the eterâ—all God become an infant and swathed in clouts c. And of what can this be a signe but of pardon of grace of peace c. Apply thyself to this infant He sayed the word and all things were made He commanded and they were created All things were made by him c. That which was made in him was life c. The shepheards make hast to find our Saviour I. ANd suddenly there was with the Angell a multitude of the heavenly Hoast praysing God and saying Glorie in the highest to God and peace in earth to men of good will Joyne thyself to this multitude and sing prayses to God for so greate a benefitt and make vse of it while it is fresh seeing it is putt into the hands of they will This life is a warfare and a tearme of Temptation we may not therfore hope for glorie with out victorie nor victorie with out strife by which we purchase even heere vpon earth peace with God with our neighbours and with ourselves II. And when the Angels parted from them into heaven the shepheards speake to one an other lett vs goe over to Bethleem and see this word which is done which our Lord hath shewed to vs. As if they would have taught vs to say lett vs passe from darkenes to light from death to life from our old customes to a newnes of conversation to Bethleem the hovvse of breade the true sustinance of our souâ—es and dive into this word made flesh for our sakes and discover more and more the greatenes of this benefitt which God hath bestovved vpon vs. And they came with speed and they found Mariâ— and Ioseph and the infant layâ—d in the manger Imitate thier speed Cast of all cold demurrs which the holy Ghost doth not relish the infant dislikes impatient of delay because burning with love And what a treasure did they find Marie and Ioseph and the infant layed out of love in the manger They found humilitie in the infant chastitie in the Virgen justice in S. Ioseph III. And seeing they vnderstood of the word which had been spoken to them concerning this Child And all that heard did marvell concerning those thinges which were told them by the â—hepherds but Marie kept all those words conferring them in her hart How long and how often shall we see and not vnderstand Imitate the Blessed Virgen in conserving those things in thy hart and the shepherds in speaking of them And cease not to admire that which can be never sufficiently admired glorified praysed loved imitated c. The Circumcision of our Lord Iesus Christ. I. AFter eight dayes were expired that the child should be circumcised his name was called Iesus which was called by the Angel before he was conceived in the womb With the old yeare let vs put of as S. Paul exhorteth the old man with his actions and put on the new which is created according to God in justice and true sanctitie or holynes of life O povverfull hand of God worke this happy change in me II. Dayes doe expire the houre which doth passe by moments is not to be recalled what if this day were to be my last VVith what disposition with what feeling should I heare God say thy dayes are expired III. When the dayes were expired this child did not aspire after rest and ease did not hang after humane and worldly comfort the favour and prayse of men libertie freedome or priviledge but attended his circuÌ„cisioÌ„ wherfore doest thou favour thyself At what art thou proude As for the wonderouse works of God nothing can be taken from them nothing can be added to theÌ„ neither can the depth of them be found when a man hath done then he beghinneth IV. He that was above the law and not bound vnto it keepeth and obeyeth the law not without shedding of his blood He began the yeare not fayntly languishing but fighting valiantly The kingdome of heaven which he comes to bestow vpon vs will be gayned by force It is a good circumcision sayeth S. Bernard which we vndergoe by voluntarie Povertie by penitentiall labours by religious observances These are the armes with which we must fight that we may overcome and begin that happy yeare which never will have end Of the name of Iesus I. HIs name was called Iesus to witt first called so by his heavenly Father who only fully knew the nature and desert and office of this child If thou werte to be named according to they nature desert and manner of performance of they duty by what name should God or man deservedly call thee II. VVhat betokeneth this connexion of circumcision and the name of Iesus Acknowledge in it sayth S. Bernard the mediatour betvvixt God and man coupling divine and humane high and low things togeather Circumcision is a testimonie of the truth of his humanitie his name doth signifie the povver of his divinitie For he and noe other can save vs from synne and yet not without vs and our cooperation Hovv often doe we seeke freedome from siknes and bodily troble more them from synne Bodily health more eagerly then the health of the sovle Content oft times to be synners but not to be called so ashamed to doe penance not ashamed to synne apt to receive wounds bashfull in seeking remedy III. The Angel the Blessed Virgen and S. Ioseph were the first worshipers and proclaymers of this holy name of Iesus Jt is an honour to be thier partner in it and with S. Paul who was chosen to cary this name through the world and taught vs that at the name of Iesus every knee should bow of thinges in heaven in earth and vnder the earth and that every tongue should confesse that our Lord Iesus Christ is in the glorie of God the Father IV. If thou doest acknowledg â—esus if thou doest honour him as thy Lord be not ashamed of his liverie lett thy hand agree with thy mouth and not the voyce be of Iacob and the hand the Esau. He was called Iesus before he was conceaved before thy works renew thy intention Of the starre which appeared in the East I. VVHen Iesus was born in Bethleem Iuda in the dayes of king Herode behold there 〈◊〉 sages from the East to Hierusalem saying where is he that is born king of tho Iewes For we have seene his starre in the East and are come to adore him How great â— benefitt is it to be called to the sayth and service of Christ wheras thousaÌ„ds are left behind How greate to be stirred vp to reforme our conversation to be called to Religion to converse with God in prayer by sweete and â—fficatious means from our tender yeares or from the turmoile of earthly trobles Who is Author of all the thiâ—gâ— but this infant Who on earth is carryed in his mothers armes and commandeth the heavens to wayte on him II. How greate a favour is it to receave dayly
with as much love and confidence say vnto him Lord it is good for vs to be here and insteed of the tabernacles of Moyses and Elias make vse of the figures of the old testament which represented this blessed mysterie as the Sacrifices of Abel and Abraham here accomplished and the Manna outgone by many degrees and the Paschal lambe and the bread of proposition and the dayly Sacrifices and what ever elâ— is recorded in all the ceremonialls with all the prophecies and consider how much the person of our Saviour and the manner of his being present with vs and the inrent and effect of this my sterie doth exceed all that is gone before and taking vp thy rest in the tabernacle of thy hart with our Saviour say often to him how amiable are thy tabernacles o Lord of hosts My soule longeth and languisheth after the cours of my Lord my hart and my flesh have exvlted in my living God c. II. S. Paul had a desire to be dissolved that is even to dye that he might be with Christ esteeming better then life or any thig that that this life can affoard that was a desire of seeing him in an other world yet if we did conceive things in thier right value we should in reason with as much fervour lay aside all worldly busines to be with Christ in this blessed action at convenient times saying with the same Apostostle To me to live is Christ and to die is gayne that is Christ is my life and though I forsake all the world to be with him I shall be a gayner by iâ— Who therfore shall sever vs from the Charitie or love of Christ. Tribulation Or distresse or famine Or nakâ—dnes Or danger Or persecution Or the sword I am sure that neither death nor life nor Angels nor Principalities nor Powers neither things present nor things to come nor might nor heigth nor deapth nor other creature shall be able to separate c. I desire to be dissolved from this mortall body that I may see thee face but seeing it is thy pleasure that I only injoy thy in this covert manner I willingly forgo all worldly content all companie all pastime or intertaynment to be with thee for thou art my God and all things III. S. Andrew with another seeing our Saviour once passe alone by him and hearing S. Jhon Baptist whose disciple then he was say Behold the lambe of God accosted our Saviour and asked him Master where dwellest thou And he sayed come and see they came and saw where he abided and taried with him that day VVhat can be more beseeming thee in this blessed action then even out of compassion to aske our Saviour where he dwelleth here below seeing his glorious habitation is so adorable in heaven VVhat are our Churches be they never so sumptious And how many of them are more like stables then Churches And what is thy breast Come neere and home to thyself and see where and how thou intertaynest him and how long thou vsest to stay with him S. James and S. Ihon vpon occasion that the Samaritans once did with discurtesie refuse to give passage to our Saviour through thier citty would have commanded fire from heaven vpon them which zeale though our Saviour repâ—ehended as vnreasonable yet it behoveth vs to reflect how deepely we are apt to take an indignitie offered where ourselves are concerned and how slight oftimes we make of this so greate a curtesie of our Saviour though it wholy concerne vs and againe how that really that punishment was not exorbitant considering the person contumeliously rejected and yet how little oftimes we value him IV. Finally therfore joyne with S. Ihon who deserved the name of the beloved disciple and seeing our Saviour is pleased to remayne in thy breast as he gave vpon his a resting place to S. Ihon be not backward nor streight laced in point of love but as the favour is greater so to thy abilitie straine thyâ—elf to greater love give him his full rest in thy soule doe not disquiet him with vâ—â— quiet thoughts words or deeds Begge of him that he will stay with thee even beyond the time limited by the species say with the two disciples Mane nobiscum Domine quoniam advesperascit And with the devout Thomas a Kempis VVould to God that thou wouldest totally inflame me by thy presence stretch forth thy hand with S. Thomas and touch his sacred syde and hands and frete and kissing them say My Lord and my God Intertaynments of our Saviour with the Angels and Saints I. VVHile the Apostles at our Saviours Ascension were looking towards heaven after him two Angels appearing sayed what stand you looking into heavon This Iesus who is taken vp from you into heaven shall so come as you have seen him going into heaven And really if we should consider only the worth and dignitie of his person it were but fitting he should in all occasions appeare in so much and much greater glorie but stooping to our weaknes and to our commoditie behold how he cometh not clad with glorie but clouded vnder the shapes of bread and wine yet this is the same Iesus who then taken vp into heaven sitteth at the right hand of his heavenly Father in glorie Stand therfore and looke earnestly into this heavenly mysterie Admire and love his goodnes once he will come to judge but to doe mercy vpon vs to increase his graces to bestow himself in so frendly a manner he comes millions and milleons of times and will continue so till the end of the world This is Iesus this is my Saviour my Redeemer my all things O that I could say he shall never be taken from me Come sweet Jesus and come so that I may ever inioy thee Amen II. His taking vp into heaven betokeneth not any need that he had of assistance for he ascended of himself but the reception or intertaynment which the Angels and Saints gave him at his ascension all the nine quiers ranking themselves in order from the highest to the lowest heaven and taking him in the midst of them singing prayses of his divinity and humanitie and of the wonderous things which he had done and suffered for mankinde and rejoycing at his exaltation even above themselves the Cherubims not daring to stretch thier wings over his head as anciently over the Arke and the Seraphins hiding thier faces in reverence of the splendour of his glorious countenance the Thrones and Dominations and Principalities proftrating themselves vnto him as king of kings and Lord of Lords and the rest of the heavenly court doing homage every one in his degree VVhy stand we looking only vpon him And not industriating ourselves to doe him with the holy Angels all the honour and homage thar lyeth in our powre or perhaps doe not so much as looke after him but let our thoughts aÌ„d feete waÌ„der instantly after other
They know not what they doe who can be slovv to excuse or hard to accept of an excuse of an others falt hearing our Saviour excuse so apparent malice Also sayth S. Augustin no man must despayre of remission seeing it offered to them that were auctors of our Saviours death No man must be sullen when he is offended and thinke himself charitable enough if he sayes nothing or remits his quarell to God but remember they are sonnes of one Father and put on the bovvels of a brother and not be as strangets one to another III. Father forgive O. in hovv many things doe we all offend and dayly and hourely need forgivene Hovv much doth it import to forgive seeing our Saviour hath so often inculcated it vnto vs and put it in our dayly petition and absolutely told vs we shall have no mercy vnlesse we forgive our brethren from our harts Make vse of thy weake vnderstanding in spirituall things or apprehension of thy danger to pleade before him for thyself who is so willing to excuse and say Lord I did not knovv what I did when I did offend thee be a Father vnto me and forgive me say with the prodigall Child Father I have synned against heaven and thee and am net worthy to call thee Father but seeing thou lovest that tiile acknowledge me for thy Sonne though vngratefull and forgive me Father c. Of the words of our Saviour II. PART Preamble As in the former I. NExt after our Saviour had besought his Father to pard on his persecutours he pardoned the theefe vpon the Crosse and promised him the kingdome of heaven for his fervent confession for wheras there were tvvo crucified with him one on the right hand the other on the left and our Saviour in the middle one of them blasphemed our Saviour with the Iewes the other defended him acknovvledging his ovvne offenses and deserts and proclayming our Saviours Innocencie and begged that he would remember him when he came into his kingdomâ— Ponder first the disgrace put vpon our Saviour to be as it were the principall malefactour of the three crucified wherin notvvithstanding holy Fathes doe discover tvvo greate Mysteries the one that he lovingly presented himself both to Ievv and Gentill if the one should refuse and thirst his Innocent blood to thier ruine the other might make benefit of it to eternall welfare endeavour to be among them that make benefit and thirst after his sacred blood with love and veneration The other Mysterie is that in the very manner of thier crucifying thy represent that which in the latter day will happen when thse on the right hand shall be revvarded and those on the left cast of into eternall punishment II. Consider secondly The noblenes of this act of the good theefe standing for our Saviour when all the world allmost forsoâ—ke him see also what it is to be patient in affliction and humbly to acknovvledge that we have deserned it On the other side hovv little it did advantage the other theefe through his owne perversenes to be so neere our Saviour and reflect on the Judgments of God and that as no man must presume so none must despayre III. And Iesus sayed vnto him Veryly I say unto theâ— this day thou shalt be with me in paradise Ponder every word who to whome and with what assurednes This day with me in Paradise O blessed day and more blessed companie See hovv the peniteut and the innocent are associated and learne to contemne no body to judge or flight no body This day thou shalt be with me O let this day never end it is Paradise enough to be with thee blessed is he who vuderstandeth what it is to love Iesus c. Tho. a Kemp. l. â— c. 1. Of the words of our Saviour vpon the Crosse. III. PART Preamble as before I. THere stood beside the Crosse of Iesus his Mother ond his Mothers sister Marie of Cleophas and Marie Magdalen And the beloved deciple S. Ihon as appeares by that which follovveth But consider first with what constancie and resolution they all remayned there looke into the breast of every one of them one by one and thier affections of love and sorrow and faith and resignation see with whaâ— teares of compassion and love they lifted vp thier eyes to the crucifyed and then cast them dovvne vpon themselves hovv some of them embraced the Crosse and kissed the staynes of blood remayning vpon it Hovv they Harkened to every tittle that he spake Stand with them and harken for he speakes not to those rhat passe by be not ashamed be not afrayed stand by his Mother cast thyself vpon thy knees with the Magdalen bevvayle thy ovvne offenses c. He that persevereth may justly expect a word of comfort II. When Iesus had seen his Mother and the disciple standing whom he loved he sayed to his Mother woman behold thy Sonne and to the disciple behold thy Mother Consider what impression this speach made in the harts of both in regard of the thing itself and of the manner so vnexpected and at such an exigent ponder hovv in different senses these words might worke different affections in our blessed Lady Woman See hovv all looked vp but his eye was directed to his Mother Behold thy sonne Which Sonne Him vpon the Crosse Or by the Crosse Hovv ever what a change is here and yet what love and care doth my Sonne shevv concerning me c. And to S. Jhon Behold thy Mother What an honour was this vnto him and in him to vs all making vs adoptive Children to our Blessed Lady brothers to our Saviour so greate a good is it to stand hy the Cresse sayth Theophilact so greate a good to suck wisdome from our Saviours breast say S. Ambrose III. And from that houre the disciple tooke her to his owne Into his ovvne charge sayth S. Augustine to have care of her and to attend her Conâ—ider with what respect and dutifulnes and veneration he ever beheld her and provided for her remembring ever whose Mother she was Imitate this loving and beloved disciple and begge of her also novv that shee wil take the into her protection that by her means thou mayst obtayne according to those Mysteries forgivenes of thy synnes the kingdome of thy Saviour here and in the other world the companie and love of his saincts constancie in adversities and never to part from svveete Iesus whatever befall thee Of the words of our Saviour IV. PART Preamble Behold the sunne suddenly eclypsed and the heavens darkened at noone day and begge that this vnvvonted accident may stirre in thee some vnvvonted good affection And I. First to take heed that in middest of the graces of Allmightie God which shine vpon thee as the sunne at noone day darknes doe not suddenly through thy falt come vpon thee by the withdravving of his heavenly beames and vpon every change that thou findeâ—t bevvare
