this sacred fare we ouercome all difficulties which either the deuill or the worlde or our owne flesh doe laye in our waâ—e By this wine the Apostles disciples and martyrs of the primitiue Church being spirituallie drunke encouraged and inflamed could not be daunted with all the instruments of crueltie with all the torments and deathâ— which the Tyrants could deuise but were readie to suffer all torments for hâ—m who suffered for them yea to giue their liues for him who offered his for them on the Crosse in the B. Sacrament gaue his body and bloud to them O my soule say vnto this thy bountifull oste and howsekeeper as Dauid saied Quid retribuam Domino pro omnibus que retribuit mihi what shall I giue to God to this my Iesus God and man for all things which he hath giuen to me I am lesse then the least of them what then shall I render thee for this benefite of the B. Sacrament in which thou so often giâ—est thyselfe thy bodie bloud and soule and diuinitie I can not giue thee enough for the least â—rumme of this liuing bread of thy sacred body for the least drop of this sacred wine of thy sacred bloud though I should giue all I ame and haue though what I ame were as perfect as the most perfect Angell and though what I haue were asmuch as Heauen and Earth O Lord be contente that I confesse myselfe to be ouercome by thee a thousand times in curtesies and fauours be content that I giue thee my All for I know thou art noe litle contented when we giue our All be it neuer so litle THE FIFTH MEDITATION How Christ hath shewed himselfe in this B. Sacrament a Father and more them a Father vnto vs. GOd Almightie is our Father by Creation by which he giueth vs our naturall being which is a participation of his diuineÌ„ substance Phil. lide decal Magister Confor lib. 1. con 12. and by the same Creation he is a Common Father to all Creatures especiallie man and they are as Philosaith in respect of God who created them bretheren amongst themselues and children of one Father for which cause the deuout Saint Francis called them his brethren and Sisters Yet there is in this a difference betwix man and other creatures because man is not only a participation of God his substance as other creatures are but is allso an Image of God in regarde of his intellectual nature and his vnderstanding will and memorie by which he representeth God and resembleth him as the Sonne doth the Father And therefor God when he was to create man he said not onlie be man made as he saied be light made Gen. 1. Be a Firmament made be there lights made but he said let vs make man to our Image and likenes And so God euen by creation is in a more perfect manner a Father of man and man is in a more perfect manner his Sonne resembling him as the child doth the Father Secondlie God is Mans Father and in a more perfect eminent manner by sanctifieng grace by which man reccaueth from God a supernaturall being and as S. Peeter saith 2. Pet 1. is Consors diuinae naturae partaker of the diuine nature by which he is the adopted childe of God he is his adoptiue Father Rom. 5. VVe were borne of our natural Parents dead spirituallie in soule by originall sinne but we are regenereted and borne againe spirituallie to a supernaturall life by the Grace which we receaue in and by Baptisme Ion. 3. Ion. 3.4 5. Ion. 1. Rom. 8. Gal. 3. 4. by which God is our Father the grace of Baptisme is our regeneration and second natiuitie by which we are said to be borne to God and to be his children he our Father But although this be true yet by and in the B. Sacrament of the Altar Christe the Sonne of God God and Man sheweth himselfe a perfect Father and more then a Father A man is said to be Father of his Sonne because he imparteth vnto him his owne nature flesh and bloud not the same indiuiduall but another of the same Kinde But our B. Sauiour in this Holie Sacrament imparteth vnto vs his owne nature substance flesh and bloud of which he himselfe consisteth And so if the Sonne be called flesh of his Fathers flesh bloud of his bloud though he reccaue not from him the same flesh and bloud which he hath but other flesh and bloud of the same Kinde much more may Christians by receauing this Blessed Sacrament be called flesh of Christ his flesh and bloud of his bloud they receauing the selfe same flesh and bloud of which he consisteth And so not onlie by Baptisme but also by this B. Sacrament Christ is our Father and more substantiallie by this SacrameÌ„t then by that because by that we receaue onlie grace which is onlie a supernatural accidental participatioÌ„ of God by this we receaue reallie Christs owne body and bloud yea soule and diuinitie and by his and our burning loue meeting together our substancies are as S. Cyrill of Alexandria saith as it were melted and vnited as waxe is to waxe Lib. 4. in Ioan. ca. 17. Chris lib. 61. ad Pop. Antioc VVe are as S. Chrysostome saith vnum corpus membra ex carne cius ex ossibus eius one body and members of his flesh and of his bones we are not only by charitie but reipsa in verie deed mingled with his flesh for he semetipsum nobis immiscuis corpus suum in nos contemperauit vt vnum quid efficiamur tanquam corpus capiti coaptatum ardenter enim amantium hoc est he hath mingled himselfe to vs and hath contempered his bodie into vs that we may be one thing and as one body linked to the head for this is the propertie of those that loue ardentlie O my soule how gratefull shouldst thou be to such a Father who hath bestowed on thee his owne substance in so admirable a manner how shoulds thou scorne this worlde and all it can afforde how shoulds thou disdaine to be aslaue to the world flesh and deuill thou being so noblie descended of so noble a Father as is Christe Iesus God and man King of heauen and Earth Diuers heathen Emperours imagined themselues to be born of the Gods and this imagination made them to disdaine all basenes Doe not thou then ô my soule debase thy selfe do not degenerate from this dignitie to thy former vilitie and basenes of life who art made partaker of Christes body and bloud and nourished therewith Lette sinners whoe thinke of noe other heauen then earth nor of any other pleasure or delight but carnall content themselues with their hoggish fare of wordlie trashe and carnall pleasures do thou take thy onlie delight in feeding of this Manna which hath all delight in eating of this bread of life which bringeth eternall life with it and in drinking of this wine
them on the Crosse And forasmuch as his diuinitie was so inseparablie vnited both to his bodie and soule that death which separated them one from the other could not separate them from the diuinitie it followeth also that Christe then gaue to his disciples his bodie soule bloud and diuinitie all being vnited in him ô bountifull feastmaker ô precious and costlie feast Psal 8. ô Lord what is man that thou shâ—udst so much esteeme of him as to bestow on him thy sacred bodie bloud sanctified by the diuinitie yea thy owne selfe no lesse then God and man ô liberall Oste who entertainest thy guests with so precious a banquet and yet demaundest nothing for their ordinarie Hesterâ— 1. No Assueruâ— euer made such a feast as this whether wee respect the Oste yea and kinge that hath made it to wit Christ Iesus God and man King of Heauen and earth or the guests who are inuited to wit his Appostles and their succestours yea all Christians euen Kings and Emperours or the feast it selfe which is the holie flesh bloud of Christ seasoned with the diuinitie more worth then heauen and earth yea then a thousand worlds or the cost at which the feast maker was in preparing this feast for it cost him his death passion which was the price of our Redemption and was suffieient to haue redeemed a thousand worlds or the continuance of the feaste which began at Christ his last supper continueth to this day and shall continue to the worlds end for as Manna rained continuallie from Heauen to feede the Iewes in the desert and neuer was wanting till they came to the land of promise so as long as we liue in the desert of this life this our Manna of which that was but a shadow and figure shall rayne vpon Catholicke Christians by the consecratioÌ„ of the Priest til we come to Heauen our true land of Promise where in steed of Christs bodie and bloud which now wee eate drinke by communion we shall feede of the diuinitie it selfe by cleare vision fruition O my soule how hard hearted art thou if this great benefit