as it were an other hemespherie where it findeth a new heauen a newe earthe an other kinde of lyfe and an other maner of vnderstandinge and knowledge The sowle then after it is departed out of the bodie entereth into this newe region where those that by liuinge neuer entered a place full of feare and terrour and of shadowes of death But now what shall this new straunger doe in this so straunge a countrey vnlesse it be so that he hath deserued in this lyfe to haue the garde and defence of Angells for this time O my sowle saieth S. Bernarde what a terrible daie shal that be when thou shalt enter all alone into that vnknowen region where those hellishe monsters that are so horrible and vglie to beholde shall encounter and assault thee in the waie Who will then take thy part Who will then defende thee Who will then deliuer thee from those rampinge lions which beinge raginge madde for honger do lie there in waite to deuour thee At the hower of deathe the sowle müst rendre a particular accompte vnto almightie God of all thinges aÌ„d then it shal be iudged what shall become of her for euermore and this is termed her particular iudgemeÌ„t Math. 12.36 1. Peter 4.18 Vndoubtedlie this is a verie fearfull waie but the iudgment that shall then so solemnlie be geuen is farre more terrible Who is able to declare how strait the decision of this particular iudgement shal be How righteous the iudge How busie and solicitous the deuills our accusers How fewe intercessors on our syde What a particuler examination shal be made of euerie point of our accompte And what a longe proces shal be drawen of all our whole lyfe And as our Sauiour affirmeth we must then render an accompte of euerie idell worde Wherefore if the iust man as S. Peter saieth shal hardly be saued where shall the sinner and wicked man shewe them selues It is a thinge trulie verie worthie to be noted that whereas a man woulde thinke that those thinges that we haue most loued and for which we haue taken most paines shoulde most helpe vs in this greate distres it falleth out quite contrarie For they shall not onely not helpe vs but also be an occasion at that tyme of more paine and griefe vnto vs. 2. Reg. 14. 2. Reg. 18. The thinge that AbsoloÌ„ loued aÌ„d esteemed aboue all thinges was his goodlie heare of his head And that verie heare almightie God ordeined by his iust iudgement to be the cause of his death The thinges that we loue most in this lyfe shall make our accompte more dowtefull and be greater greife vnto vs at the hower of our deathe Now the verie same iudgement is prepared for all wicked persons at that howre that those thinges that euerie man most loued in this lyfe and for which he committed most haynous offences against almightie God the verie same thinges shall make his accompt more doutfull and be occasion of greater torment vnto him There shall our children whom we sought to enriche not passinge whether it were by right or wronge accuse vs. There shall the nawghtie harlotte for whose wanton loue we haue broken the lawes and commaundementes of almightie God pleade against vs. There shall our landes our goodes our offices our dignities our pleasures and delightes which were our idolles be our hangmen and tormente vs most cruellie There shall almightie God geue iudgement vpon all the gods of Egipt ordeyninge the matter in such sorte that those verie thinges wherein we haue put all our glorie shall at that tyme be the cause of our ruine Now if the seueritie of the dreadfull sentence of almightie God be answerable to our sinnes who shal be able to abyde it One of those auncient holie fathers that liued in the wildernes was wont to saie that of thre thinges he liued continually in greate feare The first was when his sowle shoulde departe out of his bodie The seconde when it shoulde be presented before the iudgment seat of almightie God The thirde when the sentence of his cause should be geuen and pronounced But now which is most terrible of all what if almightie God shall geue this most terrible sentence ageinst thee that thou shalt be damned for euer and euer to the horrible tormentes of hell fier there to continewe infinite millions of yeares and worlde without ende In what a terrible strait shalt thou then be What sorowe What greife What anguishe shalt thou then feele Againe what ioye and triumphes will the deuills thyne enemies make at that tyme Then shall that sentence of the Prophet be fulfilled sayeinge Ierem. Lam. 2. vers 16. All thine enemies shall open their mouthes vpon thee they shall laughe thee to scorne and gnashe their teath at thee and saie we will deuour him this is the daie we haue so longe loked for we haue found him we haue espied him But thou ô sweite Iesus Psalm 12. Illuminat the eies of my sowle I beseeche thee that I steipe not in death that myne enemie maie neuer saie I haue preuailed against him Amen THVRSDAIE NIGHTE OF THE GENERALL DAYE OF IVDGEMENT Oâ—â—â—â— nor â—â—â—festari Oportâ—t aâ—â—e Tribunal Christi est Refâ—â—â—â—Vnusquâ—â—◠〈◊〉 Coâ—â—â—â—◠〈◊〉 gâ—ffâ—t finiâ—â—â— sinâ— inâ—â—â— sciâ—utes ingo timoteâ—â— domini hominibâ—s sundâ—â—â— 2. Corinth 5.10 Si Justiâ— vix saluabitur impius et peccâ—â—â—Vâ—â— pâ—rrâ—â—â— 1. petr 4. â—â— THIS DAIE WHEN THOV HAST MADE THE SIGNE OF the Crosse and prepared thy selfe hereunto thou hast to meditate vpon the daie of the generall iudgement that by meanes of this consideration those two principall effectes maye be stirred vp in thy sowle which euerie faithfull Christian ought to haue to wit the feare of God and the abhorringe of sinne CONSIDER first what a terrible daie that shal be Of the dreadfulnes and terrour of the generall iudgemente in which the causes of all the children of Adam shal be througlie examyned the proces of all our liues diligently perused and a generall definitiue sentence geuen what shall become of vs all for euermore That daie shall comprise in it all the daies of all the ages and times both present past and to come For vpon that daie the worlde shall reÌ„dre an accompte of all these times And then shall almightie God power out the anger and indignation which he hath gathered together in all ages How violentlie shall the maine floude of gods wrathe and indignation breake out at that daie which conteineth in it so manie floudes of anger and wrathe as there haue bene sinnes committed since the beginninge of the worlde vntill that daie And therefore the Prophet had good cause to saie That daie shal be a daie of anger Soph. 1.15 a daie of calamitie and miserie a daie of obscuritie and darckenes a daie of cloudes and tempestious stormes a daie of the trompette and alarom against the stronge cities and against the highe towers Of the dreadfull signes that shall goe
before the generall daie of iudgemente Secondly consider what fearefull and terrible signes shall goe before this daie For as our Sauiour saieth Before the comminge of this daie there shal be signes in the Sonne in the Moone and in the Sterres and in all creatures both of heauen and earthe For they shall all haue as it were a certayne feelinge and vnderstandinge of their ende Luc. 21.25 before they come to their ende in deede And shall tremble and quake and beginne to falle before they falle in deede But as for men they shall saieth he goe vp and downe drie and withered Luc. 21.26 in great anguishe and feare of death hearinge the terrible roringes of the Sea and seinge the great outragious stormes and tempestes that shall then be stirringe And by those dreadfull signes they shall coniecture what great calamities and miseries are threatened to the worlde And in this wise shall they goe wholy amased and astonied their faces pale and wāne theyr hartes dead before deathe come and as persons condemned before the sentence be geuen For they shall measure the perilles and daungers to come by the greate feare and terrour they be presentelie in And euerie one shal be so throughlie occupied with his owne affaires that none shall thinke of others no not so much as the father of the sonne or the sonne of the father No man shall haue to doe for anie other man because no man shal be sufficient for himselfe alone The Sibilles doe affirme that at that time the beastes shall goe bellowinge and roringe throughe the feildes and cities and that the trees shall sweate bloude and that the Sea shall cast vp the fisshes on the drie grounde But if this seeme incredible to anie man let him consider that there is much more spoken in the gospell For it is a greater matter for men to be dried vp Luc. 21. than for the sea to be dried vp And it is a greater matter that the vertues of the heauens shoulde be moued than that all creatures in the earthe shoulde be altered Thirdlie consider that vniuersall floude of fier Of the cōminge of the floude of fier before the Iudge and of the dreadfull sownde of the trompette at the generall Iudgment Nahum 1. that shall come before the iudge and that dreadfull sownde of the trompett which the Archangell shall blowe to sommon and calle all the generatiōs of the worlde to assemble together in one place and to be present at their generall and vniuersall iudgemente And aboue all this consider with what a dreadfull maiestie the Iudge shall come Whos 's comminge is described by the Prophet Nahum in these wordes Our Lorde shall come like a tempest and furious whyrlewinde and the clowdes are the dust of his feete He shal take indignation against the Sea and it shall waxe drie and all the riuers of the earthe shal be dried vp The hill Basan and Carmelus shal be withered and the floure of the mounte Libanus shall fade and falle awaye The mountaines shall qwake before him and the hilles shall melte The earth shall tremble at his presence and the worlde and all the inhabitantes thereof Who shall stande before the face of his indignation And who shall abide the fearcenes of his furie His wrathe shal be poured out like a fire and the verie rockes shall become dust before him Of the straite accompte that shall then be required of euerie mā Iob. 4. Iob. 31. After this consider what a strait accompte shal be there required of euerie man Verelie saieth Iob no man can be iustified if he be compared with almightie God and if he contende with him in iudgment of a thousande thinges that he shall charge him withall he shall not be able to answere vnto one Now then what shall euerie wicked person thinke at that tyme when almightie God shall enter with him in this examination How almightie God shall then accuse the wicked within their owne consciences ād shal there within his owne cōsciēce saie thus vnto him Come hither thou wicked and naughtie man What hast thou seene in me that thou shouldest thus despise me and goe to myne enemies syde I haue raised thee from the dust of the earthe and created thee after myne owne image and likenes I haue geuen thee vertue and strengthe wherewith thou mightest haue obteined my glorie But thou despisinge the benefites and commaundementes of lyfe which I haue geuen thee wouldest rather followe the lies of the deceiuer than the holesome counsell of thy Lorde and creator To deliuer thee from this foule falle I went downe from heauen into earth where I suffered the greast paynes tormentes and reproches that euer were suffered in the worlde For thee haue I fasted for thee haue I traueyled from place to place for thee haue I watched laboured and sweate droppes of bloude for thee haue I suffered persecutions scourginges blasphemies reproches buffettinges dishonours tormentes and euen deathe it selfe vpon the crosse To be shorte for thee I was borne in much pouertie for thee I liued in great paine for thee I died with intollerable tormentes and greifes Witnes hereof are this crosse and nailes which thou here now seest Witnes hereof are these woundes both of my handes and feete which are here to be seene in my bodie Witnes hereof are heauen and earthe before whom I suffered Witnes hereof are the sonne and moone which were eclipsed at the same howre Now what hast thou done with this thy sowle which I with the sheedinge of myne owne bloude purchased to be mine In whose seruice hast thou emploied that which I bought so dearly O foolishe wicked and adulterous generation why wouldest thou rather serue thy enemie with paine than me thy creator and redeemer with ioye Be yee astonied ô ye heauens at this straunge case and let your gates falle downe at the straungnes hereof Ierem. 2. For two abhominations hath my people committed They haue forsaken me that am the fountaine of liuely water and refused me for an other Barrabas I called yow verie oftentimes and ye woulde not answere me I knocked at your gates and ye woulde not awake I stretched out my handes on the crosse and ye woulde not beholde them Ye haue despised my counsels with all my promises and threatninges Wherefore speake ye now ô ye Angels be you iudges betwene me and my viniarde what coulde I haue done more for it than I haue done Now what answere can the wicked make hereunto Let the wicked prouide what answere to make here vnto now whiles they haue tyme in this worlde Such as be scoffers at holie and diuine thinges Such as be mockers of vertue Such as be despisers of simplicitie Such as make more accompte of the lawes and statutes of the worlde than of the lawes of almightie God Such as haue bene deaffe to heare the callinges of God vnsensible to vnderstande his inspirations rebellious against his commaundementes obdurate and
and weightie burthen his knees tremblinge vnder him his bodie crowchinge vnder the crosse his modest eies and face all blouddye with that dolorous garlande of thorne vpon his heade and besides all this annoyed with those most shamefull opprobrious exclamations and outcries which they gaue out in the waye against him But now in the meane tyme o my soule withdrawe thyne eies a little while from this cruell sight The sorowfull tydinges hereof to the blessed virgin Marie and hye thee with quicke speede with heauines of harte and greate store of teares trickelinge downe by thy checkes towardes the howse of the blessed virgine Marie And when thou art come thither cast thy selfe downe at her feete and speake these wordes in most dolefull and lamentable wise vnto her O Ladye of angells and Quene of heauen O gate of paradice and aduocate of the worlde O refuge of sinners and health of the iust O ioye of the Sainctes and teacher of vertues O mirrour of cleannes O patterne of patience and example of all perfection Woe is me O blessed ladie woe is me why am I preserued aliue to see this present howre How can I liue hauinge now seene with myne eies that dolefull sight which I haue seene What neede more wordes Alas deere virgine and most blessed mother I haue left thy onely begotten sonne my sweete Lorde and Sauiour in the cruell handes of his malitious ennemies with a crosse vpon his shoulders where vpon he shal be crucified Now what vnderstandinge is able to comprehende how deepely these sorowfull newes pearced the most tender harte of that most blessed virgin Here her sowle beganne to waxe fainte Her face and all the partes of her vnspotted maydenlie bodie were couered all ouer with a deadlie sweate which might haue sufficed to ende her life sauinge that by diuine dispensation she was reserued for greater angwishes and so consequentlie for a greater crowne and rewarde in the kingdome of heauen Now the holie virgin walkethe towardes her sweete sonne and the great desire she hath to see him restoreth vnto her againe the force and strengthe which sorrowe and greife had taken awaie She hearethe a farre of the classhinge of armour the trowpes of the people and those most shamefull exclamations and outcries which in most dispitefull wise were thundered by his outragious cruell enemies against him And incontinentlie she seethe the glisteringe speares and halbardes which were holden vp a loft She fyndethe in the waye the droppes and traces of bloude whereby she might easelie tracke him which waie he had gone and she needeth none other gwide to conducte her vnto him She approcheth nearer and nearer vnto her deerlie beloued sonne she openeth her eies which were verie sore dymmed with sorowfull weapinge to proue whether she might see him whom her soule so exceadinglie loued O what a strange combatte was there now of feare and loue in the dolorous harte of the most blessed virgin Marie In one respecte she had a desiere to see him and in an other she was vnwillinge to see him thus miserablie and most cruelly disfigured At the lengthe when she was come where she might see him indeede then those two lightes of heauen doe beholde one an other and theire hartes embrace sweetly together by meanes of theire eies How beit the sight of one an other in this dolefull wise was a verie great corsie to bothe theire afflicted soules Theire tongues were dōme so that neither of them both for a while spake one worde but the naturall affection of that most sweete sonne spake priuely to the heauie hart of the most blessed virgin and saied vnto her Why commest thou hither my doue my beloued and my deere mother Thy sorowe increaseth myne and thy tormentes do augment my paines and be a great torment vnto me Departe my deere mother departe I beseach thee and retourn home againe to thy howse For it is not seemelie for thy virginall shamefastnes and puretie to be here in the companie of murderers and theeues And if it woulde please thee so to doe it woulde certeinly asswage both thy sorrowe and myne And I will remaine here to be sacrificed for the worlde For this office apperteineth not to thee but vnto me and thy innocencie deserueth not this torment Genes 8. Retourne therefore my doue to the arcke vntill such time as the waters of the floude doe cease forsomuch as here thou shalt finde no place where thou mayst rest thy feete There mayst thou attende to thy accustomed diuout praier and contemplation And there by liftinge vp thy soule in godlie meditations aboue thy selfe thou shalt passe ouer more easely this thy dolefull sorowe and greiffe Now this beinge saide the sorowfull heauie harte of the holie mother made answere to her sonne and saied vnto him Why doest thou commaunde me to doe thus my deere sonne Why wouldest thou haue me to depart awaie from this place Thou knowest o my Lord God that in thy presence each thinge is lawfull vnto me and that there is non other Oratorie but where thou arte How can I then departe awaie from thee vnles I shoulde departe from my selfe This griefe and sorrowe so possesseth my harte that trewlie I can not thinke vpon anie other thinge I can goe no whither without thee neither can I seeke or receaue comfort of any other but of thee Vpon thee is fixed all my whole harte Within thee haue I made my habitation And my life whollie dependeth of thee Seinge therefore thou hast vowchesaffed for the space of nine monethes to inhabite within my bowels and to take my bodie for thy dwellinge place why maye not I for these three daies take thy bowels for my habitation If thou wilt thus receaue me within thee when thou art crucified then shall I be crucified with thee and when thou arte buried then shall I be buried also together with thee With thee woulde I drinke of the gaule and vineger With thee woulde I suffer vpon the crosse And with thee woulde I yeelde vp my ghost Such wordes as these spake the blessed virgin in her dolefull harte as she went And after this sort she passed ouer that painfull and ircksome waie vntill she came to the place of the Sacrifice I H S FRIDAIE MORNINGE THIS daie when thou hast made the signe of the crosse and prepared thy selfe hereunto thou hast to meditate vpon the misterie of the crosse And vpon these seuen wordes which our Sauiour spake beinge crucified on the same Vere filius dei erat iste Math. 27.54 Peccata nostra ipse pertulit in corpore suo super lignum ut peccatis mortui iustitiae viveremus pet 2.24 The text of the holie Euangelistes THEY came saieth the holie Euangelist to the place called Golgotha Math. 27. that is to saie the place of dead mens skulles And they gaue him vinegar to drinke mingled with gaule And when he had tasted thereof he woulde not drincke It was then three a clocke And
