benignâ—iy deale kindly with Sion and builde agayne the walls of Ierusalem that once agayne thou maist accept the sacrifice of iustice oblations burnte offeringes and calues vpon thine Altars A CONTINVED SVPPLICATION FOR the good will mercy of our Lord vnto all estates of his churche and against seuerall vices Sect. 2. 1. AND allso in these wordes the Catholique Churche is described by three names of Sion Ierusalem and his Altar which may signifye the 3. sortes of people in his churche 1. religious persons 2. secular preistes 3. lay people which are designed allso by Noah Daniel Iob. The firste are of spirituall contemplation dwelling aboue in solitary Mounte Sion The thirde laste are in temporall actioÌ„s inhabitants beneath in Ierusalem as in a city full of turmoyle earthly trafique The second and middlemost being preistes doo frequent the Altars of the Temple which was seated betwene Sion aboue the said citye belowe as men of a mixte life partly spirituall partly temporall and therfore be called secular preistes vidz preistes for their exercise and ministration of deuine mysteryes and secular because of their particuler possessions and their often conuersation in the assayres and with the men of this worlde 2. O Iesu deale kindly with Sion replenishing thy monasteryes with multitudes of sayntes worthy to abide in such a holy hill Builde the walls of Ierusalem so that all lay men the citizens of this worlde may be combined dwell together in charity may be limited kepte within the boundes of equity and may be defended safe against all their enemyes And finally grante we beseech the that all thy preistes may offer vnto the with due deuotion the sacrifice of iustice and with decent reuerence present thy oblations vpon thine Altars neither slubbering thy sacrifice nor poasting thy seruice 3. Furtherfore Sion is interpreted speculation and Ierusalem a vision of peace o deale kindly with vs by thy mercy that in this life we may haue some speculation of certein hope thoughe but as in a glasse and that in the nexte life we may possesse the perfect vision of blessed peace Then shalte thou receiue our sacrifices of iustice our due debte of prayses our willing oblations of thankfullnes our whole burnte offeringes and our calues shall be layde consumed vpon thine Altar our concupiscences our sorowes shall then be quite consumed as whole burnte offringes by the heauenly fire of thy diuine feruor Then shall we neede no more contrition or penance which now we must practise in this life for there all teares shal be wiped from our eyes and our heauy mourning as penitent Trutles shall then be changed into the liuely ioyfullnes of innocent Calues 4. And therfore allso we doo so earnestly intreate that thou wouldest builde the walls of Ierusalem because out of the vnity of the churche compassed with those walls of the communion of sayntes we are sure that no sacrifice will be acceptable vnto thee wherfore that these walls may be builded deale kindly with Sion in thy goâ—d will For as the prophet saith thou arte a clement God mercifull patient of much miseration and pitifull to our wickednes In creating vs clement mercifull in redeeming vs patient in expecting our conuersion in comforting vs of much miseration and in forgiuing all out faultes frayletyes full of pity In all these kindnesses of thy good will O doo good deale kindly with Sion that the walls of Ierusalem may be builded that our prelates may be of good example much reuerenced that thy holy sacramentes may be deuoutly receiued administred that in thy militante churche we may haue the strong Bulwarkes of faith hope charity begonne and in thy churche tryumphante the stately towres of perfecte charity sure possession euident knowledge accomplished 5. Salomon that is Peace did builde the walls of Ierusalem but in the time of Ioas which signifyes temporality they were destroyed Ozias which is interpreted Seeing God or Faith did rebuilde what temporality had ruynated but Nabuzoradan that is a prince of cookes or voluptuousnes againe defaced what faith had repayred Nehemias which signifyes consolation restored all once agayne but Antiochus of Syria that is haughtynes or silence of pouerty beate them downe for vayneglory of our good deeds silence without confession of our bad doo exceedingly tread downe all true consolation Lastly Iudas Machabaeus vidz the confession of a warriour acknowledging his owne frailety fighting against pride he did reedifye but Titus which may be construed good or else durte that is fayre seeming hypocrites good in shew durte in deede these laste of all doo lay waste make desolate the hill of SioÌ„ the walls of Ierusalem which shall be lastly succoured by Enoch and Elias And as these thinges pasâ—ed with the materiall walls of Ierusalem so may they serue as hath bene shewed for our morall information THE TIMES THE MANER THE PLACE the persons offering all these sacrifyces oblations c. Sect. 3. 1. THEN wilt thou accepte the sacrifice of iustice c. Then 1. by the vertue of thy passion after the fulnes of time when the lawe of Moyses shal be consummated 2. Then in the florishing prosperity ofthy churche vpon earthe when persecution shal be abated 3. Then in the perfecte happynes of thy churche in heaueÌ„ when we shall clearely beholde knowe God face to face When in these three sortes the walls of Ierusalem shal be finished then in the firste wilte thou accepte the sacrifice of iustice euen Christe himselfe our Iustice sacrificed for vs vpon the crosse Then in the second thou wilte admitte our mixed oblations like Martha busyed in many thinges and our entire burnte offringes like Mary choosing the better parte And then in the thirde we shall lay our calues vpon thine Altar that is our youthfull wantonnes or wordly cherfullnes shal be abandoned and being sacrificed