disposition A holy retreate I. POINT CONSIDER by the B. Apostles example that the third disposition to receiue the holy Ghost ought to be a sacred solitude or retreate from wordly affaires vaine feares fruitlesse sollicitudes which disorder and take vp the house of our hart which should be wholy kept for the intertaynement of so great a guest The world was alwayes his and our worst enemye and hates him It were not to receiue him worthily to suffer his enemye to prepossesse the place The designe of his heauenly hart is to speake to ours alone and to make vs tast how sweete our God is And farre vnfitt it were to mixe those pure delightes with the bitter-sweetes the world affords Affection Le ts then my soule striue to silence those as importune as vnprofitable noyses and rumours of the world which hinder vs to heare what Heauen speakes to our hartes The world indeede is still whispering in the cares of our hart and tells vs of I know not what delightes but ah they are not like to the Law of our Lord that deare Law of loue which the holy Ghost sweetly breathes into our soules They are not they are not like it They doe but promise feyned pleasure peace and pay certaine paines and affliction Auant therfore deluding world disband fond feares and sollicitudes and leaue the whole hart for the God of loue The 4. disposition Our owne earnest endeuour II. POINT CONSIDER for the 4. disposition that this solitude is not to be spent in an idle and sleepie expectation without any concurrence of ours but contrarily by how much the more we are remoued from the world in our thoughtes by so much more are they to be conuersant in heauen for though the holy Ghost be a free gift and could not be merited by all the endeuours of men but proceedes from the vncompelled and free goodnesse of the father and the Sonne who the Sonne by his sacred word promised by his painefull Passion merited and by his holy prayers preuayled for his coming yet we see by the example of the Apostles and Primitiue Christians that we are to make vse of our owne endeuours before we haue the happinesse to receiue him indeede as dispositions to prepare our hartes against the receipt of so great a Gueste Affection Noe my soule the God who made vs without our helpe will not saue vs without our owne concourse or cooperation He will saue vs in qualitie of such as he made vs by his gift and grace to witt reasonable and free Creatures He hath taught vs to aske to seeke to knocke nor shall we otherwise receiue or find the gate open Nay he euen reproches vs that being so longe so continually with vs our coldnesse yet asketh nothing Nor would he euer saith sweete S. Augustine so earnestly exorte vs to aske if he would not giue Let slouthfull man blush then since God is more readie to giue then we to receiue He 's more readie to grant mercye then we to be deliuered from miserie THE III. MEDITATION The 5. disposition Prayer I. POINT CONSIDER for the 5. disposition the primitiue and Apostolicall way to receiue the holy Ghost as it is deliuered in the first of the Actes All of them saith S. Luke were perseuering in prayer We find the Apostles to whom the promesse was newly made praying for the performance of it We find the Primitiue Christians and our Blessed Lady her selfe at prayer Nay euen our Aduocate while he was yet with vs told vs that he would pray to his heauenly father for vs in this behalfe good reason then that we his poore clyents should ioyne in petition with him and earnestly pray that that holy Spirit may be sent to vs. Affection Let vs then my soule incessantly both day and night aspire and breath after this holy Spirit saying with blessed S. Aug. Come ô thou holy communication of the Father and the Sonne and prepare thyne owne habitation Come and visite the darke retreaites of our distracted hartes Come ô thou clenser of sinnes and curer of wounds Come ô thou strength of the weake and support of such as are readie to fall Come ô thou teacher of the humble and destroyer of the proude Come purifie this self-loue by thy sacred fire enlighten this self-iudgement by thy cleare light and breake downe this selfe will of myne by thyne vnresistable power The 6. disposition Vnanimous perseuerance in prayer II. POINT CONSIDER that the Apostles and Primitiue Christians Prayer was accompayned with vnanimitie and perseueuerance It was not slightly and distractedly run ouer in a short tyme but they absolutly made it their busines being shutt vp togeither euen from the Ascension till Pentecoste or the coming of the holy Ghost vnanimously and instantly begging and expecting that Best gift Affection Thus my soule let vs and all that loue the eternall loue of the Father and the Sonne pray vnanimously not with diuided hartes and perseuerantly all togeither not as though we were litle concerned or that we had not all one designe since we ought all to haue but one hart And ioyne in prayer with that deare Mediatour and Aduocate of ours to his father and our father at whose right hand he is still pleading for vs his poore brethren according to flesh that he would dispatch downe that holy Spirit of theirs into our hartes to th end we may all be but one by loue and vnion with the father and Sonne and the same Spirit as they are but all one in essence and substance and that our hartes may continue the pure and chaste Temples of the holy Trinitie for euer Christian hartes thus vnited are able to make a holy force against Heauen and draw from thence the Spirit of vnion AN ENTERTAYNEMENT FOR WHITSONTIDE OR MEDITATIONS OF THE HOLY GHOST THE I. MEDITATION That of our selues without the ayde of the holy Ghost we can doe nothing I. POINT CONSIDER that Man of himselfe as of himselfe is not able to think one good thought but all our sufficiencie is from God and what God the Father by his power is able to performe what the sonne by his wisdome to inuent is not executed and applied vnto vs but by the goodnes and loue of God the holY Ghost whence s. Paule None can say Lord Iesus that is as he ought profitablY to saluation but in the holy Ghost Affection See mY soule in these diuine truths thine owne sufficiencie that is thy pouertie and meere nothing We are not able to worke one good worke nor saie one good word nor euen conceaue one good thought but all euen all our sufficiencie is from that great Giuer of all good giftes So that we may well pronounce with the holy Church without thy power ô diuine Spirit there is nothing at all sound in Man If then all our strength be from him let all our addresses be to him If we indeede acknowledge our owne impotencie let vs betake our selues to his omnipotencie If
flesh be weake let 's haue recourse to the Spirit Let loue leade vs to this God of Loue and expose our coldenes to the fire which he visibly brings downe from heauen this day saying Veni c. What the H. Ghost is II. POINT CONSIDER what the holy Ghost is He is no other thing then the Spirit that is the spiration and breathing of the Father and the Sonne for as mans hart by his mouth breatheth or produceth a breath so God the Father by his sonne produceth the holy Spirit Or els as the soule by the vnderstanding of an amiable thing doth produce or breath out loue Loue which is no other thing then the spirit or breath of the affection so doth the father by the Sonne breath out the holy Ghost who is no other thing then a chast and holy loue produced and breathed out by the father and the Sonne whose mutuall loue it is Affection O diuinely sweete-breath Heauenly deare Gale Coeternall tye of two eternall persons Sacred commerce holy communication of the omnipotent father and his only begotten deare sonne O essentiall ineffable inflamed loue who euer burnest and art neuer extinguished graciously slide into and burne this frosen hart of mine Thou hast freely preuented me and reuiued me while I lay in a dead slumber and neither sought thee nor thought on thee Doe not I beseech thee forsake me whilst I am inuokinge thee I desire with the whole strife of my hart to desire thee The loue of my soule couets to loue thee Nor can I without thee Grant that by thee I may souue-raingly loue the father and the sonne and thee Three diuine persons â—n the veritie of one Deitie whose mutuall loue thou art O god the holy Ghost giue what thou commandest and command what thou wilt THE II. MEDITATION What kind of Spirit the H. Ghost is I. POINT CONSIDER that though the holy Ghost be a Spirit Spiration or breathing yet is it not like that of Man which is a Spirit which passeth and returneth not nor like to the Angells which are Missionarie and seruing Spirits nor like to that which our Sauiour Iesus-Christ deliuered vp when he said into thy hands I commend my Spirit To witt his soule In fine it is no created Spirit but an immense increated diuine Spirit intrinsecall to God yea God himself the third person of the B. Trinitie the same God with the Father and the Sonne proceeding from them by an eternall spiration and therefore coequall consubstantiall coeternall with them and equally to be adored and glorified together with them as Lord and life-giuer Affection Let me loue thee ô thou deare eternall immutable and euer permanent Spirit and loue of the father and the sonne let me loue thee And as thou proceedest from that one only more then most blessed eternall will of the father and the Sonne and becomest naturally and substantially one only God with them before time so grant that my will in tyme by the participation of thy heate and thy grace may so louingly adheare to that diuine will and be lincked together in so perfect a bond of true friendshipp that there be but one will betwixt heauen and earth God and Man That that may be as truly meant and accomplished as frequently pronounced Thy will that is that sourse of life of libertie of eternall loue be donne in earth as it is in heauen that by such conformitie resignation and adheasion we may all become but one Spirit with thee That the H. Ghost is a heauenly gift II. POINT CONSIDER further what the holy Ghost is and you shall finde that he is a gift but a gift sent vs from heauen a gift which containes in it the whole collection of all good things a gift prepared from all eternitie to be bestowed vpon men better then which there neither hath or shall or can be any giuen or imagined euen by the wisedome of heauen it selfe for it is euen that best gift that perfect thing which descended from the father of lightes with whom there is alwaies a permanent plentie Affection 4 O most noble most admirable and more then most excellent gift ô in comparable immense and inestimable liberalitie ô incomparable dignitie of mans soule Man was farre from dreaming of it Angels could neuer haue imagined it God himselfe could giue no more then God in a gift Ah my soule the verie heauens can giue no more then we possesse They are diuine truthes we speake the great S. Paule assures it Know you not that your members are the Temple of the holy Ghost which is in you And againe The spirit of God dwelleth in you Well may we glorie in this obsolute assurance of so incomparable a gift and guest But forget not my soule what followes But if anie violate the Temple of God God will distroy him THE III. MEDITATION The Holy Ghost is a permanent gift I. POINT CONSIDER of what a permanent plentie and blisse poore man is possessed by the bountie of this heauenly git which is accomplished with all perfections It is a gift it cannot then be recalled it is our owne nothing being more ours then what is our owne by free gift It s a free gift it was not bought or borrowed but freely bestowed Loue then was the cause of it loue which is an efficacious wishing well or wishing good to the beloued Affection Ah my soule this heauenly gift is no lesse absolutely permanent then superlatiuely excellent and no lesse sure as to externall force then a huge possession The theeuish world cannot robbe it The power of darkenes cannot wrest it out of our hands The God that gaue it takes it not awaye Non deserit nisi deseratur He forsakes not vnlesse he be first forsaken Selfe trecherie at home alone can hazard it selfe disloyaltie can loose it hatred for loue by consent to mortall sinne can driue this Loue this gift this God out of dores II. POINT CONSIDER from whom we had this good gift and we shall find it came from all the three persons of the holy Trinitie I saith the Father will powre out my Spirit vpon all flesh I will aske my Father saith the sonne and he will send you another comforter I will send him to you saith he againe And the holy Ghost saith Sainte Augustine is so giuen as God's gift that he is also his owne gift he is both the gift and the giuer All the three persons in the B. Trinitie were imployed in mans creation and all are imployed too about his sanctification We will come to him to wit the father sonne and holy Ghost and we will take vp our Residence with him Affection Blesse ô my soule that Father of lightes that good giuer of all good gifts who sent his holy breath or spirit downe vpon vs. Blesse that Lambe of God who by his death merited that blessing for vs. Blesse in fine that holy Spirit who was himselfe both the giuer and the gift and graciously came
afflictions should neither be lessened nor taken away for the space of a longe life Yet what is the longest of liues compared to eternitie but a verie moment Affection It is not my soule for this present tyme for transitorie momentes that we liue and labour Our ayme is eternitie Nor are our sorrowes equall to the paines due to our sinnes nor beare they any proportion to the endlesse ioy we hope for and yet S. Paule assures vs that our tribulations which are for the present momentary and light worke a boue measure exceedingly an eternall waight of glorie in vs. Let vs then couragiously looke ouer the thinges we see or feele which are but temporall to consider what we see not but by ourpatience hope for an eternall waight of glorie THE SECONDE POINTE. I will see you againe and your harte shall reioyce and noe man shall take your ioy from you CONSIDER that though our good God may sometymes seeme to leaue vs yet he neuer forsakes vs but returnes againe to see vs to reioyce our hartes and double and trible our ioyes not those of the wicked which are alwayes attended and vshered out by sorrow but those of the true Disciples of Christ Gaudia Domini ioyes in Christ of Christ and for Christ and to giue vs assurance that it shall not be in the power of man to robbe vs of these Christian ioyes which are properly ours and none shall take your ioyes from you Affection Noe my soule our mercifull Lord forsakes vs not vnlesse we first forsake him he goes but comes againe to visite vs and by such his accesses he giues accession of ioyes to our hartes which he so fixes by his grace that they are not taken from vs nether in this world nor the next to witt they are not placed vpon transitorie thinges which passe but vpon Christ and are locked vp in our harts whither the tyrants sword cannot reach He may take our liues away but cannot our ioyes which liue in death and suruiue it Such were S. Paules ioyes with which he abounded in the midst of all his tribulations Such the Apostles who came reioycing from before the counsell Such S. Laurence whose ioyes burnt higher then the Tyrants tormenting flames Such finally are those of our Lord and Master who ioy being proposed to him sustayned the Crosse This my soule is our ioy which none can take from vs. THE FIRST MEDITATION FOR THE FOVRTH SVNDAY AFTER EASTER I goe to him who sent me Io. 16. THE FIRST POINTE. CONSIDER that if we were truly wained from the world from selfe loue and selfe consolation we should be so farre from hauing our harts filled with sorrow vpon the hearing of the words of Christ I goe to him who sent me that contrarily our harts would be replenished with ioy That deare Lord of ours had perfectly accomplished his heauenly Fathers will in the worke of mans saluation by puttinge downe that deare price of his redemption What then ought to be more delightfull to the redeemed slaue then to see his gracious Redeemour returne into the possession of his owne right to see him exalted to see him glorifyed Affection Returne then ô my dearest Redeemour into thy rest into thy heauenly Fathers bosome into that glorie thou hadst common with him by thyne eternall birth-right before the world was yet made for it is but iust that the innocent lambe which was slayne should receiue power and diuinitie and wisdome and strength honour glorie and benediction c. Be it euer farre from vs my soule to preferre the delightes of his presence and the ioyes we take while we are drawen on by the odour of his oyntments before the accomplishment of his blessed pleasure in what euer desolation and the aduancement of his glorie THE SECONDE POINTE. It is expedient for you that I goe Io. 16. CONSIDER that tho not so much the consolations of God as the God of all consolations and the pure loue of him for his owne infinite goodnesse sake ought to be the cheife Christian motiue in all our actions yet our mercifull God who best knew that man is all earthly earth and ledd by selfe interest sutes his motiues to what we are alwayes mixing the sweetes of consolations and our aduantage to moue vs to the loue we otherwise owe him And therfor to solace the Apostles sadnesse he sayth I tell you the truth it is expedient that is aduantagious or profitable for you that I goe for if I goe not the holy Ghost shall not come to you Affection Let vs putt downe my soule for a most sure maxime in point of our spirituall progresse that he is not Gods best seruant who seekes his will of God in the continuall inioyment of consolations in our prayers c. But he that desires that Gods will may be done in him by an absolute resignation in what drinesse and abandonmēts so euer Let vs learne thē to leaue God for God as here we haue occasion and vndoubtedly the holy Ghost will come and inhabite our disinteressed harts and blesse them with more solide and substantiall aduantages THE SECONDE MEDITATION FOR THE SAME SVNDAY But if I goe I will send him to you Io. 16. CONSIDER that wheras the holy Ghost proceeds from the Father and the sonne it was but conuenient that the sonne should first be seated at the right hand of his heauenly Father in the Throne of his glorie according to that the holy Ghost was not yet giuen because Iesus was not yet glorified before the holy Ghost was sent that he might be ioyntly sent from them both to poore man as that best guift descending from aboue consubstantiall coequall coeternall with themselues and well becoming their infinite Maiestie and the excessiue loue of our deare Sauiour by the merits of whose death that perfect present was purchaced Affection It is but iust my soule that our eldest brother be first repossessed of his owne glorie which was his from all eternitie before the younger and adoptiue children lay claime to their share which is but his deare purchace and free guift who for a sure pledge of it sends vs one equall to himselfe to confirme in vs the hopes therof Happie thrice happie we Christians to haue so powerfull a Mediatour in the Court of heauen to preuayle with his Almightie Father for the sending of the holy Ghost to comfort instruct and confirme vs in all truth taking vp his residence in the Temples of our hartes THE SECONDE POINTE. He the holy Ghost shall teach you all truth Io 16. CONSIDER that as the donation and mission of the holy Ghost were the effects and fruites of the passion ascension and noble tryumphe of Christ wherin he ledd captiuitie it selfe captiue and in all of them glorified his heauenly Father so is that holy spirit sent to glorifie the sonn by teaching clearing and confirminge in the harts of the Apostles all that their diuine master had taught them belowe and making these heauenly
harte by the hole of his side and confirmes vs in faith by the familiaritie of his presence and makes vs absolutly conclude with the same S. Thomas Dominus meus Deus meus Affection Obserue my soule what aduantages accrue to vs by this vigilant care of shutting the doores and liuing retiredly at home to our selues Iesus doth againe and againe visite vs. He answers our secrete desires We touch him we talke with him we behold him by faith and by that secreete and sweete communication he affords so much delight to our mynds that our weake faith is more and more confirmed so that we cannot doubt but that it is indeede our Lord Iesus God and man who is present with vs and makes our hartes burne AN ENTERTAYNEMENT FOR THE ASCENSION OF OVR B. SAVIOVR THE FIRST MEDITATION That it is the Feast of most absolute ioy I. POINT CONSIDER that of all the feastes of Christ this bringes the most absolute and accomplish't ioy to all Christians which truly loue Christ The Natiuitie gaue him to teares labours pouertie and miserie The Circumcision to bloudsheding The Epiphanie how euer he was adored by a few to the malice of many but this wipes away all teares and bloud and makes him to be adored by men and Angells And albeit his glorious Resurrection shewed him Conquerour ouer the world death sinne and the Diuell yet did it restore him to the world againe but this restores him to heauen to the Angells to his heauenly Father Affection Let heauen and earth then and all those that haue bene so happie as to was he their stoles in the bloud of the Lambe conspire togeither with great ioy and iubilie to sing tbe Canticle of the Lambe saying with a loud voyce The Lambe that was slayne is worthy to receiue power and diuinitie and wisdome and strength and honour and glorie and benediction on this most triumphant day and for euer and euer Amen That it is a confirmation of our faith leauing noe doubt behind it In their sight he was cleuated c. II. POINT CONSIDER that the rest of the feastes of Christ left still some doubts in the heauie hartes of men who are slow in beleeuing The Angells gloria at the Natiuitie was comfortable but the childs teares then and bloud in his Circumcision litle perswayded the Presence of a God To dye for sinners was an argument of greatest loue yet it was deemed a follie by many His Resurrection though glorious and apt to conuince yet was it doubted by the most and found some incredulous Thomases who would giue credit to it vpon noe lesse assurance them putting his hands into the wounds of his side But this best and brightest of dayes leaues noe mistes of doubte behind it where the eyes are witnesses of the power of a God in raysing God-man aboue the cloudes At this sight we are forced to to crye with S. Thomas Dominus meus Deus meus Affection Most iustly therfor my soule may we conclude with blessed S. Augustine that the Ascension of our Lord is the absolute Confirmation of our Catholike faith The ioyfull Natiuitie indeede brought the first hopes the Circumcision gaue the earnest pennie in dropps the sacred passion plentifully payd downe more then the whole debt in flouds of pretious bloud the glorious Resurrection comfortably raysed drouping hartes But this day signes seales and deliuers the whole Deede of mans Redemption neuer more to be doubted of let vs exult and reioyce in it Alleluya Alleluya Alleluya THE II. MEDITATION The first fruite of Christ's Ascension I. POINT CONSIDER that if by the first Adam man was banished out of Paradice By the seconde Adam he was restored to Heauen If by the first he fell lower then man by the second he is raysed aboue the Angells Archangells Cerubines and Seraphins being placed at the right hand of his heauenly Father There is our nature praysed magnified adored by all those celestiall Courtiers in the person and vpon the sight of that God-man Affection O admirable dignation To what a stupendious hight is this that mercy hath raysed poore lost man O great God what dost thou discouer in man that thou dost so mightily magnifie him and what is the matter that thou dost so put thy heauenly hart vpon him Ah my soule looke vp to this dignitie with a louing and gratefull astonishment and learne from it a holy pride to looke downe with disdayne vpon the world and all earthly thinges knowing that thou art better then they The 2. fruite of Christs Ascension The raysing of our hopes II. POINT CONSIDER to what a high pitch our hopes must needes ascend in the Ascension of Christ to see our humane nature in the person of him inuested in his heauenly fathers glorie Since in Iesus Chr. as saith holy S. Augustine there is a portion of the flesh and bloud of euery one of vs bones of our bones and flesh of our flesh For thy Sonne our God did not take vpon him the nature of an Angell but the seede of Abraham being made like to vs in all thinges saue sinne alone witnesseth S. Paule Affection Say then my soule in an humble confidence with B. Sainte Augustine where any part of me raignes there I conceiue my selfe to raigne where my flesh is glorified there I apprehend my selfe to be glorious where my bloud beares dominion there I find my selfe to rule Though my sinnes keepe me backe yet my substance and communication in bloud calls me on to a stronge confidence My deare Lord loues the flesh which he tooke vpon him to seeke vs out and saue vs. Herein my soule let vs place our whole confidence THE III. MEDITATION The third fruite of Christs Ascension The sending of the H. Ghost I. POINT CONSIDER that our Iesus hauing now absolutly accomplished his Fathers will in performing the worke for which he was sent and hauing put a happie periode to his painefull pilgrimage hath left vs yet we ought to reioyce since it is to returne to his father yes to his father and our Father to his God in qualitie of man and to our God He hath left vs but it is expedient for vs it is to send vs another comfortinge Spirit which would not come to vs vnlesse he departed from vs. Affection Reioyce my soule reioyce and how euer comfortable the presence of Iesus may seeme to thee be alwayes willing to leaue Iesus for Iesus for the accomplishment of his will for the aduancement of his glorie If you loued me saith that deare brother of ours you would reioyce because I goe to my father That is to rest after labour to glorie after ignominie from the societie of men to that of Angells from man to God to your father Ah my soule let not selfe loue deceiue vs we loue not indeede Iesus as we ought if we loue the sweetnesse of his presence more then the accomplishment of his euer best and most adorable pleasure Nor can we loose by that
disinteressed loue for by that meanes the God of loue or God-loue Deus est Charitas the holy Ghost is sent into our hartes The 4. fruite of Christs Ascension The taking possession of our inheritance II. POINT CONSIDER that if he be gone and gone to his father and our Father that cōmon father of all of vs it is but to take and keepe possession of that common inheritance which being his owne by birth-right he purchaced for vs his coheires at a huge rate at the price of his owne pretious bloud for we haue heard himselfe say by S. Iohn let not your hart be troubled I goe to prepare you a place Affection O thrice happie Christians yea thrice and a thousand tymes happie I say did we duely ponder and rightly value our owne happines Christ was borne for vs he was giuen to vs he laboured thirtie three yeares in our behalfe he spent his pretious bloud vpon the purchace of his fathers and our fathers yea his owne heauenly Kingdome for vs and now for a happie conclusion of all he is gone to take possession of what he has purchaced for vs. Be not troubled then my soule but reioyce with a greater ioy then euer he is gone to prepare vs a place a permanent place a place of ineffable delight of eternall abode in the bosome of his father and our father We are not seruants but friends but children but coheirs with Christ We are not now pilgrimes we are gott home in him We are citizens with the Saintes and God's Domestikes THE IV. MEDITATION The 5. fruite of Christs Ascension The opening of Heauen Gates I. POINT CONSIDER that if Iesus be gone it is still to be a Iesus to vs still to aduance the worke of our redemption Heauen gates were shutt against man euer since Adams disobedience and he hauing first past the gates of death to breake vp the brazen gates of Hell is gone with with power to command the potentates of that Celestiall Citie to open them saying Lift vp your Gates ô you princes and be you lifted vp ô eternall gates and the Kinge of glorie shall enter in That strong and mightie Lord is at hand who returnes from battell with victorie Affection Take courage then my soule the passage is layd open according to Micheas his Prophesie He ascended laying open the way before them Le ts but follow our Capitaine and the place is ours Heauen is ours He hath shewed vs the way Howbeit we must walke as he walked in humilitie meeknesse obedience chastitie pouertie patience c. Nor must we imagine that malice can ascende with the Authour of goodnesse nor luxurie and lust with the Sonne of a Virgine nor vice finally with the God of vertues The 6. fruite of Christs Ascension He goes our Aduocate into Heauen and sends another into the Earth II. POINT CONSIDER that he is gone indeede for while they all looked on saith S. Luke a cloud has taken him from the Apostles eyes But he is gone vpon a most honorable and profitable imployment for man He 's gone to carie vp man to heauen and to send downe God into the Earth establishing as it were a good intelligence by a mutuall embasie betwixt heauen and Earth Man to God in heauen as Aduocate to plead for man and God to man in earth to teach him all truth to inculcate to him againe and againe what Christ had alreadie taught to inflame our hartes with the holy fire which Christ brought downe into the earth c. Affection Yes my soule he is gone to carie vp that man Christ to be Mediatour betwixt God and man and to pleade the cause of man at Gods Tribunal My sinnes are many and great great I say and many but my Mediatour is infinite I am able to pleade nothing but guiltie dread Lord guiltie But my Aduocate hath wounds to shew and bloud which cryes lowder then the bloud of Abel and claymes mercy as hauing payd more then my malice was able to contract As often as that bloud lookes redd from the side of that sonne who is sett at thy right hand I beseech thee that the spotts of my corruption may be washed away THE V. MEDITATION The 7. fruite of Christs Ascension The presenting of freed Captiues to his Father I. POINT CONSIDER that our most Blessed Sauiour came downe from heauen to to wage warre against the world the flesh and the Diuell and now he returnes with victorie ouer them all and bringes backe the spoyles to the Court of Heauen in tryumphe leading Captiuitie it selfe captiue that is the captiue soules deteyned in Lymbo Patrum which he wrested out of a stronge hand and offers them to his heauenly Father as the first fruites of his longe and painefull labours and part of the purchace of the pretious bloud he had plentifully spent Affection O what tongue of man or Angell is able to expresse or what hart to conceiue how gratefull this returne and tryumph was to heauen how agreable this present was in the Almighties sight and how all the heauenly Israell reioyced to see our heauenly litle Dauid returned with such victorie so ample spoyles If the Conuersion of one poore sinner my soule cause such ioy among the Angells what accesse of ioy must the securitie of so many Saintes who are to be their fellow citizens for euer cause in those heauenly hartes The 8. fruite of Christs Ascension The raysing our affections from the Earth II. POINT CONSIDER that our Blessed Sauiour is ascended to heauen from which he descended to carrie vp our hartes thither from whence they were fallen by sinne and to waine our affections from earth and make them wholye Spirituall according to that of the diuine Apostle if you be rysen with Christ seeke the thinges that are aboue where Christ is sitting at the right hand of God mynde the thinges which are aboue not the thinges which are vpon the earth Affection O Deare Iesus since as well thy descention as thy Ascension yea all the mysteries of thy blessed life and Passion turne all to our vtilitie and vse grant that we may make a right vse of them and wholie turne our hartes from earth to thee that though our bodies be imprisoned in it for a time yet in harte and affection we may alwayes liue aboue with thee that we may truly say with S. Paule our conuersation is in heauen THE VI. MEDITATION I. POINT CONSIDER finally that since Iesus our deare Lord and Master is returned to heauen as we are assured by faithfull witnesses who deliuer by the mouth of S. Iohn noe other thinge then what they saw with their eyes what they looked vpon and what their hands had handled of the WORD of life there is indeede nothinge left vs in earth worthie to lodge a Christian hart vpon He is our true life and what liuing is there without life He 's our treasure and where should our hartes be but where our treasure is He is our crucified
