objects O object eternally to be looked on and vpoÌ„ which the Angels aÌ„d saints doe eternally looke and caÌ„not be satiated with the beauty and riches of it III. S. Jhon sayed once to the people There hath one stood in the midst of yee whome yee know not Let not this be now veryfied in thee after so many evidences Imitate the fayth of the Apostles and say with S. Peeter Thou art Christ the sonne of the living God Say with Nathanael Thou art the Sonne of God thou art the king of Israel Looking vp into heaven with S. Stephen acknowledge that this is the same Jesus who standeth at the right hand of God Harken to S. Ihon Chrisostome who tells vs that millions of Angels doe assist at the holy sacrifice and holy communion with head and knee bowed before him say with S. Agnes To him I keepe my fayth to him with intire devotion I commit myself Say with S. Agatha Carnall medicine I never applyed to my body but I have my Lord Jesus who by his word alone doth repayre all things Sing with S. Cecely Let my hart become without spot that I may not be confounded in the sight of my heavenly spouse Offer vp vnto him with these and other Virgins Puritie of haâ—t with the holy Confessours mortification of thy senses with the holy Bishops aÌ„d Doctours entire obedieÌ„ce to that which they have generally delivered concerning this blessed mysterie with the glorious Martyrs constanciâ— and resolution in whatever opposition VVith all the Saints joy and exultation at the glorie and goodnes which shineth in it and falling downe with them vpon thy face before him say Amen Benediction and glorie and wisdome and thanksgiving honour and power and strength to our God for ever and ever Amen THE TABLE PReface to the Reader 3 Introduction to the following Medit. I. Part. 5 Introduction II. Part. 6 The Incarnation of our Blessed Saviour I. Part. 8 The Incarnation II. Part. 9 The Incarnation III. Part. 10 The Incarnation IV. Part. 11 The Visiting S. Elizabeth I. Part. 12 The Visitation II. Part. 14 The Nativitie of S. Ihon Baptist. I. Part. 15 The Nativitie of S. Ihon. II. Part. 16 The office of S. Ihon as Precursor 17 S. Joseph certifyed by the Angel 1â— A preparative for the receiving of our Saviour I. Part. 20 Of the preparative II. Part. 21 III. Part. 22 IV. Part. 22 The journie of Jesus Marie and Joseph to Bethleem 23 The Birth of our Saviour 25 The Angels joyfull tidings to the sheepherds 26 The shepeherds make hast to our Saviour 27 The Circumcision of our Lord. 28 Of the name of Jesus 29 The start which appeared in the east 30 Herode trobled 31 The Sages find our Saviour 32 The purification of the Blessed Virgeâ— 33 The law of Purification 34 Old Simeon meets our Saviour 35 He take the Child in his armes 36 Simeon his Prophecie 37 Anna the Propheâ—â—sse 38 The flight into â—gypt 39 The killing of the Innocents 40 The returne out of Egypt 41 Christ in the Temple at twelve yeares of age 42 His Answer to his mother 44 His life till thirty 45 Introduction to the meditations of the Passion 46 The Councel of the Jewes against our Saviour 47 The Pascal Lambe 49 The Washing of his disciples feete 50 The parting of Judas from the testâ— 52 The Institution of the Blessed Sacrament 53 His Prayer in the Carden 55 Our Saviour betrayed 56 What passed in the night I. Parâ— 58 II. Part. 60 Our Saviour accused before Pilate 61 He is sent to Herode 63 Barrabas preferred 65 The whipping of our Saviour 67 The Crowne of thornes 68 Ecce Homo 70 The Carrying of the Crosse. 72 The Crucifying 74 The words of our Saviour I. Part. 75 II. Part. 76 III. Part. 77 IV. Part. 79 V. Part. 80 VI. Part. 81 What happened after his death 82 The taking from the Crosse and buryall 84 An exercise in honour of the woundes of our Saviour 85 Of the Passion by way of repetition I. Part. 87 II. Part. 89 III. Part. 90 IV. Part. 92 V. Part. 93 The soiitude of our Blessed Lady 95 Introdnction to the Mysteries of the Resurrection 97 Our Saviours going downe to limbo 98 His Resurrection and appearing to his Mother 100 II. Part. 102 III. Part. 103 The Angel speakes to the women 104 Peeter and Ihon runne to the sepulchre 106 He appeares to the Magdalen I. Part. 107 II. Part. 109 He appeares to the women 110 To the disciples travelling I. Part. 11â— II. Part. 113 He appeares to the disciples together 114 And to them with S. Thomas 116 The causes why our Saviour kept the marks of his wounds 118 Our Saviour at the fishing I. Part. 119 II. Part. 120 Our Saviours discourse with S. Peeter 122 He foretelleth him of his death 123 He appeareth to them at table 125 He appeareth in Galilee 126 Christs Ascension I. Part. 128 II. Part. 130 Considerations moving to the love of God and of our Neighbour 132 An act of humble acknowledgment of our owne weaknes 133 The length of the love of God 135 The first means to perpetuate our love 137 The happines of younger yeares 139 The second means 141 Of the desire of being dissolved 143 The Eternitie of love in the love of our Neighbour 144 The latitude of the love of God 146 It s vniversall because to every one in particular 147 How we may imitate it I. Part. 149 II. Part. 151 The height of the love of God 153 How we are to imitate it I. Part. 154 II. Part. 156 The depth of the love of God I. Part. 158 II. Part. 160 The coming of the holy Ghost I. Part. 161 II. Part. 162 Fruits of the holy Ghost in the first Christians 164 The Mysterie of the Blessed Trinitie 166 The obligation we have to love God I. Part. 167 II. Part. 169 III. Part. 171 IV. Part. 172 Aspirations tending to the increase of the love of God in twelve Paragraphes 173 Intertaynments of our Blessed Saviour when we receive thâ— most blessed sacrament First as God 188 As king 190 As spouse 192 As the good sheepherd 194 As Master or Teacher 196 As our Physitian 197 As our Redeemer 199 As our Judge 201 As Mediatour and Advocate 203 As our frend 205 As our Brother 207 As the sacrifice of the law of grace 208 As a spirituall banker 211 Intertaynment of our Saviour with the blessed Virgen and S. Ioseph 213 VVith S. Jhon Baptist. 215 VVith th Samaritan woman 218 VVith the penitent Magdalen 221 VVith the Cananeâ—n 224 VVith Martha Marie and Lazarus 225 VVith Zaccheus 22â— VVith the people of Hierusalem 229 VVith the first Christians 231 VVith the Apostles 233 VVith the Angels and Saints 225 FINIS Errours of the Second Part. Such as is hoped will not troble the vnderstanding reader are omittedâ— Pag. Lin. Err. Corr. 9 1 mind winde 9 9 vs more more 11 10 to thoâ— 15
depart not in his love he leaveth not vs but we die leaving him Othervvise so long as we live he inviteth vs and worketh vs to his love desiring nothing more then that his love and ours should be Eternall III. O svveete Eternitie O strong and never fayling but ever loving Eternitie VVhat can a mortall and ever fading creature doe in requitall of such immortall love Of mortall to immortall of temporall to Eternall of man to God what comparison is there Betvvixt such bitternes as we offer him and such infinite svveetenes of love with which he inviteth expecteth and receiveth vs betvvixt such weakenes of affection on our parte and such infinite strength on his what equaliâ—ie may be expected Ours lyeth dead a long time before it begin his ever liveth with out beginning ours when it beginneth to live languisheth yet betvvixt life and death and staggereth oft whether it shall choose to live by loving him or die by leaving him though the difference betvvixt such a loving life and such a hatefull death be infinite his lasteth and liveth never decaying never wavâ—ting never fayling but allvvayes follovving and persuing vs till our dying day when both life and love must either live our die Eternally O love Eternall The first means to perpetuate our love to God by desires that our love had been eternall I. IT is not possible that our love should be eternall without beginning for our life is not with out beginning as there was a time in which we were not so there was a time in which we could not love 〈◊〉 was no time in which God was not he 〈…〉 time and before all time he loved vs VVhat shall we doe in recompense of this love Let vs at least stretch forth the armes of our soule which are our desires and fervently wish our love had been eternall without beginning shall we wish we were God For nothing is eternall with out beginning but God perhaps nothing can be so eternall but God alone But it is the propertie of love not to consider whether the things be possible which it desireth or not possible it is sufficient if affection be satisfyed in doing all that it can doe and in desiring a greate deale more then it shall be ever able to effect And even these impossible desires as they are pleasing to men when expressed by some outvvard signe because by them we see the harts of those that doe affect vs much more are they pleasing to God to whom all harts are open and who doth not measure our love so much by the shevv of the worke as by the poyse of the affection if the worke be not wanting