inflamed with charitie so he inflameth that he with an hot cole taken from the Altar may touch my mouth Isa c. 6 and purge my lippes from all filth of sinne See S. Thom. Lyra. Hector Pintus and SaÌ„ctius on the sixt chap. of Isaiâ— that is that he vvith the burning cole of charitie taken from the Altar of the crosse or CHRIST his passion endured on the crosse for that is the source of all grace and charitie may purge my hart and lippes as gold in the fornace from all drosse of sinne that my hart may thinke nothing my mouth and lippes may speake nothing which is not pure chast and holie For then my mouth vvill be apt to shew forth thy praise Or else send ô Lord one of thy Priestes who by office is a Seraphin instituted and ordained to illuminate and inflame the heartes of the people by preaching and administration of the Sacramentes And let him either by the burning cole of thy word for thy word is fired exceedinglie or by that sacred burning cole of CHRISTS holie bodie in the Eucharist burning continuallie vvith the Diuinitie Ps 118. yet not consumed taken from the holie Altar vvhere it is offered daylie in the Church of God may inflame my heart purge first it and then my lippes vvhich are the interpreters of the heart from all filth of sinne Or else ô my svveet God send vnto me one of thy Seraphins one of thy Priests vvho ministeriallie by meanes of the SacrameÌ„ts vvhich he ministreth giueth the Holie Ghost that he by the hot cole of this holie Spirit proceeding as ardent loue from God the father and God the sonne coequall and consubstantiall vnto them vvho in the day of Pentecoste descending fom heauen in the forme of fierie tongues inflamed purged th' Apostles and first Christians may inflame purge my heart lippes from all filth of sinne and so may make me fitt to shew forth thy praise for vntill I be purged from sinne Ps 49. I am a sinner to the sinner thou sayst why doest thou declare my iustices and takst my Testament by thy mouth And Ecclesiasticus telleth me Eccleisastici 15. that praise is not comelie in the mouth of a sinner 3. But open my mouth ô Lord stopped by sinne and purge my lippes polluted by sinne and then not onelie my mouth shall be the trumpet to sound forth thy prayses vvhich thou ô penitent sinner must say after him but my soule shall say to her selfe Ps 102. My soule blesse thou our Lord and all the thinges that are within me my vnderstanding my vvill my memorie my heart and all that is in me shall blesse and prayse God yea my body and all the senses and partes of it as myne eyes myne eares the rest of my senses my heade my haÌ„des my feete in imploying theÌ„selues in thy seruice shall be so many trumpets to sound forth thy praise 4. And not onelie vvith bodie and soule I vvill praise thee but I vvill coniure all people and natioÌ„s to ioyne vvith me in thy praise for I vvill crye vnto them Ps 1â—6 Praise our Lord all the Gentiles praise him all the peoples yea I vvill coniure all thy creatures asvvell reasonable as vnreasonable sensible as vnsensible to praise thee and confesse thee to be their Creatour and to say as they doe say euerie day to those that haue intelligence He made vs Psa 99. and not we our selues I vvil vvith Sidrach Dan. 3. Misach Abdenago call vpon all creatures to praise thee I will sing daylie their Canticle and Benedicite All workes of our Lord blesse our Lord ye Angels of our Lord praise and superexalt him for euer ye Heauens blesse our Lord praise and superexalt him for euer All waters that are aboue the heauens blesse ye our Lord praise and superexalt him for euer Sunne and Moone blesse ye our Lord praise and superexalt him for euer In the like manner I vvill inuite the starres planets the showers and dewes the vvindes and tempests fire heate frost and cold yce and snovv and the rest vvhich are inuited to the praise of God in this Canticle for that all those creatures though many of them be deuoide of reason many also of sense doe praise God in exciting men by consideration and contemplation of these admirable vvorkes of God to the praise of him 5. For as vvhen vve see a picture vvell dravvne or a statue cunninglie carued we by and by commend not onelie the picture statue but also and especiallie the painter and Caruer so vvhen vve looke vpon the Heauens and those euer shining lights vvhich may be ouershadovved but neuer are put out