attending him Thou needest in all things his assistance and canst not doe any thing but by his power O lumpish flesh of myne hovv hard doest thou make it to follovv thy Saviour Nature is craftie and dravveth many and inâ—angleth and deceiveth them and allvvayes hath itself for its end O poore end Christs Ascension II. PART I. IN heaven our blessed Saviour was received with hymnes of joy and exultation such as the holy Prophet David foresignified when he sayed Our Lord hath reigned and is clothed with beauty he is clothed with strength and hath girt himself to accomplish his worke from heaven which he began vpon earth He hath established a nevv world vpon earth his church which shall not be moved because it s buylt vpon a rock against which hell gates shall not prevayle His seate was prepared from the beginning of the world but he as God was before from all Eternitie wonderfull persecutions will be raysed against him but he will be more wonderfull by overcoming them as it hath been propheâ—yed of him And againe who shall ascend vâ—to the hill of our Lord who shall stand in his holy place He that hath innocent hands and a pure hart lift up your gates yee Princes O yee eternall gates be lifted vp and the king of glorie will make his entrance Who is this king of Glorie our Lord strong and powerfull our Lord powerfull in the combat c. And being seated at the right hand of his Father they all adore him with whom we must concvrre and so much the more because for vs was all his combat imployed and he is gone before to prepare us a place as parting with his disciples he told them II. But the Apostles stood amazed vpon the hill gazing tovvards heaven doubtfull perhaps whether he would appeare againe among them And as they looked stedfastly towards heaven behold two men stood by them in white garments and sayed yee men of Galilee why stand you looking into heaven This Iesus who is assumpted from you into heaven shall so come as you have seen him going into heaven He sends these blessed spirits as a restimonie that even from heaven he harh care of them and is not so de parted as to have layed aside mindfulnes of them in his greatest joy and prosperâ—â—â—e He is to come againe but not now presently and subiect to the miseries in which you have seen him but in glorie as when he went novv from you Why stand you looking only vnto heaven fall to the performance of that which he hath commended vnto you and commanded so shall his coming againe in glorie be a comfort to you In this shevv yourselves Men of courage and resolution overcoming the instabilitie of your nature This is Iesus who is assumpted from you and as he by fulfilling the commands of his father and by suffering went into heaven so make account you are to doe to attayne the eternall revvard which he hath prepared for those who obey him III. Then they adoring returned to Hierusalem with greate ioy and continued with one accord in prayer Thus the parting which naturally might have bread griefe turned to greate ioy and comfort they revereneing our blessed Saviour in their minds no lesse then externally adoring him and perhaps the print of his sacred feete did even then or soone after appeare as is recorded which was a continuall refreshing to them Observe in the meane time tvvo notable effects and signes of Gods spirit to wit vnion and love of prayer for from whence could it othervvise come that they who before were delighted only with thier trade of fishing and were ready vpon the passion of our Saviour every one to parte vpon his severall occasions should novv hold so fast together and love retirement and devotion loyne thyself to this blessed companie often behold the ioy in which novv they are and hovv they arrived to iâ— persever in the vnitie of holy Church have recourse to the blessed Virgen and the Apostles that by thier inâ—ercession and imitation thou mayest come to see Iesus in glorie and adore him with eternall comfort Amen Considerations moving to the love of God and of our Neighbour Introduction I. OVr blessed Saviour vpon his parting with his disciples before his passion in the long speech which he held at that time did particularly commend vnto them the love of himself and of one another He that loveth me shall be loved by my Father and I will love him and manifest myself to him and v. 23. If any love me he will keepe my word and my Father will love him and we will come to him and make abode with him And Chapter 15. As my Father hath loved me I also have loved you abide in my love And concerning the love of one another a new commandment I give you that you love one another as I have loved you In this all men shall know that you are my disciples if you have love one to another This interim therfore betvvixt the parting of our Saviour from his disciples in his ascension and the coming of the holy Ghost may be not vnfitly imployed in considerations moving vs to the love of our Saviour and of our neighbour both to solace ourselves in his absence and to dispose vs the better to receive the spirit of love For doubtlesse the more we resemble him who is the eternall love of the Father and of the Sonne the more inclinable he will be to communicate himself in more abundance and he that sends him finding the dispositions allready layed will willingly accept of the dvvelling and direct him to it II. S. Paul in his Epistle to the Ephesians considering the abundanâ—â—iches of graces and glorie which are communicaâ—ed to vs by the merits of our Saviour Christ stroken with admiration breaketh forth into an affectionate prayer that they and in thier person all Christians strengthened by the holy Ghost inwardly in thier soules might come to know and to comprehend so farre as our poore capacitie is able to reach the breadth the lenght the height and the depth of the exceeding charitia of our Saviour surpassing all 〈◊〉 To the end doubtlesse that being filled with abundance of the same charitie we might ansvver with some proportion of love tovvards him â—â—kindled by his and in some sort correspond to the infinite measure of his charitie tovvards vs and have latitude in our love tovvards him and longitude and depth and height as he tovvards vs hath had all these dimensions in a proportion vncomparable III. To this purpose it will not be amisse to inlarge our thoughts vpon these considerations as foure excellencies to which all other properties of his love may be reduced and by them we may best see what measure of love in all reason God may require of vs and learne more perfectly by our ovvne experience the lesson which S. Bernard teacheth that the cause of our love tovvards God
confesse his owne wants aÌ„d vnworthines and everie one of vs may with much more reason say It is I who have reall need of this sacred ceremonie from thy hands who alone canst wash away my synnes it is I who have dayly and hourely need of washing my synnes and imperfections are so greate and so many It is I that ought to vndergo this shame of confessing them having not been ashamed to coÌ„mit them It is I who owe the debt and must pay it to the uttermost farthing vnlesse thou by thy Sacraments and by thy mercyes doest forgive me Iesus answering sayed suffer it now for so it becometh us to fullfill all iustice Many conveniences may offer themselves to thy infinite wisdome for which it may become thee thus to humble thyself but for me it is necessitie it is my dutie it cals vpon me by all the titles of a creature and a synner and a subject and a servant and infinite other obligations these are titles of iustice which if I doe not fullfill I shall beare the smart thou fullfillest all this with out any obligation to doe so but of thy goodnes to correct our backwardnes in doing that which is fitting for vs to doe VVhat is there that will not become me to doe to the vtmost be it never so meane or seeming to be below me seeing thou hast stooped thvs low to thy servant III. Iesus being baptized forth with came out of the water and lo the heavens were opened to him and he saw the spirit of God descending as a doue and coming vpon him and behold a voyce from heaven saying this is my beloved sonne in whome I am well pleased Three signes of the effects of the baptisme which those receive who are washed in the water sanctifyed by our Saviour The gates of heaven are opened vnto them the holy Ghost descends vpon them and they are made the adoptive sonnes of God But our Saviour was his natural and eternall sonne eternall beloved and now vpon a new title of his superexcellent obedience as man and charitie towards mankind coming into this world with the innocencie and meekenes of a dove not to punish but to spare and to forgive Have recourse vnto him while the heavens are thus open delay not thy conversion prepare thy hart with puritie to receive the spirit of God and his graces bee meeke and humble and peaceable because such are styled the Sonnes of God love that thou maiest be beloved indeavour to Please God aboue all and for no mans pleasure displease him How sweere and how rich is the name of Sonne which he vouchsafed vs from heaven and in order to the heavenly inheritance Sonnes of men how long heavyharted To what purpose doe you love vanitie and hunt after a lie The only true honour and true riches is to be the sonne of God The fast Temptation and Victorie of our Savionr I. THen Iesns was led by the spirit into the desert to be tempted by the divel and when he had fasted fourtie dayes and fourtie nights afterwards he was hungrie He was led by the same spirit that had descended vpon him at his baptisme to the holy actions of retirement from worldly occasions and of fasting and by occasion of that to be tempted by the enimie of all wholsome exercises His food all that time was prayer and the fervent desires of performing in life and death the will of his heavenly Father by which he taught vs how to arme ourselves against the assalts of the divel and not to thinke because we are sorely now and then set vpon that therfore we are deserted of God and of his spirit How also to prepare ourselves to what ever imployment God doth call vs vnto And though hepersevered so long without touch of hunger at last he was hungrie stooping to the infirmitie of man whose nature he did beare and whome he had vndertaken to instrvct the tempter not being able to dive into the deapth of the mysterie of the IncarnatioÌ„ yet by many circuÌ„stances coÌ„iâ—cturing tooke hold of his being hungrie and approching sayed If thou be the sonne of God command that these stones be made bread knowing that it was much easyer to doe so then what had been done in creating all of nothing Our Saviour did not yeald vnto his motion because as S. Augustine reflects The Tempter is not overcome but by contemning him but answered Not in bread alone doth man live but in every word which proceedeth from the mouth of God For the Children of Israel themselves in thier fourty yeares pilgrimage in the desert were not maintayned so much by the Manna as by the divine providence concerning both body and soule Rayse thy thoughts to this spirituall food and to confidence in God who will not suffer vs to be tempted above that which we are able but with the temptation will give vs issue that we may sustaine it II. Then the divel tooke him vp into the holy ciâ—â—y and â—et him vpon the pinnaâ—le of the Temple and sayed if thou bee the Sonne of God cast thyself downe for it is written he will give his Angels charge of thee and in thier hands they shall hold thee vp c. No man can pretend to be free from temptation seeing the divell so bold with our Saviour and the neerer we come to holynes and higher we are taken into the favour of God the more we must beware for the temptations are allwayes the more secret and cloked with some preteÌ„ce of good as heece with the words of scripture misapplyed if thou bâ— the Sonne of God doâ— not cast rhyself downe to things inferiour to God and his service doe not permit thyself to be taken vp by a high conceite of thyself remayne rather in the desert if thou be taken out live notwithstanding in feare be not rash doe not thrust thyself into occasions which may be dangerous Our Saviour answered Thou shall not tempt thy Lord God Gape not after extraordinarie comforts vnusuall lights new conceits go vp and downe by the vsuall degrees of vertue practised by saints allowed by the Church and by those who in it have the place of directing vs. He hath indeed given his Angels charge of vs but we must not be head-long or head-strong in our wayes III. Againe he tooke him vp into a very high mountaine and shewed him all the kingdomes of the world and the glorie of them saying all these will I give thee if falling downe thou a dore me VVhether doth not pride and ambition carie a mind that is once poisoned with them of what doth it not brag though never so false as here the divell as if all had been his to give and to take away at his pleasure I will give thee all the kingdomes as if all did consist in present wealth and glorie and pleasure and command They who have had all at will what is become of them All these what are they
And when the Sunne was downe all that had diseased of sundry maladies brought them to him and he laying his hands vpon every one cured them And divels went out of many crying thou art the Sonne of God and be rebuking them suffered them not to speake that they knew he was Christ. The fever of which we lye sick is our Avarice our ambition our wrath and anger c. a fever inflames the body these disteper the mind We must have recourse to our Saviour and beseech him to help vs those fevers neglected grow greater and greater and bring vnlucky deaths if we be freed from the violence of these passions we must not be idle but diligent in the service of our Saviour See how worldly busines doth delay our spirituall cure people flocked not till sunne set How many differ repentance to the last God is mercyfull and oft wayteth our leasure but not allwayes III. And rising very early be went into the desert and prayed and Simon sought after him and they who had been with him and when they found him they sayed all seeke thee but he answered I must preach to other citties also the kingdome of heaven for therfore am I sent He went into the desert to teach vs that if we chance to doe any thing extraordinarie we must fly the prayse of men and give God thanks in private for the benefit received He went away sudainly and without the knowledge even of his owne disciples to teach vs to take time while time is and not to delay but dread the judgments of God who oft withdraweth himself even from those who at times desire his presence because at other times they neglect him And he rounded all Galilee preaching and healing all diseases and his fame did spread itself through all Syria and multitudes did follow him from Galilee and Hierusalem and Iewrie and from beyond the river Iordan Thou mayest soone drive away Iesus and leese his savour if thou turne thyself to externall things c. Three pretending to follow our Saviour I. AS they were walking in the way one of the Scribes sayed vnto him Master I will follow thee whersoever thou goest Iesus sayed to him the foxes have holes and the birds of the ayre neasts but the Sonne of man hath not where to lay downe his head VVe may well conceive sayth S. Augustin that this man if he had followed Christ would have sought himself and not Christ therfore he was answered that the sonne of man hath not where to rest his head But where hath he not He hath not in thy faith foxes have taken vp thy hart because thou hast a doble hart the birds of the ayre have neasten in thy hart because thou art proude the deceitfull and the proude doe not follow me How can craft and deceite follow simplicitie or pride humilitie And withall admire the poverty of our Saviour in which he lived and how he was often put to exigents for want of shelter and retired himself into the desert to pray The Sonne of man hath not where to rest his head and is it for me so easyly to give way to lazines or to seeke my ease II. To another he sayed follow me and he answered Lord let me go first and bury my father and Iesus sayed to him let the dead bury the dead but go thou and preach the kingdome of God That which this man desired to doe was an act vvas an act of pietie but the heavenly Master taught him what he ought to have preferred VVhen the misbeleeving bury a corps the dead bury the dead the mans body lost the soule but thier soules had lost God Ponder the difference betweene these two deaths and these two burialls and againe reflect what hast thou to doe with secular busines when it is time of prayer and such spirituall imployments Let the dead bury thier dead III. Another sayed I will follow thee Lord but let me first take leave of them that are at home And Iesus sayed to him no man putting his hand to the plough and looking back is apt for the kingdome of heaven He would not suffer that those whome he brought vp for the kingdome of heaven should be one moment diverted from it but that having given themselves to God they should make no account of earthly things at all nor have any thought of them And if no man looking back be apt for the kingdome of heaven how canst thou expect the divine illustrations in prayer or his assistance in other things if thou hast not thy eyes vpon him but art looking back vpon things impertinent How canst thou hope to profit if thou lookest vpon those who lag behind and not vpon the fervent who go before thee One thiug sayth S. Paul is of importance or one thing I endeavour forgeting the things which are behind and stretching myself to those which are before I pursue the marke the prize of the supernall vacation of God in Christ Iesus let vs therfore as many as are perfect be thus minded He calmes the sea I. ANd they take him into the ship as he was and behold a greate tempest rose in the sea the wind blew and the waves beate into the ship so that it was covered with them and he was in the hinder part sleeping upon â— pillovve It is a greate commendation and excellencie of faith to receive our Saviour as he is in the ship that is in the church leaving the multitude of questions and reasons A tempest rise it is but to trie the skill of the Pilote and the diligence of the mariners for vvhatever happeâ—eth will not contristate the Iust who repose vpon the pillow with our Saviour to wit vpon a good conscience with trust and confidence in him and resignation to his will Record what stormes the Church of God hath indured and hath been delivered out of them all Consider also the inward stormes which rise in thy soule and how thou art to behave thyself in them Hath some body slandered thee or miscalled thee It is a wind which is risen against thee hast thou been angrie at it It is a wave which hath beaten into thy ship Remember how our Saviour hath behaved himself and he was sleeping II. His disciples came to him and raysed him saying Master doth is nothing belong to thee that we perish Save vs And he sayth to them why are you fearefull ô yee of little faith As if he should have sayed You doe well to call vpon me and to beleeve that I can save you but you should moreover have beleeved that even sleeping I have care of you that you perish not and have a mind to save you though for a time I permit you to be in troble He sayed well let the world rage and the wicked bend thier teeth against me yet I will hope in thee Rise why doest thou sleepe ô Lord
be thou opened and immediatly his eares were opened and the string of his toâ—gue was loosened and he spake playnâ— Our Saviour could with a word have cured him but he would commend vnto vs a reverent opinion of the ceremonies which were afterwards to be vsed in his Church no lesse significative then these He tooke him from the multitude a part to teach vs that whoever will be cured of his spirituall diseases must vvithdraw himself from evill companie and attend to God in private Also that synners are often to be admonished in private least shame keepâ— them from repentance He sighed more bewayling the invvard deafnes of the Iewes then the outward of this one man And vsed those other ceremonies to shevv that he spared no indeavour to correct them S. Gregorie by 〈◊〉 fingers vnderstands the gifts of the holy Gost infused into his soule and by his spitle heavenly vvisdone vvherby vve come to speake rightly and teacheth vs by his sighing to lift vp our harts to God and sigh for those heavenly gifts of vvhich we have so much need II. And the Pharisees and Sadduces came to him tempting him and demanded of him a signe from heaven But he answered when it is evening you say it will be fayre weather for the â—limâ—nt is red and in the morning This day there will be a tempest for the sky doth glow and lowre The face of the eliment you have skill to discerne and the signes of times can you not There shall not a signe be given but the signe of Ionas the Prophet and he went away and left them So many signes and miracles our Saviour was dayly vvorking â—aÌ„d none would satisfie them desirous of some after thier owne fancy which when it had been yealded vnto would have wrought as little vvhich them For hovv oft had a voyce come from heaven declaring what he was and they never the neerer finding some other thing to impute it vnto This is a deafnes more to be commiserated then any other wearying out even our Saviour himself and causing him to forsake them vpon whome words and signes were spent in vaine Though he put them oft in mind of his resurrection by the example of Jonas who was three dayes in the whales belly yet at it when it happened they were as blind and willfull seeking new occasions and tooke no benefit by it If thou wert within good and pure then thou wouldst without hindrance see and vnderstand all things III. They came to Bethsaida and bring to him one blind and desired him that he would touch him and taking the hand of the blind he led him forth of the towâ—e and spiting into his eyes and laying his hand vpon him asked him if he saw any thing and looking vp he sayed I see men as it were trees walking and againe he layed his hands vpon his eyes and 〈◊〉 began to see and was restored so that he saw all things clearly The Ceremonies are much the same the event different He cures him by peeces not for want of power but for our Instruction who must content ourselves with what God will allow vs and by our thankfulnes incite him to doe more at his owne time He saw men walking likâ— trees with thier heads downwards and thier feere vpâ—ward groveling in the earth and alltogether busy to get roote in worldly wealth and honour and seting heavenly things at naught O thaâ— our Saviour would lay his hand againe and a gaine vpon our eyes that we might see all things clearly how different judgment should we make fâ—â—o that which passeth most coÌ„moÌ„ly for good in the world Peeter confesseth Christ to be the Sonne of the living God I. IEsus came into the quarters of Cesarea Philippi and asked his Disciples whome say men that the Sonne of man is And they sayed same Ihon Baptist and other-some Elias others Hierome or one of the Prophets How many ifferent opinions have there been and are still of our Second Part. Saviour For to say nothing of the Arians and such like Heretiks who denyed our Saviour to be God or to be truly man how many even among those who professe themselves Christians and Catholiks have not so reveâ—end opinion of him in effect as these Jewes had whose censure the Disciples did relate For either they think his doctrine foolish or harsh and impossible or shew by their actions that they beleeve not that he shall come to judge or that he hath zeale of the glorie and honour of his heaveâ—ly Father which Elias and the Pâ—ophets had dissembling thier iniquities and doe measure his proceedings by thier owne foote Enter into thy owne breast and aske thy soule whome it thinks Christ to be Examine thy actions and see whether thou findst not two different opinions one of thy beleefe another of thy life and beware that that of the pfalme be not true of thee deceitfull lips in hart and hart they have spoken that is in two harts one drawing one way the other to the quite contrarie II. And he sayth to them but whome doe you say I am Simon Peeter answered thou art Christ the Sonne of the living God And Iesus answering sayed to him Blessed art thou Simon Barionâ— because flesh and blood hath not revealid â—o thee but my Father which is in heaven And we also must shut the eyes of flesh and blood which see no further then she outside of every thing and opening the eyes of faith beleeve as we have been taught that however in the outward he is man and subject to the common miseries of mankind he is truly the Sonne of God and one God with him and reverence him accordingly what is there in the world of which we see more then the outward lineaments and yet from the effects we come to beleeve and know that there is more in it then we doe see much more of our Saviour and of all that belongs to him and to the other world ought we to be most certaine that it is otherwise then our short sight or vnderstanding can of itself discover Blessed are they who beleeve inlightened from above begge increase and strength of faith that thou mayest partake of the rewards layed vp for humble beleevers III. And I say to thee that thou art Peeter and vpoâ— this rock nill I buyld my Church and the gates of hell shall noâ— prevayle against it And I will give to thee the Keyes of the Kingdome of heaven and whatever thou shalt bind upon earth if ffiall be bound also in the heavens and whatever thou shalt loosâ— on earth if stetall be loosed also in the heavens God is never backward in rewarding that which is good and the morâ— heroicall acts we doe the more we shall experience it Peeter signifies a rock or stone therefore alluding to the name which himself had given him before vpon designe he promiseth to buyld his Church vpon him so strongly that no attempt of hell gates