loue and is not the soule wonte to be more where it loues then where it liues Affection Ah my soule how longe shall we be heauie harted loue vanitie and seeke a lye Shall we continue still in a languishing to death rather then breath after life and for life Shall we lodge our hartes in earth while our treasure is in heauen Shall flesh and bloud force the soule from its owne nature and bent and make it liue more where it liues then where it loues O Iesu my Treasure my Loue my Life let it not be so but draw our drowsinesse after thee and we will run in the odour of thy sweete oyntements Giue vs winges deare Lord and we will flye a pace vp after thee and wholie rest and repose in thee How our Sauiour went from the Apostles II. POINT CONSIDER that as our B. Sauiours life in earth was wholy spent in testifying his loue to mankind and in heaping his fauours vpon the same so doth his last moment vpon earth leaue markes of the same goodnesse For the Euangelist represents this good father of ours with his hands lifted vp to heauen for vs and imparting a blessing to vs. To witt the Preist for euer according to the Order of Melchisedech hauing ended all the bloudie Sacryfices in one would not departe from his people till he left a blessing vpon them Affection Depart not my soule from this heauenly contemplation till thou receiuest a blessing from thy good Fathers hand Stay with the Apostles at his sacred feete till he blesse thee with them Vse a holy and humbly confident importunitie when thou apprehendest that Christ is about to withdraw himselfe and leaue thee saying with the good Patriarke Iacob I will not I will not deare Lord let thee goe till thou dost blesse me with a blessing of pardon for my sinns of peace of loue of vnion c. THE VII MEDITATION How the Apostles behaued themselues after their Masters departure I. POINT CONSIDER that when the Apostles had beheld their Master mount vp in the greatnesse of his owne power into the heauens they stoode as thinges quite deade to this world without action or motion saue onely that admiration ioy hope loue which boyled vp in their mournefull-ioyfull hartes fixed their eyes immoueably vpon the cloudes where their deare Master made his passage till two Angells were sent to call them away from that contemplation to act in Hierusalem according to their diuine Masters order and example Affection Learne hence my soule to follow thy Iesus where soeuer he goes be it to his death his Resurrection or his Ascension and where as in body we cannot le ts with the Apostles fasten our eyes and hartes vpon heauen and neuer forsake him saying euer and a none with that feruent Sainte Augustine caelum penetrabo mente my harte shall peirce the heauens and in thought I will be alwayes with thee deare Iesus For ah how sweete it is to be continually sucking delightes from those sacred and sugered breasts of thy consolation II. POINT CONSIDER that there the Apostles stayed Prisoners as it were to loue and delight till two Angells were sent to call them away from that sweete contemplation to act in Hierusalem according to their diuine Masters order and example But noe sooner were they called by those heauenly Messengers but they obeyed came downe from the mountaine turned their contemplations and admirations into adorations and actions returning into Hierusalem with great ioy to prayse blesse preache and magnifie his name in the Temple and euery where and to expect the coming of the holy Ghost according to his gracious promesse Affection It is doubtlesse a deare and laudable delight my soule to flye vp by the winges of holy contemplation to peirce the cloudes with him to strike into that Land of plentie and peace whither he is gone and to repose in him for euer Haue you found the honie of heauenly contemplation feare not to taste and take it downe yet so much onely as sufficeth least perhapps being filled you vomit it vp But doth a voyce from heauen a Superiours commande charitie to a neighbour Gods worke call you from it ah fayle not delay not to follow neuer forgetting that the God of consolation ought to be preferred before Gods consolations his good pleasure and his worke before the delightes and pleasvres he bestowes vpon vs. PREPARATIONS TO RECEIVE THE HOLY GHOST THE FIRST MEDITATION The first disposition The consideration of our owne miserie I. POINT CONSIDER as the first disposition to the receiuing of the holy Ghost our owne nakednesse miserie and nothing for if we conceiue indeede as indeede it is most true that we are nothing we haue nothing we can doe nothing but onely by the assistance and grace of God which is powred forth in our hartes by the holy Ghost which is giuen vs how is it possible that we should not make an earnest application to that good giuer of all best gifts that now that the comfort of Christs visible presence is taken from vs he would bestow vpon vs that other comforting Spirit Affection Looke downe ô thou Almightie giuer of all good giftes and behold the slaue that was redeemed by the wounds which thy Christ my Aduocate layes open before thee to plead for my pouertie Looke vpon thy Christ and take pittie on this languishing christian of thyne for whom he dyed O almighty father looke vpon this poore child of thine who lyes sicke of a palsie and is cruelly tortured send downe speedily that comforting Spirit which thou art about to send least he otherwise perish for whose safetie thy deare sonne spared not his pretious bloud The 2. disposition Humilitie II. POINT CONSIDER and le ts vse as a seconde disposition rysing out of the truth of the former as absolute a desire as we can possibly conceiue not to be knowen nor esteemed by any or at least lets desire to be knowne as we knowe our selues and as God knowes vs that is to be poore miserable sinners not as we deludingly appeare This as being a reall effect of true humilitie is the best harbinger to prepare a place for this heauenly Guest for in whom saith the holy Scripture will the Spirit of God rest but in a hart that is mylde and humble c. Affection Studie to be a louer of truth my soule not of vanitie and lyes which haue alwayes proued emptie shadowes and haue left nothing in our hands Be sincere and iust and striue to keepe iustice betwixt thy selfe and thyne owne harte betwixt what thou appearest to be and what indeede thou art and desire not that esteeme and honour by others ignorance be payd to thy corruption and sinfulnesse Haue frequently in hart and mouth to thee alone ô Lord be honour and glorie to me nothing but shame and confusion Because in thy sight I am a miserable sinner and vnworthy of all respect But thou ô Lord haue mercy THE II. MEDITATION The 3.
vnto vs. Be they Blessed and praysed magnified and glorified in the vnitie of one Deitie for euer And let our earthly Trinitie neuer forgett this mercy Let our memorie faithfully represent it to ourvnderstanding Let our vnderstanding continually ponder ruminate and deliuer it to the will And let the will imbrace in ioy and carefully locke vp this present of infinite loue with all the loue ioy and Iubilie of hart imaginable THE IV. MEDITATION What we receiue indeede when we are said to receiue the Holy Ghost I. POINT CONSIDER that by receiuing of the holy Ghost we receiue the substantiall or consubstantiall vnitie charitie and sanctitie of the father and the Sonne according to S. Augustine The most firme and indissoluble bond or tye of the holy Trinitie The sacred kisse of the father and the Sonne by their mutuall loue from all Eternitie whereby they loued the iust euen with the loue of their owne hart saith S. Richard de S. Victore which is the holy Ghost Affection Ah my soule how ineffably greate blessings are these which faith layes before vs and we consider it not or rarely and coldly reflect vpon them O did we frequently looke vpon it with a liuely faith how would our thoughtes be wayned from this base world How euer we are in it we are not made for it the heauens haue other thoughtes for vs. The true cause of our being here indeede is to adheare to God by loue and to become holy as our heauenly father is holy and to that purpose the holy Ghost the verie vnitie loue and sanctitie of the Father and the sonne comes downe to dwell in vs. Ah my soule Let vs neuer forgett this astonishing and oppressing graciousnesse II. POINT CONSIDER yet further that it is not the vnitie charitie and pietie of the father and the sonne which we receiue onely but truly and indeede we receiue the person of the holy Ghost wâ—â—h grace and charitie nor is he in vs by Essence Presence and power only as he is euerie where but in a more deare neere and intimate manner as in his Thâ—one oâ— Temple For doe you not know saith s. Paule that you are the Temple of God and the Holy Ghost doth dwell in you And againe Charitie is diffused into our hartes by the holy Ghost who is giuen vnto vs. Affection Yes saith s. Augustine that good God is present to his faithfull â—ot meerly by the grace of visitation but by the presence of his Maiestie It is not now the odour of the balsome that is spredd abroad but the verie substance of the sacred oyntment it selfe By which according to s. Iohn we shall be taught all thinges O great great and most admirable mysterie which is yet so familiar to vs Christians O most excellent and incomparable visite and gift of the proper person of the holy Ghost O God what a singular fauour is it to haue God the true God really and personally dwelling in our hartes O what hartes ought they to be which haue the happinesse to be the Mansion of such an inhabitant THE V. MEDITATION The excessiue loue of God shewen to man in sending the holy Ghost I. POINT CONSIDER with S. Augustine that God the father moued by meere mercie sent his sonne to redeeme his seruants he sent also the holy Ghost to adopt the same seruants into children He gaue his sonne for the price of their Ransome the holy Ghost for a pledge and assurance of his loue and reserues himselfe all whole for the inheritance of the adopted So much did he desire mans saluation that he imployed not only what was his but euen himself also to that effect Affection Doe we beleeue this ô my soule but doe we beleeue it indeede That such a sonne was sent for such seruants That seruants and such seruants were adopted into sonns into coheires into the participation of the diuine nature By the meere mercy of the Father by the bloud of the sonne by the loue of the holy Ghost Doe we beleeue it I say yes yes we beleeue it my soule We dare not we cannot deney it Credo Domine we beleeue it ô Lord yet helpe our incredulitie in this behalfe We beleeue it in words and in hart too but our actions our gratitude our loue speake it not confirme it not to the world For to whom should all the redeemed slaues actions belong but to his deare Redeemour Vpon whom should all his loue be sett but vpon one that so loues him And to whom should he reserue himselfe wholy but to the God of heauen who reserues himselfe wholy for him II. POINT CONSIDER what an excessiue goodnes and charitie it is that this immense and infinite Maiestie who walkes vpon the winges of the windes and sittes vpon the Cherubins who fills heauen and earth being assisted with millions of millions of Angells would yet daigne to take vp his seate in a poore corner of mans hart to grace that miserable worme of the earth with his presence diuinitie and sanctitie and therby with the participation of his diuine nature Ah! could we iustly weigh mans nothing and Gods Maiestie we should neuer be wearie with admiring and tasting the dignitie of this great worke Affection Ah Domine cognoscam te cognoscam me O Lord grant me light to know thee and to know my selfe that by such knowledge I may happily and gainefully loose my selfe in the admiration of thy excessiue graciousnesse For what am I indeede compared to thee but extremitie of miserie compared to infinite Maiestie but nothing nothing compared to him who is all in all But not so much as one little droppe to a boundlesse Ocean And yet this Maiestie is graciously pleased to take vp his Residence in this miserie This All will lodge in this nothing This Ocean will ouer-flowingly possesse and please himselfe in this droppe How happens this to me that not the Mother of my Lord but euen my Lord himselfe comes vnto me resides in me takes vp his deare delights in my poore harte Ah my soule let our dearest delightes be to possesse him to please him to magnifie him to glorifie him for euer THE VI. MEDITATION Gods excessiue loue to man I. POINT CONSIDER how great and ineffable the pietie of our Redeemer was towards vs as S. Augustine obserues who carried man vp to heauen and sent God into earth what a care hath our Maker to repaire his workmanshipp Behold a new medicine is againe sent downe from heauen Behold Maiestie daignes againe by his owne presence to visit the sicke Behold diuine things are againe mixed with humane the holy Ghost is become a succeeding Vicar to our Redeemer that what the one had begun the other by a peculiar vertue might consummate that what the sonne had redeemed the holy Ghost might sanctifie what he had purchaced he might conserue Affection Too too much are thy friends honored my dearest Lord. Their principalitie is exceedingly beyond all measure confirmed by the presence
and vnwilling as it were to be happie Let 's not limit the holy Ghost who giues abundantly and vpbraides not His graces are too pretious to be refused or played with When we haue done the best we can we may put this downe for a certaine truth We are but vnprofitable seruantes we haue done but what we ought How Charitie perisheth and the holy Ghost is driuen out of our hartes II. POINT CONSIDER that being once gott into free trading in veniall sinnes we beginne to be more familiar with and lesse apprehensiue of mortall to witt we so long play with waspes because their stinges are not mortall that with our Mother Eue we lye open to serpents Wisdome waxeth obscure counsell is cast aside feare growes foole-hardie fortitude failes vs and faith begins to slumber But the Diuell sleepes not A pleasant obiect is cast in our waye nor is it anie more then veniall sinne We fixe our eyes vpon the beautie of the forbidden fruite and faine would we taste of it Such dalliance begetts complacence complacence ingagement ingagement procures consent and by consent mortall sinne has gotten footing in our harts Charitie perisheth and the holy Ghost is forced out of his Temple Affection O bewitching snares accursed chaines which infallibly leade to slauery and destruction Ah my soule if we begin once to giue ourselues ouer to the dandlings and caresses of the harlot-words like another Dalila were we euen Samsons it will straight bereaue vs of our strength and sight and dispossessing vs of the holy Ghost leaue vs slaues to the diuell Ah what a pittifull exchange is here Be astonished ô heauens vpon this and ô gates thereof be you desolate exceedingly The very Angells of heauen were they capable of teares would weepe to see the holy Ghost with all his gifts and graces disloyally turned out of our sinfull soules But to preuent this desolation of desolations le ts vse a timely care Being alreadie ensnared le ts by a holy violence cutt breake teare them in peeces for alas the best of them are worth nothing they leade but to death But are we yet free Flye fly then the leaste apparent occasions of euill ô thou beloued of God Flight alone in this behalfe is a sure victorie MEDITATIONS OF THE B. TRINITIE THE I. MEDITATION That by faith alone we can safely approche to God in this ineffable Mysterie I. POINT CONSIDER that though all nations be they otherwise neuer so barbarous haue alwayes vnanimously conspired togeither to the professing of some Deitie yea euen many Gods which they foolishly feyned to themselues And though all the thinges vniuersally which we see seeme to leade vs to the knowledge of some inuisible diuinitie wherby they were all made and conserued yet should we be alwayes wauering and without assurance should we committ our selues to reasons weake search not taking Faith to be our guide Faith which is saith S. Augustine the way to Beatitude Faith without which saith S. Paul it is impossible to please God whence he concludes that it is necessarie to saluation Affection O my soule how happily are we preuented by a heauenly light which the wise of the world wanting they vanished in their owne knowledge and while they could not reach to the true God they spent their witts in deuising false ones Wheras we Christians are safely conduducted by the guidance of faith by faith I say that conuincing argument of thinges not appearing that illustration of the mynde by the prime light which inables our soules to discerne spirituall thinges and leades vs to adore the Father the sonne and the holy Ghost three persons and one true God without all hesitation or doubt II. POINT CONSIDER that as faith is altogeither necessarie so is nothing more sure and comfortable as relying vpon the prime truth which cannot deceiue vs or be deceiued Let Faith saith S. Augustine marche before and noe difficultie will dare to oppose or present it selfe There is nothing more sure or better suted to all sortes of people For who can wante capacitie to giue credit to what truth it selfe reueales It speakes wisdome to the wise and yet the weakest capacities haue as much in substance as they It feedes the strong with solide foode and yet giues milke to children which nourisheth noe lesse Great witts haue as much as they can beare and the weaker sort is able to disgest all they receiue O admirable inuention of wisdome it selfe which can so wisely fitt it selfe to all abilities They are three saith S. Iohn which giue testimonie in heauen the Father the Word and the holy Ghost and these three are one To witt one substance one Deitie one God Affection O great and powerfull God! Man hath nothing to replie to this plane testimonie of faith but to fall downe and adore thee I doe therfor with the whole earth adore thee ó Father of infinite Maiestie and that diuine Word thy true and onely Sonne togeither with thy holy comforting Spirit With my whole hart and mouth I confesse blesse and prayse thee ô God the Father and thee ô God the onely begotten sonne and thee ô God the holy Ghost proceeding from them both I confesse thee to be one in essence substance power and Maiestie trine in persons ô one holy and vndeuided Trinitie Glorie be to the power of the Father glorie be to the wisdome of the sonne glorie be to the goodnesse of the holy Ghost Glorie be to the Father whence all thinges proceede Glorie to the Sonne by whom all thinges glorie be to the holy Ghost in whom all thinges Glorie to the Father who created vs glorie to the Sonne who redeemed vs Glorie to the holy Ghost who sanctified vs. THE II. MEDITATION What the B. Trinitie is I. POINT CONSIDER that hauing by a sirme faith made our safe approache hauing set downe for a certaine and vndoubted truth that there is an vnitie of Deitie in the Trinitie of persons and hauing with our whole hart adored it we may with an humble Christian confidence draw yet neerer by contemplation to discouer in some smale measure what and how it is To this effect looke with S. Athanasius vpon the sunne and noe sooner shall you haue discouered it but you meete with a naturall kind of Trinitie which leads vs to that other To witt we discouer the body of the Sunne the brightnesse and the heate of it All which make but one and the same Sunne though otherwise distinguished in themselues The body of it being the source of light represents the Father the brightnesse the Sonne who is light and the heate the holy Ghost who is a sacred fire being but all three one and the same God The sunneit selfe is noe older then the light and heate therof so that were the sunne eternall the light heate would be noe lesse eternall or coeternall Affection O thou Orient sunne shine out vpon our darknesse O thou Father of lights enlighten our benighted soules What I desire ô Lord
SWEETE THOVGHTES OF IESVS AND MARIE OR MEDITATIONS FOR ALL THE FEASTES OF OVR B. SAVIOVR AND HIS B. MOTHER Togeither with Meditations for all the Sundayes of the yeare And our Sauiours Passion For the vse of the daughters of Sion Diuided into tvvo partes THE FIRST PARTE By THOMAS CARRE Preist of the English Colledge of Doway ✚ IHS PRINTED AT PARIS By VINCENT DV MOVTIER M. DC LXV TO THE VERIE VENERABLE HIS MOST HONORED DEARE LADY MARIE TREDVVAY FIRST ABBESSE Of the English Monasterie of Sion of S. Augustins Order established in Paris MADAME These poore productions of myne which were bredd and brought out amidst a multitude of dayly distractions can scarce with iustice flye to any other Patronage then your La. and your vertuous children whose instant desires gaue them beeing while their pietie did not so much and so earnestly begge them as euen force them from my pouertie Howeuer were I free from that iuste tye there is yet another from which I will neuer admitt dispensation which makes these and all that 's in my power alreadie yours and theirs to witt the affection which I owe and haue vowed to your seruice that is your aduancement in vertue As issuing from that sourse they cannot doubt of acceptance What proceeds from knowen loue and respect cannot misse to meete with it mutually in well borne hartes If you find them vsefull for you I haue my designe If they leade you to a neerer approche with IESVS and MARIE and a more liuely expression of their liues in yours I haue my end and you the fruite If finally you profit by them I haue my reward What effect soeuer they may chance to haue with others please not to let them fayle to be to you certayne testimonies that my cheife desires for myselfe and you are as I haue often intimated to you that we esteeme our selues to know nothing here below but Iesus-Christ and him crucified that is that we putt downe for a most Catholike and Apostolicall truth that the life and passion of our sweete Sauiour is the most approued the most secure and best Schoole of all perfection since according to your holy Fathers excellent Sentence Summa Religionis est imitari quemcolimus the perfection end and accomplishment of Religion is the Imitation of him Iesus-Christ whom we worshippe In whom I shall euer be MADAME Your La. and your Religious daughters poore vnworthy Father and Seruant THOMAS CARRE BETHEELEM STABLE Or an entertainement of Iesus For the daughters of Sion A Preparation towards the receipt of Iesus For Chrismas Eue. MEDITATION I. I. POINT CONSIDER that when the world was most desperately lost in Paganisme Idolatrie and in the worshippe of men as Gods and in that of Diuells Yea while Iudea that choyse part of the world where onely the true God was Knowen and adored was ouergrowen with hypocrisie auarice ambition cousenage Lying and innumerable other vices While all the earth was depraued corrupted and sunke in sensualitie and all sorts of sin In a word while man enemy of his owne saluation slept so deepe that he thought not of it while he was so desperately sicke that he felt not his euil and consequently neither merited sought for nor demanded his cure then euen then the eternall God like a most pittifull father cōmiserating his miserie and deliberating as it were the remedie in the consistorie of the most holy Trinitie resolued that the diuine Word should become man and in his owne person should come to cure man Af. O the vnspeakable blindnes insensibilitie and miserie of man O the infinite Mercie of our good God which had no other motiue then his owne infinite Goodnes wherby he cryed out to miserable man conuert your selues conuert your selues Ryse from sleepe and be illuminated Why dost thou die o house of Israël Returne to me and liue 2. POINT Consider this resolution being taken of whom the diuine wisdome and prouidence makes choyse amongst all the creatures of heauen and earth for the perfecting this great worke of the saluatiō of all mankind He doth not after the manner of the world make choyse of the greatest richest and powerfullest princesse that might be found on earth or the brightest Angell of heauen but an Angell is sent from heauē into Earth to a Virgine named Marie wife to Ioseph who liued in a litle towne of Galilie called Nazareth to Marie I say an humble poore obscure vnknowen mayde and she too married to a poore Carpenter Ioseph Aff. Waigh deeply how litle esteeme the great God makes of the riches greatnes and power of this world Ther eare noe worldly creatures great in his eyes but such as are humble low and litle in their owne eyes while I was a litle one I pleased the highest Great ones he throwes downe out of heauen and out of the chaire of Moyses while such litle ones are exalted and wonders are wrought in them by the alpowerfull hand May then the loue of worldly greatnes honor riches power for euer vanish from my thoughtes And may humilitie pouertie virginitie be the deare companions of my hart Since they be the deare vertues which tooke my heauenly spouse his hart and helped to prouide a worthy tabernacle in earth for the king of heauen MEDITATION II. In those dayes there came forth an Edict from Cesar Augustus that the whole world should be inroled And Ioseph also went from Nazareth to Bethlehem to be inroled with Marie his dispoused wife who was with child I. POINT CONSIDER that as our Blessed Lady hyghly commended humilitie and obedience to vs by her reply to the Angell saying behold the handmaide of our Lord be it to me according to thy word so doth she here immediatly before his natiuitie presse the same againe by promptly complying with the commands of a mortall man Cesar cōmands and straight wayes Ioseph Marie and Iesus obeyes Ioseph obeyes Cesars seruant Marie Ioseph her spouse and Iesus being in Maries sacred wombe obeys Marie his mother most punctually She being possessed of the treasure of heauen and heauen and earthes wonderment as though she had bene altogether ignorant of Gods high counsell and of the particular effects of his prouidence giues way to this strict order without reasoning without contradiction without reserue humbly simplely and promptly accompagned with her spouse Ioseph she takes iorney to Bethleem Aff. Oh Iesus my Sauiour how Far ought miserable man subiect himselfe to thy holy commands being a poore and abiect seruant since thou being Lord and master yea Lord and master and maker of heauen and earth becomst subiect to the commands of an earthly Emperour thy creature who is in thy sight as a meere nothing by a secrete and admirable counsell of the Diuine Prouidence Ah how this ought to confound vs in the disputes and inquests we make vpon the iust commands of our lawfull Superiours While we obserue in Ioseph Marie and Iesus an example of a most humble blind and perfect obedience II.
