most precious body of Christ 8. O God the invisible Creator of the world how wonderfully dost thou deal with us how sweetly and graciously dost thou dispose of all things with thine elect to whom thou offerest thy self to be received in the Sacrament O this exceedeth all understanding This chiefly draweth the hearts of the religious and inflameth their affections For thy true faithful Servants that dispose their whole life to amendment by this most precious Sacrament oftentimes gain much of the grace of devotion and love of holiness 9. O the admirable and hidden grace of this Sacrament which only the faithful ones of Christ do know but the unbelieving and such as are slaves unto sin cannot have experience thereof In this Sacrament spiritual grace is given and strength which was lost is restored in the soul and the beauty disfigured by sin returneth again This grace is sometimes so great that out of the fulness of devotion which is here given not only the mind but the weak body also feeleth great increase of strength 10. Our coldness and negligence surely is much to be wailed and pittied that we are not drawn with greater affection to receive Christ in whom all the hope and merit of those that are to be saved doth consist For he is our sanctification and redemption he is the comfort of those who are here but travellers and the everlasting fruition of Saints It is much therefore to be lamented that many do so little consider this comfortable mystery which rejoyceth Heaven and preserveth the whole world O the blindness and hardness of Mans heart that doth not more deeply weigh so unspeakable a gift but rather cometh by the daily use thereof to regard it little or nothing 11. For if this most holy Sacrament should be celebrated in one place only and consecrated by one only Minister in the world with how great desires dost thou think would Men be affected to that place and to such a Minister that they might enjoy the celebration of these divine mysteries But now there are many Ministers and Christ is offered in many places that so the grace and love of God to Man may appear so much the greater how much the more this sacred Communion is spread through the world Thanks be unto thee good Jesus the everlasting shepherd that hast vouchsafed to refresh us who are poor and in a state of banishment with thy precious body and blood and to invite us to the receiving of these mysteries with the words of thy own mouth saying Come unto me all ye that labor and are burdened and I will refresh you CHAP. II. That the great goodness and love of God is exhibited to Man in this Sacrament The voice of the Disciple IN confidence of thy goodness and great mercy O Lord being sick I approach unto my Savior being hungry and thirsty to the Fountain of life needy to the King of Heaven a Servant unto my Lord a creature to my Creator being disconsolate I come to thee my merciful comforter But whence is this to me that thou vouch-safest to come unto me Who am I that thou shouldest give thy self unto me How dare a sinner appear before thee And how is it that thou dost vouchsafe to come unto a sinner Thou knowest thy Servant and seest that he hath no good thing in him for which thou shouldest bestow this favor upon him I confess therefore my unworthiness and I acknowledg thy goodness I praise thy mercy and give thee thanks for this thy transcendent love For thou dost this for thine own sake not for any merits of mine to the end that thy goodness may be better known unto me thy love more abundantly shewed and thy gracious condescension may be the more eminently set forth Since therefore it is thy pleasure and thou hast commanded that it should be so this thy favor is also dearly pleasing to me and I wish that my sins may be no hindrance herein 2. O most sweet and benign Jesus how great reverence and thanks together with perpetual praise is due unto thee for the receiving of thy sacred body whose preciousness no Man is able to express But what shall I think of at this Communion now that I am to approach unto my Lord whom I am not able duly to honor and yet I desire to receive him with devotion What can I think better and more profitable than to humble my self wholly before thee and to exalt thy infinite goodness above me I praise thee my God and will exalt thee for ever and I do despise and submit my self unto thee in a deep sense of my own unworthiness 3. Behold thou art the Holy of Holies and I the skum of sinners Behold thou inclinest unto me who am not worthy so much as to look up unto thee Behold thou comest unto me It is thy will to be with me thou invitest me to thy banquet Thou wilt give me the food of Heaven and bread of Angels to eat which is no other indeed than thy self the living bread that descendest from Heaven and givest life unto the world world 4. Behold from whence doth this love proceed What a gracious condescension of thine appeareth herein How great thanks and praises are due unto thee for these benefits O how good and profitable was thy councel when thou ordainedst it How sweet and pleasant the banquet when thou gavest thy self to be our food How wonderful is this thy doing O Lord how mighty is thy power how unspeakable is thy truth For thou sayest the word and all things were made and this was done which thou commandest 5. A thing of great admiration that thou my Lord God true God and Man shouldest be exhibited unto us by the Elements of Bread and Wine Thou who art the Lord of all things and standest in need of none had pleased to dwell in us by means of this thy Sacrament preserve my heart and body unspotted that with a chearful and pure conscience I may often celebrate thy mysteries and receive them to my everlasting health which thou hast chiefly ordained and instituted for thy honor and for a perpetual memorial 6. Rejoyce O my soul and give thanks unto God for so noble a gift and so singular a comfort left unto thee in this vale of tears For as often as thou callest to mind this mystery and receivest the body of Christ so often dost thou remember the work of thy redemption and art made partaker of all the merits of Christ. For the love of Christ is never diminished and the greatness of his propitiation is never exhausted Therefore thou oughtest always to dispose thy self hereunto by a fresh renewing of thy mind and to weigh with attentive consideration this great mystery of thy salvation So great new and joyful it ought to seem unto thee when thou comest to these holy mysteries as if the same day Christ first descending into the womb of the Virgin were become Man or hanging on the
