4. THE way of the vngodly is as the darkenesse they knowe not where they fall IEREMI GAP 5. OVR sinnes haue debarred and prohibited the good graces of God from vs. PSALME 10. IN the woorkes of his owne handes is the sinner snared and taken PSALME 31. MANY plagues are there ordeyned for sinners but mercy shall compasse him rounde about that putteth his trust in the Lorde BERNARD BE ashamed oh my Soule and blushe at thy folly thou hast chaunged thy deuine shape and forme into a brutish and beastly forme Idem THERE is nothing more beastly then that man which is endewed with reason and vseth it not Idem HOw much the more a man shall sinne so much the lesse shall he knowe what sinne is and in deede so much the more shall he be delighted therewith Robart Grosthed Lincolniens SInne is the issue or generation of the deuill the parent of death the corruption of nature and the deformation or defilyng of the soule GREGORIVS WHAT greater poynt of madnesse can there be in man then for a very little pleasure of the flesh to make him self a bondman vnto euerlasting punishmentes DEVTERONO CAP. 28. WHAT yf thou wouldest desire of God that thou mightest heare the voyce of this thy Lorde and God speaking vnto thee that thou shouldest obserue and accomplishe all that he commaundeth The Lorde shall strike thee with madnes and with blindnes and with fury of the minde that thou shalt stumble at the noone day as the blind man is woont to stumble in the darknes and thou shalt not guide thy footesteppes but shalt alwaies suffer reproche and be oppressed with violence neyther shall there be any man to deliuer thee free from his fury Sinne is the cause of our perdition Sinne of the Deuill is daughter venemons In soule and body sinne causeth corruption Sinne is a sicknesse right contagious Sinne maketh a man foolishe and furious All in wood rage running without reason His dayes ouerdriuing in state styll daungerous VVith confused course of time and season PSALME 14.53 THEY haue trembled with feare where there was no feare at all LEVITCVS CAP. 26. IF so be that you wyll not heare me neyther doo all that I haue commaunded you but shall despise my lawes and ordinances I wyll set my face agaynst you and you shall perishe before the face of your enimies and you shal be cast vnder foote of those that haue hated you The King shal put them in feare yea the noyse of a leafe blowen from the Tree shall make them afraide they shal fall downe to the earth when there is no man to strike them PROVER CAP. 12. THE way of the vngodly shall deceaue them the deceitfull man shall finde none aduantage APOCAL. CAP. 18. THERE is prepared a dwelling place for all the Deuils and a place of custody for euery vncleane spirite OZEA. CAP. 9. THEY are become abominable euen as those idols that they haue embraced and had in honour PROVERB CIP 18. THE belly of the wicked person is neuer satisfied SOPHONI CAP. 1. THEY haue walked as the blinde that sawe not because they haue sinned against the Lorde IOB CAP. 18. HIS foote path is hidden in the earth feare and trembling shall make him afraide on euery side IOB CAP. 20. THE praise of the vngodly shal be but for a small seazon and the ioy of an hypocrite is like vnto the poynt of a swoord yf his pride shall lift it selfe vp vnto the heauens and that his head doo touche the cloudes yet in the ende it shall be destroyed euen as the filthy dounghil and as a dreame that is vanished shall it not be found The mind of sinners is figured vnto hell VVherein is fyre and feendish cruelty Gods lawes and maners resisting as rebell VVith lothsome stenche of wylful iniquity Committed by the seuen sinnes deadly And he that sinne into his chayne can lincke By subtyll shiftes and shameles impiety T ys a speciall gift yf they twayne euer shrincke ROMANS CAP. 6. THE reward of sinne is death PSALME 146. HIS spirite shall goe foorth and shall returne into his owne land in that day shal all his cogitations perishe PROVERBES CAP. 11. THE wicked man being once dead there resteth no further hope vnto him BERNARDVS O Thou Soule of man not with precious golde or siluer but with the blood of the Lambe of GOD redeemed Why wylt thou deliuer thy selfe into destruction seeing Christe for the loue that he beareth vnto thee hath shed his most precious blood HYLLARIVS THE Soule that sheweth not her selfe nete and clearely shining indewed with the garment or robe of holy life is not the Soule espoused vnto Christe but the Deuils darling AVGVSTINVS HAppy is that Soule which shall so endeuour her selfe to gouerne her life that she may through Christe deserue to receaue and entertaine Christ as her geste and inhabiter within her ECLESIAST CAP. 4. BE sorowfull and heauy for thy Soule PSALME 69. THE zeale of thy house Lorde hath euen as it were eaten me vp 1. REGVM CAP. 22. THERE is none that soroweth for my state ECCLESIAST CAP. 32. THE wicked are hardly chastized to amendment and the number of fooles is infinite PSALME 32. BEcause mercie hath come vppon him he shall with mercie be chastized AMBROSIVS THE lewde and dissolute life of the child shal be imputed the negligence of the parentes PSALME 141. BVT the oyle of a sinner shall not hurt my head TVLLIVS FOR euery pounishment and correction ought to be without reproche neither to the reproche of him whiche so punisheth or chastizeth any person but to be referred only for the commoditie and profite of the weale publique AVGVSTINVS THE wrath of GOD is then greate when the offender is not by due chastisement reclaimed but suffereth him selfe to runne in further offence by taking a wandring libertie Mans soule is a iewell incomperable By Christe his bloodshed dearely bought VVherefore he wyll that we be coumptable To him in good wyll for sauety sought VVhen to captiue vs Satan sought Bereft of all solace then surely were wee Tyll this our champion for vs fought VVe deserued the scourge of his equitee ECCLESIAST CAP. 7 REmember thy last dayes and thou shalt not doo amis for euer ECCLESIAST CAP. 11. IF a man doo liue many yeeres and in all this time shall reioyce and be meery yet he ought to remember the dayes of darknesse and the daies of many which shal then come shal plainely testifie that the dayes past were the dayes of vanitie GREGORIVS THE true and perfect life is to be medâ—tating howe to dye well Idem HE that considereth with him selfe what maner of person he shal be when death assayleth him is euermore fearefull in his affaires to offend ECCLESIAST CAP. 12. THE Lorde shall bring all thinges to receaue iudgement that are done vnder the heauens ECCLESIAST CAP. 9. REmember the Lorde in thy life time because death detracteth no time HVGO de sancto victore WE
and so leade it away with him into perpetuall thraldome These sentences before resemble by figure The world as it were set in the salt See VVhose perillous passage as in portrature Explaneth mearely cares and calamitee VVherevnto is subiect eche state and degree For as the Sea is euer in commotion VVith raging storme and perillous perplexitee So is this world wallowyng in confusion IOEL Proph. CAP. 3. THE Sunne and the Moone are depriued of their light and the starres of the Firmament haue withdrawen their glittering hue PSALM 14. THey haue all gone out of the way and are altogeather become vnprofitable SAPIENCIA CAP. 17. FOR with one chayne and bond of darknesse were they all bound togeather AVGVSTINVS I Haue slyded away into temporall and worldly matters which are vaine and transitory and see I was beset with darknesse BEDA HE that reacheth after the cuppe wherein is poyson dooth as it were sippe vppon the brimme of the cuppe for the Hony sake because he would feele how sweete it is and not because he feareth how deadly an ende it bringeth TRENO 4. HOw dimme of cullour is the gold become the best colour therof is faded and changed the cheefe stones of the Sanctuarie are dispersed in the vpper end of the streetes Math. CAP. 15. de impijs THey are blind them selues and the guiders of such as are blind Eche sentence here of foresayd Scripture Sheweth Sunne Moone and Starres to our sight To haue been enuironed with cloudes obscure Dimmed with darknes which somtime blased bright So in the world some estates lacke the light Of grace in maner of lyfe and religion The day of Vertue turnyng into night So blinded in wicked worldly abusion AVGVSTINVS THE prosperous and happie thinges counted in this world haue with them a certaine vnfained bitter taste a deceitfull pleasantnesse a sure and certaine heauinesse or sorowe to trust vnto and an vncertaine pleasure to be delighted withall BOEâ—IVS de consolatione FOR sure I suppose that aduersitie doth more profite men then prosperitie ARISTOTLE Ethicoâ—um primo VErtue shineth clearely when man is in aduersitie OVID. FOrtune distributeth all thinges as pleaseth her and taketh away the same againe at her pleasure he is sodenly made a lanke and sclender person which euen nowe was a graunde paunche BERNARDVS LET a man desire the temporall goodes of this transitorie world and he shal euermore be vexed and disquieted with the desyre thereof Idem EVen as those thornes are not thornes in deede whiche pricke not so are those ritches no ritches worldly whiche doo not disquiet the mind of man. DAMACIVS YT is not at all to be doubted but greater is the vexation of mind vnto that couetous man whiche enioyeth all thinges at wyll then of the poore man whiche almost hath nothing at all IOB CAP. 30. THE children of the vnwyse and of base degree dyd suppose and deeme that pleasures were hidden vnder thornes O wicked world wrapped in wretchednesse Fye on thy fraude and fickle felicitie Fye on thy balefull blundred businesse Thy blandeshing blindnesse in prosperitie Hedged with Hawthorne care and calamity VVith drede dolour and double disease Thy pleasant poyson slayth soule and body So rewardest thou such as seeke thee to please GENES 18. THerfore is the crying of the Sodomites and Gomorrheans increased and their sinne is too too much greeuous in the sight of the Lord. BERNARDVS THE lyfe of sinne profereth vnto suche as enter in thereto the Hony mixed with bitternesse to such as goe forwards therein gall and vineger and vnto them that passe out of the same lyfe the poyson of Adders incurable APOCAL. 