attending him Thou needest in all things his assistance and canst not doe any thing but by his power O lumpish flesh of myne hovv hard doest thou make it to follovv thy Saviour Nature is craftie and dravveth many and inâ—angleth and deceiveth them and allvvayes hath itself for its end O poore end Christs Ascension II. PART I. IN heaven our blessed Saviour was received with hymnes of joy and exultation such as the holy Prophet David foresignified when he sayed Our Lord hath reigned and is clothed with beauty he is clothed with strength and hath girt himself to accomplish his worke from heaven which he began vpon earth He hath established a nevv world vpon earth his church which shall not be moved because it s buylt vpon a rock against which hell gates shall not prevayle His seate was prepared from the beginning of the world but he as God was before from all Eternitie wonderfull persecutions will be raysed against him but he will be more wonderfull by overcoming them as it hath been propheâ—yed of him And againe who shall ascend vâ—to the hill of our Lord who shall stand in his holy place He that hath innocent hands and a pure hart lift up your gates yee Princes O yee eternall gates be lifted vp and the king of glorie will make his entrance Who is this king of Glorie our Lord strong and powerfull our Lord powerfull in the combat c. And being seated at the right hand of his Father they all adore him with whom we must concvrre and so much the more because for vs was all his combat imployed and he is gone before to prepare us a place as parting with his disciples he told them II. But the Apostles stood amazed vpon the hill gazing tovvards heaven doubtfull perhaps whether he would appeare againe among them And as they looked stedfastly towards heaven behold two men stood by them in white garments and sayed yee men of Galilee why stand you looking into heaven This Iesus who is assumpted from you into heaven shall so come as you have seen him going into heaven He sends these blessed spirits as a restimonie that even from heaven he harh care of them and is not so de parted as to have layed aside mindfulnes of them in his greatest joy and prosperâ—â—â—e He is to come againe but not now presently and subiect to the miseries in which you have seen him but in glorie as when he went novv from you Why stand you looking only vnto heaven fall to the performance of that which he hath commended vnto you and commanded so shall his coming againe in glorie be a comfort to you In this shevv yourselves Men of courage and resolution overcoming the instabilitie of your nature This is Iesus who is assumpted from you and as he by fulfilling the commands of his father and by suffering went into heaven so make account you are to doe to attayne the eternall revvard which he hath prepared for those who obey him III. Then they adoring returned to Hierusalem with greate ioy and continued with one accord in prayer Thus the parting which naturally might have bread griefe turned to greate ioy and comfort they revereneing our blessed Saviour in their minds no lesse then externally adoring him and perhaps the print of his sacred feete did even then or soone after appeare as is recorded which was a continuall refreshing to them Observe in the meane time tvvo notable effects and signes of Gods spirit to wit vnion and love of prayer for from whence could it othervvise come that they who before were delighted only with thier trade of fishing and were ready vpon the passion of our Saviour every one to parte vpon his severall occasions should novv hold so fast together and love retirement and devotion loyne thyself to this blessed companie often behold the ioy in which novv they are and hovv they arrived to iâ— persever in the vnitie of holy Church have recourse to the blessed Virgen and the Apostles that by thier inâ—ercession and imitation thou mayest come to see Iesus in glorie and adore him with eternall comfort Amen Considerations moving to the love of God and of our Neighbour Introduction I. OVr blessed Saviour vpon his parting with his disciples before his passion in the long speech which he held at that time did particularly commend vnto them the love of himself and of one another He that loveth me shall be loved by my Father and I will love him and manifest myself to him and v. 23. If any love me he will keepe my word and my Father will love him and we will come to him and make abode with him And Chapter 15. As my Father hath loved me I also have loved you abide in my love And concerning the love of one another a new commandment I give you that you love one another as I have loved you In this all men shall know that you are my disciples if you have love one to another This interim therfore betvvixt the parting of our Saviour from his disciples in his ascension and the coming of the holy Ghost may be not vnfitly imployed in considerations moving vs to the love of our Saviour and of our neighbour both to solace ourselves in his absence and to dispose vs the better to receive the spirit of love For doubtlesse the more we resemble him who is the eternall love of the Father and of the Sonne the more inclinable he will be to communicate himself in more abundance and he that sends him finding the dispositions allready layed will willingly accept of the dvvelling and direct him to it II. S. Paul in his Epistle to the Ephesians considering the abundanâ—â—iches of graces and glorie which are communicaâ—ed to vs by the merits of our Saviour Christ stroken with admiration breaketh forth into an affectionate prayer that they and in thier person all Christians strengthened by the holy Ghost inwardly in thier soules might come to know and to comprehend so farre as our poore capacitie is able to reach the breadth the lenght the height and the depth of the exceeding charitia of our Saviour surpassing all 〈◊〉 To the end doubtlesse that being filled with abundance of the same charitie we might ansvver with some proportion of love tovvards him â—â—kindled by his and in some sort correspond to the infinite measure of his charitie tovvards vs and have latitude in our love tovvards him and longitude and depth and height as he tovvards vs hath had all these dimensions in a proportion vncomparable III. To this purpose it will not be amisse to inlarge our thoughts vpon these considerations as foure excellencies to which all other properties of his love may be reduced and by them we may best see what measure of love in all reason God may require of vs and learne more perfectly by our ovvne experience the lesson which S. Bernard teacheth that the cause of our love tovvards God
points enough both for beleefe and practise which might have averted them Prayse God for all and have confidence in him c. The Mysterie Of the Mysterie of the most Blessed Trinitie I. A Principall effect of the coming of our Saviour into this world was the declaration of the Mysterie of the most Blessed Trinitie hidden even from the Iewes though the chosen people of God and not mentioned but in very darke and hidden resemblances But our Saviour did openly proclayme it specially after his resurrection commanding his Apostles to baptize all nations in the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the Holy Ghost as three persons equall in all things and one in name that is in povver auctoritie and essence wherin we have cause to admire and adore the force of the light of the holy Ghospell by which our Saviour intending to abolish the beleefe and worship of many Gods brought in by the craft of the divel working vpon mens corrupt affections and desires established the beleefe of one true God yet so that they should beleeve in that one essence three persons equall to one another though vnder Appellations which according to our meane expression might signifie inequalitie it being impossible for vs to conceive the divinitie cleerely as it is â—ayth therfore must supply that which reason cannot comprehend and with reverence submit to what our vnderstanding cannot reach Adoring equally in three and one the Omnipotencie Eternitie infinite knowledge and goodnes and all Perfection the Immensitie the Immutabilitie the Beautie the sanctitie of God contayning all and more then we can imagin by the help or comparison of all creatures and all most perfectly and with out multiplicitie in one II. Adore the Father as the incomprehensible source of the divinitie with out beginning and of all things created in time when he thought fit to give them a beginning Adore the Sonne who being equall to the Father vouchsafed for our sakes to take vpon him our humane nature to instruct vs by word and example and by his sacred blood shed vpon the crosse to wash avvay our synns and open vs avvay to the eternall inioying of God by perseverance in his commandments Adore the Holy Ghost as the mutuall and recipâ—ocall love of the Father and Sonne the Auctour of our love tovvards God the cause of our adoption by his grace infused and by himself inhabiting in our soules the spirit of truth which leadeth vs into all truth and by his heavenly lights disperseth the clouds of darknes and facilitates our way to heaven by his heavenly vnction III. Adore all three in one one in nature one by consent one in operation Begge of him that we may be one with him by submission to him and to his blessed will one by constant fayth one by never decaying love one by operation esteeming ourselves in all our woâ—ks as instruments of his divine pâ—wre and goodnes and so disposing ourselves in thought and action that we may not differ from him in the least which he of his goodnes grant Amen The obligation which we haveto love God I. PART I. SO soone as Moyses had declared to the people of â—srael that God was one he instantly inferres the commandment of loving him Heare Israel our Lord God is one Lord. Thou shalt love thy Lord God wiâ—h thy whole hart c. And our Saviour in his answer to the lawyer tells vs it is the greâ—test and the first commandement and with reason ought we to think so and accordingly apply ourselves to love him For as we were worse then beasts if we did not love those who are beneficiall to vs much more if welove not God from whom we have absolutely all that we have The law therfore of nature doth impose this vpon vs so soone as we come into the world vpon which account S. Thomas and other divincâ— doe hold it a greate offense if so soone as we come to the vse of reason in our Childhood we doe not turne ouâ—â—arts to God with loving acknowledgment that he is ouâ— creatour and Lord. And the holy Text infinuates as much presently after the commandment saying And these words which I command thee this day shall be in thy hart and â—hoâ— shalt 〈◊〉 them thy Children to wit that they may knovv thier duty in time II. It is also the first commandment in dignitie and excellency for it hath the highest obiect that can be to wit God and the noblest way of service to wit for love not for feare of punishment oâ— hope of reward but riseth vpon consideration of his greate excellencie With in himself and greate goodnes tovvards vs. And besides it gives vs the greatest excellency that we can attayne vnto in this world and prepareth farre greater in the world to come for as by loving base things we become base and contemptible so by loving God and other things as they belong to God we become â—onoâ—rable in the â—ight of God and men and there can be no greater honour and excellency imagined then that to which those have risen who have loved God in perfection Iâ—I It was like wise first in the intention of the lavvgiveâ—s all other commands and directions and indeed all the works and wonders of God which he hath shevved vs tending finally and properly to this that in thought word and deed we should expresse our love to him for how could any thing subsist if it had not been thy will or been preserved if not called by thee Thou sparest all because they are thyne â—o Lord who lovest soules As he therfore did and doth all things out of love so is it expected from vs that all should proceed from love and further more as in the naturall love of one an other we must not only not shew aversion from the thing which our srend doth not synfully love but even observe his wayes of proceeding much more ought we to love that which God loves and commands because we love him and he loves vs for which reason the Apostle sayth The fullnes of the law is love even of our neighbour because we love him for God IV. It is the greatest command because most necessarie of all other precepts as with out which no other iâ— thoroughly avaylable or â—â—â—ly commendable Foâ— the feare of God is but an introduction to love and some way or other must be perfected into some degree of love els it will fall of the effect we desire and how many things doth the Apostle reckon which are nothing with our Charitie If I have the tongues of Angels if Prophecie if Fayth if knowledge if I give my goods to the poore if my body to the fire and have not Charitie it avayleth me nothing On the other side it doth set an inestimable price vpon the least of our actions when ever they are done for the love of God so that with out it all with it nothing is lost V.