forgiven him CHAP. VIII Of the oblation of Christ on the Cross and resignation of our selves The voice of the Beloved AS I willingly offered up my self unto God my Father for thy sins my hands being stretched forth on the Cross and my body naked so that nothing remained in me that was not wholly turned into a sacrifice for the appeasing of the divine Majesty so oughtest thou also to offer up thy self willingly unto me every day as a pure and holy oblation with all thy might and affections in as hearty a manner as thou canst What do I require of thee more than that thou entirely resign thy self unto me Whatsoever thou givest besides thy self is of little account in my sight for I seek not any gift of thine but thy self 2. As it would not suffice thee to have all things whatsoever besides me so neither can it please me whatsoever thou givest if thou offerest not thy self Offer up thy self unto me and give thy self wholly for God and thy offering shall be acceptable Behold I offered up my self wholly unto my Father for thee and gave my whole body and blood for thy food that I might be wholly thine and thou remain mine But if thou abidest in thy self and dost not offer thy self up freely unto my will thy oblation is not entire neither will the union between us be perfect Therefore a free offering up of thy self into the hands of God ought to go before all thy actions if thou wilt obtain freedom and grace For this cause so few become inwardly free and illuminated for that they are loth wholly to deny themselves My saying is undoubtedly true unless a Man forsake all he cannot be my Disciple If thou therefore desirest to be my Disciple offer up thy self unto me with thy whole affections CHAP. IX That we ought to offer up our selves and all that is ours unto God and to pray for all The voice of the Disciple THine O Lord are all things that are in Heaven and in Earth I desire to offer up my self unto thee as a free oblation and to remain always thine O Lord in the simplicity of my heart I offer my self unto thee this day for a sacrifice of a perpetual praise to be thy Servant for ever Receive me with this holy oblation of thy precious body and may this be for my good and the good of all thy People 2. I offer unto thee O Lord all my sins and offences which I have committed before thee and thy holy Angels from the day wherein I first could sin to this hour upon thy merciful altar that thou mayest consume and burn them all with the fire of thy love and wash out all the stains of my sins and cleanse my conscience from all offences and restore to me again thy grace which I lost by sin forgiving me all my offences and receiving me mercifully to the kiss of peace 3. What can I do with my sins but humbly confess and bewail them and intreat always thy favor I beseech thee hear me graciously when I stand before thee my God All my sins are very displeasing unto me I will never commit them any more but I bewail and will bewail them as long as I live and am purposed to repent and according to my utmost power to please thee Forgive me O God forgive me my sins for thy holy Names sake save my soul which thou hast redeemed with thy most precious blood Behold I commit my self unto thy mercy I resign my self into thy Hands Do with me according to thy goodness not according to my wickedness and iniquity 4. I offer up also unto thee all whatsoever is good in me although it be very little and imperfect that thou mayest amend and sanctify it that thou mayest make it grateful and acceptable unto thee and always perfect it more and more and bring me also who am a slothful and unprofitable profitable creature to a good and blessed end 5. I offer up also unto thee all the godly desires of pious persons the necessities of parents friends brethren sisters and of all those that are dear unto me and that have done good either to my self or to others for thy love and that have desired and begged of me to pray for them and all theirs that they all may receive the help of thy grace and comfort protection from dangers deliverance from pain and being freed from all evils may joyfully give worthy thanks unto thee 6. I offer up also unto thee my Prayers especially for them who have in any thing wronged grieved or slandered me or have done me any damage or displeasure and for those also whom I have at any time sadded troubled grieved and scandalized by words or deeds wittingly or at unawares that it may please thee to forgive us all our sins and offences one against another Take O Lord from our hearts all jealousy indignation wrath and contention and whatsoever may hurt charity and lessen brotherly love Have mercy O Lord have mercy on those that crave thy mercy give grace unto them that stand in need thereof and grant that we may be counted worthy to enjoy thy grace and attain to life everlasting Amen CHAP. X. That the holy communion is not lightly to be forborn The voice of the beloved THou oughtest often to have recourse to the Fountain of grace and of divine mercy to the Fountain of goodness and of all benignity that thou maist be healed of thy sins and passions and be made more strong and vigilant against all the temptations and deceits of the Devil The enemy knowing the great good and advantage which comes by the holy Communion endeavoreth by all means and occasions to withdraw and hinder faithful and pious persons from it 2. Some when they purpose to fit themselves for the holy Communion suffer worse assaults of the Devil For that wicked spirit as it is written in Iob cometh amongst the sons of God to trouble them according to his accustomed malice or to make them over fearful and perplexed that so he may diminish their affection or by subtile assaults take away their faith to the end they may either altogether forbear the Communion or at least come unto it but coldly But there is no heed to be taken of his frauds and suggestions be they never so filthy and hideous but all is to be turned back upon his own head Thou oughtest to contemn and scorn him a miserable wretch and not to omit the holy Communion for his assaults and the troubles which he raiseth 3. Oftentimes also an excessive care for the obtaining such a degree of devotion and some anxiety about confessing thy sins hindereth thee Follow herein the counsel of the wise and put away all doubt and scruple for it is an hindrance to the grace of God and prejudiceth the devotion of the mind For every small vexation and trouble omit not the holy Communion but the sooner confess thy sins and willingly forgive others
