantes 2. Petr. 4.13 § III. AFTER all these iniuries consider what scourginges and whippinges our sauiour suffered at the pillar For when the Iudge perceaued that he was not able to pacifie the furious rage of those his most cruell ennemies he determined to punnishe our sauiour with such a seuere kinde of punnishement as might suffice to satisfie the malicious outrage of such cruell hartes that they beinge contented therewith shoulde cease and seeke no more after his deathe This is one of the greatest and most wonderfull sightes that euer was seene in the worlde Who woulde euer haue thowght that whippes and lasshes shoulde haue bene laide vpon the shoulders of almightie God The Prophet Dauid sayeth Psalm 90. that the place of thy habitation o Lorde is most highe and that there shall none euell approche neere vnto thee he saieth that there shall no whippe be felt in thy tabernaele Now what thinge is farther from the highe maiestie and glorie of almightie God than to be villaynously whipped and scourged This is suerlie a ponnishement rather for bondslaues and thieues yea it was accompted generallie so vyle and infamous that in case the offendor were a Citezin of Rome though his offence were neuer so haynous he was thereby quitte and exempted from that most slauishe and villeynous kinde of ponnishement All which notwithstanding beholde here howe the Lorde of the heauens the creator of the worlde the glorie of the angells the wisedome power and glorie of the liuinge God vowchesafeth for our sakes to be
heauines of minde thy deere sonne crucified on the crosse to the ende that like as Eue by beholdinge with delite that fruite and tree of deathe was the occasion of the perdition of the worlde euen so thou ô blessed Ladie by beholdinge with greate griefe and sorrowe the fruite of life which then was hanginge vpon that tree of the Crosse mightest with thy presence and eies there see the remedie and redemption of the worlde AN OTHER MEDITATION OF THE DOCTRINE THAT MAIE be learned at the foote of the Crosse § IIII. THE holie Euangelist saieth Ioan. 19. that there stoode hard by the Crosse Marie the mother of Iesus and his mothers sister Marie the wife of Cleophas and Marie Magdalene O that I were so happie that I mighte stande in the companie of these three blessed Maries alwaies at the foote of the Crosse O yee blessed Maries who hath caused you to stande so constantly at the foote of the crosse What cheyne is this that thus holdethe you so fast lincked vnto this holie tree O sweete Christe which beinge deade doest mortifie the liuinge and geuest life to the deade O yee Angells of paradise be not offended with me thowghe I a sinner and a very wicked person be so bolde to come and ioyne with this holie companie because the loue I beare to my sweete sauiour draweth me vnto them and the verie same loue enforceth me to embrace this crosse If theise three Maries will not departe from the crosse How can I departe from thence knowinge that all my wealle and saluation consisteth in the same Assuredly the fyer shall first waxe colde and the water shall naturally become hoate before my harte shall departe from this crosse sythence I vnderstande what a lesson the loue of God teacheth me to wit How happie a thinge it is to stande alwaies at the foote of the crosse O holie crosse thou drawest the hartes of men vnto thee more stronglie than the Adamante stone draweth iron Thou geauest a more cleare lighte to our vnderstandinge thā the sonne doth to our eies Thou enkēdelest a more feruent heate in our soules than fyer doth in the verie cooles Drawe me therefore O holie crosse vnto thee with great force and might Illuminate me continuallie and enflame me with thy mightie power that my thoughte and mynde maie thinke vpon none other thinge but onely vpon thee and maye neuer departe from thee And thou ô good Iesus illuminate the eies of my soule that I maye vnderstande how to looke and fixe mine eies and thoughtes vpon the crosse to the ende that I maye not onelie beholde the cruell paynes and tormentes thou hast suffered for me and so by beholdinge them take compassion of them But also consider the examples of so manie wonderfull vertues as thereby thou hast discouered vnto me and inuited me to imitate and followe the same Wherefore O most wise maister and instructor of the worlde O phisition of soules Here I come to the foote of thy crosse to present vnto thee my soores and woundes Heale me ô my most mercifull and omnipotent Lorde and teache me what I ought to doe we may learne to ouercome our sensualitie and selfe loue by beholdinge our Sauiour Christe vpon the crosse I doe confesse and acknowledge playnelie vnto thee ô Lorde that I am verie sensuall and geuen ouermuche to the loue of my selfe and I see well that this greatlie hinderethe my profitinge and proceadinge in vertue and godlines Manie tymes for my recreation and pastimes sake or for feare of the paine of fastinge and risinge vp early in the morninge I passe ouer and doe leese the godly and diuout exercises of praier and meditation with other holie spirituall exercises by the losse whereof I leese my selfe also This sensualitie of mine is verie importune vpon me It woulde faine eate and drinke verie finelie and delicately at such howers and times as it liketh and after dinner and supper it woulde gladlie haue some idle talke or els some pastyme and recreation It delighteth at such tymes to be walkinge in a faire greene garden or orcharde and there to take some sollace and pleasure Teache me now ô my most louinge Sauiour and redeemer what I ought to doe whereby to followe thy example and helpe me with thy grace that I maie performe my dewtie in this pointe O what a greate shame is it vnto me to see after what sorte thou diddest handel thy blessed bodie which was more tender and delicate than all other bodies In the middest of the most bitter angwishes and grieuous tormentes of thy death thou diddest not geue vnto thy bodie anie other foode or electuarie but such as those cruell apoticaries had compounded of bitter gaule and sower vineger for thee Who then will from henceforthe haue anie tongue to complaine that the meate set before him is either to colde or to salte or to freashe or not well dressed or that it was ouer late or to tymelie made readie consideringe what a table was here prepared for thee ô my almightie God and that in the tyme of so great necessitie In steede of the mirthe and pleasante talke and entertaynmente which I seeke to haue at my suppers and feastes thou haddest none other but onely outcries and clamorous noices of them which shakinge theire heades at thee scorned and blasphemed thee sayenge Matth. 27. Fye on thee that destroiest the temple of God and in three daies buildest it vp againe This was the musicke and mynstrelsie of thy bankette and thy walkinge in a garden was to be fast nailed handes and feete to the crosse And albeit there was an other garden into which thou wentest after thou haddest ended thy supper yet was it not to walke in for pleasure but to praie not to take the aier but to shéide bloude not to recreat thy selfe but to be pensiue and sad and in a greate agonie of deathe Now what shall I saye of the other ease and refresshinges which thy blessed fleshe had My fleashe would gladlie haue a softe bedde curious and costly apparell and a large and wyde howse Tell me now ô my sweete Sauiour what maner of bedde hast thou What maner of howse hast thou And what is thy apparell Thy apparell is nakednes and a purple coate of mockerie and reproche Thy howse is none other but to stande openly abrode in the sonne and aier And if I seeke for anie other I fynde it to be nothinge els but onely a stable for beastes The foxes haue theire holes Math. 8. and the birdes of the aier theire neistes and thou that art the creator of all thinges hast no place where to rest thy head O curiositie and superfluitie How are ye two crepte in and so vsuallie and vniuersallie receaued in this our corrupte age throwghout all the countreys and nations of Christendome A notalbe admonitiō against the vyces of deyntienes and superfluitie O what maner of Christians be we that doe not vtterlie abandon
