so strucke him O man how doth this action confounde thy pride and discouer thy selfe to thy selfe we easily committ sinne euen in the sight of God but blushe to appeare sinners in the sight of men c. Or if we chance to haue that humilitie and iustice in vs as patïently to suffer reprehension reproche or punishement when we see we are in fault yet are their any to be found who knowes what it meanes to suffer where we either indeede are or at least where we apprehend our selues innocent That euen best Christians are content to leaue to Christ alone THE SECONDE MEDITATION For the same day II. POINT CONSIDER Virgines consider Christians old and young and all that hope to be saued by the blood of Christ what these sacred dropes which fall from our Christ say to our hartes What doe they say vnlesse our harts be of stone but I will and begge by this example without example where noe law obliged noe debt was due your patience your mortification your resignation your obedience your humiliation You call me Abba pater father father and I am so show the dutie of children then by following your fathers footstepps You call me Lord and I am so make good then the dutie of seruantes in accomplishing the will of your Lord. I will obedience c. not will-worshippe not sacryfices of your owne inuention and choyce And this irreuocable will and Conuenant of myne I write downe in letters of myne owne blood that louinge children may neuer forgett it Affect Noe my soule ther was indeed noe connection betwixt an innocent Sauiour and the markes of a sinner noe necessitie for a God to imploy this paynefull and shamfull meanes who had a thousand other ways in his wisdome to haue performed the worke of mans redemption but to teach vs patience with what euer might befall vs seem it neuer so litle sutable to the thoughtes we may haue of our owne innocencie Mortification by suffering some corporall payne be it by our owne or some other hand be it by accident sicknesse or otherwise Obedience whether to our superiours as we are bounde c. Or euen to euery creature for charities sake where there appeares noe other obligation And conceiue we alwayes heare Christ by this example say vnto our hartes what great matter is it c. if you being but durt and askes subiect your selues to man for Gods fake since I who am omnipotent became humbly subiect to man for your sakes O dust learne of me to obey Learne of me ô earth and clay to humble thy selfe and caste thy selfe vnder the feete of all men for my Loue. Consider Yet further that the heauenly dropps of blood which fall from a God speake more powerfully to pious hartes then Malachie to the people of Israel saying dilexi vâ—s I haue loued you That is I haue doe and shall loue you since there is neither tyme past nor tyme to come with God I haue loued you from eternitie and thence I am come in tyme to saue you I doe loue you in tyme present and thence I giue the first dropps of my bloud for you I wil loue you in tyme to come and will powre out my hartes bloud for you in earnest wherof I now lay downe these dropps I haue loued you and so called you by preuenting grace while you thought not of it I doe loue you and so assiste you by cooperating grace I will loue you and so make my subsequent grace accompaignie you to the end and for assurance of this I now pay downe these dropps Affec O how wonderfully thou hast loued vs ô heâuenly Father since for our sakes thou didst not euen spare thyne owne onely sonne How tenderly didst thou loue vs ô dearely beloued sonne of the Almightie who for our sakes didst not refuse that paynefull imployment but dost euen so airely testifie the excesse of thy loue by the loss of thy blood By which deare pledges being partes of the price of my Redemption I apprehende it euen neere at hand Let Israel now say that he is good that his mercy is for euer Let the house of Aaron now say that his mercy is for euer Come le ts loue him le ts loue him we that are redeemed by his bloude because his mercyes are for euer Let our tongues publish his loue and mercy let our hartes loue and prayse him and let our verie bowels pronounce ô Lord who is like to thee Inable vs deare Iesus to vnderstand descerne and reuerence with due honour this admirable misterie of pietie which is manifested in the flesh hath appeared to the Angells is preached to the gentils is beleeued by the world and this day is signed in bloud Venite adoremus THE FIRST MEDITATION FOR THE. Day after new yeares-Day of the name of IESVS I. POINT COnsider That though all the names vsed by men to signifie the Deitie were from all eternitie are in tyme and shall for euer be most worthily blessed praysed and admired by men and Angells yet to vs Christians the name of our Christ IESVS by which he was called this day is by iustest right most deare and praise-worthy For whether we vse the word Elin which signifies God and is interpreted strong Elion which signifies High or Adonai which we interprete Lord or Saddai which may be called Almightie or els Iehouah which the Hebrewes esteemed ineffable none of them intimates so much and so present consolation to vs poore sinners as doth our myld Emmanuel which signifies our God with vs our Iesus a Sauiour who begins euen to powre out his pretious bloode for vs. Affection Be all thy names ô great Lord God praysed preached admired magnified sanctified for euer by men and Angells and all thy creatures in generall whether they signifie strength power Maiestie Omnipotencie immensitie infinitie or what euer els which we can in noe sorte expresse nor euen by imagination conceiue so vastly great so ineffable so inconceiuable is the Lord and Master whom we serue Yet most deare Sauiour Iesus be thy most mellifluous name as neerer to my eyes and interests so alwayes neerer and dearer so my hart Be that sauing and sanctifying name cherished and sanctfied by vs poore miscrable sinners aboue all other names because thou o deare lambe who wast slayne for me is most worthy of glorie and honour and benediction and all that euer my narrow hart is able to deuise c. 2. POINT Consider that all the names we reade intimate either power and Maiestie or grace and mercy according to that of the Royall Prophete I haue heard these thinges Power is Gods and mercy is thyne ô Lord. According to his Maiestie his name is holy and terrible But this new name IESVS which is giuen to him in earth signifies nothing but mildnesse mercy and saluation for the name of IESVS saith your holy Father is a sweete name a delightfull name a name of deare consolation and blessed hope to the sinner Nay it
occasion to saue him when he perceiues that the said Iudge is more inclined to giue then he to aske mercy When he causes proclamation to be made That he comes not to iudge but to saue the world When he teares the writinges or Euidences which the aduersarie can produce against him Such a Iudge ô my poore sinfull soule may we now find our God to witt a Iesus a Sauiour in this acceptable tyme in this day of saluation There is now therfore noe damnation to those that are in Christ Iesus Resolution I will rise therfore out of this or that badd custome reflecting vpon it in particular which I obserue my selfe subiect to And run to my milde Iudge with an humble confidence c. THE II. MEDITATION For the same day I. POINT CONSIDER a strange and comfortable change of the hand of the highest he who formely spoke onely in qualitie of Lord and master out of the clouds and out of fire saying I am thy Lord I am thy God God is a Lord of reuenge c. Is now come downe from Maiestie as it were and comes downe to vs and speakes to vs in qualitie of man yea the mildest of men Then did his power appeare in the creation of the world and his infinite wisdome in the gouuerning of it but to vs the benignitie and humanitie of God a Sauiour is manifested He comes in our nature in qualitie of our brother that he may shew as well his brotherly as fatherly affection and pitie to the poore man created by him Aff. What doth this singular graciousnesse crye out to our hartes but consolamini consolamini be comforted be comforted my people I will not the death of a sinner but rather that he be conuerted and liue Here is now noe dreadfull Iehouah noe thunder noe lightening to terrifie thee but thy mylde Emmanuell thy God with thee a meeke tender weeping childe our flesh and our brother who is come to dwell amongst vs. Let not the ancient reproche Where is thy God be any more a corrasiue vnto thee For euen here he is in flesh like one of vs There is now noe neede vpon the hearing of his voyce to hyde thy selfe with thy first parentes nay his voyce is the scrikes of a tender babe farre more apt to begett pitie in mans harte then to strike it with dreade He cannot forbeare to loue his owne brethrē his owne flesh and bloode his owne bowells I. POINT Consider that though when I looke vpon my selfe such as I am indeed poore naked blind lame abiect and miserable I haue more cause of confusion then confidence Yea when I represent vnto my selfe the multitude and greeuousnesse of my sinnes which can neuer be better knowen thē by the gratnesse of the price which is sent downe for their redemption I find my selfe euen waighed downe to hell and am readie to despaire Yet the greatnesse of the same price too possesses my hart with stronge hopes of redemption when I obserue Wisdome it selfe imploye the bloud of the lambe the bloud of this tender babe the son of Marie and the sonne of God to make a pretious bathe for the cure of my leprosie I cannot despaire Aff. O God what is man that thou dost thus magnifie him Or the sonne of man that thou puttest thy heauenly hart vpon him Is he turned some pretious thing which formerly thou wast not acquainted with Has he gott some noblenesse of beeing which issued not from thyne owne hand Is he not still dust and ashes earth earth earth of which thou madst him Nay but deare Lord hath he not added malice to this base matter of which he was made Had not all flesh corrupted its wayes so that none did well not one Did not multitudes of crymes and abominations stand vp in thy sight and crye out for reuenge What proportion is there then bewixt the price and the thinge prized Betwixt the blood of an innocent sonne and a sinfull seruant The blood of a God and worthlesse man O too too deare price ô too plentifull Redemptiō I can find nothing here but amaysement and ô Altitudos And conclude with al the gratitude my soule can conceiue that thy friends ô God are too much honored and their Principalitie too well established by this too deare a price THE SEAVENTH MEDIT. I. POINT CONSIDER that when man was so heauie harted that he could not ascende The hart of a God was so gracious that he would descend to him The earth was too heauie to mount into heauen but heauen could find a meanes to transport it selfe as it were into earth For is not this Caue a verie heauen indeede since God here truly Keepes his residence and hath his quires of Angells singing about him Where God is there is his Court and where the Court is there are the Courtiers and where the Courtiers are there is the dutie of Courtiers exercised to witt they behold and loue they loue and behold and with prone adorations singe Sanctus Sanctus Sanctus holy holy holy This stable then is a very heauen indeede Venite adoremus Affect Yes my soule it is my verie God who lyes in this stable in this earthly Heauen the God that made me that conserues me that shall iudge me come downe first to redeeme me and in his owne person shewe me the way of saluation It is my God and if my faith be liuely I may heare a multitude of the heauenly Armie praysing God and saying Glorie in the highest to God c. Let vs take a part with them ô my soule and singe with the whole endeuour of our harte We prayse thee we blesse thee we adore thee we glorifie thee we giue thee thankes for thy great glorie O Lord God! ô Lambe of God! ô Sonne of the Father who takest away the sinnes of the world haue mercy on vs. Who takest away the sinnes of the world admitt our humble supplication Yes deare Lord For thou alone art holy thou alone art Lord thou alone art the sonne of the Almightie God Resol I will not then despaire of ouercoming this or that c. In this Lord in this sonne of the Almightie in this sauing Lambe which takes away the sinnes of the world who comfortes me though otherwise I be but earth and ashes I am able to doe all thinges c. THE SECONDE MEDITATION For the same day I. POINT CONSIDER who are the first Courtiers who are called to this heauenly Celle this earthly Heauen or Court and we shall find that it is not the learned wise and riche of the world that by Christs example we may learne still more and more to contemne the same but tbe poore humble simple vigilant shephards who are so separated from the world that they can hardly be said to haue any commerce with it at all Christe is sarce yet an houre old amongst vs and he alreadie begins to sett vpon the worke for which he was sent .. He comes for mans saluation and man
Augustine though such as vowe Virginitie to God hold a more ample degree of honour and dignitie in the Church of God yet are not they without mariage for they belonge to the mariage with the whole Church wherin Christ is the spouse Affection O admirable dignitie of the Virgine where the humble handmayd is raysed to the honour of a Bride to Christ himselfe the Bridegroome whom whē she loues she is chaste whom when she touches she is pure whom when she takes in mariage she is a Virgine O supercelestial mariage from whence fidelitie and fertilitie is expected as well as in other mariages for such as breake this first faith haue damnation saith the Apostle and the happie state of Virgines assures S. Augustine is more fruitfull and fertile not to haue bigge bellies but great mynds not to haue breasts full of mylke but harts full of candour and in lieu of bringing forth earth out of their bowells they bring forth heauen by their prayers Hence issues a noble progenie puritie iustice patience mildnesse charitie followed by all her venerable traine of vertues This is the Virginns worke to be sollicitous of what belongs to God and to haue her whole conuersation in Heauen THE SECONDE MEDITATION FOR THE SAME SVNDAY CONSIDER yet a third sort of mariage wherin the whole Catholike Church that is all faithfull soules are espoused to Christe in faith hope and charitie but especially by charitie which as Queene drawes a longe with her all the powers and affections of the soule to conforme and subiect them to the pleasure of her diuine spouse making but one will and nill of two wills to witt that of God and man And this conformitie saith the deuoute S. Bernard maries the soule to God Whence results an ineffable content and pleasure and such a heate of diuine loue that the soule and all her affections are absorpt therin Affection Let the world then my soule boast as much as it will of the pleasures and contentements which it inioyes they are not like to the lawe of the Lord thy God that sweete law of loue in comparisō of which the most prosperous earthly pleasure is but vile and base The cheife Good is our Good of which Tertulian saith excellently soome goods as well as some euills bring an intolerable waight with them and most dearely and deliciously oppresse the soule Hence it was that that holie Apostle of the Indies cryed out Satis est Domine satis est It is enough ô Lord it is enough THE SECONDE POINTE CONSIDER yet a fourth sorte of Mariage which is made euery day to all kinds of faithfull soules which approche to the B. Sacrament Wherin we are made one with that diuinely deare spouse of ours not onely by charitie but euen in realitie and in verie deede we are mingled with that sacred flesh of his in that celestiall banket which he bestowes vpon vs to shew vs the excesse of his loue Whence S. Christome saith therfor it was that he ioynd himselfe with vs and mixed his body into vs to the'nd we might be come one with him as the body is ioyned to the heade for euen as one who powres melted waxe saith Cyrill into other waxe must necessarily wholy mixe the one with the other so he that receiues the body and bloud of our Lord is so ioyned with him that Christ is found in him and he in Christ Affection O excesse of goodnesse ô ineffable delightes of that most chaste and sacred mariage betwixt the kinge of heauen and poore man Here in this mariage banket is serued in the foode of Angells nay the kinge of the Angells himselfe becomes the whole feaste Nor is there neede there of any other wine then the precious bloude of the Lambe who dyed for our loue say then my soule and let all that loue and feare our Lord Iesus say with vs quoniam bonus quoniam in saeculum misericordia eius that he is infinitly good and his mercys are without end THE FIRST MEDITATION FOR THE THIRD SVNDAY AFTER THE EPIPHANIE If thou wilt said the Leper to our sauiour thou canst make me cleane Matt. 8. THE FIRST POINTE. CONSIDER that the poore Leper had found by a longe and painfull experience that there was noe hope of cure by the power of man all his owne and others endeuours prouing vneffectuall and therfor he wisely resolued in an humble confidence to haue recourse to him whom he knew by faith to be able to doe all that he would in heauē and in earth By adoration he acknowledges him to be God and by his words he publishes him to be all powerfull He came and adored him sayinge Lord If thou wilt thou canst and the present effects proue that his faith is powerfull and gratefull to Christ who graciously replyes I will Be thou made cleane and forth with his leprosie was made cleane Affection Our great and good Lord my soule neither wants power nor good will to cure all our infirmites if we aske as we ought If he some tyme delaye vs it is but the better to trye vs and more euidently to acquainte vs with our owne want of abilitie till he putt his powerfull hand to the worke for then our leprosie is forth with cured If he delaye vs and sometyme permitt vs for a longe space to languish and euen to be ouerspredd with our leprosie it is but the more perfectly to humble vs and throughly to cure the more dangerous desease of pride Finally if he delay the cure till we waxe more desparatly sicke it oblidges vs being at length cured the more highly to magnifie his mercy and publish his power to all men THE SECONDE POINTE. CONSIDER that there is noe stayne so deeply setled which Gods power is not able to fetch out noe leprosie of body or soule so inueterate and incurable which God with a word doth not cure Our application or addresse is onely to be looked to We must approche to the Lord of life and death as to one such with a liuely faith with an absolute confidence that with a word he can worke what he will his power being onely limited by his will as the faithfull leper plainly expresses Lord if thou wilt thou canst make me cleane Affection Be then my soule thy leprosie and other spirituall deseases neuer so peremptorie Be it that they haue growne on with thee since thy youth Seeme they rather to be another nature then natures defects yet haue but a frequent confident humble recourse to this souueraigne Physitian with a true acknowledgement of thyne owne miserable and otherwise desparate estate crying out with afirme faith O Lord if thou wilt thou canst cure all myne infirmities and infallibly in his good tyme we shall heare I will be thou made cleane THE SECONDE MEDITATION FOR THE SAME SVNDAY Of the Centurion or Capitaine of an hundred Soldiers who sued to our Sauiour for the cure of his seruante THE FIRST POINTE. CONSIDER that we may
