of Kinges 6.7 was suddenly stricken how can I not but feare tremble in this case O Lord as I feare thy greatnesse So do I also feare the multitude of my sinnes I am that foole Psal. 14 1. that said in his heart there is no God I liued so dissolutely as by my manners I profest as much I feared not thy iustice I dreaded not to transgresse thy lawes I rendred not thanks as I ought What other thing hath my life beene then a dayly warre against thee What other thing haue I done by my sins and carelesse comming to this misterie of former times then offered thee open wrong stricken thy blessed head with a reed My sinnes haue beene the speare that gored thee the thornes that pearced thee How therefore shall I bee so bold as to come vnto thee Shall I repose thy sacred bodie in a denne of Dragons a nest of Scorpions what other thing is a soule ful of sinne wherefore doest thou cast thy childrens bread vnto dogs and thy precious Margarite to swine How wilt thou rest with me O my Lord which art the puritie of a virgine the fountaine of all pulchritude Thy most holy bodie taken from the crosse was wrapped in fine linnen laide in a new Sepulcher wherein neuer any was laid but what part of my soule is cleane what new How then shall I receiue thee O my Sauiour and redeemer I am ashamed so often as I behold my selfe in such a state I blush considering what I am and whether I am about to come my refuge is to flie vnto thy mercy according to which mercy O Lord looke vppon mee did the stones cleaue asunder when thou sufferedst thy passion shall my stonie heart bee nothing moued for whome thou didst suffer did the earth moue and shall my earthly mind stand vnmoueable like a dead center noe noe I am moued O my Sauiour Another forme of coâ—â—fession TAke it not haynously O my Lord that being such a one as thou seest me to bee dare presume to come into thy sight I remember thou wast not offeÌ„ded with the poore woman which had the issue of blood Matth. 9. But didst accept her saying bee of good comfort daughter thy faith hath made thee whole I haue a greater issue and come vnto thee to be cured I call to minde Marie Magdalene who washed thy feet with her teares and wiped them with the hayre of her heade who had much forgiuen her Behold here lyeth a sinner which hath more sinnes but fewer teares shee was not the first nor the last whome thy mercie receiued receyue mee O Lord though I haue not shedde so many teares as may washe thy feete yet hast thou shead as much bloud as can wash my sinnes O my Lord thou hast not chaunged thy office and nature though thou seemest to bee farre away I reade in the holy Gospell that all that were diseased did resort vnto thee and that the multitude Luk. 6.19 sought to touch thee for there went vertue from thee the leapers came vnto thee and thou streatching forth thy blessed hand didst heale them thou gauest vnto the blind their sight vnto the lame their limmes Thou didst cure the sicke dispossesâ—e the deuill raise the dead and canst thou not forget to shew mercie which art mercy it selfe I come vnto thee O my Redeemer I come vnto thee O eternall creator of heauen and earth beseeching thee that as the holy king Dauid did accept at his table and shewe fauour vnto Mesphâ—bosheth 2. Sam. 9.11 though of himself deformed yet for the loue of Ionathan of whom hee came willing thereby to honour the sonne for the fathers sake So may it please thee to admit mee though of my selfe most deformed in the loue of him in whom thou art well pleased I offer vnto thee an humble heart and had I many hearts I would offer them all vnto thee Lord I can be no more without thee nor liue without thee then can this bodie of mine remaine when life is taken from it Wherefore necessitie driueth mee vnto thee and mercie ministreth boldnesse by howe much the more vnworthy I am by so much the more art thou glorified in shewing mercie A Meditation vpon these wordes Whence commeth this that my Lord commeth vnto me HE bringeth him self that sendeth not an other he which hath so many spirits his ministers commeth himselfe vnto his seruants visiteth the sicke lifteth vp and comforteth the fallen helpeth the afflicted refresheth the hungrie with his owne body and bloud who aboundeth with so many so diuers meanes medicines as to whome the fulnesse of the whole earth doth appertaine He bringâ—â—â— himselfe vnto thee O 〈◊〉 soule as a father when hee prosecuteth thee with loue as a brother when he maketh thee by adoption the sonne of God as a fellowe when hee appointeth thee a coheire of his heaueÌ„ly kingdome as a heauenly repast for thy eternall safetie as an intercessor for the remission of all thy sinnes O the wonderfull loue of the sonne of God! vnde veâ—it from whence commeth this that my Lord commeth vnto me A Meditation vppon these wordes of the centurion Mat. 8.8 Non sum dignus vt intres sub tectum meum Lord I am not worthy that thou enter vnder my