also committed by thoughts VVhere I shall haue as manie for my iudges as haue gone before me by example of good vvoorkes and so manie shall be vvitnesses against me as haue giueÌ„ me presidents of vertues And yet expecting this iudgment I cease not to giue bridell to my vices but rather more more I lie rotting and corrupting in the dregges of my sinnes stil glutonie maketh me vile pride maketh me vaine couetousnes maketh me niggesh enuie consumeth me murmuration teareth me in peeces ambition puffeth me vp anger trovvbleth me lightnes of maÌ„ners dravveth me out of my self sluggishnes benuÌ„meth me heauines casteth me dovvne and fauour lifteth me vp Thou seest heere the companions vvith vvhich I haue liued froÌ„ the daie of mie childhood vntil this present time these be the frinds vvith vvhome I haue coÌ„uersed these the maisters that I haue obeied these the lords vvhich I haue serued Enter not therfore o lord Psal 142.2 into iudgment with thy seruant because no man liuing shall be iustified before thee for vvhoe is he that shal be found iust yf thou vvouldest iudge him vvithout pitie for this then o lord prostrating my self at thy feete vvith an humble and contrite spirite I vvil vveepe vvith the Prophet and saie Psalm 6. Lord rebuke me not in thy furie nor chasten me in thy vvrath Haue merâ—e vppon me lord because I am vveake heale me lord because mie bones ar trovvbled And mie sovvle is verie much trovvblâ—d but thou lord hovv long Be thou conuerted lord and deliuer my sovvle saue me for thy mercie Because there is none in death that is mindful of thee and in hel vvhoe vvill confesse vnto thee I haue laboured in my sigh I shall euerie night vvash mie bed vvith my teares shall I vveat mie couche Mine eye is troubled vvith furie I am vvaxen old among al mine enimies Glorie be to the father and to the sonne and to the holie ghost As it vvas in the beginning and novv and euer and vvoorld vvithout end Amen THE SECOND PRAIER FOR THE second daie of the praises of God CHAP. IIII. IN this exercise of feare and penance it behoued me o lord to spend all mie life seeing I haue so iust cause vvherefore to feare and vvherfore to lament Yet notvvithstanding al this as the greatnes of thie glorie obligeth vs to vvoorship reuerence thee so likevvise doth it binde vs to praise and glorifie thee because to thee onlie is due a hymne and praise in Sion thou being in deede as thou art a passing great deepenes of al perfections and a maine sea of vvisdom of omnipotencie of bevvtie of riches of greatnes of svveetenes of maiestie in vvhome be all the perfections and bevvties of all creatures in heauen and in earth and those also all in the highest degree of perfection In comparison of vvhich al bevvtie is foulnes all riches at pouretie al povver is vveakenes al vvisdom is ignorance all svveetenes is bitternes and finallie all vvhatsoeuer vve see in heauen and in earth is much les before thee then is a little candel in comparison of the sunne Thou art vvithout deformitie perfect vvithout quantitie great vvithout qualitie good vvithout vveaknes strong vvithout place al vvheresoeuer thou vvilt in vertue omnipotent in goodnes highest in vvisdom inestimable in thy counsels terrible in thy iudgments iust in thy thoughts most secreat in thy vvoords true in thy vvoorks holy in thy mercies abundant vvith sinners most patient and vvith those that be penitent most pitiful Therfore o lord for such a one I dooe confesse and acknovvledge thee for such a one I dooe praise thee glorifie thy holy name Giue thou me light in my hart and vvoords in my mouth that my hart may think of thy â—â—rie and my mouth be ful of thy praises But for somuch as praise is not beautiful in the mouth of a sinner Eccl. 15.9 I request all the Angels of heauen and al the creatures of the vvoorld that they together vvith me praise thee and supplie in this behalfe my faults inuiting them to this vvith that glorious canticle vvhich those holy children did sing vnto thee amiddest the flames of fiar in the fornace of Babilon saying Blessed art thou Daniel 7. ô lord god of our fathers and praised and superexalted for euer And blessed is the holie name of thie glorie and praised and superexalted for euer Blessed art thou in the holie temple of thie glorie and superpraised and superglorious for euer Blessed art thou in the throne of thie kingdom and superpraised and superexalted for euer Blessed art thou that beholdest the deapths