this time forvvard thou shalt be taking men and having brought thier ship to land leaving all things they follovved him Miserable creatures who fall out of the net in which our Saâ—iour hath taken them more miserable those who teare it Happy they who are called and imployed to assist that it be not torne They will be filled with heavenly graces and though they be often ready in a manner to sink vnder the burden they will be relieved in time so that they shall suffer no prejudice Fall downe before our Saviour with admiration and thanks and acknowledgment of thy vnworthynes Peeter doth not aske to be forfaken but that he may not with the successe be puffed vp with pride Leave all things rather then leave thy Saviour c. Second Application to the most blessed Sacrament I. OSonne of the highest o depth of mercy and love I a synfull man and thou not only to receive me into thy ship but into thyself for so are thy words he that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood remayneth in me and I in him O deepth vnsearcheable the life of the fish is to be in water it thinks it death to be in the net and struggles to get out But here is a net out of which no man that is wise will be because the more he is in it the more water he hath and the more scope to doe whatever is fitting to be done His precious wounds are as so many messhes which captivate vs to Christ yet doe let in vnto vs the fountaines of living vvater promised to the devout Samaritan fresh sweete pleasant springing vp to life everlasting in which we may live and drink when ever we will Lord give me the right tast of this vvater that I may not go other where and thirst when I have done I am not worthy to approch vnto thee because I am a synfull man but thou hast ordayned this sea of vvater to the end that plunged in it we should both be cleansed and refreshed and live eternally in thee O that we did knovv how greate a gift this is fall dovvne at his knees and aske he is not sparing of his gifts who so freely and bountifully giveth his owne self vnto thee II. O prodigious bounty O wonderfull dulnes of such as hearing and knowing that Iesus comes thus dovvne from heaven for our reliefe doe not make hast vnto him How insensible are we of our dangers and our diseases we have but one soule which ought to be more deere vnto vs the any Sonne to his father it lyeth gasping oftimes for life and here is life which offereth itself and we are slow in accepting it VVhen a sick person begins to have no heate in his fecte we say he begins to die what are the feete of our soule but our affections If these be not warmed with this fire of love which is our Saviour what can we thinke of ourselves Lord come dovvne before my soule dye O stupiditie of mankind can this Lord of Lords come dovvne lower then he hath done he came into a Virgins wombe into the Crib vnto the Crosse into the jawes of death and yet here he comes lower then in all these into thy bosome into thy breast Go and beleeve and obey readyly his commands and his Angels will meete thee and bring thee the ioyfull tidings of health and thou wilt know that that houre most of all will be the time in which thy feaverish distempers will leave thee III. Be not still asking with Nicodemus in the cold night of thy tepiditie hovv can these things be done But buyld vpon the testimony of our Saviour who speakes vvhat he knovves will be done vpon his word this is my body God so loved the vvorld as to give his only Sonne this sonne hath no lesse love to the world then his father He giveth himself and is dayly giving in this admirable manner noâ— contenting himself to be once only for three and thirtie yeares and vpward vpon earth he will be with vs to the worlds end really present among vs that after-ages need not envy those yeares of his visible appearance having the selfsame Sonne of God here present vnder these visible shapes more vniversally through the whole world and more for our present vse and necessities Exalt him as Moyses did the serpent in the desert Behold him with a devouâ— and loving eye and he will preserve thee Cast out all earthy conceites and tumultuous busineses from the temple of thy hart and make it as it ought to be specially in this coniuncture of time a house of prayer a house of thanksgiving a house of prayse and of magnifying thy loving Saviour who hath done so greate things for thee and this greatest of all that he vouchsafeth to be within thee O invisible creatour of the world how wonderfully doest thou deale with vs how sweetly and graciously with thy elect offering thyself vnto them to be received in this Sacrament His fervourin preaching and divers cures I. ANd they enter into Capharnaum and forth with vpon the Sabboth going into the Synagog he taught them and they were astonied at his doctrine for he taught as having power and not as the Scribes And there was in the Synnagog a man possessed with a vncleane spirit who cryed out what to vs and to thee Iesus of Nazareth art thou come to destroy vs I know who thou art the holy of God And Iesus threatened him saying hold thy peace and go out of the man And the uncleane spirit tearing him and crying out with a lowde voyce went out and did not hurt him And they all marvelled and questioned among themselves what thing is this What is this new doctrine For with power he commandeth the vncleane spirits and they obey And the bruitâ— of him went forth presently through the whole country we have no lesse reason to admire and rejoyce and magnifie his name and his power which he retaynes over all evill spirits and his wonderfull wholsome doctrine and to begge he will ever exercise the same power over them to restrayne thier malice and over vs by the force and vertue of his doctrine to over-power all that may contradict it in vs for we find a law within vs striving against the law of our mind which is reason and vertue and captivating vs vnder the law of synne vnhappy that we are who shall deliver vs But the grace of God by Iesus Christ. This law as it were teareth vs in peeces yet doth not hurt vs vnlesse we voluntarily consent vnto it for it is left in vs not to damnation but for exercise and reward if we fight couragiously II. Going forth of the Synagog they came into the house of Andrew and Simon Simons wifes Mother lay sick of a greate fever and they besought him for her and taking her by the hand he commanded the fever away and it left her and she presently rising ministred vnto them
