man is composed and compacted by so much more difficulty and violently is he dissolved hence it appeareth that the separation of my body and soule was more painfull than the death of others Also my blessed flesh by how much more it was freer from all spot or blemish of sin by so much also it became more sensible of torments Now concerning my Spirituall martyrdome which I suffered in my Soule as I said before unto thee it began at such time as I was first conceived in the wombe of my mother or that my Soule was infused into my body and continued without intermission 33. yeeres and a halfe till such time as my Soule was separated from my body upon the Crosse. So as I became a Martyr even in the Wombe of my Mother Wherfore I was not so much as one moment without the most bitter martyrdome of my Spirit Because whatsoever I suffered in the Night when I was taken or the Day following when I was slaine in mocking reviling spitting nayling and stretching upon the Crosse c. This throughly and wholly my most holy Soule long before suffered But thou art especially to consider that those dolorous piercing darts of the Virgin my blessed mother became the excessivest Object of my sorrowes who having a tender and respective eye to all my dolours in perfect Charity as became the condition of her motherly excellency so much grieved for my sorrowes as was sitting for such a woman to grieve And all the sorrowes of my Mother continually wounded my mind So as my Mothers Crosse ministred unto mee a new Crosse. Another Object of my continuall sorrow was all those martyrdomes which were at any time done or to bee done upon any of mine Elect for me So as in very truth I say unto thee that all those paines griefes tribulations persecutions and miseries which any man was to suffer or should suffer aswell in body as in soule from Adam even to the very last man that shall bee borne to the end of the World all these I suffered alwayes in my Soule must fully and through my compassion they did more hurt me and more sharply grieve me than any mans corporall paine which hee actually suffereth ever personally did And there are two causes which give sufficient testimony of the truth hereof One is because I in the glasse or mirrour of my Divinity did behold all things created and to bee created things past present and to come which were to me present And I from the very first instant of the infusion of my Soule into my Body began alwayes to observe till such time as I gave up my Ghost upon the Crosse all the paines which I was to endure and whatsoever all my Elect from the beginning of the world had at any time suffered and such as being not yet borne were to suffer even to the end of the world all this I suffered in the inferiour faculties of my Soule And in each of these was I more inwardly and grievously tormented in my Spirit than any one could be in his owne proper body at such time as hee is to suffer tortures or torments Another cause which procured so great paine in my Spirit was abundant love For love begetteth griefe and heavinesse in the spirit So as by how much thy love towards me was more intensive or greater by so much more is thy soule tormented with my Death and Passion And because I have alwaies and above comparison loved thee and every man more than hee can love himselfe therefore have I suffered greater paine than all that which any one hath ever suffered upon earth or was to suffer or shall suffer to the end of the world Thou knowest that when Paul had consented to the death and stoning of Stephen and did persecute Christians I said unto him Saul Why persecutest thou me And yet he persecuted not me in my owne proper person but in the persons of my beloved friends because what good or evill soever befalleth my friends befalleâ—h me And this proceedeth from the great love which I beare unto men Thus therefore maist thou consider how and by what meanes my Passion exceeded in paine the passions of all that ever suffered or shall suffer because I suffered both in my Body and Soule and that immaculate and by nature delicate and for so long time to wit for thirty foure yeeres did I suffer martyrdom in my Spirit both for my selfe and all my Elect. Laurence in one night was broyled on a gridiron Bartholomew in one day was slaine Katherine in one houre was broken on a Wheele c. All these tortures never hurt any one of them so much in their owne bodies as they tormented me in my Soule for thirty foure yeeres Whence Isay Truly he hath suffered for our infirmities and borne our sorrowes And therefore I could never laugh but often weepe appearing as one of forty yeeres when I was scarce thirty Which came to passe by reason of the continuall Justice which I incessantly bore for my Passion that was to come and the suffering of my Elect which I alwaies clearly beheld and painfully suffered by strength of imagination Whereupon I oftimes said unto my Father Many are my grones and my heart is sorrowfull To thee likewise doe I say that thou maist bee moved with compassion and affection towards mee that my life is waxen old with heavinesse and my yeeres with mourning Sinner Surely O my good Jesu as I have heard and understood no conceit can sufficiently apprehend the depth of those anguishes and sorrowes of thy most holy Soule nor griefes and passions of thy Body But a very deepe question doth trouble my mind to wit how heavinesse paine or anguish could befall thy blessed soule seeing it was alwaies in great joy through Contemplation of thy Divinitie which was so amiable to behold that if the damned in Hell could but behold the amiable countenance of God as the blessed Spirits doe in the Kingdome of Heaven they could bee tormented by no griefe nor heavinesse either by the fire of hell or sight of the Devils in hell Christ. It is true that my pure and blessed soule was glorified albeit my Body was mortall For my Soule from the very instant of her conception and ever after even when I was upon the Crosse was as glorious and in as great joy and delight in respect of her superiour faculties as she is at this day in heaven sitting at the right hand of God my Father But in respect of her inferiour faculties she was in a continuall and incessant heavinesse and sorrow for the causes aforesaid Which could not bee by course or order of Nature that in one and the selfe-same soule together and at once there should be so great joy and so great heavinesse for this was miraculous and supernaturall Because according to the course of nature joy and delight doe expell sorrow and griefe so as they cannot suffer together in one and the
