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
we forgett him Isay who least he might haue bene forgotten by vs continues still with vs leauing vs noe lesse memoriall of himselfe then himselfe O be thou euer blessed and magnified my dearest Lord And be they euer accursed who forgett thee who art the fountaine of liuing waters flowing into life euerlasting THE XV. MEDITATION The seauenth Cause That being fedd with diuine foode we might become diuine I. POINT CONSIDER that a seauenth cause of the Institution of the Blessed Sacrament was to th end that being continually fedd and delighted with his heauenly body we might be wayned from and contemne the gliding delights of earthly ones with all their paynefull delights and concupiscences and therby leading a spirituall and heauenly not a terreane life that that of Saint Paule may indeede as it ought be verifyed of vs. I liue now not I but Christ liues in me Affection Such my soule should we be indeede persons quite wayned from the fleshpotts and vnions of Egipt since we are continually fedd with heauenly Manna With the true foode of the children of God with the foode which is truly God Our aymes are God our foster-father God our food is God And what should our thouhtes words and workes be but of God and for God Let vs then neuer proue so vnhappie as loathing this heauenly delicious and fattening foode to fall vpon windie and emptie huskes which indeede feede not fatten not saciate not The eight Cause The continuall presence of the Angells II. POINT CONSIDER as an eight cause of the Institution of the B. Sacrament the continuall presence of the B. Angells of heauen for as S Chrisostome saith Where Christe is in the Euchariste there are not wanting the frequent troopes of Angells Ambrose where this body is there the Eagles are gathered togeither fluttering about with their spirituall wings I saith he in another place the Eagles are about the Altar where the body is Affection Yes my soule we haue power by a vertuous life framed according to the life of Christ to take soretastes of heauen and to turne this base land we liue in into a heauenly Paradice The God of Angells is with vs and in vs when we please They come downe to vs and we mutually soare vp to them by our heauenly thoughtes and conuersation when we will They and we feede of one and the same foode though in a differēt manner loue and adore the same God singe the same Gloria's Alleluia's and Sanctus Sanctus Sanctus THE XVI MEDITATION Of the excellencie of the Blessed Sacrament I. POINT CONSIDER that our Sauiour Iesus Christ as a most tender gratious bountifull father made a most excellent and admirable will and testament and left vs thereby a legacie more pretious and better then heauen and earth to witt his most sacred bodie for our daylie food and his Blessed blood for our drinke Affection O sacred and soueraigne food ô most admirable mysterie ô diuine and deare inuention ô all you that loue God come come make haste and see with admiration and astonishment praise proclaime and magnifie for euer the name of our gracious God who hath daigned to worke such thinges in our days and in vs in vs poore miserable wormes of the earth II. POINT CONSIDER that though it were an ineffable dignation farr passing the inuention of men and Angells that he who was in the beginning with God and was euen God himselfe should build himselfe a cottage of our clay and become man like one of vs indeede yet doth it farre surpasse that againe to see the same not only take our humanitie but bestowe vpon vs also his diuinitie conioyned and vnited with the same humanitie to dwell in vs to take vp his delights and suppe with vs and euen to become our repast and nourishment Affection O what thought of man of Angells is in any measure able to diue into the infinite Abysse of the burning charitie which our Sauiour Iesus Christ meant to expresse in this most venerable Sacrament his pious fatherly hart could deuise nothing so sublimely and soueraignely good as himselfe and therefore himselfe hee bequeathes to leaue our harts charged with the demonstration of the greatest excesse of loue imaginable THE XVII MEDITATION I. POINT CONSIDER that though to giue all one hath be an argument of great loue yet to giue ones selfe is farr greater but incomparably the greatest of all to giue what we haue and what we are in such a manner and for such an end for we receiue him not now as a father and companion a brother a price but as our foode by which being worthily receiued we are made one with him not that wee chāge this diuine foode into our nature but we are rather changed and transformed into it euen as fire changes the nature of wood into it selfe Affection Ah whose hart is not stirred to deuotion and euen burnt vp with loue when he seriously considers with what excesse of loue and charitie with what solicitude as it were that Lord of Maiestie that powerfull King of glorie striues to gaine our hartes to his loue hartes which are but earth and ashes full of frailtie viciousnesse and indignitie and farr vnworthie to be chosen to be the habitacles and temples of the adorable Trinitié II. POINT CONSIDER how God could neither haue depressed himselfe lower or raised vs higher then that the bread of Angells should become the poore pilgrimes food then that the Creatour should be the creatures meate then that he who fills heauen and earth with the glorie of his diuine Maiestie should be receiued and handled and eaten by our miserie the highest heauens are not able to comprize his Magnitude and yet he will please to inhabite the narrow spaces of our howses of clay Affection Is it possible then may we not only saie with Salomon that God doth dwell with or amongst men but more is it possible that God hauing taken a humane nature vpon him and become man should also become mans food and dwell not only with man but euen in him there to cure our diseases languors and infirmities not with an infinitie of other meanes which his wisedome could inuēt but euen by the presence ' and application of his owne pretious body and blood III. POINT CONSIDER that Christ comes vnto vs accompayned with a thousand blessings for he brings into the soule that worthily receaues him what euer vertue he practised in his life all the fruite of his Passion Resurrection and Ascension the beatitude of his most Blessed bodie the efficacie of his most pretious blood and the merits of his most excellent soule and in a word all that euer can be desired or imagined Affection What is there then ô man which thou standest not possessed of what is it thou wantest if thou be not wanting to thy selfe in either not worthily preparing thy selfe to receiue so great a guest or hauing receiued him in not worthily entertaining him That man is euidently conuinced to be
is presently sent for yea the poorest of men the poore shephards to be spectatours of his pouertie to witt the Lambe is borne and it is but fitting that the shephards should giue their attendance Aff. Obserue obserue diligently ô my soule the wayes of the Lord thy God which are still so contrarie to those of the world When a mother was to be choysen he cast his eyes vpon an humble handmayde When diuine prouidence was to prouide a Pallace in earth for the king of Heauen it was a poore stable When Courtiers are to be sent for the verie first Embasie that Wisdome makes is not to Kinges and Princes but to poore contemptible clownes O strange confusion to the proude Potentates of this world O singular consolation to the humble poore and simple who haue noe commerce with the same while they neither know the world nor the world them nor is worthly of them they are blest with first visites from God and Angells Yes deare Sauiour thou makest well appeare by this first act that thou art sent indeede to preach to the poore Riches doe robbe vs of our soules Learing puffes vs vp with pride Honors quite transport our hartes to vanitie In pouertie and true simplicitie our soule is safe and dayly conuerses with God and his Angells In fine either haue we choysen well in this our religious state c. or wisdome it selfe made a badd choyse 2. POINT Consider what Messenger is sent to call these poore sillie soules who are hardly held companie for other men Noe lesse then an Angell and he too accompaigned with whole multitudes of Angells They were to find the lambe their God lesse then man but they had an Angell before hand to assure them that how euer they found him he was noe lesse then both their God Their simplicitie might haue bene surprised and scandalized by his pouertie whom the world would not know but his heauenly Father acknowledged him for his sonne coequall to himselfe and made one and the same Gloria be sunge to them both by the multitudes of his heauenly Quiresters in the poore shephards hearing assuring them and the world by them of a great ioy in the birth of a sauiour who was Christ their Messias So that they were sent with a lesson taught by an Angell to glorifie and adore their God in the forme of a poore infant swadled in clothes and layed in a manger Aff. O how graciously heauen and earth begin to make acquaintance O poore sillie man how happie thou art wouldst thou but once diligently ponder and konw thyne owne happinesse to see thy hart so courted by a Kinge Who sends out his ministering Angells to call thee to his presence who while he is humble and abiect for thy loue he leaues not to be high to but still mixeth his humilitie and mildnesse with Maiestie He is in appearance a poore child but is in verie deede thy God on high He is lodged amongst beastes but his carole is sung by Quires of Angells Singe with them then mysoule Glorie to thy God to him alone it is due nor will he giue it to another Pay that dutie first to him or noe peace will follow Iustice and peace Otherwise we may crye peace peace as longe as we will we shall neuer inioy it while we remayne in that impietie and iniustice of robbing God of his Glorie Resolution I will then Angellike sing say worke and doe all my actions to Gods honour and glorie c. that I may be partaker of his peace which passes mans vnderstanding c. THE VIII MEDITATION For new-years-day I. POINT CONSIDER that this good newes which the Angells told vs these dayes past of the birth of a sauiour comes home this good new yearesday to our vses and profit being indeede the best new-yeares-gife that Heauen had to giue For if he were borne for vs these dayes past this present day he is giuen to vs. He is ours then by a double title and that too the best imaginable By birth-right nobis natus Borne for vs And by Deed of free gift nobis datus Giuen to vs. Affection O Bountie Bountie Bountie so old for thou louedst me from all eternitie And yet so new for thou louest me in tyme too and by the imensitie of thy gift shewest the imensitie of thy bountie Learne my soule by the greatnesse of this present the greanesse of the price which Heauen putts vpon thee And doe not sell thy selfe to the earth for an vnderualue Learne by this a holy pride know that thou art more worth then any thinge it hath to bestowe Thou wert told by S. Augustine that the kingdome of Heauen being to be sold was iust worth as much as thou art but me thinkes we may add to that rate since the kinge of Heauen is giuen for thee Giue thy selfe and thou shalt haue them both Ah! make-not away this faire inheritance for a messe of potage Change not the chaste loues of a heauenly spouse for the bitter Mandragores of the world The riches of heauen is giuen to thee for thy New yeares gift giue at least the pouertie of the earth backe againe Da teipsum habebis Why dost thou stand vpon the price striue to haue a good answer to this question and I hope you will find your selfe forced to conclude a good bargaine to begin the yeare and say Resolution God is my gift himselfe he freely gaue me Gods gift I am and now but Cod shall haue me 2. POINT Consider that this day our blessed sauiour begins to shew in verie deede he is ours borne for vs giuen to vs since he begins to shed his pretious bloud for vs for the eighth day is come and according to the law he is to be circūcised The lawgiuer is not subiect to the law the sonne of God cannot be lyable to sinne the sonne of a virgine cannot be subiect to corruption innocencie hath nothing to doe with the markes of a sinner And yet the poore innocent lambe without spott which comes to take away the sinnes of the word will be branded with the infamous marke of a sinner not for his owne buth for our sinnes sed omnia propter electos saith S. Bernard Affect O my deare Iesus to what a low degree of humiliation and abiection and euen scandall of thy selfe doth loue leade thee For there will be those who while they too clearely reade the a man by this thy sacred bloud will deney thy diuinitie There will be those who knowing punishement to be still the punishement of sinne that by seeing thy punishement will imagine some cryme in thee There will be those who beholding thee with an impious eye will laugh at a bloodie God how euer to pious eyes it appeares the the greatest misterie and miracle of loue O heauenly father this is thyne onely child in whome thou art so well pleased who is so innocent immaculate vnspotted Is it for the sinnes of thy people thou hast
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