nor decaye neither shall their bodies euer decaye or waxe olde For he that causeth the heauens to be alwaies freshe and newe after so manie thowsande yeares as haue passed since they were created shall also cause the flower of the glorie of the Sainctes alwaies to be liuelie and florishinge and neuer to wither or decaye in anie one poynte Of the fourthe ioye that the sowle shall haue in the kingdome of heauen which is the enioyinge of the glorie of the bodie § IIII. The bodies of the Sainctes shall also be glorified in heauen THE cleare vision of the diuine maiestie is as hathe bene declared the essential glorie of the blessed sowles in heauen Howbeit our most iust iudge and bountifull father thinkethe it not enoughe to glorifie the sowles onely but for the honour of them extendethe his magnificence and liberalitie yet further euen to glorifie their bodies also geuinge thus a rowme and place vnto beastes in his royall and euerlastinge heauēlie pallace O louer of men O honorer of the good and vertuous What hath this rottē and stinckinge fleashe of ours which like a beast followeth alwaies his appetites to doe with the sanctuarie of heauen What shall this fleashe which shoulde rather be tied vp in a stable emonge beastes be placed emonge the Angels in heauen Let dust ô Lorde continewe with dust for it is not seemely that earthe shoulde be placed aboue the heauens But he that saiede vnto Abraham I will honour and multiplie Ismael Gen. 17.20 notwithstandinge he is the sonne of a bondslaue because he appertaineth vnto thee will also shewe this fauour to the bodies of the Sainctes for the nighe kinred that is betwene the sowles and thē It is our Lordes pleasure also that he that hath holpen to beare the burthen Note here the reason why the Sainctes bodies shall as well be glorified in heauen as their sowles shall likewise be partaker in the diuision of the glorie and that like as the sowle by conformynge it selfe in this lyfe vnto the will of God commeth afterwardes to be made partaker of the glorie of God euen so the bodie which contrarie to his nature was conformable and obedient vnto the will of the sowle shall also be made partaker of the glorie of the same sowle And thus shall the iust be glorious both in bodie and sowle And as the Prophet saieth Esa 61.7 They shall possesse in their countrey dowble riches Whereby is vnderstoode the glorie of the sowles and the glorie of the bodies The glorie of the senses The eies Now what shall I saie of the glorie of the senses Eache one of them shall there haue his owne proper delighte and glorie The eies shal be renewed and made more cleare than the lighte of the sonne They shall see those roiall pallaces those glorious bodies and those bewtifull feildes with other infinit goodlie thinges that are there to be seene The eares The eares shall alwaies heare that wounderfull musicke which is so exceedinge sweite and pleasant that one onely fownde of it were able to bringe all the hartes of this worlde a-sleepe The sense of smellinge shall also be recreated with most sweite and pleasant sauours The smellinge not of such vaporous thinges as we haue here but of such as be proportionable to the glorie that is there The taste In like maner the taste shal be satisfied with incredible sweitenes and delightes not for sustentation of lyfe but for accomplishemente of all glorie Now what an exceedinge ioye shall the blessed sowle conceyue at that time when for the mortification and diligente lookinge vnto the senses which continued so shorte a time she seeth her selfe so wholie drowned in that most deepe fountaine of glorie without findinge anie bothom or ende of so manie and of such passinge great ioyes O labours and paines well employed O seruices well rewarded O treasure not so much to be spoken of as to be wisshed and desired and to be purchased with a thowsande liues if we had so manie to geue for the same Of the fyfte ioye in the kingdome of heauen which is the euerlastinge continuance of the glorie and felicitie of the the Sainctes § V. BVT now let vs see for how longe time this great glorie and felicitie is to be enioyed This is a pointe that were able alone to cause vs euen to crie out and desire that all maner of tribulations afflictions paynes and labours might rayne and powre down vpon vs as thicke as hayle so that we might serue and please almightie God in this transitorie lyfe who is to bestowe so great and inestimable benefites vpon vs in the euerlastinge lyfe to come This rewarde of so great glorie and felicitie in the kingdome of heauen shal endure so manie thowsande yeares as be starres in the firmament yea and a greate deale longer It shall endure so manie hundered thowsande milliōs of yeares as haue fallen droppes of water vpon the earthe yea and a greate deale longer yea to conclude it shal endure so longe as almightie God him selfe shall endure which shal be euerlastingelie worlde without ende Psal 145. For it is written thus Our Lorde shall raigne for euer and euer And in an other place Psal 144. Thy raigne is the raigne of all worldes and thy dominion endurethe from generation to generation Wherefore ô father of mercies and God of all consolation I humbly beseech thee by the bowels of thy mercie that I maie not be depriued of this supreme glorie and felicitie O Lorde my God that hast vowchsaffed to create me after thyne owne image and likenes and to make me capable of thy selfe fill this harte of mine which thow hast created with thy selfe sith thow hast created it for thy selfe Psal 141. Let my portion ô my almightie God be in the lande of the liuinge O Lorde I beseech thee geue me not in this transitorie lyfe either rest or riches but reserue all in store for me for the euerlastinge lyfe to come Num. 32.6 I desire not to enherite with the children of Ruben in the lande of Galaad and to lose my right and title of the lande of promise Psalm 26. One thinge onely ô Lorde haue I demaunded of thee and this will I alwaies require that I maie dwell in the howse of our Lorde all the daies of my lyfe SONDAIE NIGHTE OF THE BENEFITES OF ALMIGHTIE GOD. 〈…〉 THIS DAIE WHEN THOV HAST MADE THE SIGNE OF the Crosse and prepared thy selfe hereunto thou hast to meditate vpon the benefites of almightie God that in so doinge thou mayst geue him thankes for them and enkendle in thy selfe a more feruente loue of him who hath shewed himselfe so bountiefull towardes thee and withall procure thereby more greife and sorowe for the sinnes and offences that thou hast committed against such a louinge benefactor AND albeit the benefites of almightie God towardes vs be innumerable yet they all maie be reduced to
our Sauiour Christe § III. fol. 61. Wensdaie morninge Of the presentation of our Sauiour before Annas Caiphas Herode and Pilate And of our Sauiours whippinge at the pillar fol. 62. Of the troubles and vexations that our Sauiour suffered the nighte before his Passion And of the denyall of S. Peter § II. fol. 69. How our Sauiour was brought before kinge Herode and mocked and accompted for a foole by him and his cowertiers fol. 72. Of the crewell whippinge of our Sauiour at the pillar folio 74. Thursdaie morninge How our Sauiour was crouned with thornes How Pilate saied of him to the people Ecce Homo And how he bare the Crosse vpon his shoulders fol. 79. Of those wordes of the Gospell Ecce Homo § II. fol. 85. How our Sauiour caried the Crosse vpon his shoulders § III. fol. 89. Fridaie morninge Of the misterie of the crosse And of those seuen wordes which our Sauiour spake vpon the Crosse fol. 93. A contemplation vpon the misterie of the Crosse § 1. fol. 98. How our Sauiour was nayled vpon the Crosse § II. fol. 100. Of the compassion the some had vpon his mother and the mother vpon her some hanginge vpon the crosse § III. fol. 101. Of the doctrine that maye be learned at the foote of the Crosse § IIII. fol. 103. What patience we ought to haue in all troubles and aduerseties followinge the example of our Sauiour christe § v. fol. 107. Satturdaie morninge Of the pearcinge of our Sauiours syde with a speare Of his takinge downe from the crosse Of the pittiefull lamentation of our blessed Ladie and of our Sauiours buriall fol. 109. How our Sauiour was taken downe from the Crosse § II. fol. 114. The pittiefull lamentation of the blessed virgin Marie fol. 116. A declaration why the blessed virgin Marie and all iust persons are afflicted in this present transitorie life with diuers aduersities and tribulations § III. fol. 121. Sondaye morninge Of the descendinge of our Sauiour into Limbus Patrum of the Resurrection of his holie Bodie of his appearinge first to our blessed Ladie and afterwardes to S. Marie Magdalen and to the disciples fol. 124. Of the Resurrection of the bodie of our Sauiour § II. fol. 132. How our Sauiour after his Resurrection appeared to the holie virgin his blessed mother § III. f. 144 The seuen Meditations for the same seuen dayes at nighte fol. 136. Mondaie nighte Of the knowledge of our selues and of our sinnes fol. 137. The first treatise Of the consideratiō of sinnes f. 141. Of the multitude of sinnes that thou hast committed in thy former life § I. fol. 142. Of the sinnes and defectes that a man may falle into after he is come to the knowledge of almightie God § II. fol. 145. Of the accusation of a mans owne conscience and of the abhorrings and contempte of him selfe § IIII. fol. 149. Tewsdaye nighte Of the miseries of this life f. 153. The secōde treatise of the miseries of mans life fo 157. Of the shortnesse of this life § II. fol. 161. Of the vncertaintie of our life § III. fol. 164. Of the frailtie of our life § IIII. fol. 166. Of the mutabilitie of this life § V. fol. 169. Of the deceitfulues of our life § VI. fol. 171. Of the miseries of mans life § VII fol. 173. Of the last miserie of man which is death § VIII fol. 177. What profite may be taken of the foresaide considerations § IX fol. 178. Wensdaie nighte Of the hower of deathe fol. 181. The therde treatise of the consideration of deathe fol. 185. Of the vncertaintie of the hower of deathe and what agreife it is at that tyme to departe from all thinges of this life § I. fol. 189. Of the horrour and lothsomnes of our graue § II. fol. 192. Of the greate feare and dowbte the soule hath at the hower of death what shall happen vnto it after it is departed out of the bodie § III. fol. 193. How we come to vnder stande hereby the errours and blindnes of our life past § IIII. fol. 194. Of the terrour of the dreadfull accompt we must make at the hower of our deathe of all our life past § V. fol. 196. Of the Sacrament of extreme vnction and of the agonie of death § VI. fol. 198. How filthye and loth some the bodie is after it is dead and of the buryenge of it in the graue § VII fol. 201. Of the waye that the soule taketh after it is departed out of the bodie and of the dreadfull iudgement and sentence that shal be geuen vpon it at that time § VIII fol. 205. Thursdaye nighte Of the generall daye of iudgement fol. 207. The fourth treatise of the consideration of the generall day of iudgemente fol. 211. How rigorous the day of iudgemēt shal be § I. f. 213. Of the terrible signes that shall goe before the day of the generall iudgement § II. fol. 215. Of the ende of the worlde And of the Resurrection of the deade § III. fol. 218. Of the comminge of the Iudge of the matter of the iudgement and of the witnesses and accusers that shal be there against the wicked § IIII. fo 221. Fridaye nighte Of the paynes of hell fol. 227. The fifte treatise of the consideration of the paynes of hell fol. 230. Of twoe kindes of paynes that be in hell § I. fol. 231. Of the tormentes of the inwarde senses and powers of the soule § II. fol. 235. Of the payne which is tearmed by the diuines poena damni that is the payne of losse of almightie God § III. fol. 239. Of the particuler paynes of the damned in hell § IIII. fol. 240. of the eternitie of the paynes of hell § V. fol. 241. Saturdaye nighte Of the euerlastinge glorie and felicitie of the kingdome of heauen fol. 244. The sixte treatise Of the consideratiō of the glorie of Paradise fol. 248. Of the goodlie beautie and excellencie of the place § I. fol. 249. Of the seconde ioye that the soule shall haue in the kingdome of heauē which is the enioyenge of the companie of the Sainctes § II. fol. 252. Of the therd ioye that the soule shad haue in the kingdome of heauen which is the enioyenge of the cleare vision of almightie God § III. fol. 255. Of the fowerth ioye that the soule shall haue in the kingdome of heauen which is the enjoyenge of the glorie of the bodie § IIII. fol. 257. Of the fifte ioye in the kingdome of heauen which is the euerlastinge continuance of the glorie and felicitie of the Sainctes § V. fol. 258. Sondaye nighte Of the benefites of almightie God fol. 259. The seuenthe treatise of the consideration of the benefites of almightie God fol. 262. Of the benefite of Creation § I. fol. 264. Of the benefite of Conseruation § II. fol. 266. Of the benefite of Redemption § III. fol. 269. Of the benefite of vocation § IIII. fol. 272. Of the particuler benefites that almightie God bestoweth vpon vs. § V. fol. 275. Of fiue partes that maie be exercised in prayer Cap. 4. fol. 277. Of Preparation vnto prayer Cap. 5. fol. 278. Of Readinge Cap. 6. fol. 283. Of Meditation Cap. 7. fol. 284. Of Thankes geuinge Cap. 8. fol. 285. Of Petition Cap. 9. fol. 286. Of the most necessarie vertues that are to be demaunded in Petition § I. fol. 288. Note the principall foundations of our confidence in prayer fol. 292. Aduises for Meditations Cap. 10. fo 293. The first aduise That in our Meditation we must not for the obseruinge of our ordinarie course put awaie from vs anie other good thoughte or consideration wherein we finde more deuotion § I. fol. 293. The seconde aduise That in our Meditation we must eschewe the superfluous speculation of the vnderstandinge and committe this busines to the oxercise of the affections of our will § II. f. 294. The therde aduise Which prescribeth also bowndes and limites to the Will that it be neither too excessiue nor too vehemēt in her exercise § III. fol. 297. The fowerthe aduise Wherein it is declared what manner of attention we oughte to haue in our exercise of prayer and Meditation § IIII. f. 299. The fyfre aduise That we must not be dismaied nor geue ouer our exercise of prayer and Meditation at suche time as we want deuotion therein § V. fol. 301. The sixte aduise That we must endeuour to haue a longe prayer and greate aboundance of deuetion § VI. fol. 303. The seuēthe aduise That we muste not receiue the visitations of our Lorde in vaine § VII fo 305. Of sixe pointes that are to be meditated in the holie Passion of our Sauiour Cap. vlt. fol. 307. Of the passinge greate paynes and torments which our Sauiour suffered in his most bitter passion § I. fol. 308. Howe in the passion of our Sauiour Christe appeareth verie manifestlie what a grieuous thinge sinne is in the sighte of almightie God § II. fol. 315. Of the passinge greate benefite of our Redemption § III. fol. 316. Of the wonderfull greate goodnes of almightie God which appeareth verie euidentelye in the passion of oun Sauiour Christe § IIII. fol. 319. Of the excellent vertues that doe shine verie brightelye in the holie passion of our Sauiour Christe § V. fol. 320. Of the conueniencie of the mysterie of our Redemption § VI. fol. 322. The ende of the Table
that thou dost O sweete Iesus what meaneth this so great abasinge of thy diuine maiestie O my sowle what wouldest thou haue thowght if thou haddest bene there presente and haddest seene euen almightie God himselfe kneelinge before the feete of men yea before the feete of Iudas O Cruell Iudas why doth not this so great humilitie mollifye thy stonie hart how is it that it causeth not euen thy verie bowells to burst and ryue in sunder considering this so great and wonderfull meekenes Is it possible thou traytor that thou hast conspired to betraye this most meeke and gentle lābe Is it possible that thou shouldest not feele some remorse of conscience in beholdinge this example O ye whyte and bewtifull handes how cowld ye vouchsaffe to towch such lothsome and abhominable feete O most pure and cleane handes why disdayned ye not to washe those verie feete that were all to be durted in fowle waies whiles they trauayled to shee l your bloude Beholde here o ye blessed spirites what your creator doth Come ye and beholde euen from the heauens and ye shall see euen the almightie him selfe kneelinge before the feete of men and tell me if euer he vsed the like kynde of courtesie with you O Lord I haue harde thy wordes and I was afraide I haue considered thy workes and was wholie amased O ye blessed Apostles why quake and tremble ye not at the wonderfull sight of this so great humilitie Peter what dost thou what Wilt thou condescende that this Lorde of maiestie shall washe thy feete Seint Peter when he behelde our sauiour kneeling before him woundered exceadingly yea he was altogether astonied thereat and begāne to saie in this wise What meaneth this o Lord. what wilt thou washe my feete art not thou the sonne of the liuinge God art not thou the creator of the worlde the bewtie of the heauens the paradice of the angells the redeemer of men the brightnes of the glorie of the father the fountaine of the wisedome of God which dwellest in the highest And wilt thou all this notwithstanding washe my feete what wilt thou being a Lord of so greate maiestie and glorie take such a vile and base office vpon thee wilt thou I saie thus abase thy selfe that hast laid the foundation of the earthe and bewtefied the same with so manie wonders that hast enclosed the wyde worlde within thy hand that mouest the heauens rulest the earthe diuidest the waters ordeinest the tymes disposest the causes bewtifiest the angells directest men and gouernest all thinges with thy wisedome Is it seemelie that thou shoudest washe my feete myne I saie who am but a mortall man a litle clode of earth and asshes a vessell of corruption a creature full freight with vanitie and ignorance full of infinite miseries and which exceedeth all miserie full of sinnes and yet all this notwithstandinge wilt thou o Lorde washe my feete what wilt thou beinge the Lord of all thinges abase thy selfe vnder me that am inferiour to them all verelie the highnes of thy maiestie and the profunditie of my miseries do as it were enforce me that I cannot consent to such a deede Leaue therefore o my Lord leaue I praie thee this base office for thy seruantes laie downe the towell and put on thy apparell againe and sit in thy seate and washe not my feete Beware that the heauens be not ashamed of it when they shall see how by this ceremonie thou dost set