reioyceth Cantic 7. Shut vp the springes of thy most pure eies more cleare than the waters of Esebon and now sore troubled and dymmed with the showers of so manie teares Genes 8. The wrath and anger of almightie God is now pacified with the sacrifice of the true Noe. Cease therefore the floude of thy most holie eies and let the earthe be cleared agayne with new brightnes The doue is now departed out of the arke and when she retourneth she will bringe with her signes of the mercie and clemencie of almightie God Reioyce therefore ô blessed virgin and comforte thy selfe with this hope and cease now I praie thee these thy mournefull sobbinges and sighes Thy owne deerelie beloued sonne him selfe putteth thy dolefull mourninge and teares to sylence and inuiteth thee to a newe ioye in his Canticles sayeinge Cant. 2. The winter is now past the showers and tempesteous stormes are ceased the flowers do appeare in our lande Rise vp therefore my welbeloued my darlinge and my turtle done that abidest in the holes of the rocke and in the cleiftes of the walle That is to saie in the strookes and woundes of my bodie Leaue now this habitation and come and dwell with me I see well ô blessed Ladie that none of all these thinges are able to comforte thee because thy sorrowe and greife is not hereby taken awaie but onely changed One martirdome I see is ended and an other now beginneth The tormentes of thy harte are renewed continuallie and thowgh some goe awaie yet others do succede with newe kindes of tormentes that by such changes the torment of the Passion maie be dowbled vnto thee Hetherto thou hast lamented his paines and sorrowes now thou lamentest his death Hetherto thou hast lamented his passion now thou lamentest thyne owne solitarines Hetherto thou hast lamented his greifes and troubles and now thou mournest for his absence One waue is past and an other commeth on to ouerwhelme thee So that the ende of his paine is a beginninge of thyne And as though this thy paine were to litle I see that these cruell tormentors prepare yet an other paine for thee no lesse then this Close vp thine eies therefore ô blessed Ladie close them vp out of hande I beseach thee and loke not vpon that longe terrible speare which goeth with greate violence in the aier to strike the place wherevnto it is leuelled Now hast thou ô holie virgin thy desire fulfilled For now arte thou become a buckler to thy sonne forsomuch as this blowe striketh not him but thee Thou diddest desire the nailes and thornes and they were ordeyned for his bodie but the pearcinge speare was reserued for thee O yee cruell ministers O yee hartes of iron Were the paines and tormentes to litle trowe yee which his bodie suffered beinge aliue that yee woulde not pardon it euen after it was dead What furie and rancor of enmitie is there so outragious but that it is pacified when it seeth his enemie dead before him Lifte vp your cruell eies a litle ô you vnmercifull and cruell ministers and beholde our sauiour Beholde I saie his deadlie face his dymme eies his fallinge countenance his pale and wanne colour and shadow of death For though you be more harde than either iron or the Adamante stone yea though ye be more hard than your owne selues yet it maie be that in beholdinge him your furie and malice wil be appeased Wherefore are ye not contented with the woundes yee haue geuen to the sonne but that ye will wounde his blessed mother also Her ye doe wounde with that speare vnto her ye geue the strooke and against her sorowfull hart threateneth the sharpe poynt of that cruell lawnce Now commeth the wicked minister with a longe sharpe speare in his hande and pearceth the verie naked syde of our sauiour with great furie The crosse shaked in the aier with the mightie force of the strooke and from thence issued water and bloude wherewith are wasshed the sinnes of the worlde O riuer that ronnest out of paradise and waterest with thy streames all the face of the earthe O wounde of the pretious syde of my sweete Sauiour made rather with his feruent loue towardes mankinde than with the sharpe iron of the cruell speare O gate of heauen ô windowe of paradise ô place of refuge ô tower of strength ô sanctuarie of iust persons ô sepulchre of pilgrimes ô neist of cleane doues ô florishinge bed of the spouse of Salomon Alhaile ô wounde of the pretious syde of our Sauiour that woundest the hartes of deuout persons O strooke that strikest the soules of the iust O rose of inspekeable bewtie O rubie of inestimable price O entrance into the harte of my sweete Sauiour Iesus Christ O witnes of his loue and pledge of euerlastinge life Throwghe thee doe all liuinge thinges enter into the Arcke of the true Noë to be preserued from the floude Vnto thee doe all such as are tempted repair In thee doe all those that are heauie and sad finde comforte Ioan. 4. by thee are the sicke persons cured throwgh thee doe sinners enter into heauen and in thee doe all banished persones and pilgrimes sleepe sweetelie and take theire rest O furnace of loue O howse of peace O treasure of the Catholicke Church O veyne of liuely water that springest vp euen vnto life euerlastinge Open ô most louinge Lorde I beseache thee this gate vnto me receaue my harte into this most delitefull habitation geue me passadge through the same vnto the tender bowells of thy loue let me drinke of this sweite fountaine let me be wasshed with this holie water let me be made dronke with this most pretious licour Let my soule sleepe in this sacred breste Here let it forget all the cares of the worlde here let it sleepe here let it eate here let it singe sweitly with the Prophet sayeinge Psalm 131. This is my resting place for euer and euer here will I dwell for this place haue I chosen for my habitation HOW OVR SAVIOVR CHRIST WAS TAKEN DOWNE from the Crosse and of the pittiefull lamentation and bewailinge of the blessed virgin Marie Semper mortificationem Jesu in corpore nostro circumferentes vt et vita Jesu manifestetur in corporibus nostris 2. Corinth 4.10 § II. AFTER this consider how the holie bodie of our Sauiour was taken downe from the crosse and how the blessed virgin receaued it in her armes Now the verie same daie in the eueninge there came those two holie men Ioseph and Nicodemus who reared vp theire ladders vnto the crosse and tooke downe the blessed bodie of our Sauiour into theire armes The holie virgin then perceiuinge that the torment of the crosse was now ended and that the sacred bodie of our Sauiour was comminge towardes the earthe she settethe her selfe in a readines to geue him a secure hauen in her lappe and to receyue him from the armes of the crosse into her owne
defence of a iust and godlie cause and not for herese or other vniust causes Eccles 27. Tribulation as S. Paule saith is the occasion and matter of patience And patience is the proufe and triall of true vertue And this proufe geueth vs a hope of glorie For this cause therefore a man ought alwayes to suspecte all vertue and holines which he perceaueth in him selfe vntill it be tryed and prooued with the testimonie of tribulation For as the Wise man saith The vessels of claye are tried in the furnace but the hartes of the iust in the furnace of tribulation Almightie God in all the workes of nature hath not made anie one thinge that shoulde be idle or in vaine muche lesse woulde he that in the workes of grace his giftes shoulde be idle and in vaine And therefore he deuideth to euerie one of his electe the burthen and charge which he must beare accordinge to the forces and talente of the grace he hath receaued So that here in this short transitorie life it is not to be esteemed for the greater loue and frendship if almightie God doe geue vs greater pleasure and ease but rather if he geue vs greater tribulation and aduersitie Thow shalt geue vs ô Lorde Psalm 79. He that is greatest and most singular in the loue and fauour of God is comonlie most afflicted with tribulatiōs in this life Exod. 24. saieth the Prophet to drinke teares by measure And the measure is this that he that is most ād greatest in thy grace and fauour is commōly most afflicted and troubled in this transitorie life When Moyses made that peace and accorde betwene almightie God and his people the holie scripture sayth that he sprinckeled all the people with an Isope dipped in bloude and this beinge done the rest of the bloude that remained he sprinckeled vpon the aulter Wherefore let all those that determine to be the friendes of almightie God vnderstande hereby that theire loue Note how our loue and frendeship with almightie God must be celebrated and dedicated with bloude and friendship with him must be celebrated and dedicated with bloude and not onelie with the bloude of Christ but euen also with the proper bloude of euerie one to wit with patience and sufferinge of troubles and aduersities Our Sauiour Christ at that