thou dagniest to bestow them I poore contemptible wretch borne the son of earth made the sonne of God the Heyre of God! The brother of IBSVS-CHRIST coheire with Iesus let me deare childe let me neuer more by a degenerous conuersation In such or such thinges making reflection of your greatest imperfections c. stayne the noble familie and the dignitie of the bloud and alliance into which I am addopted by thy graciousnesse May I rather dye then euer proue so base and disloyall Amen The first Med for Sanct Ihons day PONIT 1. Consider But if son hyere heyre of God God if kinge king of heauen king of maiestie king of glorie How becomes he then thus inglorious thus left thus lodgd thus layd Marrie out of meere goodnesse free mercy and vndue loue loue of nations which sought him not thought not of him which cared not for him nay which trangressed his commandements violated his lawes rebelled against his will and pleasure And that without any neede he had of them without any interest he pretended by them out of meere loue and mercy Aff. Good and omnipotent God! mercyfull and holy and deare father much much doe we owe thee for our creatiō for hauing made vs mē mē the master pieces of the workes of thy hand for hauing-bestowed a whole world vpon vs with all the admirable varietie of creatures comprised therin for our vse and seruice but incomparably much more now that thou hast sent thyne owne onely son thy son and heire the kinge of heauē equall to thy selfe Those were great indeed yet earthly ones but this is euen the best that heauen had to giue here thou didst indeede open and bestowe thesaurum tuum optimum thy very best treasure so that the mostvastly greedie hart cā neither desire nor euen imagine any thing greater any thinge equall to it or euen bearinge any proportion with it A son in whom thou wast well pleased for a fugitiue prodigall seruant in whom thou wast highly offended and euen while he was yet actually offending thee then euen then to putt the greatest commendations vpon thy mercy imaginable then Isay thou sentest him cum adhuc inimici essemus into abiection and prouertie into a poore hole of a rocke to be accompaigned with brute beastes for that yet bruter beaste man I can onely stand amaysed at this strange dispensation and dignation of thyne To send a son for a seruant a sainte yea the sanite of saintes for a sinner a God for man what a stronge hope must this needs beget in the hart of a sinner Resolution I confide in thee then ô my dearest Lord I depend wholy on thy mercy c. POINT 2. Consider that man was at an absolute losse hauing strayed from his way forsaken truth and forfeited life and this abridged word humanized or clothed with our nature is in very deede the way truth and life which he comes to teach the world There is no way to Christ but by Christ we liue in darkenesse vnlesse we be enlightened by the light of this truth we liue not indeede but languish and die vnlesse we be quickned and liue by this life This word alone deliuers this truth enlihgtens vs to discouer this way and by this way we walke home to this life which is Christ All these are folded vp in this dumbe word which for our loue is layd in a manger Aff. yes my soule euen so the case stoode with vs Sinne hadd spred it selfe ouer all the sonns of Adam and they were all straying like lost sheepe and had for euer strayed and remayned in their losse had nor this good shephard Christ come downe to seeke out and saue what had perihed And had not this Way mette the wandringe pilgrime this truth illuminated the blind man that satt in darkenesse and this life quickened the dying slaue that lay vnder the shadowe of death he had still erred remayned still blind and bene dead for euer For there is noe other name vnder heauen wherby we ought to be saued What obligations then haue we to Christ our redeemer how ought we to loue this word which teacheth vs or putts out this truth a sea-Beacon to vs poore creatures who are tossed at this huge sea and proues a light to our feete to walke in this safe way Christ which securely leades to the permanencie of an vn changable and euerlastinge life which is his very selfe Reso In this way then will I walke and run for euer if thou deare Lord wilt please to draw This truth will I imbrace for euer if thou daignest to giue perseuerance And this life of thyne will I striue to lead loue and breath after till I be druncke vp in life euerlasting PONIT 1. Consider That a chill Cold in the absence of the sunne of Iustice had eased and benummed the hart of man and rendred him senselesse of all good being cold frozen stupide without all feeling of heauenly thinges and this diuine word which notwithstanding the Cold which he now indures is indeede a consuming fire is come downe into the earth with his heauenly fire and what is his desire but that it should fixe vpon those benummed harts of ours and inflame them with his holy and burning loue For what will euer be able to doe it if this heauenly Prometheus this firebringing Messenger be not able to sett vs on fire What will be euer powrefull enough to speake excesse of loue to mens harts and to oblidge them to loue if the mute eloquence of a God lying dumbe the Word it selfe left speechlesse in a manger for their loue be not able to doe it And this is the extaticall loue-language of the diuine Word which lyes before our eyes this day in the cribbe Aff. Alas I my poore hart we are cold frosen and senselesse indeede in point of spirituall thinges we relish not we perceiue not the thinges which are of God And yet our miserie is so much the greater that perceiuing our selues deadly cold we rather chuse to starue then approch to the fire that actiue sacred heauenly fire which comes not downe but to burne to burne our frozen hartes as some tymes it did those two primitiue Hartes with whom he walked in the way to Emaus who found their hartes burning while he spoke And as it did your holy father then he cryed out as one loue sicke What is this that I feele what kind of fire is this that warmes my hart which so sweetly burnes so secreetly shines so deliciously seases vpon and inflames my soule with a deare delight Ah! this diuine Word is indeed as Dauid qualified it ignitum vehementer but it was in his meditation that it burnt all out in a flame But how should this happen si nemo recogitet corde if none hartily thinke of it how should hartes burne if none applie hartes to the fire Resp If his will be that it should burne then let our hartes in conformitie to that diuine Word
and Will say thy will be done And with your Holy father Inflame and pearce the very marrow of my dull hart with those saueing fires of thyne and let the flame of thy holy feruour drie vp and consume the peccant humours of my body and mynd 2. POINT Consider then that it was loue indeede buring loue and charitie that brought downe this silent word this beautifull saluation-weeping-child this King this metamorphized God of ours It was the immense and eternall loue of the Father and the son the holy Ghost by which he was conceiued in the sacred and pure Wombe of this Virgine Mother T was loue that brought him out Loue that lodged him in this poore cottage Loue that swadled him in poore cloutes Loue that layd him in this manger And loue of vs poore lost miserable sinfull men Propter nos homines for vs men assures faith and for our saluation he descended from heauen For his exceeding great charitie with which he loued the World saith the great Apostle Affec Oh what a hote batterie doth Loue lay to our soule what doth this full inflamed expression of loue say to our hartes but dilectus mens mihi the beloued soule of man is myne And what should or can man reply but ego illi Yes deare Lord thyne I am intirely and thou shalt be myne for euer my part my portion my substance the one thing which I onely desire my deare delight in tyme and eternitie What doth this say but deliciae meae esse cum filiis hominum My delightes are to be with the sonnes of men And what shall the lost sonnes of men say but our dearest delightes are and shall euer be to be with the sonne of God His loue to me hath made him being the lord and Master stoope below men and lye amongst brute beastes and shall not my Loue to him being but a poore sinfull seruant make me in true desire lye vnder the feete of all men Thy charitie and example doth vrge me to loue thee and by thy precept I am oblidged to it But yet alas who is able to loue thee but by thyne owne gift Giue then ô Lord what thou cōmandest and command what thou wilt THE FOVRTH MEDITATION Of Humilitie Christs first lesson in the stable I. POINT COnsider that if Charitie brought him downe from heauen it was humilitie which was to entertayne him in earth If charitie made the son of God become the son of man it was humilitie which made the mother of God become the handmayd of God and man If the bowells of Gods mercy Iesus Christ begotten from all Eternitie was sent downe humilitie was to be the ladder by which he was to descēd for he beheld that is approued the humilitie of his hand-mayde And as mans humilitie or abiection was the first thinge which mercy looked vpon from heauen so was it the first lesson which he taught in earth against that great sinne which was the begining of all mischeife both in heauen and in earth To thend that as God looking vpon mans abiection became man so man by looking vpon and imitating the abiection and humiliation of a God might be raysed to the dignitie of an Angell or a God indeede and so be published happie for euer by all Nations Aff. Ah poore miserable man neuer esteeme thou begins to learne any thing aright in this schoole of Christianitie vnlesse thou beginst where Christ began Neuer thinke thou hast learned any thing till thou hast taken out this first lesson for what is said by S. Paule of charitie is also verified saith Sainte Augustine of humilitie If I should transporte mountaines giue all my goodes to the poore and euen my body it selfe to burne and yet want humilitie it profits me nothing O infinite mercy boundlesse charitie abismall humilitie who is he that vpon the disclosing of those bowells of Mercy which brought Maiestie downe into miserie abiection humiliation who is he I say that will not humble himselfe Resolution My eyes shall be alwayes sett vpon this hūble Maiestie and myne owne miserie that in the acknowledgement of that truth I may euer truly humble my selfe for his sake and in imitation of him be below all his creatures c. I. POINT Consider that this vile stable this narrow manger this comon place of shelter for brute beastes this oxe and Asse this eternitie not a day old this disguise or forme of a seruant these infant teares seeme to say to the eye and by the eye to the hart which afterwardes he shall with his owne mouth expresse in words Learne of me because I am myld and humble of hart My Litle children Learne of me your God become a litle child a lesson shutt vp from the wise and prudent of the world and left to me in my litlenesse to reueale it to litle ones because I am myld and humble of hart not in word and exteriour comportement onely but in effect with hart and affection Aff O Angells of heauen is this the Maiestie which you incessantly prayse whom the Dominatiōs adore whom the powers dreade with trembling whom the heauens ând heauenly vertues the Cherubines and Seraphins neuer cease to proclaine Holy Holy Holy O Kinge of Angells is this thyne owne onely sonne equall to thy selfe in Maiestie whom we see in a manger among brute beastes cold weeping abiect iust like one of vs O deare Sauiour or mylde son of the highest how low how lowe doth thy humilitie descend and withall how high doth thy charitie burne vp in this action O vaine mā what will euer be able to worke downe thy proude harte if the humilitie of a God will not doe it if power become impotent if strength growen infirme cannot preuayle Ah what is more strāge more detestable more greeuously punis-hable then that when we behold him that is the highest in the kindome of God made the least and lowest in this kingdome of men for mans example and loue man will yet be puft vp and remayne high in selfe-esteeme THE SECONDE MEDITATION For the same day I. POINT CCNSIDER againe the circumstances of the stable manger c. and you will find that where humilitie is practised her sister Obedience is not farre absent If Christ by all these thinges preache perfecte humilitie it is in order to Obedience He humbled himselfe being made Obediēt saith the great Aplostle If the stable be poore Manger narrow c. he therfore humbly endures them because such is his heauenly fathers will As my father cōmanded me so I doe I came downe from heauē not to doe myne owne will but his who sent me Whence S. Paule pronounceth a strange word Though he was the very son of God yet he was to learne Obedience by what he suffered here below being other wise as God equall to his heauenly father and as such could not obey Aff. Haue we thē a true desire to imitate our Sauiour Iesus Christ Let vs then humbly obey him and by his
so strucke him O man how doth this action confounde thy pride and discouer thy selfe to thy selfe we easily committ sinne euen in the sight of God but blushe to appeare sinners in the sight of men c. Or if we chance to haue that humilitie and iustice in vs as patïently to suffer reprehension reproche or punishement when we see we are in fault yet are their any to be found who knowes what it meanes to suffer where we either indeede are or at least where we apprehend our selues innocent That euen best Christians are content to leaue to Christ alone THE SECONDE MEDITATION For the same day II. POINT CONSIDER Virgines consider Christians old and young and all that hope to be saued by the blood of Christ what these sacred dropes which fall from our Christ say to our hartes What doe they say vnlesse our harts be of stone but I will and begge by this example without example where noe law obliged noe debt was due your patience your mortification your resignation your obedience your humiliation You call me Abba pater father father and I am so show the dutie of children then by following your fathers footstepps You call me Lord and I am so make good then the dutie of seruantes in accomplishing the will of your Lord. I will obedience c. not will-worshippe not sacryfices of your owne inuention and choyce And this irreuocable will and Conuenant of myne I write downe in letters of myne owne blood that louinge children may neuer forgett it Affect Noe my soule ther was indeed noe connection betwixt an innocent Sauiour and the markes of a sinner noe necessitie for a God to imploy this paynefull and shamfull meanes who had a thousand other ways in his wisdome to haue performed the worke of mans redemption but to teach vs patience with what euer might befall vs seem it neuer so litle sutable to the thoughtes we may haue of our owne innocencie Mortification by suffering some corporall payne be it by our owne or some other hand be it by accident sicknesse or otherwise Obedience whether to our superiours as we are bounde c. Or euen to euery creature for charities sake where there appeares noe other obligation And conceiue we alwayes heare Christ by this example say vnto our hartes what great matter is it c. if you being but durt and askes subiect your selues to man for Gods fake since I who am omnipotent became humbly subiect to man for your sakes O dust learne of me to obey Learne of me ô earth and clay to humble thy selfe and caste thy selfe vnder the feete of all men for my Loue. Consider Yet further that the heauenly dropps of blood which fall from a God speake more powerfully to pious hartes then Malachie to the people of Israel saying dilexi vâ—s I haue loued you That is I haue doe and shall loue you since there is neither tyme past nor tyme to come with God I haue loued you from eternitie and thence I am come in tyme to saue you I doe loue you in tyme present and thence I giue the first dropps of my bloud for you I wil loue you in tyme to come and will powre out my hartes bloud for you in earnest wherof I now lay downe these dropps I haue loued you and so called you by preuenting grace while you thought not of it I doe loue you and so assiste you by cooperating grace I will loue you and so make my subsequent grace accompaignie you to the end and for assurance of this I now pay downe these dropps Affec O how wonderfully thou hast loued vs ô heâuenly Father since for our sakes thou didst not euen spare thyne owne onely sonne How tenderly didst thou loue vs ô dearely beloued sonne of the Almightie who for our sakes didst not refuse that paynefull imployment but dost euen so airely testifie the excesse of thy loue by the loss of thy blood By which deare pledges being partes of the price of my Redemption I apprehende it euen neere at hand Let Israel now say that he is good that his mercy is for euer Let the house of Aaron now say that his mercy is for euer Come le ts loue him le ts loue him we that are redeemed by his bloude because his mercyes are for euer Let our tongues publish his loue and mercy let our hartes loue and prayse him and let our verie bowels pronounce ô Lord who is like to thee Inable vs deare Iesus to vnderstand descerne and reuerence with due honour this admirable misterie of pietie which is manifested in the flesh hath appeared to the Angells is preached to the gentils is beleeued by the world and this day is signed in bloud Venite adoremus THE FIRST MEDITATION FOR THE. Day after new yeares-Day of the name of IESVS I. POINT COnsider That though all the names vsed by men to signifie the Deitie were from all eternitie are in tyme and shall for euer be most worthily blessed praysed and admired by men and Angells yet to vs Christians the name of our Christ IESVS by which he was called this day is by iustest right most deare and praise-worthy For whether we vse the word Elin which signifies God and is interpreted strong Elion which signifies High or Adonai which we interprete Lord or Saddai which may be called Almightie or els Iehouah which the Hebrewes esteemed ineffable none of them intimates so much and so present consolation to vs poore sinners as doth our myld Emmanuel which signifies our God with vs our Iesus a Sauiour who begins euen to powre out his pretious bloode for vs. Affection Be all thy names ô great Lord God praysed preached admired magnified sanctified for euer by men and Angells and all thy creatures in generall whether they signifie strength power Maiestie Omnipotencie immensitie infinitie or what euer els which we can in noe sorte expresse nor euen by imagination conceiue so vastly great so ineffable so inconceiuable is the Lord and Master whom we serue Yet most deare Sauiour Iesus be thy most mellifluous name as neerer to my eyes and interests so alwayes neerer and dearer so my hart Be that sauing and sanctifying name cherished and sanctfied by vs poore miscrable sinners aboue all other names because thou o deare lambe who wast slayne for me is most worthy of glorie and honour and benediction and all that euer my narrow hart is able to deuise c. 2. POINT Consider that all the names we reade intimate either power and Maiestie or grace and mercy according to that of the Royall Prophete I haue heard these thinges Power is Gods and mercy is thyne ô Lord. According to his Maiestie his name is holy and terrible But this new name IESVS which is giuen to him in earth signifies nothing but mildnesse mercy and saluation for the name of IESVS saith your holy Father is a sweete name a delightfull name a name of deare consolation and blessed hope to the sinner Nay it
Gentil thy kingdome ô deare Sauiour is dilated ouer all the face of the earth and thy raigne shall dure for euer And therfor ô all ye nations clappe hands make iubilation to God in the voyce of exultation singe ye to our God singe ye singe ye to our Kinge singe ye because God is Kinge of all the earth singe ye wisely The Princes of the people are gathered togeither with the God of Abraham he shall raigne ouer the Gentils Thus did the kinglie Prophete teach vs Christian Gentils to singe so long agoe THE SECONDE MEDITATION Of the vocation of the Gentils in the three Kinges I. POINT CONSIDER that our pious and mercifull Lord not being the God of the Iewes onely but also of the Gentils who will all men to be saued and to come to the knowledge of the truth limites not the riches of his goodnesse within the confines of Iewrie but will haue them extended to all the world so that he calls not the Iewes onely in the persons of the shepheards but the Gentils also in the persons of the Kinges If he had promises for those he is not without blessings neither for these If he haue Angells in aboundāce to call those he wants not starrs to conduct these to his royall presence testifying by them both that he is noe acceptour of persons but loues Iewe and Gentil vnlearned and learned poore and rich and breathes by the holy Ghost where he pleaseth subduing what hartes he pleaseth to his seruice Affection Let vs then o my soule imitating Gods mercyes extende the assistance of our obsecrations prayers postulations thankes-giuinges to all men to Iewe and Gentil to such as are farre off and such as are neere hand to such as are in the Church and such as are out of it to poore and riche to kinges and Potentates be they friends or foes protectours or persecutours For this is good and acceptable before God our Sauiour For alas what doe we know that we hate not a brother while we thinke onely to hate an enemie Let vs pray I say first for our domestikes in faith that they may increase in grace ad haue the gift of perseuerance Next for those that yet beleeue not vt ex nolentibus fiant volentes that of such as will not beleeue they may by Gods grace be made beleeuers sayinge with the holy Church etiam rebelles compelle voluntates compelle euen those rebelliouswills that obstinacie and blindnesse being subdued Turke Iewe and Gentil may be but one flocke and fold How the kinges were called to Iesus II. POINT CONSIDER how the kinges came and we shall presently find that our attentions are stopt by the Euangelist with a word inciting to admiration Ecce behold saith S. Matthew there came sages from the cast to Hierusalem Nor is it without wonder indeede that wise men should leaue their countrie to come a greate iorney to a forraigne land which had nothing common with them And yet their errand seemes more strange They came c. saying where is he who is borne the kinge of the Iewes A demande which in likelyhoode might haue cost them their liues And yet their motiue seemes most strange of all for say they we haue seene his starre in the east Should wise men and Kinges leaue their Kingdomes vpon the onely sight of a starre to looke out one borne the Kinge of the Iewes and that in the midst of Iewrie where another Kinge alreadie raigned Affection O my soule what can we find here but admirations with S. Paule O the highnesse of the riches of the wisdome and knowledge of God How incomprehensible are his iudgements how inscrutable are his wayes What doe we find I say but effects of Gods great mercy strangly and strongly working For certainly their iorney their demande their motiue appeare litle lesse then madnesses in the eyes of men while yet in the eyes of God they are effectes of grace and heauenly wisdome For the starre which they saw exteriourly was seconded by the grace which they felt interiourly and thence they vndertooke the iorney the grace of the holy Ghost knowing noe sluggish delayes The grace which they felt was a powerfull and conquering grace and thence they feared not to aske for the kinge of the Iewes euen in the face of the Tyrant The starre which they saw was the light of faith and thence they giue for their reason a thinge which reason is not acquainted with an obscure yet conuinceing argument of thinges which appeare not THE THIRD MEDITATION How admirable the kinges calling was I. POINT CONSIDER againe with wonderment this strange proceeding of the kinges Abraham its true went out of his countrie too his kindred and his fathers house and he was both admirable and prayse worthy therin Howbeit this seemes farre to exceede that Abraham went out because he was commanded because he was promised to haue another certaine place appointed him because he had assurances giuen by God that he should be magnified c. But they had neither commande to goe nor place appointed whither to goe nor stayd they in any danger at home nor were they allured with any adunatagious promises abrode but contrarily they were as free to stay as goe they knew not whither they went nor whether they should find what they sought And they were withall so farre from ayming at aduantage or securitie that contrarily they ran into apparent danger and were readier to giue then to take as appeared by the presentes they brought and yet those sages came to Hierusalem vnder the guidance of one onely starre Affection Admire my soule the wonderfull effectes of the hand of the most High admire the wholy disinterressed and truly kinglie hartes of these holy kinges Who while they were noe way necessitated noe way commanded so freely vpon the sommons of one starre left their countries and all and came to him to whom none comes vnlesse first drawen by his heauenly father And yet how many starres haue we and we stirre not how many kind inuitations and we answere not How many heauenly callings toward Iesus and alas we turne a deafeeare to them But doe not so my soule doe not so the neglect of heauenly fauours iustly irritates the bountifull Benefactour If we be not able to goe before others by our good example le ts not fayle at least to follow them Run on run on by the holy example of the kinges whither diuine inspirations which continually lay seidge to our hartes as so many heauenly messengers doe leade vs. Le ts be faithfull in this behalfe and when ere the Bridegrome knockes le ts lay open our hartes and leaue them wholy at his dispose neither expecting commands nor questioning the manner how Neither ayming at gaynes nor fearing or flying labour losse nor danger All is safe and gaynfull enough where Iesus leades and Iesus is looked for That the kinges proceedinges are our lessons II. POINT CONSIDER that this proceeding of the first fruites of
