sentence the Sonne for the servant was injuriously cast out of his inheritance by the husbandmen of the Vineyard the Law of Moses Therefore thy Apostle saith That Jesus might sanctifie us hee suffered without the gate And well it was that he suffered without that he might bring us back againe to within for we have entrance by his bloud But I beseech thee most loving Jesu from the very inward affection of mine heart by those paines with which as with most sharp arrowes thy most sweet heart was pierced and those of the Virgin thy blessed Mother at the hearing of that sentence of thycondemnation that I may deserve through thy merits to be delivered in the houre of my death and the last day of judgement from thatsharp and terrible word of the sentence of eternall damnation which thou wilt thunder out against the reprobates Depart from me yee cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the Devill and his angels Christ. Happy is he from whose memory the last judgement never departeth that by the feare thereof hee may preserve his life from naughtinesse and pleasure of the flesh For surely that judgement is highly to be feared wherin all things are made manifest without witnesses where the Hoast of all the Angels and Saints shall stand round about and every creature shall tremble with exceeding feare before my Tribunall seat What will they say then who in this short time have lived negligently and carelesly Meane time I expect you patiently and invite you all to my kingdome lovingly Time will come when I shall require an account of you for this your negligence and shall say unto you For you am I made crooked for you I say am I made crooked upon the earth for you am I scourged for you with spittings defiled for you is my face buffeted for you am I unjustly condemned for you am I crucified for you upon wood am I hanged with gall am I fed and with vinegar quenched that I might make you all Saints eternally crowned I have called you all my Brethren I have offered you to my Father I have sent you my holy Spirit I have promised sed to you Paradise What should I have done more and I have not done it that ye might be saved Tell me ye Sinners What have yee suffered for me your governour who when I was just suffered so great things for your sakes These truly shall bee demands proper for that day of judgement Sinner Alas miserable wretch that I am what shall I say or what shall I doe when I shall not bee able to shew ought that is good before so great a Judge Christ. Amend thy life while time is change thy manners overcome evill temptations by resisting punish sinnes committed by lamenting Let thy sinne find thee here a punisher that thou maist find me there no Judge but a Saviour If thou doest these things faithfully and with constant affiance thou shalt bee secure in the terrible day of vengeance Neither let the greatnesse of thy sinnes terrifie thee for I am much more mercifull than thou art finfull Surely great is thy misery but infinite is my mercy If thou bee asinfull man I am the Lamb of GOD that taketh away the sins of the world who came not to call the just but sinners In a word more mercy and love shalt thou finde in mee than thou darest either hope for or wish for A FAMILIAR Expostulation of the Flesh to GOD the Father â—ouching CHRIST By 〈…〉 Booke enâ—â—â—led Stimulus Amoris Cap. XIV GIve eare how the Flesh lifteth up the Soule against the Spirit contemplatively raised yea even against Christ. For saith the Flesh I preferre my complaint to thee God the Father just and of infinite mercy touching thy Sonne beseeching thee that thy justice would consider the injury done mee and that thy mercy would condescend to my misery This thy Sonne full of knowledge and power hath circumvented me by his wisdome and 〈…〉 violence by his power This thy Sonne by his wisdome cloathing himselfe with flesh became like unto mee and by his too much humilitie and ineffable benignitie craftily entred in upon me He became more humble than all hee became despicable to all hee tooke upon him the necessities of all he bore the infirmities of all he vouchsafed to be most cruelly crucified for all to be afflicted as well with compassion as in his most grievous passion through meere affection to all to expresse the love of his heart by the opening of his side and from thence to derive those Sacraments which gave remedy to all mankinde What should I say more Hee hath ordained his flesh for meat his bloud for drink and promised himselfe for a reward inasmuch as he girded himselfe and being to depart thence ministred to such as eat at thy table By all these meanes and many others which I neither know nor am able to declare hath hee not onely wondrously allured my Soule deputed to the support and comfort of mee but by entring in unto her hath so highly drawne her by his power and so joynd her unto him by his delights as now shee cares not at all for mee but rather afflicts dejects treads downe and vilifies mee and that which