ENTERTAINMENTS For LENT. First Written in French, and Translated by Sir B. B. The delight of sin is momentary, the torment Eternal. LONDON. Printed for I. W. and are to be sold by Philemon Stephens the younger at the King's Arms over against the middle Temple gate in Fleetstreet. 1661. To the most Excellent Majesty of Henriette Maria, Queen of Great Britain. Madame, AMongst all the public joys for your Majesty's happy return, I know not better how to express my own particular, then by most humbly presenting to your Majesty my Translation of this excellent French Book, in the solitude of a Prison, which was made more easy by some relation it had to your Majesty's service. And I presume the rather upon this Dedication, because all that good which is derived to us from France, (whereof I conceive this may be a part) should receive honour and increase of value from your Majesty, that it may so diffuse itself with mo●e authority and profit amongst those who may be capable to receive ●t. Your Majesty, (having read the orginal) ●oth well know, that the principal scope of it is ●o teach the love of God, and contempt of this world, with many other principal virtues. And for the practice of them all, this age ●ould not have hoped for so rare an example to ●nstruct all the great Ladies of Christendom) ●s it hath found in your Majesty, as well by ●our admirable fortitude, and perfect resignation to God's holy will in all your Majesty's extreme afflictions, dangers and pressures at Sea and Land, as also by your Majesties many sacred retirements (in the most holy time of the year) to sprinkle your pleasures (voluntarily) with some of that Gall which was upon our Saviour's lips, when he suffered his bitter passion and death for our sins. Our great Divines affirm, that the present sufferings of Mount Calvary, lead directly to the future glories of Mount Thabor. And therefore since your Majesty hath patiently endured so many unjust and rigorous Crosses in the Mount Calvary of this World, we have great reason to hope, that our blessed Saviour hath prepared for your Majesty, a most glorious Crown in the next, which will never have end. And this shall ever be the incessant. and fervent prayer of Madam, Your Majesty's poor and most humbly devoted Beadsman Basil Brook. Table of all the Gospels and particulars of our Saviour's passion, mentioned in this book, with their Moralities and Aspirations UPon the word of Genesis, lib. 1. cap. 3. Thou art dust, and to dust thou shal● return. Fol. 1 Upon the Gospel of Saint Matthew, cap. 6. Of hypocritical fasting. 4 Upon Saint Matthew the 18. of the Centurion's words, O Lord I am not worthy. 8 Upon Saint Matthew the 5. Wherein we are directed to pray for our enemies 12 Upon Saint Matthew the 6. Of the Apostle danger at sea. 15 Upon Saint Matthew the 4. Of our Saviour's being tempted in the desert. 19 Upon Saint Matthew the 25. Of the judgement day. 25 Upon Saint Matthew the 21. jesus drove out the buyers and sellers out of the Temple. 30 Upon Saint Matthew th' 12. The Pharisees demand a sign of jesus. 33 Upon Saint Matthew the 15. of the woman of Canaan. 38 Upon S. john, c. 15. Of the probatick pond. 42 Upon Saint Matthew the 17. Of the transfiguration of our Lord. 46 Upon Saint john the 8. jesus said to the jews Where I go ye cannot come. 5● Upon Saint Matthew the 23. jesus said, the Pharisees sit in Moses' chair, believe therefore what they say. 54 Upon S. Matthew the 20. The request of the wise of Zebedee for her sons james and john 58 Upon Luke the 16. Of the rich Glutton and poor Lazarus. 62 Upon Saint Matthew the 21. Of the master of the vineyard whose son was killed by his farmers. 67 Upon S. Luke the 16. Of the prodigal Child. 71 Upon Saint Luke the 11. jesus cast out the devil which was dumb. 77 Upon S. Luke the 4. jesus is required to do miracles in his own country. 81 Upon Saint Matthew the 18. If thy brother offend thee, tell him of is alone. 85 Upon Saint Matthew the 15. The Pharisees asked, why do thy Disciples contradict ancient traditions. 90 Upon Saint Luke the 4. jesus cured the fever of Simons mother in law. 94 Upon Saint john the 4. Of the Samaritan woman at jacobs' well near Sichar. 98 Upon Saint john the 8. Of the woman found in adultery. 104 Upon Saint john the 6. Of the five fishes and two barley loaves. 107 Upon Saint john the 6. Of the whipping buyers and sellers out of the Temple. 113 Upon Saint john the 7. the jews marvel at the learning of jesus who was never taught. 117 Upon Saint john the 9 Of the blind man cured by clay and spittle. 121 Upon Saint Luke the 7. Of the Widow's son raised from death to life at Naim by our Saviour. 128 Upon Saint john the 11. Of the raising up Lazarus from death. 132 Upon Saint john the 8. Of our Saviour's words, I am the light of the world. 137 Upon Saint john the 8. Of these words, Who can accuse me of sin? Upon Saint john the 7. jesus said to the Pharisees, you shall seek and not find me: and, he that is thirsty let him come to me. 145 Upon Saint john the 7. jesus went not into jury, because the jews had a purpose to take away his life. 149 Upon Saint john the 10. The jews said, If thou be the Messiah, tell us plainly. 153 Upon Saint john the 7. Of Saint Mary magdalen's washing our Saviour's feet in the Pharisees house. 158 Upon Saint Mary magdalen's great repentance. 162 Upon Saint john the 11. The jews said, What shall we do? for this man doth many miracles. 164 Upon Saint john the 12. The chief Priests thought to kill Lazarus, because the miracle upon him made many follow jesus. 167 Upon Saint Matthew the 21. Our Saviour came in triumph to jerusalam a little before his passion. 172 Upon Saint john the 12. S. Marry Magdalen anointed our Saviour's feet with precious ointment, at which judas repined. 177 Upon Saint john the 13. Of our Saviour washing the feet of his Apostle. 181 Moralities upon the garden of Mount Olivet 187 Moralities of the apprehension of jesus. 192 Aspiration upon Saint Peter's passionate tears 193 Moralities upon the Praetorian or judgement Hall. 194 Moralities for Good Friday, upon the death of jesus Christ. 198 The Gospel for Easter day, Saint Mark the 16. 211 The Gospel for Easter Monday, S. Luke 24. 215 The Gospel on Tuesday, S. Luke 24. 220 The Gospel on Low Sunday, Saint john the 20. 224 Entertainments for Lent: And for the first Day upon the Consideration of Ashes. THou art Dust, and to Dust thou shall return, Gen. 3. 1. It is an excellent way to begin Lent with the consideraon of dust, whereby Nature gives us beginning and by the same, Death shall put an end to all our worldly vanities. There is no better way to abate and humble the proudest of all Creatures, then to represent his beginning and his end. The middle-part of our life (like a kind of Proteus) takes up on it several shapes not understood by others; but the first and last part of it deceive no man; for they do both begin and end in Dust. It is a strange thing that Man, knowing well what he hath been and what he must be, is not confounded in himself, by observing the pride of his own life, and the great disorder of his passions. The end of all other creatures is less deformed than that of man: Plants in their death retain some pleasing smell of their bodies: The little rose buries itself in her natural sweetness, and carnation colour. Many Creatures at their death leave us their teeth, horns, feathers, skins, of which we make great use. Others after death are served up in silver and golden dishes, to feed the geatest persons of the world. Only man's dead carcase is good for nothing but to feed worms: and yet he often retains the presumptuous pride of a Giant, by the exorbitance of his heart, and the cruel nature of a murderer, by the furious rage of his revenge. Surely that man must either be stupid by nature, or most wicked by his own election, who will not correct and amend himself, having still before his eyes ashes for his glass, and death for his mistress. 2 This consideration of Dust is an excellent remedy to cure vices, and an assured Rampire against all temptations. S. Paulinus saith excellently well; That holy job was free from all temptations when he was placed upon the smoke and dust of his humility. He that lies upon the ground can fall no lower; but may contemplate all above him, and meditate how to raise himself by the hand of God, which pulls down the proud and exalts the humble. Is a man tempted with pride? The consideration of Ashes will humble him. Is he burned with wanton love (which is a direct fire?) But fire cannot consume Ashes. Is he persecuted with covetousness? Ashes do make the greatest Leeches and Bloodsuckers cast their Gorges. Every thing gives way to this unvalued thing, because God is pleased to draw the instruments of his power out of the objects of our infirmities. 