thou dagniest to bestow them I poore contemptible wretch borne the son of earth made the sonne of God the Heyre of God! The brother of IBSVS-CHRIST coheire with Iesus let me deare childe let me neuer more by a degenerous conuersation In such or such thinges making reflection of your greatest imperfections c. stayne the noble familie and the dignitie of the bloud and alliance into which I am addopted by thy graciousnesse May I rather dye then euer proue so base and disloyall Amen The first Med for Sanct Ihons day PONIT 1. Consider But if son hyere heyre of God God if kinge king of heauen king of maiestie king of glorie How becomes he then thus inglorious thus left thus lodgd thus layd Marrie out of meere goodnesse free mercy and vndue loue loue of nations which sought him not thought not of him which cared not for him nay which trangressed his commandements violated his lawes rebelled against his will and pleasure And that without any neede he had of them without any interest he pretended by them out of meere loue and mercy Aff. Good and omnipotent God! mercyfull and holy and deare father much much doe we owe thee for our creatiō for hauing made vs mē mē the master pieces of the workes of thy hand for hauing-bestowed a whole world vpon vs with all the admirable varietie of creatures comprised therin for our vse and seruice but incomparably much more now that thou hast sent thyne owne onely son thy son and heire the kinge of heauē equall to thy selfe Those were great indeed yet earthly ones but this is euen the best that heauen had to giue here thou didst indeede open and bestowe thesaurum tuum optimum thy very best treasure so that the mostvastly greedie hart cā neither desire nor euen imagine any thing greater any thinge equall to it or euen bearinge any proportion with it A son in whom thou wast well pleased for a fugitiue prodigall seruant in whom thou wast highly offended and euen while he was yet actually offending thee then euen then to putt the greatest commendations vpon thy mercy imaginable then Isay thou sentest him cum adhuc inimici essemus into abiection and prouertie into a poore hole of a rocke to be accompaigned with brute beastes for that yet bruter beaste man I can onely stand amaysed at this strange dispensation and dignation of thyne To send a son for a seruant a sainte yea the sanite of saintes for a sinner a God for man what a stronge hope must this needs beget in the hart of a sinner Resolution I confide in thee then ô my dearest Lord I depend wholy on thy mercy c. POINT 2. Consider that man was at an absolute losse hauing strayed from his way forsaken truth and forfeited life and this abridged word humanized or clothed with our nature is in very deede the way truth and life which he comes to teach the world There is no way to Christ but by Christ we liue in darkenesse vnlesse we be enlightened by the light of this truth we liue not indeede but languish and die vnlesse we be quickned and liue by this life This word alone deliuers this truth enlihgtens vs to discouer this way and by this way we walke home to this life which is Christ All these are folded vp in this dumbe word which for our loue is layd in a manger Aff. yes my soule euen so the case stoode with vs Sinne hadd spred it selfe ouer all the sonns of Adam and they were all straying like lost sheepe and had for euer strayed and remayned in their losse had nor this good shephard Christ come downe to seeke out and saue what had perihed And had not this Way mette the wandringe pilgrime this truth illuminated the blind man that satt in darkenesse and this life quickened the dying slaue that lay vnder the shadowe of death he had still erred remayned still blind and bene dead for euer For there is noe other name vnder heauen wherby we ought to be saued What obligations then haue we to Christ our redeemer how ought we to loue this word which teacheth vs or putts out this truth a sea-Beacon to vs poore creatures who are tossed at this huge sea and proues a light to our feete to walke in this safe way Christ which securely leades to the permanencie of an vn changable and euerlastinge life which is his very selfe Reso In this way then will I walke and run for euer if thou deare Lord wilt please to draw This truth will I imbrace for euer if thou daignest to giue perseuerance And this life of thyne will I striue to lead loue and breath after till I be druncke vp in life euerlasting PONIT 1. Consider That a chill Cold in the absence of the sunne of Iustice had eased and benummed the hart of man and rendred him senselesse of all good being cold frozen stupide without all feeling of heauenly thinges and this diuine word which notwithstanding the Cold which he now indures is indeede a consuming fire is come downe into the earth with his heauenly fire and what is his desire but that it should fixe vpon those benummed harts of ours and inflame them with his holy and burning loue For what will euer be able to doe it if this heauenly Prometheus this firebringing Messenger be not able to sett vs on fire What will be euer powrefull enough to speake excesse of loue to mens harts and to oblidge them to loue if the mute eloquence of a God lying dumbe the Word it selfe left speechlesse in a manger for their loue be not able to doe it And this is the extaticall loue-language of the diuine Word which lyes before our eyes this day in the cribbe Aff. Alas I my poore hart we are cold frosen and senselesse indeede in point of spirituall thinges we relish not we perceiue not the thinges which are of God And yet our miserie is so much the greater that perceiuing our selues deadly cold we rather chuse to starue then approch to the fire that actiue sacred heauenly fire which comes not downe but to burne to burne our frozen hartes as some tymes it did those two primitiue Hartes with whom he walked in the way to Emaus who found their hartes burning while he spoke And as it did your holy father then he cryed out as one loue sicke What is this that I feele what kind of fire is this that warmes my hart which so sweetly burnes so secreetly shines so deliciously seases vpon and inflames my soule with a deare delight Ah! this diuine Word is indeed as Dauid qualified it ignitum vehementer but it was in his meditation that it burnt all out in a flame But how should this happen si nemo recogitet corde if none hartily thinke of it how should hartes burne if none applie hartes to the fire Resp If his will be that it should burne then let our hartes in conformitie to that diuine Word
knowledge to tempt and teache him Le ts first beleeue in him that he is the sonne of the liuing God because without faith it is impossible to please him and learne of him to be mylde and humble of harte and so we shall finde rest to our soules which in high and proude questions can neuer be found THE SECONDE POINTE. Thou shalt loue thy Lord thy God from thy whole harte with thy whole soule and with thy whole mynde This is the greatest and first commandement CONSIDER that this commandement of the loue of God aboue all thinges is most iustly called the first and greatest The first because it ought to possesse the first place in our harte The first againe because it ought to be in mans soule what the first … oouer is in the heauens which giues first motion to all the rest And it is the greatest because its whole ayme is summum bonum the souueraigne Good the greatest too because it comprises all Gods Lawe and all the vertues in a most eminent manner Affection O my soule how sweete how heauenly sweete is this lawe of loue which either finds all thinges easie or makes them such How gracious is this diuine Law giuer who deliuers vs so sweete a Lawe What is man ô Lord thou shouldst so magnifie him and place thy heauenly harte vpon him What is man to thee I say that thou shouldst commande him to loue thee yea and to be angrie and threaten to lay huge punishments vpon him if he loue thee not Alas is it not of it selfe punishment great enough if he doe not loue Alas should poore subiects who holde all of the Kinges of the earth neede any such threates to induce them to loue them THE SECONDE MEDITATION FOR THE SAME SVNDAY Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God with all thy hart c. THE FIRST POINT CONSIDER in what manner and with what measure we ought to loue our Lord God And we are told by S. Bernard that the measure of louing God is to loue him without measure from our whole harte saith our blessed Sauiour by placing all our affections vpon him With our whole soule not permitting any of the passions to contest with it With our whole mynd by making choyce of the best meanes imaginable to accomplish his blessed will in the most perfect manner that man is capable off here belowe Affection This is the onely thinge my soule wherin there can be noe excesse He is infinitly more louely then we are able to be louinge O what a happinesse it is to be oppressed with the abundance of goodnesse Le ts dilate our narrow hartes dare as much as we are able breath after him incessantly and yet humbly acknowledge that we fall infinitly shorte of what is due saying with S. Augustine let me loue thee ô Lord as much as I wishe and as much as I ought wherin that I may not fayle proue as the Authour of the precept so the giuer of the grace to performe it giue what thou commandst ô Lord and command what thou wilt THE SECONDE POINTE. And the seeonde commandement is like to this Thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe CONSIDER that our B. Sauiour had noe sooner established that right of loue which is indispensably due to his heauenly Father but he falls vpon the dutie of his adoptiue brethren to one another which he also places in loue saying thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe With this difference notwithstanding that the measure of the loue of God is to loue him without measure and the measure of the loue of our neighbour is to loue him as our selues that ought to be exhibited to God because he is infinitly Good this to our neighbour be he good or badd because it was commanded vs by an infinite Goodnesse Affection O deare God how good thou art to men of right hartes O diuine wisdome how wisely and sweetly thou disposest of all thinges My soule if man had bene left to wishe what he would what other lawe could he haue wished then what he has a lawe of loue Wherin God and mans interests are so wouen togeither that the one will not be admitted without the other In vaine doe we professe to loue God if we hate our neighbour whom he commands vs to loue Nay saith the louing S. Augustine this must be putt downe for a certaine truth that there is noe surer way to attaine to Gods fauour then the loue of man to man Ama fac quod vis THE FIRST MEDITATION FOR THE XVIII SVNDAY AFTER WHITSVNDAY Iesus c. said to the sicke of the palsey haue a good harte sonne thy sinns are forgiuen thee Matt. 9. CONSIDER that Gods goodnesse and bountie is so greate that he often giues vs not onely what we aske but euen other thinges which we aske not which are farre greater and better The poore sicke of the palsey aymed onely at a temporall blessing the cure of his infirmitie and behold he meetes with farre more the remission of his sinnes from the mouth of truth saying haue a good harte sonne thy sinnes are forgiuen thee Affection Such is the goodnesse of our good and bountifull God my soule that when we haue an humble recourse to him in simplicitie of harte he grantes vs often not onely what we desire but what he sees we most neede As at other tymes in exercising his mercy he refuses vs what we desire to grante vs thinges more conducing to our eternall good being still equally good as well in what he giues as what he denyes If we pray then day and night and be not heard as it happened to our blessed Sauiour himselfe let vs rest assured that what we asked was not for our aduantage acquiescing therin to Gods wise prouidence and desiring aboue all thinges to heare sonne thy sinnes are forgiuen thee THE SECONDE POINTE. CONSIDER that this wise Physitian of ours doth not onely shew his goodnesse and liberalitie in the care of the poore mans corporall and spirituall infirmities but manifestes his wisdome also in the manner of the cure to witt he first takes away the cause which is sinne By sinne it was saith the great Apostle that death and consequently all deseases leading to death gott first footing in the world and this woefull cause being once remoued from the soule he proceeds to the cure of the bodie Arise take vpp thy bedd and goe into thy house Affection Let vs learne then my soule of wisdome it selfe to be wise when we endeuour the cure of our deseased soule Le ts obserue the causes and occasions wherin we find our selues It is still in such and such circumstances I finde my fall It is in such companies I continually meete with the desease or death of my soule Let vs in tyme iudge our selues that we may not be more rigourously iudged That eye of scandall must necessarily be plucked out and throwne away without the reach of danger which who loueth shall perish in
