this sacred fare we ouercome all difficulties which either the deuill or the worlde or our owne flesh doe laye in our waâ—e By this wine the Apostles disciples and martyrs of the primitiue Church being spirituallie drunke encouraged and inflamed could not be daunted with all the instruments of crueltie with all the torments and deathâ— which the Tyrants could deuise but were readie to suffer all torments for hâ—m who suffered for them yea to giue their liues for him who offered his for them on the Crosse in the B. Sacrament gaue his body and bloud to them O my soule say vnto this thy bountifull oste and howsekeeper as Dauid saied Quid retribuam Domino pro omnibus que retribuit mihi what shall I giue to God to this my Iesus God and man for all things which he hath giuen to me I am lesse then the least of them what then shall I render thee for this benefite of the B. Sacrament in which thou so often giâ—est thyselfe thy bodie bloud and soule and diuinitie I can not giue thee enough for the least â—rumme of this liuing bread of thy sacred body for the least drop of this sacred wine of thy sacred bloud though I should giue all I ame and haue though what I ame were as perfect as the most perfect Angell and though what I haue were asmuch as Heauen and Earth O Lord be contente that I confesse myselfe to be ouercome by thee a thousand times in curtesies and fauours be content that I giue thee my All for I know thou art noe litle contented when we giue our All be it neuer so litle THE FIFTH MEDITATION How Christ hath shewed himselfe in this B. Sacrament a Father and more them a Father vnto vs. GOd Almightie is our Father by Creation by which he giueth vs our naturall being which is a participation of his diuineÌ„ substance Phil. lide decal Magister Confor lib. 1. con 12. and by the same Creation he is a Common Father to all Creatures especiallie man and they are as Philosaith in respect of God who created them bretheren amongst themselues and children of one Father for which cause the deuout Saint Francis called them his brethren and Sisters Yet there is in this a difference betwix man and other creatures because man is not only a participation of God his substance as other creatures are but is allso an Image of God in regarde of his intellectual nature and his vnderstanding will and memorie by which he representeth God and resembleth him as the Sonne doth the Father And therefor God when he was to create man he said not onlie be man made as he saied be light made Gen. 1. Be a Firmament made be there lights made but he said let vs make man to our Image and likenes And so God euen by creation is in a more perfect manner a Father of man and man is in a more perfect manner his Sonne resembling him as the child doth the Father Secondlie God is Mans Father and in a more perfect eminent manner by sanctifieng grace by which man reccaueth from God a supernaturall being and as S. Peeter saith 2. Pet 1. is Consors diuinae naturae partaker of the diuine nature by which he is the adopted childe of God he is his adoptiue Father Rom. 5. VVe were borne of our natural Parents dead spirituallie in soule by originall sinne but we are regenereted and borne againe spirituallie to a supernaturall life by the Grace which we receaue in and by Baptisme Ion. 3. Ion. 3.4 5. Ion. 1. Rom. 8. Gal. 3. 4. by which God is our Father the grace of Baptisme is our regeneration and second natiuitie by which we are said to be borne to God and to be his children he our Father But although this be true yet by and in the B. Sacrament of the Altar Christe the Sonne of God God and Man sheweth himselfe a perfect Father and more then a Father A man is said to be Father of his Sonne because he imparteth vnto him his owne nature flesh and bloud not the same indiuiduall but another of the same Kinde But our B. Sauiour in this Holie Sacrament imparteth vnto vs his owne nature substance flesh and bloud of which he himselfe consisteth And so if the Sonne be called flesh of his Fathers flesh bloud of his bloud though he reccaue not from him the same flesh and bloud which he hath but other flesh and bloud of the same Kinde much more may Christians by receauing this Blessed Sacrament be called flesh of Christ his flesh and bloud of his bloud they receauing the selfe same flesh and bloud of which he consisteth And so not onlie by Baptisme but also by this B. Sacrament Christ is our Father and more substantiallie by this SacrameÌ„t then by that because by that we receaue onlie grace which is onlie a supernatural accidental participatioÌ„ of God by this we receaue reallie Christs owne body and bloud yea soule and diuinitie and by his and our burning loue meeting together our substancies are as S. Cyrill of Alexandria saith as it were melted and vnited as waxe is to waxe Lib. 4. in Ioan. ca. 17. Chris lib. 61. ad Pop. Antioc VVe are as S. Chrysostome saith vnum corpus membra ex carne cius ex ossibus eius one body and members of his flesh and of his bones we are not only by charitie but reipsa in verie deed mingled with his flesh for he semetipsum nobis immiscuis corpus suum in nos contemperauit vt vnum quid efficiamur tanquam corpus capiti coaptatum ardenter enim amantium hoc est he hath mingled himselfe to vs and hath contempered his bodie into vs that we may be one thing and as one body linked to the head for this is the propertie of those that loue ardentlie O my soule how gratefull shouldst thou be to such a Father who hath bestowed on thee his owne substance in so admirable a manner how shoulds thou scorne this worlde and all it can afforde how shoulds thou disdaine to be aslaue to the world flesh and deuill thou being so noblie descended of so noble a Father as is Christe Iesus God and man King of heauen and Earth Diuers heathen Emperours imagined themselues to be born of the Gods and this imagination made them to disdaine all basenes Doe not thou then ô my soule debase thy selfe do not degenerate from this dignitie to thy former vilitie and basenes of life who art made partaker of Christes body and bloud and nourished therewith Lette sinners whoe thinke of noe other heauen then earth nor of any other pleasure or delight but carnall content themselues with their hoggish fare of wordlie trashe and carnall pleasures do thou take thy onlie delight in feeding of this Manna which hath all delight in eating of this bread of life which bringeth eternall life with it and in drinking of this wine
Iewes were Ioseph the Patriarch as we reade in Genesis whoe was as the Paterfamilias of Pharao his house yea and of all Egipt Gen. 43. and who in a dearth of seauen yeares prouided them of corne aboundantlie when his brethren resorted allso vnto him for corn he inuited them to a feast and gaue to euerie one of them his portion but to Beniamin his yongest brother he gaue a portion fiue times bigger then was the portion which he gaue to his elder brethren Euen soe our Ioseph Christ Iesus who furnished not Egipt with corne as Ioseph did but the whole Church of God with the sacred Euchariste Io. 6. which the Prophet calleth Zach. 9. frumentum electorum the wheate of the elect and wine spinging virgins gaue thereby to the Christinns the younger brother in regarde of time a portion of the B. Sacrament which is greater more precious not by fiue times onlie but by fiue thousand times then was the portion of Manna or the Paschall lambe or all those Sacrifices and Sacraments which he gaue to the Iewe the elder brother O liberall magnificent house-keeper whoe hast made so great and so Roiall prouision for thy familie the Church VVhen I consider the aboundance of corn grasse hearbes fruits which God hath prouided for the sustenance of all liuing creatures euen the litle sparowes and yong rauens I stand as a man amazed Isaie vnto myself out of what granarie or store howse or Barne commeth all this prouision But when I behold the aboundance of the wheate of the Elect Zach. 9.10.6 of the bread of life of which whoesoeuer eateth liueth for euer VVhich our B. Sauiour God and man hath prouided for vs in this B. Sacrament I cease to admire there can neuer cease to admire heere and I saie vnto my selfe Out of what granarie commeth this wheate of the Elect Zaca 8.10.6 out of what paÌ„terie cometh this bread of life which feedeth our soules and giueth