contracted by grace and charitie and therefore of the first Christians though separated in bodies place Act 4. S. Luke giueth this testimonie the multitude of beleeuers had one heart and soule And Ionathas his soule by freinship loue was said to be conglutinata ioyned fast as it were glued to the soule of Dauid 1. Reg. 18. Lib. 4. Confes c. 6. And S. Austin speaking of a great freind of his who was dead saith I thought my soule and his soule to haue been one soule in two bodies and therefore my life to me was an horrour because I would not liue halfe and therefore perchance I feared to die least he shoud dye wholie whom I much loued But this vnion betwixt these freinds was onlie metaphoricall and in affection whereas by the freindship made in and by the B. Sacrament there is a realle vnion not only of Christs substance with those that receaue him by communion but also of the receauers communicants amongest themselues because they all receauing the same indiuiduall bodie of Christ are al reallie vnited in it and by it to one another O admirable freinship and no lesse admirable vnion greater then is the vnion betwixt children of one Father and mother their vnion is called consanguinitie by which they are vnited in flesh and bloud which they receaue frō the same parents which is counted a greater tye then any humain freindship can make and yet they receaue not from their parents the same indiuiduall flesh and bloud either with their parents or with one another but another and that distinct though of the same Kind they who receaue this B. Sacrament do receaue the same indiuiduall flesh and bloud which he hath and so are vnited to him and amongest themselues in one the selfsame flesh and bloud By this freindship we liue not onlie together in one howse as other freinds doe but as Christ saith Ioan 6. Ioan. 6. he that eateth his flesh and drinketh his bloud abideth in him and Christ in him and so they liue not onlie together in one howse but also one with in another O freindship excelling all humaine freindship and euen carnall consanguinitie and the neerest kinred O how should we loue this noble freind who out of his excessiue loue hath linked vs vnto him not onlie in affection as freinds are nor in the like flesh and bloud as children of one Father and Mother are but in the selfsame Indiuiduall substance of which he consisteth O how should wee loue one another and euen more then wee doe our brethren and sisters because we are linked not onlie in flesh bloud of the same kind taken from the same parents as they are but in one indiuiduall flesh and bloud of Christ which we all receaue in this B. Sacrament Freinds at their departure by death or by a long iorney do leaue onlie their freinds an Image or a ringe or some other guif◠for a remembrance and this argueth their great loue But Christ at his departure out of this world in respect of his visible presence hath left vs in this B. Sacrament the best thing he had not an Image or a ring or such like but euen his owne flesh bloud his owne selfe and so leauing vs visible remaineth with vs inuisiblie in this B. Sacrament and will soe remaine with vs to the worlds end How should we imbrace and loue this our so great freind VVhat shal we giue him for this guift he is more worth ten thousand times then we are or haue yet lett vs giue him ourselues as he hath giuen himself to vs and though there be infinite disparitie betwixt him and vs yet he will accept of our guift because it is asmuch as we can giue Some freinds and Confederates who haue made a firme league or freindship to make it firmer and more inuiolable haue let themselues bloud and haue signed it with their bloud So our B. Sauiour to make a firmer league freindship with vs did let himself bloud on the crosse and this his bloud he giues vs to drink daylie and his flesh also to eate in the B. Sacrament thereby to signe this league and to make it inuiolable O let vs not on our part break this freindship but let vs rather signe it with our bloud if the occasion be offered as Christ hath signed it with his which also he giues vs to drinke that we may neuer forget this league and freindship True freinds are readie to dye for one another as they say Pylades and Orestes and others were thinking themselues to liue though dead so long as their freind liueth and to dye though liuing when their freind dieth Our B. Sauiour hath sacrificed hīself once on the Crosse by a reall death and he daylie sacrificeth himself mysticalie in the B. Sacrament for vs lett vs be then alwaies readie in preparation of minde to dye for him who first died for vs let vs not thinke it much to giue our life for him who gaue his life for vs which being the life of God man infinitlie surpassed the liues of all men though neuer so great and manie yea and of Angels also if they could dye as they may be annihilated O my soule do thou resolue thyselfe into loue to shew thyself gratefull to so louing a freind doe thou imitate the Phenix burne thyself in thyne owne flames of loue that dying in this Fire to the world this life and thyself thou maist rise to heauen to an eternall life ô my soule stick to this freind so fast as that neither Father nor Mother sister nor brother prosperitie nor aduersitie life nor death nor al the creatures in the world may separate thee from him but as freinds liue willinglie together so thou maist liue in him and he in thee in this B. Sacrament so thou maist liue with him in the Church militant that thou maist euer liue with him in the Chuch triumphant so thou mayst liue with him heere by grace that thou maist raigne with him in heauen by glorie THE EIGHT MEDITATION How Christ hath shewed himself in this B. Sacrament a most louing spouse O My B. Sauiour ô louer of soules thou confoundest me with thy loue shewed to me in this B. Sacrament by so many waies I haue found thee in it by it a bountifull feastmaker prouident howse-holder a Father a Mother a Freind now I finde thee to bee in it and by it a most amorous spouse of our soules that so by one Title or other or altogether thou maist wrest out a reciprocall loue of ours towards thee As thou hast contracted three freindships with vs as we haue seene in the former chapter so hast thou contracted three Mariages with vs the first by Incarnation the Second by grace the third by this B. Sacrament By Incarnation thou art so fast wedded vnto vs and linked vnto vs by a knott so indissoluble that it excelleth the bond of carnall
THE XV. MEDITATION How by the receiuing of this B. Sacrament the Receiuer is made the Temple of God THE XVI MEDITATION Of the good purposes which after Communion are to bee made APPROBATIO HAE meditationes Eucharisticae Ch. M. piae sunt deuotae nihil fidei catholicae bonis moribus contrarium continentes ideoque vtiliter excudentur perlegentur Actum Duaci 4. Iulij 1639. Georgius Coluenerius S. Theol. Doctor Regius ordinariusque ac primarius Professor Duacen sis Vniuersitatis Cancellarius librorum Censor To the Reader THE nature of man is desirous of Noueltie chaunge varietie Noe bed is so soft of which in tyme we are not wearie no Musick so delightfull which by oftē repetition becommeth not redious noe dish so daintie which if it come often to the table is not loathed and nothing but the cleare vision and fruition of God doth alwaies content The reason of this is the sufficiencie of God his goodnes the insufficiēcie of that which is good in his creatures For God is Sūmum bonum cheefest and infinite Good in which is no defect and so being seen clearlie perfectli◠possessed as he is of the Blessed in heauē who see him face to face 1. Cor. 15. doth alwaies delight neuer glutte the Blessed or make them desirous of chaunge But all creatures and create Goods as they content and delight for a tyme by reason that they are good in their kind so in tyme they discontent and make vs wearie of them because in that they are finite they are also deficient VVhence it is that as sick men cannot lye long on one side or in one posture but doe turn chaunge often so wee are neuer long content with any one create thing seeme it at first neuer so pleasing but after wee haue had a tast of it wee are wearie of it and