remayned blind in respect of Ananias practicall experience For speculatiue knowledge alone is but as the lighte of the moone which shyneth feebly but this knowledge made practicall is glorious as the sunne which hath both heate and brightnes by heate to giue vs motion with his brightnes to shew vs light how to walke and to lead a good christian life and vnto both these together we may referre that of Dauid Lux orta est iusto rectis corde laetitia a light is arisen vnto the just and vnto the righte in harte ioyfullnes for speculation giueth lighte practise causeth joyfullnes whereof we must make one coniunction both to be just in speculatiue brightnes of lighte and to be righte in harte by practicall heate of ioyfullnes 9. And further more this practicall knowledge must be exercised in our selues for wante of which practise S. Augustin complayned thus I haue wandred O God seeking thee without who wert within And so doo all men wander out of themselues when euery one particulerly doth not consider his owne inwarde estate of soule what and who he is by whom created and to what end for want of which serious considerations not marking our sinnes nor our misery we seeke not our remedy but as S. Gregory said like foolish trauellers passing through a short pleasing meddowe we doo so much fasten our eyes vpon some fayre seeming flowres that we fall into some ditch or take some wrong way leading to destruction 10. For as the cause of all the prodigall childes misery came by departing out of his Fathers house and then out of himselfe into a farre country so his remedy beganne as the gospell saith In se autem reuersus when he returned into himselfe and to the knowledge of his miserable estate and of his vile courses wherfore meditating on the End wherto he was like to come by sinne he said Ego autem hic fame pereo reuertar in domum patris mei here I doo perish by famine I will returne into the house of my Father And so must we all reflecte vpon our selues learning to knowe who God is and what we are pondering the abhomination of our sinnes passed the dread and feare of our conscience present and the horrible terror of iudgement and punishment to come O thus let vs often imitate Dauid saying Meditatus sum nocte cum corde meo exercitabar scopebam spiritum meum I haue meditated in the night with mine owne harte I was exercised and I did sweepe my spirite O thus let vs sweepe and clense our soules by meditation and practicall knowledge of our owne hartes in examining our religioÌ„ trying our faith heedfull looking to our workes then shall we see our Errors and our faultes then will we chuse a better course for our saluation then shall we exercise our selues in deedes of penance in Actes of contrition in syncere confessions in due satisfactions and in diuerse kinds of voluntary and deuout mortifications 11. O that we would consider how we are corrupted in all our partes 1. In our fleshe and body 2. In our Animall parte and lâ—fe 3. In our spirituall parte and reason In our corporall partes and outward senses In our inward senses and appetites irascible concupiscible imagination and selfe will In our reasonable vnderstanding memory and free will In all these we haue rendred our selues as slaues into the Diuells bondage whiles we suffer sinne to reigne and haue dominion in vs so that our vnderstanding is obscured our will is depraued and our memory is blotted with much euill we haue our irascible power full of impatience and anger and the concupiscible inflamed with brutish affections and carnall delightes our Imagination is turmoyled with worldly desires and vayne suspitions our selfewill is crookened hardened by obstinacy all the partes and outward senses of our bodyes are become the members and instrumentes of sinne and so we passe from vice to vice and euery day we intangle our selues in new iniquityes and in more chaynes by which the Diuell leades vs along to his eternall prison of tormentes whiles we yeild our selues to committe or to continue any mortall sinne without contrition and true care of amendment 12. It is true we are not able by our selues alone to get out of the Diuells slauery to forsake sinne nor to alter and amend entirely the course of our liues for hauing once yeilded and liued in the custome and subiection of sinne and Satan we haue need of Allmighty Gods helpe and grace to deliuer vs first preuenting and stirring vs vp to haue a good will and afterward allso working with our will to bringe our conuersion and repentance vnto a full worke for euery good desire which we haue doth proceed from Gods grace offered and although our will be free to admit or refuse the accomplishment of those good desires as neither compelled vnto them by outwarde violence nor necessitated by inward qualitye neither as a stone naturally necessarily falling downeward nor forced vpward violently but differing herein from senseles brutish creatures freely consenting or dissenting to all good motions yet as allmighty God doth first inspire them so further without his grace we are no way able to effect them for in religious spirituall good thinges without him we can do nothing 13. But on the other side we haue greater and assured comfortes First because our Lorde doth offer grace vnto all men at one time or other by giuing theÌ„ good desires of a better life by which he would haue all men to be saued If they euer refuse these good morioÌ„s then are they iustly forsaken left in a reprobate sense If we doo at any time admitte these good desires so do but as much as lyes in our power then most infallibly our Lord doth giue vs further grace meanes wherby to come to the knowledge of his truth Of the first preuenting inspirations Gods wisdome saith Beholde I stande at the dore knocke if we open not but keepe him out it is our fault if on our partes we yeild him entrance then alltogeather with the Father and the Sonne they will come vnto vs by operating grace effecting our full resolution and by further grace still cooperating they will dwell with vs in practise continuance of a vertuous holy life till the accomplishment of our saluation if we of our selues doo neuer driue him from vs agayne by committing some mortall sinne 14. Our second comforte is that as if we let him into vs when he knocketh by preuenting grace admonishing our hartes so by his operating following grace when we are resolued if we do but knocke by prayer at his doore of mercy he doth euer most vndoubtedly receiue vs into fauour O most gracious God full of mercy who doth call vnto vs by grace that we should call vnto him for mercy can any creature wish for greater clemency then to haue forgiuenes for the asking And is
