THE CONTRITION OF A PROTESTANT PREACHER, CONVERTED TO BE A CATHOLIQVE SCHOLLER. CONTEYNING Certayne Meditations vpon the Fourth Penitentiall Psalme, Miserere. Composed by Iames Waddesworth, Bachlour of Diuinity in the Vniuersity of Cambridge, & late Parson of Cotton, and of Great-Thorneham in the County of Suffolke. Who went into Spaine with the Kinges Maiesties first Embassadour-Legier, as his Chaplayne: Where by the great Goodnes of Almighty God, he was fully conuerted to the Catholique Faith.

Haec mutatio dexterae Excelsi.

Psal. 76.

Imprinted with Licence, at S. OMERS, by CHARLES BOSCARD, at the signe of the Name of IESVS. Anno M. DC. XV.

TO THE HONORABLE AND MOST RELIGIOVS KNIGHT SYR VVILLIAM STANLEY, One of the Maisters of his Catholique Maiestyes Army, and of his Counsell of Warre in the Low Countreys &c. All Health and Happynes present, and in Eternity.

HONOVRABLE SYR,

IF I be accused of indiscretion for publishing this Treatise, which may seeme needles: yet I hope to be accounted either happy or prudent in finding so worthy a Patron to so simple an Orphan, which I destinated vnto your HONOVR, when you [Page] were lately heere in this Courte of SPAINE, from whence I now send it to follow his good fortunes vnder the protection & acceptance which then it pleased you to promise him. Also it comes vnto your HONOVR in a double duty, acknowledging both those Titles, for which commonly all Authors doo seeke Patrons vnto their Bookes: to wit, either for the manifest excellent Dignities of the Protectors, whose fauour is sufficient to giue them courage against malice▪ or els for certayn pri­uate Duties & Respectes wherin the writer is obliged vnto his Patron to shew some thankfullnes.

In both these Rightes I do heerin send nothing but your owne iust Due, and my humble Duty; intreating you by acceptance to giue life & comforte both to this Booke, & to the Author, who relyeth on your accustomed fa­uours, and among diuers others doth beare himselfe bold vpon your former Curtesyes. And surely he were extremely fearfull whosoeuer shoulde shew himselfe a Coward vnder the assurance & protectiō of so Honorable, so Noble, so Valorous, so Ancient, so Religious, and so Expert a Commāder, as Syr William Stanley, whose name hath pre­sent renowne in all Christendome, and his memory will be famous to all posterity. All his vertues are so bright that I knowe no malice which dare barke against them: or if any slaunderers do reproache him, yet for him that saying of A. Gellius may be a sufficient defence: Numquam vir bonus veriùs laudatur, quàm cùm à malis vi­tuperatur. [Page] A good man is neuer more truly praysed, then when by euill men he is reproached; for indeed such mens wordes are no slaunders, and it is an euident signe of vertue to be maligned by the vicious.

In Religion he is a Catholique, as his Ancestors haue bene: and herein so zealous, strict, and deuout, that some do well resemble him to the good Centurion (whose seruant our Sauiour healed) for his Humility, Faith, O­bedience, and Gouernement. Others do accounte him a­nother Cornelius, for his feruorous Prayers, many Almes-deedes, and continuall Hospitality. And besides all these, I do esteeme him a second Ioseph of Arimathia, principally for his notable Deuotion vnto the most holy Sacrament of the Altar, which is the same Body of our Sauiour Christ taken downe from the Crosse, embalmed and bu­ryed in the new sepulcher of our garden, when with a cleane, new, sweet conscience we receiue the blessed Communion, applying to our soules therby the merits of our Sauiours Passion, and embalming his most pre­cious body with the odours of our good workes perfor­med in his grace.

Neither is he vnlike the same Ioseph in Honorable Au­thority, or in Nobility of birth, being regarded for both of thē as a principall man, not only amōg his owne Na­tion, but euen among Strangers. As for the one, I call to witnesse the Ancyent and Present Noble Earles of Der­by, of which renowned Family he is a true Stanley, an [Page] Honour to his Name, and the glory of his House. Next for the other, I appeale vnto the testimonyes of Spani­ardes, French, Dutch, Italians, Germans, Scottish, Irish; and euen to the Hollanders his Enemyes, who haue often seene or heard for certain the vndoubted tryal of his Prowesse: in so much that all sortes do no lesse acknowledge him Honourable for his Desertes, then for his Dignityes, as a man worthy of high place in Commaund and Counsell. Noble in his Nature, besides his birth: Valourous in the Feild, or at a Fort: in defending like a strōg Sheild, & like a sharp Sword in assaulting; and so in both like Fabius & Marcellus conjoyned, wherof the one was called the Buck­ler and the other the Sword of the Romans, against Hani­bal.

And furthermore in all these so happy, that he hath liued to be Old and Ancyent in yeares, hauing passed ma­ny perills; and so blessed of Allmighty God, whom he hath serued with such Deuotion, that he neuer yet tooke any foyle, or suffred disgrace whersoeuer he had any Cō ­maunde: and Time was, when if his Counsell had bene followed, the Enemy had bene more fully defeated, or vtterly ruyned.

Wherfore lastly I may conclude, that he is an Experte Warriour, because he is so Ancyent in his art, and so hap­py in his successe, wherin although fortune many times for our sinnes do fayle the Valiant; yet neuer did any at­cheiue a lucky enterprise who was not also Prudent. And [Page] so I affirme his Merites and his Memory to be so notable, and so durable, that as of Cato it was sayd, He shall need no Statua, nor any Graue-stone, wherin to continue or engraue his Heroycall Name; but rather if he should want any such Monument or other rewarde, as of the same Cato, so of him it will better be said. Why hath Memorable Stanley so lit­tle, when others haue so much? For it is a more glorious fame to haue had excellent great merites with a small monu­ment; then to haue exceeding rich Tropheys for some poore desertes.

And these thinges, HONOVRABLE SYR, I haue spoken in a third person of you, rather then vnto you; as in your absence, not before your face: because I knowe you loue not to heare your owne prayses, how True, Iust, or Due soeuer they be: & yet because they are your Due, Iust, & True Ensi­gnes of Honour, according to the custome of most E­pistles Dedicatory, I am bound to display them in the forefront of this Bookes array: for the encouragement of freindes, for the terror of foes, because the Hono­rable Vertues of the Patron are the comfort & safegarde of the Suppliant.

Wherfore I humbly beseech you to haue patience for these intentes to endure the rude rehearsall of your prayses, wherso you may take these deformed lineamen­tes, rather for a mortification then any commendation, by viewing your glorious colours blotted by my pen, [Page] which otherwise are sufficient to frame a most comely picture by the hand of skill. But I intreate you to pardon my playne boldnes; to accept my willing seruice; to in­tertayn these paper leaues into your Patronage; to fauour them your selfe; to further them with others; and if by them any good redound to any soules, my desire is that God may haue the glory, & you the thankes, and that I may sometime be remembred in your deuout prayers: assuring your Honour (as I am bound) neuer to omit you in my poore supplications. And so I beseech our Lord Iesus to keep you, and all yours, for his owne precious merites, and by the intercession of our blessed Lady, and of all holy Sayntes, and in particuler of S. Valentine Priest and Martyr, on whose festiuall day I wrote this,

from Valliadolide the 14. of February. 1612.
Your Honours bounden Seruant in our Lord IESVS. Iames Waddesworth.

THE PREFACE OF THE AVTHOR TO HIS FAVORABLE READER: AND TO ALL HIS LOVING FRIENDES IN NORFOLKE, SVFFOLKE, LONDON, NORWICH, CAMBRIDGE, OR ELSEWHERE SOEVER.

COVRTEOVS Reader, or friendes of good affection, whether you shall vouch­safe to read any of this Treatise for good will vnto the Author, or for other expecta­tion of the matter, I do most hartily desire, that laying aside all curiosity, you will read it with the same intention with which it was written, viz: to bewayle sinne; to forsake errour; to seeke pardon; and to giue thankes to Allmighty God for his grace offered or obteyned through our lord IESVS.

2. And to these intentes, I haue chosen first to exercise my pen in some poyntes of deuotion, before I should be challenged with any [Page] disputes of controuersy: neither coulde I finde in my opinion, for my selfe, and for all those former purposes, any fitter Theme then the seauen penitentiall Psalmes, which doo affoarde most plentifull matter whereupon to frame such meditations. For as S. Gregory saith of the Psalter, Proleg. in 7. Psal. Poeni­tent. that it is a trianguler musicall instrument of ten stringes, whereupon the Harper striketh in the lower narrow End, from whence it yeildeth his melodious sounde in the vpper parte which is broader: So all Psalmes in generall, and in especiall the pe­nitentiall Psalmes, doo firste cause our trianguled hartes to be con­tracted and stroken at the roote with sorowe and contri [...]iō for sinne against the ten commandementes; and afterwarde to be dilated broader & enlarged vpwarde in the sweet sound of comforte to our selues, and of prayse to Almighty God, for our pardon, & for his mercy: according whervnto, euery one of these seauen Psalmes hath his beginning full of lamentation, but towardes his end it is enlar­ged with prayse of consolation.

3. I desired to write vpon all the 7. Penitentialls, and to publish them all at once: but hauing bene hitherto only able to finish the firste 4. of them, partly for wante of firme health, partly by occa­sion of more necessary busynes, and furthermore perceuing the vo­lume would be greater then I supposed, and laste of all because I am now called away to another kinde of treatise: therfore I thought it good in the meane while to publish what I had finished vpon the psalme Miserere: as one desirous first to wash away the pollu­tion of my particuler sinne, before I would come to handle the pure mysteryes of our Catholique doctrine.

4. And so our worthy Countryman Cardinall Poole vsed to say, that one cause of so much heresy in these latter times was in too bu­sy disputing about our faith, before we tooke any care to reforme our life: wherfore he wished all them who were ready to read S. Pauls Epistles, to beginne firste to read, & to practise their latter chapters, which are euer morally teaching vertues before they enter into disputes about their former Chapters, which for the most part [Page] are doctrinall about matters of knowledge: for it is vnlike they will be freed from peruerse errors, who do continue their liues in obsti­nate vices: such men may talke of opinions in religion; but seldome shall you see any fruites of their religion, more then opinion and table-talke.

5. Some desire to know only because they would be able to talke or discourse: & this is vanity. Some delight in knowing how to dis­course or talke, because they desire to be knowne: and this is vayne glory. Some labour to knowe much, because knowledge hath de­lighte, not intending therby any other fruite of their labour: and this is curiosity. Only their knowledge sauours of christian piety whose intention is therby to serue God, and to profit men, first sauing their owne soules, and next to helpe others according to their ability.

6. And surely, as our knowledge wanteth wisdome when we di­rect others to euerlasting happynes, suffering our selues to be lead vnto eternall misery, for especially in regard of our soules, ist hoc est sapere, sibi sapere, this is wisdome, to be wise for our selues; so yet ne­uer was any thus wise in his knowledge, who firste did not learne humility with his wisdome: For as naturally knowledge doth puffe vp in pride, so spiritually we must endeuour to keep it vnder and in good order by humility. Or indeed it is but humane wisdome, & knowledge of thinges without vs which maketh vs swell in our opinion of knowledge; wheras if we woulde by the light of diuine wisdome view the defectes and faultes of our owne inward bosome and looke vpward with reuerence to the high Majesty of God himselfe, then would our wisdome be profitable to our selues as well as to others; and then will our knowledge increase our humility.

7. Wherfore S. Thomas of Aquine speaking of Humility, saith, 2.2. q. 161. it is a vertue which maketh a man willing to submitte himselfe vnto God for God, and vnto man for the same God; and that this humi­lity is founded vpon the knowledge of God, and of our selues, viz: of our nothing, and his infinite incomprehensibility; of our basenes [Page] and his majesty; of our pouerty and his Riches; of our weakenes & his omnipotency; of our ignorance and his wisdome. And therfore an humble man doth renounce himselfe acknowledging his owne faultes and imperfections, and with reuerent confidence trusteth in our Lordes Goodnes. And thus if we empty our owne vessells of windy pride and putrifyed sinne, doubtles our Lord will fill them as the widowes vessell with his oyle of grace; for if Achab was par­doned who was but feignedly humbled, 3. Reg. 27. Luc. 7. how much shall we haue forgiuenes with S. Mary Magdalen, if with syncere humility we lye weeping and prostrate at our Sauiours feet?

8. Such must be our humility: and then will our knowledge be practicall as well as speculatiue, and benefiting our selues as much as others; wheras betwene speculation and practise there is as much difference as betwene studying the nature of gold, and possessing the substance of gold. It is true, both are good; yet shoulde they not be separated; no more then our vnderstanding from our will. For practicall knowledge doth mooue and order the will: but spe­culation only doth informe the vnderstanding. S. Tho. 2.2. q. 45. art. 5. And therfore was Ananias to teach S. Paul by practicall instructions euen after he had seene a great light in the waye; for still he 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, Psal. 96. 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. In lib. soliloq. cap. 31.

9. And further more: this practicall knowledge must be exercised in our selues▪ for wante of which practise S. Augustin complayned [Page] 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 religiō; 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.

[Page]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 l [...]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, S. Tho. 1.2. q. 109. a. 6. & 7. Concil. Trid. Sess. 6. cap. 5. 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 [Page] 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 thē good desires of a better life; by which he would haue all men to be saued. If they euer refuse these good moriōs, 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 he not worthy to perish in his wickednes, who will neither admit good desires, nor be mooued vnto harty prayers? O what will mooue vs, if consideration of eter­nall perdition cannot stirre vs? Or if we doo not pray for mercy, because we doo not consider our misery? Agayne, and agayne, I beseech you to examine your Religion, to try your faithe, and to [Page] take an vnpartiall view of your whole life, that seing your danger, you may seeke for fauour; for as in the Spanish Prouerb it is truly said of our corporall eyes, Quienbien vee, bien llora: He that sees clea­rely, weepes easily; so in the eye sight of our soule, he that clearely beholdes his faultes, will more easily shed teares for his pardon.

15. Let vs examine our selues by the 10. Commandements of God, by the 5. Preceptes of his Church: by the 7. workes of mer­cy corporall, and 7. spirituall: by the 7. deadly sinnes: or by some, or by all of these, according to our abilitye, particuler obligations, or other degrees, which doo bind vs often not to omit that which is Good, and doo forbid vs neuer to commit that which is ill. Let vs consider by what meanes our Lord hath sought to bring vs to the knowledge of his truth, and to become members of his Ca­tholique Church; infusing good illuminations into our vnderstan­ding, or good desires into our will, inuiting vs to vertue or truthe, disswading vs from vice or error, eyther by good examples, by ver­tuous bookes, by holy preistes, or by our friendes, yea sometime by our enemyes whom we hate, or by them whom we doo persecute; for either all, or some of these shalbe witnesses against vs, if we re­jecte their meanes, or doo willfully loose the time of fauour. Or if we doo admit these good beginninges, yet we must proceed with care and cherfullnes to imploy our time meritoriously, andto reape benefite by the exercise of our Religion, by the sacramentes of the Catholique Churche, and by all the Goodnes of God directed to his greater glory and our saluation, eyther in his giftes of grace, arte, or nature; whether it be in diuine contemplation, or in law­full Action; spirituall meditating of his diuine mysteryes, or vsing of his creatures orderly for his seruice, and for our necessitye. O ad­mirable happynes of religious or discreet holy men, who doo thus order theyr liues! O lamentable wilfullnes of obstinate or proud people, who doo refuse to saue their soules! O detestable vnthanke­fullnes of wicked or careles creatures, who doo neglecte or abuse so many helpes! The tractable, diligent, and humble seruant shal­be [Page] exalted vnto eternall glory, when the peruerse, carelesse, and high-minded Despiser shall be throwne downe into euerlasting torment.

16. And therfore to auoyde the one, and obtayne the other, let vs betake our selues to penitent Prayer; with humility on our partes, considering our vncertaine faith, and our certayn faultes; and yet in regard of our most gracious God, with comfort and confidence, respecting his great mercy and infinite kindnes; to hope & trust in him as a pittifull louing Father, and yet to be humble and reuerent towardes him, as a King of high Majesty: For so our Sauiour taught vs to prepare our thoughtes to the petitions of his prayer, by saying for an introduction, Our father which art in heauen: that because he is Our father, therfore we should be assured to find fa­uour; and yet not to be presumptuous, or heedles, because he sittes on a high throne of justice in heauen.

17. Thus let vs pray with Dauid in repeating or perusing this psalme of Miserere, not alone, because the exercise of prayer is both meritorious as a good worke, and allso impetratorious as a deuout petition: but furthermore because it is an Acte of Gods worship expressely commaunded in those wordes, Petite & accipietis, Matth. 7. 2.2. q. 83. ar. 2. ad 2. quaerite &c: Aske and you shall receiue: Seeke and you shall finde: knock and it shall be opened vnto you. Which wordes S. Thomas and other Doctors do affirme to haue the nature of Preceptes, binding vs to pray, and annexeth promises assuring vs to preuayle; for we shall receiue, finde, and haue it opened; if we aske in hart and thought; seeke with our mouth and wordes; and knocke with our hands and workes: eyther by all these, or at least by the first, when we cannot performe the rest.

18. Or if Prayer were not absolutely commaunded, yet our necessi­tyes & danger do require it, as S. Gregory said, The euills which do heere oppresse vs, do compell vs to flye vnto God: as the prodigall sonne feeling famine, he desired to satisfye his hunger, Et nemo illi dabat, and no body gaue him where withall; For nothing in this worlde [Page] can affoarde vs full content. Therfore in se reuersus returning into himselfe, and into his wittes, out of which we may say he had bene wandring, vntill now he considered his misery, then He retur­ned to his father, humbly confessing his folly, and intreating pitty. And lastly he flyeh to this submission of prayer, as to his cheife refuge, Dicam Patri, I will say vnto my Father, I will make my moane vnto him: he is my Father, and therfore I will de­clare my want and supplication vnto him: Quid enim nisi vo­ta supersunt? For a sinfull wretch hath no better meanes left, then by prayer to beginne his conuersion, and to begge his re­conciliation, according to that of Iob: P [...]lli meae consumptis car­nibus adhaesit os meum, Iob. 19. & d [...]relicta sunt tantummodo labia circa den­tes meos. My bones clea [...]ed vnto my skin the flesh being consumed, and only were my lippes remayning round about my teeth. As if when all the body is consumed, in payne, weakenes, wretch­ednes, and deformitye, yet whiles our lippes are able to vtter our greifes, we haue hope of ease; so whiles our soule conti­nueth in the body, howsoeuer deformed by sinne, yet we haue possibility, by opening our lippes in prayer and confession, to obteyne mercy and absolution. But whereas many differre these vnto the laste, by negligence, or presumption; so by the iust iudgement of God, many are cut off without these. Wherfore with Dauid in another psalme, let vs praye vnto our Lord, whiles we haue opportunity, Psal. 31. But in the floudde of many waters they shall not come nigh him: For he that is drowned vnawares cannot speake, and therfore cannot be heard: but taking opportunity, although like Iob we haue nothing left beside our lippes; or though like Ezechias we be as yonge swallowes in the fowle blacke sooty chimneys and filthy nestes of our sinnes, 4. Reg. [...]0. as a­middes our owne dunge; yet Sicut pullus hirundinis, sic clama­bo, like the yonge swallowe, so I will crye: thoughe I be not able to helpe my selfe no more then a yonge swallowe, new come out of the shell; though I be vnfethered, naked of Good workes; [Page] though I am blind in right knowledge: nay, because I am so blinde and naked like a yong swallowe, I will crye amiddes mine owne dunge, in the blacke, fiery, fowle, sooty chim­ney of 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, Luc. 18. S. Th [...]. 2.2. q. 83. art. 4. 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, Moral: l. 2. c. 6. 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, Ad pop. Antioc. 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, [Page] 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 shalbe 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; [Page] 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 [Page] 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 amendmen [...] 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 pur­pose neuer to sinne any more; and to fly all occasions of offending thee. And to confesse and fulfill the pennance which shalbe enioy­ned me for the same. And for loue of thee, I do freely pardon all my enemies. And do offer my life, wordes, and workes in satis­faction for my sinnes. Wherefore I most humbly intreate thee, trusting in thy infinite goodnes and mercy, that by the merits of thy most pretious bloud and passion, thou wouldest pardon me, and giue me grace to amend my life, and to perseuere therin vn­till death. Amen.

A PRAYER OF THE AVTHOVR TO OVR BLESSED LADY.

O Most pious Virgin Mary, Mother of God: I desire th [...]e by the great loue thou bearest to thy deare Sonne my Lord & Sauiour Iesus-Christ: That thou wouldest vouchsafe to ob­taine for me true sorrow for my sinnes, a perfect keeping of all my Senses, an humble Resignatiō of my selfe, & the exercise all those vertues wherewith thou didst so highly please thy diuine Sonne. I also most humbly request thee to direct my wayes in those pathes which may be most agreable to the will of thy Sonne, & profitable for the saluation of my Soule. Amen, sweet Iesus.

[Page 1]THE FIFTITH PSALME▪ WHICH IS THE FOVRTH PENITENTIALL.

The title

In finem. Psalmus Dauid, cum venit ad eum Nathan propheta, quando intrauit ad Bersabee.
Vnto the end. A Psalme of Dauid, When the Prophet Na­than came vnto him, after he had entred vnto Bersabee.

MEDITATION I.

OF THE OCCASION, AND NVMBER OF this Psalme, by Dauids example to beware of lust. Section. 1.

THE historie and occasion of this Psalme, is related at large in the booke of the Kinges, the summe wher­of is rehearsed by the Prophet Nathan in a Parable and complaint vnto Dauid, saying.

1. In this city, ô Dauid, there dwelte two neigh­bors; a poore man, & a rich: 2. Reg. 11. & 12. the riche man had floc­kes of sheepe and goates; the poore man had only one sheep which he dearly loued. There came stran­gers to the rich mans house; for whose entertaynmēt he makes no prouision out of his owne flockes, but takes away the poore mans only sheepe: what pu­nishment ô king is due to such an iniurye? Dauid answers in iuste anger: this man deserues to dye. The prophet replyes; thou art this man, ô Dauid, who hauing many, yet tookest away the wife of Vrias, to giue content to thy strange luste: & haste suffred him to be slayne for closer hyding of thy faulte. The king conuinced, acknowledgeth his offence: & as then presently he cryed peccaui, so afterwarde to continue and stirre vp more contrition, he endites this Psalme Miserere.

2. Some interpreters haue obserued that this psalme is (according to the latin ac­compte) the fiftyth in number, S. Bona [...]. Innocen. 3. Leuit. 25. which in Moyses law was the number of the Iubiley yeare, when inheritances returned to the heyres: slaues were made free: pawnes were released: and a solemne feast of ioye was publiquely celebrated; and so the he­brew [Page 2] worde Iobel signifieth, a beginning: as indeede he that repeates this psalme in true repentance, as he must begin a new life, so he shalbe freed from the slauery of sinne & Satan; restored to the birth-righte of the kingdome of heauen; receiue againe the grace and vertues which he had forfeyted; & after his sorrowe & feare, he shall in the great feast of a good conscience be much comforted with a perpetuall Iubiley.

3. And as the Iewes in the 50. day after their departure out of Egipte receiued the lawe; & the Apostles receyued the holy ghoste in the day of Pentec [...]ste, which is 50. dayes after the resurrection; E [...]od. 19 so if by the lawe we acknowledge our faultes, by the giftes of the holy spirite we shal receiue comfortes, and to such our Lord saith by the prophet I will restore vnto you the yeares which were deuoured by the locuste, the cater­piller, the ruste, & the cankerworme. Verefying it also in this psalme of Iubiley, which penitently pronounced will recompence all the hurtes of our soule, I [...]el. 2. bitten & eaten by those 4. passions of the minde, ioye, sorrowe, hope, & feare, as with caterpiller, cankerworme, S. Ier. ibid locuste, and ruste. Or the caterpiller is deuouring gluttony: luste is a cankerworme creeping on his belly: the locuste hauing bad wynges & no feete, is pride which will stand on no ground, & yet cannot well flye in the ayre, but downe the winde of flaterye: and may not couetousnes be termed ruste, which fasteneth vpō metalls, and freteth it selfe with superfluous care? Thoughe these gnawe the con­science, and consumme the soule, yet if we be so happy as to come to the Iubiley of this 50. psalme, said & vsed in sincere contrition, we shall haue restored vnto vs all the yeares & losse of time, deuoured by such ruste, locuste, cankerwormes, & caterpillers. And therfore the Churche doth principally vse this psalme, both because of those restoratiue excellencyes, Iuno 3. incog. as also for the memorable example and peculier penitence of the Author, and for the generall aptnes of the wordes and matter, well befitting a­ny sorte of sinner.

4. Some propound this example of Dauid, as a blocke wherat to stumble, which shoulde be their staffe wherby to arise. It is true indeede, he lamenteth in this psal­me 3. or. 4. notorious sinnes. Gloss. ord. 1. his iniurious and needles thefte, which Nathan obiected. 2. his adultery with Bersabee, which his idle pleasure occasioned. 3. his seueral subtiltyes, Hugo Cardinae. wherwith he soughte to couer his guiltynes. 4. his vnkind slaugh­ter of Vrias, who was so innocent. But as S. Augustin saith, Let not the fall of the grea­ter be the delighte of the lesser, rather let the fall of the greater be the feare of the lesser: they who haue not yet fallen, S. Aug. in hunc psal. let them heare this, to the end they may arise. As for his soule who aduentureth to committe such thinges as these, because Dauid so offended, he is much more wicked, and sinneth more abominably then Dauid: he sinned of concupiscence, & thou of malice. Let vs rather, imitate his holynes, not followe his wickednes: shoulde we fall with him, O my soule, and not ryse with him; shoulde we loue that in Dauid which he hated in himselfe? Doost thou looke vpon the booke of God to embolden thy selfe to sinne against God? Doost thou note one error in an excellent picture, and learne to paynte that blemish rather then all his other comely portraiture? wilte thou learne sophistry, to forsake logique? wilt thou read Index expurgatorius, to professe all the doubtes & falsehoods which it mentions to be amended, & not to be mainteyned? then feed as well vpon the garbage of fowles, & vpon the gall of beastes, & cast a­way their carkasses.

5. Dauid after a full dinner and an easie sleep, fittes idle in his prospecte, and takes delighte to feed his eye with gazing about: there his ranging idle lookes were as a quicke spye to marke a beautifull woman: his harte streighte desired to enioye what he sawe; & his will procured to obteyne what he affected. While Saul persecuted him, [Page 3] and he lurked in caues, he neither minded such matters, nor admitted such occasions; but now he becomes remisse & wanton in the prosperity of his kingdome: now he is at leysure to espye Bersabee a farre off (so quick-sighted is concupisc [...]nce:) the wo­man was far from him, but luste was neere him (so soone doth prosperity breed wan­ton bloud:) also he rose but newly from his deynty meale and his lazy vndermeale: and as S. Ierom said; A Full belly doth easely froathe vnto luste; so especially if you adde vnnecessary sleepe vnto intemperat dyet, it makes a double payre of bellowes to kin­dle the fyre of incontinence: the one is the flynte stone; and the other is the steele; & both together strike out sparkes of carnall desyres, which yet may be extinguished, if you adde not a ranging eye as the tynder; vnwary curious lookes will sodenly be­traye our vnsetled harte; for if by this gazing view, so stayed a man as Dauid lost him­selfe, we haue much more need like Iob to make a couenant with our eyes, not to looke vpon a woman. Wherfore let vs be no gazers at dores, windowes, or galleryes; no gapers in the streetes, no gadders vp and downe markets, in fayres no giggelets, no puritan rolling eyes in churches, nor vse a wanton looke in any place, least as from a basiliske we receiue poison by the eye, which will infecte the harte.

6. Dauid by looking on Bersabee in her bathe, was more inflamed by the beauty of the woman, then he was cooled by the water of the founteyn: and they that pretend only to obserue the diuersityes of features, & the excellencyes of complexions, shall sooner be drawen to fleshly imaginations, then to philosophicall or spiritual consi­derations. The poets faygne Acteon turned into a stagge, & hunted to death by his owne hounds, Ouid me [...]. lib. 3. because he presumed to looke vpon chaste Diana bathing herselfe in a cleare founteyn; for euen chaste beauty curiously viewed, stirres vp many passions of bawling luste; which like so many dogges will neuer cease to chase to death, euen their owne maister who feedeth them. Spartianus related how one coming out of a dangerous bathe, and harde by seing a number of painted tables hanged on the wall of a temple after the Roman custome, and supposing they had bene all in memorye of their perills escaped in that bathe, he said, I wonder there be no more tables, for he dee­med that euery man was bound to haue offred a table, who bathing there had escaped such a danger; so in truthe, whosoeuer vseth to gaze on women or to conuerse with them and is not intangled, surely he is obliged to hang vp a table of a memorable es­cape. And therfore as in all sinnes, so perticulerly in this our english prouerbe hath good place, he that will no euill doo, must avoyde all thinges which long thertoo: Let vs beware of all amourous wordes, wanton lookes, lighte gestures, lasciuious behauior, immodest attyre, and aboue all flye familiar opportunity and occasion; for as occasion (we say) makes a theefe, so it often makes a harlotte. And S. Bernard affirmed, that to liue among women familiarly, and no way to be defiled by women, is a miracle aboue the power of men: it is more easy to rayse the dead, then in continuall occasions, so to mortifye the liuing: If thou canst not doo the lesser, how darest thou hazarde the greater? especi­ally seing among all sinnes, this is perticulerly called, the sinne of Frayltye, to note herein our greatest weakenes. And shoulde we in this weake frayltye, trust vnto our yeilding strengthe?

OF VVITTY AND PLAINE REPREHENSIONS: & the Authors lamentation of his forme life. Sect. 2.

DAuid repented not, till Nathan came: and Nathan reproued Dauid, thoughe a king: yet not at firste by publishing his faulte, nor by reproching him contume­liously, but with corage & prudence reproouing him discretely. Let kinges, and all men suffer Gods preistes and preachers to reprehend them: for vsualie their Cour­tyers, or frindes either soothe, or say nothing of their faultes, which seldome are a­mēded, vntill they be rebuked by theyr enemies, or by some such zealous men; who as they must be without flatery, Concil. Lateran. or feare, so must they admonish with discretion, and with care. It is ars artium, regimen animarum: it is an arte of much skill, to rule soules well: and it is true, God alone can rule the harte, yet he appoyntes Nathan to vse meanes by an honest deceyte. cap. 27. Luc. 20 Math. 21. & 22. Plutar. As our Sauiour catched the scribes and phariseys in their owne answers, so Nathan here did wynde in Dauid by his owne sentence; like many men who vse speeches against others, which are rebounded vpon themselues: as Catulus reprehending Philippus, he alluding to Catulus name (which signifies a whelpe) asked him why he barked; but Catulus answered aptely; because I see a theefe.

2. And a dronken Caluiniste minister with a foule red nose, bragging against a Ca­tholique, that our Sauiour had giuen him the keyes of heauen, as much as to S. Peter, or to the Pope: surely I doubte it, said the Catholique; rather by your nose, I doo sup­pose, you haue in your custody, the keyes of the buttry. Thus often times arrogant men are confounded in their owne wordes. And so like wise some malitious persecu­tors of Catholiques haue bene intangled in their owne spitefull diligence: as he who being tolde that in such a chamber was a Preist: called the constables & officers to breake open the doores & to enter with haste, where they found his owne daughter in bed with a brother of the Puritanes. Also Iudges many times condemne small faultes in others that stande at the barre, and will not obserue much iniustice & great crimes in themselues, in their followers, and in some that sitte on the benche: euen as Dauid here woulde haue him dye that tooke the lambe; but he marked not his owne crime, who had defiled a matrone, and slayne a man. As a certain Pirate answe­red Alexander: that is called in a king, honorable & lawfull victory, which is condemned in me for vnlawfull & base piracy. With such partiality we easily abhorre wickednes in others; and yet by such our owne censures (if we amend not) allmighty God will make vs condemne our selues by our owne mouthes, according to that of our blessed Lady: He hath dispersed the proud, in the minde of his owne harte: and so doubtles he will iudge many offendors by the sentence of their owne wordes. O holy Dauid teach vs by thy example to feare prosperity, to beware of ease and pleasure, to restrayne our eyes, to curbe our thoughtes, & to avoyde all bad occasions: in all our censures first to iudge our selues, or being admonished by others, humbly to confesse our faultes.

3. O my soule, let vs desire Dauid to praye for vs, as in this psalme he doth for him­selfe: for if we haue not so great, yet we haue more sinnes then he had; nay, paraduen­ture none of his, compared to ours, be so bad. O how wicked is the harte of man, & vn­serchable! I [...]rē. 17. 1. Ioan. 3. who shall know it? euen thou o lorde, who arte greater then our harte; sear­ching our entralls & prouing our reynes: to thee we refer this iudgment: and fearing our selues to bee far the worse, we humbly & sincerely craue more penitence & more pity. O IESV giue me strength in satisfaction to beare what thou wilte impose, and [Page 5] then impose coorrectiō what our wilte: O sweet Sauiour, thou knowest how absolu­tely herein I doo resigne my will: O continue me this grace; and teach me more in true penāce, still to begge for more mercy I haue dishonored thee, & scandalized men, for I was a publique preacher of the protestantes false Doctrine, wherin peraduenture by my meanes some haue bene seduced, many hardened, & others offended: I haue profaned thy sacred churches somtime dedicated to thy catholique seruice; and for mine owne body & soule, which should haue bene thy spirituall temples, o how haue they bene polluted? by errors which I supposed to be truthes, by pre­sumption of knowledge when I was in ignorance, by some vices which I reputed vertues, & by many faultes which I neglected.

4. If to affirme this (as I doo penitently) be my shame; let it be O God (as I desi­re) thy glory. If the worlde, & the diuells, & mine owne conscience doo accuse me, O Father of mercy, I confesse all wherof any of these can justly impeache me: and allso whatsoeuer else thou doost know more in me then I haue cōfessed or can call to minde, in transgressions against thy deuine majesty, in offences against my neighbors, & in many sinnes against my selfe. O wretched and vile sinner that I am! what should such a sinner doo? whither shall I go: shoulde I despayre? No: for that one sinne were greater then all these. What though my sinnes haue bene many & bad according to my religion; & my profession worse, wherby (like the prodigall sonne) I was a Swynehearde, a protestante minister, feeding my selfe & others with the huskes of heresy, Et non satiabar, in which I coulde neuer taste of true comforte, nor obteyne peace vnto my conscience; therfore with him, I will Arise, & go, to my heauenly Fa­ther; I am resolued, To arise from sinne & Sectaryes, To go vnto God our Father, by meanes of the Catholique churche our mother, and with this perpetuall purpose I doo say vnto him: Father I haue sinned against heauen & before thee, I am not worthy to be called thy sonne; make me as one of thy hired seruantes.

5. Amongest Protestantes, & against malice, I might wel plead ciuill honesty & mo­rall integrity, wherin I liued among them without reprehension: but in compari­son of thy Catholique seruantes & Sayntes, O God, & before thy heauenly purest eyes, I dare not present my former best innocence: here I renounce any plea of pas­sed integrity: I disclayme my wonted profession: I lament & detest my errors & my sinnes. Thou knowest, O lord, I haue acknowledged them vnto my Ghostly Fa­ther in confession: I beseech thee to confirme his absolution; and as I doo entreate, so I doo truste, that thou wilte vnbinde in heauen, what he hath vnbound on ear­the: O forgiue them for Iesus sake; and so keepe me euer hereafter in thy loue & grace, that I may rather chuse miseryes, disgraces▪ reproches, tormentes, & ten thousand deathes, then at my time to retourne to the like sinnes & errors, or to my former estate. And thou, o blessed Virgin, the mother of our only Sauiour; and all the Angells and Sayntes of heauen, O praye for me, that during my life I may say this psalme with Dauid in true contrition; And so throughe our Lord Iesus obteyning, mercy, at laste I may with him, and all you be admitted into glory.

MEDIT. II.

Miserere mei Deus secundum magnam misericordiam tuam: Et secundum multitudinem miserationum tuarum dele iniquitatem meam. Amplius laua me ab iniquitate mea: & à peccato meo mun­da me.

[Page 6] Haue mercy on me O God, according to thy great mercy: and according to the multitude of thy miserations blotte out mine iniquity. Washe me yet more from my iniquity, & cleanse me from my Sinne.

A SHORTE DIVISION AND EXPLI­cation of all these wordes. Sect. 1.

S. Ambrose, saith: Dauid sinned, which Kinges are wonte; but he performed penance, he wepte, Apolog. Dauid. c. 4. he mourned which Kinges are not wonte; he confessed his faulte, he craued par­don; pr [...]strate on the ground he bewayled his wretchednes, he fasted, he prayed, he hath pu­blished for euer a testimony of his confession: priuate men are ashamed to doo this; a King is not ashamed to confesse &c: O come my soule: let not Dauid thus condemne vs, nor S. Ambrose thus accuse vs: rather because we haue ouertaken, & ouergone Dauid in sinning, Dyonisi. Charthus. let vs be stayed by S. Ambrose to followe such a king in repenting. Let vs consider our owne misery, and our Lordes mercy: not mercy without misery least we presume; nor misery without mercy, least we despayre▪ Many thinke not how wretched they are by sinne in their hartes, and therfore they sighe not with miserere in their mouthes: but we are readyer to talke or thinke of our worthynes, thē of our sinfulnes: especially we will sooner compare our selues with other men in wisedome, in knowledge, in authority, riches, or such like, with the proude pharisy; then with the hūble publican acknowledge our ignorāce, our faultes and our infirmityes: but what auayle such comparisons? we shall be judged by that which we are in our selues, not by what we seeme to be in respecte of others: a dwarfe is not à gyante, thoughe he stande on the toppe of a steeple or on a mounteyn; a stately towre is not a lowe Cottage, Seneca. thoughe it be placed in the bottome of a valley: consider, o my soule, what thou arte in the vale of misery, not what thou maist seeme on a mounte of vanity: Psal 41. let one depthe call vpon another; out of the depthe of our sinfull misery, o God, we call vpon the depthe of profounde mercy.

2. A deepe wounde must haue a large tente; & abondance of soares must haue ma­ny playsters: o graunte vs great mercy for our deepe woundes, and multitude of misera­tions for our innumerable botches: let them seeke for smaller mercy, whose faultes procede of meaner ignorance; S. Aug. but my sinnes, o lord, haue neede of a strong warriour to redeeme me, and of a skilfull phisition to heale me. All sinners descend from Ie­rusalē to Ierico, from the highest vertues to the basest vices; they fall among theeues, divells, tentations, & delightes: I allso among these was dangerously wounded in natu­rall facultyes, Luc 10. S. Greg. Beda ve­nerab. & spoyled generally of spirituall graces: o gracious Samaritan miserere take pity on me, & passe not by me vnregarded. O let the greatnes of thy mercy heale my naturall woundes, and by the multitude of thy miserations repayre my spirituall losses: come nere me, come to me, o compassionate Samaritan; powre in wyne of compun­ction to cleanse my filthynes & make me feele my misery; powre in oyle of absolu­tion, to heale my soarenes by thy mercy: o great phisitian, here shew the efficacy of thy generall medicin which is great mercy, & declare the variety of thy manifolde skill in multitude of miserations. Thou arte miserator & misericors pitifull in great mercy, & mercifull in multitude of pity; in great mercy hauing the inwarde bowells of com­passion; and in multitude of pity shewing the outward actions & fruites of commise­ration. I crye with that distressed man in the gospell: if thou wilte, thou canst make me [Page 7] whole: thou canste by the greatnes of thy mercy, thou wilte for the multitude of thy miserations. Haue mercy on me, O God, Psal. 110 according to thy great mercy and according to thy miserations blotte out my iniquity; wash me yet more from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sinne.

3. Miserere. Shew mercy on me by blotting out the iniquity of my harte: miserere, by washing away the wickednes of my lippes: miserere, Inno [...]ent 3. by cleansing all the sinnes of my handes. By desire of blotting, of washing, of clensing, I acknowledge my sinnes to be vgly and ill fauored to the eye; to be filthy in the touche; & to be lothsome to the smel: o cleanse this lothsomenes; washe this filthynes; & blotte out this vglynes. Be­side these; my sinnes are great in quantity, many in number, and diuerse in kinde: o therfore let my great sinnes finde great mercy, let my many sinnes haue multitude of miserations, and being of sundry sortes, I haue neede to be seuerally washed from my iniquity, and clensed from my sinne; from iniquity of commission, and from sinnes of omission.

THE MISERABLE EFFECTS OF SINNE are declared, according to the Scholmen▪ and some shorte petitions for mercy are made against their misery. Sect. 2.

1. THe misery of sinne in generall is lamentable, therfore let vs all cry miserere; but my sinnes in particuler are abominable, wherfore I must say miserere mei, Hugo Car­dinal: haue mercye on mee. He must be allmighty who can be able to helpe our generall and lamentable misery; and to succour me from my abhominable sinnes, he must be one most merrcifull: but who is so mighty in power? and so mercifull in fauor? excepte it be only thou O Lorde, who arte the Creator of the worlde, and the Redeemer of mankinde; wherfore vnto thee, I directe my prayer: haue mercy vpon mee, O God.

2. All sinne is a separation of the soule from God: S. Tho. 3. q. 87. a 1. & Quod­lib. 4. q. 11. a. 22. as therfore the soule being se­parated from our body, we are corporally dead, so when by sinne we are separated from God, then we are dead in soule. Mortall sinne consistes in auersion from God, & doth separate vs totally: veniall sinne doth also separate, thoughe but in parte, yet by remissenes it loseneth the feruor of our affection. In mortall sinne, we are dead ther­fore miserere haue mercye on a dead man: in venial sinne we are as in a sound or a sicke fleepe, therfore miserere haue mercy on a weake faynte man. In mortall sinne, we re­ceiue a wounde which doth kill vs, therfore miserere as on a man mortally wounded: in veniall sinne we receiue a wounde which doth blemish vs, S. Tho. i [...]. therefore miserere as on a man with many spottes deformed yea, so diuerse are the spottes of veniall sinnes, that thoughe by Gods grace we can euer avoyde any one, or all at someteine, yet not euer at all times all veniall faultes; and of this kinde it is said, the iust man offendeth seauen times a day, naming a certeyn number for an vncerteyne, because more or lesse in many thinges we offend all: & therfore in our penance for them, Possumus vitare singula, sed nō omnia. we must purpose in generall to diminishe them all, & to absteyne as much as we can from euery one in particuler, thoughe we cannot from all in vniuersall; and in our prayers against them, we haue neede to say miserere, o be mercifull to theses frailtyes & blemishes of our life, that in the merites & bloud of our Lord Iesus, we may haue all spottes at our death washed of our faces, & all teares wiped from our eyes.

