to inioye him Or yet more fully Charitie is a motion of the soule to inioye God for his owne sake and ones selfe and his neighbour for God So that Charitie is a loue which lookes onely vpon God or for God AFFECTION and RESOL. Good God how sublime and noble an obiect How worthy of a mans whole thoughts Nay rather how farre is it aboue man and who did imbolden him to take so high a flight Ah! It was euen the same souueraigne Good which would haue it so O Lord what art thou to me or what am I to thee that thou shouldst commande me to loue thee Yea and be angrie and threaten to lay huge punishments vpon me if I loue the not Ah! is it not of it selfe agreat and euen the worst of miseries if I loue thee not II. POINT Consider that as Faith and Hope are not fruites of this base soyle so nor Charitie as by our endeuours and substāces we are not able to purchace them so nor this but it is sent dovvne from he auen as the most excellēt of Gods gifts saith he according to that of the Apostle Charitie is diffused in our harts by the holy Ghost vvhich is giuen to vs. To wayne our harts from earth and carrie them vp to heauen with her AFFECTION and RESOL. O diuine and heauenly Charitie Thy extraction is from Heauen thy whole ayme or obiect is Heauen thy whole imployment in earth is to rayse our harts to Heauen and of earthly which we are to make vs become heauenly O my soule let vs not loue our selues so litle as not to imploy our selues wholy vpon this sacred loue O loue which alwayes burnest and art neuer extinguished ô Charitie which art my God let me be wholy burnt with thy fire that I may loue thee with all my hart with all my soule with all my strength with all my aymes and intentions c. III. POINT Consider that though holy charitie be a fruite originally of Paradice yet being planted in our harts by the finger of the holy Ghost we are to husbād water and increase it For saith S. August is Charitie intirely perfect as soone as it is produced No but it is produced that it may be perfected To witt being produced it is nourished by nourishment strengthened by strength perfected AFF. and RESOL. O let vs carefully watch this holy fire that wee may neuer be so vnhappie as haue it dye out for want of the oyle of our workes let all our thoughts be imployed vpon the husbandrie of this seede of Heauen let it be watered with the plentifull teares of a contrite and humble hart Deare God smite my hart with the dart of thy loue that my soule may say to thee I am wounded with thy charitie and out of that Loue-sore a floode of teares may streame day and night THE XVI MEDITAT Hovv Charitie is increased I. POINT COnsider how admirable Charities commerce is which quite contrarie to wordly riches increaseth by being imparted and bestowed vpon our neighbours Bestowe your charitie bountifully and it increaseth abundantly communicate not this sacred fire to your neighbour and it decreases languisheth and dyeth out Money saith he and Charitie are not bestowed alike that by being bestowed is diminished this is increased Yea more it increaseth in his hands who renders it and by how much more amply he repays it by so much more plentifully he retaynes it It increaseth in his hands AFFECTION and RESOL. O blessed tradinge easie and wishfull and gaynefull traffike By giuing away apace we speedily waxe rich By endeuouring to make others happie we fayle not our selues to become happie indeed We will therfor dilate the bowells of charitie and striue to doe good to all One we will helpe with counsell another with comfort or what other wayes we may be able to assiste him in II. POINT Consider how exceeding easie our good God hath made the increase of charitie It is not necessarie that we haue ether a great power a great purse or vse any great industrie For is there any thing more comon or more within euerie mans power then a cupp of cold water giue that onely for Gods sake and charitie is increased and a reward is promised Who saith he is able to bring any excuse sith God promiseth a revvard euen for a cupp of cold vvater And againe such is the nature of holy loue and true charitie that by imparting it increaseth AFFECTION and RESOL. O God how good thou art who while we haue nothing but by thy free gift enables vs by the good vse of what thou hast formely giuen to increase holy loue and therby draw a number of new blissings vpon vs. Ther is nothing lesse then a cupp of cold water nothing greater then loue and yet euen by that this is increased III. POINT Consider further with your holy father that it is not onely by your purse power or by the gift of a cupp of cold water that charitie is increased but euen by a good looke a good wishe a myld answere Despise no suppliant if thou beest able to giue giue If not shew thy affabilitie God crownes our good wishes where he finds no wealth Let none therfore say I had not wherwithall charitie comes not out of our coffers onely He who hath a hart full of charitie neuer wants what to giue AFFECTION and RESOL. O deare God how exceeding easie thou hast made this Queene of vertues which is indeed alone better then all the rest together Let vs neuer be so wanting to our selues as to send any away without