his dayly inspirations and inward and outward assistances he gives vs himself for our spirituall sâ—stenance Parents oft-times put out their Children to others to be nursed and mayntayned I sayth he doe not so but doe feed you with my owne flesh and set myself before you desiring that all of you should be noble and assured of your furture inheritance for seeing here I give you myself much more shall I doe it in the life to come I would be your brother by taking your flesh and blood vpon me the selfsame flesh and blood by which I became of kin vnto you I doe give you Approch therâ—fore with greate reverence to his heavenly table retyre thyself from the multitude prepare thy eares to heare his word and thy tongue to receive the touch of his sacred flesh that thou may heare and speake perfectly of those things which belong to thy salvation and spirituall profit Say with S Peeter thou art Christ the Sonne of the living God and be in this confession constant buylding thy faith vpon the rock which cannot fayle and against which the gates of hell shall not prevayle Tou must beware of curious and vnprofitable searching into this most profound Sacrament if thou wilt not be sunk into the depth of doubtfullnes The Transfiguration of our Lord. I. ANd after six dayes Iesus taketh vnto him Peeter and Iames and Ihon his brother and bringing them vnto a high mountaine a part he was transfigured before them and his face did shine like the Sunne and his garments became like snow And there appeared to them Moyses and Elias talking with him He had lately spoken to them of his passion aÌ„d though with all he told them of his rising the third day yet to confirme them in the confidence of his divine power and nature and that those miseries were not to be perpetuall or without greate fruite of glorie he shewes them part of the future happynes which he was to inioy and those also who should follow his example and doctrine Moyses led the Children of Israel out of their captivitie in Aegypt through the red sea and the desert and fed them from heaven with manâ—a and provided at times other necessaries Elias was taken vp to heaven in a firy chariot both figures of what our Saviour was in a better and spirituall way to doâ— for vs by the sea of his sacred Blood shed for vs to deliver vs from the captivitie of synne and of the divell and bring vs through the desert of this world to eternall rest in heaven and of these things they discoursed with him teaching vs to record often the benefits and the glorie to which we are ordayned by them II. And Peeter answering sayed to Iesus Lord it is good for vs to be here if thou wilâ— let vs make here three tabernacles one for thee and one for Moyses and one for Elias He had a tast of one drop of sweetnes and loathed all other sweetnes what if he had tasted that greate masse of sweetnes which thou hast layed vp in store for those who feare thee and as yet is hidden Yet he was taxed for what he sayed another Evangelist recording he knew not what he sayed because not having yet perfectly discovered the truth he desired to plaâ—t his tabernacle here on earth wherâ—as all good people know that they are here strangers and pilgrimes and yet he had easyly pardon because so much good as he saw could not be but very desirable No man is worthy of heavenly consolation vnlesse he hath diligently exercised himself in holy compunction III. And as he was yet speaking behold a light cloud over-shadowed them and lo a voyce out of the cloud saying This is my beloved Sonne in whom I am well pleased heare yee him and the disciples hearing it fell vpon their faces and were sore afrayde The voyce from heaven instructs vs in two things first that our Saviour is truly the eternall Sonne of God secondly that to please God we must heare him and follow that which he teacheth vs which is in effect that by the Crosse we must go to glorie and by no other way which though it troble vs and deiect vs according to sense yet the neerer we keepe ourselves to our Saviour the leffe we shall feare it for so it is sayed immediatly And Iesus came and touched them and sayed to them rise and feare not Stay a while my soule attend the divine promise and thou shalt have abundance of all good in heaven This is the way to be the beloved Sonne of God IV. And they lâ—fting vp their eyes saw no body but only Iesus and as they went downe from the mount he commanded them saying Tell the vision to no body till the sonne of man be risen from the dead To teach vs that we must not rashly and out of season speake of the favours which we receive froÌ„ God but in the closset of our hart be thankfull for them At that time as S Ihon Chrisostome advertiseth the more strong the things were which were sayed of him the lesse credit they found with many specially proceeding from a few of his owne disciples whome they might account partiall to their Maister Happy soules who coming downe from prayer can have their minds and intentions to recollected as to see none but Iesus only their minds being lifted vp above all earthly allurements