into that darkenesse not permitting him libertie to exercise the workes of light or of ioye VVhervpon a mans owne will not being fullfilled shall bee the Hell of itselfe to chastize it for those many times that in this life it was fullfilled contrarie to the will of God Finally I will consider that the Hearte of one of the damned is like a most bitter sea whereinto enter ten Riuers of most terrible torments Fiue for the fiue exteriour senses And other fiue for the fiue interiour faculties to chastize the sinnes they committed against the ten commaundements of Gods lawe or against any one of them For as the Apostle saithe whosoeuer breaketh one Iacob 2.10 Colloquis shall passe thorough the same kinde of torment which hee shall that breaketh all Then vvhat greater vnhappinesse can there bee then that those faculties vvhich God our lord gaue mee to enioy him and to innoble myselfe should bee conuerted into my cruell executioners to torment and confounde mee Immense God ayde mee to mortifie and subdue the faculties vvhich thou hast giuen mee and let mee bee their tormentour in this life rather then they should bee mine in the life to come The fourth Point FOurthly Pana damni D. Tho. 1.2 q. 87. ar 4. I am to consider that paine which they call of losse or Damnation which is infite because it depriueth of an infinite good which is God So that these wretches shall for euer bee banished from heauen and depriued of the blessednesse and ende for the which they were created and of the cleare beholding of God of the loue that maketh blessed and of that Riuer of delightes which proceedeth from all all which shall giue them terrible torment and heauinesse especially those who in this life beleeued therein For allbeeit that their vnderstanding bee obscured to knowe other things it shall not bee so to ponder and esteeme this Gods diuine Iustice so ordaining it for their greater torment 1 The terriblenesse of this paine may bee considered two wayes the first is by that which holy men feele here who haue the light of heauen to knowe the greatenesse of the Glorie and the high felicity that it is to see God who holde it for an extreame paine to want this sight and tremble onely to thinke on it as is noted in the third pointe of the sixte Meditation Thesecond waye is by that which the damned themselues feele by wanting this high felicitye not in so much as it is an honest Good for they neither loue God nor any holy thing But for so much as they want that which should giue them high and eternall rest and free them from so horrible a torment This I may come to find out by some likenesse of things of this life For if men haue so much feeling to bee depriued of an Inheritance wherevnto they had some right how much more shall they feele to bee depriued of the eternall inheritance of heauen to which they might haue had right if they had not forfeited it thorough sinne And if the priuation of finite and limited goods and delightes doth so much grieue the hearte how much more will it bee grieued with the priuation of an infinite Good wherein are eminently comprehended all the goods and pleasures created And if among terrible things deathe is the most terrible because it diuideth the soule from the bodye and from this visible worlde how much more terrible shall eternall deathe bee wherein the soule is diuided from God from his kingdome and from the inuisible worlde And as neither eye hath seene nor Eare hath hearde 1. Cor. 2.9 nor hath it ascended into the hearte of man vvhat things God hath prepared in Heauen for them that loue him So likewise it is not possible to imagine the terriblenesse of the euills that are included in wanting for euer these Goods O infinite god Colloquie let all the other paines of sence bee discharged vpon mee so I may bee vvithout sinne rather then thou shouldst chastize mee vvith this paine of lesse depriuing mee thorough my sinne of thy amiable presence To this paine is annexed the wanting of the sight and companye of our Sauiour Christe of his most blessed mother of the nine Quires of angells and of all those that are blessed The which shall inflict much terrible Torment vpon these wretches when in the daye of iudgement they shall see parte of the glorie of this blessed Companie and shall bee diuided from them the memorie whereof shall perpetually remaine in them with a furious Enuye and rage Finally by the terrible euills which they suffer they shall collect what most excellent Goods they want because they coniecture that God will bee as liberall in rewarding as hee is terrible in chastizing that in that most beautiful place of heauen hee hath as many Delectations as there are torments in that most wretched place of hell of which greate goods to see themselues depriued will exceedingly augment their euills VVith these considerations I will cast deepe roote in the affections of the feare of God and detestation of my sinnes accompanying them with a greate confidence in Gods mercye that hee will deliuer mee from this extreme miserie so will I begge it of our Lord saing vnto him I confesse o my god Isa 26.10 that I am that miserable sinner vvho in the lande of the sainctes committed innumerable sinnes for the vvhich I deserue not to see thy glorie nor to bee admitted into the companye of those that enioye it I am sorrye for those sinnes by vvhich I haue merited so greate punishment Pardon them o Lord thorough thy mercye that the vvorke of thy Handes bee not destroyed nor vvant that ende for vvhich it vvas created Let not mee helpe to people Hell nor to bee fevvell for that neuer ending fier Psalm 6.6 suffer mee not to fall into an estate vvherein I thould curse and abhorre thee For in hell vvho shall praise thee No no o Lorde it must not bee so for I must for euer loue and blesse thee and after this life thou must place mee in the other vvhere I may loue and praise thee vvorlde vvithout ende Amen Here followe other Meditations and formes of Praier to obtaine puritye of soule and perfect Mortification of her vices and Passions TO obtaine perfect Puritie of soule which is the perpetuall ende of the Purgatiue waye there are ordained certaine formes of Praier prescribed in the ninth § of the introduction of this booke of which the first containeth for matter of Meditation the Seuen capitall or Principall Vices commonly called the Seuen deadely sinnes And the Ten commaundements of the lawe of god And the Three faculties and Fiue senses of Man And it is very profitable to knowe more particularly the multitude and greatenesse of our sinnes and to learne how to examine the conscience as well for sacramentall Confession as for the quotidian examination which is euery night to bee made And finally
God none is Potent nor Strong nor Beautifull but God for hee onely is Goodnesse VVisdome and Omnipotencie it selfe in comparison whereof that which the Creatures haue deserueth not this name Then what wit can vnderstand how a man of so litle Beeing dareth to despise God and to offende him with so many Sinnes O foole what hast thou donne O wretched I that haue beene so audacious O Immense God in comparison of whome I am as if I were not by the infinite excellencie of thy Beeing I beseeche the pardon my Sinnes and illuminate mee to knowe the vilenesse into which by their meanes I am come Graunt mee that I may abhorre and despise myselfe and esteeme myselfe lesse then nothing Iob. 42.6 and that like Iob I may doe penance in Dust and Ashes accounting my selfe for such a one in thy diuine presence The fifth Meditation of the grieuousnesse of Sinnes by the greatnesse of the infinite Maiestie of God against whome they are committed THis meditation which hath most efficacie to moue to perfect Contrition and Sorrowe for Sinne which proceedeth from the loue of God aboue all things pondering the grieuousnesse of Sinne not onely by the Basenesse of the Offender but by the Highnesse of the Offended for by how much greater the Injuried is 1.2 q. 78 art 4. 3. p. q. 1. art 2. ad 2. so much greater is the Injurye and as God is Infinite in his Essence and Perfection so Sinne in this behalfe as S. Thomas saieth is likewise as it werean Infinite Injurie The first Pointe FIrst I am to consider the Infinite Perfections that God hath in himselfe especially those against which Sinne directly fighteth and from whence it receiueth greatest deformitye and heynousnesse 1. And first of all I will ponder the Infinite Goodnesse of God for the which hee is highly to bee beloued of all his Creatures and if another Infinite Loue were possible it were all due vnto him And this Goodnesse is so greate that it is impossible to see it clearely and not highly to loue it as the Blessed doe Now what greater mischiefe can there bee then to abhorre and despise so infinite Goodnesse and what greater Injustice then to Injurye with Hatred him that is worthy of so infinite Loue O infinite goodnesse hovv haue I abhorred Colloquie and despised thee O that I neuer had offended thee My Greife o my God is greater for Sinne then for all else vvhatsoeuer For I desire to loue thee aboue all vvhatsoeuer else that may bee beloued 2. Secondly Note vvell this consideration I will ponder the Immensitie of God togither with his infinite VVisdome by the which hee is really truely present in euery place seeing and contemplating all that is donne and myselfe am to beholde myselfe within this Immensitie full of eyes within the which I committed all my Sinnes passed and doe committe those present prouoking him therewith to Indignation Loathing Abacuc 1.13 Apoc. 3.16 and Vomiting for his eyes as the Scripture saithe are so cleane that they cannot beholde Sinne without loathing and his heart is so pure that VVickednesse maketh him vomitte Now what greater blindenesse can there bee then for me to liue within the Immensenesse of God and in viewe of the VVisdome of God and yet for all this to Injurie him with my Sinnes To what greater height can the Impudencie of the Slaue arriue then to treade vnder foote the VVill and Honour of his Lorde beeing in his presence And what greater audaciousnesse then to doe all this our Lord being powerfull to chastize him as his discourtesy deserueth O Lord hovv hast thou suffered mee to bee neere thee Colloquie and in thy presence Hovv is it that thou hast not annihilated this vnmannered disloyall Slaue Hovv is it that thou hast not turned thyne eyes from mee and vomited and cast mee out of thy mouth for euer I am grieued to the Soule for my Impudencie and Audaciousnesse and I purpose vvith thy grace neuer more heerafter to doe any thing vnvvorthy of thy presence 3. Thirdly I will ponder the Soueraigne Omnipotencie of God by the which hee is in all Creatures giuing them the beeing that they haue and concurring with them in all their workes for without this concurrence of Gods Omnipotencie I can neither see nor heare nor speake nor moue hande nor foote nor vnderstand nor will nor doe any other thing And consequently when I sinne I ayde myselfe with his Diuine Omnipotencie to thinke speake or doe the thing that disgusteth him and such is his goodnesse and mercye that to conserue my Libertie hee denyeth mee not this Concurrence nor denyeth it to the Creatures of which I make vse to offende him hee concurreth with my meate that it may bee sauory to my Taste yea euen when I sinne in eating it and with the Beautye of the Creature that it may recreate my sight although I did sinne in beholding it Then what rashenesse is this for mee to make warre against God with the very power of God And what doth his ayde auaile mee when I conuert it to his Iniurie O Omnipotent Goodnesse Colloquie hovv doest thou so liberally giue thy concurrence to him that so euilly abuseth it VVhy doest thou not employe this Omnipotencie to chastize him that makes no better proffit of it Pardon o Lord this boldenesse vvhich hath beene greater then I can imagine for I am grieued therefore more then I can expresse and yet I vvould that it grieued mee much more O infinite God that shevvest thy Omnipotencie principally in pardoning Ecclesia in Collecta and hauing mercie on a Sinner pardon mee and haue mercie on mee and ayde mee that I may neuer more vse thy infinitt povver vnlesse it bee to serue thee And in this sorte may bee pondered the Attributes of the Mercie Iustice and Charitie of God others that in the following pointe shall bee touched The second Pointe SEcondly I am to consider the Infinite Benefits of our Lorde and what God hath beene to mee D. Bern. sermo 16 in Cantica comparing it with what I haue beene to him and what an exceeding greate injurie it is to offende an infinite Benefactor 1. First I will ponder the benefits of my Creation Conseruation and Gouernance which include innumerable benefits belonging to the naturall essence and beeing both of bodye and Soule and ayding to the supernaturall beeing of Grace And with this consideration I will procure to bee exceedingly sorrowfull for hauing offended my Creator without whome I had had no beeing my Conseruer without whome I could not haue continued and my Gouernor without whose prouidence I could not liue Deut. 32 6. To this ende it will helpe much to ponder all that which Moyses saide to his People in the Canticle which hee made reproching them with their Sinnes Deut. 32 6. especially in these wordes These things doest thovv render to our Lorde thovv foolish and vnvvise people Is
thou didst well ponder the terriblenesse of Hell Iob. 10.21 O good Iesus ayde mee to bevvaile bitterly my sinnes that I may not goe to this Tenebrous land couered vvith the shadovve of Deathe the lande of those that are in Despaire The fifth Pointe FIfthly I am to consider the misery wretchednesse and discorde of the Inhabitantes of this place which are Captiues in this prison Pondering how they want all the good respectes that are of Bountye discretion Nobillitie Parentage Frendship and loyalltie and are clothed with all the contrary respectes with straunge abhomination For in Hell are all sortes of Persons some were Angells of seuerall Hierarchies and Quiers beautifull Potent and verie resplendent Others were Emperours kings and Princes with diuerse estates and Titles of nobillitye Others were sage Philosophers eloquent and learned in diuerse sciences Others courteours discreete affable liberall gratefull and well conditioned Others Parents kinsmen and Allyes Fathers and sonnes Brothers or Cosin germanes Others very greate freindes and acquaintance Companions and Neighbours But in entring into Hell they loose all these respectes Iob. 10.22 without hauing as Iob saieth any order or Concorde but confusion and horrour All make themselues mortall enemyes one to another filling themselues with wrathe rancour enuye impatience and rage one against another that one can not endure to see the other nor to giue him a good worde The father abhorreth the sonne and the sonne the Father the Lord his vassall and the vassall his Lord one cursing another and biting themselues with rage And specially those which in this life loued with a disordinate loue and were Companions in sinnes shall much more abhorre one another and their paines shall bee augmented with the rage to see themselues togither For as burning coales when they are togither the one kindleth the other so these infernall Coales kindled with the fier of their wrathes shall adde heate to the ardent heate of their companions Adde to this the most painefull imagination that perforce in despight of them they shall bee eternally togither not being able to flye or diuide themselues one from another For flying from one whome thy much abhorre they light vpon anothere that is worse and so shall they haue a perpetuall and cruell warre hauing no bodye to pacifye nor to comforte them for from the earthe none will goe though hee could nor none shall come from heauen though hee would For none that is good will daigne to entre into so infamous a place Insomuch that Christe our lorde when hee descended into Hell entred not into this place nor gaue them any comfort VVhat will Princes then thinke to see themselues consorted with Plebeyans and entreated by them with such insolencie and hatred what a torment will it bee to liue perforce with my enemyes that actually abhorre mee and curse mee without beeing able either to stoppe their mouthes or myne owne eares what a paine will it bee neuer to see person that wisheth mee well nor is compassionate of my miseries but that rather encreaseth them Cassian collat 16. c. 2. 1. Cor. 13.13 O my soule grounde all thy friendshipt vpon true charitie For this onely is eternall and perisheth not and vvithout it all the rest shall perish Haue peace as much vs in thee lyeth vvith all men that thou maiest not enter into the companye of so man vvicked The sixte Pointe SIxtly I am to consider the terriblenesse of those hellish tormentours and executioners First generally in hell euery one of the damned is a Tormenter of all and all are tormenters of one saying and doing things as is abouesaide to torment them Moreouer the diuells are terrible tormenters of men reuenging themselues vpon them for the rage they haue against God and against IESVS Christ And therefore they torment them with affrighting visions with horrible imaginations and with all other meanes that their fierce Cruelty can invent Besides all this the third and the most cruell tormenter is the worme of conscience which biteth and shall eternally bite with terrible crueltye For the damned wretche remembring the sinnes hee hath committed and the inspirations hee had to get out of them and to haue freed himselfe of those torments and yet that thorough the sinne of his owne peruers freewill hee entred into them himselfe will bee his owne torturer and will bite himselfe and would rent himselfe in peices with incredible bitternesse and rage heerein fullfilling that punishement where of S. Augustine speaketeh lib. 1. cōfessionū Thou dist commaunde it o Lord and so it commeth to passe that the disordinatt minde should bee its owne tormente for his sinnes are his tortures and his vnbrideled passions his tormentours so that hee himselfe is most greiuous to himselfe Learne then o my soule Colloquie Mat. 5.26 to hearken to this beating of thy conscience and make peace vvith thy good Aduersarye that priketh thee vvhen thou sinnest for in hell like a madde dogge the vvill barke and bite reuenging the iniurye thou didst her vvhen in this life thou contemnedst her The fourth tormentour will bee the Inuisible hande of God which dischargeth it selfe vpon the dāned sing his omnipotentcie against them who knowing this turne their rage against him breaking out into horrible blasphemyes and desiring that he-might cease to bee Colloquie But all is turned to the increase of their doulour and torment O most heauy hande of the omnipotent vvho can abide thee O vvhat a dreadfull thing is it to fall into the handes of the liuing God beeing offended sunder o Lord very farre from mee this thy hande of Chastizement and touche mee vvith that of thy mercie that beeing freed from these feares I may euer enioye thee vvorld vvithout ende Amen The seuenteenth Meditation of the paines of the Senses and interiour faculties and of the paine of losse or Damnation which is suffered in hell AS the sinner embraceth two greate euills which are to seperate himselfe from God the Fountaine of liuing water Ierem. 2.13 and to turne vnto the creatures to enioye their perishing delightes so in Hell he is punished with two sortes of paines one which they call of Losse or Damnation Paena Damni Paena sensus Hiere 2. for the first euill and another which they call of Sense for the second and with this wee will begin because to haue sense is most easye The first Point 1. FIrst Paena sensus Sapien. 11.17 I am to consider the paine which the Damned doe suffer when they haue a bodie For according to the lawes of Gods iustice Per quae quis peccat per haec torquetur By vvhat things a man sinneth by the same also he is tormented And seeing sinne entreth by the senses in them must bee thee punishement thereof This may bee pondered running thorough all the fiue The Sight shall bee tormented by beholding their Enemies neere them and by suffering horrible visions which the diuells will set before them taking
thou giuest vs a remedye to obtaine pardon of our Sinnes may the Angells that remaine in Heauen laude thee for this fauour may the men that liue vpon the Earth acknowledge it and make vse of it and may my soule melt it selfe in thy Loue singing the multitude and Greatenesse of thy mercye by the which I beseeche thee to pardon my Sinnes ayding mee that I may neuer more returne vnto them This Consideration I am to applye to myselfe pondering that allbeeit God our Lorde thorough his mercye hath made a Decree to pardon Sinners and effectually pardoneth those that submitte themselues yet to the Rebellious bee vseth his rigorous Iustice condemning them as hee did the Deuills And therefore I am to endeuour not to resist Gods mercye leaste I fall into the handes of his Iustice Then will I ponder the causes that in some sorte mooued the Diuine Mercye to haue Compassion on our miserye One was for that Adam by his Sinne not only indammaged himselfe Rom. 5.12 but allso all that descended of him who were to bee borne Sinners condemned to Deathe and to perpetuall Prison incurring these damages not by their owne personall Will but by that which they had in their first Parent But whereas God was so mercifull that his Clemencye could not permitte that his whole worke for one mans Transgression should perishe without remedye and that all this visible worlde that was created for man should bee frustrate of his ende seruing the sinner hee therefore resolued to finde out the Remedye From whence I will collect two motiues to repose my Confidence in Gods mereye alleaging them as Dauid did for respectes wherefore hee should remedye my miserye Psal 50.7 The one because I was coÌ„ceiued in Sinne froÌ„ whence originally spring all my miseryes The other for that I am the worke of his handes for the which I am neither to bee contemned nor abhorred seeing hee abhorreth nothing that hee made O most mercifull Father Sapient 11.25 Psal 102.14 seeing thou knowest the masse wheref wee thy Children were formed which issued good from thee and by Adam was made euill haue Compassion on vs remedying the Hurt donne by Adam to reforme the Good donne by thee My handes haue defaced in mee the worke of thy Handes les thine by thy aboundant grace repaire what mine did thorough my greate sinne Another cause was Sapient 2.24 for that man sinned beeing tempted and seduced by the Deuill partely for the enuye that hee had of his good partely for his rage against God â—esiring to reuenge himselfe of the Creator in the Creature who by him was so fauoured and in whome his diuine image was stamped wherevpon God himselfe mooued to Compassion would take to himselfe the cause of man with a determination to remedye him because his Enemye should not remaine for euer victorious And therefore hee saide vnto him Genes 3.15 when Adam had sinned I will put enmityes betweene thee and the VVoman and thy seede and the seede of her and they shall breake thy Heade vanquishing him that vanquished them and triumphing ouer him that triumphed ouer them Whereby hee also putteth mee in hope that hee will haue Compassion on mee and take my cause for his owne seeing the Deuil now persecuteth mee with the like Enuye Psalm 73.22 and Rage and so I may say vnto him with Dauid Arize o Lord Iudge thyne owne cause ayding mee with thy Grace to breake the heade of the Serpent who allwayes persecuteth mee because hee abhorreth thee The Second Pointe SEcondly I am to consider the admirable Decree made by the most sacred Trinitye that the second Person who is the Sonne of God should bee made man to redeeme mankinde lost by the Sinne of Adam pondering the causes that mooued him thereunto some in regarde of our owne greate necessitye miserye and others in regarde of his infinite Bountye and Mercye First I will consider how the most holy Trinitye sâ—eing in his Eternitye many meanes that hee had to remedye men either by pardoning them by hos sole and pure mercye or by creating another newe man to satisfye for them or by imposing this charge on the Seraphines hee would not make choice of a meane that was more easy nor lesse perfect nor would hee impose the charge of this worke vpon another but chose the best meanes that was possible plotting that the Sonne of God should become man for the remedye of man In such wise that hee coulde not giue vs a better Remedier Ad Rom. 5.20 nor a more powerfull Remedye nor a more copious Redemption willing that where Sinne abounded there Grace should more infinitely abound To ponder this Veritye the more I will consider what the first man did against God and what God doth for man comparing the Thoughtes and Deuises of the one with those of the other Adam plotted with Pride to rebell against God himselfe desiring to vsurpe his Diuinitye and Wisdome and to haue Signorye ouer all things whereby hee deserued that God should abhorre and humble him and should annihilate his peruerted nature But God of his infinite Goodnesse was not only willing to pardon this iniurye but to that ende chose a meanes of the greatest Honour and Proffit for man and of the greatest Humilliation and Trauaile for God for that the Diuine Worde beeing of infinite Greatenesse and Majestye sticked not as S. Psa 137.5 Paul saithe vpon exinaniting and humbling himselfe to take the forme of a Seruant and to Inuest himselfe with the mortall and passible nature of his very Enemye joyning it to himselfe in vnity of Person to drawe him out of that greate misery whereinto hee was fallen thorough Sinne and to exalt him to that high Honour and Happinesse that hee might lay holde vpon by his Grace Phil. 2.6 Ser. 9. de Natiuit For as S. Augustine saieth God made himselfe man to make man God that by the Vertue of God made man men might bee Gods by Participation Finally considering this soueraigne Decree I will with greate Astonishment admire the infinite Bounty and Mercye of God which sometimes with Moyses I will magnifye saying Dominatour Lord God mercifull and clement Exo. 34.6 patient and of much compassion and True which keepest mercye vnto thousands of generations which takest away iniquity and wicked factes and Sinnes and without whome no man of himselfe is Innocent before thee Othertimes with the Seraphines couering with my wings the face and feete of God and adoring this conjunction of his Diuinitye and Humanitye I will crye out saying Holy Isa 6.3 Holy Holy is the Lorde God of Hostes all the Earthe is full of his Glorye thorough the Greatnesse of his mercye And othersometimes I will giue thankes to this our Lorde for this so glorious a benefit saying vnto him O Eternall God Colloquie I most humbly thanke thee for this soueraigne Plot which thou inuentedst for my remedye taking vpon thee my basenesse to
