our Sauiour appeared and shewed some part of his glory to the Apostles and fiue hundred other persons that beleeued in him to whome he largely declared the power that his Father had giuen him in heauen and in earth and discouered vnto them diuers mysteries of the faith 3. How for conclusion he promised neuer to withdraw his assistance and fauour from them Let vs learne 1. To keepe our selues in the mountaine of perfection and still to aspire to the same if we desire that our Sauiour shew himself vnto vs. 2. To feare and respect his power 3 Not to loose heart in time of temptation seeing that he is alwaies present with vs. CXXXVIII MEDITATION Of our Sauiours glorious Ascension Mark 16.19 Luk. 24.50 Act. 1.9 1. CONSIDER how our Sauiour stāding on moūt Oliuet after that he had taken leaue of his Mother Apostles disciples and others there present he gaue vnto them all his holy blessing and afterward ascended glorious into heauen accōpanied with many squadrons of Angels and holy Fathers which he had deliuered out of Limbo 2. How comming to heauen he was there receaued by God the Father and all the celestiall Court with great triumph and ioy as Conquerour of death Hell and the world 3. How the Disciples hauing lost the sight of their Lord and maister did all do reuerence to his glorious mother taking her for their mistresse and guide Let vs learne of our Lord 1. The way to mount vp to heauen which is to humble our selues and to withdraw all our affection from earthly things 2. That to deserue triumph we we must first ouercome our passiōs 3. That if we desire to haue our B. Lady for our guide and mistresse we must imitate her vertues CXXXIX MEDITATION How our Sauiour did send the holy Ghost vpon his Disciples and Apostles Act. 2.1 1. CONSIDER how after that our Sauiour was ascended into heauen the most B. Virgin retyred her self to Ierusalem where more by her example then by words she did instruct and comfort the Christians expecting the comming of the holy ghost which our Sauiour had promised to send 2. How the most Blessed Virgin and all the Apostles being together in a great roome and praying to almighty God the holy Ghost came vpon them and appeared vpon euery one of them in forme of fiery tongues 3 How the holy Ghost did so inflame the hearts of the Apostles that they preached the faith without any feare seeking nothing more then the glory of God Let vs learne 1. To help our neighbours more by giuing good example then by faire words 2. That praier is a singular meanes to obtaine the holy Ghost 3. That if we do in our actions seeke only the glory of God it is a signe that the holy Ghost is in vs. CXL MEDITATION Of the Assumption of our Blessed Lady 1. CONSIDER how the most Blessed Virgin esteeming that her presence was no more necessary for the Church of God which was then very much increased did demaund of God to depart this life that she might be with her sonne in heauen 2. How great ioy and contentment she receaued vnderstāding by relation of an Angell that her sonne our Sauiour would fulfill her desire and that he came now to receaue her soule 3. How her thrice happie soule three daies after it was departed frō the body returned to reunite it self with the same and so our B. Lady accompanied with Angels was as some say carried vp into heauen Let vs learne 1. To liue heere on earth a celestiall life if we desire to gaine heauen 2. Not to make any designments in this life and so we shall not be sory when we shall heare of death 3. To receaue God in our hearts at this present and he will afterward receaue vs in heauen CXLI MEDITATION How our Blessed Lady was crowned in Heauen 1. CONSIDER what feast the Blessed Saints of Paradise made beholding the Queene of Angels and the Mother of God to come into Heauen so glorious as she did 2. With what maiesty and reuerence she was led to the throne of the holy Trinity where she was most honorably receaued and crowned 4. How she was seated on a beautifull throwne aboue all the Angels at the right hand of her beloued Sonne where she prayeth cōtitually for her deuoted seruants Let vs learne 1. To humble our selues heere on earth by example of the glorious Virgin if we desire to appeare glorious in Heauen 2. That our Blessed Lady hath merited to be crowned in Heauen not simply because that she was the Mother of God but for that she was adorned and enriched with millions of vertues 3. That if we desire that our B. Lady take care of vs in heauen we must be deuout to her on earth CXLII MEDITATION Of Death 1. THINK that we must ōce dy yet we know not when nor how and that dying we must leaue all thinges of this world which will afflict vs at that houre so much the more as we haue byn affected to them in our life 2. That then our soule shall be so troubled and tormented by the Diuels and our body so strongly seazed with sicknes that we scarce shall know whether we be aliue or dead 3. How in that traunce we shall be more grieuously afflicted with the