3. If we knew how to use rightly the meditation of death, we should there find the streams of life: All the world together is of no estimation to him, that rightly knows the true value of a just man's death. It would be necessary that they who are taken with the curiosity of Tulips, should set in their Gardens a Plant called Napell, which carries a flower that most perfectly resembles a Death's head. And if the other Tulips do please their senses, that will instruct their reason. Before our last death we should die many other deaths; by forsaking all those creatures and affections which lead us to sin. We should resemble those creatures (sacred to the Egyptians) called Cynocephales', which died piece-meal, and were buried long before their death: So should we bury all our concupiscences before we go to the grave, and strive to live so, that when death comes, he should find very little business with us. Aspiration. O Father of all Essences, who givest beginning to all things, and art without end; This day I take Ashes upon my head, thereby professing (before thee) my being nothing; and to do thee homage for that which I am; and for that I ought to be by thy great bounties. Alas, O Lord, my poor soul is confounded to see so many sparkles of pride and covetousness, arise from this caitiff dust which I am: so little do I yet learn how to live, and so late do I know how to die. O God, of my life and death, I most humbly beseech thee, so to govern the first in me and so to sweeten the last for me, that if I live, I may live only for thee; and if I must die, that I may enter into everlasting bliss, by dying in thy blessed love and favour. The Gospel upon Ash-wednesday, S. Matthew 6. Of Hypocryticall Fasting. WHen you fast, be not as the hypocrites, sad: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Amen, I say to you that they have received their reward. Put thou when thou dost fast, anoint thy head, and wash thy face; that thou appear not to men to fast, but to thy Father which is in secret: and thy Father which seethe in secret, will repay thee. Heap not up to yourselves treasures on the earth: where the rust and moth do corrupt, and where thiefs dig thorough and steal. But heap up to yourselves treasures in heaven: where neither the rust nor moth doth corrupt, and where thiefs do not dig thorough nor steal. For where thy treasure is, there is thy heart also. Moralities. 1. THat man goes to Hell by the way of Paradise, who fasts and afflicts his body, to draw the Praise of Men. Sorrow and vanity together, are not able to make one Christian Act. He deserves everlasting hunger, who starves himself, that he may swell and burst with vain glory. He stands for a spectacle to others, being the murderer of himself, and by sowing vanity reaps nothing but wind. Our intentions must be wholly directed to God, and our examples for our neighbour. The Father of all virtues is not to be served with counterfeit devotions; such lies are abomination in his sight, and ●ertullian saith, they are, as many adulteries. 2. It imports us much to begin Lent well, entering into those lists, in which so many holy souls have run their course with so great strictness, having been glorious before God and honourable before men. The difficulty of it is apprehended only by those who have their understandings obstructed by a violent affection to kitchen stuff. It is no more burdensome to a courageous spirit, than feathers are to a bird. The cheerfulness which a man brings to a good action in the beginning, does half the work. Let us wash our faces by confession: Let us perfume our Head (who is Jesus Christ, by alms deeds. Fasting is a most delicious feast to the conscience, when it is accompanied with pureness and charity: but it breeds great thirst, when it is not nourished with devotion, and watered with mercy. 3. What great pain is taken to get treasure; what care to preserve it; what fear to lose it; and what sorrow when it is lost? Alas, is there need of so great covetousness in life, to encounter with such extreme nakedness in death? We have not the souls of Giants, nor the body of a Whale. If God will me poor, must I endeavour to reverse the decrees of heaven and earth, that I may become rich? To whom do we trust the safety of our treasures? To rust, to moths and thiefs: were it not better we should in our infirmities depend only on God Almighty, & comfort our poverty in him who is only rich, and so carry our souls to heaven, where Jesus on the day of his Ascension did place our Sovereign good. Only Serpents and covetous men desire to sleep among treasures as Saint Clement saith. But the greatest riches of the world is poverty free from Covetousness. Aspirations. I Seek thee (O invincible God) within the Abyss of thy brightness, and I see thee through the vail of thy creatures. Wilt thou always be hidden from me? Shall I never see thy face, which with a glimpse of thy splendour canst make Paradise? I work in secret, but I know thou art able to reward me in the light. A man can lose nothing by serving thee, and yet nothing is valuable to thy service, for the pain itself is a sufficient recompense. Thou art the food of my fastings, and the cure of my infirmities. What have I to do with Moles, to dig the earth like them, and there to hid treasures? Is it not time to close the earth, When thou dost open heaven▪ and to carry my heart where thou art, since all my riches is in thee? Doth not he deserve to be everlastingly poor, who cannot be content with a God so rich as thou art? The Gospel upon the first Thursday in Lent, S. Matthew 18. of the Centurion's words. O Lord I am not worthy. ANd when he was entered into Caphearnaum, there came unto him a Centurion, beseeching him, and saying, Lord, my boy lieth at home sick of the palsy, and is sore tormented. And jesus saith to him, I will come and cure him. And the Centurion making answer, said, Lord I am not worthy that thou shouldest enter under my roof: but only say the word, and my boy shall be healed. For I also am a man subject to Authority, having under me soldiers: and I say to this, go, and he goeth: and to another, come, and he cometh: and to my servant, do this, and be doth it. And jesus hearing this marvelled, and said to them that followed him, Amen, I say to you, I have not found so great, faith in Israel. And I say to you, that many shall come from the East and West, and shall sit down with Abraham, Isaac and jacob in the kingdom of heaven: but the children of the kingdoms shall becast out into the exterior darkness, there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. And jesus said to the Centurion, go, and as thou hast believed, be it done unto thee. And the boy was healed in the same hour. Moralities. 1. OUr whole Salvation consists in two principals; The one is in our being sensible of God, & the other in our moving toward him; the first proceeds from faith, the other comes of charity & other virtues. O what a happy thing it is to follow the example of this good Centurion, by having such elevated thoughts of the Divinity, and to know nothing of God but what he is: To behold our heavenly father, within this great family of the world, who effects all things by his single word; Creates by his power; governs by his council; & orders by his goodness this great universality of all things. The most insensible creatures have ears to hear him. Fevers and tempests are part of that running camp, which marcheth under his Standard; They advance and retire themselves under the shadow of his command: he only hath power to give measures to the heavens, bounds to the sea; to join the east and west together in an instant, and to be in all places where his pleasure is understood. 