2. c. I Know where thy dwelling place is where also thy seate is Sathanas ESAI 24. FEare and trembling a deepe pitte and a lake is ouer thee which inhabitest on the earth 4. REGVM 24. NAbuchodonozor carried away Ioachim and the kynges Wyues the kynges Eunuches Iudges of the land the strong Men the Artificers and warriers out of Hierusalem into the land of Babylon So nowe in like maner by the suggestion of the Deuil many Christians are miserably caried captiues from the state of grace into bondage of sinne O polisant graue and donghill clad with snawe Thou sister to Sodome and seate to Sathanas Thy likyng lustes last but for a thrawe Thou tyrant treasonable and germaine to Iudas VVhom thou canst kisse salute and imbrace By honor ritches delight and dignitie As Iudas betrayed Christe with flattering face His soule thou seazest in endles captiuitie ECCLESI primo I Ecclesiastes was the kyng of Hierusalem and purposed in my mind wysely to seeke and searche out as touching al thinges that are doone vnder the Sunne CAP. 2. I Haue exalted and magnified my workes I haue heaped togeather vnto mee siluer and gold and the substance of kings and prouinces I made to be ordeyned mee singers and singing women and all the delites fitte for the sonnes of men and all thinges which my eyes desired haue I not denyed nor forbidden them from my hart but that it should enioy all maner pleasure And when I had turned me agayne vnto al those works which my handes had made and vnto those labours wherin I had vainely toiled I then saw that in them all there was vanitâ—e and disquietnesse of mind and that there was nothing of durance vnder the Sunne and I sawe that wysdome differed so much from foolishnesse as the light dooth from darknesse 3. REGVM 11. HE had to wyues which were al queenes seuen hundred and three hundred Concubines And when he nowe waxed aged his hart was so depraued by women that he folowed after strange goddes 3. REGVM 4. THE bread of Salomon was dayly .xxx. quarters of meale tenne stalled Oxen and twentie out of the pastures an hundred Sheepe besides Hartes Buckes and wylde Gotes and Capons And Iuda and Israel dwelt without feare euery man vnder his Vine and vnder his Figge tree from Dan to Beerseba all the dayes of Salomon That prudent prince and wyse kyng Salomon Preferred his pleasance in such proued plentee For honor ritches delites and renoune He had no peare so surpassed hee Raignyng in all most royall felicitie Natheles his state he sayd for conclusion VVas of no force but meare vanitie Through corporall toyle and spirituall affliction BERNARDVS ad Eugenium WHether doo these wicked accursed exercises drawe thee if notwithstanding thou perseuer and goe forwards so to addict and geue thy selfe to them that thou leauest thee nothing of that whiche is thyne owne Thou dooest but lose time in those thinges wherein there restes nothing but labour vaine disquietnesse and vexation of the spirite for what is the fruites thereof els but the webbes of Spiders One day vttereth an others brablinges and one nyght adiudgeth the malice of an other ESAI CAP. 59. THey haue conceiued labour and trauell and haue brought foorth iniquitie they haue hatcht the Egges of Adders and haue wouen the webbes of Spiders their works are vnprofitable spoyle
is nothing more precious with God then the vertue of loue there is nothing that the deuill desireth more then the extinguishing of charitie and loue IERONIMVS THERE is nothing hard or difficult vnto those that doo loue there is no tedious trauell in loue Let vs therefore loue Christe and what so euer thing is hard of it selfe vnto vs wee shall thinke it very easyly to be atcheeued of vs. MARO Poeta THE labours and trauelles of louers can not by any meanes be tedious and burdenous vnto them but euen them selues are delighted therein as they that haue a delight eyther in hunting fowling or fisshing BERNARDVS WHAT man so euer he be that shall perfectly discerne the burden of sinne and the wound of his soule or conscience shal eyther very little or nothing at all feele the payne or vexation of his body neyther shall he thinke much of the labour bestowed wherein he shall vnderstand howe to deface and wype away his sinnes doone and past and learne to take heede how he commit any more such offences in time to come c. As nothing more maketh resemblance To feendish feares then strife and debate So humane kinde by charitable acquaintance To heauenly Angels is associate This laudable loue makes man laureate Loue makes our labour light in comparison Loue is a vertue of valure inuiolate And chaungeth care to consolation AVGVSTINVS BEtter is that medicine preserueatiue then that which is curatiue AVGVSTINVS ALL haynous offences and horrible whiche man dooth by custome commit are eyther thought by him to be but small or none at all so as not only they are not to be cloked and couered but also doo require to be published and openly detected Philippus in Prolog 3. Phil. CErtaine persons there haue been so accustomed to feede vpon very poyson that they haue taken it for their onely meate SENECA de vita moribus GOod custome ought to shake out and reiect those thinges which the euyl custome hath put in vre and trayned in man. ARISTOT 7. lib. Ethicorum IT is a hard thing for man to resist withstand custome because she is made so like nature in her proper vse yet notwithstanding it is an easier thing for vs to alter and chaunge custome then naturall inclination PSALME 42. ONE depthe calleth vpon an other they haue prolonged their iniquitie ECCLESIASTI CAP. 37. O Most wicked presumption from whence art thou descended Thy corporall health from sicknesse to conserue Is more of prise then any medecine So then thy soule may rather deserue Of deadly wound all sinne for to decline Then for to taste the venemous propine Of sinne and after seeke the salue of repentance Presumption ryseth of the olde serpentine VVhiche doubtles doth proue a perillous pestelance BERNARDVS O Thou my soule whiche art the badge of a Christian made noble after the image of God decored with equall forme spoused vnto him in fayth endowed with the spirite redeemed with his blood made heyre with angels receauer of blessednesse the child of grace and partaker of reason what hast thou with thee as touching thy frayle fleshe what may be saide hast thou not found it an vnsauery and noysome dounghil Idem BERNARDVS O Cleare white vnspotted Lilly oh thou tender and delicate floure there are vnbeleeuing people abidyng with thee and such as seeke thy subuertion and with Scorpions hast thou thy dwelling Take heede and see that thou walke warely amongst the thorns because the worlde is full of thornes they breede on the earth they are in the ayre and they are in thy fleshe To be therefore conuersant amongst these and by them not to be hurt consisteth in the power deuine to withstand and not in any vertue that thou hast AVGVSTINVS O Howe is that Soule vnhappy which is sequestred from the cheefe felicitie and ouer whom the deuill hath sway she is made voyde of lyght and enuironed with darkenesse she is consumed with pleasure and made drunke with bitter waters she loseth life and fyndeth death c. Of our soules Lord we make record with ruthe As flowres fayre tender and delicate To Christe our spouse wedded with ring of truthe Though in this life we haue dayly debate Yet graunt in fayth that we be laureate From hurtfull sinne with syncere conscience O Lord to thee let vs not liue ingrate Sithe thou with vs wolte haue thy residence ¶ FINIS Of the Contemplacion for TVESDAY ¶ THE AVCTORS Commemoration for VVENSDAY The damage due to deadly sinne To seeke to voyde let vs not linne The Translators Application The third day this Creator then the waters here belowe Into â—ne place dyd geather and them in one floodde bestowe The drye land thence deuided hee the Sea those waters named The Sea for trauell to and fro the Earth for fruite he framed VVho liues then in this earthy vale Taste fruites of trouble death and bale PSALME 51. BEcause I doo acknowledge myne iniquitie and my sinne is alway against me TOBIA CAP. 12. BVT they that commit sinne and iniquitie are enimies to their owne soule GREGORIVS THERE should no aduersitie or mishap hurt vs yf there dyd no iniquitie condemne and adiudge vs woorthy therof PSALME 38. MY iniquities are gone ouer my head and as a great burden are they heauy vppon me PROVERBES CAP. 14. SInne maketh the people become miserable AGVSTINVS WHAT can be more miserable then the wretched worldling which hath no compassion of him selfe ESAI CAP. 13. I Wyll vizite the landes with diseases and agaynst the wicked wyll I goe with theyr inâ—quities ECCLESIAST CAP. 27. AS the Lion is euer lurking for his pray so dooth the sinnes of man lye in wayte for them that woorke mischeefe AVGVSTINVS SInne is defined to be any thyng spoken or any thyng done eyther any desyre striuing agaynst the lawe of God. BERNARDVS O Howe wretched is the state of sinners which esteeme of the sonne of God as of a Swineheard ESAI CAP. 59. YOur iniquities haue set enimity betwene you and your God and your sinnes haue couered his face from beholdyng you with mercie and that he shoulde not heare you when you pray vnto him Idem sequitur OVr iniquites are multiplied before him and our sinnes haue made answear vnto vs. 2. REGVM CAP. 3. DAVID spake these woordes touching Ioab The Lorde recompence the euyll man according to the mallice of his mischeefe PSALME 31. THOV hast hated all them that doo woorke wickednesse To define of sinne in sentences short No man well may so full it is of care Neuerthelesse as novv I purpose to report Howe in eache season sinne is most contrare To mans weale supplanting eache afare Vnto his damage where it may preuayle Enforcing ay of blisse to reue him bare In soule in body and in goodes temporall AVGVSTINVS SInne is the ransacking spoyle of the good grace receaued and a corruption naturally grafted in man. PROVERB CAP. 4. BVT the wicked and vngodly in the land shal be destroyed PROVERBES CAP.