of the Diuell Which is signifyed by the olde custome of the Catholique churche which hauing baptized new conuerted christians at Easter and hauing vsed fasting penance in lent they called the first Sonday after Easter Dominica in Albis white Sonday because those who were newly baptized were then all clad in white to shew their cleansed innocency and so they solemnely read that saying of S. Peter quasi modo geniti infantes as children new borne to teach vs that after our sinnes washed by baptisme or blotted out by penance we should be carefull to kepe the garments of our soules white and cleane or hauing become againe as yong children without malice or sinne we should afterwarde procure the cleansed table of our soules no more to be defaced in vice by the Diuells fowle fyst but to be adorned in vertue with golden letters of grace MANY SIGNIFICATlONS AND PETITIONS for creating a cleane harte and renuing of a righte spirite Sect. 2. 1. BLotte out all my faultes and then Create a new harte in me o God First remission of sinne next infusion of grace For thoughe Iustification be in an instante yet in order of nature not of time pardon is before fauour And he saith Create grace in me because it is not deduced out of any power or faculty of our soule as are naturall formes out of their substances or matter but our soule had lost all his morall essence or Being of grace therfore he saith Create a cleane harte that is restore in me all morall gifts of nature and renue a righte spirite that is all spirituall graces 2. Create my harte which had loste it selfe for Ezechiel saith to a sinner Thou arte become nothing Neither let Ieremy call me a foole which hath no harte to resâ—ste sinne for to haue no harte is to be dead and to haue no life But in creating my harte I â—haâ—l â—ecouer both life and wisedome and by creatiâ—g me a cleane harte I may be among those blessed who shall see God 3. Let me haue a cleane harte not defiled with delightes of any sinne nor delighted in the filthynes of any pleasure nor turmoyled with contentious passions nor troubled with peruerâ—e cogitations for it ought to be a cleane temple of the holy ghoste not polluted with luxury not straytned with enuy with ambition not headlong noâ— houering with pride Or if we heare any of these clamorous affections within vs yet not take pleasure nor giue consent to their alluâ—ing voyces not a whitte to feele them who can say he hath a cleane harte yet must we cleanse our hartes not to harbour and consent vnto them Or if we haue listened any whit too long vnto such dangerous thoughtes let vs pray for a cleane harte that all corrupte intentions may be abolished and with a right spirite all good purposes orderly directed despising all the glory of this worlde fastening our mindes in the loue of God keping patience in reproches and injuâ—yes humbling our selues to all men in meekenes louing our freindes in God and our enemyes for God not coueting oughte from other men but rather giuing of our owne to the poore in prosperity sober and constant in affliction Thus let vs be renued in the spirite of our â—indes which in all these is a cleane harte and a right spirite but by the vices which are contrary vnto these it doth become a crooked and a lothsome harte 4. Create in me a cleane harte not materially but formally for this creation is not of the harte in substance but of his quality in cleanenes Create cleanenes in my harte for infused vertuâ—â— and grace may be sâ—id created as neither compounded of any material substance noâ— deriued therfrom But yet being Accidentall formes they are not created alone â—ut existing in some subiect and so Deuines say Gratia non creatur sed concreatur subjecto inesse grato 5. Least from my reasonable discourse impertinent or vicious thoughtes should ascend into my harte Create in me a cleane harte of vnderstanding Least my actions should be hipocriticall hauing my harte a farre of from thee Create a sincere intention of harte in my will And in my deuout hartie affections Create a cleane harte in me that I may follow Dauid as a man according to thine owne harte 6. And renue a right spirite in my bowells Renue it for I am waxen olde in vice and make it righte to be directed streight to heauen nor bowed downe in basenes nor bended awrye in crookednes to any thing of this worlde New in grace for we may not put new wyne into olde bottels Righte in nature wherfore we praie vnto the holie ghoste Send out thy spirite they shal be created thou shalte renue the face of the earthe 7. Our Bowells are of such earthly nature that they haue neede to be renued in spirite and our Hartes are so corrupted in sinne that they haue neede to be caste in another molde which is to be created a cleane harte O my soule we were become like Ephraim a seduced doue hauing no harte and we may complayne with the psalmist Our harte hath forsaken vs let vs desire our Lord to create vs a harte Allso like the Quene of Saba admiring Solomon we haue no spirite or faynting in goodnes we may say defecit spiritus meus our spirite fayleth vs let vs beseech our lord to Renue our spirite O Iesu create in vs a cleane harte out of which may not procede lewde thoughtes adulteryes theftes ambitions nor any wickednes Renue in our Bowells a righte spirite to make vs right in all vertues which according to the hebrew worde are called rectitudines righteousnes streight lines or perpendicular lines from the center of the earth leading righte vp to heauen That as in the begimning our Lord made man righte so to the intent our End may be answerable restore vs a righte spirite 8. Dauids hartâ— was vncleane by Adultery his spirite was crooked by malicious subtilty in this subtle malice he murdered Vrias in adultery he had abused Bersabee In like sorte against luste we desire cleanenes of harte and against crafty crooked malice rightnes of spirite or we pray that we may haue in our harte cleane affections louing God entirely and a righte spirite of discretion to discerne good prudently Allso mixing these we desire discreete affections in our harte and in our spirite louing charitable imaginations Nay we haue so much neede of a better alteration that we may alter interchange these wordes to desire a change of our selues allmost into any fashion rather then to remayne in our present corruption o lorde create in vs a cleane harte and renue a righte spirite in our bowells or create in vs a righte spirite and renue in vs a cleane harte Allso we haue neede of a cleane spirite and me doo wante a righte hart We haue no harte which therfore must be created
our spirite is olde or loste therfore must be renued And all these defectes are in our bowells euen in the principall inward partes of our nature if our eye be blind how great is our darkenes and when our bowells our cheife nature is faulty how great is our wickednes O God! create renue a harte a spirite cleane harte a righte spirite a cleane spirite a righte harte we haue neede of all in all our nature euen in our very bowells O furnish all our defectes Deus meus in quem deficio vt fortis sim as said S. Augustin O mie Iesu vpon whom I doo desire to relye and fainte that so fainting vpon him I maie be reuiued more strong 9. By cleansing my harte from all worldly filthynes thou shalte cheere it lighten it in thy loue and so I shall liue more cherfully for as no creature say philosophers can long liue without some sorte of loue so such as our loue is such is our life If we woulde haue our life pure at liberty glorious let not our loue be slauish corrupte or base O swete Iesu create in me a cleane harte of loue and because our soule is not mooued by paces of the feete but by affections of the harte therfore vnto this loue adde a righte spirite not to be as wicked men who walke in a circle but like Ezechiels beast which went righte onward turned not Allso a righte spirite euen in the bowells of our syncere intentions which as a direct winde at sterne may further and order all our actions holde all our courses streight for heauen TO BE CASTE OVT FROM THE FACE of God is to be caste into all misery Sect. 3. 