of thy holy Spirit Ah my soule what doe the heauens seeme to make of vs what rate putt they vpon vs while we vnderualue our selues The holy Trinitie may seeme to be whâ—llâ— imployed to saue vs while we are b … 〈…〉 … ll our selues away for moments of â—â—â—nsitorie pleasures for vanities for lyes Our thoughtes are languishing after the hope of I know not what delightes which the world promiseth while our dearest delight ought to be to receiue in hand more then we are able to conceiue Ah my soule what dearer delight could euer mans hart wish for then to be deliciously oppressed with heauenly plentie II. POINT CONSIDER the vnspeakable honour conferred vpon man by the presence of the holy Ghost He receiues saith S. Basil a Propheticall Apostolicall and Angelicall dignitie being before but earth and ashes abiection and rottennes Yea saith he by vertue of this presence euerie holy soule becomes a God Ego dixi Dij estis I haue said you are Gods and all sonns of the highest For who adheares to God which is is done by loue in the Holy Ghost is one Spirit with him Affection Good Iesu what is man that thou dost so magnifie him or what is the sonne of man that thou dost so place thy hart vpon him What did Gods mercy discouer in our miserie my poore soule that he should honour it with a dignitie due the Prophetes Apostles Angells yea euen rayse it to a certaine vnion with himselfe For this it was that Iesus-Christ while he was yet in this world prayd so ardently to his heauenly Father I pray saith he that they his Apostles c. all may be one as thou ô heauenly Father in me and I in thee that they also in vs may be one by participation by charitie by grace by glorie O vnspeakablely deare vnion ô more then most Blessed Communion betwixt God and man THE VII MEDITATION To what end the holy Ghost comes I. POINT CONSIDER that the holy Ghost comes vnto vs to purge illuminate and perfect our soules and to reforme them to the image and likenes of God to which they were made thereby to make them partakers of himselfe He being the diuine sanctitie in this life and disposing them to a more neere and noble likenes thereof in the life to come to which euery cause striues to produce effects like to it selfe it followes then that the holy Ghost endeauours to make the soule which it doth inhabit which is the soueraigne perfection and dignity of a reasonable creature feruent spirituall holy and diuine Affection Why doe we then my soule remayne in our wonted languishments why doe we still liue in league with our accustumed imperfections making reflection what they are and how often we haue had the light to know them and resolution to amend them our luke-warmenesse in Gods seruice our impuritie of harte our ingratitude to God for his innumerable giftes and graces c. Why doe we why doe we alas resiste the designes of the holy Ghost His aymes are to purge our hartes and we remayne in our impurities To illuminate vs and we affect darknesse more then light we feare to know his will least we might be oblidged to doe it To burne our hartes and we persiste in our coldnesse To render vs spirituall holy diuine and we continue indeuoute carnall and earthly Alas my soule is not all this too too true II. POINT CONSIDER that the holy Ghost comes to be the Soule of our Soule and to furnish vs with all things necessarie to the perfection of our spirituall life euen as the soule of our bodie giues force to the great diuersitie of the functions and actions of the senses and faculties of the said soule as farre as is necessarie to our naturall life for what want wee which this Spirit brings not If light and knowledge of truth He is truth it-selfe If strength He is power itselfe If heate He is a consuming fire Are we sicke he is the Phisitian and the Phisicke Is the cause of our eternall reconcilement to be pleaded before the dreadfull Tribunall of Gods Maiestie He is our Aduocate Are we oppressed with temptations and tribulations he is our comforter our Deus omnia our God who is to vs all things Affection It is not it is not from this body of ours that the same body hath life motion action and vigour but from the soule without which it remaynes an vnprofitable bulke of corruption Nor is it from the soule that the soule liues remembers vnderstands wills but from God who is the life of the soule Nor doth it euer liue vnderstand or will any thing profitably but by his grace diffused into our hartes by the holy Ghost Come then oh come then thou holy Spirit and be our light our truth our fortitude our fire our salue our Phisitian and cure Proue our second Aduocate to the heauenly Father togeither with that deare Lord of ours who both merited thy sending and graciously sent thee Proue our comforter in our tribulations temptations c. Proue finally our God and our all THE VIII MEDITATION Of the aduantages or fruites of the Holy Ghosts Coming I. POINT CONSIDER what huge aduantages we receiue by the coming of the holy Ghost adn we shall finde that thereby we are taken into the participation of all the blessings and riches in some measure which our Blessed Sauiour possessed in plentitude and fulnesse The Spirit of wisdome and vnderstanding the Spirit of Counsell and fortitude the Spirit of science and pietie and the Spirit of the feare of our Lord. These are the seauen lightes or seauen Lampes by which the faithfull are enlightned wisedome is a light by which we know Superiour things Vnderstanding a light by which we discerne interior things Science a light wherby we know inferiour things Counsell a light by which dangers are discouered Fortitude is giuen to repulse and master them as Pietie to mollifie the hardnesse and Feare to subdue the pride of our hartes Affection Blessed be the Father of our Lord Iesus-Christ who mercifully sent his Sonne to saue vs sinners Blessed be his only begotten Sonne who spent his most pretious blood and life vpon the worke of Mans Redemption And blessed be the holy Ghost whose infinite loue plentifully bestowed those good giftes vpon vs which were purchased for vs by Christs merits whereby we haue light and strength to walke and without which like sensuall men not knowing what belongeth to Spirit we had wandred in darknesse without either the true knowledge of God or ourselues had quaked with feare through want of Fortitude where there was nothing indeede to be feared and for want of Councell had not feared him whom we ought to feare who can throw the bodie and soule into Hell fire II. POINT CONSIDER the excessiue loue of God to Man in the distribution of these gifts The verie same which were giuen in their full extent to that flower of the field which
thee O fire which euer burnest and art neuer extinguished doe thou inflame me O thou light which dost euer shine and art neuer darkened doe thou enlighten me O how my verie hart desires to be inflamed by thee How sweetly dost thou heate how secreetlie dost thou shine how delightfully dost thou burne THE XI MEDITATION How we may know whether the H. Ghost liues in vs. I. POINT CONSIDER that the certaine keeping of Gods commandements giues vs a certaintie that we loue God And who loues him certainly remaynes in God and God in him And in this saith S. Iohn we know that he remaines in vs by the holy Ghost which he gaue vs. If then our owne hartes reprehend vs not of the breache of Gods commandements we may haue a wholesome cōfidence in his goodnesse and mercie yea a morall certaintie that we stand in Gods grace and fauour and that the holy Ghost doth dwell in our hartes Affection Happie is the Soule which hath this testimonie in herself for certainly it is a continuall and a most delicious feast to her hart since it becomes thereby a very Paradice in earth the throne the temple the heauen of God O what a singular superexcellent Angelicall Seraphicall honour is this To be the house of God and to haue God to be our house and harbour To remayne in god god to remaine in vs. Is not this indeede to begin to be Angells and to haue our whole cōuersation with God Yet beware my soule let him that stands looke that he fall not it is yet in earth that we possesse this in heauen where the world the flesh and the diuell continually surround vs. Their snares are layd charitie is lost in a momēt It is not enough to haue the holy Ghost for the present but we must further to be able to ouercome all our temptations begge the continuance of his presence vertue and power by our incesant and ardent prayers saying with the good Disciples mane nobiscum Domine stay with vs stay with vs ô Lord. II. POINT CONSIDER that the presence of the cause is neuer more surely knowne then by the effects And the principall effect which the increated Charitie the holy Ghost produceth in our hart is Charitie de Spiritu Sancto And Charitie saith S. Paule is patient benigne she enuieth not she dealeth not peruersely she is not puffed vp she is not ambitious She seeketh nor her owne she is not prouoked to anger thinketh not euill reioyceth not vpon iniquitie but reioyceth with the truth suffers all things beleeueth all things hopeth all things beareth all things in fine she is cheerefull longanmious milde modest c. Affection If then laying our hand vpon our owne harts we find by an impartiall Examen that we are truly patient in Crosses afflictions and difficulties be they corporall or spirituall If benigne and milde in words and behauiour not arrogating too much to ourselues or seekeing our owne aduantages If we enuie not the good of others If our hartes swell not nor peruersely oppose our neighbour but sweetly support him entertaine a good opinion of him and hope well of his proceeding we may hopefully conclude that the finger of the holy Ghost is in the worke and sweetly moues gouernes disposeth all THE XII MEDITATION The Holy Ghosts presence gathered by the effects I. POINT CONSIDER yet further the effects of the holy Ghost in the B. Apostles and Primitiue Christians And the first is that they began to speake with diuers tongues according as the holy Ghost gaue them to speake and those tongues were imployed not to boast nor vant their owne knowledge and giue themselues the glorie of it but to publish the great workes of God to all Nations and to speake intelligibly to Partians Medians c. Affection And wee too haue power ô my soule by the assistance of the holy Ghost If we be faithfull in following the blessed motions which he graciously inspires into our hartes if not to speake all tongues at least in our owne only language to make ourselues intelligible to all nations Let vs speake Gods great workes by our actions let our light so shine before men that they may see our good workes Let our ioy peace patience benignitie mildnesse modestie the fruites of the holy Ghost appeare and infallibly none will be found so great a stranger as not to vnderstand that language of heauen and together with vs glorifie our heauenly father who blessed our hartes with those good gifts with which the world is too little acquainted II. POINT CONSIDER as another effect that ioy in the holy Ghost the newe wine of the Gospell which so feruently boiled vp in the hartes of the Apostles that they seemed no more to be themselues but to be transported and translated into new men to strike the hearers with astonishment to see those poore rude fishermen simple Galileans who neuer were suspected of much learning speake so powerfully and intelligibly to the harts of all present while yet some turned it to derision others ascribed it to drunkennesse Affection O sudden and powerfull effects of the holy Ghosts working who breathes where he will and when he will and how he will which worldlings are more readie and capable to misconster and deride then to feele or vnderstand These are affects of new wine Say they Yes saith S. Augustine it is euen so indeede with this new wine and this excellent cupp are the harts of the faithfull daily inebriated Thus are they druncke who for the loue of God and their soules health flye their parents and countrie of their owne accord and abandonne the parents of their bodies euen to find out other new ones of their soules Being free they desire to liue in subiection being noble they fall in loue with abiection They preferre abstinence before the delightes of full tables watching before sweete sleepe and pouertie before riches Such effects my soule hath it pleased God of his infinite mercie to worke in our hartes So haue wee been deliciously drunke with the chaste wine of his cellers begetting virgins THE XIII MEDITATION More effects prouing the Holy Ghosts presence I. POINT CONSIDER as another effect of the holy Ghost their vndaunted courage in openly preaching the miracles Resurrection Ascension and Glorification of Iesus in the face of his prowd persequutours who had but a few weekes before put him to an ignominious death This Iesus saith S. Peter who was wickedly slaine by you hath God raised vp againe where of we are all witnesses Let all the house of Israel know most certainly that God hath made this Iesus both Lord and Christ whom you crucified And those vndaunted wordes strucke the harts of three thousand which were conuerted that day Affection Is then the sweete and mellifluous name of Iesus in our hartes and is it from that abundance that our tongue speakes Doe we make it our busines to beare out that blessed name which is the only one under
heauen wherein we must be saued before the face of the Tirant at the perill of our liues and liberties Doe we endeauour to print in our owne hartes and the hartes of all men this sauing truth that that Iesus which died forvs rose againe ascended into Heauen and is there gloriously seated at the right hand of his heauenly father know my soule for certaine that such blessed effects issue from the presence of the Spirit of Iesus the holy Ghost and reioce in it with a chast feare II. POINT CONSIDER yet another effect of the presence of the holy Ghost which is a loue to heare the word of God and a constant adhearing to and perseuering in Apostolicall Doctrine frequent Communion and feruent and vnanimous prayer with reuerence and feare Such was the practise of the primitiue Christians who as in Acts 2. were perseuering in the Doctrine of the Apostles in the communication of the breaking of Bread and Prayer Affection Obserue my soule what the first fruites and feruour of the Spirit ledd the primitiue Christians to and neither feare nor fayle to follow them They perseuered in the doctrine of the Apostles And shall we giue eare to the new-found fancies and pious imaginations of new masters If any saith S. Paule euangelize to you were he an Angell besides that which you haue receiued be he accursed They communicated euery day and shall we be backward in it when laudable custome and conueniencie calls vs to it They continued vnanimously togeither in publike prayer And shall we run into corners and more please our selues in our deuotions of our owne inuention Noe noe it is the publike and vnanimous prayer of the faithfull that infallibly peirceth heauen and leaues our harts comfortable testimonies that the holy Ghost resides therin THE XIV MEDITATION The H. Ghosts presence knowen by the effects I. POINT CONSIDER againe as another argument of the H. Ghost the loue of vnitie of harts and communitie of our substances The multitude of beleeuers the primitiue Christians had one hart and one soule neither did anie say that ought was his owne of those things which he possessed but all things were common vnto them nor was anie needie among them From this blessed vnion and Communion did S. Augustine and the rest of the first founders of religious orders take the platforme of their proceedings These saith he were the first that heard How good and how pleasant a thing it is for brethren to dwell in one but that fraternall loue and vnion stopped not there but that exultation of Charitie descended downe to posteritie Thence it is that in religious houses to this day there is but one hart and one soule one celler one panterie one purse one comon designe to loue God aboue all things and their neighbour as themselues Affection O Blessed vnion ô happie communion which composeth euen a heauen in earth In thee noe myne and thyne is heard those cold words which are the source of all dissension In thee there is a perfect imitation of the B. Trinitie where many are one three persons and one onely God many operations but one will one and the same Spirit working them all Many Attributes but one and the same comon substance So saith S. Augustine in a Monasterie they liue so that they all seeme but to compose one man They are many bodies but not many hartes Many operations but all guided by one will Many offices but all vsing one comon substance or stocke And all this that Christians may become one by charitie as Christ and his heauenly Father are one in Deitie If we imbrace and loue this vnitie my soule we hold Charitie and the holy Gost certainly dwells in our hartes How the holy Ghost raignes in vs. I. POINT CONSIDER Finally that the holy Ghost doth not onely liue but gloriously raignes in our harts as it did in the primitiue Christians when we doe not only willingly but euen ioyfully endure contumelies contempts temptations tribulations c. for the name of Iesus yea euen glorie in them for the loue of that name for so did the Apostles Acts. 5. They went from the sight of the Counsell reioycing because they were accompted worthie to suffer reproache for the name of Iesus So the Christian Iewes suffered the losse of their Goods with ioy hoping for a better and a permanent substance And S. Paule I abound with ioy in all my tribulations I euen glorie in them Affection O my soule if we finde this ioy in the holy Ghost this omne gaudium in sufferance with Iesus Let 's reioyce reioyce and springe with ioy because our reward will be great in heauen But reioyce in our Lord the good giuer of this heauenly abundance the holy Ghost raignes in vs. Marrie if we find not this ioy this glorie in tribulation yet find patience and resignation with a desire of this reioyce notwithstanding the holy Ghost liues in vs. And he that begun this good worke will perfect it haue we a little patience and will confirme and establish it at his good pleasure cease not in the interim to emulate how euer we find not ourselues yet in tearmes to performe those better giftes what we haue we haue from God and what we haue from God comes from the order of his wise prouidence one thus and another thus according to the measure of Christs plenitude Cease not to aske to seeke to knocke Truth hath promised by the mouth of Ezechiel that what is weake he will strengthen and what is fatt and stronge he will keepe and feede c. THE XV. MEDITATION How the Holy Ghost is contristated and weakned in vs. I. POINT CONSIDER that euen as the Soule is seene often to languish in the bodie by reason of manie infirmities in such sort as though indeed it liue yet it seemes to be depriued of liuely motion sense and vigour so the soule of the soule the holy Ghost is so contristated as it were by the multitude of veniall sinnes especially if our affection be placed vpon them that it seemes to be depriued of actiuitie that is the hartes wherein it resides leaue off to be prompt feruent flourishing and fruitfull leading a drooping and drowsie life and expecting in a manner the first faire occasion to perish How doe many little sinns being neglected kill saith s. Augustine Marrie manie smalle droppes furnish a riuer and aboundance of sand though smalle graines sinke a shippe the neglect of pumping causes shippwracke as well as the billowes which ouerflowe the shippe Affection Take better grounds my soule Dispute not what 's veniall sinne S. Teresa found not herselfe safe in that practice But what euer hath any face of euill that flye And following S. Paules councell what things soeuer be true what soeuer honest what soeuer iust c. what soeuer of good fame if there be anie vertue anie prayse of discipline those things lets thinke vpon those things let 's doe Le ts not be strait harted
is vt videam that I may see Say then againe to this little blind world of myne fiat lux let light be made and in that light of thyne we shall discouer light indeede And thou ô sonne of God who art true light illuminating all men coming into this world leaue vs not in darknesse and in the shadowe of death And thou ô holy fire who alwayes burnest and art neuer extinguished burne my reynes and hart that I may serue thee with a chaste body and please thee with a cleane harte II. POINT CONSIDER yet againe without going out of our selues a perfect image of the holy Trinitie For looke but vpon our owne soule and we may obserue in it in the essence of one the same soule three powers or faculties to witt Memorie vnderstanding and Will which haue three distinct operations to witt remembrance knowledge and Loue. Nor is loue ascribed to the Memorie nor knowledge to the will nor remembrance to the vnderstanding So that we find in our soule in some sorte what we beleeue in God distinction of powers diuersitie of operations in vnitie of essence Affection Ah my soule sith the Blessed Trinitie hath marked out the house of thy hart for himselfe yea hath sett vpon it his owne signet or representation let vs neuer proue so disloyall to him as to thrust him out being entred or keepe him out when he pleaseth to knocke by his heauenly inspirations to lodge in his place his and our owne worst enemyes the world the flesh and the Diuell O noe but rather let our memorie be filled with the multitude of his wonders our vnderstanding with his innumerable benefits and our will be wholy inflamed in contemplation of so vnspeakable a graciousnesse THE III. MEDITATION Againe what the holy Trinitie is I. POINT CONSIDERATION Let vs yet further with an humble and Christian curiositie feruour and feare follow faith and draw neerer to the inaccessible light which the holy Trinitie doth inhabit And to approach saith S. Paule we must beleeue that he is and that he is the rewarder of those that seek him But what is he The Father the word and the holy Ghost and these three are one And what is that one He himselfe tells vs by the mouth of Moyses I am who am Say saith he he that is sent me to you That is he is the origine and souâ—se of all beeing in himselfe of himselfe and by himselfe without participation dependance or assistance of any other in absolute plenitude without beginning or end Affection We beleeue ô Lord that thou art and that thou art he indeede who is Thou art thyne owne permanent beeing thou art the rewarder of those that seeke thee Thee therfor will I incessantly seeke thee will I desire thee will I hope for My verie hart hath said to thee thy face will I seeke O my soule what a comfortable inquirie is this where the verie seeking is better then the finding of all thinges besides Where the ayme is a permanent beeing noe transitorie and fading shadowe Where what is sought is the rewarder and the rewarde Ego merces tua magna nimis I am thy exceeding great reward Whose beeing as it neuer had any beginning so shall it neuer haue end II. POINT CONSIDERATION Let vs yet force our selues to find out as farre as faith will leade vs. What he is indeede Who is For it is a thinge of great comfort to be seeking where we shall be sure to find more then we are able to comprehend It is safe to be seeking there where humble ignorance is a most safe knowledge Let him be sought saith S. Augustine in whom all things proue safe to vs. What is he then who is but a substance without begining without end a simple substance without any mixture An inuisible incorporeall ineffable and inestimable substance essence or nature A substance that hath nothing created in it nor is increased by addition of any other thing nor lessened by any substraction A substance finally subsisting without any Authour because it selfe is the Authour of all thinges Affection Why doe we then my soule scatter our thoughts vpon the inquisition of thinges where we meete with nothing but emptinesse vanitie and lyes so that after our long labours we find nothing in our hands for what is there indeede left vs of what we may haue seemed hitherto to haue gathered togeither but hartes full of remorse Why doe we spend our witts vpon perilous knowledges where faith presentes vs with an humble ignorance which is true wisdome Why doe we leaue substance and such substance to pursue Shadowes which the more we pursue them the more they flye vs and in the end vanish Why doe we I say quitte pure and permanent substance and vnhappily suffer our selues to sticke fast in the myre of the depth where there is noe substance Why finally doe we fixe our hartes vpon nothing while the Authour of all thinges is proposed vnto vs For what indeede is our expectation ô my soule is it not our Lord and is not our substance with him THE IV. MEDITATION That he is euerie where I. POINT CONSIDER that this Blessed Trinitie being He who is is indeed euerie where He is euen a sea of Essence or beeing He is euery where I say by the same essence by his power by his Presence and we run we whither we will neuer escape out of that presence of his If I shall ascend into heauen thou art there If I descend into Hell thou art present If I shall take my winges earely and dwell in the extreame parts of the Sea certes thither also shall thy hand conduct me c. Sings the Royall Psalmist Affection Whither shall we flye from him my soule but to him from his sterne iustice to his mylde mercy There alone and noe where els can we be secure from him who is euery where The heauens can afforde vs noe shelter Hell can giue vs noe protection the deepe Abisses cannot hyde vs. In vaine doe we striue to hide our selues with Adam In vaine to flye with Ionas his powerfull hand is able to ouertake vs. Be where we will we are allwayes in his presence See my soule what a blessed necessitie is putt vpon vs of liuing well who liue continually in the presence of so powerfull a Maiestie Le ts humble our selues vnder the powerfull hand of God That the holy Trinitie is euery where and how II. POINT CONSIDER that he is indeede euery where but how He is so diffused through all thinges in the world vniuersally that he is not as a qualitie but as the creating substance therof gouerning it without labour sustayning it with his three fingers or by his power without burthen He is not spredd abrode all ouer by bulke or partes but is all whole euery where as the soule is in the body all in all and all too in euerie part therof He is all in heauen all in earth at one and the same tyme
