sinne therfore I will crye and praye because I would fayne see because I woulde be fed and haue my nakednes couered and because I would be freed from all this filthynes 19. Therfore our Sauiour said oportet semper orare we must alwayes praye and S. Paul exhorteth that we should be praying without intermission thoughe not Actually in outward prayers like the fond Euchetae omitting all other dutyes yet habitually by inward deuout readynes to make our petitions so often as we are bound or haue leasure and just occasion alwayes answerable to our daily necessityes and to our continuall warfare which hourely we haue with our affections passions concupiscences vaine cogitations and other occasions in all which according as they neuer cease so we should not intermit to resist or auoyd them and instantly call to God for help against them if not by reciting some generall petition or other short sentence alwayes ready in our memory against such occurrences yet at least by some inward sighe or knocking of our breast with our desire lifted vp in our secret thoughts immediatly vnto God himselfe or mediatly by some Saynt to cry vnto him for his succour as Moyses cryed though he spake not for S. Gregory said Verba animae desideria sunt clamor magnum desiderium est our desires be the wordes of our soule and our cry a great desire 20. And last of all it is surely a wonderfull comfort herein which S. Chrysostome noteth that there is scarse any losse or misery in all the worlde which can be repayred by prayer sorrowe and repentance except the losse of God and the misery of sinne which though they be aboue all other domages incomparably the greatest yet is their redresse much the easyer for the losse of life or goods consumed or of honor impeached the misery of payne sickenes of many other extremityes cannot be recouered by sighing or lamenting though our sorrow be neuer so great But if with syncere contrition of our hart we be greiued for our sinnes because for them we haue lost the loue of God and if we pray humbly for their remission with purpose to confesse them as well as we can and do intend neuer agayne willfully to commit them vndoubtedly this purpose and sorrowful conuersion on earth shall obteyne most certayn and ioyfull reconciliation in heauen for our Lord IESVS hath said vnto his Preistes and he is most true of all his wordes Whose sinnes on earth you remitte in heauen they shal be remitted why then should we not seeke to disburden our heauy consciences vnto some Ghostly Father that we may through his Authority granted by our Sauiour so receiue his heauenly Absolution his ghostly comfort his spirituall direction in all these submitting our selues vnto our Confessor not as to a Man but as to the Deputy of our Lord IESVS and to the Pastour of our soules and then in all true amendment endeauouring as we can to performe our penance or other satisfaction Beleeue me o Sinners amongst whom I haue bene a Ring-leader by experience I say beleeue me it is a most comfortable and wonderfull experience For your selues shall presently feele comfort in your soules and with continuance of time others allso will perceiue amendment in your liues 21. To conclude therfore as in generall I would perswade you to practise the examination of your consciences and the exercise of deuout prayer directing vs all vnto Contrition Confession and Satisfaction so I do commend as helpes for these purposes a serious accompt how we spend our liues an indifferent obseruation why vpon what occasions these new-found sclanderous opinions did banish the Catholique religion of our Auncestors wherin full many a hundred yeares togeather they serued God so deuoutly and so hartily loued their neighbours and for the same purpose I intreat a view and a detestation of our former sinnes and auoydance of their occasions an endeauour to practise their contrary vertues sometime by reading of good bookes sometime by deuout meditations or prayers sometime by almes deedes or fasting abstinence or other bodily chastisement sometime by humbling our thoughtes alwayes by mortifying our passions and vnlawfull affections and alwayes being carefull to keep the commandements of God our Father and of our Mother the Church And to bringe these good purposes and cogitations into our mindes the oftener and to mooue and imprint them the better it is good for vs sometime to giue an edge and to whet on ech other by vertuous or spirituall talke and conference not contending in disputes but by modest teaching or by freindly encouragements and aboue all by frequenting the most holy sacrifice and sacrament of our deare Sauiours most precious Body and Bloud by often calling to memory some examples of his life and more in particuler his bitter passages vnto death both for our meditation and for our imitation so to giue good example one vnto another whiles all are labouring to follow Christ our cheife Maister And to this end it is allso good to reuiue our deuotion by reading or hearing of Sayntes liues or by the reuerent beholding of their deuout Images or paynted storyes especially of the passion of our sweet Sauiour IESVS by marking his sufferinges to be mooued for our owne sinnes and so by viewing the memory of other Saintes to be stirred vp to follow their vertues as they were followers of Christ for we may learne and are mooued by our eye sometime as much or more then by our eare and in these thinges which are so good and wherein we are so dull verily euen common sense doth teach vs that it is profitable and needfull to stirre vp our memory deuotion by any sense and by how much the more by so much the better 22. And yet further vnto them that be sufficiently able I commend the reading and meditation of Dauids Psalter which holy Church vseth so much in all her diuine Offices and particulerly of the seauen Penitentiall Psalmes and according to the practise of Catholiques especially of this psalme Miserere as admonished therby and informed to call and cry vnto God for mercy and pardon to confesse and acknowledge our faultes and iniquityes to desire their purging washing and clensing to lament our sinnes originall and actuall to pray for cleane hartes right spirites escaping of anger and continuance of grace to purpose amendmenâ— being forgiuen to direct others by our experience and example to humble our selues for our owne offences to be ioyfull and thankfull towardes allmighty God for our particuler fauours and to desire that he may be serued praysed and honored in our publique Churches and at his holy Altars Amen Thy Wellwiller in Christ Iesus Iames Waddesworth AN ACT OF CONTRITION O My Lord Iesus-Christ very God and Man my Creatour Redeemer thou being whome thou art and for that I loue thee aboue all thinges it greiueth me from the bottome of my hart that I haue offended thy diuine Maiesty And I firmely
or nature which she inherited from Adam then any way belonging to any sinne in herselfe Or else thoughe grace had preuented destroyed all sinne in her soule yet it had not extinguished nor was conuenient to destroye the ordinary naturall qualityes of her body firste because enduring those she merited so much more in heauen secondly that it mightâ— appeare to the worlde she was a true humane creature of whose pure flesh our Sauiour tooke our true humane nature 5. If Originall sinne had polluted and possessed her she had bene during that time abhominable vnto God for such sinne and in bondage thervnto and so by it vnto Satan But was it meete that at any time she should be said to be odious to our lorde or that the diuell or sinne shoulde haue her subiect in their captiuity or defiled in pollution who was to be the mother of God himselfe Secondly if it were in our pouer would we not choose to be borne of the most vertuous vnspotted parents that we coulde And was it not in the power of God thus to prepare preserue his mother froÌ„ originall sinne if it were in his power doubteles he had will to doo it because out of question he caried extraordinary loue vnto her for thoughe primarily she merited not to be his mother but of his sole mercy he did chuse her not another yet hauing made this election he may be said afterward by his owne law of honoring parentes bound in dutifull loue to giue her all the honor merite possible wherof a pure creature mighte he capable Wherfore S. Bonauenture concludeth that in deede our lord could haue made for vs amore comely beautifull worlde but it is probable he could not make for himself a more excellent mother Thirdly it was inconuenient in regarde of himselfe that any blemish of originall sinne should defile her soule for the honor or dishonor of the parent redoundeth to the childe and so it had bene a diminution of his owne honor to haue bene the sonne of an impure mother 6. Fourthly S. Ihon Baptist was sanctified in his mothers wombe at the very voyce of her who had our Sauiour in her wombe is not she herselfe more worthy of a greater priuiledge in the same kind vidz the mother of God sooner then the messenger Fifthly S. Andrew the Apostle auowched and after him Theodoret that she excelled the cherubim and Seraphim in purity But how was this if she had originall sinne or how is she aboue the Angells in dignity and glory if she were inferior in purity and grace or is it meete that any meere creature should be more excellent or aboue the mother of God 7. Sixtly S. Augustin saith he would euer haue her excepted when he treated of sinne And as he judged it absurde to suppose that her flesh was eaten of wormes or corrupted in rottennes which had norished and giuen substance to the manhood of Christe and therfore he auowed and beleued her boody to be assumpted into heauen immediatly after her death according to her story and the tradition of the churche So me thinkes it is more inconuenient we should yeild him to be borne of flesh which