sure more especially to instruct thy self before all thy loving friends If thou hast not the favor of Men be not grieved at it but take this to heart that thou dost not carry thy self so warily and circumspectly as it becometh the Servant of God and a devout religious Man It is better oftentimes and safer that a Man hath not many consolations in this life especially such as are agreeable to the flesh But that we have not at all or do very seldom tast divine consolations the fault is ours because we seek not after compunction of heart nor do altogether forsake the vain and outward comforts of this world 4. Know that thou art unworthy of divine consolation and that thou hast rather deserved much tribulation When a Man hath perfect contrition then is the whole world grievous and bitter unto him A good Man findeth always sufficient cause of mourning and weeping for whether he consider his own or his neighbors estate he knoweth that none liveth here without tribulation And by how much a Man looks narrowly into himself by so much the more he sorroweth Our sins and wickednesses wherein we are so enwrapt that we can seldom apply our selves to heavenly contemplations do Minister unto us matter of most just sorrow and inward compunction 5. Didst thou oftner think of thy death than of thy living long there is no question but thou wouldst be more careful to amend I believe thou wouldst willingly undergo any labor or sorrow in this world and not be afraid of the greatest austerity if thou didst consider within thy self the infernal pains in the other world But because these things enter not to the heart and we still love those things only that delight us therefore it is we remain very dull and cold in religion 6. It is often our want of spirit which maketh our miserable body so easily complain Pray therefore unto the Lord with all humility that he will vouchsafe to give thee the spirit of compunction And say with the prophet Psal. 80 Feed me O Lord with the bread of tears and give me plenteousness of tears to drink CHAP. XXII Of the consideration of humane misery MIserable thou art wheresoever thou be or whithersoever thou turnest unless thou turn thy self unto God Why art thou troubled when things succeed not as thou wouldest or desirest For who is he that hath all things according to his mind Neither I nor thou nor any Man upon earth there is none in this world be he King or Pope without some tribulation or other Who is then in the best case or condition even he who can suffer something for God 2. Many weak and infirm ones can say Behold what an happy life hath such an one how wealthy how great he is in how great power and dignity But lift up thine eyes to the riches of heaven and thou shalt see that all the goods of this life are nothing so to be accounted of They are very uncertain rather burdensome than otherwise because they are never enjoyed without carefulness and fear Mans happiness consisteth not in having abundance of wealth but a mean estate should content him it is truly misery enough even to live upon the earth The more a Man would be spiritual the more bitter to him is this present life because he seeth more clearly and perceiveth more sensibly the defects of humane corruption For to eat and to drink to sleep and to watch to labor and to rest and to be subject to other necessities of nature is doubtless a great misery and affliction to a religious Man that would gladly be free and delivered from all sin 3. For the inward Man is much oppressed with these outward and corporal necessities whilest we live in this world Therefore the holy Prophet prayeth with great devotion to be delivered from them saying Bring me O Lord out of my necessities But wo be to them that know not their own misery and a greater wo to them that love this miserable and corruptible life And some there be so much dote upon it that although with great labor and pains they can scarce get mere necessaries yet could they live here always they would care nothing at all for the Kingdom of Heaven 4. O how foolish are these and faithless in their hearts who lye so deeply sunk in the earth that they can mind or relish nothing but carnal things But miserable wretches as they are they shall in the end feel to their cost how vile and how nothing that was which they loved Whereas the Saints of God and all the devout friends of Christ respected not those things which pleased the flesh and which flourished in this life but longed for the everlasting riches with their whole hope and desire Their whole desire was carried upward to things durable and invisible that the desire of things visible might not draw them to things below O Brother lose not thy hope of coming forward in godliness there is yet time the hour is not yet past 5. Why wilt thou defer thy good purpose from day to day Arise and begin in this very instant and say Now is the time to be doing now is the time to be striving now is the best time to amend my self When thou art ill at ease and much troubled then is the time of deserving best thou must pass through fire and water before thou comest to the place of refreshing Unless thou dost earnestly force thy self thou shalt never get the victory over sin so long as we carry about us this frail body of ours we can never be without sin or live without trouble and sorrow We would gladly be quiet and freed from all misery but seeing by sin we have lost our innocency we have together with that lost also the true felicity Therefore it becomes us to have patience and to wait for the mercy of God till this our iniquity be put away and this mortality of ours be swallowed up of life 6. O how great is humane frailty which is always prone to evil to day thou confessest thy sins and to morrow thou committest the very same thou hast confessed Now thou art purposed to look well unto thy ways and within a while thou so behavest thy self as though thou hadst never any such purpose at all Good cause have we therefore to humble our selves and never to have any great conceit of our selves because we are so frail and so inconstant Besides that may quickly be lost by our own negligence which by the grace of God and our own great pains we have scarce at length obtained 7. What will become of us in the end who begin to wax cold so timely Wo be unto us if we will so give our selves unto ease as if all were in peace and safety when as yet there appeareth no sign of true holiness in our conversations We have need like young beginners to be newly instructed again to good life if happily there be any hope of