consider that God our Lord assoone as Adam and Eua had sinned was willing to reueale vnto them the mysterye of the Incarnation for the Remedye of their Sinne and of the Punishment that therefore they had deserued to demonstrate heerein the greatenesse of his Charitye and mercye towardes men This was resplendent in that comming as a Iudge to take accoumpt of Adam and Eua for their Disobedience and to denounce vnto them the Sentence of Deathe which thereby they had incurred withall as a mercifull Father hee promiseth them not only to make himselfe man for them but also to dye to deliuer them from Deathe pretending heerein that by their Faithe in this Redeemer they should not distrust the Diuine mercye nor of the pardon of their Sinne but that they should forthwith procure it by Penance greiuing to haue offended him that had shewed them so much Loue. So that when God cast our first Parents and all their Posteritye out of the terrestriall Paradise hee then promiseth them him that shall open the Gates of the Celestiall Paradise And when hee chargeth them with Maledictions for Sinne hee offereth them of his meere Grace the Author of all Heauenly Benedictions And when they are vanquished by the Diuell hee assureth them that there shall bee borne of them a man that shall free them from his Tirannye O Father of Mercyes and God of all Consolation Colloquie I humbly thanke thee for that in the middest of thy Wrathe thou art mindefull of thy infinite mercye Abac. 3.2 And when all men by the first Adam deserued to bee accursed thou didst promise vs the second Adam by whome wee should bee blessed Shewe oâ— Lord this thy mercye to mee deliuering mee from the Maledictions which I deserue thorough my Sinnes replenishing mee with the Benedictions which thy Sonne gained by his Merites O Sonne of the euer liuing God Apoc. 13. Lambe that wast slaine from the beginning of the VVorlde for then was published thy Slaughter and true Life was giuen to men that sinned I humbly thanke thee for this fauour that thou diddest vs for the which I beseeche thee to applye vnto mee the fâ—â—ite thereof that beeing free from the Deathe of Sinne I may obtaine by thee Life of Grace Amen I will likewise ponder the Infinite mercye of God in not deferring this promise of our Redemption many Dayes nor yet many Howers but euen the selfe same day that Adam sinned hee came to giue him aduise both of his Transgression of his Remedye for that hee greately desireth that the Sinner allbeeit hee sinne thorough frailtye should not detaine himselfe so much as one day in his Sinne for the greate Hurt that thereof redoundeth vnto him but should presently bee conuerted and doe Penance All this I am to applye to myselfe considering that many times our Lord when I haue sinned in steede of chastizing mee with Iustice preuenteth mee with Inspirations offering mee pardon with mercye For the which I ought humbly to render vnto him many thankes procuring the selfe same day that I sinne to raize vp myselfe presently thorough Penance So that as S. Ephes 4.16 Paul saieth the Sun goe not downe without taking from mee Anger and Pride and euery other Sinne whatsoeuer The Second Pointe SEcondly I am to consider the Conuenience of the Time that God chose to execute the Decree of his Incarnation to the ende to make his infinite Mercye the more eminent Heerevpon I am to beholde in what state the Worlde stood when God came to redeeme it running thorough the Thoughtes Wordes and Deedes of men and comparing them with those of God Isa 55.9 the which as the Prophet Isaias saieth were as different as Heauen and Earthe are distant First I will lift vp my Eyes to Heauen and beholde the most B. TRINITYE in the Throne of his Glorye considering what Thoughtes hee had and what plots hee was then laying to remedye man by the meanes of the Incarnation of the Diuine Worde And as the three Persons of the Deitye when they would create Adam Cant. 1.26 saide Let vs make man to our owne Image and Likenesse so now they sayed Let vs remedye man vhome wee created repairing the Image and Likenesse that wee gaue him O how greate Pleasure had they in this Discourse What Alacritye to beholde the time arriued of executing their Determination And what Ioy had eache Person to prepare themselues for what belonged vnto them in this Worke The Father to sende his Sonne into the Worlde The Sonne to come to vnite his Diuine Person with our nature And the holy Spirit to worke this so soueraigne an Vnion I thanke thee o most blessed TRINITYE Colloquie for that thou hadst pleasure to treate of my Remedye O that I might treate with much Delight of all that belongeth to thy seruice Then will I abase my Eyes to see what then passed in the Worlde considering how it was then arriued to the Abysme of Iniquitye The Gentiles were growen to such a Heigth in their Idolatries that they caused themselues to bee adored as Gods The Iewes were full of Hypocrisies Auarices Ambitions and other innumerable Sinnes The Earthe was wholely drowned with a Deluge of Vncleane-nesses and Carnallities one Waue of Blood as saith the Prophet Oseas ouertaking another Oscae 4.2 All this was God beholding from Heauen for from him nothing is hidden and though this so greate multitude of Sinnes prouoked him to greate furye yet were they no cause to make him deferre his Determination Rather this most mercifull God Abac. 3.2 as saide the Prophet Abacuch when hee had most occasion to shewe his wrathe was then mindefull to doe vs the greatest mercye and in steede of drowning the Worlde againe with another Deluge or burning it with fier like Sodome hee would drowne it with abundance of mercies and burne it with the fier of his Loue giuing it his owne Sonne to remedye it and his Sonne comming to redeeme it Cant. 8.7 O Infinite Charitye whose Flames could not bee quenched with the many Waters of the Riuers of innumerable Sinnes but rather increased with greater Demonstrations of Loue doing the greatest of all fauours to vs that euery day made ourselues more vnworthy thereof I giue thee thankes o most louing and mercifull Lord for this Loue which thou didst shewe vs for the which I beseeche thee though I as a wicked VVretche deserue thy Indignation yet that thou as a good God cease not to fauour mee with the Greatenesse of thy Mercye This Consideration I am likewise to applye to myselfe pondering how it hath many times happened that when I was actually offending God by my Workes then was God doing mee greate Benefits and deuising yet to doe mee greater as to drawe mee out of the Worlde into Religion or such other like for the which I am to giue him many Thankes From hence I may likewise ascende to ponder how much the Infinite Mercye of
are Tempted and afflicted the leaues thereof shall bee the healthe of such as are Soule-sicke the odoriferous flowers thereof shall comfort such as are Young beginners in Vertue the sweete fruites thereof shall fortifye such as are Proficients and doe goe formard therein and the round cup thereof shal bee the resting place of such as are Perfect For all shall finde meditations and formes of Praying accomodated to their Estates as soone after shall bee seene And that it may appeare how the Pietie and Soueraignety of misticall Theologie is founded vpon the rigorous veritie of Scholasticall Diuinitie the third Fountaine of what I shall say shal bee the Schoole-Doctors of whome I will onely alledge the Angelicall Doctor S. Thomas for that hee alone is auaileable for ten thousand witnesses whose Doctrine is sounde secure and well approoued and with the Verities of Scholasticall Theologye hee pointeth at the profoundest conceiptes and highest sense of mysticall Diuinitie for both of them are Sisters and in both is notably excellent this glorious Doctor as was his master S. Augustine and his Companion S. Bonauenture of whose Doctrine I shall likewise make vse And because that notwithstanding I haue had so good guides yet as a man I may erre in what I shall write my will is that all whatsoeuer shall bee subject to the correction of holy mother Church which is the foundation and piller of Truthe from the which whensoeuer either thorough ignoraunce or negligence I shal departe I forth with reuoke whatsoeuer I shall haue saide VVhat Mentall Praier is § 1. MEntall Praier whereof wee heere intreate is a worke of the three interiour Faculties of the Soule Memory Vnderstanding and VVill Ex P. Ignatio in 1. exer citio primae hebdomadae Ex D. Tho. 2.2 q. 83. art 1. q. 180. art 1. 3. 4. 3. p. q. 31. exercising by Gods fauour their Actes about those mysteries and Truthes which our holy Catholike Faithe teacheth and speaking within our selues to God our Lord conuersing familiarly with him begging of him his guiftes and negotiating all what soeuer is necessary for our Saluation and perfection in such sorte that the Substance of mentall Praier consisteth principally in these foure thinges 1. The first is with the memory to bee mindefull of God our Lorde with whome wee are to speake and to negociate and to bee mindefull also of the mysterie that is to bee meditated passing breifely thorough the memorye with clearenesse and distinction that which is to be the matter of the meditation as it is taught by faithe and as it is diuided into seuerall pointes in the forme that heereafter wee shall set downe And that this memorye or recordation bee not drye it is good to joyne thereunto the Actions of Faithe beleeuing with the greatest liuelynesse that wee can the verities of that mysterie because God whoe is all Truthe hath reuealed them making of Faithe a Ladder to mount vp to perfect knowledge Cap. 7. iuxta 70 D. Hier. ibid. seeing that as Isaias saithe vnlesse you beleeue you shal not vnderstand 2. The second thing is with the vnderstanding to make seuerall discourses and considerations about that mysterie inquiring and searching out the Verities comprehended therein with all the causes proprieties effectes and circumstances that it hath pondering them very particularly In such sorte that the Vnderstanding may forme a true proper and entire conceipt of the thing that it meditateth and may remaine conuinced and perswaded to receiue and to embrace those Truthes that it hath meditated to propound them to the VVill and to moue it therby to exercize its Actions 3. The third is with Free will to drawe out sundry Affections or vertuous Actes conformable to that which the Vnderstanding hath meditated some ordained to himselfe others ordained to God our Lord as are Hatred of our selues Sorrowe for our Sinnes Confusion of our owne misery Loue of God Trust in his mercye Praises of God Thankesgiuing for benefits receiued Desire to obtaine true Vertues effectuall Purposes to doe good workes and to change and amende our Life Resignation of our selues to the VVil of God offering to doe and to suffer whatsoeuer God shall ordaine and dispose and other such like the which wee call Affections for that they are to bee donne with the Affection and Liking of the VVill moued by what the Vnderstanding hath demonstrated vnto it and in these consisteth that which wee call substantiall Deuotion from the which ariseth the spirituall peace and alacritye of the Soule And to them as saith S. 2.2 q. 82 art 3. q. 180. art 7. ad 1. Lib. 3. de fide orthodoxa cap. 24. Thomas is principally ordained meditation and contemplation and those other Actes of the Vnderstanding which are exercized in Mentall Praier for which cause S. Iohn Damascene saide of it that it is Ascensus mentis in Deum an Ascending of our Spirit to God joyning vs with him by actuall knowledge and Loue. 4. The fourth thing is to make Petitions to God our Lord holding speeche and conference with him in reason to aske of him what the VVill hath desired and the Vnderstanding hath seene and all else that wee haue neede of wherein consisteth that which wee properly call Praier which is an humble confident and feruent Petition of such things as are conuenient for vs and wee desire to obtaine of our Lorde These Petitions and colloquies or speeches are to bee directed sometimes to the eternall Father other sometimes to his onely begotten Sonne Christ IESVS and other sometimes to the whole most blessed Trinitye alledging to them Titles and Reasons that may moue them to graunte vs what wee demaund These Titles may bee taken from three partes Ex D. Th. 2.2 q. 83. art 17. some from the parte of God as hee is God to witte asking him something for his Goodnesse for the Loue that hee beareth vs for the Desire hee hath of our good for that hee Commandeth vs to aske him for the Glorye of his holy name that hee may bee praised by all his Creatures and finally there may bee made as it were a Litanye of his Perfections and Attributes saying vnto him Graunt mee o Lord what I require of thee for thy owne sake for thy Charitye for thy Mercye for thy Liberallitye for thy VVisdome for thy Omnipotencye for thy Immensitye and Eternitye c. Other Titles there are on the parte of Christ IESVS our Lord true God and man to witte by his Incarnation and Natiuitye by his Circumcision and Presentation in the Temple by his flying into Egipt by his Fastings by his Hunger Colde and Nakednesse and by all the Labour and Trauell of his Preaching Againe by the Dolours Ignominies and Torments of his Passion and Deathe alledging his Sweating of Blood his Imprisoning his Scourging his Crowne of Thornes his Nailing his Gall and Vineger and the rest Sometimes speaking to the eternall Father beseeching him to heare mee for the Loue
of his Sonne for the Seruices hee did him and the Paines that for his loue hee endured Othertimes speaking to the Sonne of God alledging vnto him the Loue that hee bare vs the Office that hee holdeth of our Redeemer and Aduocate and the greate Price that wee cost him Othersome times speaking to the Holy Ghoste begging of him the like for the Loue that hee beareth to Christ IESVS our Lord and for his merites And heere likewise we may make another Litanye of the Vertues of our Redeemer alledging his Humillitye of Hearte his Pouertye of Spirite his Meekenesse his Obedience his Patience his Mercye and his Charitye and all the rest Other Titles there are on the parte of our Necessitye and Miserye alledging before our Lord like Dauid that wee were conceiued in Sinne Psal 50.7 that wee haue terrible passions strong enemies very greate occasions and daungers and that with out him wee are able to doe nothing Psal 118 73. That wee are his Creatures made according to his owne Image and Likenesse and that for this cause the Deuill persecuteth vs to destroye vs and that therefore it belongeth to him to protect vs. And in conclusion wee may make another Catalogue of our owne Sinnes and Miseries counting them before God and exaggerating or amplifying them very much with Sorrowe of our Hearte for the more wee shall exaggerate them the more wee prouoke Gods mercye to remedye them Besides this men that are perfect may in some case alledge with Humillity their fore-passed seruices in Imitation of holy king Ezechias 4. Reg. 20 3. who asked of God prorogation or prolonginge of his Life alledging vnto him that hee had walked before him wth a perfect Hearte And the like did Christe our Lorde when after the Sermon of the supper hee praied to his Father Ioan. 17.4 as in his place shall bee seene These three kindes of Titles may bee mingled one with another Psal 24.11 after the forme that Dauid saide for thy name o Lord thou shalt be propitious to my sinne for it is much These and other such like reasons may bee alledged in Praier rather to moue our owne Heart to aske with Feruour Deuotion and Confidence then to moue God to heare vs. For our Lord much more desireth to heare vs Lib. de verbis Domini sermone 5. 29. and to giue vs the good Spirit that wee aske then wee to receiue him seeing as S. Augustine saithe God would not haue commaunded vs to aske of him if hee had not a will and a desire to giue vs what wee aske and asking of him in the manner aforesaide wee fullfill all that which the Apostle commaundeth vs when hee saieth Ad Philip 4.6.1 Ad Tim. 2.1 That our Petitions should presente themselues before God not alone but accompanied with three meruailous Actions that is to say with Praier which may raise our Spirit and the Affections thereof to the presence of God Ex D. Th. 2.2 q. 83. art 17. with Obsecrations that may alledge Titles to bee hearde and with Thankesgiuing for benefits receiued which may dispose vs to receiue those which wee aske afresh These are the principall things which mentall Praier comprehendeth Lib. de Spiritu anima cap. 70. qui ei tribuitur whose Order S. Augustine declared saying Meditatio parit scientiam scientia compunctionem compunctio deuotionem deuotio vero perficit orationem Frequent meditation engendreth science and knowledge of a mans selfe and of God knowledge engendreth affections of compunction for our sinnes and miseries compunction awaketh affections of deuotion towardes God for his greatenesse mercies and deuotion perfecteth Praier making our Spirit to joyne it selfe louingly to God to aske of him things decent fitting in such manner as is conuenient It resteth that wee explicate and declare the manner how euery one of these things is to bee donne beginning with that which is most proper and essentiall to Praier How wee are to speake vnto God in Mentall Praier §. 2. BY what hath beene saide it appeareth that the essence or nature of Mentall Praier properly consisteth in speaking within our selues to God our Lorde for two principall endes 1. The first is to praise him and blesse him for what hee is and to giue him thankes for the benefits and rewardes hee bestoweth vpon vs exercizing that soueraigne manner of Praier which S. Paule counselleth vs saying Ad Eph. 5.19 Ad Coloss 3.16 Bee filled vvith the Holy Spirit speaking to yourselues in Psalmes Hymnes and spirituall Canticles chaunting singing in your heartes to our Lorde giuing thankes al vvaies for all things in the name of our Lord IESVS Christe to God the Father In the which wordes the holy Apostle pointeth at foure diuine affections wherewith wee may speake in our heartes to God our Lorde for the ende aforesaide that is to say Psalmes Ex D. Th. lectio 7. in ad Ephes 5. Hymnes spirituall Canticles and Thankesgiuing Interiour Psalmes are Actions of the Loue of God with effectuall desires and determinations to serue and obey him offering ourselues to keepe most perfectly his Commandements and Counsailes This is that Musicke which Dauid calleth the Psalter of ten strings Psal 32.2 for as hee that plaieth on the Psalter or Harpe handleth all the ten strings thereof sometimes some of them sometimes othersome and sometimes all of them togither so in Praier making this musicke to God wee are to haue feruent desires to exercise the Vertues of Obedience Humillitye Patience and the rest now one then another sometimes alltogither as likewise stedfast purposes to keepe Gods Commaundements his Counsells laying handes now vpon one then vppon another and sometimes vpon alltogither Hymnes are Affections of the Praises of God reckoning vp all the excellencies perfections that hee hath and the workes that hee hath donne for the which hee is worthily to bee praised glorified of all creatures Sometimes I may say with the Seraphins Holy Holy Holy the Lord God of Hostes Isai 6.3 or in steede of this worde Holy I may put in other like wordes saying Good Mercifull Iust VVise and Povverfull arte thou my Lord and my God and most worthy to haue thy Sanctity and thy Greatenesse preached by the Seraphins Sometimes with the Seniours in the Apocalips Apoc. 5.12 I will say vvorthy art thou o Lambe of God vvhoe didst dye for vs to receiue Povver and Diuinitye and VVisdome and Strength and Honour and Glory and Benediction for euer and euer Amen And othersome times with the three Children of Babilon Dan. 3.57 Psal 102 1. that were in the fornace I will inuite all Ceatures to praise and glorify God And wth Dauid I will prouoke myne owne Soule and all the faculties thereof to blesse our Lord. Spirituall Canticles are Affections of Spirituall Ioy and Alacritie rejoicing that God is who hee is and for the Infinite good that hee hath in
before propounded pondering how the causes rootes of this worke were not our merites but onely the bountye and mercye of God and the endes were the Redemption of the VVorlde and the manifestation of his diuine Goodnesse and Charitye Aftervvardes I will consider the proffit that thereby came vnto vs to wit Pardon of Sinnes Destruction of Deathe Entraunce into Heauen and such other like And then the losse wee had sustained if this worke had not beene donne remaining all Enemies of God Slaues of the Diuell and Damned to Hell Finally the Circumstances of this worke touching Place and Time and Manner and what properties of Bodye and Soule God tooke when hee was Incarnate In eache of these things the Vnderstanding is to make a pawse detaining itselfe in euery one so long as it shall finde Deuotion and Spirituall Gust without caring to passe to another mouing the VVill to diuerse Affections of Loue and Confidence as hath beene saied making Petitions and Colloquies with our Lord according to what hath beene meditated and desired And when our Vnderstanding hath pondered well one of these things it may passe to another with the like quietnesse and calmenesse of minde and so proceede in the rest Of all this wee shall see plaine examples in the meditations ensuing especially in the first which shall bee a patterne for the rest I onely aduertise that when the holy Spirit with speciall Inspiration moueth vs to pray all is easy sweeet for that hee recollecteth the memorye reuiueth the discourses raineth showers of meditatiōs inkindleth the Affections accordeth the Petitions ordereth the Colloquies and maketh perfect the whole VVorke of Praier ourselues cooperating without Trouble But when this speciall Succour is wanting it is necessary that wee ourselues vsing our freewill with the assistaunce of Grace which neuer faileth vs apply our faculties to the exercise of their Actes in the forme aforesaide whereby wee prouoke the holy Spirit to ayde vs with the speciall Succour of his Inspirations For Spirituall men which treate of Praier should not bee like Ships of high building that cannot saile with out winde but rather like Gallies that nauigate both with the winde with the Oare and when they faile of the prosperous winde of diuine Inspiratiō they are to nauigate with the Oare of their faculties aided by the diuine fauour though it bee not so sensible And this kinde of Praier is wonte to be sometimes most profitable though it be not so pleasing for the much that it meriteth fighting against Distractions and Drynesse of Hearte And if wee perseuer rowing and praying at his time Christe our Lord will come to visit vs with whose visitation this tempest shall cease as it happened in a like case to the holy Apostles as hereafter wee shall see Matt. 14.25 The Armes to fight against these Distractions of Hearte Drouthe of Spirit are principally foure 1. The first is profound Humillitye Mar. 6.48 acknowledging our VVeakenesse and miserye and beeing ashamed of ourselues to stand before God with such distraction and accusing ourselues of our offences passed and present for the which wee are chastized therein Lucae 14.11 For whosoeuer in this manner humbleth himselfe in Praier shall bee therein exalted 2 The second is Fortitude of minde making a manly resolution not aduisedly to admitte any Cogitation that may separate vs from that whereof wee pray though it bee of a matter that ministreth to vs much pleasure or seemeth of very much Importance for at that time none Importeth so much as to attend to my Praier and to God before whome I am to pray and when vnwittingly I finde myselfe diuerted I will turne againe to tye the thrid of the good Cogitation and Discourse begun and if a thousand times I shall bee diuerted I will turne a thousand times to the same without loosing my Courage or Confidence Genes 15.11 D. Greg. lib. 16. mor. c. 19 remembring that Abraham perseuering to chase away the Importunate birdes that approached to the Sacrifice came to sleepe a mysterious Sleepe wherein God discouered vnto him greate Secrets and passed like Fier thorough the midst of the sacrifice in testimonye that hee accepted it So I labouring with Perseuerance to chase away Importunate Cogitations that disquiet mee in the Sacrifice of Praier shall come with Gods fauour to sleepe the quiet sleepe of Contemplation wherein hee may illuminate my Soule with his light that I may knowe him and inflame it with the fier of Loue that I may loue him 3. The third VVeapon is Praier it selfe beseeching our Lorde to builde in our Soule a Citty of Hierusalem Psal 146.2 that may bee a Vision of Peace recollecting my Thoughtes and wandring Affections that they may Inhabite therein and busy themselues quietly in Praier The like will I beseeche the holy Angells who assist those that pray And in this meane I will Imploye all my force for Praier is so powerfull that it can obtaine of God all things and it selfe with them vsing in the middest of these Disturbations some breife Praiers to this Purpose Sometimes I will say with Dauid My Hearte hath forsaken mee Psal 39.13 it may please thee to Lord to deliuer mee from the violence I suffer and haue respect to helpe mee Other times I will say with the same royall Prophet My Soule as Earthe without water to thee Psal 142.6 Matth. 8.25 heare mee quickly to Lord my Spirite hath fainted Other sometimes I will crye out with the Apostles in the middest of the Tempest Saue mee o Lord for I perishe Or like the blinde whose Praier was hindred by the presse of the People I will lift vp my voice saying Luc. 18.38 Sonne of Dauid haue mercye vpon mee And if I perseuer crying though it bee with Drouthe and Violence our Lord Christe will not faile to haue compassion on mee as hee had on this blinde man which wee shall ponder in its place 4. The last weapon must bee a greate Confidence in God our Lorde perswading ourselues that seeing hee commaundeth vs to praye hee will giue vs grace and help for the same whereby wee may bee able to resist the Diuell to bridel our Imagination to represse our Passions to moderate our cares and to cast from vs our lukewarmenesse that they may not hinder vs in the exercise of Prayer But with this Confidence wee must joyne Diligence Collat. 9. c. 2. collat 10. c. 13. Cap. 48.49.50 procuring as Cassianus sayeth before Praier to remoue all such occasions as wee would not should distract vs therein imitating in this the subtlety of our Aduersarye who as S. Nilus the Abbot sayeth ordaineth all his Temptations wherewith in the day time hee tempteth spirituall Persons to hinder them from Praier and the fruite thereof Hee tempteth them with Gluttonye to make them in Praier heauye and sleepye Hee tempteth them with Impatience to disquiet them with Curiositye of the Senses to distract them with