here vpoÌ„ thine Altar of penitence shal be there changed firste into the calues of our lippes cherfully moouing to giue thee honour and prayse and afterwarde accomplished in the joyfull vision cleare sighte and perfect knowledge of thy diuine maiesty in which is comprehended our vnspeakable felicity 2. Then allso wilte thou accepte the sacrifice of iustice the passion and merites of our Sauiour and for them all the good workes of his seâ—uantes whether they be the oblatioÌ„s of feruorous Confessors or the whole burnte offringâ—â— of zealouâ— martyrs Or whether they be offred by lay people as deuoute 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 the whole burnte sacrifices of religious persons Then will all these lay Calues vpon thiâ—e Altar that is bring many yonge folke vnto thy seruice to be suckled and to be fed in thy catholique faith with the sacraments of thy churche and with many good examples and Rules of piety and morality wherin they shall abide and remayne For whatsoeuer is laid vpon thine Altar there it oughte to remayne
as in thy presence holy and consecrated to thy seruice and shal be accepted in our lord Iesus in whom alone all our sacrifices of soule body and Goods are of a most excellent sweete sauour gratefull in him who is only our Sauiour our cheife preist our best sacrifice and our principall highe Altar 3. O most gracious God! how kindly haste thou dealte with Sion when thou diddest send thy deare some from heauen to descend vnto the earthe and into the nature of man to saue vs men who are but earthe What thinge can be more kinde and gracious then for the sonne of God to take vpon him the shape of a willfull slaue to be subiect to the cruelty of deathe and to the shame of the crosse to redeeme vs by shedding of his bloud by his innocency to repayre our trecheryes by his iustice to satisfye for our sinnes to pull vs backe from the mouthe of hell gaping for vs to giue vs entrance to the gates of heauen which were shutâ—e against vs. To enlighten his churche with the clearenes of his truthe in the middest of errors to preserue it by his power against the stormes of persecution to feede it with his owne body to washe it with his bloud to cherish it with all his sacraments to directe it in generall by his holy spirite and to comforte euery particuler with the swetnes of his loue with the hartynes of his grace and with the abundance of his mercy O kinde dealing of extraordinary good will O diuine loue aboue measure O wonderfull worke without any example or paterne a worke of heauenly charity without any foregoing merite and in one worde O God a worke of thy good will 4. This is the building of the walls of Ierusalem Babell walls are builded of bricke and founded vpon sande whiles worldly men either trusting to their riches or fixed on their carnall pleasures are proud or careles but as Augustus said he found the walls of Rome made of bricke and lefte them of marble so by our mortification of the flesh and renunciation of the worlde with the helpe of our Lorde we may change bricke into marble the walls of Babel into the walls of Ierusalem and a foundation vpon sande into a foundation vâ—on a Rocke So said Esay The brickes are fallen but we will builde with square stone they haue cutte downe the wilde figge trees but we will turne them into Cedars And this they doo who turne delicacy into seuerity liberty into limites the lawe of the flesh into the lawe of the spirite the olde man into the new and Adam into Christe O happy walls which haue such a head corner stone to combine them and such a rocke to vpholde them these walls haue strenghte and comelynes strenghte vpon their rocke and by their Corner stone comelynes or by their vnited charity strenghte comelynes by their decent sanctity and of such saith the psalme strenghte and comelynes are his garmentes not in vertues alone comely yet weake against tentations but stronge against all impugnations and comely in all vertuous ornamentes 5. If IerusaleÌ„ which is the militant church here belowe be thus peopled and builded what glory shall we see in the churche triumphante which is Ierusalem aboue the mother of vs all a free citye and the highest Imperiall seate not so much as touched with any corruption or sinne nor can any misery or sorowe approache that place where no enemy can enter in nor any citizen shall desire to go out a city of all peace and prosperity whose streetes are paued with the purest golde c. in whose building is no noyce of hammer axe or sawe no more then was in Salomons temple for all our soules must be apted purged squared and fitted before we come there Dauid a warriour may make preparation but only peaceable Salomon can accomplishe the building we may in this life gather together many merites by fighting and resistance of tentations and vices but only in the peace of our lord Iesus shall we be accomplished and made perfecte WHAT A SACRIFICE IS AND THAT THE holy Masse is our peculiar Sacrifice of the new Testament Sect. 4. 