Sauiour into that place of hell which is commonly called by the Learned diuines Limbus Patrum Of the Resurrection of his holie bodie Of his appearinge first to our blessed Ladie and afterwardes to S. Marie Magdalene and to the disciples The text of the holie Euangelistes VPON the Sondaie next ensuinge after this Fridaie of the Passion Ioan. 20. verie earlie in the morninge before the breake of the daie Marie Magdalen came to the sepulcher and sawe the stone remoued from the tombe and perceaued that the bodie was not there The which when she fownde not she stoode without the sepulcher in the garden weepinge And as she wepte she bowed her selfe downe into the sepulcher and sawe two Angells in white sittinge the one at the head and the other at the feete of the place where the bodie of Iesus was laid And they said vnto her Woman why weepest thou She made answere and sayd They haue taken awaie my Lorde and I knowe not where they haue laid him When she had thus said she turned her selfe backe and sawe Iesus standinge and knewe not that is was Iesus Iesus sayd vnto her Woman why weepest thou Whom seekest thou She supposinge that he had bene the gardener of that garden sayd vnto him Sir if thou hast taken him awaie tell me where thou hast laid him and I will take him awaie Then sayd Iesus vnto her Marie And she sayd vnto him Maister Iesus sayd vnto her Towche me not but goe and tell my brethern that I ascende to my father and your father to my God and your God Marie Magdalen came forthwith awaye and tolde these thinges vnto the Disciples sayenge I haue seene our Lorde and he tolde me these and these thinges that I shoulde tell them vnto you The same daie late in the eueninge when the doores were shut where the disciples were assembled for feare of the Iewes Iesus came and stoode in the middes of them and sayed vnto them Peace be with you And when he had so said he shewed vnto them his handes and his syde Then were the disciples glad when they had seene our Lorde Then sayd Iesus againe vnto them Peace be with you As my father sent me so sende I you And when he had sayd those wordes he breathed vpon them and sayd Receaue the holie Ghost Whose synnes so euer ye shall forgeue they be forgeuē vnto them and whose synnes so euer ye shall reteyne they are reteyned At that tyme Thomas one of the twelue who was also called Didimus was not with the disciples whē Iesus came The other disciples therefore whē he came saied vnto him We haue seene our Lorde But he sayd vnto them Except I see in his handes the prynte of the nailes and put my fynger into the holes of them and put my hande into his syde I will not beleeue it And eight daies after his Disciples were againe within and Thomas with them Then came Iesus againe when the doores were shutt and standinge in the middes of them sayd Peace be with you And after he sayd vnto Thomas Put thy finger here and see my handes and bringe hither thy hande and put it into my syde and be no more incredulous but faithfull Thomas answered and sayd My Lorde and my God And Iesus sayd vnto him Thomas because thou hast seene thou beleuest Blessed are they that haue not seene and haue beleued Manie other signes did Iesus worke also in the presence of his disciples which are not written in this booke but these thinges are written that ye might beleeue that Iesus Christ is the sonne of God and that beleuinge ye might haue life by him MEDITATIONS VPON THESE POYNTES OF THE TEXT THIS is the daie that our Lorde hath made Psalm 117. let vs reioyce and be merie in it why the daye of Christes resurrectiō is speciallie called our Lordes daye Our Lorde who is the maker of all times hath made euerie daie but this daie especiallie he is sayd to haue made forsomuche as on this daye he finished the most excellente of all his workes to wit the worke of our redemption Now as this worke is called by waye of excellencie the worke of God by reason that it farre passeth all his other workes euen so also this daie is called the daie of God for that vpon this daie he finished this worke which was the most excellente of all his workes It is also sayd that our Lorde made this daye because whatsoeuer was done in it was done onely by his owne hande In other feastes and mysteries of our Sauiour there is euer some thinge that we haue done our selues because there is alwaies in them some thinge of payne which payne grewe of our sinne and therefore there is some thinge belonginge vnto vs. But this daye is not a daie of trauell nor of paine but a puttinge awaie and bannishement of all paine and a fulfillinge of all glorie The ioyefull daye of Christes Resurrection and therefore it is whollie and purelie the daie of God Who is he then that will not reioyce vpon such a daye as this is This daie all the humanitie of Christ reioyced The blessed mother of Christ reioyced the disciples of Christ reioyced heauen and earthe reioyced yea hell it selfe had his part of this ioye This daie the sonne shyned more clearly than it did anie other daie because it was meete that it shoulde serue our Lorde with his light on this daie of his reioycinge as it had serued him before with his darkenes on the daie of his Passion The heauens which before in the daie of his passion became darke because they woulde not see their creator naked doe now on this daie shyne with a singuler clearnes to see him how he cōmeth fourthe as a conqueror out of the sepulchre Let the heauens therefore reioyce and thou ô earthe take part of this ioye because this daie there shyneth a greater brightnes out of the sepulchre than from the very sonne it selfe that geueth light in the heauens A certaine holie Father geuen muche to comtemplation sayth that euerie Sondaie morninge when he rose to mattins he tooke so great ioye by callinge to minde the misterie of this daie that it seemed to him that all creatures both of heauen and earthe did singe at that howre with lowde voices and saye In thy resurrection ô Christ Alleluia The heauens and earthe reioyce Alleluia Now to vnderstande somewhat of the misterie of this daye consider first of all howe our Sauiour hauinge finished that painfull iourneye of his passion as he ascended with passinge great charitie vpon the crosse for our sakes euen so did he descende downe into hell with the like loue and charitie to finishe the worke of our reparation For as he tooke death as a meane to deliuer vs from death euen so did he likewise goe downe to hell vsinge that as a meane to deliuer such as be his from hell Now therefore let vs consider how this noble
sakes aboue fiue thowsande strypes we beleue not yet that he loueth vs. But what shall we saie if to all these strookes and woundes which he receaued for vs at the pillar we adde moreouer all the other paines and trauaylles of his whole life all which proceeded of loue What browght thee downe o Lorde from heauen vnto the earthe but onelie loue What thinge pulled thee out of thy fathers bosome and lay de thee in thy mothers wombe What thinge caused thee to take the garmente of our fraile nature vpon thee and to become partaker of our miseries but onelie loue What thinge placed thee in an oxe staulle and swaddeled thee in a manger and chased thee into strange coūtreis but onelie loue What thinge made thee to carrie the yooke of our mortalitie for the space of so manie yeares but onely loue What thinge made thee to sweate to traueill to watche to continewe wakinge all the longe nighte and to passe ouer bothe sea and lande seakinge after lost soules but onely loue What thinge bounde Sampson hande and foote shaued his heare Iudic. 16. spoyled him of all his force and caused him to be mocked and scorned of his ennemies but onelie the loue of his spouse Dalida And what thinge hath bounde thee our true Sampson and shaued thee and spoyled thee of thy force and strengthe and geuen thee into thyne ennemies handes to be so reprochefullie lawghed spitted and scoffed at but onelie the loue that thou bearest vnto thy spouse the Catholicke Churche and vnto each one of our sowles Finallie what thinge hath brought thee to be crucified vpon the tree of the crosse there to stande so cruellie tormented from toppe to toe thy handes nailed thy syde opened thy members racked one from an other thy bodie all of a goore bloude thy vaines exhausted and voide of bloude thy lippes pale and wanne thy tonge bitter to be shorte all thy bodie wholie rente and torne What thinge coulde haue wrought such a most cruell fowle mangelinge and boucherie of thee as this was but onely loue O passinge great loue o gratious loue o loue seemelie for the great vnspekeable mercie and infinite goodnes of him who is infinitlie good and louinge yea wholie loue Hauinge therefore so great and so manie testimonies of thy loue o my sweete Lorde and sauiour as these be how can I but beleue that thou louest me Sith it is most certeine that thou hast not changed that most charitable louinge harte beinge now in heauen which thou haddest when thou diddest walke here vpon the earthe Thou art not like that cuppe bearer of kinge Pharao Genesis 40. who when he sawe him selfe in prosperitie forgat his poore friendes that he had left in prison but rather the prosperitie and glorie that thou doest now enioye in heauen moueth thee to haue greater pittie and compassion vpon thy children whom thou hast lefte here in earthe Now then sith it is certaine that thou louest me so much as I see verie euidentlie thou doest why doe not I loue thee againe why doe not I put my whole trust and affyance in thee why doe not I esteime my selfe verie happie and riche hauinge euen almightie God him selfe so constante and louinge a frynde vnto me It is vndowtedlie a great wonder that anie thinge in this life dothe make me carefull and heauie hauinge on my syde so riche and so mightie a louer throwghe whose handes all thinges doe passe I H S THVRSDAIE MORNINGE THIS daie when thou hast made the signe of the Crosse and prepared thy selfe hereunto thou hast to meditate and consider How our Sauiour was crowned with thornes how Pilate said of him to the people ECCE HOMO Beholde the man and how he bare the Crosse vpon his shoulders Christus passus est pro nobis vobis relinquens exemplum vt sequamini vestigia eius 1 pet 2.21 The text of the holie Euangelistes VHEN our Sauiour had bene thus whipped ād scourged Math. 25. Marc. 15. the souldiars of the president tooke him into the common haull and there gathered about him the whole bande And they stripped him and put vpon him a purple roobe and platted a crowne of thornes and put it on his head and a reede in his right hande And they bowed theire knees before him and mocked him sayeinge Haill o kinge of the Iewes and spitted vpon him and tooke the reede that he helde in his hande and smoote him on the head therewith Ioan. 19. Then Pilate went forthe againe and said vnto them Beholde I bringe him forthe to you that ye maie knowe that I finde no faulte in him at all Then came Iesus forthe wearinge a crowne of thornes and a purple garmente And Pilate said to them Beholde the man Then when the highe preistes and officers sawe him they cried sayeinge Crucifie him Crucifie him Pilate said vnto them Take ye him and crucifie him For I finde no faulte in him The Iewes answered and sayed we haue a lawe and by our lawe he owght to die because he made him selfe the sonne of God Then when Pilate haerde that worde he was the more afraied and wente againe into the common hall and said vnto Iesus Whence art thou But Iesus gaue him no answere Then said Pilate vnto him Speakest thou not vnto me knowest thou not that I haue power to crucifie thee and haue power to loose thee Iesus answered Thou couldest haue no power at all against me except it were geuen thee from aboue Therefore he that deliuered me vnto thee hath the greater sinne From thenceforthe Pilate late sowght to loose him But the Iewes cried out requiringe to haue him crucified and theire cries preuailed And Pilate determined to accomplishe theire requeste And he let loose vnto them him Luc. 23. that for an insurrection and murder was cast into prison whom they desired and deliuered Iesus vnto them to doe with him what they woulde And they tooke Iesus Ioan. 19. and led him awaie And he bare his Crosse and came into a place that was called Caluarie Luc. 23. And there folowed him a great multitude of people and of women which bewayled and lamented him But Iesus turned backe vnto them and said Daughters of Ieruzalem weepe not for me but weepe for your selues and for your children For beholde the daies will come when men shall saie Blessed are the barren and the wombes that neuer bare and the pappes that neuer gaue sucke Then shall they beginne to saie to the mountaines falle vpon vs and to the hilles Couer vs. For if they do these thinges to the greene tree what shal be done to the drye I H S MEDITATIONS VPON THESE POYNTES OF THE TEXT COME forthe O yee dawghters of Sion and beholde kinge Salomon with the crowne wherewith his mother crowned him at the daie of his espousels and vpon the daie of the ioyefulnes of his harte O my sowle what doest thou O my harte what thinkest thou O my
is manifest that fayth is the first beginninge and foundation of all the Christian life For fayth maketh vs to beleue that almightie God is our creator our gouernour our redeemer our sanctifier our glorifier to be short our beginninge and our last ende Fayth is that which teacheth vs Fayth bridlethe maÌ„s harte and causeth him to liue in the feare of God that there is an other lyfe after this and that there shal be a generall iudgement of all our workes and that we shall receiue either euerlastinge glorie for the good or els euerlastinge paine for the euill And it is cleare that the fayth and beliefe men haue in these thinges brideleth their hartes and causeth them to stande in awe and to liue in the feare of God For if fayth were not emonge vs as a meane to brydle and directe vs herein what trow ye would become of the lyfe of man And therefore the Prophet saied That the iust man liueth by fayth Rom. 1. Heb. 10. Galat. 3. Abac 2.4 not that fayth alone is sufficient to geue vs lyfe but because faith by meanes of the representatioÌ„ and consideration of those thinges that it teacheth vs prouoketh vs to refraine from sinne and wickednes and to followe vertue and goodnes Ephes 6.16 And this is the cause why the Apostel willeth vs to take faythe as a sheild against all the fyrie dartes of the enemie For certainlie there is no better sheild against the dartes of sinne than to calle those thinges to minde that fayth hath reuealed vnto vs against the same Wherefore that this fayth maye worke this effect in vs it is verie requisite that we doe sometimes ponder and consider in our myndes with good attention and deuotion such thinges as our fayth teacheth vs. Vnlesse we poÌ„dre and coÌ„sider the mysteries of our faythe our faythe is as it were a lettâ—e clovp and sealed For if we doe not so it seemeth that our fayth shal be vnto vs as it were a letter closed vp and sealed in which althowgh there come notable important newes of verie great sorowe or ioye yet it moueth vs not at all neither to the one nor to the other no more than if we had receyued no letter at all And the reason is because we haue not opened the letter nor considered what thinges are conteined in it Now what thinge coulde be said more aptlie or more to the purpose towchinge the fayth of the wicked and dissolute Christians For suerlie there can not be thinges of greater terrour and ioye than those are which our fayth declareth vnto vs. But the wicked Christians because they doe neuer open this letter to see what thinges be conteined in it I meane hereby because they doe neuer thinke and meditate vpon these misteries of our Christian faythe or if they thinke vpon them they passe them ouer verie lightlie and in great hast they cause not in them this manner of motion and alteration to witt of ioye or of feare Wherefore it behoueth vs sometimes to open this letter of our faythe I meane the mysteries thereof and to reade the same very leisurlie and to consider with good attention what thinges are tawght vs in the same the which is done by meanes of the exercise of consideration For it is consideration that openeth that which is locked and vnfoldeth that which is folded together and maketh that cleare vnto vs which is otherwise darke and obscure And so by illuminatinge our vnderstandinge with the greatnes of the mysteries of our fayth it inclineth our will so farfourth as appertaineth to the office of consideration to conforme our lyfe to the same This office of consideration almightie God figured verie notablie in the lawe what was signified by the cleaÌ„ beaste in the lawe Leuit. 11. Deuter. 14. when emonge the conditions that were required in the cleane beast he assigned this for one that the beast should chewe the cudde to witt the meate that it bad eaten before Now it is certain that it was litle to the purpose whether the beast were cleane or vncleane and suerlie almightie God made litle accompt of that But his meaninge was to represent vnto vs in that cleane beast the condition office and exercise of those beastes that be spirituallie cleane to witt of the iust and righteous persons that are not content onelie to eate such thinges as appertain vnto amightie God in beleeuinge them by fayth but after they haue eaten them they doe also chewe them by meanes of coÌ„sideration in searchinge and ponderinge the mysteries which they beleue And after they haue vnderstode the meaninge and excellencie of them they distribute and deuide this meate vnto all the spirituall members of the sowle for the sustentation and reparinge of the same Insomuch that if we marke this matter well A notable similitude we shall finde that it fareth in this case as in the seede of a tree which althowghe it doe virtuallie conteine within it the substance of the tree yet hath it neide of the vertue and influence of heauen and of the benefite and moysture of the earthe to cause the vertue that is inclosed in the seede to come forthe to light and to growe vp by litle and litle and waxe a tree Euen so in like maner we saie that althoughe fayth be the first seede and originall of all our weale yet must it neides be holpen with this benefite of consideration that by the same and by meanes of charitie the greine and fruitfull tree of good lyfe which is virtuallie conteined therein maie growe and come to light HOW CONSIDERATION HELPETH HOPE § II. Summa S. Thomae 22. quaest 17. art 5. quaest 18. artic 1. CONSIDERATION helpeth also no lesse the vertue of hope This hope is an affection of our will that hath his motive and roote in the vnderstandinge As the Apostle signifieth plainlie vnto vs saienge All thinges that are written Rom. 15.4 are written for our instruction that throughe patience and consolation which the scriptures geue vnto vs we may haue hope and affiance in almightie God For vndowtedlie the holie scripture is the fountaine The holie scripture is the founteyne of comfort from wheÌ„ce the iust man gathereth the water of comfort wherewith he strengtheneth him selfe to put his hope and trust in God For first of all he seeth in the holie scriptures the greatnes of the workes and merites of our Sauiour Iesus Christ The workes and merites of our Sauiour Christe are the principall staye and fouÌ„dation of our hope in God which are the principall staie and foundation of our hope There he seeth likewise in a thowsande places the greatnes of the goodnes sweetenes and maiestie of almightie God liuelye expressed and set out to the eie and withall the mercifull louinge prouidence he hath ouer them that be his the gentlenes and benignitie wherewith he receyueth them that come vnto him and the faythfull promises and pledges he
awake them out of theire heauie and drowsie sleepe Note also of what importance the saluation of mankinde is sith it is able to make him to sweate droppes of bloude by whose power the heauens are susteined And consider on the other side how little accompt men them selues make of theire owne saluation sith at such time as almightie God him selfe is so carefull and watchfull for them they are in a deepe heauie sleepe and vtterlie careles thereof Assuredlie nothinge could more liuely expresse both the one and the other than the consideration of these two pointes being so strange as they are For if almightie of others howe happeneth it that the verie persons them selues to whom euen the charge and traueille of the affaires apperteineth together with the profit commoditie losse and damage of the same do liue with such carelesnes and negligence therin By this same care of our Sauiour and carelesnes of his disciples thou maist vnderstand how trewlie this Lorde is our father and how he hath indeede towardes vs the verie bowelles and hart of a true and louinge father How often times chaunceth it trowe ye that the daughter sleepeth verie sowndlie and quietlie when her father watcheth all the night carckinge and carynge for her releefe and prouision And euen so doth this our most louinge and mercifull father for vs whiles we be soheauie a sleepe and are vtterlie careles of our owne saluation as by this example is liuelie set out before our eies in that he continueth all the night watchinge and sweatinge and in great agonie to take order for the redēption he intended to bestowe vpon vs. HOW OVR SAVIOVR WAS APPREHENDED Non est seruus maior domino suo si me persecuti to sunt et vos persequentur Johan 15.20 § II. Of Iudas pressinge before all the rest to apprehende our Sauiour CONSIDER moreouer how when our sauiour had finished his praier Iudas that counterfait and false friende of his came thither with that hellishe cōpanie where renouncinge the office of an Apostle he became now the verie principall ringeleader and Captayne of Sathans armie Consider howe without all shame he pressed and set himselfe euen the verie formost before all the rest of his malicious rowte and comminge to his good maister solde him with a kisse of most treyterous and deceitfull fryndeshippe It is certaynelie a great miserie that a man should be solde for money but yet it is much more miserable if he be solde of his friendes and of such as to whom he hathe bene greatelie beneficiall before Now our sweete Sauiour Christ is solde of him whom he had made not onelie his disciple but also his Apostle yea he is solde of him by deceite ád plaine treason he is solde of him to most cruel merchantes that couete you may be sure nothing els of him but onelie his bloud and life to satisfie theire greadie honger But for what price trow ye is he sold the basenes and smalnes of the pryce increaseth the greatnes and malice of the iniurie Tell me O Iudas thou nowghtie traitor at what price doest thou set the Lord of all creatures At thirtie pence O what a vile and slender pryce is this for a Lorde of such maiestie Certeinlie a verie beast in the shambles is commonlie solde for more And doest thou o traitor sell for so smalle a pryce almightie God him selfe He settethe not thee at so smalle a pryce forsomuch as he byeth thee with his owne most pretious bloude O what a great price and estimation was that of man and how base an estimation and pryce was this of God God is solde for thirtie pence and man is bought euen with the verie pretiouse bloud of almightie God him selfe At the same tyme our sauiour said vnto them that came to laie handes vpon him Luc. 22. Math. 26. Ye become out as it were ageinst a theife with swordes and speeres and I satte daylie emonge you teachinge in the temple and ye neuer laid handes vpon me but this is your howre and the power of darkenes This is suerlie a misterie of great admiration For what thinge is more to be wondered at then to see the verie sonne of almightie God to take vpon him the Image and shape not onelie of a sinner but euen also of a condemned person Our sauiour was giuen vp to the power of the diuelles from the tyme of his apprehension vntill his deathe vpon the crosse Iob 2. This sayethe he is yowr howre and the power of darkenes The which wordes geue vs to vnderstande that from that time that most innocent lambe was geuen vp into the power of the princes of darckenes which are the diuells to the intent that by meanes of theire members and cruell ministers they might execute vpon him all the furious tormentes and cruelties they could deuise And like as holie Iob was by the permission of almightie God geuen vp into the power of Sathan that he might vse vpon him all the crueltie he woulde this onelie excepted that he should not bereiue him of his life euen so was there power geuen to the princes of darknes without anie exception either of life or death that they might fullie extende vpon that sacred humanitie all theire surie and rage to the vttermost they cowld Hereof rose those despightfull tauntes those slaunderous and reprochfull wordes such as the like were neuer harde before that tyme wherewith the diuell pretended to satisfie his vnsatiable rancre and malice to reuenge his iniuries and to cast that blested soule downe into some kinde of impatiencie if it had bene possible Almightie God saith the Prophet Zacharie shewed Iesus the highe preist vnto me Zach. 3. apparelled with a spotted garmente and Sathan stoode at his right hande readie prepared to speake against him But our Sauiour answered for his parte sayinge I did alwaies set God before myne eies Psalm 15. who standeth at my right hande that I be not remoued Consider then now o my soule how much that highe and diuine maiestie abased himselfe for thy sake sithence he vowchesaffed to come to the last extremitie of all miseries which is to be geuen vp to the power of deuilles And because this was the paine that was due to thy synnes it pleased him to put euen himself to this paine that thou mightest remaine quite and free from the same Psalm 8. O holie Prophet why doest thou wonder to see almightie God become inferior to his angells thou hast now farre greater cause to wonder to see him geuen vp into the power of deuilles Vndowtedlie both the heauens and the earthe trembled and quaked at this so passinge great humilitie and charitie of our Sauiour So soone as these wordes were spoken foorthwith all that hellishe rowte and malitiouse rable of raueninge wolues assaulted this most meeke and innocent lambe and some verie furiouslye haled him this waie and some that waie eache one to the vttermost of his power O how
