soule that we build Or rather doe we not heape negligences tepidities vanities and impurities of intention vpon the good fundation we haue layd Are we not in verie deed cold and slowe in the loue of God and ther vpon as carelesse of our neighbour as though the care of him had not at all bene commended to vs Let vs therfor in imitation of our good Patron say with him Giue me ô Lord to loue thee as much as I desire and as much as I ought and my neighbour for thee and in thee c. THE VII MEDITATION Hovv he behaued himselfe in Faith I. POINT COnsider that he putt down with Saint Paule whose best scholler he was that Faith is the substance of things to be hoped for an argument of things not appearing or as he saith in another place it is the fundation of all good things the verie begining of mans saluation It is an illustration of the mynd by which it is illuminated by the Prime Light to discerne spirituall things AFFECTION and RESOL. Doe we ô my soule ayme at the true knowledge of spirituall things doe we desire our saluation or hope we for those eternall waights of glorie those ineffable things which appeare not to the eye sound not to the eare nor enter into the hart of man which God hath prepared for those that loue him know then that it is by the benefit of the heauenly light of Faith That is the illumination that the fundation that the very substance and somme of all II. POINT Consider that he putt downe for his seconde ground with the same Apostle that without Faith it is impossible to please God I saith he none shall be admitted into the number of the sons of God without it None without it shall obtayne iustifying grace in this world nor possesse eternall life in the next which is giuen to the loue of God alone Nor can any loue whom he knowes not nor doth any know God but he to whom it is reuealed by the Father through faith in his onely son Christ Iesus AFFECTION and RESOL. If without Faith we know not without knowledge we loue not without loue we remayne in the iawes of death if in death there be no grace nor without grace any hope of glorie If we haue no right to the denomination of sons nor consequently iust Title of Heyres Oh of what con-consideration ought faith to be with vs how constantly ought we to imbrace it how carefully to conserue it For alas if we misse to be numbered amongst the sons of God we shall not misse to be counted amongst the slaues of the Diuell III. POINT Consider further with him that the begining of our faith is from Christ from vvhom by vvhom and in vvhom are all things It is not bought by our riches procured by our industries or giuen to our merits but is a pure and free gift of Gods mercy to which he is nether necessitated nor induced saue onely by the abundance of his owne vncompelled goodnes AFF. and RES Blessed be thy goodnes for euer ô my Lord God who daynedst me with this great gift whilst I nether deserued nor desired nor euen thought of it Farre be it from me to extolle my selfe to arrogate it to my self as though I had had it of my selfe Nay contrarily vpon the thought of that singular goodnes I fall downe prostrate before thy Maiestie pronunceing in all humilitie that he vvho doth glorie should glorie in our Lord. THE VIII MEDITAT A CONTINVATION OF the same subiect I. POINT COnsider that though the begining of our faith be from God purely and cannot be merited by vs yet is the increase of it Gods grace being alwayes presupposed left in our hands to be procured by care and cultiuating and by continually accompaigning it with good workes We are not to be as it were secure in faith but we are to accompaignie a right faith with a right life The Apostles saith he had not left all contemning the hopes of the world had they not had some faith nor would they haue said Increase our faith had it alreadie bene perfect AFFECTION and RESOL. Blessed be our good God who doth not onely preuent vs with his benedictions before we deserue or yet thinke of them but also giues vs power by concurring with his grace to multiplie his good gifts yea he hath euen charged vs to negotiate vpon them till he come Le ts vs not therfore be wanting to our selues since the increase is left in our owne hands II. POINT Consider that though it be our part to make good vse of the good Talent which Gods grace freely bestowed vpon vs and by that good vse to multiplie it yet are we to know with our Saint that as no man is sufficient of himselfe to begin or perfect any good vvorke so is none of himselfe able to begin or perfect faith But the increase and perfection of it ought to be procured by our feruent and frequent prayers to the good Giuer saying AFFBCION and RESOLV I beeseech thee and in a most suppliant manner I implore thy mercy ô God who are the fountaine and sourse of all good things the giuer and conseruer