them spirituall nourishment and life of grace of which we feede dailie and yet the bread is neuer consumed neuer diminished VVhen I consider the varietie of fountaines springes wells and riuers which our Blessed God hath prouided for men and beastes to drinke on I stande amazed and I saie to my selfe out of what brewhowse cometh all this drinke who is the Butler that continuallie draweth it 〈◊〉 but when I Behold the wine which springeth Virgins Zac. 9. which is drunk dailie by many thousands in this B. Sacrament I stand amazed heere and I cease to admire there and saie to my selfe out of what celler commeth this wine who draweth it who filleth it out And which maketh me more to admire I see many thousands doe drinke dailie of this wine and yet the Celler is neuer emptied the wine neuer diminished O bountifull and prouident howsekeeper sweete Iesus who prouidest such meate and drinke as neuer consumeth for I see that Sumit vnus sumunt mille Quantum isti tantum ille Nec sumptus consumitur One takes it and a thousand may As much as hee soe much doe they Nor is it consumed att all VVhen I call to minde ô Lord how once thow fedst in the desert the Israelits with Quailes and Manna from Heauen and ganest them water to drink out of a hard rock Excodi 16. 17. I ame astonished But when I consider with what an heauenlie Manna made not in the aire by the fingers of Angels as that Manna was but by the fingars of the Holy Ghost in the Heauen of the B. Virgins wombe thou feedest vs in the Blessed Sacrament during our aboade in the desert of this life wilt feed vs till we come to our land of promise I cease to wonder there and I onlie wonder heere VVhen I call to minde how thou Math. 14. o Blessed Sauiour the worker of all those former miracles didst feed with fiue barlie loaues two fishes fiue thousand men besides woemen and children ganest to euerie one his fille and yet after that all the guetsts had eaten asmuch as satisfied them the leauings and fragments filled twelue boskets and so was greater then the feast was at the beginning I wonder But when I consider how in this B. Sacrament thou ô Lord feedest with a farre lesser quantitie so many millious of Christians since thy last supper and shalt feede them to the ende of the world and yet the feast neuer diminisheth but is as great now as it was at the beginning I cease to wonder there and I stand alltogether amazed heere Behold my soule what a prouident and bountifull howsekeeper thy Lord Iesus is O the happines of Catholikes who haue such aboundance of bread and wine alwaies prepared for them and ô the miserie of the Hereticke who hauing Iâ—ac 15. like the Prodigall sonne left the Church his heauenlie fathers howse is fed onlie with the husks and chaffe of figures but hath not the solid corne to feede on Lett him returne to the Church his Fathers howse lett him returne againe crye with the Prodigall sonne How many of my Fathers hirelings haue aboundance of bread Luc. 15. and I heere perish for famin I will arise and goe to my Father and saie to him father I haue sinned against heauen and before thee I ame not worthie to be called thy sonne make me one of thy hirelings VVhich if the Hereticke doth God will admitte him to the heauenlie prouision in the B. Sacrament he will make him partaker Io 6. Zac. 9. of the bread of life and wine that springeth Virgins of which who eateth and drinketh shall neuer be hungrie or thirstie again This sacred bread which our Paterfamilias hath prepared for his howsehold was kned by the fingers of the Holy Ghost baked in the sacred ouen of the B. Virgins wombe not by the heate or fire of concupiscence but of the Holy Ghost drawne out of the ouen in Christ his natiuitie set at the table at Christes last supper and euerie daie vpon the Altar for the nourishement of our heauenlie fathers howsehold The wine which all of this howsehold do drinke is most pretious Psal 22. A chalice inebriating which inebriateth spirituallie and maketh vs sleepe to the world The vine from which this sacred wine originallie procedeth is Christe Iesus who called hiÌ„selfe a vine Io. 15. sayinst to his disciples I ame the vine you the branches which vine was planted in the vinyard of the B. Virgins wombe when God the sonne tooke flesh of her the grape of this vine was Christes bobie pressed on the crosse the wine was his sacred bloud giuen to the Apostles at the last supper before the pressing on the Crosse but is giuen in the B. Saerament to their successours aftet the pressing By the force which this bread of life giueth we walke with Helias 3. Reg. 19. not to the mount Horeb but to the mount of heauen and by
tongue can expresse yea more then heart can conceaue But although I can not giue thee O Lord any thing of mine owne though heauen and earth were mine owne which can haue any proportion with this thy so great guift yet I can pay thee with thine owne sufficientlie O eternall Father thou hast giuen me a guift equiualent to this great benefit and with this I can pay thee though I pay thee with thy owne And what is that It is thine owne Sonne Christ Iesus God man whom thou bestowest on mee in this B. Sacrament him I render againe vnto thee for this and all thy benefites He is thine I know by eternall generation because by that he was borne consubstantiall to thee but he is myne also by tēporall generation because by that he is borne consubstantiall to me and he is mine again by this holie communion and in a manner as much mine Io. 6. as the meat I eate the drinke I drinke because his flesh is trulie meate and his bloud is trulie drink I therefore render vnto thee ô Eternall Father thy owne sonne whom thou hast giuen to me and I render him not onelie for thy other benefites but also and especiallie for this which by communion of this B. Sacrament I haue receaued at thy bountifull hands And although in so doeing I giue thee but thine owne yet I giue thee also mine and him who is twise myne by Incarnation and by this Holy communion yea as often mine as I communicate And this guift which I offer to thee in thankes giuing for this all thy benefites thou will not thou canst not refuse Matth 3 17. because it is thy well beloued Sōne in whom thou art well pleased And if thou wilt haue also of myne I offer thee all I can haue I offer thee my hart and that also inflamed with loue and in a manner as I desire it should be resolued into loue of thee and all I am and haue by thy grace shall be hereafter for thee and thy seruice If my tongue speake hereafter it shall speake of thee who hast made it the bridge by which thou hast made thine entrie into mee If I think of any thing it shall be of thee who now art so present an obiect that thou art not onelie by mee but also in mee If I doe any thing it shall be by thy direction who now art in me to direct me in all my actions as my first Moouer If I liue I will liue by thee in thee because now thou liuest in mee to make me liue hereafter thy life not my owne former life that so I may say with S. Paul viuo ego iam non ego viuit vero in me Christus Gal. 2. I liue now not I but Christ liueth in me If I loue any thing hereafter it shall be thee or for thee for thou hast first loued me 1. Ioan. 4. and best loued me and by this B. Sacrament thou hast shewed thy self my greatest benefactour my greatest friend and louer Thou therefore here after shalt haue me for thy seruant Thou hereafter shalt haue my loue for that I can neuer bestow my self better then on thee I can neuer bestow my loue on a better obiect then thee who art Summum bonum cheefest good good by essence and not good onelie in thy self but good to me by creation by which thou giuest me my naturall being by iustification by which thou giuest me a supernaturall being and by this B. Sacrament by which thou giuest thy owne being to witt thy bodie bloud soule and diuinitie of which thou consistest THE 14. MEDITATION How the Communicant or Receiuer is enriched by this B. Sacrament and so should litle esteeme all worldlie losses COnsider how much thou art enriched by this precious Sacrament more then if thou wert Emperour not only of this terrestriall but also of the Celestiall world for thou possessest him by receiuing this B. Sacrament who is more worth then all that is in heauen or Earth yea then all that can be but God