and yet is comprised in noe place limited by noe time but is all in himselfe from all eternitie So is the Father saith S. Augustine so the Sonne so the holy Ghost and so the Trinitie one God Affect See my soule how while thou desirest to know how God is euery where thou scarce knowest where thou art thy selfe Yet it is good for our pride pouertie to find our selues beatē backe by Gods power and the wonders of his wayes It is noe smale part of knowledge and we profit not a litle saith S. August while in our lownesse we pant after the supreame Deitie If we learne by our pious endeuours to know that we cannot know him to the full And though by way of admiration we be forced to say what is this as not vnderstanding it yet le ts rather reioyce and loue by not finding him thus to find him then by finding him otherwise not to find him indeede THE V. MEDITATION He sees all I. POINT CONSIDER that the holy Trinitie is not onely euery where but sees all thinges too according to that of S. Augustine as God is all foote because he is euery where so is he all eye because he sees all thinges and S. Paule there is noe creature inuisible in his sight but all things are naked and open to his eyes Hence our Father Abraham walked alwayes in his sight Dauid conceiued that all his wayes lay open to his eyes Hence Ieremies Daniels and the other Prophetes prayers afflictions and teares were powred out in his sight Affection O what a consolation ought this to be to the good soule to haue the Father the Word and the holy Ghost spectatours of all her thoughtes words and actions To see her fidelitie in her temptations her resignations in her afflictions her conformitie to his blessed will in all her proceedings And what a huge confusion to the wicked to dare that in the sight of a liueing and seeing God which they durst not in the sight of a miserable man In the sight of those heauenly bright eyes I say which are farre brighter then the Sunne which noe dores or walls excludes which equally discouers the most hidden and the most open obiect O my soule how we are euen necessitated to doe well who doe all that we doe before the eyes of a iust iudge who sees all cryes out S. Augustine with feare and shame He workes all II. POINT CONSIDER that the holy Trinitie doth not onely see all the good and bad we doe but he euen workes in vs all the good we doe All our workes thou hast wrought in vs. Saith the Prophete Isay But one God who worketh all in all men S. Paule All naturall thinges by his comon concourse All supernaturall thinges by the assistance of his grace He it is who doth that in vs which is pleasing in his sight from him our good thoughtes our will and performance and all our sufficiencie Affection What rests then ô my soule but as we acknowledge that we haue all thinges from him by him and in him so that we run to him with humble thankes for all we haue receiued and humble sutes for all we yet want saying with S. Augustine I sing this hymne of glorie to thee Holy Holy Holy I inuoke thee ô B. Trinitie beseeching thee to come into me and make me worthy to be the Temple of thy glorie I begge of the Father by the Sonne I begge of the Sonne by the Father I begge of the holy Ghost by the Father and the Sonne that all vice may be farre remoued from me and all vertue wronght in me THE VI. MEDITATION That the B. Trinitie is all in all I. POINT CONSIDER yet further that the B. Trinitie doth not onely worke all but is euen all in all According to that of s. Paule that God may be all in all He is wisdome in Salomon goodnesse in Dauid patience in Iob faith in Peter zeale in Paule Virginitie in Iohn and all the rest of the vertues and blessings in the rest life saluation vertue glorie honour peace the beginning and end of all good thinges and the full sacietie and accomplishment of all our desires so that the soule that possesseth him desires nothing but him and in him and for him whom he confesses to be all in all Affection O eternall veritie and true charitie and deare eternitie who art all in all grant me grace truly to esteeme my selfe such as I am nothing at all without thee and that in thee comforting I can doe all thinges Our hope our saluation our honour ô Blessed Trinitie we inuoke thee we prayse thee we adore thee ô Blessed Trinitie Too greedie he is whom sufficiencie whom abundance whom all in all sufficeth not Thou life thou light thou honour thou glorie thou plentie thou peace thou begining thou end thou sacietie thou all in all ô Blessed Trinitie Grant that all my thoughtes words and workes may be done to thy glorie and that I may be made all to all to gayne all II. POINT CONSIDERATION But what is yet that inaccessible beeing which is who is who is euery where who sees all who workes all who is all in all What is he He is immense and therfor cannot be measured He is eternall and therfor cannnot be reached to He is infinite and therfor cannot be comprehended But yet what is he He is an Abisse of goodnesse by which all that is good is good an Ocean of beautie by which all is faire that is faire He is not wise onely but wisdome it selfe nor mercifull onely but mercy it selfe nor holy and iust alone but sanctitie and iustice it selfe Goodnesse beautie wisdome mercy sanctitie iustice not being diuers qualities in him one sole simple pure true God Father Sonne and holy Ghost Affection Dilate thy selfe my soule and with a greedie and inflamed desire breath after and striue to comprehend that which neither eye hath seene nor eare hath heard nor hath entred into the hart of man Howeuer he cannot be comprehended as he is nor be worthily expressed in words or be conceiued in mynde yet he can be desired he can be ardently coueted he can be sighed and sobbed after He all whole so great so immense so infinite so incomprehensible as he is can be inioyed for an endlesse eternitie and euen in tyme too ô excessiue happinesse of a Christian hart he may be loued praysed adored glorified by vs poore wretches All glorie then all prayse all strength all power all magnisicence all beatitude all mercy be ascribed to God the Father and the Sonne and the holy Ghost for euer and euer Amen MEDITATIONS VPON THE BLESSED SACRAMENT An introduction to feruent and frequent communicating and motiues to the same I. MEDITATION I. POINT CONSIDER that wheras it is impossible that any worke should be well done vnlesse we first well conceiue and possesse what we are going about we ought to know that in receiuing the B. Sacrament we goe aboute the greatest
too greedie whom the possession of a God cannot satisfie PRAYERS BEFORE AND after receiuing A prayer of S. Thomas of Aquin before receiuing the Blessed Sacrament ALMIGHTIE and eternall God behold I approche to the Sacrament of thy only begotten sonne our Lord Iesus-Christ I approche as one that 's sick to the Phisitian of life as one vncleane to the fountaine of mercie as one that 's blind to the light of eternall brightnes as one poore and needy to the Lord of heauē and of earth I beseech thee therefore by the aboundance of thy infinite bountie that thou wouldest vouchsafe to cure my infirmitie to wash my vncleanesse to enlighten my blindnesse to enrich my pouertie to clothe my nakednes that I may receaue thee the bread of Angells King of Kings Lord of Lords with as great reuerence and humilitie with as great contrition and deuotion with as great puritie and faith with such an intention purpose as is expedient for the health of my soule grant I beseech thee that I may not onely receiue the Sacrament of our Lords bodie and bloud but the effect also and vertue of the Sacrament O most mylde Lord graunt that I may so receiue the bodie of thy only begotten Sonne our Lord Iesus-Christ which he tooke of the Virgin Marie that I may be worthie to be incorporated in his misticall body and be numbered among the members therof O most louing father graunt that I may at length behold thy beloued Sonne face to face for euer whom I now purpose to receiue veyled vnder the forme of bread Who liues and raignes with thee in vnitie of the holy Ghost for euer and euer Amen A prayer of Thomas à Kempis before receiuing MY Lord God preuent thy seruant in the blessings of thy sweetnes that I may deserue to approach worthily and deuoutly to thy holy Sacrament stirre vp my hart vnto thee and deliuer me from all heauines and slouth visit me with thy comfort that I may taste in Spirit thy sweetnesse which plentifully lyes hid in this Sacrament as in its fountaine Giue light also to my eyes to behold so great a mysterie and strengthen me to beleeue it with vndoubted faith For it is thy worke and not mans power thy sacred institution not mans inuention For no man is of himselfe able to comprehend and vnderstand these things which surpasse the vnderstanding euen of Angells What therefore shall I vnworthie sinner earth and ashes be able to search and comprehend of so high and sacred a mysterie O Lord in sinceritie of hart with a good and firme faith and at thy commandement I come to thee with hope and reuerence and doe verily beleeue that thou art here present in the Sacrament God and Man Thy holy pleasure is that I receiue thee and by charitie vnite my self vnto thee Wherefore I doe recurre to thy Clemencie and doe craue speciall grace that I may wholy melt in thee and abound with loue and hereafter neuer admit anie other comfort For this most high and worthy Sacrament is the health of the soule and body the remedie of all spirituall sicknes by it my vices are cured my passions bridled temptations ouercome or weakned greater grace infused vertue begun increased faith confirmed hope strengthened and charitie inflamed and enlarged A prayer after receiuing by S. Thomas of Aquine I Giue thee thankes ô holy Lord father almightie eternall God that thou hast pleased to saciate me a sinfull creature and thy vnworthy seruant through noe merits of myne but onely by the free gift of thy mercy with the pretious body and bloud of thy Sonne our Sauiour Iesus-Christ And withall I beseech thee that this holy Communion may not proue a guilt lyable to punishment but a powerfull mediation for my pardon Let it be an armour of Faith and a sheild of a good will to me Grant that it may free me from vice subdue concupiscence and lust increase Charitie Patience Humilitie Obedience and all other vertues may it proue a strong defence against the guiles of all visible and inuisible enemyes may it perfectly appease all my carnall and spirituall motions firmely vnite me to thee ô thou one onely and true God and put a happie periode to my pilgrimage And voutchsafe I beseech thee to leade me home to that ineffable banket where thou with thy Sonne and the holy Ghost art a true light to thy Saintes a compleate sacietie an euerlasting gladnes an absolute ioy and a perfect felicitie Amen A prayer after receiuing the Blessed Sacrament by S. Bonauenture PEARCE through the marrow and bowels of my soule ô sweete Sauiour Iesu with the most sweete and holsome wound of thy loue thy true cleere Apostolicall and most holy charity that my soule may continually languish and euen melt with the loue and ardent desire of thee alone Let it earnestly couet thee and fainte away with a longing desire after thy heauenly Mansions let it desire to be dissolued and to be with thee Graunt that my soule may hunger after thee the bread of Angells the food of holy soules our daylie supersubstantiall bread replenished with all sweetnes and pleasure and all the delights found therin let my hart alwayes hunger after thee and feede on thee whom the Angells desire to behold and let the verie bowels of my soule be filled with thy delicious sweetnes let it alwayes thirst after thee the fountaine of life the fountaine of wisdome and knowledge the fountaine of eternall light the torrent of pleasure the plentifulnesse of the howse of God let it alwayes earnestly couet thee seeke thee and finde thee let it tend to thee come to thee think on thee speake of thee and worke all things to the prayse and glory of thy name with humility and discretion with loue and delight with facilitie and affection with perseuerance vnto the end and thou alone be alwayes my hope my whole confidence my riches my content my myrth my ioy my rest and tranquilitie my peace my deare delight my odour my sweetnes my foode and refection my refuge my helpe my wisdome my portion my possession my treasure wherin my mind and hart may be alwayes constantly strongly and immouably rooted Amen Aspirations or prayers before receiuing culled out of S. Augustine COME my deare Iesu come ô thou light of my eyes let me loue thee Come ô thou solace of my hart let me loue thee Come ô thou life of my soule let me loue thee O my deare delight my sweete consolation my God my life my loue my all O thou onely desire of my hart let me possesse thee alone O thou loue of my soule let me embrace thee ô deare celestiall spouse let me inioy thee O soueraigne sweetnesse and eternall beatitude of my soule let me lodge thee and locke thee vp in the center of my hart In that hart which thou hast made to thy selfe and for thy selfe and it will not it cannot rest saue in thee alone I loue thee ô
creatures but in thee and for thee Let my senses dye which begett bastard desires in me And keepe my eyes for euer fixed vpon my crucified Lord and Loue who is my life my health my strength my saluation I was euen wholy plunged in death and thou hast wholy reuiued me And therfor as all my whole life and beeing are thyne so I offer vp my whole selfe to thee Let my whole Spirit my whole hart my whole body and my whole life liue to thee Yes my deare life thou hast deliuered me wholy that thou mightst possesse me wholy Let me loue thee deare Lord let me loue thee as much as I desire and as much as I ought O dearest heauenly Father what my hart most desires or desires to desire is but what thy heauenly hart most earnestly demands and most absolutly commands knocking instantly incessantly at this poore miserable hart of myne to witt that I should loue thee Giue then ah giue then what thou commandest and commande what thou wilt Amen PRAYERS TAKEN OVT OF THOMAS A KEMPIS A Prayer for the Loue of vertue and the hatred of Vice O Lord God of vertues to whom euery best thing belongs ingraue the loue of thy most sweet name vpon my hart Plant the rootes of true vertues in me and make the seedes of holie Mediation with the vardant freshnes of good works increase and sprout vp least I remaine idle in thy howse like an vnfruitfull tree but rather tille me as a fruitfull oliue and absolutelie roote out and reduce to nothing whatsoeuer thou findest vicious in me Grant me grace to hate my vices giue me force victoriously to conquer my passions to mortifie my concupiscences and to suppresse the motions of my pride in me to appease anger to expelle sloath to detest auarice to repulse bad sadnesse to contemne glorie to flie honour and to renounce all earthlie consolations so that nothing that is terreane fraile vaine curious carnall fawning harsh couetous base false or feyned may touche moue intice catch insnare or seduce my hart Grant that I may loath all terreane things earnestly desire eternall things loue what euer is good attaine to all vertue know the prime truth and enioy eternall felicitie Grant that I may meete with a blessed and happie howre of death and in the interim continually walke in thy feare and loue Free my hart from all creatures and from euerie thing which might hinder or obscure the same Grant that I may bee simple pure and all glewed to thee and wholie adheare vnto thee Grant me true internall and diuine peace and that I may possesse a quiete minde deuoide of all perturbation Grant that I may not be viciously affected to anie temporall thing nor desire to be knowne cared for or be foolishlie loued by men because they all seduce and are seduced who inordinatly desire or loue any thing out of thee Permitt me not to drawe anie one to me by flatterie and obsequiousnesse but wisely to remoue all men from my selfe and securely direct them to thee and not to loue or looke vpon anie thing in man or any creature saue what is thine and for what they were made A Prayer for patience in time of tribulation and anguish of hart O My beloued Lord God my holy Father I am not worthie to be comforted and visited by thee but to be chasticed and whipped with sharpe stripes I haue well deserued manie afflictions and tribulations because I haue grecuiously offended and been vngratful for thine innumerable benefits I am not worthy as are the rest of good faithfull Christians and my deuout bretheren to be recreated with diuine consolations and to be numbred among the heauenly banqueters But I humbly beseeche thee ô my holy Father my deare and pious Lord make me one of the least of thy hyreling that I may at least be one of their laste seruants whose footstepps I am not worthie to kisse Let them enioy manie and great consolations whom thou louest and honorest by speciall priuiledge of loue But let it be a great and most acceptable present to me who am the least and most miserable of all that thou sparest me not but dost afflict me with manifold contradictions and sorowes Giue patience ô pious Lord and let all tribulation and anxietie be farre more wishfull and welcome to me then anie consolation And grant that I may accept of and suffer this particularly for thine honour not out of a desire of adding to mine owne aduantage or hope of a greater reward Let no gaine be greater to me then cheerefullly to suffer for thy honour to desire to be vnderualued and annihilated euen to the ground and in verie deede to bee made subiect and humbly to be throwne downe vnder the feete of all men O Soueraigne Truth My God eternall light ingraue this into my hart that I may waxe vile in mine owne eyes and that I may contemne my selfe and esteeme my selfe in this world as a bannished pilgrime a poore vnknowne man a neglected solitary person abandoned by euerie creature and that I may no where seeke for hope and solace saue in thy selfe alone Nay grant that I may repute my selfe as one dead vpon earth and buried to the world whose memorie is alreadie longe a goe past by and hath left no other footestepps or markes of it selfe saue a poore miserable graue which lyes hidd vnder ground Grant ô eternall Wisdome of the Father that I may frequently and seriously run ouer these things in my hart and continually fixe it vpon my laste things by a deepe consideration and so prepare my selfe for future iudgement running out before thy face by prayers and lamentations A Prayer to prayse God feruently MY God my praise and my glorie I earnestly desire to prayse thee with as loude a voice and as deuoute a hart as euer anie creature praysed thee in heauen or earth I ardently desire to honour thee with as great and worthy an honour as euer thou wast honored by anie Sainte in thy Celestiall Kingdome I wish to venerate and loue thee with as ardent affection and as amorous a hart as euer anie deuout and perfect person did or doth loue thee in this world Let the heate of thy sacred and pure loue be alwayes renewed in me and inflame my reynes and hart as a fire descending from aboue Let it purifie and burne all my interiour partes that nothing of vicious may remayne in me which may offend the eyes of thy Maiestie O my God thou true searcher of my hart all my desires are in thy sight and all my grones for my manifold defects to wit my Spirit often failes through the want of inward sweetnesse and charitie I offer vp therefore to thee the desire of my desire to the honour of thy name Receiue my hartes desires as a morning Sacrifice and let my prayers ascend vnto thee as an euening incense and please thee for euer Amen THE FIRST MEDITATION FOR THE CONCEPTION OF
so shall he be called and acknowledged to be the Sonne of the highest Iesus a Sauiour and shall raigne in the house of Iacob for euer And that therfor she is blessed amongst and aboue all women Affection O greatest astonishment to the Angells that euer they yet mett with since the Heauens Creation O greatest blisse to man that euer yet befell him since his first fathers fall O blessed effects of the flight of the world of silence of solitude of frequent prayer O Marie God Angell and man expecte thy consent O pious Virgine mournefull Adam with his whole miserable posteritie banished out of Paradice suppliantly crye to thee for it Abraham Dauid and all the ancient Fathers instantly begge it In a word all the world cast at thy feete humbly sues for it If that consent be giuen a passage to heauen is layd open to vs all THE II. MEDITATION I. POINT CONSIDER yet further and diligently ponder these pretious words which flow as heauenly pearles from the mouth of an Angell which man ought humbly to imbrace relish and locke vp not proudly and profanely to controle Blessed Marie is declared full of grace nor that in an ordinarie manner as diuers other Saintes were but according to the measure which Christ sorted out for his best beloued Mother who wisely sutes his giftes and graces according to the function place and dignitie to which he pleases to call euery one The fountaine the riuer the brooke are each one full so is the Sonne the Mother and the seruant But the Sonne as the sourse and sea whence all graces flow the Mother as neerliest ioyned to and most abundantly participating of the said sea the seruant as placed at a greater distance in a measure aggreable to a seruant in fine the seruant possesses it but by partes the Mother in the whole plenitude as saith S. Hierome Affection All hayle all hayle spotlesse Virgine mother of grace and mercy sith thou art the mother of my Lord and master I feare not to salute thee with an Angell full of grace since to speake wirh S. Athanasius the holy Ghost descended into thee with all his essentiall vertues which he stands possessed of by title of his diuine principalitie and therfor thou art most iustly stiled gratia plena as being replenished with the abundance of all the graces of the holy Ghost Many many daughters haue gathered riches togeither t is true but thou hast outstripped them all and art inriched with that peculiar grace which gaue glorie to the heauens a God to the earth faith to the gentils c. Dearest Lady mother daigne to Conueye some dropes of that ouer-flowing grace of thyne vpon my weake and languishing soule II. POINT CONSIDER that if Marie be full of grace it is noe wonder sith the same Angell assures her and vs that our Lord is with her Dominus tecum Noe saith S. Bernard it is noe wonder that she is full of grace with whom our Lord is not our Lord the Sonne onely whom she clothes with humanitie but our Lord the holy Ghost of whom she conceiues and our Lord the Father who begott him whom she conceiues Nay rather should we wonder that he that dispatched the Angell to her should be arriued to her before the Angell and be found with her by the Angell Affect Our Lord is with thee dearest Lady that eternall and draynelesse sourse of all graces and so the fulnesse of grace cannot be wanting to thee Our Lord is with thee the Angell is onely the Messēger of that good newes but the God of Angells who sent him preuents him and is alreadie thy guest Our Lord is with thee I say nay with vs too by thee ô thou Mother of mercy who broughtest forth our mylde Emmanuel that is our God with vs our Iesus thy Sonne whom who-euer loues he is loued by his heauenly father who with the Sonne and the holy Ghost will come vnto him and take vp their mansion with him O excessiue happines which accreues to vs by the meanes of Blessed Marie THE III MEDITATION For the Announciation I. POINT CONSIDER further that it is noe wonder that she that is replenished with all grace and hath our Lord with her and in her should be tearmed blessed amongst and aboue all women Since others haue but that by partes which she possesses in plenitude and since he that is with others onely in a generall manner by Presence power and essence is with her in all the fulnesse of the Diuinitie corporally Whence it is that she inioyes the aduantages and is freed from the incommodities of all the states of women to witt of Virgines wiues and widdowes She hath the ioys of a mother without corruption the honour of a Virgine without sterilitie the libertie of a widdowe without solitude She is therfor deseruedly blessed among and aboue all women Affectio Le ts vs then my soule say and neuer be wearie in saying with the Angell Hayle Marie full of grace our Lord is wit thee blessed art thou amongst all women and incomparably aboue and before all women for thou art indeede the Glorie of Hierusalem the ioy of Israël the honour of thy nation race and sexe for he that is powerfull workes wonders in thee and for vs poore lost sinners by thee Ah vse thy powerfull prayers to him for vs now and in the houre of our death Amen II. POINT CONSIDER the Blessed Virgines bashfulnesse prudence and retaynednesse in speech She is saluted by an Angell hayle full of grace accompaigned with her Lord and Master blessed among all women and yet she feares euen an Angell in the shape of a man she resalutes him not and in lieu of complacence finds trouble in hearing so great commendations of her selfe and falls a considering what kind of salutation that might be She eyes her selfe as one who was dayly begging for grace and she wonders to heare herselfe declared full of grace Her companions vse to be the poorer sort of Virgines and she admires to vnderstande she is accompaigned with her Lord and Master She lookes vpon her selfe as the least of women and cannot therfor conceiue how she should be blessed amongst all women Affection Ah my soule doe we obserue this Virgine full of grace blessed amongst all women startled at the presence of an Angell while yet we poore frayle Creatures miserable sinners feare not the presence of men where we may haue experienced much danger And when she returnes noe answer but is troubled at her owne prayses euen from an Angell prudently considering what they might import shall we vainely fall in loue with the prayses which men fawningly bestow vpon vs and therby vnconsideratly fall into questions and answers and ingagements which leade we know not whither Ah saith S. Ambrose it is the part of a Vingine to quake and tremble at euery approche of a man and to feare euery word he speakes THE IV. MEDITATION For the Announciation I. POINT CONSIDER that while the