deceived CHAP. XXI That we are to rest in God above all his gifts and benefits CHristian Above all things and in all things O my soul thou shalt ever rest in the Lord for he is the everlasting rest of the Saints Grant me O most sweet and loving Jesus to rest in thee above all creatures above all health and beauty above all glory and honor above all power and dignity above all knowledg and subtilty above all riches and arts above all joy and gladness above all fame and praise above all sweetness and comfort above all hope and promise above all desert and desire above all gifts and presents that thou canst give and impart unto us above all mirth and jubilee that the mind of Man can receive and feel lastly above Angels and Archangels and above all the Heavenly host above all visible and invisible things and above all that thou art not O my God 2. For that thou my Lord God art best of all thou alone art most high thou alone most powerful thou alone most full and sufficient thou alone most sweet and solacing thou alone most lovely and loving thou alone most noble and glorious above all things in whom all good things together both perfectly are and ever have been and shall be and therefore it is too little and not sufficient whatsoever thou bestowest on me besides thy self or revealest unto me of thy self or promisest whilest thou art not seen and not fully obtained for surely my heart cannot truly rest nor be fully contented unless it rest in thee and surmount all gifts and creatures whatsoever 3. O my most beloved Bridegroom Jesus Christ the most pure lover the governor of all creatures O that I had the wings of true liberty that I might flie and rest in thee O when shall it be fully granted me to consider in quietness of mind and see how sweet thou art my Lord God! When shall I fully gather up my self into thee that by reason of my love to thee I may not feel my self but thee alone above all sense and feeling in a manner not known unto every one but now I oftentimes sigh and bear my infelicity with grief for that many evils occurr in this vale of miseries which do often trouble grieve and overcloud me often hinder and distract me allure and intangle me for that I can have no free access unto thee nor enjoy thy sweet embracings wherewith thou ever favorest the blessed Spirits O let my sighs and manifold desolations on Earth affect thee 4. O Jesus the brightness of eternal glory and comfort of the pilgrim soul with thee is my tongue without voice and my very silence speaketh unto thee How long doth my Lord delay to come Let him come unto me his poor Servant and make me glad Let him put forth his hand and deliver miserable me from all anguish Come O come for without thee I shall have no joyful day nor hour for thou art my joy and without thee my table is empty A wretched creature I am and in a manner imprisoned and loaden with Irons until thou comfortest me with the light of thy presence and settest me at liberty and shewest a friendly countenance unto me 5. Let others seek what they please instead of thee but for me nothing else doth nor shall delight me but thou only my God my hope my everlasting salvation I will not hold my peace nor cease to pray until thy grace return again and thou speak inwardly unto me Christ. Behold I am here behold I come unto thee because thou hast called upon me Thy tears and the desire of thy soul thy humiliation and the contrition of thy heart have inclined and brought me unto thee Christian. And I said Lord I have called thee and have desired to enjoy thee being ready to refuse all things for thee For thou first hast stirred me up that I might seek thee Blessed be thou therefore O Lord that hast shewed this goodness to thy Servant according to the multitude of thy mercies 6. What hath thy servant more to say before thee but that he do greatly humble himself in thy sight always mindful of his own iniquity and vileness For there is none like unto thee in all whatsoever is wonderful in Heaven and Earth Thy works are very good thy judgments true and by thy providence all things are governed Praise therefore and glory be unto thee O wisdom of the Father let my mouth my soul and all creatures together praise and bless thee CHAP. XXII Of the remembrance of the manifold benefits of God CHristian Open O Lord my heart in thy Law and teach me to walk in thy Commandments Grant me to understand thy will and to remember thy benefits as well in general as in particular with great reverence and diligent consideration that henceforward I may be able worthily to give thee thanks But I know and confess that I am not able in the least point to give thee due thanks for the favors which thou bestowest upon me I am less than the least of all thy benefits and when I consider thy noble bounty the greatness thereof maketh my spirit to faint 2. All that we have in our soul and body and whatsoever we possess outwardly or inwardly naturally or supernaturally are thy benefits and do speak thee bountiful merciful and good from whom we have received all good things Although one have received more another less all notwithstanding are thine and without thee even the least cannot be had He that hath received greater cannot glory of his own desert nor extol himself above others nor insult over the lesser for he is greater and better that ascribeth least unto himself and is more humble and religious in rendring thanks And he that esteemeth himself vilest of all Men and judgeth himself most unworthy is fittest to receive great blessings 3. And he that hath received fewer ought not to be sorry nor take it grievously nor envy them that are enriched with greater store but attend rather unto thee and highly praise thy goodness for that thou bestowest thy gifts so bountifully so freely and so willingly without respect of persons All things proceed from thee and therefore in all things thou art to be praised Thou knowest what is fit to be given to every one and why this Man hath less and he more it is not ours but thine to judge who dost exactly know what is meet for every one 4. Wherefore my Lord God I esteem it as a great mercy not to have much of that which outwardly and in the opinion of Men might seem worthy of glory and applause so that he who considereth the poverty and unworthiness of his person ought not therefore to conceive grief or sorrow or to be therefore troubled but rather to take great comfort and to be glad for that thou O God hast chosen the poor and humble and the despised of this world for thy self and for thy familiar and domestick attendants