be adurned with the Dyadem of eternal glory not in the dounghill of this world but in the Pallace of Heauen in the sight of innumerable Angâ—ls and of al the Saincâ—es in your stoole of immortalitie and with splendant royal ornamentes to be inuested Vnde Sapi. CAP. 5. LTT them receaue the kyngdome of honor and the Dyadem of dignity euen at the handes of the Lord. AVGVSTINVS OH thou my soule yf it be so that we must needes suffer tormentes euery day yea to suffer the very horrible hel it selfe a long time so that we might afterwards see Christ our sauiour in his glory and with his saintes euermore accompanied should we not onely suffer all sorrowe and paine to be made partakers of such glory and good graces VINCENCIVS BEloued brethren in the perplexity of this worldly pilgrimage we suffering the sorowes of our exile as it were with want of all goodnes are defiled and suffer the disposing of all incombrances the snares of sinnes laide for vs in euery place fearing the subtel deceiptes of our enimies but not sufficient watchfully or diligently preuenting them as we ought forbearing detrimentes and vexations and not able to shake from vs calamities swelling in vices enclined to vanitie in steade of veritie enduring exile for our countrey taste pouertie in steade of abundance vyle thinges for want of glorious thinges and doo so loue this world with a miserable blindnes or rather foolishe madnes that we are vtterly ignorant of that same glory of the holy ones of God whervnto lyfting the face of our mind and inward man we then behold the ioyes of eternal lyfe that we might some what surely sauour in our hartes the sweetenesse thereof AVGVST OH that I knew what I my selfe am and what thou art oh Lorde Oh yf a man knewe what him selfe were and what GOD were he would suffer a thousand deaths yf it wer c. SAPIENCE CAP. 3. BEholde the perpetuall goodnes of the reward for such as feare God. ECCLESIASTI vltimo BEhold with your eiesâ— forasmuch as I haue laboured a little and I haue found great rest vnto my selfe Let your hart reioyce in his mercie Be dooing what you can before the time and he shall geue you your reward in due time VVhen humane soule her selfe so dooth demene That she loues death and leaues lyfe spirituall Both God she then forgetteth quite and cleane Vertue dispisde she flowes in sinnes sensuall Contemning Christe obayes to Belyall And what her selfe is eke forgetting she For heauenly ioy feeles sorowes infernall For life she tastes death then perpetually Actum Aposto CAP. 5. THE Apostles went from out of sight of the people which gaue counsell because they were coumpted woorthy for the name of Christe or in his behalfe to suffer reproches AVGVSTINVS WE wyll reioyce with the elect of God and we wyll suffer tribulations of the world with them for surely they that would not imitate the holy ones in this manner shoulde not attaine vnto their renowne and glory 1. CORINTH CAP. 3. FOR euery one shall receiue his owne reward according to his labour and trauell but many for the most not meanyng to liue well desire to dye well knowyng how precious in the sight of the Lorde is the death of his sainctes Is he the God of the Iewes onely is he not also of the Gentiles yes of the Gentiles also CIRHSOSTOMVS IF any man shal thincke the way paynefull to liue wel such a one is the excuser of his owne slouth and negligence for yf Mariners and Seafaring men soppose the raging floods of the Sea to be threatninges of danger vnto them yf the season of Winter be thought a hinderance vnto husbandmen yf woundes and slaughter of Souldyers seeme a thyng tollerable and yf most greeuous stripes and blowes seeme thinges easie to be borne withal of very champions them selues for the hope of temporall thinges and transitory commodities much more when heauen is prepared for a rewarde of the godly we ought not once to thincke any thing of these present calamities neither ought a man to looke that this way is streyt but whyther it bringes a man neyther ought we to seeke for any other beeause it is brode but where the same finisheth LVKE CAP. 9. AND being bidden to the supper they begun euery man to excuse them selues BERNARDVS FOrgeue vs Lorde forgeue vs we excuse our selues we woorke al against the graine so as there is scarce any man whiche wyl be made practized as he may wâ—ll be in those thynges which parteyne vnto thee They all sauour earthly thinges they seeke that which is theirs and not that which is parteinyng vnto Iesus Christe They embrace vices they flee vertues and they waxe vâ—le togeather as the brute beast through filthynesse of their sinnes MICHEA CAP. 7. THe godly man perisheth vpon the earth and there is not any one amongst menne that liueth aright c. Resume thy strength nowe as a knight spirituall Fyght for the heauen winne it with diligence The â—ende the fleshe and vyces mundyall Quite to subuert by deuyne sapience If weake thou be craue God for thy defence Hauing good hope by Gods prouision Through watchfull care and humble pacience VVith tryumph thou shalt win an heauenly crowne AVGVSTINE THere shal be the cheefe securiâ—ie the safe tranquility the tranqiul or safe sweetenes the sweete felicitie the happy eternitie the eternall blessednesse· BERNARDVS OH heauenly Citie thou safe Mâ—nsion place a countrey fully câ—nâ—eyning whâ—â— so euer may be delightful â–ª a people without murmuring quiet inhabitance men hauyng no neede of any thing ORIGEN THE deuine bountie of the most highest shal replenishe all the receptacle of the soule with all goodnesse that is to say the angry and irefull soule with power and dignitie the greedy and couetous soule wiâ—h delightes and the reasonable soule with wysdome that there may therein appeare power without contradictâ—on dignity without comparison PROVERBIORVM CAP. 1. THE feare of the Lorde is the Well of lyfe AVGVSTINE LET the loue of this present Woâ—lde depart from thee wherein no man is so borne that he may not dye and let the loue of the worlde to come take place in thee wherein al men are made liuing so as thence foorth they shall not dye where no aduersitie shall trouble thee and no greeâ—es disquiet thee but whereas euerlastyng ioy and gladnesse raigneth for thy perpetual comfort ESAI CAP. 6. THeâ— sayd I Lorde how lonâ— Hâ— answered vntyl the Cities be vtterly wasted without inhabitantes c. ESAI CAP. 35. THey shall obteyne ioy and gladnesse and sorowe and lamentaâ—ion shall flee from them PSALME 119. OH howe good is the God of Israel vnto such as are true of hart Remember man this solace shal be sure Altogeather voyde of worldly variaunce It shall without dreade or distance ay endure But in this lyfe is no continuance Ritches pouertie lyfe and death are but a traunce VVherefore in this worldly mutable estate Let vs seeke to liue after God his ordinaunce Least of that lasting blis we make our selues frustrate DEVTERONO CAP. 3. MOYSES sayd vnto the chyldren of Israel Consider that this day I haue set before thee in thy sight both lyfe and good and of the contrary part death and euyll Sequitur I Take this day Heauen and Earth to witnesse that I haue set before you lyfe and good blessing and cursing choose you therefore lyfe that you may lyue I marueyle and greatly marueyle that man whiche aboue others is a creature endued with reason dooeth not in any thyng followe the iuâ—gement of reason despiâ—yng wholesome thynges and embrasing daungerous thinges seekyng and desyring deadly and hurtfull thinges OH eternall GOD what is the cause of suche dotyng foudnesse in man what reason is there of such foolishnesse and madnesse Why dooeth he desyre the death of the soule with so wicked a hart c. Nowe Heauens and Earth for witnes in I call How God disposeth for mans direction Perpetuall payne and ioy celestiall Vertue vice health and perdition Put to our choyse by free election VVherefore our hartes and eyes le ts eleuate To God the geuer of all grace deuine Of him to craue that he the fyrme estate Of lastyng blisse would graunt vs all in fine ¶ FINIS Of the Contemplacion for SONDAY Per Authorem Namque huius mundi fallacis gaudia vitae Et quibus exuere se debet omnis homo Sunt miserandâ—a niâ—â—is vexant mortalia corda â–ª Virtutum faciunt quemlibet immemorem Quos igitur Chricti baptisma sacruÌ„ renouauit Librum hunc perlegite qui facit esse sacros Quid Iusto prodest aut quid peccator egebit Si Libet inspicere vos docet istud opus Soli Deo Gloria Here endeth this woorke of Contemplacion fyrst printed in Latine at Westminster the yeere of our Lord God. 1499. and nowe newly englished and printed at London by Hâ—gh Singleton dwelling in Creede Lane at the signe of the gylden Tunne Neare vnto Ludgate Anno. 1578.
the reason ROMANS CAP. 2. O The woonderfull height of the ritches of the wysedome of GOD and of his knowledge howe incomprehensible and inscrutable are the iudgementes of his way The Auctor figuring the generall iudgement Hereby admonisheth both iust and vniust To consider thereof in this life present All securitie then abandon we must Yea all licencious liuyng and carnall lust VVherein the wicked florishe at wyll For all such as therein doo put their trust Thalmighty Iudge in his wrath shall them spyll ECCLESIAST CAP. O What tormentes haue all the elect of GOD suffered that they might safely come vnto the obteyned victory ordeined for martyrs ESAI CAP. 10. WOe be vnto Assur which is becomr the rod of my fury and the staffe it selfe of reuenge in their handes is my heauy displeasure But according to the opinion of Saint Augustine when the father hath corrected the childe in mercy and iustice he then casteth the rod into the fyre 2. PETER CAP. 2. THE Lorde dooeth knowe when in due time to take hence those that are godly but as for the wicked he leaueth them for the day of iudgement to pounishe them then according to their desertes PSALME 76. LOrde I haue been mindfull of thy iudgementes and I am comforted Were it not but that my meditation is in thy lawe then shoulde I perhaps haue perished euen in myne owne humilitie c. 1. PETER CAP. 2. CHriste hath suffered for vs leauing vs an example that we shoulde all folowe his steppes LVKE CAP. 24. OVght not Christe to haue suffered death and â—hat he shoulde so enter thereby into his glory Ad Hebreos CAP. 11. THE holy ones and elect of God by faith haue coâ—quered vnto them kyngdomes haue wrought the woorkes of equitie and righteousnesse â–ª haue purchased them selues newe promises of saâ—yng health But some others hauing tryed the scornefull dispites and scourges of this worlde and moâ—eouer the bâ—nâ—es and imprisonment haue been stoned to death haue been dâ—smembred haue been tempted and haue been put to death with the swoord ISIDORVS ADuersities are meanes to reclayme and remedy the diseases of the soule Sicknes woundeth the fleshe but cureth the defect of the mind As God suffereth the wicked a time to lyue here Though it be for a scourge vnto his elect So to strengthen their pacience when they forbeare Too to many iniuries yet hath he respect His chosen quite out of mind not reiect But for better tryall of their fyrme fayth VVhen he seeth time he wyll detect Their foes of mischeefe with sentence of dearh ESAI CAP. 30. THE Lorde looketh for vs to the ende he would haue mercie vpon vs. IVDITH BVT because the Lorde is pacient euen for this purpose let vs repent the more and let vs with teares craue his pardon ESAI CAP. 26. HE had compassion of the obstinate and wicked person and he hath not learned to feare our righteousnes ECCLESIASTI CAP. 5. SAY