particular accompte of all their dissolute and wicked lyfe Wherefore it is verelye to be thought that the diuell labourethe all he can to make vs vtterlie to neglecte and forgette the remēbrance of our accompte The diuell laboureth all he can to make vs neglecte and forgette the accompte we must make of all our whole lyfe at the hower of our deathe that we must make at the verie hower of our deathe because he knoweth full well what great proffit and commoditie woulde arise vnto vs by the continuall remembrance of the same For otherwise how were it possible that men shoulde forget a thinge that is so terrible and fearefull yea such a thinge as they knowe most assuredly will come and steale verie shortelie vpon them at their owne howses If we haue but the least doubte or suspition in the worlde of losynge a litle wordly riches or of some other like thinge it maketh vs oftentimes very carefull and watchfull and causeth vs to lose both our sleepe and our health How happeneth it then that the remembrance of death which aswell to the bodie as to the sowle is the most horrible and dreadfull thinge that maie come vnto vs causeth vs not to be likewise verie carefull and watchfull in makinge prouision beforehande for the cōminge of it Suerlie it seemeth vnto me a thinge verie much to be meruayled at that men shoulde be so carefull as they be in tryfles and matters of smalle importance and liue so negligently and without all care in thinges that are of so greate importance vnto them as is their euerlastinge saluation or damnation The consideration of our deathe prouoketh vs not onelie to liue a good lyfe but also to dye well Thirdly this consideration of our death is a great helpe not onely to prouoke vs to liue a good lyfe as it hath bene saiede but besides that to die well In thinges that be harde and difficult foresighte and preparation beforehande is a very great helpe to bringe them well to passe Now so great a leape as is the leape of death which reacheth from this lyfe to the euerlastinge lyfe to come can not well be leaped vnles we make a great course and fetche a longe race to ronne the same No great thinge can be well and perfitlie done at the first time Seinge therefore it is so great a matter to die and so necessarie to die well it shal be verie expedient for vs to die oftentimes in our life that we maie die well at the verie time of our death The souldiors that be appoynted to fight doe first practice themselues in such feates and exercises as whereby they maie learne in time of peace what they must doe in time of warre The horse also that must ronne at the Tilte trauerseth all the grownde before and trieth all the steppes thereof that at suche time as he cōmeth to make his cowerse he be not founde newe and straunge in doyinge his feate Wherefore sith we all must needes ronne this cowerse forsomuch as there is no man aliue but must die consideringe also that the waie is so obscure and stonie as all men knowe and the daunger so great that whosoeuer falleth shal be tombled downe headlonge into the bottomles pit of hell fyer it shal be requisite that we doe now tread diligentelie before-hand all this waie and consider particularlie all the steppes and places thereof one by one forsomuch as in euerie one of them there is much to be considered And let vs not thinke it enoughe to consider onely what passeth outwardelye aboute the sicke mans bedde but let vs endeuour much more to vnderstande what passeth inwardlie within his harte Of the vncertaintie of the hower of death And what a greife it is at that tyme to departe from all thinges of this lyfe § I. TO beginne now euen from the beginninge of this conflicte Consider how when death shall come vpon thee Deyth stealeth vpon vs at such a tyme as we thincke least of it 1. Thess 5.2 it will come at such a time as when thou thinkest thy selfe in most safetie and suspectest least of the comminge thereof as we see by experience it is wont to happen vnto manie The daie of our Lorde saith the Apostle shall come like a thieffe Which watcheth alwaies to come at such times as men are most careles and thinke themselues in most safetie that it maie take vs vpon a sodeine at vnwares And so we see it happeneth most often that euen at that time when men doe least thinke to dye and when they are least mindfull of their departure out of this lyfe yea when they cast their accomptes before hande to make great purchases and buildinges and to set vpon great enterprises of many daies and yeares then cōmeth death sodenly vpon them and disapointeth them of all their vaine hopes and designementes and vtterly ouerthroweth all their fonde imaginations and buildinges which they made in the aier And so is that sayenge fulfilled of the holie kinge Esa 38. My lyfe saieth he was cutt of like as the weauer cutteth of his thread while I was as yet in the beginning he cut me of from morninge to eueninge thou wilt make an ende of me The first stroke of death is the feare of deathe The first stroke wherewith death is wont to strike is the feare of death Suerlie this is a very great anguishe vnto him that is in loue with his lyfe and this forewarninge is such a great greife vnto a mā that oftētimes his carnall friēdes doe vse to dissemble it and will not haue the sicke man to beleue it least it shoulde vexe and disquiet him and this they will doe sometimes although it be to the preiudice and destruction of his miserable sowle Kinge Saule had a verie stowte and valiant courage but after that the shadowe of Samuell appeared vnto him and had tolde him that he shoulde die in the battell addinge moreouer theise wordes 1 Reg. 28. Tomorrowe both thou and thy sonnes shal be here with me The feare and terror which he conceaued at these tidinges was so great that at that very instant he lost all his force and courage and fell downe to the grounde as a dead man Now what a greife will it be to a man that is in loue with this life when such lyke newes shal be signified vnto him For immediatly vpon this denuntiation there shal be represented vnto him his departure and perpetual bannishement from this worlde and from all thinges that be in the same Then shall he see that his howre is now come and that the dawninge of that dreadfull daye appeareth now at his howse wherein he shall departe from all thinges that he hath loued in this lyfe His bodie shall die but once but his harte shall die as often as he shall remember the losse of all those thinges whereunto it beareth loue and affection Forsomuch as death shall put the knife betwene him and
with inwarde quietnes and simplicite and desire him of his grace that he maie be able to proceid in his prayer and meditation without such great trouble and daunger vnto him And in case it shall please our Lorde to graunte him this quietnes of mynde he shall feele a more inwarde hartie deuotion thereby than he was wont to feele with the disquietnes of his minde and it shall endure much longer After this sorte maie a man continewe in prayer and meditation a longe time together without feelinge anie heauines or greife but that man can not so doe that shall meditate after the other enforced maner before specified And for this cause we must take diligent heede that if at anie time there doe arise in the sowle verie feruent motions of sensible deuotion or excessiue sobbinges and sighinges we suffer not our selues to be caried awaie with thē but we must temper them with great moderation and dissemble them as much as we can and withall endeuour to kepe and continewe that consideration and thoughte within vs which caused those feruent motions I meane hereby that we must remoue awaie from vs those stormes and alterations of the fleashe to wit these vehemēt sobbinges and sighinges and enioye in our sowle with quietnes the light and deuotion which almightie God hath then sent vnto vs. And after this sorte we shall continewe in our exercise a longer time and our consolation shall take deeper roote inwardly in our sowles and shall not geue any outwarde shewe thereof with weepinge sobbinge and other externall signes which can hardlie be auoyded without great paine in case a man doe once accustome him selfe verie much vnto such sensible motiōs and feruours which the stronger and mightier they shewe outwardly the more doe they quenche the light inwardly and be an impedimente vnto vs that we can not proceede forwarde in our prayer ād meditation True it is that at the first beginninge of nouices in spirituall exercises such feruours can verie hardlie be eschewed For then the great wonder that a man hath of the newnes and profoundnes of diuine thinges maketh him to enter into so great an admiration and astonishmente that he can not refraine him selfe from this feruencie But after that with the vse of dailie meditation of diuine thinges the newnes of them ceaseth then is his harte quieted and although he loue almightie God with greater vehemencie yet hath he not such sensible feruour and disquietnes in his loue And so we see that the newe wyne and the potte of water when it beginneth first to trye the vnwonted heat of the fier it boyleth so forceablie that it bubbleth vp and runneth ouer the brimme but after that it hath boyled a certaine space it seetheth then much better and is much hoatter and yet with lesse noyce and vehemencie That man which was lame from his mothers wombe whom S. Peter healed as it is declared in the actes of the Apostles so soone as he perceyued him selfe to be whole and perfetlie cured of his former lamenes Act. 3.8 the holie Scripture saiethe that he walked and leaped and praised almightie God This man was not contented onely to goe but as one that had bene so longe time as it were bounde hande and feite and findinge by experience his newe libertie he then stretched forthe his limmes to the vttermost he coulde and leaped and skipped with great ioye and admiration Howbeit it is to be thought that afterwardes he woulde walke more quietly and not leape and skippe all his life time but as then the great ioye he had of his newe and vnaccustomed health woulde not suffer him to be in quiet The fourthe aduise which followeth of the foresaide aduises And here it is declared what maner of attention we ought to haue in our exercise of prayer and meditation § IIII. OF all these aduises aforesaiede we maie gather what maner of attention we ought to haue in praier For in this exercise it is cheiflie expediente for vs to haue our harte not heauie nor dulle but liuely attente and lifted vp on highe In figure whereof we reade that the Angell saiede to the Prophet Ezechiel Ezech. 2.1 that he shoulde arise and stande vpon his feite when the Angell woulde talke with him and declare vnto him the diuine misteries In like maner we reade that those two Cherubins which Salomon placed at the two sides of the Arke of the testament stode with their winges lifted vp on highe 3. Reg. 6. and stretched abroade as if they woulde flye to signifie what a great attention and liftinge vp of the spirite a man ought to haue at such tyme as he presenteth himselfe before almightie God to speake and stande before him But as it is necessarie on the one side to be in prayer with such an attention and close recollection of the mynde euen so on th' other side it behoueth that this attention be qualified with temperance and moderation that it be neither preiudiciall to our healthe nor anie impediment to deuotion For some there be that doe wearie their heads with ouermuch violence whiles they labour to be attente vnto those thinges that they meditate vpon And others againe there be that to avoide this inconuenience are in their meditation verie slacke and negligente and verie easie to be caried awaie with euerie winde Now to eschewe these two extremities it is expediente that we vse such a meane that we doe neither with ouer much attention wearie our head nor with carelesnes or negligēce suffer our thoughtes to goe wāderinge whither so euer they wil. So that like as we vse commonlie to saie vnto him that rydeth vpon a kickinge flinginge horse that he must take good heede how he holdeth the reines of his bridle and kepe a meane therein that is he must holde them neither to harde nor to slacke that the horse neither turne backewarde nor runne to headlonge forwarde Out attention must proceed with moderation and not with violence Prou. 30.33 euen so must we endeuour that our attention maye proceede in our prayers with moderation and not with violence and with a temperate carefulnes and diligence and not with excessiue labour and traueill Of both these poyntes we be aduertised in the holie Scripture For of the one Salomon saiethe Who so squiseth ouermuch the pappes to get out milke shall wringe out bloude And of the other poynte the Prophete Esaie saieth Esa 66.10.11 Reioyce with her all ye that mourne for her that ye maie sucke and be satisfied with the breastes of her consolation Howbeit in case we feyle of the meane and doe leane vnto anie of these two extremeties Of the two extremeties it is lesse hurt to haue ouermuch attention in our prayers than no care or regarde of our attention therein it is lesse hurte to leane vnto ouermuch attention than vnto carelesnes and neglectinge of our attention For a man is prouoked to carelesnes and negligence by his
abide to take so littell labour as he should bestowe in preparinge him selfe for the receauinge of this most holie Sacrament he will rather want the benefit of so great and inestimable diuyne treasure which is of greater valewe then all that euer almightie God hath created The fower-the cause This heauenlie bridegrome desired also to be loued of his spouse with a passinge great loue and therefore he ordeined this diuine misticall morsell consecrated with such wordes that whosoeuer receaueth it worthelie is forthwith towched and striken with this loue O wonderfull misterie worthie to be engraued euen in the innermost parte of our hartes Tell me o thou vngratefull man if a prince should beare such a great affection and loue towardes a seelie wenche that were his bond slaue that he coulde finde in his hart to take her for his spouse and make her quene and ladie of all he is Lord of how great woulde we saie that the loue of that prince had bene that woulde doe such a deede And if peraduenture after the mariage solemnized this slaue should showe her selfe coldlie affected towardes the prince her husbande and he vnderstandinge the same woulde as a man forlorne goe to seeke with all diligence for some pretious morsell and geue it her to eate whereby to winne her loue vnto him how passinge great would we saie that the loue of that prince were that should be thus affected towardes her Now therefore O kinge of glorie what meaneth this that thou for the entiere loue thou bearest vnto me hast vouchesafed not onely to take my soule to be thy spouse beinge as she was the verie bonde slaue of thine ennemie the deuill but seinge her also all this notwithstandinge verie coldlie affected towardes thee hast ordeined for her this misticall and diuine morsell which thou hast transformed with such wordes that it hath vertu in it to transforme such soules into thee as shall feede thereon and make them to burne with liuelie flames of loue There is no one thinge that declareth the affection of loue more euidentlie then when a man hath a desire to be beloued Considering therefore that thou hast bene so greatlie desirous of our loue that thou hast sowght it with such strange inuentions who shall from hence forth stand in dowte of thy loue we be certayne that if we loue God God will loue vs agayne Certayne I am o may most louinge and mercifull Lord that if I loue thee thou also louest me And certayne I am also that I neede not to seeke anie inuentions to allure thy hart to loue me as thou hast sowght toi allure my harte to loue thee That most sweet bridegrome would also be absent from his spouse The fifte cause and yet because loue cannot abide to be absente from the beloued he would depart in such wise that he might not altogether departe from her and he would so goe awaie that he might also remaine with her wherefore consideringe that it was not expedient for our Sauiour to tarrie here still and the spouse mighte not as then goe from hence with him he deuised a meane that althowgh he went his waie and his spouse remained still behinde yet should they neuer be seperated and set a sonder For this cause therefore he instituted this diuine sacrament that by meanes thereof the soules might be vnited and incorporated spirituallie with Christ and that with such a stronge bonde of loue that of them two there should be made one thinge For like as of meate and of him that eateth the meate there is made one same thinge euen so likewise after a certeine maner is there made of the soule and of Christ sauinge that as Sainct Augustine saith Christ is not changed into our soules S. August but our soules be changed into him not by nature but by loue conformetie and likenes of life Moreouer our Sauiours will and pleasure was to assure his spouse The sixte cause and to geue her a pledge of that blessed inheritance of eternall glorie that she being fortified with the hope of this felicitie An assured hope to enioye the felicitie in the kingedome of heauē maketh a mā to despise all worldelie thinges might passe chearfullie throwghe all the trowbles aduersities afflictions and persecutions of this life For trulie there is no one thinge that causeth vs so muche to despise all thinges that are to be had in this life as a assured hope of that blessednes and felicitie we shall enioye in the life to come According as our Sauiour signified vnto vs in those wordes he spake to his disciples before his passion Ioan. 14. If ye loued me said he ye would be right glad of my departure because I goe to the father As thowgh he had said it is a great felicitie to goe to the father For althowgh the waie to goe to him be throwgh whippes thornes nailes crosses and all other tribulations and martirdomes of this life Yet all that notwithstanding it is a thinge of inestimable gaine and cōfort to goe vnto him Wherefore to the intent that his spouse might haue a verie firme and assured hope of this felicetie he left her here in pledge this inestimable diuine treasure which is of as great vallue as al that is there hoped for that she should not mistrust but that almightie God will geue himselfe vnto her in glorie where she shall liue whollie in spirite seinge he denieth not himselfe vnto her in this vale of teares where she liueth in fleshe Our Sauiour purposed also The seuenthe cause at the houre of his death to make his testament and to leaue vnto his spouse some notable legacie to be as a releife and comforte for her at all times and so he left her this most blessed sacrament wherein Christe himselfe is trewlie and reallie presente which was the most pretious and most profitable bequest that he could possible leaue vnto her 4. Reg. 2. Elias when he woulde depart awaie from the earth left his clooke to his disciple Elizeus as one that had none other riches whereof to make him his heire But our most sweete louinge sauiour and master when he woulde ascende into heauen left here vnto vs the clooke of his sacred bodie in this most holie sacrament appointing vs here to be his heires as by the right of children of this so great and inestimable diuine treasure With that mantell Elizeus passed the waters of the floude Iourdan and was neither drowned nor wetshod and with the vertue and grace of this most blessed sacrament the faithfull do passe the waters of the vanities and tribulations of this life without sinne and without danger To conclude The eighte cause our Sauiour intended to leaue vnto our soules sufficient prouision and foode wherewith they might liue forso much as the soule hath no lesse nede of her proper sustenance The soule hathe as greate neede of spirituall foode as the bodie hathe of
as by the merite of that vnspekeable charitie and humilitie with which thou hast humbled thy selfe to take vpon thee all my sinnes thou hast not onelie deliuered me from them but also made me partaker of thy graces and treasures For in takinge vpon thee my deathe thou hast geuen me thy life in takinge vpon thee my fleshe thou hast geuen me thy spirite and in takinge vpon thee my sinnes thou hast geuen me thy grace So that ô my mercifull redeemer all thy paines Our sauiours paynes are our treasures and riches are my treasures and riches thy purple clotheth me thy crowne honoreth me thy strookes bewtifie me thy sorowes comforte me thy angwishes susteine me thy woundes heale me thy bloude enricheth me and thy loue makethe me dronke And what wonder is it if thy loue make me dronke seinge the loue thou barest towardes me was able to make thee also dronken and to leaue thee like an other Noe to appeare dishonored and naked Geness to the open sighte of the worlde The purple of bourninge loue causeth thee to susteyne the purple of shame and reproche the earnest zeale thou hast of my profit and furtherance causeth thee to be contente to holde this reede in thy hande And the compassion thou hast of my losse and damnation moueth thee to beare this dolorous crowne of ignominie vpon thy head OF THOSE WORDES OF THE GOSPELL ECCE HOMO Beholde the man Opprobrium hominum et abiectio plebis psalm 21.7 J◠〈◊〉 presturam habâ—bitis sed 〈◊〉 ego 〈…〉 Johan â—6 33 § II. VHEN they had thus crowned and scorned our Sauiour the Iudge tooke him by the hande in such euill plight as he was and leadinge him out to the sighte of the furious people said these wordes vnto them ECCE HOMO Beholde the man Whiche is as much as if he had saied If for enuie yee seeke his deathe beholde him here in what a pitiefull and dolefull case he is A man vndowtedlye not to be enuied but to be pittied If you were afrayed least he shoulde haue become a kinge beholde him here so wholie disfigured that scarcelye he seemeth to be a man Of these handes so faste and stronglie bounde what cause is there why ye shoulde feare Of a man in this wise so sore whipped and scourged what woulde ye require more By this maist thou vnderstande ô my soule in what a lamentable case our Sauiour was at his goinge out of the iudgement haulle seinge that euen the Iudge himselfe verelie belieued that the pittiefull case in which he was mighte haue suffised to mollifie and breake the vnmercifull cruell hartes of his ennemies Whereby thou maist well perceaue what a dangerous and vnseemelie thinge it is for a Christian not to haue compassion of the most grieuous and bitter paines and sorowes of our sauiour who so loueth Christ taketh greefe and compassioÌ„ of his bitter paynes and sorowes seinge they were so great that they were able as the Iudge was perswaded to mollifie those most sauage and cruell stonye hartes of the Iewes Where loue is there is also sorrowe How can he then saie that he loueth our Sauiour Christe that beholdinge him tormeÌ„ted in this most pittiefull and dolefull plighte hath no coÌ„passion of him And if it be so wicked a thinge not to haue compassion of our Sauiour Christ what a heynous matter is it to encrease his paines and martirdomes and to adde thereunto sorowe vpon sorowe Suerlie there coulde not be anie greater crueltie in all the worlde than after that the Iudge had shewed our sauiour Christ vnto them so pittiefullye berayed for his ennemies to answere with such cruell wordes Crucifige Crucifige Crucifie him Crucifie him Now if this was so great a crueltie in the Iewes what a crueltie is that in a Christian who in his deedes and workes saieth euen as much as the Iewes did althowgh he expresse it not in wordes Heb. 6. The wycked Christians doe as it were crucifie Christ againe by theire euill and synnefull workes For dothe not S. Pawle saie That he that sinneth crucifieth the sonne of God againe Forsomuch as towchinge his parte he doth a thinge whereby he woulde binde him to dye againe if his former death had not bene sufficient How is it then ô Christian that thou hast thy harte and handes readie bent to crucifie our Lorde and redeemer so often tymes in this wise with thy sinnes Thou owghtest to consider that like as the Iudge presented that so pittiefull forme to the Iewes supposinge there was none other more effectuall meane to withdrawe them from theire furie than that dolefull sight euen so the heauenlye father presenteth that same dolefull sighte daily vnto all sinners meaninge thereby that in verie dede there is none other more effectuall meane to withdrawe them from sinne than to set before them this so pittiefull a forme Make acompte therefore that euen now the heauenlie father laieth also the same pittiefull forme of his most deere and onelie begotten sonne before thy face and that he saieth vnto thee ECCE HOMO Beholde the man As thowghe he shoulde saie Beholde this man in what a dolorous case he standeth and remember withall that he is God almightie and that he standeth in this most dolefull and lamentable plighte as here thou seest him not for anie other cause but for the verie sinnes of the worlde See into what plighte God is browght by the sinnes of man Consider how necessarie it was to satisfie for sinne And consider also How abhominable a thinge synne is in the sighte of God how abhominable and horrible a thinge sinne is in the sight of almightie God seinge it so disfigured his owne onelie sonne to destroye it Consider moreouer what a sore reuenge almightie God will take of a sinner for such sinnes as he himselfe committeth sithe he hath so sharpelie punnished his owne most dearlie beloued and innocent sonne for the sinnes of others Last of all consider the rigour of the iustice of almightie God and the fowle stayninge malice of sinne which appeareth so dreadfullie euen in the verie face of Christ the sonne of God Now what thinge coulde possiblie be done of greater efficacie both to cause men to feare God and also to abhorre synne It seemeth hereby that almightie God hath showed him selfe towardes man as a good louinge mother is wont to doe towardes her wicked dawghter that seeketh lewde meanes to plaie the harlot For when neither wordes nor punnishement be able to diswade her from her wicked diuelish purpose she tourneth her rage against her owne selfe she beateth her owne face and teareth her heare and when she is thus disfigured she setteth her self before her dawghter that thereby she maie vnderstande the greatnes of her offence and that at the least for verie pittie and compassion of her mother she maie be moued to leaue her wicked purpose Now it seemeth that almightie God hath vsed the verie same remedie here
