Giue me one houres respite Then his workes as if speaking together shall answer him and say Thou madest vs we are thy workes we will not leaue thee but abide euer with thee and attend on thee to thy iudgement his vices also with diuers and manifold criminacions shall accuse him and shall finde many false testimonies against him albeit one were sufficient to condemne him Nay the diuels with a terrible countenance a dreadfull aspect shall terrifie his soule persecuting her with implacable furie seazing on her so terriblie and so horriblie as they seeme willing to detaine and take possession of her if there were none to deliuer her Then the soule finding her eyes shut her mouth all other sences corporal by which she vsed to be delighted in these outward things stopped shall returne to her selfe where seeing her selfe desolate naked shee shall be exceedingly amazed languishing through despaire in her self falling below her selfe And because shee relinquished the loue of God for the loue of this world and the satisfying the pleasures of the flesh shal be miserably forsakē of God in that hower of necessitie and shall be deliuered ouer to the diuels to bee tormented in hell So shall the sinfull soule in the day which shee knoweth not and in the hower of which shee is ignoant bee taken away by death separated from her body whence shee goeth on full of miserie anguish and feare where hauing no excuse which shee can iustly shew for her sinne shee pineth languisheth and growes afraid to appeare before God shee is surprised with great horror and tossed with the sundry billowes of discomforting passions the dissolution of the flesh enforcing her and all meanes of assistant comforts leauing her shee considers her end appproching and after a little reuoluing shee findes that in this perpetuall state to which shee hastens there is no changing shee plainely considers with what seuerity the eternall Iudge will come and before the seuerity of such iustice what reasons can shee produce to quallifie his iustice for if all the workes which shee may consider in her selfe either committed or omitted had bin by her auoided yet shee is in feare there will such workes come before the terrible Iudge which she neuer apprehended her feare encreaseth when shee conceaueth how shee could in no wise passe the waies of this life without sinne nor that parte of her life which seemed most praise worthie could be exempted of guilt without recourse had to Gods mercie For who can duely consider or exactly number the euils wee haue committed in euery moment or what workes wee haue neglected for as sinne is the committing of euill so is sinne the forsaking of what is good A great depriuall of sanctitie sure when wee neither doe good nor thinke that is good but permit our hearts to wander by vaine and vnprofitable things It is to difficult a thing to restraine thy heart and preserue it from euery vnlawfull thought It is also a matter of too great difficultie to imploy our selues in terrene affaires without sin Wherefore I conclude that none can perfectly comprehend and iudge himselfe but being occupied with many cogitations hee must of necessity remaine in something ignorant to himselfe as not knowing what hee doth altogether tolerate in himselfe wherefore neare his end hee is terrified with a more serious and retired feare because that albeit hee neuer remembers himselfe to haue omitted anything which hee knew yet hee fears himselfe to haue neglected many things which he knew not A Meditation of the short life of man extracted out of the deuout and zealous meditations of that mellifluous Father Saint Barnard THe daies of man are as a shadowe vppon earth there is noe stay for where wee seeme to stand it is in effect nothing Why therefore doth man so heape vp treasure vpon earth sith hee must passe without delay both that which is gathered and hee that gathereth it And thou O man what fruit dost thou expect in this world whose fruit is destruction and whose end is death I wish thou wouldest bee wise and vnderstand and discreetely prouide for the day to come I know one who for many yeres hath liued familiarly with thee hath sitten at thy table taken meate from thy hand slept in thy bosom hath conferred with thee when so ere hee would being thy seruant by way of inheritance But because thou hast pampered him delicately from his youth vp and hast spared the rod hee is become stif-necked hee hath lifted vp his heele against thy head and hath brought thee into slauery and tyrannically triumphs ouer thee Peraduenture thou wilt aske mee who this is It is the old man who treadeth vnderfoote thy spirit who little or nothing esteemes the desires of this earth because it tasteth of nothing but the distasts of the flesh This man was blinde deafe dombe inueterate in euill from his natiuity a rebell to vertue truth an enemy to the Crosse of Christ deriding the inocent simple man walking in great and wonderfull waies far aboue his apprehension or conceipt His pride exceedes his strength hee reuerendeth none saying in the foolishnes of his heart there is no God Hee repineth at the prosperity of others hee fattens himselfe with the aduersity of others hee is fed with beastly and sensuall cogitations nor is he wearied with them transgressing securely euen to the end hee consumeth and scattereth his owne estate like a prodigall hee desireth and deuoureth other mens estates like a couetous miser vnder pretence of dissimulation hee gathereth to himselfe shame and ignominie and subtilely prouoketh the wrath of God This man was wholy borne in sinne and so nourished and brought vp with the fiends of iniquity the children of death vessels of wrath created for dishonour and perdition And yet this man being such as you heare declareth the iudgements of God and taketh the testament of his word into his mouth hee hateth instruction hee casteth God behind his backe when hee sees a thiefe hee runs with him and deuideth his portion among adulterers hee asperceth reproch vpon the childe of his owne mother and heapeth vp the treasure of ire against the day of wrath vpon himselfe hee would gladly take thy inheritance from thee and quite roote thee from of the earth And thou reuengest not so great an iniury done against thee but dissemblest it thou speakest not one hard word vnto him nor shewest any discontent in thy countenance but smilest at him flattering thee playing with a deceiuer Thou art ignorant how it is Ismael that dallies with thee Nor is this play of his to bee imputed to childishnes simplicity or innocencie for it is the very illusion of the soule persecution death throwing thee headlong into the ditch hee had made for thee Now art thou become altogeather effeminate now art thou pressed downe with the yoake of most miserable bondage being trod vnder his feete miserablely and vildly O wreched miserable man who
