why parentes iustifyed in state of grace doo neuertheles beget children subiecte to sinne originall corruption as much as others not so much becauâ—e generation is an acte of our carnall man iustification is an effecte in our spirituall man for the wholeman is iustifyed but especially because we and euery creature generamus nobis similes in specie magis quà m in indiuiduo we doo procreate our of-spring ech creature like himselfe rather like in speciall kinde of nature then in particuler propertyes of person as of men to proceede mankind c. For as the progeny was neuer like the parent in euery personall respect so when they are a like in many such particulers yet it is rather accidentally contingent then essentially necessary And so we see foolish or lame parents haue sound or discreete children and contratiwise As then parents doo not necessarily communicate to children their personall propertyes no not of nature much lesse of grace so to be in state of grace a iustifyed man is a personall property and therfore mo more maruell to haue children vnregenerate borne of iuste parentes then to see a childe borne vncircumcised of a circumcised lew or to see a cleansed wheat corne bring forthe an eare of wheate which againe hath fazells chaffe HOW ORIGINALL SINNE IS DERIVED from Adam by meanes of our parents and yet we haue not our soules from them ex traduce Sect. 5. 1. ANd allthoughe Originall sinne be a corruption of our nature rather then an personall faulte yet it is not any parte of our nature as proceding from nature positiuely but only a priuation or defecte folowing nature and proceding from Adams freewill and infecting our will as partes branches of Adam Wherfore it is properly a sinne because it had consent of will thervnto which we cannot say of other naturall defectes as to be borne deafe dumbe blinde lame or disfigured because these are no way referred to any consent of will Allso infantes neither haue thoughtes wordes nor deedes against the eternall law of God and yet they haue this originall sinne which is not conteyned in that description for that description is vnderstood of actuall sinne only But originall sinne consistes not in any action for it is only a gultines a spotte or blemish noâ— any actuall transgression 2. As for that Argument of the Pelagians which so much pressed S. Augustin about the traduction of our soule it is thus propounded and answered Sinne say they hath his seate in the soule not in the flesh But the soule is created not deriued from Adam nor our parents therfore neither is this originall sinne deriued from the one or from the other by generation but foloweth by imitation Firste it is answered in generall that it cannot be by imitation because neither can children imitate their parents so soone as they are borne and yet euen then most agree they are guilty of originall sinne Nor is this sinne any action and therfore no imitation for to imitate is to doo somewhat but it is called sinne originall not actuall and is accompted a guilte of our nature not a facte of our person 3. Next about the proposition As all deuines agree that the soule is the seate of sinne so yet if the soule may herin be depraued by the flesh as some thinke then may originall sinne be transfused into the soule by generation of the body These men say the flesh must needes be the meanes of coÌ„ueying this sinne vnto the soule as vnto his seate for if the soule should be created alone and not be ioyned to the body it should in that case be free from this infection And it seemes iuste that as Adams flesh was firste corrupted by his soule which firste admitted sinne so now the soule shoulde be firste corrupted by the flesh still deriuing sinne and so originall sinne is both a corruption of penality subiecting vs to all misery and a corruption of viciosity inclyning vs to all sinne 1. by rebellion against the spirite 2. by drawing the soule downeward 3. because the soule of it selfe is not able to gouerne all our appetites without diuine grace 4. Thus therfore say they that the flesh doth depraue the soule being vnited vnto it as a wounde in the body maketh the soule grieue but if you cutte the flesh wanting life it feeles no payne So the flesh hath not sinne in it selfe as in his seate no more then wyne hath in it selfe dronkennes and yet maketh others dronke and so the body is able to infecte to worke vpon the soule 1. not by predominance as one elemeÌ„t or mixte body vpon another 2 nor by influence as the heauens vpon these inferior bodyes 3. nor by deuine power as the fyre vpon dammed spirites but. 4. by Sympathy of vnited correspondence as in a phrensy or lunacy such a distemper or quality of the body makes the minde to be madde or foolish And so the corrupte distemper of our flesh doth disorder our soule whit sinfullnes which sinfull disteÌ„per is not actually but dispositiuely in the seede of the parent or flesh of the infante nor is it in the flesh vntill it come to be ioyned to the soule