1. NE proijcias me c. Doo not cast me out from thy face thy holie spirite doo not take from me Dionysius Areopagita vsed to say that our Lord Iesus comes to vs firste goes from vs laste for till we forsake him he doth neuer forsake vs. And as Innocentius tertius saith The holy Ghoste is taken from vs not so much when he ceaseth to be possessed as when he beginneth not to be possessed for he of himselfe ceaseth not to remayne with vs but we firste begin to dispossesse our selues of him for in the day time if any be blind the defecte is in the eye not in the sunne and lighte departeth not till darkenes come 2. Let vs consider o my soule with Ieremy how euill how bitter a thinge it is to haue forsaken our Lord God the faulte is euill the punishment is bitter It is euill because it is sinne which is the worste euill It is bitter in diuersity of the payne which in his sensible parte hath exterior fyre and an interiour worme which allso in his losse is worthely depriued of the presence of God whom we did forsake vnworthely O Iesu let vs neuer forsake thee of our owne frailty nor suffer our selues to be plucked from thee by any tentation least we deserue for euer to be caste out from thee whensoeuer we yeild or loue any thing else more then thee If thou turne awaie thy face of mercy all will be in confusion and from thy face of iustice whither shall we flye O illuminate thy countenance vpon vs and shew vs thy mercie thou arte our lighte our saluation 3. Dauid releasing Absoloms banishment gaue leaue he mighte returne to his owne house but with this commandement my face he shall not see Afterward Absolom complaynes to Ioab saying If my Father be still offended against me let him rather take my life then forbid me his face for it is a matter full of disgrace empty of comforte and wantes a cheife meanes to worke reconciliation because we are sooner mooued in fauour or in pity towardes those whom we haue much conuersante in our eye Wherfore o gracious Lorde caste vs not out from thy face thrust vs not out of thy fauor reiect vs not from thy mercy exclude vs not from thy sighte or knowledge exempte vs not from thy care or prouidence nor let vs be estranged from thy loue or contemplation O let vs neuer heare it said against vs Take awaie the wicked so that he neuer see the glorie of my face for so was Lucifer cast headlong out of thy presence as lightening from heauen and so shall all they be caste with violence from thy face to whom thou shalt say Go you cursed into eternall fire 4. It is miserable to be cast into captiuity bondage as our lord threatned the Iewes I will cast you from my face vidz into Babylon It is terrible to be throwne from an highe Clyffe or a steep mounteyn downe vpon rockes or stones as were those in the chronicles of whom the scripture saith crepuerunt they burste and cracked in peices with their fall It is most horrible intollerable to be reprobate from Gods presence and caste into hell and of such the scripture saith The soule of thine enimyes shal be tumbled as in a wheele or in a whirlewinde or as in the violence or circle of a slinge We beseech thee caste vs not into the miserable bondage of concupiscence or slauish passions nor into the terrible downefall of pride or ambition nor into the vnsufferable torments of future perdition or of present desperation for he sinnes against the holy ghoste who supposeth his sinnes to be greater then thy mercie which applyeth forgiuenes by meanes of the holie ghost and therfore from him who casteth himselfe into such finall desperation thou doost take awaie thy holie spirite O cast me not out by any of these from thy face and thy holie spirite in any sorte doo not take awaie from me 5. Origen saith that when our lord promiseth to looke vpon vs he promiseth all that is good for all our wellfare comes from his fauorable countenance O let vs not be Runnegates like Cayn from the face of God vpon the face of the earthe 1. to forsake God for the worlde But let vs beseech him to looke vpon vs like as he looked vpon S Peter and vpon that yong man in the Gospell whom when he saw he loued him to giue vs lookes of admonition that we may repent and lookes of fauour that we may reioyce To turne away his face of indignation from our sinnes whose faultes doo vrge him to iustice and yet not to caste our persons out of his presence because our misery may mooue him to compassion 6. To be caste out of our owne country by banishment is a ciuil death and it is an ecclesiasticall death to be caste out of the churche by excoÌ„muncation The first is next neighbor to death of body and the other to death of soule But to be caste out from the presence of God is more then both theâ—e for it is indeede the death it selfe both of body and soule It is irckesome to be debarred our owne natiue country and it
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
forgiuen thee because thou hast loued much and althoughe perfect loue is not in vs till we haue the holy ghoste fully dwelling in vs yet we may haue imperfect loue before this complete spirituall habitation thoughe indeede neither this loue nor any of these other dispositions are in vs before and without the preuenting grace or speciall helpe of God 5. Fiftely from this loue of our gracious Benefactor we must procede to Penitence which is a sorowe and contâ—iâ—ion for hauing sinned against him whom now we beginne to loue aboue all the worlde and therfore doo detest and greiue for what is passe and this sorowe saith S. Paul worketh penitence vnto firme saluation therfore this allso doth hâ—lpe to iustifye And with this sixtely is ioyned a purpose and desire of coming to Baptisme if the patty be vnchristened or to Confession and Satisfaction if since our Baptisme we haue mortally offened And that these are necessary entrances vnto iustification as well as faith it is manifest for except we be borne of water the holie ghoste we cannoe enter into the kingdome of heauen and the successiue substitutes of Christe haue auctority from him that whose sinnes they remitte they are remitted therfore only to beleue is not sufficient except we haue allso a syncere purpose to be Baptized and Confessed And lastly we must haue a resolute determination by Gods grace to lead a new life amending our faultes and endeuouring to kepe our lordes commandements as Ezechiel said cast from you all your iniquityes and make in you a new harte a new spirite 6. In fine our Sauiour doth often require besides faith allso charity workes of which two consisteth the wedding garment that is so necessarily required saying allso that if we will enter into life we must kepe the commandements and that at last we shall be iudged by our workes And holy scriptures in many places require iustice and good deedes for not the hearers only or beleeuers but the Doâ—ers of the will of God shal be iustifyed Doo this and thou shalte liue said our L. Iesus And S. Iames of purpose against onlie faith in expresse wordes auoucheth that a man is iustifyed by workes and not by faith onlie Denying the worde onlie for which they sâ—riue so extremely that rather then they will not haue their will they will doubte of S. Iames Example whither it be true scripture as Luâ—her diuerse of his folowers did And Illyricus shameth not to say of all scriptures requiring good workes that when certyen excessiâ—e effectes and prayses and euen saluation it selfe is attributed