this Roiall costlie feaste do not melt thee into loue and resolue thee into gratitude O feast of feasts noe Epicurisme but Christianisme no gluttonie or drunkennesse to eate and drinke often at this feast but temperance sobrietie pietie Religion Of this feast onlie caÌ„ be auerred those words of Ecclesiastes Eccl. 1. Laudaui igitur letitiam quod non esset bonum hominisub sole nisi quod comederet biberet I therefore haue praysed mirth that there was no good thing for a man vnder the sunne but that he should eate and drinke and be glad to wit in this feast of the B. Sacrament ô happie wee who are somuâ—h honoured as to sit at this Table where the Angels waite and attende and we sit downe at the table and are feasted with such costlie pretious meates who are noâ— worthie the crummes that fall from this table ô happie we who being fedde with this Princelie and Kinglie fare are fatted therewith and therby inobled made kings Because as Iacob said of the bread of Aser so we may much more say of this bread Gen. 49. Pinguis est panis Christâ— praebebit delicias Regibus The bread of Christe is fatteâ— and shall giue dainties to kinges Either because in that it is eaten by vs it maketh vs Kings or because it is meate onlie for Kings and is not to be geuen to any but those who are Kings and Lords domineering ouer their owne seÌ„sualities and passions yea ouer the world flesh and deuill O happie wee who eating in this holie Sacrament Christes sacred bodie and drinking his bloud are made generous and noble as he is yea in a proportioÌ„ diuine as he is Gods by participation as he is God by essence yea of his bloud kinred and linage Happie wee who eating Christs bodie drinking his bloud are not onlie Christiani Christians but allso Christiferi bearers of Christe Cyril'us Hâ—eros Catech. 4. myst yea Deiferi bearers of God and lodgeâ—s of him within vs. THE FOVRTH MEDITATION How prouident a Paterfamilias and good man of the howse of our soule and the Church Christe is by this B. Sacrament ALmightie God out of his infinite goodnes bountie hath shewed himselfe in this B. Sacrament to be a moste wise and prouident and liberall Paterfamilias or howsekeeper hauing laied vp in store such prouision for the Howse of his Church and for euerie one of vs in particular He is a howsekceper most prouident in respect of all liuing creatures The whole worlde is his howse all liuing Creatures his familie for euerie one of which he prouideth meate and drinke according to euerie ones nature Plants and hearbes he feedeth with moysture which by their rootes as by mouthes they drawe from the earth beastes with plants hearbes corne and grasse Fishes with water and other foode which they findc in the water mens bodies he fedeth with flesh fishe hearbes and fruites of the earthe and therefore Dauid saith that it is God Ps 146. Qui dat iumentis escam ipsorum pullis coruorum inuocantibus eum who giues to beasts their foode and to the yong rauens that call vpon him He specifieth yong rauens partlie to signifie that God hath care of all his creatures euen the vilest partlie because as S. Serm. de Helia Chrisostome auerreth the old crowes do often tymes neglect their young ones as when they suspect them not to be their owne broode and then God is the nurse of the young ones feeding them with flies or the thicke ayre or such like But more bountifullie carefullie God Almightie prouideth for man and feedeth him in bodie with the best meates and in soule with learning and vertue and aboue all this great howsekeeper hath euer and cheeflie prouided for his Church though not alwaies in the same manner For otherwise did he prouide for it before Christs comming otherwise after his cumming otherwise for the Iewes otherwise for the Christians For the Iewes being children in spirituall life who liued vnder the Pedagogue of the lawe which brought nothing to perfection Heb. 4. and could not giue them full-groughe nor make them men they were to be fedde like children with the light meates of the figuratiue Sacrificies Sacraments of the old lawe Heb. 5. And therefor S. Paule saith that they had need of milke and not of strong meat but strong meat is for the perfect that is Christians who because they are perfect men in a spirituall life are not to be fed with light figures but with the solid verities of those figures They were fedde with Manna and the Paschall lamb we who are Christians are fedde with the sacred body and bloud of Christe which are solid verities of those figures and meat for the strong and perfect not for weakelings and children as the
him who intendeth to receaue this B. Sacrament and either immediatlie or some daye or dayes before communion But these which follow are to be read either immediatlie before or immediatlie after communion THE 11. MEDITATION VVith what feare and reuerence and acknowledgment of vnworthines the deuout receauer is to come to this Blessed Sacrament NOw therefore ô my soule seeing thou perceiuest what a Good man of the house what an Hoste what a Father Mother friend spouse Physitian and Pastour thy B. Sauiour hath shewed himself to thee in this B. Sacrament what he bestoweth on thee by it and in it to witt his owne flesh and bloud himself God and man infinite in all perfection and the fountaine of all grace endeuour as much as thou canst by his grace to dispose thyself to come vnto him and to receaue him in this Holie Sacrament as worthilie as humain frailtie and pouertie will permit And first thou must come to him with a great filiall feare and reuerence his Maiestie though vailed with the formes of bread and wine requiring it Dauid in spirit forseeing this great and wonderous mysterie of the B. Sacrament saith memoriam fecit mirabilium suorum Psa 110. misericors miserator dominus escam dedit timentibus se He hath made a memorie of his marueilous works a mercifull and pitifull Lord he hath giuen meat to them that feare him This memorie of his marueilous works is this feast of the B. Sacrament where is nothing but marueills wonders which also consist not in folding vp of napkins in many fashions but in the cookerie and art shewed in this feast in which bread by the force of Christs owne words is conuerted into his bodie wine into his bloud in which the accidents and externall forines of bread and wine stand alone without bread and wine which were their subiects in which Christs bodie extended in it selfe is wholie contained in a litle hoste and in euerie parte of it in which one body is on diuers Altars and in diuerse places in which Christs bodie is dailie eaten his bloud dailie drunke yet neuer consumed in which the same Christ is conuiua conuinium the feast maker guest and feast in which the same Christ is the Priest the sacrifice and the God to whom this sacrifice is offered and therefore Dauid explicating what the memorie of these marueils is saith Escam dedit timentibusse Psa 110. he hath giuen meate to them that feare him as if he had said he hath made a memorie of marueilles in the meate which he hath giuen and this meat he giueth to them that feare him who only can frutefullie receaue it O my soule thou beleeuest that Christ God and man is as trulie in this B. Sacrament which thou intendest to receaue as he was in his Virgin Mothers wōbe as he was here on earth and as he is now in Heauē though in an other manner and thou beleeuest that there is no more betwixt him and thee when thou approachest tereceaue him then the thinne courtaines of the accidents and formes of bread and wine drawne betwixt him and thy sight And if thou wouldst stand with great reuerence in the presence of a mortall Emperour or King though a man as thou art and though there were a thinne courtaine drawne betwixt him and thee especiallie if the courtaine were so thinne as he might see thee through it with what reuerēce shouldst thou stand or kneele in the presence of Christ Iesus God and man and King and Emperour of heauen and earth there being no more betwixt him and thee then the courtaines of the formes of bread and wine which are thinner then the thinnest taffeta or cypres because in those though neuer so thinne there is matter and substance whereas in the accidents of bread wine there is no substance at all of bread and wine and through the which Christ God Man seeth thee and all thy actions both interiour and exteriour VVith what reuerence I say shouldst thou come to this B. Sacrament in which thou beleeuest to be the King of glorie