that you maie haue euer one windo we open towardes the heauenlie Ierusalem Dan. 6. vers 10. as Daniel had in his chaÌ„ber in Babylon prayinge there three times in the daie towardes the earthelye Ierusalem And in case your worldlie impedimentes be ouer greate then wisdome requireth that for saluation of your sowles you doe caste them awaie from you And imitate herein the worldlie foresighte of wise Marchauntes when they be in daunger of drowninge in a stormie tempeste vpon the sea who vse at suche times for saluation of their liues to cast into the Sea their ryche merchaundise and all their troublesome heauie encombrances thereby to cause their shippe to saile more safelye And I doe also humblie beseache all good Christian readers that shall like well of theise spirituall exercises to remember me in their deuoute praiers that I proue not like vnto those foolishe carpenters that made Noes arke who made it to saue others from drowninge in the generall fludde and yet were drowned them selues Thus with all due humble submission of my self and my trauailes herein to your honours and woorships I humblie craue pardon for passinge here somwhat the bowndes of my profession and treatinge as a diuine of spirituall matters accordinge as since my departure from the Middle Temple by some studie and readinge of diuers spirituall bookes and continewall conuersation theise fifteene yeares with manie vertuous and Learned Catholike Priestes in these partes I haue bene instructed And I moste humblie beseache almightie God that theise Godlie Meditations maie woorke so good effecte in all your myndes as I haue often times verie earnestlie requested of his dâ—uine Maiestie From Paris vpon the holie festiuall daie of Pentecoste In the yeare of our Lorde 1582. AN ADVERTISMENTE BY the translatour to the Learned Reader FOr so muche as the Author of this booke hath published at diuers times seuerall editions thereof in the Spanishe tongue and in the later editions hath from time to time verie muche and often corrected altered and augmented the same not onelie in manifolde wordes and sentences but also in diuers chapiters otherwise than in the former editions that were printed either in Toledo Salamanca Lisbone Andwarpe or in anie other place before the yeare of our Lord. 1567. I thinke it verie conueniente to giue notice of it to the Reader and withall that in my TranslatioÌ„ I doe folowe the edition in the Spanishe tongue printed at Andwarpe by Christopher Plantine in the yeare of our Lorde 1572. For I perceaue that the frenche TraÌ„slation differeth in duers places from this best corcted edition of Plantins and so doe likewise all the Translations that I haue seene in the Italian tongue printed in diuers yeares at Rome Naples and Venice by Michaël Tramezzino Horatio Saluiani IouaÌ„ni Baptista Guerra and Gabriel Iolito vntill that nowe of late all the Authors workes haue bene newlie translated into the Italian tongue and printed at Venice by Georgio Angelieri in the yeare of our Lorde 1581. AN EXHORTATION TO THE CHRISTIAN Reader made by the Righte Reuerende Father in God BERNARDE de FRESNEDA Bishoppe of CVENCA one of the priuie Councell of Estate to the mightie KINGE PHILLIPPE OF SPAYNE c. And his Ghostly Father to read this booke with good attention and with a desire to profite and procede forwardes in godlines Three thinges necessarie to preserue Iustice to wit prayer readinge and good woorkes IT is the doctrine of the holie fathers that there be three thinges verie necessarie and of inestimable importaunce to the iust man to preserue him in his iustice to witt Praier Readinge and doinge of good workes In these three thinges ought the iust maÌ„ to exercise himselfe euerie daye and deuide his tyme so discreetelie and so like a good Christian that he be euer founde occupied in some of them Prayer illuminateth purgeth comforteth reioyceth obteyneth feruour causeth all traueile to seeme sweete and lighte breedeth deuotion engendereth coÌ„fidence in case our owne spirite doe not reproue vs Prayer bannisheth awaie slouthe frayeth the ennemie and ouercometh temptation And therefore a certaine wise man saide Non te pigeat orare si vis à vitiis liberari Be not slacke to praye if thou wilt be deliuered from vices Prayer is verie necessarie towardes the obteyninge of the grace of God without which the spirituall life will vtterlie decaye and perishe And therefore prayer is preferred before readinge Tertullian speakinge of prayer saithe That thinge is alwaies to be vsed which is alwaies good And he addeth furthermore and saieth If prayer be necessarie in all places and at all tymes Continencie necessarie vnto prayer then is continencie necessarie also vnto prayer for so much as praier procedeth of continencie wherefore if thy continencie hath cause to be ashamed then shall thy prayer likewise be ashamed The spirite carryeth our prayer vnto God and if the spirit finde it self faultie then our prayer ascendeth with shame vnto him Againe Cassiodorus saieth that perseuerance in prayer auaileth much to obteine firmnes of harte By meanes of continuall prayer the deuills and their deceytfull snares are ouercome and by the same the iust man weakeneth their forces and vexations By meanes of prayer he maketh them become weake cowardly and easie to be conquered and by the same he maketh himselfe also become stronge and a conquerour ouer them If thou praye with perseuerance thou shalt obteyne sweetenesse and withall a more feruent desire to praie And then doe we praie in trueth when we haue none other thinge in our mynde but doe applie all our intention vnto heauenlie thinges and haue our harte wholie enflamed with the fyer of the holy Ghoste 1. There be three effectes of prayer The first effecte is common vnto all workes done in charitie Three effectes of prayer S. Thomas 2.2 quest 83. artic 1â— which is to be meritorious And for this effect actuall attention is not of necessitie required in prayer but it is sufficient to haue an habituall attention as in all other meritorious actes The second effecte is proper vnto prayer alone Our firste intention when we beginne our prayers muste be to attende to the seruice of God by them and â—f we doe nothinge willinglye whilest we praye contrarie to this our firste intention We shall obteine our Lawfull and necessarie requestes which is to obteyne of almightie God the thinge we desire And for this effecte it is sufficient also to haue the first inteÌ„tion which is the thinge that God respecteth in our workes for if this first intention fayle we shall not obteyne the thinge we require because almightie God will not heare his praier that seeketh not the thinge he asketh of him in such sorte as he ought and for such end as he ought 3. The thirde effect of praier is a spirituall refection of the soule And for this effect it is necessarilie required to haue an attention in praier and not onely such an attention as is attent to
the materiall wordes or as the seconde attention that marketh the sence and meaninge of the wordes but moche more that attention that marketh and is attent to the end of prayer which is almightie God and vnto the thinge for which we praye The readinge of holie bookes The readinge of holie bookes conteininge fruitfull and profitable matters not onelie lighteneth our ignorance but it also dischargeth our dutie in well spendinge our tyme therein it correcteth our faultes teacheth good and holie maners discouereth vices exhorteth vnto vertues stirreth vp feruour causeth a feare of God recollecteth the mynde recreateth and comforteth the heauie sorowfull and discomforted soule Vndowbtedlie it procureth great profite and fruite to reade bookes of holie matters of such matters I meane as doe recollecte the soule that is distracted and wanderinge abroade emonge so manie diuers and sondrie thinges Readinge teacheth and sheweth vs the waye how to leade a good life Examples doe induce and prouoke vs to imitate and followe the same And prayer obteyneth vs grace to accomplish it fullie and perfect lie Readinge saie the holie fathers is good Praier vnto God is better but the doeinge of good woorkes for Gods sake is aboue all Out of holie readinge the good deuowt persons doe gather how to meditate vpon God And out of godlie meditation procedeth an earnest affection and a verie prompte and readie eleuation of the spirit vnto God out of which issueth that inwarde prayer