of those tormentinge raginge ministers that at the verie time of rearinge it vp and placinge it therein they let it falle furiouslie from them with a iumpe into the hoole with all the weight thereof and so all his blessed bodie was sore shaken and iogged vp and downe in the aier and thereby his woundes were wydened and enlarged and his paines and grieffes more encreased Now therefore o my sweete Sauiour and redeemer what harte is so stonie harde that will not ryue in sunder for verie sorrowe and griefe sith the verie stones them selues were ryuen the same daie consideringe the extreme paine that thou sufferedest on the Crosse The sorrowes of deathe ô Lorde Psalm 17. Psalm 68. haue compassed thee about and the waues of the Sea haue ouer whelmed thee Thou art myred in the depthe of the bothomles goulfes and fyndest nothinge wherevpon to staie thy selfe Thy father ô Lorde hath forsaken thee what hope maist thou haue of men Thy ennemies make outcries against thee thy fryendes breake thy harte thy soule is afflicted and for the loue thou bearest to me thou wilt not admit any maner of comforte Vndowtedlie ô Lorde my sinnes were verie greate and haynous and that doth thy penance well declare I see thee ô my kinge fastened to a tree and there is nothinge to susteine thy bodie but onelie three iron nailes wherevpon thy sacred fleas he hangeth without anie other staie or comforte When the weight and swaie of thy bodie staieth vpon thy feete then are the woundes of thy feete the more torne and enlarged with the nailes wherewith they are pearced Againe when the weight of thy bodie staieth vpon thy handes then are the woundes of thy handes the more rente and enlarged also with the poyce of thy bodie One of thy members cannot succour an other but with equall preiudice either of the one or of the other Now as touchinge thy holie head beinge thus tormented and weakened with the sharpe crowne of thornes what pillowe hath it to rest vpon O how well might thy armes ô most excellent virgin be here employed to supplie this office But alas thine armes maye not serue at this present but onely the armes of the Crosse Vpon them must our Sauiour staie his sacred head when he will rest and yet so that the ease he taketh thereof is nothinge els but a further driuinge in of the thornes and fasteninge of the same deeper into the braine Besides all this I see those foure principall woundes as it were foure fountaines alwaies distillinge out bloude I see the grownde all besprinckled and bedewed rounde about with bloude I see that most pretious licour all betrampled and shed vpon the earthe which crieth much better then did the bloude of Abell Genesis 4. Heb. 12. For his bloude cryed for vengeance ageinst the murderer but this most pretious bloude of thine O sweete Iesus craueth pardon for synners OF THE COMPASSION THE SONNEHAD VPON HIS mother and the mother vpon her sonne hanginge vpon the Crosse § III. THE sorowes of the sonne were much increased by reason of the presence of his most blessed mother wherewith his dolefull harte was no lesse crucified within than his holie bodie without Two crosses be here prepared for thee ô good Iesus this daie The one for thy bodie and the other for thy soule The one is of passion and the other of compassion The one pearcethe thy most blessed bodie with nailes of iron th' other pearceth thy most holie soule with nailes of sorowe Who is able to declare ô sweete Iesus what an vnspekeable greife it was vnto thee when thou diddest cōsider the greate anguishes of the blessed soule of thy holie mother which thou knewest so certeinlie was crucified with thee on the crosse Luc. 2. When thou sawest her pittiefull harte pearced and thrust throughe with the knife of heauines and sorrowe When thou diddest open thy blouddie eies and beheldest her diuine face whollie ouercast with palenes and wannes of death When thou sawest those most grieuous paynes and anguishes of her minde which was not resolued with deathe and yet abode greater paines then the verie paines of deathe it selfe When thou beheldest those riuers of teares which gusshed out from her most pure eies and hardest those so lamentable deepe sighes and sobbes which burst out of her sacred brest beinge enforced with the vehemencie of her most grieuous heauines and sorowe Certeinlie ô Lorde it can not be expressed with wordes how muche this inuisible crosse tormented thy most pittiefull harte And who is able to declare also o most blessed mother the greatnes of the sorrowes and anguishes of thy dolefull harte When thou sawest him dye with such grieuous tormentes whom thou sawest borne with so great ioye When thou sawest him scorned and blasphemed of men whom there thou sawest praised of the angells When thou sawest that holie bodie which thou haddest handeled with so great reuerence and browght vp with such motherlie tendernes and cheres hinges so cuill entreated and tormented by most wicked persons When thou beheldest that diuine mouthe of his which thou haddest nourished with the milke of heauen distempered with the bitter tast of gaulle and vynegar When thou diddest also beholde that diuine head which thou haddest so often times laied and rested on thy virgines brest all to begored now with bloude and crowned with thornes O how often diddest thou lift vp thyne eies on highe to beholde that diuine shape that had so often times reioysed thy soule in beholdinge the same And how often agayne did thyne eyes turne aside from him because the tendernes of thy harte coulde not abide to see that dolefull sighte What tonge is able to expresse the greatnes of this sorrowe If the soules that loue our Sauiour Christe truelie and vnfaynedly when they meditate vpon these sorowes beinge now past haue such a tender compassion vpon him what diddest thou then o most blessed virgin beinge his mother yea and more than a mother when thou sawest presentlie with thine eies such a sonne suffer such a most cruell and painfull passion If those women that accompanied our sauiour when he went with his Crosse towardes his death beinge neither of kinne nor of acquaintance vnto him did weape and lamente to see him goe after such a pittiefull sorte How great then was the abondance of teares that fell from thine eies O blessed mother when thou sawest him who was so deerelie beloued vnto thee not onelie carryenge the Crosse on his shoulders but nailed also fast vnto it and hoysed vp alofte vpon the same And albeit these thy griefes and sorrowes were so great yet diddest not thou ô blessed virgin refuse the companie of the Crosse neither wouldest thou turne thy backe but stoodest there euen harde and fast by the same and not fallinge downe in sowndes nor yet ouerthrowen to the grounde but like a stronge pillar standinge vpright vpon thy feete Genes 3. beholdinge with inestimable sorrowe and
heauines of minde thy deere sonne crucified on the crosse to the ende that like as Eue by beholdinge with delite that fruite and tree of deathe was the occasion of the perdition of the worlde euen so thou ô blessed Ladie by beholdinge with greate griefe and sorrowe the fruite of life which then was hanginge vpon that tree of the Crosse mightest with thy presence and eies there see the remedie and redemption of the worlde AN OTHER MEDITATION OF THE DOCTRINE THAT MAIE be learned at the foote of the Crosse § IIII. THE holie Euangelist saieth Ioan. 19. that there stoode hard by the Crosse Marie the mother of Iesus and his mothers sister Marie the wife of Cleophas and Marie Magdalene O that I were so happie that I mighte stande in the companie of these three blessed Maries alwaies at the foote of the Crosse O yee blessed Maries who hath caused you to stande so constantly at the foote of the crosse What cheyne is this that thus holdethe you so fast lincked vnto this holie tree O sweete Christe which beinge deade doest mortifie the liuinge and geuest life to the deade O yee Angells of paradise be not offended with me thowghe I a sinner and a very wicked person be so bolde to come and ioyne with this holie companie because the loue I beare to my sweete sauiour draweth me vnto them and the verie same loue enforceth me to embrace this crosse If theise three Maries will not departe from the crosse How can I departe from thence knowinge that all my wealle and saluation consisteth in the same Assuredly the fyer shall first waxe colde and the water shall naturally become hoate before my harte shall departe from this crosse sythence I vnderstande what a lesson the loue of God teacheth me to wit How happie a thinge it is to stande alwaies at the foote of the crosse O holie crosse thou drawest the hartes of men vnto thee more stronglie than the Adamante stone draweth iron Thou geauest a more cleare lighte to our vnderstandinge thā the sonne doth to our eies Thou enkēdelest a more feruent heate in our soules than fyer doth in the verie cooles Drawe me therefore O holie crosse vnto thee with great force and might Illuminate me continuallie and enflame me with thy mightie power that my thoughte and mynde maie thinke vpon none other thinge but onely vpon thee and maye neuer departe from thee And thou ô good Iesus illuminate the eies of my soule that I maye vnderstande how to looke and fixe mine eies and thoughtes vpon the crosse to the ende that I maye not onelie beholde the cruell paynes and tormentes thou hast suffered for me and so by beholdinge them take compassion of them But also consider the examples of so manie wonderfull vertues as thereby thou hast discouered vnto me and inuited me to imitate and followe the same Wherefore O most wise maister and instructor of the worlde O phisition of soules Here I come to the foote of thy crosse to present vnto thee my soores and woundes Heale me ô my most mercifull and omnipotent Lorde and teache me what I ought to doe we may learne to ouercome our sensualitie and selfe loue by beholdinge our Sauiour Christe vpon the crosse I doe confesse and acknowledge playnelie vnto thee ô Lorde that I am verie sensuall and geuen ouermuche to the loue of my selfe and I see well that this greatlie hinderethe my profitinge and proceadinge in vertue and godlines Manie tymes for my recreation and pastimes sake or for feare of the paine of fastinge and risinge vp early in the morninge I passe ouer and doe leese the godly and diuout exercises of praier and meditation with other holie spirituall exercises by the losse whereof I leese my selfe also This sensualitie of mine is verie importune vpon me It woulde faine eate and drinke verie finelie and delicately at such howers and times as it liketh and after dinner and supper it woulde gladlie haue some idle talke or els some pastyme and recreation It delighteth at such tymes to be walkinge in a faire greene garden or orcharde and there to take some sollace and pleasure Teache me now ô my most louinge Sauiour and redeemer what I ought to doe whereby to followe thy example and helpe me with thy grace that I maie performe my dewtie in this pointe O what a greate shame is it vnto me to see after what sorte thou diddest handel thy blessed bodie which was more tender and delicate than all other bodies In the middest of the most bitter angwishes and grieuous tormentes of thy death thou diddest not geue vnto thy bodie anie other foode or electuarie but such as those cruell apoticaries had compounded of bitter gaule and sower vineger for thee Who then will from henceforthe haue anie tongue to complaine that the meate set before him is either to colde or to salte or to freashe or not well dressed or that it was ouer late or to tymelie made readie consideringe what a table was here prepared for thee ô my almightie God and that in the tyme of so great necessitie In steede of the mirthe and pleasante talke and entertaynmente which I seeke to haue at my suppers and feastes thou haddest none other but onely outcries and clamorous noices of them which shakinge theire heades at thee scorned and blasphemed thee sayenge Matth. 27. Fye on thee that destroiest the temple of God and in three daies buildest it vp againe This was the musicke and mynstrelsie of thy bankette and thy walkinge in a garden was to be fast nailed handes and feete to the crosse And albeit there was an other garden into which thou wentest after thou haddest ended thy supper yet was it not to walke in for pleasure but to praie not to take the aier but to shéide bloude not to recreat thy selfe but to be pensiue and sad and in a greate agonie of deathe Now what shall I saye of the other ease and refresshinges which thy blessed fleshe had My fleashe would gladlie haue a softe bedde curious and costly apparell and a large and wyde howse Tell me now ô my sweete Sauiour what maner of bedde hast thou What maner of howse hast thou And what is thy apparell Thy apparell is nakednes and a purple coate of mockerie and reproche Thy howse is none other but to stande openly abrode in the sonne and aier And if I seeke for anie other I fynde it to be nothinge els but onely a stable for beastes The foxes haue theire holes Math. 8. and the birdes of the aier theire neistes and thou that art the creator of all thinges hast no place where to rest thy head O curiositie and superfluitie How are ye two crepte in and so vsuallie and vniuersallie receaued in this our corrupte age throwghout all the countreys and nations of Christendome A notalbe admonitiō against the vyces of deyntienes and superfluitie O what maner of Christians be we that doe not vtterlie abandon
floudes commaunde the florishinge springe to retourne againe At this tyme of the resurrection of our Sauiour the holie virgin had withdrawen her selfe into her oratorie expectinge there the comminge of this newe lighte She cried inwardly in her harte and called like a pittiefull liones the therde daie vnto her dead sonne Psalm 56. sayenge Arise vp my glorie arise my harpe and my vyole Retourne ô triumphant conqueror vnto the worlde Gather together ô good pastor thy dispersed flocke Geue eare ô my deare sonne vnto the clamours of thy heauie aÌ„d afflicted mother And seinge by these clamours thou wast moued to descende downe from heauen into the earthe let the same moue the now also to ascende vp againe from hell into the worlde In the middest of these clamours and cries of the blessed virgin beholde that poore cotage of hers was sodainly brightened all ouer with a heauenly lighte and her sonne being now gloriouslie rysen againe from deathe to lyfe presenteth him selfe to the sight of his holie mother The morninge sterre appeareth not so beautifull the brighte sonne at noone daie shineth not so cleare as did that face full of all graces and that vnspotted glasse of diuine glorie in the eies of his holie mother She beholdeth the bodie of her sweete sonne rysen vp agayne from death and glorified all the disfigures of the former deformitie beinge cleane wyped awaie the comely grace of those diuine eies retourned and his former beautie was restored againe and increased She also beholdeth those gappes of his woundes which as they were before verie swoordes of sorrowe to her heauie and tender harte so are they now become fountaines of loue Whom she sawe before to suffer betwene two thieues she seeth now accompanied with Sainctes and Angells Whom she sawe before to commende her from the crosse vnto his disciple she seeth now stretchinge forthe his louinge armes and geuinge vnto her the sweete kisse of peace Whom she helde before dead in her armes she seeth now rysen vp againe before her eies The blessed mother now holdethe him and will not leaue him she embracethe him she desireth and prayeth him most instantly not to departe awaie from her Heretofore she was made speecheles for sorrowe and knewe not what to saye But now she is become speecheles for verie ioye and cannot vtter her inwarde gladnes vnto him Now what tongue can tell or what vnderstandinge is able to comprehende the exceedinge ioye that this blessed virgin conceyued inwardlie in her minde We cannot vnderstande the thinges that doe exceede our capacitie vnlesse we compare them to other lesse thinges and frame by them as it were a ladder to ascende by degries from the lower vnto the higher and so make a coniecture of the one by the other Now that we maye vnderstande somewhat of this her exceedinge ioye consider what a greate ioye the Patriarke Iacob felte when after he had bewailed his dearly beloued sonne Iosephe with so great abundance of teares supposinge him to be dead tydinges were browghte him that he was aliue and Lorde ouer all the lande of Egipt The holie scripture saieth Genes 45. that when these newes were tolde him he coÌ„ceyued so great ioye and astonishement therewith that as a man newlie awaked out of a heauie sliepe he coulde not call his wittes perfectlie together nor yet beleue the newes that his sonnes had tolde him no more than if it had bene a verie dreame But afterwardes when he was fullie resolued that it was true the holie scripture saith that his spirite reuyued againe and that he spake these wordes folowinge It is enoughe for me if my sonne Ioseph be yet a liue I will goe and see him before I die Now then tell me I praye you if Iacob that had eleuen other sonnes in his howse conceyued yet so great a ioye in his harte to vnderstande that euen one onely whom he supposed to be dead was yet aliue what an exceedinge great ioye conceyued the blessed virgin who hauinge no more but one sonne and that one such a sonne as our blessed Sauiour was so notable and so dearly beloued as he was vnto her after she had seene him with her eies bothe dead aÌ„d buried sawe him now againe rysen vp from deathe and withall glorified and made Lorde not onely of all the lande of Egipt but also of all thinges created Is there anie vnderstandinge able to comprehende this Vndowtedly her ioye was inwardelie so great that her harte had not bene able to susteine the force thereof had it not receyued some supernaturall streÌ„gth and comforte by speciall miracle of almightie God for that ende O blessed virgin this benefit alone maie suffice thee It is enoughe for thee that thy deare sonne is aliue and that thou hast him in thy presence and seest him before thy death so as now there remayneth nothinge els for thee to desire O Lorde how well knowest thou how to comforte them that suffer for thy sake The former paine of thy blessed mother seemeth not now to be great beinge compared with this passinge great ioye If thou ô Lorde doest comforte such as suffer for thee after this sorte blessed and happie are their persecutions and troubles seinge they shal be thus rewarded In like maner we haue to consider how our Sauiour appeared vnto his disciples and especially to S. Marie Magdalen whereof presently we doe not intreat because we woulde not make this meditation ouer longe The ende of the first seuen meditations for the seuen daies of the weke in the morninges HERE BEGINNE THE OTHER SEVEN MEDITATIONS FOR THE SAME SEVEN daies in the nightes And althowghe these Meditations be placed in the seconde place yet are they first to be vsed in the order of exercise Forsomuche as with them they must first beginne who are but newlie conuerted to the seruice of almightie God Accipite spiritum sanctum quorum remiseritis peccata remittuntur eis et quorum retinueritis detenta sunt Johan 20. vers 22. Multi 〈…〉 consiâ—â—tes et 〈◊〉 actâ—s suos Act. 19. vers 18. OF SYNNES MONDAIE NIGHTE THIS daie after thou hast made the signe of the Crosse and prepared thy selfe hereunto thou must atteÌ„de to the knowledge of thy selfe aÌ„d thou must vse diligence to call to minde thy sinnes and offences And this is the waie to obteine trewe humilitie of harte and repentance which are the two first gates and foundations of a Christian life For the better performance whereof Of the multitude of the synnes of thy former life thou must thinke firs t of all vpon the multitude of the sinnes of thy former lyfe and espetially vpon those offences that thou diddest coÌ„mit at what time thou haddest least knowledge of almightie God For if thou canst well vewe and examyne them thou shalt finde that they haue exceeded in nomber the verie heares of thy heade and that thou diddest liue at that time like an heathen that knoweth not what God is This done ronne ouer
them all and make an euerlastinge diuision The deeper rootes the toothe hath in the iawe the greater greife it causeth at what tyme it is plucked out Now the harte of a wicked man beinge so fast rooted in the loue of the thinges of this lyfe The more we be in loue with worldelie thinges the more griefe it wil be vnto vs to departe from them at the hower of our deathe S. Augustine it cannot be but that it must needes be a very great greife vnto him when he seeth the howre is now come wherein he must depart from thē all At that time those thinges whereunto he beareth most affection shall wounde his hart most greiuously and that thinge which was wont to be a comfort vnto him in his trouble shal be then a most cruell torment in vexinge him S. Augustine declareth that at what time he determined to seperat him selfe from the worlde and from all the pleasures and delightes thereof it seemed vnto him that they all represented themselues liuely vnto him and saied What wilt thou leaue vs for euer and wilt thou neuer haue any more to doe with vs Consider now then with thy selfe what a greife it wil be to a carnall harte when those thinges that he hath most loued doe represent themselues at that hower vnto him ād when he seeth that he shal be spoyled of them all in such wise that he shal be enforced to saie Now shall this worlde haue no more to doe with me neither this aier nor this sonne nor this element Now shall I haue no longer conuersation and comfort of my children my wife my howse my landes my goodes my pleasures and delightes Of all thinges I am now left naked and bare Now will death spoile me of them all Now is my olde age at an ende now is the nomber of my daies fulfilled now shall I die vnto all maner of thinges and they all vnto me Wherefore ô thou worlde I bid thee farrewell yee my landes my goodes and riches I bid you farewell my friendes my acquintance my kinsfolke my deare wife and my louinge children I bid you all farewell For now shall we neuer see one an other anie more in this mortall fleash There is yet an other separation after this more terrible and dreadfull then this is to witt betwene the sowle and the bodie which haue kept cōpanie so longe time together and haue bene such hartie friendes The deuill had spoyled the holie man Iob of all maner of thinges sauinge onely of his lyfe and it seemed vnto him that in comparison of the spoile thereof all the rest were of none accompt and therefore he saied Skinne for skinne and all that a man hath he will geue for his lyfe This is the thinge that naturally is most loued Iob. 2.4 and the separation whereof causeth most greife If the seperation of one waifaringe man from an other when they haue trauayled in iourney together anie time doe cause such greife and solitarines what a griefe shall it be when two such entier friendes and companions as the sowle and the bodie haue bene are seperated the one from the other which haue traueyled together from their mothers wombe vntill that verie houre and haue had so manie knottes and bondes of friendshippe betwene them What a greife will it be when the spirite shall saie vnto the fleash I must now remaine all alone without thee And the fleash shall likewise make answere vnto the spirite sayeinge and in what case then shall I be without thee seinge all the beinge I haue I haue receiued of thee Of the horror and lothsomenes of our Graue § II. AFTER this it commeth naturally to a mans minde to thinke what shall become of his bodie when his sowle is departed out of it And in thinkinge hereupon he seeth that the best happe his bodie maie haue can be no better than to be laide in a little graue of earthe The basenes of which conditiō maketh him to be as it were astonnied For cōsideringe on the one side what great estimation he hath made of his bodie in tymes past and seinge on the other side what a base and vyle place that is wherein it must now be laide he cannot but wonder excedinglie at it He considereth and waygheth with himselfe that the lodginge which they will prepare for him in the earth shal be strait and narrowe that it shal be also obscure stinkinge full of wormes maggottes bones and dead mens skulles and withall so horrible that it shal be verie ircksome to thē that be aliue onely to looke vpon it And when he seeth that his bodie which he was wont to make so much of his bellie which he esteimed for his God his mowth for whose delightes the lande and sea coulde scarselie serue and his fleash for which golde and silke was wont to be wouen with great curiositie and a soft bed prepared to laie it in must now be laide in such a filthie and miserable donghill where it shal be troden vpon and eaten with fowle wormes and maggottes and within fewe daies be of as owglie a forme as a dead Carrion that lyeth in the feildes insomuch that the waiefaringe man will stoppe his nose and ronne awaie in great hast to auoid the stinkinge sauour of it when I saie he considereth all this and seeth that in steede of his soft bed he must lie there vpon the harde grownde ād in steede of his pretious and gorgious apparell he must haue there but onely a seely poore windinge sheite and in steede of his sweete odoriferous parfumes and muskes filthie rottonnes and horrible stenches and in steede of his multitude of delicate dishes and waitinge seruinge men he must haue there such an infinite nomber of crawling wormes and fylthie maggottes feedinge vpon him he cannot chuse if he haue anie sense or Iudgment remaininge in him but merueill to see vnto how base a condition such a noble creature is now come and to consider with whom he must now keepe companie there euē fellowe and fellowe like who in his life tyme had no fellowe nor equal It is not the part of wise men to wonder at thinges and the customable seinge of thinges euerie daie taketh awaye from them be they neuer so greate all admiration and wounder And yet all this notwithstandinge the great Wiseman wondered at this miserie though it be a matter whereof we haue dailie experience when he saide If man and beast doe die both after one sort Eccles 2.3 what auaileth me that I haue trauailed so much in seekinge for wisedome If it were so that the bodie in this separation shoulde ende in some thinge that were of anie price or proffit it woulde be some kinde of comfort vnto vs. But this is a thinge to be wondered at that so excellent a creature shall ende in the most dishonorable and lothsome thinge in the worlde This is that great miserie whereat the holie man Iob wondered and