them benethe the earthe For by doing this seruyle office those verie handes into whose power the father hath committed the heauens and all other thinges should be abased vnder the feete of men Take heede that all naturall creatures be not verie much agrieued or rather in great disdaine to see them selues thus subiected vnder anie other feete then thyne Take hede also least the dawghter of kinge Sawle despise thee not 2. Reg. 6. when she shall see thee girded abowt with this towell after the maner of a seruant and saie that she will not take him for her spowse and much lesse for her God whom she seeth to attende vpon so base and vile an office Such wordes or the like spake Saint Peter as a man that had not as yet anie tast or feelinge of thinges apperteininge vnto almightie God and as one that vnderstode not what great glorie laie hidde in this worke which showed to the eie so base and vyle But our sauiour who knewe it right well and was with all desirous to leaue vnto vs for a memorie at that tyme such a wounderfull example of humilitie satisfied the simplicitie of his disciple and went forwarde afterwardes in the good worcke he had begonne The greate carefulnes of our Sauiour to make vs humble Here we haue to note with all diligence what a great and earnest care our sauiour had to make vs humble in that beinge now at the gate and entrie into his most greuons and bitter passion wherein he knewe he should geue vs such greate and wonderfull examples of humilitie as might suffice to astonishe both heauen and earth he thowght all that not enowgh but would furthermore adde this notable example also besides all the rest whereby this vertue of humilitie might the better be commended vnto vs. A commendation of the vertue of humilie O wonderfull vertue how great must thy riches be seinge thou art thus commended to vs how can thy treasures be but notoriouslie knowen seinge thou art by so manie waies set out vnto vs O humilitie that arte preached and tawght in all the whole life of our Sauiour Christ songe Luc. 1. and praised by the mouth of his owne most blessed mother O most bewtifull flower emonge vertues O diuine adamant that drawest vnto the euen the creator of all thinges Whosoeuer he be that bannisheth the awaie shal be bannished awaye from almightie God yea thowgh he be in the highest place of heauen And whosoeuer he be that embraseth thee shal be embrased of almightie God yea althowgh he be euen the greatest sinner in the world Great are thy graces and merueilous are thy effectes Thou pleasest men thou contentest the angelles thou confoundest the diuelles and byndest the handes of the creator thou art the foundation of vertues the deathe of vices the glasse of virgins and the habitation of the most blessed trinitie Who so gathereth without thee disparseth who so buildeth and not vpon thee pulleth downe And who so heapeth vertues together without thee the dust carieth them quite awaie before the face of the wynde Without thee Math. 25. the virgin is shut out of the gates of heauen Luc. 7. and with thee euen the publike sinner is receaued at the feete of Christ Embrace this vertue of humilitie O ye virgins that hereby your virginitie maie be availeable vnto you Ye that be religious persons see that you seeke earnestlie also for this vertu for without it your religion is but vaine and to no purpose And ye
vpon thee For the one I will reioyce and be glad and for the other I will sorrowe and lament And so with ioye and lamentation together I will singe and bewaile the misterie of thy most dolorous passion and I will studie continuallie in that booke of Ezechiell the contentes whereof arâ— songes Ezechiel 2. and lamentations When our sauiour had spoken these wordes he departed from his disciples a stones cast where lyenge prostrat vpon the grounde he begane his praier with verie great reuerence sayinge O father if it be possible Matth 26. let this cuppe passe from me howbeit not as I will but as thou wilt Lucae 22. and after he had made this praier three times at the third time he was in such a great agonie that he beganne to sweat euen droppes of bloud which ranne downe all a longe his sacred bodie and trickeled downe to the grownd The causes of our Sauiours greâ— te agonie and sweâ—tinge droppes of bloud while he was prayinge in the garden Consider now attentiuelie in what a dolorous case our sauiour was and how there were then represented vnto him all the cruell paynes and tormentes he had to suffer euen as thowgh they had bene then presentlie in doinge before his eies all which he apprehended after a most perfet maner in his most excellent imagination eache one in such sort as they were prepared for his bodie which was certeinlie more tender and delicate then euer anie other bodie was in the whole worlde He set also at that time before his eies all the synnes of the worlde or which he should suffer and withall the greate vnthankfulnes and ingratitude of so manie soules as he knewe would neuer acknowledge this his singuler benefit nor further aid helpe themselues with this most pretious aid so costlie remedie These thinges being profoundelie wayed and considered by our sauiour at this time his soule was vexed in such sort and his senses and most tender fleshe were so wounderfullie troubled that all the forces and elementes of his bodie were distempered and his blessed fleshe opened on euerie side and gaue place to the bloude that it might passe and distille throwgh all partes of his bodie in verie great aboundance and streame downe to the grownde Now if the fleshe suffered suche greuous paynes with the onelie remembrance and imagination of that which as then was to come in what a dolefull case then trow ye was his soule that suffered those paynes euen directlie in it selfe In other men we see when they are disquieted with anie suddaine and great anguishe the bloude vseth commonlie to haue recourse vnto the hart leauinge the other members of the bodie colde and destitute of theire streÌ„gthe to comfort the most principall member Our Sauiour suffred his greauous paynes without anie maner of comforte But our sweete Sauiour Christ contrariewise because he would suffer without anie maner of comfort thereby to make our redemption more aboundant such was his passing loue towardes vs that he would not admit so much as that little releefe and comfort of nature Beholde our sweete sauiour now in this dolorous agonie and consider not onelie the paynefull anguishes and greifes of his soule but also the forme of his sacred and reuerent countenance The sweare is wont to haue his most cheefe and principall recourse to the forehead and to the face If then the bloud issued out through all the bodie of our Sauiour in such sorte that it trickeled downe to the verie earthe in what plight then was that goodlie cleare forehead thinke you that geueth light to the verie light it selfe And how was that face beraied which is so reuerenced of the heauens beinge as it was all in droppes and couered ouer with a blouddie sweat If such as be kinde and louinge are wont when they come to visit theire frendes being sicke and in danger of death to beholde theire countenance aduisedlie and to marke the colour and other accidentes that proceed of the disease tell me o my soule that beholdest the face of our sweete sauiour what thinkest thou when thou beholdest in the same such wonderfull strange and deadlie signes What painfull fittes and dolorous greifes are those like to be hereafter if in the verie beginninge of the disease he suffer such a great agonie In what dolorous panges is he like to be when he shall feele those most greuous paynes and cruell tormentes themselues if in the onelie thinkinge of them he sweateth euen droppes of bloude If thou be not moued to take compassion of our sweete sauiour seinge him in this dolefull case for thy sake If now when he sweateth droppes of bloud throughout all his bodie thou canst not sheede anie teares from thyne eies thinke verelie with thy selfe that thou hast a verie harde and stonie hart and if thou canst not weepe for want of loue towardes him yet at the least weepe for the multitude of thy sinnes forsomuch as they were the verie cause of this his agonie Our synnes were the verie cause of our Sauiours blouddye sweare and greife Now the tormentors doe not whippe him neither doe the souldiars crowne him with thornes It is not now the nailes nor the thornes that do cause the bloud to gushe out of his bodie at this time but it is thy verie synnes and offences those are the tormentors that doe torment him those are the heauie burden that cause him to sweat this so straÌ„ge and wonderfull blouddye sweat O my sweete sauiour and redeemer how redemption O my true Adam that art comme our of paradice for my synnes and labourest here in earth with thy blouddie sweat Of our Sauiours agonie and watchinge aboute our saluation whilest his disciples be in a heauie sleepe to get the bread that I must feede vpon Consider also in this place on the one side the great agonie and watchinge of our Sauiour Christ and on the other the sownde and deepe sleepinge of his disciples and thou shalt see here represented a great misterie For trulie there is nothinge more to be lamented in the worlde then to see how careles and negligent men be in there liues and how little accompt they make of a matter of so great importance as is theire owne saluation What thinge is more to be bewayled then to see men so careles in such waightie afaires Now if thou wilt vnderstand both the one and the other consider in this matter the doinges of our sauiour and withall the doinges of his disciples See how our sauiour applieng his minde earnestlie to this busines of our redemption is in such a great care and agonie therewith that it maketh him to sweate euen droppes of bloude and see on the other side how his disciples do lie a longe on the grownd and are so heauie a sleepe that neither theire maisters rebukynge of them nor theire ill fauoured aÌ„d harde lodginge on the bare grouÌ„de nor yet the obscure and darcke dewie night are able to
they crucified him and with him two theues one at the right hande and the other at the lefte And so was the scripture fulfilled that saieth And he was reckoned emōge the wicked And Pilate wrote also a title and put it vpon the Crosse And it was written Iesus of Nazareth kinge of the Iewes This title manie of the Iewes did reade For the place where Iesus was crucified was neare to the citie and it was written in Hebrewe Greeke and Lattin Then said the highe preistes of the Iewes to Pilate write not the kinge of the Iewes but that he saied I am kinge of the Iewes Pilate answered what I haue written I haue written Then the souldiars when they had crucified Iesus tooke his garmentes and made fowre partes to euerie souldiar a parte And they tooke his coate also which was without anie seame wouen frō the toppe throwghout Therefore they saied one to an other Let vs not deuide it but cast lottes for it whose it shal be This was done that the scripture might be fulfilled Psalm 21. that saieth They parted my garmentes emonge them and vpon my coate they cast lottes So the souldiars did these thinges indeede And they that passed by Math. 27. reuyled him wagginge theire heades and sayeinge Fye on thee thou that destroiest the tēple and buildest it in three daies saue thy selfe If thou be the sonne of God come downe from the crosse Likewise also the highe preistes mockinge him with the Scribes and elders and Pharisies saied He saued others but he cannot saue him selfe If he be the kinge of Israell let him now come downe from the Crosse and we will beleue him He trusteth in God Let him deliuer him now if he will haue him For he saied I am the sonne of God The verie same wordes also did the theeues who were crucified with him cast in his teethe But Iesus saide Father pardon them for they knowe not what they doe And one of the malefactors Luc. 23. that was crucified with him blasphemed sayeinge If thou be Christe saue thy selfe and vs. But the other answered and rebuked him sayenge Neither doest thou feare God beinge in the selfe same cōdemnation We are iustlye punnished for we receaue accordinge to our doinges But this man hath done nothinge amisse And he saied vnto Iesus Lord remember me when thou commest into thy kingdome Then Iesus saied vnto him Verelie I saie vnto thee This daie shalt thou be with me in paradise There stoode by the Crosse of Iesus Ioan. 19. his mother and his mothers sister Marie the wife of Cleophas and Marie Magdalene And when Iesus sawe his mother and the disciple whom he loued standinge by he saied vnto his mother Woman beholde thy sonne Then he saied to the disciple beholde thy mother And from that howre the disciple tooke her for his mother Math. 27. Abowte the ninthe howre Iesus cried with a lowde voice sayenge Eli Eli Lamasabacthani that is My God my God why hast thou forsaken me And some of them that stoode there when they harde it saied This man called Elias Some other saied let vs see if Elias will come and saue him Afterwardes Iesus knowinge that all thinges were fulfilled Ioan. 19. that the scripture might be accomplished saied I am a thirst And there was set a vessell full of vinegar and they filled a sponge with vinegar and put it abowt an hisope stalke and put it to his mouthe Now when Iesus had receaued of the vinegar he saied It is finished And he cried againe with a lowde voice Luc. 23. Matth. 27. and saied Father into thine handes I commende my spirite And from the sixte hower there was darkenes ouer all the earthe vntill the ninthe hower And the veile of the temple was rent in two partes from the toppe to the bothom And the earthe quaked and the stones were clouen And the graues opened them selues and manie bodies of the Sainctes which slepte arose And there were manie of his fryendes and acquaintance and women beholdinge him a farre of Emonge whom was Marie Magdalene and Marie the mother of Iames the yonger and of Iosephe and Salome who had folowed him out of Galilee ministringe vnto him with manie other women that came in his companie to Ierusalem MEDITATIONS VPON THESE POYNTES OF THE TEXT VE are now come o my soule to the holie mounte Caluarie and we be nowe arriued at the toppe of the misterie of our redemption O how wonderfull is this place Verelie this is the howse of God the gate of heauen the lande of promise and the place of saluation Here is planted the tree of life Here is placed that misticall ladder that Iacob sawe Genes 28. which ioyneth heauen with the earthe whereby the angells doe descende vnto men and men doe ascende vnto almightie God This is o my soule the place of praier Here oughtest thou to adore and blesse our Lorde and geue him most humble and hartie thanckes for this his most highe and excellent benefit sayenge thus vnto him We worshippe and adore thee ô Lord Iesus Christ and we blesse thy holie name forsomuch as thou hast by meanes of this holie Crosse redeemed the worlde Thankes be geuen vnto thee O most mercifull Sauiour for that thou hast thus loued vs and wass hed awaie our sinnes with thy most pretious bloude and hast offered thy selfe for vs vpon the same Crosse to the ende that with the most sweete sauour of this noble sacrifice enkendeled with the fier of thy most feruent loue thou mightest satisfie and appease the wrathe of almightie God Blessed be thou therefore for euermore which art the Sauiour of the worlde the reconciler of mankinde the reparer of Angelles the restorer of the heauens the triumphant conqueror of hell the vanquisher of the diuell the awthor of life the destroier of deathe and the redeemer of them Luc. 1. that were in darckenes and in the shadowe of deathe All yee therefore that be a thirst Esay 55. come vnto the waters and yee that haue neither golde nor siluer come and receaue all these pretious treasures freely without payinge anie thinge Yee that desier the water of life this is that misticall rocke that Moyses strooke with his rodde in the wildernes Exod. 17. out of which there sprange water in great abondance to satisfie the thirst of his afflicted people Yee that desiere peace and amitie with alinightie God knowe yee that this is also that rocke Genes 35. that the patriarke Iacob annointed with oyle and erected vp for a title of peace and amitie betwene almightie God and men Yee that are desirous of wyne to cure your woundes Num. 13. this is that cluster of grapes that was browght out of the lande of promise into this vale of teares which is now crusshed and pressed vpon the presse of the Crosse for the remedie and redresse of our offences Yee that desire the oyle of the grace
