which we are they are numbred amoÌ„ng the six whome God doth hate who sow discord betwixt brethren And certaynly to keepe vs from often intertayning this our brother must needs be the seed of discord betwen him and vs for by neglect of the Sacrament we grow lesse able to resisâ— temptations and consequently are the easyer drawne into synne which only can make a distance betwixt him and vs IV. Finally by this title we are put in mind that we Christians being all brethren should labour to maintayne brotherly love among vs so much the more by how much our Saviour is also our brother and we know that generally one brother taketh vp the quarel of another brother and it is not for our purpose to have our Saviour against vs Therfore particularly when we are to receive or have received we must according to the counsell of S. Peâ—ter lay a side all malicâ— all deceite and dissembling and â—nvy and all detraction to the end to mayntayne this brotherly love as being of one familie with Jesus Christ and feeding vpon the same supercelestiall bread of his sacred body and dispose ourselves to all meekâ—es and affabilitie that there be no dissention nor hartburning not any occasion of it by word or dâ—ed but aâ—â—ist one another in what we can with no lesse promptitude and readynes then one hand is ready to help the other Intertaynment of our Saviour as he is the sacrifice of the law of grace I. SAcrifices were practised in the law of nature from the beginning of the world and instituted in the law of Moyses as the prime act of worship due to God as he is the author and giver of all things and as due to none but God And because none can deserve better then he who is the fountaine and giver of all the light of nature did dictate and the law prescribe that the best things and prime fruits should be offered nothing â—ame nothing corrupted nothing which was not perfect in its kind So Abel is commended for offering the first begotten and the fat of his flock Cain not looked vpon because defective And because life is the best thing that we have and most esteemed and for the mayntayning of it all other things serve God commanded Abraham to offer him the life of his only sonne Isaac as a testimonie that he was Lord of life and death that is supreme over mankind and secondarily as his acknowledgement of it and obedience Content notwithstanding with the demonstration of his willingnes and not pleased that we should exercise that vpon one another which would turne to crueltie and barbariâ—me he furnished him with a ram to sacrifice and in conformitie all the sacrifices of beasts or fowle or what other thing offered were testimonies and acknowledgements that what we did to them was due to be done in our ownâ— persons God of his goodnes accepting other things in lieu of vs as afterwards he appointed in the law that the first begotten Children should be redeemed with mony where besides the truth of the thing We may see how pleasing it must needs be to God to part with life and goods and the contentments of this world rather then offend or that we may serve him better and persever for every such act is a sacrifice and hath the nature and meâ—it of the highest act of religion II. Christ our Saviour coming into this world to perfect the written law of Moâ—ses and to institute the law of grace could not leave this law of his with out a more perfect sacrifice then had been before therfore being to compleate all the sacrifices of the old law by the sacrifice of himself vpon the altar of the Crosse and to provide a continuall sacrifice not inferiour to any for his people and Church to the worlds end the day before his death he instituâ—ed this blessed sacrifice of the altar â—hat is his owne self to be offered and noâ— only in words but by a publick ceremonie common to the wholâ— Church and to be really sacrificed not bloodyly as once vpon the Crosse for that would have been incompetent to him and inconvenient to vs but yet so that his death should be dayly not only represented but in a manner acted the words of consecration dividing as it were the body from the blood and the blood from the body by being pronounced severally vpon severall matters not that the blood of our Saviour is not also in the sacred host and his body in the chalice but it is not there immediatly by force of the words but accidentally because the body and blood is now living as at the last supper VVhen our Saviour sayed This is my body which shall be delivered for you this is my blood which shall be shed for you And againe doe this in memorie of me Ordering the same sacriâ—ice to be continued successively in his Church by his Apostles and those who were to succeed them in thier Priâ—stly function so that here is the best thing offered for vs and offered in the highest way of expression of our acknowledgement towards God the only Sonne of God the first born of all creatures Who as God contayneth all things in himself O unspeakable grace O wonderfull favour O immense love expressed towards man what shall I render to our Lord for this grace for so excessive love I cannot give him a thing more gratefull then wholy to deliver him vp my hart and intirely vnite it vnto him Thom a Kemp. lib. 4. cap. 13. num 3. III. As in the sacrifices of the old law so in this our Saviour would have all his people partake of this sacrifice and therfore did institute it vnder the forme of bread and wine and not in the proper shape of flesh and blood bread and wine being things both most vniversall and best agreeing with every bodies taste and from which generally people not only have least aversion but most vse and doe best signifâ—e the effects of this holy sacrifice as it is also a Sacrament to wit the spirituall nourishment and fortifying of our soule by the presence of our Sauiour in person and by speciall graces flowing from him in which respect our Saviour tearmeth his body and blood truly meate and drinke and that he that eateth this bread shall live for ever because as by often eating and drinking we mainâ—â—yne our bodily life so by this bread we may maintaynâ— ouâ— spirituall life which is to remayne for ever O how grâ—eate and honourable is the office of Priests to whom power is given with sacred words to consecrate our Lord of Maiestie with thier lips to blesse him in thier hands to hold him to receive him in thier mouth and to minister him to others O how pure ought those hands to be how cleane that mouth how holy that body how vnspotted that hart into which the authour of Puritie doth so often enter Thom a Kemp. 1. 4. c. 11. n.
other respects yet if we consider well that all things lye open to God and that which we ourselves discover God doth wash and cover the ease of our mind for the present the satisfaction of our ovvne soules at the houre of death the necessitie of it at one time or other we shall say with S. Peeter Lord not my feetâ— only but my hands and my head That is not only that in which I have lately transgressed but whatsoever I have done good or badd from the beginning to the ending I will willingly lay open that I may have full remission and direction III. Consider thirdly That comfortable and with all fearefull saying of our Saviour He that is washed needeth only that his feete be washed but is all cleane and you are cleane but not all for he knew who it was that would betray him That is he that is once washed by a good confession and performeth accordingly that which he there purposeth to wit the keeping of the commandments for the time to come needeth only that his feete be washed that is those lesser offenses which cleave like dust to our feete and no man is able to avoyde them more or lesse who travelleth in this world but yet to the end that through the benefit of being cleansed by confession we should not grow into Pride and presumption or neglect for the time to come we must remember that though by the grace of God we are cleansed he only knovveth who shal persever IV. Consider fourthly And admire at large the humilitie of our blessed Saviour in regard wherof S. Peeter sayd Lord doest thou wash my feete Thou My feeteâ— And learne hovv grateful it will be to our Saviour that thou by his example stoope to humble and charitable ofâ—â—ices tovvard thy neighbour that is tovvards him in them And also hovv we ought to conceale to excuse to diminish and wash avvay as much as we can the faults and imperfections which we see or heare of in others to preserve thier good name to help them out of them to compassionate them c. Prayer To our Saviour according to the present subiect and affection A meditation of the parting of Iudas from the rest of the Apostles Ihon 13. I. OVr Saviour having washed his Apostles feete and among them Judas which is particularly to be reflected on and gave them wholsome instructions hovv they should imitate him the servant not being greater then his Lord and againe did infinuate that all were not yet cleere though outvvardly washed to the end that Iudas might take notice that he knevv what he was going about and repent but seeing he did not Hâ— was â—robled in spirit and protested and sayed more playnly Amen Amen that is in verye truth I say vnto you that one of you will betray me A heavy saying and no wonder that every one of the disciples looked one on the other doubting of whom he spoke and were much contristated and every one asked him the rest with feare and trembling but Iudas boldly and impudently Am I the maxâ— II. Our Saviour declining the direct ansvver and leaving every one to examine his ovvne conscience and to looke vpon that more then vpon one another vpon intreatie of S. Peter sayed vnto S. Jhon wo leaned vpon our Saviours breast He it is to whom I shall give the bread dipped and when he had dipped it he gave it to ludas who probably did not heare what our Saviour had sayed tâ— S. Jhon having had warning enough before neither did the rest of the Apostles vnderstand the mysterie but Judas being ready to receive any courtesie from our Saviour the more to dissemble his wicked intent tooke the bread and after the morsell sâ—tan entred him bitter â—orsell not novv bread to sustaine life but by malice of the receiver turned into deadly poyson Our Saviour probably with the bread gave him an invvard hint againâ— that he knevv what he was going about but his obstinacie refusing such gentle and charitable admonitions tending to the concealing of the falt and preserving of his good name if he would repent Satan tooke full possession of him III. Andour Saviour sayed vnto him that which thou doest doe it quickly for I am as ready to suffer as thou or thy master to put an affront vpon me And immediatly hâ— went out and it was night Darke night indeed to him and cause if vtter perdition See what it is to part with our Saviour and with devout companie He that walketh in darkenes knoweth not wheter he goâ—th But by severing the bad from the good our light grovves the cleerer therfore when he was gone forth our Saviour sayed now the sonne of man is glorified and God is glorified in him For there can be no greater glorie to God by any humane action then was that which rose from our Saviours vertue and sufferings Endeavour by imitating him in occasions to increase his glorie and as S. Paul speakes accomplish those things that want of the passions of Christ in our flesh A meditation of the Institution of the Blessed Sacrament Preamble Beholding our blessed Saviour distributing his blessed bodie and blood among his disciples vnder the shapes of bread and wine begge of him that thou mayst with true and due affection receave this heavenly gift And. I. COonsider first That the worthynes of this blessed Mysterie was partly the cause why our Saviour a little before so humbly washed his disciples feete who were to receive him to give vs to vnderstand with what acknovvledgment of our ovvne vnvvhorthines and with what puritie of soule and affection and also of bodie we ought to approach to this heavenly banqueâ— Therfore also in the Catholick Church all things about the Altar are so neate and costly because nothing spirituall or temporall can be precious or curious enough to bestow in the intertainment of so divine a guest If thou know him if thou esteeme him as thou oughtest and as he deserveth Bestow all the care thou canst in cleansing the roomes of thy soule and dressing vp the Altar of thy hart to receive him II. Consider secondly That by this heavenly mysterie it is manifest how much Christ our Saviour doth love vs seeing out of love he desireth allwayes to be with vs and being to go out of the world would by this admirable Invention stay still among vs as if he could not be without vs To the end we should dayly increase in the love of him and vnderstanding that really we cannot be without him we might desire the more earnestly his blessed companie and conversation by all the means which are possible for vs. O my love whether doe I wander from thee III. Consider thirdly that this miraculous act of love is the more to be valued and admired because when he was going about it as some doe hold there was at board one that would betray him divers certayne that would forsake him and he foresavv
see no more such effect we say it is dead In which respect charitie or the love of God being the life inherent in our soules S. Gregorie sayth that the proofe of charitie is the exhibition of the worke and our Saviour himself He that bath my commandments and doth keepe them he it is that loveth me our Saviour in nature of a Phisitian cometh to vs to strengthen this life by the cordiall compound of his owne pretious body and blood delivereâ— vnto vs vnder the shapes of bread and wine that by the devout receiving we may both breath out the superfluous and corrupted humours remayning after our purgation and cure and with more rigour apply ourselves to the exercises of Christian dutie to which by his charitable assistance we must concurre first by giving time to the working of this heavenly receite by some little recollection and not instantly ingulfe ourselves in our wonted worldly affayres and secondly by renewing our good purposes in his presence and begging of him that he will blesse them and those most in which we feare we shall have most difficultie to accomplish towards which also we may justly expect he will suggest some speciall remedie to a willing mind Intertaynment of our Saviour as he is our Redeemer I. THe word Redeemer doth import that the redeemed being once eâ—ther free or in the power of one cometh to be subiect to another and is bought out of that subiection so was man by his creation wholy Gods and being left free as to his will he fell by synne vouÌ„ltarily into the possessioÌ„ and powre of the divel and as his captive and prisoner was loded with a thousand miseries and egged on dayly from one synne to another till dying in synne he should be eternally condemned to the prison and paynes of hell fire and no power vnder God being able to rescue him the Sonne of God our Saviour offered to pay his ransome and to give him againe his freedome wherby he might remaine in Gods possession perpetually by his owne free choyce as well as he was by nature and come to inioy the happines which God had layed vp for him The price where with he was ransomed was the body and blood and life of our Saviour layed downe for vs vpon the crosse i this very body and blood and life himself doth here present vs in the Sacrament that we may make a gratefull oblation of it to our heavenly Father as the price of our redemption in particular and represent vnto him with ioy and thanksgiving our freedome to serve him proâ—essing that we will never give way to any other to possesse vs. II. This benefit of our redemption will appeare in a better light if we consider the miserie of the slaverie in which we were or are by synne And first by synne from reasonable creatures we turne vnreasonable and the longer we continue in synne the more vnreasonnable we become not vnlike the man mentioned in the Ghospell whose habitation was not among men but in the fields and dens among beasts and beastly company â—aked having lost all shame and could not be held within any compasse but ranged about breaking through all bonds of the law of God and man and being possessed by a legion of Divels did not vnderstand that they were his masters who did egg him on to his owne destruction in so much that he cut his owne flesh and did make nothing of it and when our Saviour or any good body came neere him he raged the more crying out with a lowde voyce what have you to doe with me or I with you VVhich state of a synner however while one is in it he doth not heed it in itself notwithstanding is extreame miserable and men of reason see it to be so And how much this man did afterwards acknowledge himself obliged to our Saviour when being delivered from this legion of Divells he quietly sat at his feete clothed and well in his wits much more ought we to thank our Saviour for our redemption our spirituall slaverie being infinitely more preiudiciall and more to be lamented III. Our Saviour in S. Luke asketh this question who among you having a servant ploughing or keeping cattle will say to him returning from the field go sit downe and sayth not rather make ready for me and serve me and afterwards thou shalt eate and drink This is the practise among men one to another but our Saviour more indulgent to vs not weighing that we are indeed but his slaves bought at so deere a rate as his most pretious blood and from so base and vnworthy a slaverie as is that of synne and so iniurious to himself doth notwithstanding coming from our owne worldly occasions noâ— much thinking of his service in them invite vs to his owne table that is to his owne most pretious body and blood intreating vs to pattake of so heavenly a banket at which the Angels doe reioyce and doth not passe for many a spoâ— dust that stick vpon vs though we have washed away the dirt and filth it were our dutie to be as cleane as out of the font of baptisme but ô the weakenes of man O the goodnes of God Who notwithstanding our vnworthynes when least vnworthy doth extend his kindnes vnto vs so farre beyond all humane kindnes or capacitie He out of whome he had cast the legion desired to be with him still in his companie and he did not admit of him but bad him go home and recount how mercyfull God had been to him How much more ought we to retire ourselves for a while into the closeth of our hart and reckon vp the mercyes of God towards vs and put this in the head of them that notwithstanding so lately voluntarie slaves to his enimies he doth vs this greate mercy and favour to admit of vs not only to his presence but to his table Intertaynment of our Saviour as Judge I. THe coming of a Judge to a citty or house is generally not without some apprehension and feare in the parties to whom he comes for if they be gylty they have reason to feare if they be not giltie they know not how the Judge may be informed concerning them That our Saviour is our Judge is vndoubted the Father hath given judgement to the Sonâ—e sayth our Saviour of himself yet at this his coming vnto vs in the blessed Sacrament we have not so much cause of feare first because his rigorous judgement is reserved till after this life in which respect himself sayth God did not send his Sonne into the world to judge the world but that the world should be saved by him Secondly there is no danger that he should be misinformed of vs. Thirdly when he comes to judge he comes in majestie with the attendance of all his heavenly courte here he comes disguised of set purpose because we should know that he comes in a familiar way to doe vs honour and