and the goodlie order and disposition of the Heauens elemeÌ„tes and creatures in theÌ„ vve praise not onelie them but much more the Creatour And in this fence the HeaueÌ„s though they haue neither reason nor sence are sayd to shew forth the glorie of God Ps 18. vvherefore hence forth with thy grace ô Lord all my actions shall be directed to thy honour glorie euerie morning so soone as I rise or awake both they and all I am haue shall be offered designed for thy honour and so by vvord and worke I will euer shew forth thy praise and I vvill neuer cease froÌ„ singing praises vnto thee till I come to sing Sanctus Sanctus Sanctus Holie Holie Holie vvith the quire of thy Heauenlie musicians thy Saintes and Angels Quoniam si voluisses sacrificium dedissem vtique Holocaustis non delectaberis Because if thou wouldest haue had sacrifice I had verilie giuen it with holocaustes thou wilt not be pleased 1. I Promised thee ô Lord saith Dauid that my mouth should shew forth thy praise Ps 4â— because I take the sacrifice of praise to be more pleasing vnto thee otherwise if thou wouldst haue had sacrifice to vvit the materiall corporall sacrifice of brute beastes I would verilie haue giuen it And thou knovvest ô Lord that in such sacrifices I haue not beene vvanting but I know they are not pleasing to thee nay vvith Holocaustes vvhich were the best kind of externall sacrifices as being wholie burnt and consumed to thy honour thou art not delighted as they are taken in themselues vvithout the internall sacrifice of the minde Salomon in the dedication of the Temple 3. Reg. 2. offered of oxen tvvo tvventie thousand of sheepe an hundred tvventie thousand and yet all these sacrifices taken nakedlie in theÌ„selues without the inward sacrifices of the minde were not pleasing to God Mich. 6. For as Micheas sayth Nunquid placaripotest Dominus in millibus arietum can our Lord be pacified with thousaÌ„ds of Rammes Or as thou ô Lord thy selfe sayst will I eate the flesh of oxeÌ„ Ps 49. ibid. or will I drinke the blood of buckgoats Immolate to God the sacrifice of praise and pay thy vovve to the highest 2. And vvhat
and wouldst take away the stony heart out of their flesh and giue them a fleshy heart This promise I challenge ô Lord and this heart I desire myne old heart hetherto was by sinne fowle and vncleane giue me a cleane heart It was by sinne become as hard as a stone not apte to receaue thy good inspirations nor plyable to any good giue me for hereafter a fleshie heart a softe heart mollified by thy bloud and by the waters of contrition an heart as softe as waxe easie to be formed and figured by thy Diuine hand and to be framed to what thou wilt apt to receaue thy Diuine inspirations apt to melte in thy loue apt to be mooued passionatlie for myne owne sinnes and compassionatlie for the sinnes miseries of others Giue me a new heart a cleane heart cleane washed from the abominable filth of sinne by the water of grace which floweth from thy holie passio through the channelles of the Sacramentes 5. Demaund thou also with Dauid ô penitent sinner a cleane a new heart Say vnto thy God Thou commandest me ô mercifull God by the vvise Salomon Prou. 4 with all garde to keepe my heart because life proceedeth from it but because I haue not well looked to it nor haue set a watch or garde ouer it by continuall vigilancie I desire thee to take it to thy care Psalm 126. for vnlesse thou keepest this Citie he watcheth in vaine that keepeth it not to permit any vncleane thing to enter into it It hath hetherto lodged the world the flesh and the Deuil by inordinate affection expelle them I beseech thee out of it It is or ought to be thy mansion place thy cabinet thy Temple let none else enter into it Giue me grace to adorne this Temple with chast and holie cogitations that thou onelie in it maist be loued thou onelie worshiped thy prayses onelie may be daylie sung in it to thee onelie the sacrifice of a contrite harte of prayse and thankesgiuing may be offered And seeing my old vncleane heart is not fit for this create in me a cleane and a new heart 6. Thou commandest me to giue my heart vnto thee and thou beggest it of me in those enchanting wordes Praebe filâ—mi Prou. 23. cortuum mihi my sonne giue me thy heart And if thou please to create it new for else it is not worth the giuing nor vvorthie the acceptance I giue it thee