roofe O Lorde hadst thou rather be at an other mans house with dishonor then at thine owne with honour at least O good Iesu if thou hadst no respect of thine honour if thou castest vnder foot all praise renowne if thou takest vnto thee euerie vile sinner yet haue regard to my estate Lord I confesse I am not worthy thou shouldest come vnder my roofe Thou knowest my pouertie and need I haue this poore cottage farre vnmeet to cetertain so great a guest as thou O my Lord This body is not compact of gold siluer but of dust ashes and also subiect to infirmities diseases and death This soule ioyned to my bodie is farre from that holines it should bee endued withall farte vnmeet a place is it for such a personage I am altogether confounded I tremble shake at the comming of so great a guest into so poore a house as my selfe Tantum dic verbum sanabitur anima mea But onely say the worde and my soule shall liue ANd art thou ignorant O my Lord who thou art what a one and how great Thou art God omnipotent thou art Lord of all thou art the Creator of heauen and earth whatsoeuer is contained in the vast compasse thereof thou hast raysed me vp as all other things els of nothing Thou hast clothed me with this bodie and hast giuen me a right and righteous soule thou hast restored this soule fallen from the state of innocencie Thou hast illuminated it by grace and washed it in the sacred Fonte of baptisme O my Lord thou art he that rulest and gouernest me thou wouldest for my sake become man die for mee suffer for mee the verie death of the crosse
vnder the accidents of bread and wine by faith and after a most heauenly manner hee sheweth that he is come vnto thee not onely to conuerse with thee bestow saluation as hee did to the house of Zachee but also to vnite him selfe to thee that thou maist bee one certaine thing with him which is the effect of this heauenly meate Who doth not see then that this is a far greater benefite oh my gracious Lord seeing thou hast vouchsafed to enter this poore house of mine giue me grace that it happen not to mee as to the vngratefull Iewes who in the day of Palmes receiued thee with great ioy and triumph into Ierusalem but a little after they cried to Pilate crucifie him crucifie him casting thy crosse vppon thy shoulders cast thee forth of this citie Let me die O Lord before yea let me dy a thousand deaths then that I cast thee out of mee For that were to thrust thee out of thine owne house A Meditation vppon those words of Christ Luk. 19.5 Hodie oportet me manere in Domo tua To day I must abide in thine house WHo am I O most bountifull Iesu that thou desirest to abide with mee who am I that may deserue to entertaine thee the Lord of heauens What dost thou find in mee ' that doth so much delight thee and inuite thee to come vnder my roofe art thou ignoraÌ„t of my most vile beginning I am not of the number of that celestiall and diuine Legion I am not a Seraphin not an Archangell not an Angell nor any of the Thrones or other most sacred Spirits my being differs much from theÌ„ freed are they from all admixtion of body pure and innocent I was born in sinne drawing my beginning froÌ„ the earth so meane a subiect I am not worthie O my Sauiour of thy diuine presence happily thy delight is to bee with the sonnes of men true but I am not Abraham I am not Moyses I am not as the blessed virgin no I beare not the least similitude of these blessed Saints in heauen while they remained in the world What shall I say I am sorie O my Lord I am no more worthie to receiue thee then I am but my comfort is thou tookest mercie on the woman of Canaan and all distressed people that came vnto thee A short forme of confession to bee made in priuate before the receiuing of the blessed Sacrament I Miserable sinner confesse acknowledge with bended heart and handes lifted vp in the presence of Almightie God my many and manifolde sinnes and that I haue transgressed sundry waies against the precepts of the first and second table I am sory from the bottome of my hart and it greeueth mee that I haue so often offended thee I come vnto thee as an humble sutor to obtaine mercie and pardon for all my offences I beseech thee to sanctifie me by thy holy spirit to strengthen my faith against all assaultâ— so seale vp in mee by this holy mysterie that comfortable hope of the life to come Direct me I beseech thee now approching to thy holy table that I may abide with thee and be a fit habitation for thy holy presence both nowe and for euermore wheÌ„ I coÌ„sider thou didst create me not being asked redeeme me not being required it turned my teares of sorrow into teares of ioy my teares of fear into teares of loue O my Sauiour shew mercie for with such great sinnâ—rs as I am thou gâ—ttest greatest honour as thou diddest by Mary Magdalen An admonition moouing all to reconcile themselues and forgiue their enemies before they be pertakers of the most holy