vpon the outcries and clapping of the hands of the people which fauour the course that we take in hand no more then a valiant Champion readie prepared in the lists to fight the combat doth but let it rather hasten vs to run the swiftlier vnto the goale garland of prize which attendeth our victorie and lift vp our soules with such a cogitation as that all our actions being referred to this end may be full of that ioy contentmeÌ„t wherein consisteth our whole blessednes Niether may we ne yet can we coÌ„tinually tie our selues vnto the affaires and businesse of this world for after labor ensueth rest which is in very deed the true operatioÌ„ of the soule and that is Meditation And in very truth most blessed are they whose vocation is wonderfully far â—hest off from the care of these worldly affaires and whom God hath withdrawn from the tempests and stormes of the world and placed them as it were in a calme peaceable hauen to behold a farre off the ship wrack of others And this me ditation consisteth only of the knowledge of the truth and glory of God which we must seeke after as wel by the contemplation and exact consideratioÌ„ of his works our of which shineth forth euery where his power incomparable goodnes as by the ordinary reading of his word by which he openeth vnto vs the treasure of his wisedome and draweth the curtaines of heauen to make vs see his maiestieâ— face to face as much as our infirmitieâ— is able to beare And the works of Goâ— vndoubtedly are as scaling ladders seâ— vp for vs euery where to climb vp vnto him For let vs turne our selues which way soeuer we will and we shall finde here in the world wonderfull things for if we looke downe into the deph of the bowels of the earth we shall see there such a number of veines of gold and siluer such a sort of pertious minerals and such spring heads of liuely waters as is wonderfull Again if we looke vpon the face of the earth we shal finâ— such varietie of hearbs floures fruits trees beasts of the fields and in then such vertues and secret properties 〈◊〉 that it would make vs altogether astonished And are the seas lesse admirable by reason of their ebbing flowing the multitude of fishes and the diuersitie of monsters which they feeâ— bring forth And will not the ayreâ— replenished with foules clouds raineâ— snowes hayles lightnings thundeâ— make vs wonder And when as we liâ—… vp our eyes far higher and behold the curtaines of heauen spread vpon the face of the earth behold the brightnesse of the Sunne the clearnesse of the Moone and the ruling of their course obserue marke the goodly beautifull order of the Starres their course effects influeÌ„ces must it not needs altogether amaze vs And yet al this geare together coÌ„sidered in grosse is nothing in respect of the matters which we haue now in hand wheÌ„ as we shall haue examined theÌ„ a part and by peecemeale for wheÌ„ as we shall haue seene that the very least things in the world haue in their constitution such a maruelous prudence wisedome we must of necessitie find out the author creator of them in heauen Let man but looke into himself consider with himselfe what maner a things he is and how so litle a moyst humor could make him grow vnto such a fashion to be framed a body of so many sundry parts with such proportion And let him not content himselfe to see himselfe stand vpright vppon his feete with his face vpward his eyes open and remouing all his members but let him a litle vncouer his skin and ghesse how the flesh and the bones are so workemanlike set together and vnderstand how many sinewes and muskleâ— are drawne downe euen from the neck vnto the most base outermoâ— parts of the body to bind loose and remoue to all the parts vnto all sort of mouings and let him behold hoâ—… so many veines are spread throughouâ— the body to carry the bloud and nourishing iuice vnto euery member Leâ— him also see what a number of arteries are guided from the heart and deuided to accompanie all the sineweâ— and veynes to hold in the vitall spirits in euery part as the messengers of his will to the end to commaund the siâ—newes to moue or not to moue Leâ— him then if he will lay open his stomacke and see how his life is mainteâ—ned how the meates sent downe into the stomacke are transformed by a secret and incomprehensible power how by laboring and stirring in the stomack they runne into the paunch how the good iuice floweth through the small vaines into the liuer whiâ—… is the shop of the bloud how the liue dischargeth her super fluities into the gall splene and kidneys how it distributeth the bloud into the veynes and how it is sent into the heart to be there made thin and subtilized euen vnto the confection of the vitall spirites If he behold the moouing and breathing of the lights which refresheth and moderateth the heat of the heart if he see the artificiall â—urnings and wreathings of the guts let him not thinke the same to be fallen out of the clouds neither yet that he seeth any other things within then he seeth without Howbeit when as he shall come to consider of the head which is the treasure of the sences and seat of reason let him dreame amongst other things what an especiall woâ—ke the eye is and with how many filmes and thin skinnes this lightsome spirit is garnished and defended which in very truth