fulfill thee throughout that Where sin hath abounded grace likewise may superabound Yet I would beloved I would be trusted I would with sighs and teares be intreated than which no sweeter melody can unto me be tendred Sinner O my crucified JESU I know I am dearer to thee than I am to my selfe for to thee I am alwayes deare who as it is written Lovest all things that are and hatest nothing of those which thou hast made But man is not alwaies equally deare to himselfe as he is unro thee because hee that loveth iniquity hateth his ownâ— soule Christ. This have I shewn in the continuall sorrowes of my whole cruâ—ified life For I received the Crosse of my Passion in the Womb of my mother and continually bore it in my heart and confirmed it with much austerity in my body So as that I might purposely shew the unmeasurablenesse of the sorrowes of my soule my finall passion then approaching it was my will to sweat blood thorow all my members and that which lay hid as a secret of my crucifying from the wombe of my Mother with sensible signes to reveale to my faithfull ones which seemed fittest to be at my passage and poinâ— of death Sinner I conceive my good JESU how in that bloudy sweat with which thou wert deep-died and engrained in all thy members thy blessed soule wholly suffered because it is whole in every part of the body yea and the very life of the body But tell me what thou requirest of me for so great anguish continually sustained for me Christ. Onely to love me againe For to this end have I suffered my passion that I might purchase thy affection Sinner Surely most worthy art thou to bee loved because thou art good in thy selfe and none good but God alone And because thou art the Lord delivering from the power and slavery of the Devill And because thou art God forgiving sinnes which none forgiveth but God alone And because thou lovest those that love thee Whence it is that thou sayest I love those that love mee And because thou hearest those that begge of thee whence one saith I have loved the Lord because hee will heare mee Thou also as the peace of charity comming into the world to warme and inflame the cold and lukewarme hast said I came that they might have life to wit the life of grace in this life and more abundantly to wit of glory in the life to come Christ. Surely there is nothing which may so inflame the fire of Gods love in thy heart as a continuall consideration and meditation of this speech of mine I came that they might have life and that more abundantly And of that much like unto this So God loved the world as he gave his onely begotten Sonne Sinner Truly wretched and miserable is hee in whose heart the fire of love is not kindled when hee considereth these things wherein the Charity of God hath chiefly appeared But ô thou only begotten of God suffer not my heart to bee so frozen or benummed with this icy congelation but rather through thy mercy in the remembrance of these thy Words like Snow melting by the heat of the Sunne let me say with that princely Prophet My heart is become as melting wax Christ. Humane impiety before the time of my passion tooke occasion of being unthankfull For man being created but not as then redeemed said I am no more bound to God than other creatures be For he spake the word and I was made hee hath bestowed no more labour on me than any other brute creature But now the mouth of these that speak wickedly is stopped and no place now is left for unthankfulnesse For I have laboured more in the sole redemption of man than in the whole frame and fabrick of the World For of a Master I became a servant of Rich poore of Immortall mortall of the Word flesh of the Sonne of God the son of man I suffered reproaches of such as upbraided me I suffered underminers in my Works contradicters in my Words scorners in my Woes necessities of the flesh horrour of death ignominy of the Crosse. Sinner O how admirable was this love What shall I render to my Lord for all his sorrowes Christ. If thou recall to mind how great things the Lord of Majesty the Sonne of God suffered for thee though thou shouldâ—t dye a thousand deaths yet wert thou not equally sufficient to answer me for the estimate of so great a benefit exceedeth all meanes of requitall Sinner As thou best knowest how much I owe unto thee the Lord of glory who subjectedst thy self to death for me that I might enjoy that happinesse which neither eye hath seene nor eare hath heard recount unto me I beseech thee the reasons which caused that most dolorous paine in thy most holy soule For thou saidst right now that in the wombe of thy blessed Mother thou receivedst the Crosse of thy Passion and bore it continually to the houre of thy dissolution Christ. To this end that thou mightst by affection compassion become an acceptable sacrifice unto God wholly inflamed with the fire of Charity all the rust and rubbish of sin being consumed and wasted Consider diligently with a lively heart how I suffred a double Martyrdome one in my body another in my soule or Spirit As touching the Martyrdome of my Body consider that there was never the suffering of any martyr so sharp so painfull that it might be compared with my suffering which I will prove unto thee by authority by signe by reason First by authority For I my selfe crying out of the greatnesse of my sorrows said O all yee who passe by this way consider and see if ever there were sorrow like unto my sorrow as if I should have said there was never any Secondly by Signe Forasmuch as there were never so many Signes seene in the Martyrdome of any as at my Passion implying the sharpnesse and painfulnesse of it to wit When the Sunne was darkned the Earth moved c. As if by the dolorous clamours of my passion they had conceived a sense of devout compassion bemoning me the Son of God hanging on the Crosse. For it was not in the creature to indure the injury done to the Creatour Wherein wicked and obdurate hearts are justly reproved who will not be wrought to compassion nor softned with a pious devotion in the remembrance of my death Thirdly I prove unto thee the bitternesse of my passion by reason Forasmuch as my complexion was most excellent both by reason of the incorruption of my flesh as also by reason of the most proportionable union or mixture of the Elementary qualities For I tooke corruptible flesh of the Virgin for the freeing of all Originall sinne that is of inordinate concupiscence Now to such a complexion was required comelinesse of beauty and strength of body Because therefore by how much more proportionable the union is of those Elements and qualities whereof
A SPIRITVAL SPICERIE Containing Sundrie sweet Tractates of Devotion and Piety By RI. BRATHWAIT Esq. Cant. c. 1. 12. c. 5. 13. My Welbeloved is as a bundle of Myrrhe unto mee he shall lye betweene my brests His cheekes are as a bed of Spices LONDON Printed by I. H. for George Hutton at his shop within Turning stile in Holborne 1638. TO THE TRVLY ENNOBLED THOMAS LORD FAUCONBERGE Baron of YAROM Together With his pious Progeny those succeeding Branches of a prospering Family R. B. Zealously Dedicates this Spirituall Spicerie Vpon the translation of his Divine Dialogue TO you my Lord who knowes th' Originall This may seeme fruitlesse yet these sacred flowres Like a Bride-posie at a Nuptiall May tender choice content to some of yours Which blest effect would crowne this Worke of ours That we should be so happy as to give Where we do love RULES how to dye and live Which for his Sake we aske that is our Saviour That we may live in 's feare dye in his favour A TITLE-TABLE Or Short Summarie of all such Tractates Meditations Prayers Contemplations and Motives to Piety as are comprised within this SPIRITUALL SPICERIE A Divine Dialogue or a comfortable Conference betwixt our Saviour and a Sinner with the Life of GRâ—YTRODIUS the Author Professant of a strict disciplinary Order Page 1. A familiar Expostulation of the Flesh to GOD the Father touching Câ—RIST pag. 53. An Answer of the Father to the Flesh. p. 61. A pithy Meditation upon this Expostulation and Answer to inflame the Soule with a devout fervour p. 65. Generall Rules of living well p. 69. The Sorrowfull Soules Solace p. 82. A Meditation referring to the former Ejaculation p. 93. Mans-Mutability p. 95. Minds-Traâ—quillity pag. 103. A Meâ—itation containing the praise of Peace and her Beautie p. 109. Christian Philosophy p. 113 The Soules Jubilee p. 121. The Christian Store-house p. 144. Man his owne Foe p. 153. Two devout Prayers or Meditations of F. Lewis of Granado p. 164. 