desire to chaunge though sometymes for worse And this is the cause why after many spirituall bookes set out heretofore by others I haue not feared to set out myne though they bee of the same subiect that other former bookes were seeing that though myne treat of the same matter yet they doe it in a diuers manner and so for varietie may please I knew well that many had written paraphrases vpon the Psalme Miserere and vpon all the Psalmes and yet in the yeare 1635 laduētured to set out mine also hoping that when deuout persōs are wearie of still reading others Paraphrases they wold for varietie be content to read mine also and I was not deceiued And although I was not ignorant that many Authours haue written meditations vpon the B. Sacrament and the sacred passion of Christ yet for the aforesaid reason I now diuulge my meditations vpon the same subiects hoping that after often reading of those former bookes some out of desire of chaunge wil be content to read mine though inferiour And therfore to accommodate my self to humain infirmitie to which euen spirituall exercises in time grow wearisome in these my meditations vpon the B. Sacrament I haue so disposed that euerie meditation hath a diuers particular subiect that so the varietie at least may allure the Reader and that the Communicant or Receiuer may come with a better spirituall appetite and denotion to receiue in this Holy Sacrament his Sauiour his sacred bodie and bloud I propose him in diuers manners as in manner of a Feast maker a boūtifull house keeper a Freind a Pastour a physician a spouse a Father and the like that this varietie may delight and cause the Receiuer to come to this Holie Sacrament without any tediousnes yea with greater spirituall appetite And so I hope my meditations will not be vngratefull because in them there is varietie and diuersitie also from the meditations which others haue set forth others may haue somethīg which I haue not and I may haue something which they haue not they may haue their manner and I may haue myne they may haue their inuentions I may haue myne and so both theirs and myne may be pleasing For as the same meate diuerslie cooked may be as pleasing as diuers meates soe the same matter handled by diuers diuerslie may by reason of this varietie prooue no lesse pleasing then diuers matters and subiectes Otherwise if because that some haue written of a subiect others who succeed thē must not touch that matter all modern Authours must absteine from writing because nothing can be now sayd which was not in substance sayd before For as Ecclesiastes said in his time so much more may wee now say in our time Eccles 1 nothing vnder the Sunne is new neither is any man able to saye behold this is new for that it hath alreadie gone before in the ages that were before And so wee See that there are diuers commentaries vpon the same booke of scripture diuers sermons on the same holy day text diuers bookes of the same part of Philosophie diuinitie This being premised for my excuse I will breeflie aduertise the Reader that Meditation is not whatsoeuer speculation or discourse vpon God or his diuine perfections or the mysteries of our faith for this speculation being only to discouer the truth is not worthie the name of meditation which is a kind of mental prayer but meditation doth speculate the aforesaid obiectes discourseth on them to mooue some affection as loue ioye feare sorrow according to the natures of the mysteries or obiectes on which wee meditate In this exercise of meditation as the contemplatiues doe well obserue there are three wayes to perfection The one is Purgatiue when by meditation wee stirr vp in vs a feare of God his Iudgements and sorrow for our sinnes or hatred of them by which our soules are purged from all filth of sinne The second way is illuminatiue when by meditation our understanding is so illuminated as it seeth the excellencie of vertue as of obedience humilitie pouertie of spirit chastitie and the like and seing the beautie of it induceth the will to loue it and louing it to practise and to get it The third way is Vnitiue when by meditation of God his Diuine perfections we stirre vp in our heartes a loue of God a complacence in his Goodnes or mercie or other his perfectiōs and diuine attributes by this way our soules are vnited to God The first way is of beginners the secōd of those that profit in the way of vertue the third of them that are perfect In my Paraphrasis and meditation of the Psalme Miserere I haue speciallie shewed the Purgatiue way inducing the sinner to penance and sorrow for his sinnes by which sorrow the soule is purged frō sinne In my meditations vpon the Passion I propose the illuminatiue waye because Christ in his Passion hath set vs exāples of all vertues In my meditatiōs vpon the B. Sacrament I teach the vnitiue way that Sacrament by it selfe vniting vs reallie to Christ and the
my loue and boughtst me with it to be thy spouse so that as Sephora sayde to Moyses that he was a bloudie spouse vnto her Exod. 4 because she was enforced to circumcise her sonne to saue Moises his life so much more ô my soule maist thou saie to thy spouse Christ Iesus Thou aâ—t a bloudie spouse vnto me who sheddedst thy bloud and sufferdst thy bitter passion to marrie me by thy grace and by this B. Sacrament giue me grace to be alwaies readie in miÌ„de to shed my bloud for thee if occasion shall present it self that I may also be a bloudie spouse to thee To this I ame inuited by thy bloud which I so often drinke in the B. Sacrament It is commaunded in Genesis that man should leaue Father and Mother toad here to his wife and Gen. 2. the same commandement is giuen to the wife in regarde of her husband much more shouldst thou my soule rather leaue carnall parents and wordlie riches pleasures then to leaue by sinne this thy so louinge spouse Ephes 5. Thou commandest allso ô deare Spouse that men should loue their wiues do thou obserue this lawe which thou hast made and do thou loue me thy Spouse betrothed to thee by charitie and this B. Sacrament and giue me grace alwaies to loue thee neuer to offend thee O how happie art thou my soule who art espoused to so noble and so chast a Spouse as Christ In officio S. Agnetis whose Father knew no woman whose Mother knew no man who is a Spouse more beautifull then the Sunne more rich then heauen and earth more noble then all the Emperours that euer were VVhom if thou louest thou art chast Ibid. if thou touchest thou art cleane and vndefiled if thou marriest thou remainest a Virgin O my sweete Sauiour loue me I ame thy Spouse ô my soule loue thy Sauiour he is thy Spouse And as man and wife do so loue that they are neuer well but when they are together so ô sweet Iesus my deare Spouse let me neuer thinke my selfe well but when I ame with thee and thou with me by frequent communion and receauing of this B. Sacrament that liuing with thee in this B. Sacrament and consequentlie in the Church militant where only it is lawfullie ministred and receiued I may liue and dwell with thee for euer in the Church Triumphant THE NINTH MEDITATION VVhat a PhysiciaÌ„ Christ hathe shewed himselfe in this B. Sacrament GOD Almightie created man in good health sound and whole both in body and soule bestowinge on him the tree of life which would haue preserued his bodie from distemperatures diseases and death and endewing him with originall Iustice which so subiected his bodie to his soule and sensualitie to reason the inferiour part of his soule to the superiour and that to God that in his soule there was no inordinate passion no sinne nor spirituall infirmitie But he not knowinge how to vse this his felicitie by a willfull surfette taken by eating the forbidden fruit distempered his bodie with mortalitie from whence all diseases of the bodie and death it self proceed and by his disobedience cast his soule at one time into as many diseases as inordinate passions which diuers haue reduced to fowre which they call vulnera animae woundes of the soule residing in fowre principall powers and faculties of the soule The vnderstanding whose obiect is truth and whose perfection is knowledge was obscured and darkned by ignorance The