when there is means to performe it let vs therfore wish that our love had no beginning but had been eternall as God not only in himself but also in his love tovvards vs is eternall God is more loved then vnderstood sayth Hugo Victorinus love entreth where knovvledge stands with out O that I could from all Eternitie have been with God and loved him Eternally as 〈◊〉 deserveth II. Let vs wish againe that at least from the first instant of our Conception we had been so happy as to have no sooner begun to be then begun to love that infinite goodnes by whom we had our beginning For as all gifts when they deserve least doe yet deserve we should love the giver this being of ours being the beginning of all other gifts even then deserved our love and if it had been possible for vs we should have presently turned our harts to God and as S. Ihon Baptist not long after his conception in presence of our Lord have leaped for ioy and love at the voyce of our creatour commanding vs to bee For even then he did greate things vnto vs and things most worthy of his povverfull hand when out of his infinite love he made vs capable of loving him That which was wanting then let vs supply novv and with inflamed affection love him the more fervently the more time hath been spent before We began to love him III. O Blessed Virgen Mother of the eternal lovel thrice happy doe I account thee though it were but for this alone that even when thou weret in thy Mothers wombe thou didst more perfectly love the giver of thy life then did ever pure humane creature love him in most perfect yeares were it not possible for vs novv to supply this want which we find in ourselves of love tovvards thy loving Sonne VVe may I hope by thy assistance and by conioyning our love with thyne not only love him from the beginning of our life but from the beginning of both thy life and love and restore him not only as many yeares as are past of our love but in recompense of former losses give all those yeares which betvvixt this and that time in which thou first didst begin to live thou didst spend in his love Therfore humbly trusting in thy favour but what doe I say I feate I am too bold Noe. Thy love doth beare it his love deserveth it all love requireth it I humbly conioyne my love and life with thyne that this little drop of my love being drovvned in that sea of thyne and both made but one life and love as a drop is made one with the liquor into which it is infused I may love him as he deserveth noâ— only as soone but before I began to be O blessed coniunction Thou didst desire that thy love had been Eternall to make it such thou didst ioyne it with the love of thy blessed Sonne and Eternally with him thou desiredst and beganst to love him My love therfore being novv one with thyne and thyne one with his all three make but one eternall love which triple knot of love God of his infinite goodnes ever please to continue Amen The miserie of most men bewayled and the happines of younger yeares I. THe happy coniunction which we may make of our love with the love of God and of our blessed Ladie may be an exceeding comfort to vs farre greater comfort would it have been if besides the condition of being but in time there had been no further distance But alas Hovv often besides have we made a breach of love betvvixt vs and God we were no sooner Masters of our love but we began to wast it lavishly as the prodigall child did his substance in a farre country from God cleaving in affection to the husks of his Creatures which the swine doe eate the externall appearance of the things of this world in which worldlings doe delight For they never enter by consideration into the substance of things created to feed thier soules with the goodnes and mercy and wisdome and povver and other infinite perfections of God who made them neither doe they consider to what end they were made to wit to incite vs and help vs the more to his love but as the psalmist speaketh like a horse or a mule who have no
behold the vayle of the temple was â—ent into two parts from the top to the bottome and the earth did quake and the rocks were split and the sainâ—ts that had stept vose Behold these Alterations not without contentment that novv the hidden mysteries of the old testament should be revealed and the holy of holyes be knovvne publiâ—ely to all The very rockes and dull earth testifying the feeling which we ought to have of the indignities offered to our Saviour and that the hardest harts and people dead and buryed in synne and oblivion should reape benefit if they would by out Saviours death and passion Open thyself to thy Saviour divide thy hart into love and grief think of thy life past from the top to the bottome breake through the rockes of difficulties cleanse the sepulchre of thy hart from all corruption II. Imitate the Centurion who seeing what passed cryed out truly this man was just certaynly this man was the Sonne of God And multitudes of them that â—ere present returned knocking thier breast These are the affections which thou must endeavour to rayse in thy soule and many more which thou mayst learne of our blessed Lady and S. Jhon and S. Marie Magdalen reflect vpon the behaviour of every one of them and dive into thier invvard thoughts while they were expecting what would be further done to the dead body of our Saviour III. The Iewes besought Pilate that thier bodyes might not remayne so vpon thier Saboth but that thier thighes might be broken and so taken downe and the soldiers broke the thighes of the oâ—e and the other thoefe In what anguish may we imagin were the devout soules fearing that that cruelric might be done vpon our Savoiur also not knovving perhaps certaynly that he was dead or though they knevv it But the providence of God prevented their malice for coming to our Saviour and finding him dead they did not breake his thighes but one of the soldiers with a lance opened his side and instantly water and blood issued This speare went also to the hart of the Blessed Virgon and of the rest yet finding that he was dead before they applyed themselves more to the gathering vp of that Sacred blood and admired the my sterie of the â—vvo different liquors which S. Augustine explicareth in these tearmes The Evâ—â—gelist made vse of a very significant word when he sayed He opened to shevv that there in a manner the gate of life was set open from whence the Sacraments of the Church have flovved with out which no man enters into that life which is truly life IV. Open thy hart to our blessed Saviour and if iâ— payne thee here thou hast a lenitive Thou hast wounded my hart in one of thy eyes Sayth the spouse Hovv many darts are here by which thou mayest receive the like loving wounds Cast vp thy eyes frequently meditate continually of these mysteries enter into his sacred side c. say with the Prophct This is my resting place for ever here I will dwell because I have chosen it Of the taking downe from the Crosse and buryall I. IN the evening Ioseph a rich man of Arimathea and noble decurion iust and expecting the kingdome of God disciple of our Saviour in private came and boldly went to Pilate and demanded the body of Iesus and Pilate gave it him He is deservedly reported to be rich sayth S. Ambrose having received the body of Christ. But see the preparations to receive it he was just valuing the kingdome of God more then his wealth and hovvever private before novv he boldly professeth it devotion overcame feare and humane respects Asteeme of this gift above all gifts and think hovv and where thou wilt reserve it II. Ioseph having bought a syndon or rich winding sheete and taking him downe wrapped him in it Nicodemus came also who first came by night to our Saviour and brought a composition of myrrhe and aloes about one handred pounds and they bound up the body with them If the Apostles had buried him the Ievves would have sayed the had not been buryed as they sayed he was stolen But the iust man is he that wrappeth our Saviours body in white linnen the Innocent man inbalmes him doe thou the like offices bring one hundred pounds a compleate quantitie of faith and good works III. And there was in the place where he was cruâ—ified 〈◊〉 garden and in the garden a new Monument in which not any had as yet been layed cut out in a rock There therfore because it was night they layed Iesus and rolled a greate stone to the entrance or dore of the monument To the body of our Saviour Sanctitie and Virginitie is ever due a wombe vntouched conceived him a nevv sepulchre received him And deservedly is it cut out in a firme faith and a stone rolled to it because whoever shall have buried our Saviour in his breast must be carefull that he leese him not See also that thy hart be a garden well kept not a wildernes or full of weeds and neere to the Crosse that thou mayst be the surer to have him lodged in it IV. Forget not in the meane time the duties which our Blessed Lady and S. Ihon and the Magdalen did vnto him when he was taken