Communion Thomas a Kempis lib. 4. cap. 7. num 4. Intertaynment of our Saviour as a frend I. OVr Saviour is plâ—ased to stile his Apostles his frends and the condition which he Puts gives vs ground to extend this favour to all that observe the condition You are my frends if you doe the things which I command you An easy condition if we consider with the Apostle that the fullnes of the law is love Love God love our Neighbour and we have fullfilled the law and become frends with God though indeed God is our frend before we love for so we have in S. Jhon God first loved vs. And it could not â—e otherwise for he first created vs and the wiseman assureth that he loveth all things which are and hateth not any thing which he hath made neither out of hatred did he make any thing But it is in our choyce whether we will be frends with God or no and all our miserie came and comes to this day through our choosing the negative by breach of his commandments Our Saviour as a frend exhorteth vs to the affirmative and here in the most blessed Sacrament and Sacrifice of the Altar represents vnto vs what God and he have done for vs to reclayme vs to his love our mercyfull and gratious Lord hath left a memoriall of his wonders food for those that feare him sayth the Royall Prophet O wonderfull incitement to love Our Saviour in person to be ever soliâ— citing vs as if it did concerne him as much as vs and to be dayly present with vs desiring nothing more then to be one with vs and therfore he did institute this blessed Sacrament vnder the formes of bread and wine to be taken inwardly by vs that as bread and wine so taken are turned into our substance and made one thing with vs so we by receiving him should become one with him transformed into his love and imitation which is the sense of that which the Apostle sayth of himself I live 〈◊〉 not I but Christ lives in 〈◊〉 II. And indeed a frend should be as it is sayed alter â—go not properly another but as it were the same againe through conformitie in thier humours and wills and proceedings How farre our Saviour doth indeavour this he makes sufficient demonstration when he sayth to his Apostles I call you frends because all whatever I have heard from my Father I have made knownâ— vnto you and againe aske and it shall be given you seeke and you shall find knock and it shall be opened to you For as in all frendship so in this much more it is supposed that we will not aske things either vnlawfull or hurtfull to ourselves And wheras frends because they cannot be the same in person desire to be allwayes at least in place and companie together our Saviour you see doth not fayle in this being content with any kind of accomodation in the poorest parish Church or Chappel rather then to be from vs and so iâ— our soules so they be in grace III. Moyses by often treaâ—ing with God grew to that confidence that once he sayed to God If I have found favour in thy sight shew me thy face that I may know thee and God answered I will shew thee all good When the promise came to be performed iâ— could not be otherwise then by a little hole in the rock and God passing in a cloude and covering that little hole so as to conceale most part of his glorie for as the Apostle witnesseth God dwels in a light inaccessible no man ever saw him nor can see him In the person of oâ—r Saviour while he lived vpon earth God was seen vnder the vayle of his humanitie here he is seen vnder the resemblances of breade and wine that his intention is to shâ—w vs finally his glorie this blessed Sacrament he hath left vs for a pledge therefore the beloved disciple recordeth before the washing of the feete and before the institution of the blessed Sacrament that wheras he had loved his who werâ— in the world he loved them to the end It is our duty to be carefull that he be not frustrated of this end and we fayle of that eternall frendship which he desires we should have with him The Counsel of the Wiseman is Say not to thy frend go and come againe to morrow I will give it thee when thou mayest presently give we know not how soone our end is when it will be too late to give our love to him which we may doe presently and the more having so loving an imitation and so sure a pledge of his love Intertaynment of our Saviour as our Brother I. OVr Saviour after his resurrection appearing to the women bad then go and tell his brethren of it honouring his Apostles and disciples with this title in regard that by his goodnes thy had one heavenly Father his by nature â—hiers by adoption one eternall inheritance as the Apostle witnesseth tearming vs Heyres to God and coheyres to Christ. VVhich Brotherhood being derived vnto vs by the grace of God and by Charirie or the love of God poured into our harts by the holy Ghost which is given vs we are the more beholding to our Saviour because by this holy Sacrament received he doth confirme vs in this grace of adoption and increaseth it and strengtheneth it more and more making the etetnall inheritance belonging to it more sure vnto vs so farre is he from envying vs his Fathers love as Iosephs brothers did or not rejoycing at our returne into grace after our going astray as the elder brother to the prodigall child or contending about the inheritance as two brothers in the Gospell II. The wiseman telleth vs that a brother that is assisted by his brother is like a strong citty and thier counsels like the barres of citty gates VVhy therfore should we distrust the overcoming or keeping ouâ— our Ghostly enimies from the castle of our hart seeing our Saviour doth so lovingly offer vs his assistance not only incouraging vs by his words and exhortation but himself puts himself into our hart to defend it with vs so that we â—ay with Esay the Prophet confidently say He that doth iustifie me is by me who shall gayne-say me let vs stand together who is my adversarie let him come And indeed if we do not faintly or treacherously flinch from him we shall be impregnable III. By which we may vnderstand how much they wrong themselves and others who diâ—wade from often â—ecoiving this blâ—ssed food vnder pretence perhaps of more devotion but indeed not well vnderstanding how to order thier devotions for as it is the counsel of physâ—tiaâ—s and experience teacheth that they who have weake stomacks should eate often and of things that are of good nutriment so it fares also with our soules which of themselves are weake and as to the fimilitude in
I shal be greate and shal have a seate at the right hand of the heavenly father and reigne for ever However meanly borne heere I shal be the sonne of the highest O Grace inestimable Come holy Ghost and worke this greate wonder in thy servant The Incarnation of our Blessed Saviour III. PART I. HOw shall this be done because I know not man By this first it is evident that she had made a vow of perpetuall Virginitie to which her husband had consented otherwise her question had been sensles Secondly she did not doubt of the truth of what the Angel sayed or demur vpoÌ„ it vpon the ground which Zacharie had done whose question was Howe shal I knowe this for I am old But vpon a resolution not to accept of the greatest honour or dignitie that could be imagined with breach of her vow and offence to God Encourage thyself to the like resolution in thy good purposes II. The Angel answering sayed to her The holy Ghost shall come vpon thee and the power of the highest shall over shaddow thee that is Thou shalt not need to feare any breach betwixt God and thee for it shal be done by his only power and Omnipotency with out any blemish to thee Therfore also that which shal be borne of thee Holy shal be caled the sonne of God Bles the Holy of Holies who would vouchsase the Virgen and vs this benefit and beg of her that thou by the grace of the holy Ghost mayst be one of her spiritual Children and by holynes of life and conversation be reckoned among the Children of God III. And behold Elizabeth thy Cosen she also hath conceaved a sonne in her old age because ther shal not be impossible with God any word One miracle is confirmed by an other sayth S. Bernard that one ioy may be heaped vpon an other and that the Mother of God should not seeme to be made a stranger to the councels of God Noe word is impossible with God because it is as easye for God to doe as to speake O Virgen and lady speake that word which heaven and earth and those vnder earth doe exspect from thy mouth doth depend the comfort of those that are in miserie the redemption of those that are in captivitie Veni sancte spiritus c. Sine tuo numine nihil est in homine c. The Incarnation of our Blessed Saviour IV. PART I. BEhold the â—andmayde of our Lord. Behold humilitie in the highest degree She Stiles herself hand mayde who is chosen to be Mother nor is she puffed vp with the vnexpected promise Behold her devotion and respect to the will of God delivered by the Angel Be it done to me according to thy word Practiâ—e accordingly humilitie amidst the greatest honours and obedience wher it is due taking as from God the messages delivered II. Behold the infinite Meâ—cy the infinite humilitiâ— of the sonne of God coming at this consent to vnitâ— himself to humane nature in the wombe of the Virgen Adore him and think not much to stoope to whatsoever seemes low irkesome or sounding restraynt seeing he who was not as other infants voyde of reason and vnderstanding contayned himself so long in this inclosure III. Behold how the Blessed Virgen in her interiour did welcome this blessed infant conceaved of her substance with what admiration Devotion and reverence and how ever after she held herself so much the more bound to shew herself grateful for so greate a benefit and dignitie and would not for al the world displease in the least so greate a Gheste but doe â—ll things what ever with intent to please him and comply with his holy inspirations IV. Behold with what reverence the Angels of heaven did admire and adoâ—e this mysterie and invisibly ioyne themselves to the Archangel Gabriel as afterwards in the nativitie singing prayses to God the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost reioycing in the Councel of God who had exalted an inferiour Creature aboue them and acknowledging with due obeysance their dutie to the Blessed Virgen Behold also the Archangel how he tooke leave