is the pleasure of the life he shall remaine as it were astonished and amazed but yet not so much as when he commeth to pierce the braine where he shall perceâ—ue the manner whereon the portracture and images of things are borne by the sences as faithfull messengers and interpreters to be receiued and exercised therein by the common sence and afterward to be ordered and placed within the custodie of the celles of the memorie But the thing that most astonisheth vs is this when as we desire to vnderstand what our soule is which manageth gouerneth all this whole workemanship what a power it is of that thus strangely moueth and worketh which awaketh when we sleepe comprehendeth so easily all things reacheth into the deepest matters and by discourse findeth out the cause and reason of the most secret things And we see and feele these effects in our selues and yet we can neither see not yet conceiue them Certainly when we in the contemplation of these things are lifted vp by faith we feele our selues forthwith led vnto the author of these workes And to say truly when as we see so many maruelous things dispersed throughout the whole face of the earth for what other purpose serue they but to be as a booke left wide open for vs to read out thereof the greatnesse and almightie power of God who
Deitie we must therfore throughly wash and rewash the same with this purifying water and thinke that it is to vs vnto whome Ezechias speaketh when as he said vnto the Leuits Listen vnto me and sanctifie your selues make cleane the house of the Lord and thrust the filthinesse out of the Sanctuarie We will haue our Spirite to be his Aulter our thoughtes his offerings our prayers his â—…esents and shall we offer them in a filthie â—…ace would he not then say vnto vs â—…at which was spoken vnto the Iewes â—y the mouth of Malachy saying I haue â—ot set mine heart vpon you neither will I receiue any sacrifice from you because you are most filthie and full of pollution But how shall we begin to performe such a glorious and profitable an action Saint Iohn Chrysostome teacheth vs and geueth vnto vs an excellent instruction hereof We must sayth he looke well vnto our selues and hauing compassion of our miserie we must rub and make leane our hearts so as we must alwayes haue our mouths full of the confessing of our sinnes and the rest of our actions in great and singular humilitie The filthy stinking and brutish concupiscences of ours finding our hearts voyd of the grace of God place themselues there and in such sort puffe vp and harden our harts as that no goodnes can now enter them without we first presse and squeeze them betweene our hands with sharpe earnest contrition To be short if we shall not haue blowen this bladder full of wind we shal neuer find this spiritual licour this holy oyle of consolatioÌ„ euer to be placed there This was the presumption that first assaulted the Angels and since that time hath set a snare or pitfall to trap our feet in This is that thing which as an heauie counterpoise keepeth vs continually tied vnto these worldly lusts and which settle our desires in our selues and maketh vs beleeue that we liue only for this world and stayeth also the sayle of our soules from lanching towards heauen How shall we then rid our selues out of this Forsooth in casting back our eys vpon our life in considering of our foulenesse deformitie in beholding how many miseries afflictioÌ„s coÌ„tinually surprize vs which we neuer once loked for If the iustice of God ouer-compassionat in our behalfe did not sufficiently furnish vs with matter to be angrie with our selues or if because wee are too neere vnto our owne harmes we cannot see them let vs turne our eyes vpon the infinite millions of men which now are or yet heretofore haue been and let vs marke what a small and short thing their life is and hath been and yet although it bee neuer so small and short yet it is enuironed with infinite sorrowes griefes and cares which are the verie fruites of theyr sinnes and transgressions Do not all men liuing continually cry and complayne of their miseries and mishaps Now it is no reason that we most sinfull and filthie wretches that we are should seeke out of our selues the matter for which we should be angrie and grieued with our selues For our consciences do commonly tell vs and continually represent vnto vs in despite of vs the register of our sinnes agreeing with that of Democritus saying That hee heard the voyce of malice and sinne accusing her selfe Ouer and besides all this the heauenly iustice or the fatherly care of God continually sheweth vnto vs his rods sometimes striking vs with them to make vs awake and leape out of this miserable filthie and dittie puddle But if nothing will cause vs to hate our selues and detest our miserable sinfull life let vs consider with our selues and thinke of this hideous and terrible image of death vnto whome our sinne hath deliuered vs vp For death followeth vs hard at our heeles both by sea and land he embarketh himself with vs and rideth on horsebacke behinde vs and leaueth vs nothing saue only our shadow We do nothing else all our life long but flye from him and yet we are still neerer and neerer him It is he that in a moment cutteth off the thread of our desires and he who vppon the suddaine