last supper which he made with his disciples dranke first him selfe of the Cuppe but after he had drōcke him selfe thereof he gaue the remnant vnto his ghestes which he had inuited and cōmaunded them to deuide the same emonge them and that euerie one of them shoulde also drinke his drawght of that cuppe So that it apperteineth to all persons to haue theire parte of this cuppe All Christians must drinke theire parte of Christes cuppe and as mēbers of Christ conforme thē selues with Christ theire head in sufferinge and it is also requisite that they all as members of Christ doe conforme them selues with our sauiour Christ in sufferinge Howbeit herein standeth the difference that as concerninge the common sorte of people and those that are Imperfecte it is sufficient if they be sprinckled with bloude but those deuout godlie persons that are more nearly approched and ioyned vnto almightie God and be such as are worthie to be called his aulters these must not onelie be sprinckeled with bloude but they must also be dyed A notable comfort for all Catholickes that be persecuted by heretickes There were neuer anie persons more tossed with aduersities and tribulatiōs in this worlde thā our sauiour Christ and his blessed mother and bathed in bloude forsomuche as to the stronge are reserued the strongest battells and so consequentlie a greater rewarde and a greater crowne in the kingdome of heauen Our sauiour Christ and his blessed mother were the two persons that of all others in this worlde were most entierly beloued of almightie God Now these two as they farre passed and excelled all creatures in vertue so did they likewise in sufferinge And vndowtedlie there were neuer in the worlde two better persons nor more tossed and turmoyled with aduersities afflictions and tribulations than these two were Be of good comfort therefore all ye Catholickes that are in tribulation assuringe your selues that the more troubles afflictions emprisonmentes and crosses you susteine the more like you are vnto our Sauiour Christ and his holie mother Be of good cōfort all ye Catholikes that are troubled For you are not therefore the more forsaken of almightie God but rather if you haue patience in your troubles you are certainlie the more in his grace and fauour and more singulerlie and dearlie beloued of him Be of good comfort againe and againe I saie Psalm 50. There is no signe more certayne of the loue and fauor of God than to haue patience in tribulatiō all ye Catholickes that are afflicted and troubled For there is no sacrifice more acceptable vnto almightie God than a troubled and afflicted harte neither is there anie signe more certaine of his loue and friendshippe then patience in tribulation Let no man therefore sclaunder tribulation for that were to sclaunder our sauiour Christe and his blessed mother yea it were to bringe a sclaunder vpon almightie God him selfe who alwaies sendeth tribulations and afflictions to his friendes What thinge is tribulation but onely a crosse And therefore what other thinge is it to defame tribulation To flie frō tribulatiō is to flie from the crosse but to defame the crosse Againe what is it els to flie from tribulation but to flie from the crosse Now if we worshippe the dead Crosse which is the figure of the Crosse why flie we than from the liuelie crosse which is to suffer by the crosse of tribulation This is to Imitate and followe the Iewes of whom our sauiour sayth Luc. 11. that when they had persecuted the Prophettes they made for them afterwardes verie great and sumptuouse sepulchers honoringe them after they were dead and persecutinge them whilest they were aliue And euen so it siemeth that those wicked Christians doe likewise in a sorte imitate them which on the one side doe worshippe the dead Crosse and on the other side doe denye and spit at the liuelie Crosse Which is the sufferinge by the crosse of tribulation And let no man be discomforted and saie that he suffereth for his synnes or without synne for howsoeuer thou suffer all is finallye in effect to suffer vpon the crosse For if thou suffer for thy synnes and doe hartelie repent them thou sufferest vpon the crosse of the good theiffe But if thou suffer without sinne and without deserte thou oughtest to take the more comfort thereof because this is to suffer euen vpon our Sauiours owne Crosse SONDAIE MORNINGE THIS daie after thou hast made the signe of the Crosse and prepared thy selfe hereunto thou hast to meditate vpon the misterie of the holie Resurrection in which thou maist consider these fower principall pointes to witt of the descendinge of our
vnweldie olde man but euen a sacke stuffed with greifes and diseases The greatest desire that men haue is to liue vntill they be olde at which age a man is in farre worse case than in all his lyfetime before and then he standeth in most neede and hath least helpe and succoure For the olde man is forsaken of the worlde He is forsaken of his owne kinsfolke friendes and acquaintance He is forsaken of his owne members and senses yea he forsaketh himselfe in that the verie vse of reason forsaketh him And he is onely accompanyed with his paynefull aches greifes and diseases For his companie and conuersation is then verie ircksome and troublesome to the whole howse where he dwelleth This is the marcke for sooth wherevpon the eie of man is so earnestlie fixed this is the happie state which all men doe so griedelie desire and hereunto tendeth the worldlie felicitie and the ambition of longe lyfe As concerninge the states of men we shoulde neuer make an ende There is litle conteÌ„tation in the states of men and eche one desireth to chaunge his state with the states of others if we shoulde rehearse the litle contentation that is to be founde in each of them and the great desire that euerie one hath to chaunge his owne state and condition with the state of others thinkinge that he shoulde haue greater hartes ease in an other mans state than he hath in his owne And thus doe men continually vexe and turmoyle themselues like vnto a sicke man that doth nothing els but tomble and tosse in his bed from one side to an other perswadinge himselfe that by meanes of these often chaunges and remouinges he shall finde more ease and rest than he had before and yet he findeth in verie deede that he is fowlie deceyued Forsomuch as the cause of his disquietnes resteth within him selfe which is his owne greife and disease To conclude such is the miserable state and condition of this lyfe that the Wise man had good cause to saie Eccles 40. Great and heauie is the yooke that the children of Adam carie on their neckes euen from the daie they come forth of their mothers wombe vntil the daie of their burial which is the common mother of all S. Barnarde And S. Barnarde was not affraied to saie that he thought this lyfe litle better than the lyfe of hell it selfe were it not for the hope we maye here haue to atteyne vnto the kyngedome of heauen The miseries of this lyfe are ordeyned as a punnishmente for synne and to withdrawe our hartes froÌ„ the inordinate loue of this lyfe And albeit all these miseries doe come vnto vs as a punnishement for synne yet was it a verie mercifull and medicinable punnishement For the prouidence of almightie God did so ordaine it meaninge thereby to withdrawe and separate our hartes from the inordinate loue of this lyfe The verie cause why he put so muche bitter mustarde vpon the breastes of this lyfe was to weane vs from it The cause why he suffered our lyfe to become so filthie was that we shoulde not set oure loue vpoÌ„ it The cause why he woulde haue vs to be molested and vexed so often times in this lyfe was that we might the more willinglie forsake it and sighe continuallie for the true lyfe whiche is in the worlde to come For if we be so vnwillinge to forsake this lyfe Exod. 16. beinge wholye so miserable as it is if we be now euer whymperinge and whyninge for the fruites and fleashpottes of Egipt what woulde we doe if al our lyfe were sweete and pleasant And what woulde we doe if it were wholie likinge and delitefull to our taste and appetite Who woulde then trowe yee contemne it for Gods sake Who woulde then exchaunge it for heauen Philip. 