other and returned with ioy to his place in heaven to assist with greater honour before the throne of God wher postrate I wil beseech him againe to assist me and bles God with him in this his first entrance into this world The visiting of S. Elizabeth I. PART I. OUr blessed Lady rising from her devotions and from receaving the greatest Gheste that could have come vnto her went with him not out of meere curesie much lesse for curiositie but obeying his inspirations vnto the mount anous countrey where Zachatie dwelt and entring the howse saluted her Cosen Elezabeth She that was superiour sayth S. Ambrose came to her inferiour to assist her she made hast to humble and charitable actions Rise o my soule shake of â—loth and delay thou haste a mountaine to climbe thou knowest not whatto morrow will breed Thinke of the superâ—al citty hasten thither by the help of the Uirgen and sweete Iesus Enter the howse of thy hart Visit and search into thy infirmities which are thy neerest kindred and stick fastest to thee Begassistance of the Virgen II. For when Elizabeth heard the salutation of Mariae the infant did leape in her wombe and Elizabeth was replenished with the holy Ghost and she cryed out with a lowd voyce Blessed art thou among woemen and blessed is the fruit of thy wombe Happy were that soule that could receave a visit aÌ„d salutation from the Blessed Uirgen salute her that thou maiest be saluted in her presence reioyce with the infant and hope to be sanctified rejoyce in Innocency and in silence and in being hidden from the world and in obscurity as the world tearmes it and think it the greatest happines if thou couldst be released out of the prison of this world to injoy her and her Sonne face to face with out this veyle of faith Gal vpon her with â— lowd voyce III. In the meane time imitate hers and S. Elizabeths fayth and expressions Whence is this to me that the mother of my Lord doth come to me and my Lord himself He that is nothingh cannot think whence but from God alone And yet God comes to this nothing Behold with what revereÌ„ce admiration fayth gratitude and with what profie he is to be receaved and intertayned Wher is the humilitie of the Virgen The integrity of the Mother The diligence of the handmayde The indeavour of Marie That those many thinges may be perâ—ited in thee which have been sayed unto thee by our lord Heare soule and consider and incline thy eare and forget all worldly busines at the time in wich thou art to intertayne such a Gheste doth not thy hart leape for joye at the newes of his coming What more welcome newes can be expected O most sweete ô most loving Iesus how much reverence and thanksgiving is due to thee with perpetuall praise for the
what he indured for even in the garden after his prayer he was another man then when we went in Then he was sorrovvfull as he sayed vnto death and it appeared in his very countenance and cariage but novv he was couragious and ready to meete his enimies and in all the affronts and indignities which were offered him either at Cayphas or Herods or Pilats palace he did not blanche III. Yet it could not but be very irksome and paynfull to him and with whar a Crosse did they load him when he was scarce able to stand and hovv cruelly did they rend of his garments from his bleeding shoulders and streach him and vnmercifully nayle him This is the sword of which old Simeon told me so many yeares since it cannot but pearce my very hart and soule with griefe and though he sayed he would rise againe the third day and I veryly beleeve it will be so yet what hart can think of these things and not even burst with sorrovv It will be night with me till that day comes which he hath promised O light of my â—yes when shal I see thee Me thinks I still heare him crying with a lovvde voyce Father into thy hands I commend my spiritt O Father returne this happy soule so commended returne it againe with glorie that we may see his face as in mount Thabour which mount Calvarie hath so defaced I â—ommend my soule into thy hands O hands of pitty Thou hast done justice enough vpon thy Sonne restore him that we may joy togeather in the meane time I shall expect with sorrovv yet resigned to thy will as he hath taught me Not my will hut thyne be done Amen Introduction to the Mysteries of the Resurrection of our Saviour I. THe Mysteries of the Resurrection of our Saviour being full of ioyful Communication with him who is in himself the fountaine of all happines and to vs hath been and is the source and conduitâ— of all goodnes the affections which are properly to be raysed and someÌ„â—ed by the consideration of them be those of love and ioy and Congratulation Admiration also and prayse of his loving goodnes desire of his presence in this world and in the next horrour of being separated from him detestation of the least beginning of a gap or distance betvvixt our soules and him And in these and in the like our time is more to be bestormed then in discourse 〈◊〉 every action and word indeavouring to fall vpon some such short reflection as may â—indle in ouâ— hart these flames of love II. The chiefe ground wherof the Apostle doth represent vnto vs and placeth in that God who is rich in mercy his exceeding Charitie wherwith he loved vs even when we were dead by synns quickned vs togeather with Christ and raysed vs up with him and made vs sit with him in the Celestiales Chiefly therfore we are to ponder from what and to what we are raysed where we lay and where we might justly have been layed by our offenses and where he offers to seate vs if we concurre with his grace and love Hovv Rich he hath been tovvards vs in what infinite proportion his Charitie hath exceeded and doth exceed When we were dead he gave vs life when we were buryed in synns he raysed vs and hath made himself our Harbinger going before to prepare a place for vs at the right hand as his father with him III. O Iesu is it possible that I should 〈◊〉 Companion to thee in Glorie who hast been so farre from consorting with thee in thy will and commandment O vnspeakable love ô vnconceivable Goodnes I wretched synner not worthy to lift vp my eyes to heaven with thee in the heavenly places ô Charitie exceeding all thought ô Mercy with out bound or measure What can I say of myself but that I am worthy of all confusion and thou preparest Glorie for me I have nothing to say for myself but that I have synned Blessed be thy infinite Mercyes towards me and blessed be thou with the Father holy Ghost for ever and ever Amen Our Saviours going downe to limbus Patrum I. NO sooner had our Saviour given vp his blessed Ghost but troopes of Angels who wayted against that houre attended him as after his victorie in the desert and accoÌ„panied his glorious soule towards limbus PatruÌ„ with songs and hymnes farre more full of lubilee then that which they sung at his nativitie The infernall fiends hovvled and roared at the arrivall of his forerunners commanding them to avoyde but much more at his glorious and triumphant presnce shining brighter then the sunne at noone day and more resplendent then all the heavenly hoast togeather Here they were forced to adore his glorified soule who had refused due homage at first to thier Creatour when themselves might have been in glorie by one act of humble dutie what a corrasive was this to them VVhat a document to vs VVhat comfort to the iust that had been confined so long to darknes novv to see so much light approching II. But he appearing in the midst of them and saluting them with the like salutation as aftervvards his Apostles Pax vobis what exultation VVhat Jubilee was there VVhat wellcomes on all sides VVhat congratulations tovvards him in regard of his victorie Tovvards themselves in regard of thier speedy releasement And if he appeared vnto them with his glorious body also as many affirme what admiration VVhat acts of compassion VVhat wondering that he would retaine the marks of his wounds What are these wounds in the midst of thy hands sayd Zacharie the Prophâ—t and he ansvvered these I received in the house of them that loved me And David remembred that prophecying he had sayed they have digged into my hands and feete and have numbred all my bones S. Ihon Baptist most ioyfull of any repeated his wonted saying Behold the lambe of God behold who taketh away the synne of the world and hath born the smart of it vpon his ovvne shoulders And all generally from Adam to the good thiefe extolled his mercies and novv not only vnderstood of what they had beeÌ„ a figure but gave him the ioy of having fullfilled all to his greater glorie III. Our Saviour also tooke particular content to see them all at once who had been subservient to the mysteries which he had accomplished and congratulated the iust for concurring with his graces tovvards the preserving of thier iustice and with the penitent for having recourse to his mercyes with those who had suffered persecution torments and death for his love and lavv for thier fidelitie and constancie giving them all novv with more feeling to vnderstand hovv wei bestovved was all that which they had done or suffered in the world and hovv greate mercy it was that they persevered to the end among so many millions who fayled and that they were not overvvhelmed in the deluge of synne but preserved in that of his sacred blood