trouble O how farre do these mattins differre from those which the orders of angells sounge at the same time in heauen vnto thee There they synge Holie Holie but here these caitifes crie out put him to death put him to death crucifie him crucifie him O ye angelles of Paradise that heard both these voices what thowghte ye when ye sawe him so despitefullie contemned in earthe whom ye honoure with so greate reuerence in heauen What thowght ye wheÌ„ ye sawe almightie God himselfe suffer such despites euen for theire sakes who did all this villanie vnto him Who hath euer heard of such a kinde of charitie that one woulde suffer death to deliuer the verie same persons from death that were the procurers of his death Assuredlie the malice of man coulde not anie further extende it selfe in committinge a more wicked deede than thus to presume to laie handes vpon almightie God him selfe neither coulde the goodnes and mercie of almightie God appeare more plainlie in anie thinge than in this that he was content to suffer such a cruell death for that verie creature that conspired his deathe The painfull greifes and turmoyles of this troublesome night were increased farre the more by the denyall of S. Peter For he Of the deniall of S. Peter who was so familiare a frende of our Sauiour he whom our Sauiour chose to see the glorie of his transfiguration and he who aboue all the rest of his Apostles was honoured aÌ„d chosen by our Sauiour Christ promised S. Peter in Math. 16. vers 18. that he woulde buylde his Church vpon him And in Luke 22. vers 32. he was bid after he shoulde repent his denyall to confirme his brethren And in Iohn 21. vers 17. Christ after his resurrection made S. Peter pastor of all his sheepe to haue the pincipalitie and cheife rule of the whole Christian Churche this verie cheife Apostle I saie first before all others not once but three seuerall tymes together euen in the verie presence of his Lorde and master sweareth and forsweareth that he knoweth him not and that he wist not who he is O Peter is he that standeth there by thee so wicked a man that thou accomptest it so great a shame onelie to haue knowen him Consider that this is a condemnation of him by thee before he be condemned by the high preistes sithence by this deniall thou geuest the worlde to vnderstande that he is such a maner of man that euen thou thy selfe doest accompt it as a greate reproche and dishonour vnto thee euer to haue knowen him Now what greater iniurie coulde be done than this Our Sauiour then hearinge this deniall turned backe and behelde Peter and cast his eies vpon that shepe which there was lost from him O looke of wounderfull vertue O silent looke but yet full of misterie and signification Peter vnderstode right well the langwage and voice of that looke and althowgh the crowinge of the Cocke was not able to awake his spirites yet was this able as indeede it did For the eies of our Sauiour Christe doe not onelie speake but also worke as it plainlie appeared by the teares of Peter which albeit they gushed from the eies of Peter yet did they much more proceide from the looke and eies of Christe Wherefore when thou shalt at anie time awake againe out of thy sinfull lyfe and with greife and sorowe call thy sinnes to minde wherein thou hast offended almightie God thou must vnderstande that this benefit proceideth from the mercifull eies of our Lorde which doe then looke vpon thee The Cockes had alreadie crowed but Peter remembred not himselfe because our sauiour had not as yet looked vpon him But when our Sauiour Christ looked vpon him then he remembred him selfe and repented and bewailed his offence For the eies of Christ doe open our eies and those are the eies that doe awake such as are a-sleepe The holie Euangelistes S. Mathew and S. Luke saye that Peter went out forthwith Math. 26.75 Luc. 23.62 Peter after his deniall of Christe wente forthewith out of the place and wepte bitterlie and wept bitterlie to geue thee to vnderstande that it is not enowghe for thee to be sorie and bewaile thyne offence but that it is requisite also to auoyde and eschewe the verie place and occasions of sinne For otherwise to lamente and be sorie alwaies for thy sinnes and alwaies to reiterate and commit the same sinnes againe is to prouoke alwaies the wrathe and anger of almightie God against thee And note well and diligentlie this poynt espetiallie A disciple of Christ must not be ashamed nor afearde openlic to confesse Christ and his Catholike religion that the principall sinne that Peter had committed was for that he shronke backe and feared to be accompted one of Christe his disciples and in this his doinge he is saied to haue denied Christe Now if this be to denie Christe how manie Christians trowe ye maye ye now finde in the worlde that doe after this sorte denie Christ Alas how manie be there at this daye that refuse to confesse their synnes to communicate to praye to talke of God and of spirituall matters to vse conuersation with suche as be good and vertuous and to suffer iniuries and trowbles because the worlde shoulde not the lesse estieme them or haue them in contempte for the same And what is this els but euen to be ashamed to appeare to the worlde to be a disciple of Christe and a keper of his commaundementes And what is this els but to denye Christe as S. Peter denied him when he was ashamed to be accompted his disciple What other thinge maie those that behaue them selues after this sorte hope and looke for at the dreadfull daie of Iudgment but that punnishement and sentence threatened by our sauiour Christe himselfe sayeinge He that is ashamed to be accompted my disciple before men Luc. 9. 12. Math. 10. Marc. 8.2 Tim. 2. the sonne of the virgin wil be ashamed to acknowledge him as one of his when he shall come in his maiestie and in the maiestie of the father and his holie Angelles HOW OVR SAVIOVR WAS BROWGHT BEFORE KINGE Herode and mocked and accompted for a foole by him and his cowertiers Si mundus vos odit scitote quia me priorem vobis odio habuit Johan 19.28 Aâ—tâ— Reges et praesides stabitis propter me in testimonium illis Marc. 13.9 VHEN this painfull and troublesome night was ended they led our Sauiour forthewith to the howse of Pilate the president And Pilate vnderstandinge that he was borne in Galilee sent him vnto Herode that was kinge of that countrie who tooke him for a foole and as such a one caused him to be appareiled in a white garmente and so returned him backe to Pilate againe Whereby it appeareth that our Sauiour was taken in this worlde not onelie for a malefactor but also for a verie foole O misterie worthie of great reuerence The
they crucified him and with him two theues one at the right hande and the other at the lefte And so was the scripture fulfilled that saieth And he was reckoned emōge the wicked And Pilate wrote also a title and put it vpon the Crosse And it was written Iesus of Nazareth kinge of the Iewes This title manie of the Iewes did reade For the place where Iesus was crucified was neare to the citie and it was written in Hebrewe Greeke and Lattin Then said the highe preistes of the Iewes to Pilate write not the kinge of the Iewes but that he saied I am kinge of the Iewes Pilate answered what I haue written I haue written Then the souldiars when they had crucified Iesus tooke his garmentes and made fowre partes to euerie souldiar a parte And they tooke his coate also which was without anie seame wouen frō the toppe throwghout Therefore they saied one to an other Let vs not deuide it but cast lottes for it whose it shal be This was done that the scripture might be fulfilled Psalm 21. that saieth They parted my garmentes emonge them and vpon my coate they cast lottes So the souldiars did these thinges indeede And they that passed by Math. 27. reuyled him wagginge theire heades and sayeinge Fye on thee thou that destroiest the tēple and buildest it in three daies saue thy selfe If thou be the sonne of God come downe from the crosse Likewise also the highe preistes mockinge him with the Scribes and elders and Pharisies saied He saued others but he cannot saue him selfe If he be the kinge of Israell let him now come downe from the Crosse and we will beleue him He trusteth in God Let him deliuer him now if he will haue him For he saied I am the sonne of God The verie same wordes also did the theeues who were crucified with him cast in his teethe But Iesus saide Father pardon them for they knowe not what they doe And one of the malefactors Luc. 23. that was crucified with him blasphemed sayeinge If thou be Christe saue thy selfe and vs. But the other answered and rebuked him sayenge Neither doest thou feare God beinge in the selfe same cōdemnation We are iustlye punnished for we receaue accordinge to our doinges But this man hath done nothinge amisse And he saied vnto Iesus Lord remember me when thou commest into thy kingdome Then Iesus saied vnto him Verelie I saie vnto thee This daie shalt thou be with me in paradise There stoode by the Crosse of Iesus Ioan. 19. his mother and his mothers sister Marie the wife of Cleophas and Marie Magdalene And when Iesus sawe his mother and the disciple whom he loued standinge by he saied vnto his mother Woman beholde thy sonne Then he saied to the disciple beholde thy mother And from that howre the disciple tooke her for his mother Math. 27. Abowte the ninthe howre Iesus cried with a lowde voice sayenge Eli Eli Lamasabacthani that is My God my God why hast thou forsaken me And some of them that stoode there when they harde it saied This man called Elias Some other saied let vs see if Elias will come and saue him Afterwardes Iesus knowinge that all thinges were fulfilled Ioan. 19. that the scripture might be accomplished saied I am a thirst And there was set a vessell full of vinegar and they filled a sponge with vinegar and put it abowt an hisope stalke and put it to his mouthe Now when Iesus had receaued of the vinegar he saied It is finished And he cried againe with a lowde voice Luc. 23. Matth. 27. and saied Father into thine handes I commende my spirite And from the sixte hower there was darkenes ouer all the earthe vntill the ninthe hower And the veile of the temple was rent in two partes from the toppe to the bothom And the earthe quaked and the stones were clouen And the graues opened them selues and manie bodies of the Sainctes which slepte arose And there were manie of his fryendes and acquaintance and women beholdinge him a farre of Emonge whom was Marie Magdalene and Marie the mother of Iames the yonger and of Iosephe and Salome who had folowed him out of Galilee ministringe vnto him with manie other women that came in his companie to Ierusalem MEDITATIONS VPON THESE POYNTES OF THE TEXT VE are now come o my soule to the holie mounte Caluarie and we be nowe arriued at the toppe of the misterie of our redemption O how wonderfull is this place Verelie this is the howse of God the gate of heauen the lande of promise and the place of saluation Here is planted the tree of life Here is placed that misticall ladder that Iacob sawe Genes 28. which ioyneth heauen with the earthe whereby the angells doe descende vnto men and men doe ascende vnto almightie God This is o my soule the place of praier Here oughtest thou to adore and blesse our Lorde and geue him most humble and hartie thanckes for this his most highe and excellent benefit sayenge thus vnto him We worshippe and adore thee ô Lord Iesus Christ and we blesse thy holie name forsomuch as thou hast by meanes of this holie Crosse redeemed the worlde Thankes be geuen vnto thee O most mercifull Sauiour for that thou hast thus loued vs and wass hed awaie our sinnes with thy most pretious bloude and hast offered thy selfe for vs vpon the same Crosse to the ende that with the most sweete sauour of this noble sacrifice enkendeled with the fier of thy most feruent loue thou mightest satisfie and appease the wrathe of almightie God Blessed be thou therefore for euermore which art the Sauiour of the worlde the reconciler of mankinde the reparer of Angelles the restorer of the heauens the triumphant conqueror of hell the vanquisher of the diuell the awthor of life the destroier of deathe and the redeemer of them Luc. 1. that were in darckenes and in the shadowe of deathe All yee therefore that be a thirst Esay 55. come vnto the waters and yee that haue neither golde nor siluer come and receaue all these pretious treasures freely without payinge anie thinge Yee that desier the water of life this is that misticall rocke that Moyses strooke with his rodde in the wildernes Exod. 17. out of which there sprange water in great abondance to satisfie the thirst of his afflicted people Yee that desiere peace and amitie with alinightie God knowe yee that this is also that rocke Genes 35. that the patriarke Iacob annointed with oyle and erected vp for a title of peace and amitie betwene almightie God and men Yee that are desirous of wyne to cure your woundes Num. 13. this is that cluster of grapes that was browght out of the lande of promise into this vale of teares which is now crusshed and pressed vpon the presse of the Crosse for the remedie and redresse of our offences Yee that desire the oyle of the grace
from vs all maner of fyne deyntienes curiositie and superfluities knowinge that our Lorde and maister vtterlie abandoned from him not onelie all maner of deyntienes and superfluities but also euen such thinges as were of necessitie I desire now O Lorde to see also what maner of thinge thy bedde is Tell me ô sweete Sauiour where doest thou lodge Where sleepest thou at noone daie Here I sette my selfe at thy feete Cant. 1. Teache me I most humblie beseeche thee what I ought to doe For this my sensualitie will not suffer me to vnderstande well this language of thy crosse I desire a softe bedde and if I awake early in the mornynge at the hower of praier and diuine seruice I suffer my selfe to be ouercome with slouthe and drowsienes we desire to lye on softe fether beddes and our sauiour Christe laye on the harde bedde of the crosse and I expect duelie for the morninge sleepe that my head maie take an other nappe and so haue his full ease and rest Tell me ô my most gratious and louinge Lorde what rest haddest thou on that harde bedde of the crosse When thou wast wearie in lienge on the one side how diddest thou turne thee on the other to take the better rest What harte is not ouercome and broken in sonder herewith What Is not this enoughe to kill all sensualitie in vs O what a comfort is this to the poore What a confusion to the riche What an encouragement to the penitentes And what a condemnation to nice delicate and sensuall persons Certeinly the bedde of our Sauiour Christe is not for such fyne delicate wantons neither is his glorie in heauen prepared for them Geue me grace ô Lorde that I maye by thy example mortifie this my sensualitie And if it be not thy blessed will to graunte me this request I beseache thee then euen now out of hande to ende my life For it is not meete nor seemelie that thou ô my omnipotent Lorde and redeemer beinge vpon the crosse and hauinge none other comforte nor refress hinge but onely bitter gaulle and sower vinegar I shoude seike for sweete sauoures delicate fare sugered sawces with other curious deynties pleasures and ease in this miserable life It is not meete that thou beinge thus poore and naked I shoulde goe wanderinge and leesinge my selfe after the transitorye goodes and riches of this worlde It is not reason that thou hauinge none other bedde but onely the harde and painfull crosse I shoulde seeke to haue a softe bedde and other delicacie and ease for my wretched bodie Be thou therefore greatelie ashamed How our Sauiour Christe rebukethe from the crosse our pompe delicacie curiositie and superfluitie ô my soule beholdinge our Lorde and Sauiour on the harde paynefull tree of the crosse and make accompte that from the same crosse he preacheth vnto thee and rebuketh thee sayenge O man I haue for thy sake worne a crowne of thornes and doest thou in contempte of me weare a garlande of flowers with golden chaynes aglettes bruches and gaye oystreche fethers I for thy sake haue stretched forthe my armes to be nayled and tormented vpon the crosse and doest thou stretche forthe thyne to pleasante games and pastimes I beinge a thirst at my verie death had not so much as a litle colde water and seekest thou after pretious wynes delicate meates and deyntie sugered sawces I was on the crosse and in all my whole life tyme full of dishonors reproches and grieuous labours and paines and doest thou spende all the daies of thy life seekinge after dignities offices promotions estimations pleasures and delites I was verie willinglie contented that my syde shoulde be opened to geue thee my verie harte and hast thou thyne open to vaine and dangerous loues of the worlde WHAT PATIENCE WE OVGHT TO HAVE IN ALL TROVBLES and aduersities followinge the example of our Sauiour Christ § V. THOV hast taught me now ô Lorde from the chaire of the Crosse the lawes of temperance teache me also at this present the lawes of patience whereof I haue suerlie verie great neide Thou hast cured that parte of my soule which is called concupiscible Cure also I beseeche thee that parte which is called irascible Forsomuch as thy crosse is a medicine for all the whole man and the leaues of that holie tree are the healthe of all nations Sometimes I haue sayd and purposed with in my selfe I will neuer from henceforthe falle out or be angrie agayne with anie man I will surelie keepe peace with all persones and therefore I thinke it good for me to auoyde all companie and thereby to eschewe all occasions of trouble contention and anger But now ô Lorde I vnderstande my weakenes in this poynte For to flee from companie is not a meane to subdue anger but rather to couer and hide myne owne imperfection And therefore I will from henceforthe carie euer with me a mynde readie prepared to liue not onelie with the good but euen with the wicked also and to keepe peace with such colericke waywarde and frowarde contentious persons as doe abhorre peace Thus I purpose from henceforthe to doe grawnt me thy grace therefore ô almightie God that I maie dewlie accomplishe this my good intent If others shall take my landes or goodes awaye from me graunte me thy grace ô Lorde that I be not angrie nor grieued therewith seinge I see thee thus spoyled and naked vpon the Crosse If they shall take my credite honor and estimation frō me let not that cause me to breake peace with them seinge I see thee here ô Lorde so despised dishonored and contemned If my fryendes and acquaintāce shall forsake me let me not therefore be confounded seinge I see thee thus left alone and forsaken not onely of thy disciples and fryendes but also of thyne owne heauenly father And if it shall seeme to me at anie tyme that I am forsaken of thee yet let me not for all that lose my confidence and trust in thee seinge thow diddest not loose thine but after thou haddest made an ende of saienge those wordes Math. 27. My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Diddest forthewith recommende thy spirite into the handes of him who had forsaken thee sayenge O father into thy handes I commend my spirite Marc. 15. Psalm 21. And therefore euen now at this instant I request that from henceforthe all troubles and persecutions maie come and falle vpon me and not to spare me forsomuch as all such thinges con doe nothinge els vnto me but geue me occasion to be a folower of thee my sweete Lorde and Sauiour Iesus Christ But now ô my Lorde what if the troubles and persecutions shal be verie great and longe wherewithall shall I then comforte my selfe For thy passions althoughe they were verie greate yet it seemed that they continued not anie longe tyme forsomuch as all the martirdome of thy passion did not continewe altogether twentie howers Now he that hath
