this sacred fare we ouercome all difficulties which either the deuill or the worlde or our owne flesh doe laye in our waâ—e By this wine the Apostles disciples and martyrs of the primitiue Church being spirituallie drunke encouraged and inflamed could not be daunted with all the instruments of crueltie with all the torments and deathâ— which the Tyrants could deuise but were readie to suffer all torments for hâ—m who suffered for them yea to giue their liues for him who offered his for them on the Crosse in the B. Sacrament gaue his body and bloud to them O my soule say vnto this thy bountifull oste and howsekeeper as Dauid saied Quid retribuam Domino pro omnibus que retribuit mihi what shall I giue to God to this my Iesus God and man for all things which he hath giuen to me I am lesse then the least of them what then shall I render thee for this benefite of the B. Sacrament in which thou so often giâ—est thyselfe thy bodie bloud and soule and diuinitie I can not giue thee enough for the least â—rumme of this liuing bread of thy sacred body for the least drop of this sacred wine of thy sacred bloud though I should giue all I ame and haue though what I ame were as perfect as the most perfect Angell and though what I haue were asmuch as Heauen and Earth O Lord be contente that I confesse myselfe to be ouercome by thee a thousand times in curtesies and fauours be content that I giue thee my All for I know thou art noe litle contented when we giue our All be it neuer so litle THE FIFTH MEDITATION How Christ hath shewed himselfe in this B. Sacrament a Father and more them a Father vnto vs. GOd Almightie is our Father by Creation by which he giueth vs our naturall being which is a participation of his diuineÌ„ substance Phil. lide decal Magister Confor lib. 1. con 12. and by the same Creation he is a Common Father to all Creatures especiallie man and they are as Philosaith in respect of God who created them bretheren amongst themselues and children of one Father for which cause the deuout Saint Francis called them his brethren and Sisters Yet there is in this a difference betwix man and other creatures because man is not only a participation of God his substance as other creatures are but is allso an Image of God in regarde of his intellectual nature and his vnderstanding will and memorie by which he representeth God and resembleth him as the Sonne doth the Father And therefor God when he was to create man he said not onlie be man made as he saied be light made Gen. 1. Be a Firmament made be there lights made but he said let vs make man to our Image and likenes And so God euen by creation is in a more perfect manner a Father of man and man is in a more perfect manner his Sonne resembling him as the child doth the Father Secondlie God is Mans Father and in a more perfect eminent manner by sanctifieng grace by which man reccaueth from God a supernaturall being and as S. Peeter saith 2. Pet 1. is Consors diuinae naturae partaker of the diuine nature by which he is the adopted childe of God he is his adoptiue Father Rom. 5. VVe were borne of our natural Parents dead spirituallie in soule by originall sinne but we are regenereted and borne againe spirituallie to a supernaturall life by the Grace which we receaue in and by Baptisme Ion. 3. Ion. 3.4 5. Ion. 1. Rom. 8. Gal. 3. 4. by which God is our Father the grace of Baptisme is our regeneration and second natiuitie by which we are said to be borne to God and to be his children he our Father But although this be true yet by and in the B. Sacrament of the Altar Christe the Sonne of God God and Man sheweth himselfe a perfect Father and more then a Father A man is said to be Father of his Sonne because he imparteth vnto him his owne nature flesh and bloud not the same indiuiduall but another of the same Kinde But our B. Sauiour in this Holie Sacrament imparteth vnto vs his owne nature substance flesh and bloud of which he himselfe consisteth And so if the Sonne be called flesh of his Fathers flesh bloud of his bloud though he reccaue not from him the same flesh and bloud which he hath but other flesh and bloud of the same Kinde much more may Christians by receauing this Blessed Sacrament be called flesh of Christ his flesh and bloud of his bloud they receauing the selfe same flesh and bloud of which he consisteth And so not onlie by Baptisme but also by this B. Sacrament Christ is our Father and more substantiallie by this SacrameÌ„t then by that because by that we receaue onlie grace which is onlie a supernatural accidental participatioÌ„ of God by this we receaue reallie Christs owne body and bloud yea soule and diuinitie and by his and our burning loue meeting together our substancies are as S. Cyrill of Alexandria saith as it were melted and vnited as waxe is to waxe Lib. 4. in Ioan. ca. 17. Chris lib. 61. ad Pop. Antioc VVe are as S. Chrysostome saith vnum corpus membra ex carne cius ex ossibus eius one body and members of his flesh and of his bones we are not only by charitie but reipsa in verie deed mingled with his flesh for he semetipsum nobis immiscuis corpus suum in nos contemperauit vt vnum quid efficiamur tanquam corpus capiti coaptatum ardenter enim amantium hoc est he hath mingled himselfe to vs and hath contempered his bodie into vs that we may be one thing and as one body linked to the head for this is the propertie of those that loue ardentlie O my soule how gratefull shouldst thou be to such a Father who hath bestowed on thee his owne substance in so admirable a manner how shoulds thou scorne this worlde and all it can afforde how shoulds thou disdaine to be aslaue to the world flesh and deuill thou being so noblie descended of so noble a Father as is Christe Iesus God and man King of heauen and Earth Diuers heathen Emperours imagined themselues to be born of the Gods and this imagination made them to disdaine all basenes Doe not thou then ô my soule debase thy selfe do not degenerate from this dignitie to thy former vilitie and basenes of life who art made partaker of Christes body and bloud and nourished therewith Lette sinners whoe thinke of noe other heauen then earth nor of any other pleasure or delight but carnall content themselues with their hoggish fare of wordlie trashe and carnall pleasures do thou take thy onlie delight in feeding of this Manna which hath all delight in eating of this bread of life which bringeth eternall life with it and in drinking of this wine
consideration of it stirring vp loue towards God for such a benefit by which we are vnited vnto him although indeed in euerie one of these my treatises I shew all the aforesayd three wayes But because Christ instituted this B. Sacrament before his Passion and was immolated mysticallie before he was sacrificed on the Crosse reallie I first present thee Gentle Reader with my Meditations on the B. Sacraments and after them I will make thee partaker of those of the Passion which shall follow these former God graunt that both thou and I in them may find out and follow the aforesayd three wayes to perfection that wee may attaine to the perfection of vertue and grace in this life and soe to the perfection of glorie which is our last and greatest perfection in the next THE FIRST MEDITATION VVhat loue Christe shewed at his last supper THE Sonne of God Christe Iesus God man in the whole decourse of his life neuer ceased to giue vs signes and tokens of his loue towards mankind For besides that he was incarnat became man onlie for man not for Angells he was borne for man in tyme of a Virgin-Mother without a Father who was borne of his Father of the wombe of his diuine substance without a Mother from all eternitie Psal 2. 