my words of him shall the Son of Man be ashamed when he shall come in his own glory The XXVII Day Of not deferring 1. I Defer too long to give my self to God as if I endeavored to escape out of his hands is it a misfortune to bee his To morrow to morrow why not now Is it a shame to give over a shamefull life and this hour is it not a good one to make so happy an end The morrow when it is come will it not bee like to day And the heart of to morrow will it bee stronger then the heart of to day O it is either very blinde or very ill disposed 2. What is it that makes me afraid that I defer so long to follow the voice which calleth mee If there be any thing to be feared is it not the delay and remisness wherewith I requite the Holy Ghost and my abuse of so long a patience There is a great deal of difficulty in changing our life to the better I will do it but can that bee reasonable an excuse for a Christian who adores a crucified God and hopes for a Paradise 3. To defer is the future mine Is it a bottom whereof I am master God stayes for me it is true this is in the holy Scripture but how long I shall live and how soon I shall dye that is not hee hath not promised me so much as the morrow and if he had should I fear beginning to day to have a day more of good life wee must have no Buts Let us do sin no more the honour to excuse it and to say that it is reasonable nor God the wrong to avouw that he merits our heart to day yet put him off to the morrow Examine what there is that you have refused God a long time to say I will I will mend and not to do it is to be vertuous in imagination and vitious in effect S. Aug. lib. 3. de lib. arb This is the most just punishment of sin that he who when he hath power will not doe well when he would should lose that power The XXVIII Day Of the Passion of our Lord. 1. AH my good Master is not the rigorous justice of God weary of taking vengeance of my sins upon your person equally innocent and adorable even to the drawing of the last drop of blood out of your veins and as for me I shall be infensible and stupid yet my continued sins and neglect of correcting my self not weary out your mercy It is time that I belong to none but thee and that my conversion be constant there is a term to thy benefits as well as to the number of my sins 2. They tye him feet and hands to a pillar which they force him to embrace Ah my Saviour cries S. Augustine what sweet dying it were in thy arms why doest thou not embrace me and I thee that thou mightest have been my Pillar and I might have received the stripes How many wounds one wound covers another blood on the Whips blood on the garments of the Executioners blood on their hands in the air on the ground my only Saviour are not my sins laid upon thy shoulders Is it not hither that thou carriest the burthen of my crimes 3. What said hee whilst this storm of blows was discharged upon his back I will Father I am here in the place of a sinner I do not repent it who ever saw the like Phisitian to give his life for his Patient He considered all Men what drop Oh my Saviour didst thou destine for me during the effusion of thy precious blood Is it possible that I was then in thy thoughts We must not think that the only Son of God did resigne himself to such excesse of torment that we might resigne our selves to pleasure if I cannot be crucified I will at least dwel under the shadow of the Crosse steeping my pleasures in his pains Isaiah 53.4 He hath born our griefs and carried our sorrows The XXIX Day Of the Son of God as Saviour 1. IF you had been present at his Crucifixion you had seen the fairest and most innocent of all Men dye condemned not only by the judgement of Earth but of Heaven for your sake what thought then would have moved your heart Infinite Majesty why didst thou not stay in thy inaccessible light what need hadst thou of Men and of me in particular whom thou hast brought thrust out of nothing by thy breath Why doest thou not blow them back again into nothing if they are unworthy of thee Is not this a new Subject for thy anger Thou madest us so excellent O eternal Father and we bring thee to this sad condition Ah it is without question because he will bear the title of Saviour before that of Judge He will have me to be the fruit and conquest of so many torments Oh how dear art thou to me in this estate Since it is by this that thou hast shown mee so much love how dear I am to thee But shall I ever be thee and thou me 2. My Saviour permit me not to have any other judge then thy self since thou knowest the price of my Soul thou hast summed it up thou hast paid for it my onely Redeemer suffer mee not to bee engaged in that unhappy eternity where thou art not loved where thy holy Name is blasphemed where in a word thou art no more acknowledged a Saviour 3. Shall I be so miserable as to be told one day since the blood of God was not profitable to thee in thy life it shall never be profitable to thee Though the blood of the Son of God profit me nothing yet will the Creatures at least profit mee No nothing at all It is true can it be possible that I shall one day be told that through my own fault for a trifle for a moment my Saviour shall be no more my Saviour but changed eternally into my Punisher the mildest and most patient of al