2. O how goodly a thing it is to go unto him, like this great Captain: To go said I? Nay rather to fly as he doth by the two wings of charity and humility. His charity made him have a tender care of his poor servant & to esteem his health more dear, then great men do the rarest pieces in their Cabinets. He doth not trust his servants, but take the charge upon himself: making himself (by the power of love) a servant to him, who by birth was made subject to his command. What can be said of so many Masters and Mistresses now adays, who live always slaves to their passions? having no care at all of the Salvation, health or necessities of their servants, as if they were nothing else but the scum of the world. They make great use of their labours and service (which is just) but neglect their bodies, and kill their souls by the infection of their wicked examples, Mark the humility of this soldier, who doth not think his house worthy to be enlightened by one sole Glimpse of our blessed Saviour's presence. By the words of Saint Augustine we may say, he made himself worthy by believing and declaring himself so unworthy: yea worthy that our Saviour should enter not only into his house but into his very soul. And upon the matter he could not have spoken with such faith and humility if he had not first enclosed (in his heart) him whom he durst not receive into his house. 3 The Gentiles come near unto God, and the jews go from him; to teach us that ordinarily the most obliged persons are most ungrateful; and disesteem their benefactpurs for no other reason, but because they receive benefits daily from them. If you speak courteously to them, they answer churlishly; and in the same proportion wherein you are good, you make them wicked; therefore we must be careful that we be not so toward God. Many are distasted with devotion, as the Israelites were with Manna: All which is good doth displease them because it is ordinary: And you shall find some who (like naughty grounds) cast up thorns where roses are planted. But we have great reason to s●ar, that nothing but Hell fire is capable to punish those, who despise the Graces of God, and esteem that which comes from him as a thing of no value. Aspirations O Almighty Lord who ' dost govern all things in the family of this world, and dost bind all insensible creatures, (by the bare sound of thy voice) in a chain of everlasting obedience: Must I only be still rebellious against thy will? Fevers and Palsies have their ears for thee, and yet my unruly spirit is not obedient. Alas, alas, this family of my heart is ill governed; It hath violent passions; my thoughts are wandering & my reason is ill obeyed. Shall it never be like the house of this good Centurion, where every thing went by measure because he measured himself by thy commandments? O Lord I will come resolutely by a profound humility, & an inward feeling of myself, since I am so contemptible before thine eyes. I will come with Charity towards these of my household, and toward all that shall need me. O God of my heart, I beseech thee let nothing from henceforth move in me, but only to advance my coming toward thee, who art the beginning of all motions and the only repose of all things which move. The Gospel for the first Friday in Lent S. Mat. 5. Wherein we are directed to pray for our Enemies. YOu have heard that it was said, thou sha●e love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. But I say to you, love your enemies, do good to them that hate you: and pray for them that persecute and abuse you: that you may be the children of your Father which is in heaven, who maketh his Sun to rise upon good and bad, and raineth upon just and unjust. For if you love them that love you, what reward shall you have? Do not also the Publicans this? And if you salute your brethren only, what do you more? Do not also the heathen this? Be you perfect therefore, as also your heavenly Father is perfect. Moralities. 1. A Man that loves nothing but according to his natural inclination, loves only like a beast or an infidel. The best sort of love is that which is commanded by God, & is derived from judgement, conducted by reason and perfected by Charity. Me thinks it should be harder for a good Christian to hate then love his enemy. Hate makes him our equal, whereas love placeth us quite above him. By hating a man's enemy, he breaks the laws of God; he fights against the Incarnation of Christ, which was acted to unite all things in the bands of love: he gives the lie to the most blessed Eucharist, whose nature is to make the hearts of all Christians the same: he lives (like another Cain in the world) always disquieted by seeking revenge, and it is a very death to him to hear of another man's prosperity. Whereas to love an enemy doth not bind us to love the injuty he hath done us; for we must not consider him as a malefactor, but as a man of our own nature, as he is the Image of God, and as he is a Christian. God doth only command perfect things, not impossible. That which is very hard to flesh and blood, becomes easy by the help of grace and reason. Our blessed Saviour Jesus Christ being the Father of all harmony can and doth reconcile all contrarieties at his will and pleasure. 2. If revenge seem sweet, the gaining of it is most bitter: But there is nothing in the world more profitable then to pardon an enemy by imitation of our Saviour. For it is then that our conscience can assure us to be the children of God, and inheritors of his glory. We must not fear to be despised for esteeming virtue, for such contempt can only proceed from those who know not the true value of that glory which belongs to the just. There is no better way to revenge then leave it to God, who always doth his own business. Ween David wept for Saul who was his enemy, his Clemency did insensibly make degrees, by which he mounted up to the throne of judah. A good work which comes from the spirit of vanity is like an emptied Mine, good for nothing. God who is invisible, would have our aspects turned always toward him, and blind toward the world. Alms given by the sound of a Trumpet, makes a great noise on the earth, but reaps little fruit in heaven. The fly of vanity is a mischievous thing which destroys all the perfumes of charity. What need we any spectators of our good works, every place is full where God is, and where he is not, there only is Solitude. Aspirations. O God of all holy affections, when shall I love all that thou lovest and have in horror all that displeaseth thy divine Majesty: If I cannot love in some person his defects and sins, I will love in him thine Image, and in that will I acknowledge thy mercies. If he be a piece of broken glass; in that little piece, there will shine some lines of a God Creator, and of a God Redeemer. If thou hast chosen him to exercise my patience, why should I make him the object of my revenge, since he gives me trouble to gain me a Crown. He is a hammer to polish and make me bright, I will not hurt him, but reverence the arm that strikes me. I resign all vengeance into thy hands, since it is a Right reserved for thy Almighty power. And certainly the best revenge I can take is to gratify my enemy. Give unto me (O most merciful Prince) the grace to suffer, and let the sacrifice of my sufferings mount up to thy propitiatory throne. The Gospel for the first Saturday in Lent, S. Matthew 6. Of the Apostles danger at Sea, and relief by our Saviour. ANd when he had dismissed them, he went into the mountain to pray, and when it was late the boat was in the midst of the Sea, and himself alone on the land. And seeing them labouring in rowing (for the wind was against them) and about the fourth watch of the night he cometh to them walking upon the sea: and he would have passed by them. But they seeing him walking upon the sea, thought it was a ghost and cried out, for all saw him, and were troubled. And immediately he talked with them; and said, to them, have confidence, it is I, fear ye not. And he went up to them into the ship and the wind ceased, and they were fare more astonished within themselves, for they understood, not concerning the loaves, for their heart was blinded. And when they had passed over, they came into the land of Genesareth, and set to the shore. And when they were gone out of the boat, incontinent they knew him, and running through, that whole country, they began to carry about, in couches those that were ill at ease, where they heard he was. And whethersoever he entred into towns or into villages or cities, they laid the sick in the streets and besought him that they might touch but the hem of his garment, and as many as touched him were made whole. Moralities. 1. WHat a painful thing it is to row when Jesus is not in the boat; all our travel is just nothing without God's favour: A little blast of wind is worth more than an hundred strokes of Oars. What troublesome businesses there are: how many intricate families do labour much & yet advance nothing, because God withdraws himself from their iniquities; if he do not build, the workman destroys what he is building. But all falls out right to those, that embark themselves with Jesus. They may pass to the Indies in a basket, when others shall miscarry in a good ship well furnished. 