1. Who woulde then saie with S. Paule I haue a desire to be loosed from this fleashe and to be with Christ Of the last miserie of man which is deathe § VIII AFTER all these miseries succeedeth the last and of all others most terrible which is death This is that miserie whereof a certaine Poët lamented sayeinge The best daies of mortall men are those that passe first awaie and then succedeth a nomber of sicknesses and diseases and with them heauie and dolefull age and continuall trouble and aboue all the sharpenes of cruell deathe This is the lodge and ende of mans lyfe whereof holie Iob saied I knowe well ô Lorde Iob 30. that thou wilt deliuer me ouer to deathe where there is a howse prepared for all men liuinge How manie the miseries are that be included in this miserie alone I will not take vpon me to declare at this present Onely I will rehearse what a certaine holie father saieth by waie of exclamation against death in this wise O death how bitter is the remembrance of thee How quicklie and sodenly stealest thou vpon vs How secrete are thy pathes and waies How doutfull is thy houre And how vniuersall is thy seignorie and dominion The mightie can not escape thy handes the wise can not hide them selues from thee and the stronge loose their strengthe in thy presence Thou accomptest no man riche forsomuch as no man is able to raunsome his lyfe of thee for money Thou goest euerye where thou searchest euerye where and thou art euerie where Thou witherest the hearbes thou drinkest vp the windes thou corruptest the aier thou chaungest the ages thou alterest the worlde thou stickest not to sup vp the sea all thinges doe increase and diminishe but thou continuest alwaies at one staie Thou art the hammer that alwaies striketh Iob. 1â—â— thou art the sworde the neuer blunteth thou art the snare whereinto euerie one falleth thou art the prison wherein euerie one entereth thou art the sea wherein all doe perishe thou art the paine that euerie one suffereth and the tribute that euerie one paieth O cruell death why hast thou not compassion of vs but commest stealinge sodenlie vpon vs to snatche vs awaie in our best times and to interrupt our affaieres when they are well begonne and brought to a good forwardnes Thou robbest from vs in one houre as much as we haue gained in manie yeares Thou cuttest of the succession of kinredes and families Thou leauest kingdomes without anie heires Thou fillest the worlde with wydowes and orphanes thou breakest of the studies of great clerckes thou ouerthrowest good wittes in their rypest age thou ioynest the ende with the beginninge without geuinge place to the myddle To conclude thou art such a one as almightie God wassheth his handes of thee and cleareth himselfe in plaine wordes sayenge Sap. 1. 2. That he neuer made thee but that thou haddest thine entrie into the worlde by the verie enuie and craft of the diuell What fruite and commoditie maye be taken of the foresaied considerations § XI THESE are the miseries of our lyfe with infinite others the coÌ„sideration whereof a
farre the one exceedeth the other Now if a man to escape that tormente woulde not sticke to put him selfe to all daungers labours and paines be they neuer so great what then ought all we to doe to escape this most horrible extreme tormente of hell fyer Consider also what a terrible kinde of tormente that was which Phalaris that cruell Tyrante inuented of whom it is written that he vsed when he woulde put men to death to cause them to be inclosed within the bellie of a bull made of mettall and then caused a fier to be made vndernethe it and this cruell maner of punnishemente he deuised that the miserable man by the heate of the yron shoulde burne within the same by litle and litle and not be able to escape nor defende him selfe nor haue anie other remedie but onely to burne and rore and tumble and tosse him selfe within that strait place vntill he were dead What harte can heare of this crueltie but that his fleashe will tremble and quake onely in thinkinge of it Wherefore tell me now ô thou Christian what is all this in comparison of that most greiuous and horrible tormente which we here treate of but onely a meere dreame or shadowe Now if the verie imagination and thinkinge of these horrible paines of hell doe make vs afraide what shal it be not to thinke of them onelie but euen to suffer them in verie deede Certainlie it is so horrible a matter to suffer paines and tormentes euerlastinglye that althoughe there were but one alone emonge all the children of Adam that shoulde suffer in hell in this wise it were enoughe to make vs all to tremble and quake There was but one emonge Christes disciples that shoulde sell his master and yet when Christ saied One of yow shall betraie me Math. 26.21 all beganne to be afraide and waxe sad for that the matter was of so great importance Now then why doe not we much more tremble and quake knowinge certainlie Eccles 1.15 Math. 7.14 Esa 5.14 That the nomber of fooles is infinite and that the waie vnto life euerlastinge is verie narrowe ād strait ād that hel hath enlardged her mouthe without anie limitte to receiue the multitudes that goe into it If we beleeue not this If a Christian did cōsider the euerlastinge continuance of the horrible paynes of hell it woulde make him loke better to the dewe framinge of his lyfe where is our faith If we doe beleeue and confesse it where is our iudgemēmente and reason And if we haue both iudgement and reason why doe we not publishe and preache this matter in the open streates and market places Why goe we not into the desertes as manie of the Sainctes haue done there to doe penance for our synnes and to liue an austere lyfe emonge beastes that we maie escape these most horrible and euerlastinge tormentes How is it that we can sleepe in the night Yea how happeneth it that we be not quite out of our wittes when we doe thinke attentiuelie and consider of so straunge a perill as this is seinge lesse daungers than these haue bene able not onelie to frighte and bestraught men out of their wittes but also to bereue them of their liues This is the greatest payne that the miserable damned persons haue in hell to vnderstande that almightie God and their most greiuous tormentes shal be of one lyke continuance and therefore their miserie can haue no comfort because their paine hath no ende If the damned persons coulde be perswaded that after a hundered thowsande millions of yeares their paynes shoulde haue an ende euē that persuasion alone woulde be a great comfort vnto them For then all their tormētes albeit it were verie lōge woulde yet at the lengthe come to an ende S. Gregorie But assured they are that their paines shall haue no ende at all For as S. Gregorie saieth There the wicked haue death without anie death an ende without anie ende and a defecte without anie defecte For their death alwaies liueth their ende alwaies beginneth and their defecte neuer faileth And for this cause the Prophet saieth Psal 48.15 They are in hell as it were sheepe and death feideth vpon them The herbe that is there fed vpon is not wholie plucked vp because the roote is aliue which is the beginninge of lyfe and this causeth the herbe to springe againe that it maie still be fed vpon And therefore the pasture of those feildes is immortall forsomuch as it is alwaies eaten and alwaies reuyueth againe Now after this sorte shall death feede vpon the damned persons and as death cannot dye so shall it neuer be filled with this kinde of foode nor euer be wearie in doinge this office neither shall it euer make an ende of deuowringe this morsell For that death shall euermore haue somewhat in them to deuoure and they shall euermore minister somewhat vnto death to be deuoured so as the damned in hell shall suffer their most horrible paines and tormentes for euer and euer without anie ende SATTVRDAIE NIGHTE OF THE EVERLASTINGE GLORIE AND FELICITIE OF THE KINGDOME OF HEAVEN Corinth 2.9 THIS DAIE WHEN THOV HAST MADE THE SIGNE OF the Crosse and prepared thy selfe hereunto thou hast to meditate vpon the felicitie of eternall glorie in the kingedome of heauen THIS consideration is so profitable that if it were holpen with the lighte of a liuely faithe it were able to make all the bitter paines and labours which we shoulde take for the attaininge thereof to become sweite and pleasant For if the loue of landes and riches doe cause the paines and labours that be taken for them to seime sweite and pleasant If the loue of childrē also doe cause women to wishe for the paines of childebearinge what woulde the loue of this most excellent and passinge great felicitie doe in comparison whereof all other felicities are of non accompt If it be saied of the patriarke Iacob Genes 29.20 that his seuen years seruice feemed but shorte vnto him in respecte of the great loue he bare to Rachel what woulde the loue of that infinite bewtie worke in our hartes what woulde that euerlastinge mariage cause vs to doe if it were considered with the eies of a liuely faieth Fiue pointes to be considered in this meditation Wherefore that thou mayst vnderstande somewhat of this felicitie thou hast to consider emonge other thinges these fiue pointes that are in it to witt The excellencie and greatenes of the place The fruition of the companie of those blessed inhabitantes The vision of almightie God The glorie of the Sainctes bodies And finallie the perfect fruition of all good thinges that are there First of all therefore consider the excellencie of the place The excellencie and greatnes of the heauēs and especially the greatnes thereof which is surelye very wonderfull For when a man readeth in certaine graue awthors that euerie one of the starres of heauen is greater than all