of those tormentinge raginge ministers that at the verie time of rearinge it vp and placinge it therein they let it falle furiouslie from them with a iumpe into the hoole with all the weight thereof and so all his blessed bodie was sore shaken and iogged vp and downe in the aier and thereby his woundes were wydened and enlarged and his paines and grieffes more encreased Now therefore o my sweete Sauiour and redeemer what harte is so stonie harde that will not ryue in sunder for verie sorrowe and griefe sith the verie stones them selues were ryuen the same daie consideringe the extreme paine that thou sufferedest on the Crosse The sorrowes of deathe ô Lorde Psalm 17. Psalm 68. haue compassed thee about and the waues of the Sea haue ouer whelmed thee Thou art myred in the depthe of the bothomles goulfes and fyndest nothinge wherevpon to staie thy selfe Thy father ô Lorde hath forsaken thee what hope maist thou haue of men Thy ennemies make outcries against thee thy fryendes breake thy harte thy soule is afflicted and for the loue thou bearest to me thou wilt not admit any maner of comforte Vndowtedlie ô Lorde my sinnes were verie greate and haynous and that doth thy penance well declare I see thee ô my kinge fastened to a tree and there is nothinge to susteine thy bodie but onelie three iron nailes wherevpon thy sacred fleas he hangeth without anie other staie or comforte When the weight and swaie of thy bodie staieth vpon thy feete then are the woundes of thy feete the more torne and enlarged with the nailes wherewith they are pearced Againe when the weight of thy bodie staieth vpon thy handes then are the woundes of thy handes the more rente and enlarged also with the poyce of thy bodie One of thy members cannot succour an other but with equall preiudice either of the one or of the other Now as touchinge thy holie head beinge thus tormented and weakened with the sharpe crowne of thornes what pillowe hath it to rest vpon O how well might thy armes ô most excellent virgin be here employed to supplie this office But alas thine armes maye not serue at this present but onely the armes of the Crosse Vpon them must our Sauiour staie his sacred head when he will rest and yet so that the ease he taketh thereof is nothinge els but a further driuinge in of the thornes and fasteninge of the same deeper into the braine Besides all this I see those foure principall woundes as it were foure fountaines alwaies distillinge out bloude I see the grownde all besprinckled and bedewed rounde about with bloude I see that most pretious licour all betrampled and shed vpon the earthe which crieth much better then did the bloude of Abell Genesis 4. Heb. 12. For his bloude cryed for vengeance ageinst the murderer but this most pretious bloude of thine O sweete Iesus craueth pardon for synners OF THE COMPASSION THE SONNEHAD VPON HIS mother and the mother vpon her sonne hanginge vpon the Crosse § III. THE sorowes of the sonne were much increased by reason of the presence of his most blessed mother wherewith his dolefull harte was no lesse crucified within than his holie bodie without Two crosses be here prepared for thee ô good Iesus this daie The one for thy bodie and the other for thy soule The one is of passion and the other of compassion The one pearcethe thy most blessed bodie with nailes of iron th' other pearceth thy most holie soule with nailes of sorowe Who is able to declare ô sweete Iesus what an vnspekeable greife it was vnto thee when thou diddest cōsider the greate anguishes of the blessed soule of thy holie mother which thou knewest so certeinlie was crucified with thee on the crosse Luc. 2. When thou sawest her pittiefull harte pearced and thrust throughe with the knife of heauines and sorrowe When thou diddest open thy blouddie eies and beheldest her diuine face whollie ouercast with palenes and wannes of death When thou sawest those most grieuous paynes and anguishes of her minde which was not resolued with deathe and yet abode greater paines then the verie paines of deathe it selfe When thou beheldest those riuers of teares which gusshed out from her most pure eies and hardest those so lamentable deepe sighes and sobbes which burst out of her sacred brest beinge enforced with the vehemencie of her most grieuous heauines and sorowe Certeinlie ô Lorde it can not be expressed with wordes how muche this inuisible crosse tormented thy most pittiefull harte And who is able to declare also o most blessed mother the greatnes of the sorrowes and anguishes of thy dolefull harte When thou sawest him dye with such grieuous tormentes whom thou sawest borne with so great ioye When thou sawest him scorned and blasphemed of men whom there thou sawest praised of the angells When thou sawest that holie bodie which thou haddest handeled with so great reuerence and browght vp with such motherlie tendernes and cheres hinges so cuill entreated and tormented by most wicked persons When thou beheldest that diuine mouthe of his which thou haddest nourished with the milke of heauen distempered with the bitter tast of gaulle and vynegar When thou diddest also beholde that diuine head which thou haddest so often times laied and rested on thy virgines brest all to begored now with bloude and crowned with thornes O how often diddest thou lift vp thyne eies on highe to beholde that diuine shape that had so often times reioysed thy soule in beholdinge the same And how often agayne did thyne eyes turne aside from him because the tendernes of thy harte coulde not abide to see that dolefull sighte What tonge is able to expresse the greatnes of this sorrowe If the soules that loue our Sauiour Christe truelie and vnfaynedly when they meditate vpon these sorowes beinge now past haue such a tender compassion vpon him what diddest thou then o most blessed virgin beinge his mother yea and more than a mother when thou sawest presentlie with thine eies such a sonne suffer such a most cruell and painfull passion If those women that accompanied our sauiour when he went with his Crosse towardes his death beinge neither of kinne nor of acquaintance vnto him did weape and lamente to see him goe after such a pittiefull sorte How great then was the abondance of teares that fell from thine eies O blessed mother when thou sawest him who was so deerelie beloued vnto thee not onelie carryenge the Crosse on his shoulders but nailed also fast vnto it and hoysed vp alofte vpon the same And albeit these thy griefes and sorrowes were so great yet diddest not thou ô blessed virgin refuse the companie of the Crosse neither wouldest thou turne thy backe but stoodest there euen harde and fast by the same and not fallinge downe in sowndes nor yet ouerthrowen to the grounde but like a stronge pillar standinge vpright vpon thy feete Genes 3. beholdinge with inestimable sorrowe and
bene tenne yeares bedridden or lyen in fetters in harde prison or in continuall necessitie trouble and dissension within his owne howse and famylie what comfort shall he finde in thee for so longe a combatte and tribulation Answer ô Lorde I beseache thee vnto this demande forsomuch as thou arte the worde and the wisedome of the father Tell me whether thou be the vniuersall comforter in all miseries be they neuer so longe Or els whether we neede to seeke anie other comforter for them Verelie ô Lorde we haue no neede of anie other comfortor but onely thee For vndowtedlie the crosse whereon thou diddest suffer was not a martirdome of one daie onely but it continued all thy whole life Our sauiour had his crosse and passion verie liuelie represented daylye before his eyes from the verie first hower of his conception vntill his deathe For euen from the verie first hower and instant of thy most holie conception there was represented vnto thee both the crosse and withall all the cruell bitter paines and tormentes that thou shouldest suffer vpon the same and so thou haddest them all continuallie verie liuelie set before thyne eyes all the daies thou diddest liue here on earth For like as all thinges both past and to come were present before the eies of thy diuine vnderstandinge euen so also were all the martirdomes and instrumentes of thy passion There were the crosse the nailles the scourges the thornes the cruell speare with all other thy most bitter paines and tormentes at all tymes as liuely present before thy sight as when thou sawest them with thy eies the verie same frydaie that thou wast crucified on the Crosse We though we suffer neuer so greate and extreme paines yet we haue alwaies some tyme of ease either by meanes of phisicke or other comforte but thy paine was alwaies in a maner continuall or at the least it did verie often times torment thee in thy sowle duringe the tyme thou diddest liue here in this worlde And albeit this consideration of thy bitter tormentes and passion had not tormented thee yet was the verie zeale of thy fathers honor and desire of the saluation of our soules a continual torment vnto thee which vndowtedlie did eate and rente thy pittiefull louinge harte and was a more cruell martirdome vnto thee than the verie death it selfe Wherevnto was also added the obstinate malice which thou sawest in that rebellious people the Iewes and with all the stubbornnes and ingratitude of all other sinners for whose remedie and redemption thou wast sent which woulde not helpe themselues with the benefite thereof nor yet acknowledge the tyme of theire visitation This was the cause of those pittiefull teares Lâ—c. 19. thou diddest sheide vpon Ierusalem and hereof rose the complainte thou madest by thy Prophet Esaie sayenge In vaine haue I traueyled Esa 49. and in vaine haue I consumed my strengthe Wherefore O my soule thou hast here with whom thou maist keepe coÌ„panie and take comforte in thy longe paines and troubles For althoughe the last paines and tormentes of the holie bodie of our Sauiour were shorte yet were the greifes and paines of his pittiefull harte and soule verie longe and continuall SATTVRDAIE MORNINGE THIS daie after thou hast made the signe of the Crosse and prepared thy selfe herevnto thou hast to meditate vpon the pearcinge of our Sauiours syde with a speare Of his takinge downe from the Crosse And withall of the pittiefull bewaylinge and lamentation of our blessed Ladie And of our Sauiours buriall I H S Factus est omnibus obtemperantibus sibi causa salutis aeternae Hebr. 5.9 The text of the holie Euangelistes THEN the Iewes because it was the feaste of Easter that the bodies shoulde not remaine vpon the Crosse on the Sabboth daie Ioan. 19. for that daye of the Sabboth was verie sollemme emonge them besoughte Pilate that there legges might be broken and that they might be taken downe from the Crosse Then came the souldiars and brake the legges of the first and of the other that was crucified with Iesus But when they came to Iesus and sawe that he was alredie dead they brake not his legges But one of the souldiars with a speare pearced his syde and forthwith there issued out bloude and water And he that sawe it bare witnes and his witnes is true And when the eueninge was come Marc. 15. there came a certeine worshipfull knight Math. 17. called Ioseph of Arimathia Luc. 23. one that loked for the kingedome of God and entered boldlie vnto Pilate and demaunded the bodie of Iesus And Pilate merueiled if he were alreadie dead and called vnto him the Centurion and asked of him whether he had bene anie while dead And when he vnderstoode the truthe of the Centurion he gaue the bodie to Ioseph There came also with him Ioan. 19. one called Nicodemus who was wonte to resorte to Iesus by night and he brought with him of Myrre and Aloes mingeled together about a hundred powndes Marc. 15. And Ioseph bought a lynnen clothe and tooke him downe from the crosse and wrapped him in that lynnen with those sweete sauours accordinge to the custome which the Iewes obserue in the buriall of the dead And in that place where Iesus was crucified Ioan. 19. there was a garden and in the gardeÌ„ a newe sepulchre wherein was neuer man yet layed There they layd Iesus by reason of the Passeouer of the Iewes for the sepulchre was neare And Marie Magdalene Luc 23. and Marie the Mother of Ioseph marked the place where they layd him MEDITATIONS VPON THESE POYNTES OF THE TEXT HETHERTO ô my soule thou hast celebrated the death and grieuous paines of the sonne It is now tyme for thee to beginne to celebrate and bewaile the grieuous sorrowes of the mother Wherefore sit downe a while at the feete of the prophet Ieremie Ierem. 1. and takinge the wordes out of his mowthe and sighinge deeplie with a bitter and sorrowfull harte saie thus vnto her How happeneth it ô most innocent virgin that thou arte now alone How is it ô ladie of the worlde that thou arte become a widowe What haue they set so sore a penaltie vpon thee without hauinge committed anie offence at all O most holie virgin I woulde gladly comfort thee and I knowe not how I woulde gladly ease some parte of thy great greifes and anguishes and I knowe not which waie O Quene of heauen if the cause of thy sorrowes were the sorrowes of thy blessed sonne and not thine owne for that thou diddest loue him more then thy selfe his sorrowes are now ended forsomuch as his bodie suffereth no more and his soule is now altogether glorious Cease therefore I beseach thee the multitude of thy sorrowfull sighes and bewailinges seinge the cause of thy sorowe is alreadie ceased and gonne When he wepte thou diddest weepe also reason it is therefore that thou shouldest reioyce with him now that he
armes And so she wryngeth her handes verie pittiefullie and requesteth of those noble men with great humilitie and instancie that forsomuch as she had taken no leaue of her deerelie beloued sonne nor receaued those last embracinges of him vpon the crosse at the tyme of his departure they woulde now suffer her to come vnto him and not encrase her discomforte on euerie syde She beseacheth them that they woulde not deale so straitly with her as the enemies had done takinge her sweete sonne from her beinge now dead as the enemies did whiles he was yet aliue O blessed Ladie how voide of comforte arre thou on euerie syde For if they denie thee thy request thou wilt be sore discomforted and if they graunte thee thy petition accordinge to thy earnest desire yet shall thy discomfort be neuer a whit diminished Thy miseries haue no comfort at all but onely in thy patience If thou goe about on the one side to diminishe thy sorrowe on the other side it increaseth dowble Now ye holie men what will yee doe in this case What is your best aduice and counsell in this matter To geue a flat deniall vnto such lamentable teares and to so blessed a Ladie in so iust and reasonable a request were certainlie an vnseemlie acte and to graunt her the thinge she demaundeth were to ende her life You are afrayd on the one syde to discomfort her and on th' other syde you feare also least perhappes you shoulde be murderers of the mother as the enemies were of the sonne In conclusion the pittiefull earnestnes of the holie virgin ouercōmeth them and those noble men thought best that consideringe her great dolefull bewailinge and lamentation it shoulde be a greater crueltie to take her owne deare sonne frō her than to bereiue her of her life And so they were enforced to graunte her request Now when the blessed virgin had by her pittiefull intercession gotten the bodie of her deare sonne into her armes what tonge is able to expresse the greate inwarde anguishe and sorrowe which then she felte O ye angells of peace weepe with this holie virgin O ye heauens lament with her O ye sterres of heauen and all creatures of the worlde accompanie the blessed virgin Marie in her great heauines and dolefull lamētation The blessed mother embraceth the torne and rent bodie of her sweete sonne She huggeth and clippeth him fast to her brest her strengthe seruinge her to this thinge onely She putteth downe her face betwene the thornes of his sacred head She ioyneth countenāce with countenance The face of the mother is embrued with the bloude of the sonne and the face of the sonne is bathed with the teares of the mother O sweete mother is this happly thy sweete sonne Is this he whom thou conceauedst with so great glorie and broughtest fourthe with so great ioye Where are now thy former ioyes become Whither is thy wonted gladnes gone Where is now that mirrour of beawtie wherein thou diddest so often times beholde thy selfe Now thou takest no pleasure to beholde him in the face because his eies haue lost their light Now it auayleth thee not to speake and talke with him because his eares haue lost their hearinge Now that tonge moueth not which was wont to vtter the wordes of heauen Now are those eies dimmed which were wont with theire sighte to reioyce the whole worlde How is it that thou speakest not now ô Quene of heauen How happeneth it that verie sorrowe and heauines hath thus tyed vp thy tōge Trew it is that the tonge of the blessed virgin was as it were domme for a tyme but her harte might secretly with inward greife speake vnto her sweete and dearelie beloued sonne and saie vnto him THE PITTIEFVLL LAMENTATION OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARIE Tuam ipsius animam pertransiet gladius reuelentur ex multis cordibus cogitationes Luc. 2.35 O life dead ô light obscured ô bewtie defyled Note that the intention of the awthor is not to represent here exactly and precisely the affections of the blessed virgin but onelie by expressinge her doleful griefes to moue the readers to deuotion and pietie What blouddie handes were those that haue so disfigured thy diuine shape What crowne is this that my handes do feele vpon thy head What wounde is this that I see in thy syde O highe preist of the worlde What dolefull markes and signes are these that my eies doe see in thy bodie Who hath bespotted the cleare glasse and bewtie of heauen Who hath disfigured the face of all graces Are these the eies that were wont to dymme the sonne with theire bewtie Are these the handes that raised vp the dead whom they towched Is this the mowthe out of which the fower Riuers of paradice issued Haue the handes of men such power against God O my sweete sonne and bloude of my bodie from whence arose this terrible tempest What raginge storme hath this bene that hath so bereued thee from me O my deere sonne what shall I doe now without thee Whither shall I goe Who shal be able to helpe me Manie fathers and brothers when they were afflicted came to entreat thee for theire children and brethen that were dead and thou with thy infinit vertue and clemencie diddest comforte and helpe them But I alas that see myne owne deere sonne my father my brother and my Lorde here dead before me to whom shall I make sure for him Who shall comfort me Where is the good Iesus of Nazareth the sonne of almightie God which cōforteth the liuinge and restoreth life vnto the dead Where is that great Prophet so mightie both in wordes and worckes O my sweete sonne which heretofore hast bene my comfort and rest but now a verie sharpe knyfe to my sorowfull and heauie harte What hast thou done why the Iewes shoulde thus crucifie thee on the crosse What cause had they to put thee to so cruell and shamefull a death Is this the thankes for so manie good workes as thou hast wrought emonge them Is this the rewarde that is giuen vnto vertue Is this the recompence for such diuine doctrine Hath the wickednes of the worlde extended it selfe so farre Hath the malice of the deuill bene so furiouslie bent Hath the goodnes and clemencie of almightie God yealded so farre forthe Is the horror and hatred which almightie God beareth against synne so passinge great What was so great a satisfaction requisite to satisfie for the synne of one Is the rigour of godes iustice so streit Doth almightie God make so great accompt of the saluation of men O my sweete sonne what shall I doe with out thee Thou arte my sonne my father my spouse my maister and all my companie I am now become as it were an Orphan without a father a widowe without a husbande I am now alone and depriued of such a maister and of such a sweete companion Now shall I not see thee anie more to enter in at my gates wearied with the