peace I earnestly crave the peace of thy Children that are fed by thee in the light of thy comfort If thou give peace if thou pour into my heart holy joy the soul of thy Servant shall be full of gladness and shall become devout in thy praise but if thou withdraw thy self as many times thou doest he will not be able to run the ways of thy commandments but rather he will bow his knees and knock his breast for it is not now with him as it was heretofore when thy candle shined upon his Head and he was protected under the shadow of thy wings from the temptations which violently assaulted him 3. O righteous Father and ever to be praised the hour is come that thy Servant is to be tryed Behold dear Father meet it is that in this hour thy Servant suffer something for thy sake O Father evermore to be honored the hour is come which from all eternity thou didst foreknow should come that for a short time thy Servant should outwardly be oppressed but inwardly live for ever with thee that he should be a little despised humbled and made as an abject in the sight of Men and much afflicted with passions and infirmities that he may rise again with thee in the morning of the new light and be glorified in Heaven Holy Father thou hast so appointed it and wilt have it so and this is fulfilled which thy self hast commanded 4. It is a favor to thy friend that he may suffer and be afflicted in the world for love of thee how often soever and by whom soever thou permittest it to fall upon him For in the world nothing cometh to pass without thy councel without thy providence or without a cause why It is good for me Lord that thou hast afflicted me that I may learn thy righteous judgments and cast away all haughtiness of heart and presumption It is profitable to me that shame hath covered my face that I may rather seek to thee for comfort than to Men. I have learned also hereby to dread thy unsearchable judgments who afflictest the just with the wicked but not without equity and justice 5. I give thee thanks for that thou hast not spared my sins but hast worn me away with bitter stripes inflicting sorrows and sending griefs within and without There is none under Heaven that can comfort me but thou my Lord God the Heavenly Physician of souls that strikest and healest bringest down to Hell and bringest back again let thy correction be upon me and let thy rod instruct me 6. Behold dear Father I am in thy hands I bow my self under the rod of thy correction strike my back and my neck too that my crookedness may be conformed to thy will Make me an holy and humble disciple of thine as thou art wont well to do that I may be ready at every beck of thy divine pleasure I commend my self and all mine unto thee to be corrected It is better to be corrected here than hereafter Thou knowest all and every thing and there is nothing in the conscience of Man which can be hidden from thee Before things are done thou knowest that they will come to pass and hast no need that any should teach thee or admonish thee of those things which are done on Earth Thou knowest what is expedient for my profiting and how much tribulation is fit to scour off the rust of my sins Do with me according to thy desired good pleasure and disdain me not for my sinful life better and more clearly known to none than to thee alone 7. Grant me O Lord to know that which is to be known to love that which is to be loved to praise that which pleaseth thee most to esteem that which is precious unto thee to despise that which is contemptible in thy sight suffer me not to judge according to the sight of the outward eyes nor to give sentence according to the hearing of the ears of ignorant Men but to discern of visible and spiritual things with a true judgement and above all things ever to search after thy good will and pleasure 8. The minds of Men are often deceived in their judging the lovers of the world are also deceived in loving only visible things What is a Man the better for that he is esteemed great by Man The deceitful in exalting the deceitful the vain Man in Extolling the vain the blind in commending the blind the weak in magnifying the weak deceiveth him and doth verily more shame him while he doth vainly praise him For how much every one is in thy sight so much he is and no more CHAP. LI. That a Man ought to imploy himself in works of humility when strength is wanting for higher imployments CHrist. Son thou art not able always to continue in the more fervent desire of virtue nor to persist in the higher pitch of contemplation but thou must sometimes of necessity by reason of original corruption descend to inferior things and bear the burden of this corruptible life though against thy will and with grief As long as thou carriest a mortal body thou shalt feel trouble and heaviness of heart Thou oughtest therefore in the flesh oftentimes to bewail the burden of the flesh for that thou canst not always continue in spiritual exercises and divine contemplation 2. It is then expedient for thee to flie to humble and exterior works and to refresh thy self with good actions to expect with a firm confidence my coming and Heavenly visitation to bear patiently thy banishment and the dryness of thy mind till I visit thee again and deliver thee from all anxieties For I will make thee forget thy former pains and enjoy inward quietness I will lay open before thee the pleasant fields of Holy Scripture that with an enlarged heart thou mayest begin to run the way of my commandments And thou shalt say That the sufferings of this present time are not worthy of the glory to come that shall be revealed in us CHAP. LII That a Man ought to esteem himself not worthy of comfort but rather to deserve stripes CHristian Lord I am not worthy of thy comfort nor of any spiritual visitation and therefore thou dealest justly with me when thou leavest me poor and desolate For though I could shed a Sea of tears yet I were not worthy of thy comfort For alas I deserve nothing but to be scourged and punished in that I have grievously and often offended thee and have sinned greatly in many things All things therefore duly considered I am not worthy even of the least comfort But thou O gracious and merciful God who wilt not that thy works should perish to shew the riches of thy goodness upon the vessels of mercy even beyond his desert vouchsafest to comfort thy Servant above the manner of Men. For thy comforts are not like to the words of Men. 2. What have I done O Lord that thou shouldest bestow any Heavenly comfort upon me I