which is only the full finall seate of sinne 5. And note that all this may be true in respecte of that radicall concupiscence which is as it were the positiue materiall parte of originall sinne but the formall true nature of originall sinne consisting priuatiuely in the waÌ„te of originall iustice this priuation is not caused nor conueyed vnto the soule by the flesh Nor by that carnall luste which more or lesse is in the naturall generation of all men For if by supernaturall priuiledge any parents should engendre without all luste yet the childe shoulde be infected with originall sinne or if luste were the cause therof â—hen according to the excesse of luste in the parents shoulde originall sinne be more or lesse in the children Wherfore thoughe S. Augustin doo often say that it is not generation but luste which doth deriue this sinne he only intendes to shew that the sole acte of generation is not the only cause of originall sinne for euen in paradise there shoulde haue bene the acte of generation and yet therin shoulde haue bene no sinne But by luste may be meante the propagation of our corrupte nature of which corruption luste is a certein signe effecte wherfore when he saith originall sinne is deriued by luste he meaneth that this corrupte propagation of our nature wherof luste is a signe is the meanes to deriue originall sinne 6. And so when S. Augustin saith of the body and the soule that the one is corrupted in the other as in an Vncleane vessell eyther it may be true by way of morall comparison in regarde of that concupiscence radicall as is afore said which in some is the materiall positiue parte of originall sinne hauing his materiall seate in the flesh by this dispositiuely
Let vs vs◠〈…〉 and prayer to enlighten our dimmed knowledge let vs vse patience 〈…〉 to humble to quench our strong enflamed affections let vs vse mortificatâ—â—◠〈◊〉 abstinence to restreyne refreyne our sottish vncleâ—â—â—leasures O swete 〈…〉 vs these graces o most pure immaculate and blessed 〈◊〉 Mary pray for vs o most feruorous penitent Saynt Marie Magdalen be thou 〈…〉 Aduocate that our regeneration may be more perfect then our generation was 〈…〉 that whatsoeuer poore integrity we haue it may he continued and how great 〈◊〉 our vncleannes hath bene that with contrite teares it may be washsd O we coâ—â—esse our base birthe conceiued in sinne to remember vs to be humble and because wâ— were conceiued in iniquities we doo entreat compassion on our naturall frailtyes for thou arte most graciously pitifull MEDITATION V. Ecce enim veritatem dilexisti incerta oculta sapientiae tuae manifestasti mihi For beholde thou hast loued truthe and thou hast manifested vnto me the doubtfull and secret thinges of thy wisdome DIVERSE DEVOVTE INTERPRETATlONS of these wordes And an humble thankesgiuing of the Author for his vndeserued conuersion Sect. 1. THere is a threefolde Truthe 1. of life against hypocrisie in which they are faulty who are clad in the wolle of sheepe whiles they dissemble the malice of wolues 2. in Truthe of doctrine against heresie which sercheth out false and foolish deuices 3. In Truthe of justice against partiall accepting of persons which is an abomination vnto God O founteyn and author of Truthe deliuer my soule from all these lyes of partialitie of heresie and of hipocrisie let my life be true in deuotion of harty actions rather then in any ostentation of wordes or seming labor of lippes let my doctrine be true guided by thy holy spirite and in euery title submitted to thy Catholique churche rather then in trusting to myne owne witte or relying on any others priuate conceyte let my vprighte dealing be true respecting others as I would be vsed my selfe neither bending for feare nor leaning for affection for beholde o lord it is euident in all thinges thou louest truthe 2. Wherfore in my particuler Cases of conscience in my priuate sinnes and other doubtes what should I doo some men are ignorant some men are negligent some excuse all and some doo much extenuate their faultes but I knowe my iniquities against ignorance I haue my sinne alwaies against me and I will set my selfe alwayes against sinne without negligence I may not defend my faulte but I doo accuse my selfe to haue sinned aboue all vnto thee and before thee to haue committed euill Nor woulde I extenuate but aggrauate my offences fearing least they be worse then I suppose for I knowe thou shal be be iustified in thy wordes and wilte ouercome when thou arte iudged Beholde therfore I spare not to discouer eueÌ„ my natural infirmityes I was conceiued in iniquityes And all this playnnes I vse in confession with sincerity for thou louest truthe 3. Allso thou louest truth not alone in confession but as well in satisfaction for so thou giuest prerogatiue to mercie that yet thou wouldest kepe truth thou doost pardon him that confesseth yet if he punish himselfe So is obserued both mercie truthe mercie because the man is freed truth because the sinne is