and sittest vppon the Cherubines and praised and superexalted for euer Blessed art thou in the firmament of he auen raised and glorious for euer All the vvoorks of our lord blesse our lord praise and exalt him for euer Angels of our lord blesse our lord praise and superexalt him for euer Heauens blesse our lord praise and superexalt him for euer All vvaters that be aboue the heauens blesse our lord praise and superexalt him for euer All vertues of our lord blesse our lord praise and superexalt him for euer Sunne and moone blesse our lord praise and superexalt him for euer Stars of heauen blesse our lord praise and superexalt him for euer All raine and devve blesse our lord praise and superexalt him for euer Al spirits of God blesse our lord praise and superexalt him for euer Fiar and heate blesse our lord praise and superexalt him for euer VVinter and sommer blesse our lord praise and superexalt him for euer Moistiâ—res and hore frost blesse our lord praise and superexalt him for euer Frost and cold blesse our lord praise and superexalt him for euer Yse and snovve blesse our lord praise and superexalt him for euer Nights daies blesse our lord praise and superexalt him for euer Light and darknes blesse our lord praise and superexalt him for euer Lightnings and clovvdes blesse our lord praise and superexalt him for euer Let the earth blesse our lord let it praise and superexalt him for euer Mountaines and hillocks blesse our lord praise and superexalt him for euer All things that spring vppon the earth blesse our lord praise and superexalt him for euer VVelles blesse our lord praise superexalt him for euer Seas riuers blesse our lord praise superexalt him for euer VVhales all things that be moued in the vvaters blesse our lord praise and superexalt him for euer All byrds of the atre blesse our lord praise and superexalt him for euer Children of men blesse our lord praise superexalt him for euer Let I srael blesse our lord let him praise superexalt him for euer Priests of our lord blesse our lord praise and superexalt him for euer Seruants of our lord blesse our lord praise and superexalt him for euer Spirites and sovvles of iust men blesse our lord praise and superexalt him for euer Holie and humble of hart blesse our lord
praise and superexalt him for euer Glorie be to the father and to the sonne and to the holie ghost as it vvas in the beginning and novv and euer and vvoorld vvithout end Amen THE THIRD PRAIER FOR THE third daie to giue thanks to God for his benifits CHAP. V. I LIKE-vvise giue thee thanks o lord for all the benifits fauours vvhich I haue receaued of thee since the time that I vvas cōceiued vntil this present daie for the loue vvhich from al eternitie thou hast borne me vvhen euen from the same thou didst determine to create me to redeeme me to make me thine to giue me al that vvhich hitherto thou hast geauen me for somuch as al that I haue or may hope to haue is thine Thine is my bodie vvith al the parts and senses of the same thine is my sovvle vvith al her habilities and povvers thine be al the hovvers and minutes that hitherto I haue liued thine is the streangth and health vvhich thou hast geauen me thine is heauen and the earth vvhich susteineth me thine is the sunne and the moone the stars and the feelds the fovvles and the fishes the beasts and al other creatures vvhich at thy commaundement serue me Al this o my lord is thine and for the same I geaue thee as manie thanks as I am able to giue thee Neuertheles much greater thanks I yeeld thee that thou thie self hast vouchsafed to becom mine seeing that for my remedie thou hast offred and geauen all thie self in so much that for me thou vvast clothed vvith fleash for me thou vvast borne in a stall for me thou vvast reclined in a manger for me thou vvast svvadled in poore cloutes for me thou vvast circumcised the eight daie for me thou didst flie into Egypt for me thou vvast in so diuers sorts tempted persecuted yl vsed scourged crovvned vvith thornes dishonoured iudged to death and nailed vppon a crosse for me thou didest fast praie vvatch vveepe and suffer the greatest torments and outrages that euer vvere suffred For me thou didst ordeine and dresse the medicines of thy sacraments vvith the liquor of thie pretious blovvd and principallie the cheefest of all the Sacraments vvhich is that of thie most sacred bodie vvherein thou o mie God art conteined for mie reparation for mie maintenance