the wisdome of the eternall father is lodged in a Caue to teach ignorant man another lesson to witt that felicitie is not to be found in vanitie in carnalitie in heapes of gold nay it cryes out as it were to all the world by this example Why doe you loue vanitie and seeke alye It is not it is not to be found in these follies No my wayes are as farre remoued from your wayes and my cogitations from your cogitations as is heauen from earth Aff. Seeke still what you seeke ô mortalls but seeke it not where you seeke it seeke it not in the follies of the world which knowes not Christ but seek it in the knowledge of Christ Seeke it not in the world which passeth away together with its concupiscences but seeke it in Christ the Word made flesh which remaynes for euer Nay seeke not Christ neither with hope to find him in pompe and state in the pallaces of Kinges but in the poore cribbe with the poore simple and vigilant shephards that is with vigilancie in simplicitie in pouertie in humilitie and abiection There may proud man being humbled surely find and Know humble Christ Resolution I will seeke then whom my soule loueth Not in vanities as I did when I found him not But c. And since the world neither receiues nor knowes nor cares for my Christ I will neither admitt into my hart nor know or care for the world c. 2. POINT Cons Looke vpon this caue or stable as the true sohoole of all vertues where the wisdome of heauen giues solide lessons of heauenly wisdome where the eternally begotten the onely begotten son of God Iesus Christ newly come downe from heauen is to frame in our hartes the impressions of Christianitie mhere the word which was in the begining with God and was euen God him selfe God of God true God of true God lying now dumbe in a poore manger for the loue of poore man who was become a brute beast should speake lowder to heauen-beloued Christan hartes then all the voyces of men and Angells Aff. O deare God! O great God! ô truë God! whom my soule with all its forces acknowledges and adores in this strange disguise what is it thou wouldst speake to my hart by these dumbe signes What is it I st that thou wouldst signifie hereby to the faithfull and louing soule that thou dost languish with loue and so in a loue-pause remaynest speechlesse Is it that neuer more loue is spoken betwene true Louers then when tongues keepe silence and giue hartes leaue to speake by the eyes such misteries as none but louers vnderstand Is it that man should waxe dumbe to the world while the word appeares dumbe in the world O speake thus speake thus Deare Lord to thy poore seruant who giues eare to thee And whilest thou speakest let the worlde keepe silence and turne as dead to me as I to it Let my tongue and all the tumultuous people of my interiour house keepe silence Let my hart be silent too and onely giue eare to this one necessarie Word saying I am thy saluation for I am Iesus thy Sauiour THE II. MEDITATION I. POINT CONS But what is this silent word That verie same by which all thinges were made and without which nothing was made while he himselfe was not made but was begotten by an eternall generation which none is capable to expresse That word from which all thinges had beeing as from a verie Ocean of beeing That word which was in the begining and in the begining began to worke vpon nothing and of it made all thinges created Heauen and earth for that litle word fiat was said and euery thing began to ryse out of the abysse of nothing and haue beeing life and motion c. By this word was said Let light be made and it presently was made c. Aff. O powrefull almightie Lord What humane wisdome is not strucke dumme with the wonders and prodigies wrought by this now silent word The wisdome of the world would teach vs by Philosophie that of nothing nothing is made but this word which is the Wisdome of heaueÌ„ assures vs that of Nothing all thinges were made which while he is sileÌ„t all the creatures together crye outwith a loudevoyce we made not our selues but he made vs. O thou light of light who in the begining with a word made light in the world and now comest downe into it to enlighten all men daigne to be a light to my obscured hart that it may discerne as well the effects of thy word as the silence of the â—ame And clearely see that as in the begining that made all thinges of nothing so this in tyme comes to repaire all thinges made worse then nothinge And as that in the begining made all thinges right so this in tyme comes to rectifie all thinges disordered And grant that as we see all that we haue are flowed from thy Bountie so our firme resolution may euer be that all we either haue or are may returne to thee againe by our Iustice and gratitude Fiat fiat POINT 2. Conf. But yet what is this silent word The very son of God God the true God now the verie son of Mary the son of man true man flesh of our flesh bones of our bones God man man God God and man one and the same But if son heyre if son of God heire of the kingdome of God heauen If God man and heire to the kingdome of heauen then man hath gotten title to the kingdome of heauen If son and heire and to the kingdome of heauen the kinge of heauen man then begins to raigne since a part and portioÌ„ of him begins to raigne in him who raigned in the begining before the begining in tyme before tyme from all eternitie Aff. Yes my poore soule it is noe lesse excellent person then the son of God the heire of God the kinge of heauen true God of true God lyes before thyne eyes Who least he might haue bene a lesse deare obiect to thy contemplation and loue whyle he was lesse accessible of inuisible he becomes visible in flesh to thyne eyes of flesh And by an incomparable and inconceiuable transport of loue he who in the beginning made maÌ„ to his owne similitude and likenesse vouchsafeth in tyme to be made to the similitude and likenesse of man and to giue vs power therby to become the sonnes of his heauenly father the sonnes of God The sonnes of God the sonnes of thy heauenly father Ah what ioy ô Iesu we are thy brothers then and if brothers heires of God coheires with thee ô deare sauiour Iesus Christ dilate dilate my hart deare child from heauen the bulke of thy ouercharging dearenesse is too large to enter Ah make me not poore with too much heauenly plentie either bestowe thy giftes according to my measure and abilitie to receiue them or enlarge my hart and inable it to receiue them according to the proportion in which
and Will say thy will be done And with your Holy father Inflame and pearce the very marrow of my dull hart with those saueing fires of thyne and let the flame of thy holy feruour drie vp and consume the peccant humours of my body and mynd 2. POINT Consider then that it was loue indeede buring loue and charitie that brought downe this silent word this beautifull saluation-weeping-child this King this metamorphized God of ours It was the immense and eternall loue of the Father and the son the holy Ghost by which he was conceiued in the sacred and pure Wombe of this Virgine Mother T was loue that brought him out Loue that lodged him in this poore cottage Loue that swadled him in poore cloutes Loue that layd him in this manger And loue of vs poore lost miserable sinfull men Propter nos homines for vs men assures faith and for our saluation he descended from heauen For his exceeding great charitie with which he loued the World saith the great Apostle Affec Oh what a hote batterie doth Loue lay to our soule what doth this full inflamed expression of loue say to our hartes but dilectus mens mihi the beloued soule of man is myne And what should or can man reply but ego illi Yes deare Lord thyne I am intirely and thou shalt be myne for euer my part my portion my substance the one thing which I onely desire my deare delight in tyme and eternitie What doth this say but deliciae meae esse cum filiis hominum My delightes are to be with the sonnes of men And what shall the lost sonnes of men say but our dearest delightes are and shall euer be to be with the sonne of God His loue to me hath made him being the lord and Master stoope below men and lye amongst brute beastes and shall not my Loue to him being but a poore sinfull seruant make me in true desire lye vnder the feete of all men Thy charitie and example doth vrge me to loue thee and by thy precept I am oblidged to it But yet alas who is able to loue thee but by thyne owne gift Giue then ô Lord what thou cōmandest and command what thou wilt THE FOVRTH MEDITATION Of Humilitie Christs first lesson in the stable I. POINT COnsider that if Charitie brought him downe from heauen it was humilitie which was to entertayne him in earth If charitie made the son of God become the son of man it was humilitie which made the mother of God become the handmayd of God and man If the bowells of Gods mercy Iesus Christ begotten from all Eternitie was sent downe humilitie was to be the ladder by which he was to descēd for he beheld that is approued the humilitie of his hand-mayde And as mans humilitie or abiection was the first thinge which mercy looked vpon from heauen so was it the first lesson which he taught in earth against that great sinne which was the begining of all mischeife both in heauen and in earth To thend that as God looking vpon mans abiection became man so man by looking vpon and imitating the abiection and humiliation of a God might be raysed to the dignitie of an Angell or a God indeede and so be published happie for euer by all Nations Aff. Ah poore miserable man neuer esteeme thou begins to learne any thing aright in this schoole of Christianitie vnlesse thou beginst where Christ began Neuer thinke thou hast learned any thing till thou hast taken out this first lesson for what is said by S. Paule of charitie is also verified saith Sainte Augustine of humilitie If I should transporte mountaines giue all my goodes to the poore and euen my body it selfe to burne and yet want humilitie it profits me nothing O infinite mercy boundlesse charitie abismall humilitie who is he that vpon the disclosing of those bowells of Mercy which brought Maiestie downe into miserie abiection humiliation who is he I say that will not humble himselfe Resolution My eyes shall be alwayes sett vpon this hūble Maiestie and myne owne miserie that in the acknowledgement of that truth I may euer truly humble my selfe for his sake and in imitation of him be below all his creatures c. I. POINT Consider that this vile stable this narrow manger this comon place of shelter for brute beastes this oxe and Asse this eternitie not a day old this disguise or forme of a seruant these infant teares seeme to say to the eye and by the eye to the hart which afterwardes he shall with his owne mouth expresse in words Learne of me because I am myld and humble of hart My Litle children Learne of me your God become a litle child a lesson shutt vp from the wise and prudent of the world and left to me in my litlenesse to reueale it to litle ones because I am myld and humble of hart not in word and exteriour comportement onely but in effect with hart and affection Aff O Angells of heauen is this the Maiestie which you incessantly prayse whom the Dominatiōs adore whom the powers dreade with trembling whom the heauens ând heauenly vertues the Cherubines and Seraphins neuer cease to proclaine Holy Holy Holy O Kinge of Angells is this thyne owne onely sonne equall to thy selfe in Maiestie whom we see in a manger among brute beastes cold weeping abiect iust like one of vs O deare Sauiour or mylde son of the highest how low how lowe doth thy humilitie descend and withall how high doth thy charitie burne vp in this action O vaine mā what will euer be able to worke downe thy proude harte if the humilitie of a God will not doe it if power become impotent if strength growen infirme cannot preuayle Ah what is more strāge more detestable more greeuously punis-hable then that when we behold him that is the highest in the kindome of God made the least and lowest in this kingdome of men for mans example and loue man will yet be puft vp and remayne high in selfe-esteeme THE SECONDE MEDITATION For the same day I. POINT CCNSIDER againe the circumstances of the stable manger c. and you will find that where humilitie is practised her sister Obedience is not farre absent If Christ by all these thinges preache perfecte humilitie it is in order to Obedience He humbled himselfe being made Obediēt saith the great Aplostle If the stable be poore Manger narrow c. he therfore humbly endures them because such is his heauenly fathers will As my father cōmanded me so I doe I came downe from heauē not to doe myne owne will but his who sent me Whence S. Paule pronounceth a strange word Though he was the very son of God yet he was to learne Obedience by what he suffered here below being other wise as God equall to his heauenly father and as such could not obey Aff. Haue we thē a true desire to imitate our Sauiour Iesus Christ Let vs then humbly obey him and by his
