abide to take so littell labour as he should bestowe in preparinge him selfe for the receauinge of this most holie Sacrament he will rather want the benefit of so great and inestimable diuyne treasure which is of greater valewe then all that euer almightie God hath created The fower-the cause This heauenlie bridegrome desired also to be loued of his spouse with a passinge great loue and therefore he ordeined this diuine misticall morsell consecrated with such wordes that whosoeuer receaueth it worthelie is forthwith towched and striken with this loue O wonderfull misterie worthie to be engraued euen in the innermost parte of our hartes Tell me o thou vngratefull man if a prince should beare such a great affection and loue towardes a seelie wenche that were his bond slaue that he coulde finde in his hart to take her for his spouse and make her quene and ladie of all he is Lord of how great woulde we saie that the loue of that prince had bene that woulde doe such a deede And if peraduenture after the mariage solemnized this slaue should showe her selfe coldlie affected towardes the prince her husbande and he vnderstandinge the same woulde as a man forlorne goe to seeke with all diligence for some pretious morsell and geue it her to eate whereby to winne her loue vnto him how passinge great would we saie that the loue of that prince were that should be thus affected towardes her Now therefore O kinge of glorie what meaneth this that thou for the entiere loue thou bearest vnto me hast vouchesafed not onely to take my soule to be thy spouse beinge as she was the verie bonde slaue of thine ennemie the deuill but seinge her also all this notwithstandinge verie coldlie affected towardes thee hast ordeined for her this misticall and diuine morsell which thou hast transformed with such wordes that it hath vertu in it to transforme such soules into thee as shall feede thereon and make them to burne with liuelie flames of loue There is no one thinge that declareth the affection of loue more euidentlie then when a man hath a desire to be beloued Considering therefore that thou hast bene so greatlie desirous of our loue that thou hast sowght it with such strange inuentions who shall from hence forth stand in dowte of thy loue we be certayne that if we loue God God will loue vs agayne Certayne I am o may most louinge and mercifull Lord that if I loue thee thou also louest me And certayne I am also that I neede not to seeke anie inuentions to allure thy hart to loue me as thou hast sowght toi allure my harte to loue thee That most sweet bridegrome would also be absent from his spouse The fifte cause and yet because loue cannot abide to be absente from the beloued he would depart in such wise that he might not altogether departe from her and he would so goe awaie that he might also remaine with her wherefore consideringe that it was not expedient for our Sauiour to tarrie here still and the spouse mighte not as then goe from hence with him he deuised a meane that althowgh he went his waie and his spouse remained still behinde yet should they neuer be seperated and set a sonder For this cause therefore he instituted this diuine sacrament that by meanes thereof the soules might be vnited and incorporated spirituallie with Christ and that with such a stronge bonde of loue that of them two there should be made one thinge For like as of meate and of him that eateth the meate there is made one same thinge euen so likewise after a certeine maner is there made of the soule and of Christ sauinge that as Sainct Augustine saith Christ is not changed into our soules S. August but our soules be changed into him not by nature but by loue conformetie and likenes of life Moreouer our Sauiours will and pleasure was to assure his spouse The sixte cause and to geue her a pledge of that blessed inheritance of eternall glorie that she being fortified with the hope of this felicitie An assured hope to enioye the felicitie in the kingedome of heauē maketh a mā to despise all worldelie thinges might passe chearfullie throwghe all the trowbles aduersities afflictions and persecutions of this life For trulie there is no one thinge that causeth vs so muche to despise all thinges that are to be had in this life as a assured hope of that blessednes and felicitie we shall enioye in the life to come According as our Sauiour signified vnto vs in those wordes he spake to his disciples before his passion Ioan. 14. If ye loued me said he ye would be right glad of my departure because I goe to the father As thowgh he had said it is a great felicitie to goe to the father For althowgh the waie to goe to him be throwgh whippes thornes nailes crosses and all other tribulations and martirdomes of this life Yet all that notwithstanding it is a thinge of inestimable gaine and cōfort to goe vnto him Wherefore to the intent that his spouse might haue a verie firme and assured hope of this felicetie he left her here in pledge this inestimable diuine treasure which is of as great vallue as al that is there hoped for that she should not mistrust but that almightie God will geue himselfe vnto her in glorie where she shall liue whollie in spirite seinge he denieth not himselfe vnto her in this vale of teares where she liueth in fleshe Our Sauiour purposed also The seuenthe cause at the houre of his death to make his testament and to leaue vnto his spouse some notable legacie to be as a releife and comforte for her at all times and so he left her this most blessed sacrament wherein Christe himselfe is trewlie and reallie presente which was the most pretious and most profitable bequest that he could possible leaue vnto her 4. Reg. 2. Elias when he woulde depart awaie from the earth left his clooke to his disciple Elizeus as one that had none other riches whereof to make him his heire But our most sweete louinge sauiour and master when he woulde ascende into heauen left here vnto vs the clooke of his sacred bodie in this most holie sacrament appointing vs here to be his heires as by the right of children of this so great and inestimable diuine treasure With that mantell Elizeus passed the waters of the floude Iourdan and was neither drowned nor wetshod and with the vertue and grace of this most blessed sacrament the faithfull do passe the waters of the vanities and tribulations of this life without sinne and without danger To conclude The eighte cause our Sauiour intended to leaue vnto our soules sufficient prouision and foode wherewith they might liue forso much as the soule hath no lesse nede of her proper sustenance The soule hathe as greate neede of spirituall foode as the bodie hathe of
particular accompte of all their dissolute and wicked lyfe Wherefore it is verelye to be thought that the diuell labourethe all he can to make vs vtterlie to neglecte and forgette the remēbrance of our accompte The diuell laboureth all he can to make vs neglecte and forgette the accompte we must make of all our whole lyfe at the hower of our deathe that we must make at the verie hower of our deathe because he knoweth full well what great proffit and commoditie woulde arise vnto vs by the continuall remembrance of the same For otherwise how were it possible that men shoulde forget a thinge that is so terrible and fearefull yea such a thinge as they knowe most assuredly will come and steale verie shortelie vpon them at their owne howses If we haue but the least doubte or suspition in the worlde of losynge a litle wordly riches or of some other like thinge it maketh vs oftentimes very carefull and watchfull and causeth vs to lose both our sleepe and our health How happeneth it then that the remembrance of death which aswell to the bodie as to the sowle is the most horrible and dreadfull thinge that maie come vnto vs causeth vs not to be likewise verie carefull and watchfull in makinge prouision beforehande for the cōminge of it Suerlie it seemeth vnto me a thinge verie much to be meruayled at that men shoulde be so carefull as they be in tryfles and matters of smalle importance and liue so negligently and without all care in thinges that are of so greate importance vnto them as is their euerlastinge saluation or damnation The consideration of our deathe prouoketh vs not onelie to liue a good lyfe but also to dye well Thirdly this consideration of our death is a great helpe not onely to prouoke vs to liue a good lyfe as it hath bene saiede but besides that to die well In thinges that be harde and difficult foresighte and preparation beforehande is a very great helpe to bringe them well to passe Now so great a leape as is the leape of death which reacheth from this lyfe to the euerlastinge lyfe to come can not well be leaped vnles we make a great course and fetche a longe race to ronne the same No great thinge can be well and perfitlie done at the first time Seinge therefore it is so great a matter to die and so necessarie to die well it shal be verie expedient for vs to die oftentimes in our life that we maie die well at the verie time of our death The souldiors that be appoynted to fight doe first practice themselues in such feates and exercises as whereby they maie learne in time of peace what they must doe in time of warre The horse also that must ronne at the Tilte trauerseth all the grownde before and trieth all the steppes thereof that at suche time as he cōmeth to make his cowerse he be not founde newe and straunge in doyinge his feate Wherefore sith we all must needes ronne this cowerse forsomuch as there is no man aliue but must die consideringe also that the waie is so obscure and stonie as all men knowe and the daunger so great that whosoeuer falleth shal be tombled downe headlonge into the bottomles pit of hell fyer it shal be requisite that we doe now tread diligentelie before-hand all this waie and consider particularlie all the steppes and places thereof one by one forsomuch as in euerie one of them there is much to be considered And let vs not thinke it enoughe to consider onely what passeth outwardelye aboute the sicke mans bedde but let vs endeuour much more to vnderstande what passeth inwardlie within his harte Of the vncertaintie of the hower of death And what a greife it is at that tyme to departe from all thinges of this lyfe § I. TO beginne now euen from the beginninge of this conflicte Consider how when death shall come vpon thee Deyth stealeth vpon vs at such a tyme as we thincke least of it 1. Thess 5.2 it will come at such a time as when thou thinkest thy selfe in most safetie and suspectest least of the comminge thereof as we see by experience it is wont to happen vnto manie The daie of our Lorde saith the Apostle shall come like a thieffe Which watcheth alwaies to come at such times as men are most careles and thinke themselues in most safetie that it maie take vs vpon a sodeine at vnwares And so we see it happeneth most often that euen at that time when men doe least thinke to dye and when they are least mindfull of their departure out of this lyfe yea when they cast their accomptes before hande to make great purchases and buildinges and to set vpon great enterprises of many daies and yeares then cōmeth death sodenly vpon them and disapointeth them of all their vaine hopes and designementes and vtterly ouerthroweth all their fonde imaginations and buildinges which they made in the aier And so is that sayenge fulfilled of the holie kinge Esa 38. My lyfe saieth he was cutt of like as the weauer cutteth of his thread while I was as yet in the beginning he cut me of from morninge to eueninge thou wilt make an ende of me The first stroke of death is the feare of deathe The first stroke wherewith death is wont to strike is the feare of death Suerlie this is a very great anguishe vnto him that is in loue with his lyfe and this forewarninge is such a great greife vnto a mā that oftētimes his carnall friēdes doe vse to dissemble it and will not haue the sicke man to beleue it least it shoulde vexe and disquiet him and this they will doe sometimes although it be to the preiudice and destruction of his miserable sowle Kinge Saule had a verie stowte and valiant courage but after that the shadowe of Samuell appeared vnto him and had tolde him that he shoulde die in the battell addinge moreouer theise wordes 1 Reg. 28. Tomorrowe both thou and thy sonnes shal be here with me The feare and terror which he conceaued at these tidinges was so great that at that very instant he lost all his force and courage and fell downe to the grounde as a dead man Now what a greife will it be to a man that is in loue with this life when such lyke newes shal be signified vnto him For immediatly vpon this denuntiation there shal be represented vnto him his departure and perpetual bannishement from this worlde and from all thinges that be in the same Then shall he see that his howre is now come and that the dawninge of that dreadfull daye appeareth now at his howse wherein he shall departe from all thinges that he hath loued in this lyfe His bodie shall die but once but his harte shall die as often as he shall remember the losse of all those thinges whereunto it beareth loue and affection Forsomuch as death shall put the knife betwene him and