at my time had bene subject to sinne for sinne is much more base then the wormes and pollution of soule is farre worse then any corruption of body Seauenthly I am sure if it were in the handes of any good ChristiaÌ„ to grante her this preheminence he woulde not deteyne it why then should he deny to beleeue it in his harte when it is permitted and commended as a probable and most pious opinion and when he woulde giue it her if he were able Eightly this pure conception of our blessed Lady hath bene manifested by diuerse reuelations to S. Brigitte which are amongest those that be approued And to Elpinus a Reuerend English Abbot the verity therof confirmed by S. Anselmus Archbish. of Canterbury and after his soleÌ„nization in England of the Feast of her pure conception it was firste permitted and since receiued in all Catholique cuntryes Thus doth the Catholique churche honor her And this hath bene permitted by seuerall Counâ—ells And resteth commended by sundry Popes Wherfore let vs confesse that as the first Adam was made of earthe before it was cursed with thornes or weedes so our Lord Iesus the second Adam tooke flesh of her flesh which was blessed and neuer cursed with any nettles of concupiscence or thornes of originall sinne 8. O holy Virgin more pure then the heauens They are moste cleare and yet but a generall habitation for Sayntes there to see God Thou werte a speciall tabernacle both to enterteyne God himselfe and to affoarde him parte of thy substance O how coulde that be at any time vncleane where he dwelled how could that be euer touched with sinne which he assumed The diligent Bees wil not harbour in an vncleane hiue but doth annoynte them with sweete moystures before they make their hony The cleanly Ermyne will rather be killed by the Huntesmen then to saue his life enter into any place which is filthy Much lesse will the pure wisdome of God dwell in a body subject to sinne as said wise Solomon wherfore he allso saith in the Canticles many Doctors applye it to our blessed Ladie Thou arte all fayre O my loe and in thee there is no spotte And therfore with the Catholique Churche let vs say in her seruice O holy and immaculate virginity I know not with what prayses to extolle thee because whom the heauens coulde not conteyne thou diddest maynteyne in thy bosome Blessed arte thou among women and blessed be the fruite of thy wombe Because whom the heauens coulde not conteyne thou diddest maynteyne in thy bosome O happy and sacred Virgin Mary O most worthy of all honor pray for the laity entreate for the clergy make request for all deuoute womankinde O let all sortes finde thy certeyn succor whosoeuer doo celebrat thy sacred Conception 8. O founteyn sealed vp for the water oflife let thy intercession helpe to quench in vs all coales of concupiscence O Garden of paradise well guarded to keepe the tree of life let thy prayers preserue vs from too much liberty of our senses and all loosenes of life O brightest glasse of Chrystall without any spotte obteyne for vs all clearenes of harte and body freed from all foule thoughtes or other fleshly pollution 9. O swetest rose of the valley fayrest Lily of the mounteyn o precious balme of Gilead and comely Cypres of Sion thy wonderfull beauty of face and rare comelynes of person were euer accompanyed with such modesty of countenance and sobriety of behauior and besides so blessed with an extraordinary grace that thy beauty neuer allured but abashed thy comelynes did not entise but amaze nor could any harbour an vnchaste thoughte whiles he behelde thy Virgins eye O let thy gracious eyes of chastity so looke downe vpon vs in
perseuerance and glorification what can we render for so great goodnes Let vs agayne agayne euery day receiue this cuppe of saluation call vpon the name of our Lorde First after some conuenient preparation for so great a sacrifice let vs beginne with Confiteor and kyrie eleyson c. to acknowledge our fall in Adam and to accuse our owne sinnes 2. to laude prayse our Sauiors Goodnes redemption with Gloria in excelsis or Sanctus Sanctus c. 3. To professe our constant Catholique faith by the Gospell Creede 4. At the Consecration eleuation by adoring remembring our Sauior his passion to offer sacrifice homage 5. in the Collectes mementos to make our petitions prayers for our selues others according to our necessityes deuoute desires 6. with the Pâ—ter noster to beginne with the Pax Agnus Dei to prodeed and with Domine non sum dignus to accomplish the communion 7. lastly with the laste Collectes and Ite Missa est to giue all thankes in gratitude and to receiue the preistes Blessing with hope that what we haue offred prayed at the Altar shal be admitted granted in heauen throughe the mercy merites mediation passion of our swete Sauior Iesus who is our cheife preist our best Aduocate and our dearest sacrifice abundantly to procure vnto vs by his goodnes whatsoeuer he shall see to be necessary for vs in his wisedome 4. Thus O my soule let vs euery day consider reioyce beleeue obey worship wonder praye or giue thankes during all the time of the Masse Let vs consider the holy action we are about and our owne wretched vnworthy estate Let vs reioyes with the Angells all the hoste of heauen for our gracious deliuerance Let vs Beleeue what our lorde teacheth by his Churche and euer obey whatsoeuer he coÌ„mandeth Let vs worship him as Really Royally preseÌ„t and wonder at his infinite wisedome power goodnes who hath vouchsafed to leaue vs such a sacrament Let vs praye for his mercyes and supplyes to all our wantes and giue him most harty thankes for his admirable loue all his benefites O my harte canst thou holde in my body wheÌ„ thy Sauiour comes downe froÌ„ heauen vnto the Altar shouldest thou be wandring or dull whiles such a sacrifice is in the preistes handes or before thine eyes O sacrifice of iustice which as S. Augustin said significando causat gratiam O gracious Sauiour let it signifye and imprinte in our hartes the memory fruite of thy death passion therby in patience to order our life to prepare vs for death with ioyfullnes 5. Then wilte thou accepte oblations of secular people according to their deuotion and the whole burnte offringes of religious persons who renounce themselues and all they haue into thy peculiar obedience Then shall both these sortes be willing ready to lay calues vpon thine Altar that is saith Innocentius to suffer martyrdome for the Catholique faithe for which in this worlde we may be tormented sacrificed as vpon thy crosse or vpon thine Altar of payne or disgrace but Then in the next worlde we shall assuredly remayne with those martyred soules which S. Ihon saw in his reuelation to rest vnder thine Altar of quiet glory O gracious Sauiour I am of my selfe most vnworthy in any of these sortes to serue at thine Altar O sweete Iesu thou haste begonne among lay people to make me a little worthy If it be thy blessed will I humbly doo beseeche thee among religious persons or martyrs to make me more blessed O giue me this strenghte confirme me in this will Then if I willingly forsake the earthe for thee I shall in heauen â—â—ore speedily more certeinly for euer raigne with thee where with all Angells â—yntes o Lord let vs all offer the sacrifice of iust prayse yeilding the celestiall oblations of our bodyes incorruptible and the glorious immortality of our soules transported into an holocauste of heauenly zeale louing praysing and reioycing with all our harte with all our minde with all our soule that is in all our vnderstanding without any error in all our memory without any forgetfullnes and in all our will without any contrariety Thus euer let vs offer eternall sacrifice and alwayes enioye thy happy presence O blessed Sauiour this we beseech thee for thine owne precious merites and by the prayers of thy most deare Mother and all Saynts Amen Omnia Sanctae Romanae Catholicae Apostolicae Ecclesiae submissa sunto FINIS A TABLE OF THE MEDITATIONS AND SECTIONS CONTEYNED IN THIS BOOKE MEDITATION I. Psalmus Dauid cùm venit ad eum Nathan Propheta quando intrauit ad Bersabee OF the occasion and number of this Psalme by Dauids example to beware of Lust. Sect. 1. OF witty plaine reprehensions and of the Authors lamentation of his former life Sect. 2. MEDITATION II. Miserere mei Deus secundum magnam misericordiam tuam Et secundum multitudinem miserationum tuarum dele iniquitatem meam Ampliùs laua me ab iniquitate mea à peccato meo munda me A Short Diuision explication of all these words Sect. 1. The miserable effects of sinne are declared according to the Schoolmen And some short petitions for mercy are made against their misery Sect. 2. Other wretched effects of sinne are declared out of the Scriptures Doctors by which we are warned from them Sect. 3. Of the Name Nature of God Who he is what we are and how vnspeakably we are beholding vnto his great goodnes Sect. 4. Sundry excellent obseruations of S. Bernard applyed to this Meditation of our Lords great Mercies multitude of Miserations Sect. 5. What mercy is of the effects Also how synnes are blotted out by multitudes Sect. 6. Of the great care we must vse to purge all sinne that we our selues must do heerin some diligence not standing idle to leaue all vnto Christ. Sect. 7. We must dayly proceede in zeale against all sinne in particuler against the sensualities of the flesh Sect. 8. MEDITATION III. Quoniam iniquitatem meam ego cognosco peccatum meum contra me est semper Tibi soli peccaui malum coram to feci vt iustificeris in fermonibus tuis vincas cum iudicaris HOw we must marke abhorre beware sinne as a trecherous and dangerous enemy Sect. 1. That euery one must acknowledge his owne faultes laying his hand on his own harte rather accuse himself then censure any other Sect. 2. It is necessary to remember harmes of sinne therby learning to amend take-heede of sinne Sect. 3. Diuers interpretations of these wordes Tibi soli Vnto thee alone c. Sect. 4. When we comitte sinne before our Lord And that he seeth not as man seeth Sect. 5. Of Diuers wayes by which our Lord is iustifyed and may be said to ouercome when he is iudged Sect. 6. MEDITATION