For he whom thou receauest is the Sonne of God consubstantiall and equall to his Father and his bodie and blood which he bestoweth on thee in this Holy Sacrament by reason of their vnion with the diuinitie are more precious then all that is in heauen and earth If euerie prayer or good worke of Christ was more worth then a worlds redemption if euerie drop of his blood is of that value that it could haue redeemed a thousand worlds of what worth and value is whole Christ whom thou wholie receiuest O my God ô my Sauiour what bountie is this to bestow so much on me so poore a creature who haue so litle deserued at thy hāds I should call it prodigalitie but that thou canst not be prodigall because thou canst not giue aboue thy state and meanes O my soule how happie wert thou if thou knewest or couldest conceaue thy riches and happines As therefore an Emperour of the whole world would not care if some litle cottage should be burnt or taken from him because it is nothing to the whole world which he possesseth so hereafter if God should permit asmuch to be taken from thee as was taken from Iob if thou loose lands and goods kinsfolkes friends and all if thou suffer domage in thy fame honour or libertie if thou be neuer so poore for worldlie wealth If thou bee neuer so crossed with aduersities say with Iob Our Lord Iob. 3. hath giuen and our Lord hath taken away as it hath pleased our Lord so is it done the name of our Lord be blessed Say vnto thy God though thou make me as poore as Iob thou shalt take nothing from me but that which thou gauest me and besides in this B. Sacrament thou hast giuen me that which is more worth then all thou caust take from me to witt thy self body bloud soule and diuinitie which whilest I possesse I can not be poore loose I neuer so much because I possesse thee who art all riches which whilest I possesse I can not be miserable I can not be but happie though all the miseries of the world should fall at once vpon me because I possesse thee who art the blisse of men and Angels If then I want temporall goods if I want health of bodie if aduersities crosse me giue me o Lord grace to beare all patientlie and not to think what I haue lost but what I haue gotten by receiuing thee in this B. Sacrament to which all I can loose is nothing Thou rainedst ô Lord Manna vpon the Iewes which was like the seed of a Coriander Exod. 16. and yet the Iewes were so gratefull for it that they cried Manha what is this what largesse what riches doth God raine on vs and yet that was but as a crumme which felle from thy Table But now thou raynest on me by meanes of this B Sacrament not a crumme of bread
THE XV. MEDITATION How by the receiuing of this B. Sacrament the Receiuer is made the Temple of God THE XVI MEDITATION Of the good purposes which after Communion are to bee made APPROBATIO HAE meditationes Eucharisticae Ch. M. piae sunt deuotae nihil fidei catholicae bonis moribus contrarium continentes ideoque vtiliter excudentur perlegentur Actum Duaci 4. Iulij 1639. Georgius Coluenerius S. Theol. Doctor Regius ordinariusque ac primarius Professor Duacen sis Vniuersitatis Cancellarius librorum Censor To the Reader THE nature of man is desirous of Noueltie chaunge varietie Noe bed is so soft of which in tyme we are not wearie no Musick so delightfull which by oftē repetition becommeth not redious noe dish so daintie which if it come often to the table is not loathed and nothing but the cleare vision and fruition of God doth alwaies content The reason of this is the sufficiencie of God his goodnes the insufficiēcie of that which is good in his creatures For God is Sūmum bonum cheefest and infinite Good in which is no defect and so being seen clearlie perfectli◠possessed as he is of the Blessed in heauē who see him face to face 1. Cor. 15. doth alwaies delight neuer glutte the Blessed or make them desirous of chaunge But all creatures and create Goods as they content and delight for a tyme by reason that they are good in their kind so in tyme they discontent and make vs wearie of them because in that they are finite they are also deficient VVhence it is that as sick men cannot lye long on one side or in one posture but doe turn chaunge often so wee are neuer long content with any one create thing seeme it at first neuer so pleasing but after wee haue had a tast of it wee are wearie of it and desire to chaunge though sometymes for worse And this is the cause why after many spirituall bookes set out heretofore by others I haue not feared to set out myne though they bee of the same subiect that other former bookes were seeing that though myne treat of the same matter yet they doe it in a diuers manner and so for varietie may please I knew well that many had written paraphrases vpon the Psalme Miserere and vpon all the Psalmes and yet in the yeare 1635 laduētured to set out mine also hoping that when deuout persōs are wearie of still reading others Paraphrases they wold for varietie be content to read mine also and I was not deceiued And although I was not ignorant that many Authours haue written meditations vpon the B. Sacrament and the sacred passion of Christ yet for the aforesaid reason I now diuulge my meditations vpon the same subiects hoping that after often reading of those former bookes some out of desire of chaunge wil be content to read mine though inferiour And therfore to accommodate my self to humain infirmitie to which euen spirituall exercises in time grow wearisome in these my meditations vpon the B. Sacrament I haue so disposed that euerie meditation hath a diuers particular subiect that so the varietie at least may allure the Reader and that the Communicant or Receiuer may come with a better spirituall appetite and denotion to receiue in this Holy Sacrament his Sauiour his sacred bodie and bloud I propose him in diuers manners as in manner of a Feast maker a boūtifull house keeper a Freind a Pastour a physician a spouse a Father and the like that this varietie may delight and cause the Receiuer to come to this Holie Sacrament without any tediousnes yea with greater spirituall appetite And so I hope my meditations will not be vngratefull because in them there is varietie and diuersitie also from the meditations which others haue set forth others may haue somethīg which I haue not and I may haue something which they haue not they may haue their manner and I may haue myne they may haue their inuentions I may haue myne and so both theirs and myne may be pleasing For as the same meate diuerslie cooked may be as pleasing as diuers meates soe the same matter handled by diuers diuerslie may by reason of this varietie prooue no lesse pleasing then diuers matters and subiectes Otherwise if because that some haue written of a subiect others who succeed thē must not touch that matter all modern Authours must absteine from writing because nothing can be now sayd which was not in substance sayd before For as Ecclesiastes said in his time so much more may wee now say in our time Eccles 1 nothing vnder the Sunne is new neither is any man able to saye behold this is new for that it hath alreadie gone before in the ages that were before And so wee See that there are diuers commentaries vpon the same booke of scripture diuers sermons on the same holy day text diuers bookes of the same part of Philosophie diuinitie This being premised for my excuse I will breeflie aduertise the Reader that Meditation is not whatsoeuer speculation or discourse vpon God or his diuine perfections or the mysteries of our faith for this speculation being only to discouer the truth is not worthie the name of meditation which is a kind of mental prayer but meditation doth speculate the aforesaid obiectes discourseth on them to mooue some affection as loue ioye feare sorrow according to the natures of the mysteries or obiectes on which wee meditate In this exercise of meditation as the contemplatiues doe well obserue there are three wayes to perfection The one is Purgatiue when by meditation wee stirr vp in vs a feare of God his Iudgements and sorrow for our sinnes or hatred of them by which our soules are purged from all filth of sinne The second way is illuminatiue when by meditation our understanding is so illuminated as it seeth the excellencie of vertue as of obedience humilitie pouertie of spirit chastitie and the like and seing the beautie of it induceth the will to loue it and louing it to practise and to get it The third way is Vnitiue when by meditation of God his Diuine perfections we stirre vp in our heartes a loue of God a complacence in his Goodnes or mercie or other his perfectiōs and diuine attributes by this way our soules are vnited to God The first way is of beginners the secōd of those that profit in the way of vertue the third of them that are perfect In my Paraphrasis and meditation of the Psalme Miserere I haue speciallie shewed the Purgatiue way inducing the sinner to penance and sorrow for his sinnes by which sorrow the soule is purged frō sinne In my meditations vpon the Passion I propose the illuminatiue waye because Christ in his Passion hath set vs exāples of all vertues In my meditatiōs vpon the B. Sacrament I teach the vnitiue way that Sacrament by it selfe vniting vs reallie to Christ and the
