points enough both for beleefe and practise which might have averted them Prayse God for all and have confidence in him c. The Mysterie Of the Mysterie of the most Blessed Trinitie I. A Principall effect of the coming of our Saviour into this world was the declaration of the Mysterie of the most Blessed Trinitie hidden even from the Iewes though the chosen people of God and not mentioned but in very darke and hidden resemblances But our Saviour did openly proclayme it specially after his resurrection commanding his Apostles to baptize all nations in the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the Holy Ghost as three persons equall in all things and one in name that is in povver auctoritie and essence wherin we have cause to admire and adore the force of the light of the holy Ghospell by which our Saviour intending to abolish the beleefe and worship of many Gods brought in by the craft of the divel working vpon mens corrupt affections and desires established the beleefe of one true God yet so that they should beleeve in that one essence three persons equall to one another though vnder Appellations which according to our meane expression might signifie inequalitie it being impossible for vs to conceive the divinitie cleerely as it is â—ayth therfore must supply that which reason cannot comprehend and with reverence submit to what our vnderstanding cannot reach Adoring equally in three and one the Omnipotencie Eternitie infinite knowledge and goodnes and all Perfection the Immensitie the Immutabilitie the Beautie the sanctitie of God contayning all and more then we can imagin by the help or comparison of all creatures and all most perfectly and with out multiplicitie in one II. Adore the Father as the incomprehensible source of the divinitie with out beginning and of all things created in time when he thought fit to give them a beginning Adore the Sonne who being equall to the Father vouchsafed for our sakes to take vpon him our humane nature to instruct vs by word and example and by his sacred blood shed vpon the crosse to wash avvay our synns and open vs avvay to the eternall inioying of God by perseverance in his commandments Adore the Holy Ghost as the mutuall and recipâ—ocall love of the Father and Sonne the Auctour of our love tovvards God the cause of our adoption by his grace infused and by himself inhabiting in our soules the spirit of truth which leadeth vs into all truth and by his heavenly lights disperseth the clouds of darknes and facilitates our way to heaven by his heavenly vnction III. Adore all three in one one in nature one by consent one in operation Begge of him that we may be one with him by submission to him and to his blessed will one by constant fayth one by never decaying love one by operation esteeming ourselves in all our woâ—ks as instruments of his divine pâ—wre and goodnes and so disposing ourselves in thought and action that we may not differ from him in the least which he of his goodnes grant Amen The obligation which we haveto love God I. PART I. SO soone as Moyses had declared to the people of â—srael that God was one he instantly inferres the commandment of loving him Heare Israel our Lord God is one Lord. Thou shalt love thy Lord God wiâ—h thy whole hart c. And our Saviour in his answer to the lawyer tells vs it is the greâ—test and the first commandement and with reason ought we to think so and accordingly apply ourselves to love him For as we were worse then beasts if we did not love those who are beneficiall to vs much more if welove not God from whom we have absolutely all that we have The law therfore of nature doth impose this vpon vs so soone as we come into the world vpon which account S. Thomas and other divincâ— doe hold it a greate offense if so soone as we come to the vse of reason in our Childhood we doe not turne ouâ—â—arts to God with loving acknowledgment that he is ouâ— creatour and Lord. And the holy Text infinuates as much presently after the commandment saying And these words which I command thee this day shall be in thy hart and â—hoâ— shalt 〈◊〉 them thy Children to wit that they may knovv thier duty in time II. It is also the first commandment in dignitie and excellency for it hath the highest obiect that can be to wit God and the noblest way of service to wit for love not for feare of punishment oâ— hope of reward but riseth vpon consideration of his greate excellencie With in himself and greate goodnes tovvards vs. And besides it gives vs the greatest excellency that we can attayne vnto in this world and prepareth farre greater in the world to come for as by loving base things we become base and contemptible so by loving God and other things as they belong to God we become â—onoâ—rable in the â—ight of God and men and there can be no greater honour and excellency imagined then that to which those have risen who have loved God in perfection Iâ—I It was like wise first in the intention of the lavvgiveâ—s all other commands and directions and indeed all the works and wonders of God which he hath shevved vs tending finally and properly to this that in thought word and deed we should expresse our love to him for how could any thing subsist if it had not been thy will or been preserved if not called by thee Thou sparest all because they are thyne â—o Lord who lovest soules As he therfore did and doth all things out of love so is it expected from vs that all should proceed from love and further more as in the naturall love of one an other we must not only not shew aversion from the thing which our srend doth not synfully love but even observe his wayes of proceeding much more ought we to love that which God loves and commands because we love him and he loves vs for which reason the Apostle sayth The fullnes of the law is love even of our neighbour because we love him for God IV. It is the greatest command because most necessarie of all other precepts as with out which no other iâ— thoroughly avaylable or â—â—â—ly commendable Foâ— the feare of God is but an introduction to love and some way or other must be perfected into some degree of love els it will fall of the effect we desire and how many things doth the Apostle reckon which are nothing with our Charitie If I have the tongues of Angels if Prophecie if Fayth if knowledge if I give my goods to the poore if my body to the fire and have not Charitie it avayleth me nothing On the other side it doth set an inestimable price vpon the least of our actions when ever they are done for the love of God so that with out it all with it nothing is lost V.
must be God himself the measure of our love to love him without measure God of his love inspire our thoughts to conceive worthy things of him and inflame our harts in the love of them that hovvever weake our love may be it may increase to that measure which his immeasurable goodnes hath designed Amen An act of humble acknowledgment of our owne weakenes I. O My God what am I or what is thy loveâ— Thy infinite love my God tovvards man what is it That I sylly worme of the earth so easily venture not only to lift vp my head to behold it and ponder it and esteeme it for to this end thou hast shevved it vnto vs that we should behold it and love it but dare scanne in my thoughts and vndertake to discypher the greate greatenes of it in these fevv words the broken ofâ—alls of my shallovv conceits Or is thy love peradventure a thing which can be comprehended by man or declared by the highest Angel or defined by any but thyself for thy love is thyself and the greate greatenes of it is the immense Immensitie of thy loving self by which thou dilatest thyself tovvards vs and in vs thy creatures and through the infinite length bleadth depth and heigth of thy inflamed charltiâ— comprehendest vs all in the bovvels of thy love loving vs before we were that we might be and ever loving vs while we are that we may never leave to be but ever live in love with thee II. Who therfore can reach so farre as that infinite length or who is there that can measure that breadth which is immeasurable Who can sound the depth or take the height of thy infinite love but thy only self who art sole equall and sole equally infinite to thyself And yet thou wilt have vs measure it in our thoughts and sound it in our harts and stretch ourselves to that length and dilate ourselves to that bâ—eadth and lift vp ourselves to that heigth and drovvne ourselves in that depth of thy love that finding hovv farre we are from the true measure of it we may reach if not as farre and as wide and as high and as deepe as it deserveth yet so farre in all these kinds as by thy grace our harts will serve vs which is acceptable in thy sight though too small a measure in regard of thy infinite deserts III. O Imalnes of our measure O greatnes of thy deservings VVho hast moved heaven and earth for our sakes and searched all the corners of thy infinite treasure and poured forth thy riches to the bottome to help vs to reclayme vs to winne vs to thy love And when thou hadst as it were spent all that thou hadst to gayne our affection forall that we see or heare of or can imagine are thy love-gifts as I may tearme them to dravv vs to thyself thou sparedst not thy ovvne bovvels but gavest thyself vnto vs and in that loving and free manner that there was not any part of the breath of thy sacred body which thou didst not dedicate to our service nor one drop of thy pretious blood which thou didst not shed for vs but for the greater satisfaction of our vnbeleeving minds and the more effectually to move our stony harts even after thy death thou wouldst have thy side opened with that cruel speare that we might see with our eyes that there was no more blood left when after the blood spent there issued water IV. O sacred bath rempered for my soares soseen the hardnes of my hart alay the immoderate heate which I find tovvards temporall occasions moysten the droughth of my faint desires cure the blindnes of my eyes that at least through this gap layed so wide open I may discover some parcell of thy love and inamoured with it may be dravvne further and further into the depth that being wholy absorpt in it I may leese myself while I go about to measure and never find myself againe but wholy drovvned in thee who art my God and my only love Amen The length of the love of God is the Eternitie of his love I. THe length of the charitie of allmightie God is the Eternitie of his love If we cast our eyes vpon that beginning of his Eternitie which hath no beginning even then before we were and when he only was he loved vs as novv he loveth and determined then to give vs all that good which we find he hath since performed or hath for hereafter layed vp in store for vs in that Eternitie before all time before all thought and to which no thought of creature can arrive when he was delighting himself with his only self and with the infinite riches which he hath within himself the Father with the Sonne and the Father and the Sonne with the holy Ghost then he vouchsafed to think of vs to love vs to ordayne all things for vs and to desire our love Then when not only he had no need of vs but when he had no other reason to think of vs but his ovvne sole infinite goodnes He disposed all things sweetly to the end in time to gayne that which in Eternitie he desired to wit our love and beholding vs with in himself and seeing that we were all good and all very good because we were all in him he would in time appointed that we shoul have part of that good in ourselves by him which we had from all Eternitie in him And therfore he made vs out of himself that acknovvledging from whence we derived all the good we have we should seeke not only in duty or gratitude to returne all to him who best deserved it but also by nature we should be eveâ— â—orne tovvards him as every thing naturally is ever bent tovvards that from which it hath its beeing II. If againe we cast our thoughts vpon the end of his loving eternitie which hath no end we shall find his love not contayned with in the short limitts of a month or a yeare or ten thousand yeares but that he loveth vs to the end with out end and desireth nothing more then that we should live and love him world with out end And as in his Eternitie with out beginning he disposed all things sweetely for our good and saluation with out any desert of ours so in this Eternitie with our ending he reacheth strongly striving against all our deserts to bring our love to that perfection that his and ours may have no end If the least of those iniuries which we offer to God thousands perhaps in a day were done by man to another man it were enough insteed of further love to inflame a mortall and as much as lyeth in him an Eternall aversion But that which seemeth impossible to man is possible to God who with infinite charitie doth dayly and hoverly and every moment put vp infiâ—â—te disgracefull actions and remayneth ever strong in love rill our dying day when if we
an end not because they are weary of troble with themselves or others but because love is increased and established by the presence of the parties who doe love and especially by such an all seeing and all inioying presence by which we discover infinitely more the infinite perfections of God with out the least alay of imperfection infinitely more then we can possibly arrive to vnderstand in this life by all the naturall and supernaturall knovvledge which we have and by this blessed preseÌ„ce we are ourselves perpetually coÌ„firmed in love without any danger of fayling in the least duty of correspondence and finally we are made more capable and never weary of loving him because we still discover more and more that he infinitely and incomprehensibly deserveth the eternall continuance and perseverance of our love towards him Say therfore with the Apostle I desire to be dissolved from these mortall bonds which aggravate and depresse my soule from that perfection of love which a sincere hart desireth and thou my God deservest I defire to be dissolved if not out of perfect love which excludeth feare yet out of such love as breadeth a filiall feare of offending and lothnes to continue in the least danger of leesing or lessening thy love II. O dreadfull danger a danger worse then death itself With what exquisite manner of all corporall death would I not willingly redeeme this hazard What hazard would I not most joyfully runn to purchase an eternitie of never offending my God O pretious Eternitie One thing I have asked of my lord God this I will againe and againe require that the very houre and moment that he seeth me inclining to offend he will rather call me out of this life then permit me to fayle in his love Happy man If I be thus prevented who will give me wings as of a dove and I will fly from this death of synne which doth hang over my head ô love of my deare God! How long shall I abide this hazard of leesing thee who art my only true life III. I doe not envy any thing more in the blessed sainâ—ts and Angels of heaven then that thier love to God is continuall with out intermission constant without waâ—ering certayne without feare of leesing it or of relenting Eternall with out end of loving neither can death be truly welcome for any other end more then that it may be a beginning of this loving Eternitie O Eternitie of love what time can be sufficiâ—â—t to dwell vpon so loving a consideration What houre or minute of my life should passe in which I should not be found still loving thee my God and still exercising acts of thy love in haâ—â— and deed Print this thy love sweet Jesus in my hart by thy bitter Passion and by â—hy sacred wounds what better seale then thy loving self VVhat stronger wax then thy sacred blood What highter â—ire then thy eternall love O that my soule were â—he whitest parchment worthy to receive such a noble impression which being presented and vnfolded in thy eternall Consistorie nothing might appeare written in it from the beginning of my life to the end therof but Jesus my love my love sweete Jesus Amen How we ought to imitate the Eternitie of the love of God in the love of our Neighbour I. THe â—ternitie of love which we indeavour after our meane kind of measure to expresse in ourselves towards God in answer to his eternall love towards vs the same it is fit we should practise towards others in imitation of this first excellencie of his infinite love both to fâ—ee ourselves from that inference which S. Jhon makes that if any say I love God and hatâ—â—h his brother be is a lyer and from that imperfection to fullâ—ll the commandment which we have of it for so the same beloved disciple assureth vs This commandmâ—◠〈◊〉 have from â—â—d thaâ— who loveth God loveth also his â—rother and againe he that hath my commandments and keepeth them he it is that loveth me II. VVe must therfore love our neighbour even before he loves vs and when he gives vs no occasion to love him but rather occasion of hatred by his â—hvvart demeanour tovvards vs or ill cariage tovvards God Againe we must never be weary of loving him or of doing good vnto him or for him we must with greate patience and longanimitie beare his dayly and continuall imperfections and offenses neither wondering nor impatiently grudging at his often falling or hard measureâ— nor pusillanimously sitting dovvne thinking hovv to fly and retire from such companie to others with whom we imagin we shall have no such troble but imitating the charitie of God and patience of Christ and saying with S. Augustine if the vessels of flesh be narrovv let the bounds of charitie be enlarged that is let men be infirme and troblesome and synfull hard to be ruled harder to accommodate themselves to my disposition or conceiâ—e it is the nature of flesh and blood to be so my charitâ—â— shall not be so scant as not to out-reach all this and persever to the end in bearing that so I may fullfill the lavv of Christ and imitate his love III. O love of my God more strong then death for death could never have overtaken my God vnlesse love had yealded him into his hands This brought my deere Saviour to the death-bed of the crosse and did not suffer him to come dovvne from it for any of the vpbrayding-scoffs with which the Ievves did taunt him nor for any weaker motive which humane frayletie might have suggested nor for any fayre seeming reason which worldly wisdome might have invented but being stretched vpon it to the vtmost as he had began to love vs from the beginning of his not only mortall but immortall life so hâ— resolved to yeald vp his last breath and blessed Ghost for vs that this his â—ying for our sake might be a most evident testimonie of his never dying love seeing he choose rather to leave this life then to forgo our love O that my hart and soule were wâ—oly absorpt in this thy eternall love that I might dye by thy love who didst die for the love of me and die rather then relent in the least point of love tovvards thee or tovvards my neighbour for thee Amen The latitude or Vniversalitie of the love of God I. THe latitude of the charitie of God is the Vniversalitie of his love extending itself to all in generall and to every one in particular He will have all men to be saved sayth the Apostle and to come to the knowledge of the truth and the beloved disciple he inlighteneth every man that cometh into this world Therfore when he had created man he added his commandments and precepâ—s that if he would keepe his commandments they should keepe him Therfore he punisheth synners in this life by peeces puting them in mind of that in which they have offended that