men towards all others shal become justly terrible and irreconcileable to me The Lamb shall be turned into the Lion what an eternal change never more shall I call him my Saviour Such as I mean to have him to eternity such I must endeavour to have him during life Tertul. contra Marcionem The first goodness of God is according to Nature the latter Severity according to the Cause The XXX Day Of fidelity to God 1. GOD hath not delivered you once onely from great danger from how many perils which might have destroyed your soul or your body you know hath hee brought you up and consecrated you as one of his eyes to the end that you might do him most dishonour dedicating to the World to the service thereof that which he loves most dearly God cannot endure that his servants should go to another Master what dislike have you found of God hath not he enough to satisfie your heart without seeking wherewithall to fill it amongst his Enemies 2. In a miserable condition is a soul greatly advanced from which God withdrawes himself and saith to it for ever thou pleasest mee no more 3. You know the design of God upon you would you be rebellious Hee doth you a great deal of honour to make use of you should you give to others that which God hath designed and reserved for himself By the experience you have of his conduct do you find it ill do you retreat Have you forgotten your fidelity You remember to keep it well to Men who passe away but the God of to day is the God of Eternity How great are the designs of God upon us if you do not hinder them And you are an enemy to your self if you do 4. Enter generously into the designs of God and go nobly whither you are called to God to God who doth you the favour to tell you that he loves you with the love wherewith hee loves the children of Election do nothing unworthy the love of God and of Jesus knowing how good he is to you One good faithful soul alone is worth a Million whose languishing lives are interwoven with relapses penitencies with life death It had been better to have never known God then having known him to forsake him As long as he loves that which he gives he will hate those who despise his gifts Tertul. de Poenitent It is dangerous to despise a benefit which is known he refuseth the giver who casts away the gift FINIS THE TABLE VVeek I. Med. 1. OF the End of our Creation Pag. 1 Med. 2. Of Sin Pag. 6 Med. 3 Of Death Pag. 11 Med. 4 Of the last Judgement Pag. 16 Med. 5 Of Hell Pag. 20 Med. 6 Of the Eternity of Hell Pag. 24 Med. 7 Of Paradise Pag. 29 Week II. Med. 8 Of Faith Pag. 33 Med. 9 Of trust in God Pag. 37 Med. 10 Of love to God Pag. 42 Med. 11 Of our acknowledgment to Christ Pag. 48 Med. 12 Of conformity to the will of God Pag. 54 Med. 13 Of Imitation of Jesus Christ Pag. 60 Med. 14 Of Love to our Neighbour Pag. 66 Week III. Med. 15 Of Love towards Emies Pag. 70 Med. 16 Of Example Pag. 75 Med. 17 Of distrusting our selves Pag. 80 Med. 18 Of care of our salvation Pag. 86 Med. 19 Of the presence of God Pag. 93 Med. 20 Of the account we must give of Gods graces Pag. 98 Med. 21 Of fervour Pag. 103 Week IV. Med. 22 Of the use of the Sacrament Pag. 108 Med. 23 Of our condition of life and employment Pag. 114 Med. 24 Of Suffering Pag. 119 Med. 25 Of Almes Pag. 125 Med. 26 Of humane respects Pag. 130 Med. 27 Of not deferring Pag. 136 Med. 28 Of the Passion of our Lord. Pag. 142 Med. 29 Of the Son of God as Saviour Pag. 149 Med. 30 Of fidelity to God Pag. 157 FINIS
complain that for one moment of pain I am made capable of an eternity of good without measure O most happy eternity O life eternal E cite in your self a very great desire of seeing God and suppress all the vain hopes of the World and all fears of ills in this life with the thoughts of Paradise S. Aug. in Psal 26. Let your heart transcend all things visible and let your intention transcend your usual carnal cogitations that arise out of corporeal sense and imagination Cast all this out of your minde whatsoever you meet with deny say it is not that it seems for if it had been that it had not been presented to me so shall you desire some good as good the best of al good c. That which is purely good whereby all things are good c. This is that wherein the Lord delighteth this is that we will contemplate The second week The VIII Day Of Faith 1. I Beleeve my God that I am of the true Church the greatest of my joy is that I hope by thy grace to dye therein I would dye willingly with all Martyrs for any one or the least of those truths she hath taught me because they all invariably rest upon the authority of a God who cannot lye 2. I make much more esteem of one truth of our faith then of all Sciences and Maxims in the world and that which it condemnes I condemn absolutely in despight of all the contradictions and repugnances that I meet with I wil oppose from hence forward upon all occasions where Faith instructs me what I shall do I will oppose this cursed world God saith thus God did say it so I shal quiet al the interiour murmurs that trouble me and I will follow faithfully this direction O the great secret 3. As for a particular instance the world saith this and that as that we must suffer nothing that we must set our selves out c. And what saith God what doth my faith teach me c. My God encrease my