of my future merits which he foresaw in his prescience could moue him neither for these were his owne free mercyes gifts and graces non ex operibus Not to vs then ô Lord not to vs but to thyne owne name giue glorie It was thy charitie moued thee to thinke vpon vs. Thy all powerfull will drew vs out of nothing thy owne graces made vs gratefull to thy heauenly eyes For of him and in him and by him are all things To him be glorie for euer Amen Must we conclude with S. Paule THE SECONDE POINTE. He sent them into the vineyard CONSIDER how that great God who out of his infinite goodnesse and chartie had thoughtes of mercy for me from all eternitie did in tyme as his prouidence had appointed rayse me out of the abisse of nothinge and gaue me this noble beeing capable to knowe feare loue and serue him in his vineyard and to gayne the day pennie that is eternall felicitie Affection O my soule what a fauour of preference is it to haue had a light sent from heauen to witt the light of faith which was not granted to all men therby to haue accesse to the great God who inhabites an inaccessible light whom none knowes but feares nor knowes and feares as being infinitly powerfull but he also ought to loue because he is infinitly good or good nesse it selfe serue as being his creature whose seruice is true libertie whom to serue is truly to raigne Let vs therfor my soule know that this is our whole businesse here belowe to feare loue and serue that good God who without hauing any neede of vs made vs to inioy himselfe eternally THE SECONDE MEDITATION FOR THE SAME SVNDAY Hauing made couenant with the workemen for a penie a day c. THE FIRST POINTE. CONSIDER further how graciously that Almightie maker of all thinges dealt with man in this proceding who though he had absolute power ouer all his creatures by right of creation and might ther-for most iustly haue exacted all their labours as they had all their abilities and euen all that they are from his free gift yet would not his goodnesse make vse of his prerogatiue with man by exacting all his labours as due to him from his slaues but pleased to couenante with him for a reward or hire as with a free man Affection All is thyne all is thyne indeede my deare Lord my God and my Creatour absolutly and without reserue as issuing freely out from the drayneles sourse of thy bountie Let all be thyne too by my free choyce and surrender all my words all my thoughtes all my workes and by how much more all being thyne owne by iustice thou yet daignest to spurre on my slowenesse by hope of rewards by so much more feruently make me spring after thee for pure lou'es sake because thou art infinitly good and louely and vnspeakably worthy of the loue of all men and Angells THE SECONDE MEDITATION FOR THE SAME DAY THE FIRST POINTE. CONSIDER that English Catholikes are not onely called to the Knowledge of God and to worke in his vineyard but further to a higher degree of honour to be the speciall champions of his truth To you saith S. Paule in the way of congratulation to his deare Philipians it is giuen for Christ not onely to beleeue in him but also to suffer for him Thus doe Monarkes vse to honour their commanders when out of the confidence they haue of their fidelitie worth and valour putt them in the greatest places and occasions of danger Affection Let vs not therfor my soule here after looke vpon persecutions tribulations and temptations as afflictions but speciall fauours from heauen and esteeme them all ioy with sainte Iames since S. Chrystome and Theophilacte assure vs that the gift of suffering for Christ is greater then the gift of raysing the deade and working of wonderfull miracles for by this last say they I become a debter to God but by that other God becomes my debter O admirable thinge It s he who giues me the grace to suffer and yet by this he himselfe be comes my debter Let vs therfor say with that admirable seruant of Christ S. Teresa aut pati aut mori lets either suffer or dye that is the sure and royall roade which our Capitaine Christ tooke to his owne Kingdome THE FIRST MEDITATION FOR SEXAGESIME SVNDAY The sower went out to sowe his seede Luc 8. And it fell by the way side THE FIRST POINTE. CONSIDER that though the seede which was sowen was noe lesse then the word of God as our Sauiour himselfe declares to his Disciples saying the seede is the word of God in that his diuine commentarie yet three partes of it by the peruersitie of man falls fruitlesse vpon the ground to witt one parte of that good seede fell by the way side that is vpon harts which lye open exposed as a through-fare to all the rumours follies and vanities of the world whence it s troden as it were vnder foote and so neuer getts tyme to take any roote at all Affection Is it not true my soule that it often happens that when the word of God is either proposed to the eare of our body by the preacher or to the eares of our harte by diuine inspirations we haue noe eares to heare or els that hearing we heare not that is we vnderstand not because our hartes are alreadie prepossessed and wholy taken vp by wordly dreames and imaginations so that there is noe place left for the word of God O what pittie it is to let that seede of heauen sent vs to produce the fruites of eternall glorie be negligently lost Le ts therfor emptie our harts of such pernicious toyes that we may truly say speake ô Lord because thy seruant heareth THE SECONDE POINTE And other some fell vpon the Rocke CONSIDER that an other parte of that good seede fell vpon the rocke which hauing the superficies or out-side of some good earth is capable to receiue the seede and to make it sprout out too but yet so hastily that it takes noe firme roote and thence as soone withers as appeares So it fares with those who heare and receiue the word of God with ioy and are often thetby moued to compunction and teares yet their harts being rockie it makes noe great impression therin and thence vpon the first temptation or difficultie they easily forgett that they were moued at all Affection Doe we happly my soule perceiue our hartes so hardened that they are litle apte to conceiue this good seede Despaire not for all that Gods word is a hammer that is able to split rockes in peeces His grace is powerfull enough to make the soyle fertile be it neuer sostonie and barren Pray hard then that these harts of rockes may be turned into harts of flesh supple and apte to receiue good seede saying with S. Augustine giue me ô Lord that conquering grace which is repulsed by noe hard harte
truthes by their ministerie tho otherwise as farre aboue the reach of reason as contrarie to the bent of flesh and bloode powerfully spread themselues all the world ouer and become the familiar and fattening foode not of wise onely but euen Idiotes and children too wherby they are made more learned then the proudest Phylosofer that euer liued Affection O the admirable goodnesse of the Father sonne and holy Ghost who so graciously reueales the mysteries of Heauen to vs litle ones in earth The Father sent vs his onely sonne to purchace vs that singular fauour at the price of his pretious bloode which he willingly and ioyfully vndertooke to teache vs the secreetes of heauen And the holy Ghoste sent from them both so absolutly confirmes our hartes in the beliefe therof that poore illiterate pesants doe not onely knowe more then greatest Phylosofers but are readie to laye downe their liues in confirmation of that truth THE FIRST MEDITATION FOR THE FIFT SVNDAY AFTER EASTER Vntill now you haue not asked anything Io. 16. THE FIRST POINT CONSIDER that the poore beggar needes noe other inuitation to aske then the knowledge and sense of his owne pouertie and want whence the rich of this world doe as litle vse as litle neede to intreate the beggar to aske an almes of him But the riches of heauen by an ineffable bountie and graciousnesse importunes vs vs as it were to importune him saying vntill now you haue not asked any thing aske and you shall receiue Affection Alas my soule me thinkes the longe and certaine knowledge we haue of our owne miserie and want and the daylie temptations we suffer and relapses we fall into should sufficiently inuite vs to haue frequent recourse to a bountifull giuer but now at least being incited by the reproches he makes vs for not asking let vs hourely run to those ouerflowing breasts of mercy and grace least we may seeme gratis to loose our selues Let vs my soule aske seeke knocke that holy violence is gratefull to God with as much importunitie as we truly find necessitie THE SECONDE POINTE. Amen Amen I say to you if you aske the father any thinge in my name he will giue it you Io. 16. WHOM WE ARE TO ASKE CONSIDER how stronge hopes we ought to conceiue of obteyning our demande where the promesse is made in so great a latitude and where such a sonne the wisdome of heauen confidently sends vs to such a Father the eternall sourse of all goodnesse plentie and happinesse which can neuer be drayned to his Father and our Father as we are taught by his sacred mouthe to beleeue and say Our Father which are in heauen c. Affection O daughter of Sion ah my poore soule why wilt thou wilfully perish where such large and louing offers of grace and abundance is made to thee What confidence may we not iustly haue of obteyning all things necessarie when we are sent to the Father of mercys and the God of all consolation by his onely deare sonne who in obedience to his diuine will putt downe that plentifull price of his pretious bloud for the loue of vs Be my faylings neuer so frequent be my sinns in what number they will at least from hence forth I will not forgett to call thee with Ieremie Thou art my Father the guide of my Virginitie THE SECONDE MEDITATION FOR THE SAME SVNDAY Aske the Father in my name Io. 16. THE FIRST POINTE. HOW WE OVGHT TO ASKE CONSIDER that our blessed Sauiour in these few words instructs vs not onely of whom we are to aske to witt of his Father but how or in what manner to witt in his name If we aske of a Father and that of an all-knowing all-seeing Father it ought to be done with the reuerence humilitie obedience loue and confidence of a child If in the name of a sonne it ought to be done as that sonne vsed to doe it saying with an absolute resignation Father if it may be if it be agreable to thy diuine will if it be expedient for my eternall good grant this or this c. If otherwise not my will but thyne be done Affection Let vs then my soule in all our necessities and difficulties addresse our selues to that omnipotent Father of mercyes and all consolation for none comes to the sonne vnlesse the father drawe them But let it be in the name of his sonne Iesus since there is noe other name vnder heauen giuen to men wherin they must be saued Let vs then humbly intreate that heauenly father in the name and by the merites of that most dearely beloued sonne be it for thinges necessarie for the bodie or soule but let it still be done with perfect resignation to his blessed will and pleasure saying as we were taught by him Father if it may be let this or this be done or this or this be taken away Howbeit not my will but thy holy will be done THE SECONDE POINTE FOR THE SAME DAY What we are to aske CONSIDER that what we ought to aske is to result out of the same words of our Sauiour Aske of my Father in my name We must aske then of a louing Father we must therfor demande thinges sutable to his loue his goodnesse will not giue vs a stone in lieu of breade nor a serpent in steede of a fish he will not giue vs poyson because our follie likes it We must aske of a Father who is the Kinge of heauen we must not then aske earthly trash which is vnworthy of his bestowing Finally we must aske in the name of a Sauiour nothing therfor which is against our Saluation Affection Run then my soule to that almightie Father in the name of that best beloued sonne But be not peremptorie in our demands wisdome better knowes what it best for vs. If we aske of a louing father le ts aske with loue not with feare If we aske of an Almightie father who has Kingdomes to giue aske not for cottages trifles vnworthy of his giuing If in the name of a Sauiour things then which most conduce to our saluation things which he himselfe taught vs to aske that his name may be sanctified in all nations that he may absolutly raigne ouer all hartes that his holy will may be punctually performed here belowe as in the Court of heauen c. Let vs aske that my soule and we shall neuer be confounded THE FIRST MEDITATION FOR THE THIRD SVNDAY AFTER WHITSVNDAY And there approched publicans and sinners vnto him to heare him Luc. 15. CONSIDER the great mercy and myldnesse of Iesus who did not onely graciously permitt publicans and publike sinners to approch to him to heare his diuine word c. but he euen proued by the parable of the lost sheepe which men are wont to seeke with so much care their Apologist or Aduocate against the vncharitable murmurings of the proud and vnm ercifull Scribes and Pharisies who looked vpon them and him with disdaigne Affection Base
sooner and more abundantly then we expect what may be conducing to our good will be effected For behold while Christ scarce promiseth the cure of the Princes sonns bodie presently before his returne home the child is cured and he and his whole house are become the faithfull of Christ Ah! how good thou art ô God to such as are right of harte THE FIRST MEDITATION FOR THE XXI SVNDAY AFTER WHITSVNDAY The Kingdome of heauen is likened to a man beinge a Kinge who would make an account with his seruants Matt. 18. FIRST POINT CONSIDER that by the Kinge who would make an account with his seruants is meant the Kinge of heauen and by the seruant who ought him ten thousand Talentes is represented a sinfull soule guiltie of many huge crymes wherof he is not at all in a condition to disingage himselfe And what could such an one expect from a most iust Master but rigour since he had so vniustly and carelessly run into so great arreares To witt his Master commanded that he should be sold he his wife and children and all that he had Affection Alas my soule in what a miserable state is such a guiltie person He may truly say with Iob behold there is noe helpe for me in my selfe All that I finde in my selfe of my selfe is an accursed libertie to heape sinne vpon sinne to contemne the benignitie and humanitie of Christ and finally to treasure vp anger against the day of anger Whither then must I betake my selfe for ayde What meanes must I vse to shelter my selfe against the rigour of the most iust doome which I see readie to be pronounced against me Alas my soule there is noe flight from God but to God from God offended to God appeased from his iustice to his mercy Let then the residue of our life be spent in crying mercy mercy mercy dread lord acknowledging from the bottome of our hartes that it was his mercy alone we were not consumed THE SECONDE POINTE. But the seruant falling downe besought him saying haue patience towards me c. And his master moued with pittie forgaue him the debt CONSIDER that though that badd seruant 's prodigalitie or negligence in contracting so great a debt had putt him into a certaine morall impossibilitie of euer beinge able to paye so immense a summe and consequently made him most iustly lyable to the punishment which was putt vpon him yet was his good Master so mercifull that presently vpon his submission and prayer he was moued with compassion and forgaue him the whole debt howeuer great it was Affection Take courage then my soule be thy crymes in neuer so greate multitudes be thy arreares contracted in what length of tyme so euer Gods mercyes doe infinitly surpasse thy miseries the accursed power of thy malice can neuer exhauste the riches of his free commiserations Behold behold with admiringe loue how the tender harte of that best Master is presently touched and moued to pittie vpon the first submission and sute of his worst seruant and forgiues him not a part but the whole debt Let then all the poore sinfull seruantes of this most indulgent Master with most humbled hartes replenished with gratitude say to him and all the world quoniam bonus quoniam in aeternum misericordia eius THE SECONDE MEDITATION FOR THE SAME SVNDAY This seruant found his fellow-seruant who ought him one hundred pence c. and layd violent hands vpon him and cast him into prison THE FIRST POINTE. CONSIDER the vnmercifulnesse and crueltie of this naughtie seruant and in him lets diligently obserue our selues He ought his Lord an immense summe to witt one hundred and twentie french millions His fellow-seruant ought him a trifle onely to witt one hundred pence He vpon his first submission and humble sute found mercy with his Lord and the remission of the whole debt His fellow-seruant falls downe with noe lesse submission and humble prayer and yet meets with nothing but violence and vttermost rigour Affection Alas my soule is it not thus that we deale with one another notwithstanding the many precepts and examples of mercy giuen vs by our mylde Master Blessed are the mercifull for they shall obteyne mercy I will haue mercy and not a sacryfice And is it not by Gods mercy alone that we are not consumed And yet while we heare mercy so highly commended by God while we so easily find mercy and pardon for many and great crymes at his holy hand we can hardly preuayle with our selues to pardon our brother the smale fault he may happen to committ against vs. Let vs deale my soule as we would desire to be dealt with Vse mercy and we shall not fayle to finde it But iudgement without mercy to him that hath not done mercy assures S. Iames. THE SECONDE POINTE. And deliuers him to the tormenters till he pay the whole debt CONSIDER that when our B. Sauiour finds that neither his precepts nor practice are forcible enough to preuayle with fierce man to doe as he would be done to and pardon one another as we desire to be pardoned by him he waxeth wroth and deliuers that vnmercifull seruante to the Tormenters vntill he repay all the debt For howeuer what God remitts is truly remitted nor doth he iudge twice vpon the same thinge yet the horrible ingratitude and crueltie of the naughtie seruant appeared in the eyes of his iustice so enormious that he looked vpon it as the whole debt of ten thousand talents adding withall that so also his heauenly father will deale with vs if euery one of vs forgiue not his brother from his harte Affection With what measure we measure our brethren it shall be measured backe to vs. If we will needs vse iustice without mercy iustice shall we finde without mercy Ah my soule what a daunting reproche shall it be to vs to heare from a Iudge from whom there is noe appeale thou vngracious seruant I forgaue thee all the debt because thou besoughtest me oughtest not thou then too to haue mercy vpon thy fellow-seruant euen as I had mercy on thee But his mercy freely extended to multitudes of offences committed against a diuine maiestie Should not ours then and from our harte reach at least to a fewe and light faults done against our miserie What replye alas shall we be able to returne to this demande THE FIRST MEDITATION FOR THE XXII SVNDAY AFTER WHITSVNDAY The Pharisies consulted among themselues to intrappe him Iesus in his words Matt. 22. THE FIRST POINTE. CONSIDER that though there be nothinge more conducing to mans good then to haue a docile mynde to take counsell and a readinesse to aduise amongst our selues before we sett vpon any things of moment according to that of the Prouerbes I wisdome dwelle in counsell and againe saluation is found in much counsell So is there nothing more pernicious then when many heades conspire togeither to contriue mischeife to supplante their Christian brother to tempt Christ and