that pearceth the heauens passeth aboue the highest places and hath a desire to vnite it selfe vnto almightie God in whom are all good thinges that may be desired Besides readinge and prayer it is necessarie to doe some good and profitable woorke But because our weaknesse is not able to continewe and perseuere alwayes in prayer and readinge it is therefore verie profitable yea and necessarie to worke also and to doe some thinge that is good and profitable which cannot chuse but so it wil be in case praier goe before the worke and yet it shal be moche better if praier doe accompanie it but best of all if the worke doe also end in prayer and then is the worke most perfecte To woorke with our owne handes is profitable bothe for our sowle and bodie To doe some kinde of worke with our owne handes besides that it is verie profitable and holsome for the bodie it helpeth our spirite also our neighbour is thereby edified and our sences are comforted and refreshed And in case thou finde thy selfe slouthfull heauie and vnwillinge to worke and labour with thy handes yet perseuere therein and thou shalt ouercome it O that we might once come to haue such a perseuerance and constancie as the Sainctes had Note howe the Saintes cōtinewed in prayer readinge and woorkinge with their handes who praied without intermission And yet notwithstandinge their continuance in prayer good Lorde it is merueilous to consider howe studious and continuall they were in readinge howe feruente and laborious in bodelie exercices and in doeinge of good workes in somuch as no kinde of labours paynes nor trauayles coulde euer ouercome them Now what other thinge is the life of the Sainctes vnto vs but onely a holie readinge which we ought to imitate without ceasinge Vvho so enforcethe himselfe to labour for gods sake shall obteine greater grace of God That man that shall enforce himselfe to take paynes and labours for Godes sake shall obteine the greater grace of his diuine good nesse and shall out of hande feele the profite and commoditie of his traueile An euill custome is ouercome by a good the which good custome if it be conuerted as it were into nature it waxeth so stronge that it tourneth the thinges that were harde and difficulte and causeth them to become easie and lighte And all this as Saint Paule saieth commeth to the iust man by meanes of continuall prayer And therefore he saieth sine intermissione orate 1. Thess 5. praye ye without intermissiō Saint Paule knewe right well that whilest we walke here in this life we are compassed all aboute with enemyes temptations tribulations and with infinite deceitfull ginnes with warres without and feares within 2. Cor. 7. and therefore he aduiseth vs to praye without intermission For whereas almightie God permitteth so manie vexations and troubles to come for the sinnes of the worlde his intent thereby is to stirre vp his electe and to awake them that they shoulde lifte vp their spirite vnto heauenly thinges 2. Tim. 2. For he that praieth not fighteth not and he that fighteth not manfully and maketh resistance is forthwith ouercome and leeseth his crowne and rewarde Who maie be able to praye and fighte cōtinewallie And if thou demaunde of me who is able to praye and fighte cōtinually I saie that euerie one can doe it that in trueth and humilitie of harte calleth vpon almightie God for succoure and putteth his full trust in him in verie deede Psal 144. For as the prophet Dauid saithe Our Lorde is mightie vnto them that calle vpon him if so be they calle vpon him in trueth We maie praie all waies with our spirite and with a godlye intention And if thou canst not praye continuallie with thy mouthe yet praye with thy spirite and with a godly intention For it is a very continuall sacrifice vnto almightie God in the soule of our hart to haue a desire to doe good workes and to serue him with all our harte And trulie that man doth alwayes praie that doth alwayes good workes And whosoeuer is hartelie sorie for his offences he hath committed and sigheth mourneth and longeth for the good thinges that are to come praieth alwayes and saieth with the prophet Dauid Psal 37. O Lorde before thee is all my desier and my mourninge is not hid from thee These three pointes nowe good Christian Reader which serue as we haue declared to preserue the righteous man in his righteousnes are so well taught and so wonderfullie set forth in these notable bookes of the Reuerēd religious Learned Father F. LEWIS de GRANADA that he must needes be verie harde harted who readinge them with attention deuotion and with a Christian desire to take profite by them doth not merueilouslie inriche him selfe with these three treasures to witte with prayer readinge and doeinge of good workes Wherefore whosoeuer is desirous to profite in these three thinges hath here verie Catholike sounde and profitable doctrine and in all pointes agreable with the vniuersall doctrine of the holie auncient Fathers and of the diuine Scriptures In these singular deuout holie bookes he shall not finde any thinge that may either offend him or bringe him into any errour or scruple Here shall he finde manie thinges that may edifie delighte teache and prouoke him to the loue of God and withall to the abhorringe of sinne and contempte of the worlde From receauinge which fruites no man is here excluded for so much as the Awthor
of his owne frailties infirmities falles and miseries S. Bernarde For if humilitie be as S. Barnard saith the contempt of our selues which procedeth of the knowledge of our selues it is manifest that the deeper a man shall wade by meanes of consideration into this knowledge of him selfe and the more he shall digge into this donghill the better and more trewlie shall he vnderstand what he is of him selfe and the more shall he contemne and humble him selfe Now to speake of thankes geuinge vnto almightie God for his manifolde inestimable benefites out of which do proceede those songes and praises of God which is a principalle parte of true religion from whence I saie doth this rendering of thankes procede but from the profound consideration of the same benefites For the more a man shall by meanes of consideration penetrate and vnderstand the greatnes and excellencie of Gods benefites the more is he prouoked to praise and geue thankes vnto almightie God with all his hart for the same I doe here also passe ouer the contempt of the world and the hatred of sinne with other the like vertuouse affections which next after grace doe proceade of this exercise of consideration which is the spurre and prouoker of them all and the oyle wherewith the lampes of all these vertues and good affections and of other the like graces are still nourished and meinteined HOW PRAYER IOYNED with consideration helpeth all the vertuous affections § V. PRAIER likewise when it is ioyned with consideration as ordinarily it is wont to be helpeth no lesse then consideration it selfe yea sometimes it helpeth much more For consideration commonly is not occupied anie further but onely about enkendelinge of some one of these vertuouse affections but praier when it is attent and deuout and is withall accompanied with spirite and feruencie of minde is wonte to stirre vp all theise vertues aforesaid For when the soule presenteth her selfe before almightie God with an earnest greate desiere to appease his wrath and to desiere him of mercie then there is no stone so hard but that it is moued hereunto I meane hereby that there is no holie affection but that it is then wholie exercised and emploied to this purpose And it fareth in this case as it doth with a mother that is desirous to still her childe or as it doth with a good and louinge wife that hath a desire to pacefie her husband when she perceaueth him to be angrie In which cases they are wont to omitt no meanes they can deuise that maye aniewise further the matter Forsomuch as in praier the religious soule accuseth her selfe before almightie God The offices aÌ„d effectes of praier Math. 18. there with the publican she is confounded and ashamed for her sinnes and offences there she purposeth an amendment of life there she humbleth her selfe and trembleth before the supreme diuine maiestie There she beleueth there she hopeth there she loueth there she adoreth there she praiseth there she geueth thankes for all benefites and there she offereth sacrifice vnto almightie God The habites of vertues