they take from me they geue vnto thee forsomuch as thou enclosest him within thee whom I haue had enclosed in my bowelles My verie bones woulde reioyce if they might see them selues laied vp there and certainly there shoulde my life be laied also My harte and my soule will I burie there for that maie I doe but as for my bodie burie thou it there also ô Lorde I beseeche thee for that I maie not doe without thee O death why arte thou so cruell as to seperate me from him in whose life my whole life consisteth Thou arte sometimes more cruel in pardoninge thā in killinge Suerly thou haddest shewed thy selfe verie pittiefull towardes me if thou haddest taken vs both together But now alas thou hast bene cruell in killinge the sonne but farre more cruell in sparinge the mother Such wordes as these woulde the blessed virgin speake priuelie in her harte and the like might those holie Maries that accōpanied her speake also All that were present wepte very tenderly with her Those holie Matrones wepte those noble Gentilmen wepte heauen and earthe wepte Yea all creatures accompanied the teares of the blessed virgin Marie The holie Euangelist also wepte verie lamentablie The lamētation of S. Iohn the Euangelist and embracinge the blessed bodie of his maister sayd O my good Lorde and maister who shall be my teacher from henceforthe To whom shall I resorte to be resolued in my dowtes Vpon whose brest shall I rest my selfe Who shall imparte to me the secretes of heauen O what a straenge chaunge and alteration is this The last eueninge thou sufferedst me to rest vpon thy holie brest and gauest me the Ioyes of life and now doe I recompence that great benefit with holdinge thee dead on my brest Is this the face which I sawe transfigured vpon the mownte Thabor Is this that figure wich was more cleare than the sonne at noone daie Lykewise that holie sinner Marie Magdalen wepte full bitterlie also The lamētation of S. Marie Magdalene and embracinge the feete of our Sauiour said O light of myne eies and redeemer of my soule if I shall see my selfe ouercharged with sinnes who shall receaue me Who shall cure my woundes Who shall answere for me Who shall defende me agaynste the Pharisees O how farre otherwise helde I these feete and washed them whē thou receauedst me lyinge prostrate at them O my sweete hart roote and most entierly beloued who coulde bringe to passe that I might now die with thee O life of my soule how can I saie that I loue thee seinge I see thee here dead before myne eies and yet doe remaine aliue After the like maner did all that holie companie weepe and lamente The buriall of our Sauiours bodie in the sepulchre wateringe and wasshinge his holie bodie with there teares Now when the hower of his buriall was come they wynde his holie bodie in a cleane lynnen clothe They bynde his face with a napkin And layinge his bodie vpon a beere doe carie it to the place of his buriall and there they laye in that most pretious treasure The sepulchre was couered with a stone and the harte of the blessed mother with a darke clowde of heauines and sorowe There is she once agayne bereued of her sonne There beginneth she a freshe to lamente her solitarines There she seeth her selfe dispossessed of all her treasure And there her harte remainethe buried where her treasure was left A DECLARATION WHY THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARIE AND all iust persones are afflicted in this present transitorie life with diuers aduersities and tribulations § III. O Heauenly father sith of thy infinit goodnes and mercie thou wouldest that thy blessed sonne shoulde thus suffer for our synnes why wouldest thou that this holie virgin his blessed mother shoulde suffer also who neither deserued death for the sinnes of others forsomuche as thy sonnes death suffised for thē neither yet for her owne seinge she neuer committed anie maner of synne in all her whole life How easelie might this her tribulation haue bene tempered if at that time she had bene forthe of the cittie of Ierusalem where if she had bene absent she shoulde not haue seene with her eies the cruell death of her onelie and dearlie beloued sonne neither haue so greatelie augmented her sorrowe and griefe with the sighte of the present obiecte and with beholdinge him sufferinge his so manifolde and cruell tormentes vpon the crosse O wonderfull dispensation and counsell of almightie God! Thy will was ô Lorde that the blessed virgin shoulde suffer not for the redemption of the worlde but because there is nothinge in the worlde more acceptable vnto thee than to suffer for the loue of thee Emonge all thinges created there is nothinge more pretious than in heauen the glorious loue of the blessed Sainctes Note that nothinge is more precious in earthe thā the loue of God tryed in iust persons with sufferinge affliction and tribulation for Gods sake and in earthe the troubled and afflicted loue of iust persons I meane than the loue of iust persons that is tried with aduersitie affliction and tribulation In the howse of almightie God there is no greater honor than to suffer for the loue of God Emonge all the good workes and seruices that our Sauiour did vnto thee in this worlde this was that which thou hast appoynted and accepted for the most cheefe and principal worke to be the meane of our reparatiō ād redēption This was the iewel and pretious stone that emonge all the riches of vertues which that riche marchant laide before thee liked thee best for the which thou gauest vnto him whatsoeuer he demaunded which was the redemption of the worlde Now then if this iewell be of so great valewe and estimation in the sighte of almightie God it were not meete that such a riche piece as this is shoulde be wantinge in our blessed Ladie who was of all perfect women the most perfecte and most acceptable in the sight of almightie God Moreouer The most manifest and perfect shewe and proufe of trewe vertue is to suffer tribulatiōs for the loue of God there is no worke in this worlde that maketh a more manifest and perfect◠shewe of true vertue than to suffer for the loue of God For the proufe and tryall of true loue is to haue true patience for the beloued And there is no triall and proufe so farre from all suspition as this is And like as almightie God him selfe did neuer discouer the greatnes of his loue vnto men so clearelie and perfectly thoughe his other benefittes which he bestowed vpon thē were verie great vntill he came to suffer for thē euen so shall they neuer discouer their loue towardes him fully and perfectly be there other seruices they doe vnto him neuer so manie and great vntill they come to suffer tribulations for his sake Rom. 5. Patience is the proufe of trewe vertue if it be exercised it sufferinge for
thy promise and hast not forgotten them that did put their trust in thee The difficultie of the waie thou hast ouercome with thy great pittie and mercie and with thy passinge great loue thou hast ouercome also the painfull trauailles and tormentes of the Crosse No tonge is able to expresse the great ioye of these holie fathers But the ioye that our Sauiour had to see such a multitude of soules redeemed by the merites of his passioÌ„ was farre greater without all comparison O sweete Lorde how well wouldest thou then accompt the greate labours and paynes of thy crosse emploied when thou sawest what goodly frute that most blessed and sacred tree beganne to yeilde Genes 42. The Patriarke Ioseph when he had two sonnes borne vnto him in the lande of Egipt made none accompte of all his paines and traueils past and in signification thereof he called the first sonne that was borne in thâ—â— countrie Manasses sayeâ—â—â—e God hath caused me to forget all my â—â—â—â—â—illes and the howse also of â—â—â—â—er 〈◊〉 â—â—seph reioyced so muche at the birthe of â—â—e sonne What might our Sauiour now thinke when he sawe him selfe beâ—et on euerâ—e syde with such a nomber of sonnes after the ende of his tormentes and Martirdome vpon the crosse What might that pretious oâ—â—â—â— thinke when it sawe rownde aboâ—â—e her â—o many and such goodly braunches shootinge out on euerie syde OF THE RESVRRECTION OF THE BODIE OF OVR SAVIOVR CHristus resurrexit a mortâ—â—â— prâ—â—itiae dormientium â— Corinth â—â— 20. § II. BVT O my Sauiour what meanest thou that thou geuest no parte of this thy glorie to thy most holie bodie that lieth waytinge for thee in the sepulchre 1. Reg. 30. Thou knowest well ô Lorde that the lawe that was made concerninge the diuision of spoiles sayth that there shoulde be geuen as great a portion to him that remaineth in the tentes as to him that entereth into the battell Thy holie bodie hath remayned waytinge for thee in the sepulchre whilest thy most holie soule entered into hell to geue the battell Make therefore an equall diuision of thy glorie to thy bodie forsomuch as thou hast now wonne the battell The holie bodie of our Sauiour laie in the sepulchre in such a pittiefull forme as he had left it stretched out alonge vpon that colde stone wounde vp in his wyndinge sheete his face couered ouer with a napkin and all the partes of his bodie whollie rent and torne It was now after midnight and the dawninge of the daie approched neare at hande when the sonne of iustice had determined to preuent the sonne of the morninge and to be before him in this daies iourney In this blessed tyme therefore entered that glorious soule into his sacred bodie And how thinke you did it adorne the same Suerly there is no tonge able to expresse it in wordes Howbeit by an example we maie perceaue somewhat thereof We see sometymes towardes the west a verie obscure and darke clowde and if happlye the sonne doe take it before his goinge downe and beat vpon it and couer it all ouer with his beames it is wonte to cause it to appeare all beautifull all goodly and all glisteringe like golde insomuche as it seemeth to be the verie sonne it selfe Now in like maner did that glorious soule after it was inuestured in that holie bodie and entered into the same For it conuerted all the darkenes of the bodie into lighte and all his filthines into beautie and caused the bodie that was the fowlest of all bodies to become the fairest and most beautifull of all bodies After this sorte our Sauiour riseth againe out of the sepulchre altogether perfectlie glorious as the first begotten of the deade and the figure of our resurrection This is that holie Patriarke Ioseph Genes 41. who is nowe deliuered out of prison the heare of his mortalitie beinge cut of and apparailed with the garmentes of immortalitie and made Lorde of the lande of Egipt Exod. 2. This is that holie Moyses who was taken out of the waters and out of the poore rushe basket and is now come to destroie all the power and chariottes of kinge Pharao Hester 6. This is that holie Mardocheus who after he had put of his sackeclothe and asshes and was apparailed with roiall garmentes ouercame his enemie and crucified him vpon his owne crosse and deliuered all his people from deathe Daniell 14. This is that holie Daniell who is now come forthe out of the lyons denne and hath not receyued anie dammage at all of the furious hongrie and rauenous beastes This is that stroÌ„ge Sampson Iudic. 16. who beinge enuironed abowt with his enemies and enclosed within the citie ryseth vp at midnight and breaketh vp their stronge gates and lockes and so defeyteth the malicious purposes and designementes of his aduersaries Ionas 2. This is that holie Ionas that was allotted to die to deliuer his companions from deathe who entrynge into the belly of that great beast is the thirde daie cast vp againe vpon the coast of Ninyue Who is this that beynge betweene the hongrie Iawes of the deuowringe beast coulde not be eaten of her Who is this that was swallowed downe into the bothom of the waters and enioyed neuerthelesse the aire of lyfe Who is this that beinge sonke downe into the deapth of perdition caused euen death it selfe to serue him This is our glorious Sauiour who was snatched awaye by that cruell beast which is neuer satisfied to wit by death which after she had him in her mouthe and perceaued the worthines of the praie trembled and quaked for feare and coulde not holde it For althoughe the earthe swallowed him after he was dead yet findinge him free from all faulte and synne she was not able to detaine him in her howse For it is not the paine that maketh a man guiltie but the cawse which coulde not be founde in him HOW OVR SAVIOVR CHRIST AFTER HIS RESVRRECTION appeared to the holie virgin his blessed mother § III. NOW hast thou ô lorde glorified and reioyced thy most holie fleashe that suffered with thee vpon the crosse Remember likewise that the fleashe of thy mother is also thy fleashe and that she also suffered with thee when she sawe thee suffer vpon the crosse She was crucified with thee it is reason therefore that she also rise againe with thee Rom. 6.8 It is a sayeinge of thy Apostle 2. Tim. 2. that whosoeuer haue bene thy companions in thy paines shal be thy coÌ„panions likewise in thy glorie Forsomuche therefore as this blessed Ladie hath bene thy faithfull companion in all thy paines euen frome the maunger to the crosse reason it is that she shoulde be now partaker of thy ioyes also Wherefore clarifie that heauen that is now obscured discouer that moone that is now eclipsed dissolue those cloudes of her heauie soule drie vp the teares of her maidenly eies and now after the stormy winter of so manie
sentence That there is nothinge more certaine than deathe nor nothinge more vncertain than the houre of deathe And therefore a certaine philosopher compared the liues of men to the belles or bubbles that are made in water pittes when it raineth of the which some doe vanishe awaie sodenlie euen at their verie risinge others doe endure a litle longer and out of hande are decaied others also doe continewe somewhat more and others lesse So that although they doe all endure but onely some litle time yet in that littell there is great varietie Wherefore if the ende of our lyfe be so vncertaine If it be so vncertein also when the dreadfull houre of our accompt shall come why doe we liue with such loosenes and negligence Why doe we not consider those wordes of our Sauiour where he sayeth vnto vs Matth. 24. watche because ye knowe not when the sonne of man shall come Marc. 13. O that men woulde waighe the force of this reason Luc. 12. Because ye knowe not the howre sayeth our Sauiour watche ye and be alwaies in a readines As if he had sayed in expresse wordes because ye knowe not the howre watche euerie howre because ye knowe not the moneth watche euerie moneth and because yee knowe not the yeare be still in a readines euerie yeare For although ye knowe not certainly what yeare he will call you yet most certaine it is that a yeare shall come in which vndowtedlie he will call you But that the force of this reason maie the better be perceaued let vs put an example Tell me if there were set before thee vpon a table thirtie or fourtie seuerall disshes of meat and thou haddest a certaine warninge geuen thee by some of thy friendes that in one of them there were poison durst thou geue the aduenture to eate of anie one of them althoughe thou were verie muche a hungered Vndowtedlie thou wouldest not doe it For the verie feare thou wouldest haue least thou mightest peraduenture light vpon that dishe that were poysoned woulde make thee to abstaine from all the rest Now let vs examin how manie yeares at the vttermost thou mayst hope yet to liue Thou wilt saie peraduenture after thou hast well considered the matter that thou mayest liue thirtie or fourtie yeares Well then if it be certaine that in one of these yeares thou art assured to die and thou knowest west not in which of them why art thou not then affraide in euerie one of them seinge thou art well assured that in one of them thy lyfe shal be taken from thee Thou wouldest not be so hardie as to put thy hande into anie one of the foresaied fourtie disshes although thou were in a verie sore honger because thou knowest that in one of them there is death present And wilt thou not also be affraide of euerie one of these fourtie yeares seinge thou art so well assured that thou shalt die in one of these yeares What answere canst thou make to this reason Harken yet to an other reason which is of no lesse efficacie than the other Tell me why doe men keepe a continuall watche in a Castell that standeth in the frontiers vpon the enemies Is it for anie other cause but onely for that they knowe not when the enemies will come to assaulte it Assuredlie for none other So that because they knowe not certainly at what time the enemie will come therefore doe they continuallie watche it at all tymes For if they knewe certainlie the time of their comminge they might be careles in the meane while and reserue the diligēce of their watche vntill that verie time Now I require thee hartely for the loue of God to be an indifferent Iudge towchinge that which I shall saye vnto thee Let vs consider well this poynte If thou watche thy Castle euerie nighte because thou art vncertain when thy enemie will come whether to daie or to morrowe this yeare or the next why doest thou not then kepe a continuall watche ouer thy soule seinge thou knowest not what howre death shall come to geue the assault vpon thee The verie same vncertaintie that is in the Castle is in thy soule also yea this vncertaintie is farre more and the matter is without all comparison of greater importance Now what iudgement haue they that are alwayes so vigilant in watchinge their castle and so careles alwayes abowt their soules so careles I saie as to sleepe alwaies without euer thinkinge vpon them What thinge can be more against reason Cōsider that thy soule is of greater valewe than all the castels and kingdoms in the worlde Yea if thou consider the price wherewith it was bought thou mayest well iudge that it is of more valewe than all the angels in heauen Cōsider also that thou hast greater enemies that doe endeuour cōtinuallie both daie and night to assault it Consider that thou canst by no meanes vnderstand the daye or the houre of assault Consider that the whole substance of the saluation or damnation of thy soule consisteth in this point whether thou be taken prouided or vnprouided at that dreadefull howre Forsomuch as accordinge to the parable of the Gospell the virgins which were founde readie and prepared entered into the mariage with the bridegrome Math. 25. and such as were founde vnprouided taried without To conclude therefore what cause is there why thou shouldest not alwaies watche as well ouer thy soule as ouer thy castell seinge the vncertaintie is greater the daunger greater the cause greater and all the rest without anie comparison farre greater and of more importance Of the frailtie of our lyfe § IIII. HOWBEIT our lyfe is not onely vncertaine but also verie fraile and brickle For I praie thee what glasse is so brickle and so subiecte to knockes and breakinge as the lyfe of man Some times the verie aier and heat of the sonne if it be vehement is able to spoyle vs of our lyfe But what speake I of the sonne seinge the verie eies yea the onely lookinge of some persone is able sometimes to bereaue a creature of his lyfe It shall not neede to drawe anie sworde or to vse anie kinde of armour or munition for the matter seinge the onely looke of some one man is able to bereeue an other of his lyfe Consider now what a sure castell this is wherein the treasure of our lyfe is kept seinge the onelie beholdinge of it a farre of is able to batter it cleane downe to the grownde But this were not so much to be wondered at in the age of infancie when the buildinge is as yet but newe and griene but the greater wonder is that after that the worke is setled and hath continued manie yeares together there happeneth some accident of no greater importāce than these beforenamed that is able vtterlie to ouerthrowe it If thou enquire and aske whereof dyed this man or whereof died that man they will answere thee that he died by drinkinge a cuppe of