into like misery no such mercy is in our Lorde vpon any of these considerations for he is neither subiect to humane affection nor to feare nor any way in hazarde of changeable infelicity 2. And among men thoughe charity be the greatest of all vertues because it vnites ioynes vs as inferiors to God our beste highest Superior yet in God who is aboue all creatures vpon which he powreth out all the godnes they haue receiues nothing from any other to himselfe in him mercy is the greatest of all vertues to him therfore the Churche saith it is proper more then to any herein his omnipotency most to be manifested For thoughe the vertues attributes of God be in himselfe equall yet in their effectes operations towardes his creatures one may appeare more or lesse then another so here S. Augustin saith that mercy miserations be all one S. Bernarde calls miserations the daughters of mercy which are diuerse in sundry streames yet all one water of the same founteyn as in a garden-water potte the water within is all one in substance with those many spinning streames yssuing out of those seuerall holes 3. Aristotle said that no place of the worlde is alltogether empty eyther of ayre or some what else yet he could not tell wherof it was full so well as Dauid who said All the worlde is full of the mercy of our Lord. Another philosopher being asked what was greatest of all answered Locus place is greatest for place which conteyneth all is greater then those thinges which are conteyned but Dauid would haue said it is our Lordes mercy which is aboue all his workes so all places giues place as inferior to his mercy takes place within it as lesser then his mercy In heauen his mercye shynes in glory on earthe he raynes mercy both on the iuste iniuste his mercy is in purgatory where sowles are purifyed prepared for heauen yea euen in hell there is some parte of his mercy for as he rewardes his Angells Sayntes much aboue their merites so punisheth the diuells the damned both lesse then their demerites and not so much as he is able 4. These are thy mercyes O God which none can deny but we humbly desire releife pardon according to thy great mercy to blotte out our iniquity in the multitude of thy miserations thy justice o lord reacheth vnto the heighte of mounteynes thy truthe vnto the clowdes thy great mercye to the heauens and the multitude of thy miserations is aboue all thy workes O let vs taste of these mercyes sent downe from thee to vs and deriued by vs to others that we may learne to be mercifull as thou arte mercifull And so in thy day of iustice iudgment if we haue bene mercifull we shall obteyne mercy when it shall not be so much recounted that Abel was murdred for his good sacrifice that Noah tooke care to saue the olde world that Abrahā was faithfull that Moses deliuered the lawe that Elias went vp to heauē in a charyot that S. Peter was crucified with his head downeward that S. Paul was beheaded that S. Laurence was broyled or S. Edmonde our English king a martyr shotte full of arrowes as it shall be there demāded what workes of mercy euery one hath performed especially in feeding the hungry clothing the naked or visiting the sicke imprisoned O teach vs to be mercifull in such smal matters that we may find great mercy at thy handes and in euery one of thy fingers multitude of miserations Great mercy o God because thou arte great and it fittes thee not to giue little great mercy because our necessityes haue neede of great supplyes our offences are great our punishments deserue to be great therfore what can we aske lesse then great mercy 5. And according to the multitude of thy miserations blotte out my iniquity O thou who doost forgiue very often euen seauenty times seuen times we are many offenders and are guilty of exceeding many sinnes in many thinges offending all euery day many times a day o shew the multitude of thy miserations vpon such multitudes of offences of times of persons pardoning so many sinners for so many crimes so many times repeated O blotte them out as thou hast said by the Prophet Esay that thou arte he who blotteth out our iniquityes for thine owne sake And Ieremy saith our sinnes are grauen in a harde Adamante stone with an yron pen who can blotte out such a recorde euen thou only o mighty redeemer who by thy handes nayled to the crosse wert blotting out all handewrytinges against vs O raze and blotte out we entreate thee all the sinnes accusations which Satan writes against vs O blotte them out not to be read and scrape them out as blottes not to be seene for otherwise they will blotte our names out of thé booke of the liuing Del◠put out or take away from thy sighte or vewe all spottes from our soule all memory from thy booke all byting wormes from our conscience all sinnefull appetites from our affections all vnlawfull consent from our desires O blotte out all malice or frailty from our will and out of our vnderstanding all error blindnes In the vertue of thy precious bloud and by the sacramēt of extreme Vnctiō we beseech thee blotte out at our death all the sinnefull delightes of our eyes all the follyes of our eares all vanityes of our smelling all the iniquityes of our tōgue all the voluptuousnes of our touche or of our taste all vnserchable or secret sinne of our hartes all the idlenes or wickednes of our handes all the forwardnes of our feete to committe euill all the slackenes or crookednes of our wayes vnto good O Iesu helpe vs by wyping out our blottes now to cleāse our soules euer by great mercy to forgiue our sinnes OF THE GREAT CARE VVE MVST VSE to purge all sinne and that we our selues must doo herin some diligence not standing idle to leaue all vnto Christe Sect. 6. 1. WAsh me yet more from mine iniquity cleanse me from my sinne O lorde I haue so much offended that me thinkes I cannot well enoughe expresse my guiltynes nor enoughe begge remedye nor can I tell when I haue enoughe repented Amplius laua me wash me yet more both from the filthynes and allso the stinkingnes of all wickednes wash me from iniquity which is filthy and cleanse me from sinne which stinketh from sinne against God from iniquity eyther against my neighbor or against my selfe yet more both from the heynousnes of that which is paste that I be perfectly cured and least I should fall agayne from the dangerousnes of that which may come Let not the prophet complayne against me saying O how vile arte thou become iterating thy wayes all sinne in my soule is like lothsome stinking durte on my
least his speach fauour of pride or vaynglorie Wherfore in S. Ihon it is said The freind of the spouse doth stande heare him and S. Augustin there notes that if we heare dutifully we are freinds of Christe and by hearing we stande more stedfast wheras he that is speaking is alwayes in danger by his wordes to fall into some folly 3. Wherfore o lord doo thou speake vnto my soule the wisdome of thy misteryes the comforte of thy promises and the desires of thy loue o let me heare the musique of thy voyce in all these harmonyes and last of all let me heare that swete close of happynes venite benedicti come you blessed There is ioye gladnes In the soules felicity is ioye in the bodyes immortality is gladnes as the propet said in their owne country they shall possesse double benefites Then our bones that is our vertues shall reioyce now they may be despised of worldlinges or of Diuels assaulted but if now they so humbled then they shal be crowned 4. Thy prophet NathaÌ„ hath let me heare the pardoÌ„ of my guilt so the release of eternal paynes but he hath left a teÌ„poral puÌ„ishmeÌ„t stil vpoÌ„ me that the sword shal not depart my house c. o let me heare allso the relaxation of these temporall calamityes For as in euery sinne there is auersion from God Conuersion to some creature so it hath a double punishment first because so we forsake him who is infinitely Good and for our conuersion to creatures sensible punishments are due because we were too much delighted in transitory vanityes O mercifull Iesu let me haue ioye for the remission of eternall payne and gladnes for the pardon of temporall punishments Or ioye for sinne pardoned and gladnes for grace restored In euery sorte for all my sinnes let my conscience be fully pacifyed which till I was conuerted would neuer suffer me to liue without feare or disquiet THE IOYES AND GLADNES OF GOOD men different from those of sinners with a harty reioycing of the Author for his Coâ—uersion Sect. 6. 