frankelie and freelie and in so doeing I shall but giue thee that vvhich is thyne ovvne by creatioÌ„ redemption for to redeeme this heart thou dyedst sanctification I doe not onelie lend it thee for a tyme as I did heretefore when I liued well for a tyme but after by sinne vvrested this my heart out of thy possession and gaue the Deuill the keyes of this Citie but I giue it thee for euer neuer intending by thy grace to take it from thee againe 7. O Eternall Father thou gauest vnto me by Incarnation thy litle one Isaie 9. so stiled by the Prophet Esaie litle in his temporall birth and as litle as a sucking babe but greate in his eternall natiuitie litle in his humane nature greate and immense in his Diuinitie vveake as a child in his litle bodie but omnipotent and of infinite povver in his Diuinitie contained and restrained in a narrovv crib in respecte of his bodie but filling Heauen and earth containing all thinges contained of nothing in regard of his Diuine nature I giue also vnto thee my litle one my heart one of the least members of my bodie in quantitie greatest in vigour force and vertue as vvhich is the fountaine of life imparting motion life ad vitall spirites to the rest of the membres Thou gauest vnto me by Incarnation thy sonne the middle personne in Trinitie I giue vnto thee my heart vvhich is my middle because it is placed in the middest of my bodie that it may the better imparte heate life to all the other partes thereof Thou gauest vnto me by Incarnation thy first and onelie begotten sonne I giue vnto thee my first borne that is my heart which is the first liuing and last dying in me And this I hope vvill be pleasing vnto thee thou like the Eagle desiring to feed on the heart by a complacence vvhich thou takest in it and thou esteeming the heart if it be cleane and Sanctified aboue all the mansion places in earth and desiring rather to dvvell in it by charitie 1. Ioan. 4. for God is charitie he that abydeth in charitie abydeth in God and God in him then in the richest Pallace on earth yea then in Salomons Temple 8. And hauing giuen this my heart vnto thee henceforth it shall not be myne but thine thou shalt possesse it thou shalt gouerne it thou onelie shalt rule it I vvill not meddle with the gouernemeÌ„t of it but vnder thee according to thy commaundements counsell and direction And although this heart heretofore hath beene the rendeuous and Receptacle of the Deuill the world flesh thy svvorn enemies yet if thou please by thy grace to cleanse it and adorne it they shall be sent packing thou onelie shalt be entertained and it shall be at thy disposition readie to beleeue in thee to hope in thee and to loue thee aboue all thinges and to doe thy will and pleasure in all thinges For all this my old harte was altogether vnapt create then in me a new heart by the nevvnes of grace 9. To this nevv heart sayth Dauid giue for hereafter a new spirit renew a right spirit in my bowelles After the earth and vvorld vvas drovvned and ouerflovved vvith that Deluge and generall inundation of Noes fludde Gen. 2. thou broughtst a Spirit or winde vpon the earth to drye it Giue to the litle vvorld and land of my soule and heart a spirit of grace vvhich may dry it from all concupiscence and from the Deluge of sinne for that Osea 4. 5. this is a right Spirit Ridde me of the vvrong spirit of fornication and of all carnall delightes free me from the vncleane spirit of lust from the spirit of lying and dissembling from the Spirit of pride and enuie for that these are not right spirites and renevv in me the right spirit of charitie chastitie humilitie pouertie renevv in me and create a nevv those seuen graces and spirites of the Holie Ghost the spirit of wisedome and vnderstanding the spirit of counsell and strengh Isa 11. the spirit of knovvledge and pietie the spirit of the feare of our Lord of vvhich euerie one is a right Spirit is thy good spirit Psalm 142. which will conduct me into the right vvay to saluation The former spirit wherewith I was lead heretofore was not a right spirit because it ledde me out of the way it was a crooked spirit because though my bodie be made to looke vp to heauen yet the euill spirit vvhich before ruled