worme of conscience which will not only gnawe vs for the euil we haue committed but also for the good we haue omitted Let vs learne 1. To marke heere three great follies committed by men and first by those vvho are so much affected to these vvordly thinges that once they must leaue and abandon 2. Of those that deferre driue off their conuersiō vntill the houre of death which is a time so doubtfull and vncertaine 3. Of those who do not now that which thē they would haue done and let vs perswade our selues that he that liueth ill seldome or neuer dieth well CXLIII MEDITATION Also of death 1. CONSIDER that as soone as the soule shall be out of the body euery one will abandon the same as a thing most horrible How afterwards they will throw the same into a filthy and stinking hole to be gnawen and deuoured of wormes Behold how this body shall end which we haue cherished so much in this world and for whose sake we haue so offended Almighty God 2. Let vs turne towards our soule and we shall see it depart out of this world loaded only with the works which she hath done The ill ones make her tremble quake the good giue her some small comfort but aboue all she is grieued that she liued not better 3. Behold with what cariage and countenance she doth present her selfe before the throne of the diuine iustice there to receaue the sentēce that her works do deserue Let vs learne 1. How little accoumpt we ought to make of our body seeing it is of so base and vile condition 2. To doe alwaies good since this is it that must accompaine vs in the
do make great change of life and happy progresse in vertue by this exercise euen in this cold age of ours And although they are more frequent in other Countreys which enioy the happy freedome of the seruice of God without feares or contradictions yet there want not such and that of both sexes euen amongest vs who ouercomming the tumults of the world and the terrors of persecution do bestow daily a good part of their tyme in this importaÌ„t busines and continually reap the pleÌ„tifull fruit of their happy labours which number if it may be increased by this my poore endeauour I shall thinke it happily bestowed 7. And although the holy Ghost be the chiefe Maister of this doctrine yet it shall not be amisse to set downe some briefe method of practise taken out of approued Authors and experience that so those who haue a will to imploy themselues therein bee not depriued at least of a great part of the profit for want of instructions 8. We shall heere omit diuers diuisions which might be made of meditation and deuide it only into Spirituall and Historicall which distinction is taken from the diuersitie of the matter wheron we meditate Spirituall meditation is that wherin the matter is spirituall in that sense as we oppose spirituall to corporall for that it containes for the most part no corporall actions such are the Meditations of the end of man of sinnes death iudgment hell heauen the benefits of God his infinite perfections the like Historicall Meditation is that where the matter is some Historie as the meditations of the life passion of our B. Sauiour of the vertuous actions of his B. Mother or some other Saint Of both which kinds of matter many spirituall bookes are full so that we may easily take our choice with the counsell of our spirituall Father the fittest of all will be the holy Gospell especially hauing helped our selues at the beginning with some larger discourses 9. For the better order more profit we must begin with the end wherfore man was created with the iugdments of God exercised on sinners with the multitude and greatnes of our owne sinns with death iugdment bell and the like which will help much to the rooting out of vices Then may we meditate on the life passion of Christ from whose vertues we shall receiue glorious light to frame the like with his grace in our selues And lastly we may contemplate the glorious mysteries of our Sauiours Resurrection Apparitions Ascension and the coÌ„ming of the Holy Ghost his excessiue loue towardes vs his manifould benefits and the aboundant reward prepared for his friends in heauen The preparation for Meditation §. 1. FOR the more fruitfull meditating on the diuine mysteries there is required such puritie of CoÌ„science that we feele not remorse of any great sinne and finding our selues guilty we must seeke to cleare our soules by those remedies which God hath appointed for that purpose 2. We must endeauour so to coÌ„pose our passions and affections in a meane that they be neither too weake nor too strong 3. We must so recollect our powers and senses that willingly we neither thinke on see heare nor admit any thing which may breed distraction Briefly we must so dispose our selues before our meditation as we wish to be when we shall meditate 4. The fittest time for Meditation according to the example of the Prophet Dauid is the morning when the powers of our soule are free from other obiects To be therfore better