109. and he who feedeth all liuing creatures was fedd and nourished by the same Virgin Mother Psal 135. was swadled by her in poore clowts who was inuested with his Fathers glorie was rocked by her a sleepe whose diuine eyes are euer open was circumcised woare the badge of a sinner who could not sinne fasted praied preached and all for the loue of man hee neuer breathed neuer walked neuer talked neuer wrought miracles or other good workes but for mans example redemption But as S. Ep. Io 3. Iohn testifieth and his testimonie is true vnto the end and in the end of his life Ioan. 13. he loued vs and gaue the greatest signes of loue that euer he gaue Loue is shewed in twoe thinges especiallie to wit in giuing and suffering For if you present one with some rich diamant or other pretious thing you shall thereby shewe your great loue vnto him loue shewing it self by guifts as fire doth by sparcles and if you giue him nothing yet do suffer much for him ether in your goods or bodie you do no lesse shewe your loue to him yea somuch the more by how much it is harder to suffer then to giue Our Blessed Sauiour the true louer of maÌ„ kind at his last supper which was the twye-light of his daâ—e and the euening of his life gaue vnto man the greatest guift which heauen and earth could shewe and which was more worth then a thowsand heauens and earthes to wit his sacred bodie bloud and euen himself God and man in the Blessed Sacrament And although he then suffered not death reallie for vs yet he did soone after and euen then in that in the Blessed Sacrament he represented his bodie onlie vnder the shapes of bread and his blood onlie vnder the formes of wine and so apart he was immolated and sacrificed for vs mysticallie and dyed for vs in representation before he died in veritie and soe as some Saints to shew their desire to dye and to prepare themselues the better to death haue put on a winding sheete or haue entred into their Tombe or monument before their death Soe Christ Iesus in the Blessed Sacrament and at his last supper to shew the great desire he had to dye reallie for vs did as it were put on the winding sheete of the shapes of bread and wine and wrapped himself in them and so died in figure and mysterie for vs before he died in veritie and by this figuratiue and mysticall death prepared himself to a reall death which soone after that is the next daie he suffered for vs and soe in the end of his life he shewed his great loue vnto vs both by giuing and suffering But as he first shewed his loue by giuing himself in the Blessed Sacrament and by immolating himself in it mysticallie onlie and in representation so let vs first imploy our best thoughtes and meditations vpon the Blessed Sacrament and Christ his last supper in which for a louing farewell he bestowed vpon his disciples the most precious banquet that euer was seene on earth consisting of no lesse then his sacred body bloud seasoned and sauced with the diuinitie it selfe And heere after in an other litle treatise we shal contemplate what he suffered for vs in his sacred Passion This Sonne of God and louer of mankind shewed great loue vnto vs in that by Incarnation and hypostaticall personall vnion of our nature with his diuine person he bestowed his diuine nature on it therfore S. Ioan. 3. Iohn expresseth this his loue with a Sic or soe saying So God loued the world that he gaue his onlie begotten Sonne and yet thus he bestowed not his diuine person on euerie one in particular but onlie on that nature particularlie which he tooke of the Virgin-Mothers wombe by it on mankind in generall But in the Blessed Sacrament hee imparteth himself to euerie one of vs in particular by communion by which he giueth vs his bodie bloud soule and diuinitie and so at the end of his life Ioan. 13. and at his last supper he especiallie loued vs. O my soule seing that thy God and louing spouse Christ Iesus hath giuen himself soule body bloud and diuinitie vnto thee what shouldst thou seeke for any other thing why shouldst thou loue any other thing then him or for him He is thine in this Blessed Sacrament thy possession thy inheritance and richesse Psal 143. O thou thrice happie and infinitlie rich cuius Dominus Deus tuus whose God is thy Lord O my soule thy spouse seemeth to content himself with thee content thy self with him If he can not content thee in whom be all the treasures of wisedome and knowledge Col. 2. in whom is all perfection beautie and goodnes nothing will content thee Noe say vnto him Quid mihi est in coelo Psal 72. a te quid volui super terram what is to me in heauen and besides thee what would I vpon the earth my heart is so ample capable that as it can not so neither desireth it to be enriched but by tuee If I haue thee as in the B. Sacrament I haue I ame rich enough and without thee I ame poore and miserable though I had all but thee If I haue thee I haue all and if I haue not thee though I had all else which is in heauen and earth I esteeme myself to haue nothing Thou o my Lord art my parte my All let me desire nothing but thee Psal 75. let me loue nothing but thee or for thee and as thow hast loued me all thy life time but especiallie at the end
Io. 13. and period of thy life in bestowing this B. Sacrament on me so giue me the grace by which I may loue thee all the time of my life and especiallie at the end of it that then especiallie I may quite withdraw my loue from the world and all it can afford and then giue it onlie to thee who at the end of thy life in this B. Sacrament hast so kindlie loued me that I may dye louing thee and so ceasing to liue may neuer cease to loue because although faith Hope dye with vs saiths obscuritie yeelding to the light of glorie and Hope not consisting with the possession of that we hoped for yet Charitie neuer falleth away 1 Cor. 12. or fayleth and therefore if I die with it I shall liue with it eternallie THE II. MEDITATION VVhat Charitie and humilitie Christe shewed before he satte down to his last supper OVR B. Sauiour hauing eaten with his disciples the Paschall lambe and vsed allso the ceremonies prescribed for the eating of it so to shew himselfe an obedient obseruer and ful filler of the old lawe he riseth from that Typicall Feast of the Paschall Lambe murteth them to the eating of the true lambe of God to witt himselfe who taketh a way the sinnes of the world Io. 1◠who was the veritie of that figure a feast as farre surpassing that feast of the iewes as the veritie excelleth the figure the bodie the shadowe And before he sitteth downe to this Heauenlie Feast behold what preparation he maketh what ceremonies he vseth to shew his disciples with what reuerence and humilitie with what loue and charitie they and all Christians should approch vnto this feast Thus S. Iohn describeth it And when supper was done c. Io. 13. he riseth frō supper to witt of the Paschal Lambe and laieth aside his garments and hauing taken a Towell girded himselfe after that he putt water into a bason and begane to wash the feete of the disciples and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded He laied aside his vpper garment that he may with more conuenience wash his disciples feete as allso to signifie that in this humble act he laieth aside in outward apparance his vestments of glorie to wit the maiestie splendour and light of his diuinitie and guirdeth himself with a towell to signifie that he inuested himself in the towel of our humaine nature that by it he might wipe aware al the filth and ordure of our sinnes and thus prepared he kneeleth downe to wash his disciples feete Behold o my soule a rare example of humilitie and if thow consider it well thou caust not but stand amazed at it Behold God kneeling at his creatures feete washing wiping them Behold what preparation to this sacred Feaste he maketh what a ceremonie he vseth to shew to his disciples with what reuerence and humilitie with what loue and charitie with what puritie they and all christians should approach to this dread Sacrifice to this Holy Sacrament which then he was to institute to distribute vnto them and to offer to his father for them O sweete Iesus how dost thou humiliate and euen debase thy selfe to controle our pride and to set vs an example of humilitie euer to be vsed and especiallie when we come to this holy Sacrament and dread Sacrifice Abraham washed the feete of three Pilgrims Gen. 18. or at least fetched water for them to wash whom after he found to be Angels but they were but Angels and he but a Patriarch Christe is the God of Patriarchs whom Abraham serued he washed not Angels feete but poore fishermens feete whose Lord Master whose God and