callinge to minde his wicked and synfull lyfe and how gladly he wishethe at that time that he had taken a better waie and what an awstere kinde of lyfe he woulde then determine to leade if he might haue time to doe the same and how fayne he woulde then enforce himselfe to call vpon almightie God and to desier him of helpe and succour Howbeit the verie paine greife and continuall increasinge of his syckenes and death will scarcely permitte him so to doe Consider then also those last accidentes and panges of the sicknes Of the pāges of deathe which be as it were the messingers of death how fearfull and terrible they be How at that time the sicke mans breast panteth his voyce waxeth hoarce his feete begynne to die his knees waxe colde and stiffe his nostrels ronne out his eies sincke into his head his countenāce looketh pale and wanne his tonge faultereth and is not able to doe his office finally by reason of the hast of the departure awaye of the sowle out of the bodie all his senses are sore vexed and troubled and they doe vtterlie leese their force and vertue But aboue all the sowle is then in most payne Of the greate payne ād agonie the sowle abideth at her departure out of the bodie and suffereth greatest greifes and troubles For at that time she is in a verie great conflicte and agonie partely for her departure from the bodie and partely for feare of her dreadfull accompte which is then to be made Because she is naturally lothe to departe from the bodie and she liketh well her lodginge and is in verie great dread to come to her accompt before almightie God Now when the sowle is thus departed out of the fleashe yet there remayne two voiages for thee to make with him the one to accompanie the bodie vntill it be layed in his graue the other to followe the sowle vntill her cause be determined And thou hast to consider diligentlie what shall become of eache one of these two partes Of the funeralles ād buryenge of the bodie Consider now in what plight the bodie is after the sowle hath forsaken it and what a worthie garment they prouide to winde it in and what haste his friendes and executors doe make to get him quickly rydde awaye out of the howse Consider also the funerals with all the other circumstances that are wonte to happen therein The often ringinge of the belles the goinge aboute of the belman cryinge vnto the people to praye for his sowle the questionynge in the streates one of an other who is dead the diriges and dolefull seruice of the Churche the accompanyinge of his corps to the Churche and mourninge of his wife children kynsfolke seruātes and friendes for him and finally all th' other particulars that are then wont to happen vntill the bodie be laide and lefte in the graue where it shall lye buried vntill it be raysed agayne by the terrible sownde of the trompet at the generall daie of iudgement And such is the great chaunge and alteration in worldlie affaires that it maie so come to passe as a time maie happen when some buildinge maie be made neare vnto thy graue be it neuer so gaie and sumptuous and that they maie digge for some earthe out of the same to make morter for a walle and so shall thy seelie bodie beinge now changed into earth become afterwardes an earthen walle although it be at this present the most noble bodie and most delicately cherished of all bodies in the worlde And how manie bodies of Kinges and Emperors trowest thou haue come already to this promotion Now when thou hast left the bodie in the graue what becōmethe of the sowle after it is departed out of the bodie goe from thence forthwith and followe after the sowle and cōsider what waie it taketh through that newe region whither it goeth what shall euerlastinglie become of it for euer and euer and what iudgement it shall haue Imagin that thou arte now present at this iudgemēt and that thou seest all the whole cowert of heauen to expecte the ende of this sentence Eccles 12. vers 14. Iob. 14.13 Iob. 31.14.23 where the sowle shal giue a particular accōpte and be chardged and dischardged of all that he hath receaued euen to the valewe of a pinnes poynte yea Math. 12.36 Math. 19.17 Rom. 2.6 1. Co. 4.4 1. Cor. 9.27 2. Cor. 5.10 Ephes 6.8 Philip. 2.12 Haeb. 9.27 1. Peter 4.18 2. Pet. 1.10 Apoc. 2.23 Apoc. 14.7.13 and as our Sauiour himselfe affirmeth of euerie idell worde There an accompt shal be required of his life of his lādes ād riches of his howseholde ād familie of the inspiratiōs of almightie God of the meanes and opportunitie he hath had to leade a vertuous and godlie lyfe and aboue all he shal be streitelie examined what estimation he hath made of the most pretious bloude of our sauiour Christe and of the vse of his Sacramentes And there shall euerie man be iudged accordinge to the accompt he shall make of the giftes and graces he hath receaued of almightie God THE THIRDE TREATISE WHEREIN IS TREATED OF THE consideration of death Where the former meditation is declared more at lardge THE consideration of death is verie profitable for manie purposes and espetially for three First for the obteyninge of true wisedome that is to knowe how a man ought to gouerne and frame his lyfe For as the Philosophers doe saie in thinges that are ordeined to anie ende The consideration of death causeth a man to gouerne and frame his life the rule and measure whereby to directe them is to be taken of the same ende and therefore when men doe either builde or Saile or doe anie thinge they haue alwaies their eie fixed vpon the ende which they pretende and accordinge to the same doe frame and direct all the rest of their doinges Now consideringe that emonge the endes and tearmes of our lyfe death is one of them whither we goe all to take our rest he that will endeuour to direct his lyfe in good order let him fixe his eies vpon this marke and accordinge to the same let him dispose and directe all his affaires Let him consider how poore and naked he must depart out of this worlde and what a strait iudgement he must passe at the hower of his death and how he shall lie in his graue all betroden and quyte forgotten of all men and accordinge to this ende let him consider how to frame and direct the whole order and course of his lyfe By this rule a certaine Philosopher gouerned and directed his lyfe that saied Naked came I out of my mothers wombe Iob. 2. and naked must I retourne againe to my graue To what purpose then shoulde I lose my time in purchasinge and heapinge together landes and riches seing nakednes shal be my ende For want of consideration of this our ende doe growe all our errours and
spetiall friendes can doe then vnto him besides prayinge for his sowle is to honour him with castinge a handfull of earthe vpon him And therefore the faithfull people are wont to vse this ceremonie towardes the dead that almightie God maye dispose others to doe the same vnto them whē they shal be in the like case Now what greater confession and acknowledginge of our miserie can we diuise than to see how men doe preuent before hande that they may not want after their death so smalle a benefite as this is O greidie couetousenes of the lyuinge and great pouertie of the dead Why shoulde a man desire and gape after so manie thinges for this presente lyfe beinge so shorte as it is seinge so litle will content him at the howre of his death Then the graue maker taketh the spade and pykeaxe into his hande and beginneth to tumble downe bones vpon bones and to tread downe the earth verie harde vpon him Insomuch that the fairest face in all the worlde the best trimmed and most charily kepte from wynde and sonne shall lye there and be stamped vpon by the rude graue maker who will not sticke to laie him on the face and rappe him on the sculle yea and to batter downe his eies and nose flatte to his face that they maie lye well and euen with the earth And the fyne dapperde gentleman who whiles he liued might in no wise abide the wynde to blowe vpon him no nor so much as a litle heare or moore to falle vpon his garmentes but in all hast it must be brusshed of with great curiositie here they laie and hurle vpon him a donghill of filthines and dirte And that sweete mynion gentleman also that was wont forsooth to goe perfumed with Amber and other odoriferous smelles must be contented here to lye couered all ouer with earthe and fowle crawlinge wormes and maggottes This is the ende of all the gaie braueries and of all the pompe and glorie of the worlde In this plight doe all his freindes nowe leaue him lyenge in that strait lodginge in that earthe of obliuion and in that darcke prison where he shall remaine accompanied with perpetuall solitarines vntill the generall daye of Iudgment O worlde what is become of thy glorie O yee my howses landes and riches where is your power O my wyfe my children my freindes and kinsfolke where haue ye now left me How happeneth it that yee my olde freindes and companions doe so quickly forsake me and leaue me here in the earthe thus solitarie alone How chaunceth it that the wheele of my so great prosperitie and felicitie is so quickly ouerturned and defaced They that sawe Quene Iezabell when she was by the iust iudgement of God eaten with dogges 4. Reg. 9. when they sawe that there remained nothinge els of her bewtie but onelie her sculle and the extreme partes of her feete and handes those I saie that had knowen her before in so greate flourishinge and royall estate and sawe her at that time in such a miserable plight wonderinge at that so great alteration and chaunge demaunded and saied Haeccine est illa Iezabel Is this that Iezabell 4. Reg. 9.37 And as manie as passed by that waie and behelde her thus eaten with dogges repeted the same exclamation merueylinge at so great a chaunge and saied Is this that Iezabell Is this that great Quene and Ladie of Israëll Is this she that was so mightie that she vsurped and seased the landes and goodes of her subiectes by sheedinge of their bloude Is death able to bringe the mightie and puissaunte Princes to such a base and miserable calamitie Now therefore my deare brother goe downe I praie thee with thy spirit into the graues and Sepulchers of such Princes and great noble personages as thou hast either harde of or knowen in this worlde and consider what a horrible and deformed forme of their bodies is there to be seene And thou shalt see that thou hast good cause to make the like exclamation and to vse the same wordes and saie Is this that Iezabell Is this that amiable face which I knewe so faire and liuelie Are these those eies that were so cleare and brighte to beholde Is this that pleasaunt rowlinge tongue that talked so eloquently and made such goodlie discourses Is this that fyne and neyte bodie that was so trimlie pollished and adorned Is this the ende of the maiestie of Princes scepters and roiall crownes Is this the ende of the glorie of the worlde O how often times saieth a Wise man hath it bene my chaunce to enter into the sepulchres of some dead bodies where wonderinge or rather beinge greatlie astonied at the sight that I sawe I fixed mine eies aduisedlie vpon the shape of the dead corps I sette the bones in order I ioyned the handes together and sette the lippes in their proper places and spake thus secretlie to my selfe Beholde these feete that haue trauayled such crooked pathes and waies These handes also that haue committed so manie wicked actes These eies that haue behelde so manie vanities This mouth that hath eaten and deuoured so manie delicate and superfluous meates Beholde this sculle of his head that hath built so manie vaine castels and towers in the aier This dust and filthie skinne for whose pleasure and delight he hath committed so many sinnes and wickednes and for which cause the sowle of this bodie doth and shall perhappes suffer euerlastinge horrible tormentes in hell fier This done I departed out of that place wholy astonied and amased and meitinge with certain persons both men and women yonge and olde I behelde them likewise and considered that both they and I shoulde shortelie appeare in the like vglie forme and sieme as vyle and lothsome to beholde as those dead bodies are now presentelie Wherefore what a fonde wicked wretche am I to liue in suche wise as I doe To what ende is my purchasinge ād heapinge together of lādes and riches ād my buildinge of such sumptuous howses seinge I shall shortly be here so poore and naked To what ende are my gaie braueries and gorgious ornamentes in my apparell and furniture of howsholde stuffe seinge I shall shortly be here so filthie and lothsome to beholde To what ende are my delicate disshes my sugered sawces and deyntie fare seinge I shall shortly be here meate for the wormes and maggottes of the earthe Of the waie that the sowle taketh after it is departed out of the bodie And of the dreadfull iudgment and sentence that shal be geuen vpon it at that time § VIII Note that there be two iudgemētes one is at the hower of euerie mās deathe which is called the particular iudgemente And the other is at doomesdaye which shal be the vniuersall iudgmente of all mankinde together S. Bernarde LET vs now leaue the bodie lyinge thus buried in the graue and let vs see what waie the sowle taketh throughe that newe worlde which is
quake at the wordes which the Apostle spake notwithstandinge that he was an infidell and had no beleefe at all in this misterie Whereby it maie appeare what terrible thinges those were that the Apostle then spake of sith the onelie sownde of them was able to cause such a great feare and tremblinge in a man that did not beleeue them Now the Christian that belieueth them and holdeth them for a matter of faith what a liuelie sense and feelinge shoulde he haue in these thinges when he heareth readeth or considereth them And let no man thinke to excuse him selfe pretendinge innocencie and sayeinge that these threatninges are not spoken vnto him but to vniust and wicked persons S. Ierome For S. Ierome was a iust man and yet for all that he saiede That so often as he remembred the daie of iudgment both his hart and bodie trembled for verie feare The Prophet Dauid also was a iust man yea he was a man accordinge to Gods owne hart and yet for all this he had so great a feare of the accompt of this daie that he saiede in a certain Psalme Psal 142. O Lorde enter not into iudgmente with thy seruaunt for in thy sight no man lyuinge shal be iustified The holie man Iob likewise was a most innocent and iust man and yet for all that he liued in such exceedinge feare all the daies of his lyfe that he reporteth thus of himselfe Iob. 31.23 and saieth Like as he that saileth in the middes of a stormye tempest is in great feare when he seeth the furious raginge waues comminge vpon him euen so haue I trembled alwaies before the maiestie of almightie God and my feare hath bene so passinge great that I was not able to abide the heauie burthen thereof But aboue all these the Apostle S. Paule was a verie iust man and yet for all that he saide thus of himselfe 1. Cor. 4.4 I feele no remorse of conscience of any thinge that I haue done amisse and yet I accompte not my selfe safe and secure forsomuche as our Lorde is he that shal be my iudge As if he had sayed in expresse wordes Manie times it maie happen that in our owne sight we finde our selues to be without blemishe in our workes and yet in the sight of almightie God we be farre otherwise For that which lieth hidden from the eies of men is not hidde from the eies of almightie God Vnto a rude and vnskilfull painter the worke that he hath drawen seemeth to be verie perfect but a conninge and skilfull painter will finde manie defectes worthie to be noted in it Now how farre greater defectes and imperfections shall the most highe goodnes and wisedome of almightie God finde in a creature so euill inclined as man is Iob. 15.16 Who as Iob saieth drincketh sinne and iniquitie as it were water Againe if the swoorde of almightie God did finde so much to be pared of in heauen how much more shall it finde in earthe which bringeth forthe nothinge els but brambles and bryers And who is he that hath all the corners of his sowle so pure and cleane but that he shall haue neide to saie with the Prophet Psal 18.13 Ab occultis meis munda me Domine Cleanse me ô Lorde from my secrete synnes Wherefore it behoueth all men to liue in greate feare and dreade of this daye of iudgmente be their lyfe neuer so iust seinge the daie is so dreadfull our lyfe so faultie and the Iudge so iust and aboue all seinge his iudgementes be so secrete and profounde that no man knowethe what lotte shall falle vnto him But as our sauiour saieth Math. 24.40 Two shal be in the feilde the one shal be taken and th' other forsaken Two in one bedde the one shal be taken and th' other forsaken Note here against the presumptuous securitie and assurance of saluatiō tawght by the Heretickes Two grindinge in one mille the one shal be taken and th' other forsaken In which wordes we be geuen to vnderstande that of such persons as are all of one same state and maner of lyfe some shal be caried vp to heauen and some throwen downe into the bottomles pitt of hell insomuch as by this and manie other places of the holie scriptures it playnlie appeareth that no man can accompte him selfe secure and assured to be saued Psalm 18. vers 13.14 Eccles 9.1 Eccles 12.14 Eccles 5.5 Iob. 31.14.23 Daniell 4.24 Math. 12.36 Math. 19.17 Ioan. 8.31 Ioan. 15.7.14 Rom. 2.13 Rom. 8.17 1. Cor. 4.4 1. Cor. 9.27 1. Cor. 10.12 1. Cor. 13.2.13 2. Cor. 5.10.11 Galat. 5.24 Philip. 2.12 Iac. 2 14.17.24 1. Pet. 1.16 1. Pet. 2.21 2. Pet. 1.10 1. Ioan. 2.3.5.6 1. Ioan. 3.7.24 1. Ioan. 4.12 1. Ioan. 5.3 Apoc. 3.11 Apoc. 14.7 so longe as he liueth in this frayle and transitorie lyfe How rigorous the daie of Iudgement shal be § I. TO cōsider wel of the greatnes of this iudgement thou must first presuppose that there is no tonge in the worlde able to expresse the least parte of the troubles that shal be vpon this daie And therefore the Prophet Ioell beinge desirous to speake of the greatnes thereof fownde his wittes and senses so weake and confounded that he beganne to stutte and stammer like a childe and to saie Ioell 1.15 A a a what a daie shall that be The like maner of speache vsed the Prophet Ieremie Ierem. 1.6 when almightie God woulde sende him to preach to signifie that he was an infante and altogether vnable to discharge so great an embassie as he was appointed by almightie God to doe And the same maner doth the Prophet Ioel vse euen at this time to geue vs to vnderstande that there is no tonge in the worlde that will not stutte and stammer like a childe when it shall goe about to signifie what thinges shall happen vpon this dreadfull daie Vpon this daie almightie God will reduce all such filthines as the wicked haue caused in the worlde through their wicked workes to his first dewe forme and comelines And as their filthie and wicked actes haue bene manie and great euen so must the purifyenge of them be proportionable to the actes committed And so shall the worlde be so much bewtified by the punishement of the wicked as it hath bene defiled and disfigured throughe their offences When a man hath by reason of some great falle put his arme out of ioynte the more it is out of iointe the more griefe and paine must he afterwardes abide before it can be set in iointe againe and brought to his dewe proper place Now whereas the wicked haue disordered all thinges in this worlde and set them out of iointe and wrenched them out of their naturall places when that heauenly reformer shall come to restore the worlde by punnishemēt of so manie disorders how great shall the punnishement be where so manie and so great disorders haue bene This dreadfull daie