and vnconceivable obedience to thy heavenly father O that I had never offended rather then such indignities should be offered thee O give me grace that I may never offend thee for to offend thee is yet a greater indignitie Sonnes of men how long and to what end heavy harted Wherfore doe yee love vanitie and seeke after that which will deceive yee Here is matter of love worth your longing and truth worth your seeking Christ suffering and so entring into his glorie Our Saviour appeares to the two disciples travelling II. PART I. ANd they drew nigh to the towne whether they went and he made as though he would have gone further and they constrayned him saying stay with vs because it is towards evening and the day is farre spent And he went in with them They were courteous and charitable as to a stranger He is no stranger to thee see with what affection thou wilt invite him Consider thy necessitie hovv neere the nighr thou travellest and how neere thy end He deserves he expect to be invited and in a manner forced by our earnestnes that we may grovv in esteeme of him and thevv it O hovv many wayes doe we rather give him occasion not to come in to vs O slovvnes and dulnes that cannot compasse so happy companie vnles he stay for vs Manâ— mobiscum Domine II. And while he sat at table with them he tooks bread and blessed and brake it and did reach it to them and thier eyes 〈◊〉 opened and they knew him and he vanished out of 〈◊〉 sight See the effect of Christ his staying with vs and of devoutly communicating with due thanks giving and blessing of God for his so greate benefit and consideration of the passion of our Saviour Be not hasty to depart when thou hast received him stay and ponder his greatnes his goodnes his familiarnes with vs his wisdome his povver c. This is the way to have thy eyes more and more opened and to increase in his knovvledge and love This vayle of mortalitie and the Sacramentall shapes will not afford thee a cleere sight but fayth and submission must supply and love proportionable It is better to sit in a corner with him then with multitudes of those to whom nature doth more incline vs. III. And they sayed one to the other was not our hart burning in vs while he spake to vs in the way and opened to vs the Scriptures And rising the same howre they returned to Hierusalem and told the things that were done in the way and how they knew him in the breaking of bread The means to become fervant is meditation and pious discourse often also to reflect vpon our former courses hovv we have gone aâ—tray and to be punctuall in observing our times and hovvers of reading and hearing spirituall things and of other devout practises with hovv little fervour alas Doe I think or speake of these things after so much handling of them Hovv cold is my hart even at the times when it hath cause of most heate Our repiditie and negligence is much to be lamented and commiserated that we come to our Saviour with no more affection c. Th. à Kemp. lib. 4. cap. 1. n. 2. Our Saviour appeares to his disciples when they were together I. VVHen it was Late that day and the doores were shut where the disciples were gathered together for feare of the Iewes Iesus came and stood in the midst and sayth to them Peace be to you and shewed them his hands and side The disciples therfore were glad when they saw our lord It seemes alwayes late when Iesus delayes his coming Yet we ought not to despayre specially if we forgo not our recollection and doe intertayne ourselves in holy desires of seeing him Veni Domine noli tardare Come to forgive come to comfort the closest secrets of my hart shall be allvvayes open to thee and allvvayes ready no feare shall shut the doorevpoÌ„ thee take thy standing in the midst and full possession of me for thou bringest peace and complete ioy O blessed hands and side pearced for my sake what obiect can be compared with this VVhere can I dvvell with more content II. He sayed to them againe Peace be to you as my Father sent me I also send you then he breathed vpon them and sayed receive the holy Ghost whose synns you shall forgive they are forgiven and whose you shall retayne they are retayned VVhat doth this repetition of peace betoken but that as he had with his presence quieted thier minds so did he commend quiet and peace among themselves to the end that while some did rejoyce that they had beleeved others lament that they had fayled one should not immoderately extoll himself above the other or think of himself the beâ—â—er Secondly that the peace which he did give them did not consist in an idle rest or present quieâ— from troble and payne but as his Father sent him to suffer and take paynes and with the like love to them as his Father had notwithstanding his sufferings to him Where we must not forget to prepare ourselves with a pure conscience that we may act and suffer with merit of the revvard promised and to that end make vse of the power given to the Apostles and thier successours for the remission of our synnes that they be no hinderance to ourselves nor to the good intended by our good God III. They yet not beleeving and marvelling for ioy he sayed have you here any thing to be eaten and they offerd him a peace of fish broyled and a hony combe and when he had eaten before them taking the remaynder he gave it them His eating was not for need of it but by that which he could doe to confirme his resurrection besides that the â—â—sh broyled signified our Saviour himself who ought to be our continuall food He vouchsafed to hide himself in the sorrovves of mankind and be caught in the net of death broyled vpon the crosse but he that was thus broyled in his passion became a hony combe in his resurrection and ioyned these tvvo together in his refection because he receiveth those into his mysticall body in eternall rest who suffering here for God find svveetnes in it in regard of the love which they beare him Thou hast this food in the blessed Sacrament feed on it with svveetnes of hart and love for it contayneth all sort of delight He appeareth againe to his disciples Thomas being present I. THomas one of the twelve wae not with them when Iesus came the other disciples sayed to him we have seen our Lord But he sayed vnlesse I see in his hands the dint of the nayles and put my finger into the place of the nayles and put my hand into his side I will not beleeve S. Jhon Chrisostome As to be easy of beleefe is a signe of weaknes so to be over curious in searching is dulnes and
and by true contrition we cast the divell out of our harts we speake with nevv tongues not excusing but confessing our falts though we suffer evill suggestions they doe vs no hurt because we instantly cast them of as S. Paul did the viper This strife this contention and solicitude is troblesome and daÌ„gerous to infirme nature but by beliefe and confidence in the goodnes of God we shall find his and his servants hand vpon vs to protect vs and strengthen vs. Temptations are to man oftimes very profitable though troblesome c. Thomas â— Kemp. l. 1. c. 13. n. 2. Our Saviour appeares to his disciples in Galilee and els where I. OVr Saviour in the forty dayes after his resurrection which passed before his Ascension appeared severall times to his disciples confirming by many testimonies that he was truly risen and teaching them the things belonging to his kingdome which is the Church militant and triumphant and among other things he sayed vnto them All power is given me in heaven and on â—arth and behold I am with you all dayes to the end of the world Adore and submit to our Saviours povver so vniversall ioying that not only as God he is omnipotent but as man he hath all povver also given him to iudge and to revvard and to assiste and to mediate From whence the Apostle doth dravv this argument of confidence who is he that shall condemne Christ Iesus that died yâ—â— that is risen who is on the right hand of God who also maketh intercession for vs. And with all consider how short all human povver is never all in one and that which is is ever many wayes confined and vncertaine to continue His is in heaven and earth eternall commanding both visible and invisible outward and invvard and where he pleaseth nothing can risist whervpon he once vpon good ground gave vs this item Yea I say vnto you fearâ— him II. But here he treates more of mercy for after he had willed them to preach to all nations teaching them to observâ— all his commandments he promiseth them his continuall assistance to the end of the world Behold I am with you c. as if he should have sayed as S Prosper doe not feare therfore by reason of your infirmitie but confide in my power which is allvvayes present invisibly though my person be not visible to you He is with all to assist them with his grace though with his Apostles he is more particularly by reason of their charge All dayes that is at all times both of comfort and affliction to the end of the world never weary never forsaking and most of all assisting in the end of their lives those who have been faythfull to him or with penitent hart have recourse to his mercyes When Iesus is present all is good and nothing seemes hard III. They which were present asked him Lord wilt thâ—â— at this time restore the kingdome of Israel And he sayed vnto them it is not for you to know the times and seasons which the father hath put in his owne power but yee shall receive the vertue of the holy Ghost and be witnesses to me to the vtmost of the earth See here thy ovvne weaknesse who never so often put in mind of heavenly things inclinest still to thy wonted conceits and affections and imperfections as if nothing had been sayed or done It is not any temporall kingdome or commoditie of this world at which thou must ayme but the kingdome of the other world â—either is it for every body to knovv whether he be worthy of it noâ— the time and season of parting hence vnto it but we must attend to our taske that is by good life â—â—cording to the prescripts of our Saviour witnes that we are his disciples and of his flock if we beare this marke we shall be admitted when time is which God of his goodnes grant Christ Assenssion 1. PART I. OUr Saviour having pitched vpon a day for his Ascension appointed his Apostles and disciples to meeâ—e vpon mount Oliveâ— of which meeting probably the Apostle speakes when he sayth he vvas seen to above â—iue handerd brethren togeather and invisibly had many thousands of Angâ—ls wayting on him besides the blessed â—ompanie of Patriarchs and Prophets and all the just of the old restament in which companie he approching we may easily imagin with what joy and reverence he was received by them and with what expectation of what he would doe or say some admiring his maiesticall presence others his blessed wounds others recording what had passed in his passion and comparing his sayings with the event and hovv from that Mount he went once trivmphant to Hierusalem all the people crying OsaÌ„na and accompanying him strovving boughs and thier garments in the way and novv not fearing any nevv mischance wished and hoped for the like triumph and that he would declare himself king of Israël Prayse God as the Apostles did at that time vvith loude voyce calling to mind all his wonderous works and say Blessed art thou vvho comest king in the name of God Peace in heaven and