Sacrament WHen thou bringest thy gift to he altar sayth Christ our Sauiour Mathew 5.25 and there rememberest that thy Brother hath ought against thee leaue thy offering before the Altar go thy way first bee reconciled to thy brother then come and offer thy gift In the 11. also of Saint Mar. and 25. hee sayth vnto his Disciples When you shall stande to pray forgiue if you haue ought against any man that your Father which is in heauen may forgiue you your trespasses By both which testimonies of holy Scripture we learne y â— all our oblations and prayers otherwise in themselues amongst the best actions of a Christian life are in no case acceptable vnto God without our reconcilement charity first had with meÌ„ The Wiseman Eccl. 28.2.3 could thinke it vnmeet in very reason to ask mercy wheÌ„ we our selues denie mercie We may remember that the vnthankfull debter that wold not remit his fâ—llow seruant Mat. 18.30 for his vncompassionate vsage of his fellow found himselfe the like measure that is iudgement without mercie at his maysters hand With what countenaunce saith one can we looke vp to heauen and say Lord forgiue vs our trespasses and yet reuenge with all extreamitie the least offences offered vnto our selues Noe no hee that seeketh vengeance shall surely find vengeance Mihi vindictam ego retribuaÌ„ vengeance is mine saith the Lord I wil reuenge We must let God alone to right our wrongs vnlesse we will vsurpe that poore which is onely proper vnto hiâ— for our selues we should not forget the Wisemans counsell Forgiue thy neighbour the hurt that he hath done thee so shall thy sinnes also be forgiuen thee when thou prayest should a man beare hatred againâ—t man and desire forgiuenesse of the Lord Peter saith vnto Christ maister how often shall my brother sinne against mee and I forgiue him vntill seauen times no Peter saith our Sauiour I say not vnto thee vntil seuen times but vntil seuenty seueÌ„ times that is quoties totâ—es how often soeuer he sinne against thee so often shalt thou forgiue The offering vp of sacrifices in the olde lawe was a speciall parte of that worship the people were wont to performe vnto Almightie God as an acceptable seruice vnto him But the prophete Esai telles them Esa. 1.11 all their offerings were vtterly displeasing vnto him for why they were all set on crueltie and reuenge their hands were ful of blood and therefore God woulde accept of no sacrifice at their handes Our oblations that are done in loue with God and man these ascend like the smoke of Abels sacrifice and are wel pleasing vnto the most highest But howe shoulde fleshe and bloode forgiue where wrong and iniurie hath been offered that which Adam cannot beaâ—e Christ can that which to nature is so much against nature and therefore difficulty is to grace nothing so that which heathen men will so hardly brooke is to Christians who haue or should haue a further perfection more facile and easie Wherefore our Sauiour tels his disciples of somewhat more thâ—n louing them who loue first Ego dico vobis diligite inimicos I say vnto you loue your enemies do good vnto them that hurt you pray for them that persecute you we forgiue we loue our very enemies for his sake who hath done farre more for
vs. What greater loue saith Saint Iohn then for one to giue his life for his friende yet greater was Christes loue who gaue his life for vs that were his enemies we haue some reason to helpe the distressed to relieue the poore needie for the verie beholding of their necessitie doeth often moue compassion but to loue our enemies wee haue no reason in the world but onely for his sake who hath commanded all those who professe his name and expect his kingdome saying Diligite inimices loue your enemies We forgiue and why Christ hath forgiuen vs wee shewe mercie and why Christ Iesus hath shewed mercy vnto vs. Quid contra nos proximus saith an ancient father shall wee see what our neighbour hath done against vs and shal we not see what Christ hath done for vs God forbid All that we do or can forgiue are pence only Christ he forgiues tallentes wee some few hee ten thousand wee shew loue but Christ shewed loue in deed loue without example Were we as readie to remember benefites as wee are iniuries wee would bee more charitable then we often are But being readie to reuenge doe wee know how soone wee may stande in need of God our selues no verily and therefore we had need to shewe compassion to others When as now Iacob their father was dead Iosephs brethren thought Ioseph would reuenge all the wrong they before vniustly offered their brother they were deceyued Ioseph telles them he meant nothing lesse Am not I saith he vnder God as if hee shoulde haue sayde my selfe am reedie to aske forgiuenesse of God and should I not from â—y heart forgiue you my brethren I doe I doe Wherefore one saith Qualem erga te Deum habere vis talem te erga proximum ostendas as thou wouldest haue