c. He casteth out a divell which his disciples could not I. ANd when he was come to the multitude there came to him a manâ— falling downs vpon his knees before him saying Lord have mercy vpon my sonne for he is lâ—natick and sore vexed â—for he falleth often into the fire and often into the water and I offered him to thy disciples and they could not cure him And he asked him hoâ— long is it since this hath chanced to him And he sayed from his infancie We are borne sonnes of wrath and from our first father we are infected with a disease much like to the falling sicknes aÌ„d though the falls of our soules are neither so sudaine not so against our will as those of the body yet we have so greate an inclination from our youth to fall that even those who converse most familiarly with our Saviour and indeavour to follow him neerest cannot easyly avoyde the effects of it It casts vs to the ground while we hunt after earthly things not without damage to our soule It makes vs for the time dumb and deafe to holy admonitions It tormenteth vs and trobleth vs so that we lye wallowing and turning ourselves every way rather then to that which we ought and it is none of the least evills that the very name and first aspect of vertue seemes harsh vnto vs as our Saviour did to this man for when he had seen him imediately the spirit trobled him and being throwen to the ground he tumbled foming Iesus answered and
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
Crosse begge grace to profit by this Mysterie I. Consider first That so soone as sentence was given they proceeded to the Execution and at the gates of the Palace they layed a heavy Crosse vpon our Saviours shoulders to shevv to all the tovvne as he went that he was to be crucified vpon it see what a dint it made in his tender flesh hovv it strayned his backe being weake of himself and much more weakened by his nights watching his hurrying from place to place about the tovvne and the losse of so much blood and being also fasting In so much that he fell dovvne vnder it thrice in the way having a long mile to go though they tooke one by the way and compelled him to go along with him and to help him to carrie it O my soule what a sea of compassion hadst thou need to have to equall the griefe which thy Saviour felt in this passage looke and see againe and againe everie circumstance and follovv him step by step for he cannot go fâ—â—t though they hasten him and beate him on Marke the different humours of them that follovv him and them that go before him and them that compasse him round about to see the man in this case whom they had seen not long before farre othervvise attended Reflect among other things hovv thou mayest â—ase our Saviour of his burthen either by disburdening thy soule of synne or by corcuring to disburden others both of synns and afflctions orbytaking some pennance vpon thy self for satisfactioÌ„ of thyne oâ—vne and others synns and to pâ—event them or by bearing whatsoever Crosse not as it were by compulsion but willingly for his sake for it is some â—ase in sorrovv to have a companion in our sorrowes II. Consider secondly rhat wheras many people followed him and many women lamented his case he turned to them and speake in this sorte Daughteres of Hierusalem doe not weepe vpon me but weepe vpon yourselves and vpon your Children Because behold the dayes will come in which they will say blessed are the barren and the wombs which have not borne and the paps which have not given suck Then shall they begin te say to the mountayns fall vpon vs and so the hills Cover vs for if in the greenâ— wood they doe these things in the drie what shall be done Harken with what a Majestie he speakes these words and with compassion of them that little deserved it Ponder every tittle of them and see what svveetnes thou mayest gather to the benefit and instruction of thy soule out of them III. Consider thirdly That when he had gone about halfe way on his journey a devout matrone met him and taking compassion of him profered him a handkerchief to wipe of the blood and the svveate of his brovves he accepted it and wiping his face with it left the Image of his visage in the handkerchief and returned it to the woman Thou mayst easily imagin with what joy She received it and with what reverence She kept it and hovv well she thought herself payed for her charitable commiseration Such are the returnes which our Saviour makes of courtesies done to himself in his service or in his Servants he leaves the print of himself and of his love more deepely in thier harts which Surpasseth all treasures and makes vs the speedier to be in tertayned in his heavenly Court The Prayer To our Saviour offering our service to him according to the present circumstances and affections A Meditation of the Crucifying of our Saviour Preamble Having gotten a place somewhere vpon the hill as neere as thou canst to our blessed Lady and S. Ihon attend with all diligence and desire to see the end I. COnsider That our Saviour being with much difficult ie gotten vp the hill the first comfort he receives is a cup of wine mingled with Myrrhe and Gall to stint his bleeding and that he might not suddenly faint avvay he teasted it but would not drink â— it Then thy vnmercifully pulled of his clothes renevving most of his wounds and he at thier appointment layeth himself downe and spreadeth himself as well as he can vpon the Crosse to be nayled to it Here every circumstance is so full of compassion that it must be a hart of stone that doth not relent and much more greeve at the cause which are my synnes These were the GALL mingled with all his comforts and he had them too lively presented before his eyes to accept of more them a tast of the bitternes of them which is so