167. A short and fruitfull Confession of a Sinner unto God for obtaining Contrition p. 179. A Confession of Sinnes p. 183. A Prayer before the holy Communion p. 187. A Prayer after celebration of the holy Communion p. 190. An other Prayer p. 193. A Prayer for all Judges and Justiciaries p. 196. A Prayer for peace or tranquillity of minde p. 201. Of the presence of the Conscience in every place p. 206. A Pithy Consideration inforcing in us to the former Subject a more serious Meditation p. 209. A Closing Sonnet upon these Miscellane Meditations p. 223. A Reply to a rigid Precisian rendring him in a sententions Sapphicke of the Poet all satisfaction p. 226. A Christian Diall which may serve well to shadow out our houres number our dayes direct our wayes contract our yeares and regulate our desires p. 228. The Life of Ioannes Lanspergius a Carthusian Author of that Christian Diall p. 230. A briefe institution with an Exerâ—ise for an happie deaâ—h expressed in a familiar Conference betwixt God and the Soule Wholesome Admonitions teaching a Christian how to dye well p. 252. An Exercise whereby â—arely or whensoever thou willest thou maist poure out thy heart unto God for a good death p. 257. An Oblation of Christ and his meriâ—s to his Father p. 261. The Dying mans Diary or a Christians Memento mori divided into a five dayes Exercise p. 264. Profitable Counsell for one approaching neare the point of death p. 265. An Exercise wherein the sicke person with sighes and groanes may resigne himselfe unto God and â—ervently desire that he may deserve to be joyned unto him p. 270. A Christians Last-will or Testament containing a Protestation or Testament not unprofitable to be repeated or meditated of every Christian at the point of death p. 281. An Elegie of Saint Dionysius of the judgement of death p. 288. An Epistle of Ludovious Blosius written to an especiall friend upon the perfecting and publishing of his Worke entituled The Parlour of the Soule p. 290. Certaine choice or Select Sayings of D. Henricus Suso of the love of the World and of the love of God p. 304. Of the Passion of our Lord. p. 309. Of the holy Eucharist p. 313. Of resigning denying and mortifying ones selfe p. 316. The Passionateâ— Pilgrim Breathing a Contemplative Mans Exercise offâ—ring a Pâ—nitent Soules Sacrifice p. 325. Deaths Memoriall p. 336. Deaths distinction p. 343. Holy Memorialls or Heavenly Memento's p. 345. Of his Conception Memoriall I. ibid. Of his Birth Memoriall II. p. 352. Of his Childhood Memoriall III. p. 360. Of his Youth Memoriall IV. p. 367. Of his Manhood Memoriall V. p. 375. Of his Age. Memoriall VI. p. 383. His Pleasures Memoriall VII p. 395. His Labours Memoriall VIII p. 406. His Life Memoriall IX p. 417. His Death Memoriall X. p. 443. THE LIFE Of JACOBUS GRUYTRODIUS Author of this Divine Dialogue Or Christian Manuall faithfully rendred according to the Originall IACOBUS GRUYTRODIUS a German a man singularly versed divine and humane Learning And opposite in constancy of opinion and consonancie of doctrine to those surreptitious Errours of the Time who as hee had commendably passed his youth in the Liberall Sciences so hee consecrated and happily bestowed the residue of his time to the honour of God in a devout privacie having his pen ever vers'd in Works of devotion and piety never in arguments of division or controversy He lived in the yeare M. CCCC.LXXII A Divine Dialogue Or A Comfortable Conference betwixt our SAVIOUR and a SINNER Sinner PArdon mee I beseech thee my most gracious Lord Jesu CHRIST thy most unworthy and unhappy Servant desirous to talke a while with thee and of thee Christ. Why Who art thou Sinner A sinfull man who unhappily and rashly have fallen into the misery and filthinesse of sundry sinnes and much more unhappily am ready to fall into eternall misery and calamity after the end of this life Christ. Thou needest not feare this fearfull fall if thou wilt but doe so much as truly repent thee of thy sinnes committed and henceforth abstaine from those sinnes whereof thou hast repented For I most tender in my compassion towards thee out of meere love descended from the royall Throne of mine high glory to unmeasurable dolour and anxiety all which I willingly suffered in my flesh in my mind in my members and senses to the end that I might deliver thee from the eternall torments of hell and bestow on thee the joy of Heaven Doubt nothing therefore touching thine offences I will forget them all so thou forget thine evill affection and depraved custome I will forget I say and blot out thine iniquity and as farre distant as the East is from the West so farre will I divide thee from thy sinne I will cleanse thee Neither will I cease till I
Devout Prayers Or Meditations of F. Lewis of Granado gathered forth of his Meditations in Spanish and heereto annexed God forbid that I should rejoyce but in the Crosse of our Lord Iesus Christ whereby the world is crucified to me and I unto the world Gal. 6. 14. To Christ Crucified WEe adore thee O Lord Jesu Christ and blesse thy holy Name for that thou hast redeemed the world by this thy Crosse. Wee give thankes to thee most gracious Saviour for that thou hast so highly loved us and cleansed us by thy bloud from our sinnes as likewise for that thou hast offered thy selfe upon the Crosse for us that with the most sweet smell of this thy most noble Sacrifice inflamed with the fire of thy love thou mightst reconcile GOD to us and procure our peace with him Blessed bee thou for ever O Saviour of the World O Reconciler of men repairer of Angels Restorer of Heaven Triumpher over Hell Conquerour of the Devill Authour of life Destroyer of Death and Redeemer of them who sate in darknesse and shadow of Death To the sacred mystery of the Crosse by JESUS Sanctified And to JESUS who was on it crucified O Crosse thou drawest hearts more powerfully unto thee than the Adamant doth Ironâ— Thou more clearly enlightnest our minds than the Sunne doth mens eyes Thou more vehemently inflamest our soules than fire doth coales Wherefore O most holy Crosse draw mee unto thee powerfully enlighten mee continually inflame mee vehemently and vigorously that my mind and cogitation may never depart from thee Thou also my good JESU illuminate the eyes of my soule that in this Crosse I may understand how to behold thee to wit that I may not onely contemplate those extreme sorrowes which thou sufferedst for my sake and take compassion of them but that I may also know that the examples of those many and excellent Vertues which thou heere exhibitedst were to mee recommended that they might by mee be imitated Wherefore O thou Teacher of the World O thou Physician of our soules here doe I come to the foot of thy Crosse she wing my wounds and sores unto thee heale mee O my God and prescribe mee what I should doe I acknowledge and confesse O Lord that I am vehemently addicted to sensuall affections and too great a Lover of my selfe which selfe-love I perceive hindereth much my spiritual profit and proficience So as being oft-times ensnared either with my pleasures and delights or deterred with the labour of fasting I lose the benefit of pious and devout exercises with the losse whereof my salvation likewise