I inferre for the comfort of some Persons that are desirous to vse Mentall Praier and yet for want of healthe or some other cause dare not discourse nor diue to the bottome of that which is inclosed within the mysteries of our Faithe that they dispaire not of the Principall contained in this soueraigne exercise for to such God vseth to graunt vnder the title of their Necessity or Infirmitye what hee giueth vnto others vnder the title of many Seruices and large meditations wherein they haue beene exercized For as hee is so liberall and easily contended hee asketh of no man more then what according to his portion hee can giue him supplying that which wanteth The epilogue of Mentall Praier with his diuine Illustrations Such Persons ought therefore to bee aduertized that the ende of all the meditations and Discourses that shall bee put in the sixe partes of this Booke is to attaine to three notions or knowledges One of himselfe and of his innumerable necessities and miseries of Bodye and Soule The other of Christe IESVS our Lord true God and man and of his excellent Vertues especially those which were resplendent in his Natiuitye Passion and Deathe And the third of God Trine and One and of his infinite perfections and benefits as well naturall as supernaturall that procede from him These three knowledges goe linked one with another entring and issuing from one to another ascending from himselfe and from Christe to God and descending from God to Christe and to himselfe Ioan. 10.2 2 q. 82 art 8. and from them saithe S. Thomas springeth that Deuotion which comprehendeth three sortes of Affections corrispondent to them in the VVill. Some Affections be with himselfe confounding himselfe for his Sinnes and want of zeale beeing exceeding sorrowfull for them purposing amendment and humbling himselfe for that in steede of fruite hee hath brought forth nothing but Sinne. Others be with Christe our Lorde compassionating his Afflictions rejoicing in his Vertues desiring therein to Imitate him and requiring his grace to that ende Others be with God our Lord admiring at his Greatenesse praising him therefore giuing him thankes for the benefits hee hath donne vs and offering ourselues very really to serue him for the same mingling herewith all Petitions of celestiall Graces and guiftes for himselfe and for the whole Churche and for other his neighbours particularizing those things whereof hee hath greatest necessity This presupposed any Person whatsoeuer desirous to vse Mentall Praier how weake soeuer hee bee may put himselfe in the presence of the Liuing God whome hee hath neere him and within him and renewing the notice which hee hath by Faithe of the three things aforesaide may quietly exercise the Affections correspondent vnto then Sometimes confessing to God all his miseries one by one with Affections of Dolour Humilliation desiring remedye of them Sometimes calling to memorye the Vertues resplendent in some misterye of Christe our Lord his Humillitye Obedience and Patience with Affections and Desires to Imitate them Other times recounting the benefits that hee hath receiued of God with affectiōs of Thankesgiuing or remembring the infinite perfections of God his Bountie Mercie Prouidence with Affections of Praier and Ioye And these Affections by Gods fauour will bee drawne out without any difficultie for the mysteries and verities of our faithe are like flint-stones which in touching them with the steele of any single consideration cast out sparkles of Loue which if the Soule like Tinder bee well disposed to receiue they presently raise vp flames of greate feeling and affection To doe this with more facillitye it will helpe much to haue reade first some one of the meditations which ensue labouring alwaies to recollect in the memorie some of the most notable Verities of our Faithe which may bee as it were the baite of these feelings saying with the Bride Cant. 1.13 a bundle of Myrrhe my beloued is to mee he shall abide betvveene my Brestes giuing vs to vnderstand that shee had recollected many Verities of those mysteries which pertaine to her Beloued which shee set before her regarding them simply with the eyes of the Spirite and embracing them with the inkindled Affections of the Heart and applying them to herselfe with effectuall purposes of Imitation Of these wee are to take sometimes one and sometimes another for the foundation of Mentall Praier as did our Sauiour Christe recollecting himselfe to pray in the garden of Gethsemani who tooke three times for the Theame Mat. 26.39 and foundation of his Praier these breife wordes My Father if it bee possible let this chalice passe from me neuerthelesse not as I vvill but as thou And in the pondering sense of these wordes hee spent a greate space as in its place wee shall see Of the extraordinarye formes of Mentall Praier and in what diuerse manners God communicateth hîmselfe therein §. 11. BY those things that haue beene saide concerning Praier Epis 105 prope medium it manifestly appeareth as S. Augustine saithe that it is the guifte of the holy Spirit promised by God our Lord to his Churche when hee saide I will powre downe vpon the house of Dauid and vpon the Inhabitantes of Hierusalem Spiritum gratiae precum the Spirit of Grace Zacha. 12.10 2. Corin. 2.5 Ad Rom. 8.26 and of Praier without which Spirit none prayeth assuredly for as S. Paule saithe wee of ourselues are not able to haue a holy Thought neither knowe wee how to pray as wee ought if the Spirit of God doe not teache vs and moue vs thereunto For the which hee hath diuerse wayes guiding some one waye and some another so that it should bee an intollerable errour to Imagine that all are to goe by the same way that I am guided for the Spirit of God est vnicus multiplex is onely Sapient 7.22 and manyfolde onely in the substance and principall ende which it pretendeth and manifolde in the meanes and wayes it taketh to obtaine it These wayes in generall are two Vide D. Th. 2.2 q. 174. art 1. ad 3. Ex D. Isid art 3. q. 155. art 1. 2. ad 1. 2. one ordinary which comprehendeth all the formes of Praier that hitherto wee haue treated of the other extraordinary which comprehendeth other formes of Praier more supernaturall speciall which wee call Praier of quietnesse or Silence with Suspensione Extasis or Rauishments with Imaginary figures of Truthes which are discouered or with onely an Intellectuall light of them with reuelations and Interiour Speeches and with other Innumerable meanes that God hath to communicate himselfe to Soules whereof no certaine rule can bee giuen for that they haue no other rule but the teaching and Direction of the Soueraigne master who teacheth it to whome hee will and how hee will For such sorts of Praier are not to bee pretended nor procured by our Selues vpon paine of beeing proude and presumptuous and in that case
that are there burning for one onely Sinne. Some for one Perjurie others for a dishonest Thought consented vnto and others for some other Sinne of VVorde or of Deede And then I will consider how all these condemned Persons were men aswel as I and many of them as I Christians that enjoyed the same Sacraments and Sacrifices and those Sermons and sacred bookes that I enjoye and were perhaps sometime very holye and highly in fauour with God but by litle and litle they grewe carelesse and came to fall into that mortall Sinne and by the Iust Iudgements of God Deathe attached and set vpon them therein and for it they were most justly condemned Iacob 2.10 For as the Apostle S. Iames saieth VVhosoeuer falleth into one onely Sinne breaking a Commaundement is made guilty of all as hee that breaketh manye for hee offendeth the God of Infinite maiestie who commaundeth them all to bee obserued 2. Then am I to make Comparison of this Sinne with many of minne pondering with how much more reason I deserued to bee in Hell as those Soules are for hauing offended God not once but many times and in other kindes of Sinnes without number O hovv iustly had I deserued that Deathe should haue attached mee in committing my first Sinne and that God should haue giuen mee no time of Repentance VVhat moued thee o my God to expect mee more then these I confesse that I deserued to bee in their Companye but seeing thy Maiestie hath vvith so much mercie expected mee I resolue vvith thy grace to bee very truely and intirely penitent 3. I may also consider that it is no lesse a benefit of God to haue preserued mee from Hell detaining mee from descending to euerlasting Torments then if after I had beene descended he had diliuered mee from them For the which I may say that of Dauid I vvill confesse to thee o Lord my Psal 85.12 God vvith all my Hearte vvill glorifie thy name for euer for thy mercie hath beene very greate towardes mee deliuering my Soule from the deepest Hell And to knowe how to esteeme aright of this merced so repaye it as I ought I am to speake to myselfe saying If God should deliuer one of these Soules out of Hell and giue it a time of repentance vvhat rigourous penance vvould it doe hovv thankefull vvould it bee to God and vvith vvhat feruour vvoult it serue him Thou therefore art to doe the like considering that God hath donne thee so singular a fauour as to deliuer thee from the Daunger before thou didst fall into it The fourthe Pointe Of the greatnesse of our Sinnes by the Paines that Christe our Lord suffered for them THE fourth Pointe shall bee both matter of a sweete Colloquie and of a most deuoute consideration to knowe the greatenesse of Sinne and the dreadefullnesse of Gods Iustice by another example much different from the forepassed but no lesse effectuall then they that is by the Chastizements which the diuine Iustice inflicted vpon Christe IESVS our Lorde not for his owne Sinnes but for mine and for those of the whole VVorlde that I may vnderstand how hee will chastize man loden with his owne Sinnes that so chastized him that bore the burthen of other mens Sinnes and how the guiltye Slaue shal bee handled when the innocent Sonne was so terribly punished Calling to minde that dreadefull Sentence which our Redeemer spake to the Daughters of Ierusalem Luc. 23.31 If in the greene vvood they doe these things in the drye vvhat shall bee donne As if hee should say to mee If I bee treated with such rigour being a greene tree and full of fruite with what rigour shallt thou bee treated that arte a drye tree and without any fruite at all Then I am to set before mine eyes Christe IESVS crucified beholding his Heade crownde with thorâ—es his Face spit vpon his Eyes obscured his Armes disioincted his Tongue distasted with gall and vineger his Handes and Feete pierced with nailes his Backe and Shoulders torne with whippes and his Side opened with a Launce and then pondering that hee suffereth all this for my Sinnes I shall drawe sundrye Affections from the inwardest parte of my Hearte sometimes trembling at the rigour of Gods Iustice who as the Prophet Zacharias saide vnsheathed his Sworde against the man that was vnited with him in person Zacha. 13.7 sometimes bewailing my Sinnes which were the cause of these Dolours and sometimes animating myselfe to suffer somewhat in satisfaction of my offences Isai 53. seeing Christe our Lord suffered so much to redeeme them And finally I will beg pardon of him for them alledging to him for a reason all his Troubles and Afflictions saying vnto him in an amorous Colloquie Colloquie O my most svveete Redeemer vvhich descendedst from Heauen and ascendedst this Crosse to redeeme men paying their Sinnes vvith thy Dolours I present myselfe before thy Maiestie grieued that my grieuous Sinnes haue beene the cause of thy terrible paines Vpon mee o Lord these Chastizements had beene vvell imployed for I am hee that sinned and not vpon thee that neuer sinnedst Let that Loue that moued thee to put thyselfe vpon the Crosse for mee moue thee to pardon mee vvhat I haue committed against thee By thy Thornes I beseeche the dravve out of my Soule the thornes of my Sinnes by thy Scourging pardon my Theftes By thy Gall and Vinegre pardon my Gluttonyes By the nailes of thy Handes pardon my Euill VVorkes and by those of thy Feete pardon my Euill Steps Psal 83.10 O eternall Father behoulde the face of thy Sonne and seeing in him thou diddest chastize my Sinnes let thy vvrathe vvith these Chastizings bee appeased and vse tovvardes mee thy mercies Michae 7 19. throvving all my VVickednesse into the bottome of the Sea in Vertue of that Bloud that vvas shed for them Amen This point wee shal prosecute largelie in the fourth parte The third Meditation of the multitude of Sinnes and of the grieuousnesse of them for being so many and contrarye to Reason The first Pointe 1. THE first pointe is to call to minde the multitude of Sinnes that in all my former Life I haue committed to which ende I am to runne thorough all the Ages thereof and thorough all the places where I haue liued and thorough the Offices Occupations and Imployments that I haue had regarding how and wherein I haue faulted in euery one of the seuen Sinnes wee commonly call Mortall and in euery one of the Commaundements of the Lawe of God and of his Churche and in euery one of the Lawes and Rules of my Estate and Office To which ende it will helpe mee to knowe the sortes of Sinnes that may bee committed in these matters as they shal bee put in the first pointes of the eighteenth meditation and of the nine following And this Remembrance of Sinnes must not bee drye but moistened with teares full of Confusion and Shame as was that of the
not hee thy Father that hath possessed thee and made and created thee God that begatte thee thovv hast forsaken and hast forgotten our Lorde thy Creator and Redeemer 2. Secondly I will ponder the benefits of my Redemption where enter the Incarnation of the eternall VVorde and all the Labours and Trauailes of the Life Passion and Deathe of our Lord Christe beholding him as our Father Pastor Phisition Master and Sauiour So that with my Sinnes I haue injuried him that holdeth all these Titles with mee And as the Apostle saithe I haue crucifyed IESVS Christe within mee Ad Heb. 6.6 10.29 I haue trodden vpon the Sonne of God I haue trampled vpon his bloud I haue despised his examples I haue troden vnderfoote his Lawes and his Precepts and I haue liued as if no such Redemption for mee had euer passed in the worlde Colloquie Then hovv is it o my Soule that thou meltest not in Toares hauing offended such a Father such a Master such a Pastor and Redeemer Hovv is it that thy Hearte doth not cleaue asunder vvith Griefe for hauing offended vvith thy Sinnes him that dyed to deliuer thee from them O my Redeemer hovv much grieueth it mee to haue offended thee Pardon o Lorde my offences VVashe vvith thy bloud the spots of my Transgressions by vertue vvhereof I purpose vvith thy grace no more to retourne to pollute myselfe vvith them 3. In this sorte I may ponder the benefits of my Sanctification where entreth Baptisme and the rest of the Sacraments especially that of Penance and Eucharist and the Inspirations of the holy Ghoste and other innumerable both manifest and secret Benefits as also the promise of future benefits in the Glorification and Resurrection with all the which I am to charge myselfe and with greate astonishment to admire at myselfe that I haue aunswered so many benefits with so euill seruices holding competencie or sufficiencie with God hee by doing mee fauours and giuing mee greate giftes and I by doing him Injuries and committing grieuous Sinnes considering that euery Sinne after a sorte is an Infinite Ingratitude for beeing against an Infinite Benefactour and against infinite benefits that from his hande I haue receiued giuen with infinite Loue without any merits of mine To exaggerate the more the grieuousnesse of my Sinnes in this respect it shall bee good to profit my selfe of some Histories that make to this purpose as of that of Ioseph Genes 39 9. that it seemed vnto him impossible to sinne with the wife of his Lorde of whome hee had receiued so many benefits And that of Saul 1. Reg. 19 6. who though he were a cruell persecutor of Dauid yet hee grewe meeke when hee heard tell the greate Seruices that hee had donne him And when hee sawe that Dauid killed him not when hee had power to kill him hee had compunction and saide Thou arte Iuster then I 1. Reg. 24 18. for thou hast donne mee good turnes and I haue rendred thee euill O my Soule hovv canst thou sinne against thy God Colloquie and Lord from vvhome thou hast receiued all the Good thou hast O God of my Heart hovv much more iust art thou then I for thou ceasest not to doe mee mercies and I cease not to doe thee offenses Thou hauing povver to take avvaye my Life and my Beeing yet doost it not and I hauing no povver to take avvay thine yet as much as it lyeth in mee I attempt to doe it Thou didst cut of the Heade of the Giant and didst breake the Heade of the Serpent to deliuer mee frem Deathe and I subiect myselfe thereunto by offending thee VVho is it that hauing povver to kill his Enemye killeth him not and yet thou vvilt dye that hee may not dye Pardon o Lord my bestiall Vnthankefullnesse and ayde mee vvith thy abundant grace that I may no more returne to fall into so horrible a miserie The third Pointe THirdly I am to consider what motiue I had to Sinne for doubtlesse it encreaseth the greatenesse of the Injurie when it is donne vpon a very light cause and Occasion For why did I offend God For a Litle VVantonnesse of the Flesh for a Punctillo of Honour for a Small Interest of VVealthe for a slight pleasing of myne owne VVill finally for things most vile that passe like Smoke and are as if they were not in Comparison of God And yet beeing such for them I denyed by my VVorkes the liuing God Ad Titū 1.16 and made of them to myselfe an Idoll and false God esteeming them more then the true God crucifying Christe within mee to giue life vnto Barrabas which is Sinne. O my Lorde Ierem. 2.12 Colloquie vvith greate reason sayest thou to the Heauens that they should bee affrighted and to the gates of Heauen that they should breake and breake vvith amazement for tvvo euils vvhich thy People committed and yet I vvretched Sinner haue committed them infinite times leauing thee that art the fountaine of liuing VVater to dravve vvith Labour out of broken Cisternes that cannot containe VVater O Labour ill employed◠O Inconsiderate Chaunge I left the infinite God and the perpetuall Fountaine of infinite and eternall Good for a thing of nothing of Temporall and perishing Good vvhich like a broken Cisterne looseth vnperceaueably the vvater that it holde Gen. 25.34 and remaineth drye O my Soule if the Deede of Esau seeme so vile vnto thee that solde his birth-right for a small Dishe of Pottage Ad Heb. 12. hovv much more vile shall thine bee that sellest thy birt-bright of Heauen for a litle interest of Earthe Hee soulde it to redeeme his Life and thou to sell it incurrest Deathe And if hee founde no place of Repentance to reuoke the sale it vvere very iust that thou also shouldst not finde it seeing thy sinne vvas greater then his But set seeing that Gods mercie is greater approache vnto it vvith Humillitye that hee may defeate by his Grace the euill sale that thou madest by thy Sinne. Finally in this meditation and in the following I am to laye fast holde on this Veritie for it is an incredible follye to beleeue by Faithe what I beleeue and yet to liue in that manner that I liue that is to beleeue that Sinne is so euill as wee haue described it and yet for all this to committe it to beleeue that God is so good and so right a Iusticier and yet notwithstanding to offende him and so in the rest The fourth Pointe THE fourth pointe shall bee to breake out with these Considerations into an exclamation with an Affection vehement and full of Amazemene As that the Creatures haue suffered me I hauing so greiuously offended their Creator and Benefactor Genes 3.24 That the Angells who are the ministers of Gods Iustice haue not vnsheathed their fiery swordes against mee That they haue garded mee and beene the Aduocates of so wicked a man as I. That the Sunne Moone and
examine as S. Bern. saieth to what side I should fall Serm. 49 paruoruÌ„ if God should now cut mee off and will endeuour to assure my good Successe doing fruites worthy of true Repentance with the which the Tree inclineth to the parte of Glorye and beeing then cut off shall be transplanted therein The experienced Deceites that men suffer concerning these three Verities that haue beene declared shall bee set downe in the twelfth Meditation The eigth Meditation of those things that cause Anguish and Affliction to the Man that is neere his Deathe THose things that may cause mee greate Affliction and Anguish at the hower of Deathe may bee reduced to three rankes Some passed others present and others to come And to haue the more feeling heereof I am to present vnto myselfe that hower as if I were in my bed forsaken by the Phisitions and without hope of Life which is not difficult to perswade for it is possible that while I am saying or reading or thinking vpon this I want no more but one daye of my Life and seeing that one daye must bee the last daye I may imagine that it is this present Daye The first Pointe FIrst I will confider the greate Anguish and Affliction which the remembrance of all things that are passed will cause mee running thorough the most principall 1. First I shall bee greately afflicted with the remembrance of my forepassed Sinnes and of all the Liberties Carnallities Reuenges Ambitions and Couetousnesses that I haue had in the course of my Life Also of the slacknesse in the Seruice of God the negligences and Omissions all the rest of my Sinnes that haue not beene much bewailed and amended I am to imagine that there is at that instant an Armye made of all my Sinnes like as of Bulles Psal 21.13 Lyons Tigers other sauage Beastes that rent in peeces my Hearte or like an Armye of terrible VVormes that gnawe and bite my Conscience and neither the Riches nor Pleasures that I enjoyed can auaile mee to close vp their cruell mouthes for the delight of Sinne beeing past there remaineth nothing but the sharpenesse of paine and seeing I dranke the sweete wine of sensuall Pleasures Psal 74.9 I am forced to drinke the bitternesse of their Lees. Then shall bee fullfilled what Dauid saithe Psal 17.5 The Sorrovves of Deathe haue incompassed mee and the torrents of iniquitie haue troubled mee the sorovves of Hell haue compassed mee on all sides the snares of Deathe haue preuented mee vnawares O what bitter Dolours O what furious Torrents O what pinching Snares shall these beeâ— from the which myne owne forces are so farre from beeing able to deliuer mee that I shall hardely knowe how to make any vse of them for the bitternesse of these Dolours will prouoke mee to Distrust the vehement furye of these Riuers will trouble my Iudgement and the streightnesse of these snares will pinche my Throte that I may not aske pardon of my Sinnes Colloquie the Diuell making vse of all this that I may haue no issue out of them O my Soule bevvaile and confesse vvell thy Sinnes in thy life that they may not disquiet Eccles 5.4 nor torment thee in thy Deathe Say not I haue sinned and vvhat sorovvfâ—â— thing hath chaunched to mee for thy ioye shall soone passe avvaye and the stroke of Sorrovve shall come Loose not absolutely the feare of Sin vvhich thou supposest to bee pardoned leaste that Sinne bud out at thy Deathe vvhich thou bevvayledst but euilly in thy Life These and such other aduises which Ecclestasticus noteth in his fifth Chapter I am to collect from this Consideration with a Resolued minde to begin presently to put them in practize 2. Secondly I will ponder how at that Instant I shall not onely bee tormented and afflicted with the remembrance of my Sinnes but also with the losse of the time that I had to negotiate a businesse so Important as that of my Saluation and with letting slippe many occasions that God offered mee to that ende Then shall I desire but one daye of those many which now I loose in sleeping playing and talking for pastime and recreation and it shall not bee graunted mee Then it shall afflict mee that I haue not frequented the holy Sacraments nor the exercises of Praier that I haue not aunswered diuine Inspirations nor hearde Sermons nor exercized workes of Penance that I haue not giuen almes to the poore to gaine friendes to receiue mee in the eternall habitations that I haue not beene deuoted to the Saintes that in that narrowe streight they may bee my mediators and Aduocates Then shall I make greate Resolutions to doe that which when I might I did not desiring to liue to accomplish them and all peraduenture without proffit like those of the wretched king Antiochus the cruell Persecutor of the lewes who beeing at the pointe of Deathe though hee made greate promises and praiers vnto God 1. Mach. 6.12 2. Mach. 9.13 yet saithe the Scripture That this vvicked man prayed to our Lorde of vvhome hee vvas not to obtaine mercye not that mercye was wanting to God but for that there was wanting to this VVretche a true disposition to receiue it for all those Resolutions of his sprung meerely from seruile Feare and were but to wrest out his bodily Healthe as if hee could deceiue God as hee deceiued men From this Consideration I am to collect that the hower of Deathe is the hower of vnbeguiling in in the which I shall iudge of all things differently from what I doe now Eccles cap. 11.8 holding as the Ecclesiastes saithe for Vanitie that which before I helde for VVisdome and contrarily holding for VVisdome that which before I esteemed as Vanitie And therefore the truest VVisdome is to resolue effectually vpon that which then I would doe and forthwith to accomplishe it For the ordinary Lawe is that hee that liueth well dyeth well and hee that liueth very euilly seldome happeneth to dye well And especially I will make a full Resolution to loose no iotte of Time nor to let slippe any occasion of my proffit Eccles 14 14. remembring that of Ecclesiasticus Be not defrauded of the good day and let not a little portion of a good gift ouerpasse thee but make thy Proffit of all to the Glorye of him that giueth it thee The second Pointe SEcondly I will consider the greate affliction that my Soule shall feele in leauing all things present if I possesse them with an euill Conscience Psal 48.18 or with a disordinate Affection whereupon I am to perswade myselfe that in that hower perforce and in spite of my teethe I am to leaue three sortes of things 1. First I am to leaue the Riches Dignities Offices Delicacies and Possessions that I had and shall not bee able to carrye any thing with mee And the more goods I haue the more bitter it willbee to leaue them For Deathe saieth