imployed all her tyme in heauenly contemplations feruent eleuations of harte and inflamed aspirations after her dearely beloued child How often said she with more then a S. Paules feruour that she desired to be dissolued and to be with Christ How often did she adiure the daughters of Sion to stay her with flowers to compasse her about with apples because she languished with loue Tell him saith she that I languish with loue Affection Thus it was my soule that this heauenly hart continually euaporated it selfe out thus while her body was detayned in earth did her soule liue in heauen and thus it is too that euery chaste turtle should behaue herselfe in the absence of her mate sometymes moaning herselfe with holy Dauid saying ay mé why is my seiourning stil prolonged Sometymes with S. Paule Christ is my life and death is my gaine Some tymes againe with the feruent S. Augustine Liue I will not dye I will I desire to be dissolued and to be with Christ That her life wasted away like incense in the flames of loue II. POINT CONSIDER that Blessed Marie hauing as truly conceiued in her hart the sacred fire which her Sonne brought downe as she had conceiued him in her Virginall wombe she continually watched it like a holy Vestall and did not onely keepe it a liue but euen added new fewell to it by euery least action of her life so that that holy flame was increased to such a degree that it was impossible for a humane hart to endure it without wasting away like incense in the thurible to imbalme the world with her heauenly odours Affection Ah my soule comme and behold this heauenly VisioÌ„ See how Moyses his burning bush whom noe fire of concupiscence could euer touch begins to melt away in the fire of loue See our sacred Salamander readie to consume in the flames which she loued wherin she liued wherwith she was â—o deliciously nourished O that this cold luÌ„pe were better acquainted with this deare torment with this fire which burnes so delightfully At least ô thou Blessed Holocauste of Loue preuayle by thy powerfull prayers that the fire of the Holy Ghost may burne my reynes and hart that I may serue him with a chaste body and please him with a cleane hart THE II. MEDITATION For the Assumption That she dyed of Loue. I. POINT COnsider that Marie must dye then because she was a child of Adam because she was the Mother of a God who dyed because a pretious delicious death will doe her the right to deliuer her vpp to her Sonne in glorie nor is glorie to be had but by death she must dye then who brought out life But as loue brought her Iesus downe from heauen and by loue she coÌ„ceiued him so must noe other hand then that of loue which is now growen stronger then deathin her breake the band of mortalitie and restore her to her life her loue her Iesus Affection O death louingly vitall ô loue vitally mortall O death of loue the noblest of all deathes And therfor due to the most noble life that euer was amonst creatures whereof the verie Angells would desire to dye if dye they could Be ah returne returne thou Sunamitesse returne that we may haue the happinesse to looke vpoÌ„ thee to craue thyne assistance in our necessities O Marie thou Mother of grace Mother of mercy protect vs against our enemyes in our life and receiue vs at the houre of our death Amen II. POINT CONSIDER that if loue gaue the blow it was the most noble death that euer creature endured If loue gaue the stroke it was the most deliciously deare and desired that euer humane hart tasted And as this death was most noble and most sweete so was it attended by the most noble compagnie All the Apostles as witnesseth the great Areopagite by Gods Prouidence and power and all the Primitiue Christians about Hierusalem being prefent at it Yea euen Millions of Angells and Christ himselfe Witnesse S. I. Damascene with many others Affection O what a mixture of delight sorrow did possesse those Apostolicall and primitiue hartes Of sorrow to see themselues readie to become Orphants hauing both the Mother and the SoÌ„ne taken from them Of delight to behold that diuin-Phenix melting away vpon her bed of hoe nour amidst the odoriferous flames of Sacred loue readie to flye into their Masters Celestiall imbracements O what Canticles of prayses did not they singe what actions of grace did they not render THE III. MEDITATION That her body was free from corruption I. POINT CONSIDER that though a death of loue or a beloued death could separate the soule from that B. Virgines body which was buried by the Apostles c. in Gethse many yet deathes corruptioÌ„ durst not at all fasteÌ„ vpon that incorruptible body which had brought out life As we deney not saith S. Augustine that the Mother of God was subiect to the Law of death so haue we learnt in the Shoole of Christianitie to priuiledge her from corruption whose grace and sanctitie was such that she singularly merited to lodge God in earth Affection Noe my soule the immaculate body of this incomparable Virgine was not subiect to corruption it was not fitting that that chaste flesh which gaue flesh to clothe our humanised God should be deliuered ouer to the wormes Though death was her gaine yet had corruption bene her losse God would not permitt that holy one who was vncorrupt in her Conception in her childbirth and after her childbirth should meete with corruption in her graue That her body was assumpted vp to heauen by her Sonne II. POINT CONSIDER that scarcely had this sacred Depositum of her immaculate body remayned three dayes in the graue after her vitall death witnesse S. I. Da. till he that rose the third day by his owne power came to rayse his blessed mothers body that her body and soule being vnited againe he might inioy his whole mother and she him in his glorie Saying to her ryse make haste my friend or according to S. Augustine come from Lybanus my spouse come from Libanus come thou shalt be crowned taking her by the right hand saith he and conducting her in pompe and magnificence according to his good pleasure Affection O my soule with what heauenly acclamations with what Angelicall admirations and exaltations was this singular triumph accompaigned While euen the astonished Angells cryed out who is this who comes vp from the desert flowing with delightes and has the confidence to leane vpon her beloued our Kinge Let vs my soule earnestly begge her intercession what cannot she preuayle for whom the God of heauen so much honours THE VI. MEDITATION How inthronised I. POINT CONSIDER whither this best of Sonns could leade this best of Mothers but to the best place that euer creature was capable of euen aboue the Cherubins and Seraphins to the Throne of God S. Augustine is my warantie saying of her Thou didst passe the Angelicall
our fayling strength Howbeit be Gods mercy euer blessed we are not as sheepe without a Pastour but we haue the good Pastour to protect vs. Let vs attentiuly heare his voyce know him and his wayes and wholy depende vpon him and his preists of whom he hath said Who heares you heares me THE SECONDE POINTE. A good Pastour giues his life for his flocke Io. 10. CONSIDER that this Pastour of ours is the good Pastour indeede that is good by excellencie or infinitly good which he makes manifest not by words onely but by many effects what was cast away he brings againe what was broken he binds vp what was weake he strengthens and the sheepe which was lost he seekes and finds and graciously brings home vpon his owne shoulders Nay more the labour of thirtie odd yeares imployd about the care of his flocke had seemed but litle to his loue had he not in the end layed downe his life for the same Affection Ah my soule Let vs blesse him and magnifie his free mercys for euer and euer Without this good Pastour we were all lost eternally It was Gods mercy alone that we perished not all togeither and were consumed for he looked downe from heauen to see whether there were any that vnderstood and sought him among the children of men and he found that all had declined and were become vnprofitable none doing good noe not one And yet while we serued him so poorely there was noe hope of saluation without his helpe nor pardon nor life for vs but that which he purchaced by his owne pretious death Let me euer loue thee thou dearest pastour and purchacer of my soule THE SECONDE MEDITATION FOR THE SAME SVNDAY THE FIRST POINTE. CONSIDER that this good shephard this heauenly Pastour of our soules doth conduct protect and feede vs not after an ordinarie manner but according to his diuine superadmirable and astonishing wayes peculiar and proper to his diuine goodnesse and wisdome alone not onely with the plentuous dugges of his heauenly consolations and foretastes of beatitude but euen with that supersubstantiall foode his owne pretious body and bloud Affection Awake my soule awake and diligently obserue what deare obligations we haue to this good pastour of ours he did not onely come downe from heauen to comfort and instruct vs with his personall presence enduring all the incommodities to which we are subiect in this our banishment but he putts downe his bloude for the price of our Redemption and as though that were not yet enough to testifie the excesse of his tendernesse to his deare flocke by a heauenly inuention and euen a miracle of loue he so leaues vs as yet he remaynes with vs and makes his owne pretious body and bloude the permanent foode of our soules THE SECONDE POINTE. CONSIDER that this good this ineffably good Pastour of ours doth not onely feed vs by this admirable meanes which the Angells could neuer haue dreamt on but will also daigne to be fedd by vs in his poore members our necessitous Christian brethren I was hungrie and you gaue me to eate I was thirstie and you gaue me to drinke Yes saith our deare Pastour verily I say to you as longe as you did it to one of these my least brethren you did it to me Affection Our good Pastour my soule knew that well-borne harts were not willing to receiue and returne nothing but were still greedie to inquire out the meanes wherby they might make mutuall returnes of loue and therfor he himselfe suggests the wayes by which he would haue it done saying as it were to our hartes I your pastour and maker who can otherwise neede nothing that 's yours am notwithstanding hungrie thirstie naked and imprisoned in my poore members your brethren in them I begge breade c. at your dores assuring you that what you giue to them in my name and for my loue you giue to me O what a comforte it is to a truly louing harte to haue so easie a way to render loue for loue THE FIRST MEDITATION FOR THE THIRD SVNDAY AFTER EASTER For a litle tyme you shall not see me and shortly after you shall see me againe S. Io. 16. CONSIDER that we are all pilgrimes trauelling towards our heauenly home and we shall not misse to meete with all kinds of weather Now heate now cold now faire and soone after fowle Sometymes our Sauiour dilates our harts with the aboundance of his consolations and we prosperously spring on in the wayes of his commandements and sometymes againe he retires and hydes him selfe from vs leauing vs to desolations and sorrowes and we become troubled and all our former force and courage seeme to haue forsaken vs. Affection Thus it is my soule that the diuine wisdome deales with his seruants He doth nourish cherish and comfort vs least we might fayle in the way He doth afflict and leaue vs least out of confidence of our owne strength we might erre from the way He giues vs consolations to testifie to our harte that he loues vs. He leaues vs to desolations to trye and make appeare whether we loue him But whether he comfort vs or permitt afflictions to fall vpon vs let vs still venerate his orders and gracious conduct because he it is indeede who is alwayes our refuge THE SECONDE POINTE You shall lament and weepe But the world shall reioyce Ioh. 6. CONSIDER that sorrowes and ioyes goe here belowe by turnes and tymes And still the best parte in apparence is alloted to those whom God least loues the world shall reioyce And the worst as he alwayes tooke it to himselfe so he leaues it to his dearest friends You saith he to his deare Apostles you shall lament and weepe but your sorrowes shall be turned into ioyes Wheras the worldlings ioyes and parte shall be with the Hypocrites who haue receiued their reward Affection Let vs not my soule either admire or enuie the seeming prosperitie of the wicked Their ioyes are but for moments and those too mixt with painefull pleasures They themselues confesse it we are wearied in the way of iniquitie and perdition and haue walked hard wayes while the iust whom we had in derision and in a parable of reproche are counted among the children of God and their parte and portion amongst the saintes There are we my soule to inioye our permanent possession There are our teares to be wiped away for euer and payd with the inioyment of an eternall inheritance which neither eye hath seene nor eare hath heard nor hath entered into the mynde of man THE SECONDE MEDITATION FOR THE SAME SVNDAY Now indeede you haue sorrowe CONSIDER that the sorrowes which we suffer are in this present moment now saith our Sauiour you haue sorrow Now not the next moment for any thinge we know thinges may alter to the better God may assiste death may end all nor ought a wise man to esteeme any thinge longe which shall haue end But put case our sorrowes and
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