Thou art the liuing booke wherein the word of the eternall father was written by the pen of the holy Ghost Thou art the authenticall Instrument of the peace made betwixt God and man c. what shall I say words fayle my Conceptions are langui hing and answer not to the ardour of my soule II. POINT CONSIDER her againe in qualitie of the Mother of God and as such you will find that God is truly caro ex carne eius flesh of her flesh That Word which in the begining was with God and and was God was in this tyme made flesh of her flesh So that as God the Father can onely say thou art my Sonne this day I begott thee by an eternall generation so this B. Virgine alone can onely say I am thy Mother this day I brought thee forth by a temporall birth Affection Good God to what a high flight doth this call the thoughtes of man What strange relations and connections-hath this Virgine Mother in qualitie of Mother of God with God himselfe He in eternitie had a Sonne without a Mother She in tyme a Sonne without a father He a Sonne consubstantiall or of the same substance with him selfe she the same Sonne of her substance I saith S. Augustine God gaue that verie onely begotten Sonne to Marie who as being begotten of hi owne hart equall to himselfe he loued as himselfe that God and Marie might naturally haue one and the same Sonne God who made all made himselfe of Marie to restore all that he had made He who could of nothing make all thinges would not without Marie reforme the thinges that were deformed Ah my soule what an ineffable dignitie is this what helpes may not we expect from one so neere to God by so singular prerogatiues THE III. MEDITATION In qualitie of Mother of God I. POINT CONSIDER her againe in qualitie of Mother and say If Mother and that Mother of the Sonne of God then compartner and comparent or common parent with God the Father if Mother of a most louing and best beloued Sonne then the best beloued of Mothers or creatures and consequently indowed with the best gifts amongst and aboue all creatures in heauen and in earth since loue is but a well wishing and Gods loue giues what it wishes vs. Affection O the blessed connection alliance and neerenesse in bloud contracted betwixt God and man in the person of Marie and by her meanes and mediation O my soule they that were farre out are now by her meanes nere at hand She has found fauour with God and credit to bringe vs into fauour too She is his mother and our Mother and so we are his brethren and if brethren coheires with her Christ Hence we are an elect generation a kingly preisthoode a holy Nation a people of purchace Marke these great titles my soule and learne to value thy selfe accordingly II. POINT CONSIDER her yet againe in qualitie of the Mother of God and say if the Mother of God then her sacred wombe was the Blessed Paradise to which our seconde Adam was restored and wherin he was lodged for nine monthes space for which tyme she happily possessed all the riches of heauen the riches of the wisdome and kâ—owledge of God Finally if the Mother of God she was the faithfull Guardian of his tender yeares the inseparable companion of his flight into Egipt and returne home She bore him in her armes she clothed him with the worke of her hands and fedd him with the riches of her chast breastes Affection O Iesu who will make me so happie as that I might find thee my brother sucking my Mothers breastes that I might kisse thee and that none hereafter might despise me And that I might discouer with what faith feruour tendernesse obedience humilitie and charitie she performed those pious offices about thee that in imitation therof I might at least exhibite some smale parte of them to those litle ones my Christian brethren whom thou hast left me in lieu of thy selfe and so earnestly and effectually commendest to me saying what euer you doe to those litle ones you doe to me We haue yet then my soule meanes left vs to keepe to accompanie to cloth to feede our poore brother Iesus For the Purification of our B. Lady THE FIRST MEDITATION I. POINT CONSIDER that it is a Virgine-Mother who this day presents her first begotten being the God of the Temple in the Temple of God and as such neither child nor Mother could be subiect to the Law of Purification she being free from all spott of sinne or corporall impuritie he being puritie it selfe How is she moued then to subiect her selfe to that Law saue onely to leaue vs a rare example of a singular obedience Affection Noe noe chaste Virgine thou hadst noe neede of Purification who wast wholy faire and hadst noe stayne in thee But thou art the Mother and best imitater of that Sonne who while he was subiect to noe Law neither would yet humbly vndergoe the Law of Circumcision and so wilt thou that of Purification Thou hadst noe neede I say but we had neede of noe lesse then thy Sonns and thyne owne example to induce vs to the humble and obedient obseruance of the most iust and laudable Lawes and duties vnder which we liue For doe we not my soule doe we not sometymes repine at them dispute them and seeke holes to euade them II. POINT CONSIDER that this Immaculate Virgine subiected herselfe to the Law of Purification not onely to teach vs obedience but also to ingraue true humilitie still deeper and deeper into our harts She had taught it by word when she said to the Angell who declared her the Mother of God the handmayde of our Lord. She taught it in fact in going to visite one lesse then herselfe S. Elizabeth But now she teacheth it in an occasion where honour seemes to be ingaged where her sanctitie and puritie may be suspected Affection Ah my soule how farre do we poore sinners fall short of this great perfection Alas how vnwillingly and rarely doe we stoope downe in fact or giue place to one that is belowe vs Nay if we humble our selues in words onely if we doe not rather extolle and preferre our selues before our betters or being blamed or reprehended for any litle fault if we doe not excuse ourselues yea with choller and inuentions ad excusandas excusationes in peccatis it is much But to suffer while we are innocent especially if our honour and reputation be neuer so litle in question is a thing we find not patience to disgest Alas my soule we Christians seeme quite to forgett that we are schollers in Christs and Maries schoole and what lessons they haue deliuered vs. THE FIRST MEDITATION For the Assumption That her life was spent in heauenly aspirations I. POINT CONSIDER with many of the holy Fathers that our B. Lady from her deare Sonns Ascension to this present day of her glorious Assumption
true vertue is tryed when Iesus is willingly wanted for the loue of Iesus that is when we indeuour more faithefully to accomplishe his blessed will in the midst of our greatest drinesse in deuotion then to inioy his consolations It is the Giuer not the gift we must prise if we will be true louers It was neuer said by our Sauiour that he is my best seruant who inioys most spirituall consolation but he that doth my will is my brother my sister and mother Let therfor this resolution be our buckler in the absence of Iesus I will alwayes looke vpon the light of faith I will humbly begge Gods grace I will place an vnwearied hope in him I will neuer consent to be separated from his charitie Finally I will rather leaue my selfe to his abismal prouidence and mercy then to myne owne industrie THE SECONDE POINTE. They Marie and Ioseph sought him amongst their kinsfolkes and acquaintance and found him not CONSIDER that B. Marie the Virgine mother of Iesus and Ioseph his putatiue father those two incomparable persons sought Iesus and found him not because they sought him where he was not to be found to witt among their kindred and acquaintance But they persisted in seeking and at length found him in the temple disputing amidst the Doctours whither his heauenly Fathers concernes did call him as he himselfe told them saying Know you not that I must be about those thinges which are my Father's Affection It is not amongst our Parents and kinsfolkes my soule that Iesus is to be found nay contrarily they are to be left to find him Heare daughter and see and incline thyne eare and forgett thy people and thy Fathers house and the Kinge will couet thy beautie It is not among our acquaintance neither for there if we reflect well on it he is rather lost then found But it is in the Temple we shall infallibly finde him among the Doctours and preachers of his holie lawe in the Temple we shall find him really present in the B. Sacrament readie to heare vs and to bestowe heauenly blessings vpon vs THE SECONDE MEDITATION FOR THE SAME DAY I must be about those things which are my Fathers THE FIRST POINTE. CONSIDER that our first dutie ought to be payd to God by attending to the worke wherin we are imployed by him which we are here taught by our B. Sauiours example without any regard to parents desires when they deturne vs from the seruice to which he calls vs. But that being first complyed with we are in the seconde place to returne to the dutie which we owe to our parents following our Sauiours example againe who leauing Ierusalem went downe with them and came to Nazareth Affection If we pretend my soule to be the Disciples and followers of Christ we must learne of him what is required to it And this he teacheth vs as well by his practise here as by his precept els where Vnlesse one hate his father and mother his wife and children brothers and sisters yea and his owne life besides he cannot be my Disciple When therfor respect to parents enters into opposition with Gods will and seruice we ought to hate our Father and mother That is to kill that carnall affection which proues an enemye to God Let vs pay that first dutie my soule to that almightie father of vs all and then we cannot fayle to pay all honour respect and loue to our deare parents to obey them and to be subiect to them in all tendernesse and filiall dutie THE SECONDE POINTE. And he was subiect to them to witt Marie and Ioseph CONSIDER that Iesus as God who was begotten eternally by his heauenly father could neither be subiect to God nor man because to speake with S. Paule he esteemed it noe stealth to be equall to God the Father with whom he was consubstantiall and coeternall nor could he as God-man by any lawe of nature be subiect to any man neither because as such too he was infinitly more worthy more wise and better then all men How was he then subiect to Marie and Ioseph Marrie to giue vs an example of the greatest humilitie and obedience imaginable freely and of his owne accorde he submitted himselfe to them both euen to the exercising of manual labours or what els they pleased to commande Affection O humilitie how great a thinge thou art since we must haue an humbled God to teach it vs Yet as God he could not he takes then man vpon him to performe that great worke so great a thinge it is to become litle Whence holy S. Bernard cryes out Who is he that becomes subiect and to whom God to man nor to Marie alone but to Ioseph too On euery side astonishement on euery side wonders That God should obeye a woman is a humilitie without example That a woman should commande a God is a dignitie not to be paraelled Blush proude duste God humbles himselfe and thou exaltes thy selfe â—od humbles himselfe to men and thou by earnestnesse to haue dominion ouer men preferrest thy selfe euen before thy Authour THE FIRST MEDITATION FOR THE SECONDE SVNDAY AFTER THE EPIPHANIE A Mariage was made in Cana a towne of Galilie Io. 2. THE FIRST POINTE. CONSIDER that noe good Christian ought to looke vpon mariage otherwise then with estimation and respect nor should any make nice to honour and countenance the younge maried couple with their presence The state is honorable and ordered by Gods prouidence to fill the emptie seates in heauen with saintes Nay saith S. Paule this is a greate Sacrament In fine our B. Sauiour his Virgine mother and some of his Disciples were inuited to a mariage in Cana a towne of Galilie and they freely daigned to honour it with their presence and with the first miracle that euer Iesus wrought Affection Be we our selues of what state of life so euer my soule let vs not doubt to honour what our Sauiour honours Virgines we know haue made choyse of the better parte following S. Paules counsell which he had from our Lord yet better saith S. Augustine is an humble wife then a proude Virgine If Virgins be more honorable maried women are more necessarie And if those be the greatest ornaments of Gods Church The fruitfulnesse of these peoples the Church with those ornaments Let God be honored in both who wisely distributes his gifts as he pleaseth to one so and to another so as God hath called euery one so let him walke saith the great Apostle THE SECONDE POINTE. CONSIDER that though these carnall mariages are both honorable and laudabile yet are there other mariages in the Church of God which farre out passe them Those were graced with the mother of God these with God himselfe To those Iesus was inuited to these Iesus inuites all that will in those Iesus pleased to be present in these he himselfe is the spouse In those water was turned into wine in these is onely pure wine which begetts Virgines Heare S.
most iustly admire him whom our Sauiour the wisdome of God seemed to admire how euer he could not indeede be subiecte to admiration to whom nothing was vnknowne His great faith being but yet a gentile then which our Sauiour testifies he found none greater in Israell His tender care of his sicke seruant whom he tearmes his child His greate humilitie iudging himselfe vnworthy to haue our Lord come to him His true sense of his power or omnipotencie who he knew could cure at any distance by his word alone saying say but onely the word and my boy shall be healed Affection Iustly I say my soule may we admire those many and great vertues in that poore gentile but much more that mercyfull Lord who first freelie gaue what he pleased afterward to admire for faith is not ours by nature but is a heauenly light sent from aboue wherby he and we are taught to loue and serue the meanest as our children or brethren humbly to deferre to our Superiours to haue high thoughts of Gods omnipotent power and with an absolute confidence to flye to his ayde in all our owne and our neighbours necessities We will therfor not so much admire as striue to imitate the good Centurion in our approches to our almightie Lord. THE SECONDE POINTE. I haue not found so great faith in Israel CONSIDER that our Sauiour makes well appeare that God is not the God of the Iewes onely but of the Gentils too For how euer the Iewes bragged that God was onely knowne in Iuda and that his name was great in Israel yet Truth reproches to them that he had not mette with so great faith in Israel as he found in that poore gentile and with a dreadfull minace leaues them in a doubtfull expectation what might become of them who esteemed themselues alone Gods chosen people with exclusion of all others saying many shall come from east and weste and shall sitt downe with Abraham Isaac and Tacob in the Kingdome of heauen but the children shall be cast out into exteriour darknesse where shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth Affection Who thinkes himselfe to stande my soule let him beware that he fall not Ther is noe assurance in mans fayling force Be our vocation neuer so holy and angell-like there is noe securitie the brightest Angells fell Seeme we to sayle neuer so prosperously yet we haue iust cause to dreade a storme and oftentymes we meete with shipwrake euen in the harbour Blessed therfor saith a holy Father is the man who is alwayes fearfull and diffident of himselfe Accursed is he who places his confidence in man If none know then who is worthy of loue or hate let vs labour the more that by good workes we may make sure our vocation and election as saith that blessed Pope S. Peter being taught that wholsome lesson by his owne fall THE FIRST MEDITATION FOR THE FOVRTH SVNDAY AFTER THE EPIPHANIE When he Iesus entered into the boat his Disciples followed him and loe a great tempeste arose c. Matt. 8. THE FIRST POINTE. CONSIDER that there could neuer appeare more securitie then when good Disciples followed their good Master Iesus nor hope of a more happie nauigation then when they were imbarked in the same boate with Christ And yet loe a greate tempeste arose in the sea so that the boate was couered with waues which threatened present shipwracke Affection Ah my soule let vs neuer esteeme our selues secure while we sayle on this dangerous sea of the world at noe tyme in noe place in noe companie The whole life of man is a temptation vpon earth How euer we haue the happinesse to be Christians that is to be Disciples and followers of Christ Though we haue otherwise the singular grace to be Catholike Christians and to sayle in Peters shippe where Christ is the souueraigne Pilote yet stormes often arise and we are readie to perish and perish we shall infallibly vnlesse we fixe our whole confidence as a sure anker in his power who is able to make the windes and sea obedient to his orders THE SECONDE POINTE. The boate was couered with waues but he Iesus slept CONSIDER that as our Sauiour deales here with his deare Disciples so doth he ordinarily with his dearest friends The Disciples are readie to sinke while he as though he were not concerned in their danger quietly sleepes The faithfull soule finds her selfe surrounded with all sortes of temptations which so violently make heade against her that she seemes euery moment readie to perish And yet Iesus sleeps that is leaues her to her selfe readie to be swallowed vp in those raging stormes of her poore afflicted conscience So that whether she sinkes or swimmes she scarce knowes because Iesus seemes asleepe to her Affection And yet my soule all is safe Iesus is in the boate with vs. While we remayne in his blessed companie and adheare to his ayde we may be tossed but sinke we shall not for the God that keepeth Israël shall neither slumber nor sleepe but assures vs that if we place our confidence in him he will be with vs in tribulation that he will deliuer vs and glorifie vs. For the rest it is good for vs to be thus tryed that we may learne by longe experience and neuer forgett that our strength is weaknesse that our danger is in our selfe-confidence and our assurance in the great God of all consolation Inte Domine sperabo non confundar in aeternum THE SECONDE MEDITATION FOR THE SAME SVNDAY The Disciples came to Christ and wakened him saying Lord saue vs we perish THE FIRST POINTE. CONSIDER that as in the Disciples iust feare of perishing we ought to apprehend our owne danger in tymes of temptation so by their example we may find securitie They trust not to their owne strength or skill but run presently to Christ for ayde they crye out and awake him they acknowledge in his eares the hazard they run saue ô Lord saue vs say they we perish Affection Let vs not then my soule amidst our frequent temptations and stormes of soule fall to distrust disquiete and perplexitie of mynde nor yet hope by disputes and as it were by force of armes to vanquish them But let vs vpon the verie first rysing of such tempests imitating the Disciples run to Iesus and cast our selues into his secure bosome wherin alone is our safe sanctuarie Crye out so lowde that you may awake him that man-louer loues to be importuned and is wonne therby Tell him with all humilitie and resignation to his blessed will the danger you are in your feare of falling in your selfe with firme hope of standing by his grace saying saue ô Lord saue vs we perish THE SECONDE POINTE. Why are you fearefull ô yee of litle faith CONSIDER as well our Sauiours mylde reprehension as present deliuerie of his fearefull Disciples It is not a moderate feare that he reprehends in them which is the begining of wisdome but their infidelitie or lacke
because therfor it is giuen that the hardnesse of the harte may be taken away THE SECONDE MEDITATION FOR THE SAME SVNDAY And other fell among thornes and the thorues grew and choked them THE FIRST POINTE. CONSIDER finally that another parte of the feede fell among the thornes which stisles the young and tender grouth therof and that happens not as in that seede which falling vpon the high way was troden vnder foote and could take noe roote nor as that which fell vpon the rocke which for want of earth could take noe deepe roote but hauing earth enough to take a deepe roote and produce fruite it was choked as our Sauiour himselfe interpreetes the parabole in the same Gospell by wordly cares and solicitudes and deceiptfull riches Affection Accursed cares which make vs carelesse of that which most concerns vs and stifles the word and law of God in our harts Accursed riches which render our soules poore and barren The riches which as fooles conceiue doe tickle them with delight Wisdome assures vs to be thornes which pricke wound and kill Who would euer haue beleeued me saith the great S. Gregorie if I should haue interpreted riches to be thornes since these wound those delight And yet thornes they are saith truth it selfe since the thoughtes of thē doe teare our myndes in peeces with their sharpe pointes and when they waigh vs downe to sinne they drawe bloode THE SECONDE POINTE. And other some fell vpon good ground and they yealded fruite CONSIDER that the good ground which fayles not to yeald fruite is the well disposed harte of man which by the preuention of Gods grace hath nothing opposite to that good seede To witt it neither lyes open to the curiosities and thronges of the world but is shutt vp within it selfe Nor is rockie and stuborne but supple mylde and docile Nor lastly is it ouerspred with thornes that is with riches honour and pleasures but contrarily possessed with the contempt of them they being indeede the chokers of all the seed of heauen and the sourses of all mans miserie Affection Giue me then ô Lord in lieu of all riches honours and pleasures a docile hart a good soyle prepared by thyne owne holie hand that thy sacred word and heauenlie inspirations may find noe opposition therin but yeald fruite an hundred fold Let it be hedged in by thy feare that it lye not open to vanities Let these hard flintes of myne be so moystened with thy melliflous word that they may flowe with milke and home Finally let those thornes of riches be rooted out of my harte that it may not stifle but nourishe thy good seede THE FIRST MEDITATION FOR QVINQVAGESIME SVNDAY Iesus said to the twelue Apostles behold we goe vp to Ierusalem and all things shall be consummate which were written by the Prophetes of the son of man Luc 18. THE FIRST POINTE. CONSIDER how fitly the wisdome of the Church applyes this Gospell intimating Christs B. passion to this tyme wherin we are disposing our selves to enter into the rigour of a penitentiall life therby to applie to our soules the merites of the said passion Fitly I say since it seemes to say to all Christian hartes with the great S. Paule thinke diligently vpon him who sustayned of sinners such contradiction against himselfe that you be not wearied fainting in your minds for you haue not yet resisted to blood as he did in fighting against sinne Forgett not then in the tyme of your pennance the consolation which speaketh to you as it were to children my sonne neglect not the discipline of our Lord neither be thou wearied whilst thou art rebuked of him for whom our Lord loueth he chastiseth and he scourgeth euerie child which he receiueth Affection The soldier saith the deuoute S. Bernarde feeles not his owne wounds while he lookes vpon the wounds of his Kinge Noe my soule there is nothing that can so sweeten that sharpest sufferances as fixedly to behold the sufferances of the sonne of the Kinge of glorie and that not for his which were none but for thy crymes for thy loue for thy redemption Looke vpon him then in thy pressures be they of body or of mynde and thou shalt like them thou shalt loue them thou shalt be delighted in them What can be so deare to a loueing harte as to be like its beloued cost that ressemblance what it will it shall fall far short of the delight it bringes with it THE SECONDE POINTE He Christ shall be deliuered to the Gentils and shall be mocked and scourged and spitt vpon c. and then shall be killed and the third day shall ryse againe CONSIDER this description or prediction and blush to be found a fainte and delicate soldier vnder so generous and patiently suffering a Capitaine Ponder it well and be more and more confirmed in the faith of Christ and the truth of Christian Religion against Iewe Turke or Athist for what he here fortells and afterwarde performes was longe before foretold by the Prophetes which could neuer haue bene so punctually performed had not their pens bene guided by the finger of the holy Ghost Sopho He shall be deliuered vp to the Gentils to witt Pilate and his soldiers to be mocked Dauid speaking in the person of the Messias I was whippt all the day longe Isaye I turned not my face from those that spitt vpon me wisdome Let vs condemne him to a most infamous death Sopho. expect me in the day of my resurrection speaking in the person of Christ Affection Consider I say my soule againe and againe what thy Lord and master thy Christ thy God suffers for thee for thee a poore miserable lost seruant and be ashamed to be so backward to suffer any thinge for those many crymes of thyne Let vs looke vpon that Authour of faith and consummatour of all his heauenly fathers commands and of all that was foretold of him by the Prophetes and crye out with Dauid ô Lord thy testimonies are made exceeding credible they are too too cleare for any euer to be able to doubt of them THE FIRST MEDITATION FOR THE FIRST SVNDAY IN LENT BY WHOM WAS IESVS TEMPTED Iesus is ledd by the spirit that is the holy Ghost that he might be tempted by the Diuell Matth. 4. THE FIRST POINTE. CONSIDER that as all Christs actions and passions all his words and workes were for our example instruction and consolation so was this in particular by a speciall graciousnesse for the instruction and comfort of his tempted seruantes He had taught vs by his holy word that the life of man was a perpetuall warrefare or temptation vpon earth and by his singular goodnesse that he pleased to be with vs in temptation for it was euen he the true sonne of God the wisdome of heauen the onely beloued of his heauenly father who was ledd out by the holy Ghost to be tempted to comfort and instruct vs in our temptations in his owne sacred person Affection Let