Desperation hee excessiuely aggrauateth our Sinnes and exaggerateth the rigour of Gods Iustice against them Hee will tell mee that hee that liued euill must not dye well and that hee that laide not holde on Gods mercye must fall into the handes of his Iustice 1. Petr. 4.18 And if the Iust man shall hardely bee saued what shall become of the wicked and the Sinner And as hee is a Lyer and the Father of Lyes and a false Accuser of men if God tye not his handes limitte his Power hee will set before mee a thousand false Imaginations and accusations with Cosenages horrid Visages to trouble mee and to make mee sweate with agonye and to passe greater Anguishes then those of Deathe it selfe These are the feares that in that last traunce shlal afflict mee if I prouide mee not in time to hinder their Vehemencye which I am to doe by entring into my selfe and considering if Deathe should now attache mee what it is that would giue mee greatest terror and deuising how to remedye that in time And if I would not that Deathe should seaze vpon mee in the present estate that I am in I am to endeuour presently to get out of it for it is neither lawfull nor secure to liue in an Estate wherein I would not dye I will conclude this Meditation setting before myne Eyes Christe our Lord naked and nailed to the Crosse at the Instant of giuing vp the ghoste and I will with greate feruencye beseeche him that by his Deathe hee will graunt mee a good Deathe and that if the Diuell come to my Deathe as hee came to his that hee would deliuer mee from him and graunt mee so assured a Confidence that like him I may say in that hower Psal 118 109. Colloquie Father into thy handes I commend my Spirit O morcifull Father my Soule is yet in my ovvne handes but readye to flye out of them and in perill to fall into the handes of her Enemies O doe thou receiue her into thine that the vvorke of thy handes for the vvhich they vvere nailed to the Crosse may not hee destroyed I offer myselfe to imitate in this life thy Pouertye and nakednesse that in Deathe thy handes may receiue mee and may carrye mee vvith them to the repose of thy Glorye Amen VVee may likewise make Speeches and Praiers to our blessed Ladye the Virgin and to the Angell of our garde and other Saintes requiring their fauour for that hower for while wee liue wee negotiate that which should aide vs at that Instant To this purpose wee shall make our proffit of a manner of preparation to dye well which shall bee put in the fourth parte in the fifteth and first meditation collected from what Christe our Sauiour did at his Deathe as likewise of what shall bee saide in the fifth parte in the thirteth and fourth meditation concerning the glorious passage of our blessed Ladye The ninth Meditation of the particular Iudgement that is made of the Soule in the Instant of Deathe D. Th. 3. p. q. 59. art 5. IN this meditation I am to presuppose that Veritie of our Faithe 2. Cor. 5.10 Ad Rom. 14.10 that all men as S. Paul saithe are to bee presented before the Tribunall of Christe that euery one may giue a reason of all that hee hath donne either good or euill while hee liued in this Bodye Ad Heb. 9.27 and this Iudgement is made Inuisibly after Deathe for that Statutum est omnibus hominibus semel mori post hoc Iudicium It is the Infallible Decree of God that all men shall dye then followeth Iudgement from the which as from Deathe no man shall escape Before this Tribunall of Christe I am to present myselfe in Praier Imagining this Soueraigne Iudge seated on a Throne of fier Daniel 7 9. as Daniel sawe him to represent the terriblenesse of his VVrathe against the wicked or in a most pure white Throne of most resplendent light Apoc. 20 11. as S. Iohn sawe him to represent his infinite wisdome and Puritie and his Clemencye towardes the good And of both these figures I may make my proffit as in the following pointe shall bee seene The first Pointe FIrst are to bee considered the persons assistantes at this Iudgement regarding the quallities and semblances of eache one of them These are foure at the leaste 1 The first is the Soule that is to bee Iudged the which shall stande alone naked without her Bodye and all visible things clothed onely with her workes For allbeit at the time of Deathe there bee present many kinsfolke and many religious Persons yet in that Instant that it issueth out of the bodye there is none of them can beare it cōpanye nor fauour it As desolate shall bee the Soule of a King as that of a Clowne of a riche Man as of a poore man of a learned man as of an Idiot for Dignities Riches remaine here and though it carry with it its Sciences there is no account made of them but of VVorkes Apoc. 14.13 whereby I shall see what a greate Inconsideration it is to procure with so much sollicitude that which cannot helpe mee in that conflict and to loose that which most of all Importeth mee 2. Zach. 3.1 Psal 108 6. D. Greg. hom 39. in Euangelia On either side of the Soule as is collected out of holy Scripture shall stand at least the Angell Gardian and the Deuill with different semblances accordingly as they suspect what is like to succeede I may Imagine that on the right hande of the wicked the Diuell standes very cheerefull for the pray that hee expecteth and the Angell on the left hand with a sad semblance for the losse that hee feareth But contrarily it shal bee in the good yet allwayes the Diuell willbee there with his fierce and horrid Semblance 3. The fourth Person is the Iudge which is God himselfe who is to giue this Iudgement inuisibly allbeeit hee will giue tokens of his preseence Imprinting in the wicked terrible feare and horrour and in the good peace and consolation For as he is infinitely wise hee cannot deceiue himselfe in Iudgement as hee is absolutely good hee cannot wrest Iustice as hee is Omnipotent no man can resist his Sentence and as hee is the Supreame Iudge there is from his Tribunall no Appeale nor Supplication his Sentence is allwaies diffinitiue and Irreuocable for all that may bee seene in this processe hee seeth and comprehendeth it at first sight so that a reuiew is superfluous Pondering these thinges I will Imagine that my Soule standes to bee Iudged before the Tribunall of so vpright a Iudge as God our Lord is And considering a while my Sinnes to mooue mee to feare I will beholde the Iudge in Indignation against mee with a seuere countenance and an inexorable minde And I will beholde Sathan standing on my right side full of Content and as it were victorious applying to myselfe
that which the royall Prophet Dauid saieth Psal 108 6. Appoint a Sinner ouer him and let the Diuell stand on his right hande vvhen hee is Iudged let him come forth condemned and let his praier that hee maketh be turned into Sinne. Another whiles to mooue myselfe to Confidence I will beholde the Iudge gentile towardes mee with an amiable and pleasing Countenance and on my right side my Angell Gardian cheerefull for my Victorye Imagining that hee is saying in my fauour against the Diuell that which the Prophet Zacharie repeateth Zach. 3.2 Our Lord rebuke thee o Sathan our Lord rebuke thee Is not perhaps this poore wretche a cole pulled out of the fier that it might not bee burned Then what wilt thou O most lust Iudge Colloquie and most mercifull Father I confesse that I am thorough my Sinnes a blacke and filthy Cole and halfe burnt vvith the fier of my passions vvashe mee o Lord and vvhiten mee vvith the liuing vvater of thy grace and therevvith quenche this fier that burneth mee that in the daye of account the Diuell may leaue mee the Angell may protect mee thy mercye may receiue mee and thy Iustice may crovvne mee Amen The second Pointe SEcondly I am to consider the Time and Place S. Ioan. Clima cus cap. 7 S. Greg. 4. dialog cap. 37. wherein this Iudgement is to bee donne 1. The time is the Instant of Deathe for allbeeit that by the speciall dispensation of God it hath beene seene to begin visibly a litle before Deathe in sundry cases that haue happened for our example yet ordinarily it is donne inuisibly in the very Instant that the Soule leaues to Informe the Bodye without any delaye And in that very moment the whole Iudgement is concluded the accusation is made and the Sentence is giuen and executed This moment I am to haue allwaies before mine eyes as that which is to bee the beginning of my eternall good or euill saying O momentum à quo aeternitas O moment vvherein eternitye beginneth who can forget thee without greate Perill and who can remember thee without greate Astonishment Bee mindefull o my Soule of this moment and endeuour not to loose any moment of time for in euery one thou maiest merite the life that shall for euer endure 2. The place of this Iudgement is wheresoeuer Deathe arresteth any man without going to the Valley of Iosaphat or to any other speciall place for as the Iudge is in all places so in all places hee hath his Tribunall and maketh this Iudgement in the Earthe and in the Sea in the bed and in the streete that in euery place I may feare because I knowe not whither that shall bee the place of my Iudgement But because that Deathe most ordinarily attacheth vs in our Chamber and Bed when I am in these places I must imagine sometimes that there standeth the Tribunall and Throne of God to judge mee and the good and euill Angell assistantes at the Iudgement for this holy Cogitation will restraine the vnmeasurable excesses of the Fleshe which bud out with the Solitarinesse of the place From these two Considerations I am to drawe a greate feare of offending God for peraduenture the Time and Place wherein I committee this Sinne shall bee also the time and place wherein God will doe Iudgement Genes 19 26. 1. Cor. 11 29. as the wife of Loth who in the same Instant and place that shee turned to looke vpon Sodome was turned into a Satatue of Salt as S. Paule saith whosoeuer eateth vnworthily the bodye of Christe our Lorde eateth Iudgement to himselfe Iob. 15.16 So when I drinke VVickednesse like VVater I drinke Iudgement to my Soule and perhaps the Drinke may bee so mortall that in that very Instant the Iudgement shal bee executed The third Pointe THirdly I am to consider the Frame and Order of this Iudgement that is the Accusers and VVitnesses the Proofe and rigorous Examination that shall bee made of all my workes to Iudge mee accordingly 1. First the Accusers shall bee three The first shall bee the Diuell Apocal. 12.10 whome S. Iohn calleth the Accuser of our bretheren whose Office is to accuse them before God daye and night but in this last Iudgement with greater hatred and furye hee will accuse mee of all the Sinnes I committed thorough his perswasion by consenting to his Temptations yea and hee will adde false accusations for his owne Suspicions aswell for that hee knoweth not the Intentions as also for that his Anger malice doe blinde him making him holde for true that which is false Therefore o my Soule resist allwaies the Deuill and admitte nothing of his that when hee commeth to Iudgement against thee Ioan. 14.30 hee may finde nothing of his for which to laye holde on thee nor no Sinne whereof truely to accuse thee 2. The second Accuser shall bee euery mans owne Conscience the which shall likewise bee a witnesse and stand for a thousand for the Thoughtes thereof shall beate against vs Ad Rom. 2.15 and they as the Apostle saithe shall in that hower accuse or defend vs. And as in Confession I myselfe of my owne will am the Guilty the Accuser and the VVitnesse against myselfe that the Prieste may absolue mee so then also I shall bee so perforce that God may Iudge and condemne mee for that whereof here I obtained not pardon 3. Finally the Angell Gardian himselfe shall bee the third witnesse and after a sorte Accuser against mee for my rebellions to his Inspirations Counsells From whence I may collect how much it importeth mee allwaies to consent to the good Inspirations and Dictates of these two faithfull Companions Conscience and Angell and to yealde myselfe vnto them when in this life they accuse or reprehend mee that afterwardes in the other they may not condemne mee following the Counsell of our Sauiour Christ who saieth Matt. 5.26 Luc. 12.58 Bee at agreement vvith thy Aduersarye betimes vvhiles thou art in the vvaye vvith him and goest to appeare before the Prince for if thou then compoundest not with him hee will deliuer thee to the Iudge and the Iudge to the Officer who will cast thee into prison from whence thou shallt not get out till thou hast paied the last farthing O Prince of Heauen Colloqu to vvhose Tribunall I goe to bee Iudged graunt mee that I may take thy vvholesome Counsell agreeing allvvaies vvith these tvvo good Aduersaries that beeing freed from the Sinne I may bee so likevvise from the Officer and eternall Prison Amen 4. But aboue all I am to ponder the most rigorous examination of the Iudge himselfe wherein are two terrible things the first is that it is vniuersall of all things whatsoeuer charging mee with all my Sinnes of Deede VVorde and Thought though they were but Idle ones Matt. 12 36. and with the omissions and negligences of my Life with the Ingratitude and euill correspondence that
wee are in o whoe beguiled thee and brought thee vnto vs Finally the Soule shall bee stript naked of those morall D. Th. in addit q. 98. ar 1. ad 3. Ibid. art 7. and politike Vertues which it acquired in this Life it shall remaine without Prudence or Fortitude or Iustice or any other and if any Sciences bee left it that it gotte with its industrie it shall bee to its greater paine for not hauing negotiated therewith the Science that might haue redeemed it from all this miserie In this manner shall bee accomplished therein that dreadefull sentence of holy Iob Iob. 20.14 Colloquie His breade in his belly shall bee turned into the gall of Aspes the riches vvhich he hath deuoured he shall vomite out and God shall dravve them forth out of his belly O my Soule looke that thou doest not vomite vvith thy VVill the Riches of Grace and Charitie that thou receiuedst for aftervvardes they vvill make thee vomitte perforce Faithe and the Vertues that thou hadst gained And those Sciences vvich novv thou gainest vvith delight shall turne into the gall of Aspickes to torment thee These are the principall fruites which out of these Considerations I am to collect endeuouring to negotiate with those Talents that God hath giuen mee Matt. 25 26. leaste at the reckoning daye God take them from mee as from the slothefull seruant leauing mee onely those which like Aspickes Dragons shall most cruelly gnawe my Hearte because I proffited myselfe so euilly with them The fifth Pointe 1. FIftly I am to consider the finall Sentence which in that very Instant of Deathe Christe our Lord pronounceth against the Sinner intimating it vnto him with an Interiour and terrible voice saying to him alone the same wordes that hee will afterwardes say to all the VVicked in the Generall Iudgement Matt. 25 41. Depart from mee thou accursed of my Father into that eternall fier that is prepared for Satan and his Angells that is to say get thee from hence abominable Sinner that meritest not to stand in my presence nor to enter into my Glory goe into eternall fier which thy Sinnes doe deserue in Companye of Satan to whose Infernall Power I remitte thee that hee may carry thee with him 2. This Sentence beeing giuen in the very same Instant God forsaketh the Soule and the Angell Gardian abandoneth it saying to it as to Babilon Ierem. 51.9 I did enough to cure thee labouring thy Saluation and thou wouldst not therefore I leaue thee to the power of him who shall take that Vengeance of thee which thy Rebellion deserueth And in the very same moment the Diuell shall attache the wretched Soule without either admitting or hearing Supplications or Praiers and carry it into Hell So that the Sinner in the twinckling of an eye from his bed where hee lay very delicately inuironned with many friendes and kinsmen Iob. 21.23 dieth as Iob saithe in a moment with a Deathe to appearance happy and peaceable but in the very same moment hee descendeth to Hell passing from one extreame of temporall good to another extreame of eternall euill O what will the vnhappy Soule feele in that first entrance into Hell when it seeth what it left and what it findeth Isai 14.11 when it seeth and feeleth a bed of fier the matresses of wormes the company of Diuells and all the rest of Torments from which shee hath no hope euer to escape O Iust Iudge haue mercye vpon mee Colloquie Et cum veneris Iudicare noli me condemnare And when thou commest to Iudge doe not condemne mee O my Soule feare this Sentence of eternall Damnation and liue in such sort that thou maiest meritte to bee deliuered from it The sixt Pointe SIxtly I am to consider the Sentence that shall bee giuen to the Iust Christ our Redeemer saying inuisibly to him with an amiable voice Matt. 25 34. Matt. 25 21. Come thou blessed of my Father possesse the kingdome prepared for thee from the foundation of the vvorlde VVell fare thee good and faithfull Seruant because thou hast beene faithfull ouer a fevve things I vvill place thee ouer many things enter into the ioye of thy Lord. And at that very Instant the Deuill departeth affronted and the Angell Gardian receiueth the Soule other Angells as they came to the Soule of poore Lazarus comming to accompanye it Luc. 16.22 and all with greate ioy carry it to heauen to enjoy that eternall good when it hath nothing to bee purged in Purgatorie O what ioye shall the Soule haue in that her first and so much desired entrance that which was before full of Dolours humbled with Contempts and troubled with Feares in a moment shall see herselfe farre otherwise all her Paine turned into Glorie and her mourning into Rejoicing in the Companye of Angells in a place of repose and ingulfed in the viewe of her God 2. These things considered I will make Comparison betweene the good and the euill and I shall see as Dauid saithe the Deathe of the wicked most vile Psal 33.22 Psal 115 15. and abhominable the ende of their Rest and Beginning of their Torments And contrarily the ende of the good is precious in the sight of God the ende of their Labours and beginning of their rest and herewith I will animate myselfe to procure a good Deathe wherein I may receiue a good Sentence encouraging myselfe to Penance and to the exercizes of Vertues trusting in the benignitie of the Iudge who will sentence mee with mercie if in my Life I make proffit thereof 3. I will conclude with a speeche to the most blessed Virgin who at that hower interposeth not herselfe in this Iudgement for when the Soule departeth the bodye the Doore of Intercession and pardon is locked vp and that of rigorous Iustice is opened beseeching her that now presently shee willbee my Aduocatrice Intercessour negotiating for mee this good Sentence and obtaining for mee workes worthie thereof To which ende it will aide mee to saye with Spirit those last wordes which the Churche putteth in the praier of the Aue Maria and those which it vseth in another Hymne saying Maria mater gratiae Mater misericordiae Tu nos ab Hoste protege Hora mortis suscipe Marye mother of Grace mother of mercye defende vs from the Enemye and at the hovver of Deathe receiue vs. O Soueraigne Virgin seeing thou art the Aduocatrice of Sinners bee my Aduocatrice before thy Sonne appease with thy Intercession his wrathe obtaining for mee time of true Repentance before the time bee past wherein I may doe it And seeing the Sentence giuen in Deathe is irreuocable negotiate for mee o most benigne mother that it may bee fauourable towardes mee that I may see the blessed fruite of thy wombe IESVS and enjoy him in thy companye worlde without ende Amen To the Intention of this meditation is much to the purpose that which in the third parte shall
are by right for I vanquished them and they yealded themselues to mee and they esteemed mee more then thee This will prowde Sathan say as one that after his raging manner desireth to triumphe ouer Christ our Lorde and to reuenge himselfe of him in his creatures O how ashamed and out of Countenance shall the wicked become for hauing obeyed him Colloquie Flye o my Soule to obey him that vvill giue thee so evill recompence Turne for Christes honour that created and redeemed thee deceiving his Enemye in this life that hee may not beguile thee in the other 2 Secondly I will ponder the terrible imputations that Christ himselfe wil interiourly impose vppon them calling to every ones memorie the benefits that hee hath donne them I will hee say created thee to myne owne image and similitude and thou distainedst it with many sinnes I redeemed thee with my pretious blood and thou with thy evill wayes didst treade it vnder foote I gaue thee the Sacrament of Baptisme making thee a membre of my Churche and thou profanedst it living with standall therein I offered thee the sacrament of Penance to restore to thee my grace and thou choosedst to remaine in sinne I invited thee with my bodye and blood for thy sustenance and thou dispisedst it for the fleshepots of Egipt I called thee with many inspirations and thou with pertinacie wast rebellious vnto them I menaced thee with Chastizements I regaled thee with benefits and I animated thee with promises of greate rewardes and of all these thou madest no account O wretched man what could I doe more for thee then I did and thou what couldest thou doe more against mee then thou didst esteeming more thine owne honour then mine Isai 5.2 O my Angells and ministers iudge you and see what could I haue donne for this vine that I did not and hoping that it vould haue brought forth grapes it hath brought forth nothing but sower ones Pondering all this I will with great feeling pronounce those wordes of David Psalm 6.2 Lord rebuke mee not in thy furye nor chastise mee in thy vvrathe but correct mee in thy mercye whilest yet there is time for Amendment To this reprehension of Christe the very Angells of out garde will assist Colloquie alledging how much they did to divert the wicked from their evill life and yet with what rebellion the wicked contradicted them The â—ust likewise that are present shal accuse them some for that they reiected their Counsell others because they received from them greate wrongs and others for the perill wherein they sawe themselues thorough their evill example All this the VVretches shall heare and see in the interiour parte of their soule Ad Rom. 2. and of their vnhappie conscience the which as the Apostle saithe shall bee the most terrible accuser of all for beeing convinced with the euidence of Truthe and seeing the reason that all haue to accuse her shee shall haue nothing to aunswere but much whereof to accuse herselfe O how much better had it beene for her to haue willingly and proffitably accused her selfe in this life Colloquie then to accuse herselfe at that time perfocre and with out remedie O svveete IESVS graunt mee that I may vorthily accuse myselfe of my sinnes before thee and before the confessor that is to absolue mee that they may not accumsemee of the in Iudgement to condemne mee The fiftenth Meditation of the Sentences in favour of the good and against the VVicked and of the execution of them THe forme of the sentences that Christ ourlord shall pronounce as it is beleeved Abul q. 333. in Matth. Iansenius sotus alij with a sensible voice in favour of the good and against the wicked is expressed in the holy Gospell beginning with that in favour of the good that wee may vnderstand how much more God our Lord is Inclined to rewarde then to punishe The first Pointe FIrst I am to consider that Christe our Lord seated in the Throne of his glorie looking towarde the righteous with a gentle Math. 25.34 and amiable voice shall say vnto them Come yee blessed of my Father possesse you the kingdome prepared for you from the foundation of the VVorlde for I vvas hungrye and you gaue mer to eate etc. This sentence wee will meditate worde by worde pondering the mystery that every worde containeth conformable to the second forme of Praying set downe in the ninth § of the introduction And yet wee will here doe no more but pointe at the considerations of these wordes for that hereafter they shall bee handled more at large Venite THe first worde is Come wherein I am to ponder for what cause hee sayeth vnto them Come from whence they are to come and whither they are to come Hee saithe vnto them come to recall to their memorye their first vocation when hee called them to followe him saying vnto them Math. 11.28 16.24 Come yee to me that labour and are burdened and I vvill refresh you and If any man vvill come after mee let him denye himselfe and take vp his Crosse and folovve mee And because they hearkened to this Vocation hee calleth them with such a nother like worde as if hee should saye seeing you came after mee embracing the crosse and mortification to followe my life Come to receiue the rewarde following mee in glorye Come from Mount Libanus of my Churche wherein yee were baptized Cant. 4.8 and washed with the teares of Penance and grewe vp like Cedars in all Vertues Apocal. 7.14 Come from the greate Tribulation wherein you haue lived washing your robes and making them white in my precious blood Come from the Dennes of the Lyons and the inhabitations of Tygers in whose companye you haue lived suffering greate persecutions Come out from amongst the middest of them and come to bee crowned and to receiue the rewarde that you haue merited for the many Victories you haue obtained Colloquie O my soule heare speedily the voice of Christe vvherevvith het calleth thee to imitate his life that thou mayest bee vvorthy to heare this svveete voice vvherevvith hee shal call thee to receiue the Crovvne Benedicti Patris mei THe second worde is yee blessed of my Father Hee calleth them blessed that all may vnderstand the immensitie of Benefits that hee hath donne doth Psalm 23.5 and wilt doe thoroughout all eternitie fullfilling that of the Psalmist that the innocent and Pure of hearte should receiue the benediction of our lord and the mercye of God his saviour And hee sayeth not Come yee blessed of Abraham Isaac and Iacob nor yee blessed of Moyses or of the Patriarches Ad Ephes 1.4 and Prophets but yee blessed of my eternall fathet who hath blessed you with all kinde of caelestiall benediction communicating vnto you the goods of his grace and now entirely those of his glorye And hee sayeth not yee blessed of God but of my Father that it