beseech thee that thou wilt permirt rather whatsoeuer cruell torment to take me out of this life then become so cruell as to imbrace sin which was caufe of my bestloued his so infinite affliction Cons 2. Consider what meanes our sweete Sauiour vseth in this his extreame distresse learning thence a true behauiour in our affliction And behold pious and humble Iesus prone laied vpon the ground he to whom all knees are iustly bowed like a poore man like a poore sinner as one left of his heauenly father to reconcile vs poore men vs poore sinners to his heauenly father in a long and feruent prayer crying out Pater si possibile est transeat à me Calix iste Father if it be possible let this cuppe passe avvay from me See him a second and a third time goe to the same place iterate the same prayer adding that voice of perfection non mea sed tua voluntas fiat Not my vvil but thyne be done As though he should saie heauenly father if it be possible let this bitter potion passe for my tender nature doth altogether abhorre it yet if without it mankind shall not be redeemed not mine but thy blessed will be done Affect O blessed resignation ô lesson of greatest perfection and we my soule shall we not striue to learne it being taught vs by the wisest by the louingest by the sweetest Master thar euer earth or heauen had shall we not in our necessities in our more vrgent difficulties in our daily temptations run straight to our mercifull father feruently and confidently crying out Pater si possibile est transeat à me c. That is if it be thought good to thy diuine goodnes that I should be deliuered of such or such a difficultie or temptation which doth euen to death afflict me be it so if not I doe willingly repose and rest satisfied in thy fatherly prouidence and doe freely pronounce Viue Iesus not mine but thy heauenly will be accomplished None can be more wise to know what 's most conuenient for me none more louing to wish me that which thy wisdome sees conuenient and none more potent to performe that which thou willest and seest to be conuenient and therefore freely and by best reason I affirme not my vvill sweet Iesus but thine be done THE VIII MEDITATION Of the betraying of Iesus Cons 1. BVt alas why doe we here delaie Iesus stands not still in this station feare is driuen awaie by loue the ardent desire he hath to suffer for man hath carried him forward euen into the traitor Iudas his hands ay me looke for loue looke a barbarous multitude armed with bills with staues wish swords with inhumanitie with crueltie with diuelishnes and Iudas the first of the hellish route besetting the innocent lambe the harmelesse ioseph my loue my spouse my Iesus readie to rend to spoyle to bereaue him of his life Affect And can we my soule see this with drye eyes shall we not run to helpe with the little force we haue shall the innocent be led awaie and I the guiltie escape me me qui feci in me conuertite ferrum Iudaei Iewes cruell Iewes turne your furie vpon my nocent breast and permitt my Lord and Master to escape t was I t was I good Iesu t was I that offended And thou my sweete Master pardon my fault and make me vndauntedly to accompany thee through all the difficulties and disastres of this painefull passage of this time of thy holy Passion Trahe me post te Domine trahe me post te Draw me after thee deare Lord drawe me after thee and let thy mercy neuer permitt me to be so cowardlie as to abandone thee Cons 2. Consider how mildly this meekest lambe behaues himselfe amidest this rude multitude and first towardes that vnkind miscreant that traiterous Iudas imparting him a kisse of his heauenly faire mouth and sweetly sayng Amice ad quid venisti friend Disciple haue I deserued thus at thy hands imagine the like said to euerie offending soule was it a fault to haue washed thy feete to haue fed thee with my body and blood Amice c. is it possible that thou esteemest me at so vile a price as thirtie pence Amice c. returne home Iudas returne into thine owne hart see whither thou hast gone and against whom returne with repentant teares and my grace shall neuer be wanting O ineffable benignitie of a Saniour towards a traiterous seruant what may deseruing friends expect if demeriting miscreants find such amiable words what a singular ioy may this be to vs ô my soule if we perseuer in our loyaltie what a sure hope should we by fraud or frailtie chance to fall what a great shame not to forgiueour enemies sith neuer anie fault was or shall be so great blush my soule blush to vse such fowle words in euerie small offence sith the King of glorie vsed no other reprehension to his betrayour then Amice ad quid venisti Friend to what end didst thou come THE IX MEDITATION Of the taking of Iesus Cons 1. COnsider how notwithstanding they had experience of his power more then humane in casting them all downe with two short words ego sum yet did they not leaue off to prosequute their diuellish designe Thinke what his power will be when he shall come to iudge if goeing ro be iudged he be thus potent what in his raigne if in his banishment his words strike such a terrour But see see nowe they lay violent hands vpon my deare spouse the rauinous wolues enter vpon the tender lambe Ay my hart one pulles his beard an other fastens vpon his haire a third laies hold vpon his necke this beates him vpon his amiable face another bindes his sacred hands and they who could laie no hands vpon him throws at him blasphemous contumelious words in fine what did they not sith fecerunt in eum quaecunque voluerunt they did what euer they would against him Let vs here behould who endures what of whom and for whom and I think we shall neede no arte to moue compassion O amor meus c. Cons 2. Follow now your sweet spouse to Annas house and marke in the waie the rude and barbarous behauiour which they vse towards him tugging and haling him forward while he the mildest of men made no resistance nether spoke one word for alas his Disciples are alreadie all fled all Peter also who would rather dye then forsake him Ay me what can euer be a subiect of more commiseration then to see so gracious so louing so heauenlie a master forsaken of all those whom lately he had so louingly cherished so carefully comforted so fatherly fed with his owne precious bodie and blood Affect And we my soule are not euen we daygned with the same fauours fed daily with the same foode and shall then such or such a difficultie cause vs to desist from following our sweete Sauiour shall weake woemens voices deterre vs ah
doth not so much speake comfort and confirme our hopes as euen disclose the bowells of the heauenly childs mercy while he lays downe his bloude to take vp a name of mercy For the day was come that the child should be cir cumcised and his name was called IESVS Affection When I heare those great and dreadfull names of power and maiestie I am euen strucke with astonishment and I am readie to hide my selfe with Adam from the face of Gods wroth Marrie when I heare of a milde Emmanuel an innocent Lambe a meeke tender young child Iesus the sonne of Marie that honie-name that oyle powred out my feares vanish and my hart conceiues a strange and strong confidence and boldly and ioyfully I approche to my younge brother For in him I discouer Maiestie and mildnesse matched togeither in the same seate or subiect I obserue Iustice and Peace mett togeither in him and giueing each other mutually sweete kisses of reconcilement And my hart can harbour no other thoughtes but of peace and reconcilement togeither with them and still it pronounceth with heauenly ioy and Iubilie Liue Iesu liue in my poore hart Liue Iesu there and nere depart THE II. MEDITATION For the same day I. POINT CONSIDER that this name of Iesus was not imposed by Marie or Ioseph or euen by an Angell but God the father who best knew the dignitie of it imposed it himselfe by the ministerie of an Angell Nor is it a name pointing out some proprietie onely as those others Christ Pastor Lion Lambe Rocke doore vine way c. but it is his owne proper name and properly speaking that he and noe other comes to deliuer the people from their sinnes Affect Noe my deare Sauiour Iesus it is thou thy selfe that hast raysed to thy selfe a name of glorie by the redemption of thy people Abraham hath not knowen vs and Israel hath bene ignorant of vs but thou art our Father our Redeemer from the beginning is this blessed name of thyne Thou art indeede our Christ our anoynted king t is most true thou art our Pastour to bring backe vs lost sheepe vpon thyne owne shoulders thou art a Lion of the tribe of Iuda to conquer for vs thou art the Lambe who takest away the sinnes of the world thou the Rocke vpon which we safely build thou the Doore by which alone we enter into life thou the true vine producing wine begetting virgins thou the way by which we securely walke towards eternitie but this new name Iesus is the onely name vnder heauen wherby we ought to be saued Be therfor Iesus to me and saue me Amen 2. POINT Consider that he had not this name neither by course or chance nor yet by free gift but he purchaced it at a deare rate acquisiuit sanguine suo with the price of his owne pretious bloude whence we are rightly called a purchaced people and so he begins not to enter into the possession of that name till he putt downe the first dropps as the earnest penny Loe then how properly iustly and mercifully for vs this name of Iesus is his Affect He was ours both by birth and free guift Nobis natus nobis datus borne for vs giuen to vs. But we though otherwise his owne by the right of creation are not his but at a deare rate the price of his pretious bloud for it is true that we were bought or redeemed pretio magno by a huge deare price so that the tender Lambe which was slayne hath iustest title to this saueing name Iesus which name conteynes all names is aboue all names yea is indeede all in all workes all deliuers all c. And yet ô singular goodnesse infinite loue ineffable mercy he 's ours he 's our owne borne for vs giuen to vs all spent vpon vs. All is ours then yet we are his too Nos autem Christi but we are Christ's assures great S. Paule We Christs Christ all ours ô blessed coniunction What a peruersitie then were it to sell away for moments of pleasure euen what is not our owne which was purchaced at so huge a rate to the Diuell Gods and our owne most mortall enemye MEDITATIONS OF the Epiphanie Or Manifestation of our Sauiour THE FIRST MEDITATION Of Christian ioyes in the multiplied feastes of Christ in the Catholike Church THE FIRST POINT CONSIDER how Gods sweete prouidence by the blessed practise of his holy Catholike Church goes on continuing our Christian ioyes by the neerely neighbouring solemnities of his Christ who hauing bene mercifully borne for vs on Christmas-day and the eight day after graciously giuen to vs this glorious day is manifested to all the world in the persons of the three kinges the first fruites of the Gentils wherin we were all comprised Affection O my soule how happie are we to haue gotten within the bosome of that Catholike mother who neuer ceaseth to allure on her children with milke and honie to run after her sweete spouse Now saith she he is borne for vs presently after he is giuen to vs and now againe on this blessed day he is manifested and made knowen to vs and all the world And thus still by her multiplied solemnities of Christ she magnifies our Christian ioyes she rowses vp our drowsinesse and awakes Iesus who sometymes sleepes in vs that is she excites our faith quickens our hope inflames our charitie while she renewes the happie memorie of our young Emmanuel by proposing him againe and againe to our thoughtes Be he for euer blest who takes vs mercifully into the communion of this happinesse And let vs my soule neuer forgette but alwayes giue hartie thankes for so greate a dignation Of Christian ioyes in the happie beginning of Christs raigne II. POINT CONSIDER what hartie ioy we should haue had we the hartes of children and as truly desired that Christs kingdome should indeede come as we continually begge it euerie day in our prayers saying thy kingdome come when we see so happie an ouerture made by the vocation of the three kinges towards the aduancement and increase of Christ his Church and raigne When we see I say our new-borne kinge of the Iewes not onely diuulged within the narrow circuite of Iewrie by sillie shephards but published and made knowen to all nations by wise kinges so that generally all kinges and nations haue euer since flocked into his saueing fold and cheerefully haue put downe their scepters and crownes in homage at his sacred feete Aff. Exult my soule exult thou race of the Gētils because our light is come and the sunne of Gods glorie begins to shine in our Land true light of light appeares to those that longe satt in darknesse and in the shadowe of death Noe my soule God is not the God of the Iewes alone but of the Gentils also his name is not great in Israel onely but euen all ouer the world Nay the perfidious and disloyall Synagogue is this day repudiated and the Gentil is espoused By the faithfull
Gentil thy kingdome ô deare Sauiour is dilated ouer all the face of the earth and thy raigne shall dure for euer And therfor ô all ye nations clappe hands make iubilation to God in the voyce of exultation singe ye to our God singe ye singe ye to our Kinge singe ye because God is Kinge of all the earth singe ye wisely The Princes of the people are gathered togeither with the God of Abraham he shall raigne ouer the Gentils Thus did the kinglie Prophete teach vs Christian Gentils to singe so long agoe THE SECONDE MEDITATION Of the vocation of the Gentils in the three Kinges I. POINT CONSIDER that our pious and mercifull Lord not being the God of the Iewes onely but also of the Gentils who will all men to be saued and to come to the knowledge of the truth limites not the riches of his goodnesse within the confines of Iewrie but will haue them extended to all the world so that he calls not the Iewes onely in the persons of the shepheards but the Gentils also in the persons of the Kinges If he had promises for those he is not without blessings neither for these If he haue Angells in aboundāce to call those he wants not starrs to conduct these to his royall presence testifying by them both that he is noe acceptour of persons but loues Iewe and Gentil vnlearned and learned poore and rich and breathes by the holy Ghost where he pleaseth subduing what hartes he pleaseth to his seruice Affection Let vs then o my soule imitating Gods mercyes extende the assistance of our obsecrations prayers postulations thankes-giuinges to all men to Iewe and Gentil to such as are farre off and such as are neere hand to such as are in the Church and such as are out of it to poore and riche to kinges and Potentates be they friends or foes protectours or persecutours For this is good and acceptable before God our Sauiour For alas what doe we know that we hate not a brother while we thinke onely to hate an enemie Let vs pray I say first for our domestikes in faith that they may increase in grace ad haue the gift of perseuerance Next for those that yet beleeue not vt ex nolentibus fiant volentes that of such as will not beleeue they may by Gods grace be made beleeuers sayinge with the holy Church etiam rebelles compelle voluntates compelle euen those rebelliouswills that obstinacie and blindnesse being subdued Turke Iewe and Gentil may be but one flocke and fold How the kinges were called to Iesus II. POINT CONSIDER how the kinges came and we shall presently find that our attentions are stopt by the Euangelist with a word inciting to admiration Ecce behold saith S. Matthew there came sages from the cast to Hierusalem Nor is it without wonder indeede that wise men should leaue their countrie to come a greate iorney to a forraigne land which had nothing common with them And yet their errand seemes more strange They came c. saying where is he who is borne the kinge of the Iewes A demande which in likelyhoode might haue cost them their liues And yet their motiue seemes most strange of all for say they we haue seene his starre in the east Should wise men and Kinges leaue their Kingdomes vpon the onely sight of a starre to looke out one borne the Kinge of the Iewes and that in the midst of Iewrie where another Kinge alreadie raigned Affection O my soule what can we find here but admirations with S. Paule O the highnesse of the riches of the wisdome and knowledge of God How incomprehensible are his iudgements how inscrutable are his wayes What doe we find I say but effects of Gods great mercy strangly and strongly working For certainly their iorney their demande their motiue appeare litle lesse then madnesses in the eyes of men while yet in the eyes of God they are effectes of grace and heauenly wisdome For the starre which they saw exteriourly was seconded by the grace which they felt interiourly and thence they vndertooke the iorney the grace of the holy Ghost knowing noe sluggish delayes The grace which they felt was a powerfull and conquering grace and thence they feared not to aske for the kinge of the Iewes euen in the face of the Tyrant The starre which they saw was the light of faith and thence they giue for their reason a thinge which reason is not acquainted with an obscure yet conuinceing argument of thinges which appeare not THE THIRD MEDITATION How admirable the kinges calling was I. POINT CONSIDER againe with wonderment this strange proceeding of the kinges Abraham its true went out of his countrie too his kindred and his fathers house and he was both admirable and prayse worthy therin Howbeit this seemes farre to exceede that Abraham went out because he was commanded because he was promised to haue another certaine place appointed him because he had assurances giuen by God that he should be magnified c. But they had neither commande to goe nor place appointed whither to goe nor stayd they in any danger at home nor were they allured with any adunatagious promises abrode but contrarily they were as free to stay as goe they knew not whither they went nor whether they should find what they sought And they were withall so farre from ayming at aduantage or securitie that contrarily they ran into apparent danger and were readier to giue then to take as appeared by the presentes they brought and yet those sages came to Hierusalem vnder the guidance of one onely starre Affection Admire my soule the wonderfull effectes of the hand of the most High admire the wholy disinterressed and truly kinglie hartes of these holy kinges Who while they were noe way necessitated noe way commanded so freely vpon the sommons of one starre left their countries and all and came to him to whom none comes vnlesse first drawen by his heauenly father And yet how many starres haue we and we stirre not how many kind inuitations and we answere not How many heauenly callings toward Iesus and alas we turne a deafeeare to them But doe not so my soule doe not so the neglect of heauenly fauours iustly irritates the bountifull Benefactour If we be not able to goe before others by our good example le ts not fayle at least to follow them Run on run on by the holy example of the kinges whither diuine inspirations which continually lay seidge to our hartes as so many heauenly messengers doe leade vs. Le ts be faithfull in this behalfe and when ere the Bridegrome knockes le ts lay open our hartes and leaue them wholy at his dispose neither expecting commands nor questioning the manner how Neither ayming at gaynes nor fearing or flying labour losse nor danger All is safe and gaynfull enough where Iesus leades and Iesus is looked for That the kinges proceedinges are our lessons II. POINT CONSIDER that this proceeding of the first fruites of