consideration FOR so much as in the exercise of consideration it can not be but that some labour and paines must neides be taken as well by reasoÌ„ of the employing and occupieng of the tyme which it requireth of vs euerie daie As also in regarde of the quieting and close recollecting of the harte which is a thinge verie requisite for the same I thinke it therefore verie necessarie before all other thinges to declare here what great fruites and commodities do ensue of this exercise to the intent that the hart of man which without great promises and alluremeÌ„ts is not moued to take great paines maie by this meane be the more moued and prouoked to the loue of this holie exercise and to bestowe greater paynes and labour therin Now the greatest commendation we can geue to this vertue is this that it is a great helper and furtherer of all other vertues ConsideratioÌ„ helpeth all vertues in there exercises Summa S. Thomae 22. q. 82. artic 1. I meane not in supplieng the proper office of them but in helping them in their exercise In so much that like as deuotion is a generall stirrer and prouoker vnto all vertues as S. Thomas affirmeth And as the hearing of a sermon if it be hard with such attention and deuotion as it owght to be is also an exercise that moueth vs not to anie one vertue alone but to all vertues for so much as each good instruction is directed to this ende euen so likewise is consideration a great helpe and furtherance not onelie to anie one vertue alone but vnto all kinde of vertues For there is no more difference betwene a Sermon and consideration then is betwene the reading of a lesson and the repetition of the same reading or betwene the meat that is sett before vs in a dishe and the same meat when it is digested and coÌ„cocted in the stomak Now this is one of the greatest and most assured praises we can geue to this vertue The proper praise of consideration For by this meanes it putteth not awaie the labours of other vertues but rather maketh prouision how to helpe and further them in their labours yea and stirreth and prouoketh them thereunto This is the thing which by the grace of God we intend now to proue verie manifestlie in this place For the better vnderstandnig whereof Note here what vertues are coÌ„mon bothe to a Christian and an Infidell and what vertues are peculiare and propre to a ChristiaÌ„ onelie it is to be knowen that emonge vertues some be common both to the Christian and to the pagan philosopher as those fowre that be called Cardinal vertues To witt * Cardinall vertues PRVDENCE IVSTICE FORTITVDE AND TEMPERANCE Of which vertues the philosophers vnderstode and wrote very muche Other vertues there be that are proper and peculiare vnto a Christian onelie in that he is a Christian whereof the pagane philosophers neither knewe nor wrote anie thinge at all or if they did it was surelie verie little These are principally those thre most noble vertues called Theologicale vertues Theologicall vertues To witt FAITH HOPE AND CHARITIE which haue for their obiect almightie God him selfe and their proper office is to dispose and direct a man towardes him These Theologicall vertues haue the empyre and soueraintie ouer all other inferior vertues and therefore they moue and prouâ—ke them to do their operations whensoeuer the same is expedient for their seruice After theise there follow other verie principale and excellent vertues which be verie nere of affinitie vnto them Religion As the vertue called Religion whose obiect is the seruice and honor of God The vertue called Deuotion Deuotion which is the acte and exercise of the same religion and the office of it is The feare of God Humilitie Summa S. Thomae 2.2 q. 161. art 5. ad 2. to make vs verie prompt and readie to do all such thinges as apperteine vnto his seruice The feare of God which refreyneth and brydeleth vs from sinne Humilitie which is also after a sort as S. Thomas saith the roote and foundation of all vertues And penance Penance which is the gate of our saluation whereunto appertaineth the sorowe and greife for our lyfe past and withall a firme purpose and determination to amende our lyfe in time to come Of all these vertues the pagan philosophers vnderstode verie litle or nothinge at all notwithstandinge that these be the vertues that haue the soueraintie and principalitie ouer all others yea they be the rootes and founteines of all our weale First because for the most part they be spirituall vertues that haue the accomplishemeÌ„t of their perfection in the inwarde parte of our sowle where all the bewtie of the dawghter of the kinge standeth Psal 44.14 And secondlie because all these vertues faith excepted be affectiue vertues and consequently they be vnto vs great motions and prouocations to doe good workes Wherein the prouideÌ„ce of the grace of God wonderfully appeareth For like as nature hath prouided for vs natural affectioÌ„s and desiers that should be as it were certain spurres to prouoke vs to doe all such thinges as are requisite for our naturall lyfe euen so likewise hath the grace of God prouided for vs other supernaturall affections that might be also spurres and prouocations vnto vs to doe all such thinges as are behouefull for our spirituall lyfe And such be these vertues before mentioned to witt LOVE SOROWE FEARE HOPE with the rest without which vertues the spirituall lyfe were like a barge without ores or like a shippe without sailes Forsomuch as without these vertues we should not haue anie thinge to moue and prouoke vs to doe good workes And yet hereof we haue greater neede in this lyfe than in the other For consideringe that the waie of vertue is so sharpe and full of difficultie what shoulde become of vs if we had not these spurres and prouocations of loue of feare and of hope to spurre and pricke vs forwardes to labour and traueill in the same For this cause therefore are these vertues so much commended For besides that they are such principall vertues as we haue declared they be also verie great prouocations and motions to moue vs to doe good workes Why the exercise of consideration is so muche coÌ„mended This foundation beinge now laide I saye that the greatest praise we geue to the vertue of consideration is that the same is a great minister and helper vnto all these vertues as well of the one sort as of th' other accordinge as we will now declare Where also it shall appeare that the commendation we geue to this vertue is not somuch in respect of the vertue it selfe as for the seruice and commoditie it bringeth to other vertues HOW CONSIDERATION HELPETH FAYTH § I. Fayth is the first beginninge and foundation of all the Christian lyfe Heb. 11.6 NOW therefore to take our first beginninge of fayth it
to drinke that geueth vs the cuppe of saluation he that was so innocent he that was so iust or rather verie innocencie and iustice it selfe was accompted emonge theeues the euerlasting truth was accused with false witnes the iudge of the whole worlde was condemned bywicked men and the worde of god receaued the sentence of death with sylence Consider moreouer at what tyme the Sauiour of the worlde was nailed vpon the crosse and at the verie houre of his death when the sterres were obscured the elementes troubled when the earth quaked when the light was darkened when the sonne tourned awaie his eies and would not suffer his beames to shyne vpon the earth least happelie it might see such a great crueltie Consider I saie how euen at this time our Sauiour did not so much as once open his mouthe or moue him selfe how he would not at the verie last howre and point of death discouer the glorie of his maiestie but suffered continuallie that extreme and violent conflict euen vntill the ende intendinge thereby to leaue vnto vs an example of perfect pacience Yea moreouer and all this if those cruell blouddie ministers that crucified and tormented his most blessed bodie would haue conuerted and bene penitente he was readie to receaue them to his grace and fauour euen at the verie last instant neither would he haue shut vp the gates of his church from anie man Now therefore what thinge in the worlde can possiblie be of greater benignitie and patience then the bloude of Christ that giuethe life euen vnto them that shed the same bloude But such and so great is the patience of our sweete Sauiour Christ which if it had not bene such and of so great power the churche had not had Saint Pawle in it at this daie Hetherto be the wordes of Sainct Ciprian OF THE MOST BLESSED SACRAMENT OF THE AVLTAR and of the causes wherefore it was instituted Panis quem ego dabo caro mea est pro MUNDI vita Johan 6 5◠Accipite et comedite hoc est corpus meum Matth. 26.26 § II. ONE of the principall causes of the comminge of our sauiour into this worlde was to enkendle the hartes of men in the loue of almightie God For so said he by sainct Luke Luc. 12. I am come to put fier in the earth and what would I els but that it should burne This fier did our sauiour put in the earthe when he bestowed vpon men such and so manie wonderfull benefittes when he wrowght so great workes of loue emonge them whereby he might steyle awaie there hartes from them and whollie inflame them in this fier of loue Now albeit that all the worckes of his most holie life doe serue to this end Yet of al other those doe most effectually serue for this purpose which he did in the end of his life according as Sainct Iohn the Euangelist signefieth sainge His fryndes that he had in the world Ioan. 13. he loued them espetially in the end For at that time he bestowed greater benefittes vpon them and discouered vnto them greatest pledges and tokens of his loue Emonge which singular pledges one of the most principall was the institution of the most blessed Sacramēt of the Aultar the which thinge shall appeare verie plainlie vnto him that will consider with good attention the causes of the institution of the same But in this behalfe I beseach thee o most mercifull Lord that thou wilt vouchsafe to open our eies and graunt vs light that we maie see what causes they were that moued thy louinge hart to institute for vs this so wonderfull a Sacrament and to leaue it vnto vs. Now that we maye vnderstande some what of this diuine misterie it is to be presupposed good Christian reader that no tounge created is able to expresse the passinge great loue The passinge greate loue Christe bearethe towardes his Catholike Churche and to euerie soule that is in the state of grace Ephes 3. that our sauiour Christ beareth towardes the Catholike Church his spowse and consequentlie vnto euerie soule that is in the state of grace For so much as euerie such sowle is also his spouse For this cause one of the thinges that the Apostel Sainct Paule requested and desired was that almightie god would reueale vnto vs the greatnes of his loue which vndowtedlye is so great that it farre passeth all the wisedome and knowledge created yea thowgh it were euen that wonderfull knowledge of the angelles Wherefore this our most sweete Bridegrome The causes of the institution of this most holie Sacramente The first cause when he minded to depart out of this life and to absent him selfe from the Catholike Church his deere spouse to the intent that this his absence might not be anie occasion vnto her to forget him he left vnto her for a remembrāce this most blessed Sacramēt wherein he himselfe would remaine for he could not beare that betwene him and her there should be anie lesse pledge to prouoke her to be myndefull of him then euen himselfe And therefore he pronunced at that time those sweete wordes Luc. 22.1 Cor. 11. So often as ye shall doe this thinge doe it in the remembrance of me that is doe it that ye maie be alwaies mindfull how much I am willinge to doe for you and how much I goe now to doe and suffer for your saluation The seconde cause Moreouer this most sweete and louing bridegrome intended in this his longe absence to leaue some cōpanie to his spouse that she might not remayne solitarie and comfortles And therefore he left her the companie of this most holie Sacrement where euen the bridegrome himifelfe is reallie present which is in verie deede the best and most delitefull companie that he coulde possiblie leaue her At that time also our sauiour would goe to suffer death for his spowse The thirde cause and to redeeme and enriche her with the price of his owne most precious bloude and to the intent that she might whensoeuer she woulde enioye this most pretious and diuine treasure he left her the keis thereof in this most blessed sacrament For as S. Chrisostome saith S. chrisost So often as we come to receaue this most blessed Sacrament we must make accompt that we come to laie our mowthes to Christes verie side to drinke of his most pretious bloude and to be partakers of this soueraigne and diuine misterie Consider therefore in what a dangerous case those men are that for a litle slouthfulnes doe absteine to come vnto this royall banket and to enioye such a great and most inestimable diuine treasure These be those vnfortunate slouggardes of whom the wiseman speaketh Prouerb 19. sainge The slouggard hideth his hand in his bosome and suffereth him selfe rather to die for honger then he will lift it vp to his mouthe Now what greater slouthfulnes can there be imagined in a man than this is that because he will not
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
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