dovvne hovv every one strived to imbrace him and reverently to kisse his feete and hands and side and could hardly be brought to relinquish him but that the time of day and precept of keeping the sabboth called vpon them which they dutifully obeyed retayning him still in thier thoughts and in thier pâ—ous discourses An Excercise in honour of the precious wounds of our blessed Saviour I. IT is likely that those devout persons who were actours in taking our Saviours body dovvne from the Crosse did severally thier respects to his sacred wounds all proceeding from love and mingled with it yet diversly according to the severall dispositions of thier minds and the occasions which they had to attend our Saviour in his life time S. Ihon betooke himself to the right foote and as more beloved then the rest expressed his gratitude in affections of love and thanksgiving for the particular favours receaved leaning his head vpon that foote as before vpon our Saviours breast and pouring forth abundance of teares for the absence of so loving a master He remembred the request of his Mother that he might sit at the right hand or at the left of our Saviour in his kingdome but novv he resolved to drink perpetually this chalice This should be his cup and his comfort till that other kingdome came to be revealed after this life miserable with out this releefe O svveete cup. c. Dominus regit me nihil mihi deerit II. The Magdalen was at the left foote where thou must begge of her to give thee a little roome to wash that foote with teares of sorrovv for thy severall offenses she is loth to yeald
an inch of place or minute of time because she knovves all is too little for her ovvne expressions Importunitie and compassion will overcome her therfore settle thyself to it and say who will give me as fountayne a flood of teares that I may bowayle the Sonne of God thus slayne for my synns O cruell synne that thus killest tvvo at once me and my Saviour and as for me I am worthy of a thousand deaths and will die a thousand times before I offend againe But he what hath he deserved The Magdalen did not ceafe to kisse but I must not cease to weepe that I may wash avvay that which hath thus stayned my Saviour O blessed Magdalen have compassion on me III. Joseph of Arimathia held the riâ—ht hand and as he offered his ovvne nevv sepulchre to our Saviour for his buryal and the winding sheete and other necessaries so he poured forth his harth liberally to him offering himself to whatever future service to him or his sory that his sepulchre was not more rich and the sheete more white and costly to wrapp so greate a treasure No pretious stone could have been equall to his desert no gold or sylver enough to garnish it ô that my hart were not too hard or too base to lay thee in it whatever it is take possession of it and of all that belongs to it Thoâ— art God of my hart and my portion God for ever IV. At the left hand Nicodemus stood not having alltogeather shaken of his feares therfore he brought a mixture of myrrhe and aloes about perhaps not full a hundred pownd weight For so long as we are yet living we cannot be alltogether without feare to be cast of to the left hand and a moderate feare is profitable tovvards the buryall of our Saviour in our soules because we are earth and with the humble is his conversation Minmingle this holy feare with thy love it will serve to bind vp the spices with the body that they be not sâ—attered abroad with vayne complacencie in thy selfe or in this very actioÌ„ to the preiudice of charyty tovvards thy selfe and of thy neighbour who is an other receptacle for our Saviour V. Our blessed Lady having the sacred body in her lap had the wound of his side perpetually in her eye and her thoughts occupied in conteâ—plation hovv he was God and man immortall and yet dead extreamely deserving love and yet thus vsed Behold the teares silently trickling dovvne her cheekes some times sighing some times lifting vp her eyes and repeating our Saviours words my God my God wherfore didst thou thus forsake him father forgive them O my sonne Other motherly expressions were not wanting which she tempered with her wonted vertue and with her sonnes command Weepe not vpon me She applyed herself to the duties of his buryall and had her thoughrs vpon his resurrection c. Of the Passion of our Saviourby way of repetition I. PART I. PLace thyself in a corner of the Counsell Chamber wher Cayphas and the rest are met and first wondering with the Psalmist why they should be so fierce against a man from whom every body received so much good and they might if they would and acknovvledging that doe what they can God will at last turne thier counsels vpon themselves Qui babitaâ— in coelis irridebit cos c. Turne thou also Cayphas his verdict vpon thyself and acknovvledge thy ovvne blindnes and backvvardnes tovvards thy ovvne good Vos neseitis quicquam For wheras it is the generall document of all spirituall men and experience teacheth that every one hath some principall bad inclination or vice to which he is most prone and which dravves vs after it into many inconveniences either we doe not search after it or knovving it we doe not prosecute the rooting of it out as it were fitting Expedit vt vnus moriatur homo infectus non tota gens pereat II. Transferre thyself from thence to the Chamber where our Saviour made his last supper and reioy cing to be rather in that companie heare our Saviour foretelling his Apostles of thier weaknes in forsaking him and in being scandalized and be not presumptuous as Perer was at that time but acknovvledge rather the contrarie that though all should stand yet I have cause to feare a fall and by experience doe find many reasons for it taking myself in so many occasions not follovving him as I ought but a longe a farre of God wot even where there is no such matter of difficultie to be striven with but doe take easy denyalls for good excuses III. Beholding him washing his disciples feete begge of him that by the example and merit of this humble action he will give thee more strength and wash avvay what ever may cleave to thee offensive or disturbing his service Amplâ—us lava me ab iniquitate mea More deare lord and more for I never cease to soyle myself Fall dovvne at his feete and wash them with reares as the Magdalen and doe not cease to kisse them If thou hast any thing superfluous sayth S. Augustine give it to the poore and thou hast wipâ—d our Saviours feete To thee it is superfluous our Saviours feete have need of it If thou hast any quarell with any body give it into our Saviours hands to be washed avvay for if it be not washed thou shalt not have part with him for ever â—hou knovvest not what thou doest if thou doest not forgive thou wilt aftervvard knovv it to thy cost Lord not this only but if I were a thousand times â—hore offended I doe intirely offer iâ— into thy hands and freely doe forgive as I desire to be forgiven for I cannot answer one for a thousand that thou art able to lay against me Repitition of the mysteries of the passion of our Saviour II. PART I. VVAlking in the Garden of Gethsemanie cast thy eyes vpon our Saviours sorrovvfull hart and knocking thy breast say ô hart of myne that hast been cause of this griefe O that it were a fountaine of water breaking forth at my eyes to bevvayle the synnes which he bevvayleth sorrowfull is my soule that it is not full of sorrovves O dullnes and drovvsines Is this a time when thou beholdest thy Saviour svveating dropps of blood betrayed apprehended bound haled outraged like a rogue and a miscreant VVhere be thy resolutions to suffer prisonment and death for him VVhy doest thou not imprison thy wandering thoughts and confine them to this dolfull spectacle VVhy doest thou not die to thy desires of esteeme and case seeing him so affronted and misused II. And they brought him bound to Annas first VVhere consider that though he receive the boxe on the eare thou deservedst it and by right the fellovv might have sayed to thee Sic respondes Pontifici Is this the gratitude which thou shevvest to the Priest of the nevv Testament who shedding his ovvne blood for thee hath redeemed
