let every man take his choice and doe that which he thinks in his conscience he may best and most piously performe for neither of these dishonour the body and blood of our Saviour but rather both of them doe strive to honour this saving Sacrament For Zacheus rejoyced greatly to entertaine our Saviour in his house The Centurion said Lord I am not worthy thou shouldest come under my roofe both of these did worship and honour our Saviour though after a diverse and as it were a contrary manner both of them being miserable by reason of sinne both of them obtaining mercy for their sinnes Thus one man to honour Christ dares not receive every day another also to honour Christ dares not omit any day And although these be but petty differences yet why may I not apply it to controversies of greater moment especially seeing that ancient Father S. Salvian lib. 5. de Providentia hath found a good intention in the Arians the most pernitious and most dangerous hereticks accounted that ever have been in the Church They whom we account hereticks saith he account not themselves hereticks for they so much esteeme themselves good Catholikes that they defame us with the note and appellation of heresy That therefore which they be to us the very same are we to them We are certaine that they injure the divine generation in that they say the Sonne is lesse and inferior to the Father They think us likewise injurious to the Father because we make the Sonne equall unto him The true honour of God is amongst us but they think that to be the honour of the Deity to believe as they believe They are undutifull but they think it the greatest duty of their Religion They are impious but they think this to be true piety They erre therefore but they erre with a very good minde and intention not with a hatred but with a good affection towards God verily believing that they honour and love God Although they have not the right Faith yet they notwithstanding think this to be perfect love towards God In what manner they shall bee punished in the day of Iudgement for this very error of false opinion no man can tell but the judge himselfe A good lesson for the hotâ—purres of these times with whom it is a very easy matter to pronounce damnation upon the very least disagreement in Religion whereas this good Father would not determine any thing concerning these great hereticks the Arians but leaves them to the mercy of the judge not being able to discerne what they did deserve You see that this holy Father findes out a good intention even in these hereticks And if there was a good intention amongst those that were so grossely erroneous why may there not be good intentions found out amongst us also who are not at such great oddes and acknowledged on all sides to have no such dangerous opinions amongst us I speak not this any whit to countenance that opinion of the Arians which is creeping into the Church againe but leave them to stand or fall to their own master and shall in the mean time be perswaded that they goe not against their consciences and so farre forth hit will goe better with them yet with this holy Father not free them from punishment but must referre the manner and measure thereof to the time of judgement Those of the Church of Rome are so impatient of this doctrine that they care not for being saved unlesse they may be saved alone And their writers generally agree upon nothing so much as that out of their Communion there is no Salvation One of their late writers Barckly Paren l. 1. cap. 1 can professe thus We saith he proclaime with the whole Church and we command with Moses that Heaven and Earth would heare us that there is no communion between God and Belia that these Protestants doe so far differ from us in matters of faith that they altogether in vaine expect those mansions of happinesse which are prepared for us And afterwards he saith Hee that dares believe a stubborne and obstinate Protestant can be saved doth by so believing fall from the Catholike Faith And that this is no private or obscure sentence of the Church but that all Catholicks are of the same mind that none of them are ignorant of it nor any can dissemble it unlesse he be an unexpert Divine or for feare or ambition preferres some mens favour before the truth Another of your company Camp rat 10. averres the same with a very great and solemne protestation I call to witnesse saith hee Gods Throne and that tribunall at which I shall â—sand to give an accompt of these my reasons and of whatsoever I have spoken or done that either there is no heaven at all or that it peculiarly and properly belongs unto us I Campian must yee be saved and none but yee what is not heaven able to hold us as well as you Or will our salvation be any disparagement to yours It seemes it will But to come a litle closer to you Is it nothing with you at one breath to throw so many soules headlong to hell for whom Christ died and which is more who are already incorporate into Christ by Baptisme It cost more to redeeme their soules but you will let that alone for ever Our comfort is that though you passe such sentence upon us here yet you are not to be our Iudges hereafter but must your selves come to give an account as well as we peradveÌ„ture of these