Father most wise Son most holy Spirit O three Persons truely distinct and one most pure simple Deitie O thou that art the Author of nature giuer of grace the first and vniuersall cause of all things and the most in deficient fountaine of all goodnesse here O Lord I know thou art present after a most heauenly spirituall true comfortable and most effectuall and powerfull manner to the soule of the worthy receiuer I worship thee as my God with my whole heart and with al my strēgth humbly praying thee in the merites of my Sauiour Christ that all my thoughts my desires words and workes may be now euer acceptable vnto thee that thou will heare my praiers and for thy mercies sake not without comfort dispatch them from thee I thank thee O foūtain of goodnesse for the innumerable great benefits which frō the very momēt of my conception vntill this instant houre I haue receiued of thy boūty for the infinit benefits which euē now at this very time I receiue from thee for those infinit benefits which euen vnto the ende of my life and for all eternity I shall receiue out of the treasures of thy immense goodnesse and bounty For I am O Lord without all comparison lesse then least of thy mercies vnworthy altogether whom thou shouldest remember susteine or comfort with the least of thy benefits But now especially most deere Father and mercifull God I giue thee thanks frō the bottome of my heart First for the most infinit riches which thou hast placed in the humanity of thy onely begotten Sonne my Lord Iesus Christ and because thou hast giuen him vnto mee for a Father a Teacher a Guide and a Redeemer Secondly for that great plenty of benefits wherewith thou hast not onely inriched me but also all those whom by thy effectuall grace through the whole Church thou callest to sanctification and newnesse of life and admittest to thy most sweete familiarity Thirdly also I thanke the most deere Father euen with all the strength of my minde for this thy great merey in taking me from the miseries of this world wherein many of thy seruants farre more worthy then I are plunged in calling mee to the knowledge of thy great name and graunting mee so many helps to serue thee as I haue Fourthly for all the talents and guifts both Naturall Spirituall and Temporall bestowed on mee that by them I might profitably spend my time helpe others according to my calling and power and dispose my selfe by thy mercy to attaine eternall felicity Fifthly for this vicissitude and change of consolations and desolations of prosperities and aduersities wherewith thou hast wonderfully wouen and seasoned my life that neither through continuall aduersity I should bee cast downe nor yet by assiduity of prosperity I should be made drunke Sixthly for this inestimable benefit of calling and admitting mee this day to the most heauenly participation of all the rich treasures that are hidden in the life death resurrection ascention glorification of thy onely begotten Sonne and most sweet Sauiour And now O my Lord God being animated with these and other thy innumerable benefits I presume humbly to sue for more Giue mee Lord and all that now are prepared for this heauenly feast Matth. 15 this day our dayly bread It is not good O my God to take the childrens bread and giue it vnto dogs but though this be so yet sometimes the whelps doe eate of the crummes which fall from their Masters table Therefore albeit I am in thy house like a despicable whelpe yet this day by thy mercy let mee feed on the bread of thy children and furnish my soule with all graces which may make me worthily to taste of thy supper Giue me thy most abundant grace that I may come to this my Redeemers bāquet with such assured faith profound humility due reuerence humble feare feruent charity constant hope and thirsting affections that I may there appeare to bee welcome vnto thee and may receiue into my soule all the fruits of this thy most heauenly Sacrament And because O my sweete Father Sauiour and Sanctifier this is a seruice wherewith thou art well pleased and by which thou conueiest vnto vs the bottomlesse Ocean of all thy mercies and graces I will now powre out my heart further in thy sight and because thy Sonne my Sauiour is omnipotent I will for his infinit merits sake pray vnto thee for all men Be mercifull therfore O Father of al mercies to the whole world and replenish it with thy faith and knowledge turning the Nations which are voide of faith to the knowledge of the truth in thy Sonne Christ Iesus Turkes Barbarians Heretiques Schismatiques Idolaters and the perfidious Iewes compell them now at length to enter into the house of the Church Let not so many millions created in thy image perish Let not that most pretious bloud of thy Sonne be shed for them in vaine I lament O Lord before thee these my brethren thus estranged from thee and the miserable condition wherein they lie intangled and if I could I would beleeue in thee with all the vnderstandings of these people I would loue thee with all their willes and I would perpetually serue thee with all their strengths But alas I can doe nothing but desire and lament and powre out my laments and desires before thy great Maiesty Haue mercy O Lord vpon thy whole Church increase in it the purity of faith and cleannesse of sanctification and extend it by the labour of thy good and painfull seruants to the ends of the whole world Behold with the eye of thy mercy thy righteous ones those that labour more and more for a further measure of sanctification preserue and increase in them true righteousnesse Behold all miserable sinners lying and stinking in the puddle of their sinnes draw them vnto thee and take them by a mighty hand out of that so miserable an estate Helpe Lord all those pastours of thy flocke and giue them grace that both by word and example they may shine vnto all men and their light may guide and direct others to saluation O Lord make them the salt of the earth the light of this cloudy world the cities placed vpon a high hill and giue them grace not onely to aspire vnto but to attaine that purity of life that zeale of thy glory which their place and dignity requires O Lord poure out thy mercies vpon our King and all other Kings and gouerours nobles plebeians and all the whole ranke of secular men that call vpon thy name deliuer them from their aduersaries ioyn them together in the peace of thy Gospell inrich them with a zeale and care of obseruing thy commandements that they may liue as it becommeth Christians and may obtaine that eternall saluation to which they were created Forget not the kingdoms principalities of thy Church but make thē more potēt then their enemies giue victory to their armies against the
God would not spare him that offendeth Greg. 9. Mor. And what is it that this holy man who did such admirable workes feared in them was it not least fraud and deceit should mixe themselues in his actions and earthly concupiscence should like a theefe secretly lurke to steale away the goodnesse of them Exod. 30. Therefore as the sacred perfumes composed of many sorts of spices were to bee beaten to pouder and set before the Arke of testimony so must our good workes not be few but many not proceeding from one but mixt with all vertues and by the pestle of the heart through inward discussion of the Conscience broken and bruised all to peeces and powder that they may giue a gratefull sauour in the nostrels of GOD. For as these spices if they bee not powned cast fourth no fragrant smell so if our good workes passe not vnder the hand of discussion but be presented in grosse vnto God they loose the sweet smell which they should haue Now if our good workes must come vnder this examination much more must our euill and wicked actions bee subiect to it For seeing thereby not onely our sinnes and defects but also the quality and greatnesse of the euill committed it cannot but mooue it to sorrow and repentance which being true and vnfeined bends the mercy of GOD towards vs and obteines remission in Iesus Christ Is 38. What doth the good King that hee might get GOD to bee propitious vnto him I will walke weakely all my yeres in the bitternesse of my soule where the common translation goeth thus I will recall all my yeares in the bitternesse of my soule All the yeares saith hee of my life I will remember my sinnes committed against thee and I will season this remembrance with grieuous sorrow and repentance and because I haue offended thy diuine Maiestie I will euen consume my selfe with griefe and affliction I will surely say O Lord if thus I liue if thus I must spend and wast my daies if in such so filthy and odious things so vnworthy of man I shall loose the life of my soule why should I liue And whilst I thus say and with griefe consume my selfe feeling thy reprehension in my heart I am by thy mercy brought to life againe I now see that in the false feigned and hurtfull peace which I had with my sinnes there was hidden most bitter bitternesse But whilst I see this and grieue for it thou O Lord who wouldest not the death of a sinner but that hee might bee turned and liue hast taken away and deliuered my soule from that miserable condition of sinne that it should not perish and hast cast behind thy backe all my sinnes These fruits did Ezechias gather from the recogitation of his sins And the same shall wee also doe as often as with sorrow and griefe wee discusse and recogitate our sinnes Ber. Learne therefore saith that deuout father to commaund thy selfe to order thy life to compote thy manners to iudge thy selfe to accuse thy self with thy selfe and often to condemne thy selfe and suffer not thy selfe to escape vnpunished Let thy conscience iudging and condemning thee sit quiet let Iustice stand as guilty no man loues thee better no man will iudge more faithfully In the morning take an account of thy selfe for the night past and giue a Law vnto thy selfe for the day come At night take an account of the past and lay a commandement on thy selfe for the night to come so shalt thou be kept from all wicked and daungerous transcursions and wandrings out of the way Seeing then all that wee doe must be thus discussed many of them being by the mercy of God good and not a few by our owne frailty euill it follower that all both good and bad must appeare before the conscience that what is good in them may by the mercy of God be accepted and what is euill out of our frailty may through his mercy and our due repentance be put out and pardoned Now hauing thus seene the matter of our discussion it followeth that we speake how it is to be done We say that Kingdome is happy where the Iudges loue no guifts nor seeke for rewards but iudge iustly but more truely is that soule happy in which reason illuminated by God examines all the actions and dissembles nothing nor leaues any thing that is vniust without iust punishment If then this examen of the conscience bee a certaine kinde of spirituall iudgement the forme of iudgement most be obserued in it that it be rightly and profitably performed of vs. Now in that iudgement wherin a man is not onely accused of some crime but also of ingratitude towards him whom by his offence he hath hurt 1. There must bee a commemoration of the benefit 2. An inquisition and probation of the crime 3. Lastly a sentence of the Iudge condemning the guilty and with due punishment censuring him Of this kinde it seemeth the examen of Conscience isâ—â— in which wee must not onely accuse our selues of some faultes and defects but of ingratitude towards GOD which being prooued against vs wee cannot but pronounce sentence against our selues and punish our selues by repentance for it For as black doth appeare better if placed neere vnto that which is white so our sins being set neere to the benefits of God will more euidently shew themselues To this discussion the Prophet exhorts what haue I don Mich. 6. O my people and wherein haue I grieued thee That so remembring his benefits hee might draw them to the knowledge of their sinnes and ingratitude and so bring them to a desire of their conuersion The next thing is to take a time accommodate and fit for this examen which may be some short time before we prepare our selues for sleepe There is one time of searching out the things that are aboue vs and another time of discussing the things that are with in vs. For their is a time for euery thing vnder the Sunne Therefore there is a time of contemplating the wonderfull workes of God and there is a time of considering our owne infirmities This is a time of weeping but that is a time of laughing For sorrow may bee for a night but ioy commeth in the morning Psal 29. Why should there not be a time of laughing in the morning of diuine contemplation in the contemplation of eternall light And why should there not be a time of weeping in the euening of horrible sights in considering the darkenesse of mans conscience Therefore in this time of weeping and considering our owne darkenesse fiue things are to bee done which concurre to the forme and manner of this examen 1. Is a commemoration of the benefits of GOD and an humble and feruent thanksgiuing 2. A desire of grace that wee may bee able to search out and know our sinnes and defects 3. An inquisition and discussion of the conscience whereby we may acknowledge the sinnes