1. WHerfore that we may be prepared for Ierusalem aboue we beseech the o lorde for IerusaleÌ„ here on earthe to repayre the olde wasted decayes to builde on forwarde the new Bullwarkes and walls For when or wheresoeuer Ierusalem florisheth in peace Then wilte thou accepte the Sacrifice of iustice not of sinne of constante vertuous Catholiques not of Heretiques Schismatiques nor any vicious persons 2. Allso this sacrifice of iustice is referred by S. Ambrose and others to the sacrament of the Altar which is offered and receiued in the holy masse in which religious seruice of God we doo offer vnto him a sacrifice for the liuing and the dead and we doo receiue vnto our selues a sacrament of iustice conteyning and conferring righteousnes grace 3. And the masse is not improperly or in generall only called a sacrifice as almes and euery good worke may be so termed nor is it alone an inwarde spirituall sacrifice but it is an externall sacrifice properly so called and yet more a peculiar sacrifice instituted of our Sauiour Christe himselfe in his laste supper and ordered and adorned afterwarde by the Apostles their successors as appeareth by the Canonâ— of the Apostles by the masse of S. Iames S. Marke S. Basil S. Chrysostome and S. Ambrose Yea it may be colected out of the Actes of the Apostles where it is said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whiles they were liturgizing For we knowe that masses are called in Greeke liturgyes as be the liturgyes of S. Iames S. Chrysostome c. And the vulgar translation is ministrantibus illis Domino whiles they were ministring vnto our lorde which generall wordes doo somtime signifye the particuler action of sacrificing as in the olde Testament is found and Erasmus doth expressely interprete them sacrificantibus illis whiles they were sacrificing althoughe it be friuolous which he addeth that their sacrificing was preaching for neither the sense of the Texte nor the nature of the worde can beare it and were it not absurde to say they were sacrificing that is preaching to God 4. As for the vse of the Masse as a sacrifice in the primitiue times it may appeare by Ignatius who liued in our Sauiours time sawe him on earthe writing to the Smyrnians It was not lawfull then without a Bishop to offer sacrifice nor to celebrate Masse And the same Author writing ad-Trallianos ad Neronem saith when S. Peter celebrated Masse Saynt Clement and Anaclete were his deacons helping him therin And that Timothy Linus were Deacons vnto S. Paul when he celebrated Masse 5. And the same S. Clement Romanus in his 3. Epistle de officio Sacerdot and Anaclete in his Epistle ad omnes Orientales And Dyonisius Areopagita in his ecclesiasticall Hierarchy doo all
fall they may be raysed and they who are admitted into secret grace ought allso to praye that from so dangerous a fall they may be preserued And in particuler thou o my soule must acknowledge thy selfe vnworthy of those graces which thou haste receiued which if they be small in comparison of those which our lord can giue or others doo receiue yet are they many and great and more then any way thou diddest deserue Or how can the sunne send much lighte or plenty of beames into a howse which hath but small windowes O my soule if thou desire more lighte set open all thy windowes O holy spirite of truthâ— and secret wisdome shyne yet more into my harte to shew me all necessary truthe which thou doost loue and still to manifest vnto me the secret doubtfull thinges of thy wisdome 8. O let me see and consider how great mercyes I haue receiued that I may be thaÌ„kfull how I did merite nothing or rather how much I did demerite that I may be humble and how vnprofitably I doo vse them that I may be ashamed I fled from catholique truthe which thou louest and yet thou diddest so loue me that thou diddest make me loue thy catholique truth which I declined now I loue this truthe which hath giuen me knowledge of thee and how am I bound to loue thee who diddest bring me to this knowledge of truthe O what sweete secrets be in this loue they are doubtfull to such as neuer tasted them because secret and to such they are secret because they loue not thee who doost manifest the secrets of they wisdome to none but such as doo embrace the truthe which thou doost loue This is thy wisdome not to caste spirituall pearles before eaâ—thly swyne nor to hide thy heauenty treasures from weake sucklinges or simple harted soules 9. But how shall I prayse thy goodnes o lord and in particuler to my selfe In the gospell it is said thou wouldest not suffer diuells to enter into swyne but with me thou haste cast diuells out of a swyne Doo I debase my selfe to say so Beholde o lorde thou louest truthe I knowe no swyne so filthy and so degenerate from his kinde as I was being a Protestante from they truthe If S. Mary Magdalene had seauen diuells of vices how many had I of heresyes Vnto her many sinnes were forgiuen because she loued much O lord I haue loued but a little how many sinnes hast thou forgiuen me thy wisdome hath reuealed my doubtes and manifested vnto me thy secrets I fondly doubted where was no cause of doubte but I am resolued by thy wisdome I was compassed with lighte and yet I did not discerne lighte because I wanted harty loue vnto thy catholique truthe For I firste loued not thee but thou diddest preuent me with thy loue prosecute me with thy grace and so finally diddest imparte vnto me the secrets of thy wisdome which are the mysteryes of thy catholique faith which now I doo beleeue thou haste not dealte thus with euery sinner nor vnto thousandes better then my selfe hast thou manifested as vnto me the secret and doubtfull thinges of thy wisdome 10. O infinite incomprehensible bounty what did thy majesty beholde in my basenes nothing verely but thine owne loue wherwith thou haddest disposed prepared my harte to be vnpartiallie desirous of truthe this desire and this loue thou diddest first giue me afterwarde by these thou diddest draw me nearer vnto thee O swete Iesu who doost neither accepte nor rewarde any thing which thy selfe haste not first giuen thou haste giuen me loue of truthe and manifested vnto me the doubtfull secret thinges of thy wisdome I doe enterteyne them as pledges earnest pence of mâ— hope election o let me so keepe and euer reteyne them that I may neuer be ashamed nor confounded in them Let them be meanes of thy better seruice and no way occasions of my greater condemnacion I haue tasted of thy loue I am acquaynted with thy secrets I am partaker of thy mysteryes let me rather dye then fayle or be faynte-harted and sooner torne in peices then become ingratefull I was