not thou with thy self I haue sinned and what mishap hath chaunced vnto me by meanes of forgeuenesse of thy sinnes be thou not therefore the more without feare for mercy and displeasure soone passeth away from him and his wrath dooth beholde those that sinne Ad Romanos CAP. 2. THOV art vtterly ignorant that the great good wyll of God bringeth thee to repentance but according to the hardnes of thy hart and as thou art impenitent thou heapest vp wrath vnto thee in the day of wrath and when the iudgement of the iust God shal be reauealed whiche rendreth to euery man according to his woorkes Idem ad Romanos AND dooest thou despise the ritches of his goodnes of his pacience and longanimitie Thou dooest then heape vppon thee his wrath against the day of wrath PSALME 22. FOrsake me not Lord in the day of my tribulation Idem I Wyll not feare any euyll thinges because thou Oh Lord art with me DEVTERONO CAP. 31. TRuely because the Lorde was not with me therefore haue these euils and mischeefes come vpon me 2. PARALIPO CAP. 15. THE Lord is with you to helpe you because you are abiding with him yf you shall seeke him you shall finde him but yf you forsake him he shall forsake you ROMANS CAP. 8. IF God be on our side who shall be agaynst vs. GENES CAP. 12. MY soule liueth euen because of thy louing fauour PSALME 84. THE Lorde shall geue vnto his chosen both grace and woorship PROVERBES CAP. 3. HE shall geue grace to the humble and lowly in hart PROVERBES CAP. 14. GRace shall remaine amongst the iust and vpright in hart Oh mankind rue on thy miserable estate VVhen sleeping in sinne of liberty thou liuest A more lothsome life then brute beast create The nearer grace is offred thee the furder of thou geuest Thy consent with security and so thou thriuest For abusyng Gods grace and offered mercy One mischeefe vpon an other thou driuest Tyll all to late it is to repent thy folly APOCAL. CAP. 20. THere shall be ordeyned a iudgement of euery soule according as he hath done in this lyfe time ECCLESIAST CAP. 38. O Man remember thou my iudgement for euen so shall thine be with me it was yesterday and with thee shal it be to morow LEVITICVS CAP. 14. LET him sprinckle him seuen times that is to be cleansed from his offences that he may be purged by the lawe Idem NEyther let him enter into the Sanctuarie vntyll suche time as the dayes of his cleansing shal be fulfylled 1. CORINTH CAP. 3. BVT euery man shall receaue his owne reward according to his labour and trauayle DEVTERONO CAP. 25. THere shall be also apyointed a measure of punishment according to the measure of the offence and sinne committed APOCAL. CAP. 14. FOr their woorkes shall folowe them when they are gone hence PSALME 28. THou shalt render vnto euery one according to his woorkes ECCLESIAST CAP. 11. HOwe becommest thou ignorant what the way of the spirite is Dooest thou so not vnderstand the woorkes of God which is the woorkemaster of all thinges SAPIENCE CAP. 11. FOR who is he that can vnderstand the mysteries of God. ESAI CAP. 47. THere shall sodenly come a plague vppon thee which thou knowest not of Actuum Apostolorum CAP. 15. WE beleeue to be saued by the grace and fauour of God. AVGVSTINVS IF so be that I knewe my reward were laid vp for me in hell I would pray no more for it then I would doo for the deuill SAPIENCIE CAP. 2. THere is not any man acknowledged or knowen to haue gone downe into hel and haue returned thence againe BERNARDVS MArke and beholde alwayes this rule that after the Lorde hath long spared sinners he dooeth more greeuously seeke to be auenged of them Be it by example of others imitation Or by our selfe wyll and ignorance we fall Or by Satans subtilty and suggestion VVe commit any offences here criminall So for the same answeare make we shall And as we haue wrought so awarded we
Shall receaue at the day of iudgement generall Eyther Gods indignation or milde mercie ECCLESIAST CAP. 12. LET the dust of mans corrupt nature returne vnto the earth from whence it came and let the spirite returne againe vnto God who hath geuen the same IOB CAP. 21. SHall any man take vpon him to teache the Lord knowledge which iudgeth thy higher powers The strong and lusty men are subiect to death yea the rich happy of this world Idem sequitur BVT an other man dyeth in the bitternes of his soule without any woorkes of repentance and yet notwithstandyng they shal sleepe altogeather in the dust the wormes shall couer them SENECA THE eternal lawe of God hath ordeyned nothing better vnto man then that we haue all one kind of enterance geuen vs therby into this life and diuers maners of death OZEA. CAP. 6. MY iudgementes shall passe foorth from me as the light out of the Firmament AIERONIMVS HOw many people doo liue in this world I know not but of the dayes to come it is written That the Lorde shall iudge the secrete dooinges and vnknowen deallinges of men and shall geue light euen vnto the dungeons of darknesse and shall disclose the counsels of mens hartes TOBIAS CAP. 3. ALL thy iudgementes are iust Oh Lord. PSALME 119. FOR I haue been afrayde of thy iudgementes Oh Lorde ECCLESIAST CAP. 28. MAke redy thy righteousnesse that thou canst lay for thy selfe before the iudgement of the Lord be summoned BERNARDVS BRethren let vs be enflamed vnto repentance let vs examine our consciences let vs be encouraged to take reuenge of our sinnes by earnest repentaunce in Christes bloodshed crauing his gracious fauour to escape the horrible iudgement of the liuyng god c. To waye the wickednesse of corrupt nature In ballance with Gods deuine iustice Eyther our good deedes is absurd and obscure Presumptuous were such our enterprise From the earth the dust should then aryse VVith Thalmighty creator to dispute Submit we therefore in repenrant wyse Our lyfe and death as he hath constitute ECCLESIASSTI CAP. 12. REmember thy Creator in the dayes of thy youth and before the time of affliction shall approche and the dayes wherof thou mayst haue cause to say these dayes doo not lyke me ECCLESIASTI CAP. 7. REmember the wrath of the Lorde because it shall not be foreslowed Idem REmember the Lordes wrath in the day of the end of the world and remember the time of pouertie euen whyles thou art in thy wealth ECCLESIASTI CAP. 28. REmember thou the later dayes and cease of to doo mischeefe for there is blessednesse and death approching in the prescriptions thereof PSALME 42. MY soule is in my handes alwayes c. MATTH GAP 24. BVt of that day and houre when the Lord shall come to iudge the world no neyther Angel nor the Sonne of man knoweth but the Father him selfe Take you heede therefore watche and pray MATTH CAP. 25. WAtche therefore because you knowe neither the day nor the houre wherein the sonne of man wyll come GREGORIVS in Homelia DOo not you loue the world which you see can not abide for euer because the great day of the Lord is neare PSALME THE day of desolation draweth neare and the times of the latter dayes do speedely hasten on IACOB CAP. 2. THere shal be iudgement geuen vpon him without mercie because he hath not shewed mercie c. As lyfe and death from hence vncertaine are And our demerites doo deserue due dome So how soone the Lord wyll the same prepare No spirite can deuine that day to come Though of signes fyfteene wryteth saint Ierome But yf we wyll credite Christes woordes in scripture Of signes alredy perfourming nowe are some That that day is not long to we may be sure HAYMO ANtechriste shal be borne in Babylon out of the tribe of Dan according to the saying that Iacob mencioneth Let Dan be made a Snake in the way MARCI 12. ANd those dayes shal be such and so troublesome as the like haue not been from the beginnyng of the creation of man vntyll nowe neyther shall there be any more suche afterward And except the Lorde had shortened those dayes for his elect sake there should haue been no saluation vnto frayle mankind 1. TIMOTHI CAP. 3. ALL those that wyll liue godly in Christ must suffer persecution MARCI CAP. 13. BVT who so shall persist constant vnto the end shal be saued DANIEL CAP. 8. IT shal be destroyed meanyng of Babylon without force of strength of the hand THESSALO CAP. 2. THen shall that wicked Antechriste be reueyled which the Lorde Iesus shall destroy with the breath of his mouth 1. IOHN CAP. 2. NOw are there many Antechristes come into the world whereby we knowe that we are in the later dayes 2. PETER CAP. 3. THere shall come deceitfull woorkers of mischiefe in the later dayes walking after their owne lustes ISIDORVS de summo bono THere haue many members of Antechrist gone before vs and their proper workes doo well agree with the ryngleader of their mischiefe according to the Apostles saying which affirmeth that they haue perfourmed the woorkes of iniquitie yea before that their cheefe captaine was manifested to the world DANIEL CAP. 8. ANd in the end of the kingdome when the wicked are come to the full of their iniquitie that is to say In Gluttony Lechery and Couetousnesse a kyng of a fierce countenance and vnderstandyng with hard sentences shall stand vp c. DANIEL CAP. 1. IN the later dayes there shall come deceauers which shall walke after their owne desyres in wickednesse These are they whiche shall assemble them selues togeather as liuing creatures hauing no Soule in them These are Cloudes without water whiche are caried about with the windes These are Trees growing somewhat before Winter vnprofitable whiche being twyce dead are plucked vp by the rootes for whom the mystes of darknesse are to be kept for euer and euer PSALM 50. THere shall goe before him a consuming fyre and it shall scortche his enimies round about him Idem WHyther shall I goe from thy spirite and whyther shall I flee from thy presence DEVTERONO CAP. 32. THere is a fyre kindled in my fury and it shall burne euen vntill the very last day in Hell. AMOS CAP. 9. THere shal be no time for them to flee away which shall saue them LVKE CAP. 21. THere shal be signes in the Sunne and in the Moone and in the Starres MARCI 13 IN those dayes after that tribulation the Sunne shal be darkened and the Moone shall not geue foorth her light and the Stars of Heauen shall fall from thence and the vertues or powers of the Heauens shal be changed and then shall they see the sonne of man comming in the Cloudes of Heauen with great power and glory VVhen sinne the fyre of conflagration All men as then vvhich are left on liue Shall quite of them make consummacion In vvofull plight as doctors doo discriue There