vnto vs. Be they Blessed and praysed magnified and glorified in the vnitie of one Deitie for euer And let our earthly Trinitie neuer forgett this mercy Let our memorie faithfully represent it to ourvnderstanding Let our vnderstanding continually ponder ruminate and deliuer it to the will And let the will imbrace in ioy and carefully locke vp this present of infinite loue with all the loue ioy and Iubilie of hart imaginable THE IV. MEDITATION What we receiue indeede when we are said to receiue the Holy Ghost I. POINT CONSIDER that by receiuing of the holy Ghost we receiue the substantiall or consubstantiall vnitie charitie and sanctitie of the father and the Sonne according to S. Augustine The most firme and indissoluble bond or tye of the holy Trinitie The sacred kisse of the father and the Sonne by their mutuall loue from all Eternitie whereby they loued the iust euen with the loue of their owne hart saith S. Richard de S. Victore which is the holy Ghost Affection Ah my soule how ineffably greate blessings are these which faith layes before vs and we consider it not or rarely and coldly reflect vpon them O did we frequently looke vpon it with a liuely faith how would our thoughtes be wayned from this base world How euer we are in it we are not made for it the heauens haue other thoughtes for vs. The true cause of our being here indeede is to adheare to God by loue and to become holy as our heauenly father is holy and to that purpose the holy Ghost the verie vnitie loue and sanctitie of the Father and the sonne comes downe to dwell in vs. Ah my soule Let vs neuer forgett this astonishing and oppressing graciousnesse II. POINT CONSIDER yet further that it is not the vnitie charitie and pietie of the father and the sonne which we receiue onely but truly and indeede we receiue the person of the holy Ghost wâ—â—h grace and charitie nor is he in vs by Essence Presence and power only as he is euerie where but in a more deare neere and intimate manner as in his Thâ—one oâ— Temple For doe you not know saith s. Paule that you are the Temple of God and the Holy Ghost doth dwell in you And againe Charitie is diffused into our hartes by the holy Ghost who is giuen vnto vs. Affection Yes saith s. Augustine that good God is present to his faithfull â—ot meerly by the grace of visitation but by the presence of his Maiestie It is not now the odour of the balsome that is spredd abroad but the verie substance of the sacred oyntment it selfe By which according to s. Iohn we shall be taught all thinges O great great and most admirable mysterie which is yet so familiar to vs Christians O most excellent and incomparable visite and gift of the proper person of the holy Ghost O God what a singular fauour is it to haue God the true God really and personally dwelling in our hartes O what hartes ought they to be which haue the happinesse to be the Mansion of such an inhabitant THE V. MEDITATION The excessiue loue of God shewen to man in sending the holy Ghost I. POINT CONSIDER with S. Augustine that God the father moued by meere mercie sent his sonne to redeeme his seruants he sent also the holy Ghost to adopt the same seruants into children He gaue his sonne for the price of their Ransome the holy Ghost for a pledge and assurance of his loue and reserues himselfe all whole for the inheritance of the adopted So much did he desire mans saluation that he imployed not only what was his but euen himself also to that effect Affection Doe we beleeue this ô my soule but doe we beleeue it indeede That such a sonne was sent for such seruants That seruants and such seruants were adopted into sonns into coheires into the participation of the diuine nature By the meere mercy of the Father by the bloud of the sonne by the loue of the holy Ghost Doe we beleeue it I say yes yes we beleeue it my soule We dare not we cannot deney it Credo Domine we beleeue it ô Lord yet helpe our incredulitie in this behalfe We beleeue it in words and in hart too but our actions our gratitude our loue speake it not confirme it not to the world For to whom should all the redeemed slaues actions belong but to his deare Redeemour Vpon whom should all his loue be sett but vpon one that so loues him And to whom should he reserue himselfe wholy but to the God of heauen who reserues himselfe wholy for him II. POINT CONSIDER what an excessiue goodnes and charitie it is that this immense and infinite Maiestie who walkes vpon the winges of the windes and sittes vpon the Cherubins who fills heauen and earth being assisted with millions of millions of Angells would yet daigne to take vp his seate in a poore corner of mans hart to grace that miserable worme of the earth with his presence diuinitie and sanctitie and therby with the participation of his diuine nature Ah! could we iustly weigh mans nothing and Gods Maiestie we should neuer be wearie with admiring and tasting the dignitie of this great worke Affection Ah Domine cognoscam te cognoscam me O Lord grant me light to know thee and to know my selfe that by such knowledge I may happily and gainefully loose my selfe in the admiration of thy excessiue graciousnesse For what am I indeede compared to thee but extremitie of miserie compared to infinite Maiestie but nothing nothing compared to him who is all in all But not so much as one little droppe to a boundlesse Ocean And yet this Maiestie is graciously pleased to take vp his Residence in this miserie This All will lodge in this nothing This Ocean will ouer-flowingly possesse and please himselfe in this droppe How happens this to me that not the Mother of my Lord but euen my Lord himselfe comes vnto me resides in me takes vp his deare delights in my poore harte Ah my soule let our dearest delightes be to possesse him to please him to magnifie him to glorifie him for euer THE VI. MEDITATION Gods excessiue loue to man I. POINT CONSIDER how great and ineffable the pietie of our Redeemer was towards vs as S. Augustine obserues who carried man vp to heauen and sent God into earth what a care hath our Maker to repaire his workmanshipp Behold a new medicine is againe sent downe from heauen Behold Maiestie daignes againe by his owne presence to visit the sicke Behold diuine things are againe mixed with humane the holy Ghost is become a succeeding Vicar to our Redeemer that what the one had begun the other by a peculiar vertue might consummate that what the sonne had redeemed the holy Ghost might sanctifie what he had purchaced he might conserue Affection Too too much are thy friends honored my dearest Lord. Their principalitie is exceedingly beyond all measure confirmed by the presence
heauen wherein we must be saued before the face of the Tirant at the perill of our liues and liberties Doe we endeauour to print in our owne hartes and the hartes of all men this sauing truth that that Iesus which died forvs rose againe ascended into Heauen and is there gloriously seated at the right hand of his heauenly father know my soule for certaine that such blessed effects issue from the presence of the Spirit of Iesus the holy Ghost and reioce in it with a chast feare II. POINT CONSIDER yet another effect of the presence of the holy Ghost which is a loue to heare the word of God and a constant adhearing to and perseuering in Apostolicall Doctrine frequent Communion and feruent and vnanimous prayer with reuerence and feare Such was the practise of the primitiue Christians who as in Acts 2. were perseuering in the Doctrine of the Apostles in the communication of the breaking of Bread and Prayer Affection Obserue my soule what the first fruites and feruour of the Spirit ledd the primitiue Christians to and neither feare nor fayle to follow them They perseuered in the doctrine of the Apostles And shall we giue eare to the new-found fancies and pious imaginations of new masters If any saith S. Paule euangelize to you were he an Angell besides that which you haue receiued be he accursed They communicated euery day and shall we be backward in it when laudable custome and conueniencie calls vs to it They continued vnanimously togeither in publike prayer And shall we run into corners and more please our selues in our deuotions of our owne inuention Noe noe it is the publike and vnanimous prayer of the faithfull that infallibly peirceth heauen and leaues our harts comfortable testimonies that the holy Ghost resides therin THE XIV MEDITATION The H. Ghosts presence knowen by the effects I. POINT CONSIDER againe as another argument of the H. Ghost the loue of vnitie of harts and communitie of our substances The multitude of beleeuers the primitiue Christians had one hart and one soule neither did anie say that ought was his owne of those things which he possessed but all things were common vnto them nor was anie needie among them From this blessed vnion and Communion did S. Augustine and the rest of the first founders of religious orders take the platforme of their proceedings These saith he were the first that heard How good and how pleasant a thing it is for brethren to dwell in one but that fraternall loue and vnion stopped not there but that exultation of Charitie descended downe to posteritie Thence it is that in religious houses to this day there is but one hart and one soule one celler one panterie one purse one comon designe to loue God aboue all things and their neighbour as themselues Affection O Blessed vnion ô happie communion which composeth euen a heauen in earth In thee noe myne and thyne is heard those cold words which are the source of all dissension In thee there is a perfect imitation of the B. Trinitie where many are one three persons and one onely God many operations but one will one and the same Spirit working them all Many Attributes but one and the same comon substance So saith S. Augustine in a Monasterie they liue so that they all seeme but to compose one man They are many bodies but not many hartes Many operations but all guided by one will Many offices but all vsing one comon substance or stocke And all this that Christians may become one by charitie as Christ and his heauenly Father are one in Deitie If we imbrace and loue this vnitie my soule we hold Charitie and the holy Gost certainly dwells in our hartes How the holy Ghost raignes in vs. I. POINT CONSIDER Finally that the holy Ghost doth not onely liue but gloriously raignes in our harts as it did in the primitiue Christians when we doe not only willingly but euen ioyfully endure contumelies contempts temptations tribulations c. for the name of Iesus yea euen glorie in them for the loue of that name for so did the Apostles Acts. 5. They went from the sight of the Counsell reioycing because they were accompted worthie to suffer reproache for the name of Iesus So the Christian Iewes suffered the losse of their Goods with ioy hoping for a better and a permanent substance And S. Paule I abound with ioy in all my tribulations I euen glorie in them Affection O my soule if we finde this ioy in the holy Ghost this omne gaudium in sufferance with Iesus Let 's reioyce reioyce and springe with ioy because our reward