in scriptures vnto good workes we must iudge that to be ascribed to them which is not conuenient for them O blasphemous impudency he boasteâ— of scriptures yet will thus controlle scriptures as giuing too much prayse excessiue effectes vnto good workes he confesseth scripture to ascribe vnto good workes euen saluation it selfe but he hath authority forsooth to call this an excessiue prayse effecte and that herin the holy ghoste doth ascribe that to good workes which is not conueniâ—nt to be ascribed And thus doo all heretiques euer bragge of scriptures yet so that they will reiecte them or interprete or controlle them according to their owne fancyes whensoeuer they find them contrary to their owne opinions 7. Much more modestly discretely S. Augustin aduertiseth that where faith in scriptures is extolled required there good workes are not excluded and where good workes are praysed commanded there faith is not debarred But wheras diuerse thinges are necessary vnto our iustification saluation they are seldome or neuer all expressely reckoned together in any one place much lesse in euery place or scripture or of any other writer but somtime one soÌ„time another according as occasion is offered And so the holy scripture doth not exclude what it concealeth but doth require what it expresseth and when seuerall thinges are mentioned in diuerse places yet all about one purpose we cannot denye them to haue all some vertue in the same office and therfore we must acknowledge good workes to haue vertue in them about the acte of our iustification neither separating faith nor reiecting workes from their mutuall assistance founded vpon our Sauiour Christe and in his merites concurring both of them to the very worke of our saluation OF THE HOLY WAYES AND OF THE sacred feete footesteps of our heauenly Guide Teacher Thus I shall teach thy wayes vnto the wicked and the vngodlye will be conuerted vnto thee Sect. 7. 1. THE wicked misbeleeuers haue neede of a righte faith and all vngodly liuers do wante good workes these will be conuerted by thy grace and inspirations and the other must we teach by our example instructions Vnto both of them we will shew the wayes in which all of vs must walke with those twoo feete of workes faithe 2. Thy wayes O lord are mercy truthe not only truthe in verity of faith and mercie in the rewarde merite of workes but allso thou haste truthe of iustice against obstinate presumers and mercie of fauour for tractable penitents If these would learne to walke in thy wayes it were good they shoulde be taughte to folowe thy footesteppes but how shoulde we better discerne thy footesteps then by knowing thy feete Therfore let S. Bernarde teach vs how the feete of our Sauiour are mercie iudgement with these feete he walketh vpon the water waues trampling downe both our proud highe mindes swelling as waues and our softe delicate flesh as mooueable as water with these twoo feete he traueleth vp and downe in all places to doo vs good to free vs from ill to giue vs healthe to caste out diuells as Abacâ—c prophesyed the diuell shoulde flye awaie from before his feete both visibly out of bodyes and out of soules spiritually 3. Wherfore come O my soule we will sitte vs downe at these feete with S. Mary Magdalene let vs marke well his feete and consider his fotesteps his feete are mercy iudgemeÌ„t his footesteps are hope feare O happy soules in whom are imprinted the steppes of both these feete and this happynes tâ—ey haue whosoeuer with S. Mary Magdalene will washe them both will annoynte them both will wipe them both and will kisse embrace them both to washe them to wipe them by cleansing sorowe to kisse them to annoynte them by swete smelling loue to sorowe in feare to loue in hope to feare his foote of iudgement and to hope in his foote of mercy not to be busy about the one foote to neglecte the other but to embrace them both If I be timorous sorowfull without hope I shall despayre If I be coÌ„fident secure without feare I shall be presumptuous more slothfull in negligence more colde in prayer my actions will growe more careles my laughter more loose my talke more inconsiderate and the whole estate of my outwarde
sinne therfore I will crye and praye because I would fayne see because I woulde be fed and haue my nakednes couered and because I would be freed from all this filthynes 19. Therfore our Sauiour said oportet semper orare we must alwayes praye and S. Paul exhorteth that we should be praying without intermission thoughe not Actually in outward prayers like the fond Euchetae omitting all other dutyes yet habitually by inward deuout readynes to make our petitions so often as we are bound or haue leasure and just occasion alwayes answerable to our daily necessityes and to our continuall warfare which hourely we haue with our affections passions concupiscences vaine cogitations and other occasions in all which according as they neuer cease so we should not intermit to resist or auoyd them and instantly call to God for help against them if not by reciting some generall petition or other short sentence alwayes ready in our memory against such occurrences yet at least by some inward sighe or knocking of our breast with our desire lifted vp in our secret thoughts immediatly vnto God himselfe or mediatly by some Saynt to cry vnto him for his succour as Moyses cryed though he spake not for S. Gregory said Verba animae desideria sunt clamor magnum desiderium est our desires be the wordes of our soule and our cry a great desire 20. And last of all it is surely a wonderfull comfort herein which S. Chrysostome noteth that there is scarse any losse or misery in all the worlde which can be repayred by prayer sorrowe and repentance except the losse of God and the misery of sinne which though they be aboue all other domages incomparably the greatest yet is their redresse much the easyer for the losse of life or goods consumed or of honor impeached the misery of payne sickenes of many other extremityes cannot be recouered by sighing or lamenting though our sorrow be neuer so great But if with syncere contrition of our hart we be greiued for our sinnes because for them we haue lost the loue of God and if we pray humbly for their remission with purpose to confesse them as well as we can and do intend neuer agayne willfully to commit them vndoubtedly this purpose and sorrowful conuersion on earth shall obteyne most certayn and ioyfull reconciliation in heauen for our Lord IESVS hath said vnto his Preistes and he is most true of all his wordes Whose sinnes on earth you remitte in heauen they shal be remitted why then should we not seeke to disburden our heauy consciences vnto some Ghostly Father that we may through his Authority granted by our Sauiour so receiue his heauenly Absolution his ghostly comfort his spirituall direction in all these submitting our selues vnto our Confessor not as to a Man but as to the Deputy of our Lord IESVS and to the Pastour of our soules and then in all true amendment endeauouring as we can to performe our penance or other satisfaction Beleeue me o Sinners amongst whom I haue bene a Ring-leader by experience I say beleeue me it is a most comfortable and wonderfull experience For your selues shall presently feele comfort in your soules and with continuance of time others allso will perceiue amendment in your liues 21. To conclude therfore as in generall I