glorie in the highest II. Our Saviour after he had saluted them and thanked them for thier love and respect towards him sayed these are the vvords vvhich I spake to you vvhen I vvas 〈◊〉 vvith you that all things must needs be fullfilled which are written in the law of Moyses and the Prophets and the Psalmes of me Then he opened thier vnderstanding that they might vnderstand the Scriptures and he sayed to them that so it is witten and so it behoved Christ to suffer and to rise agayne from the dead the third day and penance to be preached in his name and remission of synnes to all nations beginning from Hierusalem If in our Saviour all things were necessarily to be fullfilled hovv can we expect reward vnlesse we fullfill our dutie and his commands If it behoved him to suffer before he could rise to glorie let vs not think to escape all suffering if we pretend to glorie but apply ourselves to doe penance for our synns that we may have remission nothing of this world is gayned with out some hardship and what is all that is in this world compared to the glorie which we aâ—e promised The Patriaâ—chs and the Prophets as they were figures and foretellers of these his sufferings so did they suffer also themselves and we must incourage ourselves by the example of those who have gone befoâ—â— vs. Hâ—â—c suâ—t verba these are the words of truth itself which cannot deceive nor be deceived III. And lifting vp his hands he blessed them and while he blessed them he departed from them and was caâ—yed iâ—to heaven Begge paâ—te of this blessing that thou mayst fullfill his sayings and follow him in time as now in thought He was caryed into heaven by his owne power having no need of assistance of Angel or Cloude though these did thier dutie
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
cast out divells surely the kingdome of God is come vpon you Beware of dissension the mischiefe which comes of it is too apparent Beware of censuring other-folks actions or words and construing them to the worst most commonly they condemne themselves as one time or other guiltie of the same Imitate our Saviour who is still doing good to these who shew themselves thus vngratefull for it is a signe that we pertayne to the kingdome of God who makes his Sunne to shine over the good and the bad and rayneth vpon the just and vnjust III. When an vncleane spirit departs out of à man â—e wandereth through places without water seeking rest and not finding he sayth I will returne into my house whence I departed and he findeth it swept and trimmed but vacant then he taketh seaven other spirits worse then himself and entring in they dwell there and the last of that man becomes worse then the first S. Augustin sayeth that they are signified in this parable who beleeving in Christ and imbracing his doctrine shrinke afterwards in the performance of it overcome with thier too much inclination to case and pleasure for though at first they resolved to overcome it yet missing afterwards of those remporall delights to which they were too much affected they fall to them more greedily then before and are vtterly lost in them Begge of our Saviour the seaven gifts of the holy Ghost contrarie to the seaven wicked spirits which labour to prossesse vs. To witt true wisdome ioyned with profound humilitie cleare light of the vnderstanding with out too much adhering to our owne conceit easynes not only to take advise but also to follow it fortitude even in those things which are not all togeather to our liking if otherwise sitting or commanded to be done knowledge without of tentation true pietie and devotion with our all kind of dissembling and the true feare of God not to be overcome with the falsly stiled freedome which endeavours to vndermine it Veni Sanâ—te Spiritus The fist application to the most Blessed Sacrament I. THe Magdalen the Centurion and the Widdow of Naim gives as an ample subiect wherwith to interrayne our Saviour at the holy Communion with teares of repentance for our manifold offences with humble acknowledgment of our greate vnworthynes to be visited by such a guest and with ioy at the raysing of our soule from 〈◊〉 to life by the powerfull mercy of our Saviour taking â—ompassion of vs when we were caryed away by our disordered desires to our vtter ruine Prostrate thyself at thy Saviours feeâ—e with the one begging pardon and washing with reares the aspersions which thou hast cast vpon them by thy disorder Retire thyself with the other into the bosome of thy owne nothing by nature and worse then nothing by synne and be ashamed to approch yet not soe but that with the third thou mayest rayse thyself to confidence seeing he is pleased to meete thee and to stretch his loving hand towards thee to be received by thee II. But we must not rest in affections only we must bestow vpon him the oyntments which he desireth resolutions to imbrace the narrow way by him commended For not every one that sayth Lord Lord shall enter into the Kingdome of Heaven but he that doth the will of his heavenly Father This resolution we must strengthen by often applying ourselves to this holy Banket and often receiving it For heis our strength and our refuge â—â—d in him is all our hope See how he gives sight to the blind hearing to the dease Speech to the dumbe life to the dead how he refuseth not the poorest snake that is but gives â—free accesse and comfort to every body that is willing to be holpen by him And be not scandalized in him thinking that he makes himself too cheape or that it is better to foxbeare for if he be willing to afford vs this comfort and this honour as certainly he is it were rather a discourresie to shrink back and as it were to forbid his coming to vs. For neither did the Centurion so but presenting himself vnto him expressed only his firme beleese that in absence also he could cure his servant III. When thou hast received take heed of instantly turning to other thoughts vnlesse some absolut necessarie busines come vpon thee but give him some time of loving intertaynement least he that is cast out watching his opportunitie finding the house trimmed but vacant and emptie of any good imployment or thought strive to come in againe and for our ingratitude we find lesse devotion if not some thing worse happen vnto vs. Imploy thyself in his prayses as he did in S. Jhons when his disciples were returned say vnto thyself what a Guest have I received into my house A Prophet an Angell No the inlightner of Propheâ—s and the Lord of Angels in whose prelence-they stand with reverent respect singing Holy Holy Holy the Lord of hosts full is heaven and earth of thy glorie aÌ„d Maiestie Thee The glorious quire of the Apostles The multitude of Prophets The glitering armiers of blessed Marryrs The whole Catholick Church spead through the world doe prayse and glorisie and consesse to be thier God thier redeemer thier glorifier The parable of the seed I. VVHen a grâ—â—te multitude assembled and hastened out of the citties to him be sayed by a similitude the sower went forth to sow his seed and in sowing some fell by the way side and was troden vpon and the fowles of the ayre did eate it Othersome fell vpon the rocke and being shot vp it withered because it had not meisture Othersome fell among thornes and the thornes growing vp with it choked it Othersome fell upon good groâ—â—d and being shot vp yealded fruit an hundred fold The sower is the most Blessed Trinitie the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost the blessed Angels the holy Apostles and Prophets in thier doctriâ—e preached and written for vs. The seed is every good thought every good motion stirring vs to that which is our dutie towards God towards our neighbour and ourselves Every good thought that is given and every perfect gift is from heaven descending from the Father of lights It behooveth vs to think how we receive them not to be vngratefull to the gratious giver and prerudiciall to ourselves God is bountifull to all and vpon every mans haâ—â— he soweth his seed it belongs to man to prepare his souâ— by the selfsame graces and to render it â—upple and plyable by cooperating with them for we are not by 〈◊〉 tute rocks but by our owne willfull hardening our harts nor are we necessitated to lye by the high way side where every one is apt to tread vpon vs nor bred so among thoâ—nes that we cannot avoyde them II. In the explication of this similitude our Saviour tells vs that the birds of the ayre signifie the evill spirits who while we
thus Behold thy eternall father and I have done these and these things for thee c. Ponder With what humilitie the Blessed Virgen names Ioseph first and styles him Father Say to the child Iesus with devout Thomas a Kempis Let others seeke for themselves what they please nothing doth or shall give me contentment but thou my God my hope and my eternall Welfare II. And he sayed vnto them what is it that you sought me Did you not know that I must be about those things which are my Fathers He would â—ot be so thought to be thier Sonne sayth S. Augstin as not to be vnderstood to be the Sonne of God Therfore also he would be found in the Temple as S Bede reflecteth to the end that whose Majestie and glorie was one and the same the same house and seate should contayne them Make thyself his Temple keepe thyself in the Church of Christ wherfore doe you seeke him in vayne in the companie of the vnfaithfull Sayth Eucherius III. And they vnderstood not the word which he spake to them For God vseth to reveile his mysteries to his frends by parts therfore that we may vnderstand them they are continually to be ruminated Our spirituall generation and hope of eternall inheritance is to be allwayes before our eyes That we are Sonnes of God that he is many wayes our Father how much it doth importe vs to be about those things which coÌ„cerne vs in the other world to be diligent in observing his commands to behave ourselves like dutifull and loving children tovvards him what difference there is betvvixt toyling in the world and for the world and taking paines for the service of God how different a revvard belongs vnto it This if we did rightly vnderstand we should be the more diligent c. The Life of Christ till he was thirty I. ANd he went downe with them and came to Nazareth He went dovvne with them and stooped to the lovvnes