them all and make an euerlastinge diuision The deeper rootes the toothe hath in the iawe the greater greife it causeth at what tyme it is plucked out Now the harte of a wicked man beinge so fast rooted in the loue of the thinges of this lyfe The more we be in loue with worldelie thinges the more griefe it wil be vnto vs to departe from them at the hower of our deathe S. Augustine it cannot be but that it must needes be a very great greife vnto him when he seeth the howre is now come wherein he must depart from thē all At that time those thinges whereunto he beareth most affection shall wounde his hart most greiuously and that thinge which was wont to be a comfort vnto him in his trouble shal be then a most cruell torment in vexinge him S. Augustine declareth that at what time he determined to seperat him selfe from the worlde and from all the pleasures and delightes thereof it seemed vnto him that they all represented themselues liuely vnto him and saied What wilt thou leaue vs for euer and wilt thou neuer haue any more to doe with vs Consider now then with thy selfe what a greife it wil be to a carnall harte when those thinges that he hath most loued doe represent themselues at that hower vnto him ād when he seeth that he shal be spoyled of them all in such wise that he shal be enforced to saie Now shall this worlde haue no more to doe with me neither this aier nor this sonne nor this element Now shall I haue no longer conuersation and comfort of my children my wife my howse my landes my goodes my pleasures and delightes Of all thinges I am now left naked and bare Now will death spoile me of them all Now is my olde age at an ende now is the nomber of my daies fulfilled now shall I die vnto all maner of thinges and they all vnto me Wherefore ô thou worlde I bid thee farrewell yee my landes my goodes and riches I bid you farewell my friendes my acquintance my kinsfolke my deare wife and my louinge children I bid you all farewell For now shall we neuer see one an other anie more in this mortall fleash There is yet an other separation after this more terrible and dreadfull then this is to witt betwene the sowle and the bodie which haue kept cōpanie so longe time together and haue bene such hartie friendes The deuill had spoyled the holie man Iob of all maner of thinges sauinge onely of his lyfe and it seemed vnto him that in comparison of the spoile thereof all the rest were of none accompt and therefore he saied Skinne for skinne and all that a man hath he will geue for his lyfe This is the thinge that naturally is most loued Iob. 2.4 and the separation whereof causeth most greife If the seperation of one waifaringe man from an other when they haue trauayled in iourney together anie time doe cause such greife and solitarines what a griefe shall it be when two such entier friendes and companions as the sowle and the bodie haue bene are seperated the one from the other which haue traueyled together from their mothers wombe vntill that verie houre and haue had so manie knottes and bondes of friendshippe betwene them What a greife will it be when the spirite shall saie vnto the fleash I must now remaine all alone without thee And the fleash shall likewise make answere vnto the spirite sayeinge and in what case then shall I be without thee seinge all the beinge I haue I haue receiued of thee Of the horror and lothsomenes of our Graue § II. AFTER this it commeth naturally to a mans minde to thinke what shall become of his bodie when his sowle is departed out of it And in thinkinge hereupon he seeth that the best happe his bodie maie haue can be no better than to be laide in a little graue of earthe The basenes of which conditiō maketh him to be as it were astonnied For cōsideringe on the one side what great estimation he hath made of his bodie in tymes past and seinge on the other side what a base and vyle place that is wherein it must now be laide he cannot but wonder excedinglie at it He considereth and waygheth with himselfe that the lodginge which they will prepare for him in the earth shal be strait and narrowe that it shal be also obscure stinkinge full of wormes maggottes bones and dead mens skulles and withall so horrible that it shal be verie ircksome to thē that be aliue onely to looke vpon it And when he seeth that his bodie which he was wont to make so much of his bellie which he esteimed for his God his mowth for whose delightes the lande and sea coulde scarselie serue and his fleash for which golde and silke was wont to be wouen with great curiositie and a soft bed prepared to laie it in must now be laide in such a filthie and miserable donghill where it shal be troden vpon and eaten with fowle wormes and maggottes and within fewe daies be of as owglie a forme as a dead Carrion that lyeth in the feildes insomuch that the waiefaringe man will stoppe his nose and ronne awaie in great hast to auoid the stinkinge sauour of it when I saie he considereth all this and seeth that in steede of his soft bed he must lie there vpon the harde grownde ād in steede of his pretious and gorgious apparell he must haue there but onely a seely poore windinge sheite and in steede of his sweete odoriferous parfumes and muskes filthie rottonnes and horrible stenches and in steede of his multitude of delicate dishes and waitinge seruinge men he must haue there such an infinite nomber of crawling wormes and fylthie maggottes feedinge vpon him he cannot chuse if he haue anie sense or Iudgment remaininge in him but merueill to see vnto how base a condition such a noble creature is now come and to consider with whom he must now keepe companie there euē fellowe and fellowe like who in his life tyme had no fellowe nor equal It is not the part of wise men to wonder at thinges and the customable seinge of thinges euerie daie taketh awaye from them be they neuer so greate all admiration and wounder And yet all this notwithstandinge the great Wiseman wondered at this miserie though it be a matter whereof we haue dailie experience when he saide If man and beast doe die both after one sort Eccles 2.3 what auaileth me that I haue trauailed so much in seekinge for wisedome If it were so that the bodie in this separation shoulde ende in some thinge that were of anie price or proffit it woulde be some kinde of comfort vnto vs. But this is a thinge to be wondered at that so excellent a creature shall ende in the most dishonorable and lothsome thinge in the worlde This is that great miserie whereat the holie man Iob wondered and
then vndowtedlye all the whole ChristiaÌ„ Religion and euen our Sauiour Christe himself and his blessed Mother and all his holie Apostles and Martirs and other of his glorious Saintes woulde consequentlie in a shorte time after be generallie contemned neglected and forgotten througheout all Christian countries And to write here freelie my minde as I thinke it woulde seeme verie meruailous vnto me if I were not fullie perswaded that the deuill is nowe more and more let lose as Saint Ihon in his reuelations hath forewarned vs he shoulde be for a shorte time towardes the ende of the worlde howe the deuill coulde preuaile so farfoorthe as to induce a whole newe late secte of heretikes that be called Puritans professinge in gaie wordes to be more pure more sincere and better professours of Christes gospell than anie other Christians either be or haue bene in anie age since the Apostles time to write of late so vnchristianlie by common consent euen in an Englishe printed booke againste obseruinge in the Churche the moste auncient yearelie solemne holie feastes of Easter In the puritans replie againste D. Vvhitgifte pag. 120. 121. 122. 163. and Pentecoste and againste all speciall meditations at anie one solemne time of the yeare more then at others of Christs Resurrection or of the Comminge of the Holie Ghoste or of the hower of our deathe because saie theie theise meditations shoulde be vsed continewallie euerie daie in the yeare and owght not to be appoynted by the gouernors of the Churche to be used at anie one speciall time more than at others Whereby euerie godlie christian reader maie easelie perceiue howe the deuill beinge no we let lose laboureth verie buselie by theise countersaite pure gospellers vnder a wylie deceitfull colour of aduauncinge continewal mediatation and memorie of the holie Misteries of the Christian Religion euerie daâ—e in the yeare to haue no manner of mediation or memorie of them emonge Christians anie daie at all that so by their suttle wicked doctrine a readie open waie maie be prepared in all ChristiaÌ„ mens Churches and mindes for Antichristes comminge But ô the wonderfull prouidence and care of our Sauiour Christe to preserue a continewal knowledge and reuerence of his holie Misteries emonge all faithfull Christians in his Catholike Churche How in all ages hathe bene preserued emonge Christians a coÌ„tinewal knowledge and reuerence of the holie misteties of our faithe Matt. 28. Vers 20. Iohn 14.16 Iohn 16.13 1. Tim. 3.15 as hath verie manifestelie appeared in all ages since Christes Ascension vntill this our corrupte age And surelie it is a matter worthie of greate and deuoute admiration for anie good christian to consider howe the Apostles and the aunciente holie Catholike Byshops their successours beinge by our Saviour Christes owne promisse assuredlie inspired assisted and directed by the Holie Ghoste from time to time in gouernement of the Catholike Churche in all truthe haue with suche diuine wisdome disposed the whole yeare into so manie seuerall holye festiuall daies as that thereby haue bene represented and preached vnto all Christian people in all Christian Churches throughout Christendome a continewal solemne instruction memorie and reuerence of the holie Mysteries of the Christian Religion In so muche as the common Christian people by those holie festiuall daies alone albeit they wanted not also diuers other holie instructions therein in confessions and Sermons were in all ages sufficientlie instructed in the holie Mysteries of their Christian beliefe I meane they were thereby made to vnderstaÌ„de so muche of them as hauinge withall a dewe religious respecte to preserue a continewal reuerence in them to the dignitie of suche highe holie Misteries was fullie conueniente for their weake capacities and for the comfortinge and strengtheninge of their faithe and as they were bounde of necessitie to knowe As for example The principall holie festiuall daies of the yeare by the aunciente institution of the holie feastes of Aduente of oure Sauiour Christes Natiuitie and Circumcision of his Adoration by the three Kinges and of the holie solemnitie of Lente at which time the Catholike Churche teacheth all Christian people to imitate so neare as they can our Sauiours fastinge of fourtie daies in the deserte and representeth then also with sorowfull mourninge penaunce and compassion all the whole order and historie of our Sauiour Christes moste bitter Passion and deathe for the redeÌ„ption of al mankinde And afterwardes the Churche solemni Zeth with greate Ioie the holie feastes of our Sauiours Resurrection from death to life of his Ascension into heauen and of the Comminge of the Holie Ghoste And then followe also the holie feastes of the blessed Trinitie and of the moste holie Sacrament commonlie called Corpus Christi daie And the holie feastes of the blessed Mother of our Sauiour And of Sainte thou Baptiste his precursor And then the holie feastes of Sainte Peter Sainte Paule and of other of our Sauiours holie Apostles and most famouse Martirs and Confessors And also the holie feastes of Sainte Michael the Archangell and of all the glorious Saintes in heauen And withall a solemne daie of deuoute memorie and generall praiers ana â—mesdedes for all faithfull Christian Sowles departed out of this transitorie life and as yet remayninge in the fier of Purgatorie to make satisfaction there for all paines dewe and prescribed for their sinnes in the mercifull iuste balance of the diuine Maiestie All which holie festiuall daies beinge so diuinelie and orderlie disposed into so manie seuerall partes of the yeare and adorned with the holie reuereÌ„â—e ceremonies appoyncted to be vsed in all Christian Churches througheout all Christendome with greate solemnitie and reuereÌ„ce vpon those holie daies haue yearelie from time to time in euerie age since the Ascension of our Sauiour Christ into heauen verie liuelie and continewallie preached represented and explaned vnto the common simple Christian people all the holie Misteries of the Christian Religion which theie had professed at their Baptisme and were taughte in the Apostles Creede to belieue And the reuerent solemnitie in euerie yeare of theise holie festiuall daies induced them vnto a continewall memorie admiration loue and reuerence of those holie Misteries and greatelie strengthened their faithe in them and caused them to haue a wonderfull feruente pietie deuotion and Zeale towardes the honor and seruice of Almightie God whereby they liued verie vertuous liues like the children of lighte as Sainte Paule termeth them Ephes 5. vers 8. and died generallie as holie faithfull Christians in the obedience loue and fauour of his diuine Maiestie But alas theise golden times be paste and ended and the deuill beinge let lose nowe more and more towardes the comminge of Antichriste and the ende of the worlde we finde by palpable experience that since the time that suche a free licentious libertie hathe been permitted vnto euerie lewde bablinge Minister to raile againste all the holie aunciente diuine ordinaunces vsed and allowed generallie so manie ages in all