though with corporall sight thou canst not see him O consider my soule that when thou receiuest this dreadfull sacrifice and Sacrament thou hast on thy tongue more then tongue can explicate in thy mouth more then heauen earth containe in thy heart more then heart can conceaue Thou receauest him whō the Angels adore and tremble to behold his Maiestie In the old law the Iewes were commaunded not so much as to touch the mountaine on which the law of God was giuen Exod. 29. and shalt thou thinke thyselfe worthie to touch the Altar where the law giuer is resident yea to touch himself to receaue him into thy mouth and stomake If the Bethsamites to the number of seauentie men of the people 1 Reg. 6. and fiftie thousand of the common people for curious he gazing at the Ark which was but a figure of this B Sacrament 2 Reg. 6. if Oza for touching it irreuerentlie were stricken with sodaine death shalt thou ô my soule if irreuerentlie or vnworthilie thou receaue this B. Sacrament the Ark of the new law thinke to goe scotfree Noe Noe. S. Paule assureth thee 1. Cor. 11. that he that eateth and drinketh vnworthilie the bodie and bloud of Christ eateth and drinketh iudgment to himself not discerning the bodie of our Lord. Yea saith he because you eate and drinke this B. Sacrament vnworthilie there are among you weake and feeble and many sleepe that is dye How then oughtst thou to prepare thy selfe Knowing that this B. Sacrament as it giueth spirituall health life nourriture to them that receaue it worthilie so it alwaies bringeth death of the soule to them that receaue it vnworthilie sometimes death of the bodie also yea and eternall death of soule and body vnles they repent in time O my soule the Angels compasse the Altar when the Priest offereth this dread sacrifice and they compasse thee also when thou receiuest it and they waite at this Table and vpon this King of glorie with great feare and reuerence and goest thou to this Table as boldie as to an ordinarie 1 Cor. 11. not discerning the bodie of our Lord not putting a difference betwixt it and other meates O Lord when I thinke of these things to wit of myne owne vnworthines and thy worth and Maiestie I am affraid to approach so neere vnto thee and if thou didst not inuite me to come I should neuer dare to come in thy presence much lesse to receaue thee into my breast I should saye with S. Luc. 5. Peeter Goe forth from me because I am a sinfull man o Lord. 2. Cor. 6. I should saie with S. Paule what participation hath Iustice with iniquitie Or what societie is there betwixt light and darknes what proportion betwixt thy light and my darknes my basenes and thy Maiestie thy sanctitie and my sinnes But what
Iewes were Ioseph the Patriarch as we reade in Genesis whoe was as the Paterfamilias of Pharao his house yea and of all Egipt Gen. 43. and who in a dearth of seauen yeares prouided them of corne aboundantlie when his brethren resorted allso vnto him for corn he inuited them to a feast and gaue to euerie one of them his portion but to Beniamin his yongest brother he gaue a portion fiue times bigger then was the portion which he gaue to his elder brethren Euen soe our Ioseph Christ Iesus who furnished not Egipt with corne as Ioseph did but the whole Church of God with the sacred Euchariste Io. 6. which the Prophet calleth Zach. 9. frumentum electorum the wheate of the elect and wine spinging virgins gaue thereby to the Christinns the younger brother in regarde of time a portion of the B. Sacrament which is greater more precious not by fiue times onlie but by fiue thousand times then was the portion of Manna or the Paschall lambe or all those Sacrifices and Sacraments which he gaue to the Iewe the elder brother O liberall magnificent house-keeper whoe hast made so great and so Roiall prouision for thy familie the Church VVhen I consider the aboundance of corn grasse hearbes fruits which God hath prouided for the sustenance of all liuing creatures euen the litle sparowes and yong rauens I stand as a man amazed Isaie vnto myself out of what granarie or store howse or Barne commeth all this prouision But when I behold the aboundance of the wheate of the Elect Zach. 9.10.6 of the bread of life of which whoesoeuer eateth liueth for euer VVhich our B. Sauiour God and man hath prouided for vs in this B. Sacrament I cease to admire there can neuer cease to admire heere and I saie vnto my selfe Out of what granarie commeth this wheate of the Elect Zaca 8.10.6 out of what paÌ„terie cometh this bread of life which feedeth our soules and giueth them spirituall nourishment and life of grace of which we feede dailie and yet the bread is neuer consumed neuer diminished VVhen I consider the varietie of fountaines springes wells and riuers which our Blessed God hath prouided for men and beastes to drinke on I stande amazed and I saie to my selfe out of what brewhowse cometh all this drinke who is the Butler that continuallie draweth it 〈◊〉 but when I Behold the wine which springeth Virgins Zac. 9. which is drunk dailie by many thousands in this B. Sacrament I stand amazed heere and I cease to admire there and saie to my selfe out of what celler commeth this wine who draweth it who filleth it out And which maketh me more to admire I see many thousands doe drinke dailie of this wine and yet the Celler is neuer emptied the wine neuer diminished O bountifull and prouident howsekeeper sweete Iesus who prouidest such meate and drinke as neuer consumeth for I see that Sumit vnus sumunt mille Quantum isti tantum ille Nec sumptus consumitur One takes it and a thousand may As much as hee soe much doe they Nor is it consumed att all VVhen I call to minde ô Lord how once thow fedst in the desert the Israelits with Quailes and Manna from Heauen and ganest them water to drink out of a hard rock Excodi 16. 17. I ame astonished But when I consider with what an heauenlie Manna made not in the aire by the fingers of Angels as that Manna was but by the fingars of the Holy Ghost in the Heauen of the B. Virgins wombe thou feedest vs in the Blessed Sacrament during our aboade in the desert of this life wilt feed vs till we come to our land of promise I cease to wonder there and I onlie wonder heere VVhen I call to minde how thou Math. 14. o Blessed Sauiour the worker of all those former miracles didst feed with fiue barlie loaues two fishes fiue thousand men besides woemen and children ganest to euerie one his fille and yet after that all the guetsts had eaten asmuch as satisfied them the leauings and fragments filled twelue boskets and so was greater then the feast was at the beginning I wonder But when I consider how in this B. Sacrament thou ô Lord feedest with a farre lesser quantitie so many millious of Christians since thy last supper and shalt feede them to the ende of the world and yet the feast neuer diminisheth but is as great now as it was at the beginning I cease to wonder there and I stand alltogether amazed heere Behold my soule what a prouident and bountifull howsekeeper thy Lord Iesus is O the happines of Catholikes who haue such aboundance of bread and wine alwaies prepared for them and ô the miserie of the Hereticke who hauing Iâ—ac 15. like the Prodigall sonne left the Church his heauenlie fathers howse is fed onlie with the husks and chaffe of figures but hath not the solid corne to feede on Lett him returne to the Church his Fathers howse lett him returne againe crye with the Prodigall sonne How many of my Fathers hirelings haue aboundance of bread Luc. 15. and I heere perish for famin I will arise and goe to my Father and saie to him father I haue sinned against heauen and before thee I ame not worthie to be called thy sonne make me one of thy hirelings VVhich if the Hereticke doth God will admitte him to the heauenlie prouision in the B. Sacrament he will make him partaker Io 6. Zac. 9. of the bread of life and wine that springeth Virgins of which who eateth and drinketh shall neuer be hungrie or thirstie again This sacred bread which our Paterfamilias hath prepared for his howsehold was kned by the fingers of the Holy Ghost baked in the sacred ouen of the B. Virgins wombe not by the heate or fire of concupiscence but of the Holy Ghost drawne out of the ouen in Christ his natiuitie set at the table at Christes last supper and euerie daie vpon the Altar for the nourishement of our heauenlie fathers howsehold The wine which all of this howsehold do drinke is most pretious Psal 22. A chalice inebriating which inebriateth spirituallie and maketh vs sleepe to the world The vine from which this sacred wine originallie procedeth is Christe Iesus who called hiÌ„selfe a vine Io. 15. sayinst to his disciples I ame the vine you the branches which vine was planted in the vinyard of the B. Virgins wombe when God the sonne tooke flesh of her the grape of this vine was Christes bobie pressed on the crosse the wine was his sacred bloud giuen to the Apostles at the last supper before the pressing on the Crosse but is giuen in the B. Saerament to their successours aftet the pressing By the force which this bread of life giueth we walke with Helias 3. Reg. 19. not to the mount Horeb but to the mount of heauen and by