greate that all bitternes of the vvorld is rather to be svvallovved then to svvallovv the least of synnes wittingly what then of so many II. Renevv not his wounds hy thy harshnes tovvards thy neighbouâ—s who are the living members of his mysticall body and are oft wounded sufficiently by otheâ— occafions deserving compassion see hovv willingly for God he layeth himself dovvne vpon his Crosse and imitate him But imitate not the vnmercifulnes of them that Strike the nayles into his hands and feete and so much as lyeth in them by thier obstinancie and often repeated offenseso are perpetually nayling him But nayle thyself by dayly and hourely purposes never to part from the will and appointment and commandment of God though it hath bitternes some times and a Crosse annexed III. Our Saviour being thus nayled vpon the Crosse as it lay vpon the ground with ropes and other instruments they reare it vpon one end and let it fall with a jumpe into a deepe hole where it was to stand Reflect what payne this bred to our Saviour in all his lims and at his very hart see hovv our blessed Lady weepes and is ready to faint with griefe Heare the outcryes of the people blaspheming him shaking their heads at him and saying he saved others let him save himself If he be Câ—rist if he be king of the Iewes if he be sonne of God let him now come downe and we will beleeve him This is the man that would destroy the Temple and buyld it againe in three dayes The Prayer Fixing thy eyes and thy thoughts vpon our Saviour Crucified never satisfiâ— thyself with vieâ—ving all circumstances with such acts of devotion and such devout petitions as the nature of the mysterie requires and the grace of God affords A Medation of the words which our Saviour spake vpon tho Crosse. 1. PART Preamble as in the former I. COnsider that in all this griefe and disgrace the first word which our Saviour spake vpon the Crosse was Father forgive them because they know not what they doe O endlesse mercy and meekenes He doth not crave revenge He doth not say o righteous judge but Father noâ— Revenge but forgive and forgive them whom But those that are even novv blespheming me and are not satisfied till they see me dead This is the greatest and truest triall of charitie if we love him that is contrarie to vs sayth S. Gregore II.
an end not because they are weary of troble with themselves or others but because love is increased and established by the presence of the parties who doe love and especially by such an all seeing and all inioying presence by which we discover infinitely more the infinite perfections of God with out the least alay of imperfection infinitely more then we can possibly arrive to vnderstand in this life by all the naturall and supernaturall knovvledge which we have and by this blessed preseÌ„ce we are ourselves perpetually coÌ„firmed in love without any danger of fayling in the least duty of correspondence and finally we are made more capable and never weary of loving him because we still discover more and more that he infinitely and incomprehensibly deserveth the eternall continuance and perseverance of our love towards him Say therfore with the Apostle I desire to be dissolved from these mortall bonds which aggravate and depresse my soule from that perfection of love which a sincere hart desireth and thou my God deservest I defire to be dissolved if not out of perfect love which excludeth feare yet out of such love as breadeth a filiall feare of offending and lothnes to continue in the least danger of leesing or lessening thy love II. O dreadfull danger a danger worse then death itself With what exquisite manner of all corporall death would I not willingly redeeme this hazard What hazard would I not most joyfully runn to purchase an eternitie of never offending my God O pretious Eternitie One thing I have asked of my lord God this I will againe and againe require that the very houre and moment that he seeth me inclining to offend he will rather call me out of this life then permit me to fayle in his love Happy man If I be thus prevented who will give me wings as of a dove and I will fly from this death of synne which doth hang over my head ô love of my deare God! How long shall I abide this hazard of leesing thee who art my only true life III. I doe not envy any thing more in the blessed sainâ—ts and Angels of heaven then that thier love to God is continuall with out intermission constant without waâ—ering certayne without feare of leesing it or of relenting Eternall with out end of loving neither can death be truly welcome for any other end more then that it may be a beginning of this loving Eternitie O Eternitie of love what time can be sufficiâ—â—t to dwell vpon so loving a consideration What houre or minute of my life should passe in which I should not be found still loving thee my God and still exercising acts of thy love in haâ—â— and deed Print this thy love sweet Jesus in my hart by thy bitter Passion and by â—hy sacred wounds what better seale then thy loving self VVhat stronger wax then thy sacred blood What highter â—ire then thy eternall love O that my soule were â—he whitest parchment worthy to receive such a noble impression which being presented and vnfolded in thy eternall Consistorie nothing might appeare written in it from the beginning of my life to the end therof but Jesus my love my love sweete Jesus Amen How we ought to imitate the Eternitie of the love of God in the love of our Neighbour I. THe â—ternitie of love which we indeavour after our meane kind of measure to expresse in ourselves towards God in answer to his eternall love towards vs the same it is fit we should practise towards others in imitation of this first excellencie of his infinite love both to fâ—ee ourselves