in the right way let me not range out of it any more novv that by the same grace I am vvashed from my sinnes let me not defile my selfe againe now that I am by this grace cured of my disease of sinne let me not fall into it againe novv that my mortall wouÌ„des are healed by this grace let me not renew them For vvhat vvould it auaile to be risen vp if I fall againe the after fall vvould make my rising more difficult What to haue vvalked in the vvayes of thy commaundementes if I loose this vvay againe I shall the more hardlie finde it What to haue been vvashed cleane in the lauer of penance and by thy grace if like a swine I vvallovv my selfe againe in the puddle of sinne the stayne vvill more hardlie be gotten out better it is for me to say vvith the Spouse Cant. 5 I haue washed my feete hovv shall I defile them What vvill it auaile to haue beene cured of the ague of sinne if I admitte an other accesse of it Recidiuation is more dangerous then the former sicknes What to haue been healed of so many mortall vvoundes as mortall sinnes if I renevv them againe the renevving makes them harder to be cured then before Wherefore turne not thy face froÌ„ me by vvithdrawing thy grace for then I shall fall againe into all those miseries to haue vvell begun is a small thing how many good beginners are novv in Hell perseuerance is that vvhich maketh vs goe on to the end and the end crowneth the vvorke And therefore ô Lord take not thy holy spirit from me Take not from me the create spirit of grace by vertue of vvhich I may perseuer to the end yea ô Eternall Father ô Eternall Sonne giue me your increate spirit the holy Ghost vvho proceedeth from you both and vvho is equall coequall and consubstantiall to you both and who is your mutuall loue and eternall knotte of freindship take not froÌ„ me this your increate Spirit So long as this Spirit supporteth me I can not fall Heauen vvill sooner fall then I so supported can fall 4. And thou ô penitent Christian desire almightie God to turne his face from thy sinne but not from thee it being thy onelie comfort in this life to haue its benigne aspect and the light of grace which proceedeth from it and vvhich illuminateth thy vvay vvhich thou art to vvalke Desire him also not to take avvay his holy Spirit from thee vvithout vvhich liuing thou art dead liuing in bodie dead in soule vvhich if thou fall will raise thee if thou stand vvill so direct thy steppes as thou shalt neuer fall againe Ioan. 1. This Spirit houered ouer the waters in the first creation gaue them fecunditie to bring forth fish and fowle The same spirit houered ouer the waters of Baptisme when thou vvast regenerated of water and the holy Ghost Ioan. 3. and gaue it force to this day to bring forth Spirituall fishes to vvitt Christâ—ans who are spawnes and young fishes of the great fish CHRIST IESVS Tertul. lib. de Baptismo Aug li de Ciuit ca. 18. stiled by the Sybille in the first letters of her Greeke verses 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth a fish because in the riuer of Iordan vvhere he was Baptized by S. Iohn Baptist he like a fish did as it vvere swimme and thereby gaue vertue to the water of baptisme to regenerat ChristiaÌ„s whereas ChristiaÌ„s haue their origin froÌ„ the water as fishes haue This Spirit againe houered ouer the vvaters of contritioÌ„ the SacrameÌ„t also of penaÌ„ce wheÌ„ it inspired into me the Spirit of coÌ„punction and contrition by which from my sinnes committed after Baptisme I vvas againe vvashed and rose againe from sinne to iustifying grace Let it giue me also ô most mercifull Lord the grace and guift of perseuerance vvhich is all in all and without vvhich all is nothing Do not take this Holie Spirit from me and I shall perseuer to the end against all tentations maugre all the Deuills in Hell 5. S. Peter before he vvas fortified by this Spirit vvas so frayle fearfull and cowardlie that he denied his Master at the voice of a Maide-seruaunt a woeman dashed him out of countenance but after he vvas armed fortified by this Holy Spirit he feared not the Tyrants of the vvorld nor all the tormentes that cruell heartes could deuise but like a rocke vvithstood the boisterous windes of their persecutions vvhich did but breake wast themselues mooued not him And he the rest of the Apostles vvho fled vvhen their Master vvas taken and vvho eueÌ„ after his death and resurrection assembled themselues together and shutte the doores Propter metum Iudaeorum for feare of the Ievves Ioan. 20. after they had receaued this Holy Spirit they feared not the Tyrants of earth nor all the Deuills in Hell Yea they but twelue set vpon all the vvorld and not iointly neither but singlie and made a conquest of a greater world then euer Alexander the Great did subdued not onelie their bodies as he did but their vvilles and vnderstanding subiected the Empire to the Churche the Scepter to the crosse made philosophie stoupe to Christes doctrine Matth. 