which rayseth a litle with Gods blessing vpon it to great matters at least to sufficiencie and content This was the Legacie B. S. Augustine left his children vnitie of hartes and communitie of the same purse Noe myne and thyne the true cause of deuision This was the Apostles inheritance giuen them by the holy Ghost one hart and one soule This was the songe which the Royall Psalmist sung with such ioy and found so good and delicious the vnanimous cohabitation of brethren which like a precious oyntement conueyes it selfe through all the parts of the body Powre then ô Lord the loue of brotherlinesse and peace into our harts that being annointed with the dewe of thy spirituall vnction we may be ouerioyed with the grace of thy benediction THE SECONDE POINTE. Who is not with me is against me and who gathers not with me doth disperse Luke 11. CONSIDER that the sonne of God hath said it whose words can neuer passe Who is not with me is against me there is noe meane noe third way Noe man can serue two Masters God and Mammon There is nothing that raignes in mans hart but either cupiditie or charitie What is giuen to cupiditie is giuen to that badd master the Diuell But what is done for charitie is done for the best of Masters our good God and so we goâ— happilie with him and gather with him If our harts say liue Iesus and our actions be done actually or vertually for his sake we aduance in vertue and treasure vp for heauen If we fayle of this we walke not with God we disperse the Deuill getts a share more or lesse according to the greatnesse or litlenesse of our actions Affection Let vs not goe on biasing my soule and halting on both sides If one onely God be our all let all our thoughtes words and workes be directed to his honour If it were he not Baal or any strange Gods which created conserued and redeemed vs with his owne pretious bloode let him not them souueraignely raigne ouer vs. The bedd of our hart is to narrow for two let our lawfull spouse the Master of it wholie possesse it What euer we doe and not for that for which diuine wisdome ordered it to be done that is Gods honour though in its owne nature it be good yet for want of its right end it falls short Concludes S. Augustine THE FIRST MEDITATION FOR THE THIRD SVNDAY IN LENT Iesus went beyond the sea of Galilee and a great Multitude followed him THE FIRST POINTE. CONSIDER that we neuer walke more safely then when we follow Iesus Neuer are we more sure then in his blessed hands Neuer better prouided for then when distrusting in our owne prouidence â—e let pure loue to him which is alwayes accompaigned with Prudence leade vs after him to conuerse with him to receiue the heauenly dewe of his diuine word and to admire the wonders of his admirable workes euen with the neglect of the whole world beside as did this pious multitude Affection Let then my soule our first and principall care be imployed to followe Christ to seeke his Kindome or raigne ouer our owne harts and the harts of all men and his iustice by giuing beleefe to his words and reposing confidence in his gracious prouidence without permitting our thoughts to be afflicted with an anxious sollicitude for temporall thinges which infallibly shall be giuen vs or as it were shall be cast in to the bargaine Our heauenly father better knowes then we our selues what is necessarie for vs as well for our bodys as our soules He may leaue vs till we begin to be hungrie of both foodes but expect him and absolutly depend vpon him and that pious father of ours will not see vs fayle in the way THE SECONDE POINTE I haue compassion of the multitude CONSIDER that when the pious multitude had once giuen this ample testimonie by following him three dayes in the wildernesse of their loue and perseuerance heauenly wisdome found it seasonable to giue them also a testimonie of his power and goodnesse in one and the same miracle of his power in making fiue loafes and two fishes extende to the feeding and saciating of fiue thousand persons and of his goodnesse by applying the effects of that power to solace and nourish that hungrie multitude saying with compassion misereor super turbam that is my verie bowells are moued with pittie in pointe of the multitude of those that follow me Affection O my most gracious Lord how easily is thy paternall harte inclyned to pittie The pen of the holy Ghost may seeme to haue laboured to make it euident to our hartes I will not leaue you orphants If I come not presently expect me for coming I will come Can a mother forgett the child of her owne body And tho she could yet I am your foster-foster-father and cannot forgett you Ah my soule what expressions can be deuised more tender Our Lord is indeede pittifull and mercifull patient and exceeding mercifull We haue reason to admire his power to dreade his iustice to venerate his sanctitie to magnifie all his Attributes yet nothing nothing comes so home to our vses as his goodnesse nothing sutes so well with our miserie as his boundlesse mercy THE SECONDE MEDITATION FOR THE SAME SVNDAY Euery one tooke as much as they would and they were filled Iohn 6. CONSIDER rhat our almightie Master is equally powerfull to worke his owne designe and our full satisfaction as well in litle as in great matters If a world be to be made he rayseth it out of nothinge If thousands be to be fedd in the wildernesse fiue loaues and a few smale fishes is Matter enough for him to worke vpon and to increase that smale prouision into such a plentifull store that he affords euery one of them as much as they will and they are all filled and saciated Affection Yes my soule our great Gods will and power are wholy equall all that he will he can it is he who wrought all that he would in heauen and earth nor can any resist his diuine will He needes noe matter to worke vpon he requires noe length of tyme to wotke in he has done in a moment he feeds whom he will with what he will and whom he feeds he fills he saciates Alas the world my soule with its fattest feasts doth not saciate vs. Vnlesse what we eate issue from thy holy hand and come with thy benediction vpon it great God we doe but languish and fayle in the way But if the litle we haue be accompayned with thy blessing it feeds it fattens it delights it saciates THE SECONDE POINTE. CONSIDER that though this multitude had iuste reason as well to magnifie his wonderfull power as to loue and imbrace his bountifull goodnesse in the stupendious multiplication of a few loaues c. Yet was but that a poore shadowe of Gods fauours to vs Christians as their obligations also were incomparably lesse hen ours There fiue loaues
they cannot beleeue we beleeue him to be such indeede THE FIRST MEDITATION FOR PALME SVNDAY They the Apostles putt their garments vpon the Asse and made him Christ sitt theron CONSIDER that the sonne of God consubstantiall with his Almightie father and equall to him in Maiestie and glorie could not by ascending become greater or more glorious since nothing can surpasse or euen in any sort attayne to infinitie But what he could not by ascending he could by descending and humbling himselfe which he did in his birth in all his life in this day of his tryumphe making his entrie into Hierusalem vpon a sillie Asse and therfor God exalted him and gaue him a name surpassing all names a name which brings heauen and earth downe vpon their knees to adore him Affection Behold my soule the Kinge of heauen in the day of his tryumphe mounted vpon a sillie Asse in that royall Citie Ierusalem and obscrue that he seemes to make it his busines in earth to decry pride and exalt humilitie and to leaue vs in this one lesson an example of the ruine of the one and a cure of the other Triumphes are vsed to be made by proud man in coasâ—he on horte with Lions and Elephants By humble Christe vpon a poore asse What more abiect then a sillie asse The onely Christian way then to ascende and tryumphe is to descende To erect our heade into the skeies without the roote humilitie is to seeke ruine not aduancement and grouth of spirit THE SECONDE POINTE. FOR THE SAME SVNDAY CONSIDER that though our Sauiour Iesus-Christ be most iustly admirable adorable and amiable in all circumstances in the glorie of his heauenly father which he is possessed of by the right of his eternall generation in his power of workinge innumerable miracles in his scantlinge of glorie on Mount Tabor c. Yet neuer is he more to be admired adored and loued by poore man nor euer speakes he more tendernesse and edification to his hart then when for his loue and example he makes choyce of that which to the world appeares most ignominious poore and abiect as in this poore entrie of his he did Affection When I looke vpon the multitude of thy miracles greate God I admire and adore thy power When with the whole strife of my hart I essay as I am able to behold thee in thy seate of glorie I feare to be oppressed therwith and am forced to fall downe vpon my face with those celestiall spirits and adore thy Maiestie But when thou dost graciously please to suffer that Maiestie of thyne to appeare in ignominie poore and abiect like one of vs I fall downe vpoÌ„ thee without dreade with a strange confidence with a huge dearenesse saying in my harte what can he deney me whose singular mercy will needs share in my miserie Be ignominie pouertie and abiection alwayes deare to me since deare to him who dyed for me THE SECONDE MEDITATION FOR THE SAME SVNDAY The Apostles brought an Asse and made him sit theron CONSIDER that heauen is not further remoued from the earth then the wayes of the world are distaÌ„t from the wayes of God and mans cogitations from Gods Men thinke their greatnesse will be mistaken vnlesse they testifie it by the magnificence of their garments and their vast traynes of horse and men The sonne of God contrarily comes in the name of our Lord with two or three poore fishermen mounted vpon an Asse in the onely day of his tryumphe and in that abiectnesse finds his glorie and euen in that is ackdowledged to be the true Messias or kinge Affection If our desires be honour and glorie my soule let vs not feare to pursue them so it be by the way which our Sauiour taught vs not by those of the world which leade quite contre and seduce vs. The world seekes honour by high and glorious wayes and the more he pursues it the more it flyes him Christ walkes on in humble and abiecte wayes and it comes to meete him He is saluted with noe Hosannas in Ierusalem till he haue first humbled himselfe to ride vpon an Asse nor will he enter into his birth-right in the heauenly Ierusalem till he haue humbled himselfe to death and that the infamous death of the Crosse Let abiectnesse then my soule be thy honour foolishnesse thy wisdome and the infamie of the Crosse thy glorie THE SECONDE POINTE. He went into the Temple CONSIDER that our B. Sauiour who had taught the Iewes that he sought not his owne glorie doth here verifie the same in effect both to them and vs when presently withdrawing himselfe from the glorious acclammations Hosannas and Benedictus es giuen to him as to their true Messias and Kinge he went to the Temple there to doe his Fathers worke and aduance his glorie by casting out of it all that sold and bought therin and the tables of the bankers and the chaires of them that sold pigeons he ouerthrew saying to them it is written my house shall be called the house of prayer c. Affection Hence we are taught my soule by Christs example to run from the glorie which any one may ascribe to vs tho with neuer so great applause to imploye our selues in glorifying God especially in his owne house See how our sweete Sauiour according to the Psalmists expression is eaten vp with the zeale of that holy house and how being the mildest amonge the sonns of men he takes the whippe into his hands and resolutly without feare of offending driues those vnworthy negotiatours out of his Fathers house Ah my soule what may not they then feare who buy and sell Christs patrimonie in the Church Ah Christians what may not we feare who beleeue that we are not onely in the Temple of God but euen in the reall presence of the God of the Temple and yet seeme rather by our loose behauiour c. to come to affront him then to adore him in his owne house and presence THE FIRST MEDITATION FOR THE SECONDE SVNDAY AFTER EASTER I am the good Pastour Ihon. 10. CONSIDER that as the sonne of God was borne for vs and giuen to vs so he seemes indeede to be all ours and to come home to all our necessities and vses He is not onely the way truth and life by which we are to walke to life euerlasting but looking vpon vs as weake and straying sheepe who often leaue the way forsake truth and are subiect to hazard life by becominge preys to rauinous wolues he graciously proues our Pastour to feede protecte and leade vs by the wayes of truth to those eternally plentifull pastures of his in our owne Lande Affection Let vs my soule truly acknowledge what in verie deede we are To witt the people of his pasture and the sheepe of his hand that sheepe which strayed from the way from truth from life and perished We are indeede weake creatures and daylie subiect to erre in many things and haue litle reason to depende vpon
truthes by their ministerie tho otherwise as farre aboue the reach of reason as contrarie to the bent of flesh and bloode powerfully spread themselues all the world ouer and become the familiar and fattening foode not of wise onely but euen Idiotes and children too wherby they are made more learned then the proudest Phylosofer that euer liued Affection O the admirable goodnesse of the Father sonne and holy Ghost who so graciously reueales the mysteries of Heauen to vs litle ones in earth The Father sent vs his onely sonne to purchace vs that singular fauour at the price of his pretious bloode which he willingly and ioyfully vndertooke to teache vs the secreetes of heauen And the holy Ghoste sent from them both so absolutly confirmes our hartes in the beliefe therof that poore illiterate pesants doe not onely knowe more then greatest Phylosofers but are readie to laye downe their liues in confirmation of that truth THE FIRST MEDITATION FOR THE FIFT SVNDAY AFTER EASTER Vntill now you haue not asked anything Io. 16. THE FIRST POINT CONSIDER that the poore beggar needes noe other inuitation to aske then the knowledge and sense of his owne pouertie and want whence the rich of this world doe as litle vse as litle neede to intreate the beggar to aske an almes of him But the riches of heauen by an ineffable bountie and graciousnesse importunes vs vs as it were to importune him saying vntill now you haue not asked any thing aske and you shall receiue Affection Alas my soule me thinkes the longe and certaine knowledge we haue of our owne miserie and want and the daylie temptations we suffer and relapses we fall into should sufficiently inuite vs to haue frequent recourse to a bountifull giuer but now at least being incited by the reproches he makes vs for not asking let vs hourely run to those ouerflowing breasts of mercy and grace least we may seeme gratis to loose our selues Let vs my soule aske seeke knocke that holy violence is gratefull to God with as much importunitie as we truly find necessitie THE SECONDE POINTE. Amen Amen I say to you if you aske the father any thinge in my name he will giue it you Io. 16. WHOM WE ARE TO ASKE CONSIDER how stronge hopes we ought to conceiue of obteyning our demande where the promesse is made in so great a latitude and where such a sonne the wisdome of heauen confidently sends vs to such a Father the eternall sourse of all goodnesse plentie and happinesse which can neuer be drayned to his Father and our Father as we are taught by his sacred mouthe to beleeue and say Our Father which are in heauen c. Affection O daughter of Sion ah my poore soule why wilt thou wilfully perish where such large and louing offers of grace and abundance is made to thee What confidence may we not iustly haue of obteyning all things necessarie when we are sent to the Father of mercys and the God of all consolation by his onely deare sonne who in obedience to his diuine will putt downe that plentifull price of his pretious bloud for the loue of vs Be my faylings neuer so frequent be my sinns in what number they will at least from hence forth I will not forgett to call thee with Ieremie Thou art my Father the guide of my Virginitie THE SECONDE MEDITATION FOR THE SAME SVNDAY Aske the Father in my name Io. 16. THE FIRST POINTE. HOW WE OVGHT TO ASKE CONSIDER that our blessed Sauiour in these few words instructs vs not onely of whom we are to aske to witt of his Father but how or in what manner to witt in his name If we aske of a Father and that of an all-knowing all-seeing Father it ought to be done with the reuerence humilitie obedience loue and confidence of a child If in the name of a sonne it ought to be done as that sonne vsed to doe it saying with an absolute resignation Father if it may be if it be agreable to thy diuine will if it be expedient for my eternall good grant this or this c. If otherwise not my will but thyne be done Affection Let vs then my soule in all our necessities and difficulties addresse our selues to that omnipotent Father of mercyes and all consolation for none comes to the sonne vnlesse the father drawe them But let it be in the name of his sonne Iesus since there is noe other name vnder heauen giuen to men wherin they must be saued Let vs then humbly intreate that heauenly father in the name and by the merites of that most dearely beloued sonne be it for thinges necessarie for the bodie or soule but let it still be done with perfect resignation to his blessed will and pleasure saying as we were taught by him Father if it may be let this or this be done or this or this be taken away Howbeit not my will but thy holy will be done THE SECONDE POINTE FOR THE SAME DAY What we are to aske CONSIDER that what we ought to aske is to result out of the same words of our Sauiour Aske of my Father in my name We must aske then of a louing Father we must therfor demande thinges sutable to his loue his goodnesse will not giue vs a stone in lieu of breade nor a serpent in steede of a fish he will not giue vs poyson because our follie likes it We must aske of a Father who is the Kinge of heauen we must not then aske earthly trash which is vnworthy of his bestowing Finally we must aske in the name of a Sauiour nothing therfor which is against our Saluation Affection Run then my soule to that almightie Father in the name of that best beloued sonne But be not peremptorie in our demands wisdome better knowes what it best for vs. If we aske of a louing father le ts aske with loue not with feare If we aske of an Almightie father who has Kingdomes to giue aske not for cottages trifles vnworthy of his giuing If in the name of a Sauiour things then which most conduce to our saluation things which he himselfe taught vs to aske that his name may be sanctified in all nations that he may absolutly raigne ouer all hartes that his holy will may be punctually performed here belowe as in the Court of heauen c. Let vs aske that my soule and we shall neuer be confounded THE FIRST MEDITATION FOR THE THIRD SVNDAY AFTER WHITSVNDAY And there approched publicans and sinners vnto him to heare him Luc. 15. CONSIDER the great mercy and myldnesse of Iesus who did not onely graciously permitt publicans and publike sinners to approch to him to heare his diuine word c. but he euen proued by the parable of the lost sheepe which men are wont to seeke with so much care their Apologist or Aduocate against the vncharitable murmurings of the proud and vnm ercifull Scribes and Pharisies who looked vpon them and him with disdaigne Affection Base
that he chuses rather to want his owne proper worshippe sacryfice then that thy brother should want thy loue Thy offeringes of thyne austerities thy prayers thy communions will neuer proue gratefull to him as longe as thou willingly harbours grudging in thy breast against that poore brother of thyne for whom through loue he dyed The Meditations for this 6. sunday are the same with the 4. sunday in Lent pag. 100. THE FIRST MEDITATION FOR THE SEAVENTH SVNDAY AFTER WHITSVNDAY Take great heede of false Prophetes who come to you in the clothing of sheepe but inwardly are rauening wolues Matt. 7. CONSIDER that we oft proue false Prophetes or teachers to our selues and consequently our owne seducers while we vse the fawning perswasion of our owne vertue and goodnesse drawen from outward apparances from the barke leaues or flowres that is from the clothing of sheepe Wheras we are taught by Wisdome it selfe that the true and certaine decernement of solide from seeming vertues is placed in the fruites they produce that is the subduing of the great sinne pride the mortification of our passions Finally the vanquishing of our selfe loue selfwill and selfe interest Affection Le ts then my soule diligently and impartially examine our selues in pointe of our aduancement in these vertues and so we shall beware indeede of false Prophetes and be sure not to proue selfe-seducers Doe we make it our businesse to subdue pride which doth then most assault vs when we most aduance in vertue Are the passions which we obserue most to domineare in vs brought lowe Is selfe loue and self-will those pernicious sourses of all our miserie vanquished Is selfe interest subiected to the common good Humbly hope then in our Lord that all goes well with vs. If not knowe that vertue is not yet solidly rooted in vs. THE SECONDE POINTE. Euerie good tree yealdeth good fruites and the euil euill fruites Matt. 7. CONSIDER the good or bad fruites of the tree of our harte and thence we shall be able by the Euangelicall maxime to decerne whether If we meete with grapes and figues that is with mild and meeke thoughts words and comportments know for certaine the tree is good they are not the fruites of thornes and brambles marrie if we are true or false teachers or guides to our selues while we seeke for grapes and figues we meete with thornes and thistels that is with distaynefull bitter and sharpe thoughtes words and behauiour know that the roote is depraued the fruites viciated they are the productions of the badd tree which cannot bring out good fruite Affection Doe we my soule fast watch pray much doe we discipline vse great austerities and communicate often They are indeede excellent meanes for the produceing good fruites yet are they not for all that the fruites themselues They are certainely the clothings of the sheepe yet may a wolfe lye vnder them Our fruite saith S. Aug. is charitie see then whether coming from ours prayers c. we finde our selues patient benigne without enuie without peruersitie not puffed vp not ambitious not seeking our owne not prouoking to anger not thinking euill not reioycing vpon iniquitie but rejoycing at truth suffering all thinges beleeuing all thinges hopeing all thinges bearing all thinges and remayne assured thence that our hart is right and that we are happily tendinge towards our Beatitude THE SECONDE MEDITATION FOR THE SAME SVNDAY Euery tree which brings not forth good fruite shall be cutt downe and cast into the fire THE FIRST POINT CONSIDER that euery reasonable creature of what qualitie soeuer is a vine or tree planted in the vineyearde or orcharde of Christ Iesus against whom this dreadfull doome is pronounced it shall be cutt downe and cast into the fire in case it answer not to his expectation but in lieu of true grapes yealde nothinge but wilde grapes that is in lieu of true and solide vertues thinke to pay with apparances and in lieu of the sweete and agreeable fruites of charitie yeald nothing but bitternesse animosities and auersions amongst the citizens of heauen and Gods domestikes who should but all haue one hart and one soule Affection Let vs daylie and diligently my soule examine what fruites this tree of our hart produceth It importeth noe lesse then a blessed or cursed eternitie If sowre grapes bitternesse of hart enuie emulation dissension ah then Truth affirmes it shall be cutt downe and cast into the fire Alas it was not planted so that such fruites should be expected from it It was planted by the hand of God watered which the pretious bloud of Chr. let nothing then but the sweet fruites of Christianitie proceede from it THE SECONDE POINTE He that doth the will of my Father which is in heauen he shall enter into the Kingdome of heauen CONSIDER that here the wisdome of heauen in a few words layes vs downe the abridgement of all perfection and the blessed imitation of his whole life and passion to witt an absolute and louing resignation to the holy will of his heauenly father as well in all that he did as all that he suffered I come not saith that sweete Sauiour to doe myne owne will but the will of my father who is in heauen the thinges that please him I doe alwayes not as I will but as thou wilt Fawning words and Lord Lord may please fooles who desire to be flattered but the actuall complying with the will of God is onely gratefull in his eyes who sees hartes Affection Let vs then my soule absolutly and for euer renounce our owne will that disturber of our life and depriuer of our rest peace and true libertie and yeild it vp into the secure guidance of Gods holy will hauing alwayes vpon all occasions in all our doinges and sufferings in our harte and mouth thy blessed will be done my deare Lord and Master who best knowes what is most behoofull for me I am most willingly in thy holy hands turne me and winde me when thou wilt where thou wilt and how thou wilt thatthy will and myne may be but one Represse in me ô Lord that vnhappie libertie by which I am able to will any other thinge then what thou willest THE FIRST MEDITATION FOR THE EIGTH SVNDAY AFTER WHITSVNDAY There was a certaine rich man who had a Bailife Luc. 16. CONSIDER that this rich man was God the greate Maker and Master of all the earth and the Bailife man euery one of vs be we Masters or seruants rich or poore who hold all that we haue of that great Land-Lord the goods of our body the goods of our soule and those of fortune all is his and all proceeds from his bountifull hand we haue the stewardshippe of them to worke therby our saluation but the propertie remaynes still his Affection Let vs not then my soule mistake our selues apprehending that we are Lords and Masters while we are but indeede farmers and remoueable at pleasure of what seemes to be ours Be it farre from vs to vaunt