from that inference which S. Jhon makes that if any say I love God and hatâ—â—h his brother be is a lyer and from that imperfection to fullâ—ll the commandment which we have of it for so the same beloved disciple assureth vs This commandmâ—◠〈◊〉 have from â—â—d thaâ— who loveth God loveth also his â—rother and againe he that hath my commandments and keepeth them he it is that loveth me II. VVe must therfore love our neighbour even before he loves vs and when he gives vs no occasion to love him but rather occasion of hatred by his â—hvvart demeanour tovvards vs or ill cariage tovvards God Againe we must never be weary of loving him or of doing good vnto him or for him we must with greate patience and longanimitie beare his dayly and continuall imperfections and offenses neither wondering nor impatiently grudging at his often falling or hard measureâ— nor pusillanimously sitting dovvne thinking hovv to fly and retire from such companie to others with whom we imagin we shall have no such troble but imitating the charitie of God and patience of Christ and saying with S. Augustine if the vessels of flesh be narrovv let the bounds of charitie be enlarged that is let men be infirme and troblesome and synfull hard to be ruled harder to accommodate themselves to my disposition or conceiâ—e it is the nature of flesh and blood to be so my charitâ—â— shall not be so scant as not to out-reach all this and persever to the end in bearing that so I may fullfill the lavv of Christ and imitate his love III. O love of my God more strong then death for death could never have overtaken my God vnlesse love had yealded him into his hands This brought my deere Saviour to the death-bed of the crosse and did not suffer him to come dovvne from it for any of the vpbrayding-scoffs with which the Ievves did taunt him nor for any weaker motive which humane frayletie might have suggested nor for any fayre seeming reason which worldly wisdome might have invented but being stretched vpon it to the vtmost as he had began to love vs from the beginning of his not only mortall but immortall life so hâ— resolved to yeald vp his last breath and blessed Ghost for vs that this his â—ying for our sake might be a most evident testimonie of his never dying love seeing he choose rather to leave this life then to forgo our love O that my hart and soule were wâ—oly absorpt in this thy eternall love that I might dye by thy love who didst die for the love of me and die rather then relent in the least point of love tovvards thee or tovvards my neighbour for thee Amen The latitude or Vniversalitie of the love of God I. THe latitude of the charitie of God is the Vniversalitie of his love extending itself to all in generall and to every one in particular He will have all men to be saved sayth the Apostle and to come to the knowledge of the truth and the beloved disciple he inlighteneth every man that cometh into this world Therfore when he had created man he added his commandments and precepâ—s that if he would keepe his commandments they should keepe him Therfore he punisheth synners in this life by peeces puting them in mind of that in which they have offended that
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
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
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
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
is this most B. Sacrament An Antidote against death a preserve for immortalitie a medicine chasing away all vice aÌ„d freing vs froÌ„ all evill II. The seed which we read was sowed was food-seed what better seed then our Saviour Christ Able to tuâ—â—e the hardest rock into good mould being softened by his pretious Blood distilling vpon it out of his sacred side O sacred dropes fall vpon my stony hart that I may receive the with fruite an hundred fold If it hath hitherto layed by the high way side I will now hedge it in that thou be not trampled vpon and I by my owne falt frustrated of the profit I confesse I am but as a dead carcasse ever tending to corruption and by the ill savours of my synnes inviting the brids of the ayre to prey vpon me but as faithfull Abraham chased them away from his sacrifice so will I endeavour that they light not in my field to bereave me of so beneficiall a seed Away with thoughts of worldly occasions in this happy coniunction What greater wealth or what happyer pleasure can offer itself that it should withdraw vs Can we not spare one houre or one peece of an houre to inioy it and make our benefit of it Vnlesse the seed falling vpon the ground have some time to alter it itself remayneth alone but if it hath time it bringeth forth much fruite O the blindnes and hardnes of the hart of man not to attend more vpon this vnspeakable gift and from dayly vse to fall even not reflect vpon it III. The Synagog of Nazareth would have cast him headlong from a steepe hill How came they to this outrage but by vndervaluing the person of our Saviour Many things lead carnally minded men to the like as we find by the hereticks who denying his power to doe this greate wonder cast him quite out of the Church more over deriding him and misusing him in words and deeds O that loose Catholicks did not very neete the same coming scarce once in a yeare and with little preparation aÌ„d respect He passed through the midst of them and wondered at thier incrudeâ—itie And did not â—eave notwithstanding to doe good round about that they also might repent reflecting vpon his goodnes and come at last to beleeve and vnderstand the benefit O admirable and hidden grace of the Sacrament which the faithfull Christians doc only know the incredulous and slaves to synne cannot experience The multiplying of the five Loaves I. IEsus liâ—ting vp his eyes