prepared we must the night before read ouer that part of the booke or writing twice or thrice whence we take our matter then deuide it into three partes or pointes more or fewer as wee please after that propose vnto our selues that which we meane to make the especiall end of our Meditation As if we meditate on the sinnes of others our end may be shame confusion behoulding Gods iudgments excercised on them for fewer and lesser offences then we find in our selues yf we meditate vpon our owne sins we may propose for our end Sorrow and Amendment if on the paines of hell feare and horrour if on the ioyes of heauen ioyfull hope and consolation yf on the life of Christ imitation of his vertues yf on his Passion sorrow and compassion yf on his Resurrection ioy and congratulation and thus according vnto the diuersitie of the matter the end or scopâ— of our meditation must be differeÌ„t which with a litle diligence we may easily find out and vpon this end must our intention be especially fixed at the time of meditation 5. We must also determine with our selues what Preludiums as they are termed or preambles we must make of which we shall speake in their due place And lastly we must marke well what persons wordes and workes are contained in ech point yf our matter be historicall But yf it be spirituall we must call to minde the chiefe things occurring therin All which must be done by a sleight passage only to open the way for our meditation and we may find out all the persons wordes and workes which are expressed as also all those which the decencie of the history doth shew vnto vs espâ—cially the persons wordes and workes of God the angels and diuells which we may finde in euery history fit for meditation with no small spirituall profit God and the holy Angels mouing and furthering all good things and the wicked spirits prouâ—king to euil and hindering in what they can all good 6. Being in bed before we betake our selues to sleepe we must thinke on the houre we meane to rise at call to mind briefly the pointes of our meditation and the same we may doe so often as we chance to awake 7. When we awake in the morning castinge off all other thoughts we must breifly but with great aâ—fectioÌ„ giue God due thaÌ„kes for all his benefits and for those in particuler receiued that night and offer vp our selues and all our actions of the day following to his honour and glory proposing effectually with helpe of his holy Grace to auoid sinne and imperfection that day and especially that which wee endeauour most to ouercome by particuler examine and care After this we may begin to take some tast of our meditatioÌ„ and stirre vp in our soules somtimes griefe shame confusion or feare otherwhiles desire to know with some clearenes the mysteries of the life and passion of our Sauiour so to imitate him diligently loue him feruently sometimes sorrow and heauines so to be compartners with Christ suffering so many paines for vs somtimes also ioy comfort to coÌ„gratulate our Lords glorie and felicitie and at other times other affections agreable vnto ech meditation Which we may performe more easily yf we keep in our mind some similitude answering to the affectioÌ„ we would haue or yf we repeate some verse of the psalmes or other Scripture or Father which may be to that purpose so we do it
with attention and affection And if we meditate more then once in one day in that quarter of an houre going before our tyme appointed we must read ouer diligently the matter of our meditation deuide it and settle it in our mind thinking what we are to do before whome to appeare with whome to talke and making such preparation as we appointed for our mornings meditation The performance of Meditation §. 2. THE houre of meditation being come we may imagine our selues to be inuited by our good Angell or by some other Saint to whome we are particulerly deuoted to appeare in the presence of God wherefore hauing made the signe of the holy Crosse and sprinkled our selues with holy water we may go presently with a a kinde of spirituall hunger to the place where we meane to make our meditation and standing from thence a pace or two briefly lift vp our minde to Almighty God imagining him to be so present with vs as truly he is that he behouldeth what we are to do doth shew vnto vs in that very place his most venerable and glorious countenance 2. The presence of God is best framed of our Vnderstanding by making an act of faith wherby we beleeue Almighty God to be so present there that he compasseth vs round on euery side as the water compasseth the fish and yet is also within vs and the things before vs as he is in all things somwhat like the water which is entred into a sponge and this by his diuine essence presence and power which penetrate the nature of euery creature and giue them needfull helpe for their operations 3. It helpeth much our attentioÌ„ to conceiue the presence of God after the liueliest manner wee can and to fix our meditation as much as humaine frailtie will permit continually in the sight of God perswading our selues that he is much pleased to see vs proceede with diligence in this spirituall affaire and much dislikes yf wee performe it negligently and in this point we must force our selues at little at the first vntill exercise produce facilitie 4. Hauing conceiued God thus present we must next looke vpon our owne vnworthines and with great reuerence say with the Patriarke Abraham Loquar ad Dominum meum cùm sim pultuis cinis I will speake to my Lord beeing dust and ashes and with internall adoration bending the knees of our hare kneele downe before our Lord professing the presence of the Blessed Trinity with some wordes fitting that purpose as Benedictusâ—â— Sancto Indiuidua Trinitas Blessed be the holy and 〈◊〉 deuided Trinity or Gloria Patri Filio Spiritui Sancto Glorie to the Father to the Sonne and to the holy Ghost or Sanctus Sanctuâ— Sanctus Dominus Deus omnipotens qui erat qui est qui venturus est Holy holy holy Lord God omnipotent who was who is and who is to come or the like But yf through indisposition or weaknes of body we find our selues vnapt to kneele we may hauing entred into our meditation either stand sit or walke or vse such situation of body as we shall finde fittest for our infirmitie And although we should haue our body well disposed to kneele yet if we find not in our meditation the comfort we expect we may change somtime the position we were in as froÌ„ kneeling to sitting standing walking prostrating our selues vpon our face at our Sauiours feete c. 5. And in trauel either on foot or otherwise we may meditate 〈◊〉 we goe on our iourney but ordinarily yf wee be not otherwaies hindred kneling is the fittest positioÌ„ to procure reuerence and deuotioÌ„ 6. Being on our knees or otherwaies ready to begin our meditatioÌ„ let vs acknowledge our selues sinners with as much inward feeling of heart as we can asking humbly pardon of Gods diuine Maiesty saying with diuotion the foure first verses of the Miserere Psalme the Confiteor or some other prayer to that purpose 7. Then encouraging our selues with hope of pardon we may behould the maiesty of God there present and acknowleging the great bande we haue to imploy our selues wholy in his seruice make with feeling deuotion the preparatiue Praier which is nothing els but a short petition wherein we aske helpe of God that all our powers and actions and that in particuler we now goe about may be sincerely directed and performed to the honour of God and the benefit of our owne soule 8. Then must we proceed to the preaÌ„bles or Preludiums which are three if the matter be historicall but if it be not of some history they are only two 9. The first Preludium or Preamble which is proper onely to the meditation made vpon some historie is a breife calling to mind of the mystery we are to meditate no otherwaies then if we should tell it to another without any discourse theron at all 10. The seconde is common to all Meditations and is an imagination of seeing the places where the thinges we meditate on were wrought by imagining our selues to be really present at those places which we must endeauour to represent so liuely as though we saw them indeed with our corporall eyes which to performe well it will help vs much to behould before-hande some Image wherein â—â—at mistery is well represented and to haue read or heard what good Authors write of those places and to haue noted well the distance from one place to another the height of the hills and the situation of the townes and villages And the diligence we employ heerein is not lost for on the well making of this Preludium depends both the vnderstanding of the mystery and attention in our meditation 11. Yf our meditation be of some spirituall matter of which we spake before which affordes no historie we must frame our second Preludium according thereunto as If wee meditate on sinnes we may imagine our soule to be cast out of Paradise and to be held prisoner in this body of ours fettered with the chaines of disordinate Passions and affections and clogged with the burden of our owne flesh If on Hell we may behould with our imagination the length breadth and depth of that horrible place Yf on Heauen the spatiâ—â—â— plesantnes of that celestiall Countrie the glorious companie of Angels and Saintes Yf on Gods iudgment which must passe vpon vs our Sauiour sitting on his Iudgment Seate and we before him expecting the finall Sentence if on death our selues laied on our bed forsakeÌ„ of the Physitians compassed about with our weeping friends and expecting our last agony Thus our second Preludium in these Meditations which are spirituall as we call them must be some similitude answerable to the matter 12. The third Preludium in all Meditations is a short but earnest prayer to God for that thing which we haue proposed as the scope and ende of our Meditation of which we haue already spoken Hauing finished these Preludiums we must begin the first pointe of our Meditation exercising