will whose marke at which she aimeth is good whose perfection is loue was infected with malice The irascible part whose obiect is difficultie and whose glorie is victorie ouer difficultie was weakned with infirmitie The concupiscible part whose obiect was moderat delight and whose felicitie was contentment was galled with the itching and ill pleasing sore of concupiscence And thus this Samaritan descending from Herusalem that is Paradise from which now he was banished vnto Hierico this mortal and miserable world the vale of miserie fell into the hands of theeues the deuills who dispoiled him of his armour of originall Iustice and wounded him in body and soule Luc. 10. yet semiuiuâ— relicto Leauing him halfe aliue because though he was dispoiled of all supernaturall graces yet he lost no naturall perfection though he was also weakened in that By this miserable and woefull wight thus miserablie spoiled wounded the Preiste Leuite passed Luc. 10. but could not cure him or helpe him because the old law could onlie tell the disease but could not cure it by grace because though their law was giuen by Moyses yet grace by Iesus Christ Thou therefore ô sweete sauiour ô most expert and mercifull physitian who camest to saue sinners and to heale the wounded and diseased by the oyle of thy merc e wine of thy bloud which thou shedst in thy passion appliedst as it were powredst forth in the B. Sacrament hast on thy parte cured this miserable wight man and all mankind Thy Sacraments ô Lord which thou institutedst are so many salues and remedies against the sores wounds and diseases of our soule Baptisme cureth the wound of originall sinne the Sacrament of Pennance is a remedie against the sinnes that are committed after Baptisme Matrimonie is a salue ordained against the wound of concupiscence which galleth the concupiscible part Confirmation against infirmitie in the Irascible part The B. Sacrament after we are cured nourisheth vs in a spirituall life Extreme vnction taketh away the reliques of sinne Order maketh vnder Physitians who vnder Christ and by vertue and authoritie from him do minister the aforesayd Sacraments and remitte sinnes Io. 20. ô Soueraigne and sauing Physitian By thy holy word also and sacred scripture thou hast shewed thy self to be our Physitian for that euerie word of this sacred scripture is a simple euerie senteÌ„ce a salue against sinne therefore by reading holy scripture or hearing of it read and rightlie interpreted many thousaÌ„des haue been conuerted many thousands haue been saued O sweet Iesus in whose name dwelleth saluation O heauenlie Physitian who hast prouided so many remedies against sinne so many helpes to saluation Nay all Christe his life was a shoppe full of drugges salues remedies against sinne Euerie praier he made euerie exhortation euery parable he spake euerie miracle he wrought euerie word he vttered euerie good worke he did euerie stepp he walked euerie teare that fell from his eies euerie droppe of bloud he shed for vs euerie lash at the pillar euerie pricke of the thornes euerie pearcing of the nailes in his hands and feete the hunger and thirst he endured euerie paine pange he sustained on the crosse were a salue and remedie against sinne So that if now the prophet Hieremie should aske of vs Christians as he did heretofore of the Iewes Hier. 8. is there no rosen in Galaad in the Church of God is there no Physitian there we might answer yes Hieremie
our Sauiour we should receaue this B. Sacrament VVHEN thou hast O my soule by the considerations alleadged in the former meditation stirred vp thy selfe to a filiall feare and reuerence thou must also endeauour to moue thy selfe to a feruent loue and charitie towards thy Sauiour whoÌ„ thou art to receaue To this all thy former meditations will conduce for that by them is shewed what a good house keeper how liberall an Hoste what a Father what a Mother what a Friend Spouse Phisitian and Pastour all which are titles of loue Christ hath shewed himself vnto the in this B. Sacrament Saye then vnto him thou hast shewed they self in this B. Sacrament a noble house keeper giue me the loue belonging to one of thy familie thou hast shewed thy selfe a bountifull Hoste giue me the loue of a louing guest thou hast shewed thy selfe a Father and Mother make me a louing and obedieÌ„t childe Thou hast shewed thyselfe a louinge friend make me loue thee reciprocallie yea a Spouse make me a louing spouse yea a Phisitian make me a louing patient yea a Pastour inflame my heart with the loue of a louing sheepe Thou neuer shewedst more loue to mee then in this B. Sacrament by which out of a great loue thou giuest to me and after so admirable a manner as loue is ingenious thy bodie bloud soule and diuinitie By Incarnation thou impartedst thy self onlie to that nature which thou tookest of the B. Virgin But by this Sacrament thou bestowest thyself on all in particular who receaue it VVith what loue shall I paye this loue Thou giuest thy All vnto me and can I giue lesse then my All to thee and yet so shall I not rendre like for like because my All is nothing to thy All nothing somuch as if a begger should giue his raggs for the Kinges purple robe crowne scepter and kingdome I vse to take kindelie all which a freind giueth be it but a ring or Image because I imagine that he giueth his loue in his guift yea and himself also in his guift though not in person with what loue then should I answer to thy loue who giuest thy selfe vnto me not onelie in thy guifts and effects as thou giuest by creation iustification and glorification but also by this B. Sacrament in thine owne person Children loue their parents and nurces because they feed and nourish them brute beasts loue them who giue them meate be it but crustes and bones hay or strawe how then should I loue thee O Lord who feedest me with thy owne flesh bloud seasoned and sauced with the Diuinitie O my heart to shew thy self that thou art not made of flint marble or steele but of soft flesh resolue thy self into loue for thy Sauiours loue shewed in this B. Sacrament and being so resolued and transformed imploy thy selfe and all thou are for his loue and honour If thou thus prepare thy selfe by a great reuerence and loue to this B. Sacrament in which the Sonne of God resideth as in his cabinet not onely he but his Father also the first person in Trinitie and their holy Spirit the Holie Ghost the third person who procedeth from them both consubstantiall and coequall vnto them will all three come vnto thee not onely to visit thee but also to dwell with thee for this God the SoÌ„ne promiseth saying If any loue me he will keepe my word Ioa. 14. and my Father will loue him and we will come to him and will make abode with him And because thou art notable of thyself to furnish thy howse so as it may be fitt for the entertainement of so great personages they will bring with theÌ„ their tapistrie and ornaments of grace and vertues by which thou shalt be adorned to their liking And because thou canst not prepare a feast worthie such guests though thou shouldest seeke sea and Land for it they will bring their feast with them to witt this Blessed Sacrament the Manna which conteineth all that can delight thy spirit and with it they will bring aboundaÌ„ce of all grace by which they will feast thee and will be feasted of thee THE 13. MEDITATION To be made immediatlie after Communion How thanâ—kefull the Receauer should bee VVHen thou hast receaued this B. Sacrament pause awhile and think what thou hast receaued Thou hast receaued more then the worth of Heauen and earth the Sonne of God in whom be all the treasures of wisedom and knowledge hidden Coloss 2. in whom dwelle the fulnesse of the God head corporallie who is the head of all principalitie and power thou hast receaued him who is worth so much that he is inestimable no price caÌ„ be sett on him Antonius and Cleopatra did on a time vainlie striue who should make the greatest feast And Antonius prepared all that Sea and Land could affoard Cleopatra not sollicitous for any such fare tooke an vnion which hung at her eare and resoluing it drank it at a draft and putting her finger to the other eare to