saw the greate multitude and sayd to Philip whence shall we buy bread that these may eate And this he sayed tempting him for himself knew what he would doe Philip answered two hundred pennyworth of bread is not sufficient for them that every one may take a little Andrew sayth here is a boy who hath five barly loaves and two fishes but what are these among so many God tempteth his frends that is he tryeth in severall occasions how much vertue they have how much humilitie how much confidence how much beleefe in him the occasions themselves serving as incitements to that which is best For he tempâ—ed no body to supplant theÌ„ or that evill may come of it Philip answered right in words his mind peradventure was diffident how and were so much bread might be had because they were in the desert and thier stock of money would not reach soe farre Our saviour expected they should have reflected vpon his power to provide so much aÌ„d more they acknowledging him to be the Sonne of God Of themselves indeed those five loaves and two 〈◊〉 were not sufficient but the power of our Saviour could have made lesse to serve The eyes of all creatures hope in thee and thou givest them food in seasonable time Thou openest thy hend and fillest every living creature with blessing II. Iesus sayth make the men to sit downe and there was mush grasse in the place The men therfore sat downe in number about five thousand Iesus takes the loaves and whâ—n hâ—e had given thanks he distributed to them that sat in like manner also of the fishes as much as they would Nor only the Apostles but the whole multitude must needs wonder what our Saviour ment when he caused them all to sit downe in ranks by hundreds and fifties as S. Mark relateth and in it he shewed his Authoritie among them as afterward his power in making those few loaves and fishes to serve so many and that every one notwithstanding should have as much as he woâ—ld And the Apostles shewed thier obedience to his commands though the event was hidden from them A greater miracle is the governing of the world then the feeding of five thousand with five loaves This no man wonders â—t the other seemed wonderous not because it was greater but because it was rare This was done to the eye to rayse our minds to the admiration of our invisible God working these things visibly and to the end that lifted vp by faith and purged by Faith we might desire to see him though now invisible to vs. III. After they were filled he sayed to his disciples Gather the fragments that are remayning least they be lost and they gathered and filled tweluâ— baskets with the fragments of five barly loaves which remayned to them after they had eaten Those men therfore when they had seen what a signâ— was done they sayed this is the Prophet indeed which is to come into the world And â—esus knowing that they would come to take him and make him King fled againe into the Mountaine himself alone He had distributed the loaves before by his disciples and now bids them gather the fragments to make the miracle more visible to them and to the multitude that God might be the more glorisied and he acknowledged the Messias though not in that temporall way of power which they imagined and sought to put vpon him In a mysticall sence according to S. Augustin the five barly loaves â—ignifie the five bookes of Moyses which being broken that is expounded and distributed what a world have they filled with spâ—rituall sustenance And by the fragments which the people could not eate are vndeâ—stood divers hard and hidden passages of holy writ which the vulgar doth not vnderstand but are revealed to them who are appointed to teach the rest Magnifie our Saviour by occasion of this miracle acknowledge him King and Governour of the whole world confide in him in time of necessitie and want he hath millions of wayes to supply vs which we doe not understand rely in all occasions vpon his word performe what he commandeth and directeth the least fragment that falleth from him is sufficient to fill thy hart with infinite satisfaction Offer it vnto him to be filled Endeavour by his example to be but avoyde to be accounted greate in the eyes of the world He fled from the height of glorie which was offered
an inch of place or minute of time because she knovves all is too little for her ovvne expressions Importunitie and compassion will overcome her therfore settle thyself to it and say who will give me as fountayne a flood of teares that I may bowayle the Sonne of God thus slayne for my synns O cruell synne that thus killest tvvo at once me and my Saviour and as for me I am worthy of a thousand deaths and will die a thousand times before I offend againe But he what hath he deserved The Magdalen did not ceafe to kisse but I must not cease to weepe that I may wash avvay that which hath thus stayned my Saviour O blessed Magdalen have compassion on me III. Joseph of Arimathia held the riâ—ht hand and as he offered his ovvne nevv sepulchre to our Saviour for his buryal and the winding sheete and other necessaries so he poured forth his harth liberally to him offering himself to whatever future service to him or his sory that his sepulchre was not more rich and the sheete more white and costly to wrapp so greate a treasure No pretious stone could have been equall to his desert no gold or sylver enough to garnish it ô that my hart were not too hard or too base to lay thee in it whatever it is take possession of it and of all that belongs to it Thoâ— art God of my hart and my portion God for ever IV. At the left hand Nicodemus stood not having alltogeather shaken of his feares therfore he brought a mixture of myrrhe and aloes about perhaps not full a hundred pownd weight For so long as we are yet living we cannot be