Christian Churches and to terme them in blasphemous manner Antichristian inuentions and to preache openlie in pulpittes and publishe in printed bookes whatsoeuer newe hereticall opinions the ennemie of mankinde sug gesteth into their fantasticall heades the faithe of Christians is thereby generallie become so weake and inconstante and in verie manie or most persons so wholie vndermined and vtterlie ouerthrowne and their hope is so transformed into presumption and their charitie is waxen so colde and so litle pietie loue deuotion reuerence and Zeale remaine in them towardes the seruice of Almightie God and so muche Pride gluttonie incontinencie lyenge detraction disobedience with moste horrible contention schisme heresie infidelitie Atheisme and all kinde of iniquitie doe generallie abounde throughout Christendome that we haue good cause to feare leaste that terrible time approcheth nowe verie neare at hande which our Sauiour forewarned vs in the gospell to wit Luc. 18. vers 8. that at his comminge to iudge he shoulde hardelie finde faithe in the earthe Wherefore we haue nowe verie greate neede of extraordinarie spirituall helpes to strengthen our weake mindes to withstand so manie deceitfull temptations of the enemie of mankinde in this so corrupte and daungerous age And for this purpose I haue translated out of the Spanishe tongue diuers bookes of a verie holie and famous learned religious father called Lewis de Granada whose deuoute manner of writinge hath in my simple iudgemente a singular rare grace to pearce the harde harte of a dissolute sinner and to moue and dispose his minde to the abhorringe of synne to the contempte of the worlde and to the feare lone and seruice of Almightie God And I vnderstande that his bookes haue wroughte wonderfull muche good not onelie in Spaine and Portugall but also in Italie Fraunce and Germanie And I thinke there bee fewe countries in Christendome but haue his Spanishe woorkes traÌ„slated into their tongues And it is nowe about foureteene yeares agoe since the time that Master Doctor Hardinge a man for his greate vertue learninge wisdome Zeale and sinceritie in writinge againste heresies of verie godlie and famous memorie perswaded me earnestlie to translate some of those Spanishe bookes into our Englishe tounge affirminge that more spirituall profite wolde vndoutedlie ensewe thereby to the gayninge of Christian sowles in our countrie from Schisme and Heresie and from all sinne and iniquitie than by bookes that treate of controuersies in Religion wich as experience hath nowe plainelie tried doe nothinge so well dispose the common peoples myndes to the feare loue and seruice of almightie God as bookes treatinge of deuotion and howe to leade a vertuous life doe The dewe consideration whereof hath so prouoked or rather pricked me in conscience that I haue resolued to publishe godwillinge in printe all my translations in case I shall perceiue that suche as be godlie wise and learned shall like of them And first as it were for an assaie I haue here printed his deuoute Meditations of the principall holie Misteries of the Christian Religion which booke I finde greatelie commended by diuers godlie learned men It maie be that some readers of this booke beinge not greatelie acquainted with the holie exercises of a spirituall life Obiection will imagin that the Authour dealeth to austerelie in some of theise meditations as namelie in his Meditations of synnes of the hower of death of òur dreydfull accompte at the terrible daie of iudgemente and of the moste horrible paines of hell And perhaps some politique wise men will saie that for so muche as thè common people in our countrie haue beene for the moste parte of our corrupte age altogether accustomed with hearinge and readinge of diuers other contrarie newe erronions doctrines tendinge directlie to a careles dissolute life thei be therfore nowe waxen so carnall and negligent of the saluation of their sowles that theise Meditations be to full of threateninge and terror for suche nice and lose consciences For answere to this obiection Answere it is to be noted that the Authór beinge as I am informed not onelie a greate learned and religious deuout olde father but also of greate wisdome grautie iudgemente discretion and of longe experience as well in preachinge and hearinge of CoÌ„fessions as in diuers gouernementes in his religious order and perceyuinge verie euidentlie that farre more Christian sowles be loste in this our corrupte age with ouermuche presumptuous confidence and securetie of their saluation than with ouermuche feare of leesinge the same hathe therfore framed his manner of writinge in theise meditations chieflie againste the infinite nomber of presumptuous and careles dissolute ChristiaÌ„s that presume most certainlie and assuredlie to be saued and yet doe liue verie dissolutelie all their whole lyfe time without all care of keepinge gods commaundements and without all feare of their accompte at the dreadeful daie of iudgemente notwithstandinge that our Sauiour Christ himselse who shal be then our Iudge hathe by plaine and expresse wordes forewarned vs in the gospell of saînt Mathewe Matt. 19. vers 17. that if we will enter into the Kingdome of heauen we muste Kepe his commaundementes which euerie Christian maie be able to kepe beinge assisted strengthened and holpen therein with the grace of God which is neuer denied to anie that praâ—eth dulie for it and also that we muste at the daie of iudgemente geue an accompte of euerye idle worde Matt. 12. vers 36. And verelie if we peruse diligentlie the holie scriptures we shall finde that not onely Enoch in the lawe of Nature Epist Iude. vers 14. and afterwardes all the Prophets but also sainte Ihon Baptiste and our Sauiour Christe himselfe vsed the same manner of preachinge that this religious godlie father dothe here And they thought it to be the verie best and rediest waie for conuersion of sinners from their sinfull dissolute lifes to shewe plainelie vnto them the damnable state they liue in and to put them in mynde of the seuere iustice of almightie God at the terrible daye of iudgemente against all suche as endeuour not to kepe his commaundementes Acts 10. vers 42. And saint Peter protesteth as it appeareth in the Actes of the Apostles that our Sauiour Christe commaunded likewise him and the reste of the Apostles to preache and testifie this poynte espetiallye that Christe is appointed to be the Iudge bothe of the quicke and the deade 1. Pet 1. vers 16. And therefore in an other place he requireth all Christians to liue in feare duringe the time of their conuersation vpon the earthe 2. Cor. 5. vers 10. 11. And sainte Paule maketh also the like solemne protestation of the terrible daie of iudgemente and what a straite accompte euerie one of vs muste make at that dreadefull time and exhorteth the Corinthians with the knowledge and consideration there of to perswade all men to liue in the feare of God And disputinge also before the President Felix of the Christian religion Act.
of his owne frailties infirmities falles and miseries S. Bernarde For if humilitie be as S. Barnard saith the contempt of our selues which procedeth of the knowledge of our selues it is manifest that the deeper a man shall wade by meanes of consideration into this knowledge of him selfe and the more he shall digge into this donghill the better and more trewlie shall he vnderstand what he is of him selfe and the more shall he contemne and humble him selfe Now to speake of thankes geuinge vnto almightie God for his manifolde inestimable benefites out of which do proceede those songes and praises of God which is a principalle parte of true religion from whence I saie doth this rendering of thankes procede but from the profound consideration of the same benefites For the more a man shall by meanes of consideration penetrate and vnderstand the greatnes and excellencie of Gods benefites the more is he prouoked to praise and geue thankes vnto almightie God with all his hart for the same I doe here also passe ouer the contempt of the world and the hatred of sinne with other the like vertuouse affections which next after grace doe proceade of this exercise of consideration which is the spurre and prouoker of them all and the oyle wherewith the lampes of all these vertues and good affections and of other the like graces are still nourished and meinteined HOW PRAYER IOYNED with consideration helpeth all the vertuous affections § V. PRAIER likewise when it is ioyned with consideration as ordinarily it is wont to be helpeth no lesse then consideration it selfe yea sometimes it helpeth much more For consideration commonly is not occupied anie further but onely about enkendelinge of some one of these vertuouse affections but praier when it is attent and deuout and is withall accompanied with spirite and feruencie of minde is wonte to stirre vp all theise vertues aforesaid For when the soule presenteth her selfe before almightie God with an earnest greate desiere to appease his wrath and to desiere him of mercie then there is no stone so hard but that it is moued hereunto I meane hereby that there is no holie affection but that it is then wholie exercised and emploied to this purpose And it fareth in this case as it doth with a mother that is desirous to still her childe or as it doth with a good and louinge wife that hath a desire to pacefie her husband when she perceaueth him to be angrie In which cases they are wont to omitt no meanes they can deuise that maye aniewise further the matter Forsomuch as in praier the religious soule accuseth her selfe before almightie God The offices aÌ„d effectes of praier Math. 18. there with the publican she is confounded and ashamed for her sinnes and offences there she purposeth an amendment of life there she humbleth her selfe and trembleth before the supreme diuine maiestie There she beleueth there she hopeth there she loueth there she adoreth there she praiseth there she geueth thankes for all benefites and there she offereth sacrifice vnto almightie God The habites of vertues doe increase withe the exercise of their actes both for her selfe and for all her neighbours All these thinges be performed in a deuout praier And because the habites of vertues do increase with the exercise of their actes hereof it procedethe that the soule by meanes of this exercise of prayer remaynethe very much bewtified and perfited in these vertues As S. Laurentius Iustinianus affirmeth in these wordes In the exercise of praier the soule is clensed from sinne charitie is nourished Faith is illuminated Hope is streingthened the spirite is conforted the bowels are mollified the hart is quieted truthe is discoueuered temptation is ouercome heauines is put to flighte the senses are reuiued the strengthe that was weakened is repaired lukewarmenes is abandoned the rustines of vices is consumed and in this exercise the liuelie sparcles of heauenly desires do rise vp and shew them selues emonge which burnethe the flame of the loue of God By this we vnderstand that praier is a most conuenient exercise for that man that mindeth to reforme his maners and life and to change himselfe into an other man As our Sauiour hath plainly signified vnto vs in the misterie of his glorious transfiguration whereof S. Luke writeth thus that as he waâ— prainge in the mount he sodeinlie transfigured him selfe in such wise that his face shined verie brighte like the sonne and his garmentes became white like snowe why our sauiour woul de transsigure himselfe rather at the time of praier theÌ„ at anie other time Our Sauyour could right well haue transfigured himselfe at other times then at praier if it had pleased him But he would of verie purpose be traÌ„sfigured whiles he was at praier to signifie vnto vs in the transfiguration of his bodie what vertue praier hath to transfigure our soules that is to make them to lose the customes of the old man and to clothe them with the new man which is created after the image of God Prayer ha the greate vertue to transfigure our soules There it is where the vnderstanding is illuminated with the beames of the true sonne of iustice and where the garmentes and ornamentes of the soule are renued and becomme whyter then snowe This is the verie thinge that almightie God signified to holie Iob when he said What Is it by thy wisedome Iob 39. that the hauke prunethe and changethe her fethers when she beateth her winges agâ—â—nst the sowthe Certeinly it is a thinge greatly to be wondered at that this birde knoweth how to cast of her old fethers and how to fether her selfe with newe And that for this purpose she seeketh the whot aire of the sowthe that with the heate thereof her poores maie be opened and with her mouing the olde fethers fall of and so geue place to the newe that beginne to springe out But how much more wonderfull is it to see a soule vnclothe her selfe of Adam and to put on Christ to change the conditions of the olde man and to adorne her selfe with the conditions of the new man Now this change that is so wonderfull is then wrought when the deuoute soule turneth her selfe to the sowthe and there beateth her winges in the aire And what is it to turne her selfe to the sowthe but to lift vp her spirite to the consideration of the eternal light and to the beames of the true sonne of iustice And what is it to beat her winges in the aire but to be there sighinge and pantinge with heauenly affections and desires calling vpon almightie God with great anguishe of minde and desiringe most humblie his fauore and grace For then bloweth the aler of the sowthe that is the heauenly refreshinge of the holie Ghost who with his temperate heate and sweete mouinge strengtheneth and helpeth vs to cast of all the olde fethers of the olde Adam that they maie geue place to the newe fethers of