am couered with confusion to behold the abismall humiliation of thy eternallie begotten Sonne my Sauiour who without rapine is equall to thy selfe O humble Christ how this example of thine doth vtterly confound the pride of vs Christians How euer vpon the sight of our miserie and daylie imperfections we may a little stoope yet alas as soone as wee looke vpon our knowledge our power the honorable relations or dependances we haue how easily we swel and despise or slight such as are belowe vs THE THIRD MEDITATION Of Humilitie Cons 1. COnsider howe deare this vertue must needes be to our swete Sauiour and how considerable it ought to be to vs Christians which he so singularly recommends vnto vs. It was one of the first he began to teach vs and he will haue it to be one of the last too That exinanited or powred him forth in his blessed incarnation that lodged him in a stable in a manger in poore clothes that subicted him to the badge of a sinner in his circumcision that made him subiect to father and mother in the course of his life and that subiects him to his seruants while he drawes neere his death Affect Deare God! make me loue what thou louest and so effectuallie recommendst vnto me by word and deed by life and death from the beginning and to the end by which I see that as pride was the Angells disease so must humilitie be the salue of man that as he fell by rising so must we rise by fallinge and rest and repose by lyeing lowe low in our owne conceipts that as the pride of the wicked doth still ascend so the humilitie of the iust may still descend lower and lower that so learning of him who is milde and humble of hart we may not faile to finde reste to our soules Cons 2. Consider how the Euangelicall pen labours in painting out the particulars thereby the deeper to engraue this admirable example of Christs humilitie in the harts of Christians Christ rose from supper saith he put off his garments begirt himself with a linnen cloth powred water into a basine put himselfe downe at his Disciples feete c. and by this meanes stoppes our attention vpon this wonderfull spectacle To contemplate him who sitts vpon the Seraphins rise from table who is clad with glorie putting off materiall garments who showres downe raine from the heauens in due season powering water in earth To see him vpon earth who fills heauen that Master hand which sustains the heauens at the feete the foule feete of a seruant a sinner a Iudas Affect O here is nothing left me my deare Sauiour but admiration beholding thy wisdome thy power thy Maiestie brought soe lowe laide vpon the ground by this thy ineffable humilitie Nothing but confusion when I reflect vpon mine owne ignorance miserie rottennes poore neked nothing carried still aboue it selfe by pride and aspiring at thy seat And this conclusion I am forced to make that ether I must renounce the faith I professe and remaine vnnaturallie vngratefull and stupide or els I must absolutely resolue to become humble to bestowe my felf wholie vpon the acquisition of that vertue which is the sure foundation of the rest and that in contemplation of such and so powerfull an example therof as here is placed before mine eyes THE IV. MEDITATION Of Humilitie and Charitie Cons 1. COnsider how earnestlie our Blessed Sauiour endeauours to imprint this wholsome lesson in our harts how deepely he seemes to digg this best foundation of a Spirituall life It was not enough to haue giuen vs an example of it in his owne person but what he had shewen in his practise he would also preach and presse by precept saying you call me Master and Lord and you saie wel for so it is indeede if then I beeing Lord and Master haue as you haue seene washed your feete you also are bound to washe one anothers feete that is to stand prouided in hart at all times and as occasion is offered to performe sometime anie office of Charitie though neuer so homelie and abiect and that to persons of meanest qualitie far inferiour to vs c. Affect See my hart how thy Sauiour concludes against thy pride but to thy profitt by word and deedc I a Master did it therefore thou a seruant oughtest to doe it argues he I the wisdome of heauen who am sent to teach thee all truth therefore thou who art nothing but errour and ignorance oughtest not to feare to stoope I who am an infinite Maiestie much more thou who art infinite miserie I who made thee of a peece of clay therefore thou whose origen present beeing and outgate is no other thing but clay dust and ashes c. Yee are therefore to humble yourselues vrges on our heauenlie Master yes for I haue giuen you an example of it saith he which I meant to haue obserued not neglected that as I had done to you so you to one another for surely the Seruant is not greater then the Lord nor one sent greater then hee vvho sent him O powerfull and pressing conclusion against which I cannot haue one word to mutter But ô dreadfull and oppressing confusion if in practise I proceede not accordinglie Cons 2. Consider how our sweete sauiour hauing thus in his owne person giuen vs that so necessarie lesson of profound humilitie begins now to teach his Disciples and in them all Christians the accomplishement of perfection charitie saying Mandatum nouum do nobis filioli my children I giue you a nevv commandement That you loue one another as I haue loued you and that as I doe giue my life for you so you loue one another euen vntill death yea those also who doe persecute and iniure you Marke how he confirmes his learning by his owne example giuing vs in testimonie of the greatest and dearest loue the greatest and dearest guift that euer was giuen to witt himselfe to eate Heauen had nothing better God could inuent nothing greater O strange inuention of a louer so to depart as yet to leaue himselfe to be enioyed by his beloued who are all faithfull soules Affect O my soule and all yee soules who are touched with the loue of a true louer was there euer the like seene to this ah behold wonder praise loue for loues sake le ts loue him t is himselfe he hath giuen vs le ts giue our selues to him t is himselfe he hath giuen vs true God and true Man O charitas ó pietas saith S. Augustine quis vnquam talia audiuit vvho euer heard the like to this THE V. MEDITATION Co. COnsider how being prouoked by nothing but his owne infinite Goodnes he loued man from all eternitie and not from eternitie onely but in time also in which he brought downe into the world the fire of that holie loue for no other end then that it should burne the harts of men He loued man not in the beginning onlie but euen to the end not
not there is not a word heard from him Behold the poore innocent true Isaac loadeh with the woode whervpon he must be sacryficed indeede not deliuered as was the other Isaac by the diuine prouidence Looke but vpon the Crosse with the eyes of flesh onely and euen as such we shall iudge it a too heauie loade for a tender worne and wearied man vpon his torne shoulders and indeede he fayled in the way needed anothers helpe but looke vpon it with spirituall eyes and we shall find it insupportable to any shoulders but those of a God since according to S. Peter he caries togeither with it all our sinnes heaped vpon the same woode Affect O my euer deare Iesu O my dearest Isaac my onely saueing sacryfice O great admirably great spectacle Iesus the onely Beloued sonne of God with a crosse vpon his backe yes my soule yet such it is to euery hart as are the eyes with which he beholds it If impietie looke vpon it it appeares a great mockerie If pietie a strange mysterie of loue If impietie a plaine conuiction of ignominie If pietie a strong Fortresse of faith If impietie it scoffes at a kinge who in lieu of his scepter caries vpon his shoulders the instrument of his punishment If pietie it sees indeede the king of glorie carying the inglorious crosse on which he will dy but a crosse that euer after shall be adored by kinges and proue the richest otnament of their Diademes Let it be euer to vs an absolute persuasion of taking vp our crosse and following Christ Let it appeare to prophane eyes fame or infamie Christ finds noe way to heauen but ouer Caluarie Noe way to Caluarie but through the contemps of Hierusalem and that too with weake and wearied limmes and torne shoulders awe see Resolution Be it farre from vs to glorie saue onely in the crosse of our Lord Iesus-Christ c. THE XVII MEDITATION Hovv Iesus vvent out to Caluarie vvith his Crosse on his backe 1. Point COnsider the circumstances of this dolefull procession Iesus setts out towards Caluarie with a heauie Crosse vpon his torne shoulders which he rather trailes then carries a long the streets of Hierusalem His heauenly face all swollen with blowes defiled with spittle gauled with thornes couered with goarie and fresh blood so that he appeared not so much to haue the face of a man as euen of some monster On either hand of him a notorious theefe Before and behind worlds of people from all parts to see this admirable spectacle some few with compassion but the most of them with disdaine malice and scorne Affect O dearest Lord and Master how thou wadest through the greatest circumstances of confusion and scorne imaginable How doth this huge loade together with this labour and wearines of thine crie out to my hart and to the harts of all men come vnto me all you that are oppressed and I will refresh you whilst you see in my sufferances the inconsiderablenesse of yours You are not Masters but seruantes nor haue you yet suffered to blood to crownes of thorne to publike contumelies before whole worlds of people c. Say say then my soule I will follow thee deare spouse whither soeuer thou goest without limitt without reserue without exception of this or that befall what wil come it from what hand soeuer by iniustice or desert c. Ours Sauiours vvordes to the vvomen of Hierusalem 2. Point COnsider what our Blessed Sauiour saith to the good woemen who follow him with teares Maides or people of Hierusalem vveepe not vpon me but vveepe vpon your selues and vpon your children That is looke not so much vpon him who suffers as vpon your-selues for whom he suffers nor what he suffers as for what Compassionate teares spent vpon our Sauiours sufferances are certainly good and agreable in his diuine sight yet are they farr better spent vpon our owne crimes which were the cause of his sufferances and continually prouoke his wrath and euen according to S. Paule crucifie him a new againe Affect Let vs not then ô my soule so much run out of Hierusalem to obserue what passes vpon Caluarie though euen with teares as looke downe vpon Hierusalem with our Sauiour and weepe vpon it That is let vs keepe at home or returne home into our owne harts and seriously obserue what passeth there what euill impressions what badd inclinations how manie auersions passions and disorders what familiaritie and daily commerce and dangerous dallying with sinnes Alas we haue good natutes enough to bestow compassion and teares vpon others miseries misfortunes and sufferances while our next neighbours our owne poore soules lye sicke at home in a dead palsie c. vnpittied vnconsidered left to ruine and yet is looked vpon by our selues with drye eyes as things which concerne vs not or are not worthy of our care or subiects of our pittie Ah senselesse man haue mercie and compassion of thine owne soule and weepe vpon her and her children Resolution Our cheife care shall alvvayes be about our ovvne defects c. THE XVIII MEDITATION The reason of vvhat our Sauiour Said to the vvomen of Hierusalem 1. Point COnsider how our sweet Sauiour goes on giuing the reason why the woemen of Hierusalem and in them all faithfull soules should not so much weepe vpon him as vpon themselues and their children For saith he if they doe this that is vse this fire of torments vpon greene wood what will they not doe vpon drye wood That is if the iustice of the Almightie exact such rigorous satisfaction at the hands of his only sonne who is wholy innocent vnspotted liable to no faults but those of miserable man what may not the sinner himselfe guiltie of so many crimes and so drye fruitlesse and barren of all good workes expect and dread Affect Ah Saith S. Augustine if he cannot passe out of the world without stripes who came into the world without sinne what stripes is not he liable vnto who was conceiued and borne in sinne and who daily addes to those originall ones which are in some sorte necessary a multitude of voluntary ones O when I attentiuely looke vpon the prodigious sufferances of my Sauiour I am forced to crye out to sinners and in the first place to mine owne sinfull soule Vae vae vae illis qui non cogitent corde woe woe woe to those who thinke not of this in their hartes 2. Point Consider how our Blessed Sauiour with wearied limmes hath now waded through publike confusion and is at length by the assistance of a poore gentile Simon Sireneus arriued with his heauie loade at the toppe of Caluarie where our most serious attentions are called to the contemplation of the strangest sight that euer heauen or earth yet saw Not now a burning God on the Mount Horeb nor a God amidst thunder and lightning vpon the Mount Sina nor a God in glorie inuironed with light vpon the Mount Thabor but the same God that
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
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.
