this B. Sacrament was to testifie the greatnes of his loue to his faithfull according to that of S. Iohn Iesus knowing that his houre approched that he was to departe out of this world to his heauenly father wheras he loued his who were in the world he loued them to the end Wherby as in his incarnation he vnited our flesh to his diuinitie by an hypostaticall vnion so doth he in the Euchariste vnite the same to the said diuinitie Sacramentally and doth as it were incorporate it and render it diuine Affection O my euer dearest Rabboni what a huge fire of loue thon laiest to my hart Ah my poore soule must we not needes acknowledge that a deadly colde hath benummed thee if the blood of a God dyeing cannot recouer heate and life into thee He loued thee in the beginning he loued thee before the beginning he loued thee first he loued thee most he loued thee to the end yea after the end sith he applies the blood he powred out for thee daily to thy hart And to what end all this powerfull pressing but to gaine thy hart to loue THE XIII MEDITATION Tbe third Cause That he might remayne with vs. I. POINT CONSIDER that the third cause of the institution of the Blessed Sacrament was that so he might leaue himselfe to vs and be alwayes present with vs that we might familiarly conuerse and coferr with him consult him in all our doubts haue recourse to him in all our difficulties pressures temptations and tribulations making good in effect that of the Prouerbs My delights are to be with the sons of men S. Fran. It is a great miserie and a lamentable infirmitie that hauing him so present we yet should care for any other thing in the world Affection O God thou art truly our gracious Emmanuel our nobiscum Deus our God with vs. No other nations haue their Gods so neere as our God is neere to vs. Thou art alwayes with vs deare Lord and thou hast the words of eternall life to whom then shall we goe for Counsell for comfort for assistance in all our difficulties but to thee alone who hast giuen vs such assurances of thy singular loue and shewen in effect that thou wilt not leaue vs Orphants but wilt gather vs together as the henn gathers her chickens vnder her wings Remayne with vs then deare Lord and we will stay with thee nor will we euer depart or remoue our selues from 〈…〉 at blessed protection of thyne The fourth Cause c. Toleaue vs a representation of his Passion II. POINT CONSIDER that a fourth cause of the inst of the B. Sacram. was that by his last will he might leauevs an Idea formeor representation of his life and Passion which might continually refresh in euery one of vs the memorie of our Redemption purchaced at so deare a price as his owne pretious blood For while we looke vpon the species of the bread alone the dead body of our sweete Sauiour is represented vnto our mynds and by the species of the wine alone we are put in mynd of the effusion of his pretious blood whence S Paule as often as you eate this bread and drinke this cupp you shall announce or declare the death of our Lord till he come Affection O my soule le ts neuer forgett at how deare a price we were bought and thervpon glorifie and beare God about in thy breast This that appeares to thee vnder the species of bread alone is left to represent vnto thee and putt thee in mynd of the deade body of thy deare Master And this which thou seest vnder the species of the wine alone to renew to thee the effusion of his pretious bloud And both togeither crye loude to our hartes as frō his sacred mouth Christians friends at least you my spouses Remember my bloudie sweate Remember the scornes and contumelies I suffered Remember my patience and humilitie in the midst of them Remember my vineger and gale my huge torments my vtter abandonmentes and for loue of you As often as you doe this doe it in memorie of me THE XIV MEDITATION The fift Cause The exercise of all vertues I. POINT CONSIDER that a fift cause of the Inst of the B. Sacrament was to leaue a continuall occasion of the exercise of all vertues Our Faith is exercised while we beleeue that a whole God and man lyes hidd and is contayned really and truly though inuisiby vnder a smale hoste Our Hope while seeing him dayly and hourely bestowe himselfe we cannot despaire of obtayning any thing lesse then himselfe Our Charitie while we looke into his open side which is a fornace of inflamed loue Religion adoreing him with soueraigne worshipe or Latria Our obedience and humilitie while captiuating our vnder standing in obedience to faith we constantly beleeue maugre the suggestion of our senses and our naturall reason that God lyes truly hidd vnder these slender and meane accidens of bread and wine Affection Yes my soule here we may euery day comfortably and meritoriously exercise our faith where sight taste touche fayle Faith with eagles eyes lookes home and assures it is our hiddem Lord that is eleuated before vs. It is my Lord the verie Lord that made me and dyed for me Yes he himselfe tels it me saying This is my body And I imbrace his word adorc him And whom I adore present by a goodnesse which hath nothing like to it how should I not wholy conside How should I but hope in him whome I haue for a pledge in hand that he will himselfe be my reward for euer And how should I not loue him who so graciously stayes with me here below reserues himselfe for me aboue I doe ther-for confesse thee present confide in thee loue worshippe thee ô Lord and stoope downe to this admirable mysterie of Loue with all the humilitie and obedience my hart is able to conceiue The sixt Cause c. A memoriall to preuent obliuion II. POINT CONSIDER that the sixt cause of this Sacred Institution was to leaue a meanes to remoue the greatest mischeife that can befall a poore creature which is the obliuion of his Creatour They forgot God who saued them saith the Psalmist their harts departed from him who made them And what became of it but coruption and abomination corrupti sunt abominabiles facti sunt For by obliuion of God we loose diuine grace waxe vgly and deformed by the infection of sinne and become slaues to the Diuell Affection Ah my soule how should we euer be sovnhappie as to forgett him in whom we liue moue and haue beeing who while we yet were not raysed vs to what we are Who while we abused that beeing and strayed from him had for vs thoughtes of peace and not of affliction thoughtes of reconcilement and saluation Can a Mother saith that Louer of Men forgett the child of her body and though she should yet would I neuer forgett you Ah how should
enterchange sacred kisses with hym Nothing but sweet words as my beloued is myne and I am his is heard Le ts thus my soule find out receiue and entertayne our deare spouse 2. Point Consider that faith hope and charitie can neuer be more profitably and agreeably imployed to the making vp of a perfectly good preparation then vpoÌ„ the death and passion of our deare Sauiour who left vs himselfe in this Blessed Sacrament for a speciall memorie therof saint Bernard giues vs this assurance With such ornaments as these is our heauenly Spouse delighted gladly enters he into the Bride chamber of the harte where he finds the ensignes of his Passion his Crosse crowne and lance diligently reflected vpon and made familiar Affection Yes my soule for what can be more desire in vs then that for which he so louingly left himselfe with vs to the end of the world where could euer faith be more meritoriously exercised then vpon a God dying for his sinfull people where humane reason found nothing but a man ignominiously dying Where could hope more firmely ancor then where it mett with such excesse of mercy Where could charitie so delightfully solace it selfe as in the continuall memorie of a God dying for loue Let our thoughtes then ô my soule be wholy taken vp in the memorie of Iesus-Christ and him crucified THE INSTITVTION OF the B. Sacrament THE XI MEDITATION Of the truth of the reall presence And while they supped Iesus tooke bread and Blessed and broke and gaue to his Disciples and said take and eate this is my body c. Matt. 26. Mar. 14. Luc. 22. And. S. Paule 1. Cor. 11. saith I receaued from our Lord what I deliuerd vnto you because our Lord Iesus the night in which he was deliuered toke bread and giuing thankes broke and said take and eate this is my body which shall be deliuered for you doe this in remembrance of me I. POINT CONSIDER that ether these testimonies doe manifestly and infallibly conclude the truth of the realitie of our Sauiours presence in the consecrated hoste or els we can neuer expect any certaine truth out of holy Scripture Nothing is more vnanimously deliuered in all Scripture This is my body saith S. Mathew This is my body saith S. Marke This is my body saith Saint Luke This is my body concluds saint Paule Noe words can be deuised either shorter or clearer to expresse the same truth The nature of the busines exacted clearenes for he gaue vs an example of what we were to doe in imitation and memorie of him and againe it was a last will and that some few houres onely before he knew he was to dye for vs wherin all men striue to expresse themselues clearely and sincerely without all varnish trope figure equiuocation or mentall reseruation as far as may be Affection O God how thou hast closely besieged as it were and left no passage to euasion forcing in a manner this Confession from us that vpon this truth thy testimonies are too too credible for is it credible that 3. Euangelists and the great Apostle of the Gentiles would vnanimously conspire to misleade all their posteritie Or can it be imagined that Truth would striue to deceaue vs by leauing vs affirmatiues to be vnderstood for negatiues in a matter of practise would a tender Father teach his rude and ignorant children by hisbodie to vnderstand not his bodie to witt bread Would the goodnesse and wisedome of heauen in his verie laste words haue left to his deare Spouse the Church an ineuitable occasion of error and perpetuall Idolatrie euer since Farre is it from a Christian vnderstanding and farr be it euer from the hartes of thy seruants whom thou feedest with thy flesh which is truly meate and with thy blood which is truly drinke We deuoutly adore thee ô hidden Deitie who art truly and really vnder the formes of bread and wine Let 's rather dye then denye depart from or entertaine the least doubt of this certaine Truth Of the tyme of the institution 2. Point Consider that our Sauiour instituted this Sacrament of loue in a tyme where most loue and tendernes vseth to be expressed to witt at his last supper with his Apostles as the last memorie of a dying man as a pledge of his loue which he desired to imprint deepely in their harts And this too expressed in words full of loue Desiderio desideraui I haue earnestly desired to eate this Pascall or passe-ouer