his dayly inspirations and inward and outward assistances he gives vs himself for our spirituall sâ—stenance Parents oft-times put out their Children to others to be nursed and mayntayned I sayth he doe not so but doe feed you with my owne flesh and set myself before you desiring that all of you should be noble and assured of your furture inheritance for seeing here I give you myself much more shall I doe it in the life to come I would be your brother by taking your flesh and blood vpon me the selfsame flesh and blood by which I became of kin vnto you I doe give you Approch therâ—fore with greate reverence to his heavenly table retyre thyself from the multitude prepare thy eares to heare his word and thy tongue to receive the touch of his sacred flesh that thou may heare and speake perfectly of those things which belong to thy salvation and spirituall profit Say with S Peeter thou art Christ the Sonne of the living God and be in this confession constant buylding thy faith vpon the rock which cannot fayle and against which the gates of hell shall not prevayle Tou must beware of curious and vnprofitable searching into this most profound Sacrament if thou wilt not be sunk into the depth of doubtfullnes The Transfiguration of our Lord. I. ANd after six dayes Iesus taketh vnto him Peeter and Iames and Ihon his brother and bringing them vnto a high mountaine a part he was transfigured before them and his face did shine like the Sunne and his garments became like snow And there appeared to them Moyses and Elias talking with him He had lately spoken to them of his passion aÌ„d though with all he told them of his rising the third day yet to confirme them in the confidence of his divine power and nature and that those miseries were not to be perpetuall or without greate fruite of glorie he shewes them part of the future happynes which he was to inioy and those also who should follow his example and doctrine Moyses led the Children of Israel out of their captivitie in Aegypt through the red sea and the desert and fed them from heaven with manâ—a and provided at times other necessaries Elias was taken vp to heaven in a firy chariot both figures of what our Saviour was in a better and spirituall way to doâ— for vs by the sea of his sacred Blood shed for vs to deliver vs from the captivitie of synne and of the divell and bring vs through the desert of this world to eternall rest in heaven and of these things they discoursed with him teaching vs to record often the benefits and the glorie to which we are ordayned by them II. And Peeter answering sayed to Iesus Lord it is good for vs to be here if thou wilâ— let vs make here three tabernacles one for thee and one for Moyses and one for Elias He had a tast of one drop of sweetnes and loathed all other sweetnes what if he had tasted that greate masse of sweetnes which thou hast layed vp in store for those who feare thee and as yet is hidden Yet he was taxed for what he sayed another Evangelist recording he knew not what he sayed because not having yet perfectly discovered the truth he desired to plaâ—t his tabernacle here on earth wherâ—as all good people know that they are here strangers and pilgrimes and yet he had easyly pardon because so much good as he saw could not be but very desirable No man is worthy of heavenly consolation vnlesse he hath diligently exercised himself in holy compunction III. And as he was yet speaking behold a light cloud over-shadowed them and lo a voyce out of the cloud saying This is my beloved Sonne in whom I am well pleased heare yee him and the disciples hearing it fell vpon their faces and were sore afrayde The voyce from heaven instructs vs in two things first that our Saviour is truly the eternall Sonne of God secondly that to please God we must heare him and follow that which he teacheth vs which is in effect that by the Crosse we must go to glorie and by no other way which though it troble vs and deiect vs according to sense yet the neerer we keepe ourselves to our Saviour the leffe we shall feare it for so it is sayed immediatly And Iesus came and touched them and sayed to them rise and feare not Stay a while my soule attend the divine promise and thou shalt have abundance of all good in heaven This is the way to be the beloved Sonne of God IV. And they lâ—fting vp their eyes saw no body but only Iesus and as they went downe from the mount he commanded them saying Tell the vision to no body till the sonne of man be risen from the dead To teach vs that we must not rashly and out of season speake of the favours which we receive froÌ„ God but in the closset of our hart be thankfull for them At that time as S Ihon Chrisostome advertiseth the more strong the things were which were sayed of him the lesse credit they found with many specially proceeding from a few of his owne disciples whome they might account partiall to their Maister Happy soules who coming downe from prayer can have their minds and intentions to recollected as to see none but Iesus only their minds being lifted vp above all earthly allurements c. He casteth out a divell which his disciples could not I. ANd when he was come to the multitude there came to him a manâ— falling downs vpon his knees before him saying Lord have mercy vpon my sonne for he is lâ—natick and sore vexed â—for he falleth often into the fire and often into the water and I offered him to thy disciples and they could not cure him And he asked him hoâ— long is it since this hath chanced to him And he sayed from his infancie We are borne sonnes of wrath and from our first father we are infected with a disease much like to the falling sicknes aÌ„d though the falls of our soules are neither so sudaine not so against our will as those of the body yet we have so greate an inclination from our youth to fall that even those who converse most familiarly with our Saviour and indeavour to follow him neerest cannot easyly avoyde the effects of it It casts vs to the ground while we hunt after earthly things not without damage to our soule It makes vs for the time dumb and deafe to holy admonitions It tormenteth vs and trobleth vs so that we lye wallowing and turning ourselves every way rather then to that which we ought and it is none of the least evills that the very name and first aspect of vertue seemes harsh vnto vs as our Saviour did to this man for when he had seen him imediately the spirit trobled him and being throwen to the ground he tumbled foming Iesus answered and
sayed O faithlesse generatioâ— how leng shall I be with you How long shall I suffer you bring him to me and the Father sayed to him if thou canst any thing help vs having compassion on vs. And Iesus sayed to him if thou canst beleeve all things are possible to him that beleeveth and the Father of the boy crying out with teares sayes I doe beleeve Lord help my incredulitie We are indeed an incredulous generation and able to move the greatest patience as being subject to so many evills and yet can hardly be induced to beleeve that they are evills but doe take delight in that which is our vtter ruine Begge light and crave help with teares for what is more worthy of them and more to be lamented then this heavy yoake which lyes vpon vs from our Mothers womb till our very grave and is the cause of all our spirituall and temporall miseries O sweete Iesus who alone canst doe all things help vs taking compassion on vs. If I by thy grace indeavour to overcome this propensioâ— it exclaymeth and greatly teareth me and oftimes it lyeth dead so that many say it is dead but this is another thing to be lamented that even from myself that is hidden which is in myself And no man in this life which all of it is called a temptation can be secure that as from worse he was made better so he may not become from better worse our only hope our only confidence the only thing vpon which we can buyld is thy mercy III. And when Iesus saw the people coming together he threatened the vncleane spirit saying I command thee go out of him and enter no more into him and the chile was cured from that hours and his disciples asked him in private why could not we cast him out Iesus sayed this Kind is not cast out but by Prayer and fasting Prayer and fasting doe much conduce to the remedie of these evills to which we are naturally subject for by these holy exercises by little and little we put on as it were another nature becoming from carnall spirituall and delighting more in that which belongs to vertue then we did before in our worldly contentments but our chiefe assistance is in our Saviour of whome we must be continually begging that he will â—end vs his powerfull and concurring hand that we may be wholy free Humilie commended and care of avoyding scandall I. AT that houre the discipless came to Iesus saying who thinkest thou is the greatest in the Kingdome of Heaven And Iesus calling vnto him a little Child set him in the midst of them and sayed amen I say vnto you vnlesse you be converted and become as little Children you shall not eniter into the Kingdome of heaven whosoever therfore shall humble himself as this little Child he is the greater in the Kingdome of Heaven S. Marck relating this passage sayeth that our Saviour asked them first What they had treated of by the way and they held their peace for in the way they had disputed among themselves who should be great So that it was no spirituall question as how by vertuous life they might come to be greate in heaven Of which they had not need to be ashamed but it was a kind of ambition of the greatest place in the temporall Kingdome which they imagined our Saviour would come to because he spake often of his kingdome and of this they were ashamed wherby we may see that if we will carefully observe our owâ—e thoughts and question with ourselves as we would doe with another what is it that thou art musing on or going about We should easyly discover that our conscience would tell vs many truths which otherwise we slubber over and conceive that we thinke or doe no harme But our Saviour shewed them that he knew both what they thought and sayed and gave them and vs a lesson that we must be converted from those pretenses and turne our harts to other thoughts then people of this world intertayne themselves with and think of humbling ourselves for the gate of heaven is narrow and the more we stoope the easyer we shall enter and be the more acceptable We must returne to the simplicitie of infants saith S Hilarie because by it we shall carie in our conversation the resemblance of our Saviours humilitie II. And he that shall receive one such little one in my name receiveth me and he that shall scandalize one of these litleons that beleeveth in me it is expedient for him that a milstone be hanged about his neck and that he be drowned in the deapth of the sea see that you despise not one of these littleones for I say vnto you that their Angels in heaven doe allwayes see the face of my father which is in heaven Next to humilitie and simplicitie of hart he commends Charitie even towards the least and poorest creature that is giving it the high reward of receiving our Saviour himself while we receive our neighbour then which what can be more honourable or more to be desired It is a greate motive not to neglect such good officies that they have an Angel attending and having care of them but what is that to the receiving of the Lord of Angels Much more ought we to be ware of scandalizing them that is of giving theÌ„ just cause of offense or of offending for punishment will doubtlesse followe and better were it sayth S. Hierome that some short punishment should here attend vs in this life then that we should be reserved to further torment III. Woe be to the world for scandals for it is necessarie that scandall dos come but woe to that man by whome scandall cometh If thy hand or thy foote scandalize thee cut it of it is good for thee to go into life mayned and lâ—me rather then having two hands and two feeâ—e to be cast into hell fire And if thy right eye scandalize thee pluck it out and cast it from thee It is good for thee having one eye to enter into life rather then having two eyes to be cast into hell fire supposing the malice of men it is necessarie that is infallibly scandalls will happen but woe to him by whose falt they doe happen And as concerning ourselves every one may easyly find out what is a scandall to him that is what is the occasion of his offending God or of slacking in his service VVhatever therfore or who-ever it be though so necessarie and vsefull to vs as our hand or our eye we must forgo it for nothing must be preferred before the service of God no affection no Kindred no assistance no frend whatsoever The parable of the King calling his servants to account I. THen came Peeter vnto him and sayed Lord how oft shall my brother offend against me and I forgive him Vntill seaven times Iesus sayed to him I say not to thee vntill seaven times but vntill seventy
and in the meane time on the day of our receiving endeavouring to remaine â—lone with him for our greater profit and satisfaction The â—uring of the ten lepers I. ANd as he entred into a certaine toâ—nâ— there met him ten man that were lepers who stood a farre of and they lifted vp their voyce saying Iesus â—aster have mercy on vs. Whome as h◠〈◊〉 he sayed Go shew yourselves to the Priests and it came 〈…〉 as they went they were cleansed According to S. Gregorie leprosie signifies heresie because as in a leper part of the skim is taynted and part retayneth the naturall colour so heretiks mingling falshood with truth doe stayne the right colour of Christian doctrine S. Augustine concurreth in the same for as leprosie is in the outward skin so they hide not theyr errours but boldly vent them for truth These as lepers out of â—oune are shut out of the Church and must be kept standing a faâ—re of least with their breath and stench they infect the rest and the only way to be cured is to submit themselves to the Priests and teachers of the Catholick faith Though in a more generall sense leprosie may signifie all kind of imperfections mingled with our vertuous actions aÌ„d thoughts For which we deserve to be delayed the entrance of the heavenly citty and must lift vp our cryes to God for remission and have often recourse to the Sacrament of confession that we may have remission and also receive strength to amend The very resolution of opening ourselves as we are going â—eleeving vs in many molestations which come vpon vs. They were cleansed as they vvent sayth S. Augustine by which it is manifest that God doth accept of the hart where by necessitie we are hindred from coming to the Priest II. And one of them as he saw he was cleansed returned with a loude voyce magnifying God and fell on his face before his feete giving thanks and this was a Samaritan A happy Samaritan sayth S. Bernard in that he acknowledged that he hath nothing but what he had received and happy is he vvho for every particular grace returneth to him in whom is the fullnes of all graces towards whome while we doe not carry ourselves vngratefull we make way whereby we may receive more pleâ—ty of grace Be gratefull for the least and thou wilt be worthy to receive greater let the least be to thee as the greatest If we have regard to the dignitie of the giver no gift can be thought little III. And Iesus answering sayed were not ten cleansed and where are the nine None was found to returne and give glorie to God but this stranger And he sayed to him Rise go thy way thy faith hath made thee whole Our Saviour doth with reason aske where the nine were Because farre from Synners is salvation So also after synne he asked where our first Father Adam was and in the last judgment he will professe that he knoweth not the workes of iniquitie Often but one returning and he a stranger putteth vs also in mind how few there are who serve God as they ought in comparison of the multitude who follow their worldly occasions and being domesticalls of God as the Apostle speaketh buylt vpon the foâ—mdation of the Apostles we ought to take heed that strangers doe not go beâ—ore vs in life and manners bringing confusion vpon vs that we being Christians and having so much means to doe well doe not live accordingly The woman taken in Advlterie I. IEfus went vnto the mount Olivet and early in the morning agains he came into the temple and the people came to him and sitting he taught them And the Scribes and Pharisees bring vnto him a woman taken in advlterie and set her in the midst and sayed to him Master this woman was even now taken in advlterie and in the law Moyses commanded vs to stone such what therfore sayest thou And this they sayed tempting him that they might accuse him Our Saviour in the nights went to private places to pray and the more willingly to the mount Oliver because it bare the name of mercy for which he came into this world The day he spent in the â—emple reaching 〈◊〉 otherwise doing good to the people This could not save him from the malice and envie of ill disposed persons who not finding wherin to accuse him sought by his meekenes and compassion to entrap him as breaker or conâ—emner of the law and of iustice But he being the eternall wisedome â—new how to temper botâ— so together as to impeace neither of them and to this wisdome we must submit in occasions where there doth not appeare to vs how his iustice can be blamlesse vsing so much mercy and longanimitie towards most grievous synners Sonne take heed of disputing high matters and the secret iudgements of God why this man is left and he assumed to so greate grace II. But Iesus â—owing himself downâ— with his finger wrot in the earth And when they continued asking him he lifted vp himself and sayed to them He that is without synne among you let him first throw the stone at her and againe bowing himself he wrot in the earth and they hearing went out one by one beginning from the Seniours and Iesus remayned and the woman standing in the midst What did he write but that of the Prophet Earth Earth write these forsaken men The names of the faithfull are not written in earth but in heaveÌ„ He wrot in the earth with the same finger with which he had written the law Thou seest a moâ—e in thy brothers eye and the beame which is in thy owne eye thou seest not Consider also how farre different our synns will appeare vnto vs when God shall lay them before our eyes then now when self love doth blind vs. O the answer of wisedome itself How did he turne them and their thoughts into themselves there to behold what lurked in their owne breast raked vp out of their sight and consideration till he with his omnipotent finger discovered themselves vnto themselves III. And Iesus lifting vp himself sayed to her woman where are they who accused thee Hath no man condemned thee Who sayed no man Lord And Iesus sayed neither will I condemne thee go and synne no more Our Saviour did also condemne the synne but not the person For if he had favoured the synne he would have sayed go live as thou wilt But he sayth I have blotted out that which thou hast committed observe thou that which I have commanded to the end thou mayest find that which I have promised Iesus the light of the world AGaine Iesus spake to them saying I am the light of the world he that followeth me walke not in darkenes but shall have the light of life Our Saviour is the light which made this visible light He was covered with the cloude of his flesh not to
new illustrations from heaven or to have our ancient fâ—rvour conserved and confirmed with what thankfulnes ouâ—ht we to correspond We saw his starre and we came instantly with out delay overcoming all difficulties which might be objected at home or abroad We came from our home commodities into a strange country fâ—om freads to those who might proue vpon the matter enimies vpon no absolute evidence but greatest likely hood Walke while you have light that darkenes overtake you not He that walketh in darkenes knowes not whether he goeth III. Where is he that is born king As if they should have sayed why is the king of the Jewes layed in the manget and no seated in the temple Wherfore doth he not glitter it purpse but Iyes svvathed in clouts And by thier asking these questions of those who are or should be knowing they rebuke thier negligence they cheek thier sloth they blame the Servant that he doth not goe to meete his master c. He is bâ—râ— king of heaven and earth The heavens acknowledge him and wayte vpon him O dulnes of my earthly haâ—â— that is so little dutifull so little respectfull as not to take notice where he is Or not to affoard him a place more befitting him How Herode was trobled at the newes I. KIng Herode hearing this was trobled and all Hierusalem with him and assembling togeather all the chiefe Priests and Scribes of the people he inqâ—ired of them where Christ should be born They are trobled who had most cause to rejoyce Beware of ingratitudâ— least benefitts receaved turne to thy prejudice Beware of passion and prejudicate opinions which blind vs from seeing or detayne vs from acknovvledging that which we cannot but see Bevvare of dissembling For ther 〈◊〉 no counsell against our Lord sayth the Prophetr II. And they sayed in Bethleem Iudaâ— for so it is written by the Prophett And thou Bethleem land of Iuda art not the least among the Princes of Iuda for out of thee shall come forth the Captaine that shall rule my people of Israell How readyly could they point out the place of his birth and yett not stirre to looke after him But if Bethleem be esteemed greate because in it our Saviour was once borâ— how greate may we be in whom he is as it were dayly born in the holy Sacrament Follovv this Captaine and esteeme thyself happy to be ruled by him and to be one of his people O Lord I am thy servant III. Then Herode secretly calling the sages learned diligently of them the time of the starre which appeared to them And sâ—nding them to Bethleem sayd Goe and aske diligently after the child and when you shall have found him make reportâ— to me that I also coming may adore him O blessed Childâ— VVho would not diligently aske after thee VVho would not carefully informe himself of thee that he might from day to day vnderstand more and more that thou art as the Prophett stiles thee admirable God strong Prince of peace Father of the future world Aske earnestly of him what thou wantest he will bestow his gifts as a Father as a Prince as God As a Child Inquire of those who know him best that knovving him more perfectly thou mayest adore him more reverently and serve him more diligently The Sages find and adore our Saviour I. VVHen they had heard the king they departed and behold the starre which they had seen in the East went before them till it came and stood over where the child was VVhile ordinary means doe last God affoardes not extraordinarie when ordinarie faile he supplies by wayes best knowne to himself Behold the reward of constancy and of resolution in overcoming difficulties in contemning humane respects and judgments and feares in continuing the good courses which vpon due consideration we have vndertaken for God II. And seeing the starre they rejoyced with exceeding greate joy and going into the house they found the Child with Marie his Mother Rejoycing exceedingly at the light of the starre how much more did they rejoyce at the light of the Child And what Child in what hovseâ— Behold where thy king is born where this Child is to be found with his Mother whether Iesus is to be followed with the faithfull Kings and shepheards And falling downe they adored him notvvithstanding his sâ—al retinue his poore furniture the small appearance of kingly presence Sonne suffer me to doe with thee what I wil I knovv what is good for thee c. III And opening thier treasures they offered vnto him gifts Gold frankincense and Myrrhe and hoving received an answer in sleepe that they should not returne by Herode they went back into thier country another way Observe what they offered and acknovvledge what they did beleeve by these three his divinitie his royaltie his mortalitie are infinuared Open thy hart and see what treasure thou there hast layed vp to offer Is thy treasure Advisednes Is thy treasure Chastitie Is thy treasure a desire aud inclination to pray to overcome thy passions to mortifie thy sensualitie Offer at least thy â—art and soule to receave what he shall please to bestovv on thee or to take from thee what may be displeasing to him If thou hast no gold offer the bitternes of thy teares and in all thy distresses and doubts have recourse to God that thou may est be directed and strengthened in the right way to thy heavenly Country How many dangers hast thou escaped by his suggestion Into how many good wayes hast thou been put c. Returne not by the wayes of the wicked world least they be occasion that this child be taken from thee or misused The Purification of the Blessed Virgen I. AFter the dayes of her purification were fully ended according to the law of Mâ—yses they caryed him vp to Hierusalem to present him to our Lord as it is written in the law of our Lord Every male c. Here be no excuses no supposalls of exemption no declining the law though novv dravving to an end but the time and houte being come they obey though she à Virgen and he aboue the law Let our strength therfore be according to the counsell of the Wise man the law of Iustice that is to fullfill it not to endeavour to make it voyde or to decline it II. Consider what a Kind of present this was from the hands of the Blessed Virgen and her Sonne to God his Father How worthy How gratefull How compleate Then as to ourselves how greedily should we attend how cheerefully welcome and make vse of the houte in which we might present ourselves to God in prayer Enter into the Interiour of the Blessed Virgen S. Ioseph and the Child Iesus and behold with what disposition they present themselves and him It is a happy law vvhich ordereth every thing so as we may securely expect till the day and houre and moment come about