is endangered This sensuality of mine is to mee very tedious very grievous for truly it desires at set houres to feast daintily and delicatly it desires after dinners and suppers to solace it selfe in discourses and delights likewise to take the ayre walke in gardens and arbours alwayes affecting one recreation or other but teach thou mee O Lord by thy example what I ought to doe O with what confusion with what shame doe I conceive my selfe to bee cloathed so often as I behold after what sort thou entertainedst that most delicate and most tender body of thine In the midst of those anguishes and dolours of thy most bitter death thou ministredst to it no other repast nor receit than that which was confectioned of gall and vinegar by those cruell and hatefull Apothecaries And at that time whose tongue I pray thee durst complaine of thy meat that it was eyther cold or raw and ill dressed or too quickly or slowly dished upon sight of that Table spread O Lord for thee in that thy so great necessity In stead of delights and discourses which I seeke in my Suppers and banquets thou hadst the voyces of them who with moving and mowing and wagging their heads derided and blasphemed thee saying Hey thou that destroyest the Temple and buildest it in three dayes This was the musick this the harmony of thy banquet Likewise when thou stuckst nailed hand and foot upon the Crosse this was thy walking into the Garden For albeit thou hadst another garden wherto thou retiredst after supper yet was it not to walke in but to pray in not to refresh thee but to shed thy bloud not to delight thee but to grieve sorrow and bee in the agony of death What shall I say more of the rest of those refreshments of thy blessed flesh My flesh requireth a soft bed a pretious weed spacious and specious houses but tell thou mee O my holy Love what an one might be thy chamber What thy house What thy garment Thy garment is nakednesse and thy purple the habit of derision Thy house is to bee conversant in publike assemblies exposed to the distemperatures of Sunne and ayre and if I seeke for any house of thine besides this it is a stable for beasts Foxes have their holes and the Sparrowes of heaven their nests But thou the Creator and Maker of all things hast not whereon to lay thine head O yee curiosities and superfluities how comes it to passe that there is any place left for you among Christians Either let us cease to be Christians or let us cast from us all these delights and superfluities seeing our Lord and Master hath not only cast from him those things which were superfluous but even those things also which were necessary Now it remaineth Lord that I see what a Chamber thou hast Tell mee O sweet Lord where it is that thou lyest where thou sleepest at noone I lay mee downe here at thy feet teach mee what I ought to doe For this my sensuality will not well relish a Sermon of thy Crosse. I desire a bed soft and sweet and if I awake at Prayer time yet doe I suffer my selfe easily to bee overcome by sloth I expect likewise a morning slumber that I may get rest for my head But tell mee O Lord what rest thou hadst upon that bed of thy Crosse. When as leaning on the one side thou wert wearied how couldst thou rest thee on the other side that thou mightst bee eased May not thine heart here burst May not all thy sensuality here dye O solace to the poore O shame to the rich O strength to the penitent O condemnation to the soft and delicate Neither is JESUS CHRISTS bed for you nor his glory for you O Lord give mee grace that after thy example I may subdue and kill my sensuality but if not I beseech thee that even this very moment thou wouldst take my life from mee For it is not reasonable nor tolerable that thou shouldst bee fed upon the Crosse both with Gall and Vinegar and I seek after delights and most exquisite dainties Nor that thou shouldst â—ee so poore and naked and I with such earnestnes hunt aâ—ter worldly riches and so wretchedly love and affect them Nor that thou shouldst have a Crosse for thy couch and I seeke
Amen Of the presence of the Conscience in every place Gathered out of Saint Bernards Meditations Cap. XIII I Cannot conceale my sinnes because whither soever I goe my Conscience is with mee carrying with her whatsoever I have laid up in her bee it good or evill Shee keepes for mee living shee renders to mee dying whatsoever shee hath received from mee to bee laid up in her or kept by her If I doe well shee is present or if I seeme to doe well and thence become proud shee is present likewise Shee is present with mee living shee followes mee dying every where is there inseparable confusion for mee according to the quality of that which is laid up in my Conscience by me Thus thus in mine owne house and from mine owne family have I accusers witnesses Judges and tormentors My Conscience doth accuse mee my memory is a witnesse against mee Reason is my Judge Will my Prison Feare my Tormentor delight my torment For so many as there have beene of evill delights so many there shall bee of sharpe and painfull torments for thence are wee punished whence wee are delighted A consideration right pithy profitable and proper to inforce in us a more serious Meditation of the former WHither then wilt thou fly O miserable soule or where wilt thou make thy retire Neither to the East nor to the West nor to the desart Mountaines Fly thou maist but escape thou canst not Woe is mee what a day of terror will that bee when thou shalt finde no place to secure thee no friend to speake for thee no meanes to reprive thee all to reprove thee none to relieve thee When Adam must bee brought from his bushes and Sarah from behind the doore and man shall say to his Conscience â—s Ahab said to Elias Hast thou found mee O mine Enemyâ— Poore guilty soule though â—hou shouldst fly from the Field to the City from the â—ity to thy House from thy House to thy Chamber yet wouldst thou finde no rest For there even there where â—he wals inclose thee privacie seemes to secure thee the Curtaines of the Night to obscure thee yet there will thy surcharged Conscience accuse thee thy Memory witnesse against thee the rule of Reason judge thee thy Will imprison thee Feare torture thee Delight torment thee Miserable Creature where pleasure becomes a torture delight a torment Alas if thou hadst none without thee to hunt thee thou hast one within thee will haunt thee afflict thee affright thee though none should pursue thee The wicked flee when none pursueth O cast thine eye upon thy selfe and see if thou bee not one of this number What hast thou done during thy wayâ—aring in this vale of misery that might deserve the least drop of Gods mercy What sinnefull motion hast thou not admitted what sensuall action not committed what spirituall direction not omitted Behold thy state in sin conceived by sinne deceived and into Satans family received Thou hast surâ—eted in the delights of sinne and estranged thy thoughts from the joyes of Sion Thou hadst rather enjoy the pleasures of sinne for a season and to the slavery of sense subject the Principality of reason than by contempt of Earth lay thee a sure foundation in heaven Miserable soule what will become of thee when these earthly joyes shall bee taken from thee when these time-suting friends which seeme to love thee shall leave thee and by reason of that corrupt shell wherein thou sojournest shall loath thee When left to thy selfe and through anguish of spirit well neare