appertaininge vnto almightie God which before seemed verie vnsauerie vnto thee and withall conceiue a certaine lothsomnes and mislikinge of the thinges of the worlde which before seemed verie sauorie and delightfull vnto thee But now besides this what if thou doe consider vnto how manie others almightie God hath denied this benefite which he hath so freely graunted vnto thee And wheras thou beinge a sinner as well as they and as vnworthie of this callynge as they yet it hath pleased almightie God to suffer them to continewe in their wicked state and to calle thee vnto the state of saluation and grace With what thankes and with what seruices art thou able to recompence him for this inestimable speciall fauour and grace What an excerdinge ioye will it be vnto thee when by the vertue of this vocation thou shalt see thy selfe to haue the fruition of almightie God for euer and euer in the kingdome of heauen and shalt see other of thy companions and acquaintance for want of the like grace of God to remaine euerlastinglie tormented in the horrible raginge fier of hell O good Lorde what a nomber of thinges are there included in this grace to be well weighed and earnestlie considered vpon Tell me I praie thee Luc. 23. when the blessed theife who with one worde purchased lyfe euerlastinge seeth him selfe in that so great glorie which he now possesseth in the kingdome of heauen and seeth his companion also in those great horrible tormentes of hell fyer and calleth to minde withall that he him selfe was a theife also as well as the other and suffered for his robberies as the other did and that a litle before he blasphemed our Sauiour Iesus Christ in like maner as his companion did and that yet for all this it pleased almighie God to caste his mercifull eies vpon him and to geue him so great a light leauinge the other theife in his darckenes now in consideringe herevpon what thanckes thinkest thou doth he render to almightie God for this spetiall grace How wounderfullie doth he reioyce at so great a benefite How doth he meruaile at so great a iudgement With what a passinge great loue doth he loue him that woulde vowchsafe to preuent him with such a singular and wonderfull grace Now if this seeme so great a benefite vnto thee Remember thy selfe that our sauiour Christ hath bestowed the like inestimable benefite vpon thee when the same louinge Lorde vowchsaffed to cast his mercifull eies so speciallie vpon thee and did not with the like maner of callinge calle thy neighbour companion or freinde who peraduenture had lesse offended his diuine maiestie than thou Consider then how much thou art bownde to our Lorde for this his great benefite and what a great occasion is here offered vnto thee to desire euen to suffer deathe for the loue of him Besides all this consider how costlie and chargeable this benefite of our redemption was to our Sauiour Christ which was so freely geuen vnto thee Vnto thee it was geuen franckly and of mere grace Summa S. Thomae 3. q. 1. artic 2. 3. quaest 46. artic 1. 2. and it cost him euen his owne most precious bloude and lyfe also for it is manifest that without the same our synnes coulde not be pardoned nor our woūdes cured It is saiede of the Pellican that she bringeth forth her yonge-ones dead and seinge them in that case she stryketh her selfe vpō the breast with her beake vntill she cause bludde to issue out and therewith she batheth her yonge-ones and so they receiue heate and lyfe Now if thou wilt vnderstande how great this benefite is make accompte with thy selfe that when thow wast dead in synne that most louinge and mercifull Pellican our Sauiour Christ moued with most tender pietie and compassion stroke his sacred breast with a speare and wasshed the deadly woundes of thy sowle with the precious bludde of his woūdes and so with his owne death he gaue thee lyfe and with his owne woundes healed thy woundes Be not thou therefore vnthankfull vnto him for this so great and costlie benefite but as our Lorde admonisheth thee be mindefull of the daie in which thou camest out of Egipt This daie was the daie of thy Passeouer Exod. 13. this was the daie of thy Resurrection for so much as vpon this daie thou hast passed throughe the redde sea of the bludde of Christ vnto the lande of promise and vpon this daie thou hast risen againe from death to lyfe Of the particuler benefites that almightie God bestoweth vpon vs. § V. THESE benefites aforesaiede are generall Other benefites there are more particuler that be geuen to particuler persons the which benefites none other knoweth but onely he that hath receyued them In this accompte are reckened manie kindes of benefites either of fortune or of nature or of grace which almightie God hath geuen to each one in particuler and also diuers and sundrie miseries and daungers both of bodie and sowle from which he of his mere mercie hath deliuered vs. For which particuler benefites we are as well bounde to geue him thankes as for the former generall benefittes forsomuch as they are more certaine signes and tokens of the spetiall and particular loue and prouidence that our Lorde beareth towardes vs. Such benefites as these are can not be written in bookes but euerie one ought to write them in his harte and so to ioyne them with the other generall benefites and to geue most humble thankes vnto our Lorde for them Our Lorde preserueth vs manie times from secrete daungers and snares that woulde otherwise falle vpon vs. There be also other benefites yet more secrete and hidden than these which are vnknowen euen to the verie partie himselfe that hath receaued them These are certayne priuie daungers and secrete snares which our Lorde is wont to preuent and disapoynte by his diuine prouidence for that he vnderstandeth what great domage and preiudice they might doe vnto vs in case he shoulde not cutte them of and disapoynte theire cowerse What man is able to tell from how manie temptations almightie God hath preserued him and from how manie occasions of sinnes he hath deliuered him and how often times he hath stopped the passages and remoued awaye the deceytefull snares of the deuill our enemie that we shoulde not falle into them The deuill him selfe saieth of the holie man Iob Iob. 1.10 That almightie God had enuironed him on euerie side that nothinge might doe him hurte And euen so is our Lorde wonte to kepe and preserue such as be his as it were a glasse preserued in his case that nothinge maye hurt them A mā may haue manie secrete giftes and many secrete synnes that he knoweth not Psalm 28. It maie also be that a man hath receiued of almightie God some secrete giftes althoughe he him selfe knoweth not of them as also a man maie and is wont to haue manie secrete synnes which he