vnto my selfe that whiche lacketh by and through the woundes of my Lord Iesus because he aboundeth with mercie towardes me I ought not be voyd of well deseruing so long as the Cesterne of his mercies is neuer empty towardes me GREGORIVS ALL the proude people sprong of the linnage of Adam laboured by all meanes to atteyne vnto the prosperous thinges of this world To shonne and eschewe al aduersities flee from reproches and folowe after pompe and glory The Lorde came amongst them choosing to take vnto him aduersitie fleeing vayne pompe and glory despising prosperitie and embracing reproches Idem YF the passion of Christe be called of vs rightly into our mindes there is nothing so greeuous vnto vs but thereby it shal be tolerated of vs with pacient mind PHILLIPIANS CAP. 2. HE shewed him selfe humble and lowly being obedient to death euen vnto the death of the crosse Thus the quotidian and fruitefull remembrance Of Christes blessed passion so piteous Vniting with Christe familier acquayntance Maketh a vicious man to become vertuous And his deuotion both sweete and sauerous Causing temperance in blinde prosperitie And as a Christian knight Cheualrious To haue glad pacience in great aduersitie GALATH. CAP. 3. I Liue nowe yet not I but Christe liueth in me ESAI CAP. 5. HE is wounded for our iniquities and torne in peeces for our sinnes the discipline of our peace is vpon him Lorde therefore take from vs our stony hart and geue vs a fleshly hart HIERONIMVS O Good Lord Iesu oh that the reproches of those whiche put thee to death hadde light vpon me that they might haue moued my hart vnto compunction and harty sorow IOHN CAP. 11. LET vs also goe and dye with him ESAI CAP. 43. CAll me agayne to thy memorie and let vs be iudged togeather Declare thou for thy part what thou canst then see what thou hast to iustifie thy selfe of BERNARDVS O Sweete Iesus the bitter cuppe whereof thou dydst taste hath made me to loue thee aboue all other thinges a woorke perfourmed for our redemption once for all This being oftentimes duely pondered dooeth easely callenge our loue vnto it nothing more delectably allureth our deuotion vnto it more iustly perfourmeth our duety more deepely bindeth nor more vehemently surpriseth our affectes He hath taken great paynes for vs and yet in all the woorkes that euer he wrought as touching the worlde this the aucthour of our life was neuer in any thing so turmoyled For in that he suffered for vs in steade of saying trueth he was controlled with gaynâ—sayinges for his good deedes he had those that looked nearely vnto him when he felt extreame paynes he was scorned of them and when he dyed he suffered the reproche of his enimies BERNARDVS THY passion Lorde is our last refuge that we haue to cleaue vnto and our singuler remedy ESAI CAP. 3. THERE is none ende of the treasures therâ—of GREGORIVS THE passion of Christe being set before our eyes woorketh all vertue in vs both for the time present and to come and fulfylleth all health of soule and body And when we receaue the remembrances of the passion of Christe streightway thereby all the deuils in Hell are put to flight and all our deserued punishmentes for our offences are dispenced with and forgeuen BOECIVS 3. de consolatione HE had brought such weapons vnto thee which hadst thou not first reiected might haue defended thee with an inuincible strength EPHESI CAP. 6. BE you comforted in the Lord and put vppon you the armour of God in the power of his vertue that you may be able to withstand the deceiptes of the Deuill SAPIENCE CAP. 7. YEa there is an infinite quantitie of treasure hidden for men wherein who so euer are possessed are made partakers of the freendship of God. 2. PARALIPO CAP. 22. MAnifest therfore and openly expresse vnto him your hartes and your soules that you may seeke for your Lord God. 2. PARALIPO CAP. 15. IF you seeke for him you shal finde him out but yf you refuse to seeke him and forsake him he wyll forsake you Againe and againe within thy mind reuolue Howe to be thankfull for Christes passion Crauing of him thy hard hart to resolue VVith inward dolour and outward lamentation Powre foorth thy prayers to finde consolation In that victorious triumph of vertues abundance From Sinne the VVorld and Satans suggestion VVhich yf thou seekest shall geue thee deliuerance MATTH CAP. 26. MY soule is heauy euen vnto death AVGVSTINVS OH howe bitter is death whose only premeditacion caused Christe to sweate water and blood LVKE CAP. 22. AND his sweate became as the drops of blood running downe to the earth for his blooddy sweate doo expresse the sorowes of his hart MATTHE 26. WHom so euer I shall kisse the same is he hold him fast MATTH CAP. 26. THen all the Disciples hauing forsaken him fled from him PSALME 84. BEhold thy Christe in his face Augustin supper MARC CAP. 15. HE tooke vp with him Peter Iohn and Iames and feare and tediousnesse came vppon him in so much as he trauayled with sorowe teaching vs by example or as it were figuratiuely what maner companions and disciples a man ought to haue with him in such perplexities as he that wyll then pray is or ought to be like affected for euen as a theefe hearing an outery presently taketh his heeles and therevppon the neyghbours besturre them to remedy the case Euen so by mans feruent prayer the Deuil fleeth away and the holy spirite of God entreth with good meditations to comfort man. MATTH CAP. 26. O Father yf this cuppe may not passe me except I fyrst drinke thereof thy wyll be done LEODIGARIVS THis voyce of the head is the health of the whole body this voyce hath instructed al the faythfull hath inflamed all the confessors of Christe and crowned all the Martyrs of Christe for what is he that is able to ouercome the hatred of the world the troubles of temptations and the terrors of persecutors but only that Christe in all and for all should say vnto his Father Thy wyll be done VVhat troubles terrours and tormentes haue Assayled Christe in any maner wyse Thou oughtest in prayer dayly of him to craue Power to resist thy gohstly enimies VVho wyll not let thee suffer iniuries But at a pinche thy helper wyll appeare As he him selfe suffered smart likewyse And was comforted so shalt thou be his deare MATTH CAP. 26. THen they spitted vpon his face and buffeted him CHRISOSTOMVS THE Euangelist expoundeth those most reprochefull handlinges in this maner Nothing abashed was he to suffer them because we might imprint them in our hartes with continencie and in them reioyce â–ª or take comfort BERNARDVS HOwe much the poorer he made him selfe by his humilitie so muche the ritcher he shewed him self in goodnesse and how much more base he was in the sight of the world so much the more deare beloued is he vnto me Idem super canti OH humble
wretched thy price is precious MATTH CAP. 27. ABout the ninth houre Iesus cryed out with a loude voyce saying My God my God why hast thou forsaken me AVGVSTINVS SVrely these were the woordes signifiyng what a carefull and troubled spirite he had for vs which are beset with troubles and in them expresseth a certaine tendernesse of bitter passion and sorowe proceeding out of his so deepe sithes entire lamentation and bitter plaint whiche might suffice to molefie vnto compunction and remorse a very iron brest might cleaue in sunder a stony stomacke might humble and bowe the hart of wood towardes loue and finally moysten a very brasen hart towards contemplacion in this case Neyther let man marueyle yf he doo suffer tribulations because he is so comforted in Christe his head and cheefe captaine MATTHE 27. AND when he had cryed agayne with a loud voyce he gaue vp the gohst IOHN CAP. 29. AND bowing the head he gaue vp the gohst AVGVSTINVS THE Sauiour of the worlde bowed his head at his death that he might kisse his welbeloued Mother and the Disciples then and there present And wee doo so oftentimes kisse him as we are compunct and throughly stirred vp to the hartifull remembraunce of his death ANCELMVS· THE Heauens stoode astonished at his death the Earth was amazed What dooest thou then oh Man Neither is it a thing to be marueyled at yf the shinyng Sunne became perplexed that thou shouldest be also perplexed yf els the Earth became sadde and pensiue so thou shouldest likewyse be sadde and pensiue yf the Stones were rent in sender that thy hart be rent in sonder yf those that stoode by the Crosse dyd weepe thou shouldest weepe as well as they HIERONIMVS BEhold when Christe dyed euery creature had compassion vpon him but man alone hath not had any compassion at al vpon him for whom in deede Christe dyed His spirite commending to his fathers cure â–ª VVhen that he cryed consummatum est Both Heauen and Earth and liueles creature On him compassion tooke from most to least O wretched man why art not thou then prest For loue of thy Redeemer sweete Iesus To plant compassion in the faythfull brest Suffering for him all harmes iniurious IOHN CAP. 19. AND they tooke the body of Iesus and wrapped it in linnen clothes and spiced it with Balme and sweete odours BERNARDVS MAry the mother of Christe was the example of sorowe and compassion vnto all those that loue Christe HVGO de passione Christi BEhold oh man what I suffer for thy sake see the paynes and troubles that I endure for thee see the nayles wherevnto I am fastened and whyle I endure for thee such outward sorowe yet notwithstandyng my inward gronyng is more greeuous whyle I trye thee and finde thee an vnthankful freend vnto me HEBREOS CAP. 6. CRucifiyng agayne vnto them selues the sonne of God. Glosa Auctoris THey crucifie Christe and are found reprochefull vnto him which contemnyng his grace doo sleepe in their sinnes Bernardus in persona anime deuote I Knewe not sayth he that Christe so loued me I ought not to be therefore reprochefull vnto my self which so manifestly see that God was crucified and suffered death for me which haue been so acceptable vnto him that he chose rather to dye for me least that I should otherwyse perishe Idem OH precious Soule not with gold nor siluer redeemed but with the blood of the lambe of God why wylt thou cast thy selfe so into perdition seeing Christe for thee shed his precious blood haue remorse ouer thyne owne soule seeking to please God. Regard oh man this wofull disceuerance Behold Mary behold her sonne Iesu If ruthe haue roome in thy remembrance VVith piteous hart his passion to pursew Through which thou mayst thyne innocencie renew O electe vessell knowe thy felicitie Of thy misrule thincke time it were to rew Confound not thy selfe through thyne iniquitie BERNARDVS COuld not GOD repare his pretended woorke of grace in Man any other way but by this so great danger of his owne lyfe Yes truely he might otherwyse haue remedied this matter but he had rather woorke this meanes though it were to the preiudice of his owne person because he woulde not finde any further hatefull vice of ingratitude in man but that he would make man a debter vnto him of manifolde loue that he ought vnto his Sauiour and hereby shoulde encourage him to be thankfull vnto him whom the felicitie of his creation had made lesse gratefull when as this our Creator for our sakes but spake the woord and al things was done he commaunded it should be and they were created ANCELMVS THerefore God was able being a man also to satisfie for man but yet he was not bound to any man so to doo But man was and is bounden to satisfye the wyll of God and coulde not nor can not therefore it was needefull that God should be a man that is to say because in that he was Christ he was able to satisfye as God and was not bounden as man. GREGORIVS HE that made vs of nothing yea yf it had pleased him coulde haue redeemed vs without his death or passion Augustinus de ciuitate dei THere could not haue been any more fitter meanes wrought to heale our miserie then that Christe should dye for vs. And though that God by power Omnipotent Might vs redeemd without such difficultie There was no way more iust nor congruent Then for to take on him our humanitie Restoryng vs thereby to higher dignitie Man was in thrall and could him not acquite To make amends of power deuoyde was he But God him freed by fauour infinite BERNARDVS WHen I shall â—eepely excogitate whatsoeuer I am of my selfe whatsoeuer I can doo of my self is it not thincke I with my selfe in respect as a Starre to be compared to the Sunne a sparcke of fyre to the heate of a whole furnace a droppe of watâ—r in comparison of a flood a litle stone in respect of a hill a grayne of Corne to a whole heape and a handfull to all the worlde Therefore Lord I haue but two small powers in me nay they are very litle that I haue that is to say the one my body the other my soule or rather I haue but one onely litle power that is to say my good hart and wyllyng mind whiche thou hast made and geuen me And shall I not bestowe it in recompence of thy good wyll who being such a one as thou art hast bestowed so much for me and hath as it were preuented me at once with so great benefites who hath in thy selfe comprised me wholy or otherwyse yf I shall retayne these to my selfe and not bestowe them of thee with what countenance with what eyes and with what mind or conscience doo I goe vnto the bowels of the mercie of my God and I do see that same most strong safegard or defence of myne is altogeather gored whereby Israel is kept and that his blood