disposition A holy retreate I. POINT CONSIDER by the B. Apostles example that the third disposition to receiue the holy Ghost ought to be a sacred solitude or retreate from wordly affaires vaine feares fruitlesse sollicitudes which disorder and take vp the house of our hart which should be wholy kept for the intertaynement of so great a guest The world was alwayes his and our worst enemye and hates him It were not to receiue him worthily to suffer his enemye to prepossesse the place The designe of his heauenly hart is to speake to ours alone and to make vs tast how sweete our God is And farre vnfitt it were to mixe those pure delightes with the bitter-sweetes the world affords Affection Le ts then my soule striue to silence those as importune as vnprofitable noyses and rumours of the world which hinder vs to heare what Heauen speakes to our hartes The world indeede is still whispering in the cares of our hart and tells vs of I know not what delightes but ah they are not like to the Law of our Lord that deare Law of loue which the holy Ghost sweetly breathes into our soules They are not they are not like it They doe but promise feyned pleasure peace and pay certaine paines and affliction Auant therfore deluding world disband fond feares and sollicitudes and leaue the whole hart for the God of loue The 4. disposition Our owne earnest endeuour II. POINT CONSIDER for the 4. disposition that this solitude is not to be spent in an idle and sleepie expectation without any concurrence of ours but contrarily by how much the more we are remoued from the world in our thoughtes by so much more are they to be conuersant in heauen for though the holy Ghost be a free gift and could not be merited by all the endeuours of men but proceedes from the vncompelled and free goodnesse of the father and the Sonne who the Sonne by his sacred word promised by his painefull Passion merited and by his holy prayers preuayled for his coming yet we see by the example of the Apostles and Primitiue Christians that we are to make vse of our owne endeuours before we haue the happinesse to receiue him indeede as dispositions to prepare our hartes against the receipt of so great a Gueste Affection Noe my soule the God who made vs without our helpe will not saue vs without our owne concourse or cooperation He will saue vs in qualitie of such as he made vs by his gift and grace to witt reasonable and free Creatures He hath taught vs to aske to seeke to knocke nor shall we otherwise receiue or find the gate open Nay he euen reproches vs that being so longe so continually with vs our coldnesse yet asketh nothing Nor would he euer saith sweete S. Augustine so earnestly exorte vs to aske if he would not giue Let slouthfull man blush then since God is more readie to giue then we to receiue He 's more readie to grant mercye then we to be deliuered from miserie THE III. MEDITATION The 5. disposition Prayer I. POINT CONSIDER for the 5. disposition the primitiue and Apostolicall way to receiue the holy Ghost as it is deliuered in the first of the Actes All of them saith S. Luke were perseuering in prayer We find the Apostles to whom the promesse was newly made praying for the performance of it We find the Primitiue Christians and our Blessed Lady her selfe at prayer Nay euen our Aduocate while he was yet with vs told vs that he would pray to his heauenly father for vs in this behalfe good reason then that we his poore clyents should ioyne in petition with him and earnestly pray that that holy Spirit may be sent to vs. Affection Let vs then my soule incessantly both day and night aspire and breath after this holy Spirit saying with blessed S. Aug. Come ô thou holy communication of the Father and the Sonne and prepare thyne owne habitation Come and visite the darke retreaites of our distracted hartes Come ô thou clenser of sinnes and curer of wounds Come ô thou strength of the weake and support of such as are readie to fall Come ô thou teacher of the humble and destroyer of the proude Come purifie this self-loue by thy sacred fire enlighten this self-iudgement by thy cleare light and breake downe this selfe will of myne by thyne vnresistable power The 6. disposition Vnanimous perseuerance in prayer II. POINT CONSIDER that the Apostles and Primitiue Christians Prayer was accompayned with vnanimitie and perseueuerance It was not slightly and distractedly run ouer in a short tyme but they absolutly made it their busines being shutt vp togeither euen from the Ascension till Pentecoste or the coming of the holy Ghost vnanimously and instantly begging and expecting that Best gift Affection Thus my soule let vs and all that loue the eternall loue of the Father and the Sonne pray vnanimously not with diuided hartes and perseuerantly all togeither not as though we were litle concerned or that we had not all one designe since we ought all to haue but one hart And ioyne in prayer with that deare Mediatour and Aduocate of ours to his father and our father at whose right hand he is still pleading for vs his poore brethren according to flesh that he would dispatch downe that holy Spirit of theirs into our hartes to th end we may all be but one by loue and vnion with the father and Sonne and the same Spirit as they are but all one in essence and substance and that our hartes may continue the pure and chaste Temples of the holy Trinitie for euer Christian hartes thus vnited are able to make a holy force against Heauen and draw from thence the Spirit of vnion AN ENTERTAYNEMENT FOR WHITSONTIDE OR MEDITATIONS OF THE HOLY GHOST THE I. MEDITATION That of our selues without the ayde of the holy Ghost we can doe nothing I. POINT CONSIDER that Man of himselfe as of himselfe is not able to think one good thought but all our sufficiencie is from God and what God the Father by his power is able to performe what the sonne by his wisdome to inuent is not executed and applied vnto vs but by the goodnes and loue of God the holY Ghost whence s. Paule None can say Lord Iesus that is as he ought profitablY to saluation but in the holy Ghost Affection See mY soule in these diuine truths thine owne sufficiencie that is thy pouertie and meere nothing We are not able to worke one good worke nor saie one good word nor euen conceaue one good thought but all euen all our sufficiencie is from that great Giuer of all good giftes So that we may well pronounce with the holy Church without thy power ô diuine Spirit there is nothing at all sound in Man If then all our strength be from him let all our addresses be to him If we indeede acknowledge our owne impotencie let vs betake our selues to his omnipotencie If
vnto vs. Be they Blessed and praysed magnified and glorified in the vnitie of one Deitie for euer And let our earthly Trinitie neuer forgett this mercy Let our memorie faithfully represent it to ourvnderstanding Let our vnderstanding continually ponder ruminate and deliuer it to the will And let the will imbrace in ioy and carefully locke vp this present of infinite loue with all the loue ioy and Iubilie of hart imaginable THE IV. MEDITATION What we receiue indeede when we are said to receiue the Holy Ghost I. POINT CONSIDER that by receiuing of the holy Ghost we receiue the substantiall or consubstantiall vnitie charitie and sanctitie of the father and the Sonne according to S. Augustine The most firme and indissoluble bond or tye of the holy Trinitie The sacred kisse of the father and the Sonne by their mutuall loue from all Eternitie whereby they loued the iust euen with the loue of their owne hart saith S. Richard de S. Victore which is the holy Ghost Affection Ah my soule how ineffably greate blessings are these which faith layes before vs and we consider it not or rarely and coldly reflect vpon them O did we frequently looke vpon it with a liuely faith how would our thoughtes be wayned from this base world How euer we are in it we are not made for it the heauens haue other thoughtes for vs. The true cause of our being here indeede is to adheare to God by loue and to become holy as our heauenly father is holy and to that purpose the holy Ghost the verie vnitie loue and sanctitie of the Father and the sonne comes downe to dwell in vs. Ah my soule Let vs neuer forgett this astonishing and oppressing graciousnesse II. POINT CONSIDER yet further that it is not the vnitie charitie and pietie of the father and the sonne which we receiue onely but truly and indeede we receiue the person of the holy Ghost wâ—â—h grace and charitie nor is he in vs by Essence Presence and power only as he is euerie where but in a more deare neere and intimate manner as in his Thâ—one oâ— Temple For doe you not know saith s. Paule that you are the Temple of God and the Holy Ghost doth dwell in you And againe Charitie is diffused into our hartes by the holy Ghost who is giuen vnto vs. Affection Yes saith s. Augustine that good God is present to his faithfull â—ot meerly by the grace of visitation but by the presence of his Maiestie It is not now the odour of the balsome that is spredd abroad but the verie substance of the sacred oyntment it selfe By which according to s. Iohn we shall be taught all thinges O great great and most admirable mysterie which is yet so familiar to vs Christians O most excellent and incomparable visite and gift of the proper person of the holy Ghost O God what a singular fauour is it to haue God the true God really and personally dwelling in our hartes O what hartes ought they to be which haue the happinesse to be the Mansion of such an inhabitant THE V. MEDITATION The excessiue loue of God shewen to man in sending the holy Ghost I. POINT CONSIDER with S. Augustine that God the father moued by meere mercie sent his sonne to redeeme his seruants he sent also the holy Ghost to adopt the same seruants into children He gaue his sonne for the price of their Ransome the holy Ghost for a pledge and assurance of his loue and reserues himselfe all whole for the inheritance of the adopted So much did he desire mans saluation that he imployed not only what was his but euen himself also to that effect Affection Doe we beleeue this ô my soule but doe we beleeue it indeede That such a sonne was sent for such seruants That seruants and such seruants were adopted into sonns into coheires into the participation of the diuine nature By the meere mercy of the Father by the bloud of the sonne by the loue of the holy Ghost Doe we beleeue it I say yes yes we beleeue it my soule We dare not we cannot deney it Credo Domine we beleeue it ô Lord yet helpe our incredulitie in this behalfe We beleeue it in words and in hart too but our actions our gratitude our loue speake it not confirme it not to the world For to whom should all the redeemed slaues actions belong but to his deare Redeemour Vpon whom should all his loue be sett but vpon one that so loues him And to whom should he reserue himselfe wholy but to the God of heauen who reserues himselfe wholy for him II. POINT CONSIDER what an excessiue goodnes and charitie it is that this immense and infinite Maiestie who walkes vpon the winges of the windes and sittes vpon the Cherubins who fills heauen and earth being assisted with millions of millions of Angells would yet daigne to take vp his seate in a poore corner of mans hart to grace that miserable worme of the earth with his presence diuinitie and sanctitie and therby with the participation of his diuine nature Ah! could we iustly weigh mans nothing and Gods Maiestie we should neuer be wearie with admiring and tasting the dignitie of this great worke Affection Ah Domine cognoscam te cognoscam me O Lord grant me light to know thee and to know my selfe that by such knowledge I may happily and gainefully loose my selfe in the admiration of thy excessiue graciousnesse For what am I indeede compared to thee but extremitie of miserie compared to infinite Maiestie but nothing nothing compared to him who is all in all But not so much as one little droppe to a boundlesse Ocean And yet this Maiestie is graciously pleased to take vp his Residence in this miserie This All will lodge in this nothing This Ocean will ouer-flowingly possesse and please himselfe in this droppe How happens this to me that not the Mother of my Lord but euen my Lord himselfe comes vnto me resides in me takes vp his deare delights in my poore harte Ah my soule let our dearest delightes be to possesse him to please him to magnifie him to glorifie him for euer THE VI. MEDITATION Gods excessiue loue to man I. POINT CONSIDER how great and ineffable the pietie of our Redeemer was towards vs as S. Augustine obserues who carried man vp to heauen and sent God into earth what a care hath our Maker to repaire his workmanshipp Behold a new medicine is againe sent downe from heauen Behold Maiestie daignes againe by his owne presence to visit the sicke Behold diuine things are againe mixed with humane the holy Ghost is become a succeeding Vicar to our Redeemer that what the one had begun the other by a peculiar vertue might consummate that what the sonne had redeemed the holy Ghost might sanctifie what he had purchaced he might conserue Affection Too too much are thy friends honored my dearest Lord. Their principalitie is exceedingly beyond all measure confirmed by the presence
can neuer be done more highly more dearely more ioyfully more acceptably or more honorably then by offering this Sacrament to God in their honour with care and feruour therfor let vs frequently receiue this Sacrament Affection Ah my soule is it placed in our power by a graciousnesse which the heauens could neuer haue conceiued to reioyce and make glad the verie Saintes in heauen and yet can our coldnesse refuse them this comfort and honour whose prayers we dayly begge certes we may well conclude that they are blotted out of our Callender and are as deade to vs as we to our owne vtilitie We desire to liue with them in eternall ioyes and yet hauing the most acceptable and honorable meanes in our hands we can haue hartes to deney them temporall obseruances may we not iustly feare that we may find them but cold intercessours for vs to whose accidentall glorie we might so easily and yet doe so coldly contribute THE IV. MEDITATION The sixt Motiue Our imperfections and miserie I. POINT CONSIDER that what is said by S. Iames as it is most true so we all most willingly acknowledge it to witt that we all offend in many thinges and our negligences imperfections and omissions can scarcely be numbred But we are not by Gods grace fallen in loue with our sinnes and imperfections or resolue to liue in them but truly desire and labour to be freed from them nor is there any thing so powerfull to expiate crymes as this Sacrament and Sacryfice of which the Councell of Trent affirmes that our Lord being appeased therby grantes grace and the gift of pennance and pardons euen huge crymes and sinnes To this therfor ought we to haue an humble confident and frequent recourse Affection O my soule my soule were our case that of some of our poore persequuted parentes and friends whose fortunes libertie and life run hazard to be lost for a communion what excuses would not our negligence find But to slipp ouer the occasions of so great and necessarie a good to our selues where the performance is lyable to noe losse yea is ledd on with so much facilitie and called vpon by God and man and laudable custome what reply can be made to this We grant we neede to be purged we find grace not too strong in vs we acknowledge the souueraigne vertue of the remedie presented And yet must cold cras crases Be still taken for payment Ah my soule Is a longer lying sicke likely sooner to cure the desease Le ts not deceiue our selues we doe not indeed so much desire our cure as loue our languishment THE SEAVENTH MOTIVE True Consolation II. POINT CONSIDER that we all find that this worldly pilgrimage of ours is longe and teadious That such as are subiect to sinne find thēselues wearied and worne out in the paynefull wayes of iniquitie That such as are louers of vertue and striue to approch neerest to God are not exempt from temptations nay the tribulations of the iust are many though the Spirit be prompt yet the body is infirme and doth waigh downe the soule and they are forced to crye out mournefully with S. Paule who will deliuer vs from this mortall body We all then both desire and neede consolation and in this Sacrament we confesse we may receiue the God of all consolation Ought we not then ioyfully and frequently haue