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
enterchange sacred kisses with hym Nothing but sweet words as my beloued is myne and I am his is heard Le ts thus my soule find out receiue and entertayne our deare spouse 2. Point Consider that faith hope and charitie can neuer be more profitably and agreeably imployed to the making vp of a perfectly good preparation then vpoÌ„ the death and passion of our deare Sauiour who left vs himselfe in this Blessed Sacrament for a speciall memorie therof saint Bernard giues vs this assurance With such ornaments as these is our heauenly Spouse delighted gladly enters he into the Bride chamber of the harte where he finds the ensignes of his Passion his Crosse crowne and lance diligently reflected vpon and made familiar Affection Yes my soule for what can be more desire in vs then that for which he so louingly left himselfe with vs to the end of the world where could euer faith be more meritoriously exercised then vpon a God dying for his sinfull people where humane reason found nothing but a man ignominiously dying Where could hope more firmely ancor then where it mett with such excesse of mercy Where could charitie so delightfully solace it selfe as in the continuall memorie of a God dying for loue Let our thoughtes then ô my soule be wholy taken vp in the memorie of Iesus-Christ and him crucified THE INSTITVTION OF the B. Sacrament THE XI MEDITATION Of the truth of the reall presence And while they supped Iesus tooke bread and Blessed and broke and gaue to his Disciples and said take and eate this is my body c. Matt. 26. Mar. 14. Luc. 22. And. S. Paule 1. Cor. 11. saith I receaued from our Lord what I deliuerd vnto you because our Lord Iesus the night in which he was deliuered toke bread and giuing thankes broke and said take and eate this is my body which shall be deliuered for you doe this in remembrance of me I. POINT CONSIDER that ether these testimonies doe manifestly and infallibly conclude the truth of the realitie of our Sauiours presence in the consecrated hoste or els we can neuer expect any certaine truth out of holy Scripture Nothing is more vnanimously deliuered in all Scripture This is my body saith S. Mathew This is my body saith S. Marke This is my body saith Saint Luke This is my body concluds saint Paule Noe words can be deuised either shorter or clearer to expresse the same truth The nature of the busines exacted clearenes for he gaue vs an example of what we were to doe in imitation and memorie of him and againe it was a last will and that some few houres onely before he knew he was to dye for vs wherin all men striue to expresse themselues clearely and sincerely without all varnish trope figure equiuocation or mentall reseruation as far as may be Affection O God how thou hast closely besieged as it were and left no passage to euasion forcing in a manner this Confession from us that vpon this truth thy testimonies are too too credible for is it credible that 3. Euangelists and the great Apostle of the Gentiles would vnanimously conspire to misleade all their posteritie Or can it be imagined that Truth would striue to deceaue vs by leauing vs affirmatiues to be vnderstood for negatiues in a matter of practise would a tender Father teach his rude and ignorant children by hisbodie to vnderstand not his bodie to witt bread Would the goodnesse and wisedome of heauen in his verie laste words haue left to his deare Spouse the Church an ineuitable occasion of error and perpetuall Idolatrie euer since Farre is it from a Christian vnderstanding and farr be it euer from the hartes of thy seruants whom thou feedest with thy flesh which is truly meate and with thy blood which is truly drinke We deuoutly adore thee ô hidden Deitie who art truly and really vnder the formes of bread and wine Let 's rather dye then denye depart from or entertaine the least doubt of this certaine Truth Of the tyme of the institution 2. Point Consider that our Sauiour instituted this Sacrament of loue in a tyme where most loue and tendernes vseth to be expressed to witt at his last supper with his Apostles as the last memorie of a dying man as a pledge of his loue which he desired to imprint deepely in their harts And this too expressed in words full of loue Desiderio desideraui I haue earnestly desired to eate this Pascall or passe-ouer with you before I suffer To witt the present apprehension of his paynefull death is not able to allay the pressings of his tender loue of which he will euen leaue himselfe a pledge Affection Sweete Sauiour Iesu to what higth doth thy Charitie burne Was it not enough for that deare Lord of ours to haue instituted this Sacrament of loue wherein loue left God to man for his food vnlesse still more and more to commend the same loue vnto vs he had performed it in a circustmance of most loue and tendernesse euen iust when he was readie to goe out to signe with his pretious blood spilt for our loue the deed of gift of his bodie blood left for our food And that too acompaigned with dearest expressions loue could inuent 〈◊〉 haue exceeding earnestly desired to eate this Passcâ—all with you before my departure And wilt not thou then ô my soul feruently approch to this Sacrament desiring it with all the desires of thy hart not receiuing it with coldenesse and out of custome c. OF THE CAVSES OF THE Institution of the B Sacrament THE XII MEDITATION The 1. Cause to leaue a Sacryfice Gods worshippe CONSIDER that Christ did institue this Blessed Sacrament and Sacryfice that the holy Church his spouse might be alwayes prouided of a meanes to offer to God the highest worshipe imaginable yea euen condigne and proportionable to his owne infinite dignitie while a victime of an infinite value is offered to him to witt Christ God and man and there-for equall to himselfe as worthy as good as great as himselfe so that nothing ether greater or better can ether be payd owen or exacted nay euen be wished for or imagined by the wisdome of heauen it selfe Affection O great dignation ô infinite loue and bountie of God to man Man was not furnished with any thing worthy of God all the worshipe he could exhibite as proceeding from a pure and poore creature was base and vile and bore noe proportion to the great Creatour What doth he then doe but bestowe a sone and that sone himselfe vpon vs in this Sacred Mysterie himselfe not whit inferiour to his heauenly father and by that meanes inables vs to make an offering of equall worshipe and to pay more then we could euen contract O too too rich and happie Christians if we would know and consider our owne worth and happines The second Cause To leane vs a Legacie of Loue. II. POINT CONSIDER that the second cause of the Institution of
from prayer to worke from worke againe to prayer and though the Angells of God come not to thee the God of Angells will not fayle to feede thee with thousands of deare delightes thy prayer shall be without intermission the odours of their sweetnesse shall flow from thy mouth and â—eo Gratias vpon all occasions shall continue alwayes II. POINT REPRESENT her yet further to your thoughtes out of S. Hieromes and S. Ambroses expressions of her â—he was at all tymes saith S. Hierome either reading Meditating or praying Againe in watching she was the first saith the one in speaking she was the last saith the other and most studious in reading especially the holy Scriptures concerning the coming of â—hrist which the frequently redd and imbraced In so much that when her body reposed her hart watched and euen often in her sleepe repeated what she had read or awaking from sleepe continued the same Affection Let vs by this blessed example ô my soule wholy applie our selues to read to Meditate to pray By reading we shall learne to know what we ought to doe by meditating and pondering the same we shall imprint it in our soules and inflame our hartes to the practice thereof and by prayer obteyne force to performe what we know and desire But let this reading be the word of God which will proue a light to our feete a cordiall to our hart sweeter then the honie combe Let our Meditation be his holy Law and his diuine grace our prayer And of all the Scriptures let that be most frequently in our hands mouthes and hartes which most relate to Christs coming life and Passion that we may indeede be sett vpon no other knowledge but Iesus-Christ and him crucified And in that blessed peace that verie peace le ts sleepe and repose Happie will that rest proue when our eyes are shutt with the sweet memorie of Christ and his Law in our mouth and harts THE III. MEDITATION For the Presentation I. POINT CONSIDER that allthough this blessed young Virgine was possessed and prepossessed with all the blessings of heauen and replenished with the plenitude of grace yet was not gtace idle in her or she idle in grace Grace is not giuen to worke all alone but graciously and freely to gayne our will and in it and with it to worke all So that this Blessed Virgine notwithstanding all these huge aduantages and prerogatiues of grace testified to s. Elizabeth a holy Nun that she prepared a place in her hart for God with labour continuall prayer ardent desire profound deuotion many teares and much affliction Affection Thus it is my soule that by her imitation we ought to prepare our hartes for heauen Without preuenting grace indeede we ryse in vaine it is in vaine to ryse before the light or rat he without it we should neuer ryse at all None comes to Christ vnlesse drawen by his heauenly father Yet in vaine too should the light shine if hauing light we did not walke in it If we were so drawen as we followed it not we should neuer arriue He that made vs without vs will not saue vs without vs. All our Talents are his free gifts t is true but we must negotiate with them and improue them We aske because we will we seeke because we will we knocke because we will and we are saued because we will and yet Gods grace workes both the will and performance Le ts adde then our carefull concurrence to his sweete drawghtes and be blessed for euer with that blessed amongst all women II. POINT CONSIDER that this Blessed Virgigins prayer in particular though otherwise full of grace was for grace Grace to be able to complie with those two great Christian duties The loue of God aboue all thinges and of our neighbour as our selfe wherin the whole Law and Prophetes consiste 2. Grace souueraignelie to hate and flye all that he hates whom she souueraignly loues 3. Grace to be truly humble patient mylde and to be adorned with all the vertues that so she might become wholy gracious in the diuine sight 4. Grace finally to be obedient to the high Preists commandes and ordonnances Affection Let vs poore wretches then learne of this most holy Virgine to be continually begging for Gods grace as being necessarie to euery good act and vertuous action of our whole life Say then my soule with S. Augustine Thou commandest vs ô Lord to loue thee aboue all thinges and our neighbour as our selues Giue graciously what thou commandest and commande what thou wilt Thou commandest vs continencie patience humilitie c. Giue what thou commandest and commande what thou wilt In fine say with the holy Church Let thy grace ô Lord we beseech thee both goe before and follow vs and make vs continually addicted to good workes c. THE FIRST MEDITATTION For the Announciation I. POINT CONSIDER that to this Virgine it was thus qualified that is remoued from the world and dwelling in her sacred solitude married to a holy man but to be conserued for the Sonne of the Holy of Holyes prepossessed and replenished by heauenly grace and happily concurring with it by continuall application and feruent prayer still begging more and more grace that an Angell was sent from heauen with an embasie importing greatest honour to her and ioy to all the world to witt to prepare a worthy mariagebedd for the most pure spouse to contract the Mariage betwixt a creature and her creatour and so to begin a happie league betwixt heauen and earth Affection If we desire indeede then my soule to drawe downe heauenly blessinges vpon vs if to haue foretastes of celestiall delightes if Spiritually to conceiue Iesus in our hart let vs flye the cheating corrupting world and betake our selues to the solitude of our chamber or celle There the Kinge of Heauen speakes to our hartes There we put questions and receiue answers of what we are to say and what we are to doe It s hard saith S. Augustine to see Iesus amidst a multitude Our mynde must inioy a certaine solitude That sight requires a secrete place Marie was alone when she spoke with the Angell Alone when the holy Ghost ouershaded her Alone when she conceiued the worlds Redeemour II. POINT CONSIDER the admirable contents of this heauenly embasie at which all heauen and earth may well stand amaysed since all their concernements are to be treated in it The eternall and onely begotten sonne of the eternall God is about to espouse humane nature in an huÌ„ble mayde Marie of the house and familie of Dauid The lost world wants a Sauiour and heauen is resolued to giue one Gabriel is dispatched to Nazareth to declare the mysterie and to announce the wounders to the espoused Virgine His first word presents her with plenitude of grace Hayle full of Grace Giues the reason of it Our Lord is with thee Assures her she shall coneeiue and bring forth a sonne a great Sonne a Sonne who as he is indeede