Creatour he was Luc. 7. Marie Magdalen washed Christs feete with her teares and wiped them with her haires but Christ was her God and she a sinner who had offended and so there was more humilitie in Christ in permitting her to wash and wipe his feete then in her in washing and wiping them But thou O Sauiour of the world God and man washedst the feete of thy creatures and euen of fishermen which are commonlie fowle euen of Iudas who had betraied thee Math. 26. and euen then had sold thee to the Iewes But O Peeter for to thee he offereth first this seruice wilt thou permit thy so louing master thy God and Creatour to wash thy feete wilt thou accept this honour to be done to thee with so much dishonour redounding vnto him No saith he Io. 13. thou shalt not wash my feete for euer yet Christe threatneth Peeter that vnles he wash him he shall haue noe parte with him Heere Peeter was troubled with cōtrarie repugnāt thoughts To permitte Christ to wash his feete was much repugnant to the humble conceit he made of himself and to the high esteeme he had of Christ not to permite him was now after a commandement disobedience and after a threatning was losse of the heauenlie glorie for which he had left all and of which he had seene a glimse in the Transfiguration of his master I ame loath saith Peeter to himself to suffer my Lord God so to debase himself as to wash my feete I ame loath allso to disobey him who hath soueraigne authoritie but rather then I will be disobedient to such a Lord and master or loose my parte with him that is the blisse of heauen for which I haue left my nettes and hooks and al I hadd wash O Lord saith he since thou wilt haue it so not onlie my feete but my hands allso and head A contemplatiue soule will heere take delight to behold the holie contention betuixt the masters the seruants humilitie But the humilitie of the Master as being the greater in the ende ouercommeth and so the master and God man kneeling at Peeters feete washeth them and wipeth them peraduentur kisseth them And hauing done this humble office to Peeter he doth the same to the rest of the disciples euen to the traitour Iudas O yee Angels who serue this your God and attend and waite on him in Heauen with all reuerence behold your Lord and God Esa 4◠Philip. 2. to whom euerie knee of the celestials terrestrials and Infernals boweth kneeling at the feete of fishermen girded with a towel washing and wiping their fowle feete o humilitie and washing wiping Iudas his feete who had traiterouslie sold him for thirtie pence o Charitie O yee heauenlie Spirits you descended at this your Masters natiuitie admiring to see the Sonne of glorie borne in a stable layed in a manger but then he was worshipped by the shepheardes then great troups of you did sing your Christmas Carolle of Gloria in Altissimis Deo Luc. 2. glorie in the highest to God and then an vnwonted starre shined at this solemnitie and soone after that three Kings came frō the East to adore him present him on theire knees with kinglie guifts but if you descende
in the Church of Christ there is rosen and all manner of salues and remedies against all our spirituall wounds diseases And in this Church there is a head Physitian Christ Iesus and thousands of vnder-Physitians euen as many as there are lawfull Priests who can absolue from sinnes and minister Sacraments and preach the word of God and thereby remitte all sinnes and cure all our spirituall diseases Physitians do companie more with the sicke then the whole they are much in hospitalls by sicke infirme persons with theÌ„ they deuise about their sicknes them they seeke to comfort And thou ô heauenlie Physitian leauing thy Fathers Pallace descendedst into the Hospitall of this world where are as many Lazars sicke and infirme persons as there are sinners and with them whilest thou liuedst on earth was thy conuersation sometimes with scribes and Pharisies sometimes with Publicans sometimes with harlots and all thy talke and discourses parables and preachings miracles were practised amongest them and for them yea thou satest at table with Publicanes and sinners by that familiaritie gainedst them Math. 9. Mat. 2. and by thy wholsome exhortatioÌ„s curedst them of their sinnes And when the Scribes Pharisies found fault with this Luc. 5. thou answerdst them The whole haue no need of a Physitian but they that are ill at ease for I came not to call the lust but Sinners But especiallie ô my good God thou hast shewed thy self a most louing and mercifull Physitian in this B. Sacrament where thou giuest vs in a most admirable manner thy sacred bodie and bloud which are most soueraigne medecines against all spirituall diseases for as whilest thou liuedst a mortall life with vs in this world vertue went forth from thee and healed all of their corporall diseases Luc. 6. so in this B. Sacrament where thou art reallie vertue issueth from thy sacred body and bloud and healeth and cureth all spirituall diseases and whereas corporall medecines and potions do restore vs only to health of bodie and so conserue life for a time This medecine of thy flesh and bloud giueth life euerlasting both to soule and bodie and therefore thou thy selfe saist he that eateth my flesh and drinketh my bloud Io. 6. hath life euerlasting and I will raise him vp in the last daye and he giueth the reason hereof for my flesh saith he is meat indeed and my bloud is drinke indeed Other Physicians to cure diuerse diseases must prescribe diuers medecines and potions composed of diuers ingrediences but thou with one potion of thy sacred bloud which we drinck in this B. Sacrament curest all diseases Other Physitians will minister to their patients bitter potions but themselues will not drinck of them but thou at thy last supper dranckst a health to vs of thy bloud which was bitter to thee in thy passion when it was shed but pleasant to vs and so pleasant that it taketh away the bitternes from all the suffrances and aduersities which we endure as it appeareth in the Apostles and our martyrs who with â—oâ—e suffered for thee Act. 5. Other Physicians to cure their patiens of their ague will let them bloud yea and sometimes launce them and scarifie them but will not loose a drop of their owne bloud for them but thou ô louing Physician didest let thyselfe blood euen at the heart to cure our ague of sinne And this thy bloud thou giuest vnto vs in this Blessed Sacrament Other Physicians will prescribe to their patients abstinence and fasting for to diminish the heate of their ague by diminishing the humours which nourished it but will not fast themselues but thou fastedst fortie daies and forâ—ie nights for vs. Other Physitians will endeuour to take the ague and disease from the sicke person Math. 4. but will not take it to themselues to ridd him of it but thou hast taken our spirituall ague of sinne on thy selfe to free vs fâ—oÌ„ it according as thy Apostle S. Peeter testifieth sayeng 1. Pet. 2. who himself bare our sinnes in his bodie vpon the tree Not that thou tookst the mallice of sinne of which thy sacred humanitie was vncapable but that thou enduredst in thy bodie and on the Crosse the paine due to sinne in satisfâ—ing for it by thy death and bitter passion and by suffering the paine thou hast cured the ague and this thy passion is represented and applied by this Holy Sacrament O most charitable Physitian ô my soule what thankes shouldst thou giue to this thy Physitian for this B. Sacrament so soueraigne against all our spirituall diseases O with what disposition shouldest thou come to receaue this so wholesome Physicke which cureth all veniall sinnes yea mortall also if thou haue no knowledge nor conscieÌ„ce of theÌ„ O my soule when by this B. Sacrament thou art cured of thy spiritual diseases remember those words spoken by this thy Physitian to the lame man at the Probatica Piscina Ioan 5. I am sanus es noli amplius peccare now thou art made whole sinne no more now that thou art cured by such soueraigne Physicke do thou take heede of recidiuation and falling into sicknes again for that this thy ingratitude will be greater and thy sinne and sicknes more hardlie cured But do thou frequent