appeare beautifull and gracefull in his sight Which is to bee performed by these exercises following 1 Exercise is concerning sorrow for our sinnes which helpes much to relieue the discomfiture of the soule and of the manifold euill that comes by sinne He that hath offended so great a Lord as is our God by such grieuous treacheries as wee haue done would now againe come into his seruice it is meet that first he labour to get his offence pardoned that to doe this hee vse those meanes whereby he may more easily be restored to grace and that we may not as desperate persons or conceited ideots thinke that no remedy is to bee found for so great a malady as that of our malice the diuine goodnesse euer desirous of our good hath prouided for vs an easie remedy namely that we shold be sorry for our heinous proditions and offences which we haue committed against his goodnesse and no sooner shall we intimously from the heart conceiue this sorrow but by by all our wiekednesse shall be blotted out of his memory So great is the malice and poison of sinne that to the extinguishing and putting out of the same not all the sorrow and tears of all men in the world is sufficient of it selfe how much lesse the sorrow and teares of one man alone but yet so great is the clemeney and mercy of our Lord and of such value is the vnualuable price of the pretious blood of the sonne of God that he is pleased so that we repent our sinnes with a sincere heart and with a liuely faith apply that pretious merits of that spotlesse Lambe of God to our wounded soules to supply in mercy what is defectiue in our weakenesse and to accept that all sufficient sacrifice of his blessed Sonne vpon the Crosse for a complete and full ransome and satisfaction for all And surely it is but iust and right that wee grieue for our sinnes committed for there is no man lyuing who is not naturally greeued and doth not repene that hee hath done any act whereby either harme may ensue vnto him or he may be depriued of any good thing that hee affected Now sinne is the cause that wee loose that infinite good euren GOD himselfe it is the cause that grace is taken from vs wherein consists all our riches it is the cause that wee become Sathans seruants and GODS sworne enemies it is the cause that hee that dieth in it shall for euer bee depriued of the inheritance of heauen and buried in infernall dennes and iustly ought hee to suffer so great euill who commits Treason against the most supreme GOD who was content to die that hee might giue vnto vs life To recount the euills wherewith sinne affects vs were to number the drops of heauen in a storme of raine Therefore our sorrow for sins ought to be longer thē any words can reach seeing our GOD offended is so good and so worthy of our seruice and neuer to bee offended whose anger and offence ought most to vrge vs and whose will and goodnesse aboue all things to mooue vs to blot out our sinnes with the sobs of our hearts and teares of our soules that being put out of his sight that deuine goodnesse may be pleased with our lame obedience But the maner of acquiring this sorrow if the heart bee found to bee harde is that wee represent to the Soule the euill that proceeds from sinne and compell our will to desire that it were not committed and that God had not been offended by it And this act of the will we must labour often to produce sometimes generally for all sinne sometimes discoursing from one sinne to another and with the greatest endeauour we can albeit sometimes we may seeme to haue no sensible griefe for such is not in our power nor is absolutely necessary at all times God in whose hands it is will giue it vs if we often assume that which we can obtaine and in this sorrow he that will rightly begin to serue God must continue a month or more 2 Exercise Must be in the hatred of a mans selfe a thing before all other requisite in expelling the euill customes of the soule For as from the loue of our Sauior spring innumerable euils from which ill customes and habits doe arise to when the loue of our Sauior ceaseth and the hatred of our Sauior entreth to which the Gospell in many places exhorts euery sinne and euill custome is banished But because such kind of hatred seems at the first sight to defer vs from this exercise for the inbred loue which euery one hath towards themselues aboue all things in the world vnto which also euery man is bounde we will first shew the manner how euery one ought to hate himselfe Secondly wherefore euery one ought to hate himselfe and thirdly how this hatred can stand with true charity which begins at the loue of ones selfe I Presupposing the rule and Canon of the sixt instruction the manner wherewith euery one ought to hate himselfe must bee this that he neither will desire nor assume to himselfe any thing that may delight him besides that which without the offence of God he cannot omit but if he must desire it and take it to him then it must be so done that as much as in him is he be sorry for it conconsidering how vnworthy hee is of all delectation and pleasure in respect of his sinnes and thereupon is sorry that he is compelled to admit it yet in as much as it is the pleasure of God he willingly and ioyfully admits it As for the purpose eating drinking the like which bring some delectation with them thou must neuer assume will or desire them for thy owne comforts and delights or to satisfie thy owne appetite nay thou must with a firme will determine with thy selfe that thou wouldest not admit it if the will of God were not such as would haue thee to doe it To hold this firme resolution it is needfull that thou call to minde the sixt instruction And herein shalt thou know that thou hall gained such a will when thou takest onelie so much of these and in that manner as thou thinkest God would haue thee to take and desire God would that thou shouldest take of meate and drinke what is necessarie both in quantitie and qualitie In quantitie so much as is truely and not fainedlie necessarie vnto thee whereby thou maist bee disposed and made strong to the seruice of GOD in qualitie that with all thy power thou reiect all sweete taste therein except when it is necessarie for the remedie of thy infirmities In these and the like it will be euer expedient that wee take something lesse yea whilst yet it may seeme necessarie vnto vs to take so much For often the too much loue of our selues will impose vpon vs but seldome the hatred of our selues Besides it is necessarie together with this hatred of thy selfe that thou doest
enemies of thy faith in mercy bestow vpon them all necessaries for the quiet and comfortable passage or this mortall life I bring before thee O Lord my Parents my Brethren my kindred my friēds humbly praying thee to giue vnto them all things which thou shalt know to bee agreeable to thy will and profitable to their saluation I bring also into thy presence all captiues imprisonned sicke tempted troubled agonizing and wounded soules and all such as are in any extreame and grieuous necessity that out of thy goodnesse they may receiue liberty health victory consolation a happie death and a full remedy and recouery of all their necessities and wants Yea I humbly intreat thee O most mercifull Father for all my enemies that in all things thou wouldest be good vnto them and that for the infamy which they haue east vpon mee thou wouldest giue vnto them honour for detraction a good fame for hatred loue and for all the euils practised against me all temporall things profitable for this life and in fine eternall saluation And now O my God and onely refuge I come vnto thee for my selfe and will declare before thee my owne necessities and miseries not that thou maist know them for all things are open and manifest vnto thy eyes but that whilst with mourning and griefe I pronounce them I may kindle in my selfe the desires of thy mercy and may draw from thee the remedies of my griese I haue sinned O Lord beyond the number of the sand of the sea my iniquities are multiplied against mee and I am not worthy so much as to behold the heauens because of the multitude of my sinnes against thee Yet in confidence of thy sonnes merits whose bloud was a sufficient ransom for the sinnes of the whole world I begge for his sake remission of all my sinnes and to be clensed from all mine iniquities Graunt vnto mee a sauing faith to hold fast on thy promises a true repentance that for the loue of thee I may detest all sinne and a safe protection that I be neuer intangled in the snares of Sathan Giue me true mortification of my judgement will affections and sences least being deceiued by these which are euer prone vnto euill I bee drawne from those things which are pleasing vnto thee Giue me a true contempt of earthly things that I may neither seeke for honours nor hunt after dignities nor desire riches or pleasures but that I may place all my honour all my treasures all my delights in thee who art the fountaine of all good things Deliuer mee from all temptations and guiles of my inuisible enemies but chiefely from them that come vnder the vizard of good least seeking after that which is good I should be pulled away from the true good Grant O my Lord God that that faith which thou hast giuen me may euermore bee preserued and increased in mee Lighten my minde with a supernaturall light that it may know the diuine mysteries and that it may more perfectly vnderstand those things which I beleeue concerning thee and thy Sonne Grant me a firme hope whereby I may altogether forget my selfe and may place all my cares in the bosome of thy prouidence and that I may conside that I shall onely out of thy mercy obtaine eternall life and all things necessary to the attayning therof giue mee perfect charity whereby I may most ardently loue thee and my neighbours giue mee a true resignation of my self and agreeable to thy will Cheere vp my minde with the presence of thy goodnesse pacifie my soule and conscience with thy peace inkindle me with the zeale of thy glory and saluation of my brethren powre into me the affection of compassion whereby I may compassionate and condole the miseries of others and according to my weakenesse helpe them Perfect in me O my Creator my vnderstanding with prudence and discretion that in all things I may hold a meane giue mee a docible heart that I may not frowardly persist in my owne sence and opinion Stirre vp in mee a true feruour and heate that I may not slackly and coldly but most diligently serue thee and adorne me with the virtue of attentiō circumspection that I may take heed of the euils of my soule which euery where daily lie in waite for me and that I may doe nothing by my negligence which may bee lesse acceptable and pleasing vnto thee Perfect in me O Lord my will by the power of thy righteousnesse wherby I may willingly submit vnto thy will and may giue vnto euery one that which is his due Subiect me to thy selfe by the power of Religion and giue mee the vertue and guift of prater that in all things I may seeke thy praise giue thee that worship which is due to thy great name Giue mee a heart penitent for my sinnes pious towards my parents deuoute towards my betters subiect to my gouernours thankefull to my benefactors affable to my friends simple in deeds and true in words Such a heart I say as may imitate the heart of thy deare Sonne and may euer offer vp vnto thee an acceptable sacrifice Perfect O my good Father the irascible part of my soule with the vertue of fortitude so that in all aduersities I may carry my selfe as becommeth mee and pressed with the burden of afflictions I may neuer be exorbitant from that which is right in thy eyes Giue me a minde in magnanimity conspicuous in things of my duety and thy seruice through security ioyfull contemning the goods of this world for thy sake susteyning all acerbities and sorrowes albeit many and long enduring and perseuering constantly in that which I haue well begun For it is the voice of thy Sonne that not he who hath begun and left off from his enterprise but hee that continues to the end shal be saued Perfect in me O my God my concupiscible faculty with the beauty of temperance whereby I may both flee all filthy things and follow after honest and holy things and in the care for my body may onely haue respect to my necessity Cloathe mee O Lord with abstinence and sobriety that I may hold all due measure in eating and drinking with chastity and shame fastnes that I may keepe my body which is thy Temple immaculate and cleane in his duty before thee With meekenesse and clemency that by thy helpe I may restraine all indignation and anger Cast not this my petition O my God out of thy sight but giue me that most excellent grace of humility that I may bee made the true disciple of Christ thy Sonne and my Lord and may account my selfe as indeed I am the most vile of all others and may truely contemne all the spend our and glory of this world giue mee in my actions modesty in my tongue silence and prudence in the vse of all things moderation and victory and conquest ouer all kind of curiosities that there may be nothing in mee that may displease