2. But how comes it about that the ship of the poor Apostles is beaten so furiously by the winds and tempests▪ There are many ships with silver beaks, with fine linen sails and silken tackles, upon which the sea seems to smile. Do the waters reserve there choler, only to vent it upon that ship which carries just persons? This is the course of man's life: The brave and happy men of this world enjoy these wishes, but their ship doth perish in the harbour as it is sporting; whereas God by his infinite providence, gives tempests to his elect, that he may work a miraculous calm by his Almighty power. Dangers are witnesses of their floating, and Combats are causes of their merit. Never think any man happy in his wickedness, for he is just like a fish that plays with the bait, when the hook sticks fast in his throat. We must wait and attend for help from heaven patiently (without being tired) even till the fourth, which is is the last watch of the night. All which proceeds from the hand of God, comes ever in fit time, and that man is a great gainer by his patiented attendance, who thereby gets nothing but perseverance. 3. They know Jesus very ill, that take him for a Phantom or an illusion, and cry out for fear of his presence, which should make them most rejoice: So do those souls which are little acquainted with God, who live in blindness, and make much of their own darkness. Let us learn to discern God from the illusions of the world: The tempest ceaseth when he doth approach; and the quietness of our heart is a sure mark of his presence, which fills the soul with splendour, and makes it a delicious Garden. He makes all good wheresoever he comes, and the steps which his feet leave, are the bounties of his heart. To touch the Hem of his Garment, cures all that are sick; to teach us, that the forms which cover the blessed Sacrament, are the fringes of his holy humanity which cures our sins. Aspirations. O Lord, my soul is in night and darkness and I feel that thou art far from me. What Billows of disquiet arise within my heart? what idle thoughts which have been too much considered? Alas (most redoubted Lord and Father of mercy) canst thou behold from firm land this poor vessel, which labours so extremely, being deprived of thy most amiable presence? I row strongly, but can advance nothing, except thou come into my soul. Come (O my adored Master) walk upon this tempestuous Sea of my heart; ascend into this poor Vessel; say unto me, take courage, It is I. Be not conceited that I will take thee for an illusion; for I know thee too well by thy powers and bounties, to be so mistaken. The least thought of my heart will quiet itself to adore thy steps. Thou shalt reign within me; thou shalt disperse my cares; thou shalt recover my decayed senses; thou shalt lighten my understanding; thou shalt inflame my will; thou shalt cure all my infirmities: And to conclude, thou only shalt work in me, and I will be wholly thine. The Gospel upon the first Sunday in Lent, S. Matthew the 4. Of our Saviour's being tempted in the Desert. THen jesus was led of the spirit into the Desert, to be tempted of the Devil, and when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, afterward he was hungry: And the tempter aproached and said to him, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread: Who answered and said, it is written, not in bread alone doth man live, but in every word that proceedeth from the mouth of God. Then the Devil took him up into the holy City, and set him upon the pinnacle of the Temple, and said to him, If thou be the son of God, cast thyself down, for it is written, that he will give his Angels charge of thee, and in their hands shall they hold thee up, lest perhaps thou knock thy foot against a stone. jesus said to him again, It is written, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God. Again the Devil took him up into a very high mountain, and he shown him all the Kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them, and said to him all these will I give thee, if falling down thou wilt adore me. Then jesus saith to him, avant Satan; for it is written, the Lord thy God shalt thou a door, and him only shalt thou serve. When the Devil left him, and behold Angels came, and ministered to him. Moralities. 1. IEsus suffered himself to be tempted (saith Saint Augustine) to the end he might serve for a Mediator, for an example, & for a remedy to work our victory over all temptations. We must fight on his side: Our life is a continual warfare, and our days are Champions which enters into the lists There is no greater temptation then to have none at all: Sleeping water doth nourish poison. Motion is the world's soul; fight against temptations is the soul of virtues, and glo●y doth spring and bud out of tribulations. Virtue hinders not temptation, but surmount it. Jesus fasted (saith the ordinary Gloss) that he might be tempted, & is tempted because he did fast. He fasted forty days and then was hungry; he did eat with his Disciples the space of forty days after his resurrection, without any more necessity of meat, than the Sun hath of the earth's vapours: to make us thereby know that it only appertained to him, to teach that great secret how to manage want and abundance, by which S. Paul was glorified. 2. The first victory over a temptation, is t● know that which tempts us: Some temptations are gay & smiling at their beginning, as those of love and pleasure, which end in terrible & bitter storms: Others are troublesome and irksome: Others doubt full and intricate: Others rapide and sudden, which cease upon their prey like an Eagle: Others are close and catching. These are the snares of Satan, who foams like a Boar, to arsike a Lion, and hisseth like a Serpent. We should always have an eye ready to mark from whence the temptation comes, whither it tends, what is the root of it, what the course, what the progress, and what power it may have over our spirit. 3. Solitude of heart, fasting, prayer, the word of God, are weapons of an excellent temper, which the word incarnate teacheth us to use in this conflict. These things are to be used with discretion, by the counsel of a good director, to whom a man must declare all his most secret thoughts, and bear a breast of Crystal toward him, with a firm purpose to let him see all the inward motions of his heart. It is also good to note here that our Lord would expressly be tempted in that Desert which is between Jerusalem and Jericho, where the Samaritan (mentioned in the parable) did pour wine and oil into the sores of the poor wounded man; to teach us that by his combat he came to cure the wounds of Adam, and all his race, in the very place where they were received. 4. Sin is killed by flying the occasions of it. Absence, resistance, coldness, silence, labour, diversion, have overcome many assaults of the enemy. Sometimes a Spider's web is strong enough to preserve chastity, & at other times the thick walls of Semiramis are not sufficient. God governs all, and a good will to concur with him, is a strong assurance in all perils, and it will keep us untouched amidst the flames of lust. 5. Since it imports us so much to fight valiantly, let us bring the hearts of Lions. Where is our Christianity, if we do not give testimony of it to God both by our sidelity and courage? How many Martyrs have been roasted and broiled because they would not speak one ill word? What honour can you expect by yielding at the first entrance to a temptation? Look not upon the violence of it, but contemplate the Crown which you should gain by conquering it; think at your entrance how you will come off, and know for certain that he who truly considers the consequence of a wicked action, will never begin it. 6. Lent is the Spring time for sanctified resolutions, it mortifies the body that the spirit may triumph, it is a time of grace which tends to salvation and mercy. It imports extremely to commend all to God at the beginning, to sanctify this fasting which is a part of our devotion: we must abstain from flesh, & be content with one meal at seasonable hours, without making over large collations; except age, infirmity, or weakness, labour, or necessity of other functions, shall dispense with our diet: for those who are unable to