10. and Idolatrie to Christian religion And whereas they were sent as sheepe amongest vvolues yet these sheepe strengthened by this Holy Spirit were to hard for the wolues and as fire coÌ„uerteth all into it so they inflamed vvith this HeaueÌ„lie fire consumed sinne and Idolatrie and like so many walking fiers set all the world on fire conuerted all to Christ and made all like themselues that is Christians 6. I ô Lord request at thy bountifull handes with Dauid a guift of this Holy Spirit Act. 20 and this Heauenlie fire which descended on the first Christians in the forme of fierie tongues corroborate and encourage me by this Holy Spirit inflame me with this heauenlie fire and harden me with it that no assaults of the Deuill world or flesh may be able to ouerthrowe me that for feare of persecution I may not deny thee but as now as I hope I am risen by thy Holy Spirit and grace of iustification so by thy guifte and grace of perseuerance the proper effect of it I may neuer fall againe by mortall sinne from thy grace fauour face and eternall vision the blisse of the blessed which is onelie graunted to them who perseuer to the end Redde mihi letitiam salutaris tui Et spiritu principali confirma me Render vnto me the ioy of thy Saluation and confirme me with thy principall Spirit 1. I Remember ô Lord saith Dauid say the same ô penitent soule with him what ioye peace of conscience and comfort I enioyed in thee and in thy seruice before my sinne and when I was enriched with thy grace the fountaine of true peace and ioye Then I tasted and sawe how sweet thou art then I experienced Psal 33 how great is the multitude of thy
ô Lord and to be serued in at that table in Heauen where the Angels are vvaiters and the blessed are commensalls and thy diuinitie is the viande on vvhich they feede by cleare vision and fruition for all eternitie 5. And thou ô penitent Christian confesse vvith Dauid that by sinne thou art slurredd and defiled more then the sovve vvashed in volutabro luti 2 Pet. 2. in the wallowing of mire so as thou needest to cry with Dauid to be sprinkled vvith the blood of the immaculate lambe Christ Iesus by the meanes of the humble and contemptible hyssope of the crosse The blood of Goates and oxen and the ashes of an heifer being sprinkled sanctifyeth the polluted to the cleansing of the fleshe hovv much more hath the blood of Christ Heb. 9. vvho by the Holy Ghost offered himselfe vnspotted vnto God cleansed our conscience from dead workes to serue the liuing God This lauer of this bloud I desire because it cleÌ„aseth the soule from dead workes that is deadlie sinnes vvhich bring death to the soule Sprinkle then and vvash me ô Lord vvith this bloud Apoc. 7. that I maybe on of those happy ones who haue washed their robes and made them vvhite in the bloud of the lambe For vvhereas my soule by sinne is vglie in thy sight and therefore forsaken of thee and diuorced from thee and betrothed to the Diuell after she shall be vvashed in this lauer and restored to her former beautie vvhich she receaued by baptisme she may breake vvith the Diuell and vvith all that is contrarie to thy vvill and pleasure and may be made againe a gratefull spouse vnto thee vvorthie thy loue in this life and thy eternall imbracementes in the next Auditui meo dabis gaudium latitiam exultabunt ossa humiliata To my hearing thou shalt giue ioy and gladnes and the bones humbled shall reioice 1. ANd vvhen thou hast forgiueÌ„ me my sinnes and cleansed my soule from the fylth of them then shall the remorse and worme of conscience the brood of sinne be killed and my conscience no more gnawed vvith it but insteed of it a great calmenes quietnes yea a gladnes of harte shall followe vvhich shall be a coÌ„tinuall banquet to my soule because as the wiseman saith A secure mind Prou. 15. is as it vvere a continuall feaste and the eares of my soule shall alvvayes heare those comfortable wordes vvhich by thy