his power wisdome and goodnes and bridling our wilde thoughts from ranging out of the high and beaten way of Gods received truth II. The expression which the people made of thier ioy and contentment was not a little also to be admired considering the humble manner in which he choose to make this his solemne entrance The disciples covered the Asse and the colt with thier garments the people likewise Spread thiers vpon the ground all a long as he rode others cut downe branches and leaves of trees and strewed them in the way and multitudes that went bâ—fore him and followed him cryed Hosanna to the Sonne of David blessed is he that cometh in the name of our Lord Hosanna in the highest And when he was entred Hierusaleâ— the whole citty was moved saying who is this and the people sayed this is Iesus the Prophet of Nazareth in Galilee S. Bernard tells vs that to receive our Saviour worthyly we must be clad with the garments of the Apostles thier doctrine thier vertues thier obedience thier charitie we must lay ourselves vnder his feeâ—e acknowledging that whatever we have is his garment branch and leafe and incessantly consider who he is for whatever we can arrive to know of him will fall short of his worth This is Iesus Blessed is he that can vnderstand this word He that finds Jesus finds a good treasure yea a good above all goods He that leeseth Jesus leeseth more then the whole world III. Our blessed Saviour amidst all this intertaynment and all this joy of the people so soone as from the top of mount Olivet he discovered the citty of Hierusalem brake forth into teares and into a most sad expression of himself O Hierusalsm if thou 〈◊〉 knowen even in this thy day the things which belong to thy peace but noâ— they are hidden from thy eyes c. He saw that however the whole citty was moved at his coming the greatest part of it had not the motions towards him â—hich becomed them and him and even many of those 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 present cryed Hosanna would not long after be 〈◊〉 and cry Barrrabas and Crucifie him Where we see with how much reasoÌ„ the Apostle admonisheth every one of vs to examin and prove himself before and after he eates of this facred bread that he come not vnworthyly not making difference betwixt this and a common table nor after having been intertayned at it returne like a dog to his vomit We approch to him who hath an eye which searcheth into our very harts there is no dissembling but as he searcheth into vs let vs search into his deservings and be midfull of them and we shall find the peace of God which is hidden from the eyes of the world and injoy the peace of our mind which will be to vs a continuall banket And insteed of drawing teares from our Saviour we shall rejoyce him and the Angels who will joyne with the devout people and sing Hosanna at this happy meeting Let all people nations and tongues prayse thee and thy holy and meâ—â—ifluous name and magnifie it with ardent devotion end jubilee c. Intertaynment of our Saviour with the first Christians I. IT is recorded of the first Christians that they were presevering in the doctrine of the Apostles and in the communication of breaking of bread and prayers and greate feare was in all And all that beleeved were together and had all things common Thier possessions and substance they sold and divided them to all as every one had need This being the practise of those primitive times it must serve vs as a patterne in some proportion to imitate at least in the occasion which we have to receive our Lord and partake of that heavenly bread which they handled with so greate reverence And first we must continue stedfast in the doctrine of the Apostles concerning it which doctrine we may read at large in the eleventh Chapter of the first of S. Paul to the Corinthians confirming what the Gospells deliver concerning the realitie of the Body and blood of our Saviour vnder the shapes of bread and wine and teaching vs how greate difference we ought to make betwixt this spirituall bankeâ— and other meetings and consequently examin ourselves before hand and cleare our consciences from synne coming to receive him who is the searcher of harts and judge of the quick and the dead If thou hadst the puritie of Angels and the holynes of S. Ihon Baptist thou were not worthy to receive this Sacrament II. Secondly it is fitting we should bestow some time in prayer both before and after receiving and not come abruptly to the holy table or go from it as we would from an ordinarie meale but think what we are doing and have done and commend ourselves to God and his Saints vpon it that we may receive the benefit of so greate a treasure more plentifully The Apostle tells vs that many were weake and feeble among the first Christians and many did dye because they made little or no difference betwixt this and other meats which spiritually at least doth befall vs when we come and go away vnreverently for first we grow weake and feeble in our resolutions of serving God and keeping his commandments and then neglect them which brings vs to the death of our soules III. Thirdly the day in which we receive it were fitting we should continue in our thoughts the feare of God more particularly thâ—n other dayes remembring now and then what a guest hath vouchsafed to lodge in our breast and fourthly also weane ourselves some thing from the pleasures and vanities of the world doing some act of charitie towards our Neighbour by way of almes or otherwise taking heed that we fall not into contention with others but maintayne love and charitie towards all for our Saviour hath reserved nothing from vs but given vs his whole substance and this is properly the Sacrament of love in which he desires to be with vs one body and one spirit and that we should be so one with another as we have been called in one hope of our vocation O my God! how much did they indeavour to doe to please thee How little is that which I doe How little time doe I bestow wben I prepare myself to receive Seldome wholy recollected more seldome free from all distraction Thomas a Kempis l. 4. c. 1. n. 5. Intertaynment of our Saviour with the Apostles I. S. Peeter vpon occasion of the transfiguration of our Saviour sayed vnto him Lord it is good for vs to be here if those wiâ—â— let vs make here three tabernacles one for thee and one for Moyses and one for Elias Our Saviour in the blessed Sacrament doth not shew himself in a glorious shape but shrouded with the cloude or forme of bread and wine yet beholding him not with the eye of sence as then S. Peeter but with the eye of faith we may
wherin we are to apply ourselves to this or that service pleasing to God III. All the dayes of this life are dayes of purgation As we wash our hands our face our garment so must we our soule that it may appeare before our Lord an acceptable present Now present thyself to the Child and to the Virgin that thou mayst find favour when he shall come as Iudge For nothing that is polluted shall enter into the heavenly Hierusalem nothing â—hat is not purified by innocency of life by pennance or by the purging fire The law of Purisication I. EVery male that openeth the womb shall be called holy to our Lord. Consider vpon how many titles thou art Gods and oughtest to be holy to him and wholly his He created thee of nothing to his Image and likenes for a holy and sublime end to wit to serve him with body and soule and eternally to inioy him Thou hast been redeemed with blood most holy that in holynes and iustice thou shouldst serve him all the dayes of thy life Thou hast been called into a Holy Church perhaps to holy vovves and to be an instrument to make others holy fed with the holy bread of Angels bred vp to a holy course of life with holy documents and inspirations in conversation with holy persons How â—omes it to passe that my beloved in my house doth if not many things which are naught so few holy things Put on a manly courage in the way of vertue that thou mayst become truly holy to our Lord. II. And to offer Sacrifice according as it is sayed in the law of our Lord a payre of turtle doves or two young pigeons Consider the Indulgency of God towards vs He requireth nothing above our strength Give according to the law Keepe the commandments keepe thy rule this is a most gratefull sacrifice doe not pretend that that is above thy strength which he appoints Noe man is so poore or weake as to be excused from conforming himself to his blessed will III. A payer of turtles c. A double offering for the Mother and for the Sonne Thy soule and thy body thy vnderstanding and thy will thy interiour and thy exteriour cariage thy intention and thy workes both of them sincere and innocent not inconstant and â—leeting not hanging after worldly contentments I esteemed laughter deceit sayth the wiseman and to ioy I sayed wherfore dost thou in vayne let thyself be deceived The coming of old Simeon to meete our Saviour I. ANd behold there was a man in Hierusalem named Simeon and this man was iust and religions expecting the consolation of Israel and the holy Ghost was in him How few of this kind of men are now to be found and even in Hierusalem that is the most sacred place how few The word Simeon signifieth one that giveth eare how few give eare to the Best things Who so doth is in a way of Iustice and religion and attendeth not the vaine and emptie comforts of this world which passe as in a blast but the inward comfort of the holy Ghost and of the presence of God and of our Saviour II. And he hath received answer from the holy Ghost that he should not see death till he first saw the Christ of our Lord. See how many commandments rules or directions thou hast received from God in thy state of life for so many answers hast thou receaved from him that thou shalt not see death if thou keepe them so our Saviour sayed answering the yong man Doe this and thou shalt live and the Wiseman Feare God and keepe his commandments for this is the whole man as much as to say in this is all the happines of man with what confidence shall we looke vpon à temporall death and avoide the eternall if we be thus armed III. Simeon was expecting the consolation of Israel Follow thou his example and the advise of the Royal Prophet Expect our Lord and be of good courage whether thou be by him often or seldome spiritually visited whether busines succeed to thy mind or otherwise in what ever imployment he doth ingage thee This disposition is a signe of Iustice and Religion and of the Holy Ghost dvvelling in vs A signe that we have the true spirit of wisdome and vnderstanding and of counsell and of fortitude and of Pietie and of the feare of God and of his love not wedded to our owne wayes c. Simeon takes the Child Iesus into his armes I. ANd he came in spirit into the Temple Reflect with what spirit how fervently with how much thirst and eagernes or coÌ„trarivvise how coldly and dully thou appearest in the Temple at prayer or at the holy Sacrifice of Masse where the Angels assist with reverence or at other pious exercices and see what successe thou mayst hope for If by a customarie performance of thy devotious thou be fallen to a feeblenes in them rouse vp thy spirits renew vvhat is decayed Rise make hast my beloved sayth the bridgroome and come II. And when his parents brought in the Child Iesus to doe according to the custome of the law for him He also tooke him into his armes and Blessed God and sayed now thou mayst dismisse thy servant ô Lord according to thy word in peace VVhata blessing is it to receave our Saviour in our breast To have him in our hands And as it were in our possession VVho can sufficiently esteeme that instant in which we may say with Jacob. Now I will not dismisse thee vnles thou bles mâ— VVhat may we not hope to obtaine having our God as it were in our povver Begge peace saluation light comfort in tribulation and in expecting the time of comfort and what ever may be wanting to thee towards thy owne or thy neighbours assistance III. My eyes have seene thy saluation which thou hast prepared before the face of all people c. Blesse God for sending this saluation to all and that thou in particular hast been made partaker of it Begge increase of this light c. And his Father and Mother were marveling at these things which were spoken of him And not with out reason shall we detaine ourselves in admiring and adoring his goodnes his willingnes to impart himself vnto vs and infinite other thinghs which we may find in this Child who gives himself into our armes incomprehensible in himself but framing himself according to humane nature by love and imitation of his vertues to be comprehended by vs. Simeon his Prophecie I. ANd Simeon blessed them and sayed to Marie his Mother Behold this Child is set to the ruine and resurrection of many in Israel and for a signe which shall be contradicted God mingleth sorrow vvith ioy and gladnes which in this life is not only the common case of every body but also a blessing And therfore when adverse things doe not befall vs we shal doe well to forthinke