Augustine though such as vowe Virginitie to God hold a more ample degree of honour and dignitie in the Church of God yet are not they without mariage for they belonge to the mariage with the whole Church wherin Christ is the spouse Affection O admirable dignitie of the Virgine where the humble handmayd is raysed to the honour of a Bride to Christ himselfe the Bridegroome whom whē she loues she is chaste whom when she touches she is pure whom when she takes in mariage she is a Virgine O supercelestial mariage from whence fidelitie and fertilitie is expected as well as in other mariages for such as breake this first faith haue damnation saith the Apostle and the happie state of Virgines assures S. Augustine is more fruitfull and fertile not to haue bigge bellies but great mynds not to haue breasts full of mylke but harts full of candour and in lieu of bringing forth earth out of their bowells they bring forth heauen by their prayers Hence issues a noble progenie puritie iustice patience mildnesse charitie followed by all her venerable traine of vertues This is the Virginns worke to be sollicitous of what belongs to God and to haue her whole conuersation in Heauen THE SECONDE MEDITATION FOR THE SAME SVNDAY CONSIDER yet a third sort of mariage wherin the whole Catholike Church that is all faithfull soules are espoused to Christe in faith hope and charitie but especially by charitie which as Queene drawes a longe with her all the powers and affections of the soule to conforme and subiect them to the pleasure of her diuine spouse making but one will and nill of two wills to witt that of God and man And this conformitie saith the deuoute S. Bernard maries the soule to God Whence results an ineffable content and pleasure and such a heate of diuine loue that the soule and all her affections are absorpt therin Affection Let the world then my soule boast as much as it will of the pleasures and contentements which it inioyes they are not like to the lawe of the Lord thy God that sweete law of loue in comparisō of which the most prosperous earthly pleasure is but vile and base The cheife Good is our Good of which Tertulian saith excellently soome goods as well as some euills bring an intolerable waight with them and most dearely and deliciously oppresse the soule Hence it was that that holie Apostle of the Indies cryed out Satis est Domine satis est It is enough ô Lord it is enough THE SECONDE POINTE CONSIDER yet a fourth sorte of Mariage which is made euery day to all kinds of faithfull soules which approche to the B. Sacrament Wherin we are made one with that diuinely deare spouse of ours not onely by charitie but euen in realitie and in verie deede we are mingled with that sacred flesh of his in that celestiall banket which he bestowes vpon vs to shew vs the excesse of his loue Whence S. Christome saith therfor it was that he ioynd himselfe with vs and mixed his body into vs to the'nd we might be come one with him as the body is ioyned to the heade for euen as one who powres melted waxe saith Cyrill into other waxe must necessarily wholy mixe the one with the other so he that receiues the body and bloud of our Lord is so ioyned with him that Christ is found in him and he in Christ Affection O excesse of goodnesse ô ineffable delightes of that most chaste and sacred mariage betwixt the kinge of heauen and poore man Here in this mariage banket is serued in the foode of Angells nay the kinge of the Angells himselfe becomes the whole feaste Nor is there neede there of any other wine then the precious bloude of the Lambe who dyed for our loue say then my soule and let all that loue and feare our Lord Iesus say with vs quoniam bonus quoniam in saeculum misericordia eius that he is infinitly good and his mercys are without end THE FIRST MEDITATION FOR THE THIRD SVNDAY AFTER THE EPIPHANIE If thou wilt said the Leper to our sauiour thou canst make me cleane Matt. 8. THE FIRST POINTE. CONSIDER that the poore Leper had found by a longe and painfull experience that there was noe hope of cure by the power of man all his owne and others endeuours prouing vneffectuall and therfor he wisely resolued in an humble confidence to haue recourse to him whom he knew by faith to be able to doe all that he would in heauē and in earth By adoration he acknowledges him to be God and by his words he publishes him to be all powerfull He came and adored him sayinge Lord If thou wilt thou canst and the present effects proue that his faith is powerfull and gratefull to Christ who graciously replyes I will Be thou made cleane and forth with his leprosie was made cleane Affection Our great and good Lord my soule neither wants power nor good will to cure all our infirmites if we aske as we ought If he some tyme delaye vs it is but the better to trye vs and more euidently to acquainte vs with our owne want of abilitie till he putt his powerfull hand to the worke for then our leprosie is forth with cured If he delaye vs and sometyme permitt vs for a longe space to languish and euen to be ouerspredd with our leprosie it is but the more perfectly to humble vs and throughly to cure the more dangerous desease of pride Finally if he delay the cure till we waxe more desparatly sicke it oblidges vs being at length cured the more highly to magnifie his mercy and publish his power to all men THE SECONDE POINTE. CONSIDER that there is noe stayne so deeply setled which Gods power is not able to fetch out noe leprosie of body or soule so inueterate and incurable which God with a word doth not cure Our application or addresse is onely to be looked to We must approche to the Lord of life and death as to one such with a liuely faith with an absolute confidence that with a word he can worke what he will his power being onely limited by his will as the faithfull leper plainly expresses Lord if thou wilt thou canst make me cleane Affection Be then my soule thy leprosie and other spirituall deseases neuer so peremptorie Be it that they haue growne on with thee since thy youth Seeme they rather to be another nature then natures defects yet haue but a frequent confident humble recourse to this souueraigne Physitian with a true acknowledgement of thyne owne miserable and otherwise desparate estate crying out with afirme faith O Lord if thou wilt thou canst cure all myne infirmities and infallibly in his good tyme we shall heare I will be thou made cleane THE SECONDE MEDITATION FOR THE SAME SVNDAY Of the Centurion or Capitaine of an hundred Soldiers who sued to our Sauiour for the cure of his seruante THE FIRST POINTE. CONSIDER that we may
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
o Lord and delaye not come and pardon the sinnes of thy people come and saue man whom thou didst make of claye I would to God thou wouldst burst the heauens and descende and yet this happinesse was not granted them while we Christians inioy that or a greater For though as S. Chrysostome comfortably saith we haue not the happines to be hold his forme and figure his apparell c. Yet we see him we touche him we eate him O my soule what a singular honour is this to be fedd with him to be vnited to him and to be made one body of Christ and one flesh THE SECONDE POINTE. CONSIDER that tho those good Iewes the Apostles to whom the sonne of God was especially sent had a benediction of preference to haue seene him in person yet was there another noe lesse meritorious left for vs poore gentiles of seeing him by faith attested by the same Truth Blessed are they who haue not seene and haue beleeued for there saith Gregorie faith hath more merite where humane reason produceth noe euidence Affection Howeuer my soule the preference of seeing our Sauiour in body visibly may seeme a greate happinesse yet it is not therin that the happinesse of a Christian doth consiste but in that he beleeues by a firme faith him whom the Apostles saw to be truly the sonne of God and by so beleeuing begins to hope in him and to aspire to his loue since according to S. Augustine it is the dutie of a faithfull man to beleeue what he sees not that by the merite of that faith he may hope both to see and loue THE SECONDE MEDITATION FOR THE SAME SVNDAY What is written in the Lawe CONSIDER that this question of this Doctour in the lawe Master what must I doe to possesse life euerlasting may putt vs in mynd that to appeare wise and carefull of our saluation we often putt questions to God and man saying what are we to doe to aduance in perfection to be truly vertuows to attaine to life euerlasting c. wheras without asking we know it well enough for doe not we read in the lawe are we not all taught in our Catechisme Thou shall loue the Lord thy God with all thy hart with all thy soule and thy neighbour as thy selfe Affection Noe my soule let vs not wilfully feyne to be ignorant of what we knowe Nor knowing it seeke for some new perfection The thinge commanded by God by the obseruance of which we are to liue euerlastinglie is neither aboue vs nor farre off from vs. It is not placed aboue the heauens or beyond the sea 's but is verie neere vs in our mouth and in our hart Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God with all thy hart with all thy soule and thy neighbour as thy selfe Ah saith louing S. August had it not bene enough to haue permitted me the honour of louing thee but thou must commande it yea and threaten me huge punishments if I doe it not Ah deare Lord were it not the worst of punishments to be prohibited or depriued of that loue THE SECONDE POINTE Who is my neighbour CONSIDER that tho that greate Doctour of the lawe asked a question where he had noe doubt as he was forced to acknowledge for he redd in the lawe and knew well that to liue he was to loue God aboue all thinges and his neighbour as himselfe yet still he has another doubt to putt to witt who is his neighbour To which our Sauiour in effect answers not Iewes to Iewes onely but Iewes to Samaritons too and Samaritons also to Iewes that is according to S. Augustine euery man is neighbour to euery man for we ought to vnderstand him to be our neighbour to whom we owe workes of mercy in his present or future want as he too the like to vs in like necessitie Affection Let then the accompt of our neighbourhoode my soule and our loue to the same extend it selfe to noe lesse a compasse then the boundes of the whole world Let vs loue that is doe well to speake well to wishe well to all men of what condition profession religion and nation soeuer they be Let vs pray for Turke Iewe and Gentile least in thinking to hate an enemye we indeede may hate a friend the Turke happlie in Gods diuine prescience beeing neerer to him then we Let this saith the louing S. Audgustine be thought vpon let this be meditated let this be retayned in memorie let this be done let this be fully accomplished THE FIRST MEDITATION FOR THE XIII SVNDAY AFTER WHITSVNDAY There mett him ten Lepers who stoode a farre off and cryd with a loude voyce saying Iesu Master haue mercy on vs. Luc. 17. CONSIDER in these corporall Lepers how spirituall Lepers ought to behaue themselues to procure their cure They stay not till they be called the horrour of what they suffer is a sufficient spurre to them They come in troupes and way-lay him from whom they hope for cure They stand a farre off esteeming themselues infectious and vnworthy to approche They crye out with a loude voyce without specifying their desire knowing well that their loathsome out-side speakes that with more force and pittie to their Master Iesus to whose mercy they leaue themselues Affection Ah my soule doe we vse this promptitude in pointe of our leprosies or other spirituall deseases or rather doe we not vse a quite contrarie proceedinge while we daylie heare redoubled in our eares loose the bands of thy necke ô captiue daughter of Sion How longe wilt thou be heauie-harted and loue a lye and yet we sleepe on and yet while we liue in a loathsome languishment we seeke some more tyme to remayne vnhappie Doe we crye out with loude voyces or rather so lowe and faintly as tho we feared that God should heare vs and cure vs too soone a miserable condition wherin the great S. Augustine sometymes found himselfe and pittifully lamented it Ah my soule if we be so miserable as not yet to be in tearmes to begge hartily for our perfect cure let vs not fayle at least to laye open the masse of our vniuersall miserie before the eyes of our most mercyfull Lord to pleade for mery THE SECONDE POINTE. CONSIDER that we all are weake and miserable enough to haue fallen or to be subiect to fall into spirituall leprosies by the infection of sinne which conueys its poyson all ouer the whole body of our actions to witt by pride enuye hatred want of right intentions duplicitie of hart which depraues all our best workes and deriues an vniuersall deformitie or leprosie vpon vs. Affection Alas my poore soule this leprosie is but too ordinarie how litle soeuer vnhappie man seemes sensible of it nor finds it any cure saue from the hand of God alone Let vs euery one lay his hand vpon his owne hart and impartially acknowledge the truth Why are we disquieted and troubled vpon smale reprehensions and vnderualuings marrie because the Idol pride
sooner and more abundantly then we expect what may be conducing to our good will be effected For behold while Christ scarce promiseth the cure of the Princes sonns bodie presently before his returne home the child is cured and he and his whole house are become the faithfull of Christ Ah! how good thou art ô God to such as are right of harte THE FIRST MEDITATION FOR THE XXI SVNDAY AFTER WHITSVNDAY The Kingdome of heauen is likened to a man beinge a Kinge who would make an account with his seruants Matt. 18. FIRST POINT CONSIDER that by the Kinge who would make an account with his seruants is meant the Kinge of heauen and by the seruant who ought him ten thousand Talentes is represented a sinfull soule guiltie of many huge crymes wherof he is not at all in a condition to disingage himselfe And what could such an one expect from a most iust Master but rigour since he had so vniustly and carelessly run into so great arreares To witt his Master commanded that he should be sold he his wife and children and all that he had Affection Alas my soule in what a miserable state is such a guiltie person He may truly say with Iob behold there is noe helpe for me in my selfe All that I finde in my selfe of my selfe is an accursed libertie to heape sinne vpon sinne to contemne the benignitie and humanitie of Christ and finally to treasure vp anger against the day of anger Whither then must I betake my selfe for ayde What meanes must I vse to shelter my selfe against the rigour of the most iust doome which I see readie to be pronounced against me Alas my soule there is noe flight from God but to God from God offended to God appeased from his iustice to his mercy Let then the residue of our life be spent in crying mercy mercy mercy dread lord acknowledging from the bottome of our hartes that it was his mercy alone we were not consumed THE SECONDE POINTE. But the seruant falling downe besought him saying haue patience towards me c. And his master moued with pittie forgaue him the debt CONSIDER that though that badd seruant 's prodigalitie or negligence in contracting so great a debt had putt him into a certaine morall impossibilitie of euer beinge able to paye so immense a summe and consequently made him most iustly lyable to the punishment which was putt vpon him yet was his good Master so mercifull that presently vpon his submission and prayer he was moued with compassion and forgaue him the whole debt howeuer great it was Affection Take courage then my soule be thy crymes in neuer so greate multitudes be thy arreares contracted in what length of tyme so euer Gods mercyes doe infinitly