quires of Angels being incorporated in the glorious society of all those heaunly Cittizens which raigne with me eternally There shalt thou haue for these poore rags Garments that shall neuer be worne There thou shalt feede on spirituall Manna and Mella there shall be no hunger but eternall feasting no sorrow but perpetuall reioycing no discord but mindes generally vniting where fulnesse shall not breede lothing nor others glorie in thee repining nor lights perpetuitie obscuring nor times eternitie ending for there will I be all vnto all to shew my glory more euidently towards all Thus will that father of all comfort comfort thee with his diuine consolations thus will he in the very middest of thy anguishes miraculously infuse instill into thy distressed soule these the like spirituall refections he will annoint thee with the oyle of Gilead put vpon thee a new raiment and on thy finger will he put a ring of pure Gold with the seale of Armes on it with the seale of thy election predestined to eternall life O meditate of this and the like diuine comforts and the perturbations billowes and afflictions of this life will be lightly esteemed in comparison of that exceeding measure and quantity aboue all measure of spirituall Treasures reserued for thee in heauen Alasse thou liuest here that I may vse the Greeke phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In the very penetrals and cauernes of the earth farre remoued from thy centre farre transplanted from thy natiue Countrie O then be not so enthralled with this masse of corruption so captiuated by sinne and Sathan so deluded by the vaine flourishes of earths vanities eleuate thy spirit erect thy minde liue not so long in this dangerous Clymate as thou forget to returne into thy Countrie Thou hast an excellent motiue poore hunger-starued soule not to desire thy abode or residence vpon earth sith thou feelest within thee nought but biting hunger and without thee nought but hard hearts that consume their daies in chambering and wantonnesse in securitie and carelesnesse respectlesse heauen knowes of their chiefest good the aduancement of Gods glorie the feare of his name reuerence to his ministers or any worke which might tend to the edification of faith or manners Hinc illae lachrimae hence comes our cause of lamenting hence the true and efficient motiues of sorrowing But thou pore man that art sequestred as it were out of the world not as much as obserued with the eie of popular respect seeing thy owne contempt of one side and the impiety of this enormious Age of the other side hast reason with Paul not onely to desire thy dissolution but euen in the meditation of it to conceaue especiall comfort and delight For the world what is it But a cage of vncleane Birds a masse of indigestion an indisposed frame of pollution a sink of corruption True was it that that Dominican Frier obserued There was in the world at the first saith he conscientia but that was altered presently and turned to scientia and that too by the foolish stupidity of these times is changed into mere Entia a poore Being indeed when we know not the essentiall cause of our Being but ledde away with either singular conceipt of our ignorant knowledge or besotted with the present obiects presented and represented to vs which so auert and distract the intellectuall eye of our vnderstanding or so enthralled and engaged as it were to priuate profit like the worldly statist or with the itch of honour like the Ambitious Artist or with the dispersing of our victories in forraine prouinces with the insulting Martialist that we forget for a little worldly gaine the Gayne and treasure of Eternitie for a puffe or blast of vaine glory or ambitious honour the Honour of God and sacred ministers for a soone perishing fame the fame and reputation which wee ought to purchase of our heauenly father Deere pilgrim thou seest these transitorie and temporarie delights how soone they fade how short their continuance is for thou canst see further then one in higher place can see We make the Argument infallible for demonstration proues it a man may see more piercingly into the beauty of the firmament within some hollow place or pit then he can vpon the euen superficies of the earth Thou art placed in this pit retired from the world inferiour in order bereft of the cloude of honour nay exempted of all inconueniences which might any way seeme to darken the eye of thy vnderstanding here thou seest the piecolored flagges of vanity displaied the poore Ostrich robbed of her taile to fanne a Ladies face The sillie wormes disbowelled to cloath a case of corruption with a silken couer Nec atriora sane vidimus peccata quam ea quae sunt sericea Silken sins goe with a priuiledge they haue a good couer for deformiti this I know simple soule thou seest and admirest Then thou goes further and thou sees seeming sanctitie put on the roabes of holinesse furnisht with a little lippe labour to mumble a few key cold deuotion-lesse prayers making his lippes goe as if possessed with some spirit as indeed he is for no spirit more execrable then hypocrisie there thou seest halting instice a Magistrate that goes on stilts to saue his footecloth hee ouerperes a whole multitude but taking so great paines vpon his artificiall legges he must be annointed there 's no remedy hee will grow stiffe else it is a golden potion must restore him his sence of hearing which was welnigh perished applie but this receipt to his pulse and the vertue is admirable it s better then Eare-salue it will restore him the faculty of hearing instantlie There thou seest a great patron of iniuries that has erected two Sanctuaries dedicated to two contrary Soueraignesses Vertue and Vice Vertue for her name Vice for her Nature many such professors of vertue poore beggar I know thou findest that can make externall show or appearance of vertue but hath vice to be vertues riuall vertues building is easie to be discerned there 's no superficiall cost to beautifie her Temple shee hath a good inside and a bare outside vice her opponent boasts and truely so shee may of curious edifices rare deuises monuments of more honour and celebritie then poore vertue and all her posterity euer attained to in the one the worlds map is rightly charactred in the other there is representation of a more glorious pallace But I will proceed further they haue beene characterised too often to bee now vnknowne Now thou hast seene all this poore pilgrim ragged vertue and roabed vice thou canst not be deceaued in their Colors The purple whore is easie to be discerned me thinkes thou should glorie much in thy ragges seeing vertue no better clad one better habilimented with rents then rints God hath done well for thee to giue thee so faire a patterne to imitate nor is it disparagement to be her attendant with thine owne Garment without adorning thy outside to