would perswade you to practise the examination of your consciences and the exercise of deuout prayer directing vs all vnto Contrition Confession and Satisfaction so I do commend as helpes for these purposes a serious accompt how we spend our liues an indifferent obseruation why vpon what occasions these new-found sclanderous opinions did banish the Catholique religion of our Auncestors wherin full many a hundred yeares togeather they serued God so deuoutly and so hartily loued their neighbours and for the same purpose I intreat a view and a detestation of our former sinnes and auoydance of their occasions an endeauour to practise their contrary vertues sometime by reading of good bookes sometime by deuout meditations or prayers sometime by almes deedes or fasting abstinence or other bodily chastisement sometime by humbling our thoughtes alwayes by mortifying our passions and vnlawfull affections and alwayes being carefull to keep the commandements of God our Father and of our Mother the Church And to bringe these good purposes and cogitations into our mindes the oftener and to mooue and imprint them the better it is good for vs sometime to giue an edge and to whet on ech other by vertuous or spirituall talke and conference not contending in disputes but by modest teaching or by freindly encouragements and aboue all by frequenting the most holy sacrifice and sacrament of our deare Sauiours most precious Body and Bloud by often calling to memory some examples of his life and more in particuler his bitter passages vnto death both for our meditation and for our imitation so to giue good example one vnto another whiles all are labouring to follow Christ our cheife Maister And to this end it is allso good to reuiue our deuotion by reading or hearing of Sayntes liues or by the reuerent beholding of their deuout Images or paynted storyes especially of the passion of our sweet Sauiour IESVS by marking his sufferinges to be mooued for our owne sinnes and so by viewing the memory of other Saintes to be stirred vp to follow their vertues as they were followers of Christ for we may learne and are mooued by our eye sometime as much or more then by our eare and in these thinges which are so good and wherein we are so dull verily euen common sense doth teach vs that it is profitable and needfull to stirre vp our memory deuotion by any sense and by how much the more by so much the better 22. And yet further vnto them that be sufficiently able I commend the reading and meditation of Dauids Psalter which holy Church vseth so much in all her diuine Offices and particulerly of the seauen Penitentiall Psalmes and according to the practise of Catholiques especially of this psalme Miserere as admonished therby and informed to call and cry vnto God for mercy and pardon to confesse and acknowledge our faultes and iniquityes to desire their purging washing and clensing to lament our sinnes originall and actuall to pray for cleane hartes right spirites escaping of anger and continuance of grace to purpose amendmenâ— being forgiuen to direct others by our experience and example to humble our selues for our owne offences to be ioyfull and thankfull towardes allmighty God for our particuler fauours and to desire that he may be serued praysed and honored in our publique Churches and at his holy Altars Amen Thy Wellwiller in Christ Iesus Iames Waddesworth AN ACT OF CONTRITION O My Lord Iesus-Christ very God and Man my Creatour Redeemer thou being whome thou art and for that I loue thee aboue all thinges it greiueth me from the bottome of my hart that I haue offended thy diuine Maiesty And I firmely
loue 5. O how doth my soule thirste as a chased Harte to the water founteyn to be ioyned vnto thee more more in this loue I haue obligation to loue thee because of thâ—e benefites but it thirsteth more in deuotion to loue thee for thie selfe and because of thine owne worthienes Because thou arte God therfore I will loue thee and because thou arte our God therfore I will prayse thee O thou who arte loue it selfe and Author of loue O warme my soule nay heate it nay make it burne and flame in thy loue In this loue is inseparable vnity in this vnity is vnspeakable peace in this peace which passeth all vnderstanding is that ioye gladnes which thou giuest to our inward hearing O let me daily heare thee enter into my harte and say peace be vnto this house o sweet Iesu make thy prayer effectuall vnto me and accomplish thy promise of seÌ„ding vs allso some portion of thy holy spirite o come with thy Father and take vp your dwelling make your mansion in me O come in vnitie of obedient will and in vnitie of feruent contemplation come thus and dwell with me Let me thus reioyce in the speake alowde and say vnto my soule I am thy saluation So vnto my hearing thou shalte giue ioye gladnes and my humbled bones shall reioyce MEDITATION VII Auerte faciem tuam à peccatis meis omnes iniquitates meas dele Cor mundum crea in me Deus spiritum rectum innoua in visceribus meis Ne proijcias me à facie tua spiritum sanctum tuum ne auferas à me Turne away thy face from my sinnes and blotte out all myne iniquityes Create a cleane harte in me O God and renue a righte spirite in my bowells Doo not caste me out from thy face and thy holy spirite doo not take from me A GENERALL INTERPRETATION OF all these wordes And then what is meant by our Lordes facâ— and how our soules are deformed scribled full of sinnes to be blotted out Sect. 1. 1. LEt vs consider o my soule how prudent modest and diligent Dauid is in prosecuting his petitions and let vs with him haue care to aske those thinges which are lawfull which are decent and which are expedient To be prudent in asking thinges just modest in desiring thinges honest and diligent in requiring thinges necessary least if we pray for thinges vnlawfull our prayer be turned into sinne if we entreate for thinges vndecent we shall not receiue them because we aske amisse if we demand thinges vnexpedient it may be said vnto vs you know not what you aske Wherfore let vs be diligent continually to eâ—treat pardon of our sinnes as Dauid still insisteth vpon this same poynt For this is most expedient necessary Turne away thy face o lord from my sinnes and blotte out myne iniquityes Let vs be modest against all vncleannes and euen in our good deedes to desire humility of harte and sincerity of intention for this is most decâ—nt and honest Create a cleane harte in me o God and renue a righte spirite in my bowells Let vs be prudent in praying for perseuerance in good and in perpetuall election of the Best because these thinges are most juste and lawfull Doo not caste me out from thy face and thy holy spirite doo not take from me 2. Turne away thy face from my sinnes in regarde of my time paste Create a cleane harte in mee now in this time present And for the time to come doo not cast me out from thy face Saynt Augustin thus expoundeth the firste wordes Turne away thy face not from mee but from my sinnes for where he fastens his eye he fastens his hande if vpon good to rewarde it if vpon bad to punish it And to turne aside his angry face thou must â—et a sorowfull face vpon thine owne sinnes so neither shall thy person be caste out from his face nor his face set against thy sinnes O let thy face of mercy be shewed vpon vs and we shall be safe but turne away thy face of iustice or we shal be confounded Thy