thousands and thousands that would negligently vnreverently vnvvorthily misuse his blessed presence labour thou to be none of these IV. Consider fourthly How our Saviour giving outvvardly this blessed bread of life did invvardly inlighten the harts of his Apostles and tâ—ach them that this was the bread which he had promised before bread in outvvard shape but really his bodie and blood And hovv they according to thier weake capacitie as then appâ—chending and beleeving it were filled with admiration and love and thanksgiving which are the acts which we must exercise begging that he will strengthen our faith establish our hope and take possession of our soule and bodie and make vs wholy his transforming vs into himself by love and perfect vnion with him A meditation of our Saviours Prayer in the Garden Matth. 26. Preamble Beholding our Saviour sadd and heavy and full of feare and agonie and the blood trickling dovvne his forehead while he was earnest at his prayers begg of him that thou mayest profit by this dolfull sight I. COnsider first if thou didst truly love thy Saviour how thou wouldst compassionate him seing him so sadd so pale so pensive with teares in his eyes beginning to trickle dovvne his cheeks novv hanging dovvne his head novv looking vp to heaveÌ„ sighing and scarce able to bring forth three words togeather yet at last breaking forth into this mournefull note my soule is sorrowfull vnto death And with this he suddenly leaves his disciples and having gone but a stones cast he falls dovvne vpon his knees and vpon his face and prayes a long houre Father if it be possible let this Chalice Passe from me but not my will but thynâ— bâ— done II. Consider secondly That it is God who suffers this Agony to come vpon him for thy sake to teach thee hovv thou oughtest to take the Crosses which thou foreâ—eest or feelest For condescending to our infirmitie he shevveth that we may earnestly begge of God to be delivered from them In which respect thou oughtest greately to love him and thank him for his compassion over thee And on the other side hovv we must begge with Resignation to his holy will in regard that these Crosses may be many wayes beneficiall to ourselves and much for the glorie of God And it is reason we should leave ourselves in his hands it being a fearefull thing to be out of them at our ovvne choyse and say often from our hart that which we say dayly in our Pater noster thy will be done III. Consider thirdly That at the end of his first prayer he comes againe to his disciples as it were â—o refresh himself and also to instructe them and â—ebuks S. Peeter for sleeping when he should have prayed so couldst thou not watch one houre with me And returnes againe to his wonted prayer and so againe the second time To shevv vs that he is willing we should take comfort by the help of creatures though our chiefest comfort must still be in God For creatures of themselves have it not in them though we imagin they have it and oftimes they breed more affliction insteed of comfort as it could not be but some affliction to our Saviour to see his beloved Apostles in steed of helping him and arming themselves by prayer to sleepe and as it were forget both him and themselves IV. Consider fourthly Hovv at his last returne he fell more earnestly to his prayers and out of meere anguish and agonie svveating blood that it fell in greate dropes vpon the ground an Angell came and comforted him with which he went couragiously on to death Shevving vs that in our afflictions we must never leese our courage and our hope For when crosses are in thier height and we in our greatest agonie then comes the Angell of comfort and the spirit of God and either blovves all over if it be expedient for his Glorie and our good or puts nevv courage into our harts and makes vs bold to looke death and disgrace and losse of frends and fortunes in the face and rise and goe forvvards to meete them Prayer To our blessed Saviour that he will vouchsafe by the merit of this blessed action of his to give me courage both in my prayer to persever with constancie till the end and in all other occasions of difficultie and distast to conforme my self to his blessed will A meditation How our Saviour was betrayed and apprehended Preamble Reflecting hovv busy Iudas and the Jâ—vves were about thier mischievous intentions while our Saviour savv all at his prayer begge of our Saviour grace to profit by his behaviour in this action I. COnsider first with what peace and quiet of mind our Saviour after his last prayer came to his disciples and sayd vnto them sleepe now and rest with what courage he attended the blow and when he savv the officeâ—s dravv nigh sayd againe to his Apostles Rise let vs go He doth not say let vs fly but go and meete and confront our adversaries Behold hovv vndauntedly he went and met them and asked them whom seeke yee and told them I am he Admire all and in all the povver of the grace of God and of a good resolution settled vpon that sole povverfull grace for of ourselves we are weake but let vs to our povver ply God as our Saviour did and we shall have his grace II. Consider secondly Hovv little malice can prevayle against good but when God sees time and permits it I sat by you dayly sayth our Saviour teaching in the Temple and you held me not but this is your houre and the power of darkenes We must therfore neither be wrath nor over fearefull but discreetely confident in the povver and providence of God for his glorie and we shall see his wonders and multitudes of Good spirits to defend vs. III. Consider thirdly Hovv vsuall a thing it is for vs to be accounted-and spoken of and handled as male-factours But this is our glorie that doing well people should detract of vs as S. Peeter sayth as of malefaâ—tours You have come sayth our Saviour as to a theeâ—e with swords and cluâ—s to apprehend me Let vs not leeâ—e our patience but remember for whom and like to whom we suffer vndiscreete defending of ourselves by words or actions makes the matter worse as S. Peters striking IV. Consider fourthly Hovv the Traytour kisseth the officers apprehend and binde and hale thy lord avvay with shoutes aâ—d cryes and taunts and a thousand iniuries And all this for thy synns O what have my synns deserved He on the other side like a lambâ— suffers himself to be bound and led as they please he speaketh mildly to Judas Frend wherfore comest thou He healeth the eare of Malchus appeaseth Peâ—câ—rs vntimely wrath offers himself to drinke the chalice of his passion though he could have had thovvsands of Angellâ— to defend him Indeavour to benefitt thyself by all The Prayer O my love Draw me after thee and we will
must be God himself the measure of our love to love him without measure God of his love inspire our thoughts to conceive worthy things of him and inflame our harts in the love of them that hovvever weake our love may be it may increase to that measure which his immeasurable goodnes hath designed Amen An act of humble acknowledgment of our owne weakenes I. O My God what am I or what is thy loveâ— Thy infinite love my God tovvards man what is it That I sylly worme of the earth so easily venture not only to lift vp my head to behold it and ponder it and esteeme it for to this end thou hast shevved it vnto vs that we should behold it and love it but dare scanne in my thoughts and vndertake to discypher the greate greatenes of it in these fevv words the broken ofâ—alls of my shallovv conceits Or is thy love peradventure a thing which can be comprehended by man or declared by the highest Angel or defined by any but thyself for thy love is thyself and the greate greatenes of it is the immense Immensitie of thy loving self by which thou dilatest thyself tovvards vs and in vs thy creatures and through the infinite length bleadth depth and heigth of thy inflamed charltiâ— comprehendest vs all in the bovvels of thy love loving vs before we were that we might be and ever loving vs while we are that we may never leave to be but ever live in love with thee II. Who therfore can reach so farre as that infinite length or who is there that can measure that breadth which is immeasurable Who can sound the depth or take the height of thy infinite love but thy only self who art sole equall and sole equally infinite to thyself And yet thou wilt have vs measure it in our thoughts and sound it in our harts and stretch ourselves to that length and dilate ourselves to that bâ—eadth and lift vp ourselves to that heigth and drovvne ourselves in that depth of thy love that finding hovv farre we are from the true measure of it we may reach if not as farre and as wide and as high and as deepe as it deserveth yet so farre in all these kinds as by thy grace our harts will serve vs which is acceptable in thy sight though too small a measure in regard of thy infinite deserts III. O Imalnes of our measure O greatnes of thy deservings VVho hast moved heaven and earth for our sakes and searched all the corners of thy infinite treasure and poured forth thy riches to the bottome to help vs to reclayme vs to winne vs to thy love And when thou hadst as it were spent all that thou hadst to gayne our affection forall that we see or heare of or can imagine are thy love-gifts as I may tearme them to dravv vs to thyself thou sparedst not thy ovvne bovvels but gavest thyself vnto vs and in that loving and free manner that there was not any part of the breath of thy sacred body which thou didst not dedicate to our service nor one drop of thy pretious blood which thou didst not shed for vs but for the greater satisfaction of our vnbeleeving minds and the more effectually to move our stony harts even after thy death thou wouldst have thy side opened with that cruel speare that we might see with our eyes that there was no more blood left when after the blood spent there issued water IV. O sacred bath rempered for my soares soseen the hardnes of my hart alay the immoderate heate which I find tovvards temporall occasions moysten the droughth of my faint desires cure the blindnes of my eyes that at least through this gap layed so wide open I may discover some parcell of thy love and inamoured with it may be dravvne further and further into the depth that being wholy absorpt in it I may leese myself while I go about to measure and never find myself againe but wholy drovvned in thee who art my God and my only love Amen The length of the love of God is the Eternitie of his love I. THe length of the charitie of allmightie God is the Eternitie of his love If we cast our eyes vpon that beginning of his Eternitie which hath no beginning even then before we were and when he only was he loved vs as novv he loveth and determined then to give vs all that good which we find he hath since performed or hath for hereafter layed vp in store for vs in that Eternitie before all time before all thought and to which no thought of creature can arrive when he was delighting himself with his only self and with the infinite riches which he hath within himself the Father with the Sonne and the Father and the Sonne with the holy Ghost then he vouchsafed to think of vs to love vs to ordayne all things for vs and to desire our love Then when not only he had no need of vs but when he had no other reason to think of vs but his ovvne sole infinite goodnes He disposed all things sweetly to the end in time to gayne that which in Eternitie he desired to wit our love and beholding vs with in himself and seeing that we were all good and all very good because we were all in him he would in time appointed that we shoul have part of that good in ourselves by him which we had from all Eternitie in him And therfore he made vs out of himself that acknovvledging from whence we derived all the good we have we should seeke not only in duty or gratitude to returne all to him who best deserved it but also by nature we should be eveâ— â—orne tovvards him as every thing naturally is ever bent tovvards that from which it hath its beeing II. If againe we cast our thoughts vpon the end of his loving eternitie which hath no end we shall find his love not contayned with in the short limitts of a month or a yeare or ten thousand yeares but that he loveth vs to the end with out end and desireth nothing more then that we should live and love him world with out end And as in his Eternitie with out beginning he disposed all things sweetely for our good and saluation with out any desert of ours so in this Eternitie with our ending he reacheth strongly striving against all our deserts to bring our love to that perfection that his and ours may have no end If the least of those iniuries which we offer to God thousands perhaps in a day were done by man to another man it were enough insteed of further love to inflame a mortall and as much as lyeth in him an Eternall aversion But that which seemeth impossible to man is possible to God who with infinite charitie doth dayly and hoverly and every moment put vp infiâ—â—te disgracefull actions and remayneth ever strong in love rill our dying day when if we
should depend vpon our correspondence with his graces and consequently that his infinite merit should be in a manner in greate part lost by our vntovvardnes or at least hazarded which as on the one side to those who indeavour to make vse of his love it is a greate incitement to love him the more who for the fruite in a fevv would suffer and taketh from all men all occasion of despayre so on the other side by reason of our weakenes it doth necessitate vs not to presume but to live in feare for the time of our seiourne and to labour by good works to make sure our vocation and Election VVhich designe of his we must everence and lovingly submiting to his divine ordination industriate ourselves to concurr the more diligently with it and with his love tovvards vs in it III. The depth of his love appeareth in the extraordinarie vocations of some and graces extraordinarie bestovved vpon persons oftimes in which we cannot only not discover any merit but rather much demerit and desert of the contrarie of whom that saying of God and of the Apostle comes to be verifyed I will have mercy on whom I have mercy and I will shew mercy to whom I will shew it And with good reason for he is Lord of his gifts and free to give of them more or lesse to whom and when he will So that as we may admire and must reioyce and not envy when he doth bestovv them so we must not grudge when and where he doth not bestow them but attend that our eye become not naught because he is good as our Saviour himself once answered IV. O my God! give me grace so to consider this thy love that I may increase in love tovvards thee give me grace that by measuring this thy greatenes I may grovv greater in thy favour and by reaching to thy height wax higher in thy sight and by diving into the bottomles depth of thy infinite charitie sink deeper into thy love that being wholy absorpt in it I may ever find myself wholy drovvned in thee my God my love Amen The depth of the love of God II. PART I. FInally in this matter of the love of God it will be profitable to reflect with a devout personage of this age I. First that it was not possible for God to create man after a heigher modell then according to the image and similitude of God 2. It was not possible to create him for a heigher end then the cleere vision and fruition of God 3. It was not possible to give him a greater Gift then God himself and all creatures 4. It was not possible to give him a heigher or more noble imployment then to serve God and in some sort to serve himself of God to deâ—â—â—e in a manner himself and others 5. It was not possile to give him a more perfect Guide in his pilgrimage then our Saviour and the holy Ghost 6. It was not possible to feed him with more choyce sustenance then the body and blood and divinitie of our blessed Saviour 7. It was not possible to expresse a greater esteeme of man then by shedding his blood for him 8. It was not possible to give him a greater motive to abhorre synne then that God dyed to abolish it 9. It was not possible to give a greater ground never to despayre then by constituting himself his Advocate 10. It was not possibble to inable synfull man to coâ—rrespond to these and other his benefits but by giving him the merits of Christ dignified infinitely in his divine person by which we satisfie to the full for our offenses and gayne a proportion in our good works to the rewards promised II. O infinite goodnes O immense charitie O love imcomparable Where shall I find either conceptions or words or strength to expresse the least part of my greate obligation to thy love â—hat hart can love thee enough 〈◊〉 tongue prayse thee VVhat forces serve thee as thou deservest Help me yee blessed Angels and saints of heaven Assiste me all yee oreaâ—utes of my loving God O that I had so many tongues to prayse him so many harts to love him I knovv not what to say but with hart confounded and blushing countenance to offer my love and service such as it is conioyned with his because he is so pleased and begge of him that he will please himself with it and with his ovvne merits for otherwise whatever I can offer is nothing and that all creatures in whom he is most pleased will incessantly praysâ— him and glorifie him Amen The coming of the holy Ghost vpon the Apostles in firie tongues I. PART I. OVr Saviour vpon his Ascension had willed the Apostles to remayne in Hierusalem till they should be induâ—d with power from above which they observed carefully persevering together in prayer with our blessed Lady and others when behold the tenth day â—arely in the morning there was suddenly heard a sound from heaven as of a mightie wind and it filled the whole house where they were sitting and there appeâ—â—ed to them parted tongues as it were of â—ire and it sat vpon every one of them and they were all filled with the holy Ghost and began to speake with divers tongues as the holy Ghost gave them to speake Prayer and obedience and agreement together were dispositions novv as well as afterwards effects of the holy Ghost He came suddenly vpon them to teach vs perseverance in our devout imployments for we know not at what houre our Lord will come in prayer or reading or charitable action the wind was a token of dispersing the Cloudes of ignorance and deceite to which we are subiect with out the assistance of the holy Ghost and no wonder that is was a strong wind considering hovv closse the fallaciâ—s of the world doe stick vnto vs and hovv they are apt to possesse themselves of every corner of our house that is of soule and body The parted tongues as of fire signified the spirituall flame and fervour infused into thier harts and was then to manifest itself by thier tongues publikly and privately to be imployed in the prayses of our Saviour and of his law according as the holy Ghost gave to every one Begge of him every one of these his gifts and dispose thyself to receive them II. Consider that though the wind and firy tongues were figures of the inward operation yet the gift this day communicated was not only the proportionable effects wrought by the holy Ghost but the very person of the holy Ghost communicated vnto them and vs working these effects And as in the Incarnation of our Saviour the holy Ghost in person overshaddowed our blessed Lady so here he descended vpon the Apostles and the rest there gathered together though in such different measure as he thought good to communicate himself where we have cause to admire and adore the goodnes of God who would imploy his owne person in our