King and yet reproched by his most despicable seruants treading vpon Crownes and yet his Crowne is a vexation vnto him wounding his beautifull head with a thousand pricks hee is clothed with roiall purple but in it hee is rather despised then honoured hee caries a Scepter in his hand but with it his reuerend head is wounded they worshippe him with bended knees and call him King but presently they besmere his amiable face with spitting dishonouring his cheekes and venerable aspect with their fists See O my soule how this man is afflicted and contemned of all sides Hee bowes himselfe vnder the burthen of his Crosse bearing that ignominie which was proper vnto thee where being brought vnto the place of execution his thirst is quenched with mirrhe and vineger vpon the Crosse saying Father pardon c. What kinde of man is this who in all his sufferings doth not once open his mouth or vtter one word of complaint or excuse or of threat or of curse against those reuiling doggs but concludes with such mild wordes of blessing as haue not bin heard before O my soule when hast thou seene any one more mercifull what can be more curteous then this man Behold him with more attention how worthy he is of admiration and most tender compassion Looke at him naked and torne with whips betwixt two theeues ignominiously nailed vpon the Crosse quenching his thirst with vinegar and after his death wounded in the side with a speare sending out plentifull riuers of blood from those woundes in his handes feete and side O my eies abound with teares and O my soule bee thou dissolued with the fire of compassion in condoling so mercifull a man whom thou seest amidst so great biternesse to bee afflicted with sorrowes And now O my soule thou hast seene his infirmicies and thou dost pitty him now thou hast looked vpon his maiesty and thou dost admire him for what saith the Scripture From the sixth hower vnto the ninth hower there was darkenesse vpon the whole earth and the Sunne was darkened and the vaile of the Temple rent asunder from the toppe euen to the bottom and there was an Earth-quake and the rockes cloue and the graues opened and many bodies of the Saints which were dead arose Who is this with whom both Heauen and Earth doe suffer and whose death doth raise men from death Know O my soule know that this is the Lord God Iesus Christ thy Sauiour the onely begotten sonne of God very God very man who of all men vnder the Sunne was onely found to be without sinne and behold how hee is accompted amongst the wicked and esteemed as one of the Lepars or as an abortiue birth throwne from his mothers wombe So is hee throwne from the wombe of his Mother the vnhappy Synagogue Hee that was the fairest amongst the children of men how deformed is hee made hee was wounded for our iniquities and broken for our sinnes he was made a burnt Sacrifice of sweete incense vnto thee O Father of eternall glorie to pacifie thy wrath conceaued against vs and to place vs in the celestiall mansions of glorie Behold O holy Father from thy Sanctuarie and from thy high habitation behold this our holy sacrifice which our Head-priest offereth vnto thee thy holy Sonne and our Lord Iesus offering himselfe vp for our sinnes and mercifully doe away the multitude of our transgressions Behold the voice of the blood of our Iesus crieth vnto thee from the Crosse. For what O Lord what is it that hangeth thereon hee hangeth euen now because things past are as things present before thee Take knowledge O Father vnto the coat of thy true sonne Ioseph Behold a sauage beast hath deuoured him and trampled vppon his garment in his furie staining his bewtie with the effusion of his blood behold he hath made pittifull rents in it This O Lord is the garment which thy inocent son left in the hands of that Aegiptian harlot thinking it better to lose his coate then his honour and chusing rather to be spoiled of the garment of his flesh and to descend into the prison of death then for the glorie of the world to harken vnto the voice of the Adultresse to that voice I say where it was said vnto him All this will I giue thee if thou wilt fall downe before me and worship me which was as if he shold haue slept with the Adultresse And now O my Lord we know that this thy sonne liueth and is Gouernour ouer all Aegypt and in euerie place of thy dominion for hee is aduanced from the prison of death and of Hell to thy Empire and attaining a Crowne of immortallity hath changed the garment of his flesh to reflourish within the immortality of the spirit where thou hast receiued him with much honour For hee hath subiected the empire of Pharoh vnto him and hath triumphantly ascended Heauen by his owne proper maiesty behold he is crowned with glorie and honour when hee sitteth at the right hand of thy maiesty mediating for vs for hee is our flesh and our brother Behold O Lord the face of thy Christ who became obedient vnto thee euen vnto death nor let the scars of his woundes euer depart from thy sight that thou maiest remember the satisfaction thou hast receiued for our sinnes I would O Lord thou wouldst but weigh our sins in a balance by which we haue deserued thy wrath and the calamity which thy sonne suffred to appease thy wrath Surely more forcible and more worthy would the cause appeare to show thy mercie vpon vs then by reason of our sinnes to powre downe the viols of thy Ire vpon vs. Let euery tongue O father giue thankes vnto thee for the exceeding aboundance of thy loue in not sparing thy onely begotten Sonne but giuing him ouer vnto death for vs that we might haue him as a faithfull Aduocate before thee in Heauen for vs. And thou O Lord Iesus most mighty most zealous of mans saluation what thanks shall I giue vnto thee that I may giue thankes worthie being but dust and the workemanship of thy hands for what couldest thou doe for my saluation and hast not done it from the sole of thy foot to the crowne of thy head thou hast plunged thy selfe wholly into the waters of thy passion that thou mightest draw me wholly from them and these passions haue entred euen vnto thy soule For thou subiectedst thy soule to death and desolation to preserue my soule from death and perdition and behold thou hast bound me in a double bond vnto thee First in that thou hast giuen thy life for mee and secondlie because my soule was giuen by thee twice vnto me once in my creation and once in my recreation wherefore I haue nothing that is fitter to giue thee then my soule which I had of thee for if I should in recompence of thy mercy giue vnto thee the Heauen the earth and all the excellency thereof yet