seemes grievouser than all things else she loves those that lay this disgrace on me remembring him or them more especially in her prayer who inferre these injuries on me and if none as yet be done mee shee desires that hereafter they may bee done me Thus am I mortified and she cares not Thus lye I grovelling in mud and shee rejoyceth Yea it is the very highest pitch of her desire to see my sorrow with new sorrow multiplied that my sorrow might bee more sensibly conceived This seemes to bee her glorie to bring injuries contumelies and whatsoever is worst upon me Thus leaves shee mee desolate and afflicted meane time it is her desire to remaine still with thy Sonne still to bee fed with his flesh made drunk with his bloud and wheresoever he is to be ever with him Now she appeareth like a small tender infant with him in the manger now she embraceth him in the armes of the blessed Virgin now is she nourished with him with the milke of the Virgin Now she hungers with him now shee thirsts with him now is shee spit upon with him now is shee wounded with him now is shee sorrowfull upon the Crosse with him now with thee in heaven rejoyceth she with him shee is comforted with him wheresoever hee goe shee goes with him shee cannot endure to bee from him shee can intend herselfe to nought without him What shall I say to thee O Father touching thy Sonne who hath made my soule given unto me so drunke with his love and thus estrang'd her from mee If hee hath robb'd mee thou maist command restitution to be made me Neither seemes it to me a small injury thus to deprive me of this precious and inestimable jewell
a soft bed a pleasant chamber and delight of the flesh Bee ashamed therefore O my soule when thou beholdest thy Lord hanging upon the Crosse Where imagine him to bee preaching unto thee and rebuking thee after this manner I tooke for thee O man a Crowne of Thornes Thou in contempt of mee wearest a garland made of Flowers I for thee stretched out my hands upon the Crosse wilt thou reach thine forth to pleasures and dalliance I dying could not quench my thirst so much as with water wilt thou seeke after precious Wines and Viands I both on the Crosse as likewise all my life long was full of reproaches and sorrowes wilt thou bestow thy time upon honours and pleasures I suffered my side to bee opened that I might make thee even partaker of my heart wilt thou have thine exposed and opened to vaine and perillous loves A Short and fruitfull Confession of a Sinner unto God for obtaining Contrition O God of inestimable and eternall mercy God of unmeasurable piety God the Creator and Redeemer of mankind who purifiest the hearts of such as confesse their sinnes unto thee who releasest all such from the bond of iniquity as accuse themselves before the sight of thy divine majesty I beseech the power and depth of thy goodnesse with inward groanes that according to the multitude of thy mercies thou wouldst grant mee to make a pure and sincere confession before thee of all my sinnes whereof my guilty conscience doth accuse mee And that thou wouldst give mee true repentance for all such things as I have committed in naughty thoughts depraved cogitations wicked consent unjust counsell in concupiscence and uncleane delights in evill and hatefull words in malicious works in my seeing hearing tasting smelling and touching I truly even in all my members doe conceive my selfe guilty above measure because as the starres of heaven and sands of the Sea so doe I know my sinnes to bee innumerable But to thee Lord who knowest all secrets and who hast said Thou desirest the repentance of a Sinner doe I reveale all the secrets of my heart accusing my naughtinesse and my many and very great sinnes which I have committed before the eyes of thy fearefull Majesty all my wretched life long especially these here for the better increase of thy devotion and spirituall compunction maist thou particularize some of thy grievouser Sinnes with all those my evils which are open and manifest O God of mercy in thy sight And now O most gracious LORD looke upon mee and have mercy on mee and give unto mee a fountaine of teares and remission of all my sinnes through thy free mercie and that with inward confession of heart and affection of desiring remission seconded with so sincere a Confession Rectifie and reforme in mee O most loving Father whatsoever is depraved in mee either in word deed thought through my owne impietie or the Devils subtiltie and by joyning mee a member to the unity of the Church make mee partaker of thy Redemption and admit mee to the Sacrament of blessed reconciliation as one who hath no confidence but in thy mercy and compassion A Confession of Sinnes by Blessed Augustine O Mercifull pitifull great and terrible God I confesse unto thee my sins to thee to thee doe I discover my wounds for thine ineffable goodnesse bestow a Salve on mee Thou O most mild Lord vouchsafedst to say I desire not the death of a sinner but rather that