punished O blessed S. Augustin it appeareth thou werte a Catholique penitent somtime punishing thy body not a carnall protestante euer pampering thy fleshe thou doost require some sharpe satisfaction after an entire confession but these will not vndergoe the blushing of confession much lesse endure the rigor of satisfaction they are content with the liberty of their ghospell and an easy faithe and therfore they refuse the necessity of satisfaction and all harde truthe But thoughe our Lordes truthe haue harde sayinges yet we must repent O let vs not abhorre these truthes which to flesh and bloud doo breede hatred for thou o lord louest truth 4. Thy prophet Nathan promised my sinnes should be translated from me wherfore I haue great hope of pardon and doo relye on all thy promises for thou louest truth and doubtles wilte performe I allso haue some comforte in this respecte because thoughe I committed a fowle faulte in matter of vice yet in poyntes of faith I haue not swarued from that Truthe which thou doost loue I haue caste thy grace and loue out of my will but yet in my vnderstanding I haue reteyned thy truthe It is naughte and too bad to haue one dore barred against thee as a vicious Israelite but it is worâ—e like a heatheÌ„ or an hetetique to shutte thee out with a doble barre or with two gates vidz neither to beleeue righte nor to liue well 5. Or peraduenture thoughe the wicked Beleeuer be somewhat easier to be conuerteâ— yet remayning obstinate he is in danger to be worse punished Wherfore Euthymius supposeth Dauid to say thus In my former wordes lamenting my naturall frailty I mighte seeme to extenuate my faulte ô no I reuoke any excuse rather o lord I accuse my selfe according to truthe I was great in thy fauor or as thy Secâ—etary thou diddest manifest vnto me the secret and doubtfull thinges of thy wisdome O how many hidden prophecyes hast thou reuealed to me which I haue published to others but the more I consider these fauors the greater I acknowledge my offences more abhominable is the treason of a Secretary then any falsehood of an enemy 6. Thus I doo deeply sincerely in all truthe accuse my selfe yet I cannot tell whether herin it were presumption for me to intreate thy reconciliation mercy because I was once thy inward freind fauorite To remember passed iniuryes doth prouoke a malicious minde to reuenge and contrarily why should it not mooue thy mercifull nature to pity him sooner whom thou diddest once loue I will plead earnestly yet with humility I will acknowledge my faultes to be so much more detestable because being once so gracious in thy secret and especiall loue I was so graceles as to deserue thy iuste open hate Among men great loue is often changed into great hate as the best wyne into the sharpest vineger but thou o lord seest not as men see neither so variable to be soone changed nor so inflexible to be hardly reconciled As it increaseth my faulte to haue abused such gracious fauor so the remembrance of this fauor loste by my faulte doth so much more afflicte my harte as my sinne is greater so my losse is greater my payne is greater and my sorowe is greatâ—r O let these entreate by the greatnes of thy loue that hauing bene a secret freind of thy priuy chamber thou wouldest not leaue me as a base sclaue to the despite of the publique worlde I hope thy honor will not permitte it and that thy great fauor will not be so much diminished 7. Thus may they pray who haue fallen from especiall fauors that from their depe
confirmed by the worde of our Lorde in a successiue motion of nighte day for labour for rest so confirme vs we entreate thee in rest of ioye and in labour of feare that by our sonnelike feare we may be directed in our labour finally admitted into the eternall ioye of thy rest euerlasting SEVERALL DISTRIBVTIONS OF THE same spirite into Righte Holy Principall Sect. 3. 1. IN these verâ—es the spirite is thrice mentioned 1. a righte spirite 2. a holie spirite 3. a principall spirite The sonne of God is a righte spirite A holy spirite is the holy Ghoste And God our Father is a principall spirite Sinne is said somtime to be forgiuen by grace somtime blotted out by the bloud of the crosse and somtinne to be couered by charity The holy ghoste infuseth grace the Sonne shed his bloud and God the Father in wonderfull loue to vs gaue his only sonne for vs. O blessed Sauiour renue vs with thy righte spirite o holy ghoste take not thy holy spirite from vs O allmighty father confirme vs with thy principall spirite Renue vs by thy bloud take not thy grace from vs being renued and not loosing grace let vs be confirmed by thy principall spirite for so shall all our sinnes be blotted out haue pardon be couered 2. O holy and vndeuided Trinity Create my harte which is worse then naughte for thou arte creator Renue my bowells who serchest our Reynes for thou arte Redeemer And giue me a righte spirite instead of my corrupte thoughtes for thou arte Sanctifyer Doo not caste vs of for