reioyceth Cantic 7. Shut vp the springes of thy most pure eies more cleare than the waters of Esebon and now sore troubled and dymmed with the showers of so manie teares Genes 8. The wrath and anger of almightie God is now pacified with the sacrifice of the true Noe. Cease therefore the floude of thy most holie eies and let the earthe be cleared agayne with new brightnes The doue is now departed out of the arke and when she retourneth she will bringe with her signes of the mercie and clemencie of almightie God Reioyce therefore ô blessed virgin and comforte thy selfe with this hope and cease now I praie thee these thy mournefull sobbinges and sighes Thy owne deerelie beloued sonne him selfe putteth thy dolefull mourninge and teares to sylence and inuiteth thee to a newe ioye in his Canticles sayeinge Cant. 2. The winter is now past the showers and tempesteous stormes are ceased the flowers do appeare in our lande Rise vp therefore my welbeloued my darlinge and my turtle done that abidest in the holes of the rocke and in the cleiftes of the walle That is to saie in the strookes and woundes of my bodie Leaue now this habitation and come and dwell with me I see well ô blessed Ladie that none of all these thinges are able to comforte thee because thy sorrowe and greife is not hereby taken awaie but onely changed One martirdome I see is ended and an other now beginneth The tormentes of thy harte are renewed continuallie and thowgh some goe awaie yet others do succede with newe kindes of tormentes that by such changes the torment of the Passion maie be dowbled vnto thee Hetherto thou hast lamented his paines and sorrowes now thou lamentest his death Hetherto thou hast lamented his passion now thou lamentest thyne owne solitarines Hetherto thou hast lamented his greifes and troubles and now thou mournest for his absence One waue is past and an other commeth on to ouerwhelme thee So that the ende of his paine is a beginninge of thyne And as though this thy paine were to litle I see that these cruell tormentors prepare yet an other paine for thee no lesse then this Close vp thine eies therefore ô blessed Ladie close them vp out of hande I beseach thee and loke not vpon that longe terrible speare which goeth with greate violence in the aier to strike the place wherevnto it is leuelled Now hast thou ô holie virgin thy desire fulfilled For now arte thou become a buckler to thy sonne forsomuch as this blowe striketh not him but thee Thou diddest desire the nailes and thornes and they were ordeyned for his bodie but the pearcinge speare was reserued for thee O yee cruell ministers O yee hartes of iron Were the paines and tormentes to litle trowe yee which his bodie suffered beinge aliue that yee woulde not pardon it euen after it was dead What furie and rancor of enmitie is there so outragious but that it is pacified when it seeth his enemie dead before him Lifte vp your cruell eies a litle ô you vnmercifull and cruell ministers and beholde our sauiour Beholde I saie his deadlie face his dymme eies his fallinge countenance his pale and wanne colour and shadow of death For though you be more harde than either iron or the Adamante stone yea though ye be more hard than your owne selues yet it maie be that in beholdinge him your furie and malice wil be appeased Wherefore are ye not contented with the woundes yee haue geuen to the sonne but that ye will wounde his blessed mother also Her ye doe wounde with that speare vnto her ye geue the strooke and against her sorowfull hart threateneth the sharpe poynt of that cruell lawnce Now commeth the wicked minister with a longe sharpe speare in his hande and pearceth the verie naked syde of our sauiour with great furie The crosse shaked in the aier with the mightie force of the strooke and from thence issued water and bloude wherewith are wasshed the sinnes of the worlde O riuer that ronnest out of paradise and waterest with thy streames all the face of the earthe O wounde of the pretious syde of my sweete Sauiour made rather with his feruent loue towardes mankinde than with the sharpe iron of the cruell speare O gate of heauen ô windowe of paradise ô place of refuge ô tower of strength ô sanctuarie of iust persons ô sepulchre of pilgrimes ô neist of cleane doues ô florishinge bed of the spouse of Salomon Alhaile ô wounde of the pretious syde of our Sauiour that woundest the hartes of deuout persons O strooke that strikest the soules of the iust O rose of inspekeable bewtie O rubie of inestimable price O entrance into the harte of my sweete Sauiour Iesus Christ O witnes of his loue and pledge of euerlastinge life Throwghe thee doe all liuinge thinges enter into the Arcke of the true Noë to be preserued from the floude Vnto thee doe all such as are tempted repair In thee doe all those that are heauie and sad finde comforte Ioan. 4. by thee are the sicke persons cured throwgh thee doe sinners enter into heauen and in thee doe all banished persones and pilgrimes sleepe sweetelie and take theire rest O furnace of loue O howse of peace O treasure of the Catholicke Church O veyne of liuely water that springest vp euen vnto life euerlastinge Open ô most louinge Lorde I beseache thee this gate vnto me receaue my harte into this most delitefull habitation geue me passadge through the same vnto the tender bowells of thy loue let me drinke of this sweite fountaine let me be wasshed with this holie water let me be made dronke with this most pretious licour Let my soule sleepe in this sacred breste Here let it forget all the cares of the worlde here let it sleepe here let it eate here let it singe sweitly with the Prophet sayeinge Psalm 131. This is my resting place for euer and euer here will I dwell for this place haue I chosen for my habitation HOW OVR SAVIOVR CHRIST WAS TAKEN DOWNE from the Crosse and of the pittiefull lamentation and bewailinge of the blessed virgin Marie Semper mortificationem Jesu in corpore nostro circumferentes vt et vita Jesu manifestetur in corporibus nostris 2. Corinth 4.10 § II. AFTER this consider how the holie bodie of our Sauiour was taken downe from the crosse and how the blessed virgin receaued it in her armes Now the verie same daie in the eueninge there came those two holie men Ioseph and Nicodemus who reared vp theire ladders vnto the crosse and tooke downe the blessed bodie of our Sauiour into theire armes The holie virgin then perceiuinge that the torment of the crosse was now ended and that the sacred bodie of our Sauiour was comminge towardes the earthe she settethe her selfe in a readines to geue him a secure hauen in her lappe and to receyue him from the armes of the crosse into her owne
discources and preachinge of the gospell Now shall I no more wype of the sweate from thy face which was so oftentymes sonneburned and tyred with painfull trauels and Iourneis Now shall I see thee no more sittinge and eatinge at my table and ministringe foode to my soule with thy diuine presence Now Alas this glorie is finished this daye is this ioye ended and my solitarines beginneth presently O My deare sonne why speakest thou not vnto me O tonge of heauen that hast comforted so manie with thy wordes and geuen speache and life to so manie persons who hath put thee to such a great silence that thou speakest not to thy louinge mother How is it that thou hast not at the least left me some legacie wherewithall I might comfort my selfe Well I will take it by thy licence This Royall crowne shal be my legacie Of these nayles and of this speare will I be thy heyre These so pretious Iewells will I kepe alwaies in my harte There shall thy nailes be knocked in There shall thy crowne thy scourges and thy crosse be kepte and preserued This is the inheritance which I haue chosen to enioye all the daies of my life O how litle while doe the ioyes of the earthe endure And how soore doth that greife smarte which commethe after muche prosperitie O Bethelem ô Ierusalem how farre doe these daies differ from those which I haue had in you What a cleare night was that and what an obscure daie is this What a great ioye and riches and I then and what a greate greife and penurie haue I now The losse of so great a treasure can not be litle O blessed Angell where are now those great praises of thy olde salutation It was not in vayne that I was in such a great trouble and feare at that tyme. For after great praises there must needes followe either some great faulle or some greate crosse and tribulation Our Lorde will not haue his giftes to be in vaine Idle and without exercise He neuer geueth honor without charge nor superioritie without seruitude nor great abondance of grace but to make vs able to suffer great trouble and persecution Then thou diddest calle me Full of grace Luc. 1. and now am I full of sorrowe Then thou diddest calle me Blessed emonge all women and now am I the most afflicted of all women Then thou diddest saie our Lorde is with thee now he is also with me howbeit not aliue but dead as I now holde him here in myne armes O my sweete redeemer and sauiour was it anie offence in me to holde thee in my armes with so great ioye when thou wast but newely borne that I shoulde now come to holde thee in them so soore tormented Was it anie faulte in me to take so great pleasure in geuinge thee the sweete milke of my brestes that now thou shouldest geue me to drinke of such a bitter cuppe Was it anie fault in me to beholde my selfe in thy face as in a bright glasse that thou hast thus ordeined that I shoulde now see thee thus cruellie rente and tormented Was it anie offence in me to loue thee so entierly that thou shouldest now cause my loue to become my tormentor And that I shoulde now suffer so much the greater greife be how much I loued thee more entierlie O heauenly father ô louer of men which art mercifull towardes them and rigorous towardes thyne onelie and deerlie beloued sonne Thou knowest how great the waues and tempesteous sourges are which lye beatinge at this presente against my dolefull harte Thou knowest that this harte of myne hath abidden so manie deathes as there haue bene whippes and strookes geauen vnto this holie bodie of thy sweete sonne Howbeit althoughe I be the most afflicted of all creatures yet doe I geue thee infinite thankes for this greate sorrowe and greife that I sustaine It is a sufficient comfort vnto me to vnderstande that it is thy blessed will that it shoulde so be Anie thinge that commeth from thy handes I must needes take in good worth thoughe it were a sharpe knyfe and woulde thrust it euen into my bowells I geue thee most humble and hartie thankes both for my prosperitie and aduersitie and as well and euen in as equall wise for the one as for the other And for the vse and commoditie of thy benefittes which I haue hitherto enioyed I blesse thee And I am nothinge discontented that thou doest now take them awaye from me I mislyke not of that but I doe rather restore to thee the thinge againe that was committed to my custodie and doe yeelde vnto thee most humble and hartie thankes Both for the one and the other the angelles blesse thee and with them my teares also blesse thee for euermore Howbeit I beseach thee ô my most louinge and mercifull father if it maye stande with thy blessed will and pleasure that the martirdome which I haue alreadie suffered for these thirtie and three yeares maie content thee Luc. 2. Thou knowest ô Lorde that from the daie that holie Simeon signefied this martirdome vnto me all my pleasures haue bene mingled with bitter gaule And from that tyme hitherto I haue had that sorrowfull daie euer lyenge ouerth-warte my heauye harte In the middest of my Ioyes I haue bene alwaies assaulted with the remembrance of this dolorous sorrowe and I neuer had anie Ioye so pure but that it was myngled with the terrible sorrowes and feares of this daie I knowe well that all this was directed by thy diuine prouidence and that it was thy blessed will that from that tyme I shoulde haue knowledge of this misterie to the ende that as the sonne caried the crosse euermore before his eies euen from the verie daie of his conception so shoulde his mother carie it also Our Lorde will haue them that be his seruātes euer to suffer and be afflicted in this life For thy will and pleasure is that those that be thyne shoulde alwaies suffer and be afflicted in this transitorie life And thou wilt not that our ioyes shoulde be great or perpetuall in this vale of teares though they be such as we take in thee Wherefore ô my kinge vouchsaffe now I beseach thee if it maie so stande with thy blessed will that this maie be the verie last of my martirdomes if not thy holie will be fulfilled both in this and in all other thinges If thou thinke one martirdome be to litle for a poore seelie woman thou knowest verie well ô Lorde that I haue bene so oftentimes a Martir as there haue bene woundes and strookes geuen to the most blessed bodie of my sauiour His martirdomes are now al ended but myne in beholdinge him thus cruellie tormented doe beginne a freshe Commaunde deathe to retourne againe to take the spoyle which he hath left behinde him and let him carie the mother also with the sonne to the graue O happie sepulchre that succiedest me in myne office The crowne that
they take from me they geue vnto thee forsomuch as thou enclosest him within thee whom I haue had enclosed in my bowelles My verie bones woulde reioyce if they might see them selues laied vp there and certainly there shoulde my life be laied also My harte and my soule will I burie there for that maie I doe but as for my bodie burie thou it there also ô Lorde I beseeche thee for that I maie not doe without thee O death why arte thou so cruell as to seperate me from him in whose life my whole life consisteth Thou arte sometimes more cruel in pardoninge thā in killinge Suerly thou haddest shewed thy selfe verie pittiefull towardes me if thou haddest taken vs both together But now alas thou hast bene cruell in killinge the sonne but farre more cruell in sparinge the mother Such wordes as these woulde the blessed virgin speake priuelie in her harte and the like might those holie Maries that accōpanied her speake also All that were present wepte very tenderly with her Those holie Matrones wepte those noble Gentilmen wepte heauen and earthe wepte Yea all creatures accompanied the teares of the blessed virgin Marie The holie Euangelist also wepte verie lamentablie The lamētation of S. Iohn the Euangelist and embracinge the blessed bodie of his maister sayd O my good Lorde and maister who shall be my teacher from henceforthe To whom shall I resorte to be resolued in my dowtes Vpon whose brest shall I rest my selfe Who shall imparte to me the secretes of heauen O what a straenge chaunge and alteration is this The last eueninge thou sufferedst me to rest vpon thy holie brest and gauest me the Ioyes of life and now doe I recompence that great benefit with holdinge thee dead on my brest Is this the face which I sawe transfigured vpon the mownte Thabor Is this that figure wich was more cleare than the sonne at noone daie Lykewise that holie sinner Marie Magdalen wepte full bitterlie also The lamētation of S. Marie Magdalene and embracinge the feete of our Sauiour said O light of myne eies and redeemer of my soule if I shall see my selfe ouercharged with sinnes who shall receaue me Who shall cure my woundes Who shall answere for me Who shall defende me agaynste the Pharisees O how farre otherwise helde I these feete and washed them whē thou receauedst me lyinge prostrate at them O my sweete hart roote and most entierly beloued who coulde bringe to passe that I might now die with thee O life of my soule how can I saie that I loue thee seinge I see thee here dead before myne eies and yet doe remaine aliue After the like maner did all that holie companie weepe and lamente The buriall of our Sauiours bodie in the sepulchre wateringe and wasshinge his holie bodie with there teares Now when the hower of his buriall was come they wynde his holie bodie in a cleane lynnen clothe They bynde his face with a napkin And layinge his bodie vpon a beere doe carie it to the place of his buriall and there they laye in that most pretious treasure The sepulchre was couered with a stone and the harte of the blessed mother with a darke clowde of heauines and sorowe There is she once agayne bereued of her sonne There beginneth she a freshe to lamente her solitarines There she seeth her selfe dispossessed of all her treasure And there her harte remainethe buried where her treasure was left A DECLARATION WHY THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARIE AND all iust persones are afflicted in this present transitorie life with diuers aduersities and tribulations § III. O Heauenly father sith of thy infinit goodnes and mercie thou wouldest that thy blessed sonne shoulde thus suffer for our synnes why wouldest thou that this holie virgin his blessed mother shoulde suffer also who neither deserued death for the sinnes of others forsomuche as thy sonnes death suffised for thē neither yet for her owne seinge she neuer committed anie maner of synne in all her whole life How easelie might this her tribulation haue bene tempered if at that time she had bene forthe of the cittie of Ierusalem where if she had bene absent she shoulde not haue seene with her eies the cruell death of her onelie and dearlie beloued sonne neither haue so greatelie augmented her sorrowe and griefe with the sighte of the present obiecte and with beholdinge him sufferinge his so manifolde and cruell tormentes vpon the crosse O wonderfull dispensation and counsell of almightie God! Thy will was ô Lorde that the blessed virgin shoulde suffer not for the redemption of the worlde but because there is nothinge in the worlde more acceptable vnto thee than to suffer for the loue of thee Emonge all thinges created there is nothinge more pretious than in heauen the glorious loue of the blessed Sainctes Note that nothinge is more precious in earthe thā the loue of God tryed in iust persons with sufferinge affliction and tribulation for Gods sake and in earthe the troubled and afflicted loue of iust persons I meane than the loue of iust persons that is tried with aduersitie affliction and tribulation In the howse of almightie God there is no greater honor than to suffer for the loue of God Emonge all the good workes and seruices that our Sauiour did vnto thee in this worlde this was that which thou hast appoynted and accepted for the most cheefe and principal worke to be the meane of our reparatiō ād redēption This was the iewel and pretious stone that emonge all the riches of vertues which that riche marchant laide before thee liked thee best for the which thou gauest vnto him whatsoeuer he demaunded which was the redemption of the worlde Now then if this iewell be of so great valewe and estimation in the sighte of almightie God it were not meete that such a riche piece as this is shoulde be wantinge in our blessed Ladie who was of all perfect women the most perfecte and most acceptable in the sight of almightie God Moreouer The most manifest and perfect shewe and proufe of trewe vertue is to suffer tribulatiōs for the loue of God there is no worke in this worlde that maketh a more manifest and perfect◠shewe of true vertue than to suffer for the loue of God For the proufe and tryall of true loue is to haue true patience for the beloued And there is no triall and proufe so farre from all suspition as this is And like as almightie God him selfe did neuer discouer the greatnes of his loue vnto men so clearelie and perfectly thoughe his other benefittes which he bestowed vpon thē were verie great vntill he came to suffer for thē euen so shall they neuer discouer their loue towardes him fully and perfectly be there other seruices they doe vnto him neuer so manie and great vntill they come to suffer tribulations for his sake Rom. 5. Patience is the proufe of trewe vertue if it be exercised it sufferinge for
defence of a iust and godlie cause and not for herese or other vniust causes Eccles 27. Tribulation as S. Paule saith is the occasion and matter of patience And patience is the proufe and triall of true vertue And this proufe geueth vs a hope of glorie For this cause therefore a man ought alwayes to suspecte all vertue and holines which he perceaueth in him selfe vntill it be tryed and prooued with the testimonie of tribulation For as the Wise man saith The vessels of claye are tried in the furnace but the hartes of the iust in the furnace of tribulation Almightie God in all the workes of nature hath not made anie one thinge that shoulde be idle or in vaine muche lesse woulde he that in the workes of grace his giftes shoulde be idle and in vaine And therefore he deuideth to euerie one of his electe the burthen and charge which he must beare accordinge to the forces and talente of the grace he hath receaued So that here in this short transitorie life it is not to be esteemed for the greater loue and frendship if almightie God doe geue vs greater pleasure and ease but rather if he geue vs greater tribulation and aduersitie Thow shalt geue vs ô Lorde Psalm 79. He that is greatest and most singular in the loue and fauour of God is comonlie most afflicted with tribulatiōs in this life Exod. 24. saieth the Prophet to drinke teares by measure And the measure is this that he that is most ād greatest in thy grace and fauour is commōly most afflicted and troubled in this transitorie life When Moyses made that peace and accorde betwene almightie God and his people the holie scripture sayth that he sprinckeled all the people with an Isope dipped in bloude and this beinge done the rest of the bloude that remained he sprinckeled vpon the aulter Wherefore let all those that determine to be the friendes of almightie God vnderstande hereby that theire loue Note how our loue and frendeship with almightie God must be celebrated and dedicated with bloude and friendship with him must be celebrated and dedicated with bloude and not onelie with the bloude of Christ but euen also with the proper bloude of euerie one to wit with patience and sufferinge of troubles and aduersities Our Sauiour Christ at that last supper which he made with his disciples dranke first him selfe of the Cuppe but after he had drōcke him selfe thereof he gaue the remnant vnto his ghestes which he had inuited and cōmaunded them to deuide the same emonge them and that euerie one of them shoulde also drinke his drawght of that cuppe So that it apperteineth to all persons to haue theire parte of this cuppe All Christians must drinke theire parte of Christes cuppe and as mēbers of Christ conforme thē selues with Christ theire head in sufferinge and it is also requisite that they all as members of Christ doe conforme them selues with our sauiour Christ in sufferinge Howbeit herein standeth the difference that as concerninge the common sorte of people and those that are Imperfecte it is sufficient if they be sprinckled with bloude but those deuout godlie persons that are more nearly approched and ioyned vnto almightie God and be such as are worthie to be called his aulters these must not onelie be sprinckeled with bloude but they must also be dyed A notable comfort for all Catholickes that be persecuted by heretickes There were neuer anie persons more tossed with aduersities and tribulatiōs in this worlde thā our sauiour Christ and his blessed mother and bathed in bloude forsomuche as to the stronge are reserued the strongest battells and so consequentlie a greater rewarde and a greater crowne in the kingdome of heauen Our sauiour Christ and his blessed mother were the two persons that of all others in this worlde were most entierly beloued of almightie God Now these two as they farre passed and excelled all creatures in vertue so did they likewise in sufferinge And vndowtedlie there were neuer in the worlde two better persons nor more tossed and turmoyled with aduersities afflictions and tribulations than these two were Be of good comfort therefore all ye Catholickes that are in tribulation assuringe your selues that the more troubles afflictions emprisonmentes and crosses you susteine the more like you are vnto our Sauiour Christ and his holie mother Be of good cōfort all ye Catholikes that are troubled For you are not therefore the more forsaken of almightie God but rather if you haue patience in your troubles you are certainlie the more in his grace and fauour and more singulerlie and dearlie beloued of him Be of good comfort againe and againe I saie Psalm 50. There is no signe more certayne of the loue and fauor of God than to haue patience in tribulatiō all ye Catholickes that are afflicted and troubled For there is no sacrifice more acceptable vnto almightie God than a troubled and afflicted harte neither is there anie signe more certaine of his loue and friendshippe then patience in tribulation Let no man therefore sclaunder tribulation for that were to sclaunder our sauiour Christe and his blessed mother yea it were to bringe a sclaunder vpon almightie God him selfe who alwaies sendeth tribulations and afflictions to his friendes What thinge is tribulation but onely a crosse And therefore what other thinge is it to defame tribulation To flie frō tribulatiō is to flie from the crosse but to defame the crosse Againe what is it els to flie from tribulation but to flie from the crosse Now if we worshippe the dead Crosse which is the figure of the Crosse why flie we than from the liuelie crosse which is to suffer by the crosse of tribulation This is to Imitate and followe the Iewes of whom our sauiour sayth Luc. 11. that when they had persecuted the Prophettes they made for them afterwardes verie great and sumptuouse sepulchers honoringe them after they were dead and persecutinge them whilest they were aliue And euen so it siemeth that those wicked Christians doe likewise in a sorte imitate them which on the one side doe worshippe the dead Crosse and on the other side doe denye and spit at the liuelie Crosse Which is the sufferinge by the crosse of tribulation And let no man be discomforted and saie that he suffereth for his synnes or without synne for howsoeuer thou suffer all is finallye in effect to suffer vpon the crosse For if thou suffer for thy synnes and doe hartelie repent them thou sufferest vpon the crosse of the good theiffe But if thou suffer without sinne and without deserte thou oughtest to take the more comfort thereof because this is to suffer euen vpon our Sauiours owne Crosse SONDAIE MORNINGE THIS daie after thou hast made the signe of the Crosse and prepared thy selfe hereunto thou hast to meditate vpon the misterie of the holie Resurrection in which thou maist consider these fower principall pointes to witt of the descendinge of our