and prouide a repose in time for thy poore vessell least vanquished and oppressed with violence of Billowes and extremity of aduerse waues shee be enforced to split loosing both thy selfe and thy fraight spread not thy sailes too broad for the windes thy violent affections are most forced when thy sayles thy ambitious thoughts are most extended Ballace it light least it sinke with her Burden It is better to loose the fraight then the Merchant and the Phylosopher Mymus chused rather to lose his gold then himselfe Enter not thy Barke with any prophane man if his company doe not ruinate thee it may well depraue thee and when Bias came into any shippe or vessell with a wicked man where he was in danger of shipwrack he would neuer suffer the prophane man to pray saying take heede least the Gods heare thee for then wee can expect for no mercie But aboue all let the sterne the principall Organs and faculties of the soule bee euer with all vigilancie attended wisely gouernened and industriouslie employed Thou art to saile by Syrens those three daughters of Achelous and Callyope a naturall euitation of that which is good a naturall inclination to that which is euill and a naturall deprauation of the will reiect the pernicious embraces of sinne and impietie stop thine eares to the Syrens melodie and reduce thy thoughts to that retired harbour of tranquilitie a sincere and secure conscience it is a Christians brasen wall it makes vs secure of things past it aduertiseth vs of things present and prepareth it selfe for things to come No Monument so glorious no statue so specious for what will curious Sepulchers auaile vs when infamie perpetuates the memorie of vs. Vita mortuorum in Memoria viuentium posita est And vertue liueth after death The Ancient Patriarchs returned to the sepulchers of their Auncestours but that had beene but little if their vertues had not equalled their auncestors Desirest thou to haue the excellencie of this painted world the beautie of this earthlie Theatre charactred and displaied to thee in her colors Thou shalt see in her many seeming flourishes of happinesse many faire promises of a continuated eminence but shee failes in her performance her fruits are but flowers and her haruest soone tipe and soone rotten Sodoms apples were faire to the eye touch them they turne to dust Painted Sepulchers shew much beautie and seeme as if they would outliue time yet continuance defaceth them remaining memorable in nothing saue that they were once memorable Starres fixed shine the brightest fix thy thoughts vpon the morning Sun of righteousnesse and like the Sun thou shalt shine more bright at thy setting then at thy rising at thy death then thy birth let thy mind be established on that which can suffice it no terrestriall respect of earths vanitie but an expectance of heauens eternitie to receaue that Crowne for which it was created and not the wages of sinne for which shee was not ordained Thou hast many difficulties to passe in this wildernesse ere thou can see the Land of promise Thou must thirst hunger and wander thirst but for the well of life hunger but for the staffe of spirituall Bread wander but at last with the good Shunamite to returne from the mountaines of Gilboa to the vale of Bethlem the poole of Bethesda to the vale of Bethlem where thou may repose to the poole of Bethesda where thou may take repast yet must thou not murmure in this long peregrination Thou art but as thy forefathers haue beene if afflicted so was thy master Christ if tempted so was he if persecuted behold the whole Colledge of those blessed Apostles making their whole life a persecution a very martyrdome to propagate their masters glorie and to performe that worke for which they were sent Thou must not make profit of thy profession with Magus nor make sale of thy conscience with Demas nor sell thy Sauiour with Iudas Thou art inuested with Christs owne Garment endewed with more especiall priuiledges and prerogatiues then many of thy brethren boast not of that thou hast receaued he that did giue them thee can take them from thee and make thee naked that was once garnished with such singular ornaments bestowing them on others that shall better vse them since whilst thou hadst them thou didst abuse them Enuie not anothers gifts but rather thanke God for his ample benefits extended vpon thy brother that pernicious vice of enuie is the corrupter of many singular vertues and to describe her more perspicuously heare the ancient fathers how they decypher this vniuersall contagion of the world Enuie consumes all vertues by enuie was Christ crucified the historie whereof is mentioned vnto thee enuie and malice aboue all other vices inebriate the soule Where there is enuie there can be no Brotherly loue Who enuieth loueth not the law of the Diuell is in him because the diuell by enuie fell Therefore enuie is knowne by this that shee is neuer in charitie For by enuie was Christ crucified and consequently who enuieth his brother crucifieth Christ. Aug Enuie alwaies followeth vertue he is a valiant man that can conquer enuie with humility Hier Hee is sure an enuious man that taketh pleasure in seeing another mans dammage or punishment Ambros the error of enuie doth not onely inuade the Synagogues of the impious but the cels of the religious Euseb. Enuie manifesteth that we haue not the loue of God in vs. Effrem It is a rare thing to want enuie in prosperitie Iosephus where the good man profiteth there the enuious repineth as the Poet saith Inuidus alterius c. Isidorus Here thou feest enuie dismasked who euer with Ctesyphon kicketh against the Moles heeles there is no vertue can passe vncensured no exquisite worke vnreproued necesse est quôd Momum aut Mimum habet qui vertutem amat But run thou a religious course inclining neither on the right hand nor on the left on the right hand thou may be too precise in being too regular on the left hand insuccessiue being too sinister The Goulden mediocritie is as good a way and as secure as the Phylosophers Galaxia their milke way here is true consolation in spirit for the righteous bee glad and reioyce in it walke in this way and the suggestions of Satan shall not seduce thee for thou art in the way that leadeth vnto life not intangled in the Brakes of this world but expecting the glorious possession of those Ioyes aboue Continue in perfect charity with thy brother it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the fulfilling and perfecting of the Law it reconciles vs vnto God appeaseth his indignation conceiued against vs and assures vs of the performance of his promise made vnto vs in his sonne By the loue of God is the loue to our Neighbour ingendred by the loue to our Neighbour is the loue of God nourished here is a mutuall and reciprocall loue a threefold Cord is hardly broken But thou obiectest thou hast felt
