things that he shall enioy shal be so great that he cannot desire greater The seauenth parte shall bee length and perpetuitie of lyfe for whosoeuer he be that lyueth well now then hee shal lyue as long as God Wherevpon it is written by the Wiseman The righteous shall liue for euer and theyr rewarde is with the Lord. Moreouer the soule shal also haue seauē beatitudes which are no lesse glorious then those of the bodie The first is Wisedome which in that glory shall be giuen vnto it for there the soule of a simple Artificer or a plaine Country-man shall haue more vvisedome then all the Phylosophers or Wise men of thys world euer enioyed here The righteous shall haue such aboundance of vvisedom in the lyfe to come that they shall be ignorant of nothing vvhich they ought or woulde knowe They shall bee filled with all perfect vvisedome and shall beholde GOD face to face VVhich vvhen hee shall see he shall beholde the nature of euery creature which consisteth better in GOD then in it selfe Then likewise the righteous shal know and vnderstand all thinges which God made to bee knowne as well those thinges that are past as those things that are to come There all shall be knovvne of euery one and euery one of all neyther shall any man bee ignorant of what Countrey of what Nation or of what kindred any man is or what hee hath doone in his lyfe The second beatitude of the soule shall bee the amitie and friendship of one to another as mēbers of one body whose head is Christ Iesus the Lorde For God and all other good men in that blessed society shal so vnfainedly loue euery righteous man that they can neuer hate him As long and as well as a man dooth loue himselfe so long and so well shall hee loue another that resteth in the same fellowship with him But passe ouer these things and contemplate him by whō these blessings come vnto thee and thou shalt perceiue that hee dooth and will loue thee more then thou canst loue thy selfe or any other themselues and thou wilt loue him aboue thy selfe and aboue all others The third shal be concord for the body and the soule of euery Saint which disagreed in thys lyfe shall then very vvell agree and bee at peace and vnitie yea all the righteous shal haue such agreement and concord as our eyes haue in thys present life For as one eye cannot bee turned about with out the other bee also turned but they are alwayes turned together one way euen so the bodie and the soule and the vvhole congregation of the righteous shall will no contrarieties but shall alwayes haue the same vvill For wee shall be one body one Church and the spouse of Christ. The will also of almighty GOD shall not bee contrary to thine but thou shalt wil as he willeth hee shal wil in al things as thou willest for howe is it possible that the heade should disagree with his body The fourth is Honor heere wee are borne of the corruption of the flesh filled with many miseries destitute of comfort subiect to many infirmities and passions and ful of the vlcers of sinne out of vvhich GOD shall take vs and shall heale vs and restore vs to perfect health and shal adorne vs vvith the ornament of absolute righteousnesse and immortalitie shall adopt vs for hys sonnes and children shal make vs inhearitours of his kingdome and coheires with hys onely begotten Sonne our Sauiour and shall make vs to bee called Gods by his own name For hee sayth I haue sayde yee are Gods and yee all are children of the most High The fifte beatitude of the soule is Power for the righteous shall be able to doe vvhat they will because they shall haue the almightie agreeable to theyr wills The sixt beatitude is securitie For the righteous in that blessed estate shall certainlie haue and enioy what soeuer they doe desire neyther shall they haue any feare to loose that they haue because neyther they shall bee willing to loose it neither shal God take it from them being vnwilling The seauenth and last beatitude of a glorified soule is perfect ioy such as no man can comprehend for there shal be thousands of thousands tenne thousand thousands and more then tenne thousand hundred thousands of thousands of the righteous whō none can number and all shall enioy and ioy in the same blessednesse neyther shall there be anie vvhich shall not as much ioy for an others felicitie as for his ovvne And aboue all this they shal reioyce with an admirable ioy seeing almighty GOD whō they entirely loue more then themselues and whom God loueth more then they can loue themselues Therefore theyr ioy shall bee vnmeasurable ioy shal be vnto them both within and without ioy aboue and ioy beneath ioy all about them on euery side and euery where full of ioy But as the righteous shall reioyce by reason of so great ioy and blessednesse so on the contrarie part sinners shall be tormented with vnspeakable tortures For as beautie agilitie fortitude libertie health pleasure and eternitie is matter of reioycing vnto the righteous so on the contrary part the vglines of sinne the burthen of it imbecility seruitude infirmitie anxietie and euerlasting death shall with continuall and most greeuous torments afflict sinners For that securitie of eternitie the life which the righteous shall reioyce in where they alwaies inioy the good blessings of God shal doubtlesse be a very great and a perpetuall punishment vnto the wicked in which they shal alvvayes finde that which they shal more and more hate VVhat shal vvee say of vvisedome which as it shall bee a ioy an honor vnto the righteous so that which the vvicked haue knowne or shall knovve shal be vnto thē griefe and confusion the friendship vvhich is ioyned with myrth and reioycing in the righteous shal bee great discord and affliction vnto sinners for they shal haue great discord especially with those creatures which they heeretofore loued in thys world and the creatures shall haue the lyke with them And in the place of the power that the righteous shal haue the vvicked shal haue such impotencie that they shal be able to doe nothing as they would so that by the honor of the Saints they shal haue eternal cōfusion Furthermore as the friendes of GOD shall be secure that they shal not loose theyr blessings so the enemies of God shal loose all hope to bee deliuered from those torments in which they lyue who beeing created to enioy heauenly glorie are now for euer to lyue in the societie of deuils To bee briefe in stead of the eternall and ineffable ioy of the righteous the wicked shal bee filled with exceeding sorrowe because they shal continually and without end suffer ineuitably all those miseries vvhich they shal feele themselues compassed with Thys sayth Anselmus but