doe increase withe the exercise of their actes both for her selfe and for all her neighbours All these thinges be performed in a deuout praier And because the habites of vertues do increase with the exercise of their actes hereof it procedethe that the soule by meanes of this exercise of prayer remaynethe very much bewtified and perfited in these vertues As S. Laurentius Iustinianus affirmeth in these wordes In the exercise of praier the soule is clensed from sinne charitie is nourished Faith is illuminated Hope is streingthened the spirite is conforted the bowels are mollified the hart is quieted truthe is discoueuered temptation is ouercome heauines is put to flighte the senses are reuiued the strengthe that was weakened is repaired lukewarmenes is abandoned the rustines of vices is consumed and in this exercise the liuelie sparcles of heauenly desires do rise vp and shew them selues emonge which burnethe the flame of the loue of God By this we vnderstand that praier is a most conuenient exercise for that man that mindeth to reforme his maners and life and to change himselfe into an other man As our Sauiour hath plainly signified vnto vs in the misterie of his glorious transfiguration whereof S. Luke writeth thus that as he waâ— prainge in the mount he sodeinlie transfigured him selfe in such wise that his face shined verie brighte like the sonne and his garmentes became white like snowe why our sauiour woul de transsigure himselfe rather at the time of praier theÌ„ at anie other time Our Sauyour could right well haue transfigured himselfe at other times then at praier if it had pleased him But he would of verie purpose be traÌ„sfigured whiles he was at praier to signifie vnto vs in the transfiguration of his bodie what vertue praier hath to transfigure our soules that is to make them to lose the customes of the old man and to clothe them with the new man which is created after the image of God Prayer ha the greate vertue to transfigure our soules There it is where the vnderstanding is illuminated with the beames of the true sonne of iustice and where the garmentes and ornamentes of the soule are renued and becomme whyter then snowe This is the verie thinge that almightie God signified to holie Iob when he said What Is it by thy wisedome Iob 39. that the hauke prunethe and changethe her fethers when she beateth her winges agâ—â—nst the sowthe Certeinly it is a thinge greatly to be wondered at that this birde knoweth how to cast of her old fethers and how to fether her selfe with newe And that for this purpose she seeketh the whot aire of the sowthe that with the heate thereof her poores maie be opened and with her mouing the olde fethers fall of and so geue place to the newe that beginne to springe out But how much more wonderfull is it to see a soule vnclothe her selfe of Adam and to put on Christ to change the conditions of the olde man and to adorne her selfe with the conditions of the new man Now this change that is so wonderfull is then wrought when the deuoute soule turneth her selfe to the sowthe and there beateth her winges in the aire And what is it to turne her selfe to the sowthe but to lift vp her spirite to the consideration of the eternal light and to the beames of the true sonne of iustice And what is it to beat her winges in the aire but to be there sighinge and pantinge with heauenly affections and desires calling vpon almightie God with great anguishe of minde and desiringe most humblie his fauore and grace For then bloweth the aler of the sowthe that is the heauenly refreshinge of the holie Ghost who with his temperate heate and sweete mouinge strengtheneth and helpeth vs to cast of all the olde fethers of the olde Adam that they maie geue place to the newe fethers of
they crucified him and with him two theues one at the right hande and the other at the lefte And so was the scripture fulfilled that saieth And he was reckoned emōge the wicked And Pilate wrote also a title and put it vpon the Crosse And it was written Iesus of Nazareth kinge of the Iewes This title manie of the Iewes did reade For the place where Iesus was crucified was neare to the citie and it was written in Hebrewe Greeke and Lattin Then said the highe preistes of the Iewes to Pilate write not the kinge of the Iewes but that he saied I am kinge of the Iewes Pilate answered what I haue written I haue written Then the souldiars when they had crucified Iesus tooke his garmentes and made fowre partes to euerie souldiar a parte And they tooke his coate also which was without anie seame wouen frō the toppe throwghout Therefore they saied one to an other Let vs not deuide it but cast lottes for it whose it shal be This was done that the scripture might be fulfilled Psalm 21. that saieth They parted my garmentes emonge them and vpon my coate they cast lottes So the souldiars did these thinges indeede And they that passed by Math. 27. reuyled him wagginge theire heades and sayeinge Fye on thee thou that destroiest the tēple and buildest it in three daies saue thy selfe If thou be the sonne of God come downe from the crosse Likewise also the highe preistes mockinge him with the Scribes and elders and Pharisies saied He saued others but he cannot saue him selfe If he be the kinge of Israell let him now come downe from the Crosse and we will beleue him He trusteth in God Let him deliuer him now if he will haue him For he saied I am the sonne of God The verie same wordes also did the theeues who were crucified with him cast in his teethe But Iesus saide Father pardon them for they knowe not what they doe And one of the malefactors Luc. 23. that was crucified with him blasphemed sayeinge If thou be Christe saue thy selfe and vs. But the other answered and rebuked him sayenge Neither doest thou feare God beinge in the selfe same cōdemnation We are iustlye punnished for we receaue accordinge to our doinges But this man hath done nothinge amisse And he saied vnto Iesus Lord remember me when thou commest into thy kingdome Then Iesus saied vnto him Verelie I saie vnto thee This daie shalt thou be with me in paradise There stoode by the Crosse of Iesus Ioan. 19. his mother and his mothers sister Marie the wife of Cleophas and Marie Magdalene And when Iesus sawe his mother and the disciple whom he loued standinge by he saied vnto his mother Woman beholde thy sonne Then he saied to the disciple beholde thy mother And from that howre the disciple tooke her for his mother Math. 27. Abowte the ninthe howre Iesus cried with a lowde voice sayenge Eli Eli Lamasabacthani that is My God my God why hast thou forsaken me And some of them that stoode there when they harde it saied This man called Elias Some other saied let vs see if Elias will come and saue him Afterwardes Iesus knowinge that all thinges were fulfilled Ioan. 19. that the scripture might be accomplished saied I am a thirst And there was set a vessell full of vinegar and they filled a sponge with vinegar and put it abowt an hisope stalke and put it to his mouthe Now when Iesus had receaued of the vinegar he saied It is finished And he cried againe with a lowde voice Luc. 23. Matth. 27. and saied Father into thine handes I commende my spirite And from the sixte hower there was darkenes ouer all the earthe vntill the ninthe hower And the veile of the temple was rent in two partes from the toppe to the bothom And the earthe quaked and the stones were clouen And the graues opened them selues and manie bodies of the Sainctes which slepte arose And there were manie of his fryendes and acquaintance and women beholdinge him a farre of Emonge whom was Marie Magdalene and Marie the mother of Iames the yonger and of Iosephe and Salome who had folowed him out of Galilee ministringe vnto him with manie other women that came in his companie to Ierusalem MEDITATIONS VPON THESE POYNTES OF THE TEXT VE are now come o my soule to the holie mounte Caluarie and we be nowe arriued at the toppe of the misterie of our redemption O how wonderfull is this place Verelie this is the howse of God the gate of heauen the lande of promise and the place of saluation Here is planted the tree of life Here is placed that misticall ladder that Iacob sawe Genes 28. which ioyneth heauen with the earthe whereby the angells doe descende vnto men and men doe ascende vnto almightie God This is o my soule the place of praier Here oughtest thou to adore and blesse our Lorde and geue him