grace so faire an inside for vertue is depictured the best when hee is garnished the least Thus thus consider what thou art and whom thou resemblest not one vndeseruing because of thy wants for the exquisitest deseruings are for most part the vnworthiliest recompenced But the verie Idea of imparaleld goodnesse Vertue her selfe shee is naked so art thou harborlesse so art thou in her selfe deseruing yet desertlesly esteemed and so art thou your fortunes seeme equall doe but match her in the mindes proprieties and thy reward shal be by so much more eminent in regard thy estate was here depressed I will yet draw nerer thee thou art here placed in a desolate forrest farre remoued from any either internall or externall comfort saue that continuall feast a sincere conscience Thou art without friends and no desert more solitarie no forrest greater then to be depriued of friends and in this vncouth promontorie there bee many sauage Beasts which seeke to pray vpon thee or at least to triumph ouer thee and wouldst thou not willingly retire thy selfe and purchase thy owne safety by a sequestred life or if not Semel mori melius est quam semper moriendo viuere Alasse deere christian pilgrim thou art in this state this desert is the world replenished with sauage beasts with which thou art enuironed some lyon like contemne thee for thy pouerty others deride thee without remorse had to thy deiected fortunes But all triumph ouer thee being made as Heluius pertinax was entitled Pila fortunae fortunes ball tossed into euery hazard subiected to euery calumnie being indeed made the very stale of disgrace yet in all these occurrents if thou make right vse of thy pouertie thou remaines free from any perturbation whatsoeuer their pride makes the more humble their ambition worketh in thee mortification their contemning thee breedeth in thee a contempt of the world relinquishing the garish obiects of vanitie to reape the haruest of heauens glorie I will now descend and that briefly to the discourse of such as conceiued more entire ioy and rest in their soules by abandoning the world giuing their goods vnto the poore nay such as voluntarilie became poore that they might follow Christ then if they had possessed the inestimable treasures of the whole Earth The reason that induced me hereunto was forasmuch as I know examples be of more force then precepts the exact and as it were liuely description thereof imprints in our mindes an ardent desire of imitating such whose wel disposed liues made their ends glorious Reade but the sacred ordinances and lawes of God Thou shalt see the Apostles contemning all priuate respects whatsoeuer to tast the sweetenesse of the inestable loue of Christ here thou shalt see one called from the receipt of custome a place of profit to follow him who had as little appearance of externall happinesse as might be streight thou shalt behold another conuerted from an Arch-persecutour of Christians one that flourished in the height of honour and was chosen for a patron of infidelitie despise honour and her superficiall flourishes and consecrate himselfe to the supportance of truth here another euen now a Rabbi a great Doctor of the Law and one in especiall esteeme with the multitude for Christs sake become contemptible to tast the sweetenesse of Christs loue in it selfe inexplicable Zacheus for this loue willingly became poore duiding his goods to the poore and making restitution for what he had iniuriously taken for this loue and for this incomparable sweetenesse did the stones wherewith blessed Stephen was stoned seeme sweete vnto him for this did Saint Laurence tast the Torments of the Gridiron with especiall sweetnesse this moued Andrew to goe pleasantly vnto the Crosse that hee might hasten vnto the diuine sweetnes for this Bartholomew willingly sustained death Iohn drunke poison Peter as one made drunk with the apprehension of that supernal sweetenesse cried out let vs build here three Tabernacles let vs soiorne here let vs remaine here since we need nothing that is necessary for our comfort so long as we abide here O then deere christian if the surueigh of these glorious professors preuaile any thing with thee to distast the bitter and vnsauory affections of this transitory life make vse of thine owne pouerty thou hast no reason to stand all the day idle but to haue recourse to the spirituall vineyard It is hard for a rich man to enter into the kingdome of heauen for why he must take leaue of his friends and fauorites of his reuenewes and possessions there be many things oppose themselues to his intended resolution But thou that carriest all thy prefserments about with thee hauing nothing at home but bare wals appendices of ruine thou that canst not yeeld nature her necessaries being made a very spectacle to triumphing fortune one as exposed to the inconueniences of times occurrents so depriued of those externall Blessings by which we onely seeme to be and haue our wellbeing art rid of these maine impediments which vse to hinder the worldling from the prosecution of such affaires as might yeeld more perfect and accomplished content then all the semblances of fortune and prosperous successe O how hard hath the abandoning of the world seemed to such as haue planted their affections already vpon this terrestriall foundation They could willingly serue Christ if they might reserue likewise some retired howers of seruice deuotion to Mammon but wholly to giue vp their interest in earth and earthly possessions neuer more to call themselues masters of their ample and commodious inheritances O it is an hard lesson such a bitter potion had neede of some sweete pill to season it Thou now seest the high roade-way that leades thee to a port of secure rest hold on deere pilgrim and faint not in thy Iourney thou art now towards a rich inheritance and shalt possesse those true essentiall and reall ioyes which with such feruencie thou hast desired But yet ere I leaue thee in this Harbour let me expostulate the cause with thee aske thee why thou art deiected why so sorrowfull thou sustainest disgrace and art called impudent Beggar Beggar alasse what is that who is not doe we not euen the best of vs beg from day to day for our diurnall sustenance included in that particle Giue vs this day our daily bread but thou art impudent with farre more impudence are we branded that are euer begging yet neuer satisfied nay more presuming to haue what we neede without asking and for thee poore soule necessitie pleades thy cause excusable Egenti viro pudor nequaquam est vitilis A shamefast Beggar neuer gained by his profession Grieue not thy selfe then at the strange language of the hard harted miser his owne words shall condemne him when he appeares as of necessitie he must before the Tribunall of Gods iudgement it s not then the awfull regard of his authoritie for he is then degraded nor the aboundance of his wealth for of that hee