speeches Account us not men of so desperate and deplored an estate that wee would wittingly and willingly runne into hell why should not out salvation be as deere unto us as yours is unto you or why should you not think us to have as great a care of our salvation as you have of yours For could wee be perswaded that wee were in heresie and that there is no salvation out of your Church how quickly would we fly unto you How gladly would we be entertained by you what means and moans would we make to be members of your society Who can endure such peremptory pronunciations of Iudgment of God's eternal wrath and condemnation upon us before wee come to our hearing And seeing God's mercy is overall his workes who can endure that you should interdict God's mercy and judge what the sentence of the Iudge shall be before the day of iudgment Lib. 1. advers Pelag. So that if God had a mind to spare such sinners as you say we poore Protestants are yet by your verdict and prescription he could not be suffered to doe it as S. Ierome long agoe complained of Critobulus the Pelagian Were we such tares in the field of the Church as you would make the world believe yet if you would imitate Christ Mat. 13. you should let us grow till the harvest lest you plucke up the good corne with us Neither are you thus fierce alone there are some of
humility and great affection 3 And I said Blessed â—s the man whom thou shalt instruct O Lord and shalt teach thy saw that thou maist give him quietnesse from evill daies that he be not destroyed upon earth 4 I saith our Lord have taught the Prophets from the beginning and cease not continually to speak to every one but many are deafe and give no eare to my speech 5 The greater number doe more willingly listen to the world then to God and follow sooner the desires of their flesh then the will of God 6 The world promiseth temporall and small things and is served with great diligence I promise most high and eternall things and the hearts of men are nothing moved with it 7 Who is he that serveth and obeyeth me with equall care to that with which the world and the Lords thereof are served 8 Blush Sidon saith the sea and if thou aske the cause he are wherefore For a litle prebend a long journey is undertaken for everlasting life many will scarce once lift a foot from the ground 9 A thing of small value is sought after greedily for a penny sometimes there is great contention for a vaine thing and sleighâ— promise men doubâ— not to toile day and night 10 But alas for an unchangeable good for an inestimable reward for the highest honour and glory without end they are loath to take the least paines 11 Blush therefore slothfull and complaining servant that they are found more ready to destruction then thou to life They rejoyce more at vanity then thou at verity 12 And yet they are sometimes frustrated of their hope but my promise deceaveth none nor sendeth him away empty that trusteth in me 13 I will give that which I have promised I will fulfill that which I have said but to him that remaines faithfull in my love to the end I am the rewarder of all those who are good and doe try my devout servants with greater and severer temptations 14 Write my words in thy heart and think diligently of them for they will be very necessaâ—y in time of temptation 15 What thou understandest not when thou readest thou shalt know in â—he day of visitation 16 I am wont to visit my elect two severall waies to wit with temptation and comfort 17 And I daily read two lessons unto them one reprehending their vices another exhorting them to the increase of vertues 18 He that hath my wordes and despiseth them hath within himselfe that shall judge him at the last day A prayer to implore the grace of devotion 1 O Lord my God thou art all that I can desire What am I that dare speak unto thee I am thy poorest servant and a most vile worme much more poore and contemptible then I either know or dare expresse 2 And yet Lord remember this one thing that I am nothing that I have nothing and that I am worth nothing Thou alone art good thou alone art righteous thou alone art holy thou canst all thou doest all thou fillest all only the wicked thou sendest empty away Remember O Lord thy tender mercies fill my heart with thy grace for thou wilt that none of thy workes should be in vaine 3 How can I sustaine my selfe in this miserable life unlesse thy mercy and grace support me 4 Turne not thy face from me delay not thy visitations draw not away thy comfort least my soule become like a barren and dry land wherein is no water 5 Lord teach me to fulfill thy wil teach me to live worthily and humbly in thy sight for thou art my wisdome thou doest perfectly know me 6 Yea thou knowest me not only before I was conceived in the womb but also before the very world was made CHAP. IV. That we ought to live in truth humility in the sight of God SOnne walke in my sight in â—incerity and truth and ever seeke mee in singlenesse of heart 2 He that walketh before me in truth shall be defended from evill incursions truth shall deliver him from seducers and from the detractions of the wicked 3 If truth shall make the free thou shalt be free indeed and shalt not need to care for the vaine words of men 4 Lord it