most humble and hartie thanckes for this his most highe and excellent benefit sayenge thus vnto him We worshippe and adore thee ô Lord Iesus Christ and we blesse thy holie name forsomuch as thou hast by meanes of this holie Crosse redeemed the worlde Thankes be geuen vnto thee O most mercifull Sauiour for that thou hast thus loued vs and wass hed awaie our sinnes with thy most pretious bloude and hast offered thy selfe for vs vpon the same Crosse to the ende that with the most sweete sauour of this noble sacrifice enkendeled with the fier of thy most feruent loue thou mightest satisfie and appease the wrathe of almightie God Blessed be thou therefore for euermore which art the Sauiour of the worlde the reconciler of mankinde the reparer of Angelles the restorer of the heauens the triumphant conqueror of hell the vanquisher of the diuell the awthor of life the destroier of deathe and the redeemer of them Luc. 1. that were in darckenes and in the shadowe of deathe All yee therefore that be a thirst Esay 55. come vnto the waters and yee that haue neither golde nor siluer come and receaue all these pretious treasures freely without payinge anie thinge Yee that desier the water of life this is that misticall rocke that Moyses strooke with his rodde in the wildernes Exod. 17. out of which there sprange water in great abondance to satisfie the thirst of his afflicted people Yee that desiere peace and amitie with alinightie God knowe yee that this is also that rocke Genes 35. that the patriarke Iacob annointed with oyle and erected vp for a title of peace and amitie betwene almightie God and men Yee that are desirous of wyne to cure your woundes Num. 13. this is that cluster of grapes that was browght out of the lande of promise into this vale of teares which is now crusshed and pressed vpon the presse of the Crosse for the remedie and redresse of our offences Yee that desire the oyle of the grace
from vs all maner of fyne deyntienes curiositie and superfluities knowinge that our Lorde and maister vtterlie abandoned from him not onelie all maner of deyntienes and superfluities but also euen such thinges as were of necessitie I desire now O Lorde to see also what maner of thinge thy bedde is Tell me ô sweete Sauiour where doest thou lodge Where sleepest thou at noone daie Here I sette my selfe at thy feete Cant. 1. Teache me I most humblie beseeche thee what I ought to doe For this my sensualitie will not suffer me to vnderstande well this language of thy crosse I desire a softe bedde and if I awake early in the mornynge at the hower of praier and diuine seruice I suffer my selfe to be ouercome with slouthe and drowsienes we desire to lye on softe fether beddes and our sauiour Christe laye on the harde bedde of the crosse and I expect duelie for the morninge sleepe that my head maie take an other nappe and so haue his full ease and rest Tell me ô my most gratious and louinge Lorde what rest haddest thou on that harde bedde of the crosse When thou wast wearie in lienge on the one side how diddest thou turne thee on the other to take the better rest What harte is not ouercome and broken in sonder herewith What Is not this enoughe to kill all sensualitie in vs O what a comfort is this to the poore What a confusion to the riche What an encouragement to the penitentes And what a condemnation to nice delicate and sensuall persons Certeinly the bedde of our Sauiour Christe is not for such fyne delicate wantons neither is his glorie in heauen prepared for them Geue me grace ô Lorde that I maye by thy example mortifie this my sensualitie And if it be not thy blessed will to graunte me this request I beseache thee then euen now out of hande to ende my life For it is not meete nor seemelie that thou ô my omnipotent Lorde and redeemer beinge vpon the crosse and hauinge none other comforte nor refress hinge but onely bitter gaulle and sower vinegar I shoude seike for sweete sauoures delicate fare sugered sawces with other curious deynties pleasures and ease in this miserable life It is not meete that thou beinge thus poore and naked I shoulde goe wanderinge and leesinge my selfe after the transitorye goodes and riches of this worlde It is not reason that thou hauinge none other bedde but onely the harde and painfull crosse I shoulde seeke to haue a softe bedde and other delicacie and ease for my wretched bodie Be thou therefore greatelie ashamed How our Sauiour Christe rebukethe from the crosse our pompe delicacie curiositie and superfluitie ô my soule beholdinge our Lorde and Sauiour on the harde paynefull tree of the crosse and make accompte that from the same crosse he preacheth vnto thee and rebuketh thee sayenge O man I haue for thy sake worne a crowne of thornes and doest thou in contempte of me weare a garlande of flowers with golden chaynes aglettes bruches and gaye oystreche fethers I for thy sake haue stretched forthe my armes to be nayled and tormented vpon the crosse and doest thou stretche forthe thyne to pleasante games and pastimes I beinge a thirst at my verie death had not so much as a litle colde water and seekest thou after pretious wynes delicate meates and deyntie sugered sawces I was on the crosse and in all my whole life tyme full of dishonors reproches and grieuous labours and paines and doest thou spende all the daies of thy life seekinge after dignities offices promotions estimations pleasures and delites I was verie willinglie contented that my syde shoulde be opened to geue thee my verie harte and hast thou thyne open to vaine and dangerous loues of the worlde WHAT PATIENCE WE OVGHT TO HAVE IN ALL TROVBLES and aduersities followinge the example of our Sauiour Christ § V. THOV hast taught me now ô Lorde from the chaire of the Crosse the lawes of temperance teache me also at this present the lawes of patience whereof I haue suerlie verie great neide Thou hast cured that parte of my soule which is called concupiscible Cure also I beseeche thee that parte which is called irascible Forsomuch as thy crosse is a medicine for all the whole man and the leaues of that holie tree are the healthe of all nations Sometimes I haue sayd and purposed with in my selfe I will neuer from henceforthe falle out or be angrie agayne with anie man I will surelie keepe peace with all persones and therefore I thinke it good for me to auoyde all companie and thereby to eschewe all occasions of trouble contention and anger But now ô Lorde I vnderstande my weakenes in this poynte For to flee from companie is not a meane to subdue anger but rather to couer and hide myne owne imperfection And therefore I will from henceforthe carie euer with me a mynde readie prepared to liue not onelie with the good but euen with the wicked also and to keepe peace with such colericke waywarde and frowarde contentious persons as doe abhorre peace Thus I purpose from henceforthe to doe grawnt me thy grace therefore ô almightie God that I maie dewlie accomplishe this my good intent If others shall take my landes or goodes awaye from me graunte me thy grace ô Lorde that I be not angrie nor grieued therewith seinge I see thee thus spoyled and naked vpon the Crosse If they shall take my credite honor and estimation frō me let not that cause me to breake peace with them seinge I see thee here ô Lorde so despised dishonored and contemned If my fryendes and acquaintāce shall forsake me let me not therefore be confounded seinge I see thee thus left alone and forsaken not onely of thy disciples and fryendes but also of thyne owne heauenly father And if it shall seeme to me at anie tyme that I am forsaken of thee yet let me not for all that lose my confidence and trust in thee seinge thow diddest not loose thine but after thou haddest made an ende of saienge those wordes Math. 27. My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Diddest forthewith recommende thy spirite into the handes of him who had forsaken thee sayenge O father into thy handes I commend my spirite Marc. 15. Psalm 21. And therefore euen now at this instant I request that from henceforthe all troubles and persecutions maie come and falle vpon me and not to spare me forsomuch as all such thinges con doe nothinge els vnto me but geue me occasion to be a folower of thee my sweete Lorde and Sauiour Iesus Christ But now ô my Lorde what if the troubles and persecutions shal be verie great and longe wherewithall shall I then comforte my selfe For thy passions althoughe they were verie greate yet it seemed that they continued not anie longe tyme forsomuch as all the martirdome of thy passion did not continewe altogether twentie howers Now he that hath