ingratitude for his manifolde benefites With this kinde of complaynte the Prophet Esaie beginneth the first wordes of his prophecie callinge heauen and earthe to witnes against the ingratitude and vnthankfulnes of the wicked Hearken saieth he ô heauen and thou earthe geue eare vnto my wordes for our Lorde hath spoken it I haue nourished children and exalted them and they haue despised me The oxe knoweth his owner and the Asse his masters maunger but Israell hath not knowen me neither woulde my people vnderstande me Now what thinge is more straunge than that men shoulde not acknowledge that thinge which the verie bruite beastes doe acknowledge And as S. Ierome saieth vpon this place S. Ierome The Prophete woulde not compare men with other lyuinge beastes that are more quicke of sense Ingrateful and vnthankefull persons are more brutishe than the most brutishe beastes that are as with the dogge that for a litle peece of bread defendeth his masters howse but euen with the Oxe and Asse which are more heauie and rude geauinge vs hereby to vnderstande that ingratefull and vnthankefull persons are not to be likened to euerie kinde of beastes but that they be much more brutishe thā the most brutishe beastes that are Now what punishement trowe ye doth so great beastlines deserue Almightie God hath prepared many punishements for ingratefull persons The ordinarie punishemente of ingraful persons but the most iust and ordinarie punishement is to spoile them of all those benefites they haue receyued because they woulde not geue thākes to the geuer of them as of duetie they ought to haue done S. Bernarde For as S. Bernarde saiethe Ingratitude is as it were a burninge winde that drieth vp the riuer of Gods mercie the fountain of his clemencie and the flowinge streame of his grace Now as vnthankfulnes is the cause of so great euils The consideration of Gods benefites moueth vs to loue God euen so contrariewise thankefulnes is the beginninge of verie great graces and especially of three The first is the loue God For as Aristotle saieth goodnes is amiable of it selfe and euerie man is naturallie most inclined to loue his owne proper weale Seinge therefore that men be naturally such louers of them selues and of their owne proper commoditie when they see plainlie that all that they haue cōmeth of the gracious goodnes of that cheifest benefactor forthewith they be moued to loue and wishe well vnto him whom they perceiue and acknowledge to haue bestowed so great benefites vpon them And hereof it commeth that emonge the considerations that doe most helpe vs to attayne vnto the loue of God one of the most principall is the consideration of the benefites of almightie God For euerie one of these benefites is as it were a fyerbrande that quickeneth and enkendeleth more and more the flame of this loue and so consequently to consider many of these benefites is to ioyne manie fyerbrandes together whereby the flame of this fyer is enkendeled more and more in vs. This consideration helpeth also to stirre vp a desire in a man to serue almightie God when he considereth the great bownden duetie The consideration of Gods benefites stirreth vp a desire in a man to serue God that he oweth vnto him vnto whō he is so much indetted For if the verie birdes ād bruite beastes be moued herewith to answere vnto the voice of him that calleth them and doe obeye as though they were reasonable creatures vnto all such thinges as are commaunded them how much greater prouocations haue we to doe the like vnto almightie God that haue receiued farre more than they and be able to vnderstande farre better then they what greate and inestimable benefites we haue receyued of God This consideration is also profitable to stirre and prouoke in our sowles a sorowe and repentance for our synnes The consideration of Gods benefites stirreth vp a sorowe ād repentaunce in vs for our synnes For when a man considereth and weigheth deepely on the one syde the multitude of benefites he hath receyued of almightie God and on the other syde the great nomber of offences he hath committed against him how can he chuse but be ashamed of him selfe How can it be but that he must needes be confounded and discerne muche better the blacke by comparinge it with the white I meane hereby he shall much better discerne the greatnes of his owne wickednes by cōparinge the same with the greatnes of Gods passinge great goodnes who hathe continued so longe time in doinge good vnto him that contrariewise hath continued euermore for his parte in heapinge synne vpon synne against almightie God For these three endes therefore owght a man to cōsider the benefites of almightie God and withall in the consideration of them to geue him most humble thankes for the same So that when he setteth him selfe to meditate vpon the benefites of almightie God he must then be carefull to haue his recourses vnto these three poyntes in their due places applyenge his harte sometimes to loue him who hath bene so greately beneficiall vnto him some times to desire to serue him sometimes agayne to be sorowfull and repentant for his sinnes yea and sometimes also to offer vnto him sacrifice of praise and thankes geuinge for his so manifolde benefittes These sacrifices are signified by those calues of our lippes Osea 14.3 which the Prophet woulde haue vs to offer vnto almightie God for the benefites that we haue receyued of him True it is that the benefites of almightie God be innumerable but we will treate here onely of fiue kindes of benefittes which are of all others the most cheife and principall and whereunto all the other maie be reduced These fiue are the benefites of creation conseruation redemption vocation and finally the particuler and secrete benefites that euerie particuler person maie recognise and acknowledge in him selfe And it is not required of a man to thinke vpon all these benefites at one time but it shall suffice to thinke vpon one or twoe or three of them and to consider and pondre them well and diligentlie in his minde The exercises of meditation are not to be vsed as a taske but to be taken moderatlie as a daylie foode for the sowle For the exercises of meditation are not to be taken in lumpes as a taske that must be fullie wrought and finished within a certaine time but as a daily foode and sustenance which the more moderatly and temperatlie it is taken and the better it is digested the more profitable and holsome it is to a man Of the benefite of creation § I. TO beginne now with the benefite of creation that thou mayst the better vnderstāde somewhat of the greatnes of this benefite thou shalt doe well to consider firste verie deepely with thy selfe what thou wast before thou were created This is one of the principall aduises that the masters of the spirituall lyfe doe vse to geue in this behalfe as
the inwarde man consisteth in hauinge almightie God presente in his harte And the composition of the outwarde man consisteth in doinge all thinges in such sorte as is seemely for one that standeth alwaies in the presence of almightie God and that hath him alwaies before his eies as the iudge and witnes of his whole lyfe After these doe followe other fower vertues wherein consisteth the somme of perfection which vertues be in such wise annexed and lincked th' one to th' other that the one can not be had without the other In these vertues consisteth the somme of perfection These vertues be perfecte obedience Mortification of our owne proper will Fortitude to ouercome all maner of difficultie and labour and to haue a hatred and contempt of our selues For it is manifest that the somme of all Christian doctrine is a perfecte obedience and conformitie vnto the will of almightie God as well in all such thinges as he commaundeth we can not haue a perfecte obedience and conformitie vnto the will of God vnlesse we denye our owne will and haue a holie hatred and contempté of our selues councelleth and inspireth as in all that he ordeyneth and disposeth concerninge vs. This obedience can not be kepte vnlesse we haue a knife in our hande to cut awaie all the inordinate appetites of our sensualitie and will which doe withstande the will of almightie God But this stroke no man is able to geue vnlesse he haue great fortitude of minde to fighte with him selfe and to make mortall warre against his owne inclinations and appetites And this kinde of warre none other shal euer make but he that hath for the loue of God atteyned to haue a true and holie abhorringe and contempre of him selfe For looke where abhorringo is there doth easilie followe euill entreatinge and contempt of the thinge that is abhorred but where is nothinge but loue there doth a man very vnwillingly take the whippe in his hande to deale roughlie with that thinge which he loueth Whereby it appeareth that no one of these vertues is able to moue one steppe without the helpe and succour of the others After these doe followe immediatlie other fowre verie highe and noble vertues which be Humilitie both inwarde and outward Pouertie both of spirite and of bodie Patience in all aduersities and tribulations Purenes of intention in good workes doinge all thinge◠that we shall doe all onelie for the loue of God without mixture of anie commoditie or respecte either temporall or spirituall After these doe followe other fowre vertues which are the beginninge and ende of all perfection to witt a most firme faith of such thinges as almightie God saith and promiseth and an assured hope in him as in our trewe and louinge father in all the necessities and tribulatiōs that shall happen vnto vs a loue of almightie God which must alwaies burne in our hartes and iointly with this loue to haue a feare and reuerence of his great maiestie and iustice which must euermore accompanie all our workes And with all these vertues aboue named we must ioyne perseuerance and cōtinuance in the exercise of all these vertues the which causeth a man in a smalle time to attaine to the toppe of perfection In these foresaid vertues doth the somme of all perfection principally consist and therefore all our studie and diligence must be emploied in seekinge them by all meanes possible and espetially by praier which is the principall meane whereby all goodnes is obtayned Here I thinke good to geue this aduise that when a man shall demaunde of almightie God any of these vertues he staie him selfe therein for a time and make as it were a station in euerie one of them in cōsideringe breifly the principall motiues that maie most induce vs to the loue and exercise of such a vertue As for example How to desier of God the vertue of Charitie When we shall desire of almightie God the vertue of charitie which is the loue of God we maie saie in this wise Graunt me grace ô Lorde I beseech thee that I maie loue thee with all my harte and with all my sowle for that thou arte an infinite goodnes and excellencie that deserueth to be loued with infinite loue and besides this for that thou arte my onely benefactor my father my creator my last ende and the spouse of my sowle vnto whom all loue is due In like maner when thou shalt desire the vertue of hope thou mayst saie in this wise How to desier the vertue of Hope Geue me grace also ô Lorde I beseech thee that in all the necessities and tribulations that shall happen vnto me in this lyfe I maie trust in thee seinge thy mercie is infinite and thy promises true and the merites of thy onely begotten sonne be of infinite value which doe speake and make intercession for me After this sorte mayst thou desire the feare of God and humilitie with other vertues The forme of which petitions I thinke not meete to note here particularly in writinge For like as it is saied that that meate doth more profite the sicke man which he him selfe eateth and cheweth with his teeth than that which is geuen vnto him in drincke euen so is that prayer wonte to be more profitable which is framed by him that praieth with such wordes as the holie Ghost teacheth him than that praier which is made and compounded with other folkes wordes which oftentimes be sayed and passed verie lightly ouer without anie maner of attention or affection This last parte which is petition besides that it is verie easie to be done is also very profitable For as we saied before it is not onely an exercise of praier but also of all vertues and as it were a readinge and conference of them all wherein a man reneweth all his good purposes and desires and recordeth in his memorie the principall pointes and articles of the lawe of God which is the continuall exercise of the iust man Psal 1.2 of whom it is saide that he meditateth vpon the lawe of our Lorde both daie and nighte These fiue partes aforesaid maie be vsed in the exercise of praier albeit as we haue saide they be not all necessarie to be vsed at all times For some times all the time of prayer is spente in meditation alone or in petition Neuerthelesse I thought good to specifie here all these partes of prayer that no man might leaue of this holie exercise for wante of matter and also that at such time as deuotion fayleth which is no iust cause why we shoulde relent and withdrawe our selues from good exercises a man might haue matter whereupon to occupie him selfe duringe that time doinge on his parte somuch as lieth in him which is the thinge that almightie God requireth principallie of vs. Here is diligentlie to be noted that emonge all these fiue partes of prayer the best is when the sowle talketh with almightie God as it doth in petition
24. vers 25. and namelie of the dreadefull daie of iudgemente he vttered suche wonderfull terrible thinges thereof that as the holie scripture mentioneth he made the verie President himselfe thoughe he were an infidell euen to tremble and quake for fearè with the onelie hearinge of them Apoc. 14. vers 7. And sain te thon likewise in his Reuelations affirmeth that he sawe an Angell preachinge the euerlastinge gospell vnto all Nations tribes tongues and people meaninge thereby that he preached as wel to the good as to the wicked without anie exception therein of the faithfull Christians sayenge Feare oure Lorde and giue honor vnto him becawse the hower of his iudgemeÌ„te is come And I am perswaded that all godlie wise and graue men will easelie agree in this opinion with me that this manner of preachinge of the terror of the daie of Iudgemente and of the moste horrible paines of hell is muche more needefull nowe in this our corrupte age in Englande and Scotlande than in Italie Spaine or other Catholike countries sithe so greate numbers of them are infected with so manie hereticall licentious doctrines that haue caused them to put quite awaie out of their myndes all feare of God and of his terrible iudgements and to presume moste certainelie and assuredlye to be saued by their onelie faithe Philip. 2. vers 12. 1. Cor. 4.4 2. Pet. 1.10 and so are generallie become vtterlie careles of endeuoringe to woorke their saluation with feare and tremblinge and doe liue as dissolutelie as anie barbarous Pagans and Atheists In so muche as all godlie aunciente wise men doe greatelye lamente to see by experience the terrible prophecie of Dauid to be generallie verified at this daie throughout our Realme which is that the iudgements of almightie God be taken quite awaye from the face of the vngodlye Psal 9. vers 26. And if theise and suche like godlie Meditations and considerations of the terrible threateninges and iudgements of almightie God againste the wicked be not a fitt remedie for their conuersion from their careles dissolute lifes what other remedie then can possiblie be deuised for them Howbeit I haue verie greate hope that with the grace of God theise godlie Meditations will woorke muche good effecte for the conuersion of manie of them For vndoutedlie that man is verie wilfull and obstinate in his wickednes that readinge aduisedlie all theise godlie Meditations is not moued inwardelie in his harte in some parte of them to the feare loue and seruice of almightie God and to the abhorringe of synne and amendement of his lise And suche readers as shal be inwardelie moued and called thereunto by almightie God I coniure them in his holie name and in regarde of their owne saluation Ephes 4. vers 30. Psal 94.8 not to make sad the Holie Ghoste in hardeninge their hartes and resistinge vngratefullie and wilfullie againste his diuine inspirations when it shall please his infinite goodnes and mercie with suche singuler loue to knocke and calle at the dore of their hartes but in anie wise to open it out of hande and receiue him most humblie into their hartes with suche louinge hartie interteynement submission thankefulnes seruice and honor as duetie requireth they shoulde doe vnto their most highe soueraigne lorde and Creatour that hath suche a speciall louinge care of their saluation Nowe this booke of Meditations and whatsoeuer els I haue translated and shall godwillinge hereafter publishe in printe I doe most humblie offer vnto the seruice of almightie God for the benefite of our countrie And for so muche as I am verie warie and assured that this boke conteineth not anie thinge whereby I maie iustlie incurre anie penaltie prescribed by anie lawes of our Realme I am the bolder humblie to recommende it by this my dedicatorie Epistle vnto your Honours and woorshipps partelie for that I haue spente some parte of my time in the studie of our Common Lawes in the Middle Temple emonge you and am verie moche bounde vnto diuers of you But chiefelie for that I knowe right well the greate capacitie and dexteritie of your spirites the grauitie of your iudgementes and your wisdomes experiences authoritie and example to be of suche principall estimation and worthie respecte in our Realme that in case ye doe Zelouselye emploie your endeuours to the due reuerente consideration of the holie Mysteries of the Christian Religion as I doute not but verie manie emonge you doe your holie example will generallie allure a greate nomber throughout our whole Realme from all contentious disputinge and iarringe aboute theise late newe controuersies in Religion to embrace firmelie and Zealouselie the aunciente Catholike beliefe and to imitate the vertuous liues of our holie Christian forefathers who had muche more aboundance of the grace and lighte of the Gospell of our Sauiour Christe than we haue in this our vngratious corrupte age as verie manifestlie appeareth by their so manifolde good Christian fruites lefte by them vnto vs to the glorie of our Sauiour Christ and of his deare spowse the Catholike Churche and to the continewall greate admiration confusion enuie and dispite of Lucifer and of all his rebellious wicked spirites and of all Iewes Turkes Heretiques and other Infidells his adherentes An exhortation to yonge noble men and gentlemen And requestinge here humbly pardon and licence to treate in a familiar maner with the yonger sorte I desire your Honors and woorshippes continewallie to remember what greate inclination ye haue vnto vertue more than others of obscure parentage and base estate in regarde of your noblenes and magnanimitie which euer inuiteth you to imitate the noble vertuous steppes of your noble Christian auncesters and to set vpon highe and noble vertuous enterprises and to doe all your workes noblie and excellentâ—â—e that ye take in hande As also to consider that a vertuous life is the greatest and moste noble ornamente of nobilitie And that for this ende cheefelie almightie God bestoweth vpon noble personages here in eaâ—the principalitie rule gouernemente and honor that thei shoulde giue vertuous and godlie example vnto all others that be vnder their rule and gouernemente And by experience we finde that ordinarilie no bysshoppe or other preacher is able with suche facilitie to plante vertue emonge the common people and cause them sincerelie to loue honor and embrace it as noblemen gentlemen Magistrates and Gouernours are able to doe in case thei them selues do giue good apparante example of vertue religion and deuotion and be Zealous also in procuringe all others to doe the like And therefore I beseeche you to determin with an honorable constant resolution to employe your time in the moste noble exercises of vertue and to feare loue serue and honor almightie God who is your most noble highe soueraigne Lorde and Creator and not to suffer either your studie or practise of the lawes or other your worldlye offices and affaires to be so greate an impedimente vnto your spirituall exercises but