alltogether without feare to be cast of to the left hand and a moderate feare is profitable tovvards the buryall of our Saviour in our soules because we are earth and with the humble is his conversation Minmingle this holy feare with thy love it will serve to bind vp the spices with the body that they be not sâ—attered abroad with vayne complacencie in thy selfe or in this very actioÌ„ to the preiudice of charyty tovvards thy selfe and of thy neighbour who is an other receptacle for our Saviour V. Our blessed Lady having the sacred body in her lap had the wound of his side perpetually in her eye and her thoughts occupied in conteâ—plation hovv he was God and man immortall and yet dead extreamely deserving love and yet thus vsed Behold the teares silently trickling dovvne her cheekes some times sighing some times lifting vp her eyes and repeating our Saviours words my God my God wherfore didst thou thus forsake him father forgive them O my sonne Other motherly expressions were not wanting which she tempered with her wonted vertue and with her sonnes command Weepe not vpon me She applyed herself to the duties of his buryall and had her thoughrs vpon his resurrection c. Of the Passion of our Saviourby way of repetition I. PART I. PLace thyself in a corner of the Counsell Chamber wher Cayphas and the rest are met and first wondering with the Psalmist why they should be so fierce against a man from whom every body received so much good and they might if they would and acknovvledging that doe what they can God will at last turne thier counsels vpon themselves Qui babitaâ— in coelis irridebit cos c. Turne thou also Cayphas his verdict vpon thyself and acknovvledge thy ovvne blindnes and backvvardnes tovvards thy ovvne good Vos neseitis quicquam For wheras it is the generall document of all spirituall men and experience teacheth that every one hath some principall bad inclination or vice to which he is most prone and which dravves vs after it into many inconveniences either we doe not search after it or knovving it we doe not prosecute the rooting of it out as it were fitting Expedit vt vnus moriatur homo infectus non tota gens pereat II. Transferre thyself from thence to the Chamber where our Saviour made his last supper and reioy cing to be rather in that companie heare our Saviour foretelling his Apostles of thier weaknes in forsaking him and in being scandalized and be not presumptuous as Perer was at that time but acknovvledge rather the contrarie that though all should stand yet I have cause to feare a fall and by experience doe find many reasons for it taking myself in so many occasions not follovving him as I ought but a longe a farre of God wot even where there is no such matter of difficultie to be striven with but doe take easy denyalls for good excuses III. Beholding him washing his disciples feete begge of him that by the example and merit of this humble action he will give thee more strength and wash avvay what ever may cleave to thee offensive or disturbing his service Amplâ—us lava me ab iniquitate mea More deare lord and more for I never cease to soyle myself Fall dovvne at his feete and wash them with reares as the Magdalen and doe not cease to kisse them If thou hast any thing superfluous sayth S. Augustine give it to the poore and thou hast wipâ—d our Saviours feete To thee it is superfluous our Saviours feete have need of it If thou hast any quarell with any body give it into our Saviours hands to be washed avvay for if it be not washed thou shalt not have part with him for ever â—hou knovvest not what thou doest if thou doest not forgive thou wilt aftervvard knovv it to thy cost Lord not this only but if I were a thousand times â—hore offended I doe intirely offer iâ— into thy hands and freely doe forgive as I desire to be forgiven for I cannot answer one for a thousand that thou art able to lay against me Repitition of the mysteries of the passion of our Saviour II. PART I. VVAlking in the Garden of Gethsemanie cast thy eyes vpon our Saviours sorrovvfull hart and knocking thy breast say ô hart of myne that hast been cause of this griefe O that it were a fountaine of water breaking forth at my eyes to bevvayle the synnes which he bevvayleth sorrowfull is my soule that it is not full of sorrovves O dullnes and drovvsines Is this a time when thou beholdest thy Saviour svveating dropps of blood betrayed apprehended bound haled outraged like a rogue and a miscreant VVhere be thy resolutions to suffer prisonment and death for him VVhy doest thou not imprison thy wandering thoughts and confine them to this dolfull spectacle VVhy doest thou not die to thy desires of esteeme and case seeing him so affronted and misused II. And they brought him bound to Annas first VVhere consider that though he receive the boxe on the eare thou deservedst it and by right the fellovv might have sayed to thee Sic respondes Pontifici Is this the gratitude which thou shevvest to the Priest of the nevv Testament who shedding his ovvne blood for thee hath redeemed