thou arte our Patron to whom else can we flye Take not thy selfe from vs for thou arte our paymaister of whom else can we haue rewarde Restore vs for thou haste made gracious promises and Confirme vs for in all these thou haste principall power I call firste vpon the spirite of the Sonne because none can come to the Father but by the Sonne and I place the holy ghoste betwene them both because from both he procedeth Allso I praye thrice for thy spirite to haue some proportion thoughe not the same measure with the Apostles who receiued him thrice 1. to heale diseases when they were sent to preache 2. after the resurrection when they receiued full Orders 3. when they were confirmed and illuminated in their authority at Pentecoste I beseech thee let me haue my sinnes and infirmityes healed let me receiue grace in thy Sacramentes and confirme me euer with boldenes in the profession of thy faithe that if before time I haue fled from thee as a fearfull Disciple I may after thy Pentecoste as a strenghthened Apostle reioyce in suffering for the name of Iesus 3. Furthermore by thy Righte spirite grante me verity By thy holy spirite Bonity And in thy principall spirite vnity So to haue Truthe of faith ioyned with goodnes of life and neither of them separated from vnity of loue peace that so allso in thy spirite our Beleefe may be righte our conuersation may be holy and aboue all our peace and loue may be principall eyther because it is a principall marke of thy true disciples or is a principall vertue or because Satan laboring nothing more then Diuision we haue neede to pray for the principall power and spirite of vnity to confirme vs euer in this principall charity 4. Or by thy righte spirite order me arighte towardes my neighbor by thy holie spirite make me good in my selfe and towardes thee o God let me haue a principall spirite for to thy honor we must directe all and loue thee aboue all Allso let me enioye a righte spirite against couetousnes and vniustice a holie spirite against luxury and intemperance a principall spirite against pride and oppression for a principall noble minde is humble and not cruell in superiority a holy harte is moderate abstinent in all delightes and a righte eye doth neuer couet another mans goods nor will looke vpon any Bribe Thus shall we not be squynte eyed nor pur-blynde against whom the prophet complayneth They haue not knowne to doo righte treasuring vp iniquitie robbâ—rie in their houses Thus shall we obserue the counsell of S. Paul charging vs to folowe sanctitie without which no man shall see God Thus if be humble and curteous euen towardes our inferiors our Lord hath promised by Esay that his spirite shall rest remayne vpon him that is humble feareth his wordes Wherfore in all these let vs euer praye for the ioye of Iesus and his saluation to be giuen if we wante it to be preserued if we haue it to be restored if we haue loste it so alwayes to be confirmed with his principall spirit TO TEACHE OTHERS IT IS CONMENdable but it is necessary firste to be well informed reformed ourselues Sect. 4. 1. THis is a worke worthy commendation to teach the bad to become good The cheife skill of a good pilote is among rockes of a discrete schoole maister is about dull or vnruly wittes of an experienced Capteyn is among fearfull or disordered soldyers So our Sauiour came to heale the sickâ— to binde vp the broken harted so must we allso seeke to helpe the sicke for the hole haue not such neede of the phisityan to teach the wicked and vngodly least any sorte be loste by our negligence to bring the wicked into the wayes of God that the vngodly may be conuerted vnto him whether they be wicked Christians or vngodly Pagans or such as haue no God haue forsaken God or doo greiuously offend God for as S. Paul saith It is God who iustifyeth a penitent sinner of what sorte soeuer 2. Thus let vs drawe all sortes we can vnto repentance the tractable by hope of pardon the harde harted by feare of hell fyre for this is both a signe a duty of a true conuerte to be desirous allso to conuerte others either by perswasion of wordes or by example of deedes assuring our selues that the zeale of soules is a great satisfaction on our parte vnto our lorde a gratefull sacrifice 3. Obserue notwithstanding that firste we must desire to be coÌ„uerted confirmed our selues before we take in hande to reduce teach others as our Sauiour appoynting his Apostles to conuerte all the nations of the worlde yet firste he willeth them to sitte in Ierusalem till they were endued with vertue from aboue firste to haue our selues enabled which our lord performeth to them who sitte in Ierusalem 1. who abide in constancy within the city of peace for vntill we be well rooted how shall we endure a storme or bring forthe fruite 4. So allso said Exechiel The lippes of the tables one hande breadthe were turned inwarde vpon which wordes S. Gregory collecteth that measuring by palmes or hande breadthes signifyeth actions and to turne the lippes inwarde to these is to heare firste as a scholler before thou speakest as a teacher to taste what