all this but that the holie Ghost intended by all these metaphors to expresse vnto vs the coÌ„tinuall exercise and coÌ„sideration wherewith the iust man is alwaies occupied in searchinge the worckes and wonders of almightie God And for this verie cause Psalm 1. Eccles 31. emonge the praises of the iust maÌ„ this is put for one of the most principall that his exercise is to meditate vpon the lawe of our lord daie and night and that he is alwaies coÌ„uersaÌ„t in the secrecie of parables geuing vs hereby to vnderstand that all his trade and coÌ„uersatioÌ„ must be in searching and meditating vpoÌ„ the secretes and woÌ„derfull worckes of almightie God And euen for this verie cawse also Ezech. 1. were those misticall beastes of Ezechiel represented vnto vs with so manie eies to signifie vnto vs that the iust man staÌ„deth in greater neede of the continuall consideration and sight of spirituall thinges then of a nomber of other exercises By this therefore we see plainlie what great neede we haue of this holie exercise and consequentlie how blyndelie and fowlie they are deceaued that either despise or make little accompt of the holie exercise of praier and meditation not considering that this is openlie to gaynesaie and contemne that thing which the holie Ghost hath with so great instancie commended vnto vs. I wishe that such persons would reade those fiue bookes of coÌ„sideration which S. Barnard wrote vnto EVGENIVS the Pope And there shall they perceaue of how great importance this holie exercise is towardes the obteyning of all vertues Now for this cause manie Catholike and religeous persons vnderstanding what great and inestimable fruit ensueth of this godlie meditation haue gone abowt to exercise them selues ordinarilie therein and haue appointed euerie daie certein speciall times and howeres for the same Howbeit oftentymes they waxe colde and geue ouer this holie exercise by reason of two difficulties they finde in it Two difficulties in the exercise of praier and meditation The one is the want of matter and of consideratioÌ„s wherein they maie occupie there cogitation at that time And th' other is the want of feruencie and deuotion which is verie requisite to accompanie this holie exercise in case we mind to haue anie fruit and commoditie thereby In steed whereof they find manie times great drynes of hart and withall a great combate of diuers and sondrie thowghtes The ordre and diuisioÌ„ of the contentes of this booke For remedie of which two inconueniences I haue ordeined this present booke which is deuided into two principall partes The first part for remedie of the first inconuenience treateth of the matter of praier The firste parte of this booke or meditation wherein are conteined fowertience meditations seruing for all the seuen daies of the weike both in the morninge and euening And these meditations do conteine the principall places and misteries of our faith and especially the consideration of those misteries that are of most force and power to brydle our hartes and to incline them to the loue and feare of God and to the abhorring of sinne In like maner there are sett out the fiue partes of this exercise which be Preparation readinge meditation thankes geuing and petition which is done to this end that a man maie haue great varietie of matters wherein to occupie his hart wherewith to procure and stirre vp the tast of deuotion and withall wherewith to illuminat and instruct his vnderstanding with diuers coÌ„siderations and instructions Besides this there is also treated therein of six kindes of thinges that are to be considered in euerie one of the pointes of the PassioÌ„ of our Sauiour that both they and all the rest maie minister vnto vs more plentifull matter for meditation These three thinges are sett forthe in the first part of this worcke for remedie of the first inconuenience The seconde parte of this booke The second part for remedie of the seconde inconuenience treateth of those thinges that do helpe vs vnto deuotion and likewise of those that doe hinder vs from the same It treateth also of the most common temptations that are wont to molest deuout persons Moreouer there are geuen certein aduices to be a direction vnto vs that we erre not in this waie These fowre articles are sett out in the seconde part of this booke The thirde parte of this booke After these I haue added the third parte in which is treated of the vertue of praier and of her two companions fasting and almes deedes to the intent that when a man seeth that in all the booke there is treated of praier and of the paines he owâ—â—ht to take for the same he maie vnderstand how well his labour is employed which is bestowed in obteining of a thinge of so great and wonderfull profitt Peraduenture the Christian reader wil be offended with the length of the meditations which we haue here sett fourth for the seuen daies of the weike Howbeit for this I haue manie answeres The first is considering that in these meditations is treated of the principall places and misteries of our faith the consideration whereof is of so great importance for the due orderinge and reforming of our liffe it behoueth me therefore to enlarge my style in these matters espetiallie by reason of the great fruit and commodetie that maie ensue vnto vs by the same For in this booke our meaning is not onelie to geue matter of meditation but much more to showe the ende of meditation which is the feare of God and amendment of our liffe The ende of meditation is the feare of God and amendemente of our life For the procuring whereof one of the thinges that most helpeth vs is the profound and long consideration of the misteries that are treated in these meditations For certeinlie these fourtene meditatioÌ„s be as it were so manie sermons in which is laide as it were a certein batterie to mans hart to cawse it to yeald so much as is possible and to surrender it selfe vp into the handes of his rightefull and true souereine Lorde This was the cheifest cause that moued me to make the meditations so longe Besides this I see not why the ghest that is inuited should complaine that the table is to full furnished with manie dishes sith we bynd him not as by waie of constraint to make an ende of them all but onely emonge so manie sundrie thinges to make his choice of that which serueth best for his purpose Moreouer that there might be the lesse occasion of complaint I haue putt the somme of each meditation at the beginninge thereof to the intent that such as minde not to passe anie further might there haue such thinges breiflie abridged as be necessarie for the time they intend to bestowe in this holie exercise THE ENDE OF THE PROLOGE THE FIRST PARTE WHICH TREATETH OF the matter of consideration THE FIRST CHAPTER Wherein is treated of the great profitt and necessitie of
hath geuen vnto them whereby they are verie well assured that he will neuer forsake them that repose their hope and trust in him There he seeth that there is no one thinge more often repeted in the Psalmes more commonly promised in the Prophetes more euidentlie declared in the histories from the beginninge of the worlde than the louinge fauours graces and benefites that our Lorde continuallie bestoweth vpon such as be his seruantes and how he hath most mercifullie holpen and defended them in all their calamities and distresses How he helped Abraham in all his iourneis Iacob in his daungers Ioseph in his bannishement Dauid in his persecutiōs Iob in his aduersities Tobias in his blindnes Iudith in her enterprise Hester in her petition The noble Machabees in their battels and triumphes and to be short as manie as with humble and religious hartes committed them selues vnto him These and other the like examples doe strēgthen and encourage our hart in labours and aduersities and cause it to hope and trust assuredlie in God Now what doth consideration worke in all this Forsothe it taketh this medicine into her handes and applieth it to the weake and diseased member that hath neede of it The fruit of consideration I mean hereby that consideration bringeth all these thinges into our remembrance and representeth them to our hart it searcheth and weygheth the greatnes of these louinge pledges and mercies of almightie God and with them animateth and encourageth the afflicted person that he be not dismaide but rather fortifieth him with a stronge hope and enduceth him also to put his trust in that most mercifull and louinge Lorde who neuer failed anie one man that had recourse vnto him with all his harte By this therefore thou seest Christian reader how consideration is the minister and seruante of hope and how it serueth her and representeth vnto her all such thinges as maie strengthen and encourage her But that man that considereth not anye of these thinges and hath no eies to see anie parte of them wherewith can he possiblie strengthen and fortifie this vertue of hope in him selfe that it may be profitable vnto him in his labours and aduersities HOW CONSIDERATION HELPETH CHARITIE § III. Charitie of all vertues is the most excellente AFTER Hope foloweth Charitie whose dewe praises can not be vttered in fewe wordes For Charitie is the most excellent vertue of all vertues as well Theologicall as Cardinall Charitie is the lyfe and sowle of them all 1. Cor. 13.2.13 and charitie is also the accomplishement of all the lawe For as the Apostle saieth Rom. 13.10 He that loueth that is he that is in perfect charitie hath fulfilled the lawe This is the vertue that maketh the yoke of God sweete and his burthen light Accordinge to the measure of our charitie we shal haue like measure of glorie in heauen 1. Cor. 13.2.3 This is the measure whereby the portion of glorie that shal be geuen vnto vs in the lyfe to come must be measured This is that vertue that is likinge and acceptable vnto almightie God and for whose sake all such thinges are verie acceptable vnto him as be indede acceptable vnto him For trewlie without charitie neither fayth nor prophecie nor martirdome be of anie value in the sighte of God Charitie is the fountaine and originall of all other vertues 1. Cor. 13.4 To conclude Charitie is the fountaine and originall of all other vertues by reason of the preeminencie and soueraintie it hathe to commaunde them and to make them to doe their offices As the same Apostle confirmeth saienge Charitie is patient and benigne Charitie is not enuious it doth no hurt to anie man it is not proude nor ambitious neither doth it seeke her owne commoditie Charitie is not angrie it thinketh no euill it reioyceth not at wickednes and it is verie glad of the truthe Charitie suffereth all thinges it beleeueth all thinges trusteth all thinges and beareth all thinges Now althowghe it be true that all vertues and good workes doe helpe vs towardes the obteyninge of this most excellent and precious iewell yet of all others consideration helpeth vs most specially Our will is a blinde power and must be guyded by our vnderstandinge For certain it is that our will is a blinde power that can not steppe one foote vnles the vnderstandinge doe goe before and illuminate and teache it what thinge it owght to desire and withall how much it owght to will and desire the same It is also certain as Aristotle saieth that each good thinge is amiable in it selfe and that euerie thinge doth naturallie loue his owne proper weale And therefore that oure will maie be inclined to loue almightie God it is requisite that the vnderstandinge doe goe before it we be prouoked to loue God bothe in regarde of his diuine perfectiōs and in regarde of his wōderful loue ād benefittes towardes vs. to examin and trie and so consequently to declare vnto the wil how amiable almightie God is both in respecte of him selfe to witt in regarde of his diuine perfections as also in respecte of vs to wit in regarde of his wonderfull loue and mercies shewed towardes vs that is the vnderstandinge must weigh the greatnes and excellencie of his bountie and goodnes of his benignitie of his mercie of his bewtie of his sweetnes of his meeknes of his liberalitie of his noblenes and of all other his perfections which are innumerable Besides this the vnderstandinge hath to consider how louinge and mercifull almightie God hath bene towardes vs how much he hath loued vs how much he hath done and suffered for our sakes euen from the maunger vntill his verie death vpon the crosse how manie greate blessinges and benefites he hath prepared for vs for the time to come how manie he doth presentlie bestowe vpon vs from how manie greate euils and miseries he hath deliuered vs with how great patience he hath suffered vs and how gentlie and louinglie he hath delt with vs with all his other benefites which be also innumerable Summa S. Thomae 1.2 q. 27. art 2. 22. q. 82. art 3. And thus by consideringe and ponderinge verie much in the consideration of these thinges our harte shall by litle and litle be enkendeled and inflamed in the loue of suche a mercifull and bountifull louinge Lorde For if the verie wylde and sauage beastes doe loue theire well willers and benefactors and if giftes as it is commonlie saied doe breake the hard and stonie rockes and if that man that findeth benefites findeth withall as the Philosopher saieth Chaynes whereby to take and bynde mens hartes what hart is there then so stonie harde or sauage that consideringe the passinge bountifull goodnes and greatnes of all these inestimable benefites is not enkendeled and inflamed in the loue of our most louinge and mercifull Lorde that hath bestowed them vpon vs Adde also hereunto that when a man considereth these thinges attētiuelie
with him selfe and endeuoreth with the grace of God to doe so much as he is able to doe for his parte almightie God will then also doe that that appertaineth vnto him that is almightie God wil moue him that moueth himselfe Almightie God will helpe him that helpeth him selfe and helpe him that helpeth him selfe by helpinge our coÌ„sideration with the light of the holie Ghost and with the gifte of vnderstaÌ„dinge the which the more it penetratethe and vnderstandeth all these reasons that induce vs to the loue of God the more doth it enkendle and inflame vs in the same loue of him For like as that euerlastinge light and worde of the father is not a barren worde but a fruitfull worde which together with the father produceth the holie Ghost which is a loue consubstantiall euen so doth this light and worde of God worke in our hartes by enkendelinge and inspiringe this loue of God in them This maie yet be coÌ„firmed and declared more plainlie by an other reason For it is manifest that althwghe this vertue of charitie doe growe aÌ„d increase as we haue saied with the actes of all other vertues Vehement actes of charitie do increase charitie Summae S. Thomae 2.2 q. 24. art 6. beinge done in the state of grace yet doth it cheiflie increase with her owne proper actes when such actes be vehement accordinge as S. Thomas affirmeth For like as by writinge well and with an earnest care and diligeÌ„ce a man atteineth to be a good writer by paintinge a painter and by the exercise of singinge a musition Note that the vse exercise and continuance of louinge much almightie God maketh a man become a greate louer of god euen so likewise by louinge he maie become a louer I meane hereby that like as the vse of writinge well causeth a man to be a good writer and of paintinge well a good painter c euen so likewise the vse exercise and continuance of louinge much almightie God maketh a man at length to become a great louer of God For albeit this heaueÌ„lie habilitie and vertue be the gifte of God and a thinge which he infuseth powreth and worketh in our sowles yet neuerthelesse he worketh this by this meane I meane hereby that as well the vertues infused into our sowles by almightie God Bothe the vertues infused and the vertues acquisite doe increase with the exercise of their owne actes as the vertues acquisite to witt the vertues that be obteyned by our owne labour and industrie doe bothe of them growe and increase with the exercise of their owne actes althowghe in a different maner Whereupon we maie inferre thus much that the more a man shall multiplie the actes of the loue of God and the more he shal exercise himselfe in this vertue of charitie and the longer he shal endure and perseuere in this worke of loue we can not exercise our selues in actuall louinge of God without the knowledge and consideration of the causes that maye induce and prouoke vs to the loue of God The will cannot moue with out the vnderstandinge the more shall this heauenlie gifte of charitie be rooted and fortified in him But now how can this be done without the exercise of consideration How can the will be occupied in louinge of almightie God vnles the vnderstandinge be exercised in blowinge inkendelinge and discoueringe vnto it the causes of the loue of God For like as when two horses drawe in a chariot the one can not goe forwardes without th' other euen so these two powers to witt the will and vnderstandinge be in such sort lincked together that ordinarilie the one can not goe forwardes without the other at the least the will can not moue without the vnderstandinge Thow seist now good Christian reader how inwardlie and entierly the exercise of consideration is annexed to the loue of God Forsomuch as a man can neuer or verie hardly set him selfe to loue vnles he doe also consider or haue before considered such thinges as maie moue him vnto this loue And it is verie needefull for vs to vse some exercise of consideration not onelie for the increasinge of this vertue of charitie but also for the preseruation of the same that is to saye consideration is necessarie not onelie that charitie maie increase but also that it maie not faile and decrease emonge so manye contradictions and stumblinge blockes as it hath in this fraile and miserable lyfe We see that a fishe beinge out of the water dieth forthwith and a droppe of water beinge out of the sea is quicklie dried vp and the fier beinge out of his naturall region is incontinentlie coÌ„sumed Charitie is as it were a strauÌ„ger in this transitorie lyfe vnles there be some care and diligence vsed to feede and mainteine it by puttinge often times wood vnto it wherewith to preserue it Now the verie like neede hath the fier of charitie also to preserue it in this lyfe where it is as it were a straunger and pilgrime And the wood wherewith it must be preserued is the consideration of the benefites of almightie God and of his perfections For each one of these thinges beinge well considered is as it were a fagot or fierbrande that enkendeleth and inflamâ—â—â— this fier of the loue of God in our hartes Wherefore it behoueth vs to nourishe and maintein this fier of charitie oftentimes with the wood of consideration that this diuine flame maie neuer faile in vs. Accordinge as almightie God hath signified in the lawe when he saied Leuit. 6.12 Vpon my Aultar which is the hart of the iust man there shal be alwaies fier And therefore let good diligence and care be taken euerie daie in the morninge to maintein this fier of charitie with wood to witt with the consideration of all these thinges that by this meane it maie be alwaies preserued And so is it saied in the Psalme Psal 38.4 Throughe my meditation there is enkendeled dâ—fier to witt the fier of charitie This necessitie of consideration maie be proued by an other reason also For we see by experience in all habilities and graces both such as are naturall All vertues maie be lost by discoÌ„tinuaÌ„ce and wante of vse and exercise of them as those also that are acquisite I meane gotten by our owne traueile and industrie that like as they increase by vse and exercise euen so are they also forgotten if we leaue to exercise them And this we see playnelie verified euen in such thinges as be verie naturall and customably vsed For what thinge is more vsuall than the tonge and language which a man is enured and acquainted withall euen from his mothers pappes and yet maie it be forgotten in time if it be not vsed and exercised But what speake I of the tonge seinge it happeneth sometimes that when a man hath lyen sicke in his bed but onely foure or fiue monethes he can scarcely afterwardes frame him selfe to goe againe when
which is the thinge that is of chiefest force to susteine the burthen of the lawe of God Ecclesiast 35. And therefore Ecclesiasticus saith He that keapeth the lawe multiplieth praier For whereas he seeth by experience that none can kepe the lawe of God by the obseruation whereof euerlasting glorie is obteined without the grace of God he helpeth him selfe by praier to obtein grace by meanes wheeof he maie be able to kepe the lawe of God The lawe commaundeth vs to be chast But besides this the holie Ghost addeth and saith by the wise man Vnderstanding that none could be chast Sap. 8. vnles thou o Lord diddest geue him grace for the same and it was a great grace to knowe of whose gifte this was I went vnto oure Lord and I demaunded of him this grace with all my hart Whereby thow maist see accordinge as we declared in the beginninge that the walle hath neede of a forewalle or bulwarke and the vessell hath neide of a cubbord to kepe it in and some vertues haue neede of other vertues to defend and garde one an other Now if this be true that thou arte bounde to kepe the lawe of God and not to commit anie deadlie sinne it is good reason that thou do seeke out all such meanes as maie helpe thee to kepe the same lawe and to preserue thee without deadlie sinne The which meanes although generally they be but of counsell yet sometimes they maie be of precept when the necessitie of exercisinge them as we haue said is so great that without the vse of those meanes the verie commaundementes them selues cannot be kepte and fulfilled as all the learned diuines do affirme Howbeit euerie christian that hath an earnest desier of his saluation owght not to expecte and delaie the seekinge for these remedies vntil the verie last and extreme danger when the knyfe is alreadie at his throte but he owght to make good prouision and to furnishe him selfe before hand by meanes of these for sayd spirituall exercises that he maie liue the more safe and secure from the perill of breakinge Gods commaundementes Againe I confesse that these meanes as we haue said do apperteine to the religious and to the laie people after a diuers sort and that praier and consideration it selfe which is one of these meanes must be vsed of them in diuers degrees For the religious person must exercise the same as a thinge appertening to his office and dewtie of his professiō because he walketh towardes perfection but the laie person must exercise it as a meane whereby he maie the better fulfill his bounden duetie of keping the commaundementes of almightie God And therefore the laye person must take so much of this medecine to witt of praier meditation c. as maie suffice to cure his disease and so much muste he take of these meanes as maie suffise to obtein his ende It is sufficient for the laye person to withdrawe him selfe sometimes for to enter and take an inwarde vewe within him selfe and then by meanes of these or anie other spirituall exercises and praiers to attende vnto the reparinge of his conscience and to the reformation of his life for considering that this is the greatest of all our busines it is requisite that this be not the last of our cares OF THE MATTER OF CONSIDERATION § XII HAVING now spoken both of the profit and necessitie of consideration and our hartes being nowe well affected herewith towardes this vertue lett vs beginne to treate of the matter of consideration which consisteth of certein godlie and deuout considerations which are of greatest force to induce vs to the loue and feare of God to the abhorring of sinne and contempt of the world For which purpose there be no considerations better nor of greater force and efficacie then those that are taken out of the principalle articles and misteries of our faith as the bitter passion and death of our Sauiour the remembrance of the terrible daie of iudgement of the horrible tormentes of hell of the glorie of heauen of the benefites of almightie God of our synnes and of our life and death For euerie one of these pointes beinge well weied and considered be able to prouoke our hartes verie much to all the effectes aboue mentioned These verie pointes S. Bonauenture hath treated in a boke that he intituled FASCICVLARIVS and hath diuided them into the seuen daies of the weke And thus he did that a man might haue euerie daie newe foode for his sowle and newe prouocations vnto vertue and so auoide the tediousnes that he should otherwise haue in thinking alwaies vpon one same matter And for this cause it seemed good vnto me to followe the same diuision which this renowmed and blessed holie father hath made who of all others hath treated most largelie of these matters And if there be anie that shall not well like of this diuision but will followe some other he is at free libertie so to doe and hath also examples to followe therein For it importeth not much what order and diuision he folow in the same And suerlie that is the best order The worde of god and the consideration of heauenlie matters be the foode of our soule to be vsed in these matters that each man fyndeth to be best for him selfe and wherein he taketh most profit and commoditie Moreouer I thowghte it expediente considering that the foode and sustenance of our sowle is the worde of God and the consideration of heauenly matters for therewith is our sowle susteined in the spirituall life which consisteth in the loue and feare of God that like as we geue ordinarily to our bodie his refection twise euerie daie to preserue it from feintinge in this life euen so we should also geue to our sowle her ordinarie refection twise euerie daie that she faile not in her life howbeit this is not a thinge of bounden dewtie nor of precept but onely of holesome councell espetially cōsideringe that the Sainctes haue vsed this exercise more often tymes For we reade Daniel 6. that the prophet Daniell with drew him selfe to this exercise three tymes in the daie Psalm 118. and the prophet Dauid also vsed to praise God seuen tymes in the daie After whose vertuous example our holie mother the Catholike Church hath instituted the seuen Canonicall howers of dailie seruice Here be two kindes of meditations assigned the one for the morninge and the other for the eueninge And for this cause haue we here assigned two kindes of meditations The one for the morninge which treateth of the most bitter passion of our redeemer and the other for the euening or night which treateth of the other pointes and matters here before mentioned But if anie man shall haue such want of tyme or of deuotion that he can not withdrawe him selfe vnto this exercise twise in the daie let him yet finde the meanes to withdrawe him selfe thereunto at the least once in the daie
