put it in execution and a greater punnishment it is and inflicted for some greater sin for a man not to see nor knowe that which he is bounde to doe Of these secret sinnes which are committed through ignorance and yet for all that bee imputed by God and seuerelie by him punnished we haue many examples in holy scripture I will here onely make mention of two but those of the most notable to giue more light to that which hath beene saide God commaunded King Saul to inuade the countrey of the Amalachites and vtterly to destroye 1 Reg. 15. them not leauing either man or beast aliue because they did not shewe mercy but crueltie towardes the Israelites when they came out of Aegipt Saul went and conquered the coūtry slew men and beastes as he was commanded but yet he did spare the life of the king called Agag and some of the best cattell and in this facte hee neuer thought that hee had committed any sin at all for to saue the kinges life he did it vnder the title of piety and some of the beastes hee reserued for outwarde shewe of religion to offer them in sacrifice to God and therfore when the Prophet Samuell did reprehende him for not hauing kept the commaundement of God he answered confidentlie that he had done all that which God had willed and appointed him Albeit Saul sinned because hee should not haue interpreted the commandement of God according to his owne fancy nor to haue donne expreslie contrary to that which God gaue him in charge either vpon any pretext of piety or colour of religion yet he thought that he had not committed any sinne therein nay rather hee supposed that he had donne verye well and so that which hee reputed for no faulte God very iustlie did impute vnto him for a grieuous sinne and did punnish him most severelie for the same depriuing him of his kingdome and casting him out of his favour and suffering him by a naughtie death to 2 Reg. 24. ende his daies Dauid had a desire to number his people and to muster all the men of war in his kingdome he put this his desire in executiō This was in him a great sinne both because it was very chargeable to the king very troublesome to the people without any necessity or iust cause and also because it was a kinde of pride and vaine ostentation as Saint Gregory saith and to this may be also added howe it was against the law which commanded that when vpon necessitie the people were numbred that euery one shoulde offer a certaine quantity in almes to bee imployed about the vses of the tabernacle This being so grieuous Exod. 30. a sinne and for so many reasons contrary to the lawe of God yet when Dauid did it he thought it not any such vntill afterwarde he sawe the punnishment thereof to consume his people by so pitifull a pestilēce that there were alreadye dead thereof seauenty thousand persons Then he perceaued what a great sinne he had committed and did confesse it saying I haue sinned much in this fact and haue done Charthusianus 2 Reg. 24. foolishlie And Dauid fell into this sinne because beholding himselfe so potent in battaile and to ouercome al his enemies he suffered some presumption to enter into his hart and for this sin and for the sinnes of the people God did suffer him to fall into such an ignorance and blindnesse that hee knewe not howe greate a sinne that was which he then committed So that both Saul and Dauid offended God in doing these sinnes not knowing howe greate the faulte was which then they did and in like manner many fall into verie grieuous sinnes through culpable ignorance as hath bin saide and some of them as Saul neuer come to know or confesse them and so die in their sinnes and perishe for euer Others as Dauid come to the knowledge therof and doe purge them by true penance and contrition To the end therefore that wee may preserue ourselues from falling into so great blindnesse as this is and if we be already fallen that wee may come out of it let vs nowe see what remedies are for this purpose to be vsed and put in practise Chap. X. Of a very profitable remedye against the harme which commeth by secret sinnes and that is euery day to examine our conscience and the manner how this is to he done HAuing now declared how great an hinderāce it is to a good confessiō lightly to examine our consciēce the great harmes which from that negligence doe growe and that is for a mā to fall into those sins which he knoweth not requisite it is likewise to giue some instructions how we may ouercome this carelesnes deliuer our selues from these so great harmes The first is for a man willingly to take paines to enter vvith consideration into himselfe and to search all the corners of his conscience and crauing light at Gods handes that he may know himselfe to stay there for some space pondering the motions desires of his owne soule and the workes which from that doe spring For to applie carefully and with diligence the hearte troubled with such varietye of tentations to consider with quiet the inward actiōs of the soule and the outwarde of the body is a thing of trauaile paine and therefore necessary it is that a man should resolue him selfe to imbrace this labour and to overcome this difficultie And to the end that a man may by vse make this examination well and get a facility therein let him not thinke it enough to examine his conscience once before he goeth to confession but let him make it daiely And for that purpose at night when he goeth to bed let him retire himselfe into some secret place before some image and there let him call