take another vnion he who was elected arbiter and Iudge betwixt them bad Cleopatra hold her hand for that she had alreadie surpassed Antonius his feast hauing drunk alreadie the price of all Egypt But thou O my soule by receauing this B. Sacrament eatest and drinkest at once the bodie and bloud of Christ for with his bodie his bloud alwayes is by concomitance and inseparable vnioÌ„ which is more then the price of Egypt yea theÌ„ a thousand worlds And therefore if thou shouldest resolue thy heart into gratitude and thankes giuing thou coulds not shew sufficient gratitude for this so great benefit Say then to thy bountifull Iesus with gratefull Dauid Psa 115. Quid retribuam Domino pro omnibus quae retribuit mihi what shall I render to our Lord for all things that he hath rendred to me nay what shall I render to my Lord for this onlie thing which he hath bestowed on mee thou hast ô Lord not onlie bestowed on mee great benefites and this the greatiest of allâ— but thou hast also rendred good for euill mercie and grace for my sinnes what can I render thee for this Psa 115. I will follow King Dauids counsell I will take the chalice of saluation and I will inuocate the name of our Lord I will take the chalice of thy Passion which thou didst drink on the Crosse I will offer that sacrifice for this and both for all thy benefites and by them I will inuocate and praise thy name for euer If I could speake at once with all the tongues of men and Angels I could not ô Lord giue thee sufficient thanks for this so great a benefit which conteineth thy sacred self and thy holie flesh and blood Deifyed by thy Diuinitie VVherefore in an astonishment at this great benefit and thy great liberalitie I will be silent and by my silence I will testifie and confesse that thou hast bestowed on me in this B. Sacrament more then
MEDITATIONS AND DEVOVT DISCOVRSES VPON THE B. SACRAMENT COMPOSED BY Ch. M. Caro mea verè est cibus sanguis meus verè est potus My Flesh is meate indeed and my blood is drink indeed IOAN 6. Printed at DOWAY by L. KELLAM Anno 1639. TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE AND VERTVOVS LADIE THE LADIE CECILIE COVNTESSE AND DOWAGER OF THE LATE EARLE OF RVTLAND WRITERS of bookes most noble Ladie are spirituall parents and their bookes are their broods young-ones And therefore as carnall parents haue no sooner a child borne to the world but they looke about them for a secondarie Father or Mother whom they stile Godfather and Godmother by whose name the child may be graced and by whose authoritie it may be protected So writers of books are no sooner deliuered of these their young-ones the broods of their braines and fruitfull vnderstandings but they by and by thinke of a Patron or Patronesse to whom they may commend them whose examples because they are common I being not vnwilling to follow had no sooner finished this litle Pamphlet of meditations on the B. Sacrament my young Beniamin borne to me in my old age but I bethought myself to whose Patronage and tuition I might best commend it And my cogitation did presentlie light and hitt vpon your Honour who by your great nobilitie as being dowager to the Illustrious Earle of Rutland Sister to the Lord Nicholas Tufton can grace it by your credit by your credit as being of our prime nobilitie can protect it by your pietie will imbrace it by your manie noble fauours may challenge it Let others dedicate their Annales and Histories of warres and Martiall feates to Kings and Emperours I will presume to offer a booke of Pietie to a Ladie most noble and pious and yet so pious that her pietie graceth her nobilitie Your Honour since the death of your noble Husband the Illustrious Earle of Rutland hath imbraced the state of a widow the most noble state most pleasing to God after Virginitie in which you haue carried your self so like your self that you deserue Honour of all according to that of the Apostle Honour widowes which are widowes indeed You imitate by your retired life that famous widow Iudith who in the Higher partes of her house made herself a secret chamber in which she liued retiredlie with her maids seruing God by praier and fasting yea you follow the example of the widow and Prophetesse Anna whom the Euangelist commendeth for that she departed not from the Temple but by fasting and prayer serued God For although your Honour wanteth not goodlie Houses Parkes and Gardens wherein you may recreate your self yet to shew your self a widow indeed you haue made choise of your Oratorie for your Pallace and cheefe place of aboade and from thence you hardlie depart because there you cōuerse with God and he with you and when there you reade your Spirituall books he talketh with you and when you pray you talke with him And although you keepe an Honourable Table suting with your nobilitie yet the fare which most pleaseth you is Judithes and Annaes fare to wit fasting which is the foode of the Soule and the Physick of the bodie which so weakeneth the body as it strengthneth the soule And although your Honour wanteth neither lands nor liuings nor reuenewes which the world calleth Riches yet you esteeme Almesdeeds your greatest treasures as indeed they are For as Marchants when they haue laied out all their monies do then esteeme themselues richest because they expect greater and richer marchandises so your Honour is the richer by your Almesdeeds because by this laying out you purchase greater treasures in heauen So that although you be a widow in respect of your late most noble Husband yet you are no widow in respect of Christ to whom you are espoused not onelie by faith hope and charitie as all good christians are but in a more perfect manner by renouncing all marriage with man on Earth to marrie and vnite your self more neerlie to your Spouse God and man in Heauen Not thinking now to vse th' Apostles words on things that pertaine to the world as the married woeman doth how to please an husband but thinking on the things that pertaine to our lord how to please him And therefore he now is your spouse whō you loue aboue all on whom your loue is setled on whom your thoughts are fixed to whom all your actions are directed he is euer in your minde euer in your thought euer in your memorie and that time which other Ladies spend in adorning themselues so to please their Husbands you spend in adorning your soule by prayer meditation fasting Almes-deeds and other vertues so to please your Spouse Christ Iesus He therefore who hath espoused you to him in Earth by his grace espouse you also vnto him in heauen by his glorie and in the meane time heape many benedictions vpon you So desireth so prayeth YOVR HONOVRS Humble seruant CH. M. FAVLT'S ESCAPED IN THE PRINTINGE In the praeface to the Reader n. 11. Sacraments Cor. Sacrament Pag. 8. lin 16. tuee Cor. thee Pag. 15. li. 17. truobled Cor. troubled Pag. 20. lin 9. Ioseth Cor. Ioseph Pag. 21. lin vlt. tall Cor. tell Pag. 27. lin vlt. hed Cor. shed Pag. 45. lin 21. sayinst Cor. saying Pag. 53. in margine lib 61. Correct hom 61. Pag. 170. lin 6. 17. Manha Correct Manhu Pag. 189. lin 10 fare Cor. Farre The Contents of the MEDITATIONS THE FIRST MEDITATION What loue Christ shewed at his last supper THE SECOND MEDITATIONS What charitie and humilitie Christ shewed before he satte downe to his last supper THE THIRD MEDITATION How bountiful a Feast-maker and Host Christ shewed him self and how great a feast he exhibited to his disciples in the B. Sacrament THE FOVRTH MEDITATION How prouident a paterfamilias Good man of the Howse of our soule and the Church Christ is by this B Sacrament THE FIFTH MEDITATION How Christ shewed himselfe in this B. Sacrament a Father and more then a Father vnto vs. THE SIXT MEDITATION How Christ shewed himselfe in the B. Sacrament a Mother and more then a Mother THE SEAVENTH MEDITATION What a Freind Christ hath shewed himselfe in the B. Sacrament THE EIGHT MEDITATION How Christ hath shewed himselfe in this B. Sacrament a most louing spouse THE NINTH MEDITATION What a Physician Christ hath shewed himself in this B. Sacrament THE TENTH MEDITATION How good a shepheard and Pastour Christ hath shewed himselfe in this B. Sacrament THE II. MEDITATION With what feare and reuerence acknowledgment of vnworthines the deuout receiuer is to come to this B. Sacrament THE XII MEDITATION With what loue to our Sauiour Wee should receiue this B. Sacrament THE XIII MEDITATION To bee made immediatlie after communion How thankefull the Receiuer should bee THE XIV MEDITATION How the Communicant or Receiuer is enriched by this B. Sacrament and soe should little esteeme all worldlie losses