3. Whersoeuer there is misery, there is neede of mercy: 1.2. q. 85. art. 1. art. 2. but there is misery in all sinne, 1. by Corruption of nature, 2. by Deformity of the soule, 3. by Guiltynes of punish­ment. [Page 8] In nature we had 1. the essence or substance of our Being, 2. An Inclination to vertue. & 3. the gifte of originall iuctice. Our substance indeede and our Being is not corrupted nor diminished; but our vertuous disposition, is by sinne diminished; and we haue quite loste our Originall justice. And thoughe all our Vertuous inclination be not so quite rooted out, but that there remayne in vs certyen seedes of morality, yet according to our custome & practise of sinne, more or lesse we doo lay & caste so many impedimen­tes as great stones vpon this roote, that thoughe it retayne his nature hidden in the grounde yet (as ouerburdened with sinne) his sprowtes are so suppressed; that seldome & hardely it can bringe forthe true fruite of vertue, vntill throughe Gods grace we re­moue these hinderances. 1.2. q. 86. a. 1. & 2. The deformity of the soule is caused by the blottes & spottes of sinne; & as spottes are blemishes of some comelynes, so in the soule there is a double beauty blemished by sinne. One is the clearenes of naturall reasō; another is, the brightnes of supernaturall light of wisdome & grace; but euer by sinne we doo blemish eyther one or both of these: which spotte as the shadowe of a body keepeth off the lighte; and as se­uerall bodyes giue seuerall shadowes; so seuerall blottes procede of seuerall sinnes: & as long as any body of sinne is betwene vs & these lightes, so long we shall be folowed with these shadowes & spottes, vntill we be illuminated by the brightenes of Gods mercy & grace: for thoughe the action of sinne cease, wherby we did separate our selues from Gods lighte, yet the blemish doth remayne which maketh the shadowe. And as he who is departed into darkenes, from a brighte place, is not presently in lighte agayne, so soone as he ceaseth to go, but he must come backe, or else remayne in the darke; so before we can returne to the lighte which we loste, it is not enoughe to cease from sinne, & so stand still; but we must haue in our Will a contrary motion to that which before we had; to come into the lighte of grace, to proceede in the pathe of goodnes. And these are our miserable deformityes.

4. The misery of our guiltynes vnto punishment must needes folowe, where the faulte is gone before: 1.2. q. 872 a. 1. & for as when nature findes his contrary, it labors to suppresse it, so because sinne is opposite to order, it should not be suffered. Wherfore our will being subject to three orderly gouernors, when it transgresseth against any of them, it may be punished by them. It is firste subject to our owne reason: secondly to humane gouernement: and thirdly to the order of Gods authority: and accordingly when we offend against these orders of our reason, of humane, or of deuine lawes, we are to be punished by the remorse and byting of our owne conscience; by mans penaltyes; and by our Lordes chastisements; yea, such is the misery of sinne, that one sinne is the punishment of another; and many times of it selfe; though not directly by it selfe, yet by accident indirectly: first because when by former sinne we caste from vs Gods grace giuen or offred, he then leaueth vs to our owne corrupte wea­kenes, & to Sathan, & the worldes forcible tentations, whose continual batteryes whiles without grace we cannot resiste, Rom. 1. we doo afterwardes justly fall captiues vnto many sinnes, who by some former faulte did rejecte his grace so vnkindly. 2. there are some sinnes, which are punishments both offormer faultes & of themselues, not only in their effectes (as prodigality hath for his followers, wante, and robberye) but allso in their very actions some are a payne vnto themselues; eyther inwardely; as enuy & anger doo vexe their owne maysters; or outwardly; when men doo passe much labor, perill, or coste, to effecte some sinnes. As Plutarche saith, men adjud­ged to be crucifyed, or to other tormentes, were forced first to beare their owne crosses, or such other instruments of theyr owne execution; so sinners by sinne it sel­fe doo here begin their owne payne & damnation; Sap. 5. and so they confessed, who the [Page 9] wiseman saith were in hell, lassati sumus in via iniquitatis: we were tyred & wearyed in our way of iniquity.

5. Wherfore among so many miseryes should we not often crye miserere: haue mer­cy, in respecte of sinnes punishing themselues, & one another; by outward toyle, dan­ger & losse, by inward feare, remorse, & vexation▪ by depriuing vs of Gods grace & lea­uing vs to our owne concupiscence: miserere for we are guilty & out of order, against God, against men, & against our owne conscience: miserere to bring backe our Will e [...]ring in darkenes; to cleare our Vnderstanding shadowed with blemishes; to re­payre our giftes of grace decayed by frailtyes: miserere haue mercy, by reuiuing the seedes of vertue; & remoouing the hindrances & customes of Vice: miserere resto­ring vs to justice, which we lost & forfeyted; inclyning & encreasing vs in holy­nes which we forsooke & diminished: and finally miserere preseruing vs in substance of soule & body, from sufferance of payne, vnto fruition of glory; for in all these, viz: by corruption of nature, by deformity of soule, & by guyltines of punishment, we are all miserable: therfore in all these, o blessed Iesu, miserere, haue mercy.

OTHER WRETCHED EFFECTES OF sinne are declared, out of the Scriptures, & Doctors, by which we are warned from them. Sect. 3. Prouer. 14. Contra Faustum lib. 22. c. 27. D. Stapleton. ma­nual. pec­catorum orat. 1. psal. 72. Esay. 59. Sapien. 14. & psal. 5. Prouer. 15. S. Chrys. hom. 24. in math. Psal. 31 Gen. 2. Psal. 10. Psal. 31. Psal. 108. Eccle. 21. Ioan. 8. Prouer. [...]. 2. pet. 3.

SAlomon saith that sinne maketh people to be miserable: and S. Augustin defyneth sinne to be Deedes, wordes, or desires, which be against the eternall lawe of God; which are made mortall sinne when we adde vnto any of these a full consent of our will with auersion or forsaking of God. Consider then, o my soule, in what estate thou arte, when thou abydest in sinne: If in our lorde be all happynes, and to be in fauour with him be our felicity, o how great wretchednes is it to for [...]ake his lo­ue & to fall into his hate! But Esay said, our sinnes deuide betwene him & vs; and both Salomon & Dauid affirme, that he hateth all who worke iniquity; wherfore. S. Chryso­stome said: I judge it to be harder & more intolerable then a thousand hell fyres to be hated of Christe, & to heare him say, I knowe you not; it were better to endure a thousand thum­derboltes, then to see his face of mildenes to be turned from vs, or enraged against vs: for the eye which vseth to be fauorable, when it becometh fierce, is most terrible.

2. Alas, o lorde, we haue forsaken thy infinite goodnes & we haue loste thy in­estimable fauour; wherfore to free vs from thy hate, & restore vs to thy happynes, miserere haue mercy. Haue mercy not only for the good which by sinne we doo loose, but allso in respecte of the euill which for it we doo suffer; because many are the whip­pes of a sinner, for sinne the earthe was cursed to bring forthe thornes, the woman cursed to beare children in payne, and man was cursed to eate his bread with labour. Vpon sinners our lorde rayneth snares, fire, brimstone, and the spirites of tempestet are in the portion of his cuppe; his very prayers are turned into sinne, and his table is a snare, vnto him; all wickednes is as a sharpe two edged sworde.

3. But if we be neither mooued with loue of goodnes, nor with feare of wrathe, I knowe not whither we be more miserable, who must suffer the punishment, or bloc­kish who will not see to auoyde the faulte; yet let vs consider the nature of sinne, which is contrary to our nature we were created, & doo desire to enioy liberty; but sinne maketh vs slaues, and the wiseman saith. Euery sinner is bounde in the fetters of his owne sinnes. We naturally abhorre hell, the diuell, & deathe; but sinne caused the [Page 10] very angells offending to be throwne downe from heauen, Homil. 28 in epist ad Roman. In expo­sit. in e­pist ad Rom. S. Chrys. in serm. de eleemosy­na. Sapiens. 16. T [...]bie 12 Eccles. 30 Homil. in psal. 33. S. August lib. 8. Confes. cap. 5. & medi [...]. c. 4 & to be reserued in the chay­nes of hell: S. Augustin saith, that euery sinner selles his [...]oule to the diuel taking for his price the sweetnes of some temporall delighte: nay S. Chrysostome calleth euery sinner a certeyn willing diuell, & a self-willed madnes. And as for death, which we so much feare, the scripture saith, that they which committe sinne doo kill theyr owne soules: we knowe it were horrible, to murder our Father, but to murder thy selfe it is more damnable: wherfore as the wiseman sayd, take mercy on thine owne soule pleasing God, which then we doo, when penitently we say vnto him miserere, haue mercy.

4. What shoulde I say of sinne tormenting the conscience, offending the com­munion of Sayntes; among men it is a discredite; among Christians it causeth excō ­munication and S. Basil doth write, that as smoke driueth bees from their hiues, and loth some smells driue pigeons from their houses, so from the custody of our persons, [...]l sauoring sinnes driue away our holy Angells▪ And is not euery inordinate minde a penalty to it selfe (as S. Augustin auoucheth?) for couetousnes gripes, pride swells, enuy consumes, concupiscence inflames, luxury stingeth, gluttony stin­keth, dronkennes besotteth, sclander scratcheth, ambition vndermyneth it selfe, in­iuryes gette hatred, discorde teareth, anger burneth, lighte heades are neuer quiet, idlenes is wearisome, lazynes combreth, hipocrysie deceiueth his owne harte, & flatterye giues himselfe the lye in his owne throate. O miserable sinnes which make men so wretched, which seldome come alone without seauen worse diuells folowing them, which make our present prayers (not purposing amendment) to be rejected; which cause all our good deedes paste, not to be regarded; which are so hardly cured, because they are not so easily (as we thinke) repented. In time therfore, o lord; with the first worde of this psalme, against all these for-mētioned miseryes, we humbly & hartily, crye miserere, haue mercy.

OF THE NAME AND NATVRE OF GOD: who he his: vvhat we are: and how vnspeakably we are behol­ding vnto his great goodnes. Sect. 4.

1. O God, who canst not be deceiued, for thou arte wisedome; nor corrupted, for thou arte justice; nor ouercome, for thou arte allmighty; nor esca­ped, for thou arte euery where present. O God, who by thy omnipotence as thou arte able to punish the careles with terror, Hugo Car­dinal. Innocent. 3. Domi­nica 10. post. Pen. so thou arte able to cure the sorowfull with fauor▪ O God whose property is to haue mercy, in whom there is no difference betwene thy mercy & thy essence, and as the Churche prayeth, who doost manifest thy omnipotency in pity aboue all, and in showing mercy, Miserere mei Deus, O God shew towardes mee, thy omnipotent mercy. O God whose name is shorte, but thy majesty is great; not like men who haue an ell of great names, & not an inche of good nature, or a vayne preface of Titles longer then the whole booke of their true vertues: But thy excellent goodnes is vespeakable, O God, and we name thee to signifye whom we meane in our shallowe capacity, not to expresse what thou arte in thy infinite majesty. Wherfore thoughe I be miserable, yet thou arte power­full & pitifull to releiue me, for thou arte God; and, thoughe I be wicked, yet thou as God art infinitely gracious, & abundantly mercifull to forgiue me.

2. Miserere mei, haue mercy on mee; not haue mercy on Dauid, as in another psalme O Lord remember Dauid: Psal 131. S. Bonauē nor dare I say, haue mercy on thy seruante; for I haue bro­ken thy commandements: nor haue mercy on the king; for as my name and person is [Page 11] now odious; so to mention my dignity were to aggrauate my offence. O foule sinne which makes me ashamed of mine owne name: Hugo Car­dinal. yet I will pointe to my wretched sub­stance, thoughe I dare not declare my guilty person; for the respecte of the partye doth often much encrease the offence. Haue mercy on mee: I acknowledge my faulte, I de­nye it not with Cayn, I caste it not vpon another as Eue, I excuse it not as Saul, nor with Iudas, do I confesse and yet despayre; but as I condemne my selfe for my sinnes, so I trust in thy goodnes for thy mercy: miserere mei: haue mercy on mee: On mee, who ioyned and coupled so many sinnes in one fardell about fullfilling my desire and plea­sure: On mee, who consented to the motions of luste, Innocent 3. Pet. Vega who corrupted messengers to further it, who abused another mans wife to fullfill it, who deuised practises to conceale it, and would haue had my bastarde misbegotten, to be reputed as another mans heyre legitimate. On mee, who added murder to adultery; who repayed iniuryes for requitall of seruice. On mee, who thus wronged a man altogether innocent, & with him procured diuerse others to be slayne who were allso harmeles: On mee, who cau­sed him by fraude to cary letters like Bellerophon contriuing the manner of his owne death: On mee, who receiued the tydinges of his murder with gladnes, and presently with delighte maryed his widowe: On mee, who long lay sleeping in these sinnes with­out remorse, and if I had not bene rebuked by thy prophet, paraduenture of my selfe I had neuer repented: On mee, whom thou diddest deliuer from the malice of Saul, and yet I my selfe wroughte mischeife against Vrias: On mee, who was aduan­ced from a shepheard to a kinge, yet towardes mee Nabal was not so vnthankefull, as by this offence I haue bene against thee ingratefull. Finally thou werte wonte to powre thy spiritte of prophecy on mee, in which I vsed to sing psalmes vnto thee; but beholde I haue expelled thy spirite, which was my trusty comforter, and I haue en­terteyned the spirite of luste, a trecherous stranger: I haue changed the ioye of the spirite into the delighte of the flesh: I haue forsaken my psalmes and prayers of deuo­tion: I haue lefte my good-workes and carefull exercise of religion: O haue mercy On mee, who began with much feruor to sequester all my thoughtes from the worlde like a religious man; but since I haue giuen place to some coldenes of desires, and bene content to passe along like another worldly man. On mee therfore, O God, mise­rere mei, haue mercy on mee.

3. According to thy great mercy, & according to the multitude of thy miserations. Cassiodo­rus. Gene­brardus. Thou O God diddest so loue the worlde that thou gauest thy only sonne being God equall to thy selfe to take our flesh and to taste of our misery, for the redemption of vs men. O great mercy! O multitude of miserations! we of our selues are thy desperate ene­myes, yet as S. Peter said. 1. Petr. 1▪ According to thy great mercy thou haste regenerated vs vnto the hope throughe Christe of an inheritance incorruptible. In thee therfore O blessed Iesus is conteyned this great mercy; by thee we receiue this multitude of miserations: It were not so much for a man to abase himselfe to become a toade, as it was for thee, being God, to become man: this was great mercy; but it was a multitude of miserations to endure our miseryes, to suffer tormentes, and to vndergoe death for distressed eni­mies: herein saith S. Paul, God doth commend his charity vnto vs, seeing when we were yet sinners Christ dyed for vs. Rom. 5.

4. It is mercy to giue vs food, & rayment: it is more mercy to continue vs life: it was yet more to create vs, being nothing: and it was greater mercy to affoarde vs the vse of all his creatures both in necessity, for which we owe him thankes, and in de­lighte, which requireth prayse. Before we were, we merited nothing; 1. tim. 4. but if now God still shew mercy, after we haue shewed our selues vnthankfull to such a Lord, is [Page 12] not this great mercy? to giue his soone to redeeme a rebellious seruant; nay to redee­me his enemye out of bondage, is it not a multitude of miserations? To see water run downe the hill it is no marueill; nor being powred on euen playne grounde, to see it run on euery side euery way; but it were a wonder to see a riuer run vp a monteyn. So, to giue rewarde vnto deserte it is our Lordes naturall iustice: to bestowe benefi­tes on them who haue neither done good nor hurte, it is his euerflowing goodnes: but to doo so well vnto vs, who haue demerited so ill against him, what can I call it but his miraculous great mercy; nay, that is not enoughe; it hath in it an infinite mul­titude of miserations. It was admirable humility for God to become man: it was pa­tience without a paterne, being man, to suffer so much of men for men: but to per­forme all this for men, who worse then beastes, were become his reuolted enemyes, this was great mercie, in this was multitude of miserations.

5. It is mercie to forgiue our offences: they are miserations to releiue our necessityes. both great and with multitudes, in all kind of continued and discreet quantityes: vn­measurable mercyes; because so great: and innumerable miserations, because so many. And not alone, seuerally, a magnitude of great mercie, and a multitude of many mi­serations, but allso intermi [...]te, great multitudes of many mercyes, and many magnitu­des of great miserations.

SVNDRY EXCELLENT OBSERVATIONS of S. Bernarde, applyed to this meditation of our Lordes great mercyes, and multitude of miserations. Sect. 4.

Serm. de triplici [...]nisericor. & 4. mi­serat. & Serm. de sept. mise­ricor. & carū fra­gmentis.SAynt Bernard in seuerall places describeth the greatnes & multitude of these mer­cies and miserations. As there be sinnes, so there be mercies, some small, some great, and some in a meane betwene both. The firste mercy expecteth a sinner, not punish­hing presently: the second giueth a penitent harte, which freeth vs from smaller sin­nes paste, & by our daily compunction deliuereth vs from present veniall trangressi­ons. But thirdly, for great crimes paste we haue neede of great contrition, and against mortall sinnes which may followe, we haue neede of great caution: these are harde matters; wherfore this thirde great mercy is necessary for all great sinners, to lament faultes passed, & to preuent followable offences.

2. The multitude of his miserations are: 1. somtimes in bitternes of any sorte of greife; which withdraweth our minde from our vsuall delightes of ordinary sin­ne. 2. somtimes, by remouing the occasions of our wonted sinnes. 3. somtime by giuing vs grace of resistance, that thoughe we be tempted, yet we withstand our mo­tions & ouercome our affections. Pet. Riba▪ de [...]eyra in eius vita. 4. somtimes, not so much taking away the out­ward occasions, as alltogether healing our inwarde affection; and herin consisted the absolute perfection of our blessed Lady and S. Ihon Baptiste, preserued from all sinne; and in one particuler, S. Thomas of Aquine had his loynes so girded by an An­gell, that there neuer after came into his desire any fleshly thoughte: and so somti­mes some other haue one or other affection so mortifyed, by meanes of Gods espe­ciall grace, that not only they doo not followe them, no nor so much as any wit feel them.

3. O blessed IESV in the goodnes of thy great mercy thou haste preserued me from many sinnes, into which of my selfe I woulde haue fallen: o continue the multitude of thy miserations, sending any greife of harte which may holde me from any delighte [Page 13] of sinne. O take away occasions of sinnes; giue me power to resiste tentations; or so heale my affections, that neither in euill they doo molest me, nor in good become weary; eyther driue away my buffeter, or giue me thy sufficient grace to be a conque­ror. O gracious God, in thy great mercy thou diddest a long time expect my repētance: o continue the multitude of thy miserations; in thy long sufferance to permitte me time and grace of satisfaction and amendement. O holy Iesu in thy great mercy thou diddest touche my harte with some sorowe for my great sinne; O continue the multi­tude of thy miserations against all my faultes, to shew me their lothsomnes as soares; to make me some what feele their smarte, as woundes; and both to desire & to ob­teyne hope that they shall be cured.

4. O swete Iesu in thy great mercy thou hast giuen me strength to arise from sinne and error; to come vnto thy truthe and Catholique Churche, and hitherto to con­tinue in thy seruice, quia fecit magna qui potens est: thou hast done great thinges for me who arte mighty, and abounding in great mercy: o continue the multitude of thy mise­rations against the multitude of myne enimyes which daily seeke my downefall and destruction. 1. against myne owne flesh, from whom I can neither flye, nor put him to flyghte; neither may I kill this foe, but rather norishe him to liue, thoughe not to reigne nor to rule in me. 2. against this alluring worlde, flattering with pleasures, entising with honors, and deceiuing with riches. Our flesh is an enemye within vs: the worlde is an enemye round about vs: these twoo are to many: but alas, I see a vehement winde blustring from the northe: o lorde helpe me in thy multitude of mi­serations, or I shall perish in the great danger of this storme: beholde, it is Satan, the hammer of the worlde, a serpent more subtile then all beastes, a dragon more cruell & insatiable then any monster; he is an enemy whom we cannot easily discerne, how then shall wee certeinly avoyde him? his arrowes are shotte closely, and his snares hidde secrettly, how shall we escape them? somtime he assaltes openly with violence, somtime priuily with fraudes, allwayes cruelly with malice: of our selues we are not able to resiste him, much lesse to ouercome; but thankes be to God who gi­ueth vs victory, throughe Christe our lorde, faciens potentiam in brachio suo, strengh­thening vs with power in his arme.

5. O bountifull God, in thy great mercy thou hast enabled vs to performe good wor­kes which may merite heauen: o continue the multitude of thy miserations, enduing me with grace, still to abhorre the wickednes of my sinne which is paste, to despise the present vanity of this worlde, and earnestly to desire the futu [...]e happynes of heauen: O comfortable Iesu in thy great mercy thou haste quieted my harte with a good hope of eternall life; o continue the multitude of thy miserations, that neither the scarsity of my owne merites, nor the vnworthynes of my selfe, nor the estimation of heauens inestimable valew, may caste me downe from the heighte of my hope; because it is hūbly and firmely rooted in the charity of thy adoption, in the verity of thy promise, and in the ability of thy performance. I knowe in whom I haue beleeued; and I am sure, that in his exceeding great charity there shalbe no defecte, and as he did promi­se it in his great mercy, so in the multitude of his miserations he will performe it. O God, we haue neede of thy great mercy to supply the defectes of our great necessityes; and we desire the multitude of thy miserations for our defence against the multitudes of our mighty enemyes; and therfore I will euer repeate this effectuall prayer. Haue mercy on mee O God, according to thy great mercy, & according to the multitude of thy mi­serations.

WHAT MERCY IS, AND OF THE EF­fects. Also how sinnes are blotted out by multitudes. Sect. 5.

[...]eciuit. Dei. l. 9.1. MErcy in latin is called misericordia, which according to S. Augustin is a com­passion in our harte of another creatures misery; & so it is, misericordia, quasi miserans Cor. Somtime it is a foolish womanish pity, & then it is only a passion in the sensitiue parte; but being grounded on reason, it is a vertue in the will in which laste sorte it is in God; S. Tho. 2.2. q. [...]0. a. 2.3.4. but no way as a passion. And it is in him as in a Superior to an inferior; either as munificence to releiue our wantes; or as clemencie to forgiue our faultes: not as among men by affection feeling our freindes misery, as if it were our owne, for how can any misery touch him who is all happy? hauing all which he wil­leth, & willes nothing which is euill. Nor can he haue any feeling of our misery by occasion of feare, as olde men, & wise men, who consider the dangers & incertainties of all euentes: nor as timorous & feeble minded people, who doubte in pusillanimity least vpon any occasion they shoulde fall into like misery: no such mercy is in our Lorde, vpon any of these considerations; for he is neither subiect to humane affecti­on, nor to feare, nor any way in hazarde of changeable infelicity.

2. And among men thoughe charity be the greatest of all vertues, because it vnites & ioynes vs as inferiors to God our beste & highest Superior; yet in God who is a­boue all creatures, vpon which he powreth out all the godnes they haue, & receiues nothing from any other to himselfe, in him mercy is the greatest of all vertues; & to him therfore the Churche saith it is proper, more then to any; & herein his omnipo­tency most to be manifested. In orat. in ter psal. gradual. pro de­funct. For thoughe the vertues & attributes of God be in himselfe equall, yet in their effectes & operations towardes his creatures, one may appeare more or lesse then another: & so here S. Augustin saith, that mercy & mise­rations be all one: & S. Bernarde calls miserations, the daughters of mercy; which are di­uerse in sundry streames, & yet all one water of the same founteyn, as in a garden-wa­ter potte, the water within is all one in substance with those many spinning streames yssuing out of those seuerall holes.

3. Aristotle said, that no place of the worlde is alltogether empty, eyther of ayre, or some what else; Non da­tur vacuū Psal. 32. yet he could not tell wherof it was full, so well as Dauid, who said All the worlde is full of the mercy of our Lord. Another philosopher being asked what was greatest of all? answered Locus, place is greatest: for place which conteyneth all, is greater then those thinges which are conteyned: but Dauid would haue said, it is our Lordes mercy, which is aboue all his workes: & so all places giues place as inferior to his mercy, & takes place within it, as lesser then his mercy. In heauen his mercye shynes in glory: on earthe he raynes mercy both on the iuste & iniuste: his mercy is in purgatory where sowles are purifyed & prepared for heauen: yea, euen in hell there is some parte of his mercy; for as he rewardes his Angells & Sayntes, much aboue their merites, so punisheth the diuells, & the damned, both lesse then their demerites, and not so much as he is able.

4. These are thy mercyes, O God, which none can deny: but we humbly desire re­leife & pardon according to thy great mercy, & to blotte out our iniquity in the multi­tude of thy miserations: thy justice, o lord, reacheth vnto the heighte of mounteynes; thy truthe vnto the clowdes; thy great mercye to the heauens; and the multitude of [Page 15] thy miserations is aboue all thy workes. O let vs taste of these mercyes, sent downe from thee to vs, and deriued by vs to others, that we may learne to be mercifull as thou arte mercifull. And so in thy day of iustice & iudgment, if we haue bene mer­cifull we shall obteyne mercy; when it shall not be so much recounted that Abel was murdred for his good sacrifice; that Noah tooke care to saue the olde world; Chrysol. in serm. judicij. that Abra­hā was faithfull: that Moses deliuered the lawe; that Elias went vp to heauē in a charyot; that S. Peter was crucified with his head downeward; that S. Paul was beheaded; that S. Laurence was broyled; or S. Edmonde our English king a martyr shotte full of arrowes; as it shall be there demāded what workes of mercy euery one hath performed; especially in feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, or visiting the sicke & impri­soned. O teach vs to be mercifull in such smal matters, that we may find great mercy, at thy handes, and in euery one of thy fingers multitude of miserations. Great mercy, o God, because thou arte great, and it fittes thee not to giue little: great mercy, be­cause our necessityes haue neede of great supplyes: our offences are great; Hugo Cardinal. & our punishments deserue to be great; therfore what can we aske lesse then great mercy?

5. And according to the multitude of thy miserations blotte out my iniquity: O thou who doost forgiue very often, euen seauenty times seuen times: we are many offenders, and are guilty of exceeding many sinnes, in many thinges offending all, & euery day, & many times a day; o shew the multitude of thy miserations, Theophil. Innocent. 3. Esay. 43. Ierem. 17. vpon such multitudes of offences, of times, & of persons; pardoning so many sinners, for so many crimes, & so many times repeated. O blotte them out, as thou hast said by the Prophet Esay, that thou arte he who blotteth out our iniquityes for thine owne sake. And Ieremy saith, our sinnes are grauen in a harde Adamante stone with an yron pen: who can blotte out such a recorde? euen thou only, o mighty redeemer, who by thy handes nay­led to the crosse wert blotting out all handewrytinges against vs: Colos. 2. Psal. 68. O raze and blotte out, we entreate thee, all the sinnes & accusations which Satan writes against vs: O blotte them out, not to be read; and scrape them out as, blottes, not to be seene; for otherwise they will blotte our names out of thé booke of the liuing. Del [...], put out, or take away from thy sighte, or vewe, all spottes from our soule, all memory from thy booke, all byting wormes from our conscience, all sinnefull appetites from our affections, & all vnlawfull consent from our desires. O blotte out all malice, or frail­ty, from our will; and out of our vnderstanding all error & blindnes. In the vertue of thy precious bloud; and by the sacramēt of extreme Vnctiō we beseech thee, blotte out at our death all the sinnefull delightes of our eyes, all the follyes of our eares, all vanityes of our smelling, all the iniquityes of our tōgue, all the voluptuousnes of our touche, or of our taste, all vnserchable or secret sinne of our hartes, all the idlenes or wickednes of our handes, all the forwardnes of our feete to committe euill, & all the slackenes or crookednes of our wayes vnto good. O Iesu helpe vs by wyping out our blottes now to cleāse our soules, & euer by great mercy to forgiue our sinnes.

OF THE GREAT CARE VVE MVST VSE to purge all sinne: and that we our selues must doo herin some di­ligence, not standing idle to leaue all vnto Christe. Sect. 6.

1. WAsh me yet more from mine iniquity! & cleanse me from my sinne. O lorde I haue so much offended, that me thinkes I cannot well enoughe expresse my guil­tynes, nor enoughe begge remedye, nor can I tell, when I haue enoughe repented. [Page 16] Amplius laua me, wash me yet more, both from the filthynes, and allso the stinking­nes of all wickednes: Inn [...]cē. 3. wash me, from iniquity which is filthy; and cleanse me from sin­ne which stinketh: from sinne against God, & from iniquity eyther against my neighbor or against my selfe, yet more, both from the heynousnes of that which is paste, that I be perfectly cured; and least I should fall agayne, from the dangerousnes of that which may come. Let not the prophet complayne against me, saying, O how vile arte thou become iterating thy wayes! Ierem. 1. all sinne in my soule is like lothsome stinking durte on my innermost or fayrest garment, or like deadly poyson in my vsuall drinking cuppe: It is not enoughe with one water to take away the moste or the worste, Petrus Vega. but rynse, & rubbe, & washe the cuppe agayne & agayne, with nettles, with salte, with ashes▪ water after water; let vs be sure there be neither sauour nor danger of poyson lefte be­hinde. It is true that in our contrition & Gods absolution, all the guilte of all sinne is totally forgiuen, yet our healed conscience which was wounded; as a burnte childe is afrayde of any fire: as hauing weake stomackes, if we spye the least remaynder of our former filthynes, or taste the smallest sauour of our wonted poyson; O let vs crye (not for distruste, but for better security) amplius laua me, washe me yet more.

2. Allso, when we doo bewayle any greater crime, let vs withall wash the spotres of any lesser faultes: yet more, euen our smallest offences, which being many amounte vnto much: S. Greg. yet more, not only from all the guilte and eternall punishment, but allso from purgatory or any payne temporall, yet more, both inwardly from sinfull though­tes as well as outwardly from bad wordes or deedes, yet more then others, for I haue of­fended more then others, yet more, not only by these cerimoniall figures, and externall signes, but allso by the true precious bloud of our perfect redeemer.

3. I haue sinned against God, against men, against my selfe, & against other creatures; therfore o lord, Hugo Cardinal. miserere, dele, laua, munda; haue mercy on faultes against thee, blotte out accusatiōs of men, wash away the spottes of mine owne soule, and cleanse my abuses & corruptions of thy creatures, O was he my soule, which thou diddest make pure in my creation; O cleanse my body, which thou diddest sanctifye by thy incarnation; O blotte out my faultes against the lawe which condemneth; haue mercy according to thy grace giuen by the gospell which acquitteth. And all these, yet more, as very filthy clo­thes must be boyled & bucked in sharpe lee, washed, rubbed, wringed, beaten, shaken, & bleached: for as Seneca said, they who are accustomed to sinne non tant [...]m inquinati, sed infecti sunt, they are not only defiled but infected, which is more hardly cleansed. Epist. 85.

4. There is 1. a washing of Baptisme. 2. of repentance. 3. of martyrdome: of the firste, Zachar. 13. Zachary prophecyed, there shalbe a founte eyn open to the house of Dauid, and to the inhabitantes of Ierusalem for the washing of a sinner: sinne this water of Baptisme I haue bene abhominably polluted, O wash me yet more, in the second water of repentance, which is Naamans Iordan, interpreted a descending, or a riuer of iudgement, signi­fying our humility or judgement of our selues. 3. reg. 5. Or if it be thy blessed will, O God, washe me in the thirde water, yet more by martyrdome, that I may be somewhat like those in the Apocalyps who washed their ctoles in the bloud of the lambe.

5. And thoughe we doo somewhat towardes these purifications, yet more must be done by our lorde Iesus: Apoc. 7. the beginninge, proceding, & finihing, must be his gra­ce working & our will consenting: our obedient diligence must be answerable to his ca [...]ling & guiding inspirations: the inwarde spi [...]ite & grace is his, the outwarde la­bour must be ours Ouer & besides all which we can doo, yet more, he must wash vs; other wise as Ieremy said, If thou wash thee with Niter, and multiply vnto thy selfe the [Page 17] herbe Borith yet thou arte d [...]filed in thy iniquity before me: the Septuagint call it the herbe Toan which S. Ierome saith is the Fullers herbe, and the Chaldey paraphraste interpretes it Soape: so that thoughe we washe with water; yet more our lord must cleanse vs with his soape. All our owne Niter and Borith, our penances voluntary, or our vnuoluntary afflictions, are to small purpose of themselues alone, yet more o lord giue them vertue and accepte them in the merites and passion of our Sauiour, without whom all our actions are nothing worthe vnto saluation.

6. And yet we may not be idle christians, laying all vpon the shoulders of Christe; for thoughe he be able yet he will not beare all: such be all carnall libertines, Caluinistes, & such others, who will no fasting dayes; no whipping of themselues; no hayre clothes; no harde beddes; no pilgrimages; no stricte exercise of religion; no corporall penances, whi­les they be in healthe, thoughe they be able to endure them without hurte (for in case of apparent or very probable damage to our necessary healthe, they are rather forbidden then imposed) But these without sicknes or other cause will neither faste, nor absteyne from flesh, no not in lent, nor scarse vpon Good fridaye; they will performe no stricte obedience to the publique orders & decrees of the Churche, but when & how it please themselues: and this they call their christian liberty: wherin not withstanding Christe practised the contrary: in all thinges he obeyed the lawe, thoughe he were not bound: these are bound, & yet will not obey. He himselfe hath commanded that whosoeuer obeyeth not the churche should be accompted as a heathē: and did he himselfe liue in any such liberty? his whole life was rather full of bodily labor & wante, in fasting, watching, & prayers, in many greifes, tormentes, & much vnrest. O holy Iesu we must come after thee in some such sorte, if we will come vnto thee as we oughte: we truste not in our bo­dely workes alone without thee▪ but we worke them in thy loue after thy exāple: to suf­fer with thee, that we may be glorifyed with thee. We confesse, and rejoyce, because thy merites are alone all sufficient; but we know that thou wilte not haue vs partakers of those merites by such liberty, but by obedient labor. Is the disciple more at liberty then the maister? he wroughte for vs till he sweat droppes of water & bloud; shall we stand idle or at liberty to doo nothing but beleuee? yes, we will beleeue; for that is our foundation: & yet more we will worke, & be obedient to his churche in euery religious action. For of thē he hath said, he that heareth you heareth me, & he that despiseth you despiseth me.

WE MVST DAILY PROCEDE IN ZEALE against all sinne: and in particuler against the sensualities of the fleshe. Sect. 7.

1. MAny men when they are sicke and growe neare to their death, doo begin to eate greedily: so shoulde a good christian more hūger for righteousnes when his death is more neare, and in his spirituall hunger and deuotion pray and desire Amplius, yet more. Or as he that hath bene sicke, and beginnes to amend, if he be perfectly cured, he will bee exceding hungry: otherwise, it is a signe that all bad humors are not expelled or di­gested. So if we waxe negligent in our reasonable penances or spirituall exercises, we ha­ue cause to feare that all sinne is not well purged, or mortifyed: wherfore in any such queazynes, or lazynes, let vs returne to say with Dauid Amplius, yet more: O lord, let me hunger after iustice yet more; for my last howre now approcheth nearer then when firste I did beleeue; and al [...]so that I may redeeme the time and so recouer strength, Amplius laua me, Purge me yet more.

[Page 18]2. In perticuler this faulte of the fleshe, against which Dauid prayeth is pec [...]liarly called a fyre, and filthynes: and therfore aboue all other vices it is most proper a [...]ai [...]st this to praye for more water. Yet more water of contrition against this filthy sinne, to washe it more and more water of mortification against this burning sinne, to quenche it mo­re. Yet more, o lorde, enable vs in our bodyes to extinguish these coales, and yet more in our hartes to purifie this filthe: for if w [...] doo but thinke of it with delighte, we begin to burne; and if we doo consent to such a thoughte, yet it is so filthy that we are ashamed to publish or to speake it, vnlese we be past shame. Achilles being washed ouer all his body, excepte only the plantes of his feete, could not be wounded whersoeuer he had bene washed; and yet at laste (he kneeling) a poisoned arrowe was shotte into his foote, and so killed. So not only the principall partes of our body, but amplius laua me, yet more, lord, washe euen the soales of our feete, as well as our heade, our handes, our eyes, our eares, all our senses, and all our facultyes of soule and body: for if we leaue any parte vnwashed, there the diuell will watche to haue vs wounded. Especially let vs beware of this poisoned arrowe of luste; which is purposely called vncleannes, because there is no filthynes of sinne like the lothesomnes of luste, which cleanes to such a carnall soule, as the poxe to the bones; and he that hath bene once so filthy, will hardly cease to be still more filthy. Wherfore on the contrary, if we become once cleane Amplius laua me, let vs be yet more cleane: and as the swanne, after those actions, will not eate till he get into the water to bathe him, Pli. l. 8. cap. 16. nor the lyonesse returne to her companion vntill she be all was­hed, after copulation with the parde: so much more haste and care shoulde we haue to b [...] cleansed from this filthy vice; and not be content with a l [...]ttle wa [...]er, but euer labou [...] and praye to be washed yet mor [...].

MEDITATION III.

Quoniam iniquitatem meam ego cognosco, & peccatum meum contra me est semper. Tibi soli peccaui, & malum coram te feci, vt iustificeris in sermonibus tuis, & vincas cum iudicaris.

For I knowe mine owne iniquity, & my sinne is alwayes against me. Vnto thee alone I haue sinned, & haue committed euill before thee, that thou maist be iustifyed in thy wordes, and maist ouercome when thou arte iudged.

HOW WE MVST MARKE, ABHORRE, and beware sinne, as a trecherous and a dangerous enemye. Sect. 1.

1. IF the black More looke vpon himselfe, he cannot chuse but say that he is blacke: and if we looke vpon our owne soules, will not our cōscience conuince vs that we are lo­thesome? vnles as the Mores doo painte their Angells foule and blacke like themselues, & the diuells fayre and white like christians; so we will peruerte the true opinion of vertue calling it vice, and falsely esteeme foule vice to be fayre vertue. Or if we doo confesse sinne to be sinne, yet it is not enoughe to acknowledge our sinne to be foule and filthy; [Page 19] but allso we must marke how he standes against vs like an enemy: as Dauid here saith he knowes him; and obserues that he alwayes standes against him.

2. Ego cognosco, I knowe my sinne. And sinne is knowne by sundry otkens. 1. as a whore, eyther by an impudent face: or by her wanton eyes: or by fylching and co­uetous handes: or by affected flattring speeche, Cassiod. Hugo Cardinal P [...]ou. 5. & 6. & 7. & Eccle. 26. for some one or other of these mar­kes Solomon hath set downe wherby to knowe a bad woman. And such is all sinne, which entreth eyther with flattring promises of pleasure, profite, or honor: or else with a bolde forhead passeth all shame: or neglecting all thinges else doth cheifly seeke delightes: or despising other men doth most aduance his owne propertyes: and doth neuer fayle to robbe or begge from thy soule some jewell or other ornament of grace; yea, to steale thy soule it selfe from God, and all goodnee. 2. Or sinne is knowne like a monstar, which maruells not at it selfe, whiles all others stand won­dring at his deformity. 3. or it is knowne like a twoo hande sworde by his sharpe edges & long blade: for all mortall sinne doth euer separate by Gods excommunica­tion, which kills a farre of with a long reache, and deuides a sunder entire bodyes, and cuttes off whole lymnes at one bloue, 4. And laste of all, if sinne be not discoue­red by any of these, yet fley from him as from the face of a serpent whose stinge hath once put vs to a long time of great payne▪ Num. 13. and if a man were freed from such payne & dan­ger, were it not good to take marke & care how to knowe his like, least agayne we should suffer the like? and therfore it were conuenient to set vp his perfecte figure in the place of our vsuall abode, ouer against our eye, for an remembrance of our pas­sed tormentes, & for a warming of our future perill.

3. Thus, O my soule, let vs alwayes place the remembrance of sinne, before vs, or against vs, In the day let vs thinke of him, & dreame of him in the nighte, as alwayes against vs, that so me may knowe him to beware of him & euer to kepe him from vs. Eccle. 21. S. Aug. Theod. Thus if we knowe sinne, our lorde will not knowe him, and if we set him against vs, to mooue our selues to voluntary penance, our lorde will spare vs from greater ven­geance: for as vnto a Physitian if we would be cured, we offer him his hyre; so vn­to God, saith S. Augustin, we must offer him sacrifice of some satisfaction, S. Aug. if by our Lord Iesus we will obteyne full remission, we call vpon God, but consider, saith S. Augustin, that we call vpon one who is juste, & who hates all sinne: call vpon his mercy, but not to neglecte his justice. His mercy pardons an offendor eternally, but his justice will temporally punish the offence: and therfore as we beseech him to re­mitte the guilte, because we knowe & acknowledge it; so because we doo volunta­rily set some temporall punishment against vs, therfore o lord doo not thou allso punish vs temporally.

4. And if we doo thus, we shall haue his justice satisfyed, & double mercy obteyned: one mercy changeth eternall payne into temporall; and againe temporall punishment, of many yeares paraduenture & much smarte, is changed by his second mercy into so­me shorte & easy penance justly imposed, or voluntarity assumed: or into some de­uout Iubiley, or other religious indulgence; which are all grounded on the merites of our Sauiour; but that these may be applyed, we proforme our diligence to knowe our iniquity in the contrition of our harte, & to haue, our sinne alwayes against vs, in some mortification of our bodye.