bereaueth vs of all that we haue scraped together with great paine and in the end taketh our selues away cleane out of the world Seeing then that his image is pictured out to be so feareful in all the corners of our life let it be a bridle to restraine our filthy lusts and let vs step backe when we see such a bottomlesse deapth lye wide open before vs. But if we haue so engaged and bound our selues before hand as that we cannot goe backe yet he at least forewarneth vs of the danger and let vs forsake this vile and heauie burden of baggage that we may the lightlier leape and lustelier skip ouer this dangerous breake-necke and leape into that goodly and flourishing playne which we see to be on the other side which is that euerlasting life that we all waite for Howbeit if the remembrance of this temporall and corporall death cannot possibly wither and dry vp our thoughts who is he amongst vs wheÌ„ as we shall but once think vpon the other death which afterward threatneth vs which is this spiritual eternal death that wil not tremble gnash his teeth with feare yea a most horrible death because that they vpon whom it layeth hold do dye eternally not looking for the blessednes whereof they depriued themselues for euer and yet liue for euer but altogether in sorrowes torments whereunto they are eternally reserued Alas are not we able so terribly horribly to picture him out as that we neuer dare once behold his looks Let vs picture the dart which he carieth in his hand with fire and flamâ— round about it and arme it with helâ— fire with fireforks and tongs But we coÌ„trariwise garnish him with al maneâ— of ornameÌ„ts to make him seeme pleasing vnto our eyes set a false coulâ— vpon him to make him shew more agreeable vnto our liking we erect auâ—ters vnto him neuer make feasts 〈◊〉 reioycing but when as we consecratâ— our soules vnto him And when is that forsooth euen then when we bath ouâ— selues in these worldly pleasures or rather when we plunge our soules into that infernall riuer of forgerfulnesse which putteth out that heauenly fier that is in vs rocketh vs asleepe maketh vs become most brutish beastly And yet notwithstaÌ„ding we then say that we liue not counting any of those dayes any part of our life which we passe not ouer in pastimes merimeÌ„ts nay rather which we passe not ouer in sins traÌ„sgressioÌ„s Surely we are much like vnto those sailers which turn their backs vpoÌ„ the place where they meane to go ashore We make a shew as thogh we would eschue this death yet according to the course of our liues we run vnto it with open mouth Let vs therefore looke wishly vpoÌ„ this death and on as many
is heereby so gloriously expressed The onely beholding whereof is able to stay our sences and spirits and furnish them with an aboundant and sufficient contentment whereon bangeth our felicitie This is it whereon we should studie day and night and not content our selues with the bare looking of the couer onely but diligently to way the periodes yea euen to pluck out the sillabes and meanest points which containe excellent and holy secrets And this was a very good answer in my opinion which the good Heremite S. Anthonie as Socrates writeth made vnto a Philosopher who asked him how he could possiblie dwell in a solitarie place without hauing of bookes about him Surely quoth he I lacke not bookes for the world is my booke and my studie is the contemplation of nature wherein I reade day and night of the glory of my God howbeit I can neuer attaine to the end thereof O happie life voide of such a number of boiling sorrowes and greefes which vndermine and consume our yeares gladding and reioycing in this gratious rest and hauing good â—eaue to thrust our hands vp to the elbowes into the treasures of the Deitie which feedest the desires of the soule with the knowledge of immortalitie and swondest and diest within the burning flames of eternall wisdome These are the delights and these are the alluring baites which kept Acepsenas a recluse within his cell in the wildernesse full threescore years These are the allurements which stayed that Simeon all his life long vpon the top of a piller What a merueilous desire thinke you had those men who being lifted vp aboue the earth did swim in the ayre communicated with the Angels and beautified themselues before they dyed Without doubt our bloud is wonderfully congealed and grosse about our heart and we very dull and as it were in a swound if we admire not their blessednesse neither haue we compassion of our owne miseries our spirits are mightely mortified if so be we comprehend not that in this life in this contemplation and in the knowledge of this eternal verity our consolation contentation felicitie lieth consisteth and resteth Now God who loueth vs as his children meaneth not to leaue vs vnto the darknesse of this world and to make vs seeke after gropingly as it were amongst his workes for this his truth But hauing left his spirit with vs he hath also left vnto vs his owrde as an interpretor of his will where in we shall be sure to finde sure and faithfull directions to bring vs vnto this veritie and easily vnderstand his maruelous workes This is that voice which is called the burning worde this is that word which is called the light which as Euscbius saith is like vn to fier because