my loue and boughtst me with it to be thy spouse so that as Sephora sayde to Moyses that he was a bloudie spouse vnto her Exod. 4 because she was enforced to circumcise her sonne to saue Moises his life so much more ô my soule maist thou saie to thy spouse Christ Iesus Thou aâ—t a bloudie spouse vnto me who sheddedst thy bloud and sufferdst thy bitter passion to marrie me by thy grace and by this B. Sacrament giue me grace to be alwaies readie in miÌ„de to shed my bloud for thee if occasion shall present it self that I may also be a bloudie spouse to thee To this I ame inuited by thy bloud which I so often drinke in the B. Sacrament It is commaunded in Genesis that man should leaue Father and Mother toad here to his wife and Gen. 2. the same commandement is giuen to the wife in regarde of her husband much more shouldst thou my soule rather leaue carnall parents and wordlie riches pleasures then to leaue by sinne this thy so louinge spouse Ephes 5. Thou commandest allso ô deare Spouse that men should loue their wiues do thou obserue this lawe which thou hast made and do thou loue me thy Spouse betrothed to thee by charitie and this B. Sacrament and giue me grace alwaies to loue thee neuer to offend thee O how happie art thou my soule who art espoused to so noble and so chast a Spouse as Christ In officio S. Agnetis whose Father knew no woman whose Mother knew no man who is a Spouse more beautifull then the Sunne more rich then heauen and earth more noble then all the Emperours that euer were VVhom if thou louest thou art chast Ibid. if thou touchest thou art cleane and vndefiled if thou marriest thou remainest a Virgin O my sweete Sauiour loue me I ame thy Spouse ô my soule loue thy Sauiour he is thy Spouse And as man and wife do so loue that they are neuer well but when they are together so ô sweet Iesus my deare Spouse let me neuer thinke my selfe well but when I ame with thee and thou with me by frequent communion and receauing of this B. Sacrament that liuing with thee in this B. Sacrament and consequentlie in the Church militant where only it is lawfullie ministred and receiued I may liue and dwell with thee for euer in the Church Triumphant THE NINTH MEDITATION VVhat a PhysiciaÌ„ Christ hathe shewed himselfe in this B. Sacrament GOD Almightie created man in good health sound and whole both in body and soule bestowinge on him the tree of life which would haue preserued his bodie from distemperatures diseases and death and endewing him with originall Iustice which so subiected his bodie to his soule and sensualitie to reason the inferiour part of his soule to the superiour and that to God that in his soule there was no inordinate passion no sinne nor spirituall infirmitie But he not knowinge how to vse this his felicitie by a willfull surfette taken by eating the forbidden fruit distempered his bodie with mortalitie from whence all diseases of the bodie and death it self proceed and by his disobedience cast his soule at one time into as many diseases as inordinate passions which diuers haue reduced to fowre which they call vulnera animae woundes of the soule residing in fowre principall powers and faculties of the soule The vnderstanding whose obiect is truth and whose perfection is knowledge was obscured and darkned by ignorance The will whose marke at which she aimeth is good whose perfection is loue was infected with malice The irascible part whose obiect is difficultie and whose glorie is victorie ouer difficultie was weakned with infirmitie The concupiscible part whose obiect was moderat delight and whose felicitie was contentment was galled with the itching and ill pleasing sore of concupiscence And thus this Samaritan descending from Herusalem that is Paradise from which now he was banished vnto Hierico this mortal and miserable world the vale of miserie fell into the hands of theeues the deuills who dispoiled him of his armour of originall Iustice and wounded him in body and soule Luc. 10. yet semiuiuâ— relicto Leauing him halfe aliue because though he was dispoiled of all supernaturall graces yet he lost no naturall perfection though he was also weakened in that By this miserable and woefull wight thus miserablie spoiled wounded the Preiste Leuite passed Luc. 10. but could not cure him or helpe him because the old law could onlie tell the disease but could not cure it by grace because though their law was giuen by Moyses yet grace by Iesus Christ Thou therefore ô sweete sauiour ô most expert and mercifull physitian who camest to saue sinners and to heale the wounded and diseased by the oyle of thy merc e wine of thy bloud which thou shedst in thy passion appliedst as it were powredst forth in the B. Sacrament hast on thy parte cured this miserable wight man and all mankind Thy Sacraments ô Lord which thou institutedst are so many salues and remedies against the sores wounds and diseases of our soule Baptisme cureth the wound of originall sinne the Sacrament of Pennance is a remedie against the sinnes that are committed after Baptisme Matrimonie is a salue ordained against the wound of concupiscence which galleth the concupiscible part Confirmation against infirmitie in the Irascible part The B. Sacrament after we are cured nourisheth vs in a spirituall life Extreme vnction taketh away the reliques of sinne Order maketh vnder Physitians who vnder Christ and by vertue and authoritie from him do minister the aforesayd Sacraments and remitte sinnes Io. 20. ô Soueraigne and sauing Physitian By thy holy word also and sacred scripture thou hast shewed thy self to be our Physitian for that euerie word of this sacred scripture is a simple euerie senteÌ„ce a salue against sinne therefore by reading holy scripture or hearing of it read and rightlie interpreted many thousaÌ„des haue been conuerted many thousands haue been saued O sweet Iesus in whose name dwelleth saluation O heauenlie Physitian who hast prouided so many remedies against sinne so many helpes to saluation Nay all Christe his life was a shoppe full of drugges salues remedies against sinne Euerie praier he made euerie exhortation euery parable he spake euerie miracle he wrought euerie word he vttered euerie good worke he did euerie stepp he walked euerie teare that fell from his eies euerie droppe of bloud he shed for vs euerie lash at the pillar euerie pricke of the thornes euerie pearcing of the nailes in his hands and feete the hunger and thirst he endured euerie paine pange he sustained on the crosse were a salue and remedie against sinne So that if now the prophet Hieremie should aske of vs Christians as he did heretofore of the Iewes Hier. 8. is there no rosen in Galaad in the Church of God is there no Physitian there we might answer yes Hieremie