an Emperour is but thy vassall It is honour ô Lord to much for me to be seruant to such a Prince how much more then to much to be thy freind Speake Dauid what thinkest thou of this honour which God doth to men in accounting them his freinds To mee saith hee thy freinds are become honourable exceedinglie nimis honorati Psa 38. to much honoured Nay God is not content onlie to be our freind but hath contracted with vs a firmer freindship and more indissoluble then euer was betwixt man and man Damon and Pythias Pylades Orestes and others are famous for their freindship which was so greate that the one esteemed thâ— other another himself and therefore the one was readie to dye for the other but this freindship ô Lord is not comparable to thy freindship which thou hast contracted with man Thou first hast contracted freindship betwixt thy self and man by Incarnation by which thou art linked to man in a most admirable vnitie in one person by which God is man and man is God which freindship is so faste firme and indissoluble that so long as God shall be God he shall be man and man shall be God O my soule be thou neuer so vngratfull as euer to forget this freindship It is the ground of all other freindships the most honourable Damon and Pythias were linked onlie in affection so was lonathas and Dauid 1. Reg. 1â— whose soule is sayd to haue been gâ—â—ed to Ionathas his soule but by this freindship of Incarnation God man were vnited in one person reallie and substantiallie O Lord what is man that thou shouldst so grace fauour him as to Vouchsafe to be so neerlie linked in freindship to him as to be one person with him Secondlie thou hast linked thyselfe in freindship with man by grace and charitie and this is an effect of the former freindship because the Incarnation is the fouÌ„taine of al grace Iac. 2. Abrahamindewed with this grace is called by S. Iames. Amicus Dei the freind of God And Christ speaketh to his Apostles in those freindlie and comfurtable words Ioa. 15. You are my freinds if you do the things that I commaund you now I call you not seruants for the seruant knoweth not what his Lord doeth but you I haue called freinds because all thinges whatsoeuer I heard of my Father I haue notified vnto you And all the Iust by this freindship are freinds to him and he to them This freindship once made on God his part is neuer dissolued for he neuer ceaseth to be our freind till we turne his enemies by mortall sinne And although by sinne this freindship be to often broken on our part by particular men yet it is generallie so firme that there was neuer so firme a freindship betwixt man and man as there is by grace and charitie betwixt God and man There is no greater freindship or charitie saith our B. Sauiour then that a man yeald his life for his freinds which few freinds haue done for one another and yet our Io. 15. B. Sauiour hath died not onlie for his frends but euen for his foes to make them freinds and those his freinds haue bene so louing and so constant to him that many millions of Christians haue died for him as appeares in our so many Martyrs whom no threatning of Tyrants could soe daunt no promises so allure no torments so terrifie no deaths so scarre as to make them denie Christ or his religion but strengthened with grace chatitie they triumphed ouer all and for his loue they forsooke all as lands liuings life rather then they would forsake him and as he first died for them so did they dye for him O Lord tye me by this linke of freindship vnto thee that I may preferre thy loue before the loue of all but thee or for thee confirme me so in this freindship that by no mortall Sinne it may be dissolued but that I may remaine thy fast freind euen to death and may neuer againe shake hands with the world flesh and deuill thy sworne enemies or any creature whose loue is offensiue to thee that I may not only liue but also dye louing and so loue thee for euer The third fâ—eindship ô Lord which out of thy most ardent loue thou contractest with vs is by this B. Sacrament of the Altar by which thou art vnited vnto vs not only in affection as comonlie freinds are but also in substance The first freindship of Incarnation if we may iudge of the cause by the effect is the greatest and noblest because it caâ—seth a greater and more noble vnion with God for that by Incarnation man was made the naturall sonne of God whereas by the freindship of grace and charitie he is only th' adopted sonne of God and the frendship of Incarnation is altogether indissoluble in so much that death which separated Christs soule from his bodie could not separate his humaine nature from his diuinitie the freindship of grace and charitie in this life is often broken by mortall sinne The freindship also of Incarnation in some respects exceedeth the freindship made by the B. Sacrament because by Incarnation man became God and God man whereas by the B. Sacrament man is not Deus but deifer not God but a bearer of God in soule and substance yet in one respect the freindship made by the Blessed Sacrament is greater then that of the Incarnation because by Incarnation preciselie taken that freindship was contracted onlie with that particular humain nature which God assumed vnto him in the vnitie of person but by the B. Sacrament Christ vniteth himself in substance to all those whoe receaue him in it By Incarnation none but Christs humaine nature was formallie deified and sanctified by the B. Sacrament all are sanctified who worthilie receaue it Yet in this B. Sacrament Christ hath shewed himself a greater freind then euer man was to man meÌ„nes freindship coÌ„sisteth only in affection but the freindship made by the B. Sacrament importeth a reall vnion of Christs substance with ours and therefore humain freindship causeth onlie a metaphoricall vnion betwixt those who are freinds but this freindship implieth a reall vnion of our substance with the substance of Christ and of our flesh and bloud with his And by humaine freindship external goods of fortune as riches lands monyes are common betwixt freinds according to the common saieng Inter amecos omnia sunt communia amongst freinds al things are common But the goods of their bodies as health strength beautie c. are not common nor can they but by this freindship made in and by this B. Sacrament Christs bodie bloud soule yea and diuinitie are imparted to vs and made common to vs and our substance is reallie vnited to his ô the admirable freindship Freinds although they be sepated in bodies and places yet by mutuall loue they are vnited in wills soule and spirit and especiallie if their freindship be