thou must make accompte that in this exercise thou goest in a chariot drawen with two horses whereof the one is verie forwarde and quicke In meditation our vnderstandinge is verie forwarde and quicke and our will is verie slowe and dull and the other verie slowe and dull and that thou must beare the bridles in thy hande with such dexteritie that the one thou must hasten forwarde and holde the other backe that so they maie goe together the one by the other And if thou desire to haue an other more liuely example make accompte that the vnderstandinge must behaue it selfe towardes the will as the nource doth towardes the childe which she nourceth who after that she hath chewed the meate she then putteth it into the childes mouthe that the childe maie taste and feede thereupon For otherwise if the nource shoulde both chewe the meate and also eate it vp her selfe leauinge the childe without anie meate it is certaine that she shoulde doe great iniurie to the childe in sufferinge it to die for honger by eatinge vp that meare which was geuen vnto her for the childe The vnderstandinge is as it were a nource to feede the will in the exercise of prayer Now in this wise must the vnderstandinge behaue it selfe towardes the will in the exercise of prayer for it appertaineth to the vnderstandinge to chewe the spiritual matters as the nource cheweth meate for the childe but the vnderstandinge must not retayne the same spirituall matters for it selfe alone but after that it hath once chewed them it must offer them to the will to the intent that the will maie taste and feede thereupon and be the more enkendeled and confirmed in vertue and goodnes with the tast and feelinge of those spiritual matters The victuals that doe enter in by the gates of a cittie ought to paie onely a tribute and impost but in case the porter shoulde take vp all the victualles for him selfe alone and suffer none to come to the market it is certaine that the inhabitantes of the cittie woulde die for honger Now in like maner if the vnderstandinge which is as it were the first gate of our sowle whereby the spirituall sustenance entereth vnto it doe take vp all that shoulde passe by it for it selfe alone in what case shall the will then be but euen verie hongrie and drie and in great necessitie of all vertue and goodnes The huntinge hounde if he be good will not eate the hare that he hath taken but kepeth it faithfully vntill his masters comminge and in like maner ought our vnderstandinge to doe when it hath founde out anie highe and secrete treuthes forsomuche as it must not retayne all for it selfe alone but reason woulde that it shoulde assigne them ouer to the will that she as the mistres in this behalfe maie serue her selfe with them And for this respecte diuers deuoute and simple persons are truelie verie happie who as they knowe litle so when they come vnto almightie God they are litle hindered with the discourses of their vnderstandinge and therefore in their prayers and meditations they finde their willes more tender and more pliant and better prepared vnto euery godly affection Now if thou desire to knowe how thou shouldest behaue thy selfe herein emonge manie other waies that maie serue in this case thou mayst vse this In euerie good thinge that thou shalt thinke vpon either in praier or out of praier be carefull to goe out of hande therewith vnto almighie God as the yonge childe doth who with euerie thinge that he findeth goeth out of hande to his mother and tattelleth with her of it And so in like maner when in thy prayer or at other times thou findest anie spirituall iuell thou must lifte vp thine harte to almightie God eyther to loue him or to adore him or to reuerence him or to praise him for the same accordinge as the matter requireth and thereby also to take occasion to humble thy selfe before him and to desire of him his grace It shal be a great helpe also hereunto to haue the spirite of true humilitie which causeth a man to appeare before almightie God very poore and naked and to prostrate himselfe before that most highe soueraigne maiestie and to be more carefull to desire him of his mercie for the curinge of the great miseries which he knoweth in him selfe than to searche the profoundnes of his highe misteries to vnderstande them And by so doinge he commeth to be in the presence of almightie God as a malefactour that is condēned to death woulde be when he shoulde enter into the kinges pallace to aske him pardon who woulde goe with such a great and deepe impression of his miserie that he woulde scarcelie haue either eies to see or harte to thinke vpon anie other thinge but onely vpon his owne present daunger The therde aduise which prestribeth also boundes and limittes to the will that it be neither to excessiue nor to vehement in her exercise § III. THE former aduise teacheth vs how we ought to quiet our vnderstandinge and commit all this busines to our will but this present aduise prescribeth also boundes and limittes to the will that it be neither to excessiue nor to vehement in her exercise Wherefore ye must vnderstande that the deuotion which we seeke to obteine is not a thinge that maie be gotten with force of armes as some persones thinke who laye on great lode of enforced sighinges and sobbinges imagininge thereby to procure teares and compassion whē they thinke vpon the passion of our Sauiour For such force dothe commonlye cause the harte to become more drie and more vnable to receyue our Lordes visitation accordinge as the holie father Cassianus affirmeth Moreouer it doethe commonlie preiudice and hurte the healthe of the bodie yea and sometimes leaueth the sowle so astomed and agast by reason of the litle taste she hath there receyued that she is lothe to returne againe to this exercise as to a thinge which she hath tryed by experiēce to haue bene verie painfull and irkesome vnto her And therefore if our Lorde shall send vs teares or other the like feelinges in our prayer we ought humbly to accept them and to geue him thanckes for them But for a man to wringe them out as it were with force of armes it is no wisedome He must content himselfe with doinge sincerelie what lyeth in him that is he must suppose him selfe to be present at such greiuous tormētes as our Sauiour hath suffered beholdinge with a sincere ād quiet eie aswel such paines as he hath suffered as also the loue and charitie that moued him to suffer them And when he hath thus done let him not vexe nor trouble him selfe anie further thoughe our Lorde sende him not teares and compunction of harte And he that can not thus doe but shall perceyue him selfe to be ouermuch troubled in his exercise let him not striue to passe forwardes but let him humble him selfe before almightie God
it was wholly most pure virgins fleshe taken of the most pure and virginall bowels of our blessed Lady S. Bonauenture without anie other kinde of mixture And for this cause as S. Bonauenture saiethe his bodie was the more tender and of a more perfecte sense in feelinge The fourthe cause of his so greiuouse paynes was the very kinde of death which he suffered with all the circumstances that happened in all the continuance of his passion forsomuch as each one of them if they be well considered was a kinde of martirdome by it selfe And that thou mayst more clearly perceiue the same Twelue most greiuous paynes which our Sauiour suffered in his passion beginne euen from the first entrie of his passion vntill the ende of it and thou shalt finde emonge others twelue most greyuous paynes which our Sauiour there suffered the which I wil rehearce here very breiflie notwithstandinge that in euerie one of them there is verie much to be said and considered The first was the agonie in the garden and that wonderfull bloudie sweate which trickled drowne througheout all the partes of his bodie vnto the earthe which was the most newe and most straungest thinge of all that euer hath happened in the worlde The seconde was to be solde for so base a price of his owne Apostle and disciple vnto so cruell enemies The therde was to be so often times caried throughe the common streetes bounde and manicled as if he had bene a verie theyfe The fourthe was the punishement with whippinge and scourginge which besides that the lashes were verie crewellie laid on him and verie manie in nomber it is not a punishement for a man of any credite or honestie but for bondeslaues vagabondes and men of most vyle and base condition The fifte was that most cruell inuention of the crowne of thornes wherein were ioyned together both most greiuous shame and dishonour and withall most greiuous paine and tormente The sixte was those so manifolde blasphemies and sundrie kindes of most villeynous mockeries iniuries and reproches which were ioyned with the tormentes as to spette so often times in his face as though he had bene a blasphemer to geue him buffettes and blowes as if he had bene a vagabonde to apparell him some times in white garmentes and some times in redde as if he had bene a foole to hoodwinke his eies and to ieste at him sayeinge Areede who hath smitten thee Leuit. 