his soule to account how it hath bestowed that day and let him examine well all that hee hath thought said or done and such sins as he findeth himself to haue fallen into let him purge with the teares of pennance for so did holy Iob and this was his meaning when he saide I considered O Lord with feare all my workes because Cap. 9. I knowe that thou wilt not leaue any sin vnpunnished as though hee had said To preuent thy iudgment and punnishment I haue iudged and punnished my selfe and that euery day and euery hower because the holye man coulde not make this examination of all his workes had hee not vsed it very often And king Dauid so employed about the affaires of his kingdome and so charged with businesse of great weight was not for all that carelesse herein but did euery night recollect himselfe to make this examination of his conscience and to bewaile all the wickednesse which he had committed against the will of God This doth he plainly declare when he saith thus I haue labored in sorowe and sighing for my sins and euery night haue I exercised my felfe vntill I haue
them with those of the former day to see whether thou hast amended thy selfe and endeuour carefully euery day to leade a more vertuous life for by these meanes shalt thou bee more like and more neere to the blessed Angelles and more acceptable in the sight of God Chap. XI Of an other singular meanes for a man to deliuer himselfe from secret sins and that his confessions may be more fruitfull which is to haue one determinat ghostly father vnto whom he ought ordinarily to confesse his sinnes AN other meanes which a man hath to vse for the remedy of these mischiefes is to haue one confessor and spirituall father who is a prudent man and of a good conscience vpon whome ordinarily let him relie and to him often confesse himselfe in such doubts as occur demande his aduice and counsell Let him not without great cause change his ghostly father but keepe one sure and certaine whōe he hath made choise of to him let him open his soule giue an account of his whole life and not onely of those thinges which be certainely sinnes but likwise of those wherein he standeth in doubt neither let him onely discouer his sinnes but also his good workes and pennances and mortifications which he doth that hee may instructe and direct him to doe that which is most for the seruice of God If our ghostly father had no other office but to absolue vs frō our sins inconuenient it were not to confesse one day to one man and an other day to confesse vnto an other but so it is not for besides this hee hath also the office of a father and a maister and of a phisition and by reason hereof it appertaineth to Cap. omnis vtriusque sexus Gulielmus Parissien de penitentia him to teach his ghostly childe all such thinges as be necessary for the good of his soule and to knowe the rootes and occasions of his sinnes his passions and wicked inclinations that he may the better cure them by prescribing meete remedies for those diseases and to know his vertuous actions good inclinations that he may informe him how to make the more profit of them for his further encrease in vertue and to vnderstande vvhat penances he doth to the ende he may teach him the rule of discretion which touching them he hath to obserue To him also it belōgeth to appoint him meanes both to preserue himselfe and to profit in the seruice of God and also how to continue those good meanes Wherefore to the ende that the ghostly father may performe al these principall parts of his duty necessary it is that hee haue a very good insight in his ghostly child and a long knowledge experiēce of the state of his soule that as reason shall require he may apply one day one remedy an other day an other to continue it so long as shall be conueniēt to enquire whether he reape any profit by such coūsel meanes as he doth prescribe which thing cānot be performed if the penitēt do not vsually repaire to one ordinary ghostly father When a scholer learneth an art of som wise expert maister it importeth much that hee haue but one man to teach him for if hee goe one daye to one and an other to an other that which he learneth with one he forgetteth with an other And when any sicke body is for some great infirmity vnder the hands of a learned phisition requisite it is that the same man doe proceede forwarde in the cure of his disease for if one looke to him one day and an other haue care of him an other his recouery is much hindred and it falleth out sometimes that what one doth an other doth vndoe In this manner it fareth in the arte of good life and in the phisicke of the soule for it importeth very much that the ghostly father being a wise and discreete man shoulde ordinarily bee but one who may continue on his good counsel and the cure of his soul This aduise giueth Saint Bonauenture in these wordes Make choise of one ghostly father who is of discretion learning experience to whom confesse thy selfe and open all the defectes and tentations of thy soule that be may prescribe thee a remedye and change him not either for shame or for feare to be confounded nay rather for thy greater confusion enforce thy selfe to confesse to that man and open vnto him the state of thy soule as plainely as thou canst This is the counsell of Saint Bonauenture And that wee ought likewise to declare vnto such an ordinary ghostly father our deuotions penances and other diuine inspirations comforts S. Dorotheus and the holye S. Dorotheus serm 20. Cassianus