1. THere is a hearing of faithe which bringes vs to giue obedience prayses and there is a hearing of wordes by reading or preaching the firste is inward leading to ioye the second is outward directing to gladnes Or the outwarde bringes vs to the inwarde and after both we come to ioye gladnes Wherfore o my soule seeke to encrease faith by hearing outwardly and allso doo thou heare what our lord speaketh within thee o seeke ioye in the pardon of thy sinnes desire gladnes in the promise of rewarde A wicked man can haue no true ioye but they may reioyce whose reward is plenteous in heauen such a harte may haue ioye and such a bodie may haue gladnes as Dauid saith elsewhere my harte my flesh haue reioyced in our liuing God the harte hath ioye beleuing it selfe purged from â—â—irituall pollution and the body hath gladnes feeling it selfe cleansed from carnall coâ—â—uption 2. In these shall our humbled bones reioyce not so much of the body as of the minde yet alas how few reioyce spiritually and how many are full of mirthe carnally but the end of such mirthe is sorowe because they are glad when they haue done ill and they recoyce in the worste thinges wheras to the other it is said Aske you shall receiue that your ioye may be full and your ioye shall none take from you It is exceeding hard to order and subordinate any ioye of this life to that ioye which is in our lorde the one doth diminish or endanger the other but carnall and spirituall ioyes can neuer dwell together and of these S. Ierome said that neuer any passed from delightes on earthe to ioyes in heauen Sara broughte not forthe Isaac which signifyes mirthe till she was olde that is till carnall pleasures be mortifyed we cannot conceiue any spirituall ioyes nor can this spirituall Isaac agree with fleshly Ismael who instead of mirthe is but a mocker wherfore let vs banish this sonne of the bondwoman for wheras the ioye of wordlinges is said in the scriptures to haue a crowne of roses which are but flowres that will fade the crowne of Gods seruantes is said to be of precious stones which are euer of value and cannot wither 3. How should we expresse o my soule the ioye and gladnes which we haue inwardly tasted since we were reconciled to God we are neither able worthely to giue thankes for it nor sufficiently to expresse it only let vs most humbly beseech our gracious lorde to continue vs this mercy which verily is alone more worthe then all the kingdomes riches delightes of the whole worlde And I dare vpon my soule assure any sinner or misbeleeuer who shall with contrition make a sincere confession reconciling himselfe to God his Churche that presently he shall find himselfe so disburdened and so comforted that he woulde not at that instante for all the worlde retourne agayne to his former estate 4. O how proper is that speach of holy S. Bernard to our heauenly father Quando câ—r nostrum visitas tunc ei lucet veritas vilescit mundi vanitas intus feruet charitas O my harte when God doth visite thee then shines to thee his veritie the worlde appeares base vanitie and in thee boiles heauens charitie I can wish my best freindes no better then to taste and see how sweete our lorde is whersoeuer I may find a Nathanael I cannot chuse but tell him I haue found the Messias let him come and see vnto his hearing and to his harte he shall receiue ioye gladnes And if his bones that is the best facultyes of his minde be humbled sincerely they shal be wonderfully reioyced This hast thou experienced o my soule for whiles thy bones would mooue and stand vpon their owne strenghte and still trust to their owne skill I could find no ease nor any rest for alwayes I felte somewhat was out of ioynte but since they were humbled to obedience of faith and submitted to the instruction and direction of the Catholique churche O what rest what ease what reioycing of bones for here be the best bâ—nesetters of a contrite soule now I feele no former doubtes nor wonted feares I haue all quiet and all assurance the truthe shynes cleare the worlde seemes base the charity and loue of God shed abroad in our hartes is so confortable that it is vnspeakable O what inwarde ioye what true gladnes O swete Iesu when thou entrest into a penitent publicanes house thy father comes with thee and thy holy spiritie comes with thee O blessed Trinity come daily into my poore harte with the riches of thy grace and ioyne me vnto thee that as our Sauiour prayed vs all so I allso may be one with you not one in substance but one in humble obedient vnitie of will and one in deuout feruent vnitie of
is dronkard a glutton or a luxurious person for whiles they pronounce that with their mouthes wherof they haue no sauour or delighte in their hartes they doo but counterfeyte or borrowe the mouthe of other true religious men who vtter with deuotion what these doo but pronounce for fashion like puppeets which speake by arte not by nature Rather excepte they woulde amend their liues it were better for themselues they should holde their tongues as Bias sayling in a shippe with certeyn maryners and passengers whose conditions he noted to be very vicious therfore in a storme which presently folowed when they all began to lifte vp their voyces crye vnto their Gods he earnestly desired them to holde their peace Silâ—te ne voshic nauigare Dij sentiant be silent least the Gods perceiue that you sayle here Meaning that the prayers of such companions woulde rather prouoke then appeaâ—e the wrathe of heauen 3. And so Dauid here desires firste to be freed from blouddes or sinnes and afterwarde he entreats for grace to haue his lippes opened for as it is in another psalme If I haue respecte to iniquity our lorde will not harken for how should I obteyne remission of sinne if yet I haue any intention still to sinne O lorde open my lippes o lord doo thou make me worthy doo thou make me able to pray vnto the and to prayse thee My tongue of it selfe is of no value it is only a small peice of flesh which yet according to his vse may worke great effectes maruelous good or extreme bad as Anacarsis being asked what was the best of man he answered the tongue And agayne being asked what was the worste he answered the tongue and therfore nature hath placed it in the close vaulte of our mouthe besette it with teeth as a percullice and our lippes are as the gates to the end that with such Guardes it should be warily kepte in for it must be carefully gouerned as the Rudder or sterne of a shippe the minute wheele of a clocke the trice or pully of a Crane And one compares it to a mattocke or pickaxe which may serue to dig a dungill or to worke in a myne of golde because our tongue may be an instrument to blaspheme sweare reuile sclander c. or to defend Righte to teach truthe to perswade vertue to pray vnto God for his mercy or to prayse him for his goodnes And so I desire o lorde thou wilte open my lippes my mouthe shall declare thy prayse ALL CREATVRES DOO PRAYSE OVR LORD by declaring his goodnes of necessity let vs yeild him all honor for loue and dutye Sect. 7. 1. WHat prayse shall we giue thee o God who diddest make man of the slyme of the earthe what honor shall we ackwoledge to be due vnto thee who hast redeemed vs being loste by the death of thy sonne in the firste we confesse thy gracious power inthe second we doo admire thy powerfull grace All the honor and prayse glory which possibly we can giue vnto thee is not to adde any thing to thy prayse or honor which thou haste in thy selfe infinite without our commendation But to declare some parte of thy glory and prayse which from all creatures is due vnto the. And hence it is that the heauens are said to declare thy glory and hence it is that vsually in thy honor we doo inuite all thy workes euen dumbe creatures to manifest thy prayses 2. All creatures O God doo declare thy prayse euen wicked men diuells whither they will or no they doo affoarde matter occasions to shew forthe thy iustice prouidence wisedome power goodnes long sufferance But betwixte these prayses of thy freindes and enimyes there is much difference for the one is willing the other vnwilling or the one is giuen of purpose the other drawne from them without their purpose or the one procedeth from the nature of their substances or order of their actions but the other especially from the loue of their will from the lighte of their vnderstanding and from the grace goodnes which is in them both O lorde giue my soule such grace and let this grace be diffused in my lippes to loue the honor thee in my harte and so with my mouthe to declare thy prayse O thus let me desire euer that my whole life and all my actions passions may be directed intended by thy loue vnto thine honor O let my harte burne in this loue and let the flames of thy prayse procede out of my mouthe to giue heate vnto others as well as feel warmthe in my selfe 3. And as it is the nature of great heate not so suffer our mouthe to be close shutte nor will we cease to prayse what we loue so contrarily the dead coldnes of sinne doth both quenche this heate and stoppe our mouthes and so will not suffer vs to prayse our lorde Thus S. Basil noteth that it is the nature of sinne to make vs tongue-tyed and to shutte vp our mouthes least we should be able to pray vnto God or to prayse him and else where Dauid saith obstructum est os loquentium iniqua they that speake wickednes their mouthes are euen stopped whiles they speake ALL OVR CONSIDERATIONS AND actions shoulde haue some relation vnto the prayse of God Sect. 8. 1. O Lorde open my lippes to take in breath of thy grace and my mouthe shall set forth thy prayse in wordes of thankesgiuing Thy honor glory O God shall be the scope and end of all my life my soule shall serue for thy prayse and my body shall herin helpe to serue my soule Because as Seneca said I am more noble and borne allso to a more noble end then to serue my bodie as a bruite beast But in my soules contemplation I will consider for thy greater honor thy omnipotency in creating thy prouidence in disposing thy vertue in finishing in preseruation of what is finished thy power in gouernement of what is preserued thy wisedome thy mercy in dooing good to all and thy iustice in punishing the bad These thinges I will consider in mine vnderstanding in my senses I will admire them reioyce for them in my will and with my voyce I will declare thy prayse 2. Saint Peter said this is one end why our lorde redeemed vs that we shoulde shew forthe his vertue And so a philosopher being asked why man was created he answeree to contemplate and beholde the heauens the deuine powers O my soule let vs endeuour thus to meditate on God by contemplation to knowe him by knowing to loue him by louing to possesse him by possessing to enioye him and in this ioye to prayse him O how wonderfull great are thy workes o lorde thy cogitations are exceding deepe an vnwiâ—e man will not knowe and a foole will not vnderstand these thinges If I be not able or not worthy to fasten mine eyes vpon thy selfe I will