stubbornes Yet God of his goodnes as S. Gregorie reflecteth permitted this accident that the incredulous disciple while he handleth the wounds in his masters flesh should cure in our hartes the wound of Infidelitie Prayse God allmightie his goodnes towards thee and beware of the falt discovered in the disciple reflect how vnreasonable it was for one to stand against so many and the more the longer that humour stuck by him Specially our Saviour having foretold he should rise againe Hovv many means doth God vse to prevent and to salve wounds and yet we will not be cured Behold thy wayes sayth the Propher reflect what thou hast done and thou sayedst I will not I have loved strangers and after them I will walke Hovv much better is it to keepe good companie and follovv it II. After eight dayes againe his disciples were with in and Thomas as with them Iesus cometh the doores being â—â—ut and stood in the midst and sayed Peace be to you Then he sayeth to Thomas put in thy finger hither and see my hands and bring hither thy hand and put it into my side and be not incredulous but faithfull Slovvnes in beleefe deserved slovvnes in the cure Yet S. Jhon Chrysostome puts vs in mind of our Saviours mercyes and goodnes who for one soule doth willingly shevv his wounds and cometh to save one and doth not expect till he begge it He reiterates the same signes againe coming the doores being shut and suddenly appearing in the midst of them and his wonted and knovvne salutation to styrre vs vp the easyer to beleeve and love him So he doth dayly in the course of nature and grace for who is the father of the rayne and who hath begotten the drops of dewe But he that is continually renevving his works for vs. Here thou mayest touch his omnipotencie and his goodnes and thrust thy whole hand into his treasures of mercyes and benefits and overcome all incredulitie and hardnes of hart and vnfaythfull serving of him and doe not content thyself with once or slightly touching vpon him stretch forth thy thoughts often to reach further and further into him III. Thomas answered my Lord and my God expressing both his acknovvledgement and his love confounded for his not beleeving and at our Saviours mildnes tovvards him beleeving novv not only that really it was his master but that he was truly God and God who to me in particular to me so vnderserving would vouchsafe to shevv himself so loving And where shall we improve these affections better then by touching the sacred wounds of our Saviour and entring by his side into his everloving hart where we may see and beleeve and yet not being overcurious to see be partakers of that other blessing contayned in the ansvver of our Saviour because thou hast seen me Thomas thou hast beleeved blessed are they who have not seen and have beleeved For wherfore should any man say I would I had lived in those times to have seen our Saviour working miracles c. we have the word of prophecie more sure which you doe well â—ttending vnto as to a light shining in a darke place The causes why our Saviour kept the marks of his wounds in his hands feete and side I. HE shewed them his hands and side and the disciples were joyed seeing our Lord. Not only at his preseÌ„ce as thier frend thier maister their Redeemer novv freed from so much affliction in which they had lately seen 〈◊〉 but for the glorie also and good which was to come 〈◊〉 and to themselves and particularly they wondred to see the markes of his wounds remayne in his side fecre and hands and could not sufficiently admire them diving to the reasons wherfore some reflect that they were signes of the love which he had borne vs and manifested in his life and sufferings for vs for as S. Bernard discourseth the secrets of his hart doe appeare through the overtures in his body his bovvels of mercy are discovered II. Others beheld them as inciâ—ements to love him the more and to venture thy more for him so S. Thomas reasoneth He shevved his hands to incourage vs to fight for him his side to inflame vs in his love his feete to egge vs on to runne in the path of his commandments His whole body to move vs to compassion O fountaine of love what shall I say of thee who hast vouchsafed to be so mindfull of me III. S. Ambrose tells vs that they strenghen our fayth and confidence in him they set an edge vpon our devotion considering that he would retayne these markes to represent them to his heavenly Father as pledges of our Redemption and pleaders for vs. Here the sparovv finds a house and the turtle dove a nest sayth S. Bernard In these the dove doth shelrer herself and without feare beholdeth the hauke flying aboute Say then with S. Augustin Behold I beseech thee ô Lord the wounds in thy hands for lo in thy hands thou hast writtâ—n me read thy ovvne hand-vvriting and save me IV. They incourage vs to suffer fot him for he that entreth into his wounds will not be so sensible of his ovvne And finally as they are a comfort to the good they will be a corrasive to the wicked when in the latter day it shall be sayed to them See the man whom thou hast crucified see the wounds thou hast made see the side which thou hast pearced By thee and for thee it was opened and yet thou wouldest not enter O blessed wounds give me leave that I may with reverence behold yee lovingly kisse yee humbly enter and constantly imbrace yee that neither life not death not any chance whatever may sever me from yee but that my love stronger then death may be eternally tovvards thee sweete Jesus who barest them for me Our Saviour appeareth to some of his disciples while they were fishing I. PART I. THere were togeather Simon Peeter and Thomas and Nathanael and the Sonnes of Zebedee and two others Simon Peeter sayed to them I goe to fish they sayed we also come with thee they went into the boate and that night they tooke nothing Thomas had learned not to part with good companie and they joyntly mingled competent worke with thier retirement and vpon the confidence which our Saviours presence vpon earth had given them they durst novv go forth of thier houses without â—eare of the Jewes but yet they tooke nothing that night not because it was night but to shew that all did not lye in thier industrie and labour besides that the ill successe of thier fishing was to serve to the more cleere manifestation of Christs glorie and resurrection III. In the morning Iesus stood on the shore yet they know not that it was Iesus He sayed to them Children have you any meate They answered him no He sayed to them cast the net on the right side of the
in darknes We know that we are transferred from death to life because we love our brethren he that loveth not remaynes in death And the colder our love is the more signes of death He layed downe his lifâ— for vs and we must lay downe our lives for our brethren He fedd vs with his whole life by example by word by labour by day and by night feede my lambs with tender love feede my sheepe with solid love feede every one to the proportion of his necessitie but with no small proportion of love III. Peeter was grieved because he was asked the third time but the asking shevves the necessitie of our inquirie and searching into our breasts whether there doe not lurke something that doth gaynesay our affirming and as for the comparative we must allvvayes avoyde it with S. Peeter here novv learneder then at the last supper when he sayed Though all be scandalized in thee yet not I. Lord thou knowest all things the secrets of my hart are secret from myself hovv oft have I been deceived in myself and hovv apt to be still deceived Yet I cannot but say I doe love thee and if I doe not I wil love thee I desire to love thee more and more Love all for Iesus love Iesus for himself Iesus Christ alone is singularly to be loved Thomas a Kempis lib. 3. cap. 8. num 4. Our Saviour foretelleth S. Peeter of his death I. VErily Verily I say to thee when thou wert yonger thou didst gird thyself and walk where thou wouldest but when thou shalt be old thou shalt stretch forth thy hands and another shall gird thee and lead thee where thou will not This he sayed signifying by what death he should glorifie God and when he had sayed this he sayed 〈◊〉 him follow me It is a kind of death also by which God is greately glorified when for the love and service of our neighbour we let him gird vs that is restrayne vs from that to which of ourselves we have a mind and doe yeald to anothers weakenes in that which is no offense to God or beare patiently even with offenses VVe may also learne here that the elder we grow the more we shall see that it is wisdome to suffer ourselves to be guided by others and not wed ourselves to our ovvne dictamens and desires specially if we reflect what hath been oftimes the result of follovving ourselves Confine thyself to the Tenets of the Church to the commandments of God and of his Church and to the will of thy superiour in that in which thou art subiect II. He say to Peeter follow me perhaps parting from the rest he intended to instruct Peeter more particularly concerning his Church and the government of it and desired that the rest should vnderstand it so but by occasion of it we may reflect hovv greate a dignitie it is to follovv Christ greater then whatever promotion and that those who have charge of others or pretend to the loâ—e of Christ more then others must follovv closer imitating his vertues and suffring for him Peeter turning saw the disciple whom Iesus loved following and sayed Lord and this man what Not thinking much that he followed also though not spoken to but for the love and courâ—esie which was betvvixt them he was desirous to knovv what was to become of him as well as of himself III. Iesus sayed to him so I will have him remayne till I come what is it to thee As if he should have sayed attend to thyself and thy