of thier manner of living He began to be in the things which were thieas till having passed Masteâ— of humility the time came wherin he was to be acknowledged to be above all Creatures Descend thou also from thy high flovven thoughts from self conceite and pride and ambition and contention and come to Nazareth Wher thou may be little or nothing regarded what doest thou in court in the earthly citty of Hierusalem Enter into thy closet shut thy dore vpon thee lye closse for a while till the wrach of God passe The highest God descended how low II. And he was subject to them Let subjects give â—are to thiâ— and not disdayne to be subject let superiours heare and observe that oftimes subjects deserve better then superiours and S. Bernard VVh will not blush to stand obstinately to his owne opinion seeing the eternall wisedome to yeald from his God doth subject and trust himself to mortalls and will any body still abide to walke his onne wayes And he was subject VVho To whom III. And his Mother kept all these things in her hare and Iesus proceeded in wisdome and age and grace with God and men How odoriferous a poesie can we thinke these things were in the breast of the Blessed Virgen how little was she cloyed with often reflecting vpon them Materiall flovvers need to be fed with water to preserve them from decay these flovvers also must be watered from the fountaines of our eyes and warmed with the rayes of devout reflections that they may continue to refresh vs so shall we proceed and increase with Iesus in spirituall and other wisedome also and be in favour c. Sit vnder the shade of thees trees Iesus Maria Ioseph and thou wilt gather fruits which will be pleasing Amen A Meditation by way of introduction to those of the Passion of our Saviour HArkening to that which our Savior sayed to his Apostles Behold we goe up to Hierusalem and the sonne of man shall be delivered to the Princes to be mocked and schovrged and Crucified begge of him grace to vnderstand the intent of this hard vsage that thou mayst behave thy self accordingly And first It Consider that wheras the chefe intent of the sufferings of our Saviour was to satisfie for the Synnes of the world and to blot them out of our soules and also to give vs example of vertue and incouragement to it we ought to dispose ourselves to a perfect hatred of synne as the cause of this greate evill which happened to our Saviour weighing who it is that suffers and for what for as the greater the person is to whome an affront is offered the affront is also the greater and more detestable none being comparable to God in greatnes nothing can be more detestable then synne against him to which if we adde the goodnes of our Saviour tovvards vs as man the hatred of synne must be the greater as of an object the most injurious that can be both to God and man which is the reason why the Apostle puts vs in mind to consider well the person of him that suffereth for vs. Recogitate eum quâ— talem sustinuit a peccatoribns adversus sâ—metipsum contradictionem II. The second consideration is that which followeth in the Apostle That you be not wearyed fainting in your mind for you have not as yet resisted vnto blood striving against sinne As if he should have sayed in the haâ—â—ed of synne in striving against temptations in overcoming â—nd bridling out passions in denying and mortifying our desires in obeying Gods commaÌ„dments and councells and in the practise of all kind of verâ—ue with out which the hatred of synne cannot be perfect many difficulties doe occur particularly in the beginning of our couversion to God we have the more need therfore to set this example of our Saviour the more lively before our eyes that we may not faint or fayle considering how much more he hath done and suffred for vs then can happen to vs in this conflict III. And thirdly by his example also we must incourage ourselves to patients and constant suffering and going through with what ever may happen vnto vs otherwise because as it behoved him to suffer and so to enter into his glorie so we by suffering and persevering with patience aâ—d resolution in the fight shall be also crowned looking therfore vpon the Authour of this our Faith and finisher Iesus who having joy proposed to him sustayned the Crosse contemning the shame and sitreth at the righe hand the seate of God say vnto him sweet Saviour as thou didst voluntarily offer thyself to thy heavenly Father with armes spread vpon the crosse and thy body naked so doe I willingly offer myself to thee and purpose by thy grace and example rather to dye then offend thee rather to suffer any worldly inconvenience then to part from thy counsels and commandments c. A meditation of the Councell of the Jewes against our Saviour
Intertaynment of our Saviour as spouse of our soule I. S. Gregorie vpon the parable delivered by our Saviour of a king who made a mariage for his Sonne sayth that God the Father did then make a mariage for his eternall Sonne when he joyned him to humane nature in the wombe of the blessed Virgin and againe when through this mysterie of his Incarnation he did as it were wed him to Holy Church According to that of the Apostle speaking of Matrimonie This is a greate Sacrament or Mysterie but I say in Christ and in the Church to wit perfected and compleated in the loving coniunctioÌ„ of Christ with his Church and consequently with every soule that in it doth conserve his grace and love VVhich conjunction he doth renew and confirmâ— with new demonstrations of love every time that we doe worthily receive him in so much that we may iustly make account that every such time he sayth vnto vs as in Ozea the Prophet I will betroth thee unto me for ever I will betroth thee unto me in iustice and sanctitie and in iudgement over thy enimies and in mercy taking pitty of thy infirmities and in fayth and fidelitie vnto thee O my souleâ— VVhere shall I have thoughts and forces sufficient to thank my Saviour for such exceeding love or what doe I stand so long demurring as if there could be an offer made more honourable or more beneficiall O mercy incomparable prostrate at thy feete I doe adore thy love and by thy mercy doe promise faythfullnes vnto thee II. The day of mariage is a day of ioy the bride is as costly attired as her state will affoard frends and kinsfolk are invited and gifts presented So we read in S. Jhon speaking of the last act therof of which this is a figure let vs be glad and reiâ—ycâ— and give glorie to God because the mariage of the lamb is come and his wife hath prepared herself and it was given her that she should cloth herself with silk glittering and white and the silk are the iuâ—tifications of the saints VVith these by the grace of God which is given vs we must prepare ourselves before hand not satisfyed with slight indeavour but imitating the diligence and care of Gods saints and exercising acts of vertue which may deserve the name of silk and not of courser sturf and with the like care conserving our soules white and resplendent in the sight of our spouse with out spot of synne or too much affection to what ever creature O saints of God! VVhere shall I find these silks I give glorie notwithstanding to my God that he doth not despise my povertie It is a rule approoved by thee According to thy abilitie be mercyfull If thou hast much give abundantly if thou have but little give willingly a little That which I have I give wholy vnto thee and doe begge that by thyself and by thy saints thou wilt supply my wants and take compassion of me who doest not turne away thy face from those that caâ—â— vpon thee III. Reflect more particularly vpon the greatenes of this match and the beneficiallnes of it for in all matches the Bride is made noble by the noblenes of the bridegroome groome and he indowes her with his person and substance wher vpon the Prophet foretells that the Church of God and every faythfull soule shall have a new name which the mouth of our Lord shall give it and that he will reioyce or take contentment in such a soule as a bridegroome doth in the bride and she shall be to him as a crowne of glorie and a royall diademe that is so much esteemed by him And the argument of the Apostle is here also in force He that hath delivered for vs his owne Sonne how hath he not also with him given vs all things So that honour and profit inviting vs what can we say but humbly yeald ourselves his servants admiring his goodnes beyond all desert and indeavouring not to dishonour ourselves and him by any base act whatsoever all sorte of greevous synns being tearmed in holy writ spirituall adulterie in regard of the fidelitie which we owe to him and the linke of love which he desires should be betwixt vs and the obligation which we have vnto it Intertaynment of our Saviour as he is the good shepheard I. This title he gives himself and with-all the qualities of the good shepheard I am the good shepheard The good shepheard giveth his life for his sheepe Call to mind the life of our Saviour from the beginning to the end and thou wilt easily discover how truly he may say he hath given it all and wholy for thee and with much more reason then Jacob sayed to Laban day and night I was parched with heate and cold and sleepe did depart from my eyes and so for twenty yeares I served thee and then standing betwixt the infernall wolfe and vs he suffered himself to be torne in peeces rather then we should perish O loving Iesus Whence cometh it that thou doest thus owne vs for thyne and take so much care of vs It is thy owne mercifull goodnes that puts thee to this troble and payne with vs sylly creatures and apt to be led astray I acknowledge myself vnable to defend myself thou art my protectour in thee I doe place my hope c. II. The benefit which we reape by this his care is in comparable he performing towards vs that which he foretold and promised by Ezechiel I will seeke that which was lost and bring back that which was driven away and will bind vp that which was broken and strenghten that which was infirme and preserve that which is strong and in good liking Which is that which he sayth of himself in S. Jhon I came that they should have life and should have more abundantly that is more easy and more plentifull means towards saluation and dayly grow more perfect by this his care and liberalitie And againe as my Father knowes me and doth acknowledge me for his Sonne with love due from a Father to a Sonne so doe I know and acknowledge my sheepe and am as teÌ„der of theÌ„ as of childreÌ„ III. In consequence wherof he sayth further that he knoweth every one of his sheepe by name and taketh particular notice of every one none excepted he goeth beforâ— them to shew them the way by his owne example and puts them to â—o hardnes which himself hath no indured for them he provideth them pasture and such as the world cannot sufficiently admire That at which the Angels tremble and dare not freely fixe thier eyes vpon that is our food to him we are vnited and made one flesh with him who can expresse the power of our Lord and set forth all his prayses VVhat shepheard doth feed his sheepe with his owne blood Many Mothers doe put forth thier Chrildren to others to nurse He hath not indured