with you before I suffer To witt the present apprehension of his paynefull death is not able to allay the pressings of his tender loue of which he will euen leaue himselfe a pledge Affection Sweete Sauiour Iesu to what higth doth thy Charitie burne Was it not enough for that deare Lord of ours to haue instituted this Sacrament of loue wherein loue left God to man for his food vnlesse still more and more to commend the same loue vnto vs he had performed it in a circustmance of most loue and tendernesse euen iust when he was readie to goe out to signe with his pretious blood spilt for our loue the deed of gift of his bodie blood left for our food And that too acompaigned with dearest expressions loue could inuent 〈◊〉 haue exceeding earnestly desired to eate this Passcâ—all with you before my departure And wilt not thou then ô my soul feruently approch to this Sacrament desiring it with all the desires of thy hart not receiuing it with coldenesse and out of custome c. OF THE CAVSES OF THE Institution of the B Sacrament THE XII MEDITATION The 1. Cause to leaue a Sacryfice Gods worshippe CONSIDER that Christ did institue this Blessed Sacrament and Sacryfice that the holy Church his spouse might be alwayes prouided of a meanes to offer to God the highest worshipe imaginable yea euen condigne and proportionable to his owne infinite dignitie while a victime of an infinite value is offered to him to witt Christ God and man and there-for equall to himselfe as worthy as good as great as himselfe so that nothing ether greater or better can ether be payd owen or exacted nay euen be wished for or imagined by the wisdome of heauen it selfe Affection O great dignation ô infinite loue and bountie of God to man Man was not furnished with any thing worthy of God all the worshipe he could exhibite as proceeding from a pure and poore creature was base and vile and bore noe proportion to the great Creatour What doth he then doe but bestowe a sone and that sone himselfe vpon vs in this Sacred Mysterie himselfe not whit inferiour to his heauenly father and by that meanes inables vs to make an offering of equall worshipe and to pay more then we could euen contract O too too rich and happie Christians if we would know and consider our owne worth and happines The second Cause To leane vs a Legacie of Loue. II. POINT CONSIDER that the second cause of the Institution of
nothing els then so manie effects of his free grace without which we are not able of our selues to thinke one good thought nothing lesse then so many new obligations heaped vpon vs obligations I saye to imploy the rest of our tyme here belowe without intermission as the Angells their eternitie aboue in ioyfull Alleluya's that is peales of hartie Prayses and thankes-giuing for so great benefits Affection Say my soule with the great S. Augustine Let our Lord be alwayes magnifyed neuer my selfe in no place my selfe how euer I haue profitted to what degree of vertue soeuer I may haue attayned but our Lord alwayes Am I a sinner let him be magnified that I may be called to pennance Doe I confesse my sinnes let him be magnified that he may pardon me Doe I liue a good life let him be magnified that he may guide me Doe I perseuere to the end Let him be magnified that he may glorifie me Be he therefor alwayes magnified Let this alwayes be the iust mans profession and the profession of all those who seeke our Lord. Fruits of Christs Resurrection II. POINT CONSIDER how necessarie this Resurrection was to confirme our staggering faith to erect our daunted hope and to inflame our drooping charitie Wee did hope said the Disciples as who should saye but now we haue cause to doubt and so should we all haue said had not his resurrection bene rendred vndoubted For what did his poore natiuitie speake but a man borne in miserie And what did his death preach but a man dyeing in torment But his glorious Resurrection by sealing the truth of all the Prophecies wonderfully hightens our hopes and inflames vs with the loue of him who through loue of vs gaue waye to death from which he had strength enough in three dayes to raise himselfe Affection Well might our weake faith my soule haue staggered in seeing our God but a day olde in hearing him weepe like another childe in beholdinge him in pouertie and miserie Well might our faith haue been shaken when we sawe a God most ignominiously dye But now seeing him gloriously rise againe how can we doubt of all the rest Nay what may we not iustly hope for from so much goodnesse as would dye for vs and so much power as could rise againe And how is it possible that our harts should not burne with his loue who dyeing for ours makes good the faith of his Deitie by his so powerfull so manifest and glorious a Resurrection THE VIII MEDITATION Other fruites of our Sauiours Resurrection I. POINT CONSIDER as a second fruite of our Sauiours Resurrection a strong and constant hope of the Resurrection of our mortall bodie being first subdued by death Let the pagan Philosofers doubt and dispute as much as they will the resurrection of the dead is the vndoubted faith of the Christians after the resurrection of Christ and by vertue of the same For saith S. Leo If we beleeue in hart what we professe with our mouth in him we are crucified in him we are dead in him we are buried and in him we rise againe Affection Yes yes my soule the Resurrection of my Sauiour hath put this out of doubt Man is risen in him and therefore we shall also rise and we confidently professe with holy Iob that we know our Redeemer liueth and in the last day we shall rise out of the earth and we shall be compassed againe with our skinnes and in our flesh we shall see God whom we our selues shall see and our eyes shall behold and no other This hope is 〈◊〉 vp in our bosome II. POINT CONSIDER as the third fruite of this ioyfull and glorious day our Blessed Sauiours triumph and raigne ouer all the world happily beginning at Hierusalem and extending it selfe to the vttermost confines of the same thereby making his words I haue ouercome the world appeare in effect For if the world had malice enough to haue razed his name out of the hartes of men by his death vpon an infamous Crosse he contrarily had goodnes and power enough by the same death to imprint his memorie much deeper in their mindes to abolish Idolatrie the worshipp of false Gods and true Diuells and in their places to establish the worshippe of one true God ouer all the face of the earth all which at this day with much ioy to true Christian hartes we see effected Affection Reioyce my soule to see that Gods goodnes hath turned the malice of men to the aduantage of his owne glorie and their Saluation What excesse of ioy ought it not afforde to a true Christian hart to see the faith of a God-man infamously dyeing vpon a Crosse willingly imbraced all the world ouer To see that Crosse erected in triumph in euerie place To see regall and imperiall Crownes fall at the feete of it To see Idolles fall and Diuells flye at the verie signe of it Finally to see Iesus of Nazareth crucified acknowledged imbraced magnified adored in euerie corner of the earth THE IX MEDITATION I. POINT CONSIDER how our blessed Sauiour appeares a true louer of man not only in his life and at his death but euen after his Resurrection also And still becomes all to all that he might gaine all In the garden he appeares a Gardener to S. Marie To the Disciples fishing at sea as a passinger desiring fish To the two Disciples walking to Emmaus as a Pilgrime who accompaigned them to witt whether we seeke him with Magdalen or we follow our ordinarie imployments according to our state and calling with the Apostles or wee walke betwixt feares and hopes with the two Disciples Iesus sorsakes vs not for Iesus also himselfe approching went with them saith S. Luke Affection Ah my deare Lord to what excesse doth not thy loue goe into what posture doth it not put it selfe to gaine mans loue For him he dyes for him he riseth from death he walkes with him he talkes with him he eates with him he suffers his perfidious hand to sound his deare wounds Ah my euer dearest Rabboni how iustly may we saie with one of thy great Saintes Thou bestowest great blessings vpon vs euen caressest vs least we might waxe wearied in the waye Thou correctest whippest and smitest vs least we might wander out of the waye whether therefore thou dost caresse vs least we might faint in the waye or thou dost chastice vs least we might stray from the waye thou deare Lord art alwayes our Refuge II. POINT CONSIDER with whom it is that Iesus doth willingly walke in the waye of this our pilgrimage with whom he doth comfortably discourse and you shall finde by the example of the two Disciples goeing to Emmaus that it is with such as seriously conferre together or meditate vpon those deare passages of the life and death of our sweete Sauiour According to that of the Psalmist in my Meditation the fire begins to burne vp Affection Let vs. then my soule euer hence-forth make it our
thee O fire which euer burnest and art neuer extinguished doe thou inflame me O thou light which dost euer shine and art neuer darkened doe thou enlighten me O how my verie hart desires to be inflamed by thee How sweetly dost thou heate how secreetlie dost thou shine how delightfully dost thou burne THE XI MEDITATION How we may know whether the H. Ghost liues in vs. I. POINT CONSIDER that the certaine keeping of Gods commandements giues vs a certaintie that we loue God And who loues him certainly remaynes in God and God in him And in this saith S. Iohn we know that he remaines in vs by the holy Ghost which he gaue vs. If then our owne hartes reprehend vs not of the breache of Gods commandements we may haue a wholesome cōfidence in his goodnesse and mercie yea a morall certaintie that we stand in Gods grace and fauour and that the holy Ghost doth dwell in our hartes Affection Happie is the Soule which hath this testimonie in herself for certainly it is a continuall and a most delicious feast to her hart since it becomes thereby a very Paradice in earth the throne the temple the heauen of God O what a singular superexcellent Angelicall Seraphicall honour is this To be the house of God and to haue God to be our house and harbour To remayne in god god to remaine in vs. Is not this indeede to begin to be Angells and to haue our whole cōuersation with God Yet beware my soule let him that stands looke that he fall not it is yet in earth that we possesse this in heauen where the world the flesh and the diuell continually surround vs. Their snares are layd charitie is lost in a momēt It is not enough to haue the holy Ghost for the present but we must further to be able to ouercome all our temptations begge the continuance of his presence vertue and power by our incesant and ardent