of all vertues increase in me holy right and immaculate Faith And make me performe workes sutable to it least a good faith may be defiled by vncleane workes and least I may deny thee by a bad life whom I confesse by a good beleife I beleeue ô Lord Yet helpe my increadulitie III. POINT Consider further with your holy Fa. that for want of good workes and feruent and frequent prayers our Faith in lieu of increasing falls into a deficiencie it sleeps waxes weeke and sicklie yea dyes Iesus some tymes sleeps in vs as he slept in the shippe that is our faith which is from Iesus sleeps in vs and then the winds and waues of temptation tosse vs too and fro We must therfore awake Iesus and the tempest shall be allayed that is we must recollect our faith and call it to practlse AFFECTION and RESOL. vve perish ô Lord vve perish haue mercy vpon vs. For alas why doth our faith sleepe but for want of being excited and stirred vp by feruent prayers whence is it weeke and sickly but for want of the nourishement of good workes whence is it dead but that it is not quickned by charitie We wil therfore Pray worke endeuour to loue God aboue all things and our neighbour as our selfe c. and when all is done we will ascribe all not to our owne strength but to Gods grace THE IX MEDITATION With vvhat modestie and humilitie he looked vpon matters of Faith And hovv high a rate he putts vpon it I. POINT COnsider that he aduentures not to diue into the knowledge of high misteries with hereticall pride and presumption as though witt were able to make way to all but by a truly Catholike submission and modestie vpon many occasions he makes open profession of his ignorance acknowledges the
difficultie to be great knocks hard to haue helpe from heauen putts downe for a caueat to all that it is better to be ignorant with safetie then knowing with danger And that vnlesse we beleeue humbly we shall not see clearely AFFECTION and RESOL. Let vs beware my soule of bearing our heads too high and of being proudely wise let vs be wise with so brietie it is to the simple and humble litle ones that God giues grace and reueales misteries shutt vp from the wise of the world who vanish in their owne sense and reputing themselues wise are indeed fooles It is the simplicitie of beleeuing not the viuacitie of vnderstanding which saues the troupes of Christians Low layd then ô Lord in my poore nothing humbly will I expect from thee the knowledge of such truthes as thy wisdome may see necessarie for thy glorie and my eternall good This is all I need and all I desire II. POINT Consider the excellences and fruites of Faith wherof the first is that it makes the humble and simple man see the most hidden misteries though with an obscure light perfectly and infallibly without disputation hesitation or doubt at all Faith hath indeed eyes saith he yea eyes both greater stronger and more powerfull eyes which neuer deceaued any eyes which are alwayes fixed vpon our Lord eyes finally which in some sort sees that to be true which as yet she sees not and wherby she most certainly sees that she doth not yet see what she beleeues AFFECTION and RESOL. Who are not content with these eyes haue deseruedly eyes and see not yea with open eyes run to their destruction and descend into Hell aliue because they would preferre their witt before the infallible guidance of Faith which was the proper guide giuen vs by God to direct our stepps in Christianitie O most blessed light who art not seene saue onely by most purifyed eyes purifie thes eyes of myne that flying vanitie they may dwel vpon VERITIE and in thy light see light indeed III. POINT Consider that a seconde excellence of faith is that it is the iust mans foode or his iustice because if he beleeues he vseth precaution if he vse precaution he also begins to vse endeuour and God knowes his endeuour and lookes into his will and obserues his combat with the flesh exhorts him to fight helps him to ouercome expects him strugling supports him falling crownes him ouercoming O how excellent a fruite of Faith is this AFFECTION and RESOLVT Grant ô Lord that this Faith which is the iust mans foode and life may alwayes be found in me so vigourous and liuely that by a wise precaution or fore-sight I may looke ouer temporall and fixe vpon eternall things For those vse my best endeuours vpon the purchace of those to spend my substance for the attayning of those to fight lawfully in his sight who after that good combat and conseruation of faith will bestow vpon me that crowne of iustice which the same faith assuring is layd vp for me and such as loue his coming THE X. MEDITATION A continuation of the fruites and excellencies of Faith I. POINT COnsider as a third excellencie of Faith that their are no greater riches no greater treasures no honors no substance