for mie strength for mie delices for a pledge of mie hope and for a testimonie of thie loue For al this I yeeld thee as great and as manie thanks as I can giue thee saying from the bottom of mie hart vvith the Prophet Dauid Psal 102. Blesse o mie sovvle our lord and al those things that ar vvithin me his holie name Blesse o mie sovvle our lord and forget not all his fauours VVhoe hath pitie of all thy iniquities and healeth all thy diseases VVhoe deliuereth from death thy life vvhoe crovvneth the in mercie and compasstons VVhoe filleth thy desire in goods thy youth shal be renued as that of an eagle Our lord is dooing mercie and iudgment to all that suffer iniurie He made his vvaies knovven to Moises to the children of Israel his vvils Our lord is merciful and pitiful long-suffering and verie merciful He vvil not be angrie for euer neither for euer vvil hee threaten He hath not dealt vvith vs according to our sinnes neither according to our iniquities hath he revvarded vs. Because according to the height of heauen from earth hath he confirmed his mercie vppon those that feare him As far as the east is distant from the vveast hath he made far from vs our iniquities Euen as a father hath compassion of his sonnes our lord hath had compassion of such as seare him because he knovveth our vvoorkmanshippe He remembred that vve ar dust a man as the grasse so ar his daies as the flouer of the filde so shall he fade Because his spirite shall passe avvaie in him and shall not remaine and shall not knovve anie more his place But the mercie of our lord from euer and euen for euer vppon those that feare him And his iustice vppon the sonnes of sonnes to those that keepe his testament And ar mindfull of his comandements to fulfil them Our lord hath prepared his seate in heauen and his kingdom shall ouerrule all All Angels blesse our lord that be mightie of povver and dooe his vvoord to obey the voice o◠his speeches Blesse ye our lord al his vertues you his ministres that dooe his vvill Blesse our lord all his vvoorks and in euerie place of his soueraigntie blesse thou o mie sovvle our lord Glorie be to the father and to the sonne c. THE FOVVERTH PRAIER FOR the fouerth daie of the loue of God CHAP. VI. AND yf vve be so greatlie bound to our benefactours by reason of theire benifits yf euerie benefit be as it vvere a fiarbrand and a prouokement to loue and yf according to the great quantitie of vvoode the fiar is also great that is kindled in it hovv great then should the fiar of loue be that ought to burne in my hart seeing the vvoode of thy benifits is so greate and so manie the prouokements that I haue of loue yf al this vvorld visible inuisible be for me ought not by al reason the flame of loue that should rise thereof to be as greate as it And speciallie I ought to loue thee because in thee onlie ar to be found al the reasons and causes of loue that be in al creatures and those also in the highest degree of perfection For yf vve speake of goodnes vvhoe is more good then thou yf of beautie vvhoe is more beautiful then thou yf of svveetnes and benignitie vvhoe is more svveete and bening then thou yf of riches and vvisdome vvhoe is more riche and more vvise then thou yf of loue vvhoe hath euer loued more then he that so much suffered for our sakes yf of benifits vvhose is al that vve haue but thine yf of hope of vvhome dooe vve hope to haue vvhatsoeuer vve neede yf not of thie mercie yf to our parents vve naturallie ought to beare great loue Math. 23.9 vvhoe is more our father then he that saith Cal none father to your self vppon earth for one is your father he that is in heauen Yf the bridegromes ar beloued vvith soe great loue vvhoe is the bridegrome of my sovvle but thou and vvhoe filleth the bosome of my hart and of my desires but thou yf the last end as the Philosophers say is beloued vvith infinite loue vvhoe is my beginning my last end but thou vvhēce came I and vvhither goe I to repose but to thee vvhose is that vvhich I haue and of vvhome must I receaue that vvhich I neede but of thee finallie yf likenesse be cause of loue to vvhose image and resemblance vvas mie sovvle created but to thine This is euidentlie knovven by her manner of operation for vvhere there is like manner of operation there is also like manner of