Io. 13. and period of thy life in bestowing this B. Sacrament on me so giue me the grace by which I may loue thee all the time of my life and especiallie at the end of it that then especiallie I may quite withdraw my loue from the world and all it can afford and then giue it onlie to thee who at the end of thy life in this B. Sacrament hast so kindlie loued me that I may dye louing thee and so ceasing to liue may neuer cease to loue because although faith Hope dye with vs saiths obscuritie yeelding to the light of glorie and Hope not consisting with the possession of that we hoped for yet Charitie neuer falleth away 1 Cor. 12. or fayleth and therefore if I die with it I shall liue with it eternallie THE II. MEDITATION VVhat Charitie and humilitie Christe shewed before he satte down to his last supper OVR B. Sauiour hauing eaten with his disciples the Paschall lambe and vsed allso the ceremonies prescribed for the eating of it so to shew himselfe an obedient obseruer and ful filler of the old lawe he riseth from that Typicall Feast of the Paschall Lambe murteth them to the eating of the true lambe of God to witt himselfe who taketh a way the sinnes of the world Io. 1◠who was the veritie of that figure a feast as farre surpassing that feast of the iewes as the veritie excelleth the figure the bodie the shadowe And before he sitteth downe to this Heauenlie Feast behold what preparation he maketh what ceremonies he vseth to shew his disciples with what reuerence and humilitie with what loue and charitie they and all Christians should approch vnto this feast Thus S. Iohn describeth it And when supper was done c. Io. 13. he riseth frō supper to witt of the Paschal Lambe and laieth aside his garments and hauing taken a Towell girded himselfe after that he putt water into a bason and begane to wash the feete of the disciples and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded He laied aside his vpper garment that he may with more conuenience wash his disciples feete as allso to signifie that in this humble act he laieth aside in outward apparance his vestments of glorie to wit the maiestie splendour and light of his diuinitie and guirdeth himself with a towell to signifie that he inuested himself in the towel of our humaine nature that by it he might wipe aware al the filth and ordure of our sinnes and thus prepared he kneeleth downe to wash his disciples feete Behold o my soule a rare example of humilitie and if thow consider it well thou caust not but stand amazed at it Behold God kneeling at his creatures feete washing wiping them Behold what preparation to this sacred Feaste he maketh what a ceremonie he vseth to shew to his disciples with what reuerence and humilitie with what loue and charitie with what puritie they and all christians should approach to this dread Sacrifice to this Holy Sacrament which then he was to institute to distribute vnto them and to offer to his father for them O sweete Iesus how dost thou humiliate and euen debase thy selfe to controle our pride and to set vs an example of humilitie euer to be vsed and especiallie when we come to this holy Sacrament and dread Sacrifice Abraham washed the feete of three Pilgrims Gen. 18. or at least fetched water for them to wash whom after he found to be Angels but they were but Angels and he but a Patriarch Christe is the God of Patriarchs whom Abraham serued he washed not Angels feete but poore fishermens feete whose Lord Master whose God and Creatour he was Luc. 7. Marie Magdalen washed Christs feete with her teares and wiped them with her haires but Christ was her God and she a sinner who had offended and so there was more humilitie in Christ in permitting her to wash and wipe his feete then in her in washing and wiping them But thou O Sauiour of the world God and man washedst the feete of thy creatures and euen of fishermen which are commonlie fowle euen of Iudas who had betraied thee Math. 26. and euen then had sold thee to the Iewes But O Peeter for to thee he offereth first this seruice wilt thou permit thy so louing master thy God and Creatour to wash thy feete wilt thou accept this honour to be done to thee with so much dishonour redounding vnto him No saith he Io. 13. thou shalt not wash my feete for euer yet Christe threatneth Peeter that vnles he wash him he shall haue noe parte with him Heere Peeter was troubled with cōtrarie repugnāt thoughts To permitte Christ to wash his feete was much repugnant to the humble conceit he made of himself and to the high esteeme he had of Christ not to permite him was now after a commandement disobedience and after a threatning was losse of the heauenlie glorie for which he had left all and of which he had seene a glimse in the Transfiguration of his master I ame loath saith Peeter to himself to suffer my Lord God so to debase himself as to wash my feete I ame loath allso to disobey him who hath soueraigne authoritie but rather then I will be disobedient to such a Lord and master or loose my parte with him that is the blisse of heauen for which I haue left my nettes and hooks and al I hadd wash O Lord saith he since thou wilt haue it so not onlie my feete but my hands allso and head A contemplatiue soule will heere take delight to behold the holie contention betuixt the masters the seruants humilitie But the humilitie of the Master as being the greater in the ende ouercommeth and so the master and God man kneeling at Peeters feete washeth them and wipeth them peraduentur kisseth them And hauing done this humble office to Peeter he doth the same to the rest of the disciples euen to the traitour Iudas O yee Angels who serue this your God and attend and waite on him in Heauen with all reuerence behold your Lord and God Esa 4◠Philip. 2. to whom euerie knee of the celestials terrestrials and Infernals boweth kneeling at the feete of fishermen girded with a towel washing and wiping their fowle feete o humilitie and washing wiping Iudas his feete who had traiterouslie sold him for thirtie pence o Charitie O yee heauenlie Spirits you descended at this your Masters natiuitie admiring to see the Sonne of glorie borne in a stable layed in a manger but then he was worshipped by the shepheardes then great troups of you did sing your Christmas Carolle of Gloria in Altissimis Deo Luc. 2. glorie in the highest to God and then an vnwonted starre shined at this solemnitie and soone after that three Kings came frō the East to adore him present him on theire knees with kinglie guifts but if you descende