22.46 as if he had bene a verie dissarde to clothe him with a purple garment to set a reide in his hande to kneele on one knee before him to smyte him on the head with a reid as if he had bene a counterfait kinge and besides all this to proclaime him throughe the common streetes as a malefactour Who euer sawe so many kindes of reprochefull iniuries heaped together vpon one man The seuenthe was that wonderfull contēpte and despite which was done vnto him beinge the sonne of almightie God when they compared him with Barrabas and made lesse accompte of him than of Barrabas Insomuch as that Lorde by whom all thinges were created and in whom all thinges doe liue and are preserued was accompted more vnprofitable and more vnwourthy to lyue than Barrabas an infamous malefactour The eight was in that they enforced him to carie vpon his shoulders which were all to rēte and breused the verie same instrument of the crosse whereupon he shoulde suffer deathe The tormentors them selues which are commonlie the ministers of crueltie doe vse to hyde the eies of them that are to be beheadded that they maie not see the instrument that shall bereue them of their lyfe but here they doe not onely not vse this kinde of humanitic towardes our Sauiour but they laie the same instrument of his deathe euen vpon his owne shoulders to the intente that his harte might first suffer the tormente of the crosse inwardlie before that his bodie shoulde proue it outwardlie The ninthe was the very martirdome of the crosse which is a most cruell kinde of torment for it is not a speydie kinde of deathe as to be hanged or beheadded but very longe and lingeringe and the woundes be in the most sensible partes of the bodie to witt in the feete and handes which are most full of vaines and sinowes which be the iustrumentes of feelinge Moreouer his paines were increased with the poyze and weight of his owne bodie which alwaies tended and swayed dounwarde and so it euer rented and enlarged his woundes and augmented the greife of his tormentes continually and this caused his martirdome to become so extremely greiuous that althoughe he had no deadlie wounde yet by reason of the passinge greatnes of his paines his most holie sowle departed out of his most precious bodie The tenthe was that whereas our Sauiour was thus tormented vpon the crosse and there became a verie Sea of paines and tormentes yea whereas he was in such a dolefull case that if we shoulde see a verie dogge in the streete so pittiefullie tormented it were able to breake our hartes yet all this notwithstandinge his cruell enemies were so farre of from takinge anie pittie or compassion vpon him that euen at that verie time they mocked and scoffed at him and wagged their heades sayeinge Fye on thee that destroiest the temple of God Math. 27. and within three daies buildest it againe The eleuenthe was to haue his most innocent mother present before his eies at all these martirdomes knowinge so well as he did what a passinge great greife it was vnto her most innocent harte The twelfthe was such a crueltie as the like was neuer seene to witt that whereas his most holie bodie was all voide of bloude and all the fountains of his veines emptied and his bowels dried vp by reason of the great abundance of bloude which he had shead when he requested a litle water they did not onely not graunt it vnto him but in steede thereof they gaue him to drincke Easell and Galle Now what thinge coulde be more cruellie done than this True it is that that riche couetous man Luc. 16. which was tormented in hell had a droppe of water denied him when he required it but yet he had no galle geuen vnto him But here they doe not onelie denie the sonne of almightie God the thinge that he desired but besides that they increase his most greiuouse paines with an other newe kinde of tormente Euerie one of these pointes beinge considered seuerally by it selfe will minister sufficient matter of verie great greife and sorowe to anie good Christian harte And therefore whosoeuer is desirous to haue an earnest and inwarde compassion of the paines of our Sauiour let him goe throughe euerie one of them and make a station at eche of them and be he neuer so harde harted it is not almost possible but that in some one or other of them he shall sinde verie vehement motions to prouoke him vnto greife and
particular accompte of all their dissolute and wicked lyfe Wherefore it is verelye to be thought that the diuell labourethe all he can to make vs vtterlie to neglecte and forgette the remēbrance of our accompte The diuell laboureth all he can to make vs neglecte and forgette the accompte we must make of all our whole lyfe at the hower of our deathe that we must make at the verie hower of our deathe because he knoweth full well what great proffit and commoditie woulde arise vnto vs by the continuall remembrance of the same For otherwise how were it possible that men shoulde forget a thinge that is so terrible and fearefull yea such a thinge as they knowe most assuredly will come and steale verie shortelie vpon them at their owne howses If we haue but the least doubte or suspition in the worlde of losynge a litle wordly riches or of some other like thinge it maketh vs oftentimes very carefull and watchfull and causeth vs to lose both our sleepe and our health How happeneth it then that the remembrance of death which aswell to the bodie as to the sowle is the most horrible and dreadfull thinge that maie come vnto vs causeth vs not to be likewise verie carefull and watchfull in makinge prouision beforehande for the cōminge of it Suerlie it seemeth vnto me a thinge verie much to be meruayled at that men shoulde be so carefull as they be in tryfles and matters of smalle importance and liue so negligently and without all care in thinges that are of so greate importance vnto them as is their euerlastinge saluation or damnation The consideration of our deathe prouoketh vs not onelie to liue a good lyfe but also to dye well Thirdly this consideration of our death is a great helpe not onely to prouoke vs to liue a good lyfe as it hath bene saiede but besides that to die well In thinges that be harde and difficult foresighte and preparation beforehande is a very great helpe to bringe them well to passe Now so great a leape as is the leape of death which reacheth from this lyfe to the euerlastinge lyfe to come can not well be leaped vnles we make a great course and fetche a longe race to ronne the same No great thinge can be well and perfitlie done at the first time Seinge therefore it is so great a matter to die and so necessarie to die well it shal be verie expedient for vs to die oftentimes in our life that we maie die well at the verie time of our death The souldiors that be appoynted to fight doe first practice themselues in such feates and exercises as whereby they maie learne in time of peace what they must doe in time of warre The horse also that must ronne at the Tilte trauerseth all the grownde before and trieth all the steppes thereof that at suche time as he cōmeth to make his cowerse he be not founde newe and straunge in doyinge his feate Wherefore sith we all must needes ronne this cowerse forsomuch as there is no man aliue but must die consideringe also that the waie is so obscure and stonie as all men knowe and the daunger so great that whosoeuer falleth shal be tombled downe headlonge into the bottomles pit of hell fyer it shal be requisite that we doe now tread diligentelie before-hand all this waie and consider particularlie all the steppes and places thereof one by one forsomuch as in euerie one of them there is much to be considered And let vs not thinke it enoughe to consider onely what passeth outwardelye aboute the sicke mans bedde but let vs endeuour much more to vnderstande what passeth inwardlie within his harte Of the vncertaintie of the hower of death And what a greife it is at that tyme to departe from all thinges of this lyfe § I. TO beginne now euen from the beginninge of this conflicte Consider how when death shall come vpon thee Deyth stealeth vpon vs at such a tyme as we thincke least of it 1. Thess 5.2 it will come at such a time as when thou thinkest thy selfe in most safetie and suspectest least of the comminge thereof as we see by experience it is wont to happen vnto manie The daie of our Lorde saith the Apostle shall come like a thieffe Which watcheth alwaies to come at such times as men are most careles and thinke themselues in most safetie that it maie take vs vpon a sodeine at vnwares And so we see it happeneth most often that euen at that time when men doe least thinke to dye and when they are least mindfull of their departure out of this lyfe yea when they cast their accomptes before hande to make great purchases and buildinges and to set vpon great enterprises of many daies and yeares then cōmeth death sodenly vpon