will be great in heauen But reioyce in our Lord the good giuer of this heauenly abundance the holy Ghost raignes in vs. Marrie if we find not this ioy this glorie in tribulation yet find patience and resignation with a desire of this reioyce notwithstanding the holy Ghost liues in vs. And he that begun this good worke will perfect it haue we a little patience and will confirme and establish it at his good pleasure cease not in the interim to emulate how euer we find not ourselues yet in tearmes to performe those better giftes what we haue we haue from God and what we haue from God comes from the order of his wise prouidence one thus and another thus according to the measure of Christs plenitude Cease not to aske to seeke to knocke Truth hath promised by the mouth of Ezechiel that what is weake he will strengthen and what is fatt and stronge he will keepe and feede c. THE XV. MEDITATION How the Holy Ghost is contristated and weakned in vs. I. POINT CONSIDER that euen as the Soule is seene often to languish in the bodie by reason of manie infirmities in such sort as though indeed it liue yet it seemes to be depriued of liuely motion sense and vigour so the soule of the soule the holy Ghost is so contristated as it were by the multitude of veniall sinnes especially if our affection be placed vpon them that it seemes to be depriued of actiuitie that is the hartes wherein it resides leaue off to be prompt feruent flourishing and fruitfull leading a drooping and drowsie life and expecting in a manner the first faire occasion to perish How doe many little sinns being neglected kill saith s. Augustine Marrie manie smalle droppes furnish a riuer and aboundance of sand though smalle graines sinke a shippe the neglect of pumping causes shippwracke as well as the billowes which ouerflowe the shippe Affection Take better grounds my soule Dispute not what 's veniall sinne S. Teresa found not herselfe safe in that practice But what euer hath any face of euill that flye And following S. Paules councell what things soeuer be true what soeuer honest what soeuer iust c. what soeuer of good fame if there be anie vertue anie prayse of discipline those things lets thinke vpon those things let 's doe Le ts not be strait harted
enterchange sacred kisses with hym Nothing but sweet words as my beloued is myne and I am his is heard Le ts thus my soule find out receiue and entertayne our deare spouse 2. Point Consider that faith hope and charitie can neuer be more profitably and agreeably imployed to the making vp of a perfectly good preparation then vpoÌ„ the death and passion of our deare Sauiour who left vs himselfe in this Blessed Sacrament for a speciall memorie therof saint Bernard giues vs this assurance With such ornaments as these is our heauenly Spouse delighted gladly enters he into the Bride chamber of the harte where he finds the ensignes of his Passion his Crosse crowne and lance diligently reflected vpon and made familiar Affection Yes my soule for what can be more desire in vs then that for which he so louingly left himselfe with vs to the end of the world where could euer faith be more meritoriously exercised then vpon a God dying for his sinfull people where humane reason found nothing but a man ignominiously dying Where could hope more firmely ancor then where it mett with such excesse of mercy Where could charitie so delightfully solace it selfe as in the continuall memorie of a God dying for loue Let our thoughtes then ô my soule be wholy taken vp in the memorie of Iesus-Christ and him crucified THE INSTITVTION OF the B. Sacrament THE XI MEDITATION Of the truth of the reall presence And while they supped Iesus tooke bread and Blessed and broke and gaue to his Disciples and said take and eate this is my body c. Matt. 26. Mar. 14. Luc. 22. And. S. Paule 1. Cor. 11. saith I receaued from our Lord what I deliuerd vnto you because our Lord Iesus the night in which he was deliuered toke bread and giuing thankes broke and said take and eate this is my body which shall be deliuered for you doe this in remembrance of me I. POINT CONSIDER that ether these testimonies doe manifestly and infallibly conclude the truth of the realitie of our Sauiours presence in the consecrated hoste or els we can neuer expect any certaine truth out of holy Scripture Nothing is more vnanimously deliuered in all Scripture This is my body saith S. Mathew This is my body saith S. Marke This is my body saith Saint Luke This is my body concluds saint Paule Noe words can be deuised either shorter or clearer to expresse the same truth The nature of the busines exacted clearenes for he gaue vs an example of what we were to doe in imitation and memorie of him and againe it was a last will and that some few houres onely before he knew he was to dye for vs wherin all men striue to expresse themselues clearely and sincerely without all varnish trope figure equiuocation or mentall reseruation as far as may be Affection O God how thou hast closely besieged as it were and left no passage to euasion forcing in a manner this Confession from us that vpon this truth thy testimonies are too too credible for is it credible that 3. Euangelists and the great Apostle of the Gentiles would vnanimously conspire to misleade all their posteritie Or can it be imagined that Truth would striue to deceaue vs by leauing vs affirmatiues to be vnderstood for negatiues in a matter of practise would a tender Father teach his rude and ignorant children by hisbodie to vnderstand not his bodie to witt bread Would the goodnesse and wisedome of heauen in his verie laste words haue left to his deare Spouse the Church an ineuitable occasion of error and perpetuall Idolatrie euer since Farre is it from a Christian vnderstanding and farr be it euer from the hartes of thy seruants whom thou feedest with thy flesh which is truly meate and with thy blood which is truly drinke We deuoutly adore thee ô hidden Deitie who art truly and really vnder the formes of bread and wine Let 's rather dye then denye depart from or entertaine the least doubt of this certaine Truth Of the tyme of the institution 2. Point Consider that our Sauiour instituted this Sacrament of loue in a tyme where most loue and tendernes vseth to be expressed to witt at his last supper with his Apostles as the last memorie of a dying man as a pledge of his loue which he desired to imprint deepely in their harts And this too expressed in words full of loue Desiderio desideraui I haue earnestly desired to eate this Pascall or passe-ouer with you before I suffer To witt the present apprehension of his paynefull death is not able to allay the pressings of his tender loue of which he will euen leaue himselfe a pledge Affection Sweete Sauiour Iesu to what higth doth thy Charitie burne Was it not enough for that deare Lord of ours to haue instituted this Sacrament of loue wherein loue left God to man for his food vnlesse still more and more to commend the same loue vnto vs he had performed it in a circustmance of most loue and tendernesse euen iust when he was readie to goe out to signe with his pretious blood spilt for our loue the deed of gift of his bodie blood left for our food And that too acompaigned with dearest expressions loue could inuent 〈◊〉 haue exceeding earnestly desired to eate this Passcâ—all with you before my departure And wilt not thou then ô my soul feruently approch to this Sacrament desiring it with all the desires of thy hart not receiuing it with coldenesse and out of custome c. OF THE CAVSES OF THE Institution of the B Sacrament THE XII MEDITATION The 1. Cause to leaue a Sacryfice Gods worshippe CONSIDER that Christ did institue this Blessed Sacrament and Sacryfice that the holy Church his spouse might be alwayes prouided of a meanes to offer to God the highest worshipe imaginable yea euen condigne and proportionable to his owne infinite dignitie while a victime of an infinite value is offered to him to witt Christ God and man and there-for equall to himselfe as worthy as good as great as himselfe so that nothing ether greater or better can ether be payd owen or exacted nay euen be wished for or imagined by the wisdome of heauen it selfe Affection O great dignation ô infinite loue and bountie of God to man Man was not furnished with any thing worthy of God all the worshipe he could exhibite as proceeding from a pure and poore creature was base and vile and bore noe proportion to the great Creatour What doth he then doe but bestowe a sone and that sone himselfe vpon vs in this Sacred Mysterie himselfe not whit inferiour to his heauenly father and by that meanes inables vs to make an offering of equall worshipe and to pay more then we could euen contract O too too rich and happie Christians if we would know and consider our owne worth and happines The second Cause To leane vs a Legacie of Loue. II. POINT CONSIDER that the second cause of the Institution of
so shall he be called and acknowledged to be the Sonne of the highest Iesus a Sauiour and shall raigne in the house of Iacob for euer And that therfor she is blessed amongst and aboue all women Affection O greatest astonishment to the Angells that euer they yet mett with since the Heauens Creation O greatest blisse to man that euer yet befell him since his first fathers fall O blessed effects of the flight of the world of silence of solitude of frequent prayer O Marie God Angell and man expecte thy consent O pious Virgine mournefull Adam with his whole miserable posteritie banished out of Paradice suppliantly crye to thee for it Abraham Dauid and all the ancient Fathers instantly begge it In a word all the world cast at thy feete humbly sues for it If that consent be giuen a passage to heauen is layd open to vs all THE II. MEDITATION I. POINT CONSIDER yet further and diligently ponder these pretious words which flow as heauenly pearles from the mouth of an Angell which man ought humbly to imbrace relish and locke vp not proudly and profanely to controle Blessed Marie is declared full of grace nor that in an ordinarie manner as diuers other Saintes were but according to the measure which Christ sorted out for his best beloued Mother who wisely sutes his giftes and graces according to the function place and dignitie to which he pleases to call euery one The fountaine the riuer the brooke are each one full so is the Sonne the Mother and the seruant But the Sonne as the sourse and sea whence all graces flow the Mother as neerliest ioyned to and most abundantly participating of the said sea the seruant as placed at a greater distance in a measure aggreable to a seruant in fine the seruant possesses it but by partes the Mother in the whole plenitude as saith S. Hierome Affection All hayle all hayle spotlesse Virgine mother of grace and mercy sith thou art the mother of my Lord and master I feare not to salute thee with an Angell full of grace since to speake wirh S. Athanasius the holy Ghost descended into thee with all his essentiall vertues which he stands possessed of by title of his diuine principalitie and therfor thou art most iustly stiled gratia plena as being replenished with the abundance of all the graces of the holy Ghost Many many daughters haue gathered riches togeither t is true but thou hast outstripped them all and art inriched with that peculiar grace which gaue glorie to the heauens a God to the earth faith to the gentils c. Dearest Lady mother daigne to Conueye some dropes of that ouer-flowing grace of thyne vpon my weake and languishing soule II. POINT CONSIDER that if Marie be full of grace it is noe wonder sith the same Angell assures her and vs that our Lord is with her Dominus tecum Noe saith S. Bernard it is noe wonder that she is full of grace with whom our Lord is not our Lord the Sonne onely whom she clothes with humanitie but our Lord the holy Ghost of whom she conceiues and our Lord the Father who begott him whom she conceiues Nay rather should we wonder that he that dispatched the Angell to her should be arriued to her before the Angell and be found with her by the Angell Affect Our Lord is with thee dearest Lady that eternall and draynelesse sourse of all graces and so the fulnesse of grace cannot be wanting to thee Our Lord is with thee the Angell is onely the Messēger of that good newes but the God of Angells who sent him preuents him and is alreadie thy guest Our Lord is with thee I say nay