hee may turne from his wickednesse and live I confesse that my life is in thy sight wicked and crooked that my life is falling into the lake of misery and my Soule perishing in my iniquities Lust sinfull delight naughty works wrath pridâ— impatience malice envy gluttony ebriety theft rapine lying perjury scurrility foolish speaking murmuring detraction ignorance infidelity distruct negligence of Gods Commandements as contagious glagues have slaine my Soule Mine heart and lips are polluted My seeing hearing tasting smelling and touching have enfeebled my Soule with sinnes and I am wholly lost as well in my cogitation as action I beseech thee O my Lord God whose mercy hath no end draw mee unto thee as thou drewest that sinfull woman As thou gavest grace unto her not to cease from kissing thy feet washing them with her teares and wiping them with her haires so graciously vouchsafe to grant unto mee that according to the greatnesse of mine iniquities thy great love may bee in mee that for thine unmeasurable piety thou maist forgive mee all my sinnes Bestow on mee pardon for evils past continence for evils present and cautelous prudence for evils to come Grant mee I beseech thee before I dye most fully to obtaine thy mercy and suffer not my dayes to bee ended till my sinnes bee pardoned but as thou willest and knowest have mercy on mee Amen A PRAIER before the holy Communion HAile O most holy flesh and bloud of Christ wherereof I am made partaker in these visible Elements Haile O thou highest sweetnesse who knowest no losing takest away all loathing destroyest death restorest life Haile thou blessed food which leadest thine Elect from the exile of this World to their Country Haile thou happy Sacrifice which art offered upon the Altar of the Crosse to God â—he Father for the whole burden of our sinnes Haile thou Manna more white than snow more sweet than honey more precious than all gold Take from mee I beseech thee O good Shepheard mine iniquities that with a purified heart and spirit I may deserve to taste these Holy of holiest Let this venerable Sacrament bee an impregnable Safeguard to mee against the deceits of the enemy that fed with this wholesome Viand I may passe the slippery wayes of this life in a blamelesse conversation and come unto thee the Bread of life and the true Lord of Angels without any hinderance of the Devils subtilty or malice O Lord heare mee bee pacified with mee attend mee and tarry not from mee O my God for thy goodnesse sake For none can bee worthy of so great a mystery unlesse thou ô Omnipotent God make him worthy Amen A PRAIER OF Th. Aquinas to be said after celebration of the holy Communion I Give thankes to thee O holy Lord OmnipoteÌ„t Father Eternall God who hast vouchsafed to refresh me thy grievous sinner and unworthy servant for no deserts of mine but for thy sole mercy sake with the precious Body and Bloud of thy Sonne our Lord JESUS CHRIST And I beseech thee that this holy Communion may not bee of guilt to mee unto condemnation but a soule-saving intercession of remission and consolation Let it bee unto mee the armour of faith and the shield of good-will Let it bee unto mee a removing of my vices a rooting out of lust and licentiousnesse an increasing of Charity and Patience Humility and Obedience and of all Vertues Let it bee a strong defence against all mine Enemies as well visible as invisible a perfect quieting and composing of my
very Wind h 'as as great a share in them as shee h'as Nor did they deserve so much loving when they were in their very height of enjoying Being such as were got with Care kept with Feare and lost with Griefe proper things to dote on The fulnesse of them could not stay one poore Fit of an Ague nor get a reprive at Deaths hand for a minute Besides that long unwilling Adieu of the unhappie possessour at his heavie departure O Death how bitter is the remembrance of thee to a man that liveth at rest in his possessions Seeing then no outward thing should so much delight man as to withdraw his thoughts from the Maker of man Or so trouble him in his passage or translation from Earth as to divert his affections from heaven in his remove from Earth Seeing all things are not onely vanity but affliction where such as are highliest possest of them are most ensnared and deluded by them Seeing the beauty riches pleasures and contentments of earth are no sooner appearing than vanishing no sooner found than lost Why doest thou tremble O my flesh why are thou so troubled O my Soule and why art thou so disquieted within mee put thy trust in the Lord and hee will deliver thee Yea but I heare thee in a silent secrecy framing this reply These worldly respects are not the things that make Death appeare so terrible unto mee Noe I can freely bid farewell to the world there is nothing in it that makes mee enamour'd of it I see nought at all in it but sinne or occasions of sinne Neither did I ever possesse ought which did not afflict mee more in the