prayers saying with the good Disciples mane nobiscum Domine stay with vs stay with vs ô Lord. II. POINT CONSIDER that the presence of the cause is neuer more surely knowne then by the effects And the principall effect which the increated Charitie the holy Ghost produceth in our hart is Charitie de Spiritu Sancto And Charitie saith S. Paule is patient benigne she enuieth not she dealeth not peruersely she is not puffed vp she is not ambitious She seeketh nor her owne she is not prouoked to anger thinketh not euill reioyceth not vpon iniquitie but reioyceth with the truth suffers all things beleeueth all things hopeth all things beareth all things in fine she is cheerefull longanmious milde modest c. Affection If then laying our hand vpon our owne harts we find by an impartiall Examen that we are truly patient in Crosses afflictions and difficulties be they corporall or spirituall If benigne and milde in words and behauiour not arrogating too much to ourselues or seekeing our owne aduantages If we enuie not the good of others If our hartes swell not nor peruersely oppose our neighbour but sweetly support him entertaine a good opinion of him and hope well of his proceeding we may hopefully conclude that the finger of the holy Ghost is in the worke and sweetly moues gouernes disposeth all THE XII MEDITATION The Holy Ghosts presence gathered by the effects I. POINT CONSIDER yet further the effects of the holy Ghost in the B. Apostles and Primitiue Christians And the first is that they began to speake with diuers tongues according as the holy Ghost gaue them to speake and those tongues were imployed not to boast nor vant their owne knowledge and giue themselues the glorie of it but to publish the great workes of God to all Nations and to speake intelligibly to Partians Medians c. Affection And wee too haue power ô my soule by the assistance of the holy Ghost If we be faithfull in following the blessed motions which he graciously inspires into our hartes if not to speake all tongues at least in our owne only language to make ourselues intelligible to all nations Let vs speake Gods great workes by our actions let our light so shine before men that they may see our good workes Let our ioy peace patience benignitie mildnesse modestie the fruites of the holy Ghost appeare and infallibly none will be found so great a stranger as not to vnderstand that language of heauen and together with vs glorifie our heauenly father who blessed our hartes with those good gifts with which the world is too little acquainted II. POINT CONSIDER as another effect that ioy in the holy Ghost the newe wine of the Gospell which so feruently boiled vp in the hartes of the Apostles that they seemed no more to be themselues but to be transported and translated into new men to strike the hearers with astonishment to see those poore rude fishermen simple Galileans who neuer were suspected of much learning speake so powerfully and intelligibly to the harts of all present while yet some turned it to derision others ascribed it to drunkennesse Affection O sudden and powerfull effects of the holy Ghosts working who breathes where he will and when he will and how he will which worldlings are more readie and capable to misconster and deride then to feele or vnderstand These are affects of new wine Say they Yes saith S. Augustine it is euen so indeede with this new wine and this excellent cupp are the harts of the faithfull daily inebriated Thus are they druncke who for the loue of God and their soules health flye their parents and countrie of their owne accord and abandonne the parents of their bodies euen to find out other new ones of their soules Being free they desire to liue in subiection being noble they fall in loue with abiection They preferre abstinence before the delightes of full tables watching before sweete sleepe and pouertie before riches Such effects my soule hath it pleased God of his infinite mercie to worke in our hartes So haue wee been deliciously drunke with the chaste wine of his cellers begetting virgins THE XIII MEDITATION More effects prouing the Holy Ghosts presence I. POINT CONSIDER as another effect of the holy Ghost their vndaunted courage in openly preaching the miracles Resurrection Ascension and Glorification of Iesus in the face of his prowd persequutours who had but a few weekes before put him to an ignominious death This Iesus saith S. Peter who was wickedly slaine by you hath God raised vp againe where of we are all witnesses Let all the house of Israel know most certainly that God hath made this Iesus both Lord and Christ whom you crucified And those vndaunted wordes strucke the harts of three thousand which were conuerted that day Affection Is then the sweete and mellifluous name of Iesus in our hartes and is it from that abundance that our tongue speakes Doe we make it our busines to beare out that blessed name which is the only one under
thing but God can dispose man worthily to receaue God What euer is good in our hart is his gift as well as the hart it selfe It can indeede wish well and moue towards God but it is from him and by him and in him Thou must then ô God preuent dispose purifie beautifie worke all in vs because thou dost loue vs and thou dost loue vs because thou hast loued vs from all eternitie Affection What haue we then to doe deare Sauiour when we are to receaue thee but to run out before vnto thee by an humble acknowledgement of our owne insufficiencie and with frequent and feruent prayers to begge of thy goodnes to inable vs. How this great worke is to be performed we truly know not yet this we know that if the holy Ghost descend vpon vs and the vertue of the highest ouershade vs our harts will be made an agreable habitacle to thy Maiestie Cleanse vs then ô Lord and we shall be cleane and pure as thou commandest but giue ô Lord what thou commandest and command what thou wilt II. POINT CONSIDER that though none but God can dispose man worthily to receaue God yet will not God worke without our consent and cooperation to witt he disposeth euery thinge sweetly according to the nature of things he will not therfore force mans free will nor worke without it but will haue it to run with him following that Doe thou draw me and we both will run And that of S. Aug. Vnlesse thou wert an operator or woker God would not be a cooperator Hence it is said conuert yourselues to me and I will turne towards you Draw neere to God and he will draw neere to you In vaine doe we hope any thing shall be done vnlesse we contribute our owne endeuours to Gods preuenting and cooperating grace which yet runs before all or endeuours the will being prepared by our Lord. Affection O great God sith it is thy blessed will to admitt vs as Coadiutours to vse S. Paules expression in this great worke while thou needst not ours or any helpe to performe all that thou wilt in heauen and earth I resolue by the assistance of thy grace to omitt nothing which my pouertie may be able to performe I will first labour to remoue what might be noysome by ouercoming such and such imperfections to which I find my selfe more inclyned and then I will striue to adorne my soule with the vertues which I know to be most agreeable in thy sight confessing ingenuously that hauing done all we can we are but poore and vnprofitable Seruants THE IX MEDITATION The best preparation a good life I. POINT CONSIDER that properly speaking what is to be done on our parte is punctually to complie with our dutie And what is the dutie of a Christian but to liue Christianly that is to imitate him whom we worshippe Iesus Christ to endeuour continually to expresse his life in ours according to euery ones state and measure dayly to meditate his holy law of loue and faithfully to keepe his commandements To such he willingly comes with such he takes vp his Mansion Affection To haue the singular happinesse to feede of Christ my soule we must by all reason follow Christ To liue of Christ we must liue in Christ and according to Christ we must leade the life of Christ A life full of affabilitie mildnesse simplicitie humility and charitie to our heauenly Father and all our Christian brethren especially those who by one and the same holy profession are lincked togeither in vnion of hartes and designes It is not the solicitous and frightfull discussion of our hartes fuller of feare then loue one halfe houre before the tyme that will proue the best preparation to receiue so great a Maiestie Heare S. Augustine He that is not worthy dayly to receiue will not be worthy a yeare hence But a constant practise of vertue all the weeke long and a perseuerant resolution to subdue our vicious inclinations and neuer to desiste till we haue prepared in our hartes a place for our deare Lord a cleane tabernacle for the God of Iacob The necessarie preparation The state of grace II. POINT CONSIDER that the immediate and absolutely necessarie preparation is if we will not turne our souueraigne foode into poyson and eate our owne damnation to be in the state of grace that is that our consciences are neither certainly guiltie of mortall sinne nor reasonably doubtfull of the same nor that we liue in the neerest or absolute occasions therof To which we must adde if we haue the hartes of true Christians if great aduancement in vertue be our ayme if we desire not onely to haue life but to haue it more abundantly the freeing of our selues of the fantomes and fumes of mortall sinne affection to veniall sinne with our best endeuours to procure in our hartes a hunger and thirst of this sacred foode For this bread saith S. Augustine requires hunger in the interiour man Affection Alas my soule if we should euer haue bene or should be so vnhappie as to dare to approche this dreadfull table wanting the first we should but industriously labour more desparatly to loose our selues and for want of that wedding garment to be cast out into vtter darknesse A pittifull spectacle to God and Angells to see death drunke out of the fountaine of life To see poyson drawen out of that sweeter then honie combe And by wanting the second howeuer we remayne a liue we doe but languish Our sparing sowing can but hope for a poore croppe The heauenly operation is too much stratened in such narrow hartes God is not delighted where he finds so little delight Is it possible my soule that where we meete with so good measure and pressed downe and shaken togeither and runing ouer we should so sparingly measure backe againe That where God giues himselfe wholy man should render himselfe by halfes THE X. MEDITATION Not Solicitude but loue disposeth c. I. POINT CONSIDER and putt downe for certaine that vse we what care we will what solicitous examination and squeesing of cōscience we can possibly imploye yet shall we neuer appeare agreeable in our heauenly spouses sight neuer be gratefull to the God of vertues vnlesse we come adorned with his vertues especially those which he sent from heauen to witt faith hope and Charitie Heare S. Benard how much soeuer you purge your selues how much soeuer you torture and torment your selues the God of vertues will not come vnto you vnlesse you be adorned with the vertues Affection It is not by force of armes my soule by frightes and immoderate feares that this Blessed Guest ought to be receiued But firme Faith alone which with Zacheus clymes vp a loft ouer lookes all visible thinges and fixes vpon inuisible thinges can find him out Hope confidently opens the dores and charitie giues him a gratefull entertaynement louingly imbraces him and deliciously feastes with him and on him And humbly and chastly dares