often this B. Sacrament by deuout communion and receauing and then by it thou wilt be more and more nourished in grace foâ—tified against sinne then by vertue of this Spirituall food thou shalt one day come to sitte at table with the Angels and Saints and then thou shalt feede not of Christ his bodie and bloud as now thou doest in this B. Sacrament but of the diuinitie of God by cleare vision and fruition of him then thou shalt tast how sweet God is in his Godhead then thou shalt euer feede of the diuinitie yet neuer loath it then thou shalt alwaies drinke of that fountane of pleasure and yet be euer more and more desirous to drinke Then all blisse happines and pleasure shall euer fill thee and yet thou shall neuer be satisfied Augâ—trac 3. â—n Euang. Io. in fine yea to vse S. Austines words thou shalt euer be satisfied yet neuer satisfied for if I saye thou shalt not be satisfied hunger shall be there if I say that thou shalt be satisfied I feare loathing There shall nether be hunger nor loathing I know not what to saye THE TENTH MEDITATION How good a Shepheard and Pastour Christ hath shewed himselfe in this B. Sacrament ALthough ô my sweet Sauiour thou art not onlie man but also God yet thou stilest not thyself so willinglie by names taken from thy Godhead as Creatour of heauen and Earth Omnipotent Immense King of Kings 2. Reg. Lord of Lords God and Lord of hostes which are names of Maiestie terrour and by which thou wast most often called in the old law as by names taken from thy humain nature to wit Iesus and Sauiour Redeemer light of
MEDITATIONS AND DEVOVT DISCOVRSES VPON THE B. SACRAMENT COMPOSED BY Ch. M. Caro mea verè est cibus sanguis meus verè est potus My Flesh is meate indeed and my blood is drink indeed IOAN 6. Printed at DOWAY by L. KELLAM Anno 1639. TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE AND VERTVOVS LADIE THE LADIE CECILIE COVNTESSE AND DOWAGER OF THE LATE EARLE OF RVTLAND WRITERS of bookes most noble Ladie are spirituall parents and their bookes are their broods young-ones And therefore as carnall parents haue no sooner a child borne to the world but they looke about them for a secondarie Father or Mother whom they stile Godfather and Godmother by whose name the child may be graced and by whose authoritie it may be protected So writers of books are no sooner deliuered of these their young-ones the broods of their braines and fruitfull vnderstandings but they by and by thinke of a Patron or Patronesse to whom they may commend them whose examples because they are common I being not vnwilling to follow had no sooner finished this litle Pamphlet of meditations on the B. Sacrament my young Beniamin borne to me in my old age but I bethought myself to whose Patronage and tuition I might best commend it And my cogitation did presentlie light and hitt vpon your Honour who by your great nobilitie as being dowager to the Illustrious Earle of Rutland Sister to the Lord Nicholas Tufton can grace it by your credit by your credit as being of our prime nobilitie can protect it by your pietie will imbrace it by your manie noble fauours may challenge it Let others dedicate their Annales and Histories of warres and Martiall feates to Kings and Emperours I will presume to offer a booke of Pietie to a Ladie most noble and pious and yet so pious that her pietie graceth her nobilitie Your Honour since the death of your noble Husband the Illustrious Earle of Rutland hath imbraced the state of a widow the most noble state most pleasing to God after Virginitie in which you haue carried your self so like your self that you deserue Honour of all according to that of the Apostle Honour widowes which are widowes indeed You imitate by your retired life that famous widow Iudith who in the Higher partes of her house made herself a secret chamber in which she liued retiredlie with her maids seruing God by praier and fasting yea you follow the example of the widow and Prophetesse Anna whom the Euangelist commendeth for that she departed not from the Temple but by fasting and prayer serued God For although your Honour wanteth not goodlie Houses Parkes and Gardens wherein you may recreate your self yet to shew your self a widow indeed you haue made choise of your Oratorie for your Pallace and cheefe place of aboade and from thence you hardlie depart because there you cōuerse with God and he with you and when there you reade your Spirituall books he talketh with you and when you pray you talke with him And although you keepe an Honourable Table suting with your nobilitie yet the fare which most pleaseth you is Judithes and Annaes fare to wit fasting which is the foode of the Soule and the Physick of the bodie which so weakeneth the body as it strengthneth the soule And although your Honour wanteth neither lands nor liuings nor reuenewes which the world calleth Riches yet you esteeme Almesdeeds your greatest treasures as indeed they are For as Marchants when they haue laied out all their monies do then esteeme themselues richest because they expect greater and richer marchandises so your Honour is the richer by your Almesdeeds because by this laying out you purchase greater treasures in heauen So that although you be a widow in respect of your late most noble Husband yet you are no widow in respect of Christ to whom you are espoused not onelie by faith hope and charitie as all good christians are but in a more perfect manner by renouncing all marriage with man on Earth to marrie and vnite your self more neerlie to your Spouse God and man in Heauen Not thinking now to vse th' Apostles words on things that pertaine to the world as the married woeman doth how to please an husband but thinking on the things that pertaine to our lord how to please him And therefore he now is your spouse whō you loue aboue all on whom your loue is setled on whom your thoughts are fixed to whom all your actions are directed he is euer in your minde euer in your thought euer in your memorie and that time which other Ladies spend in adorning themselues so to please their Husbands you spend in adorning your soule by prayer meditation fasting Almes-deeds and other vertues so to please your Spouse Christ Iesus He therefore who hath espoused you to him in Earth by his grace espouse you also vnto him in heauen by his glorie and in the meane time heape many benedictions vpon you So desireth so prayeth YOVR HONOVRS Humble seruant CH. M. FAVLT'S ESCAPED IN THE PRINTINGE In the praeface to the Reader n. 11. Sacraments Cor. Sacrament Pag. 8. lin 16. tuee Cor. thee Pag. 15. li. 17. truobled Cor. troubled Pag. 20. lin 9. Ioseth Cor. Ioseph Pag. 21. lin vlt. tall Cor. tell Pag. 27. lin vlt. hed Cor. shed Pag. 45. lin 21. sayinst Cor. saying Pag. 53. in margine lib 61. Correct hom 61. Pag. 170. lin 6. 17. Manha Correct Manhu Pag. 189. lin 10 fare Cor. Farre The Contents of the MEDITATIONS THE FIRST MEDITATION What loue Christ shewed at his last supper THE SECOND MEDITATIONS What charitie and humilitie Christ shewed before he satte downe to his last supper THE THIRD MEDITATION How bountiful a Feast-maker and Host Christ shewed him self and how great a feast he exhibited to his disciples in the B. Sacrament THE FOVRTH MEDITATION How prouident a paterfamilias Good man of the Howse of our soule and the Church Christ is by this B Sacrament THE FIFTH MEDITATION How Christ shewed himselfe in this B. Sacrament a Father and more then a Father vnto vs. THE SIXT MEDITATION How Christ shewed himselfe in the B. Sacrament a Mother and more then a Mother THE SEAVENTH MEDITATION What a Freind Christ hath shewed himselfe in the B. Sacrament THE EIGHT MEDITATION How Christ hath shewed himselfe in this B. Sacrament a most louing spouse THE NINTH MEDITATION What a Physician Christ hath shewed himself in this B. Sacrament THE TENTH MEDITATION How good a shepheard and Pastour Christ hath shewed himselfe in this B. Sacrament THE II. MEDITATION With what feare and reuerence acknowledgment of vnworthines the deuout receiuer is to come to this B. Sacrament THE XII MEDITATION With what loue to our Sauiour Wee should receiue this B. Sacrament THE XIII MEDITATION To bee made immediatlie after communion How thankefull the Receiuer should bee THE XIV MEDITATION How the Communicant or Receiuer is enriched by this B. Sacrament and soe should little esteeme all worldlie losses