an Almes since a good word a looke a wishe is able to doe it and by so doing our loue is increased and our title to the Kingdome of heauen inlarged THE XVII MEDITAT THE EXCELLENCIES of Charitie I. POINT COnsider with him that there is nothing better more pretious more profitable more lightsome more stronge more secure then charitie AFFECTION and RESOL. What is it we looke for or whether is it that with paynes we run to seeke it Nothing can possibly be found better then the best nor more pretious then what is most pretious c. and all that we may possesse in charitie alone Nothing can better enlighten our blindnes strengthen our weaknes or secure vs against the manifold dangers of this malignant world II. POINT Consider that Charitie possesseth vs of the presence and sight of God so that we need not run out into the streetes to looke whom our hart loueth since the eyes of Faith discouers alreadie in our owne hart whom we loue Why doe we send him who hath charitie a farr of to see God Let him obserue his owne conscience and there he sees God for if Charitie inhabites there there also inhabits God Would we happily see him in heauen Le ts haue charitie and he is in our hart as in Heauen AFFECTION and RESOL. O the blisse and glorie and Maiestie of a louing hart O humane hart not so much now
aboue He below by the compassion of Charitie we aboue by the hope of Charitie AFFECTION and RESOLV Had we Christians yet reason to doubt with Salomon vvhether God did dvvell amongst men we might also fall into that deficiencie of Truth that he vvalkes about the Poles of Heauen and considers not our things but being assured by Faith that he left heauen to take vp his delights amongst the sons of men we cannot feare but he is full of goodnes for vs through that goodnes loues vs and for that loues-sake would haue vs to loue him againe and to be confident in him I will therfore with the holy Patriarche hope euen against hope and with the good Iob hope in him Though he should kill me because sure I am what euer sense may seeme to suggest he doth not loue and forsake II. POINT Consider that his seconde motiue was not that he conuersed with vs onely but euen became one of vs. What hath man to doe for whom God became man taking our humane nature vpon him This is my whole Hope and entire confidence for by this sacred vnion euery one of vs hath a part or portion in Iesus Christ to witt flesh and bloode AFFECTIONS and RESOL. Let vs then say with your holy Father where a part of me raignes their will I apprehend I raigne where my flesh is glorified their I know I am glorious Though I am a sinner I cannot be diffident in this communion of graces for what my sinns prohibite my substance exacts He cannot forgett man which he beares about with him and for our loue tooke vpon him In him we haue alreadie ascended the heauens in him we are sett at the right hand of his heauenly father O comfortable and admirable and ineffable motiue of mans hope and confidence in so sweete à Sauiour II. POINT Consider that his third moriue of hope was not so much that he conuersed among vs or was one of vs as that he daigned to dye for our Loue. Be confident thou shalt attayne to his life of glorie vvho hast his death for a pledge of it AFFECTION and RESOL. Let then the Diuell rage the flesh reuoult the world waxe madd against me Let me heare nothing from them but vvhere is novv thy God as though I were quite forsaken by him yet wil I liue and dye in this confidence that since he delightes to be vvith the sonnes of man he cannot delight to abandonne him to the rage of his enemye any further then he discouers it for his aduantage That since for the loue of man he became man he loues not man so litle as to loose him That finally since he dyed for him while he was yet an enemye he will not now sith he endeuours to be a seruant and a friend leaue him a praye to his enemye In hac spe dormiam requiescam THE XIV MEDITAT Hovv he behaued him selfe in Charitie shevving first that vvithout Charitie all serues for nothing I. POINT COnsider that though Faith shew vs the good things which nether eye hath seene nor eare hath heard c. and Hope giues vs a comfortable confidence that we shall attayne vnto them yet shall we neuer walke home indeede vnlesse Charitie giue vs feete Thy Charitie is thy feete with that thou art carried where so euer thou art carried Thy two feete are the two precepts of the loue of God and thy neighbour Run to God with these feete draw close to him for he himselfe exhorts thee to run and to that end enlightened thee with Faith incourraged thee by Hope c. AFF. and RESOL. I playnely see what euer Faith shewes me and Hope assures me of it is loue alone can make me happie Without that like the sicke man of the passie I lye vncomfortably vnprofitably I aduance not at all vnlesse thy loue make me walke I stirre not Grant me therfore to loue thee as much as I desire and as much as I ought Let me be wholy inflamed with the fire of thy Charitie that I may loue thee with all my hart yea with the verie marrow of my hart strings that thou maist alwayes and in all places be in my hart in my mouth and before my eyes till at length I may see thee for euer