of Christs â—loud which springeth Virgins â—ebriateth the spirit and reioi â—eth the hearte Let worldlings â—ragge of their noble bloud exâ—action and noble descent thou art more noblie descended to wit from Christe the Sonne of God who in this B. Sacrament is thy Father and more then a Father thou art of a more noble bloud because by this B. Sacrament thou art flesh and bloud of Christs flesh bloud who was conceaued born of a Virgin-mother by no other seed then the Holy Ghost THE SIXT MEDITATION How Christ hath shewed himselfe in the B. Sacrament a Mother and more then a Mother THe loue of a Mother towards her childe is so greate that none can imagin it but mothers themselues It is greater then the loue of the Father because the Mother suffereth more for it then the Father doth she bearing it in her womb nine monthes with great paine bringing it to light with farre greater she giuing it her milke swadling it rocking it carying it in her armes And so as wee loue that best which wee gett with most difficultie so she loueth the child most because she most endureth for it in performing the former officies and her most familiaritie with it from i'ts birth engendreth the greatest loue and affection Hence it is that when holy Scripture would expresse great loue it compareth it to the loue of a mother 2. Reg. 1. As the mother saith Dauid loueth her onlie sonne so did I loue thee Ionathas yea God himself explicateth his loue to vs by the loue of a Mother as by the greatest loue VVhy saith he can a woeman forget her Infant c. and if she should forget yet will not I forget thee Isa 49. Isa 66. And againe As if the mother should speake one faire so will I comfort thee And yet againe Io. 16. A woeman when she trauaileth hath sorrow but when she hath brought forth the child now she remembreth not the anguish for ioye that a man is borne into the world and this the great ioy of the mother is grounded on her great loue and this her great loue on her great sorrow and paines which she suffered and on her great familiaritie with her child from its birth If the loue of a mother be so tender towards her child how great must we thinke was the loue of Christ towards vs in the B. Sacrament where he hath shewed himselfe a mother and more then a mother The mother by her pappes giueth her childe her milke and so nourisheth it so our B. Sauiour by his sacred pappe of this B. Sacrament giueth vs to sucke his owne bloud and that which as S. Chryl serm admon de Euchar in Encenijs c hom 24 in 1. ad Cor. 11. hom â—1 in cap. Io. 19. Chrisostome affirmeth issued out of his sacred fide and with his bloud the milke also of his sanctifying grace and therewith nourisheth our soules Mothers vse to chew the meate which they giue to their litle Infants so to make it fit for their eating our B. Sauiour in the First in stitution of this B. Sacrament did eate and as it were chew his owne flesh and did drinke to vs all in a draft of his owne bloud to make it fitt for our eating and drinking and as nature in the mother conuerteth her bloud into milke and so couereth it with the white colour of milke least the childe should abhorre to take it in the colour of bloud so our B. Sauiour hath couered his Sacred flesh bloud which he giueth vs to eate and drinke vnder the vsuall colour of bread wine knowing that we would abhorre to eate his flesh drinke his bloud in their owne shape and forme And to shew himselfe not onlie as a mother but more then a mother he giueth vs to eate of his owne flelsh to drinck his owne bloud which Mothers do not They giue their milke which aboundeth in them not their flesh or bloud Christ shed for vs on the crosse not his superfluous bloud but euen that bloud which was necessarie to keepe life and this bloud he giueth vs by the dugge pappe and teate of this B. Sacrament O mother and more then any mother for as S. Chrysostome saith mothers do often tymes giue ouer their children to be nursed by others but our B. Sauiour to make vs generous as he is to make vs sucke with his bloud his diuine conditions would not out of his loue permite this but he nourisheth vs which no mother will doe with his owne flesh bloud Chrys hom 60. ad pop An tâ—och O loue aboue the loue of Mothers ô loue aboue the loue of all creatures proper onlie to God and the louer of mankind VVith what spirituall greedines then and hunger should we come to this B. Sacrament to sucke out of this dugge the bloud of Christe and the milke of grace Nonne videtis saith S. Hom. 60. ad pop An tioch Chrysostome quanta promptitudine paruuli papillas capiunt quanto impetu labia vberibus insigunt accedamus â—nm tanta nos quoque alacritate ad hanc meusam quiuimo cum longe maiori trahamus tanquam infantes lactanei Spiritus gratiam vnus sit nobis dolor hac escapriuari Do you not see with what promptitude and greedines little Infants take their Mothers pappes with what a violence they fasten their lippes on the pappes lett vs also come with the like alacritie yea with a farre greater let vs like sucking Infants suckr the spirite of grace and let it be our onlie greefe to be depriued of this foode O my fweet sauiour ô my deare Father and Mother for so thow hast shewed thyself in this holie Sacrament be vnto me a Father and Mother prouide for me all necessaries for a fpirituall life prouide for me an inheritance in the next for that it pertaineth to Fathers and Mothers to laie vp treasures for their children O my deare Father and Mother bestow for euer thy loue on me for that it is naturall for parents to loue their children and loue me not for a while but for euer The more perfect parents are the longer they loue their young ones The beasts of the Earthe and the fowles of the ayre do loue and care and prouide for their young ones onlie for a time that is till they be able to shift for themselues and after that they make no distinctioÌ„ betwixt them and others but the Father and Mother amongest men because they are more perfect parents do loue their children euen to death and prouide an Inheritance for them to liue on after the parents death God almightie therefore who is our Father not onlie by creation but also by grace and Sanctification and a most perfect Father also loueth his Elected children for all eternitie euen before they were as he loued Iacob before he was borne and as Hieremie saith in an euerlasting charitie he loued his chosen people
RoÌ„ 9. Hierm. 22. he loueth them heere by grace and in heauen and that eternallie by eternall glorie VVherefore O my sweet Sauiour thow who in this B. Sacrament hast shewed thyselfe a supernaturall and most perfect Father and Mother to all that receaue thee in it and euen to mee though otherwise a wretched sinner loue mee I beseech thee as thy child for parents do naturallie loue their children loue me perpetuallie heere by thy grace and in heauen by thy eternall glorie if thou shouldst vouchsafe so to loue me I care not though all the world should hate me for if thou by thy loue stand for me who can stand against me And because by this Holy SacrameÌ„t thou art my Father Mother giue me grace alwaies to loue thee also because children do naturallie loue their parents and graunt me grace to loue thee aboue Father and Mother for that in this B. Sacrament thou art become vnto me more then any Father and Mother And if thou loue me how can I miscarrie thou protecting whom thou louest And if I loue thee nothing can come amisse vnto mee be it prosperitie or aduersitie health or siknes riches or pouertie because to them that loue thee all things cooperate vnto good Ro. ms and so euen my sincnes ô Lord though they dishonour thee and hurte me for a time yet if I loue thee they will turne to thy greater honour my greater spirituall profite because through thy grace they will turne as were the sinnes of Marie Magdalen to her motiues to a greater penance and spurrs to a better life then otherwise I should haue ledd Thou comawndest vs ô Lord to honour our Father and mother Exod. 20 that we may be long liuers vpon the Earth Euerie effect if it had reason would honour it's cause of which it hath it's being and by which it subsisteth and so the light would honour and loue the Sunne the riuers their fountaines the fruites their trees the yong birds their oldones the yong beastes those that did generate them if they had reason Man then who is endued with reason must honour his Father and Mother who begot him brought him to light and after God gaue him his life and being and to this he is obliged by the Lawe of God and nature How much then o swere Iesus should I honour thee who in this B. Sacrament art a Supernaturall Father and Mother vnto me and more then any Father and Mother Thou commaundest vs ô Lord to acknowlge no other Father theÌ„ God saieng Matt. 23 call none Father to yourself vpon earth for one is your Father he that is in heauen Because although our Carnal Fathers be our true Fathers yet in coÌ„parison of thee ô Lord they are no Fathers thou by creation being more our Father then they and by sanctification and this B. Sacrament being our Supernaturall Father more then our carnall Father and mother Our carnall parents