which is the thinge that is of chiefest force to susteine the burthen of the lawe of God Ecclesiast 35. And therefore Ecclesiasticus saith He that keapeth the lawe multiplieth praier For whereas he seeth by experience that none can kepe the lawe of God by the obseruation whereof euerlasting glorie is obteined without the grace of God he helpeth him selfe by praier to obtein grace by meanes wheeof he maie be able to kepe the lawe of God The lawe commaundeth vs to be chast But besides this the holie Ghost addeth and saith by the wise man Vnderstanding that none could be chast Sap. 8. vnles thou o Lord diddest geue him grace for the same and it was a great grace to knowe of whose gifte this was I went vnto oure Lord and I demaunded of him this grace with all my hart Whereby thow maist see accordinge as we declared in the beginninge that the walle hath neede of a forewalle or bulwarke and the vessell hath neide of a cubbord to kepe it in and some vertues haue neede of other vertues to defend and garde one an other Now if this be true that thou arte bounde to kepe the lawe of God and not to commit anie deadlie sinne it is good reason that thou do seeke out all such meanes as maie helpe thee to kepe the same lawe and to preserue thee without deadlie sinne The which meanes although generally they be but of counsell yet sometimes they maie be of precept when the necessitie of exercisinge them as we haue said is so great that without the vse of those meanes the verie commaundementes them selues cannot be kepte and fulfilled as all the learned diuines do affirme Howbeit euerie christian that hath an earnest desier of his saluation owght not to expecte and delaie the seekinge for these remedies vntil the verie last and extreme danger when the knyfe is alreadie at his throte but he owght to make good prouision and to furnishe him selfe before hand by meanes of these for sayd spirituall exercises that he maie liue the more safe and secure from the perill of breakinge Gods commaundementes Againe I confesse that these meanes as we haue said do apperteine to the religious and to the laie people after a diuers sort and that praier and consideration it selfe which is one of these meanes must be vsed of them in diuers degrees For the religious person must exercise the same as a thinge appertening to his office and dewtie of his professiō because he walketh towardes perfection but the laie person must exercise it as a meane whereby he maie the better fulfill his bounden duetie of keping the commaundementes of almightie God And therefore the laye person must take so much of this medecine to witt of praier meditation c. as maie suffice to cure his disease and so much muste he take of these meanes as maie suffise to obtein his ende It is sufficient for the laye person to withdrawe him selfe sometimes for to enter and take an inwarde vewe within him selfe and then by meanes of these or anie other spirituall exercises and praiers to attende vnto the reparinge of his conscience and to the reformation of his life for considering that this is the greatest of all our busines it is requisite that this be not the last of our cares OF THE MATTER OF CONSIDERATION § XII HAVING now spoken both of the profit and necessitie of consideration and our hartes being nowe well affected herewith towardes this vertue lett vs beginne to treate of the matter of consideration which consisteth of certein godlie and deuout considerations which are of greatest force to induce vs to the loue and feare of God to the abhorring of sinne and contempt of the world For which purpose there be no considerations better nor of greater force and efficacie then those that are taken out of the principalle articles and misteries of our faith as the bitter passion and death of our Sauiour the remembrance of the terrible daie of iudgement of the horrible tormentes of hell of the glorie of heauen of the benefites of almightie God of our synnes and of our life and death For euerie one of these pointes beinge well weied and considered be able to prouoke our hartes verie much to all the effectes aboue mentioned These verie pointes S. Bonauenture hath treated in a boke that he intituled FASCICVLARIVS and hath diuided them into the seuen daies of the weke And thus he did that a man might haue euerie daie newe foode for his sowle and newe prouocations vnto vertue and so auoide the tediousnes that he should otherwise haue in thinking alwaies vpon one same matter And for this cause it seemed good vnto me to followe the same diuision which this renowmed and blessed holie father hath made who of all others hath treated most largelie of these matters And if there be anie that shall not well like of this diuision but will followe some other he is at free libertie so to doe and hath also examples to followe therein For it importeth not much what order and diuision he folow in the same And suerlie that is the best order The worde of god and the consideration of heauenlie matters be the foode of our soule to be vsed in these matters that each man fyndeth to be best for him selfe and wherein he taketh most profit and commoditie Moreouer I thowghte it expediente considering that the foode and sustenance of our sowle is the worde of God and the consideration of heauenly matters for therewith is our sowle susteined in the spirituall life which consisteth in the loue and feare of God that like as we geue ordinarily to our bodie his refection twise euerie daie to preserue it from feintinge in this life euen so we should also geue to our sowle her ordinarie refection twise euerie daie that she faile not in her life howbeit this is not a thinge of bounden dewtie nor of precept but onely of holesome councell espetially cōsideringe that the Sainctes haue vsed this exercise more often tymes For we reade Daniel 6. that the prophet Daniell with drew him selfe to this exercise three tymes in the daie Psalm 118. and the prophet Dauid also vsed to praise God seuen tymes in the daie After whose vertuous example our holie mother the Catholike Church hath instituted the seuen Canonicall howers of dailie seruice Here be two kindes of meditations assigned the one for the morninge and the other for the eueninge And for this cause haue we here assigned two kindes of meditations The one for the morninge which treateth of the most bitter passion of our redeemer and the other for the euening or night which treateth of the other pointes and matters here before mentioned But if anie man shall haue such want of tyme or of deuotion that he can not withdrawe him selfe vnto this exercise twise in the daie let him yet finde the meanes to withdrawe him selfe thereunto at the least once in the daie
corporal foode to maintein her in the spirituall life then the bodie hath of his propre foode for mayntenance of the corporall life If thou thinke otherwise tell me I praie thee why hath the bodie neede of his ordinarie meat euerie daie vndowtedlie the cause is for that the naturall heat continuallie wasteth and consumeth the substance of our bodies and therefore it is nedefull that that be restored againe with daielie sustenance which is consumed with dailie heat For otherwise the naturall strēgth of man woulde verie soone be at an ende and his powers woulde quicklie decaie O that it pleased almightie God that men might by this vnderstand the great necessitie they haue of this diuine sacrament O that they coulde by this conceaue the greate wisedome and mercie of him that hath instituted and ordeined the same for our behoufe Is it not a thing well knowen that we haue within these bowelles of oures a certein pestilent hear that came vnto vs by the occasion of sinne with consumeth all the goodnes that is in man This is that which inclineth vs to the loue of the world of our fleshe of all vices of all sensuall pleasures and delites and so by these meanes seperateth vs from almightie God maketh vs to relente and waxe colde in the loue of him and causeth vs to become verie dull slouthfull and heauie to all good workes and verie quicke and liuelie to worke all wickednes If than we haue this continuall waster and consumer so rooted within vs were it not good reason trow ye that there should be some restoratiue prouided to restore that alwaies againe which is alwaies wasting and consuming If we haue a continuall consumer The cause of the greate feruēcie and zeale of Christians in the primetiue Church ād of the littel or no zeale of Christians in our corrupt age and haue not withall a continuall repayrer what maie be loked for of vs but a continuall decaienge and with in sort time after a most certeine and vndowted ruine For proofe hereof it shall suffice to consider the course of the Christian people by comparinge the great feruencie and zeale in religion of the Christians in the primetiue Churche with the littell or rather no zeale of the Christians in our corrupt age For in the primitiue Churche when the Christians did eate contiuuallie of this diuine meate they liued therewith a verie spirituall life and had thereby force and strength not onely to obserue Gods lawes and commaundementes but also euen to die and suffer martirdome for Gods sake But now alas in this our corrupt age the Christians for the most parte are founde to be verie weake and feable in their faythe and verie dissolute and licentious in their liues because they eate not of this diuine foode and therefore in the end they perish and die for honger Esa 5. As the prophet signified when he said Therefore was my people caried awaie into captiuetie because they had no knowledge of God and there nobles perished for honger and the multitude of them died for thirst For this cause therefore hath that wise phisition our Sauiour Christ who had also felt the pulses of our weakenes ordeined this most holie and diuine sacrament and for this purpose hath he instituted the same in forme of meate that the verie forme wherein he instituted it might declare vnto vs the effect it worketh and withall the great necessitie our soules haue of the same Consider then now if there maie be found in the whole world anie greater showe of loue then that almightie God himselfe should leaue vnto vs his owne verie fleshe and bloude for our susteynance and releefe We maie reade in manie histories Iosephus that some mothers beinge constrained with intollerable honger haue embrewed their handes in the fleshe and bloude of there owne littell children to susteine them selues with feedinge vpon them and that for the great desire they had to liue they haue bereued their owne verie naturall children of there lifes thereby to preserue their owne life This haue we red ofentimes But who hath euerred that anie mother hath fed her childe that was readie to perish and die for honger with her owne verie fleshe or that she cut of one of her owne armes to geue her childe to eate and that she would be cruell vpon her selfe to shewe her selfe pittiefull towardes her childe Certeinlie there was neuer mother liuinge yet in the earthe that euer hath done such a dede But our most louinge and sweete sauiour Christ farre passing anie mother in loue perceauinge thee to be readie to perish and die for honger and seinge withall that there was none other better meane to maintein by life then to geue thee his owne verie sleshe to eate commeth downe from heauen and yeldeth himselfe here to the cruell bouchers and tormētours to be put to deathe that thow mightest preserue and susteine thy life with this diuine meate And this he doth not at one time onelie but his blessed will is that it shal be done continuallie and therefore he ordeineth this most blessed sacrament that thou mightest hereby vnderstand an other degree of greater loue which is that as he geueth thee alwaies the same meate to witt his owne verie bodie in this most blessed Sacrament so is he readie alwaies to paie the same price and redemption if it were necessarie for thee Besides all this thou must consider Note that our sauiour hath restored man vnto his aunciēt dignitie so muche by grace as he had fallen by sinne that so by grace he maye be able to liue a holie and spirituall life that this most holie reformer of the worlde intēded to restore man vnto his auncient dignitie and to raise him vp againe so much by grace as he had fallē by sinne And therefore as his falle was frō a life that he had of God which life our first father Adam before his falle had enioyed to the life of beastes wherein after his falle he remayned euen so contrariewise his will was that he should be raised vp againe from the life of beastes in which he remayed to the life of God which throwgh sinne he had lost and so for this ende hath our sauiour Christ ordeyned the communion of this most holie and diuine sacrament by meanes whereof man atteyneth to be partaker of God and to liue the life of God as our sauiour himselfe signifieth in those most high wordes which he said He that eateth my fleshe Ioan. 6. and drinketh my bloude dwelleth in me and I in him And like as by the dwellinge of my father in me the life that I liue is altogether conformable to the life of my father which is the life of God euen so he in whom I shall dwell by meanes of this diuine sacrament shall liue as I do liue and so shall he not now liue the life of a man but euen the life of god For this is that most highe diuine sacrament wherein God