not as droppes but as flooddes from the fiue partes of his body hath been shedde for the price of my redemption c. Trenorum primo O All you that passe by the way marke well and see yf there be any sorowe like my sorowe BERNARDVS BEhold oh man with the eye of thy mind in what duetifull debt of recompence thou art bound vnto the Lorde suffering death for thee It shall behoue vs to consider well That this was done for our saluation Our vnthankfulnesse let vs then expell And gratefull be for our redemption VVhich to frequent in harty deuotion Aboue all thinges our mind for to remord As mighty medicine and fruitefull confection Doth linck one loue with Christ our soueraigne lord BERNARD Snpee illud canticorum Fasciculus Mirrhe O Howe shewed he mercy more then he ought to haue done howe thankfull and tryed loue dyd he expresse towards vs what vnlooked for woorthynesse bestowed he vpon vs what admirable sweetenesse what inuincible mildnesse and humilitie in that he being the king of glory should geue him selfe to the handes of his enimies for the most vylest person of the world to suffer death ANCELMVS THE symple soule of man shall finde in the death and passion of Christ such foode and repast as shal make the same most healthfull and strong Idem AWake thou oh my soule and more diligently behold with the eyes of thy minde this man as one borne before the time and so conceaued as though no man regarded him and as one in the sight of the world vnwoorthy deformed and leprous Trenorum primo HEare me I beseeche you all you people and behold my sorowe and anguishe 1. GALATHI CAP. 6. GOD forbyd that I shoulde glory but in the death of our Lord Iesus Christe by whom the world is crucified vnto me and I am crucifyed vnto the world BERNARDVS HE that loueth thee from the hart Lord is wounded for thy sake and is content to suffer langwors and as it were a dead man from the woorkes of the worlde is made strange vnto the world for thy loue is strong as death and thy heauy wrath is as the pitte of hell VVherefore sweete Iesu our loue and soueraine Lord Treasure of treasures which may vs most auayle VVith ruthfull repentance nowe wee record Our great vnthanke and blindnesse bestiall Of pitie praying thy power imperiall To multiply thy mercy so vpon vs That of thy merites with cares inspeciall Thankfull to thee wee may be studious BERNARDVS WHO is not caryed perforce vnto hope and confidence of obteyning his desire which geueth due and attentiue regard to the disposing of his body And vouchsafe thou oh Lorde to receaue and accept my spirite commended into thy hands and so strike my body and pearce my hart with the swoord of charitie and print therein the woundes of thy body that after the course of this lyfe I may freely commende into thy handes my soule as banished and mere strange vnto the worlde AVGVSTINVS I Beseeche thee good Lorde so pearce and wounde this my soule with the sharpe point of thy accustomed feruent loue for whom thou hast vouchsafe to dye that with the most mighty weapon of thy loue with the staffe of thy entyre good wyll shee being chastized may more deepely consider of thy mighty vertue and plentifully yeelde foorth her flooddes of brynishe teares both day and night Bernardus super verbo Pater ignoscie VOuchsafe oh Lord and heauenly father to looke downe from out of thy Sanctuarie and from thy heauenly habitation behold the pledge which thy sonne our Lord GOD and high Priest Iesus Christ offereth for the sinnes of his brethren and be fauourable to the multitude of our wickednesse Idem REmember nowe oh Man and although thou knowest thy self to be created of nothing yet notwithstandyng thou hast to acknowledge that thou art not redeemed for or by nothing The Creator Redeemer and Sauiour in sixe dayes made all thinges and thre amongst all thinges but in thirtie yeere space that is to say In his liue time vppon earth dyd he woorke thy saluation Oh what paynes hath he endured then for thy sake Ponishe not thy people Lord God in thy greeuance Thincke why thy sonne Christe suffered his passion The crowne of thorne the crosse and Longeus launce Vouchsafe accept our harty gratulation Rewyng vpon our sinfull conuersation Plant in our hartes such reuerent regard Towardes thy good graces by due consideration In suffring for thy sake may thinke nothing to hard ¶ FINIS Of the Contemplacion for FRYDAY ¶ THE AVCTORS Commemoration for SATVRSDAY Here thinke to eschew the hellishe payn For such as in vyle sinne remayne The Translators Application The same good God now bids the Earth of creatures in eche kinde To yeeld increase as Cattell VVoorme and Beastes by him assnde Man then after his image made him rule he gaue and sway Creating woman a comfort to him with mutuall stay Amids these pleasures mortall man Shun hellysh paynes all that thou can IOHM CAP. 1. ALL thinges are by him made and without him is nothing made 1. IOHN CAP. 3. HEareby knowe wee the loue of God towardes vs because he hath geuen his life for vs. IOHN CAP. 13. NO man hath greater loue in him then he that woulde geue his life for his freendes BERNARDVS OF trueth sweete Iesus thou hast hadde greater loue whiche hast geuen thy lyfe euen for thy persecuting enemies 1. CORINTH CAP. 6. FOR you are bought with a great price TITVS CAP. 3. NOT according to the woorkes of righteousnesse which we haue done but accordyng to his mercie hath he saued vs. APOCALIPS CAP. 11. THY wrath is come and the time of the dead to be iudged and to render a reward aswell vnto thy seruantes the prophetes as to thy holy ones to those that feare thy name small and great and to destroy those whiche haue corrupted thy land PSALM 104. THOV haste made all thinges in wysedome PSALME 7. GOD is a iust Iudge strong and pacient MATTH CAP. 15. DEpart from me ye cursed into euerlasting fyre whiche is prepared for the deuil and his angels Sequitur AND they shall goe to euerlastyng pounishment IOB CAP. 7. WHo so shall happen to descend vnto hel shall not ascende vnto the heauens AVCTOR Herevpon a certayn Gentile hath this sentence If I had a hundred tongues and as many mouthes and a voyce as strong as Iron I could not comprehend to declare al the kindes of mischeefes and for the pounishmentes thervnto due they are so many that I might rather seeme to passe the names of them with scilence then to resite them at full DEVTERONO CAP. 32. I Wyll heape mischeefes vpon their heades that is to lay all kindes of tormentes and I wyll fulfyll the number of my arrowes of displeasure vpon them ECCLESIASTI CAP. 29. FYre Tempest Famine and Death all these are ordeyned for a reuenge of the Lord against the vngodly PSALME 11. IT raigneth snares vppon sinners
9. YOV shall serue strange goddes whiche shall not suffer you to take any rest nyght nor day SAPIENCE CAP 4. AND there shal be after these thinges seene those that shall slide away without â—onor and liue in reproches amongst the â—ead for euer and they shal be laid waste euen â—â—to the very last man. GREGORIVS in moribus THE pounishment is by the ordinance of God distinguished according to the meaâ—â—re of the fault committed â—el is a hole of horrible darknes VVhere light is languorus and nothing delectable â—Vhich sorowfull sight causeth cares to increase From feendish figures foule and terrible â—Vhose tragedie to tell no tongue may be able So restles is the rage thereof most vnquiet â—Vith al mischiefe abounding wretched miserable â–ª In soule and body theyr paynes are so complete ECCLESIASTI CAP. 13. THERE is most wicked pouertie in the mouth of the vngodly IOB CAP. 2. HE shall cast vp agayne the wealth and ritches that he hath swalowed vp and deuoured PSALME 99. THey shall leaue their ritches for strangers to posses APOCALIPS CAP. 18. WIthin one houre are they bereaued of such substance PROVERBES CAP. 11. THeir ritches shall not auayle the wicked in the day of vengeance he that trusteth in them shall haue a fall IOB CAP. 2. ALL sorowe violently russheth in there vpon him SENECA THere is no other man more acceptable vnto GOD then he that contempneth worldly ritches BOECIVS de consolatum OH foolish blessednesse happening vnto man by brittle wealth which when hee hath gotten hee then becommeth secure and careles therein IOB CAP. 2. AND there shall a fire consume them which shall not cast any light Isidorus de summo bono THE fyre of hell shall both geue light vnto the augmentation of the payne for the wretched soules to the end they may see that shal be to their sorowe and also shall not geue light to their comfort because they shall not see that may be to ther ioy ESAI CAP. 9. THE people shal be as the foode of fyre Gregorios in Dialogo THE wicked haue death in hell that shall neuer dye want without want ende without end because death there is immortall penurie neuer fayling and the ende of their paines infinite PSALME 28. EVilles haue compassed me rounde about whereof I am not able to resite the number In hell of flaming fyre is horrible heate VVhich fire without fayle or distance shall endure Greeuously tormenting with furie to freate Both body and soule in payne passing measure O liuing death euerlasting in languor O deadly lyfe of endles mortalitie Sowssed in sadnes and sorowe euermore Should not man than restraine from all peruersitie DEVTERONO CAP. 28. GOD shall strike thee with neede or penurie sicknesse and colde with heate and drought with corrupt ayre and with rust of the earth ESAI CAP. 33. WHich of you shal be able to dwell where the deuouring fyre hath his force PSALME 94. BVT yet shalt thou consider before thyne eyes and shalt see the reward that shal be geuen sinners I wyll remember and beare in mind these thinges and my spirite waxeth faint therefore ECCLESIAST CAP. 1. MY sonne remember thy ende and thou shalt not sinne for euer PSALME 90. BEcause a thousand yeeres are before thine eyes as yesterday which is passed IEREMI CAP. 17. THou shalt be cast out also from the heritage that I gaue thee and I wyll subdue thee vnder the heauie bondage of thyne enemies in a land that ye know not for ye haue ministred fyre to myne indignation which shall burne euermore PROSPERVS IN this present life temporall pleasures are counted sweete and troubles are coumpted bitter but who is he that despiseth not the voluptuousnesse of this worlde thirsting or longing after the felicitie of the life euerlasting or who would not willingly drinke the cup of tribulation for Christe in this world fearing the euerduring torment of the fyre in hell Robertus in quali IF it be a tedious thing for the healthfull man to lye waltering in his bed all day and all night long and in the softnesse thereof to wallowe him selfe at wyll so vnto a young dissolute person it happeneth likewyse a