floudes commaunde the florishinge springe to retourne againe At this tyme of the resurrection of our Sauiour the holie virgin had withdrawen her selfe into her oratorie expectinge there the comminge of this newe lighte She cried inwardly in her harte and called like a pittiefull liones the therde daie vnto her dead sonne Psalm 56. sayenge Arise vp my glorie arise my harpe and my vyole Retourne ô triumphant conqueror vnto the worlde Gather together ô good pastor thy dispersed flocke Geue eare ô my deare sonne vnto the clamours of thy heauie aÌ„d afflicted mother And seinge by these clamours thou wast moued to descende downe from heauen into the earthe let the same moue the now also to ascende vp againe from hell into the worlde In the middest of these clamours and cries of the blessed virgin beholde that poore cotage of hers was sodainly brightened all ouer with a heauenly lighte and her sonne being now gloriouslie rysen againe from deathe to lyfe presenteth him selfe to the sight of his holie mother The morninge sterre appeareth not so beautifull the brighte sonne at noone daie shineth not so cleare as did that face full of all graces and that vnspotted glasse of diuine glorie in the eies of his holie mother She beholdeth the bodie of her sweete sonne rysen vp agayne from death and glorified all the disfigures of the former deformitie beinge cleane wyped awaie the comely grace of those diuine eies retourned and his former beautie was restored againe and increased She also beholdeth those gappes of his woundes which as they were before verie swoordes of sorrowe to her heauie and tender harte so are they now become fountaines of loue Whom she sawe before to suffer betwene two thieues she seeth now accompanied with Sainctes and Angells Whom she sawe before to commende her from the crosse vnto his disciple she seeth now stretchinge forthe his louinge armes and geuinge vnto her the sweete kisse of peace Whom she helde before dead in her armes she seeth now rysen vp againe before her eies The blessed mother now holdethe him and will not leaue him she embracethe him she desireth and prayeth him most instantly not to departe awaie from her Heretofore she was made speecheles for sorrowe and knewe not what to saye But now she is become speecheles for verie ioye and cannot vtter her inwarde gladnes vnto him Now what tongue can tell or what vnderstandinge is able to comprehende the exceedinge ioye that this blessed virgin conceyued inwardlie in her minde We cannot vnderstande the thinges that doe exceede our capacitie vnlesse we compare them to other lesse thinges and frame by them as it were a ladder to ascende by degries from the lower vnto the higher and so make a coniecture of the one by the other Now that we maye vnderstande somewhat of this her exceedinge ioye consider what a greate ioye the Patriarke Iacob felte when after he had bewailed his dearly beloued sonne Iosephe with so great abundance of teares supposinge him to be dead tydinges were browghte him that he was aliue and Lorde ouer all the lande of Egipt The holie scripture saieth Genes 45. that when these newes were tolde him he coÌ„ceyued so great ioye and astonishement therewith that as a man newlie awaked out of a heauie sliepe he coulde not call his wittes perfectlie together nor yet beleue the newes that his sonnes had tolde him no more than if it had bene a verie dreame But afterwardes when he was fullie resolued that it was true the holie scripture saith that his spirite reuyued againe and that he spake these wordes folowinge It is enoughe for me if my sonne Ioseph be yet a liue I will goe and see him before I die Now then tell me I praye you if Iacob that had eleuen other sonnes in his howse conceyued yet so great a ioye in his harte to vnderstande that euen one onely whom he supposed to be dead was yet aliue what an exceedinge great ioye conceyued the blessed virgin who hauinge no more but one sonne and that one such a sonne as our blessed Sauiour was so notable and so dearly beloued as he was vnto her after she had seene him with her eies bothe dead aÌ„d buried sawe him now againe rysen vp from deathe and withall glorified and made Lorde not onely of all the lande of Egipt but also of all thinges created Is there anie vnderstandinge able to comprehende this Vndowtedly her ioye was inwardelie so great that her harte had not bene able to susteine the force thereof had it not receyued some supernaturall streÌ„gth and comforte by speciall miracle of almightie God for that ende O blessed virgin this benefit alone maie suffice thee It is enoughe for thee that thy deare sonne is aliue and that thou hast him in thy presence and seest him before thy death so as now there remayneth nothinge els for thee to desire O Lorde how well knowest thou how to comforte them that suffer for thy sake The former paine of thy blessed mother seemeth not now to be great beinge compared with this passinge great ioye If thou ô Lorde doest comforte such as suffer for thee after this sorte blessed and happie are their persecutions and troubles seinge they shal be thus rewarded In like maner we haue to consider how our Sauiour appeared vnto his disciples and especially to S. Marie Magdalen whereof presently we doe not intreat because we woulde not make this meditation ouer longe The ende of the first seuen meditations for the seuen daies of the weke in the morninges HERE BEGINNE THE OTHER SEVEN MEDITATIONS FOR THE SAME SEVEN daies in the nightes And althowghe these Meditations be placed in the seconde place yet are they first to be vsed in the order of exercise Forsomuche as with them they must first beginne who are but newlie conuerted to the seruice of almightie God Accipite spiritum sanctum quorum remiseritis peccata remittuntur eis et quorum retinueritis detenta sunt Johan 20. vers 22. Multi 〈…〉 consiâ—â—tes et 〈◊〉 actâ—s suos Act. 19. vers 18. OF SYNNES MONDAIE NIGHTE THIS daie after thou hast made the signe of the Crosse and prepared thy selfe hereunto thou must atteÌ„de to the knowledge of thy selfe aÌ„d thou must vse diligence to call to minde thy sinnes and offences And this is the waie to obteine trewe humilitie of harte and repentance which are the two first gates and foundations of a Christian life For the better performance whereof Of the multitude of the synnes of thy former life thou must thinke firs t of all vpon the multitude of the sinnes of thy former lyfe and espetially vpon those offences that thou diddest coÌ„mit at what time thou haddest least knowledge of almightie God For if thou canst well vewe and examyne them thou shalt finde that they haue exceeded in nomber the verie heares of thy heade and that thou diddest liue at that time like an heathen that knoweth not what God is This done ronne ouer
this time the feare and terrour of the wicked shal be so great that as the Prophet Esaie saieth Esa 2.19 they shall seike the cliftes of stones and the hollowe places of the rockes to hide them selues therein for the great feare they shall haue of oure Lorde and of the glorie of his maiestie when he commeth to iudge the worlde To conclude this feare shal be so great Apoc. 20. that as S. Iohn saieth both the heauens and the earthe shall flye from the presence of the iudge and shall finde no place where to hide them selues Now ô ye heauens why doe ye flye awaie What haue ye done Why are ye afraide And if by the heauens be vnderstode the blessed spirites that are in heauen O ye blessed spirites that were created and confirmed in grace At the daye of generall Iudgmente euen the blessed spirites shal be afrayde to see so greate maiestie and indignation in Christe the iudge why doe ye flye awaie What haue ye done Why are ye afrayde Vndowbtedly they are not afrayde for anie daunger that is towardes themselues but they be afrayde to beholde in the iudge such a great maiestie and indignation the greatnes whereof shal be able to stryke all the heauens with terrour and admiration When the Sea is outragious and tempestious euen he that standeth safe vpon the shore is in a kinde of feare and admiration When the father goeth like a lion about his howse in punishinge his bond slaue his innocent sonne is also afraide although he knowe