times in going or labouring oftentimes is of greater dignity and efficacy then other prolixe exercises or copious prayers This exercise is more profitably done by desires and inward sighings and mournings then by words albeit wordes helpe at al times which a man may now and then vtter after this or such like manner O blessed Iesu ô the sweetnes and delight of my hart ô the life of my soule when shall I please thee in all things and at all times When shall I perfectly dye vnto my selfe Whē shall I preferre thee before all creatures When shall there not liue any other thing in mee besides thy selfe ô Lord Haue mercy vpon me ô Lord and helpe me I salute thy wounds ô Lord as it were fresh flourishing roses hide me ô lord in them and wash mee in them that I may be throghly cleane and inflamed with thy loue O Lord God ô admirable beginning ô the piety of amiable charity ô the dearest light of my vnderstanding ô the rest of my vvill vvhen shall I feruently and ardently loue thee Vouchsafe ô lord to shoote through my soule vvith the dart of thy loue vouchsafe to associate and vnite mee vnto thee that I may bee one vvith thee O my desire ô my hope ô my refreshing and comfort O that my soule were worthy thyne embraces that all the drowsines and luke-warmnes of my soule might be consumed with the fire of thy loue O the soule of my soule ô the life of my life I wholy desire thee and offer my selfe wholy vnto thee wholy to thee that art all in all one to one and only to thee alone O that it had place in me that thou spakest to thy Father O holy Father let them be one as wee are one I in them and thou in me that they may be made perfect in one I neyther will nor wish any other thing I desire none other thing I entreate none other thing of thee for thou alone art sufficient for me Thou art my father thou art my mother thou art my defender my leader and all my good Thou art wholy louely vvholy delightfull wholy faithfull Who was euer so liberall that would giue him selfe vvho euer loued so tenderly that would deliuer himselfe vnto death for a vile creature Who vvas euer so humble that hath so debased and ecclipsed his Maiesty O Lorde thou despisest no man disdaynest no man reiectest no man that sueth vnto thee yea thou callest and prouokest them to come meete thee for it is thy delight to conuerse with the children of men O Lorde the Angells doe blesse and prayse thee what other thing hast thou found in vs but pollutions and blemishes of sin Wherefore wouldest thou be with vs to the end of the vvorld Was it not enough for thee that thou sufferedst for vs but that thou must leaue thy Sacraments for a medicine vnto vs and thy Angells for our companions and protectours And albeit we be vnthankfull for so great benefites yet thou wouldest dwell among vs for thou art so good and gracious that thou canst not deny thy selfe Therfore ô Lord let vs make if so it please thee a league couenant take thou charge of me and I will take charge of thee Doe with me ô Lord as it pleaseth thee for thou knowest what I want and what is meete for mee I will be thine and no others Giue me grace ô Lord that I may not seeke nor desire any thing but thee and that I may wholy offer yeeld vp my selfe vnto thee O sire that enlightenest me ô charity that inflamest me ô light illuminating me ô my rest ô my life ô my loue who alwayes burnest and neuer art extinguished vvhen shall I perfectly loue thee When shall I embrace thee with the naked arms of my soule Whē shall I despise my selfe and the whole vvorld for the loue of thee When shall my soule with al her powers strength bee vnited vnto thee When shall I be swallowed vp in the bottomles depth of thy loue O thou most sweete most louing most beautifull most wise most rich most noble most precious and most worthy to be loued and worshipped when shall I so loue thee that I may lie drowned wholy in thy loue O the life of my soule who didst vndergoe the burthen of death that thou mightest reuiue me and dying didst kill death kill ô Lord me also that is slay all my peruerse inclinations to euill my will also and whatsoeuer hindereth whereby thou mayst not liue with mee But after that thou hast thus killed me make me to liue with thee by loue and a true faith that I may faithfully obserue all thy commaundements and the precepts of my superiours and that I may only prosecute follow those things that are of the spirit O most bountifull and gracious Iesu giue me a perfect hatred and loathing of sinne and a perfect cōuersion of hart vnto thee that all my thoughts and all my desires may be busied and conuersant in thee alone and about thee alone O life vvithout which I dye ô truth without which I am deceaued ô way without which I goe astray ô saluation without which I perrish ô light without which I walk in darknes Doe not ô Lord doe not suffer that at any time I should be plucked away from thee for in thee alone I liue without thee I dye in thee I am safe and without thee I perish in thee I am some body but without thee I am no body As I shall more manifestly declare in the sequent considerations which shall be vnto mee as a most cleare glasse which I looking into with open stedfast and constant eies shall see both the magnitude and multitude of my miseries A SPIRITVA'L and heauenly Exercise deuided into seauen pithy and briefe Meditations for euery day in the weeke one The first Meditation for Monday of the miserie in which man is created THE Prophet Ieremy deploring the misery of his own condition saith How is it that I cam forth of the wombe to see labour and sorrow that my dayes should be consumed with shame If the Prophet sanctified in his mothers vvombe so lamentablie spake of himselfe what shall I miserable and vvretched man say conceaued and borne of my Mother in sinne Hugo de S. Victore doth very well counsaile vs ô man sayth he learne to know thy selfe Thou art better if thou knowest thy self then if neglecting thy self thou knevvest the motions of the starres the vertue of hearbs the complexions of men and the natures of al heauenly earthly creatures For many men know many things and know not themselues vvhen as the knowledge of our selues is the chiefest Philosophy Consider therefore ô man vvhat thou wast before thou wert born what thou art now thou art borne vntill thou returne to dust and what thou shalt be after death Before thou wast borne wast thou any other thing but an impure and vncleane matter conceaued