Iewes were Ioseph the Patriarch as we reade in Genesis whoe was as the Paterfamilias of Pharao his house yea and of all Egipt Gen. 43. and who in a dearth of seauen yeares prouided them of corne aboundantlie when his brethren resorted allso vnto him for corn he inuited them to a feast and gaue to euerie one of them his portion but to Beniamin his yongest brother he gaue a portion fiue times bigger then was the portion which he gaue to his elder brethren Euen soe our Ioseph Christ Iesus who furnished not Egipt with corne as Ioseph did but the whole Church of God with the sacred Euchariste Io. 6. which the Prophet calleth Zach. 9. frumentum electorum the wheate of the elect and wine spinging virgins gaue thereby to the Christinns the younger brother in regarde of time a portion of the B. Sacrament which is greater more precious not by fiue times onlie but by fiue thousand times then was the portion of Manna or the Paschall lambe or all those Sacrifices and Sacraments which he gaue to the Iewe the elder brother O liberall magnificent house-keeper whoe hast made so great and so Roiall prouision for thy familie the Church VVhen I consider the aboundance of corn grasse hearbes fruits which God hath prouided for the sustenance of all liuing creatures euen the litle sparowes and yong rauens I stand as a man amazed Isaie vnto myself out of what granarie or store howse or Barne commeth all this prouision But when I behold the aboundance of the wheate of the Elect Zach. 9.10.6 of the bread of life of which whoesoeuer eateth liueth for euer VVhich our B. Sauiour God and man hath prouided for vs in this B. Sacrament I cease to admire there can neuer cease to admire heere and I saie vnto my selfe Out of what granarie commeth this wheate of the Elect Zaca 8.10.6 out of what paÌ„terie cometh this bread of life which feedeth our soules and giueth them spirituall nourishment and life of grace of which we feede dailie and yet the bread is neuer consumed neuer diminished VVhen I consider the varietie of fountaines springes wells and riuers which our Blessed God hath prouided for men and beastes to drinke on I stande amazed and I saie to my selfe out of what brewhowse cometh all this drinke who is the Butler that continuallie draweth it 〈◊〉 but when I Behold the wine which springeth Virgins Zac. 9. which is drunk dailie by many thousands in this B. Sacrament I stand amazed heere and I cease to admire there and saie to my selfe out of what celler commeth this wine who draweth it who filleth it out And which maketh me more to admire I see many thousands doe drinke dailie of this wine and yet the Celler is neuer emptied the wine neuer diminished O bountifull and prouident howsekeeper sweete Iesus who prouidest such meate and drinke as neuer consumeth for I see that Sumit vnus sumunt mille Quantum isti tantum ille Nec sumptus consumitur One takes it and a thousand may As much as hee soe much doe they Nor is it consumed att all VVhen I call to minde ô Lord how once thow fedst in the desert the Israelits with Quailes and Manna from Heauen and ganest them water to drink out of a hard rock Excodi 16. 17. I ame astonished But when I consider with what an heauenlie Manna made not in the aire by the fingers of Angels as that Manna was but by the fingars of the Holy Ghost in the Heauen of the B. Virgins wombe thou feedest vs in the Blessed Sacrament during our aboade in the desert of this life wilt feed vs till we come to our land of promise I cease to wonder there and I onlie wonder heere VVhen I call to minde how thou Math. 14. o Blessed Sauiour the worker of all those former miracles didst feed with fiue barlie loaues two fishes fiue thousand men besides woemen and children ganest to euerie one his fille and yet after that all the guetsts had eaten asmuch as satisfied them the leauings and fragments filled twelue boskets and so was greater then the feast was at the beginning I wonder But when I consider how in this B. Sacrament thou ô Lord feedest with a farre lesser quantitie so many millious of Christians since thy last supper and shalt feede them to the ende of the world and yet the feast neuer diminisheth but is as great now as it was at the beginning I cease to wonder there and I stand alltogether amazed heere Behold my soule what a prouident and bountifull howsekeeper thy Lord Iesus is O the happines of Catholikes who haue such aboundance of bread and wine alwaies prepared for them and ô the miserie of the Hereticke who hauing Iâ—ac 15. like the Prodigall sonne left the Church his heauenlie fathers howse is fed onlie with the husks and chaffe of figures but hath not the solid corne to feede on Lett him returne to the Church his Fathers howse lett him returne againe crye with the Prodigall sonne How many of my Fathers hirelings haue aboundance of bread Luc. 15. and I heere perish for famin I will arise and goe to my Father and saie to him father I haue sinned against heauen and before thee I ame not worthie to be called thy sonne make me one of thy hirelings VVhich if the Hereticke doth God will admitte him to the heauenlie prouision in the B. Sacrament he will make him partaker Io 6. Zac. 9. of the bread of life and wine that springeth Virgins of which who eateth and drinketh shall neuer be hungrie or thirstie again This sacred bread which our Paterfamilias hath prepared for his howsehold was kned by the fingers of the Holy Ghost baked in the sacred ouen of the B. Virgins wombe not by the heate or fire of concupiscence but of the Holy Ghost drawne out of the ouen in Christ his natiuitie set at the table at Christes last supper and euerie daie vpon the Altar for the nourishement of our heauenlie fathers howsehold The wine which all of this howsehold do drinke is most pretious Psal 22. A chalice inebriating which inebriateth spirituallie and maketh vs sleepe to the world The vine from which this sacred wine originallie procedeth is Christe Iesus who called hiÌ„selfe a vine Io. 15. sayinst to his disciples I ame the vine you the branches which vine was planted in the vinyard of the B. Virgins wombe when God the sonne tooke flesh of her the grape of this vine was Christes bobie pressed on the crosse the wine was his sacred bloud giuen to the Apostles at the last supper before the pressing on the Crosse but is giuen in the B. Saerament to their successours aftet the pressing By the force which this bread of life giueth we walke with Helias 3. Reg. 19. not to the mount Horeb but to the mount of heauen and by
RoÌ„ 9. Hierm. 22. he loueth them heere by grace and in heauen and that eternallie by eternall glorie VVherefore O my sweet Sauiour thow who in this B. Sacrament hast shewed thyselfe a supernaturall and most perfect Father and Mother to all that receaue thee in it and euen to mee though otherwise a wretched sinner loue mee I beseech thee as thy child for parents do naturallie loue their children loue me perpetuallie heere by thy grace and in heauen by thy eternall glorie if thou shouldst vouchsafe so to loue me I care not though all the world should hate me for if thou by thy loue stand for me who can stand against me And because by this Holy SacrameÌ„t thou art my Father Mother giue me grace alwaies to loue thee also because children do naturallie loue their parents and graunt me grace to loue thee aboue Father and Mother for that in this B. Sacrament thou art become vnto me more then any Father and Mother And if thou loue me how can I miscarrie thou protecting whom thou louest And if I loue thee nothing can come amisse vnto mee be it prosperitie or aduersitie health or siknes riches or pouertie because to them that loue thee all things cooperate vnto good Ro. ms and so euen my sincnes ô Lord though they dishonour thee and hurte me for a time yet if I loue thee they will turne to thy greater honour my greater spirituall profite because through thy grace they will turne as were the sinnes of Marie Magdalen to her motiues to a greater penance and spurrs to a