with a Threnodia Thou foole this night shall thy soule bee taken away Alas so soone this was the first night it seemes of his rest aud must it be his last too yes Esay answereth him There is no rest to the vngodly hee is euer in discontent seeking to quench his hydropticke thirst with getting but is neuer satisfied They which should bee Gods Amners to distribute to the necessity of the Saints are oppressors beeing as sponges which sucke vp the laborious gaines of the poore Let there not bee a begger in Israell saith God to Moses but these regraters which exhaust and consume the meanes of the poore make many beggars in Israell But the Lord shall come in thunder and roote them from the face of the earth hee shall raze doune their buildings and make their dwelling with Ostriches For the Lords delight is in the poore that humbles himselfe beefore him his horne shall bee exalted with honour but for the mighty oppressors that grinde the face of the poore the Lord will chastice them in his fury and be auenged of them in his mightie displeasure O if the rich man knew being Gods dispensour how soone the sythe of humane frailety will cut him short hee would not promise to himselfe length of daies but with all integrity of heart feruencie of spirit and humility of minde fall downe before the Throne of Gods merie Sicut Apes flores quaesitant ita Sancti misericordiam Dei The Saints of God and such as are consecrate to him will seeke the mercie of God and with teares of entire compassion turne to the Lord that it would please him to turne from their sinnes They will not protract the time nor take day with their sinnes but with hearty contrition speedy conuersion and firme resolution not to commit the like sinnes again they purchase their atonement with God leauing off sinne before sinne leaue them For what is it when the Organs and naturall faculties of the bodie through their debilitie haue lost all power of sinning then to surcease from sinne No reserue the heate of the day for the Lords vineyard let not him haue the afterlings The first fruits were in ancient time giuen to the Priests and wilt thou detaine thy first fruits from him which is the head Priest O dedicate thy labors vnto him and be conuerted euen in the maturitie of thy time Thou art now able to cope with Antichrist to morrow it may be thou shalt be lesse able A valiant captaine in the siege of any Citty or fortresse will apprehend euery aduantage and occasion of attaining his purpose he will not intermit any time but with all alacritie prosecute the charge he hath in hand that his deportments may purchase him glory Sub vexillo meret moeret si non mereat Thou art in the same case in a straite siege beleagred with impetuous and violent enemies The world besiegeth thee on euerie side by those 5. Gates or breaches viz. thy fiue corporall sences eye eare tast smell and touch he woundeth thy soule as with most venemous Arrowes so as death entreth in at the verie window of thy soule Ismaell plaies with thee and deludes thee the flesh whom thou pamperedst rebels against thee thy verie housholds sinnes begin to wrastle with thee and Grauis lucta Graue est periculum contra domesticum hostem pugnare saith Barnard Thou must wrastle with sinne conspiring within thee with the flesh which enuirons thee and the voluptuous affections of worlds vanitie that seeke to surprise thee Show thy selfe resolute in this encounter fight a good fight and with the complete Armour of a spirituall warriour raze downe the tyrannicall kingdome of Antichrist Thou must passe many difficulties ere thou canst obtain the victorie Those Cyanea saxa those rockes of perill temptations of euery kinde but perseuerance will make thy victorie most eminent The yong man must needes take leaue of his friends before he can follow Christ. But thou must abandon friends estate possessions and all encombrances that thou may be thought a worthy follower of Christ. Qui Christum sequi petit equum est vt omnia relinquat quo Christum arctius teneat Riches were best demonstrated by the Romane word Impedimenta hinderances indeed for our heauenly expedition we should vse them in necessarie respects not to adore them if the price of gold had not beene knowne Baals golden calfe had not beene erected It is a cause of much false Adoration and many I am perswaded yet timerous in perswasion worship the idoll in their chest more then their Messias in his Temple O prophanation of Times when an externall appearance of tempting vanitie can seduce an Intellectuall soule from her Creator with the desire of a bare mettall ordained for the vse of his creature We are wise and vnderstanding in chymicke labours and are profoundlie read in minerals But that onely and principall good the select treasure of the minde is as farre estranged from our reading as Demas heart was from any thing saue what tasted of the world We can talke of eccentricke lines bodies motions temperatures affections but which amongst vs seekes to season the ill disposed temper of our minde O pittie and great pitty it is to neglect so diuine a substance let the Philosophers idle axiome alone the body should take her temperature from the soule and not the soule from the body Corpus Ancilla est vt pareat non domina vt imperet Confusion of Gouernors spoile euerie well gouerned state and those kingdomes be most happy where there be not the most but the best Kings Thou hast a monarchy and that 's the best kinde of Gouernement within thy selfe O dispose then of thy affections like a Prince be inuested with a roabe worthy an Emperor the pure stole of integrity thy thoughts must be eleuate not depressed downe to this earthly centre It is reported that the Emperour Augustus could see as well by night as day thy eyes should be so not obscured or darkned with the night of error but euer tralucent that if there were windowes in thy heart the splendor of thy internall man might show her owne dignity But especially let me caution thee in this that thou be open handed and bountifully hearted to thy neeedfull brother it will make thee see more cleerely into the prouidence of God and excite thee to an acknowledgement of his mercies euer meditating of his bounty in bestowing and thy immerrited seruice in deseruing It will inflame in thee a perfect and exact measure of charity to giue freely because thou hast receiued more amply An affectionate charitie is approued by God and man making our selues in distributiue iustice Christians and imitating the inimitable patterne of Christ who sustained the weak supported the needy relieued the hungry being all to all that he might show his glory towards all his humility may asswage our pride and caution vs to be humble here that wee may be exalted elsewhere His