defer not from day to day thy conuersion vnto the Lord least his anger come on a suddaine and condemne thee destroy thee in the time of vengeance Be not deceiued with the suggestions of that cursed serpent sathan which suggesteth vnto thee hope of a lōger life that thou shalt repent thee enough a little before thou dyest that he vnwares may oppresse and subuert thee as the Wise man sayth To promise vnto thy selfe longer life is great wickednesse hath destroied many and hath remooued them as the waues of the sea It is euill because it is contrarie to reason and iustice worse because it is against the sinner himselfe but it is most vile vngodly and cursed because it warreth and fighteth against the diuine will That it is euill contrary to reason iustice is proued by three examples First it is against iustice if any one hauing many horses among which hee may deuide the weightie and heauie burden will lay the whole vveight vpon one which is the weakest and the oldest Such an one is he that reserueth for feeble old age the vvhole burthen of repentance all the sins which hee committed in his youth which is vnsufficient for the burden and can by no meanes beare it Of such Saint Isidore sayth They that mispend the time of repentance vvithout fruite in vaine desire of the Lord that the gate may bee opened vnto them The Prophet Malachie denounceth a curse against such an one Cursed be the deceiuer saith he that hath in his flocke a male voweth and sacrificeth vnto the Lord a corrupt thing Secondly hee seemeth vnto mee more foolish and more vniust who when he is strong and healthfull will not carry a small burden but had rather stay till his burden bee greater and himselfe weaker Such an one is he that doth not carrie the burdē of repentance in his youth and so long as it is light and little but putteth it of to olde age when as hee himselfe shall be weaker his burden wayghtier Wee haue an example of this in the booke of the Fathers One cutting downe wood bound vp a burden of it and then made tryall whether he could carry it but seeing himselfe not able to carry the same he cut down more wood and made him a greater burden and by how much hee was lesse able to lift it vp by so much he augmented it After the same manner doe sinners who deferring the time of repentance do encrease the burden of their sinners For as S. Gregory saith the sinne that is not foorth-with clensed and purged by repentance doth drawe on another with his weight Thirdly is not hee exceeding vniust and madde that bestoweth consumeth all the time of hys lyfe all his cost all his diligence in building of houses in which notwithstanding hee is not minded to dwell but dooth pull downe with all his might and maine the house which he hath determined to inhabite Certainly this man altogether worketh against the iudgment of reason and is worthy to bee counted both a foole a mad man Thys doth a sinner who proroging his cōuersion to the howre of death buildeth for himselfe a habitation in the depth of hell where notwithstanding hee desireth not to dwell Feare and dreade therefore that auncient saying Hee that dooth any thing against his own conscience buildeth in hell Secondly in hope of a longer life something worse seemeth to be then that hath been spoken when it is to the preiudice of the sinner himself And this is proued by two exāples The first is because if any man had rather bee sicke then sound a seruaunt then free poore then endued with some cōpetent wealth such an one should be opposite and contrary to himselfe A sinner is like to this man because he had rather liue nay lye dead in sin which is a spirituall sicknes infirmity thē be whole strong and sound Wherefore a sinner is more cruel against himselfe for he had rather be dead then aliue sick then sound a seruaunt then free as it is in S. Iohn Who soeuer committeth sinne is the seruant of sinne And S. Augustine saith A good man albeit he serue yet hee is free but an euil man although he raigne yet is he a seruaunt neyther of one man alone but that which is more grieuous of so many maisters as he hath vices The second example is he is a debter who taketh any summe of money vpon vsury for by so much more doth hys debt vsury increase by how much he is longer in discharging it and to bee so much the more negligent in repaying it by how much hee is lesse sufficient to repay certainly it is hurtfull vnprofitable to him selfe Such an one is a sinner who perseuering in his sinnes the longer hee continueth in them the more hee increaseth the vsury of hys faulte and so much the more punishment shall he at the length suffer for them Herevpon S. Iohn saith in his Reuelation Inasmuch as she glorified her selfe and liued in pleasure so much giue yee to her torment and sorrow Thirdly we sayd that the perswasion of a longer life was most vile vngodly and cursed especially because it directlie fighteth against the goodnesse of our Lord Iesus Christ and this is manifested by three examples the first of which is If a seruant be disobedient to his maister throgh the whole race and course of his life whō notwithstanding he is bounde to serue faythfully hauing receiued many benefits of him should serue the greatest enemie that his maister hath and at the length at the end of hys life when his strength is decayed shoulde returne vnto his maister to waite vpon him to whom alwaies heeretofore he hath been immorigerous dost thou thinke that this seruice would be accepted of his maister Such an one is a sinner who after he hath offended his Lord God all his life time and hath borne arms vnder the colours of his aduersary would at the last return to the seruice of God in his faint feeble olde age Secōdly if any one had receiued mony or other great riches of his Lord on this cōdition that he should negociate traffick therwith by his diligence should increase the sum and he in despight of his Lord cōsumeth the mony vainely prodigally without doubt he offendeth both the goodnesse of his Lord and hindereth his own profit should be counted very vnthankful A sinner is not vnlike to such an one who hauing receiued of God a soule a body with al the sences powers externall goods length of dayes many other benefites dooth vnprofitably consume them all and squander them abroade and that to the reproch and iniurie of his Lord Creator and Redeemer by sinning sundry and diuers wayes by offending the goodnesse of GOD and by making hauocke of all his goods but chiefely of his soule which is committed and commended vnto him