vpon euerie lighte occasion and that for euerie trifle and matter of none importance How hath he sanctified and kepte holie his Feastes that hath gaped for these daies to none other ende Of not obseruinge the Sondayes and holy dayes but onely to offende almightie God the more in them to vse dysinge cardinge playenge at tables bowlinge and other games to iette and gase vp and downe in the streetes to geue scandall and offence to innocent yonge maydens and virgyns and to kepe euill companie and conuersation After this consider how frowarde and obstinate thou hast bene towardes thy parentes How disobedient to thy superiors How negligent in ouerseinge thy familie and seruantes to instructe them in Catholike doctrine and prayers to traine them vp in honestie vertue and goodnes and to direct them with thy good counsell and vertuous example in the waye of God As for the hatreds displeasures grudges passions and desires of reuenge which thou hast had who is able to nomber them And if these thinges cannot fully be expressed who is then able to declare the nomber of the dishonesties and vncleannes wherein thou hast fallen by workes wordes and desires What hath thy harte bene but a filthie puddle and stynckinge dungehill meete for beastly swyne What hath thy mouth bene Psal 5. but as the Prophet saieth An open sepulchre from whence haue issued the euill sauours of thy soule that lye dead within thee What hath thine eies bene but as it were certaine windowes of perdition and deathe What thinge hath bene presented to the sighte of thyne eies that thou hast not couered and procured neuer so much as once remembringe that almigtie God was present and lokinge vpon thee and that he had geuen thee an inhibition that thou shouldest not taste of that tree Eccles 23. Vnto the fornicator the Wise man saieth all bread is sweete Because his appetite and griedie desire is so vnsaciable that he tasteth all thinges and fyndeth sauour in all thinges neuer remēbringe that there is a God vnto whom he must be accomptable for them Moreouer who is able to declare the greatnes of thy couetousnes and the robberies and theftes of thy desires which haue bene so farre of from beinge contented with that that almightie God hath geuen thee that all the whole worlde hath seemed to litle for thē And if he that desireth an other mans landes or goodes be as in verie deede he is a verie theyfe in the sight of almightie God how oftē times hast thou deserued to be hanged that in thy harte hast committed so manie theftes Now as towchinge thy lyes thy backbytinges and rashe iudgementes as hardly maye they be nombred as the rest For in a maner thou neuer haddest scarsely communication with others but that the principall parte of thy talke hath bene of other folkes liues of the widowe of the virgin of the preist and of the laie man without sparinge any order or estate whatsoeuer How thou hast refrayned from synne After this sorte hast thou obserued the commaundementes of almightie God Let vs now see how thou hast refrained thy selfe from sinne The pryde of thy harte how great hath it bene Thy desire of honor and praise how farre hath it extended Thy presumption thy estimation of thy selfe and thy contempt of others who is able to expresse Now what shall I saie of the vaine glorie and lightnes of thy harte sith that euen a light fether in thy cappe or a straite payre of hose on thy legges or a garde of veluet vpon thy clooke or a fewe silke cuttes and iagges haue bene able to make thee to strowte iette and aduanuce thy selfe verie proudly fondelie and peacoklike in the streetes yea and to make thee desirous to be gased vpon of all men What steppes hast thou made what worke hast thou done what worde hast thou spoken that hath not bene set forthe with vanitie and desire of thine one estimation Thy apparell thy seruice thy conuersation thy table thy bedde thy enterteynmente to be short in a maner all thy dealinges and demayneure haue sauored of pryde yea they haue bene whollie clothed with mere vanitie Furthermore thy anger hath bene like a Serpent thy glotonie like a raueninge woulfe thy slouth like a lasie Asse thy enuie farre passinge anie viper And herein finallie if thou doe well consider thy selfe thou shalt finde that thou hast gone verie farre wanderinge out of the waye and liued in a verie dangerous state Of mysusinge thy senses and benefites of almightie God Consider likewise of thy senses and not onely of them but also of all the giftes graces and benefites that almightie God hath geuen thee And consider after what sort thou hast emploied them and vndowtedlie thou shalt finde that of all these thinges wherewith thou shouldest haue done the more seruice vnto him who is the geuer of them all thou hast made weapons and instrumentes wherewithall to offende him the more Herein hast thou consumed thy strengthe thy healthe thy substance thy lyfe thy vnderstandinge thy memorie thy will thy sight thy tonge with all the rest These and manie other worse wicked actes hast thou committed in thy lyfe past Wherefore thou mayest verie well saie with that great synner who as he was a great synner so was he also a repentant sinner 2. Paral. 36. I haue sinned ô Lorde aboue the nomber of the sandes of the sea my transgressions O Lorde are multiplied my offences are exciedinge manie And whereas there were so manie thinges that might somewhat haue brideled thee and made the affraied of almightie God as the multitude of his benefites and his exceedinge great goodnes and iustice yet for all his benefites thou wouldest neuer acnowledge him nor for his goodnes loue him nor for his iustice feare him but vtterlie forgettinge all these thinges and closinge fast thyne eies frō beholdinge thē as one that had bene starke blinde thou hast wilfullie wallowed thy selfe in all kinde of vices Now if it had so bene that the cōmodities and prouocations thou haddest to allure thee to sinne had bene great then peraduenture thyne offences might haue had some pretensed colour of excuse But what cāst thou saye for thy selfe seinge that euen for triflinge matters of no importance for childishe toyes yea manie times without anie commoditie at all thou hast voluntarilie synned as it were onelie in mere contempt and despite of almightie God Other men when they sinne are wonte to doe it with some feare and remorse of conscience or at the least after the synne is committed they are verie sorie for it But thou perhappes hast bene so blynde and so vnsensible that thou hast committed a thowsande sinnes without anie kinde of feare or remorse of conscience euen as if thou haddest thought that there had bene no God at all Or if thou haddest belieued that there was a God yet thy beliefe was like vnto theirs Psalm 93. that sayed Our Lorde shall not see
abilitie to doe the same Some can goe others can swyme others can flie to be short each one of them is able without anie instructor to seeke for such thinges as it hath need of onely man knoweth nothinge neither is he able to doe anie thinge but must of necessitie be caried in other folkes armes How longe time is it before he can learne to goe And yet he must beginne to crawle vpon all fowre feete before he can goe vpon two How longe tyme is it before he can speake so muche as one worde And not onely before he can speake but also before he can tell how to put meate into his owne mowth vnles some others doe helpe him One thinge onely I must confesse he can doe of him selfe that is he can crie and weepe This is the first thinge he doethe A man weepethe so soone as he is borne into this worlde but he laugheth not vntill fourtye dayes after his byrthe and this is the thinge onely he can doe without anie teacher And although he can also laughe of him selfe yet can he not doe it before he be fowrtie daies olde notwithstandinge that he is euer more weepinge from the first hower of his comminge into this worlde Whereby thou mayest vnderstande how farre more prompt and readie our nature is to pewlinge and weepinge than to ioye and mirthe O mere follye and madnes of men saieth a Wise man who of so poore naked and base beginninge doe perswade themselues that they are borne to be prowde Now as concerninge the verie bodie of man Of the bodye of mā whereof men esteime them selues so muche and take suche a vaine conceite I woulde thou shouldest consider with indifferent eies what our bodies are in verie deede how gaye and beawtifull soeuer they appeare to our outwarde sighte Tell me I praie thee what other thinge is the body of a man but onely a corrupt and teynted vessell which incontinentlie sowreth and corrupteth what soeuer lycour is powred into it What other thinge is mans bodie but onely a filthie donghill couered ouer with snowe which outwardlie appeareth white and within is full of filth and vncleannes What muckhill is so filthie What sincke auoideth out of it such filthie geare through all his channells as a mans bodie doth by seuerall meanes and waies The trees the hearbes yea and certaine liuinge beastes also do yeelde out of them verye sweete and pleasaunte sauours but man yeeldeth and auoydeth from him such lothsome and fowle stynckinge stuffe as he seemeth trewlie none other thinge but onely a fountaine of all sluttishnes and filthines It is written of a great wise philosopher called Plotinus Plotinus that he was ashamed of the condition and basenes of his bodie insomuch as he was verie vnwillinge to heare anie talke of his lignage and pedegree neither coulde he euer be induced with anie perswasions to giue his consent that anie man shoulde purtraite him out in picture sayeinge that it was sufficient that he him selfe caried with him all the daies of his lyfe a thinge so filthie and so vnworthie of the noblenes of his soule although he were not bownde to leaue behinde him a perpetuall remembrance of his owne dishonour It is written also of the holie Abbot Isidorus Isidorus that vpon a time whilest he was at meate he was not able to refraine from weepinge and beinge demaunded why he wepte he answered I weepe because I am ashamed to be here feedinge vpon the corruptible meate of beastes whereas I was created to be in the companie of Angels and to feed vpon heauenly foode with them Of the myseries and conditions of this lyfe and first of the shortnes of the same § II. AFTER this consider the great and manifolde miseries of mans lyfe and espetially these seuen to witt How shorte this lyfe is Hou vncertain Hou fraile Hou inconstant How deceitfull and finally how miserable it is This done thinke vpon the ende thereof which is deathe Of the shortenes of our lyfe Iob. 1.14 Consider then first of the shortnes of our lyfe which thinge the holie man Iob considered when he saied O Lorde the daies of man are verie shorte and thou knowest the nomber of the monethes that he hath to liue We see at this daie what a great matter it is for one to liue three score and tenne or foure score yeares and this is commōly the ordinarie rate of mās lyfe Insomuch as when they liue so longe they accompt them selues not to be euill delt withall As the Prophet signifieth when he saieth Psal 89. The daies of mā are at the vttermost but threescore and tenne yeares and if the strongest do reach to fourescore all that that followeth is but labour and greiffe Now if thou wilt deuyde this accōpte into partes and not recken it thus in a grosse somme it seemeth vnto me The tym◠of infancye that thou canst not well recken the tyme of our infancie for anie part of our lyfe and much lesse the time that is consumed in sleepe because the lyfe of infancie when we are not as yet come to the vse of reason which onely shewethe vs to be men can not well be called the lyfe of men but rather the lyfe of beastes euen as it were the lyfe of a yonge goate that goeth here and there skippinge and leapinge espetiallie bycause we see that in al that age there is nothinge either learned or done The tyme consumed in sleepe that maie well beseeme the dignitie of a man Now as towchinge the time that is spent in sleepe I see not how it maye be called the time of lyfe seinge the principall parte of our life is to haue the vse of our senses and reason which as then both the one and the other are suspended in vs and as it were deade And therefore a certayne Philosopher saied that in the halfe of a mans lyfe there is no difference betwene the happie man and vnhappie forsomuch as duringe the tyme of sleepe all men are equall because they be then as is were deade It is cleare that if a kinge shoulde be detained as a prisoner for the space of one or two yeares we can not saie and saie trulie that he raigned duringe that time seinge he enioyed not the kingdome nor gouerned the same lyke a kinge How then can it be saied that a man liueth whiles he sleepeth seinge duringe that time the Seignorie and vse of his reason yea and of his senses also by which he liueth stande as it were in suspense For this cause a certain Poët tearmed sleepe the cosin germayne of death and an other called it the brother of deathe for the likenes and resemblance which he perceaued to be betwene the one and the other Now then if so great a parte of our lyfe be spent in sleepe what a great part is that wherein it cannot be sayed that we doe liue at all And if it be the common custome of men
longe and whereas it chaungeth it selfe euerie houre it beareth a countenaunce as thoughe it continued alwaies firme and stable in one same state Doest thou perceaue saieth S. Ierome when thou wast made an infant S. Ierome Canst thou tell when thou wast made a striplinge or when thou camest to mans state or when thou begannest to waxe an olde man Good Lorde what a wonder is this that euerie daie we die and euerie daie we alter and chaunge and yet for all this we perswade our selues verie fondelie that we shall liue here for euermore Vpon this affiance were those prowde and sumptuous buildinges of the Magarēces built of whom a certaine Philosopher saieth that they builded as thoughe they shoulde liue for euer The cause why manie be so carefull to prouide for this worlde and so careles and negligent to prepare them selues to dye and they liued as though they should dye the next daye Whereof I praie you commeth so great forgetfulnes of almightie God so great couetousnes so great vanitie so great carefulnes in purchasinge and heapinge together of landes and riches and so great negligēce in preparinge our selues to die but that we beleue and perswade our selues that our life shal be verie longe and endure a great time This false imagination maketh vs to beleue that we haue time enough for all thinges for the worlde for pleasures for vanities for vices and for many other vaine and curious exercises and that yet after all this we shall haue time enough also before we dye to prouyde our accompte redie and to make our attonemente with almightie God Insomuch that like as we make our accompt of a piece of clothe when it lieth vpon a table before vs appointinge one piece for one purpose and an other piece for an other euen so doe we make an accompt of our liues as thoughe we our selues had the seignorie and gouernement of times and might dispose both of them and of our lyfe at our owne wil and pleasure This fonde deceit growethe of a secreat perswasion and affiance that euerie man hath within himselfe grownded not vpon anie reason or true foundation but onely vpon selfe loue The which as it hateth and abhorreth death exceadinglie so will it in no case haue any remembrance of it nor be perswaded that it will come so soone to his howse as to other mens And all this is for auoydinge of the great paine and griefe which he woulde conceaue if he beleued it in verie deede we can easelie be persuaded that others will dye within a shorte tyme but we will not beleue but that we our selues shall liue verie lōge And hereof it commeth that he is easilie induced to beleue that other folkes shall die within a short space For as he is not greatly in loue with thē so is not the knowledge of that trueth so sowere and vnlikinge vnto him but that he can easelie beleue it But as towchinge himselfe he maketh an other maner of accompt For as he loueth himselfe exciedingly so is he verie lothe to beleue a thinge that maie be occasion of so greate paine and griefe vnto him as the same woulde be But we see daylie that such persons are oftentymes fowly deceyued and that their dreames tourne cleane contrarie to their fonde imaginations For as towchinge others of whose liues they had smalle hope that they shoulde haue anie longe continuance they liue a longer time than they euer imagined they coulde haue done And they themselues that thought to liue and remaine here a longe while doe leade the daunce and depart owt of this worlde before thē So that it fareth with thē as with younge sea men that beginne to saile in the Sea who when they come forth of the hauen mowth it seemeth vnto them that the lande and howses doe depart awaie from them which is nothinge so but contrariewise it is they themselues that moue and depart awaie and the lande remaineth still in his olde place Of the miseries of mans lyfe § VII ALTHOVGH our lyfe be subiect to all these miseries before rehearsed yet if that litle time of lyfe were wholie lyfe indeede it were somewhat but the greatest miserie of all is that the lyfe which a man hath to liue whether it be shorte or longe is altogether subiect to such a nomber of miseries and calamities both of bodie and minde as it maie more trulie be tearmed deathe than lyfe Wherefore accordinge as a Poët saied verie well Not to liue but to passe the lyfe well is lyfe So that although this lyfe be verie sparynge ād shorte in all other thinges yet in troubles and miseries it is verie plentifull and longe Vndoutedlye our life is but shorte respectinge the lyfe it selfe and if we respect the time of enioyenge it it is yet much shorter but if we consider how insufficient it is towardes the atteyninge of wisedome it is litle or nothinge at all Howbeit although it be indeede verie shorte for all good thinges yet in one thinge onely I fynde it longe that is in bearinge of paine and miserie O daungerous straite in which the lesse time thou hast to passe the more perill and daunger thou hast in the passage Certainlie if we had eies to consider our selues and to see our owne case we shoulde alwaies goe weepinge and lamentinge our owne state as men condemned by the iust iudgement of almightie God to suffer such great miseries But that our miserie might be yet more increased on euerie side this miserie is added to all the rest that beinge in miserable case we liue like men in a frensie and doe neither feele nor vnderstande our owne miserie and wretchednes Heralitus Domocritus Those two Philosophers Heraclitus and Democritus although they were infidels perceyued the same better than we doe of whom it is reported that the one passed his lyfe alwaies weepinge and the other alwaies laughinge forsomuch as they sawe clearly that all our lyfe was nothinge els but mere vanitie and miserie If thou dowte of this tell me I praie thee what meane all these carkes and cares wherein men doe liue What a nomber of infinite sorowes griefes anguishes feares passions suspitions malices with other the like tribulations and afflictions is the soule of man subiect vnto Vnto all which passions man is so prone that manie times he is in a passion without anie cause and feareth where there is no cause at all to feare and when there is no other man to vexe and tormente him outwardlie he then vexeth and tormenteth himselfe inwardly as holie Iob confessed in these wordes when he sayde why hast thou ô Lorde sett me against thee Iob. 7. I am become ircksome and burdensome euen to myne owne selfe Of the externall miseries of the bodie Now as towchinge the externall miseries of the bodie who is able to nomber them How great labour and paine must we take to gaine a piece of bread whereby to sustein our liues