to drinke that geueth vs the cuppe of saluation he that was so innocent he that was so iust or rather verie innocencie and iustice it selfe was accompted emonge theeues the euerlasting truth was accused with false witnes the iudge of the whole worlde was condemned bywicked men and the worde of god receaued the sentence of death with sylence Consider moreouer at what tyme the Sauiour of the worlde was nailed vpon the crosse and at the verie houre of his death when the sterres were obscured the elementes troubled when the earth quaked when the light was darkened when the sonne tourned awaie his eies and would not suffer his beames to shyne vpon the earth least happelie it might see such a great crueltie Consider I saie how euen at this time our Sauiour did not so much as once open his mouthe or moue him selfe how he would not at the verie last howre and point of death discouer the glorie of his maiestie but suffered continuallie that extreme and violent conflict euen vntill the ende intendinge thereby to leaue vnto vs an example of perfect pacience Yea moreouer and all this if those cruell blouddie ministers that crucified and tormented his most blessed bodie would haue conuerted and bene penitente he was readie to receaue them to his grace and fauour euen at the verie last instant neither would he haue shut vp the gates of his church from anie man Now therefore what thinge in the worlde can possiblie be of greater benignitie and patience then the bloude of Christ that giuethe life euen vnto them that shed the same bloude But such and so great is the patience of our sweete Sauiour Christ which if it had not bene such and of so great power the churche had not had Saint Pawle in it at this daie Hetherto be the wordes of Sainct Ciprian OF THE MOST BLESSED SACRAMENT OF THE AVLTAR and of the causes wherefore it was instituted Panis quem ego dabo caro mea est pro MUNDI vita Johan 6 5◠Accipite et comedite hoc est corpus meum Matth. 26.26 § II. ONE of the principall causes of the comminge of our sauiour into this worlde was to enkendle the hartes of men in the loue of almightie God For so said he by sainct Luke Luc. 12. I am come to put fier in the earth and what would I els but that it should burne This fier did our sauiour put in the earthe when he bestowed vpon men such and so manie wonderfull benefittes when he wrowght so great workes of loue emonge them whereby he might steyle awaie there hartes from them and whollie inflame them in this fier of loue Now albeit that all the worckes of his most holie life doe serue to this end Yet of al other those doe most effectually serue for this purpose which he did in the end of his life according as Sainct Iohn the Euangelist signefieth sainge His fryndes that he had in the world Ioan. 13. he loued them espetially in the end For at that time he bestowed greater benefittes vpon them and discouered vnto them greatest pledges and tokens of his loue Emonge which singular pledges one of the most principall was the institution of the most blessed Sacramēt of the Aultar the which thinge shall appeare verie plainlie vnto him that will consider with good attention the causes of the institution of the same But in this behalfe I beseach thee o most mercifull Lord that thou wilt vouchsafe to open our eies and graunt vs light that we maie see what causes they were that moued thy louinge hart to institute for vs this so wonderfull a Sacrament and to leaue it vnto vs. Now that we maye vnderstande some what of this diuine misterie it is to be presupposed good Christian reader that no tounge created is able to expresse the passinge great loue The passinge greate loue Christe bearethe towardes his Catholike Churche and to euerie soule that is in the state of grace Ephes 3. that our sauiour Christ beareth towardes the Catholike Church his spowse and consequentlie vnto euerie soule that is in the state of grace For so much as euerie such sowle is also his spouse For this cause one of the thinges that the Apostel Sainct Paule requested and desired was that almightie god would reueale vnto vs the greatnes of his loue which vndowtedlye is so great that it farre passeth all the wisedome and knowledge created yea thowgh it were euen that wonderfull knowledge of the angelles Wherefore this our most sweete Bridegrome The causes of the institution of this most holie Sacramente The first cause when he minded to depart out of this life and to absent him selfe from the Catholike Church his deere spouse to the intent that this his absence might not be anie occasion vnto her to forget him he left vnto her for a remembrāce this most blessed Sacramēt wherein he himselfe would remaine for he could not beare that betwene him and her there should be anie lesse pledge to prouoke her to be myndefull of him then euen himselfe And therefore he pronunced at that time those sweete wordes Luc. 22.1 Cor. 11. So often as ye shall doe this thinge doe it in the remembrance of me that is doe it that ye maie be alwaies mindfull how much I am willinge to doe for you and how much I goe now to doe and suffer for your saluation The seconde cause Moreouer this most sweete and louing bridegrome intended in this his longe absence to leaue some cōpanie to his spouse that she might not remayne solitarie and comfortles And therefore he left her the companie of this most holie Sacrement where euen the bridegrome himifelfe is reallie present which is in verie deede the best and most delitefull companie that he coulde possiblie leaue her At that time also our sauiour would goe to suffer death for his spowse The thirde cause and to redeeme and enriche her with the price of his owne most precious bloude and to the intent that she might whensoeuer she woulde enioye this most pretious and diuine treasure he left her the keis thereof in this most blessed sacrament For as S. Chrisostome saith S. chrisost So often as we come to receaue this most blessed Sacrament we must make accompt that we come to laie our mowthes to Christes verie side to drinke of his most pretious bloude and to be partakers of this soueraigne and diuine misterie Consider therefore in what a dangerous case those men are that for a litle slouthfulnes doe absteine to come vnto this royall banket and to enioye such a great and most inestimable diuine treasure These be those vnfortunate slouggardes of whom the wiseman speaketh Prouerb 19. sainge The slouggard hideth his hand in his bosome and suffereth him selfe rather to die for honger then he will lift it vp to his mouthe Now what greater slouthfulnes can there be imagined in a man than this is that because he will not
ponnished with whippes and scourges Certainlie I doe beleue that all the orders of angells were wholie amased and astonished when they behelde this so strange and wonderfull sight and that they adored and acknowledged the vnspekeable goodnes of almightie God which was verie manifestlie discouered vnto them in this acte Luc. 2. Wherefore if they filled the aier with highe lawdes and praises vpon the daie of his natiuitie when as yet they had seene nothinge els but onelie the swadlinge clowtes and the manger where he was layde What did they now trow ye when they behelde him so villainouslie ād most cruellie whipped and scourged at the pillar Consider thou therefore o my sowle vnto whom this busines apperteyneth much more than to the angelles Consider I saye how much more oughtest thou to be inwardly moued in thy verie hart with this so wonderfull and most pietifull dolefull sight of thy sweite sauiour and to acknowledge vnto him much more humble thanckes and prayses for his so passinge great loue shewed hereby vnto thee Goe now therefore and enter with thy spirite into Pilates concistorie and carrie with thee great store of teares in a readines which in that place shal be verie nedefull to bewaile such thinges as there thou shalt both heare and see Consider on the one side with what rudenes those cruell and blouddie tormentors doe strippe our Sauiour of his garmentes and see on th' other syde with what humilitie he suffereth himselfe to be stripped by them neuer so much as once openinge his mowthe or answeringe one worde to so manie despitefull scoffes and blasphemous speaches as they vttered there against him Consider also what hast they make to bynde that holie bodie to a pillar that beinge fast bounde they might fetche theire full strookes more at pleasure and stryke him where and how they list Consider how the Lorde of angelles standeth there post alone emonge so manie cruell tormentors hauinge on his parte neither frynde nor acquaintance to entreate or defende him from iniurie no not so muche as eies to take compassion vpon him Marcke now with what furious crueltie they beginne to discharge theire whippes and scourges vpon his most tender fleshe and how they laie on lasshes vpon lasshes strookes vpon strookes and woundes vpon woundes There mightest thou see that sacred bodie swollen with wheales all blacke and blewe the skinne rented and torne the blowde gusshinge out and streaminge downe on euerie side throwghout all partes of his bodie But aboue all this what a pittiefull sight was it to beholde that so greate and deepe open wounde that was geuen him vpon the shoulders where chieflie all theire lashes and strookes did light Verelie I am perswaded that that wounde was so large and deepe that if they had laid on a little longer they had discouered the white bones betwene the blouddie fleshe and made an ende of his holie life at the pillar before he had come to the Crosse To be short they so strooke and rente that most amyable and bewtifull bodie they so boude him and laid on such loode of strypes and lasshes vpon him they so tormented and filled his blessed bodie with most cruell strookes and woundes that he had now cleane lost the forme ād shape he had before yea and to saie further they so fowlie disfigured him that he scarselye seemed to haue the shape of a man Consider now o my soule in what a dolefull plight that goodlie and bashefull yonge man stoode there beinge as he was in that pittiefull case so euill intreated so reprochefullie vsed and set out so nakedlie to the vtter shame of the worlde Beholde how that most tender and bewtifull fleshe yea euen the flower of all fleshe is there most cruellie rente and torne in all partes of it The lawe of Moyses cōmaunded that malefactors shoulde be beaten with whippes Deut. 25 and that accordinge to the qualitie of theire offences so shoulde the nomber of the lasshes be Howbeit with this condition that they shoulde neuer passe fowertie lasshes to the ende saieth the lawe that thy brother fall not downe before thee fowlie torne and mangled seeminge to the lawe maker that to exceede this nōber was a kinde of punishement so cruell that it coulde not stande with the lawes of brotherlie loue But against thee o good Iesus that diddest neuer breake the lawe of iustice were broken all the lawes of mercie yea and that in such sorte that in steede of fowertie lasshes they gaue thee fiue thowsande and aboue as manie holie fathers do testifie If then a bodie woulde seeme so fowlie beraied beinge scourged not passinge with fowertie strypes in what plight was thy bodie my sweete Lorde and sauiour beinge scourged with aboue fiue thowsande strypes O ioye of the angelles and glorie of the sainctes who hath thus disfigured thee Who hath thus defiled thee with so manie spottes beinge the verie glasse of innocencie The loue and mercie of our Sauiour towardes vs moued him to suffer suche cruell paynes Certaine it is o Lorde that they were not thy sinnes but myne not thy robberies but myne that haue thus euill intreated thee It was euen loue and mercie that compassed thee abowte and caused thee to take vpon thee this so heauie a burden Loue was the cause why thou diddest bestowe vpon me all thy benefittes and mercie moued thee to take vpon thee all my miseries Wherefore if loue and mercie haue caused thee to enter into these so cruell and terrible conflictes Who can now stande in dowte of thy loue If the greatest testimonie of loue be to suffer paines for the beloued what els are each one of thy paines but a seuerall testimonie of thy loue What ' els are all these woundes of thyne but as it were certeine heauenlie voyces Eche one of our sauiours paynes be a seuerall testimonie of his loue towardes vs. that doe all preache and proclaime vnto me thy loue all require me to loue thee againe And if the testimonies be so manie as the strypes and blowes were that thou sufferedst for my sake who can then put anie dowte in the proofe beinge as it is so playnelie auowched ād proued by so manie witnesses What meaneth then this incredulitie of myne that is not yet conuinced with so manifolde and so great argumentes S. Iohn the Euangelist wondered at the incredulitie of the Iewes Ioan. 12. for that our Lorde wrowght so manye miracles emonge them for confirmation of his doctrine and they neuerthelesse woulde not beleue in him O holie Euangeliste wonder no more at the incredulitie of the Iewes but rather at myne Forsomuch as to suffer paines is no lesse argument to cause me to beleue the loue of Christe than is the worckinge of miracles to cause me to beleue in Christe If then it be a greate wonder that after so manie miracles wrowghte by our sauiour Christe his wordes are not yet beleued how muche more wonderfull is it that hauinge suffered for our
and weightie burthen his knees tremblinge vnder him his bodie crowchinge vnder the crosse his modest eies and face all blouddye with that dolorous garlande of thorne vpon his heade and besides all this annoyed with those most shamefull opprobrious exclamations and outcries which they gaue out in the waye against him But now in the meane tyme o my soule withdrawe thyne eies a little while from this cruell sight The sorowfull tydinges hereof to the blessed virgin Marie and hye thee with quicke speede with heauines of harte and greate store of teares trickelinge downe by thy checkes towardes the howse of the blessed virgine Marie And when thou art come thither cast thy selfe downe at her feete and speake these wordes in most dolefull and lamentable wise vnto her O Ladye of angells and Quene of heauen O gate of paradice and aduocate of the worlde O refuge of sinners and health of the iust O ioye of the Sainctes and teacher of vertues O mirrour of cleannes O patterne of patience and example of all perfection Woe is me O blessed ladie woe is me why am I preserued aliue to see this present howre How can I liue hauinge now seene with myne eies that dolefull sight which I haue seene What neede more wordes Alas deere virgine and most blessed mother I haue left thy onely begotten sonne my sweete Lorde and Sauiour in the cruell handes of his malitious ennemies with a crosse vpon his shoulders where vpon he shal be crucified Now what vnderstandinge is able to comprehende how deepely these sorowfull newes pearced the most tender harte of that most blessed virgin Here her sowle beganne to waxe fainte Her face and all the partes of her vnspotted maydenlie bodie were couered all ouer with a deadlie sweate which might haue sufficed to ende her life sauinge that by diuine dispensation she was reserued for greater angwishes and so consequentlie for a greater crowne and rewarde in the kingdome of heauen Now the holie virgin walkethe towardes her sweete sonne and the great desire she hath to see him restoreth vnto her againe the force and strengthe which sorrowe and greife had taken awaie She hearethe a farre of the classhinge of armour the trowpes of the people and those most shamefull exclamations and outcries which in most dispitefull wise were thundered by his outragious cruell enemies against him And incontinentlie she seethe the glisteringe speares and halbardes which were holden vp a loft She fyndethe in the waye the droppes and traces of bloude whereby she might easelie tracke him which waie he had gone and she needeth none other gwide to conducte her vnto him She approcheth nearer and nearer vnto her deerlie beloued sonne she openeth her eies which were verie sore dymmed with sorowfull weapinge to proue whether she might see him whom her soule so exceadinglie loued O what a strange combatte was there now of feare and loue in the dolorous harte of the most blessed virgin Marie In one respecte she had a desiere to see him and in an other she was vnwillinge to see him thus miserablie and most cruelly disfigured At the lengthe when she was come where she might see him indeede then those two lightes of heauen doe beholde one an other and theire hartes embrace sweetly together by meanes of theire eies How beit the sight of one an other in this dolefull wise was a verie great corsie to bothe theire afflicted soules Theire tongues were dōme so that neither of them both for a while spake one worde but the naturall affection of that most sweete sonne spake priuely to the heauie hart of the most blessed virgin and saied vnto her Why commest thou hither my doue my beloued and my deere mother Thy sorowe increaseth myne and thy tormentes do augment my paines and be a great torment vnto me Departe my deere mother departe I beseach thee and retourn home againe to thy howse For it is not seemelie for thy virginall shamefastnes and puretie to be here in the companie of murderers and theeues And if it woulde please thee so to doe it woulde certeinly asswage both thy sorrowe and myne And I will remaine here to be sacrificed for the worlde For this office apperteineth not to thee but vnto me and thy innocencie deserueth not this torment Genes 8. Retourne therefore my doue to the arcke vntill such time as the waters of the floude doe cease forsomuch as here thou shalt finde no place where thou mayst rest thy feete There mayst thou attende to thy accustomed diuout praier and contemplation And there by liftinge vp thy soule in godlie meditations aboue thy selfe thou shalt passe ouer more easely this thy dolefull sorowe and greiffe Now this beinge saide the sorowfull heauie harte of the holie mother made answere to her sonne and saied vnto him Why doest thou commaunde me to doe thus my deere sonne Why wouldest thou haue me to depart awaie from this place Thou knowest o my Lord God that in thy presence each thinge is lawfull vnto me and that there is non other Oratorie but where thou arte How can I then departe awaie from thee vnles I shoulde departe from my selfe This griefe and sorrowe so possesseth my harte that trewlie I can not thinke vpon anie other thinge I can goe no whither without thee neither can I seeke or receaue comfort of any other but of thee Vpon thee is fixed all my whole harte Within thee haue I made my habitation And my life whollie dependeth of thee Seinge therefore thou hast vowchesaffed for the space of nine monethes to inhabite within my bowels and to take my bodie for thy dwellinge place why maye not I for these three daies take thy bowels for my habitation If thou wilt thus receaue me within thee when thou art crucified then shall I be crucified with thee and when thou arte buried then shall I be buried also together with thee With thee woulde I drinke of the gaule and vineger With thee woulde I suffer vpon the crosse And with thee woulde I yeelde vp my ghost Such wordes as these spake the blessed virgin in her dolefull harte as she went And after this sort she passed ouer that painfull and ircksome waie vntill she came to the place of the Sacrifice I H S FRIDAIE MORNINGE THIS daie when thou hast made the signe of the crosse and prepared thy selfe hereunto thou hast to meditate vpon the misterie of the crosse And vpon these seuen wordes which our Sauiour spake beinge crucified on the same Vere filius dei erat iste Math. 27.54 Peccata nostra ipse pertulit in corpore suo super lignum ut peccatis mortui iustitiae viveremus pet 2.24 The text of the holie Euangelistes THEY came saieth the holie Euangelist to the place called Golgotha Math. 27. that is to saie the place of dead mens skulles And they gaue him vinegar to drinke mingled with gaule And when he had tasted thereof he woulde not drincke It was then three a clocke And
from vs all maner of fyne deyntienes curiositie and superfluities knowinge that our Lorde and maister vtterlie abandoned from him not onelie all maner of deyntienes and superfluities but also euen such thinges as were of necessitie I desire now O Lorde to see also what maner of thinge thy bedde is Tell me ô sweete Sauiour where doest thou lodge Where sleepest thou at noone daie Here I sette my selfe at thy feete Cant. 1. Teache me I most humblie beseeche thee what I ought to doe For this my sensualitie will not suffer me to vnderstande well this language of thy crosse I desire a softe bedde and if I awake early in the mornynge at the hower of praier and diuine seruice I suffer my selfe to be ouercome with slouthe and drowsienes we desire to lye on softe fether beddes and our sauiour Christe laye on the harde bedde of the crosse and I expect duelie for the morninge sleepe that my head maie take an other nappe and so haue his full ease and rest Tell me ô my most gratious and louinge Lorde what rest haddest thou on that harde bedde of the crosse When thou wast wearie in lienge on the one side how diddest thou turne thee on the other to take the better rest What harte is not ouercome and broken in sonder herewith What Is not this enoughe to kill all sensualitie in vs O what a comfort is this to the poore What a confusion to the riche What an encouragement to the penitentes And what a condemnation to nice delicate and sensuall persons Certeinly the bedde of our Sauiour Christe is not for such fyne delicate wantons neither is his glorie in heauen prepared for them Geue me grace ô Lorde that I maye by thy example mortifie this my sensualitie And if it be not thy blessed will to graunte me this request I beseache thee then euen now out of hande to ende my life For it is not meete nor seemelie that thou ô my omnipotent Lorde and redeemer beinge vpon the crosse and hauinge none other comforte nor refress hinge but onely bitter gaulle and sower vinegar I shoude seike for sweete sauoures delicate fare sugered sawces with other curious deynties pleasures and ease in this miserable life It is not meete that thou beinge thus poore and naked I shoulde goe wanderinge and leesinge my selfe after the transitorye goodes and riches of this worlde It is not reason that thou hauinge none other bedde but onely the harde and painfull crosse I shoulde seeke to haue a softe bedde and other delicacie and ease for my wretched bodie Be thou therefore greatelie ashamed How our Sauiour Christe rebukethe from the crosse our pompe delicacie curiositie and superfluitie ô my soule beholdinge our Lorde and Sauiour on the harde paynefull tree of the crosse and make accompte that from the same crosse he preacheth vnto thee and rebuketh thee sayenge O man I haue for thy sake worne a crowne of thornes and doest thou in contempte of me weare a garlande of flowers with golden chaynes aglettes bruches and gaye oystreche fethers I for thy sake haue stretched forthe my armes to be nayled and tormented vpon the crosse and doest thou stretche forthe thyne to pleasante games and pastimes I beinge a thirst at my verie death had not so much as a litle colde water and seekest thou after pretious wynes delicate meates and deyntie sugered sawces I was on the crosse and in all my whole life tyme full of dishonors reproches and grieuous labours and paines and doest thou spende all the daies of thy life seekinge after dignities offices promotions estimations pleasures and delites I was verie willinglie contented that my syde shoulde be opened to geue thee my verie harte and hast thou thyne open to vaine and dangerous loues of the worlde WHAT PATIENCE WE OVGHT TO HAVE IN ALL TROVBLES and aduersities followinge the example of our Sauiour Christ § V. THOV hast taught me now ô Lorde from the chaire of the Crosse the lawes of temperance teache me also at this present the lawes of patience whereof I haue suerlie verie great neide Thou hast cured that parte of my soule which is called concupiscible Cure also I beseeche thee that parte which is called irascible Forsomuch as thy crosse is a medicine for all the whole man and the leaues of that holie tree are the healthe of all nations Sometimes I haue sayd and purposed with in my selfe I will neuer from henceforthe falle out or be angrie agayne with anie man I will surelie keepe peace with all persones and therefore I thinke it good for me to auoyde all companie and thereby to eschewe all occasions of trouble contention and anger But now ô Lorde I vnderstande my weakenes in this poynte For to flee from companie is not a meane to subdue anger but rather to couer and hide myne owne imperfection And therefore I will from henceforthe carie euer with me a mynde readie prepared to liue not onelie with the good but euen with the wicked also and to keepe peace with such colericke waywarde and frowarde contentious persons as doe abhorre peace Thus I purpose from henceforthe to doe grawnt me thy grace therefore ô almightie God that I maie dewlie accomplishe this my good intent If others shall take my landes or goodes awaye from me graunte me thy grace ô Lorde that I be not angrie nor grieued therewith seinge I see thee thus spoyled and naked vpon the Crosse If they shall take my credite honor and estimation frō me let not that cause me to breake peace with them seinge I see thee here ô Lorde so despised dishonored and contemned If my fryendes and acquaintāce shall forsake me let me not therefore be confounded seinge I see thee thus left alone and forsaken not onely of thy disciples and fryendes but also of thyne owne heauenly father And if it shall seeme to me at anie tyme that I am forsaken of thee yet let me not for all that lose my confidence and trust in thee seinge thow diddest not loose thine but after thou haddest made an ende of saienge those wordes Math. 27. My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Diddest forthewith recommende thy spirite into the handes of him who had forsaken thee sayenge O father into thy handes I commend my spirite Marc. 15. Psalm 21. And therefore euen now at this instant I request that from henceforthe all troubles and persecutions maie come and falle vpon me and not to spare me forsomuch as all such thinges con doe nothinge els vnto me but geue me occasion to be a folower of thee my sweete Lorde and Sauiour Iesus Christ But now ô my Lorde what if the troubles and persecutions shal be verie great and longe wherewithall shall I then comforte my selfe For thy passions althoughe they were verie greate yet it seemed that they continued not anie longe tyme forsomuch as all the martirdome of thy passion did not continewe altogether twentie howers Now he that hath