begin to consider thy creatures and so from them I will rayse vp my thoughtes vnto their Creator For haec spectari voluit non tantùm aspici he woulde that these creatures should be veiwed seriouslie not alone slightlie gazed on by the interior consideration euer to learne some what of God at least for his prayse otherwise he that studyes vpon the nature of the heauens starres ayre water sea earthe flowers herbes fishes beastes other creatures pondering no more but their nature and alltogether omitting to collecte somewhat touching their Author he is like a man who hath skill meanes matter wherwith to builde a pallace and yet spendes all his time among children boyes only to make little houses of claye durte or cockle shells 3. Adam is said to haue bene placed in Paradise to kepe to cultiuate that garden but we knowe that before his fall the earthe had no neede much lesse Paradise to be tilled by labour of the body wherfore his cheife dressing keeping of Paradise was by labour of the minde in contemplation loue prayse of God Beholde O my soule where thou maist haue both an office a place in paradise wouldest thou liue in paradise wouldest thou here beginne to be happy If heauen be on earthe it is in a deuout religions mans cell If the life of Angells be among men it is in the quyre or among them who prayse God like Angells To burne to boyle in the loue of God is a most pleasant refreshing to a thirsty soule O my soule be thou thus thirsty this heate will coole thee this thirste will refresh thee this ferueÌ„t loue will make thy prayses fruitfull these prayses as they delighte drawe vnto vs the Angells Sayntes so they vexe and driue away the diuells all bad spirites for this is the musique of Dauids harpe which droue away the euill spirite from Saul and these are like the desires meditations of our blessed lady when the Angell came to salute her 4. Thus Plato called the body a musicall instrument and the soule a musician who according as he handleth vseth his body so it affoardes him bad or good melody learne theÌ„ o my soule to keepe thy body in tune release stretche touch his stringes with order for harmony that is with charitable discretioÌ„ towardes our selues other men for heauenly respecte to the greater glory of God so let vs labour or rest feede or faste talke or praye doo euery thinge else in domino as in the sighte for the seruice to the prayse of allmighty God Thus the ancyent Christians as Pliny wrote to Trajan were a people which liued innocently and exercised themselues in the sileÌ„ce of nighte to sing hymnes vnto Christ before the dawning of the daye Thus S. Paul and Silas being in prison they worshipped praysed God thus o my soule let vs often accorde with the holy Angells in a deuout Sanctus Sanctus Sanctus holy holy holy father sonne holy ghoste or with our Sauiour himselfe who in his humanity as he is man singeth Sanctus and the Blessed Virgin his mother with all the triumphante quyre of heauen singeth Sanctus Sanctus must be our songe with the preist at the Altar and with all the Churche militant here on earthe Thus allso let vs often ioyne with the whole courte of heauen in Alleluia Alleluia Alleluia with harte and voyce Alleluia with instrument and lippes Alleluia with mouthe tongue Alleluia reioycing Alleliua singing Alleliua or meditating Alleluia Thus all honor glory prayse power to God to the Lambe Alleluia Thus I beseech the o lorde that thou wilte opeÌ„ my lippes theÌ„ my mouthe shall thus declare thy prayse MEDITATION X. Quoniam si voluisses sacrificium dedissem vtique holocaustis non delectaberis Sacrificium Deo spiritus contribulatus cor contritum humiliatum Deus non despicies Because if thou wouldest haue had sacrifice I woulde haue giuen it accordingly with whole burnte offeringes thou wilte not be delighted An afflicted spirite is a sacrifice to God a contrite and humbled harte O God thou wilte not despise THE DIVERSITY OF SACRIFICES and some differences betwene the lawe and the Gospell Sect. 1. 1. OF sacrifices we read of three kindes 1. victimae animalium the bodyes of liuing creatures 2. oblationes aridorum the substances of fruites 3. Libamina humidorum the moysture of liquors The first were called victimes eyther because they were for victoryes or because they were tyed or bound to the Altar as vincta the second were oblations giuen to be offred The thirde were Libamina liquors to be powred out or to drinkâ— of The firste were killed the second were pownded or bruysed the third were powred out and all of them must be one way or other somewhat altered from their former existence Wherfore if we will beginne a sacrifice of our selues we must purpose a change of our qualityes our waterish pleasing thouhtes must be powred out in teares of repentance our drye vnprofitable speeches bruysed into well relished wordes and we must kill the concupiscence of all our bodily workes Or it will be good to mortifye the desires of our will as a victime tyed or bound to the Altar To pownde or bruyse the drye meditations of our memory for an oblation to be consecrated vnto God To powre out the flowing vnsethed cogitations of our vnderstaÌ„ding referring all to the wisdome and prouidence of our heauenly Father So shall he haue humbled thoughtes a memorie contrite an afflicted spirite which kinde of sacrifices O God thou wilte neuer despise especiallie when like the olde sacrifices they haue fyre salte that is some heate of feruent deuotion and well seasoned and â—alted with some discretion 2. These sacrifices shall euer be accepted But it may be our Dauid prophecyed thâ—t there woulde come a time of grace when thou wouldest not be delighted with any sacrifice of the lawe The legall sacrifices were but as the scaffoldes of the building when the building is finished the scaffoldes must be remooued and yet our Sauior came not to dissolue but to fullfill the lawe To fullfill the inwarde substance and truthe of the lawe which is eternall and to dissolue the outwarde figure shadowes which were temporall And so another psalme saith in the person of our Sauiour Sacrifice and oblations thou wilte none but thou hast perfected a body for me c. then I sayd beholde I come But when the kinge himselfe comes his Viceroy must giue place 3. Allso the sacrifices of the lawe did rather signifye then iustifye but ours doo as well iustifye as signifye The lawe of Moyses receiued obedience more for feare then for loue the lawe of Christe more for loue then for feare And so that lawe did rather restreyne the hande then the minde rather the outwarde deede then the inwarde intente But our lawe
owner it is mine as receiuer and giuer it is mine by open bargayne by secret conueyance it is mine it is mine by practise by application by coniunction by participation by infection by defection by custome by counsell commaunde consent prouoking praysing by not discouering not hindring not punishing or by not reprehending when I mighte and oughte By all or by some of these titles propertyes euery one must knowe his owne faulte set theÌ„ against himselfe saying it is mine 4. In a common assembly of a city said Socrates if the cryer shoulde will all the merchantes to stande vp so they would and no other if all the goldesmithes all the mercers grocers drapers taÌ„ners taylers c. were seuerally required to staÌ„de a parte euery trade by it selfe they would doo it orderly but if the cozening vnconscionable sellers shoulde be commanded by the Mayor himselfe to come stand by him no man woulde stirre yet contrarily if the basest sergeant should in the Mayors name will all the honest iuste dealing men to remooue all to one side it is like that all would go apace thruste harde not to stande nere the middest least he should be thoughte to remayne nere the dishonest side Thus men are not so vnwilling to shew their trades how meane soeuer as to acknowledge their faultes how small soeuer because all men would seme innocent or iuste no man will talke with Dauid of my iniquity my sinne But as in worldly matters we gladly talke of my ancestors my landes my Lordships my houses my tenantes my dignityes my credite my authority or of any thing wherof we can vante all that is mine so also in spirituall thinges or matters perteyning to the minde vnderstanding we are willing to speake of anything wherof we may somewhat glory either openly with a full mouthe or with halfe a mouthe nicely or at least in thoughte secretly call it mine as my deuotion my fasting my losses or constancy for religion my knowledge my discretion c. of these or other such like we doo willingly talke somtime to the end we may insinuate how or which of them is mine yea somtime we doo them because afterwarde we may boast such a good deede was mine like the gleade or kyte which mountes vpwarde to heauen but alwayes his eye is looking downewarde to the earthe where to espye some cary on or garbage on the grounde and so we doo often seeme to flie vpward to heauen in our intentions whiles we fixe our eye much more vpon the action to call it mine In fine thus any good we doo readily call it mine thoughe it be as Batillus chalenged Virgillis verses for his owne but we disclayme all euill thoughe it be like him who talking much yet denyed stoutly that he had any tongue IT IS NECESSARY TO REMEMber harmes of sinne therby learning to amend and take heede Sect. 3. 