a person whose life doth much importe the publique good of the common wealthe or of diuerse others beside himselfe But in no case may we aduenture the death of our soule rather saith our Sauiour if it coste vs our hande or our foote or the very eyes of our head we must sooner pull them out or cutte them of then loose our soule to saue them all or to gayne all the worlde So let vs say and performe it with Dauid If a million of sacrifices or millions of millions were requisite O God if they were in our power we would yeild them all most willingly not alone for some recompence of our sinnes but allso to testifye our willing loue and our bounden obedience vnto so gracious a lorde vnto whom we doo owe our selues our soules our bodyes and that we haue or can haue so that if occasion be we may say with S. Peter and the Apostles Ecce nos reliquimus omnia Beholde we haue forsaken all to yeild our selues vnto thy good pleasure for allbeit we haue no kingdomes no lordships no landes nor other great riches or dignityes to forsake no more then had those poore Fishermen yet as they did if we willingly parte from all we haue in present possession or in future possibility and no lesse from the loue affection desire of this worlde then from the honors wealthe and pleasures themselues in this case we may wel say reliquimus omnia we haue lefte all thoughe we enjoyed neuer so little for herein to subdue our will and to yeild our Desire is as much as to giue him all the worlde if it were ours to giue and he that so resignes his Desire and his will vnto all doubtles he resignes All and so much more then All. 5. Thus therfore let vs offer him All with Dauid that whensoeuer it shall please him to take all we haue or any parte we doo gladly giue him All euery parte and in this kinde althoughe we doo not in facte render vnto God a thousand sacrifices not whole barnte offeringes because we vnderstand that he doth not absolutely exacte them yet should we alwayes be such poore men in spirite that in our hartes we be prepared to yeild him all we haue whensoeuer we perceiue that he doth necessarily require them And so let vs say Quoniam si voluisses sacrificium dedissem vtique Holocaustis non delectaberis O lorde I giue thee no whole burnt offeringes because I doo suppose thou doost not require them But if it were thy will to exacte a million of sacrifices Dedissem vtique verily I am ready to obey thy will and if it were in my power I woulde willingly giue thee all the worlde WE HAVE NEEDE TO BE PENITENT and how acceptable vnto our Sauiour is any soule contrite for sinne Sect. 4. 1. ALL this is moste due vnto our lord who neuertheles is so gracious that An afflicted spirite is a sacrifice vnto God A contrite harâ—e humbled O God thou wilte not despise For my sinnes I will afflicte my minde my spirite with dolor and sorowe and I will humble my harte my senses my body with mortifications labor These sacrifices O God I knowe thou wilte neuer refuse For thou hast said that it is alwayes an heathfull sacrifice To attend vnto thy commandements and to departe from iniquity And that thou wilte soonest regarde the poore contrite in spirite such as feare thy wordes 2. And these sacrifices are most acceptable because in euery outward sacrifice there being 3. things 1. deuotion 2. oblation 3. signification somtime the last is impertinent or expired the second somtime is not necessary nor required but the firste is euer requisite gratefull profitable of which kinde are an afflicted spirite a contrite harte The spirite vnderstanding is afflicted by knowledge consideration of our sinnes of their enormityes our will our harte is humbled greiued by acknowledgement of our base guiltynes and with a detestation of our lothsome faultes 3. O my soule if we consider the seuere iustice of allmighty God who for sinne threwe downe Lucifer and those arrogant Angells out of heauen expelled disobedieÌ„t Adam his posterity out of Paradise drowned all the worlde except eight persons and except his seruante Lot some with him burned all the fiue cityes of Sodome so often punished Pharaoh all the Egiptians with such strange terrible plagues caused the earthe to open to swallowe Corah Dathan Abiram quicke into hell euer since in all ages places hath sundry times manifested his dreadfull iudgements against careles sinners O how oughte we to feare to afflicte our spirite that we afflicting our selues he may spare vs that beginning by peircing feare as by a sharpe needle to drawe into vs the thred of loue we may come to be sowed vnited vnto him in attonement reconciliation Thus O lorde we praye with Dauid in another psalme Confige timore tuo carnes meas O wound peirce my flesh with thy feare it will be like the â—urgeons wounde which letteth out corrupted bloud or putrefyed matter There shalle dolores parturientis the sorowes of a woman in child-birthe