most vnworthy to receiue them and seing of meere mercy thou hast bestowed these talentes vpon me I desire to retaine them with much thankefullnes and throughe thy grace with some gaynes of merite O blessed Sauiour accepte what thou haste giuen O holy virgin and all the Angells and Sayntes of heauen giue continuall thankes prayse vnto our lord God for me who am not able to thinke much lesse to declare how I owe my selfe MEDITATâ—ON VI. Asperges me Domine hysopo mundabor lauabis me super niuem dealbabor Auditui meo dabis gaudium laetitiam exultabunt ossa humiliata Thou shalte sprinkle me with hysope o lord and I shal be cleansed thou shalte washe me I shal be made white aboue snowe Vnto my hearing thou wilte giue ioye gladnes and my humbled bones shall reioyce THE VSE OF CEREMONYES DECLARED by a picture and the propertyes of hysope whervnto they maybe alluded Sect. 1. 1. THe priestes of Moyses lawe doo purifye by sprinkling of bloud with hysope and so they cleansed in a type or figure 1. such as must eat the paschall lambe 2. such as were defiled by touching the dead 3 such as were infected with leprosy 4. or those who being penitent did offer sacrifice for their sinnes O Lorde as one who haue neede of all these I looke not so much to the outwarde Ceremonyes as I hope to be partaker of thy inwarde grace by the bloud of that paschal lambe who is allso a sacrifice for the pollution sinne of all the worlde 2. In this actuall sprinkling of hysope and clensing application of our Sauiours merites and of his death and passion we doo liue we doo bleeue we doo hope we doo merite we doo labor worke our saluation with feare trembling and not as Protestantes teâ—ch by only faith and so with presumptuous beleeuing 3. Let others therfore be content alone with colors of imputation our soules desire to be allso innocent in substance We respecte not so much the outward figure of hysope as the inward vertue of our deare Sauiours deare bloud Types and ceremonyes are excellent ordinances yet we doo lifte vp our mindes higheâ— and by occasion of these we doo more often remember more deuoutly apprehend the truthes which they doo signifye Some paynted Tables are so cutte paynted that one way they resemble a beautifull face another way a deathes head and a certeyn artificiall workeman made such a like picture of Moyses brasen serpent hauing vndeâ— it a multitude of Israelites looking vpwarde to be cured of the stinging of fiery serpentes and aboue it he placed a looking glasse in such a situation that when he opened or drew a curtayne hanging before the said picture which thoughe whiles it was couered you saw nothing in the glasse and thoughe
life Iesus is the Father of the poore the mother of the afflicted and the Brother of the patient Iesus is a glasse of chastity without spotte a highe watchtowre of all vertues and a Citadell or armory of perfection Iesus is the clearenes of Angells Iesus is the contemplation of the Patriarkes Iesus is the illuminati of the prophets Iesus is the leuell and Rule of the Apostles Iesus is the Doctor of the Euangelistes Iesus is the maister of the Doctors Iesus is the victory of mâ—rtyrs Iesus is the corage of Confessors Iesus is the spouse of Virgins Ieâ—us is the head of all Catholique christians Iesus is the rewarde crowne of all Sayntes Iesus is the mediator of God and all men Iesus is to vs cause and coniunction of Ioye and saluation by vniting in one God and man and so becoming our Iesus 5. O joyfull Iesu O Sauiour Iesu O most louing and bountifull Iesu most delectable comfortable Iesu most meeke and mercifull Iesu O Iesu the saluation of them who beleeue in thee O Iesu the Ioye of them which hope in thee O Iesu Iesu the bond and vnion of Ioye saluation vnto them which loue thee O giue them saluation who haue none restore them to Ioye who haue loste what they hadde and to whom thou hast vouchsafed thy selfe O swete Iesus least they should loose such a treasure Confirme them for euer with thy principall spirite O let my soule in such loue and resolute affection towardes thee O deare Iesus be like his who was content to endure any calamity or to go into hell it selfe if there it were possible to dwell with Iesus But o detphes such is the presence of the vertue of Iesus that hell with him would turne into heauen for in Iesus is Ioye and saluatioÌ„ of certeyn security of secure eternity of eternall quietnes of quiet happynes of happy swetenes of swete Ioye and Ioyefull saluation O giue me this Ioye of thy saluation and confirme me in the same by thy principall spirite THE NOBILITY OF A PRINCIPALL SPIRIT perseuering to finishe constantly what it hath begonne generously Sect. 2. 1. IT is no lesse vertue to reteyne what we haue gotten then to obteyne what we wanted therfore confirme vs as Ecclesiasticus said of wisdome so may we say of this Ioye they who doo drinke therof doo thirste for more not as dronkardes for wyne or couetous men for riches but for the heauenly comforte of righteousnes spirituall just men doo desire to be more juste So S. Paul forgot what was behind him endeuoring still forward and counselleth all to holde out to the end of the race or else we should fayle of our Garlánd S. Francis after many yeares of his stricte life after our L. Iesus had honored him so miraculously which the markes of his fiue woundes and not long before his death he calls to his holy companions Incipiamus fratres c. Let vs beginne good brethren to serue our lord God for hitherto we haue profited little such was his humility not glorying in what was paste and in desire of proceding such was his feruency 2. As in naturall philosophie thoughe the matter doth much desire his naturall forme yet the forme desireth much more to be ioyned to his â—aturall matter for the first desireth it of naturall necessity the second of naturall