day which will never end when wilt thou come My soule is weary of this wearisome life I will send forth my speech against myself I will speake in the bitternes of my mind I will say vnto God When shall I see the good things of my Lord in the land of the living My soule hath thirsted after thee my God when shall I come and appeare before thy face My teares are vnto me my dayly bread while it is sayed vnto me everie day where is thy God II. Alas everie day it is here sayed vnto me where is thy God And betwixt so many dayes and nights as I find dayly and hourely in myself now rising now falling while I loose thee and I leave thee through my manifold imperfections and doe scarce for one minute perfectly hold thee what a life doe I live VVhat death had I not rather die That once with thy thrice happy spouse having passed these transitorie dayes and these too too doâ—btfull nights I may say I have found whome my soule doth love I hold him and I will not let him go III. Here if one aske me where thou art my God I must confesse thou art a farre of because a farre of thou doest behold those which are not humble Thou turnest away thy face and I am filled with affliction sorrowes of death doe compasse me round about daungers of Hell doe presently assalt me and whether to turne myself to seeke thee and to find thee I cannot tell Shew me O my love where thou feedest where thou restests at noone day when the heate of temptation scorcheth my soule that flying vnder the shaddow of thy wings I may feed where thou feedest and reste where thou restest and not beging to wander after the droves of these vnperfect comforts in which there is no quiet rest no solid foode IV. Shew me rather my God that everlasting noone in thy heavenly cittie where neither sonne nor Moone doe shine but thou art the ever permanent comfortable light of all the inhabitants that there I may rest and feede with thee without danger of resting in any other but in thee or of feeding of any thing but of thy only self for in this world I see there is no rest but continuall tumbling and tossing from one thing to an other and who is he that amidst so many boisterous winds and wayes can continually hold thee Since thy blessed Apostle the beloved disciple giveth Sentence vpon vs all that we are subject not only to loose thee by many distractions but also to leave thee by synnes by too too many and dayly imperfections V. And who knoweth but thou o my loving God! whether in this very desire of myne to be ever with thee in blisse since I cannot be ever with thee in this fearefull banishment there lies not secretly hidden more love of myself then perfect love of thee O hard vncertantiâ— I am delighted with the love of God and drawne to desire to injoy it everlastingly there where it only ever permanently lasteth I desire it and begge it according to the inward man but I see another love which I feare creepeth in with it repâ—gnant to that perfect love and pure desire which I should have of thee Vnhappie man that I am who shall deliver me from this doubtfull and vncertayne state VI. I am in streights on everie fide if I remayne I am in doubt whether I shall ever remayne with thee rather I am certaine I shall often shrink from thee for iâ— many things we doe all offend Jf I desire to be dissolved and to be with thee thy Apostle sayth it is a thing much more better and yet he himself what he shall choose he knoweth not because to abide in flesh is necessarie for thy service But alas what necessitie can there be of me that am so vnprositable Thou wilt say that all must think and say of themselves that they are vnprofitable Servants even when they have doone thier very best in thy service Jt is so And therfore be I profirable or vnpâ—ofitable I know not what more to say or doe but yeald myself wholy into thy hands to doe with me as thou pleasest Take me or leave me as thou thinkest good Hastenme or differre me as thou seest reason I refuse not the labour if thoâ— thinkest me profitable I will beare patiently to be differred if thou judge me vnworthy yer still I am streightened of the two having desire to be dissolved and desire to be with thee which is by thy owne Confession in thy blessed Apostle a thing much more better Intertaynments of our Blessed Saviour when we receive him in the Blessed Sacrament First as God I. AT the birth of our blessed Saviour the swathing bands did not hinder vs from beleeving that infant to be God or stop the Angels from singing Glorie to God in the higest degree and from adoring him but doe incite vs the more to admire and love his goodnes the resemblances of bread and wine remayning after consecration in this blessed Mysterie must not in like manner be any hinderance to vs from beleeving the truth contayned vnder them delivered in our Saviours owne words This is my body this is my blood that is the living body and blood of our Saviour and consequently his blessed soule and divinitie God and man the eternall word made flesh for our sakes And as in them we adore his power we admire his wisdome we imbrace his infinite goodnes we doe not argue from his immensitie that he could not be contayned in the manger nor from his vnitie in essence with the Faiher and the holy Gost that he alone could not be man nor from his immortalitie that he could not suffer but doe submit as to the manner and doe beleeve the substance soe we must rayse our thoughts in this Mysterie to beleeve his reall presence though in a way incomprehensible to our short vnderstanding and adore the person of the Sonne of God our Saviour not arguing from his quantitie that he cannot confine himself to so little roome nor from his vnitie that he cannot at once be in so many places nor from his Majestie that he will not stoope to so meane an action as to be dayly handled and received by vs but so much the more admire his goodnes that as there once so here dayly he doth give himself vnto vs. O blessed Angels who in multitudes did adore him at his coming into the world though in a disguise farre different from your apprehensions with you I doe willingly submit my weake conceits and doe adore here present the living God the eternall word made flesh for vs. O blessed host with how much reverence art thou to be handled and received seeing the ground on which Moyses stood when God appeared to him was holy for here the holy of holyes is contayned after a more sublime manner put my Soule thy
favour and not for any sinister end II. Yet in regard he is a Judge the Apostle doth put 〈◊〉 in mind that before we presume to receive him we examine examine ourselves whether we be gylty of any such offence as may hinder his loving intertaynment for if there be enmiâ—ie betwixt him and vs with what face can we thrust ourselves thus vpon him And according to our Saviours counsel whatever gift we offer to God we mâ—st first make peace with our brother if we be at variance with him and rather leave our offering then bring it with that distance in our breast how much more ought we to be wary that our Saviour himself be not our Adversarie and if he be reconcile ourselves vnto him quickly in the way least we turne his mercyes into rigour for hâ— that receiveth him unworthily draweth judgment vpon himself not making difference betwixt this and other â—eats We must therfore before hand judge ourselves that we may not be judged and as for lesser offenses though we must doe what we can to cleare ourselves also of them before hand he will dissemble them and give vs more grace to overcome them and jugde vs with compassion because he is the sonne of man And we have the more reason to come with this confidence to him becauâ—e we see that he very seldome punisheth instantly those that come vnworthily but gives them time to repent even of that treacherous intertaynment much more will he have mercy vpon those that have done thier best indeavour to clearâ— themselves even of lesser staynes III. Moreover he comes vnto vs indeed as Judge in favour of vs against our Ghostly enemies as once he sayed Now is judgement of the world now the Prince of this world shall be cast forth And I if I be exalted wilâ— draw all to myself which he sayed â—ignifying what death â—e should die to wit exalted vpon the Crosse. And here in the holy Sacrifice he is dayly exalted for vs dayly Sacrificed for our redemption and vtter distruction of the Divel and his power which is more and more lessened in vs the more often and more devoutly we receive him for as the Councel of Trent speakes this holy SacrameÌ„t is an Antidote by which we are freed from our dayly faults and from mortall syâ—ns preserved O mercyfull judge Beholding my dayly offences I have reason to feare because thou art the searcher of hart and reyns and man knowes not whether he deserves love or hatred Yeâ— â—eeing here thou comest to save me I am the more conâ—â—dent in thy goodnes that thou wilt judge in my behalfe against my enemies and beate downe thier power by thy authoritie as thou didst often the evill spirits and the winds and waves of the sea saying Peace be still and there was a greate clame O! clame my hart that it may receive thee with loving respect and respectfull love and doe not withdraw thy meâ—cyes from me Iudica me Deus discerne causam meam Intertaynment of our Saviour as our Mediatour and Advocate I. THe title of Mediator and Advocate as belonging to our Saviour is full of coâ—fort and that he is so S. Ihon testifyeth If any man â—hall synne we have an Advocate with the Father Iesus Christ the just and S Paul One is the Mediatour of God and men man Christ Iesus Our need also is apparent for as we dayly offend so we have need of an advocate incessantly to plead pardon for vs and as vnworthy by ourselves to approch to the throne of God specially being gylty we have need of a Mediator to make our way vnto him This office our Saviour doth as man but man so neeâ—ly linked to God that he is also God and therfore infinitely worthy to be admited and to be heard whether it be to plead for remission or for some new grace and favour which is the reason why holy Church doth gâ—nerally present all her prayers with this clause through Christ our Lord that his merits may prevayle where on ouâ—side there is little that can deserve to be heard and much pâ—radventure by which we may deserve rather to be reiected for which we have reason deepely to humble ourselves and to have contiâ—uall recourse to him II. This office he performed while he lived by prayer and good works offering them for our sake but â—hiefly vpon the Crosse when also for vs as well as for the Iewes and gentils present he prayed saying Father forgive them because they know not what they doe And for the same end he reserved the marks of his most pretious wounds that they might be a continuall plea for the râ—mission for which they were first opened And here in the blessed Sacrament we receiving the self same body of out Saviour with the selfsame wounds what force and efficacie may not our prayers have offering theÌ„ steeped in these pretious wounds and as it were written or imbellished with his sacred blood O my God! Looke vpon the face of thy Christ. In him thou wilt find no cause why thou shouldst deny him the multitude of his deservings will outweigh my ill deserts heare his plea for me Behold he hath written me and my petition in his hands read his handwritting and have mercy on me VVith him I say Father forgive and into thy hands I doe give myself with him III. Though from the beginning he put himself vpon this office for vs and not only before we could deserve it but when we deserved that all the world should pleadâ— against vs for which we owe him infinite obligations yet having vndertaken it and continuing it with the same efficacie with which he begun it it is reason we should think how to gratifie him in what we are ablei and first it is necessarie that while he is pleading for vs we pleade not against ourselves by infringing his Fathers commandments secondly we must follow the order of petitioning which he prescribeth and principally aske spirituall things and such as concerne our soule before all temporalls which rule he hath set us downe in our dayly prayer of the Paâ—er noster Thirdly we must not be weary of wayting the time and good pleasure of his Father as he is not weary and be content whether he grant our petition in the tearmes we aske it or some other way saying as he did Not my will but thyne be done Not as I will but as thou Fourthly the greatest obligation that we can put vpon him is to be confident of his love and care and often to vse this meditation and especially presenting his sacred person to his heavenly Father in the holy Sacrifice and Sacrament When we assiste or receive There is nor a more worthy obligation or greateâ— satisfaction towards the washing away ouâ— synns then to offer vp ourselves sincerly and intirely â—ith the oblation of the body of Christ in the holy Sacrifice or
6. Intertaynment of our Saviour as he is a spirituall banket I. MEate and drink is for necessarie sustenance a banket is moreover for pleasure and contentment not only of the taste but generally all other delights concurre in it Now if the wiseman â—ould say of the Manna in the old law that it had in it all delight and the siveetnes of every thing that we taste doubtlesse if we apply ourselves vnto it we shall find also in this heavenly Sacrament where of that was a figure all sort of spirituall delights And first occurs the exquisitenes of the food it being the bread of Angels and senâ— vs downe as farre as from heaven prepared to our hand without other labour on our part then as in all bankers to dresse ourselves handsomly that we be not found to appeare at so greate a table and in such companie without our nupâ—iall or wedding gaâ—â—ent that is without Charitie the love of God and our neighbour or puritie of hart from mortall breach of his commandments though we be otherwise poore and lame and weake he doth not disdayne our companie but gives vs a most harty welcome Come vnto me all yee that labour and to whom it is paynefull to serve me and are burdened with evill customes and passions and I will refresh you O sweete and frendly word in the eare of a syâ—â—er that thou my Lord God doest invite this poore and needy Creature to the feeding vpon thy sacred body The heavens are not pure enough and thou sayest come vnto me all II. Besides this exquisitenes of the food and companie and harty welcome if we attend we may find that which will please the eye of our soule very much to wit the death and passion of our blessed Saviour to put vs in mind VVherof this holy Sacrament and sacrifice is instituted and as it were to Act it before vs. And what can be more comfortable to a synner then to see before his eyes the price of his redemption layed downe to receive into his breast the forgiver of his synnes the sacred body and blood by which they are more and more dayly washed away If we doe vnderstand what synne is and how much it doth import vs to be cleare of it we cannot but take greate contentment thus to receive our Saviour the lamb of God who taketh away the synns of the world Reioyce ô my soule and give thanks to God for so noble a gift and such singular comfort left thee in this vale of teares for as often as thou recordest this mysteric and receivest the body of Christ so oft doest thou work the work of thy redemption and art made partaker of all the merits of Christ. Thom. à Kemp. l. 4. c. 2. n. 6. III. As to our tast and other senses if we consider the refreshment which we receive by this holy Sacrament we shall find that the effect of it is to cure the palaâ—e of our soule to take away our false appetites which egge vs to feed vpon things that are hurtefull and poysonsome to breed satisfaction and contentment in our devotions and spirituall exercises and a right temper of body and â—oule in which our health doth consiste By often receiving devoutly we shall come not to thirst so much after vanities nor to be altered vpon every suggesâ—ion or temptation as being strengthened with this fruite of the Tree of life And as by the practise