reioyceth Cantic 7. Shut vp the springes of thy most pure eies more cleare than the waters of Esebon and now sore troubled and dymmed with the showers of so manie teares Genes 8. The wrath and anger of almightie God is now pacified with the sacrifice of the true Noe. Cease therefore the floude of thy most holie eies and let the earthe be cleared agayne with new brightnes The doue is now departed out of the arke and when she retourneth she will bringe with her signes of the mercie and clemencie of almightie God Reioyce therefore ô blessed virgin and comforte thy selfe with this hope and cease now I praie thee these thy mournefull sobbinges and sighes Thy owne deerelie beloued sonne him selfe putteth thy dolefull mourninge and teares to sylence and inuiteth thee to a newe ioye in his Canticles sayeinge Cant. 2. The winter is now past the showers and tempesteous stormes are ceased the flowers do appeare in our lande Rise vp therefore my welbeloued my darlinge and my turtle done that abidest in the holes of the rocke and in the cleiftes of the walle That is to saie in the strookes and woundes of my bodie Leaue now this habitation and come and dwell with me I see well ô blessed Ladie that none of all these thinges are able to comforte thee because thy sorrowe and greife is not hereby taken awaie but onely changed One martirdome I see is ended and an other now beginneth The tormentes of thy harte are renewed continuallie and thowgh some goe awaie yet others do succede with newe kindes of tormentes that by such changes the torment of the Passion maie be dowbled vnto thee Hetherto thou hast lamented his paines and sorrowes now thou lamentest his death Hetherto thou hast lamented his passion now thou lamentest thyne owne solitarines Hetherto thou hast lamented his greifes and troubles and now thou mournest for his absence One waue is past and an other commeth on to ouerwhelme thee So that the ende of his paine is a beginninge of thyne And as though this thy paine were to litle I see that these cruell tormentors prepare yet an other paine for thee no lesse then this Close vp thine eies therefore ô blessed Ladie close them vp out of hande I beseach thee and loke not vpon that longe terrible speare which goeth with greate violence in the aier to strike the place wherevnto it is leuelled Now hast thou ô holie virgin thy desire fulfilled For now arte thou become a buckler to thy sonne forsomuch as this blowe striketh not him but thee Thou diddest desire the nailes and thornes and they were ordeyned for his bodie but the pearcinge speare was reserued for thee O yee cruell ministers O yee hartes of iron Were the paines and tormentes to litle trowe yee which his bodie suffered beinge aliue that yee woulde not pardon it euen after it was dead What furie and rancor of enmitie is there so outragious but that it is pacified when it seeth his enemie dead before him Lifte vp your cruell eies a litle ô you vnmercifull and cruell ministers and beholde our sauiour Beholde I saie his deadlie face his dymme eies his fallinge countenance his pale and wanne colour and shadow of death For though you be more harde than either iron or the Adamante stone yea though ye be more hard than your owne selues yet it maie be that in beholdinge him your furie and malice wil be appeased Wherefore are ye not contented with the woundes yee haue geuen to the sonne but that ye will wounde his blessed mother also Her ye doe wounde with that speare vnto her ye geue the strooke and against her sorowfull hart threateneth the sharpe poynt of that cruell lawnce Now commeth the wicked minister with a longe sharpe speare in his hande and pearceth the verie naked syde of our sauiour with great furie The crosse shaked in the aier with the mightie force of the strooke and from thence issued water and bloude wherewith are wasshed the sinnes of the worlde O riuer that ronnest out of paradise and waterest with thy streames all the face of the earthe O wounde of the pretious syde of my sweete Sauiour made rather with his feruent loue towardes mankinde than with the sharpe iron of the cruell speare O gate of heauen ô windowe of paradise ô place of refuge ô tower of strength ô sanctuarie of iust persons ô sepulchre of pilgrimes ô neist of cleane doues ô florishinge bed of the spouse of Salomon Alhaile ô wounde of the pretious syde of our Sauiour that woundest the hartes of deuout persons O strooke that strikest the soules of the iust O rose of inspekeable bewtie O rubie of inestimable price O entrance into the harte of my sweete Sauiour Iesus Christ O witnes of his loue and pledge of euerlastinge life Throwghe thee doe all liuinge thinges enter into the Arcke of the true Noë to be preserued from the floude Vnto thee doe all such as are tempted repair In thee doe all those that are heauie and sad finde comforte Ioan. 4. by thee are the sicke persons cured throwgh thee doe sinners enter into heauen and in thee doe all banished persones and pilgrimes sleepe sweetelie and take theire rest O furnace of loue O howse of peace O treasure of the Catholicke Church O veyne of liuely water that springest vp euen vnto life euerlastinge Open ô most louinge Lorde I beseache thee this gate vnto me receaue my harte into this most delitefull habitation geue me passadge through the same vnto the tender bowells of thy loue let me drinke of this sweite fountaine let me be wasshed with this holie water let me be made dronke with this most pretious licour Let my soule sleepe in this sacred breste Here let it forget all the cares of the worlde here let it sleepe here let it eate here let it singe sweitly with the Prophet sayeinge Psalm 131. This is my resting place for euer and euer here will I dwell for this place haue I chosen for my habitation HOW OVR SAVIOVR CHRIST WAS TAKEN DOWNE from the Crosse and of the pittiefull lamentation and bewailinge of the blessed virgin Marie Semper mortificationem Jesu in corpore nostro circumferentes vt et vita Jesu manifestetur in corporibus nostris 2. Corinth 4.10 § II. AFTER this consider how the holie bodie of our Sauiour was taken downe from the crosse and how the blessed virgin receaued it in her armes Now the verie same daie in the eueninge there came those two holie men Ioseph and Nicodemus who reared vp theire ladders vnto the crosse and tooke downe the blessed bodie of our Sauiour into theire armes The holie virgin then perceiuinge that the torment of the crosse was now ended and that the sacred bodie of our Sauiour was comminge towardes the earthe she settethe her selfe in a readines to geue him a secure hauen in her lappe and to receyue him from the armes of the crosse into her owne
defence of a iust and godlie cause and not for herese or other vniust causes Eccles 27. Tribulation as S. Paule saith is the occasion and matter of patience And patience is the proufe and triall of true vertue And this proufe geueth vs a hope of glorie For this cause therefore a man ought alwayes to suspecte all vertue and holines which he perceaueth in him selfe vntill it be tryed and prooued with the testimonie of tribulation For as the Wise man saith The vessels of claye are tried in the furnace but the hartes of the iust in the furnace of tribulation Almightie God in all the workes of nature hath not made anie one thinge that shoulde be idle or in vaine muche lesse woulde he that in the workes of grace his giftes shoulde be idle and in vaine And therefore he deuideth to euerie one of his electe the burthen and charge which he must beare accordinge to the forces and talente of the grace he hath receaued So that here in this short transitorie life it is not to be esteemed for the greater loue and frendship if almightie God doe geue vs greater pleasure and ease but rather if he geue vs greater tribulation and aduersitie Thow shalt geue vs ô Lorde Psalm 79. He that is greatest and most singular in the loue and fauour of God is comonlie most afflicted with tribulatiōs in this life Exod. 24. saieth the Prophet to drinke teares by measure And the measure is this that he that is most ād greatest in thy grace and fauour is commōly most afflicted and troubled in this transitorie life When Moyses made that peace and accorde betwene almightie God and his people the holie scripture sayth that he sprinckeled all the people with an Isope dipped in bloude and this beinge done the rest of the bloude that remained he sprinckeled vpon the aulter Wherefore let all those that determine to be the friendes of almightie God vnderstande hereby that theire loue Note how our loue and frendeship with almightie God must be celebrated and dedicated with bloude and friendship with him must be celebrated and dedicated with bloude and not onelie with the bloude of Christ but euen also with the proper bloude of euerie one to wit with patience and sufferinge of troubles and aduersities Our Sauiour Christ at that last supper which he made with his disciples dranke first him selfe of the Cuppe but after he had drōcke him selfe thereof he gaue the remnant vnto his ghestes which he had inuited and cōmaunded them to deuide the same emonge them and that euerie one of them shoulde also drinke his drawght of that cuppe So that it apperteineth to all persons to haue theire parte of this cuppe All Christians must drinke theire parte of Christes cuppe and as mēbers of Christ conforme thē selues with Christ theire head in sufferinge and it is also requisite that they all as members of Christ doe conforme them selues with our sauiour Christ in sufferinge Howbeit herein standeth the difference that as concerninge the common sorte of people and those that are Imperfecte it is sufficient if they be sprinckled with bloude but those deuout godlie persons that are more nearly approched and ioyned vnto almightie God and be such as are worthie to be called his aulters these must not onelie be sprinckeled with bloude but they must also be dyed A notable comfort for all Catholickes that be persecuted by heretickes There were neuer anie persons more tossed with aduersities and tribulatiōs in this worlde thā our sauiour Christ and his blessed mother and bathed in bloude forsomuche as to the stronge are reserued the strongest battells and so consequentlie a greater rewarde and a greater crowne in the kingdome of heauen Our sauiour Christ and his blessed mother were the two persons that of all others in this worlde were most entierly beloued of almightie God Now these two as they farre passed and excelled all creatures in vertue so did they likewise in sufferinge And vndowtedlie there were neuer in the worlde two better persons nor more tossed and turmoyled with aduersities afflictions and tribulations than these two were Be of good comfort therefore all ye Catholickes that are in tribulation assuringe your selues that the more troubles afflictions emprisonmentes and crosses you susteine the more like you are vnto our Sauiour Christ and his holie mother Be of good cōfort all ye Catholikes that are troubled For you are not therefore the more forsaken of almightie God but rather if you haue patience in your troubles you are certainlie the more in his grace and fauour and more singulerlie and dearlie beloued of him Be of good comfort againe and againe I saie Psalm 50. There is no signe more certayne of the loue and fauor of God than to haue patience in tribulatiō all ye Catholickes that are afflicted and troubled For there is no sacrifice more acceptable vnto almightie God than a troubled and afflicted harte neither is there anie signe more certaine of his loue and friendshippe then patience in tribulation Let no man therefore sclaunder tribulation for that were to sclaunder our sauiour Christe and his blessed mother yea it were to bringe a sclaunder vpon almightie God him selfe who alwaies sendeth tribulations and afflictions to his friendes What thinge is tribulation but onely a crosse And therefore what other thinge is it to defame tribulation To flie frō tribulatiō is to flie from the crosse but to defame the crosse Againe what is it els to flie from tribulation but to flie from the crosse Now if we worshippe the dead Crosse which is the figure of the Crosse why flie we than from the liuelie crosse which is to suffer by the crosse of tribulation This is to Imitate and followe the Iewes of whom our sauiour sayth Luc. 11. that when they had persecuted the Prophettes they made for them afterwardes verie great and sumptuouse sepulchers honoringe them after they were dead and persecutinge them whilest they were aliue And euen so it siemeth that those wicked Christians doe likewise in a sorte imitate them which on the one side doe worshippe the dead Crosse and on the other side doe denye and spit at the liuelie Crosse Which is the sufferinge by the crosse of tribulation And let no man be discomforted and saie that he suffereth for his synnes or without synne for howsoeuer thou suffer all is finallye in effect to suffer vpon the crosse For if thou suffer for thy synnes and doe hartelie repent them thou sufferest vpon the crosse of the good theiffe But if thou suffer without sinne and without deserte thou oughtest to take the more comfort thereof because this is to suffer euen vpon our Sauiours owne Crosse SONDAIE MORNINGE THIS daie after thou hast made the signe of the Crosse and prepared thy selfe hereunto thou hast to meditate vpon the misterie of the holie Resurrection in which thou maist consider these fower principall pointes to witt of the descendinge of our
thy promise and hast not forgotten them that did put their trust in thee The difficultie of the waie thou hast ouercome with thy great pittie and mercie and with thy passinge great loue thou hast ouercome also the painfull trauailles and tormentes of the Crosse No tonge is able to expresse the great ioye of these holie fathers But the ioye that our Sauiour had to see such a multitude of soules redeemed by the merites of his passioÌ„ was farre greater without all comparison O sweete Lorde how well wouldest thou then accompt the greate labours and paynes of thy crosse emploied when thou sawest what goodly frute that most blessed and sacred tree beganne to yeilde Genes 42. The Patriarke Ioseph when he had two sonnes borne vnto him in the lande of Egipt made none accompte of all his paines and traueils past and in signification thereof he called the first sonne that was borne in thâ—â— countrie Manasses sayeâ—â—â—e God hath caused me to forget all my â—â—â—â—â—illes and the howse also of â—â—â—â—er 〈◊〉 â—â—seph reioyced so muche at the birthe of â—â—e sonne What might our Sauiour now thinke when he sawe him selfe beâ—et on euerâ—e syde with such a nomber of sonnes after the ende of his tormentes and Martirdome vpon the crosse What might that pretious oâ—â—â—â— thinke when it sawe rownde aboâ—â—e her â—o many and such goodly braunches shootinge out on euerie syde OF THE RESVRRECTION OF THE BODIE OF OVR SAVIOVR CHristus resurrexit a mortâ—â—â— prâ—â—itiae dormientium â— Corinth â—â— 20. § II. BVT O my Sauiour what meanest thou that thou geuest no parte of this thy glorie to thy most holie bodie that lieth waytinge for thee in the sepulchre 1. Reg. 30. Thou knowest well ô Lorde that the lawe that was made concerninge the diuision of spoiles sayth that there shoulde be geuen as great a portion to him that remaineth in the tentes as to him that entereth into the battell Thy holie bodie hath remayned waytinge for thee in the sepulchre whilest thy most holie soule entered into hell to geue the battell Make therefore an equall diuision of thy glorie to thy bodie forsomuch as thou hast now wonne the battell The holie bodie of our Sauiour laie in the sepulchre in such a pittiefull forme as he had left it stretched out alonge vpon that colde stone wounde vp in his wyndinge sheete his face couered ouer with a napkin and all the partes of his bodie whollie rent and torne It was now after midnight and the dawninge of the daie approched neare at hande when the sonne of iustice had determined to preuent the sonne of the morninge and to be before him in this daies iourney In this blessed tyme therefore entered that glorious soule into his sacred bodie And how thinke you did it adorne the same Suerly there is no tonge able to expresse it in wordes Howbeit by an example we maie perceaue somewhat thereof We see sometymes towardes the west a verie obscure and darke clowde and if happlye the sonne doe take it before his goinge downe and beat vpon it and couer it all ouer with his beames it is wonte to cause it to appeare all beautifull all goodly and all glisteringe like golde insomuche as it seemeth to be the verie sonne it selfe Now in like maner did that glorious soule after it was inuestured in that holie bodie and entered into the same For it conuerted all the darkenes of the bodie into lighte and all his filthines into beautie and caused the bodie that was the fowlest of all bodies to become the fairest and most beautifull of all bodies After this sorte our Sauiour riseth againe out of the sepulchre altogether perfectlie glorious as the first begotten of the deade and the figure of our resurrection This is that holie Patriarke Ioseph Genes 41. who is nowe deliuered out of prison the heare of his mortalitie beinge cut of and apparailed with the garmentes of immortalitie and made Lorde of the lande of Egipt Exod. 2. This is that holie Moyses who was taken out of the waters and out of the poore rushe basket and is now come to destroie all the power and chariottes of kinge Pharao Hester 6. This is that holie Mardocheus who after he had put of his sackeclothe and asshes and was apparailed with roiall garmentes ouercame his enemie and crucified him vpon his owne crosse and deliuered all his people from deathe Daniell 14. This is that holie Daniell who is now come forthe out of the lyons denne and hath not receyued anie dammage at all of the furious hongrie and rauenous beastes This is that stroÌ„ge Sampson Iudic. 16. who beinge enuironed abowt with his enemies and enclosed within the citie ryseth vp at midnight and breaketh vp their stronge gates and lockes and so defeyteth the malicious purposes and designementes of his aduersaries Ionas 2. This is that holie Ionas that was allotted to die to deliuer his companions from deathe who entrynge into the belly of that great beast is the thirde daie cast vp againe vpon the coast of Ninyue Who is this that beynge betweene the hongrie Iawes of the deuowringe beast coulde not be eaten of her Who is this that was swallowed downe into the bothom of the waters and enioyed neuerthelesse the aire of lyfe Who is this that beinge sonke downe into the deapth of perdition caused euen death it selfe to serue him This is our glorious Sauiour who was snatched awaye by that cruell beast which is neuer satisfied to wit by death which after she had him in her mouthe and perceaued the worthines of the praie trembled and quaked for feare and coulde not holde it For althoughe the earthe swallowed him after he was dead yet findinge him free from all faulte and synne she was not able to detaine him in her howse For it is not the paine that maketh a man guiltie but the cawse which coulde not be founde in him HOW OVR SAVIOVR CHRIST AFTER HIS RESVRRECTION appeared to the holie virgin his blessed mother § III. NOW hast thou ô lorde glorified and reioyced thy most holie fleashe that suffered with thee vpon the crosse Remember likewise that the fleashe of thy mother is also thy fleashe and that she also suffered with thee when she sawe thee suffer vpon the crosse She was crucified with thee it is reason therefore that she also rise againe with thee Rom. 6.8 It is a sayeinge of thy Apostle 2. Tim. 2. that whosoeuer haue bene thy companions in thy paines shal be thy coÌ„panions likewise in thy glorie Forsomuche therefore as this blessed Ladie hath bene thy faithfull companion in all thy paines euen frome the maunger to the crosse reason it is that she shoulde be now partaker of thy ioyes also Wherefore clarifie that heauen that is now obscured discouer that moone that is now eclipsed dissolue those cloudes of her heauie soule drie vp the teares of her maidenly eies and now after the stormy winter of so manie