Cherub had two faces which Ezechiel saw a face of a man and a face of a lyon O blessed Sauiour cast me not out from thy face of pity with which thou diddest first appeare when thou becamest man but turne away from my sinnes the face of a lyon in seuerity with which thou wilte come agayne to iudge the worlde Then wilte thou appeare against sinne according to that reuelation hauing eyes as a flame of fyre thy face more glistring then the sunne and a sharpe twoo edged sworde proceding out of thy mouthe But now for fauour we entreat with thy spouse shew vs thy face and let thy voyce be in our eares for thy voyce is sweet and thy face is exceding beautifull And so in the former verse we desired to heare joye gladnes and in this to beholde fauour kindnes 3. The Romanes sent to the Carthaginians a Mace and a Speare to make election of peace or of warre we haue now our choyce of a milde countenance or of a seuere browe now o lord thy face is mercifull o caste me not from it There will come a time when it shall be seuere o turne it away from my sinnes And blotte out all my iniquityes Let none of them remayne written vpon my soule to giue me shame or helpe the diuels clayme as slaues and cattell are marked to be chalenged Plato said that the soule of an infaÌ„te is tabula abrasa like white paper or a cleane leafe of a table booke wheron nothing is paynted or written But in processe of time as we giue our selues to vice or vertue so we suffer our soules to be written full of faultes or of merites And eyther we suffer the Diuell theron to paynte hell with his fowle feendes and tormentes or our good Angell to decipher heauen with the glory of the sunne the moone and beautifull starres 4. O my soule how long haue we bene vnder the Diuells blacke pensell who as with a fowle coale hath for euery sinne drawne some ill fauored marke or picture vpon thee he hath written all full of faultes o how he hath interlyned all and euen the margentes are filled full I confesse it was much easyer at the firste to haue admitted my good Angells fayre writing and heauenly pictures as children and yong people are most capable of religion and vertue But yet better late then neuer thy mercy is omnipotent o let it blotte out all myne iniquityes all the Diuells blurres all his hellish pictures and vgly handwâ—itinges I desire to beginne a fayre copy o gracious Lord turne away thy face from my olde faultes and I will turne ouer a new leafe to begin a new lesson 5. Thus shall the Diuells paynting all be blotted out for as S. Ihon saith To this end appeared the sonne of God to dissolue the workes
is greiuous to be depriued the communion of Sayntes But to be caste out from the fruition ioye of Gods presence is most lamentable The Mary-golde flower another which may be called Follow-suÌ„ne whiles the cherfull sunne shynes vpon them doo alwayes turne themselues towardes his beames moouing their heades after his course from East to west and whiles they feele his comfortable heate they remayne open beautifull fresh but so soone as the sunne is downe or couered with a sharpe storme or great thicke clowde they close shut vp their stowers they hang downe their heades or altogeather wither if they long wante his presence as in winter O Iesu thou arte my eternall sunne I am this fading flower yet if I will followe the as thou wilte neuer go downe so I shall neuer dâ—caye o let me euer be turned toward thy face 7 Pliny writes of a birde named Coladion which brought to a sicke body if she willingly looke directly vpon him there is much hope of life but if she turne away her eye and would not see him it is a signe of death O Iesu beholde me for my soule is sicke if thou turne away thy face from me I must needes dye for only in thy presence is true life Iob was an eye to the blinde as that sea fish Squilla doth serue for eyes vnto another shellfish called Pina O Iesu kepe me in thy presence and fixe thy face vpon me according as thy prophet Zachary said Our lord is the eye of man and of all the tribes of Israel As Ester with Assuerus let me find grace in thyne eyes O lord cast me not out from thy face least so I should wante thy fauour thy guydance and thy defence for euen among men we fasten our eyes vpon another either for loue or for gouernement or for protection O Iesu cast me not out from thy face of fauorable loue O Iesu cast me not out from thy face of directing gouernement O Iesu cast me not out from thy face of protecting defence so shall I reioyce in thee as my kind Patron I will obey thee as my prudent Tutor and I shal be safe with thee as my allmighty Capteyn AMONG SVNDRY OTHER GIFTES OF the holy Ghoste let vs inparticuler labour to be thankefull and to be constante Sect. 4. 1. ANd thy holie spirite doo not take from me I am a penitent and yet I presume to suppose I haue thy holy spirite whose effectes I desire may be encreased not diminished It is an effecte of thy holy spirite to be displeased with sinne for wickednes is a delighte to an vncleane spirite As therfore by this gifte of thy spirite I am come thus farre forwarde to dislike my former sinnes and to seeke pardon so I beseech the not to take froÌ„ me because of my vnworthynes that little which I haue but rather in thy goodnes to giue me yet more whatsoeuer I wante No man can call our lorde Iesus but in the holie ghoste To name him in worde they may but not to beleue in him loue him with their harte aboue any thinge in this worlde this none can doo without the holy spirite which is a spirite or inward breath of holynes no more then any can vocally speake without the breath of ayre O Iesu I beleue helpe my fainte beleefe O Iesu I loue increase my colde charity The small loue poore faith which I haue doo come from thy holy spirite O take not this holie spirite from me thou hast giuen it freely o encrease it graciously 2. In vertue memory of our deare Sauiours fiue woundes some vse to pray to the holy ghoste in fiue wordes 1. Veni come 2. purga cleanse 3. Reple fill 4. Accende inflame 5. Perseuera Continue Come with thy inspirations Cleanse by expulsion of sinne Fillfull with abundance of grace inflame with heat of thy loue and continue all these vnto the end all are necessary good but without perseuerance no vertue is crowned I haue begun in the spirite let me not end in the fleh O take not thy holie spirite from â—e 3. It is a question among schoolmen which is most bound to allmighty God One who was euer innocent or one truly penitent Some doo resolue it thus Innocens maiora debet sed poenitens magis debet Innocency is a greater benefite and so he is in debted for a better gifte But penitence is more difficulte and allso a demerited or disdeserued vertue for which therfore such a one is indebted so much more To preserue one alwayes innocent is to doo good vnto a man not ill To drawe a sinner to repentance is to doo good to an ill man The first did neuer merite his innocence but the other had demerited his penitence Allso it is easyer for him to go forward who is sounde standing on foote then for him who is sicke fallen vnder foote And finally Innocence is a Iewell of more price in the substance and penitence of more value for the workemanship wherfore the one owes more vnto God for being reserued in excellency and the other because he is deliue red with such difficulty 4. And as both procede of mercy vndeserued so if they doo not continue in perseuerance