vnweldie olde man but euen a sacke stuffed with greifes and diseases The greatest desire that men haue is to liue vntill they be olde at which age a man is in farre worse case than in all his lyfetime before and then he standeth in most neede and hath least helpe and succoure For the olde man is forsaken of the worlde He is forsaken of his owne kinsfolke friendes and acquaintance He is forsaken of his owne members and senses yea he forsaketh himselfe in that the verie vse of reason forsaketh him And he is onely accompanyed with his paynefull aches greifes and diseases For his companie and conuersation is then verie ircksome and troublesome to the whole howse where he dwelleth This is the marcke for sooth wherevpon the eie of man is so earnestlie fixed this is the happie state which all men doe so griedelie desire and hereunto tendeth the worldlie felicitie and the ambition of longe lyfe As concerninge the states of men we shoulde neuer make an ende There is litle conteÌ„tation in the states of men and eche one desireth to chaunge his state with the states of others if we shoulde rehearse the litle contentation that is to be founde in each of them and the great desire that euerie one hath to chaunge his owne state and condition with the state of others thinkinge that he shoulde haue greater hartes ease in an other mans state than he hath in his owne And thus doe men continually vexe and turmoyle themselues like vnto a sicke man that doth nothing els but tomble and tosse in his bed from one side to an other perswadinge himselfe that by meanes of these often chaunges and remouinges he shall finde more ease and rest than he had before and yet he findeth in verie deede that he is fowlie deceyued Forsomuch as the cause of his disquietnes resteth within him selfe which is his owne greife and disease To conclude such is the miserable state and condition of this lyfe that the Wise man had good cause to saie Eccles 40. Great and heauie is the yooke that the children of Adam carie on their neckes euen from the daie they come forth of their mothers wombe vntil the daie of their burial which is the common mother of all S. Barnarde And S. Barnarde was not affraied to saie that he thought this lyfe litle better than the lyfe of hell it selfe were it not for the hope we maye here haue to atteyne vnto the kyngedome of heauen The miseries of this lyfe are ordeyned as a punnishmente for synne and to withdrawe our hartes froÌ„ the inordinate loue of this lyfe And albeit all these miseries doe come vnto vs as a punnishement for synne yet was it a verie mercifull and medicinable punnishement For the prouidence of almightie God did so ordaine it meaninge thereby to withdrawe and separate our hartes from the inordinate loue of this lyfe The verie cause why he put so muche bitter mustarde vpon the breastes of this lyfe was to weane vs from it The cause why he suffered our lyfe to become so filthie was that we shoulde not set oure loue vpoÌ„ it The cause why he woulde haue vs to be molested and vexed so often times in this lyfe was that we might the more willinglie forsake it and sighe continuallie for the true lyfe whiche is in the worlde to come For if we be so vnwillinge to forsake this lyfe Exod. 16. beinge wholye so miserable as it is if we be now euer whymperinge and whyninge for the fruites and fleashpottes of Egipt what woulde we doe if al our lyfe were sweete and pleasant And what woulde we doe if it were wholie likinge and delitefull to our taste and appetite Who woulde then trowe yee contemne it for Gods sake Who woulde then exchaunge it for heauen Philip. 1. Who woulde then saie with S. Paule I haue a desire to be loosed from this fleashe and to be with Christ Of the last miserie of man which is deathe § VIII AFTER all these miseries succeedeth the last and of all others most terrible which is death This is that miserie whereof a certaine Poët lamented sayeinge The best daies of mortall men are those that passe first awaie and then succedeth a nomber of sicknesses and diseases and with them heauie and dolefull age and continuall trouble and aboue all the sharpenes of cruell deathe This is the lodge and ende of mans lyfe whereof holie Iob saied I knowe well ô Lorde Iob 30. that thou wilt deliuer me ouer to deathe where there is a howse prepared for all men liuinge How manie the miseries are that be included in this miserie alone I will not take vpon me to declare at this present Onely I will rehearse what a certaine holie father saieth by waie of exclamation against death in this wise O death how bitter is the remembrance of thee How quicklie and sodenly stealest thou vpon vs How secrete are thy pathes and waies How doutfull is thy houre And how vniuersall is thy seignorie and dominion The mightie can not escape thy handes the wise can not hide them selues from thee and the stronge loose their strengthe in thy presence Thou accomptest no man riche forsomuch as no man is able to raunsome his lyfe of thee for money Thou goest euerye where thou searchest euerye where and thou art euerie where Thou witherest the hearbes thou drinkest vp the windes thou corruptest the aier thou chaungest the ages thou alterest the worlde thou stickest not to sup vp the sea all thinges doe increase and diminishe but thou continuest alwaies at one staie Thou art the hammer that alwaies striketh Iob. 1â—â— thou art the sworde the neuer blunteth thou art the snare whereinto euerie one falleth thou art the prison wherein euerie one entereth thou art the sea wherein all doe perishe thou art the paine that euerie one suffereth and the tribute that euerie one paieth O cruell death why hast thou not compassion of vs but commest stealinge sodenlie vpon vs to snatche vs awaie in our best times and to interrupt our affaieres when they are well begonne and brought to a good forwardnes Thou robbest from vs in one houre as much as we haue gained in manie yeares Thou cuttest of the succession of kinredes and families Thou leauest kingdomes without anie heires Thou fillest the worlde with wydowes and orphanes thou breakest of the studies of great clerckes thou ouerthrowest good wittes in their rypest age thou ioynest the ende with the beginninge without geuinge place to the myddle To conclude thou art such a one as almightie God wassheth his handes of thee and cleareth himselfe in plaine wordes sayenge Sap. 1. 2. That he neuer made thee but that thou haddest thine entrie into the worlde by the verie enuie and craft of the diuell What fruite and commoditie maye be taken of the foresaied considerations § XI THESE are the miseries of our lyfe with infinite others the coÌ„sideration whereof a
they went to finde the partye they sought for how amased and ashamed were they when they sawe how fowlie they were deceiued Now what thinge in the worlde coulde make a more liuely resemblance of the proces and deceites of our lyfe We all doe walke here in this worlde by the waie of our appetites and desires Some seeke after golde others to purchace lādes others to make great buildinges others seeke for pleasures and delightes others for offices and dignities and each one is fullie perswaded that he taketh the best and wisest waie to obtein the thinge he disiereth But when the terrible presence of death and the daunger of our accompt discouereth the vanitie of our hopes then findinge our selues to be in arrerages for our accompt we shall clearlie perceiue how fowlie we haue bene deceiued and we shall see that by followinge that waie whereby we thought to haue founde quietnes and rest we finde our perdition O what miserable men are we How blindly doe we now wander vp and downe in the worlde What eies shall we then haue How shall our iudgement be then altered How farre different shall it be from that it was before Then shall we playnelie see how all the thinges of this worlde are miserable her goodes false her waies crooked her hopes vaine her promises lyinge her pleasures bitter her glorie shorte and vaine Then shall we perceiue though to late how her riches were thornes and her delightes poyson To be short then shall we see how our eies haue bene closed vp and that we neuer knewe whither we went and at the ende of our iourney we shall finde our selues in the streites of Samaria and in the snare of the iudgement of almightie God and compassed about with all our enemies to witt the diuells and our sinnes O how shall the wicked be confounded at that howre and how fowly shall they see them selues beguiled How truelie maye euerie one of them saie at that tyme O miserable wretch that I am what other commoditie haue I now by all my pleasures past but onely that I haue prouoked at this dreadfull howre the indignation of the iudge against me who must geue sentence vpon me Now my pleasures are all ended and gone and there remaineth of them neither relique nor memorie to comfort me withall no more than if they neuer had bene yea contrariewise they remaine as thornes that lye prickinge all about my harte they make my cause doutfull they torment my wofull sowle now presently and peraduenture shall torment it euerlastinglie for euer and euer This is the fruit that I haue gathered of my dissolute and wanton lyfe and of all my carnall delightes This is the settinge of my teeth on edge that my gluttonies past doe cause me now to haue My pleasures and delightes haue now forsaken me They are quite gone awaie and will neuer retourne againe yea perhapps in steede of pleasures that cōtinued but a momente there are prepared for me euerlastinge horrible tormentes in hell fier Now what blindnes can be greater than this How much better had it bene for me neuer to haue bene borne than to haue offended him of whose helpe and fauour I haue at this presente so great neide How much better had it bene for me that the earth had opened and swalowed me vp before I had once thought to offend him O vnfortunat daie O cursed howre wherein I offended thee ô Lorde Why did I not consider beforehande of this dreadfull howre Why was I not sooner mindfull of this terrible iudgement How were mine eies blynded with so smalle a glimse Is this the waie that I tooke to be so certayne and sure Is this the ende that all the honours of the worlde come vnto What are all those thinges which I haue so greatlie estiemeed heretofore of so litle accompte at this presente Of the terrour of the deadfull accompt we must make at the howere of our death vnto almightie God of all our lyfe past § V. AFTER this griefe there followeth also an other as great as this which is the feare of the accompt that shall then be required of vs. This is one of the greatest troubles and greifes we shall haue at that time For besides this that it is so terrible a matter to enter into iudgemēt with almightie God the very deuils also and fyendes of hell will increase this feare at that howre which before they were wont to extenuate and diminishe vnto vs with the hope and coulour of gods mercie Then will they put vs in minde of the greatnes and profoundenes of the iudgemēntes of almightie God and of his iustice which they will then shewe to be so great that he pardoned not his owne onely sonne for the sinnes of others Luc. 23. If this then be done in greine woode what shal be done saie they in drye woode Then the wicked man shall beginne to tremble and qwake for feare and saie to him selfe O miserable wretche that I am If that be true which al the scripture reporteth to wit that almightie God will geue to euerie one accordinge to his workes what maie I hope to receiue at his handes that haue done so manie wicked workes If the Gospell saie Math. 6. vers 27. Rom. 2.6 2. Cor. 5.10 Math. 3.10 Math. 7.19 That the tree shal be iudged accordinge to the frute that it yeldeth What iudgement maie I looke for that haue brought forthe so manie wicked fruites If it be true which the Prophet saieth That none shall ascend vp to the hill of God vnles he haue innocent handes Psal 23.3.4 and an vndefiled harte whither shall I then goe that haue had such wicked handes and such a filthie harthe If the sayeinge of the Wiseman be true Prou. 28.9 That whosoeuer shutteth his eares and will not heare the lawe shall crie and not be harde what maie I looke for that haue had mine eares shutt against almightie God and yet haue had them so open to harken after lies and vanities of the worlde Wherefore ô my omnipotent God with what face shall I now appeare before thee and desire thee to geue eare vnto me seinge thou hast so often times called me and I woulde geue no eare vnto thee How can I request thee to receiue me into thy howse seinge thou hast so often times called at my howse and I haue shutt my gates against thee How shall I finde thee now at the time of my neede seinge thou hast had so oftentimes neede of me in thy poore and impotent members and hast not found me By what title or right maie I request thee now at the ende of my iourney to graunt me heauē seinge I haue spente all my lyfe time in the seruice of the deuill thine enemie O how iustly maist thou then ô Lorde saie vnto me Thou hast serued the worlde and the deuill get thee therefore vnto them and let them geue thee thy hyre The like answere made the Prophet Heliseus
before the generall daie of iudgemente Secondly consider what fearefull and terrible signes shall goe before this daie For as our Sauiour saieth Before the comminge of this daie there shal be signes in the Sonne in the Moone and in the Sterres and in all creatures both of heauen and earthe For they shall all haue as it were a certayne feelinge and vnderstandinge of their ende Luc. 21.25 before they come to their ende in deede And shall tremble and quake and beginne to falle before they falle in deede But as for men they shall saieth he goe vp and downe drie and withered Luc. 21.26 in great anguishe and feare of death hearinge the terrible roringes of the Sea and seinge the great outragious stormes and tempestes that shall then be stirringe And by those dreadfull signes they shall coniecture what great calamities and miseries are threatened to the worlde And in this wise shall they goe wholy amased and astonied their faces pale and wāne theyr hartes dead before deathe come and as persons condemned before the sentence be geuen For they shall measure the perilles and daungers to come by the greate feare and terrour they be presentelie in And euerie one shal be so throughlie occupied with his owne affaires that none shall thinke of others no not so much as the father of the sonne or the sonne of the father No man shall haue to doe for anie other man because no man shal be sufficient for himselfe alone The Sibilles doe affirme that at that time the beastes shall goe bellowinge and roringe throughe the feildes and cities and that the trees shall sweate bloude and that the Sea shall cast vp the fisshes on the drie grounde But if this seeme incredible to anie man let him consider that there is much more spoken in the gospell For it is a greater matter for men to be dried vp Luc. 21. than for the sea to be dried vp And it is a greater matter that the vertues of the heauens shoulde be moued than that all creatures in the earthe shoulde be altered Thirdlie consider that vniuersall floude of fier Of the cōminge of the floude of fier before the Iudge and of the dreadfull sownde of the trompette at the generall Iudgment Nahum 1. that shall come before the iudge and that dreadfull sownde of the trompett which the Archangell shall blowe to sommon and calle all the generatiōs of the worlde to assemble together in one place and to be present at their generall and vniuersall iudgemente And aboue all this consider with what a dreadfull maiestie the Iudge shall come Whos 's comminge is described by the Prophet Nahum in these wordes Our Lorde shall come like a tempest and furious whyrlewinde and the clowdes are the dust of his feete He shal take indignation against the Sea and it shall waxe drie and all the riuers of the earthe shal be dried vp The hill Basan and Carmelus shal be withered and the floure of the mounte Libanus shall fade and falle awaye The mountaines shall qwake before him and the hilles shall melte The earth shall tremble at his presence and the worlde and all the inhabitantes thereof Who shall stande before the face of his indignation And who shall abide the fearcenes of his furie His wrathe shal be poured out like a fire and the verie rockes shall become dust before him Of the straite accompte that shall then be required of euerie mā Iob. 4. Iob. 31. After this consider what a strait accompte shal be there required of euerie man Verelie saieth Iob no man can be iustified if he be compared with almightie God and if he contende with him in iudgment of a thousande thinges that he shall charge him withall he shall not be able to answere vnto one Now then what shall euerie wicked person thinke at that tyme when almightie God shall enter with him in this examination How almightie God shall then accuse the wicked within their owne consciences ād shal there within his owne cōsciēce saie thus vnto him Come hither thou wicked and naughtie man What hast thou seene in me that thou shouldest thus despise me and goe to myne enemies syde I haue raised thee from the dust of the earthe and created thee after myne owne image and likenes I haue geuen thee vertue and strengthe wherewith thou mightest haue obteined my glorie But thou despisinge the benefites and commaundementes of lyfe which I haue geuen thee wouldest rather followe the lies of the deceiuer than the holesome counsell of thy Lorde and creator To deliuer thee from this foule falle I went downe from heauen into earth where I suffered the greast paynes tormentes and reproches that euer were suffered in the worlde For thee haue I fasted for thee haue I traueyled from place to place for thee haue I watched laboured and sweate droppes of bloude for thee haue I suffered persecutions scourginges blasphemies reproches buffettinges dishonours tormentes and euen deathe it selfe vpon the crosse To be shorte for thee I was borne in much pouertie for thee I liued in great paine for thee I died with intollerable tormentes and greifes Witnes hereof are this crosse and nailes which thou here now seest Witnes hereof are these woundes both of my handes and feete which are here to be seene in my bodie Witnes hereof are heauen and earthe before whom I suffered Witnes hereof are the sonne and moone which were eclipsed at the same howre Now what hast thou done with this thy sowle which I with the sheedinge of myne owne bloude purchased to be mine In whose seruice hast thou emploied that which I bought so dearly O foolishe wicked and adulterous generation why wouldest thou rather serue thy enemie with paine than me thy creator and redeemer with ioye Be yee astonied ô ye heauens at this straunge case and let your gates falle downe at the straungnes hereof Ierem. 2. For two abhominations hath my people committed They haue forsaken me that am the fountaine of liuely water and refused me for an other Barrabas I called yow verie oftentimes and ye woulde not answere me I knocked at your gates and ye woulde not awake I stretched out my handes on the crosse and ye woulde not beholde them Ye haue despised my counsels with all my promises and threatninges Wherefore speake ye now ô ye Angels be you iudges betwene me and my viniarde what coulde I haue done more for it than I haue done Now what answere can the wicked make hereunto Let the wicked prouide what answere to make here vnto now whiles they haue tyme in this worlde Such as be scoffers at holie and diuine thinges Such as be mockers of vertue Such as be despisers of simplicitie Such as make more accompte of the lawes and statutes of the worlde than of the lawes of almightie God Such as haue bene deaffe to heare the callinges of God vnsensible to vnderstande his inspirations rebellious against his commaundementes obdurate and
farre the one exceedeth the other Now if a man to escape that tormente woulde not sticke to put him selfe to all daungers labours and paines be they neuer so great what then ought all we to doe to escape this most horrible extreme tormente of hell fyer Consider also what a terrible kinde of tormente that was which Phalaris that cruell Tyrante inuented of whom it is written that he vsed when he woulde put men to death to cause them to be inclosed within the bellie of a bull made of mettall and then caused a fier to be made vndernethe it and this cruell maner of punnishemente he deuised that the miserable man by the heate of the yron shoulde burne within the same by litle and litle and not be able to escape nor defende him selfe nor haue anie other remedie but onely to burne and rore and tumble and tosse him selfe within that strait place vntill he were dead What harte can heare of this crueltie but that his fleashe will tremble and quake onely in thinkinge of it Wherefore tell me now ô thou Christian what is all this in comparison of that most greiuous and horrible tormente which we here treate of but onely a meere dreame or shadowe Now if the verie imagination and thinkinge of these horrible paines of hell doe make vs afraide what shal it be not to thinke of them onelie but euen to suffer them in verie deede Certainlie it is so horrible a matter to suffer paines and tormentes euerlastinglye that althoughe there were but one alone emonge all the children of Adam that shoulde suffer in hell in this wise it were enoughe to make vs all to tremble and quake There was but one emonge Christes disciples that shoulde sell his master and yet when Christ saied One of yow shall betraie me Math. 26.21 all beganne to be afraide and waxe sad for that the matter was of so great importance Now then why doe not we much more tremble and quake knowinge certainlie Eccles 1.15 Math. 7.14 Esa 5.14 That the nomber of fooles is infinite and that the waie vnto life euerlastinge is verie narrowe ād strait ād that hel hath enlardged her mouthe without anie limitte to receiue the multitudes that goe into it If we beleeue not this If a Christian did cōsider the euerlastinge continuance of the horrible paynes of hell it woulde make him loke better to the dewe framinge of his lyfe where is our faith If we doe beleeue and confesse it where is our iudgemēmente and reason And if we haue both iudgement and reason why doe we not publishe and preache this matter in the open streates and market places Why goe we not into the desertes as manie of the Sainctes haue done there to doe penance for our synnes and to liue an austere lyfe emonge beastes that we maie escape these most horrible and euerlastinge tormentes How is it that we can sleepe in the night Yea how happeneth it that we be not quite out of our wittes when we doe thinke attentiuelie and consider of so straunge a perill as this is seinge lesse daungers than these haue bene able not onelie to frighte and bestraught men out of their wittes but also to bereue them of their liues This is the greatest payne that the miserable damned persons haue in hell to vnderstande that almightie God and their most greiuous tormentes shal be of one lyke continuance and therefore their miserie can haue no comfort because their paine hath no ende If the damned persons coulde be perswaded that after a hundered thowsande millions of yeares their paynes shoulde haue an ende euē that persuasion alone woulde be a great comfort vnto them For then all their tormētes albeit it were verie lōge woulde yet at the lengthe come to an ende S. Gregorie But assured they are that their paines shall haue no ende at all For as S. Gregorie saieth There the wicked haue death without anie death an ende without anie ende and a defecte without anie defecte For their death alwaies liueth their ende alwaies beginneth and their defecte neuer faileth And for this cause the Prophet saieth Psal 48.15 They are in hell as it were sheepe and death feideth vpon them The herbe that is there fed vpon is not wholie plucked vp because the roote is aliue which is the beginninge of lyfe and this causeth the herbe to springe againe that it maie still be fed vpon And therefore the pasture of those feildes is immortall forsomuch as it is alwaies eaten and alwaies reuyueth againe Now after this sorte shall death feede vpon the damned persons and as death cannot dye so shall it neuer be filled with this kinde of foode nor euer be wearie in doinge this office neither shall it euer make an ende of deuowringe this morsell For that death shall euermore haue somewhat in them to deuoure and they shall euermore minister somewhat vnto death to be deuoured so as the damned in hell shall suffer their most horrible paines and tormentes for euer and euer without anie ende SATTVRDAIE NIGHTE OF THE EVERLASTINGE GLORIE AND FELICITIE OF THE KINGDOME OF HEAVEN Corinth 2.9 THIS DAIE WHEN THOV HAST MADE THE SIGNE OF the Crosse and prepared thy selfe hereunto thou hast to meditate vpon the felicitie of eternall glorie in the kingedome of heauen THIS consideration is so profitable that if it were holpen with the lighte of a liuely faithe it were able to make all the bitter paines and labours which we shoulde take for the attaininge thereof to become sweite and pleasant For if the loue of landes and riches doe cause the paines and labours that be taken for them to seime sweite and pleasant If the loue of childrē also doe cause women to wishe for the paines of childebearinge what woulde the loue of this most excellent and passinge great felicitie doe in comparison whereof all other felicities are of non accompt If it be saied of the patriarke Iacob Genes 29.20 that his seuen years seruice feemed but shorte vnto him in respecte of the great loue he bare to Rachel what woulde the loue of that infinite bewtie worke in our hartes what woulde that euerlastinge mariage cause vs to doe if it were considered with the eies of a liuely faieth Fiue pointes to be considered in this meditation Wherefore that thou mayst vnderstande somewhat of this felicitie thou hast to consider emonge other thinges these fiue pointes that are in it to witt The excellencie and greatenes of the place The fruition of the companie of those blessed inhabitantes The vision of almightie God The glorie of the Sainctes bodies And finallie the perfect fruition of all good thinges that are there First of all therefore consider the excellencie of the place The excellencie and greatnes of the heauēs and especially the greatnes thereof which is surelye very wonderfull For when a man readeth in certaine graue awthors that euerie one of the starres of heauen is greater than all