our doinges neither shall the God of Iacob vnderstande them This is one of the greatest wickednes in all the worlde For emonge those sixe thinges which as Salomon sayeth are abhorred of almightie God Prouerb 6. one is To haue swifte feete to ronne to doe wickednes That is to haue a facilitie and swiftnes which the wicked haue in offendinge almightie God OF THE SINNES AND DEFECTES THAT A MAN MAIE falle into after he is come to the knowledge of almightie God § II. IN theese and manie other sinnes it is certaine that thou hast fallen before thou knewest almightie God But after thou diddest come to the knowledge of him if happlie thou hast yet knowen him desire him that he will a litle open thine eies and thou shalt fynde that euen still for all this knowledge there are manie reliques of the olde man and manie Iebusees yet remayninge in the lande of promise Iosuae 15. Iudic. 1. because thou hast delt so fauorably with them and hast bene so well affected towardes them Consider then how in all thinges thou art full of defectes to witt in thy duetie towardes God towardes thy neighbour and towardes thy selfe Consider how litle thou hast profited in the seruice of thy creator beinge so longe a time as it is since he called thee Cōsider how liuely thy passions are euen yet to this daye How litle thou hast encreased in vertues And how thou hast continewed euermore at one same staie euen like vnto an olde knottie tree that neuer thryuethe but rather perhappes thou hast tourned backwarde The not goeinge forwardes in the waye of God is a tourninge backewardes Forsomuch as in the waie of God the not goeinge forwarde is a tourninge backwarde At the least wise consider as towchinge thy feruour and deuotion of spirite Is it well trowest thou that thou arte now verie farre of from that feruent deuotion which peraduenture thou hast had in tymes past Consider also how litle penance thou hast done for thy sinnes and how litle loue feare and hope thou hast had in almightie God Thy litle loue towardes him is seene by the litle paines thou hast taken for his sake Thy litle feare of him is perceaued by the manifolde sinnes thou hast committed against him Thy litle confidence and trust in him is well declared in the tyme of tribulation by the great raginge stormes and troubles of minde which thou sufferedst in that tempest for that thou hast not perfectly staied and setled thy hart with the anckers of hope Furthermore consider how euill thou hast answered to his diuine inspirations how vnwilling thou hast shewed thy selfe to receaue the light of heauen Ephes 4. how thou hast grieued the holie Ghost and sufferest him to crie and call vpon thee so often tymes in vaine For in that thou art lothe to gainesaie and resist thine owne will thou doest gainesaie and resist the will of almightie God we must serue God accordinge vnto his will and not accordinge to our owne will He calleth thee to one waie and thou followest an other He woulde haue thee to serue him in one worke and thou wilt serue him in an other worke And althoughe thou seest clearlie what the will of almightie God is yet if happely thyne owne will be sett on the contrarie thou seruest him in such thinges as thyne owne will lyketh and not in such thinges as he woulde haue thee to serue him He peraduenture calleth thee to inwarde exercises and thou turnest to those that be outwarde He calleth thee to praier and thou geuest thy selfe to readinge His will is that thou shouldest first attende to thyne owne soules healthe before anie others but thou forgettest thy selfe and settest a syde thine owne profite to profit others Whereupon it commeth to passe that thou neither doest profite thy selfe nor them To conclude as often as thy will is contrarie to the will of almightie God thyne alwaies preuayleth and is the cōquerour and the will of almightie God hath the ouerthrowe How to examyne the defectes and imperfections of thy good workes And if perhappes thou doe anie good worke good Lorde how manie defectes are there intermingled therein Yf thou be geuen to praier how often times art thou there distracted heauie ircksome drowsie and slouthfull without anie reuerence to the maiestie of almightie God vnto whom thou speakest And thou thinkest the tyme of praier verie longe and tedious vnto thee and art neuer in quiet vntill thou hast geuen it ouer that thou mayest attende to thy other busines that be more agreable to thy taste and likinge Now whē thou doest anie other good worke ô with what coldnes and faintnes is it done With how manie defectes and imperfections is it fraighted If this be certaine that almightie God loketh not so muche vnto the substance of the good worke that is done as to the intention wherewith it is done how manie good workes I praie thee hast thou done in suche sorte as they passed awaie pure and cleane from dust and chaffe and that neither vanitie nor the worlde haue plucked at the least one locke of wolle from them How manye hast thou done moued onely by the importunitie of others or for custome or maners sake How manie hast thou done onely in regarde of thine owne estimation and credit How manie for the pleasinge and lykinge of men How manie onely to satisfie thyne owne taste and contentation And how fewe hast thou done sincerelie and purelie for the loue of God without hauinge some kinde of vayne respect to the worlde Of thy dewtie towardes thy neighbour Now if thou consider how thou hast done thy duetie towardes thy neighbours thou shalt finde that thou hast neither loued them as almightie God commaundeth thee nor bene sorie for their aduersities as for thyne owne nor endeuored to helpe them in their troubles neither yet hast thou had so much as euen pittie and compassion vpon them yea peraduenture in stede of takinge compassion vpon them thou hast disdayned and grudged at their doeinges Trew Iustice taketh compassion and false Iustice indignation Ephes 4. though it be certaine that true iustice taketh pittie and compassion and false and counterfeit iustice disdaine and indignation At the least as towchinge that bonde of loue which the Apostle so often tymes requireth of vs commaundinge vs to loue one an other as members of one same bodie sith we be all partakers of one same spirit consider how farre of thou hast bene from hauinge that loue How oftentymes hast thou omitted to relieue the poore to visite the sicke to helpe the widowe and to be a proctor and mediator for him who coulde doe verie litle for himselfe Vnto how manye persons hast thou geuen offence with thy wordes with thy deedes and with thy answeres How oftentimes hast thou preferred thy selfe before thy equales dispised thy inferiors and flattered thy superiors crowchinge and creepinge downe like a seelie emmet to the one sorte and
vnweldie olde man but euen a sacke stuffed with greifes and diseases The greatest desire that men haue is to liue vntill they be olde at which age a man is in farre worse case than in all his lyfetime before and then he standeth in most neede and hath least helpe and succoure For the olde man is forsaken of the worlde He is forsaken of his owne kinsfolke friendes and acquaintance He is forsaken of his owne members and senses yea he forsaketh himselfe in that the verie vse of reason forsaketh him And he is onely accompanyed with his paynefull aches greifes and diseases For his companie and conuersation is then verie ircksome and troublesome to the whole howse where he dwelleth This is the marcke for sooth wherevpon the eie of man is so earnestlie fixed this is the happie state which all men doe so griedelie desire and hereunto tendeth the worldlie felicitie and the ambition of longe lyfe As concerninge the states of men we shoulde neuer make an ende There is litle conteÌ„tation in the states of men and eche one desireth to chaunge his state with the states of others if we shoulde rehearse the litle contentation that is to be founde in each of them and the great desire that euerie one hath to chaunge his owne state and condition with the state of others thinkinge that he shoulde haue greater hartes ease in an other mans state than he hath in his owne And thus doe men continually vexe and turmoyle themselues like vnto a sicke man that doth nothing els but tomble and tosse in his bed from one side to an other perswadinge himselfe that by meanes of these often chaunges and remouinges he shall finde more ease and rest than he had before and yet he findeth in verie deede that he is fowlie deceyued Forsomuch as the cause of his disquietnes resteth within him selfe which is his owne greife and disease To conclude such is the miserable state and condition of this lyfe that the Wise man had good cause to saie Eccles 40. Great and heauie is the yooke that the children of Adam carie on their neckes euen from the daie they come forth of their mothers wombe vntil the daie of their burial which is the common mother of all S. Barnarde And S. Barnarde was not affraied to saie that he thought this lyfe litle better than the lyfe of hell it selfe were it not for the hope we maye here haue to atteyne vnto the kyngedome of heauen The miseries of this lyfe are ordeyned as a punnishmente for synne and to withdrawe our hartes froÌ„ the inordinate loue of this lyfe And albeit all these miseries doe come vnto vs as a punnishement for synne yet was it a verie mercifull and medicinable punnishement For the prouidence of almightie God did so ordaine it meaninge thereby to withdrawe and separate our hartes from the inordinate loue of this lyfe The verie cause why he put so muche bitter mustarde vpon the breastes of this lyfe was to weane vs from it The cause why he suffered our lyfe to become so filthie was that we shoulde not set oure loue vpoÌ„ it The cause why he woulde haue vs to be molested and vexed so often times in this lyfe was that we might the more willinglie forsake it and sighe continuallie for the true lyfe whiche is in the worlde to come For if we be so vnwillinge to forsake this lyfe Exod. 16. beinge wholye so miserable as it is if we be now euer whymperinge and whyninge for the fruites and fleashpottes of Egipt what woulde we doe if al our lyfe were sweete and pleasant And what woulde we doe if it were wholie likinge and delitefull to our taste and appetite Who woulde then trowe yee contemne it for Gods sake Who woulde then exchaunge it for heauen Philip. 1. Who woulde then saie with S. Paule I haue a desire to be loosed from this fleashe and to be with Christ Of the last miserie of man which is deathe § VIII AFTER all these miseries succeedeth the last and of all others most terrible which is death This is that miserie whereof a certaine Poët lamented sayeinge The best daies of mortall men are those that passe first awaie and then succedeth a nomber of sicknesses and diseases and with them heauie and dolefull age and continuall trouble and aboue all the sharpenes of cruell deathe This is the lodge and ende of mans lyfe whereof holie Iob saied I knowe well ô Lorde Iob 30. that thou wilt deliuer me ouer to deathe where there is a howse prepared for all men liuinge How manie the miseries are that be included in this miserie alone I will not take vpon me to declare at this present Onely I will rehearse what a certaine holie father saieth by waie of exclamation against death in this wise O death how bitter is the remembrance of thee How quicklie and sodenly stealest thou vpon vs How secrete are thy pathes and waies How doutfull is thy houre And how vniuersall is thy seignorie and dominion The mightie can not escape thy handes the wise can not hide them selues from thee and the stronge loose their strengthe in thy presence Thou accomptest no man riche forsomuch as no man is able to raunsome his lyfe of thee for money Thou goest euerye where thou searchest euerye where and thou art euerie where Thou witherest the hearbes thou drinkest vp the windes thou corruptest the aier thou chaungest the ages thou alterest the worlde thou stickest not to sup vp the sea all thinges doe increase and diminishe but thou continuest alwaies at one staie Thou art the hammer that alwaies striketh Iob. 1â—â— thou art the sworde the neuer blunteth thou art the snare whereinto euerie one falleth thou art the prison wherein euerie one entereth thou art the sea wherein all doe perishe thou art the paine that euerie one suffereth and the tribute that euerie one paieth O cruell death why hast thou not compassion of vs but commest stealinge sodenlie vpon vs to snatche vs awaie in our best times and to interrupt our affaieres when they are well begonne and brought to a good forwardnes Thou robbest from vs in one houre as much as we haue gained in manie yeares Thou cuttest of the succession of kinredes and families Thou leauest kingdomes without anie heires Thou fillest the worlde with wydowes and orphanes thou breakest of the studies of great clerckes thou ouerthrowest good wittes in their rypest age thou ioynest the ende with the beginninge without geuinge place to the myddle To conclude thou art such a one as almightie God wassheth his handes of thee and cleareth himselfe in plaine wordes sayenge Sap. 1. 2. That he neuer made thee but that thou haddest thine entrie into the worlde by the verie enuie and craft of the diuell What fruite and commoditie maye be taken of the foresaied considerations § XI THESE are the miseries of our lyfe with infinite others the coÌ„sideration whereof a
for the sighte onelie of immortall eies And if we see that by the handieworke of men certaine workes are made here so sightlie and so bewtifull that they astonishe the eies of them that doe beholde them what a worke must that be which is wrought by the hande of almightie God himselfe in that royall howse in that sacred pallace in that howse of ioye and solace which he hath built for the glorie of his electe Psal 83.1 O how amiable are thy tabernacles saiethe the Prophet ô Lorde God of vertues My sowle desireth and feinteth in beholdinge the pallaces of our Lorde The state and condition of the citizens of heauen The thinge that most principallie commendeth a cittie is the state and condition of the cittizens to witt if they be noble if they be manie if they liue in peace and concorde emonge them selues Now who is able to declare the excellencie of this cittie in this behalfe All the inhabitantes therein be noble personages there is no one emonge them of base linage forsomuch as they be all the sonnes and children of God They be so frendly and louinge one towardes an other that they be all as it were one sowle and one harte And they liue in so great peace and concorde that the verie cittie it selfe is called Ieruzalem that is to saie the vision of peace If thow desire to vnderstande the nomber of the inhabitantes in this cittie vnto this desire S. Iohn maketh answere in his reuelations Apoc. 7.9 The nomber of the blessed inhabitantes in heauen where he saieth that he sawe in spirite such a great companie of blessed Sainctes that no man was able to recken them gathered together of all kindes of nations people and tonges which stode before the throne of almightie God and of his lambe appareiled in white garmentes and with triumphante palmes in their handes singinge vnto almightie God songes of praise And vnto this sayeinge of S. Iohn doth that agrie verie well which is signified by the Prophet Daniell concerninge this holie nomber where he saieth Dan. 7.10 Thowsande thowsandes serue the Lorde of maiestie and tenne hundered thowsande thowsandes stande before him And thinke not because the nomber is so great that they be therefore disordered For there the multitude is no cause of confusion but of greater order ād harmonie For almightie God that hath with such a wonderfull consonance and agrement disposed the mouinges of the heauens and the courses of the starres Euerie one of the Sainctes hath his place and glorie in heauen accordinge to the degrie of euerie one of their merites in this lyfe callinge them euerie one by his proper name hath also ordeined all that innumerable armie of blessed Sainctes with a most wonderfull goodlie ordre and disposition appointinge to euerie one his place and glorie accordinge to his merite And so there is one place for the virgins an other for the Confessors an other for the holie Martirs an other for the Partiarkes and Prophets an other for the Apostles and Euangelistes and so forthe in all the rest And in like sorte as men are there diuided There be nine orders of Angels in heauen and placed euen so after their maner are the Angels also which be diuided into three Hierarchies and those three Hierarchies into nine orders And aboue all the Sainctes and Angels is placed the throne of that most excellent Quene of Angels The blessed virgin Marie is placed in heauen aboue all the Angels and Sainctes the mother of almightie God who alone is an order by her selfe forsomuch as she hath no peere nor anie one that is like vnto her And aboue thē all the holie humanitie of our Sauiour Christ hath the cheife place and preeminēce who sitteth at the right hande of the maiestie of almightie God in the highest Now thou Christian sowle take a vewe of all these orders walke through these streates and waies consider the order of these cittizens the bewtie of this cittie and the noblenes and worthines of these inhabitantes Salute them euerie one by their names and desire them to helpe and succour thee with their praiers Salute also this sweite and pleasaunt countrey and as a pilgrime beholdinge it as yet a farre of directe thine eies and withal thy harte vnto it and saie Alhaile sweite countrey the lande of promise the hauen of securitie the place of refuge the howse of blessinge the kingdome of all worldes the paradise of delightes the garden of eternall flowers the market place of all treasure the crowne of all iust persons and the ende of all our desires Alhaile our mother and our hope After thee haue we sighed a longe time For thee haue we mourned and doe mourne euen at this presente For the loue of thee haue we foughte and doe still fighte a longe battell in this our transitorie lyfe For we knowe assuredlie 2. Tim. 2.5 that none shal be rewarded and crowned in thee but onely such as haue here fowghten faithfullie Of the seconde Ioye that the sowle shall haue in the kingedome of heauen which is the enioyinge of the companie of the Sainctes § II. VHO is able after this great ioye to declare what a further ioye the sowle shall haue by beinge in this most happie and blessed companie For there the vertue of charitie is in her full perfection the propertie of which vertue is to cause all thinges to be common There shall that petition be perfectlie fulfilled which our sauiour made sayeinge I beseech thee ô father Ioan. 17.11 All the electe in heauen shal be more streitlie vnited together in one than the members of one bodie because all shall participate of the spirite of God that they maie be one by loue as we are one by nature For there shall the electe be more streitlie vnited together in one than the members of one same bodie because all shall participate of one same spirite which geueth vnto all one same beinge and withall one blessed lyfe If thou imagin it to be otherwise tell me what is the cause why the members of one bodie haue so great a vnitie and loue one towardes an other The reason is because they all are partakers of one same forme that is of one sowle which geueth one same beinge and one lyfe to them all Now if the spirite of a man liaue power to cause so great a vnitie betwene members that are so different in offices and natures is it anie wonder if the spirite of almightie God by whom all the electe doe liue which spirite is as it were the cōmon sowle to them all shoulde cause a farre greater and more perfecte vnitie emonge them espetially consideringe that the spirite of God is a more noble cause and of a more excellent vertue and power yea and geueth also a more noble beinge Well now if this maner of vnitie and loue doe cause all thinges to be cōmō as well good as euil as we see in the
she that was more afflicted in this worlde thā anie other mere creature is now seene there exalted aboue al creatures enioyinge for euer that cheifeste goodnes and sayeinge Cant. 3.4 I haue founde him whom my sowle loueth I will holde him and will not let him goe And if this be so great a ioye The sacred humanitie of Christe what a ioye shall that be to beholde the most sacred humanitie of our sauiour Christ and the glorie and bewtie of that bodie which was so fowlie disfigured for our sakes vpon the crosse S. Bernarde It shal be vndowtedlie as S. Bernarde saithe a thinge full of all sweitnes and delighte when men shall there see and beholde a man the creator of men and Lorde of all thinges created We are wonte to esteime it for a singular honour to our whole familie to see some one of our kinred to be made a Cardinall or a Pope Now how farre greater honour shall this be vnto vs to see that Lorde who is of our fleashe and bloude sittinge at the righte hande of the father and made kinge both of heauen and earthe With what a passinge great ioye shall men stande emonge the Angels It shal be a greate ioye to men in heauen to see the Lorde and creator of all thinges to be not an Angell but a man when they shall see that the Lorde of the whole howse and the vniuersall creator of all thinges is not an Angell but a man For if the members doe accompte that to be an honour vnto them that is done to their head by reason of the great vnion that is betwene them and it what shall it be there where there is suche a strayte vnion betwene the mēbers and the head What shall it be els but that euerie one of the sainctes shall accompte the glorie of their Lorde as their owne peculiar glorie This ioye shal be so passinge great that no wordes are able to expresse it accordinge to the worthines thereof Now who shal be so happie as to be thowghte worthie to enioye so great a blysse and felicitie Cant. 8. O that thou were as my brother suckinge the brestes of my mother that I mighte finde thee without and kisse thee with the lippes of deuotion and embrace thee with the armes of loue O most sweete louinge Lorde When shall this ioyefull daie come When shall I appeare before thy face When shall I be filled with thy excellente bewtie When shall I see that countenance of thyne wherevpon the Angels are desirous to beholde Of the thirde ioye that the sowle shall haue in the kingdome of heauen which is the enioyinge of the cleare vision of almightie God § III. In the cleare vision of almightie God consistethe the essentiall glorie of the Sianctes NOW what a ioye shall it be aboue all this to haue a cleare sighte of that diuine face in the sighte of whō consisteth the essentiall glorie of the Sainctes All the thinges we haue hitherto spoken of are certainly great motiues towardes the accomplishemente of glorie but they all are litle in comparison of the cleare vision of almightie God Of Issachar it is written That he sawe that rest was good Gen. 49.15 and that the lande was best and therefore he put his shoulders to labour and made him selfe subiecte to tribute The rest and glorie of the Sainctes is good but the lande that bringeth forthe this rest is best in the superlatiue degrie For this lande is the face and bewtie of almightie God of the vision and beholdinge of whom proceedeth the rest and glorie of the Sainctes This cleare vision of almightie God is the thinge that of it selfe alone is able to geue perfecte rest vnto our sowles The harte of man can neuer be fullie satisfied and filled but onelie with the vision of almightie God For all the sweetnes and pleasantnes of creatures well maie it geue delighte to the harte of man but it can neuer wholye satisfie and fill it Now if all these good thinges before reheresed shall so much delighte vs how much then shall that good thinge delighte vs that conteineth in it selfe the perfection and somme of all good thinges And if the onely sighte and beholdinge of creatures be so glorious what a glorie shall it be to beholde that diuine face that most brighte lighte and that most excellente bewtie of almightie God in whom all bewties doe shyne What a glorious sighte shall it be to beholde that essence so wonderfull so simple and so communicable and with one sighte to beholde in the same the misterie of the most blessed Trinitie The glorie of the father the wisedome of the sonne and the goodnes and loue of the holie Ghost There shall we see God and in God bothe our selues S. Fulgentius and all thinges S. Fulgentius saithe that like as he that hath a glasse before him seeth the glasse and him selfe in the glasse and all other thinges that are before the glasse euen so when we shall haue that vnspotted glasse of the maiestie of almightie God present before vs we shall see him and our selues in him and withal whatsoeuer is without him accordinge to the knowledge greater or lesse that we shall haue of him The vnderstandinge There shall the appetite of our vnderstandinge rest and shall not desire to knowe anie thinge els because it shall haue before it all that can be knowen There shall the appetite of our will rest in louinge that vniuersall good thinge in whom are all good thinges The will and out of whom there be no more good thinges to be enioyed There shall our desire rest The desire and be fullie satisfied with the morsel of that supreme ioye which shal in such wise fill the mouthe of our harte that there shal be nothinge els for it to desire There shall those three Theologicall vertues How faithe hope and charitie shal be rewarded in heauen to witt Faithe Hope and Charitie wherewith almightie God is here honored be perfectly rewarded when vnto faithe shal be there geuen for a rewarde the cleare vision of almightie God vnto hope the possession of him and vnto charitie imperfect charitie in all her perfection There shall the electe see loue enioye and prayse almightie God There shall they be filled without gluttinge and be hōgrie without necessitie There is the place where that songe is alwayes songe that S. Iohn hearde in his reuelations which songe he tearmeth Apoc. 14.3 Quasi canticum nouum As it were a newe songe For that althowghe the songe be alwayes after one maner forsomuche as it is one cōmon prayse answerable to one common glorie which all that blessed companie enioyeth yet is it alwaies newe as concerninge the taste and delighte it hath For loke what taste it had at the beginninge the same verie tast also shall it haue for euer and euer without ende The ioye of the Sainctes in heauen shall neuer diminishe