5. They must be alwayes ouer against vs or before vs: not behinde our backes: for when our sinnes be as forgotten at our backes, then they haue aduantage to murder vs sodenly, or to make vs yeild fearfully: but if we turne face vpon them or put them before vs, we doo so much sooner destroye them, or put them to flighte. Someti­me, [Page 20] O lorde, S. Bona­uen. Psal. 37. Gen. 4 Psal. 18. Psal. 128. Psal. 21. Psal. 48. Psal. 70. & 81. Iob. 16. Psal. 21. & 87. sinne is aboue vs in power & multitudes, as else where Dauid saith, my sinnes are gone ouer my head. 2. somtime they are vnder vs by repentance & mortifi­cation, as it is said to Cayn, his appetite shoulde be vnder him. 3. somtime they are hidden within vs by hipocrisye, wherfore we praye to be cleansed from our hidden sinnes. 4. somtime they are before vs, to be chastized; as in this texte. 5. somtime they are neglected behind vs, and then as in another psalme it is said, they rayse large buyldinges vpon our backes. 6. somtime they are at our righte hande, when we sinne mortally with a highe hand, and then Dauid especially desireth to haue his soule deliuered out of the hande of a dogge, and in another place, out of the hande of hell. 7. somtime they are at our lefte hande when we sinne of infirmity; and so allso he diuerse times prayeth to be freed from the hande of a sinner. 8. sōtime sinne is roūd about vs to accuse or to affrighte vs, so Iob said that he was compassed about with speares; & Dauid complaynes that they come about him as bulls of Basan, and as ma­ny water flouddes. O blessed Iesu succor vs in the middest of these flouddes: defend vs against these speares: o free vs from sinne of all handes; on the righte hande, or the lefte, deadly or veniall breake downe their heauy boystrous building on our bac­kes, whiles we forget or neglecte them: o drawe out into our view the secret or hy­pocriticall s [...]nnes of our harte: and if they haue by custome or by number gotte ouer our heads in tyranicall dominion, o bring them downe vnder our feete by thy grace of contrite mortification: or howsoeuer in any sorte they doo practise against vs, let vs beware their danger by keping them alwayes before vs.

THAT EVERY ONE MVST ACKNOVVLEDGE his owne faultes, and laying his hande vpon his owne harte, rather accuse himselfe, then censure any other. Sect. 2.

1. ANd obserue that we must be carefull to knowe and to keepe in our fighte, as Dauid here saith, iniquitatem [...]eā, & pecca [...]ū me [...]m, my iniquitie, and sinne which is mine: not other mens faultes. As Dauid firste gaue sharpe sentence against the ri­che man, which had taken the poore mans only sheepe, not imagining he spake a­gainst himselfe: for in another mans person we consider the offence more duely in his owne nature, not so much dazeled with affection & partiality, as when it con­cernes our selues: wheras it were a safer course, in seing other mens badnes, to judge or feare our selues worse; and in our owne goodnes, to esteeme other men better. Thus, let vs set against our view those which be our owne sinnes, that as Nathan enforced Dauid to vse his owne tongue for the knife wherwith to launce and open his owne soare, so we may by viewing our owne sinnes, not so much looke to take out a moate of our brothers eye, as to remedye the beame which we haue in our owne. Like wise physitiās firste haue a care to cure our selves; for as the wise mā said, the foote of a foole doth easilie enter into the house of his neighbor: and a foole standeth prying by the windowe into the house, Eccles. 21 but a man prudent will stande at the dore without. O how few such prudent m [...]n! we are allmoste all prying fooles, marking others, and not obseruing our selues. Like some soldyers who being an hundred of their owne nation, and but ten strangers, if any faulte or losse happen, they say presently it was the strangers defaulte, not one of vs were to blame; but if any excellent exployte be performed, where there were a thousand strangers and scarse one hundred of them [Page 21] yet there they alone did moste, all the strangers did nothing so much: So in matters of vice & vertue, we will diminishe others due prayse to extoll our selues, at least secretly in our owne opinion: or in the middest of offences we will scarse acknowled­ge one faulte to be alltogether our owne: or if we doo; it shall be but in some small matter, or some generall fashion▪ yea, somtime saying in generall that we are sinners to seme therby so much more holy; wherin as pride of humility or humble pride is most dangerous, so this seeming sanctity by a feyned selfe accusation, is moste odious.

2. Of S. Ihon Baptiste, twice it is sayd, that he confessed & denyed not, when the phariseys would needes haue pressed him to say of himselfe that he was the Messias: he confessed himselfe vnworthy that estimation, and denyed not to Christe his due ho­nor. But we contrarily d [...]tracte from others, and attribute to our selues; wheras we shoulde not deny worthynes to others, and confesse vnworthynes in our selues. Eyther to be silent of our good deedes; or at least neuer to speake of them for our owne prayse, but only to glorifye God or to edifye our neighbor by them▪ euermore to heare of our owne faultes & imperfections patiently, acknowledge them (where just occasion is) vnfeignedly, or in serious humility to thinke of them with greife, as alwayes set against vs with our marke vpon their foreheades that as soone as we see them, we may sorowfully (and willingly, thoughe secretly) acknowledge that pride is mine, that dullnes in deuotion is mine, such couetousnes is mine, such vaynglory is mine, such pelting anger is mine, such friuolous contention is mine, such paltry lyes are mine, such waspish impatience is mine, such is my distraction in prayer, my lazi­nes or sleepynes is such, my property it is to deale timorously or not hartily, my selfeloue it is to esteeme too well of my selfe; too much delighte in meate & drinke is mine, to many carnall thoughtes are mine; mine are idle imaginations & foolish conceiptes, my faulte it is to lay blame on others & excuse mine; all the good, o lorde, which I haue, or doo, it is thine; and mine are innumerable & vnserchable euills.

3. Goodnes is thine, by identity, by creation, by communication, or by complete action; but is mine only by participation, eyther infused, or applyed, or exercised. S. Bonauē Allso by priuate mystery. S. Ihons Baptisme was called his: by peculiar promise, o lorde, thou arte called the God of Abraham, & so likweise arte our God: iustice is only thine, as the giuer, yet as receiuers it is likewise ours: grace is thine as the owner, and ours as the farmers: the heauens and all creatures are thine as the Author, & ours as possessors: Only of euill and sinne, euery one may iustly say, it is mine, as possessor and author; it is mine as farmer and owner; it is mine as receiuer and giuer; it is mine by open bargayne, & by secret conueyance it is mine: it is mine by practise; by application; by coniunction; by participation; by infection; by defection; by custome; by counsell; commaunde; consent; prouoking; praysing; by not discouering; not hin­dring; not punishing; or by not reprehending when I mighte and oughte▪ By all, or by some of these titles & propertyes euery one must knowe his owne faulte & set thē against himselfe saying: it is mine.

4. In a common assembly of a city, said Socrates, Stobaeus in serm. 21. if the cryer shoulde will all the merchantes to stande vp; so they would, and no other: if all the goldesmithes, all the mercers, grocers, drapers, tāners, taylers, &c. were seuerally required to stāde a parte, euery trade by it selfe, they would doo it orderly: but if the cozening vnconscionable sellers shoulde be commanded by the Mayor himselfe to come stand by him: no man woulde stirre: yet contrarily if the basest sergeant should in the Mayors name will all the honest iuste dealing men to remooue all to one side: it is like that all would [Page 22] go apace, & thruste harde, not to stande nere the middest, least he should be thoughte to remayne nere the dishonest side. Thus men are not so vnwilling to shew their tra­des, how meane soeuer, as to acknowledge their faultes, how small soeuer: because all men would seme innocent or iuste, no man will talke with Dauid of my iniquity & my sinne. But as in worldly matters, we gladly talke of my ancestors, my landes, my Lordships, my houses, my tenantes, my dignityes, my credite, my authority, or of any thing wherof we can vante, all that is mine: so also in spirituall thinges, or mat­ters perteyning to the minde & vnderstanding, we are willing to speake of anything wherof we may somewhat glory, either openly with a full mouthe, or with halfe a mouthe nicely; or at least in thoughte secretly call it mine, as my deuotion, my fa­sting, my losses, or constancy for religion; my knowledge, my discretion, &c. of the­se, or other such like, we doo willingly talke, somtime to the end we may insinuate how, or which of them is mine; yea somtime we doo them because afterwarde we may boast, such a good deede was mine; like the gleade or kyte which mountes vpwarde to heauen, but alwayes his eye is looking downewarde to the earthe, where to espye some cary on or garbage on the grounde; and so we doo often seeme to flie vpward to heauen in our intentions, whiles we fixe our eye much more vpon the action to call it mine, In fine; thus any good, we doo readily call it mine, thoughe it be as Batillus chalenged Virgillis verses for his owne; but we disclayme all euill, thoughe it be like him who talking much, yet denyed stoutly that he had any tongue.

IT IS NECESSARY TO REMEM­ber harmes of sinne, therby learning to amend and take heede. Sect. 3.

1. THis is our corrupte inclination to deny our faultes and to boaste of our wor­thynes: neuertheles, o my soule, be thou carefull to knowe my iniquity, & be diligent to haue my sinne alwayes against me. that so it may moderate thy mirthe, & di­minish thy delightes in thy meditations often to thinke of it with inwarde greife, in time of tribulation to suffer chastizement for it with outward sorowe: alwayes to keepe it in thine eye, to humble thee; or to warne the [...], let him euer plucke thee by the sleeue. Gen. 20. As Abimelech hauing taken Sara, & being warned in a vision not to tou­che her, for she was [...]brahams wife; he set her free, and giuing her a 1000. peeces of syluer to buy vayles for herselfe & her women to couer their faces, Vega. he saith, re­member whithersoeuer thou go that thou werte taken, as if he meante; being fayre & going with thy face open, men are more easily entangled in thy beauty, wherfore buy vayles to couer thine eyes, & remember thou werte taken & broughte in danger of sinne, by this faulte of open shewing thy face: So likewise with vs, by what occasion soeuer we haue bene taken or put in hazarde of any sinne, let vs remember, and set our former occasions & faultes alwayes against vs, that wee may against another time beware to be taken by any such like occasion in any such sinne.

Moral.2. Thus S. Gregory vseth a strange petition; but in this sense a very good speache; prosit mihi Domine quod peccaui (according to our english phrase after our meate) much good may it doo me, o Lorde, that I haue sinned: as if he should say out of the euill which I haue committed by my faulte, let me drawe good by thy mercy: let it make me more humble & gentle towardes others, lesse trusting to my selfe, & most dutifull [Page 23] towardes thee, both to prayse thy mercy which pardoneth me, and to desire thy grace to vpholde me. Neuertheles, these seme strange speeches, to be against me, In ps. 37▪ & yet to doo me good: as also that speech of Origen seemes strange, who calleth Dauid, a very good sinner: a sinner, & yet very good: to doo vs good, & yet to be against vs, how can this be? surely in this pointe we must imitate our lordes goodnes, who drawes good out of euill, & causeth the most wicked men & vilest diuells to serue his purpose for good: so we must make mithridate or tr [...]acl [...] against poysō, euen of most poysonous vipers: the more we haue bene sinners, by consideration therof to mooue our selues to be so much more good: such a one is a good sinner, & such a good sinner was the good theefe on the crosse, whom we therfore call the good theefe, & many ancyent Fathers call him Sanctum latronem, holie theefe, not holie because he had bene a wicked theefe, but because he be [...]ame so zealous a penitent. Such good sinners were Zacheus. S Mary Magdalen. S. Mathew▪ S. Peter. S. Paul▪ S. Augustin. P [...]. Ri­b [...]deneyra flos SS. S. Mary of Egipte S. Anastase the Necromancer, & diuerse others, & such a good sinner was Dauid in this place, who therfore sette his sinne alwayes against himselfe, to the end it might doo him much good: & so may we, by considering often the greatnes of our sinne, & how they haue bene much euill.

3. And as Agesilaus (being resolued to passe with an army throughe his neighbors cuntry) sent not to aske leaue for passage, Plutar. in vit. but only to demande how they would ha­ue him to passe? whither with his pike trayled along? or set on end? that is, whither peceably? or by force? for passe he woulde & muste. So our sinnes must be set against vs, either to condemne vs being not amended, or being repented to admonish vs: since therfore we must passe their pikes, is it not better to make our selues free from vnauoidable aduersaryes? then to adde rancor to cruell hostility. And as an olde ship­pe which lyes wracked on some shelfe, remaynes for a sea marke, that no more shoul­de folowe her in that course: so the danger, horror, & misery, of our passed sinnes set against vs, or before vs, may preserue vs from followig sinnes which will offer them­selues vnto vs: Thus let our sinnes be against vs, to reprehend vs for the faulte, or before vs, to remember vs of the punishment.

DIVERSE INTERPRETATIONS OF THESE wordes, Tibi soli: vnto thee alone &c. Sect. 4.

1. ANd the more to make vs abhorre our sinnes, let vs recounte thē with all the lewde & lothsom circum [...]tances, as Da [...]id addeth▪ Innocē. 3. To thee only haue I sinned & committed euill before thee. I am king, or a person of dignity: thou arte God of greatest maiesty: for such a person to offend against such a God, is a heynous crime: the higher my seate, the greater my faulte: the more glorious thy presence, the fowler my offence. I haue sin­ned before thee: not of ignorance, for I know my iniquity: nor of negligence, for my sinne is alwayes against me: but against my waking conscience, euen before thee. Thoughe not of malice and despite, determinately against thee; yet by vnreuerent neglecte wittingly and willingly, euen before thee. Woulde a man abuse another, whiles he knowes the Iudge lookes vpon him? But who woulde before his face offend the Iudge himselfe? yet such are we in all our sinnes.

2. We sinne, o lorde, before thee, Hugo Cardinal. who as a wise iudge knowest and seest all our enormi­ [...]yes, and arte neuer deceiued. We sinne vnto thee, as a iust iudge who haste auctority to [Page 24] punish our wickednes, nor wilte be corrupted, but arte euer iustifyed in thy wordes. And we sinne vnto thee alone as a moste powerfull Iudge, aboue whom only there is no ap­peale, from whom only there is no escape; and against whom only there is no resistance for thou doost ouercome when thou arte iudged.

2. We are said to offend vnto a man vnder whose power and auctority we are subiect to be punished, Glossae, Incogni­tus. thoughe our offēce be not so against him that we iniury him. And he that robbeth a traueler, committes euill against him from whom he taketh his mony; and yet is not properly said to sinne vnto him, but vnto the Iudge vnder whose power he is to receiue his punishment. So that we may sinne vnto a man and not against h [...]: and allso against a man but not vnto him. And so Iudges must consider offences as done vnto the lawe, or vnto them for publique iustice, Titelma. not as done against them according to their particuler res­pectes and priuate affections. Neither may priuate men who receiue iniuryes done against them, therfore become their owne Iudges to reuenge, for it perteynes not vnto them.

3. Tibi soli: vnto thee alone. Some hebrew wryters thinke that the murder of Vrias, and the adultery of Bersabee were vnknowne among men, Genebrar. Rabbi Kimbi. Rabbi Io­seph. Rabbi Saadias. and therfore he saith as of secret sinnes, vnto thee alone I haue offended. Others suppose that Vrias being now dead, he meaneth that he can make satisfaction to no other aliue (as he desired) but to thee alone. And one doth expounde it thus: to thee alone I crye peccaui, lamenting my guiltynes, of whom alone I looke for miserere acquitting punishment: For thoughe we go to the preist as thy officer, yet by him we come vnto thee alone as the Author.

4. We haue sinned vnto thee, o lord, as our Iudge who must chastize vs. Vnto thee alone who only arte without all faulte, and therfore without any checke maist seuerely procede against vs. Hugo Cardinal. Iob. 25. All men are culpable of somewhat vnto thee, thoughe they seme vprighte vnto men: wherfore thou alone maist pronounce a stricte sentence: And seing the enuy of Sa­tan, and the malice of the Iewes can finde nothing in thee; therfore thou alone at euery sinner maist caste the first stone. It is true, o lord, we haue by our sinnes iniuryed many men, S. Aug. and scandalized more, yet vnto thee alone we haue sinned as vnto a punisher and a Iudge who hath in himselfe no faulte to be amended: For it is proper vnto thee alone, to be iustified in all thy wordes, and euer to ouercome when thou arte iudged.

WHEN WE COMMITTE SINNE BEFORE our Lord: and that he seeth not as man seeth. Sect. 5.

ET malum coram te feci. I haue committed euill before thee. Euen in thy presence: for thou knowest and seest all. I haue sinned vnto thee throughe disobedience: and before thee by impudence. Is it not a greater faulte against the king, which is done in his pallace, or in his presence, then in his absence, or in a village? And they whose busynesses and their liues are most in or about churches, in monasteryes, or religious places, whose chei­fe furniture of housholde are Breuiaryes, Beades, disciplines, sackclothes, or bookes of deuotion; they whose principall studyes or intentions are directed to Diuinity; and alsoe all men when they receiue spirituall inspirations of God; or whosoeuer pretend to serue God in any fraternity somewat more then others; are not all these nearher to our lordes presence more then others? and therfore more bound then others to walke euer as in his presence, and not to committe euill before him.

[...]eb. 1.2. The very diuell accounted it a greiuous sinne which is committed in any speciall sorte before our lorde; and so he said of Iob, that if he were afflicted in body he woulde blas­pheme [Page 25] God to his face. And therfore the lawes of men doo prohibite the benefite of San­ctuary vnto them who haue committed their faulte in the very churche. So our lorde complayned in Ezekiel of the abhominations which the house of Israel committeth. He­re. Namely in his temple before him. And so sinneth the preacher in the pulpe [...], Ez [...]k. 8. when he speakes out of malice or for vaynglory: so sinneth the preist at the altar, when he is irreuerent in his action, or careles in his deuotion: so sinneth his Helper at masse, when he is negligent: so sinne his Hearers, when they are not sufficiently attent, but either vnde­cent in gesture, pratling in wordes, or in bad or vayne thoughtes witingly wandring: when we rūne ouer our howres, or our, beades or our prayers, with more needeles speede, then any good heede, o how doo we sinne before him.

3. All such sinners are like Cayn, who althoughe he remayned in the presence of God, yet (as S. Ambrose noteth) the texte saith of him that he went out from the face of our lorde, not only by loosing his fauor as hauing committed murder, Gen. 3. Apol. Dauid 1. cap. 14. but especially because hauing committed this euill before him, yet he sottishly supposed to be hidde from him. Worse are all such then the heathen grecians, who called God, Theos, because he behol­deth all thinges: and as they said in a prouerbe, Against euill he hath a reuenging eye. And worse then the superstitious Egiptians, Ciril. A­lexan. l. 9. contra Iul. who (as S. Cyril writeth) did signifie the All­seeing prouidence of almighty God by the hieroglifique of a scepter hauing a fayre eye on his toppe: noting that as his scepter commandeth all, so his eye beholdeth all. O therfore let vs take heede how we committe euill before him, for we can neither auoyde the eye of his knowledge, nor escape the rodde of is aucthority. Especially when we go about any parte of his religious seruice, let vs seriously suppose we come more particulerly into his presence: then let vs consider him present, as one of greatest maiesty: and then let vs con­sider him present, as one of the Best goodnes ▪ on the other side then let vs acknowledge our selues before him, as exceeding vnworthy creatures: and allso then let vs acknowledge our selues before him as maruelous wicked and malicious enemyes: that so we may reuerenc [...] and feare his majesty as Greatest; and with hope and loue, praye vnto his Goodnes as Best: especially humbling and confounding our selues before him, as wonderfull lewde enemyes, and vnworthy base creatures.

4. Yet herein let vs take comforte, o my soule, as well as feare, for as he is the Grea­test to be feared; so he is the Best, to be loued: And as he seeth all▪ so he seeth not, Luc. 9. as man seeth: his giftes of nature are admirable; but any one gifte of his grace (as S. Tho­mas saith) is of more value then all his giftes of nature in the whole worlde: therfore we will doo reuerence before thy majesty; and before thy Goodnes we will sing prayses, o lordè: thou seest not as man seeth: neither imperfectly to be deceiued, taking good for euill; nor partially to be corrupted by fauor or affection: thine eye is not cruell in malice, but mercifull euen in justice: if we seeke to hide our faultes, thou seest and doost punish: if we humble our selues, as Dauid here▪ before thee, then thou beholdest vs with pity.

5. If we sinne before men: many wil say; why doth not fire come downe from heauen to chastize such wickednes: But as Calicratidas hauing a prisoner whom his enemyes hated and a great summe of mony desidered to be deliuered vnto them, to the end they mighte torment and kill him as they desidered, thoughe Calicratidas wanted mony to pay his army, yet he would not sell his captiue to their malice: wherupon saith Cleander (who was a Capteyn of his counsell) surely if I were Calicratidas I woulde sell this prisoner for this mony: the other wittily replyed. In sooth so woulde I, if I were Cleand: insinua­ting the difference betweene a base couetous minde, and a noble generous spirite. In the same maner because our lorde is not of ignoble disposition like Cleander, but much mor [...] heroycall then Calicratidas, therfore with a munificent kingly minde he suffers our faul­tes, [Page 26] & rewardes vs with benefites, when men would haue deliuered vs to the diuell: he granteth pardon to much euill committed before him, where men woulde take sharp vengeance for one worde of reproche, thoughe spoken behinde their backes. And in this sense Iob pleadeth vnto his pitifull eye, saying: Are thine eyes of fleth? or d [...]ost thou see as a man seeth? Iob. 10. that thou shouldest seeke my iniquity, and searche out my sinne. so let vs say: o lord, we hope well to finde fauour in thy face, for thine eyes are not vn­mercifull, nor doo they exaggerate our faultes, as men being offended: rather, thou­ghe it doo aggrauate my sinne, to haue bene committed before thee, yet this doth cō ­forte my soule, because I doo knowe thee a most heroycall lorde and a gracious God▪ full of pity, not like malicious men reuengefull in cruelty.

OF DIVERSE WAYES BY WHICH OVR lorde is justifyed; and may be said to ouercome when he is judged. Sect. 6.

1. VT iustificeris in sermonibus tuis & vincas cum iudicaris. That thou maist be iustfyed in thy wordes, & maist ouercome when thou arte iudged. They that desire any benefite of kinges vse to alledge their passed merites, or future ability in his seruice: but of thee, Genebra. O God, I aske mercy without merite, only for mercy sake. I suffer misery: I abhorre my iniquity: I see & confesse my sinnes therfore haue mercy. I haue princi­pally-offended thee; and thou hast promised pardon, and passed thy worde to for­giue euery penitent: therfore haue mercy, that so thou maict be iustifyed in thy wordes, and if any woulde doubte of the truthe of these promises, that allso thou mayst ouer­come such when thou arte iudged in their mistrustfull discourses.

Dyonis. Carthus.2. If directly thou shalte auouch that I & all men are sinners, absolutely thou shalte ouercome in this plea: all mē who dare trauerse their enditemēt, shalbe found lyers, & thou shalte be iustifyed. Or thus: my sinne may be an occasion of thy greater boun­ty and iustification, not causally, but consequently; thy iustification reckoned for an effecte; Titelma. not my sinne accompted for a cause: so here is placed this coniunction, vt, that, which is allso vsed by our Sauiour in the same sense, saying, sitt downe in the laste place that he coming who inuited thee, Luc. 14. may say freind sitte vp higher: where he meaneth not to teach fayned humility, to sit lowest to the end to be aduāced, for such counterfet humility were indeede worse then ordinary pride: but our Sauior fore­telleth that so it will folowe & succede, that if we be sincerely humble, we shall cer­teinly be exalted: not to be so intended by vs, but it will be so órdeyned of God. And so. S. Basil. Theodo. Rom. 3. S. Paul alledgeth these wordes, concluding that our wickednes doth more mani­fest & commend the iustice of God. And so we may say: I haue sinned, o lorde before thee, & vnto thee; and by how much more my sinnes are greater, by so much the more thou haste occasion to magnifie thy mercy in my pardon, to testifye to all the worl­de the truthe of thy promises, and against any mistrustfull or murmuring censurer, to prooue thy selfe an vndoubted & a gracious Iudge.

Innocē. 3. psal. 131.3. O lorde thou haste sworne vnto thy seruante Dauid, that of the fruite of his loynes. thou wouldest set the Messias on his throne althoughe I haue sinned greiuously, be­cause I haue hartily repented, yet let it appeare that thou hast forgiuen my sinnes, and wilte still accomplishe thy former promises; that so in respecte of doubtefull weake­linges thou maist be iustifyed in the assurance of thy worde; and maist ouercome all misdeeming enemyes, in their enuious imaginations; who otherwise will iudge me [Page 27] as a reprobate, or blaspheme thee as a promise breaker.

4. Or else we may construe it thus: o lorde thou haste threatned temporall & publi­que punishment against me: some paraduenture knowing me to be great in thy fauor, Iacobus Sadoletus in hunc psal. & yet ignorante of my great sinnes, if they should see me so afflicted, & not knowe howe I haue offended, it may be they woulde wonder, or murmure, or take some other scandall, wherfore be it knowne to all the worlde that I haue sinned, and ha­uing demerited all those punishments which shall come vpon me, let it appeare that I am faulty, and thou arte iuste; both iustifyed in thy wordes, accomplishing what thou haste threatned, and allso maist ouercome in proofe, that thou haste threatned & punished me duely, if any shoulde judge or censure thee rashly: Thus▪ o my soule let vs humble our selues for our sinnes, and giue glory to God in his iustice: thus said S▪ Augustin. A penitent must not only feare our lord as a Iudge, but allso loue him for being iustice. And thus, if we be truly contrite (which is a sorowe because we haue offen­ded God whom we doo loue aboue all) then will we in this sorowe of loue, neither refuse our punishment, nor excuse our faultes, nor complayne of our lordes seuerity: rather with Dauid here, we will publish our sinnes, and be iealous of Gods honor▪ least any shoulde thinke that he vseth against vs too much rigor: this is to loue our lorde with all our harte and all our soule, to prefer his loue before our owne affe­ctions, and to neglect our owne reputacion for aduancement of his name: by this we shall heale in our selues the enormityes of our sinnes, and make some small re­compence vnto God (as much as we can) for all those iniuryes.

5. If we giue any disgrace or reproche to our neighbor, or lifte vp our hande, or a weapon, as if we woulde strike a magistrate, thoughe we doo not hereby hurte their persons really; yet in respecte of their dignity & credite we are said by these to offer iniuryes: so say deuines; Deus non leditur in externis bonis: To God himselfe all our sinnes can doo no harme, and yet by euery least sinne we committe an indignity a­gainst his maiesty: for we on our partes doo diminish his honor; eyther neglecting, or reiecting his aucthority, whensoeuer we trangresse what soeuer he hath comman­ded. Wherfore thoughe wee doo not harme his person, yet for his diminished ho­nor, we are bound to our possible & best restitution. But what better restitution▪ and for vs, what more possible recompence! then playnly to accuse our selues as most worthy of his punishment, and clearly to iustifye him in all his procedinges. For to yeild him these dutyes, Iob inquired, saying: I haue sinned: what shall I doo vnto thee? O keeper of men. In my sinnes, o lord, I beholde twoo enormityes: the woundes which they haue giuen mee; and the dishonor they haue done vnto thee: o let vs be more carefull to repayre thy honor, then to cure our owne payne; firste, what shall I doo vnto thee? and so nexte I will haue care of my selfe: for if our lord be once satis­fyed, I am sure we shall presenly be discharged. O let our repentance (by helpe of thy grace, & contrition) come once to his perfection; for such penitence is com­plete: but vntill this, althoughe it may be very good, yet it is imperfecte; this is an heroycall acte of contrition, more to desire the exaltation of Gods honor, then the release of our punishments: and when in zeale of his honor we confesse & confound our selues sincerely, with sorowe of our harte rootes, or with willing shame of our faces, acknowledging or otherwise chastizing our offences; then is our gracious lor­de much more enclined to pardon all our guilte, then we can be ready so to confesse our faulte.

6. O come let vs say with Dauid, and say it like Dauid, with an entire harte: we ha­ue sinned, O God, to thee alone, who arte aboue all. And we haue committed euill before [Page 28] thee; whose maiesty is greatest; whose Goodnes is infinite; and whose presence is most holy. We doo confesse to haue deserued all these punishments which it shall please thee to lay vpon vs, that thou maist be iustifyed in thy wordes, if any shoulde suppose our offences smaller then our chastizements. And so that thou maist ouercome when thou arte iudged, if any shoulde deeme thy corrections greater then our faultes.

MEDITATION. IIII.

Ecce enim in iniquitatibus conceptus sum: & in peccatis concepit me mater mea.

For beholde I was conceiued in iniquityes: and in sinnes my mo­ther conceiued me.

A PARAPHASTICALL EXPOSITION OF the former wordes. Sect. 1.

1. O Lorde, I began to request thy great mercy, and therfore I procede to recounte my manifolde misery: for frō a good nature the bare sighte of misery craueth bountifull effectes of pity. Haue pity therfore (o most bountifull & gracious God of all good nature) haue pity on a wretche who hath bene miserable from his very in­ance▪ and who euen in his cradle was wrapte in the bandes of wretchednes & woe.

2. Myne actuall sinnes are as thornes & thistles; but their roote is in my originall cor­ruption: o roote out this roote, as well as cutte of those branches▪ And as whe [...] there falls much rayne, the plenty of water floudes caryeth away abundance of filthe; therfore whiles the multitude of thy mercyes are flowing, I desire thee to washe me yet more from all my offences: Beholde allso my originall sinne, which as the secret filthe of my hidden sluttish corners, I doo now bring forthe to be caste into these water floudes of great mercy; that all may be made cleane whiles there is water for all. And since I am lamenting the faultes of my life, why shoulde I not bewayle the guiltynes of my birthe? one griefe calls another to memory; and so whiles I consider how vi­le I am in my selfe, I cannot but remembrer how base I came from my parentes: for originall sinne is a portion of myne inheritance, which as it must iustly serue to hū ­ble my pride, & bewayle my wretchednes; so may it therfore allso please thee, o lord, to pardon my actuall faultes, considering my naturall weakenes:

3. For in such a sorte, the same speche in a different sense may be an accusation & an excusation, Eutropius a prayse and disprayse: as Caius Laelius being reproched as one degnerate and vnworthy of his noble ancestors, replyed to the reuyler being a base person; But thou arte neither vnworthy nor degnerate frō thy ignominious predecessors: So we must all confesse our corrupte Pedigree from Adam; and also these wordes here which doo serue further to accuse our selues of sinne, may likewise be alledged to mooue pity, because in some sorte it proceedeth from our naturall infirmity. Is it any mar­ueil if he somtime sinke vnder water, who alwayes in his swimming hath a great bag­ge of garbage or some other heauy filthe by his owne faulte, euer tyed or cleauing to his body? It is true, o lorde, thy grace and other helpes are more then sufficient to holde vs vp if we will fasten and keepe on our holde: but seing we haue such a loth­some burden of originall corruption continually drawing vs downewarde, as we [Page 29] oughte to be humble & ashamed because it is lothsome, so because it is a burden, if it doo not diminishe the faulte, yet it doth intreate pardon.

4. Ecce in iniquitatibus conceptus sum: O lorde I am so very a wretche, that I am vncle­ane and polluted in sinne euen from my mothers wombe: yet herein, o lorde, haue mercy vpon me because it was bred and borne with me. I confesse thy sufficient mea­nes proffered to deliuer me from this thraldome; yet spare me, I beseech thee▪ for being borne with much sinnefull frailty, I haue too much inclined to my naturall weake­nes: my desires and lustes of nature haue often caryed my consent from thy motions and inspirations of grace. O giue me yet grace to ouercome theses desires: and since they proceede of my corrupte nature, o let me finde the more helpe to conquer them, and the more mercy to pardon them.

DAVID IN THE FORMER VERSE AC­cuseth not his parentes; nor is the Acte of mariage of it selfe any sinne. Sect. 2.

1. DAuid here doth not accuse his Father Iesse, as if he had begottē him in adulte­ry (for it is certein he was lawfully borne) much lesse in that respecte therfore excuse his owne faulte with Bersabee, Innocent. 3. as if it were naturall for Bastardes to become Adultere [...]s. Nor doth he meane any Actuall sinne, which his parentes mighte parad­uenture haue cōmitted in his generation: for their actuall sinne doth neither infecte, nor perteyneth to the childe.

2. But as there is a Conception of humane seede in the action of carnall copulation; so there is a Conception of humane nature in the substance of that which is engendred: In the firste, as in their owne action, the parentes many times doo offend: yet not in that, but in the second doo we contracte & participate our originall corruption, as being of the substance of humane nature, which is deriued vnto vs by our parentes from Adam.

3. In the firste, euen maryed couples may offend throughe inordinate luste: thoughe paraduenture by the Priuiledges (which are called the Goods) of matrimony, that may be but veniall in them, which in others is criminall: And yet their luste and other cir­cunstances may be so disordenate, that in their copulations they allso doo committe somtimes euen mortall faultes: for a man may offend and be vnchaste with his owne wife, as well as become dronke with his owne wyne.

4. Not that the Acte of matrimony is of it selfe euill & sinnefull: S. Tho. 3. par. q. 4 9. a. 4.5.6. Nauar. Man. in. 6. praecept cap. 16. num. 3. & num. 32. &c. But as it is sinne to eate or drinke imtemperately; or to eate, when, or what we are forbidden: so maryed couples doo offend in the vse of matrimony, being immoderate in excesse, or in ti­mes, or places prohibited; or in the manner immodest, or vnnaturall.

5. Otherwise matrimony being an office of nature, and a Sacrament of the churche, the due accomplishment therof is not a sinne: for as it is naturall, it intendeth prolem to haue children: and it keepeth fidem obseruing the faithfull title and promise giuen of eche to others body: Beside which, among Catholique Christians this Sacrament giueth grace; and betokens the loue and vnion betwene Christe and his churche.

6. And these three; proles; fides; & Sacramentum▪ Progeny: fidelity: & the Sacrament are called Bona matrimonij, the Goods or benefites of matrimony. To the first is refer­red not only the generation, but allso the good education of children. The second, is not meante to be theological faithe, but vertuous fidelity, as it is a parte of Iustice, [Page 30] in obseruing true loue & loyalty, and in yeilding mutuall dutyes & assistance ech to other: and so for performance of all these perteyning both to progeny and fidelity is required vsuall cohabitatiō, excepte when some vrgent or greater cause doo neces­sarily enforce any absence. The third, which is the sacrament (if the partyes hinder it not by indisposition) giueth grace of vnion, when the contracte is lawfully made by expresse wordes of the present, or by apparent signes of consent; by which grace their mindes are extraordinarily knit & vnited in honest and discrete loue. And as our Sauiour Christes loue to his churche is inseparable, so the sacramentality of ma­riage grounded herevpon, causeth this bond of mariage Among Christians to be so in­diuisible, that thoughe in some cases they may be separated from bed and boarde, or from cohabitation; yet the mariage at the firste, or afterwardes hauing bene once law­full, they can neuer be so disioyned, that either parte may mary agayne whiles the other doth liue.

7. These three foresaid Goods or benefites of matrimony, doo cause the copulation of man & wife, Vide S. Tho. vbi supra. not only not to be sinne, but to be a good action of vertue; when it procedeth either from intention of progeny, or hath purpose yeilding mutuall fideli­ty; yea, it is an action of sanctity or holynes when it respecteth the sacramentality, depending on the great mistery of holy loue betwene Christe and his churche.

8. Wherfore no Catholiques euer termed lawfull mariage duely vsed, to be vnclea­nes, Cardinal. Bellarm. de matri­mo. Sac. lib. 1. c. 5. Lib. 1. pollution, & carnall filthynes (as Caluin & others doo sclander vs herein, as they vse to doo allso almost in all other pointes) but they either reprehend vnlawfull mariages; or true mariages vnlawfully vsed. Or as S. Ierome writeth against Iouinian, the carnall acte betwene maryed Couples may in some sense be called vncleanes (as it is said in the Apocalipse. These are they who were not polluted with women▪ for they are virgins) eyther in cōparison of pure virginity: for thoughe in the acte of mariage it is possible they may kepe one perfection of chastity, yet they doo herein euer loose the higher perfection of vndefiled virginity; & so maryed partyes may be called cōparati­uely defiled with women. Or else their carnall delighte in copulation may be called fleshly pollution; eyther as caused of the remnants of our carnall concupiscence, and of that same naturall rebellious disobedience of our flesh against our reason; or because for the moste parte by many maryed people it is often vsed excessiuely, or disornately, neither referred to progeny, fidelity, nor to any other honest end without some of which intentions it is sinne, at least veniall: and so, why may it not somtime be called or named according as it is most commonly practised? not expressing or so strictely naming the lawfull vse, but so insinuating the vnlawfull and vsuall abuse. For we knowe, that the moderate and ordi­nate vse is so farre from being sinne, that S. Paul commandeth maryed couples to yeild ech to other mutuall beneuolence: Dyonis. Carchus. [...]. cor. 7. and all Catholique Doctors so accompte it a worke meritorious, as an acte of vertue, and of religion; orderly, as holy, religious, vertuous, & meritorious. And so speaketh S. Augustin therof when it is intended 1. as an Acte of ju­stice, or 2. of obedience, or 3. of charity; directed eyther firste to procreation of children to be broughte vp in the seruice of God; or secondly to the performance of promised fide­lity for auoyding fornication; S. Aug. contra Iulian. 1.4. cap. 5. or thirdly for rendring ech to other mutuall loue and duty. And when their modest delightes (how intensiue soeuer in nature) are directed to all or to any of the forementioned purposes, as they are vertuous and cannot be condemned; so on the contrary, when they are soughte for luste, and without any of the former respe­ctes, then (how feeble soeuer nature be) they cannot be excused.

9. This I haue said, to shew that neither Dauid complayneth of any actuall sinne com­mitted by his parents in his generation, Ruffinus. S. Aug. nor that the lawfull orderly vse of matrimony [Page 31] hath of it selfe any sinne. Not if it had; the particuler faultes of our parents could not be ascribed to their children.

WHY OVR MOTHER IS MENTIONED TO BE Accessary to our originall sinne, rather then our Father: wheras indeed it comes more from Adam then from either. Sect. 3.

1. NExte let vs cōsider, why he rather mentioneth his mother in this case of originall sinne; and not his father: especially seing all our Deuines affirme; that althoughe Eua had sinned, yet if Adam had remayned innocent, originall sinne should not haue bene deriued vnto their posterity. Because, they say, Adam alone as a publique person and ge­nerall father of all mankind, did represent the persons of all his successors; and for them as well as for himselfe did receiue originall iustice, by the losse wherof he broughte vs all (as being partes of him as our natural head) into this detriment of originall sinne. Wher­fore, in the same respecte allso, thoughe Cayn or any other sinner had first sinned, Adam being still vprighte, yet their sinne should only haue deformed themselues, and not haue perteyned to vs: because we are comprehended in none as our generall father saue only in Adam.

2. Further it is alledged in fauor of the woman, that she concurreth but passiuely vnto generation, as only giuing the materiall parte of conceptione, not inducing the actiue forme, which procedeth from the man, who therfore by phylosophers and physicians is accompted the principall partye and cheifer cause of generation. And yet here about ori­ginall sinne the mother is named only and not the father, because at the time of our quickening (when first in deede we doo contracte originall sinne) then we are in her wom­be, then she kepeth and norisheth vs, and not the father: and so she is said to conceiue vs in sinne, not mentioning the father.

3. And thoughe Eua coulde not be Author of original sinne to all her posterity, as is afore sayd; yet our nexte parentes, both man and woman, being alwayes the instrumen­tes and successiue conueyors of originall sinne by descendence from Adam (I say our pa­rentes and auncestors are conueyors and instrumentes, not causes or Authors', for only Adam is so to be accompted) And seing the mother is the materiall instrumente and con­duyte, which is more euident to our sense then the formall, the [...]fore is she allso named rather then the father.

4. Allso I said, that in deede and really we doo only contracte originall sinne at the time when we are quickened and receiue life in our mothers wombe: for thoughe at the in­stante of the very first conception, those informed and mixed seedes may be said impro­perly in debito to haue an obligacion to be afterward subiect to originall sinne, when it comes to be a liuing humane creature; yet properly and truly in effecto the childe is not infected with originall sinne, vntill it come to haue the soule infused and vnited to the body; which is not till the quickening: and hauing no soule it is not a perfecte humane creature; but only little more then a masse of flesh, which without soule cannot be said to be really capable of any sinne.

5. Wherfore at that time being in the mothers wombe, and allso hauing bene there no­rished vntill that time, and so maynteyned afterwarde vntill the Birthe, the mother is rather named then the father: And so here the hebrew worde Hama doth signifye, to giue heate, which naturall hea [...]e of the mothers wombe cherishing the infante, Pagnin. Genebra. some [Page 32] read it thus; S. Aug. S. Hierom. with sinnes my mother gaue me heate; and S. Augustin readeth it, In sinnes my mother norished me: and S. Ierome: In sinnes my mother broughte me forthe.

4. And allso as S. Thomas distinguisheth twoo birthes: Nasci in vtero, and nasci ex vtero: to be borne in the wombe, when the soule is infused, and we become rea [...]onable creatures. And to be borne out of the wombe when we firste come into this lighte. So there is a two­folde conception (as hath bene said) first of humane seede, which is at the very first ge­neration: and secondly a conception of humane nature, when at the quickening we re­ceiue our soule. This second conception, and the first Birthe in vtero, are all one: and because then properly we are first in deede capable of originall sinne, therfore we may be so sayd, eyther to be borne of our mother in originall sinne, viz: in the first birthe: or to be conceiued of her in originall sinne viz: in the second conception. But at any of these Birthes, or conceptions, we are rather said to be conceiued or borne of our mother, then of our father; because to conceiue or beare children, they are termes and propertyes per­teyning to our mothers, and cannot be said or aptely affirmed of our fathers.

WHAT ORIGINALL SINNE IS, AND how it is deriued vnto vs: allso how it is accompted a guilty faulte in children.

1. NOw let vs see what Originall sinne is; in his owne nature; & what effect it hath in vs. In his owne nature Originall sinne is a priuation or wante of Originall iustice which iustice God haue vnto Adam, and he oughte to haue preserued in our nature. In vs; the effect of originall sinne, is a corrupte disposition and deformitie of our nature, procee­ding from the losse of originall iustice, by wante wherof there ariseth in vs that same fewell of sinne & concupiscence, deriued vnto vs from the publique disobedience of Adam, by ordi­narie humane generation. It is a corrupte disposition; as is sicknes. It is a deformity; for all sinne spotteth & blemisheth. Vide Alexand. de Hales. p. 2. q. 105. memb. 2. a 3: &c. It perteynes more to our nature, then to our person; for it is alike common to all. The formall cause is the priuatiue losse of origi­nall iustice. Adams publique faulte, as being our generall Father, was the efficient cause. And the instrumentall is, humane generation which is ordinary; not with pri­uiledge, as was the conception of our Blessed lady; nor extraordinary miraculous, as the incarnacion of our Sauiour.