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
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
beware of those synnes which we have lately confessed begging assistance to avoyde them Thirdly we must indeavouâ— to increase in the knowledge and love and respect to our Saviour For the man before â—e presented himself this second time knew him not knowing him he proclaymed that it was Iesus who had done that greate miracle vpon him O sweete and mercyfull Iesus how much reverence and thanksgiving with continuall prayse is due vnto thee for the receiving of thy blessed body the dignitie wherof no man is able to explicate The narrow way commanded I. ENter by the narrow gate for broade is the way and large is the gate which leadeth to perditâ—oâ— and many enter by it But narow is the gate and straight is the way which leadeth to life and few there be that find it Blinded by their owne worldly and carnaâ—â— desires which they choose rather to follow and because they are pleasing to sence the way they walke in seemes large and pleasant but in fine it leads them to eternall perdition and they are hardly recoverable in this world when they are once entred because it is harder to leave the wayes of the world when one hath once pleased himself in them then if he never rasted them yet we must not think that the gate aÌ„d way to life of is so narrow as to be allwayes irksome but as S. Gregorie advertizeth The way of God to beginners is narrow to those who are perfect it is broade for the narrowest gate is widened by love and when a man considers that for temporall commodâ—ties forsaken he is to receive eternall ioy he begins to love that which otherwise would afflict him II. Not every one that sayth vnto me Lord Lord shall enter into the kingdome of heaven but he that doth the will of my Father which is in heaven he shall enter into the kingdome of heaven For what kind of confession is it so to beleeve in God as not to care what he commandeth or how can we say Lord from our hart if we contemne his precepts whome we acknowledge to be our Lord and Master Our hands therfore must go with our mouth and our works according to our belâ—â—fe for otherwise there will be many that will say in the latter day Lord have we not prophecyed in thy name and in thy name cast out divells and wrought many wonderous things and then I will confesse unto them that I never knew them depart from me you that worke iniquitie III. Every one therfore that heareth these my words and doth them shall be likened to a wise man that built his house vpon a rock And the raine fell and the fluds came and the winds blew and they beate against that house and it fell not for it was built vpon a rock And every one that heareth these my words and doth them not shall be like a foolish man that built his house vpon the sand and the rayne fell and the flouds came and the wind blew and they beate against that house and it fell and the fall therof was great The Rock on which we must build is our Saviour whose only merits doe vphold vs for of outselves we can doe nothing nor pretend any thing in the sight of God towards eternall life His doctrine is the ground of our faith His life is the sampler according to which we must frame ours to the end to be accepted at the later day and to be able in the meane time to withstand al our Ghostly enimies S. Ihon Chrysostome tells vs more over that a strong resolution to go forward in Gods service is the rock on which vnder our Saviour we must build our spirituall building For the other building sayth he was easyly overâ—â—rowne not by the violence of the Temptatations for so the first also might have fallen but by reason of the weakenes of the foundation that is of our resolution Temptation is not the cause of our fall but the vnconstantie of our mind and our want of courage by which oftimes even without any temptation we come to be overthrowne for sand of itself doth yeald but a diamond resisteth the force of the hammer Our Saviour cureth the servant of the Câ—nturion I. ANd he entred Capharnaum and the servant of a certaine Centurion being sicke was ready to dye who was deare vnto him and when he had heard of Iesus he sent vnto him the Ancients of the Iewes desiriug him to come and heale his servant They being come to Iesus besought him earnestly saying he is worthy that thou shouldst doe this for him for he loveth our nation and hath buylâ— a synagog for vs and Iesus went with them The Centurion went not to our Saviour in peâ—son with the strength of faith he went vnto him an Alien by birth by faith pertayning to his household And wheras others had recourse vnto him for divers infirmities this man alone intercedeth for his servant saying within himself this is my servant and I am servant to my Creatour if I doe not take pitty of my servant how shall I expect that my my Creatour will have mercy on me II. And when he was not farre from the house the Centurion sent his frends to him saying Lord troble not thyself for I am not worthy that thou shouldst enter vnder my roofe for the which cause neiâ—her did I think myself worthy to come vnto thee but only say the word and my servant shall be cured For I also am a man subiect to authoritie having solders vnder me And I say to this go and he goeth and to another come and he cometh and to my servant doe this and he doth it Beleeving and professing that as he being in command though a subiect had his servants and soldiers obedient vnto him much more our Saviour being Lord of the whole world could coÌ„mand any creature and it would obey without resistance Be ashamed at thy stownes in doing his commands whome sunne and moone and starres earth and heaven doe obey upon his word He beleeved also that it was not necessarie that our Saviour should so much as see the sick person but that whatever disease he had it would leave him upon his command wherfore though he received him not under his roofe he had him in his harâ— so much the fuller the more humbly he did demeane himself III. And Iesus hearing this message marvelled and turning to the multitude sayed Amen I say to you neither in Israel have I found so greate faith And I say to you many shall come from the East and west and shall sit downe with Abraham and Isaac and Iacob in the Kingdome of heaven but the Children of the Kingdome shall be cast out into the exteriour darknes there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth and he sayed to the CeÌ„turion God as thou hast belâ—ved be it done unto thee and the servant was healed at the same houreâ— The Iewes certanly
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 Saviour because they were most learned and could not choose but know the Prophecies which were of him and blinded with ambition and covetousnes and other vices which our Saviour reprehended in them insteed of seeking to him they sought to take him and kill him A miserable condition and worldly greatnes the more to be feared and that councell of the wiseman the more carefully to be followed The greater thou art humble thyself the more in all things and then shalt find favour in the sight of God This is the way to seeke our Saviour so as not to misse of finding him and to come where he is Iefus hath many lovers of his heavenly Kingdome but few caryers of his Crosse. II. And in the last greate day of the festivitie Iesus stood and cryed saying if any man thirst let him come to me and drink He that beleeveth in me as the Scripture sayth out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water And this he sayed of the spirit which they should receive who beleeved in him When he saw that few gave him the hearing he redoubled his indeavours and cryed out with a loude voyce If any man thirst let him come to me As if he should have sayed I know you thirst after worldly commodities but they will not quench but increase the distemper If you will be truly satisfied come to me and drink of the doctrine which I teach you that will coole the heat of your ambition by shewing you where true honour dwelleth it will quench the desire of heaping up wealth shewing you how â—ickle it is and how full of troble and vexation It Will put you out of conceite with other pleasures teaching how much they are under the noblenes of man and either meere toyes or filth Come to me you will see nothing in me but honourable substantiall and divine III. The multitude when they heard these words sayed This is the Prophet indeed This is Christ. And the ministers came to the chiefe Priests and Pharisees and sayed never did man speake so as this man and the Pharisees answered are you also seduced Hath any of the Princes beleeved in him or of the Pharisees But this multitude which knoweth not the law is accursed They should have asked what were these admirable things which he had so delivered as no man the like but they avoyded that and when themselves should have been compunct they fell to accuse him Truly high words doe not make a man a sainct and just but a vertâ—oâ—s life makes vs to be beloved of God The eight Application to the most Blessed Sacrament I. OVr Saviour while he lived on earth appearing outwardly as an ordinarie man shewed his disciples part of the glorie even then due vnto him and at his command being transfigured before them his face shining like the sunne his garments as white as snow Being now glorious in heaven and presenting his sacred body on earth vnto vs in the most Blessed Sacrament to