wee repent for our sinnes when wee desire and purpose to shun them when in the discussion of the conscience wee shall vnderstand that they are euill and displeasing vnto God For the euils which either out of ignorance or infirmity or yet or mallice wee haue committed this discussion and this examination doth detect sets them before the eies of the minde that they may bee lamented and blotted out Therefore the things which we haue committed with more precipitancy then prudence and feare to be euil we must diligently discusse and by a wise retractation inquire whether they be iust or vniust profitable or vnprofitable Hence wee may collect that who doe not often examine themselues can seldome or neuer haue a right and sanctified life For euen as a line is not thought to bee exorbitant and swaruing from straightnesse when it is look't on without the helpe of the rule but assoone as the rule is laide to it the obliquity and crookednesse of the line is discouered so the defects of our liues do passe by and out of our knowledge whilest that the Rule of Examination doth not ponder all our workes For this discussion of the Conscience is the rule which directs our actions and shewes what is crooked and what is streight what is acceptable and what is odious to God in them If therefore the rule be necessarie to Artificers to the doing of their workes according to arte surely then is the examination of our thoughts and workes necessary to vs to the end that wee may liue well and frame our liues according to the rule of vertue When wee doe purpose to clense a house wee first gather and sweepe all the filth in one place that wee may afterwards cast it our So is the house of our conscience to bee clensed examination gathers our sinnes together and repentance after that casts them out But if by this exercise we doe not see our sins and defects and gather them into some corner of our memory euen to our confusion and teares for them how shall we euer cast them out One doth very aptly compare the examination of the conscience to the moouing of the humours in the body by physicke for as the art of physicke doth first by the benefit of some medecine mooue and collect the humours and afterwards by some potion driues them out so the art of holy liuing doth first by examination mooue our sinnes and as it were pull them out of their residence and after by true repentance castes them out This to bee the true fruite of examinatiō the Prophet shewes Let vs search and trie our waies Lam 3. turne againe to the Lord. For what other thing is it to search our waies but to discusse our manners affections words workes and thoughts What is this inquisition but to trie by examination whether these same things bee good or euill acceptable or odious vnto God And what will hence follow Surely that wee may returne vnto the Lord and by true repentance put away his indignation and obtaine his mercy and fauour Therfore the discussion of Conscience is auailcable hereunto that wee may detest and lament our sinnes Thus holy Dauid stirred vp himselfe to the destruction of his sinnes Psal 6. I am wearie of my groning euery night wash I my bed and water my couch with my teares Hee had said before Turne mee O LORD and deliuer my soule O saue mee for thy mercies sake In which words hee praies that the Lord would pardon his former sinnes But that I may obtaine pardon saith hee I will weary my selfe with mounrning I will in the place of my rest call to minde my sinnes and will sill my bowels with sorrow and griefe For this is the way O Lord to bend and incline thy mercy and allure thee to spare and forgiue my sinnes But now let vs briefly lay downe the necessities of this discussion 1 It detects our sinnes and giues light and wisdome to know them For whilst wee accustome our selues to looke into our selues and to separate the euill frō the good we are instructed of the Lord who is faithfull how to doe that is good shun that is euill When Gedeon was threshing wheate by the wine-presse to hide it frō the Midianits Iud. 6. the Angell of the Lord appeared vnto him who taught him the will of God and made him captaine to ouercome the Midianits And what is this to thresh wheat and hide it from the Midianits but to examine thy life by a wise consideration to auoid the snares of the diuell Doth not GOD looking vpon this thy labour send his messenger to make thee captaine against thy enemies whilst thou feelest a light sent frō heauen to make thee know thy sins and stirre thee vp by teares and repentance to cast them out What is it to thresh wheate saith a holy father but by streightnesse of iudgement to separate the graines of vertues Greg. 3. Mor. from the chaffe of vices Therefore those that by iudgement and examination separato their good deeds either from wicked workes or affections doe prepare themselues to receiue the beames of diuine light At the last day when God shal iudge the world he wil first examine the consciences 1. Cor. 4. and by the examination manifest them that after hee may giue vnto the Godly most ample rewards and to the wicked most bitter torments because euen nature doth teach that no man is to bee iudged good or euill till his cause bee knowne of the Iudge God will set before man his sinnes Psal 49. hee will write them in his sight with the pencill of his wisdome that hee may know himselfe guilty and GOD iustly punishing him and the same order if wee will doe aright must wee obserue namely first by a prudent examination ponder all our thoughts and workes before either wee arraigne our selues as guilty or acquite our selues as innocents For neuer whilst wee here liue will there bee awanting in our hearts sufficient matter to humble vs and to prouoke vs to a holy repentance except our liues lie hid vnder the vaile of selfe loue 2 Another reason of the necessity hereof is for that no man can without it sufficiently conceiue a detestation of his sinnes For who euer was mooued to detest the misery hee knowes not Who euer grieues for the stripes hee feeles not Or the infamy hee knowes not such is he who is vtterly ignorant of his defects and miseries who doubtlesse will neuer grieue for them nor by any censure of amendement will cast them out And how shall hee not be ignorant of his defects who neuer lookes into himselfe Who doth not examine and discusse himselfe And who neuer obserues what hee caries either in his hands or in his heart Therefore discussion of the consciēce is the beginning of all soueraigne sorrow and repentance whereby when wee behold our owne cases and estates wee are stirred vp to sorrow and detestation for
that sinne bee it great or small which wee prosecute with a true detestation and hatred that sinne I say onely is remitted vs but wee detest that sinne which wee know wee haue committed which in the inwards of our minde with an attentiue discussion of the conscience wee deprehend Mary Magdalene first beheld the foulenesse of her heart and then washed our Lords feet with her teares lamented her iniquities Greg. Hom. 33. and obtained pardon of her sinnes Because shee beheld the spots of her turpitude she ran to the fountaine of mercy to bee washed But if she had not beheld her blemishes out of doubt shee had not come to the bath of mercies toâ— bee clensed Therefore if thou wilt bee clensed from thy dayly sinnes detest them by compunction if thou wilt detest them first know them by examination for as no man loues the good hee knowes not so no man hates the euill whereof hee is ignorant Moses put his hand into his bosome and it came fourth leprous Exod. 4. so whilst wee put our hands into our bosomes and discusse our owne consciences wee bring into knowledge the leprosie of our sinnes he put it againe into his bosome and brought it fourth and it was cleane without any leprosie So whilst wee are in a dayly examination of our defects wee are at length clensed from the filth of our sinnes Therefore the discussion of the conscience is like to a bath wherewith whilst we know and lament our sinnes wee are through the mercy of God clensed Now then there is none but seeth that the examen of the conscience is necessarie to the puritie of the minde because it both laieth open our sinnes and being knowne bewailes them and whilst by teares wee labour to purge them the Lord who mightily desires our amendment doth of his goodnesse through Christ giue vs full remission of them 2 Wee are now come to consider the benefits of this examen which is the third tiling I promised to open Those things which are very necessary vnto life are went euer to bee full of great profit that the benefit of them might enforce the daily vse of them Whence it is that seeing this discussion of conscience is so necessary to aduance a godly life it cannot but abound with most pleasant fruity which the Saints of God as from a tree may daily receiue from it Now wee haue seene the great necessity of it as being a most present remedy of the emendation of life and the originall act which God vseth to the remission of sinnes The benefit of it is most manifest seeing not onely Christians but euen Heathen Philosophers instructed by the conduct and light of nature haue obserued it To omit both Seneca and Plutarch Pithagoras hath in most elegant verses described this discussion of the conscience of which the sence is that euery one before hee compose himselfe to sleepe ought to discusse his daily actions and obserue in them these 3 things 1 Wherin he transgressed 2. What hee had done 3. What hee had left lesse perfect Who will denie the profit of this discussion to be most manifest which the blinde did see and euen those indewed but with a glimmering of the light of nature haue so wifely disciâ—hered Therefore besides those wee haue named there are many other worthy fruits of it 1 The daily discussion of the conscience is profitable to the destruction of vices because whilst the minde beholding it selfe knowes it selfe to be vitious and fowle whilst it laments and detests the sinnes that defiled it it inflames it selfe vnto the fight and in fighting puts to flight the sinnes to which it was subiect Iosh 3. Euen as when the Priests entred into Iorden the waters stood like vnto a mountaine so when wee enter into a serious discussion of our conscience all our ill customes renounce their former streame steppe backe depart from vs and loose the strength wherewith they were wont to molest vs. 2 It is profitable to the planting of vertues in vs. For as the diligent in any faculty doe by frequent beholding of their worke learne to amende it and from small beginnings comes at length to great perfection in his art so hee that is studious of vertues whilst he daily examines his actions and despiseth this as naught but adorns and decks the other as lesse perfect and casts another off vnto some fitter time with in few monthes will grow to a great measure of Sanctification The knowledge of liuing well is to bee acquired by many meanes partly by reason partly by example partly by doctrine partly by meditation of the Holy Scriptures partly by a daily looking into our owne workes and manners But this last of all others is the most necessary as making vs to grow in graces and cut off all superfluities that the minde may come to her ancient beauty 3 It is profitable to the acquiring of the mindes quiet because whilst he laments the euils committed and leaues nothing in the conscience to trouble or check it it must of necessity bring with it peace and quiet This peace Iob found when hee said Iob. 27. His heart did not reprehende him in all his life The Saints of GOD cease not to search the verie secret corners of the heart and subtilly sifting themselues doe cast away the cares of earthly things and all their thoughts being digged vp when they finde themselues not bitten with any guiltinesse of sinnes do â—est secure as in the bed of their owne hearts They desire to bee hid froÌ„ the actions of this world they euer consider their owne things Those that are thus buried in themselues doe sleepe secure for whilst they vigilantly â—enetrate into their owne inwards they hide themselues from the laborious burdens for this world vnder the sweete shadow of rest For they suffer nothing that can hinder their quiet to â—est within the circle of their â—earts For euen as those that doe diligently search their house before they sleepe that they may not leaue any theefe or enemy lurking in any corner to surprise them may after take their rest in great security so those that before they lie downe to sleepe doe search out the secret corners of their hearts and doe labour to cast out with teares all that they finde therein vitious and naught doe procure vnto themselues a quiet and secure life On the other side wee know that no man is suffred to sleepe when the warre waxeth hote because as long as we doe not ouercome and repell them wee must of necessity bee troubled with their assaults 4 Besides it is profitable to acquire wisdome For hee that searcheth out himselfe and examines the beginnings ends and circumstances of his workes doth so learne how hee may thenceforth liue what things are to bee done and what not The my of a foole saith Salomon is right in his owne eyes Pro. 12. but hee that heareth counsaile is wise Why the foole Because hee takes