goodnes so the loue of God like the forme of our perfection doth more seeke to helpe vs theÌ„ we can or doo desire his assistance for our forcible necessity driues vs to him and it is his owne goodnes which drawes him to vs but alwayes voluntary goodnes is more effectuall then compulsory force for good inclination continueth when necessary compulsion ceaseth And therfore our gracious Lorde who hath no nede of our seruice yet doth he helpe vs to labour because he woulde giue vs a rewarde 3. And considering his readynes to helpe vs it is our faulte if we faynte hauing our hand at the plowe we may not looke backe to Sodome for S. Paul saith he whoe hath begunne in vs a good worke will perfect it vntill the daie of Iesus Christe wherfor we must expecte continue vntill his dayes not like the leoparde who seazeth vpon his praye by skipping and iumping but if he misse at twoo or three of the firste skippes he followeth no further O let vs not be such as either will come to perfection of deuotion per saltum and to their desires of holynes at the firste leapes or else they leaue of and doo despayre It is pride to seke to mounte with the eagle before we be full fethered it is slothfullnes not to continue like the poore Ant which weareth a pathe in a harde stone with often passing ouer it Rather we must expect our Lord worke manfullie we shall be comforted walking from vertue to vertue vntill we may beholde our God of Gods in Sion We must worke manfully with all our power according to our present ability and strenghte of grace we must expect patiently and pray without ceasing for further ability and force so we shal be comforted in our labour and in our prayer so we shall go forwarde from vertue to vertue and so at last ascend from grace to glory from Sinay to Sion and from among men who liue as Gods vnto him who is a great king aboue all Gods from trauell of our jorney to the rest of eternity from the desire of faith to the possession of hope to the fruition of charity which abideth for euer and euer worlde without end 4. O confirme me with this principall spirite vidz of a prince or of a king to be generous magnanimous heroycall against all difficultyes which woulde hinder my continuance or proceding in thy seruice O giue me this principall spirite to gouerne and rule all my affections and passions which woulde at any time disquiet me With helpe of this spirite and by the speciall assistance of allmighty God and not without these can a just man perseuere in his iustice if a ship at sea haue no winde at all it must wafte with the waues And so shall we be tossed and caryed by our affections tentations if throughe our defaulte this spirite and deuine breath doo forsake vs. Wherfore relying vpon this as in humility we may not distruste so in presumption that we haue this spirite we may not be secure O let vs not to soone suppose our selues healed enoughe by satisfaction least remitting and slacking our mindes from a carefull garde and watche vpon our hartes so we come to fall soone because we imagine our estate safe We must say as it is in another psalme O let my harte rejoyce that it may feare thy name for filiall feare to offend will euer kepe vs in ioye not to haue offended and true spirituall ioy for our pardon wil neuer make vs carelesse of our faultes Wherfore as the heauens are
doth more respecte the intention of the minde then the worke of the hande In that lawe were more earthly temporall promises then heauenly and euerlasting but in ours there are more eternall spirituall promises then corporall transitory In both lawes there are indeede both eternall temporall promises and both doo require obedience of harte of hande for loue for feare for vnder both lawes there are some perfect men some imperfect But vnder the lawe of Christe there is more perfection so more loue then feare yet some feare more promises eternall then temporall and yet some temporall these temporall promises this feare in the lawe of Christe are for the imperfecte And on the other side for those which were perfect in the lawe of Moyses some did obey for loue with a good harte and for such it had some promises spirituall but these were fewer much inferior vnto them of the Gospell SOME OTHER DIFFERENCES BETWENE the Lawe the Gospell Sect. 2. 1. BVT the principall difference is that Moyses lawe did not iustifye ex opere operato nor did the sacrifices ceremonyes therof conteyne grace in themselues For the mysterye of our Sauiours incarnation passioÌ„ not being really accoÌ„plished they could not really conteyne vertue of that which yet was not only ex opere operantis if the partyes offering were in state of grace had faith in the expected Messias then did those sacrifices iustifye not as conferring grace of themselues causally but only as signes accidentally It is true the sacramentes of our lawe in like sorte require faith deuotion but moreouer in themselues they are more then signes and doo conteyne confer grace not corporally abiding in them for so can nothing meerely spirituall be conteyned in a bodily substance But instrumentally really remayning in them and so virtually intended to passe be conueyed by them For our sacraments effect grace cheifly as instrumentall causes and that as instrumentes mediate separate such as is a staffe not as an instrument coniuncte immediate such as a hande And so the principall efficient cause of grace is God himselfe the humanity of our Sauiour Christe as an instrument coniuncte and as separate instrumentes and causes of grace are our sacramentes both satisfactions for sinne and meritorious of fauour 2. Wherfore thoughe the sacrifices of the olde lawe iustifyed as signes testifying the faith obedieÌ„ce of the offerer yet this was only ex opere operâ—Ì„tis by the obedience faith of the partyes applying the merites of our