might bring forth repentance and repenting might possesse with al the Saints glorie and celestiall beatitude to the which shee was made and created But to this there is no other way then that of which the Prophet speaketh This is the way walke yee in it neyther shall yee decline to the right hand nor to the left Therefore it is needfull for a Christian man that is vvilling after thys wretched life to goe to his desired home besides prayers and common exercises to vse also diligēce that his hart may bee lifted vp vnto God not onely in euery place but also that at all times and in all businesses hee may carrie about with him cogitations seriously imployed about religious godly contemplations As a Bee delighted vvith the beautie of colours and sweetnes of odours doth take somewhat from euery flower and dooth carry it to her hiue to make honey of it so it is requisite that the seruant of God should take of all things created which are presented vnto his minde as it were certaine spurrs pricking forwards vnto deuotion and to the loue of God meditating on them in his hart with great delight with out intermission By this endeuour at the length vvee shall bring it to passe that vppon the alter of our harts there shall alvvayes burne the fire of diuine loue wee beeing alwayes busied in godly prayers and deuout meditations Therefore in the morning as soone as wee awake let vs shut our gates against al earthlie and worldly thoughts that so before all things our Lorde may enter in and haue admittance let vs offer vnto him the first fruites of that day conferring with him let vs doe three things First giue him thanks for the rest hee hath giuen thee that night and that he hath deliuered thee from al perrillous and feareful fantasies and from the snares of thine enemy and for all other benefites of creation preseruation vocation and redemption that he hath called thee to his fayth that hee hath infused into thee good inspyrations that he hath freed thee from all danger that so long a time with so great patience mercy hee hath waited for thy repentance And to be briefe yeelde vnto him most hartie thanks for all blessings whatsoeuer Then offer vnto him whatsoeuer that day thou shalt eyther doe or suffer all thy lalabours all thy stepps all thine exercises and briefely all that which thou art to doe or to be imployed in that day Offer vnto him in like manner thy selfe with all thine that al may redound to his glorie that hee may haue a hand in all and dispose of all as it shall please his most holy will none otherwise then if they were his owne businesses Thirdly desire his fauour grace that thou mayst not cōmitt any thing that day that shall be contrarie to his diuine maiestie Beseech him that he vvoulde ayde thee against all sinnes and especially against those which customarily thou art most inclined to as are anger vaine glory dissolutnes in wordes and such like arming thy selfe with a firme resolution against all kind of vices At night before thou goest to bed examine thy selfe with iudgement and call to minde whatsoeuer thou hast that day either done spoken or thought against the diuine will and recall all thy negligences idlenes slothfull heauines about the diuine seruice worship and that so wickedly thou hast forgotten thy Lord God Desire God that hee would pardon all thine errors forgiue all the sinnes which thou hast committed and that hee would bestowe his grace vpon thee that thou mayst correct and amend thy life And when thou layest thy selfe downe in thy bed thinke how thou shalt lie in thy graue cōsider with thy selfe how small a coffin wil cōtaine thy body end all thy meditations with that prayer which Christ himselfe taught his disciples As often as thou awakest in the night say Glory be to the Father and to the Sonne c. Or some such like thing as often as thou hearest the sound of the howre say Blessed be the howre in which our Lorde Iesus Christ was borne and died for vs ô Lorde remember mee in the howre of my death And consider howe thy life is shorter by an hower then it was before and howe by little and little thy web is wouen-vp and ended VVhen thou sittest downe to eate or risest vp from the table alwayes remember the example of our Lorde lift-vp thine hart vnto thy GOD cōsider that it is he that giueth thee meate and drinke vvho hath created all things for thy vse render vnto him thankes for the foode hee sendeth thee and ponder with thy selfe how many men almost perrishe through hunger and vvant then which thine estate is farre happier remember with what ease and safety thou possessest those things which others can hardly compasse with great danger and labour When thou art impugned or molested of the deuill that auntient Tempter the best remedie is if thou runnest vnto the Crosse and beholde hanging vpon it Iesus Christ cruellie scourged crovvned vvith thornes racked vpō the crosse hauing neyther beauty nor cōlinesse riuolets of precious bloode gushing out of his bodie Rembember that the chiefest cause why thy Lord hangeth there is none other then that hee might destroy the kingdome of sinne Beseech and intreate him with great deuotion that hee would not suffer a thing so odious to raigne in thine heart or in thine eyes which he with so great cost labour banished destroyed and say ô my Lord thou hangest heere vpon the crosse that I might not sinne and shall not this be sufficient for mee that I may flie from sinne I beseech thee ô lorde by those thy most holy wounds suffer me not at any time to bee forsaken of thee when I come vnto thee yea ô lord shew vnto mee the best hauen vvhere I may be in most safetie If thou shalt reiect refuse me whether shall I goe what shall I doe what will become of me who shall defend mee ô my lorde helpe mee defend me from that dragon seeing that without thee I can doe nothing If thou shalt feruently thus persist in heartie and earnest prayer the temptations shal be an occasion of a nobler crown and they shall bring it to passe that thy minde shall bee oftner lifted vp to God and the deuil who came with hope of victorie shall beeing vanquished most shamefully flie away Among all these exercises the sighes and gronings of the spirite are most commendable which are tokens of vehement desires by the which the soule beeing preuented of the holie Ghost and wounded vvith the loue of God sigheth groneth and with great feruencie laboureth for the loue of God and so desireth this loue both with great instancie and without intermission This meditation this holy exercise is so profitable that if it be daily done or be vsed at meale times at drinking