conceiue it much concernes me to commend these my weake endeauours to his tutelage trust protection with whom they may not onely be safe but also of some value regard But seeing no man will either gratefully accept or greatly delight in much lesse 〈◊〉 protect against the mal◠〈…〉 â—â—melies and poisonous breath of carping tongues those things which are either altogether auerse from his nature or remoued from his vnderstanding and knowledge or lesse fit for his dignity and greatnesse therefore am I to seeke some generous and illustrious person well vnderstanding and regarding these things to shroud them vnder his shield from the tempest of disteÌ„pered tongues And where may I goe to find such a one but to your noblenesse most religious Prince who hath known the holy Scriptures of a child 2 Tim. 3.15 which are able to make you wife to saluation through the faith which is in Iesus Christ and who makes conscience to remember your creatour in the daies of your youth Eccle. 12.8 whilst the euill dayes come not nor the yeeres wherein you shall say I haue no pleasure in them For there is no writer that had not need to prouide good structure and great strength against the violent and furious waues of malignant tongues the Alcyon is said to expose her nest beeing made of firmly compacted stuffe Plut. lib. 9.17 to the shore where the strongest waues do beat and whatsoeuer it findes not sufficiently and soundly composed it amends and strengthens Now if the care and naturall loue of future issue make the Alcyon so sollicitous to bring vp her yong that shee prepares a building which the sea it selfe cannot penetrate I stand excusable in labouring by all meanes to protect this house and shelter of the soules refuge vnder the shadow of your Princely sauour against the raging and swelling flouds of impious detractors Therefore to you alone doe I herein rightly addresse my selfe knowing that as when Aeneas was permitted to carry away any one thing that he would he made choice to carry with him his country Gods so you will rather chuse to giue countenance to Gods cause and the godly labours of diuines therein then to all other writings seeme they neuer so profitable pleasant and glorious for that of Democritus as it is well known vnto you so is it well practised that two things doe rule the whole world reward and punishment And what reward or punishment can bee greater or more iust then to accept of the worthy and reiect the worthlesse labours of men seeing you doe so wisely iudge that as three verses of slowe Euripides stile lasts longer then a hundred of the Praecipitant stile of Alcestes so one sentence of those soule-quickning words which proceed out of the mouth of God Val. Max. 3.7 is more worth then all the eloquence and learning of the world besides I know well that a base countryman passeth by the King and salutes him not because hee knowes him not and a simple peasant of the cuntry as he walks in the fields tramples vnder his feete many soueraigne simples which the skilfull Apothecaries carefully gather vp and preserue so many vnskilfull persons or if cunning Clarkes yet carnall professors will not only passe by this worke as they doe all other of this kind without saluting it but euen spitefully tread it vnder foot because they cannot sufficiently value the worth of it Yet shall the godly wise in this field finde many excellent herbes of sweet and soueraign operatioÌ„ to euery purpose for his soules good And for my owne part Cremutius Bulwarke shall bee my comfort in all the storms and gustâ—â— of contagious tongues Verba mea arguâ—ntur adeo factorum innoceus sum Tacit. annal 4. Let them carpe at my words and writings who list whilst my conscience is cleere from any foule liuing or offence giuing Townes that haue wodden bridges doe seare least they should be borne downe by euery floud or encrease of waters but they that haue bridges of stone care not but only for extraordinary swellings of waters so he that hath a soule well setled in Christian moderation contemns the ordinary excesse of iniurious tongues but such as are weake in godlinesse are disquieted with euery blast of broad and foule mouthed companions The bridge of my reputation is not of wood but of hewen stone therefore little reckons of any inundations of vngodly censurers Onely herein is my feare that I haue offended the gratious patience of your Princely eare with the ouer-tediousnesse of an vnpolisht Epistle and herein should I faint for feare to displease were I not with this assurance born vp out of long obseruation of your godly courses that it is voluptas summa quaestus maximus your greatest pleasure best gaine to please God Plato and gaine many vnto Christ making all other learning but chiefly this to be instar fraeni like a bridle to restraine you that you be not distracted with other vnnecessary things Knowing that as it is the glory of the Sunne that so many thousand stars borrow light from it so it is your neuer fading glory that so many millions of souls shall borrow light and example from you to follow you in this heauenly Progresse and withall remembring that as Alcibiades not finding Homer with the schoolmaster gaue him a boxe on the care and went his way so you will thinke him vnmeer for your company that followes you not in this happy Progresse of all true pleasure Neuer therefore let it depart out of your Princely minde that whatsoeuer Gods gifts are in you yea euen all the gratious occasions and seasons of time for his seruice you owe them all to the Church of Christ and that God hath not made you Lord Paramount of the goods of body or minde much lesse of those falsly ascribed to Fortune but his steward to lay them out to his glory the saluation and good of others Which if you shall euer remember and doe God shall bring you thorow the Pro-gresse of this miserable life with much increase of honor and happinesse vnto your own desired glorious home in heauen where you shall be satisfied with pleasures at his right hand for euermore Both which our good God in great mercy confirme and make good vnto you as is the harty desire of all that wish well vnto our Israel and the daily seruice and prayer Of your Highnesse most humble seruant and Chaplaine RICH. MIDDLETON A Table of the chiefe points handled in this Booke The first daies Iourney 1. TO heare the word of God with profit contained in three generall obseruations pag. 2. 1. The hearers duty before sermons pag. 3. 1. The hearers must haue a right scope and ayme in hearing viz. the glory of God his owne saluation and the happinesse of Gods Church pag. 3. 2. Hee must labour to obtaine the meanes appointed to come to that end which is due preparation and sanctification
together yet are wee all secure carnall blinde slouthfull petulant and most peeuish and peruerse both Teachers and Hearers either not ministering due censures and visitations or not enduring them to bee administred but except wee be rowsed vp their rests yet more grieuous things to fall vpon vs as these are Thirdly eternall punishments of body and soule for Christ who shall at the last day come as a iust Iudge shall ordaine the last censure both of godly and vngodly Teachers and Hearers This censure himselfe doth illustrate and set forth with singular comparisons of like things taken first Mat. 13.34 from the Haruest where the wheate shall bee purged from the cockle and tares which was sowne whilst men slept secondly from the separation of the good fish from the bad thirdly Mat. 13.43 from the rewarding of the faithfull seruant Mat. 24.44 and punishing of the vnfaithfull fourthly from the comming of the Bridegroome Mat. 25.1 where the fiue wise Virgins by which vigilant Preachers and Hearers are noted doe enter into the Marriage Chamber of heauen with the Bride and Bridegroome but the fiue foolish Virgins by whom slouthfull carnall and wicked Preachers and Hearers are ment are thrust out from the ioyfull Marriage fifthly from the account which the Lord requires of them to whom hee trusted his Talents Mat. 25.14 sixthly Mat. 25.31 from the Iudge before whom an infinite multitude of men stood to bee censured Mat. 25.32 seuenthly from the Shepeheard separating the Sheepe from the Goates and the same concluding censure of Christ Iohn Baptist remembers by purging the Floore Math. 3.12 and separating the Chaffe from the Wheate In this censure and triall of Christs touching blinde guides and lame followers no clamours nor answeres will bee of any force such as are at this day heard where the worst of men do boast of the Lord his Word and Glory For Christ shall say Math. 7.21 22.23 Not euery one that saith Lord Lord shall enter into my Kingdome but hee that doth the will of my father which is in heauen c. Nor shall the vaine excuses and shifts of those that are blindly led then auaile them such as many now a daies vse as if onely the Preachers must giue an account and not euery Hearer who suffered themselues to bee seduced Shall it not bee said to them If the blind leade the blind shall they not both fall into the ditch Namely the Ditch burning with fire and brimstome Apoc. 21.18 which is the second death O thou most sharpe and exquisite Censor and Iudge of Man-kinde Father Son and Holy Ghost doe thou in mercy rowse and raise both Preachers and Hearers from their sound sleepe of sinne let them know and acknowledge that this is the time of thy most gratious visitation that they may bee more carefull and patient of thy most wholesome censure that they may not bee inforced to beare that thy most heauy censure internall externall eternall but may ioyfully bee brought into their heauenly Countrey and bee with Thee and thy holy Angels blessed internally externally eternally Amen The second Daies Labour of a Christian to the end that bee may arriue at the Port of Heauen is to Meditate on sacred Things for the further enabling of him in the course of godlinesse AMongst all the exercises of a spirituall life as there iâ— none more difficult then the prayer of the minde and meditation of the heart so there is none more necessary which thing is aboundantly manifested as well by the infinite testimonies of most holy men as also by reason daily vse and experience it selfe so that it is no wonder if to get the practise thereof there bee great care diligence and desire required of euery man To the happy learning of this holy Art there are two Schoole-maisters very necessary First the holy Spirit of God for if all good gifts come from aboue much more this most excellent grace of holy Meditations and therefore with most instant and humble prayer is this gift to bee sought for at Gods hands Secondly the practise of Meditation for by it as are all other Arts so is that acquired for as hee who seldome or neuer writes shall neuer write perfectly so hee that seldome or neuer Meditates shall neuer come to the perfect vse and vnderstanding of Meditation But besides that wee may not faile in setting downe a right course of Meditation two things are to bee considered namely the Method and Maâ—â—er of Meditation for it is very fit that we know before-hand as well the manner how to meditate as the matter and obiect about which our minde is to bee employed else the want of either of these may so hinder our proceedings that wee shall not bee able either to bestow our minds in this holy exercise or to continue in it with that benefite which is to bee expected from it And this exercise comes very neere the nature of prayer if wee define prayer Chrys as some of the Fathers haue done to bee a colloquy and speech with God or an ascending of the minde towards God Damas for Meditation generally signifies all the inward acts of the understanding will and other powers of the soule when they are directed to God and things aboue And indeed Meditation is nothing else but a discourse of the understanding and studious intention of the minde diligently insisting about the finding out of something I say of the understanding either exhorting vs vnto that which is good or disswading vs from that which is euill and so weighing and digesting the godly things wee heare or reade to the worke of prayer euen as the foode whereby the will is fed and made strong and for this cause the manner of Meditation is to bee framed according to the worke of our will namely that Meditation may be vsed as an instrument whereby the will may bee affected with that and vnto that which is holy and good and for that cause may neither make too much hast nor yet bee too slow but onely may in such a sort bee exercised as may best serue the heart that when the will becomes inflamed it may bee interrupted vntill that heate being well allayed it bee fit to fall to it againe for more labour must bee bestowed vpon the affection then the meditation it selfe insomuch that by how much the meditation is shorter by so much is the prayer more happy being made fruitfull by the affection multiplyed vpon it In a word that wee may come to speake of the matter and manner of meditation as wee haue proposed this first vnderstand that meditation is in two sorts performed first when we meditate of things which may bee perceiued by the senses vnder corporall representations as of the actes of Christs Passion secondly or of things intellectuall as of the goodnesse and excellent beauty of God which albeit they may bee conceiued vnder some corporall imaginations yet they doe