better life then otherwise I should haue ledd Thou comawndest vs ô Lord to honour our Father and mother Exod. 20 that we may be long liuers vpon the Earth Euerie effect if it had reason would honour it's cause of which it hath it's being and by which it subsisteth and so the light would honour and loue the Sunne the riuers their fountaines the fruites their trees the yong birds their oldones the yong beastes those that did generate them if they had reason Man then who is endued with reason must honour his Father and Mother who begot him brought him to light and after God gaue him his life and being and to this he is obliged by the Lawe of God and nature How much then o swere Iesus should I honour thee who in this B. Sacrament art a Supernaturall Father and Mother vnto me and more then any Father and Mother Thou commaundest vs ô Lord to acknowlge no other Father theÌ„ God saieng Matt. 23 call none Father to yourself vpon earth for one is your Father he that is in heauen Because although our Carnal Fathers be our true Fathers yet in coÌ„parison of thee ô Lord they are no Fathers thou by creation being more our Father then they and by sanctification and this B. Sacrament being our Supernaturall Father more then our carnall Father and mother Our carnall parents are but halfe Fathers and Mothers generating onlie our bodie whereas thou art our totall Father that is of soule aswell as bodie Giue me grace then ô heauenlie Father to loue and honour thee aboue my carnal Father and Mother to forsake them rather then offend and foresake thee by sinne that so honouring and louing thee I may be a long liuer Exod. 20. not vpon earth but in heauen wher my life shall be eternitie And because children do willinglie followe their Fathers and Mothers stepps and do imitate them in all their actions bee they good or badde thinking it conuenient for them to do what they see their parents do before them giue me ô Lord by thy grace a desire a delight to imitate thee in all thy holie actions vertues in thy humilitie Phil. 2. patience charitie obedience euen vnto death Thou saydst once to the Iewes Io. 8. If you be the children of Abraham do the works of Abraham wherefore seing that by this Holie SacrameÌ„t thou ô Lord art my Father Mother they who receaue it worthilie are thy children giue me grace to imitate thy vertues and holy actions lett them be patterns and examples for me to followe let them be alwayes before my eyes that I may euer behold them let them be alwaies in my heart that I may euer loue them lett them be alwaies in my hands that I may euer practise them so I shall be to thee as an obedient child doing in all things thy holie will and thou wilt be to mee a louing Father furnishing me not with a temporall estate as carnall parents onlie can doe but prouiding for me heere grace and an inheritance in heauen of glorie which thou hast layed vp in store for all eternitie for those that are thy true and obedient children fullfilling in all things thy holy will and commandement THE SEAVENTH MEDITATION VVhat a freind Christ hath shewed himself in the B. Sacrament ARistotle the Prince of Philosophers who diued as farre almost into the secrets of nature as naturall reason could permit Eib 2. Lthâ—c thought there could be no perfect and proper freindship betuixt God and man because there could be no equalitie or paritie betwixt them God being infinite in Maiestie and soueraigne and supreme in authoritie dignitie man infinitlie beneath him in degree base also of condition though he be an Emperour in comparison of God with which disparitie he thought familiaritie would not consist which yet he thought was belonging to freinds and freindship VVherein all though he erred yet his errour was excusable because by naturall reason he could not discouer the Excellencie of Grace much lesse of th' Incarnation the fountaine of all grace For grace being a supernaturall guift of God eleuateth nature aboue nature and maketh such a kind of equalitie betwixt man God that S. Peeter saith we are consortes diuinae naturae 2. Pet. partakers of the diuine nature And by Incarnation God became man man God and so man was consubstantiall to God and equall to him though not as man but as God And so God and man by these meanes were made freinds to which honour God out of his goodnes hath exalted vs and hath made vs equal to him by his desceÌ„ding as it were debaling himselfe so lowe as to be man with vs. O the goodnes of God that would not onlie be content but also desirous to contract freindship with vs his creatures as though God could not be God vnles he were good to vs or could not liue contentedlie vnles wee were his freinds and he ours O my soule do thou heere stand amazed and in amazment fay to thy God who am I that thou shoulds so esteeme of me as to vouchsafe to accept of me as thy freind I am not worthie ô Lord to be thy vassall and slaue how then doest thou take me for thy freind VVhat Emeprour will stoupe so low as to be a freind to his vassals and yet man though
the world bread of life and the like which are names sounding and importing loue mercie and benignitie but aboue all the name of Pastour pleaseth thee that implying greatest loue and charitie and therefore thou professest thyself to be a Good Pastour and such an one as is readie to giue his life for his sheepe Io. 10. then which there can be no greater charitie Other shepheardes in some Countries to winne the loue of their sheepe and to familiarize themselues the better with them do inuest themselues with sheep-skinnes with the wooll outwards and thou ô louing Pastour that thou mights be the lesse terrible and more amiable to vs thy sheepe wouldst not appeare in thy glorious habit and weed of thy diuinitie Exod. 19. 20. nor in fire nor lightning nor thunder nor in darke and terrible clouds as thou didst in the old law which was a law of terrour but wouldst put on the habit and fleese of our humain nature and so appeare bee man with men that so men might conuerse with thee with lesse feare more loue and familiaritie Phil. 2. for thou exinanitedst thyself taking the forme of a Seruant made into the similitude of men and in shape found as man that being man thou mightst the better conuerse with thy sheepe who are men In this shape of man thou wast so gratefull to the Iewes that whereas before that thou putst on this alluring habit they durst not approach to the mountaine where thou exhibitedst thy presence nor could endure to heare thy voice Exâ— 20. but cried to haue Moyses not thee to speake vnto them since that thou appearedst in the forme of man Tit. 3. and that the benignitie and kindnes towards man of our Sauiour God appeared Thousands of the Iewes followed thee to heare thy preaching and to see thy miracles and good examples and since that like a good shepheard in this forme of man for in the forme of God thou couldst not thou diedst for mankind all nations haue flocked vnto thee and will do till the worlds end O happie wee who are gouerned by a Pastour of our owne Kind in our owne shape and him so benigne milde and charitable Pastours and shepheards do gouerne their sheepe by their Pastorall staffe or hooke by their owne call or whistle or by their dogge these shepheards bring them to pastures or feelds most fit for them to grase in and where is most fit nourriture for them so thou a louing Pastour gouernest vs by the staffe of thy Pastorall authoritie which thou hast imparted to thy vnder Pastours and doctours of the Church yet so as whilest they direct vs outwardlie by lawes and commandementes thou directest vs inwardlie by grace which giueth vs force to obey them whilest they gouerne and feede vs outwardlie by preaching expounding scripture thou preachest inwardlie by thy grace inspirations whilest they minister the externall signes of the Sacraments thou feedest vs inwardlie by the grace which thou giuest as the principall Agent and they giue as ministers the Sacraments as instruments instituted by thee for our sanctification and in these pastures by this fodder most fatting and nourishing thou feedest thy sheepe And if whilest thy sheepe are grazing and feeding in the medowes of holy Scripture of which euerie sentence is as grasse to feed them if whilest they are feeding on the sodder of the holy Sacraments the Infernall wolfe the deuill or the worlde and flesh seeke to molest them by their tentations if the Heretike by his false call and whistle seeke to deceaue them then the vnder Pastours doe lay about them with their Pastorall staffe yea and as Christ his doggs they barke at them and chase them away being not as the Iewish pastours were Esai 36. dumme doggs not able to barke In the old law ô louing Pastour thou fedst thy sheepe with figuratiue Sacraments which were no causes but bare signes of grace and so could giue no grace therefore by thy Apostle are called egena elementa Gal 4. poore elements but in the new law thou feedest vs with Sacraments which are not onlie signes but also causes of grace and which do sanctifie nourish and feed our soules and therefore thy prophet Ezechiel forseeing these our happie times in which thou feedest vs so aboundantlie Ezech. 