fast, suffer more by their disability, than others do by fasting. It is good to follow the counsel of Athanasius, who adviseth to eat late and little, and at a table where there is but one sort of meat. We must also fast by abstinence from vice. For to weaken our body, and yet nourish our naughty passions, is to fast as the Devils do, who eat nothing, and yet devour the world by the rage of their malice. Sobriety is a stream which waters all virtues. Our soul and body are as the scales of a balance; if you pull down the one, you raise up the other; and if you tame your flesh it makes the Spirit reign & govern. Aspirations. O Most merciful Lord, Father, and Protector of all my life, how great are the temptations and snares, whereunto I am subject; when I eat, drink, sleep, when I do business, when I am both in conversation & solitude? Whither shall this poor soul go which thou hast thrown into a body so frail, in a world so corrupt, and amongst the assaults of so many pernicious enemies? Open, O Lord, thine eyes for my guidance, and compassionate my infirmities: without thee I can do nothing, and in thee I can do all that I ought. Give me, O Lord, a piercing eye to see my danger, and the wings of an Eagle to fly from it, or the heart of a Lion to fight valiantly, that I may never be wanting in my duty and fidelity to thee. I own all that I am or have to thy gracions favour, and I will hope for my salvation, not by any proportion of my own virtues (which are weak and slender) but by thy boundless liberalities, which only do crown all our good works. The Gospel upon Monday the first week in Lent, out of S. Matthew 25. Of the Judgement day. ANd when the Son of man shall come in his Majesty, and all the Angels with him, then shall he sit upon the seat of his Majesty. And all nations shall be gathered together before him, and he shall separate them one from another, as the Pastor separateth the sheep from the goats: And shall set the sheep at his right hand, but the goats at his left. Then shall the King say to them that shall be at his right hand, Come ye blessed of my Father, possess you the kingdom prepared for yo● from the foundation of the world. For I was hungered, and you gave me to eat: I was athirst and you gave me to drink: I was a stranger, and you took me in: naked, and you covered me: sick, and you visited me. I was in prison, and you came to me. Then shall the just answer him, saying, Lord, when did we see the● an hungered, and fed thee: a thirst and gave thee drink? and when did we see thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and covered thee? or when did we see thee sick, or in prison, and came to thee? And the King answering, shall say to them, Amen, I say to you, as long as you did it to one of these my least brethren you did it to me. Then shall he say ●o them also that shall be at his left hand, Get you away from me you cursed into fire everlasting, which was prepared for the Devil and his Angels. For I was an hungered, and you gave me not to eat: I was a thirst, and you gave me not to drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and you covered me not: sick, and in prison, and you did not visit me. Then they also shall answer him, saying, Lord, when did we see thee an hungered, or a thirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister to thee? Then he shall answer them, saying Amen, I say to you, as long as you did it not to one of these lesser, neither did you it to me. And these shall go into punishment everlasting: but the just, into life everlasting. Moralities. 1. BEhold here a Gospel of great terror, where our spirit like the Dove of Noah, is placed upon the great deluge of God's wrath, and knows not where to find footing. Every thing is most dreadful; But what can be more terrible, than the certainty of God's judgement, joined with the great uncertainty of the hour of our death? It is an unchangeable decree, that we must all be presented before the high Tribunal of the living God, to render a just account of all which our soul hath done, while it was joined with our body, as we are taught by S. Paul. We must make an account of our time spent, of our thoughts, words, actions, of that we have done, and that we have omitted, of life, death, and of the blood of Jesus Christ; and thereupon receive a judgement of everlasting life or death. All men know that this must certainly be done, but no man knows the hour or moment when it shall be. So many clocks strike about us every day, & yet none can let us know the hour of our death. 2. O how great is the solitude of a soul in her separation from so many great enticements of the world, (wherein many men live) and in an instant to see nothing but the good or ill we have done one either side us, what an astonishment will it be for a man suddenly to see all the actions of his life (as upon a piece of Tapistree) spread before his eyes; where his sins will appear like so many thorns, so many serpents, so many venomous beasts. Where will then be that cozening vail of reputation, and reason of state, which as yet cover so many wicked actions? The soul shall (in that day of God) be showed naked to all the world, and her own eyes will most vex her, by witnessing so plainly what she hath done. 3. O what a parting water is Gods judgemet, which in a moment shall separate the metals so different? O what a division will then be made of some men which now live upon the earth? Some shall be made clear & bright like the stars of heaven, and others like Coles burning in hell. O what a dreadful change will it be to a damned soul at her separation from this life, to live only in the company of devils in that piercing sense of torments, & eternal punishment? It is a very troublesome thing, to be tied with silken strings in a bed of Roses for the space of eight days together. What may we then think of a damned soul which must dwell in a bed of flames so long as there shall be a God. 4. Make use of the time given you to work your salvation, & live such a life as may end with a happy death, & so obtain that favourable judgement, which shall say; Come, O thou soul blessed of God my Father, possess the kingdom which is prepared for thee from the beginning of the world. There is no better means to avoid the rigour of God's judgements, then to fear them continually. Imitate the tree (mentioned in an Emblem) which being designed to make a ship, and finding itself wind shaken as it grew upon the land, said, what will become of me in the sea? If we be already moved in this world, by the bare consideration of the punishment due to sin, think what it will be in that vast sea & dreadful Abyss of God's judgements. Aspirations. O King of dreadful Majesty, who dost justly damn and undeservedly save souls; save me O fountain of mercy. Remember thyself (sweet Jesus) that I was the cause of that great journey which thou tookest from God to man; and do not destroy me in that dreadful day, which must decide the Question of my life or death for all eternity. Take care of my last end, since thou art the cause of my beginning, & the only cause of all that I am. O Father of bounties wouldst thou stop a mouth which desires so earnestly to praise and confess thee everlastingly? Alas (O eternal Sweetness) wouldst thou damn a soul which hath cost thee so much sweat and blood, giving it for ever to those cruel and accursed pours of darkness? Rather O Lord pierce my heart with such a fear of thy judgements, that I may always dread and never feel them: If I forget, awake my memory, if I fly from thee, recall me again: If I defer my amendment, stay for me; If I return, do not despise my soul, but open those arms of mercy, which thou didst spread upon the Cross, with such rigorous justice against thyself, for satisfaction of my sins. The Gospel upon Tuesday the first week in Lent, out of S. Matth. 21. Jesus drove the buyers and sellers out of the Temple. ANd when he was entered jerusalem, the whole city was moved, saying, Who is this? And the people said, this is jesus the Prophet, of Nazareth in Galilee. And jesus entered into the Temple of God, and cast out all that sold and bought in the Temple, and the Tables of the bankers, and the chairs of them that sold pigeons he overthrew: and he saith to them, it is written, my house shall be called the house of prayer, but you have made it a den of thiefs. And there came to him the blind and the lame in the temple: and he healed them. And the chief Priests and Scribes seeing the marvellous things that he did, and the children crying in the Temple, and saying, Hosanna to the son of David: they had indignation and said to him, hearest thou what these say? And jesus said to them very well, have you never read, that out of the mouths of infants and sucklings thou hast perfected praise? and leaving them, he went forth out of the city into Bethania and remained there. Moralities. 