vnchangeable most profound most euident and is wholy altogether for with one onely simple aspect it teacheth from one Eternity to the other seeing with one onely glimpse whatsoeuer is possible to be seene or knowne so that from that that God is God hee so knoweth whatsoeuer hee knoweth that hee can know nothing de nouo which before hee knew not because nothing can bee new vnto him for all things past present and to come and which by any meanes are possible hee knoweth distinctly and euidently without all mixture of doubt opinion or perplexity Whence I learne that as God forgets not mee but remembers mee and all mine so distinctly as if I were in the world alone so I should neuer forget my God nor the things that belong vnto him 4 If I would meditate of Gods Omnipotency I consider first that hee is infinitely Potent to do what hee will Luke 1. without any limits or bounds nothing is impossible with God Secondly that this Omnipotency is onely proper vnto God so that onely God in his owne nature and essence hath power but no creature hath any but participated from God onely God can doe what hee doth without the helpe of any other yet doth hee so participate this to his creatures that euery creature can doe that which is conuenient to his nature Thirdly that this Omnipotency of God doth exercise it selfe euermore in doing good vnto vs this being the Fountaine from whence all his Diuine Benefites do flow For hee created the heauen and the earth for vs wherein what benefites wee receiue by the Light by the Firmament by the Sunne and Moone by the Birds and Fishes by the Beasts of the earth and all the Treasures thereof the tongue of Men and Angels cannot declare And after the creation in that hee conserues the world and all that is in it for vs and by his Prouidence disposeth of all things for our good calling vs to the grace of his Iustification by the Ministery of his blessed Word and Sacraments and neuer leauing to accompany vs with his benefites and graces vntill hee bring vs to himselfe if wee will vse the holy meanes which to this purpose bee hath in Iesus Christ ordained for vs. Heere must wee giue diligence that the whole structure of our liues and of our considerations may chiefly depend vpon these three fingers of Gods Wisedome Omni-potencie and Goodnesse to which the actions and affections of these three Diuine Vertues of Faith Hope and Charity may answere For Faith answers vnto his Wisedome Hope to his Omni-potencie and Charitie to his Goodnesse Albeit all the three vertues and their actions respect the three Attributes of God together 5 If wee would meditate of the infinite Mercy of God then consider first that it goes before all his workes of Iustice for before God punish any sinners hee offers them infinite mercies Secondly that his mercy doth euer accompany the workes of Iustice Psal 76. for in the midst of punishment hee cannot forget to bee mercifull Thirdly Hab. 3. that the latitude of his mercy reacheth to all his creatures Sap. 11. Psal 35. and all their miseries yea euen to the bruit beasts Fourthly that hee is in a speciall manner mercifull vnto sinners and all kinds of sinne Psal 5. expecting â—â—ely their repentance that hee night cast their sinnes into the â—ottome of the Sea Mich. 3. and put them as farre from them as the East is from the West Psal 102 Math. 18 Hee forgiues seuenty times seuen times Ergo should I bee mercifull towards â—ny neighbour in imitation of his â—ercies vnto mee Ergo may I also conceiue great confidence of his mercy to mee a sinner Fifthly that in a more speciall manner hee is mercifull to such is loue and serue him such as are the vessels of mercy Rom. 9. This mercy of his towards his Elect is Eternall Psal 102 hauing neither beginning nor ending but is euen as God himselfe from euerlasting to euerlasting this mercy preuents accompanies and followes them euen to the last gaspe Rom. 8 This mercy is most high Ier. 31. for it aduanceth the elect to most excellent good things Psal 107. so that as the heauen is higher then the earth Psal 35. Psal 102. so is his mercy greater then their misery Sixthly and lastly he hath expressed his Mercie in the most exact manner that can bee possible For seeing as God hee could not bee sorrowfull for our hurt which is an effect of mercy his infinite Mercie prouided that his Sonne should take our nature on him Heb. 2. that hee might in all things bee like his brethren sin excepted and so become mercifull and sorrowfull for vs nay not content to haue inward compassion hee tooke on him all our miseries and paines Heb. 4. and hath not so left vs but by his Word and Sacraments hee helpes our necessities and infirmities considering wee are but men and stand in need of many remedies 6 If wee would meditate of the infinite Goodnesse of God First consider that hee hath in him all the degrees of goodnesse which are in the creatures infinitely more excellent then in them Secondly that all the goodnesse is so in his owne Essence that hee doth not participate it from any other thing nor can bee taken from it Thirdly that this Goodnesse so excels all the goodnesse of the creatures as the thing it selfe doth the name Fourthly that God is most propense and ready to communicate his goodnesse to all but chiefly to man for goodnesse hath a diffusiue power And this hee doth not constrainedly but onely out of his goodnesse nor doth hee communicate his goodnesse for his owne benefite as men doe nor yet doth hee suffer his propensity of goodnesse to bee idle but exerciseth it by all meanes possible powring it out according to the order of his infinite Wisedome Therefore when I pray I will poure out my soule in his sight 1. Reg. 1. Psal 141. I will poure out my prayer before him Nay I will poure out my heart before him O thou infinite Goodnesse which chiefly desirest to bee communicated if thou didst not communicate thy goodnesse it were impossible there should bee any goodnesse besides thee make mee partaker of these excellencies wherwith thou hast communicated thy selfe that I may loue thee serue thee obey thee not for feare but of loue willingly not for my owne benefite but onely for thy seruice not with a sparing minde and heart but with a liberall and generous Spirit Thus may wee meditate of all Gods other Attributes 15 How to meditate on the Lords Prayer or any words of the holy Scripture In meditating on either of them it is very good to pause and stay so long vpon euery word of the Lords Prayer or any sentence of Scripture as long as our soules should finde any rellish or profite by it In euery Petition I may meditate on these points following 1
giue both corporall and spirituall blessings and no creature else ninthly that as it is giuen vs and so we aske it to admonish vs of our duetie to our brother for wee ought not onely to seeke our owne safetie and preseruation but euen the safety and preseruation of al men tenthly that wee aske it but for the day to take from vs all carefulnesse for the time to come that our desires may not exceede the measure of our necessitie eleauenthly that albeit the rich and mighty haue neuer so much yet must they also beg this because this is true in them as well as in the poore that nothing they haue shall profite them but so farre foorth as God shall graunt them the vse of it and by his grace make the vse of it fruitfull and effectuall 5 And forgiue vs our trespasses as wee forgiue them that trespasse against vs In this meditate first that these trespasses are all the sinnes of our liues whereof wee desire remission whence wee haue great confidence and consolation in the remission of our sinnes for seeing he commands to pray for it out of doubt hee will giue it secondly that wee first begge remission of our sins presently after the demaund of daily bread lest any should think himselfe vnworthy of his daily bread which is due to the children and not to dogges and should therefore pray more slowly and doubtfully thirdly that by this remission of our sinnes we haue this benefite to be accepted of God as iust and innocent that wee may bee thought worthy of the bread of God and of trust in his fatherly goodnesse whereat a sure and certaine saluation is confirmed in our conscience fourthly that there is on our behalfe required in this matter of the remission of sins first that wee know our selues to bee sinners for none is so iust that needeth not this pardon the reliques of sinne remayning in the most Holie secondly to deplore and lament our sinnes thirdly to confesse and accuse our selues before God to be sinners fourthly with great desire of heart to aske remission fiftly to beleeue that onely forgiuenesse of sinnes is to be sought of God sixtly that we know first that there is no entrance vnto the throne of grace but by Christ secondly that onely by the grace of GOD wee can escape the tribunall of God and that remission of sins is gratuitous of mercie thirdly that all our sinnes together are remitted fourthly not sinne onely but the punishment also wherewith the diuine iustice was to be satisfied is remitted fiftly remitted to the penitent sixthly that the meanes in whom is Christ by which it is offered is the word of grace by which it is receiued is faith seuenthly the conditions by which acquired are true and constant repentance reconciliation and forgiuenesse seuenthly that wee must forgiue others first because in for getting iniuries done vs whilest we imitate the goodnesse of God we shew our selues to be his sons secondly because GOD would haue vs admonished of our dutie and the care of charitie that if any ancient enmity cleaue to our mindes we should cast it off for except wee be easie to forgiue others we can expect nothing but the inexorable rigour of seuerity thirdly because we haue no hope of saluation except we also forgiue others fourthly that wee might know we must euery day forgiue others as wee doe daily sinne 6 Leade vs not into temptation c. Meditate first that temptations are nothing else but Sathans sleights and deceipts wherwith hee still sets vpon vs and would circumuent vs without Gods helpe so that wee begge first that God would not suffer vs to fall secondly that hee suffer vs not to bee ouercome of Sathan and the desires of our owne flesh which daily warre with vs thirdly that hee would helpe vs with his power and sustaine vs with his hand that vnder his custody wee may bee safe fourthly that his Spirit gouerning vs wee may bee so inflamed with the loue of rightenesse that wee ouercome sinne flesh Sathan and liue in holinesse fifthly that hee would giue vs wholesome things and take from vs hurtfull and that hee assureth vs of the conquest seeing hee hath commanded vs to pray for it and of that also that God will not suffer vs to bee tempted aboue our strength 16 How to prepare our selues to meditate But because this labour of meditation is one of the greatest and most difficult workes of a Christian before I shut vp this Lecture I must first leaue you certaine necessarie instructions without which you can neuer come to the perfection of this duety nor come to the practise and vse of this methode And I will heerein obserue these three points first the things which ought to goe before our meditaons secondly that accompany them thirdly that follow them For as much as euery man may perswade himselfe that how much more diligently hee obserues these instructions so much more happy successe hee shall finde in his meditations they must the more carefully bee heeded and obserued The first thing then is that there bee a diligent preparation made to meditation For if wee will not presume to speake to a King without many aduisements taken with our selues how to frame our tales much lesse may wee dare to addresse our selues to so great a Maiesty without due regard had of our proceeding This preparation then consists in these following points First we must know the History or Mysterie of our saluation vpon which wee purpose to meditate together with the circumstances place time persons and other appurtenances for the knowledge of the fact is the foundation of meditation Ergo good it is to reade the Text or to bring it to fresh memory Secondly the matter of meditation thus had it must bee distinguisht into certaine considerations that euery thing may come in his order and that done wee must prepare certaine pre-passages and colloquies conformable to the meditation of which heereafter Thirdly wee must beware that wee come not to meditate when the body is wearied or the spirit is heauy as it oft fals out after too much reading or writing but a good while before meditation to leaue all that with more strength of body and spirit wee may come to it Fourthly a good while before the meditation if the time will giue leaue either in the morning or euening before we go to bed the points of our meditation are diligently to be looked ouer and committed to memory and one may take a paper containing the points to bee meditated and lay before him for memories sake Fifthly going to bed hee must briefly call to minde the same points and in the morning of the day following consecrate his first thoughts to God and whilst hee is dressing himselfe either with heart or mouth offer vnto God prayer and prayses that hee may amongst the first exercises of his deuotion call to minde the points of the meditation which hee is that day to make