surpasse thy miseries the accursed power of thy malice can neuer exhauste the riches of his free commiserations Behold behold with admiringe loue how the tender harte of that best Master is presently touched and moued to pittie vpon the first submission and sute of his worst seruant and forgiues him not a part but the whole debt Let then all the poore sinfull seruantes of this most indulgent Master with most humbled hartes replenished with gratitude say to him and all the world quoniam bonus quoniam in aeternum misericordia eius THE SECONDE MEDITATION FOR THE SAME SVNDAY This seruant found his fellow-seruant who ought him one hundred pence c. and layd violent hands vpon him and cast him into prison THE FIRST POINTE. CONSIDER the vnmercifulnesse and crueltie of this naughtie seruant and in him lets diligently obserue our selues He ought his Lord an immense summe to witt one hundred and twentie french millions His fellow-seruant ought him a trifle onely to witt one hundred pence He vpon his first submission and humble sute found mercy with his Lord and the remission of the whole debt His fellow-seruant falls downe with noe lesse submission and humble prayer and yet meets with nothing but violence and vttermost rigour Affection Alas my soule is it not thus that we deale with one another notwithstanding the many precepts and examples of mercy giuen vs by our mylde Master Blessed are the mercifull for they shall obteyne mercy I will haue mercy and not a sacryfice And is it not by Gods mercy alone that we are not consumed And yet while we heare mercy so highly commended by God while we so easily find mercy and pardon for many and great crymes at his holy hand we can hardly preuayle with our selues to pardon our brother the smale fault he may happen to committ against vs. Let vs deale my soule as we would desire to be dealt with Vse mercy and we shall not fayle to finde it But iudgement without mercy to him that hath not done mercy assures S. Iames. THE SECONDE POINTE. And deliuers him to the tormenters till he pay the whole debt CONSIDER that when our B. Sauiour finds that neither his precepts nor practice are forcible enough to preuayle with fierce man to doe as he would be done to and pardon one another as we desire to be pardoned by him he waxeth wroth and deliuers that vnmercifull seruante to the Tormenters vntill he repay all the debt For howeuer what God remitts is truly remitted nor doth he iudge twice vpon the same thinge yet the horrible ingratitude and crueltie of the naughtie seruant appeared in the eyes of his iustice so enormious that he looked vpon it as the whole debt of ten thousand talents adding withall that so also his heauenly father will deale with vs if euery one of vs forgiue not his brother from his harte Affection With what measure we measure our brethren it shall be measured backe to vs. If we will needs vse iustice without mercy iustice shall we finde without mercy Ah my soule what a daunting reproche shall it be to vs to heare from a Iudge from whom there is noe appeale thou vngracious seruant I forgaue thee all the debt because thou besoughtest me oughtest not thou then too to haue mercy vpon thy fellow-seruant euen as I had mercy on thee But his mercy freely extended to multitudes of offences committed against a diuine maiestie Should not ours then and from our harte reach at least to a fewe and light faults done against our miserie What replye alas shall we be able to returne to this demande THE FIRST MEDITATION FOR THE XXII SVNDAY AFTER WHITSVNDAY The Pharisies consulted among themselues to intrappe him Iesus in his words Matt. 22. THE FIRST POINTE. CONSIDER that though there be nothinge more conducing to mans good then to haue a docile mynde to take counsell and a readinesse to aduise amongst our selues before we sett vpon any things of moment according to that of the Prouerbes I wisdome dwelle in counsell and againe saluation is found in much counsell So is there nothing more pernicious then when many heades conspire togeither to contriue mischeife to supplante their Christian brother to tempt Christ and
i' st your sute to liue I 'am endlesse life and endlesse life doe giue O then quitt vncoulth wayes hope not in lyes To find out truth nor th' life that neuer dyes In fading moments Ah you seeke in vaine To find true life in th'land where death doth raigne THE COMMVNICATION OF THE diuine goodnesse by imparting of his Glorie OVR sea of goodnesse still streames on there is Noe end in it we tend to endlesse blisse Those guifts of nature grace and all the rest Are gu'in to bringe vs to eternall rest Our joyes were great at the coming of that guest Our hearts reioyc'd to lodge him in our breast But ah he will not haue vs end our storie Till he conduct vs to the state of glorie So saith our faith to this our hopes are raysd With this excesse our charitie's amays'd That goodnesse free from want our dust should choose To place it's loue vpon and kindly loose Himselfe on man Ble'st prodigalitie By th' guifts of his diuine Hypostasie To be himselfe companion in his way To call him backe by grace in case he stray To feede and fatten him with his owne bloode O that this happinesse were vnderstoode To proue in death bis sauing sacryfice And endlesly to be himselfe his price So saith his word I 'le be my selfe thy hyre What more then this can vastest heart desire AN APOSTROPHIE TO THE DAMES OF SION O Then deare Dames let th' loue I dayly find Mongst you increase and all your hearts cobind In one loue-knott vse all your wit and Arte To haue but all one comon soule one heart This God command's this Austine doth aduise Doe this alone deare soules it will suffice FINIS SINE FINE GLORIA TIBI DOMINE MEDITATIONS Vpon our blessed Sauiours Passion THE FIRST MEDITATION Of the last supper THE FIRST POINT CONSIDER that now the blessed tyme of grace and mercy drawing neere wherin our sweete sauiour Iesus-Christ had determined to pay mans ransome not with the corruptible price of gold and siluer but euen with the effusion of his owne pretious bloude he graciously daigned in testimonie of true loue to feaste with his beloued Apostles before his departure See him louingly accompanie them into the roome where they were to suppe and let vs take the humble boldnesse to follow him inn and to receiue some of his last words I haue had an ardent desire saith he to eate this pascall lambe with you it being the consummation of all the ancient sacrifices and the last I shall eate And say to him cordially Affection That in verie decede we find our selues exceeding hungerie but that we neither doe nor indeede can possibly find any meate which feeds and saciates vs saue himselfe or from his table The rest doe but puffe vp and swell they doe not solidly feed and fatten so that by how much more we eate by so much the more doe we languish and pine away Tell him that verily you are not worthy you know it well you confesse it to the whole world but thar it is he alone who makes vnworthy creatures worthy who makes sinners iust and that for your part you relie not vpon your owne merites which are none without his mercys but run intirely to his free mercy Tell him that euen your dogges eate the crums which fall from their masters tables and in that confidence you approche or els with an humble and contrite hart fall downe at his sacred feete with the mournfull Magdalaine and make lamentations teares and grones more fully speake your hart The seconde Pointe Consider with what compassion and mildnesse our blessed sauiour begins to comfort his disciples whyle he obserues them sorrowfull and sadd vpon the apprehensiō of his departure which he fore told them saying my deare Disciles be not sorrowfull let not your harts be troubled I vvill not leaue you Orphantes t is for your sakes that I goe But seeing them yet some weeping some sighing his fatherly bowells were wholie moued to compassion and he spoke to them in these sweete tearmes my tenderly beloued sons my deare Disciples be not terrified bee not troubled behold I am vvith you till the end of the vvorld Affect This sweet sauiour shall be my comfort in all my desolations that though thou seemest to absēt thy selfe yet wilt thou not leaue me an Orphā whether it be that thou goest from me by permitting me to fall into some temptations or spirituall drynesse for my greater trial and merite or it be that thou often lettest me fall into little faultes that I may better learne to run back to thee my louing father this shall still be my consolation that thou dearely sweete and loueing Lord ar◠still with me till the end of the world THE II. MEDITATION Of Christs humilitie and loue shevven at his last supper Cons 1 COnsider what is done at that his last supper looke about and you shall see him rise vp from the table to giue by his owne example and in his owne person that first and most necessarie lesson humilitie the ground of our christian building and euen of all christian discipline as S. Augustine esteemes it You shall see the master become all his seruants seruant the vertue of the highest lowe laid at his creatures foule feete him in whose name all knees are bowed kneeling to wash to drye to kisse his seruants feete in fine the king of glorie so farre as I may say forgett his glorie as humbly officiously and louingly to fall downe euen at a disloyal Iudas loathsome feete Affect Ah my soule what is this we behold are wee deceaud or is it the king of heauen we see at the traiterous Iudas his feete shall we euer then haue the hart and courage to swell againe after this wonderfull humiliation If God indured this for me shall not I endure this or that reflecting vpon some difficultie we haue to stoope for him nay for my selfe for myne owne aduantage and eternall good or if this cannot moue me what will be euer able to moue my proud hart O my sweet sauiour euen for thy felfes sake bestow vpon me some scrappe of this wholesome dishe and grant me in euerie occurrence of difficultie submission or humiliation to haue this thy blessed example liuely placed before myne eyes Consid 2. Consider that notwithstanding that Christ knew by certaine knowledge that his heauenlie father had giuen all power and authoritie into his hands that he came from him and went to him rhat is that he was indued with fulnes of knowledge issuing from him by his eternall generation and returning to him to take possession of his owne right yet disdained hee not for our example to rise from supper to putt off his vpper garment to take a linen and girt about him to putt water into a basine to washe his disciples feete to wipe them with the Iinen which he had put before him Affect O God I haue nothing to saie but am lost in astonishement and
then to bee esteemed as a naturall foole And this he would vndergoe for loue of vs and can we proue so vnkind as not to requite him in what we are able shall not the white habites we weare for his sake be deare vnto vs in memorie of his white garment shall wee not willingly indure the gibes and scornes of others while our owne conscience assures vs we doe well c. Cons 2. Consider what a contemptible conceipt the wicked Iewes had of our sweete Sauiour not only equalising a wicked rogue with him but without all hesitation and delay preferring him before him straight answering Pilat non hunc sed Barrabam We demande pardon not for this man but for Barabbas O strange blindnes ô vn happie choice non hunc sed Barrabam not a louing Sauiour but a damnable villaine not the mildest of creatures an innocent noe but a nocent a rogue a theefe See the iudgment of the world and learne hence what credit you are to giue to it the treasure of heauen once before sold for 30. pence now esteemed at lesse then nothing the price of a Rogue for harke they persist in their vngracious choice crying out with one voice tolle tolle Crucifige Crucifige Away with him away with him Crucifie him Crucifie him Affect Haue we not good reason then alwaies to suspect yea neuer to trust the worlds opinion for verily one is exceeding blind that cannot discerne the sonne by his splendant rayes Well could I curse their sinfull and foule mouthes their hellish harts their blind choice but woe is me the conscience of a like contempt stopps my mouth for haue we not my soule in earnest haue we not or at least haue not our actions often said non hunc sed Barabbam while this or that fond affection this or that light and momentarie delight hath been deliberately preferred before Gods pleasure or at least these imbraced that neglected ay mee therefore THE XIII MEDITATION Hovv Iesus vvas vvhipped at Pilates Cons 1. ANd now see Barbarous furie armed with authoritie Pilat giues him ouer into their hands to be scourged into the hands of vile desperate slaues what vsage may you easily thinke he had Marrie they binde him with cordes to a pillar though he had neuer yet made resistance no not so much as in one high word or distempered looke they bind him with cords I saie haueing already stripped him quite naked I leaue it to your consideration how much contrary to his virginall bashfullnes so hard that they force blood to spring out at his fingers ends ô God! what a pittifull paine must this needes be in so delicate a complection Affect And all this for his too much loue to vs vngratfull vs ô my soule t was our loue that tied him so fast to loose the tye of our sins no other cord could haue held him that was only stronge enough to tye Omnipotencie And shall not the same cord be stronge enough to tye vs to him to tye our hands from sinning so that we may answere our passions our vnlawfull desires I cannot I cannot the loue of my sweete spouse hath tyed my hands I cannot In fine shall not this confounding manner of suffering make such and such acts of humiliation seeme farre more tollerable when I consider that the innocent sonne of God indured worse for my loue Cons 2. See now alas how vnhumanly they teare his delicate and sacred bodie not leauing a place whole for a new wound see how the blood streames downe nay the skin falls off nay yet more peeces of his blessed flesh dropp downe ah pittifull sight quo nate Dei quó tua flagrauit charitas ah sonne of God how high did thy Charitie flame out behold your spouse with compassion in his wedding garment died in rich scarlet die nor was it anie meruaile sith as S. Bonauenture saith he receaued more then 5000. woundes verè vermis erat non homo opprobrium hominum abjectio plebis He was truly a worme and not a man the reproche of men and the scorne of the people Affect Looke Angels looke is this your King looke Queene of heauen is this thy child looke my soule looke