neither of them shal be crowned The fayre blade of corne must come to a good eare to a full kernell to a seasonable haruest to yeildable flowre The beautifull blossome must growe to a welâ— set budde and continue to a kind ripe fruite Saint Paul saying There is reserued for me a crowne of iustice Saint Bernard enquireth what proportion betwene our eternall reward our merites of a few yeares and allso what iustice of rewarde can be due to vs who receiue all of mercy Doubtles becauses our merites procede of his mercy and so doth not mercy exclude merite or iustice but rather vpholde them And as sinners are eternally punished for offending an infinite maiesty so iust men thirsting after righteousnes do merite an eternall crowne of iustice for if they were immortall on earthe they would perpetually serue God And being once sincerely penitent with S. Augustin they would so abandon all their sinfull pleasures that from the instante of their repentance they shoulde no more returne vnto them for euer euer such must be the purpose of a true conuerte for euer to caste of sinne least at any time he be caste out from the face of God and for euer to take care of perseueranae least at any time he loose the holy spirite which he hath receiued for so eternall iustice will giue him an eternall rewarde herin proportionable to his eternall purpose and care to serue God 5. Not like those peicemeale penitentes who still reserue some sinne nor those changeable conuertes who are weary euery moone or such as for a time cease to sinne for a lent for a sicknes for a good sermon or by any such present admonition but
but in declaration of the spirite and of vertue and thus he will open our lippes if firste we aske wisedome of God and then so speake as the wordes of God referring them only to his glory to the good of soules 3. If I be to pray o lorde open my lippes that I maâ— neither aske amisse to vnfitte purposes nor praye alone with my lippes hauing my harte farre from thee but holde me in attention from wandring thoughtes warme in deuotion from colde desires and seing I am insufficient of my selfe to thinke or to cherish or to expresse a good thoughte O let thy holy spirite teach me to pray in wardlie in minde with vnspeakable sighes and outwardly in body with decent signes of due reuerence 4. If I be to talke or discourse O lorde so open my lippes that neuertheles according to the wise mans counsell I may make a doore a barre to my mouthe vntâ— my wordes a beame a balance To my mouthe a barre of silence and a doore of warynes with a beame of discretioÌ„ and a balance of measure to my wordes Thus I praye with Dauid elsewhere O Lorde place a guarde vnto my mouthe vnto my lippes a doore of circumstance In all our talke let vs number our wordes lest we become talkers let vs measure euery sillable that they may be conuenient and honest not vnciuill nor immodest let vs weighe and consider all our speeche to ponder before hand euery circumstance to haue it iuste in truthe graue in sobriety not to lighte in mirthe equal in good Curtesy neither balance rising vpwarde in highe minded vanity but rather weighing downewarde in profound humility O thus let vs consider before we speake whether to say this woulde it sauour of enuy or slander whether to speake that woulde it not discouer some matter which it were better to keepe secret would it cause needeles suspition woulde it giue offence or is it any way like to be vndiscrete IN ESPECIALL OVR PRAYERS AND our Prayses should haue respecte vnto God Sâ—ct 5. 1. THis is in conuersation with men But with God especially our spirituall communication by prayer must be with respecte And because he is the Author of euery good gifte and we haue neede in our prayers to be taughte to pray therfore the olde Hebrewes beganne all most all their publique prayers and liturgyes with these wordes O lorde open thou our lippes And so the Catholique churche considering that the end and beginning of all actions oughte to haue relation to allmighty God therfore at Complynes finishing the daye we saye Conuerte nos Deus O God turne vs viz from all our offences of that day passed And then the Mattynes are begunne with these wordes O lorde thou wilte open our lippes insinuating that after the silence of the nighte we must firste open our lippes in the honor of God and that in the innocency of the morning we are aptest to prayse God 2. For to prayse God with our breast full of sinnes is like a cunning singer who hath eaten garlicke or hathe a stinking breath his voyce may be sweete to them who are a farre of but to those that stande neere him it giues a bad sauour So among men our prayses may seme to be deuoute butif we haue sinne in our harte our lorde will coÌ„sider the lothsome sauour more then the swete sounde such lippes may vtter good wordes but no such mouthe caÌ„ giue true prayse Nay rather to â—uch a one our lord saith why doost thou declare my iustice He that hath a festered caÌ„ker in his mâ—ath I am sure yow wolde not suffer him to chewe meate to feede your childe And were it not offensiue to heare a dronkarde discoursing against dronkeÌ„nes or one giuen to the vice of the flesh to preach against wantonnes 3. Shall we presume outwardly to pray vnto God or to sing him prayses whiles neither we are resolued to forsake sinne nor doo feele in our hartes any spirituall ioye To stande and mooue our lippes and to faine as if we answered or spake to the Iudge were it not a mockery euen such is our lippe-labour when we prayse God or praye vnto him and yet doo voluntarily abide in sinne For he that loues any sinne doth not loue God how can he then prayse God whom he doth not loue or as a malefactor whiles he feares iuste punishment how can he harbour true ioye in his minde as if he were a well beloued sonne And we knowe our lord will not heare sinners that is neither their outward prayers wanting inwarde deuotions nor any petitions for fauour excepte they be resolued for euer to forsake sinne If we be sory for what is passed and doo verily purpose by his grace neuer to offend in time to come our lord doth heare such sinners by his eare of mercy thoughe not by his eare of iustice but without resolution of amendment our prayses and our prayers themselues are turned into sinne for we pretend what we meane not and doo but abuse and dissemble with the maiesty of God 4. If we were to speake in a kinges presence we would be heedfull to our wordes and behauiour much more therfore in the presence of God And if the king should helpe vs to declare our meaning and incorage vs in our speaking we woulde reioyce for such fauorable audience and confidently hope to obteyne our request such truste we may haue in allmighty God for so he deales with vs and therfore let vs first desire him so to open our lippes For as we cannot speake of our tongue or of the ayre without the ayre and without our tongue so neyther can we prayse God or praye vnto him deuoutly except we haue some helpe from God wherfore o lorde open thou my lippes and my mouthe shall declare thy prayse IT BEHOVES ALL THEM WHO TALK WITH God to haue the rootes of their tongue in a cleane harte Sect. 6. 1. EVery man desires the commendations of honest but not of suspected persons much lesse of notorious sinners Abstinence and Fasting woulde not be praysed of a full bellied glutton for the prayse of vertue is most proper in the mouthe of the vertuous and the prayse of God doth not become any but such as be deuout and religious Pericles beyond his custome once apparelled himselfe exceding brauely to go to the mariage of a fayre personable yong man and being asked the reason of such extraordinary care of comelynes he answered because I woulde go as comely as I can to grace not to disgrace so comely a man And so it is a dishonor rather then an honor vnto religion to haue a wâ—cked sinner take vpon him to be a deuout singer neyther can such men say in truthe Os meum my mouthe shall prayse thee 2. The couetous man prayseth not God with his owne mouthe nor doth he vse his owne mouthe in the seruice of God who