Ensigne put all his Troupes to the sword themselues being such as illustrate many with the light of God and stirre them vp to emulation it cannot bee but such as are deuoted to this most fruitfull exercise must needs prosperously succeed And not without cause for there the mindes besieged with all kind of euils do gather new forces and are made more puissant both to tame the vnruly passions and also to acquire more vertues For albeit they enter vn-armed yet they go out armed and more valiant to fight of which that our Sauiours most couragious confronting of his aduersaries after his prayer in the Garden was a sure argument For Prayer establisheth the heart with magnanimity it is conceiued as if it were with the fortitude and strength of God instilled into it And what can so encourage the heart of man as the hand of the Creator stretched out to helpe And how can hee want the Hand that hath the Heart of his Creator Where two or three are gathered together in my Name there am I in the midst of them What shall I speake of those hidden comforts the knowledge of God the contempt of the world the peace of conscience and many other true tokens of the sonnes of God which are imprinted in the mindes of such as vse this holy exercise Beleeue it whatsoeuer by the most wise and eloquent men and Orators of the world can in this kinde bee spoken is lesse then these Orators of God by thus exercising themselues doe obtaine What then ought wee to doe seeing God requires this incessant duety of ours but that so much of our short time heere as may be taken from the necessary employment about things of this present life and our ordinary Callings should bee consecrated vnto prayer For this is as it were the very spirit of life which lifteth vp man from the dregges of this world into the fellowship and vnspeakeble fruition of the most hidden things of God There are but three sorts of good things in this life wherewith mans heart is rauished and all these are most richly attained vnto in this heauenly exercise That which is profitable is hereby by obtained euen vnto a certaine kinde of immunity from indigence and need of the profitable good things for it is plaine that men addicted vnto prayer are lesse vexed with hunger thirst heate cold and such like and therefore they vse both meate and cloathing most sparingly That which is honest they obtaine euen to the most high familiarity with God And that which is pleasant they obtaine euen to the most in-effable and most chaste delights and pleasures of heauen which in this world they most happily take a taste of That I may therefore giue a right farewell to this point the drift of all men prayers is to bee so grounded on the vnmoueable rocke of faith that there bee no haesitation in him that prayes but that hee assuredly trusts by Christ to obtaine the good things hee demands which assurance must be deriued from these 3. reasons which are so strong against all the incursions of sins passions and all temptations and so able to affect the heart as that they can moue euen the stones 1 Reason God albeit hee had not prouided for mans helpe neither the Incarnation Passion and Death of his onely begotten Sonne nor the holy vse of the Word and Sacraments nor any other thing yet of his owne goodnesse and naturall propensity vnto mercy hee is most mercifull nor can hee manifest his goodnesse and mercy in so high a degree to his other workes as in sparing for it is the highest degree of goodnesse and mercy to do good to such of whom hee is iniuried Seeing therefore God hath made all his workes to manifest his goodnesse and nothing makes so much to the end of his glory and manifestation as to haue mercy on men most miserable sinners certaine hope may be conceiued that hee will grant pardon to them that faithfully aske it and giue them both grace and glory God is more propense to doe good then the fire is to burne if therefore the fire as often as nothing hinders it burnes and consumes all that is put vpon it Surely nor will God so long as nothing with-stands him but haue mercy but nothing hinders God nor can as long as man doth seriously will and desire God to haue mercy on him therefore euen the most wicked may hope if they seriously desire it that God will forgiue their sinnes and giue them all necessaries Theee was neuer any man liuing from the worlds beginning so wickedly giuen to wine or intemperancy that was so much delighted with the pleasures thereof as God is delighted in hauing mercy If therefore the Drunkard and intemperate man doe not onely willingly take his pleasures but is violently carried away with the streame of them Surely God without any disgrace of so great Maiesty nay with much honour and dignity doth as it were hastily runne to take those pleasures of shewing mercy The euent proues it true hee therefore sent his Word into the world his Sonne because hee is delighted in quickenesse of mercy for his Word runneth very swiftly Seeing then that God when hee sheweth mercy doth a thing to himselfe honourable first to the glory of his great Name agreeable to his Palate and Disposition and therefore pleasant to him yea let mee say also profitable for so many seruants hee gaines as there be men on whom hee shewes mercy Who can be so mad and barbarous as not to conceiue most vn-controuleable hope and assure himselfe that the most munificent Lord will giue him whatsoeuer hee penitently and seriously asketh 2 Reason The most mercifull God from euerlasting when there was none to entreate him nor as yet the world was created being most propense vnto goodnesse fore-seeing Adams fall decreed that Iesus Christ our Redeemer should be incarnate and when the fulnesse of time came hee was incarnate of the blessed Virgine was borne and for the space of thirty three yeares suffered all kinds of discommodities and at last dying the most shamefull death of the Crosse purchased my saluation with his pretious bloud and by this price of his bloud so offered himselfe to the Father for me being but one as if hee had thought of redeeming none but mee so that his bloud all of it was no lesse shed for mee then if Christ had shed it for none else which the Apostle seemeth to haue thought saying I liue in the faith of the Son of God who loued mee and gaue himselfe for mee where hee speaketh more particularly then when hee saith Who gaue himselfe for vs and loued vs. If then Christ shed euery drop of his bloud for mee being but one If all his labours and bloudy sweate in the Garden were for mee being but one If hee cryed vnto the Father with strong cries and teares for mee being but one as if the matter had onely concerned the forgiuenesse of the
thou must then read some portion of Scripture wherein without distraction thou must be so attentiue that thy minde may bee fixed 1 Either on the words themselues 2 Or vpon the sence of the words if thou dost vnderstand them or if it may be vpon both And as that blessed father speaketh concerning the maner of reading the Psalms so doe thou in all other parts of Scripture If the psalme doe pray pray thou also August Psal 30. if it mourne doe thou mourne also if it reioyce reioyce thou if it hope hope thou if it feare feare thou For all things which are here written are our glasse And thus shalt thou take great profit by thy reading 5 How to prepare our selues to the receiuing of the Lords Supper OMitting many things which others haue written heareof I will draw all that which is to obserued herein vnto these foure heads 1 Sanctity of life 2 Rightnesse of intention 3 Stirring vp deuotion 4 A generall praier for all those things which are necessary both for our selues and others The 1 preparation which wee are to make that wee may worthily celebrate this holy communion is holinesse of life because wee must liue so holily so circumspectly so zealously that hauing our confidence in the mercies of God we may be euery day fit to receiue it The infirmity of the soule if by a godly care of liuing well wee doe not resist it is no lesse hurtfull to the worthy receiuing of this blessed Sacrament then the infirmity and imbecillity of the stomacke is hurtfull to the taking of sound and wholesome meate And this is the cause why most sorts of men albeit they daily receiue it yet doe not receiue from it those heauenly benefits which it offereth because they liue not in a holy conuersation but come vnto it with vnpurified hearts and vnsanctified hands and lips That which the Prophet vseth vpon another occasion may well bee applied to this present purpose Yee haue sowne much and bring in little Agg. 1. yee eate but yea haue not enough yee drinke but are not filled yee cloathe you but are not warme and hee that earneth wages putteth it into a broken bagge and hee giueth the reason of it because my house lieth wast yee run euery man to his owne house And haue not we sowed much seeing we haue sowne that good seed that graine of eternall life in the earth of our hearts haue not wee eaten much who haue fed our selues with the bread of Angels the food of the elect and Saints of God haue not wee drinke euen to satiety who haue drunke the bloud of Christ that celestiall drinke that cup of the Saints of God Haue not wee put on that most glorious garment of which the Apostle speakes Rom. 13. put ye on the Lord Iesus Christ Haue not wee not only heaped vp the wages but also the treasures of the wisdome and knowledge of God in the bags of our hearts Or at least made the world beleeue wee did these things when wee resorted to his blessed feast Why then haue wee gathered so little fruite thereof Why doe wee perish with hunger and thirst of vertue Why doe wee seeme to shake with cold But only because wee daily build vp the house of our old Adam with new sinnes and vices but wee neglect to build vp the house of God the pretious soule with holy conuersation Why doe we hide the treasure of treasures in our hearts and yet are poore but because we put it into the broken bagge of the heart which is rent and torne with vaine and wicked cogitations and desires If therefore thou wilt come to this heauenly banquet worthily and receiue the comfortable fruit of the Lords passion labour to bring with the holy life fit for such a place and purpose One saith there are three kinds of sacrifice one of the Lords body another of a contrite heart and the third of the mortified flesh Therefore the sacrifice of humility in the minde and of mortification of the flesh must goe before that in the celebration of the Lords supper thou maist not onely come with great deuotion but also with much comfort and profit Therefore labour to come with great purity of the flesh and with no lesse cleannesse of the minde that there may bee nothing in thy whole inward or outward man vnmeete for so great a feast By this care of well liuing and comming with a cleane heart and body thou shalt gather by often communicating plentifull fruite and a great increase of vertue 2 The second thing in this disposition of our selues towards the Lords Supper is the rectitude of our intention for this doth not onely prohibit vs to celebrate the communion for benefit or any such like end but also that wee come not of a dry and vnsauory custome come therefore to this heauenly feast onely with respect to doe that which is to God acceptable and to thy selfe and thy neighbour profitable To this ende direct thy vowes and desires to God and consider with what affections and desires thou oughtest to bee drawne to celebrate these sacred misteries Therefore 1 let the conscience and remorse of thy sinnes draw thee hoping by him whole sacrament it is to be purged from all thy sinnes 2 The consideration and sight of thine owne infirmity that thou maist hereby lay hold on Christ as the soueraigne medicine by which thou maist be defended from all infirmities 3 The pressure of some tribulation that by him who can do all things thou maist more speedily be deliuered and protected from all aduersity 4 By the desire of obtayning some spirituall benefit or grace that by him to whom the Father can deny nothing thou maist obtaine it 5 Thankesgiuing for all benefits Spirituall and Temporall bestowed vpon thee and others seeing thou hast nothing to render vnto God for al his benefits but to take the cup of saluation and call vpon the name of the Lord. 6 Charity and compassion towards thy neighbours seeing nothing can interceed for the remission of sins but the bloud of Christ Iesus shed for vs. 7 The praise of God seeing wee haue nothing whereby sufficiently to praise God according to his dignity but Christ Iesus whom wee Spiritually receiue 8 The loue of God that thou maist inuite him vnto thee and maist delightfully imbrace him in thy selfe by a most inward spirituall refection 9 The thirst and desire of encreasing of grace this Sacrament being the fountaine of graces and the meanes of sanctification 10 An ardor earnest desire whereby with all our bowels we desire through the power of this his exceeding charity sweet refection to be sanctified frō all vncleannesse both of the flesh spirit to be deliuered frō al dāgers and temptations inseparably to be vnited to Christ our Sauiour for euer to be preserued in his loue Whence our Sauiour said Father I will Io. 17. that they which thou hast giuen me be