bereft thy selfe thou shâ—lt call for comfort but none will come neare thee for one of thy many friâ—nds but none will heare thee for one minutes rest but none will ease thee for the least hope of comfort but none will cheere thee Where canst thou looke and not finde new objects of grieâ—e If to Heaven see how thy sinnes have incensed it if to Earth see how thy example hath defil'd it if to Hell see how thy sinnes purchase hath deserved it What hast thou to plead for thee What succour what shelter to secure thee Alas now thou art to bee presented before a Judge who is upright and will not bee bribed who is all-seeing and will not bee blinded who is equally minded and will not be bended Forged oathes cannot delude him personall respect deprave him hireling Advocates by perswasion draw him or powerfull Potentates by countenance ore-awe him The Judges of the Earth shall bee judged by him and the Kings of the Earth shall tremble before him O what will become of thee sinne-soiled soule in these straits of extremity these intricate mazes of misery Poore thou art and who will enrich thee naked of good workes and who will cloath thee Hungring after this world which cannot feed thee thirsting after honours which cannot fill thee O how long hast thou preferred the prodigals huskes of vanity before the delitious viands of eternity How long hast thou turned in thy bed like a doore on the hinges promising thy selfe security when nothing was farther from thee O reflect upon thy misery and implore gods mercy Even that God in whose sight the very Heavens are uncleane such is his purity That God which came not to call the righteous but the sinner to repentance such is his piety Art thou sick Yea sin-sick soule-sick Teares are the best Electuary to cure this desperate malady The penitents brine is the Angeâ—s wine When Sinners weepe Angels rejoyce for right well they know that they which Sow in teares shall reape in joy Bee a Turtle then in thine heart passionatly throbbing a Pelicane in thy brest compassionately piercing an Hart in thine eyes incessantly weeping a Swan in thy voyce deaths Elegy singing a Philomel in thy note for thy lost chastity â—ighing a Crane in thy life circumspectly watching O shut yea speedily shut I say thine eyes from vanity that the Objects of Heaven may onely delight thee shut thine eares from levity that the subject of vertue may invite thee shut all thy senses from the deluding motives of sensuality that reason may bee thy guide the love of God thy goad Heaven thy goale peace of conscience thy crowne of glory Shut the doore of thine inner Chamber and there poure out thine heart to Gods honour where reposing and from the world retyring thou maist thus invoke him thus invite him Let nothing bee unto mee I beseech thee pleasant without thee nothing sweet nothing specious nothing appeare unto mee without thee precious Let all things appeare vile unto mee without thee Whatsoever is contrary to thee let it bee displeasing to mee and let thy good-will and pleasure be my indeficient desire and endevour Let it irke mee to rejoyce without thee let it delight mee to rejoyce with thee and weep with thee O good JESU if it bee so sweet to weep for thee how sweet is it to rejoyce for thee Thus to meditate is to recreaâ—e
thy wearied soule in the greene pastures of spirituall comfort to bath thy panting soule in the pure chrystalline streames of eternall solace to refresh thine hungry spirit with Heavenly Manna to tune thy voyce to an holy Hosanna Oh then leave to love the world before thou leave the world Redeeme the time because the dayes are evill Avoid the occasion lest thou become void of reason Examine thy wayes thy words thy works Subtract an houre from thy sleeping to adde to thy praying Mans security is the Devils opportunity Watch therfore for thou knowst not when the Theefe will come The holy Hermit S. Antâ—onie who became first professor of an Eremiticall or solitary life when he had read that divine sentence of holy Scripture Goe and sell all that thou â—â—st presently conceiving it to be meant by him hee did so Goe and doe thou likewise Follow thy sweet Saviour in a devout contempt of the world from the Cribbe to the Crosse from mount Olivet to mount Calvary and from the tree of his Crosse hee will reach thee a Crowne of glory Follow I say with fervour the steps of thy Saviour Say with holy Hierom It my mother should hang about mee my father lye in my way to stop mee my wife and children weep about mee I would throw off my mother neglect my father contemne the lamentation of my wife and children to meet my Saviour Christ Jesus My heart is ready my heart is ready doe what thou biddâ—st and bid what thou wilt But above all things that thou maist bee at peace with thy Maker and more gracious in the sight of thy Saviour make the Evening the dayes Calendar Say to thy selfe O my soule what hast thou done to day What sinne hast thou healed in thee wherein was God honoured by thee How hast thou increased or decreased profited or failed Doing thus thy Conscience shall not accuse thee but defend thee thy Memory shall not witnesse against thee but for thee thy Reason shall bee a Judge to acquit thee not condemne thee thy Will shall not restraine thee but free thee no Feare shall affright or come nye thee no Delight shall torment thee but as thy delight was in the Law of the Lord â—o thy delight shall bee in the House of the Lord for ever Even so come Lord Iesus come quickly Upon these Miscellane Meditations with other mixt Subjects conteined in this precedent Tract A clozing Sonnet MOrall mixtures or Divine Aptly cull'd and coucâ—â—d in order Are like colours in a shrine Or choice flow'rs set in a border Or like dishes at a Feast Each attended with his sallet To delight the curious Guest And give relish to his palat Store of colours they are meet When wee should ones picture take One choice flow'r bee 't neere so sweet Would no pleasing posie make One Dish be it neere so precious To the Sent or to the Tast Though at first it seeme delicious It will cloy the Sense at last Here are Colours permanent Objects which will cheere the eye Here are Flowers redolent Which will bloome and never dye Here are Dishes of delight Such delights can never cloy To renew the appetite And to new-revive your joy Muse not then if here you see In this various Worke of mine Such a mixt variety Sorting with this hum'rous time Though the Sunne shine in our Sphere Cloud or Night invelop it But the Sunne shines ever here Darting forth pure rayes of wit Now the frâ—uit I wish to gaine Is your profit for my paine FINIS A reply to a rigid Precisian objecting that flowers from Romish Authors extracted became lesse wholesome and divinely redolent SIr it was your pleasure positively to conclude touching Flowers of this nature that they lost much of their native beauty vigour and verdure because called from a Roman border wherein I referre you to that sententious Poet to returne you answer Flores qui lambunt terrae vapores Non magis tetros referunt odores Nec minus suaves redoleâ—e Flores TIBRIDIS oris Which I have thus rendred in true currant English fearing lest that Latine metall might disrelish your more queasy palate Flow'rs which doe lick up from the Earth a vapour Yeeld to the nosthrils ne're the w rser savour Nor bee those Sooâ—s lesse redolent in odour Which groâ— by TIBER A Christian Diall By which hee is directed how to dispose of his houres while he is