nor decaye neither shall their bodies euer decaye or waxe olde For he that causeth the heauens to be alwaies freshe and newe after so manie thowsande yeares as haue passed since they were created shall also cause the flower of the glorie of the Sainctes alwaies to be liuelie and florishinge and neuer to wither or decaye in anie one poynte Of the fourthe ioye that the sowle shall haue in the kingdome of heauen which is the enioyinge of the glorie of the bodie § IIII. The bodies of the Sainctes shall also be glorified in heauen THE cleare vision of the diuine maiestie is as hathe bene declared the essential glorie of the blessed sowles in heauen Howbeit our most iust iudge and bountifull father thinkethe it not enoughe to glorifie the sowles onely but for the honour of them extendethe his magnificence and liberalitie yet further euen to glorifie their bodies also geuinge thus a rowme and place vnto beastes in his royall and euerlastinge heauēlie pallace O louer of men O honorer of the good and vertuous What hath this rottē and stinckinge fleashe of ours which like a beast followeth alwaies his appetites to doe with the sanctuarie of heauen What shall this fleashe which shoulde rather be tied vp in a stable emonge beastes be placed emonge the Angels in heauen Let dust ô Lorde continewe with dust for it is not seemely that earthe shoulde be placed aboue the heauens But he that saiede vnto Abraham I will honour and multiplie Ismael Gen. 17.20 notwithstandinge he is the sonne of a bondslaue because he appertaineth vnto thee will also shewe this fauour to the bodies of the Sainctes for the nighe kinred that is betwene the sowles and thē It is our Lordes pleasure also that he that hath holpen to beare the burthen Note here the reason why the Sainctes bodies shall as well be glorified in heauen as their sowles shall likewise be partaker in the diuision of the glorie and that like as the sowle by conformynge it selfe in this lyfe vnto the will of God commeth afterwardes to be made partaker of the glorie of God euen so the bodie which contrarie to his nature was conformable and obedient vnto the will of the sowle shall also be made partaker of the glorie of the same sowle And thus shall the iust be glorious both in bodie and sowle And as the Prophet saieth Esa 61.7 They shall possesse in their countrey dowble riches Whereby is vnderstoode the glorie of the sowles and the glorie of the bodies The glorie of the senses The eies Now what shall I saie of the glorie of the senses Eache one of them shall there haue his owne proper delighte and glorie The eies shal be renewed and made more cleare than the lighte of the sonne They shall see those roiall pallaces those glorious bodies and those bewtifull feildes with other infinit goodlie thinges that are there to be seene The eares The eares shall alwaies heare that wounderfull musicke which is so exceedinge sweite and pleasant that one onely fownde of it were able to bringe all the hartes of this worlde a-sleepe The sense of smellinge shall also be recreated with most sweite and pleasant sauours The smellinge not of such vaporous thinges as we haue here but of such as be proportionable to the glorie that is there The taste In like maner the taste shal be satisfied with incredible sweitenes and delightes not for sustentation of lyfe but for accomplishemente of all glorie Now what an exceedinge ioye shall the blessed sowle conceyue at that time when for the mortification and diligente lookinge vnto the senses which continued so shorte a time she seeth her selfe so wholie drowned in that most deepe fountaine of glorie without findinge anie bothom or ende of so manie and of such passinge great ioyes O labours and paines well employed O seruices well rewarded O treasure not so much to be spoken of as to be wisshed and desired and to be purchased with a thowsande liues if we had so manie to geue for the same Of the fyfte ioye in the kingdome of heauen which is the euerlastinge continuance of the glorie and felicitie of the the Sainctes § V. BVT now let vs see for how longe time this great glorie and felicitie is to be enioyed This is a pointe that were able alone to cause vs euen to crie out and desire that all maner of tribulations afflictions paynes and labours might rayne and powre down vpon vs as thicke as hayle so that we might serue and please almightie God in this transitorie lyfe who is to bestowe so great and inestimable benefites vpon vs in the euerlastinge lyfe to come This rewarde of so great glorie and felicitie in the kingdome of heauen shal endure so manie thowsande yeares as be starres in the firmament yea and a greate deale longer It shall endure so manie hundered thowsande milliōs of yeares as haue fallen droppes of water vpon the earthe yea and a greate deale longer yea to conclude it shal endure so longe as almightie God him selfe shall endure which shal be euerlastingelie worlde without ende Psal 145. For it is written thus Our Lorde shall raigne for euer and euer And in an other place Psal 144. Thy raigne is the raigne of all worldes and thy dominion endurethe from generation to generation Wherefore ô father of mercies and God of all consolation I humbly beseech thee by the bowels of thy mercie that I maie not be depriued of this supreme glorie and felicitie O Lorde my God that hast vowchsaffed to create me after thyne owne image and likenes and to make me capable of thy selfe fill this harte of mine which thow hast created with thy selfe sith thow hast created it for thy selfe Psal 141. Let my portion ô my almightie God be in the lande of the liuinge O Lorde I beseech thee geue me not in this transitorie lyfe either rest or riches but reserue all in store for me for the euerlastinge lyfe to come Num. 32.6 I desire not to enherite with the children of Ruben in the lande of Galaad and to lose my right and title of the lande of promise Psalm 26. One thinge onely ô Lorde haue I demaunded of thee and this will I alwaies require that I maie dwell in the howse of our Lorde all the daies of my lyfe SONDAIE NIGHTE OF THE BENEFITES OF ALMIGHTIE GOD. 〈…〉 THIS DAIE WHEN THOV HAST MADE THE SIGNE OF the Crosse and prepared thy selfe hereunto thou hast to meditate vpon the benefites of almightie God that in so doinge thou mayst geue him thankes for them and enkendle in thy selfe a more feruente loue of him who hath shewed himselfe so bountiefull towardes thee and withall procure thereby more greife and sorowe for the sinnes and offences that thou hast committed against such a louinge benefactor AND albeit the benefites of almightie God towardes vs be innumerable yet they all maie be reduced to
fiue kindes to witt to the benefites of creation conseruation redemption vocation and to the secrete benefites that euerie one hath receyued particulerly in him selfe As concerninge the first benefite which is of creation The benefite of creation Consider first with great attention what thou wast before thou were created and what almightie God hath done for thee and bestowed vpon thee before thou diddest merite or deserue anie thinge at all to witt he gaue thee thy bodie with all thy members and senses and thy sowle which is of so great excellencie created after his owne image and likenes for so highe and excellent an ende as to haue the fruition of almightie God And withall he gaue thee those three noble powers also of thy sowle which be Vnderstandinge Memorie and Will And cōsider well with thy selfe that to geue thee this sowle was to geue thee all thinges For it is cleare that there is no perfection nor habilitie in any of all the inferior creatures but that man hath the same in him in a farre more highe and greater perfection and by meanes of the vertue and habilitie of his sowle he is able to attaine vnto it Whereby it appeareth that by geuinge vnto vs this thinge alone to witt our sowle he gaue vs therewith at once all thinges together As concerninge the benefite of conseruation The benefite of conseruation consider how all thy whole beinge dependethe of the prouidence of almightie God How thou art not able to liue one momente nor to steppe so much as one steppe were it not by meanes of him Consider also how he hath created all thinges in this worlde for thy vse ād seruice insomuche as he hath appointed euen the verie Angels of heauen for thy garde and defence Consider moreouer how he hath geuen thee healthe strengthe lyfe sustenaunce with all other temporall helpes and succours And aboue all this consider well the manifolde great miseries and calamities into which thou seest other men falle euerie daye and how thou thy selfe mightest also haue fallen into the same had it not bene that almightie God of his greate mercie preserued thee As concerninge the benefite of redemption thou mayst consider therein two thinges The benefite of redemption First how manie and how great benefites almightie God hath geuen vs by meanes of the benefite of redemption And secondlie how manie and how great miseries he hath suffered in his most holie bodie and sowle to purchase these benefites vnto vs. As concerninge the benefite of vocation consider first of all The benefite of vocation what a great benefite it was of almightie God to make thee a Christian to calle thee to the Catholike faith by meanes of the holie Sacramente of Baptisme and to make thee also partaker of the other sacramētes And then if after this callinge of thee thou hast fallen into deadlie synne and thereby loste thyne innocencie in case now our Lorde haue raised thee vp from synne and receyued thee againe into his grace and fauour and set thee in the state of saluation how canste thou be able to geue him sufficient praises and thāckes for this so inestimable a benefite What a great mercie was it to expecte thee so longe time to suffer thee to committe so manie synnes and in the meane time to sende thee so manie diuine inspirations and not to shorten the daies of thy lyfe as he hath done to diuerse and sundrie others that were in the verie same state and laste of all to calle thee with so mightie a grace that thou mightest ryse vp againe from death to lyfe and open thyne eies to beholde the eternall lighte What a great mercie was it also after that thou wast conuerted to geue thee grace not to returne vnto deadlie synne againe but to stande and vanquishe thyne enemie and to perseuere in good lyfe This is that morninge and eueninge dewe that almightie God promised by the Prophet Ioel sayeinge And yee sonnes of Sion reioyce Ioell 2.23 and be glad in our Lorde God for he hath geuen you a teacher of iustice and he shall cause the morninge and eueninge dewe to rayne and poure downe vpon you Meaninge hereby that almightie God geueth vs firste his preuentinge grace 1. Grace preuentinge wherewith we beginne to sowe the seede of vertues and afterwardes he geueth vs his grace subsequent 2. Grace subsequente and finall and final which bringeth this seede to his full rypenes and happie ende These are the publike and knowen benefites Of secrete benefites But besides these there be other secrete benefites which no man knoweth but he onely that hathe receiued them Agayne there be other benefites also so secrete that euen he himselfe that hathe receiued them knoweth not of them and he onely knoweth them that is the geuer of them How manie times hast thou deserued in this worlde either throughe thy pride negligence or vnthankfulnes that almightie God shoulde haue withdrawen his grace from thee we falle frō God eyther throughe our pride negligēce or vnthankefulnes and vtterlie forsaken thee as he hath done to manie others for some one of these causes for whosoeuer they be that doe falle from God they falle by some of these meanes and yet hath not almightie God dealte thus with thee How manie euilles and occasions of euilles hath our Lorde prevented and turned awaye by his prouidence in ouerthrowinge the snares of the deuill thine enemye and stoppinge him of his passage and not permittinge him to execute his wylie practises and deceites vpon thee How oftentimes hath he done for euerie one of vs as he saiede he did for S. Peter Luc. 22. Beholde saiede our Sauiour how Satan goeth busilie aboute to sift you as corne in the barne but I haue praied for thee that thy faith faile not Now who knoweth these secretes Benefites positiue but onely almightie God The positiue benefites be such as a man maie sometimes vnderstāde and knowe them but those benefites that are called priuatiue Benefites priuatiue which consiste not in doinge benefites vnto vs but in deliueringe vs from hidden and secrete euilles that were comminge towarde vs who is able to vnderstande Wherefore as well for these benefites as for the others it is reason we shoulde alwaies shewe our selues thankefull to our Lorde and vnderstande how farre in arrerages we be in our reckeninge with him and how much more we be indetted vnto him than we are able to paie consideringe we are not able so much as to vnderstande what they are THE SEVENTHE TREATISE OF THE CONSIDERATION OF the benefites of almightie God Wherein the former meditation is declared more at large ONE of the greatest complaintes that almightie God maketh against men and wherewith he will most charge them at the daie of their accompte Almightie God will charge vs at the daye of our accompte with our vnthankefulnes and ingratitude for his manifolde benefites Esa 1. is their vnthankfulnes and
did to cause thee to be the more in loue with him by reason of this benefite and to make thee the more beholdinge vnto him by this example ād to make thy redemption the more aboūdant by reason of the great treasure that he bestowed vpon it and to geue thee more clearlie to vnderstande how much good will he beareth vnto thee that thou shouldest beare towardes him the like agayne and to shewe playnlie vnto thee how much interest thou hast in him that thou shouldest repose thy whole trust and affyance in him This is that benefite which the Prophet Esaie extolleth and that for great good cause in these wordes which after the translation of the septuagintes sownde thus In all the tribulations of men he neuer fainted Esa 43. neither was he euer wearie in sufferinge for them Neither woulde he sende anie Embassadour or Angell to redeeme them but vouchsaffed of his great mercie to come him selfe in person to redeeme them and to carie them vpon his shoulders all the daies of this worlde notwithstandinge that they did euill acknowledge this benefite Ephes 4.30 but did greiue and prouoke the holie Ghost to anger How greatlie we are bounde to our Lorde for the maner of our redemption And if thou be so much bounde to our Lorde for that he vouchsaffed to come him selfe in person to redeeme thee how much more art thou bounde vnto him for the maner of thy redemption which was by sufferinge so great paines and tormentes It were certainly a great benefite if a kinge woulde pardon a theife that had deserued to be whipped But if the kinge woulde vouchsafe him selfe to receaue the lasshes vpon his owne shoulders for him this were without comparison a farre greater benefite Consider therefore how manie benefites are comprehended in this benefite of thy redemption Lift vp thyne eies vnto that holie roode and consider all the woundes and paines that the Lorde of maiestie suffereth there for thy sake For euerie one of them is a benefite of it selfe yea and a singuler great benefite Our sauiours bodie Beholde that most innocent bodie of thy sweite sauiour and redeemer all of a gore bloude with so many woundes and bruses on all partes of him and the bloude gusshinge out on euerie side His head Beholde that most sacred head fallinge downe for verie faintnes and hanginge vpon his shoulders His face 1. Pet. 1.12 Beholde that diuine face which the Angels are desirous to beholde how disfigured it is and ouerflowed with streames of bloude in some partes freshe and redde coloured in other partes very fowle and blacke His visage Beholde that most bewtifull visage of all creatures and that coūtenance that delighted the eies of all such as behelde it how it hath now lost all the flower of his former bewtie Ieremie Thren 3. Beholde that holie Nazareth more pure than snowe more white than milke better coloured than olde Iuerie how he is now become blacker than cooles and so much disfigured and beraied that scarcelie his owne fryendes are able to knowe him Beholde that holie mouthe His mouthe His lippes how wanne and deadly it looketh Beholde his lippes how blacke and blewe they seeme Beholde how they moue desiringe pardon and mercie euen for those that are his verie tormentours Finally wheresoeuer thou beholdest him thou shalt finde that there is no one parte of him free from paine and greife but that he is couered all ouer with lashes and woundes euē from the toppe of his head to the soles of his feete His forehead His eies That goodly cleare forhead and those eies more bewtifull than the Sonne are now dimmed and darkened with the bloude and presence of deathe His eares Those eares that are wonte to heare the songes of heauen doe now heare the horrible blasphemies of synners His armes Those armes so well fashioned and so large that they embrace all the power of the worlde are now disioynted and stretched out vpon the crosse Those handes that created the heauens His hādes and were neuer iniurious to anie man are now nayled and clenched fast with harde and sharpe nayles His feete Those blessed feete that neuer walked in the waies of sinners are now deadly woūded and pearced throughe Our sauiours narrowe and harde bedde vpon the crosse without anie pillowe or other thinge wherevpō to reste his head 〈◊〉 His syde But aboue all this beholde the bedde where he lyeth and whereupon that heauenly bridegrome sleapeth at none daie how narrowe and hard it is and how he hath nothinge whereupon to rest his head O pretious head of my sweete sauiour what meaneth this that I see thee thus afflicted and tormented for my sake O blessed bodie conceaued by the holie Ghost how is it that I see thee thus wounded and euill entreated for my sake O sweete and louinge syde what meaneth this great wounde and open cleft in thee What meaneth this so great abūdance of bloude Alas wretche that I am what a pittiefull sighte is this to see thee thus furiouslie pearced with a speare for my sake O rigorous crosse be not now I beseeche thee so stiffe but mollifie a litle thy hardnes bowe downe vnto me these highe braūches let downe to me this most pretious fruite that I maie tast thereof O cruell nayles leaue I praie you those innocēt handes and feete of my innocēte Sauiour and come ād enter into my harte and pearce it throughe for it is I that haue sinned and not he O good Iesus what hast thou to doe with so manie cruel tormentes What hast thou to doe with death With sharpe nailes ād with the crosse Vndowbtedlie the Prophet had good reason to saie Esa 28.21 That his workes shal be verie straunge and farre vnlike him selfe What is more straunge and more contrarie to lyfe than deathe What is more disagreable to glorie than paine What is further of from the nature of most perfect holines and innocencie than the image and shape of a synner This title and shape ô Lorde is certaynlie very straunge for thee O true Iacob Gen. 26. that with wearinge the garmentes of others and with disguisinge thy selfe in a straunge habite hast purchased for vs the blessinge of our heauenlie father For by takinge vpon thee the image of a sinner thou hast purchased for vs victorie against synne O goodnes inspekeable O mercie vndeserued O loue exceidinge all vnderstandinge O charitie incomprehensible Tell me ô most mercifull Lorde what sawest thou in vs What seruice haue we done vnto thee With what workes haue we bounde thee to suffer such greiuous and cruell tormentes for our sakes O wonderfull bountiefulnes that without anie merite of our parte and without anie necessitie of thyne owne parte wouldest vouchesafe onely of thy mere grace ād mercie to purchace our redēption after this sorte Tit. 3.4 The benignitie and clemencie of our sauiour saieth the Apostle hath appeared not in