that bloody sweat did most euidently expresse the sorrowes of thy hart which al the time of thy prayer trickled downe droppe by droppe vppon the ground O my Lord Iesus whence comes this thy sorrowfull supplication didst thou not voluntarily offer thy selfe a sacrifice vnto thy father euen so Lord. But we suppose that thou tooke this vpon thee for the comfort of thy weake and disconsolate members least peraduenture some should despaire if at any time the fraile flesh seeme to murmure when the spirit is ready to repell any tentation Surely thou didst it to this end that we might haue continuall motiues of loue thankfulnes towards thee hauing expressed the naturall infirmity of our flesh by these tokens in thee By which we are taught that thou hast truely borne our infirmities hast passed the pricking thornes of thy passions not without a sensible feeling of them For that voice seemed not to be the voice of the spirit but of the flesh in that thou addest the spirit is truely ready but the flesh is weake That the spirit was ready to thy passion thou euidently demonstrated when thou ran of thine owne accord to meet thy betraier such men as were giuen to shed blood attending him seeking to take away thy life with lanternes and Torches and weapons vpon the Night and least they should receiue any notice by the Captaine of this impiety thou manifested thy selfe for thou turnedst not away from that cruell Beast comming to kisse thy most holy mouth but affably gaue thy mouth wherein was neuer deceipt found vnto his mouth which abounded with all malice O Innocent lambe of God what hast thou to doe with that wolfe what concord betwixt thee and Belial but this was O Lord thy great mercy to exhibit all such things as might any way mollifie the pertinacie of a depraued heart for as one not al together vnmindfull of ancient friendshippe thou admonished him saying my friend to what end camest thou and willing as it seemes to wound the heart of this impious Traitour with the horror of his sinne thou said Iudas doest thou betray the sonne of man with a kisse and behold the Philistins are vpon thee Sampson Neither didst thou driue them from thee intending to smite them at the houre of thy apprehension with thy right hand no not in defence of thy selfe that the foolish presumption of man may know that they can doe nothing against thee but so much onely as is permitted by thee But who can heare without weeping how they laid their murdering hands vpon thee tying thy innocent hands with cords sweet Iesus who like a most meek lambe speaking nothing was carried after the manner of a theefe contumeliously to the slaughter Neither ceasedst thou then O Christ to shew thy mercy vpon thy Enemies to diffuse the honiecombe of thy sweetnesse vpon them reprouing the zeale of thy defendor and withholding him from hurting such as haled thee Their furie was cursed because wilfull being neither moued by the maiesty of thy miracles nor the greatnes of thy benefits Thou wast brought before a counsell of wicked head-priests consulting against thee and confessing the truth as was seemelie thou wast adiudged to death for thy blasphemie O louing Lord how many vnworthy things hast thou suffered of thine owne Nation men of polluted lips beslubbring with their spittle thy amiable countenance on which the Angels haue desired to looke replenishing the whole Courts of heauen with ioy and vnto which all the rich men in the world shall make intercession beating it with their sacrilegious hands and blindfolding thee in derision and being Lord of all creatures buffetted thee as a seruant most contemptuous of all others But let vs now come to their deliuering vp of thy soule to be swallowed vp by vncircumcised flesh They lead thee bound before Pilate requiring that thou maist be crucified which knewest no sinne that a murderer might bee let loose vnto them lesse esteeming of a lambe then a wolfe of gold then clay O vnworthy and vnhappy merchandise neither was that wicked Pilate ignorant how all these things were done through enuie against thee yet for all that he proceeded rashly in iudgement against thee filling thy soule with much bitternesse without a cause He suffered thee to be mocked commanding thee to stand in the sight of thy mockers nor spared he to teare thy pure virgin-skinne with most sharpe scourgings cruelly inflicting stripes vpon stripes and wounds vpon wounds O thou deere child of God what hast thou committed that should deserue so great bitternesse so great reproch Surely nothing It is I it is I wicked man that I am that was the cause of thy death I O Lord haue eaten the sower grape and thy teeth are on edge paying for that which thou neuer tooke And yet the impiety of the trecherous Iewes is not satisfied with all these indignities done against thee but thou art now at last deliuered ouer into the hands of vncircumcised souldiers to be put to a most shamefull death It seemed but a little matter for those sacrilegious miscreants to crucifie thee but they must also vex thy soule with reproches For what saith the Scripture of them Then all the people gathered together and taking his owne garments from him they put vpon him a purple coate and they cloathed him with a skarlet robe and winding a crowne of thornes they put it vpon his head and a reede in his right hand and bowing vnto him they mocked him saying Haile King of the Iewes and they buffetted him and spit vpon him and taking the reede in their hands they smote him on the Head and after they had mocked him they put his owne garments vpon him to crucifie him bearing his owne crosse and they led him to Golgotha giuing him wine to drinke mixed with mirrhe and gall and when he had tasted of it he would not drinke then they crucified him and two theeues with him the one of the right hand and the other of the left and Iesus in the middest And Iesus said Father forgiue them for they know not what they doe Afterwards Iesus knowing that all things might be done that the Scripture might be fulfilled said I thirst and one amongst them running tooke a spunge and filled it with vinegar and put it vpon a reede and gaue him it to drinke assoone as he had receiued the vinegar he said It is finished and crying with a loud voice he said Father into thy hands I commend my spirit and bowing downe his head he gaue vp the ghost Then one of the Souldiers opened his side with a speare and presently their issued out water and blood for the redemption of man Awake O my soule shake of the dust of sinne and fixe thy contemplation vpon this memorable patterne of Humanitie whom thou seest presented vnto thee in this glasse of Gods word Behold O my soule who it is that cometh in vnto thee hauing the image of a