with vs too by thee ô thou Mother of mercy who broughtest forth our mylde Emmanuel that is our God with vs our Iesus thy Sonne whom who-euer loues he is loued by his heauenly father who with the Sonne and the holy Ghost will come vnto him and take vp their mansion with him O excessiue happines which accreues to vs by the meanes of Blessed Marie THE III MEDITATION For the Announciation I. POINT CONSIDER further that it is noe wonder that she that is replenished with all grace and hath our Lord with her and in her should be tearmed blessed amongst and aboue all women Since others haue but that by partes which she possesses in plenitude and since he that is with others onely in a generall manner by Presence power and essence is with her in all the fulnesse of the Diuinitie corporally Whence it is that she inioyes the aduantages and is freed from the incommodities of all the states of women to witt of Virgines wiues and widdowes She hath the ioys of a mother without corruption the honour of a Virgine without sterilitie the libertie of a widdowe without solitude She is therfor deseruedly blessed among and aboue all women Affectio Le ts vs then my soule say and neuer be wearie in saying with the Angell Hayle Marie full of grace our Lord is wit thee blessed art thou amongst all women and incomparably aboue and before all women for thou art indeede the Glorie of Hierusalem the ioy of Israël the honour of thy nation race and sexe for he that is powerfull workes wonders in thee and for vs poore lost sinners by thee Ah vse thy powerfull prayers to him for vs now and in the houre of our death Amen II. POINT CONSIDER the Blessed Virgines bashfulnesse prudence and retaynednesse in speech She is saluted by an Angell hayle full of grace accompaigned with her Lord and Master blessed among all women and yet she feares euen an Angell in the shape of a man she resalutes him not and in lieu of complacence finds trouble in hearing so great commendations of her selfe and falls a considering what kind of salutation that might be She eyes her selfe as one who was dayly begging for grace and she wonders to heare herselfe declared full of grace Her companions vse to be the poorer sort of Virgines and she admires to vnderstande she is accompaigned with her Lord and Master She lookes vpon her selfe as the least of women and cannot therfor conceiue how she should be blessed amongst all women Affection Ah my soule doe we obserue this Virgine full of grace blessed amongst all women startled at the presence of an Angell while yet we poore frayle Creatures miserable sinners feare not the presence of men where we may haue experienced much danger And when she returnes noe answer but is troubled at her owne prayses euen from an Angell prudently considering what they might import shall we vainely fall in loue with the prayses which men fawningly bestow vpon vs and therby vnconsideratly fall into questions and answers and ingagements which leade we know not whither Ah saith S. Ambrose it is the part of a Vingine to quake and tremble at euery approche of a man and to feare euery word he speakes THE IV. MEDITATION For the Announciation I. POINT CONSIDER that while the
Angell receiues noe returne of answer in words he sees it in effects He obserues in her a singular bashfulnesse and modestie which is the greatest ornament of a Virgine a chast feare and trouble to heare her owne prayses a prudent and mature consideration what the words which she heard might importe and while he heares noe words he replyes to her comportments and thoughts saying feare not Marie And why Not because an Angell salutes thee and publishes thee blessed amongst all women but because thou art indeede gracious and gratefull in the sight of God and hast found loue and fauour with him For saith he thou hast found grace with God Affection Thus my soule let our christian modestie and bashfullnesse appeare before all men and they will reade in our actions without the helpe of words that religion raignes in our hartes and they will depart with edification Let vs thus feare and flye the hearing of our owne prayses come they from men or Angells and we shall infallibly find fauour in the sight of God and his loue will leaue vs noe cause to feare II. POINT CONSIDER what grace and fauour it was that the Blessed Virgine found in the sight of God and you wil find that it was a most profound humilitie Angelicall puritie prompt obedience and most feruent charitie by which she conceiued in her wombe and brought out to the world a Sonne and Sauiour Iesus according to that which the Prophete Isaye fotetold with admiration and astonishment behold a Virgine shall conceiue and bring forth à Sonne and his name shall be called ' Emmanuel which the Angell confirmes and determines to be her selfe saying behold thou shalt conceiue in thy wombe and bring forth a Sonne and thou shalt call his name Iesus Affection Doe we indeede my soule desire to conceiue Iesus spiritualy in our hart and to bring him out to the world Let vs then emulate these better giftes and striue to imitate this Blessed Virgines humilitie puritie obedience and charitie which were powerfull enough to draw God out of heauen and to lodge him in her sacred wombe without these vertues we desire and expect him in vane he that comes to subdue pride wille not lodge in a haughtie hart he that is a pure Spirit yea puritie it selfe hates and flies impuritie Practise these vertues interiourly and we shall not fayle to conceiue him let the same shine before men we bringe him out to our neighbour and he too togeither with vs will run in the odour of those heauenly vertues THE V. MEDITATION For the Announciation I. POINT CONSIDER how this our B. Virgine neither appeares distrustfull nor light of faith but behaues her selfe with all the prudence imaginable for as at the first approche of the Angell she onely ponders and giues noe answer according to that of the wise man Young man speake in thyne owne cause scarcely So at the second onsett she speakes breifly and modestly according to the same If thou be asked twice returne a shore answer or heare holding thy peace and aske So doth the Blessed Virgine saying to the Angell how should this be done because I know not man that is according to Saint Augustine and other fathers I am by vowe of Virginitie in a state of not knowing man Affection This is that blessed temper my soule which all Virgines should striue to imitate neither to be too precipitate in casting out their hartes where noe neede requires nor too bashfull in returning modest answers and in mouing iust doubts as occasion offers it selfe As againe they ought neither to be too credulous and light in beleeuing visions reuelations and fauours from heauen especially such as relate to themselués nor yet too distrustfull all thinges being maturely pondered as though Gods armes were shortened Giue God leaue to doe more then man can vnderstand And where his will appeares certaine doubt not of his powre seeme it neuer so impossible to our comprehensions II. POINT CONSIDER how now the B. Virgine hauing giuen a testimonie that she knowes both how to keepe silence and how to speake there being tymes for both that she was neither distrustfull nor light in beleeuing that though she beleeued the thing yet she was doubtfull of the manner which she modestly demanded and hauing receiued assurance by the Angell that is was to be effected by the power of the highest and the operation of the holy Ghost she presently and wholy yealded vp her selfe to that power which she knew to be omnipotent saying behold the handmayde of our Lord be it done in me according to thy word Affection Say my soule in all occurrences with this Blessed Patronesse of thyne seeme they neuer so hard to common sense be it done to me according to thy word Are heauenly mysteries poposed Giue eare to them in silence Is our answer expected let vs replye without multiplicitie of words Remayne we still doubtfull in the matter or manner demande modestly to haue the thing cleared Doe we find that the solution depends vpon the power of the Highest Le ts stoope in obedience to faith saying be it done to me according to this word thas is let that be done in me by me and with me which is agreable in the sight of the diuine Maiestie Let me be the humble matter or subiect of his diuine operations whether I vnderstand or vnderstand not because noe word is impossible to him THE VI. MEDITATION For the Announciation I. POINT CONSIDER the incomparable humilitie the firme faith the prompt obedience and admirable resignation of this heauenly Virgine The Angell declares her the Mother of God and she her selfe his humble handmayde The Angell intimates a mysterie beyond the power of man and she beleeues that God can doe more then man can comprehend The Angell seemes to deliuer impossibilities that a Virgine without the knowledge of a man should bring out a God yet perceiuing that the hand of the highest is in the worke she beleeues that all thinges are possible to God and affords prompt obedience and vnder that powerfull hand absolutly resignes herselfe to the whole without further discussion while she vnderstands not the halfe depending vp on the diuine authoritie for the rest saying behold the hand mayd of our Lord c. Affection O my soule what lessons are not here put before vs for our instruction and edification what vertues are not here practised to leade vs into an admiration of this glorious Virgine was there euer acte of faith equall to this for an humble mayde to beleeue herselfe to be the Mother of God Or a more admirably greate humilitie then for the Mother of God to declare her selfe his humble hand mayde or finally a more diuinely prompt obedience then that such a Mother was so a hand-mayde that she absolutly resigned herselfe to what euer was to be wrought in her or by her behold the handmayde of our Lord. She neither knew how nor when yet she knew well what we all ought to
which rayseth a litle with Gods blessing vpon it to great matters at least to sufficiencie and content This was the Legacie B. S. Augustine left his children vnitie of hartes and communitie of the same purse Noe myne and thyne the true cause of deuision This was the Apostles inheritance giuen them by the holy Ghost one hart and one soule This was the songe which the Royall Psalmist sung with such ioy and found so good and delicious the vnanimous cohabitation of brethren which like a precious oyntement conueyes it selfe through all the parts of the body Powre then ô Lord the loue of brotherlinesse and peace into our harts that being annointed with the dewe of thy spirituall vnction we may be ouerioyed with the grace of thy benediction THE SECONDE POINTE. Who is not with me is against me and who gathers not with me doth disperse Luke 11. CONSIDER that the sonne of God hath said it whose words can neuer passe Who is not with me is against me there is noe meane noe third way Noe man can serue two Masters God and Mammon There is nothing that raignes in mans hart but either cupiditie or charitie What is giuen to cupiditie is giuen to that badd master the Diuell But what is done for charitie is done for the best of Masters our good God and so we goâ— happilie with him and gather with him If our harts say liue Iesus and our actions be done actually or vertually for his sake we aduance in vertue and treasure vp for heauen If we fayle of this we walke not with God we disperse the Deuill getts a share more or lesse according to the greatnesse or litlenesse of our actions Affection Let vs not goe on biasing my soule and halting on both sides If one onely God be our all let all our thoughtes words and workes be directed to his honour If it were he not Baal or any strange Gods which created conserued and redeemed vs with his owne pretious bloode let him not them souueraignely raigne ouer vs. The bedd of our hart is to narrow for two let our lawfull spouse the Master of it wholie possesse it What euer we doe and not for that for which diuine wisdome ordered it to be done that is Gods honour though in its owne nature it be good yet for want of its right end it falls short Concludes S. Augustine THE FIRST MEDITATION FOR THE THIRD SVNDAY IN LENT Iesus went beyond the sea of Galilee and a great Multitude followed him THE FIRST POINTE. CONSIDER that we neuer walke more safely then when we follow Iesus Neuer are we