be adored and received by vs be coveretâ— the glorie due vnto it with the shapes of bread and wine as much for our good as his transfiguration was for the instruction of his Apostles For if the children of Israel were not able to looke Moyses in the face when he came downe from conversing with God for the glorie which shined in his countenance how should vve beâ— able to receive so greate a benefit as is the presence of our Saviour glorified if he did not mercyfully cast this vaileâ— before his face that we might confidently approch Theâ— Apostles hearing the voyce from heaven This is my beloved Sonne heare him fell to the ground and were much afrayd so should we be stricken at the voyce of the Priest pronouncing This is my body if our Saviour as he makes it instantly present should present it glorious and we should not be able to make that devout vse of it as he desires Yet it is our dutie to acknowledge aÌ„d say with hare and tongue This is that beloved Sonne of the heavenly Father in whome he is pleased This is my Saviour and my redeemer my Lord aÌ„d my God who is pleased thus mercyfully and miraculously to afford himself present to me O in whome or in what should I take more pleasure then in this beloved and so greate lover of me sylly wretch as not to be content to give himself once for our sakes but is continually giving himself in this familiar way for my comfort and for the strengthening of me in his service that is in that which is my only glorie II. Let vs make here three Tabernacles and all three for him alone One in my memorie recording if not perpetually yet at convenient times this incomparable benefit of his presence with vs and thanking him infinitely for it calling all creatures to assist me for all is too too little Benedicite omnia opera Domini Dominâ— laâ—date super exaltate â—um in 〈◊〉 A second tabernacle in my vnderstaÌ„ding submitting it to his heavenly word this is my â—ody this is my Blood beleeving both his power to doe it and eternall truth which cannot say and not doe or deceive those with whom he doth deale At this shore the boysterous sea of Philosophicall arguments must breake the swelling waves of humane conceite and turne into froth for who is able to contradicte the Omnipotent Second Part A third Tabernacle in my will pouring forth itself into affections of love and dwelling upon them perpetually O beloved Sonne of the eternall Father in whom he doth take full satisfaction and contentment wherefore should I seeke content els where Seeing thoâ— alone doest fill the eternall God who is infiâ—ite O hart of myne empty thy self of all other things that thou mayest receive this beloved Guest to his and thy full contentment O poore Tabernacle O miserable dwelling which I doe present thee Let thy glorious face shine upon it to disperse the darknes clothe it with the white garments of thy vertues III. Moyses and Elias even in this manifestation of his glorie 〈◊〉 of his passion and of the death which he was to suâ—â—â—r for he was still on earth though for the time glorifie And this Blessed Sacrament is a coÌ„memoration and representation of the sacrifice which once he offered vpon the Crosse dying for vs to put vs in mind that our chiefe meditaâ—ions and indeavours here while we live on earth must be of suffering and of humbling ourselves as he humbled himself and of imitating him in the carying of our Crosse that so we may come to an everlasting glorie And consequently the most acceptable offering that we can offer to him at holy masse or at receiving is to think of his bitter passion not only with a thankfull mind but with a mind full of purposes to imitate his conversation vpon earth and his sufferings thinking in particular in what this day or this weeke I may more constantly imitate him
This must be our study and profession in this life to mayntaine the beauty and due proportion of this image which we beare that our vnderstandings and our wills be not blurred with things vnbeseeming God claymes it as his due He hath put his owne stampe vpon vs which can never be razed quite out so long as we have a soule it will be found to be the image of God however it be vsed III. That day the Saducees came to him who say there is no resurrection and asked whose wife shall she be that had seven husbands Iesus sayed to them you erre not knowning the scriptures nor the power of God for in the resurrection neither shall they mary nor be maried but are as the Angles of â—od in heaven And concerning the resurrection have you not heard that of God saying I am the God of Abraham and of Isaac and of Iacob He is not God of the dead but of the living These men had the Scriptures but had not the right vnderstanding of them because in the reading of them they did not take with them the right rule of vnderstanding them which is tradition and humble submission to approved authoritie they also doe erre not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God who condemne in this life those who doe not mary or doe vow virginitie which state notwithstanding being approved by our Saviour himself hath by all ancient Fathers and continuall practise of the Church been esteemed an Angelicall life vpon earth In like manner is prayer to saints a holy practise for they are not to be esteemed as dead but living and knowing much more by the power of God then by nature they could and more powerfull to doe good then ever they were in this life however strange things God was pleased to worke by them even here on earth The greate Commandment I. THe Pharisees hearing that he had put the Saducees to silence came together and one of them a doctour of the law asked him tempting him Master which is the greate commandment in the law Iesus sayed to him Thou shalt love the Lord thy God from thy whole hart and with thy whole soule and with thy whole mind This is the greatest and first commandment It is the first and greatest commandment because first in order of promulgation first in dignitie by reason of the person whom we are commanded to love first also in perfection because love is the chiefe of our passions and placed vpon so noble an object doth greately innoble a soule it is the greatest because it comprehends all other vertues and draweth them after it aÌ„d vpon it dependeth our whole good and salvation and in regard of the greatenes of God and his infinite deserving to be loved it requireth that no part of vs be vacant from being imployed in his love our whole hart and affection our whole soule and invention our whole mind and application must be to his love Iâ— And the second is like to this Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy self On these two commandments dependeth the whole law and Prophets Our Saviour answered the doctour more then he demanded and put him in mind that he was not to aske such questions by way of tempting but doe what the law prescribeth that is doe by others as we would be done by Love thy neighbour as thyself This commandment is like the former because we must love our neighbour also in his degree with our whole hart and soule and mind and not suffer hatred to possesse the least part of vs It is like the first because as we love God for himself so must we love our neighbour not for our owne sakes but for his and for God It is like the first because vpon this as vpon the other depends our salvation and that of S. Jhon is very true He that loveth not his brother whom he seeth God whom he seeth not how can he love III. Then Iesus spake to the multitude and to his disciples saying vpon the Chayre of Moyses have sitten the Scribes and Pharisees all things therfore whatever they shall say vnto you observe yee and doe yee but according to their works doe yee not for they say and doe not To shew vs how truly and how sincerly we are to practise the love of our neighbour by this document he giveth vs to vnderstand that however he misliked the proceeding of the Pharisees and often reprehended them sharpely yet he had care of their honourand authoritie and held with them so farre as was reason He teacheth vs also not to carpe at superiours being men as others and subiect to be misled for in what their authoritie leads them in order to the instruction of others God hath so much providence over every body that he doth particularly assist them besides that every one is more apt to say then to doe well The Pharisees sayeth S. Augustin did that in their life which was their owne but an others that is moyseses chayre did not suffer them to teach what was their owne They benefited many by teaching that which they did not but they would have benefited farre more if they had done what they taught Sonne he that indeavoureth to withdraw himself from obedience withdraweth himself from grace The fifteenth Application to the most Blessed Sacrament I. GEntils desired to see our Saviour S. Philip and S. Andrew were their mediatours and brought them to his sight if we follow the conduct of the Apostle and Apostolicall men teaching what they have received from hand to hand we shall be able to see our Saviour really present in the most Blessed Sacrament and how that graine of wheate comes to die from what it was and to be transsubstantiated into the body of Christ by the powerfull word of our Saviour This is my body This word a multitude of misbeleevers will have to signifie otherwise then it is taken by holy Church but as our Saviour concerning the voyce which came from heaven declared that it was neither thunder nor an Angel that spake but a voyce for our sake so this word by which the Sacrament is perfected he commands should for our sake be spoken in his Church and that done by it which he then did at his last supper in perpetuall remembrance or commemoration of him and of his death for our sake so that as he then did really give his Apostles what he sayed This is my Body so their descendents who are commanded to doe the same thing which he did doe really consecrate and give the same body by vertue of the same words of our Saviour By this the name aÌ„d power and love of our Saviour is glorified to the end of the world For what a poore thing had it been to have left only bread and wine for a memorie of him and of his vnspeakable love in dying for our sakes But leaving himself vnder these shapes and leaving himself so as by the consecration of them