ingrate as to passe by such and so greate a benefite without thanks who is so colde as that hauing tasted meat so reeking hoate with loue doth not also himselfe waxe hoate surely that were a signe either of spirituall death or of stupidity disposing vnto death After the holy communion if thou doest not feele some spirituall refection it is a signe of spirituall infirmity or death Doest thou put fire in thy bosome and feelest no heate or hony into thy mouth and feelest no sweetnesse how then canst thou eate and drinke at this heauenly Table and not be drunke with the plesures of Gods house therefore let vs learne of others who haue receiued small fauours with thankfull hearts to take this great benefite with no lesse thankfulnesse When Boos perswaded Ruth to gleane the cares after his seruants he said vnto her hearest thou my daughter goe to none other field to gather neither goe from hence but abide with my maydens let thine eyes be vpon the field that they doe reape and goe thou after the maydens haue not I charged the seruants that they touch thee not besides when thou art a thirst goe vnto the vessels and drinke of that which the seruants haue drawne This benefit with what thankfulnesse doth she repay it she fell on her face and bowed her selfe to the ground and said how haue I found fauour in thy sight that thou shouldest know me seeing I am a stranger but thou art called not by a rich man but by God not to gather cares but to eate the bread of life not to drinke water of no value but to drinke the pretious bloud of the Lord art thou inuited with what great humility what great zeale what great affections of loue oughtest thou to giue thankes for this benefit Ester inuiting her Lord Ahashuerosh to a banquet hee so esteemed it that he said vnto her What is thy petition Ester that it may bee giuen thee Est 7. And what wouldest thou haue to bee done Albeit thou askest the one halfe of my Kingdome it shall bee giuen thee Out of doubt here is greater cause without all comparison of thankefulnesse for there the handmaide inuites the King but here the King inuites his vnprositable seruant there are earthly cates here are heauenly viands from the banquet proceeded the death of an enemy and temporall safety but from this ariseth the destruction of sinnes and spirituall saluation Who thē is it that admitted to so magnificēt a feast doth not offer vnto God so inuiting him not onely a part of his heart but the whole heart and whatsoeuer he is or hath Who is it that doth him not all duties of loue and praise 2. Sam. 9. What did Dauid with Mephibosheth that he might shew towards Ionathan his father did not hee promise him all fauour Did he not restore vnto him the things that were Saules and commanded him to eate meate at the Kings table And what answered Mephibosheth Who am I thy seruant that thou shouldest looke vpon such a dead dogge as I am Behold what God hath done for thee euen wonderfull things he hath giuen thee many benefits hee hath left thee a dispensatory and most rich reconditory of all graces the blessed Sacrament hee hath giuen that his flesh to eate and his bloud to drinke And what wilt thou do vnto him Wilt thou bee vnmindefull of so many and great benefits contained in one Sacrament Wilt thou forget the Sacrifice of praise and thanksgiuing Wilt thou goe from this table by and by to thy worldly imploiments the Lord complains of those ten leapers whereof but one returned to giue thankes Luk. 17. where are the nine and that worthily for nothing is more damnable then vnthankfulnesse And what complaint will hee take vp of thee if thou receiuing not a corporall but a spirituall health shall either returne no thanks or very cold ones and so great a guest being left alone and vnsaluted shalt betake thy selfe presently to the cares of the world It is the duty of all holy men as soone as they haue tasted this heauenly feast to recognize the great benefit of it and to giue God immense thanks for it Holy Dauid may seem to haue prophesied the same all such as are fat haue eaten and worshipped all they that goe down into the dust shal kneele before him And who are these fat ones of the earth are they not the righteous and holy men which in this world possesse the true riches and are fatted with celestiall cogitations and enioy the most pure pleasures of the spirit Who are those that go down into the dust Is it not the humble in heart who in contempt of themselues fall downe vpon the earth and make themselues inferiour vnto all These doe first eate that is take the misteries of the body and bloud of Christ presently praise the Lord and adore him with thankefull hearts I doe no wrong vnto this place of the Psalms in expounding it thus for two worthy learned men long since haue so vsed it Bas Theod. Thou therefore that couetest to imitate these fat ones of the earth and wilt be partaker of their good things doe not thou separate the things which the Spirit of GOD hath ioyned together eate and adore receiue the benefit and at the least returne though not sufficient yet such slender thankes as thou art able Say with the same Prophet Psal 56. vnto thee will I pay my vowes vnto thee will I giue thanks Where wee read thy vowes are vpon mee O God I render praises vnto thee Thy vowes my God and thy desires or those which thou desirest from this thy creature are not farre off I can easily haue them they are ready without mee I haue them within my selfe which are praises and thankefulnesse which for so great a benefit I will answere thee Being with such cogitations as this stirred vp thou must for some halfe houre or as thou shalt thinke fit get thee into some priuate place and bestow thy self in giuing of thanks And if thou hast not better of thine owne or be one of them who being acted and lead by the Spiof God need no preuention of meditations thou maist vse these seauen meditations which may be assigned to euery day of the weeke 1 Meditation 1. Behold Christ Iesus thy Sauiour in thy heart by faith as a most potent King and thy selfe as one guilty of many sinnes standing before him and desiring mercy 2 Giue him infinit thankes 1. That he hath beene pleased to leaue thee so great a pledge of his loue as to be present at this holy Sacrament not as a Iudge punishing thy sinnes but as a most louing Father and King pardoning thy offences 2. That with so great fauour hee hath heard thy praiers put vp with such a polluted heart and lips 3. That hee would condiscend to dwell in that fowle and vnprepared house of thy heart 3 Detest all thy sinnes before him conceiue
our sins After that I conuerted I repented and after I was instructed Ier. 31. I smote vpon my thigh For albeit GOD alone it is that turnes vs vnto him vnto whom the worke of our conuersion is to bee ascribed as the author of all good yet seeing hee will haue vs in this worke not to bee stocks and stones hee beginning this worke doth not exclude our workes but in what manner wee are conuerted hee shewes saying After I was instructed I smote vpon my thigh First wee must by attentiue discussion knowe our sinnes and after by due repentance chastice them To conclude I was ashamed yea euen confounded because I did beare the reproach of my youth q. d. thou hast shewed mee my sinnes whilst I searched them and touched with the knowledge of them I am ashamed to haue committed them and to haue followed and serued the wicked lusts and affections of my youth Beholde how the knowledge of sinnes which comes by discussion enforceth the heart to griefe patient Iob saw not himselfe And therefore hee was not ashamed but boasted of his owne innocency complayning of the miseries which God brought vpon him but after that by a more intimous consideration he look't into himselfe seeing his owne vility hee laies downe his complaints and takes vp the countenance of a true penitent I haue heard of thee by the hearing of the eare Iob. 42. but now mine eye seeth thee Therefore I abhorre my selfe and repent in dust and ashes q. d. I now see thy wisdom and the iust causes of my smiting and plagues And therefore I reprooue my selfe that so boldly durst pronounce my selfe innocent and to haue suffred without cause I repent for it in dust and ashes So when wee doe not see our owne consciences we thinke our selues righteous and much better then others but when by examination wee discusse them then wee iudge our selues miserable sinners And by how much a man doth see himselfe lesse saith a father by so much doth hee displease himselfe lesse Greg. 35. Mor. and the more light of grace hee hath receiued the more will he know himselfe to be reprooueable Because hee shall more clearely see how much hee swarnes from the rule that is aboue him And the Prophet tells vs Psal 59. that this is the custome of God that hee might by the knowledge of our sinnes drawe vs to sorrow and repentance for them Thou hast mooued the Land and shaken it heale the soares of the land for it shaketh in this place it is demaunded how the Land is troubled and diuided And he answeres himselfe August by the conscience of sinnes a wise and true answere for when a man findes in his heart the sinnes hee knew not before then is hee pricked in his conscience mooued with sorrow troubled with feare that hee may bee healed of the Lord by grace For it is he that pricks that hee might cherish mooues that hee might quiet troubles that hee might by compunction deliuer the troubled minde from the euils for which it is troubled But if wee doe not discusse our selues wee should neither know our sinnes nor bee mooued by contrition without which wee can neuer obtaine the pardon of our sinnes The Spirit saith the Prophet Ezech. 3. lift me vp and tooke me away and I went into the bitternesse and indignation of my Spirit Into what place shall wee thinke the Spirit of GOD lifts vp the iust man shall wee not thinke that into the place of rest and peace where hee may acknowledge the goodnesse of GOD his owne imbecillity and manifold defects And from whence tooke hee him But from earthly cares and troubles of the world that his owne onely care and busines might be to know himselfe and clense himselfe from sinnes There is hee filled with bitternesse whilst hee findes himselfe lesse clensed and lesse seruent then he should be There is he offended at himselfe and from the knowledge of himselfe takes iust occasion of indignation against himselfe and so ariseth from sorrow and indignation to the hope of diuine mercy to the tranquillity of the minde and to the feeling of celestiall consolation For presently the Prophet addes the hand of the Lord was vpon mee comforting me For those doth the hand of God recreate refresh whom it findes pricked in conscience and forsaken out of the knowledge of their daily slips Therfore this is a sâ—re conclusion that the discussion of the conscience is the originall of coÌ„punction the mother of all godly sorrow wherby we are prepared to receiue consolation and pardon of our sinnes This necessity of examination a father doth thus acknowledge exhorting all the faithful vnto it behold saith he thou hast a booke Chrys where thou writest thy daily expence Haue also the booke of thy conscieÌ„ce write thy daily sins wheÌ„ thou art on thy bed hast none to troble thee before sleep fal on thee bring thy coÌ„science fourth remeÌ„ber thy sins in thought word deed for thus saith the Prophet be angrie but sin not what you say in your hearts Psal 4. bee pricked for in your beds On the day time thou hast had no leisure thou hast obserued thy Iudge thy enioyned duety confabulatioÌ„ of friends domesticall necessitie care of children sollicitude of wife feare of souldiours and a thousand other causes doe incompasse thee But when thou shalt come vnto thy bed to giue thy members rest and a quiet hauen no man then troubles thee no man knocks Say in thy soule and in thy heart wee spent a day O my soule what good haue wee done or what euill haue wee wrought if any euill doe so no more if any good giue thankes vnto God And remembring thy sinnes powre out thy teares and labour to blot them out Pray to God and so suffer thy soule to rest Confessing thy sinnes make an account to thy selfe begge the mercy of GOD and thou shalt finde rest What heauie or grieuous thing is it in thy bed to bewaile thy daylie sinnes When thou shâ—â—â— begin to thinke well of thy selfe hang thy cogitations as vpon a racke or torture and shaue them away with the rasor of the feare of God Set before thee the feare of hell which brings vpon thee a cutting blow that hath no sorrow Make vnto thy selfe the iudgement to bee terrible prepare an easier confession of thy thoughts that in the last daiy thou maist not bee more sloathfull to search out thy sinnes Therefore behold how the examination of the conscience stirres vp compunction and a minde pricked being first troubled with the stings of sinne findes out ioyfulnesse and comfort 3 Hence ariseth a third necessity of discussion that without it commonly we cannot obtaine remission of our sinnes I say commonly because sometimes a man gets the pardon of of his sinnes albeit he forget many of them whilst hee truely grieues and repents for his sinnes ingenerall But if we looke vpon the Law of GOD