thereon the three powers of our Soule Memorie Vnderstaning and Will With our memorie we must as it were rehearse vnto our selues in order that which is conteined in the first point of the matter we prepared calling to mind also such things as we haue read in the holy Scripture and other good Authors or heard of discreet and deuout persons yf it make for the matter we haue in hand and lay open to the view of our vnderstaÌ„ding the persons wordes and workes contained in the first point if it containe any if none at least the most notable matters therin 13. Then we must exercise our vnderstanding vpoÌ„ that which the memory hath proposed and search out diligently what may be considered about that present obiect inferring one thing from another framing from thence true pious and spirituall coÌ„ceipts fit to moue our Will to vertuous affections Lastly for that the will is naturally inclined and moued to affect thoâ—â— things which the vnderstanding proposeth we must procure with all diligence to stir vp in our selues those affections which the operations of our vnderstanding going before incline vs vnto 14. And hauing thus exercised the three powers of our soule vpoÌ„ the first point we must passe on to the next But finding our selues imploied with spirituall profit about that we haue in hand we must not be follicitous to passe on further although by our long stay in one point we should not haue leasure to goe ouer them all within our determined tyme But it wil be best to satisfy our selues fully where we find spirituall comfort and reserue the rest for an other time of Meditation We must also know that the exercise of our Memory and Vnderstanding in Meditation is ordained to the motion of our will and must therfore be vsed with such moderation as may serue for the mouing therof and no more that so our Meditation may be full of pious and good affections not vaine and filled with curiosities 15 We may frame our conceiâ—es vpon diuers heades which our matter will yielde vs as if it be historicall we may consider in the persons there represented who they be their thoughts and affections their inwarde vertues and out ward carriage with other circumstances In the words we may consider their first and proper sense as also the figuratiue and translated signification if there be any and the ende wherfore they are spoken In the workes are to be considered their nature what they are with their circumstances comprehended in this verse vsuall amongst those who treate of morall actions Quis Quid Vbi Quibus aâ—uilijs Cur Quomodo Quando wayghing well what person that is by whome the action is done examining what he speaketh and doth where with what helpe or assistance for what end in what manner and at what tyme. 16. But if our matter be spirituall and affoard no persons with their wordes and workes we must endeauour to conceiue the matter throughly in our vnderstanding and to find out the true sense and meaning of the wordes which represent the matter vnto vs and the right nature of the things therin represented and we may help our selues much to the framing of spirituall conceites if we apply vnto our matter familiar similitudes drawne from our ordinary actions and this aswell in historicall as spirituall meditations 17. The affections which we ought to procure by these conceipts are many and diuerses nor can it be assigned which we should alwaies procure they chiefly depending on the guift of the holy Ghost Yet whilst we attended especially â—o the rooâ—ing out of vices which 〈◊〉 termed by the Maisters of spirit via purgatiua the purgatiue way we ought to labour first for great griefe with shame and confusion for our sinnes for our negligence and couldnes in Gods seruice for carelesnes and sloth in seeking perfection Secondly a feare of offending God of loosing his grace of not fulfilling our obligation in answering to his heauenly voice and inspirations and of seuere punishment for ouâ— sinnes Thirdly a perfect hatred of all sinne coldnes and negligence in spirit of all earthly things which with-hould vs from God and of our owne pleasures and contentments 18. Fourthly a desire of mortification of our body our senses passions and inclinations to honour and estimation submitting our selues to the lowest persons accompting our selues the baseâ—◠〈◊〉 all others and desiring that others should esteeme vs so Likewise when we principally endeauouâ— to plant vertues in our souleâ— which is termed via illuminatiua the illuminatiue way we must stiâ— vp first a loue and desire of all vertues as also a desire to know the person and actions of our E. Sauiour so to imitate him the better Secondly a hope to please God with the help of his holy grace to perseuere in his seruice to free our selues from coldnes and defects to attaine perfection in this life â—ternal happines in the life to come 19. Thirdly sorrow coÌ„passâ—oÌ„ for the suffering