vniversalitie of spirit professe themselves to be ready to assiste all nations and confine themselves with in no bounds of countreyes or persons or pious imployments by which they may any way advance the salâ—ation of thier Neighbours to the end that having once opened thier mouth and hart to God in this vniversalitie they doe not aftervvards relent aÌ„d our of pusillanimitie or self love streighten the bouÌ„ds which they have once promised should be none at all IV. O blessed Apostl who couldst say I most gladly will bestow and will myself more over be bestowed for your soules though loving more I am loved lesse How well didst thou Follow the example given thee by thy Saviour who bestowed vpon vs all that which we have and himself moreover in â—o large and loving a manner as to man is incomprehensible and is so slenderly rewarded by vs labour and miserie and much watching hunger and 〈◊〉 and much fasting cold and nakednes could not streighten thy love not whatsoever danger of thy life be a means to inlarge this spirit in the harts of those who have dedicated themselves to the like imployments The height of the charitie of our Lord. I. THe height of the charitie of God and of our Saviour is the supetexcellencie of his love for love being two fold one by which we love because we doe or may receive benefit the other by which we I ove to benefit it is evident both that this second is the more excellent and that the love of God â—ovvards vs could not have the imperfection which the first doth involue Let vs love God because God hath first loved vs sayth the beloved disciple which considering before we were we could not love is of itself apparent and considering to what end he loved vs to wit to communicate himself to vs first by sayth then by cleere sight and inioyment of his glorious self we may take a scantling according to our weake apprehension or dull affection of the excellencie of his love tovvards vs seeing nothing can be more eycellent then to see and injoy God All that we see or heare of in the world was created for our benefit yet all that is nothing compared to one minute of time what then to an eternitie of injoying God O if thou hadst seen the eternall crownes of saincts with how much glorie they now exult who were contemptible and not thought worthy to live c. II. A second degree of excellencie of the love of God is that which the Apostle doth reflect on and with reason doth dilate himself vpon it to wit that not only when we were nothing but when we were synners when we were enimies when we were weake and infirme full of vlcers and sores he loved vs and was beneficiall vnto vs when we deserved his hatred he did not only not execute it to the full vpon vs as we miserable creatures are wont to doe vpon one another but spared vs had compassion on vs releeved vs. God commendeth his charitie towards vs in that when we were yet synners Christ dyed for vs This is charitie which surpasseth all knowledge and all conceite of man for as the same Apostle discourseth A body can scarce be willing to diâ— when of necessitie he must or when by justice he is condemned perhaps for a good cause or for defence of that which is right a body may dare to die but for his enimie for one that taketh away his good name and as much as is in him his life who is there that would thinke of offering himself to die O my God in this thou shewest thyself to be God that is all goodnes and all love give me grace to love thee at least for this thy love and die that I may not die by syn III. Yet a third excellencie is to be reflected on which the same Apostle suggesteth to wit that God did not spare his owne Sonne but delivered him for vs all In the infinite treasure of his divine knowledge and goodnes there could not but appearâ— divers means to expresse his love and exercise his mercy towards vs yet this offering itself as the most convenient in all respects he did not spare it though the most pretious jewell of his heavenly Cabinet the neerest and deerest treasure of his divine breast but gave it for vs and who are we You are bought with a greate price it is reason we should glorifie and beare God not in our minds only but in our body also in our harts in our tendrest affections and let nothing have place where nothing can be spared from him who sparing not his owne Sonne gave vs all things with him and in him more then all what can the world give thee with our Iesus He that findeth Iesus findeth a greate transure Th. a K. l. 2. c. 8. n. 2. How we are to imitate the superexcellencie of the love of God I. PART I. TO love God to benefit him more theÌ„ allready injoyeth is impossible we may notwithstanding comply with the excellencie of his love by wishing him all the good which he hath and being 〈◊〉 glad that he is as he is which is the part of a frend to an other frend that is superiour to him And we may dilate our thoughts and affections of this nature congratulating him his Eternitie his Immenâ—itie his Omnipotencie his Bountie his perfection in all kinds and professing ourselves to be hartily glad that he is so This is the expression which the Seraphims doe make who assist before the throne of God covering thier feete as short in conceiving or affecting so greate perfections but yet stirring vp one another to prayses such as they are able repeating Holy Holy Holy is the Lord God of Hosts full is heaven and earth of thy Majestie II. To this Kind of love belongs the desire that all the world should know him and serve him and the sorrow that he is offended and that we are so short of vnderstanding what he is and of loving him as he deserves let vs therfore say with the VViseman Glorifying him so much as you can be will yet exceed and wonderfull is his magnificence Blessing him exalt him so much as you can for he is greater then all prayse Exalâ—ing him put forth all your strength be not wearied for you shall not comprehend him Many things are hidden greater then these for we have seen few of his works To this also belongs the desire of even being with God in Prayer and in other services belonging to him not for the benefit which comes to vs by it though it be greate but because he deserves to be continually attended and served which was the ground vpon which our Saviour retired himself so often to Prayer and spent whole nights in it and when he was but twelue yeares old answered his Mother did you not know that I must be about those things which are my Fathers
Our glorie must be in our hope of heaven and that by Gods goodnes we are in a way towards it all other thingâ—â—vayle vs little but as these are accoÌ„panied with humilitie and other vertues Whosoever rejoyceth in that which another hath not by his very abundaÌ„ce he becometh the worse because his joy is noâ— of the common good but of his private interest III. In that very houre he rejoyced in spirit and sayed I confesse to thee Father Lord of heaven and earth because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent and hast revealed them to little ones and turning to his disciples he sayed Blessed are the eyes that see the things that you see for I say vnto you many prophets and Kings desired to see those things which you see and saw them not and to heare the things that you heare and heard them not Our Saviour rejoyced not at the synne of those by whose falt and presuming to be wise these things were hidden from them but at the goodnes of his heavenly Father who did not disdayne to reveale thâ—Ì„ to those who in the world were coÌ„teÌ„ptible And what are these things But that by humilitie and by suffering we must go to glorie and that in this is the happines of this life not in the wealth and honour and pleasurs which men so much hunt after and think themselves only then happy when they injoy them at will and miserable whenever they are bereaved of any of them Blessed are the eyes which see these things in our Saviours life and doctrine now as well as when the Apostles saw him vpon earth Many Prophets and Kings before our Saviours coming desired to see and heare them we have the same blessing according to his owne saying to S. Thomas Blessed are they that have not seen and doe beleeve The ninth Application to the most Blessed Sacrament I. HEre we are to admire the goodnes of God and of our Blessed Saviour towards vs who notwithstanding that we are so imperfect and all the good we do if we do any so much mingled with things distastfull to him that we deserve to be kept aloofe of as the lepers and oftimes perhaps to be shutout of the citty of heaven for greater offenses yet vpon our crying to him for mercy and shewing ourselves to the Priests in the Sacrament of confession he admitteth vs so familiarly to his holy table O with what gratitude should we magnifie him for so great mercy and love with what humilitie should we cast ourselves vpon our faces before his feetâ— giving thanks and purposing to be perpetually mindfull of so greate a benefit But where are our thoughs oftimes eveÌ„ when we should most attend Our repeditie and negligence is much to be lamented and pittyed that we are not drawne with more devotion to receive our Saviour Christ. In whome is all the hope of them that be to be saved and all their merit If one in ten of out thoughts be imployed this way we think it a greate matter wheras our whole atteÌ„dance were indeed nothing in coÌ„parison of that which this greate goodnes of our Saviour deserveth II. Our Saviour to cure the blind man and to give him his sight layed clay vpon his eyes which seemed quite contrarie to the cure we also if we will see the truth of this mysterie must close vp our eyes to humane reason according to that which our Saviour answered the Iewes vpon this occasion for they asking him Are we also blind He sayed to them if you were blind you should not have synne but now you say we see your synne remayneth S. Lewis of FraÌ„ce when his courtiers brought him newes that there was a little child to be seen in the Priests hands as he was lifting vp the sacred host would not stirre to see it but answered that he beleeved the reall preseÌ„ce of our Blessed Saviour vpon better ground then that sight could affoard him He was truly illuminated with the light of faith shutting his eyes to curiositie and opening them to the words of our Saviour who is true light and cannot deceive I am the light of the world He that followeth me walâ—eth not in darkenes however darke the mysteries of faith seeme to be III. And if we reflect vpon the other title which he giues himself of good Pastour In what could he shew his goodnes more then that having once offered that greate oblation of himself vpon the Crosse and given his life for vs he resteth not content with that but dayly would have it offered for vs yea hourely through the whole world for our greater comfort and satisfaction providing that his sheepe may never want so fertill a pasture but vpoÌ„ all occasioÌ„s may haue such celestiall food at haÌ„d See how they who record the passioÌ„ aÌ„d sufferings of our Saviour in time of the holy sacrifice drinking of the spirituall fountains springing from that â—orrent of love doe delight themselves with sweete teares above all delicacies And how much sweetenes they do suck into their soules inquiring and consâ—dering where their God is Certainly this one word and this one consideration that God is so neere them not only as to the whole world but in this particular familiar and constant way is able to melt the hart of any loving soule and abundantly to fill it with all delight â—â—This good Pastour giverth his life for his sheepe in that he delivereth his Body and Blood in this Sacrament and with the substance of his owne flesh doth feed the sheepe which he redeemed The parable of the man wounded in his way to Iericho I. ANd behold a certaine lawyer stood vp tempting him and saying Master by doing of what thing shall I possesse life everlasting He sayed to him in the law what is written How readest thou He answering sayed Thou shalt love thy Lord thy God with thy whole hart and with thy whole soule and with all strength and with all thy mind And they neigbour as thyself And he sayed to him thou hast answered right doe this and thou shall live How many doe say would to God I knew the direct way how to be saved or how to overcome my passions And having it before their eyes they heed it noâ— the weake resolution or difficultie which they have about forsaking either their will or their companie or their wonted steps blinding them life everlasting when they think of it is a greate attractive and deservedly but whether they perswade themselves thoroughly that it deserves so much paines as they conceive is to be taken that is the question and yet as this man confesseth the way is love which makes all things in the world easy for vnlesse worldly people did love their employments they would find no lesse difficultie in serving the world then they apprehend in serving God Love God and they neigbour and nothing will be hard II. But â—e desirous to iâ—stifie himself
REmembring the excessive labour and paynes which our Saviour tooke day and night for our sake journiig and preachiâ—g and offering his help to every body begge of him knovvledg how thou mayest be gratefull to him for it and a will to put iâ— practise what thou knowest And First I. Consider that as the Jevves out of envie and emulation against our Saviour were the more mad against him the more good he did and the more wonders he wrought and they met in councell and studied â—ow they might apprehend him by somâ—â—raft and lay hands on him and kill him so we contrarievvise considering he hath done so much for vs and is still doing must with all diligence study how we may serve him with a sincere hart often begging and often offering it to God now specially when we see before our eyes in his passion so maniâ—est and so vnquestionable signes of his sincere and constant and vnchangeable love towards vs. II. Consider secondly that as the Jewes though thier malice were greate yet feared the people and sought therfore privately by craft to circumvent our Saviour so we in the service of God must not be afrayd what people will thinke or say of vs but banishing all humane respects and worldly reasons go on with that which we know to be good and acceptable to God with Courage and resolution in the face of the world for the grearer glorie of God as much as provident reason will allow III. Consider thirdly As the divell entred into Iudas as a fit instrument for the Iewes towards thier malitious intents and he of his ovvne accord went and offered himself for mony to find means to betray our Saviour so detesting his treacherous and covetous minde begge earnestly of the holy Ghost that he will vouchsafe to take possession of thy hart and soule and body and of all that thou hast to vse it as a means and an instrument for his glorie and with a noble resolution offer thyself voluntatily to doe whatever lyes in thee for the honour of God and seeke convenient occasions to advance it though it be with pauning thyself and all that thou hast to redeeme him and his blessed sonne our Saviour from disgrace c IV. And againe consider 4thly As the Ievves weâ—e gladd of this offer of Judas and accepted it and concluded the bargain with him and he watched vpon thâ— occasion of betraying our Saviour without tumult so out whole joy must be to happen vpon any special means or occasion of serving our Saviour to accept of â— when it is offered and to enter covenant betvvixt God and ourselves to performe it and to bethinke ourselves how and by what means and when we may best effect it without noyse in regard of discretion and humilitie and yet though it be with noyse in regard of good example and the hinderances with which oft times we must be forced to breake or els â—othing will be done Prayer To our Saviour offering to him as is a foresaid chiefly a sincere hart voyde of humane respects couragious resolute and watchfull by all convenient means to doe him service See the prayer of the sunday with in the Octave of the Ascension A meditation of the Paschall Lambe Matth. 