as a most precious treasure Wherfore S. Gregorie sayd Woe be vnto mee if I shall negligently keepe the talent committed to me of the Lorde that is my soule redeemed with the precious bloode of that immaculate lambe seeing also that there is not any moment of time which I am not to giue an account of The thyrd example If any one be a Steward whose dutie is to dispose the goods of hys Lord if hee shoulde giue the best bread the best vvine and the best meates to strangers to the enemies of his Lord should sette before his Lorde mustie bread vnsauory meats putrified flesh corrupted fishes and dead vvine doe you not thinke that this seruaunt should badly fitte the humour of his Lord A wretched sinner is like to such an one vvho offereth to the worlde and to the deuill who are the enemies of Christ Iesus his lord the best and fairest flower of his youth and strength and to his God and lord the worst part of his lyfe barren and vnprofitable old age Dauid did not so who saith of himselfe I will keep my strength for thee ô Lorde And the Wise man sayth that from his youth hee sought for wisedome vvhich is true vertue But of all them that deferre repentance Saint Gregory saith Hee is farre enough of from fayth vvho expecteth old age to repent in For it is to be feared least while hee hopeth for mercy he fall into iudgement For not any day is within hys power therefore euery one ought to follow the counsel of Isidore and conuert hymselfe with all the diligence and hast hee can vnto the Lord for if hee lynger and loyter he shall at the length bee willing but not able to turne himselfe Which things beeing so repent my deere brother with all speede and celeritie and make no longer tarrying least thou be reprobated and shutte out with the foolish virgins The fourth Meditation for Thursday of the contempt of the world and with what hatred and diligence it is to be eschewed THE glorious Apostle S. Iohn saith Brethren loue not the world neither the things that are in the worlde For if any man loue the world the loue of the Father is not in him and the world passeth away and the lust thereof Saint Augustine expounding thys place sayth What wilt thou doe whether hadst thou rather loue temporall things and so passe away with the tyme or Christ our Sauiour and liue for euer If thou shalt loue thys world it will consume and destroy thee for it cannot defend them that loue it Thys VVorlde is as an excommunicated man for as the Church doth not pray for him that is excōmunicated so Iesus Christ dooth not pray for the world although he prayed for them that crucified him O how great madnes is it to serue such a lord who at the end of thy seruice is wont to giue no other wages but nakednes and desolation So Saladine that great Soldane of Babilon the conquerer of Asia being at the point of death and seeing no hope of life to remaine cōmanded his standard-bearer to bee called vnto him to whom hee thus spake saying Thou hadst wont to carry myne imperiall ensigne before me whē I went to warre nowe also carry the ensigne of my death which is thys poore vvinding-sheete carry it thorow all the streetes of Damascus and cry Behold the king of all the East dieth of all his spoyles trophyes carryes none other with him but thys worne thredbare winding-sheete The lyke is read of a certaine young king of Lothoringia vvho beeing readie to giue vp the ghost lying in a most magnificent pallace and in a rich sumptuous bedde cryed out with a loude voyce that he might be heard of all O lorde Iesus Christ how woorthily is this world to be condemned See in vvhat stately and royall buildings I haue lyued now vvretched creature that I am knowe not whither thys night following I shall goe what Inne I shall haue or what manner of entertainement I shall find Therefore ô sinner flie from the world flye I say from the worlde first because it leaueth thee in so great neede and misery For as the Apostle Saint Iames saith The amity of this world is the enmity of God Whosoeuer therefore will be a friende of the world maketh himselfe the enemy of God And Saint Gregory sayth A man is so much the neerer vnto God by howe much he is further of from the loue of the worlde For thys cause the Lord would bee carryed without the Citty to signifie that hee had no parte in the VVorlde and whosoeuer will bee pertaker of the fruites of hys passion hee must renounce the vvorlde and seperate himselfe from all worldlie conuersation if not in act yet in desire thys is that which almighty GOD commaundeth by his Prophet saying Get ye out of Babylon that euerie one may saue his owne soule Babylon according to the exposition of Saint Hierome is the house of confusion vvhich is this world in which confusion raigneth euery where as well in the Clergy as in the Layitie as well in olde as young as well in men as women Therefore it is very well sayd of Saint Iohn in his generall Epistle The whole worlde lyeth in wickednesse Saint Bernard also counselleth vs very well saying Flye out of Babylon flye and saue your soules Fly to the Citties of refuge where ye may both repent for sins past and for the present finde grace and safely looke for future glorie Let not the anguish and remorse of your sins hinder you nor the austeritie of repentance deter and afright you For neither the passions of this time nor the trybulation of thys world are woorthy for the fault past which is remitted for the present grace of cōsolation which is bestowed nor for the future glory which is promised To be briefe there is no bitternesse so great vvhich the Prophets meale will not sweeten which the wisedom of the tree of lyfe will not make sauory Wee are to knowe that the worlde is to be eschewed for foure causes the first of which is because wise and circumspect men are wont to flie and auoyd infectious and contagious places especially if they be weake and sickly or feare any infirmitie Such a place is the VVorlde which hath in it many euills many diseases of sin we see also much filthines many blemishes in it which cōtaminate pollute our soules for sinne it selfe is a contagious disease therefore not without cause we ought to eschew auoyd the societie and company of wicked and vngodlie men for it is not meet that the whole and sounde should dwell with the leaprous and diseased for the Wise man saith Hee that toucheth pitch shall be defiled with it and he that companieth with a proude man shal put on pride Certainly saith S. Ierom nothing dooth so hurte a man as naughty