right well that his fathers rage is not bent against him but against the slaue Now what shall the wicked doe at this time when euen the iust shal be so greatly afrayd If the heauens flye for feare what shall the earthe doe And if those that be wholly spirite doe tremble and quake what shall they doe that haue bene wholly fleashe Esa 64. And if as the Prophet saieth the mountaines shall melt in this daie before the face of almightie God What stonie harde hartes then haue we that for all this be nothinge at all moued The holie crosse shall come before Christe the Iudge at the daye of generall iudgemente and be a witnes againste the wicked Math. 24.30 Before the Iudge there shall come that royall standarde of the crosse to be a witnes of the redemption and remedie which almightie God sent to the worlde and that the worlde woulde not receiue it And so the holie crosse shall there iustifie the cause of almightie God and leaue the wicked voide of al maner of comforte and excuse Then shall all nations of the earthe saieth our Sauiour weepe and lament and they all shall stryke and beare vpon their brestes O how great cause shall they then haue to weepe and waile They shall weepe because at that tyme they can neither doe penanceÌ„ nor flye from the iustice of almightie God nor appeale from his sentence They shall bewaile their sinnes past their shame present and the tormentes that are to come They shall bewaile their miserable happe their vnfortunat birthe and their cursed ende For these and manie other causes they shall weepe and waile verie bitterlie and as persons whollie dismayed and fettered in all partes and without all maner of comforte and remedie they shall wringe their handes and stryke theÌ„ selues vpon their brestes Our sauiour Christe the Iudge shall make a seperatioÌ„ betwene the good and the wicked Math. 25. Then shall the Iudge make a diuision betwene the euill and the good and place the goates at his left hande and the sheepe at his right hande O how happie and blessed shall those persons be that shal be though worthie to haue a place emonge those elected sheepe O Lorde I most humblie beseeche thee let me haue tribulation here in this worlde Punishe me here cutte me in peeces here burne me here so that I maie there be placed at thy right hande Then shall the generall iudgement beginne to be solemnised and the causes of each one shal be throughlie scanned and examined Accordinge as the Prophet Daniell writeth in these wordes Daniel 7.9 I stode saieth he attentiuely and I sawe certaine seates set in their places and the auncient of yeares sat downe whose garmente was white as snowe and the heare of his head like the pure wolle The throne wherein he sat was like flames of fier and the wheeles thereof like burninge fire And a riuer of raginge fire issued and came forthe from before him Thowsande thousandes were attendant to serue him and tenne hundered thousande thowsandes stode waitinge before him c. I behelde all this in the vision of the night and I sawe one comminge in the cloudes who seemed to be the sonne of man Hetherto are the wordes of the Prophet Daniell Wherevnto S. Iohn addeth and saieth Apoc. 20.12 I sawe all the dead both great and smalle standinge before this throne and there the bokes were opened and an other boke opened which is the boke of lyfe and the dead were iudged accordinge to the contentes in those bokes accordinge to their workes Beholde here deare Christian brother the measure whereby thou shalt be iudged Beholde here the taxe and prices whereby all thinges that thou doest shal be valued and esteemed and not by the fonde iudgement of the worlde which hath the false and counterfeit weightes of Canaan in their handes Osâ—â— 12. in whose ballance vertue and vice are iudged to be of smalle weight and accompte In these bokes are written all our whole lyfe and that with such care and diligence that a worde hath no soner passed thy mowth but it is foorthwith noted and set in his proper register But of what thinges trowe ye will the Iudge require an accompte of vs Of what thinges we must giue an accompte Iob. 31.4 O Lorde saieth Iob thou hast nombered all the steppes of my lyfe Certainly there shall not be somuch as one idle worde nor one onely thowghte whereof an accompte will not be required in that iudgement Yea Math. 12.36 and not onely of those thinges that we either thinke or doe but also of those that we leaue vndone of such thinges I meane as we are bownde to doe If thou saie at the daie of Iudgment ô Lorde I haue not sworne the Iudge will answere that thy sonne or thy seruant hath sworne whom thy dutie was to haue chastised and corrected And we shall geue an accompte not onely of our euill workes but also euen of our good workes with what intention and after what maner we did them Finally as S. Gregorie saieth S. Gregorie Math. 12.36 An accompte shall there be required of vs of euerie point and moment of our lyfe how and after what sorte we haue spente them Consideringe therefore that such a strait accoÌ„pte shal be required of vs how happeneth it that we that beleue this as a most certaine truthe doe neuerthelesse liue with such securitie and
goodnes they liue and reigne in glorie O heauenly cittie O secure dwellinge place O blissefull countrey where all delightfull thinges are to be fownde O happie people without anie grudginge O quiet neighbours where no one is subiecte to anye wante or necessitie O that the striffe and contention of this present state were at an ende O that the daies of my bannishement might be finished O how longe is the time of my peregrination prolonged When shall this daie come When shall I come and appeare before the face of my sweite Lorde and Sauiour THE SIXTE TREATISE OF THE CONSIDERATION OF the glorie of Paradise Wherein the former meditation is declared more at large ONE of the thinges wherevpon it behoueth vs most to haue our eies alwaies fixed in this vale of teares is the blessed state of glorie in the kingdome of heauen For this consideration alone were able to encourage vs to susteine willingelye all labours and paines that are to be suffered for the atteyninge of it When almightie God promised to giue to the Patriarke Abraham the lande of promise he commaunded him to walke and vewe it all rounde abowte sayeinge Arise Genes 13.17 and walke all ouer this lande both in lengthe and breadthe and consider it one euerie side For I will geue it vnto thee Arise vp therefore ô my sowle aduaunce thy selfe on highe leaue all earthlye cares and affaires here benethe and flee vp with the winges of thy spirite vnto that most excellēte noble lande of promise and cōsider with good attention the lengthe of the eternitie the lardgenes of the felicitie and the greatnes of the riches with all the rest that is therein It is writtē of the Quene of Saba 3. Reg. 10. that when she hearde of the great fame of Salomon she went to Ieruzalem to see the great and wonderfull thinges that were reported of him Consideringe therefore that the fame of that heauenly Ieruzalem and of that supreme kinge that gouerneth it is no lesse than the renowme of Salomon was ascende thou now vp on highe with thy spirite vnto this noble cittie to contemplate the wisedome of this supreme kinge the bewtie of this temple the seruice of this table the orders of them that attende vpon it the liueries that the whole familie weare and withall the policie and glorie of this noble cittie For if thou be able to consider euerie one of these thinges it maie be that thy spiritie shal be lifted vp aboue it selfe and thou shalt perceiue that there hath not bene declared vnto thee so muche as the verie least parte of this glorie But for this purpose it shal be requisite to haue a spetiall lighte of almightie God as the Apostle signifieth sayeinge I beseache the God of glorie and the father of our Lorde Iesus Christ to geue you the spirite of wisedome Ephes 1.17.18 and to lighten the eies of your hartes that you maie vnderstande how great the hope of your vocation is and the riches of that enheritance and glorie which he hath prepared for the Sainctes And althoughe in this glorie there be manie thinges to contemplate vpon yet mayst thou now espetiallie consider these fiue principall thinges that we towched before to witt Fiue principall thinges to be considered in this meditation The excellencie and greatnes of the place The fruition of the companie of those