more sure then in his blessed hands Neuer better prouided for then when distrusting in our owne prouidence â—e let pure loue to him which is alwayes accompaigned with Prudence leade vs after him to conuerse with him to receiue the heauenly dewe of his diuine word and to admire the wonders of his admirable workes euen with the neglect of the whole world beside as did this pious multitude Affection Let then my soule our first and principall care be imployed to followe Christ to seeke his Kindome or raigne ouer our owne harts and the harts of all men and his iustice by giuing beleefe to his words and reposing confidence in his gracious prouidence without permitting our thoughts to be afflicted with an anxious sollicitude for temporall thinges which infallibly shall be giuen vs or as it were shall be cast in to the bargaine Our heauenly father better knowes then we our selues what is necessarie for vs as well for our bodys as our soules He may leaue vs till we begin to be hungrie of both foodes but expect him and absolutly depend vpon him and that pious father of ours will not see vs fayle in the way THE SECONDE POINTE I haue compassion of the multitude CONSIDER that when the pious multitude had once giuen this ample testimonie by following him three dayes in the wildernesse of their loue and perseuerance heauenly wisdome found it seasonable to giue them also a testimonie of his power and goodnesse in one and the same miracle of his power in making fiue loafes and two fishes extende to the feeding and saciating of fiue thousand persons and of his goodnesse by applying the effects of that power to solace and nourish that hungrie multitude saying with compassion misereor super turbam that is my verie bowells are moued with pittie in pointe of the multitude of those that follow me Affection O my most gracious Lord how easily is thy paternall harte inclyned to pittie The pen of the holy Ghost may seeme to haue laboured to make it euident to our hartes I will not leaue you orphants If I come not presently expect me for coming I will come Can a mother forgett the child of her owne body And tho she could yet I am your foster-father and cannot forgett you Ah my soule what expressions can be deuised more tender Our Lord is indeede pittifull and mercifull patient and exceeding mercifull We haue reason to admire his power to dreade his iustice to venerate his sanctitie to magnifie all his Attributes yet nothing nothing comes so home to our vses as his goodnesse nothing sutes so well with our miserie as his boundlesse mercy THE SECONDE MEDITATION FOR THE SAME SVNDAY Euery one tooke as much as they would and they were filled Iohn 6. CONSIDER rhat our almightie Master is equally powerfull to worke his owne designe and our full satisfaction as well in litle as in great matters If a world be to be made he rayseth it out of nothinge If thousands be to be fedd in the wildernesse fiue loaues and a few smale fishes is Matter enough for him to worke vpon and to increase that smale prouision into such a plentifull store that he affords euery one of them as much as they will and they are all filled and saciated Affection Yes my soule our great Gods will and power are wholy equall all that he will he can it is he who wrought all that he would in heauen and earth nor can any resist his diuine will He needes noe matter to worke vpon he requires noe length of tyme to wotke in he has done in a moment he feeds whom he will with what he will and whom he feeds he fills he saciates Alas the world my soule with its fattest feasts doth not saciate vs. Vnlesse what we eate issue from thy holy hand and come with thy benediction vpon it great God we doe but languish and fayle in the way But if the litle we haue be accompayned with thy blessing it feeds it fattens it delights it saciates THE SECONDE POINTE. CONSIDER that though this multitude had iuste reason as well to magnifie his wonderfull power as to loue and imbrace his bountifull goodnesse in the stupendious multiplication of a few loaues c. Yet was but that a poore shadowe of Gods fauours to vs Christians as their obligations also were incomparably lesse hen ours There fiue loaues
afflictions should neither be lessened nor taken away for the space of a longe life Yet what is the longest of liues compared to eternitie but a verie moment Affection It is not my soule for this present tyme for transitorie momentes that we liue and labour Our ayme is eternitie Nor are our sorrowes equall to the paines due to our sinnes nor beare they any proportion to the endlesse ioy we hope for and yet S. Paule assures vs that our tribulations which are for the present momentary and light worke a boue measure exceedingly an eternall waight of glorie in vs. Let vs then couragiously looke ouer the thinges we see or feele which are but temporall to consider what we see not but by ourpatience hope for an eternall waight of glorie THE SECONDE POINTE. I will see you againe and your harte shall reioyce and noe man shall take your ioy from you CONSIDER that though our good God may sometymes seeme to leaue vs yet he neuer forsakes vs but returnes againe to see vs to reioyce our hartes and double and trible our ioyes not those of the wicked which are alwayes attended and vshered out by sorrow but those of the true Disciples of Christ Gaudia Domini ioyes in Christ of Christ and for Christ and to giue vs assurance that it shall not be in the power of man to robbe vs of these Christian ioyes which are properly ours and none shall take your ioyes from you Affection Noe my soule our mercifull Lord forsakes vs not vnlesse we first forsake him he goes but comes againe to visite vs and by such his accesses he giues accession of ioyes to our hartes which he so fixes by his grace that they are not taken from vs nether in this world nor the next to witt they are not placed vpon transitorie thinges which passe but vpon Christ and are locked vp in our harts whither the tyrants sword cannot reach He may take our liues away but cannot our ioyes which liue in death and suruiue it Such were S. Paules ioyes with which he abounded in the midst of all his tribulations Such the Apostles who came reioycing from before the counsell Such S. Laurence whose ioyes burnt higher then the Tyrants tormenting flames Such finally are those of our Lord and Master who ioy being proposed to him sustayned the Crosse This my soule is our ioy which none can take from vs. THE FIRST MEDITATION FOR THE FOVRTH SVNDAY AFTER EASTER I goe to him who sent me Io. 16. THE FIRST POINTE. CONSIDER that if we were truly wained from the world from selfe loue and selfe consolation we should be so farre from hauing our harts filled with sorrow vpon the hearing of the words of Christ I goe to him who sent me that contrarily our harts would be replenished with ioy That deare Lord of ours had perfectly accomplished his heauenly Fathers will in the worke of mans saluation by puttinge downe that deare price of his redemption What then ought to be more delightfull to the redeemed slaue then to see his gracious Redeemour returne into the possession of his owne right to see him exalted to see him glorifyed Affection Returne then ô my dearest Redeemour into thy rest into thy heauenly Fathers bosome into that glorie thou hadst common with him by thyne eternall birth-right before the world was yet made for it is but iust that the innocent lambe which was slayne should receiue power and diuinitie and wisdome and strength honour glorie and benediction c. Be it euer farre from vs my soule to preferre the delightes of his presence and the ioyes we take while we are drawen on by the odour of his oyntments before the accomplishment of his blessed pleasure in what euer desolation and the aduancement of his glorie THE SECONDE POINTE. It is expedient for you that I goe Io. 16. CONSIDER that tho not so much the consolations of God as the God of all consolations and the pure loue of him for his owne infinite goodnesse sake ought to be the cheife Christian motiue in all our actions yet our mercifull God who best knew that man is all earthly earth and ledd by selfe interest sutes his motiues to what we are alwayes mixing the sweetes of consolations and our aduantage to moue vs to the loue we otherwise owe him And therfor to solace the Apostles sadnesse he sayth I tell you the truth it is expedient that is aduantagious or profitable for you that I goe for if I goe not the holy Ghost shall not come to you Affection Let vs putt downe my soule for a most sure maxime in point of our spirituall progresse that he is not Gods best seruant who seekes his will of God in the continuall inioyment of consolations in our prayers c. But he that desires that Gods will may be done in him by an absolute resignation in what drinesse and abandonmēts so euer Let vs learne thē to leaue God for God as here we haue occasion and vndoubtedly the holy Ghost will come and inhabite our disinteressed harts and blesse them with more solide and substantiall aduantages THE SECONDE MEDITATION FOR THE SAME SVNDAY But if I goe I will send him to you Io. 16. CONSIDER that wheras the holy Ghost proceeds from the Father and the sonne it was but conuenient that the sonne should first be seated at the right hand of his heauenly Father in the Throne of his glorie according to that the holy Ghost was not yet giuen because Iesus was not yet glorified before the holy Ghost was sent that he might be ioyntly sent from them both to poore man as that best guift descending from aboue consubstantiall coequall coeternall with themselues and well becoming their infinite Maiestie and the excessiue loue of our deare Sauiour by the merits of whose death that perfect present was purchaced Affection It is but iust my soule that our eldest brother be first repossessed of his owne glorie which was his from all eternitie before the younger and adoptiue children lay claime to their share which is but his deare purchace and free guift who for a sure pledge of it sends vs one equall to himselfe to confirme in vs the hopes therof Happie thrice happie we Christians to haue so powerfull a Mediatour in the Court of heauen to preuayle with his Almightie Father for the sending of the holy Ghost to comfort instruct and confirme vs in all truth taking vp his residence in the Temples of our hartes THE SECONDE POINTE. He the holy Ghost shall teach you all truth Io 16. CONSIDER that as the donation and mission of the holy Ghost were the effects and fruites of the passion ascension and noble tryumphe of Christ wherin he ledd captiuitie it selfe captiue and in all of them glorified his heauenly Father so is that holy spirit sent to glorifie the sonn by teaching clearing and confirminge in the harts of the Apostles all that their diuine master had taught them belowe and making these heauenly