Sauiour Christe by that faith as only by an inwarde acte of the minde in the offerer which inward action of faith thoughe alwayes it be necessary yet furthermore we haue the vertue of our Sauiours passion applyed vnto vs allso by the outwarde vse of externall sacraments which is a priuiledge of more fauor a prerogatiue of more grace 3. And thus is the lawe of Christe more perfect more abundant in grace then was the law of Moyses for what the Leuiticall law did but promise signifye our EuaÌ„gelicall law doth exhite performe as S. Augustin said significando causat gratiaÌ„ in signifying doth allso cause grace in vs. Wherfore thoughe the lawe of the gospell propound more temporall afflictions and lesse store of worldly prosperity yet doth it affoarde a more speedy passage to heauen so much greater rewarde of eternall glory thirs was generally for a more carnall sensuall people more imperfect but ours is especially for men more perfect more spirituall which as it requires more perfection so it doth enable vs with more grace and so it is a much easyer yoke because it doth endue vs with farre greater strengthe 4. If you consider them both by the bare outward letter yet as S. Augustin said the lawe had the gospell hiddenlie inuolued and the gospell hath the lawe plainlie reuealed the lawe did foreshew our Sauiour as one a farre of dimly sene and the gospell doth manifest him clearly as one present And in respecte of their commandements admonitions other instructions let them be alike in this poynte of their letter that in both of theÌ„ the letter doth kill because when the letter of the lawe or gospells commandement is not fulfilled it is accidentally or improperly said to be the occasion of sinne so to kill yet seing it is the spirite which giueth life and considering that the lawe of Moyses was a dead lawe working wrathe requiring obedience not enabling to obey and considering that in the lawe of Christe beside the outward letter commandements writteÌ„ in paper there is allso abundaÌ„ce of grace inwardly shed into all good Christians hartes not only prescribing what we are to doo but assisting vs euer in the doing this is an excellent difference and a confortable encoragement 5. Wherfore S. Augustin said In the olde testament the lawe was established outwardlie by which vniust men shoulde be terrifyed but in the new it is inwardlie giuen by which they mighte be iustifyed And so the lawe was made by Moyses but grace truthe was giuen by Iesus Christe and therfore the Apostle saith their lawe was giuen in tables of stone but ours is written in the fleshye tables of our hartes and calleth their lawes a ministration of death condemnation but ours he nameth a ministratioÌ„ of the spirite of iustice because with ours we receiue inwarde grace helping to be saued but theirs had only the outward letter which accused 6. In this respecte Dauid mighte say that our lorde would not be delighted with the sacrifices of Moyses lawe althoughe he had so strictely commaÌ„ded them he exacteth them and yet refuseth them they were commanded therby to shew the faith obedience of the Offerers and yet he refused them in regarde of any value in the sacrifice it selfe they were exacted because of that which they did signifye but he did not regarde them for any worthe or vertue in themselues As when the Poste or other messenger bringes vs a letter whose cariage must coste vs deare Sir here is a letter for you pay me for the portage If we desire firste to read it he will say no if he suspecte we will returne it him vnpayde for he knowes we care not for the bulke of the letter but for the meaning of the wordes and that the paper of it selfe is nothing nere worthe the price which he demandes so the sacrifices of the olde lawe were required for signification of the Messias and were accepted according to the faith of the offerers not for any value which of it selfe was in the bloud of beastes or in the swetenes of fruites 7. Thus S. Ierome and others note of Abel that our Lorde more respected the person offering then the sacrifice offered And so S. Augustin obserueth in Abel 3. primarye vertues vidz he was the firste preist the firste virgin
so in these wordes are compared penance with martyrdome and conquering the worlde with subduing of the fleshe And hereupon is inferred that whosoeuer labours to mortifie himselfe in contrition doth therewithall prepare himselfe for martyrdome for they that afflicte their hartes with penance for the loue of God the same will despise the worlde and endure any tormentes of Tyrantes for the same loue of God And so if martyrdome be an acceptable sacrifice vnto God mortification allso such an afflicted spirite may well be termed a sacrifice because it is a continuall liuing martyrdome 5. Nay in one respect a true contrite harte daily continued is eyther equall or may be preferred before an ordinary martyrdome for as Seneca said melius est femel scindi quam semper premi it is better to haue the head strooke of all at one sharpe blowe then to haue it hackled or harshly cutte of with a handsawe And so S. Martin Bishop of Turyn esteemed the prolonging of his life a greater labour then suffring of death saying vnto God almighty in a prayer made on his death bed Domine si adhuc populo tuo sum necessarius noÌ„ reâ—uso laborem O lord if yet I be necessary for thy people I doo not refuse the labour In respecte of which wordes the churche saith in his following Anthymne that he was a man Nec labore victum nec morte vincendum neither ouercome by labour nor by death to be ouercome In the Breuiary the reason is added For he neither feared to dye nor refused to liue In which wordes we see that what S. Martin called labour these wordes doo name life therfore doo inferre that he would not be conquered by the paynes of death because he was so constant