that as our sinnes were conceiued in voluptuous pleasure so we cannot be deliuered of them without afflicting payne 4. Nay we are happy that sinne by nature bringing vs sorowe we may if we will so vse this sorowe that it shall extinguish sinne as the wood breedes a worme the yron a rust the garment a mothe which consume the substances wherof they were engendred Nay much more happy that so easy so small a meanes as an humbled a contrite harte may change the iustice of God into mercy According to that vision shewed to a holy woman wherin she sawe our Sauiour as it were sitting on a throne with great maiesty attended on by all the Angells Sayntes holy hoste of heauen yet very often to ryse of from his seate to go to euery pitifull voyce which called vpon him she asked what voyces those were and why he himselfe so often mooued from his throne did not rather send vnto them some one or more of his heauenly attendantes which mighte well seeme more then sufficient He answered that those voyces were the sorowfull sighes of any sinners contrite harte who if they could not so much as name Iesus yet if they did in true humility sighe and with an afflicted spirite syncerily greiue for their sinnes he did so much loue rather to shew mercy then to obserue maiesty and did so much delighte in the contrite conuersion of any sinner that he did most willingly rise vp himselfe and withall in ioye to mooue the whole courte of heauen to giue comforte wellcome to euery such soule 5. Wherfore let vs be of good comforte o penitent soules for thoughe we be destitute of all worldly wealthe hauing nothing to giue
so in these wordes are compared penance with martyrdome and conquering the worlde with subduing of the fleshe And hereupon is inferred that whosoeuer labours to mortifie himselfe in contrition doth therewithall prepare himselfe for martyrdome for they that afflicte their hartes with penance for the loue of God the same will despise the worlde and endure any tormentes of Tyrantes for the same loue of God And so if martyrdome be an acceptable sacrifice vnto God mortification allso such an afflicted spirite may well be termed a sacrifice because it is a continuall liuing martyrdome 5. Nay in one respect a true contrite harte daily continued is eyther equall or may be preferred before an ordinary martyrdome for as Seneca said melius est femel scindi quam semper premi it is better to haue the head strooke of all at one sharpe blowe then to haue it hackled or harshly cutte of with a handsawe And so S. Martin Bishop of Turyn esteemed the prolonging of his life a greater labour then suffring of death saying vnto God almighty in a prayer made on his death bed Domine si adhuc populo tuo sum necessarius noÌ„ reâ—uso laborem O lord if yet I be necessary for thy people I doo not refuse the labour In respecte of which wordes the churche saith in his following Anthymne that he was a man Nec labore victum nec morte vincendum neither ouercome by labour nor by death to be ouercome In the Breuiary the reason is added For he neither feared to dye nor refused to liue In which wordes we see that what S. Martin called labour these wordes doo name life therfore doo inferre that he would not be conquered by the paynes of death because he was so constant in the labours of life For thoughe death be fearfull to nature yet in truthe it is an end of sinne and of misery wheras the prolonging of a penitent and contrite life is the continuance of a lingring martyrdome which out of doubte hath a wonderfull great merite For as in our excessiue vse of phisicke for feare of sicknes or death well said Martial Hic rogo non furor est ne moriare mori Is it not a folly to dye for feare of death according as we say he liues miserably who liues medicinally that is not in regarde of temperate dyet or discrete physicke but in respecte of vntimely or immoderate medicines or of too nice a care to kepe vs from euery winde that blowes Or as indeede a crazed weake sickely body had better be dead at once then linger in payne and to be in hazarde and feare of euery ayre and of euery meate for euery small matter may soone distemper him so it is easyer for our frayle dispositions by death to be quitte from our infâ—rmityes and sinnes then for a contrite harte to liue in danger of so many tentations euer striuing against disordinate delightes auoyding the pleasures which other men seeke brideling his appetites measuring and weighing all his desires marking and composing the very motions and gestures of his feete handes and eyes neuer putting in effecte nor consenting to any thoughte which firste is not examined by the rule of a good conscience Such a contribulated spirite is a sacrifice to God as well as martyrdome not troubled with superfluous scrupulosity but contribulated with religious vigilancy This liuing contribulation is a liuely sacrifice of great merite 6. And as Seneca said he is worthy of prayse quem non piget mori cum lubet viuere vnto whom it is