Prophet NathaÌ„ thou vtterdst vnto me â— Reg. 12. And our Lord hath taken avvay thy sinne then to the eares of my vnderstanding thou shalt giue ioy and gladnes then to them nothing shall souÌ„d not melodious nothing not gratefull nothing not coÌ„fortable vvhich shall so comfort my soule that my bones humbled that is the forces and powers of my soule vvhich vvere debilitated and deiected and which were euen faynte vvith feare of thy iudgements shall reioyce and shall recouer their spirituall forces and strength againe by vvhich I shall be made constant couragious to resiste all tentations and to persiste for euer hereafter in thy seruice and so euer enioy the ioye and gladnes of harte vvith which thou feedest and refreshest all thy deuoted freinds and seruantes 2. Demaund thou also ô penitent sinner vvith Dauid the ioye and gladnes of harte and conscience in lieu of the remorse gnawing vvorme bredde by sinne vvhich continually tormenteth the conscience For if euer thou possesse this calme of conscience ioy of harte vvhich God his Spirit imparteth vvhen it giueth testimonie that is a morall certitude to our spirit and conscience that vve are the sonnes of God if sonnes heyres also Rom. 8. heyres trulie of God and coheyâ—es of Christ then the yoke of CHRIST vvill seeme sweete and the burden of his lawe easie and his seruice honour and pleasure then fasting vvill seeme feasting prayer vvill neuer seeme long In almes-deeds we shall seeme rather to receiue then to giue at least it vvill seeme beatius â—are quam accipere a more blessed thinge to giue Act. 20 then to take Then vertue vvill appeare in its owne lustre amiable and vice though seasoned vvith neuer so much corporall pleasure vvill seeme brutish vglie beastlie O Lord let me neuer loose this ioy and gladnes by vertue of vvhich my bones spirituall forces of my soule humbled and vveakned by sinne may reioyce and receaue their forces againe and I thereby may vvalke cherfullie in the vvaies of thy commandements and so vvalking may carrie this ioy and gladnes of harte grounded in grace and the obseruations of thy commandements vvith me to Heauen and euen to those eternall ioyes vvhich there are layde vp in store for all those that departe heÌ„ce with Ioy and gladnes of conscience deuoid of all sinne Auerte faciem tuam à peccatis meis omnes iniquitates meas dele Turne away thy face from my sinnes and wipe away all myne iniquities 1. ANd after my conscience shall haue enioyed this calme quietnes after the storme of sinne shall be appeased vvhich made debate betwixt thee and me and incensed me against thee by malice and prouoked thee against me by anger I beseech thee ô Lord saith Dauid to turne away for hereafter thy face froÌ„ my sinnes There is no child that hath committed a fault but feareth the eyes and face of his Father there is no scholler that hath played the trewant vvho dreadeth not the sight of his Master no theefe that quaketh not at the sight of the Iudge no marueill then if Dauid feared the sterne countenance of God he being his Father vvhom he disobeyed his Master vvhom he had neglected his Iudge vvhom he had slighted and therefore he had reason to desire God to turne avvay his face from his sinnes 2. I know saith Dauid my sinnes can not be hidden from thy all-seeing eyes vvhich reach to the sight of all thinges past present future But yet I desire thee to turne away thy frowning angrie couÌ„tenance from them and not to be displeased any more vvith me for them and to laye aside all cogitation of punishing me for them Thou still remembrest the moste penitent sinners sinnes and offences but yet since they were washed avvay by the teares of contrition and remitted and pardoned by thy grace mercie thou doest not remember theÌ„ so as to be displeased with the penitent sinner for theÌ„ or so as to haue the thought of punishing him at least eternallie Thou seest still the peniteÌ„t sinners sinnes though longe since remitted but thou art no more displeased vvith him for theÌ„ nor doest thou think of punishing him at least eternally for theÌ„ Thou lookest on him still his sinnes past but thou lookest not on him with an angrie but with an amiable looke And in this sence saith Dauid I desire thee after my sinnes are forgiueÌ„ after the ioye of coÌ„science which followeth their forgiuenesse to turne away thyne angrie countenance froÌ„ me