is receaued corporallie not that he is changed into men Note what a wonderfull operation this blessed Sacramente worketh in him that worthelie receaueth the same but men are changed into him by loue and conformetie of will for so much as this diuine meate worketh the same operation in him that doth worthelie receaue it that is wrowght and represented in it when it is consecrated For like aâ— by the vertue of the wordes of consecration that which was bread is conuerted into the substance of Christ euen so by vertue of this holie communion he that was man is by a merueilous maner transformed spirituallie into God So that like as that diuine bread is one thinge and appeareth an other and was one thinge before consecration and is an other thinge afterwardes euen so he that eateth the same is one thinge before the receauing and an other thinge afterwardes and he appeareth one thinge outwardlie but in verie deede is an other thinge and that farre more highe and excellent inwardlie for somuch as he hath the beinge and substance of man and withall the spirite of God Now then what glorie can be geater than this what gifte more pretious what benefitt of more valewe what greater showe of loue let all the workes of nature kepe silence A notable commeÌ„datioÌ„ of this most blessed Sacramente and of the wounderful effectes it worketh in him that receaueth it worthelie let all the workes of grace geue place For this is a worke excellinge all workes and this is a singuler grace aboue all graces O most wonderfull sacrament what shall I saie of thee with what wordes shall I commend thee thou art the life of our soules the medecine of our woundes the comfort of our troubles the memorie of Iesus Christ the testimonie of his loue the most pretious legacie of his testament the companion of our peregrination the consolation of our bannishement the burninge cole to enkendle the fier of the loue of God in vs the meane whereby to receaue grace the pledge of euerlastinge felicitie and the treasure of the christian life By meanes of this diuyne meate the soule is vnited vnto her spouse by this the vnderstandinge is illuminated the memorie quickened the will ennamored the inward tast delighted the deuotion increased the bowelles mollified the founteine of teares opened the passions of the minde quieted the good motions awakened our weakenes fortified and by meane of this diuine meate we receue strength and lustines to ascend vpâ—euen to the hill of almightie God What tounge is able fullie to expresse the excellencie of this most blessed sacrament Who can geue worthie thankes for so great a benefit Who will not be altogether resolued into teares when he seeth almightie God vnited vnto him Assuredlie the more we goe about to consider the excellencie and vertues of this diuine souereyne misterie the more doe we want wordes to expresse it and the more doth our vnderstanding faile vs therein Now what pleasure what sweetnes what delightfull sauours of good life doth the soule of the iust man feele at that time when he receiueth this diuine sacramant There is none other sownd harde at that time but onely sweete songes of the inwarde man vehement burstinge out of holie desires yeelding of thaÌ„kes and vtteringe most sweet wordes all tending to the praise of our sweete sauiour Christ her beloued There the deuout soule throwghe the vertu of this most holie and reuerent sacrament is altogether inwardlie renewed and replenished with ioye There she is recreated with deuotion fed with peace fortified in faith confirmed in hope and tied fast with bandes and knottes of charitie vnto her most sweete sauiour and redeemer Whereby she waxeth dailie more feruent in loue more stronge in resistinge temptation more prompt and readie to susteine labour and trauaile more carefull and diligente to doe good workes and more desirous to frequent this most holie misterie Such are thy giftes o sweete Iesus such are the workes and delightes of thy loue which thou art wont to communicate vnto thy frendes by meanes of this diuine sacrament And this thou doest to the end that we beinge filled with these so great and mightie delightes should dispise all other vaine and deceitfull delightes Now therefore o most mellifluous loue open the eies of thy faithfull Catholicke people open them I beseach thee o most diuine light that with the bright beames of liuely faith they maie knowe thee and dilate there hartes that they maie receathee ue thee into them that beinge instructed by thee they maie seeke thee by thee and repose and rest them selues in thee and fynallie by meanes of this most blessed sacrament be vnited with thee as members with theire head and as braunches with theire vyne that so they may liue throwgh thy vertue and enioye the influences of thy grace for euer and euer worlde without end Amen The meditation being ended there followe immediatlye thankes geuinge and petition as hath bene before declared THIS DAIE WHEN THOV hast made the signe of the Crosse and prepared thy selfe hereunto thou hast to meditate vpon these two poyntes to witt vpon the praier of our sauiour in the Garden and vpon his apprehension The text of the holie Euangelistes VHEN supper was done Christ went with his disciples into a garden which is called Gethsemanie And he said vnto them Sit ye here whilest I goe and praie yonder And he tooke with him Peter and the two sonnes of Zebedee And he begane to be in a great feare and heauines And he said vnto them My soule is heauie euen vnto death Tarie yee here and watch with me So he went a litle further from them where he cast him selfe downe prostrate on the earth and fell on his face and praied sainge O my Father if it be possible let this cuppe passe from me neuerthelesse not as I will but as thou wilt This done he came to his Disciples and fownd them a sleepe And he said to Peter what coulde ye not watch with me one howre watche and praie that ye enter not into temptation The spirite is readie but the fleshe is weake Againe he went awaie the seconde time and made the same praier saying O my Father if this cuppe cannot passe awaie from me but that I must needes drinke it thy will be done And he came the second time and founde his Disciples a sleepe for theire eyes were heauie So he left them and went awaie againe and praied the third time sayinge the same wordes Luc. 22. And there appeared an angell to him from heauen comfortinge him And beinge in an agonie he praied more at lengthe And his sweate was like droppes of bloude trickeling downe to the grownde Math. 26. Then he came to his Disciples and said vnto them Sleepe from hence forth and take your rest Behold the howre is at hand and the sonne of man shal be deliuered into the handes of synners Arise let vs goe beholde he is at
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
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
suerlie not without good cause when he saide Iob. 14. The tree after it is cut hath hope to reuiue and springe againe and if the roote of it doe rott in the grownde and the stocke be dead in the earth yet with the freshenes of water it springeth againe and bringeth forth leaues as if it were newlie planted But man after he is once dead withered and consumed what is become of him Great vndowtedlie was the tribute that was laide vpon the children of Adam for sinne And the euerlastinge Iudge vnderstode verie well what penance he gaue vnto man when he saide Thou art dust Genes 4. and into dust thou shalt retourne againe Of the great feare and dowte the sowle hath at the hower of deathe what shall happen vnto it after it is departed out of the bodie § III. HOWBEIT this is not the greatest cause of feare that a man hath at the hower of his death but there is yet one farre greater and that is when the sowle casteth her eies further and beginneth to thinke vpon the daungers of the life to come and imagineth what shall become of her hereafter For this is now as it were to depart from the hauen mowth and to launche into the mayne Sea where none other thinge is to be seene on what side so euer ye looke but onely heauen and the water the which is woūte to be occasion of greater feare in such as are but newe Seamen For when a man considereth that eternitie of worldes which followeth after death and withall casteth his eie into that newe ād straunge region which was neuer knowen nor traueyled by anie man aliue where he must now beginne to take his iourney when he considereth also the euerlastinge glorie or paine which there must fall to his lotte and seeth that wheresoeuer the tree falleth Eccles 11. there it shall remaine for euermore and knoweth not on which of the two sides he shal falle whē he considereth I saie all these thinges he cannot but be in a verie great feare and trouble of minde We reade that when Benadad kinge of Siria was sicke 4 Reg. 8. he was in so great anguishe and greife of minde for that he knewe not whether he should die of that sicknes or not that he sent the generall of his armie with fowertie Camels loden with treasure vnto the Prophet Elizeus requestinge him with wordes of great humilitie to rid him out of that perplexitie he was in and to put him out of all dowt whether he shoulde recouer of that sicknes or not Now if the loue of so short a lyfe as this is be able to cause a man to be in such a greate care and pensiuenes how great care will a Wiseman take when he perceiueth him selfe to be in such a case as that he maie trulie saie that within two howres he shall haue one of these two lottes to witt either lyfe euerlastinge or death euerlastinge and that he knoweth not certainlie whether of theise two shall come vnto him What martirdome maie be compared to such a painfull angwishe and greife as this is Put the case now that a kinge were taken prisoner emonge the Turckes and when his Embassadours shoulde come to raunsome him the Turckes woulde propounde that the matter shoulde be determined by castinge of lottes and that if he happened to haue a good lotte he shoulde be raunsomed and goe home with his Embassadours to his kingdome but if contrariewise that thē immediatly he should be throwē into a great fyerie furnace which were there prepared burninge and flaminge before him Tell me I praie thee at the time when they shoulde be castinge the lottes and puttinge their hande into the vessell to take them out and all the worlde in great expectation waitinge what shoulde be the ende thereof and the kinge him selfe standinge there present beholdinge the doutfull happe that must be alotted vnto him in what a dolefull case thinkest thou woulde he then be How troubled How fearfull How quakinge and tremblinge And how readie to promise and vowe vnto almightie God all he cowlde possiblye doe to be quite ridde out of that terrible angwishe Now what is all this be it neuer so great but as it were a shadowe if it be compared with this daunger that we speake of How farre greater is the kingdome that we seike How farre greater is the fierye furnace that we doe feare How farre more greiuouse is the perplexitie ād doutefulnes of this matter thā of the other For on the one side the angels shal be there expectinge for vs to carrie vs to the kingedome of heauen and on th' other side the deuills to cast vs into the horrible furnace of hell fier and no man knoweth whether of these two lottes shall happen vnto him which shal be determined eyther the one waye or the other within the space of one houre after his death Consider therefore in what a heauie plight thy harte shal be at this last instant how fearfull how humble how abased before the face of him who onelie cā deliuer thee out of this daunger Suerlie I am of this opinion that there is no tonge in the worlde able to declare this matter as it is indeede How we come to vnderstande hereby the errours and blindnes of our lyfe past § IIII. AFTER this anguishe there followeth yet an other as great as it namelye in such persons as haue liued a wicked and dissolute lyfe which is to come so late to thinke vpō the accōpt they haue then forthwith to make of all the disorders and offences of their former lyfe At the houer of deythe it is a great greife to a sicke man if he haue liued licentiouslie that he thinketh so late vpō his accompte O how wōderfullie shall the wicked be confounded at that time when the griefe of their paine shall cause them to open their eies which heretofore the delight and pleasure of sinne had closed vp insomuch as they shall then clearlie perceiue what false goddes those were which they haue serued and how deceitfull those riches were which they haue so greidelie gaped after and how by followinge that waie whereby they thought to haue fownde rest they finde in conclusion their vtter ruin and destruction The seruantes of the kinge of Siria came to apprehende the Prophet Heliseus and when almightie God had stricken them all blinde by meanes of the praier of the Prophet the Prophet said vnto them Come goe with me and I will shewe you him whom you seeke 4. Reg. 6. And when he had thus said he caried them with him vnto Samaria and brought them into the market place of the cittie in the middes of al their enemies And then made his praier againe and saide O Lorde open the eies of these miserable men that they maie see where they are Now tell me I praie thee when those men opened their eies and sawe whither they were come beleuinge certainlie before that