mariaage betwixt man and wife because carnall mariage is dissolued by death of both or one of the parties but the mariage of Incarnation betwixt God man is absolulie indissoluble insomuch that death which separated Christ his soule from his bodie could separate neither soule nor bodie from the diuinitie to which they were vnited and so so long as God shall be God he shall be man and man shall be God and the mariage shall be eternall and whereas by mariage all things are common betwixt man and wife by Incarnation God imparted to our humaine nature all his Goods and diuine attributes for that after Incarnation man became God and consequentlie eternall omnipotent immense c. by a certain communication which diuines call communicatio idiomatum and man gaue to God all his riches or rather pouerties for that after Incarnation God became man and consequentlie was borne in tyme of a Virgin-mother who was borne of a Virgin Father before all worlds and so became hungrie and thirstie hoat and cold passible and mortall as other men are and as by carnall mariage man and wife are vna caro one flesh Ephes 5. so by this mariage God and man is one flesh yea one person The Church in which this mariage was made was the sacred wombe of the Virgin the Brides God and man the Priest that maried them the Holy Ghost the words by the which the mariage was contracted were Ecce Ancilla Domini siat mihi secundum verbum tuum Luc. 1. Behold the handmaid of our Lorde be it done to me according to thy word the paranimphe was S. Iohn Baptiste But this mariage was made immediatlie onlie betwixt the second person in Trinitie God the Sonne and that humain nature which he tooke of the B. Virgins wombe yet this mariage is the ground of the two ensuing mariages The second mariage betwixt God and man is contracted by grace charitie Of which speaketh the Prophet Osee Osee cap. 2. in the name of God I will despouse thee to me for euer and I will despouse thee to me in Iustice c. and of this th' Apostle also speaking saith I haue despoused you to one man 1. Cor. 11. to present you a chast Virgin vnto Christ. By this mariage we are so despoused and linked to God that as man and wife are one flesh so wee and God are one spirit because as S. 1. Cor. 6. Paul saith Qui adhaeret Domino vnus spiritus est he that cleaneth to our Lord by charitie is one spirit with him Man and wife by their bond of mariage are to liue and vse to liue in one howse but by this mariage God dwelleth in vs and we in him according to those our sauiours wordes Io. 14 If any loue me he will keepe my word and my Father will loue him and we will come to him and will make abode with him and that this dwelling and abiding is not onlie with vs but in vs it appeareth by other his words Io. 14. In that day you shall know that I am in my Father and you in me and I in you and his disciple S. Iohn saith 1. Io. 4. God is charitie and he that abideth in charitie abideth in God and God in him So that by this mariage God dwellâ—th in vs as in his Temple and mansion place we in him yea by this mariage we are as S. Sâ—pra 1. Cor. 6.10.17 Paule saith one spirit with God And Christ himself prayeth that his Apostles and they that beleeued their preaching may be one in spirit of Charitie as he and his Father are one in substance VVhereupon the deuout S. Bern. ser 17. in cant Beanard saith Quid ergo dicit Fi lius c. VVhat doth the Sonne of God say I am in the Father and the Father in me and we are one Man saith I ame in God and God is in me and we are one spirit And in the same place none but a mad man will vsurpe that voice of the onlie begotten I and the Father are one Bern. ibid. yet I though I be but duste will not be afraid to say this I am one spirit with God He addeth that man was in God from all eternitie because God loued man from al eternitie but God began in time to be in man when man began to loue him O how should we loue this Spouse of our soules who is by Charitie so wedded vnto vs as he is not onlie with vs but also in vs because as man and wife are vna caro one flesh so is he one Spirit with vs. who would forsake the loue of such a Spouse as God is who is our Creatour and Sauiour for the loue of any creature though neuer so deare The thirde mariage betwixt Christ and vs is by meanes of the B. Sacrament by which Christ to vs and we to him are vnited not onlie in mutual loue but also in substance because by this B. Sacrament we receaue his body bloud soule yea and diuinitie our substance is vnited to his in that his is vnited to ours And as in carnall mariage all goods are common euen bodies because as S. 1. Cor. 7. Paule saith the woman hath not power of her own body but her husbaÌ„d and the man also hath not power of his bodie but the woman So by this Sacrament Christ communicateth more aboundantlie his graceâ— then by any other his substance that is his bodie and bloud soule diuinitie are ours by communioÌ„ he as it were taketh possession of our bodie soule when by communion he dwelleth in vs. And as by carnall mariage the man and wife are vna caro one flesh Hom. 61 Cyrill Alex li. 4. in Ioa. c. 17. so doth he in a manner by our receiuing of him mingle his substance as S. Chrisostome saith with ours and of two maketh one and as S. Cyrill saith our substance is made one with his as waxe vnited to waxe And so as carnal marriage betwixt man and wife is contracted by mutual consent expressed by their words but is consummated by vnion of their bodies so a spiritual mariage is contracted betwixt vs Christ by charitie but is not consummated but by vnion of our substance with his by meanes of this B. Sacr. O my soule what an honour is it to bee married to such a spouse more certes theÌ„ for a poore maid to be married to aÌ„ Emperour because there is a greater distance disparitie betwixt Christ thee then betwixt the poorest begget and the richest Emperour ô how didst thou loue me sweete Sauiour who vouchsafest to take me thy poore creature for thy spouse And if I consider what thou suffredst to pourchase me for thy Spouse thy loue will more appeare If an Emperour should hazard his life to winne the loue of a poore maide how amorous should he be thought to be of her Thou ô Lord sheddest thy bloud to winne
the world bread of life and the like which are names sounding and importing loue mercie and benignitie but aboue all the name of Pastour pleaseth thee that implying greatest loue and charitie and therefore thou professest thyself to be a Good Pastour and such an one as is readie to giue his life for his sheepe Io. 10. then which there can be no greater charitie Other shepheardes in some Countries to winne the loue of their sheepe and to familiarize themselues the better with them do inuest themselues with sheep-skinnes with the wooll outwards and thou ô louing Pastour that thou mights be the lesse terrible and more amiable to vs thy sheepe wouldst not appeare in thy glorious habit and weed of thy diuinitie Exod. 19. 20. nor in fire nor lightning nor thunder nor in darke and terrible clouds as thou didst in the old law which was a law of terrour but wouldst put on the habit and fleese of our humain nature and so appeare bee man with men that so men might conuerse with thee with lesse feare more loue and familiaritie Phil. 2. for thou exinanitedst thyself taking the forme of a Seruant made into the similitude of men and in shape found as man that being man thou mightst the better conuerse with thy sheepe who are men In this shape of man thou wast so gratefull to the Iewes that whereas before that thou putst on this alluring habit they durst not approach to the mountaine where thou exhibitedst thy presence nor could endure to heare thy voice Exâ— 20. but cried to haue Moyses not thee to speake vnto them since that thou appearedst in the forme of man Tit. 3. and that the benignitie and kindnes towards man of our Sauiour God appeared Thousands of the Iewes followed thee to heare thy preaching and to see thy miracles and good examples and since that like a good shepheard in this forme of man for in the forme of God thou couldst not thou diedst for mankind all nations haue flocked vnto thee and will do till the worlds end O happie wee who are gouerned by a Pastour of our owne Kind in our owne shape and him so benigne milde and charitable Pastours and shepheards do gouerne their sheepe by their Pastorall staffe or hooke by their owne call or whistle or by their dogge these shepheards bring them to pastures or feelds most fit for them to grase in and where is most fit nourriture for them so thou a louing Pastour gouernest vs by the staffe of thy Pastorall authoritie which thou hast imparted to thy vnder Pastours and doctours of the Church yet so as whilest they direct vs outwardlie by lawes and commandementes thou directest vs inwardlie by grace which giueth vs force to obey them whilest they gouerne and feede vs outwardlie by preaching expounding scripture thou preachest inwardlie by thy grace inspirations whilest they minister the externall signes of the Sacraments thou feedest vs inwardlie by the grace which thou giuest as the principall Agent and they giue as ministers the Sacraments as instruments instituted by thee for our sanctification and in these pastures by this fodder most fatting and nourishing thou feedest thy sheepe And if whilest thy sheepe are grazing and feeding in the medowes of holy Scripture of which euerie sentence is as grasse to feed them if whilest they are feeding on the sodder of the holy Sacraments the Infernall wolfe the deuill or the worlde and flesh seeke to molest them by their tentations if the Heretike by his false call and whistle seeke to deceaue them then the vnder Pastours doe lay about them with their Pastorall staffe yea and as Christ his doggs they barke at them and chase them away being not as the Iewish pastours were Esai 36. dumme doggs not able to barke In the old law ô louing Pastour thou fedst thy sheepe with figuratiue Sacraments which were no causes but bare signes of grace and so could giue no grace therefore by thy Apostle are called egena elementa Gal 4. poore elements but in the new law thou feedest vs with Sacraments which are not onlie signes but also causes of grace and which do sanctifie nourish and feed our soules and therefore thy prophet Ezechiel forseeing these our happie times in which thou feedest vs so aboundantlie Ezech. 