it doth not only heate lighten and make ripe but also melteth softeneth and hardeneth And therefore we should follow those good Egiptian fathers whose liues Philo describeth who loosing their eyes to looke farre aboue the workes of God cast them forthwith into the reading of the Propherts and of the holy books as vpon the commentarie and interpretor of their meditations And these are they that haue most profoundly entred into the diuine wisedome and who for that occasion are in the scriptures called Seers for they are they by whom we haue had the mysteries of eternities reuealed and not by any humaine industrie but by the inspiration of the spirit of God haue communicated vnto vs the miracles of heauen and opened the entrie into wisdome with the which when as our soule is mixed and from thence hath receiued her forme and perfection she must then bring forth her fruite according as the same Philo hath taught vs That that is the propertie of euery perfect thing The fruite of a meditating soule or rather the infant thereof if we will speake as Eusebius doth is praier which being conceiued in the inward part of our thought discloseth it selfe betwixt our lips euen as the child is conceiued in the mothers wombe For the knowledge of God the effectuall feeling of his goodnesse which are imprinted in vs by an holy cogitation engendreth also in vs this motion of courage which Mercurie the great caleth The inward word which being well fashioned within and aided by the spirit the body thrusteth out it selfe and vttereth this outward word which we call praier we take not this onely for ordinary prayeâ— which proceedeth of our infirmity and should be the beginning of all our workes which we are not to keepe to be the last action of the soule but for that by which we expresse that affection which is borne in vs by perceiuing of that which we haue froÌ„ the goodnesse of God which after that we haue by holy thoughts prepared our tongues for it ruleth gouerneth the same and maketh it the instrumeÌ„t of his glory by which we try whether we conuerse therin hoâ—ily yea or no which is such a wonderfull contentment as that there remaineth not in our spirit to receiue any other cogitation at all into it For be it that we prostrate our selues before him to beseech him of his fauour grace or require his benefits or to giue him thaÌ„ks for his fauours daily shewed vnto vs our spirit is as it were rauished in a swond we feele his hand already coÌ„ming faster vpon vs then we are in calling vpoÌ„ him hauing assured our selues a long time together that whatsoeuer we should craue at his hand in a liuely faith he would graunt vs whether it be that we at al times as indeed we ought cause our voices resound his praifes preaching and setting forth his wonderous works singing as he hath commanded vs songs vnto his glorie and answering one another with hymnes spirituall songs our heart rebound and leape in vs and our spirit lifteâ— vp it selfe aboue the heauens and ioineth in thought with our creator And what houre nay what moment of aâ— houre ought we to cease turning the eyes of our soules towards him who continually standeth with his armes wide open to embrafe vs bendeth his fauourable eares vnto our praiers hearkeneth louingly vnto our vowes and is not iealous of the praises which we sing vnto him Is it meet then that there should be either businesse or sleepe to bereaue vs of this pleasure or rather that we our selues should bereaue our soules so bring our selues a sleepe euen then when the sweete songs earnest and feruent prayers should gather our spirits together assemble them to striue with the grace of God which worketh in vs. Is it fit that we should become deafe euen then when he toucheth the instrument of our soules to cause vs agree vnto the tune of his will and content our selues with the melodie of this sweet and perfect hermonie which soundeth from the coniunction of our vnderstanding of his deitie O immortall delights who shall seperate my soule from thee who shall pluck me from out of thine armes to drawe me out of
which hath bin cut downe with the sithe withereth in a moment euen so in a moment shall the magnificeÌ„ce of the wicked lose that glorious shew wax pale wan as if they were tainted The herbs flowers in the gardeÌ„s are not so quickly withered as thou shalt see the ritches of the wicked decay and come to naught hast thou not considered the Emerocall a very beautifull flower truly for one day which in the morning hath a fresh ruddy colour and keepeth his fine ruddinesse all day long and at euening becommeth so drie withered as that a man would thinke it had beene tainted by the Isie teeth of the winter Euen so the prosperitie of the wicked if their prosperitie may be so called is but a laughing or smiling deceiuer of an outward apparant felicity and may be most properly likened vnto this flowre for it withereth so suddenly altereth in so short a time is transformed into such a fashioÌ„ as is wonderful to behold 3 Put thy trust therefore in God beleeue verily that the insolencie of the wicked shal neuer be firme so long as the iustice of God shal rule reign and beleeue also that the iust shall neuer be forsaken in what affliction so euer they be And therefore be not discouraged but continue in well doing for he that