blessed inhabitantes The vision of almightie God The glorie of the Sainctes bodies And the euerlastinge continuance and eternitie of all these so great and wonderfull benefites Of the goodlines and excellencie of the place § I. FIRST of all consider the goodlie bewtie of the place which S. Iohn describeth vnto vs in a figure in his Apocalips in these wordes Apoc. 12. One of the seuen Angels spake vnto me sayeing Come and I will shewe thee the spouse of the lambe and he caried me awaie in spirite to a highe and great mountaine and shewed me the holie cittie of Ieruzalem which descended from heauen and shyned with the clearenes of almightie God and the light thereof was like to the glisteringe brightnes of pretious stones This cittie had one great and highe walle in which were twelue gates and in the gates twelue Angels accordinge to the nomber of the gates The foundatiōs of the walles of this cittie were wholye wroughte with pretious stones and the twelue gates thereof were twelue pearles euerie gate made of one pearle and the streat of this cittie was of pure golde like vnto a verie cleare glasse and I sawe no temple therein because our Lorde God almightie and the lambe were the temple and the cittie had no neede of Sonne or Moone to geue light vnto it forsomuche as the clearnes of almightie God doth lighten it and the lampe that burneth there is the lambe Moreouer the Angell shewed me a floud of the water of lyfe as clear as the christal which issued out of the seat of almightie God and of the lambe Apoc. 22. In the middest of the streat and both on the one side of the floude and on the other was planted the tree of lyfe which brought forthe twelue fruites in the yeare euerie monethe his fruite and the leaues of this tree serued for the healthe of nations No maner of malediction shall euer be seene there but there shal be the seat of almightie God and of the ābe And his seruātes shall serue him and they shall see his face and haue the name of him written in their foreheaddes and they shal reigne for euer and euer worlde without ende Beholde here dear brother the bewtie of this cittie described vnto thee not that thou maist thinke that these thinges are there in such a materiall sort as the wordes doe sounde but that by meanes of these thou maist conceiue other more spirituall and more excellent thinges which are figured vnto vs by these materiall thinges The situation and greatnes of the heauenlie cittie The situation of this cittie is aboue all the heauens and the greatnes and largenes thereof exceideth all measure For if euerie one of the starres of heauen be so great as we haue before declared how great then must that heauen be that conteineth in it all the starres and all the heauens Suerlie there is no greatnes in the worlde that maie be compared vnto this For as a holie father saiethe from the west parte of Spayne vnto the vttermost borders of the Indiens a shippe maie saile if it haue a prosperous wynde in fewe daies but that region of heauen is so great that the starres which are more swifte than the sonne beames can not finishe their course in it in manie yeares The goodlie workemanshippe of the buildinge Now if thou demaunde of the workmanshippe of that buildinge there is no tonge able to expresse it For if that worke that appeareth outwardly to our mortall eies be so goodly and bewtifull what is to be supposed of all the rest that is there reserued
for the sighte onelie of immortall eies And if we see that by the handieworke of men certaine workes are made here so sightlie and so bewtifull that they astonishe the eies of them that doe beholde them what a worke must that be which is wrought by the hande of almightie God himselfe in that royall howse in that sacred pallace in that howse of ioye and solace which he hath built for the glorie of his electe Psal 83.1 O how amiable are thy tabernacles saiethe the Prophet ô Lorde God of vertues My sowle desireth and feinteth in beholdinge the pallaces of our Lorde The state and condition of the citizens of heauen The thinge that most principallie commendeth a cittie is the state and condition of the cittizens to witt if they be noble if they be manie if they liue in peace and concorde emonge them selues Now who is able to declare the excellencie of this cittie in this behalfe All the inhabitantes therein be noble personages there is no one emonge them of base linage forsomuch as they be all the sonnes and children of God They be so frendly and louinge one towardes an other that they be all as it were one sowle and one harte And they liue in so great peace and concorde that the verie cittie it selfe is called Ieruzalem that is to saie the vision of peace If thow desire to vnderstande the nomber of the inhabitantes in this cittie vnto this desire S. Iohn maketh answere in his reuelations Apoc. 7.9 The nomber of the blessed inhabitantes in heauen where he saieth that he sawe in spirite such a great companie of blessed Sainctes that no man was able to recken them gathered together of all kindes of nations people and tonges which stode before the throne of almightie God and of his lambe appareiled in white garmentes and with triumphante palmes in their handes singinge vnto almightie God songes of praise And vnto this sayeinge of S. Iohn doth that agrie verie well which is signified by the Prophet Daniell concerninge this holie nomber where he saieth Dan. 7.10 Thowsande thowsandes serue the Lorde of maiestie and tenne hundered thowsande thowsandes stande before him And thinke not because the nomber is so great that they be therefore disordered For there the multitude is no cause of confusion but of greater order ād harmonie For almightie God that hath with such a wonderfull consonance and agrement disposed the mouinges of the heauens and the courses of the starres Euerie one of the Sainctes hath his place and glorie in heauen accordinge to the degrie of euerie one of their merites in this lyfe callinge them euerie one by his proper name hath also ordeined all that innumerable armie of blessed Sainctes with a most wonderfull goodlie ordre and disposition appointinge to euerie one his place and glorie accordinge to his merite And so there is one place for the virgins an other for the Confessors an other for the holie Martirs an other for the Partiarkes and Prophets an other for the Apostles and Euangelistes and so forthe in all the rest And in like sorte as men are there diuided There be nine orders of Angels in heauen and placed euen so after their maner are the Angels also which be diuided into three Hierarchies and those three Hierarchies into nine orders And aboue all the Sainctes and Angels is placed the throne of that most excellent Quene of Angels The blessed virgin Marie is placed in heauen aboue all the Angels and Sainctes the mother of almightie God who alone is an order by her selfe forsomuch as she hath no peere nor anie one that is like vnto her And aboue thē all the holie humanitie of our Sauiour Christ hath the cheife place and preeminēce who sitteth at the right hande of the maiestie of almightie God in the highest Now thou Christian sowle take a vewe of all these orders walke through these streates and waies consider the order of these cittizens the bewtie of this cittie and the noblenes and worthines of these inhabitantes Salute them euerie one by their names and desire them to helpe and succour thee with their praiers Salute also this sweite and pleasaunt countrey and as a pilgrime beholdinge it as yet a farre of directe thine eies and withal thy harte vnto it and saie Alhaile sweite countrey the lande of promise the hauen of securitie the place of refuge the howse of blessinge the kingdome of all worldes the paradise of delightes the garden of eternall flowers the market place of all treasure the crowne of all iust persons and the ende of all our desires Alhaile our mother and our hope After thee haue we sighed a longe time For thee haue we mourned and doe mourne euen at this presente For the loue of thee haue we foughte and doe still fighte a longe battell in this our transitorie lyfe For we knowe assuredlie 2. Tim. 2.5 that none shal be rewarded and crowned in thee but onely such as haue here fowghten faithfullie Of the seconde Ioye that the sowle shall haue in the kingedome of heauen which is the enioyinge of the companie of the Sainctes § II. VHO is able after this great ioye to declare what a further