of vertue we shall find the sweetnes of it so the same sweetnes will diffuse itself to others by good example and the house will befilled with the odour of the oyntment that is we ourselves and others will be pleased with it O admirable aÌ„d hidden grace of the Sacrament which is knowne only to Christs faythfull people In this Sacrament spirituall grace is given the strength of our soule is repayred the beauty therof lost by synne is restored The grace is sometimes so greate that from the fullnes of devotion â—ot the mind only but our weake body also doth feelâ— more strength bestowed vpon it Thomas à Kempis lib. 4. cap. 1. num 11. IV. VVho could by contemplation rayse vp his soule so high would not fayle to heare the musick also of the Angels singing glorie to God in this blessed mysterie for that the Angels doe assist in multitudes both at the consecration and receiving there is no doubt Holy Fathers confessing it and many visions confirming it and seeing in his life time in the desert after his tempâ—ation they came and ministred to him now in glorie they certaynly never leave him and attending him they cease not to sing his prayses and also thy happines who hast the favour to intertayne so greate a Lord to lodge so greate a Guest to have so pleasant a companion so faythfull a frend so noble and so beautifull a spouse ô happy soule which hast been made worthy devoutly to receive him and receiving to be replenished with spirituall ioy Thom à Kemp. l. 4. c. 3. n. 4. Intertaynment of our Saviour with the blessed Virgen and S. Ioseph I. THe time which our Saviour lived with our blessed Lady and S. Ioseph may be distinguished into three parts the time of his Childhood the time of his youth till mans estate and the time after of his preaching In the time of his infancie and Childhood though he were in most things like other children yet some rayes of his divinitie at times appearing did not fayle to put them in mind that he was more then a Child he carying himself with more discretion and more pliablenes then vsually infants and Children doe never froward never vntoward modest in his sports moderate in his desires so that besides the naturall love which parents have to thier little babes they had a particular sweetnes and contentment in that he was such a babe so qualifyed above all others and accordingly when they beheld him or tooke him into thier armes or provided necessaries for him they did it not only with extraordinarie love but with loving reverence and respect thier minds being elevated to a higher pitch by the continuance of his divine comportment and never having any the least cause of distaste by him This is he whom we receive into our breasts and as so qualified he doth commend himself vnto vs he having as it were lessened himself into this forme to the end we should take him between our aâ—mes and imbrace him and reverently kisse his feeâ—e and hands assuming the affections of father and mother so farre as to expâ—â—sse the â—tmost of our tender love towards him in regard that for vs he would become an infant first and then in this blessed Sacrament be as tractable to vs as a little infant in whom is all that a fatherly or motherly hart can desiâ—e II. VVhen his Child-hood was past we cannot but think they tooke so much the more soqâ—d comfort in him by how much they observed in all his
so rechlesse as not to be wholy depending vpon him and wholy at his beck The meditation of the Blessed Virgin the prompt obedience of the wayters but chieflly the glory of God which he only sought did cooperate to this wonder These are the means by which the waters of affliction are turned into wine of comfort and that to them who love God all things doe cooperate to good After the chiefe steward had tasted the water made wine and knew not whence it was but the servants knew that had drawne the water the chiefe steward calleth the bridgroome and sayth to him every man first setteth the good wine and when they have welldrunk then that which is worse but thou hast keept the good wine till now The ioyes of this world begin with defect and want faling short of our expectation and end with greater deceite how many favours doe we receive from God and know not of them chiefely perhaps because we seldome reflect vpon them or doe not looke about vs sufficiently if we had once well â—asted of the wine which our Saviour presents vs we should easyly esteeme all other meane and vnworthy to be rasted His wine lasteth for Eternitie If it were wonderfull to turne water into wine much more is it turne synners into saints and that things which to the world are insiped and cold and dead should be restored to heate and colour and life and tast The Apostles beleeved vpon that one signe we having received so many wonderfull benefits shall we not beleeve Applications of the former Meditations to Blessed Sacrament I. THe Ancient Patriarches in the words of the prophet Esay did with much devorion begge that the heavens would send downe thier dew from above and the clouds raine downs the Iust that the earth vvould open and bring forth a Saviour But here the heavens are allvvayes open for vs to behold the beloved Sonne who sits at the right hand of his Father and in vâ—home he it vvellpleased coming dayly downe in the holy Sacrifice in no lesse humble and meeke manner then when he came to be baptized ô that we had the eyes of S. Ihon to see his inward perfections and worth and glorie How should we cover our faces with the Seraphins And say thou comest to me Thou the eternall sonne of God Creatour and Lord of all things thou the beloved of the Angels Thou in vvhome is all hope of life and strength and pleasure vouchsafest to come thus to me most miserable creatute I have greate reason not only to suffer it now but with all the strength of my soule and body to desire it and to labour to fullfill all justice that I may not be altogether vnworthy but thou ô infinite goodnes infinite mercy infinite compassion and love I have not words to expresse what I thinke nor thoughts to equall thy deserts come notwithstanding sweet Jesus and be a Saviour to me II. O bread of life it is not corporall food that can mayntaine me to eternitie nor all that the world can present though I should be master of all the kingdomes of the vvorld thou alone art the sustenance that must maintaine vs to those long dayes I that am made of earth can hardly think of any thing but of earth aÌ„d earthly commodities thou comest from heaven and vvhat thou hast seen to that thou doest invite vs. Come eate of my bread and drink of the vvine vvhich I have mingled for yee Thy bread is thyself having in thee all that can delight and the svveetnes of every thing that is spvorie thy vvine is thy sacred blood which thou hast thus mercifully and admirably mingled with the outward shape of wine that as it is most comfortable to our soules it should not be distastfull to our bodyes this bread will never feyle vs as Sauls did in his iourney nor this wine as in the mariage feast but the more greedyly we feed the more plenty we shall have of the fruits and effects of it Fill your eyes with teares of sorrow and love and poure out your hart to him for even these he will turne to your eternall comfort and fill them againe with his graces Amen III. Come often and see where he dwelleth how poorely he is content to be lodged for thy sake looke into the Churches where be remayns day and night for thee all that is there is not devotion God wor all is not revetence and respect all is not cleanlynes and decencie and yet he doth not avoyde the roome looke into the soules of the attendance and chiefly into thy owne even when he is received into thy inward roomes how are they swept How are they hung How are they furnished for him and yet he hath patience O blessed Master have mercy on thy Servant give me understanding and teach me thy iustifications I am thy servant that I may know thy testimonies It is time of doing o Lord for they have made voyde thy law Therfore have I loved thy commands above gold and pretious stone c. They who did trafick in the Temple are cast forth I. THe Passeover of the â—ewes was at hand and Iesus went vp the Hierusalem and he found 〈◊〉 the Temple them that sold oxen and sheep and doves and the bankers sitting and when he had made as it were a whip of little cord he cast them all out of the temple the sheep also and the oxen and the money of the banker 〈◊〉 poured ouâ— and the tables he overthrew and to them that sold doves he saved take away these hence and make not the house of my Father a house of marchandise Our Saviour duly kept the feast appointed but it was no smale griefe vnto him to see so little respect to that place which being the house of God should be the house of prayer as he sayed in another such occasion Here he thought fitting moreover to shew his zeale and his power But S. Paulinus recals vs home to ourselves and telleth vs that it is for vs convenient that our Lord Jesus would often visit the temple of our hart with the whip of his holy feare least our soule be possest withsome kind of â—vaâ—ice or the slownes and dullnes of oxen retarde our senses or that we set our owne innocencie or the divine graces to sale c. This is a good zeale to imitate And also as S. Bede advertizeth that seeing he shewed so much zeale in behalfe of that Temple in which such sacrifices of oxen and sheep were offered much rather should we shew zeale where the body of our Lord is consecrated where there is no doubt but that the Angels be allwayes present II. He made at it were a whip of little cord The punishments of this life are but as it were a whip in comparison of the torments of the life to come both in respect of the grievousnes of them and of the continuance Yet seeing
such a poore snake Sonne whome the proude Scribes and Pharisees would scarce have looked vpon how ever zealous they seeme here to be of the honour due to God alone III. But Iesus seeing thier thoughts sayth why think 〈◊〉 thus within yourselves Which is easyer to say to the such man thy synns are forgiven Or to say Rise take vp thy couch and walk But that you may know that the Sonne of man hath power on earth to forgive synns I say vnto theâ— Rise take vp thy couch and go into thy house And he forthwith arose and tooke up his couch and went away in the sight of all and all marveled and glorified God who 〈◊〉 given such power to men By answering to thier thoughâ—â— he gave them to vnderstand that by the same power he could also forgive synnes and confirmed it by this miâ—â—cle that as his word was made good in the outward 〈◊〉 so it would by the same vertue be made good in the clearing of soules from synne And observe by the way that as this man coming for his corporall health received with it that which is better so we praying for things which occurre to vs as beneficiall may receive that which is better though perhaps we receive not directly that which we then aske And be not ashamed to confesse thy synnes seeing God knowes thy secretest thoughts Rise take vp thy couch Our couch is our body we take it vp when we cause it to obey the commandments of God it is heavy therfore he sayth walk Few are they who after much infirmitie can runne we walk into our house following the commandment of Christ when after death we are received into the celestiall habitation The calling of S. Matthew I. ANd when Iesus passed thence he saw a man sitting in the custome house named Matthew and he sayth to him follow me and he rose vp and leaving all things followed him Other Evangelists call him levi out of respect to S. Matthew dissembling his ordinarie name He calles himself Matthew and a Publican for as the wiseman sayth the Iust is first in accusing himself And with all sheweth vs that no man must despayre of saluation Iulian the Apostata imputeth it to folly that people vpon a slight call would follow our Saviour as if they had not reason he working so many prodigious wonders Besides that the Majestie of his divinitie which doubtlesse did shew itself in greate measure in his very countenance was able to draw people to him For if a lodestone and amber be able to draw after them materiall things how much more forcibly is the Creatour able to draw his Creatures Looke vpon this mirrour of perfection harken what kind of doctrine and in what manner he delivereth it observe him diligently and thou wilt see thou hast reason to follow him without delay II. And Levi made him a greate feast in his house and there were a greate multitude of Publicans and of others that were sitting at the table with him and with his disciples And the Pharisees seeing sayed to the disciples wherfore doth your Master eate with Publicans and synners These Publicans saw one of thier trade converted to better life therfore they did also hope to find place for repentance and saluation for they did not come to Iesus with intent to remayne in thier former vices as the Pharisees murmured but being repentant as the following words of our Saviour doe insinuate And who sayth S. Gregorie Nazianzen accuseth a Physitian that he visiteth the sick that he abideth the stench that he endeavoureth to set vp the infirme III. Iesus hearing it answered they that are in health and able need not a Physitian but they who are ill at ease Go and learne what it is I will mercy and not sacrifice For I am not come to call the just but synners No man by the law is iust he sheweth therfore that they did in vayne brag of justice And the wiseman asketh this question which concerneth every body Who can say my hart is pure I am frre from synne Let vs therfore have recourâ—e to this mercifull Physitian whose fees are but what is for our profit and not his owne he hath the labour and we the fruite he the thanks and we the reward and seeing mercy is that which he desires and esteemes it as sacrifice follow the advise of old Tobie to his sonne To thy abilitie be mercyfull if thou hast much bestow liberally if thou hast little give a little willingly And that which is allwayes in thy power forgive as thou desireth to be forgiven The third application to the most blessed Sacrament I. S Matthew vpon his conversion made a banket foâ— our Saviour Our Saviour vpon our turning to him makes vs a banket But ô infinite difference that banket was of temporall and perishable meates turning to corruption both of body and soule this banket cometh downe from heaven and giveth life to the world and is his owne flesh and precious blood which whoever eateth hath life â—verlasting Drinking of this cup sayth S. Ambrose our body doth not stagger but doth rise to better life our mind is not trobled but consecrated and made holy And the councell of Florence what ever good effect materiall meate and drink doth work in vs towards corporall life mayntayning increasing repayring and delighting this Sacrament worketh towards our spirituall life it withdrawes vs from that which is evill it strengtheneth vs in that which is good and encreaseth grace and vertue in vs. But if we consider further that it is our Saviour himself who feeds vs with himself the bread of Angels and the true bread from heaven not in figure only as the Manna of the Iewes but really himself as he is God and man what a treasure have we what a banket what love what mercy what desire of our love shewed vs O Sacrum convivium in quo Christus sumitur c. II. It is moreover a medicine for all spirituall diseases and what a legion of syns and imperfections and passions doth possesse vs So exceeding fierce sometimes that no man can passe by but we must have a saying to him or whome by word or example we do not anoy neither remayning in house that is in the Church at our devotions nor in the citty among men of civill conversation but in the sepulchres and in the mountaines among those who live a wild and barren kind of life voyde of good works having little respect to the chaynes of the commandments in which we are bound but breaking them at pleasure and not being willingly subiect to any body A pittifull staâ—e ô Saviour of the world command this evill disposition out of me that it cast me not into the depth among the hogs suffer me to be with thee I beseech thee and I will publish the greate things which thou hast done for me having mercy on me