so shall he be called and acknowledged to be the Sonne of the highest Iesus a Sauiour and shall raigne in the house of Iacob for euer And that therfor she is blessed amongst and aboue all women Affection O greatest astonishment to the Angells that euer they yet mett with since the Heauens Creation O greatest blisse to man that euer yet befell him since his first fathers fall O blessed effects of the flight of the world of silence of solitude of frequent prayer O Marie God Angell and man expecte thy consent O pious Virgine mournefull Adam with his whole miserable posteritie banished out of Paradice suppliantly crye to thee for it Abraham Dauid and all the ancient Fathers instantly begge it In a word all the world cast at thy feete humbly sues for it If that consent be giuen a passage to heauen is layd open to vs all THE II. MEDITATION I. POINT CONSIDER yet further and diligently ponder these pretious words which flow as heauenly pearles from the mouth of an Angell which man ought humbly to imbrace relish and locke vp not proudly and profanely to controle Blessed Marie is declared full of grace nor that in an ordinarie manner as diuers other Saintes were but according to the measure which Christ sorted out for his best beloued Mother who wisely sutes his giftes and graces according to the function place and dignitie to which he pleases to call euery one The fountaine the riuer the brooke are each one full so is the Sonne the Mother and the seruant But the Sonne as the sourse and sea whence all graces flow the Mother as neerliest ioyned to and most abundantly participating of the said sea the seruant as placed at a greater distance in a measure aggreable to a seruant in fine the seruant possesses it but by partes the Mother in the whole plenitude as saith S. Hierome Affection All hayle all hayle spotlesse Virgine mother of grace and mercy sith thou art the mother of my Lord and master I feare not to salute thee with an Angell full of grace since to speake wirh S. Athanasius the holy Ghost descended into thee with all his essentiall vertues which he stands possessed of by title of his diuine principalitie and therfor thou art most iustly stiled gratia plena as being replenished with the abundance of all the graces of the holy Ghost Many many daughters haue gathered riches togeither t is true but thou hast outstripped them all and art inriched with that peculiar grace which gaue glorie to the heauens a God to the earth faith to the gentils c. Dearest Lady mother daigne to Conueye some dropes of that ouer-flowing grace of thyne vpon my weake and languishing soule II. POINT CONSIDER that if Marie be full of grace it is noe wonder sith the same Angell assures her and vs that our Lord is with her Dominus tecum Noe saith S. Bernard it is noe wonder that she is full of grace with whom our Lord is not our Lord the Sonne onely whom she clothes with humanitie but our Lord the holy Ghost of whom she conceiues and our Lord the Father who begott him whom she conceiues Nay rather should we wonder that he that dispatched the Angell to her should be arriued to her before the Angell and be found with her by the Angell Affect Our Lord is with thee dearest Lady that eternall and draynelesse sourse of all graces and so the fulnesse of grace cannot be wanting to thee Our Lord is with thee the Angell is onely the Messēger of that good newes but the God of Angells who sent him preuents him and is alreadie thy guest Our Lord is with thee I say nay with vs too by thee ô thou Mother of mercy who broughtest forth our mylde Emmanuel that is our God with vs our Iesus thy Sonne whom who-euer loues he is loued by his heauenly father who with the Sonne and the holy Ghost will come vnto him and take vp their mansion with him O excessiue happines which accreues to vs by the meanes of Blessed Marie THE III MEDITATION For the Announciation I. POINT CONSIDER further that it is noe wonder that she that is replenished with all grace and hath our Lord with her and in her should be tearmed blessed amongst and aboue all women Since others haue but that by partes which she possesses in plenitude and since he that is with others onely in a generall manner by Presence power and essence is with her in all the fulnesse of the Diuinitie corporally Whence it is that she inioyes the aduantages and is freed from the incommodities of all the states of women to witt of Virgines wiues and widdowes She hath the ioys of a mother without corruption the honour of a Virgine without sterilitie the libertie of a widdowe without solitude She is therfor deseruedly blessed among and aboue all women Affectio Le ts vs then my soule say and neuer be wearie in saying with the Angell Hayle Marie full of grace our Lord is wit thee blessed art thou amongst all women and incomparably aboue and before all women for thou art indeede the Glorie of Hierusalem the ioy of Israël the honour of thy nation race and sexe for he that is powerfull workes wonders in thee and for vs poore lost sinners by thee Ah vse thy powerfull prayers to him for vs now and in the houre of our death Amen II. POINT CONSIDER the Blessed Virgines bashfulnesse prudence and retaynednesse in speech She is saluted by an Angell hayle full of grace accompaigned with her Lord and Master blessed among all women and yet she feares euen an Angell in the shape of a man she resalutes him not and in lieu of complacence finds trouble in hearing so great commendations of her selfe and falls a considering what kind of salutation that might be She eyes her selfe as one who was dayly begging for grace and she wonders to heare herselfe declared full of grace Her companions vse to be the poorer sort of Virgines and she admires to vnderstande she is accompaigned with her Lord and Master She lookes vpon her selfe as the least of women and cannot therfor conceiue how she should be blessed amongst all women Affection Ah my soule doe we obserue this Virgine full of grace blessed amongst all women startled at the presence of an Angell while yet we poore frayle Creatures miserable sinners feare not the presence of men where we may haue experienced much danger And when she returnes noe answer but is troubled at her owne prayses euen from an Angell prudently considering what they might import shall we vainely fall in loue with the prayses which men fawningly bestow vpon vs and therby vnconsideratly fall into questions and answers and ingagements which leade we know not whither Ah saith S. Ambrose it is the part of a Vingine to quake and tremble at euery approche of a man and to feare euery word he speakes THE IV. MEDITATION For the Announciation I. POINT CONSIDER that while the
Augustine though such as vowe Virginitie to God hold a more ample degree of honour and dignitie in the Church of God yet are not they without mariage for they belonge to the mariage with the whole Church wherin Christ is the spouse Affection O admirable dignitie of the Virgine where the humble handmayd is raysed to the honour of a Bride to Christ himselfe the Bridegroome whom whē she loues she is chaste whom when she touches she is pure whom when she takes in mariage she is a Virgine O supercelestial mariage from whence fidelitie and fertilitie is expected as well as in other mariages for such as breake this first faith haue damnation saith the Apostle and the happie state of Virgines assures S. Augustine is more fruitfull and fertile not to haue bigge bellies but great mynds not to haue breasts full of mylke but harts full of candour and in lieu of bringing forth earth out of their bowells they bring forth heauen by their prayers Hence issues a noble progenie puritie iustice patience mildnesse charitie followed by all her venerable traine of vertues This is the Virginns worke to be sollicitous of what belongs to God and to haue her whole conuersation in Heauen THE SECONDE MEDITATION FOR THE SAME SVNDAY CONSIDER yet a third sort of mariage wherin the whole Catholike Church that is all faithfull soules are espoused to Christe in faith hope and charitie but especially by charitie which as Queene drawes a longe with her all the powers and affections of the soule to conforme and subiect them to the pleasure of her diuine spouse making but one will and nill of two wills to witt that of God and man And this conformitie saith the deuoute S. Bernard maries the soule to God Whence results an ineffable content and pleasure and such a heate of diuine loue that the soule and all her affections are absorpt therin Affection Let the world then my soule boast as much as it will of the pleasures and contentements which it inioyes they are not like to the lawe of the Lord thy God that sweete law of loue in comparisō of which the most prosperous earthly pleasure is but vile and base The cheife Good is our Good of which Tertulian saith excellently soome goods as well as some euills bring an intolerable waight with them and most dearely and deliciously oppresse the soule Hence it was that that holie Apostle of the Indies cryed out Satis est Domine satis est It is enough ô Lord it is enough THE SECONDE POINTE CONSIDER yet a fourth sorte of Mariage which is made euery day to all kinds of faithfull soules which approche to the B. Sacrament Wherin we are made one with that diuinely deare spouse of ours not onely by charitie but euen in realitie and in verie deede we are mingled with that sacred flesh of his in that celestiall banket which he bestowes vpon vs to shew vs the excesse of his loue Whence S. Christome saith therfor it was that he ioynd himselfe with vs and mixed his body into vs to the'nd we might be come one with him as the body is ioyned to the heade for euen as one who powres melted waxe saith Cyrill into other waxe must necessarily wholy mixe the one with the other so he that receiues the body and bloud of our Lord is so ioyned with him that Christ is found in him and he in Christ Affection O excesse of goodnesse ô ineffable delightes of that most chaste and sacred mariage betwixt the kinge of heauen and poore man