ovvne deuotion doth anie of these vvorks or secondlie vvhen he doeth the same being enioined him by his ghostlie father in Confession yet the Satisfaction vvhich is made for Obedience of the Confessor in respect of the Sacrament is much more fruiteful Finallie al manner of scourges and chastisements vvhich almightie God sendeth vs as Sicknes Pouertie and the like yf they be borne vvith Humilitie and Patience ar of greate force not onlie to satisfie for the temporal paines devv for our sinnes but also for increase of Grace and mercie THE SIXTH TREATISE HOVV VVE OVGHT TO PREPARE OVR SELVES FOR THE RECEIVING OF THE most blessed Sacrament of the Altare AS amongst al the other Sacraments the blessed Sacrament of the Altare is the greatest so is there requisite greater puritie and preparation for receauing of the same because in the other Sacraments the vertue of God vvorketh but in this Sacrament is the real and true presence of God him self and therfore besides the cleannes of the sovvle vvhich must goe before by meanes of the Sacrament of Penance it requireth also especial deuotion to vvhich deuotion three things doe serue verie notablie The first of these things is the feare and Reuerence of that diuine maiestie vvhich is in this Sacrament for somuch as vve doe trulie beliue that in that little host is almightie God the Creatour of heauen and earth the lord of the vvorld the glorie of the Angels the repose of all those that be blessed the iudge of the vvorld vvhome the Angels Archangels Cherubines and Seraphines doe praise before vvhose sight the povvers of heauen doe tremble not for that they haue offended him but for that considering the highnes and greatenes of that soueraine maiestie they acknovvledge them selues to be but so manie vvormes before the same True it is that this feare causeth not in them anie paine but a most high Reuerence because they knovv that as there is devv all loue to that infinite goodnes and bountie so to his greatenes there is due all feare This affection is also much increased in a man by consideration of the greate number of his sinnes and dailie negligences For yf the Angels and Principalities of heauen doe feare him vvithout hauing donne anie thing vvherefore since theye vvere created hovv much more ought a vile and vvretched vvorme to feare vvhich so oftentimes and in so manie manners offendeth his creator This is then the first thing vvhich a man ought to consider vvhen he commeth to this table saying vvithin him selfe vvith greate Reuerence I goe novv to receaue almightie God not onlie into mie sovvle but also into mie bodie But novv this feare must be tempered vvith Hope vvhich the same lord of ours giueth vs by considering that he vvith the bovvels of pitie and compassion vppon our vveakenes and miserie inuiteth vs to his table calleth vs vvith those most svveete vvords vvhich are Com ye to me al that labour Matth. 11.28 and ar burdened to vvit vvith the heauines of your mortalitie and of your passions because I vvil restore and refresh your soules And in an other place vvhen the Pharisees murmured of this lord because he did eate and drinke vvith sinners he ansvvered them that They that ar vvhole Luc. 5.31 neede not the Phisition but they that ar yll at ease and that he came not to cal the iust but sinners to penance So that vvith these vvords the sinners that repent them selues of theire sinnes maie take hart and confidence to be bould to approche neere to this heauenlie bankette But touching the hunger desire vvhich this heauenlie bread requireth a greate motiue maie be to consider the effects thereof and the greate benifits vvhich by the same ar communicated to those that deuoutlie doe receaue it vvhich be so greate that no man is able to recount them Effects of Communiō For by the same the Grace of God is giuen vs by it vve becom vnited and incorporated to our head vvhich is Christ By it vve ar made partakers of the merites and trauails of his most sacred passion and by it is renued the memorie therof By it Charitie is inflamed our vveakenes is strengthned and spiritual svveetenes is tasted euen in his ovvne proper spring vvhich is Christ and by it ar stirred vp in our sovvles nevv purposes and desires tovvards all goodnes By it is giuen vs a most pretious pavvne of euerlasting life By it ar forgiuen the sinnes and negligences vvhich vve dailie commit and by it also a man becommeth of Attrite Contrite vvhich is as much as to rise from death to life By it likevvise is diminished the flame of our passions and concupiscences and that vvhich is more by it Christ entreth into our sovvles to dvvel in them and dvvelling there as he him self signified vvhen he saied Ioā 6.57 that as his father vvas in him and therfore his life vvas like to the life of his father to make like him self in purenes of life all those that vvorthilie receaue him into them selues by meanes of this Sacrament that novv they maye saie eche one in particular I liue novv not I Gal. 2.20 but Christ liueth in me If therfore this celestiall bread vvoorke all these effects in the sovvles of those that vvith a pure conscience doe eate it vvhat man is there so insensible or so great an enimie of him self that vvil not haue hunger of bread that vvorketh so great effects in him that doth vvorthilie receaue it A man ought therefore to occupie him self in the consideration of these things the daie and the night before the blessed Communion to stirre vp by meanes of the same these three affects aforesaid in vvhich doth consist actual deuotion that is so greatlie requisite for this meate To vvhich purpose the tvvoe praiers folovving vvil help verie much yf they be read vvith as much attention and deuotion as is possible because in them the deuoute sovvle shal find vvoords and considerations to stirre vp in it selfe those three affections and feelings afore mentioned A DEVOVT PRAIER TO BE SAID before the receiuing of the blessed Sacrament I Giue vnto thee o my Sauiour and Lord most hartie thankes and praise for all the benifits vvhich it hath pleased thee to bestovve vppon this so vile and miserable creature I giue the thankes for all the mercies vvhich thou hast vsed tovvards mankind for the misterie of thy holy Incarnation and chiefelie for thie most holie Natiuitie for thy Circumcision for thy Presentation in the Temple for thy Flight into Egypt for the trauails of thy voiages for thy going vp and dovvne in preaching for the persecutions of the vvorld for the tormentes and sorovves of thie passion and for all that vvhich thou diddest suffer in this vvorld for me and much more for the loue vvith vvhich thou diddest suffer vvhich vvithout comparison vvas farre greater Aboue all this I giue the thankes that thou hast vouchsafed to set me at thy table and
ansvverable to the superfluitie and abundance and the hunger and thirst avvnserable to the delicatenes and fullnes past Vnto all these paines there is added an eternitie or euerlastingnes of suffering them vvhich is as it vvere the seale and key of them all for al the rest aforesaide vvere yet somvvhat tollerable if it might be ended for so much as nothing is great that hath an end But paines that haue no end no ease no mitigation nor declination no nor hope that euer ether the paines or he that giueth them nor he that suffereth them shall finish and haue an end but to be as it vvere a perpetual banishment and an infamie neuer to beremitted this is a matter able to make anie man besides him self that should consider it deepelie and vvith due attention This is then the greatest paine that of all others is to be suffered in that vnfortunate place for yf these paines vvere to be endured but for som certaine tyme although it vvere a thovvsand or a hundred thovvsand years or as a certaine doctor saieth yf there vvere anie hope that they should end in so much time as al the maine occeaÌ„ sea should be consumed drop by drop taking out of it euerie thousand yeare but one drop onlie yet this vvoold be som kind of comfort and consolation But it passeth not soe in this case for the paines shal becorrespondent to the eternitie of almightie God and the continuing of this miserie to the perpetuitie of his diuine glorie So long as God shal liue so long shall they die vvhen God shal be no more that vvhich he is novv then shall they also cease to be that vvhich they ar Novvin this duratioÌ„ in this eternitie I vvish thee good brother to settel rest for som time thy consideration as a cleene beast to râ—minate this passage novv vvith thie self for as much as the eternal euerlasting truth crieth Matthae 14.35 and auovvcheth saying Heauen and earth shall passe but my vvordâ—s shall not passe Saturdaie night Of the glorie of heauen THIS daie thou shalt meditate of the glorie of those that be blessed and happie in heauen thereby to moue thy heart to the contempt of the vvorld and to an earnest desire to be in the companie of celestiall citizens To th' end therfore that thou maist in som sort vnderstand somvvhat of this felicitie thou