of our Sauiâ—ur for the blindnes and ingratitude of those who offend him so often greiuously And whilst we cheifly seeke to vnite our soules to God which is called â—iâ— vnitiua the vnitiue way we must stir vp in our selues first an exceeding loue of God Secondly a spirituall reioycinâ— in his infinite riches and perfections as also in the glorie and happines of our Sauiour risen from death and receiued into heauen with trumph and maiesty Thirdly a gratefull ioy for the charity he hath shewed to mankind and our selues in particuler and for so many and great benefits bestowed vpon his friends Fourthly a vehement desire that Gods name be knowne and sanctified that he may reigne our all soules without resistance and that his holy will may be fulfilled in all places and many more such like affections as we haue heere set downe the Holy Ghost will teach vs in all these waies if we dispose our selues with a great desire of them and humility altogeather necessary for the receiuing of this diuine influence yet not omitting our owne diligence 20. We may moue and strenghthen these affections by earnest demaunding them of God eitheâ— with wordes of the holy Scripâ—â—â—e or some deuout saying of our owne By obsecration instantly asking them of God for his infinite loue Goodnes and mercies sakeâ— for the most gratefull merits of his beloued sonne for the sanctitie and puritie of his Blessed Mother By gratitude giuing thankes to God for so many benefits so many bountifull and assured promises descending into particulers By oblation offering our selues to God prepared and ready to do whatsoeuer he hath taught vs to imitate our Sauiour so neere as we can to suffer whatsoeuer for his sake and to seeke all meanes to please his diuine maiestie By good purposes intending most firmly in the sight of the whole Court of heauen to do all that we know or shall know to appertaine to the glory of God to make good vse of his grace heauenly
other world 3. To liue in such sort that afterwards we need not feare the last sentence which shall be peremptory of our eternall good or ill CXLIV MEDITATION Of the Generall and last Iudgment 1. CONSIDER what dread and feare men will haue when presently after the generall Resurrection they shall behold the signe of the Crosse and other armes of the Passion which will appeare in heauen borne before our Sauiour who shall come with great maiesty to iudge the world 2. How the iudgmeÌ„t being begun euery one shall be constrained to giue account euen of his most hiddeÌ„ thoughts in such sort that euery ones life shall be wholy knowne to all the rest 3. How great the confusion of hypocrites principally shall be when their malice and wicked thoughts will be discouered to the whole world Let vs learne 1. To resolue with our selues to loue and serue God more carefully to the end we may be able to appeare before him with more security 2. To make vp our accounts with the mercy that God doth now present vnto vs and not to expect the time when he will vse his iustice 3. For feare lest our sins should be knowne of all men at the day of iudgment we must presently blot them out by a good confession and by doing of pennance CXLV MEDITATION Of the same generall Iudgment 1. CONSIDER how that great Iudge will recompence the iustice of the iust will praise them for their good workes esteeming that he hath receaued in his owne person whatsoeuer they haue done to the poore 2. How reproaching the obstinate of their sinnes with a dreadful countenance he will driue them out of his presence sending them to hel-fire and deliuering them into the hands and power of the diuell 3. How suddainly these vnfortunate sinners shall find themselues enuironed and all wrapped vp in a terrible fire and so blaspheming shall be throwne downe into the bottomles pit of hell and contrariwise how the good praising and thanking God shall be led to heaueÌ„ to raigne there eternally with our Sauiour Let vs learne 1. To do good and that for the loue of God if we will haue recompence at the day of iudgment 2. Not to cast God out of our soules that in the day of iudgment he driue vs not out of his sight 3. To walke in the way of vertue and then we need not feare that we shall be sent to the house of vice nor be made companions to the dwellers therof CXLVI MEDITATION Of Hell 1. SET before your eyes the horrible bottomles pit of Hell established and appointed by Gods iustice to be the perpetuall prison of rebellious and vngrateful persons 2. Consider the paines and torments that the damned do indure in that place beholding those hideous infernall monsters hearing their cryes and enormous blasphemies and feeling infinite and intolerable stinke 3. Think what excessiue griefe these miserable soules shall feele when inclosed in this dreadfull prisoÌ„ they shall be told that it must be for euer without any hope of departing thence Let vs learne 1. That if this lodging like vs not we follow not the way that leadeth vs vnto it 2. That