1. JEsus entering into Jerusalem, went straight to the Temple, as a good Son goes to his Father's house; as a high Priest to the Sanctuary; & as a sacrifice to the altar. He doth very lively interest himself in the goods of His heavenly Father, and chaseth out every profane thing out of that sacred place to give thereby glory to the living God, and to put all things in order. It is a wicked stain to Religion when Ecclesiastical persons are vicious and when Churches are profaned. Saint chrysostom saith, that priests are the heart of the Church, but when they are wicked they turn all into sin. A decaying tree hath always some ill quality about the root; so when any people are without discipline, the pastors are without virtue. The want of reverence in Churches, begets the contempt of God; they cannot have Jesus in their hearts when they give him affronts even in his own Temple. 2. His House (saith he) is a house of prayer; but your heart should be the sanctuary and your lips the door. So long as you are without the exercise of prayer, you shall be like a Bee without a sting, which can make neither honey nor wax. Prayer is the chiefest and most effectual means of that Angelical conversation to which God calls us, by the merits of his passion, and by the effects of his triumphant resurrection. It is the sacred business which man hath with God, and (to speak with Saint Gregory Nazianzen) it is the art to make our souls divine. Before all things you must put into an order, the number, the time, the place, the manner of your prayers; and be sure that you pay unto God this tribute with respect, ferver, and perseverance. But if you desire to make a very good prayer, learn betimes to make a prayer of all your life. Incense hath no smell without fire, and prayer is of no force without charity. A man must converse innocently, purely with men, that desires to Treat worthily with God. 3. Keep your person and your house clean from ill managing all holy things, and from those irreverences, which are sometimes committed in Churches. It is a happy thing for a man to be ignorant of the trade of buying and selling benefices, and to have no intercourse with the tribunals of iniquity. Many other sins are written in sand, and blown away with a small breath of God's mercy; But the faults of so great impiety, are carved upon a corner of the altar, with a graver of steel, or with a diamond point, as the Prophet saith. He deserves to be made eternally culpable, who dries up the fountain, which should waste himself or poisons the stream, which he himself must drink; or contaminates the sacraments, which are given him to purify his soul. Aspirations. SPirit of God which by reason of thy eminent height canst pray to no body, and yet by thy divine wisdom makest all the world pray to thee. Give me the gift of prayer, since it is the mother of wisdom; the seal of virginity, the sanctuary for our evils, and fountain of all our goods. Grant that I my adore thee in Spirit with reverence, steadfastness and perseverance: and if it be thy divine pleasure that I pray unto thee as I ought; inspire unto me (by thy vittue) such prayers as thou wilt hear by thy bounty. The Gospel upon Wednesday the first week of Lent, S. Matth. 12. The Pharisees demand a sign of Jesus. THen answered him certain of the Scribes and Pharisees, saying, Master we would see a sign from thee, who answered, and said to them. The wicked and advouterous generation seeketh a sign: and a sign shall not be given it, but the sign of jonas the Prophet: For as jonas was in the Whale's belly three days and three nights: so shall the Son of man be in the heart of the earth three days and three nights. The men of Nineveh shall rise in the judgement with this generation, and shall condemn it, because they did penance at the preaching of jonas. And behold more than jonas here. The Queen of the south shall rise in the judgement with this generation, and shall condemn it; because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and behold more than Solomon here. And when an unclean spirit shall go out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest and findeth not. Then he saith, I will return into my house whence I came out. And coming he findeth it vacant, swept with besoms, and trimmed, then goeth he and taketh with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there; and the last of that man be made worse than the first. So shall it be also to this wicked generation. As he was yet speaking to the multitudes, behold his mother and his brethren stood without, seeking to speak to him, and one said unto him, behold thy mother and thy brethren stand without seeking thee. But he answering him that told him, said, who is my mother, and who are my brethren? And stretching forth his hand upon his Disciples, he said, Behold my mother and my brethren: for whosoever shall do the will of my Father that is in heaven, he is my brother, and sister, and mother. Moralities. 1. 'Tis a very ill sign when we desire signs to make us believe in God. The signs which we demand to fortify out faith are ofttimes marks of our infidelity. There is not a more dangerous plague in the events of worldly affairs then to deal with the Devil, or to cast nativities. All these things fill men more saults than knowledge. For divine Oracles have more need to be reverenced then interpreted. He that will find God must seek him with simplicity, and profess him with piety. 2. Some require a sign, and yet between heaven and earth, all is full of signs. How many creatures soever there are, they are all steps and characters of the Divinity. What a happy thing it is to study what God is by the volume of time, and by that great Book of the world. There is not so small a flower of the meadows, nor so little a creature upon earth, which doth not tell us some news of him. He speaks in our ears by all creatures, which are so many Organ-pipes to convey his Spirit and voice to us. But he hath no sign so great, as the word incarnate which carries all the types of his glory and power. About him only should be all our curiosity, our knowledge, our admiration, and our love, because in him we can be sure to find all our repose and consolation. 3. Are we not very miserable since we know not our own good but by the loss of it, which makes us esteem so little of those things we have in our hands? The Ninivites did hear old jonas the Prophet. The Queen of Saba came from fare to hear the wisdom of Solomon: Jesus speaks to us usually from the Pulpits, from the Altars; in our conversations, in our affairs and recreations: And yet we do not sufficiently esteem his words nor inspirations. A surfeited spirit mislikes honey, and is distasted with manna, raving after the rotten pots of Egypt. But it is the last and worst of all ills to despise our own good. Too much confidence is mother of an approaching danger: A man must keep himself from relapses which are worse than sins, which are the greatest evils of the world; he that loves danger shall perish in it. The first sin brings with it one Devil, but the second brings seven: There are some who vomit up their sins as the sea doth cockles to swallow them again. Their life is nothing but an ebbing and flowing of sins, and their most innocent retreats, are a disposition to iniquity. For as boiled water doth soon freeze, because the cold works upon it with the greater force; so those little fervours of devotion, which an unfaithful soul feels in confessions, and receiving (if it be not resolute quite to forsake wickedness) serve for nothing else but to provoke the wicked spirit, to make a new impression upon her: It is then we have most reason to fear God's justice, when we despise his mercy. We become nearest of kin to him, when his Ordinances are followed by our manners, and our life by his precepts, Aspirations. O Word Incarnate, the great sign of thy heavenly Father, who carriest all the marks of his glory, and all the characters of his powers. It is thou alone whom I seek, whom I esteem and honour: All that I see, all I understand, all that I feel, is nothing to me, if it do not carry thy name, and take