ovvne busines leave the disposition of this matter to me when it shall be time I will manifest my will concerning him Follow thou me A document not to be inquisitive concerning others and also to beare willingly a reprehension in things which we doâ— or say with good zeale and intention Begge incessantly and labour to remayne with our Saviour to the end as the thing which most importeth vndervaluing whatever els in comparison of this O that I could remayne with him so that is beloved as the disciples worthy to be admitted to leaâ—e vpon his breast so pure so illuminated or rather so that is with that patience and love as our Saviour is content to remayne with vs in the blessed Sacrament and in our neglected if not synfull soules Dive not too farre into future things which are ever vncertaine Harken to our Saviour speaking sonne suffer me to doe what I will with thee I knovv what is good for thee Them à Kemp. l. 3. c. 17. He appeareth to the Apostles while they were at table I. LAstly he appeared to the eleven as they sat at table and checked them for thier incredulitie and hardnes of hart because they did not beleeve those that had seen him risen againe Lament thy ovvne slovvnes or slendernes in beleefe and hardnes of hart and observe hovv strictly he requires that we beleeve others and that we be not obstinate though we ourselves doe not see the grounds and depth of that which is raught vs Here he condescends to thier weakes because they were the first that were to teach others and presented himself to all because some had doubted but by this reprehension he gives them to vnderstand that thier doubts were not allwayes to de satisfied that way II. And he sayed vnto them Going into the whole world preach the Ghospell to every creature neither Ievv nor Gentil excepted he that shall beleeve and be baptized shall be saved but he that shall not beleeve shall be condemneâ— Reflect that the whole courâ—e and intention of Christs coming into this world and preaching and sufferring did not tend to the gaining to himself or vs any worloly prosperitie or delight but that we shouâ—d beleeve and knovv God to be our chiefe Lord and Master obey his commands and orders and so after this life come to be saved of which the promises to the Ievves of milk and hony were but a figure Christ reserving to his ovvne coming the increase of light in these supernaturall things and the extension of his favour to all nations In this knovvledge and dutie and in no other we excell all creatures fayling of it we become like beasts and in worse condition because subiect to eternall condemnation for not having lived like men subiect by nature to God and his lavves Give God thanks for giving thee this beleefe and life at this time when with ease thou mayest come vnto it III. Them that beleeve these signes shall follow In my name they shall cast out divells they shall speake with new tongues they shall take up serpentâ— and if they drink any deadly thing it shall not hurt them They shall lay hands vpon the sick and they shall be well these signes when ever it is necessarie doe still follovv and continue in the Church of God as we see by dayly experience buâ— mystically as S. Bernard and others doe discourse they dayly dâ—e happen for by the abundance of Gods grace
understanding they rest in that to which sense doth lead them and like svvine feede greedyly vpon the husks and attend to fill thier bellies that is thier inordinate appetite with things which for the present and by reason of thier vnbridled hunger and distempered mind doe seeme to content them and in the meane time let thier soules pine avvay for want of the food they were created to feed on II. VVhat a dreadfull distaÌ„ce is there betvvixt such soules and God when not thier love by which alone we caÌ„ approch to him but thier hatâ—ed by which we goe further and further from him begins by little and little to be eternall tovvards him who deserveth eternall love for the too much love of Creatures doth insensibly breed disâ—ast of the Creatour the cleaving to the visible blinds vs â—owards the invisible the eye that lookes much vpon earth is loth to looke vpon heaven as too farre from its purpose If wishes will supply with what weeping and lamenting ought we to wish that such a gap had never been made but that at least we had begun the love which we ovve eternally to God so soone as it was in our power â—o love him and that when we began first to have the vse of reason we had reflected how greate reason there was not to desire to live but only for his love III. Happy are they who have thier yeares before them for by the benefit of thier age having not settled â—hier affections vpon any thing els they have them still wholy in thier hands to bestow vpon him who beft deserveth our love for all things beside him are either naught or nothing in comparison to him Happy yeares which make thier possessours able to say to God my loving Lord Thy infinite love hath been towards me eâ—â—rnall without beginning because the being of thyself was the beginning of thy love both eternall without beginning This beginning therfore of my life shall also be the beginning of my love tovvards thee that when by thy grace and continuall assistance I shall enter into that other Eternitie which hath no end my love may be found to have been so long as my life both equally eternall for it would be a greate confusion to me in that doubtfull day of thy judgment to have it layed to my charge that I had lived longer then I had loved thee who hast not lived one moment longer then thou hast loved me IV. Thrice happy in this kind oâ— blessed Gonzaga who coulâ—st lovingly glorie that at seaven yeares of age thou didst perfectly turne thyself to God and with greate fervour of mind consecrate thyself wholy to him Thou knewest then how gratefull to God would be these first fruits of thy love Begge of him pardon for my neglect and vnmindfullnes and promote the desires of those who are yet yong that they may follow thy steps and place thier love betimes where if it be not placed it will finally either be lost or mispent lost if bestowed vpon things which doe not deserve our love mispent if vpon things which rather deserve our hatred O hatefull expence of love that is so preâ—ious A second means to perpetuate our love towards God I. THey who have let sâ—ip time so pretious â—ust repayre thier losse so well as they can not with often sighs and sorrowes only for that which is past buâ— with constant purposes for the time to come and say with the Psalmist Now I begin o Lord to love thee This love by thy grace I will continue for ever till it be perfected after this changeable life in thy never changing Eternitie O that I were able to say with they Apostle or rather with that confidence and with that love which he did Cerius sum I am certayne thaâ— neither death nor life nor Angels nor Principalities nor Powers neither things present nor things to come neither might nor heigth nor depth nor other creature shall be able to separate me from the charitie which I owe which I beare to thee my God for thy loving self and for thy loving Sonne Christ Jesus our Lord. II. But how oft have I sayed thus to God And may not I with reason feare least he slight my words having experienced that the worke doth so slowely follow Of this I am 〈◊〉 that were not his goodnes immeasuâ—able he would long care this have loathed so much instabilitie of hart and so often change of love no maâ— would have abided it Buâ— God knoweth himself and knoweth vs He knoweth himself to be eternall ever permanent ever the same He knoweth that as we have had a beginning in this life and shall have an end so all our life standeth vpon beginnings and endings and consequently it is no wonder that we have in vs so many changes but even this condition of ours must be to vs an incitement every houre in the day and every moment to begin as if that houre or that moment were the first and last of our life How many have been to thier ovvne and others thinking able and strong and likely to outlive many dayes and yeares and have been suddenly taken avvay Let vs therfore make vse of this our nature and beleeve this truth that we have not one day nor one houre certayne of life why therfore should we neglect this houre and not imploy it wholy in his love III. O that our love were tovvards God so fervently earyed as it is some times foolishly bent towards creatures hovv short would these dayes of our life most iustly seeme to bee O love hovv justly may I complayne of thy sottish ignorance and blind measure Greate and long love towards creatures little and short towards our Creatour what a monster is it Few be the dayes of my life â— my God the dayes of my life be few compared with the Eternitie of the love which I ovve thee they be fevv compared with the love which I wish thee O that I had a thousand lives to bestovv in they love from this houâ—e if I had them I would bestovv them all in thy love from this houte I doe consecrate all the houres and minutes of my life hovv long or hovv short soever thou knowest it will be wholy and intirely to thy love Hovv to wish it I cannot tell The longer I live the oftener I offend against thy love perhaps the more I shall doe or suffer for thy love here thou must be the chooser grant me only thy grace that that which is and shall be may be wholy thyne Grant that hovv long soever I live it may seeme little in respect of the greatnes of thy love which I desire to shew cersaynly it will be little in comparison of that which â—â—ou deservâ—st my God my love Amen Of the desire of being dissolved I THe greate saincts of God out of the abundance of love which they beare him doe oftimes desire most earnestly that this thier miserable life were quickly at