are but halfe Fathers and Mothers generating onlie our bodie whereas thou art our totall Father that is of soule aswell as bodie Giue me grace then ô heauenlie Father to loue and honour thee aboue my carnal Father and Mother to forsake them rather then offend and foresake thee by sinne that so honouring and louing thee I may be a long liuer Exod. 20. not vpon earth but in heauen wher my life shall be eternitie And because children do willinglie followe their Fathers and Mothers stepps and do imitate them in all their actions bee they good or badde thinking it conuenient for them to do what they see their parents do before them giue me ô Lord by thy grace a desire a delight to imitate thee in all thy holie actions vertues in thy humilitie Phil. 2. patience charitie obedience euen vnto death Thou saydst once to the Iewes Io. 8. If you be the children of Abraham do the works of Abraham wherefore seing that by this Holie SacrameÌ„t thou ô Lord art my Father Mother they who receaue it worthilie are thy children giue me grace to imitate thy vertues and holy actions lett them be patterns and examples for me to followe let them be alwayes before my eyes that I may euer behold them let them be alwaies in my heart that I may euer loue them lett them be alwaies in my hands that I may euer practise them so I shall be to thee as an obedient child doing in all things thy holie will and thou wilt be to mee a louing Father furnishing me not with a temporall estate as carnall parents onlie can doe but prouiding for me heere grace and an inheritance in heauen of glorie which thou hast layed vp in store for all eternitie for those that are thy true and obedient children fullfilling in all things thy holy will and commandement THE SEAVENTH MEDITATION VVhat a freind Christ hath shewed himself in the B. Sacrament ARistotle the Prince of Philosophers who diued as farre almost into the secrets of nature as naturall reason could permit Eib 2. Lthâ—c thought there could be no perfect and proper freindship betuixt God and man because there could be no equalitie or paritie betwixt them God being infinite in Maiestie and soueraigne and supreme in authoritie dignitie man infinitlie beneath him in degree base also of condition though he be an Emperour in comparison of God with which disparitie he thought familiaritie would not consist which yet he thought was belonging to freinds and freindship VVherein all though he erred yet his errour was excusable because by naturall reason he could not discouer the Excellencie of Grace much lesse of th' Incarnation the fountaine of all grace For grace being a supernaturall guift of God eleuateth nature aboue nature and maketh such a kind of equalitie betwixt man God that S. Peeter saith we are consortes diuinae naturae 2. Pet. partakers of the diuine nature And by Incarnation God became man man God and so man was consubstantiall to God and equall to him though not as man but as God And so God and man by these meanes were made freinds to which honour God out of his goodnes hath exalted vs and hath made vs equal to him by his desceÌ„ding as it were debaling himselfe so lowe as to be man with vs. O the goodnes of God that would not onlie be content but also desirous to contract freindship with vs his creatures as though God could not be God vnles he were good to vs or could not liue contentedlie vnles wee were his freinds and he ours O my soule do thou heere stand amazed and in amazment fay to thy God who am I that thou shoulds so esteeme of me as to vouchsafe to accept of me as thy freind I am not worthie ô Lord to be thy vassall and slaue how then doest thou take me for thy freind VVhat Emeprour will stoupe so low as to be a freind to his vassals and yet man though
mariaage betwixt man and wife because carnall mariage is dissolued by death of both or one of the parties but the mariage of Incarnation betwixt God man is absolulie indissoluble insomuch that death which separated Christ his soule from his bodie could separate neither soule nor bodie from the diuinitie to which they were vnited and so so long as God shall be God he shall be man and man shall be God and the mariage shall be eternall and whereas by mariage all things are common betwixt man and wife by Incarnation God imparted to our humaine nature all his Goods and diuine attributes for that after Incarnation man became God and consequentlie eternall omnipotent immense c. by a certain communication which diuines call communicatio idiomatum and man gaue to God all his riches or rather pouerties for that after Incarnation God became man and consequentlie was borne in tyme of a Virgin-mother who was borne of a Virgin Father before all worlds and so became hungrie and thirstie hoat and cold passible and mortall as other men are and as by carnall mariage man and wife are vna caro one flesh Ephes 5. so by this mariage God and man is one flesh yea one person The Church in which this mariage was made was the sacred wombe of the Virgin the Brides God and man the Priest that maried them the Holy Ghost the words by the which the mariage was contracted were Ecce Ancilla Domini siat mihi secundum verbum tuum Luc. 1. Behold the handmaid of our Lorde be it done to me according to thy word the paranimphe was S. Iohn Baptiste But this mariage was made immediatlie onlie betwixt the second person in Trinitie God the Sonne and that humain nature which he tooke of the B. Virgins wombe yet this mariage is the ground of the two ensuing mariages The second mariage betwixt God and man is contracted by grace charitie Of which speaketh the Prophet Osee Osee cap. 2. in the name of God I will despouse thee to me for euer and I will despouse thee to me in Iustice c. and of this th' Apostle also speaking saith I haue despoused you to one man 1. Cor. 11. to present you a chast Virgin vnto Christ. By this mariage we are so despoused and linked to God that as man and wife are one flesh so wee and God are one spirit because as S. 1. Cor. 6. Paul saith Qui adhaeret Domino vnus spiritus est he that cleaneth to our Lord by charitie is one spirit with him Man and wife by their bond of mariage are to liue and vse to liue in one howse but by this mariage God dwelleth in vs and we in him according to those our sauiours wordes Io. 14 If any loue me he will keepe my word and my Father will loue him and we will come to him and will make abode with him and that this dwelling and abiding is not onlie with vs but in vs it appeareth by other his words Io. 14. In that day you shall know that I am in my Father and you in me and I in you and his disciple S. Iohn saith 1. Io. 4. God is charitie and he that abideth in charitie abideth in God and God in him So that by this mariage God dwellâ—th in vs as in his Temple and mansion place we in him yea by this mariage we are as S. Sâ—pra 1. Cor. 6.10.17 Paule saith one spirit with God And Christ himself prayeth that his Apostles and they that beleeued their preaching may be one in spirit of Charitie as he and his Father are one in substance VVhereupon the deuout S. Bern. ser 17. in cant Beanard saith Quid ergo dicit Fi lius c. VVhat doth the Sonne of God say I am in the Father and the Father in me and we are one Man saith I ame in God and God is in me and we are one spirit And in the same place none but a mad man will vsurpe that voice of the onlie begotten I and the Father are one Bern. ibid. yet I though I be but duste will not be afraid to say this I am one spirit with God He addeth that man was in God from all eternitie because God loued man from al eternitie but God began in time to be in man when man began to loue him O how should we loue this Spouse of our soules who is by Charitie so wedded vnto vs as he is not onlie with vs but also in vs because as man and wife are vna caro one flesh so is he one Spirit with vs. who would forsake the loue of such a Spouse as God is who is our Creatour and Sauiour for the loue of any creature though neuer so deare The thirde mariage betwixt Christ and vs is by meanes of the B. Sacrament by which Christ to vs and we to him are vnited not onlie in mutual loue but also in substance because by this B. Sacrament we receaue his body bloud soule yea and diuinitie our substance is vnited to his in that his is vnited to ours And as in carnall mariage all goods