colour from thy beauties, nor be animated by thy Spirit. Thy conversation hath no trouble, and thy presence no distaste. O let me never lose by my negligence, what I possess by thy bounty. Keep me from relapses, keep me from the second gulf, and second hell of sin. He is too blind that profits noting by experience of his own wickedness, and by a full knowledge of thy bounties. The Gospel upon Thursday the first week in Lent, out of S. Matthew the 15. Of the woman of Canaan. ANd jesus went forth from thence, and retired into the quarters of Tyre and Sidon. And behold a woman of Canaan came forth out of these coasts, and crying out said to him, have mercy upon me, O Lord, the Son of David: my daughter is sore vexed of a Devil, who answered her not a word. And his Disciples came and besought him, saying, dismiss her, because she cryeth out after us: And he answering, said; I was not sent but to the sheep that are lost of the house of Israel. But she came and adored him, saying, Lord help me, who answering, said; It is not good to take the bread of children, and to cast it to the dogs: but she said, yea Lord: for the dogs also eat of the crumbs that fall from the tables of their masters. Then jesus answering said to her, O woman great is thy faith, be it done to thee as thou wilt: and her daughter was made whole from that hour. Moralities. 1. OUr Saviour Jesus Christ, after his great and wondrous descent from heaven to earth; from being infinite to be finite; from being God to be man; used many several means for salvation of the world. And behold entering upon the frontiers of Tyre and Sidon, he was pleased to conceal himself: But it is very hard to avoid the curiosity of a woman, who seeking his presence, was thereby certain to find the full point of her felicity. A very small beam of illumination reflecting upon her, carried her out of her Country, and a little spark of light brought her to find out the clear streams of truth. We must not be tired with seeking God, and when we have found him, his presence should not diminish but increase our desire to keep him still. We are to make entrance into our happiness by taking fast hold of the first means offered for our salvation; and we must not refuse or lose a good fortune which knocks at our door. 2. Great is the power of a woman when she applies herself to virtue; behold at one instant, how one of that sex assails God and the devil, prevailing with the one by submission, and conquering the other by command: And he which gave the wide Sea arms to contain all the world, finds his own chains of a prayer which himself did inspir●● She draws unto her (by a pious violence) the God of all strength, such was the fervency of her prayer, such was the wisdom of he● answers, and such the faith of her words. As he passed away without speaking, she hath the boldness to call him to her; whiles he i● silent, she prays; when he excuseth himself, she adores him; when he refuseth her suit, she draws him to her. To be short, she i● stronger than the Patriarch jacob, for whe●● he did wrestle with the Angel, he returned lame from the conflict; but this woman after she had been so powerful with God, returns straight to her house, there to see her victories, and possess her conquests. 3. Mark with what weapons she overcame the greatest of all conquerors. Chatity drew her from home to seek health for her daughter, because like a good mother, she loved her not with a luxurious love, but in her affliction; feeling all her dolours, by their passionate reflection upon her heart. Her faith was planted upon so firm a rock, that amongst all the appearances of despair, her hope remained constant. Humility did effect that the name of Dog, was given her for a title of glory, she making profit of injuries, and converting into honour the greatest contempt of her person. Her words were low and humble, but her faith was wondrous high, since in a moment she chased away the devil, saved her daughter, and changed the word Dog into the name of a Sheep of Christ's flock, as Sedulius writes. Perseverance was the last of her virtues in the Combat, but it was the first which gained her Crown. If you will imitate her in these four virtues; Love, Faith, Humility, and Perseverance, they are the principal materials of which the body of your perfection must be compounded. Aspiration. O Jesus Christ, Son of David, I remember well that thy forefather did by his harp chase away a devil from Saul. And wilt not thou, who art the Father of all blessed harmonies, drive away from me so many little spirits, of Affections, Appetites and Passions, which trouble and discompose my heart; This poor soul, which is the breath of thy mouth, and daughter of thine infinite bounties, is (like the Sun under a cloud) possessed with many wicked spirits, but it hath none worse than that of self-love. Look upon me (O Lord) with thine eyes of mercy, and send me nor away with silence, since thou art the Word. Rather call me Dog, so that I may be suffered to gather up the crumbs which fall from thy table. Whatsoever proceeds from thy mouth is sacred, and must be taken by me as a relic. If thou say I shall obtain my desire, I say I will have no other, than what thou inspirest, and I can be contented with nothing, but what shall be thy blessed will and pleasure. The Gospel upon Friday the first week in Lent, St. john 15. Of the Probatick Pond. AFter these things, there was a festival day of the jews, and jesus went up to jerusalem: and there is at jerusalem upon Probatica, a Pond, which in Hebrew is named Bethsaida, having five porches. In these lay a great multitude of sick persons, of blind, lame, withered, expecting the stirring of the water. And an Angel of our Lord descended at a certain time into the pond? and the water was stirred. And he that had gon● down first into the pond after the stirring of the water, was made whose of whatsoever infirmity he was holden. And there was a certain man there that had been eight and thirty years in his infirmity. Him when jesus had seen lying, and knew that he had now a long time, he saith to him, Wilt thou be made whole? The sick man answered him, Lord, I have no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the pond: for whiles I come, another goeth down before me. jesus saith to him, Arise, take up thy bed, and walk. And forthwith he was made whole: and he took up his bed, and walked. And it was the Sabbath that day. The jews therefore said to him that was healed, it is the Sabbath, thou mayest not take up thy bed. He answered them, he that made me whole, he said to me, take up thy bed, and walk. They asked him therefore, What is that man that said to thee, take up thy bed and walk? But he that was made whole, knew not who it was. For jesus shrunk aside from the multitude standing in the place. Afterward jesus findeth him in the temple, and said to him. Behold thou art made whole: sin no more, lest some worse thing chance to thee. That man went his way, and told the jews that it was jesus that made him whole. Moralities. 1. ALl the world is but one great Hospital, wherein so many persons languish expecting the moving of the water, & the time of their good fortune. The Angels of earth which govern our fortunes go not so fast as our desires. But jesus who is the great Angel of council, is always ready to cure our maladies; to support our weakness, and make perfect our virtues. We need only to follow his motions and inspirations, to meet with everlasting rest. It is a lamentable thing, that some can patiently expect the barren favours of men twenty or thirty years together, and yet will not continue three days in prayer to seek the inestimamable graces of God. 2. The first step we must make toward our salvation is to desire it. That man is worthy to be eternally sick, who fears nothing else but the loss of his bodily health. Men generally do all what they can possibly to cure their corporal infirmities; they abide a thousand vexations (which are but too certain) to recover a health which is most uncertain. And as for the passions of the mind, some love the Fevers of their own love, & their worldly ambition above their own life. They suck the head of a venomous aspic, & are killed by the tongue of a viper. They will not part with that which kills them; and if you take from them the worm which makes them itch, or the executioner who doth indeed torment them, they believe you take away the chiefest of their felicity. Happy is that soul which holds nothing so dear in this world, but will forsake it willingly to find God, and will spare nothing to gain Paradise. 