ioye the sowle shall haue by beinge in this most happie and blessed companie For there the vertue of charitie is in her full perfection the propertie of which vertue is to cause all thinges to be common There shall that petition be perfectlie fulfilled which our sauiour made sayeinge I beseech thee ô father Ioan. 17.11 All the electe in heauen shal be more streitlie vnited together in one than the members of one bodie because all shall participate of the spirite of God that they maie be one by loue as we are one by nature For there shall the electe be more streitlie vnited together in one than the members of one same bodie because all shall participate of one same spirite which geueth vnto all one same beinge and withall one blessed lyfe If thou imagin it to be otherwise tell me what is the cause why the members of one bodie haue so great a vnitie and loue one towardes an other The reason is because they all are partakers of one same forme that is of one sowle which geueth one same beinge and one lyfe to them all Now if the spirite of a man liaue power to cause so great a vnitie betwene members that are so different in offices and natures is it anie wonder if the spirite of almightie God by whom all the electe doe liue which spirite is as it were the cōmon sowle to them all shoulde cause a farre greater and more perfecte vnitie emonge them espetially consideringe that the spirite of God is a more noble cause and of a more excellent vertue and power yea and geueth also a more noble beinge Well now if this maner of vnitie and loue doe cause all thinges to be cōmō as well good as euil as we see in the
had bene no sinne to be the meane and occasion of his sufferinge it had not bene neidfull for him to haue suffered as he did It is not agreed emonge the learned diuines whether the sonne of God shoulde haue bene incarnate Summa S. Thomae 3. q. 1. artic 2. 3. quaest 46. artic 1. 2. If man had not sinned Christe had not suffered anie paines or deathe in case man had not sinned for some doe affirme it and some doe denie it but this is holden for a most certaine treuthe that in case man had not sinned the sonne of God shoulde not haue died Whereby it appeareth that our sinnes were the verie cause that moued him to suffer all these miseries and that our sinnes were they that threwe him into this prison and that our sinnes were they that nayled him vpon the crosse And thinke not because they were not thy sinnes alone which were the cause hereof that thou art therefore worthy of the lesse punishemente for accordinge to the lawes of iustice he deserueth no lesse punishemente that killeth an innocente beinge accompanied with manie in committinge the facte than if he alone had killed him So that by this rule thou feest what great reason thou hast to moue thee to abhorre thy sinnes and to be earnestly sorie for them by callinge to minde that they were the tormentours which in verie deede crucified the sonne of almightie God and caused him to suffer so great paines and tormentes This is a greater cause to moue a man to abhorre sinne and to be sorie for the same than all other losses and miseries that ensewe of sinne yea althoughe we shoulde recken emonge our losses the depriuation of the euerlastinge glorie and felicitie which is lost by a deadlie sinne and the euerlastinge horrible paynes which be purchased by the same Now acordinge vnto this doctrine when thou shalt be occupied in meditatinge vpon the holie passion and shalt see how the enemies doe apprehende our Sauiour and how they accuse him and buffette him and how they spette vpon him and whippe him c. thinke for certaine that thou art in verie deede in companie with them and that thou hast ioyned with them in this conspiracie against our Sauiour So that thou mayst treulie saie that thy sinnes doe accuse him that thy dissolute behaueour bindeth him that thy anger and mallice whippeth him that thy presumption and rashenes buffeteth him that thy pride crowneth him with thornes that thy fonde braueries and vanities doe clothe him with purple that thy pleasures and delightes geue him to drincke galle and vineger and to be shorte that thy disobedience nayleth his handes and feete vpon the crosse Forsomuch as the paines which thou deseruest by these thy sinnes he vowchsaffed of his infinite charitie to suffer for thee For it is certaine that the tormentors shoulde neuer haue had power to tormente him as they did in case thy sinnes had not geuen them force and strengthe to doe the same This is one verie profitable waie of meditatinge vpon the holie passion for all kinde of persons but it is much more requisite for such as doe but newlie beginne to enter into the seruice of almightie God and doe endeuour to cleanse the sinnes of their former dissolute lyfe with the holic exercises of Penance Of the passing great benefite of our Redemption § III. THERDLY we ought to consider in the holie passion the greatnes of the benefite which our Sauiour hath done vnto vs in redeeminge vs by this meane And althoughe there be infinite thinges to be saide in this matter yet at this presente I will doe no more but onely note breifly three principall pointes which are to be considered in this most excellent benefite of our Redemption Firste what our Sauiour hath bestowed vpon vs by the same redemption Secondlie what meane he vsed in geuinge it vnto vs. And therdlie with what passinge great loue he gaue it vnto vs. How passinge great that is which our Sauiour hath bestowed vpon vs by this benefite of our redemption there is no tonge able to expresse Howbeit we maie conceiue somewhat thereof by two waies The first waye is by consideringe all the euills and miseries whereinto mankinde incurred throughe the sinne of the first man Adam for all these miseries were sufficientlie remedied by our Sauiour Iesus Christe who bestowed vpon vs all such benefites as were contrary vnto these miseries forsomuch as it is euident that he was geuen vnto vs to be a vniuersall reparer of all the euilles and miseries of the worlde Now he that were able to recken how manie the miseries are whereinto the worlde hath fallen by the sinne of the first man Adam might also vnderstande how many the benefites are that came vnto vs by the seconde Adam to witt by our Sauiour Christe which benefites be vndoutedlie innumerable The seconde waie is by consideringe not all the miseries which our first father Adam brought vnto vs but all the benefites which came vnto vs by our Sauiour Christe Forsomuch as we are made partakers of all those benefittes by meanes of communicatinge his spirite vnto vs For all such as are made partakers of the spirite of Christe are made partakers also of the vertues and merites of Christe Wherefore the Apostle saithe Galat. 3.27 that all such as haue receiued the Sacramente of Baptisme haue put on Christe Geuinge vs thereby to vnderstande that they all are made partakers of Christe and are adorned with his vertues and merites and that so beinge clothed with this liuerey they seeme in the sighte of the heauenly father to be such after a sorte in their degree as his owne verie sonne seemeth before him And therefore for good cause dothe Ecclesiasticus alledge this wonderfull title of the sonne of God in his praier Eccl. 36.14 sayeinge haue mercie ô Lorde vpō thy people Israell whom thou hast made equal and like to thy firste begotten sonne What dignitie what glorie can be greater than this Now accordinge hereunto he that coulde recken how many the vertues and merites of our Sauiour Christe haue bene might likewise vnderstande how manie the benefites haue bene that are come vnto vs by him Forsomuch as we are made partakers of them all by the meane of his passion To conclude by him is geuen vnto vs remission of our sinnes grace glorie libertie peace saluation redemption sanctification iustice satisfaction sacramentes merites doctrine and all other thinges which he had and were behouefull for our saluation And by reason of this his so bountiefull communicatinge he is called in the holie Scriptures the father the bridegroome and the vniuersall head of the Catholike Churche because whatsoeuer the father hath appertaineth to his children and whatsoeuer the bridegrome hath he imparteth to his spowse and whatsoeuer the head hath the members are made partakers of the same These are the benefites which our Sauiour Christe hath bestowed vpon vs. But by what meane hath he