is called not onely the daie of Anger but also the daie of our Lorde as the Prophet Ioel tearmeth it Ioel. 1.15 why the daye of iudgemente is called the daye of our Lorde Geauinge vs thereby to vnderstāde that all other daies haue bene the daies of men in which they haue fulfilled their owne willes against the wil of god but this daie is called the daie of our Lorde because vpō this daie our Lorde will doe his will against the will of men Thou doest now sweare and forsweare and blaspheme and almightie God in this meane while holdeth his peace and sayeth nothinge vnto it but be thou well assured the daie shall come when almightie God will breake of his lōge silence of so manie daies and of so manie iniuries ād will answere for his owne honour There be but two dayes the one is the daye of our Lorde and the other is the daye of men 2. Paral. 18. So that there be no more but two daies in the worlde the one is the daie of our Lorde and the other the daie of men Man whiles his daie endureth maye doe whatsoeuer he listeth and almightie God will holde his peace and as it were wincke at all his doinges Vpon this daie the Kinge Sedechias maie commaunde the Prophet of God to be cast into a well and breade to be geuen vnto him by vnces He maie vse and abuse the Prophet at his pleasure and at all those iniuries almightie God will holde his peace But after this daie there will come an other daie and almightie God will take kinge Sedechias and depriue him of his kingedome he will destroie Ierusalem and bringe kinge Sedechias in fetters before the kinge of Babilon and there shall all his sonnes and friendes be murdered before his face There shall he commaunde his eies which were preserued to see so manie miseries to be plucked out of his head which done he shall cause him to be caried in fetters to Babilon and confyne him into a prison there to remaine all the daies of his lyfe So that as man hath libertie to doe vpon his daie whatsoeuer he listeth without anie restraint or impediment at all euen so will almightie God haue free libertie to doe vpon his daie whatsoeuer his will and pleasure shal be and no man shal be able to let or disturbe him Of the signes that shall goe before the daie of the generall Iudgemente § II. FINALLIE if thou desire to vnderstande what maner of daie this shal be consider what signes shall goe before it For by the signes thou shalt perceiue what the thinge shal be that is signified as by the eueninge and Vigile thou mayste vnderstande what the feast of the daie shal be First of all when that daie shal be no man knoweth Marc. 13. no not the Angels in heauen nor yet the sonne himselfe to reueile it to anie other but the father onely Howbeit certaine signes shall goe before it whereby men maie prognosticate not onely of the nearnes of the daie but also of the greatnes and dreadfulnes thereof Math. 24.7 For as our Sauiour saieth Before the comminge of this daie there shal be great warres and troubles in the worlde Nation shall rise against nation and kingdome against kindome And there shal be great earthquakes in manie places and pestilence and famine and terrible thinges appearinge in the aier and other great signes and wonders And which is more dreadfull than all this there shall come that great horrible persecution so oftentimes mentioned in the holie Scriptures The horrible persecution of Antichrist The Iewes shall receiue and worship Antichrist for their Messias as appeareth in Iohn 5. vers 43. ād 1. Iohn 2. vers 22. which shal be executed by the most crewell persecutor that euer the Catholike Churche hath had to witt by Antichrist who shall impugne the Catholike Churche most malitiouslie not onelie with most crewell warres and horrible tormentes but also with apparant and feyned miracles Consider now therefore with thy selfe as the blessed holie Pope S. Gregorie saieth what a terrible time that of Antichrist shal be when the godlie martir shall offer his bodie to the tormentor and the tormentor shall worke miracles before his face Math. 24. vers 21.22 Marc. 13. vers 19.20 To conclude the tribulation of these daies as our Sauiour saieth shal be so great as the like was neuer since the beginninge of the worlde Antichristes raigne and persecutiō shall not continewe but three yeares and a halfe as appeareth in Daniell 7. vers 25. Daniell 12. vers 7. 11. Apoc. 11. vers 2. 3. Apoc. 13. vers 5. Ezech. 32. nor neuer shal be insomuche that if almightie God of his great mercie did not prouide to shorten these daies all fleashe shoulde not be saued But for the electes sake the daies of Antichrist shal be shortened After these signes as this daie of the generall iudgment draweth nearer and nearer there shall appeare other signes more dreadfull than these in the Sonne in the Moone and in the Sterres Of which dreadfull signes our Lorde spake by his Prophet Ezechiel sayeinge I will cause the sterres of heauen to be darckened ouer thee and I will couer the Sonne with a clowde and the Moone shall not shewe fourthe her lighte And I will cause all the lightes of heauen to mourne and lamente ouer thee And I will sende darcknes ouer all the lande Now when these great signes and alterations shall appeare in the heauens what maie we looke for vpon the earthe which is wholly gouerned by the heauens We see in a common weale that when the heades that gouerne it are in anie tumulte all the other members and partes thereof are also in a like tumulte and vprore and the whole common-weale is tossed and tormoyled with armes and dissention Now if all this bodie of the worlde be gouerned by the vertues and influences of the heauens in case both the heauens and this bodie be altered and out of their naturall order in what ruthfull case thē shall all the members and partes be that depende of them The aier shal be full of lighteninges whyrlewindes and blasinge sterres The earthe shal be full of wyde yawninge cleiftes fearfull tremblinges and quakinges And these earthquakes as it is thought shal be so great and violent that they shal be able to ouerthrowe not onely the sumptuous pallaces highe towers and stronge Castels but euen the verie mountaines and rockes them selues shal be also shaken and ouerwhelmed by them and quite remoued out of their places But most of all other elementes the Sea shall at that tyme shewe greatest rage and furie and the waues thereof shal be so highe and so furious that it shall seeme that they will vtterlie ouerwhelme all the whole earthe Such as dwell by the Sea side shal be in great dread and terror by reason of the great rysinge of waters and such as dwell further of shal be wounderfullie afraide
dead and come to iudgemente Who shall appeale from this sommons Who shal be able to auoide this iudgment Whose hart shall not tremble and quake for feare at the terrible sownde of this voyce This voyce shall take from death all her spoiles and cause her to restore againe all that she hath taken awaye from the worlde And so S. Iohn saieth that then The Sea shall restore the dead bodies which it hath had Apoc. 20. And likewise both death and hell shall restore all those bodies that they haue Now what a wounderfull sight shall that be to see the Sea and the earthe to bringe forthe in all partes such varietie of bodies and to see so manie huge armies and so manie sortes and diuersities of nations and people assemble together There shall the Alexanders appeare There the Zerxes and Artaxerxes There the Dariies and the Emperours of Rome and the most mightie Kinges and puyssante Princes of the worlde with an other maner of habite and behauiour and with other kinde of thoughtes much differinge from those that they had in this lyfe To be shorte there shall all the children of Adam meete together euerie one to geue vp an accompte of his owne lyfe and to be iudged accordinge to his workes There shal be a greate difference at the daye of resurrection betweene the bodies of the iust ād the bodies of the wicked Howbeit althoughe all persons shall rise agayne at that daye neuer to die anie more yet shall there be a great differēce betwene bodies ād bodies For the bodies of the iust shal rise verie bewtifull and bright like the Sonne But the bodies of the wicked shall rise verie darke and filthie euen like vnto death it selfe Now what a great ioye shall it be then vnto the sowles of the iust to see their desire now fullie accomplished What a ioye shal it be to see thē selues after so longe a banishement to be vnited and ioyned euerlastingly in cēpanie with their most deare and louinge brethern With what ioye maye the sowle saie then vnto the bodie O my bodie Of the ioyefull meeting of the sowles and bodies of the iust at the daye of generall iudgemēte and faithfull companion that hast holpen me to gaine this crowne that hast so oftentimes fasted watched and suffered with me the painfull strookes and lashes of discipline the trauell of pouertie the crosse of penance and the contradictions and reproches of the worlde How often times hast thou spared the meate from thine owne belly to geue it to the poore How often hast thou lacked clothes thy selfe to clothe the naked How often hast thou renounced and lost thine owne right and title for that thou wouldest not breake peace and be at discention with thy neighbour Wherefore it is meete that thou shouldest now be partaker of this heauenly treasure seinge thou hast holpēme to gaine the same And it is meete that thou shouldest be my companion in this my glorie seinge thou hast bene my companion in all my paines and labours Thē shall these two faithfull friendes be ioyned together in one subiecte not as they were in this lyfe with contrarie appetites and desires but with a leage of perpetuall peace and conformitie So as they maie singe and saie for euer Beholde what a good and ioyefull thinge it is Psal 132. Of the sorowful and greeuous meetinge that shal be of the sowles and bodies of the damned persons at the daye of generall iudgemente for brethern to dwell together in one But contrariewise what a heauines and greife shall it then be to the sowle of the damned person when he shall see his bodie in an vglie forme as there it shal be geuen vnto him to wit blacke filthie stinckinge and horrible Then shal he saie O cursed bodie O beginninge and ende of my paines and sorowes O cause of my damnation Now art thou no more my companion but mine enemie Now art thou no more my helper but my persecutor Now art thou no more my habitation but the chaine and snare of my destruction O cursed tast How dearlie doe I paie now for thy delicacies and delightes O stinckinge fleashe that hast thus brought me to these painfull horrible tormentes by yeeldinge to thy lustes and pleasures What Alas is this the bodie for whose sake I cōmitted so manie sinnes Were these the delightes of this bodie that caused me vtterlye to cast awaie my selfe Was it for this stinckinge muckhill that I haue lost for euer the kingdome of heauen Was it for this vyle and filthie carkas that I haue lost for euer the glorie of lyfe euerlastinge O ye infernall furies rise vp now against me and teare and rent me in peeces for I haue well deserued these horrible tormentes Cursed be the daie of my vnfortunat birthe seinge my happe must be so miserable as to suffer euerlastinge tormentes in the most horrible pitt of hell for so short pleasures and delightes These and other more desperate wordes shall the dāned sowle speake vnto that bodie which she loued so exceedinglie in this trāsitorie worlde But tell me ô miserable sowle why doest thou now so much abhorre that thinge which heretofore thou louedst so well Is not this fleashe thy dearlie beloued Is not this the bellie which thou madest thy God Is not this the face which thou diddest kepe so warily frō the sonne and winde Is not this the visage which thou diddest paint with so manie artificiall coloures Are not these the armes and fingers which glistered with ringes of golde and dyamondes Is not this the bodie for whose sake searche was made both by lande and Sea to furnishe a table for it with all delicate and deintie disshes to haue a fyne and softe bedde to procure curious and costly garmentes Who hath now so altered thy affection Who hath made thy bodie to looke now so horrible and vglie which before seemed so faire and amiable Thou seest here now Christian brother what ende the glorie of the worlde hath with all the vayne pleasures and delightes of the bodie Of the comminge of the Iudge Of the matter of the iudgement And of the witnesses and accusors that shal be there against the wicked § IIII. NOW when all mankinde shal be raised againe and assembled together in one place expectinge the comminge of the Iudge Act. 10. then shall he whom almightie God hath appointed to be iudge ouer the quicke and the dead come downe Note here the two cōminges of Christe the firste was with greate humilitie and the secōde shal be with great maiestie and glorie And like as at his first comminge he came with verie great humilitie and meikenes inuitinge men vnto peace and callinge them vnto penance euen so at his seconde comminge he shall come with verie great maiestie and glorie accompanied with all the powers and principalities of heauen threateninge all those with the furie of his anger that refused to vse the meeknes of his mercie At
farre the one exceedeth the other Now if a man to escape that tormente woulde not sticke to put him selfe to all daungers labours and paines be they neuer so great what then ought all we to doe to escape this most horrible extreme tormente of hell fyer Consider also what a terrible kinde of tormente that was which Phalaris that cruell Tyrante inuented of whom it is written that he vsed when he woulde put men to death to cause them to be inclosed within the bellie of a bull made of mettall and then caused a fier to be made vndernethe it and this cruell maner of punnishemente he deuised that the miserable man by the heate of the yron shoulde burne within the same by litle and litle and not be able to escape nor defende him selfe nor haue anie other remedie but onely to burne and rore and tumble and tosse him selfe within that strait place vntill he were dead What harte can heare of this crueltie but that his fleashe will tremble and quake onely in thinkinge of it Wherefore tell me now ô thou Christian what is all this in comparison of that most greiuous and horrible tormente which we here treate of but onely a meere dreame or shadowe Now if the verie imagination and thinkinge of these horrible paines of hell doe make vs afraide what shal it be not to thinke of them onelie but euen to suffer them in verie deede Certainlie it is so horrible a matter to suffer paines and tormentes euerlastinglye that althoughe there were but one alone emonge all the children of Adam that shoulde suffer in hell in this wise it were enoughe to make vs all to tremble and quake There was but one emonge Christes disciples that shoulde sell his master and yet when Christ saied One of yow shall betraie me Math. 26.21 all beganne to be afraide and waxe sad for that the matter was of so great importance Now then why doe not we much more tremble and quake knowinge certainlie Eccles 1.15 Math. 7.14 Esa 5.14 That the nomber of fooles is infinite and that the waie vnto life euerlastinge is verie narrowe ād strait ād that hel hath enlardged her mouthe without anie limitte to receiue the multitudes that goe into it If we beleeue not this If a Christian did cōsider the euerlastinge continuance of the horrible paynes of hell it woulde make him loke better to the dewe framinge of his lyfe where is our faith If we doe beleeue and confesse it where is our iudgemēmente and reason And if we haue both iudgement and reason why doe we not publishe and preache this matter in the open streates and market places Why goe we not into the desertes as manie of the Sainctes haue done there to doe penance for our synnes and to liue an austere lyfe emonge beastes that we maie escape these most horrible and euerlastinge tormentes How is it that we can sleepe in the night Yea how happeneth it that we be not quite out of our wittes when we doe thinke attentiuelie and consider of so straunge a perill as this is seinge lesse daungers than these haue bene able not onelie to frighte and bestraught men out of their wittes but also to bereue them of their liues This is the greatest payne that the miserable damned persons haue in hell to vnderstande that almightie God and their most greiuous tormentes shal be of one lyke continuance and therefore their miserie can haue no comfort because their paine hath no ende If the damned persons coulde be perswaded that after a hundered thowsande millions of yeares their paynes shoulde haue an ende euē that persuasion alone woulde be a great comfort vnto them For then all their tormētes albeit it were verie lōge woulde yet at the lengthe come to an ende S. Gregorie But assured they are that their paines shall haue no ende at all For as S. Gregorie saieth There the wicked haue death without anie death an ende without anie ende and a defecte without anie defecte For their death alwaies liueth their ende alwaies beginneth and their defecte neuer faileth And for this cause the Prophet saieth Psal 48.15 They are in hell as it were sheepe and death feideth vpon them The herbe that is there fed vpon is not wholie plucked vp because the roote is aliue which is the beginninge of lyfe and this causeth the herbe to springe againe that it maie still be fed vpon And therefore the pasture of those feildes is immortall forsomuch as it is alwaies eaten and alwaies reuyueth againe Now after this sorte shall death feede vpon the damned persons and as death cannot dye so shall it neuer be filled with this kinde of foode nor euer be wearie in doinge this office neither shall it euer make an ende of deuowringe this morsell For that death shall euermore haue somewhat in them to deuoure and they shall euermore minister somewhat vnto death to be deuoured so as the damned in hell shall suffer their most horrible paines and tormentes for euer and euer without anie ende SATTVRDAIE NIGHTE OF THE EVERLASTINGE GLORIE AND FELICITIE OF THE KINGDOME OF HEAVEN Corinth 2.9 THIS DAIE WHEN THOV HAST MADE THE SIGNE OF the Crosse and prepared thy selfe hereunto thou hast to meditate vpon the felicitie of eternall glorie in the kingedome of heauen THIS consideration is so profitable that if it were holpen with the lighte of a liuely faithe it were able to make all the bitter paines and labours which we shoulde take for the attaininge thereof to become sweite and pleasant For if the loue of landes and riches doe cause the paines and labours that be taken for them to seime sweite and pleasant If the loue of childrē also doe cause women to wishe for the paines of childebearinge what woulde the loue of this most excellent and passinge great felicitie doe in comparison whereof all other felicities are of non accompt If it be saied of the patriarke Iacob Genes 29.20 that his seuen years seruice feemed but shorte vnto him in respecte of the great loue he bare to Rachel what woulde the loue of that infinite bewtie worke in our hartes what woulde that euerlastinge mariage cause vs to doe if it were considered with the eies of a liuely faieth Fiue pointes to be considered in this meditation Wherefore that thou mayst vnderstande somewhat of this felicitie thou hast to consider emonge other thinges these fiue pointes that are in it to witt The excellencie and greatenes of the place The fruition of the companie of those blessed inhabitantes The vision of almightie God The glorie of the Sainctes bodies And finallie the perfect fruition of all good thinges that are there First of all therefore consider the excellencie of the place The excellencie and greatnes of the heauēs and especially the greatnes thereof which is surelye very wonderfull For when a man readeth in certaine graue awthors that euerie one of the starres of heauen is greater than all