26. Luke 22. I. THe first day of the feast of vnlevened bread the disciples came to Iesus and sayed where wilt thou that we prepare for the to eate the Passover VVherin we may reflect that we must not allvvayes expect to be bidden but prevent rather the time in things belonging to order and approved custome and shew therin our esteeme of the service done to our Saviour and be constant in it and though the benefit therof redound also to ourselves yet our intention and desire must be chiefly fixed in him for himself and hovv to prepare a place in our soules which he may thinke worthy of him II. And Iesus sayed goe into the citty and there will a man meete you bâ—aring a pitcher of waterâ— follow him and say to the master to the house our master sayth my time is at hand with thee I make my Passover O welcome nevves come ô Lord and doe not delay doe not decline this poore habitation Lord I am not worthy yet come and with thy grace prepare my soule give me the water of sorrovv teares of true compunction grace to follovv thy commands bearing the crosse which thou shalt lay vpon me for thou doest follovv with the revvard of thy companie those who doe thus follovv thee VVhen shall I come into that 〈◊〉 where I shall meete with the fountaine it self of living 〈◊〉 which here I beare but in an earthen pitcher subiect to be broken by infinite chances and doe beâ—â—e it with labour and difficultie but there is câ—ase and securitie III. And he will shew you a large roome furnished there make ready Hovv readily should we at all times and all occasions welcome our Saviour and those whom he accounteth his though they be poore and in distresse and then most of all Enlarge thy hart tovvards his service and furnish it with thoughts and deeds befitting him and see that it be allvvayes furnished for him for we knovv not the time which he hath chosen see that it be not taken vp by others Our Saviour and his Apostles had no certaine accommodation yet God provided Consider thier punctualitie in observing the lavv though it were but a figure of that which thou receiâ—est O blessed lamb of God slayne fot our sakes and broyled vpon the crosse be thou my everlasting food both in this dangerous passage and for all Eternitie Amen A meditation of our Saviours washing his disciples feete 10. 13. Preamble Beholding our Saviour with a bason of water in his hand and a tovvel ready girt and vpon his knees begge of him that thou mayest profit by this admirable action of his And first I. COnsider that our Saviour knowing that his houre was come that he should pâ—sse out of this world to his father when he had loved his who were in the world he loved them to the end and to shew his love the more he applied himself to this humble and necessarie action We that knovv not at what houre we shall passe out of this world but may every moment be taken avvay have the more need to cleanse our soules and wash them by humble confession and harty conâ—rition hovv â—ls shal we shevv that we love ourselves to the end for which we should Or how shall we shevv that we love God and our Saviour as we should Specially seeing our Saviour sayd to S. Peeter Vnlessâ— I wash thâ—â— â—hou shalt not have parte with me Amplius lava me aâ— iniquitate mea c. II. Consider secondly That hovvsoever we may find repugnance in laying open our soules to our Ghostly Father either by reason of the troble of searching into ourselves or the foulenes of our offenses or the frequency of our negligences or for bashfulnes or
other respects yet if we consider well that all things lye open to God and that which we ourselves discover God doth wash and cover the ease of our mind for the present the satisfaction of our ovvne soules at the houre of death the necessitie of it at one time or other we shall say with S. Peeter Lord not my feetâ— only but my hands and my head That is not only that in which I have lately transgressed but whatsoever I have done good or badd from the beginning to the ending I will willingly lay open that I may have full remission and direction III. Consider thirdly That comfortable and with all fearefull saying of our Saviour He that is washed needeth only that his feete be washed but is all cleane and you are cleane but not all for he knew who it was that would betray him That is he that is once washed by a good confession and performeth accordingly that which he there purposeth to wit the keeping of the commandments for the time to come needeth only that his feete be washed that is those lesser offenses which cleave like dust to our feete and no man is able to avoyde them more or lesse who travelleth in this world but yet to the end that through the benefit of being cleansed by confession we should not grow into Pride and presumption or neglect for the time to come we must remember that though by the grace of God we are cleansed he only knovveth who shal persever IV. Consider fourthly And admire at large the humilitie of our blessed Saviour in regard wherof S. Peeter sayd Lord doest thou wash my feete Thou My feeteâ— And learne hovv grateful it will be to our Saviour that thou by his example stoope to humble and charitable ofâ—â—ices tovvard thy neighbour that is tovvards him in them And also hovv we ought to conceale to excuse to diminish and wash avvay as much as we can the faults and imperfections which we see or heare of in others to preserve thier good name to help them out of them to compassionate them c. Prayer To our Saviour according to the present subiect and affection A meditation of the parting of Iudas from the rest of the Apostles Ihon 13. I. OVr Saviour having washed his Apostles feete and among them Judas which is particularly to be reflected on and gave them wholsome instructions hovv they should imitate him the servant not being greater then his Lord and againe did infinuate that all were not yet cleere though outvvardly washed to the end that Iudas might take notice that he knevv what he was going about and repent but seeing he did not Hâ— was â—robled in spirit and protested and sayed more playnly Amen Amen that is in verye truth I say vnto you that one of you will betray me A heavy saying and no wonder that every one of the disciples looked one on the other doubting of whom he spoke and were much contristated and every one asked him the rest with feare and trembling but Iudas boldly and impudently Am I the maxâ— II. Our Saviour declining the direct ansvver and leaving every one to examine his ovvne conscience and to looke vpon that more then vpon one another vpon intreatie of S. Peter sayed vnto S. Jhon wo leaned vpon our Saviours breast He it is to whom I shall give the bread dipped and when he had dipped it he gave it to ludas who probably did not heare what our Saviour had sayed tâ— S. Jhon having had warning enough before neither did the rest of the Apostles vnderstand the mysterie but Judas being ready to receive any courtesie from our Saviour the more to dissemble his wicked intent tooke the bread and after the morsell sâ—tan entred him bitter â—orsell not novv bread to sustaine life but by malice of the receiver turned into deadly poyson Our Saviour probably with the bread gave him an invvard hint againâ— that he knevv what he was going about but his obstinacie refusing such gentle and charitable admonitions tending to the concealing of the falt and preserving of his good name if he would repent Satan tooke full possession of him III. Andour Saviour sayed vnto him that which thou doest doe it quickly for I am as ready to suffer as thou or thy master to put an affront vpon me And immediatly hâ— went out and it was night Darke night indeed to him and cause if vtter perdition See what it is to part with our Saviour and with devout companie He that walketh in darkenes knoweth not wheter he goâ—th But by severing the bad from the good our light grovves the cleerer therfore when he was gone forth our Saviour sayed now the sonne of man is glorified and God is glorified in him For there can be no greater glorie to God by any humane action then was that which rose from our Saviours vertue and sufferings Endeavour by imitating him in occasions to increase his glorie and as S. Paul speakes accomplish those things that want of the passions of Christ in our flesh A meditation of the Institution of the Blessed Sacrament Preamble Beholding our blessed Saviour distributing his blessed bodie and blood among his disciples vnder the shapes of bread and wine begge of him that thou mayst with true and due affection receave this heavenly gift And. I. COonsider first That the worthynes of this blessed Mysterie was partly the cause why our Saviour a little before so humbly washed his disciples feete who were to receive him to give vs to vnderstand with what acknovvledgment of our ovvne vnvvhorthines and with what puritie of soule and affection and also of bodie we ought to approach to this heavenly banqueâ— Therfore also in the Catholick Church all things about the Altar are so neate and costly because nothing spirituall or temporall can be precious or curious enough to bestow in the intertainment of so divine a guest If thou know him if thou esteeme him as thou oughtest and as he deserveth Bestow all the care thou canst in cleansing the roomes of thy soule and dressing vp the Altar of thy hart to receive him II. Consider secondly That by this heavenly mysterie it is manifest how much Christ our Saviour doth love vs seeing out of love he desireth allwayes to be with vs and being to go out of the world would by this admirable Invention stay still among vs as if he could not be without vs To the end we should dayly increase in the love of him and vnderstanding that really we cannot be without him we might desire the more earnestly his blessed companie and conversation by all the means which are possible for vs. O my love whether doe I wander from thee III. Consider thirdly that this miraculous act of love is the more to be valued and admired because when he was going about it as some doe hold there was at board one that would betray him divers certayne that would forsake him and he foresavv
what he indured for even in the garden after his prayer he was another man then when we went in Then he was sorrovvfull as he sayed vnto death and it appeared in his very countenance and cariage but novv he was couragious and ready to meete his enimies and in all the affronts and indignities which were offered him either at Cayphas or Herods or Pilats palace he did not blanche III. Yet it could not but be very irksome and paynfull to him and with whar a Crosse did they load him when he was scarce able to stand and hovv cruelly did they rend of his garments from his bleeding shoulders and streach him and vnmercifully nayle him This is the sword of which old Simeon told me so many yeares since it cannot but pearce my very hart and soule with griefe and though he sayed he would rise againe the third day and I veryly beleeve it will be so yet what hart can think of these things and not even burst with sorrovv It will be night with me till that day comes which he hath promised O light of my â—yes when shal I see thee Me thinks I still heare him crying with a lovvde voyce Father into thy hands I commend my spiritt O Father returne this happy soule so commended returne it againe with glorie that we may see his face as in mount Thabour which mount Calvarie hath so defaced I â—ommend my soule into thy hands O hands of pitty Thou hast done justice enough vpon thy Sonne restore him that we may joy togeather in the meane time I shall expect with sorrovv yet resigned to thy will as he hath taught me Not my will hut thyne be done Amen Introduction to the Mysteries of the Resurrection of our Saviour I. THe Mysteries of the Resurrection of our Saviour being full of ioyful Communication with him who is in himself the fountaine of all happines and to vs hath been and is the source and conduitâ— of all goodnes the affections which are properly to be raysed and someÌ„â—ed by the consideration of them be those of love and ioy and Congratulation Admiration also and prayse of his loving goodnes desire of his presence in this world and in the next horrour of being separated from him detestation of the least beginning of a gap or distance betvvixt our soules and him And in these and in the like our time is more to be bestormed then in discourse 〈◊〉 every action and word indeavouring to fall vpon some such short reflection as may â—indle in ouâ— hart these flames of love II. The chiefe ground wherof the Apostle doth represent vnto vs and placeth in that God who is rich in mercy his exceeding Charitie wherwith he loved vs even when we were dead by synns quickned vs togeather with Christ and raysed vs up with him and made vs sit with him in the Celestiales Chiefly therfore we are to ponder from what and to what we are raysed where we lay and where we might justly have been layed by our offenses and where he offers to seate vs if we concurre with his grace and love Hovv Rich he hath been tovvards vs in what infinite proportion his Charitie hath exceeded and doth exceed When we were dead he gave vs life when we were buryed in synns he raysed vs and hath made himself our Harbinger going before to prepare a place for vs at the right hand as his father with him III. O Iesu is it possible that I should 〈◊〉 Companion to thee in Glorie who hast been so farre from consorting with thee in thy will and commandment O vnspeakable love ô vnconceivable Goodnes I wretched synner not worthy to lift vp my eyes to heaven with thee in the heavenly places ô Charitie exceeding all thought ô Mercy with out bound or measure What can I say of myself but that I am worthy of all confusion and thou preparest Glorie for me I have nothing to say for myself but that I have synned Blessed be thy infinite Mercyes towards me and blessed be thou with the Father holy Ghost for ever and ever Amen Our Saviours going downe to limbus Patrum I. NO sooner had our Saviour given vp his blessed Ghost but troopes of Angels who wayted against that houre attended him as after his victorie in the desert and accoÌ„panied his glorious soule towards limbus PatruÌ„ with songs and hymnes farre more full of lubilee then that which they sung at his nativitie The infernall fiends hovvled and roared at the arrivall of his forerunners commanding them to avoyde but much more at his glorious and triumphant presnce shining brighter then the sunne at noone day and more resplendent then all the heavenly hoast togeather Here they were forced to adore his glorified soule who had refused due homage at first to thier Creatour when themselves might have been in glorie by one act of humble dutie what a corrasive was this to them VVhat a document to vs VVhat comfort to the iust that had been confined so long to darknes novv to see so much light approching II. But he appearing in the midst of them and saluting them with the like salutation as aftervvards his Apostles Pax vobis what exultation VVhat Jubilee was there VVhat wellcomes on all sides VVhat congratulations tovvards him in regard of his victorie Tovvards themselves in regard of thier speedy releasement And if he appeared vnto them with his glorious body also as many affirme what admiration VVhat acts of compassion VVhat wondering that he would retaine the marks of his wounds What are these wounds in the midst of thy hands sayd Zacharie the Prophâ—t and he ansvvered these I received in the house of them that loved me And David remembred that prophecying he had sayed they have digged into my hands and feete and have numbred all my bones S. Ihon Baptist most ioyfull of any repeated his wonted saying Behold the lambe of God behold who taketh away the synne of the world and hath born the smart of it vpon his ovvne shoulders And all generally from Adam to the good thiefe extolled his mercies and novv not only vnderstood of what they had beeÌ„ a figure but gave him the ioy of having fullfilled all to his greater glorie III. Our Saviour also tooke particular content to see them all at once who had been subservient to the mysteries which he had accomplished and congratulated the iust for concurring with his graces tovvards the preserving of thier iustice and with the penitent for having recourse to his mercyes with those who had suffered persecution torments and death for his love and lavv for thier fidelitie and constancie giving them all novv with more feeling to vnderstand hovv wei bestovved was all that which they had done or suffered in the world and hovv greate mercy it was that they persevered to the end among so many millions who fayled and that they were not overvvhelmed in the deluge of synne but preserved in that of his sacred blood