face to face in thy heauenly Sion II. POINT Consider that without true Charitie all our workes are of no value seeme they neuer so specious in the eye of the world Charitie makes the distinctiō betwixt the sons of God and the sons of the Diuell Let them signe themselues with the signe of the Crosse Let them all answere Amen Let them all singe Alleluya Let them all be baptised Let them all enter into the Church and build vp the walls of the Church by Charitie onely are the sons of God discerned from the sons of the Diuell AFFECTION and RESOL. Let vs not deceaue our selues with the faire out-sides of things All that is without loue is without life Whether we beleeue or we hope what the Catholike Church beleeueth and hopeth and liue within the walls of the same Church and with ioy say Amen to all that is said to it Whether we watch or fast or preach or pray it will not all auayle vs to eternall life vnlesse all be both commanded and ordered by charitie Without this one necessarie thing all the rest are lost Diligam te Domine fortitudo mea refugium meum liberator meus c. III. POINT Consider that as hauing Faith and Hope together with all the specious vvorkes imaginable without Charitie wee haue nothing so hauing Charitie we want nothing Where Charitie is what can be wanting saith he and where it is not what can profit vs The Diuell beleeues and yet loues not but none loues but he beleeues One who loues not may though without effect hope for pardon but none that loues can despaire where loue is therefor Faith and Hope also necessarily are Let vs then keepe this precept of our Lord and let vs but loue one another and we shall not fayle to performe what euer he commands besids For in this we haue what euer other thing there is AFF. and RESOL. O God how true it was that Salomon said when he professed that together with wisdome all good things came vnto him for what is wisdome but a sauourie knowledge a true relish of heauenly things which is noe other thing then Charitie This makes vs beleeue as we ought hope as we ought worke as we ought This is one and all vpon the purchace of which if a man imploye all his substance he shall repute it all as nothing at all Vpon this then will I settle my whole intention vpon this spend all my meditation and thoughts c. THE XV. MEDITAT VVHAT CHARITIE IS I. POINT COnsider what Charitie is and you will receaue from Saint Augustine that it is a loue of the cheife Good or Charitie is a vertue wherby we desire to see God and
other wise but they haue left vs our body is throwne into the earth our poore soule is left alone to be iudged Ah how much better were it saieth S. Augustine to chuse him for our freind aboue all our freinds vvho vvhen all forsake vs vvill be sure to make good his trust at the day of our death vvho vvhen all departe from vs vvill not leaue vs but vvill defend vs conduct vs by a countrie vvhere vve haue yet noe acquaintance Thou art my Iesu noe other be thou therefore my choyce in tyme in eternity THE II. POINTE. Cōsider in what a dauntinge anxiety dreadfull expectation the poore soule must needs be findinge herselfe all alone to be sentenced by a Iudge who is all knowinge all things lyinge open naked before his Eyes All powerfull for who resists his will all holy souerainly hates Sinne. Iustice it selfe which can neither be corrupted by bribes nor moued by prayes And to behold this knovvledge this povver this sanctitie this iustice armed with implacable vvroth and inflexable zeale against the sinner AFFECTION and RESOL. Alas and woe my soule whither shall we run for shelter To his mercy but her tyme is past she leaues the place to iustice To his sanctitie But our sinnes are quite opposite to the holynesse of that thrice Holy To his Iustice But alas our iniquitie stopps our mouthes Shall we call vpon the mountaines and rockes to hide vs But his power is a hammer bruising the rockes in sunder his knowledge penetrates the mountaines and his zeale and furie spares none Such certainly my soule and infinitly more dreadfull then we can imagine it will that dismale day be found Howbeit we are yet in a tyme of mercye we can yet safely flye from Christ to Christ from his iustice to his mercye from his power to his impotencie in his cradle c. From the zeale and wroth of Maiestie to the sweetnesse and myldnesse of the Lambe who comes to take away the sinnes of the world Finally we haue yet the meanes to hide our selues in the holes of the the saueing rocke and to saue our selues THE II. MEDITATION FOR THE SAME DAY Of Hell THE FIRST POINTE. COnsider that as mercy iustice are equall in God or euen God himselfe soe by the law of contraryes they will be followed with equall effects If God out of his mercy then haue possessed the blessed of the collection of all good thinges vnder his heauenly raigne which is beatitude he will throw the accursed into the possession of a collection of all euill vnder the tyranie of the Diuell which is damnation Let vs therefore imagine all that we are able of horrour of hope turned vnto dispaire of the loue of God and all we euer had deare into hatred detestation let vs add wormes which neuer dye weepinge wailing gnashinge of teeth brimstone