And it hath been the drift of those saincts who have practised the retayning of the presence of God continually in thier thoughts doing whatever they doe as in his sight with affections to please him in what they can that is ever to doe his will in all things endeavoring to imitate our Saviour in that which he sayed He that sent me is with me and hath not left me alone because the things that please him I doe allwayes say therfore which the wiseman Entring into my house that is into the Closet of my hart and secretest retyrement I will rest with him for in the conversation with him there is no bitternes nor tediousnes in living with him but joy and gladnes Say with the Psalmist one thing aboue all others have I asked of our Lord this will I againe and againe seeke after that I may dwell in the house of our Lord all the daxâ—â— of my life that I may behold the pleasure the delight the sweetnes the beauty of my God Blessed sisters Martha and Mariâ— the one diligent in serving our Saviour the other attentive to heare his words both happy in his loving presence who can expresse the delight and benefit which you reaped by so desirefull a conversation for if by conversing with men we come to knovv them why should we not by conversing with God increase in his knovvledge and consequently in his love for in him there is no danger of discovering imperfection as too too often it happeneth in men How we are to imitate the height of the love of God II. PART I. OVr Saviour vpon his parting with his disciples before his passion gave them command to love one another and styled it anew commandment because thier love was to have the exâ—â—llencies of his love I give you a new commandment that you love one another as I have loved you VVe must therfore love our neighbour before he love vs as hath been sayed yea though it were impossible for him to love vs we must love him though he be vngratefull vnthankfull maliâ—ious tovvards vs we must love him though never so poore and vnable ever to requite our love and this not in words only or bare affection but with reall deeds and services according to our abilitie and ready for more then our abilitie seems able to reach vnto and as the Apostle adviseth we must not be overcome by any evill â—urne but overcome evill with good heaping coles of charitie vpon his head vnquencheable by whatever misdesert II. If we cast our eyes vpon our Saviour we shall moreover see that he was so farre from sparing himself in any thing for vs that he debarred his humane nature from that happines which was from the first instant of his conception due vnto it to the end to suffer for our sakes what is it then for vs to barr ourselves of the contentments of this world for the service of our neighbour S. Ignatius Founder of the Societie of Iesus left a president in this nature above the ordinarie strayne for discoursing of an offer which might be made of dying presently and going directly to heaven to inioy God for ever or of staying still in this world to doe him more service in the way in which he was he sayed that of the tvvo he would choose to stay though vncertain as he was of â—aluation if he might be sure to doe God any whit the more service not doubting but God would have care he should not periâ—h Here certaynly self love was not called to counsell nor slothfull pusillanimitie but perfect love and a true value of that which God deserveth at our hands had taken full possession of that vertuous and loving haâ—t causing him to prefert the service of God before whatever concerned himself though never so important III. The like doth happen in other saints who are so wholy absorpt in the desire and indeavour of helping thier neighbour for God that they wholy forget themselves and live and labour as if they had not bodyes as other men or as if the common infirmities did not worke vpon them such was S. Francis Xavier who passed neither for heate nor cold nor fayre nor foule weather nor stormes at sea nor dangers at land but all was sweete vnto him through the vehemency and sweetnes of his love in so much that he rather desired more and more to suffer that he might be more conformable to his Saviour who had suffered for him IV. O love which in my Saviour weâ—t more strong then death place thyself as a soale or marke vpon my hart that beholding thee I may never forget my dutie to God and to my neighbour for God place thyself as a badgâ— vpon my arme that all my works may carry a resemblancâ— of his love O that thou wert in me as strong as death which overcometh all things high and lovv rich and poore mightie and infirme beautifull and hard favoured noble and ignoble O that thou wert as fast holding as the very gate of Hell which keepeth its prisoners eternally captive Happy were this eternall captivitie for me for though to those who measure all things by sense and â—emporall contentment it would seeme hard indeed to be so toyled as the saints of God have been and a kind of Hell vnto them for those who knovv what it is to love and serve God it is a sweete captivitie and the harder we are held by love the easyer we shall beare the burdens of this life for even in this it is most true that nothing is hard to him that loveth The depth of the love of God I. PART I. THe depth of the love of God appeareth first in that when he had choosen to save vs by means of his eternall Sonne being made man for our sake and the life of that man might have been ordered severall wayes for our benefit he choose the most abiect way of living and the most paynefull and ignominious way of dying to be born of poore parents in an obscure cottage persecuted from his cradle and in the height of his preaching to be circumvented condemned as blasphemer whipped and scourged as a slave crovvned in scorne as an vsurper and crucified betvvixt tvvo theeves as a notorious malefactour This to the Iewes who expected thier messias to be glorious in a worldly way was a scandall and by the Gentills and worldly wise to this day is accounted folly The sensuall man sayth the Apostle perceiveth not the things which are of the spirit of God for its foolishnes to him and be cannot vnderstand because it is spiritually to be examined II. The depth of his love appeareth secondly in the vnsearcheablenes of it in that having vouchsafed to be the scorne of men and outcast of people for our sakes and suffered death for vs and the death of the crosse he would notwithstanding that the finall effect and fruite of all his paynes our eternall saluation
vpon the principles of faith we must incorporate his precepts and his instructions and as S. Paul speaketh put on our Saviour that is his conversation and manner of living Therfore so soone as he was found he gave divers of them other names besides that which they had before simple obedience which Peeters former name might seeme to signifie agreed well with him while he was a subiect but he was to be governour of the whole Church for which much fortitude was necessarie and much solidiâ—ie allwayes ayming at that which is the center of our soules the glorie of God and the exaltation of his holy name acknowledging that of ourselves we are but earth hard to take any good impression and still tending downewards but if Christ say the word that is able to make no lesse change in vs then he did in S. Peeter III. On the morrow he would go into Galilee and he findeth Philip and sayeth vnto him fellow me Philip findeth Natbaâ—ael and sayth him of whome Moyses in the Iaw and the prophets wrot we have found Iesus Sonne of Ioseph of Nazareth Nathanuel sayed from Nazareth can there by any good Philip sayeth vnto him come and see Consider the goodnes of our Saviour in seeking after thee when thou thinkest not of him follow his holy inspirations and indeavour by word and example to incourage others Be not rash iu iudging nor conceited of thyself as if thou didst vnderstand more then others take leasure and consider whether another may not have more reason and more ground be not contentious Contemne no mans Country and descent or occupation God hath his saints in every degree and place see the riches of God in the poorest snakes IV. Iesus saw Nathanael coming to him and sayth of him behold as Israelite in very deed in whome there is no guile Nathanael sayth to him How knowest thou me Iesus answered before Philip did call thee when thou were vnder the fig tree I saw thee O all seeing eye from which nothing is hidden Thou vnderstandest my thoughts a farre of thou foreseest all my wayes there passeth not a word from my tongue which thou doest not know O wonderfull knowledge It is folly for me to indeavour to hide or conceale or dessemble any thing before thee give me grace to serve thee in true simplicitie of hart and converse in the sight of men and Angels with out guilt or fraude for thou wilâ— iudge with equall weights and doe iustice with right proportion and frustrute the hopes grounded vpon lyes and vnder falshood no man shall be protected Nâ—thanati sayed thou art the Sonne of God thou art the king of Israel Iesus answered because I sayed to thee I saw thee vnder the figtree thou beleevest greater then these things thou shalt see yee shall see the heavens opened and the Angels of God ascending and descending upon the Sonne of man They ascend and descend in one and the same man admiring the Maiestie of his divine person and the infirmitie of human nature in both stooping to his service and to his command which they esteeme the greatest honour they can ascend vnto Adore our Saviour as God and as king of the whole vniverse who hath command of life and death humbleth the proude and exalteth the humble he rayseth the needy man from the dust and he lifteth vp the poore from the dung that he may sit with princes and hold the throne of glorie The turning water into wine at the mariage feast I. THe third day there was a mariage in Cana of Galilee and the Mother of Iesus was there and Iesus also was called and his disciples to the mariage And the vvine fayling the Mother of Iesus sayed to him They have no wine He went to the mariage to the end that as he had long before by his soveraigne power ordayned mariage now by his blessed presence he might sanctifie it But S. Ihon Chrisostome puts vs vpon another consideration and sayth thus If you think good let vs set before our eyes two houses one of those who are marying and at a mariage feast another of such as are in mourning and affliction let vs enter them one after the other by our consideration and see which is the better And the wine fayling this is what we may be sure of in all iolities of the world they cannot â—aste and how soone doe such comforts fayle how often doe they breed discomfort and disastres even whyle we are inioying them A discomfort so much the greater because most commonly they trench vpon that which alone is a continuall banket to wit a good Conscience and a quiet mind These found in thier necessitie the favourable intercession of the Mother of God if they had not been in want they would not have thought him so much as a considerable person being invited as it seemes more for his Mothers sake then for his owne II. Iesus sayth to her what is it to me and thee woman my houre is not yet come His Mother sayth to the wayters whatever he shall say to yee doe yee It is apparent by his Mothers instant and confident words to the servants that our Saviours answer was no check but only that he would expresse that it was a thing not belonging to him nor to her to take care of supplying such temporall wants or rather superfluities not to him because he came to relieve the spirituall necessities and not properly for any temporall occasion not to her because she was there as a stranger and guest yet she moved him in it though otherwise he did not intend to manifest himself in that occasion because she vnderstood it was his pleasure to condescend to her motion which was also very modest only mentioning the want and sayed whatever he shall say be sure to doe it for you will see a comfortable effect III. And there were six water-pitchers of stone standing according to the purification of the Iewes holding every one two or three measures Iesus sayth to them fill the pitchers with water and they filled them vp to the top and Iesus sayed to them fill out now and carie it to the chiefe steward and they caried it The ceremoniall Ievves vnlesse they ofren vvash thier hands they doe not eate holding the tradition of the Ancients our Saviour made vse of this custome the stone pitchers standing in the roome for that purpose He caused them to be filled vp to the top with water and to be filled our presently that there might be no place to say there was some thing mingled with it or some thing done which required time The same intellectuall word changing instantly the water into wine which in an instant created heaven and earth in the beginning It behoveth vs notwithstanding at leasure to consider who it is that at his pleasure changeth water into wine and wine into water and hath all things at command to the end no body should be
so rechlesse as not to be wholy depending vpon him and wholy at his beck The meditation of the Blessed Virgin the prompt obedience of the wayters but chieflly the glory of God which he only sought did cooperate to this wonder These are the means by which the waters of affliction are turned into wine of comfort and that to them who love God all things doe cooperate to good After the chiefe steward had tasted the water made wine and knew not whence it was but the servants knew that had drawne the water the chiefe steward calleth the bridgroome and sayth to him every man first setteth the good wine and when they have welldrunk then that which is worse but thou hast keept the good wine till now The ioyes of this world begin with defect and want faling short of our expectation and end with greater deceite how many favours doe we receive from God and know not of them chiefely perhaps because we seldome reflect vpon them or doe not looke about vs sufficiently if we had once well â—asted of the wine which our Saviour presents vs we should easyly esteeme all other meane and vnworthy to be rasted His wine lasteth for Eternitie If it were wonderfull to turne water into wine much more is it turne synners into saints and that things which to the world are insiped and cold and dead should be restored to heate and colour and life and tast The Apostles beleeved vpon that one signe we having received so many wonderfull benefits shall we not beleeve Applications of the former Meditations to Blessed Sacrament I. THe Ancient Patriarches in the words of the prophet Esay did with much devorion begge that the heavens would send downe thier dew from above and the clouds raine downs the Iust that the earth vvould open and bring forth a Saviour But here the heavens are allvvayes open for vs to behold the beloved Sonne who sits at the right hand of his Father and in vâ—home he it vvellpleased coming dayly downe in the holy Sacrifice in no lesse humble and meeke manner then when he came to be baptized ô that we had the eyes of S. Ihon to see his inward perfections and worth and glorie How should we cover our faces with the Seraphins And say thou comest to me Thou the eternall sonne of God Creatour and Lord of all things thou the beloved of the Angels Thou in vvhome is all hope of life and strength and pleasure vouchsafest to come thus to me most miserable creatute I have greate reason not only to suffer it now but with all the strength of my soule and body to desire it and to labour to fullfill all justice that I may not be altogether vnworthy but thou ô infinite goodnes infinite mercy infinite compassion and love I have not words to expresse what I thinke nor thoughts to equall thy deserts come notwithstanding sweet Jesus and be a Saviour to me II. O bread of life it is not corporall food that can mayntaine me to eternitie nor all that the world can present though I should be master of all the kingdomes of the vvorld thou alone art the sustenance that must maintaine vs to those long dayes I that am made of earth can hardly think of any thing but of earth aÌ„d earthly commodities thou comest from heaven and vvhat thou hast seen to that thou doest invite vs. Come eate of my bread and drink of the vvine vvhich I have mingled for yee Thy bread is thyself having in thee all that can delight and the svveetnes of every thing that is spvorie thy vvine is thy sacred blood which thou hast thus mercifully and admirably mingled with the outward shape of wine that as it is most comfortable to our soules it should not be distastfull to our bodyes this bread will never feyle vs as Sauls did in his iourney nor this wine as in the mariage feast but the more greedyly we feed the more plenty we shall have of the fruits and effects of it Fill your eyes with teares of sorrow and love and poure out your hart to him for even these he will turne to your eternall comfort and fill them againe with his graces Amen III. Come often and see where he dwelleth how poorely he is content to be lodged for thy sake looke into the Churches where be remayns day and night for thee all that is there is not devotion God wor all is not revetence and respect all is not cleanlynes and decencie and yet he doth not avoyde the roome looke into the soules of the attendance and chiefly into thy owne even when he is received into thy inward roomes how are they swept How are they hung How are they furnished for him and yet he hath patience O blessed Master have mercy on thy Servant give me understanding and teach me thy iustifications I am thy servant that I may know thy testimonies It is time of doing o Lord for they have made voyde thy law Therfore have I loved thy commands above gold and pretious stone c. They who did trafick in the Temple are cast forth I. THe Passeover of the â—ewes was at hand and Iesus went vp the Hierusalem and he found 〈◊〉 the Temple them that sold oxen and sheep and doves and the bankers sitting and when he had made as it were a whip of little cord he cast them all out of the temple the sheep also and the oxen and the money of the banker 〈◊〉 poured ouâ— and the tables he overthrew and to them that sold doves he saved take away these hence and make not the house of my Father a house of marchandise Our Saviour duly kept the feast appointed but it was no smale griefe vnto him to see so little respect to that place which being the house of God should be the house of prayer as he sayed in another such occasion Here he thought fitting moreover to shew his zeale and his power But S. Paulinus recals vs home to ourselves and telleth vs that it is for vs convenient that our Lord Jesus would often visit the temple of our hart with the whip of his holy feare least our soule be possest withsome kind of â—vaâ—ice or the slownes and dullnes of oxen retarde our senses or that we set our owne innocencie or the divine graces to sale c. This is a good zeale to imitate And also as S. Bede advertizeth that seeing he shewed so much zeale in behalfe of that Temple in which such sacrifices of oxen and sheep were offered much rather should we shew zeale where the body of our Lord is consecrated where there is no doubt but that the Angels be allwayes present II. He made at it were a whip of little cord The punishments of this life are but as it were a whip in comparison of the torments of the life to come both in respect of the grievousnes of them and of the continuance Yet seeing