persecute Christ in the persons of his faithfull as the Pharisies and Herodians did by their wicked counsells in his owne person striuing to surprise him in his words Affection Happie are those peaceable and prudent soules who affect not runing to their owne ends by their owne counsells alone but humbly beleeue that many eyes see more then one and thence vnanimously conspire togeither to consulte and execute by common consent what is behoofull for the common good according to euery ones state and calling In the middst of such a companie God will surely be found to streame his blissings vpon them But contrarily accursed be that Pharisaicall way of conspiring togeither against our Lord and his Christ or Christian children with designe to surprise them in their words innocently vttered to represent their well meant actions in an odious way to sowe misintelligence amonge friends and putt them at a distance God certainely will vtterly destroye such impious counsells and consulâ—ours THE SECONDE POINTE Master we knowe thou art a true speaker and teachest the way of God in truth c. for thou dost not respect the person of men CONSIDER that the result of their fraudulent counsells was meerly by falsehoode and flatterie to come to their wicked designes They call him master whom they seeke to destroye They flatter him with the opinion they haue of his veracitie or speaking the truth while their true ayme is to catch him speaking false in saying that Tribute ought not to be payd to Cesar And so make him guiltie of treason They tell him he is noe excepter of persons to induce him to speake more freely against Cesar as being a person who would be partiall to none not euen to the highest power in earth Affection O impious pietie ô accursed flatterie O damnable vse of truth He is indeede your Master and Sauiour whose death you conspire He is not onely a true speaker but euen Truth it selfe whom you seeke to calumniate He is in verie deede noe excepter of persons and and therfor he would haue iustice done to all men To whom Tribute Tribute to whom custome custome to whom feare feare to whom honour honour He is Truth it selfe and therfor doth deteste a fawning double tongued mouth Thus doe the wicked misimploy sacred truth to worke their malice But let vs my soule striue to make a better vse of it Let vs looke vpon our Christ as Truth it selfe with adoring loue Let vs reuerently heare him as teaching the way of God in truth and incessantly followe him in the odour of his sweetnesse THE SECONDE MEDITATION FOR THE SAME SVNDAY Render what is Cesar's to Cesar CONSIDER that our Sauiour by this short lesson teaches all that belongs to iustice betwixt man and man since iustice indeede is noe other thinge then willingly to giue euery one his owne To Cesars Kings and Potentates tributes and other duties according to lawe and custome To Prelates obedience according to Canons Rules and Constitutions To Parents honour and obedience according to Gods Lawe To our elders deference and respect To the poore and distressed compassion and assistance and loue to all men in generall Affection Who fayles my soule in any of these particulars fayles in pointe of Christian Iustice and vainely flatters himselfe with the opinion of being perfectly iust No Pay we otherwise what we will euen to God himselfe vnlesse Caesar also receiue his right God is not appayed because his decree is not obserued giue to Caesar what is Caesars Doe we then defraude the Prince of his iust tributes and impositions or transgresse his penall lawes made for the weale of the Land We are vniust Doe we fayle in obedience to Prelates and Parents commandes while they trench not vpon Gods parte We are vniuste Doe we refuse respect and preference to our ancients finde the poore noe place in our hard hartes haue we noe loue for our Christian brother We fayle in one halfe of the law Caesar is not payd his parte in a word we are vniust THE SECONDE POINTE. And to God the thinges which are God's CONSIDER that if the tribute coine was iudged by our Sauiour Iesus to belonge to Cesar and therfor ought to be rendred to him because it was marked with his picture and inscription much more doth man belonge to God and ought in all iustice to be rendred to him since he was made by him to his owne likenesse and similitude conserued by him redeemed by him If we liue and moue it is in him If we conceiue a good thought haue a good will or doe a good worke they are but all effects of his grace and bountie All that we haue or are are truly his most iustly therfor are we bound to render all to him Affection God alone is the souueraigne Authour and conseruer of our Beeing he alone the absolute Superiour of the whole man to him alone are our whole selues and obediente submissions due in all thinges at all tymes and in all circumstances without limite without reserue And therfor we cannot without iniustice depriue him of any parte of our selues be it our thoughtes words or workes because the Arrest is giuen To God the thinges which are Gods And what haue we my soule or what hath the greatest of men which he hath not receiued We cannot then depriue him of them without robberie nor glorie in them as our owne without vanitie THE FIRST MEDITATION FOR THE XXIII SVNDAY AFTER WHITSVNDAY There came a Prince and adored saying Lord my daughter is newly deade but come and putt thy hand vpon her and she shall liue Matt. 9. CONSIDER the great peruersitie of mans harte who still putts false rates vpon thinges and most loues and labours for that which deserues the lesse loue and esteeme We may obserue in this Gospell as well as in all the rest prince and people poore and rich Iewe and gentile running to our Sauiour for bodily cures While yet we scarce find any haue recourse to him in behoofe of their soules vnlesse it be a weeping Magdalene or a poore humble Publicane with propitius esto mihi peccatori in his mouth Affection How longe my soule shall we be willing to vse false waightes euen in waighing to our selues How longe shall we be in loue with lyes What proportion doth our corruptible body dust and ashes beare to our immortall soule What profit will bodily health togeither with the honours pleasures and riches which we so earnestly breath after bring vs if we suffer the losse of our soule which Christ knowes best to value who putt downe the price of his pretious bloud for it Alas my soule if we haue but a tooth that akes we presently suffer the paine to haue it plucked out and yet to cure our dying or deade soule how litle are we sensible how smale paines are we willing to suffer THE SECONDE POINTE. The girle is not deade but sleepeth CONSIDER that we may often seeme to the censorious world and euen
i' st your sute to liue I 'am endlesse life and endlesse life doe giue O then quitt vncoulth wayes hope not in lyes To find out truth nor th' life that neuer dyes In fading moments Ah you seeke in vaine To find true life in th'land where death doth raigne THE COMMVNICATION OF THE diuine goodnesse by imparting of his Glorie OVR sea of goodnesse still streames on there is Noe end in it we tend to endlesse blisse Those guifts of nature grace and all the rest Are gu'in to bringe vs to eternall rest Our joyes were great at the coming of that guest Our hearts reioyc'd to lodge him in our breast But ah he will not haue vs end our storie Till he conduct vs to the state of glorie So saith our faith to this our hopes are raysd With this excesse our charitie's amays'd That goodnesse free from want our dust should choose To place it's loue vpon and kindly loose Himselfe on man Ble'st prodigalitie By th' guifts of his diuine Hypostasie To be himselfe companion in his way To call him backe by grace in case he stray To feede and fatten him with his owne bloode O that this happinesse were vnderstoode To proue in death bis sauing sacryfice And endlesly to be himselfe his price So saith his word I 'le be my selfe thy hyre What more then this can vastest heart desire AN APOSTROPHIE TO THE DAMES OF SION O Then deare Dames let th' loue I dayly find Mongst you increase and all your hearts cobind In one loue-knott vse all your wit and Arte To haue but all one comon soule one heart This God command's this Austine doth aduise Doe this alone deare soules it will suffice FINIS SINE FINE GLORIA TIBI DOMINE MEDITATIONS Vpon our blessed Sauiours Passion THE FIRST MEDITATION Of the last supper THE FIRST POINT CONSIDER that now the blessed tyme of grace and mercy drawing neere wherin our sweete sauiour Iesus-Christ had determined to pay mans ransome not with the corruptible price of gold and siluer but euen with the effusion of his owne pretious bloude he graciously daigned in testimonie of true loue to feaste with his beloued Apostles before his departure See him louingly accompanie them into the roome where they were to suppe and let vs take the humble boldnesse to follow him inn and to receiue some of his last words I haue had an ardent desire saith he to eate this pascall lambe with you it being the consummation of all the ancient sacrifices and the last I shall eate And say to him cordially Affection That in verie decede we find our selues exceeding hungerie but that we neither doe nor indeede can possibly find any meate which feeds and saciates vs saue himselfe or from his table The rest doe but puffe vp and swell they doe not solidly feed and fatten so that by how much more we eate by so much the more doe we languish and pine away Tell him that verily you are not worthy you know it well you confesse it to the whole world but thar it is he alone who makes vnworthy creatures worthy who makes sinners iust and that for your part you relie not vpon your owne merites which are none without his mercys but run intirely to his free mercy Tell him that euen your dogges eate the crums which fall from their masters tables and in that confidence you approche or els with an humble and contrite hart fall downe at his sacred feete with the mournfull Magdalaine and make lamentations teares and grones more fully speake your hart The seconde Pointe Consider with what compassion and mildnesse our blessed sauiour begins to comfort his disciples whyle he obserues them sorrowfull and sadd vpon the apprehensiō of his departure which he fore told them saying my deare Disciles be not sorrowfull let not your harts be troubled I vvill not leaue you Orphantes t is for your sakes that I goe But seeing them yet some weeping some sighing his fatherly bowells were wholie moued to compassion and he spoke to them in these sweete tearmes my tenderly beloued sons my deare Disciples be not terrified bee not troubled behold I am vvith you till the end of the vvorld Affect This sweet sauiour shall be my comfort in all my desolations that though thou seemest to absēt thy selfe yet wilt thou not leaue me an Orphā whether it be that thou goest from me by permitting me to fall into some temptations or spirituall drynesse for my greater trial and merite or it be that thou often lettest me fall into little faultes that I may better learne to run back to thee my louing father this shall still be my consolation that thou dearely sweete and loueing Lord ar◠still with me till the end of the world THE II. MEDITATION Of Christs humilitie and loue shevven at his last supper Cons 1 COnsider what is done at that his last supper looke about and you shall see him rise vp from the table to giue by his owne example and in his owne person that first and most necessarie lesson humilitie the ground of our christian building and euen of all christian discipline as S. Augustine esteemes it You shall see the master become all his seruants seruant the vertue of the highest lowe laid at his creatures foule feete him in whose name all knees are bowed kneeling to wash to drye to kisse his seruants feete in fine the king of glorie so farre as I may say forgett his glorie as humbly officiously and louingly to fall downe euen at a disloyal Iudas loathsome feete Affect Ah my soule what is this we behold are wee deceaud or is it the king of heauen we see at the traiterous Iudas his feete shall we euer then haue the hart and courage to swell againe after this wonderfull humiliation If God indured this for me shall not I endure this or that reflecting vpon some difficultie we haue to stoope for him nay for my selfe for myne owne aduantage and eternall good or if this cannot moue me what will be euer able to moue my proud hart O my sweet sauiour euen for thy felfes sake bestow vpon me some scrappe of this wholesome dishe and grant me in euerie occurrence of difficultie submission or humiliation to haue this thy blessed example liuely placed before myne eyes Consid 2. Consider that notwithstanding that Christ knew by certaine knowledge that his heauenlie father had giuen all power and authoritie into his hands that he came from him and went to him rhat is that he was indued with fulnes of knowledge issuing from him by his eternall generation and returning to him to take possession of his owne right yet disdained hee not for our example to rise from supper to putt off his vpper garment to take a linen and girt about him to putt water into a basine to washe his disciples feete to wipe them with the Iinen which he had put before him Affect O God I haue nothing to saie but am lost in astonishement and