is this thy spouse that euen now was so diuinely faire I I t is euen he true said the Prophet vidimus eum reputauimus quasi leprosum We saw him we sawe him and we reputed him as a leaprous person Ah me what cruell hart vsed my loue thus ah let vs run to imbrace him for t is euen he Le ts wash his deformed face with our teares ò sweete Iesus ô loueinge Lord ô deare spouse my sick hart can indure no longer to see thee thus abused THE XIV MEDITATION Hovv Iesus vvas crovvned vvith thornes c. Cons 1. COnsider how scarcely yet the torne Iesus in that his extreame wearines had sought out and put on his garments till behold a new torment a new contempt is inuented for him so without end are his sufferings And what ah goe out yee true daughters of Sion and see your true Salomon in the diademe in which his mother crowned him in a diademe of thornes sharp thornes peircing skin and skull euen to the braines as S. Bernard saith in a thousand places saith S. Anselme iudge what an vnheard of paine this must needes be And see yet to add scorne to his torment they put a reede into his hand for a Scepter nay with it they beate the sharpe thornes deepor in-to his head Affect Vâ—ere langores nostros ipse tulit infirmitates nostras ipse portauit Truly he suffered our languours and tooke our infirmities vpon him Ours euen ours O my soule things that he was not subiect vnto but by his owne will Ah my hart see how heapes of gorie blood stand vpon his heade and temples see that fairest face of men or Angells all disfigured and this for loue of vs Come come all yee soules that are moued by loue come and see a louers extasie he hath giuen vs this sure argument of loue let vs not loose our affections vpon anie lesse then himselfe And thou my poore soule die rather then be so vngratefull as euer to lett this bloodie Picture which diuine loue made so be painted for loue of vs be blotted out of our hartes Cons Vpon the Ecce homo behold the man Consider that when Pilate could neither find cause of death in him nor meanes to saue his life so farre was the implacable rage of the people causeleslie insensed against him he brings him out with a crowne of thornes vpon his head and a purple garment vpon him hopeing by the aspect of a most miserable and despicable person to incline the most barbarous hart to pittie and compassion saying Ecce homo behold the man as who should say looke vpon one so disfigured that you can hardly find man in him and know him to be what indeede he is were you not told he is a man
then he cries out that intrauerunt aquae vsque ad animam meam the waters of bitternesse haue entred into my very soule Affect O my soule how happie were we if we could once haue the true sense and zeale of Gods honour and haue lesse sense and feeling of our owne short and light sufferances though for our owne defaults We see what a lesson our Sauiour giues vs who is able to looke ouer all that reflects vpon himselfe and only eyes his heauenly fathers honour to witt all the waters of tribulation are not able to extinguish the liuely flame of his charitie But we my soule are selfe louers and selfe flatterers and farre too delicate and tender soldiers to liue vnder a Captaine who with a thornie helmet on his head exposeth his naked body to deadly blowes for his fathers honour Whereas wee if we can sleepe at ease in a whole skinne seeme little concerned when we heare and see our Masters name and fame vilified blasphcamed and euen torne in peeces Is this to be followers of Christ He commends his mother to S. Iohn and S. Iohn to his mother 2. Point Consider that though the waters of bitternesse and a sense of inward sorrow had possessed his hart yet did mildnesse filiall care dutie and dearenesse still raigne therein for with blubbered bloodie and dyeing eyes espying his mother and the Disciple whom he loued he said to his mother pointing at S. Iohn behold thy sonne and then to his Disciple behold thy Mother O how heauenly loue is able to liue and raigne amidst our greatest anguishes And where loue liues and raignes what anguish is able to make vs faile of our dutie Affect Obserue my soule the order and dutie of charitie Christs greatest care is his heauenly Fathers honour and consequently he feeles the greatest torment where he findes it violated and thence his first praiers are imployed for pardon for those that violate it and his first pardon is granted to the good theife that acknowledged him with a repentant hart In the next place he paies the honour which hee owes to his parents and the loue which he owes to his friends Mother behold thy sonne Disciple behold thy Mother Thus are vve taught my soule to loue God incomparably aboue all things and to seeke his glorie euen before and aboue the loue of our parents Next vve are to loue and honour those authors of our beeing and lastly to loue our friends and our neighbours as our selues c. Resolution Zeale of Gods glorie c. and loue of our parents THE XXIV MEDITATION Of the sorrovves of Iesus and Marie 1. Point COnsider and ponder well the circumstances of this sonne and this Mother and this standing and if there be anie sense of Christianitie or euen humanitie left our harts cannot misse to melt with pittie The sonne the most louely the most louing the most beautifull child that euer heauen knew the Mother the most gracefull most gratefull most louing and most beloued virgine that euer the earth produced or can produce The sonne innocencie it selfe and the Mother the most innocent Lady that euer the world beheld And that virgine Mother stands neere the Crosse to behold that sonne that man that God dying vpon that most accursed and ignominious wood in all the circumstances of greatest torment and contempt of body and soule imaginable dying I say for her for vs for those that put him to death for all mankind Affect O my soule stand astonished at this saddest spectacle that euer the amayzed heauens beheld and let the same nayles which through the innocent sonns hands peirced the dolorous mothers hart wound thine also The sonne is plentifully powring out for sinners that pure and harmelesse blood which he receiued in that mothers chast wombe without all spott of sinne and she the most innocent and louing and most beloued of all mothers stands to behold it Ah what swords of sorrow doe not pearce her tender hart Well may we conceiue she paies the panges of childbirth with huge vsurie which she felt not in his immaculate natiuitie She now indeede brings forth Iesus the most painefull waie that euer woeman experienced since the child must absolutly dye and the mother hardly escape The sunne is eclipsed the earth quakes the rockes burst in sunder 2. Point COnsideration But while hard and vngratefull and vnnaturall man wil bestow no compassion neither vpon the dying sonns blood nor vpon the dolorous mothers teares the senselesse elements may seeme to turne sensible to mans confusion and acknowledge the master who made them while he litle considers the God that redeemed him euen in the painfull and ignominious act of his redemption The sunne withdrawing its light for three howres space couers his shame the veyle of the temple burstes in peeces the very rockes rend and all the earth is in a commotion to wit saith S. Iohn Chrysostome the creatures could not indure the wrong done to their Creator Affect Ah sonns of men and may I not adde sonns of God too Christians brothers of Christ Spouses of Christ vsque quo graui corde how longe how longe will you remaine heauie harted and appeare lesse sensible then the verie rockes themselues O God vouchsafe I beseech thee in vertue of the pretious blood of thy deare sonne which so plentifully streames downe either to smite this fleshly hart of mine with thy feare and with thy loue or turne this senselesse fleshly hart of mine into a very rocke that that rodd of Moyses may draw waters out of it that these hammers may bruse and burst it a sunder Smite ô Lord smite I beseech thee this hard hart of mine with the pious and powerfull dart of thy loue that I may be sensible at least among the senselesse creatures and testifie that it is my God that 's dying Resolution I vvill continually lament the hardnes and vnsensiblenesse of myne ovvne hart as to any respects of God c. THE XXV MEDITATION My God my God vvhy hast thou forsaken me 1. Point COnsidera And well might all nature stand astonished well might the dumme elements crye out by earthquakes and prodigious signes to stupid man whose crimes had brought the God of nature the true sonne of God to such extreamitie of all kind of torments that the most lamentable and daunting voice that euer was heard vnder the sunne broke out from his mouth My God my God vvhy hast thou forsaken me To witt our eyes were witnesses of greatest exorbitancie and vniuersalitie of torments inflicted vpon him that euer creature suffered but his owne tongue alone was able to expresse his inward sense and sorrow of his soule Affection O eternall God the father of my Lord Iesus Christ dispose graciously and looke downe towards vs not vpon me but vpon the glorious face of thy Christ that coeternall sonne of thine in whom thou hast testified thou wert alwaies well pleased who cryes out to the worlds astonishment that thou hast
Iustice exacted satisfaction and his mercie found the meanes which to effect he spared not his owne onely sonne but deliuered him vp to death for vs all Nay but euen Christ himselfe too both accepted the hard commission and complyed with the painfull dutie and willingly offered himselfe vp If then sinne gaue the cause if mercy found out the meanes if transcendant chartiie executed the office by the death of a God deteste sinne my soule extolle that so admirable mercy and magnifie that boundlesse charitie for euer And least we who are most concerned may seeme least sensible let vs take a deepe share with all the creatures in this dolefull mourning If there be any sense of mans miserie left in vs if any gratitude for greatest mercy if any loue for most admirable charitie weepe my soule weepe If thou art a sunne for light brighnesse and beautie farre beyond all the other creatures eclipse thy glorie for a while in lamentations If a Temple of God burst in peeces If earth and ashes putt thy mouth into thy dust weepe in thy ashes and let thy earth quake to see thy God dye If thy hart be euen a rocke let it rend in peeces at least with the rockes laying a close seige to it make the Crosse the hammer and the nayles the wedges to riue it à sunder If it be yet harder then the rockes and be growen to the hardnesse of a diamāt which nothing but bloud can mollifie oh take the streames of the innocent bloud of the Lambe and applie it continually till it relent and bring out a shewre of teares at the king of heauens funeralls who dyed for our loue 2. Point Consideration O all yee that passe by the way attend and see whether there be any sorow like my sorowe cryes out our Sauiour by the mouth of mournefull Ieremie O all you spouses of Christ then ô all you Christian hartes doe not slightly passe by or passe ouer this saddest sight but make a stoppe ponder deeply feelingly obserue whether there was euer sorrowe comparable to the sorrow of your deare Lord and spouse who lyes deade for your loue deuoyde of all beautie and comelinesse For we haue seene him all disuigoured and deformed contemptible miserable and the last of men a worme and not a man a man of dolours and ouerloaden with all the extremitie of miseries We haue seene him like a leprous person to the eyes of all men strucken by God and made abiect Affect And yet my soule this last and most dolourous of men was in the Begining without Begining before the Angells yet were his owne souueraigne ioy and Beatitude O what a huge distance there is betwixt that Begining and this ignominious dolourous and dismale end He was there selfe-happie or happinesse is selfe here miserable and ablect There framinge all thinges all the vaste varietie of creatures of nothing here forsaken by all his creatures and reduced to nothing there before the day starre inhabiting an inaccessible light here dyinge and deade in darknesse O prodigious change of the Highest by the hand of the Highest O daunting disproportion betweene such a Begining and such an End O then at least le ts attend and see vvhether there be any sorovve like his sorrovve Resolution My beloued spouse shall be to me a posie of mirre and shall for euer dwell betwixt my breastes THE XXXII MEDITATION Our Sauiours side is opened by the Lance. 1. Point COnsider that as Christs loue and the iewes malice goe on and increase euen till death so rest they not there but euen out-liue death it selfe He is now subiect to noe more paines his soule being departed yet he is subiect to more iniuries his dead body is capable of more wounds markes of more malice in them and more dearenesse in him to whom nothing happened by accident Yet thy malice profits thee not ô cruell Iewe. since thou hurtest not him and thou profitest me All thinges concurre to the aduantage of those that loue him whom you hate Affect Ah deare Lord thy charitie is boundlesse It leades thee with ioy to death for ioy being proposed vnto him he sustayned the Crosse saith S. Paule It victoriously raignes in death and ouer death It out-liues death Ah was it not enough to haue payd the first droppe of thy pretious bloud which was more then sufficient to haue redeemed a thousand worlds vnlesse thou payedst the laste droppe too O too too plentifull a price O too too diuinely deare and prodigall a loue which payes an infinitie of millions more then is due prouing Christs loue to be incomparably greater then the Iewes malice and his mercy infinitly out-speaking mans miserie 2. Point Consideration We wanted not indeede streames of innocent bloud wherin to washe our leprosie and to cure the deepest wounds of our soule We wanted not deare argumentes and euen open conuictions of infinite loue since we saw our selues written as it were in his bored hands But we wanted as yet the best treasure which was left for Longinus his launce to open We wanted an open side for our languishing faith to enter into with incredulous Thomas his hand and grope out a God We wanted yet a passage to his hart wheras nothing can euer speake so much dearenesse or so absolutly subdue a hart as a kind hart lying open to it Affect Let vs then my soule yeald our selues vp to this last batterie which comes indeede the conquering way Let vs not fayle by this blessed breatch to find out our God and to adore him Dominum nostrum Deum nostrum our Lord and our God For by this blessed wound we gett free accesse to his fatherly tender bowells and learne the secreetes of his diuine hart Dominus meus Deus meus Here is my Lord here is my God indeede Here will I enter here will I adore him here will I loue him here will I rest here will I taste how sweete my God is Here finally will I safely singe his mercyes for euer Resolution As this open hart speakes powerfully to me my beloued is myne so shall my hart replye to him And I am intirely thyne for euer THE XXXIII MEDITATION 1. Point COnsider Iosephe of Arimathias great religion and courrage who went boldly to Pilate and demanded the body of Iesus He might iustly haue feared to haue mett with resistance from the Synagogue wroth and reuenge from the high Preists and a shamefull repulse at Pilates handes The cold prudence of the world would easily haue suggested that the best way was to lett their furie passe ouer least losse or ruine might haue followed Yet Gods prouidence for whose loue he vndertooke the worke so prouided that neither Synagogue preist nor Pilate either opposed refused or did any thing els to Iosephes preiudice Affect Learne my soule by Iosephs pious courage seconded with wished successe not to let thyne be shaken by imaginarie feares so thou be truly called vpon by the interests of Christs necessarie