34. sayth in thy name In the most plentifull Pastures will I feed them and in the high mountaines of Israel shall be their pastures there shall they rest on the greene grasse and in fatte pastures they shall be fedde vpon the mountains of Israel O the loue thou hast shâ—wed to thy Christian sheepe in prouiding them so fatte pastures And in this thy loue hath shewed it self the greater because thou shewedst it vnto them after that they had forsaken thee by sinne and were quite lost for thou leftst the 99. sheepe to witt the 9. orders of Angels in the desert Mat. 12. that is in heauen which before thy comming into this world by Incarnation was a desert place and inaccessible to men because thou wast not Incarnat for Angels much lesse didst thou suffer for them but leauing them thou camest to vs by Incarnation in our forme and shape and thou camest to seeke mankind thy lost sheepe hauing found him thou carriedst him vpon thy shoulders when thou sufferedst on the crosse for him and broughtst this strayd sheepe to the folde of the Church where he is fedde in plentifull and fatte pastures Tertul. lib. de pudi cap. 7. And therefore in the primitiue Church as Tertullian witnesseth thou wast pourtraited vpon the holy chalices like a shepheard carying his lost sheepe on his shoulders Iacob the Patriarch a shepheard and figure of thee our good Pastour Gen. 31. said to Laban that he had kept his sheepe twentie yeares and that none of his sheepe or goates perished but he restored the damage Daie and night saith he was I parched with heate and with frest and sleepe did flie from myne eyes But thou ô my Sauiour ô my carefull Pastour playedst the Pastour amongest vs aboue thirtie yeares for euen by the merites of thy Infancie thou feddst vs dare and nâ—ght thou trauelledst for vs by night by praier by daie by preaching teaching and working of miracles thou suffredst heate and colde hunger thirst thou fastedst fortie daies and fortie nights to feed vs thou wast circumcised thou wast whipped at a pillar crowned with thornes nailed on a Crosse where like a good shepheard thou diedst for vs least the Infernal wolfe should deuoure vs. O how great must thy loue to thy sheepe be which made thee suffer so much for them Iacobs loue was so great to Rachel that he serued Laban twice seauen yeares for her Gen. 29. but thy loue was so great that it caused thee to suffer a most painfull life of more then 3 yeares for thy sheepe and this thy painfull life thou also concludedst with a most painfull and
shamefull death for them O my soule neuer do thou so much as thinke of leauing so louing a Pastour neuer do thou straic from his fold nor from his so plentifull pastures as sinners and especiallie Heretikes do But especiallie ô my sweet Iesusâ— thou hast shewed thyself a good Pastour Io. 10. in this B. Sacrament A good Pastour will die for his sheepe so didst thou dye reallie on the Crosse for vs and mysticallie in this B. Sacrament where thy death and passion is represented and applied to thy sheepe whereas other shepheards do onelie feede their sheepe with haye grasse and such like fodder thou o most louing Pastour giuest vs thy owne flesh to eate and thy owne bloud to drinke which by their vnion with the diuinitie are the most nourishing food that can be next vnto the diuinitie it self on which thy glorious sheepe the Saints Angels in Heauen doe feede by cleare vision and fruition of it O wonderfull loue of a Pastour ô loue and charitie aboue all other loues charities O loue aboue all loues not onlie of Pastours but euen of Fathers and Mothers Quis Pastor saith S. Chrys hom 60. ad pop Antioc Chrisostome oues pascit proprio cruore quid dico Pastor Matres multae sunt quae post partus dolores silios alijs tradunt nutricibus hoc autem ipse non est passus sed ipse nos proprio sanguine pascit per omnia nos sibi coagmentat what Pastour doth feede his sheepe with his owne bloud And what do I say pastour many mother 's there are who giue their children to other nurces but he would not suffer this but he himself doth feed vs with his owne bloud and altogether doth ioyne vs vnto him O my soule how canst thou be cruell like a wolfe who feedest on this milde lambe how canst thou be otherwise then chast who feedest of the Virgin Mothers Sonne and of his chast flesh and bloud how canst thou be prophane who art nourished with so holie and sacred meate drinke how canst thou be carnall who art fedde with so spirituall foode as is the flesh bloud of Christ spiritualized by the diuinitie it selfe how diuine shouldst thou bee who art a God on earth by participation who art feasted with such diuine meate and drinke Graunt me ô sweet Iesus that as thou hast shewed thyself a good Pastour to me to vs all so I may shewe my selfe a good gratefull sheepe The sheepe is obedient to the shepheards whistle followeth none other make me obedient to thy vocations and diuine inspirations and let me not harken to the false whistle of false Prophets nor to the inchanting voices of the diuell world and flesh A sheepe is a most fearfull creature who when he runneth with the rest of the flocke is afraid of the noise of his owne his fellowes feete and if he espie the wolfe though a farre of he fleeth from him sudain lie repaireth to his flocke folde and shepheard Giue me grace to feare as Iob did all my owne actions and as soone as ether world flesh or deuill do beginne to tempte me to flie from them to auoid presentlie all occasions of sinne and to haue present recourse to thee my carefull shepheard and to thy Sacraments and other meanes thou hast prouided vs against sinne Sheepe are simple myâ—de and free from galle and euen when they are carried to be butchered they kicke not as the horse doth they cry not as the hogge doth they durre not with their hornes as the bull and cowe doth they bite not as the wolfe and dogge doth but they suffer patientlie without cryinge without resisting Onelie whethere they be grazing or chewing the cudde whethere they haue grasse in their mouth or the Butchers knife at their throate before the shearer and the butcher they are mute or they vse onelie their innocent Ba that onelie is their crye in prosperitie and aduersitie graunt me ô my deare Pastour and sweet sauiour to imitate this mâ—â—de patience and in aduersitie and prosperitie in sicknes and health in riches and pouertie to be euer the same and to vse the same sheepish Ba which Iob vsed Iob. 1. Our Lord gaue and our Lord hath taken awaye as it hath pleased our Lord so is it done the name of our Lord be blessed aswell for the one as for the other aswel for takeing away as giuing aswell for sicknes as health aswell for pouertie as riches aswell for aduersitie as prosperitie yea more for this then that because aduersitie borne patientlie is a greater benefite then whatsoeuer prosperitie O sweete Iesus make me simple and meeke as a sheepe as thou thyself wast who therefore biddest vs to learne of thee Mat. 11. 