shall I doe ô Lord If I approach not to this Holie Sacrament I shall shew my self vnmanerlie thou hauing so courteouslie inuited me yea disobedient thou not onely inuiting but also commaunding mee Io. 6. If I come not to this feast I shall stâ—rue for hunger If I drinke not of this fountaine of grace I shall dye for thirst If I come not to this sunne I shal liue in darknes If I come not to this fire I shall shâ—uer for cold If I eate not of this bread of life Io. 6. I amea dead man and yet considering my vnworthines I dare not approach to this worthie of worthies considering my impuritie I dare not come to this speculum sine macula Sap. 7. this glasse without spotte Considering my prophanes I dare not touch this Holie of Holies considering my bafenes I dare not appeare before such maiestie O my sweete Sauiour thou woldst haue thy Priest by reason that he must consecrate touch this B. Sacrament to be consecrated his fingers in his ordination to be anointed with holy oyle the chalice to be consecrated the Altar corporalls Altar clothes the Priests vestments yea the Church and all to be hallowed for the reference and respect they haue to this B. Sacrament Consecrate I beseech thee and sanctifie me by thy grace this Sacrament being instituted for me not for those other things I being to receaue it sacramentallie and spirituallie as those other things can not receaue it And seeing that thou commauÌ„dest me to receaue it giue me grace to receaue it worthilie Thou who commandest the end giue the meanes Thy Blessed Virgin-Mother was to receaue thee but once into her sacred wombe and yet o Lord how didst thou sanctifie her how didst thou prepare her with what grace puritie and sanctitie didst thou endew her Sanctifie me o Lord by thy grace cleanse me from sinne purge me from all euen veniall sinnes seeing I am not to receaue thee once onlie but often and many times Thou wouldest after thy death haue thy dead body to be buried in a new monument wherein none had beene buried before to be laied in a winding sheete of fine and cleane laune and wilt thou permit me to receaue the same body now not dead but liuing and glorified into the graue and monumeÌ„t of an old foule soule and body in which the world flesh deuill haue been lodged by inordinat affectioÌ„ wilt thou laie this thy glorified body in the foule linneÌ„ of a defiled soule ô purge me ô cleanse mee ô renew mee that I maye be a new monument a cleane syndon to receaue thine now not dead but liuing but immortall and glorified body O doe not cast such Margarites before hoggs Thou shalt Matth 7 if thou do not wash me from sinne O doe not permit me to sitte downe to this feast without my nuptiall garment of charitie I shall vnles thou restore it and put it on againe None but the high Priest in the old lawe might enter into Sancta Sanctorum the Holies of Holies Exod. 30. Hebr. 9. and he also but once a yeare and this by reason of the Ark of the old law where thou wast present in figure and shall I not so much enter into thee the Sancta Sanctorum and the Ark of the new law as to let thee enter into mee thou being the veritie of that figure Exod. 30. Moyses though a choseÌ„ seruaÌ„t of thine was forbidden to approach to the bush that burned but consumed nor vntill he had put of his shooes and shall I presume to come to this B. Sacrament and thy sacred bodie in it the veritie of that figure and which burneth with the Diuinitie yet is neuer consumed vnles I first laye aside the shooes of all carnall affectioÌ„s The Priests of the old law were forbidden to ascend to the Altar to offer their carnall Sacrifices before they had washed themselues in the brazen lauer Exod. 30 And shall I dare to approach to the Altar to this so holy a Sacrifice and Sacrament before I be rinsed in the lauer of penance with the waters of contrition S. Iohn Baptiste of whom thou thy self o Lord pronounced that Luc. 7. a greater Prophet among the children of woemeÌ„ then Iohn Baptist there was none thought himself not worthie to vnloose the latcher of thy shooes Mat 8. The Centurion deemed him selfe not worthie to receaue thee into his howse which yet as it is likelie was cleanlie swept richlie adorned and shall I thinke my self so worthie as to touch not thy shooe striÌ„gs but thy sacred bodie and to receaue thee into mee who am defiled both in body soule Iob. 25. The starres are not cleane in thy sight and how shall I dare to appeare before thy diuine eyes more bright then the Sunne it selfe I being no starre but rather a candle put out and smoakie Salomon when he had built for thee o Lord that goodlie Temple the master peece of masonrie and had adorned it with gold siluer and precious stones yet he thought it no fitte place for thee and therefore saied 2 Paral. 6. Ergone credibile est vt habitet Deus cum hominibus super terram Si coelum coeli coelornm non te capiunt quanto magis domus ista quam aedificaui Is it credâ—bile then that God should dwell with men vpon the earth If heauen and the heauens of heauens do not take thee how much more this house which I haue built And shall I whose body is made but of mudde and whose soule is defiled with sinne thinke my self a fitte pallace for thy maiestie O Lord I am not worthie the ayre I breath the ground I stand on the bread I eate the wine or water I drink how then can I be worthie of this B. Sacrament which I am to receaue and which is the greatest benefite thou euer bestowedst on man because this guift is as good as thy selfe who art the guift and the giuer And yet thou wilt haue me to receaue it at thy Priests hands and receaue it I may seeing thou hast so ordained but vnles thou who giuest it giue me also worthines I can not receaue it worthilie Thou therefore who inuitest me to this holie Sacrament and forbiddest men to receaue it vnworthilie vouchsafe to giue me that grace that reuerence that deuotion which may make mee worthie It is thy desire that I should come worthilie it is also my desire seeing that I can neither fulfill thy desire nor my desire but by thy grace I beseech thee grauÌ„t me the grace to fulfill thy desire and theÌ„ I shall fulfill my desire which is to receaue this Holy SacrameÌ„t worthilie and although by thy grace I receaue thee worthilie yet giue me the humilitie alwayes to thinke my self of my selfe vnworthie for the more I esteeme my selfe vnworthie the more by thee I shall be esteemed worthie THE 12. MEDITATION VVith what loue to
earth and aboundance of corne and wine Ephes 1 But I desire the benediction by which thou hast blessed vs in all spirituall blessing in celestials Luc. 2. And seing that I now haue thee in my armes with Simeon I desire his benediction that I may departe and dye in peace with thee and all thy Saints and Angels Matth. 5 I desire those eight beatitudes blessings of pouertie in spirit of meeknes of mourning for my sinnes of hunger after Iustice of mercifulnes of cleanes of heart of peace making of patient suffering persecution for iustice sake And lastlie I desire thy eternall benediction which consisteth in the cleare vision and fruition of thee by which all the Angels and Saints are blessed and this I most humblie craue and in a manner claime by vertue of that thy promise made to all worthie receauers of this B. Sacrament Io. 6. He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my bloud hath life euerlasting and I will raise him vp at the last daie Bestow on me then ô Lord a benediction of thy grace now and after my death a benediction of thy glorie in the next life where I maâ—e liue in blisse with thee and thy Saints for euer THE 16. MEDITATION Of the good purposes which after Communion are to be made AFter that thou hast receiued this B. Sacrament and no lesse theÌ„ thy Sauiours flesh blood soule and diuinitie in it to shew thyself gratefull for so great a benefit and so noble a guest thou shalt do well and pleasinglie vnto him if thou make these ensewiÌ„g good purposes for not onlie to do good or to promise good but euen to purpose what is good is a disposition to doing good and so pleasing vnto him Say therefore vnto him thou hast vouchsafed to enter into mee by my mouth as by the dore and gate of my house This gate hereafter shall be shut as was the Eastern gate of which Ezechiel speaketh It shall not be opened and men shall not passe through it Ezech. 