faith this is a prayer which thou wert wel pleased withal when thou wert upon Earth c. Say the Creed leasurely as to make a solemn profession of Faith Tertul. de praescr ad Haer. 14. Faith is appointed for a rule c. Let Curiosity give place to Faith To know nothing beyond this is to know all things The IX Day Of trust in God 1. SOoner shal Heaven and Earth pass away and be annihilitated then God wil leave to protect a heart that trusts in him 2. God nourisheth and defends to the very Snail and least root of Grass to Serpents to Crows and to his very Enemies what then will his infinite bounty do to those that hope in him 3. A Man will trust his health to a Physitian his Process to a Lawyer his life if he be blind to a Childe and sometimes to a Dog that leads him and a wise man sometimes to his Horse if he think that he knows the way c. And wee shall make a difficulty to trust our selves to the bounty conduct of God 4. The Crown of the Motives of our hopes is the example and love of Jesus Let us therefore with him repose our trust in the communications of his heart to his Father And since he is wholly with us and for us in this union and under this shelter what can we fear Examine here your heart to see if truly it conside in the bounty of God and in the merits of Jesus Christ and if wee have confidence worthy of two such strong upholds S. August Tract 49. in Joan. 11. Behold O Lord he whom thou lovest is become infirm it is enough that thou know it for thou doest not love and leave The X. Day Of love to God 1. IF God could have given us any thing more then his life and himself without doubt he would have given it us and is not our love dear enough that is bought at this price 2. To what end should I distract my heart in pursuit of so many created goods let us satisfie our selves once and for ever with the love and possession of God If it be just to love a mean finite goodness why should I not love a beauty goodness infinitely amiable For being infinite doth it cease to be amiable 3. Hee commands me to love him with al my heart do I comprehend this obligation rightly hee that saith al leaves nothing and whatsoever part I give if I give not all I give not that he asks and hee doth not hold himself loved think we that we should love him like a Husband like a wife like a child like a friend like our selves like the goods of the world which we love with so much passion O what comparison 4. If Eternity could have an end there could not be too much of Hel in the judgment of the Devils themselves to obtain this inestimable grace of loving God Ah of the damned there is not one but at the expence of dying eternally if he could or at the expence of suffering in time all he should suffer in all Eternity but would think after this that he obtained God at an easie rate and at present he is mine and I may love him what right and what power Apprehend rightly here the infinite merit of God and make it al your whole study to love him above al things and disavow al other love S. Aug. Confess 13.8 Thee it is that I love and if that love of mine be too little do thou make it more c. This I know that I am never well but in thee not onely in things without my self but even within my self and all that abundance which is not my God himself is to me but extream poverty The XI Day Of our acknowledgment to Christ 1. NEver was any thing bought so dearly as my soul and though I did not belong to God as my Creator yet I should to Jesus as my Redeemer Satan and all his Creatures clemand vēgeance for my crimes he rather harkened to the voice of his own heart that said unto him he should have pity of me and hath redeemed mee I am truly his his servant the use of all that I am belongs to him he is the King of my goods of my sense of my soul of all I avow with my whole heart this dependance 2. Then what a horrible deplorable shame will it be for him that appears before the tribunal of Iesus having lived threescore yeers in quality of his servant not to be able to produce one day nay perhaps not one good hour of faithful service not able to say that hee hath truly loved him what wil then become of me 3. I give a Dog a bone that to mee is worth nothing for this nothing he flatters me and keeps to me and doth mee a thousand services Iesus gives me his heart his blood his life and all his treasures and I am insensible of it Learn learn ingrateful see
thy Dog thy Iudge go to school to thy Dog he may be thy Master to instruct thy reason and inform thy heart 4. Finally there is not one hour nor one moment in which wee are not indebted to Iesus Christ for an eternity of good or for preserving us from falling and losing it and for giving us grace to obtain it were not hee worse then a bruit beast that would not esteem these things thank and love him Examine seriously if in your heart there is a true love to Iesus and what assurances you have of it If there is none what are you How hard S. Aug. Ep. 52. Of that Wisdom which alone is true what I have I have from God c. Not incredulous of that which he hath not given nor unthankful for that which he hath given The XII Day Of Conformity to the wil of God 1. THat which GOD wills or permits is willed permitted done out of a most particular designe of his glory and with resentments of infinite