boate and you shall find they did so and now they were not able to draw the net for the multitude of fishes It is very profitable sayth S. Prosper for a man to obey the commandment of God though he vnderstands not the reason of the coÌ„mand because God by commanding makes whatever he commands to be profitable And we have the more reason to submit with our examining because we are of ourselves Children and consequently ignorant and we are his Children and if passion doe any thing sway that makes night which othervvise would not hinder VVhen this night is over and the light of reason hath scope to appeare then we discover on which side to cast our net and that before we were wrong obeying brings abundance both of meâ—t and successe III The dâ—sciple therfore whom Iesus loved sayed to Peeter it is our Lord Simon Peeter hearing that it is our Lord girded his coate vnto him and cast himself into the sea but the other disciples came in the boate drawing the net of fishes The elder some times may learne by the yonger The tendernes also of his love might make him râ—flect the sooner yet Peetâ—r as more fervent ventured further and cast himself among the waves which as signifying the world he was to governe and â—hevved that novv he neither feared nor refused any troble for his Saviour Thâ— others came dragging their net to shew as S. Bernard discourseth thâ—t even the Elect come not without difficultie out of the depth to heavâ—nly illustrations Inlighâ—en me svveete Jesus with the clearnes of internall light aâ—d drive all darknes from the closet of my hart Th. a Kemp. l. 3. c. 23. n. 8. Our Saviour appeareth to some of his Disciples while they were fishing II. PART I. VVHen they came on land they saw coloâ— of fire lying and fish layed vpon them and bread Iefus sayed to them bâ—ing of the fishes which you have now caught Simon Peeter went a board and drew the net to lâ—nd full of greate fishes one hundred fiftie and three and though they were so many the net was not broken God of little things as wâ—il as of greate makes vse to shevv his povver and it is hard to say in which he is more to be admired His bountie and goodnes tovvards vs in them is no lesse we need the little as much as the greate and here wâ— may reflect that in this his happy state he not only kept companie with people of mean condition as before but accoÌ„modated himself to their kind of fare not of necessitie but for example and incouragement besides that the My sterie of Christs passion is againe represented in the fish vpon the coles though with this difference that the Apostles presented him hony with it and he them with bread because in this life we must more seeke solide vertue as our chiefe sustâ—nance then comfort even in our most spirituall actions There also the fish was allready broyled as signifiing his passion that was past here it is vpon the coles because here we must expect to suffer II. Therfore also he bids them bring of the fishes which they had then caught to wit to be added to the fiâ—h allready vpon the coles to make vp their meale to signifie that we must not think because our Saviour hath suffered for vs therfore we need not suffer but ours must be added to his ours of themselves are not sufficient as fish â—ot dressed is not meate for man but qualified by the sufferings of our Saviout and vnited with his they are a gratefull Sacrifice to him and to vs very meritorious Therfore Peeter went joyfully and readyly a board to draâ—v the net and though it were full loaded it was not broken because â—od adds strength to a willing mind though weake of itself and not able of itself to go through II. Iesus sayed to them come dine and nene of them durst aske him who art thou knowing that it was our Lord and Iesus came and tooke bread and gave it them and fiâ—h in like manner Here we may see the vncertainty with which in this life we must be content to wit to knovv and not to knovv many things which doe very neâ—â—ely concerne our saluation or our progresse in vertue c. and satisfie ourselves in some things with beleefe in others with probabilities and not be over curious in inquiring but reverence that which we cannot or ought not dive into This humble dispositioÌ„ doth invite our Saviour to come the more familiarly and to give vs that which we dare not aske bread of solide comfort and strength together with what ever affliction we suffer for him or as for him S. Gregorie more over doth put vs in mind by occasion of this meale with his seven disciples that they only are admitted to the eternall refection who here are replenished with the seven gifts of the holy Ghost Begge them by the intercession of these seven disciples My Lord my God I am thy poorest servant and contemptible worme of the earth much poorer and more contemptible then I knovv or dare say Thâ—â— Kemp. l. 3. c. 3. n. 6. Our Saviours question to S. Peeter thrice repeated I. VVHen they had dined Iesus sayed to Simon Peeter simon lovest thou me more then theseâ— He sayth to him yea Lord thou knowest that I love thee he sayth to him feed my lambs He sayth to him againe Simon lovest thou met He sayth to him yea Lord thou knowest that I love thee He sayth to him feed my lambs He sayth to him the third time Simon lovest â—hou mâ—t â—eeter was grieved because he sayed to him the third time lovest thou me And sayed to him Lord thou knowest all things thou knowest that I love thee He sayed to him feed my sheepe A triple confession is required for his triple deniall that his tongue might not be lesse pliable to love then it had been to feare or imminent death have forced from him more expressions then life novv present And reflect with S. Ihon Chrysostome that he doth noâ— so much as mention his deniall or any way touch vpon it much lesse cast it in his dish but puts him in mind what is chiefly required of those who preteÌ„d to follow our Saviour neerest to wit love of God and of our neighbour in no ordinarie degree for hovv can it be ordinarie specially in those who are to governe if it must be more then that of the rest of the Apostles S. Ihon not excepted That which most of all doth gaine vs the love of God is the love of our neighbour and to lay dovvne our life for one another which we offer sometimes with S. Peeter to lay dovvne for our Saviour II. Beare no grudge feed greate and little that is be obsequious to them go to them and doe not expect that they should come to thee He that sayth he is in light and hateth his brother is yet
and by true contrition we cast the divell out of our harts we speake with nevv tongues not excusing but confessing our falts though we suffer evill suggestions they doe vs no hurt because we instantly cast them of as S. Paul did the viper This strife this contention and solicitude is troblesome and daÌ„gerous to infirme nature but by beliefe and confidence in the goodnes of God we shall find his and his servants hand vpon vs to protect vs and strengthen vs. Temptations are to man oftimes very profitable though troblesome c. Thomas â— Kemp. l. 1. c. 13. n. 2. Our Saviour appeares to his disciples in Galilee and els where I. OVr Saviour in the forty dayes after his resurrection which passed before his Ascension appeared severall times to his disciples confirming by many testimonies that he was truly risen and teaching them the things belonging to his kingdome which is the Church militant and triumphant and among other things he sayed vnto them All power is given me in heaven and on â—arth and behold I am with you all dayes to the end of the world Adore and submit to our Saviours povver so vniversall ioying that not only as God he is omnipotent but as man he hath all povver also given him to iudge and to revvard and to assiste and to mediate From whence the Apostle doth dravv this argument of confidence who is he that shall condemne Christ Iesus that died yâ—â— that is risen who is on the right hand of God who also maketh intercession for vs. And with all consider how short all human povver is never all in one and that which is is ever many wayes confined and vncertaine to continue His is in heaven and earth eternall commanding both visible and invisible outward and invvard and where he pleaseth nothing can risist whervpon he once vpon good ground gave vs this item Yea I say vnto you fearâ— him II. But here he treates more of mercy for after he had willed them to preach to all nations teaching them to observâ— all his commandments he promiseth them his continuall assistance to the end of the world Behold I am with you c. as if he should have sayed as S Prosper doe not feare therfore by reason of your infirmitie but confide in my power which is allvvayes present invisibly though my person be not visible to you He is with all to assist them with his grace though with his Apostles he is more particularly by reason of their charge All dayes that is at all times both of comfort and affliction to the end of the world never weary never forsaking and most of all assisting in the end of their lives those who have been faythfull to him or with penitent hart have recourse to his mercyes When Iesus is present all is good and nothing seemes hard III. They which were present asked him Lord wilt thâ—â— at this time restore the kingdome of Israel And he sayed vnto them it is not for you to know the times and seasons which the father hath put in his owne power but yee shall receive the vertue of the holy Ghost and be witnesses to me to the vtmost of the earth See here thy ovvne weaknesse who never so often put in mind of heavenly things inclinest still to thy wonted conceits and affections and imperfections as if nothing had been sayed or done It is not any temporall kingdome or commoditie of this world at which thou must ayme but the kingdome of the other world â—either is it for every body to knovv whether he be worthy of it noâ— the time and season of parting hence vnto it but we must attend to our taske that is by good life â—â—cording to the prescripts of our Saviour witnes that we are his disciples and of his flock if we beare this marke we shall be admitted when time is which God of his goodnes grant Christ Assenssion 1. PART I. OUr Saviour having pitched vpon a day for his Ascension appointed his Apostles and disciples to meeâ—e vpon mount Oliveâ— of which meeting probably the Apostle speakes when he sayth he vvas seen to above â—iue handerd brethren togeather and invisibly had many thousands of Angâ—ls wayting on him besides the blessed â—ompanie of Patriarchs and Prophets and all the just of the old restament in which companie he approching we may easily imagin with what joy and reverence he was received by them and with what expectation of what he would doe or say some admiring his maiesticall presence others his blessed wounds others recording what had passed in his passion and comparing his sayings with the event and hovv from that Mount he went once trivmphant to Hierusalem all the people crying OsaÌ„na and accompanying him strovving boughs and thier garments in the way and novv not fearing any nevv mischance wished and hoped for the like triumph and that he would declare himself king of Israël Prayse God as the Apostles did at that time vvith loude voyce calling to mind all his wonderous works and say Blessed art thou vvho comest king in the name of God Peace in heaven and glorie in the highest II. Our Saviour after he had saluted them and thanked them for thier love and respect towards him sayed these are the vvords vvhich I spake to you vvhen I vvas 〈◊〉 vvith you that all things must needs be fullfilled which are written in the law of Moyses and the Prophets and the Psalmes of me Then he opened thier vnderstanding that they might vnderstand the Scriptures and he sayed to them that so it is witten and so it behoved Christ to suffer and to rise agayne from the dead the third day and penance to be preached in his name and remission of synnes to all nations beginning from Hierusalem If in our Saviour all things were necessarily to be fullfilled hovv can we expect reward vnlesse we fullfill our dutie and his commands If it behoved him to suffer before he could rise to glorie let vs not think to escape all suffering if we pretend to glorie but apply ourselves to doe penance for our synns that we may have remission nothing of this world is gayned with out some hardship and what is all that is in this world compared to the glorie which we aâ—e promised The Patriaâ—chs and the Prophets as they were figures and foretellers of these his sufferings so did they suffer also themselves and we must incourage ourselves by the example of those who have gone befoâ—â— vs. Hâ—â—c suâ—t verba these are the words of truth itself which cannot deceive nor be deceived III. And lifting vp his hands he blessed them and while he blessed them he departed from them and was caâ—yed iâ—to heaven Begge paâ—te of this blessing that thou mayst fullfill his sayings and follow him in time as now in thought He was caryed into heaven by his owne power having no need of assistance of Angel or Cloude though these did thier dutie
depart not in his love he leaveth not vs but we die leaving him Othervvise so long as we live he inviteth vs and worketh vs to his love desiring nothing more then that his love and ours should be Eternall III. O svveete Eternitie O strong and never fayling but ever loving Eternitie VVhat can a mortall and ever fading creature doe in requitall of such immortall love Of mortall to immortall of temporall to Eternall of man to God what comparison is there Betvvixt such bitternes as we offer him and such infinite svveetenes of love with which he inviteth expecteth and receiveth vs betvvixt such weakenes of affection on our parte and such infinite strength on his what equaliâ—ie may be expected Ours lyeth dead a long time before it begin his ever liveth with out beginning ours when it beginneth to live languisheth yet betvvixt life and death and staggereth oft whether it shall choose to live by loving him or die by leaving him though the difference betvvixt such a loving life and such a hatefull death be infinite his lasteth and liveth never decaying never wavâ—ting never fayling but allvvayes follovving and persuing vs till our dying day when both life and love must either live our die Eternally O love Eternall The first means to perpetuate our love to God by desires that our love had been eternall I. IT is not possible that our love should be eternall without beginning for our life is not with out beginning as there was a time in which we were not so there was a time in which we could not love 〈◊〉 was no time in which God was not he 〈…〉 time and before all time he loved vs VVhat shall we doe in recompense of this love Let vs at least stretch forth the armes of our soule which are our desires and fervently wish our love had been eternall without beginning shall we wish we were God For nothing is eternall with out beginning but God perhaps nothing can be so eternall but God alone But it is the propertie of love not to consider whether the things be possible which it desireth or not possible it is sufficient if affection be satisfyed in doing all that it can doe and in desiring a greate deale more then it shall be ever able to effect And even these impossible desires as they are pleasing to men when expressed by some outvvard signe because by them we see the harts of those that doe affect vs much more are they pleasing to God to whom all harts are open and who doth not measure our love so much by the shevv of the worke as by the poyse of the affection if the worke be not wanting when there is means to performe it let vs therfore wish that our love had no beginning but had been eternall as God not only in himself but also in his love tovvards vs is eternall God is more loved then vnderstood sayth Hugo Victorinus love entreth where knovvledge stands with out O that I could from all Eternitie have been with God and loved him Eternally as 〈◊〉 deserveth II. Let vs wish againe that at least from the first instant of our Conception we had been so happy as to have no sooner begun to be then begun to love that infinite goodnes by whom we had our beginning For as all gifts when they deserve least doe yet deserve we should love the giver this being of ours being the beginning of all other gifts even then deserved our love and if it had been possible for vs we should have presently turned our harts to God and as S. Ihon Baptist not long after his conception in presence of our Lord have leaped for ioy and love at the voyce of our creatour commanding vs to bee For even then he did greate things vnto vs and things most worthy of his povverfull hand when out of his infinite love he made vs capable of loving him That which was wanting then let vs supply novv and with inflamed affection love him the more fervently the more time hath been spent before We began to love him III. O Blessed Virgen Mother of the eternal lovel thrice happy doe I account thee though it were but for this alone that even when thou weret in thy Mothers wombe thou didst more perfectly love the giver of thy life then did ever pure humane creature love him in most perfect yeares were it not possible for vs novv to supply this want which we find in ourselves of love tovvards thy loving Sonne VVe may I hope by thy assistance and by conioyning our love with thyne not only love him from the beginning of our life but from the beginning of both thy life and love and restore him not only as many yeares as are past of our love but in recompense of former losses give all those yeares which betvvixt this and that time in which thou first didst begin to live thou didst spend in his love Therfore humbly trusting in thy favour but what doe I say I feate I am too bold Noe. Thy love doth beare it his love deserveth it all love requireth it I humbly conioyne my love and life with thyne that this little drop of my love being drovvned in that sea of thyne and both made but one life and love as a drop is made one with the liquor into which it is infused I may love him as he deserveth noâ— only as soone but before I began to be O blessed coniunction Thou didst desire that thy love had been Eternall to make it such thou didst ioyne it with the love of thy blessed Sonne and Eternally with him thou desiredst and beganst to love him My love therfore being novv one with thyne and thyne one with his all three make but one eternall love which triple knot of love God of his infinite goodnes ever please to continue Amen The miserie of most men bewayled and the happines of younger yeares I. THe happy coniunction which we may make of our love with the love of God and of our blessed Ladie may be an exceeding comfort to vs farre greater comfort would it have been if besides the condition of being but in time there had been no further distance But alas Hovv often besides have we made a breach of love betvvixt vs and God we were no sooner Masters of our love but we began to wast it lavishly as the prodigall child did his substance in a farre country from God cleaving in affection to the husks of his Creatures which the swine doe eate the externall appearance of the things of this world in which worldlings doe delight For they never enter by consideration into the substance of things created to feed thier soules with the goodnes and mercy and wisdome and povver and other infinite perfections of God who made them neither doe they consider to what end they were made to wit to incite vs and help vs the more to his love but as the psalmist speaketh like a horse or a mule who have no