for the sighte onelie of immortall eies And if we see that by the handieworke of men certaine workes are made here so sightlie and so bewtifull that they astonishe the eies of them that doe beholde them what a worke must that be which is wrought by the hande of almightie God himselfe in that royall howse in that sacred pallace in that howse of ioye and solace which he hath built for the glorie of his electe Psal 83.1 O how amiable are thy tabernacles saiethe the Prophet ô Lorde God of vertues My sowle desireth and feinteth in beholdinge the pallaces of our Lorde The state and condition of the citizens of heauen The thinge that most principallie commendeth a cittie is the state and condition of the cittizens to witt if they be noble if they be manie if they liue in peace and concorde emonge them selues Now who is able to declare the excellencie of this cittie in this behalfe All the inhabitantes therein be noble personages there is no one emonge them of base linage forsomuch as they be all the sonnes and children of God They be so frendly and louinge one towardes an other that they be all as it were one sowle and one harte And they liue in so great peace and concorde that the verie cittie it selfe is called Ieruzalem that is to saie the vision of peace If thow desire to vnderstande the nomber of the inhabitantes in this cittie vnto this desire S. Iohn maketh answere in his reuelations Apoc. 7.9 The nomber of the blessed inhabitantes in heauen where he saieth that he sawe in spirite such a great companie of blessed Sainctes that no man was able to recken them gathered together of all kindes of nations people and tonges which stode before the throne of almightie God and of his lambe appareiled in white garmentes and with triumphante palmes in their handes singinge vnto almightie God songes of praise And vnto this sayeinge of S. Iohn doth that agrie verie well which is signified by the Prophet Daniell concerninge this holie nomber where he saieth Dan. 7.10 Thowsande thowsandes serue the Lorde of maiestie and tenne hundered thowsande thowsandes stande before him And thinke not because the nomber is so great that they be therefore disordered For there the multitude is no cause of confusion but of greater order ād harmonie For almightie God that hath with such a wonderfull consonance and agrement disposed the mouinges of the heauens and the courses of the starres Euerie one of the Sainctes hath his place and glorie in heauen accordinge to the degrie of euerie one of their merites in this lyfe callinge them euerie one by his proper name hath also ordeined all that innumerable armie of blessed Sainctes with a most wonderfull goodlie ordre and disposition appointinge to euerie one his place and glorie accordinge to his merite And so there is one place for the virgins an other for the Confessors an other for the holie Martirs an other for the Partiarkes and Prophets an other for the Apostles and Euangelistes and so forthe in all the rest And in like sorte as men are there diuided There be nine orders of Angels in heauen and placed euen so after their maner are the Angels also which be diuided into three Hierarchies and those three Hierarchies into nine orders And aboue all the Sainctes and Angels is placed the throne of that most excellent Quene of Angels The blessed virgin Marie is placed in heauen aboue all the Angels and Sainctes the mother of almightie God who alone is an order by her selfe forsomuch as she hath no peere nor anie one that is like vnto her And aboue thē all the holie humanitie of our Sauiour Christ hath the cheife place and preeminēce who sitteth at the right hande of the maiestie of almightie God in the highest Now thou Christian sowle take a vewe of all these orders walke through these streates and waies consider the order of these cittizens the bewtie of this cittie and the noblenes and worthines of these inhabitantes Salute them euerie one by their names and desire them to helpe and succour thee with their praiers Salute also this sweite and pleasaunt countrey and as a pilgrime beholdinge it as yet a farre of directe thine eies and withal thy harte vnto it and saie Alhaile sweite countrey the lande of promise the hauen of securitie the place of refuge the howse of blessinge the kingdome of all worldes the paradise of delightes the garden of eternall flowers the market place of all treasure the crowne of all iust persons and the ende of all our desires Alhaile our mother and our hope After thee haue we sighed a longe time For thee haue we mourned and doe mourne euen at this presente For the loue of thee haue we foughte and doe still fighte a longe battell in this our transitorie lyfe For we knowe assuredlie 2. Tim. 2.5 that none shal be rewarded and crowned in thee but onely such as haue here fowghten faithfullie Of the seconde Ioye that the sowle shall haue in the kingedome of heauen which is the enioyinge of the companie of the Sainctes § II. VHO is able after this great ioye to declare what a further ioye the sowle shall haue by beinge in this most happie and blessed companie For there the vertue of charitie is in her full perfection the propertie of which vertue is to cause all thinges to be common There shall that petition be perfectlie fulfilled which our sauiour made sayeinge I beseech thee ô father Ioan. 17.11 All the electe in heauen shal be more streitlie vnited together in one than the members of one bodie because all shall participate of the spirite of God that they maie be one by loue as we are one by nature For there shall the electe be more streitlie vnited together in one than the members of one same bodie because all shall participate of one same spirite which geueth vnto all one same beinge and withall one blessed lyfe If thou imagin it to be otherwise tell me what is the cause why the members of one bodie haue so great a vnitie and loue one towardes an other The reason is because they all are partakers of one same forme that is of one sowle which geueth one same beinge and one lyfe to them all Now if the spirite of a man liaue power to cause so great a vnitie betwene members that are so different in offices and natures is it anie wonder if the spirite of almightie God by whom all the electe doe liue which spirite is as it were the cōmon sowle to them all shoulde cause a farre greater and more perfecte vnitie emonge them espetially consideringe that the spirite of God is a more noble cause and of a more excellent vertue and power yea and geueth also a more noble beinge Well now if this maner of vnitie and loue doe cause all thinges to be cōmō as well good as euil as we see in the
members of one bodie and in the loue of mothers towardes their children who reioyce as much at their felicitie as at their owne what a wonderful ioye shal one of the electe there haue of the glorie of all the rest consideringe that he shall loue euerie one of them as well as him selfe For as S. Gregorie saiethe S. Gregorie That heauenly inheritance vnto all is one and vnto euerie one is all forsomuch as euerie one of the blessed Sainctes reioyceth as muche at the ioyes and felicities of all others as if he were him selfe in possession of the same But what can we inferre of all this Marie thus much that as the nomber of the blessed Sainctes is after a sorte infinite euen so the ioyes of each one of them shall also after a sorte be infinite and that euerie one of the Sainctes shall haue the excellencies of all forsomuch as whatsoeuer anie one of them shall not haue in himselfe he shall haue it in others These be spiritually those seuen sonnes of Iob Iob. 1.4 emonge whom there was such a greate loue and cōmunicatinge one to an other that euerie one of them in his order made a feast one daie of the weke vnto all the reste whereby it came to passe that euerie one of thē was no lesse partaker of the goodes of others than of his owne proper goodes And so that which was proper to one was cōmō to all and that which was common to all was proper to euerie one This effecte wroughte loue and brotherly affection in those holie brethern Now how much greater shall the brotherly loue of the electe be in the kingdome of heauen How much greater shall the nomber of brothers be there How much more treasure and riches shall they haue to enioye Luc. 19. Seraphins Now by this accompte what a feast shall that be which the Seraphins shall there make vnto vs who are in the highest degree of all blessed Spirites and most neare vnto almightie God when they shall discouer vnto our eies the noblenes of their state and condition the cleerenes of their contemplation and the most feruente burninge heate of their loue What a feast also shall the Cherubins make Cherubins in whom the treasures of the wisedome of almightie God are enclosed What a feast likewise shall that be of the Thrones Thrones Dominations Ierem. 31. Martirs and Dominations and of all the other blessed spirites What a ioye shall it be to see and haue the fruition of that glorious armie of Martirs clothed with white garmentes with their palmes in their handes and with the glorious ensignes of their triumphes What a ioye shall it be to beholde there those eleuen thowsande virgins altogether Virgins and those tenne thowsande Martirs which were the true followers of the glorie and Crosse of Christ with other innumerable multitudes of them What a ioye shall it be to see there that glorious Deacon S. Laurence with his greedyron in his hāde S. Laurence shyninge nowe much brighter than the flames wherewith he was burned hauinge defyed the cruell tirantes and wearied the tormētors with an inuincible patiēce What a ioye shall it be to beholde there the bewtifull and glorious virgin S. Catherine crowned with roses S. Catherine and lilies who ouercame the wheele of their rasers with the weapons of faith The holie Machabees and hope What a ioye shall it be to see those seuen noble Machabees with their godly and valiant mother hauinge contemned all kinde of deathes and tormentes for kepinge the lawe of almightie God What chaine of golde and pretious stones are so goodly to beholde as the necke of the glorious forerunner of Christ S. Iohn Baptist S. Ihon Baptiste who chose rather to lose his head than to dissemble the filthines of the adulterous kinge What purple shal shyne so brighte as the bodie of blessed S. Bartholomewe S. Battholomewe who had his skinne fleyd from his fleashe for our Sauiour Christ his sake What other thinge shall it be to see the bodie of S. Stephen that was brused with the strokes of the stones S. Stephen than to beholde a riche longe robe trimlie garnished and sett all ouer with goodlie precious rubies and diamondes What a ioyful sighte shall it be to see those two glorious princes of Christes Churche S. Peter S. Peter S. Paul and S. Paule shyninge there verie brightly the one with his sworde and the other with the glorious standarte of Christ to witt the Crosse wherewith they were crowned Now what a ioye shall it be to enioye the glories of each one of all these blessed sainctes as if they were properly our owne O glorious feaste ô royall bancket ô table meet for almightie God and his electe Wherefore let these worldlinges get them to their filthie and carnall banckettes let them burste their bellies with their gluttonous excesse and superfluities Such a feast as this is where such excellent meates are serued is conuenient for almightie God and his electe Ascende yet vp higher aboue all the orders of Angels and there shalte thou finde an other singuler glorie that doth wonderfullie reioyce all that supreme Courte and maketh the cittie of God as it were dronke with meruailous delighte Lift vp thine eies The blessed virgin Marie mother of God and beholde the most blessed virgin Marie that Quene of mercie full of clearenes and bewtie at whose glorie the Angels doe wonder and in whose excellencie men doe glorie This is the Quene of heauen crowned with starres clothed with the sonne shodde with the moone and blessed aboue all women Consider now what a greate ioye it shal be to beholde this our blessed Ladie and mother not kneelinge now vpon her knees before the maunger not troubled and molested now with the fryghtes and feares of such thinges as holie Simeon prophesied vnto her Luc. 2. not lamentinge and seekinge now her lost childe in all partes but with inestimable peace and securitie placed at the righte hande of her deere sonne without all feare of euer leesinge that her most pretious treasure Now hathe she no neede to seeke the deade time of the secrete night to deliuer the childe frō the cōspiracies of Herode by flyenge into Egipte Math. 2. Now dothe she no more stāde at the foote of the crosse receyuinge vpō her head the droppes of bloude that fel from aboue and caryenge in her vpper garmente a perpetuall remenbrance of that her greate greife Ioan. 19. Now she feelethe no more the greife of that dolefull exchaunge when she had assigned vnto her the disciple in steede of the master and the seruante in steede of the lorde Now are those sorowfull wordes to be hearde no more which she vttered with great weepinge and lamentation vnder that blouddie tree sayeinge O that I might die for thee Absolon 4. Reg. 18.33 my sonne my sonne Absolon Now is all this sorowe at an ende and