2. This corrupte disposition of our nature (according to Hugo de sancto Victore & so­me others) we contracte from our birthe By ignorance in our minde: and By concupis­cence in our flesh. Not denying but there is concupiscence allso in the minde: which blindeth our vnderstanding, Vide ma­gist. sent. lib. 2. dist. 30. & Scolast. ib which concupiscence of the minde is moste cheifly a sin­ne: and that concupiscence which is in our flesh, is both a sinne, & punishment. For so deuines say that Originall sinne is in vs both a faulte and a punishment: his faulte consistes, in the losse of originall iustice, and by wante of that iustice in the defor­mity of our nature: his penalty consistes in that concupiscence or fomes peccati; which foloweth that former losse, & is an harbenger of succeding actuall sinne, which fo­mes is in Infantes concupiscibilitie, and in them of riper age is called concupiscence

3. Nexte let vs see, How this originall corruption is our owne sonne, & deriued vnto vs from Adam without faulte of our other auncestors or parentes generation. In respecte of which difficultyes. Epist. 29. ad S. Hier S. Augustin aduiseth them who cannot comprehend it, as being se­crete; yet not to reprehend it as vniuste: rather let such content themselues to know [Page 33] and vse the remedi [...], then to repyne or cauill because they vnderstand not how they came into this misery. As one falling into a Well (where was so much water as serued to saue him from bruysing to death, & yet not so much as suffized to styfle him from speache) being found and asked with wonder, how he came to fall into such a place? he answered. I pray seeke meanes how to helpe me out; and stand not marueiling how I fell in. Neuertheles among learned deuines, euen this difficulty is vnfolded against Pelagius, Faber, Erasmus, Zuinglius, & the Anabaptistes.

4. First S. Paul saith. Sicut per vnum hominem: as by one man sinne entred into the worlde, and by sinne death ▪ & afterward. In whom all haue sinned. and againe. Rom. [...]. By the disobedience of one man, many are made sinners. Therfore it appeares, that children being subject to death, are subject to this sinne. But infantes haue no actuall sinne: therfore he must needes meane sinne originall And this he saith comes, by one ma [...]. and by Adam▪ in whom all are. By him; as our generall father: in whose publique disobedience we are all parta­kers; as the children of a Traytor are taynted: and the body of a towne corporate; are subject to the actes of their head gouernors.

5. And so to that obiection, How can it be sinne in infants who neuer had vse of will to giue consent? It is answered. That originall sinne is on our behalfe i [...] some sorte voluntary in Adam, in whose Wille & person, S. Aug. lib. de nupt [...]s cap. [...]8. Et lib. re­tract▪ 1. cap. 13. & 15. Lib. de peccat▪ merit. c. 7 Exech. 18 S. Hierom in cap 18, exech. S. Aug. i [...] psal. 108▪ & lib. contra A­dim [...]nt. [...]. 7. S. Chry­sost. in Gen. ho [...]. 29. & in math. [...]. 75. S. Greg. moral. lib 15. c. 22. S. Tho. 1.2. q. 87. a. [...] all our persons and wills were included: for he was our Head; a publique person representing all mankind; our first roote wherof all the branches must sauour; and our Generall father in whom we are all so comprised that what he did, it was allso our deede. As among men, the fathers facte often redoundeth to the benifite or prejudice of his sonne: and as vnto lawes are not requisite the expeesse consent of euery man in the cuntry, but only of those par­lament men, who as publique persons doo represent all the common wealthe: But with God, none are punished absolutely for others faultes; but euery one for his ow­ne. And therfore the Councell of Trent hath defined of original sinne, that it is cuius (que) proprium: in which respecte euery infante is punished therein for his owne faulte, whose punishment as it bringeth no sensible payne, because it hath exilem rationem voluntarij, only a consent included in the publique will of Adam; yet it wanteth the bles­sed fruition of glory, propter latissimum foeditatem mali, because it is so generall a defor­mity or spotte of our corrupte nature spread ouer all our powers of body & soule: with which blemishes no creature may appeare in the glorious presence of allmighty God, before whom there can remayne nothing vncleane.

6. Infantes then being subject to this punishment for originall sinne, it must needes be properly their owne sinne, and not for their fathers faulte. For as Ezechiel saith. The soule which sinneth shall dye: the sonne shall not beare the iniquity of his father: nor shall the father beare the iniquity of the sonne. Nor is that contrary hereunto which is in the firste commandement; Visiting the sinnes of the fathers on the children vnto the thirde and fourthe generation in them that hate me: for the auncyent and present wryters doo generally vnderstand this visitation, to be when the children doo imitate, or partici­pate, the sinnes of theyr predecessors: and so visitare, is visum iterare: to visite, is to come and see the same sinnes. Or admitte it be to visite 1. to chastize and punish: yet he threatens it only to the 3. and 4. generation, in them which hate him: meaning, if these generations doo hate him, as their fathers did: for a generation which shoul­de loue God, shall not be punished for their faultes, who before did hate him. At least, not in eternall punishments. Wherfore eternall losse of glory being an eternall punishment laid vpon Infantes dying in originall sinne, doubtles they vndergoe it for their owne, and not for any parents faulte.

[Page 34]7. And thoughe I graunted, that somtime temporally in this worlde God punished the children in regarde of the parentes offences, so far forthe as the damage of the children may be a greife, or a penalty to the parentes: yet I verily thinke ( saluo sem­per meliori judicio; praesertim s [...]nctae matris Ecclesiae) that euen such their temporall pu­nishment are not alone for their parentes faultes, but that the children themselues haue allso deserued the same. And then, both at once, the parentes are punished by the calamityes of their children (as being partes of themselues) and the children like­wise suffer such temporall punishments justly for their owne originall guyltynes, or offences actuall.

ORIGINALL SINNE COMES FROM Adam alone as Principall: and how bad parentes haue good children &c. Sect. 4.

1. WHerfore I say, Originall sinne and his punishments are deriued only from Adam, as principall; vnto vs as Accessaryes; with whom as our Generall head, all mankinde maketh but one body. And no Infantes are herein punished for their other mediate or imediate next parentes offences. For S. Paul saith. By one man sinne entred into the worlde, Rom. 5. [...]ōcil. Mi [...]euit. cap. 2. Can. 2. which the Mileuitan Councell saith is originall sinne, con­tracted by generation from Adam.

2. And therfore diuerse Auncyent Fathers wrote against those Heretiques; who woulde conclude that the Acte of mariage was of it selfe euill, because the children begotten were borne in originall sinne, which they suppose falsely to be deriued from the copulation of the parentes, as the next causes, as well of the Accidentall sinne, as of the reall substance of the infantes: wheras in truthe (distinguishing betwene the one & the other) they shoulde haue referred the cause of that sinne vnto Adam alo­ne; as doth. S Paul, saying By one man, and should haue ascribed only the substance of the soule, & body, to God, & the parentes. For suppose the Parents be odious A­dulterers, or doo sinne much in other circumstances of generation; yet as allmighty God doth concurre & cooperate to the naturall worke of conception; creating & in­infusing soules euen in children vnlawfully begotten, where he forbiddes & abhor­res the morall dishonesty: So likewise the parents doo participate in the naturall propagation, S. Hieron. lib. 3. A­pol. contra Ruffin. without communicating this originall corruption. Euen as stolne corne being sowen in forbidden grounde, doth neuertheles growe as other corne doth, by the helpe of God & nature of the earthe: and yet herein, neither doth our lorde consent to the thefte; nor is it a bad action to sowe corne, but to steale it▪ or to sowe it contrary to commandement where he should not.

3. And thoughe the infante that is borne, offend not actually: nor the parents who beget the body; S. Aug. lib. de Nupt. Idem. lib. 2. de pec­cat. merit. cap. 25.26. &c. nor our lorde who creates the soule: yet we are borne polluted with originall sinne; not as the proper effecte of mariage or generation; but as an ordinary accident vsually following the conception of our humane nature, in respecte we are the posterity & members of Adam our head, By whom only sinne entred vpon all mankind. And herehence is the reason: why parentes iustifyed & in state of grace, doo neuertheles beget children subiecte to sinne & originall corruption, as much as others; not so much becau [...]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 [Page 35] we and euery creature generamus nobis similes: in specie, magis quàm 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; no [...] 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. Alexand. de Hales 2. part. q. 105. memb 4. S. Bonauēt in sent. l. 2. d. 31. in princi­pal. q. 1.

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 cōueying 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 [Page 36] 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 elemēt 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 distē ­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: S. Ansel. deconcep. virginal. cap. 7. & 10. but the formall true nature of originall sinne consisting priuatiuely in the wāte 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, [...]hen according to the excesse of luste in the parents, Scotus in lib. 2. sent. d. 31. 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, Lib. de peccat. m [...]ritis. Lib. de nupt. & concupisc. Lib. 5. cō ­tra Iulia­ [...]m. c. 3. 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 the soule may be infected in the body. Or it must be vnderstoo [...] of the complete cōiunction of the soule with the flesh which is seminally deriued from Adam; at which time of their conioyned vnion we firste become perfect humane crea­tures; and so then (& not before) we are corrupted, when the soule & body are con­ioyned: for then firste, are we perfect humane creatures capable of sinne: and then are we firste complete sonnes & members of Adam. And so then is originall sinne contracted, and the soule seemeth as is were to be polluted in the body, as in an vn­cleane vessell: not that any actuall infection of sinne was in the flesh before the soule was infused, which corruption should streight redounde out of the nature of the flesh into the soule so soone as euer it was infused; nor when the soule was created a parte by it selfe in the body (for in the body it is created) that then al [...]ighty God▪ [Page 37] created it with originall sinne cleauing to it. I say that neither of these can be: for the body alone, or soule alone, is not a complete perfect man, nor so capable of sin­ne; and therfore till they be ioyned they are not Adams posterity, nor so infected with originall sinne, which (for better memory sake, & vnderstanding) agayne I say, is then firste fastened on vs, so soone as we become perfect humane creatures deriued from Adam, and so are considered as partes & progeny of him, by whom a­lone originall sinne is entred vpon all mankinde.

7. And so lastly, it is answered to the Pelagians assumption, and inference▪ Vidz: The soule is not deriued from Adam; nor therfore originall sinne which is in the sou­le. That originall sinne in the soule, is not considered to belong thervnto; whither we falsely suppose the soule to be traduced from Adam, or whither we beleeue it truly to be created of God; but only in respecte that the soule being ioyned to the body, then makes a complete creature, who is a parte or member of Adam, and so only capable & subiect to this originall sinne. Allso furthermore consider: that to the end that sinne should be deriued from Adam, it is not necessary that the soule allso be deriued from him: but it is enoughe if the complete reasonable creature (wher­of the soule is a parte) be in descent a member of Adam. And obserue: that gene­ration is not finished in the production of the forme or soule alone, nor of the mat­ter or body alone, but in the complete coniunction & vnion of both together: wher­fore he may be said to be the next cause of generation, who is the next cause of this coniunction▪ But our parentes doo so dispose & affoarde the materiall parte, which is the seede or body, that the soule which is the forme, must in order of nature ne­cessarily followe & come to be conioyned thervnto: in which sense, a man is said to beget a man, and so thoughe he be not Author of the soule, yet he is called father of the whole creature, because he is in nature the next cause of this vnion & coniun­ction of the soule with the body. Thus therfore I conclude, that we deriue origi­nall sinne from Adam only, as being our generarll father alone; for thoughe our o­ther auncestors & parents be the instrumentall causes or as conduytes the con [...]eyors hereof; yet only Adam is the cheife cause & founteyne, from whom we doo deriue this originall corruption: but not from him, nor them, as Authors of our soules: saue only from him as the roote, & by our parents as the branches, all we doo parti­cipate of this bitter fruite.

OVR SAVIOVR; AND OVR B. LADY WERE exempted from Originall sinne. Sect 6.

1. NEuertheles, from this generall rule are ex [...]epted our Sauiour Christ & his holy mother. Cardinal Sarna. in conciliat. S. Tho. & Scoti. lib. 3. contro­uers. 3. Vnto our L. Iesus originall sinne did neither perteyne in fa­cto nor in debito. Vnto the blessed Virgin in debito as du [...], but not in deede in facto. Vn­to all vs it belongeth, both in deede, and as our due. As the vndefiled virgin was a member & a daughther of Adam, seminally deriu [...]d, so was Original sinne due to her nature as a parte of him▪ And besides, there is a conception of seede to frame the body, when the childe is firste of all engendred; and a conception of of complete nature, when the soule coming to that body, it is so first quicke­ned. [...]rom the first engendring till the perfect quickening, originall sinne is in pre­paratiue possibility due to that body which is in framing, because it descendes semi­ [...]ally fr [...]m Adam: But it cannot take possession in facte vntill the soule be ioyned, & [Page 38] the whole creature perfectly quickened: for where there is no soule, there can be no sinne.

2. In the firste conception, Originall sinne was due to our blessed lady, according to naturall possibility: But in the very instant of the second conception, and before the complete vnion of the soule, by supernaturall grace it was kepte from my pos­session in facte, & she was extraordinarily preuented & preserued in all cleare purity. Some few others haue bin cleared and purifyed from originall sinne after their perfect quickening, & before their birthe: But our blessed lady before both: so that she was no sooner a liuing creature, but she was of God the father a sanctifyed daughter; for so it behooued to haue an immaculate mother of God the sonne: and of God the holy ghoste a perfecte pure vndefiled spouse.

3. This is the most pious & probable opinion: thoughe it be not decreed as a poynt of faithe: Sixtus 4. & Pius. 5 in Constit. no may the contrary be called heretically false. Neither can I see, what inconuenience can folowe of this pious opinion: that as our L. Iesus alone was free from all possibility and possession of originall sinne; so our holy virgin was free from all possession, but not from all possibility therof. He was so, in the very nature of his generation, because conceiued by the holy ghost. She, only by miraculous ver­tue of grace, altering the course of nature. She was indebted by nature to be a childe of wrathe: but an especiall priuiledge of grace payed that debte, and preuented her attachment.

Psal. 8 [...]. Comment. ibidem.4. And so neuertheles she had neede, and was indeede redeemed of her sonne, both from that debte which she owed, and allso from all those sinnes & euills wherinto without this priuiledge she should haue fallen. So when Dauid said. Thou hast taken out my soule from the lowest hell. Saint Augustin interpreteth those wordes, not as if Dauids soule euer had bene in the lowest hell: but he was so freed that he should neuer come thither. And it is more for the physitian to preuent a sickenes, wherto I am certeinly subiect, then to heale me afterwarde when I haue bene sicke. And so our Sauiour redeemed his mother from sinne which naturally she should ha­ue contracted: and may be estemed a more worthy redemption, then if by sinne she had bene once polluted. And yet she suffered bodily death, and some other huma­ne miseryes, rather as perteyning to her abouesaid debte or nature which she inhe­rited from Adam, then any way belonging to any sinne in herselfe. Or else: thoughe grace had preuented & destroyed all sinne in her soule; yet it had not extinguished, nor was conuenient to destroye the ordinary naturall qualityes of her body: firste, be­cause enduring those, she merited so much more in heauen: secondly, that it might [...] appeare to the worlde she was a true humane creature, of whose pure flesh our Sa­uiour tooke our true humane nature.

5. If Originall sinne had polluted and possessed her, she had bene during that time abhominable vnto God for such sinne, Petrus Ribade­n [...]yra flos Sanct. and in bondage thervnto, and so by it vnto Satan. But was it meete that at any time she should be said to be odious to our lor­de? or that the diuell or sinne shoulde haue her subiect in their captiuity? or defiled in pollution? who was to be the mother of God himselfe▪ Secondly, if it were in our pouer, would we not choose to be borne of the most vertuous & vnspotted parents that we coulde? And was it not in the power of God thus to prepare & preserue his mother frō originall sinne? & if it were in his power, doubteles he had will to doo it: because out of question he caried extraordinary loue vnto her; for thoughe primarily she merited not to be his mother, but of his sole mercy he did chuse her & not ano­ther; yet hauing made this election, he may be said afterward by his owne law (of honoring parentes) bound in dutifull loue to giue her all the honor & merite possi­ble [Page 39] wherof a pure creature mighte he capable. Wherfore S. Bonauenture concludeth, that in deede our lord could haue made for vs amore comely & beautifull worlde, In speculo cap. 8. but it is probable he could not make for himself a more excellent mother. Thirdly, it was inconuenient in regarde of himselfe that any blemish of originall sinne should defile her soule▪ for the honor or dishonor of the parent redoundeth to the childe: and so it had bene a diminution of his owne honor, to haue bene the sonne of an impure mother.

6. Fourthly, S. Ihon Baptist was sanctified in his mothers wombe, at the very voyce of her who had our Sauiour in her wombe: & is not she herselfe more worthy of a greater priuiledge in the same kind? vidz: the mother of God sooner then the messenger. Fifthly, S. Andrew the Apostle auowched, and after him Theodoret, Abdias in eius vita. lib. 4. Theod. in Cant. lib. 3. that she excelled the cherubim and Seraphim in purity: But how was this, if she had origi­nall sinne? or how is she aboue the Angells in dignity and glory, if she were inferior in purity and grace? or is it meete that any meere creature should be more excellent, or aboue the mother of God?

7. Sixtly, S. Augustin saith he would euer haue her excepted, when he treated of sinne. And as he judged it absurde to suppose that her flesh was eaten of wormes, or corrupted in rottennes, which had norished and giuen substance to the manhood of Christe: and therfore he auowed and beleued her boody to be assumpted into heauen immediatly after her death, according to her story and the tradition of the churche. So, me thinkes it is more inconuenient we should yeild him to be borne of flesh which at my time had bene subject to sinne: for sinne is much more base then the wormes; and pollution of soule, is farre worse then any corruption of body. Sea­uenthly, I am sure if it were in the handes of any good Christiā to grante her this pre­heminence, he woulde not deteyne it: why then should he deny to beleeue it in his harte, when it is permitted and commended as a probable and most pious opinion, and when he woulde giue it her if he were able. Eightly, Lib. 1. cap 9. & lib. 6 cap. 49. Cardinal. Barren. in Annotat. martyrol. Decemb. 8. Concil. Basil. ses. 36. & Tridē [...] ses. 5. Sixtus 4. Alexāder 6. Leo. 10. Pius. 5. this pure conception of our blessed Lady hath bene manifested by diuerse reuelations to S. Brigitte, which are amongest those that be approued. And to Elpinus a Reuerend English Abbot: the verity therof confirmed by S. Anselmus Archbish. of Canterbury: and after his solē ­nization in England of the Feast of her pure conception, it was firste permitted and since receiued in all Catholique cuntryes. Thus doth the Catholique churche honor her. And this hath bene permitted by seuerall Coun [...]ells. And resteth commended by sundry Popes. Wherfore let vs confesse, that as the first Adam was made of earthe before it was cursed with thornes or weedes: so our Lord Iesus the second Adam tooke flesh of her flesh which was blessed and neuer cursed with any nettles of con­cupiscence, or thornes of originall sinne.

8. O holy Virgin more pure then the heauens! They are moste cleare: and yet but a generall habitation for Sayntes there to see God. Thou werte a speciall tabernacle both to enterteyne God himselfe; and to affoarde him parte of thy substance. O how coulde that be at any time vncleane, where he dwelled! how could that be euer tou­ched with sinne, which he assumed! The diligent Bees wil not harbour in an vncleane hiue, but doth annoynte them with sweete moystures, before they make their hony. The cleanly Ermyne will rather be killed by the Huntesmen, then to saue his life en­ter into any place which is filthy. Much lesse will the pure wisdome of God dwell in a body subject to sinne: as said wise Solomon: wherfore he allso saith in the Canticles, Sap. 1. Cant. 1. & many Doctors applye it to our blessed Ladie. Thou arte all fayre, O my loe, and in thee there is no spotte. And therfore with the Catholique Churche, let vs say, in her seruice: [Page 40] O holy and immaculate virginity, I know not with what prayses to extolle thee; be­cause whom the heauens coulde not conteyne, thou diddest maynteyne in thy boso­me. Blessed arte thou among women; and blessed be the fruite of thy wombe: Becau­se whom the heauens coulde not conteyne, thou diddest maynteyne in thy bosome. O happy and sacred Virgin Mary! O most worthy of all honor: pray for the laity: entre­ate for the clergy: make request for all deuoute womankinde: O let all sortes finde thy certeyn succor, whosoeuer doo celebrat thy sacred Conception.

8. O founteyn sealed vp for the water oflife: let thy intercession helpe to quench in vs all coales of concupiscence. O Garden of paradise well guarded to keepe the tree of life: let thy prayers preserue vs from too much liberty of our senses, and all loosenes of life. O brightest glasse of Chrystall, without any spotte: obteyne for vs all clearenes of harte and body, freed from all foule thoughtes, or other fleshly pollution.

9. O swetest rose of the valley; fayrest Lily of the mounteyn; o precious balme of Gilead; and comely Cypres of Sion: thy wonderfull beauty of face, and rare comely­nes of person, were euer accompanyed with such modesty of countenance, and so­briety of behauior; and besides so blessed with an extraordinary grace; that thy beau­ty neuer allured but abashed; thy comelynes did not entise but amaze; nor could any harbour an vnchaste thoughte, whiles he behelde thy Virgins eye. O let thy gra­cious eyes of chastity so looke downe vpon vs in fauour, and for vs so looke vp to thy Sonne in prayer, that we may be always vertuously sober in our actions; religi­ously ciuill in our speeches; in our very thoughtes pure; and chaste in all our con­uersation. All which we earnestly entreate, for the all sufficient merites & mercyes of our Sauiour thy Sonne; and by the immaculate purity of thy conception.

THE MOST GRACIOVS AND WONDER­full remedyes of our originall sinne. Sect. 7.

1. THus was our blessed Lady preuented with grace. But how shall we be made cleane, who are conceiued by such vncleane seede? excepte only as Iob answe­red: By thee alone, o Lorde: whose grace, saith S. Paul, doth superabounde our sinne. For sinne came by man: but grace is of more power, as proceeding from God. Sinne did not take away from vs all good: nor bring vpon vs all euill. But grace doth deli­uer vs from all the euill wherinto we mighte fall; and is sufficient to giue vs all the good we can desire. Adams sinne brought a curse only to his descendentes, and to the earthe: But by the merites of Christe all creatures (except the diuells who hate him) eyther haue or may haue parte of his blessing. For by him not only all mankind is re­deemed: but the good Angells are confirmed in their grace: and euen these senceles creatures shalbe renued in their nature.

2. And in the saluation of our soule, there is more force in Gods grace, then in mans sinne: for it is easie, and we are prone to fall, or to dye in sinne: but we are lum­pish heauie, and it is exceeding harde to be raysed vp to life of grace. wherfore grace is the stronger, and the more worthy: and therfore we are the more indebted, consi­dering how weake we are, and how vnworthy. And it is maruelous to consider the proportion betwene our sinfull misery, and our gracious remedie: As against originall sinne is appointed Baptisme, to regenerate vs in grace, from that wherin we were generated by nature: that as infantes are defyled by meanes of Adams corruption▪ [Page 41] without their owne facte, so they are washed by meanes of Christes redemption wit­hout their owne helpe. Children are spotted before they be aware of it; and they are cleansed before they knowe of it. In their conception, vnwitting; and in their baptisme, ignorante. We are raysed by others, before we haue reason to aske helpe, as by others we were caste downe, before we had sense of our fall. Or if some be of yeares of discretion before they be baptyzed, as infidels conuerted: or if christians after Baptisme become sinners, and come agayne to repentance▪ in the firste sorte the grace of baptisme takes away all sinne originall and actuall, and all punishment eternall and temporall▪ in both sortes, there is first a iustification without foregoing me­rites, quae fit in homin [...] which of God alone is effected in man; and then a second iustifica­tion, quam facit homo in which man doth his parte, and hath following good workes. In w [...]ich second iustice it is reason we follow Gods grace to performe some satisfaction and to obteynes merites, as we had runne after our concupiscence to incurre guiltynes and suffer punishments.

3. All our merites and all our good are deriued from God: but our first iustice in our first conuersion doth so come from him alone, that we are not so much guilty by Adam of ori­ginall sinne without our owne faulte, as Christ alone doth iustifye vs from all sinne with­out our owne merite. O greatnes! O goodnes of grace! more powerfull, and more abundant then sinne. O swete IESVS, who doost in wisdome so answer iustice with mercy, that neither doo we wante any fauour, nor is the lawe vnsatisfyed in all rigor, and euery pointe balanced with conuenient counterpeyse. Sinners in Adam: iuste in Ch [...]iste. In our selues actually and really wicked: throughe Christe truly and inherently iuste. We were inthralled by our sinfull liues: he redeemed vs by his holy death. By his passion and sufferinges he satisfyed for our punishments: and our good workes haue merite by the vertue of his actions.

4. But to insi [...]te especially in his comparison with Adam. His crosse stood vpon Adams graue, there beginning life, where death began. By a tree we perished: S. Hieron· and we were ransomed on a tree. He repayred his churche his beloued spouse, by the water and bloud which issued out of his side dying: as Eua the wife of Adam was taken out of his side sleeping: and by that water he clenseth our spottes of sinne, and by that bloud he pur­chased to vs the beauty of grace. By occasion of a woman came a generall curse: and a greater blessing by meanes of a woman: wherfore Adam called the firste Eua. and we salute the second quite turning the same letters into Aue. The first man Adam loste all by ambitions pride; because being but a man, he aspired to be as God: and the second man IESVS restored all by obedient humility; who being in deed God, yet descended to become a man.

ALL THE GVILTE OF ORIGINALL SINNE is quite forgiuen in Baptisme: and the first motions of concupiscence are not sinne, vntill we delighte or consent vnto them. Sect. 8.

1. ANd althoughe our Sauiour in Baptisme haue cleared vs from all Guilte of originall sinne; yet not during this life from all temporall punishment therof: S. Amb. as not from Death, hunger, sicknes, nor from all ignorance▪ or motions of concupiscence. And al­thoughe he hath freed vs from all punishment destroying our soule; yet not from all pu­nishment which may encrease our merite: as they say, sustulit omnem paenam destruentem, non omnem paenam promonentem, and so he hath lefte in vs these infirmityes of our motions [Page 42] in concupiscence of hunger, sicknes, and death, to be as skarres and markes of our soare▪ and woundes which are healed▪ 1. to the intent, that seing, and remembring our hurte, & our helpe, Alexand. de Hales. part. 4. q. 8. de Sac. Bapt. art. 2. we should remayne thankefull, and not forgetfull. 2. to humble vs by conside­ration of these infirmityes, who else would be proud. 3. to exercise vs in diligence of mortification, and in vigilance of prayers, lest we should be negligent and careles. 4. to affoard vs occasion of more merite, and so to crowne vs with more glory.

2. Or we may lay that he hath freede vs from all effectes and personall punishmetns of originall sinne, which so perteyned to our persons that they would condemne our particu­ler soules▪ but not from all naturall defectes which necessarily belong to our generall na­ture, wherby we remayne in the estate of all mankinde: for as a wise phisicyan he hath sufficiently cured euery mans particuler soule, not quite changing his generall nature, abundantly prouiding, and in better sorte, for our corrupte nature to be helped and pre­serued by grace, rather then to extinguish this nature, and to create another. For he will saue the same which had offended: which is greater mercy to vs, and more power & wisdome in himselfe. And is it not more to preserue a vessell of glasse, then of yron?

3. I said he hath lefte vs subiect to the motions of concupiscence; which are not pro­perly sinne; Concil. Trident. Sess. 5. Ephes. 5. Colos. 1. Ioan. 3. 1. Pet. 2. but only the remnantes and effectes of originall sinne, and inclinations alone to actuall sinne. For Baptisme doth alltogether so abolish originall sinne, that nothing therof remayneth in vs which hath still the true nature of sinne. Otherwise how are we cleansed by his washing? as S. Paul saith. And hath reconciled vs to exhibite vs immaculate. And to be renati, borne agayne by water & the holy ghoste, therby to be as free from ori­ginall sinne quasi modo geniti, euen as new borne infantes are cleane from actuall sinne.

4. And in circumcision the foreskin was not imputatiuely but really cut away. In Ior­dan Naamans leprosy was quite taken away. And S. Gregory saith That he who auouche [...]h that sinnes are not altogether released in Baptisme, Lib. 9. epist. 39. 1. Cor. 15. Rom. 6. Colos. 2. Enchirid. cap. 52. let him say that the Egiptians were not in­deede truly drowned in the red sea. And S. Paul proueth▪ that as in Adam all dye, so in Christe all shall be reuiued. viz: truly: verely: really: not so alone estemed or reputed. And that we are buryed together with Christe by Baptisme in his death. S. Augustin inferreth ex­pressely That as in him was fulfilled a true death, so in vs a true remission of sinnes: and as in him a true resurrection, so in vs a true iustification. But the death of Christe and resur­rection were true euery way: not true in regarde of somewhat, and in another respecte false: Therfore allso the remission of sinnes is a true death of sinne: not in respect of the Guilte only, but in regarde of all thinges which haue respect of sinne.

5. Not taken away in the Guilte alone (as heretiques auouch) and remayning in the Acte: Vide Bel. Tom. 2. lib. 1. de Baptis. c. [...]3. for how can the Acte of sinne be separated from the Guilte in this concupiscence? Nay they themselues must needes confesse it hath still some Guilte, whiles they say it is still true sinne: for how can true sinne remayne w [...]thout some Guilte? Or if we be free only from the dominion; not free from all blemish or consideration of true sinne (thou­ghe it be said this blemish is not imputed vnto vs) yet if there remayne true sinne, then are we not in deede free; but in opinion. And if that blemish or spotte remayning, be true sinne: then according to their owne doctrine, it is a true mortall sinne, for they ad­mitte none veniall: But to remayne in true mortall sinne; and yet not to be in fauor of God is impossible for the same person to be in state of grace [...]nd of saluation, and in mor­tall sinne, and so in state of damnation; all at the same instante; is as possible, as to ioyne light and darknes, Christe & Beliall.

6. But Protestants finding in our weake natures after Baptisme certein motions of con­cupiscence vnto sinne, they deceiue themselues, supposing these to be in deede sinne. Some of ignorance, because they distinguish not betwene the prouenes, or inclinations [Page 43] of concupiscence; and betwene the Acte of concupiscence, for the firste is most especially perteyning to originall sinne; thoughe after baptisme it is no sinne, but only the effecte of originall sinne. And the second which is an Actuall motion vnto sinne, perteynes rather to Actuall sinne then to originall: to which if there be added consent or full delighte, then it is a complete actuall sinne, otherwise no sinne. These men therfore are deceiued in accompting that originall sinne, which perteyneth to actuall. But some others doo ac­compte the very firste pronenes or concupiscibility, without any acte or consent, to be of it se [...]fe sinne, because it seemes the roote of sinne. Wherin they doo manifestly ad­mitte that defecte and ignominy of the vertue of our lordes grace in Baptisme, which S· Augustin was so carefull not to admitte, viz: that in baptisme originall sinne only is razed of, not vtterly rooted out.

7. And in this poynte: whether the first motions of our concupiscence be sinne? Cal­uin himselfe is driuen to confesse the Ancyent Doctors to be against him. His wordes are these. Neyther is it needfull to labour in serching what the Ancyent doo thinke herein, Instit lib. 3. cap. [...].10. when therabout one Augustin may suffice, who faithfully and with great diligence hath col­lected all their judgements, and a little after, he addes. Yet betwene him and vs there is this difference. That he in deede dare not call the m [...]lady of concupiscence a sinne: but being content to decipher it by the name of Infirmity; he teacheth it then finally to become sinne, when eyther action or consent is added therunto. Which is the same, and no other, then that which S. Iames said. Concupiscence when it hath conceiued bringeth forthe sinn [...]; and sinne, when it is complete, bringeth death. Vpon which wordes S. Gregory, and our ve­nerable Countryman Bede, maketh three daughters or effectes of concupiscence. Cap. 1. 1. sug­gestion: when any vnlawfull thoughte doth sodeinly present it selfe to our minde; wher­vnto if we doo not consent, but resiste, it doth not bringe forthe sinne, but a crowne of life. 2. Delectation: when we doo not perfectly resiste the first motion or suggestion, but in a mixte sorte we are somewhat delighted therin, althoughe not with a full, but with an imperfect consent: then hath sinne conceiued venially; not mortally. But in the 3. if we proceede to a deliberate full consent, althoughe it be only in thoughte, yet then is it a complete sinne, either veniall, or mortall, according as the matter of sinne (wherunto we haue consented) is veniall or mortalll. As it is a mortall deadly sinne, to see a woman and with full consent of thoughte deliberately to lust after her: this is a complete sinne bringing forthe death, thoughe it neuer come to action, because as our Sauiour saith, he hath allready committed adultery in his harte: and as he hath fully in thoughte consented, and either purpo [...]ed or deliberately desired to put his thoughte in execution; so if he had meanes he woulde in deede practise it in Action.

8. As for those Textes in the 6. and 7. chapters to the Romanes, thoughe concupis­cence be there diuerse times called sinne. Eyther he meaneth concupiscence actuall which hath some delighte or consent. Or else if he vnderstand the first motions which are the remnantes of originall sinne; yet he calleth them sinne improperly; and so these are termed sinne, because they are following effectes and remnantes of originall sinne. Not that either of these after baptisme are in themselues sinne, 2. cor. 5. Et S. Am­bros. in hunc lo­cum. Rom. 7. Lib. 1. cō ­tra duas epist, cap. 10. excepte we doo consent vnto them. In like sorte S. Paul was, soulde vnder sinne: where S. Chrysostome saith, he spea­keth in the person of wicked men, not absolutely of himselfe. Or as S. Augustin interpreteth him against the Pelagians: He was soulde, vnder the sinne of Adam; but now, is redeemed throughe Christe our lord. And so he complayneth of some remnantes of that bondage: that he had still the sens [...] of concupiscence; but did not consent: and therfore addeth: what he did; that he did not approoue it, viz: not allowe of those motions which he did fee [...]e. And so: he performed the euill, which he hated: vbi facere se dixit &c. where he [Page 44] said He performed: not by the affection of consent, and fullfilling action, but in the very motion of concupiscence: calling that a Deede, which was but an vnwilling motion of a thoughte. And s [...] the lawe, non concupisces: bindeth against actuall desires with consent: not against the first motions remayning as effectes of originall corruption: and so concu­piscere, est, post concuspiscentias ire: and those first motions are fomes peccati, the fewell of sinne and without consent, Rem. 8. no way indeede sinne, no more then wood is fi [...]e, vntill it be k [...]nled. And so [...] 1. the wisdome or sensuality of the flesh, is enemy to God: by which sensuality he allso meaneth actuall sinne, and not originall. And so gene­rally for the moste parte when any Ancyent Doctor calleth concupiscence indefini [...], sinne, they speake of actuall concupiscence with consent. Or doo so terme the effectes of originall sinne after baptisme, not because they are absolutely, sinne but because they are remnants of sinne, and doo allure vnto sinne.

9. If it be said, that all is sinne which agreeth not to the lawe of God, or is [...] It is true; taking sinne in a generall sense for vi [...]ium a defect: as there be vitia naturae, vel artis, defectes of nature, or of arte: viz: to be blind, lame &c▪ and such an [...] or sinne, we may calle our naturall concu [...]iscence; which of it selfe without con [...]ent is no more sinne, speaking properly & strictly, then to be hungry or thirsty against our will. Or no more then dreames of murder, & vnchaste imaginations of men asleepe, wherof they gaue no faulty occasion being awake. And thoughe such dreames doo not agree e [...]a­ctly with the lawe of God, yet who will strictly & properly call them sinnes? They agree not with the lawe in their substance materially: but formally in their intention, they are not against the lawe. As a woman ravi [...]hed or forced against her will, without any con­sent; the Action materially agreeth not with the lawe exactly: and yet therin who can accompte her guilty of sinne?

10. Finally we cannot say the first motions of cōcupiscence are sinne, because we ough­te to abhorre them, & because God doth hate them: for all is not sinne which deserueth to be hated. Because euill of punishment may be hated as well as euil of Gui [...]te: and whatsoeuer allureth to sinne may be hated, thoughe it selfe be not sinne. And so we ab­horre the first mot [...]ons of concupiscence, as occasions, not indeede as sinnes. And allmi­ghty God hateth all euill, Sap. 1. S. Aug. lib. 5. in Iul. c. 7. [...]ib. Con­ [...]es. 10 cap. 28. euen of punishment, and so he detesteth Death, and is said not to haue made death; not as the first Author: sed vt peccati vl [...]or: but as the iust punishe [...] of sinne by death, He hateth all euill, of punishment, or of guilte; in respecte of the evill it selfe, not in respecte of the occasiō of good which he draweth out of the evill. And so of our worldly aflictions, saith S. Augustin. Vvho would suffer miseryes or difficultyes? Thou doost cōmand vs o lord to endure them, not to loue them, none doo loue what they suffer; thoughe to suffer they doo loue: for thoughe he ioye in suffring; yet he had rather he had nothing to suffer. In like sorte we may not desire concupiscence: not because it is sinne except we consent; but be­cause it induceth to sinne, and is troblesome, greiuous &c. neyther ought the iudgment of God to displease vs; who woulde haue it to remayne for an Agony, and exercise of vertue; and tolde his Apostle. My Grace is sufficiēt vnto thee: for his strenghte is perfited in our weakenes.

THE CONCLVSION OF THE FORMER DE­clarations about Originall sinne; with some shorte admoni­tions to mortifie his force. Sect. 9.

1. THus I haue said somewhat of sundry questions about Originalle sinne, wherin if I be tedious to some; yet to others I know it will seeme to shorte. I confesse it is [Page 45] a matter more lamentable, then disputable for all: wherfore in our meditation vpon this corruption, let vs mourne with Dauid. That in iniquityes we were conceiued, and our mo­thers broughte vs forthe in sinnes.

2. For thoughe Baptisme doo cleanse vs; yet some sorowful remembrance therof is good to humb [...]e vs. Baptisme takes away, omnem labem all the guilte, Innocē. 3. all the spottes and nature of sinne paste; non omnem somitem, not a [...]l the fewell and inclination vnto sinne to come. Wherfore come, o my soule, in our present conforte let vs prayse our Redeemer▪ who had purifyed and washed all the vncleannes of our Birthe: and in our folowing dili­gence, by the helpe of his grace, let vs be carefull to mortefy and kepe vnder all corrup­tions of our life. O my soule be thou watchefull ouer my body: I will not say kill my flesh, because it is a parte of my selfe, and I may not hate it: yet remember it was a mea­nes in our conception, by which the purity was stayned. I say when thou werte infused, it did blemish that lustre and integrity which now thou shouldest haue, if thou werte not in his corrupte prison; thoughe it defiled not the cleannes and purity of thy nature which thou first haddest by creation, and which we may recouer, and better by the grace of Christe, if we keepe our flesh in due mortification. Let vs make gaynes by our losse, and winne more reward by our paynes. O blessed be our Redeemer Iesus, who hath giuen vs this possibility. Let vs resiste and suppresse the motions of our concupiscence, that we may aduance and increase the vigor of our spirite. Nay, o my soule, thou arte bound to doo no lesse: for if in Adam, his soule had not first consented to her owne fond affections and desires, the body had bene yet still in obedience: therfore as the rebellion of the flesh was first occasioned on thy parte (so to pay for this faulte) the disquietnes of continuall concupiscences must be endured by thy mourning patience, and ouercome by thy mor­tifying diligence.

3. Be thou watchfull ouer thy discerning reason, least ignorance make falsehood tru­the: be heedfull to thy irascible corage, least impatience driue a way that which is good: and be carefull about thy concupiscible choyse, least sensuality follow that which is bad. Wheras contrarily, our concupiscibility should only embrace good: our irascibility should only hate bad: and our reason should only be fixed on truthe. But, alas, we are witty and apte for errors, therfore labour to be discrete: we are headdy & subject to passions, therfore endeuour to be moderate: we are headlong & prone to plea­sures, therfore striue to be temperate.

4. O my soule, these are our frailtyes: our reason dimme: our passions strong: and sottishnes in our desires: neither is it marueil; for we are conceiued in sinnes: & concei­ued in iniquityes. In our carnall generation, the vse of reason is suspended; the heat of luste is enflamed, and pleasure is soughte in vncleannes. O [...] better remedyes, then in the merites and examples of our Redeemer? 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 mortificat [...] [...] abstinence to restreyne & refreyne our sottish vncle [...] [...]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 co [...]esse our base birthe, con­ceiued in sinne, to remember vs to be humble: and because w [...] 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. Hugo Cardinal. Math. 7. Thren. 3. Prouerb. 20. 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 shalbe be iustified in thy wordes and wilte ouercome when thou arte iudged. Beholde therfore I spare not to discouer euē 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; S. Aug. 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 [Page 47] 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; Titelma. 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, Geneb. 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 wor [...]e like a heathē 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 con­uerte [...], 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, Euthi [...]. o lord, I accuse my selfe according to truthe. I was great in thy fauor, or as thy Sec [...]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 grea­t [...]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 fall they may be raysed: and they who are admitted into secret grace, ought allso to praye, that from so dangerous a fall they may be preserued. And in particuler, thou (o my soule) must acknowledge thy selfe vnworthy of those graces which thou haste receiued; which if they be small in comparison of those which our lord can giue, or others doo receiue, yet are they many and great, and more then any way thou diddest deserue. Or how can the sunne send much lighte or plenty of beames into a howse which hath but small windowes? O my soule, if thou desire more lighte, set open all thy windowes. O holy spirite of truth [...] and secret wisdome, shyne yet more into my harte, to shew me all necessary truthe which thou doost loue, and still to manifest vnto me the secret & doubtfull thinges of thy wisdome.

[Page 48]8. O let me see and consider how great mercyes I haue receiued, that I may be thāk­full: how I did merite nothing, or rather how much I did demerite that I may be humble: and how vnprofitably I doo vse them; that I may be ashamed. I fled from catholique truthe which thou louest, and yet thou diddest so loue me, that thou did­dest make me loue thy catholique truth which I declined: now I loue this truthe, which hath giuen me knowledge of thee; and how am I bound to loue thee, who did­dest bring me to this knowledge of truthe? O what sweete secrets be in this loue? they are doubtfull to such as neuer tasted them, because secret: and to such they are secret, because they loue not thee, who doost manifest the secrets of they wisdome to none but such as doo embrace the truthe which thou doost loue. This is thy wisdome, not to caste spirituall pearles before ea [...]thly swyne; nor to hide thy heauenty trea­sures from weake sucklinges, or simple harted soules.