advise thee not to enquire nor dispute of the merits of the Saints which of them is holier than the other and which is greater in the Kingdom of Heaven These things oftentimes breed strife and unprofitable contentions they nourish also pride and vain glory from whence do spring envy and dissentions whilst one will proudly prefer this and the other another To desire to know and search out such things is to no purpose nor would it please the Saints for I am not the God of dissention but of peace which peace consisteth rather in true humility than in self exaltation 3. Some are carried with zeal of affection to love these or those most but this love is rather humane than divine I am He who made all the Saints and have given them grace I have given them glory I know what every one hath deserved I have prevented them with the blessings of my goodness I foreknew my beloved before the beginning of the world I chose them out of the world they chose not me first I called them by grace I drew them by mercy I led them through sundry temptations I have poured into them glorious comforts I have given them perseverance I have crowned their patience 4. I know both the first and the last I embrace all with inestimable love I am to be praised in all my Saints I am to be blessed above all things and to be honored in every one whom I have thus gloriously exalted and predestinated without any precedent merits of their own He therefore that contemneth one of the least of my Saints honoreth not the greatest for that I made both the less and the greater and he that dispraifeth any of my Saints dispraiseth also me and all the rest in the Kingdom of Heaven There all are one through the bond of love they think the same they will the same and they all love one another 5. But yet which is much more high they love me more than themselves and are drawn out of all themselves or any merits of their own For being ravished above self-love they are wholly carried out to love me in whom also they do fruitively rest Nothing can turn them back nothing can press them down for being full of the eternal Truth they burn with the fire of unquenchable love Let therefore carnal and natural Men who can affect no other but their private joys forbear to dispute of the state of Saints They add and take away according to their own fancies not as it pleaseth the eternal Truth 6. Many are ignorant but specially those that be slenderly enlightned and these can seldom love any with a perfect spiritual love They are as yet much drawn by a natural affection and humane friendship to this Man or to that and according to the experience they have of themselves in their Earthly affections so they frame an imagination of Heavenly things But there is an incomparable distance between the things which the imperfect ones imagine in their conceits and those which the illuminated ones do see by revelation from above 7. Beware therefore my Son that thou treat not curiously of these things which exceed thy knowledg but rather so apply thy endeavors that thou mayest at least have the meanest place in the Kingdom of Heaven And if any one did know which of the Saints exceed others in sanctity or were greater in the Kingdom of Heaven what would this knowledg avail him unless he should thereby humble himself the more in my sight and should rise up into the greater praising of my name He pleaseth God much better that thinketh of the greatness of his sins and the smalness of his graces and how far off he is from the perfection of the Saints than he that disputeth of their greatness or littleness 8. They are well and right well contented if Men could content themselves and refrain from these vain discourses They glory not of their own merits for they ascribe no good unto themselves but attribute all to me who of my infinite love have given them all things They are filled with so great love of the Divinity and with such an overflowing joy that there is no glory nor happiness that is or can be wanting unto them All the Saints how much the higher they be in glory so much the more humble they are in themselves and nearer and dearer unto me And therefore it is written That they did cast their Crowns before God and fell down upon their face before the Lamb and adored him that liveth for ever and ever 9. Many inquire who is greatest in the Kingdom of God that know not whether they shall ever be numbred there amongst the least It is a great thing to be even the least in Heaven where all are great for that all there shall be called and shall be indeed the Sons of God The least shall become a Thousand and the sinner of an Hundred years shall die For when the Disciples asked who should be greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven they received this answer Unless you be converted and be come as little Children you shall not enter into the Kingdom of Heaven Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little Child the same is greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven 10. Wo be unto them that disdain to humble themselves willingly with little Children For the low gate of the Kingdom of Heaven will not give them entrance And wo be to the rich that have their comforts here for whilest the poor enter into the Kingdom of God they shall stand lamenting without Rejoyce you that be humble and you that be poor be you glad for yours is the Kingdom of God if you walk according to the truth CHAP. LIX That all our hope and trust is to be fixed in God alone CHristian Lord what trust have I in this life Or what is the greatest comfort that all things under Heaven do yield me Is it not thou my Lord God whose mercies are without number Where hath it been well with me without thee Or when could it be ill with me when thou wert present I had rather be poor for thee than rich without thee I rather choose to be a pilgrim on Earth with thee than to possess Heaven without thee Where thou art there is Heaven and there is death and Hell where thou art not Thou art my desire and therefore it behoveth me to sigh and cry and pray unto thee For I have none fully to trust in none that can seasonably help me in my necessities but thee alone my God Thou art my hope thou art my trust thou art my comforter and most faithful unto me in all things 2. All Men seek their own gain thou only seekest my salvation and my profit and turnest all things to my good Although thou exposest me to divers temptations and adversities yet thou orderest all this to my advantage who art wont to try thy beloved ones a Thousand wayes In which trial thou oughtest no