may bee vnderstood that all these blessings proceeded from the fatherly loue that God bare them in respect of his sonne And for that his benediction is effectuall and performeth presently what it promiseth with this sweete worde hee wil replenish them with a newe and extraordinarye alacritie Possidete paratum vobis regnum a constitutione mundi THirdy hee saieth vnto them possesse you the kingdome prepared for you from the foundation of the vvorlde In which wordes I am to ponder what kingdome this is how long time agoe since it was prepared that it is prepared for the Righteous and that to them is giuen the possession thereof in all which is resplendent the infinite Charitie of our caelestiall Father For first hee would that the inheritance and eldership of his Children should bee a kingdome so soveraigne that for excellencie thereof it meriteth the name of a kingdome for it is no terrene but a caelestiall kingdome whose riches are infinite and the pleasures thereof so inestimable that they make blessed their possessors This kingdome was prepared for them from all eternitie predestinating them of his mere mercye to raigne with him And from the foundation of the worlde hee created the Heauen called Empyreall that it might bee a royall Cittye and habitation of these blessed kings And with greate tendernes hee addeth that worde Vobis for you as who should saye This kingdome was not prepared principally for the Angells and for want of them for you entring in place of those that lost the seates of this kingdome But it was prepared equally for all the iust Angells ad men and for you for your soules and for your bodyes Come then to take peaceable possession of this kingdome so noble and so auncient out of the which you shall never bee eiected enter into the ioyes of my Father which shall never bee taken from you Apocal. 3.21 Colloquie sit downe to raigne with mee in my throne as I am seated with my eternall Father in his O most loving Father I giue thee thankes for this so soveraigne kingdome vvhich thou hast prepared for thy elect to shevve in them the infinite Riches of thy Grace and Charitye Graunt mee o Lord that I may in such manner prepare my soule that thou maist raigne therein by thy grace and aftervvardes carry it to possesse this eternall kingdome of thy Glorye Amen Esurivi enim dedistis mihi manducare c. THen declareth the iudge the reason of his sentence and the merites for which hee geâ—eth them his kingdome saying I vvas an hungred and you gaue mee to eate I vvas a thirst and you gaue mee to drinke I vvas a straunger and you tooke mee in naked and you couered mee sicke and you visited mee I vvas in Prison and you came to mee to set mee at libertye And the iust admiring that for so little workes hee should giue them a kingdome so greate and that hee should so much esteeme these workes of mercye as if they had beene donne to his owne Person shall aske him not so much with wordes as with affections and inward feelings of greate admiration saying Lord when did wee see thee hungrye and Thirstye and gaue thee to eate and to drinke Or when did wee see the a straunger naked sicke or in prison and vsed towarde thee such mercye Then our Lord will aunswer them Amen I say vnto you as long as you did it to one of these my leasle Bretheren you did it to mee Colloquie for I was in them and though but little ones I yet esteeme my selfe to holde them for my Bretheren O happy poore that are accounted as his Bretheren by the Iudge that shall Iudge them and by the eternall king that shall revvarde them vvho likevvise revvardeth others for doing them good O happy vvorkes of Mercye vvhose principall obiect 〈◊〉 Christe and vvhose Revvarde is his kingdome O blessed are the mercifull seeing in this daye they shall obtaine so greate mercye Lastly I wil ponder that albeeit Christe our Lord in the Gospell alledgeth onely for the reason of his sentence the workes of mercye to wardes our Neighbours yet hee will also declare the other good workes of obedience and mortification necessarye to enter into Heauen And as the voice of God is of infinite Vertue hee will to every one mentally declare in such sorte that all may vnderstand the speciall workes for the which hee giveth him his kingdome To the Martyr hee will saye Come thou blessed of my Father to possesse the kingdome prepared for thee because thou shedst thy blood formee And to the Virgin hee will say Come thou blessed of my Father for the Virginitie which thou preservedst with puritie of Bodye and soule And to the Religious man Come thou blessed of my Father for thou lestst all things to followe mee And in this manner I may runne thorough all the other Estates of the iust O what Content will all receiue with the sweete voice of this comfortable sentence Psalm 50.10 Ioan. 10.3 with the which God will giue to their eares compleate Ioy and alacritie and the Bones that were humbled shall reioice Happy the sheepe that in this life heare the voice of their shephearde and followe his steppes for on this day being placed on his right hande they shall heare the voice that calleth them to the eternall pastures O soveraigne shepheard Colloquie ayde mee vvith thy abundaunt grace that I may bee vvorthy to heare so favourable a sentence Amen The second Pointe SEcondly I am to consider that towardes the wicked the Iudge wil turne his Angrye Countenance and with a dreadefull voice wil say vnto them Departe from mee you cursed into fier everlasting vvhich is prepared for the deuil and his Angells for I vvas an huÌ„gred and you gaue mee not to eate etc. This sentence like the former wee may ponder by the wordes for that heerein are declared all the kindes of Paines that are in Hell of the which wee shall heereafter make a large consideration Discedite a me 1. THe first worde is Departe from mee In the which hee condemneth them to that eternall paine Paena Damni Payne of losse or danatioÌ„ which they call of losse or daÌ„nation which is a perpetuall Banishment from Heauen and a depriving them of the sight of God for ever And the more to wound them shewing himselfe so glorious vnto them hee sayeth Departe from mee that am your God your first beginning and last ende Departe from mee that am your Redeemer from â—nee that made myselfe man for your sakes and receiued these woundes for your remedye from mee that invited you with pardon and you would not accept it Therefore departe for ever from my freindship from my protection from my kingdome from my Paradise from my cleare sight and from the copious River of my Delightes And for that whosoever is separated from Christ is also separated from those that goe with Christe in saying to them Departe from
and had they not beene like the Divells impenitent they should not haue beene cast into the eternall fier prepared for them Colloquie O God of Vengeance and vvith all Father of Mercye seeing thou rather desirest to pardon sinners vvith mercye then to chastize them vvith Vengeance giue mee time of true Penitence that I bee not chastized vvith the impenitent Divells Amen Esuriui enim non dedistis mihi manducare THen declareth the Iudge the iust reason of his sētence saying for I vvas hungrye and you gaue mee not to eate nor exercized to wardes mee the other workes of mercye And the Danmed desiring to excuse themselues not to haue failed with Christe in such workes hee wil say vnto them VVhat you did not to one of these litle ones you did not to mee for I was in them and therefore what you did not to them you did not to mee 1. Ioan. 4.20 For hee that loveth not his neighbout whome hee seeth visibly with his eyes how can hee loue God that is inuisible and hee that forgetteth the Image of God whome hee hath present how will hee remembre God himselfe whome hee esteemeth as absent I vvill also ponder that Christe our lord in the reason of the sentence all edgeth those sinnes that seeme the lesser to giue vs to vnderstand with how much more rigour hec will chastize the greater sinnes of which hee will also make mention And especially hee will declare to every one that all shall vnderstand it the cause wherefore hee condemneth him saying to the Luxurious Departe from mee yee cursed to the fier everlasting for the luxuries and Carnallities wherein you lived And to the Perjured and Blasphemours Departe from mee be cause you prophaned my holy name I having had so greate care of honoring yours etc. Mathê 7.22 Thirdly I will ponder that the wicked in the Day of Iudgement will alledge for their discharge some glorious workes that they did saying to Christe Matth. 7.22 Lord Lord did not vvee prophecye in thy name and in thy name cast out Divells and in thy name vvrought many miracles then why doest thou separate vs from thee But our Lord will aunswere them I never knewe you Departe from mee you workers of iniquitye which is to saye This Faithe and these graces that you had I knowe for I gaue you them but you abused them mingling them with haynous sinnes and it had bene reaseon that you prophecying to others should haue prophecyed to yourselues and casting out Divells out of other mens bodyes should haue cast them out of your owne soules and dooing miraculous workes should also haue donne vertuons workes which seeing you did not doe I neither knowe you nor approoue you and though you call mee your lord I will not admitte you as my seruantes because you were not obedient vnto mee From whence I will collect that if at that time no account shall bee made of Prophecie and the Grace to doe miracles without Vertues lesse account shall bee made of Nobilitie Riches Dignities sciences and other much lesser things which yet are much esteemed of men For to all in generall hee will say I knowe you not Departe from mee you workers of iniquitie The Damned hearing the Thunder of this dreadefull sentence Psal 76.19 Colloquie Psal 76.19 96.4 a mortall raving sadnesse shall fall vpon them For if the signes of Iudgement which like Lightenings are precedent to this Thunder shall wither their bones with feare what a Terrour shall the Thunder it selfe cause what affliction the Flashe and what Torment the fier O soveraigne Iudge sende the Lightenings of thy divine inspirations vpon the Earthe of my soule that contemplating vvhat is to passe in Iudgement I may tremble and quake and so alter my life that thou maiest alter the sentence Psal 76.11 Chaunge my Hearte vvith thy right hande that in that daye I may not bee placed on thy left hande Et cum veneris iudicare noli me condemnare And vvhen thou commest to Iudgement doe not condemne mee Let thy mercye novv pardon mee that then thy Iustice may not condomne mee Amen The third Pointe THirdly I am to consider the execution of these sentences Math. 25.46 of the which our saviour Christe saieth Et ibunt he in supplicium aeternum iusti autem in vitam aeternam And these shall goe into punishement everlasting but the iust into life everlasting First I will consider the execution of the sentence giuen against the wicked for in the instant that it shall bee giuen without any delaye in viewe of the Righteous the earthe shall open vnder their feete and the Divelle laying holde on them they shall all togither descende vnto Hell and the earthe shall presently close vp againe they remaining for ever buried in that abysme of Fier Then shall bee fullfilled that Malediction written in the Psalme Psalm 54.16 Apocal. 20.14 let Deathe come vpon them and let them goe dovvne quicke into Hell And that which Saint Iohn speaketh of in his Apocalips That the Divell and Deathe and Hell and all those that were not written in the booke of life were cast into the Lake of fier and brimstone where with Antichriste and the false Prophet they shall bee tormented Day and might for ever and ever And this is the second Deathe bitter and eternall which comprehendeth the soules and Bodyes that died the first Deathe of sinne and the corporall Deathe that ensued therevpon O what a furious Raving shall possesse the Damned seeing themselues not able to resist nor to impeache the execution of this sentence O what a bitter Envye shall penetrate their entrailes to beeholde the glory of the righteous from whome they are divided O what a desperate sadnesse shall they receiue by this second Deathe and in their first entrance into that stinking infernall poole O what raging Agonyes beholding themselues covered with mountaines of Earthe bolted vp with eternall boltes and bounde handes and feete with Chaines of perpetuall Damnation Then shall they see by experience how evill and bitter it was to haue divided themselues from theire God and to haue abandoned his holy feare Ierem. 2.19 Feare o my soule the terriblenesse of this second Deathe that thou maist avoide the iniquitie of the first Deathe Enter vvith thy spirit into these Openings of the Earthe and hide thy selfe therein Isai 2.10 beholding quietly vvhat passeth there that thou mayest feare the vvrathe of the Almighty and escape his furye I vvill likewise ponder how Ioyfull the righteous shall bee as David saieth to beholde the vengeance that Gods iustice taketh on wicked Psalm 57.11 for although among the Damned bee hee that was his Father or mother Brother or Frende they shall receiue no paine but rather Ioye to see the greate reason that God hath for vvhat hee doeth Exod. 15.1 Apocal. 15.3 so that they shall sing the song that Moyses sung when the Egyptians were drowned in the
For the Corruption whereof it is ingendred which is Sinne never endeth and the liuely apprehension thereof and of the Paine never ceaseth and so that cruell gnawing which it maketh in the Conscience shall never haue an ende Fourthly the Decree of God is eternall and immutable for he is resolved never to revoke the diffinitiue sentence that hee hath giuen nor to deliuer out of Hell him that once entreth therein Quia in inferno nulla est redemptio For in Hell there is no Redemption of Captiues nor ransoming of Prisoners nor any price for them for as much as the blood of Christe passeth not thither D. Tho. 3. p. q. 52. art 6 And if when it was freshe and was shed vpon mount Caluarye it drewe out of Hell none of the Damned neither shall it now deliuee any Finally all the Paines shall bee eternall because the sinnes shall likewise bee so For as much as in Hell there is no pardon of sinnes no true Penance nor satisfaction that may bee accepted neither is the blood of Iesus Christ applyed vnto them From whence it proceedeth that whosoever will dye without doing penance for his sinnes Nota. Ex D. Th. 1.2 q. 87. ar 3. ad 1. cum D. Aug. D. Greg. quos citat Meditat 9. pūcto 4. hee virtually willeth to remaine in them for ever and that his sinnes should bee eternall and therefore hee meriteth that Gods Iustice should chastize him whith paines everlasting And heerevpon it is that allbeeit a sinner dye with true Faithe and Hope yet entring into Hell hee is deprived of them not onely for beeing as is aforesaide vnworthy of them but also for that now there remaineth with him no obiect of Hope neither to obteine pardon of sinnes nor to bee heard in his petitions nor to issue out of myserie nor ever to attaine to any blessednesse Then hovv is it Colloquie o my soule that thovv fearest not this beeing eternall obliged to eternall miseries Hovv is it that thou art not affrighted vvith this fiere this breather this vvorme and this decree of God immutable and sempiternall Consider that yet God vvill alter the sentence if thou vvith penance alterest thy life Attende not till thy sinne bee eternall for then so likevvise shall bee thy punishement The third Pointe THirdly I am to consider the continuation and inuariablenesse of the paines which goeth togither with eternitie Pondering that the painer shall in such sorte for euer endure that they shall bee perpetuall without interruption and inuariable without diminution So that allbeeit they should continue millions of yeares yet shall there not bee one onely day of vacation neither shall the paine cease so much as for an hower or a moment neither shall the substantiall paine bee diminished Luc. 16.24 nor haue any refreshing as is apparent in the riche couetous man to whome Abraham denied so small a refreshing as to haue his tongue touched with the tippe of a finger dipped in water Rather newe accidentall torments shall bee augmented vpon them by the newe entrance of other damned and that change which heere vseth to bee a refreshing if in hell bee any change shall bee there as a newe torment Iob. 24.19 For if the luxurious as it is saide in Iob passe from the ardours of the fier to the waters of snowe it shall bee that the heate may more torment them thorough the warre that it hath with the colde and the colde may cause the greater trembling and gnashing of teethe combating with the heate Finally allthough these torments be so lasting and continuall yet custome in suffring gaineth nothing to bee any cause of their ease rather euery day they are as it were renewed and waxe greene with newe impatience Psalm 73.23 For as the pride of these wretches which abhorre God saieth the Prophet Dauid allwayes encreaseth so likewise encreaseth their wrathe and enuye their impatience furye and rage Then what sayest thou o my soule and what doest thou if thou hast a liuely faithe of such torments how is it that thy spirit failes not to consider such terriblenesse such perpetuitye such continuation such immutabilitye and eternitie If lying in a soft bed thou feelest it equall with death to passe a long night in watching and paine expecting with griefe the refreshing of the day breake how much more shallt thou feele it to bee in an obscure prison in a bed of fier in perpetuall watching and in terrible paine in a night so long and tedious that expecteth no refreshing of day breake because it is eternall Colloquie Psalm 9.2 O Iustice of the allmighty vvho trembleth not in thy presence Deliuer mee o lord from thy ovrathe and chastize mee not in thy furye but proiect mee vvith thy mercye that I fall not into so dreadefull and eternall a miserie Amen The fourth Pointe FOurthly descending to the particular I am to consider the dreadefullnesse of that Place which wee call Hell 1. For first it is a place vnder the earthe obscure and full of darkenesse thicker then that of Egipt where neuer entreth the light of sun moone nor starres And the fier allbeeit it burneth it giueth no light but smoketh and blindeth the sight for our Lord for the wicked diuideth the flame of the fier Psalm 28.7 taking from it the good that it hath and leauing it the euill 2. Item Hell is a most straite Place devoide of those flowery meadowes and spacious Foresss of the Earthe For allbeeit that Hell as Isaias saithe is verie deepe Isai 30.33 large and wide and hath his creekes farre stretdched out yet so manie are the men that shall discende there into that hardely there shall bee for euery one the place of a very narrowe graue and they shall bee crowded togither like brickes in a fiery fornace that they shall not bee able to wrinche 3. Besides this it is a most distemperate place with excessiue heates hauing not so much as a chinke where any winde may enter to refreshe it Apocal. 19.20 20.15 And for this cause S. Iohn in his Apocalyps calleth it allwaies a Lake of fier and brimstone For as Fishes are in a Lake of VVater ouerwhelmed and as it were prisoners without beeing able to get out so shall the Damned bee in that burning lake of terrible fier mingled with Brimstone melted of a most abhominable smell 4. And from hence also it is that Hell is a most stinking Place For the bodies of the Damned shall reake forth an insupportable sweat with an abhominable stinch And finally it shall bee fastned on al sides with eternall boltes that they shall neuer bee able to get out neither by Force nor by subtletye And if by the Dispensation of God any commeth out hee carrieth with him his Torment and returneth presently from whence hee issued but that dispensation shall neuer bee giuen after the day of Iudgement O how soft and sweete would any Dongeon appeare vnto thee if
earthe to taste what is in heauen where all the blessed are contented and the least are partakers of their glorie that haue most thorough the ioie they receiue thereby And so I shall bee partaker of the prosperitie and ioie of all my neighbours hauing so many motiues of allacritie as I shall see good fortunes happen vnto them Colloquie Ad Gal. 4.18 O my soule begin foortvvith to exercize vpon earthe the life that thou hopest to enioye in heauen If thou vvilt needes haue enuye let it bee a holy enuye of the good imitating them in that vvhich is good endeuoring to excell all not to bee more honoured but that in thee God may bee more glorifyed vvorlde vvithout ende Amen The XXIIII D. Tho. 2.2 q. 35. Meditation of Slothe The first Pointe ACcidia which wee commonly call by the name of Slothe is a disordinate heauinesse and fastidious irksommesse of vertuous exercize Hereein wee may sinne manifoudly thorough the many vices that accompanie it The first is an ouergreate feare of the labour and hardenesse of vertue flying it for this cause from whence proprocedeth hauinesse and tediousnesse in the exercizes therof performing them with irksomnesse The second is pussillanimity D. Tho. 2.2 q. 133. and cowardise in enterprising difficult things in Gods seruice hiding for this cause the talents that God hath giuen mee not vsing them◠when the lawe of iustice or charitie 〈◊〉 obligeth mee The third is slothe and negligence in fullfilling and obseruing the lawe of God the Euangelicall councells the statues and rules of my estate and office doing these things a litle more or lesse with breakings of delayes and repugnancies for feare and when I cannot otherwise leaue them vndonne with base endes and seruile and subtle intentions The fourth is inconstancie in prosecuting the actions of vertue and carriyng them to the ende with instabillitie in them dashing out of one into another to take away tediousnesse vntill I leaue of the good I haue begun retourning backe like a dog to his vomite The Fifth is dismaiednesse 2.2 q. 26. ar 4. and distrust of getting the vpper hande in pretention of vertue or of getting the victorie against temptations vntill wee fall into the abisme of desperation The sixth is rancour Ex D. Greg. lib. 31. moral cap. 31. and indignation against spirituall persons because their vertues and good examples vpbraide mee to my face or because I am offended with the aduises and corrections I receiue from them The seuenth is idlenesse in loosing that precious time which God hath giuen mee to labour As also ouermuch sleepe and drowsinesse in good workes specially in the spirituall exercizes of praier reading masse sermons and speeches concerning God thorough the small delight I take in them The eight is vagation in diuerse vnlawfull Ex Cassian lib. 20. c. 2. and vaine things to entertaine mee as are voluntary distractions of thought and imagination pratling and loosnesse of tongue in idle wordes vaine sportes beholding prophane representations curiosity of the senses wauing of the bodye gadding vp and downe the streetes heere and there for pastime and recreation and desiring change beeing constant in nothing but in inconstance Finally to this vice belōg all sinnes of omissions and negligences in Gods seruice which are innumerable and hardely shall you finde a good worke but it hath some of these defectes either in the beginning in the midle or in the ende wherefore I am greately to accuse myselfe before our Lord Colloquie saying vnto him I confesse o my God that in this vice onely I haue sinned so often that my sinnes are numberlesse and therefore I throvve them alltogither into the numberlesse multitude of thy infinite mercies that thou maiest remedie the numberlesse multitude of my miseries The Second Pointe SEcondly I am to consider the most grieuous hurtes proceeding from slothe Some that spring from itselfe and others added by the iust chastizement of God both in this life and in the other The first are the most grieuous For luke-warmnesse is painefull and perillous the shadowe of deathe and very neere neighbour to hell it emptieth the hearte of spirituall consolations Ex D. Bern. 3. 5. de ascen Luc. 11.25 it fillethe it with heauinesse and openeth the gate to innumerable temptations of the diuell who commeth to dwell and settle himselfe in that soule which hee findeth idle and vacant bringing with him seuen other worser diuells which are the multitude of sinnes for all gather themselues to the slothefull and idle soule Eccl. 33.29 Prou. 24.30 which as Salomon saieth like a vineyarde or graunge which is not cultiuated nor hath no trēche nor inclosure is full of the nettles of sinnes and of the thornes of passions and amaritudes it is trodden vpon and trampled by the diuells and by diuerse vnquiet thoughtes which like passengers enter in and issue out by it From whence proceedeth a strange pouertie of spirituall goods and an vnproffitable beggerie Prou. 20.4 for hee that in the winter of this life hath not plowed nor laboured shall begge in the summer of deathe and shall finde none to giue him what hee beggeth like the fiue foolish virgins who thorough slothe falling a sleepe begged oyle for their lampes Mat. 25.8 and none would bee giuen them 2 Besides this the iust sustaine exceeding greate losse by this lukewarmnesse which is as it were the canker of vertues the mothe of good workes the aloes of consciences the banisher of diuine consosolations the diminisher of merits and the augmenter of their labours for the lukewarme in vertue walke full of feares and desires Feares oppresse them and desires torment them They labour much Prou. 18.8 21.25 Mat. 20.12 and thriue but litle for the burthen of Gods lawe lyeth heauy vpon them and they merit but litle in bearing it because of the greate repugnancie and yrkesomnesse wherewith they beare it and so they liue in perill of forsaking it and of falling into the malediction of Ieremie which saieth Hiere 48.10 Cursed bee hee that doeth the vvorke of our Lord fraudulentlie And into that other most terrible one wherewith Christe our Lord menaced a lukewarme bishop saying vnto him that if hee amended not hee would vomite him out of his mouth and cast him both from himselfe Apocal. 3.16 and out of the misticall bodie of his churche Finally as the slothfull seruant which buried the talent of his Lord lost what hee had Matth. 25. and was cast into vtter darkenesse wherethere is perpetuall weeping and gnashing of teethe so the slothfull shall bee punished in hell with torment proportioned to his slothe taking from him the Talent of faithe and hope which hee had buried And because hee loued idlenesse and trembled at labour hee shall liue in perpetuall darkenesse not working but suffering trembling and gnashing of his teethe for the terriblenesse of the torments that hee suffereth Num. 14.22 O eternall God
by vvhose sentence the faint hearted and slothefull perished in the desert vvithout entring into the lande vvhich thou hadst promised them I confesse that for my slothe I deserue to bee cast out of thy house to bee excluded from thy kingdome and beeing bounde hande and foote to bee cast into vtter darkenesse I am grieued o Lord for my former slackenesse deliuer mee from it for they mercie that I may merit to enter into the lande of eternall promise Amen The third Pointe THirdly I will consider the greate benefits that I shall obtaine by vanquishing slothe and imbracing spirituall alacritye and feruour in the seruice of God Mat. 20.12 for First the workes of vertue shal bee easie and sweete vnto mee I shall labour litle and thriue greately encreasing much in a litle time like to those workemen who comming late to the vineyarde laboured so feruently that thy merited as greate rewarde in one hower as the slacke did that had laboured many howers bearing the burthen of the daye and of the heate which burthen they had not felt if they had feruently laboured for the alacritye of the spirit maketh the burthen of the lawe very easye and the yoke thereof very sweete And besides this it augmenteth merites it doubleth the talents receiued it causeth greate peace in the soule and it much assureth Perseuerance to the obtaining of glorye 2 I may likevvise ponder that God our Lord exceedingly delighteth to bee serued with zeale and alacritye for as hee is essentially alacritye itselfe and as all the workes that hee doeth and the rewardes that hee giueth vs are with greate alacritye reioicing in dooing vs good most iustly hee commaundeth mee to serue him and giue him what hee requireth not with yrksomnesse and sadnesse not perforce with repugnancye but with feruencye and alacritye of harte Hilarem enim datorem Psalm 103.31 Psalm 99.2 2. Corin. 9.7 Psalm 36.4 Psalm 50.14 Colloquie Psalm 18.6 diligit Deus For God loueth a cheereful giuer To such a one hee doth greate fauours and heareth the petitions and desires of his hearte And finally hee giueth him a taste of that alacritye that is enioyed in heauen because hee fullfilleth cheerefully Gods will vpon earthe And therefore I am most earnestly to begge of God our Lord this most noble spirit of alacritye in his seruice saying vnto him with Dauid Render vnto mee the ioye of thy saluation and confirme mee vvith the principall spirit O sauiour of the vvorlde that reioycedst like a giant to runne thy carreere though it vvere very sharpe graunte mee that healthe and allacritie of spirit that thou gainedst for mee that I may in such manner runne my carreere that I may merit to gaine an eternall crovvne Amen The XXV Meditation D. Th. 1.2 q. 100. ar 4. 5. seq vpon the ten Commaundements of the lawe of God FOr the ende of this meditation it will much helpe to forme in the imagination a figure like the vision which the Prophet Zacharie had Zachar. 9.1 wherein hee sawe a volume or parchment extended which was ten cubits in breadth and twenty in length wherein were written the sinnes of him that stealeth and of him that sweareth falsely and the malediction that shall therefore light vpon him which volume came flying to his house and destroied it vntill it had consumed all the wood and the stone In the same manner I will imagine before mee a greate booke or parchement very broade and long and in one side thereof I will beholde written my oathes theftes murmurations and all other sinnes that I haue committed against the ten commaundements of the lawe of God for as I goe writing them in the booke of my conscience God goeth writing them in the booke of his iustice to chastize the in his time And on the other side I will beholde written all the maledictions and punishments that God menaceth to such as breake these ten commaundements or any ofthem making comparison betweene the sinnes and the punishments in number grieuousnesse and continuation For if my sinnes bee many the punishments shall bee manye and if they were very grieuous and of long continuance the punishments shall bee very grieuous and of so long continuance that they shall bee eternall And for that chastizements when they are behelde very farre distant terrifye but litle I will imagine that this booke of Gods iustice commeth flying very swiftly to light vpon the house of my soule Volumen volans and peraduenture it is allreadye very neere and will this day light vpon it deathe or chastizement seazing sodainely vpon mee For if I make haste to sinne God will likewise hasten his punishments and make desolate my bodye soule honour wealthe and all that I haue VVith this holesome apprehension I will beseeche our Lord to illuminate my soule that I may knowe the sinnes that are written in this booke and the chastizements that I haue deserued ayding mee with his grace bitterly to bewaile them that with my penance I may blotte out the sinnes and that his mercy may likewise blotte out the maledictions that hee had written against them This beeing presupposed I will begin the meditation discoursing vpon the ten commaundements of the lawe of God with aduertissement that as Cassianus sayeth the commaundements of God haue Collat. 14 two senses one literall and the other spirituall Collat. 14. cap. 11. D. Bonauent opusc de dieta salutis tit 3. sermon de 10. praeceptis tâ—mo 2. Exod. 20.3 The first serueth for ordinarie people that pretende no more but to saue themselues The second for those that desire greater perfection who are not content to flye onely mortall and veniall sinne but also desire to flye whatsoeuer imperfection is contrarie to the ende of the precept And according to this second sense I will declare in what manner wee sinne against euery commaundement The first Pointe FIrst I am to consider what God commaundeth and prohibiteth in his holy lawe and in what sorte wee doe sinne against it running through the ten commaundements and thorough that which spiritually they include within them The first commaundement commaundeth the principall workes that appertaine to the vertue of faithe hope charitie and religion that is to say to adore one onely God to beleeue firmely all such things as hee hath reuealed to his churche to expect those which hee hath promised and to loue him more then all things that are created Against this I may sinne First by idolatrie or infidelitie adoring false Gods or denying that which God hath reuealed or doubting thereof I may likewise sinne as the holy scripture sayeth adoring the idole of mine owne iudgement 1. Râ—g 15.23 Ad Phil. 3.19 Ad Tit. 1.16 and will rebelling against the will of God or holding for my God my belly or money or denying God by my workes or not obseruing due loyalltye vnto him Secondly I sinne in despairing that I shall obtaine heauen or pardon for