recourse to him therin Affection Le ts still my soule seeke what we seeke but le ts not seeke it where we seeke it True and permanent consolations are not found beleeue it my soule they are not found saue in God alone that father of mercyes and God of all consolation who comforts vs in all our tribulations Nor can we euer find God more happily or more comfortably then when we receiue him really and truly possesse him Heauen possesses him not more truly where he is the eternallioy and beatitude of all the Blessed By how much more then my troubles and temptations are multiplyed by so much more will I run to that sourse of solace that fountaine of grace as the wearied Hart to the fountaines of fresh water That we ought to receiue the B. Sacrament with reuerence feare and Loue as the best dispositions THE V. MEDITATION The I. Motiue Of reuerence and feare c. I. POINT CONSIDER the greatnesse of his Maiestie whom we are to receiue whose essence or beeing is ineffable It cannot be expressed by any definition because it transcends or outstripps all thinges He 's a bottomelesse sea and none is able to sound it saith Salomon His iudgements are incomprehensible his wayes not to be found out saith S. Paule He 's higher then the Heauens and what will you doe deeper then Hell and how should you know him saith Iob. And yet he is that then which nothing is either greater or better concludes S. Augustine with all the world Affection If the blessing I am about to receiue from thy bountifull liberalitie ô Lord be so excessiue greate that workes cannot reach it that words cannot speake it that thoughtes cannot comprehend it or euen arriue to it If sight taste and touche be all deceiued in it and bring in euidence of bread onely what rests but infallible faith which comes into our ayde assuring that it is God indeede which we receiue who is so the greatest that he is immensitie it selfe and so the best that he is goodnesse it selfe a vaste Ocean which can neuer be sounded and so leaues vs as it were in that blessefully vnsatisfactorie satisfaction that a Christian hart is capable of more happines then it hath capacitie to comprehend Prone layd then in our owne incapacitie and miserie let vs feare reuerence and loue that immense Maiestie which we haue the happines to receiue into our breastes but haue not power to comprehend it THE II. MOTIVE Of feare c. II. POINT CONSIDER yet the greatnesse of his Maiestie by the words and comportments of the Saintes and Angells who see and know him For it is euen he whom that greatest among the sonns of women feared to touche It is he whom the Prince of the Apostles through feare put a way from him saying Goe from me ô Lord for I am but a sinfull man It is he in whose presence the pillers of heauen quake the Dominations adore and the Powers tremble and in his sight the Cherubins and Seraphins fall downe and hide their faces Affection And yet my soule it is to this Maiestie so venerated so dreaded so adored by the most holy among men by the greatest among the Apostles by the burning Cherubins and Seraphins of the heauenly Court that thou aduenturest to approch Yea it is this Maiestie that graciously inuites himselfe and resolues to enter and remayne vnder this litle poore Zacheus his roofe What are we to doe then but without delay with Zacheus to stoope downe from our high thoughtes to looke vpon our smale stature our noe abilitie our nothing worthy to appeare in his sight
not temptation then ô my soule be looked vpon hereafter as an occasion of sollicitude vexation and desolation but rather as a profitable exercise of vertue humilitie and ioy according to that of blessed S. Iames esteeme it all joy when you fall into many and diuersitie of temptations The seruant is not greater then the master it s he that hath giuen vs an example and his will is that we should follow it that by this meanes his vertue humitie may be obteyned and the necessitie of a continuall dependance of his assistance may be learnt THE SECONDE POINTE. WHEN WAS IESVS TEMPTED When he had fasted fortie dayes and fortie nightes c. the tempter approched c. Matt. 4. CONSIDER that Iesus in whom there neither was nor could be any guilt of sinne was then tempted when he was imployed in most holy workes and holy circumstances to witt in fasting prayer watching and that too euen in solitude in the wildernesse in that sacred retreate of his To teache vs that we neuer ought to esteeme our selues secure from the diuells assaults be we neuer so well imployed and in the best circumstances imaginable Affection Let vs not fayle my soule to fast watch and pray with as much retirement from the world as we are able as being the best meanes to strengthen vs against temptation but let vs not amidst those holy exercises promesse our selues securitie peace or truce The Diuell sleepes not but roues about seeking whom he may deuoure And most assaults those whom he finds best imployed in the Quire at their Meditation in frequenting the holy communion as hauing least hopes to bring such pious soules to his seruitude yet be not perplexed my soule he durst aduenture vpon Christ himselfe but he putt him to confusion as we shall also doe by fixing a firme faith in his singular mercy and goodnes who put him to slight THE SECONDE MEDITATION FOR THE SAME DAY How was Iesus tempted If thou be the sonne of God command that these stones be made breade Matth. 4. CONSIDER that the Diuell tempted Iesus in three kinds of temptations most dangerous and detestable First with mouinge his heauenly father to worke miracles as though he had noe other meanes to feede his people then by turning stones into breade secondly by despaire in castinge himselfe downe head longe Thirdly by riches and honours boldly promising to giue all wheras indeede he could performe nothing at all of his proude promesse Affection Let vs then my soule in imitation of our deare Sauiours sufferances and remptations and with an absolute submission to his good pleasure in what ere he may permitt to fall vpon vs let vs I say comfortably and couragiously say with the Psalmist trye me ô Lord and proue me My drosse must be burnt away to be come pure Gold fitr for the Tabernacle whether it be with vaine suggestions of desiring to know more then we ougt to know or with the ambition of the honours and riches of this world or finally by representations of the most horride despaire in Gods mercy c. Or the most base impurities imaginable desiring onely to heare with S. Paule my grace is sufficient for thee with resolutiō to begge it earnestly and without intermission THE SECONDE POINTE How did Iesus ouercome the Diuell Not in bread alone doth man liue c. Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God c. Auant Satan the Lord thy God thou shalt adore Matth. 4. CONSIDER how our sweete Sauiour hath not onely giuen vs an example of humble patient suffering of the Diuels assaults in almost all manner of temptations in all tymes places and circumstances but he doth also in his owne words teach vs how to make resistance and how to ouer come It is not in bread alone that man liues thou shall not tempt the Lord ihy God ¿ but thou shalt adore him Affection It is not then my soule in confidence of our owne vertue strength which alone will be found verie weaknesse that we are to incounter with and vanquish the Diuell but in the onely power and mercy of God by putting on a firme faith that we serue a Master who is able if he please to secure vs and confound him But if his blessed will be to leaue vs to that hard tryall his blessed name be praysed for euer the seruant may well follow the master hauing alwayes in our mynds for our stronge defence the diuels assaults Thou shalt adore thy Lord thy God and serue him alone THE FIRST MEDITATION FOR THE SECONDE SVNDAY IN LENT He brought them to wit Peter Iames and Iohn into a high mountaine and was transfigured before them Matth. 17. THE FIRST POINTE. CONSIDER that as all who are alreadie saued from the begining of the world or shall be saued to the end therof were to be saued by faith in Christ it was most necessarie that the said faith should be most firmely established His humanitie was alreadie made too too credible by his natiuitie by his teares by his bloode in his circumcision by his suffering of heate and cold c. It onelie rested then that his diuinitie should be made good by some conuincing arguments And to demonstrate this he ascends into the Mount Thabor with Peter Iames and Iohn and is transfigured in their sight that is he takes another forme vpon him his face appearing as resplendant as the sunne to giue them and vs a scantling or foretaste of his glorie Affection Must we not needs confesse then ô my soule that the good Master of the vineyard leaues nothinge vndone to his vineyard which might conduce to its aduantage We haue found him man he hath conuersed amongst vs like one of vs. We haue heard his cryes we haue seene his teares we haue beheld his blood But now we see the face of the same man as bright as the sunne transporting the harts of the three Apostles with heauenly rauishments We must needs then with the Apostles firmely beleeue in hart and professe with our mouthes that he is truly the sonne of the liuing God whom we hartily adore THE SECONDE POINTE CONSIDER that the prouidence and goodnesse of God euidences this most important truth of Christs diuinitie beyond all exception by causing it to be testified by all kinds of most reprochlesse witnesses By the whole old lawe in the person of Moyses the Law-giuer By the prophecies in Elias that diuine Prophete By the new lawe or Gospell in Peter Iames and Iohn finally by God almightie himselfe by a voyce out of à bright cloud which ouershawed them the Apostles saying with much terrour to them who fall downe vpon their faces This is my beloued sonne in whom I am well pleased Affection If according to S. Paule My soule in the mouth of two or three witnesses euery truth shall stand how firmely and inuiolably ought this truth to stande engrauen in all Christian hartes which hath such clouds of witnesses to attest it where young and
old heauen and earth God and man conspire togeither to putt vs out of all doubt that our Iesus is the beloued sonne of God the Father in whom he is well pleased And therfor with our whole soule we ioyne with the whole Court of heauen and adore that onely begotten who dyed for vs and esteemed it noe stelth to be equall to his heauenly father THE SECONDE MEDITATION FOR THE SAME SVNDAY And his face did shine as the sunne and his garments became white as snowe Matt. 17. THE FIRST POINTE. CONSIDER that Peter Iames and Iohn vpon the onely aspect of the transcendant splendour and beautie of Iesus his body and garments are so transported with ioy that they take a present resolution to build tabernacles vpon the toppe of Thabor and to remayne there because Peter out of the deepe sense of the heauenly delight which he felt professed freely to that diuine Master of theirs that it is good for them to be there Affection O my soule if litle glimpses of glorie be so delightfull what will the whole light of glorie proue If a litle exteriour glorie of the body be so precious what will the essentiall glorie of both body and soule be experienced If momentes of ioyes were powerfull enough to begett an absolute contempt of all other thinges in those Apostolicall hartes what should not firme hopes of eternities worke in ours If God blesse vs with heauenly gustes at our prayers c. Let vs humble our selues and be thankfull for them as being the seede of glorie But we must not be too greedie of them nor resolue to dwell in them Iesus must passe from Thabor ouer Caluarie before he enter into his owne Kingdome and so must we Christians too THE SECONDE POINTE. He spoke with Moyses and Elias of an excesse CONSIDER that while Peter Iames and Iohn like men are so transported with a smale foretaste of glorie that they wishe noe better then to liue vpon the toppe of that pleasant hill Our deare Lord and Master whose thoughts are alwayes vpon that which tends to the accomplishment of his heauenly fathers will is thinking and discoursing with Moyses and Elias of his paineful death and passion Affection We are but pilgrims in this world my soule not inhabitants We haue noe permanent citie here but we are makeing home to an euerlasting one where we are fellow citizens with the Saints and God's domestikes nor can we follow a surer guide then our Sauiour Iesus His way is through sufferances contradictions ad Crosses in euery kind And is it not our perfection to expresse his life in ours that by suffering with him we may raigne with him Good it is indeede to haue gusts and foretastes of the consolations of God! but farre better to follow the God of consolation amidst his desolations sufferances and abandonnements who ioy being proposed vnto him sustayned the Crosse contemning confusion Say then with S. Teresa aut pati aut mori either let sufer or dye THE FIRST MEDITATION FOR THE THIRD SVNDAY IN LENT And Iesus was casting out a Diuell and he was dumbe Luc. 11. THE FIRST POINTE. CONSIDER that the Diuells dominion was spredd in a manner ouer all the face of the earth Altars were erected Idolls sett vp Idolatrie or the worshippe of the Diuell raigned in euery place so that his pride growen greater then his power he durst attempt vpon the sonne of God as in the first sunday in Lent but in steed of victorie he mett with confusion He was ouerthrowen with the sword of the word of God without any other armes But now Iesus to comply with and exercise the Office of a Sauiour being sent to free the world out of the Diuells tyrannie setts vpon him by his power and authoritie and by absolute commande chaceth him out of the possessed body Affection O blessed fruites of the coming of our Sauiour Iesus Christ Poore man was kept à slaue vnder the Diuells tyrannie nor was there any power in earth to free him but Iesus our Helper in opportunities that is seasonably as he iudges fitting in tribulation in temptation c. came graciously to his ayde he assaults that stronge one forceth him by his flight to acknowledge the power of his Master who begins sake his raigne and abate his pride nor doth he this in his owne person onely but euen leaues the like power in his holie Church He graciously teaches vs by his example how we are to behaue our selues in temptation and shewes vs in what power we ought to subdue that fierce foe Blessed and magnified be he for euer who hath left such power to the sonns of man THE SECONDE POINTE. CONSIDER that though the Diuells taking possession of mans body be not verie comon yet his possession of mans soule is but too ordinarie And how euer we perceiue it but a litle yet it is farre more dangerous and most absolutly true Neuer are we so vnhappie to committ mortall sinne but the Diuell takes full possession of our soules grace departs the holy Ghost is turned out of dores the Diuell becomes our Master and we his miserable seruantes and slaues ouer whom he exercises à tyrannicall dominion We become blind to good walke in darknesse not discouering what is fitting to be done and dumbe too as to the making profession of what we know to be right Affection O my soule this is the possession indeede which we ought most to feare and dispossession which we ought most earnestly to seeke for because we haue left him who is able to throw both body and soule into Hell fire because our strength hath left vs we are sicke of a deade palsie and sore tormented by the Diuell Let vs neuer cease from sighets and sobbs and lamentations while we rcmayne in this sadd captiuitie Gods grace alone is able to deliuer vs. Let vs begge it incessantly like poore lost slaues knowing that there is noe meanes to flye from him but to him from him offended to him appeased saying haue mercy vpon me ô God according to thy great mercy and according to the multitude of thy commiserations because my miserie is exceeding great and needes noe lesse a cure THE SECONDE MEDITATION FOR THE SAME SVNDAY Euery Kingdome deuided against it selfe shall be made desolate and a house shall fall vpon a house Luc. 111. THE FIRST POINTE. CONSIDER that though we had not had truth it selfe which none dare contradicte to assure vs of this so necessarie a lesson yet common experience makes it but too sure to verie ordinarie capacities The internall diuisions and broyles of England France Spayne Italie and Flanders to goe noe further haue oft hazarded their vtter ruine And the vnhappie misintelligences of communities and particular families haue not onely disordered them and depriued them of the blissings of peace and quiete but haue euen exposed them to publicke scandall and desolation it selfe Affection How deare then my soule ought vnanimitie and vnion of harts to be to vs