goodness towards us I beleeve this O my God most firmly And how can it bee otherwise that thou shouldst bee as thou art our most dear Father if thou didst use us otherwise 2. All things should be alike to us in God why should not wee loye even his Iudgements which are good and amiable why should we separate our selves from them by bitter thoughts which make us afraid and to them are injurious Let us put our selves on his side and his judgements will please us our disquiet comes from this that we will that God be and our selves also there must be but one God and wee in him To will this and will that as if it were ours and our business is to make something of our selvs besides God that will must perish there must bee none but that of God 3. I will then onely what God wils I have nothing to say or except against any thing in the world all is to my liking see am I more wise more clear of sight and better then God who governs all I am on his side I will never say O unhappy time it is too hot it is too cold all things praise God why should I find fault What is it to me My little Bark is not so difficult to steer and if it were God could well manage it she wil get to the Haven in spight of the tempest to conclude what ever happens though hee should take the sword to kill me I know his hand is guided by his heart and that heart loves me ought I not therefore to live content Put your self in the posture that is requisite to conform your self to the wil of God But give it not over til you finde your heart turned straight and even towards him and in quiet S. Aug. in Psal 122. He onely securely pleaseth who pleaseth God and who is it that pleaseth God He that is pleased with God The XIII Day Of Imitation of Christ. 1. NO Man that is predestinated but ought to wear the Livery of Iesus Christ and above all his Humility and Cross Our eternal Father hath set him before us as a Pattern Though I should have all other perfections that can be imagined if I have not this I cannot please him this is a necessity undispensable He that is not for him is against him 2. But what a misery is it and how deplorable that so many souls study the fashions of the world to conform themselves to them and so few cast their eyes upon the incomparable Model of al vertues Iesus Christ We should be Images of him Ah the Image if it were capable of sence would it not bee ashamed not to be like its Prototype 3. What wrong do we do the Son of God to his Wisdom as if he could not choose the best life to his Goodness as if he should counsel us to that which is the worst to his Power as if he had commanded us without fortifying our weakness what a reproach is it to have Iesus go before us and hardly one follow him 4. O what shal I say at the day of judgement when I shall come to bee conferred with my Law and my Pattern Iesus When my life shall be compared with his his Humility with my Pride his Wounds with my Delicacy his Sweetnesse with my Anger c. Ah what a Monster a Christian without Christianity the Slave of the Devil under the Character of the Cross Wel I must choose one of these to bee my rule either my own sancie or Iesus wee cannot live with both and we cannot live without both what choice shal we make See if there appear in you any resemblance of the Son of God if hee that looks on you would take you for a Disciple of Jesus Christ The same way that the Head hath gone the other parts of the Body must follow If the Head go in at the Gate the Arm goes not in at the Window Iohn 12.26 If any Man serve me let him follow me and where I am there shall also my servant be The XIV Day Of Love to our Neighbour 1. Who loves not his Neighbour cannot say truly that he loves God if we do all and not love our Brethren wee do nothing all the devotions in the World without that are but deceit 2. This is my commandment said Iesus our most amiable Saviour that you love one another as I have loved you Though there were nothing to be loved in all persons in the world but the cordial desire thou hast that I should love thē O Iesus I would love them with al my heart But besides this they are all thy Children all proceeding from thy bosom I were very nice if I did not love that which thou cherishest shest more then thy self or life 3. Do I love my Neighbours truly without exception of any as Iesus loves us that is to say to be ready to give my life for them and my own goods c. This devotion is very rare this is that which is proper to Iesus and his Gospel Endeavour to possesse your soul with such affections as Jesus Christ hath for all souls to love them with tendernesse and not to have an indifference for any S. Aug. Serm. 42. de Temp. If thou love all mankind as thy self there wil remain no gate for Sin to enter into thee The third Week The XV. Day Of Love towards Enemies 1. GOD did so love the world though it was his mortal Enemy that he gave his only Son in testimony of his Love even to the terrible death of the cross What a prodigious love was this do I truly believe it 2. Upon this JESUS commanded me that for love of him I should love my Enemies to this example command what can I answer 3. As I forgive God will forgive me not otherwise I must then either hate my self or pardon others thus I am obliged by all Motives that can be imagined to wish well to my