loue of our Lord God whatsoeuer shall happen against my liking determining by Gods grace for no such occasiōs to faile in humillitie and patience nor to admitte any thing that may bee a sinne founding this purpose not vpon my owne force but vpon the force that God shall giue mee and vpon some strong reasons that may conuince mee and make mee affectionate to execute it as Christe our redeemer in the garden of gethsemani set before his eyes all the tormēts that the daye following hee was to suffer and accepting them with greate loue In the meditation 22. of the 4. part Collat. 19. cap. 14. wrastled against feares and sorrowes with discourses and praiers as in its place wee shall see 5. And if those who are very zealous will yet passe farther and excell more in vertue they may take the counsaile that a holy Abbot as Cassianus reporteth gaue to those who by liuing in solitarinesse haue no occasions to exercize humillitye and patience that they should imagine terrible dolours iniuries contempts and torments come vpon them by the handes of their enemyes or of their companions vnder the pretext of pietye such as were those which the martyrs and holy confessors haue suffered and to accept them all very heartily yea and to desire that they might bee offered them and to begge them of our celestiall father with those wordes of Dauid Psalm 25.2 Colloquie Proue mee o Lord and trye mee burne my hearte and my reines for thy greate mercye is before mee and therein I trust that thou vvilt avde mee and with this confidence I may say vnto thim O if in this daye some bodye vvould stricke mee vpon one cheeke hovv vvillingly for thy loue vvould I offer him the other Or if any vvould speake vnto mee any iniurious vvorde or beare false vvitnesse against mee hovv heartily vvould I bee silent and suffer it for thy loue O if my prelatet vvould commaunde mee any very sharpe and difificult thinge that I in accomplishing it might shovve the loue that I beare thee VVith such purposes as these vertues are much augmented and the hearte becōmeth strong to resist vices but yet the imperfect and lukewarmee must walke warily in such like meditations leaste perhaps thorough their imbecillitye that which should haue beene a meanes of their good turne into a snare of their temptation The seconde Pointe SEcondly at Noone before dinner setting myselfe in the presence of God and hauing asked of him light to come to the knowledge of my sinnes I will examine those which I haue committed that morning in that particular vice which if they were many I am to bee ashamed that I haue not fullfilled the resolutiō that I made nor kept my worde which I gaue to God accusing my selfe of infidellitye inconstancye and mutabillitye and beeing sorrowfull for my transgressions herein for beeing against a God that is so faithfull and constant in benefitting mee and in accomplishing whatsoeuer hee purposeth to doe for my good I am to reprehend myselfe as Cassianus saieth saying to myselfe Collat. 19. cap. 14. art thou hee that this morning didst purpose such greate matters and offeredst thyselfe to suffer very terrible iniuries then how comes it that so light an occasion hath ouerthrowne thee Thou didst purpose to kill all the enemyes of God and hast thou renderd thyselfe to the leaste of them Bee ashamed of thy cowadize humble thyselfe before God and turne a newe to determine trusting with more viuacitie in his mercie that it may ayde thy greate weakenesse I will likewise examine the cause and occasion of hauiug failed to auoyde it or to preuent it wholely resoluing vpon amendement the rest of the daye 2. I may likewise at this time remember that Christe our Lord was crucified at midday and perseuered a greate parte of the euening suffering most grieuous paines vpon the crosse with greate constancie vntill hee gaue vp the ghost And in thankefullnesse for this benefit I am to purpose to bee very constant in not yeilding to the lust of my fleshe nor to my owne will in that vice that it may dye in mee or I may dye fighting against it vntill I vanquish it Sometimes againe I may call to minde that Christ our Lord likewise at midday ascended aboue all the heauens to enioy the fruite of his labours And with this cōsideratiō I may animate myselfe to fight a newe against my passions and with both considerations I may saye vnto him that of the Canticles O thou beloued of my soule Cant. 1.6 showe vnto mee with thy celestiall light the place where at midday thou reposest and feedest thy sheepe that I may there fixe my hearte and my desires and not goe wandring any more to seeke after vices The third Pointe AT night before I sleepe I will make another examination like that which I made before dinner comparing the times that I sinned in the morning with those that I sinned in the euening and if they were fewer I will giue thankes to God for this amēdement because it hath come from his hande but if they were more I am to confounde myselfe to see that insteede of going forwarde I turne backe but yet I am not to bee dismayed but to purpose anewe a very hearty amendment for with such a like battaile Prouerb 24.16 the victorie is obtained For hereupon saide the holy Ghoste The iust man falleth seuen times a daye and shall rise againe giuing to vnderstand that falling and yet rising againe hee shall come by Gods fauour to stand vpright The same comparison I am to make betweene the sinnes of one daye and those of another according to the counsell of S. Basile Ser. de abdic re rum sermo 10. and betweene those of one weeke and those of another according to the counsell of S. Dorotheus helping my memory by noting them with two lines or strakes for euery daye in the weeke putting in the one line as many prikes as I haue sinned times in the morning and in the other those of the euening It will likewise helpe mee to giue myselfe a stroke on the brest when I fall into this sinne the one to remember the times that I haue sinned by the times that I haue strickē my breste and the other forthwith to moue mee to contrition for my sinne and to obtaine pardon thereof Frouerb 24.16 For in this sense also said the holy Ghoste the iust man falleth seuen times a daye and riseth againe giuing to vnderstand that when hee falleth hee hath light to knowe that hee hath fallen and if hee falleth while it is daye hee stayeth not to rise vp at night rather if hee fall seuen times hee riseth seuen times assoone as hee hath fallen sorrowing for his fall and purposing amendement and in this manner his frequent falling shall bee turned into frequent praying and into good affections and purposes which with newe grace repaire the hurte of the fall Other meanes of
it with mentation of grace and glory 4 Finaly I am to make another most effectuall resolution to amend my life and no more to returne to the sinnes that I haue committed For if this purpose be wanting the Contrition is fained the Confession sacrilegious the satisfaction litle auailable and the absolution of no effect for his sinnes are not remitted to him that hath a purpose to returne vnto them and though it were but a veniall sinne it shall not be pardoned vnlesse there bee a purpose of amendment of it 1. VVith this preparation conseruing these holy Affections and purposes I may securely come to this holy saerament putting in practise what I haue determined with a defire to renew my life to make a great change therein Hierem. 31. iuxta 70. D. Hier. ibi cogitationes operibus tunge imagining that that of the Prophet Hieremie is spoken to me Get thee vp to a watch tower set before thee thy bitternesses bewailing bitterlie thy sinnes direct thy harte in the right way wherein thou wast wont to walke da cor tuum super humeros tuos And put thy haite vpon thy shoulders taking with loue the yoke of obedience to fulfill what God and his ministers shall commande me The xxxii Meditation of Thankes-giuing after Confession Hauing ended the ConfessioÌ„ of my sinnes receled AbsolutioÌ„ it is very coÌ„uenieÌ„t to giue some litle time to the Confession of praises for the fauour that God hath donne me for both Coufessions our Lord exacteth of vs according to the saying of the Prophet Oseas Oseae 14.3 Turne o Israel to the Lord thy God seeing thou hast fallen thorough thine owne Iniquitye take wordes with you and conuert you to our Lord saying vnto him Take from vs o Lord all our sinne receiue our good Intention for wee offer vnto thee the calues of ourlippes that is in steede of the ealues which of olde they offered thee in sacrifize wee offer vnto thee now the calues of wordes confessing our sinnes that that thou maiest remitte them and confessing thy mercyes when thou hast remitted them Psalm 49.23 This sacrifize of praise as Dauid saithe honoreth God much and in it consisteth the waye and meanes to obtaine perfect healthe which is coÌ„firmed thereby to the gratefull is ordinarily much debilitated in the ingratefull Luc. 17.17 To this ende it will helpe to consider how much our Lord Christe was pleased with the leprous Samaritan who going to present himselfe to the preist was cured as hee went of his leprofie and forth with returned backe to giue thankes for the health that was giuen him contrarily how much hee was displeased with his other nine companions who hauing receiued the like benefit retourned not to acknowledge it and to giue vnto God the Glory which thy owed him as wee shall farther consider in the meditation of this miracle Therefore hauing ended my Confession I will recollect myselfe in the Churche before the most blessed Sacrament or in some other conuenient place where beeing set in the presence of the euer-liuing God I will reuiue the Faithe of the fauour hee hath donne mee wherein with my bodily eares I haue heard that fauorable sentence and most sweete word I absolue thee Psalm â—0 10 D. Thom. 2.2 quastiâ— 107 art 2. A worde powerfull to doe what it signifieth to giue ioye to my eares and gladnesse to my humbled bones And so trusting in the goodnesse and mercye of God that hee hath made good and ratified this sentence I will endeuour to exercize three actes of thankes giuing which are to acknowledge the benefit to praise God for it and to offer vnto him some seruice The first Pointe FIrst I will ponder in my heart the manifolde benefits that in this holy sacrament I haue receiued of the which the prophet Dauid made a breife catalogue by waye of praise in the 102. Psalme Psalm 102. and they may bee reduced vnto sixe The 1. is to pardon mee all my sinnes not onely the confessed but also the forgotten sinnes and those which without my fault I could not haue knowledge of The 2. is to heale the spirituall Infirmities of my soule as are vices and passions heauinesse and feares and other afflictions putting a moderation in all according to reason The 3. is to deliuer mee from the eternall Deathe whereunto I was condemned by my sinne and from the most bitter deathe which the priuation of Gods grace bringeth with it The 4. is to crowne mee with mercye and the workes of mercye fauoring mee to gaine the victorie of temptations wherwith I haue beene and shall bee combated delinering mee from other innumerable miseries and offering mee his ayde that I may no more retourne to them The 5. is to fill my desier with good things giuing mee his grace and Charity with the rest of the vertues or newe augmentation ther of The 6. is to renewe my youth like the eagle vnclothing mee of the workes and customes of the olde man clothing mee with those of the newe man and restoring vnto mee the first feruour-of spirit with newe gladnesse of my hearte to exercize newe workes of vertue with greate perfection These benefits our lord for his parte graunteth to those that confesse themselues as they ought Ex D. Tho. 1.2 q. 106. act 2. And so much the greater are the benefits by how much more freely they are giuen without any merit of ours and in this behalfe the true penitent ought to bee the more gratefull And with this spirit I will greately exagerrate the infinite liberalitie of God towardes mee and with a silence of admiration I will yeilde myselfe vanquished thereby The second Pointe THen will I breake out into a canticle of praise with greate affection saying the wordes of this Psalme Psalm 102. Blesse our Lord o my soule and all that is within mee praise his holy name blesse our lord o my soule and bee not forgetfull of the fauour that hee hath donne thee hee remitteth all thy sinnes and healeth all thy Infirmities hee redeemeth thy life from deathe and crowneth thee with mercy and mercifull workes hee filleth with good things thy desire and like an eagle reneweth thy youth hee hath not chastized mee according to my sinnes nor inflicted on mee that punishment that my iniquities deserued as farre as the east is distant from the west so fare hath hee put from mee all my Impieties as the father hath compassion of his children so our lord hath compassion of those that feare him for hee well knoweth our weakenesse and the masse wherof we were formed Colloquie O God of my soule if the mercies are so greate that thou hast donne mee vvhat shall I doe not to hee behinde kande in thankes giuings I desire to procure vvith thy Aide that vvhich thou hast begun in mee by thy mercy and seeing thou hast pardoned my sinnes I vvill neuer more retourne vnto them Seeing thou hast deliuered
mee from deathe I vvill not againe subiect myselfe thereunto seeing thou hast crovvned mee vvith morcies I vvill giue thee the glory of all my crovvnes Adde o Lord this mercy to the former to fill my desire vvith thy good things of heauen giuing mee grace to occoplish vvhat I offer vnto thee chaunging my fortitude in such manner that vvith greate feruour I may vvalke Isai 40.31 runne and flie like a renevved eagle vntill I obtaine the eternall crovvne of thy glorie Amen After this forte wee may make other canticles of praise inuiting those sainctes that were greate sinners to gloriefy God for mee for hauing pardoned my sinnes The third Pointe FInallly in order to the third acte of thankes giuing I am to doe three things First to confirme myselfe much in my inteÌ„tions of AmendemeÌ„t imagining that Christe our Lord sayeth vnto mee as hee saide to that other sicke man in the Temple who was giuing thankes for the health that hee had receiued Ecce sanus factus es iam noli pâ—ceare Ioan. 5. ne tibi aliquid deterius contingat Beholde now thouart whole sinne no more least some other worse euill happen vnto the Prouer. 26.11 2. Petr. 2.22 Luca 11 26. for the relapse is vsualy worse then the fall But if like a dogge I retourne to eate what I vomited after this eating the first diuell will enter with seueÌ„ other spirits worse then himselfe and this secoÌ„d entraunce shall bee much worse then the first And at least I am much to bee afraide of falling neere vpon my ConfessioÌ„ For if the selfe sameday I fall into the selfe same sinnes it will be a signe that my coÌ„uersion was colde and imperfect though it were true and that of Ecclesiasticus may bee saide vnto mee Ecclos 34.30 hee that was heth himselfe for hauing touched a deade man and retourneth presently to touch him what hath his washing auailed him And so the man that fasteth for his sinnes presently returneth to committe them to what end is his Hamiliation The praire of this man who shall heare it Prouerb 24.16 But this I am to consider to moue me to feare not to distrust for it is not strange for a man to fall 7 times and to rise againe as often 2 The second thing that I ought to doe is forthwith to accomplishe all my penâ—unce if it may be accomplished and if not some parte thereof with a spirit and affection of obedience and loue to pay somwhat of the much that I owe vnto God desiâ—ing to haue much force to doe much more for him that hath donne mee so many benefites and saying that of the other seruante Math. 18.26 Haue patience with mee o lord and I will labor to pay thee the whole debt 3. The third thing is in than kefullnesse of the benefit receiued in this sacrament of penaunce to dispose myselfe with greate feruour to receiue that of the sacred Communion because for this ende it is ordained Psalm 115.12 according to that of the Prophet Dauid VVhat shall I giue to our Lord c. I will receiue the Chalice of saluation and wil inuocat his holy name The XXXIII Meditation of the most blessed Sacrament of the Altar before Communion OF the excellencies and comodities of this nost blessed Sacrament of the Altar wee shall speake in the fourth parte amonge the mysteries of the Supper but more largely in the sixt parte among the diuine Benifittes Now in this Meditation I will only point out certaine considerations to communicate with reuerence deuotion in the which I am to fixe my eies vpon the ponderation of these foure thinges to witt The greatnesses of our Lord that coÌ„meth to visit vs the vilenesse of maÌ„ whoÌ„ hee commeth to visite the amiable fashione wherein hee coÌ„meth the endes of his coÌ„ming making coÌ„parison betwene the one the other for the greater splendour of the soueraignety of this benefit The First Pointe First I am to coÌ„sider the greatnesses of this Lord that is inclosed in this blessed Sacrament actuating liuely my faithe of theÌ„ all aswell of those that hee hath as hee is God as of those which hee hat as hee is maÌ„ 1. First I will discourse of the greatnesses of his Godheade and of the workes that he doeth Ioan. 1.14 Ad Heb. 1.3 as hee is God pondering that hee that is there is the very onely begotten Sonne which is in the bosome of the eternall Father the brightnesses of his Glory and the figure of his substance as Eternall Immense Infinite and Omnipotente as the Father and the very wisdome Goodnesse and Fortitude by whome all thinges were created and are conserued There also is the gouernour of the worlde the sanctifier and glorifier of soules he that is the first beginning the last end of all creatures And though hee bee a Lord of so great maiestie that Heauen nor Larth cannot containe him yet he was not contente to haue made himselfe man for our remedie but woulde humble and restraine himselfe more remaining with vs in this visible sacrament to comfort and protect vs with his presence that we might haue vpon earth some visible throne of his grace Ad Heb. 4.16 whereunto to approche as the Apostel saith with greate confidence to obtaine mercy and aide in seasonable time for the remedy of all our euelles O diuine vvorde Colloquie vvhich art in the Immense bosome of thy eternall Father hovv is it that thou commest to dvvell in the straight bosome of a sillie man O king of glorie vvhich art in thy heauen seated in a Throne of infinite maiestie hovv is it that thou humblest thyselfe to be on earth in a throne of such basnesse Thy Insinite Charitie hath binne the cause of this humiliation to exallt me to prouoke me to loue thee for a vvorke of so great loue O that I could loue thee as thou louest me O that I could humble me as thou didst humble thyselfe to be able to honour and serue thee as thou meritest To this Throne vvill I approach for the remedy of my euilles vvith confidence that thou vvilt fill my desire vvith thy good thinges 2 Secondly I will discours of the misteries of his most sacred humanitie and of the maruelous work that he did therin and of the offices that hee exersized pondring how he himselfe is in this SacrameÌ„t that was niue moÌ„ths in the wombe of our B. Lady the Virgin enriching her with admirable giftes of his Grace and from thence in the house of Zachrias sanctified the Baptist and replenishid with the holy Ghost both the sonne and the mother And seeing he hath in this sacramente the same goodnesse and Omnipotency he may worke the same effects in my soule Likewise hee that is there is the very same that was laide in a maunger and was adored by the shephards and Magies paying them for this seruice with an aboundant rewarde And if I doe adore
am likevvise full of ignoraunces and errours in the darkenesse and obscuritie of deathe Thou art my master my light and my guide teache mee illuminate me and guide mee for this vvas the ende of thy comming In these and other like petitions I will spend another while Gene. 32.24 wrestling like Iacob with this angell of the greate counsel with the wrestling of praiers beseeching him not to departe without powring out vpon mee his most copious Benediction The third Pointe FInally I am to make some offers to this our Lord in thankefullnesse for the fauour hee hath donne mee inuiting him seeing hee inuiteth mee Apoca. 3.20 for hereupon hee sayeth in the Apocalips that entring into the soule hee would suppe with her and shee with him for shee suppeth of the celestiall guiftes that this our Lord communicateth vnto her and he suppeth of the feruent affections and purposes that shee offereth vnto him And so in communicating I am to inuite Christe our lord considering what is acceptable vnto him and offering vnto him what is best to his liking 2. And specially I will offer him my hearte for that is the principall thing hee requireth of mee And seeing hee giueth mee his hearte Prouer. 23.26 what is it for mee to giue him mine with a determination to admitte nothing that may bee contrary to his loue nor no thought that may seperate mee from him Ad. Rom. 12.1 I will likewise exhibite to him my bodye as a living host holy and pleasing to his eyes with a desier to carrye euer with mee his Mortification and the signes of his Passion resoluing particularly to mortifye and make a cruell warre against that passion that most hindereth mee to serue him as I ought And besides this it shall bee well that day to inuite Christe in the poore bestowing on them some almes according to my abilitie 3. And if I bee a religious man I may anewe offer vnto him perpetuall obedience to his most holy will most pure chastitie and pouertie of spirit according to my estate And I will allwaies offer somewhat that I may accomplish the same daie endeuouring to spēd it all in thēse exercizes of thankesgiuing and Imitation Cant. 1.12 Ad Gal. 2.20 3. Reg. 19.8 saying as the spouse My beloued shall bee to mee to day a nosegay of mirhe I vvill beare him betvveene my breastes And as the apostle I liue now not I for I haue within mee Christe himselfe who liueth in mee in whose vertue I will goe like another Helias to the mounte of God Oreb ascending from vertue to vertue vntill I clearely and manifestly beeholde him whome in this blessed sacrament I receiue I will conclude with a colloquie to this our Lorde beseeching him that allbeeit the sacramentall species beeing consumed hee departeth as concerning his corporall presence that yet hee would allwaies remaine with mee according to his spirituall presence awaking my memorie that I may allwaies bee mindefull of him illustrating my vnderstanding that I may allwaies thinke and meditate vpon him and inflaming my will that it may allwaies bee vnited with him worlde without ende Amen The XXXVI Meditation of Purgatorie to encourage vs to the workes of Penaunce THe principall ende of this meditation is to encourage those who walke in the purgatiue waie to the exercize of penall workes to pay the paines that they owe for their sinnes and likewise it may be exercized on all soules day in remembraunce of the deade to mooue vs to haue compassion on them and to ayde them The first Pointe First I am to cōsider that God our Lord hath ordained that whosoeuer shall die 2. Machab 12.40 Zachar. 9.11 1. Cor. 3.12 D. Tho. in addit q. 69. 70. Math. 5.26 hauing cōmited mortall or veniall sinne all bee it the fault bee pardoned him yet if he haue not likewise payed the paine correspōdent there vnto hee shall not enter into heauen vntill hee paye it in a prison vnderneathe the earthe deputed to this ende wich is called Purgatorie to the which the soule of the iust is carried by his Angell that hee may there satisfie his whole debt vnto the vttermost farthing 2. Vpon this veritie of our faithe I will ponder first how iust God our lord is and how greate is the righteousnesse of his iustice though it bee mixed with mercie For hee will leaue no sinne without some chastizement and therefore in the Sacrament of penaunce when hee pardoneth a mortall sinne hee chaungeth the eternall into some temporall punishement demonstrating therein his infinite mercy and his iustice His mercie in pardoning the most terrible paine that was perpetuallie to continue and his iustice in requiring satisfaction with another lighter paine that continueth but a while VVith this consideration I will animate my selfe to conforme myselfe to his iustice seeing his mercie is so aboundant towardes me to chaunge millions of yeares in a most terrible fier into a verie fewe of voluntarie penaunce So that all that I am able to suffer in this life is to seeme little or nothing vnto mee in comparison of what I haue deserued and God hath pardoned mee 2. Secōdly I will ponder how this temporall paine if it bee not payed in this life with some very deepe contrition or with some penall workes it must of necessity bee paied in the other aswell for the obseruing the order of the diuine iustice as also because God is so greate a louer of puritie that hee will admitte nothing into heauen but what is very well purged not onely from the sinnes but from the paines which are the Reliques thereof for the glorified church Ad Ephes 5.26 Apocal. 7 14. Colloquie saith S. Paul must neither haue spot nor wrinckle nor any other like deformity and therefore I must labour for such puritie in this life that I may haue nothing to purge in the other O lambe of God in vvhose blood the iust vvashe and make vvhite their soules to bee admitted into thy kingdome graunt mee by the vertue of thy most precious blood so greate compunction for my sinnes that I may likevvise bee free from the paines that my soule beeing loosed out of the prison of this bodie bee not detained in the prison of purgatorie Amen 3. The greiuousnesse of veniall sinne Apoca. 21 27. From hence I will passe to ponder how greate an euill veniall sinne is seeing that therewith it is impossible to bee able to enter into heauen vntill it bee first purified for there as S. Iohn saieth nothing that is polluted may enter And I shall also perceiue how much God abhoreth it when he there detaineth captiues his owne freindes though they bee very holy vntill they bee purified and so much humbleth them that hee giueth them for their prison an obscure place vnder the earthe and neere vnto hell discouering hereby how heauie the burthen is of any sinne whatsoeuer or paine that redoundeth thereof seeing it casteth vs into so profound