44. it shall be shut for the Prince This gate o Lord shall be shut to all but thee the Prince thou onelie shalt haue the coÌ„mand for the opening or shutting of it The world flesh or deuill shall neuer enter by it none but thou or for thy sake And therefore hereafter my mouth shall neuer speake but of thee or things belonging to thee and thy honour It shall be opened onelie to praise thee or to praye vnto thee Psal 70. Repleatur os meum laude vt caÌ„tet gloriam tuam let my mouth be filled with praise that I may sing thy glorie Ephes 4 All naughtie speech let it not proceed from it It is the gate of thy Temple let no vncleane thinge haue entrance by it It is the gate of the Citie keepe it shut and fortifie it by thy grace that it may keepe out thy enemies and withstand all the batterie assaults of their tentations It hath been filled with thy sacred bodie blood let it here after be filled with praises of thy name thaÌ„kesgiuing And because my tongue hath been the bridge by which thou hast passed and which thou hast sanctified with thy sacred body embrued as it were with thy holy blood I purpose neuer to prophane it by idle vaine speeches much lesse to pollute it by detraction calumnious and reprochefull speeches by lasciuious talk by lying or swearing or blaspheming but I will with thy grace exercise it hereafter in praising thy holy name in praying to thee in talking of thee of thy life and death of thy great benefites and in particular of this B. Sacrament which so often I haue receaued of heauen and heauenlie things And therefore hereafter I will not aduenture without thee to gouerne this voluble variable and inconstant creature mooued with euerie winde like a reed I could neuer gouerne it and no meruaile because Linguam nullus hominum domare potest Iaâ—obi 3 No man can tame the tongue thou only canst because Domini est gubernare linguam Prouerb 16. it apperteineth to our Lord to gouerne the tongue and so to thee I yeeld vp the rule of it to thy direction I commend it that it may be silent wheÌ„ thou wouldest haue it be silent and that it may speake onelie wheÌ„ thou wouldest haue it speake and what thou wouldest haue it speake And because thou ô Lord by this B. Sacrament art my noble fast frieÌ„d See the med 12. I will neuer shake haÌ„ds with thy enemies the world flesh deuill nor shall I loue any thing which is offensiue to thee See aboue med 12. Se medit 12. Thou by this holy Sacrament art my Father and Mother I shall therefore honour thee feare thee loue thee obey thee Thou art the louing Spouse of my soule and the mariage betwixt it and thee is coÌ„summated by this B. Sacrament I will therefore wed my self to noe creature by inordinate affection that were to play th' Adulteresse and to breake the bond of this sacred wedlock nor will I loue any but thee or for thee And being married to so great an Emperour as thou art and thereby made also of high and noble condition who by sinne before was base I will putt on the Emperiall robes of holy conuersation fit for thy spouse my old habit of my old base behauiour and conditions I will laie aside I will become a new creature and in thoughts words and deeds I will carrie myself noblie as becometh thy chast spouse Thou hast feasted me with the royal fare of thy sacred flesh and blood which maketh me noble and of Princelie blood I will therefore behaue my self Prince-like Luc 14. not as assaue to my passions and sensualities but as a Lord and commaunder ouer them And as the Prodigall sonne after that his Father receiued hiÌ„ into grace had feasted him neuer returned againe to his hoggish fare so I being now fedde with heauenlie fare will scorne hereafter to tast any more of any worldlie or carnall delights the hoggish fare of sinners I ame by receiuing this Holie of Holies thy sacred bodie bloud sanctified consecrated dedicated to thee onlie and to thy seruice I will therefore neuer prophane myself again I will neuer employ my self to the seruice of the world or flesh or deuill or to any but thee or for thee The holie Chalice though it be but of earthlie metall be it siluer or gold yet it is oeuer imployed to any other vse then to receiue thy sacred blood The Church after Consecration is neuer vsed but for thy seruice And shall I who am better consecrated and sanctified then they because I am more capable of Sanctitie then they permitte my self to be put to prophane vses I am by this Sacrament made the Temple of God which is the house of prayer thou then ô Lord shalt be onelie serued in this teÌ„ple thou onelie shalt be honoured praised in it Thy entrance into me hath sanctified my bodie and all the partes of it my soule and all her powers and faculties all therefore that is in mee shall hereafter be emploied to thy honour and seruice To my soule and all that is in mee I will say with Dauid Ps 102 Benedicanima mea Domino omnia quae intra me sunt nomint sancto eâ—us My soule blesse thou our Lord and all things that are within me his holy name My vnderstanding do thou think and meditate allwayes of him my will do thou euer loue him my memorie do thou euer remember his benefites and this B. Sacrament in particular which he hath bestowed on mee my eyes looke on heauen and this Blessed SacrameÌ„t where he is my hands lift vp your selues in thankes giuing my feete follow his steppes traces and exaÌ„ples which he hath giuen because I and you all are consecrated and dedicated to him by receiuing this B. Sacrament And if it be an vnworthie thing to cast a consecrated Chalice into the dirt is it not fare more vnworthie to defile hereafter my bodie and soule by sinne which are wholie consecrated and dedicated to God O my soule do not thou presume to prophane that which by God is sanctified least he punish thee as a prophaner of holy things VVherefore as my bodie and soule and all the partes of my body and faculties of my soule by this B. Sacrament are consecrated to thee So ô Lord let them euer be and so they shall be if to my will thou ioyne thy will and to my force thy gracâ— this is now my mind and purposeâ— and I desire to die in this mind 〈◊〉 with it that at my death beinâ— thus prepared I may feed on thâ— sacred body and blood in the Bâ— Sacrament by a worthie Communion and by vertue of it after mâ— death may be admitted to feed 〈◊〉 on thy Diuinitie with their Bâ— Saints in Heauen by a cleare vision and fruition of thee the Father and the Holie Ghost threâ— persons and one God to whom be all Honour and glorie foâ— euer FINIS
now you shall see him honoured of none but honouring his owne vassals and debasing himself so farre as to wash and to wipe their feete O yee courtiers of the King and court of Heauen shew your selues courteours permitte not your King thus to be vilified but rather do you who in that you are Courteours know well what ceremonies are most conuenient performe this humble office for your Master do you wash his disciples feete and his in the first place he being your and their kinge O yee Heauens celestiall globes and starâ—s who haue the highest place in this world with what manners can you keepe your so high â—minent places seing your Creatour kneeling to his creatures God to man O thou Sunne Prince of the Planets the lampe and eye of the world who illuminatest the celestiall terrestriall world caÌ„st thou endure to see thy Sunne of whome thow borrowest thy light in this posture Descend rather and humiliat thy selfe with thy Creatour or else withdrawe thy light and thy sight from such a spectacle Ioseph the Patriarch saw the sunne and moone and starrs adoring him Gen. 34. but this he saw done onlie in a dreame and vision but behold now not the Sunne and moone adoring our true Ioseth Iesus Christ but himself adoring that is kneeling to his creatures and disciples O humble God it is the dutie of all creatures euen Angels to adore thee who art their creatour how then hoppeneth it that thou in a manner adorest thy disciples that is kneelest before them But he answereth sine modo Math. 3. sic enim decet nos implere omnem iustitiam suffer me thus to humble myself for this time for so it becommeth vs to fullfill all iustice It is conuenient that the creatour should thus humble himselfe euen to the earth that his creatures maie be exalted to heauen It is conuenient that he thus should humble himself to teach his disciples and in them all christians to humble themselues not onlie to their betters and superiours but also to their subiects and Inferiours to giue them to vnderstand by this humble washing and wiping his disciples fowle feete that it is hee who by his bloud washeth all sinfull soules from the filth and ordure of their sinnes VVho is able to explicate â—ay to conceaue the lownes of this humilities certes no mortal creature for all though we may see the earth on which Christe kneeleth to which he is descended yet from how high he â—s thus fallen none can tall but the Saints and Angels who see clearlie the hight of his diuinitie and so none but they can see the lownes of this humilitie Nor can they see it perfectlie onlie God himself can who onlie can comprehend his owne hight tallnes which is infinite To know how lowea vallie is you must know how high the mountaine is so to know the vallie of this our Sauiours humilitie you must know how high the mountaine of his diuinitie is which none but God can perfectlie know because he onlie comprehendeth himselfe and his owne hight and tallnes But as there was neuer humilitie so low as this so was there humilitie neuer so exalted as this The higher in dignitie the person is who humbleth