thing ircksome to keepe company long tyme with fayre Women These and suche other like which were woont to be doone for sport and pleasure doo with continuall vse thereof bring lothsomenes Alacke therefore why do such sinners slumber in sinne why rather doo they not awake and why doo they not consider before that horrible tormentes in hell are prepared for them which shall endure a thousand thousand yeres after yea for euerlasting Man in thy mind make a resemblance Of furious fyre and paynes infernall VVhich are enduring without distance Forget not the tormentes thereof eternall But deepely print them in thy memoriall So shalt thou eschewe all snares of sinne And inconuenience by vice preiudiciall VVhich is more greeuous then man may esteeme HIERONIMVS ad Palma AND thincke we then brethren that the power of God haue foreshewed vs these thinges in sport or that the Apostlâ—s haue told vs of these things in a laughing mâ—ode that the iudgâ—ment of the deuine Maiestie is newly begun and determined without discretion But these are no sporting plaies when paynes doo passe herevpon yf they haue suffered pounishment in midst of their ioy they are yet notwithstandyng beleeued of vs to haue spoken these thinges but in iest and not in earnest ESAIAS SAra was sawen in peeces Danyel was throwen amongst the Lyons Paul was beheaded with the swoord Peter was hanged vppon the Crosse after the same manner that Christe was and all this tendeth to that ende that with their doctrine and good lyfe they might reuoke and withdrawe vs from our sinnes AVCTOR WHerefore sayth the sayde Robart Oh wicked oh peruerse oh deceitfull and oh deuelishe cogitation of them which doo esteeme and suppose that there is no hel at all Oh thou hard and stony molded soule oh thou bewitched oh thou vicious soule what dooest thou or whyther wandrest thou why dooest thou make such haste to hell wardes wheras thou shalt liue most miserable for euer Nowe therfore returne thou vnto the Lord thy God which shal deliuer thee â–ª and graunt thee both grace and glory in Heauen Thincke wee the Prophetes spent their time in sport Or the Apostles shewing infernall payne The people from their sinnes for to exhort Theit wayghty woords we should not take in vaine VVhich were content of tyrantes to be slaine To obteyne Heauen and hellish payne eschewe Their fayth in Christe so firme was and certayne By their examples let vs our life renewe ISIDORVS POâ—der well in thy mind what so euer sorowes or vexations of torments are ordeyned for sinners what so euer pounishmentes of this world or els whatsoeuer bitter gripes of sorowes assayle thee yf thou comparest such like altogeather vnto the state of hell all that thou sufferest shall seeme light and easie vnto thee BERNARDVS FEare to breake the
regard vnto very small thinges They take more care howe to keepe and cherishe their diseased corrupt body then howe to foster and cherish the precious soule Yea they are more carefull howe to batten and â—eede the flesh with fatnesse and good likyng but the kirnell of the soule or the hart of the spirituall man they doo oftentimes destroy Idem super Cantica THey surely that are not diligent in their vocations as men ought to be are partakers of the deuils them selues in their trauayles HIERONIMVS THere can be no labour deemed tedious neither any time seeme long vnto vs wherein the euerlasting glory is obteyned AVGVSTINVS NO doubt sinners doo dayly heare the scriptures promising as well vnto those that loue God the most blessed graces of his good prouidence and contrariwyse they heare the scriptures which doo threaten vnto such as care not for GOD the plagues and pounishmentes by him for them ordeyned And yet geue they no regard therevnto neyther wyllingly do they heare God thus speaking vnto them when he gently entreateth them nor when he seuerely threatneth them but rather doo resist him with their euyll and wicked dooinges PSALME 49. THE wyse man also as well as the foole shall goe to the graue LEOPOLDVS MEN doo more wyllingly toyle them selues for the desire they haue vnto pleasure then for the loue that they beare to vertue Most men are naturally geuen to be feareful and timerus in paines taking in sustayning troubles pouertie and other daungers wherewith humane kind was wonte to be molested But yf they were wyse in deede and vnderstoode the excessiue calamities ordeyneâ— for sinners without ende they woulde then be farre more fearefull to offend in this lyfe IOB CAP. 6. THey that feare a frost vpon them shall haue a snowe come to them Sythen wee see in sicknesse corporall Health to recouer and death for to decline Men wyll absteyne from lustes sensuall And their desyres submit to medecine All for this frayle flesh that runneth to ruine How much more should eche man with busy cure Seeke for the soules health repentyng in time VVherby he may obteyne such ioyes as shalendure 1. THESSALO CAP. 5. WHen they shall say Peace and security is with vs then by and by shall a sodayne destruction come vppon them as the pange of a woman trauayling with chylde and they shall not escape away ECGLESIASTI CAP. 5. MAke thou no tarying to turne vnto the Lorde and prolong not of from day to day for sodaynely shall his wrath come and in time of reuenge he shall destroy thee ESAI CAP. 18. FOr you haue said We haue made a league with death and with hell we haue made a couenant GALATH. CAP. 6. BE you not deceaued in your owne dooinges God is not mocked withall what thing so euer a man shall sowe the same shall he also reape agayne IEREMI CAP. 8. THey haue rather chosen death then lyfe· PSALME 69. THey haue drawen neare euen vnto the gates of death Idem THere is a most vyle death ordayned for sinners ECCLESIASTI 7. REmember to dye because death wyll not tary long BERNARDVS I Tremble and quake for feare of the iawes of the infernall beast yea tylâ— I be deliuered from the body of hell from the roaring feendes prepared to their meate Alacke oh my mother why hast thou conceyued me the child of sorowe the childe of bitter bale indignation euâ—rlasting lamentation Why was I lâ—lled in thy lappe why was I fostered with thy dugges I was borne the meate for woormes and foode of the fyre IACOB CAP. 4. YOur laughter shâ—ll turne into mournyng and your ioy into sorowe APOCAL. CAP. 18. SO much as he hath vaunted and reioyced him selfe in his ritches so much torment and mournyng let him haue administred vnto him DEVTERONO CAP. 25. THere shal be a certayne prescribed rate of pounishment according to the measure of the offence that euery man hath done BERNARDVS BReethren let vs be enflamed to repentance let vs examine our consciences and let vs be encouraged to take reuenge of our selus by repentaÌ„ce to the end we may be able to escape the horrible iudgement of y liuing God. Slombring in sinne some dreame security VVithout feare or forecast of infernall afliction Neglecting repentance in this lyfe transitory That they feare nothing the due correction Ordeyned for sinne by deuine direction As those that are not carefull harmes to eschewe Suche feele the sentence of all malediction VVhen repentance come to late their sorowes to rescewe IEREMI CAP. 3. WHY dooest thou cry out so vppon the contrition of thy soule thy sorowe is incurable by reason of the multitude of thine iniquities and because of thy greeuous sins haue I done this sayth the Lord. HIERONIMVS THE moderacion of Gods displeasure the duetie of godlinesse seeketh onely for our returne and desyreth that we may be saâ—ed by this long forbearance of his goodnes If we wyll not be conuerted yf we be stiffâ— necked and yf we continewe still in our syns vnlawfully euen tyll our death Let vs trust vnto it God wyl not shewe mercie vnto those that continually perseuer in their sinnes BERNARDVS I Tremble to thincke vppon the gnawyng woorme and the death that neuer dyeth I shiuer and quake euery ioynt of me to fall into the handes of that death that endureth and of that lâ—fe that dyeth GREGORIVS THE wâ—cked shall dye the death euerlastyng PROSPER IF at that instant when a man purposeth to sinne he would with diligent mind consider what pounishment claymeth to be done towards those that are taken in trappe for their mischeefts what torment shoulde vexe the conuict soules what feare would shake their members and ioynts in euery part and what wanne and pale colour would dumpe theyr hauty countenances and finally how execrable reproche and ignominie it selfe the sentence denounced vnto suche sinners woulde duely reâ—der I knowe not whether he would take any such delight or frame him selfe vnto such vices and wickednes yea or no. MATTH CAP. 21. BEholde the Bridegrome commeth and they that were prepared to wayte vppon the Bridegrome went in with him vnto the wedding Vnde Gregorius IF thou oh wicked man wert wyse and diddest vnderstand what ioye this were thou wouldest oftentimes consider herevpon and speedely run to repentance neither wouldest thou lose or forgoe the acceptable time and the dayes of thy saluation through thy banquetting dayly ryot and idlenesse without profiting body or soule IEREMI CAP. 9. WHO shall geue water vnto my head a fountaine of teares vnto my eyes that I may weepe night and day when I behold the children of the people committed to my charge IVDITH CAP. 8. LET vs craue his pardon with teares AVGVSTINVS THE iustice of the Omnipotent hauing foreknowledge of thinges to come let ordeyne to be made the fyre of hell euen from the first creation of the world He whiche is of his owne mercifull goodnes contrary to this fire who is enflamed with loue of
the heauenly God he is the fire whiche is neuer extinguished neither is he with mans loue consumed nor with wood noryshed BERNARDVS WHat is more horrible to thinke vpon then death what is more feareful â–ª then iudgement what more intollerable then the paiâ—es of hell fyre what more ioyfull then the glory of Heauen c. VVith this foresayd action I reade right ernestfull Repentantly into thy hart imprint Lhy state with teares bemone as most wofull VVith contrite hart doo now thy sinnes lament And wheretofore euyll custome by consent Of selfewyll dyd cause wickednesse abound Let hencefoorth grace amend thy lyfe present That lyfe to come with ioyes may thee redound ¶ FINIS Of the Contemplacion for SATVRSDAY ¶ THE AVCTORS Commemoration for SONDAY Remember here the ioyes of Heauen The principall blisfull state of seuen The Translators Application Thalmighty woorkeman ended now hiâ— worke which he dyd frame â–ª Resting from woorke he blest this day and sanctified the same As one that greatly dyd reioyce to see all thinges so well VVith glory infinite he restes where Saintes and Angels dwell This Sabbothes rest to keeps let vs. To enioy Heauens ioyes most precious AVGVSTINVS MAN dooth not comprehend in faith or beleeue what God hath prepared for them that loue him neither is it a thing that can be hoped sufficient nor desired as it ought to be yet may it be obteyned but it can be sufficiently esteemed valued or deemed according to the due value thereof PSALME 132. HOW dearely beloued thy tabernacles of vertues are Oh Lorde my soule hath desiered to knowe within thy Courtes and yet hath it fayled thereof MATTH CAP. 25. ENter thoâ— into the ioy of thy Lord. AVGVSTINE EVery man is made blessed in the country of the heauenly kingdome as well within doores as without within that is to say in the contemplacâ—on of the diuinitie of the Creator without to say in the incarnation and beholdyng in Heauen his Sauiour PSALME 84. BLessed