of this world greater then the Catholike faith which saues sinners inlightēs the blind cures the infirme baptiseth the Cathecumenes iustifies the faithfull repaires the penitent increaseth the iust crownes Martirs conserueth Virgins widowes wiues in puritie orders clarkes consecrates Priests prepars vs to the Kingdome of heauen and makes vs partake with the Angells in that eternall inheritance AFFECTION and RESOLV See then my soule how when we thinke to haue left all we possesse all nay while we thinke to haue lost all by persequution we inioy all more happily while our Faith which is the greatest riches honor substance of this world is not impaired but increased by it They may robbe vs of our riches yet while our faith is firme they touch not that aurum optimum which is Charitie They may depriue vs of wordly honors but not of that noble title of being the sons of God They may order our substance to new Masters but they cannot quelle our expectation and hope of a better and permanent substance II. POINT Consider yet further that it is Christian faith which doth rayse our thoughts and conduct vs to the verie highth or topp of WISDOME AND TRVTH the fruition vvherof is no other thing then blessed life or BEATITVDE vvhich is neuer found saue onely in the discipline of our Catholike Mother AFFECTION and RESOL. If Beatitude be that which all men incessantly seeke for and not finding can neuer rest if it can neuer be found saue by the benefit of Faith alone and faith can noe way be procured but by Gods free gift What millions of prayses doe we owe to that infinite Goodnes who freely bestowed this incomparable great gift of Faith vpon vs which inables vs to see all good things O how many hovv many vvould haue vvished to haue seene vvhat vve haue seene and haue not seene it c. Benedicam Domino in omni tempore semper laus eius in ore meo III. POINT Consider for the last fruite or excellencie that though this Catholike faith Eagle-like is able to flie right vp and fixe those stronge and vndazeled eyes of hers vpon the sun it selfe and euen gaze vpon Maiestie without being oppressed by glorie yet doth she graciously accommodate her selfe to euery capacitie be they litle be they great be they weake be they stronge she hath foode wherwith to nourish them to saciate them AFFECTION and RESOLV Yes heauenly father because so it was pleasing in thy sight These things thou didst hide from the prudent and wise of the world and hast reuealed them to the litle ones to those litle ones who seeke thee in simplicitie and humilitie of hart The wisest if they be wise indeed and walke not in wonders aboue them selues and so vanish in their owne presumption must be forced to make their reason stoope in obedience to Faith humbly pronouncing Credo I beleeue what I am not able by witt to discouer And the least and simplest of the children of God doth no lesse ô diuine faith how excellent a Mistrisse thou art who in a moment canst persuade vs more wholsome truthes then all the Aristotles in an Age. THE XI MEDITATION Hovv he behaued himselfe in Hope and vvhat motiues he had to imbrace it I. POINT COnsider with Saint Augustine that Faith indeed shewes vs faire things and such as are worthy of all labour to obteyne them Yet had we no Hope at all whereby we might be inabled as well to obteyne them as to know them we should ether not att all or at least verie weakely loue the things which by faith we discouer to be so beautifull His faith was therfore accōpaigned with hope vvhich is no other thing then that vvherby a man is encourraged to
alreadie aboue He below by the compassion of Charitie we aboue by the hope of Charitie AFFECTION and RESOLV Had we Christians yet reason to doubt with Salomon vvhether God did dvvell amongst men we might also fall into that deficiencie of Truth that he vvalkes about the Poles of Heauen and considers not our things but being assured by Faith that he left heauen to take vp his delights amongst the sons of men we cannot feare but he is full of goodnes for vs through that goodnes loues vs and for that loues-sake would haue vs to loue him againe and to be confident in him I will therfore with the holy Patriarche hope euen against hope and with the good Iob hope in him Though he should kill me because sure I am what euer sense may seeme to suggest he doth not loue and forsake II. POINT Consider that his seconde motiue was not that he conuersed with vs onely but euen became one of vs. What hath man to doe for whom God became man taking our humane nature vpon him This is my whole Hope and entire confidence for by this sacred vnion euery one of vs hath a part or portion in Iesus Christ to witt flesh and bloode AFFECTIONS and RESOL. Let vs then say with your holy Father where a part of me raignes their will I apprehend I raigne