III. And here most of all must we take our Saviour as he is and as he is pleased to present himself vnto vs vnder the shapes of bread and wine and whatever wind of contradiction rise from our sense or from our weake ynderstanding say vnto it Peace be still and beleeve the power of the mighty hand of God who wiâ—h a word made all things and the infinity of his love who as he gave himself to be rudely handled by the Iewes gives himself here to be lovingly handled by vs vnworthy creatures not valuing that he is sometimes also misused by vs wherin his love is the more manifest and more to be valued by vs. Present him thy hart and soule as a pillow to rest on and attend him resting Afford him the curtesie which the spouse in the canticles received doe not rayse him nor cause him to awake till he wilâ— himself He sleepes but his hart watcheth over thee Let not thy eyes go of from him least through thy negligent attendance thou receive not with him the fruite which he bestoweth vpon the watchfull I rose sayth the spouse to open to my beloved I opened the bolt of my doore for my beloved but he was gone a side and passed away my soule was melted when he spake I sought and did not find him I called and he did not answer me Be devour and quiet and Iesus will stay with thee He rayseth the daughter of Iayrus and cureth the woman of her bloody issue I. THere cometh one of the rulers of the Synagog named Iayrus and seeing him faleth at his feete and besought him much saying my daughter is at the point of death come and lay thy hand vpon her that she may be saved and live And he went with him and a greate multitude followed and thronged him In diseases and death of our soule what expressions ought not we to vse These bring vs truly to the last cast for after our temporall death there is another death to be feared farre more grievous because ever and never dying In these occasions therfore bestirre thyself fall at our Saviours feete beseech him follow him thou seest his readynes to concurre with thy indeavours and to go along with thee feare not that the multitude feare not that the greatnes of thy synnes will divert him from thy help if thou prostrate thyself with a syncere hart and beseech pardon as thou oughtest II. And a woman who was in an issue of blood twelve yeares and had suffered much from many physitians and haâ— bestowed all that she had neither was any thing better but rather worse when she heard of Iesus came behind him in the presse and touched the hemme of his garment for she sayed if I shall touch but his garment I shall be safe and forthwith the fountaine of her blood was dryed vp and she felt in her body that she was healed of that maladie Search into the causes of thy long diseases consider how thou spendest thy time and thy spirituall and temporall substance and vpon whome and why thou goest rather backward then forward come with humilitie and confidence to the Sacraments Let the very name of Iesus give the assurance of remedie specially if thou touch with reverence the garment with which he is pleased to cover his sacred body in the holy â—ucharist which are the resemblances of bread and wine in which he gives vs his sacred flesh and blood and doest not come rudely and disorderly vpon him as the multitude for when Christ remaynes in vs he cooleth the raging law of concupiscence he strengthens devotion and quailes the vnbridled motions of our mind And Iesus turning sayed who hath touched my garments His disciples sayed thou seest the multitude thronging thee and sayest who touched me But the woman fearing and â—remkling fell downe before him and told him the truth and he sayed daughter thy faith hath made shee whole go in peace See how he takes notice of the reverent and not of the rude and how greate a grace it was that she who was ashamed to be seen was not ashamed to confesse her imperfections hide not thy falts acknowledge that which he knowes allready III. As he was speaking they come to the ruler of the Synagog saying thy daughter is dead why doest thou troble the Master any further But Iesus sayth to him feare not only beleeve And be admitted not any to follow him but Peeter Iames and Ihon And seeing folk weeping and wayling sayth why weepe you so She is not dead but sleepeth and they derided him but he having put forth all but the Father and Mother and them that were with him taking her by the hand sayth wench I say to thee rise and forthwith she rose vp and walked and they were greatly astonished and he commanded them earnestly that no body should know it and bad that some thing should be given her to â—ate and the fame of it was spread through the whole countrey God so disposing that the more we are carefull that the good which we doe should be secret God should be more glorifyed by it She rose and walked because a sonle raysed from syâ—ne must be stirre itself that it fall not into a relapse but be dispersing noysome thoughts and dispositions by vertuous actions it must also cast of the multitude of worldly occasions and weepe and wayle those losses only which most of all deserve the name of losses converse with a few and good exercise the fayth of Peeter the hope of Iames the love of Ihon finally frequent the Sacraments to the end to get strength and vigour after so dangerous infirmities He cureth the sickman at the Poole I. IN Heerusalem there was a Poole having five porches in these lay a greate multitude of sick persons blind lame withered expecting the stirring of the water and an Angel of out Lord descended at a certaine time into the poole and the water was stirred and he that had gone downe first into the poole after the stirring of the water was made whole of whatever infirmitiâ— he was holden God in all ages and all times even among the faithfull provideth certaine places where constantly miracâ—es are wrought for the increase of the devotion of the faithfull and to confirme thier fayth of the omnipotent power of God who as he created all with a word can in an instant restore all things to thier perfection yet will not doe it with out our particular concurrence and according to the times and wayes which in his wisdome he hath ordayned But for our spirituall diseases he hath left in all places present remedie with out expecting times and seasons for the holy baptisme may in necessitie be administred by any body and for the Sacrament of penance there be in all places those who are appointed nor for one only or for the first or second but for all and the sooner the infirme come vnto it the better
who art thou I am he who have spread the Canope of the heavens over thy head O power of the omnipotent Wolves round about and the wolves they were changed into sheep The wisdome of the serpent is to looke to the principall as the serpent doth to save his head whatever becomes of the rest of his body this wisdome must be accompanied with synceritie for worldly craft doth not beseeme the servant of him who is the eternall Truth III. Thirdly he commends courage and constancy feare yee not them that kill the body and cannot kill the soule but feare him that can destroy both soule and body into hell Feare of temporall inconveniences is to be overcome with a more just feare of eternall punishment if we shrink from our dutie but much more with love of our dutie and of him for whome we labour and by whom we live And to incourage vs he addeth Are not two sparrowes â—old for a farthing And not one of them shall fall to the ground without your Father But your very hayres of your head are all numbred feare not therfore better are you then many sparrowes and more deere to him whom you justly call Father and who hath a fatherly care over you that you come not to harme but when it is most for his glorie wherin you are also most to glorie For every one that confesseth him before men he will confesse him before his heavenly Father IV. Finally he will have them shake-of all carnall affection whatsoever He that loveth Father or Mother more then me is not worthy of me and he that loveth sonne or daughter above me is not worthy of me and who taketh not up his Crosse and followeth me is not worthy of me The Crosse was the instrument of his death he signifyeth by it that we must be dead to the world and to all worldly contentment Another Gospell sayeth he that taketh not up his Crosse dayly least we should think that one â—ervent act were sufficient our Crosse is allwayes to be caryed that we may testifie that we allwayes love our Saviour These things are hidden from the worldly wise but in fine we shall find them not only necessarie but comfortable according as he sayth in the sequell Come to me all yee that labour and are burdened and I will refresh you take vp my yoake vpon you and learnâ— of me because I am meeke and humble of hart and you shall find rest in your soules for my yoake is sweâ—te and my burden light That which is hard in respect of the labour is easy to the self same parties in gard of thier love for love makes hard things easy and in a manner nothing The death of S. Ihon Baptist. I. HErode apprehended Ihon and bound him and put him in prison because of Herodias his brothers wife for Ihon sayed to him it is not lawfull for thee to have her and willing to put him to death he feared the people because they esteemed him as a Propher No man is so innocent but is subject to suffer either by power offended with out cause or by ennie of others in whose light he is conceived to stand or by mistake aud misconstruing of some word or action or some other accident of a thousand in this world so that it behoveth every body 〈◊〉 be prepared for a blow which when least expected falleth least taken at vnaware he be transported to that which may be vnbeseeming his person or his qualitie in which occasions though innocencie may be modestly pleaded yet the best satisfaction is to content ourselves with a good conscience and not to be too eager in defending but commit himself and his cause to God who in his good time will reâ—eale the truth II. And on Herodes birth day the daughter of Hâ—rodias â—aunced before them and pleased Herode where vpon he promised with an oath to give her whatever she would aske him And she being instructed before by her Mother sayd give me â—ere in a dâ—â—h the head of â—hon Baptist and the King was strooken sâ—d yet because of his oath and for them that sat with him at table he commanded it to be given See how one synne breeds another and to what rashnes passionate affection to any thing brings vs How humane respects overcome reason How the rulers of the world have oftimes least coÌ„mand over themselves And practise betimes moderation that when the occasion happeneth thou mayest not be to seeke O slave of a woman Thou fearedst to have witnesses of thy periurie those who sat at table and fearedst not a world of spectatours of thy vniust murder III. And he sent and beheâ—ded Ihon in the prison And his 〈◊〉 camâ— and tooke the body and buryedâ— and came and told â—esus Consider how S. Ihon tooke the newes first and then the stroke being ever ready for it how happy he was to be at once delivered out of two prisons how much his happy soule was welcomed among the Patriarchs aÌ„d Prophets those of old time and those who were later deceased as old Simeon and his Father Zacharie and â— Ioseph and such others meeting him with ioyfull acclamations and saluting him in the qualitie of forerunner to the Messias so long desired And as his disciples did thier dutie towards his body doe thou to his soule the respect no lesse due to it and imitate his constancie Ihon condemning openly Herodes impietie lost his life but gayned immortall glorie how oft doe we rather fall to flatter for feare of offending or to curry favour The sixt aplication to the B. Sacrament I. VVHat a hidden treasure have we in the most B. Sacrament And what a pearle Christ Iesus in whom are all the treasures of the divinitie and of his sacred humanitie hidden vnder the shapes of bread and wine in most admirable manner and layed vp in the field of holy Church for our refection when ever we shall think good to make vse of it Hidden from our corporall eyes but open to the eyes of fayth buylt vpon his never sayling word This is my Body this is my Blood The living Body and Blood of my Saviour torne and shed for me vpon the Câ—osse but presented intire as it is now in heaven at the right hand of his Father A Treasure signifieth that which is able to supply all our necessities and moreover to inrich vs and rayse vs to a higher stare then that in which we were before Such is our Saviour here offered and moreover a Peaâ—le to adorne vs. How short are all other ornaments to this As a Treasure we hide it and lay it vp in our breasts not thinking of any things els but of it and how we may make best vse of it As a Pearle we glotie to have such an ornament about vs by which we may seeme to all the heavenly Court more beutifull aÌ„d be more welcome And as Pearle is a Cotdiall taken inward so
shall prevayle against it I say vnto thee I whose saying is doing The Keyes which he promiseth signifie wisedome to discerne and power wherby he may refuse the vnworthy and receive the worthy into the Kingdome Buyld confidently vpon this rock submit thyself to these Keyes for our Saviours word and promise cannot fayle Heaven and earth shall passe away but my word shall not passe away Christ foretelleth his Passion I. FRom thence forward he began to shew his Disciples that he must go to Hierusalem and suffer many things from the Scribes and chiefe Priests and â—e Killed and the third day rise againe And Peeter taking him vnto him began to rebuke him saying Lord bee it farre from thee this â—hall not happen to thee who turning sayed to Peeter Go after me Satan thou art a scandal to me because thou savourest not the things that are of God but the things which are of men The more knowledge he imparted to them of his divinitie the more he did inculcate to them that he was to suffer that by the beleefe of his power as God they might be the lesse trobled when they should see him suffer as man but hope as then in his resurrection so ever after in thier owne aflictions for his assistance from above Peeter vnderstood not as yet how these things might stand together and out of his affection to our Saviour and naturall aversion from suffering measured his desires that they might both he happy without suffering Our Saviour ranketh him among the instruments of Satan as withdrawing him 〈…〉 â—ourse which God had appointed and teach 〈…〉 we must not only beleeve that it ought to have 〈…〉 but to find sweetnes in it in regard that it is God 〈◊〉 To whom all things savour as they are and no◠〈…〉 are sayed or esteemed to be he is truly wise and â—aught rather by God then by men II. Then Iesus sayed to his Disciples If any man will come after me let him deny himself and take vp his Crosse and follow me for he that will save his life shall loose it and he that shall loose his life for me shall find it You forbid me to suffer but I say vnto you not only if I doe not suffer it will be hurtfull for you but if you also doe not dye you cannot be saved nor any body els man or woman rich or poore and yet observe that he doth not say vnlesse a man dye whether he will or no but he that will loose his life Now what it is to deny ourselves we may easyly learne if we consider what it is to deny another and who ever by denying himself flyeth synne must labour to increase also in vertue for therfore it is added let him take vp his Crosse and follow me III. For what doth it profit a man if he gaine the whole world and sustaine damage of his soule For the Sonne of man shall come in the glorie of his Father vvith his Angels and then vvill he render to everyone according to his works For we have not another soule to put in place of that which we loose Here thou mayest give teares and almes and fasting There such things will have noe place if differred for the judge jndgeth of thingh past Doest thou feare this kind of death Harken how he promiseth glorie Doest thou feare a Crosse Behold the Angels coming to receive thee And remember that he will render to every one according to his workes there is no acception of Persons rich or poore not the man but the worke is regarded In all things have regard to the end and how thou wilt stand before the severe Judge froâ— whome nothing is hidden Th. a Ke. l 1. c. 24. The seaventh Application to the most Blessed Sacrament I. THe miracle of the five loaves multiplyed so as to serve five thousand people was fore-runner to the mysterie of the most blessed Sacrament admirable in very many things and in this particular that one and the same Body of our Saviour vnder the shapes of bread and wine is distributed in the whole Christian world to millions of people at one and the self same instant oftime and consecrated in millions of places at once by the word of our Saviour pronounced by so many severall Priests but as then our Saviour by his divine power did not make of One loafe many but still multiplyed the same loaves till all were satisfyed and had notwithstanding a remaynder of twelue baskets fâ—ll of the fragments so now by the same divine power he gives vs his self-same body in many pleaces at once and not only while we are actually receiving as the heretiks fayne by their faith but afterwards to be reserved for the occasions of sick and dying people and for the continuall comfort of Christians that as he is ever present to the Church triumphant in heaven so the Châ—rch militant might not want the continuall comfort of his actuall and reall presence with it There be many Priests and in many places Christ is offered that the grace and love of God may appeare so much the more towards men by how much the more this holy communion is spread through the world Thanks be to thee sweete Iesus eternall pastour who hast vouchsafed to refresh vs poore banished people with thy most pretious body and blood II. They who looke no further then naturall reason and ordinarie principles of Philosophie doe lead them will be apt to say in this particular and many others concerning this blessed Sacrament with the Jewes How can this man give vs his flesh to eate And the winds and waves of contrarie arguments will rise so as to indanger to over whelme vs unlesse confident vpon our Saviours woâ—d we tread them vnder foote and doe not suffer our Faith to grow cold and weake in it It is I that say it sayth our Saviour â—e not affrayd to give credit to my word in this more then in any other mysterie of your faith in which you will find full as much contrarietie to human reason as in this if you fall to questioning how can this be So Nicodemus did in the point of baptiâ—meâ— How can theâ—e things be done so did the Arians in the blessed Trinitie How can the Sonne be equally eternall with the Father O thou of little faith werfore didst thou doubâ— And by doubting experience the wind to grow stronger and stronger against thee so as to be ready to sink wheras at first vpon his word thou wert confident and didst walke without feate Lord save me that I may not perish with the incredulous III. I am not worthy ô Lord to partake of this bread of Angels it were enough for me to stand a looâ—e and feed vpon the crumbs which fall from the table of that heavenly court But â— the goodnes and greatnes of our Saviour not content to feed vs with the comfort of holy Scriptures nor wiâ—â—