34. sayth in thy name In the most plentifull Pastures will I feed them and in the high mountaines of Israel shall be their pastures there shall they rest on the greene grasse and in fatte pastures they shall be fedde vpon the mountains of Israel O the loue thou hast shâ—wed to thy Christian sheepe in prouiding them so fatte pastures And in this thy loue hath shewed it self the greater because thou shewedst it vnto them after that they had forsaken thee by sinne and were quite lost for thou leftst the 99. sheepe to witt the 9. orders of Angels in the desert Mat. 12. that is in heauen which before thy comming into this world by Incarnation was a desert place and inaccessible to men because thou wast not Incarnat for Angels much lesse didst thou suffer for them but leauing them thou camest to vs by Incarnation in our forme and shape and thou camest to seeke mankind thy lost sheepe hauing found him thou carriedst him vpon thy shoulders when thou sufferedst on the crosse for him and broughtst this strayd sheepe to the folde of the Church where he is fedde in plentifull and fatte pastures Tertul. lib. de pudi cap. 7. And therefore in the primitiue Church as Tertullian witnesseth thou wast pourtraited vpon the holy chalices like a shepheard carying his lost sheepe on his shoulders Iacob the Patriarch a shepheard and figure of thee our good Pastour Gen. 31. said to Laban that he had kept his sheepe twentie yeares and that none of his sheepe or goates perished but he restored the damage Daie and night saith he was I parched with heate and with frest and sleepe did flie from myne eyes But thou ô my Sauiour ô my carefull Pastour playedst the Pastour amongest vs aboue thirtie yeares for euen by the merites of thy Infancie thou feddst vs dare and nâ—ght thou trauelledst for vs by night by praier by daie by preaching teaching and working of miracles thou suffredst heate and colde hunger thirst thou fastedst fortie daies and fortie nights to feed vs thou wast circumcised thou wast whipped at a pillar crowned with thornes nailed on a Crosse where like a good shepheard thou diedst for vs least the Infernal wolfe should deuoure vs. O how great must thy loue to thy sheepe be which made thee suffer so much for them Iacobs loue was so great to Rachel that he serued Laban twice seauen yeares for her Gen. 29. but thy loue was so great that it caused thee to suffer a most painfull life of more then 3 yeares for thy sheepe and this thy painfull life thou also concludedst with a most painfull and
shamefull death for them O my soule neuer do thou so much as thinke of leauing so louing a Pastour neuer do thou straic from his fold nor from his so plentifull pastures as sinners and especiallie Heretikes do But especiallie ô my sweet Iesusâ— thou hast shewed thyself a good Pastour Io. 10. in this B. Sacrament A good Pastour will die for his sheepe so didst thou dye reallie on the Crosse for vs and mysticallie in this B. Sacrament where thy death and passion is represented and applied to thy sheepe whereas other shepheards do onelie feede their sheepe with haye grasse and such like fodder thou o most louing Pastour giuest vs thy owne flesh to eate and thy owne bloud to drinke which by their vnion with the diuinitie are the most nourishing food that can be next vnto the diuinitie it self on which thy glorious sheepe the Saints Angels in Heauen doe feede by cleare vision and fruition of it O wonderfull loue of a Pastour ô loue and charitie aboue all other loues charities O loue aboue all loues not onlie of Pastours but euen of Fathers and Mothers Quis Pastor saith S. Chrys hom 60. ad pop Antioc Chrisostome oues pascit proprio cruore quid dico Pastor Matres multae sunt quae post partus dolores silios alijs tradunt nutricibus hoc autem ipse non est passus sed ipse nos proprio sanguine pascit per omnia nos sibi coagmentat what Pastour doth feede his sheepe with his owne bloud And what do I say pastour many mother 's there are who giue their children to other nurces but he would not suffer this but he himself doth feed vs with his owne bloud and altogether doth ioyne vs vnto him O my soule how canst thou be cruell like a wolfe who feedest on this milde lambe how canst thou be otherwise then chast who feedest of the Virgin Mothers Sonne and of his chast flesh and bloud how canst thou be prophane who art nourished with so holie and sacred meate drinke how canst thou be carnall who art fedde with so spirituall foode as is the flesh bloud of Christ spiritualized by the diuinitie it selfe how diuine shouldst thou bee who art a God on earth by participation who art feasted with such diuine meate and drinke Graunt me ô sweet Iesus that as thou hast shewed thyself a good Pastour to me to vs all so I may shewe my selfe a good gratefull sheepe The sheepe is obedient to the shepheards whistle followeth none other make me obedient to thy vocations and diuine inspirations and let me not harken to the false whistle of false Prophets nor to the inchanting voices of the diuell world and flesh A sheepe is a most fearfull creature who when he runneth with the rest of the flocke is afraid of the noise of his owne his fellowes feete and if he espie the wolfe though a farre of he fleeth from him sudain lie repaireth to his flocke folde and shepheard Giue me grace to feare as Iob did all my owne actions and as soone as ether world flesh or deuill do beginne to tempte me to flie from them to auoid presentlie all occasions of sinne and to haue present recourse to thee my carefull shepheard and to thy Sacraments and other meanes thou hast prouided vs against sinne Sheepe are simple myâ—de and free from galle and euen when they are carried to be butchered they kicke not as the horse doth they cry not as the hogge doth they durre not with their hornes as the bull and cowe doth they bite not as the wolfe and dogge doth but they suffer patientlie without cryinge without resisting Onelie whethere they be grazing or chewing the cudde whethere they haue grasse in their mouth or the Butchers knife at their throate before the shearer and the butcher they are mute or they vse onelie their innocent Ba that onelie is their crye in prosperitie and aduersitie graunt me ô my deare Pastour and sweet sauiour to imitate this mâ—â—de patience and in aduersitie and prosperitie in sicknes and health in riches and pouertie to be euer the same and to vse the same sheepish Ba which Iob vsed Iob. 1. Our Lord gaue and our Lord hath taken awaye as it hath pleased our Lord so is it done the name of our Lord be blessed aswell for the one as for the other aswel for takeing away as giuing aswell for sicknes as health aswell for pouertie as riches aswell for aduersitie as prosperitie yea more for this then that because aduersitie borne patientlie is a greater benefite then whatsoeuer prosperitie O sweete Iesus make me simple and meeke as a sheepe as thou thyself wast who therefore biddest vs to learne of thee Mat. 11. 