are common euen bodies because as S. 1. Cor. 7. Paule saith the woman hath not power of her own body but her husbaÌ„d and the man also hath not power of his bodie but the woman So by this Sacrament Christ communicateth more aboundantlie his graceâ— then by any other his substance that is his bodie and bloud soule diuinitie are ours by communioÌ„ he as it were taketh possession of our bodie soule when by communion he dwelleth in vs. And as by carnall mariage the man and wife are vna caro one flesh Hom. 61 Cyrill Alex li. 4. in Ioa. c. 17. so doth he in a manner by our receiuing of him mingle his substance as S. Chrisostome saith with ours and of two maketh one and as S. Cyrill saith our substance is made one with his as waxe vnited to waxe And so as carnal marriage betwixt man and wife is contracted by mutual consent expressed by their words but is consummated by vnion of their bodies so a spiritual mariage is contracted betwixt vs Christ by charitie but is not consummated but by vnion of our substance with his by meanes of this B. Sacr. O my soule what an honour is it to bee married to such a spouse more certes theÌ„ for a poore maid to be married to aÌ„ Emperour because there is a greater distance disparitie betwixt Christ thee then betwixt the poorest begget and the richest Emperour ô how didst thou loue me sweete Sauiour who vouchsafest to take me thy poore creature for thy spouse And if I consider what thou suffredst to pourchase me for thy Spouse thy loue will more appeare If an Emperour should hazard his life to winne the loue of a poore maide how amorous should he be thought to be of her Thou ô Lord sheddest thy bloud to winne
our Sauiour we should receaue this B. Sacrament VVHEN thou hast O my soule by the considerations alleadged in the former meditation stirred vp thy selfe to a filiall feare and reuerence thou must also endeauour to moue thy selfe to a feruent loue and charitie towards thy Sauiour whoÌ„ thou art to receaue To this all thy former meditations will conduce for that by them is shewed what a good house keeper how liberall an Hoste what a Father what a Mother what a Friend Spouse Phisitian and Pastour all which are titles of loue Christ hath shewed himself vnto the in this B. Sacrament Saye then vnto him thou hast shewed they self in this B. Sacrament a noble house keeper giue me the loue belonging to one of thy familie thou hast shewed thy selfe a bountifull Hoste giue me the loue of a louing guest thou hast shewed thy selfe a Father and Mother make me a louing and obedieÌ„t childe Thou hast shewed thyselfe a louinge friend make me loue thee reciprocallie yea a Spouse make me a louing spouse yea a Phisitian make me a louing patient yea a Pastour inflame my heart with the loue of a louing sheepe Thou neuer shewedst more loue to mee then in this B. Sacrament by which out of a great loue thou giuest to me and after so admirable a manner as loue is ingenious thy bodie bloud soule and diuinitie By Incarnation thou impartedst thy self onlie to that nature which thou tookest of the B. Virgin But by this Sacrament thou bestowest thyself on all in particular who receaue it VVith what loue shall I paye this loue Thou giuest thy All vnto me and can I giue lesse then my All to thee and yet so shall I not rendre like for like because my All is nothing to thy All nothing somuch as if a begger should giue his raggs for the Kinges purple robe crowne scepter and kingdome I vse to take kindelie all which a freind giueth be it but a ring or Image because I imagine that he giueth his loue in his guift yea and himself also in his guift though not in person with what loue then should I answer to thy loue who giuest thy selfe vnto me not onelie in thy guifts and effects as thou giuest by creation iustification and glorification but also by this B. Sacrament in thine owne person Children loue their parents and nurces because they feed and nourish them brute beasts loue them who giue them meate be it but crustes and bones hay or strawe how then should I loue thee O Lord who feedest me with thy owne flesh bloud seasoned and sauced with the Diuinitie O my heart to shew thy self that thou art not made of flint marble or steele but of soft flesh resolue thy self into loue for thy Sauiours loue shewed in this B. Sacrament and being so resolued and transformed imploy thy selfe and all thou are for his loue and honour If thou thus prepare thy selfe by a great reuerence and loue to this B. Sacrament in which the Sonne of God resideth as in his cabinet not onely he but his Father also the first person in Trinitie and their holy Spirit the Holie Ghost the third person who procedeth from them both consubstantiall and coequall vnto them will all three come vnto thee not onely to visit thee but also to dwell with thee for this God the SoÌ„ne promiseth saying If any loue me he will keepe my word Ioa. 14. and my Father will loue him and we will come to him and will make abode with him And because thou art notable of thyself to furnish thy howse so as it may be fitt for the entertainement of so great personages they will bring with theÌ„ their tapistrie and ornaments of grace and vertues by which thou shalt be adorned to their liking And because thou canst not prepare a feast worthie such guests though thou shouldest seeke sea and Land for it they will bring their feast with them to witt this Blessed Sacrament the Manna which conteineth all that can delight thy spirit and with it they will bring aboundaÌ„ce of all grace by which they will feast thee and will be feasted of thee THE 13. MEDITATION To be made immediatlie after Communion How thanâ—kefull the Receauer should bee VVHen thou hast receaued this B. Sacrament pause awhile and think what thou hast receaued Thou hast receaued more then the worth of Heauen and earth the Sonne of God in whom be all the treasures of wisedom and knowledge hidden Coloss 2. in whom dwelle the fulnesse of the God head corporallie who is the head of all principalitie and power thou hast receaued him who is worth so much that he is inestimable no price caÌ„ be sett on him Antonius and Cleopatra did on a time vainlie striue who should make the greatest feast And Antonius prepared all that Sea and Land could affoard Cleopatra not sollicitous for any such fare tooke an vnion which hung at her eare and resoluing it drank it at a draft and putting her finger to the other eare to take another vnion he who was elected arbiter and Iudge betwixt them bad Cleopatra hold her hand for that she had alreadie surpassed Antonius his feast hauing drunk alreadie the price of all Egypt But thou O my soule by receauing this B. Sacrament eatest and drinkest at once the bodie and bloud of Christ for with his bodie his bloud alwayes is by concomitance and inseparable vnioÌ„ which is more then the price of Egypt yea theÌ„ a thousand worlds And therefore if thou shouldest resolue thy heart into gratitude and thankes giuing thou coulds not shew sufficient gratitude for this so great benefit Say then to thy bountifull Iesus with gratefull Dauid Psa 115. Quid retribuam Domino pro omnibus quae retribuit mihi what shall I render to our Lord for all things that he hath rendred to me nay what shall I render to my Lord for this onlie thing which he hath bestowed on mee thou hast ô Lord not onlie bestowed on mee great benefites and this the greatiest of allâ— but thou hast also rendred good for euill mercie and grace for my sinnes what can I render thee for this Psa 115. I will follow King Dauids counsell I will take the chalice of saluation and I will inuocate the name of our Lord I will take the chalice of thy Passion which thou didst drink on the Crosse I will offer that sacrifice for this and both for all thy benefites and by them I will inuocate and praise thy name for euer If I could speake at once with all the tongues of men and Angels I could not ô Lord giue thee sufficient thanks for this so great a benefit which conteineth thy sacred self and thy holie flesh and blood Deifyed by thy Diuinitie VVherefore in an astonishment at this great benefit and thy great liberalitie I will be silent and by my silence I will testifie and confesse that thou hast bestowed on me in this B. Sacrament more then