less to be loved and praised then if thou didst fill me with Heavenly comforts 3. In thee therefore O Lord God I put my whole hope and refuge in thee I place my tribulation and anguish for I find all to be weak and unconstant whatsoever I behold out of thee For neither can many friends avail nor strong helpers aid nor wise councellors give any profitable answer nor the Books of the learned comfort nor any wealth deliver nor any secret or pleasant place defend if thou thy self dost not assist help strengthen comfort instruct and keep us 4. For all things that seem to belong to the attainment of peace and felicity without thee are nothing and do bring indeed no felicity at all Thou therefore art the end of all that is good the height of life the depth of wisdom and the strongest comfort of thy servants is to trust in thee above all things To thee therefore do I lift up mine eyes in thee O my God the Father of mercies I put my trust Bless and sanctifie my soul with thy Heavenly blessings that it may be made thy holy habitation and the seat of thy eternal glory and that nothing may be found in the Temple of thy glory that may offend the eyes of thy Majesty According to the greatness of thy goodness and multitude of thy mercies look upon me and hear the prayer of thy poor Servant who is far exiled from thee in the land of the shadow of death Protect and keep the soul of thy Servant amidst so many dangers of this corruptible life and by thy grace accompanying me direct it by the way of peace to the country of everlasting light Amen THE FOURTH BOOK A devout Exhortation unto the holy Communion The voice of Christ. COme unto me all ye that labor and are burdened and I will refresh you saith the Lord. The bread which I will give is my flesh for the life of the world Take ye and eat that is my body that is given for you Do this in remembrance of me He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood dwelleth in me and I in him The words which I have spoken unto you are spirit and life CHAP. I. With how great reverence Christ ought to be received The voice of the disciple THese are thy words O Christ the everlasting Truth though not spoken all at one time nor written in one and the self same place Because therefore they are thine and true they are all thankfully and faithfully to be received by me They are thine and thou hast spoken them and they are mine also because thou hast spoken them for my salvation I willingly receive them from thy mouth that they may be the deeper imprinted in my heart These so gracious words so full of sweetness and love do encourage me but mine own offences do dishearten me and my impure conscience driveth me back from the receiving of so great mysteries The sweetness of thy words doth encourage me but the multitude of my sins doth oppress me 2. Thou commandest me to come confidently unto thee if I will have part with thee and to receive the food of immortality if I desire to obtain everlasting life and glory Come saist thou unto me all ye that labor and are burdened and I wil refresh you O sweet and loving word in the ear of a sinner that thou my Lord God shouldest invite the poor and needy to the participation of thy most holy body But who am I Lord that I may presume to approach unto thee Behold the Heavens cannot contain thee and thou saist Come ye all unto me 3. What meaneth this so gracious a condescension and this so loving invitation How shall I dare to come that know not any good in my self whereupon I may presume How shall I bring thee unto my House that have so often offended thy most gracious countenance The Angels and the Archangels honor thee the Saints and just Men do fear thee and saist thou Come ye all unto me Unless thou O Lord didst say it who would believe it to be true And unless thou didst command it who would attempt to come unto thee Behold Noah a just Man labored a Hundred years in the making of the Ark that he might be saved with a few and how can I in one hours space prepare my self to receive with reverenee the Maker of the world 4. Moses thy great Servant and thy especial friend made an Ark of incorruptible wood which also he covered with most pure Gold to put the Tables of the Law therein and I a corruptible creature how shall I dare so lightly to receive the Maker of the Law and the giver of life Solomon the wisest of the Kings of Israel bestowed Seven years in building a magnificent Temple to the praise of thy Name and celebrated the feast of Dedication thereof Eight days together he offered a Thousand peace-offerings and he solemnly set the Ark in the place prepared for it with the sound of Trumpets and joy and I the most miserable and poorest of Men how shall I bring thee into my House that can scarce spend one half hour religiously And I wish I could once spend about one half hour in a worthy and due manner 5. O my God how much did they endeavor to please thee and alas how little is that which I do How little time do I spend to prepare my self to receive I am seldom wholly recollected very seldom free from all distraction and yet surely no unbecoming thought ought to appear in the comfortable presence of thy Deity nor any creature wholly take me up for I am not to harbor an Angel but the Lord of Angels 6. And yet there is great difference between the Ark of the Covenant with its reliques and thy most pure body with its unspeakable virtues between those legal Sacrifices figures of future things and the true Sacrifice of thy body the complement of all antient Sacrifices Why therefore am I not more zealous in thy venerable presence Wherefore do I not prepare my self with greater care to receive thy holy things sith those holy antient Patriarchs and Prophets yea Kings also and Princes with the whole people have shewed such an affectionateness of devotion to thy divine service 7. The most devout King David danced before the Ark of God with all his might calling to mind the benefits bestowed in times past upon his Forefathers He made instruments of sundry kinds he published Psalms and appointed them to be sung with joy he also oftentimes sung to the harp being inspired with the grace of the holy Ghost He taught the people of Israel to praise God with their whole heart and with pleasant voices every day to bless and praise him If so great devotion was then used and such celebrating of divine praise before the Ark of the Testament what reverence and devotion is now to be performed by me and all Christian people at the Sacrament in receiving the