company and euil society For a man becomes such a one as the company he keepeth The Wolfe dooth neuer dwel with the lamb a chast man doth flie the company of the luxurious I think it impossible that a man shoulde long cōtinue honest who daily vseth the societie of wicked mē With the holy thou shalt be holy sayth the Psalmist with the innocent thou shalt be innocent and with the frowarde thou shalt learne frowardnes For as euill companie hurteth so good company profiteth Nothing can bee compared to thys treasure He that findeth good society findeth life and aboundeth with wealth I speake truly and confidently a man is made verie sildome eyther good or euill but through company society The hart of a chyld is said to bee as a Table in which nothing is paynted Therefore that he receiueth from company hee keepeth till his old age whether it bee good or euill These things spake S. Ierome beeing ready to yeelde vp the ghost Therfore seeing that the worlde is so euill wee ought to eschewe and auoyde it as an ill neighbour who can worke vs great mischiefe by hys neighbourhoode and vicinitie and hurte vs very much by sinnes and sinners of vvhich it is full The second cause vvhy the worlde is to be eschewed is because vvise and considerate men doe auoyde those places in which they feare the intrappings and snares of theyr enemies least they fall into theyr hands and thys is the revvard that the world rendereth vnto her louers that shee at the length deliuereth thē into the hands of the deuils theyr deadly enemies The wordes of the the traytour Iudas are to be referred hether saying to them to whom hee sold and betrayed the Sonne of God Whomsoeuer I shall kisse and say peace be vnto thee that is he lay hold on him VVhich vvordes the world saith also to the deuils to vvhomsoeuer I shall gyue the kisse of peace of riches of pleasures and honors lay holde on him binde him hand foote and cast him into hell Wherfore S. Gregory saith not without good cause It is a manifest signe of perdition whē the effect and euent dooth fauour affected iniquitie and no contrarietie dooth hinder what the peruerse minde hath cōceiued And Saint Ierome sayth It is a manifest token of damnation to bee loued of the vvorld to enioy prosperity to haue all things what the vvill desireth Certaine therefore it is that they are exceedingly deceiued in finding out the way to felicitie who thinke that they may enter into glory and into the kingdome of heauen by riches and pleasures The third cause why vvee ought to eschew the worlde is this because wise wary men doe flie auoyde dangerous places such as the sea is wherin we saile with feare Whervpon the Wise-man saith They that saile ouer the sea doe tell of the dangers of it Dauid certifieth vs that thys world is a great spacious sea in which the greater parte of the marriners perrish Thys is manifest because as Bernard saith many do miscarry in it and fewe are saued The worlde is as an Ocean in which of foure shyps scarcelie one is saued as the Deluge in vvhich so many thousand men were drowned and so fewe escaped and as the Fornace of Babylon kindled with hell fire in which a man is sette on a light flame with one word of the fire of vvrath in vvhich luxury dooth burne and couetousnes is inflamed by the onely looke and aspect The fourth cause vvhy we ought to forsake the world is because euery man that is wise beeing admonished ought to eschew that place in which his mortal deadly enemy dwelleth Thys place is the vvorld which the deuill our capitall enemie inhabiteth hee hath his signory and dominion in thys world who alwayes threatneth destruction vnto vs and thyrsteth for our deathes Therfore let vs flye from the worlde as from the deuill according to the counsell of the VViseman Keep thee far from the man that hath power to slay These reasons thus beeing sette before our eyes let vs bee wise for we see manifestly by these things which haue beene spoken that the world cannot be better ouercome by any other way then by flying from it VVee haue an example of thys in the life 's of the Fathers of Achrimus who being Emperour standing in his pallace prayed thus vnto GOD. Lord I desire thee shewe vnto me the way of saluation And behold hee heard a voyce saying vnto him Achrimus auoyde the concourse and solemnities of the worlde entangle not thy selfe in the snares of humaine vanities thou shalt be safe At the hearing of which voyce hee betooke himselfe foorth-with to a strict solitarie course of lyfe And saying an other time the same prayer he hearde a voyce saying Fly ouercome bee silent at rest And surely these be the rootes and the grounds not to sinne For by flying the cōcupiscence of the flesh is ouercome by being silent the pride of lyfe and by beeing of a peaceable and quiet mind couetousnesse greedines of gaine are subdued and ouerthrowne Saint Isidore admonishing vs that wee shoulde contemne the world sayth If thou desirest to lyue quietly couet nothing that is in this world cast frō thee what-soeuer may hinder thy holy purpose Be dead to the world and therefore being deade doe not thyrst after glory and thou shalt lyue in tranquilitie and rest being cōtent with thine owne Despise that in thy life which thou canst not keepe in thy death S. Augustine speaketh thus of this deceitfull world This life is a miserable life a fraile life an vncertaine life a painefull life an impure lyfe a lyfe Lady of enormities Queen of pride ful of miseries errors which is not to be called a life but a death in which wee die dailie through sundry defections of mutability and by manifolde kinds of death A brickle lyfe an incōstant life which the faster it goeth on the nerer it approcheth to death a deceitfull and vnsteady life full of the snares of death Although it be replenished with these and other greeuances sorrowes and inconueniences yet ô greefe howe many dooth it ensnare with vanities and howe many are deceiued with false and deceitfull promises And albeit of it selfe it is so false and bitter that it cannot cōceale these incōueniences from her blinde louers yet it maketh drunk an infinite multitude of fooles with the golden cup which she beareth in her hand As they are happy so are they rare that refuse her familiarity that despise her perfunctory ioyes that contemne her society least with this perishing deceiuer they bee also forced to perrish This sayth he Beholde sayth Bernard the worlde cryeth I shall fayle thee and the flesh crieth I shal infect thee which then ô miserable sinner vvilt thou follow the failing world or the infecting flesh Both of them are euill therefore followe Christ who