2. Peâ— 2. for that thou art meeke and humble of heart make me innocent as a lamb yea as an infant newlie borne The shepheard knoweth his sheepe Io. 10. they him as he hath his eye alwayes on them so they haue alwaies their eyes open to him O louing Pastour and Sauiour let thy carefull eye be euer on me and then I can not perish and let my eye be alwaies on thee let me alwaies thinke on thee and thy commandements and the benefits thou hast bestowed on mee It is a great honour to be knowne of thee to haue but thy good looke and gracious regard and it is as great a miserie not to be knowne thus of thee and to heare that dolefull voice Mat 25. nescio vos I know you not O let me neuer heare that voice And for me to know thee alwaies to haue myne eyes so setled on thee as to haue thee alwaies in my sight is a great comfort a great securitie a great bridle and restraint from sinne and as great a spurre to all virtue for who can do ill who can do otherwise then well who hath thee alwaies in his sight who knoweth that thy eyes are vpon him that he is neuer out of thy kenning O sweet Iesus o louing Pastour my soule is a sheepe of thy flock and fold it hath wandred and straied from thee and thy flocke by sinne but thou hast by thy grace sought it and found it brought it backe on thy shoulders giue me constancie that I neuer straie from thee againe O deare Pastour my soule is a sheepe of thy flocke and fold I commend it to thy care it is thy sheepe bought and redeemed with thy precious bloud it is thy sheepe fedde in this B. Sacrament with thy flesh and bloud it is thy sheepe gouerne it rule it direct it protect it guide it in the pathes of Saluation that it may one day graze and feede with thy Angels and Sainctes in the mountaine of Heauen and on thy sacred diuinitie which onelie can make it happie Graunt this ô my louing Pastour o graunt it These former 10. Meditations may be read more or fewer according to the deuotion of
shall I doe ô Lord If I approach not to this Holie Sacrament I shall shew my self vnmanerlie thou hauing so courteouslie inuited me yea disobedient thou not onely inuiting but also commaunding mee Io. 6. If I come not to this feast I shall stâ—rue for hunger If I drinke not of this fountaine of grace I shall dye for thirst If I come not to this sunne I shal liue in darknes If I come not to this fire I shall shâ—uer for cold If I eate not of this bread of life Io. 6. I amea dead man and yet considering my vnworthines I dare not approach to this worthie of worthies considering my impuritie I dare not come to this speculum sine macula Sap. 7. this glasse without spotte Considering my prophanes I dare not touch this Holie of Holies considering my bafenes I dare not appeare before such maiestie O my sweete Sauiour thou woldst haue thy Priest by reason that he must consecrate touch this B. Sacrament to be consecrated his fingers in his ordination to be anointed with holy oyle the chalice to be consecrated the Altar corporalls Altar clothes the Priests vestments yea the Church and all to be hallowed for the reference and respect they haue to this B. Sacrament Consecrate I beseech thee and sanctifie me by thy grace this Sacrament being instituted for me not for those other things I being to receaue it sacramentallie and spirituallie as those other things can not receaue it And seeing that thou commauÌ„dest me to receaue it giue me grace to receaue it worthilie Thou who commandest the end giue the meanes Thy Blessed Virgin-Mother was to receaue thee but once into her sacred wombe and yet o Lord how didst thou sanctifie her how didst thou prepare her with what grace puritie and sanctitie didst thou endew her Sanctifie me o Lord by thy grace cleanse me from sinne purge me from all euen veniall sinnes seeing I am not to receaue thee once onlie but often and many times Thou wouldest after thy death haue thy dead body to be buried in a new monument wherein none had beene buried before to be laied in a winding sheete of fine and cleane laune and wilt thou permit me to receaue the same body now not dead but liuing and glorified into the graue and monumeÌ„t of an old foule soule and body in which the world flesh deuill haue been lodged by inordinat affectioÌ„ wilt thou laie this thy glorified body in the foule linneÌ„ of a defiled soule ô purge me ô cleanse mee ô renew mee that I maye be a new monument a cleane syndon to receaue thine now not dead but liuing but immortall and glorified body O doe not cast such Margarites before hoggs Thou shalt Matth 7 if thou do not wash me from sinne O doe not permit me to sitte downe to this feast without my nuptiall garment of charitie I shall vnles thou restore it and put it on againe None but the high Priest in the old lawe might enter into Sancta Sanctorum the Holies of Holies Exod. 30. Hebr. 9. and he also but once a yeare and this by reason of the Ark of the old law where thou wast present in figure and shall I not so much enter into thee the Sancta Sanctorum and the Ark of the new law as to let thee enter into mee thou being the veritie of that figure Exod. 30. Moyses though a choseÌ„ seruaÌ„t of thine was forbidden to approach to the bush that burned but consumed nor vntill he had put of his shooes and shall I presume to come to this B. Sacrament and thy sacred bodie in it the veritie of that figure and which burneth with the Diuinitie yet is neuer consumed vnles I first laye aside the shooes of all carnall affectioÌ„s The Priests of the old law were forbidden to ascend to the Altar to offer their carnall Sacrifices before they had washed themselues in the brazen lauer Exod. 30 And shall I dare to approach to the Altar to this so holy a Sacrifice and Sacrament before I be rinsed in the lauer of penance with the waters of contrition S. Iohn Baptiste of whom thou thy self o Lord pronounced that Luc. 7. a greater Prophet among the children of woemeÌ„ then Iohn Baptist there was none thought himself not worthie to vnloose the latcher of thy shooes Mat 8. The Centurion deemed him selfe not worthie to receaue thee into his howse which yet as it is likelie was cleanlie swept richlie adorned and shall I thinke my self so worthie as to touch not thy shooe striÌ„gs but thy sacred bodie and to receaue thee into mee who am defiled both in body soule Iob. 25. The starres are not cleane in thy sight and how shall I dare to appeare before thy diuine eyes more bright then the Sunne it selfe I being no starre but rather a candle put out and smoakie Salomon when he had built for thee o Lord that goodlie Temple the master peece of masonrie and had adorned it with gold siluer and precious stones yet he thought it no fitte place for thee and therefore saied 2 Paral. 6. Ergone credibile est vt habitet Deus cum hominibus super terram Si coelum coeli coelornm non te capiunt quanto magis domus ista quam aedificaui Is it credâ—bile then that God should dwell with men vpon the earth If heauen and the heauens of heauens do not take thee how much more this house which I haue built And shall I whose body is made but of mudde and whose soule is defiled with sinne thinke my self a fitte pallace for thy maiestie O Lord I am not worthie the ayre I breath the ground I stand on the bread I eate the wine or water I drink how then can I be worthie of this B. Sacrament which I am to receaue and which is the greatest benefite thou euer bestowedst on man because this guift is as good as thy selfe who art the guift and the giuer And yet thou wilt haue me to receaue it at thy Priests hands and receaue it I may seeing thou hast so ordained but vnles thou who giuest it giue me also worthines I can not receaue it worthilie Thou therefore who inuitest me to this holie Sacrament and forbiddest men to receaue it vnworthilie vouchsafe to giue me that grace that reuerence that deuotion which may make mee worthie It is thy desire that I should come worthilie it is also my desire seeing that I can neither fulfill thy desire nor my desire but by thy grace I beseech thee grauÌ„t me the grace to fulfill thy desire and theÌ„ I shall fulfill my desire which is to receaue this Holy SacrameÌ„t worthilie and although by thy grace I receaue thee worthilie yet giue me the humilitie alwayes to thinke my self of my selfe vnworthie for the more I esteeme my selfe vnworthie the more by thee I shall be esteemed worthie THE 12. MEDITATION VVith what loue to