Here in this mariage banket is serued in the foode of Angells nay the kinge of the Angells himselfe becomes the whole feaste Nor is there neede there of any other wine then the precious bloude of the Lambe who dyed for our loue say then my soule and let all that loue and feare our Lord Iesus say with vs quoniam bonus quoniam in saeculum misericordia eius that he is infinitly good and his mercys are without end THE FIRST MEDITATION FOR THE THIRD SVNDAY AFTER THE EPIPHANIE If thou wilt said the Leper to our sauiour thou canst make me cleane Matt. 8. THE FIRST POINTE. CONSIDER that the poore Leper had found by a longe and painfull experience that there was noe hope of cure by the power of man all his owne and others endeuours prouing vneffectuall and therfor he wisely resolued in an humble confidence to haue recourse to him whom he knew by faith to be able to doe all that he would in heauē and in earth By adoration he acknowledges him to be God and by his words he publishes him to be all powerfull He came and adored him sayinge Lord If thou wilt thou canst and the present effects proue that his faith is powerfull and gratefull to Christ who graciously replyes I will Be thou made cleane and forth with his leprosie was made cleane Affection Our great and good Lord my soule neither wants power nor good will to cure all our infirmites if we aske as we ought If he some tyme delaye vs it is but the better to trye vs and more euidently to acquainte vs with our owne want of abilitie till he putt his powerfull hand to the worke for then our leprosie is forth with cured If he delaye vs and sometyme permitt vs for a longe space to languish and euen to be ouerspredd with our leprosie it is but the more perfectly to humble vs and throughly to cure the more dangerous desease of pride Finally if he delay the cure till we waxe more desparatly sicke it oblidges vs being at length cured the more highly to magnifie his mercy and publish his power to all men THE SECONDE POINTE. CONSIDER that there is noe stayne so deeply setled which Gods power is not able to fetch out noe leprosie of body or soule so inueterate and incurable which God with a word doth not cure Our application or addresse is onely to be looked to We must approche to the Lord of life and death as to one such with a liuely faith with an absolute confidence that with a word he can worke what he will his power being onely limited by his will as the faithfull leper plainly expresses Lord if thou wilt thou canst make me cleane Affection Be then my soule thy leprosie and other spirituall deseases neuer so peremptorie Be it that they haue growne on with thee since thy youth Seeme they rather to be another nature then natures defects yet haue but a frequent confident humble recourse to this souueraigne Physitian with a true acknowledgement of thyne owne miserable and otherwise desparate estate crying out with afirme faith O Lord if thou wilt thou canst cure all myne infirmities and infallibly in his good tyme we shall heare I will be thou made cleane THE SECONDE MEDITATION FOR THE SAME SVNDAY Of the Centurion or Capitaine of an hundred Soldiers who sued to our Sauiour for the cure of his seruante THE FIRST POINTE. CONSIDER that we may
because therfor it is giuen that the hardnesse of the harte may be taken away THE SECONDE MEDITATION FOR THE SAME SVNDAY And other fell among thornes and the thorues grew and choked them THE FIRST POINTE. CONSIDER finally that another parte of the feede fell among the thornes which stisles the young and tender grouth therof and that happens not as in that seede which falling vpon the high way was troden vnder foote and could take noe roote nor as that which fell vpon the rocke which for want of earth could take noe deepe roote but hauing earth enough to take a deepe roote and produce fruite it was choked as our Sauiour himselfe interpreetes the parabole in the same Gospell by wordly cares and solicitudes and deceiptfull riches Affection Accursed cares which make vs carelesse of that which most concerns vs and stifles the word and law of God in our harts Accursed riches which render our soules poore and barren The riches which as fooles conceiue doe tickle them with delight Wisdome assures vs to be thornes which pricke wound and kill Who would euer haue beleeued me saith the great S. Gregorie if I should haue interpreted riches to be thornes since these wound those delight And yet thornes they are saith truth it selfe since the thoughtes of thē doe teare our myndes in peeces with their sharpe pointes and when they waigh vs downe to sinne they drawe bloode THE SECONDE POINTE. And other some fell vpon good ground and they yealded fruite CONSIDER that the good ground which fayles not to yeald fruite is the well disposed harte of man which by the preuention of Gods grace hath nothing opposite to that good seede To witt it neither lyes open to the curiosities and thronges of the world but is shutt vp within it selfe Nor is rockie and stuborne but supple mylde and docile Nor lastly is it ouerspred with thornes that is with riches honour and pleasures but contrarily possessed with the contempt of them they being indeede the chokers of all the seed of heauen and the sourses of all mans miserie Affection Giue me then ô Lord in lieu of all riches honours and pleasures a docile hart a good soyle prepared by thyne owne holie hand that thy sacred word and heauenlie inspirations may find noe opposition therin but yeald fruite an hundred fold Let it be hedged in by thy feare that it lye not open to vanities Let these hard flintes of myne be so moystened with thy melliflous word that they may flowe with milke and home Finally let those thornes of riches be rooted out of my harte that it may not stifle but nourishe thy good seede THE FIRST MEDITATION FOR QVINQVAGESIME SVNDAY Iesus said to the twelue Apostles behold we goe vp to Ierusalem and all things shall be consummate which were written by the Prophetes of the son of man Luc 18. THE FIRST POINTE. CONSIDER how fitly the wisdome of the Church applyes this Gospell intimating Christs B. passion to this tyme wherin we are disposing our selves to enter into the rigour of a penitentiall life therby to applie to our soules the merites of the said passion Fitly I say since it seemes to say to all Christian hartes with the great S. Paule thinke diligently vpon him who sustayned of sinners such contradiction against himselfe that you be not wearied fainting in your minds for you haue not yet resisted to blood as he did in fighting against sinne Forgett not then in the tyme of your pennance the consolation which speaketh to you as it were to children my sonne neglect not the discipline of our Lord neither be thou wearied whilst thou art rebuked of him for whom our Lord loueth he chastiseth and he scourgeth euerie child which he receiueth Affection The soldier saith the deuoute S. Bernarde feeles not his owne wounds while he lookes vpon the wounds of his Kinge Noe my soule there is nothing that can so sweeten that sharpest sufferances as fixedly to behold the sufferances of the sonne of the Kinge of glorie and that not for his which were none but for thy crymes for thy loue for thy redemption Looke vpon him then in thy pressures be they of body or of mynde and thou shalt like them thou shalt loue them thou shalt be delighted in them What can be so deare to a loueing harte as to be like its beloued cost that ressemblance what it will it shall fall far short of the delight it bringes with it THE SECONDE POINTE He Christ shall be deliuered to the Gentils and shall be mocked and scourged and spitt vpon c. and then shall be killed and the third day shall ryse againe CONSIDER this description or prediction and blush to be found a fainte and delicate soldier vnder so generous and patiently suffering a Capitaine Ponder it well and be more and more confirmed in the faith of Christ and the truth of Christian Religion against Iewe Turke or Athist for what he here fortells and afterwarde performes was longe before foretold by the Prophetes which could neuer haue bene so punctually performed had not their pens bene guided by the finger of the holy Ghost Sopho He shall be deliuered vp to the Gentils to witt Pilate and his soldiers to be mocked Dauid speaking in the person of the Messias I was whippt all the day longe Isaye I turned not my face from those that spitt vpon me wisdome Let vs condemne him to a most infamous death Sopho. expect me in the day of my resurrection speaking in the person of Christ Affection Consider I say my soule againe and againe what thy Lord and master thy Christ thy God suffers for thee for thee a poore miserable lost seruant and be ashamed to be so backward to suffer any thinge for those many crymes of thyne Let vs looke vpon that Authour of faith and consummatour of all his heauenly fathers commands and of all that was foretold of him by the Prophetes and crye out with Dauid ô Lord thy testimonies are made exceeding credible they are too too cleare for any euer to be able to doubt of them THE FIRST MEDITATION FOR THE FIRST SVNDAY IN LENT BY WHOM WAS IESVS TEMPTED Iesus is ledd by the spirit that is the holy Ghost that he might be tempted by the Diuell Matth. 4. THE FIRST POINTE. CONSIDER that as all Christs actions and passions all his words and workes were for our example instruction and consolation so was this in particular by a speciall graciousnesse for the instruction and comfort of his tempted seruantes He had taught vs by his holy word that the life of man was a perpetuall warrefare or temptation vpon earth and by his singular goodnesse that he pleased to be with vs in temptation for it was euen he the true sonne of God the wisdome of heauen the onely beloued of his heauenly father who was ledd out by the holy Ghost to be tempted to comfort and instruct vs in our temptations in his owne sacred person Affection Let