leaving thier malice they may beleeve in thee ô Lord Therfore he picked out a choosen people to shevv his wonderous povvre more signally to all the world by them that hearing all his precepts they should say behold a wise and vnderstanding people a greate nation Therfore he came himself and tooke flesh vpon him to satisfie for the synnes of everre one of vs and to give vs example of obedience to the lavv of God which he came to promulgate and aftervvards sent his Apostles and thier successours into the whole world with commandment to preach the Ghospell to every creature testifying that with the like assistance he will be with us to the end of the world II. To this vniversalitie belongeth the sweetnes of the lavv of Grace and the easynes by which we may come to the remission of our synns and to saluation for what ceremonie could be instituted more easy then that of baptisme VVhat means of remissioÌ„ of synns aftervvards committed more indulgent then that of private confessionâ— For whatever people ill disposed may think of it if an earthly Prince had appointed such a way of pardon for crimes committed who would not runn vnto it And this not once or tvvice but ten thousand thousand times to be had and in fine as oft as we shall have offended and when ever we will have recourse vnto it after never so long delayes or relapses VVhat shall I say of the helps internall by remorse and inspiration and externall by exhortation and example of which in the Church of God there is continuall succession and abundance what of the presence of our blessed Saviour in the Sacrament continually as it were wayting vpon vs and by it inviting vs. and puting vs in mind of our duty tovvards him That he would be in every Countrey Church attending vs is no small token of his vniversall love tovvards vs refusing no body neither rich nor poore nor lame nor blind nor the most noylomest creature that we can imagin Come to me allyee that labour and are burdened and I will refresh yee III. That he refuseth no synner though never so greate is particularly to be pondered as a signe of the vâ—niversalitie of his love of which though we see dayly example the Apostle testifyeth it in himself extolling this grace and giving speciall thanks that though before he was a blasphemer and a persecutour and contumelious in his thoughts and speeches tovvards Christ our Saviour yet he received mercy Ponder the hardnes which naturally we find among men to forgive offenses and compare it with what we experience in God and be confounded at thy ingratitude have recourse to his mercyes inlarge thy haâ—t in hope and confideÌ„ce and give not way to thoughts of diffidence for if thy synns be as scarlet they shall be whitened as snow and if they be as red as crimson they shall be white like wooll He gave vnto Salomon latitude of hart as the sand which is on the sea shore but what is this compared with the largenes of thy mercyes my God ready to forgive more offenses then there be sands on the shore and to receive into thy armes more offenders then the whole world is capable of One drop of thy pretious blood was capable to satisfie for millions of worlds what a sea then of mercyes hath all humane kind offered vnto it by thee my God to plunge and cleanse itself to the full O let me not be vngratefull Amen The love of God towards vs is vniversal because to every one in particular I. THis is testifyed vnto vs by the Apostle when magnifying the grace received by Christ he sayth I live in the fayth of the Sonne of God who loved me and delivered himself for me And is seconded by ovr Saviour to S. Gertrude saying Behold thou seest how for thy love I did once hang vpon the Crosse naked contemptible disjoynted in every member and wounded in every part of my body and yet to this very day my haâ—t is so sweetely affected towards thee by love that if it were convenient for thy good and that thou couldst not othervvise get to heaven I would for thee alone suffer all that which I suffered then for the whole world O my God! what am I in particular that thou shouldest thus lovingly expresse thyself Or what doth my particular import thee that thou shouldst be so tender of me O that I had the loves of all in particular to bestovv vpon thee who deservest all Blessed is he that vnderstandeth what it is to love Iesus c. II. That which our Saviour sayed to S. Bridget expresseth an other degree of latitude in this love for thus he is recorded to have spoken My love tovvards mankind is novv as greate and as incomprehensible as it was at the time of my passion And if it were convenient that I should die as many deaths as there be damned souleâ— in hell I would most willingly and with the greatest love that may be deliver my body to be tormented and would suffer the same death and passion againe for ech soule in particular which I indured for all This infinite charitie seemeth strange to men who measure the perfections of God by thier ovvne imperfection But the heavenly wisedome pronunced rightly of him Thou loâ— vest all the things which are and hatest nothing of that which thou hast made neither hast thou ordayned or made any thing hating it In so much that the very damned soules are punished though excessively yet beneath the desert of synne and hovvever he be a rigorous judge yet he desiâ—eth that in the later day he might find nothing to be punished for which end he gives vs day to repent to the very last and so many means to blot out synne and the remaynders of it III. To this end he reserved the blessed marks of his sacred wounds even in his glorifyed body that we should â—â—nd as it were so many gates layed open to his mercyes and that these might be a never dying memoriall of his paâ—t and future love both to vs to excite vs and to his heavenly Father with our further words to plead for vs for though neither he nor his heavenly father doe need incitements to love vs or remembrances not being subject to forget or to forgo thier ovvne loving natures yet out of thier superabundant goodnes they would that these marks should be reserved more efficatious to assvvage thier anger against synne then could the rayne bovv be against a second diluge O Blessed wounds layed wide open for my sake it seemes by you that the divine soule of my Saviour had more love for me then the earthen vessell of his body could contayne O that my soule were capable to receive the remaynder I did runne in the way of thy commandments when thou didst dilate my hart sayed they holy Proâ—het supply it with thy ardent affection stretch it to all
thy commands that as there was nothing which thou refusedst for the love of me so there may be nothing at which I may shrinke which ought to be done suffered for the love of thee Amen How we may imitate the vniversalitie of the love of God I. PART I. THe vniversalitie of the love of God may be imitated first by loving and esteeming all that he loveth and esteemeth and disesteeming and hating all that he disesteemeth and hateth To which we must indeavour to attayne by continuall mortification and inure ourselves not to affect things which deserve not our affection that is all earthly things so farr as they have not connection with his service vsing them meerely as instruments to doe him service and othervvise wholy neglecting them and making no account of them nor giving them any place in our thoughts or affections which is that to which the Apostle exhorteth vs by his example allwayes bearing about in our body the mortification of Iesus that the life also of Iesus may be manifested in our hodys Hovv came it that some saynts were so perfect and so contemplative because they laboured to mortifie themselves alltogeather from all teâ—rene desires II. How large accordingly this measure of love towards God was in the Apostle himself and in divers other Saints is apparent in thier lives and writings and in some of them we find it expressed not with inke but with the spirit of the living God not written in tables of stone but in the tables carnall of thier hart and body such as may say with the same Apostle from hence forth lâ—t no man be troblesome to me that is let no man think he shall be able to take Christ from myhatt for I beare the marks of our Lord Iesus Christ in my body In which kind S. Francis founder of the Order of friars minors might justly glorie in our Lord for having expressed his love towards God in that strict povertie and perfect renuntiation of all things to the end to give himself by prayer and good works wholy to God Our Saviour testifyed to the world that he was wholy his printing the marks of his sacred passion in his hands feete and side and as it were designing in his body that longitude and latitude and height and deepth of love which was long before ingraven in his soule ô blessed Sainct c. III. Blessed Mother Teresa of Iesus for her exceeding love towards him had a favour not farr inferiour when the saw and felt another Seraphim digging in her hatt with a daâ—t of gold to make way for the incomprehensible greatenes of the love of God towards her and to inlarge her hatt that it might be more capable of love towards him And S. Francis Xavier late Apostle of lapan was also often seen and heard when walking in the garden at home or on his journies abroad he inlarged his garments with both his hands to give scope to the love which burned in his breast or by externall cold to suppress from outvvard shevv the internall fire with which he was excessively inflamed often repearing those words It is enough O Lord it is enough IV. These blessed Saincts and many more had enough of that of which no body can ever have enovgh because though in effect they never had so much but that they desired more and eveÌ„ then when they sayed they had â—nough not content with what they had they enlarged themselves to receive yet more which is a pregnant signe that indeed they had very much VVe that feele not these inflamed desires because we never were throughly possessed by love and none but such caÌ„ ever feele theÌ„ not being able to inlarge our harts into such fervent affections what can we doe lesse then by attentive ponderation of his love and thiers and humble indeavour try whether by often striking the steele of our consideration vpon our stony harts we may at last beate-out some one sparke of of true love which taking in the tinder of our affections and blowne with the most svveete breath of the heavenly spirit may increase into a greater and never quenched fire of love Amen How we may imitate the Vniversalitie of the love of God II. PART I. AN other means of imitating the Vniversalitie of the love of God is by exteÌ„ding it to the love of our Neighbour in that measure as we see God doth to vs and his Saints have done in imitation of him God out of his meere goodnes when we were not gave vs our being and all the good which we have and though we deserve it not continues his goodnes tovvards vs making his sunn which he hath at command rise over good and evill and rayning over just and injust which kind of love he requires we should beare towards others not considering what they deserve but what is sitting for vs to doe to the end to be like God in love tovvards them and therfore also it is sayed the second commandmeÌ„ is like the first because it mâ—st have the conditioâ—s of the first that is as we love God with our whole haâ—t our whole soule our whole vnderstanding and our whole strength so must we imploy all these wholy vpon our Neighbours good not loving him by halfs or coldly and remissely but with much heate of affection solidly constantly couragiously nobly not giving way to what ever opposeth it and imbracing largely whatever may be for his advaÌ„age aÌ„d prosecuting it with our whole streÌ„gth aÌ„d forces II. This vniversitie requireth also that we extend our love â—o all sorts of people to the poore as well as to the rich to the infirme as well as to the strong and the more infirmities we discover in another the more should we be inclined to assist him in imitation of our Saviour who where iniquities did abound gave superabundance of his grace and of S. Paul who out of the largenes of his hart sayed to the Cotinthians who gave him not the best satisfaction our mouth is open to you O Corinthians for your 〈◊〉 instruction our hart is dilated you are not streightened in â—â— And againe to the same Corinthians when I was free from all I made myself a servant of all that I might gayne the more To the weake I became weake that I might gayne the weake to all men I became all things that I might save all III. In conformitie to this love our good God hath not only set a part in his Church those of the Clergy to attend to the help of all sorts of people by administration of the holy Sacraments and of his divne word but hath instituted all sorts of religions both of men and women that those might be houses of refuge for all sorts of humours and that at least by prayer and example others might be benefitted by the most retired the obligation of which vocations is duly to be considered and specially of those who out of an
And it hath been the drift of those saincts who have practised the retayning of the presence of God continually in thier thoughts doing whatever they doe as in his sight with affections to please him in what they can that is ever to doe his will in all things endeavoring to imitate our Saviour in that which he sayed He that sent me is with me and hath not left me alone because the things that please him I doe allwayes say therfore which the wiseman Entring into my house that is into the Closet of my hart and secretest retyrement I will rest with him for in the conversation with him there is no bitternes nor tediousnes in living with him but joy and gladnes Say with the Psalmist one thing aboue all others have I asked of our Lord this will I againe and againe seeke after that I may dwell in the house of our Lord all the daxâ—â— of my life that I may behold the pleasure the delight the sweetnes the beauty of my God Blessed sisters Martha and Mariâ— the one diligent in serving our Saviour the other attentive to heare his words both happy in his loving presence who can expresse the delight and benefit which you reaped by so desirefull a conversation for if by conversing with men we come to knovv them why should we not by conversing with God increase in his knovvledge and consequently in his love for in him there is no danger of discovering imperfection as too too often it happeneth in men How we are to imitate the height of the love of God II. PART I. OVr Saviour vpon his parting with his disciples before his passion gave them command to love one another and styled it anew commandment because thier love was to have the exâ—â—llencies of his love I give you a new commandment that you love one another as I have loved you VVe must therfore love our neighbour before he love vs as hath been sayed yea though it were impossible for him to love vs we must love him though he be vngratefull vnthankfull maliâ—ious tovvards vs we must love him though never so poore and vnable ever to requite our love and this not in words only or bare affection but with reall deeds and services according to our abilitie and ready for more then our abilitie seems able to reach vnto and as the Apostle adviseth we must not be overcome by any evill â—urne but overcome evill with good heaping coles of charitie vpon his head vnquencheable by whatever misdesert II. If we cast our eyes vpon our Saviour we shall moreover see that he was so farre from sparing himself in any thing for vs that he debarred his humane nature from that happines which was from the first instant of his conception due vnto it to the end to suffer for our sakes what is it then for vs to barr ourselves of the contentments of this world for the service of our neighbour S. Ignatius Founder of the Societie of Iesus left a president in this nature above the ordinarie strayne for discoursing of an offer which might be made of dying presently and going directly to heaven to inioy God for ever or of staying still in this world to doe him more service in the way in which he was he sayed that of the tvvo he would choose to stay though vncertain as he was of â—aluation if he might be sure to doe God any whit the more service not doubting but God would have care he should not periâ—h Here certaynly self love was not called to counsell nor slothfull pusillanimitie but perfect love and a true value of that which God deserveth at our hands had taken full possession of that vertuous and loving haâ—t causing him to prefert the service of God before whatever concerned himself though never so important III. The like doth happen in other saints who are so wholy absorpt in the desire and indeavour of helping thier neighbour for God that they wholy forget themselves and live and labour as if they had not bodyes as other men or as if the common infirmities did not worke vpon them such was S. Francis Xavier who passed neither for heate nor cold nor fayre nor foule weather nor stormes at sea nor dangers at land but all was sweete vnto him through the vehemency and sweetnes of his love in so much that he rather desired more and more to suffer that he might be more conformable to his Saviour who had suffered for him IV. O love which in my Saviour weâ—t more strong then death place thyself as a soale or marke vpon my hart that beholding thee I may never forget my dutie to God and to my neighbour for God place thyself as a badgâ— vpon my arme that all my works may carry a resemblancâ— of his love O that thou wert in me as strong as death which overcometh all things high and lovv rich and poore mightie and infirme beautifull and hard favoured noble and ignoble O that thou wert as fast holding as the very gate of Hell which keepeth its prisoners eternally captive Happy were this eternall captivitie for me for though to those who measure all things by sense and â—emporall contentment it would seeme hard indeed to be so toyled as the saints of God have been and a kind of Hell vnto them for those who knovv what it is to love and serve God it is a sweete captivitie and the harder we are held by love the easyer we shall beare the burdens of this life for even in this it is most true that nothing is hard to him that loveth The depth of the love of God I. PART I. THe depth of the love of God appeareth first in that when he had choosen to save vs by means of his eternall Sonne being made man for our sake and the life of that man might have been ordered severall wayes for our benefit he choose the most abiect way of living and the most paynefull and ignominious way of dying to be born of poore parents in an obscure cottage persecuted from his cradle and in the height of his preaching to be circumvented condemned as blasphemer whipped and scourged as a slave crovvned in scorne as an vsurper and crucified betvvixt tvvo theeves as a notorious malefactour This to the Iewes who expected thier messias to be glorious in a worldly way was a scandall and by the Gentills and worldly wise to this day is accounted folly The sensuall man sayth the Apostle perceiveth not the things which are of the spirit of God for its foolishnes to him and be cannot vnderstand because it is spiritually to be examined II. The depth of his love appeareth secondly in the vnsearcheablenes of it in that having vouchsafed to be the scorne of men and outcast of people for our sakes and suffered death for vs and the death of the crosse he would notwithstanding that the finall effect and fruite of all his paynes our eternall saluation