and likewise prepared to obserue thy Counsells I offer myselfe for thy Loue to followe thee in Pouertye and Chastitye abandoning my Libertye and all whatsoeuer I haue for thy Glorye if thou willt but daigne to call mee to such a kinde of Life To these three kindes of Persons may bee added a fourth which is of those that are called by this celestiall king not only to imitate him in Pouertye Chastitye and Obedience but also to bee his instruments to call others and by his fauour to fight not only against their owne Enemyes but also against the Enemves of their neighbours ayding them to their Saluation and inuiting them as VVisdome sayeth to mount vp to the Fortresse Prou. 9.3 and to the Walles of the Citty that is to the highest of Christian Perfection In this kinde enter those Religious whose ende is in imitation of the Apostles to attende not only to their owne Saluation and Perfection but also to that of others and such is the ende of our Society of IESVS for wee that are the Religious thereof profisse to bee the CoÌ„panions of IESVS in this enterprize and those which in this manner are called ought to bee exceedingly contented with their Vocation considering the highnesse thereof and to giue many thankes to him that called them offering themselues with greate Courage to vndertake whatsoeuer Trauailes and Peregrinations whither among Christians or Infidells euen vnto the shedding of their blood if neede bee for the Glorye of God and for the Saluation of their Soules vsing those wordes of the Prophet Isaias Isa 6.8 Beholde mee here o Lord send mee whither thou willt and how thou willt for I am readye to doe whatsoeuer thou commaundest mee The Conclusion of what hath beene saide By what hath beene saide in this meditation I Inferre with what spirit wee are to enter into the Meditations ensuing euery one endeuouring to imitate Christ our Lord most perfectly conformable to the Estate that hee hath chosen If hee bee a Religious man following his proper Institution with Perfection If hee holde an Estate of Continencye or Preisthood full filling all his obligations with integritye And if hee bee a married man dispoiling his hearte of disordinate Affections to the things that hee possesseth according to the rule of the Apostle which sayeth 1 Cor. 7.29 Those which haue wiues let them bee as if they had none those which buye and possesse as if they possessed not and those which vse this VVorlde as if they vsed if not doing all things in such sorte that for them they neither loose Christ nor growe colde in his loue and seruice But those which haue not yet taken an Estate and desire to make choice of that which is most conuenient for their Saluation and Perfection their ende must bee to regarde what our Lord Christ doth Inspire them to imitate him in that degree of Perfection where vnto they shall finde they are moued wherein they shall bee ayded by the 6.7 and 8. meditation of the third Parte The first Meditation Of the Decree made by the most holy TRINITY that the Second Person of the Deity should become Man for the redemption of Mankinde lost by the Sinne of Adam IN the Entrance of this meditation and of those ensuing which treate of this mysterie it shall not bee amisse to imagine God our LoÌ„rd Three and One seated in a Throne of infinite Majestye Apoc. 4.3 inuironed as S. Iohn sawe him with the bowe of Heauen the Symbole of his infinite Mercye with the three Colours of his infinite Goodnesse Wisdome and Omnipotencye wherewith hee gouerneth all things and hath both Will Knowledge and Abillitye to remedye our miseries Then wil I imagine all mankinde and myselfe among them thorough the sinne of Adam Luc. 10.30 prostrate vpon the Earthe dispoiled wounded and halfe deade as was that poore man who in the waye of Iericho fell among theeues And the three Persons of the Deitye beholding them taking compassion on them and entring into Counsell what meanes they should take for their Remedye With this holy representation prostrate in Spirit before this Throne and adoring the most blessed Trinitye I wil humbly beseeche him to illuminate mee with his diuine Light that I may knowe to depth of the Counsell that hee tooke for our remedye in such sorte as may proffit mee And the louely veiwe of his coelestiall Bow shall encourage mee to approache as S. Heb. 4.16 Paule saieth with greate Confidence to the Throne of his Grace hoping to obtaine mercye and ayde in time conuenient as is this time of Praier The first Pointe THe first Pointe Ex D. Th. 3. p. q. 1. art 1. 2 q. 4. art 1. and the Foundation of those that followe shall bee to consider the Decree that God our Lord made in his Eternitye for the Remedye of mankinde that was lost by the Sinne of Adam pondering the causes that moued him therevnto some in the behalfe of his infinite Mercye and others in the behalfe of our owne Miserye and of the lamentable meanes whereby wee incurred it First Heb. 1.16 NoÌ„ Angelos appreheÌ„dit sed semen Abrahae I wil consider that our Lord hauing created two sortes of Creatures to his owne image and likenesse to serue and to praise him to witte Angells and Men Angells in the Empyrean heauen and men in the terrestriall Paradise and hauing seene that a greate parte of the Angells sinned and so likewise the men hee determined to demonstrate the terriblenesse of his rigorous Iustice by chastizing the Angells 1. Petr. 2.4 bending against them the rigorous Bow of his Indignation and throwing them immediately From Heauen into Hell not giuing them any time of Repentance But to men though they deserued the same punishment hee was desirous to shewe the Riches of his infinite mercye determining to remedye them and to drawe them out of those miseries into which they had fallen by giuing them meanes to obtaine pardon of their sinne For in nothing is the mercye of God so resplendent Sap. 11.10 12.1 as in pardoning Sinnes and taking Compassion on his very Enemyes neither were it reason that mercy should omitte to shewe it selfe in a thing that so greately doth magnifye it And thus did hee with men according to that of S. Paul Ad Tit. 3.3 The Benignitye and Kindnes toward man of our Sauiour God hâ—th appeared in that hee hath saued vs not by the workes of Iustice which wee did but according to his infinite mercye For the which euery one of vs ought to giue infinite thankes to this our Lord considering that wee beeing creatures so vile that wee deserued to bee vnprotected by his Iustice Yet hee tooke vs vnder the protection of his mercye reiecting the Angells that were much more noble then wee Colloquie O eternall God true Father of mercye wherewith shall wee repay thee so soueraigne a benefit as this that without any merit of ours
communicate vnto mee thy Greatenesse Graunt that I may humble myselfe to serue thee as thou diddest humble thyselfe to remedye mee and that I may doe all that I can for thy seruice seeing thou diddest all that thou couldest for my Remedye O my Soule doe for thy God all that thou canst for all is but litle Ex D. Leo serm 1. de Natiuit considering how much thou dooest owe him Learne to esteeme God as hee esteemeth thee and seeing hee hath exalted thee to such a Greatenesse doe not thou any thing that may bee vnbeseeming it The third Pointe THirdly I am to consider how in this worke of the Incarnation our Lord God pretended withall to discouer vnto vs the infinite Excellencye of all his Perfections and Vertues employing them with the greatest perfection that was possible and to our greatest commoditye This may bee pondered discoursing breifely of the most principall First hee shewed his infinite Bountye in communicating himselfe with the greatest coÌ„munication that might bee giuing his personall beeing to a humane nature and in this manner joyned in kinred with the whole Linage of man Hee shewed his Charitye in vniting to himselfe this nature with so strict an vnion that one and the same might bee man and God to the end that all men might bee one and the same thing with God by the vnion of Loue giuing them freely and liberally the thing that hee most loued Ad Rom. 8.32 and esteemed and with it all other things whatsoeuer Hee shewed his infinite Mercye brothering it meruailously with Iustice Psal 84.11 for there could not bee a greater mercy then for God to come personally to remedye our miseries and to make himselfe capable of sorrowe that hee might bee truly compassionate of them Nether could there bee greater Iustice then for God himselfe made man to pay our proper debt suffring therefore the paine of deathe that our sinnes had deserued neither could there bee greater Brotherhood then to applye to vs men by mercye that rewarde which God man merited by Iustice giuing mee an assurance to obtaine all things that are conuenient for mee seeing this our Lord gained them all by Iustice and applyeth vnto mee his merits by infinite mercye Ex D. Damaso lib. 3. de Fide orthodoxa a principio Hee also shewed his immense Wisdome in inuenting a meanes how to conjoine things so distant as are God and Man Eternall and Temporall Impassible and Passible and in plotting how to vnloose the most difficult knot of our Sinnes the Diuine mercye pardoning them without preiudice of his Iustice Hee shewed his Omnipotencye in doing for man all that possibly hee might to honour and to inriche him for among all the diuine workes there is none greater then for God to make himselfe man Finally hee demonstrated his Sanctitye and all his Vertues imprinting them in God made man that hee might bee a visible patterne of them all animating vs by his Example to imitate them and ayding vs by his Grace to procure them which not doing no man can bee excused For if God loue his neighbours who should not loue them If God doe good to his enemyes who should doe euill to his If God humble himselfe who should bee prowde If God suffer and endure who should bee impatient and ill suffering And if God obey why should not man bee obedient These seuen Diuine Perfections resplendent in this worke are to moue mee to praise God seuen times a day yea seuen thousand if I may desiring to loue and to serue him with the greatest perfection that may bee possible For if before God made himselfe man hee required that wee should loue him with all our Hearte Soule Spirit Forces Dâ—ut 6.5 with how much greater reason may hee now require of mee this degree of Loue and Feruour in his Seruice D. Greg. homil 36. in Euang. And seeing workes are the proofe of Loue I am in them to demoÌ„strate this my Loue endeuoring to imitate those most excellent Perfections that hee discouered in this worke to witte his Bountye Charitye Liberallitye Mercye and the rest which are imitable and especially those Vertues that this God Incarnate exercised in the worlde for our Example O most blessed Trinitye Colloquie what thankes shall I giue thee for hauing discouered in this worke those infinite Greatenesses that thou heldst closed in thy breaste VVhat shall I giue thee that shall not bee all to little for so soueraigne a gift How shall I loue and serue thee therefore Behold mee heere wholely dedicated to thy Seruice with a Desire to loue thee as thou louedst mee and to imitate those Vertues that thou discoueredst vnto mee And seeing thou hast giuen mee that which is more giue mee also that which is lesse graunting mee that I may loue thee for the infinite gift that thou gauest mee Amen The Second Meditation Of GODS infinite Charitye resplendent in this Mysterie of the Incarnation and of the greate Benefits that wee receiue thereby ALlbeeit all the Diuine Perfections are as hath beene saide resplendent in the Decree of the Incarnation yet aboue them all Charitye most florisheth of which this meditation shall bee leauing the others to the sixt parte And it shall bee founded vpon that which our Sauiour Christ saide to Nicodemus Ioan. 3.16 1 Ioan. 4. â— So God loued the VVorlde that hee gaue his only-begotten Sonne that euery one which beleeueth in him perish not but may haue Life euerlasting In which wordes our Sauiour disciphered three most principall things of this Soueraigne mysterie to witt The principall Fountaine from whence it proceeded The Greatenesse thereof The Endes and Admirable effectes thereof The first Pointe FIrst Sic Deus dilexit mundum I am to consider the infinite Greatenesse of the Person that loued vs and did vs this soueraigne benefit and the infinite Basenesse of him that is loued and to whome this fauour is donne comparing the one with the other First I will ponder how the Originall of this soueraigne benefit was the infinite Charitye and Loue of God who as touching his owne Proffit and Blessednesse had no neede to loue any bodye but himselfe for with only beholding and louing himselfe hee is infinitely blessed Yet for all this of meere Grace hee would loue the Creatures and doe good to them only because hee is Good and to demonstrate in them the Riches of his Bountye according to that of the Apostle God which is riche in mercye Ephes 2.4 for his exceeding Charitye loued vs that is to say Hee loued vs not because hee had neede of vs nor because wee of right did merit it but only for that his Mercye was compassionate of our miserye and his Charitye would needes breake forth from him to loue others Secondly I will ponder how Gods infinite Charitye passed yet farther in desiring so to loue the Worlde hee beeing who hee is I call the Worlde the multitude of
and Puritye deliuer vs from Sinne and make vs meeke and chaste Amen And in imitation of her I will shut vp the Garden of my Bodye and Soule if God shall inspire mee therevnto vnder the locke of a Vowe and if in this manner I cannot locke it vp I will place for Garders those Vertues that garde Chastitye The Sixt Pointe SIxthly Of the Betrothing to S. Ioseph D. Tho. 3. p. q. 29. Mat. 1.18 Luc. 1.34 35. I am to consider how the time of the Incarnation approaching very neere the blessed VIRGIN our LADYE by reuelation from God was batrothed to a just man named Ioseph shee beeing certified that it should bee without perill of her Chastitye to the which shee readily obeyed Vpon the which I will ponder the causes why God our Lord would that his mother should bee despoused wherein hee discouereth the Prouidence hee hath of those that are his The first was to conceale the mystery of the Incarnation the Childe bearing of the VIRGIN vntill the full time Hee had likewise heerein a Care of the Honour of his Mother that they might not esteeme her as an Adulteresse As also that shee might haue one to sustaine and serue her in her Afflictions and to accompany her in her Peregrinations that her Sonne might haue a Tutour or Foster father to bring him vp and prouide for him And finally to haue occasion to magnifye S. Ioseph exalting him to such a Dignitye as to bee the Spouse of the Mother of God the Foster father of the Sonne of God O most louing Father Colloquie I giue thee thankes for the care thou hast of thy Children Seruants prouiding for their Honour for their Ease and sustentation preuenting in time the Remedye of what may molest them and seeking out Occasions to magnifye them Happy is hee that is vnder thy Wing and Protection Prouide for mee o Lord that am thy Creature that I may allwayes bee imployed in seruing thee seeing thou art allwayes imployed in gouerning mee Secondly I am to ponder in the VIRGIN the greate Faithe and Confidence that shee had in God that her Chastitye should not bee indaungered by her Mariage As also the greate Obedience that shee shewed in accepting this Estate which shee had so earnestly refused denying her owne will and resigning it to the Will of God Wherein I am to imitate her according to my Estate perswading myselfe that for my Obedience to God if I trust in him with a liuely Faithe I shall not loose Vertue nor Consolation nor any thing whatsoeuer in reason I can desier for my Saluation For God hath both Knowledge and Power to ioyne Virginity with Wedlocke Contemplation with Occupation and the Beautye of Rachel with the fruitefullnesse of Lia without receiuing any harme the one by the other The seuenth Pointe SEuenthly Of the feruent zeale wherewith shee desired the Incarnation I am to consider the feruent Desires the blessed VIRGIN had of the comming of God into the Worlde the which so much the more increased by how much the time of the Incarnation approached neerer the holy Spirit inspiring them into her whose propertye is when hee will graunt any thing to the elected to inspire into them liuely desires thereof that with their Desier with Praier they may dispose themselues to receiue it Besides this 2 Cor. 5.14 the VIRGIN was sollicited by her owne Charitye with the two most noble Actes thereof Loue of God and of our neighbour zeale of the Glorye of God and of the Saluation of Soules for as shee very much loued God shee desired to see him allreadye made man the better to knowe his Greatenesses to beholde his meruailous Workes and to conuerse familiarly with him Then vsed shee vnto him that of the Canticles Cant. 8.1 VVho shall giae to me thee my Brother sucking the Breastes of my mother that I may finde thee without and kisse thee and now no man dispise mee I will take holde of thee and bring thee into my Mothers howse there thou shallt teache mee and I will giue thee a cuppe of spiced wine and new wine of my Pomegranates O how happy were I if I might see thee allreadye in humane fleshe sucking at the breastes of some Woman and might finde thee out of thy Heauen conuersing visibly with men vpon Earthe that I might giue and receiue of thee the kisse of Peace Then would I procure to conuerse with thee and to heare thy Doctrine in this Temple and to inuite thee to what thou most of all desirest giuing thee my whole Loue with many Affections and Actes of Charitye Hereunto was added that her feruent zeale did eate her vp seeing the offences against God and the perdition of men and therefore with many and greate Gronings and Praiers desiring of God to come to their Remedye shee repeated with greate Affection the praiers of Dauid and of Isaias which the Church vseth in the Aduent Psal 79.3 84.8 Isa 64.1 45.8 saying vnto allmighty God Raise o Lord thy might and come to saue vs Shewe vs thy mercye and giue vs thy Saluation O that thou wouldest breake the Heauens and descende Drop dewe ye Heauens from aboue and let the clowdes raigne the Iust Be the Earthe opened and bud forth a Sauiour Finally the Praiers of the blessed VIRGIN preuailed so much with God our Lorde that though the Worlde were so wicked as soone after wee shall see and that mankinde no wayes merited this fauour shee only counterpeised the Demerits of all and with her merits and Praiers was a meane that the Sonne of God hastened his Incarnation without making any accoumpt of the Indignitye of the Worlde O meruailous efficacye of the Praier of the VIRGIN I rejoice o blessed LADYE Colloquie that thou wast so powerfull with God as to make him mende his pace and hasten his comming beseeche him also to make haste to come to visit mee and that I may bee worthy of his visitation Inuocate the Diuine Spirit to inspire mee with feruerous Desires thereof Amen The fifth Meditation Of the time that God chose to annuntiate and execute the Mysteries of the Incarnation THree times might our Lord God haue made choise of D. Th. 3. p. q. 1. ar 5. 6. to execute the Decree of his Incarnation The first was in the beginning of the Worlde assoone as Adam had sinned The second in the middle of it Continuance Abac. 3.2 which the Prophet Abacuch calleth In the midle of yeares The third about the ende But the Diuine Wisdome made choise of the first time to promise this mysterie as concerning the Remedye of Sinne of the second to execute it And of all the rest to gather the copious fruites that from it were to spring ordaining it thus for our Good for the Causes that in the ensuing pointes shall bee pondered The first Pointe FIrst D. Th. 2.2 q. 2. ar 7. ex Gen. 3. I am to
God was resplendent in hauing awaited then to make himselfe man when Iudea was in such a Disposition that men thorough their wicked Life were to abhorre him and thorough Enuye to persecute him euen to the bereauing him of his Life taking Occasion from hence to redeeme them by his Deathe O Infinite VVisdome of God Colloquie how contrary art thou to the VVisdome of the VVorlde seeing thou treatest of redeeming it when thou art to haue greatest Occasions to suffer for the redemption of it O how contrary to this VVisdome are the Imaginations of my fleshe which flyeth the occasions of Affliction and seeketh the Occasions of it owne Ease Chase away so Lord my Imaginations that I may followe thine embracing Affliction as thou embracedst it for my Example The third Pointe THirdly I am to consider why our Lord deferred his comming into the Worlde so many thousands of yeares pondering especially two causes for my owne proffit The first is for that in this time men by the Experience of their Innumerable and most greiuous Sinnes knewe the extreeme necessitye that they had of their Redeemer Who as hee came from Heauen to bee the Phisition of our Greiuances hee expected that they might increase and bee manifested that his Infinite Wisdome and Omnipotencye might likewise bee manifested in curing so greiuous Infirmities with so proportioned Remedyes For this cause when Pride was growne to that excessiue heighth in the Worlde that man would vsurpe the Greatenesse of God then would God take the forme of a man to cure so abhominable Pride with so profounde Humillitye And when the Desier of Riches Honours and Delicacyes was most egre and hot then would God clothe himselfe with Pouertye Contempt and Dolour to cure such an ardent Desier of temporall Goods with so ardent a Contempt of them O soueraigne Phisition Colloquie I humbly thanke thee for hauing come in such a season to cure our Infirmities with such precious Medicines Beholde o Lorde my woundes are much increased deferre not to remedye them that in mee may bee discouered the greatenesse of thy Mercies The second cause of this delaye was for that it is the good Pleasure of our Lord that his Giftes especially when they are very greate should bee esteemed required and solicited with Praiers and Gronings as did all this time the Fathers that were in Lymbo and the Reighteous that liued on the Earthe And by the waye likewise with this deferring hee made proofe of the Confidence and Patience of the Iust to whome this promise was made for it is an Heroicall Vertue not to loose Confidence Hebr. 11. though the accomplishment of the promise bee long time deferred Whereupon saide a Prophet Abac. 2.3 Yf hee shall made tariance expect him because comming hee will come and will not slacke that is Though hee delaye according to the Desier of thy Hearte hee will not delaye according to the Order of his diuine Prouidence to accomplish what thy necessity requireth for hee will come infallibly in his determinate time when his Comming shall much more auaile thee These two Causes I am to applye to myselfe pondering how God our Lord sometimes permitteth his Elected a long time to suffer greate Afflictions and Drouthes that by experience heereof they may knowe what neede they haue of Gods Visitation that they may bee grounded in profound Humillitye and that by this delaye the desiers of their remedye may increase and their Faithe and Confidence may bee prooued and that so they may come to make greate esteeme of the Gift of God and with greate Care to preserue it Heerewith entring into Consideration what a greate Happinesse it was to mee to bee borne after this soueraigne misterye was executed to enjoy more abundantly the Graces and Giftes that were thereby communicated vnto men my Longings and Sighes my Desiers and Gronings must bee to this ende that God by his Grace may come vnto my Hearte and visite my Soule with abundance of his giftes taking to name like another Daniel The Man of Desiers Dan. 9.23 10.19 Aggei 2. employing them in desiring the comming of him that tooke to name The Desired of Nations without beeing weary of solliciting it though it seeme to mee to bee long deferred for that there is no daye that commeth not at last And the greater the Sollicitation the lesser the delaye and the greater the Rewarde The sixt Meditation Of the comming of the Angell S. Gabriel to annunciate to the Virgin the Misterye of the Incarnation and of the manner how hee saluted her and remoued her Feare The first Pointe FIrst I am to consider what passed in Heauen when the appointed time was arriued wheerein God our Lord would make himselfe man Imagining how the most sacred TRINITYE beeing on the Throne of his Glory desiring to giue notice heereof to her that was to bee the Mother of the Worde Incarnate determined to send her a very glorious Embassage to moue her to accept it the beginning whereof is recounted by the Euangelist Luc. 1.26 saying The Angell Gabriel was sent of God into a Cittye of Galilee called Nazareth to a Virgin despoused to a Iust man whose name was Ioseph of the House of Dauid and the name of the Virgin was MARYE In this Embassage I am to ponder Who sendeth it Who bringeth it to whome it commeth and vpon what cause collecting out of all Proffit to myne owne Soule Hee that sendeth it is the Omnipotent God who without hauing neede of his creatures only of his meere bountye and to doe good vnto men delighteth to communicate with them and to sende them messages and embassages vsing for his ministers heerein creatures so noble as are the Angells Who as S. Heb. 1.14 Paul sayeth are ministers of God for the good of those that are to receiue the inheritance of Saluation And their continuall ministery is to ascende and descende that Ladder that Iacob sawe Gen. 28.12 bringing downe messages from God to men and carrying vp messages and Petitions from men to God O God of Immense maiestye Colloquie Psal 8.5 what is man that thou art mindefull of him Or the Sonne of man that thou visitest him May thy Angells praise thee for the tender Loue thou hearest vnto men Hee that bringeth this Embassage is an Archangell so excellent Ex D. Gre. hom 34. in Euang. that hee hath to name Gabriel which is to say Fortitude of God to signifye the Fortitude that is resplendent in our Lord that sent him and in him that is to bee Incarnate and in the Workes that the Word Incarnate is to doe and in the ministers that hee shall take to publish them whome this Embassadour representeth who in the Vertue of God was strong Psal 102.21 and Potent to fullfill whatsoeuer hee commaunded him not only in this case that was so glorious but in any other how humble soeuer as heereafter wee shall see In the 13. Meditation For his