this time forvvard thou shalt be taking men and having brought thier ship to land leaving all things they follovved him Miserable creatures who fall out of the net in which our Saâ—iour hath taken them more miserable those who teare it Happy they who are called and imployed to assist that it be not torne They will be filled with heavenly graces and though they be often ready in a manner to sink vnder the burden they will be relieved in time so that they shall suffer no prejudice Fall downe before our Saviour with admiration and thanks and acknowledgment of thy vnworthynes Peeter doth not aske to be forfaken but that he may not with the successe be puffed vp with pride Leave all things rather then leave thy Saviour c. Second Application to the most blessed Sacrament I. OSonne of the highest o depth of mercy and love I a synfull man and thou not only to receive me into thy ship but into thyself for so are thy words he that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood remayneth in me and I in him O deepth vnsearcheable the life of the fish is to be in water it thinks it death to be in the net and struggles to get out But here is a net out of which no man that is wise will be because the more he is in it the more water he hath and the more scope to doe whatever is fitting to be done His precious wounds are as so many messhes which captivate vs to Christ yet doe let in vnto vs the fountaines of living vvater promised to the devout Samaritan fresh sweete pleasant springing vp to life everlasting in which we may live and drink when ever we will Lord give me the right tast of this vvater that I may not go other where and thirst when I have done I am not worthy to approch vnto thee because I am a synfull man but thou hast ordayned this sea of vvater to the end that plunged in it we should both be cleansed and refreshed and live eternally in thee O that we did knovv how greate a gift this is fall dovvne at his knees and aske he is not sparing of his gifts who so freely and bountifully giveth his owne self vnto thee II. O prodigious bounty O wonderfull dulnes of such as hearing and knowing that Iesus comes thus dovvne from heaven for our reliefe doe not make hast vnto him How insensible are we of our dangers and our diseases we have but one soule which ought to be more deere vnto vs the any Sonne to his father it lyeth gasping oftimes for life and here is life which offereth itself and we are slow in accepting it VVhen a sick person begins to have no heate in his fecte we say he begins to die what are the feete of our soule but our affections If these be not warmed with this fire of love which is our Saviour what can we thinke of ourselves Lord come dovvne before my soule dye O stupiditie of mankind can this Lord of Lords come dovvne lower then he hath done he came into a Virgins wombe into the Crib vnto the Crosse into the jawes of death and yet here he comes lower then in all these into thy bosome into thy breast Go and beleeve and obey readyly his commands and his Angels will meete thee and bring thee the ioyfull tidings of health and thou wilt know that that houre most of all will be the time in which thy feaverish distempers will leave thee III. Be not still asking with Nicodemus in the cold night of thy tepiditie hovv can these things be done But buyld vpon the testimony of our Saviour who speakes vvhat he knovves will be done vpon his word this is my body God so loved the vvorld as to give his only Sonne this sonne hath no lesse love to the world then his father He giveth himself and is dayly giving in this admirable manner noâ— contenting himself to be once only for three and thirtie yeares and vpward vpon earth he will be with vs to the worlds end really present among vs that after-ages need not envy those yeares of his visible appearance having the selfsame Sonne of God here present vnder these visible shapes more vniversally through the whole world and more for our present vse and necessities Exalt him as Moyses did the serpent in the desert Behold him with a devouâ— and loving eye and he will preserve thee Cast out all earthy conceites and tumultuous busineses from the temple of thy hart and make it as it ought to be specially in this coniuncture of time a house of prayer a house of thanksgiving a house of prayse and of magnifying thy loving Saviour who hath done so greate things for thee and this greatest of all that he vouchsafeth to be within thee O invisible creatour of the world how wonderfully doest thou deale with vs how sweetly and graciously with thy elect offering thyself vnto them to be received in this Sacrament His fervourin preaching and divers cures I. ANd they enter into Capharnaum and forth with vpon the Sabboth going into the Synagog he taught them and they were astonied at his doctrine for he taught as having power and not as the Scribes And there was in the Synnagog a man possessed with a vncleane spirit who cryed out what to vs and to thee Iesus of Nazareth art thou come to destroy vs I know who thou art the holy of God And Iesus threatened him saying hold thy peace and go out of the man And the uncleane spirit tearing him and crying out with a lowde voyce went out and did not hurt him And they all marvelled and questioned among themselves what thing is this What is this new doctrine For with power he commandeth the vncleane spirits and they obey And the bruitâ— of him went forth presently through the whole country we have no lesse reason to admire and rejoyce and magnifie his name and his power which he retaynes over all evill spirits and his wonderfull wholsome doctrine and to begge he will ever exercise the same power over them to restrayne thier malice and over vs by the force and vertue of his doctrine to over-power all that may contradict it in vs for we find a law within vs striving against the law of our mind which is reason and vertue and captivating vs vnder the law of synne vnhappy that we are who shall deliver vs But the grace of God by Iesus Christ. This law as it were teareth vs in peeces yet doth not hurt vs vnlesse we voluntarily consent vnto it for it is left in vs not to damnation but for exercise and reward if we fight couragiously II. Going forth of the Synagog they came into the house of Andrew and Simon Simons wifes Mother lay sick of a greate fever and they besought him for her and taking her by the hand he commanded the fever away and it left her and she presently rising ministred vnto them
beware of those synnes which we have lately confessed begging assistance to avoyde them Thirdly we must indeavouâ— to increase in the knowledge and love and respect to our Saviour For the man before â—e presented himself this second time knew him not knowing him he proclaymed that it was Iesus who had done that greate miracle vpon him O sweete and mercyfull Iesus how much reverence and thanksgiving with continuall prayse is due vnto thee for the receiving of thy blessed body the dignitie wherof no man is able to explicate The narrow way commanded I. ENter by the narrow gate for broade is the way and large is the gate which leadeth to perditâ—oâ— and many enter by it But narow is the gate and straight is the way which leadeth to life and few there be that find it Blinded by their owne worldly and carnaâ—â— desires which they choose rather to follow and because they are pleasing to sence the way they walke in seemes large and pleasant but in fine it leads them to eternall perdition and they are hardly recoverable in this world when they are once entred because it is harder to leave the wayes of the world when one hath once pleased himself in them then if he never rasted them yet we must not think that the gate aÌ„d way to life of is so narrow as to be allwayes irksome but as S. Gregorie advertizeth The way of God to beginners is narrow to those who are perfect it is broade for the narrowest gate is widened by love and when a man considers that for temporall commodâ—ties forsaken he is to receive eternall ioy he begins to love that which otherwise would afflict him II. Not every one that sayth vnto me Lord Lord shall enter into the kingdome of heaven but he that doth the will of my Father which is in heaven he shall enter into the kingdome of heaven For what kind of confession is it so to beleeve in God as not to care what he commandeth or how can we say Lord from our hart if we contemne his precepts whome we acknowledge to be our Lord and Master Our hands therfore must go with our mouth and our works according to our belâ—â—fe for otherwise there will be many that will say in the latter day Lord have we not prophecyed in thy name and in thy name cast out divells and wrought many wonderous things and then I will confesse unto them that I never knew them depart from me you that worke iniquitie III. Every one therfore that heareth these my words and doth them shall be likened to a wise man that built his house vpon a rock And the raine fell and the fluds came and the winds blew and they beate against that house and it fell not for it was built vpon a rock And every one that heareth these my words and doth them not shall be like a foolish man that built his house vpon the sand and the rayne fell and the flouds came and the wind blew and they beate against that house and it fell and the fall therof was great The Rock on which we must build is our Saviour whose only merits doe vphold vs for of outselves we can doe nothing nor pretend any thing in the sight of God towards eternall life His doctrine is the ground of our faith His life is the sampler according to which we must frame ours to the end to be accepted at the later day and to be able in the meane time to withstand al our Ghostly enimies S. Ihon Chrysostome tells vs more over that a strong resolution to go forward in Gods service is the rock on which vnder our Saviour we must build our spirituall building For the other building sayth he was easyly overâ—â—rowne not by the violence of the Temptatations for so the first also might have fallen but by reason of the weakenes of the foundation that is of our resolution Temptation is not the cause of our fall but the vnconstantie of our mind and our want of courage by which oftimes even without any temptation we come to be overthrowne for sand of itself doth yeald but a diamond resisteth the force of the hammer Our Saviour cureth the servant of the Câ—nturion I. ANd he entred Capharnaum and the servant of a certaine Centurion being sicke was ready to dye who was deare vnto him and when he had heard of Iesus he sent vnto him the Ancients of the Iewes desiriug him to come and heale his servant They being come to Iesus besought him earnestly saying he is worthy that thou shouldst doe this for him for he loveth our nation and hath buylâ— a synagog for vs and Iesus went with them The Centurion went not to our Saviour in peâ—son with the strength of faith he went vnto him an Alien by birth by faith pertayning to his household And wheras others had recourse vnto him for divers infirmities this man alone intercedeth for his servant saying within himself this is my servant and I am servant to my Creatour if I doe not take pitty of my servant how shall I expect that my my Creatour will have mercy on me II. And when he was not farre from the house the Centurion sent his frends to him saying Lord troble not thyself for I am not worthy that thou shouldst enter vnder my roofe for the which cause neiâ—her did I think myself worthy to come vnto thee but only say the word and my servant shall be cured For I also am a man subiect to authoritie having solders vnder me And I say to this go and he goeth and to another come and he cometh and to my servant doe this and he doth it Beleeving and professing that as he being in command though a subiect had his servants and soldiers obedient vnto him much more our Saviour being Lord of the whole world could coÌ„mand any creature and it would obey without resistance Be ashamed at thy stownes in doing his commands whome sunne and moone and starres earth and heaven doe obey upon his word He beleeved also that it was not necessarie that our Saviour should so much as see the sick person but that whatever disease he had it would leave him upon his command wherfore though he received him not under his roofe he had him in his harâ— so much the fuller the more humbly he did demeane himself III. And Iesus hearing this message marvelled and turning to the multitude sayed Amen I say to you neither in Israel have I found so greate faith And I say to you many shall come from the East and west and shall sit downe with Abraham and Isaac and Iacob in the Kingdome of heaven but the Children of the Kingdome shall be cast out into the exteriour darknes there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth and he sayed to the CeÌ„turion God as thou hast belâ—ved be it done unto thee and the servant was healed at the same houreâ— The Iewes certanly
resemble the Angels here that they may inioy thier heavenly companie III. For from the dayes of Ihon the Baptist till now the kingdome of heaven suffereth violence and the violent beare it away That is you must not think that the kingdome of heaven is to be gotten by lazynes and remissenes it is a kingdome and it is the kingdome of heaven deserving farre more then any earthly kingdome And they are as violently opposed who fight for it as are any forraine armies assalting any Princes dominions It is a Kingdome and our Kingdome if we suffer ourselves to be thrust out of it we are eternally miserable vnlesse by force we regaine it It is greater paines to resiste our vices and passions then to sweate at any corporall labour The conversion of the Magdalen I. ONe of the Pharisees desired him to eate with him and behold a woman that was in the citty a synner as she knew that he was sit downe in the Pharisees house brought an alabaster box of oyniment and standing behind at his feete with teares she began to water his feete anâ— wiped theÌ„ with the hayres of her head and kissed his feete and anoynted theÌ„ with the oyniment She had entred deepely into consideration of what she had done and would put no stint to what she was to doe she was greately confounded wâ—thin herself therfore she did not valve the confusâ—oÌ„ which might come vpon her from abroad of the things which had been instrument of her delights she offered holocausts to God for remission of her synnes She kept behind our Saviour as not daring to appeare before that mirrour of perfection till she were cleansed she lay at his feete as more worthy to be troden vpon as dirt then regarded or looked after she bathed them with her teares that from thence they might receive vertue to cooperate to the washing away her synnes and cleare those eyes which had been so often soyled with obiects not befitting them she imployed the hayre of her head as a towell more to pur a new tincture vpon her hayre and to wash away the ordure it had contracted then that our Saviours feete needed it and sayed with in her hart ô Lord. my iniquities have been multiplyed above the number of the hayres of my head pardon my offences and receive this sacrifice of myself in an adoure of sweetnes but this sweetnes must come from thee for not all the oyntments the world can bestow aâ—e able to take away the stenche of one of my vggly syns O how loathsome are they to me but haue thou pitty vpon me Amen II. The Pharisee who had invited him seeing it sayed within himself This man if he were a Prophet would know who and what mâ—nner of woman she is who toucheth him that she is a synner Iesus sayed to him Simon I have somewhat to say to thee And he sayed Master say A certaine Creditour had two debters one did owe five hundred pence the other fiftie They not having wherwith to pay he forgave both VVhether of them doth love him more Simon sayed I suppose be whome he forgave more And be sayed to him thou hast iudged rightly From the rash iudgment of the man concerning himself and the woman our Saviour taking no notice outwardly of it gives him an instruction which concerns vs all That we are all debters to God and that it behoveth every one to looke into his accounts for to reckon vp others falts will avayle him no thing but bring him at last to confusion when his falte shall be represented vnto him in a different looking glasse then he hath framed to himself And be they little or be they greate we are not able to satisfie but must have recourse to the mercy of our Creditour to forgive vs now as to the question who loveth more S. Augustin answereth rightly O Pharisee therfore thou lovest little because thou thinkest that little is forgiven thee nor that it is little but thou doest think it little And thou who ever thou best who sayest thou hast not offended much tell me why And by whose helpe hath it happened III. And turning to the woman he sayed doest thou see this woman I entred thy house water to my feete thou didst not give me she with teares hath bathed my feete and with her hayre hath wiped them Kisse thou gavest me not she since I came in hath not ceased to kisse my feete with oyle thou didst not â—noynt my head she with oyntment hath annoynted my feete For the which I say vnto thee many syns are forgiven her because she hath loved much to whome lesse is forgiven he loveth lesse And he sayed vnto her thy syns are forgiven thee and againe thy faith bath the made sufe go in peace Follow the advise of our Saviour looke attentively vpon this woman see her diligence in applying herself vnto him for that which did most import her see her perseverance not ceasing to kisse his feete her noblenes in bestowing what was best vpon him The Pharâ—see did not annoint our Saviours head he did not beleeve he was God she even in the infirmitie of his humanitie beleeved it and therfore had recourse for forgivenes of her syns Before she knew they were forgiven she loved much how much afterward being loth to leave her hold even vpon the second saying of our Saviour Hold thyself by â—esus living and dying He casts out the dumbe divell and gives divers wholsome instructions I. HE was casting out a divell and it was dumbe and when he had cast out the divell the dumbe spake and the multitude marveled and sayed is not this the Soâ—ne of Davidâ— How many wayes are we dumbe to our prejudice We conceale our falts when according to the eouncell of the holy Ghost we should be the first to revcale them that we might be justified in the sight of God by humble confession we are forward to speake of other folkes falts and silent in occasions of thieâ— commendation forward to hold impertinent discourses flow in speaking of things profitable to ourselves and others Such were the Phaâ—isees and thier associates who seeing this miracle sayed In Beelzebub the Prince of the divells he casteth out divells and others tempting him asked of him a signe from heaven As if they might not have found matter of prayse and commendation as well as the multitude but thier â—ares were 〈◊〉 and thier tongues tied from that which was behooufull and open to all kind of wicked suggestions Begge our Saviours assistance against these pestiferous diseases II. He seeing thier thoughts sayed vnto them Evâ—ry kingdome devided against it self will be brought to desolation and house vpon house will fall If satan be devided against himself how shall his kingdome stand And if I in Beelzâ—bub cast out divels your children in whome doe thy cast them out therfore they shall be your iudges But if I in the finger of God doe
cast out divells surely the kingdome of God is come vpon you Beware of dissension the mischiefe which comes of it is too apparent Beware of censuring other-folks actions or words and construing them to the worst most commonly they condemne themselves as one time or other guiltie of the same Imitate our Saviour who is still doing good to these who shew themselves thus vngratefull for it is a signe that we pertayne to the kingdome of God who makes his Sunne to shine over the good and the bad and rayneth vpon the just and vnjust III. When an vncleane spirit departs out of à man â—e wandereth through places without water seeking rest and not finding he sayth I will returne into my house whence I departed and he findeth it swept and trimmed but vacant then he taketh seaven other spirits worse then himself and entring in they dwell there and the last of that man becomes worse then the first S. Augustin sayeth that they are signified in this parable who beleeving in Christ and imbracing his doctrine shrinke afterwards in the performance of it overcome with thier too much inclination to case and pleasure for though at first they resolved to overcome it yet missing afterwards of those remporall delights to which they were too much affected they fall to them more greedily then before and are vtterly lost in them Begge of our Saviour the seaven gifts of the holy Ghost contrarie to the seaven wicked spirits which labour to prossesse vs. To witt true wisdome ioyned with profound humilitie cleare light of the vnderstanding with out too much adhering to our owne conceit easynes not only to take advise but also to follow it fortitude even in those things which are not all togeather to our liking if otherwise sitting or commanded to be done knowledge without of tentation true pietie and devotion with our all kind of dissembling and the true feare of God not to be overcome with the falsly stiled freedome which endeavours to vndermine it Veni Sanâ—te Spiritus The fist application to the most Blessed Sacrament I. THe Magdalen the Centurion and the Widdow of Naim gives as an ample subiect wherwith to interrayne our Saviour at the holy Communion with teares of repentance for our manifold offences with humble acknowledgment of our greate vnworthynes to be visited by such a guest and with ioy at the raysing of our soule from 〈◊〉 to life by the powerfull mercy of our Saviour taking â—ompassion of vs when we were caryed away by our disordered desires to our vtter ruine Prostrate thyself at thy Saviours feeâ—e with the one begging pardon and washing with reares the aspersions which thou hast cast vpon them by thy disorder Retire thyself with the other into the bosome of thy owne nothing by nature and worse then nothing by synne and be ashamed to approch yet not soe but that with the third thou mayest rayse thyself to confidence seeing he is pleased to meete thee and to stretch his loving hand towards thee to be received by thee II. But we must not rest in affections only we must bestow vpon him the oyntments which he desireth resolutions to imbrace the narrow way by him commended For not every one that sayth Lord Lord shall enter into the Kingdome of Heaven but he that doth the will of his heavenly Father This resolution we must strengthen by often applying ourselves to this holy Banket and often receiving it For heis our strength and our refuge â—â—d in him is all our hope See how he gives sight to the blind hearing to the dease Speech to the dumbe life to the dead how he refuseth not the poorest snake that is but gives â—free accesse and comfort to every body that is willing to be holpen by him And be not scandalized in him thinking that he makes himself too cheape or that it is better to foxbeare for if he be willing to afford vs this comfort and this honour as certainly he is it were rather a discourresie to shrink back and as it were to forbid his coming to vs. For neither did the Centurion so but presenting himself vnto him expressed only his firme beleese that in absence also he could cure his servant III. When thou hast received take heed of instantly turning to other thoughts vnlesse some absolut necessarie busines come vpon thee but give him some time of loving intertaynement least he that is cast out watching his opportunitie finding the house trimmed but vacant and emptie of any good imployment or thought strive to come in againe and for our ingratitude we find lesse devotion if not some thing worse happen vnto vs. Imploy thyself in his prayses as he did in S. Jhons when his disciples were returned say vnto thyself what a Guest have I received into my house A Prophet an Angell No the inlightner of Propheâ—s and the Lord of Angels in whose prelence-they stand with reverent respect singing Holy Holy Holy the Lord of hosts full is heaven and earth of thy glorie aÌ„d Maiestie Thee The glorious quire of the Apostles The multitude of Prophets The glitering armiers of blessed Marryrs The whole Catholick Church spead through the world doe prayse and glorisie and consesse to be thier God thier redeemer thier glorifier The parable of the seed I. VVHen a grâ—â—te multitude assembled and hastened out of the citties to him be sayed by a similitude the sower went forth to sow his seed and in sowing some fell by the way side and was troden vpon and the fowles of the ayre did eate it Othersome fell vpon the rocke and being shot vp it withered because it had not meisture Othersome fell among thornes and the thornes growing vp with it choked it Othersome fell upon good groâ—â—d and being shot vp yealded fruit an hundred fold The sower is the most Blessed Trinitie the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost the blessed Angels the holy Apostles and Prophets in thier doctriâ—e preached and written for vs. The seed is every good thought every good motion stirring vs to that which is our dutie towards God towards our neighbour and ourselves Every good thought that is given and every perfect gift is from heaven descending from the Father of lights It behooveth vs to think how we receive them not to be vngratefull to the gratious giver and prerudiciall to ourselves God is bountifull to all and vpon every mans haâ—â— he soweth his seed it belongs to man to prepare his souâ— by the selfsame graces and to render it â—upple and plyable by cooperating with them for we are not by 〈◊〉 tute rocks but by our owne willfull hardening our harts nor are we necessitated to lye by the high way side where every one is apt to tread vpon vs nor bred so among thoâ—nes that we cannot avoyde them II. In the explication of this similitude our Saviour tells vs that the birds of the ayre signifie the evill spirits who while we