the whole earthe yea and which is more meruailous that there be some starres emonge them of such notable greatnes that they be nyntie times greater then all the whole earthe when a man hearethe these thinges and lifteth vp his eies to heauen and seeth in the same such a multitude of starres and so manie voyde spaces where manie more starres might be set how can he but wonder How can he but be astonied and in a maner besides himselfe consideringe the passinge greatnes of that place and much more of that mightie Soueraine Lorde that created it of nothinge The goodlie bewtie of the heauens Then as towchinge the goodlie bewtie of that place it is a thinge that can not be expressed with wordes For if almightie God hath created thinges so wonderfull and so bewtifull in this vale of teares and place of bannishement what wonderfull bewtifull thinges hath he created trowe ye in that place which is the seate of his glorie the throne of his mightie power the pallace of his maiestie the howse of his electe and the paradise of all delightes After thou hast considered the excellencie of the place The fruition of the companie of the blessed inhabitantes in heauen Apoc. 7.9 The number of the electe The nomber of the Angelles in heauen consider also the great worthines of those blessed inhahitantes that dwell in it whose nomber holines riches and bewtie are greater than anie man can imagin S. Iohn saieth that the nomber of the electe is so great that no man is able to counte them S. Dionysius saithe that the nomber of the Angels is so great that they exceede without comparison all corporall and materiall thinges in the earthe S. Thomas agreinge with this opinion saithe that like as the greatnes of the heauēs exceedethe the greatnes of the earthe without anie proportion euen so doth the multitude of those glorious spirites exceede the multitude of all corporall and materiall thinges that are in this worlde with the like aduantage and proportion Now what thinge can be imagined more wonderful than this Certainlie this is such a matter that if it were well considered it were able to astonishe all men Againe if euerie one of the Angels yea thoughe it be the verie leaste Angell emonge them all be more goodlie and bewtifull to beholde than all this visible worlde what a glorious sighte shall it then be to beholde such a nomber of bewtifull Angels and to see the perfections and offices that euerie one of them hath in that highe and supreme cittie There the Angels goe as it were in ambassages Angels The Archangels are occupied in their ministerie Archāgels Principalities Powers Dominations Vertues Thrones Cherubins Seraphins The Principalities triumphe The Powers reioyce The dominations gouerne The Vertues shyne The Thrones glister The Cherubins geue light The Seraphins burne with loue And all of that heauenlie cowert doe singe lawdes and prayses vnto almightie God Now if the companie and conuersation of good and vertuous persons be so sweite and amiable a thinge what a blessed thinge shall it be to conuerse and kepe companie with so so manie good and blessed Sainctes as be there to speake with the Apostles to be conuersant with the Prophetes to communicate with the Martirs and to dwell and haue a perpetuall familiaritie with all the electe Now if it shall be so greate a glorie to enioye the companie of the good The vision of almightie God what shall it be to enioye the companie and presence of him whom the morninge starres doe praise at whose excellente bewtie the Sonne and moone doe wonder before whose maiestie the Angels bowe downe and at whose presence men doe meruailouslie reioyce What a glorie shall it be to beholde that vniuersall goodnes in whom are all good thinges That greater worlde in whom all worldes are conteyned What a ioye shall it be to see him who beinge one is all thinges and yet beinge one and most simple in himselfe comprehendeth the perfections of all things If to heare and see kinge Salomō were thought so great a matter that the Quene of Saba saied of him 3. Reg. 10. Blessed are they that stand before thy presence and enioye thy wisedome what a thinge shall it be to beholde that most highe Salomon that euerlastinge wisedome that infinite greatnes that inestimable bewtie that exceedinge goodnes and to enioye the same for euermore This is the essentiall glorie of the Sainctes This is the last ende and center of all our desires The glorie of the Sainctes bodies in heauen After this consider the glorie of the bodies in which there shal be no parte but shal be glorified For there euerie one of the members and senses shall haue his particuler glorie and obiect wherein to take delighte There the bodies of the Sainctes shal be endued with those fower singuler qualities and dowries The fower dowries of glorified bodies to witt with subtilitie swiftnes impassibilitie and clearenes And this clearenes shal be so great that euerie one of the Sainctes bodies shall shyne like the sonne in the kingdome of their father Now if this sonne that standeth in the middest of the firmamente beinge but one be sufficient to geue lighte and comfort to all this worlde what a lighte shall so manie sonnes and lampes make as shall shyne so brightlie in that place altogether The perfecte fruitiō of all good thinges in heauen To conclude in this glorie all good thinges shal be fownde wholye together and all euill thinges shal be bannished from thence There shal be healthe without infirmitie libertie without bondage bewtie without deformitie immortalitie without corruption aboundance without necessitie quietnes without vexation securitie without feare knowledge without error fulnes without lothsomenes ioye without heauines and honour without contradiction There as S. Augustine saieth shal be true glorie S. Augustine For there shall non be praised either by error or flatterie There shal be true honour For there it shall neither be denied to suche as deserue it nor geuen to suche as deserue it not There shal be true peace For there shall no man be molested neither by him selfe nor by others The rewarde of vertue shal be euen he that gaue the vertue and hathe promised himselfe for a rewarde of the same who is the greatest and best of all thinges to witt almightie God He shal be the ende of our desires He shall there be seene without ceassinge loued without lothsomenes and praised without wearines There the place is large bewtifull bright and secure The companie verie good and delightfull The time alwaies after one sorte not distincted into eueninge and morninge but continued with a simple eternitie There shal be a perpetuall springe which throughe the freshnes and sweite breathinge of the holie Ghost shall florishe for euermore There shall all reioyce all shall singe and geue continuall praise to the cheife geuer of all thinges throughe whose bountifull
for the sighte onelie of immortall eies And if we see that by the handieworke of men certaine workes are made here so sightlie and so bewtifull that they astonishe the eies of them that doe beholde them what a worke must that be which is wrought by the hande of almightie God himselfe in that royall howse in that sacred pallace in that howse of ioye and solace which he hath built for the glorie of his electe Psal 83.1 O how amiable are thy tabernacles saiethe the Prophet ô Lorde God of vertues My sowle desireth and feinteth in beholdinge the pallaces of our Lorde The state and condition of the citizens of heauen The thinge that most principallie commendeth a cittie is the state and condition of the cittizens to witt if they be noble if they be manie if they liue in peace and concorde emonge them selues Now who is able to declare the excellencie of this cittie in this behalfe All the inhabitantes therein be noble personages there is no one emonge them of base linage forsomuch as they be all the sonnes and children of God They be so frendly and louinge one towardes an other that they be all as it were one sowle and one harte And they liue in so great peace and concorde that the verie cittie it selfe is called Ieruzalem that is to saie the vision of peace If thow desire to vnderstande the nomber of the inhabitantes in this cittie vnto this desire S. Iohn maketh answere in his reuelations Apoc. 7.9 The nomber of the blessed inhabitantes in heauen where he saieth that he sawe in spirite such a great companie of blessed Sainctes that no man was able to recken them gathered together of all kindes of nations people and tonges which stode before the throne of almightie God and of his lambe appareiled in white garmentes and with triumphante palmes in their handes singinge vnto almightie God songes of praise And vnto this sayeinge of S. Iohn doth that agrie verie well which is signified by the Prophet Daniell concerninge this holie nomber where he saieth Dan. 7.10 Thowsande thowsandes serue the Lorde of maiestie and tenne hundered thowsande thowsandes stande before him And thinke not because the nomber is so great that they be therefore disordered For there the multitude is no cause of confusion but of greater order ād harmonie For almightie God that hath with such a wonderfull consonance and agrement disposed the mouinges of the heauens and the courses of the starres Euerie one of the Sainctes hath his place and glorie in heauen accordinge to the degrie of euerie one of their merites in this lyfe callinge them euerie one by his proper name hath also ordeined all that innumerable armie of blessed Sainctes with a most wonderfull goodlie ordre and disposition appointinge to euerie one his place and glorie accordinge to his merite And so there is one place for the virgins an other for the Confessors an other for the holie Martirs an other for the Partiarkes and Prophets an other for the Apostles and Euangelistes and so forthe in all the rest And in like sorte as men are there diuided There be nine orders of Angels in heauen and placed euen so after their maner are the Angels also which be diuided into three Hierarchies and those three Hierarchies into nine orders And aboue all the Sainctes and Angels is placed the throne of that most excellent Quene of Angels The blessed virgin Marie is placed in heauen aboue all the Angels and Sainctes the mother of almightie God who alone is an order by her selfe forsomuch as she hath no peere nor anie one that is like vnto her And aboue thē all the holie humanitie of our Sauiour Christ hath the cheife place and preeminēce who sitteth at the right hande of the maiestie of almightie God in the highest Now thou Christian sowle take a vewe of all these orders walke through these streates and waies consider the order of these cittizens the bewtie of this cittie and the noblenes and worthines of these inhabitantes Salute them euerie one by their names and desire them to helpe and succour thee with their praiers Salute also this sweite and pleasaunt countrey and as a pilgrime beholdinge it as yet a farre of directe thine eies and withal thy harte vnto it and saie Alhaile sweite countrey the lande of promise the hauen of securitie the place of refuge the howse of blessinge the kingdome of all worldes the paradise of delightes the garden of eternall flowers the market place of all treasure the crowne of all iust persons and the ende of all our desires Alhaile our mother and our hope After thee haue we sighed a longe time For thee haue we mourned and doe mourne euen at this presente For the loue of thee haue we foughte and doe still fighte a longe battell in this our transitorie lyfe For we knowe assuredlie 2. Tim. 2.5 that none shal be rewarded and crowned in thee but onely such as haue here fowghten faithfullie Of the seconde Ioye that the sowle shall haue in the kingedome of heauen which is the enioyinge of the companie of the Sainctes § II. VHO is able after this great ioye to declare what a further ioye the sowle shall haue by beinge in this most happie and blessed companie For there the vertue of charitie is in her full perfection the propertie of which vertue is to cause all thinges to be common There shall that petition be perfectlie fulfilled which our sauiour made sayeinge I beseech thee ô father Ioan. 17.11 All the electe in heauen shal be more streitlie vnited together in one than the members of one bodie because all shall participate of the spirite of God that they maie be one by loue as we are one by nature For there shall the electe be more streitlie vnited together in one than the members of one same bodie because all shall participate of one same spirite which geueth vnto all one same beinge and withall one blessed lyfe If thou imagin it to be otherwise tell me what is the cause why the members of one bodie haue so great a vnitie and loue one towardes an other The reason is because they all are partakers of one same forme that is of one sowle which geueth one same beinge and one lyfe to them all Now if the spirite of a man liaue power to cause so great a vnitie betwene members that are so different in offices and natures is it anie wonder if the spirite of almightie God by whom all the electe doe liue which spirite is as it were the cōmon sowle to them all shoulde cause a farre greater and more perfecte vnitie emonge them espetially consideringe that the spirite of God is a more noble cause and of a more excellent vertue and power yea and geueth also a more noble beinge Well now if this maner of vnitie and loue doe cause all thinges to be cōmō as well good as euil as we see in the
general confession Confiteor Deo c. or the psalme Miserere mei Deus Psal 50. or some other like praiers Wherein good heede must be taken that these praiers be not saide in post hast but with as great quietnes attention feelinge and repentance of harte as we can Howbeit a man ought not to staie ouer longe in this consideration of his sinnes as some persons doe that both beginne and ende herewith yea and passe all their whole lyfe therein For albeit this consideration of our synnes be alwaies good and at the beginninge very necessary yet it is meete that it be taken with such moderation as that it occupie not that time which shoulde be bestowed about other better matters Neither is it needefull in this exercise for a man to consider very particularly his sinnes and namely such as the remēbraūce whereof maie moue him to some euill cogitations But it is sufficient to make as it were a bundell of them all and to drowne them in the bothomles Sea of the infinite goodnes and mercie of almightie God with good hope to receiue pardon and remedie of them from the same we may prepare our selues vnto prayer by consideringe the maiestie and greatnes of almightie God We maie also prepare our selues vnto prayer by consideringe the maiestie and greatnes of that Lorde vnto whom we goe to speake in praier For this consideration will teach vs with what great reuerence and humilitie and with how great attention it behooueth such a miserable creature as man is to speake vnto a lorde of so great maiestie as almightie God is concerninge a matter of so great importance as is his owne saluatiō But that thou mayst vnderstande somewhat of the maiestie of almightie God thou must consider that the heauens the earthe and all that is created is no more before the maiestie of almightie God Sap. II. than a litle emyte or as the Wise man saieth a grayne of weight in the balance Now if all creatures be no more than an emite before him what shalt thou then seeme to be before him that arte so smalle a parte of the whole This consideration of the maiestie and greatnes of almightie God is as it were a profounde reuerence that the sowle maketh within it selfe before the throne of that supreme maiestie at what tyme she entereth into his pallace to speake with him Math. 26.39 Our Sauiour Christe gaue vs an example with what humilitie and reuerence we oughte to praye vnto almightie God Gen. 18.27 It is verie good to consider before hande for what purpose and ende we goe to praye vnto almightie God With this maner of humilitie and reuerence the Sonne of God taught vs to praie when makinge his praier he cast him selfe prostrate vpon the grounde geuinge vs thereby to vnderstande how humble and lowly a man ought to be and how much he ought to consider of his owne basenes and vilenes whensoeuer he goeth about to speake vnto almightie God With this spirite and humble reuerence a man maie repete those wordes of the holie Patriarke where he saithe I will speake to my Lorde althoughe I be but duste and ashes But aboue all this it shall helpe vs verie much in this preparation to consider well what we goe about to doe when we settle our selues to prayer For if we doe well consider it we goe to praie for none other purpose but to receiue the spirite of almightie God and the influencies of his grace and the ioye of charitie and deuotion wherewith we see how the sowles of iust persons are replenished at the ende of their longe and deuoute praiers Now this beinge so thou mayst perceiue hereby with how great humilitie and reuerence and with how great attention and deuotion thou oughtest to come when thou doest open the mouthe of thy sowle to receiue almightie God Consider with what great and feruente deuotion the holie Apostles were enflamed Act. 1. at what tyme they expected and looked for the comminge of the holie Ghost and by that mayest thou vnderstāde how thou oughtest to prepare thy selfe when thou goest aboute to looke for and receyue the same holie Ghost albeit it be not in such plentifull and abundante wise as the Apostles was Hereby thou seest how close shutte thou oughtest to haue the gates of thy vnderstandinge and will at the time of prayer from all the cares and thoughtes of the worlde and how open they oughte then to be vnto almightie God alone that in case he come to enter therein he returne not backe againe findinge the gates shutte against him or the lodginge taken vp and pestered with other ghestes Now with this preparation and spirite mayest thou presente thy selfe in prayer before the face of our Lorde Luc. 14. as that sicke man of the dropsie did who stoode before him expectinge from his mercifull hande to be restored vnto his healthe Math. 8. or as that leperous person did who kneeled downe at his feete and saied hūbly vnto him Marc. 1.40 O Lorde if thou wilte thou canst make me cleane Consider that in like maner as a litle hongrie dogge standeth before his masters table fauninge verie earnestelie vpon him with his eies and all his whole bodie lookinge euer for some litle peice of breade to come from his table and after the same sorte oughtest thou to presente thy selfe before the riche table of the Lorde of heauen confessinge thy selfe to be vnworthie of the whole abundaunce of his mercies and desiringe him most humblie to bestowe some litle portion thereof vpon thee for thy reliefe With this lowlie spirite mayst thou saie the Psalme Psal 122. Ad te leuaui oculos meos qui habitas in caelis c. The which albeit it be but shorte yet is it verie fitt and conueniente to stirre vp and enkendle this foresaid affection in preparinge thy selfe vnto prayer This maner of preparation of th' other thou mayst gentle reader vse at thy libertie but the first seemeth to be more conuenient for the night when a man ought to examine his conscience and desire pardon and forgeuenes of almightie God of all such defectes and offences as he hath offended him in that daie And the second maner of preparation is most fitt for the morninge when he riseth before the daie breake to desire then of almightie God the assistance and succour of his grace whereby he maie the better bestowe that daie in his seruice But because to knowe how to praie as a man ought To knowe how to praye as a man oughte is a speciall gifte of God is a very spetiall gifte of almightie God and a worke of the holie Ghost therefore desire him most humblie both in th' one preparation and th' other to instructe thee how to doe thy duetie herein and to geue thee grace that thou mayst speake vnto him in thy prayer with such attention and deuotion with such recollection and closenes of mynde and with