living how to addresse himselfe for the houre of his dying and how to close his dayes with a comfortable ending Faithfully rendred according to the Originall To the Generous Ingenious and Judicious Sir WALTER VAVASOR Knight and Baronet together with his Vettuously accomplished Lady R. B. Zealously consecrates this Christian Diall To your Grand-father have I welcom bin Receive this Gage in memory of him Whil'st no Sun-Diall may more truly give The houre o th' day than this the way to live THE LIFE of JOHANNES JUSTUS LANSPERGIUS a Carihusian Authour of these Meditations entitled A Christian Diall IOHANNES JUSTUS LANSPERGIUS borne of honest parents at Lansperge a Towne in Bavaria after such time as hee had finished his course in the study of Philosophy at Cullen hee gave there the name to the Order of the Carthusians wherein being growne Famous for the space of 30. yeares both by example of manners and piety as also by writing Books of Devotion and Sanctity he slept in the Lord the 4. of the Ides of August in the yeare of Christs Nativity M.D.XXXIX A Christian Diall By which he is directed how to dispose of his houres while he is living how to addresse himself for the houre of his dying and how to close his daies with a comfortable endâ—ng Faithfully rendred â—cording to the Originall A briefe Institution with an Exercise for an happy death expressed in a familiar Conference betwixt God and the Soule AS there is nothing O Soule which may make the love of the world more distastfull â—nto thee or that may bring thee to so great contempt of it and of all creatures in it as the consideration of the shortnesse of this life and certainty of death whereby all thy endevours all thine honours all thy pleasures thoughts desires and all thy joyes shall perish So is there nothing that may solace or refresh the loving Soule with greater joy than the beleefe and hope she hath to become associated to mee united to me and swallowed up in mee where there is hereafter no offence no sinne no separation no danger no feare no sorrow Where the Soule full of charity may alwaies praise mee alwayes magnifie me become most perfectly obedient most perfectly pleasant unto mee and that shee may bee with mee where shee may desire nothing love nothing feele nothing else beside me where she may wholly possesse me be wholly possessed by me These things forasmuch as they cannot firmly nor â—ully befall thee in this life but then onely when thou shalt bee with mee in my
yee trusted Bee they riches honours friends or any other vaine thing whatsoever they shall availe you nothing at the houre of death but leaving these behind you ye shall goe naked unto the Tribunall of God to receive according to your works What blindnesse nay what madnes is it then to rejoyce here in your journey to love fraile things which profit nothing to neglect the time and occasion of living well and as if without all sense of God through drousinesse and drynesse of mind to rellish those things onely which are of the flesh to have in pursuit those things onely which are outward and not at all to consider the dangerous state of the inward man and so to come unto death Alas how innumerable are those miserably wretched ones who are here deceived with the love of the world ensnared and â—y drawing after them the yoake of the Devill how unhappily slaved And thus unexpectedly they come unto death with hearts both hardned and blinded Alas how unhappy is the end of their life with whom there was never Meditation of death nor preparation for health Such things therefore are to bee rejected as hinder the spirit delight the flesh Such things to bee relinquished as are not expedient In such sort is every one to live every houre as if that were his very last wherein he should dye and goe to judgement This is the most fruitfull profitable soveraigne counsell O Daughter that thou maist live after this manner and that death may be to thee no terrour Now then if not continually yet frequently should that houre bee presented before thee as if it were before thine eyes wherein thy soule going out of thy body shall be judged for all thy workes words and thoughts This therefore oughtst thou even at this present to injoyn thy selfe that thou maist live so even now to the end thou maist be found so prepared is thou wouldst thy selfe to bee prepared whensoever death shall undoubtedly come It is the property of a most sottish and senselesse heart to deferre amendment of life to that time when time expireth when thou canst live no longer when now thou art not to amend thy life but to appeare before God as thou art already amended Surely not sinnes only but even all things doe leave thee going out of this life Thou art not then properly said to leave thy sins when thou canst now sin no more But if whilest thou hast ability to sin thou cease from sin true repentance is never to be called late but this which is deferred to the end of thy life it is to be feared that it is seldome true For if through feare of damnation only being even now to die thou sorrowest and art ready for the avoiding of punishment to performe any taske be it never so extreme to obtaine pardon Thou sorrowest not out of charity in that thou hast offended God but out of selfe-love for that thou wishest to thy selfe good and not evill For thou sorrowest because thou hast brought to thy selfe eternall damnation by thy sinnes Wheras if thou rightly sorrowest for this only wouldst thou sorrow in that thou so disobedient unto me so unthankfull to me so reproachfull to me hast not exhibited due honour and reverence unto me whom thou oughtest with al affection to have honored whatsoever should befall thee Whereas now forasmuch as thou only sorrowest for thy selfe if danger were avoided or no revenge on sinne inflicted thou wouldst never lament though thou hadst offended me a thousand yeares together True Repentance which reconcileth the soule unto me springeth from Charitie and bewaileth this especially that shee hath so greatly and grievously contemned and offended mee her best greatest gracioust and most faithfull LORD GOD her Creator and Redeemer Hence I say is his heart wounded for as much as so unthankfully so disobediently and so proudly being buâ— dust and nothing hee hath lifted up his head against me Whosoever therefore desireth to dye happily let him as mine A postle admonisheth him live soberly justly and holily An evill death followeth not a good and just life but precious in my sight is thâ— death of my Saints yea after what sort of death soever they die that is whether they dye by water or fire or in bed But to prepare thee all the better for death the Meditation whereof is the life of every wise man take here along with thee this short exercise by which every one may instruct and addresse himselfe that he may take a course to be found in that state in which he may not feare to dye Wholesome Admonitions teaching a Christian how to dye well WHATSOEVER dying thou wouldst wish that thou hadst done doe the same even now Whatsoever thou wouldst have done doe not commit this unto others to be done after thy death but doe thou it thy selfe for if thou thy selfe bee negligent of thine owne salvation and a traytour to thy selfe how shall strangers tender thy happinesse Doe not repose trust in uncertaine and vaine promises neither commit thy selfe to doubtfull events So live and so doe that thou maist bee safe in thy conscience and as if thou wert this