an end not because they are weary of troble with themselves or others but because love is increased and established by the presence of the parties who doe love and especially by such an all seeing and all inioying presence by which we discover infinitely more the infinite perfections of God with out the least alay of imperfection infinitely more then we can possibly arrive to vnderstand in this life by all the naturall and supernaturall knovvledge which we have and by this blessed preseÌ„ce we are ourselves perpetually coÌ„firmed in love without any danger of fayling in the least duty of correspondence and finally we are made more capable and never weary of loving him because we still discover more and more that he infinitely and incomprehensibly deserveth the eternall continuance and perseverance of our love towards him Say therfore with the Apostle I desire to be dissolved from these mortall bonds which aggravate and depresse my soule from that perfection of love which a sincere hart desireth and thou my God deservest I defire to be dissolved if not out of perfect love which excludeth feare yet out of such love as breadeth a filiall feare of offending and lothnes to continue in the least danger of leesing or lessening thy love II. O dreadfull danger a danger worse then death itself With what exquisite manner of all corporall death would I not willingly redeeme this hazard What hazard would I not most joyfully runn to purchase an eternitie of never offending my God O pretious Eternitie One thing I have asked of my lord God this I will againe and againe require that the very houre and moment that he seeth me inclining to offend he will rather call me out of this life then permit me to fayle in his love Happy man If I be thus prevented who will give me wings as of a dove and I will fly from this death of synne which doth hang over my head ô love of my deare God! How long shall I abide this hazard of leesing thee who art my only true life III. I doe not envy any thing more in the blessed sainâ—ts and Angels of heaven then that thier love to God is continuall with out intermission constant without waâ—ering certayne without feare of leesing it or of relenting Eternall with out end of loving neither can death be truly welcome for any other end more then that it may be a beginning of this loving Eternitie O Eternitie of love what time can be sufficiâ—â—t to dwell vpon so loving a consideration What houre or minute of my life should passe in which I should not be found still loving thee my God and still exercising acts of thy love in haâ—â— and deed Print this thy love sweet Jesus in my hart by thy bitter Passion and by â—hy sacred wounds what better seale then thy loving self VVhat stronger wax then thy sacred blood What highter â—ire then thy eternall love O that my soule were â—he whitest parchment worthy to receive such a noble impression which being presented and vnfolded in thy eternall Consistorie nothing might appeare written in it from the beginning of my life to the end therof but Jesus my love my love sweete Jesus Amen How we ought to imitate the Eternitie of the love of God in the love of our Neighbour I. THe â—ternitie of love which we indeavour after our meane kind of measure to expresse in ourselves towards God in answer to his eternall love towards vs the same it is fit we should practise towards others in imitation of this first excellencie of his infinite love both to fâ—ee ourselves from that inference which S. Jhon makes that if any say I love God and hatâ—â—h his brother be is a lyer and from that imperfection to fullâ—ll the commandment which we have of it for so the same beloved disciple assureth vs This commandmâ—◠〈◊〉 have from â—â—d thaâ— who loveth God loveth also his â—rother and againe he that hath my commandments and keepeth them he it is that loveth me II. VVe must therfore love our neighbour even before he loves vs and when he gives vs no occasion to love him but rather occasion of hatred by his â—hvvart demeanour tovvards vs or ill cariage tovvards God Againe we must never be weary of loving him or of doing good vnto him or for him we must with greate patience and longanimitie beare his dayly and continuall imperfections and offenses neither wondering nor impatiently grudging at his often falling or hard measureâ— nor pusillanimously sitting dovvne thinking hovv to fly and retire from such companie to others with whom we imagin we shall have no such troble but imitating the charitie of God and patience of Christ and saying with S. Augustine if the vessels of flesh be narrovv let the bounds of charitie be enlarged that is let men be infirme and troblesome and synfull hard to be ruled harder to accommodate themselves to my disposition or conceiâ—e it is the nature of flesh and blood to be so my charitâ—â— shall not be so scant as not to out-reach all this and persever to the end in bearing that so I may fullfill the lavv of Christ and imitate his love III. O love of my God more strong then death for death could never have overtaken my God vnlesse love had yealded him into his hands This brought my deere Saviour to the death-bed of the crosse and did not suffer him to come dovvne from it for any of the vpbrayding-scoffs with which the Ievves did taunt him nor for any weaker motive which humane frayletie might have suggested nor for any fayre seeming reason which worldly wisdome might have invented but being stretched vpon it to the vtmost as he had began to love vs from the beginning of his not only mortall but immortall life so hâ— resolved to yeald vp his last breath and blessed Ghost for vs that this his â—ying for our sake might be a most evident testimonie of his never dying love seeing he choose rather to leave this life then to forgo our love O that my hart and soule were wâ—oly absorpt in this thy eternall love that I might dye by thy love who didst die for the love of me and die rather then relent in the least point of love tovvards thee or tovvards my neighbour for thee Amen The latitude or Vniversalitie of the love of God I. THe latitude of the charitie of God is the Vniversalitie of his love extending itself to all in generall and to every one in particular He will have all men to be saved sayth the Apostle and to come to the knowledge of the truth and the beloved disciple he inlighteneth every man that cometh into this world Therfore when he had created man he added his commandments and precepâ—s that if he would keepe his commandments they should keepe him Therfore he punisheth synners in this life by peeces puting them in mind of that in which they have offended that
leaving thier malice they may beleeve in thee ô Lord Therfore he picked out a choosen people to shevv his wonderous povvre more signally to all the world by them that hearing all his precepts they should say behold a wise and vnderstanding people a greate nation Therfore he came himself and tooke flesh vpon him to satisfie for the synnes of everre one of vs and to give vs example of obedience to the lavv of God which he came to promulgate and aftervvards sent his Apostles and thier successours into the whole world with commandment to preach the Ghospell to every creature testifying that with the like assistance he will be with us to the end of the world II. To this vniversalitie belongeth the sweetnes of the lavv of Grace and the easynes by which we may come to the remission of our synns and to saluation for what ceremonie could be instituted more easy then that of baptisme VVhat means of remissioÌ„ of synns aftervvards committed more indulgent then that of private confessionâ— For whatever people ill disposed may think of it if an earthly Prince had appointed such a way of pardon for crimes committed who would not runn vnto it And this not once or tvvice but ten thousand thousand times to be had and in fine as oft as we shall have offended and when ever we will have recourse vnto it after never so long delayes or relapses VVhat shall I say of the helps internall by remorse and inspiration and externall by exhortation and example of which in the Church of God there is continuall succession and abundance what of the presence of our blessed Saviour in the Sacrament