and flouds of fire yet we must conclude that it is not that which the damned suffer which will indeede bee that which neither eye hath seene nor eare hath heard nor hath entered into the hart of man AFFECTION RESOLVT Ayme my soule into what a vast sea of misery disaster dispaire doth sinne cast downe poore man we imagine all that euer we can of terrour of horrour torment of im̄ortall wormes fire brimstone yet we fall short We adde the collection of all euills yet we cannot reach to it What is it alas what is it that lulles vs asleepe makes vs senselesse of things soe sensible O that we could descend into Hell aliue consider who amongst vs were able to liue in the midest of deuouringe flames And yet into such is the sinner throwne by the doome of eternall Truth Goe you accursed into eternall fire THE II. POINTE. Consider yet more particularly that as the accursed had misused all that God had giuen them for his seruice to offend him as body soule senses soe shall they all meete with theire seuerall tortures The body soule become fewell for deuouringe flames All the senses are replenished with obiects of horrour the eys are full of dreedfull gastly Ghosts the ears of howlinges roareings execrable maledictions blasphemies the smell of the stinckinge odours issuinge from the bodyes of the damned the taste is glutted with what can be imagined most bitter abbominably loathsome Finaly the sense of touchinge meets with nothinge but flouds of tormentinge flames AFFECTION RESOLVT O horrour consternation despaire O lamentation of lamentations woe woe woe woe to the corruptible body which waighed downe the poore soule woe to the soule that quickened that fleshly lumpe gaue way to its badd inclinations Woe to the eys eares which lay open to vanities franticke madnesse conueyed poyson into the harte Woe to all the rest of the senses members which conspired to the seducinge of the soule to bringe it themselues to lye tormented in this flame THE II. POINT Consider that if the miserable state of the damned be most vnhappie by the continuall presence of the whole collection of all euill What an infinite addition is made to it by the priuation of all good and that for an eternitie To be for an Eternitie separated from all the blessed were they neuer soe deare vnto vs while they liued with vs for an eternitie to be depriued of the peerelesse beautie of the Queene of Heauen the societie of all the Quires of Angells For an eternitie to be exiled from the glorious face of God which is man Angells essential beatitude to detest curse blaspheame it for euer Neuor to haue one moment of ease consolation or rest or euen the least hope of any for all eternitie AFFECTION and RESOL. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 O God of mercy now turned the Lord of reuenge what hart hath assurance ennough not to endure but euen to beholde this calamitous condition of the damned ouerwhelmed with all sortes of torments remoued from all hopes or euen desires of comfort not for some millions of millions of yeares but for an eternitie O eternitie eternitie how longe thou art Noe number of yeares are able to expresse thee the sands of the sea cannot equalise thee after all thou still remainest what thou art Eternitie Ah my soule let vs vse a timely preuention not make our selues away to eternall ' torments for light short delightes such or such c. nor yet for the auoydinge of such or such smale crosses afflictions or temporall losses Let vs couragiously plucke out the Eye and cutt of the hand which scandalises hazards our eternall losse conclude with holy S. Augustine Let me here be burnt let me here be cutt in peeces soe that I may not perish eternally
buildinge but onely the materialls or ruines therof vpon which passers by looke with derision and say this man began to build but could not finish the same AFFECTION RESOLVT It is the end my soule that euery wise man acts for without which his worke is imperfect nor can he repose Pouertie indeede seemes more then humane Pure nature knowes noe such production Virginitie is truly Angelicall and diuine and is a fruite which is onely found in the bosome of the Catholike Church None but a virgine mother brings out virgines Obedience directs all secures all confirmes all and makes a fitt tabernacle for God in the harte of man by banishing thence selfe iudgement and selfe will But heauenly charitie as a glorious mother farr outstrips them all giues them all their begining increase and perfection For why indeede my soule did we first enterprise this holy worke but because we loue What could be able to robbe vs of all we haue but loue What did wowe vs to virginall chastitie but the loue of a virgine spouse What could moue men to depriue them selues of beloued libertie and to liue at the dispose of anothers will but the loue of him alone who chused rather to dye thē not to accomplish the will of his heauenly Father Loue then saith your holy Father and doe vvhat thou vvilt THE II. POINTE. That vvithout charitie nothing is done to secure our happie eternitie Consider that if humilitie put the foundation of your spirituall Towre it was by charities guidance and order for as humilitie