afflictions should neither be lessened nor taken away for the space of a longe life Yet what is the longest of liues compared to eternitie but a verie moment Affection It is not my soule for this present tyme for transitorie momentes that we liue and labour Our ayme is eternitie Nor are our sorrowes equall to the paines due to our sinnes nor beare they any proportion to the endlesse ioy we hope for and yet S. Paule assures vs that our tribulations which are for the present momentary and light worke a boue measure exceedingly an eternall waight of glorie in vs. Let vs then couragiously looke ouer the thinges we see or feele which are but temporall to consider what we see not but by ourpatience hope for an eternall waight of glorie THE SECONDE POINTE. I will see you againe and your harte shall reioyce and noe man shall take your ioy from you CONSIDER that though our good God may sometymes seeme to leaue vs yet he neuer forsakes vs but returnes againe to see vs to reioyce our hartes and double and trible our ioyes not those of the wicked which are alwayes attended and vshered out by sorrow but those of the true Disciples of Christ Gaudia Domini ioyes in Christ of Christ and for Christ and to giue vs assurance that it shall not be in the power of man to robbe vs of these Christian ioyes which are properly ours and none shall take your ioyes from you Affection Noe my soule our mercifull Lord forsakes vs not vnlesse we first forsake him he goes but comes againe to visite vs and by such his accesses he giues accession of ioyes to our hartes which he so fixes by his grace that they are not taken from vs nether in this world nor the next to witt they are not placed vpon transitorie thinges which passe but vpon Christ and are locked vp in our harts whither the tyrants sword cannot reach He may take our liues away but cannot our ioyes which liue in death and suruiue it Such were S. Paules ioyes with which he abounded in the midst of all his tribulations Such the Apostles who came reioycing from before the counsell Such S. Laurence whose ioyes burnt higher then the Tyrants tormenting flames Such finally are those of our Lord and Master who ioy being proposed to him sustayned the Crosse This my soule is our ioy which none can take from vs. THE FIRST MEDITATION FOR THE FOVRTH SVNDAY AFTER EASTER I goe to him who sent me Io. 16. THE FIRST POINTE. CONSIDER that if we were truly wained from the world from selfe loue and selfe consolation we should be so farre from hauing our harts filled with sorrow vpon the hearing of the words of Christ I goe to him who sent me that contrarily our harts would be replenished with ioy That deare Lord of ours had perfectly accomplished his heauenly Fathers will in the worke of mans saluation by puttinge downe that deare price of his redemption What then ought to be more delightfull to the redeemed slaue then to see his gracious Redeemour returne into the possession of his owne right to see him exalted to see him glorifyed Affection Returne then ô my dearest Redeemour into thy rest into thy heauenly Fathers bosome into that glorie thou hadst common with him by thyne eternall birth-right before the world was yet made for it is but iust that the innocent lambe which was slayne should receiue power and diuinitie and wisdome and strength honour glorie and benediction c. Be it euer farre from vs my soule to preferre the delightes of his presence and the ioyes we take while we are drawen on by the odour of his oyntments before the accomplishment of his blessed pleasure in what euer desolation and the aduancement of his glorie THE SECONDE POINTE. It is expedient for you that I goe Io. 16. CONSIDER that tho not so much the consolations of God as the God of all consolations and the pure loue of him for his owne infinite goodnesse sake ought to be the cheife Christian motiue in all our actions yet our mercifull God who best knew that man is all earthly earth and ledd by selfe interest sutes his motiues to what we are alwayes mixing the sweetes of consolations and our aduantage to moue vs to the loue we otherwise owe him And therfor to solace the Apostles sadnesse he sayth I tell you the truth it is expedient that is aduantagious or profitable for you that I goe for if I goe not the holy Ghost shall not come to you Affection Let vs putt downe my soule for a most sure maxime in point of our spirituall progresse that he is not Gods best seruant who seekes his will of God in the continuall inioyment of consolations in our prayers c. But he that desires that Gods will may be done in him by an absolute resignation in what drinesse and abandonmēts so euer Let vs learne thē to leaue God for God as here we haue occasion and vndoubtedly the holy Ghost will come and inhabite our disinteressed harts and blesse them with more solide and substantiall aduantages THE SECONDE MEDITATION FOR THE SAME SVNDAY But if I goe I will send him to you Io. 16. CONSIDER that wheras the holy Ghost proceeds from the Father and the sonne it was but conuenient that the sonne should first be seated at the right hand of his heauenly Father in the Throne of his glorie according to that the holy Ghost was not yet giuen because Iesus was not yet glorified before the holy Ghost was sent that he might be ioyntly sent from them both to poore man as that best guift descending from aboue consubstantiall coequall coeternall with themselues and well becoming their infinite Maiestie and the excessiue loue of our deare Sauiour by the merits of whose death that perfect present was purchaced Affection It is but iust my soule that our eldest brother be first repossessed of his owne glorie which was his from all eternitie before the younger and adoptiue children lay claime to their share which is but his deare purchace and free guift who for a sure pledge of it sends vs one equall to himselfe to confirme in vs the hopes therof Happie thrice happie we Christians to haue so powerfull a Mediatour in the Court of heauen to preuayle with his Almightie Father for the sending of the holy Ghost to comfort instruct and confirme vs in all truth taking vp his residence in the Temples of our hartes THE SECONDE POINTE. He the holy Ghost shall teach you all truth Io 16. CONSIDER that as the donation and mission of the holy Ghost were the effects and fruites of the passion ascension and noble tryumphe of Christ wherin he ledd captiuitie it selfe captiue and in all of them glorified his heauenly Father so is that holy spirit sent to glorifie the sonn by teaching clearing and confirminge in the harts of the Apostles all that their diuine master had taught them belowe and making these heauenly
who could profit thee nothing could bring nothing tothyne immensitie since indeede thou art thence conuinced to be our God because thou standest in neede of nothinge that is ours Howbeit if in lieu of gratitude we render nothing but ingratitude coldnesse and neglect we may iustly feare my soule that he will turne his loue into wroth and destroye vs disloyall wretches THE SECONDE POINTE. Many be called but few elect CONSIDER that this short sentence from the mouth of Truth it selfe ought most iustly to sticke to the verie rootes of our harte and continually to mynde vs that we are to worke our saluation with feare and trembling since God workes in vs both the velle and perficere the will and performance according to his good pleasure Many are called for the sound of the Apostles went out into all the earth and yet it is sayd who beleeueth our hearinge Many are called and giue credit to their calling too yet complie so ill with their vocation that Gods name is blasphemed in them Many againe are called and begin to run yet they perseuere not to be end they comprehend not Affection When I duely reflect dreade Lord vpon this doubtfull doome which issued from thy sacred mouth whence neuer any thinge issues but infallible truth in what a doubtfull perplexitie ought I not to stand Many are called and of those I haue had the happinesse to be one But few elected and who is wise enough to know that he is of that number What are we then to doe my soule but to be carefull to giue eare to the diuine call to lay faste hold vpon discipline least we might perish in a iust way to make sure our vocation by good workes and incessantly to pray for perseuerance to the end that we may so run as to comprehend THE FIRST MEDITATION FOR THE XX. SVNDAY AFTER WHITSVNDAY There was a certaine Lord or Prince whose sonne was sicke in Capharnaum Iohn 4. CONSIDER that as noe greenesse of yeares in our infancie nor vigour in youth nor strength in our more riper age can exempt vs from the assaults of infirmities sicknesse and death so can noe dignitie highth of power or principalitie free vs from the same Well may Potentates Lord it ouer townes and nations but against the deseases which growe upon them and the approches of death the most powerfull haue noe warrantie but all conditions of men are equally lyable to sicknesse and death the iuste punishments of sinne Affection My soule howeuer the greate power we may seeme to haue and the highth of dignitie wherin we are placed makes vs oft forgett that we are the banished sonns of Eue condemned to dye before we attayne to the vse of the light yet wholsome sicknesse makes vs all equally know that man be he neuer so powerfull is but man that is a poore creature borne of a woman liuing a short tyme replenished with many miseries The sicknesses the death the forgotten dust of all your Alexanders and Caesars crye out this truth that all men without exception are doomed to dye Make a vertue of necessitie my soule by willingly accepting Gods iust iudgementes herein which none euer yet or to the end of the world euer shall be able to auoyde THE SECONDE POINTE. CONSIDER that it oft happens with vs as it did with this afflicted … ce that that which we apprehend to be most disaduantagious and disasterous to vs proues the verie meanes which Gods sweete prouidence makes vse of to worke both our temporall and eternall felicitie For who I pray amongst vs doth looke vpon sicknesse with a good eye And yet had not this younge Princes sicknesse made his life be despaired of by his father he had happlie neuer thought of Christ neuer approched to him neuer sued for his sonns cure and so as well the father as the sonne had bene left to perish in their infidelitie Affection O happie affliction my soule which giues vs vnderstanding to knowe our selues O happie corporall infirmitie which brings forth the life of the soule Were we not some tymes thus lost to our owne apprehension we should forgett our selues and be lost for euer The deuoute Psalmist experienced this truth when he said it is good for me that thou didst humble me because before I was humbled I offended But being once humbled by aduersities I learnt thy iustifications I learnt that euery punishment was the punishment of sinne So that sinne brought out paine paine moued the harte to pennance and pennance couered the multitudes of sinne And thence bonum est mihi quia humiliasti me THE SECONDE MEDITATION FOR THE SAME SVNDAY The Prince saide come downe with me before my sonne dye THE FIRST POINTE. CONSIDER that this good Prince in being refused what in formall tearmes he demanded obteyned more then he either as yet wished for or euen thought of He stoode absolutly perswaded that vnlesse our Sauiour descended and went with him to his sicke sonne the cure could not be wrought His demande therfore was that Christ would come downe with him But our Sauiour though he went not wrought the cure notwithstanding at the same tyme and at that distance and thence powerfully perswaded him that he was God indeede who could doe equally all that he would as well in absence as presence Affection Learne hence my soule neuer to prescribe to God either the tyme the place or meanes how he is to performe what we demande of his mercy Leaue that vast power to worke as it pleases with out limiting the same to our narrow conceipts It reacheth from the one pole to the other and sweetly disposeth all thinges bene omnia fecit Haue patience my soule whether in his wisdome our great God refuse vs either absolutly what we desire or at least in the way we desire it and we shall find in the close that he did all graciously and to the best aduantage of the faithfull soule Ah should he grant vs all our owne desires we were lost for euer THE SECONDE POINTE. Goe saith our Sauiour thy sonne liueth The man beleeued the word which was said to him and went home CONSIDER the great fruites and comforts which accrued to this good Prince and all his by his simple faith obedience and good example He beleeued our Sauiours words and presently departed And loe he had not yet recouered his owne house but his seruantes came out to meete him and ioyfully assured him of his sonns perfect health He examined the tyme of his recouerie and found it to be the verie houre in which our Sauiour said goe thy sonne liueth whence he and his whole familie beleeued Affection Let vs humbly my soule giue credit to euery word of God whether it be written or spoken to our hartes by his frequent inspirations without disputing how it should come to passe or by what meanes it should be accomplished hope in his fidelitie and goodnesse leauing the rest to his sweete prouidence In his good tyme and euen