is true according as thou saist so I beseech thee be it unto mee lâ—t thy truâ—h teach me let it defend me and bring me to a blessed end 5 Let the same truth deliver me from â—ll evill affection and inordinate love and I shall walke with thee in great freedome of heart 6 I will teach thee saith the Truth those things that are right and pleasing in my sight Think of thy sinnes with great serrow and griefe and never esteem thy selfe any thing for thy good workes 7 Thou art in very deed a sinnerâ— and subject to many passions Of thy selfe thou alwaies tendest to nothing and art quickly cast down quickly overcome quickly troubled quickly dissolved 8 Thou hast nothing wherein thou canst glory but many things for which thou oughtest to humble and despise thy selfe for thou art much weaker then thou cast perceive 9 And therefore let nothing seem much unto thee whatsoever thou dost Let nothing seem great nothing precious and wonderfull nothing worthy of estimation 10 Nothing high nothing truly commendable and to be desired but that which is everlasting 11 Let the eternall Truth above all things please thee Let thy own great unworthinesse alwaies displease thee 12 Feare nothing blame and flye nothing so much as thy sinnes and vices which ought to displease thee more then the losse of any thing whatsoever 13 Some walk not sincerely in my sight but led by a certain curiosity and pride will know my secrets and understand the high mysteries of God neglecting themselves and their own salvation 14 These oftentimes for that I resist them doe fall into great temptations and sinnes for their pride and curiosity 15 Fear the judgements of God dread the wrath of the Almighty Bâ—t discusse not the works of the Highest Search thine own iniquities in how much thou hast offended and how much good thou hast neglected 16 Some carry their devotion only in books some in pictures some in outward signes and figures some have mee in their mouthes but litle in their hearts 18 There are others that being illuminated in their understanding and purged in their affection doe alwaies aspire with an earnest mind to everlasting happinesse 18 And are unwilling to heare of the things of this world and doe serve the necessities of nature with griefe and these perceave what the spirit of truth speaketh in them 19 Because it teacheth them to despise earthly love heavenly things to neglect the world and day night to desire heaven CHAP. V. Of the wonderfull effect of divine grace I Praise thee O heavenly Father Father of my Lord Iesus Christ for that thou hast vouchsafed to remember me a poore and wretched creature 2 O Father of mercies and God of all comfort thanks be
how farre off he is from the perfection of the Saints ehen he that disputeth of their greatnesse 27 It is better to labour after the piety devotion of the Saints and with an humble mind to imitate their glorious examples then to search their secrets with vaine curiosity 28 They are wel right wel contented if men could content themselves and refrain from these vain discourses 29 They glory not of their owne merits for they ascribe no good unto themselves but attribute all to me who of my infinite charity have bestowed my blessings upon them 30 They are replenished with so great love of my Godhead and so superabundant joy that there is no glory that is nor happinesse that can be wanting unto them 31 All the Saints how much the higher they be in glory so much the more humble they are in themselves nearer and dearer unto me 32 And therefore thou hast it written that they did cast their Crownes before God and fell downe upon their faces before the Lambe and adored him that liveth for ever and ever 33 Many inquire who is the greatest in the Kingdome of God that know not whether they shall ever be numbered there amongst the lest 34 It is no small matter to be even the lest in heaven where all are great for that all there shall be called and shall be indeed the Sons of God The lest there shall be great among thousands and the sinner of a hundred yeaes shall die 35 For when the Disciples asked who was the greatest in the Kingdome of heaven they received this answer unlesse you be converted and become as litle children you shall not enter into the Kingdome of heaven 35 Whosoever therefore shall humble himselfe as this litle child hee is greater in the Kingdome of heaven 37 Woe be unto them that disdaine to humble themselves willingly with litle children For the low gate of the Kingdome of heaven will not give them entrance 28 And woe be to the rich thâ—â— have their comforts here for whilst the poore enter into the Kingdome of God they shall be lamenting without 39 Rejoyce you that be humble and you that be poore be you glad for yours is the Kingdome of God if you walke according unto truth CHAP. LIX That all our hope and trust is to be fixed in God alone LOrd what trust have I in this world or what is the greatest comfort that all things under heaven doe yeeld me Is it not thou my Lord God whose mercies are without number 2 Where hath it beene well with me without thee Or when could it be ill with me when thou were present I had rather be poore for thee then rich without thee 3 I had rather choose to be a Pilgrim in earth with thee then to