day to dye Never goe to sleepe till such time as thou hast examined the expence of the day with the conditions and actions of thy life Discusse and call to judgement thine heart and examine all thy senses and whether thou art become better or worse this day Never goe with that conscience to sleepe with which thou darest not dye If thou findest thy selfe in that state wherein thou fearest to dye search out the cause of this feare For peradventure some sins are in thee whereof thou hast not as yet repented or refusest to confesse or else thou forbearest to abstaine from sinne and occasions of sin or thou takest upon thee some profession office or vocation which I admit not of or thou continuest in hatred or in the unjust possession of others goods or too much affected to the desire or delight of temporall affaires or taken with the inordinate love of some creature or drowned with the delight of earthly and visible things as of honour and riches thou canst not turne thy selfe to mee tasting nothing of those things which are of the Spirit but onely let loose to outward things and loathing those which are divine therefore it is that thou fearest death Because thy soule guiltie of evill in her-selfe foretelleth what torments shall befall her after death If any of these shall be in thee thou oughtest to abhorre pursue and with all thine endevour to free thee of them For which purpose and the better effecting of so glorious a designe it may helpe thee much to imitate my steps embrace my crosse and with rigour of mind and with holy hatred commenced against thy selfe to denounce warre upon all thy vices to have a purpose to sinne no more frequently and infatigably to renue the same with no infirmitie or
as they do other most holy things if thou canst have them cause them to be applyed unto thee For even this verie holy persons of both sexes and famous for their miracles have formerly done An Exercise wherein the sick person with sighs and groanes because otherwise it can scarcely be done may resigne himselfe unto God and fervently desire that he may deserve to be joyned unto him O Most faithfull Lover most mercifull Lord Jesu Christ grant unto mee that with heart and mind I may feele what I say As the Hart brayeth for the rivers of water so panteth my Soule after thee ô my God I have chosen to be an Abject in the house of the Lord rather than to dwell in the Tabernacle of sinners Blessed are they that dwell in thy house ô Lord for ever and ever shall they praise thee My Soule hath thirsted after thee ô God when shall I come and appeare before thy face Why art thou sorrowfull ô my Soule and why art thou so disquieted within mee Trust in the Lord therefore will I now confesse my selfe unto him the Salvation of my countenance and my God Shew the light of thy countenance upon thy servant ô Lord save me for thy mercies sake Let me not be confounded for ever for I have called upon thee Be not far from mee ô my God Looke downe upon mee and help mee ô my God The poore is left unto thee Thou wilt be the Orphans helper Thou art my refuge in my tribulation which hath compassed mee O my joy deliver me from these that encompasse mee Make hast to helpe mee ô Lord God of my Salvation For thou art my strength and my refuge my helper and my protector Doe not then leave me nor despise me ô God of my salvation Behold I come unto thee ô my God whom I have despised and offended for the whole earth is full of thy mercie Therefore doe I flie unto thee my most mercifull Father Receive mee according to thy word when thou sayest I WILL NOT THE DEATH OF A SINNER and let mee live and confound mee not in my hope O my God I doe not pray unto thee for a life temporall but I call upon thee for the Salvation of my Soule who art life eternall O my sweet Lover O my Lord God for as much as I have offended thee for that I have neglected thine inspirations and admonitions for that I have at any time loved ought beâ—ide thee or without thee for this O my Lord God for this doe I grieve And I beseech thee that thou wouldest give unto mee so much grace as I may with all mine heart grieve aâ—d lament during everie moment of my life Would to God that I might poure out and offer unto thee everie drop of my bloud with teares for griefe and love into thy most sweet heart O sweet Jesu I neither desire nor expect of thee life nor death but thy good will and pleasure may it be done unto mee according to thy will If it be thy will O my sweet Jesu that I shall dye receive my spirit And although I come in the Evening as the verie last of all grant unto mee that I may receive eternall rest with thee and in thee But if it be thy will that I shall live longer O sweet Jesu I purpose this and I crave the assistance of thy grace for this to amend the rest of my life and to offer my selfe wholly as a burnt Sacrifice unto thee to thy glorie and according to thy good will and pleasure O most desired Jesu for as much as I have consumed my life in sin to the reproch of thy glorious name nor to this day have begun to serve thee grant unto mee that I may now at last perfectly begin and employ all the powers of my Soule anâ— Body and all the remainder of my time given mee by thee to thy glorie and according to thy best and most perfect will O most mercifull Jesu be thou neare mee in these my paines and miseries with which I am straitened and iâ— any more grievous than these shall come upon mee for that I have deserved not onely more grievous but most grievous by reason of my sins grant that I may patiently beare them O sweet Jesu if I had never at any time sinned nor at thine hand evilly deserved notwithstanding to thy glorie and for thy love good will and pleasure I offer and resigne my selfe unto thee either in these or any other punishments to deale with mee according to thy will not my worth but in the multitude of thy mercies on which I relye and on which I call that by thy power thou wouldest raise and rouze up the frailtie of my flesh and strengthen with longanimitie and confirme with patience the pusillanimitie and instabilitie of my Spirit that I may not â—all downe as one either vanquished with tentation or faint through pusillanimitie but swallowed up with the most burning heat of thy love I may onely sigh after thee onely desire thee and leave loath and contemne the world with all that is in it giving thee thanks with all mine heart for all things whether ministring unto me occasion of joy or sorrow O most loving Jesu I chuse thee I wish thee I desire thee I meet thee and I renounce whatsoever thou art not in mee what thou willest I will what thou nillest I nill whatsoever thou abhorrest I abjure And though sometimes that 〈◊〉 is contrarie to this will in mee may be incident unto mee I beseech thee O my God that thou wouldst not impute it unto mee nor judge mee according to that depravednesse of Will in mee but according to this Election of my mind by thy grace wrought in mee Because I contradict all those things which I ought not to will yea though which for thy mercie sake avert I hereafter vanquished should consent unto yet now doe I accurse and abjure them O most loving Jesu if it please thee and redound to thy glorie grant unto mee that I may be preâ—erved in this life from all sins and punishments into which after death I ought otherwiâ—â— to come to which I am subject or may possibly come and that thou wouldst receive my Soule by the hand of thy mercie immediately from this life to eternall joyes O Lord Iesu Christ receive my Spirit c. A CHRISTIANS LAST-WILL OR TESTAMENT Containing A PROTESTATION or Testament not unprofitable to be repeated or meditated of everie Christian at the point of death Composed as may be probably gathered by JOANNES LANSPER GENSIS and faithfully rendred according to the Originall A CHRISTIANS LAST-WILL OR TESTAMENT Containing A Protestation or Testament not unprofitable to be repeated or meditated of everie Christian at the point of death Composed as may be probably gathered by JOANNES LANSPER GENSIS and faithfully rendred according to the Originall IN the name of the Father and the Son and Holy Ghost I. M. an unhappie Sinner redeemed with