doth more respecte the intention of the minde then the worke of the hande In that lawe were more earthly temporall promises then heauenly and euerlasting but in ours there are more eternall spirituall promises then corporall transitory In both lawes there are indeede both eternall temporall promises and both doo require obedience of harte of hande for loue for feare for vnder both lawes there are some perfect men some imperfect But vnder the lawe of Christe there is more perfection so more loue then feare yet some feare more promises eternall then temporall and yet some temporall these temporall promises this feare in the lawe of Christe are for the imperfecte And on the other side for those which were perfect in the lawe of Moyses some did obey for loue with a good harte and for such it had some promises spirituall but these were fewer much inferior vnto them of the Gospell SOME OTHER DIFFERENCES BETWENE the Lawe the Gospell Sect. 2. 1. BVT the principall difference is that Moyses lawe did not iustifye ex opere operato nor did the sacrifices ceremonyes therof conteyne grace in themselues For the mysterye of our Sauiours incarnation passioÌ„ not being really accoÌ„plished they could not really conteyne vertue of that which yet was not only ex opere operantis if the partyes offering were in state of grace had faith in the expected Messias then did those sacrifices iustifye not as conferring grace of themselues causally but only as signes accidentally It is true the sacramentes of our lawe in like sorte require faith deuotion but moreouer in themselues they are more then signes and doo conteyne confer grace not corporally abiding in them for so can nothing meerely spirituall be conteyned in a bodily substance But instrumentally really remayning in them and so virtually intended to passe be conueyed by them For our sacraments effect grace cheifly as instrumentall causes and that as instrumentes mediate separate such as is a staffe not as an instrument coniuncte immediate such as a hande And so the principall efficient cause of grace is God himselfe the humanity of our Sauiour Christe as an instrument coniuncte and as separate instrumentes and causes of grace are our sacramentes both satisfactions for sinne and meritorious of fauour 2. Wherfore thoughe the sacrifices of the olde lawe iustifyed as signes testifying the faith obedieÌ„ce of the offerer yet this was only ex opere operâ—Ì„tis by the obedience faith of the partyes applying the merites of our Sauiour Christe by that faith as only by an inwarde acte of the minde in the offerer which inward action of faith thoughe alwayes it be necessary yet furthermore we haue the vertue of our Sauiours passion applyed vnto vs allso by the outwarde vse of externall sacraments which is a priuiledge of more fauor a prerogatiue of more grace 3. And thus is the lawe of Christe more perfect more abundant in grace then was the law of Moyses for what the Leuiticall law did but promise signifye our EuaÌ„gelicall law doth exhite performe as S. Augustin said significando causat gratiaÌ„ in signifying doth allso cause grace in vs. Wherfore thoughe the lawe of the gospell propound more temporall afflictions and lesse store of worldly prosperity yet doth it affoarde a more speedy passage to heauen so much greater rewarde of eternall glory thirs was generally for a more carnall sensuall people more imperfect but ours is especially for men more perfect more spirituall which as it requires more perfection so it doth enable vs with more grace and so it is a much easyer yoke because it doth endue vs with farre greater strengthe 4. If you consider them both by the bare outward letter yet as S. Augustin said the lawe had the gospell hiddenlie inuolued and the gospell hath the lawe plainlie reuealed the lawe did foreshew our Sauiour as one a farre of dimly sene and the gospell doth manifest him clearly as one present And in respecte of their commandements admonitions other instructions let them be alike in this poynte of their letter that in both of theÌ„ the letter doth kill because when the letter of the lawe or gospells commandement is not fulfilled it is accidentally or improperly said to be the occasion of sinne so to kill yet seing it is the spirite which giueth life and considering that the lawe of Moyses was a dead lawe working wrathe requiring obedience not enabling to obey and considering that in the lawe of Christe beside the outward letter commandements writteÌ„ in paper there is allso abundaÌ„ce of grace inwardly shed into all good Christians hartes not only prescribing what we are to doo but assisting vs euer in the doing this is an excellent difference and a confortable encoragement 5. Wherfore S. Augustin said In the olde testament the lawe was established outwardlie by which vniust men shoulde be terrifyed but in the new it is inwardlie giuen by which they mighte be iustifyed And so the lawe was made by Moyses but grace truthe was giuen by Iesus Christe and therfore the Apostle saith their lawe was giuen in tables of stone but ours is written in the fleshye tables of our hartes and calleth their lawes a ministration of death condemnation but ours he nameth a ministratioÌ„ of the spirite of iustice because with ours we receiue inwarde grace helping to be saued but theirs had only the outward letter which accused 6. In this respecte Dauid mighte say that our lorde would not be delighted with the sacrifices of Moyses lawe althoughe he had so strictely commaÌ„ded them he exacteth them and yet refuseth them they were commanded therby to shew the faith obedience of the Offerers and yet he refused them in regarde of any value in the sacrifice it selfe they were exacted because of that which they did signifye but he did not regarde them for any worthe or vertue in themselues As when the Poste or other messenger bringes vs a letter whose cariage must coste vs deare Sir here is a letter for you pay me for the portage If we desire firste to read it he will say no if he suspecte we will returne it him vnpayde for he knowes we care not for the bulke of the letter but for the meaning of the wordes and that the paper of it selfe is nothing nere worthe the price which he demandes so the sacrifices of the olde lawe were required for signification of the Messias and were accepted according to the faith of the offerers not for any value which of it selfe was in the bloud of beastes or in the swetenes of fruites 7. Thus S. Ierome and others note of Abel that our Lorde more respected the person offering then the sacrifice offered And so S. Augustin obserueth in Abel 3. primarye vertues vidz he was the firste preist the firste virgin
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