possesse heaven without thee Where thou art there is heaven and there is death and hell where thou art not 4 Thou art my desire and therefore it behoveth me to send forth deep sighes from my heart and cry and pray unto thee 5 For I have none to trust unto none that can help me in time of necessitie but thee alone my God Thou art my hope and my trust thou art my comfort and most faithfull unto me in all my distresses 6 All men seeke their own gaine thou only seekest my salvation and my profit and turnest all things to my good 7 Although thou permittest many temptations to assault me and many adversities to befall me yet thou ordainest all this to my good and profit who art wont to prove thy beloved servants a thousand waies 8 In which proofe thou oughtest no lesse to beloved and praised then if thou didst replenish me with heavenly comforts 9 In thee therefore my Lord God I put my whole hope and refuge in thee I place my tribulation anguish for I find all to be weake and unconstant whatsoever I behold out of thee 10 For neither can many friends availe nor forcible helpers aide nor wise counsellours give profitable answer nor the books of the learned comfort nor any wealth deliver nor any secret or pleasant place defend if thou thy selfe doest not assist help comfort instruct and keepe us 11 For all things that seeme to be ordained for the rest and solace of man when thou art absent are nothing and doe bring indeed no joy nor comfort at all 11 Thou therefore art the end of all that is good the light of life the depth of wisdome and the most forcible comfort of thy servants is to trust in thee above all things 12 To thee therefore doe I lift up mine eyes In thee my God the Father of mercies I put my whole trust 13 Blesse and sanctifie my soule with thy heavenly blessings that it may be made thy holy habitation and the â—eate of thy eternall glory and that noâ—hing may be found in the Temple of â—hy greatnesse that may offend the eyes of thy Majesty 14 According to the greatnesse of â—hy goodnesse and the multitude of thy mercies take pitty upon me and heare the praier of thy poore servant who is â—arre exiled from thee in the land of the â—hadow of death 15 Protect and keepe the soule of thy servant amidst so many dangers of this corruptible life and by the assistance of thy grace direct it in the way of peace to the country of everlasting light Amen The end of the third book OF THE IMITATION OF CHRIST THE FOVRTH BOOK A devout exhortation unto the blessed Sacrament The Voice of Christ. COme unto me all yee that labour and are burdened and I will refresh you saith our Lord. 2 The bread which I will give is my flesh for the life of the world 3 Take yee and eate that is my Body that shall be delivered for you doe this in remembrance of me 4 He that eateth my flesh and drinketh by blood dwelleth in me and I in him 5 The words which I have spoken unto you are spirit and life CHAP. I. With how great reverence Christ ought to be received The voice of the Disciple THese are thy words O Christ everlasting Truth though not spoken all at one time nor written in one and the selfe same place because therefore they are thine and true they are all of them thankfully and faithfully to be received by me 2 They are thine and thou hast spoken them and they are mine also because thou hast spoken them for my salvation I willingly receive them from thy mouth that they may be the deeper imprinted in my heart 3 These devout words so full of sweetnesse and love doe stirre me up but mine owne offences doe amaze me and my impure conscience driveth me back from the receiving of so great mysteries 4 The sweetnesse of thy words doth incourage me but the multitude of my sinnes doe oppresse me 5 Thou commandest me to come confidently unto thee if I will have part with thee and to receive the food of immortality if I desire to obtaine everlasting
unto thee who sometimes with thy comfort refreshest me unworthy of all comfort 3 I ever blesse and glorify thee with thy only begotten Son and the holy Ghost the comforter for ever and ever 4 O God my Lord the holy lover of my soule when thou shalt come into my heart all that is within me will rejoyce 5 Thou art my glory and the exultation of my heart thou art my hope and my refuge in the day of my tribulation 6 But because I am yet weak in love and imperfect in vertue therefore I have need to be strengthned comforted by thee 7 Visit me therefore often and instruct me with thy holy discipline deliver me from evill passions and heale my heart of all mordinate affections that being cured within and well purged throughout I may be made fit to love strong to suffer and constant to perseaere 8 Love is a great matter in very truth a great good which alone maketh every thing that is heavy to be light and beareth equally all that 〈◊〉 unequall 9 For it carrieth a burthen without any burthen and maketh every thing that is bitter to be sweet and savory 10 The noble loue of Iesus enforceth man to worke great things and stirreth him up to desire alwaies the most perfect 11 Love will be aloft and not kept downe with any abject things Love will be free and a stranger to all worldly affection 12 That his inward sight be not obscured that he be not intangled with the