enter in with Iesus Christ and enioy all the blessings of his glory Chastice novve thy body vvith repentance that thou mayst then finde most firme assurance O howe happy prudent is that man who laboureth nowe to be such an one as hee will desire to be in that doubtfull and dreadful houre of death Therfore now contend with all thy might to bee such an one for thou knowest not when thou shalt die neither what wil happen vnto thee after death Doe not relie eyther vppon thy friendes or thy children for they will forgette thee sooner then thou thinkest and vnlesse now thou disposest of all thinges who can or will heereafter dispose of them for thee Be carefull and prouident for it is better to foresee and preuent that day with good preparation then to looke for helpe and ayde of another Therfore gather now immortall goods giue almes in thys life make those holy and blessed ones thy friends that when thou departest hence they may receaue thee into their euerlasting habitations For that glorious Doctour of the Church Saint Gregory saith that those things are with great diligence to be considered of and those works with many teares to bee meditated vppon which the Iudge of the world shall exact of vs when that houre of death shall come And Saint Bernard sayth O my soule what feare shal there be when all are sent away whose presence was pleasant vnto thee whose sight acceptable and whose neighbourhood so familiar and thou altogether alone enterest into that vnknowne region shalt see those vgly horible monsters flocking to meete thee Who wil succour thee in a day of so great necessitie Who shall defende thee from those roaring Lyons greedy of theyr pray who shal comfort thee who shal helpe thee who shal conduct thee But happie is that soule which confidentlie and boldly shall speake to her enemies in the gate vvhy standest thou heere thou cruel and bloody beast Thou shalt find nothing deadly in me which shal be entertayned of Angels defended from the rage violence of deuils and shal bee carried into the bosome of Abraham Of death and the way of sinners in an other place also thus speaketh S. Bernard The death of sinners is exceeding euil And heare why it is exceeding euil It is euil in the losse of the worlde vvorse in the seperation of the flesh but worst of al in the double torment of the vvorme and of fire But of al it is exceeding euil because the soule shal bee seperated from the Diuine aspect and with great confusion shal bee for euer depriued of the sight of God Consider my deare brother and marke that no man can eschew death neyther know the houre nor change the time appoynted of God But the death of the righteous is good for they rest from their labours better for the nouelty of the life but best of all for the assurance and security of eternity The seauenth Meditation for Sonday of the ioyes of the blessed in heauen and of the paynes of the damned in hell O Sinfull soule if these earthly thinges seeme vile vnto thee and of no price lift vp thine eyes and beholde heauenlie things consider with great diligence what thinges they be and how great which GOD hath prepared for the Elect. For they be such and so great that as Saint Paul sayth neither eye hath seene nor eare hath heard neyther hath entred into the hart of man Therefore wee must knowe that the delightes of a blessed lyfe are so many and so great that no Arithmetitian can number them no Geomater can measure thē neyther can any Grammarian Logitian or Rhetoritian expresse them eyther by wordes or reasons Seeing neither eye hath seene theyr greatnes nor eare hath heard of them neyther at any time haue they entered into mans heart There the Saints shall ioy beeing circled and compassed with glorie beholding the Diuine essence aboue them seeing the beauty of the heauens and of all creatures beneath them viewing in thēselues the dignity of their soules and glory of their bodies and to bee briefe hauing about them the societie and fellowshippe of all the Angells and blessed Spyrites Hence it is that Anselmus sayth that there are fourteene partes of that felicity vvhich all the Elect shall perfectlie haue vvhen that generall session is ended seauen of the body and as many of the soule the first of vvhich is beautie for in that lyfe the beautie of the righteous shall bee equall to the beautie of the Sunne vvhich shall bee seauen folde brighter then it novve is VVhere-vppon it is written That the iust shall shyne as the Sunne in the Kingdome of God The second shall bee theyr agilitie which shall bee like vnto that of Angells for they shall bee mooued from heauen to the earth and from the earth to heauen sooner then we can mooue one of our fingers vp and downe VVe may beholde an example of this velocitie in the beames of the Sunne vvhich at the Sunne rysing in the East are in a moment carryed to the VVest that thereby we may consider that it is not impossible which wee speake of this our future swiftnesse and celerity especially seeing that greater velocitie is wont to bee in all thinges liuing thē in those things that are liuelesse The third part of their beatitude is fortitude for whosoeuer shall be accounted woorthy to be numbred vvith the celestiall Cittizens shal excell in strength so that no man shal be able to resist them For theyr fortitude shall be as great as that of Angells with whom they liue in ioy for as theyr glory shall be a like so theyr other gyfts shall bee a like The fourth shall bee free and secure liberty for as nothing can hinder Angels so nothing shall hinder the Saints neyther shal any element whatsoeuer bee able to resist them The fift part of theyr beatitude is health which shall bee vvithout infirmitie Of thys health of the righteous vvhat can bee sayd better then that which the sweete Singer of Israel speaketh saying The health of the righteous is of the Lord. And to whom this sound and true health is giuen of the Lorde what infirmitie can any way touch them or come neere them The sixt gift of beatitude is an ineffable delight which shal make drunke the righteous shal fill them full and wholy replenish them with an vnspeakeable aboundance of inestimable ioy What said I shal fil them ful and wholy repleanish them yea theyr eyes nostrils ears mouth hands throat lunges marrow and theyr very entrailes and all and euey part and member of them shal be filled with such wonderfull sence and feeling of such exceeding incomparable pleasure delight that the whole man shal quaffe of the riuer of Gods pleasure and shall bee made drunke with the plentie of his house so that hee shall stande amazed and bee altogether astonished and those