dye rather my soule dye then so disloyally forsake thy loue dye rather my soule dye then so spotr and defile the white garment thou art now inuested withall Yet alas S. Peters example makes vs afraide to boast our loue S. Paules saying is more safe omnia possum in eo qui me confortat as though he should say of my selfe I am able to doe nothing yet I can doe all thinges in him that comfortes me THE X. MEDITATION Hovv Iesus vvas treated in Annas his house Cons 1. SEe now your potent Lord and louing spouse humbly standing in bonds before that prowd sinner Annas mildely receauing a boxe on the eare for no other fault then meekely answeringe interroga eos c. aske those that haue heard me Consider the infinite distance betweene the giuer and the receauer and you will not know how enough to admire him The most potent the most innocent the most louing Prince to receaue a boxe a thing disgracefull in itselfe from the hands of one of his owne seruants vpon no occasion commanded by none but euen out of his owne malice while Christ through loue was suffering euen for him vnworthy wretch Affect O my soule my soule is it not euen thus that we who seeme so compassionat to all the world besides treat this patient lambe giuing him in so much as in vs lyes as many blowes as we commit offences And is it possible then that we are only yncompassionate of Iesus his case doth his loue deserue this at our hands can his example be of so little force with vs as not euen to blush to be so quickly put out of patience with the least touch of disgrace or any other word sounding anie thing contrarie to that which we conceaue while that heauenly face in quam desiderant Angeli prospicere vvhich the Angells desire to behold is exposed to the cruell blow of a vile seruant and that without muttering or impatience at all Cons 2. Accompanie now your forsaken spouse from Annas to Caiphas weighing in the meane time what a wearisome night he had of it left alone to himselfe amidst a crew of thirstie blood-suckers in a dark-some night and all this to marrie himselfe to you ah looke vpon him looke vpon him take now the true proportion and feature of his diuinely faire and gracious face for alas shortly will the howre arriue that nether forme nor figure will be lefe to be taken neque species illi vltra erit neque decor Ah pitious case See him then before whose tribunall all mortalls shall stand standing before a mortall man his owne creature to be iudged his hands bound his eyes cast downe with a gracious bashfulnes and bashfull mildnes Affect Ah me ah me shall that faire that celestiall faire face be euen so quite disfigured and my sins the cause of this dolefull Metamorphosis ah pittious case But at least goe not alone goe not alone my deare spouse drawe my sickly and fearefull soule after thee through the sharpe of thy Passion faine would she follow but alas she is fraile alas she feares Ah trahe me Domine sponse post te trahe me post te Ah draw me after thee my Lord my spouse draw me after thee by thy holy grace THE XI MEDITATION Hovv Iesus vvas treated at Cayphas his house Cons 1. COnsider how vpon Caiphas disgust taken vpon occasion of our Sauiours most milde answere Tu dicis quia ego sum you say that I am so they giue new force to their furie bursting all vpon him without pittie or compassion some beating some spitting in his face others with their nailes tearing the same some haleing him by the haire of the head some by the beard others stroke harder at him with sharpe mockes En Prophetam nostrum prophetiza nobis Christe quis est qui te percussit Loe here our Prophete Prophecie to vs ô Christ who was he that strooke thee Affect Ah what is this I heare was euer sott on earth vsed with such scorne ah what 's this I see was euer theefe or malefactor vsed with such rigour or crueltie is this the faire face I tooke euen now so good notice on ay me how wholy it s changed It was putely white and now it is swollen with blowes blubbred with spittle dyed with blood torne with nailes and all this for loue of me Ah! and shall I not loue him shall I not loue him Cons 2. Follow him now from Caiphas to Pilate their malice still continuing or rather encreasing touwards him thinke how you take not willingly so much paines to please him as these wicked Iewes did that night to offend and molest him For see after their false accusations could not moue Pilate to sentence him they hale him from thence to Herode Marke herein the full and perfect abnegation he had made of himselfe and his owne will giuing himselfe ouer to the indiscretion of a Barbarous multitude to be led to this and that man this and that place to the highest to the lowest limitting himselfe to no one thing but indifferently imbraceing all or anie one thing his heauenly father permitted to fall vpon him and all this for the loue of you Affect Learne here ô my soule of thy spouse this perfect abnegation for if we desire to be gracious and agreeable in his eyes we must be prompte and faithfull imitators of his workes vt sicut ipse ambulauit nos ambulemus and therefore hereafter we wil not looke so much by whom what or for what we suffer which is to limitt our patience to times and occasions making ourselues iudges of our owne cause but still haue an eye for whome and by whose example to witt for how louing a Lord how deare a spouse for how entire and feruent a louer in fine for how great a Kingdome for how many offences if not those which now we are accused of at least of our life past with those of our friends of our miserable coūtrie nor is indeede loue accustomed to exact reasons t is reason enough that it is for our beloued we suffer and this we can doe as often as wee haue an intention so to doe THE XII MEDITATION Hovv Iesus vvas mocked at Herodes and Barabbas vvas preferred before him Cons 1. COnsider how at Herods howse our Sauiour is receaued with new contempts and contumelies their vnsatiable malice not being a whitt satisfied with all the paine they had alreadie put him vnto See them inuest the eternall wisdome of his father in a white garment in manner of a foole to be led in that equipage through the populous streetes as a theefe or malefactor See how humbly how patiently and mildely he performes this Procession and all this for our sake and example for loue c. Affect O my soule my soule what is it that he hath refused for our sakes what could he haue done which he did not could any thing haue been more contrary to wisdome it selfe which he is
it and tyde it out 20. Nay my deare crucified Loue thou art indeede smitten by him for the sinnes of his people but thou art not forsaken we haue thyne owne word for it He that sent me is vvith me and hath not forsaken me He will within a short space deliuer thee and glorifie thee Wert thou forsaken by him thou wert forsaken by thy selfe too since thou art one and the same God with him and all your outward actions are common Thou hast povver to lay dovvne thy life and to resume it at thy pleasure Thou art thus treated and sacryficed because thou thy selfe wouldst Ah saith that louing seruant of thyne S. Augustine who is he who so easily sleepes when he would as Iesus dyed when he would who is he that with so much facilitie putts off his garment when he would as thou puttest off thy garment of flesh when thou wouldst 21. My God my God why hast thou forsaken me was noe complainte then but a voyce of the humanitie which yet was neuer separated from the Diuinitie which broke out from the excesse of his anguish Noe repining against his heauenly father but a lesson and reproche to vs my soule who see and heare these abismall excesses with drye eyes as not concerned wheras indeede the whole concernement is ours who had bene abandonned for euer had not our deare Lord for our loue for the loue of lost man dayned to be thus abandonned 22. A strange lesson making an absolute demonstration of the haynousnesse of sinne which can neuer be better knowne then by the inestimable greatnesse of the price and the ineffable strangenes of this abandonnement But a shamefull reproche if after the due consideration of this we liue in league with sinne and therby crucifie againe our crucified Loue. 23. A lesson pronunced with a loude voyce to strike through man's huge deafenesse to rouse vp his ingratitude and insensibilitie But a reproche if he remayne still deafe to so diuine instructions vngratefull for such heauenly benefits senselesse of such prodigious torments of a God 24. A lesson speaking a greater measure of sufferance and consequently a greater excesse of loue then euer the thoughts of men or Angells were able to reach too so that if the rest of his benefits of his Natiuitie c. putt a great waight vpon Christian harts and presse them to loue this seemes not so much a great waight as euen an intolerable and insupportable burden and doth not so much presse vs to loue as euen oppresse and beare vs to it by a dearely sweet force For here indeede God the Father putts the greatest commendation vpon his charitie that euen omnipotencie it selfe was able to putt While that Sainte of Saintes to whom Sanctus Sanctus Sanctus is sung in his Kingdome is abandoned in this direfull soyle to the excesse of torments and left dying for a sinner While he spares not his owne onely sonne but deliuers him vp for an vngratefull vngracious sinfull seruant while finally God is exposed and left to be murdered by and for miserable man But a most confounding reproche if at this moment we make not strong resolutions to deteste and forsake for euer that tyrannicall Monster sinne which putt our Lord and Master our best Benefactour our dearest spouse to such excesse of torments that they forced from him My God my God vvhy hast thou forsaken me 25. In so much that he the fountaine of liueing water is exhaust and waxen drie and he cryes out sitio thinke in this you heare him say t was I that created the sea fountaines all other moistures 't is I that rule the clowdes and powre downe rayne in due seaon T is I that offered the Nectarian cupps of eternall beatitude to Angells and Saintes and yet beholde for your sake haue I not a droppe of colde water to coole my exceeding heate But aske him and peraduenture he 'le tell you that his thirst is after another thing to witt Mans redemption for his meate and drinke was to haue his fathers will performed which was Mans Saluation Or els he thirsts after more sufferāce sitio that is notwithstanding these horrible paines and desolations which you haue seene me endure notwithstanding that the blood of my bodie is quite exhaust yet remaines the desire I haue to suffer for Man insatiate and readie to embrace a thousand deathes 26. O loue which alwaies burnest and art neuer extinguished burne my hart burne it wholie that it may liue only for thee and loue only thee and for thee And we my poore soule haue we nothing to offer to our loue our spouse in this his extreamitie haue wee nothing that may helpe to quench his thirst ô yes his drinke is his heauenly fathers will and his fathers will is whatsoeuer good we doe or suffer whether it be a deuout thought a sigh a teare spent in the consideration of this B. Passion or it is a taunt a scorne an infirmitie a temptation a reprehension an affliction corporall or spirituall tolerated for his loue or it is a fast a prayer a vigill a mortification an act of obedience a worke of Charitie or the like offered vp in his honour all this is an agreeable cuppe vnto him all this doth quench his thirst and can we be so mercilesse and vnkind as to offer none of these or shall we peraduenture be so inhumane and cruell as to present him with the contrarie as the barbarous Iewes doe with vineger and gaule for alas this was all the consolatiō offered him in his exceeding anguish 27. O vos omnes qui transitis viam dicite si est dolor sicut dolor meus ô all you that passe by say whether there be any greife like my greife Dolor from all sortes of men Iewes and Gentiles friends and foes by my Apostles absence and my Mothers presence Dolor in my fame honour and glorie Dolor in Bodie and Soule in euerie part in euerie sense à planta pedis vsque ad verticem capitis non est sanitas in me And yet after all this being thristie gaule and vineger are administred Popule stulte insipiens haeccine reddis Domino Deo tuo ô foolish and brainsicke people is this the returne which thou makest to the Lord thy God What haue I done to thee or what fault haue I committed that thou art so cruell towards me tell me is this a fitt exchange for all the benefitts I haue done thee I deliuered thee safely out of Aegypt I caused the sea make waie to thy drye passage I prostrated thine Enemies I fedd thee in the Desert with that heauenly food Manna I haue taken thy nature vpon me and haue peaceably cōuersed amongst you 33. yeares haueing left as it were for your loue my heauenly Raigne and is a cuppe of vineger and gaule the best present you can find in your harts to bestowe vpon me at my departure Popule stulte insipiens haeccine reddis Domino Deo tuo 28. Ah!