continually as it were wayting vpon vs and by it inviting vs. and puting vs in mind of our duty tovvards him That he would be in every Countrey Church attending vs is no small token of his vniversall love tovvards vs refusing no body neither rich nor poore nor lame nor blind nor the most noylomest creature that we can imagin Come to me allyee that labour and are burdened and I will refresh yee III. That he refuseth no synner though never so greate is particularly to be pondered as a signe of the vâ—niversalitie of his love of which though we see dayly example the Apostle testifyeth it in himself extolling this grace and giving speciall thanks that though before he was a blasphemer and a persecutour and contumelious in his thoughts and speeches tovvards Christ our Saviour yet he received mercy Ponder the hardnes which naturally we find among men to forgive offenses and compare it with what we experience in God and be confounded at thy ingratitude have recourse to his mercyes inlarge thy haâ—t in hope and confideÌ„ce and give not way to thoughts of diffidence for if thy synns be as scarlet they shall be whitened as snow and if they be as red as crimson they shall be white like wooll He gave vnto Salomon latitude of hart as the sand which is on the sea shore but what is this compared with the largenes of thy mercyes my God ready to forgive more offenses then there be sands on the shore and to receive into thy armes more offenders then the whole world is capable of One drop of thy pretious blood was capable to satisfie for millions of worlds what a sea then of mercyes hath all humane kind offered vnto it by thee my God to plunge and cleanse itself to the full O let me not be vngratefull Amen The love of God towards vs is vniversal because to every one in particular I. THis is testifyed vnto vs by the Apostle when magnifying the grace received by Christ he sayth I live in the fayth of the Sonne of God who loved me and delivered himself for me And is seconded by ovr Saviour to S. Gertrude saying Behold thou seest how for thy love I did once hang vpon the Crosse naked contemptible disjoynted in every member and wounded in every part of my body and yet to this very day my haâ—t is so sweetely affected towards thee by love that if it were convenient for thy good and that thou couldst not othervvise get to heaven I would for thee alone suffer all that which I suffered then for the whole world O my God! what am I in particular that thou shouldest thus lovingly expresse thyself Or what doth my particular import thee that thou shouldst be so tender of me O that I had the loves of all in particular to bestovv vpon thee who deservest all Blessed is he that vnderstandeth what it is to love Iesus c. II. That which our Saviour sayed to S. Bridget expresseth an other degree of latitude in this love for thus he is recorded to have spoken My love tovvards mankind is novv as greate and as incomprehensible as it was at the time of my passion And if it were convenient that I should die as many deaths as there be damned souleâ— in hell I would most willingly and with the greatest love that may be deliver my body to be tormented and would suffer the same death and passion againe for ech soule in particular which I indured for all This infinite charitie seemeth strange to men who measure the perfections of God by thier ovvne imperfection But the heavenly wisedome pronunced rightly of him Thou loâ— vest all the things which are and hatest nothing of that which thou hast made neither hast thou ordayned or made any thing hating it In so much that the very damned soules are punished though excessively yet beneath the desert of synne and hovvever he be a rigorous judge yet he desiâ—eth that in the later day he might find nothing to be punished for which end he gives vs day to repent to the very last and so many means to blot out synne and the remaynders of it III. To this end he reserved the blessed marks of his sacred wounds even in his glorifyed body that we should â—â—nd as it were so many gates layed open to his mercyes and that these might be a never dying memoriall of his paâ—t and future love both to vs to excite vs and to his heavenly Father with our further words to plead for vs for though neither he nor his heavenly father doe need incitements to love vs or remembrances not being subject to forget or to forgo thier ovvne loving natures yet out of thier superabundant goodnes they would that these marks should be reserved more efficatious to assvvage thier anger against synne then could the rayne bovv be against a second diluge O Blessed wounds layed wide open for my sake it seemes by you that the divine soule of my Saviour had more love for me then the earthen vessell of his body could contayne O that my soule were capable to receive the remaynder I did runne in the way of thy commandments when thou didst dilate my hart sayed they holy Proâ—het supply it with thy ardent affection stretch it to all
him and extoll his goodnes and begge of him so much participation of it as he shall please to communicate to thee II. Iâ—sus sayed to him If thou wilt be perfect go sell the things which thou hast and give to the poor and thou shalâ— have treasure in heaven and come follow me and when the yongman heard this word he went away sad for he had many possessions Perfection consisteth in that coniunction with God which we may attayne vnto in this life that is in Charitie and the love of God to which perfection all are bound in some degree so that at least they never preferre my thing in thought word or deed before the love of God and observance of his commandments and to this perfection it seemes this yong man conceived that he had arrived But our Saviour shewed him that there was a higher degree or a more advantagious way to increase perfection and the love of God then he had hitherto thought on If thou wilt be perfect go sell all c. Greate things sayth S. Hierome are allwayes left to the will and free choyce of the hearers they are not commaÌ„ded but counselled The yong man when he asked what good shall I doe Did desire eternall life God was desirous to give it him in perfection but he found his hands full God was ready to give and found not where to place his gift Go and sell and give to the poore place those things in heaven which here on earth doe hinder thee of what art thou affraid Thou shalt not leese them they will be reserved for thee in heaven Thou art affraid to leese thy money and doest thou not feare least thyself perish III. And Iesus sayed to his disciples Amen I say to you that a rich man shall hardly enter into the Kingdome of heaven It is easyer for a Camell or a cable rope to passe through the eye of a needle then for a rich man to enter into the Kingdome of heaven And when they heard this the disciples marvelled very much saying who theÌ„ caÌ„ be saved And Iesus sayed to theÌ„ with meÌ„ this is impossible but with God all things are possible This saying of truth itself is much be to weighed he doth not say a rich man shall not enter though he retaynes his riches but he sayth he shall hardly enter and in the other Evangelists he expresseth it by way of admiration How hardly shall they enter who have mony Esteeming it a miraculous thing and above the course of ordinarie grace without extraordinarie helps To which purpose S. Ambrose sayth whosoever is puffed vp with honour inlarged by his treasures of gold like a beast loden and hampered will not be able to passe through the narrow way of the Kingdome of heaven Yet the advise which S. Augustin gives is greately to be taken heed to that whoever can glorie of povertie must beware of pride least the humble rich men go before them and beware of floth and want of devotion least the devout rich men be perferred and take heed of intemperance least the sober go beyond them what avayleth povertie if thou follow not Christ. The reward of loving all to follow Christ I. THen Peeter answering sayed to him Behold we have left all things and followed thee what therfore shall we have And Iesus sayed to them Amen I say to you that you who have followed me in the regeneration when the Sonne of man shall sit in the seate of his majestie you also shall sit vpon twelve seates iudging the twelue tribes of Israel S. Peeter representing to our Saviour that he and the rest of the Apostles had done that hard thing of which the rich yong man was afraide and sad when it was moved to him our Saviour did not check him nor say thou hast forgotten thy povertie what is that which thou hast left in comparison of the whole world which vpon my promise thou art to receive He leaveth much who leaves not only what he hath but whatever he might desire to have for what poore snake doth not swell with the hope which he hath in this world Who is there that doth not dayly desire to increase that which he hath This desire this greedines is here taken away S. Peeter did also well observe that it was not enough to leave all vnlesse he followed our