of thy maiestie from the beginning O eternall substantiall and inaccessible cleere and delectable streame of that fountaine hid from the eies of all mortall men whose beginning is without beginning whose bottome is without bottome whose periodde is without period whose circuit is incircumscrutable whose puritie is imperturbable The heart of the Almightie hath sent thee O my soule out of his impenetrable Abysse O life from thee haue wee in all fullnesse receiued life from thy light haue wee receiued light thou that art eternall hast made vs eternall thou that art boundlesse hast made vs boundlesse making vs in all things equall to thy selfe For thou that art the most plentifull fountaine of euery perfect gift hast vouchsafed to conuay the precious Riuer of thy seauen fould graces into our hearts to enrich vs with thy secret treasures and with the sweetenesse thereof to allay the saltnesse of this sea that is of our infirmities O thou Spring of the oile of gladnesse thou riuer of pure wine thou torrent of entire zeale the holie Spirit our comforter beeing sent vnto the world by the Father and thee to both he is equall in dignity of essence filleth all things contayneth al things being spirit of the spirit of thy Father one of both as the indiuiduall communion vniting both a soulder vniting a coniunction indissoluing and that peace which passeth all vnderstanding This is the well of thy comforts O Lord by which thou daily supportest and with pleasant obiects most abundantly refreshest that delicate and glorious City Hierusalem is aboue where those glorious and flamie Organs doe incessantly sing Hymnes in the voice of exultation and feasting with the desired tunes whereof the hungry iawes of thy people in the daies of this their pilgrimation craue dayly to bee refreshed Suffer O Father the little dogges to feede on the crums which fall from their masters table Send out your dewe O Heauens from aboue and let the cloudes raine vpon the righteous him O Lord whom thou hast made zelous of thy lawes Purge we beseech thee O Lord with the sallatorie of thy word the religious first fruits of thy people being a testimonie of our solemne celebration of this time renew illuminate inflame inspire confirme and vnite the hearts of all beleeuers vnto thee that they may bee one tast one and with all vnanimitie require apprehend see and glorifie thee our only God in Sion Let glorie thankes honour and power be attributed to the indiuiduall Trinity for euermore Amen Quaedam sententiae eaeque vere Aureolae ad humanae mentis intimam deuotionem inflammandam excerptae Qui de se humiliter sentit haec legat CHristus qui pro nobis passionem sustulit in fructus passionis nos promouebit vt sicut spinarum coronâ tempora eius figebantur gaudiorum mercede mentes nostrae illustrentur Hic viximus in dolore illic afficiemur Honore Honore dei qui mundano Honori maxime aduersatur ille enim a christianis qui sub vexillo suo meruerunt possidetur Hic autem ab Ethnicis qui eorum famam auxerunt petitur O quam incundum est in domo tua domine habitare vbi nullo metu nulla cupiditate nullo motu distrahimur videntes vero faciem tuam meridiana luce multo clariorem laeitia vultus tuisatiamur Hic dilectus est meus quem quaerit mens mea quaeret nec desistet donec cum quaerendo inueniet A MOST DEVOVT MEDITATION of Saint Barnard entreating of the miserie of man and examination of the last Iudgement TOuching the outward man I descend from those parents who ere I was borne made me forlorne Sinners beget sinners in their sinne nourishing them from sinne vnto sinne miserable man hath brought his miserable issue to light from my parents I haue nothing but miserie and sinne and this corruptible body which I carrie about with me And to them I hasten who are departed hence by the death of their Bodies whose Sepulchers when I behold I finde nothing in them but dust and wormes filthines and horror what I am haue they been and what they are I shall be What am I miserable man engendred of liquid humour at the time of my conception I was conceiued of humane seed which seede afterwards growing thicke by encreasing little by little became flesh whence weeping and shriking I was exposed to the exile of this world and behold now I die being full of iniquities and abhominations Euen now shall I bee presented before a fearefull Iudge that will take an exact accompt of all my workes Woe is me wretch that I am when that day shall come and those bookes shall be opened wherein all my actions and cogitations shal be reiected in the presence of God O then shall I stand fearefull before the Lord in iudgement hanging downe my head and confessing my shame remembring the offences I haue committed and the sinceritie of a pure conscience which I haue defiled and when it shall be said of me behold the man and his workes then shall I set before mine eyes all my sinnes and transgressions for it will come to passe by a certaine diuine instinct that all our workes both good and euill shall come vnto our remembrance and by the piercing sight of the minde shall be apprehended by a wonderfull quickenesse to the end knowledge might accuse or excuse conscience and so all vniuersally and euery one distinctly might together be iudged each man shall giue accompt what he hath done of all to all how ended how begunne for what we are now ashamed to confesse priuately shal be then manifested publikely and what we now seeke to shadow by dissembling shall be discussed by the fire of reuenge euer burning Swift flaming fire shall scorch with boundlesse rage and by how much longer God hath expected our amendment by so much more seuerely will he punish vs because we were negligent Why therefore doe we so greatly desire this life wherein the longer we liue the more we offend for by how much our life is longer by so much bee our offences more For daily are euils encreased but goodnes diminished daily is man changed by prosperitie and aduersitie yet knoweth not he when he shall die for as a glittering starre coasting swiftly in heauen suddenly vanisheth or as a sparke of fire is quickely extinguished and turnes to ashes so soone the dissolutiō of mans life for whilest man soiorneth willingly and ioifully in this world promiseth himselfe to liue long disposing many of his affairs for succeeding times suddenly is he surprised by death vnawares is his soule taken frō his body yet with great feare and vnmeasurable griefe is his soule separated frō his body For the Angels come to take it and bring it before the Tribunall seat of that fearefull Iudge where remembring his euill works nay his most impious workes which he hath committed night or day he trembleth seeking to flie from them and to take truce with them saying