2. Peâ— 2. for that thou art meeke and humble of heart make me innocent as a lamb yea as an infant newlie borne The shepheard knoweth his sheepe Io. 10. they him as he hath his eye alwayes on them so they haue alwaies their eyes open to him O louing Pastour and Sauiour let thy carefull eye be euer on me and then I can not perish and let my eye be alwaies on thee let me alwaies thinke on thee and thy commandements and the benefits thou hast bestowed on mee It is a great honour to be knowne of thee to haue but thy good looke and gracious regard and it is as great a miserie not to be knowne thus of thee and to heare that dolefull voice Mat 25. nescio vos I know you not O let me neuer heare that voice And for me to know thee alwaies to haue myne eyes so setled on thee as to haue thee alwaies in my sight is a great comfort a great securitie a great bridle and restraint from sinne and as great a spurre to all virtue for who can do ill who can do otherwise then well who hath thee alwaies in his sight who knoweth that thy eyes are vpon him that he is neuer out of thy kenning O sweet Iesus o louing Pastour my soule is a sheepe of thy flock and fold it hath wandred and straied from thee and thy flocke by sinne but thou hast by thy grace sought it and found it brought it backe on thy shoulders giue me constancie that I neuer straie from thee againe O deare Pastour my soule is a sheepe of thy flocke and fold I commend it to thy care it is thy sheepe bought and redeemed with thy precious bloud it is thy sheepe fedde in this B. Sacrament with thy flesh and bloud it is thy sheepe gouerne it rule it direct it protect it guide it in the pathes of Saluation that it may one day graze and feede with thy Angels and Sainctes in the mountaine of Heauen and on thy sacred diuinitie which onelie can make it happie Graunt this ô my louing Pastour o graunt it These former 10. Meditations may be read more or fewer according to the deuotion of
shall I doe ô Lord If I approach not to this Holie Sacrament I shall shew my self vnmanerlie thou hauing so courteouslie inuited me yea disobedient thou not onely inuiting but also commaunding mee Io. 6. If I come not to this feast I shall stâ—rue for hunger If I drinke not of this fountaine of grace I shall dye for thirst If I come not to this sunne I shal liue in darknes If I come not to this fire I shall shâ—uer for cold If I eate not of this bread of life Io. 6. I amea dead man and yet considering my vnworthines I dare not approach to this worthie of worthies considering my impuritie I dare not come to this speculum sine macula Sap. 7. this glasse without spotte Considering my prophanes I dare not touch this Holie of Holies considering my bafenes I dare not appeare before such maiestie O my sweete Sauiour thou woldst haue thy Priest by reason that he must consecrate touch this B. Sacrament to be consecrated his fingers in his ordination to be anointed with holy oyle the chalice to be consecrated the Altar corporalls Altar clothes the Priests vestments yea the Church and all to be hallowed for the reference and respect they haue to this B. Sacrament Consecrate I beseech thee and sanctifie me by thy grace this Sacrament being instituted for me not for those other things I being to receaue it sacramentallie and spirituallie as those other things can not receaue it And seeing that thou commauÌ„dest me to receaue it giue me grace to receaue it worthilie Thou who commandest the end giue the meanes Thy Blessed Virgin-Mother was to receaue thee but once into her sacred wombe and yet o Lord how didst thou sanctifie her how didst thou prepare her with what grace puritie and sanctitie didst thou endew her Sanctifie me o Lord by thy grace cleanse me from sinne purge me from all euen veniall sinnes seeing I am not to receaue thee once onlie but often and many times Thou wouldest after thy death haue thy dead body to be buried in a new monument wherein none had beene buried before to be laied in a winding sheete of fine and cleane laune and wilt thou permit me to receaue the same body now not dead but liuing and glorified into the graue and monumeÌ„t of an old foule soule and body in which the world flesh deuill haue been lodged by inordinat affectioÌ„ wilt thou laie this thy glorified body in the foule linneÌ„ of a defiled soule ô purge me ô cleanse mee ô renew mee that I maye be a new monument a cleane syndon to receaue thine now not dead but liuing but immortall and glorified body O doe not cast such Margarites before hoggs Thou shalt Matth 7 if thou do not wash me from sinne O doe not permit me to sitte downe to this feast without my nuptiall garment of charitie I shall vnles thou restore it and put it on againe None but the high Priest in the old lawe might enter into Sancta Sanctorum the Holies of Holies Exod. 30. Hebr. 9. and he also but once a yeare and this by reason of the Ark of the old law where thou wast present in figure and shall I not so much enter into thee the Sancta Sanctorum and the Ark of the new law as to let thee enter into mee thou being the veritie of that figure Exod. 30. Moyses though a choseÌ„ seruaÌ„t of thine was forbidden to approach to the bush that burned but consumed nor vntill he had put of his shooes and shall I presume to come to this B. Sacrament and thy sacred bodie in it the veritie of that figure and which burneth with the Diuinitie yet is neuer consumed vnles I first laye aside the shooes of all carnall affectioÌ„s The Priests of the old law were forbidden to ascend to the Altar to offer their carnall Sacrifices before they had washed themselues in the brazen lauer Exod. 30 And shall I dare to approach to the Altar to this so holy a Sacrifice and Sacrament before I be rinsed in the lauer of penance with the waters of contrition S. Iohn Baptiste of whom thou thy self o Lord pronounced that Luc. 7. a greater Prophet among the children of woemeÌ„ then Iohn Baptist there was none thought himself not worthie to vnloose the latcher of thy shooes Mat 8. The Centurion deemed him selfe not worthie to receaue thee into his howse which yet as it is likelie was cleanlie swept richlie adorned and shall I thinke my self so worthie as to touch not thy shooe striÌ„gs but thy sacred bodie and to receaue thee into mee who am defiled both in body soule Iob. 25. The starres are not cleane in thy sight and how shall I dare to appeare before thy diuine eyes more bright then the Sunne it selfe I being no starre but rather a candle put out and smoakie Salomon when he had built for thee o Lord that goodlie Temple the master peece of masonrie and had adorned it with gold siluer and precious stones yet he thought it no fitte place for thee and therefore saied 2 Paral. 6. Ergone credibile est vt habitet Deus cum hominibus super terram Si coelum coeli coelornm non te capiunt quanto magis domus ista quam aedificaui Is it credâ—bile then that God should dwell with men vpon the earth If heauen and the heauens of heauens do not take thee how much more this house which I haue built And shall I whose body is made but of mudde and whose soule is defiled with sinne thinke my self a fitte pallace for thy maiestie O Lord I am not worthie the ayre I breath the ground I stand on the bread I eate the wine or water I drink how then can I be worthie of this B. Sacrament which I am to receaue and which is the greatest benefite thou euer bestowedst on man because this guift is as good as thy selfe who art the guift and the giuer And yet thou wilt haue me to receaue it at thy Priests hands and receaue it I may seeing thou hast so ordained but vnles thou who giuest it giue me also worthines I can not receaue it worthilie Thou therefore who inuitest me to this holie Sacrament and forbiddest men to receaue it vnworthilie vouchsafe to giue me that grace that reuerence that deuotion which may make mee worthie It is thy desire that I should come worthilie it is also my desire seeing that I can neither fulfill thy desire nor my desire but by thy grace I beseech thee grauÌ„t me the grace to fulfill thy desire and theÌ„ I shall fulfill my desire which is to receaue this Holy SacrameÌ„t worthilie and although by thy grace I receaue thee worthilie yet giue me the humilitie alwayes to thinke my self of my selfe vnworthie for the more I esteeme my selfe vnworthie the more by thee I shall be esteemed worthie THE 12. MEDITATION VVith what loue to