did to cause thee to be the more in loue with him by reason of this benefite and to make thee the more beholdinge vnto him by this example ād to make thy redemption the more aboūdant by reason of the great treasure that he bestowed vpon it and to geue thee more clearlie to vnderstande how much good will he beareth vnto thee that thou shouldest beare towardes him the like agayne and to shewe playnlie vnto thee how much interest thou hast in him that thou shouldest repose thy whole trust and affyance in him This is that benefite which the Prophet Esaie extolleth and that for great good cause in these wordes which after the translation of the septuagintes sownde thus In all the tribulations of men he neuer fainted Esa 43. neither was he euer wearie in sufferinge for them Neither woulde he sende anie Embassadour or Angell to redeeme them but vouchsaffed of his great mercie to come him selfe in person to redeeme them and to carie them vpon his shoulders all the daies of this worlde notwithstandinge that they did euill acknowledge this benefite Ephes 4.30 but did greiue and prouoke the holie Ghost to anger How greatlie we are bounde to our Lorde for the maner of our redemption And if thou be so much bounde to our Lorde for that he vouchsaffed to come him selfe in person to redeeme thee how much more art thou bounde vnto him for the maner of thy redemption which was by sufferinge so great paines and tormentes It were certainly a great benefite if a kinge woulde pardon a theife that had deserued to be whipped But if the kinge woulde vouchsafe him selfe to receaue the lasshes vpon his owne shoulders for him this were without comparison a farre greater benefite Consider therefore how manie benefites are comprehended in this benefite of thy redemption Lift vp thyne eies vnto that holie roode and consider all the woundes and paines that the Lorde of maiestie suffereth there for thy sake For euerie one of them is a benefite of it selfe yea and a singuler great benefite Our sauiours bodie Beholde that most innocent bodie of thy sweite sauiour and redeemer all of a gore bloude with so many woundes and bruses on all partes of him and the bloude gusshinge out on euerie side His head Beholde that most sacred head fallinge downe for verie faintnes and hanginge vpon his shoulders His face 1. Pet. 1.12 Beholde that diuine face which the Angels are desirous to beholde how disfigured it is and ouerflowed with streames of bloude in some partes freshe and redde coloured in other partes very fowle and blacke His visage Beholde that most bewtifull visage of all creatures and that coūtenance that delighted the eies of all such as behelde it how it hath now lost all the flower of his former bewtie Ieremie Thren 3. Beholde that holie Nazareth more pure than snowe more white than milke better coloured than olde Iuerie how he is now become blacker than cooles and so much disfigured and beraied that scarcelie his owne fryendes are able to knowe him Beholde that holie mouthe His mouthe His lippes how wanne and deadly it looketh Beholde his lippes how blacke and blewe they seeme Beholde how they moue desiringe pardon and mercie euen for those that are his verie tormentours Finally wheresoeuer thou beholdest him thou shalt finde that there is no one parte of him free from paine and greife but that he is couered all ouer with lashes and woundes euē from the toppe of his head to the soles of his feete His forehead His eies That goodly cleare forhead and those eies more bewtifull than the Sonne are now dimmed and darkened with the bloude and presence of deathe His eares Those eares that are wonte to heare the songes of heauen doe now heare the horrible blasphemies of synners His armes Those armes so well fashioned and so large that they embrace all the power of the worlde are now disioynted and stretched out vpon the crosse Those handes that created the heauens His hādes and were neuer iniurious to anie man are now nayled and clenched fast with harde and sharpe nayles His feete Those blessed feete that neuer walked in the waies of sinners are now deadly woūded and pearced throughe Our sauiours narrowe and harde bedde vpon the crosse without anie pillowe or other thinge wherevpō to reste his head 〈◊〉 His syde But aboue all this beholde the bedde where he lyeth and whereupon that heauenly bridegrome sleapeth at none daie how narrowe and hard it is and how he hath nothinge whereupon to rest his head O pretious head of my sweete sauiour what meaneth this that I see thee thus afflicted and tormented for my sake O blessed bodie conceaued by the holie Ghost how is it that I see thee thus wounded and euill entreated for my sake O sweete and louinge syde what meaneth this great wounde and open cleft in thee What meaneth this so great abūdance of bloude Alas wretche that I am what a pittiefull sighte is this to see thee thus furiouslie pearced with a speare for my sake O rigorous crosse be not now I beseeche thee so stiffe but mollifie a litle thy hardnes bowe downe vnto me these highe braūches let downe to me this most pretious fruite that I maie tast thereof O cruell nayles leaue I praie you those innocēt handes and feete of my innocēte Sauiour and come ād enter into my harte and pearce it throughe for it is I that haue sinned and not he O good Iesus what hast thou to doe with so manie cruel tormentes What hast thou to doe with death With sharpe nailes ād with the crosse Vndowbtedlie the Prophet had good reason to saie Esa 28.21 That his workes shal be verie straunge and farre vnlike him selfe What is more straunge and more contrarie to lyfe than deathe What is more disagreable to glorie than paine What is further of from the nature of most perfect holines and innocencie than the image and shape of a synner This title and shape ô Lorde is certaynlie very straunge for thee O true Iacob Gen. 26. that with wearinge the garmentes of others and with disguisinge thy selfe in a straunge habite hast purchased for vs the blessinge of our heauenlie father For by takinge vpon thee the image of a sinner thou hast purchased for vs victorie against synne O goodnes inspekeable O mercie vndeserued O loue exceidinge all vnderstandinge O charitie incomprehensible Tell me ô most mercifull Lorde what sawest thou in vs What seruice haue we done vnto thee With what workes haue we bounde thee to suffer such greiuous and cruell tormentes for our sakes O wonderfull bountiefulnes that without anie merite of our parte and without anie necessitie of thyne owne parte wouldest vouchesafe onely of thy mere grace ād mercie to purchace our redēption after this sorte Tit. 3.4 The benignitie and clemencie of our sauiour saieth the Apostle hath appeared not in
haue treated heretofore in the meditation for Satturdaie at nighte And then for these and other infinite benefites as well publike as secrete we must geue him as manie hūble and hartie thankes as we can and calle vpō all creatures both of heauen and earthe to helpe vs herein And with this spirite we maie sometimes saie that Canticle Dan. 3. Psal 102. Benedicite omnia opera Domini Domino or els the Psalme Benedic anima mea Domino omnia quae intra me sunt c. OF PETITION CAP. IX NOW it remaineth that we doe treate of the last parte of all which is petition which containeth in it two partes in the one parte we make petition vnto almightie God for our neighboures and in th' other for our selues The first parte maie be continued with thankes geuinge desiringe that all creatures maie serue and praise our Lorde who is so worthie to be praised and serued for that he is so mercifull and bountifull vnto all his creatures we must praye for the conuersion of all nations and people vnto God For all the Gouernours of the Catholike Church And with this affection and desire of the glorie of almightie God let him praie first and principally for all the vniuersall worlde that all nations and people maie knowe and serue so mightie a Lorde Then for all the Catholike Churche and for all the gouernours in the same As for example we must praye for the Pope and for all the Cardinals Archebishops Bishops and for all other inferiour Prelates Pastors and Curates that they maie be carefull of their duetie in directinge all the faithfull in the knowledge and seruice of their Creator For all the members of the Catholike Churche Likewise let him praie for all the members of the Catholike Churche For the iust persons that it maie please almightie God to continewe them in their vertuouse lyfe For sinners that it maie please him to perdon them And for the sowles departed our of this worlde For the sowles departed and remayninge in the greiuous paynes of Purgatorie that it maie please him to deliuer them out of the greiuous paines of Purgatory and bringe them to the rest of lyfe euerlastinge Let him praie also for his parentes and for his godfathers and godmothers and for his ghostlie father and for all his kinsfolke freindes and benefactours and for all that be in tribulation and captiuitie and for all prisoners and sicke persons vnto whom he maie without anie distraction or intermission of his praier doe the workes of mercie in recommendinge them vnto almightie God who created them and referringe the necessities of all men into those handes which were stretched vpon the crosse for all men what thinges we must demaunde for our selues After this he maie desire such thinges for him selfe as he perceiueth him selfe to stande in neide of accordinge to the particuler necessities and miseries that he feeleth in his sowle and espetiallie when he desireth helpe ād remedie of almightie God against such vices and passions as doe most trouble and moleste him and to graunt him such vertues as be most needefull for him This kinde of petition emonge other commodities hath this withall that it reneweth dailie in the sowle good purposes and desires of vertues and moueth it to be the more earnest in doinge that thinge which he hath so often times and so hartelie desired and it maketh him to be the more ashamed of him selfe when he doth it not by callinge to minde with how great desire and instancie he hath desired our Lorde to graunte him grace to doe it And of this minde is S. Chrisostome S. Chrisostome where he saiethe thus Such as praie earnestlie in verie deede will not suffer their harte to committe anie thinge that is vnseemlie for such an exercise but haue euer their eie vpon almightie God with whom a litle before they talked and were conuersant And so by that cogitation they put a waie from them all the suggestions of the diuell when they thinke and consider what a haynous matter it were that he who had a litle before talked with almightie God and desired of him chastitie and holines with all other vertues shoulde immediatly runne to his enemies syde and open the gate of his sowle to receiue in filthie and dishonest delightes and suffer the diuell to place him selfe in that harte where a litle before the holie Ghost made his abode But it is verie much to be lamented that there be some persons that thinke to excuse them selues by sayinge that they knowe not what thinge to desire of almighie God Suerly this is no sufficiente excuse For what beast is so insensible but that he knoweth some maner of waie how to signifie the neide he standeth in What sicke man is there that can not saie here it greiueth me Consider therefore ô man thy selfe Consider I saie with what vices and passions thou art most troubled and molested If with couetousnes if with anger if with detraction if with vaine glorie if with stubbornnes of thine owne will if with losenes of tonge if with lightnes of harte if with the loue of honour estimation and delightes if with inconstancie in such good purposes as thou intendest if with selfe loue or anie other the like passions and pestilences of the minde and discouer all these woundes plainly one by one vnto that heauenly phisition that he maie heale and cure them with the oyntment of his grace we must praye to obteyne vertues After that thou hast demaunded remedie against thy vices desire him then to graunt thee all such vertues as be most behouefull for thy saluation And because this is a principall parte of this exercise of prayer wherein often tymes is spente all the tyme thereof with verie great taste and profite I thinke it good to note here vnto the deuoute reader those principall vertues which be as it were the pillers of the spirituall lyfe that thou mayst alwaies longe and sighe for them and alwaies desire them verie instātlie of our Lorde in thy praier Of the most necessary vertues that are to be demaunded in Petition § I. FIRST thou must desire of our Lorde these fowre vertues which be as it were the foundation of all the spirituall lyfe the which vertues we must alwaies haue before our eies because they be alwaies necessarie in all the steppes of our lyfe These vertues be a comelie composition of the inwarde and outwarde man discretion and attention in all such thinges as we shall either doe or saie that euerie thinge maie be directed accordinge to the iudgemēt and order of reason and withall to brydle our tonge and to take a dewe accompte of it and to vse rigour and austerite in the gouernment of our person Now emonge these vertues we haue put the comelie composition of the inwarde and outwarde man in the first place because it is the beginninge that disposeth vnto all the others The composition of
compassion Howbeit the paines of our Sauiour Christe are not thus ended there be yet others without all cōparison farre greater than these to witt the paines of his blessed sowle For all these paines aboue-named doe for the most parte appertaine to the paines of the crosse wherein his bodie suffered outwardly but besides this visible Crosse The inuisible crosse of our sauiour wherewith his sowle was tormēted there was yet an other inuisible crosse wherein his most holie sowle was crucified within his bodie hauinge also foure armes and foure nailes which were foure dolorous considerations and these were a farre greater tormente vnto him than theverie outwarde crosse For first of all there were represented vnto him al the sinnes of the worlde that were present past and to come for all which he suffered and that so distinctlie as if they had bene the sinnes but of one man alone Now to him that bare such a passinge great loue and zeale vnto the honour of his father what an vnspekeable greife was it to beholde such an infinite nomber of abhominations and offences committed against so highe a maiestie For it is certaine that the sinnes of one man alone were able to tormente him more than al the tormētes of the crosse The which beinge so what a passinge greate greife woulde the sinnes of all men and of all worldes cause vnto him Suerly there is no vnderstandinge able to comprehende the passinge greatnes of this greife Secondly there was also represented vnto him the ingratitude and damnation of many men and espetially of many wicked Christiās which woulde neuer acknowledge this singuler benefite nor endeuour to profite and helpe thē selues with this so great and so costlye a remedie as he there prepared for them This was also a farre greater tormente vnto him than the tormente of the crosse For it is a greater paine vnto a labourer to be denied his daie wages and the fruite of his labour than the very labour it selfe albeit it were verie great And for this cause our Sauiour complained by his Prophete Esaie of this iniurie vnto his father sayeinge I saiede In vaine haue I trauailed In vaine Esa 49.4 and without cause haue I wasted my strengthe And he complained of this ingratitude not onely to his father but also euen vnto men them selues by S. Bernarde sayeinge O man S. Bernarde consider what cruell tormentes I suffer for thy sake There is no paine that tormenteth me so extremelie as thy ingratitude dothe I calle vnto thee that doe suffer deathe for thee Beholde the paines that doe torment me Beholde the nailes that doe pearse throughe my handes and fette Beholde the shamefull reproches and despites where with they dishonour me And although the paine which I suffer out wardly be so passinge great yet is the paine farre greater which I suffer in wardly when I see thee so ingratefull and vnkinde to wardes me for the same In like maner there was represented vnto him the horrible sinne of that miserable people of Iewrie and the terrible punishement that was prepared for them within a shorte time after which vndoutedlie was a greater greife and tormente vnto him than the cuppe of his bitter passion For if the Prophete Ieremie signified that the sinne which the Iewes committed in goinge about to kille him greiued him much more than his owne very deathe what a greife woulde it be to our sauiour who had without all comparison farre greater charitie and grace than the Prophete Ieremie There were moreouer represented vnto him the greifes and dolefull sworde of sorowe which pearsed the harte of his blessed mother Luc. 2.35 when she sawe him suffer betwene two theiues vpon a crosse the which vndoutedlie was so great a greife and paine vnto him as the loue was great which he bare vnto her which loue was inestimable forsomuch as next vnto the loue of God he loued her most of all creatures Now these fowre considerations and greifes were as it were fowre armes of an other inwarde crosse wherewith his blessed sowle was likewise crucified within his holie bodic So that our sauiour suffered that daie the paines and tormentes of two crosses th' one visible and tho'other inuisible Vpon th' one crosse his bodie suffered outwardly and vpon th' other his sowle suffered much more inwardly Now how passinge great the greife was which proceided of these foure considerations there is no vnderstandinge able to comprehende it and yet we maie coniecture somewhat thereof by that outwarde shewe of his blouddie sweate in the garden Whosoeuer then shall attentiuelie consider all these causes shall clearlie see how passinge great the paines and tormentes of our Sauiour were which is the intente of this first maner of meditatinge vpon his most bitter passion Howbeit this must not be the finall ende of this exercise but rather it must be vsed as a meane to come to other endes to witt to vnderstande hereby what a passinge great loue he bare vnto thee that woulde suffer so much for thee and what a great benefite he did vnto thee in byeinge thee with so deare a price and how much thou art bounde to doe for him who hath done and suffered so much for thee and aboue all this how greatlie thou oughtest to abhorre thy sinnes and be greiued with them sith they were the cause of his so lōge and painfull martirdome Nowe for these foure endes whereof we will intreat in the chapters followinge serueth this maner of contemplation Whereby it appeareth that this first maner of meditatinge by waie of takinge compassion of the bitter paines of our Sauiour is as it were a meane or a ladder vnto all the others And for this verie cause S. Bonauenture made great accompte of this maner of meditation vpon the passion because it is sensiblie seene that this maner of meditation openeth the waie vnto all the other maners of meditatinge vpon the same And the same holie father saiethe that for this purpose it shal be a great helpe also for vs to take some discipline which maie cause some smarte and doe no hurte to the bodie that so by the feelinge of that so litle paine of whippinge and scourginge our selues we maie the better lift vp our spirite to consider somewhat of the passinge great paines and tormentes which the most tender bodie of our sweite Sauiour suffered for our sakes How in the Passions of our Sauiour Christe appeareth verie manifestlie what a greyuous thinge sinne is in the sighte of almightie God § II. THE seconde point that we haue to consider in the passion of our Sauiour is the greiousnes of our sinnes whereby to moue our hartes to be sorowfull for them and to abhorre them Wherefore we must vnderstande that as all the holie learned fathers doe affirme our sinnes were the very cause why the sonne of almightie God suffered such greiuous paines tormentes and crewell death as he suffered in this worlde For it is certaine that if there
geuen them vnto vs It is euident that by the meane of his holie incarnation and passion whereby he made him selfe partaker of all our debtes and miseries and so by takinge vpon him all our miseries he made vs partakers of all his benefites This takinge vpon him all our miseries is vndoutedlie a farre greater thinge than to make vs partakers of al his benefites For certainlie it is a more wonderfull thinge in God to suffer miseries than to bestowe benefites because as there is nothinge more propre and conuenient to his infinite goodnes than to bestowe benefites so is there nothinge more straunge and further of from that infinite felicitie than to suffer miseries Whereby it appeareth that we are much more bounde vnto him for the paines and tormentes whiche he hath suffered for vs than for the great benefites which he hath geuen vnto vs I meane hereby that we are much more bounde vnto him for the maner whereby he hath remedied our miseries than for the verie remedie it selfe But how passinge great was the loue wherewith our Sauiour bestowed all this vpon vs This is without all comparison farre greater with what a passinge great loue our Sauiour suffered for vs. than all the rest For certainlie the desire which our Sauiour had to suffer paines for vs was farre greater than the verie paines which he suffered and much more paines woulde he haue suffered if it had bene needfull for vs. Three howres he continued sufferinge paines and tormentes vpon the crosse for our sinnes But what is this in comparison of that which the greatnes of his charitie coulde haue vouchsaffed to doe for vs Verelie if it had bene neidfull for vs that he shoulde there haue suffered paynes and tormentes vntill the daie of iudgemente the loue was so passinge great which he bare vnto vs that he woulde vndoubtedlie haue done it So that albeit he suffered much for vs yet was the loue which he bare vnto vs farre greater than the paines which he suffered for vs. And therefore if we be greatlie boūde vnto him for the great paines which he suffered for vs much more are we bounde vnto him for that which he desired to suffer for vs. This consideration is very profitable to prouoke vs to geue most humble thankes vnto him who hath bestowed so great benefites vpon vs and withall to loue him who hath loued vs much more than by his benefites he hath shewed vnto vs. Other infinite thinges there be to be saide concerninge this matter but now they shall remaine for an other place and somewhat I haue specified alreadie in the meditation of the benefites of almightie God Of the wonderfull great goodnes of almightie God which appeareth verie euidentlie in the holie Passion of our Sauiour Christe § IIII. FOVRTHLIE we oughte to consider the passinge great goodnes and mercie of almightie God which shinethe more euidētlie and brightlie in the holie passion of our Sauiour than in any other of his workes Wherefore thou hast deepelie to consider therein foure thinges which are to be considered in all the whole historie of the holie passion and in euerie parte thereof The first is who suffereth Fower principall thinges to be considered in the passion of our Sauiour The seconde is what paynes he suffereth The therde is for whom he suffereth The fourthe is for what cause he suffereth Now if thou wilt staye thy selfe awhile in euerie one of these poyntes and consider first the highnes and excellencie of him that suffereth which is almightie God and in such wise staie in this consideration that thou art astonied at this so highe and so wonderfull a thinge and afterwardes cōmest to descende from thence vnto the consideration of the basenes and vylnes of the most greiuous paines and reprochefull iniuries which he was contente to suffer and that not for Angels or Archangels but euen for men which are most vile and abhominable creatures and in their workes like vnto the deuils thē selues if as I saye in each one of these pointes thou make as it were a statiō and doe compare th' one poynte with th' other vndoutedly thou shalt be greatlie amased and astonied to consider how much so great and excellent a maiestie woulde abase him selfe to redeeme so vile and so base a creature and then maist thou crie out with the Prophete and saie Abac. 3. O Lorde I haue hearde thy wordes and was afraide I haue considered thy workes and was astonied But if after all this thou doe consider the cause of his so great abasinge and commest to vnderstād that it was not for anie maner of cōmoditie towardes himselfe nor yet prouoked by anie deserte of ours but was onelie moued thereunto with the bowels of his tender mercie and loue towardes vs Luc. 1.78 by the which he vouchsafed to visite vs from on highe this point beinge well and dewlie considered will lyfte vp thy minde into such a great admiration and loue of him that thou wilt be astonied as Moyses was in the Mounte Exod. 3. when he sawe the figure of this misterie and begāne to proclaime with a lowde voyce the vnspekeable great mercie of almightie God which was there reuealed vnto him This was that great languishinge and faintnes of spirite which the spowse felte in the Canticles when she saiede Staie me vp with flowres Cant. 2.5 and comforte me with apples for I langwise with loue Vpon which wordes S. Bernarde saiethe The amorous sowle seeth here kinge Salomon with the crowne which his mother crouned him withall She seeth the onely sonne of almightie God carienge a crosse vpon his shoulders She seeth the Lorde of maiestie whipped and spetted vpon She seeth the author of lyfe and of glorie thrust throughe with nailes pearsed with a speare and many despitefull reproches and contemptes done vnto him And finallie she seeth him bestowe his most holie lyfe for his freindes She seeth all this and in seinge it she is pearsed throughe with a knife of loue and therefore she saiethe staie me vp with flowre and comforte me with apples for I langwishe with loue Of the excellente vertues that doe shyne verie brightlie in the holie passion of our Sauiour Christe § V. THE fifte point that we haue to consider in the holie passion of our Sauiour is the great nomber of vertues that doe shyne verie clearlie in it the which consideration serueth to encourage vs to endeuour our selues to imitate some parte of that which is there represented vnto vs. This is one of the highest maners of meditatinge that is vpon the holie Passion For it is manifest The perfection of a Christian lyfe consisteth in imitatinge the vertues of Christ 1. Pet. 2.21 that all the perfection of a Christian lyfe cōsisteth in the imitation and followinge of the vertues of our Sauiour Christe Whereunto the Apostle S. Peter exhorteth vs sayeinge Christe suffered for vs leauinge vnto you an example that you shoulde followe his foote-steppes