our fayling strength Howbeit be Gods mercy euer blessed we are not as sheepe without a Pastour but we haue the good Pastour to protect vs. Let vs attentiuly heare his voyce know him and his wayes and wholy depende vpon him and his preists of whom he hath said Who heares you heares me THE SECONDE POINTE. A good Pastour giues his life for his flocke Io. 10. CONSIDER that this Pastour of ours is the good Pastour indeede that is good by excellencie or infinitly good which he makes manifest not by words onely but by many effects what was cast away he brings againe what was broken he binds vp what was weake he strengthens and the sheepe which was lost he seekes and finds and graciously brings home vpon his owne shoulders Nay more the labour of thirtie odd yeares imployd about the care of his flocke had seemed but litle to his loue had he not in the end layed downe his life for the same Affection Ah my soule Let vs blesse him and magnifie his free mercys for euer and euer Without this good Pastour we were all lost eternally It was Gods mercy alone that we perished not all togeither and were consumed for he looked downe from heauen to see whether there were any that vnderstood and sought him among the children of men and he found that all had declined and were become vnprofitable none doing good noe not one And yet while we serued him so poorely there was noe hope of saluation without his helpe nor pardon nor life for vs but that which he purchaced by his owne pretious death Let me euer loue thee thou dearest pastour and purchacer of my soule THE SECONDE MEDITATION FOR THE SAME SVNDAY THE FIRST POINTE. CONSIDER that this good shephard this heauenly Pastour of our soules doth conduct protect and feede vs not after an ordinarie manner but according to his diuine superadmirable and astonishing wayes peculiar and proper to his diuine goodnesse and wisdome alone not onely with the plentuous dugges of his heauenly consolations and foretastes of beatitude but euen with that supersubstantiall foode his owne pretious body and bloud Affection Awake my soule awake and diligently obserue what deare obligations we haue to this good pastour of ours he did not onely come downe from heauen to comfort and instruct vs with his personall presence enduring all the incommodities to which we are subiect in this our banishment but he putts downe his bloude for the price of our Redemption and as though that were not yet enough to testifie the excesse of his tendernesse to his deare flocke by a heauenly inuention and euen a miracle of loue he so leaues vs as yet he remaynes with vs and makes his owne pretious body and bloude the permanent foode of our soules THE SECONDE POINTE. CONSIDER that this good this ineffably good Pastour of ours doth not onely feed vs by this admirable meanes which the Angells could neuer haue dreamt on but will also daigne to be fedd by vs in his poore members our necessitous Christian brethren I was hungrie and you gaue me to eate I was thirstie and you gaue me to drinke Yes saith our deare Pastour verily I say to you as longe as you did it to one of these my least brethren you did it to me Affection Our good Pastour my soule knew that well-borne harts were not willing to receiue and returne nothing but were still greedie to inquire out the meanes wherby they might make mutuall returnes of loue and therfor he himselfe suggests the wayes by which he would haue it done saying as it were to our hartes I your pastour and maker who can otherwise neede nothing that 's yours am notwithstanding hungrie thirstie naked and imprisoned in my poore members your brethren in them I begge breade c. at your dores assuring you that what you giue to them in my name and for my loue you giue to me O what a comforte it is to a truly louing harte to haue so easie a way to render loue for loue THE FIRST MEDITATION FOR THE THIRD SVNDAY AFTER EASTER For a litle tyme you shall not see me and shortly after you shall see me againe S. Io. 16. CONSIDER that we are all pilgrimes trauelling towards our heauenly home and we shall not misse to meete with all kinds of weather Now heate now cold now faire and soone after fowle Sometymes our Sauiour dilates our harts with the aboundance of his consolations and we prosperously spring on in the wayes of his commandements and sometymes againe he retires and hydes him selfe from vs leauing vs to desolations and sorrowes and we become troubled and all our former force and courage seeme to haue forsaken vs. Affection Thus it is my soule that the diuine wisdome deales with his seruants He doth nourish cherish and comfort vs least we might fayle in the way He doth afflict and leaue vs least out of confidence of our owne strength we might erre from the way He giues vs consolations to testifie to our harte that he loues vs. He leaues vs to desolations to trye and make appeare whether we loue him But whether he comfort vs or permitt afflictions to fall vpon vs let vs still venerate his orders and gracious conduct because he it is indeede who is alwayes our refuge THE SECONDE POINTE You shall lament and weepe But the world shall reioyce Ioh. 6. CONSIDER that sorrowes and ioyes goe here belowe by turnes and tymes And still the best parte in apparence is alloted to those whom God least loues the world shall reioyce And the worst as he alwayes tooke it to himselfe so he leaues it to his dearest friends You saith he to his deare Apostles you shall lament and weepe but your sorrowes shall be turned into ioyes Wheras the worldlings ioyes and parte shall be with the Hypocrites who haue receiued their reward Affection Let vs not my soule either admire or enuie the seeming prosperitie of the wicked Their ioyes are but for moments and those too mixt with painefull pleasures They themselues confesse it we are wearied in the way of iniquitie and perdition and haue walked hard wayes while the iust whom we had in derision and in a parable of reproche are counted among the children of God and their parte and portion amongst the saintes There are we my soule to inioye our permanent possession There are our teares to be wiped away for euer and payd with the inioyment of an eternall inheritance which neither eye hath seene nor eare hath heard nor hath entered into the mynde of man THE SECONDE MEDITATION FOR THE SAME SVNDAY Now indeede you haue sorrowe CONSIDER that the sorrowes which we suffer are in this present moment now saith our Sauiour you haue sorrow Now not the next moment for any thinge we know thinges may alter to the better God may assiste death may end all nor ought a wise man to esteeme any thinge longe which shall haue end But put case our sorrowes and
Christians know but too much to doe solitle Ignorance may some tymes excuse but luke warmenesse idlenesse and negligence can neuer We know what a deare price was putt downe at Ierusalem for our ransome and what an inestimable reward is prepared for vs in the heauenly Ierusalem We knowe what endlesse torments are threatened if we liue not according to the knowledge and light of faith we haue We know that this day is yet ours an acceptable tyme a day of saluation wherin more may be done for a sith a teare a contrite and humbled harte then can be purchaced by the prayers of all the saintes in heauen this day of our life being once past Affection And is it yet possible my soule that after all these wholsome and certaine knowledges we still liue in a cold carelessnesse as tho there were nothing after this life either to be feared or hoped for Is it possible that we dare idly spend this day of ours lent vs to worke our saluation in and still make bold to take new dayes with God which were neuer promised vs for our couersion Is there any of vs so resolute as would not weepe were he assured that within three dayes he should be cited before the dreadfull Tribunall of a wrothfull Iudge and yet while we haue but one daye we can call ours or one present houre according to S. Paule we dare passe it in laughing languishing sleeping c. which leade to death and be like those hazardous soules who spend their dayes in delights and in a moment descende into Hell THE SECONDE POINTE. Because thou hast not knowne the tyme of thy visitation CONSIDER that our B. Sauiour declares that the cause of the vtter destruction of Ierusalem was because they did not know that is through ingratitude obstinacie and blindnesse they acknowledged not the speciall fauour of hauing the son of God sent to them in person to visite them to make them heare his sacred word from his owne mouth to worke multitudes of miracles in their sight c. Affection Alas my soule I feare we know but too much to performe so litle as we doe Ah! the seruant who knowes the will of his Lord and doth it not shall be beaten with many stripes And dare we deney that we knowe his will to be our sanctitie and that we ought to be perfect as our heauenly Father is perfect and yet how coldly doe we creepe on in that way Haue we not frequently had the honour of his heauenly visites heard his sugerred words and experienced in our deade soules the miracles of his grace Ah my soule let vs diligently call to mynde the tymes of those gracious visitations with the thankfulnesse of our whole hartes and singe those sweete mercyes for euer and euer THE FIRST MEDITATION FOR THE TENTH SVNDAY AFTER WHITSVNDAY The Pharisie standing prayed thus with himselfe Luc. 18. CONSIDER in this Parable the true discription of a proud Petitioner or rather of one that goes not so much to the Church to pray as to prayse himselfe He gaue God thankes indeede but with taking a vaine complaceance in his giftes esteeming himselfe so rich that he asked noe more nay he euen insulted at the poore publicane who asked He is not like the rest of men excepting none extortioners vniust adulterers nor is he like that publican wherin he addes rashe iudgement to his pride In fine halfe the lawe is but declining from euill and all that if you beleeue him he has performed Affection Beware my soule of this proud prayer which prouokes Gods wroth vpon vs. What haue we of grace or nature which we haue not receiued and if they be Gods gifts why doe we vainely glorie in them as though we had not receiued them Why doe we glorie in them and preferre our selues before poore sinners whom we looke upon with disdaigne who are happly farre better then we in the sight of God Let such as stand looke that they fall not Let our eyes be fixed vpon our owne defects leauing God to iudge our neighbour to whom he stands or falls THE SECONDE POINTE. I fast twice a weeke I giue tythes of all I possesse c. CONSIDER that pride still ascends and gaynes ground The Pharisie had alreadie in his owne esteeme freed himselfe from all stayne of sinne what rests for his pride but to preach his owne vertues that so Christian iustice might appeare accomplished in him I faste twice a weeke saith he I giue tithes of all I possesse not of the fruites of the earth onely according to the prescript of the lawe but euen of all without exception Affection Looke vpon this vaine boasting my soule with horrour and carefully striue to auoyde that dangerous shelfe of presumption vpon which so many apparently deuoute soules perish What euer good workes we doe how vertuous resolutions soeuer we make finde we neuer so much feruour facilitie and spirituall delight in the practise of vertue and goodnesse let vs still distruste in our selues hartily acknowledging that we are nothing we haue nothing we can doe nothing of our selues not so much as thinke one good thought but all our sufficiencie is from God hauing all-wayes in our mouthes with the holy Church Deus in adiutorium meum intende Domine ad adiunandum me festina THE SECONDE MEDITATION FOR THE SAME SVNDAY The Publican standing a farre off would not so much as lift vp his eyes towards heauen THE FIRST POINT CONSIDER in this poore Publican the perfect picture of a true penitent He stands a farre off as iudging himselfe vnworthy to come neere the Altar he dares not so much as lift vpp his eyes to heauen because shame and confusion had couered his countenance to haue offended so great a Maiestie he knockes his breast where sinne was conceiued and seemes to take reuenge of himselfe He beseeches God to be mercyfull to him a sinner exposing his miserie onely for Gods mercy to magnifie it selfe vpon Affection Let vs not my soule be ashamed to learne of this poore publicane what dispositions we ought to bringe with vs when we goe to sue to the dreadefull maiestie of God for remission of our sinnes Nay rather let vs blush that after so longe practise in spiritualitie we fall short of that poore sinner after so much light so many heauenly inspirations so many helpes and assistances which he neuer had And yet while our eyes lye open to euery distraction his with confusion are fixed vpon the ground not daring to looke vpon the heauens he takes reuenge vpon the breaste wherin sinne was conceiued and makes humbly confessed miserie alone pleade for mercy THE SECONDE POINTE. Be mercyfull to me a sinner CONSIDER the contrarie effects of the farre contrarie proceedings of the proude Pharisie and humble Publican The Pharisie came with his hart full swolne with proud iustice and returned with his hands emptie The publican came loaden with humble iniustice and an emptie hart and he returnes with
o Lord and delaye not come and pardon the sinnes of thy people come and saue man whom thou didst make of claye I would to God thou wouldst burst the heauens and descende and yet this happinesse was not granted them while we Christians inioy that or a greater For though as S. Chrysostome comfortably saith we haue not the happines to be hold his forme and figure his apparell c. Yet we see him we touche him we eate him O my soule what a singular honour is this to be fedd with him to be vnited to him and to be made one body of Christ and one flesh THE SECONDE POINTE. CONSIDER that tho those good Iewes the Apostles to whom the sonne of God was especially sent had a benediction of preference to haue seene him in person yet was there another noe lesse meritorious left for vs poore gentiles of seeing him by faith attested by the same Truth Blessed are they who haue not seene and haue beleeued for there saith Gregorie faith hath more merite where humane reason produceth noe euidence Affection Howeuer my soule the preference of seeing our Sauiour in body visibly may seeme a greate happinesse yet it is not therin that the happinesse of a Christian doth consiste but in that he beleeues by a firme faith him whom the Apostles saw to be truly the sonne of God and by so beleeuing begins to hope in him and to aspire to his loue since according to S. Augustine it is the dutie of a faithfull man to beleeue what he sees not that by the merite of that faith he may hope both to see and loue THE SECONDE MEDITATION FOR THE SAME SVNDAY What is written in the Lawe CONSIDER that this question of this Doctour in the lawe Master what must I doe to possesse life euerlasting may putt vs in mynd that to appeare wise and carefull of our saluation we often putt questions to God and man saying what are we to doe to aduance in perfection to be truly vertuows to attaine to life euerlasting c. wheras without asking we know it well enough for doe not we read in the lawe are we not all taught in our Catechisme Thou shall loue the Lord thy God with all thy hart with all thy soule and thy neighbour as thy selfe Affection Noe my soule let vs not wilfully feyne to be ignorant of what we knowe Nor knowing it seeke for some new perfection The thinge commanded by God by the obseruance of which we are to liue euerlastinglie is neither aboue vs nor farre off from vs. It is not placed aboue the heauens or beyond the sea 's but is verie neere vs in our mouth and in our hart Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God with all thy hart with all thy soule and thy neighbour as thy selfe Ah saith louing S. August had it not bene enough to haue permitted me the honour of louing thee but thou must commande it yea and threaten me huge punishments if I doe it not Ah deare Lord were it not the worst of punishments to be prohibited or depriued of that loue THE SECONDE POINTE Who is my neighbour CONSIDER that tho that greate Doctour of the lawe asked a question where he had noe doubt as he was forced to acknowledge for he redd in the lawe and knew well that to liue he was to loue God aboue all thinges and his neighbour as himselfe yet still he has another doubt to putt to witt who is his neighbour To which our Sauiour in effect answers not Iewes to Iewes onely but Iewes to Samaritons too and Samaritons also to Iewes that is according to S. Augustine euery man is neighbour to euery man for we ought to vnderstand him to be our neighbour to whom we owe workes of mercy in his present or future want as he too the like to vs in like necessitie Affection Let then the accompt of our neighbourhoode my soule and our loue to the same extend it selfe to noe lesse a compasse then the boundes of the whole world Let vs loue that is doe well to speake well to wishe well to all men of what condition profession religion and nation soeuer they be Let vs pray for Turke Iewe and Gentile least in thinking to hate an enemye we indeede may hate a friend the Turke happlie in Gods diuine prescience beeing neerer to him then we Let this saith the louing S. Audgustine be thought vpon let this be meditated let this be retayned in memorie let this be done let this be fully accomplished THE FIRST MEDITATION FOR THE XIII SVNDAY AFTER WHITSVNDAY There mett him ten Lepers who stoode a farre off and cryd with a loude voyce saying Iesu Master haue mercy on vs. Luc. 17. CONSIDER in these corporall Lepers how spirituall Lepers ought to behaue themselues to procure their cure They stay not till they be called the horrour of what they suffer is a sufficient spurre to them They come in troupes and way-lay him from whom they hope for cure They stand a farre off esteeming themselues infectious and vnworthy to approche They crye out with a loude voyce without specifying their desire knowing well that their loathsome out-side speakes that with more force and pittie to their Master Iesus to whose mercy they leaue themselues Affection Ah my soule doe we vse this promptitude in pointe of our leprosies or other spirituall deseases or rather doe we not vse a quite contrarie proceedinge while we daylie heare redoubled in our eares loose the bands of thy necke ô captiue daughter of Sion How longe wilt thou be heauie-harted and loue a lye and yet we sleepe on and yet while we liue in a loathsome languishment we seeke some more tyme to remayne vnhappie Doe we crye out with loude voyces or rather so lowe and faintly as tho we feared that God should heare vs and cure vs too soone a miserable condition wherin the great S. Augustine sometymes found himselfe and pittifully lamented it Ah my soule if we be so miserable as not yet to be in tearmes to begge hartily for our perfect cure let vs not fayle at least to laye open the masse of our vniuersall miserie before the eyes of our most mercyfull Lord to pleade for mery THE SECONDE POINTE. CONSIDER that we all are weake and miserable enough to haue fallen or to be subiect to fall into spirituall leprosies by the infection of sinne which conueys its poyson all ouer the whole body of our actions to witt by pride enuye hatred want of right intentions duplicitie of hart which depraues all our best workes and deriues an vniuersall deformitie or leprosie vpon vs. Affection Alas my poore soule this leprosie is but too ordinarie how litle soeuer vnhappie man seemes sensible of it nor finds it any cure saue from the hand of God alone Let vs euery one lay his hand vpon his owne hart and impartially acknowledge the truth Why are we disquieted and troubled vpon smale reprehensions and vnderualuings marrie because the Idol pride