the inwarde man consisteth in hauinge almightie God presente in his harte And the composition of the outwarde man consisteth in doinge all thinges in such sorte as is seemely for one that standeth alwaies in the presence of almightie God and that hath him alwaies before his eies as the iudge and witnes of his whole lyfe After these doe followe other fower vertues wherein consisteth the somme of perfection which vertues be in such wise annexed and lincked th' one to th' other that the one can not be had without the other In these vertues consisteth the somme of perfection These vertues be perfecte obedience Mortification of our owne proper will Fortitude to ouercome all maner of difficultie and labour and to haue a hatred and contempt of our selues For it is manifest that the somme of all Christian doctrine is a perfecte obedience and conformitie vnto the will of almightie God as well in all such thinges as he commaundeth we can not haue a perfecte obedience and conformitie vnto the will of God vnlesse we denye our owne will and haue a holie hatred and contempté of our selues councelleth and inspireth as in all that he ordeyneth and disposeth concerninge vs. This obedience can not be kepte vnlesse we haue a knife in our hande to cut awaie all the inordinate appetites of our sensualitie and will which doe withstande the will of almightie God But this stroke no man is able to geue vnlesse he haue great fortitude of minde to fighte with him selfe and to make mortall warre against his owne inclinations and appetites And this kinde of warre none other shal euer make but he that hath for the loue of God atteyned to haue a true and holie abhorringe and contempre of him selfe For looke where abhorringo is there doth easilie followe euill entreatinge and contempt of the thinge that is abhorred but where is nothinge but loue there doth a man very vnwillingly take the whippe in his hande to deale roughlie with that thinge which he loueth Whereby it appeareth that no one of these vertues is able to moue one steppe without the helpe and succour of the others After these doe followe immediatlie other fowre verie highe and noble vertues which be Humilitie both inwarde and outward Pouertie both of spirite and of bodie Patience in all aduersities and tribulations Purenes of intention in good workes doinge all thinge◠that we shall doe all onelie for the loue of God without mixture of anie commoditie or respecte either temporall or spirituall After these doe followe other fowre vertues which are the beginninge and ende of all perfection to witt a most firme faith of such thinges as almightie God saith and promiseth and an assured hope in him as in our trewe and louinge father in all the necessities and tribulatiōs that shall happen vnto vs a loue of almightie God which must alwaies burne in our hartes and iointly with this loue to haue a feare and reuerence of his great maiestie and iustice which must euermore accompanie all our workes And with all these vertues aboue named we must ioyne perseuerance and cōtinuance in the exercise of all these vertues the which causeth a man in a smalle time to attaine to the toppe of perfection In these foresaid vertues doth the somme of all perfection principally consist and therefore all our studie and diligence must be emploied in seekinge them by all meanes possible and espetially by praier which is the principall meane whereby all goodnes is obtayned Here I thinke good to geue this aduise that when a man shall demaunde of almightie God any of these vertues he staie him selfe therein for a time and make as it were a station in euerie one of them in cōsideringe breifly the principall motiues that maie most induce vs to the loue and exercise of such a vertue As for example How to desier of God the vertue of Charitie When we shall desire of almightie God the vertue of charitie which is the loue of God we maie saie in this wise Graunt me grace ô Lorde I beseech thee that I maie loue thee with all my harte and with all my sowle for that thou arte an infinite goodnes and excellencie that deserueth to be loued with infinite loue and besides this for that thou arte my onely benefactor my father my creator my last ende and the spouse of my sowle vnto whom all loue is due In like maner when thou shalt desire the vertue of hope thou mayst saie in this wise How to desier the vertue of Hope Geue me grace also ô Lorde I beseech thee that in all the necessities and tribulations that shall happen vnto me in this lyfe I maie trust in thee seinge thy mercie is infinite and thy promises true and the merites of thy onely begotten sonne be of infinite value which doe speake and make intercession for me After this sorte mayst thou desire the feare of God and humilitie with other vertues The forme of which petitions I thinke not meete to note here particularly in writinge For like as it is saied that that meate doth more profite the sicke man which he him selfe eateth and cheweth with his teeth than that which is geuen vnto him in drincke euen so is that prayer wonte to be more profitable which is framed by him that praieth with such wordes as the holie Ghost teacheth him than that praier which is made and compounded with other folkes wordes which oftentimes be sayed and passed verie lightly ouer without anie maner of attention or affection This last parte which is petition besides that it is verie easie to be done is also very profitable For as we saied before it is not onely an exercise of praier but also of all vertues and as it were a readinge and conference of them all wherein a man reneweth all his good purposes and desires and recordeth in his memorie the principall pointes and articles of the lawe of God which is the continuall exercise of the iust man Psal 1.2 of whom it is saide that he meditateth vpon the lawe of our Lorde both daie and nighte These fiue partes aforesaid maie be vsed in the exercise of praier albeit as we haue saide they be not all necessarie to be vsed at all times For some times all the time of prayer is spente in meditation alone or in petition Neuerthelesse I thought good to specifie here all these partes of prayer that no man might leaue of this holie exercise for wante of matter and also that at such time as deuotion fayleth which is no iust cause why we shoulde relent and withdrawe our selues from good exercises a man might haue matter whereupon to occupie him selfe duringe that time doinge on his parte somuch as lieth in him which is the thinge that almightie God requireth principallie of vs. Here is diligentlie to be noted that emonge all these fiue partes of prayer the best is when the sowle talketh with almightie God as it doth in petition
geuen vnto vs. And besides this sith the principall ende of these meditations is to obtaine some deuotion and feelinge of diuine thinges it were against reason when we haue alreadie obtained the same with some good consideration that we shoulde goe about to seike for it by an other waie Howbeit althoughe this be verie true speakinge ordinarily yet maie not a man therefore take herein so great libertie as vpon euerie occasion that is offered vnto him to be moued forthwith verie lightlie to forgoe that thinge out of his handes which he hath as it were in possession for some other thinge which he is desirous to haue vnlesse it be at such a time as he perceyueth a more certaine proffit in the one than in the other The second aduise that in our Meditation we must eschewe the superfluous speculation of our vnderstandinge and commit this busines to the exercise of the affections of our will § II. THE seconde aduise is that he labour to esche we in this exercise the superfluous speculation of the vnderstandinge and endeuour to vse this matter rather with affections and feelinges of the will than with discources and speculations of the vnderstandinge It is therefore to be noted that the vnderstandinge on the one side helpeth and on the other side it maie hinder the operation of the will to witt the loue and feelinge of diuine thinges For as it is necessarie that the vnderstandinge doe goe before the will to guide it and geue it knowledge what it ought to loue so when the speculation of the vnderstandinge is ouermuch then it hindereth this operation of the will forsomuch as it suffereth it not to haue place and time to worke And therefore like as it is saied of the poison which is put into treacle that if it be litle it is holsome and necessarie but if it be ouermuch it is hurtfull euen so likewise maie we saie after a sorte in this exercise that the seekinge to knowe God with simplicitie helpeth the will the more to loue him but the seekinge to knowe him with ouermuch speculation hindereth the will and causeth the operation thereof for that time to be the more feeble and weake And the reason hereof is for that the vertue ād power of our sowle beinge finite and streyted within certaine boundes and limittes the more it employeth her vertue and force on the one parte the lesse remaineth to be employed on the other euē like the foūtaine that rūneth throughe two pypes the more water that it dischargeth by the one pype the lesse it hath to yeilde throughe the other And after the like sorte doth the sowle principallie by the operation of the vnderstandinge by the which for that it is so noble and so excellent a power the sowle employeth and powreth out all her whole force in such wise that in a maner she worketh nothinge at all by her other powers at such tyme as the vnderstandinge is verie attente and earnestlie occupied in the vehement speculation of anie matter And therefore we finde by experience that a man maie with more facilitie preserue the affection of deuotion in anie exercise of the bodie wherein he labourethe with his handes than when he hath his vnderstandinge busely occupied and attente in the speculation of anie matter For the vnderstandinge and the will be as it were two ballances of our sowle the which are disposed in such sorte that the ascendinge of the one is the descendinge of the other and so contrariewise So that if the speculation doe increase ouermuch then the affection thereby decreaseth and if contrary wise the affection doe increase then the speculation forthwith decreaseth And this is the cause why the Patriarke Iacob was made lame of one of his feete at what time he receyued benediction Gen. 32. for whereas our sowle hath two feete wherewith to goe vnto almightie God The vnderstandinge and the wil be the two feete of our sowle whereby it goeth vnto God which be the vnderstandinge and the will it is requisite that the one foot◠be weakened to witt the vnderstandinge in his speculation if the will which is th' other foote shall enioye almightie God in the rest and quietnes of contemplation And so it is seene by experience that in case at such tyme as the sowle is enioyenge of almightie God it doe but turne a-side to seke to vnderstande or searche some poynte or matter appertayninge vnto God it loseth forthwith at the verie same instante the deuotion which it had and that souereine good thinge vanisheth then awaie frō him which before he enioyed And therefore not without good cause doth the bridegrome aduise the spowse in the Canticles sayeinge Turne awaie thyne eies from me Cant. 6.4 for they haue made me to flye Wherefore I counsaile a man in this exercise of meditation to occupie his vnderstandinge in speculatiō with as litle curiositie as is possible and to contente him selfe with a simple sighte and knowledge of diuine thinges to the intent that the vertue of his sowle recollectinge all her forces together maie employe her selfe by this affectiue parte I meane by the affections of the will in louinge and reuerencinge the cheefest goodnes to witt almightie God we must not meditate vpon diuine misteries in such wife as if we studied to preache them Whereby it appeareth that those men take not the righte trade herein that in prayer doe meditate in such wise vpon diuine misteries as if they shoulde studie to preach them the which disorderlie maner is rather to cause the Spirite to wander more abrode than to recollecte it and rather to goe out of him selfe than to kepe within himselfe And hereof it commeth that when they haue made an ende of theire exercise of praier they remayne as drie and without anie ioyce of deuotion and as easely moued to followe euerie kinde of lightnes and vanitie of the worlde as they were before their exercise For to speake the verie trueth they haue not praied but rather talked and studied which is a thinge farre diferēte from praier Such persons ought to consider that in this exercise of prayer ād meditatiō we rather come to heare than to speake For as the Prophet saieth Such as come to our Lordes feite Deuter. 33.3 shall receyue his doctrine as he receyued it that saiede Psal 84. I will hearken what our Lorde speaketh within me Wherefore I conclude that all this busines of meditation consisteth in speakinge litle In meditation we must chieflie exercise the affections of our will and in louinge much and in geuinge place to the will that it maie ioyne it selfe with all his forces vnto almightie God And we must not spurre forwardes these two powers of the sowle a-like nor walke in this waie with equall pases but a spetiall dexteritie is requisite to be vsed to stirre vp the will and to quiet the vnderstandinge that it hinder not with his curious discourses the operations of loue And