there so famous as the Christian People or what creature under heaven so beloved as a religious soul to whom God himself cometh to feed her with his glorious flesh O unspeakable grace O admirable condescent O infinite love singularly bestowed upon Man But what shall I give unto the Lord in return of his grace for so eminent an expression of thy love There is no other thing more acceptable that I am able to give than to give my heart wholly to my God and to unite it most inwardly unto him Then shall all my inward parts rejoyce when my soul shall be perfectly united unto God Then he will say unto me if thou wilt be with me I will be with thee And I will answer him Vouchsafe O Lord to remain with me and I will gladly be with thee This is my whole desire that my heart be united unto thee CHAP. XIV Of the fervent desire of some devout Persons to receive the Body of Christ. The voice of the Discipie O How great is thy goodness O Lord which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee When I remember some devout persons who come unto thy Sacrament O Lord with greatest devotion and affection I am oftentimes confounded and blush within my self that I come so formally and coldly to thy Table of the holy Communion that I remain so dry and without heart affection That I am not wholly inflamed in thy presence my God nor so earnestly drawn and affected as many devout persons have been who out of a vehement desire of the Communion and a feeling affection of heart could not contain themselves from weeping but with the desire both of soul and body they earnestly longed after thee O God the living Fountain being not otherwise able to allay nor satisfie their hunger but by receiing thy body with all joy and spiritual greediness 2. O the most ardent faith of those persons A clear argument of thy sacred presence For they truly know their Lord in the breaking of bread whose heart burneth so mightily within them whilst thou O blessed Jesus conversest with them Such desire and devotion so vehement love and fervency is oftentimes far from me Be merciful unto me good Jesus sweet and gracious Lord and grant me thy poor needy creature to feed sometimes at least in this holy Communion somewhat of thy hearty affectionate love that my faith may be more strengthened my hope in thy goodness increased and that my charity once perfectly enflamed after the tasting of Heavenly Manna may never decay 3. Thy mercy O Lord is able to give me the grace I desire and to visit me most mercifully with the spirit of fervor when it shall please thee For although I burn not with so great desire as those that are so singularly devoted to thee yet notwithstanding by thy grace I desire to have this great inflamed desire praying and craving that I may participate with all such thy fervent lovers and be numbred among them in their holy company CHAP. XV. That the grace of devotion is obtained by humility and denial of our selves The voice of the Beloved THou oughtest to seek the grace of devotion instantly to ask it earnestly to expect it patiently and with confidence to receive it gratefully to keep it humbly to work with it diligently and to commit the term and manner of this Heavenly visitation to God until it shall please him to come unto thee Thou oughtest chiefly to humble thy self when thou feelest inwardly little or no devotion and yet not to be too much dejected nor to grieve inordinately God often giveth in a short moment that which he hath long time denied he giveth sometimes in the end that which in the beginning of prayer he deferred to grant 2. If grace should be always presently given and at hand ever with a wish the weak Man could not well bear it Therefore the grace of devotion is to be expected with good hope and humble patience yet impute it to thy self and thy sins when it is not given thee or when it is secretly taken away It is sometimes a small matter that hindereth and hideth grace from us if yet it be to be called small and not rather a great matter that hindereth so great a good And if thou remove this be it great or small and perfectly overcome it thou shalt have thy desire 3. For presently as soon as thou from thy whole heart givest thy self to God and seekest not this nor that for thine own pleasure or will but setlest thy self wholly in him thou shalt find thy self united and quiet for nothing will relish so well and please thee so much as the good pleasure of the divine will Whosoever therefore with a single heart lifteth up his intention to God and purgeth himself from all inordinate love or dislike of any created thing he shall be the most fit to receive grace and meet for the gist of devotion For the Lord bestoweth his blessings there where he findeth the vessels empty And how much the more perfectly one forsaketh these low things and the more he dieth to himself by contempt of himself so much the more speedily grace shall come and enter in more plentifully and raise up higher the heart that is thus free 4. Then shall he see and be filled and wonder and his heart shall be enlarged within him because the hand of the Lord is with him and he hath put himself wholly into his hands for ever Behold so shall the Man be blessed that seeketh God with his whole heart and busieth not his soul in vain This man obtaineth the great favor of divine union in receiving the holy Eucharist for that he respecteth not his own devotion and comfort but above all devotion and comfort the honor and glory of God CHAP. XVI That we ought to manifest our necessities to Christ and crave his grace The voice of the Disciple O Most sweet and loving Lord whom I now desire to receive with all devotion thou knowest my infirmity and the necessity which I endure with how many sins and evils I am oppressed how often I am grieved tempted troubled and defiled I come unto thee for remedy I crave of thee comfort and succor I speak to him that knoweth all things to whom all my inward parts are open and who can only perfectly comfort and help me Thou knowest what good things I stand in most need of and how poor I am in vertues 2. Behold I stand before thee poor and naked calling for grace and craving mercy Refresh thy hungry beggar inflame my coldness with the fire of thy love inlighten my blindness with the brightness of thy presence Turn all earthly things to me into bitterness all things grievous and cross into patience all low and created things into contempt and oblivion Lift up my heart to thee in Heaven and suffer me not to wander upon Earth Be thou only sweet unto me from henceforth for evermore for thou only