Our glorie must be in our hope of heaven and that by Gods goodnes we are in a way towards it all other thingâ—â—vayle vs little but as these are accoÌ„panied with humilitie and other vertues Whosoever rejoyceth in that which another hath not by his very abundaÌ„ce he becometh the worse because his joy is noâ— of the common good but of his private interest III. In that very houre he rejoyced in spirit and sayed I confesse to thee Father Lord of heaven and earth because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent and hast revealed them to little ones and turning to his disciples he sayed Blessed are the eyes that see the things that you see for I say vnto you many prophets and Kings desired to see those things which you see and saw them not and to heare the things that you heare and heard them not Our Saviour rejoyced not at the synne of those by whose falt and presuming to be wise these things were hidden from them but at the goodnes of his heavenly Father who did not disdayne to reveale thâ—Ì„ to those who in the world were coÌ„teÌ„ptible And what are these things But that by humilitie and by suffering we must go to glorie and that in this is the happines of this life not in the wealth and honour and pleasurs which men so much hunt after and think themselves only then happy when they injoy them at will and miserable whenever they are bereaved of any of them Blessed are the eyes which see these things in our Saviours life and doctrine now as well as when the Apostles saw him vpon earth Many Prophets and Kings before our Saviours coming desired to see and heare them we have the same blessing according to his owne saying to S. Thomas Blessed are they that have not seen and doe beleeve The ninth Application to the most Blessed Sacrament I. HEre we are to admire the goodnes of God and of our Blessed Saviour towards vs who notwithstanding that we are so imperfect and all the good we do if we do any so much mingled with things distastfull to him that we deserve to be kept aloofe of as the lepers and oftimes perhaps to be shutout of the citty of heaven for greater offenses yet vpon our crying to him for mercy and shewing ourselves to the Priests in the Sacrament of confession he admitteth vs so familiarly to his holy table O with what gratitude should we magnifie him for so great mercy and love with what humilitie should we cast ourselves vpon our faces before his feetâ— giving thanks and purposing to be perpetually mindfull of so greate a benefit But where are our thoughs oftimes eveÌ„ when we should most attend Our repeditie and negligence is much to be lamented and pittyed that we are not drawne with more devotion to receive our Saviour Christ. In whome is all the hope of them that be to be saved and all their merit If one in ten of out thoughts be imployed this way we think it a greate matter wheras our whole atteÌ„dance were indeed nothing in coÌ„parison of that which this greate goodnes of our Saviour deserveth II. Our Saviour to cure the blind man and to give him his sight layed clay vpon his eyes which seemed quite contrarie to the cure we also if we will see the truth of this mysterie must close vp our eyes to humane reason according to that which our Saviour answered the Iewes vpon this occasion for they asking him Are we also blind He sayed to them if you were blind you should not have synne but now you say we see your synne remayneth S. Lewis of FraÌ„ce when his courtiers brought him newes that there was a little child to be seen in the Priests hands as he was lifting vp the sacred host would not stirre to see it but answered that he beleeved the reall preseÌ„ce of our Blessed Saviour vpon better ground then that sight could affoard him He was truly illuminated with the light of faith shutting his eyes to curiositie and opening them to the words of our Saviour who is true light and cannot deceive I am the light of the world He that followeth me walâ—eth not in darkenes however darke the mysteries of faith seeme to be III. And if we reflect vpon the other title which he giues himself of good Pastour In what could he shew his goodnes more then that having once offered that greate oblation of himself vpon the Crosse and given his life for vs he resteth not content with that but dayly would have it offered for vs yea hourely through the whole world for our greater comfort and satisfaction providing that his sheepe may never want so fertill a pasture but vpoÌ„ all occasioÌ„s may haue such celestiall food at haÌ„d See how they who record the passioÌ„ aÌ„d sufferings of our Saviour in time of the holy sacrifice drinking of the spirituall fountains springing from that â—orrent of love doe delight themselves with sweete teares above all delicacies And how much sweetenes they do suck into their soules inquiring and consâ—dering where their God is Certainly this one word and this one consideration that God is so neere them not only as to the whole world but in this particular familiar and constant way is able to melt the hart of any loving soule and abundantly to fill it with all delight â—â—This good Pastour giverth his life for his sheepe in that he delivereth his Body and Blood in this Sacrament and with the substance of his owne flesh doth feed the sheepe which he redeemed The parable of the man wounded in his way to Iericho I. ANd behold a certaine lawyer stood vp tempting him and saying Master by doing of what thing shall I possesse life everlasting He sayed to him in the law what is written How readest thou He answering sayed Thou shalt love thy Lord thy God with thy whole hart and with thy whole soule and with all strength and with all thy mind And they neigbour as thyself And he sayed to him thou hast answered right doe this and thou shall live How many doe say would to God I knew the direct way how to be saved or how to overcome my passions And having it before their eyes they heed it noâ— the weake resolution or difficultie which they have about forsaking either their will or their companie or their wonted steps blinding them life everlasting when they think of it is a greate attractive and deservedly but whether they perswade themselves thoroughly that it deserves so much paines as they conceive is to be taken that is the question and yet as this man confesseth the way is love which makes all things in the world easy for vnlesse worldly people did love their employments they would find no lesse difficultie in serving the world then they apprehend in serving God Love God and they neigbour and nothing will be hard II. But â—e desirous to iâ—stifie himself
consider vvho gave him that plentie and that it comes more by Gods blessing then by humane industrie and labour Secondly he did not reflect vpon the end wherfore God doth bestow plenty vpon others to wit to relieve the needy and to doe works with it which may turne to Gods glorie and not only to rest and eaâ—e and drinke and make good cheare or the like meerely temporall ends O foliâ—h words sayth S. Basill for if thou hadst the soule of a hog what couldst thou have sayed more like a hog Thou mights have answered with farre more ease I will feed the hungrie I will imitate Ioseph and relieve a whole countrie He should have takeÌ„ into consideration the casualities of the world and the vncertaintie of his ovvne life vvherby he might have moderated his intemperate affection to his vvealth and provided better for an other vvorld as vvell as for this we have not one night certaine of either life or goods Thou foole this night vvhen thou doest little think they vvho have povver of life and death shall require at thy hands as a thing depositated for a time thy soule vvhich imports thee more then all thy goods vvhich thou knowest not whose they shall be and vvhen thou art gone neither thou vvilt care vvhose they are nor they vvho have them care for thee III. So is he who layeth vp treasure to himself and is not rich to Godward A generall saying of vvhich every body shoâ—ld take notice least vvhile he seemes vvise to himself God call him foole and prove him so All our thoughts all our actions all our endeavours in what kind soe ever must have a tincture of Gods service and be done in some measure for him or els vvhile vve think ourselves rich we shall prove poore as he in the Apocalips vve are not forbiden to lay vp treasure but vve must looke â—o vvhat purpose vve lay it vp least insteed of advantaging vs it prove our ruine as it doth to most men who have no other end but themselves The tenth Application to the most Blessed Sacrament I. IN the most blessed Sacrament we have indeed plenty of fruite not produced by our owne industrie but sent vs from above as the celestiall Manna nor of one yeares growth but dayly growing from the fountaine itself our Blessed Saviour The barnes are our hart which though we have cause to inlarge with love yet vve shall not need to destroy any thing but vvhat is of itself ruinous and by the very ruine wherof we buyld Here we may freely and with out danger say to our soule soule thou hast many goods layed vp in this small roome for many yeares and for thy vvhole life time and after this life for all Eternitie take vp thy rest eate drink and make good cheare for this is the lambe slayne for vs from the beginning of the world This is the fat calfe with which the father of the prodigall child feasted him at his repentant returne This is the hidden Manna promised in the Apocalips to him that overcometh his greedines of worldly commodities and feedeth himself with this This is the food of Angels prepared for vs from heaven without any labour of ours having in it all delight and the savour of all kind of sweetenes O foolish people who either for worldly cares care not for thâ—s treasure or for waÌ„t of due consideration of the benefit of it or of the goodnes of the benefactour doe neglect it wheras after due receiving though that night vnexpectedly they should require our soule we should not need to feare but that we should be eternally his then which happenes what can we desire more II. Give vs this day our dayly bread In the primitive Church when the number of Christians were few but fervent they received dayly S. Hierome sayth of his time I know that in Rome the customâ— is that the faithfull doâ— allwayes receive the body of our Saviour And S. Ambrose argueth If it be our dayly bread why doest thou stay a yeare before thou receivest it as the Graecians in the East are wont Receive that every day which may dayly benefit thee live so as thou mayest deserve to receive dayly Christians being multiplyed and among many many not being so well disposed or so fervent the councell of S. Ignace the Martyr is to be imbraced Endeavour often to meete and Communion for when you meete often the power of Satan is weakened and his firy darts inciting vs to synne fly back vpon him with out indamaging vs. He that eaâ—eth of this bread hungers no more because the grace of this Sacrament is so full and the vnderstanding of it is so satisfactorie that whoever comes to the notice of this abundance having found out the vtmost of all perfection carying Christ about him in his breast and bearing him in his mind sounds forth by word and deed his prayses with greate ioy and is continually singing songs of thanksgiving III. No man can think but that S. Martha and her sister Marie and Lazarus did take exceeding content so oft as our Saviour came to their house and never thought he came too oft but indeavoured ever to be ready to receive him and to be diligent and respectfull at his receiving Martha did not think she did too much when she desired her sister should help her but she thought that both of them could not doc enough she complayned that she was left alone to wayte vpon him let vs looke that our Saviour have not reason to complayne of vs that we doe leave him alone he ministring to vs and we either doo not come to him or whe we have received him doe not attend him Here he presents vs not with a part but with his whole self VVho is there among the faithfull that can make any doubt but that at the instant of the consecration the heavens are opened at the Priests voyce That at that SacrameÌ„t of our Saviour Iesus Christ quires of Angels are present The high and the low are coupled togeather earth and heaven are ioyned visible and invisible are made one thing VVho therfore that is right in his senses will despise or neglect this reverend and dreadfull mysterie The watchfull and diligent servant commended I. LEt your loynes be girded and candles burning in your hands and you like men expecting their Lord when he shall returne from the mariage that when he doth coâ—and knock forthwith they may open vnto him It 〈◊〉 the custome of the Eastren people to go in long garmeÌ„tâ— therfore he bids vs have our loynes girt That we maâ— be free sayth Tertullian from the impediments of a loose life intangling our feete so that we cannot be quick in walking but ready at every step to stumble and burning lights in our hands that is our mind burning with a lively faith and shining with the light of good workes Thus we must expect our
he thought himself vnworthy to behold or to be looked on Heaven had been a long time out of his thoughts he held it too soone to take the boldnes to looke vp to it however he desired it He did reverence it more by humbly looking downe then by lifting his eyes towards it And he knocked his breast doing penance for his synns and confessing them and asking of pardon what wonder is it if vpon acknowledgment he obtayned remission O God be mercy full to me a sinner III. I say vnto you This man went downe into his house justified more then he because every one that exalteth himself shall be humbled and he who humbleth himself shall be exalted This is a document not to judge others easily according to our Saviours rule Iudge not according to the face or outward appearance but iudge iust iudgment vvhich is easyet to doe of ourselves then of others for what doe we know of anothers inward disposition Yea even of ourselves A man knoweth not whether he deserve love or hatred Secondly It is a general rule that humilitie is the only secure way to heaven Every one that exalteth himself shall be humbled And even in ordinarie things a body may observe that after pride comes some fall or disgrace And seeing our Saviour the eternall wisedome of God choose this way to be exalted not so much in regard to himself as for our example and instruction it were a kind of madnes to seeke to be greate in any other vvay or in any other thing then in humilitie It is a greate and rare vertue to doe greate things and not to esteeme thy self greate that the sanctitie which is manifest to all should be hidden from thyself to appeare admirable and to reckon thy self contemptible This I take to be the most admirable vertue of all the rest He must needs be a faithfull servant who suffereth nothing to stick to his fingers of that glorie vvhich though it proceedeth not from him yet passeth through his hands shall I speake to my Lord seeing I am dust and askes If I esteeme myself better behold thou standest against me c. The twelfth Application to the most Blessed Sacrament I. THe lost sheepe sought so carefully the prodigall Child intertayned so lovingly the humble Publican iustified so mercyfully give vs occasion to glorifie our B. Saviour who in the most B. Sacrament laying aside his infinite glorie and leaving it with the quires of Angels comes into our desert here below dayly to seeke vs and moved with compassion comes running towards vs and kisseth vs Quickly put on the best stole thou canst and a ring on thy singer in testimony that eternally thou wilt be his He feasteth thee with the most costly and most sumptuous banket that can be imagined his owne most pretious body and blood his divinitie and humanitie his merits and example and spared not his owne life and labour to provide it for thee O that we could heare the Musick vvhich the Angels make at this feast and behold their dauncing or their reverend behaviour For that at which the Angels tremble and dare not freely behold in regard of the splendour which darts forth of it on that we feed to that we are vnited and made one body and one flesh with Christ let vs make at least what musick we can combining divers acts of vertue to intertayne him say with the Publican and with his humble comportment O God be mercyfull to me a synner say with the prodigall child I am not worthy say with the Psalmist I have sworne and resolved to keepe the judgments of thy justice Say with holy Church O sacrum convivium in quo Christus sumitur II. The elder Brother to the prodigall hearing of the feast would not go in till his Father came out and desired him The Fathers desire must prevayle with vs more then the example of the elder brother and incourage vs not easyly to abstaine from this banket If we desire eternall life let vs willingly runne to receive this blessing and beware that the enimie to hinder vs lay not before vs as a snare some hurtfull scrupulositie It is written sayth he that he that vnwortyhly eareth of this bread eateth judgmeÌ„t to himself and I trying myself find myself vnworthy When therfore shalt thou be worthy When wilt thou present thyself to thy Saviour For if by synning thou be vnworthy and doest not leave to synne for according to the Psalmist who vnderstands his transgressions Thou wilt be wholy deprived of this life-giving Sanctisication Wherfore I beseech the intertayne better thoughts live vertuously and holily and partake of this blessing which beleeve me is a remedie not only against death but against all diseases For Christ our Saviour remayning in vs doth asswage the raging law of Concupiscence strengtheneth devotion quayleth the inordinate motions of our minde III. Lazarus though never so full of sores lying at this rich mans gate will not be refused the croms that fall from this table begging them with true feeling of his povertie and want and true desire of being relieved what are these croms The promise of neverdying He that eateth this bread shall not dye but live for ever The hope of eternitie The remayning in Christ and Christ in him a more intimate participation of his merits a more constant separation from the wicked world and a glorious resurrection What is the bosome of AbrahaÌ„ to the rest which we may finde in our Saviour when we have him in out bosome Would to God by thy presence thou would dest wholy inflame me and change me into thyself that I may be one spirit with thee Our Saviour perswads perfection I. ANd behold one came and sayed to him Good master what good shall I doe that I may have life everlasting who sayth to him what askest thou me of good One is good God but if thou wilt enter into life keepe the commandments He sayed to him which And Iesus sayed thou shalt not murder thou shalt not commit Adulterey thou shalt not steale c. The youngman sayeth to him all these have I kept from my youth what is yet wanting vnto me First he did not reflect that perseverance was yet wanting which no body can promise himself but must be continually indeaâ—ouring to it and praying for it as a gift above all gifts Secondly he did not perhaps sufficiently reflect from whome he had received so much grace as to have kept all the commandments from his youth nor did esteeme of that benefit as he ought Thirdly in our Saviours answer that only God is good we may find both the humilitie of our Saviour referring all the goodnes which was remarkable in him to his heavenly Father without staying his thougs in himself though he were equally good An instruction for ourselves that all good comes from God all vertue all observance all possibilitie of entring vnto life Adore