collat 1. cap. 10. Abbot Moises and other holye men doe aduise vs as a thinge most important to haue our soul well directed defended from the craft and subtiltie of the Diuell And as I say that ordinarily it is good to keepe one ghostly father so iust causes may fall out for which it may be expedient to confesse some time vnto an other and to chang one man and take an other to whome vsually he should repaire for confession And if it be not done vpon lightnesse or a vaine desire but vpon necessitie or for some iust respecte it is not to be reprehēded especially if the cause be for that our old ghostly father cānot be had at all or at that time for then shall it not onely be wel done to confesse vnto an other but it should be a great fault not to doe it For if because our vsual ghostly father cānot be had one should giue ouer his ordinary confessiōs wax slack in his good custome to go oftē to confessiō it were certainly a very bad signe for by that did he make it manifest that in his confessions he sought his own contēt not God that he desired his own temporall comfort and not the true good of his owne soule for had hee soughte the pleasure of God and the profit of his soule when his olde confessor coulde not be had he woulde quicklie haue made choise of an other seing in that he did please God and procure the good of his own soule By this meanes of keeping one ordinary ghostly father who is a wise man and one that feareth God he that sincerely desireth and laboureth to saue his soule shall deliuer him selfe from all euils and inconueniences of culpable ignorance and from erring in such thinges as pertaine to his saluation For seeing his cōfessor is in the place of Christ our Lord and the penitent soule commeth vnto him as thoughe it were to the feete of Christ him selfe it pertaineth to the pietye of our mercifull maister and to the fidelity of his promises to teach illuminate such a soule in all thinges necessary for his saluation seing he doth seeke it by those meanes which himselfe hath ordayned in his church and especially by this of
prepared and disposed to receaue the holy communion wherefore hee that mindeth to communicat let him first holpen with Gods grace and stirred vp to deuotion by good meditations and kindled with the flame of charity bannish from himselfe the dust and chaffe of veniall sinnes and therefore haue care O christian that thou commest not to communicat without consideration nor much colde in deuotion for then thou commest not with that disposition which thou shouldest haue All these bee the wordes of S. Bonauenture in which he doth set down what the causes be that hinder such as frequent the B. Sacrament from receauing that great profit and good which by meanes thereof they both might ought And although it be a common true opinion that for such causes and sins as these which be not mortall that such as communicat do not lose all the fruit of the B. Sacrament but that they receaue encrease of grace yet certaine also it is that they doe lose that plentifull and abundant fruit of diuers graces vertues which are ordinarilye bestowed vpon such as come better prepared other wonderfull effects which vsually it worketh in their soules that are more pure and deuout Chap. XIIII Wherein is declared more at large howe for the receauing of more abundant fruit of the holy Communion conuenient it is to purifie the soule from veniall sinnes OVt of the premisses Gods seruants that frequent the holy Communion may gather what meanes they haue to vse for the amending of these defectes and the remouing of these impediments whereof one is much to enforce themselues to avoide not onely mortal sinnes but also to diminish and lessen what they can those that bee veniall vsing for that ende mortification whereof before we haue at large entreated for that is the Tract 6. meanes by which the soule is cured of the disease of her passions and is purified from veniall sins which out of them doe spring And with this purity a christian man may securely goe vnto that holy table as S. Chrysostome doth exhorte him saying Come to receaue God with all purity and giue thy hart with great confidence by this most holy body which heere I receaue I doe not account myselfe any more to be dust Homil. 24. in 1. epist ad Corint and ashes no more to be a captiue but free because I hope to obtaine heauen and those goodes which be there as immortall and euerlasting life a place amongest the Angels and the glorious company of Christ Thus saith S. Chrysostome And the glorious Pope S. Gregory doth note and ponder this point more in particular that most excellently who admonishing all faithfull christians to purifie themselues from sinne for the receauing of the blessed Sacrament saith that they ought not onely to cleere themselues from mortall sinnes which doe wholly hinder the fruite of this most diuine sacrament but also from veniall which bee a let to that great spirituall cōmodity which would come by meanes thereof These be his wordes worthy of due consideration Those that come In exposit super 1. reg li. 1. cap. 1. to receaue the consecrated hoste which giueth true health and doe harboure sinnes in their soule which they haue committed doe not reccaue the fruite of health and therefore albeit they receaue with their mouth the true sacrament yet doe they not receaue with their soule the vertue and fulnesse thereof because that is receaued onely of them that come fasting from sinnes and be adorned with vertues And because