which we haue set vp in our owne hartes is not equally adored by others Is pride there then her sister enuie is not farre absent and thence we are greeued at our neighbours good and excellencie And if pride and enuie the Diuells eldest daughters be present hatred their youngest sister is at hand to wishe euill and doe mischeife To these are our intentious suted and duplicitie vsed to couer all deformities Vse diligence my soule to subdue all sinne yet let our most vigilant care be imployed to stifle this hellish broode by earnestly begging of the diuine mercy that humilitie and charitie those heauen-bred sisters may quite destroye Pride enuie and hatred in our hartes THE SECONDE MEDITATION FOR THE SAME SVNDAY As he saw them he said goe shew your selues to the priests c. and as they went they were made cleane THE FIRST POINTE. CONSIDER that with what euer care and diligence we seeke for Iesus at what distance soeuer we stand a loofe from him out of a sense of our owne vnworthynesse how loude soeuer we crye and how humbly soeuer we disclose our sores it often happens that we are not presently cured but are sent to the preistes to discerne betwixt leper and leper and by that meanes we are made cleane It is happinesse enough for a poore sinner that he is graciously looked vpon by a Sauiour and told by him what he is to doe for his cure Affection Beware my soule of euer prouing so audacious as to prescribe to Iesus either the manner or tyme of thy cure be it of what corporall or spirituall desease soeuer Feare not to begge of the diuine goodnesse what we find we want especially thinges appertayning to our eternitie But hauing performed rhat dutie le ts humbly and willingly leaue the rest to Gods sweete disposition The diuine S. Paule blushed to find himselfe subiect to the stinges of the flesh and he frequently petitioned to heauen for the cure Yet his answer from God was not his deliuerie but my grace is sufficient for thee Which he receiued with so much resignation and satisfaction that he did not onely suffer his infirmities willingly but pleased himselfe in them but euen gloried in them because he found indeede that vertue was perfected in infirmitie and by that meanes Christs vertue humilitie did inhabite his chaste soule THE SECONDE POINTE. Iesus said were not ten made cleane and where are the nine CONSIDER that though ingratitude is alwayes odious to God and man yet is it neuer more sensible then when many benefits are done freely to many and that without any preceedente desertes especially when it is found in those who by preference were loued and caressed before and aboue all the rest So it happens in this dayes Gospell Ten were cured and one onely returned to giue thankes Ten were cured wherof nine were Iewes his choysen people amongst whom he was borne with whom he conuersed to whom he preached before whom he wrought so many miracles while yet one onely stranger a poore Samaritane comes backe with his mouth and harte full of thankes giuing Affection May we not feare my soule that this sadde reproche of ingratitude may be more iustly made by Iesus Christ to Christian hartes then to those aboue mentioned to whom he saith were not ten made cleane and where are the nine There was none that returned and gaue glorie to God but this stranger Where are the nine to witt the Iewes whom I mome fauoured Where are the nine to witt the preists and religious who haue yet shared more deeply in my fauours Answer my soule and tell where they are They are the first in dignitie And will they proue the last in their acknewledgements They are a regall preistoode citizens of the faintes and Gods domestikes And shall the gratitude of strangers teare heauen out of their handes The vnlearned cryes out the great S. Augustine snatch heauen away from vs while we with our learning walowe in flesh and bloode THE FIRST MEDITATION FOR THE XIV SVNDAY AFTER WHITSVNDAY Noe man can scrue two Masters Matt. 6. FIRST POINT CONSIDER that as it is impossible for a man to serue two Masters so it is most vniust to serue any more then one We are wholie his by creation his by conseruation and wholy and absolutely his by redemption wherin he bought vs his slaues at the price of his pretious bloode To whom then can any of our seruices be due but to him alone who purchaced vs at so deare a rate Affection O God I am thy seruant I am thy seruant and the sonne of thy handmayde the Catholike Church It was thy selfe and noe other who broke my bands in sunder It was thy selfe who tore in peeces the handwriting of our condemnation and nayled it to the crosse It was not with corruptible thinges neither as gold and siluer that thou paydst my ransome but with the immaculate blood of the tender lambe who dyed for vs. I will therfor sacryfice my selfe and all my seruices in a holocauste of prayses to thee Let my harte prayse the let my tongue prayse thee let all that is within mee say ô my deare Lord and master who is like to thee THE SECONDE POINTE. Noe man can serue two masters CONSIDER that our Sauiour by the impossibilitie of seruing two inferres the necessitie of seruing one master onely and by that one againe he leads vs to his diuiue vnitie by which alone we can be made eternally happie with him according to that of S. Iohn Father as thou art in me and I in thee so let my seruants be but one in vs. And if one Master and one seruant by meanes of this diuine vnitie one seruice one intention of seruing him alone of louinge him alone of adoringe him alone as being truly his Vassalls Affection O my deare Rabbony let the intention of all my poore seruices be for thee alone that I may therby run on a pace towards thy holy vnitie that so my beloued may be myne and I wholy his and that I may esteeme it my onely happinesse to adheare to my God and to loue that one necessarie thinge the God of my harte and my parte for euer whom to serue is truly to raigne O Iesu bannish from my hart all the loues which deuide it betwixt thee and the world that it may serue and loue thee absolutlie in all tymes and places THE SECONDE MEDITATION FOR THE SAME SVNDAY AFTER WHITSVNDAY Be not carefull what you should eate or what garment you should putt on c. THE FIRST POINTE. CONSIDER how our B. Sauiour labours as it were by force of arguments to free vs from immoderate care and sollicitude about our meate drinke and clothes And thus he vrges Your life and your body which you haue by my free gift are of more worth then meate and clothes if then I giue you what is greater why should you doubt of receiuing what is lesse Againe the foules of the ayre and the
it That hand which drawes vs into sinne must be cutt off its mercy to our selues not crueltie Better it is saith Truth it selfe that one of thy limmes perish rather then that thy whole bodie goe into Hell fire THE SECONDE MEDITATION FOR THE SAME SVNDAY Certaine Scribes say within themselues he blaspheameth THE FIRST POINTE. CONSIDER that as charitie and goodnesse makes the best of all thinges by a friendly interpretation so pride and malice turns all to the worst Our B. Sauiour graciously daignes as well to cure the infirmities of the sicke man's body as the wounds of his soule and the Scribes with their wordly wisdome crye out he blaspheames Wheras lesse learning then they proudly pretended to might easily haue fitted them with a better consequence To witt none can forgiue sinns but God alone But this man Iesus forgiues sinns therfor he is God the sonne of God the Messias whom we expect Affection It is the venimous propertie of the spider my soule to turne all into poison while the gentile honie bee makes honie of all shee meetes with Le ts not iudge and we shall not be iudged for in varie deede if we obserue it well we condemne our selues in the verie thinge wherin we iudge another while we doe our selues the same thinge Let vs learne hereby to be slow in censuring for we seldome fully vnderstand the businesse as also to haue patience to haue our best actions censured by others who vnderstand them not since we best know how subiect we are to offend in many thinges THE SECONDE POINTE. The multitudes seeing it c. glorified God who gaue such power to men THE FIRST POINTE. CONSIDER that while the proude and malicious Scribes turne Christ's best actions to their owne perdition the simple multitudes turne them to their aduantage and Gods glorie They both heare and see the same things To witt thy sinnes are forgiuen thee arise take vpp thy bedd and goe into thy house The Scribes find blaspheamie in it the simple people contrarily Gods power and wisdome which they acknowledge with admiring reuerence and glorifie him who gaue such power to men Affection The high conceipts we haue my soule of our owne knowledge was neuer the way to know God He is high indeede but he graciously lookes downe vpon lowe thinges while high hartes he places a faire off It is not my soule it is not the viuacitie of vnderstanding but the simplicitie of beleeuinge which saues the most parte of men saith holy S. Augustine as here we see it happens with the vnlearned multitude The myndes of men haue noe sure accesse to wisdome and saluation vnlesse humble faith first prepare them to reason and true knowledge which pride is not capable of THE FIRST MEDITATION FOR THE XIX SVNDAY AFTER WHITSVNDAY A Kinge made a mariage to his sonne and sent his seruantes to call them that were inuited to the mariage Matt. 22. THE FIRST POINTE. CONSIDER that the Kinge who made this mariage was the Kinge of heauen who decreed in his high counsell from all eternitie that his onely begotten sonne should espouse mans nature and become like to one of vs. His seruants who were sent to inuite were the Patriarkes and Prophetes first Then the sonne himselfe who spoke by his owne mouthe and after that the Apostles and Disciples who were sent into all the earth to preach The inuited were men dispersed ouer all the world Affection O the infinite goodnesse of God who while he inioyed himselfe in his blessed eternitie in selfe beatitude without any want or possibilitie of want of any thinge could euer be ours who I say had thoughts of loue for vs while we yet were not to make vs bee and so to bee as euen to be capable of himselfe and of the happinesse he inioyed from all eternitie And wheras he had but one onely sonne he would not haue him alone but sent him downe to make men his adop tiue brethren to share with him in that eternall kingdome of his He sent I say a sonne to inuite seruants to that same sonns mariage Banket which is to be made in heauen and to continue for all eternitie THE SECONDE POINTE CONSIDER how vngratefull man dealt with those who were sent to inuite him a thinge so honorable to him to the mariage of a kinges onely sonne and so aduantagious withall to witt not onely to feaste with him but to be coheires with him of his Kingdome He did not onely refuse to come but euen layed violent hands of those who were sent to inuite yea of them you kill and crucifie and of them you scourge in your Synagogues and persecute from citie to citie Nay mans malice went yet further the Kings onely sonne is sent and of him they say this is the heyre let vs kill him and the inheritance will be ours Affection Admire my soule to see Gods free mercy so continually resisted by mans miserie his longanimitie bountie and benignitie by mans obstinacie ingratitude and rebellion This we easily grant in the Iewes but alas Let vs looke but diligently into our owne hartes and we shall finde the like come home to our owne dores for doe we heare the teachers of Gods word as God himselfe who sayes who heares you heares me Or rather tho we kill them not are we not deafe to their counsells and euen contemne them Nay doe we not alas doe we not by our crymes crucisie the sonne of God againe and againe and make him a mockerie to his enemyes THE SECONDE MEDITATION FOR THE SAME SVNDAY When the Kinge heard that his inuitation and fauours were despised and his seruants murdered he was wroth and sending his hosts destroyed those murderers THE FIRST POINTE. CONSIDER that as God is most gracious and bountifull in the generall distribution of his blissings and heauenly guifts so is he most exacte and rigorous in punishing the contempt and neglect of them He made his goodnesse and bountie appeare in this that while there was nothinge to moue him to inuite man to his sonns mariage and in that to the possession of an eternall Kingdome with him but his owne infinite goodnesse noe accessions of power or greatnesse by poore man since to infinite nothing can be added Noe foresight of the merits of his workes seeing he knew that noe workes were euer or could be truly good but by his gracious assistance he pleased yet to inuite him But when he sees nothing but hatred returned for his loue he makes his rigour appeare in sending his hostes to distroye those murderers Affection Not to vs then ô Lord not to vs but to thy holy name to thy free goodnesse to thyne infinite goodnesse let glorie be giuen Thou didst not looke vpon vs and loue vs because we were in our selues louely but because thyne owne mercifull lookes made vs so Without that gracious aspect we had remayned in our nothinge without that being otherwise made we had bene but vnprofitable sinfull lost seruantes
inferiour motiues We offer gale to Christ when we complie with the world more then with his loue We offer a mixed cuppe of vineger and gale when we thinke to serue God and Mammon to liue piously and yet follow our owne inclinations passions and pleasures In fine we offer vineger and gale to Christ when knowing much we performe but litle knowing his blessed will we endeuour not to accomplish the same 2. Point Considera Noe sooner was this inhumane and barbarous present made but my sweete Sauiour pronounced againe Consummatum est all is consummated or ended All the ancient sacrifices types and figures For here the true Abel is slaine by his owne brother The harmelesse Ioseph is sold to the Ismaelites The saueing Noe is turned naked and mocked by his owne children The innocent Isaac is sacrificed by his owne father being otherwise the same Fathers onely hope and ioy So that vpon the Crosse we find the accomplishment of them all Affect To witt my soule our deare all-sauing Noe may seeme to conceiue the Deluge ouer because he drawes neere to the periode of his life sending out this voyce as a gentle doue to bring the good tydings of the same All is accomplished Our peace my soule is neere vpon the point of being concluded with his heauenlie father Our saluation is neere at hand O how many haue desired to see what we now see and to heare the Consummatum est which we haue the happinesse now to heare and yet saw and heard it not Resolution We wil be for euer thankfull for this so singular a grace which God out of his free mercy pleased to bestow vpon vs. THE XXVIII MEDITATION Of the same subiect 1. Point COnsideration All is accomplished or fulfilled All the Prophecies He hath giuen his body to the strikers and his cheekes to those that boxed them He hath not turned his face away from rebukers and spitters He hath bene despised and made the most abiect of men He hath borne our infirmities we haue seene him as à leper and strucken of God He hath putt vpon him the iniquities of vs all He hath bene offered because he himselfe would and opened not his mouth He hath bene ledd as a sheepe to slaughter and as a lambe before his shearer His soule hath laboured he hath bene reputed with the wicked and deliuered his soule vp vnto death As the Prophete longe agoe foretold We haue seene him in his thirste presented with vineger and gale We haue seene lotts cast vpon his garments We haue seene him à worme and not a man a reproche of men and out-caste of the people We haue seene him compassed with calues and dogges and beseiged by fatt bulls We haue heard him crye out my God my God why hast thou forsaken me Euen as it was foretold by Dauid Affect Is it not true then my soule that all is consummated all the Prophecies fulfilled Is it not true that sicut audiuimus sic vidimus that what was foretold we haue seene accomplished Is it not true that all these testimonies are made but too too credible exceeding apparant to all the world But ah my Iesu thou dearest Authour and Consummatour of our faith Is it not true too that thou didst strugle through strange cōtradictions the while for my sinnes for my saluation for the loue of me Ah this consummation was purchaced at too too deare a rate If euer I forgett these abismall labours let my right hand be forgotten and let my tongue sticke to my iawes if I euer cease to magnifie these ineffable mercyes of thyne 2. Point Consideration All is accomplished in fine to witt the whole law for our good law giuer came not to breake the lawe but to accomplishe it nor is the accomplishment of the Law any other thinge but the loue of God and our neighbour nor can any expresse a greater loue then to lay downe his life and such a life the life of a God not for friends neither but for enemyes for vnworthy seruants for loste slaues and that too in circumstances of greatest tormentes abismall abandonnements infamie and scorne Affect Yes the Law is indeed accomplished my soule since loue is the fulnesse accomplishment and perfection therof as to dye for the beloued is the fulnesse and perfection of loue Our louing Lawgiuer then hath performed his owne law in perfection since he dyes for loue and that not for his friendes onely but euen for his enemyes euen while they persecuted him to death Ah how pure how generous how disinteressed is this loue of his He finds himselfe forsakem by his Father and yet he is noe lesse readie to dye for his loue and honour He finds vngratefull man paying his loue and labours with iniuries and yet for his loue he will lay downe his life This ought to be the rule of our proceeding We must not lesse loue and serue God because he seemes some tymes to leaue vs in afflictions in temptations c. nor leaue off to loue our neighbour because he renders euil for good Noc for our ayme and obligation is to accomplishe the lawe with Christ and the accomplishment of the law is loue THE XXIX MEDITATION 1. Point COnsideration Finally all is consummated his obedience to his heauenly father euen vnto death and the death of the crosse All the great worke of mans redemption imposed vpon him and imbraced by him with such an infinite measure of charitie that he was pressed and oppressed by the same till he accomplished it All his labours and paynes and dolours All the mysteries of infirmitie and documents of vertue Affect It s true my deare Sauiour the lesson of obedience is cōsummated Thou hast left vs so perfect à paterne of it that contempt scorne ignominie tormentes death it selfe could not shake it Thou hast bene in labours from thy youth and thy paynes and dolours haue increased with thy yeares Thou hast past through all the Mysterie and as I may say all the miseries of infirmitie a cold stable a hard manger a locke of hay poore cloutes heate cold hunger thirst and much bodily wearinesse And thou hast left vs all the documents of vertue of humilitie myldnesse pouertie patience c. so that thou mightest wel say to mans hart what could I haue done to my vinyarde which I haue not done And we should as we might most iustlie answer nothing deare Lord for thou hast absolutly performed all that might be glorious to thy heauenly father all that might conduce to our plentifull redemption and spirituall instruction and putt the highest commendations vpon thy loue to poore man that could be putt by cruel torments streames of bloud and the most infamous death of a God 2. Point Consideration Hitherto hath my sweete Sauiour looked vpon his heauenly father as a sterne Iudge by whom he is smitten as he himselfe professes saying propter scelera populi mei percussi eum for the sinnes of my people I strucke him By whom