God bee vnto thee so bee thou to thy neighbour that hath offended thee To moue Christians to this loue Christ our Sauiour goeth further and sayeth forgiue that you may bee children of your father which is in heauen for he causeth the Sunne to arise on the iust and on the vniust It was a token that Dauid was of the stocke of Iesse when hee would not onely not huâ—t King Saule his enemie when hee was aliue but woulde euen shewe mercie vnto his ofspring when he was dead they giue testimonie that that they are his followers who prayed for his enemies father forgiue them who shew themselues ready to remit and can finde in their hearts to forgiue offences offered S. Amâ—rose told a great Emperor of the world how Christians did auenge themselues our weapons saith he are our prayers our teares we weep for our persecutors wee pray for them Neither shal our forgiuing go away emptie for this actiue mercy shewed vnto men shall be rewarded with passiue mercy by him who hath said Blessed are the merciful for they shall obtaine mercy Hence it commeth to passe that our enemies may doe vs as much good as the best friends we haue in the world whereas in forgiuing them wee receiue forgiuenesse of God but for one drop of water giuen wee receiue by a gainefull interest a whole ocean sea for our two mytes the whole treasure of the temple We giue and forgiue some small benefites trespasses but with God there is no depth of his bountie no number of his mercies If at any time we are iustly moued as we often are to vse that Quid rependam as of the Prophet Psal. 116.11 what shall wee doe vnto the Lord for all the benefites hee hath done vnto vs then most especially approaching to these holy misterie which the old Christians in the Primitiue Church well remembring gaue euident testimonie at this solemne occasion by their liberalitie to the poore their visiting the sicke and other like works of mâ—rcie And besides their charitable reliefe of the needie it is wonderfull to consider and it may do a good mans hart good to call to mind the vâ—iforme peace and peaceable vnion they retained amongst themselues all assembled in one communion of Saints to worship him in earth with whom they hoped shortlie to reioyce in heauen They forgat not that charge left by Christ at his departure from the worlde by this shall men know that you are my Disciples that you loue one another nor that louing entreatie of Abraham had with Lot Gen. 13 11. Let there bee no strife betweene thee and me betweene thy heardmen and my heardmen for we are brethren Bee of one mind saith the Apostle 2. Corinth 13. liue in peace and the God of loue and peace shall be with you and to the Ephesians he saith let all bitternesse and anger and wrath bee put away from you with all maliciousnesse bee courteous one to another forgiuing one another euen as God for Christes sake forgaue you There is but one bodie one spirit on faith one baptisme one God which is aboue all through all and in vs all In this misterie as the faithfull find wrought tranquillitie of conscience within So also finde that the spreading of charitie towardes men abroade which charitie thinketh no euill beleeueth all thinges hopeth all thinges endureth all things When as Christ our Sauiour was now to celebrate his last supper he washeth himselfe his disciples feet wypeth them with a towell giueth a precedent of humility loue admitteth Iudas that bare an euill mind towardes him to his owne-dish giueth him a soppe speakes mildly vnto him which all were tokens of loue should we not take example by our Lorde and master When may we more fitly vse that hymne of the Angels respecting the common cause of ioy wee haue Glorie be to God on high in earth peace towardes men good will and not good will in shewe but euen in singlenes of heart Wherefore to conclude with that of the Apostle Philip. 3.1 If there be any consolation in Christ any comfort of loue any fellowship of the spirite be we of one accord let the same mind be in vs that was in Christ who humbled himselfe wherefore God hath highly exalted him and giuen him a name aboue all names that at the name of Iesus euery knee shold bow Philip. 2.10 A Prayer before the holy Communion O Lorde Iesus Christ which art the onelie Sonne of God the most high king of kinges Lorde of Lords the image of the Father the brightnesse of eternall light whom the Angels do only desire to behold who after all thy suffering praying for thine enemies now sittest at the throne of glorie who am I that doe presume not onely to beholde thee my God but also to take and receiue thy bodie into the lodging of my bodie and house of my soule contaminated sinner O miserable that I am and most vnhappie of all men which doe this so exceeding great iniurie to thee my God and Sauiour for when a thousand yeares of teares are not sufficient to receiue at the least but once worthily this reuerent and most precious Sacrament so high