torments but solace my smale sufferances in the same THE XXI MEDITATION Our Sauiours Prayer vpon the Crosse Father pardon them c. 1. Point COnsider how our high preist who is now readie to sacrifice himselfe a torne and bloodie host such as you haue seene him for the sinns of his people begins first to offerr vp his praiers for them to his heauenly father saing Pater dimitte illis non enim sciunt quid faciunt Father pardon them for they know not what they doe Affect O ineffable mercie mildnesse and longanimitie While their inhumanitie hath left him neither hand nor foote free he wantes not a tongue to pleade for his persequutors peace and reconcilement O my soule let vs Learne le ts learne by this example to pardon our enemies be the offence neuer so great 2. Point Consider that thus it was that our Sauiour Iesus Christ taught vs from the Crosse euen amidst his greatest torments when the most innocent person that euer liued receiued the most barbarous treatie that euer malice inuented and euen in such circumstances this lesson of praying for our enemies c. he left vs to followe Obserue with shame how we Christians complie with it Is our first addresse to God when we meete with Crosses tribulations contradictions c. Is our first sute for pardon for those that iniure vs Doe we studie to finde out some excuse for them or rather doe we not indeede fall to muttering and murmuring and impatience and euen offend God by returning euill for euill because others offende vs In lieu of pardoning or begging pardon for them doe we not desire and seeke for reuenge Doe we not insteede of extinuating striue by the sophistrie of the Diuell to aggrauate little and inconsiderable deedes words or mistakes And yet we are not Christs we are not innocencie it selfe yea contrarily we are faultie enough and as subiect to doe as to receiue iniuries Affect Alas alas my soule the Copie hath no resemblance with the originall it s as farre differēt as light from darknesse This is not to expresse Christ in our actions but the Diuell his mortall enemie It is but in words and in name to professe Christ and infacts to denie him and to sweare with S. Peter that we know not the man whose language wee speake whose liuerie we weare and beare his name And yet this was a lesson he alwaies taught in his life A lesson which he preached and practised dying A lesson which he left written in letters of blood for vs to practise after his death Resolution I vvill pardon such and such a vvrong in memorie of this excessiue mercy THE XXII MEDITATION Of the Ievves tauntes scornes and blaspheamies 1. Point Consider how their tygerish rage runs still on against this innocent dying Lambe which mutters not The streames of blood which flowe downe from euery part gluts not their malice extreame torments which their rude violence puts him to appeases not their furie It seemes not enough to their hellish madnesses to leaue no member without its torture vnlesse they fill his eares and hart with scoffes and scornes and blasphemies If he be the king of Israel let him come dovve from the Crosse and vve le beleeue him If thou beest the sonne of God descend from the Crosse He saues others and cannot saue himselfe Vau avvaie vvith him vvho destroies the Temple and vvithin three daies builds it vp againe Affect Ah my deare dying Lord what extreamitie of torment is this that thou sufferest for me and by thine owne nation what hart conceaues not an absolute detestation against those most barbarous bloodsuckers yet beware my soule that by the same iudgement which thou zealously conceauest against them thou condemnest not thy selfe Looke home and see with confusion whether a great part of that rage that malice that madnesse be not lodged in thine owne hart As often dost thou crucifie him with them as thou preferrest the concupiscence of the flesh concupiscence of the eyes or pride of life before him And as often dost thou add new woundes ouer and aboue the wounds they inflicted as often as thou comest downe or callest others downe by ill example or counsell from the Crosse which is putt vpon them for Gods glorie or despairest of his power to be able to helpe thee in thy greatest Crosses afflictions and temptations Let sinne therefor be most hated as it is indeede most criminall and truly put thy Christ to death 2. Point Consider that though this so hugely afflicted person is he who is only said to be free and subiect to no restraint yea he who alone giues power to others to tye and vntye hath often been tyed for our loue and our libertie as in the stable in poore clothes in the garden and from thence to Annas Caiphas and Herods howses in cordes in the Pretorie to the Pillorie to be whipped yet neuer was my deare Lord and spouse so closely and cruelly tied and torne as I see him here vpon the hard Racke of the Crosse where he neither findes nor hopes for any case or libertie at all but that which he must purchace with the price of his life when death shall free his afflicted soule out of his barbarously tortured body Affect Ah my soule must thy deare Lord treade the wine presse alone Must thy Master and Redeemer who is alone free among the dead purchace him selfe and thee libertie by the losse of his owne life And must the bounden slaue liue still at libertie and ease Whereas indeede we are neuer free so long as we liue vnder false libertie which is true slauerie and not vnder the true seruitude of Christ which is true libertie Gods seruice is a true raigne Happie saith your holy father is that necessitie or tye which compels vs to better vnhappie that libertie which lyes open to our ruine Resolution My calling is and shall be my happie Crosse to vvhich the consideration of these cords shall tye me for my Masters loue and honour for euer Hic habitabo quoniam elegi eum Here vvill I euer dvvell because it vvas mine ovvne choice THE XXIII MEDITATION Of the Princes of the people and Priests blaspheamies 1. Point COnsider that though all these bodily torments of my deare innocent crucified Lambe be inormiously greate beyond all measure yet they are but as it were the body of torment whereas the life and soule of torment indeede is the torment of the soule Those cruell Deicides tooke him they bound him they haled him they boxed him they whipped him they spitt in his face they crowned him with thornes they nailed him hand and foote to the Crosse they brought him to the verie doore of death but all this was performed vpon his bodie But when he heares his Fathers power and loue to him called into question by the Princes and Preists and People saying he saies he is the sonne of God in him he is confident let God now deliuer him if he will
seruice whether it be in point of receiuing his owne true body or in charitably assisting his owne poore afflicted members For how often haue we obserued our selues to haue quaked with feare wher we mett with noe danger indeede and permitted such fond feares to frustrate our pious designes and resolutions and stifle the seede which was sowen in our hartes from heauen Feare not as longe as thou art imployed about Iesus and him crucified Either will noe danger at all be mett with or none at least be preualent to make vs misse of Iesus And if it be about Iesus that we are imployed if in that name we suffer we ought not so much to apprehend it the sufferance of a Crosse as the assurance of a crowne 2. Point Consider with astonishment the great power which the diuine prouidence giues to Pilate who had indeede noe power ouer Christ but what was giuen from aboue in whose handes the disposall of the body of a God was left Yes of that body which the holy Ghost framed the Virgine mother brought-forth the diuinitie still inseparably inhabited Of that body I say Pilate à sinner an vniust Iudge an infidell hath power to dispose and he giues it to Iosephe Affect O my soule how this Christ this God-man is wholy imployed in the behalfe of man In his life at his death after his death In his life for our instruction at his death for our redemption after his death for our consolation Be we left vnder what power soeuer iust or vniust peaceable or tyrannicall according to our desires or contrarie to our inclinations by our Lord and Masters sweete disposition he that so left vs if we faithfully follow his foot stepps will certainly deliuer vs glorifie vs. Noe vniust Pilates sencence will be able to hinder vs from deliuering vp our soules into the hands of a louing father nor depriue our body of the happie expectation of à glorious resurrection Resolution I will euer admire to see the disposition of the deade body of Christ left in an infidells hands but much more to see his liuing and glorious body and soule left at the dispose of disloyall Christians who beleeue in him and yet crucifie him againe by their dailie crymes THE XXXIV MEDITATION 1. Point COnsider that God being Omniponcie it selfe wanted not power to haue deliuered the body of this deare sonne of his out of the hands of Pilate without his leaue He that was onely free among the deade could easily haue freed himselfe from the deade and haue rysen as gloriously the first day from the Crosse as the third from the graue But the Scriptures were to be