them and disapointeth them of all their vaine hopes and designementes and vtterly ouerthroweth all their fonde imaginations and buildinges which they made in the aier And so is that sayenge fulfilled of the holie kinge Esa 38. My lyfe saieth he was cutt of like as the weauer cutteth of his thread while I was as yet in the beginning he cut me of from morninge to eueninge thou wilt make an ende of me The first stroke of death is the feare of deathe The first stroke wherewith death is wont to strike is the feare of death Suerlie this is a very great anguishe vnto him that is in loue with his lyfe and this forewarninge is such a great greife vnto a mā that oftētimes his carnall friēdes doe vse to dissemble it and will not haue the sicke man to beleue it least it shoulde vexe and disquiet him and this they will doe sometimes although it be to the preiudice and destruction of his miserable sowle Kinge Saule had a verie stowte and valiant courage but after that the shadowe of Samuell appeared vnto him and had tolde him that he shoulde die in the battell addinge moreouer theise wordes 1 Reg. 28. Tomorrowe both thou and thy sonnes shal be here with me The feare and terror which he conceaued at these tidinges was so great that at that very instant he lost all his force and courage and fell downe to the grounde as a dead man Now what a greife will it be to a man that is in loue with this life when such lyke newes shal be signified vnto him For immediatly vpon this denuntiation there shal be represented vnto him his departure and perpetual bannishement from this worlde and from all thinges that be in the same Then shall he see that his howre is now come and that the dawninge of that dreadfull daye appeareth now at his howse wherein he shall departe from all thinges that he hath loued in this lyfe His bodie shall die but once but his harte shall die as often as he shall remember the losse of all those thinges whereunto it beareth loue and affection Forsomuch as death shall put the knife betwene him and
them all and make an euerlastinge diuision The deeper rootes the toothe hath in the iawe the greater greife it causeth at what tyme it is plucked out Now the harte of a wicked man beinge so fast rooted in the loue of the thinges of this lyfe The more we be in loue with worldelie thinges the more griefe it wil be vnto vs to departe from them at the hower of our deathe S. Augustine it cannot be but that it must needes be a very great greife vnto him when he seeth the howre is now come wherein he must depart from thē all At that time those thinges whereunto he beareth most affection shall wounde his hart most greiuously and that thinge which was wont to be a comfort vnto him in his trouble shal be then a most cruell torment in vexinge him S. Augustine declareth that at what time he determined to seperat him selfe from the worlde and from all the pleasures and delightes thereof it seemed vnto him that they all represented themselues liuely vnto him and saied What wilt thou leaue vs for euer and wilt thou neuer haue any more to doe with vs Consider now then with thy selfe what a greife it wil be to a carnall harte when those thinges that he hath most loued doe represent themselues at that hower vnto him ād when he seeth that he shal be spoyled of them all in such wise that he shal be enforced to saie Now shall this worlde haue no more to doe with me neither this aier nor this sonne nor this element Now shall I haue no longer conuersation and comfort of my children my wife my howse my landes my goodes my pleasures and delightes Of all thinges I am now left naked and bare Now will death spoile me of them all Now is my olde age at an ende now is the nomber of my daies fulfilled now shall I die vnto all maner of thinges and they all vnto me Wherefore ô thou worlde I bid thee farrewell yee my landes my goodes and riches I bid you farewell my friendes my acquintance my kinsfolke my deare wife and my louinge children I bid you all farewell For now shall we neuer see one an other anie more in this mortall fleash There is yet an other separation after this more terrible and dreadfull then this is to witt betwene the sowle and the bodie which haue kept cōpanie so longe time together and haue bene such hartie friendes The deuill had spoyled the holie man Iob of all maner of thinges sauinge onely of his lyfe and it seemed vnto him that in comparison of the spoile thereof all the rest were of none accompt and therefore he saied Skinne for skinne and all that a man hath he will geue for his lyfe This is the thinge that naturally is most loued Iob. 2.4 and the separation whereof causeth most greife If the seperation of one waifaringe man from an other when they haue trauayled in iourney together anie time doe cause such greife and solitarines what a griefe shall it be when two such entier friendes and companions as the sowle and the bodie haue bene are seperated the one from the other which haue traueyled together from their mothers wombe vntill that verie houre and haue had so manie knottes and bondes of friendshippe betwene them What a greife will it be when the spirite shall saie vnto the fleash I must now remaine all alone without thee And the fleash shall likewise make answere vnto the spirite sayeinge and in what case then shall I be without thee seinge all the beinge I haue I haue receiued of thee Of the horror and lothsomenes of our Graue § II. AFTER this it commeth naturally to a mans minde to thinke what shall become of his bodie when his sowle is departed out of it And in thinkinge hereupon he seeth that the best happe his bodie maie haue can be no better than to be laide in a little graue of earthe The basenes of which conditiō maketh him to be as it were astonnied For cōsideringe on the one side what great estimation he hath made of his bodie in tymes past and seinge on the other side what a base and vyle place that is wherein it must now be laide he cannot but wonder excedinglie at it He considereth and waygheth with himselfe that the lodginge which they will prepare for him in the earth shal be strait and narrowe that it shal be also obscure stinkinge full of wormes maggottes bones and dead mens skulles and withall so horrible that it shal be verie ircksome to thē that be aliue onely to looke vpon it And when he seeth that his bodie which he was wont to make so much of his bellie which he esteimed for his God his mowth for whose delightes the lande and sea coulde scarselie serue and his fleash for which golde and silke was wont to be wouen with great curiositie and a soft bed prepared to laie it in must now be laide in such a filthie and miserable donghill where it shal be troden vpon and eaten with fowle wormes and maggottes and within fewe daies be of as owglie a forme as a dead Carrion that lyeth in the feildes insomuch that the waiefaringe man will stoppe his nose and ronne awaie in great hast to auoid the stinkinge sauour of it when I saie he considereth all this and seeth that in steede of his soft bed he must lie there vpon the harde grownde ād in steede of his pretious and gorgious apparell he must haue there but onely a seely poore windinge sheite and in steede of his sweete odoriferous parfumes and muskes filthie rottonnes and horrible stenches and in steede of his multitude of delicate dishes and waitinge seruinge men he must haue there such an infinite nomber of crawling wormes and fylthie maggottes feedinge vpon him he cannot chuse if he haue anie sense or Iudgment remaininge in him but merueill to see vnto how base a condition such a noble creature is now come and to consider with whom he must now keepe companie there euē fellowe and fellowe like who in his life tyme had no fellowe nor equal It is not the part of wise men to wonder at thinges and the customable seinge of thinges euerie daie taketh awaye from them be they neuer so greate all admiration and wounder And yet all this notwithstandinge the great Wiseman wondered at this miserie though it be a matter whereof we haue dailie experience when he saide If man and beast doe die both after one sort Eccles 2.3 what auaileth me that I haue trauailed so much in seekinge for wisedome If it were so that the bodie in this separation shoulde ende in some thinge that were of anie price or proffit it woulde be some kinde of comfort vnto vs. But this is a thinge to be wondered at that so excellent a creature shall ende in the most dishonorable and lothsome thinge in the worlde This is that great miserie whereat the holie man Iob wondered and