Saviours vertues and doctrine neither can he indeed be truly sayed to leave all who retaynes so much of sense and self-love as to draw back from the perfect performance of whatever vertue he is inspired vnto for though he leaveth all which he had without he leaveth not that which is with in himself and which is of more importance and more deare into vs then whatever we have without vs. II. The answer of our Saviour doth import that for our leaving all we must not looke for reward in this world but take thankfully whatever doth happen aÌ„d reserve our hopes to the regeneration that is to the next world when rising glorious we shall be regenerated into immortalitie here we must looke for labour there for reward and however though it were reward enough to follow our saviour and to receive so much grace as perfectly to love him yet he promiseth for the honour which we might 〈◊〉 in this world by our wealth and possessions much â—ore honour in the world to come and so much as to 〈◊〉 seated by him not as people who are to give account of their actions and how they have imployed the goods which were lent them but as iudges of others actions and pioceedings VVhat can be more glorious sayth S. Bernard let the sonnes of Pride now iudge and censure at their pleasure let them sit with their kings that king who choose to himself the northen quarter let them be exalted as the cedars of Libanus we shall passe to out throne when they shall not be regarded III. And every one that hath left house or brethren or sisters or Father or Mother or wife or Children or lands for my name-sake shall receive an hundred fold and shall possesse life everlasting Here be promiseth not only a reward in the other life but also in this life as it is expressely in S. Luke which temporall reward though it be not to be looked for yet our Saviour out of his superabundant liberalitie promiseth it and performeth it partly by the inward content and quiet which those find who have left all for him and by the facilitie with which they performe the actes of vertue which deservedly is valved above an hundred fold of temporales partly also he performeth his promise by providing so as seldome or never they want any thing who left all for him but have within themselves all the comfort of assistance which either father or mother or brother or sister or frend or land could have affoorded them in the world And in the meane time from whence-soever this hundred fold doth
in providing such sustenance for vs of a mother and nurse in feeding vs at his owne breast of a frend iâ— comforting and assisting vs All these kindnesses require loving coâ—respondence on our part let vs â—leare ourselves of as many imperfections as ws can that we may be lesse troblesome accommodate ourselves to his will and pleasute in all things and be continually giving ourselves even to death for his sake if he so require and be sure never to be from him by any grievous offence II It is sayed in the first of kingâ— that the soule of Ionâ—thâ—s was ioyned fâ—st to the soule of David and Ionathas lovâ—d him as he owne soule and they entred aleague and Ionathas striped himself of the coate where with he was clothed and gave it to David and thee rest of his garments vnto his sword and bow and vnto his belt Such ought to be our love towards our blessed Saviour in this most blessed Sacrament not only to be able to say with S. Paul Who shall separate vs from the Charitie of Christ Tribulation or distresse or famine or nakednes or danger or persecution or the sword But we must indeavour to have so tender a love towards him that we be as it Were one soule and one body for this is the inteÌ„t of this his loving and familiar communication of himself vnto vs forâ— as melted waxe if it be poured into other waxe they are throughly mingled one with the oother so he that receiveth the blessed body and blood of our Saviour is ioyned vnto him so that Christ is to be found in him and he in Christ. He being sonne to the king of heaven striped himself of his glorie to cloth vs with glorie and gave vs the rest of his garments that is his verâ—uous life and example to imitate of what should not we strip ourselves to offer vnto him Specially our passions of Anger and splâ—nâ— and revenge so contrarie to this Sacrament of lâ—ve and lay them at his feete never to take them vp but in his defence and purely in his cause III Our everlasting happines consisteth in our ever permanent vnion with God in celestiall blesse Of this happines this blessed Sacrament is a beginning and a pledge who would not be ever greedy to inioy it Entring into the ioy of his Lord so oft as â—e could and because knowledge is the greatest sput to love who would not be ever â—â—minating and ever loving his perfections and with the Cherâ—bins and Seraphins saying Holy holy holy Thoâ— art my God my Crâ—atoâ—r my Redeemer infinite in power in Wisedomâ— in goodnes in mercyes in liberalitiâ— in patienâ—e iâ— humilitie in all things imaginable Thou art the giver of all good gifts and fountaâ—â—e of living watâ—rs the â—â—tidotâ— against all evills my strength o Lord and my refuge with thee I wâ—ll dwell because thee have I choosen possesse thou I beseech thee my hart Absorbeat quaeso 〈◊〉 meam ignita ac melliflua vis amoris â—ui vt â—more amoris tui moriar qui amorâ— amoris mei dignatus es mori Amâ—n The fift seate the seate of Compassion I. THe seate of Compassion is the Crossâ— on which he hung At the foote wherof finding the Magdalen I will first with her bewayle my synns which have been cause of so painefull and so disgracefull a death of so happy and so worthy a person O synne what can setforth thy enorâ—itie more theâ— that to get pardon for thee and to deface thee it behoved thâ— sonne of God â—o suffer No blood could wash the away but the blood of this lambe of God O stayne in grayne no mâ—decine cure thee but the sacred flesh of this immaculaâ—e body thus brused O venome intollerable Who will give to my head water and to my eyes a fountâ—ine of teâ—râ—s and I will â—eepe 〈◊〉 â—â—ment day and night the death of this King of all â—ations slaughtered for my synns a King crowned with thornes which ought every one of them to pearce my hâ—rt and puâ—ish in me the pride and sensualitiâ— of which he never was guyltie O nayles in his hands and feete You have miâ—taken the place where you should have been struck They are my hands and feetâ— which have synned this man whâ—t harme hath he done I find no cause iâ— him O God my God wherfore hâ—st thâ—â— thou forsaken him aâ— given him over to such a cruell death O death I will be thy dâ—â—th I will be thy mortall bit â— Hell For ioyning myself With his powerfull grace and by the merits of this victorious death I will synne no more and die rather a thousand death then offend him II. Sorrow full 〈◊〉 my soulâ— vnto death And what wonder For if I follow thee from the place where thou didst make thy last supper to the â—rosse I find nothing but teares or blood nothing but tants and scâ—ffs nothing but bloâ—â—s â—nd stripes â—othing bâ—t wouâ—ds and tâ—rments nothing but 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 against thee my God my Saviour my love What doth this thy Prayer signifie Father if it be possiblâ— let this Chalicepasse from â—e O bitter Chalice Which so much sweetnes as was in thee would not alay I doe not say it could not for certainly the request thou didst make was possible to be granted but thou wouldest not Thou didst offer thyself uÌ„to it becausâ— thou wouldest Yet this doth not excuse me from compassionating thee for however there was a Kind of necessitie put vpon thee O hard necessitie O that from my eyes there could trickle downe such drops of blood as then from thy whole body O drowsie head of mine Why doe I sleepe in this occasion Behold the Traytâ—ur sleepeth not What doe these clubs and sâ—aves and swords about this mild and innocent lambe He was dayly in the Temple among you what did you heare from him but good Their eares are stopped they hale him away by night they buffet him they misvse him they condemne him to dye as guiltie of what What â—ccusâ—tion bring you â—â—â—inst this man I am the mâ—lefactour I â—m â—e that haâ—h synned I have done wickedly this lambe what hath he done Let this â—and I bâ—sâ—â—ch thee be turned vpon me and vpon the house of my soule which hath harboured so many vnlawfull tumultuoâ—s and â—iotouâ— guests against the law of God and man III. Harken what a sound the lashes give which were loded vpon his tendeâ— skin perhaps for houres together behold the â—urroâ—es which they hâ—ve made in his sacred flesh and hold thy eyes from weeping if thou be so stoutâ— and thy hart from faynting if it be so hard O shame O confusion Behold the mâ—n Is this the man so cryed vp not long â—ince and now so much cryed downe as to be set behinde a murtherer and a thâ—â—fâ— and a seditioâ—s fellow O sencelesse change Take him away 〈◊〉 him away cruciâ—ie him O cry vnmercyfull Take him into thy