to be subiect to thee the greatest charitie is to conforme myself to thy holy disposall I yeald myself therfore wholy and freely to thee for I will be no more myne owne but thine III. But this in love and â—inceritie I must make bold to tell thee that the lesser my abilitie is or my vertue thyne must be the greater care for I account myself to be but thy instrument in what soever good worke thou art the directour thou art the workman I am as it were the Playne or chisill in thy All-skisfull hand Jf therfore I be blunt or crooked the more is thy payne the more is thy care I in so good a hand cannot but doe well only give me grace not to shrinke out of thy hand but to remayne as thou hast made me for the very remayning will better me the very benefit of thy vsing me in thy service will give me new servour and set a sharper edge on my decayed desires IV. To thee a greate deale more then to me it appertayneth that thy businesse be well done Watch therfore and be carefull and vse me as thou pleasest I know thou doest not vse me because thou needest me but only of thy infinite goodnes for thy glorie and my good as therfore thou art carefull of thy glorie and desirous of my good so carefull art thou and so desirous of my faithfull discharge The tenth Paragraphe I. VVHat more to say I know not not because there is not infinitely more to be sayed of thy infinite goodnes and of my wants but because I know not where well to beginne or when I should end if I should enter any further I feele besids that all finally must be resolved in this that thou must help me thou must instruct me thou must guide me thou must strenghthen me thou must be All in all and I suffer myself in thy hand to be dealt with as thou pleasest I see not what I need greately say more but yeald myself ioyfully to thy disposition and dayly purpose and indeavour by thy grace not to hinder thy worke and seeke to redresse what I may find doth disturbe it II. But alas whether shall I go to seeke Here againe I enter into an other wood and how shall I get out of so many busshes such thorny briars and deep-rooted brambies as I find in my soule well may I be pricked among them with sorrow and griefe well may my soule be rent with affliction but to pull them all away and give thee free passage how shall I doe it It is possible to thee to whom nothing is impossible but for me iâ— is wholy and absolutely impossible III Yet why doe I say it is absolutely impossible I remember a greate servant of thyne was wont to say that if we did but in a whole yeare roote out one only vice we should be quickly perfect O infinite goodnes hast thou so greate patience or is it possible to be so Iâ— is doubtlesse for thou leavest not thy frends to be so fouly deceived as they should be if it were not so Therfore seeing it is so I dare be a little more bold and offer vnto thee my indeavour not every yeare alone but everie month oâ— two to doe the best I can to roote out some one thing that I may find to be a hinderance to thee In which I have this comfort that fighting against one â— I shall certainly together with that one pull vp manie more besids because when I pull at one principall one I shall shake the roots of all that be about it and dependant of it and plucking it out I shall pull the rest with it IV. And not so must Iayme at one but that of all I must have a speciall care O infinite care No I presume if I can sometimes in the day amidest all my trobles recall my mind to thee it will be sufficient thy grace will be ready when at other times busines will not leâ— me be so attentive to thee if when I can I be carefull to accustome myself to think of thee Yet more trust I in thy infinite goodnes that though sometimes I should be so carelesse as not to think vpon thee when there is occasion yet if I be carefull to enter into myself and acknowledge and iudge my offenses though it were but once in a day and bewayle them in thy sight in my secretretirement with purpose of amendment and humble confideÌ„ce in thy grace â— trust I say in thy infinite goodnes thou wilt perdon me for the present and give me plentie of thy grace to be more watchfull over myself an other day and more mindfull of thee my God ever after The eleventh Paragraphe I. BEhold o my love how bold I am with thee how farre I have stretched and strayned thy love thy infinite goodnes Beginning with sorrow that I was not wholy with thee and ending with care that I be not wholy from thee O Creature that I am what can I say other but that it is the propertie of all creatures in this changeable world to be thus subject to change Thoâ— knowest it better then I myself that feele it and smart dayly for it And therfore thou hast patience with me greater then I can many times find in my hart to have with myself and yet alas I have too too much patience or rather Indulgence when I see and say nothing and let myself go so farre that where to find myself I cannoâ— oftimes tell but only that I am sure I am too too farre from thee II. O my God my love Behold I come againe and desire to draw as neere thee now as I was farre gone before I am bold to say so I am bold to doe so because of thy infinite and ever permanent love which cannot be overcome with ten thousand times ten thousand changes of myne in this kind thou lovest me though I leave thee that I may returne vnto thee Thou lovest me when I approch vnto thee that I may be ever more inward with thee love me now for ever that I may ever stay with thee for this is my only desire never more to part from thee III. To this purpose I give myself wholy vnto thee now and for ever This gift of myne I dayly intend to renew till that everlasting day comes when there will be no more renewing because transformed into thee we shall be allwayes new and ever permanently conjoyned in love with thee without decay which that it may quicly be I humbly beseech thee my God my love Amen The twelfe Paragraphe I. O happy day when shall I see thee O everlasting day when shall I injoy thee Too too long be these short and ever decaying dayes the evens of that one day which never fayleth when will they passe Too too many be these changing dayes the fore-running nights of that which never changeth when will they be at an end O end The breake of that
so rechlesse as not to be wholy depending vpon him and wholy at his beck The meditation of the Blessed Virgin the prompt obedience of the wayters but chieflly the glory of God which he only sought did cooperate to this wonder These are the means by which the waters of affliction are turned into wine of comfort and that to them who love God all things doe cooperate to good After the chiefe steward had tasted the water made wine and knew not whence it was but the servants knew that had drawne the water the chiefe steward calleth the bridgroome and sayth to him every man first setteth the good wine and when they have welldrunk then that which is worse but thou hast keept the good wine till now The ioyes of this world begin with defect and want faling short of our expectation and end with greater deceite how many favours doe we receive from God and know not of them chiefely perhaps because we seldome reflect vpon them or doe not looke about vs sufficiently if we had once well â—asted of the wine which our Saviour presents vs we should easyly esteeme all other meane and vnworthy to be rasted His wine lasteth for Eternitie If it were wonderfull to turne water into wine much more is it turne synners into saints and that things which to the world are insiped and cold and dead should be restored to heate and colour and life and tast The Apostles beleeved vpon that one signe we having received so many wonderfull benefits shall we not beleeve Applications of the former Meditations to Blessed Sacrament I. THe Ancient Patriarches in the words of the prophet Esay did with much devorion begge that the heavens would send downe thier dew from above and the clouds raine downs the Iust that the earth vvould open and bring forth a Saviour But here the heavens are allvvayes open for vs to behold the beloved Sonne who sits at the right hand of his Father and in vâ—home he it vvellpleased coming dayly downe in the holy Sacrifice in no lesse humble and meeke manner then when he came to be baptized ô that we had the eyes of S. Ihon to see his inward perfections and worth and glorie How should we cover our faces with the Seraphins And say thou comest to me Thou the eternall sonne of God Creatour and Lord of all things thou the beloved of the Angels Thou in vvhome is all hope of life and strength and pleasure vouchsafest to come thus to me most miserable creatute I have greate reason not only to suffer it now but with all the strength of my soule and body to desire it and to labour to fullfill all justice that I may not be altogether vnworthy but thou ô infinite goodnes infinite mercy infinite compassion and love I have not words to expresse what I thinke nor thoughts to equall thy deserts come notwithstanding sweet Jesus and be a Saviour to me II. O bread of life it is not corporall food that can mayntaine me to eternitie nor all that the world can present though I should be master of all the kingdomes of the vvorld thou alone art the sustenance that must maintaine vs to those long dayes I that am made of earth can hardly think of any thing but of earth aÌ„d earthly commodities thou comest from heaven and vvhat thou hast seen to that thou doest invite vs. Come eate of my bread and drink of the vvine vvhich I have mingled for yee Thy bread is thyself having in thee all that can delight and the svveetnes of every thing that is spvorie thy vvine is thy sacred blood which thou hast thus mercifully and admirably mingled with the outward shape of wine that as it is most comfortable to our soules it should not be distastfull to our bodyes this bread will never feyle vs as Sauls did in his iourney nor this wine as in the mariage feast but the more greedyly we feed the more plenty we shall have of the fruits and effects of it Fill your eyes with teares of sorrow and love and poure out your hart to him for even these he will turne to your eternall comfort and fill them againe with his graces Amen III. Come often and see where he dwelleth how poorely he is content to be lodged for thy sake looke into the Churches where be remayns day and night for thee all that is there is not devotion God wor all is not revetence and respect all is not cleanlynes and decencie and yet he doth not avoyde the roome looke into the soules of the attendance and chiefly into thy owne even when he is received into thy inward roomes how are they swept How are they hung How are they furnished for him and yet he hath patience O blessed Master have mercy on thy Servant give me understanding and teach me thy iustifications I am thy servant that I may know thy testimonies It is time of doing o Lord for they have made voyde thy law Therfore have I loved thy commands above gold and pretious stone c. They who did trafick in the Temple are cast forth I. THe Passeover of the â—ewes was at hand and Iesus went vp the Hierusalem and he found 〈◊〉 the Temple them that sold oxen and sheep and doves and the bankers sitting and when he had made as it were a whip of little cord he cast them all out of the temple the sheep also and the oxen and the money of the banker 〈◊〉 poured ouâ— and the tables he overthrew and to them that sold doves he saved take away these hence and make not the house of my Father a house of marchandise Our Saviour duly kept the feast appointed but it was no smale griefe vnto him to see so little respect to that place which being the house of God should be the house of prayer as he sayed in another such occasion Here he thought fitting moreover to shew his zeale and his power But S. Paulinus recals vs home to ourselves and telleth vs that it is for vs convenient that our Lord Jesus would often visit the temple of our hart with the whip of his holy feare least our soule be possest withsome kind of â—vaâ—ice or the slownes and dullnes of oxen retarde our senses or that we set our owne innocencie or the divine graces to sale c. This is a good zeale to imitate And also as S. Bede advertizeth that seeing he shewed so much zeale in behalfe of that Temple in which such sacrifices of oxen and sheep were offered much rather should we shew zeale where the body of our Lord is consecrated where there is no doubt but that the Angels be allwayes present II. He made at it were a whip of little cord The punishments of this life are but as it were a whip in comparison of the torments of the life to come both in respect of the grievousnes of them and of the continuance Yet seeing
this time forvvard thou shalt be taking men and having brought thier ship to land leaving all things they follovved him Miserable creatures who fall out of the net in which our Saâ—iour hath taken them more miserable those who teare it Happy they who are called and imployed to assist that it be not torne They will be filled with heavenly graces and though they be often ready in a manner to sink vnder the burden they will be relieved in time so that they shall suffer no prejudice Fall downe before our Saviour with admiration and thanks and acknowledgment of thy vnworthynes Peeter doth not aske to be forfaken but that he may not with the successe be puffed vp with pride Leave all things rather then leave thy Saviour c. Second Application to the most blessed Sacrament I. OSonne of the highest o depth of mercy and love I a synfull man and thou not only to receive me into thy ship but into thyself for so are thy words he that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood remayneth in me and I in him O deepth vnsearcheable the life of the fish is to be in water it thinks it death to be in the net and struggles to get out But here is a net out of which no man that is wise will be because the more he is in it the more water he hath and the more scope to doe whatever is fitting to be done His precious wounds are as so many messhes which captivate vs to Christ yet doe let in vnto vs the fountaines of living vvater promised to the devout Samaritan fresh sweete pleasant springing vp to life everlasting in which we may live and drink when ever we will Lord give me the right tast of this vvater that I may not go other where and thirst when I have done I am not worthy to approch vnto thee because I am a synfull man but thou hast ordayned this sea of vvater to the end that plunged in it we should both be cleansed and refreshed and live eternally in thee O that we did knovv how greate a gift this is fall dovvne at his knees and aske he is not sparing of his gifts who so freely and bountifully giveth his owne self vnto thee II. O prodigious bounty O wonderfull dulnes of such as hearing and knowing that Iesus comes thus dovvne from heaven for our reliefe doe not make hast vnto him How insensible are we of our dangers and our diseases we have but one soule which ought to be more deere vnto vs the any Sonne to his father it lyeth gasping oftimes for life and here is life which offereth itself and we are slow in accepting it VVhen a sick person begins to have no heate in his fecte we say he begins to die what are the feete of our soule but our affections If these be not warmed with this fire of love which is our Saviour what can we thinke of ourselves Lord come dovvne before my soule dye O stupiditie of mankind can this Lord of Lords come dovvne lower then he hath done he came into a Virgins wombe into the Crib vnto the Crosse into the jawes of death and yet here he comes lower then in all these into thy bosome into thy breast Go and beleeve and obey readyly his commands and his Angels will meete thee and bring thee the ioyfull tidings of health and thou wilt know that that houre most of all will be the time in which thy feaverish distempers will leave thee III. Be not still asking with Nicodemus in