are they which dwell in thy house oh Lorde they shall praise thee worlde without end PSALME 49. THere are glorius sayings of thee oh thou Citie of God. Idem O Lorde I haue loued the beautie of thy house and the place of thy habitation THOBIA CAP. 13. BLessed shall I be yf the rest of my seede might hereafter see the bright clearenesse of the Citie Hierusalem The gates of Hierusalem are builded of the Saphir and Smaragd stone and of diuers precious stones yea of precious stones is the compasse of the walles thereof APOCALIPS CAP. 21. THe heauenly Hierusalem hath the walles thereof in measure an hundred and foure and fourty cubites after the measure of man which is of the angel that measured the same hauing twelue foundacions that is to say all beautified with eache kinde of most precious stones And the first fundacion was of Iasper stone the second of Saphire the third of Calcedony the fourth of Emerald the fifth of Sardonix the sixth of Sardius the seuenth of Crysolity the eight of Berill the ninth of Topas the tenth of Crysophrasus the eleuenth of Iacinth and the twelfth and last fundacion of an Amethist Sequitur AND the streetes of the Citie resembled a golden world shining clearly as bright as glasse And the Temple thereof dyd I not see for the Lorde God euen the Almighty he is the Temple thereof and the Lambe And the Citie neyther wanted Sunne nor Moone to geue light therein for the beauty of the liuing God hath illuminated the same and the light thereof is the Lambe And the gates thereof are nâ—t shutt by day time for there shall no night be seene there And thyther shall they bring glory and honor out of the Nacions There shall nothing that is deâ—owled enter in therat neither any thing that woorcketh abomination or maketh leasings but such as are written in the booke of the life of the Lambe Augusti â–ª in confessi THere is a ioy that is not geuen vnto the wicked ones but vnto those thankful ones whiche honor thee whose ioy thou thy selfe art Ther is perfection and flowre of al fairenes VVhere simplest stuffe is gold and precious stone There is finall felicitie euermore faultles VVhose pleasures there surpasse all mencion There Christe our king for the saluacion Of those that liue in his feare and him loue Caelestiall ioyes preparde hath many a one For ay to dure in glorious Heauen aboue ESAI CAP. 32. MY people shal rest them in the Tabernacle of faithfulnesse in the beautiful court of peace ESAI CAP. 9. AND there shal be none end of peace August de ciuitate dei OH heauenly house of Hierusalem whiche art ful of light vnto thee breatheth my peregrination that he might possesse me in thee which hath made both thee and me AVGVSTINVS ETernall blessednesse consisteth in two pointes to say in the necessarie absence of all euyl and in the necessarie presence of al good If we aske what good there is at all to be found otherwyse it may not be answered but what so euer good thing may be is there to be found and what so euer euyl there is or may be in any place is not at al to be found there PSALM 84. ONE day in thy Courtes is better then a thousand Idem A Thousand yeeres are in thy sight but as one day GREGORIVS FOR who would loue that which he knoweth not wherevpon the Psalmist admonisheth vs saying Taste and see how sweete the Lord is And yf he manifestly declare his sweetenes yet you knowe him not because you haue not tasted of him AVGVSTINE SVch is the beauty of Iustice so much is the pleasauntnes of eternall light that although we had but one day and no longer limitted vs to tarry there euen for this cause only yf there were none other might in-numerable yeeres of this life be despised which are passed full of delightes in the abundance of temporal wealth and that but of right and with iust cause CHRISOSTOMVS PRosperity the Stepdame of vertues from the fyrst beginning of the world hath been proffering vnto her guestes sweete things to drincke that when men haue been drunke with the dregges of her wine she might entermingle them her deadly poyson therewith VVho would be carefull with deuoute diligence Digestly to thincke on the ioyes celestiall Might well discerne by true intelligence That worldly pleasure is of price but small VVhich as deceitfull would nought esteeme at all VVhen he dooth behold with great security That precious Pallace and place imperiall Ordeyned for Christes elect eternally SAPIENCE CAP 3. VNhappy and voyde is the hope of them their labours are without fruite but glorious is the fruites of the labours of the good men AVGVSTINE WHat madnes of soules is that to lose life and take death to gett wealth and lose heauen CHRISOSTOME IT is better to be compared vnto the brute Cattell then continually to be borne into this world For naturally to be boyde of reason is a thyng intollerable but
for a man that shoulde be adorned with reason to liue without reason is and may be wel counted a trespassing life PSALME 49. MAN being in honor hath none vnderstanding but is compared vnto the brute beastâ—s yea vnto the vnwyse and is made like vnto them c. GREGORIVS THE carnall delectation darkeneth and obscureth so that mind which she doth infect that she can not see the clearenesse of the true light but therevpon is more deuilishly delighted so as thencefoorth she suffereth fierie flame euen ascending vpward HIERONIMVS WE all are geuen to be wary in least matters and negligent in greatest thinges Isidorus de summo bono BEcause thou wouldest be such one that no earthly thing delighteth thee at all beleeue me thou shalt see euen at the same moment of time that thing which thou desirest GREGORIVS IF we would consider what and how great benefites these be which are promised vs in the heauens we should thinke in our mindes that all thinges are vyle and base whiche wee enioy vppon earth for the earthy substance being compared vnto the heauenly felicitie is a burden heauy for vs to beare and not a treasure to enioy The temporall lyfe being compared vnto the life eternall is rather to be called death then lyfe for that same dayly diseaze of corrupt nature what other thing els is it then a certaine proloxitie or circumstaunce of death IOHN CAP. 6 THere shall no man take away your ioy from you BERNARDVS OH thou house of God the Citie of the great kyng what woonderful ioyes are there in thee howe much and what great gladnesse how blessed are thy inhabitantes VVhen men to things temporall doo beare affection They least esteeme of euerduring blisse VVherevpon in nature ryseth such corruption That oft who on earth most prosperous is Of the heauenly beautitude most of all mis Their carnall lust a bondage dooth become To them selues who then would consider of this For transitorie pleasure should eternall paines shone PSALME 101. I Wyll sing of mercy and trueth vnto thee oh Lord. PSALME â—8 FOR what is there for me in heauen and what would I haue of thee vpon earth I am delighted in the way of thy testimonies as in all my ritches my hart hath refused to be comforted in worldly thinges Sequitur I Haue been mindfull of my God and I am comforted PSALME 76. THY consolacious oh Lorde haue made my soule glad BERNARDVS FOR vnto the image and similitude oâ— God is euâ—ry reasonable soule made It may be better exercised then all other creatures but in very deede it can not be satisfyed at all PSALME 34. I Shall be satisfyed when thy glory shall appeare AVGVSTINVS THE soule that is entrenched with the flowres of vertues and with the deawe of heauenly grace is called the Paradise of the Lorde GREGORIVS THE vâ—permost trenche possesseth the soule when she is afflitted with the desire of the heauenly kingdome euen with salte teares but the neathermost trenche doth she enioy when she throughly feareth by her sorowe and teares the tormentes of the pitt of hell Secundus Bonauentura FOR our naturall bodyes are compaâ—t of foure Elementes wherevpon with foure fould qualities shall they be remunerate for the Earthy Elament shal be turned to eternall immortalitie the Watry Elament into al maner of vnabilitie in suffering the Ayrie Elament into a speciall agillity or swiftnes and the Fyry Elament into most bright clearenes And then shall these shine as the Sunne and as the sparckes out of a flaming Furnace shall they disperse them selues abrode because the Lorde shall wipe away all sorowe from their eyes AVGVSTINE WHere so euer the spirite desireth to be then there altogeather shall the body be also c. VVe shall in the heauens of God haue inspection In soule and body endowred with dignity Yea and in this bodyly shape shall we haue cognition Eche one of other before Gods great maiesty VVhen as thus glorified in soule and eke in body Such ioyes shall we taste and endles consolation That in the midst our sauiour triumphing with victory VVe shall shine seuen times more dearer then the son VINCENCIVS AND there is a fruition of blisse whiche shall endure for euer and that in diuers maner not vpon the behalfe of euery perticuler soule which shall enioy the same but on the behalfe of such as shal posses them soules for the blesâ—ed and elect of God howe muche the more perfectly they are enobled with the light of glory and by the same ilâ—ustration or noblenesse the more conformable made So muche the more sharpe contemplacion haue they of the deuine essence and in the same contemplacion the more are they delighted 1. CORINTH CAP. 15. THere is one light of the Sunne an other light of the Moone and an other lyght of the Starres but euery Starre differeth in hrightnesse eche from other and so shall the resurrection of the dead differ one soule from an other AVGVSTINVS NO inferior shall enuie his superior euen as now no other angel inferior doo not enuie their superior in heauen for some one shall haue a larger gift of blessing and some other a lesse So as notwithstanding what so euer gyft eyther of them haue in the blisfull state of heauenly ioy he shall hold him selfe content therewith and shal not at any tyme wyshe or desyre for more c. GREGORIVS LEt therfore the greatnes of the rewards â–ª layd vp for thee in heauen encourage tâ—y â—oule but let not the force of the conflict in Christes fayth terrifie thee for no one man shal be câ—owned with the gaâ—lâ—nd of victory but he that hath rightfully â—ought it out to the vttermost BERNARDVS THat is y alone true and only ioy which is not conceaued of the Creature but of the Creator whiche when a man possesseth there is no man shal take the same away â—roÌ„ him Whereunto yf we compare all other sweetenesse the same may be coâ—mpted to a mindful pâ—rson al sweetenes a sorrâ—we euery bitâ—er thing sweete euery comely thing filthy and finaâ—ly whatsoeuer other may seeme to delight vs the same in deede is but greeuous and intollerable PAVLVS I Desire to be dissolued and to be with Christe ORIGEN ALL my comforters seeme vnto me â—eâ—ious and burdensome They vexâ— me but comfort me not I seeke for my Creator and it is greefe to me to behold euery Creature PSALME 56. THis is my rest for euer and euer wyll I dwell here because I haue chosen the same Nathles in respect of that eternall glory All worldly ioy is but fond ianglyng And beauty braue is but deformity Sweete thinges are sowre myrth very mournyng Or what so euer other delectable thyng All is reâ—uted but payne in comparison And worldly wealth is very vomentyng In respect of heauenly store of graces many one AVGVSTINVS COnsider wel thou faythful soule what inestimabâ—e honor it shal be for thee to be crowned of the cheefe King of Kinges with his owne handes and to