shal perseuer shal be saued Dwell in the land which the Lord hath giuen thee and content thy selfe with the graces which he hath bestowed vpon thee neither enter thou into iudgment with him for thou shalt find in th' end that the riches of the wicked are but in the keeping of their own haÌ„ds 4 But reioice thou in the hope which thou hast in thy God put away the greeuous care which possesseth thine heart which as rust consumeth the same For when thou shalt haue once powred out thy spirit and lifted vp thy thoughts vnto the Lord he wil accomplish all thy desires and make thee enioy whatsoeuer thou wouldest wish 5 Neither come thou before him as it were waueringly nor mistrustingly ne hide thou thy thoughts from him but lay open vnto him the very bottom of thine heart and discouer vnto him all thy waies and cogitations For it is impossible for thee to deceiue him and a dangerous thing to trie him For he seeth and marketh all things especially a double and vnbeleeuing heart which he abhorreth of all the rest but receiueth and embraceth the poore and humble spirited man heareth his praiers and graunteth him before hand that which he is determined to craue 6 For he that standeth in his grace and fauour shall neuer want either wealth or honour if thou please him once he will make the glory of thy righteousnesse shine as a cleare light and cause the equitie of thy iudgements shine as bright as the sunne at noone daies For euery man shall see in each place the people following thee blessing thine house as a temple of iustice commending thy speech as an oracle and reuerencing thee as the very cause of their tranquillitie and libertie All men shall exalt thine integrity as the Tutrix of all good men sure defence of the afflicted And yet thou shalt haue more than all this for thou shalt receiue both honor and glorie and therefore humble thy selfe the more vnder the hand of thy God and acknowledge this benefit to come from him so yeeld him homage Now the homage which he requireth of thee is nothing else but thy mouth hands Thy mouth to offer him praise and thanks and thy hands to serue him according to his commaundements Heere yee see what the spirit of God as me thought sayd vnto me by word of mouth which I will communicate with you my friends and make ye partakers of these holie aduertisemeÌ„ts to the end that if ye shall see any man hereafter prosper in his affayres and blaspheme in his life ye be not offended threat neyther be ye angrie and grieued in your selues if ye see a man that dealeth vniustly abound in all kind of wealth 8 Be still therefore and qualifie that bitter humor which pricketh and hammereth so in your heads and then no doubt ye will neuer haue the hart to do him any hurt for all this For the requitall of good men is not only to do good for good but to require also good for euill 9 And all such as are carried away with an impatient heat to the procuring of anothers hurt and all they who in stead of leauing vnto God the reuenge which he reserueth vnto himselfe will vsurp the same shall be rooted out for euer and as insolent and saucie seruants which take vpon them the authoritie of their maister shall be shamefully and hardly punished But hee that possesseth his soule in patience and constantly attendeth the iudgement of God he will commend and blesse his obedience and after that he hath punished the wicked for their vnmercifulnesse he will also confiske their goods and possessions and make himselfe maister and possessor of them all 10 Wait but awhile and yee shall see the time come that hee whome yee haue seene to be so mightie and great and benefited himselfe so greatly by his sinnes and by his wicked and crafrie deuises stored vp an infinite number of goods and as hee him-selfe thought was in the hye way to heauen shall passe away like a running brooke where the water fleeteth away in great billowes where nothing shall bee seene saue mire and dirt and there shall not remayne onely so much as any marke of the place where hee had beene nor no more remembrance of him then of the winde that blew the sommer past 11 But contrarywise humble and mercifull men shall enioy his place be the successors of his wealth and reigne most assuredly in the land leauing his goods in succession to his children and peace shall be with his as an inheritance A ritch peace and a plentifull inheritance which â—auoureth all the rest of the goods without the which all the remayndeâ— is naught else but torment and affliction A peace that is sweeter then oyle and the honie that is most sweet which hatcheth in thy bosome all maner of pleasures and delightes which maketh vertue sprout out flower and nourisheth and ripeneth his holie fruites 12 Now this peace is the gift of God and none can geue it vs but his goodnesse and nothing can moue his goodnes to do it saue the reformation of our wicked liues For so long as there is warre within vs and sinne which is the seed of discord shall lodge with vs we can not hope or yet looke for either peace or rest But coÌ„trariwise if we can be at peace with God we shall be sure to be forthwith at peace with men and be in firme and most assured rest 13 I right well know that there will be alwayes some wicked men whose abhominable wills will go euen to the graue with them And I right well know that