goes not without charitie so charitie neuer leaues humilitie If pouertie raysed the walls it was with the treasure wherwith charitie furnished her If chastitie adorned it within it was with the pure burning gold which she had of charitie Finally if obedience confirmed and secured the whole worke it was by the force she receiued of charitie vvhich is as stronge as death In a word all is from charitie and all is for charitie AFFECTION RESOLVT He S. Paule knewe this truth my soule as certainly as he affirmes it vndauntedly to wit that not onely the foresaid vertues profit vs nothinge without charitie but euen that tho vve should haue all faith so that vve could remoue mountaines though vve should distribute all our goods to be meate for the poore finally though vve should deliuer our bodies to burne and yet vvant charitie it profits vs nothing Charitie saith holy S. Augustine is that which discernes the sonns of God from the sonns of the Diuell Charitie is that one necessarie thinge which alone sufficeth Charitie in a word is that Euangelicall gemme for which if a man should giue all his substance he shall repute it as nothing Come thē ô come then ô thou holy spirit Deus Charitas and replenish the hartes of thy faithfull and inflame them vvith the fire of thy loue THE FIRST MEDITAT FOR THE 7. DAY That all the vertues are loue THE FIRST POINTE. COnsider that so true it is that nothing is done without charitie that your holy Father makes noe difficultie to teach you that vvithout charitie the rest of the vertues are not indeede reputed vertues nay further that the rest of the vertues are but indeede loue and charitie so or so qualified For what is humilitie but charitie stooping and reputing her selfe nothing What is pouertie but charitie contemning all and stripping herself of all What is chastitie but loue preseruing corruptible man from corruption of bodie and mynde What finally obedience but loue freely and reasonably sacrifycing vp the will of man and making it supple and inclinable to euerie creature AFFECTION and RESOL. Charitie then my soule is that transcendant heauenly vertue without which there is noe true vertue at all It is she which gouernes as Queene giues life vigour and worth to all the other vertues He who loueth not remaynes in death It is she who perfumes them all with the odour and sweeenesse of holy loue since we doe not meerely imbrace them because they are vertues but rather in qualitie of thinges that are desired imbraced and beloued by God To discouer à man truly vertuous we vse not to inquire what he beleeues or what he hopes for but what he loues If earth h'es earthly if Heauen he 's heauenly if God he 's Godlike for as such they become all desirable louing and louelie Let me loue thee then ô Lord let me loue thee and loue all other thinges which I loue and practise for thee and in thee that my beloued may be myne and I wholie his THE II. POINTE. That vve ought incessantly to desire and breath after charitie Consider that if as we haue seene Charitie be all in all our thoughtes ought to be sett vpon the continuall desire of it For what oughr we or doe we indeede desire but what euery one proposeth to himselfe for his end and the end of the lavve is loue What ought any Christiā to desire but the accomplishment of the lawe of God and the fulnesse of the lavve is charitie Nor fares it in those heauenly desires as in vaine worldly wishes a million of them puts not one pennie into our purses Wheras by the verie desire of the loue of God we begin to loue God indeed and still the more we desire it the more we loue Yea when this desire waxes stronge and hartie the desire is turned into fire and inflames the couering harte He that desires God vvith his vvhole harte has alreadie him vvhom he loues saith S. Gregorie And S. Augustine a holy desire is the vvhole life of a good Christian AFFECTION and RESOL. But alas my poore soule tho we clearely discerne this desire to be most iust aduantagious and most worthy of a christiā harte yet we somtymes perceiue our selues not to be so happie as euen to haue this desire Let vs then at least say with the Prophete my soule hath desired earnestly to desire thy iustifications at all tymes Let vs not fayle to haue this desire of desiring continually in our harte saying with S. Au. Giue me thy selfe restore me thy selfe for vvhat is not thy verie selfe is verie nothing to me and it will happen with vs as it did with the holie Prophete that in these holy thoughtes and desirs fire will flashe out and so throughly in flame our soule that as the stagge thirsteth after the fountaines of fresh water so shall we vehementlie couet and thirst after our good God that drainlesse fountaine of liuing water which flowes into life euerlastnig THE II. MEDITATION Of vvhom vve are to learne Charitie tovvards one another THE FIRST POINTE. COnsider that we ought to learne this most important lesson this one necessarie thinge of him who doth as well teach it as giue it our Sauiour Iesus who brought downe this sacred fire into earth and his vvill vvas it should burne the hartes of men And indeede neuer did he seeme so peculiarly to make himselfe the Master of any thinge as