him and extoll his goodnes and begge of him so much participation of it as he shall please to communicate to thee II. Iâ—sus sayed to him If thou wilt be perfect go sell the things which thou hast and give to the poor and thou shalâ— have treasure in heaven and come follow me and when the yongman heard this word he went away sad for he had many possessions Perfection consisteth in that coniunction with God which we may attayne vnto in this life that is in Charitie and the love of God to which perfection all are bound in some degree so that at least they never preferre my thing in thought word or deed before the love of God and observance of his commandments and to this perfection it seemes this yong man conceived that he had arrived But our Saviour shewed him that there was a higher degree or a more advantagious way to increase perfection and the love of God then he had hitherto thought on If thou wilt be perfect go sell all c. Greate things sayth S. Hierome are allwayes left to the will and free choyce of the hearers they are not commaÌ„ded but counselled The yong man when he asked what good shall I doe Did desire eternall life God was desirous to give it him in perfection but he found his hands full God was ready to give and found not where to place his gift Go and sell and give to the poore place those things in heaven which here on earth doe hinder thee of what art thou affraid Thou shalt not leese them they will be reserved for thee in heaven Thou art affraid to leese thy money and doest thou not feare least thyself perish III. And Iesus sayed to his disciples Amen I say to you that a rich man shall hardly enter into the Kingdome of heaven It is easyer for a Camell or a cable rope to passe through the eye of a needle then for a rich man to enter into the Kingdome of heaven And when they heard this the disciples marvelled very much saying who theÌ„ caÌ„ be saved And Iesus sayed to theÌ„ with meÌ„ this is impossible but with God all things are possible This saying of truth itself is much be to weighed he doth not say a rich man shall not enter though he retaynes his riches but he sayth he shall hardly enter and in the other Evangelists he expresseth it by way of admiration How hardly shall they enter who have mony Esteeming it a miraculous thing and above the course of ordinarie grace without extraordinarie helps To which purpose S. Ambrose sayth whosoever is puffed vp with honour inlarged by his treasures of gold like a beast loden and hampered will not be able to passe through the narrow way of the Kingdome of heaven Yet the advise which S. Augustin gives is greately to be taken heed to that whoever can glorie of povertie must beware of pride least the humble rich men go before them and beware of floth and want of devotion least the devout rich men be perferred and take heed of intemperance least the sober go beyond them what avayleth povertie if thou follow not Christ. The reward of loving all to follow Christ I. THen Peeter answering sayed to him Behold we have left all things and followed thee what therfore shall we have And Iesus sayed to them Amen I say to you that you who have followed me in the regeneration when the Sonne of man shall sit in the seate of his majestie you also shall sit vpon twelve seates iudging the twelue tribes of Israel S. Peeter representing to our Saviour that he and the rest of the Apostles had done that hard thing of which the rich yong man was afraide and sad when it was moved to him our Saviour did not check him nor say thou hast forgotten thy povertie what is that which thou hast left in comparison of the whole world which vpon my promise thou art to receive He leaveth much who leaves not only what he hath but whatever he might desire to have for what poore snake doth not swell with the hope which he hath in this world Who is there that doth not dayly desire to increase that which he hath This desire this greedines is here taken away S. Peeter did also well observe that it was not enough to leave all vnlesse he followed our Saviours vertues and doctrine neither can he indeed be truly sayed to leave all who retaynes so much of sense and self-love as to draw back from the perfect performance of whatever vertue he is inspired vnto for though he leaveth all which he had without he leaveth not that which is with in himself and which is of more importance and more deare into vs then whatever we have without vs. II. The answer of our Saviour doth import that for our leaving all we must not looke for reward in this world but take thankfully whatever doth happen aÌ„d reserve our hopes to the regeneration that is to the next world when rising glorious we shall be regenerated into immortalitie here we must looke for labour there for reward and however though it were reward enough to follow our saviour and to receive so much grace as perfectly to love him yet he promiseth for the honour which we might 〈◊〉 in this world by our wealth and possessions much â—ore honour in the world to come and so much as to 〈◊〉 seated by him not as people who are to give account of their actions and how they have imployed the goods which were lent them but as iudges of others actions and pioceedings VVhat can be more glorious sayth S. Bernard let the sonnes of Pride now iudge and censure at their pleasure let them sit with their kings that king who choose to himself the northen quarter let them be exalted as the cedars of Libanus we shall passe to out throne when they shall not be regarded III. And every one that hath left house or brethren or sisters or Father or Mother or wife or Children or lands for my name-sake shall receive an hundred fold and shall possesse life everlasting Here be promiseth not only a reward in the other life but also in this life as it is expressely in S. Luke which temporall reward though it be not to be looked for yet our Saviour out of his superabundant liberalitie promiseth it and performeth it partly by the inward content and quiet which those find who have left all for him and by the facilitie with which they performe the actes of vertue which deservedly is valved above an hundred fold of temporales partly also he performeth his promise by providing so as seldome or never they want any thing who left all for him but have within themselves all the comfort of assistance which either father or mother or brother or sister or frend or land could have affoorded them in the world And in the meane time from whence-soever this hundred fold doth
arise so it be an hundred fold so it be worth an hundred so it please comfort delight and be to be beloved an hundred times more then other things what madnes is it that men are so slow in leaving a single thing for an hundred fold where is the covetous what is become of the ambitious VVhere are those who trafficke in this world Doth not he in vayne doe evill who might more advantagiously and more plesantly serve God then serve the world Workemen hired into the Vineyard I. THe Kingdome of heaven is like a house holder who 〈◊〉 forth early in the morning to hire workemen into his vâ—â—neyard and having covenanted with the workemen for penny a day be sent them into his vineyard And going forth about the third houre he saw others standing in the market plaâ—â— idle and he sayed to them go you also into the vineyard and 〈◊〉 what shall be iust I will give you And againe he weÌ„t forth about the sixt aÌ„d the ninth houre and did likewise And about the eleventh houre he weÌ„t forth and found others staÌ„ding and he sayth to them what stand you here all the day idle They say to him because no body hath hired vs He sayth to them go you also into the vineyard The vineyard is the Church and every on s soule the market place is the world the workemen the Apostles aÌ„d Apostolicall meÌ„ aÌ„d every one is workemaÌ„ to his owne vineyard wages is promised to the first the second and third to the last nothing is promised but yet if then they do their worke God will not be behind hand with them For any man to say he is not hired is an excuse of the idle God is the greate householder who froÌ„ the beginning of the world to the eÌ„d therof doth not cease to hire vs to doe his worke which is ours also for ours is the benefit if we performe it though however his is the glorie of it VVe have reason to acknowledge his goodnes who in all ages doth admonish vs of our dutie and is not fayling to send helps to instruct vs and to set the worke forward and seeketh our good to the last period of our dayes II. When the evening was come the Lord of the vineyard sayd to his Baylie call the workemen and pay them their hire beginning from the last to the first Therfore when they were come who came about the eleventh houre they received every one a penny But when the first also came they thought that they should receive more and they also received every one a penny and receiving it they murmured against the goodman of the house saying The last have continued one houre and thou hast made them equall to vs who have borne the burden of the day and the heates This largesse seemed to these men iniust but what answer did they receive VVhat instruction was given them The iustice of this distribution was not revealed to them neither were they admitted to view the hidden secret but to the end that they should refrayne from scanning Gods iudgements the goodnes of the mercy-full householder and the power of him that ordayneth all things according to his will was layed before them as if that of the Apostle had been sayed vnto them Who art thou that thou doest answer God III. He answering sayed to one of them frend I doe thee no wrong didst not thou covenant with me for a penny Take that is thyne and go I will also give to this last even as to thee Or is it not lawfull for me to doe what I will Or is thy eye naught because I am good So shall the last be first aÌ„d the first last for many be called but few elect The penny promised to all is life everlasting which is coÌ„mon to all that shall be saved yet in the same life there be degrees of glorie as betwixt starre and starre in the firmament If therfore we be admitted to life everlasting vve can have no wrong it being above any thing we can deserve and they who came later may have equaled the longer time of the former by their fervour and surpassed it we are not good iudges in our owne case it must be left to him who cannot be vniust Our eye cannot arrive to comprehend neither what in goodnes nor what in justice God may doe If we will keepe him our frend let vs not be over curious but apply ourselves to our vvorke and for the rest stand to his mercy which is infinite Many are called Take heed thou differre not to come because thou art assured to receive thy penny when ever thou comest say not to thyself He vvill give every one as much wherfore should I take more paynes VVhat he will give and what he will doe is locked vp in his owne breast Come wheÌ„ thou are called Equall hire is promised all but about the houre of working their is greate question Yong men may say we will come at the eleveÌ„th houre but no body hath promised thee that thou shalt live till the seventh see that thou doest not by differring bereave thyself of that which he otherwise vpon his promise would give thee Few indeed are choosen but those are of the elect who not despising their caller follow him aÌ„d beleeve him for men beleeve not but of their owne free choyce The raysing of Lazarus I. PART 1. THere was a certaine sickman Lazarus of Bethania of the towne of Marie and Martha her sister His sisters therfore sent saying Lord behold He whome thou lovest is sick and Iesus hearing sayed to them This sicknes is not to death but for the glorie of God that the Sonne of God may be glorisied by it And Iesus loved Martha aÌ„d Marie ad Lazarus As he heard therfore that he was sick he taried in the same place 2. dayes The faithfull are diversly tried some by losse of frends others by losse of goods and severall other vexations would to God I could see my flesh infirme and weakened that I lived not in flesh but in the faith of Christ for greater oftimes is grace in infirmitie then in health Sicknes and death are no signes of lesse love but as the sicknes was not to death because death itself was not to death but for the glorie of God so our infirmities are more for the glorie of God then our weake nature will give vs leave to imagin and when God delayeth the restoring vs to health we are so much the more to conforme ourselves by how much we acknowledge that his wisedome is greater and his love by taxying nothing the lesse I whom I love doe rebuke and castise sayth our Saviour in the Apocalips II. Then he sayth to his disciples let vs go into Iewrie againe the disciples say to him Now the Iewes sought to stone thee and goest thon thither againe Iesus answered are not their twelve houres of the day If a man walke in
in his passion when they with the rest fled and durst not in a long time appeare for feare of the Iewes least they should be put to the like sufferings or affronts But in fine remayning his disciples they were to suffet and vpon that account they might deserve to sit at his right hand but it was not our Saviours coÌ„mission or intent to give theÌ„ that seate vpon favour or otherwise with our deserving it according to the diuine ordinatioâ— III. And the ten hearing it were displeased at the two brethren and Iesus calleth them to him and sayth you know that the Princes of the Gentiâ—s over rule them and they who are the greater exercise power against them it shall not be so among you but whoever will be the greater among you let him be your minister and hâ— that will be first among you shall be your servant Even as the Sonne of man is not come to be ministred vnto but to minister and to give his life a redempâ—iâ—on for many A powerfull example for all to imitate and to learne by it to think nothing meane nothing hard that is done in the house of God and to the meanest of his servants or to whomesoever for his sake The very domineering spirit of secular commanders were motive enough to hate it and not to desire to be in the occasion least we should be debauched by it and what slaverie doe people oftimes suffer vnder them Looke vpon soldiers looke vpon tenaÌ„ts looke generally vpon all servaÌ„ts in the world what doe not they vndergoe for a bit of bread or for I know not what hope of fickle preferment and oftimes misse of it The reward of the servaÌ„ts of God is certaine The blind man neere Iericho IT came to passe when he drew nigh to â—ericho a certaine blind man sat by the way begging and hearing the multitude passing by he asked what that should 〈◊〉 And they told him that Iesus of Nazareth passed by According to S. Gregorie they who beleeve not in our Saviour are the blind meÌ„and with reason they are called so in regard of the many errours to which they are subiect and see them not and not enioying the light of heaven no wonder if they continually stumble and fall most miserably full of all iniquitie as the Apostle specifies to the Romans They who beleeve are in the way of salvation but if beleeving they doe not pray they forget they are beggers and no wonder then if they find not reliefe Our Saviour passed by vs sayth S. Augustine when he was borne when he preached when he suffered and dyed for vs. The multitude of good workes and miracles which he did the manifold documents and examples which he gave vs must make vs harken after him both because he is our only redeemer and the only way by which we must come to eternall life and also because in himself he is all goodnes O that Christ crucified would come into our heart How soone and how sufficiently should we be instructed II. And he cryed saying Iesus sonne of David have merâ—yon me And they who went before rebuked him that he should hold his peace But be cryed much more sonne of David have mercy vpon me He was not yet so much inlightened as to beleeve him to be the sonne of God yet so farre as he knew he honoured him more then the proud Pharisees who would not acknowledge in him any further worth then to be sonne of a carpenter They who went before our Saviour and rebuked him for calling vpon him signifie our disordered desires and tumultuous imperfections and vices which will not follow nor obey what our Saviour orders but will themselves be masters and over-rule vs. But we must cry our the more and the lowder for mercy and help They have rounded me sayth the Psalmist like so many bees to sting me and have made a myse as the fire among thornes that my cry should not be heard but our Lord is my strength and my salvation to him I will have the more recourse III. And Iesus standing commanded him to be brought vnto him and when he was come neere he asked him what wilt thou that I 〈◊〉 to thee He sayed Lord that I may see And Iesus sayed vnto him doe thou see Thy faith hath made thee whole And forthwith he saw and followed him magnifying God And aâ—â— the people as they saw it gave prayse to God God is more compassionate then men he heareth our prayers and beareth with our infirmities when they will not and in this we must imitate him and disdaine no man be he never so poore or wretched He asked the blind what wilt thou that I doe to thee VVheÌ„ every one might easyly reflect what he would have but our Saviour doth shew by this that though he knowes our necessities and desires he will have vs manifest them ourselves and repeate them over againe and againe to him aÌ„d multiplie our petition that we may shew that we know our owne necessities for he that ceaseth to pray ceaseth to esteeme himself needy whervpoÌ„ our Saviour by the parable of the iudge taught vs that it behooveth allwayes to pray and not to be weary But S. Bernard vpon this passage maketh another reflection both vpon the mercy of our Lord vouchsafing to aske what his servant will have him to doe to him and vpon the blindnes of the maÌ„ who should have rather answered Lord faâ—re be that from me say thou rather what thou wilt have me doe for so it behooveth me so it becometh thee Zacheus receiveth our Saviour into his house I. ANd entring in he walked through Iericho and behold a man called Zaccheus Prince of the Public aÌ„s aÌ„d rich sought to see Iesus who he was and he could not for the multitude because he was little of stature and running before he went vp into a sycomore tree becaâ—se he was to passe by it The same of our Saviours workes and of the sublimitie of his doctrine spread it self farre and neere yet can we not arrive to vnderstand the thousand part of what he was and is we are too liâ—tle of stature S. Ihon in the conclusion of his Ghospell sayth There are many other thinghs also which Iesus did which if they were written in particular neither the world it self I think were able to containe the bookes that should be written No body can easyly see Iesus sayth S. Ambrose remaining on earth The sycomore tree according to S. Gregorie and S. Bede signifies the wisedome of saints and the crosse of Christ which our world esteemes folly as to suffer patiently the losse of our goods and not to looke greedely after them not to revenge an iniury but to be ready to beare such another wrong whâ— it comes by imbracing this doctrine we come to discover the wisedome of God as it passeth by in this life and there is no other way by
This must be our study and profession in this life to mayntaine the beauty and due proportion of this image which we beare that our vnderstandings and our wills be not blurred with things vnbeseeming God claymes it as his due He hath put his owne stampe vpon vs which can never be razed quite out so long as we have a soule it will be found to be the image of God however it be vsed III. That day the Saducees came to him who say there is no resurrection and asked whose wife shall she be that had seven husbands Iesus sayed to them you erre not knowning the scriptures nor the power of God for in the resurrection neither shall they mary nor be maried but are as the Angles of â—od in heaven And concerning the resurrection have you not heard that of God saying I am the God of Abraham and of Isaac and of Iacob He is not God of the dead but of the living These men had the Scriptures but had not the right vnderstanding of them because in the reading of them they did not take with them the right rule of vnderstanding them which is tradition and humble submission to approved authoritie they also doe erre not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God who condemne in this life those who doe not mary or doe vow virginitie which state notwithstanding being approved by our Saviour himself hath by all ancient Fathers and continuall practise of the Church been esteemed an Angelicall life vpon earth In like manner is prayer to saints a holy practise for they are not to be esteemed as dead but living and knowing much more by the power of God then by nature they could and more powerfull to doe good then ever they were in this life however strange things God was pleased to worke by them even here on earth The greate Commandment I. THe Pharisees hearing that he had put the Saducees to silence came together and one of them a doctour of the law asked him tempting him Master which is the greate commandment in the law Iesus sayed to him Thou shalt love the Lord thy God from thy whole hart and with thy whole soule and with thy whole mind This is the greatest and first commandment It is the first and greatest commandment because first in order of promulgation first in dignitie by reason of the person whom we are commanded to love first also in perfection because love is the chiefe of our passions and placed vpon so noble an object doth greately innoble a soule it is the greatest because it comprehends all other vertues and draweth them after it aÌ„d vpon it dependeth our whole good and salvation and in regard of the greatenes of God and his infinite deserving to be loved it requireth that no part of vs be vacant from being imployed in his love our whole hart and affection our whole soule and invention our whole mind and application must be to his love Iâ— And the second is like to this Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy self On these two commandments dependeth the whole law and Prophets Our Saviour answered the doctour more then he demanded and put him in mind that he was not to aske such questions by way of tempting but doe what the law prescribeth that is doe by others as we would be done by Love thy neighbour as thyself This commandment is like the former because we must love our neighbour also in his degree with our whole hart and soule and mind and not suffer hatred to possesse the least part of vs It is like the first because as we love God for himself so must we love our neighbour not for our owne sakes but for his and for God It is like the first because vpon this as vpon the other depends our salvation and that of S. Jhon is very true He that loveth not his brother whom he seeth God whom he seeth not how can he love III. Then Iesus spake to the multitude and to his disciples saying vpon the Chayre of Moyses have sitten the Scribes and Pharisees all things therfore whatever they shall say vnto you observe yee and doe yee but according to their works doe yee not for they say and doe not To shew vs how truly and how sincerly we are to practise the love of our neighbour by this document he giveth vs to vnderstand that however he misliked the proceeding of the Pharisees and often reprehended them sharpely yet he had care of their honourand authoritie and held with them so farre as was reason He teacheth vs also not to carpe at superiours being men as others and subiect to be misled for in what their authoritie leads them in order to the instruction of others God hath so much providence over every body that he doth particularly assist them besides that every one is more apt to say then to doe well The Pharisees sayeth S. Augustin did that in their life which was their owne but an others that is moyseses chayre did not suffer them to teach what was their owne They benefited many by teaching that which they did not but they would have benefited farre more if they had done what they taught Sonne he that indeavoureth to withdraw himself from obedience withdraweth himself from grace The fifteenth Application to the most Blessed Sacrament I. GEntils desired to see our Saviour S. Philip and S. Andrew were their mediatours and brought them to his sight if we follow the conduct of the Apostle and Apostolicall men teaching what they have received from hand to hand we shall be able to see our Saviour really present in the most Blessed Sacrament and how that graine of wheate comes to die from what it was and to be transsubstantiated into the body of Christ by the powerfull word of our Saviour This is my body This word a multitude of misbeleevers will have to signifie otherwise then it is taken by holy Church but as our Saviour concerning the voyce which came from heaven declared that it was neither thunder nor an Angel that spake but a voyce for our sake so this word by which the Sacrament is perfected he commands should for our sake be spoken in his Church and that done by it which he then did at his last supper in perpetuall remembrance or commemoration of him and of his death for our sake so that as he then did really give his Apostles what he sayed This is my Body so their descendents who are commanded to doe the same thing which he did doe really consecrate and give the same body by vertue of the same words of our Saviour By this the name aÌ„d power and love of our Saviour is glorified to the end of the world For what a poore thing had it been to have left only bread and wine for a memorie of him and of his vnspeakable love in dying for our sakes But leaving himself vnder these shapes and leaving himself so as by the consecration of them