the iust also and the elect seruants of God cannot leade this life without falling into some sins therefore the remedy which they haue is that they enforce and stirre vp them selues daily to purge their soule by penance from those daily sins into which they fall through humane infirmity for if they haue not this care daily to purifie them selues from their sins although they be very small by litle and litle the soule is filled full of sinnes which do depriue them of the fruit of the inwarde and spirituall fulnes and therefore to auoide this harme S. Paule doth admonish a christian man that hee shoulde prooue him selfe before he doth communicate that is to say that hee shoulde purge and discharge himselfe from sin that being prooued and purified he may come to the table of our Lord wherfore seeing we sinne daily daily also let vs bewaile our sinnes and doe pennance for them and the more carefully we doe purifie our selues from these daily sinnes with the sorowe of penance so much the more in that spirituall banquet shal we receaue the abundant fruite of heauenly grace All this is out of S. Gregory in which diuinely he putteth a difference betwixte that harme which mortall sinne doth worke which is to hinder the whole fruite of the blessed Sacrament to make a man worthy of condemnation and the harme which cometh by veniall sinnes if they be not washed away by pennance for they doe much let the wonderfull commodity and effectes of the holy communion And very seriously doth he admonish vertuous and iust men to purge them selues daily from such sinnes especiallye when they meane to communicate because the more cleere they be from thē so much the more shall they receaue the plentiful fruite of heauenly gifts and graces and especially shall they feele in their soule that diuine fulnesse and inward sweetnesse which is bestowed vpon them that haue the true hunger of God Chap. XV. How to receaue fruite of the blessed Sacrament necessary it is for a man to prepare himselfe with recollection and meditation and what manner of meditations or considerations are good to bee vsed for that purpose THE second thinge which the seruants of God haue to do is to recollect them selues before they communicate to the ende they may pray and meditate diuine thinges conformable to those documents which we prescribed in the treatise of prayer and although a man may out of any matter which he meditateth drawe deuotion meete for the holy communion yet the best and most fit considerations to furnish him selfe withall for this purpose bee these Let him meditate vpon the institution of this most holy sacrament in the last supper how our Lord rose from the table tooke of his garment and putting a linnen cloth about him did vpon his knees wash his Disciples feete and afterward when they were fet how he tooke bread wine into his hands by his omnipotent power did consecrate change them into his body and bloud which were vnited to his soule and diuinity and how whē he had first communicated him self as many holy men do write hee did streight waies with his owne hands distribute his owne body and bloud to his Apostles and withall gaue them authority also to consecrate his body and to giue it to all faithfull people Heere let a christian man meditate attentiuely that infinit magnificence of the son of God that liberality neuer before heard of
and that vnspeakable charity by which he voutsafed to giue him selfe to be eaten in such a wonderfull sorte thereby to binde vs vnto him by a most straight band of loue by these meanes to heale our infirmities and to make vs after his likenesse holy pure diuine and heauenlye From this consideration let him labour to procure a greate hunger and very feruent desire to eate this breade of life and to drawe from it a readye vvill to please in all thinges the author of life who with so greate loue doth giue himself to vs for meat Let him likewise consider and ponder what great purity is required to come to receaue this diuine foode seing the Apostles that were in the state of grace cleere from mortall sinnes yet our Sauiour preparing thē with more purity for the receauing of the holy communion did wash their feete which was as S. Bernard Serm. de cena dom saith to purifie them by a mistery from their venial sinnes For the affections of the soule which doe quickly cleaue vnto earthly thinges be the feete of our soul these we must wash and make cleane to enter into heauen and to come vnto the holy communion and this mistery as that blessed mā saith did our Sauiour represent by that holy kind of washing Out of this let a man likewise enforce him selfe to be sory for all his sinnes both mortall and veniall and to purpose the amendment of thē all and beholding how vile and vnworthy he hath made himself through his sinnes and that so great purity is required to receaue so infinite maiestye in so much that if he should prepare him selfe continuallye for the space of a thousand yeeres to receaue him by deuoute prayers holy workes and with the merits of all Saintes yet all woulde be very litle nothing to receaue him as he deserueth let him endeuour also out of this to conceaue feare and reuerence for as from loue desire groweth and a ready will so from holy feare springeth reuerence with which he ought to come to the holy cōmunion An other consideration Ambros de sacram lib. 6. cap. 1. wherewith Gods seruant may prepare himselfe to come vnto the sacred communiō with deuotion is this Let him consider the dignity