thee Ponder who thou art who he is and hovv thou doest ansvver the benefitts received of him besids thy redemption naturall and supernaturall sic So dully so coldly so scarcely so contrarily If he hath sayed and done well for thee why doest thou stricke him VVhy doest thou offend him II. At the Cousell before Cayphas he was pronunced guiltie of death but it was because thou wert guilty for whom he had ingaged himself there being no need of seeking false witnes against thee being guiltie of more them thou wouldest willingly have knovvne to the world He was truly the Sonne of God hovv often hast thou desired or indeavoured to be thought so when thou wert farre from being so at least in that degree as thou oughtest and hast had means to be for which if people had spet in thy face and given thee the lie with a boxe on the care it would have been but what thou didst deserve Cast thyself at his feete and begge pardon of these thy transgressions and a favorable aspect from him for even thus outraged he is mercifull and will not the death of a synner but that he be converted and savâ—d by the meritts of this his bitter passion Amen Repetition of the mysteries of the passion of our Saviour III. PART I. IN his iournies to Pilate and Herode and back againe accompanying him consider the furie with which he was haled and hurried vp and dovvne all the morning what taunts by the way what gazing and censuring much more freely then before when they durst not speake openly of him for feare of princes or of people but novv thier thoughts and tonges were let loosse and they thought and spake thier pleasure and proceeded as if he had been a malefactour and seducer indeed If he were not so we would not have delivered him over to thee sayed the Jevves to Pilate Admire his silence And yet in his thoughts he sayed I have given myself for those that are malefactours indeed and am content to be reputed so Hovv much more ought I be content who really am so if not in one thing in an other Aâ— occultis meis munda me Domine ab aliâ—nis parce servo tuo And it will not be ill for me if by suffering in one kind though perhaps not so iustly I may by it satisâ—ie for my other offenses II. Pilate offered to deliver Barabbas to be executed insteed of our Saviour and to spare him but they hated our Saviour worse of the tvvo and cryed a mayne deliver not this man from death bnt Barabbas rather what are these clamours but my synnes and my passions which right or wrong must be satisfied These doe stirre vp all my spirits as the princes did the people rather to aske Barrabas a theese a seditious follovv a murderer these stop my eares not to heare of any thing but what rends to the satisfying of them they stop my eyes so that though I see what is better I choose the worse because the better is not so agreable to my humour Curbe them before they grovv too stroÌ„ng for neither was the hatred of the Princes tovvards our Saviour at first so greate but giving way novv to one censure of him novv to another and not looking into thier ovvne harts with a mind to mend have grovvn to that height that novv nothing but vtter destructîon and death could conrent them Examine well thy hart and see in what measure or degree it standeth III. When Pilate savv that all this world of disgraces would not quench thier passion he resolved to dravv blood and caused him to be scourged to the purpose the soldiers stripped him tyed him to a pillar and belabourned him with severall sorts of whips that from the top to the bottome he was all gore blood Supra dorsâ—m meum sabicaverunt peccatores sayth the Psalme prolongaverunt iniquitatem suam First they that presuming of his mercy differr thier conversion continuing in synne Secondly such as considering what our Saviour suffered for them be slovv in doing pennance themselves for which if God out of his mercy do continue his graces yet they will be aftervvards the longer in satisfying and the longer deprived of his blessed sight to say nothing of the hereâ—iks of these times who think that because our Saviour hath suffered abundantly they need doe nothing but beleeve and trust in him Fall dovvne at his feere with shame and repentance for continuing thy syns thou doest as much as is in thee continue his stripes O svveere Jesus give me rhe spirit of mortification and repentance that I may case thy paynes and wipe avvay the scarres which have light vpon thee Ego peccavi I am he that hath offended what hath this man deservedâ— Repetition of the Mysteries of the Passion of our Saviour IV. PART I. THe soldiers beyond thier order after they had cruelly scourged him tooke him from the pillar and setting him vpon some stone in the Courte yard cast a rag of purple about his shoulders make a Crovvne of hard thornes and presse it dovvne vpon his bare head and put a reed into his hand and having mocked him thus to scorne kneeling dovvne ridiculously before him and saluting him king and shevv him in this guise to the people saying Eece homo behold the man you are afrayde of the man whom you hate and envie see what he is come to Behold a propper and likely king what say you O my God! What shall I say My eyes should speake and not my mouth and gush out teares of blood beholding my God my king my Saviour my love my all things in this plight behold the worker of miracles for this is rhe miracle of miracle that he would be not only man but such a man for such a man as I am Behold For I cannot be satisfyed with beholding because I cannot sufficiently admire thy mercy thy justice thy goodnes thy example for it is to give me example hovv not to skorne to be skorned but rather love it because I say I love thee O puâ—ple O thornes O reed Such is all worldly honour a rag a thorne a reed O God and man Give me grace ever to esteeme them so and not to behold them in the false light of this world but in thee who art the true light that J may not be misled II. The Jewes not satisfyed cry Crucifie him Crucifie him And Pilate yealdeth And he loaded with a heavy Crosse goeth forth of the Palace into the streets and high way scarce able to stand on his legs with wearynes and losse of blood and yet turneth to the daughters of Hierusalem aud biddeth them weepe for themselves and not for him for my self indeed but why not for thee Or why nor more for thee then for myself For though I should suffer all the torments that hell can devise I may deserve them the least of what thou hast suffered is more vnworthy then can be imagined I must not