iniquitie which is the only cause of all this disorder If people did live well and orderly they would be the neerer their eternall crownes but living loosely aâ—d not following the precepts of good life which they know they wax colder and colder in Gods service and so by peeces doe fall away from him How can this life be loved having so many bitternesses and being subiect to so many calamities and miseries Yet the reward of patient perseverance is so greate that it sweetens all these miseries and breeds comfort in the most discomfortable accidents Signes of the coming of our Saviour II. PART I. WHen you shall see the abomination of desolation which was spoken of by Daniel the Prophet standing in the holy place he that readeth let him vnderstand then they that are in Iewrie let them fly to the mountaines and he that is on the house top let him not come downe to take any thing out of his house and he that is in the field let him not go back to take his coate and woe to them that are with child and give suck in those dayes This was literally spoken of the Jewes and as a signe of the destruction of Hierusalem when for punishment of their not receiving the holy of holyes to wit our Saviour the holy places of the temple where polluted with things which they did abominate and were signes foretold them by Daniel the Prophet of further desolation from which our Saviour advised them to make hast to fly for so they would escape much miserie which those who remained in Hierusalem would be put vnto Mystically Abomination of desolation signifies all kind of wickednes which when we behold practised in the world without respect to holynes either of place or person it is high time for them who are the true servants of God to fly to those mountaines of which the Psalmist speakes I have lifted vp my eyes to the mountaines from whence help will come vnto me my help is from God who made heaven and earth To those eternall mountaines from which God doth wonderfully inlighten our harts and not stoop downe to worldly comforts which will deceive vs. In which times of wickednes and temptation it is dangerous to be with child that is still to be purposing and not to bring forth our purposes to effect to be fearefull to professe that openly which we firmely beleeve to be allwayes giving suck and not feeding out soules with solide vertues II. Pray that your flight be not in winter or on the sabboth for there shall be then greate tribulation such as hath not beeÌ„ from the beginning of the world till now neither shall be and vnlesse those dayes had been shortned no flesh should be saved but for the elest the dayes shall be shortened In winter it is hard to travell vpon the Saboth the Jewes were forbid to travell By these similitudes he adviseth vs to pray that strong temptation doe not then come vpon vs when we are cold in devotion or remisse in our conversation aÌ„d that death doe not rush in vpon vs when not being prepared for it we would fayne fly when we can hardly walke VVherfore wilt thou put of thy purpose till to morrow Rise and instantly begin The tribulation of that day will be most grievous when we shall have before vs another life behind vs our wicked or â—epide conversation within vs pangs of death without vs a world too much beloved to leave willingly Blessed is he that hath the houre of his death allwayes before his eyes and doth dayly dispose himself to dye Other tribulations also and vexations in the world are many and grievous and would be more intollerable were it not that God hath care of his elect aÌ„d doth also heare their prayers towards the mitigatioÌ„ of theÌ„ III. For towards our comfort in the most violent persecutions even of Antichrist himself of whome much of this is to be vnderstood and in what ever afflictions he tells vs that a hayre of our head shall not perish And doubtlesse as to those who are convented before the Magistrates he promiseth to give mouth and wisdome which all their adversaries shall not be able to resist and gayne-say so to every body he will give proportionable graces and not suffer vs to be tempted above that which we are able Specially if we have recourse to him by humble prayer and reâ—ignation to his blessed will When a man of good will is afflicted then he vnderstands that God is more necessarie for him without whome he perceives he can doe no good Signes of our Saviours coming III. PART I. IMmediately after the triâ—ulation of those dayes the sunne shall be darkened and the moone shall not give her light and the starres shall fall from heaven and the powers of heaven shall be moved and vpon earth distresse of nations for the confusion of the sound of sea and waves men withering for feare and expectation of what shall come vpon the world Our Saviour desirous to find vs prepared for his coming foretells vs what will become of the world that he may restraine vs from loving it The sunne will be darkened c. For the day of judgement being at hand and men to appeare in another world the whole fabrick of this world will be dissolved by peeces the light of the sunne and moone being no more needfull after the end of all flesh on earth nor the influences of the starres the bounds of the sea will also be broken vp and it will come roaring over the land as its proper place in which occasion people living at that time will be in huge distresse not knowing whether to runne to save themselves and the more because it will come sudainly vpon them as a theese in the night for when they shall say peace and securitie then shall sudain destruction come vpon them as vpon the incredulous in the dayes of Noe in the generall deluge all which may be applyed to the last day of every particular man for that vpon the carelesse comes also very sudain and very terrible when neither sunne nor moone nor starre nor any worldly thing will be any comfort to them but rather a discomfort to think how they vsed the benefit of them and a whole sea of anguish will overwhelme them and thought after thought as wave after wave oppresse them Watch therfore because you know not what houre the Lord will come II. Then shall appeare the signe of the sonne of man in heaven and then shall all tribes of the earth bewayle and they shall see the sonne of man coming in the cloudes of heaven with much power and maiestie And he shall send his angels with a trumpet and a greate voyce and they shall gather together his elect from the foure winds from the furthest part of heaven to the ende therof The signe of the sonne of man is the Crosse which then
will shine clearer then the sunne and as before Princes and Emperours their retinue marcheth and their Guard so before our Lord the quires of Angels will come in state And he himself in so much greater Maiestie as he is above them Then the despisers of the Crosse will weepe and wayle vnprofitably and be greately stonied with the sound of the trumpet summoning them to their last reckoning The elect notwithstanding will heare it and behold the Crosse with some comfort as having reverenced it as the standart of their King and followed him in his warre against the world the flesh and the divell so our Saviour saith to his followers But when these things begin to come to passe looke vp and lift vp your heads because your redemption is at hand Where the difference betwixt the good and the bad is greatly to be pondered III. But of that day and houre no body knowes neither the Angels of heaven but the Father alone But this know yee if the good-man of the house did know what houre the theeâ—e would come he would surely watch and not suffer his house to be broken vp therfore be you also ready because at what houre you know not the sonne of man will come Our soule imports vs more then all worldly substance be it never so greate and rich more watchfull therfore we ought to be that it peâ—ish not and so much the more because we are vncertaine of the time when it will be demanded of vs O dulnes and hardnes of mans hart which only thinks of things present and doth not foresee what is to come The Parable of the ten Virgens I. THen shall the Kingdome of heaven be like to ten virgins who taking their lamps went fâ—rth to meete the bridegrome and the bride and five of them were foolish and five wise The five foolish having taken their lamps did not take oyle with them but the wise did take oyle with them in their vessels with their lamps This parable tends in effect to warne vs to be watchfull and provident and not to mind only things present not forethinking what will come after The wise besides the oyle which was in their lamps tooke provision with them in another vessel considering the vncertantie which might be fall them the foolish were short in this thinking that what they had might be sufficient Besides the lampe of this body of ours fed with things present we have a soule to last for ever we must have other provision to feed it Our journey is to meete the Bridegroome and the Bride our Saviour and his glorified companie it imports vs to beware that this iourney in the world which is intended for our eternall ioy prove not to our discomfort by our negligence and carelesnes The things of this world will not avayle vs vnlesse we add to them the oyle of a good intention and of charitie with these they may bring vs to eternitie of ioy without them they will fall full short II. The bridegroome tarying long they slumbred all and slept and at midnight there was a clamour made Behold the bridegroome cometh go yee forth to meete him Then arose all those Virgins and they trimmed their lamps and the foolish sayed to the wise give vs of your oyle because our lamps are going out The wise answered least peradventure there suffice not for vs and you go rather to them that sell and buy for yourselves All doe sleepe All must die The clamour after death awakes vs to life againe but not to time and means to mend what was wanting while we lived Then we discover our errours when it is too late and we are denied assistance because we neglected it when time was Then vertue pleaseth vs and we would fayne have it finding the want but every one must answer for himself and be iudged according to his owne workes then he cannot borrow of others any thing not if he would give a thousand worlds for it Prayer doth nothing avayle then nor confession nor sollicitude all must be done in this life Blessed are the dead who die in our Lord from hence forth now sayth the spirit that they rest from their labours for their works follow them III. And while they went to buy the bridegroome was come and they that were ready entred with him to the mariage and the gate was shut Last of all came the other Virgins saying Lord Lord open to vs but he answering sayed Amen I say to you I know you not watch yee therfore because you know not the day nor the houre O that we could relish in our harts the admirablenes of that word The Bridegroome is come or the sweetnes of that other They entred with him to the mariage Or the bitternes of the last the doore is shut I know you not But there he that asketh can deseâ—ve nothing as Gods hands who here would not heare what he commaÌ„ded And they send forth their prayers and are not acknowledged because then our Lord doth forsake those as vnknowne whome here by their good deserts he could not know to be his Whatever thy hand can doe doe it instantly sayth the VViseman for neither worke nor counsell nor wisedome nor knowledge is in the grave whether thou hastenest The Parable of the Talents distributed I. A Man going into a strange countrey called his servants and delivered them his goods To one he gave five talents to another two and to another one to every one according to his proper facultie and immediately he tooke his iourney And he that had received the five talents went his way and traded with the same and gayned other five likewise also he that had received two gayned other two But he that had received the one going away digged it into the earth and hid his Lords money This parable signifies whatsoever gifts of God for there is no man that is not partaker of his liberalitie God therfore resembles himself to a man in a strange countrey because his â—hrone is in heaven farre from where we dwell on earth for though he be every where he is not in our sight but by Faith as a king is in the knowledge of his subjects though they see him not with their eyes and though he be not in the realme from God we have all that which we have and severall talents as severall abilities with these we must trade in this life imploying them in the service of God our Lord and Master for to that end he doth give them as in the like parable in S. Luke he expresseth saying trade till I come and he gives vs the tearme of this life to doe it immediately he takes his journey which signifies that he leaves vs to our free will and industrie not pressing vs above our power nor compelling vs as slaves assisting notwithstanding iâ—visibly with his graces signified by every ones proper facultie or abilitie but yet so that something depends vpon our diligence
beautify the moone when it is at full and leaveth no part of it which doth not sparkle with heavenly light O mother O sonne How pleasing are those doue-like glances which you cast vpon one another How doe they inflame both your harts with the purest love and set your affections on fire with mutuall correspondence How sweete are those cheeks saluted with each others lips as a bed of sweete spices and followers and as a pomegranat when it is broken How pleasing are those imbracements and a thousand expressions of love and esteeme which it is not for peâ— to vndertake but a devouâ—e soule may imagin and yet fall short because the sonne is infinite and the mother hath been capable of that infinite of which no other creature hath been thought capable O blessed mother May I be so bold as to salute those little hands of thy greate sonne or to kiffe his feete I am not worthy give me leave at least to put my head vnder theÌ„ acknowledging him to be my Lord my God my soveraigâ—e and commander whome I will eternally obey O sacred feete tread downe the pride of my hart give me grace to treade the steps of thy humilitie and thy patience and thy meeknes and thy obedience O blessed feete why are they so â—aâ—e but that thou lovest Puritie How come they so warme but that thou lovest Charitie And nothing can make them cold but my want of love of thee O love give me grace to love thee III. Love Puritiâ— that thou mayest be welcome to this payre of turtles VVash thy hands and feetâ— thy works and they affections from all filth and dust let thy lips breath nothing but the prayses of this mother and this sonne and of whateuer hath relation to them let thâ— eyes bee modest thy comportment humble thy thoughts respectfull and sit vnder the shadow of this most fruitfull tree for the shade will be delightfull and the fruite sweete to thy tast Passe from branch to branch and see whether hâ— bâ— more lovely in his cralde or in his mothers armes comforting old Simeon or incouraging good S. Ioseph in his flight to â—gypt in the Temple preseâ—ted or found in the midst of dostours working at his trade or praying vpon his little knees lifting vp his sweete hand and eyes for thee to his heavenly Father O â—esus have mercy vpon me a synner I put myâ—sel into thy hands and begge that thou wilt have me in thy thoughts The second seate the seate of Authoritie I. HEre we are to represent vnot vs our Saviour as he was preaching in the Synagoges of the Iewes with power and Authoritie and not as the Scribes at which and at his doctrine they were greately asâ—onished Sit downe therfore at his feete as S. Paul at the feete of Gamaliel behold his countenancâ— his gesture his comportment his fervour in reprehending tempered with vnwonted mildnes his zeale of Gods glorie and the good of every particular The Prophecie of Esay being fullfilled in him according as himself declared The spirit of our Lord is vpon mee for that he hath annointed me to evangelize to the poore he hath sent me to heâ—le the contrite of hart to preach deliverance to captives light to the blind remission to the bruised to denounce the acceptable yeare of our Lord and the day of retribution And the more thou findest want in thyself of spirit and spirituall oyntment of contrition of sight of freedome apply thyself with the more attention to heare his words for the words which he speakes are spirit and life Begge that he will open thy eares and say thou as followeth in the Prophet But I doe not gayne say I have not gone back Stirte vp thy affection not only to imbrace his doctrine with courage and love because a greater a wiser a more consrderate a more infallible teacher thou canst not have as in whome are all the treasures of wisdome and knowledge hidden And really they are treasures of wisedome which only can inrich a soule and affoord it plâ—ntie and content for all eternitie They are hidden vnder the outward shape of an ordinarie man a Carpenters Sonne from the eyes of worldly given thoughts but not from the eye of faith which enters further thâ— corporall eyes caÌ„n reach andZ he that hath spirit will find hidden Manna in him II. From the Synagoges passe with him to Mount Olivet where he often preached but chiefely give care to that prime sermon of his when opening his sacred lips he proclaymed those eight blessings which the world accounteth rather follie and miserie Blessed be the poore of spirit Blessed the mâ—eke Blessed they that mourne Blessed they that hunger and thirst after instice Blessed be thâ— mâ—rcyfuâ—â— Blessed the cleare of harâ— Blessed the peace-makers Blessed they who suffer persecution And inlarging himself vpon this last point declared what Kind of perâ—ecution we ought to account happines to wit when they shall revilâ— you and speake all naught of you vntruly for my sake Be thou ever praysed Lord God of heaven and earth who hast hidden these things from the wisâ— and prudent and revealed them to the little ones Doe not paâ—â—e these steps lightly over but see how he did not only preach but practise theÌ„ and made theÌ„ steps to his eternall glorie aÌ„d the glorie of all his saincts Happy is he whome truth doth teach by himself III. Then follow him with multitudes of people round about the Countriâ—s sowing his celestiall doctrine and curing all disceases commanding the winds and the sâ—a and the euill spirits Heare the people with admiration saying never man spake as this man speaketh what word is this For with power and aâ—ctoritie hâ— commandeth thâ— vncleane spirits and they go forth See how he enters the Temple and casts out the traffickers there with â—is majesticall countenance and a small little whip of cords Magnifie him with his disciples for if thou hold thy peace the very slones willcry him vp O stony hart of myne that is so hard so covered and incombred with earth so much inclined allwayes downewards that this heavenly Master caÌ„not find 〈◊〉 into it Soften it I beseech thee with thy most 〈◊〉 blood hold it vp with thy powerfull hand 〈◊〉 from the earthly thoughts which clog it and if it 〈…〉 strike it with thy heavenly Charitiâ— that som 〈◊〉 at least may fly out of it and take in the tinder 〈…〉 doctrin to inlighten and inflame my soule which without it will be eternall darknes froÌ„ which sweete Iesus dâ—liver me Amen Exercise thy power and authoritie over my passions as thou didst over the winds and sea saying Peacâ— be still Teach me to doe thy will in all things instruct me how to performe the particular obligâ—tions of my state and calling with perfection Teach me above all how I may prepare my self for thy loving presence here in the most