seruice whether it be in point of receiuing his owne true body or in charitably assisting his owne poore afflicted members For how often haue we obserued our selues to haue quaked with feare wher we mett with noe danger indeede and permitted such fond feares to frustrate our pious designes and resolutions and stifle the seede which was sowen in our hartes from heauen Feare not as longe as thou art imployed about Iesus and him crucified Either will noe danger at all be mett with or none at least be preualent to make vs misse of Iesus And if it be about Iesus that we are imployed if in that name we suffer we ought not so much to apprehend it the sufferance of a Crosse as the assurance of a crowne 2. Point Consider with astonishment the great power which the diuine prouidence giues to Pilate who had indeede noe power ouer Christ but what was giuen from aboue in whose handes the disposall of the body of a God was left Yes of that body which the holy Ghost framed the Virgine mother brought-forth the diuinitie still inseparably inhabited Of that body I say Pilate à sinner an vniust Iudge an infidell hath power to dispose and he giues it to Iosephe Affect O my soule how this Christ this God-man is wholy imployed in the behalfe of man In his life at his death after his death In his life for our instruction at his death for our redemption after his death for our consolation Be we left vnder what power soeuer iust or vniust peaceable or tyrannicall according to our desires or contrarie to our inclinations by our Lord and Masters sweete disposition he that so left vs if we faithfully follow his foot stepps will certainly deliuer vs glorifie vs. Noe vniust Pilates sencence will be able to hinder vs from deliuering vp our soules into the hands of a louing father nor depriue our body of the happie expectation of à glorious resurrection Resolution I will euer admire to see the disposition of the deade body of Christ left in an infidells hands but much more to see his liuing and glorious body and soule left at the dispose of disloyall Christians who beleeue in him and yet crucifie him againe by their dailie crymes THE XXXIV MEDITATION 1. Point COnsider that God being Omniponcie it selfe wanted not power to haue deliuered the body of this deare sonne of his out of the hands of Pilate without his leaue He that was onely free among the deade could easily haue freed himselfe from the deade and haue rysen as gloriously the first day from the Crosse as the third from the graue But the Scriptures were to be fulfilled his sepulcher vvas to be glorious Our Ionas was to remaine three dayes and three nightes in the bowells of the earth And his last lesson after his death as well as his first before he could yet speake was to teach vs by his blessed example an admirable submission obedience abandonnement of himselfe into what hands soeuer Affect O wisdome of heauen how secreete and incomprehensible are thy wayes We are not able my soule to looke into them In thy infancie thou wholy abandonnedst thy selfe vnto thy B. mothers care and custodie In thy youth thou wast subiect to her and Iosephe In thy passion thou wast giuen ouer to the wills of the Iewes remayning obedient till death and the death of the Crosse and now too after thy death thou continuest still at Pilates dispose Let me learne deare Lord by this singular submission of thyne in imitation therof and for thy loue to be willingly subiect to euerie creature neuer desiring to take my selfe out of that order and subiection wherin thy prouidence may haue placed me Ita Domine quoniam sic placitum est coram te Yes sweete Sauiour purely becaus so it is aggreable in thy diuine sight 2. Point Consider that Pilate hauing bene petitioned giues vp the body to Iosephe Iosephs care takes it downe from the Crosse and bestowes à sydon or fine white linen sheete Nicodemus contributes many pounds of oyntments to witt mixed mirre and aloes the body is imbalmed therwith and wound vp in Iosephs syndon according to the iewes rites His mournefull mother Marie bestowes more hartie sorowe and compassion then any tongue can speake or any hart but her owne that is the hart of a mother and such a mother the mother of a God can conceiue who as in that name she farre surpasses all other creatures in dignitie consanguinitie and neerenesse to her sonne so also in loue and consequently in compassion and sorrowe The desolate louing Magdalene and her companions their familiar teares and Ioseph putts the adorable body in his owne new Monument cutt in the side of a rocke and shutts it vp with a great stone Affect Thus my soule haue we at length gott to an end of a wearisome procession Thus haue our sinnes layd the God of heauen and earth in the bosome of the earth Thus haue our hard hartes lodged him in a rocke at whose voyce the very rockes burst in sunder Ah my soule this hard world at his first entrie lodged him in a rocke and a rocke too must receiue him at his going out O deare Master Let it be this rockie hart of myne that may haue the happines to afford thee this last lodging or at least may I be lodged with thee be the rocke neuer so hard that I may truly be according to the Apostles expression consepultus cum Christo buried togeither with Christ neuer to ryse againe but with him in newnesse of life O that my hart as it sympathises too neerely with this Monument in hardnesse had also the rest of its qualities O that it were yet in its primitiue newnesse and puritie O that it had neuer bene prepossessed by any creature But alas alas it fares not so It hath bene too longe and too easely prostituted to the worlds allurements to the Diuells suggestions It hath bene but too too peruious to all approches and remayned onely a rocke to thy holy inspirations to thy heauenly instructions to any true sense of thy excessiue torments and sorrowes A PRAYER BVt ô my deare Lord thou vvho art a hammer brusing rockes bruse this hard hart of myne into true contrition and smite it vvith the rodd of thy Crosse that novv at least though too late alas it may pay dovvne deepest compassion and sorrovve vvith the most desolate Virgine mother flouds of repentant teares vvith those mournefull Maries and finally a most manly courage and resolution plentifull vvorkes of mercy and the pretious oyntements of frequent and feruent prayers vvith the good Ioseph and Nicodemus But ah my dearest Sauiour Christ my true rocke and strength these are indeede the resolutions of my hart but of a vveake and vvauering hart vvhich vvill effect nothing vvithout thy povverfull assistance grant it o Lord for thy pretious blouds sake and let the holes of thy sacred side c. lye alvvaies open to my ayde and
same sadd truth that alas I it is her sweete and best beloued Rabboni her dearest Master Christ Iesus Aske the rockes and stones and in their language they will answere you that its the authour of nature their Maker and Master the verie Authour of all beeing and life Aske the Sunne and it will straight withdraw it's light testifying that the true Sunne is setting and dyeing to this world Nay aske the Iewes and notwithstanding their endlesse malice euen by them you may informe your selfe of the truth for looke vp and you may reade their inscription IESVS N. R. I. aske who these two are which hangs by him and euery one will answere you they are two theeues 2. Theeues alas and together with Iesus what connection what to doe hath light with darkenes iniquitie with iustice ah is it not true quod cum iniquis reputatus est That Iesus our sauiour is reputed among the wicked heauens stand amazed at this strange doome O my soule loose thy selfe in astonishement in contemplation of the wordls peruerse and madd iudgement and learne to contemne it since here thou seest euen innocencie it selfe tainted with the imputation of wickednesse and after this neuer find it strange if thy resolution be to follow thy Master Christ to haue thy best actions misconstrued to thy disaduantage and disgrace 3. IESVS NAZARENVS This is the testimonie of that enemie of his Pilate who deliuered him ouer to this disgrace And if Iesus of Nazareth Iesus the sonne of Marie that innocent lambe which was borne in Bethelem stable who came to take awaie the inquities and sinnes of the world who had euen there his Gloria sung by the quires of Angels from heauen in testimonie that he was true God that word which was in the beginning with God and was euen God himselfe In the beginning which had no beginning before time yet began to be from all eternitie And yet behold now in time what monsters time brings forth He is reputed among the vvicked 4. In eternitie he esteemes it no stealth to be equall with God In eternitie he is one of those three holy persons who are equally one God And in time he is in a coniūcture with and is iudged the chiefe of the three wher-of two confessedly suffer the punishments due to their crimes 5. IESVS NAZARENVS If Iesus of Nazareth let Nazareth which knowes him giue testimonie of him Nazareth where he was virginally conceiued of a poore innocent vnspotted milde Virgine Nazareth where he was innocently brought vp and conuersed amongst the inhabitants For the space of 24. yeares Nazareth where he appeared a man approued by God by miracles and wonders and signes which God wrought by him in the middest of it Let Nazareth speake Was he euer found faultie in word or deede Nay was he not euer found innocent vnspotted segregated or separated from sinners was he not euer found doeing the worke of his heauenly Father solidly and publikly preaching the truth exalting vertue reprehending and subduing vice and vtterly destroying the kingdome of satan curing the sicke raysing the dead to life restoring sight to the blind making the lame walke and the deafe heare And yet it is thought good to the Iewish blindnesse and malice to repute and place him amongst the vvicked 6. Pilate who iudged him and in iudging him condemned himself pronounced openly that he found no cause of death in him and left him a testimonie of a iust man And yet he is reputed among the vvicked 7. Ah barbarous blinde vnnaturall and wicked Iewe whilst thou art contriuing his death by iarring treacherous and bought testimonies at Hierusalem his natiue soyle to which he was sent which he so much loued that by teares spent vpon it he expressed the same Rome vpon a bare relation sent from hence is admiring his life Whilst thou vngratefull Synagogue buyest his blood with bribes and vniustly placest him amidst two notorious Criminalls the Senate is cōsulting to place him amōgst the Gods 8. Ah king of heauen how becam'st thou an exile in this our vayle of teares for loue What did inuest thee in our clayie garmentes or rather ragges loue But tell me thou beatie of Angells how becamest thou so deformed For loue What lanced these sacred temples Loue. How became that celestiall face heauens ioy so gauled and goarie For loue Ah my hart what wounded these hands and feete which neuer walked in the waies of sinners Loue. Thou adornest the feild with a verdant greene thou deckest the tree with her fresh leaues and sweet blossomes the birds thou couerest with their comely feathers and the most contemptible beast with their skinnes and how becamest thou then so without all couer or ornament For loue Ah my crucified loue how much thou hast oblidged me to loue thee Ah Loue euen for this loue inflame my colde hart with this loue Da mihi te amare quantum volo quantum debeo 9. REX IVDAEORVM Rex A King true the King of heauen the King of Angells the King of Men the King of all things Omnis enim potestas ei data est in coelo in terra For all power was giuen him in heauen and in earth But alas if a King how so inuironed with miserie and anguish how so destitute of friends and attendants how so bereaued of all comfort consolation how so depriued of all things that might appease greife and accompayned with all things that might augment sorrow If a King and the King of heauen where are the orders of Cherubines and Seraphins the rancks of Archangells Angells those Principalities Powers Dominations those mille millium ministrantium ei decies centena millia assistentium ei 10. Rex Iudaeorum If a King where are his Nobles his fauorites his Guard-Royall his Pallace his Chamber of Presence his Purple his Gemmes If a King at least why doth he not appeare a Man Neque enim species illi est neque decor For he neither hath beautie nor comelinesse A Crowne he beares indeed but that doth so augment his paine as that it doth not anie waie in appearance add to his Regall honour And was loue yet cause of all this yes yes Sic Deus dilexit mundum c. So God loued the world that he deliuered his owne onely sonne But alas hath Loue made this King so prodigall and prodigalitie so poore that he hath nothing left him nothing to bestow vpon a poore suppliant ah yes my soule yes there is yet enough left let 's runn and begge for behold his holy armes are wide open louingly to imbrace vs and receaue vs into his fauour ô deare sweete imbracements ô how willingly could I liue and dye here O inueni quem diligit anima mea inueni nec dimittam I haue found him whom my hart loueth I haue found him nor will I lett him goe Behold his head hung downe to bestow vpon vs that sweet osculum pacis that kisse of peace that gracious fauour
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