fulfilled his sepulcher vvas to be glorious Our Ionas was to remaine three dayes and three nightes in the bowells of the earth And his last lesson after his death as well as his first before he could yet speake was to teach vs by his blessed example an admirable submission obedience abandonnement of himselfe into what hands soeuer Affect O wisdome of heauen how secreete and incomprehensible are thy wayes We are not able my soule to looke into them In thy infancie thou wholy abandonnedst thy selfe vnto thy B. mothers care and custodie In thy youth thou wast subiect to her and Iosephe In thy passion thou wast giuen ouer to the wills of the Iewes remayning obedient till death and the death of the Crosse and now too after thy death thou continuest still at Pilates dispose Let me learne deare Lord by this singular submission of thyne in imitation therof and for thy loue to be willingly subiect to euerie creature neuer desiring to take my selfe out of that order and subiection wherin thy prouidence may haue placed me Ita Domine quoniam sic placitum est coram te Yes sweete Sauiour purely becaus so it is aggreable in thy diuine sight 2. Point Consider that Pilate hauing bene petitioned giues vp the body to Iosephe Iosephs care takes it downe from the Crosse and bestowes à sydon or fine white linen sheete Nicodemus contributes many pounds of oyntments to witt mixed mirre and aloes the body is imbalmed therwith and wound vp in Iosephs syndon according to the iewes rites His mournefull mother Marie bestowes more hartie sorowe and compassion then any tongue can speake or any hart but her owne that is the hart of a mother and such a mother the mother of a God can conceiue who as in that name she farre surpasses all other creatures in dignitie consanguinitie and neerenesse to her sonne so also in loue and consequently in compassion and sorrowe The desolate louing Magdalene and her companions their familiar teares and Ioseph putts the adorable body in his owne new Monument cutt in the side of a rocke and shutts it vp with a great stone Affect Thus my soule haue we at length gott to an end of a wearisome procession Thus haue our sinnes layd the God of heauen and earth in the bosome of the earth Thus haue our hard hartes lodged him in a rocke at whose voyce the very rockes burst in sunder Ah my soule this hard world at his first entrie lodged him in a rocke and a rocke too must receiue him at his going out O deare Master Let it be this rockie hart of myne that may haue the happines to afford thee this last lodging or at least may I be lodged with thee be the rocke neuer so hard that I may truly be according to the Apostles expression consepultus cum Christo buried togeither with Christ neuer to ryse againe but with him in newnesse of life O that my hart as it sympathises too neerely with this Monument in hardnesse had also the rest of its qualities O that it were yet in its primitiue newnesse and puritie O that it had neuer bene prepossessed by any creature But alas alas it fares not so It hath bene too longe and too easely prostituted to the worlds allurements to the Diuells suggestions It hath bene but too too peruious to all approches and remayned onely a rocke to thy holy inspirations to thy heauenly instructions to any true sense of thy excessiue torments and sorrowes A PRAYER BVt ô my deare Lord thou vvho art a hammer brusing rockes bruse this hard hart of myne into true contrition and smite it vvith the rodd of thy Crosse that novv at least though too late alas it may pay dovvne deepest compassion and sorrovve vvith the most desolate Virgine mother flouds of repentant teares vvith those mournefull Maries and finally a most manly courage and resolution plentifull vvorkes of mercy and the pretious oyntements of frequent and feruent prayers vvith the good Ioseph and Nicodemus But ah my dearest Sauiour Christ my true rocke and strength these are indeede the resolutions of my hart but of a vveake and vvauering hart vvhich vvill effect nothing vvithout thy povverfull assistance grant it o Lord for thy pretious blouds sake and let the holes of thy sacred side c. lye alvvaies open to my ayde and
which the Spouse cried so out for osculetur me osculo oris sui let him kisse me with a kisse of his mouth See the foure sacred fountaines of Paradise streame out Riuers of inestimable worth from his wounded hands and feete euerie droppe whereof being of more valew then all heauen and earth and in these Riuers are we ô my Soule permitted to bathe cure eternise ourselues O Sacred fountaines ô Ambrosian springs dulciora super mel fauum sweeter then honey and the honey combe He hath a tongue which in the beginning said fiat be it made and the whole Machine of the Vniuerse was presently raised out of nothing and with which be can still saie N. Salus tua ego sum I am thy Saluation vel hodie mecum eris in Paradiso or this daie thou shalt be with me in Paradice And what hart can wish a richer treasure a more wishfull and blissefull present He hath yet a tongue but it too must not passe without it's torment For they mixe gale amongst his foode and in his thirst they present vineger to drinke He hath yet a tongue intire and that too must be imployed euen amidst his greatest torments to pleade mans pardon reconcilement Father pardonne them for they knovv not vvhat they doe O miracle of mildnesse and mercie The persecuted becomes the persecutours Aduocate euen in the act of persecuting him The dying Lord turnes his dead and dying slaues Patron euen while he is bloodily striking at his hart Father He makes his addresse to him not so much in qualitie of God whom he knowes to be actually prouoked to reuenge as of Father whose bowells are all mercie for his prodigall children Father what confidence may not poore sinners conceaue when a father and such a father is sued to by a sonne and such a sonne Father I begge not reuenge for what I suffer but pardon for those for whom and by whom I suffer Father pardonne them I sue not that the world should be iudged for me but that it might be cleared and saued by me Father pardon them I doe not plead not Guiltie where I know sinne is great and spred vniuersally ouer the whole body of man and growen to a kind of infinitie but I am his Saluation and the price of my bloud which here I lay downe is infinite indeede let grace then through my merites superabound where sinne abounded Father pardonne them It 's pardon I demande and euen in that name the cryme is acknowledged I cannot excuse Pilates iniustice which is so much more cryminal by how much his owne conscience pleades guiltie against himselfe for condemning a person in whom he found noe guilte nor the Priests and Princes inueterate malice nor the soldiers crueltie nor the peoples false testimonies scornes and blasphemie But by how much their crymes are more cleare ther pardon is more necessarily petitioned for by how much their miserie is more desparatly great by so much thy great mercy is more absolutly to be implored haue mercy therfor vpon them according to thy great mercy and pardon them Pardon them I say heauenly Father for they know not what they doe The penall ignorance which runs all along through their actions though it excuseth not yet it much extenuates their transgression They know not they apprehend not that they arme their malice against that infinite charitie which flames vp so high amidst the same malice that all the floodes of their furie is not able to extinguish it They know indeede that they putt an innocent man to death but they know not that they Crucifie the God of glorie T is enough my dearest Lord thou hast powerfully pleaded and wunne poore man's cause which without thy plea and thy price was irrecouerably lost for euer Thou art heard for thyne owne reuerence and millions shall be giuen to thy prayers and merites 11. But ah my soule is it not true that as this lesson brings comfort to all Christian harts so it loades them with confusion and fixeth shame vpon their foreheades He couers in some sort the Iewes crymes and confusion with a plea of ignorance for had they had an absolute knowledge of what they did and to whome they had neuer crucified the Lord of glorie But we seeing knowing by the light of faith which is a more absolute assurance then any demonstration then all humane knowledge can afford and being bound standing readie in the preparation of our hart to putt downe our life for it that it was God man the verie God of glorie that they putt to death we I say make noe difficultie to crucifie him againe by our dayly crymes to treade the sonne of God vnder foote and to esteeme the bloude of the Testament polluted 12. We acknowledge that we are taught by the mouth of eternall truth it selfe vnlesse we haue renounced all Christianitie and we euen see it in his owne example that we are to returne Good for euill and we contrarily render euill for good hatred for loue disrespect for good offices neglect forcares ingratitude for greatest obligations We haue seene our Christ sadd to death betrayed taken bound abused reuiled scorned boxed spitt in the face whipped crowned with thornes blaspheamed crucified and we heare him from the same Crosse preach plead pray for pardon And yet we Christians alas who as we take our name from Christ so should his actions be the rules of our life and our conformitie to the same rules the perfection therof liuing as it were by the law of contraries run quite contre The Master cryes for pardon the scholler exacts reuenge The masters wisdome and charitie finds wayes to couer multitudes of enormious crymes and the schollers iniquitie and madnesse inuents meanes to make Molehills appeare montaines and to multiplie a few smale faultes into huge numbers The master by a Rethorique brought from Heauen endeuours to extenuate a visible iniurie by alleaging ignorance which though otherwise afected did in some sorte lessen the cryme The scholler by a Sophistrie inuented in Hell striues to aggrauate euen almost inuisible faults from the place in which it was done the tyme the manner c. And if none of these seeme vigorous enough he guesses at the intention of him that did it and will needes haue it to be such as his Passion hath framed it in his mynd In fine the scholler hath neither harte nor hand nor tongue to plead excuse to worke or wishe well too euen a seeming enemy though otherwise a true friend indeede He will not take the paines to consider that the misintelligence was but caused at most by ignorance inconsideration precipitation and to take it at the highest that it was but man sinfull man man subiect to all the same deseases that rather tooke then had offence giuen him While the Master neither hauing hand nor foote free but onely a hartfull of mercye and a tongue free and readie to expresse the same imployes it to begge pardon