and high maiesty of that Lord whome he is to receaue let him thinke howe in Concil Trident. sess 13. c. 1. that instant in which the words of consecration be spoken the substance of bread which remained vnder the accidentes of the hoast giueth ouer to be breade by the conuersion of the same into the body of Christ so the creature giuing place to the creator in that place where before was the substance of the breade succeedeth the body of Christ which was framed by the holye Ghost in the wombe of the most immaculat Virgin and because the body of Christ liueth not without bloud there also is present the most pretious bloude of Christ in the veines of his most holy body and for as much also as the body of Christ liueth not without the soul there is likwise his most glorious soule in which are contained the vnspeakable treasures of the power and glory of God and for as much as the body and soule of Christ are vnited with the person of God Christ is God and man he that is there contained is true God of infinit maiesty power After this let him prepare himselfe to consider with attention Now I am to receaue God and that hee may the better vnderstande what a Lord he is whom he is to receaue let him by meditation place himselfe at the gate of heauen there let him consider the glory and beauty of that supreame maiesty and behoulde howe by his infinite bounty he doth enflame vvith wonderfull loue all the citizens of heauen and with the sight of his eternall beauty doth make them all blessed and infinitlie delight them Let him viewe with what reuerēce al the saints and Angels euen to the highest Seraphins doe stande in his presence how they doe adore him howe they doe praise him howe they doe glorifie him how they doe loue him and after he hath spent some time in the admiratiō of so infinite greatnes glory let him turne vnto him selfe and thinke thus in his owne soule This very God whose maiestie doth terrifie me am I to receaue into my mouth body this infinit good which doth make ioyfull the city of God this selfe same am I to enclose in mine heart and this supreame creator of all thinges before whose maiesty the Seraphins and all the glorious company of heauen be prostrate with great reuerence him am I to beholde to touch vnder those accidents or outwarde formes and to receaue in to my body for the foode of my soule And this so great a Lord doth come vnto me ouercome with loue and drawne by loue and he commeth to enamor mee of him selfe and by loue to turne me into himselfe hee commeth to bestow vpon me the treasures of his grace and glorye and to translate me from earth to heauen Out of this consideration will our soule gather great loue and reuerence to come vnto the holy communion for how can it choose but bee burnt vp in loue at the consideration of so infinite goodnesse and bountie who hath done so many thinges for his loue and who so desireth his loue how can it be that being a sinner he shoulde not reuerence with an holy kinde of feare that infinite maiestye before whome with the eies of his soule he beholdeth all the princes of heauē to stand trembling for reuerence Other considerations more D Bonau de prepara ad missam cap. 6. in fasciculario cap. 8. proper and more vsuall vvith which the soule hath to prepare it selfe to receaue this most diuine sacrament be the misteries of our Sauiours passion for one of the principall reasons of the institutiō of this sacrament was to the ende we shoulde alwaies haue present and liuely in our memory and affection the passion of Christ and all that which he did and suffered for vs and this is represented vnto vs in the mistery of the Masse and Communion and therefore a verie proper and fit preparation it is before communion to discourse by meditation vpon some of the principall misteries of his passion and to entertaine our selues for some time with attention in some one of them And from hence shall we also drawe as afterwardes shall be handled the holy acts of contrition feare thankes giuing loue and resignation of our selues in which thinges consisteth that deuotion which is necessary for the receauing of the holy communion very great reason there is that wee shoulde vndertake this so small a labor as attentiuelie to consider what our good Lorde suffered for our sake seeing him selfe vouchsafed to suffer for our loue and this meditation is so effectuall profitable that by it we doe dispose our selues to receaue
he woulde sende his seruantes before hande to prouide all thinges in good order What king is more potent rich then thou O Lord who art king of kinges and Lord of Lordes and what creature is more pore or miserable then my soule Wherefore seeing thou vouchsafest to come and to repose in it send thy Angelles before hand to adorne it to purify it to illuminate and perfecte it in such sort as the superior Angelles doe purifie and illuminate the inferior Sende thy diuine presents thy perfecte gifts thy heauenly treasures that my soul with such celestial furniture may be adorned and set in that good order as is conuenient for the lodging of so mightie and heauenly a guest And because O Lord necessary it is that my soule shoulde also consent and do what lieth in her power send forth I beseech thee such forcible fauours and effectual helps that may make it wholly sweetly and cheerefully to obey thy diuine will And when he hath craued this of our Sauior Christ let him then turne him selfe to the blessed Virgin and to such Saints as his deuotion especially affecteth