Our glorie must be in our hope of heaven and that by Gods goodnes we are in a way towards it all other thingâ—â—vayle vs little but as these are accoÌ„panied with humilitie and other vertues Whosoever rejoyceth in that which another hath not by his very abundaÌ„ce he becometh the worse because his joy is noâ— of the common good but of his private interest III. In that very houre he rejoyced in spirit and sayed I confesse to thee Father Lord of heaven and earth because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent and hast revealed them to little ones and turning to his disciples he sayed Blessed are the eyes that see the things that you see for I say vnto you many prophets and Kings desired to see those things which you see and saw them not and to heare the things that you heare and heard them not Our Saviour rejoyced not at the synne of those by whose falt and presuming to be wise these things were hidden from them but at the goodnes of his heavenly Father who did not disdayne to reveale thâ—Ì„ to those who in the world were coÌ„teÌ„ptible And what are these things But that by humilitie and by suffering we must go to glorie and that in this is the happines of this life not in the wealth and honour and pleasurs which men so much hunt after and think themselves only then happy when they injoy them at will and miserable whenever they are bereaved of any of them Blessed are the eyes which see these things in our Saviours life and doctrine now as well as when the Apostles saw him vpon earth Many Prophets and Kings before our Saviours coming desired to see and heare them we have the same blessing according to his owne saying to S. Thomas Blessed are they that have not seen and doe beleeve The ninth Application to the most Blessed Sacrament I. HEre we are to admire the goodnes of God and of our Blessed Saviour towards vs who notwithstanding that we are so imperfect and all the good we do if we do any so much mingled with things distastfull to him that we deserve to be kept aloofe of as the lepers and oftimes perhaps to be shutout of the citty of heaven for greater offenses yet vpon our crying to him for mercy and shewing ourselves to the Priests in the Sacrament of confession he admitteth vs so familiarly to his holy table O with what gratitude should we magnifie him for so great mercy and love with what humilitie should we cast ourselves vpon our faces before his feetâ— giving thanks and purposing to be perpetually mindfull of so greate a benefit But where are our thoughs oftimes eveÌ„ when we should most attend Our repeditie and negligence is much to be lamented and pittyed that we are not drawne with more devotion to receive our Saviour Christ. In whome is all the hope of them that be to be saved and all their merit If one in ten of out thoughts be imployed this way we think it a greate matter wheras our whole atteÌ„dance were indeed nothing in coÌ„parison of that which this greate goodnes of our Saviour deserveth II. Our Saviour to cure the blind man and to give him his sight layed clay vpon his eyes which seemed quite contrarie to the cure we also if we will see the truth of this mysterie must close vp our eyes to humane reason according to that which our Saviour answered the Iewes vpon this occasion for they asking him Are we also blind He sayed to them if you were blind you should not have synne but now you say we see your synne remayneth S. Lewis of FraÌ„ce when his courtiers brought him newes that there was a little child to be seen in the Priests hands as he was lifting vp the sacred host would not stirre to see it but answered that he beleeved the reall preseÌ„ce of our Blessed Saviour vpon better ground then that sight could affoard him He was truly illuminated with the light of faith shutting his eyes to curiositie and opening them to the words of our Saviour who is true light and cannot deceive I am the light of the world He that followeth me walâ—eth not in darkenes however darke the mysteries of faith seeme to be III. And if we reflect vpon the other title which he giues himself of good Pastour In what could he shew his goodnes more then that having once offered that greate oblation of himself vpon the Crosse and given his life for vs he resteth not content with that but dayly would have it offered for vs yea hourely through the whole world for our greater comfort and satisfaction providing that his sheepe may never want so fertill a pasture but vpoÌ„ all occasioÌ„s may haue such celestiall food at haÌ„d See how they who record the passioÌ„ aÌ„d sufferings of our Saviour in time of the holy sacrifice drinking of the spirituall fountains springing from that â—orrent of love doe delight themselves with sweete teares above all delicacies And how much sweetenes they do suck into their soules inquiring and consâ—dering where their God is Certainly this one word and this one consideration that God is so neere them not only as to the whole world but in this particular familiar and constant way is able to melt the hart of any loving soule and abundantly to fill it with all delight â—â—This good Pastour giverth his life for his sheepe in that he delivereth his Body and Blood in this Sacrament and with the substance of his owne flesh doth feed the sheepe which he redeemed The parable of the man wounded in his way to Iericho I. ANd behold a certaine lawyer stood vp tempting him and saying Master by doing of what thing shall I possesse life everlasting He sayed to him in the law what is written How readest thou He answering sayed Thou shalt love thy Lord thy God with thy whole hart and with thy whole soule and with all strength and with all thy mind And they neigbour as thyself And he sayed to him thou hast answered right doe this and thou shall live How many doe say would to God I knew the direct way how to be saved or how to overcome my passions And having it before their eyes they heed it noâ— the weake resolution or difficultie which they have about forsaking either their will or their companie or their wonted steps blinding them life everlasting when they think of it is a greate attractive and deservedly but whether they perswade themselves thoroughly that it deserves so much paines as they conceive is to be taken that is the question and yet as this man confesseth the way is love which makes all things in the world easy for vnlesse worldly people did love their employments they would find no lesse difficultie in serving the world then they apprehend in serving God Love God and they neigbour and nothing will be hard II. But â—e desirous to iâ—stifie himself
he thought himself vnworthy to behold or to be looked on Heaven had been a long time out of his thoughts he held it too soone to take the boldnes to looke vp to it however he desired it He did reverence it more by humbly looking downe then by lifting his eyes towards it And he knocked his breast doing penance for his synns and confessing them and asking of pardon what wonder is it if vpon acknowledgment he obtayned remission O God be mercy full to me a sinner III. I say vnto you This man went downe into his house justified more then he because every one that exalteth himself shall be humbled and he who humbleth himself shall be exalted This is a document not to judge others easily according to our Saviours rule Iudge not according to the face or outward appearance but iudge iust iudgment vvhich is easyet to doe of ourselves then of others for what doe we know of anothers inward disposition Yea even of ourselves A man knoweth not whether he deserve love or hatred Secondly It is a general rule that humilitie is the only secure way to heaven Every one that exalteth himself shall be humbled And even in ordinarie things a body may observe that after pride comes some fall or disgrace And seeing our Saviour the eternall wisedome of God choose this way to be exalted not so much in regard to himself as for our example and instruction it were a kind of madnes to seeke to be greate in any other vvay or in any other thing then in humilitie It is a greate and rare vertue to doe greate things and not to esteeme thy self greate that the sanctitie which is manifest to all should be hidden from thyself to appeare admirable and to reckon thy self contemptible This I take to be the most admirable vertue of all the rest He must needs be a faithfull servant who suffereth nothing to stick to his fingers of that glorie vvhich though it proceedeth not from him yet passeth through his hands shall I speake to my Lord seeing I am dust and askes If I esteeme myself better behold thou standest against me c. The twelfth Application to the most Blessed Sacrament I. THe lost sheepe sought so carefully the prodigall Child intertayned so lovingly the humble Publican iustified so mercyfully give vs occasion to glorifie our B. Saviour who in the most B. Sacrament laying aside his infinite glorie and leaving it with the quires of Angels comes into our desert here below dayly to seeke vs and moved with compassion comes running towards vs and kisseth vs Quickly put on the best stole thou canst and a ring on thy singer in testimony that eternally thou wilt be his He feasteth thee with the most costly and most sumptuous banket that can be imagined his owne most pretious body and blood his divinitie and humanitie his merits and example and spared not his owne life and labour to provide it for thee O that we could heare the Musick vvhich the Angels make at this feast and behold their dauncing or their reverend behaviour For that at which the Angels tremble and dare not freely behold in regard of the splendour which darts forth of it on that we feed to that we are vnited and made one body and one flesh with Christ let vs make at least what musick we can combining divers acts of vertue to intertayne him say with the Publican and with his humble comportment O God be mercyfull to me a synner say with the prodigall child I am not worthy say with the Psalmist I have sworne and resolved to keepe the judgments of thy justice Say with holy Church O sacrum convivium in quo Christus sumitur II. The elder Brother to the prodigall hearing of the feast would not go in till his Father came out and desired him The Fathers desire must prevayle with vs more then the example of the elder brother and incourage vs not easyly to abstaine from this banket If we desire eternall life let vs willingly runne to receive this blessing and beware that the enimie to hinder vs lay not before vs as a snare some hurtfull scrupulositie It is written sayth he that he that vnwortyhly eareth of this bread eateth judgmeÌ„t to himself and I trying myself find myself vnworthy When therfore shalt thou be worthy When wilt thou present thyself to thy Saviour For if by synning thou be vnworthy and doest not leave to synne for according to the Psalmist who vnderstands his transgressions Thou wilt be wholy deprived of this life-giving Sanctisication Wherfore I beseech the intertayne better thoughts live vertuously and holily and partake of this blessing which beleeve me is a remedie not only against death but against all diseases For Christ our Saviour remayning in vs doth asswage the raging law of Concupiscence strengtheneth devotion quayleth the inordinate motions of our minde III. Lazarus though never so full of sores lying at this rich mans gate will not be refused the croms that fall from this table begging them with true feeling of his povertie and want and true desire of being relieved what are these croms The promise of neverdying He that eateth this bread shall not dye but live for ever The hope of eternitie The remayning in Christ and Christ in him a more intimate participation of his merits a more constant separation from the wicked world and a glorious resurrection What is the bosome of AbrahaÌ„ to the rest which we may finde in our Saviour when we have him in out bosome Would to God by thy presence thou would dest wholy inflame me and change me into thyself that I may be one spirit with thee Our Saviour perswads perfection I. ANd behold one came and sayed to him Good master what good shall I doe that I may have life everlasting who sayth to him what askest thou me of good One is good God but if thou wilt enter into life keepe the commandments He sayed to him which And Iesus sayed thou shalt not murder thou shalt not commit Adulterey thou shalt not steale c. The youngman sayeth to him all these have I kept from my youth what is yet wanting vnto me First he did not reflect that perseverance was yet wanting which no body can promise himself but must be continually indeaâ—ouring to it and praying for it as a gift above all gifts Secondly he did not perhaps sufficiently reflect from whome he had received so much grace as to have kept all the commandments from his youth nor did esteeme of that benefit as he ought Thirdly in our Saviours answer that only God is good we may find both the humilitie of our Saviour referring all the goodnes which was remarkable in him to his heavenly Father without staying his thougs in himself though he were equally good An instruction for ourselves that all good comes from God all vertue all observance all possibilitie of entring vnto life Adore