grievous which God most gracious and full of the fatnesse of mercie will not forgive to such as are faithfull Converts and true Penitents before him For it is an especiall propertie â—est becomming our most holy God to have mercie and spare these who humble themselves before him and heartily â—eg pardon of him Rightly doth thy Brother confesse that at all times he is verie imperfect yet let let him remember that the imperfect cost Christ as deare as the most perfect That inconstancie or instability of mind wherewith hee saith that hee is afflicted in his prayer is common to innumerable servants of God There is no cause then that hee should be hereby so much amated For if hee suffer this distraction against his will and strive wirh his best endevour to become attentive his prayer humbly poured forth in this distraction is ofttimes more usefull and fruitfull than if it were performed with great attention of heart For God approveth his desire affection and devout endevour and purgeth the soule with such like griefes as these or else conserveth and adorneth it being purged and purified from these distractions Exhort him alwayes that hee be of good courage If with a patient and resigned heart hee suffer for the love of God his afflictions and want of health whereof almost hee daily laboureth hee need not doubt but so soone as he shall lay off this grievous onerous and bitter load of corruptible flesh hee shall enjoy eternall joy and health Goe to then my Beloved let us observe our selves I pray thee vigilantly and so endevour to live circumspectly as becommeth true Christians who beare both the style and state of Christianitie Let us passe over all the residue of our present life profitably In all things that wee doe let us wirh singâ—enesse of heart principally respect the praise and glorie of God Let us love Iesus who loveth us with a most ardent and unmeasurable love For his honour let us mortifie in us as much as wee may our owne proper and depraved wills and vices Let us subject and conforme us in all things to Gods will Let us beare a mind humble and resigned continually desiring and studying to please God For by this meanes wee shall at last come to that chiefe and most joyfull good which that wee might possesse wee were created to the image of God and redeemed with the pretious bloud of Christ. Wee shall come I say unto God who is the amiable abysse fountaine of all light life beautie excellencie sweetnesse and abundance Then shall wee be truly blessed seeing the vision of all beautie infinitely exceeding and excelling all the sense-attracting objects of this whole world for wee shall behold in the light of glorie the mellifluous countenance of God and in him by a most sweet fruition of him shall wee rest and obtaine imperturbable peace Then shall wee abound with unspeakable joy shall be fully satisfied and shall perfectly love and praise God for evermore O how great felicitie is it to attaine to the cleare vision of God and againe how great infelicitie to be deprived of it and to be drenched in hell and there horribly to be tormented without end Farewell in the Lord and pray for mee That excellent part of the Dialogue composed by D. Henricus Suso wherein the praises and profits of afflictions are expressed and many other precepts usefully delivered some few dayes since I inserted in my Comfort for the weake hearted that I might gratifie thy brother He shall easily procure it so soone as it shall be reprinted As touching the sayings of the aforesaid Suso which thou desirest should be sent unto thee here receive them as I have compiled them for thee and addressed them to thee CERTAINE choyce or select sayings of D. Henricus Suso Of the love of the world And Of the love of God THat most holy and beloved man of God Henricus Suso lamenting the infelicitie of such as intangled in vaine love and wholly given over to this present world doe neglect God and their owne salvation exhibiteth his complaint beâ—ore God after this manner Truly O Lord it is a thing much to bee lamented that so many hearts fit for holy love so many excellent and beautifull soules stamped with Gods image which by a spirituall wedlock with thee contracted might become Qâ—eenes and Empresses and have dominion over heaven and earth should so foolishly and imprudently estrange themselves from thee deject themselves so basely and perish so wittingly Surely I am perswaded that if the inward eyes of all men should so see thee as I see thee all transitorie love would be forthwith extinguished in them I cannot sufficiently admire O Lord albeit I stood sometimes far otherwise affected that any ones soule should possibly rest in any thing but in thee the most vast and unbounded depth O incomprehensible good and inwardly to be embraced O most sweet Lord how well is it with that soule which onely loveth thee and which thou with the divine streames and beames of thy grace excellently enlightenest and to to thy selfe more nearely joynest and couplest What heavenly and mellifluous consolation doth such a soule draw from thee what secret delights of sacred love doth shee conceive in thee Thou art the boundlesse Sea of most pure and inestimable pleasures What amiablenesse comelinesse beauty soever can by any meanes be conceived all that above all measure is to be found in thee plenteously stored Nothing that is pleasant gratefull or plausible can bee found in any creature which is not in a most pure and exquisite manner infinitely more aboundant and excellent in thee So often as I behold the formes of beautifull objects when I take a view by inward contemplation of heaven earth woods and fields and of the whole world all these things seeme to convent and summon my heart in these words Consider how amiable and beautifull he is who hath made us who is the fountaine of all beautie O Lord Jesus what joy doe I receive from thee Surely while I doe thinke how I am beloved of thee the most high God whatsoever is within mee melteth through the joy which I conceive of thee For this therefore doe I rejoyce in my mind for as much as thou art so good as thou vouchsafeâ—t to be my friend as I constantly hope and confidently trust Of the Passion of our Lord. THe same Suso in a Dialogue bringeth in the eternall wisdome that is Christ Jesus talking with his Minister of his Passion after this manner The heart of man is much more gratefull unto me if it be freed of earthly love and by perpetuall diligence intentive to imitate the excellent example of my life than if hee should follow mee with continuall laments and should shed so many teares as there be drops of raine which fall from the aire For in the suffering of my most bitter death this especially have I intended aimed that men shoâ—ld imitate mee albeit pious