not yrkesome to dye when he may haue ioye in his life for it is small commendacion to desire to dye only because we are vexed with our life so it is a matter of merite to be content to liue in labour danger contrition when by our death we mighte haue ease ioye and content So S. Paul desired to be dissolued to be with Christe in regarde of the gayne which cometh by death and yet was content to liue in labour for the profite and seruice of Gods Churche And such is euery man saith S. Augustin who thâ—s submitteth his desires of death or of life non solùm patienter moritur sed potius viuit patienter delectabiliter moritur He doth not only dye with patience but rather with patience he liues dyes with delighte his patience and his labour prolonged doo encrease his merite and his delighte differred shal be encreased when he cometh to cease from his labour of a religious life patiently continued is a kind of liuing martyrdome constantly endured and the martyrdome of an humble contrite harte our lorde will not refuse but will accompte such a troubled spirite an acceptable sacrifice O Iesu grante me such a contrite harte in compunction such an humbled minde in confession and such a troubled spirite in satisfaction that so my spirite may be contribulated that is troubled togeather with my body in corporall penance against carnall delightes that so my minde may be humbled by the playne confession of my mouthe against proud vayne glorious wordes and finally that so my harte may be contrite in sorowe against vnlawfull pleasing thoughtes for such sorowe is a sacrifice to God and such a contrite and humbled â—arte O lorde thou wilte not despise MEDITATION XI Benignèfac Domine in bona voluntate tua Sion vt aedificentur muri Ierusalem Tunc acceptabis sacrificium iustitiae oblationes holocausta tunc imponent super Altare tuum vitulos Deale kindly O lord in thy good will towardes Sion that the walls of Ierusalem may be builded Then wilte thou receiue the sacrifice of iustice oblations and whole burnte offeringes then they shall offer calues vpon thine altar A SERIOVS LAMENTATION FOR SION Ierusalem that they may not be layed desolate by externall persecution nor by internall discorde Sect. 1. 1. IT is verily a thinge most worthy iuste that a sinner pardoned shoulde lifte vp his harte to giue thankes vnto God and we are not only to praye giue thankes for our selues alone but as the Churche vseth in the masse after all our particuler petitions to adde a generall Collecte for the vniuersall estate of our Countrye and of all christendome according as Dauid here hauing entreated for himselfe doth now allso remember Sion and Ierusalem and so we must praye both for the Catholique Churche of Sion and for the Common wealthe of Ierusalem 2. And first for Sion as the mother of our soules and nexte for Ierusalem as the nurse of our bodyes and therfore Dauid here firste desireth our lordes good will towardes Sion that so we may haue afterwardes foundation for the walls of Ierusalem for whatsoeuer Atheistes or worldly politicians doo pretend yet the cheife strenghte of a common wealthe doth especially consiste in the florishing of religion neither can the walls of Ierusalem be well fortifyed excepte they be founded in the gracious good will of our lorde towardes Sion they
as in thy presence holy and consecrated to thy seruice and shal be accepted in our lord Iesus in whom alone all our sacrifices of soule body and Goods are of a most excellent sweete sauour gratefull in him who is only our Sauiour our cheife preist our best sacrifice and our principall highe Altar 3. O most gracious God! how kindly haste thou dealte with Sion when thou diddest send thy deare some from heauen to descend vnto the earthe and into the nature of man to saue vs men who are but earthe What thinge can be more kinde and gracious then for the sonne of God to take vpon him the shape of a willfull slaue to be subiect to the cruelty of deathe and to the shame of the crosse to redeeme vs by shedding of his bloud by his innocency to repayre our trecheryes by his iustice to satisfye for our sinnes to pull vs backe from the mouthe of hell gaping for vs to giue vs entrance to the gates of heauen which were shutâ—e against vs. To enlighten his churche with the clearenes of his truthe in the middest of errors to preserue it by his power against the stormes of persecution to feede it with his owne body to washe it with his bloud to cherish it with all his sacraments to directe it in generall by his holy spirite and to comforte euery particuler with the swetnes of his loue with the hartynes of his grace and with the abundance of his mercy O kinde dealing of extraordinary good will O diuine loue aboue measure O wonderfull worke without any example or paterne a worke of heauenly charity without any foregoing merite and in one worde O God a worke of thy good will 4. This is the building of the walls of Ierusalem Babell walls are builded of bricke and founded vpon sande