1. THis is our corrupte inclination to deny our faultes and to boaste of our worthynes neuertheles o my soule be thou carefull to knowe my iniquity be diligent to haue my sinne alwayes against me that so it may moderate thy mirthe diminish thy delightes in thy meditations often to thinke of it with inwarde greife in time of tribulation to suffer chastizement for it with outward sorowe alwayes to keepe it in thine eye to humble thee or to warne theâ— let him euer plucke thee by the sleeue As Abimelech hauing taken Sara being warned in a vision not to touche her for she was â—brahams wife he set her free and giuing her a 1000. peeces of syluer to buy vayles for herselfe her women to couer their faces he saith remember whithersoeuer thou go that thou werte taken as if he meante being fayre going with thy face open men are more easily entangled in thy beauty wherfore buy vayles to couer thine eyes remember thou werte taken broughte in danger of sinne by this faulte of open shewing thy face So likewise with vs by what occasion soeuer we haue bene taken or put in hazarde of any sinne let vs remember and set our former occasions faultes alwayes against vs that wee may against another time beware to be taken by any such like occasion in any such sinne 2. Thus S. Gregory vseth a strange petition but in this sense a very good speache prosit mihi Domine quod peccaui according to our english phrase after our meate much good may it doo me o Lorde that I haue sinned as if he should say out of the euill which I haue committed by my faulte let me drawe good by thy mercy let it make me more humble gentle towardes others lesse trusting to my selfe most dutifull towardes thee both to prayse thy mercy which pardoneth me and to desire thy grace to vpholde me Neuertheles these seme strange speeches to be against me yet to doo me good as also that speech of Origen seemes strange who calleth Dauid a very good sinner a sinner yet very good to doo vs good yet to be against vs how can this be surely in this pointe we must imitate our lordes goodnes who drawes good out of euill causeth the most wicked men vilest diuells to serue his purpose for good so we must make mithridate or trâ—aclâ— against poysoÌ„ euen of most poysonous vipers the more we haue bene sinners by consideration therof to mooue our selues to be so much more good such a one is a good sinner such a good sinner was the good theefe on the crosse whom we therfore call the good theefe many ancyent Fathers call him Sanctum latronem holie theefe not holie because he had bene a wicked theefe but because he beâ—ame so zealous a penitent Such good sinners were Zacheus S Mary Magdalen S. Mathew S. Peter S. Paul S. Augustin S. Mary of Egipte S. Anastase the Necromancer diuerse others such a good sinner was Dauid in this place who therfore sette his sinne alwayes against himselfe to the end it might doo him much good so may we by considering often the greatnes of our sinne how they haue bene much euill 3. And as Agesilaus being resolued to passe with an army throughe his neighbors cuntry sent not to aske leaue for passage but only to demande how they would haue him to passe whither with his pike trayled along or set on end that is whither peceably or by force for passe he woulde muste So our sinnes must be set against vs either to condemne vs being not amended or being repented to admonish vs since therfore we must passe their pikes is it not better to make our selues free from vnauoidable aduersaryes then to adde rancor to cruell hostility And as an olde shippe which lyes wracked on some shelfe remaynes for a sea marke that no more shoulde folowe her in that course so the danger horror misery of our passed sinnes set against vs or
loue 5. O how doth my soule thirste as a chased Harte to the water founteyn to be ioyned vnto thee more more in this loue I haue obligation to loue thee because of thâ—e benefites but it thirsteth more in deuotion to loue thee for thie selfe and because of thine owne worthienes Because thou arte God therfore I will loue thee and because thou arte our God therfore I will prayse thee O thou who arte loue it selfe and Author of loue O warme my soule nay heate it nay make it burne and flame in thy loue In this loue is inseparable vnity in this vnity is vnspeakable peace in this peace which passeth all vnderstanding is that ioye gladnes which thou giuest to our inward hearing O let me daily heare thee enter into my harte and say peace be vnto this house o sweet Iesu make thy prayer effectuall vnto me and accomplish thy promise of seÌ„ding vs allso some portion of thy holy spirite o come with thy Father and take vp your dwelling make your mansion in me O come in vnitie of obedient will and in vnitie of feruent contemplation come thus and dwell with me Let me thus reioyce in the speake alowde and say vnto my soule I am thy saluation So vnto my hearing thou shalte giue ioye gladnes and my humbled bones shall reioyce MEDITATION VII Auerte faciem tuam à peccatis meis omnes iniquitates meas dele Cor mundum crea in me Deus spiritum rectum innoua in visceribus meis Ne proijcias me à facie tua spiritum sanctum tuum ne auferas à me Turne away thy face from my sinnes and blotte out all myne iniquityes Create a cleane harte in me O God and renue a righte spirite in my bowells Doo not caste me out from thy face and thy holy spirite doo not take from me A GENERALL INTERPRETATION OF all these wordes And then what is meant by our Lordes facâ— and how our soules are deformed scribled full of sinnes to be blotted out Sect. 1. 1. LEt vs consider o my soule how prudent modest and diligent Dauid is in prosecuting his petitions and let vs with him haue care to aske those thinges which are lawfull which are decent and which are expedient To be prudent in asking thinges just modest in desiring thinges honest and diligent in requiring thinges necessary least if we pray for thinges vnlawfull our prayer be turned into sinne if we entreate for thinges vndecent we shall not receiue them because we aske amisse if we demand thinges vnexpedient it may be said vnto vs you know not what you aske Wherfore let vs be diligent continually to eâ—treat pardon of our sinnes as Dauid still insisteth vpon this same poynt For this is most expedient necessary Turne away thy face o lord from my sinnes and blotte out myne iniquityes Let vs be modest against all vncleannes and euen in our good deedes to desire humility of harte and sincerity of intention for this is most decâ—nt and honest Create a cleane harte in me o God and renue a righte spirite in my bowells Let vs be prudent in praying for perseuerance in good and in perpetuall election of the Best because these thinges are most juste and lawfull Doo not caste me out from thy face and thy holy spirite doo not take from me 2. Turne away thy face from my sinnes in regarde of my time paste Create a cleane harte in mee now in this time present And for the time to come doo not cast me out from thy face Saynt Augustin thus expoundeth the firste wordes Turne away thy face not from mee but from my sinnes for where he fastens his eye he fastens his hande if vpon good to rewarde it if vpon bad to punish it And to turne aside his angry face thou must â—et a sorowfull face vpon thine owne sinnes so neither shall thy person be caste out from his face nor his face set against thy sinnes O let thy face of mercy be shewed vpon vs and we shall be safe but turne away thy face of iustice or we shal be confounded Thy Cherub had two faces which Ezechiel saw a face of a man and a face of a lyon O blessed Sauiour cast me not out from thy face of pity with which thou diddest first appeare when thou becamest man but turne away from my sinnes the face of a lyon in seuerity with which thou wilte come agayne to iudge the worlde Then wilte thou appeare against sinne according to that reuelation hauing eyes as a flame of fyre thy face more glistring then the sunne and a sharpe twoo edged sworde proceding out of thy mouthe But now for fauour we entreat with thy spouse shew vs thy face and let thy voyce be in our eares for thy voyce is sweet and thy face is exceding beautifull And so in the former verse we desired to heare joye gladnes and in this to beholde fauour kindnes 3. The Romanes sent to the Carthaginians a Mace and a Speare to make election of peace or of warre we haue now our choyce of a milde countenance or of a seuere browe now o lord thy face is mercifull o caste me not from it There will come a time when it shall be seuere o turne it away from my sinnes And blotte out all my iniquityes Let none of them remayne written vpon my soule to giue me shame or helpe the diuels clayme as slaues and cattell are marked to be chalenged Plato said that the soule of an infaÌ„te is tabula abrasa like white paper or a cleane leafe of a table booke wheron nothing is paynted or written But in processe of time as we giue our selues to vice or vertue so we suffer our soules to be written full of faultes or of merites And eyther we suffer the Diuell theron to paynte hell with his fowle feendes and tormentes or our good Angell to decipher heauen with the glory of the sunne the moone and beautifull starres 4. O my soule how long haue we bene vnder the Diuells blacke pensell who as with a fowle coale hath for euery sinne drawne some ill fauored marke or picture vpon thee he hath written all full of faultes o how he hath interlyned all and euen the margentes are filled full I confesse it was much easyer at the firste to haue admitted my good Angells fayre writing and heauenly pictures as children and yong people are most capable of religion and vertue But yet better late then neuer thy mercy is omnipotent o let it blotte out all myne iniquityes all the Diuells blurres all his hellish pictures and vgly handwâ—itinges I desire to beginne a fayre copy o gracious Lord turne away thy face from my olde faultes and I will turne ouer a new leafe to begin a new lesson 5. Thus shall the Diuells paynting all be blotted out for as S. Ihon saith To this end appeared the sonne of God to dissolue the workes