a part one from the other the separation of his body and blood at his death is plainly signified is truly a very admirable thing worthy of his former greatnesses and able to draw the harts of all after him by consideration of his love II. We need no other light to see this truth then the cleare word of our Saviour yet we have also the consent of all ages the practise of all Christians the authoritie of all the devoutest and learnedest men in the whole world who are acknowledged by all to have been lights of the world we have infinite miracles which to discredit were to belye the eyes of a world of people Let vs walke in this light and the darknes in which some are by sticking over much to their owne phancie and naturall discourses will not overtake vs we must walke from humane apprehensions to the power of God to the love of our Saviour to the eternall wisedome to the infallible veritie of his word walking thus we shall not walke vpon vncertainties not knowing whiter we go but as obedient and dutifull Children of God we shall admire his works and submit our thoughts vnto him and gratefully receive the benefit bestowed vpon vs. Thou must beware of curious and vnprofitable searching into this most profound Sacrament if thou wilt not be drouned in the deepth of doubtfullnes III. But besides humble beleefe and profound adoration of this blessed mysterie we must have the wedding garment of Charitie being invited and admitted to so greate a feast in which all things are ready to our hand and to so incomparable a mariage as is the coniunction of our Saviour to our soule and body VVho would not desire this mariage who would not indeavour to make himself worthy Cast of the thoughts for the present of farme and marchandise and what ever other thing and delay not thy coming with frivolous excuses the bad and the good were admitted the perfect and imperfect neither had that one man been reiected if he had conserved the puritie with which he was admitted or if he crept in without that puritie he was the more iustly punished as daring to aproch to so greate a mysterie without that which himself could not but know to be necessarie VVhen I weigh thy dignitie ô Lord and my vilenes I doe greatly tremble and am confounded within myself for if I doe not aproch I fly life if I thrust myself it vnworthily I doe offend Signes of the coming of our Saviour I. PART I. IEsus being gone out of the temple went and his disciples came to shew him the buyldings of the temple And he sayed to them doe you see all these things Amen say to you there shall not be left here a stone vpon a stone that shall not be destroyed The ruine of Hierusalem was a figure of the ruine of the world that city was glorious in buylding and specially the Temple yet for the abuses committed it came to vtter destruction The buyldings which men had buylt stood for a time Holynes which God had ordayned was neglected Doe you see all these things of this world They all passe away if nothing els concurre to their destruction time itself alone will ruine them if you will buyld for eternitie you must buyld in your soules a buylding of vertues these be stones which may be allwayes conserved Humilitie and patience and resignation and contempt of worldly pelse in the foundation fortitude and courage and resolution and magnanimitie in the walls Constancie and perseverance and prayer aÌ„d contemplation in the roofe Charitie and beneficence the love of God and of our neighbour through the whole buylding from the bottome to the top for this is the bond of perfection and without it we are nothing as the Apostle professeth of himself These be stones that is hard to sense and worldly humours but once polished by the example of our Saviour they become smooth and so beautifull in their postures that it is a pleasure to others to behold them and a constant content to them that have them II. And when he was siting vpon mount Olivet the disciples came to him secretly saying Tell vs when these things shall be and what shall be the signe of thy coming and of the consummation of the world Iesus answering sayed beware that no man seduce you for many shall come in my name saying I am Christ and they shall seduce many you shall heare warres and bruites of warres see that you be not trobled for these things must be done but the end is not yet Nation shall rise against nation and Kingdome against Kingdome and there shall be pestilences and famins and earthquakes in places And these things are the beginning of sorrowes Our Saviour having spoken of the ruine of the Temple his disciples imagined that the world would be quickly at an end and would fayne have knowne some further signe He to vndeceive them first exhorts them to coâ—stancie in their faith and that whatever doe happen they stick to him as their only true Master They will have many assalts in that kind many inward doubts many outward temptations many that will say why not thus and thus Contrarie to what is really true and solide but beware and follow not the many seduced but keepe yourselves to this one Christ one Lord and Master by whom are all things Then he foretells them of the severall accidents and miseries which will happen in the world by warre and famine by pestilence and the like to the end they should not be trobled VVhen such things happen but conceive of them as disposed by the providence of God for triall of the iust or permitted to the malice of men as the beginning of their forrowes who are cause of vniust quarrells and vniust dealing It is good for vs that some time we have some greevances and contratieties because oftimes they recall a man home to his hart III. Then shall they deliver you into tribulation and shall kill you and you shall be odious to all nations for my names sake and then many shall be scandalized and they shall deliver vp one another and they shall hate one another and many false Prophets shall rise and shall seduce many and because iniquitie shall abound the Charitie of many shall wax cold but he that shall persever to the end shall be saved Besides all other accidents which are matter of patience he foretells them that they shall be persecuted directly for their faith and doctrine and vertuous life and followed even to death because they are his which is matter of greate comfort and reioycing For as S. Peter tells vs if doing well you bâ—â—re patiently this is thanke before God soe we must be farre from wondering or sorrowing if we chance to be haâ—ed doing well or betrayed by whom we least mistrust much farther from suffering our charitie to wax cold vpon it but rather bend our bow the more against
blessed Sacrament and there wherâ— thou art in glorie when it shall please thee to call me to â—hee Amen The third seate the seate of Majestie I VVHen the Sonne of man shall come in his majestie aÌ„d all the Angels with him theÌ„ he shall sit vpoÌ„ the seate of his majesty and all nations shall be gathered together before him If his countenance were terrible when he tooke outhoritiâ— vpon him in this world what will it be when mounted on high vpon the Cloudes he shall have all the World before him at once and come with thousands of attendance to doe justice against all and coâ—vince all the impious of all the works â—f their impieâ—ie and shall thunder out that terrible sentence against those who shall have deserved it Go yee accursed into fire everlasting Art thou able to looke vp to that terrible seate Or rather looke downe into thy hart and wash it quickly with reates that that fire may not find where to take hold of thee That day is a day of â—ratâ— â— day of tribulation and anguish a day of calamitie and miserie a day of darkenes and mist a cloudy and stormy day a day of trumpâ—t and alarme against the strongest and highest that people â—hall even wither away with feare and expâ—ctation of what will come vpon them He preached here an acceptable day if here we receive what he preached we may be there accepted of if we neglect here that day will be little wâ—lcome to vs a dismall day to those who have here spent their dayes vnprofitably Iâ— S. Ihon in his Apocalyps describeth this seate saying I saw a greate white throne and one siting vpon it from whosâ— sight earth and heavâ—n fled and there was not plâ—ce found fâ—â— them and I saw the dead greate and little stand in the â—ight of the throne and bookes were opened and anothâ—r booke was opened which is of life and the deaâ— wereâ—â—dged of thosâ— things â—hich were written in the bookes aâ—cording to their workes and the sea gave thâ— dead that were in it and death and hell gave their dead that wâ—re in them and it was iâ—dged of every one according to their workes And death and hell were cast into the poole of firâ— This is the second death And he that was not found 〈…〉 in the bookâ— of lifâ— was cast into the poole of fire Behold againe and againe this greâ—te seatâ— of the judge and his Assessours behold the inhabitants of 〈…〉 declining as much as they can this sight but that they found no place to fly from him behold the dead of all sorts greate and little rich and poore Kings and slaves and no difference to be seen among them but by their workes Behold the bookes of every ones conscience layed open not only to the iudge and to every one of his Assessours but to all the standers by so that thousands and millions will be looking into thy secretest thoughts and actions and see that which thou wouldest not have God to have seen if it had been possible and not only thy actions but thy intentions so oft dissembled aÌ„d laboured to be cloked with I know not what Caâ—st thou abide these lookes Now thou canst not then of force thou must to thy vtter shame and confusion no wonder that the wicked are described to begin to say to the mountaines fall vpon vs and to the hills cover vs. For it will be an intollerable disgrace to be thus looked on How willingly would the allready damned have remained where they were and not have here appeared But death and hell must of force give vp their dead and the sea and the earth and wherever they were concealed Finally looke if thou canst for feare and trembling into that poole of fire so vast that it is capable of a whole world of corpses as stinking and as filthy as they are see how it gapes vpon thee see the vggly smoke that riseth from it Go downe into it living that thou mayest escape it dying III Doe not mistake thyself and think that this day so dreadfull is farre of it will be represented vnto thee as the greate world in a little mal at whatever houre thou shalt come to dy then the sunne will be darkened as to thee and the moone will not give the light all thy pretenses will fall to ground as so many starres on which thou wert gazing and the powers of those heavens in which thou hast placed thy hopes and thy felicitie will all fayle thee Anguish and confusion and troble and feare will â—eise thee if before hand thou hast not provided so that when the signe of the sonne of man shall appeare thou mayest say with S. Andrew O good Crosse long desired and now prepared for my loving soule I come vnto thee secure and ioyfull receive me also ioyfully who am the disâ—iple of him who did hang vpon thee O mercyfull Saviour who art to be my Iudge by thy infinite mercy I'beseech thee that thou wilt now protect me that I may be then protected delivet me from evill now that I may then be delivered in that evill day If thou be good to me here it will be then well with me for if God be for vs who will be against vs and he delivered thee for vs all as a pledge of his love and mercy towards vs as a mediatour for vs betwixt his mercy and his iustice Who then shall separate vs from the Charitie of Christ With which either he doth love vs or we him I am sure that neither death nor life nor Angels nor things presâ—nt nor things to come shall separate vs. c I reioyce with the multitude of Angels and Saints at thy victorie over thy eâ—imies and at thy iust iudgements over them Give me grace to ovbercome them here that with thee Lord God Omnipotent we may reigne for ever and ever Amen Alleluiâ— The fourth seate the seate of love I. HIs seate of love is the most blessed Sacrament of the Altar For what can be more lovely then Christ in our hands in our mouths in our breasts in our soules Here he doth act all the parts which possibly love can expresse he desireth to be continually with vs he accomodateth himself in a way that he may be witâ— vs and within vs with out all manner of offence because in the shape of bread and wine he beareth wtih our infintie and hourely imperfections and doth not avoyde vs for them He is continually giving vs himâ—elf in whome are all treasures And because it is neither necessarie nor fitting that he should againe die for vs yet he is so pleased with his death for vs that he will have it dayly commemorated and in a divine kind of manner acted and represented in this blessed Sacrament The bread and the Câ—alice being consecrated severally into his body and blood as if one were separâ—ted from the other He acts the part of a father
in providing such sustenance for vs of a mother and nurse in feeding vs at his owne breast of a frend iâ— comforting and assisting vs All these kindnesses require loving coâ—respondence on our part let vs â—leare ourselves of as many imperfections as ws can that we may be lesse troblesome accommodate ourselves to his will and pleasute in all things and be continually giving ourselves even to death for his sake if he so require and be sure never to be from him by any grievous offence II It is sayed in the first of kingâ— that the soule of Ionâ—thâ—s was ioyned fâ—st to the soule of David and Ionathas lovâ—d him as he owne soule and they entred aleague and Ionathas striped himself of the coate where with he was clothed and gave it to David and thee rest of his garments vnto his sword and bow and vnto his belt Such ought to be our love towards our blessed Saviour in this most blessed Sacrament not only to be able to say with S. Paul Who shall separate vs from the Charitie of Christ Tribulation or distresse or famine or nakednes or danger or persecution or the sword But we must indeavour to have so tender a love towards him that we be as it Were one soule and one body for this is the inteÌ„t of this his loving and familiar communication of himself vnto vs forâ— as melted waxe if it be poured into other waxe they are throughly mingled one with the oother so he that receiveth the blessed body and blood of our Saviour is ioyned vnto him so that Christ is to be found in him and he in Christ. He being sonne to the king of heaven striped himself of his glorie to cloth vs with glorie and gave vs the rest of his garments that is his verâ—uous life and example to imitate of what should not we strip ourselves to offer vnto him Specially our passions of Anger and splâ—nâ— and revenge so contrarie to this Sacrament of lâ—ve and lay them at his feete never to take them vp but in his defence and purely in his cause III Our everlasting happines consisteth in our ever permanent vnion with God in celestiall blesse Of this happines this blessed Sacrament is a beginning and a pledge who would not be ever greedy to inioy it Entring into the ioy of his Lord so oft as â—e could and because knowledge is the greatest sput to love who would not be ever â—â—minating and ever loving his perfections and with the Cherâ—bins and Seraphins saying Holy holy holy Thoâ— art my God my Crâ—atoâ—r my Redeemer infinite in power in Wisedomâ— in goodnes in mercyes in liberalitiâ— in patienâ—e iâ— humilitie in all things imaginable Thou art the giver of all good gifts and fountaâ—â—e of living watâ—rs the â—â—tidotâ— against all evills my strength o Lord and my refuge with thee I wâ—ll dwell because thee have I choosen possesse thou I beseech thee my hart Absorbeat quaeso 〈◊〉 meam ignita ac melliflua vis amoris â—ui vt â—more amoris tui moriar qui amorâ— amoris mei dignatus es mori Amâ—n The fift seate the seate of Compassion I. THe seate of Compassion is the Crossâ— on which he hung At the foote wherof finding the Magdalen I will first with her bewayle my synns which have been cause of so painefull and so disgracefull a death of so happy and so worthy a person O synne what can setforth thy enorâ—itie more theâ— that to get pardon for thee and to deface thee it behoved thâ— sonne of God â—o suffer No blood could wash the away but the blood of this lambe of God O stayne in grayne no mâ—decine cure thee but the sacred flesh of this immaculaâ—e body thus brused O venome intollerable Who will give to my head water and to my eyes a fountâ—ine of teâ—râ—s and I will â—eepe 〈◊〉 â—â—ment day and night the death of this King of all â—ations slaughtered for my synns a King crowned with thornes which ought every one of them to pearce my hâ—rt and puâ—ish in me the pride and sensualitiâ— of which he never was guyltie O nayles in his hands and feete You have miâ—taken the place where you should have been struck They are my hands and feetâ— which have synned this man whâ—t harme hath he done I find no cause iâ— him O God my God wherfore hâ—st thâ—â— thou forsaken him aâ— given him over to such a cruell death O death I will be thy dâ—â—th I will be thy mortall bit â— Hell For ioyning myself With his powerfull grace and by the merits of this victorious death I will synne no more and die rather a thousand death then offend him II. Sorrow full 〈◊〉 my soulâ— vnto death And what wonder For if I follow thee from the place where thou didst make thy last supper to the â—rosse I find nothing but teares or blood nothing but tants and scâ—ffs nothing but bloâ—â—s â—nd stripes â—othing bâ—t wouâ—ds and tâ—rments nothing but 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 against thee my God my Saviour my love What doth this thy Prayer signifie Father if it be possiblâ— let this Chalicepasse from â—e O bitter Chalice Which so much sweetnes as was in thee would not alay I doe not say it could not for certainly the request thou didst make was possible to be granted but thou wouldest not Thou didst offer thyself uÌ„to it becausâ— thou wouldest Yet this doth not excuse me from compassionating thee for however there was a Kind of necessitie put vpon thee O hard necessitie O that from my eyes there could trickle downe such drops of blood as then from thy whole body O drowsie head of mine Why doe I sleepe in this occasion Behold the Traytâ—ur sleepeth not What doe these clubs and sâ—aves and swords about this mild and innocent lambe He was dayly in the Temple among you what did you heare from him but good Their eares are stopped they hale him away by night they buffet him they misvse him they condemne him to dye as guiltie of what What â—ccusâ—tion bring you â—â—â—inst this man I am the mâ—lefactour I â—m â—e that haâ—h synned I have done wickedly this lambe what hath he done Let this â—and I bâ—sâ—â—ch thee be turned vpon me and vpon the house of my soule which hath harboured so many vnlawfull tumultuoâ—s and â—iotouâ— guests against the law of God and man III. Harken what a sound the lashes give which were loded vpon his tendeâ— skin perhaps for houres together behold the â—urroâ—es which they hâ—ve made in his sacred flesh and hold thy eyes from weeping if thou be so stoutâ— and thy hart from faynting if it be so hard O shame O confusion Behold the mâ—n Is this the man so cryed vp not long â—ince and now so much cryed downe as to be set behinde a murtherer and a thâ—â—fâ— and a seditioâ—s fellow O sencelesse change Take him away 〈◊〉 him away cruciâ—ie him O cry vnmercyfull Take him into thy