whiles worldly men either trusting to their riches or fixed on their carnall pleasures are proud or careles but as Augustus said he found the walls of Rome made of bricke and lefte them of marble so by our mortification of the flesh and renunciation of the worlde with the helpe of our Lorde we may change bricke into marble the walls of Babel into the walls of Ierusalem and a foundation vpon sande into a foundation vâ—on a Rocke So said Esay The brickes are fallen but we will builde with square stone they haue cutte downe the wilde figge trees but we will turne them into Cedars And this they doo who turne delicacy into seuerity liberty into limites the lawe of the flesh into the lawe of the spirite the olde man into the new and Adam into Christe O happy walls which haue such a head corner stone to combine them and such a rocke to vpholde them these walls haue strenghte and comelynes strenghte vpon their rocke and by their Corner stone comelynes or by their vnited charity strenghte comelynes by their decent sanctity and of such saith the psalme strenghte and comelynes are his garmentes not in vertues alone comely yet weake against tentations but stronge against all impugnations and comely in all vertuous ornamentes 5. If IerusaleÌ„ which is the militant church here belowe be thus peopled and builded what glory shall we see in the churche triumphante which is Ierusalem aboue the mother of vs all a free citye and the highest Imperiall seate not so much as touched with any corruption or sinne nor can any misery or sorowe approache that place where no enemy can enter in nor any citizen shall desire to go out a city of all peace and prosperity whose streetes are paued with the purest golde c. in whose building is no noyce of hammer axe or sawe no more then was in Salomons temple for all our soules must be apted purged squared and fitted before we come there Dauid a warriour may make preparation but only peaceable Salomon can accomplishe the building we may in this life gather together many merites by fighting and resistance of tentations and vices but only in the peace of our lord Iesus shall we be accomplished and made perfecte WHAT A SACRIFICE IS AND THAT THE holy Masse is our peculiar Sacrifice of the new Testament Sect. 4. 1. WHerfore that we may be prepared for Ierusalem aboue we beseech the o lorde for IerusaleÌ„ here on earthe to repayre the olde wasted decayes to builde on forwarde the new Bullwarkes and walls For when or wheresoeuer Ierusalem florisheth in peace Then wilte thou accepte the Sacrifice of iustice not of sinne of constante vertuous Catholiques not of Heretiques Schismatiques nor any vicious persons 2. Allso this sacrifice of iustice is referred by S. Ambrose and others to the sacrament of the Altar which is offered and receiued in the holy masse in which religious seruice of God we doo offer vnto him a sacrifice for the liuing and the dead and we doo receiue vnto our selues a sacrament of iustice conteyning and conferring righteousnes grace 3. And the masse is not improperly or in generall only called a sacrifice as almes and euery good worke may be so termed nor is it alone an inwarde spirituall sacrifice but it is an externall sacrifice properly so called and yet more a peculiar sacrifice instituted of our Sauiour Christe himselfe in his laste supper and ordered and adorned afterwarde by the Apostles their successors as appeareth by the Canonâ— of the Apostles by the masse of S. Iames S. Marke S. Basil S. Chrysostome and S. Ambrose Yea it may be colected out of the Actes of the Apostles where it is said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whiles they were liturgizing For we knowe that masses are called in Greeke liturgyes as be the liturgyes of S. Iames S. Chrysostome c. And the vulgar translation is ministrantibus illis Domino whiles they were ministring vnto our lorde which generall wordes doo somtime signifye the particuler action of sacrificing as in the olde Testament is found and Erasmus doth expressely interprete them sacrificantibus illis whiles they were sacrificing althoughe it be friuolous which he addeth that their sacrificing was preaching for neither the sense of the Texte nor the nature of the worde can beare it and were it not absurde to say they were sacrificing that is preaching to God 4. As for the vse of the Masse as a sacrifice in the primitiue times it may appeare by Ignatius who liued in our Sauiours time sawe him on earthe writing to the Smyrnians It was not lawfull then without a Bishop to offer sacrifice nor to celebrate Masse And the same Author writing ad-Trallianos ad Neronem saith when S. Peter celebrated Masse Saynt Clement and Anaclete were his deacons helping him therin And that Timothy Linus were Deacons vnto S. Paul when he celebrated Masse 5. And the same S. Clement Romanus in his 3. Epistle de officio Sacerdot and Anaclete in his Epistle ad omnes Orientales And Dyonisius Areopagita in his ecclesiasticall Hierarchy doo all