where my flesh is glorified their I know I am glorious Though I am a sinner I cannot be diffident in this communion of grace for what my sinns prohibite my substance exacts He cannot forgett man which he beares a bout with him and for our loue tooke vpon him In him we haue alreadie ascended the heauens in him we are sett at the right hand of his heauenly father O comfortable and admirable and ineffable motiue of mans hope and confidence in so sweete à Sauiour II. POINT Consider that his third moriue of hope was not so much that he conuersed among vs or was one of vs as that he daigned to dye for our Loue. Be confident thou shalt attayne to his life of glorie vvho hast his death for a pledge of it AFFECTION and RESOL. Let then the Diuell rage the flesh reuoult the world waxe madd against me Let me heare nothing from them but vvhere is novv thy God as though I were quite forsaken by him yet wil I liue and dye in this confidence that since he delightes to be vvith the sonnes of man he cannot delight to abandonne him to the rage of his enemye any further then he discouers it for his aduantage That since for the loue of man he became man he loues no◠man so litle as to loose him That finally since he dyed for him while he was yet an enemye he will not now sith he endeuours to be a seruant and a friend leaue him a praye to his enemye In ha◠spe dormiam requiescam THE XIV MEDITAT Hovv he behaued him selfe in Charitie shevving first that vvithout Charitie all serues for nothing I. POINT COnsider that though Faith shew vs the good things which nether eye hath seene nor eare hath heard c. and Hope giues vs a comfortable confidence that we shall attayne vnto them yet shall we neuer walke home indeede vnlesse Charitie giue vs feete Thy Charitie is thy feete with that thou art carried where so euer thou art carried Thy two feete are the two precepts of the loue of God and thy neighbour Run to God with these feete draw close to him for he himselfe exhorts thee to run and to that end enlightened thee with Faith incourraged thee by Hope c. AFF. and RESOL. I playnely see what euer Faith shewes me and Hope assures me of it is loue alone can make me happie Without that like the sicke man of the passie I lye vncomfortably vnprofitably I aduance not at all vnlesse thy loue make me walke I stirre not Grant me therfore to loue thee as much as I desire and as much as I ought Let me be wholy inflamed with the fire of thy Charitie that I may loue thee with all my hart yea with the verie marrow of my hart strings that thou maist alwayes and in all places be in my hart in my mouth and before my eyes till at length I may see thee for euer face to face in thy heauenly Sion II. POINT Consider that without true Charitie all our workes are of no value seeme they neuer so specious in the eye of the world Charitie makes the distinctiō betwixt the sons of God and the sons of the Diuell Let them signe themselues with the signe of the Crosse Let them all answere Amen Let them all singe Allēluya Let them all be baptised Let them all enter into the Church and build vp the walls of the Church by Charitie onely are the sons of God discerned from the sons of the Diuell AFFECTION and RESOL. Let vs not deceaue our selues with the faire out-sides of things All that is without loue is without life Whether we beleeue or we hope what the Catholike Church beleeueth and hopeth and liue within the walls of the same Church and with ioy say Amen to all that is said to it Whether we watch or fast or preach or pray it will not all auayle vs to eternall life vnlesse all be both commanded and ordered by charitie Without this one necessarie thing all the rest are lost Diligam te Domine fortitudo mea refugium meum liberator meus c. III. POINT Consider that as hauing Faith and Hope together with all the specious vvorkes imaginable without Charitie wee haue nothing so hauing Charitie we want nothing Where Charitie is what can be wanting saith he and where it is not what can profit vs The Diuell beleeues and yet loues not but none loues but he beleeues One who loues not may though without effect hope for pardon but none that loues can despaire where loue is therefor Faith and Hope also necessarily are Let vs then keepe this precept of our Lord and let vs but loue one another and we shall not fayle to performe what euer he commands besids For in this we haue what euer other thing there is AFF. and RESOL. O God how true it was that Salomon said when he professed that together with wisdome all good things came vnto him for what is wisdome but a sauourie knowledge a true relish of heauenly things which is noe other thing then Charitie This makes vs beleeue as we ought hope as we ought worke as we ought This is one and all vpon the purchace of which if a man imploye all his substance he shall repute it all as nothing at all Vpon this then will I settle my whole intentions vpon this spend all my meditation and thoughts c. THE XV. MEDITAT VVHAT CHARITIE IS I. POINT COnsider what Charitie is and you will receaue from Saint Augustine that it is a loue of the cheife Good or Charitie is a vertue wherby we desire to see God