9. But how shall I prayse thy goodnes▪ o lord, and in particuler to my selfe: In the gospell it is said, thou wouldest not suffer diuells to enter into swyne but with me thou haste cast diuells out of a swyne. Doo I debase my selfe to say so? Beholde o lor­de, thou louest truthe. I knowe no swyne so filthy and so degenerate from his kinde, as I was, being a Protestante, from they truthe: If, S. Mary Magdalene had seauen di­uells of vices; how many had I of heresyes; Vnto her many sinnes were forgiuen, because she loued much? O lord I haue loued but a little, & how many sinnes hast thou forgiuen me? thy wisdome hath reuealed my doubtes, and manifested vnto me thy secrets; I fondly doubted where was no cause of doubte; but I am resolued by thy wisdome: I was compassed with lighte, and yet I did not discerne lighte, because I wanted harty loue vnto thy catholique truthe. For I firste loued not thee: but thou diddest preuent me with thy loue, prosecute me with thy grace, and so finally diddest imparte vnto me, the secrets of thy wisdome, which are the mysteryes of thy catholi­que faith which now I doo beleeue: thou haste not dealte thus with euery sinner, nor vnto thousandes better then my selfe hast thou manifested as vnto me, the secret and doubtfull thinges of thy wisdome.

10. O infinite, incomprehensible bounty! what did thy majesty beholde in my ba­senes? nothing verely but thine owne loue, wherwith thou haddest disposed & pre­pared my harte to be vnpartiallie desirous of truthe: this desire, and this loue, thou did­dest first giue me, & afterwarde by these thou diddest draw me nearer vnto thee O swete Iesu who doost neither accepte nor rewarde any thing which thy selfe haste not first giuen: thou haste giuen me loue of truthe, and manifested vnto me the doubt­full & secret thinges of thy wisdome: I doe enterteyne them as pledges & earnest pence of m [...] hope & election: o let me so keepe and euer reteyne them, that I may neuer be ashamed nor confounded in them. Let them be meanes of thy better serui­ce, and no way occasions of my greater condemnacion: I haue tasted of thy loue: I am acquaynted with thy secrets: I am partaker of thy mysteryes: let me rather dye then fayle or be faynte-harted; and sooner torne in peices then become ingratefull. I was most vnworthy to receiue them; and seing of meere mercy thou hast bestowed these talentes vpon me, I desire to retaine them with much thankefullnes, and throughe thy grace with some gaynes of merite. O blessed Sauiour accepte what thou haste giuen: O holy virgin, and all the Angells and Sayntes of heauen giue continuall thankes & prayse vnto our lord God for me. who am not able to thinke much lesse to declare, how I owe my selfe.

MEDITAT [...]ON. VI.

Asperges me Domine hysopo, & mundabor: lauabis me, & su­per niuem dealbabor. Auditui meo dabis gaudium & laetitiam: & exultabunt ossa humiliata.

Thou shalte sprinkle me with hysope, o lord, and I shalbe cleansed: thou shalte washe me, & I shalbe made white aboue snowe. Vnto my hearing thou wilte giue ioye & gladnes: and my humbled bones shall reioyce.

THE VSE OF CEREMONYES DECLARED by a picture: and the propertyes of hysope, whervnto they maybe alluded. Sect. 1.

1. THe priestes of Moyses lawe doo purifye by sprinkling of bloud with hysope: Exod. 12. & 22. Num. 19. & Leuit. 24. and so they cleansed in a type or figure. 1. such as must eat the paschall lam­be. 2. such as were defiled by touching the dead. 3 such as were infected with leprosy. 4. or those who being penitent did offer sacrifice for their sinnes. O Lorde, as one who haue neede of all these, I looke not so much to the outwarde Ceremonyes, as I hope to be partaker of thy inwarde grace by the bloud of that paschal lambe, who is allso a sacrifice for the pollution & sinne of all the worlde.

2. In this actuall sprinkling of hysope and clensing application of our Sauiours me­rites, and of his death and passion, we doo liue, we doo bleeue, we doo hope, we doo merite, we doo labor & worke our saluation with feare & trembling, and not as Pro­testantes te [...]ch, by only faith, and so with presumptuous beleeuing.

3. Let others therfore be content alone with colors of imputation: our soules desire to be allso innocent in substance. We respecte not so much the outward figure of hy­sope, as the inward vertue of our deare Sauiours deare bloud▪ Types and ceremo­nyes are excellent ordinances; yet we doo lifte vp our mindes highe [...], and by occa­sion of these we doo more often remember, & more deuoutly apprehend the truthes, which they doo signifye. Some paynted Tables are so cutte & paynted, that one way they resemble a beautifull face, another way a deathes head; and a certeyn artificiall workeman made such a like picture of Moyses brasen serpent hauing vnde [...] it a multi­tude of Israelites looking vpwarde to be cured of the stinging of fiery serpentes: and aboue it he placed a looking glasse in such a situation, that when he opened or drew a curtayne hanging before the said picture (which thoughe whiles it was couered you saw nothing in the glasse, and thoughe whiles it was open you saw no other picture but that of the brasen serpent) yet so soone as the curtayne was drawne you mighte playnly see in the glasse, not a reflection of the serpent, but a liuely representation of our Sauiour on the crosse, with our blessed lady, S. Ihon, & S. Mary Magdalen standing at the foote therof: for as those other double pictures are made by cutting & paynting the Table sidewayes, so this was done crossewayes: in which as it downe­warde [Page 50] represented nothing but the serpent which was a type of our Sauiour, and vp­warde reflected on the glasse the thing signifyed, which was his exaltation on the crosse; so shoulde we from the inferior resemblance of all ceremonyes, by opening the Curtayn, lifte vp our minds to beholde and lay holde on their signifyed subst [...] ̄ce for good thinges are figured, to be remembred: and they are remembred, to be apprehended. And so whiles we remember hysope sprinkling the bloud of sacrifices, let vs by faith & good workes of deuotion, labour to apply the sacrifice of our Sauiours bloud & passion.

3. Allso hysope we knowe is a lowe herbe & medicinable, which naturally desires to fasten his roote about stones; S. Aug. so doo thou fasten the roote of thy loue on Christe our rocke; and by imitation of his humility, he will cleanse thee. And as hysope is good to purge the swelling of the lunges, so haue we need of the humble vertue he­reof to purge our Brestes puffed vp in malice or pride. As Saul went towardes Da­mascus breathing out hotte & bigge crueltyes against the christians, but being once humbled and caste downe vpon the earthe, his swelling h [...]nges were purged, & his vnsauory breath was sweetned.

4. These propertyes allso are written of hysope in twoo verses. Parua, calens, p [...]ctus purgans, Act. 9. petrosa, screatrix, Ius sapidat, pleuri congrua, spargit aquam. It is little, and hotte, purging the breast, stony, and spitting, it relisheth broathe, helps a pleu­risy, serues for water sprinkling. Allso which doo well agree with a penitent; for thou must be little and lowly in thine owne eyes, and so thou shalte be exalted and great in the eyes of allmighty God. Thou must be hotte and feruent in charity; which is the loue of God aboue all, and of our neighebor as our selues for his sake. By sor­rowe & contrition thou must purge thy harte from sinne: spitte out this sinne by cō ­fession: and by stony and stedfaste satisfaction take roote in Christe our rocke. These foresaid religious exercises doo relishe and giue good taste to all our prayers & de­uotions: they heale and take away all payne & punishment due to sinne; and lastly they sprinkle & refresh vs with the dewe & droppes of all heauenly grace. O come my soule to this medicinable herbe of hysope, that being therwith sprinkled, we may be cleansed: and being washed in these vertues hereof, we may be made white aboue snowe. Magist. sentent. lib. 4. dist. 18. Scot. dict. 14. We haue neede of all these: for sinne is a deepe pollution hardly cleansed, whi­ther it be a priuation, or haue oughte in it positiue, or negatiue? whither it be di­rectly in the soule, or a crooked relation to the iustice of God, sure it is of all men called a deadly [...]eformity, and a detestable blotte, whose guilte remayneth still in the soule, after the acte is passed. It is a poysonous spotte & a venimous leprosy: o what shall we doo to be cleansed! washed! & made white aboue snow [...]. A dangerous disease requireth precious remedyes: when he physicians prescribe Bezar stone, or Confe­ction of pearles; then we knowe the patient is in a weake & wofull estate: And no lesse may we vnderstand our selues to haue bene in a wretched case when by no other meanes we coulde he cured (speaking of Gods ordinary power) but by this rare & excellent hysope sprinkled with the precious bloud of our Sauiour Iesus.

OF DIVERSE CEREMONYES IN THE Catholique Church made profitable by the▪ sprinkling & vertue of our Sauiours precious bloud, which is compared to the water of the Poole of Bethesda. Sect 2.

1. IN this precious sprinkling I shall finde a double cleansing. First I shal be clean­sed from veniall faultes: Hugo Cardinal. and allso if thou wash me I shalle made white aboue sno­we from mortall sinnes: for mortall crimes are remitted by washing of Baptisme or re­pentance & veniall offences by diuerse other meanes, of which some are expressed in these verses Confiteor, Tundor, Respergor, Conteror, Oro, Signor, Edo, [...]ono, per quae ve­nialia pono. By Contrition, Confession, Knocking the Breast, Sprinkling with holy water, Prayer, By blessing ourselues with the signe of the Crosse, By receiuing the blessed sacrament, By eating holy bread, By Agnus Dei, holy graynes, Indulgences &c. by giuing almes and by forgiuing iniuryes. By all, or any one of these, euer ioy­ned with some contrition or displicence for our faultes, in generall, or particular, we may be washed from our veniall faultes: yet euery one & all these are vnprofitable excepte they be referred & grounded vpon the merites and vertue of our Sauiour Christes bloud, wherin the hysop [...] must euer be dipped or else these sprinklinges will doo no good: but being therin moystened, our holy mother the Churche hath ap­poynted diuersity of hysope branches, that euer some mighte be at hande: and who wanted occasion or affection concerning one, might readily find more & easily stirre vp his deuotion by another.

2. Because allso it is necessary we doo make vse and benefite of this precious bloud, therfore diuerse meanes are assigned by which we may applye his excellent vertue. Ioan. 5. The water of the Poole mentioned in the gospell healed all maladyes: yet excepte they entred into it to be washed, it cured none: so it is most true, that without the bloud of our L. Iesus, no sinne is cleansed: nor any by this, except we do enter into this founteyne. Wherfore as to that poole (which was a figure of our Sauiours pre­tious bloud) seing the water is so necessary, if there were certeyn gates by which we must enter, were it not willfull slothfullnes, or idle madnes, not to enter those gates which may be diuided into fiue sortes, as there be fiue kindes of sinnes. 1. Originall. 2. mortall. 3. venial. 4. such as haue the Guilte & erernall paynes remitted, but are subiect to temporall punishments in this worlde. 5. or such of these laste, who dye be­fore they haue here satisfyed all those temporall punishments, which therfore they must suffer in Purgatory.

3. The first kinde must enter this sacred poole by the large water gate of Baptisme, Panigar. in discep­ta [...]one 7. part. 2. which cleanseth originall sinne. The second must passe into the same precious poole by the narrow roughe ston y gate of penitence, opening his three hard lockes of contrition, confession, & satisfaction, which giue entrance to deadly sinners. The thirde for veniall offendors is a playne free stone gate, more easily opened (hauing alwayes the master key of contrition) by any on other key of those good workes, Sacraments, Sacramentalls, or Indulgences, as is before mentioned. To enter this healing holy poole by the fourthe yron gate, for satisfying or escaping temporall punishments in this life, you must needes haue either the key of penall good workes, or of Indulgences, which vpon some good consideration may commute these penances. And lastly, for them who dye before they [Page 52] haue satisfyed sufficiently for all their temporall punishments: these to be altogether clen­sed in the vertue of that pool [...], must passe it by the boate fiery gate of purgatory, which they passe the more spedily, hauing the helpe of holy masses, indulgences, or prayers, offred by others in their behalfe.

4. This poole (I say) is the precious founteyn of our Sauiours bloud, vnto which all th [...]se gates and keyes doo directe: and without which, all these can doo nothing. But as o [...] lord Iesus is only the foundation of all our redemption; and yet we vse the h [...]lpe of his sacramentes to communicate vnto vs the benefite of his merites, which we doo confesse they doo communicate without any derogation or dishonor to our Sauiour himselfe: So good workes, and purgatory, and those Sacramentalls of holy water &c. they doo wish & helpe vs, in the vertue only of his precious bloud, not diminishing but applying the maruelous fruite therof, which by so manifolde & di­uerse meanes is ready at hand to profite vs.

5. A weake body apte to faynte or sounde, had need of many helpes to holde or recall life: among the rest it is vsed to sprinkle colde water in the face, [...]hervpō Plau­tus said: P [...]t. Vega Sparsisti aquā, iam redijt animus: thou hast tolde me so good tydinges, that being rea­dy to s [...]unde for feare, now thou hast sprinkled water vpon me, I am come agayne to life. O blessed Iesu, my sinnes and my doubtes had so reuolued & turmoyled my conscien­ce, that vntill I bleeued thy catholique truthe which thou louest, and vntill thou did­dest manifest vnto me the secrets of thy mysteries hidden in the wisdome of thy catholique churche, I was euer doubtfull & fearfull, and often ready to sounde at the bare na­me of death: But now thou haste sprinkled water▪ in my face by the precious hysope of thee my Sauiour, I may say with Iacob when he heard of his sonne Iosephes well­fare my spirite is reuiued: C [...]n. 45. for now my doubtes are dissolued, my sinnes are absolued, my feare is expelled, and my harte is setled in courage▪ O proceede, deare Sauiour, to gi­ue yet more ioye and gladnes to my hearing, that, my humbled bones may reioye ▪ and that thy promise by Ezech [...]el may be fullfiled to powre [...] cleane water by which we shalbe clensed from all our iniquit [...]es: Ezech. 36 for as S. Paul collecteth: if the bloud of goates sprin­kled did sanct [...]f [...]e the polluted; how much more the bloud of Christe, which shall cleanse our conscience from dead workes? Heb. 9▪ and thus I hope, o lorde thou wilte sprinkle me with hysope, and I shall be cleansed.

THE WONDERFVLL EFFICACYE OF OVR Sauiours bloud, and of the signe of the Crosse, which was be sprin­kled therewith. Sect. 3.

1. O most precious and miraculous bloud! which doost not spotte & steyne vs, as any other bloud vseth to doo. Thou doost rather cleanse vs w [...]sh vs and make vs white aboue snowe. Ap [...]c. 7. As the Sayntes washed their stoles, and whited thē in the bloud of the lambe: not their persons only but allso their garments. And as in Dyars arte out of one & the same Dyefatte they will make diuerse colors, according to the dis­position or aptenes of the color put into it, as white will become blew; yelowe will become greene, & blew will become red: only blacke, will take no color, but co­me out rather more blacke. So a fowle, blacke, deadly sinner not repenting truly, thoughe he beleeue our Sauiors passion, or neuer so often frequent the sacramentes, so long as he continues still in his fowle sinne, his blacke soule will take no other [Page 53] color: rather for his abuse, he comes away worser; and of such the prophet asked; can a blackmore change his skinne? But a true penitent, or he that is in state of grace according to the preparation of his harte and his deuoute disposition in which he applyes to himselfe the bloud of our Sauior; Ierem. 13. so he euer receiues therefrom a perfiter color. Wherfore. S. Augustin speakes vnto the catholique church in these wordes, O happy and heauenly mother! among thy flowres neither wante lilyes nor Roses, let euery one indeuour to attayne the colors which he can: Serm. 2. omnium Sanctor. eyther by virginity a crowne of white lillyes; or by martyrdome a crowne of purple Roses. In the contemplation of our hopes, we may haue a fresh greene; or in the burning of charity, a perfect fla­me color: & in one word all the beautifull colours in the world may be obtayned by this one admirable Tincture or Dye of our Sauiours bloud: therfore herein, o lord sprinkle me with hysope, and I shalbe cleansed in beauty.

2. Many herbes, beastes, fishes, & other creatures, haue wonderfull effectes of na­ture: But the vertues of all gathered into one, are not so strange nor so stronge, as this one effecte of our Sauiours bloud To cleanse and make white, the polluted blacke soule of a contrite sinner. Not the herbe Guila; which S. Ambrose saith, the Turtles vse about then nestes, Aelian. lib. de A­nimal. 2. o [...]p. 37. to driue away by his smell the hungry wolnes from deuou­ring her yong ones. Not the leaues of the plane tree, by which the storke driues away from her neste the owles or nighte Battes, least they touching her egges should ma­ke then rotten. Not the Pan [...]her, which by his sweete smelling skinne drawes other beastes to him, & then deuours then: and yet he himselfe, so soone as he sees the Hyaena, he runnes to lye downe at his feete, and by him is torne in peeces. Not the little fish Remora, that sticking to a shippe vnder sayle presently hinders her course. Nor the Torpedo, which from the hooke by the Anglestringe & the Rodde so be­nummes the fishers hande, that he cannot drawe him out of the water. Not the In­d [...]an haematites, which so stoppes the course of bloud, that whiles it toucheth any parte of your body, thoughe you receiue neuer so many woundes; yet not one will bleed. Not these nor a thousand more strange propertyes of all creatures, can be com­parable to the admirable effectes of one drop of his bloud, who was the Creator of all these, & the Redeemer of the whole worlde.

3. Saint Peters shadowe did worke miracles: but it was in vertue of this bloud. Act. 5. What miracles may the shadowe of the bloud it selfe doo? wherfore now a figure or shadowe of this bloud; since it was really shed for vs, can be no lesse forcible then those figures which did but signifye it should be shed afterward. As this Type of hy­sope, sprinkling the bloud of legall sacrifices, what vertues had it? May not therfore now the sprinkeling of holy water in a better memory haue more efficacy?

4. As for the signe of the crosse, which touched & was besprinkled with his bloud: what mira [...]les! what force hath it had? and hath stil euery day wonderfull effectes frō the vertue of our Lordes death, and the effusion of his bloud shed thervpon. Euen the wood of the yong mans Coffen, said S. Ambrose, after Iesus had touched it, Lib. 2. sup. Lu [...] Ruffin. hist. lib. 1. c. 7. & 8. Niceph▪ lib. 8. cap 28. Paulin. ep. 11. be­gan to avayle vnto raysing him to life, much more the wood of his crosse it selfe: which when it was found by S. Helena, both reuiued the sicke, & raysed the dead. And only the signe of the crosse, somtime without faith and deuotion, yet hath wroughte maruelous effectes; which doth shew the dignity that our lorde giueth vn­to the signe, for the excellency of the thing it selfe, which he sanctifyed by his death. As that christian who wickedly purposing to poyson himselfe, came to Iew a Doctor of physicke for some strong poyson: the Iew glad to kill a Christian, gaue him a vio­lent poysonous potion. Before he dronke it, he made the signe of the crosse ouer it, [Page 54] as he vsed to doo commonly before he did eat or drinke. It did him no harme: he complaynes to the Iew that his poyson was not strong enoughe. The Iew coulde giue him none stronger: but the encreaseth the quantity of the same. As before, he takes it making the signe of the crosse. The poyson preuayles not. He is angry at the Iew: and the Iew is madde to see him still aliue: he doubtes the Christian had not ta­ken it: or had mixte, or done somewhat else to it. The Christian sweares he had done nothing to it: only he remembers he had made the signe of the crosse, as alwayes he vsed. The Iew giues a little to a dogge, which presently burste. The Christian signing it with the crosse, agayne takes a great deale more of the same poyson, in the sighte of the Iew, and yet feeles no harme: whervpon he repentes: the Iew is conuerted: both of them aske God mercy, and become honest deuout men.

5. A blessed signe: made holy, and most glorious, by touching the body, and being sprinkled with the bloud of our Sauiour, who was God and man; he hallowed it with his death, sanctifyed it by his merites, honored it with his person: and as it repre­senteth his passion, so it deriueth vertue from his merites. The [...]res [...]e before times was a detestable torment for malefectors: now it is a royall ornament in the crownes of Kinges and Emperors: honored of all Catholique Christians: scorned, or abhor­red of none, but Pagans, Iewes, Heretiques, and Diuells. And as the wonted sha­me therof is turned into honor; so the former curse therof is changed into blessing. O sacred signe, which as the Royall standarde of the lambe shall come before him to iudgment: A terror to the diuels, and such as shalle damned: a conforte to all An­gells, Sayntes, and such as are to be saued: thou arte the key of Dauid vnlocking Lim­bo, and Purgatory to let out soules vnto liberty, and opening heauen and Paradise, to giue them entrance into rest and glory. Thou arte the hysope of Dauid which hel­peth to sprinkle sinners with the bloud of our Sauiour, to be cleansed, washed, & made white aboue snow. Or as Origen said: thou arte Tendiculum magni Fullonis, the Tenter of our great Fuller, who clenseth vs with his owne bloud instead of soape; and in place of our weake rotten clothe, suffered his diuine body to be stretched for vs vpon this Tenter of the crosse.

THERE ARE SVNDRY DEGREES OF WAS­hing, cleansing, and whyting of sinne. Sect. 4.

1. O Blessed Sauiour! washe me from the filthynes of vice: and in the beauty of vertue, make me white aboue snowe. By thy mercie cleanse me: and make me white by thy grace. If I be white as snowe in inwarde deuotion for my selfe, make me more white aboue snowe in externall exercise of good workes towardes others.

2. Or thou, o my soule, take comforte from hence, that not only an innocent, but euen a penitent, Ockam in 4. sent. q. 8. Gab. dist. 14. q. 5. a. 3. Esay. 35. Demonst. euan▪ lib. 9. cap. 6. may attayne to estate of most perfect purity. As S. Peter, S. Paul, S. Mary Magdalene, and holy Dauid in this place, by vertue of Christes merites hoped after repentance to be restored to perfection and purity aboue snowe. Wherfore, if we haue bene great sinners, let vs labour so much more to become great Sayntes, that as the prophet saith In the caues where dwelte dragōs there may spring vp greene rushes: which (as Eusebius expoundes it) is instead of venimous filthy sinne, to haue pleasant flo­rishing vertue. Neither let it seeme strange, that as a notable saynte may become a notorious sinner; so a lothsome sinner may become a glorious saynte: for a garment which hath bene torne, did you neuer see it drawne vp with such skill that no rent [Page 55] could be discerned? and if vpon this occasion, the same garment were all embrode­red, and the rent place couered with golde lace, or set with pearle, would it not be both a necessary mending of the rent? and a better decking of the garment? much better can our Lord Iesus repayre & adorne the deformed beauty of a polluted soule he can sprinkle it, cleanse it, wash it, and white it aboue snowe.

3. O sprinkle me with hysope, as a Begimner in goodnes; to haue at firste some dewe & droppes of grace. O washe me next with some more plenty of this water, Innocē. 3. that I may proceede from grace to grace. And to the end I may be perfecte, make me white aboue snowe. Among earthly creatures there is nothing whyter then snowe: but aboue this doo the Sayntes in heauen shyne as the [...]unne. I beseech thee, O Sauiour, sprinkle me with thy hysope, and wash me with thy bloud, Math. 13. 1. cor. 15. that when this corruption shall put on in­corruption, and when this mortall shalbe cloathed with immortality, then I may be made white aboue snowe, and shyne as the Sunne in eternall glory.

IT IS BETTER TO CONFESSE THEN to excuse: to heare, then to speake: and of sundry kindes of ioye and gladnes. Sect. 5.

AFter my pardon I will rejoyce: But a soule that is in sinne, how should it haue mirth? I will reioyce, o lorde, by hearing thy comfortes, S. Aug. not in pleading for my selfe excuses. Rather let me heare thy ioye speaking absolution to mine eares, then any way delighte in my tongue pleasantly extenuating, or wittily auoyding my faultes. Wouldest thou after sinne, fayne plead for thy reputation? rather heare thy conscien­ce, and listen to repentance. Be sorye for it, & confesse it: then shalte thou heare ioye in thy harte, and no terror at thyne eare.

2. In generall, we knowe it is better to heare then to speake. And in spirituall con­templation, excepte we first heare what God saith to our harte, how can we hartily speake to him with our mouthe? according as in nature wee see him that is borne dea­fe to be euer dumbe. Allso among men, he that heares as a good scholler, practiseth Silence, Beleefe, Humilitie, and obedience▪ but he that is speaking as a paynful Teacher, must labor with his voyce; he must be carefull that he speake to good pur­pose for others, without falsehood or flattery; and he must be heedfull to himselfe, least his speach fauour of pride, or vaynglorie. Wherfore in S. Ihon it is said. The freind of the spouse doth stande & heare him: and S. Augustin there notes that if we heare dutifully we are freinds of Christe: and by hearing we stande more stedfast, Ioan. 3. wher­as he that is speaking is alwayes in danger by his wordes to fall into some folly.

3. Wherfore, o lord, doo thou speake vnto my soule, the wisdome of thy miste­ryes; the comforte of thy promises; and the desires of thy loue: o let me heare the musique of thy voyce in all these harmonyes: and last of all, S. Greg. let me heare that swete close of happynes venite benedicti: come you blessed. There is ioye & gladnes. In the soules felicity is ioye: & in the bodyes immortality is gladnes: as the propet said, in their owne country they shall possesse double benefites. Then our bones, Esay. 49. that is our ver­tues shall reioyce: now they may be despised of worldlinges, or of Diuels assaulted: but if now they so humbled; then they shalbe crowned.

4. Thy prophet Nathā, hath let me heare the pardō of my guilt, & so the release of eternal paynes▪ but he hath left a tēporal pūishmēt stil vpō me▪ Vega that the sword shal not depart [Page 56] my house &c. o let me heare allso the relaxation of these temporall calamityes. For as in euery sinne, S. Tho. 1 2. q. 87. art. 4. Et in sent· 4. d. 15. a. 4. Dyō. Car­thus. Ti­telma. there is auersion from God, & Conuersion to some creature; so it hath a double punishment: first because so we forsake him who is infinitely Good: and for our conuersion to creatures sensible punishments are due, because we were too much delighted in transitory vanityes. O mercifull Iesu! let me haue ioye for the re­mission of eternall payne, and gladnes for the pardon of temporall punishments. Or ioye for sinne pardoned, and gladnes for grace restored. In euery sorte for all my sin­nes, let my conscience be fully pacifyed, which till I was conuerted would neuer suffer me to liue without feare or disquiet.

THE IOYES AND GLADNES OF GOOD men, different from those of sinners: with a harty reioycing of the Author for his Co [...]uersion. Sect. 6.

1. THere is a hearing of faithe, which bringes vs to giue obedience & prayses▪ and there is a hearing of wordes by reading or preaching: Hugo Cardinal. Innocent. 3. Rom. 10. Psal. 84. Math. 5 Psal. 83. the firste is inward leading to ioye: the second is outward directing to gladnes. Or the outwarde bringes vs to the inwarde, and after both we come to ioye & gladnes. Wherfore, o my soule, seeke to encrease faith by hearing outwardly; and allso doo thou heare what our lord speaketh within thee: o seeke ioye in the pardon of thy sinnes; & desire gladnes in the promise of rewarde. A wicked man can haue no true ioye: but they may reioyce whose reward is plenteous in heauen: such a harte may haue ioye; and such a bodie may haue gladnes: as Dauid saith elsewhere my harte & my flesh haue reioyced in our liuing God, the harte hath ioye beleuing it selfe purged from [...]irituall pollution, and the body hath gladnes feeling it selfe cleansed from carnall co [...]uption.

2. In these shall our humbled bones reioyce: not so much of the body, as of the min­de: yet alas how few reioyce spiritually! and how many are full of mirthe carnally? but the end of such mirthe is sorowe because they are glad when they haue done ill: and they recoyce in the worste thinges: Prou 14. Ioan. 14. wheras to the other it is said, Aske & you shall receiue, that your ioye may be full, and your ioye shall none take from you. It is exceeding hard to or­der and subordinate any ioye of this life, to that ioye which is in our lorde: the one doth diminish or endanger the other: but carnall and spirituall ioyes can neuer dwell together; and of these S. Ierome said, that neuer any passed from delightes on earthe, to ioyes in heauen. Sara broughte not forthe Isaac, which signifyes mirthe, till she was olde, that is, till carnall pleasures be mortifyed we cannot conceiue any spirituall ioyes, nor can this spirituall Isaac agree with fleshly Ismael, who instead of mirthe is but a mocker: wherfore let vs banish this sonne of the bondwoman, for wheras the ioye of wordlinges is said in the scriptures to haue a crowne of roses which are but flo­wres that will fade, Sap. 2. Psal. 20. the crowne of Gods seruantes is said to be of precious stones, which are euer of value and cannot wither.

3. How should we expresse, o my soule, the ioye and gladnes which we haue inward­ly tasted, since we were reconciled to God. we are neither able worthely to giue thankes for it; nor sufficiently to expresse it: only let vs most humbly beseech our gracious lorde to continue vs this mercy, which verily is alone more worthe then all the kingdomes, riches, & delightes of the whole worlde. And I dare vpon my soule assure any sinner or misbeleeuer, who shall with contrition make a sincere confes­sion, [Page 57] reconciling himselfe to God & his Churche, that presently he shall find him­selfe so disburdened, and so comforted, that he woulde not at that instante for all the worlde retourne agayne to his former estate.

4. O how proper is that speach of holy S. Bernard to our heauenly father! Quando c [...]r nostrum visitas tunc ei lucet▪ veritas, vilescit mundi vanitas, & intus feruet charitas. O my harte! when God doth visite thee, then shines to thee his veritie, the worlde appeares ba­se vanitie, and in thee boiles heauens charitie. I can wish my best freindes no better, then to taste and see how sweete our lorde is: whersoeuer I may find a Nathanael I cannot chuse but tell him I haue found the Messias; let him come and see: vnto his hearing and to his harte he shall receiue ioye & gladnes. And if his bones (that is, the best fa­cultyes of his minde) be humbled sincerely, they shalbe wonderfully reioyced. This hast thou experienced o my soule, for whiles thy bones would mooue and stand vpon their owne strenghte, and still trust to their owne skill, I could find no ease, nor any rest; for alwayes I felte somewhat was out of ioynte: but since they were humbled to obedience of faith, and submitted to the instruction and direction of the Catholique churche, O what rest! what ease! & what reioycing of bones! for here be the best b [...]nesetters of a contrite soule: now I feele no former doubtes: nor wonted feares: I haue all quiet; and all assurance: the truthe shynes cleare, the worlde seemes base, the charity and loue of God shed abroad in our hartes is so confortable, that it is vnspea­kable. O what inwarde ioye, what true gladnes! O swete Iesu when thou entrest into a penitent publicanes house, thy father comes with thee, and thy holy spiritie comes with thee. O blessed Trinity! come daily into my poore harte with the riches of thy grace, and ioyne me vnto thee, that as our Sauiour prayed vs all, so I allso may be one with you, not one in substance: but one in humble & obedient vnitie of will, and one in deuout & feruent vnitie of 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 th [...]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 sēding 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 fac [...]: 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: Innocent. 3. 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 e [...]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 dec [...]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, S. Aug. 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 [...]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, Hugo Car­dinal. P [...]al. 129 E [...]ch. 41 and we shall be safe: but turne away thy face of iustice, or we shalbe 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 [Page 59] 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, Apoc. 1. 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. Cant. 2. 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. Pet. vega. 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 infāte is tabula abrasa, like white paper, Arist. de anima lib. 3. cap. 2. 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 handw [...]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, 1. Iean. 3. To this end appeared the sonne of God, to dissolue the workes 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, Lyranus. as are naturall [Page 60] formes out of their substances or matter: but our soule had lost all his morall essence, or Being of grace: Hugo Cardinal. Ezech. 28 Ierem. 5. 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 res [...]ste sinne: for to haue no harte is to be dead and to haue no life. But in creating my harte; I [...]ha [...]l [...]e­couer both life and wisedome: Math. 5. and by creati [...]g me a cleane harte ▪ I may be among those blessed, who shall see God.

S. Greg.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 peruer [...]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: no [...] houering with pride. Or if we heare any of these clamorous affections within vs, yet not take pleasure, nor giue consent to their allu [...]ing voyces: not a whitte to feele them: who can say he hath a cleane harte? Prou. [...]0. 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 inju [...]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 [...]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 vertu [...] and grace may be s [...]id created, as neither compounded of any mate­rial substance; no [...] deriued therfrom But yet being Accidentall formes they are not created alone, [...]ut existing in some subiect: and so Deuines say, Gratia non creatur, sed concreatur subjecto inesse grato.

Euthym.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; Hugo Car. 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 shalbe created, & thou shalte renue the face of the earthe. Psal. 13.

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. Innocēt. 3 Psal. 142. 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, [...]. Reg. 10 defecit spiritus meus; our spirite fayleth vs: let vs beseech our lord to Renue our spi­rite. [Page 61] O Iesu create in vs a cleane harte, Math. [...]5. 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: Eccl [...]siast. 30. 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 hart [...] 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, Lib. con­fess. 3. c. 6. 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. Arist. in Eth. l. 3. c. 1. 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, Psal. 11. 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. Vega. 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 [Page 62] 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: Cap. 2. 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, 1. Reg. 14 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: Hugo Car­dinal. Ierem. 7. 2. par. 25. 1. Reg. 25. 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 shalbe 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, S. Gregor. 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, In leuit. 26. 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.

[Page 63]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 excōmuncation: 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 the [...]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 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-sūne, 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 d [...]caye: o let me euer be tur­ned toward thy face.

7 Pliny writes of a birde named Coladion which brought to a sicke body, Lib. 9. cap. 42. 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, Tullius de natura deor. lib. [...]. Zach. 9. 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 shalbe 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, S. Aug. 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 frō 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; 1. Cor. 10. 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 [Page 64] 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 [...]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 shalbe 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 wel [...] set budde, and continue to a kind ripe frui­te. Saint Paul saying, There is reserued for me a crowne of iustice. Saint Bernard enqui­reth, 2. Tim. 4. 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, Ad soro­ [...]em. 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, Confess. lib. 8. c. 11. 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 when the storme is passed, the vowe is forgotten, & the Saynt is beguiled? or they are soone weary of well dooing, they must needes go backe to the flespottes of E­gipte. Non discēdunt à peccatis sed recedunt: non desinunt sed relaxant, these go not awaie from sinne, they doo but go aside; they do not cease but slacken their iniquityes. Their time [Page 65] of amendement is but like a parenthesis in a speache (being only in [...]erposed as in the by) after which he presently followeth his former discourse [...]r as a mad mery com­pany at table, full of wyne and good cheare, and more full of immoderate mirthe & laughter, swearing, & scoffing, and telling of lew de tales, vntill peraduenture some body amongest them at the end of their meale at leastwise for custome say a grace: and then all putting off their hattes, euery one for shame (if he haue any) beginnes to set himselfe for a more sober countenance, except some (like a Puritan) holde his hatte before his eyes to dissemble and couer his continued laughter: But so soone as the grace is ended, as men paste grace, they presently returne to their vnruly reuell. Such are they who faste a daye, and become gluttons a whole weeke: who are absti­nent in lent; and all the yeare after luxurious: who are demure at sermons, & lasci­uious in chambers: who in his prayers turnes vp the white of his eye; and presently in his dealing woulde teare out his neighbors harte: who is sober or continent for a few dayes about Easter, or any other time, to come to the blessed Sacrament, but ere long after, he returnes to his quaffing potte, or to his cursed harlotte: Or whosoe­uer else beginnes to be a penitent; and before his end growes weary and faynte. From all these faylers, the grace of the sacramentes is subtracted, the giftes of the holy spi­rite are taken away, and deseruedly they are caste out from the face of our lord.

MEDITATION VIII.

Redde mihi laetitiam salutaris tui: & spiritu principali confirma me. Docebo iniquos vias tuas: & impij ad te conuertentur.

Restore vnto me the ioye of thy saluation: & with thy principall spi­rite confirme me. I shall teach thy wayes vnto the wicked: & the vngod­ly will be conuerted vnto thee.

IESVS IS THE IOYE OF OVR SALVATlON, which a sorowfull soule desireth to be restored, and a confortable soule prayeth to be continued. Sect. 1.

1. VEspasian the Emperor was called deliciae hominum? Delighte of men: because he ga­ue such curteous answers to all, that neuer any went from him di [...]contented. Eutrop. But with much more truthe and reason doo we call lord Iesus the Ioye of our Saluation, of whom neuer any asked hartily pardon and conforte, Luc 19. Ioan. 3. Apoc. 1. Rom. 4. Esai [...]3. Rom 8. Philip. who w [...]nt away denyed or grei­ued. He came to heale the sicke; to [...]eeke the loste; not to condemne, but to saue the wor de; that whosoeuer beleeueth in him, should haue life euerlasting: w [...]o hath w ished vs from our sinnes in his ow [...]e bloud: who dyed for our offences, and ro [...]e agayne for our ju [...]tific [...]tion, who verily did beare our infirmityes, and our sorowes he did vndergoe: who was wounded for our iniquityes, afflicted for our wickednes, and by his tortures we are h [...]aled. Allmighty God not sparing his only sonne: and he being God equall to his Father, not ref [...]sing to become man, and to dye for vs, not his freindes, nor his seruantes, but his enem [...]es, and slaues vnto the Diuell; redeeming vs from hell and damnation, to be equal [...] with Angells, and heyres with himselfe of eternall glory. Wherfore, o my soule, [Page 66] I will glory in our lorde; and I will rejoyce in God my Iesus: for in all these pointes reci­ted He is the Ioye of my Saluation.

Eccles. 112. Lighte is pleasing and confortable, d [...]kenes is irkesome and odious: of lighte co­mes de [...]ighte; but blacknes followes desperation. He that neuer before saw lighte, yet loues the sunne at first sighte: Tob. 5. But blind Tobias, who had seene daye, sittes musing with himselfe, o what a Ioye would it be to recouer mine eyes! who now sitte in darkenes, and see no lighte of heauen. Holy Dauid had seene much lighte of heauen: for euen now he said The doubtefull and hidden thinges of thy wisedome thou hast manifested vnto me. The wisdome of God, we knowe, is the Sonne of God: And was there, or is there any thing more doubtfull in nature, then God to become man? or more hidden to reason, then for him so to redeeme the worlde by suffering on the crosse? wherfore these hidden doubtfull secretes are called a stumbling blocke to the Iewes, as thinges ignominious & shamefull, & are estemed folly by the Gentiles, as matters impossible and [...]idiculous: for to flesh and bloud without faith they are doubtfull & hidden. Vnto Dauid as a Prophet these doub­tes and secrets were in some sorte reuealed: he knew the Messias should procede of his linage: and aboue all he expected (whiles he was in Gods fauour) to be partaker of the Benefites of his redemption: but hauing fallen into sinne, he perceiued himselfe to be go­ne out of the ioye of lighte, into the horror of darkenes, and not to haue any parte of saluation in those gracious promises. Therfore desirous of his former estate, he doth aptely praye: Restore vnto me the Ioye of thy saluation: and fearfull any more to susteyne 2 like losse, he carefully addeth, And with thy principall spirite confirme me, vid: least [...] fall agayne.

3. O mercifull God how long haue we sitte in darkenes and in the shadowe of death [...] ▪ vntill by thy bowells of me [...]cy thy morning starre from aboue, hath visited our hartes in the Ioye of saluation; and enlightened our mindes to guide our feete into the way of peace. To come from hellishe darkenes to lighte from aboue, is Ioye of heauen. To be taken out of the shadowe of death, into the way of peace, is saluation of Iesus. O swete Sauiour by thy bowels of mercy we beseech thee to visite vs in this Ioye; and to enlighten vs in this saluation: then shall thy seruante departe in peace, when myne eyes doo beholde thy sal­uation.

4. Saluation and Ioye, are well joyned: for euen the future hope of saluation hath pre­sent possession of ioye; for who doth firmely hope to be saued, he doth cherfully rejoyce in his hope: But S. I [...]rome translating this Ioye of saluation, to be Ioye of Iesus, he doth in­clude much more: for in Iesus are conteyned all the infinite theasures of the Deity, and of our felicity: vnto Iesus is committed all power in heauen and in earthe: Iesus is the brightnes of eternall lighte: Iesus is the figure and substance of his Father: Iesus is the ho­pe of Israell and of the nations: Iesus is kinge of kinges and lorde o [...] lordes: Iesus is Prince of peace: Iesus is the wisdome of his Father: Iesus is beautifull aboue the sonnes of men: Iesus is the glorious sunne of justice: Iesus is the way, truthe, and life: Iesus is the water and founteyn of life: Iesus hath the wordes of life: Iesus is the bread of life: Iesus is the Father of the poore, the mother of the afflicted, and the Brother of the patient: Iesus is a glasse of chastity without spotte; a highe watchtowre of all vertues; and a Citadell or armory of perfection: Iesus is the clearenes of Angells: Iesus is the contemplation of the Patriarkes: Iesus is the illuminati of the prophets: Iesus is the leuell and Rule of the Apo­stles: Iesus is the Doctor of the Euangelistes: Iesus is the maister of the Doctors: Iesus is the victory of m [...]rtyrs: Iesus is the corage of Confessors: Iesus is the spouse of Virgins▪ Ie [...]us is the head of all Catholique christians: Iesus is the rewarde & crowne of all Sayn­tes: Iesus is the mediator of God and all men: Iesus is to vs cause and coniunction of Ioye [Page 67] and saluation, by vniting in one, God and man, and so becoming our Iesus.

5. O joyfull Iesu: O Sauiour Iesu; O most louing and bountifull Iesu: most delectable & comfortable Iesu: most meeke and mercifull Iesu: O Iesu the saluation of them who be­leeue in thee: O Iesu the Ioye of them which hope in thee: O Iesu, Iesu, the bond and vnion of Ioye & saluation vnto them which loue thee. O giue them saluation who haue none; re­store them to Ioye who haue loste what they hadde: and to whom thou hast vouchsafed thy selfe, O swete Iesus, least they should loose such a treasure, Confirme them for euer with thy principall spirite. O let my soule in such loue and resolute affection towardes thee (O deare Iesus) be like his who was content to endure any calamity, or to go into hell it selfe, if there it were possible to dwell with Iesus: But o detphes! such is the pre­sence of the vertue of Iesus; that hell with him, would turne into heauen; for in Iesus is Ioye and saluatiō, of certeyn security of secure eternity, of eternall quietnes, of quiet hap­pynes, of happy swetenes, of swete Ioye, and Ioyefull saluation. O giue me this Ioye of thy saluation and confirme me in the same by thy principall spirite.

THE NOBILITY OF A PRINCIPALL SPIRIT, perseuering to finishe constantly, what it hath begonne generously. Sect. 2.