to eschew those paines we must keepe our selues from sinne that maketh vs worthy of theÌ„ 3. That this place is not prepared but for those that make themselues the slaues of sinne CXLVII MEDITATION Of the same Hell 1. CONSIDER that the great paine which the damned do suffer is that they see themselues for euer banished out of heaueÌ„ which was their owne country and depriued of the enioying of almighty God who is their only end soueraigne good 2. How they are tormented in all their senses with so horrible paines that they be neuer asswaged wheÌ„ce it commeth that they dye alwayes and yet neuer end 3. Consider that they were created redeemed to enioy celestiall and eternall felicity which they lost for so light and small pleasure and yet hauing meanes to remedy their euils by doing penance which they did not they are surprised with so great vehement griefe that in a manner they burst asunder Let vs learne 1. That he which doth suffer himself to be carried away with sinne deserueth to be cast out of heauen 2. That if heer we will satisfie our seÌ„sualities as we list God will afterwards satisfie his iustice as he ought to do 3. That he is ill aduised who doth not amend himself and become wise by other mens harmes CXLVIII MEDITATION Of Heauen 1. CONSIDER how Heauen which God hath ordained for those that loue him is so beautifull a place that there is nothing in this world to be compared vnto it There is no danger of death of sicknes of aduersity nor of any other misery whatsoeuer 2. How the inhabitants of heauen do liue in highest peace and coÌ„teÌ„tment haue neuer any sorrow nor disgust but do loue one another so entirely that ech one is as glad at his neighbours good as at his owne 3. What ioy and contentment the Blessed soules do receaue when after so great labours and paines they enter into that place replenished with all good delight there to repose for all eternity Let vs learne 1. That if the place do please vs we must follow the way that leadeth thither though it seeme vnto vs somwhat straite and rough 2. That he is vnwise who for worldly pelfe forgetteth heauen which is our true country 3. That those which in this world haue suffered much for the loue of God do receaue great reward and recompence for the same in heauen CXLIX MEDITATION Againe of Heauen 1. CONSIDER how those Blessed soules beholding the infinite maiesty of God are so replenished with ioy and contentment that they cannot desire any more nor any other thing 2. That they are neuer wearied in blessing the time which they haue imploied in their deuotions in frequenting of the holy Sacraments and in the exercise of the works of mercy which they see to haue ben receaued and accepted of God as if they had ben donne to his owne person 3. How they do greatly reioyce because they are certaine that their glory and felicity shall neuer faile and that it cannot be lost taken away or hindered by any once Let vs learne 1. To please Almighty God heere on earth by seruing him deuoutly and he assuredly will giue vs all contentment in heauen 2. How the world is grosly abused making so little account of deuotion and other spirituall exercises 3. How men do deceaue themselues if they send not their goods and treasures into their true countery which is a place so assured CL. MEDITATION Of the effects of deadly sinne 1. CONSIDER how deadly sinne maketh vs loose the grace of God in this lyfe 2. How it doth depriue vs of all those consolations that God is accustomed to giue to his welbeloued children in this world 3. How it doth exclude vs from the euerlasting glory for which we were created and redeemed with the most precious bloud of our Sauiour IESVS Christ 4. How it doth procure vs in this life the emnity of God who is our creatour and ought to be our God 5. How it bringeth vnto vs an infinite number of trauailes and miseries making vs seruants of our passions and flause to the diuell 6. It is cause that our good works cannnot be meritorious of eternall life 7. Consider how grosse an absurdity and folly it is of a man for a small pleasure contrary to the law and will of God to expose himself to the daunger to be throwne headlong into euerlasting paines where he shal be punished perpetually without any hope to be euer deliuered A PRAIER O MY God I should indeed be senseles yea and more then seÌ„sles if reuolting against thy sacred Maiesty I would subiect my self to the tyranny of sinne of the diuell And what would it auaile me to haue my whole hearts desire in this world if I were depriued of thy grace Alas who could defend me from those euils vnto which mans life is subiect who could help me at the houre of my death who could deliuer me froÌ„ hell if through my own demerits thou shouldst become mine enemy I had rather o my good God I had rather I say indure all the daungers misfortunes that may befall me in this life and had rather dy a thousand deaths then to liue eueÌ„ one moment out of thy â—â—â—ce fauour and protection FINIS