forgoing than it delighted mee in the enjoying Tell me then poore fearfull soule what is it that so much troubles thee in this thy passage What is it that makes thee so shake and shudder in this thy dissolution O my sinnes my sinnes it is the remembrance of my sinnes which makes mee unwilling to depart from this place where I committed them or to fix mine eyes on that place which is so pure as it cannot abide them I cannot thinke of that place wherein I have not sinned nor of that houre wherein I have not highly transgressed And can one minutes repentance discharge such long arrerages O my perplexed soule remember to thy comfort that divine Cordiall At what time soever a Sinner repenteth c. As I live I would not the death of a sinner c. My mercie I will not take from him There is mercie with the Lord and therefore is hee feared Hee shall call upon mee and I will dedeliver him in the time of his necessitie Draw yet nearer and thinke of the saying of that sweet Father O humble teare thine is the Kingdome thine is the Power thou art not affraid to enter in and appeare before the presence of the Judge thou though thou enter alone shalt never returne alone whatsoever thou askest thou shalt have thou overcommest the invincible and bindest the Omnipotent This Angelicall Wine will bring thee to the societie of the Angels Doubt not stagger not Raise and rouse up thy selfe with the wings of faith Whence comes it that the Soule dyeth because Faith is not in it Whence that the bodie dyeth Because a Soule is not in it Therefore the Soule of thy Soule is Faith No evill then can befall thee so thy faith doe not faile thee Where watry eyes make faith their Anchor they promise a calme Sea and a safe arrivall to the Christian passenger And though late repentance be seldome true yet true repentance never comes too late That devout and well-prepared Father when hee was readie to die with much sweet assurance and Christian confidence spake thus to Stillico and others about his bed I have not lived so among you that I am ashamed to live longer to please God and yet againe I am not affraid to dye because wee have a good LORD Though thou canst not in thine owne approvement so truly say this crowne thy passage with a devout wish Desire to bee dissolved and to bee with Christ Present him with a pious devotion to thy inward'st thoughts Imagining him even now bowing his precious head to kisse thee spreading his gracious armes to imbrace thee his Angels comming forth to meet thee the whole Hoast of Heaven to conduct thee to the Palace of Eternitie after this thy approaching dissolution from this vale of misery Let nothing divide thee from that love which is in thee to Christ Iesus One Houre in his Courts is better than a thousand in the Courts of Princes Humbly commend thy selfe to his protection who made thee to his affection who redeemed thee to his direction who sanctifi'd thee Feare it not timorous soule but thy Fathers power will defend thee his Sonnes Wisedome will enrich thee the Holy Spirits goodnesse will comfort thee even in these pangs of death which assaile thee Oh how sweet is the remembrance of these things to mee There is nothing now that may divide mee from Him to whom I am spiritually espoused There is no Friend so deare to mee as Hee who gave his life for mee No Honour so highly valued of mee as his who became a reproach for mee that by his owne dishonour hee might honour mee No pleasure so delightfull as his presence whose sight shall ever cheere mee No possession like his fruition who is my portion in the Land of the Living to whom to bee joyned shall ever joy mee Every minute then seemes grievous every moment tedious till I bee dissolved that I may see him after whom I have so longed to whom to bee united I have so thirsted in whose sweet presence to remaine in whose Courts to abide I have so desired These pangs I feele are to mee cheerefull these Messengers of my approaching dissolution to mee gratefull these humane wrastlings which I now endure to mee delightfull I know well I am such metall as I must bee tried before I bee fined O! as I draw by little and little nearer my end so may I in true love draw nearer to thee To thee my Redeemer in whom my trust is placed my confidence planted my hopes crowned my Pilgrim-dayes happily closed my heritage after these dayes of my Pilgrimage possessed I feele now my longing Soule fleeting from this darke Cell this noysome shell of corruption every gaspe now promiseth a dissolution My breath is corrupt my dayes are cut off and the Grave is readie for mee I enter'd this world with a Shrique and I leave it with a Sigh Nor doe I sigh for that I love it or am unwilling to leave it but for that I have beene too long divided by living in it from Him in whom my desires are here fixed there filled The houre is come and it is welcome the houre of my translation to glory Come LORD JESUS come quickely Amen FINIS Errata's PAge 102. line 7. for He reade They. p. 116. l. 8. for