hast to consider a mong other things these fiue that ar in it The excellencie of the place the ioy of the companie the vision of God the glorie of the bodies finallie the sacietie and perfect store of al good things vvhich is there First then consider th'excellencie of the place and especiallie the greatenes thereof vvhich is vvonderfull For vvhen a man readeth in certaine graue authors that eâ—erie starre in heauen is greater then the vvhole earth moreouer that there be som starres of such exceeding greatenes that they be ninetie times bigger then al the vvhole earth and vvith this lifâ—eth vp his eyes to heauen and seeeth in the same such a number of starres and so manie voide spaces vvhere manie more starres might be set vvhen he seeeth this I saie hovv can he but vvoonder hovv can he but be astonied as it vvere besides him self considering the passing greatnes of that place and much more of that Souerain lord that created the same Novv as for the beavvtie of that place it is a thing that cannot be expressed vvith vvords for yf God hath created so vvonderful and so bevvtiful things in this vale of teares vvhat hath he created trovv ye in that place vvhich is the seate of his glorie the throne of his statelines the pallace of his maiestie the hovvse of his elect and the paradise of all delightes After the excellencie of the place consider the vvorthines of the dvvellers in it vvhose number holines riches bevvtie doe far exceede vvhat soeuer can be imagined S. Iohn saith that the multitude of the elect ar so great that no man is able to count them Apocal. 7.9 S. Dionisius saith Caelest Hierar c. 14. that the Angels ar so manie that they exceede vvithout comparison al corporal and material creatures vppon the earth 1 p. q. â—â— ar 3. S. Thomas agreeing vvith this opinion saith that like as the heauens in greatnes exceede the earth vvithout anie proportion so doth the multitude of those glorious spirites exceede the nombre of all corporall things that ar in this vvoorld vvith like advantage and proportion Novv vvhat thing can be imagined more vvoonderfull then this Certainlie this is such a thing that if it vvere vvel considered it vvere sufficient to make al men astonied And yf eche one of those blessed spirites yea though it be the verie least among them be more beautiful to behold then al this visible vvoorld vvhat a sight shall it be to behold such a number of beautiful spirites to see the perfections and offices of euerieone of them There the Angels be sent in ambassages The Archangels ministre and serue the Principalities triumph The Povvers reioice The Dominations gouerne The Vertues shine The Thrones glister The Cherubines giue light The Seraphines burne in loue and al sing lavvdes and praises to God Novv yf the companie and mutual conuersation of good and vertuous persons be a thing so svveete and so amiable as vvee dailie proue vvhat a thing shall it be to conuerse there vvith so manie blessed Saincts to talk vvith the Apostles to deale vvith the Prophets to communicate vvith the Martyrs and to haue a perpetual familiaritie vvith al the elect More yf it shal be so great a glorie to enioy the companie of the good vvhat shal it be to enioy the companie and presence of him vvhome the morning stars dooe praise at vvhose excellent beautie the sonne and moone dooe vvonder before vvhose maiestie the Angels and al those blessed spirites dooe bovve theire knees vvhat shal it be to behold that vniuersal and supreme good in vvhome al good things ar conteined that greater vvoorld in vvhich ar included al vvoorlds and to see him vvho being one is al things and being most simple in him self and vvithout al kind of mixture doth yet comprehend in him self the perfections of al things If to heare see king SalomoÌ„ vvere thought so great a matter that the Queene of Saba said of him Blessed ar the men 2. Regu 10.8 and blessed ar these thy seruants that stand in thy presence and heare thy vvisdom VVhat shal it be to behold that most high SalomoÌ„ that eternal vvlsdom that infinite greatnes that inestimable bevvtie that exceeding goodnes and to enioie the same for euer and euer This is the essential glorie of the Saincts this is the last end and harborough of our desires Afther this contemplate the glorie of the bodies vvhich shal be endued vvith those fovver singuler qualities and dovvries to vvit vvith Subtilitie Svviftnes Impassibilitie and Cleerenes vvhich Cleerenes