was replenished with God vttered with her mouthe this soueraigne Canticle full of Affections of God which Canticle hath ten verses and is as it were a Psalterion or Harpe of ten strings like to those Psal 42.4 91 4. 143.9 which Dauid commaundeth vs to touche for to glorifye God and therefore it shall not bee amisse to meditate all her Wordes that wee may knowe how spiritually to rehearse them to the honour of the VIRGIN ioyning to euery worde or Verse some holy Affection or ioye of the Vertues of this our Ladye with the peticion and colloquye belonging vnto it My Soule doth magnifie our Lord. In this first Verse the sacred VIRGIN teacheth vs the Spirit of praising God thinking highly and magnificently of him magnifying that which is his in all that is possible that is his Bountye and Mercye his Wisdome and Charitye the excellencye of his Gouernment And this not only with corporall wordes but with the Soule and all her interiour Faculties inuiting them with Dauid to praise our Lord. Psal 102.1 103.1.33 And shee sayed not My Soule did magnifye or will magnifye but doth magnifye to signifye that her principall office and perpetuall occupation was to magnifye God doing on Earthe that which the Angells doe in Heauen O that my Soule might allwayes magnifye our Lorde Colloquie Eccl. 43.30 o Lord of infinite greatenesse litle can I magnifye thee with my praises But as I may I praise and magnifye thee and confesse that thou art greater then I am able to say or to thinke O Soueraigne VIRGIN Psal 33.4 whose Soule allwayes magnified our Lord and like another Dauid inuited all others to magnifye him impetrate for mee that my Soule may likewise magnifye him occupying herselfe continually in singing his Greatenesses worlde without ende Amen And my Spirit hath rejoiced in God my Sauiour In these Wordes the B. VIRGIN discouereth the manner of our rejoicing in God The manner of rejoicing in God nothing fiue Conditions of this Ioye to make it pure and perfect For first wee are not to place our principall Ioye and Alacritye in corporall thinges but in things spirituall nor so much in giftes receiued as in the giuer of Giftes who is God himselfe And allbeeit we are to rejoice in God as he is our Creator yet principally as he is our Sauiour and Sanctifyer for in this sorte he is the fountaine of spirituall Alacritye which is founded vpon the Saluation of the Soule sanctified by Gods grace And this loye is principally to consist in the Spirit or superiour parte of the Soule that it may be the more pure from all that tasteth of fleshe as the sensuall Ioye of the Bodye vseth to doe allbeeit sometimes the Ioye of the spirit redoundeth likewise into the fleshe Psal 83.3 15.9 according to that of Dauid My Hearte and my Fleshe reioiced in the liuing God Finally our Spirit is not to reioice in itselfe as if it had thorough it owne merites those giftes for which it reioiceth but our Ioye is to bee in God our Sauiour who gaue them vnto vs and vpon whome our ioye is to rest as saithe the Prophet Dauid My Soule shall reioice in our Lorde Psal 34.9 and shall bee delighted in our Sauiour Such was the Ioye of the blessed VIRGIN who at this instant behelde our Sauiour whome shee bare in her Wombe and rapt with his exceeding Loue shee saide My Spirit hath reioiced in God my Sauiour O my Soule exalt thyselfe aboue thyselfe in Spirit like the VIRGIN and reioice purely in Christ thy Sauiour placing in him only all thy Alacritye Psal 36.4 Ioan. 16.32.24 Matt. 25.21.23 If thou desirest Ioye reioice in God and hee shall fullfill the desires and petitions of thy hearte that thy ioye may bee full and that none may depriue thee of it vntill at last thou maiest enter into the eternall ioye of thy Lorde Because he hath regarded the Humillity of his Handmaide In this Verse and in those following the B. VIRGIN declareth ten soueraigne benefits three speciall and seuen generall which are the principall causes and respectes that shee hath to magnifye God to reioice in him and to shewe herselfe so thankefull The first is for that he regarded the Humillitye and lowlinesse of his Handmaide In which wordes the VIRGIN pointeth at two rootes of the Diuine Benefits The one principall of Gods parte and the other of our parte It is of allmighty Gods parte that he daigneth to regarde vs with a good eye and to be mindefull of vs to doe vs good For allbeeit it is truthe that he seeth all things yet he is not saide to regarde nor make account of those which he leaueth in the abysme of nothing or in the profunditye of their miserye but of those which he regardeth to vse towardes them his greate mercye The roote of our parte is the acknowledgement of our Lowelinesse by the which we may dispose ourselues to receiue the giftes of his Diuine Liberallitye And so the blessed VIRGIN as illuminated by God joyned both these togither magnifying God for that he daigned to regarde the Humillitye of his Handmaide By the which wordes shee confesseth not so much of herselfe that she hath the Vertue of Humillitye as she exercizeth it for as a true humbled one either she esteemeth not so herselfe or she would haue concealed it but with Humillitye shee confesseth that she is lowly base and contemptible as a Slaue or a Handmaide and that notwithstanding all this allmighty God disdained not to regarde her Whereby shee teacheth vs that the foundation of the Praises of God and of Thankesgiuing for the benefits he doth vs is to bee the acknowledging of our owne basenesse and indignitye for in this sorte there will be no perill of mixing vaine selfe-pleasing as it happened to the prowde Pharisee Luc. 18.14 Rather this Lowlinesse is to be the respect why to beseeche allmighty God to regarde mee with a good eye and to doe mee greate fauours Psa 112 6 for his Condition as Dauid sayeth is to beholde the lowely things in Heauen and on Earthe and to doe them greate mercyes Psal 30.8 And this the saide Dauid had experience of saying of himselfe Because God regarded my Humillitye and Lowelinesse he deliuered my Soule from all her miseries O highest God whose Habitation is in the highest Heauens Colloquie Psa 112.5 beholde the lowelinesse of this thy vile Slaue and vse towardes him thy accustomed mercye raising this begger from the Dust and this poore wretched one from the Dunghill to place him with Princes and to sanctifye him aswell as they Amen Beholde from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed And this is the seconde respect that the B. VIRGIN had to magnifye God for that from that moment that he behelde her Humillitye and that he regarded her all the nations of men that beleeued in Christ aswell the present as those to
come thoroughout all Ages should call her blessed Wherein the VIRGIN taketh not for the motiue of her Ioy her owne praises but the greatenesses that God had giuen her vpon which they were founded and the good that should arize thereof to all those that should serue her and praise her O Soueraigne VIRGIN Colloquie I for my parte am willing to fullfill this prophecye of thine and to be one of those that call thee blessed Luc. 11.28 Thou art blessed as thy Cosin saide because thou beleiuedst and thou art blessed for bearing our Sauiour in thy Wombe but much more blessed for hearing his VVorde and keeping it Thou art blessed likewise with those eight Beatitudes preached by thy Sonne our Sauiour vpon the Mount Thou art poore in spirit Matt. 5.3 and thine is the kingdome of Heauen Thou art meeke and possesseth the Lande of the Liuing Thou mournedst for the Sinnes of the VVorlde therefore art comforted Thou didst hunger and thirst after Iustice therefore now thou art filled Thou art mercifull and obtainedst mercye Thou art a peace-maker and therefore for thy excellencye thou art the Daughter of God Thou art cleane of Heart and now thou art clearely beholding God Thou sufferedst persecution for Iustice and now the kingdome of Heauen is thine and thou art the supreme Queene of all the Inhabitantes thereof O soueraigne Queene I reioice that thou art blessed for so many respectes O that all the nations of the VVorlde were conuerted to thy Sonne and might all with greate Faithe call thee blessed that by thy mediation they might all come to be blessed imitating heere on Earth thy life and enioying afterwardes thy Glory in Heauen From hence I will likewise collect what a greate motiue it is to rejoice in God to haue an assured Hope to be blessed For the which our Sauiour Christ saide to his Disciples Luc. 10.20 Reioice not in this that the Spirits to wit the Diuells are subiect vnto you but reioice in this that your names are written in Heauen Rom. 12.12 And S. Paule saithe that wee should rejoice in Hope to obtaine the blessednesse that is promised vs. Because he that is mighty hath done greate things to me and holy is his name This is the third respect the blessed VIRGIN alledgeth to glorifye God for at this instant shee reuolued in her memory the wonderfull things that God had wrought in her and the greate benefits he had donne her from the instant of her Conception vntill then especially that greate miracle of beeing a VIRGIN and a MOTHER and that not any mother whatsoeuer but the mother of God himselfe admiring at all which greatenesses she praised God for them attributing them to his Omnipotencye and to the Holinesse of his name for with his Omnipotencye hee wrought them and with his Holinesse he would enact them that thoroughout all Ages his name might be sanctifyed and glorifyed And in saying that God did greate things to her she giueth likewise to vnderstand that hee magnified her in those things that magnifye men before God which is Sanctitye and Caelestiall giftes for the Sonne beeing greate the mother was likewise to be magnifyed Whereby it appeareth that it is not contrary to Humillitye to acknowledge in ourselues the giftes of God rather as S. 1 Cor. 2.10 Paul sayeth the diuine Spirit itselfe discouereth them vnto vs that wee may bee thankefull for them attributing them not to our owne merits but to the power and Sanctitye of God making a connexion of these two Attributes as did the foure holy Beastes which gaue Glory to God saying Holy Apoc. 4.8 Holy Holy Lord God omnipotent which was which is and which shall come And his mercye from Generation to Generations to them that feare him This is the fourth respect why the blessed VIRGIN magnifieth God not only for the benefits receiued but for many other which she hopeth to receiue and not only for her owne benefits but also for those which all the nations of the worlde doe receiue rejoicing that the Mercye of God is Continuall Infinite and Sempiternall and extendeth itselfe to all those that serue and feare him of what nation soeuer they bee For it is the propertye of holy men when they acknowledge the fauours that God hath donne them to expect of his mercye that hee will doe them many others as S. Paul saide 2 Cor. 1.10 God hath deliuered and doth deliuer vs out of so great dangers in whome we hope that hee will yet also deliuer vs. It is likewise the propertye of holy Persons to thinke that the Sun of Iustice rizeth not vpon their houses only but to conceiue highly of his mercye and that he extendeth himselfe to many others and thoroughout all Ages for the which they are thankefull vnto God taking the generall benefit of all as their owne in particular and rejoicing to haue a God so mercifull that hee denyeth his mercye to none that feare him as Dauid confesseth in the 102 Psalme Psal 102. wheerein hee doth nothing els but glorifye God for these two respectes of mercye towardes himselfe and towardes the rest of the Iust He hath shewed might in his Arme. The fifth respect to glorifye God is the Workes of his Omnipotencye which hee hath donne by his owne Vertue and Fortitude without the aide of any other the which the VIRGIN recorded in her memorye calling to her remembrance the Creation of the Worlde the Conseruation and Gouernment thereof with so greate and so admirable Prouidence the prodigious things that he did deliuering his People out of Egipt and carrying them thorough the desert vnto the Lande of promise with all the other things that the Scripture reporteth and principally shee called to minde this worke of the Incarnation wheerein God shewed his power and the might of his Arme. For all these regardes she magnified God declaring in one worde that which Dauid did at large Psal 135. recounting all these potent workes of God very particularly Besides this in this Verse NOTâ— and in the following the VIRGIN not only recounteth what God hath donne but what he vseth and accustometh to doe conformable to his Goodnesse and therefore shee glorifieth him for that with his Arme hee vseth to worke powerfully and to doe powerfull Actions when and how he will and with whome he will and as he did them in times past he doth them at this present and will doe them in time to come All which may be a greate motiue to make me to rejoice in God trusting that in me also he will doe powerfull things with the might of his Arme. He hath dispersed the prowde in the conceite of their Hearte The sixth respect to glorifye God is not only the Omnipotencye that he sheweth in the workes of his Mercye but also what he hath shewed in the Workes of his Iustice chastising the prowde defeating their inuentions and the imaginations of their heart This the VIRGIN reuolued in
her memorye recording how our Lord God had defeated the plottings of prowde Lucifer who had saide Isa 14.13 I will ascend vp in to Heauen I will exalt my throne aboue the Starres of God will be like vnto the most High As also the plots of those prowde ones that would haue builded the towre of Babel Gen. 11.5 Exod. 10. 11. Dan. 4.28 and the punishments that he inflicted vpon Pharao vpon Nabuchodonosor and other such prowde ones And for all these regardes she likewise magnified God seeing for them he is worthy to be praised as did our Sauiour Christ when he saide Matt. 11.25 I confesse to thee o Father Lord of Heauen and Earthe because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent hast reuealed them to litle ones He hath deposed the mighty from their seate and hath exalted the humble The hungrye he hath filled with good things and the riche he hath sent away emptye These two Verses containe two other respectes of praising God for the coniunction he maketh of his Mercye with his Iustice demonstrating his power in deposing the mighty of this Worlde from their Thrones and Seates depriuing them of the Kingdomes Dignities and Greatenesses which they helde and in their place exalting and inthronizing the lowely and humble As he threwe from the celestiall Throne the prowde Angells and in their place exalted humble men from the Throne of this Worlde he cast the prowde Prince Sathan who had tirannized ouer it and in his place exalted Christ the master of Humillitye Dan. 2.34 who beeing litle as a Stone descended from Heauen without handes or worke of men ouerthrewe the Statue which signified the Foure monarchies of the Worlde and by his Humillity increased till he came to be a greate mountaine And this custome he hath alwayes obserued Iob 5.11 40.6 seq as it is saide in the booke of Iob fullfilling that which is written That he that exalteth himselfe shall bee humbled and he that humbleth himselfe shall bee exalted And in like manner the poore and hungrye that are in necessitye which hunger and thirst after righteousnesse he replenisheth with spirituall benefits fullfilling their desiers and contrarily the riche that thinke they haue abundance and that they haue no necessity of others he sendeth awny emptye according to that of the Prophet Dauid The riche were hungrye and in want Psa 33.11 but those which seeke God shall haue abundance of all good things O my Soule magnifye thy Lord for this most noble condition that hee sheweth Colloquie in fauoring so much the humble and hungrye of the Earthe O my Spirit reioice in God thy Sauiour Psal 102.4.5 for that he crowneth thee with mercyes and filleth thy desier with innumerable benefits Prize thyselfe for beeing lowely hungry and full of neede that God may exalt thee fill thee and replenish thy Desiers but tremble to be prowde riche and disdainefull least hee cast thee out of thy seate and leaue thee emptye of his Grace He hath receiued Israel his Childe beeing mindefull of his Mercye as he spake to our fathers to Abraham and his seede for euer These two Verses containe other two most powerfull respectes to moue vs to rejoice in God and to praise his most holy name One is the Care and Prouidence that hee hath to prouide for those whome he hath taken to his charge as for his Children and Domesticalls comming personally to redeeme them And allbeeit it seemeth that for a time he forgetteth them yet when he seeth time he is mindefull of his mercye and remedyeth them as he was mindefull of Israel and of the whole worlde comming to remedye it when he made himselfe man The other respect is the greate fidelitye that God hath in accomplishing the promises hee had made to our fathers fullfilling them faithefully to all their seede for euer vnto the ende of the worlde As he fullfilled his Worde to Abraham and to Dauid which he gaue them that hee would come to remedye them and to giue to their Children life and Saluation worlde without ende These two considerations inflamed the Soule of the VIRGIN to magnifye God and her Spirit to rejoice in God her Sauiour and with these my Soule and my Spirit are to bee inkindeled with the like affections seeing euery day I beholde this Prouidence that God hath of his Children and with what faithfullnesse he accomplisheth complisheth what he promised to the Apostles our Fathers not forgetting the faithfull which are their seede vnto the ende of the worlde And these are the ten causes and respectes alledged in this Canticle by the blessed VIRGIN to glorifye God inspired thereunto by the eternall Worde Incarnate whome shee bare in her Wombe of the which I may make another Psalter and Harpe of ten strings to the same ende praising and glorifying God sometimes for one respect and sometimes for another which because I cannot doe as I ought I am humbly to beseeche the Incarnate Worde to teache mee as he taught his blessed mother and her to obtaine it me for the glorye of her Sonne Amen The fourth Pointe FInally I am to consider how the sacred VIRGIN remained with her Cosin about three moneths Pondering the greate good shee might doe to all that dwelled there with her Discourses and with her examples of Modestye Humillitye and Charitye for if she did so much at her first entrance it is to be beleiued that in those three moneths she would augment what she then did especially towardes S. Elizabeth discoursing of these mysteries and both of them exhorting one another to Praier and Conuersation with God and to diuerse Exercises of Vertue For if because the Arke of the Testament was three moneths in the house of Obed-enlom God filled him 2 Reg. 6.11 and all his with so greate benefits that Dauid with an holy Enuye desired to drawe the Arke to his owne house that God might cast vpon it his benedictions how much more are we to beleeue that this diuine Arke of the newe Testament within the which was Christ himselfe hauing remained about three moneths in this house would fill it with a thousand benedictions And if I with a liuely Faithe could vnderstand them I would presently be desirous to drawe it to my house and that the Deuotion to this Soueraigne LADYE should dwell in my Soule not only three moneths but all my whole life that she might replenish mee with all spirituall Benedictions But it is not without a mysterye that our Lord by meanes of the blessed VIRGIN hauing donne so greate mercyes to S. Iohn and to his mother yet would not heale his Father Zacharias nor dispense with the Sentence pronounced by the Angell that hee should be dumbe vntill the birth of the Childe for God is just and this was conuenient to obserue the order of his Iustice also he reserued this his mercye for another time more conuenient From whence I
her but abandon her secretly Vpon this Veritye I am to consider the secret Iudgements of God in not reuealing this mysterye to S. Ioseph as he reuealed it to Zacharias and to S. Elizabeth whose ende was herevpon to take occasion to exercize the VIRGIN and her Spouse For S. Ioseph perceiuing his Wife to be with Childe S. August S. Chryso alij might without any sinne as many Sainctes say haue judged that she was an Adulteresse or doubt of a thing that was to him so newe and so straunge And this afflicted him much it beeing a case so much to his dishonour but much greater was the Affliction of his Spouse from whome this could not bee hidden it being a greate Infamye for a Virgin so pure to bee helde by her owne Husband for an Adulteresse and to see herselfe therefore at the pointe of beeing abandoned All this our Lorde disposed of for the greate good that arizeth from these Afflictions and Humilliations by the which he pretended to perfect these two notable Sainctes and to dispose them to greater things For as the blessed VIRGIN had receiued greate fauours in the Annunciation of the Angel S. Gabriel and in the house of Elizabeth our Lord God was willing that she should suffer this Infamye and Humilliation to exercize her in greater Humillitye and to dispose her for those fauours which soone after shee was to receiue in the Citty of Bethleem for Humilliation is the euening of Exaliation Ex D. Ber. ser 34. in Cant. and Affliction is the Vigill of a greate feaste of Consolations And peraduenture for this cause the holy Churche singeth the Cospell of this mysterye on the Vigill of the Natiuitye and for the same reason God exercized S. Ioseph to receiue the reuelation of so high a mysterye and that he might be his sufficient witnesse From hence I will collect that allbeeit one be very holy and conuerse allwayes with holy persons and employ himselfe in holye workes yet in this life he shall not faile of Humilliations and Afflictions caused sometimes euen by those holy things wheerein he conuerseth For the life of man is a warfare and the righteous man ought to be prepared for temptation Iob. 7.1 Eccl. 2.1 I am rather to holde Afflictions from God as a fauour especially when they happen without any fault of mine and much more when they happen in a case that deserueth honour as the blessed VIRGIN for that which was most excellent in her came to suffer this Humilliation which likewise her Sonne did afterwardes suffer Encouraged with these examples I will with the Prophet Dauid say to our Lord Psal 25.1 Colloquie Prooue me o Lord and tempt me burne my reines and my hearte because thy mercye is before myne eyes and I am glad in thy Truthe Which is to say Exercize me in diuerse temptations and Afflictions of bodye and Soule for I am assured of thy mercye and of thy faithfullnesse that thou willt measure them according to my strength and willt conuert them into the augmentation of newe Giftes The third Pointe THen will I consider the excellent Vertues which vpon this newe Occasion and proofe were discouered and exercized by these two excellent Sainctes for our imitation seeing for this ende also our Sauiour permitted those Afflictions which they suffered First S. Ioseph demonstrated greate Patience and Prudence Patience hee demonstrated in suffering this Injurye with silence without seeking to be reuenged of his Wife by Iustice or complaining of her to her parents kindredâ— and without murmuring at her or speaking to her Injurious wordes rather as a Iust man that contented not himselfe with what only was lawfull he sought what was most perfect resoluing himselfe to be silent and to suffer his paine within himselfe He demonstrated Prudence in seeking and finding a meanes how on the one side to preserue the honour of his Wife and on the other side not to bring to his house her whome he suspected to be an Adulteresse nor giuing her a secret bill of diuorce which was lawfull in the olde Lawe nor with some good occasion absenting himselfe from her And likewise he demonstrated Prudence in not doing this rashly or on a sodaine without first meditating and considering it well as may be collected from these wordes Matt. 1.20 Haec autem eo cogitante But as he was thus thinking for he had a greate scruple to inhabite with her that seemed an Adulteresse and he had likewise as greate a scruple to abandon her that seemed a Sainct With this Consideration I am to confound myselfe for my small Patience in Affronts for my much Indignation against those that doe me Injurye and for the Facillitye wherewith I murmure at and defame my neighbours and discouer their secret faultes and for that Furye with the which sodainely without deliberation I cast myselfe into all this And in this manner confounded I will beseeche our Lord thorough the merits of this Sainct to ayde me to imitate his notable example But the blessed VIRGIN as she was more holy discouered more excellent Vertues exercizing foure very excellent ones proper to those that are most perfect in such cases to witte rare Humillitye and Silence greate Confidence in Gods prouidence continuall Praier Thorough Humillitye shee was silent not desiring to manifest the secret mysteries of God though her greate honour might ensue thereof nor consenting that S. Elizabeth or Zacharias should discouer them And allbeeit it is very ordinary among good maried folke to communicate their secrets one to another yet she communicated not this to S. Ioseph all though shee conjectured what might happen if her husband were ignorant thereof Thorough Humillitye likewise she was silent when shee sawe herselfe disgraced in the opinion of her Husband not seeking to excuse herselfe nor to stand vpon her honour neither to alledge sufficient witnesse but absolutely with greate Confidence casting herselfe into the diuine Prouidence and putting her Honour into the handes of God she made continuall praier to his maiestie that he would be pleased to remedye that Ignominye in such sorte as should to him seeme most conuenient With this example I will likewise confounde myselfe for that pride and vaine boasting of mine wherewith I publish whatsoeuer may honour mee and for that peruersenesse wherewith I excuse my faultes standing vainely vpon my Puntillos of Honour and for my litle confidence in God lesse recourse vnto Praier To this purpose I am to imagine that God speaketh vnto me that of Ezechiel Ezech. 43.20 D. Greg. lib. 24. moral c. 6 Sonne of man shewe to the howse of Israel the temple and let them be confounded at theire iniquities and let them measure the frame and be ashamed of all things that they haue donne O my Soule beholde this liuing Temple of God the blessed VIRGIN contemplating the meruailous vertues wherewith she is adorned that thou maiest be confounded at those vices whereinto thou hast fallen