the cold night of thy tepiditie hovv can these things be done But buyld vpon the testimony of our Saviour who speakes vvhat he knovves will be done vpon his word this is my body God so loved the vvorld as to give his only Sonne this sonne hath no lesse love to the world then his father He giveth himself and is dayly giving in this admirable manner noâ— contenting himself to be once only for three and thirtie yeares and vpward vpon earth he will be with vs to the worlds end really present among vs that after-ages need not envy those yeares of his visible appearance having the selfsame Sonne of God here present vnder these visible shapes more vniversally through the whole world and more for our present vse and necessities Exalt him as Moyses did the serpent in the desert Behold him with a devouâ— and loving eye and he will preserve thee Cast out all earthy conceites and tumultuous busineses from the temple of thy hart and make it as it ought to be specially in this coniuncture of time a house of prayer a house of thanksgiving a house of prayse and of magnifying thy loving Saviour who hath done so greate things for thee and this greatest of all that he vouchsafeth to be within thee O invisible creatour of the world how wonderfully doest thou deale with vs how sweetly and graciously with thy elect offering thyself vnto them to be received in this Sacrament His fervourin preaching and divers cures I. ANd they enter into Capharnaum and forth with vpon the Sabboth going into the Synagog he taught them and they were astonied at his doctrine for he taught as having power and not as the Scribes And there was in the Synnagog a man possessed with a vncleane spirit who cryed out what to vs and to thee Iesus of Nazareth art thou come to destroy vs I know who thou art the holy of God And Iesus threatened him saying hold thy peace and go out of the man And the uncleane spirit tearing him and crying out with a lowde voyce went out and did not hurt him And they all marvelled and questioned among themselves what thing is this What is this new doctrine For with power he commandeth the vncleane spirits and they obey And the bruitâ— of him went forth presently through the whole country we have no lesse reason to admire and rejoyce and magnifie his name and his power which he retaynes over all evill spirits and his wonderfull wholsome doctrine and to begge he will ever exercise the same power over them to restrayne thier malice and over vs by the force and vertue of his doctrine to over-power all that may contradict it in vs for we find a law within vs striving against the law of our mind which is reason and vertue and captivating vs vnder the law of synne vnhappy that we are who shall deliver vs But the grace of God by Iesus Christ. This law as it were teareth vs in peeces yet doth not hurt vs vnlesse we voluntarily consent vnto it for it is left in vs not to damnation but for exercise and reward if we fight couragiously II. Going forth of the Synagog they came into the house of Andrew and Simon Simons wifes Mother lay sick of a greate fever and they besought him for her and taking her by the hand he commanded the fever away and it left her and she presently rising ministred vnto them
shall prevayle against it I say vnto thee I whose saying is doing The Keyes which he promiseth signifie wisedome to discerne and power wherby he may refuse the vnworthy and receive the worthy into the Kingdome Buyld confidently vpon this rock submit thyself to these Keyes for our Saviours word and promise cannot fayle Heaven and earth shall passe away but my word shall not passe away Christ foretelleth his Passion I. FRom thence forward he began to shew his Disciples that he must go to Hierusalem and suffer many things from the Scribes and chiefe Priests and â—e Killed and the third day rise againe And Peeter taking him vnto him began to rebuke him saying Lord bee it farre from thee this â—hall not happen to thee who turning sayed to Peeter Go after me Satan thou art a scandal to me because thou savourest not the things that are of God but the things which are of men The more knowledge he imparted to them of his divinitie the more he did inculcate to them that he was to suffer that by the beleefe of his power as God they might be the lesse trobled when they should see him suffer as man but hope as then in his resurrection so ever after in thier owne aflictions for his assistance from above Peeter vnderstood not as yet how these things might stand together and out of his affection to our Saviour and naturall aversion from suffering measured his desires that they might both he happy without suffering Our Saviour ranketh him among the instruments of Satan as withdrawing him 〈…〉 â—ourse which God had appointed and teach 〈…〉 we must not only beleeve that it ought to have 〈…〉 but to find sweetnes in it in regard that it is God 〈◊〉 To whom all things savour as they are and no◠〈…〉 are sayed or esteemed to be he is truly wise and â—aught rather by God then by men II. Then Iesus sayed to his Disciples If any man will come after me let him deny himself and take vp his Crosse and follow me for he that will save his life shall loose it and he that shall loose his life for me shall find it You forbid me to suffer but I say vnto you not only if I doe not suffer it will be hurtfull for you but if you also doe not dye you cannot be saved nor any body els man or woman rich or poore and yet observe that he doth not say vnlesse a man dye whether he will or no but he that will loose his life Now what it is to deny ourselves we may easyly learne if we consider what it is to deny another and who ever by denying himself flyeth synne must labour to increase also in vertue for therfore it is added let him take vp his Crosse and follow me III. For what doth it profit a man if he gaine the whole world and sustaine damage of his soule For the Sonne of man shall come in the glorie of his Father vvith his Angels and then vvill he render to everyone according to his works For we have not another soule to put in place of that which we loose Here thou mayest give teares and almes and fasting There such things will have noe place if differred for the judge jndgeth of thingh past Doest thou feare this kind of death Harken how he promiseth glorie Doest thou feare a Crosse Behold the Angels coming to receive thee And remember that he will render to every one according to his workes there is no acception of Persons rich or poore not the man but the worke is regarded In all things have regard to the end and how thou wilt stand before the severe Judge froâ— whome nothing is hidden Th. a Ke. l 1. c. 24. The seaventh Application to the most Blessed Sacrament I. THe miracle of the five loaves multiplyed so as to serve five thousand people was fore-runner to the mysterie of the most blessed Sacrament admirable in very many things and in this particular that one and the same Body of our Saviour vnder the shapes of bread and wine is distributed in the whole Christian world to millions of people at one and the self same instant oftime and consecrated in millions of places at once by the word of our Saviour pronounced by so many severall Priests but as then our Saviour by his divine power did not make of One loafe many but still multiplyed the same loaves till all were satisfyed and had notwithstanding a remaynder of twelue baskets fâ—ll of the fragments so now by the same divine power he gives vs his self-same body in many pleaces at once and not only while we are actually receiving as the heretiks fayne by their faith but afterwards to be reserved for the occasions of sick and dying people and for the continuall comfort of Christians that as he is ever present to the Church triumphant in heaven so the Châ—rch militant might not want the continuall comfort of his actuall and reall presence with it There be many Priests and in many places Christ is offered that the grace and love of God may appeare so much the more towards men by how much the more this holy communion is spread through the world Thanks be to thee sweete Iesus eternall pastour who hast vouchsafed to refresh vs poore banished people with thy most pretious body and blood II. They who looke no further then naturall reason and ordinarie principles of Philosophie doe lead them will be apt to say in this particular and many others concerning this blessed Sacrament with the Jewes How can this man give vs his flesh to eate And the winds and waves of contrarie arguments will rise so as to indanger to over whelme vs unlesse confident vpon our Saviours woâ—d we tread them vnder foote and doe not suffer our Faith to grow cold and weake in it It is I that say it sayth our Saviour â—e not affrayd to give credit to my word in this more then in any other mysterie of your faith in which you will find full as much contrarietie to human reason as in this if you fall to questioning how can this be So Nicodemus did in the point of baptiâ—meâ— How can theâ—e things be done so did the Arians in the blessed Trinitie How can the Sonne be equally eternall with the Father O thou of little faith werfore didst thou doubâ— And by doubting experience the wind to grow stronger and stronger against thee so as to be ready to sink wheras at first vpon his word thou wert confident and didst walke without feate Lord save me that I may not perish with the incredulous III. I am not worthy ô Lord to partake of this bread of Angels it were enough for me to stand a looâ—e and feed vpon the crumbs which fall from the table of that heavenly court But â— the goodnes and greatnes of our Saviour not content to feed vs with the comfort of holy Scriptures nor wiâ—â—
the day he stumbleth not because he seeth the light of the world but if he walke in the night he stumbleth because the light is not in him See the love of our Saviour for our good he doth not stick to venture his life and in structeth his followers to confide in God who is the true light of the world and walking vnder his protection even that which others may think amisse cannot be to vs amisse for to them that love God all things cooperate to good God governes the houres of the day and every thing that happeÌ„s in them vpon this his providence having allwayes our eye we shall not stumble They who consider not this as they ought doe ever walke in darknes and are diversly perplexed according to the diversitie of accidents which must needs befall theÌ„ in this world which is all in chaÌ„ges III. After this he sayth to them Lazarus our frend sleepeth but I go that I may rayse him froÌ„ sleepe His disciples sayed Lord if he sleepe he shall be safe but Iesus spake of his death theÌ„ therfore he sayed playnely to them Lazarus is dead And I am glad for your sake that you may beleeve because I was not there but let vs go to him Thomas sayed to his coÌ„diâ—iples let vs go also aÌ„d die with him first father Adam brought death vpon vs Christ our Saviour coming into this world tooke away even the name of death A blessed sleepe which brings vs rest and quiet of which the psalmist sayth Pretious in the sight of our Lord is the death of his saints Consider the difference betwixt the iust and vniust To the vniust death is eternall because though they rise againe it is not to life but to a new and vvorse death the death of the iust is properly a sleepe because they rise refreshed and to a better life then before they slept thus we shall sleepe if vve be his frends Lazarus our frend sleepeth here by contemplation and love there by cleare vision and imbracings here vve must not think that our sleepe is to be continuall it is his vvill that vve be raysed from it at convenient times for his glorie in other respects he comes to rayse vs vvhen the course of our vocation calls vs to other duties the vvhich we must obey readily and lovingly knowing that it is the voyce of our beloved that calleth vs. if thus we sleepe we are safe And if vve be vvholy dead to the world we have the more reason to be glad because we shall find that to be true which vve beleeved and that Christ will not forsake vs being imitatours of his death Blessed is he that can with harty and effectuall desire say let vs go and die with him The raysing of Lazarus II. PART I. IEsus therfore same and found him now having been foure dayes in the grave And many of the Iewes were come to Martha and Marie to confort them concerning their brother Martha therfore when she heard that Iesus was come went to meet him but Marie sat at home It is a mysticall senee of holy Fathers that Iesus when he came into this world found mankind four thousand yeares bâ—ryed in the stinking grave of synne and there lying without sense of feeling of that which might concerne the soule and vvithout motion towards it Blesse our Saviour that at last for the glorie of God aÌ„d to the end vve should more palpably see the necessitie and vertue of grace he came himself to rayse vs. S. Augustin more over sayth that the first day of our buriall in synne is vvhen vve first consent the second when by not repenting quickly we come to have an itching desire to commit it againe and againe and take pleasure in it the third day when we grow into custome the forth day when custome brings vpon vs a kind of necessitie of doing ill and it seemes vnto vs that vve cannot avoyde it VVe must watch chiefly towards the beginning of temptations for then out enemie is more easyly overcome VVe may find many that vvill go about to comfort vs not taking the right way but vve must harken out Iesus and make hast with Martha to meete him for in him alone is our redresse II. Martha sayed to Iesus Lord if thou hadst been here my brother had not dyed But now also I know that what things that shalt aske of God God will give thee Iesus sayed to her Thy Brother shall rise againe Martha sayth to him I know he shall rise in the resurrection in the last day Iesus sayeth to her I am the resurrection and life he that beleeveth in me though he be dead shall live and every one that liveth and beleeveth in me shall not die for ever Beleevest thou this She sayth to him yea Lord I have beleaved that thou art Christ the sonne of God that art come into the world If Iesus be with thee no enemie can hurt thee Our chiefe care must be not to loose him yet if we doe chance to loose him we know that he is mercyfull and will not the death of a synner but that he live by repeÌ„taÌ„ce returning againe vnto him VVe shall all rise againe in the last day but in the dayes of this life vve must labour the more that by good works we may make sure our vocation and election He is the sourse and means to life and resurrection every one that beleeveth in him and liveth accordingly though he dye in body shall live happily here by grace there by glorie This vve beleeve because he himself the sonne of God hath taught it vs. III. Having sayed these things she went and called Marie her syster secretly saying the master is come and calleth thee she when she heard riseth quickly and cometh to him The lewes who were with her when they saw her rise quickly and go forth followed her saying that she goeth to the grave to weepe there Marie when she was come where Iesus was seeing him fell at his feete and sayed to him Lord if thou hadst been here my brother had not dyed Marke the expressions of love towards our Saviour â—he rose quickly and came as sudainly she fell at his feete where first she had received pardon and loving intertaynment she expresseth her beleefe and confidence that if he had been present he vvould have eased her of that crosse Yet neither she nor her syster doe require of him that he vvould rayse their brother to life either esteeming it too greate a request or thinking that it might best as it vvas or that if he thought it better he would have compassion of their very teares without other expression In fine however it should happen it was a comfort above all comforts to have him present vvhich thou must indeavour to make also thy comfort and say what can the whole world affoord me vvithout Iesus The raysing of Lazarus III PART I. IEsus therfore when he saw her