no counsell because hee takes not the warnings of his owne conscience contenting himselfe onely with the externall face of vertue But the wise man giues not only eare to the counsaile of his friends but also takes counsell of himselfe whilst he requires from his owne conscience an approbation of his owne actions Therefore if thou desirest wisdome returne to thy owne heart Daily discusse thy selfe consider whence thou camest whither thou comestâ— how thou liuest how much thou dost daily profit how much thou failest with what cogitations thou art most assaulted with what affections most troubled with what temptations most beleagred for by so much shalt thou sooner and surelier come to the toppe of wisdome as thou shalt come more fully to know the state of the inner man For wisdome in doing things is engendred by the disquisition and consideration of things to bee done whence it is that in spirituall things wisdome is reteined by the inspection and discussion of our spirit and spirituall things But this is performed by the examen of the conscience which lookes daily into the minde what augmentations or detriments and losse of grace wee susteine by these the wisdome of the spirit doth increase and euery man learnes to direct both himselfe and others so that wee see the discussion of the conscience to be the enemy bane of all sinnes the origine of al vertues and spirituall graces the quiet of the minde the wisdome of euery Christian therefore whosoeuer will attaine any measure of sanctity must daily practise this holy duty 3 The last thing in this discussion to be considered is how this duty is to be performed what is the matter whereabout it is exercised To vnderstand this the better wee are to know that this discussion is to bee compared to the draw-net gathering of all kindes of fish Our life and conuersation is the sea a sea bitter with sorrowes anguishes and sinnes a sea deepe and vnsearchable through the obscurity of intentions and affections so that the Prophet said truely Ier. 17. The heart of man is wicked and vnsearchable To conclude a sea very turbulent and vnquiet through the multitude of thoughts and cares The great and huge fishes of this great sea are our actions as well inwardly thinking and desiring as outwardly speaking or doing any thing The good fishes are good actions the bad fishes which wee cast out are our wicked workes But the net is the examen and discussion of the conscience whereby wee gather our actions and cast them out or preserue them as they are good or bad Therefore to this examen are all both good and euill workes to bee subiect the good that they may bee approued the wicked that they may bee corrected and amended For this examen is like to a â—Iudge of Assize who cals all men within his circuite to an account and brings euery action to the barre and triall of Iustice without fauour or affection so our soule or reason cals all our actions inward and outward good or bad before it that it may cherish those good and holy and correct and amend the wicked and vngodly actions casting out our incorrigible actions checking the vnquiet amending the negligent instructing the simple mitigating the angry restrayning the voluptuous stirring vp the sloathfull comforting the weake and teaching the indiscreete actions In this Assize which euery man must keepe in himselfe reason is the Iudge conscience the Kings Atturney accusing the sinner peruersity the party excusing himselfe pride the aduocate defending the guilty but innocency the iust man confessing his fault After the manner of wicked and peruerse men vices doe contradict all commandements but after the manner of good simple persons vertues obey them yet doe vertues sometimes accuse one another For Mercy accuseth Iustice and Iustice Mercy Honesty accuseth Humility and Humility Honesty Mercy accuseth Iustice that it hath stretched its hands euen vnto cruelty that it hath vsed words of anger that it hath changed the countenance of Meekenesse Iustice accuseth mercy that it hath not put on the countenance of Seuerity that it hath suffred sinne to goe vnpunished that it hath not blamed the offender at least so much as in words Humility accuseth Honesty that it exceeds mediocrity that it followes superfluity that not onely it vseth honest but euen voluptuous things Honesty accuseth Humility that it loues too much pouerty that it bestowes not what is necessary vpon the body that it loues nakednesse beggerlinesse and all contempt For sometimes Mercy deales too remissely Iustice too cruelly Humility too sparingly Honesty too abundantly Yet doe they not leaue to bee vertues albeit they bee weake and imperfect For whilst they accuse they lay themselues open to receiue discipline and censure But how are they made naked and open When by confession of sinnes the hidden things are declared But there are many things which require the examen of our good actions for often our selfe-love deceiues vs so that we think that to be good which is not so Therefore let euery man vse the iudgement of examination that hee may acquite himselfe from such deceipt and declare whether his workes be good or bad Hee that is negligent in discussing his good thoughts deeds exposeth himselfe to a manifest daunger of falling and of sinne whilst he admits an vnprofitable thought for a profitable and a wicked worke for a good As Ishbosheth was slaine on his bed because hee had not a wise and valiant Porter to examine and keepe out his enemies 2. Sam. 4. so he that hath not a strong keeper of the minde and great care to behold all that enters into his conscience is in daunger of his life because he thinkes he enters vertues whilst vices entring in the habit of vertues kill him on his bed vnawares Therefore let not onely a frequent but also a diligent and carefull discussion keepe our minde which may examine all our works and wisely iudge whether those that enter vnder the colour and garments of vertue bee such as they appeare to bee Euen our good actions will the Lord examine and iudge therefore it is fit that first wee examine and correct them least the presents which wee take to bee good the iust Iudge shall thinke vnfit and vnworthy to come in his sight A scholler that is learning to paint doth againe and againe behold and amend the worke he hath in hand and as much as possibly hee can shewes it to his Master polished and well limned and shall wee presume to offer vnto God our good works which are by him to bee examined without diligent viewing and lymning of them Shall it not be said vnto vs Is 1. Your siluer is turned into drosse and your wine mixt with water Your words and workes seeme to bee holy but your intentions and other circumstances accompanying them doe take from them all their worth Iob. 7. Therefore holy Iob was affraid of all his workes knowing that
of omission and commission 4. Sorrow and detestation for our sinnes and a purpose of amendment 5. A due censuring and castigation of our selues for them 1. Our examination must begin with thanksgiuing for all his innumerable benefits This gratefull commemoration of benefits and humble confession of sinnes accusing our selues vehemently before God doth strongly impell and enforce our repentance for them Bas and obteine remission from God Hee that affirmes all our praiers should begin with thanksgiuing giues vs this counsell whensoeuer thou determinest to pray leaue thy wife thy children yea euen leaue thy selfe and depart farre from the earth and ouercome euen the heauens and leaue also all created natures as well which may as those which cannot bee seene and begin from the glorification of him who made all things Say vnto him I thanke thee O Lord for thy incredible clemency and thy wonderfull facility in bearing the sinnes of men who doest dayly susteine me with singular patience euery moment sinning against thee and giues vs all space and time and meanes to repent Euen for this cause O Lord thou holdest thy peace and bearest with vs that we might giue thee thankes who gouernest and moderatest the saluation of mankind sometimes by threatning sometimes by gently exhorting and who first by thy Prophets after by the coÌ„ming of thy Christ hast visited vs. For thou hast made vs and not we our selues thou art our God alone But if all prayer must begin with thanksgiuing much more this in which we would begge such light as might bring vs to the knowledge of â—our selues and obteine the remission of all our sinnes A generall thanksgiuing vnder one name comprising all the benefits of GOD is not very profitable a speciall repeating all his benefits is impossible for who can recount all his benefits Therefore a middle course is to bee holden and both certaine generall benefits and some particular of that day are to bee called to minde and thankes to bee giuen vnto God for them the remembrance whereof will something dispose vs to sorrow and repentance Thus then thou shalt say 1. O Lord my God I giue thee infinit thankes because thou hast from all eternity seene and loued mee and as by thy infinit mercy I hope hast effectually elected me to glory and by conuenient meanes hast predestinated mee thereunto 2. Because thou hast created me of nothing and made mee in thine owne image and hast inriched and indowed mee with infinit guifts both in soule and body 3. Because thou preseruest both my selfe and all other things with so long a continuance for my sake without whose actuall assistance wee had presently beene brought to nothing nor could wee haue lasted for one moment of time 4. Because thou gouernest and rulest mee and all things for my sake and disposest all things which belong vnto me with a most effectuall and sweete prouidence 5. Because thou hast redeemed me with thy most pretious bloud and by thy merits and passion hast deliuered mee from the slauery of Sathan 6. Because thou hast giuen thy selfe vnto me for a teacher a phisition a father and an example of holy life 7. Because amongst those little numbers of thy poore flocke thou hast called mee to the profession of the Gospell and to the knowledge and obedience of thy Maiesty 8. Because by thy holy Word thy Sacraments thy Inspirations examples of holy men godly bookes and many other holy meanes thou hast helped me to liue well yet dost helpe me 9. Because thou hast aduanced mee from the miserable estate of an enemy and as I hope in thy mercy to the dignity of a friend and with thy sauing grace hast iustified me and remitted all my sinnes 10. Because thou hast deliuered me froÌ„ innumerable daungers of loosing thy grace and fauour and dost not cease to deliuer me 11. Because thou hast inriched me with many both inward and outward graces gifts as well of nature as of grace 12. Because thou hast as I assuredly hope effectually prepared for mee from before the foundations of the world according to the good pleasure of thy will a sure degree of glory happinesse 13. Because thou hast this day admitted mee to pray and speake vnto thee fed me with the pretious delicates of thy flesh and bloud and hast continued mee in thy obedience 14. Because thou dost follow mee with other infinit benefits and ceasest not still to follow me through my whole life and for euer 15. Because thou hast ministred vnto me health and all such things as may serue to further mee in the obedience of thy Law 2 Thus hauing giuen thanks thou must then aske of GOD grace to know discusse and looke into thy selfe for the heart of man is wicked aboue measure and insearchable and who doth know it And seeing in the same place the demaund is thus answered I the Lord search the heart and prooue the reines Ier. 17. wee must aske of him who can doe it that hee would place our hearts neere vnto vs display the frauds and dissimulations of it and open the veine of the knowledge of our selues This praier must bee short that there may bee time also for the other points of the examen Therefore thus thou maist say in thy affection and minde Thou Oh most bountifull I beseech thee vnto all these thy benefits adde this one more to send mee light from thy glorious Throne and giue mee of thy abundant grace that I may know my manifold sinnes and so repent truly for the sins I haue committed against thee 3 Wee then come to the inquisition of our sins which for better vnderstanding we may distribute into thoughts affections words and workes namely what we are to discusse in these 3. Hugo lib. Med. The affections cogitations workes One saith that in our affections we must consider that they be right i. that they bee directed vnto that which they ought to be And secondly that they be sincere i. directed as they ought to be For to loue that thing which a man ought not to loue is euill and so to loue as a man ought not is also euill Therfore it is a good affection when it is vnto that which it ought to be vnto and also as it ought to be Amnon loued his sister and it was in affection vnto that which it should be 2. Sam. 13. but because he loued her wickedly therefore it was not as it ought to be Therefore the affection may bee to that which it ought to be and yet not as it ought to be But it can neuer be as it ought to be except it be vnto that which it ought to be in that to which it ought to be it is a right affection and how and as it ought to be it is a sincere affection 2. In the cogitations wee must consider that they be 1. Cleane and 2. ordered they are cleane when they are neither ingendred of ill affections