neither is nor can be any consent betweene Christ and Belial There can be noe societie betwixt light and darknesse betwixt pride and humble Christ couetousnesse and poore Christ impuritie and Christ who is puritie it selfe Le ts vse then my soule a holy violence and throw those prophane Idols out of our harte that God alone may raigne in that sacred Temple of his Least the worst abomination of desolation might otherwise surprise vs eternally THE SECONDE MEDITATION FOR THE SAME SVNDAY THE FIRST POINTE. CONSIDER that there is nothing either more certaine or more vncertaine then the day of Doome that tyme of huge desolation Nothinge more certaine then that it shall be since heauen and earth shall passe but the word of God which we haue for it shall not passe Nothing againe more vncertaine then the tyme therof for of that day and houre noe body knoweth neither the Angells of heauen but the father alone If this certaintie then cannot but begett a dreadfull expectation in all humane hartes this vncertaintie ought to putt a continuall watchfulnesse vpon our thoughtes Affection If then my soule as well this certaintie as this vncertaintie be as infallibly true as is the word of God vpon which it is grounded what are we to doe but to expect it at all houres which may come at euery houre Did we certainly know that some houre this night the theife would come and robb vs of all we haue we should not fayle to watch all night to preuent our vtter ruine Alas let the hazard of our soule enter into as much consideration with vs as the hazard of our fortunes that so we may not fayle to stand still vpon our guarde that death may not take vs a sleepe and we being a wake may finde our hands emptie of good workes to our eternall ruine THE SECONDE POINTE. CONSIDER that though the day of the generall Iudgement will as certainly come as it is vncertaine to all men when that shall be so that many yeares may probably passe before it yet there is another day of Doome which hanges ouer each ones heade and can not be longe ere it come to witt the last day of euery mans life is the day of iudgement to him since as S. Augustine saith in what state each one 's last day shall finde him in the verie same shall the last day of the world comprehend him That euery one might continually stande readie for this S. Iohn tells vs that now euen now is the last houre noe man being sure of the next Affection It is appointed saith S. Paule to men to dye once and after that iudgement This my soule is the day of desolation which euery one ought most to apprehende and watch for since it is indeede his day of Doome This at euery moment may surprise vs and that in one moments tyme. What rests them my soule but that what I say to thee I say to euery one vigilate Watch watch incessantly for this theife death may steale vpon vs when we least suspecte it And if then our Lampes be found without the oyle of good workes and charitie what shall we haue left vs but a dreadfull expectation to heare the doore of the heauenly mariage is shut And what can we hope to meate with by our importunate crying out Lord Lord open to vs but that daunting replye which causeth an eternall separation from the face of God Amen I say to you I know you not FINIS A CHRISMAS CONTEMPLATION WITH A SEARCH INTO THE SOVRSE OF ALL MANS HAPPINESSE FOR THE DAVGHTERS OF SION O SWEETEST night my mynd I nere can wayne From thought of thee in which the heauens doe raine Huge shewres of grace the hillockes flowe with sweets And from the mountaines milke and honie sweates O sweetest night my starued soule doth dye To haue a full draught of ty Ambrosie Tertulian grauely said some goods there are As well as euils which euen oppresse and beare Vs to the ground The wonders of this night Are such to find our God in su … a plight That hardly such a bastard soule is found Who sends not knees and heart to kisse the ground God threats eternall death and yet we stand Stiffe-neck'd nor bowe to that his powerfull hand He offers endlesse life nor are we mou'd By hopes nor threates our God's nor fear'd nor lou'd By thunder-bolts he testifies his ire He speakes the same by earth-quakes and by fire Yet stupide man howere he dreade the rodde He lookes as high as though there were noe God But when the WORDS made flesh when God's made man The high flowen heart must stoope doe what it can Heare your Seraphique Father teach this truth While he as yet lay strugling with his youth While tortur'd thus I lay quoth he at length I had a feeble will to gather strength Thee to inioye my God nor could I find A way squar'd out according to my mynd Till I fell downe vpon thy infancie Clad in the weede of our humanitie For then my wind-blowen heart began t'vnswell And prostrate on my low layd lord I fell Downe downe proude soule keepe lowe it is not meete That wormes should swell while God lyes at their feete He biult himselfe a cotage of our clay To teach vs lowlinesse and how t'obeye THAT THE SOVRSE OF MANS happinesse is God's infinite and meere goodnesse BVT stay my muse before we further goe Le ts find the sourse whence all man's blisse doth flowe The sourse is goodnesse that vaste Ocean Which speads ore all and is shut vp from none God's naturall goodnesse which he nor owes Nor man can merite vncompell'd it flowes So you haue seene some fruitfull mothers breast Oreflowe its snowie bankes ere it was pres't Or sue'd to by the greedie babe With store She was opprest and could conteyne noe more She needes the infants pouertie it againe Needes her abundance she 's richly poore in paine On whom t'imploye her store to whom t' impart Those milkie streames the treasures of her heart OF GODS INFINITE COMMVNIcation within to the sonne and to the holy Ghost BVT now as greater good hath greater bent T' impart it selfe abroad and to be spent In larger measures so goodnesse infinite Would infinitly giue if it could light On suting subiects but none such being found Mongst all thinges made his riches doe abound Within at home to vast infinitie Within the bounds of th' blessed Trinitie To his sweete sonne God doth communicate His goodnesse Maiestie his kinglie state His Essence Substance all 's perfection His Godhood too wherin those two are one And from that boundlesse sourse againe doth flowe The holy Ghost our God who doth not owe His being to another He 's as old As Good as great as wise as vncontrold As are the Father and the sonne on high They 're equall all and one in Deitie Ther 's noe dependance want prioritie Their measure is a vaste eternitie Euen so the sun noe sooner doth appeare But
burnt that thundred that sent out beames of glorie there here is nailed to a Crosse and ignominiously dying betwixt two theeues vpon the toppe of Mount Caluarie Affect Ibo videbo visionem hanc grandem I will vp to Caluarie and see this great sight for it is not as some conceiued the frame of the Vniuerse that is about to be dissolued but the very God of nature which suffers and is readie to dye Dye then my soule dye to this world and to all its concupiscences and dye with this deare Lord and Master of thine Ah my dying Lord ô my crucified Loue Let my eyes and thoughts loath their wonted vanities and fill them selues full of this daunting obiect of a dying God O my crucified Loue let me be nayled to the Crosse with thee neuer seeking to be freed from that tye But grant that all the rest of my life in flesh I may liue in the faith of the sonne of God true God who loued me and deliuered vp himselfe for me Resolution Neuer regard among vvhom thou art numbered so thy actions be Christian Loue to be reputed for nothing c. THE XIX MEDITATION Of our Christian bloody sacrifice vpon Mount Caluarie 1. Point COnsider how at length we haue mett with such a Bishop as we had absolute neede of as S. Paule saith à Bishop who is holy innocent vnspotted separated from sinners who hauing no neede to sacrifice for his owne sinnes wholy imployes it for the redemption of ours Behold him ready to performe this great sacrifice to his heauenly father in his owne blood Caluarie is the vast Temple lying open to the whole world the Crosse the Altar him selfe the Preist and Hoste and that infinite charitie of his heauenly hart to man the fire which burnes all into an Holocaust Affect O dolefull ioyfull Mysterie thy Christ ô Christian is readie to sacrifice himselfe What fountaines of teares are not due to such an ignominious death But it is for thy sake for thy redemption what consolation what ioy Weepe then weepe vpon thy dying spouse yes for his dolours deserue seas of teares yet weepe not so as those others who haue no hope for thou hast mett with a gracious Redeemer a plentifull redemption which is euen at hand to witt our high Priest is gone vp to the high Altar and is readie to put downe his blood more then the price of a thousand worlds While this Abels blood out-speakes his brothers crime Mans malice was not able to committ what Gods mercie was able to expiate Our sinns are great ô Lord huge great we confesse it we pleade guiltie But our Priest is holy vnspotted innocent innocencie it selfe And he is readie for vs poore sinners to paie-backe what he tooke not awaie to appease thy wrath which he neuer prouoked Looke vpon this innocent obedient sonne of thine and pardon the crimes and disobediences of thy poore seruant who of himselfe is altogether insoluable 2. Point Consider that whereas other Bishops goe richly adorned to the Altar poore Christ is turned quite naked to the worke making his publike confusion the ornament which ought to rauish the harts of men and Angells to see their God and ours who couers beautifies and adornes all thinges exposed naked to the eyes and scorne of all the world to couer our confusion to hide our shame and to recouer vs againe the white garment of originall iustice which we lost in our first father Affect Neuer is a Christian man so gloriously adorned in the eyes of God Angells and Men as when he neglects or depriues him selfe of all ornaments by Christs example and for his loue Neuer doe we so neerly resemble Christ nor so securely approch to his holy sacrifices as when we find our selues turned naked not only from all interest humane respects selfe-esteeme and selfe loue but from our dearest desires and best beloued affections to certaine practises of pietie aduancement in verue by meanes of our owne choice whereas our more purified and Christian-like desires indeed ought to be an absolute indifferencie and intire dependence of Gods good pleasure affecting that in all things his holy name be sanctified his raigne be magnified his blessed will be accomplished and glorified for euer whether by our nakednesse confusion ignominie or good fame Resolution We vvill disingage our selues of all other interests but Gods blessed vvill alone THE XX. MEDITATION Our Sauiour stripped naked and putt vpon the Crosse 1. Point COnsider how this publik confusion was accompaigned with excessiue paines for the barbarous rudenesse inhumanitie and crueltie of the soldiers doe not so much teare off the fleece as the very skinne and flesh of the delicate and tender lambe which muttered not against those that shore him and ledd him to slaughter If at the piller their inhumanitie inflicted wounds without number at the Crosse their inraged violence teares them all into one while they snatche off the garment which stickes to the goarie blood of them all Affect Ah my soule let vs here behold the man againe who is placed naked before our eyes He is thy dearest spouse but thy spouse of blood whose sufferances find no end He is thy hartes only delight who is now made an obiect of horrour to thine eyes It is he who was beautifull farre before all the sonns of men and behold he is wholy deformed all couered ouer with wounds and fresh springs of blood shewre downe from euery part and now there is noe beautie in him nor comlinesse Nay he is as it vvere a Leper strucken by God and humbled Towitt we all straied like lost sheepe and this lambe takes all our iniquities vpon him Let vs not then at least spare dropps of guiltie teares where he spends fountaines of innocent blood 2. Point Consider how these vile slaues extend the King of Glorie thus naked thus deformed thus fleaed and torne thus cruelly crowned vpon the ignominious wood with as much barbarousnesse and brutalitie as their diuellish malice could inuent and then with great and rude nailes digge through his hands and feete Foderunt manus meas pedes meos as the prophet longe before had expressed it racking out his armes with huge violence to force them to their designed places vpon the Crosse so that one might count all his bones dinumerauerunt omnia ossa mea Affect O my deare Iesus what excessiue shame confusion and torments must I needs conceiue thou here indurest for the sinfull soule of me thy poore vnworthy lost seruant while I see the waight of thy whole bodie riue the wounds of thy sacred hands and feete still wider and wider Thy bones vnioynted thy veines and sinewes forced to an vniust length My hart my hart where art thou on what thinkest thou while thy innocent Master thus suffers for thy sake without complaint without murmuring one word Is it thus that we suffer infinitly lesse things for his sake and in contemplation hereof Resolution I vvill neuer forgett these huge
torments but solace my smale sufferances in the same THE XXI MEDITATION Our Sauiours Prayer vpon the Crosse Father pardon them c. 1. Point COnsider how our high preist who is now readie to sacrifice himselfe a torne and bloodie host such as you haue seene him for the sinns of his people begins first to offerr vp his praiers for them to his heauenly father saing Pater dimitte illis non enim sciunt quid faciunt Father pardon them for they know not what they doe Affect O ineffable mercie mildnesse and longanimitie While their inhumanitie hath left him neither hand nor foote free he wantes not a tongue to pleade for his persequutors peace and reconcilement O my soule let vs Learne le ts learne by this example to pardon our enemies be the offence neuer so great 2. Point Consider that thus it was that our Sauiour Iesus Christ taught vs from the Crosse euen amidst his greatest torments when the most innocent person that euer liued receiued the most barbarous treatie that euer malice inuented and euen in such circumstances this lesson of praying for our enemies c. he left vs to followe Obserue with shame how we Christians complie with it Is our first addresse to God when we meete with Crosses tribulations contradictions c. Is our first sute for pardon for those that iniure vs Doe we studie to finde out some excuse for them or rather doe we not indeede fall to muttering and murmuring and impatience and euen offend God by returning euill for euill because others offende vs In lieu of pardoning or begging pardon for them doe we not desire and seeke for reuenge Doe we not insteede of extinuating striue by the sophistrie of the Diuell to aggrauate little and inconsiderable deedes words or mistakes And yet we are not Christs we are not innocencie it selfe yea contrarily we are faultie enough and as subiect to doe as to receiue iniuries Affect Alas alas my soule the Copie hath no resemblance with the originall it s as farre differēt as light from darknesse This is not to expresse Christ in our actions but the Diuell his mortall enemie It is but in words and in name to professe Christ and infacts to denie him and to sweare with S. Peter that we know not the man whose language wee speake whose liuerie we weare and beare his name And yet this was a lesson he alwaies taught in his life A lesson which he preached and practised dying A lesson which he left written in letters of blood for vs to practise after his death Resolution I vvill pardon such and such a vvrong in memorie of this excessiue mercy THE XXII MEDITATION Of the Ievves tauntes scornes and blaspheamies 1. Point Consider how their tygerish rage runs still on against this innocent dying Lambe which mutters not The streames of blood which flowe downe from euery part gluts not their malice extreame torments which their rude violence puts him to appeases not their furie It seemes not enough to their hellish madnesses to leaue no member without its torture vnlesse they fill his eares and hart with scoffes and scornes and blasphemies If he be the king of Israel let him come dovve from the Crosse and vve le beleeue him If thou beest the sonne of God descend from the Crosse He saues others and cannot saue himselfe Vau avvaie vvith him vvho destroies the Temple and vvithin three daies builds it vp againe Affect Ah my deare dying Lord what extreamitie of torment is this that thou sufferest for me and by thine owne nation what hart conceaues not an absolute detestation against those most barbarous bloodsuckers yet beware my soule that by the same iudgement which thou zealously conceauest against them thou condemnest not thy selfe Looke home and see with confusion whether a great part of that rage that malice that madnesse be not lodged in thine owne hart As often dost thou crucifie him with them as thou preferrest the concupiscence of the flesh concupiscence of the eyes or pride of life before him And as often dost thou add new woundes ouer and aboue the wounds they inflicted as often as thou comest downe or callest others downe by ill example or counsell from the Crosse which is putt vpon them for Gods glorie or despairest of his power to be able to helpe thee in thy greatest Crosses afflictions and temptations Let sinne therefor be most hated as it is indeede most criminall and truly put thy Christ to death 2. Point Consider that though this so hugely afflicted person is he who is only said to be free and subiect to no restraint yea he who alone giues power to others to tye and vntye hath often been tyed for our loue and our libertie as in the stable in poore clothes in the garden and from thence to Annas Caiphas and Herods howses in cordes in the Pretorie to the Pillorie to be whipped yet neuer was my deare Lord and spouse so closely and cruelly tied and torne as I see him here vpon the hard Racke of the Crosse where he neither findes nor hopes for any case or libertie at all but that which he must purchace with the price of his life when death shall free his afflicted soule out of his barbarously tortured body Affect Ah my soule must thy deare Lord treade the wine presse alone Must thy Master and Redeemer who is alone free among the dead purchace him selfe and thee libertie by the losse of his owne life And must the bounden slaue liue still at libertie and ease Whereas indeede we are neuer free so long as we liue vnder false libertie which is true slauerie and not vnder the true seruitude of Christ which is true libertie Gods seruice is a true raigne Happie saith your holy father is that necessitie or tye which compels vs to better vnhappie that libertie which lyes open to our ruine Resolution My calling is and shall be my happie Crosse to vvhich the consideration of these cords shall tye me for my Masters loue and honour for euer Hic habitabo quoniam elegi eum Here vvill I euer dvvell because it vvas mine ovvne choice THE XXIII MEDITATION Of the Princes of the people and Priests blaspheamies 1. Point COnsider that though all these bodily torments of my deare innocent crucified Lambe be inormiously greate beyond all measure yet they are but as it were the body of torment whereas the life and soule of torment indeede is the torment of the soule Those cruell Deicides tooke him they bound him they haled him they boxed him they whipped him they spitt in his face they crowned him with thornes they nailed him hand and foote to the Crosse they brought him to the verie doore of death but all this was performed vpon his bodie But when he heares his Fathers power and loue to him called into question by the Princes and Preists and People saying he saies he is the sonne of God in him he is confident let God now deliuer him if he will
his humanitie is lefte to struggle with his cruell tormentes and to satisfie for those sinnes of ours in the verie rigour of iustice But now hauing consummated and fulfilled all the figures types sacryfices prophecies and euen the whole Law and hauing punctually obserued all his fathers orders with filiall obedience and admirable humilitie euen to the last gaspe he beings to behold him as a tender and louing father and so testifies with a lowde voyce that it is into the hands of such a father that he deliuers vp his spiritt Pater in manus tuas commendo spiritum meum Affect May thy wearied soule ô my kind Pelican happily returne into its rest May thou our too too kind Prodigall ioyfully returne into thy fathers house out of this forraigne land of ours where thou hast spent all thy substance euen to the last droppe of thy pretious bloud vpon vngratfull man from whom thou meetest with noe better returnes then euill for good hatred for loue vineger and gale to drinke where thou art readie to perish with thirst Ah my soule my soule Haeccine reddis Domino Deo tuo are these the kindnesses which thou rendrest to thy Lord thy God for his loue for his labours for his bloud for his life which here he is laying downe for thee Resolution Be my afflictions neuer so many be my temptations neuer so great and importune I will appeale from a rigourous Lord to a louing father and cast my selfe into his bosome THE XXX MEDITATION 1. Point COnsider in this action of Christ where he commends his spirit or soule into the hands of his heauenly father where the true hopes of a Christian ought to be placed to witt in the hands that is in the will and disposition of our heauenly father to be dealt withall according to his good pleasure Accursed is that man who places his hopes in man or in the heapes of his riches which he must leaue behind him or in the multitudes of his merites which are none without mercy but in Gods mercy alone which is indeede our merite nor shall we euer want merit so long as we cleaue to that mercy Affect Returne into thy rest my wandering soule which is alone in the bosome of thy heauenly father and fixe thy confidence there Trust not in the sonnes of men in whom there is noe saluation noe truth mendaces filij hominum Leaue not the care of thy selfe to such as haue noe care of themselues much lesse of thee Such as thou hast found thy selfe to others such at the best will others proue to thee Our dearest friends doe easily forgett vs they will not they cannot goe along with vs. O how good it is then while we haue yet tyme to make him our friend aboue all our friends who when they all fayle hath as much power as goodnesse to make good our trust Into thy handes then ô dearest father doe I commend my soule In those mercifull hands of thyne not in my miserable ones doe I repose the whole confidence of my saluation 2. Point Consideration Well may Gods prouidence my soule which we are not able to found permitt vs to be tempted with Christ to be in agonie in our deuoutest prayers with Christ and giue vs ouer as it were into the power of darknesse with Christ Well may we suffer wronges crosses calumnies tauntes and scornes with Christ Well may our bodyes be left in tormentes vpon the Crosse with Christ yea our poore soules suffer a strange anguish with Christ when we seeme to be forsaken by our God Yet still by adhearing to Christ and by following his foot-stepps we shall infallibly wade out of all and come to a happie consummation with him and find a louing fathers bosome layd open to receiue our soules Affect Doe not then ô my soule so much regarde what thou sufferest or by whom or how as for what for whom and with whom It is not for a smale prize thou fightest but for an eternall waight of glorie It is not for some ordinarie person but for the loue of thy Lord and Master to become in some sorte like to him Nor art thou left alone but in his companie and vnder the guidance of his grace I am with him saith he in tribulation I will deliuer him and I will glorifie him Looke ouer thy afflictions then ô my soule be they of what nature they will and with a liuely faith looke vpon Christ Iesus the Authour and Consummatour of faith who ioy being proposed to him sustained the Crosse contemning confusion It is not too much that the coheire should be treated like the true heire the adoptiue like the natural sonne Resolution Come then what will and from what hand it will I am resolued to looke vpon it as coming indeede from the hand of a tenderly louing father for my eternall good THE XXXI MEDITATION Christ giues vp his Ghost 1. Point COnsidera Christianes draw neere and see death shutt vp thy sweete Sauiours eyes See life dye see thy God dye Not that death man or diuell had right to exercise any such power ouer the Author of life who saith nemo tollit animam meam none takes away my soule or life but because he himselfe would when he pleased and as he pleased And to what end but to be the death of death it selfe ero mors tua ô mors I will be thy death ô death To ransacke Hell it selfe ero stimulus tuus ô inferne To be Iesus that is a Sauiour to man and to leaue him the greatest testimonies of loue imaginable by man or Angell And therfor bowing downe his head he of his owne accorde deliuered vp his spirit or soule Affection Ah my soule what 's this we heare The soule of thy Sauiour is deliuered vp to death In death then must we find true life with Christ Nolo viuere volo mori cupio dissolui esse cum Christo Dye dye then my soule to all thinges which are not his verie selfe Ther 's noe liuing without life Christ is my life mihi viuere Christus and my Christ being deade my life is deade and dye I must mihi mori lucrum I desire to dye that I may see my Christ I refuse to liue that I may liue with my Christ Ah my deare deade Master fcra pessima deuorauit te the worst of wild beastes hath deuoured thee Ah my soule thy sinnes haue slaine thy Master Thy enuie sought him thy auarice sold him thy Hypocrisie betrayed him thy rashnesse deliuered him vp thy licenciousnesse bound him thy crueltie whipped him thyne ambition crowned him thy sluggishnesse loaded him thy pride putt him vpon the Crosse thy irreligiousnesse taunted scorned and blaspheamed him thy vnmercifulnesse caused his thirst thy forsaking of God made him be forsaken by God thy disloyaltie disobedience hard hartednesse ingratitude for all his benefits putt him to death And thence my Sauiour dyed Nay it was God the fathers mercy which sacrificed him His