respecte of the workes of iustice that we haue done but accordinge to his great mercie he hath saued vs. O how wonderfull desirous was our most gracious Lorde that we shoulde vnderstande his mercie when by the Prophet Esaie he spake those so notable wordes Esa 43.22 Thou hast not called vpō me ô Iacob ād thou ô Israel hast not trauayled in my seruice Thou hast not offered vnto me thy rāmes in a whole burnte sacrifice neither hast thou glorified me with thy sacrifices c. And yet for all this thou hast made me to serue in thy synnes and hast put me to paines with thyne iniquitie It is I It is I that doe pardon thy synnes for mine owne sake and that will neuer be mindefull of them Put me in minde and let vs enter into iudgemente and shewe if thou haue any thinge where with to iustifie thy selfe Wherefore ô most mercifull and sweite Lorde what thinge is there in me wherewith I maie recompence thee for this so great a benefite If I shoulde liue all the liues of the children of Adam and all the daies and yeares of the worlde If I were able to sustein all the trauels and paines of all the men that either be hath bene or shall be all this were as nothinge to recompence the verie least of the greifes and paines that thou hast suffered for me Consideringe therefore that I can by no meanes possible discharge this inestimable great dett let me paie thee ô my almightie God if it be thy blessed will with the continuall remembrance of the same I beseech thee ô Lorde euen by the bowels of thy infinite charitie that thou wilt wounde my harte with thy woūdes and make my sowle droncke with thy most pretious bloud in such sorte that whither so euer I shall turne my selfe I maie alwaies see thee crucified and wheresoeuer I shall cast mine eies all thinges maie seeme vnto me to shyne with thy pretious bloude Let this be all my consolation to be alwaies crucified with thee and let this be all my affliction to thinke vpon anie other thinge besides thee Consider ô my almightie God the great price wherewith thou hast bowghte me and suffer not so pretious a treasure to be shed in vaine for me And graunte me ô most mercifull Lorde that I be not as a childe that is borne before his time whom his mother bringeth forthe with exceidinge great trauell and paine and yet he enioyeth not the commoditie and fruit of lyfe Of the fourthe benefite to witt of Vocation § IIII. AFTER this thinke vpon the benefite of Vocation or callinge of almightie God without which all the other benefites tende to the greater damnation of a man Two callinges of God one vnto faithe and an other vnto grace But here it is to be noted that there be two kindes of callinges of almightie God one vnto faith by meanes of the Sacrament of Baptisme and an other vnto grace after that a man hath lost the first innocencie which he had by baptisme Consider now what a great benefite the first callinge of thee was by meanes of the Sacrament of holie Baptisme The first callinge is by Baptisme whereby thou wast clensed from originall sinne deliuered from the power of the deuill made the sonne of almightie God and an inheritour of his kingedome There he toke thy sowle to be is spowse and adorned it with such ornamentes as were conuenient for such a state to witt with the grace vertues and giftes of the holie Ghost and with other iewells and giftes that are farre more pretious than those that were geuen to Rebecca Gen. 24. whē she was takē to be the spowse of Isaac Now what hast thou done whereby to deserue so great a benefite as this is How many thowsandes not onely of men but also of nations and whole countreys are there that by the iust iudgemente of almightie God doe not obteine this inestimable great benefite What had become of thee if thou haddest bene borne emonge those infidels and wanted this knowledge of the true liuinge God and worshipped stockes and stones for God as the infidels doe How much art thou bounde to almightie God that emonge such an infinite nomber of lost and damned sowles it pleased him that thou shouldest be one of the nomber of them that shoulde be saued yea and be borne in the lappe of the Catholike Churche and be nourished there with the milke of the Apostles and with the pretious bloude of our sweete Sauiour Iesus Christe The seconde callinge Now if after the grace of this firste callinge thou hast throughe thyne owne default and synfull lyfe lost the innocencie which thou receiuedst in the Sacramente of Baptisme in case it hath pleased our Lorde all that notwithstandinge to call thee the seconde time yea and verie manie and oftē times how much art thou then bounde vnto him for this so passinge great benefite How manie benefites are conteyned in this benefite One benefite it was to expecte and tarrie for thy conuersion so longe time to geue thee space to doe penance and to suffer thee so longe to contynewe in that state of synne and wickednes and not to cutte downe the vnfruitfull and vnprofitable tree that occupied such a rowme in the earthe and receiued the influencies of heauen altogether in vaine An other benefite it was to suffer thee to committe so many and so heynous enormous synnes and not to cast thee downe therefore into the most horrible bothomles pitt of hell fier where perhappes manie others are now there tormented euen for lesse offences than thyne An other benefite it was to fende thee so many good inspirations and holie purposes euen in the middest of thy verie synnes and wicked life and to persiste in callinge thee so longe a time whereas thou in the meane season diddest nothinge els but offende him verie greiuouslie that called thee An other benefite it was also to bringe thy greate stubbornes and longe obstinate resistance at the lengthe to an ende and to calle thee with such a mightie and lowde voice that thereby thou mightest rise from death to lyfe and come forthe as it were an other Lazarus Ioan. 2. out of the darcke and obscure graue of thy wicked and synnefull lyfe and not with thy handes and feete bownde but losed and sett at free libertie out of the stinckinge prison and thraldome of the enemie of mankinde But aboue all this what a benefite was it to graunt thee then not onelie pardon for thy sinnes past but also grace from that time forwardes not to retourne vnto them againe geuinge thee moreouer all such other ornamentes Luc. 15. as were geuen to the penitente prodigall sonne when he was receiued into grace and fauour againe by meanes of which ornamentes and graces thow mightest liue as the childe of God and contemne and laughe at the malice of the deuill and triumphe ouer the worlde and take a sweete tast of the thinges
appertaininge vnto almightie God which before seemed verie vnsauerie vnto thee and withall conceiue a certaine lothsomnes and mislikinge of the thinges of the worlde which before seemed verie sauorie and delightfull vnto thee But now besides this what if thou doe consider vnto how manie others almightie God hath denied this benefite which he hath so freely graunted vnto thee And wheras thou beinge a sinner as well as they and as vnworthie of this callynge as they yet it hath pleased almightie God to suffer them to continewe in their wicked state and to calle thee vnto the state of saluation and grace With what thankes and with what seruices art thou able to recompence him for this inestimable speciall fauour and grace What an excerdinge ioye will it be vnto thee when by the vertue of this vocation thou shalt see thy selfe to haue the fruition of almightie God for euer and euer in the kingdome of heauen and shalt see other of thy companions and acquaintance for want of the like grace of God to remaine euerlastinglie tormented in the horrible raginge fier of hell O good Lorde what a nomber of thinges are there included in this grace to be well weighed and earnestlie considered vpon Tell me I praie thee Luc. 23. when the blessed theife who with one worde purchased lyfe euerlastinge seeth him selfe in that so great glorie which he now possesseth in the kingdome of heauen and seeth his companion also in those great horrible tormentes of hell fyer and calleth to minde withall that he him selfe was a theife also as well as the other and suffered for his robberies as the other did and that a litle before he blasphemed our Sauiour Iesus Christ in like maner as his companion did and that yet for all this it pleased almighie God to caste his mercifull eies vpon him and to geue him so great a light leauinge the other theife in his darckenes now in consideringe herevpon what thanckes thinkest thou doth he render to almightie God for this spetiall grace How wounderfullie doth he reioyce at so great a benefite How doth he meruaile at so great a iudgement With what a passinge great loue doth he loue him that woulde vowchsafe to preuent him with such a singular and wonderfull grace Now if this seeme so great a benefite vnto thee Remember thy selfe that our sauiour Christ hath bestowed the like inestimable benefite vpon thee when the same louinge Lorde vowchsaffed to cast his mercifull eies so speciallie vpon thee and did not with the like maner of callinge calle thy neighbour companion or freinde who peraduenture had lesse offended his diuine maiestie than thou Consider then how much thou art bownde to our Lorde for this his great benefite and what a great occasion is here offered vnto thee to desire euen to suffer deathe for the loue of him Besides all this consider how costlie and chargeable this benefite of our redemption was to our Sauiour Christ which was so freely geuen vnto thee Vnto thee it was geuen franckly and of mere grace Summa S. Thomae 3. q. 1. artic 2. 3. quaest 46. artic 1. 2. and it cost him euen his owne most precious bloude and lyfe also for it is manifest that without the same our synnes coulde not be pardoned nor our woūdes cured It is saiede of the Pellican that she bringeth forth her yonge-ones dead and seinge them in that case she stryketh her selfe vpō the breast with her beake vntill she cause bludde to issue out and therewith she batheth her yonge-ones and so they receiue heate and lyfe Now if thou wilt vnderstande how great this benefite is make accompte with thy selfe that when thow wast dead in synne that most louinge and mercifull Pellican our Sauiour Christ moued with most tender pietie and compassion stroke his sacred breast with a speare and wasshed the deadly woundes of thy sowle with the precious bludde of his woūdes and so with his owne death he gaue thee lyfe and with his owne woundes healed thy woundes Be not thou therefore vnthankfull vnto him for this so great and costlie benefite but as our Lorde admonisheth thee be mindefull of the daie in which thou camest out of Egipt This daie was the daie of thy Passeouer Exod. 13. this was the daie of thy Resurrection for so much as vpon this daie thou hast passed throughe the redde sea of the bludde of Christ vnto the lande of promise and vpon this daie thou hast risen againe from death to lyfe Of the particuler benefites that almightie God bestoweth vpon vs. § V. THESE benefites aforesaiede are generall Other benefites there are more particuler that be geuen to particuler persons the which benefites none other knoweth but onely he that hath receyued them In this accompte are reckened manie kindes of benefites either of fortune or of nature or of grace which almightie God hath geuen to each one in particuler and also diuers and sundrie miseries and daungers both of bodie and sowle from which he of his mere mercie hath deliuered vs. For which particuler benefites we are as well bounde to geue him thankes as for the former generall benefittes forsomuch as they are more certaine signes and tokens of the spetiall and particular loue and prouidence that our Lorde beareth towardes vs. Such benefites as these are can not be written in bookes but euerie one ought to write them in his harte and so to ioyne them with the other generall benefites and to geue most humble thankes vnto our Lorde for them Our Lorde preserueth vs manie times from secrete daungers and snares that woulde otherwise falle vpon vs. There be also other benefites yet more secrete and hidden than these which are vnknowen euen to the verie partie himselfe that hath receaued them These are certayne priuie daungers and secrete snares which our Lorde is wont to preuent and disapoynte by his diuine prouidence for that he vnderstandeth what great domage and preiudice they might doe vnto vs in case he shoulde not cutte them of and disapoynte theire cowerse What man is able to tell from how manie temptations almightie God hath preserued him and from how manie occasions of sinnes he hath deliuered him and how often times he hath stopped the passages and remoued awaye the deceytefull snares of the deuill our enemie that we shoulde not falle into them The deuill him selfe saieth of the holie man Iob Iob. 1.10 That almightie God had enuironed him on euerie side that nothinge might doe him hurte And euen so is our Lorde wonte to kepe and preserue such as be his as it were a glasse preserued in his case that nothinge maye hurt them A mā may haue manie secrete giftes and many secrete synnes that he knoweth not Psalm 28. It maie also be that a man hath receiued of almightie God some secrete giftes althoughe he him selfe knoweth not of them as also a man maie and is wont to haue manie secrete synnes which he
haue treated heretofore in the meditation for Satturdaie at nighte And then for these and other infinite benefites as well publike as secrete we must geue him as manie hūble and hartie thankes as we can and calle vpō all creatures both of heauen and earthe to helpe vs herein And with this spirite we maie sometimes saie that Canticle Dan. 3. Psal 102. Benedicite omnia opera Domini Domino or els the Psalme Benedic anima mea Domino omnia quae intra me sunt c. OF PETITION CAP. IX NOW it remaineth that we doe treate of the last parte of all which is petition which containeth in it two partes in the one parte we make petition vnto almightie God for our neighboures and in th' other for our selues The first parte maie be continued with thankes geuinge desiringe that all creatures maie serue and praise our Lorde who is so worthie to be praised and serued for that he is so mercifull and bountifull vnto all his creatures we must praye for the conuersion of all nations and people vnto God For all the Gouernours of the Catholike Church And with this affection and desire of the glorie of almightie God let him praie first and principally for all the vniuersall worlde that all nations and people maie knowe and serue so mightie a Lorde Then for all the Catholike Churche and for all the gouernours in the same As for example we must praye for the Pope and for all the Cardinals Archebishops Bishops and for all other inferiour Prelates Pastors and Curates that they maie be carefull of their duetie in directinge all the faithfull in the knowledge and seruice of their Creator For all the members of the Catholike Churche Likewise let him praie for all the members of the Catholike Churche For the iust persons that it maie please almightie God to continewe them in their vertuouse lyfe For sinners that it maie please him to perdon them And for the sowles departed our of this worlde For the sowles departed and remayninge in the greiuous paynes of Purgatorie that it maie please him to deliuer them out of the greiuous paines of Purgatory and bringe them to the rest of lyfe euerlastinge Let him praie also for his parentes and for his godfathers and godmothers and for his ghostlie father and for all his kinsfolke freindes and benefactours and for all that be in tribulation and captiuitie and for all prisoners and sicke persons vnto whom he maie without anie distraction or intermission of his praier doe the workes of mercie in recommendinge them vnto almightie God who created them and referringe the necessities of all men into those handes which were stretched vpon the crosse for all men what thinges we must demaunde for our selues After this he maie desire such thinges for him selfe as he perceiueth him selfe to stande in neide of accordinge to the particuler necessities and miseries that he feeleth in his sowle and espetiallie when he desireth helpe ād remedie of almightie God against such vices and passions as doe most trouble and moleste him and to graunt him such vertues as be most needefull for him This kinde of petition emonge other commodities hath this withall that it reneweth dailie in the sowle good purposes and desires of vertues and moueth it to be the more earnest in doinge that thinge which he hath so often times and so hartelie desired and it maketh him to be the more ashamed of him selfe when he doth it not by callinge to minde with how great desire and instancie he hath desired our Lorde to graunte him grace to doe it And of this minde is S. Chrisostome S. Chrisostome where he saiethe thus Such as praie earnestlie in verie deede will not suffer their harte to committe anie thinge that is vnseemlie for such an exercise but haue euer their eie vpon almightie God with whom a litle before they talked and were conuersant And so by that cogitation they put a waie from them all the suggestions of the diuell when they thinke and consider what a haynous matter it were that he who had a litle before talked with almightie God and desired of him chastitie and holines with all other vertues shoulde immediatly runne to his enemies syde and open the gate of his sowle to receiue in filthie and dishonest delightes and suffer the diuell to place him selfe in that harte where a litle before the holie Ghost made his abode But it is verie much to be lamented that there be some persons that thinke to excuse them selues by sayinge that they knowe not what thinge to desire of almighie God Suerly this is no sufficiente excuse For what beast is so insensible but that he knoweth some maner of waie how to signifie the neide he standeth in What sicke man is there that can not saie here it greiueth me Consider therefore ô man thy selfe Consider I saie with what vices and passions thou art most troubled and molested If with couetousnes if with anger if with detraction if with vaine glorie if with stubbornnes of thine owne will if with losenes of tonge if with lightnes of harte if with the loue of honour estimation and delightes if with inconstancie in such good purposes as thou intendest if with selfe loue or anie other the like passions and pestilences of the minde and discouer all these woundes plainly one by one vnto that heauenly phisition that he maie heale and cure them with the oyntment of his grace we must praye to obteyne vertues After that thou hast demaunded remedie against thy vices desire him then to graunt thee all such vertues as be most behouefull for thy saluation And because this is a principall parte of this exercise of prayer wherein often tymes is spente all the tyme thereof with verie great taste and profite I thinke it good to note here vnto the deuoute reader those principall vertues which be as it were the pillers of the spirituall lyfe that thou mayst alwaies longe and sighe for them and alwaies desire them verie instātlie of our Lorde in thy praier Of the most necessary vertues that are to be demaunded in Petition § I. FIRST thou must desire of our Lorde these fowre vertues which be as it were the foundation of all the spirituall lyfe the which vertues we must alwaies haue before our eies because they be alwaies necessarie in all the steppes of our lyfe These vertues be a comelie composition of the inwarde and outwarde man discretion and attention in all such thinges as we shall either doe or saie that euerie thinge maie be directed accordinge to the iudgemēt and order of reason and withall to brydle our tonge and to take a dewe accompte of it and to vse rigour and austerite in the gouernment of our person Now emonge these vertues we haue put the comelie composition of the inwarde and outwarde man in the first place because it is the beginninge that disposeth vnto all the others The composition of
owne corrupte ād euill inclined nature but he is not so prouoked vnto attētion And therefore like as a howse that is builte vpon the syde of a hill shoulde not lose muche in the buyldinge if at suche tyme as it can not be builte by line and leuell iust vprighte the buyldinge thereof doe more bende rather vpwarde than downewarde euen so shall not our attention take anie preiudice if at what tyme it cannot continewe in our prayers in such a mediocritie as we desire it doe rather decline to that extremetie wherein is least daunger which is as we haue saied rather to ouermuch attention than to carelesnes and negligence This aduise is of so great importance that for want hereof we haue seene that certaine persons haue passed ouer manie yeares with takinge litle profite by their prayers for that they haue bene carelesse dull and as it were neither hoate nor colde therein And others contrariwise haue fallen into great sickenes and haue hurte their heades with ouermuch heate and vehemencie which they haue vsed in their meditations But espetiallie we must be well warie that at the beginninge of meditation we doe not trouble and weary our head with ouermuch attention For by so doinge we shall wante force and strengthe to passe forwardes therein as it commonly happeneth to the traueller when he maketh to greatest hast in his goinge at the beginninge of his iourney The fifte aduise that we must not be desmayed nor geue ouer our exercise of prayer and meditation at suche time as we want deuotion therein § V. BVT emonge all these aduises the principall is that he that praieth be not dismaide nor geue ouer his exercise when he feeleth not forthwith such sweitnes of deuotion at he desireth as some persons vse to doe who are verie much deceyued herein Wherefore it is to be noted that in verie deede the harte of man is very like vnto a troubled water A mans harte distracted with busines is like a troubled water which can not sodainly be cleared againe be the diligence neuer so great that is bestowed about it but it must haue time and space to be cleared and setled by litle and litle And in such case vndoubtedly is our harte which as it is wonte to be troubled with the daily entermedlinge and dealinge in wordly affaires so after that it is once troubled it can not forthwith be setled and quieted in so shorte a space againe but it must neides haue conuenient space and time for the same And therefore Ecclesiastes saith verie well Eccles 7.9 That the ende of praier is better than the beginninge because at the beginninge of praier the harte is troubled and disquieted but in the ende it is more setled and quieted and better disposed vnto this holie exercise Wherefore like as he that will enkendle a fyre in greene woode must haue patience and expecte vntill the wood be dried by litle and litle and besides all this it is requisite that he continewe for a tyme in blowinge and enkendelinge it and doe sheade also some teares with the smoke if he will enioye the fier accordinge to his desier euen so it behoueth vs oftentimes to labour and perseuere in the beginninge of praier in case we will in the ende enioye the sweite and cleare fyre of deuotion and of the loue of God Now for this cause it is requisite for him that praieth to expecte the comminge of our Lorde with longanimitie and perseuerance For it is verie conueniente as well in respecte of the glorie of his high diuine maiestie and basenes of our condition as also for the greatnes and importance of the affaires we haue in hande that we doe oftentimes attende and watche at the gates of his sacred pallayce Prou. 8.34 Blessed is the man saiethe the euerlastinge wisedome that heareth my wordes and watcheth daily at my gates and tarieth at the porche of my howse for who so shall finde me shall finde lyfe and he shall receyue saluation of our Lorde Lament Ierem 3.26 And the Prophet Ieremie saieth It is good to expecte the saluation of our Lorde God with silence The prowde man and he that mistrusteth the promises of almightie God hath neither patience nor humilitie to expecte our Lordes comminge but the humble man saithe with the Prophet I expected againe Psal 39.1 and againe for our Lorde and he hearde my praier If the fisher or hunter haue not patience to expecte for the game that he seiketh what profite shall he get by his traueill Now in this our fishinge and huntinge in praier beinge of so greate importance as it is we maye accounte a longe time well bestowed that is ēployed in watchinge and expectinge for so riche and so happie a treasure as is almightie God Of that couragious and constante woman which Salomon describeth in his Prouerbes emonge other notable thinges he saiethe thus That she did as the merchantes shippe Pron 31.14 that brought his bread from farre countries Whereby he geueth vs to vnderstande that when we shall not finde this bread of lyfe forthwith accordinge to our desire we must then traueill and saile so longe time as shal be necessarie vntill we finde it Math. 7. If thou shalt perseuere in callinge Luc. 11. saieth our Sauiour assure thy selfe that at the lengthe thou shalt haue answere Marc. 11. For it happeneth often times that that thinge which is denied in the beginninge of praier is graunted at the ende of prayer with great increase I haue vnderstoode for a certaine treuthe of a religious father that perseuered for the space of three yeares in these good exercises vsinge dailie to bestowe in praier and meditation after matins two or three howres and coulde get none other fruit thereby but drynes of harte vntill such time as our Lorde consideringe the affliction of his sowle powred vpon him the bountifulnes of his goodnes with such an abundant benedictiō of graces that he was very well recōpensed for all the barrennes of the other yeares past And the like is prooued daily by experience in manie other diuout persons Happie therefore are those sowles that perseuere in praier after this sorte for vndowbtedlie the greater their perseuerance is the greater abundance shall they haue of his grace One of the principall thinges that those persones must haue that doe dispose them selues to receiue great giftes and fauours of almightie God is longanimitie and patience of harte to expecte faithfullie so longe time for them as almightie God woulde they shoulde expecte and in the meane season to comforte thē selfes with that hope of the Prophet which saieth If he shall delaye his comminge Habat 2.3 I will not feile to tarie for him for he will suerlie come and will not staie ouer longe Now when thou hast after this sorte expected a certaine time for our Lordes comminge in case our Lorde shall then come vnto thee geue him most hartie thankes for his comminge