Iustice exacted satisfaction and his mercie found the meanes which to effect he spared not his owne onely sonne but deliuered him vp to death for vs all Nay but euen Christ himselfe too both accepted the hard commission and complyed with the painfull dutie and willingly offered himselfe vp If then sinne gaue the cause if mercy found out the meanes if transcendant chartiie executed the office by the death of a God deteste sinne my soule extolle that so admirable mercy and magnifie that boundlesse charitie for euer And least we who are most concerned may seeme least sensible let vs take a deepe share with all the creatures in this dolefull mourning If there be any sense of mans miserie left in vs if any gratitude for greatest mercy if any loue for most admirable charitie weepe my soule weepe If thou art a sunne for light brighnesse and beautie farre beyond all the other creatures eclipse thy glorie for a while in lamentations If a Temple of God burst in peeces If earth and ashes putt thy mouth into thy dust weepe in thy ashes and let thy earth quake to see thy God dye If thy hart be euen a rocke let it rend in peeces at least with the rockes laying a close seige to it make the Crosse the hammer and the nayles the wedges to riue it à sunder If it be yet harder then the rockes and be growen to the hardnesse of a diamāt which nothing but bloud can mollifie oh take the streames of the innocent bloud of the Lambe and applie it continually till it relent and bring out a shewre of teares at the king of heauens funeralls who dyed for our loue 2. Point Consideration O all yee that passe by the way attend and see whether there be any sorow like my sorowe cryes out our Sauiour by the mouth of mournefull Ieremie O all you spouses of Christ then ô all you Christian hartes doe not slightly passe by or passe ouer this saddest sight but make a stoppe ponder deeply feelingly obserue whether there was euer sorrowe comparable to the sorrow of your deare Lord and spouse who lyes deade for your loue deuoyde of all beautie and comelinesse For we haue seene him all disuigoured and deformed contemptible miserable and the last of men a worme and not a man a man of dolours and ouerloaden with all the extremitie of miseries We haue seene him like a leprous person to the eyes of all men strucken by God and made abiect Affect And yet my soule this last and most dolourous of men was in the Begining without Begining before the Angells yet were his owne souueraigne ioy and Beatitude O what a huge distance there is betwixt that Begining and this ignominious dolourous and dismale end He was there selfe-happie or happinesse is selfe here miserable and ablect There framinge all thinges all the vaste varietie of creatures of nothing here forsaken by all his creatures and reduced to nothing there before the day starre inhabiting an inaccessible light here dyinge and deade in darknesse O prodigious change of the Highest by the hand of the Highest O daunting disproportion betweene such a Begining and such an End O then at least le ts attend and see vvhether there be any sorovve like his sorrovve Resolution My beloued spouse shall be to me a posie of mirre and shall for euer dwell betwixt my breastes THE XXXII MEDITATION Our Sauiours side is opened by the Lance. 1. Point COnsider that as Christs loue and the iewes malice goe on and increase euen till death so rest they not there but euen out-liue death it selfe He is now subiect to noe more paines his soule being departed yet he is subiect to more iniuries his dead body is capable of more wounds markes of more malice in them and more dearenesse in him to whom nothing happened by accident Yet thy malice profits thee not ô cruell Iewe. since thou hurtest not him and thou profitest me All thinges concurre to the aduantage of those that loue him whom you hate Affect Ah deare Lord thy charitie is boundlesse It leades thee with ioy to death for ioy being proposed vnto him he sustayned the Crosse saith S. Paule It victoriously raignes in death and ouer death It out-liues death Ah was it not enough to haue payd the first droppe of thy pretious bloud which was more then sufficient to haue redeemed a thousand worlds vnlesse thou payedst the laste droppe too O too too plentifull a price O too too diuinely deare and prodigall a loue which payes an infinitie of millions more then is due prouing Christs loue to be incomparably greater then the Iewes malice and his mercy infinitly out-speaking mans miserie 2. Point Consideration We wanted not indeede streames of innocent bloud wherin to washe our leprosie and to cure the deepest wounds of our soule We wanted not deare argumentes and euen open conuictions of infinite loue since we saw our selues written as it were in his bored hands But we wanted as yet the best treasure which was left for Longinus his launce to open We wanted an open side for our languishing faith to enter into with incredulous Thomas his hand and grope out a God We wanted yet a passage to his hart wheras nothing can euer speake so much dearenesse or so absolutly subdue a hart as a kind hart lying open to it Affect Let vs then my soule yeald our selues vp to this last batterie which comes indeede the conquering way Let vs not fayle by this blessed breatch to find out our God and to adore him Dominum nostrum Deum nostrum our Lord and our God For by this blessed wound we gett free accesse to his fatherly tender bowells and learne the secreetes of his diuine hart Dominus meus Deus meus Here is my Lord here is my God indeede Here will I enter here will I adore him here will I loue him here will I rest here will I taste how sweete my God is Here finally will I safely singe his mercyes for euer Resolution As this open hart speakes powerfully to me my beloued is myne so shall my hart replye to him And I am intirely thyne for euer THE XXXIII MEDITATION 1. Point COnsider Iosephe of Arimathias great religion and courrage who went boldly to Pilate and demanded the body of Iesus He might iustly haue feared to haue mett with resistance from the Synagogue wroth and reuenge from the high Preists and a shamefull repulse at Pilates handes The cold prudence of the world would easily haue suggested that the best way was to lett their furie passe ouer least losse or ruine might haue followed Yet Gods prouidence for whose loue he vndertooke the worke so prouided that neither Synagogue preist nor Pilate either opposed refused or did any thing els to Iosephes preiudice Affect Learne my soule by Iosephs pious courage seconded with wished successe not to let thyne be shaken by imaginarie feares so thou be truly called vpon by the interests of Christs necessarie
thee is all my confidence Thou art the drainlesse fountaine of mercies who dost not repulse but wash those stayned soules who flye to thee Behold ô my dearest refuge behold I the verie scumme of all thy creatures approche vnto thee bringing nothing along with me but the heauie loade of my sinnes lowly layd at the feete of thy pietie I humbly implore thy mercy Pardon me I beseech thee ô my surest hope and for thy names sake saue me who beleeue that noe crymes are so great and enormious that by the merites of thy most holy Passion may not be forgiuen O sweete Iesu I offer vnto thee for remission of all my sinnes that admirable charitie of thyne which made thee not disdaigne being the God of eternall Maiestie to become man and for the space of more then thirtie yeares to be molested with many labours calamities and persecutions I offer vp that heauinesse that bloudie sweate those hard exigents which afflicted thee in the garden when thou prayedst to thy heauenly Father with Knees bowed downe to the ground I offer that excessiue desire of suffering wherwith thou didst burne when thou wentest voluntarilie out to be apprehended by thyne enemies I offer thy bonds stripes contumelies blasphemies blowes spittings and diuers other kindes of iniuries which thou didst suffer all the night longe in the house of Annas and Cayphas All this I offer vp to thee rendering thee harty thankes and humbly beseeching that infinite bountie of thyne and boundlesse pietie that by thy merites thou wouldst fully purifie my soule render it aggreeable to thee and conduct it to life euerlasting O sweete Iesus I offer vp vnto thee for all my sinnes the vnheard of ignominie which thou didst suffer when being strucken spitt vpon and bound thou wert ledd to Pilate in the morning from Pilate to Herode and from thence to Pilate againe I offer that sacred silence of thyne which made thee humbly hold thy peace at those contumelies and iniuries which were offered thee I offerre the contempt thou sufferedst when Herode opprobriously scorned thee in a ridiculous garment I offer that most cruell paine which thou sufferedst when they barbarously scourged thee being bound to a Pillar I offer thee the goarie markes of thy scourging and the streames of bloud which run downe from all thy sacred members All this I offer thee in thankesgiuing beseeching that immense pietie of thyne that by the merites of these thou wouldst fullie purifie my soule render it pleasing to thee and conduct it to life euerlasting O sweete Iesu I offer vnto thee for all my sinnes that humilitie and patience which thou didst shew when clothed in a purple garment for thy greater scorne thou wert crowned with thornes and saluted in a scoffing manner impiously spitt vpon smitten with a reede c. and buffeted Brought out before the Tribunall iniuriously condemned and last of all haled out to Mount Caluarie bearing thyne owne Crosse vpon thy shoulders I offer that greiuous toyle of thy sacred bodie the many wearie stepps of thy holie feete and the heauie waight vpon thy shoulders I offer thy sweate thy thirst and all the rest of thy torments which with a most meeke and readie hart thou sufferedst for my sake All this I offer thee beseechinge that immense clemencie of thyne that by the merits therof thou wouldst fullie purifie my soule render it pleasing to thee and conduct it to life euerlastinge O sweete Iesu I offer vnto thee for all my sinnes those most horrible paines thou sufferedst when thy wounds were renewed by plucking off thy garmentes when thy hands and feete were fastened to the Crosse when the ioyntes of thy body were all dissolued when thy pretious bloud came gushing out as from so many fountaines I offer these rosie dropps of thy pretious bloud that in effable meeknesse and benignitie wherby thou didst patiently suffer the intolerable insolencies of those who insulted ouer thee euen whilst thou didst pray for them to thy heauenly Father All this I offer thee beseeching that immense pietie of thyne that by the merite therof thou wouldst fully purifie my soule render it pleasing to thee and conduct it to life euerlastinge O sweete Iesu I offer vnto thee for all my sinnes vanities negligences and distractions those incomprehensible tormentes which thou sufferedstw when being exposed to such anguishe destitute of all consolation thou didst hange in a miserable manner on the Crosse betwixt two theeues and when burninge with excessiue thirst they gaue thee noe thinge but vineger and gale to drinke I offer that exceeding charitie and gracious mercy with which inclyninge thy venerable heade thou rendredst vp the Ghost I offer that saueing bloud and water which flowed from thy pierced side All this I offer thee beseeching that immense clemencie of thyne that by the merite therof thou wouldst fullie purifie my soule render it pleasing to thee and conduct it to life euerlastinge O sweete Iesu for the perfect remission of all my offences which in all my life tyme I haue in any wise committed I offer vnto thee the whole worke of mans redemption performed by thee I offer thy Incarnation thy birth conuersation death and Passion I offer what euer els may haue bene gratefull to thee at any tyme in thy most glorious Mother the Blessed Virgine Marie and in those other Saintes of thyne O most sweete Iesu I beseech thee may thyne innocencie fullie satisfie thy Father for my guiltinesse Shroud in the purest syndon of thy merites all my too vnworthy and sinfull life that what is vncleane in me by being conioyned to them and what is imperfect by being vnited to them may be perfected that so during this life I may be pleasing to thee and hauing-finished the course of this miserable pilgrimage I may presently arriue home to thee who art eternall saluation to glorifie thy B. Name for euer Amen VIVE IESVS A IAMAIS Dilectus meus mihi ego illi Amen IHS
knowledge to tempt and teache him Le ts first beleeue in him that he is the sonne of the liuing God because without faith it is impossible to please him and learne of him to be mylde and humble of harte and so we shall finde rest to our soules which in high and proude questions can neuer be found THE SECONDE POINTE. Thou shalt loue thy Lord thy God from thy whole harte with thy whole soule and with thy whole mynde This is the greatest and first commandement CONSIDER that this commandement of the loue of God aboue all thinges is most iustly called the first and greatest The first because it ought to possesse the first place in our harte The first againe because it ought to be in mans soule what the first … oouer is in the heauens which giues first motion to all the rest And it is the greatest because its whole ayme is summum bonum the souueraigne Good the greatest too because it comprises all Gods Lawe and all the vertues in a most eminent manner Affection O my soule how sweete how heauenly sweete is this lawe of loue which either finds all thinges easie or makes them such How gracious is this diuine Law giuer who deliuers vs so sweete a Lawe What is man ô Lord thou shouldst so magnifie him and place thy heauenly harte vpon him What is man to thee I say that thou shouldst commande him to loue thee yea and to be angrie and threaten to lay huge punishments vpon him if he loue thee not Alas is it not of it selfe punishment great enough if he doe not loue Alas should poore subiects who holde all of the Kinges of the earth neede any such threates to induce them to loue them THE SECONDE MEDITATION FOR THE SAME SVNDAY Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God with all thy hart c. THE FIRST POINT CONSIDER in what manner and with what measure we ought to loue our Lord God And we are told by S. Bernard that the measure of louing God is to loue him without measure from our whole harte saith our blessed Sauiour by placing all our affections vpon him With our whole soule not permitting any of the passions to contest with it With our whole mynd by making choyce of the best meanes imaginable to accomplish his blessed will in the most perfect manner that man is capable off here belowe Affection This is the onely thinge my soule wherin there can be noe excesse He is infinitly more louely then we are able to be louinge O what a happinesse it is to be oppressed with the abundance of goodnesse Le ts dilate our narrow hartes dare as much as we are able breath after him incessantly and yet humbly acknowledge that we fall infinitly shorte of what is due saying with S. Augustine let me loue thee ô Lord as much as I wishe and as much as I ought wherin that I may not fayle proue as the Authour of the precept so the giuer of the grace to performe it giue what thou commandst ô Lord and command what thou wilt THE SECONDE POINTE. And the seeonde commandement is like to this Thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe CONSIDER that our B. Sauiour had noe sooner established that right of loue which is indispensably due to his heauenly Father but he falls vpon the dutie of his adoptiue brethren to one another which he also places in loue saying thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe With this difference notwithstanding that the measure of the loue of God is to loue him without measure and the measure of the loue of our neighbour is to loue him as our selues that ought to be exhibited to God because he is infinitly Good this to our neighbour be he good or badd because it was commanded vs by an infinite Goodnesse Affection O deare God how good thou art to men of right hartes O diuine wisdome how wisely and sweetly thou disposest of all thinges My soule if man had bene left to wishe what he would what other lawe could he haue wished then what he has a lawe of loue Wherin God and mans interests are so wouen togeither that the one will not be admitted without the other In vaine doe we professe to loue God if we hate our neighbour whom he commands vs to loue Nay saith the louing S. Augustine this must be putt downe for a certaine truth that there is noe surer way to attaine to Gods fauour then the loue of man to man Ama fac quod vis THE FIRST MEDITATION FOR THE XVIII SVNDAY AFTER WHITSVNDAY Iesus c. said to the sicke of the palsey haue a good harte sonne thy sinns are forgiuen thee Matt. 9. CONSIDER that Gods goodnesse and bountie is so greate that he often giues vs not onely what we aske but euen other thinges which we aske not which are farre greater and better The poore sicke of the palsey aymed onely at a temporall blessing the cure of his infirmitie and behold he meetes with farre more the remission of his sinnes from the mouth of truth saying haue a good harte sonne thy sinnes are forgiuen thee Affection Such is the goodnesse of our good and bountifull God my soule that when we haue an humble recourse to him in simplicitie of harte he grantes vs often not onely what we desire but what he sees we most neede As at other tymes in exercising his mercy he refuses vs what we desire to grante vs thinges more conducing to our eternall good being still equally good as well in what he giues as what he denyes If we pray then day and night and be not heard as it happened to our blessed Sauiour himselfe let vs rest assured that what we asked was not for our aduantage acquiescing therin to Gods wise prouidence and desiring aboue all thinges to heare sonne thy sinnes are forgiuen thee THE SECONDE POINTE. CONSIDER that this wise Physitian of ours doth not onely shew his goodnesse and liberalitie in the care of the poore mans corporall and spirituall infirmities but manifestes his wisdome also in the manner of the cure to witt he first takes away the cause which is sinne By sinne it was saith the great Apostle that death and consequently all deseases leading to death gott first footing in the world and this woefull cause being once remoued from the soule he proceeds to the cure of the bodie Arise take vpp thy bedd and goe into thy house Affection Let vs learne then my soule of wisdome it selfe to be wise when we endeuour the cure of our deseased soule Le ts obserue the causes and occasions wherin we find our selues It is still in such and such circumstances I finde my fall It is in such companies I continually meete with the desease or death of my soule Let vs in tyme iudge our selues that we may not be more rigourously iudged That eye of scandall must necessarily be plucked out and throwne away without the reach of danger which who loueth shall perish in