and is a fruite which is onely found in the bosome of the Catholike Church None but a virgine mother brings out virgines Obedience directs all secures all confirmes all and makes a fitt tabernacle for God in the harte of man by banishing thence selfe iudgement and selfe will But heauenly charitie as a glorious mother farr outstrips them all giues them all their begining increase and perfection For why indeede my soule did we first enterprise this holy worke but because we loue What could be able to robbe vs of all we haue but loue What did wowe vs to virginall chastitie but the loue of a virgine spouse What could moue men to depriue them selues of beloued libertie and to liue at the dispose of anothers will but the loue of him alone who chused rather to dye thē not to accomplish the will of his heauenly Father Loue then saith your holy Father and doe vvhat thou vvilt THE II. POINTE. That vvithout charitie nothing is done to secure our happie eternitie Consider that if humilitie put the foundation of your spirituall Towre it was by charities guidance and order for as humilitie goes not without charitie so charitie neuer leaues humilitie If pouertie raysed the walls it was with the treasure wherwith charitie furnished her If chastitie adorned it within it was with the pure burning gold which she had of charitie Finally if obedience confirmed and secured the whole worke it was by the force she receiued of charitie vvhich is as stronge as death In a word all is from charitie and all is for charitie AFFECTION RESOLVT He S. Paule knewe this truth my soule as certainly as he affirmes it vndauntedly to wit that not onely the foresaid vertues profit vs nothinge without charitie but euen that tho vve should haue all faith so that vve could remoue mountaines though vve should distribute all our goods to be meate for the poore finally though vve should deliuer our bodies to burne and yet vvant charitie it profits vs nothing Charitie saith holy S. Augustine is that which discernes the sonns of God from the sonns of the Diuell Charitie is that one necessarie thinge which alone sufficeth Charitie in a word is that Euangelicall gemme for which if a man should giue all his substance he shall repute it as nothing Come thē ô come then ô thou holy spirit Deus Charitas and replenish the hartes of thy faithfull and inflame them vvith the fire of thy loue THE FIRST MEDITAT FOR THE 7. DAY That all the vertues are loue THE FIRST POINTE. COnsider that so true it is that nothing is done without charitie that your holy Father makes noe difficultie to teach you that vvithout charitie the rest of the vertues are not indeede reputed vertues nay further that the rest of the vertues are but indeede loue and charitie so or so qualified For what is humilitie but charitie stooping and reputing her selfe nothing What is pouertie but charitie contemning all and stripping herself of all What is chastitie but loue preseruing corruptible man from corruption of bodie and mynde What finally obedience but loue freely and reasonably sacrifycing vp the will of man and making it supple and inclinable to euerie creature AFFECTION and RESOL. Charitie then my soule is that transcendant heauenly vertue without which there is noe true vertue at all It is she which gouernes as Queene giues life vigour and worth to all the other vertues He who loueth not remaynes in death It is she who perfumes them all with the odour and sweeenesse of holy loue since we doe not meerely imbrace them because they are vertues but rather in qualitie of thinges that are desired imbraced and beloued by God To discouer à man truly vertuous we vse not to inquire what he beleeues or what he hopes for but what he loues If earth h'es earthly if Heauen he 's heauenly if God he 's Godlike for as such they become all desirable louing and louelie Let me loue thee then ô Lord let me loue thee and loue all other thinges which I loue and practise for thee and in thee that my beloued may be myne and I wholie his THE II. POINTE. That vve ought incessantly to desire and breath after charitie Consider that if as we haue seene Charitie be all in all our thoughtes ought to be sett vpon the continuall desire of it For what ought we or doe we indeede desire but what euery one proposeth to himselfe for his end and the end of the lavve is loue What ought any Christiā to desire but the accomplishment of the lawe of God and the fulnesse of the lavve is charitie Nor fares it in those