of the Diuell Which is signifyed by the olde custome of the Catholique churche which hauing baptized new conuerted christians at Easter and hauing vsed fasting penance in lent they called the first Sonday after Easter Dominica in Albis white Sonday because those who were newly baptized were then all clad in white to shew their cleansed innocency and so they solemnely read that saying of S. Peter quasi modo geniti infantes as children new borne to teach vs that after our sinnes washed by baptisme or blotted out by penance we should be carefull to kepe the garments of our soules white and cleane or hauing become againe as yong children without malice or sinne we should afterwarde procure the cleansed table of our soules no more to be defaced in vice by the Diuells fowle fyst but to be adorned in vertue with golden letters of grace MANY SIGNIFICATlONS AND PETITIONS for creating a cleane harte and renuing of a righte spirite Sect. 2. 1. BLotte out all my faultes and then Create a new harte in me o God First remission of sinne next infusion of grace For thoughe Iustification be in an instante yet in order of nature not of time pardon is before fauour And he saith Create grace in me because it is not deduced out of any power or faculty of our soule as are naturall formes out of their substances or matter but our soule had lost all his morall essence or Being of grace therfore he saith Create a cleane harte that is restore in me all morall gifts of nature and renue a righte spirite that is all spirituall graces 2. Create my harte which had loste it selfe for Ezechiel saith to a sinner Thou arte become nothing Neither let Ieremy call me a foole which hath no harte to resâ—ste sinne for to haue no harte is to be dead and to haue no life But in creating my harte I â—haâ—l â—ecouer both life and wisedome and by creatiâ—g me a cleane harte I may be among those blessed who shall see God 3. Let me haue a cleane harte not defiled with delightes of any sinne nor delighted in the filthynes of any pleasure nor turmoyled with contentious passions nor troubled with peruerâ—e cogitations for it ought to be a cleane temple of the holy ghoste not polluted with luxury not straytned with enuy with ambition not headlong noâ— houering with pride Or if we heare any of these clamorous affections within vs yet not take pleasure nor giue consent to their alluâ—ing voyces not a whitte to feele them who can say he hath a cleane harte yet must we cleanse our hartes not to harbour and consent vnto them Or if we haue listened any whit too long vnto such dangerous thoughtes let vs pray for a cleane harte that all corrupte intentions may be abolished and with a right spirite all good purposes orderly directed despising all the glory of this worlde fastening our mindes in the loue of God keping patience in reproches and injuâ—yes humbling our selues to all men in meekenes louing our freindes in God and our enemyes for God not coueting oughte from other men but rather giuing of our owne to the poore in prosperity sober and constant in affliction Thus let vs be renued in the spirite of our â—indes which in all these is a cleane harte and a right spirite but by the vices which are contrary vnto these it doth become a crooked and a lothsome harte 4. Create in me a cleane harte not materially but formally for this creation is not of the harte in substance but of his quality in cleanenes Create cleanenes in my harte for infused vertuâ—â— and grace may be sâ—id created as neither compounded of any material substance noâ— deriued therfrom But yet being Accidentall formes they are not created alone â—ut existing in some subiect and so Deuines say Gratia non creatur sed concreatur subjecto inesse grato 5. Least from my reasonable discourse impertinent or vicious thoughtes should ascend into my harte Create in me a cleane harte of vnderstanding Least my actions should be hipocriticall hauing my harte a farre of from thee Create a sincere intention of harte in my will And in my deuout hartie affections Create a cleane harte in me that I may follow Dauid as a man according to thine owne harte 6. And renue a right spirite in my bowells Renue it for I am waxen olde in vice and make it righte to be directed streight to heauen nor bowed downe in basenes nor bended awrye in crookednes to any thing of this worlde New in grace for we may not put new wyne into olde bottels Righte in nature wherfore we praie vnto the holie ghoste Send out thy spirite they shal be created thou shalte renue the face of the earthe 7. Our Bowells are of such earthly nature that they haue neede to be renued in spirite and our Hartes are so corrupted in sinne that they haue neede to be caste in another molde which is to be created a cleane harte O my soule we were become like Ephraim a seduced doue hauing no harte and we may complayne with the psalmist Our harte hath forsaken vs let vs desire our Lord to create vs a harte Allso like the Quene of Saba admiring Solomon we haue no spirite or faynting in goodnes we may say defecit spiritus meus our spirite fayleth vs let vs beseech our lord to Renue our spirite O Iesu create in vs a cleane harte out of which may not procede lewde thoughtes adulteryes theftes ambitions nor any wickednes Renue in our Bowells a righte spirite to make vs right in all vertues which according to the hebrew worde are called rectitudines righteousnes streight lines or perpendicular lines from the center of the earth leading righte vp to heauen That as in the begimning our Lord made man righte so to the intent our End may be answerable restore vs a righte spirite 8. Dauids hartâ— was vncleane by Adultery his spirite was crooked by malicious subtilty in this subtle malice he murdered Vrias in adultery he had abused Bersabee In like sorte against luste we desire cleanenes of harte and against crafty crooked malice rightnes of spirite or we pray that we may haue in our harte cleane affections louing God entirely and a righte spirite of discretion to discerne good prudently Allso mixing these we desire discreete affections in our harte and in our spirite louing charitable imaginations Nay we haue so much neede of a better alteration that we may alter interchange these wordes to desire a change of our selues allmost into any fashion rather then to remayne in our present corruption o lorde create in vs a cleane harte and renue a righte spirite in our bowells or create in vs a righte spirite and renue in vs a cleane harte Allso we haue neede of a cleane spirite and me doo wante a righte hart We haue no harte which therfore must be created
a person whose life doth much importe the publique good of the common wealthe or of diuerse others beside himselfe But in no case may we aduenture the death of our soule rather saith our Sauiour if it coste vs our hande or our foote or the very eyes of our head we must sooner pull them out or cutte them of then loose our soule to saue them all or to gayne all the worlde So let vs say and performe it with Dauid If a million of sacrifices or millions of millions were requisite O God if they were in our power we would yeild them all most willingly not alone for some recompence of our sinnes but allso to testifye our willing loue and our bounden obedience vnto so gracious a lorde vnto whom we doo owe our selues our soules our bodyes and that we haue or can haue so that if occasion be we may say with S. Peter and the Apostles Ecce nos reliquimus omnia Beholde we haue forsaken all to yeild our selues vnto thy good pleasure for allbeit we haue no kingdomes no lordships no landes nor other great riches or dignityes to forsake no more then had those poore Fishermen yet as they did if we willingly parte from all we haue in present possession or in future possibility and no lesse from the loue affection desire of this worlde then from the honors wealthe and pleasures themselues in this case we may wel say reliquimus omnia we haue lefte all thoughe we enjoyed neuer so little for herein to subdue our will and to yeild our Desire is as much as to giue him all the worlde if it were ours to giue and he that so resignes his Desire and his will vnto all doubtles he resignes All and so much more then All. 5. Thus therfore let vs offer him All with Dauid that whensoeuer it shall please him to take all we haue or any parte we doo gladly giue him All euery parte and in this kinde althoughe we doo not in facte render vnto God a thousand sacrifices not whole barnte offeringes because we vnderstand that he doth not absolutely exacte them yet should we alwayes be such poore men in spirite that in our hartes we be prepared to yeild him all we haue whensoeuer we perceiue that he doth necessarily require them And so let vs say Quoniam si voluisses sacrificium dedissem vtique Holocaustis non delectaberis O lorde I giue thee no whole burnt offeringes because I doo suppose thou doost not require them But if it were thy will to exacte a million of sacrifices Dedissem vtique verily I am ready to obey thy will and if it were in my power I woulde willingly giue thee all the worlde WE HAVE NEEDE TO BE PENITENT and how acceptable vnto our Sauiour is any soule contrite for sinne Sect. 4. 