in the labours of life For thoughe death be fearfull to nature yet in truthe it is an end of sinne and of misery wheras the prolonging of a penitent and contrite life is the continuance of a lingring martyrdome which out of doubte hath a wonderfull great merite For as in our excessiue vse of phisicke for feare of sicknes or death well said Martial Hic rogo non furor est ne moriare mori Is it not a folly to dye for feare of death according as we say he liues miserably who liues medicinally that is not in regarde of temperate dyet or discrete physicke but in respecte of vntimely or immoderate medicines or of too nice a care to kepe vs from euery winde that blowes Or as indeede a crazed weake sickely body had better be dead at once then linger in payne and to be in hazarde and feare of euery ayre and of euery meate for euery small matter may soone distemper him so it is easyer for our frayle dispositions by death to be quitte from our infâ—rmityes and sinnes then for a contrite harte to liue in danger of so many tentations euer striuing against disordinate delightes auoyding the pleasures which other men seeke brideling his appetites measuring and weighing all his desires marking and composing the very motions and gestures of his feete handes and eyes neuer putting in effecte nor consenting to any thoughte which firste is not examined by the rule of a good conscience Such a contribulated spirite is a sacrifice to God as well as martyrdome not troubled with superfluous scrupulosity but contribulated with religious vigilancy This liuing contribulation is a liuely sacrifice of great merite 6. And as Seneca said he is worthy of prayse quem non piget mori cum lubet viuere vnto whom it is not yrkesome to dye when he may haue ioye in his life for it is small commendacion to desire to dye only because we are vexed with our life so it is a matter of merite to be content to liue in labour danger contrition when by our death we mighte haue ease ioye and content So S. Paul desired to be dissolued to be with Christe in regarde of the gayne which cometh by death and yet was content to liue in labour for the profite and seruice of Gods Churche And such is euery man saith S. Augustin who thâ—s submitteth his desires of death or of life non solùm patienter moritur sed potius viuit patienter delectabiliter moritur He doth not only dye with patience but rather with patience he liues dyes with delighte his patience and his labour prolonged doo encrease his merite and his delighte differred shal be encreased when he cometh to cease from his labour of a religious life patiently continued is a kind of liuing martyrdome constantly endured and the martyrdome of an humble contrite harte our lorde will not refuse but will accompte such a troubled spirite an acceptable sacrifice O Iesu grante me such a contrite harte in compunction such an humbled minde in confession and such a troubled spirite in satisfaction that so my spirite may be contribulated that is troubled togeather with my body in corporall penance against carnall delightes that so my minde may be humbled by the playne confession of my mouthe against proud vayne glorious wordes and finally that so my harte may be contrite in sorowe against vnlawfull pleasing thoughtes for such sorowe is a sacrifice to God and such a contrite and humbled â—arte O lorde thou wilte not despise MEDITATION XI Benignèfac Domine in bona voluntate tua Sion vt aedificentur muri Ierusalem Tunc acceptabis sacrificium iustitiae oblationes holocausta tunc imponent super Altare tuum vitulos Deale kindly O lord in thy good will towardes Sion that the walls of Ierusalem may be builded Then wilte thou receiue the sacrifice of iustice oblations and whole burnte offeringes then they shall offer calues vpon thine altar A SERIOVS LAMENTATION FOR SION Ierusalem that they may not be layed desolate by externall persecution nor by internall discorde Sect. 1. 1. IT is verily a thinge most worthy iuste that a sinner pardoned shoulde lifte vp his harte to giue thankes vnto God and we are not only to praye giue thankes for our selues alone but as the Churche vseth in the masse after all our particuler petitions to adde a generall Collecte for the vniuersall estate of our Countrye and of all christendome according as Dauid here hauing entreated for himselfe doth now allso remember Sion and Ierusalem and so we must praye both for the Catholique Churche of Sion and for the Common wealthe of Ierusalem 2. And first for Sion as the mother of our soules and nexte for Ierusalem as the nurse of our bodyes and therfore Dauid here firste desireth our lordes good will towardes Sion that so we may haue afterwardes foundation for the walls of Ierusalem for whatsoeuer Atheistes or worldly politicians doo pretend yet the cheife strenghte of a common wealthe doth especially consiste in the florishing of religion neither can the walls of Ierusalem be well fortifyed excepte they be founded in the gracious good will of our lorde towardes Sion they