heauenly desires as in vaine worldly wishes a million of them puts not one pennie into our purses Wheras by the verie desire of the loue of God we begin to loue God indeed and still the more we desire it the more we loue Yea when this desire waxes stronge and hartie the desire is turned into fire and inflames the couering harte He that desires God vvith his vvhole harte has alreadie him vvhom he loues saith S. Gregorie And S. Augustine a holy desire is the vvhole life of a good Christian AFFECTION and RESOL. But alas my poore soule tho we clearely discerne this desire to be most iust aduantagious and most worthy of a christiā harte yet we somtymes perceiue our selues not to be so happie as euen to haue this desire Let vs then at least say with the Prophete my soule hath desired earnestly to desire thy iustifications at all tymes Let vs not fayle to haue this desire of desiring continually in our harte saying with S. Au. Giue me thy selfe restore me thy selfe for vvhat is not thy verie selfe is verie nothing to me and it will happen with vs as it did with the holie Prophete that in these holy thoughtes and desirs fire will flashe out and so throughly inflame our soule that as the stagge thirsteth after the fountaines of fresh water so shall we vehementlie couet and thirst after our good God that drainlesse fountaine of liuing water which flowes into life euerlastnig THE II. MEDITATION Of vvhom vve are to learne Charitie tovvards one another THE FIRST POINTE. COnsider that we ought to learne this most important lesson this one necessarie thinge of him who doth as well teach it as giue it our Sauiour Iesus who brought downe this sacred fire into earth and his vvill vvas it should burne the hartes of men And indeede neuer did he seeme so peculiarly to make himselfe the Master of any thinge as of this vertue and humilitie This is my precept said that deare master of ours that you loue one another My litle children I giue you a new precept that you loue one another In this all men shall know that you are my Disciples if you haue loue one to another Holy Father I pray c. that they may be one as we also are one I in them and thou in me AFFECTION and RESOL. This is the great commandement indeede my soule this Christs speciall precept Loue one another this the badge by which he will haue all his seruants to be knowne If they loue one another If we come without this wedding garmēt we shall be repulsed If we knocke not hauing this oyle of charitie in our Lampes wherby we may be knowne to men to be Gods Disciples God vvill not knovve vs the dore vvill be shut What thinge more wishfull could we haue desired to haue heard thē by affording mutuall loue and assistance to one another which we haue all such neede of to secure our saluation And yet the most louing and beloued Apostle assures vs It is the precept of our soueraigne Lord and Master doe this faith he and it sufficeth Beare one anothers burden and so you shal accomplish the lavve of Christ THE SECONDE POINTE. Hovv vve ought to exercise Charitie to one another Consider that this ought to be done by his example who gaue the commande of it and afterwards came graciously downe to teach it by his owne practise Thus we are taught by the great Apostle Receiue helpe comfort support and loue one another as Christ receiued assisted supported and loued vs. But how did Christ loue vs c Marrie he loued vs first with a free and disinterested loue which looked vpon noe preceedant merites 2. With a right loue not to receiue any thinge from vs but to discharge the ouer-flowing riches of his mercifull breastes vpon our pouertie 3. With a perseuerant loue for louing his vvho vvere in the vvorld he loued them to the end 4. With a stronge loue euen as stronge as death it selfe he loued vs and deliuered himselfe for vs for vs men and for our saluation AFFECTION and RESOL. If then my soule we hope for any consolation in Christ if any solace of Charitie if any societie of spirit if any bowells of commiseration let vs endeuour to fulfill the B. Apostles ioy by being of one meaning having the same charitie of one mynd agreeing in one That nothing be done by contention nor by vaine glorie but in humilitie each counting others better then themselues In a word let vs receiue comfort support and loue our poore brethren and that too as Christ gaue vs the example with a pure and disinterrested loue because it is his blessed pleasure that so it should be With a right loue not seeking that vvhich is profitable in particular to our selues but that vvhich is profitable to many With a perseuerant loue which is not to end but with the end of our liues Finally with a stronge loue readie to wrastle with obuious difficulties and euen with death it selfe for the good of our brother as our deare Lord gaue vs an example