desire of any transitory game or troubled with the want thereof 13 Nothing is sweeter then love nothing stronger nothing higher nothing more ample nothing more pleasant nothing fuller nor better in heaven or in earth 14 For that love hath his begining from God and cannot rest but in God above all creatures 15 He that loveth flyeth runneth and rejoyceth he is free and not held in He giveth all for all and hath all in all for that he resteth in one Highest above all from which all good floweth and proceedeth 16 He respecteth not the gifts but turneth himselfe above all goods unto the giver Love oftentimes knoweth no measure but enflameth aboue all measure 17 Love feeleth no burthen weigheth no paines desireth above its strength complaineth not of impossibility for that it thinketh all things lawfull and possible 18 It is therefore able to undertake all things and performeth and bringeth many things to effect whereas he that doth not love fainteth and can doe nothing 19 Love alwaies watcheth and slumbring sleepeth not being wearied is not tired straitned is not pressed frighted is not troubled but like a lively â—lame and burning torch breâ—keth upwards and passeth through all with great security 20 If any one loveth he knowes what this voice cryeth a loud cry in the eares of God is the burning love of the â—oule which saith My God my love thou art wholly mine and I am wholly thine 21 Enlarge me in love that my heart may tast how sweet it is to love and to be dissolved and swimme as it were in the streames of love 22 Let me be possessed by 〈◊〉 mounting above my selfe with excessive fervor and admiration 23 Let me sing the song of love let me follow thee on high my beloved let my soule faint in thy praises rejoycing with love 24 Let me love thee more then my selfe and not my selfe but for thee and all in thee that truly love thee as the law of love commandeth which shineth from thee 25 Love is swift sincere pious sweet and delightfull strong patient faithfull prudent suffering full of courage and never seeking it selfe 26 For where one seeketh himselfe there he falleth from love Love is circâ—mspect humble and upright not remisse not mutable nor attending unto vaine things sober chast constant quiet and guarded in all the senses 27 Love is subject and obedient to Superiours mean and abject to it selfe devout and thankfull unto God trusting and hoping alwaies in him even then when God imparteth no sweetnesse unto it for without sorrow none liveth in love 28 He that is not ready to suffer all things and stande to the will of his beloved is not worthy to be called a lover 29 A lover ought to imbrace willingly all that is hard and distastfull for his beloved and not to turne away from him for any contrary occurrencies CHAP. VI. Of the proofe of a true lover SOnne thou art not yet a strong and prudent lover 2 Wherefore Lord 3 Because thou givest over thy enterprise for a small adversity and too earnestly seekest after comfort 4 A constant lover standeth firmely in temptations and giveth not credit to the crafty perswasions of the enemy As I please him in prosperity so I am not unpleasant to him in adversity 5 A prudent lover considereth not so much the gift of his lover as the love of the giver He rather esteemeth the good will then the value and placeth all gifts under his beloved 6 A noble lover resteth not in the gift but in me above any gift All therefore is not lost if sometimes thou hast lesse tast of me and my Saints then thou wouldest 7 That good sweet desire which thou sometimes feelest is the effect of present grace and a certain tast of the heavenly Country whereon thou must not rely too much for it goeth and commeth 8 But to fight against evill motions of the mind which may happen unto thee and to despise the suggestion of the dâ—ell is a signe of vertue and great strength 9 Let not therefore strange fancies forced into thee of any matter whatsoever trouble theo Retaine a firme purpose and an upright intention to God 10 Neither is it an illusion that sometimes thou art suddainly rapâ— on high and presently returnest again unto the accustomed vanities of the heart 11 For thou dost rather unwillingly suffer them then commit them and as long as they displease thee and thou strivest against them it is a gaine not a losse unto thee 12 Know that thy ancient enemy doth ever strive to hinder thy desire to good and to divert thee from all devout exercise 13 To wit from the pious memory of my passion from the profitable remembrance of thy sinnes from the guard of thine own heart and from the firme purpose of proâ—iting in vertue 14 Hee thrusteth many evill thoughts into the minde that he may cause a wearisomenesse and horrour in thee to draw thee from devout prayer and reading 15 Humble confession is displeasing unto him and if he could he would cause thee to cease from receaving the Sacrament of my Body 16 Trust him not nor care for him although he should often set snares of deceipt to intrap thee 17 Charge him with it when hee suggesteth evill and unclean thoughts unto thee Say unto him Avant filthy spirit blush miserable wretch thou art filthy that bringest such things into mine eares 18 A way from me thou wicked deceaver thou shalt have no part in me but