This must be our study and profession in this life to mayntaine the beauty and due proportion of this image which we beare that our vnderstandings and our wills be not blurred with things vnbeseeming God claymes it as his due He hath put his owne stampe vpon vs which can never be razed quite out so long as we have a soule it will be found to be the image of God however it be vsed III. That day the Saducees came to him who say there is no resurrection and asked whose wife shall she be that had seven husbands Iesus sayed to them you erre not knowning the scriptures nor the power of God for in the resurrection neither shall they mary nor be maried but are as the Angles of â—od in heaven And concerning the resurrection have you not heard that of God saying I am the God of Abraham and of Isaac and of Iacob He is not God of the dead but of the living These men had the Scriptures but had not the right vnderstanding of them because in the reading of them they did not take with them the right rule of vnderstanding them which is tradition and humble submission to approved authoritie they also doe erre not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God who condemne in this life those who doe not mary or doe vow virginitie which state notwithstanding being approved by our Saviour himself hath by all ancient Fathers and continuall practise of the Church been esteemed an Angelicall life vpon earth In like manner is prayer to saints a holy practise for they are not to be esteemed as dead but living and knowing much more by the power of God then by nature they could and more powerfull to doe good then ever they were in this life however strange things God was pleased to worke by them even here on earth The greate Commandment I. THe Pharisees hearing that he had put the Saducees to silence came together and one of them a doctour of the law asked him tempting him Master which is the greate commandment in the law Iesus sayed to him Thou shalt love the Lord thy God from thy whole hart and with thy whole soule and with thy whole mind This is the greatest and first commandment It is the first and greatest commandment because first in order of promulgation first in dignitie by reason of the person whom we are commanded to love first also in perfection because love is the chiefe of our passions and placed vpon so noble an object doth greately innoble a soule it is the greatest because it comprehends all other vertues and draweth them after it aÌ„d vpon it dependeth our whole good and salvation and in regard of the greatenes of God and his infinite deserving to be loved it requireth that no part of vs be vacant from being imployed in his love our whole hart and affection our whole soule and invention our whole mind and application must be to his love Iâ— And the second is like to this Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy self On these two commandments dependeth the whole law and Prophets Our Saviour answered the doctour more then he demanded and put him in mind that he was not to aske such questions by way of tempting but doe what the law prescribeth that is doe by others as we would be done by Love thy neighbour as thyself This commandment is like the former because we must love our neighbour also in his degree with our whole hart and soule and mind and not suffer hatred to possesse the least part of vs It is like the first because as we love God for himself so must we love our neighbour not for our owne sakes but for his and for God It is like the first because vpon this as vpon the other depends our salvation and that of S. Jhon is very true He that loveth not his brother whom he seeth God whom he seeth not how can he love III. Then Iesus spake to the multitude and to his disciples saying vpon the Chayre of Moyses have sitten the Scribes and Pharisees all things therfore whatever they shall say vnto you observe yee and doe yee but according to their works doe yee not for they say and doe not To shew vs how truly and how sincerly we are to practise the love of our neighbour by this document he giveth vs to vnderstand that however he misliked the proceeding of the Pharisees and often reprehended them sharpely yet he had care of their honourand authoritie and held with them so farre as was reason He teacheth vs also not to carpe at superiours being men as others and subiect to be misled for in what their authoritie leads them in order to the instruction of others God hath so much providence over every body that he doth particularly assist them besides that every one is more apt to say then to doe well The Pharisees sayeth S. Augustin did that in their life which was their owne but an others that is moyseses chayre did not suffer them to teach what was their owne They benefited many by teaching that which they did not but they would have benefited farre more if they had done what they taught Sonne he that indeavoureth to withdraw himself from obedience withdraweth himself from grace The fifteenth Application to the most Blessed Sacrament I. GEntils desired to see our Saviour S. Philip and S. Andrew were their mediatours and brought them to his sight if we follow the conduct of the Apostle and Apostolicall men teaching what they have received from hand to hand we shall be able to see our Saviour really present in the most Blessed Sacrament and how that graine of wheate comes to die from what it was and to be transsubstantiated into the body of Christ by the powerfull word of our Saviour This is my body This word a multitude of misbeleevers will have to signifie otherwise then it is taken by holy Church but as our Saviour concerning the voyce which came from heaven declared that it was neither thunder nor an Angel that spake but a voyce for our sake so this word by which the Sacrament is perfected he commands should for our sake be spoken in his Church and that done by it which he then did at his last supper in perpetuall remembrance or commemoration of him and of his death for our sake so that as he then did really give his Apostles what he sayed This is my Body so their descendents who are commanded to doe the same thing which he did doe really consecrate and give the same body by vertue of the same words of our Saviour By this the name aÌ„d power and love of our Saviour is glorified to the end of the world For what a poore thing had it been to have left only bread and wine for a memorie of him and of his vnspeakable love in dying for our sakes But leaving himself vnder these shapes and leaving himself so as by the consecration of them
a part one from the other the separation of his body and blood at his death is plainly signified is truly a very admirable thing worthy of his former greatnesses and able to draw the harts of all after him by consideration of his love II. We need no other light to see this truth then the cleare word of our Saviour yet we have also the consent of all ages the practise of all Christians the authoritie of all the devoutest and learnedest men in the whole world who are acknowledged by all to have been lights of the world we have infinite miracles which to discredit were to belye the eyes of a world of people Let vs walke in this light and the darknes in which some are by sticking over much to their owne phancie and naturall discourses will not overtake vs we must walke from humane apprehensions to the power of God to the love of our Saviour to the eternall wisedome to the infallible veritie of his word walking thus we shall not walke vpon vncertainties not knowing whiter we go but as obedient and dutifull Children of God we shall admire his works and submit our thoughts vnto him and gratefully receive the benefit bestowed vpon vs. Thou must beware of curious and vnprofitable searching into this most profound Sacrament if thou wilt not be drouned in the deepth of doubtfullnes III. But besides humble beleefe and profound adoration of this blessed mysterie we must have the wedding garment of Charitie being invited and admitted to so greate a feast in which all things are ready to our hand and to so incomparable a mariage as is the coniunction of our Saviour to our soule and body VVho would not desire this mariage who would not indeavour to make himself worthy Cast of the thoughts for the present of farme and marchandise and what ever other thing and delay not thy coming with frivolous excuses the bad and the good were admitted the perfect and imperfect neither had that one man been reiected if he had conserved the puritie with which he was admitted or if he crept in without that puritie he was the more iustly punished as daring to aproch to so greate a mysterie without that which himself could not but know to be necessarie VVhen I weigh thy dignitie ô Lord and my vilenes I doe greatly tremble and am confounded within myself for if I doe not aproch I fly life if I thrust myself it vnworthily I doe offend Signes of the coming of our Saviour I. PART I. IEsus being gone out of the temple went and his disciples came to shew him the buyldings of the temple And he sayed to them doe you see all these things Amen say to you there shall not be left here a stone vpon a stone that shall not be destroyed The ruine of Hierusalem was a figure of the ruine of the world that city was glorious in buylding and specially the Temple yet for the abuses committed it came to vtter destruction The buyldings which men had buylt stood for a time Holynes which God had ordayned was neglected Doe you see all these things of this world They all passe away if nothing els concurre to their destruction time itself alone will ruine them if you will buyld for eternitie you must buyld in your soules a buylding of vertues these be stones which may be allwayes conserved Humilitie and patience and resignation and contempt of worldly pelse in the foundation fortitude and courage and resolution and magnanimitie in the walls Constancie and perseverance and prayer aÌ„d contemplation in the roofe Charitie and beneficence the love of God and of our neighbour through the whole buylding from the bottome to the top for this is the bond of perfection and without it we are nothing as the Apostle professeth of himself These be stones that is hard to sense and worldly humours but once polished by the example of our Saviour they become smooth and so beautifull in their postures that it is a pleasure to others to behold them and a constant content to them that have them II. And when he was siting vpon mount Olivet the disciples came to him secretly saying Tell vs when these things shall be and what shall be the signe of thy coming and of the consummation of the world Iesus answering sayed beware that no man seduce you for many shall come in my name saying I am Christ and they shall seduce many you shall heare warres and bruites of warres see that you be not trobled for these things must be done but the end is not yet Nation shall rise against nation and Kingdome against Kingdome and there shall be pestilences and famins and earthquakes in places And these things are the beginning of sorrowes Our Saviour having spoken of the ruine of the Temple his disciples imagined that the world would be quickly at an end and would fayne have knowne some further signe He to vndeceive them first exhorts them to coâ—stancie in their faith and that whatever doe happen they stick to him as their only true Master They will have many assalts in that kind many inward doubts many outward temptations many that will say why not thus and thus Contrarie to what is really true and solide but beware and follow not the many seduced but keepe yourselves to this one Christ one Lord and Master by whom are all things Then he foretells them of the severall accidents and miseries which will happen in the world by warre and famine by pestilence and the like to the end they should not be trobled VVhen such things happen but conceive of them as disposed by the providence of God for triall of the iust or permitted to the malice of men as the beginning of their forrowes who are cause of vniust quarrells and vniust dealing It is good for vs that some time we have some greevances and contratieties because oftimes they recall a man home to his hart III. Then shall they deliver you into tribulation and shall kill you and you shall be odious to all nations for my names sake and then many shall be scandalized and they shall deliver vp one another and they shall hate one another and many false Prophets shall rise and shall seduce many and because iniquitie shall abound the Charitie of many shall wax cold but he that shall persever to the end shall be saved Besides all other accidents which are matter of patience he foretells them that they shall be persecuted directly for their faith and doctrine and vertuous life and followed even to death because they are his which is matter of greate comfort and reioycing For as S. Peter tells vs if doing well you bâ—â—re patiently this is thanke before God soe we must be farre from wondering or sorrowing if we chance to be haâ—ed doing well or betrayed by whom we least mistrust much farther from suffering our charitie to wax cold vpon it but rather bend our bow the more against
the knowledge and vnderstanding though not without feruent acts of the will and resolution Contemplation hath more of the acts of the will imploying itself vpon things already known II. From the morning till Mid-day the sunne is in continuall motion yet still sending forth its beames with heate proportioned to the height in which it is At noone it resteth in a manner and hath doble the heate which at other times it had So must our soules endeavour to mouÌ„t vp by degrees to contemplation and be still increasing till we arrive to that posture of altitude to which God shall be pleased to rayse vs in this life then we must not think that we are licensed to decline againe but be rising still as to another world better and in which are things stranger and more admirable then in this It being therfore our ayme in this life to coÌ„e as neere the happines of the other as we can and that happines consisting in the perfect knowledge and love and fruition of God we must be continually vsing means to come neerer and neerer to that fruition beginning it here soe farre as is possible III. The practise of Meditation is the high way to it yet as travellers cannot so continually walke but that they must have their resting places to refreth themselves and gather new strength and those resting places are so farâ—e from hindering their journey that they doe much advance it so in this our spirituall journey besides Meditaeion by which we increase in knowledge and besides those heates which that knowledge breedeth still carrying vs along with good purposes and actions sureable if we take vp our rest now and then at some principall station we shall find so much refreshment that we shall not so much feele the wearynes which oftimes may come vpon vs in our journey as be lightened as after an houres or a nights rest and be fresher then when we first set forth IV. According therfore to the seven dayes of the weeke I have disgested seven resting places or Seates wherin siting downe without much discourse we may looke vpon our beloved in them and take that content and profit which may be for our advaucemeÌ„ut for as a green field sowed all through with severall Kinds of flowers doth recreate the eye and refresh the brayne without labour and if there be varietie of hills and plaiâ—es about it it is the more pleasing so will the sight of our beloved delight our soules and refresh our wearyed vnderstanding and the severall positions in which we find him may make the sight of him the more delightfull not that he is not allwayes exceeding delightfull but because severall people are of severall humours and the same partie is not allwayes of the same and varietie doth naturally both please and ease vs for which cause also that which is here set downe at every station or seate may serve as a short declaration of the intent of this discourse but is no wayes meant as a paterne for any body to follow much lesse to consine himself vnto for as vpon a ground in musick severall artists doe make severall Kinds of division and the same man doth varie as his phancie leads him much more doth the holy Ghost in every body suggest diversitie of loving expressions towards the beloved of our soules of whome he is the infinite love O Blessed spirit allwayes one and allwayes manifold being one I beseech thee by thy many graces to that one love of my Saviour which I ought only to have that being one vvith him in this life I may inioy him in the life to come with the many whose multitude being but one hart and one soule cannot divide me from him but increase my love towards him by their never divided affection to him Amen The first Seate the Seate of Puritie I HIs seate of Puritie is in the armes of the blessed Virgin his mother for she was immaculate from the first instant of her Conception and did not only preserve but increase that Puritie to her dying day that of the Canticles being verifyed in her Thou art all beautifull my love and there is no spot in thee And againe How beautifull art thou and how comely my deerest in delights Or spirituall delicacies bestowed vpon thee Salomon is reported to have made for himself a greate throne of Ivoris and to have adorned it with the finest gold there was not such a thrâ—ne in all the kingdomes of the world Our Saviour did no lesse for our Blessed Lady adorning her puritie with all kind of vertues and chiefly with as much charitie and love towards her blessed sonne as could be found among Creatures and there was not such a creature not only in the world below but not in the kingdome of heaven itself Admire this Puritie with the Angels and say Who is this that cometh forth and advanceth as the aawning of the day when it first riseth fayre as the moone choosen and cleare as the sunne This is the bed and seate of the true Salomon which threescore valiant men doe compasse of the most valiant of Israel to defend it from the beginning to the end from all incursions of whatever enemie she is beautifull and sweete and comely as the heavenly Hierusalem and there is not a cittizen of it among vs that is to be compared to her How truly might she say of herself my soule doth magnifie our Lord and my spirit exult in God my Saviour because he hath done greate things for me even he that is powerfull for if there be any greatenes in heaven or earth it is to be found in her in measure incomparable The moone is fayre but not fayrer then shee the lilly is white but not whiter then shee as a lilly among thornes so my love among the daughters All are but as thornes to her If thou knowest it not by reason of thy humilitie o fayrest of women go forth after the foote steps of all the companies of heaven and earth and thou wilt find that neither Cherubins nor Seraphins not Principalities nor dominations nor any of the quires of Angels or Saints will contend with thee but reverence thee and admire thee and love thee as a well ordered armie of all excellencies within thyself How beautifull are thy marches o daughter of a Prince And mother of the Prince of Princes II. But as a tree is much more beautifull when it hath the proper fruite hanging on it and a vine when it is full of ripe bunches of grapes so is the blessed Virgin with her blessed sonne in her armes A sonne who alone is to her as a thousand sonnes having all the perfections in him of which the world is capable A sonne who did nothing prejudice her puritie but raysed it to a value inestimable the remayning a perpetuall Virgin both before and after he was borne and in conceiving him A sonne who beautified her soule as the sunne doth