1. IT is no lesse vertue to reteyne what we haue gotten, then to obteyne what we wanted: therfore confirme vs, as Ecclesiasticus said of wisdome; so may we say of this Ioye: they who doo drinke therof doo thirste for more; Eccles. 24 not as dronkardes for wyne, or couetous men for riches: but for the heauenly comforte of righteousnes spirituall just men doo desire to be more juste. So S. Paul forgot what was behind him, endeuoring still forward: and counselleth all, to holde out to the end of the race, Philip. 2. 1. Cor. 9. or else we should fayle of our Garlánd. S. Francis after many yeares of his stricte life, & after our L. Iesus had honored him so miraculously which the markes of his fiue woundes; and not long before his death he calls to his holy companions Incipiamus fratres &c. In vita e­ius. c. 14. Let vs beginne good brethren to serue our lord God, for hitherto we haue profited little: such was his humility not glorying in what was paste; and in desire of proceding such was his feruency.

2. As in naturall philosophie, thoughe the matter doth much desire his naturall forme; yet the forme desireth much more to be ioyned to his [...]aturall matter; for the first desireth it of naturall necessity; the second of naturall goodnes: so the loue of God like the forme of our perfection doth more seeke to helpe vs, thē we can or doo desire his assistance: for our forcible necessity driues vs to him; and it is his owne goodnes which drawes him to vs: but alwayes voluntary goodnes is more effectuall then compulsory force; for good inclination continueth, when necessary compulsion ceaseth. And therfore our gracious Lorde who hath no nede of our seruice, yet doth he helpe vs to labour, because he woulde giue vs a rewarde.

3. And considering his readynes to helpe vs, it is our faulte if we faynte: Luc. 9. Gen. 19. Philip. 1. Gemin. lib 5. cap. 69. hauing our hand at the plowe, we may not looke backe to Sodome; for S. Paul saith, he whoe hath begunne in vs a good worke will perfect it, vntill the daie of Iesus Christe: wherfor we must expecte & continue vntill his dayes, not like the leoparde who seazeth vpon his praye by skipping and iumping; but if he misse at twoo or three of the firste skip­pes, he followeth no further: O let vs not be such as either will come to perfection of deuotion per saltum, and to their desires of holynes at the firste leapes, or else [Page 68] they leaue of, and doo despayre. It is pride, to seke to mounte with the eagle before we be full fethered: Prouer. 6. & it is slothfullnes not to continue like the poore Ant, which weareth a pathe in a harde stone, with often passing ouer it: Rather, we must expect our Lord, Psal. 83. worke manfullie, & we shall be comforted, walking from vertue to vertue, vntill we may beholde our God of Gods in Sion. We must worke manfully, with all our power, according to our present ability and strenghte of grace: we must expect patiently, and pray without ceasing for further ability and force; so we shalbe comforted in our labour, and in our prayer; so we shall go forwarde from vertue to vertue; and so at last ascend from grace to glory, from Sinay to Sion, and from among men who liue as Gods, vnto him who is a great king aboue all Gods; from trauell of our jor­ney to the rest of eternity, from the desire of faith, to the possession of hope, & to the fruition of charity, which abideth for euer and euer worlde without end.

Tit [...]lma.4. O confirme me with this principall spirite: vidz: of a prince, or of a king, to be ge­nerous, magnanimous, & heroycall against all difficultyes, which woulde hinder my continuance, or proceding in thy seruice. O giue me this principall spirite to gouerne and rule all my affections, and passions, which woulde at any time disquiet me. With helpe of this spirite, and by the speciall assistance of allmighty God (and not without these) can a just man perseuere in his iustice: Concil. Triden. de iustif. c. 23.13. & Can. 22. if a ship at sea haue no winde at all, it must wafte with the waues: And so shall we be tossed and caryed by our affections & tentations, if throughe our defaulte this spirite and deuine breath doo forsake vs. Wherfore relying vpon this as in humility we may not distruste, so in presumption that we haue this spirite, we may not be secure. O let vs not to soone suppose our selues healed enoughe by satisfaction, least remitting and slacking our mindes from a carefull garde and watche vpon our hartes, so we come to fall soone, because we imagine our estate safe: S. Greg. We must say as it is in another psalme: O let my harte rejoyce, that it may feare thy name, for filiall feare to offend will euer kepe vs in ioye not to haue offended: Psal. 85. Psal. 32. and true spirituall ioy for our pardon, wil neuer make vs carelesse of our faultes. Wherfore as the heauens are 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 ver [...]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. S. Aug. S. Amb. Apol. Da­ [...]id c. 13. & 15. 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, [Page 69] 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, Amos. 3. Heb. 12. treasuring vp iniquitie & robb [...]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, Esay. 66. 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; S. Ambr. of a discrete schoole mai­ster [Page 70] is about dull or vnruly wittes; & of an experienced Capteyn is among fearfull or disordered soldyers: So our Sauiour came to heale the sick [...], & to binde vp the bro­ken harted; S. Aug. 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; S. Greg. & 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.

Hug. Car.3. Obserue notwithstanding that firste we must desire to be cōuerted & 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: Luc. 24. 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: In Ezech. lib. 2. hom 21. Prou. 19. 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 thou giuest as a nur­se; and to worke what thou commandest as a laborer. For Salomon calls him slug­garde who hides his hande in his bosome & will not put it to his mouthe, not so much for meate, as to performe with his hande what he speakes with his mouthe. And thus let vs folowe S. Peters aduise, As euery one haue receiued grace, so to em­ploye it towardes others: 1. Pet. 4. in grace of speache; & grace of action: that as the holy gho­ste appeared in fashion of a tongue, so allso, he is called in holy scriptures Digitus Dei the finger of God, Luc. 12. our Sauiour saying he caste out diuells by the finger of God, that is, by the vertue of the holie spirite, which is a finger of action, as well as a tongue of speache: that as our coūtryman venerable Bede hath written a Treatise teaching men to speake or expresse their mindes, by the signes & motions of their fingers (as we vse to talke with dumbe me [...]) so we shoulde learne according to our English phrase to handle our tongues well. i. by the workes of our handes to make good the wordes of our tongue. For otherwise that accusation of Ieremy will fall vpon vs, mendacium o­peratus est, Ierem. 8. we haue wroughte alye, whiles our bad actions doo falsefye our good spe­ches; or when we doo good for hypocrisy not for sincerity; it is a monstrous lye: be­cause ordinary lyes are spoken; but such a lye is wroughte: operatus esi mendacium, a lye with a wroughte latchet, which may be seene. Contrarywise a true seruante of God, & one who will teach his fellowe seruantes the iuste & complete will of his maister, he must learne Salomons lesson: Read my lawe as the apple of thine eye, vidz: with attention And write it on thy fingers, namely, in execution: so the prophet saith the worde of our lorde was made in the hande of Aggaeus; where he mentioneth ma­king of it in his hande, for reuealing of it to his knowledge, because our knowledge is vayne without practise: as in Geometry & the Mathematiques one quarter of an howres practicall demonstration will make you to vnderstand more then a whole [Page 71] weekes theoricall study: and as the 7. planets giue more influence then the fixed starres, because the one are fixed in their spheres, and the other haue their peculiar motions; for influence procedeth from lighte & motion, not from lighte alone: and therfore we must like S. Ihon Baptiste as well burne & mooue in heate of charity, as shyne & stand still in lighte of faith. Not as the Lacedimonian of the nightingall, to haue a sweete voyce only, and nothing else. Nor Iacobs milde voyce, & Esaus roughe handes. Nor as Agis said of a witty Sophister that when he helde his peace he had no­thing good in him. Or as Stratonicus cōming by a fountyen asked of the inhabitan­tes nexte it, whether the water were good? they answered: we vse to drinke of it. Thē saith he, it is like to be naughte, for your faces & complexions seeme to be corrup­ted: iudging of their founteyne by the operation & effectes therof: as we likewise shall be discerned by our deedes, what is in the founteyn of our hartes.

WHAT BE THE WAYES OR PROCEE­dinges of our iustification: & what faith doth teache vs in these wayes. Sect 5.

1. WHerfore least penitent or thirsty men shoulde drinke of corrupted founteynes, I will directe as many as I can, to the cleare waters of healthfull doctrine, whose springes are only within the boundes of the Carholique churche. I will teach the wicked thy wayes; vidz: such as haue bene in wickednes of sin­ne, or of heresye, I will shew them thy wa [...]es of iustification.

2. I will teach them, that somtime thy lawes and thy wayes are called iustifications praying with Dauid I woulde my wayes mighte be directed to keepe thy iustifications. Psal 118. 2. sō ­time they are said to be iustifyed who are only declared to be iuste, which is imputa­tiue righteousnes, wherof Esay said: wo be to you who doo iustifye the wicked for bribes. 3. somtime for the first iustification, or obteyning of iustice vnto a sinner; Esay. 5. wherof S. Paul saith whom God calleth, he iustif [...]e [...]h. 4. somtime for encrease or proceeding in further iustice, which is called a second iustification of one allready iuste; Rom. 8. Iacob 2. Apoc 22. of which S. Iames speaketh, concluding that a man is iustifyed by workes, and not by faith only: and S. Ihon willeth him who is iuste to be further instifyed.

3. I will teach them that the end of our iustification is the Glory of God, & the sal­uation of our soules. That the cheife efficient cause of our iustification is the Good­nes & Mercy of God: the efficient by-way of merite, is the passion of Christe: Concil. Triden. sess. 6. c. 7. Ephes. 1 [...] the ef­ficient by-way of instrument vnited, is the humanity of Christe: the efficient by-way of instrument separate, are the Worde, Sacramentes, & their Administers. The ma­teriall cause or subiect of our iustification, is the minde of man, es [...]ecially the will, wherin this iustice is wroughte & remayneth. The formall cause in habite intrinsecall, is the habite of grace or charity infused: in habite extrinsecall, or exemplar, Car. Bel­lar. de iu­stif. lib. 1. cap. 2. 1. Cor. 15. it is the very iustice of our Sauiour Christe, in which S. Paul admonisheth vs we shoulde beare the image of the celestiall man, i. Christe; as we haue borne the image of the terrestriall man, Adam; But the formall cause in Acte, are good workes; which in one respecte are the Effectes of our iustice; and in another haue allso so efficiency in our iustification; as likewise haue feare, faith, hope, loue, & repentance; all which laste, as dispositions preparing our minde & will, doo euery one in some sorte iustifye. I will teach them that faith necessary to iustification, is not to be restreyned only to the promises of [Page 72] Gods mercy; but it must beleeue all Truthe which God hath taughte; And that faith is seated principally in the vnderstanding, & not in the will as a confidence; for so it should be all one with hope; And that in the vnderstanding it is a firme assent vnto all thinges which God propoundeth to be beleeued; and not a knowledge of them.

4. Touching the firste: Our Sauiour in the holy Go [...]pells, and in the Epistles, and Actes of the Apostles, they doo often require other pointes of faith to be beleeued, beside the promises of mercy: Math. 9. Math. 16. Ioan. 14. Act. 2. & 4.1. cor. 15. Ephes. 3. as that Ch [...]iste is omnipotent: that he is the Sonne of God: that he is God and man; and the true Messias: that he was crucifyed, and rose agayne &c. & so all the other Articles of the Apostles Creede (whatsoeuer the Caluinistes say to the contrary) are poyntes of justifying faith w [...]thout beleefe wherof no man can be saued; and yet moste of them perte [...]ne to other matters then to promises of mercy.

5. Touching the second: that faith is an assent of the vnderstanding in beleefe; not a con­fidence of the will, which perteyne [...] to hope: and therfore S. Paul saith that in Christe Ie­su we haue truste and accesse in confidence through his faith: therfore faith is not a truste or confidence, Lib. de praed [...]st. SS. cap. 2. Intert. ses d. 26. [...] 1. q. 5. but the cau [...]e of truste and confidence, which we get throughe faith. And S. Augustin saith: Credere, nihil aliud est nisi cun assensu [...]ogitar [...]: to beleeue is no [...]hing else, but to thinke of a matter with assent therunto And S. Bonauenture maketh a double certe­inty; one of faith in the vnderstanding; anothe [...] of hope in the will: By the fi [...]ste, we be­leeue firmely as true all propositions of Gods worde in generall▪ and by the second, we haue good confidence in the particuler application of those thinges which may perteyne to our selues, as good for vs: For attingimus Deum we are joyned or doo reach vnto God ▪ only by our vnderstanding and our will: [...]ane [...]yro. discep. 9. p. 2. in our vnderstanding is faith: and because our will considers thinges; eyther as juste, and so we loue them, or as p [...]ofitable, and so we desire them; therfore in ou [...] will is both hope expecting our heauenly profitable Good; [...]harity louing all that is equally just: And so we haue the 3. Theologicall vertues: faith: hope and charity.

6. In the thirde poynte: Faith is not a distincte knowledge; but an obedient assent cap­tiuating the vnderstanding to the obedience of faith: for where there is a playne know­ledge of truthe, 2. cor. 10. it needeth not to captiuate the vnderstanding to obedience: Therfore the Apostle twice reckoneth knowledge & faithe, as two seuerall giftes of God: and the common phrase is oportet discentem credere. 1. cor. 12. 1. cor. 13. A learner must beleeue, viz: such thinges as he doth not or cannot vnderstand. S. Hilary said, It hath rather a rewarde, then neede of pardon to be i [...]norante what thou beleeuest: as in the mistery of the Trinity. Saint Prosper alled­ging those wordes of scripture Excepte you beleeue, De Trini. lib 8. Esay 7. Censess. l. you shall not vnderstand, collecteth thence, that faith procedeth not of vnderstanding, but vnderstanding cometh f [...]om faith: and S. Augu [...]tin accordingly prayed, credam vt intelligam, non intelligam vt credam ▪ o Lor­de let me beleeue, that so I may vnderstand, not by vnderstanding to beleeue: w [...]erfore faith going before know [...]edge, is not all one with knowledge: For firste there is appre­hension: next is Assent (which twoo togeather make faith) and thirdly is knowledge; n [...]w in [...]arte; and hereafter fully, when fides shall be vides; when we shall knowe as we are knowne.

7 Note al [...]so, that this apprehension is ey ther indistincte and in grosse; or it is euident and particuler: this laste is neither necessary, nor enoughe vnto faith the firste is necessa­ry, but not enoughe; for both of them must haue Assent. Therfore if a country-man, or oth [...]r ignorante playne soule doo giue his firme Assent to that which he apprehendes but grossely, he hath faith; wheras a heathen philosopher, or other cunning Clarke▪ [...]houghe he haue neuer so cleare an apprehension, yet he hath no faith, if he haue not assent and credite to that which he vnderstandeth: wherfore faith consisteth more in Assenting obe­dience, [Page 73] then in vnderstanding knowledge.

8. Likewise this Assent is double: De vtili­tate cred. cap. 11. eyther grounded on reason and the euidence of the matter; or vpon the authority of the Teacher. The firste may be called knowledge: but the latter is properly faith. So saith S. Augustin That which we vnderstand, we [...] we it vnto reason; but what we beleeue, vnto Auctority. And yet thus, thoughe faith be not know­ledge; yet is knowledge both profitable to encrease out loue of God, and commendable in them who desire so to profite. And therfore with Dauid I will teach the wicked in mat­ters of faith what to beleue, yeilding their Assent to the infallibility of the churche: and in matters of knowledge how to vnderstand by illustration of argumentes grounded vpon reason: for these are the wayes of God and of certeyn truthe; which if they be not sen­sibly demonstrable to fleshly eyes, yet are they euidently credible to spirituall hartes. Thus I will teach thy wayes, which are thy iustifications.

HOW MANY OTHER PATHES DOO LEAD vnto the wayes of iustification: and that we are not iustifyed by faith only. Sect. 6.

ANd the vngodly will be conuerted vnto thee. How shall a wicked heretique or igno­rante man learne thy wayes of truthe? By obedient faith. How shall an vngodly Ca­tholique or a lewde sinner be conuerted vnto thee in a good life? By iustifying faith. It is faith which beginnes first to iustifye a sinner: and secondly allso the iuste shall liue by his faith. In matter of our iustification alwayes faith must be one: yet only faith doth neuer iustifye. Neither firste as the only Disposition vnto iustice: nor 2. as the only formall cause of our iustice: nor 3. as the only encreaser or preseruer of our iustice.

2. Luther on the Galathians once said that faith is our formall iustice for which a man is iustifyed making faith an essentiall cause of our iustification. Cap. 2. But since all protestants re­iect that saying, and make it only a bare instrument, as a hande receiuing an almes: and so to iustifye vs only relatiuely. Yet touching the concurrence of other vertues and good workes, the Electorall Wittembergians or softer Lutherans following Melancthon (with whom herein concurreth Caluin) they require the presence of good workes as necessary signes and fruites of faith; yet denying them to haue any efficiency vnto iustification. But the Saxonians and harder Lutherans following Illyricus deny any necessity of good wor­kes to iustification; either in presence; or in efficience; alledging these sayinges of Luther, Faith doth iustefye without and before charity: and in his disputation, Galath. 2. Tom. 2. Proposi [...]. 3. whither workes a­uayle to iustification, he auoucheth That faith, excepte it be without the least workes, doth not iustefye; nor is faith. These and many other be their particuler dissentions among themselues, thoughe against Catholiques good workes they all conspire, That only faith iustifyeth.

3. But the Councell of Trent▪ beside faith which is the firste Disposition, Sess. 6. c. 6. requireth allso Dispositions of feare; hope; loue; penitence; a purpose of vsing the necessary Sacramentes▪ and a purpose of a new life in obseruing Gods commandements. The firste then is faith: as S. Paul saith, It behooueth him that cometh to God to beleeue that he is, Heb. 11. and that he is a iust Iudge and a punisher of euill: and a mercifull father and rewarder of good. Out of the one procedeth nexte, feare, which likewise as well as faith, is an introduction or disposition to iustification. For Ecclesias. saith, He that is without feare cannot be justifyed: Eccles. 1. Cap. 26. and Esay saith, From thy feare we haue conceiued & brought forthe the spirite of saluation.

[Page 74] Rom. 8.4. Then from beholding of mercy and rewarde thirdely groweth Hope, which likewise doth iustefye as the Apostle expressely speaketh we are saued by hope, and in the psalmes often They shall be saued & de [...]iuered because they hoped in God. Psal. 36. & 90. &c Fourthly after hoping for Good, foloweth [...]oue of the Benefactor, which loue is before remission of sinnes; eyther in time (if it be an imperfecte loue only beginning) or in nature (if it be perfecte in all ou [...] harte abounding) as our Sauiour said to S. Mary Magdalen Manie sinnes are forgiuen thee, Luc. 7. because thou hast loued much: and althoughe perfect loue is not in vs, till we haue the holy ghoste fully dwelling in vs; 2. Cor. 7. S. Ioan. 3. S. Ioan. 20. Cap. 18. 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 cont [...]i [...]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: Math. 22 Origen. Tract. 20. in math. S. Hilar. [...]an. 22. [...]n math. [...]. Hiero. ibidem S. Greg. ho. 38 in euā. S. Suc. 10. S. Math. 12. & 24. S. Iac 2. Doct. Sta. Promp. Cathol. Dom. 12. post Pent. Luther in pro. epist. Iac. &c. Bren. in Conf. wit­tēberg. c. de sacra. s [...]ri Eras. in Annot. Mag. Cen 1. l. 2. c. 4. [...]. [...]xā. Se [...]. 4. Il­l [...]ric. [...]la. [...]ri. part. 2. [...]ra. 6▪ therfore this allso doth h [...]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 Do [...]ers of the will of God shalbe 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 s [...]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 Lu [...]her & diuerse of his folowers did. And Illyricus shameth not to say of all scriptures requiring good workes, that when certyen excessi [...]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 boaste [...] 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 conueni [...]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 [Page 75] thinges are necessary vnto our iustification & saluation, Tit. de [...] ­per. 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, & sōtime another, according as occasion is offered. And so the holy scripture doth not exclude what it concealeth, but doth require what it expresseth: De fide & oper. c. 13. & 23. 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 Aba­c [...]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, & iudgemēt: his footesteps are hope & feare. O happy soules in whom are imprinted the steppes of both these feete! and this happynes t [...]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 cō ­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 & inwarde man [Page 76] much more vnsetled.

4. Therfore I will teach the wicked presumer thy wayes in thy footesteps of feare, and the vngodly mistruster shall be conuerted vnto thee in thy harbour of hope: Psal. 100. and so we will sing of mercie together and of iudgement vnto thee O lorde. And so likewise let the iuste man reprehend me in mercy, and chyde me. The vines are made fruitfull, both by cutting of their superfluous branches, and by adding to their rootes necessary & norishing dunge. Profitable reprehension is a proyning knife of vnprofitable imper­fections; & for necessary vertues a milde admonition is a manuring of mercy. Wher­fore woe vnto them, Ecclesiast. 22. said the Wiseman, who turne the dunge of oxen into stones, nor let me euer be made fatte with the oyle of sinners. Let me neuer growe abundante in vice by the softe oyley flattery of worldly freindes: nor at any time turne the fruitfull dunge of good counselors, into harde stones of obstinacy. Rather let them teach me me thy wayes, firste by sharpe reprehension, when I wander from thy footesteps of fea­re: and next by cherfull encoragement, when I faynte in following the footesteps of hope.

5. Yea, o Father of mercy & iudgement; I desire the to be angry with me according to thy mercy, and to teach me thy wayes according to thy iustice. Correcte me in that anger by which thou [...]oost reclayme a wanderer, not wherby thou doost exclu­de a runneagate. Say not thou hast taken away thy zeale from me, as from one who is vncurable, Ezek. 16. and so because I am desperate thou wilte no more be angrie with me: for whō thou doost loue thou doost chasten. If therfore thou wilte not chasten me going a­misse, thou doost not loue me to teach me thy wayes. It is said: thou werte mercifull vnto the Israelites taking vengeance vpon all their fond inuentions. O gracious Father whensoeuer I followe inuentions of mine owne appetite, Psal. 98. teach me to come home to to thy wayes by the vengeance of thy mercy. For it is thy peculier condition, to re­member mercy when thou arte angry: and therfore hauing offended, I shall then haue confidence in thy fauour; not when in pleasure I feele no smarte of punishmēt: but when in affliction I feele thine anger for amendement.

SOME DEVOVTE DESIRES, AND THANKS­giuinges of the Author, vnto Almighty God. Sect. 8.

1. THus o lorde I desire to be taughte By thy selfe; and By others: By encora­ging exhortation, or By seuere admonition: By feare; or By hope: By iud­gement, or By mercy: To auoide all desperate feare; & to beware any careles securit [...]: To amend faultes; and to profite in goodnes: and with these to be instructed in thy wayes of true faith; and conuerted vnto thee in workes of good life; that so in some poore sorte like S. Peter being conuerted in my selfe, I may better confirme others: and allso being confirmed with thy principall spirite like Dauid, I will be bolde to teach thy wayes vnto the wicked, & the vngodly shall be conuerted vnto the.

2. As I am mightily obliged to endeuour this satisfaction; & as thou haste giuen me, o lord, an earnest desire to performe this obligation; so I beseech the giue force vnto my endeuours, and let me see some effectes of these desires. I desire to teach them, not the secrets of Philosophie, nor the pollicyes of statesmen; but thy waies: For there be two kinde of sciēces; one of holy mē; another of wise men; one of iust mē, another of learned mē: if both be ioyned, both are good: but if wisdome or sort of our cōmo learning be without holynes, we may wel cal thē as Erasmus termed the cōmō lawyners [Page 77] in England Indoctum genus doctissimorum hominum, an vnlearned kinde of moste learned men. 1. subtile and acute in their quirkes of lawe, but ignorante or vnskillfull in o­ther true learning: & so all knowledge without skill in Christes way, is to be a speedy post maister out of the waye.

3. Allso I will endeuour to teach, not as a maister in Israel, but as a scholler at the feete of Gamaliel: I will helpe my fellowes in the same lesson which I haue learned; not to seeke vaynglory by teaching; nor by setting out my selfe vnto the worlde, to ayme at the worlde: But I beseech thee, o Inspirer of all good teachers, herein euer to dire­cte my purposes sincerely; by conuerting or teaching of soules, to seeke them; & not theirs; nor any thinge else of this worlde: Rather in this, and all other thinges, to intend aboue all, thy heauenly Glory; their spirituall God; and my bounden duty.

4. And were it not vanity to ascribe much to our selues about the conuersion of soules, we can but teach thy waies by our outwarde voyce, and so they shall be conuer­ted vnto thee by thy inwarde grace: as Dauid heer promiseth to teach them; but their conuersion he leaueth vnto thee. Paul may plante; Apollos may water; but thou o lorde must giue the encrease: men may remooue the stone from Lazarus graue, and some haue authority to loozen & vntye his handes and his feete; but our Sauiour him­selfe must rayse Lazarus to life: we will teach o lorde, but thou must conuerte.

5. And verily, neither are any so ready to learne, nor we so willing to teach, nor yet so desirous that our dearest freindes shoulde be conuerted, as thou who diddest thir­ste vpon the crosse that all should be saued: so that we are farre inferior vnto thee, o Iesu, in our charitable desires; and they who will not be taughte thy wayes, nor be conuerted vnto thee, such are still worthy to wander out of thy waye; and continuing such, are for euer vnworthy to come vnto thee. For as thou haste appoynted the End, so thou doost declare the waye.

6. O sweete Iesu, if we be taughte thy way outwardly as Catholiques, it is thy mercy & it is greater mercy inwardly if we be conuerted vnto thee. O what recōpence should we make nay what thankes can we returne! Our thankes cannot expresse what we owe; much lesse will our recōpence discharge our debte. If thy wayes be thy lawe▪ & thy lawe be immaculate conuerting soules; o how excellent a priuiledge is this! to be taughte such awaie; & such a lawe; a lawe of grace, and a way of life: which is immaculate, both because it makes vs immaculate, and allso in comparison of the lawe of Moyses, S. Remig. Antisiod. which was maculated with many shadowes, spotted with much difficulty, & did dis­couer our blemishes & sinnes. For Moyses lawe did commande to obey; S. Hieron. S. Augu­stinus. but not as the lawe of Christe giue grace to fullfill it, that turned awaye from euill the hande or the eye by feare; this conuerteth vnto good the harte and soule by loue: that was a lawe for seruantes; this for sonnes. O let Dauid teach vs thy waye in this lawe, and hereby let our soules be conuerted vnto thee: from captiuity, vnto liberty; not pressing vs by terror, but drawing vs by swetenes; from thinges temporall, vnto thinges eternall; from the hope of rewarde, to the charity and loue of God himselfe. O let vs be conuerted vnto thee; and let vs be taughte this lawe, & this waye; S. Ruffin. which leades sin­ners vnto repentance, kindles them who are colde; inflames thē who are warme; ray­seth him vp who is downe; hastens his pace who is slowe; cleanseth the vncleane, for it is a lawe immaculate; and iustifyeth the vniuste, for it conuerteth soules. We are wicked: o teach vs this way: and conuerte vs vnto thee, for we are vngodly. Teach thy wayes vnto our body an [...] outwarde senses which are wicked; and let our vngodly soule and inwarde thoughtes be conuerted vnto thee.

7. This is all the recompence we can make: these are all the thankes we can retur­ne: [Page 78] to giue thee our wicked bodye, and vngodly soule: to desire from thee more benefites, that so we may be able to paye our debtes: and in this payment we shall be gayners; but thou shalte be no richer; for when we giue thee all, yet we render the but thyne owne, wheras by this gifte we haue our wicked bodyes sanctifyed, being taughte in thy wayes; and our vngodly soules iustifyed, being conuerted vnto thee: yea thus, o lord, we doo lesse then pay thee thine owne: nay we doo worse; because we doo kepe no proportion in our exchange. For neither doo we learne all thy teaching inspirations; nor doo we answer all thy conuerting vocations: and besides we giue wicked bodyes, and receiue them holy; we giue vngodly soules, and receiue them iuste. O happy men who haue to deale with such a God! o gracious God, thus we entreate thee to teach thy wayes vnto the wicked; and let the vngodlie be conuerted vnto thee.

MEDITATION. IX.

Libera me de sanguinibus Deus, Deus salutis meae: & exultabit lingua mea iustitiam tuam. Domine labia mea aperies, & os meum annunciabit laudem tuam.

Deliuer me from blouddes O God, O God of my saluation: and my ton­gue shall reioyce thy iustice. O lorde thou wilt open my lippes; and my mouthe shall declare thy prayse.

FROM ALL CORRVPTE AND CRVELL Blouddes, let vs all desire deliuerance. Sect. 1.

1. IN the former verse, our Prophet had shewed whom he would teach, namely the wicked, [...]nnocē. 3. what he woulde teach, namely thy wayes: and wherfore he woul­de teach, namely to the end the vngodlie may be conuerted Nowe he addeth who is a fitte & meete teacher: namely he that is freed & deliuered from sinne ▪ and next adioy­neth, how he shall teach, namely By declaring thy prayse & reioycing thy iustice.

2. In charity towardes our neighbor, we will teach others thy wa [...]es: In charity to­warde our selues, we de [...]ire to be deliuered from our sinnes: And in charity towardes God, we will shew forthe his honor & prayse. Allso we must make our conuersion a matter of much consequence; not idle, but to teach others by our experience: not vnprofitable; but that others may be conuerted, and we our selues deliuered from sinnes: nor vnthankefull; but reioycing in Gods iustice, and giuing glorie to his goodnes. Thus, O lorde, I desire to teach others thy wayes; for so I am bound in satisfaction: I desire to be deliuered from mine owne sinnes; for so it behooueth me to be free from the slauery of the diuell: and I desire to reioyce and declare thy prayse; for so it beco­meth them who receiue such fauor and fredome. Libera me de sanguinibus. Deliuer me from blouddes. S. Ambr. From the bloud of Vrias and his companions slayne throughe my sub­tilty: and from all my heynous mortall sinnes which procede of the concupiscences of flesh and bloudde. S. Aug. If the phrase and speeche of blouddes be improper in the latin, or in our language; yet rather had the Interpreter speake somewhat rudely, then to alter [Page 79] the worde & phrase of the holy ghoste. Or in mentioning blouddes plurally, he vnder­standeth many sinnes, and many offences, which the Hebrewes attribut [...]e to bloud as we ascribe our faultes to flesh, & somtime to both, Pet. de Vega. 1. cor. 15. S. Aug. saying our vices doo proceede of flesh & bloud: And so S. Paul saith that flesh & bloud shall not possesse the kingdome of God; that is; neither our sinnes which procede of the corruption of flesh & bloud; nor that flesh & bloud which is subject to the sensuality of sinne: & so he excludeth the sinnefull corrupuion of our nature; but not our nature it selfe▪ he denyeth not place in heauen to our bodyes which consiste in substance of flesh & bloudde; but debarreth our sinnes which arise and depend as effectes vpon flesh & bloud: & so sinnes are cal­led flesh and bloud, as wordes and languages are called tongues: and as an ill tongue is harshe and not estemed, and corrupte flesh and bloud are abhorred; so on the con­trary, sanctifyed bodyes shall be honored, and tongues seruing and praysing God shal be rewarded.

3. Therfore deliuer vs, o lord, from▪ blouddes: Euthim. Lyran. Genebra. Iansen. both from the bloud of Vrias and his company which were vniustly slayne; and from the guiltynes of my bloud, which de­serueth likewise to be shed, in recompence of bloud for bloud. And further deliuer me from all corruption of flesh & bloud, in abhominable cruelty, in subtile deceyte, in filthy fleshlynes, and all other maner of vile sinfullnes. O deliuer me from all craf­ty and bloudthirsty circumuention of any mans life, for as it is in another psalme, men of blouddes and craftie shall not holde out halfe their dayes; Psal. 54. not halfe their course of nature; or not halfe their owne desire of long life. Deliuer me from all vnlawfull lu­ste, and fleshly filthynes, for none polluted and vncleane shall in such sorte enter the kingdome of heauen. Deliuer me from all negligence of instructing those who are committed to my charge, or whom I oughte to teach of charity, for thy lawe saith Excepte thou shalte shew vnto the wicked his iniquitie, I will require his bloud at thy hand. Deliuer me from guiltynes of sinne present and successiue, least bloud touch bloud, Deut. 34. and so iniquityes be multiplyed. Deliuer me from all future punishment of sinnes paste and present, least I heare it said, Osee 4. thou wilte make thine arrowes euen dronke in the bloud of vengeance vpon me.

4. Thou hast giuen them power to be made the sonnes of God, Ioan. 1. who are not of blouddes nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but are borne of God. O deliuer me from blouddes that I may be borne of God. Our lord Iesus was borne of man cor­porally; and men are borne of God spiritually: but to proceede of blouddes is to proceede of concupiscences and carnall appetites; or to be corrupted with many lothsome sinnes and offences. And S. Augustine saith, by flesh is meant our mother; S. Aug. and he vnderstandes our Father by the name of man: and so by the will of flesh he may well meane our womanish frayle passions; Glos. interlin. Venerab. Beda. and by the wil of man our humane erro­neous opinions. But the originall of all these, is our sinfull inclination by the cor­rupte mixture, or mixte corruption of blouddes: therfore, o lord, deliuer vs from blouddes, that so we may be free from all these: neither partaking in passion, nor for opinion consulting with flesh and bloudde: but hauing power giuen to be made son­nes, & so be borne of God, let vs proceede with Dauid earnestly to repeate the name which we loue, and to shew the strong desire of our petition by a zealous and vehe­ment repetition, Deus, Deus, salutis meae, O God, O God of my saluation.

SOME SHORTE PETITIONS DIRECTED vnto the name & Goodnes of God. Sect. 2.

1. O God, O God of my saluation. Some interprete this worde God, in greeke to signifye one who beholdeth: or one who runneth. He seeth our saluation in his foreknowledge; and in his exceding loue he runneth spedily to performe all our redemp­tion: Hugo. Card. O God looke vpon vs: O God runne vnto vs. Beholde vs for our saluation; and hasten vnto vs in our redemption. See vs allso in thy foreknowledge of our redemp­tion o God; O God come running vnto vs in thy loue of our saluation. Furthermore, because we hau [...] neede to be saued and sanctifyed in the knowledge of our vnderstan­ding, and in the affections of our will; therfore allso bring vs saluation of vnderstanding to see thee and knowe thee O God· O God, hasten vs by willing affection to runne vnto the, and to loue thy saluation; as in another p [...]alme it is said Thou arte my illumination and my saluation, viz: vnto my will, saluation: and illumination to my vnderstanding. Ther­fore, Psal 26. o God so looke vpon me, that I may allso see thee being rightly illuminated: O God so runne vnto me, that I may come vnto thee, being deuoutly affected.

2. O God the Author, o God mediator of my saluation. O infinite Deity! O merci­full humanity of my Redeemer! O Iesus who arte God! O Christe who arte man! O Emmanuel who arte God with vs men. O sōne of man! because thou tookest māhood of a blessed pure Virgin. O sonne of God! because thou arte God of God, and the eternall substance of the eternall Father. O God which arte man! O man who arte God! Thou hast auowed of thy selfe I am the saluation of the people working our sal­uation by suffring as man; Psal. 3. and accomplishing our saluation by ouercoming as God. o deliuer vs from blouddes, by the bloud of thy saluation. It is a worke of great power to deliuer me from my sinfull corruption of blouddes, O God: O God, it is a fauour of much mercy to shed thine owne bloud for my saluation. O God deliuer me from those blouddes, for only the power of God can worke it: O God, grante me salua­tion in thy bloud, for only the mercy of God will accomplish it: deliuer and cleanse me from my abhominable corruption of humane bloud, by the inestimable precious­nes of diuine bloud: this I doo accompte & desire, as a mysterye of God, and a mer­cy of God, for my admirable saluation. Deliuer me from blouddes, O God, O God, of my saluation.

WE DOO REIOYCE OVR LORDES iustice by trusting in his promises: or by acknowledging of his mercy, which forgiueth the offendour, and yet fullfilleth iustice. Sect. 3.

1. ANd my tongue shall rejoyce thy iustice. O lorde thou wilte open my lippes, and my mouthe shall declare thy prayse. S. Greg. Saint Gregory saith that the iustice of God is faith in his true religion: and we doo reioyce his iustice when we resiste, or forsake heresy for Gods cause; neither coueting the aduancements or aboundances of this worlde; nor fearing his disgustes or pouerity: for it is better to liue depending vpon the worde and promises of God, in a patient firme hope; then to relye vpon the best [Page 81] vncerteintyes of all this worlde, in any present possession. For without true catholi­que faith it is impossible to please God: and by this faith a iuste man shall liue: First spiritually, reioycing more that he is a poore member of the Catholique Churche, then if he were a mighty riche Prince in heresye: and secondly for his body▪ and for his necessityes praying & trusting vnto him, whose most fatherly prouidence feedeth the Birdes of the ayre; and clotheth the lillyes of the feilde; and with whom if there be prouision for sparrowes, there is more for men: and as he hath done good to our soules, so he will not neglecte our bodyes.

2. O my soule, for thy life, kepe euer this confidence on him, and so reioyce on his fatherly iustice: for if we aske him bread, he will not giue vs a stone. But especially let vs reioyce in his iustice; for hauing deliuered vs from the lothsome blouddes of our sinne, and broughte vs to the knowledge of his truthe & into the estate of iustice & of iustification by his grace. Allso with men it semes iustice to reuenge an iniury, and to free a malefactor is accounted iniustice: neither will the rigor of mans sentence be satifyed, thoughe an hundred others woulde giue their liues for one offendor cō ­demned, but the party who is guilty must be executed: therfore, o lord, we will rei [...]yce in thy iustice which is appeased by the death of thy only sonne, to make him a Sauiour of life for millions of slaues: this thy iustice doth both free and aduance heynous offendors: this thy iustice doth release any iniury, and pardon any penitent malefactor. Thy mercy hath propounded & promised all this: and this, thy iustice doth performe.

ALL THE WORDES OF OVR MOVTH should proceede from God, and agayne be referred vnto God. Sect. 4.

1. O Lord thou wilte open my lippes, and my mouthe shall [...] declare thy prayse. Excep­te thou, O Lorde, doo open my lippes: Innoc. 3. excepte thou doo giue me this grace; neither can my tongue reioyce, nor my mouthe declare thy prayse. It is not you which speake (said our Sauiour) but the spirite of [...]y father which is in you: Math. 10. Psal. 84. therfore with Dauid I will harken what our Lorde speaketh within me: andso by his assistance, in mine owne comforte, & for his honor, I will exercise all the instrumentes of my voyce: my tongue: my lippes: and my mouthe. My tongue shall frame wordes: my lippes shall grace their soundes: and my mouthe shall pronounce their full sense; to reioyce in his iustice, & to declare his prayse.

2. The wise man said, It is thou o lord who doost shut vp the mouthes of the proud; and makest the tongues of infantes to become eloquent. S. Gregor. Sap. 10. If we open our mou­thes of our selues, we eyther speake vainly or falsely: and sometime we ioyne thē both together, speaking falsely to obteyne vainglory; wheras if thou, O God, diddest o­pen our lippes. If we did directe our speeche to thy honor, we shoulde euer haue truthe in our tongue; and thy prayse in our harte. It is conuenient alwayes to remē ­ber that saying Quis, Cui, Quid, Quare tu dicas, fac saepe requiras. Who, to whom, what, wherfore thou arte about to speake, firste doo thou examine thy selfe. If I be to teach, O Lord open my lippes: that it may be to profite soules; not to set out my selfe not insisting in persuasible wordes of humane wisedome, 1. Cor. 2. but in declaration of the spirite and of vertue: and thus he will open our lippes, if firste we aske wisedome [Page 82] of God; and then so speake as the wordes of God, referring them only to his glory & to the good of soules. Iacob. 1.

3. If I be to pray: o lorde open my lippes, that I ma [...] 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, & vnt [...] my wordes a beame & a balance. Ec [...]le. 28. To my mouthe a barre of silence, and a doore of wa­rynes with a beame of discretiō, and a balance of measure to my wordes. Thus I praye with Dauid elsewhere. Psa. 140. 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. S [...]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, G [...]nebra. in Tra­ctat. Be­rachoth. 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. S. Bonau. in hunc psal. 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 cōsider the lothsome sauour, more then the swete sounde: such lippes may vtter good wordes; but no such mouthe cā giue true prayse. Nay rather to [...]uch a one our lord saith▪ why doost thou de­clare my iustice? Psal. 49. He that hath a festered cāker in his m [...]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 dronkēnes? or one giuen to the vice of the flesh to preach against wantonnes?

[Page 83]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; Ioan. 5. 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, D. Thom. 2.2. q. 83. 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, Ammia. 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 w [...]cked sinner take vpon him to be a deuout singer: S. Greg. 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 is dronkard, a glutton, or a luxurious person; for whiles they pronounce that with their mouthes, wherof they haue no sauour or delighte in their hartes; they doo but counterfeyte or borrowe the mouthe of other true religious men, who vtter with deuotion, what these doo but pronounce for fashion; like puppeets which speake by arte, not by nature. Rather excepte they woulde amend their liues, it were better for themselues they should holde their tongues: as Bias sayling in a shippe with certeyn maryners and passengers whose conditions he noted to be very vicious; Laert. iu vita Bi­antis. lib. 1. ther­fore in a storme which presently folowed, when they all began to lifte vp their voyces, & crye vnto their Gods, he earnestly desired them to holde their peace. Sil [...]te, ne voshic [Page 84] nauigare Dij sentiant: be silent, least the Gods perceiue that you sayle here. Meaning, that the prayers of such companions, woulde rather prouoke then appea [...]e the wrathe of heauen.

3. And so Dauid here, desires firste to be freed from blouddes or sinnes; and afterwarde he entreats for grace to haue his lippes opened: for as it is in another psalme If I haue res­pecte to iniquity, Psal. 65. our lorde will not harken ▪ for how should I obteyne remission of sinne, if yet I haue any intention still to sinne? O lorde open my lippes, o lord doo thou make me worthy: doo thou make me able, to pray vnto the, and to prayse thee. My tongue of it selfe is of no value: it is only a small peice of flesh, which yet according to his vse may worke great effectes, maruelous good, or extreme bad: as Anacarsis being asked, what was the best of man? he answered the tongue. And agayne being asked, what was the worste? Laert. in vita A­ [...]a [...]har. he answered the tongue: and therfore nature hath placed it in the close vaulte of our mouthe; besette it with teeth as a percullice; and our lippes are as the gates; to the end that with such Guardes it should be warily kepte in: for it must be carefully gouer­ned, as the Rudder or sterne of a shippe; the minute wheele of a clocke; the trice or pul­ly of a Crane. And one compares it to a mattocke or pickaxe which may serue to dig a dungill, or to worke in a myne of golde; because our tongue may be an instrument to blaspheme, sweare, reuile, sclander &c. or to defend Righte, to teach truthe, to perswade vertue, to pray vnto God for his mercy, or to prayse him for his goodnes: And so I desire o lorde, thou wilte open my lippes; & my mouthe shall declare thy prayse.