himself the lower is his humilitie because his falle descent is so much the lower by howmuch his dignitie is higher and the higher the person is who humbleth himselfe the more his humllitie is exalted and inobled as the lower in dignitie baser the person is the lesse grace hath his humilitie and so humilitie is graced by the dignitie of the person and graceth allso the person and humilitie is the honour of honour and honour is the honour of humilitie And consequentlie this humilitie of Christ God and man was the lowest that euer was and yet the highest O my soule learne of this thy God humilitie he the Creatour thought not much to humble himself to the disciples his creatures and in this to thee who allso art his creature and wilt thou thinke much to stoupe to him the Creatour He so noble and so high in dignitie humbled himselfe and thou who though thou wert a King art base in respect of him wilt thou disdaine humilitie he humbled himself to his subiects and Inferiours wilt thou thinke scorne to humiliate thy selfe to thy equales yea to thy superiours He vouchsafed to wash his disciples fowle feete thou thinkest scorne to do any base office though none is base which humilitie graceth and yet thou art a creature hee thy Creatour O my soule by this thy Sauiours humble ceremonie of washing the disciples feete before he admitted them to the B. Sacrament learne to rinse and washe thy self cleane from all filth of sinne in the Sacrament and lauatorie of Pennance before thou approach to the holie of holies and the Immaculate lambe of God conteined in this blessed Sacrament learne by this humilitie of Christe which he vsed immediatlie before the institution and distribution of this Sacred Sacrament with what reuerence and feare thou shouldst approach vnto it considering thy Indignitie and with what humilitie allso considering thy basenes and it's dignitie THE III. MEDITATION How bountifull a feast maker and Oste Christ shewed himselfe and how greaâ— a feast he exhibited to his disciples in the B. Sacrament THIS sweete Sauiour after the feast of the Paschall Lambe hauing washed wiped his disciples feete to prepare them to the feaste of his sacred bodie and bloud the veritie of that figure he sitteth down and inuiteth his disciples and euen Iudas to sitte downe with him and euerie one being placed and expecting what feast he would bestowe on them at his farewell which was then at hand he taketh bread into his hands saying vnto them Mar. 14. Luc. 22.1 Cor. 11. take ye and eate this is my bodie and least they should thinke that he gaue theÌ„ but a figure of his bodie as he did when he gaue theÌ„ the Paschall Lambe he not onlie calleth it in plaine tearmes but addeth as S. Luke relateth his bodie which is giuen for you as S. Paule telleth vs which shall be deliuered for you to witt on the Crosse And least they might â—magin that he gaue them onlie 〈◊〉 figure of his bloud he not onâ—ie stileth it in plaine tearmes is blood but addeth as S. Mathew and S. Marck relate which shall be shed sor many as 〈◊〉 Luke writeth which shall be â—dd for you And seing that breade or a bare figure of Christs bodie such as was Manna and the Paschall lambe was not deliuered or crucified for vs but onlie Christe his true bodie nor wine or a bare figure of Christes bloud was shed for vs but onlie his true bloud it followeth that Christ at his last supper gaue to his disciples his true bodie and bloud because h gaue that bodie which was deliured for vs on the Crosse and he gaue them to drinke of that bloud which was shed for
in the Church of Christ there is rosen and all manner of salues and remedies against all our spirituall wounds diseases And in this Church there is a head Physitian Christ Iesus and thousands of vnder-Physitians euen as many as there are lawfull Priests who can absolue from sinnes and minister Sacraments and preach the word of God and thereby remitte all sinnes and cure all our spirituall diseases Physitians do companie more with the sicke then the whole they are much in hospitalls by sicke infirme persons with theÌ„ they deuise about their sicknes them they seeke to comfort And thou ô heauenlie Physitian leauing thy Fathers Pallace descendedst into the Hospitall of this world where are as many Lazars sicke and infirme persons as there are sinners and with them whilest thou liuedst on earth was thy conuersation sometimes with scribes and Pharisies sometimes with Publicans sometimes with harlots and all thy talke and discourses parables and preachings miracles were practised amongest them and for them yea thou satest at table with Publicanes and sinners by that familiaritie gainedst them Math. 9. Mat. 2. and by thy wholsome exhortatioÌ„s curedst them of their sinnes And when the Scribes Pharisies found fault with this Luc. 5. thou answerdst them The whole haue no need of a Physitian but they that are ill at ease for I came not to call the lust but Sinners But especiallie ô my good God thou hast shewed thy self a most louing and mercifull Physitian in this B. Sacrament where thou giuest vs in a most admirable manner thy sacred bodie and bloud which are most soueraigne medecines against all spirituall diseases for as whilest thou liuedst a mortall life with vs in this world vertue went forth from thee and healed all of their corporall diseases Luc. 6. so in this B. Sacrament where thou art reallie vertue issueth from thy sacred body and bloud and healeth and cureth all spirituall diseases and whereas corporall medecines and potions do restore vs only to health of bodie and so conserue life for a time This medecine of thy flesh and bloud giueth life euerlasting both to soule and bodie and therefore thou thy selfe saist he that eateth my flesh and drinketh my bloud Io. 6. hath life euerlasting and I will raise him vp in the last daye and he giueth the reason hereof for my flesh saith he is meat indeed and my bloud is drinke indeed Other Physicians to cure diuerse diseases must prescribe diuers medecines and potions composed of diuers ingrediences but thou with one potion of thy sacred bloud which we drinck in this B. Sacrament curest all diseases Other Physitians will minister to their patients bitter potions but themselues will not drinck of them but thou at thy last supper dranckst a health to vs of thy bloud which was bitter to thee in thy passion when it was shed but pleasant to vs and so pleasant that it taketh away the bitternes from all the suffrances and aduersities which we endure as it appeareth in the Apostles and our martyrs who with â—oâ—e suffered for thee Act. 5. Other Physicians to cure their patiens of their ague will let them bloud yea and sometimes launce them and scarifie them but will not loose a drop of their owne bloud for them but thou ô louing Physician didest let thyselfe blood euen at the heart to cure our ague of sinne And this thy bloud thou giuest vnto vs in this Blessed Sacrament Other Physicians will prescribe to their patients abstinence and fasting for to diminish the heate of their ague by diminishing the humours which nourished it but will not fast themselues but thou fastedst fortie daies and forâ—ie nights for vs. Other Physitians will endeuour to take the ague and disease from the sicke person Math. 4. but will not take it to themselues to ridd him of it but thou hast taken our spirituall ague of sinne on thy selfe to free vs fâ—oÌ„ it according as thy Apostle S. Peeter testifieth sayeng 1. Pet. 2. who himself bare our sinnes in his bodie vpon the tree Not that thou tookst the mallice of sinne of which thy sacred humanitie was vncapable but that thou enduredst in thy bodie and on the Crosse the paine due to sinne in satisfâ—ing for it by thy death and bitter passion and by suffering the paine thou hast cured the ague and this thy passion is represented and applied by this Holy Sacrament O most charitable Physitian ô my soule what thankes shouldst thou giue to this thy Physitian for this B. Sacrament so soueraigne against all our spirituall diseases O with what disposition shouldest thou come to receaue this so wholesome Physicke which cureth all veniall sinnes yea mortall also if thou haue no knowledge nor conscieÌ„ce of theÌ„ O my soule when by this B. Sacrament thou art cured of thy spiritual diseases remember those words spoken by this thy Physitian to the lame man at the Probatica Piscina Ioan 5. I am sanus es noli amplius peccare now thou art made whole sinne no more now