thou wouldest purge me with hysope I shal be clean that thou wouldest wash mee and I shall bee whither then snow VVash mee ô Lorde with the water of that fountaine which floweth to eternall life vvhich thou didst promise to the vvoman of Samaria and purge me with the hysope of thy grace and with the fire of thy loue charitie burne away all the errors of my frailetie and all my wickednesse and then I shall bee cleansed frō all my sinnes then I shall returne vnto the state of innocencie then I shall be more pure and whiter then the whitest snowe Then Thou shalt make mee heare of ioy and gladnesse that the bones which thou hast broken may reioyce Then all my sences which hetherto serued the worlde the flesh and the deuill that lay drowned in pleasures world lie delights which are rather to be called sorrowes miseries afflictions and confusions shall receiue of thee ioy gladnesse and rest and they shall begin to heare and tast howe good and sweete ô lord thy Spirite is to them that serue thee with humilitie I hauing tasted of thy Spirit my flesh and bones which are nowe broken because they serued earthly and vile thinges shall returne with gladnesse to the obedience of thy Spirit They shall taste of the high misteries of thy workes shall know a great part of thy goodnesse graciousnesse which both heeretofore thou hast vsed and stil vsest daily to all the nations of the world wherefore they shall persecute those thinges vvith a deadly hate vvhich they haue passed thorow and that which heeretofore was sweet pleasant vnto them now they shall esteem it bitter that which they refused as bitter now they shall desire it as most sweet shall giue thee immortall thanks because thou hast deliuered them out of the depth of misery in which they wallowed beeing deciued with a false vizard of pleasure gladnes because now ô lord throgh thy gracious goodnesse I am come to the knowledge detestation of my sinnes beeing the ready way to saluation O Lord I pray thee Turne thy face from my sins and put out all my misdeedes Turne thy diuine face I say the beholding and contemplating of which is eternall lyfe deale not with me after my deserts but looke vpon mee with the eyes of thy mercy and take from mee all my wickednesse Purge me ô lord and cleanse me not only from sinnes past but from all those that may happen to mee heereafter Create in mee a cleane hart ô God and renue a right spirite within mee Take from me my stony hart which hetherto hath delighted it selfe with the loue and contemplation of abiect and vncleane things and therefore it is vncleane and polluted I pray thee ô lord take this from mee and vouchsafe to create another in me cleane pure and chast Take from me the spirit of pride of vaine-glory of couetousnes of luxury and of many other vices and slaueries which hath raigned in mee renew within me a right mild and humble spirit vvhich may thirst after all righteousnesse Thou knowest ô lorde that we are earth and a masse of iniquitie and that vnlesse thou doost support vs with thine hand we cannot do any thing but that which is earthly there-I pray thee Cast mee not away from thy presence and take not thy holy spirit from me But alwayes direct mee preserue mee with thy right hand that I may say as the Prophet sayd in times past The Lord is my Sheepheard I shall not want Take not from mee thy holie Spirit the true comforter of the afflicted who is the way of truth to all them that as wanderers lost and desolate doe enter into the blinde Laborinth of thys worlde yea rather Lord Restore to mee the ioy of thy saluation and stablish me with thy free spirit Giue mee grace that by meditating on those things vvhich thou hast wrought for our saluation and workest daily in beholding thy will who desirest not the death of a sinner but that hee may be conuerted and liue I may enioy that true ioy and rest which they enioy who beeing guiltie of eternall death doe heare that theyr sins are forgiuen them not of thē that haue no power to doe it but of him that is omnipotent who can neyther deceiue nor be deceiued who as hee cannot die so hee cannot fayle in his promise Take from me ô lorde the spirit of bondage which I haue hetherto obeyed and strengthen me in thy loue and grace with thy royall and free spirit not subiect to the worlde the flesh or the deuill that we may serue thee with ioy in the perfection of the works of righteousnes in the libertie of the Gospell to the which vvee are restored by thy Sonne Christ our lord and Sauiour And then ô lorde I beeing strengthened by thy mercie I shall not onely be free clean frō all sin but I shal march into the fielde as a couragious warriour valiant captaine I shall teach thy wayes vnto the wicked and sinners shal be conuerted vnto thee Who seeing me to be made of wicked iust of weake mighty of a seruaunt free of a subiect thine adopted sonne and considering thys to be doone not by mans strength but by diuine power they will bee conuerted vnto thee with all their hart and with all theyr soule But I pray thee ô my lord and the GOD of my saluation whilst I am conuersant vvith wicked peruerse and vngodly men doe not suffer me to sin with them or to pollute my selfe with theyr blemishes But Deliuer mee from blood-giltinesse O God thou that art the God of my health and my tongue shall sing of thy righteousnesse As the sunne vvith his beames dooth pierce and penetrate all thinges both pure impure and is not onely not polluted but also dooth purge those things that are infected corrupted so I beeing clothed with the beames and heate of thy charitie and loue may with out spotte and blemish be conuersant among the impure vncleane Thys if thou vvilt grant mee my tongue beeing directed and guided by thy grace and ayde shall plant thy righteousnes in their harts and they shall be deceiued when they shall thinke that it is my worke seeing that it is thine For of my selfe I am not sufficient to doe it nay I am not able to speake a worde without thy helpe grace That therfore they may acknowledge this and yeelde thee thy due prayse and not bestowe it on mee Open thou my lippes ô Lorde and my mouth shall shew forth thy prayse And now ô lorde I offer thee my spirit afflicted troubled because I haue offended thee to which I add a purpose of amendement Which sacrifice I know doth please thee to be that which thou requirest For thou desirest no sacrifice though I woulde giue it thou delightest not in burnt offerings For now is the time in which no burnt offerings