1. ALL this is moste due vnto our lord who neuertheles is so gracious that An afflicted spirite is a sacrifice vnto God A contrite harâ—e humbled O God thou wilte not despise For my sinnes I will afflicte my minde my spirite with dolor and sorowe and I will humble my harte my senses my body with mortifications labor These sacrifices O God I knowe thou wilte neuer refuse For thou hast said that it is alwayes an heathfull sacrifice To attend vnto thy commandements and to departe from iniquity And that thou wilte soonest regarde the poore contrite in spirite such as feare thy wordes 2. And these sacrifices are most acceptable because in euery outward sacrifice there being 3. things 1. deuotion 2. oblation 3. signification somtime the last is impertinent or expired the second somtime is not necessary nor required but the firste is euer requisite gratefull profitable of which kinde are an afflicted spirite a contrite harte The spirite vnderstanding is afflicted by knowledge consideration of our sinnes of their enormityes our will our harte is humbled greiued by acknowledgement of our base guiltynes and with a detestation of our lothsome faultes 3. O my soule if we consider the seuere iustice of allmighty God who for sinne threwe downe Lucifer and those arrogant Angells out of heauen expelled disobedieÌ„t Adam his posterity out of Paradise drowned all the worlde except eight persons and except his seruante Lot some with him burned all the fiue cityes of Sodome so often punished Pharaoh all the Egiptians with such strange terrible plagues caused the earthe to open to swallowe Corah Dathan Abiram quicke into hell euer since in all ages places hath sundry times manifested his dreadfull iudgements against careles sinners O how oughte we to feare to afflicte our spirite that we afflicting our selues he may spare vs that beginning by peircing feare as by a sharpe needle to drawe into vs the thred of loue we may come to be sowed vnited vnto him in attonement reconciliation Thus O lorde we praye with Dauid in another psalme Confige timore tuo carnes meas O wound peirce my flesh with thy feare it will be like the â—urgeons wounde which letteth out corrupted bloud or putrefyed matter There shalle dolores parturientis the sorowes of a woman in child-birthe that as our sinnes were conceiued in voluptuous pleasure so we cannot be deliuered of them without afflicting payne 4. Nay we are happy that sinne by nature bringing vs sorowe we may if we will so vse this sorowe that it shall extinguish sinne as the wood breedes a worme the yron a rust the garment a mothe which consume the substances wherof they were engendred Nay much more happy that so easy so small a meanes as an humbled a contrite harte may change the iustice of God into mercy According to that vision shewed to a holy woman wherin she sawe our Sauiour as it were sitting on a throne with great maiesty attended on by all the Angells Sayntes holy hoste of heauen yet very often to ryse of from his seate to go to euery pitifull voyce which called vpon him she asked what voyces those were and why he himselfe so often mooued from his throne did not rather send vnto them some one or more of his heauenly attendantes which mighte well seeme more then sufficient He answered that those voyces were the sorowfull sighes of any sinners contrite harte who if they could not so much as name Iesus yet if they did in true humility sighe and with an afflicted spirite syncerily greiue for their sinnes he did so much loue rather to shew mercy then to obserue maiesty and did so much delighte in the contrite conuersion of any sinner that he did most willingly rise vp himselfe and withall in ioye to mooue the whole courte of heauen to giue comforte wellcome to euery such soule 5. Wherfore let vs be of good comforte o penitent soules for thoughe we be destitute of all worldly wealthe hauing nothing to giue
benignâ—iy deale kindly with Sion and builde agayne the walls of Ierusalem that once agayne thou maist accept the sacrifice of iustice oblations burnte offeringes and calues vpon thine Altars A CONTINVED SVPPLICATION FOR the good will mercy of our Lord vnto all estates of his churche and against seuerall vices Sect. 2. 1. AND allso in these wordes the Catholique Churche is described by three names of Sion Ierusalem and his Altar which may signifye the 3. sortes of people in his churche 1. religious persons 2. secular preistes 3. lay people which are designed allso by Noah Daniel Iob. The firste are of spirituall contemplation dwelling aboue in solitary Mounte Sion The thirde laste are in temporall actioÌ„s inhabitants beneath in Ierusalem as in a city full of turmoyle earthly trafique The second and middlemost being preistes doo frequent the Altars of the Temple which was seated betwene Sion aboue the said citye belowe as men of a mixte life partly spirituall partly temporall and therfore be called secular preistes vidz preistes for their exercise and ministration of deuine mysteryes and secular because of their particuler possessions and their often conuersation in the assayres and with the men of this worlde 2. O Iesu deale kindly with Sion replenishing thy monasteryes with multitudes of sayntes worthy to abide in such a holy hill Builde the walls of Ierusalem so that all lay men the citizens of this worlde may be combined dwell together in charity may be limited kepte within the boundes of equity and may be defended safe against all their enemyes And finally grante we beseech the that all thy preistes may offer vnto the with due deuotion the sacrifice of iustice and with decent reuerence present thy oblations vpon thine Altars neither slubbering thy sacrifice nor poasting thy seruice 3. Furtherfore Sion is interpreted speculation and Ierusalem a vision of peace o deale kindly with vs by thy mercy that in this life we may haue some speculation of certein hope thoughe but as in a glasse and that in the nexte life we may possesse the perfect vision of blessed peace Then shalte thou receiue our sacrifices of iustice our due debte of prayses our willing oblations of thankfullnes our whole burnte offeringes and our calues shall be layde consumed vpon thine Altar our concupiscences our sorowes shall then be quite consumed as whole burnte offringes by the heauenly fire of thy diuine feruor Then shall we neede no more contrition or penance which now we must practise in this life for there all teares shal be wiped from our eyes and our heauy mourning as penitent Trutles shall then be changed into the liuely ioyfullnes of innocent Calues 4. And therfore allso we doo so earnestly intreate that thou wouldest builde the walls of Ierusalem because out of the vnity of the churche compassed with those walls of the communion of sayntes we are sure that no sacrifice will be acceptable vnto thee wherfore that these walls may be builded deale kindly with Sion in thy goâ—d will For as the prophet saith thou arte a clement God mercifull patient of much miseration and pitifull to our wickednes In creating vs clement mercifull in redeeming vs patient in expecting our conuersion in comforting vs of much miseration and in forgiuing all out faultes frayletyes full of pity In all these kindnesses of thy good will O doo good deale kindly with Sion that the walls of Ierusalem may be builded that our prelates may be of good example much reuerenced that thy holy sacramentes may be deuoutly receiued administred that in thy militante churche we may haue the strong Bulwarkes of faith hope charity begonne and in thy churche tryumphante the stately towres of perfecte charity sure possession euident knowledge accomplished 5. Salomon that is Peace did builde the walls of Ierusalem but in the time of Ioas which signifyes temporality they were destroyed Ozias which is interpreted Seeing God or Faith did rebuilde what temporality had ruynated but Nabuzoradan that is a prince of cookes or voluptuousnes againe defaced what faith had repayred Nehemias which signifyes consolation restored all once agayne but Antiochus of Syria that is haughtynes or silence of pouerty beate them downe for vayneglory of our good deeds silence without confession of our bad doo exceedingly tread downe all true consolation Lastly Iudas Machabaeus vidz the confession of a warriour acknowledging his owne frailety fighting against pride he did reedifye but Titus which may be construed good or else durte that is fayre seeming hypocrites good in shew durte in deede these laste of all doo lay waste make desolate the hill of SioÌ„ the walls of Ierusalem which shall be lastly succoured by Enoch and Elias And as these thinges pasâ—ed with the materiall walls of Ierusalem so may they serue as hath bene shewed for our morall information THE TIMES THE MANER THE PLACE the persons offering all these sacrifyces oblations c. Sect. 3. 1. THEN wilt thou accepte the sacrifice of iustice c. Then 1. by the vertue of thy passion after the fulnes of time when the lawe of Moyses shal be consummated 2. Then in the florishing prosperity ofthy churche vpon earthe when persecution shal be abated 3. Then in the perfecte happynes of thy churche in heaueÌ„ when we shall clearely beholde knowe God face to face When in these three sortes the walls of Ierusalem shal be finished then in the firste wilte thou accepte the sacrifice of iustice euen Christe himselfe our Iustice sacrificed for vs vpon the crosse Then in the second thou wilte admitte our mixed oblations like Martha busyed in many thinges and our entire burnte offringes like Mary choosing the better parte And then in the thirde we shall lay our calues vpon thine Altar that is our youthfull wantonnes or wordly cherfullnes shal be abandoned and being sacrificed here vpoÌ„ thine Altar of penitence shal be there changed firste into the calues of our lippes cherfully moouing to giue thee honour and prayse and afterwarde accomplished in the joyfull vision cleare sighte and perfect knowledge of thy diuine maiesty in which is comprehended our vnspeakable felicity 2. Then allso wilte thou accepte the sacrifice of iustice the passion and merites of our Sauiour and for them all the good workes of his seâ—uantes whether they be the oblatioÌ„s of feruorous Confessors or the whole burnte offringâ—â— of zealouâ— martyrs Or whether they be offred by lay people as deuoute 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 the whole burnte sacrifices of religious persons Then will all these lay Calues vpon thiâ—e Altar that is bring many yonge folke vnto thy seruice to be suckled and to be fed in thy catholique faith with the sacraments of thy churche and with many good examples and Rules of piety and morality wherin they shall abide and remayne For whatsoeuer is laid vpon thine Altar there it oughte to remayne