may stand stately and proudly for a time like the walls of Babel yet in all the worlde it was neuer sene that where religion was debased but in few Ages their commanding policy was confounded 3. Wherfore let vs praye continually for the sincerity of Sion the prosperity of Ierusalem O lorde repayre the walls vnto the one and vnto the other shew the kindnes of thy good will Arise O God and haue mercy vpon Sion because it now seemes time to haue mercy vpon her and because her highe time is now come if great neede can shew when it is her highe time for now new fangled people broken oâ— from thy churche are broken into thine inheritance thy haue polluted thy holy Temples profaned thy churches thy Altars they haue caste downe and they haue caste out thy holy sacrifices they haue turned thy houses of orderly religion into habitations of moste disordinate pleasures or else haue layd them desolate in barbarous ruynes posuerunt Ierusalem in pomorum custodiaâ—t hey haue made IerusaleÌ„ which was well inhabited eyther like a poore Cottage of an orcharde where dwelles some churlish warrener or it is quite suffered to decaye since all the fruite was gathered They haue placed the dead bodyes of thy seruantes to be meate for the soules of the ayre and in some places they haue lefte the flesh of thy sayntes vnburyed to become a preye for the beastes of the earthe they haue shed the bloud of many like water in the circuite of Ierusalem and there were none permitted to bury them with sacred ceremonyes We are made a reproche vnto our neighbors a laughing stocke and a scoffe vnto them who are round about vs. How long O lord wilte thou be angry vnto the end shall thy zeale be kindled like fire O powre out thy wrathe vpon the nations which haue not known thee and vpon the kingdomes which haue not called vpon thy name For they haue eaten vp Iacob his place they haue layde desolate O remember not our olde iniquityes but let thy mercyes soone preuent vs for we are made exceding poore O God our saluation helpe vs deliuer vs O lord for the glory of thy name and be mercifull vnto our sinnes for thine owne name Least they say among the nations where is theyr God rather make knowne vnto the nations before our eyes the vengeance of the bloud of thy seruantes which hath bene shed and let the sighes of them who are in fetters enter into thy sighte and according to the greatnes of thine arme possesse and preserue the children corporall or spirituall of them who now are martyred or oppressed whether they be children of nature or of grace of succession or of conuersion 4. Deale kindly O lorde in thy good will towardes Sion Benignè sac or bonam fac make Sion to become good or thoughe it be faulty yet shew it thy fauour in thy good will Allso for the Benignity of our Sauiours incarnation as Saint Paul calleth it or according to the gracious prouidence of thy good will and pleasure both decreeing our remedy and fullfilling thy fauour Or as vnto God the Father is attributed the minde vnto the Sonne reason and will vnto the holy Ghoste so let vs particularly praye for this good will of his holy spirite therein to sanctify Sion and withall for our selues as passengers in a shippe to directe it euer by his good will as the helme 5. That the walls of Ierusalem may be builte not alone that the Temporall state may be free from domesticall suspicions forreyn feares florishing in strenghte of vnity at home amity abroade by which it shall be compassed defended as with firme walls But especially that in the quietnes of christendome free from persecution we may haue many good religious men renued and repayred to be sayntes deare seruantes of God for these are the cheife defence the best Armyes the horsemen the footemen the Artillerye the munition the shippes the walls of any kingdome And of these the scripture saith all thy walls are precious stones and all other good Catholique Christians are well squared liuing stones builte vpon our L. Iesus as the châ—ife principall foundation beside whom no man can lay any other firste foundation and then secondly nexte after him S. Paul telleth vs we are builte vpon the foundation of the Apostles and prophets And among them cheifly vpon S. Peter his successors vnto whom our Sauiour promised that vpon this rocke he woulde builde his churche 6. O gracious Sauiour thou haste hitherto continued this promise and we doubte not but thou wilte performe it vnto the end of the worlde so that the gates of hell neither by Diuells Tyrantes Heretiques nor Antichrists shall preuayle against it But in particuler we moste humbly earnestly sorowfully entreate thee not only to continue blesse Sion where it is now well seated but allso to builde and repayre the walls of Ierusalem wheresoeuer they haue bene defaced O sweete Iesu repayre our ruynes restore our breaches make vs all liuing stones of thy Temple and vouchsafe once agayne amongest vs to renue the walls of Ierusalem Let vs be so composed combyned in vnity of Catholique religion and in charity of true Christian loue so compacted that we may seeme like one of those Towres in the walls of Ierusalem which Iosephus saith was so artificially contriued that it appeared all but one stone Thy charity is the best bitume morter or cement or playster of Paris or spanish yesso wherwith to combyne vs bind vs together O let this charity be so diffused spread abroad in all our hartes that we may be all of one harte of one minde of one faith and of one flocke vnder one shepheard one God 7. Sion signifyes a watchtowre and Ierusalem a city of peace In his towre thy preistes prelates are watchemen and all thy constante Catholiques are inhabitantes of Ierusalem O how beautifull is this towre when it standes in vnity but when it crackes or breakes by diuision o how ruynous dangerous And as for the other Commons Citizens of Ierusalem how can they remayne vndestroyed by Titus Vespasian their coÌ„mon enemyes whiles they foster broyles or breede factions within their owne bowelles Wherfore O deare Sauiour O God of peace settle our towres of Sion in concorde of watchemen and vnto thy Citizens of Ierusalem send thy peace thy externall peace from outward persecution thy internall peace from inwarde diuision and thy eternall peace in euerlasting consolation By this shall the walls of Ierusalem be rebuilte if we seeke kepe peace and by this shall we be knowne to be thy disciples if in that peace which thou diddest bequeath vs we doo loue one another O mercifull Iesu take not away thy peace because of our disagreementes but rather take away our disagreements and restore vs thy peace we deserue indeede more anger yet according to thy