ALL CREATVRES DOO PRAYSE OVR LORD by declaring his goodnes of necessity: let vs yeild him all honor for loue and dutye. Sect. 7.

1. WHat prayse shall we giue thee, o God, who diddest make man of the slyme of the earthe? what honor shall we ackwoledge to be due vnto thee, who hast re­deemed vs (being loste) by the death of thy sonne? in the firste we confesse thy gracious power: inthe second we doo admire thy powerfull grace. All the honor, and prayse, & glo­ry, which possibly we can giue vnto thee, is not to adde any thing to thy prayse or honor (which thou haste in thy selfe infinite without our commendation) But to declare some parte of thy glory and prayse, S. Bona­uent. lib. de proces. relig. c. 8. which from all creatures is due vnto the. And hence it is that the heauens, are said, to declare thy glory: and hence it is that vsually in thy ho­nor we doo inuite all thy workes, euen dumbe creatures to manifest thy prayses.

2. All creatures, O God doo declare thy prayse, euen wicked men & diuells, whi­ther they will or no, they doo affoarde matter & occasions to shew forthe thy iustice, prouidence, wisedome, power, goodnes, long sufferance: But betwixte these prayses of thy freindes and enimyes there is much difference: for the one is willing, the o­ther vnwilling: or the one is giuen of purpose, & the other drawne from them with­out their purpose: or the one procedeth from the nature of their substances, or order of their actions; but the other especially from the loue of their will, from the lighte of their vnderstanding, and from the grace & goodnes which is in them both. O lor­de giue my soule such grace: and let this grace be diffused in my lippes; to loue the, & honor thee in my harte; and so with my mouthe to declare thy prayse. O thus let me desire euer that my whole life and all my actions & passions may be directed & intended by thy loue, vnto thine honor. O let my harte burne in this loue: and let [Page 85] the flames of thy prayse procede out of my mouthe; to giue heate vnto others, as well as feel warmthe in my selfe.

3. And as it is the nature of great heate, not so suffer our mouthe to be close shutte nor will we cease to prayse what we loue: so contrarily the dead coldnes of sinne, doth both quenche this heate, and stoppe our mouthes, and so will not suffer vs to prayse our lorde: Thus S. Basil noteth, that it is the nature of sinne, to make vs tongue-tyed, and to shutte vp our mouthes, least we should be able to pray vnto God, or to prayse him: and else where Dauid saith obstructum est os loquentium iniqua, they that spea­ke wickednes, their mouthes are euen stopped whiles they speake. Psal. 62.

ALL OVR CONSIDERATIONS AND actions shoulde haue some relation vnto the prayse of God. Sect. 8.

1. O Lorde open my lippes, to take in breath of thy grace: and my mouthe shall set forth thy prayse in wordes of thankesgiuing. Thy honor & glory, O God, shall be the scope and end of all my life: my soule shall serue for thy prayse; and my body shall herin helpe to serue my soule: Because as Seneca said, I am more noble, and borne allso to a more noble end, then to serue my bodie as a bruite beast. But in my soules contemplation, I will consider for thy greater honor, thy omnipotency in creating: thy prouidence in disposing: thy vertue in finishing in preseruation of what is finis­hed, thy power: in gouernement of what is preserued, thy wisedome: thy mercy in dooing good to all; and thy iustice in punishing the bad. These thinges I will con­sider in mine vnderstanding: in my senses I will admire them: reioyce for them in my will: and with my voyce I will declare thy prayse.

2. Saint Peter said, this is one end, why our lorde redeemed vs, that we shoulde shew forthe his vertue. And so a philosopher being asked, why man was created? 1. Pet. 2. he answe­ree: to contemplate and beholde the heauens & the deuine powers. O my soule let vs ende­uour thus to meditate on God: by contemplation to knowe him; S. Augu­stin serm. 55. ad fra­tres in e­remo. Psal. 90. by knowing to loue him; by louing to possesse him; by possessing to enioye him; and in this ioye to pray­se him. O how wonderfull great are thy workes, o lorde, thy cogitations are exceding deepe: an vnwi [...]e man will not knowe, and a foole will not vnderstand these thinges. If I be not able, or not worthy, to fasten mine eyes vpon thy selfe, I will begin to consider thy creatures, and so from them I will rayse vp my thoughtes vnto their Creator: For haec spectari voluit, non tantùm aspici: he woulde that these creatures should be veiwed se­riouslie, not alone slightlie gazed on: Senec. de vita bea­ta. c. 28. & by the interior consideration euer to learne some what of God, at least for his prayse: otherwise, he that studyes vpon the nature of the heauens, starres, ayre, water, sea, earthe, flowers, herbes, fishes, beastes, & other creatures, pondering no more but their nature, and alltogether omitting to collecte somewhat touching their Author, he is like a man who hath skill, meanes, & mat­ter, wherwith to builde a pallace, and yet spendes all his time among children & boyes, only to make little houses of claye, durte, or cockle shells.

3. Adam is said to haue bene placed in Paradise, to kepe & to cultiuate that garden: but we knowe that before his fall the earthe had no neede (much lesse Paradise) to be tilled by labour of the body: wherfore his cheife dressing & keeping of Paradise, was by labour of the minde, in contemplation, loue, & prayse of God. Beholde, O my soule, where thou maist haue both an office & a place in paradise: wouldest thou liue in paradise? wouldest thou here beginne to be happy? If heauen be on earthe, it [Page 86] is in a deuout religions mans cell. If the life of Angells be among men, it is in the quy­re, or among them who prayse God like Angells. To burne & to boyle in the loue of God, is a most pleasant refreshing to a thirsty soule. O my soule, be thou thus thirsty: this heate will coole thee▪ this thirste will refresh thee: this feruēt loue will make thy prayses fruitfull: these prayses, as they delighte & drawe vnto vs the Angells & Sayntes so they vexe and driue away the diuells & all bad spirites: for this is the musique of Dauids harpe which droue away the euill spirite from Saul: and these are like the de­sires & meditations of our blessed lady, when the Angell came to salute her.

4. Thus Plato called the body a musicall instrument, and the soule a musician, who according as he handleth & vseth his body, so it affoardes him bad or good melody: learne thē, o my soule, to keepe thy body in tune: release: stretche: & touch his strin­ges with order, & for harmony; that is; with charitable discretiō towardes our selues, & other men; & for heauenly respecte to the greater glory of God: so let vs labour, or rest: feede, or faste: talke, or praye: & doo euery thinge else in domino, as in the sighte; for the seruice; & to the prayse of allmighty God. Thus the ancyent Christians, as Pliny wrote to Trajan, were a people which liued innocently, and exercised themselues in the silēce of nighte, to sing hymnes vnto Christ, before the dawning of the daye. Thus S. Paul and Silas being in prison, they worshipped & praysed God: thus, o my soule, let vs often accorde with the holy Angells in a deuout Sanctus; Sanctus; Sanctus; holy; holy; holy; father; sonne; & holy ghoste; or with our Sauiour himselfe, who in his humanity as he is man, Act. 16. singeth Sanctus; and the Blessed Virgin his mother with all the triumphante quyre of heauen, singeth Sanctus; & Sanctus must be our songe with the preist at the Altar, Esay. 6. and with all the Churche militant here on earthe. Thus allso let vs often ioyne with the whole courte of heauen in Alleluia: Alleluia: Alleluia: with harte and voyce Alleluia: Apoc. 19. with instrument and lippes Alleluia: with mouthe & tongue Alleluia, reioycing Alleliua, singing Alleliua, or meditating Alleluia. Thus all honor, glory, prayse, & power to God & to the Lambe Alleluia. Thus I beseech the, o lorde, that thou wilte opē my lippes, & thē my mouthe shall thus declare thy prayse.

MEDITATION. X.

Quoniam si voluisses sacrificium, dedissem vtique: holocaustis non delectaberis. Sacrificium Deo spiritus contribulatus: cor con­tritum & humiliatum Deus non despicies.

Because if thou wouldest haue had sacrifice, I woulde haue giuen it ac­cordingly: with whole burnte offeringes thou wilte not be delighted. An afflicted spirite is a sacrifice to God: a contrite and humbled harte, O God, thou wilte not despise.

THE DIVERSITY OF SACRIFICES: and some differences betwene the lawe and the Gospell. Sect. 1.

1. OF sacrifices we read of three kindes. 1. victimae animalium, the bodyes of liuing creatures. 2. oblationes aridorum, the substances of fruites. 3. Libamina humidorum, S. Bona. the moysture of liquors. The first were called victimes, eyther because [Page 87] they were for victoryes, or because they were tyed or bound to the Altar, as vincta, the second were oblations, giuen to be offred: The thirde were Libamina liquors to be powred out, or to drink [...] of. The firste were killed, the second were pownded or bruysed, the third were powred out: and all of them must be one way or other so­mewhat altered from their former existence. Wherfore if we will beginne a sacrifice of our selues, we must purpose a change of our qualityes: our waterish pleasing thouh­tes must be powred out in teares of repentance: our drye vnprofitable speeches bruy­sed into well relished wordes: and we must kill the concupiscence of all our bodily workes. Or it will be good to mortifye the desires of our will, as a victime tyed or bound to the Altar: To pownde or bruyse the drye meditations of our memory for an oblation to be consecrated vnto God. To powre out the flowing & vnsethed cogi­tations of our vnderstāding, referring all to the wisdome and prouidence of our hea­uenly Father. So shall he haue humbled thoughtes: a memorie contrite: & an afflicted spirite: which kinde of sacrifices, O God, thou wilte neuer despise: especiallie when like the olde sacrifices, they haue fyre & salte, that is, some heate of feruent deuotion, and well seasoned and [...]alted with some discretion.

2. These sacrifices shall euer be accepted: But it may be our Dauid prophecyed, Innocē. 3. th [...]t there woulde come a time of grace, when thou wouldest not be delighted with any sacrifice of the lawe. The legall sacrifices, S. Aug. were but as the scaffoldes of the buil­ding: when the building is finished, the scaffoldes must be remooued: and yet our Sauior came not to dissolue, but to fullfill the lawe. To fullfill the inwarde substance and truthe of the lawe which is eternall: and to dissolue the outwarde figure & sha­dowes which were temporall. Iacobus de Valentia. And so another psalme saith in the person of our Saui­our. Sacrifice and oblations thou wilte none, but thou hast perfected a body for me &c. then I sayd, beholde I come. But when the kinge himselfe comes his Viceroy must giue place.

3. Allso the sacrifices ofthe lawe did rather signifye, then iustifye: but ours doo as well iustifye as signifye. The lawe of Moyses receiued obedience more for feare, Innocē. 3. then for loue: the lawe of Christe more for loue, then for feare. And so, that lawe did rather restreyne the hande, then the minde; rather the outwarde deede, S. Aug. lib. 1. contra Adimāt. Et lib. contra Faustum. then the in­warde intente: But our lawe 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: S. Thom. 1. 2. q. 107. art. b & 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: S. Tho. 1.2. q. 103. art. 2. Et 3. q. 62. art. 4.5.6. Et Ca­jet. ibid. For the mysterye of our Sauiours incarnation & passiō, not being really accō ­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 & obediēce of the offerer, yet this was only ex opere oper [...] ̄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 Euāgelicall law doth exhite & performe: & as S. Augustin said significando causat gratiā 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 thē the letter doth kill; S. Tho. 1.2. q. 106. art. 2. Rom. 4. 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 [Page 89] writtē in paper, there is allso abundāce 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: Libro de spiritu & litera. 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 ministratiō 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 commāded them: Ianse [...]. Ti [...]elmā. 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, Theod. q. 3. in Gen. Lyranus. S. Aug. libro de mirab. sa­crae scrip. 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, and first martyr: wherfore our lorde firste respected him, and then his sacrifice. And peraduenture Dauid here considering his owne vnworthynes by his sinnes so fowly committed, durste not presume to offer any sacrifice, because it may be, doubting he had not suf­ficiently repented, he feared his person yet to be lothsome, & therfore his sacrifices woulde not be accepted. So let vs take heede vnto our selues, O my soule, that we approache not to the Altar of God, whiles we haue a lothsome conscience, vnclean­sed from sinne, for vnto such Esay threatneth, he that offereth an oxe, is as one who killeth a man; and he that sacrificeth a beast, Esay. 66. is as one who beateth out the braynes of a dogge. For when a wicked wretche without repentance, whiles his person is vn­holy yet dare meddle with holy thinges, he doth not pacifye but prouoke the wrathe of God against him, because he doth prophane and abuse diuine mysteryes, which if we vse them well are heauenly remedyes. So he that celebrateth or heareth masse a­biding in mortall sinne without remorse, he is as Iudas, who boughte & solde our Sauiour Christe, & yet supped with him: And like the Iewes he crucifyeth agayne our lorde of life, who remayning in deadly sinne, doth receiue vnworthily the moste blessed body of our Sauiour; or in like sorte prophaneth any other holy sacrament. O let vs not as Iewes so kill such a man: nor so make our selues like vnto Iudas that dogge, who as he was hanged deserued allso to haue his braynes beaten out, as well as he had his belly burste, so that his bowells gushed out.

OVR LORD DOTH MORE REGARDE THE harte then the gifte, and the deuotion more then the sacrifice. Sect. 3.

1. OR these wordes may haue reference to the bare outwarde figure of Mosay­call Ceremonyes; Iacobus de Valen. not to the inwarde truthe by them figured. Our lord will not haue the shadowe of the sacrifices, without the substance of the Messias. And so the Iewes lawe was promised to be eternall, in regarde of the substance figu­red; not in regarde of their ceremonyes, figures, & shadowes, which when Christe fulfilled, they were finished. And so he came not to dissolue the inwarde truthe of the lawe, but to fulfill it, & to continue it for euer as eternall: according as he dyed only in his body; not in his soule: for so the outwarde parte of their sacrifices & si­gnes are ceased▪ they dyed with our Sauiours consummatum est, and by the Apostles were buryed by little & little with honor: but their inwarde truthe is still aliue: The worke of our redemption is accomplished, and the fruite of our Sauiours sacrifice & passion is now in force, and shall remayne eternall for euer more.

2. O let vs likewise offer our sacrifices with inwarde sincerity and truthe: not only bring swete smelling frankinsence for outwarde smoke▪ S. Aug. but especially an humbled and a contrite harte with secret flames of deuotion; not to seeke beastes or birdes, to kill them in sacrifice; thou hast inwardly in thy selfe, O my soule, many appetites and faultes which should be mortifyed. Our lord doth not so much require the giftes or riches of men, as the man himselfe. If we offer our selues together with our giftes, he takes any thing in good parte: but without our inwarde true harte, he will accepte nothing what­soeuer. Holocaustis non delectabitur. He will not be pleased which whole burnte offerin­ges, which were the best sacrifices, nor with all the best outwarde oblations. Wherfore let vs exhibite our bodyes a liuing sacrifice ▪ Hugo Cardinal. not hartles: for without the harte it is dead: nor a sacrifice, nor a harte defiled with sinnes, but holy and pleasing to God. And all this, according to discretion, which is our reasonable obedience. Non holocaustis: not in such whole burnte sacrifices, where to destroye some offence or naturall infirmity, we doo consume allso our very naturall substance: for almighty God doth not exacte any thing too much at our handes, nor will be content with any thinges too little. But as it were too little, thoughe we shoulde giue all our Gods in almes, or suffer our bodyes to be burnte, not hauing in vs the true loue of God: so neither doth he require that voluntarily we shoulde too much hurte our selues with pretence of his loue, or in desire of dooing pe­nance; for this were to hinder, and not to further his seruice. And in this sense Lycur­gus, and Socrates ordeyned that the people should offer small sacrifices vnto their Gods: the one said, because they shoulde so offer to daye and this yeare, that still they mighte haue somewhat to offer the nexte yeare and to morowe: the other said, because God hauing no neede of our giftes, he did rather regarde the harte of the giuer, then the greatnes of the gifte.

3. In this sense, I say, their ordinance was good. Otherwise Dauid here refuteth them both: especially as some interprete the worde Zebab, a thousand sacrifices, because it beginnes with the Hebrew letter Zain, which in their accomptes doth stand for seauen; and so by a certein number, they say is often signifyed an exceeding great number: as if he should say: I would willingly (if thou o God wouldest demande them) yeild the 1000. or 1000000. sacrifices: yea all that I am, or haue, or can haue; euen all this all at once; for when our lord doth require it, nothing can be too much, or too great, or too [Page 91] deare, or too good for his seruice, or to testifye our obedience and loue vnto him. And then it doth appeare that he doth require them, when either he takes such thinges from vs by his prouidence, or by his holy inspirations he doth mooue vs to leaue all the worlde to enter into religion. And in these cases, he that giues the whole orcharde or Gardeyn all at once, doubtles his gifte is much more and farre better, then if he should continue euery day to giue some flowers of that Gardeyn, or some fruites of that orcharde. And althoughe the Goates hayre giuen by poore people to the building of Moyses tabernacle, and the poore widdowes mite in the Gospell, were no lesse acceptable to God, Exod. 25. then was the Golde and great Giftes of rich men, because if the willingnes of their hartes be equall, their rewarde shall be equall; yet all sortes must testifye their willingnes, according to their abilityes; for of him that hath many talentes there is more encrease required: and if a riche woman should giue but a mite, or if Goates hayre should come from the hande of a wealthy man, surely of such we mighte say: He or shee that being able to doo much, performes but a little▪ out of question, little is their willingnes.

4. The schoolmen dispute: If a man being sicke, cannot be cured, but by a medicine which must coste all the wealthe which he hath, whether with a [...]afe conscience he may rather suffer himselfe to dye of that disease, then so to spend all that he possesseth? In so­me cases, some are of opinion. That he may: Except he be such 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; S. Bernar. 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 har [...]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. Ecclesia­sticus 35. Esay. 66. 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. S. Bona. 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 disobe­diēt 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: S. Aug. Psal. 118. Psal. 47. it will be like the [...]urgeons wounde which letteth out corrupted bloud or putrefyed matter. There shalle dolores parturientis, the sorowes of a woman in child­birthe, 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, S. Chry­sostom. in hom. 5. de p [...]nitent. 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 [Page 93] 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, but rather doo begge for almes, althoughe we be so weake & so sicke in bodily healthe, that we can neither faste, nor vse any corporall mortification, no nor be able to speake or name Iesus, yet if we doo but sighe for his mercy & for his loue aboue all thinges else; and if for that respecte aboue all, we doo but wish for pardon of our sinnes, detesting them with an afflicted spirite, because we haue offended so gracious a lorde▪ and with a contrite har [...]e for the fowlenes of our faultes, if we doo but conceiue an humble thoughte, with a hopefull desire, acknowledging our owne vnworthynes, & crauing his forgiueness; certeinly such a sacrifice of such a spirite ▪ O God, thou wilte neuer refuse it.

A DESCRIPTION OF CONTRITION AND Attrition: and their seuerall propertyes. Sect. 5.

1. COntrition is a parte of penance hauing a willing sorowe of minde for our sinnes committed, Greg. de Valent. Tom. 4. d. 7. q. 8. p. 1. Nauar. man. de. contrit. which now we doo detest more then all other hatefull thinges, because it is an offense against God, whom nowe we doo loue aboue all the worlde: and hauing an hope of pardon throughe Christe, we doo fully purpose for euer to absteyne from sinnes, and to confesse, and to satisfye, so farre forthe as we are bounde, or shall be able. This is the description of perfecte Contrition, formed with complete charity: But Attrition which is imperfecte and somewhat vnformed, Is a sorowe of minde detesting sinne committed (though not alone and aboue all for the loue of God) and hath a purpose (with hope of pardon) euer to absteyne as least from mortall sinne, and to confesse, and to satisfye, as shalbe requisite. This Attrition of it selfe alone, is not sufficient to obteyne pardon, vntill there be added and adioined some sacrament vn­to it, by which it obteyneth effectuall remission.

2. And vnderstande: 1. that there is a sorowe which is a greife only because of pu­nishment, or for shame, without any respecte of God 2. in parte for these, and in parte because God is offended; yet so that he woulde not sorowe if he had no feare of shame or punishment.3. both for these, and because God is offended; and so that he woulde sorowe for hauing offended God, thoughe those other were not: But ne­uertheles, he doth not detest sinne more then any hatefull thinge, Greg. de Val. ibid. punct. 2. nor loue God aboue all in this worlde.4. Is (without these) a perfect contrition grounded vpon a sorowe detesting sinne more then any other hatefull thinge, & because we loue God perfectly aboue all the worlde. The firste is of naturall sense, the second is of a seruile minde, the thirde is attrition of an imperfect filiall feare, the fourthe is perfecte & com­plete contrition.

3. Any sorowe may be profitable, and is good, when it doth include (at least vir­tually) some respect of greife because God is offended: And thoughe our sorowe, or feare, at firste be but naturall or seruile, yet may it proceede to be initiall, making im­perfectly [Page 94] an entrance; and at laste come to be filiall in perfection. Out of these, some differences are collected about Contrition & Attrition. Domin. de Sotod. 17. q. 2. a. 5. Nauar. Greg. de Valen. As firste, that some Con­trition doth fully pardon all sinne, both all the guilte, & all the punishment, thoug­he the partye shoulde dye before he coulde come to Confession, or any other sacra­ment: if he did desire them, and vse his true diligence to obteyne them: wheras other Contrition, in the like case, doth remitte all the guilte & payne eternall, but not all temporall punishment. But the best Attrition is not sufficient without some sacra­ment adioined to absolue vs from the guilte of sinne.

4. Allso there is a grosser attrition, which proceedeth more from the feare of sha­me or punishment then because God is offended: wheras the best Attrition is more for the offence of God, then for any punishment or shame: Allso there is a differen­ce betwixte remisse Contrition, & the best Attrition; because any contrition detesteth sinne aboue any thing detestable, being founded vpon the loue of God aboue all: wheras euen the best attrition, thoughe it principally loue God & hate sinne for it selfe, yet no [...] aboue all. But the absolute loue of perfecte contrition differeth allso from remisse contrition, not for that it is sorow only because allmighty God is of­fended, without any respecte vnto shame or punishment, but because the one doth exceed the other in intention.

AN AMPLE DECLARATION PLIANLY SET­ting forthe the former description of Contrition. Sect. 6.

1. NExt let vs consider all the partes of the forme description, as they stande in order. Firste contrition is a parte of penance: Melanct­thon in Apol. Cō ­fession. Augusta. Institut. lib. 3. c. 3. §. 3. Ses. 6. c. 6. & Ses. 14. cap. 3. Can. 4. against the Lutherans, who make Terrors caused by the lawe, and faith fastened on the gospell, to be the two partes of repentan­ce. And against Caluin who rejecting the Lutherans faith [...], doth no lesse improperly make the death of the olde man, and the life of the new man to be the only partes of penan­ce. But these poyntes of feare, faith, mortification, and regeneration, are only either pre­parations and dispositions leading vnto repentance, as be feare & faithe; or they are neces­sary effectes folowing repentance, as are mortification & regeneration. And so all the Textes of scripture requiring these poyntes, doo only prooue that they are requisite and doo concurre with repentance, according as the Councell of Trent declareth: denying neuertheles that they are not properly materiall partes of penance; which in truthe are contrition, confession, and satisfaction.

2. Hauing a willing sorowe of the minde. Not naturall only, or compelled, but principally a willing sorowe: and that of the minde, rather then of the body: and in the minde, rather in the intellectuall parte of the will, then in the sensitiue parte: not excluding the sensible sorowe of the will or of the body, which being added doo giue it conueniency, but only for necessity requiring an estimatiue or appreciatiue inwarde sorowe, more then any outward intensiue vehement greife. For there may appeare, or a man may feele in himselfe a more vehement and intensiue sorowe for the losse of his Father, his sonne, his wife, his freind, or his estate, then he can peraduenture finde in himselfe for all his sinnes: yet it is sufficient that in the election of his will, he doo sorowe for sinne as much as he can, and doo esteme and prise the horror of his offences, at a higher rate in generall, then all the disasters and discontentes of this worlde, so that if it were nowe in his choyse, he would rather endure any torment and death, or loose all the worlde, then deliberately to com­mitte a mortall sinne. If he haue this estimatiue or appreciatiue sorowe in the reasonable [Page 95] parte of his will, althoughe it breake not out into the sensible parte, I say it is suffi­cient: nay in some men many tinnes, I may say, that such an hidden close greife, is euen intensiuely more vehement, and greater then outward sensible sorowe. Yet neuertheles if we can come to sorowe of sense, in teares, sobbes &c. it is very profi­table and conuenient, althoughe not absolutely necessary.

3. This sorowe must be for our sinnes committed. Eyther personally and particulerly for our owne sinnes: or as we are partes and members one of another for generall or participated sinnes of our family, country, or cōmon wealth wherin we liue: though this contrition of others sinnes be not properly contrition. Which now we doo detest more then all other hatefull thinges, because they are offences against God, whom now we doo loue aboue all the worlde. Where note, that it is not necessary to make a particu­ler comparison betwene our hate of sinne and our loue of God; whether we detest sinne more then present death? or hell? or the diuell? &c. nor whether we doo loue God aboue our kinge? our Father? our freind? or any other such or such particuler which we doo loue or abhorre moste in this worlde. Rather it is vnto necessary discretion causing doubtes, feares, and vnprofitable scruples by considering such particuler com­parisons: for it is abundantly sufficient, that in my contrition I am fully resolued in generall rather to suffer or to loose any thinge, then to haue committed, or agayne to committe any mortall sin [...]e.

4. And such sorowe is requisite for deadly offences; but for veniall faultes a smaller kind of discipline is competent; generally abhorring them, and desiring with ende­uour to auoyde and to be free from them. Allso for the auoyding and preuenting of them, and to be absolued from them in guilte and in all punishment, we are much holpen and benefited by the vse of knocking our breastes, by holy water, holy bread, agnus dei, medalls, graynes &c. hallowed by the prayers of the churche, in vertue of the bloud and merites of our Sauiour Christe. And by these, or by any other meanes, either against veniall or mortall sinnes, the more our deuotion and contrition is en­creased, thoughe we may seme to haue allready repentance competent, yet the more we adde with humility, the more comforte and merite we shall finde; the more certeinly we shall haue all pardoned; and we shall be the more plentifully rewarded.

5. Neither may we too lighty suppose that euery sorowe, or sighe, or knocking of the breast, and saying miserere, or any such other signes of repentance are sufficient contrition or attrition, excepte they haue the inwarde propertyes before described. In lib. 50. homil. hom. 41. Lib. de paenit. cop. 77. Rather S. Au­gustin doubted of their saluation, who only in time of great dangers, or after their sick­nes doo beginne to repent: not doubting but if their contrition were true, then their par­don would be certeyn: but he feares their vndoubted saluation, because he doubtes their fal [...]e repentance; who in such times are much more like to be sory alone for feare of pu­nishment like Antiochus, then for any true hatred of sinne, or loue of God aboue all. And such he saith are versi, turned only by feare from sinne, not conuersi for loue con­uerted vnto God. And this many times doth appeare, In Cap. Nullius. when such partyes being recoue­red or deliuered from their feare and their perills, they soone after returne agayne to their former sinnes. Wherfore it is true indeede that the churche granteth her Rytes & christian buriall vnto all such as professing themselues Catholiques doo vse but any out­warde signe of remorse, leauing their hartes to the tryall of God; not warranting their repentance to be good: but in charity rather chusing to absolue an hundred thousand false penitentes, then by seuerity to reteyne bound any one soule truly contrite.

6. Vnto the foresaid contrite sorowe must be adioyned an hope of pardon through [...] [Page 96] Christ: with a full purpose for euer to absteyne from sinne: & to confesse: & to satisfye: So farre forthe as we are bounde, or shall be able. For if it should euidently appeare, that we doo wante any of these, we cannot be absolued: otherwise not so appearing, it may be supposed, that either virtually or actually we haue them: and that is sufficient.

Greg. de Valent. Tom. 4. disp. 7. q. 8. pun. 6.7. As for as the sinnes, for which Contrition is required, it neede not be of euery particuler sinne in number to haue a seuerall Acte of contrition, but of all which we can remember, according to their number, or according to their kinde, we must de­test them all & be sorye for them, either in one Acte of contrition, or in more, as cō ­ueniently we can: for example sake: In calling to minde that I haue sworne 500. ti­mes, or spoken falsely or vaynegloriously▪ 1000. times, more or lesse, as neere as I can coniecture, I may in one Acte of contrition be sory for them all at once. And so I must proceede to remember, & to be contrite, for as many kindes, or numbers, as I can call to minde, for no man is bound to more then he is able, neither in con­trition, Vide Ca­jetan. in Summula. confessiō, nor satisfactiō. And therfore in case of speedy or sodeyn death, one generall & true Acte of contrition is sufficient for all our sinnes at once, considered in grosse as offences of God. And so it is in case we cannot well call to minde their seuerall numbers, nor their distincte kindes.

8. As for the times when euery one must be contrite, vnder payne of a new particu­ler sinne, they are set downe to be these. 1. whensoeuer we find our selues in euident danger of corporall death. 2. whensoeuer by occasion of sinne not repented, we see our selues in euident danger of spirituall death; that is to say; like to fall further into more damnable sinne. 3. In any publique & greuous Calamity of the people or Common welthe which doth require our particuler prayers and humiliation vnto God allmighty for his mercy. In all these cases we are bound to be contrite, I say, vnder payne of a new & particuler sinne of omission, vidz: against the commandemēt of repentance. Not that it is lawfull for any to remayne in mortall sinne vntill some of these times doo happen; no not a minute of an howre: for by the Commande­ment against which the sinne is committed, we are euer presently bounde to repen­tance: althoughe, I say, not vnder payne of a particuler new sinne of vnrepentance beside the former, vntill we come to some of these times. And then, if we omitte re­pentance, it is a new particuler sinne beside the offence wherof before we remayned guilty.

9. Lastly our purpose of amendement must be sincere; and the performance must be effected according to our power: for if I seeme to be contrite, or doo confesse, and yet deteyne another mans goods, being able to restore them: or if I reserue any sple­ne of hatred or malice against my neighbor, not striuing nor desiring to driue it or put it out from me: or if I doo not auoyde as much as I can all such dangerous occa­sions, as I haue found or may euidently preceiue doo vsually put me in great hazard of consenting or committing some mortall sinne: In all these cases, if I be not carefull to remedye or preuent them, surely my purpose is not sufficient, & therfore I am not in such cases truly penitent.

20. But now when I haue once entirely vndergone the sacrament of penance, I am no more bound of necessity to iterate or repeate my repentance for the same sin­nes. And wise men doo giue it for good counsell, not to recall to our minde such passed sinnes as perteyning to delightes of our flesh, or to the honors or Riches of the worlde were so pleasing vnto vs, that their remembrance thoughe with pretence of remorse may mooue vs in thoughte agayne to delighte somewhat in them, as soone as in deede to be contrite for them. Except it be at such times, when either we feele [Page 97] our selues in feruent deuotion, or finde in our selues such abundant mortification, that we neede not feare their enticement. Other wise, that which is delectable to our nature without speciall grace, will easily drawe vs to encline to his desire.

11. I said we are not bound of necessity to repeate our Contrition for the same sin­nes: yet when without the said danger we haue opportunity, doubtles it is very conuenient somtimes to renew & to repeate our contrition; and so to endeauour to make it sure & good, least peraduenture before times it haue bene insufficient. Espe­cially at the time of our death we haue neede to repeate it, and as much as we can to make all sure: yea, S. Augustin vsed to say, thoughe his conscience accused him of no crime vnrepented, yet it is very conuenient at our death to haue Cōtrition for what­soeuer offences of our life; and accordingly that holy Father in his sicknes before his death caused the 7. penitentiall psalmes to be set by his Bed-side in great letters, that he mighte often repeate them (as he did) with many teares. Possidō, in eius vi­ta. And in this I speake of generall Contrition actually to be repeated as often as conueniently we can doo it: I doo not speake of the often repetition of the selfe same generall confessions, which hauing bene made with diligence & deuotion once, twice, or thrice at most in our life time (as graue, learned, & discrete men doo auouche) it is abundantly sufficient: for as it is requisite on our partes to vse our true diligence, so it is as necessary in regarde of God allmightyes great goodnes, to haue good trust & much confidence in his loue, mercy, & fatherly affection towardes vs, beleeuing credibly that all is forgiuen vs most fauorably; for our gracious God is not like a crafty copesman, or a cauilling la­wyer ready to spye euery friuolous nullity, & to take aduantage vpon the smallest ouersighte no: no: we may, & oughte to be assured that our Lorde is more ready to forgiue then we to aske pardon wherfore hauing done our endeuour, we may com­fortably relye vpon his gracious fauour.

12. Yet our repentance, thoughe Actually it neede not be outwardly repeated more thou once, neuertheles it must euer habitually be continued inwardly during our life: that is we must neuer committe any thing contrary to the inwarde habite of repen­tance; nor may our sinnes passed at any time afterwarde agayne please vs: rather they must alwayes greiue & displease vs, at least habitually & inwardly. And these are the propertyes of true contrition.

THE EXCELLENCYES OF CONTRITION: and how in some sorte it may be compared with martyrdome. Sect. 7.

1. IT is good to knowe what be the qualityes of contrition: but the practise of them is much better. It is true; the greife & sorowe of a contrite harte is vn­pleasing & bitter in the taste; but it will be afterwarde holsome & comfortable as wormewood is to the stomacke: for sweete meates doo sooner cause corruption & obstructions, when medicines which are bitter doo open & purge the body. And of sinnes in the soule Dauid saith There are the dolors of a woman in childebirthe, which haue payne in their trauell, & as they had pleasure in their conception: so, for the de­lighte of our sinnes committed, we must feele some greife when they are repented: and this greife thoughe it be bitter as Aloes, yet it is the best medicine against the gna­wing wormes of our conscience: and as of yron is bred a ruste; of clothe a mothe; & of timber a worme, which consume the substances wherof they were engendred: and as against poyson are made tryacles and Antidotaryes of other poysons: so, is sin­ne [Page 98] consumed by sorowe for sinne, and against the punishment of wickednes, the pu­nishment of penance is a soueraigne remedye.

2. Only hereof we must haue a care, that our sorowe for sinne be sincere. If thou tell me thy body is wounded, shew me thy flesh bleeding or bruised: if thou tell me thy harte is contrite; let me see thy teares; or thoughe men preceiue it not, yet at least God allmighty must see thy sorowe. In proyning of the vine, if it distill any droppes, it is a signe it will be fruitfull; but if thy repentance be without teares, at least of contrition, surely thy amendement will be very barren.

3. Wherfore Ieremy said, be thou gyrded with hayrecloth, that is, mortifye the appe­tites of thy flesh, Ierem. 6. and be thou sprinkled with ashes, that is, refrayne the motions of [...]y proud mind: And cause vnto thy selfe a bitter playnte as the lamentation of an only [...]hilde; not of an eldest or dearest childe, for so is insinuated that more children re­mayne▪ but eyther as a parent lamenting his only childe; or as an only childe mouring for his parents; whose greifes must be greatest because they alone must take all the greife. And so, not much vnlike; when by our sinne we loose the fauour of good, because we can haue no more Gods, we must lament our losse of him as the losse of all▪ for without him we are nothing, nor can haue any thinge: And eyther we must by our sorowfull repentance regayne his fauour, or for euer perish in his displeasure.

4. But moste happy we are, if we neglecte not our possibility: because as Solinus wri­teth of a founteyn in Epyrus which not only quencheth a burning torche, De mira­bil mun­di. but kindleth it agayne being quenched: so by our teares of contrition we may at one instante both quen­che the flames of hellfyre due vnto vs, and inflame our selues agayne in the fauour and lo­ue of God which we had loste, and was justly taken from vs. For the exercise of con­trition and daily mortification are so notable in their efficacye and in their dignitye, that Dauid here calleth such an afflicted spirite, a sacrifice to God: and our holy mother the Churche in the hymne of Virgins being allso martyrs hath these wordes, Haec tua virge duplici beata sorte dum gestit fragilem domare corporis sexū, domuit cruentum corpore saeclum, Vnde nec mortem, nec amica mortis saeua poenarum genera pauescens &c. This thy virgin bessed in a double sorte, whiles she endeuours to mortifie the frayle sexe of her body, she ouer­came the cruel worlde together with her body: wherfore neither fearing deathe nor any sauage kindes of tortures which are the freindes of death &c. Beholde here twoo causes why she is blessed. 1. for mortification of her flesh. 2. for conquering of the worlde. And 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, nō re­ [...]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. [Page 99] 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 inf [...]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, Epist. 55. 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 th [...]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, Tract su­per Ioan. but rather with patience he liues, & dyes with delighte: his patience and his labour prolonged doo en­crease his merite, and his delighte differred shalbe 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, Innocē. 3. against vnlawfull plea­sing thoughtes: for such sorowe is a sacrifice to God, and such a contrite and humbled [...]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 may stand stately and proudly for a time, like the walls of Babel; yet in all the worlde it was neuer sene that where religion was debased, but in few Ages their commanding policy was confounded.

3. Wherfore let vs praye continually for the sincerity of Sion, the prosperity of Ie­rusalem. Psal. 101. O lorde repayre the walls vnto the one; and vnto the other shew the kind­nes of thy good will. Arise, O God, and haue mercy vpon Sion, because, it now seemes time to haue mercy vpon her, and because her highe time is now come, if great neede can shew when it is her highe time; for now new fangled people broken o [...] from thy churche are broken into thine inheritance; thy haue polluted thy holy Temples & profaned thy churches; thy Altars they haue caste downe, and they ha­ue caste out thy holy sacrifices: they haue turned thy houses of orderly religion into habitations of moste disordinate pleasures, or else haue layd them desolate in barba­rous ruynes, posuerunt Ierusalem in pomorum custodia [...]t, hey haue made Ierusalē, (which was well inhabited) eyther like a poore Cottage of an orcharde where dwelles some churlish warrener; Psal. 78. or it is quite suffered to decaye since all the fruite was gathered. [Page 101] They haue placed the dead bodyes of thy seruantes to be meate for the soules of the ayre; and in some places they haue lefte the flesh of thy sayntes vnburyed, to beco­me a preye for the beastes of the earthe: they haue shed the bloud of many like water in the circuite of Ierusalem, and there were none permitted to bury them with sacred ceremonyes. We are made a reproche vnto our neighbors, a laughing stocke and a scoffe vnto them who are round about vs. How long, O lord, wilte thou be angry vnto the end? shall thy zeale be kindled like fire? O powre out thy wrathe vpon the nations which haue not known thee; and vpon the kingdomes which haue not called vpon thy name. For they haue eaten vp Iacob, & his place they haue layde desolate. O remember not our olde iniquityes, but let thy mercyes soone preuent vs, for we are made exceding poore. O God our saluation helpe vs, & deliuer vs O lord, for the glory of thy name: and be mercifull vnto our sinnes, for thine owne name. Least they say among the nations, where is theyr God? rather make knowne vnto the nations before our eyes, the vengeance of the bloud of thy seruantes which hath bene shed: and let the sighes of them who are in fetters enter into thy sighte: and according to the greatnes of thine arme possesse and preserue the children corporall or spirituall of them who now are martyred or oppressed, whether they be children of nature or of grace, of succession, or of conuersion.

4. Deale kindly, O lorde, in thy good will towardes Sion: Benignè sac, or bonam fac: make Sion to become good: or thoughe it be faulty, Iansen. Tit. 3. yet shew it thy fauour in thy good will. Allso for the Benignity of our Sauiours incarnation as Saint Paul calleth it: or according to the gracious prouidence of thy good will, and pleasure; both decree­ing our remedy, and fullfilling thy fauour. Or as vnto God the Father is attributed the minde; vnto the Sonne reason: and will vnto the holy Ghoste; so let vs particu­larly praye for this good will of his holy spirite, therein to sanctify Sion; Inno [...]. 3. and withall for our selues as passengers in a shippe, to directe it euer by his good will, as the helme.

5. That the walls of Ierusalem may be builte: not alone, that the Temporall state may be free from domesticall suspicions & forreyn feares, florishing in strenghte of vnity at home & amity abroade, by which it shall be compassed & defended as with firme walls: But especially that in the quietnes of christendome free from persecution, we may haue many good religious men renued, and repayred, to be sayntes, & deare ser­uantes of God: for these are the cheife defence, the best Armyes, the horsemen, the footemen, the Artillerye, the munition, the shippes, & the walls of any kingdome. And of these the scripture saith all thy walls are precious stones ▪ and all other good Ca­tholique Christians are well squared liuing stones, Esay. 16. 1. Cor. 3. Ephes. 2. builte vpon our L. Iesus as the ch [...]ife & principall foundation, beside whom no man can lay any other firste founda­tion: and then secondly nexte after him S. Paul telleth vs, we are builte vpon the foundation of the Apostles and prophets. And among them cheifly vpon S. Peter & his successors, vnto whom our Sauiour promised, that vpon this rocke he woulde builde his churche.

6. O gracious Sauiour, thou haste hitherto continued this promise, and we doubte not but thou wilte performe it vnto the end of the worlde, so that the gates of hell, neither by Diuells, Tyrantes, Heretiques, nor Antichrists, shall preuayle against it: But in particuler we moste humbly, earnestly, & sorowfully entreate thee, not only to continue & blesse Sion where it is now well seated, but allso to builde and repayre the walls of Ierusalem, wheresoeuer they haue bene defaced. O sweete Iesu repayre our ruynes, restore our breaches, make vs all liuing stones of thy Temple, and vou­chsafe [Page 102] once agayne amongest vs to renue the walls of Ierusalem: Let vs be so compo­sed & combyned in vnity of Catholique religion, and in charity of true Christian lo­ue so compacted, that we may seeme like one of those Towres in the walls of Ierusa­lem, which Iosephus saith was so artificially contriued, that it appeared all but one stone. Thy charity is the best bitume morter, or cement, or playster of Paris, or spa­nish yesso, wherwith to combyne vs & bind vs together: O let this charity be so dif­fused & spread abroad in all our hartes, that we may be all of one harte, of one minde, of one faith, and of one flocke vnder one shepheard, & one God.