earth and aboundance of corne and wine Ephes 1 But I desire the benediction by which thou hast blessed vs in all spirituall blessing in celestials Luc. 2. And seing that I now haue thee in my armes with Simeon I desire his benediction that I may departe and dye in peace with thee and all thy Saints and Angels Matth. 5 I desire those eight beatitudes blessings of pouertie in spirit of meeknes of mourning for my sinnes of hunger after Iustice of mercifulnes of cleanes of heart of peace making of patient suffering persecution for iustice sake And lastlie I desire thy eternall benediction which consisteth in the cleare vision and fruition of thee by which all the Angels and Saints are blessed and this I most humblie craue and in a manner claime by vertue of that thy promise made to all worthie receauers of this B. Sacrament Io. 6. He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my bloud hath life euerlasting and I will raise him vp at the last daie Bestow on me then ô Lord a benediction of thy grace now and after my death a benediction of thy glorie in the next life where I maâ—e liue in blisse with thee and thy Saints for euer THE 16. MEDITATION Of the good purposes which after Communion are to be made AFter that thou hast receiued this B. Sacrament and no lesse theÌ„ thy Sauiours flesh blood soule and diuinitie in it to shew thyself gratefull for so great a benefit and so noble a guest thou shalt do well and pleasinglie vnto him if thou make these ensewiÌ„g good purposes for not onlie to do good or to promise good but euen to purpose what is good is a disposition to doing good and so pleasing vnto him Say therefore vnto him thou hast vouchsafed to enter into mee by my mouth as by the dore and gate of my house This gate hereafter shall be shut as was the Eastern gate of which Ezechiel speaketh It shall not be opened and men shall not passe through it Ezech. 44. it shall be shut for the Prince This gate o Lord shall be shut to all but thee the Prince thou onelie shalt haue the coÌ„mand for the opening or shutting of it The world flesh or deuill shall neuer enter by it none but thou or for thy sake And therefore hereafter my mouth shall neuer speake but of thee or things belonging to thee and thy honour It shall be opened onelie to praise thee or to praye vnto thee Psal 70. Repleatur os meum laude vt caÌ„tet gloriam tuam let my mouth be filled with praise that I may sing thy glorie Ephes 4 All naughtie speech let it not proceed from it It is the gate of thy Temple let no vncleane thinge haue entrance by it It is the gate of the Citie keepe it shut and fortifie it by thy grace that it may keepe out thy enemies and withstand all the batterie assaults of their tentations It hath been filled with thy sacred bodie blood let it here after be filled with praises of thy name thaÌ„kesgiuing And because my tongue hath been the bridge by which thou hast passed and which thou hast sanctified with thy sacred body embrued as it were with thy holy blood I purpose neuer to prophane it by idle vaine speeches much lesse to pollute it by detraction calumnious and reprochefull speeches by lasciuious talk by lying or swearing or blaspheming but I will with thy grace exercise it hereafter in praising thy holy name in praying to thee in talking of thee of thy life and death of thy great benefites and in particular of this B. Sacrament which so often I haue receaued of heauen and heauenlie things And therefore hereafter I will not aduenture without thee to gouerne this voluble variable and inconstant creature mooued with euerie winde like a reed I could neuer gouerne it and no meruaile because Linguam nullus hominum domare potest Iaâ—obi 3 No man can tame the tongue thou only canst because Domini est gubernare linguam Prouerb 16. it apperteineth to our Lord to gouerne the tongue and so to thee I yeeld vp the rule of it to thy direction I commend it that it may be silent wheÌ„ thou wouldest haue it be silent and that it may speake onelie wheÌ„ thou wouldest haue it speake and what thou wouldest haue it speake And because thou ô Lord by this B. Sacrament art my noble fast frieÌ„d See the med 12. I will neuer shake haÌ„ds with thy enemies the world flesh deuill nor shall I loue any thing which is offensiue to thee See aboue med 12. Se medit 12. Thou by this holy Sacrament art my Father and Mother I shall therefore honour thee feare thee loue thee obey thee Thou art the louing Spouse of my soule and the mariage betwixt it and thee is coÌ„summated by this B. Sacrament I will therefore wed my self to noe creature by inordinate affection that were to play th' Adulteresse and to breake the bond of this sacred wedlock nor will I loue any but thee or for thee And being married to so great an Emperour as thou art and thereby made also of high and noble condition who by sinne before was base I will putt on the Emperiall robes of holy conuersation fit for thy spouse my old habit of my old base behauiour and conditions I will laie aside I will become a new creature and in thoughts words and deeds I will carrie myself noblie as becometh thy chast spouse Thou hast feasted me with the royal fare of thy sacred flesh and blood which maketh me noble and of Princelie blood I will therefore behaue my self Prince-like Luc 14. not as assaue to my passions and sensualities but as a Lord and commaunder ouer them And as the Prodigall sonne after that his Father receiued hiÌ„ into grace had feasted him neuer returned againe to his hoggish fare so I being now fedde with heauenlie fare will scorne hereafter to tast any more of any worldlie or carnall delights the hoggish fare of sinners I ame by receiuing this Holie of Holies thy sacred bodie bloud sanctified consecrated dedicated to thee onlie and to thy seruice I will therefore neuer prophane myself again I will neuer employ my self to the seruice of the world or flesh or deuill or to any but thee or for thee The holie Chalice though it be but of earthlie metall be it siluer or gold yet it is oeuer imployed to any other vse then to receiue thy sacred blood The Church after Consecration is neuer vsed but for thy seruice And shall I who am better consecrated and sanctified then they because I am more capable of Sanctitie then they permitte my self to be put to prophane vses I am by this Sacrament made the Temple of God which is the house of prayer thou then ô Lord shalt be onelie serued in this teÌ„ple thou onelie shalt be honoured praised in it Thy entrance into me hath sanctified my bodie and all the partes of it my soule and all her powers and faculties all therefore that is in mee shall hereafter be emploied to thy honour and seruice To my soule and all that is in mee I will say with Dauid Ps 102 Benedicanima mea Domino omnia quae intra me sunt nomint sancto eâ—us My soule blesse thou our Lord and all things that are within me his holy name My vnderstanding do thou think and meditate allwayes of him my will do thou euer loue him my memorie do thou euer remember his benefites and this B. Sacrament in particular which he hath bestowed on mee my eyes looke on heauen and this Blessed SacrameÌ„t where he is my hands lift vp your selues in thankes giuing my feete follow his steppes traces and exaÌ„ples which he hath giuen because I and you all are consecrated and dedicated to him by receiuing this B. Sacrament And if it be an vnworthie thing to cast a consecrated Chalice into the dirt is it not fare more vnworthie to defile hereafter my bodie and soule by sinne which are wholie consecrated and dedicated to God O my soule do not thou presume to prophane that which by God is sanctified least he punish thee as a prophaner of holy things VVherefore as my bodie and soule and all the partes of my body and faculties of my soule by this B. Sacrament are consecrated to thee So ô Lord let them euer be and so they shall be if to my will thou ioyne thy will and to my force thy gracâ— this is now my mind and purposeâ— and I desire to die in this mind 〈◊〉 with it that at my death beinâ— thus prepared I may feed on thâ— sacred body and blood in the Bâ— Sacrament by a worthie Communion and by vertue of it after mâ— death may be admitted to feed 〈◊〉 on thy Diuinitie with their Bâ— Saints in Heauen by a cleare vision and fruition of thee the Father and the Holie Ghost threâ— persons and one God to whom be all Honour and glorie foâ— euer FINIS