craue of them with humilitye that they woulde obtaine for him the effecte of his petition After communion let him entertaine himself in the church the space of a litle quarter of an hower whē opportunity serueth not to doe more and that time let him bestowe in giuinge of thankes to our Lorde for this most high and singular benefit and in crauinge at his handes newe fauours and grace that he may serue him better for the time to come If one had his neere kinsman or friende which came out of the Indies vvith great store of riches were desirous to lodge in his house and that vpō great curtesy friendship which he beareth him and with a minde to bestovve vpon him part of his wealth certaine it is that when he sawe him enter in at one dore that he would not goe out at the other but would keepe him continuall cōpany and be merry vvith him giuing him such entertainment for his welcome and willingly giue him eare whilest hee did discourse of his trauailes and aduentures and when he came to receaue those riche giftes which hee bestowed vpon him hartelie vvoulde he yeelde him thankes and seeing him of a franke and liberall minde and desirous to giue yet more no question but he would demand all that which were necessary for himselfe and his family In this maner ought we to behaue our selues towardes our Sauiour Christ after we haue communicated for he commeth vnto vs from the Indies of heauen full of celestiall riches which be of diuine and infinite value and hee commeth mooued of sincere loue to lodge in our soule to enrich it and beginneth to bestowe his gifts and treasures vpon vs hath a desire to giue much more let vs not then by and by forget him and straight waies busie our mindes in other thinges far different for what were this else but for our Lord to enter in at one dore and for vs to goe out at an other which were contrary to all curtesie opposite to all good manners but let vs keepe him company and be glad of his glory and all that seruice which the Saints in heauen and the iust vpon earth doe vnto him Let vs giue him thanks from the bottome of our heart for al those benefits which he hath bestowed vpon vs especially for this that he hath voursafed to come and remaine in our soule by such a mistery and wonderfull meanes And for this purpose let vs consider who he is that cōmeth which is God with all his infinite perfection to whome he commeth that is to a sinfull man who often times hath offēded him what moueth him to come which is sincere loue and desire of his good and wherefore bee commeth which is to bestowe vpon him his merits and the fruite of his sacred passion and death the moste pretious giftes of his grace purchased with the incōparable trauailes and sorowes of thirty and three yeeres After that Gods seruant hath wel meditated vpon this let him offer vnto him for a thankes giuing al the merits of his most holy passion and all the vertues which doe shine in that and relying vpon these merits and ioyning them in companye with those vertues let him offer vnto him good purposes of the amendment of his life and resolute desires to make it much better and let him craue pardon of those sinnes and faultes into which he hath fallen in not cōmunicating with all that puritie and deuotition which was requisit After al this let him lay before him all his necessities infirmities ignorances falles and al the rest of his miseries and let him craue for him selfe newe gifts graces vertues and particular fauours and withall let him aske the same for all Gouernors spirituriall and temporall Let him pray also for succor and help for all the necessities of the catholicke church both generall and particular for the encrease of true faith religion and vertue for the conuersion of infidelles and heritickes and for the amendment of all such as professe the true faith of Iesus Christ and the selfe same thing let him also request for all such particular persons as hee is bounde vnto or hath any speciall deuotion And here Gods seruant hath to vnderstande that of all the times either of the day or night there is not anie one better to meditate and praie and to aske graces at Gods handes then this in which after he hath communicated hee hath IESVS Christ present not onely as concerninge the presence of his diuinitie accordinge to vvhich hee is in euerie place but also as touching the presence of his most sacred humanity which really continueth so long in his body as the sacramentall formes doe there remaine Whilest our sauiour was in this world in mortall flesh in all places where hee came hee bestowed particular benefits vpon all such as vvith faith did touch him or commēd themselues vnto his diuine maiestie He went into the house of Zacheus of an vsurer made Luc. 9. him a iust man and the sonne of Abraham Hee entred into the house of Matthew the publican Math. 9. made him holy and an Apostle Trauailing vpon the way a woman Math. 9. that had an issue of bloude did touch him and forthvvith was she cured Being by the sea Mar. 4. of Galile all that had any infirmities Math. 21. did touch him and were made sounde Being in the temple the blind and the lame came vnto him and he restored sight to the first and legges to the last Being in the field vpon a mountaine there came vnto him those which were possessed of vvicked spirits and they were deliuered there repaired vnto him all that had any infirmities striuing to touch him and vertue came frō him he cured all That which he did then visiblie being in the world the selfe