7. Sion signifyes a watchtowre: and Ierusalem a city of peace. In his towre thy preistes & prelates are watchemen: and all thy constante Catholiques are inhabitan­tes of Ierusalem. O how beautifull is this towre when it standes in vnity! but when it crackes or breakes by diuision, o how ruynous & dangerous! And as for the other Commons & Citizens of Ierusalem, how can they remayne vndestroyed by Titus & Vespasian their cōmon enemyes? whiles they foster broyles, or breede factions with­in their owne bowelles. Wherfore O deare Sauiour! O God of peace! settle our to­wres of Sion, in concorde of watchemen: and vnto thy Citizens of Ierusalem send thy peace: thy externall peace, from outward persecution; thy internall peace, from inwarde diuision: and thy eternall peace in euerlasting consolation. By this shall the walls of Ierusalem be rebuilte, if we seeke & kepe peace▪ and by this shall we be knowne to be thy disciples, if in that peace which thou diddest bequeath vs we doo loue one another. O mercifull Iesu take not away thy peace because of our disagree­mentes: but rather take away our disagreements and restore vs thy peace: we deserue indeede more anger, yet according to thy benign [...]iy deale kindly with Sion, and buil­de agayne the walls of Ierusalem; that once agayne thou maist accept the sacrifice of iustice, oblations, burnte offeringes, and calues vpon thine Altars.

A CONTINVED SVPPLICATION FOR the good will & mercy of our Lord, vnto all estates of his churche and against seuerall vices. Sect. 2.

1. AND allso in these wordes the Catholique Churche is described by three names of Sion, Ierusalem, and his Altar; which may signifye the 3. sortes of people in his churche. Inn [...]cē. [...]. 1. religious persons. 2. secular preistes. 3. lay people: which are designed allso by Noah, Daniel, & Iob. The firste are of spirituall contemplation, dwelling aboue in solitary Mounte Sion. The thirde & laste, are in temporall actiōs inhabitants beneath in Ierusalem, as in a city full of turmoyle & earthly trafique. The second and middlemost, being preistes, doo frequent the Altars of the Temple, which was seated betwene Sion aboue, & the said citye belowe, as men of a mixte life, partly spirituall & partly temporall, and therfore be called secular preistes: vidz prei­stes, for their exercise and ministration of deuine mysteryes; and secular; because of their particuler possessions, and their often conuersation in the assayres and with the men of this worlde.

2. O Iesu deale kindly with Sion, replenishing thy monasteryes with multitudes of sayntes, worthy to abide in such a holy hill. Builde the walls of Ierusalem, so that all lay men & the citizens of this worlde may be combined & dwell together in cha­rity; may be limited & kepte within the boundes of equity; and may be defended [Page 103] safe against all their enemyes. And finally grante we beseech the, that all thy preistes may offer vnto the with due deuotion, the sacrifice of iustice, and with decent re­uerence present thy oblations vpon thine Altars, neither slubbering thy sacrifice, nor poasting thy seruice.

3. Furtherfore, Sion is interpreted speculation, and Ierusalem a vision of peace: o deale kindly with vs by thy mercy, S. Aug. that in this life we may haue some speculation of certein hope, thoughe but as in a glasse: and that in the nexte life we may possesse the perfect vision of blessed peace. Then shalte thou receiue our sacrifices of iustice, our due debte of prayses, our willing oblations of thankfullnes, our whole burnte offerin­ges, and our calues shall be layde & consumed vpon thine Altar; our concupiscences & our sorowes shall then be quite consumed as whole burnte offringes, by the hea­uenly fire of thy diuine feruor. Then shall we neede no more contrition or penan­ce, which now we must practise in this life: for there all teares shalbe wiped from our eyes; and our heauy mourning as penitent Trutles, shall then be changed into the liuely ioyfullnes of innocent Calues.

4. And therfore allso we doo so earnestly intreate, that thou wouldest builde the walls of Ierusalem; because out of the vnity of the churche compassed with those walls of the communion of sayntes, we are sure that no sacrifice will be acceptable vnto thee; wherfore, that these walls may be builded, deale kindly with Sion in thy go [...]d will. For as the prophet saith thou arte a clement God, mercifull, patient, of much miseration, and pitifull to our wickednes. In creating vs clement; Iona. 4. mercifull in redeeming vs: patient, in expecting our conuersion: in comforting vs, of much misera­tion: and in forgiuing all out faultes & frayletyes, full of pity. In all these kindnesses of thy good will, O doo good & deale kindly with Sion: that the walls of Ierusalem may be builded: that our prelates may be of good example & much reuerenced: that thy holy sacramentes may be deuoutly receiued & administred: that in thy militante churche, we may haue the strong Bulwarkes of faith, hope, & charity begonne: and in thy churche tryumphante the stately towres of perfecte charity, sure possession, & euident knowledge accomplished.

5. Salomon, that is, Peace, did builde the walls of Ierusalem: but in the time of Ioas which signifyes temporality, they were destroyed. Ozias, 2. para­lip. 25. which is interpreted Seeing God, or Faith, did rebuilde what temporality had ruynated: but Nabuzoradan, that is, a prince of cookes or voluptuousnes, againe defaced what faith had repayred. Nehemias, which signifyes consolation, restored all once agayne; 4. reg. 15. but Antiochus of Syria, that is, haughtynes, or silence of pouerty, beate them downe for vayneglory of our good deeds, & silence without confession of our bad, 4. reg. 25. doo exceedin­gly tread downe all true consolation. Lastly Iudas Machabaeus vidz: the confession of a warriour, acknowledging his owne frailety, & fighting against pride, he did reedifye: 1 Mac. 1. but Titus, which may be construed good, or else durte, that is, fayre seeming hypo­crites good in shew & durte in deede, these laste of all doo lay waste & make desolate the hill of Siō & the walls of Ierusalem which shall be lastly succoured by Enoch and Elias. And as these thinges pas [...]ed with the materiall walls of Ierusalem, so may they serue (as hath bene shewed) for our morall information.

THE TIMES, THE MANER, THE PLACE, the persons, offering all these sacrifyces, oblations &c. Sect. 3.

1. THEN wilt thou accepte the sacrifice of iustice &c. Then. 1. by the vertue of thy passion, after the fulnes of time, when the lawe of Moyses shalbe con­summated. 2. Then, in the florishing prosperity ofthy churche vpon earthe, when persecution shalbe abated. 3. Then, in the perfecte happynes of thy churche in heauē, when we shall clearely beholde & knowe God face to face. When in these three sor­tes the walls of Ierusalem shalbe finished; then in the firste wilte thou accepte the sa­crifice of iustice, euen Christe himselfe our Iustice sacrificed for vs vpon the crosse. Then in the second thou wilte admitte our mixed oblations like Martha busyed in many thinges; and our entire burnte offringes like Mary choosing the better parte. And then in the thirde, we shall lay our calues vpon thine Altar, that is, our youth­full wantonnes, or wordly cherfullnes shalbe abandoned; and being sacrificed here vpō thine Altar of penitence, Hose vllt. shalbe there changed firste into the calues of our lippes cherfully moouing to giue thee honour and prayse, and afterwarde accomplished in the joyfull vision, cleare sighte, and perfect knowledge of thy diuine maiesty, in which is comprehended our vnspeakable felicity.

2. Then allso, wilte thou accepte the sacrifice of iustice, the passion and merites of our Sauiour, and for them all the good workes of his se [...]uantes; whether they be the oblatiōs of feruorous Confessors, or the whole burnte offring [...] of zealou [...] martyrs. Or whether they be offred by lay people as deuoute [...], Euthym. or [...] the whole burnte sacrifices of reli­gious persons. Then will all these lay Calues vpon thi [...]e Altar: that is; bring many yonge folke vnto thy seruice, to be suckled and to be fed in thy catholique faith, with the sacra­ments of thy churche, and with many good examples and Rules of piety and morali­ty, Titelmā. wherin they shall abide and remayne. For whatsoeuer is laid vpon thine Altar, there it oughte to remayne as in thy presence, holy, and consecrated to thy seruice; and shalbe 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 shut [...]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.

[Page 105]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 v [...]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, Esay. 9. 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, Psal. 31. and comely in all vertuous ornamentes.

5. If Ierusalē 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, Galat 4. 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, Apoc. 22. 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, 3. Reg. 6. 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 Ierusalē 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: S. Amb. Oecumen. Haymo. Genebr. 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: Philip. 4. Heb. 11. but it is an externall sacrifice properly so called: and yet more, a peculiar sacrifice instituted of [Page 106] our Sauiour Christe himselfe in his laste supper, and ordered and adorned afterwarde by the Apostles & their successors; as appeareth by the Canon [...] 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, Act. 13. Panegy­rola dis­ [...]ept. 17. parte al­tera. 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 of them often mention the sacrifice of the Masse. And all these were the Apostles schollers.

6. Allso the sixte Synode (or Councell) doth affirme S. Iames to haue said Masse. And S. Andrew (as it is in his life) said to Egeas the Proconsull these wordes: I do euery day sacrifice the immaculate lambe. Lib 1▪ de offici [...]s. And S. Isidore saith, that the order of the Masse was firste appoynted by S. Peter.

7. But now, to the end, you may the better knowe what Masse is; and how the bet­ter to assiste with reuerence, & with deuotion to offer this holy sacrifice; vnderstand that a sacrifice is by learned men thus described. A sacrifice is an externall oblation of some outwarde matter, according to certeyn Rites and Ceremonyes altering in somewhat the nature of the thinge offered, S. Thom. 2.2. q. 85. a. 3. Greg. de Valent. Tom. 4. disp. 6. q. 11. and so is consecrated by a Lawfull preist vnto allmightie God alone, as acknowledging him onlie to be God & lorde of all, and our selues to be his creatures, seruantes, and vassalls. This is a sacrifice in generall. In particuler the sacrifice of the Masse hath bread & wyne for the outward matter; and by the blessing, consecration, breaking, mixtion, & receiuing therof it is made a perfect sacrifice, and changed in­to the Reall body & bloud of our Sauiour: which change, because it is made by the wordes of consecration, therfore is the consecration to be esteemed the most es­sentiall and cheife parte of this sacrifice; and so, together with the other actions, it is finished & perfected for a religious sacrifice, wherin we doo of duty render him prayse for his admirable goodnes in himselfe; and thankes for his great Benefites to­wardes vs; and allso we doo in humility craue his mercifull pardon to forgiue all our faultes, & his gracious bounty to supplye all our wantes; and all this for the merites of our Sauiours death & passion wherof in the masse we doo make & keepe a remem­brance & commemoration.

8. And therfore wheras in the olde lawe they had seuerall sacrifices according to their seuerall intentions & necessityes, only in this one of the Masse are all those kindes of sacrifices conteyned. 1. of Commemoration or representation of our Lordes passion. 2. of prayse for his goodnes in himselfe. 3. of thankesgiuing for his [Page 107] benefites towarde vs. 4. of propitiation, for his pardon to our sinnes, De ciuit. Dei lib. cap. 20. & for his re­leife to our necessityes. And so S. Augustine said that it succedeth in place of all the ancyent sacrifices, and that vnto them all in valew it is equall.

9. And although in the Communion of the Masse, all the oblation is consumed yet is it no lesse a sacrifice then were the holo caustes or whole burnte offrings of which no parcell was reserued. Neither is it one whitte the lesse a sacrifice because it is allso a Sacrament ▪ which may be in diuerse respectes, as the same thing may be in seuerall considerations both receiued of God, and giuen vnto him agayne: for else, what can we giue vnto him, which we haue not receiued from him?

10. And further to prooue that it is a sacrifice, Lib. 8. Consti [...]. Aposto­licarum. cap. 5. Clemens Romanus reciting out of the Apostles Institution the forme of the prayer vsed when Bishops were to be or­deyned, setteth it downe in these wordes: Giue him (O allmightie Lorde) the participa­tion of the holie Ghoste, that he may haue power of forgiuing sinnes &c. and of pleasing thee in meekenes, and with a cleane harte offering vnto thee without faulte euer and without sin­ne that pure and vnblouddie sacrifice, which throughe Christe thou haste ordeyned for a myste­rye of the new Testament.

11. Allso Saint Iustine Martyr saith of allmighty God that he receiueth sacrifices of none, but of his owne preistes. Wherfore allmightie God preuenting (with fauor) all those which in his name offer the sacrifices which Iesus Christe commanded to be made in the Eucharist of bread & of the cuppe, which (sacrifices) are performed of christians in all pla­ces, our lord testifieth that they are gratefull vnto himselfe.

12. Saynt Cyprian likewise writeth thus. Iesus Christ our lord and God is himselfe the high preist of God his father: and himselfe first of all offred sacrifice vnto God the Father, Lib. 2. epist. 3. and commanded the same to be done in remembrance of himselfe.

13. In the psalme it is said our lord hath sworne, and it will not repent him: thou art a preist for euer according to the Order of Melchisedec: Psal. 109. vpon which wordes S. Augustin, They know who read what Melchisedec tooke out when he blessed Abraham: and now they are partakers therof: they see such a sacrifice now to be offered vnto God in all the worlde. But the swearing of God is a reprehension of the incredulous: Lib. 1. contra Aduersa. legis. and that God will not repent, is a signification that he will not change this preisthood▪ but he will change the preisthood according to the Order of Aaron.

14. If it be said, he offred not bread & wine vnto God, but tooke it out for Abra­ham. Firste the Texte doth not say so: rather Abraham had victualls enoughe of the spoyles he gotte; of which he offered Tenthes to Melchisedec. Or suppose he tooke it out for Abraham: it doth not therfore follow, that he did not withall offer it vn­to God in sacrifice. For Clemens Alexandrinus noteth that Melchisedec gave sancti­fyed bread & wine for norishment, in figure of the Eucharist; Vidz: Stromat. lib. 4. that as the Eucharist is first offered vnto God & then is receiued: so Melchisedec both, offred these vnto God in sacrifice, and broughte them out vnto Abraham for his norishment.

15. Furthermo [...]e the masse is that sacrifice which Malachias foretolde; from the ri­sing of the sunne vnto his going downe, great is my name among the Nations, Malac. 1. and in euery place is sacrificed and offred vnto my name a cleane oblation. See, saith S. Chrysostome, how plentifullie and plainlie he hath interpreted the mysticall table which is the vnblouddy sacrifice. And S. Augustin about the same wordes saith, Hom. 95. in psalm. De ciuit. Dei l. 18. cap. 35. wheras we see in euerie place from the East to the west this sacrifice to be offred vnto God by the preisthood of Christe according [...]o the order of Melchisedec &c. And Damascen speaking of the masse, saith, This is that pure and vnblouddie sacrifice which our lord declared by the Prophet, should be offred vnto him from the East to the West.

[Page 108]16. In like sorte many other places out of the Anciēt Doctors mighte be alledged, & thoughe some of them in some places doo referre those wordes vnto spirituall sacri­fices, yet doo they not therfore exclude that which themselues or others haue direct­ly construed allso for a materiall sacrifice. For reall sacrifices must be allso spiritu­ally offered: and as the lawe & religion of nature & Moyses, had their materiall out­ward sacrifices, so must our lawe of grace & the gospell planted by Iesus Christe. And this appeareth by the succession which Malachy maketh of his prophecyed sacrifice vnto the sacrifices of Moyses lawe: for if vnder Christe we haue true preists and a preisthood of Melchisedec, it is necessary allso we haue reall proper sacrifices which only these preistes may offer vp, which therfore must be somewhat else beside prayers and meere spirituall sacrifices: for the offering of these perteyneth vnto others, as well as vnto preistes, & therfore are no proper reall sacrifices.

17. As for those places of S. Paul to the Hebrewes: that Christe was offered once for all and needeth no more to be offered: It is most true, in the maner of a bloudye sacrifice: but the masse is called by the olde Doctors (as you see aboue) a sacrifice vnbloudye. And allso he speaketh of the sacrifice of the crosse, as primary & inde­pending, and therfore most sufficient neuer to be iterated: but this sacrifice of the masse is depending thereon & secondary; wherfore as representing that former sacri­fice, & deriuing vertue from thence, it is but a continuance & application of the same. In caput 10 ad Hebraeos. And so S. Ambrose answereth in effecte, saying. What doo we? doo we not of­fer euery day? verily we doo offer: but dooing it for remembrance of his death. And this sacrifice is but one, not many: for that was once offered in sancto sanctorum, but this sacrifice is a representation of that: we doo alwayes offer the same sacrifice not now verily one lambe, to morowe another, but awayes the same sacrifice: Therfore the sacrifice is one: otherwise, because it is offered in many places, there shoulde be many Christes. Not so: but Christe is one euery where our Highpreist: he offered a sacrifice cleansing vs; we doo now allso offer the same. But that which now we sacrifice it is done in commemoration of that which was sacrificed; not another sa­crifice, as the highe preist, but we doo alwayes sacrifice the same. Thus farre S. Ambrose, teaching that we now doo not offer a sacrifice alltogether different from the firste, but the selfe same in respecte of the thing offered thoughe diuerse in regar­de of the maner; which in the Masse is done vnbloudily, and was bloudily done vpon the crosse: Neither is the Masse altogether of the same efficacye with that of the cros­se: for now we doo not sacrifice to reconcile mankinde vnto God anewe & agayne, as by another new & firste Acte of reconciliation; but only to deriue & to applye vnto our selues the fruite of that primary, principall, firste, & infinite sacrifice on the crosse.

18. The sacrifice of the crosse firste merited: and the sacrifice of the Altar deriues that merite. By that firste, the remedye is sufficient; & by this second it is effectuall. That had merite of infinite measures; but the measure of merite in this is finite & proportionable vnto vs. according as we in our deuotion doo applye it: and therfo­re that sacrifice being infinite was but once offered, wheras this is offered euery daye, being proportionate & finite, to the end that we may daily haue more merite hereby applyed. Neither doo we any more iniury to that infinite sacrifice, by deriuing & applying the merites therof euery day in the repetitiō of the masse, then if one should say that we derogate from the merites & vertue of his passion, when we frequent & repeate the vse of the holy communion, or some other repeatable sacrament, or de [...]otion, whose vertue dependeth on the passion: for by repeating these we doo [Page 109] not crucyfye him agayne, nor thinke that is was not sufficient he was once crucifyed, but we desire continually to profit [...] more & more, and to applye the merites of his crosse, both by those deuotions frequented, and by the daily sacrifice of the Masse.

THE NOTABLE PROPITIATORY VERTVES of the sacred Masse, which ought to mooue vs to the frequenting & applying of the benefites therof. Sect. 5.

1. FVRTHER more the Masse is not only a sacrifice in generall: or of come­moration only: or of thankesgiuing alone: but likewise it is a sacrifice pro­pitiatory to obteyne forgiuens of our sinnes, and all other thinges necessary for our soules and our bodyes for the liuing & for the dead. Cateches. mystag. Saint Cyril Ierosolymitanus writeth thus: After that same spirituall sacrifice is made, and that same vnbloudy worship, we doo beseech allmighty God by that same sacrifice of Propitiation, for the generall peace of the church, for the tranquillity of the worlde; for kinges, for souldyers, for our fellowes, for the sicke, for all afflicted, and in summe for all them who doo neede releife, wherof indeed we haue all need. Afterwarde we make men­tion allso of them, who are dead before vs: firste of Patriarkes, Prophets, Apostles, and martyrs; that almighty God by their prayers and intreates would receiue our petitions. Then for the holy fathers & Bishops deceased: and finally we doo praye for all them who from among vs haue departed this life, beleeuing it to be the grea­test releife of soules, for whom is offered the intreaty of that holy and reuerent sa­crifice which is layd vpon the Altar.

2. Hereof allso saith S. Chrysostome: we doo sacrifice for the fruites of the earthe, of the sea, and of all the whole worlde. And S. Augustine reporteth, Hom. 77. in Ioan. De ci [...]it. Dei lib. 22. c. 8. That one Hesperius a man of worship and principall credite among them, in the Territory of Fussal had a Ma­nour or Grange called Cubbedi, where together with the affl [...]ction of his cattell, and of his seruantes, he found that his house was hanted with the violence of malignant spirites: he entreated our preistes in my absence (saith S. Augustine) that some of them would go thither, by whole prayers they mighte giue place. One went: he there did offer the sa­crifice of the body of Christe, praying as earnestly as he coulde that that vexation mighte cease. And almighty God presently shewing mercy, it ceased. Quaestio­ne 34. ad Antioch. Hom. 69. ad popul. E [...]ist. ad Faust. Enchirid. ad Ia [...]. cap. 110. &c. De cura pro mort. agenda. lib. 1. Confes. l. 9. c. 13.

3. Saint Athanasius auoucheth plainly: wee doo vnderstand that the soules of sinners doo participate some beneficence from that same v [...]bloudy offering and gratification made for them. And S. Chrysostome: These thinges were not rashly ordeyned of the Apo­stles, that in the reuerend mysteryes there should be made a commemoration of the dead: for they knowe that from thence may succede vnto them much gayne and much profite.

4. Saint Ambrose telleth Faustinus, that he must not so much bewayle his sister with teares, as rather commend her soule vnto God with oblations. As for S. Augustine, he is plentifull in diuerse places mentioning both suffrages and sacrifices for the dead, and vsed them in particuler for his owne mother deceased▪ not only to giue thanks for their deli­uerance out of [...]his worlde; and in their honor who were certeinly reputed to be in glory; but allso for pardon and propitiation of their soules, who they were not sure had escaped purgatory.

5. O most swete Iesu our blessed Sauior! as thou hast giuen vs thy selfe vpon the crosse, so we most humbly beseech the to grante vs in our countrye the full & free vse of this sa­crifice [Page 110] of Iustice, for the religious application of all thy merites, vnto the liuing and to the dead, by the mysteryes and vertue of the holy masse. O giue vs grace daily so to be pre­sent at those miraculous and sacred solemnityes of thy wonderfull loue and bitter passion, with such attentiue reuerence, such reuerent loue, and such louing attention, that most effe­ctually we may euer obteyne the blessed communion of all thine infinite mercyes and goodnes. In this treasure is hidden the value & worthe of more then many hundred markes: let others threaten prisons, or by their lawes make it felony, or treason, to be present or assistante at this heauenly sacrifice of the masse: yet let all zealous Catholiques rather yeild and loose their liues, then not to render vnto God this diuine and deuoute seruice, and so to be partakers of the vnualewable merites of this most holy and pre­cious sacrifice.

6. O my soule! let vs frequent these holy mysteryes of the masse, as the dayly bread of our life: here we haue spirituall foode, & medicine: it giues vs foode for nourishment in grace; and it affoardes vs medicine for remedye against sinne. O come, we will offer it as a sacrifice, and receiue it as a sacrament: as it is a sacrifice it payes the debtes of the of­ferer; and as it is a sacrament, it giueth iustice to the receiuer. O sacrifice of Iustice! make me iuste; and be my sacrifice. O most gracious Sauiour! let my soule melt in thy loue, & let me be partaker of thy grace: thou werte once offered in thy selfe, and thou arte euery day offered in this sacrament. O be my sacrifice by the firste, & by the second make me iuste: O sacrifice of iustice! O mirrour of loue! O treasure of grace! did euer any loue so willingly paye an enemyes debte? Prosper. in l. Sent. or who hath suffered torments for his freinds with like rigor of iustice? was there euer any fauour, and grace, more plentifull, or so riche, as this vnestimable sacrifice? O sacrifice of iustice make me iust, and be my sacrifice. All [...]houghe according to Saint Bernards vision I haue no Title vnto heauen by mine owne iustice alone, In eius vita. yet my Sauiour hath a double iust clayme, of merite, and inheritance: one for him­selfe, and the other for me▪ O [...]weete Sauiour, throughe thy sacrifice make me so iust, that I may inherite heauen by thy iustice: and be thou my sacrifice and my Iesus.

7. It is not diligence enoughe for the sicke or wounded to knowe that in the Apothe­caryes shoppe be salues and medicines which can heale him: or who will excuse a soldyer vnarmed in the feild, because he knowes there are weapons and armor in the Garrison? O no: we must by daily and particuler exercise of religion apply the merites of our Sauiour, and alwayes stand girded, and put vpon vs the armour of our lord Iesus, if we will be de­fended from the Diuells and Hell, or if we will be cured from sinne and imperfection: as Esay said▪ I [...]xtà est qui iustificat me: he is here at hande who iustifyeth me. Not alone i [...] the churche where I shoulde be, and yet am not present; nor only vpon the Altar, before which I am kneeling in body, whiles my harte is absent: But i [...]xta est, he is where I am and I am where he is. O deare Iesus be my Iesus, and vouchsafe in some good sorte that as of S. Gertrude, so of me thou maist say, In corde eius inuenies me, in his harte you shall find in me: or at least: O lorde let my hart be alwayes found and founded in thee: O let me be partaker of thy sacrifice of iustice; by offering vp all my doinges, & sufferinges, in the company, & with the value of thy iust merites: & not only to haue parte in thy meri­tes by offring this sacrifice, but allso to become parte of thy selfe by receiuing this sacra­ment: to haue participation with thee, & withall thy Sayntes who serue thee. O giue vn­to vs the efficacy of this sacrament, and accept for vs the dignity of this sacrifice; that so we may become one with thee in grace, as thou diddest become one with vs in nature: not by changing thy selfe into our bodily substance, but by assuming of vs into thy spiri­tuall qualityes: by this sacrament receiued, making vs to be thine, & by this sacrifice of­fered, making thy selfe to be ours; to be cleansed from our euill in the one, and in the [Page 111] other to be enriched with thy goodnes; both making our owne merites to be of more worth by this sacrifice, and by this sacrament to make all thy merites to become ours.

SOME CONSIDERATIONS PERTEYNING to the deuout hearing of masse and ending of our life. Sect. 6.

1. O sacrifice of justice! an oblation and a whole burnte offeringe, more worth then all the calues in the worlde which can be laid vpon thine Altar. A medicine saith S. Cyprian, to heale all infirmityes, and to purge all iniquityes. A sacrifice, as S. Augu­stin said, which in it selfe alone conteyneth all the vertue, In ser. de coena Do. and more then all the valewe of all the sacrifices in the olde lawe. Vnto this they were then all referred, and in this they are nowe all included. All their lambes, their goates, their oxen, their fatlinges, their pigeons, their turtles; all their beastes and birdes; all their fruites and herbes; all their meat offringes, their drinke offringes, and whole burnte offringes: all their oblations for sinne, or for thankes, in sorowe, or with ioye; all of them must giue place vnto this, for in this alone they are all conteyned, accomplished, and perfited.

2. Wherfore let vs frequent hearing of Masse with all deuotion; for it is a sacrifice of iustic [...] aboue all other sacrifices: let vs bow downe our heades and our hartes, fir­ste to accuse & confesse our owne faultes & defectes, with sorowe & humility: let vs secondly lifte vp our hartes & our handes, to magnifye & prayse our Lordes mercy & goodnes, with ioye & gladnes: Thirdly let vs stand vp on our feete, as ready to obey his Gospell, and professing to beleeue his Creede: let vs fourthly offer & adore the sacrifice and the substance of so diuine a mysterye, by acknowledgment of our homage vnto him, and with remembrance of his passion for vs, so to yeild him our duty for all his benefites, and to entreat him for his pity to all our sinnes: Fiftly let vs accompany this most effectuall sacrifice with our supplications & petitions, in ge­nerall, & particuler, for the whole churche, & for our selues, for our Benefactors & our freindes, for the liuing & for the dead, and for all the communion of sayntes; in all our necessityes, & wantes of our bodyes, goods, liues, or soules: Sixtely let vs prepare & proceede to be partakers of the communion (at least spiritually) desiring our Lordes peace & his mercy; considering our vile vnworthynes, & his incompa­rable loue: And seuenthly let vs conclude with all thankesgiuing & liuely cherfull­nes, for this sacrifice & all other his benefites, for his infinite loue & vnspeakable goodnes, reioycing vnto him for that which is paste, and trusting in him for what is to come.

3. O summa Bonitas! O greatest goodnes! O almighty goodnes! O all goodnes! infi­nitely good in our Creation, redemption, vocation, iustification, perseuerance, and glorification: what can we render for so great goodnes? Let vs agayne, & agayne, e­uery day receiue this cuppe of saluation, & call vpon the name of our Lorde. First, af­ter some conuenient preparation for so great a sacrifice, let vs beginne with Confiteor, and kyrie eleyson &c. to acknowledge our fall in Adam, and to accuse our owne sinnes▪ 2. to laude & prayse our Sauiors Goodnes & redemption, with Gloria in excelsis, or Sanctus Sanctus: &c. 3. To professe our constant Catholique faith by the Gospell & Cree­de. 4. At the Consecration & eleuation, by adoring & remembring our Sauior & his pas­sion, to offer sacrifice & homage. 5. in the Collectes & mementos, to make our petitions & prayers, for our selues & others, according to our necessityes & deuoute desires▪ 6. with the P [...]ter noster to beginne, with the Pax, & Agnus Dei to prodeed, and with [Page 112] Domine non sum dignus to accomplish the communion. 7. & lastly with the laste Col­lectes, and Ite Missa est to giue all thankes in gratitude, and to receiue the preistes Blessing with hope that what we haue offred & prayed at the Altar, shalbe admitted & granted in heauen; throughe the mercy, merites, mediation, & passion of our swete Sauior Iesus, who is our cheife preist, our best Aduocate, and our dearest sa­crifice, abundantly to procure vnto vs by his goodnes, whatsoeuer he shall see to be necessary for vs in his wisedome.

4. Thus O my soule! let vs euery day consider: reioyce: beleeue: obey: worship: wonder: praye: or giue thankes, during all the time of the Masse. Let vs consider the holy action we are about; and our owne wretched & vnworthy estate. Let vs reioyes with the Angells & all the hoste of heauen for our gracious deliuerance. Let vs Belee­ue what our lorde teacheth by his Churche: and euer obey whatsoeuer he cōmandeth. Let vs worship him as Really & Royally presēt: and wonder at his infinite wisedome, power, & goodnes, who hath vouchsafed to leaue vs such a sacrament. Let vs praye for his mercyes and supplyes to all our wantes: and giue him most harty thankes for his admirable loue, & all his benefites. O my harte! canst thou holde in my body, whē thy Sauiour comes downe frō heauen vnto the Altar? shouldest thou be wandring? or dull, whiles such a sacrifice is in the preistes handes or before thine eyes? O sacrifice of iustice! which as S. Augustin said, significando causat gratiam: O gracious Sauiour, let it signifye and imprinte in our hartes, the memory, & fruite, of thy death & passion, therby in patience to order our life, & to prepare vs for death with ioyfullnes.

5. Then wilte thou accepte, oblations of secular people according to their deuotion; and the whole burnte offringes of religious persons, who renounce themselues and all they haue into thy peculiar obedience. Innoc. 3. Then shall both these sortes be willing & ready to lay calues vpon thine Altar, that is, saith Innocentius, to suffer martyrdome for the Catholique faithe; for which in this worlde we may be tormented & sacrifi­ced as vpon thy crosse, or vpon thine Altar, of payne or disgrace; but Then in the next worlde we shall assuredly remayne with those martyred soules, which S. Ihon saw in his reuelation, to rest vnder thine Altar, of quiet & glory. O gracious Sauiour! I am of my selfe most vnworthy in any of these sortes to serue at thine Altar: O sweete Iesu, thou haste begonne among lay people to make me a little worthy: If it be thy blessed will, I humbly doo beseeche thee among religious persons or martyrs to make me more blessed: O giue me this strenghte, & confirme me in this will: Then if I willingly forsake the earthe for thee, I shall in heauen [...]ore speedily & more cer­teinly for euer raigne with thee, where with all Angells & [...]yntes o Lord let vs all of­fer the sacrifice of iust prayse, yeilding the celestiall oblations of our bodyes incorrup­tible, and the glorious immortality of our soules transported into an holocauste of heauenly zeale; louing, praysing, and reioycing with all our harte, with all our minde, & with all our soule; that is; in all our vnderstanding without any error, in all our memory without any forgetfullnes, and in all our will without any contra­riety. Thus euer let vs offer eternall sacrifice, and alwayes enioye thy happy presen­ce. O blessed Sauiour this we beseech thee for thine owne precious merites, and by the prayers of thy most deare Mother and all Saynts. Amen.

Omnia Sanctae, Romanae, Catholicae, & Apostolicae Ecclesiae submissa sunto.

FINIS.

A TABLE OF THE MEDITATIONS AND SECTIONS CONTEYNED IN THIS BOOKE.

MEDITATION I. Psalmus Dauid cùm venit ad eum Nathan Propheta,
In fi­nem.
quando intrauit ad Bersabee.
OF the occasion and number of this Psalme, by Dauids example to beware of Lust.
Sect. 1.
OF witty & plaine reprehensions: and of the Authors lamentation of his former life.
Sect. 2.
MEDITATION II. Miserere mei Deus, secundum magnam misericordiam tuam: Et secundum multitudinem miserationum tuarum dele iniqui­tatem meam. Ampliùs laua me ab iniquitate mea: & à pec­cato meo munda me.
A Short Diuision & explication of all these words.
Sect. 1.
The miserable effects of sinne are declared according to the School­men: And some short petitions for mercy are made against their misery.
Sect. 2.
Other wretched effects of sinne are declared out of the Scriptures & Doctors, by which we are warned from them.
Sect. 3.
Of the Name & Nature of God: Who he is, what we are: and how vnspeakably we are beholding vnto his great goodnes.
Sect. 4.
Sundry excellent obseruations of S. Bernard applyed to this Medita­tion of our Lords great Mercies & multitude of Miserations
Sect. 5.
What mercy is, & of the effects. Also how synnes are blotted out by [Page] multitudes.
Sect. 6.
Of the great care we must vse to purge all sinne: & that we our sel­ues must do heerin some diligence, not standing idle to leaue all vnto Christ.
Sect. 7.
We must dayly proceede in zeale against all sinne: & in particuler against the sensualities of the flesh.
Sect. 8.
MEDITATION III. Quoniam iniquitatem meam ego cognosco: & peccatum me­um contra me est semper. Tibi soli peccaui & malum coram to feci▪ vt iustificeris in fermonibus tuis, & vincas cum iudicaris.
HOw we must marke, abhorre, & beware sinne, as a trecherous and dangerous enemy.
Sect. 1.
That euery one must acknowledge his owne faultes, & laying his hand on his own harte, rather accuse himself, then censure any other.
Sect. 2.
It is necessary to remember harmes of sinne, therby learning to amend & take-heede of sinne.
Sect. 3.
Diuers interpretations of these wordes, Tibi soli, Vnto thee alone &c.
Sect. 4.
When we comitte sinne before our Lord: And that he seeth not as man seeth.
Sect. 5.
Of Diuers wayes by which our Lord is iustifyed, and may be said to ouercome when he is iudged.
Sect. 6.
MEDITATION IIII. Ecce enim in iniquitatibus conceptus sum: & in peccatis con­cepit me mater mea.
A Paraphrasticall exposition of the former words.
Sect. 1.
Dauid in the former Verse accuseth not his parents: nor is the act of Mariage of it self any sinne.
Sect. 2.
Why our mother is mentioned to be accessary to our originall sinne, ra­ther then our father: wheras in deed it comes more from Adam then from either.
Sect. 3.
What originall sinne is, & how it is deriued vnto vs: also how it is accompted a guilty fault in children.
Sect. 4.
[Page]Originall sinne comes from Adam alone, as principall, & how bad pa­rents haue good children.
Sect. 5.
How originall synne is deriued from Adam by meanes of our pa­rents: & yet we haue not our soules from them, ex traduce.
Sect. 6.
Our Sauiour & our Bl. Lady were exēpted from original [...] synne.
Sect. 7.
The most gratious & wonderfull remedyes of our originall sinne.
Sect. 8.
All the guilte of originall synne is quite forgiuen in Baptisme: And the first motions of concupiscence are not syn, vntill we delight or con­sent vnto them.
Sect. 9.
The conclusion of the former declarations about originall synne, with some short admonitions to mortify his force.
Sect. 10.
MEDITATION V. Ecce enim veritatem dilexisti: incerta & occulta sapientiae t [...]ae manifestasti mihi.
DIuers deuout interpretations of these words: And an humble thāks­giuing of the Author for his vndeserued Conuersion.
Sect. 1.
MEDITATION VI. Asperges me Domine hysopo & mundabor: lauabis me & super niuem dealbabor. Auditui meo dabis gaudium & laeti­tiam: & exultabunt ossa humiliata.
THe vse of Ceremonyes declared by a picture: & the propertyes of hysope wherunto they may be alluded.
Sect. 1.
Of diuers ceremonies in the Catholique Church made profitable by the sprinkling & vertue of our Sauiours pretious bloud, which is compared to the water of the Poole of Bethesda.
Sect. 2.
The wonderfull efficacy of our Sauiours bloud; And of the signe of the Crosse which was besprinkled therwith.
Sect. 3.
There are sundry degrees of washing, cleansing, & whiting of sinne.
Sect. 4.
It is better to confesse then to excuse: to heare then to speake: and of sundry kindes of ioy & gladnes.
Sect. 5.
The ioyes & gladnes of goodmen different from those of synners: with a [Page] a harty reioyeing of the Author for his conuersion.
Sect. 6.
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.
A Generall interpretation of all these words: & then what is meant by our Lords Face. And how our soules are deformed, & scribled full of synnes to be blotted out.
Sect. 1.
Many significations & petitions for creating a cleane hart, and re­newing a right spirit.
Sect. 2.
To be cast out from the face of God, is to be cast into all misery.
Sect. 3.
Among sundry other gifts of the holy Ghost, let vs in particuler la­bour to be thankefull, & to be constant.
Sect. 4.
MEDITATION VIII. Redde mihi laetitiam salutaris tui: & spiritu principali con­firma me. Docebo iniquos vias tuas: & impij ad te conuer­tentur.
IEsus is the ioy of our saluation, which a sorrowfull soule desyreth to be restored, and a confortable soule prayeth to be continued.
Sect. 4.
The Nobility of a Principall spirit, perseuering to finish constantly, what it hath begon generously.
Sect. 2.
Seuerall distributions of the same spirit, into Right, Holy, and Prin­cipall.
Sect. 3.
To teach others it is commendable: but it is necessary first to be well in­formed, & reformed our selues.
Sect. 4.
What be the wayes or proceedings of our Iustification: and what doth teach vs in these wayes.
Sect. 5.
How many other pathes do lead vnto the wayes of Iustification: & that we are not iustified by Faith only.
Sect. 6.
Of the holy wayes, & of the sacred feet & footesteps of our heauenly [Page] Guide & Teacher. Thus I shall teach thy Wayes vnto the wicked & the vngodly wilbe couerted vnto thee.
Sect. 7.
Some deuout desyres & thankegiuings of the Author vnto Almighty God.
Sect. 8.
MEDITATION IX. Libera me de sanguinibus Deus, Deus salutis meae: & exul­tabit lingua mea iustitiam tuam. Domine labia mea aperies: & os meum annuntiabit laudem tuam.
FRom all corrupt & cruell bloudes let vs all desyre deliuerance.
Sect. 1.
Some short petitions are directed vnto the Name & Goodnes of God.
Sect. 2.
We do reioyce our Lords iustice by trusting in his promises, or by ac­knowledging of his mercy which forgiueth the offendour, & yet fulfilleth Iustice.
Sect. 3.
All the words of our mouth should proceed from God, and againe be referred vnto God.
Sect. 4.
In especiall our prayers, & our prayses should haue respect vnto God.
Sect. 5.
It behoues all them who talke with God to haue the rootes of their tongue in a clean hart.
Sect. 6.
All creatures do prayse our Lord by declaring his Goodnes of necessity: Let vs yield him all honour for loue & duty.
Sect. 7.
All our considerations & actions should haue some relation vnto the prayse of God.
Sect. 8.
MEDITATION X. Quoniam si voluisses sacrificium, didissem vtique: holo­caustis non delectaberis. Sacrificium Deo spiritus contribu­latus: cor contritum & humiliatum Deus non despicies.
THe diuersity of sacrifices, & some differencesbetwen the law & the ghospell.
Sect. 1.
Some other differences betwene the law & the Ghospell.
Sect. 2.
[Page]Our Lord doth more regard the hart then the gift, and the deuotion more then the sacrifice.
Sect. 3.
We haue need to be penitent: & how acceptable vnto our Sauiour is any soule contrite for synne.
Sect. 4.
A description of Contrition & Attrition, & their seuerall proper­tyes.
Sect. 5.
An ample declaration, plainly setting forth the former description of Contrition.
Sect. 6.
The excellencies of Contrition: & how in some sort it may be compared with martyrdome.
Sect. 7.
MEDITATION XI. Benigne fac Domine in bona voluntate tua Sion: vt aedificen­tur muri Ierusalem. Tunc acceptabis sacrificium Iusti [...]iae oblationes & holocausta: tunc imponent super altare tuum vitulos.
A Serious lamentation for Sion & Ierusalem, that they may be laid desolate by externall persecution, not by internall discord.
Sect. 1.
A continued supplication for the good will & mercy of our Lord vnto all estates of his Church, & against seuerall vices.
Sect. 2.
The times, the manner, the place, the persōs offering all these sacrifices, oblations &c.
Sect. 3.
What a sacrifice is: and that the holy Masse is our peculiar sacrifice of the new Testament.
Sect. 4.
The notable propitiatory vertues of the sacred Masse, which ought to mooue vs to the frequenting & applying of the benefitts therof.
Sect. 5.
Some Considerations pertayning to the deuout hearing of Masse, & ending of our life.
Sect. 6.

ERRATA SIC CORRIGE.

  • Pag. 4. in titulo Sect. 2. forme, read former.
  • Pag. 12. in titulo Sect. 4. read Sect. 5.
  • Pag. 14. in titulo Sect. 5. read Sect. 6.
  • Pag. 15. in titulo Sect. 6. read Sect. 7.
  • Pag. 17. in titulo Sect. 7. read Sect. 8.
  • Pag. 28. in titulo Paraphasticall, read Paraphrasticall.
  • Pag. 32. in titulo is omitted the Section, which should be the First in number, & so the rest in that Meditation are to follow in order, to wit, the 5. must be the 6. the 6. must be the 7. the 7. must be the 8▪ the 8. must be the 9. the ninth must be the tenth Section.

Other Errours of lesse moment, I desire the courteous Reader to correct of his charity, the Author himselfe being farre absent, when it was printed.

FINIS.

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