of his manifolde busines and affaires haue but litle time to bestowe in praier and meditation Luc. 21. yet let him not omitte to offer vp his myte with the poore widowe in the temple For if he faile not of his dewtie herein through his owne negligence almightie God who prouideth for all creatures accordinge to their nature and necessitie will prouide for him also accordinge vnto his necessitie The seuenthe aduise that we must not receyue the visitations of our Lorde in vaine § VII AGREABLE vnto this foresayde aduise we will geue an other very like vnto it which is that when our sowle is visited either in praier or out of praier we must not suffer anie of our Lordes speciall visitations to passe in vayne with anie spetiall visitation of our Lorde we suffer it not to passe awaie in vaine but take the commoditie and benefite of that occasion that is offered vnto vs. For certaine it is that with this winde a man shall saile more in one howre than without it in manie daies For as S. Peeter tooke more abundance of fishe at that one draughte when our Sauiour commaunded him to cast in his nette Ioan. 21.6 than he had done in all the whole night before euen so doth it happen vnto vs oftentimes in this heauenly fisshinge in case we knowe how to helpe our selues by takinge benefite of the oportunities and occasions that be offered vnto vs therein And therefore for good cause are we aduised by Ecclesiasticus sayeinge Eccles 14.14 Omitte not to enioye the good daie that God sendeth thee and suffer not the least parte of his good gifte to passe awaie without takinge benefite thereof Opportunitie is of great force and helpeth much in all thinges and more in this exercise of prayer than in any other For herein it seemeth as it were Ioan. 5. that the Angell descendeth to moue the water of the fisheponde and to geue it vertue to heale Or els to speake more plainlie to this purpose it is as it were the descendinge of almightie God to drawe at the plowghe with a man and to helpe him in his labour whose helpe is more profitable and auailable than all the industrie and diligence in the worlde The mariner when he seeth that the time serueth him well to get out of the hauen forthwith he draweth vp his ankers and hoyseth vp his saile and staieth not anie longer for feare of losinge that good opportunetie which the time offereth vnto him The like ought all spirituall persones to doe when they receyue anie visitations from our Lorde in their praier and meditation and their diligence shoulde be so much the greater by how much this exercise of meditation is greater and this diuine blast more necessarie for praier than that for nauigation And so we reade that the blessed holie religious father S. Francis did S. Francis of whom S. Bonauenture writeth that he had such a spetiall care of this poynt that in case our Lorde did visite him with anie spetiall visitation while he was traueylinge by the waye he caused his companions to goe before and he staied alone behinde vntill he had made an ende of chewinge and digestinge that sweit morsell that was there sente vnto him from heauen Whosoeuer they be that doe not well obserue this poynte How such be punished as make no accompte of our Lordes speciall visitations in prayer are wont commonly to be chasticed with this punishement that they finde not almighie God when they seike him because he founde not them when he sought for them These be the principall aduises that are to be obserued in the exercise of meditation and in euerie of the other partes that doe accompanie the same in case we minde fullie to accomplishe this busines and not to leaue it in the midde waie Now it shall doe well that we make hast to proceede forwardes to treat of the rest and so to bringe this first parte to an ende which perhappes hath bene longer than is requisite OF SIXE POYNTES THAT ARE TO BE MEDITATED VPON in the holie Passion of our Sauiour Iesus Christ THE LAST CHAPITER FORSOMVCH as the most holie Passion of our Sauiour Iesus Christe is the principall matter of meditation it is meete that sithence we haue hitherto treated of meditation in generall we doe now treat particulerly how we ought to meditate vpon the holie passion of our Sauiour Christ to the intent that we maie knowe how to behaue our selues in this matter But here we must first presuppose that emonge all the deuotions in the worlde there is none more secure none more profitable or more vniuersall for all kinde of persons than the remembrance of the holie passion of our Sauiour Christe Albertus Magnus saiethe Note what great proffit enseweth by meditation vpon the holie Passion That it is more profitable for a man to meditate euerie daie a litle vpon the holie passion of our Sauiour Christe than to fast with bread and water all the Fridaies in the yeare and to discipline and scourge him selfe vntill he shead bloude and to saie all the whole Psalter from one ende thereof to an other At the least wise this is verie certaine that this holie exercise is a passinge great helpe to directe the sowle in all vertue and goodnes For consideringe that our Sauiour Christe is as he him selfe saieth Ioan. 14.6 The waie the trueth and the lyfe there is none other exercise more fitte and cōueniente to directe vs to goe vnto God to knowe God and to enioye God than to fixe alwaies our eies vpon our Sauiour Christe For though Christe be vnto vs the waie the treuth ād the lyfe in all thinges wheresoeuer we cōsider him yet is he most espetially so vnto vs whē we beholde him vpon the Crosse And therefore S. Bernarde saide verie diuoutly S. Bernarde well maie I ô Lorde compasse about heauen and earthe yet shall I not finde the but vpon thee crosse There thou liest there thou sleipest at noone daie But leauinge now this matter for an other place I will onely treat at this presente after what sorte we ought to behaue our selues whē we meditate vpon the holie passion of our Sauiour Christe For there be some simple persons that seeke nothinge els in this holie exercise but onely to shee l a fewe teares in takinge compassion vpon the bitter paines and sorowes of our Sauiour and so doe staie them selues in this pointe alone without passinge anie further And albeit this takinge compassion of our Sauiours paines be verie good and necessarie forsomuch as it is the foundation of all the rest as hereafter shal be declared yet this is not the onely fruite that maie be gathered of this holie tree but there be others farre greater than this forsomuch as out of the meditatiō of the holie passion doth all the profite of the spirituall lyfe proceede Sixe thinges to be considered in the passion of our Sauiour
vertues and holie desires which there do beginne to growe and bud out And this is that thinge that Ecclesiasticus signified by other wordes when he said They that feare our lord wil prepare their hartes Ecclesiast 2. and sainctifie their sowies before him The which is principally done in the exercise of deuoute praier For there it is where the sowle presenteth her selfe most familiarly before almightie God as S. Barnard saith And there it is where by approching nere vnto the euerlastinge light S. Bernarde she seeth more cleerely her owne defectes and so bewaileth and accuseth them and seiketh remedie for them desiering our lorde of his grace and fully purposing an amendment on her part and thus by litle and litle she sainctifieth and amendeth her life Thow seest now good Christian reader what a great helpe this exercise of consideration is towardes the obteyning of those most highe and excellente vertues which are as we haue said peculiar to a Christian man HOW CONSIDERATION helpethe towardes the obteyninge of the foure Cardinall vertues which be Prudence Iustice Fortitude and Temperance § VI. MOREOVER consideration helpeth also after a sorte towardes the obteyninge of the other foure vertues called Cardinal vertues Note here the woÌ„derfull effectes of coÌ„sideration declared by S. Bernarde which be PRVDENCE IVSTICE FORTITVDE AND TEMPERANCE as S. Barnard plainlie affirmerh in his booke of consideration by these wordes First of all consideration purifieth and clenseth the verie fountaine from whence it proceadeth which is the soule Besides that it gouerneth our naturall passions it directeth our workes it correcteth our faultes it frameth our maners it beutifieth and directeth oure life to be short it geueth knowledge to a man of thinges bothe diuine and humaine It is consideration that distinguisheth thinges confounded it recollecteth those that be scattered abroade it searcheth secretes it seà keth for truthes and trieth and examinethe such thinges as are in deede but apparant and counterfait It is consideration that disposeth for the time to come and thinketh of the time past prouiding for the one and bewailing the other that so nothing maie remaine with out correction and due chasticement It is consideration that in the middest of prosperitie foreseeth aduersitie and therefore is not dismaide when it commeth for that it hath preuented the same before hand with considâ—ration Of which two thinges the one apperteineth to Prudence and the other to Fortitude It is consideration that sitteth doune as a iudge to geue sentence betwâ—ne pleasure and necessitie and appointeth to euerie of them their boundes and limites geauing to necessitie that which is sufficient and taking from pleasure that which is superfiuus and in so doinge it maketh and formethe the vertue of temperance whereunto this office apperteineth Thus farre be the wordes of S. Barnard whereby thou maist perceiue how great and general a helpe consideration is towardes the obteining of these vertues HOW CONSIDERATION HELPETHE TO RESISTE VYCES § VII AND consideration doth not onelie helpe to obteine vertues but also to resist the vices that be contrarie vnto them For what kinde of temptation is there against which a man doth not feight with the weapons of praier and consideration For althowghe it be most necessarie to vse other weapons for this purpose as fastinge takinge of discipline by scourginge our selues almes dedes austerite and affliction of bodie and to eschewe the occasions of euilles with other like thinges yet at a sodain what other weapon can be deuised more readie and as it were euer at hande then praier and consideration With what other weapons doth the iust man feight and ouercome in these battailes then with them If he be assaulted with the cogitation of carnall pleasure and delite he hydeth him selfe wholie in the holes of the rocke that is in the pretious woundes of our sauiour Christ crucified If he be assaulted with anger and desire of reuenge he thinketh vpon the wonderfull patieÌ„ce and meekenes of our Sauiour Christ and vpon those sweete wordes he spake when he desired pardon on the Crosse for those verie persons that crucified him If he be entysed with glotonie and delicious fare if he be allured with the desire to lye in a soft bed and to lead a delicate and wanton life he lifteth vp his eies and considereth the bitter gaulle and vineger which that fountaine of life our sweete Sauiour Christ drancke vpon the crosse and also the hard bed of the crosse whereupon he died and the paynefull and austere trowblesome life which he led for our sakes When he beginneth to be puffed vp with pride he considereth the greatnes of our Sauiour Christes humilitie When he is moued with couetousnes he considereth the extremitie of the pouertie of our sauiour Christ When sleepe and slouthfulnes maketh him to become heauie and dull he considereth the paynefull watchinges and traueiles that our sauiour endured for vs in his prayers When he is weried with the trowblesome laboures and paines of this present life he considereth the greatnes of the heauenlie treasures and glorious delites which he shall receue in the life to come When he is tempted with the fickle pleasures and delightes of this miserable worlde he considereth the euerlastingnes and bitternes of the horrible paines and tormentes of hell fier When he is molested and weried with the exercises of pennance he thinketh vpon the vertuous examples of the Martirs of the Apostles of the Prophetes and of the auncient holie religious Monckes and with the consideration of that which is past he causeth all that he doth presently to seeme litle vnto him And when it so happeneth that with all these defensiues he can not well susteine the weight of his burthen he addeth then vnto the diligence of consideration the voice of praier calling and cryenge with great anguishe of minde vpon almightie God who be you well assured will neuer forsake them that call vpon him but promeseth that he will geue eare vnto them and hath geuen vs verie manifest and sundrie examples that he neuer forsaked them that called vpon him with all their hartes This is that which the prophet Dauid affirmeth in a thowsand places he did when he sawe him selfe compassed about with the snares of his ennemies and with tribulations and afflictions saying I presented my prayer before him Psalm 141. and I impartid vnto him my tribulation HOW CONSIDERATION helpeth vs to atchieue and accomplishe all workes of vertue that be awstere and full of hardnes and difficultie § VIII AND consideration helpeth vs not onely in ouercomming the temptation of vices but also in euerie vertuous worke that is hard and full of difficultie vnto vs. For when takinge of discipline which is whippinge our rebellious fleshe for our synnes the wearinge of heare clothe the goinge barefore the fastinge with bread and water the rysinge to praier at midnight and the labours troubles and persecutions of this life be ircksome vnto vs if then we intende like
faithfull seruantes of God to perseuere and goe forwarde with our good beginninge vnto what other hauen do we resort but to praier and consideration For there doe we humbly beseach our Lorde to grant vs fortitude and grace that we falle not vnder our burthen and there doe we lyfte vp our eies and consider a thowsande kindes of examples and remedies that maie encourage vs to perseuere in our good purposes Thow seest now deuout Christian reader what a great helpe and succour we haue in this vertue of consideration towardes the seruice and vse of all other vertues HOW CONSIDERATION excludeth not other perticuler helpes vnto vertues § IX HOWBEIT let no man for all this imagine that hereby is excluded the particuler labour and studie that is to be vsed about euerie one of the other vertues for that consideration is so great a helpe to obtein them For so much as generall helpes do not exclude the particuler helpes that be required in euerie thinge And the generall helpes required towardes the obteyninge of all vertues Note the generall helpes vnto all vertues are not onely consideration but also fastinge sylence praier hearinge of Sermons goinge to confesion receauing of the blessed Sacramente of the aulter and deuotion with other the like vertues which be generall helpes and prouocations vnto all vertues But besides these generall helpes that do geue light to the vnderstandinge and moue the will to goodnes it is verie requisite also to vse the proper exercises of the same vertues whereby to roote and make the habites of them more perfett by vse and to cause a man to haue a more promptnes and facilitie in the exercise of good workes For other wise like as the sworde that neuer commeth out of the scabbord is commonlie verie hard to be drawen out at the time that a man hath neide to occupie it euen so whosoeuer doth neuer exercise him selfe in the actes of vertues shall neuer be prompt or quick in doinge them when he shall haue neede to vse them And althowgh charitie be the greatest and most generall helpe we haue vnto all vertues yet consideration is as it were the generall instrument of charitie whereby to atteyne vnto all goodnes as we haue here declared And therefore like as the soule is the first beginning of all the workes of man and yet it vseth naturall heat as a generall instrument vnto all such thinges as it doth euen so is charitie the beginninge of all our good workes Charitie is the beginninge of all our good workes and yet charitie vseth consideration and deuotion as generall instrumentes to bring them to passe So that it is no derogation to charitie to geue this preheminence vnto these vertues forsomoche as this preheminence belongeth vnto charitie as to the mistres and principall agente but to consideration and deuotion as to her instrumentes and helpers HOW THE EXERCISES OF prayer consideration and meditation c. apperteyne not onelie to religious personnes and priestes thowghe principallie vnto them but vnto the laitie also § X. BVT peraduenture thou wilt saye that these exercises of praier consideration and meditation do appertein onelie vnto religious persons and preistes and not vnto the laitie True it is I graunt that these exercises do principally appertein vnto religious persons and priestes by reason of their state and profession of life but yet neuertheles the laietie are not vtterlie excused of vsinge some kinde of exercise of praier thowgh not in so high a degree and perfection if they minde continually to preserue them selues and to liue in the feare of God Laie men are bound to haue faith hope charitie humilitie and other vertues as well as religious persons and priestes without committinge any deadly sinne For euen the laitie also are bownde to haue Faith Hope Charitie Humilitie the feare of God contrition deuotion and an hatred against sinne Now seinge all these vertues be for the most parte vertues affectiue as we haue alreadie declared which affections must necessarily procede of some consideration of the vnderstandinge if this consideration be not exercised how shall these vertues be preserued How shall a man helpe him selfe by faith if he do not sometymes consider such thinges as his faith telleth him How shall he be enkendeled in charitie and strengthened in hope how shall he brydel him selfe with the feare of God How shall he be moued to deuotion to sorrowe for his sinnes and to the contempt of him selfe wherein consisteth the vertue of humilitie which apperteineth vnto all kinde of persons if he do not consider those thinges wherewith these affections are wont to be inkendeled according as we haue before declared Neither owght a man to passe ouer these thinges in the exercise of consideration with to much speid and in post hast For emonge the miseries of mans hart one of the greatest is that it is so sensible to vnderstand the thinges of the worlde and so vnsensible to vnderstand the thinges apperteinyng vnto almightie God In so much that vnto the one it is as it were a verie drie reede and to th' other as it were grene wood that can not be set on fier and enkendled but with verie great labour and trauell And therefore we must not in our exercise of consideration passe ouer these thinges in such hast but staie and pawse for a tyme in them more or lesse according as the holie Ghost shall instruct vs and according also as the busines and occupations of euerie man in his state and vocation of life shall geue him leaue And it is not a matter of mere necessitie to haue certein times appointed euerie daie for consideration Vnto these thinges ye maie adde furthermore the dangers of the world with all the great difficulties men haue to preserue them selues without sinne in a bodie so euill disposed and in a world so dangerous and emonge so manie ennemies as we haue continuallie assaulting vs on euerie side And therefore if for that thow art not a religious person thy state of life do not bynde the vnto so much exercise of praier and meditation yet the greatnes of the danger and perrill wherein thow liuest in the worlde must needes bynde the to vse some exercise therein The state of a religious person I confesse is greater then thyne Note why the laietie liue in more danger of fallinge into deadlie synne then religious persons but thy danger of falling into synne is also greater then his For the religious person is protected and garded by his superior by inclosure within his monasterie by obseruance of his rules by obedience by praiers by fastinges by sainge daylie diuine seruice by the awsteritie of his order by good companie and religious conuersation and by all other spirituall exercises and vertuous labours of the holie monasticall life in so much that euen the verie walles of their monasteries be a great defence and sauegard vnto them to keepe them from the occasions and dangers of synne