that thou art cured by such soueraigne Physicke do thou take heede of recidiuation and falling into sicknes again for that this thy ingratitude will be greater and thy sinne and sicknes more hardlie cured But do thou frequent often this B. Sacrament by deuout communion and receauing and then by it thou wilt be more and more nourished in grace foâ—tified against sinne then by vertue of this Spirituall food thou shalt one day come to sitte at table with the Angels and Saints and then thou shalt feede not of Christ his bodie and bloud as now thou doest in this B. Sacrament but of the diuinitie of God by cleare vision and fruition of him then thou shalt tast how sweet God is in his Godhead then thou shalt euer feede of the diuinitie yet neuer loath it then thou shalt alwaies drinke of that fountane of pleasure and yet be euer more and more desirous to drinke Then all blisse happines and pleasure shall euer fill thee and yet thou shall neuer be satisfied Augâ—trac 3. â—n Euang. Io. in fine yea to vse S. Austines words thou shalt euer be satisfied yet neuer satisfied for if I saye thou shalt not be satisfied hunger shall be there if I say that thou shalt be satisfied I feare loathing There shall nether be hunger nor loathing I know not what to saye THE TENTH MEDITATION How good a Shepheard and Pastour Christ hath shewed himselfe in this B. Sacrament ALthough ô my sweet Sauiour thou art not onlie man but also God yet thou stilest not thyself so willinglie by names taken from thy Godhead as Creatour of heauen and Earth Omnipotent Immense King of Kings 2. Reg. Lord of Lords God and Lord of hostes which are names of Maiestie terrour and by which thou wast most often called in the old law as by names taken from thy humain nature to wit Iesus and Sauiour Redeemer light of
the world bread of life and the like which are names sounding and importing loue mercie and benignitie but aboue all the name of Pastour pleaseth thee that implying greatest loue and charitie and therefore thou professest thyself to be a Good Pastour and such an one as is readie to giue his life for his sheepe Io. 10. then which there can be no greater charitie Other shepheardes in some Countries to winne the loue of their sheepe and to familiarize themselues the better with them do inuest themselues with sheep-skinnes with the wooll outwards and thou ô louing Pastour that thou mights be the lesse terrible and more amiable to vs thy sheepe wouldst not appeare in thy glorious habit and weed of thy diuinitie Exod. 19. 20. nor in fire nor lightning nor thunder nor in darke and terrible clouds as thou didst in the old law which was a law of terrour but wouldst put on the habit and fleese of our humain nature and so appeare bee man with men that so men might conuerse with thee with lesse feare more loue and familiaritie Phil. 2. for thou exinanitedst thyself taking the forme of a Seruant made into the similitude of men and in shape found as man that being man thou mightst the better conuerse with thy sheepe who are men In this shape of man thou wast so gratefull to the Iewes that whereas before that thou putst on this alluring habit they durst not approach to the mountaine where thou exhibitedst thy presence nor could endure to heare thy voice Exâ— 20. but cried to haue Moyses not thee to speake vnto them since that thou appearedst in the forme of man Tit. 3. and that the benignitie and kindnes towards man of our Sauiour God appeared Thousands of the Iewes followed thee to heare thy preaching and to see thy miracles and good examples and since that like a good shepheard in this forme of man for in the forme of God thou couldst not thou diedst for mankind all nations haue flocked vnto thee and will do till the worlds end O happie wee who are gouerned by a Pastour of our owne Kind in our owne shape and him so benigne milde and charitable Pastours and shepheards do gouerne their sheepe by their Pastorall staffe or hooke by their owne call or whistle or by their dogge these shepheards bring them to pastures or feelds most fit for them to grase in and where is most fit nourriture for them so thou a louing Pastour gouernest vs by the staffe of thy Pastorall authoritie which thou hast imparted to thy vnder Pastours and doctours of the Church yet so as whilest they direct vs outwardlie by lawes and commandementes thou directest vs inwardlie by grace which giueth vs force to obey them whilest they gouerne and feede vs outwardlie by preaching expounding scripture thou preachest inwardlie by thy grace inspirations whilest they minister the externall signes of the Sacraments thou feedest vs inwardlie by the grace which thou giuest as the principall Agent and they giue as ministers the Sacraments as instruments instituted by thee for our sanctification and in these pastures by this fodder most fatting and nourishing thou feedest thy sheepe And if whilest thy sheepe are grazing and feeding in the medowes of holy Scripture of which euerie sentence is as grasse to feed them if whilest they are feeding on the sodder of the holy Sacraments the Infernall wolfe the deuill or the worlde and flesh seeke to molest them by their tentations if the Heretike by his false call and whistle seeke to deceaue them then the vnder Pastours doe lay about them with their Pastorall staffe yea and as Christ his doggs they barke at them and chase them away being not as the Iewish pastours were Esai 36. dumme doggs not able to barke In the old law ô louing Pastour thou fedst thy sheepe with figuratiue Sacraments which were no causes but bare signes of grace and so could giue no grace therefore by thy Apostle are called egena elementa Gal 4. poore elements but in the new law thou feedest vs with Sacraments which are not onlie signes but also causes of grace and which do sanctifie nourish and feed our soules and therefore thy prophet Ezechiel forseeing these our happie times in which thou feedest vs so aboundantlie Ezech. 34. sayth in thy name In the most plentifull Pastures will I feed them and in the high mountaines of Israel shall be their pastures there shall they rest on the greene grasse and in fatte pastures they shall be fedde vpon the mountains of Israel O the loue thou hast shâ—wed to thy Christian sheepe in prouiding them so fatte pastures And in this thy loue hath shewed it self the greater because thou shewedst it vnto them after that they had forsaken thee by sinne and were quite lost for thou leftst the 99. sheepe to witt the 9. orders of Angels in the desert Mat. 12. that is in heauen which before thy comming into this world by Incarnation was a desert place and inaccessible to men because thou wast not Incarnat for Angels much lesse didst thou suffer for them but leauing them thou camest to vs by Incarnation in our forme and shape and thou camest to seeke mankind thy lost sheepe hauing found him thou carriedst him vpon thy shoulders when thou sufferedst on the crosse for him and broughtst this strayd sheepe to the folde of the Church where he is fedde in plentifull and fatte pastures Tertul. lib. de pudi cap. 7. And therefore in the primitiue Church as Tertullian witnesseth thou wast pourtraited vpon the holy chalices like a shepheard carying his lost sheepe on his shoulders Iacob the Patriarch a shepheard and figure of thee our good Pastour Gen. 31. said to Laban that he had kept his sheepe twentie yeares and that none of his sheepe or goates perished but he restored the damage Daie and night saith he was I parched with heate and with frest and sleepe did flie from myne eyes But thou ô my Sauiour ô my carefull Pastour playedst the Pastour amongest vs aboue thirtie yeares for euen by the merites of thy Infancie thou feddst vs dare and nâ—ght thou trauelledst for vs by night by praier by daie by preaching teaching and working of miracles thou suffredst heate and colde hunger thirst thou fastedst fortie daies and fortie nights to feed vs thou wast circumcised thou wast whipped at a pillar crowned with thornes nailed on a Crosse where like a good shepheard thou diedst for vs least the Infernal wolfe should deuoure vs. O how great must thy loue to thy sheepe be which made thee suffer so much for them Iacobs loue was so great to Rachel that he serued Laban twice seauen yeares for her Gen. 29. but thy loue was so great that it caused thee to suffer a most painfull life of more then 3 yeares for thy sheepe and this thy painfull life thou also concludedst with a most painfull and