3. There is nothing more common, nor so rare as man. The world is full of vicious and unprofitable men. But to find one very complete in all good things, is to find a direct Phoenix. There are more businesses without men, than men without businesses. For how many charitable employments might many lazy and idle persons find out? So many poor men's affairs continue at a stand: so many miserable creatures languish: so many desolate persons long to find some man who (with little trouble to himself) would take some small care of their affairs and make up a little piece of their fortunes. Jesus is the man of God desired of all ages; to him we must apply ourselves, since he is both life and truth. By him we may come to all happiness, by him we may live in the fountains & streams of life, & in him we may contemplate the chiefest of all truths. Aspirations. WHat patience have I in committing sins and how impatient am I in my sufferings for them? I am ever most ready to execute vice, & unwilling to abide the punishment. O good God, there are many years in which I have retained an inclination to this disorder, to that sin. My soul is bound as it were with Iron chains, in this unhappy bed: will there be no Angel to move the water for me? But art not thou the Lord and Prince of Angels? Then I most humbly beseech thee (O blessed Saviour) do thou command, and by thy only word my affairs will go well, and receive a happy dispatch; my body will become sound, my soul innocent, my heart at rest, and my life an eternal Glory. The Gospel upon Saturday the first week in Lent, and the Sunday following, out of St. Matthew 17. Of the Transfiguration of our Lord. ANd after six days jesus taketh unto him Peter and james, and john his brother, and bringeth them into a high mountain apart: and he was transfigured before them. And his face did shine as the Sun: and his garments became white as Snow. And behold there appeared to them, Moses and Elias talking with him. And Peter answering, said to jesus, Lord, it is good for us to be here, if thou wilt, let us make here three tabernacles, one for Thee, one for Moses, and one for Elias. And as he was yet speaking, behold a bright cloud overshadowed them. And lo, a voice out of the Cloud, saying, This is my wellbeloved Son, in whom I am well pleased, hear ye him. And the Disciples hearing it, fell upon their face, and were sore afraid. And jesus came and touched them: and he said to them, Arise, and fear not. And they lifting up their eyes, saw no body, but only jesus. And as they descended from the mount, jesus commanded them, saying, Tell the vision to no body, till the Son of man be risen from the dead. Moralities. 1. THe words of the Prophet Osee are accomplished; the nets and toils planted upon mount Tabor not to catch birds but hearts. The mountain which before was a den for Tigers and Panthers (according to the Story) is now beautified by our Saviour, and becomes a place full of sweetness and ravishments. Jesus appears transfigured in the high robes of his glory. The cloud made him a pavilion of gold, & the Sun made his face shine like itself. The heavenly Father doth acknowledge his Son as the true Prince of glory; Moses and Elias both appear in brightness, the one bearing the Tables of the Law, and the other carried in a burning Chariot (as Origen saith, which made the Apostles know him. For the Hebrews had certain figures of the most famous men of their Nation in books. They both (as Saint Luke saith) were seen in glory and Majesty; which fell upon them by reflection of the beams which came from the body of Jesus, who is the true fountain of brightness. The Apostles lose themselves in the deliciousness of this great spectacle; and by ●eeing more than they ever did, desired to lose their eyes. O that the world is most contemptible to him, that knows how to value God as he ought. So many fine powders, so many pendents and favours of Glass; so many Towers and Columns of dirt plastered over with gold are followed by a million of Idolaters. To conclude, so many worldly ●ewels are like the empty imaginations of a sick spirit, not enlightened by the beams of truth. Let us rely upon the word (saith Saint Augustine) which remains for ever, while men pass like the water of a fountain, which hides itself in the Spring, shows itself in the stream, and loseth itself at last in the Sea. But God is always himself, there needs no Tabernacle made by the hands of man, to remain with him; for in Paradise, he is both the God and the Temple. 2. Tabor is yet but a small pattern, we must get all the piece; we must go to the Palace of Angels and brightness, where the Tabernacles are not made by the hands of men. There we shall see the face of the living God clearly and at full: There the beauties shall have no vails to hid them from us: Our being shall have no end: Our knowledges will not be subject to error, nor our loves and affections to displeasure. O what a joy will it be to enjoy all, and desire nothing; to be a Magistrate without a successor, to be a King with out an enemy, to be rich without covetousness, to negotiate without money, and to be everliving without fear of death. 3. But who can get up to this mountain, except he of whom the Prophet speaks? who hath innocent hands and a clean heart? who hath not received his soul of God in vain, to bury it in worldly pelf. To follow Jesus we must transform ourselves into him; by hearing and following his doctrine, since God the Father proposeth him for the teacher of mankind, and commands us to hearken unto him. We must follow his examples, since those are the originals of all virtues. The best trade we can practise in this world is that of transfiguration: and we may do it by reducing our form to the form of our Lord, and walking upon earth like men in heaven. Then will the Sun make us have shining faces when purity shall accompany all our actions and intentions. Our clothes shall be as white as snow, when we shall once become innocent in our conversations, we shall then be ravished like the Apostles, and after we have been at mount Tabor, we shall be blind to the rest of the world, and see nothing but Jesus It is moreover to be noted that our Saviour did at that time entertain himself with discourse of his great future sufferings, and of his death, to teach us that his cross was the step by which he mounted up to beatitude. Aspirations. O Blessed Palace, O Magnificent Tabor which this day didst hold upon thee the Prince of Glory; I love and admire thee, but I admire somewhat else above thee: It is the heavenly Jerusalem, that triumphant company, that face of God; where all those beauties are, which shall never cease to be beauties. It is for that I live, for that I die, for that I languish with a holy impatience. O my Jesus, my most benign Lord, transform me then into thee, that I may thereby be transformed into God. If I have carried the earthly Image of Adam, why should I not also carry the form of Jesus? Catch me O Lord within those tissued nets and golden toils of brightness, which thou didst plant upon this sacred mountain. It is there I would leave mine eyes it is there I resolve to breath out my soul. I ask no tabernacles to be their built for me, I have long since contemplated thy heart, (O Father of essences and all bounties) as the most faithful abode of my eternity. The Gospel upon Monday the second week in Lent, St. john 8. jesus said unto the jews, where I go, ye cannot come. AGain therefore jesus said to them, I go, and you shall seek me, and shall die in your sin. Wither I go, you cannot come. The jews therefore said, why will he kill himself, because he saith, whither I go, you cannot come? And he said to them, you are of this world, I am not of this world. Therefore I say to you, that you shall die in your sins. For if you believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins. They said therefore to him, Who art thou? jesus said to them, The beginning, who also speak to you. Many things. I have to speak and judge of you: but he that sent me is true: and what I have heard of him, these things I speak in the world. And they knew not that he said to them that his Father was God. jesus therefore said to them when you sha' l have exalted the Son of man, than you shall know that I am he, and of myself I do nothing, but as the Father hath taught me, these things I speak: and he that sent me is with me: and he hath not left me alone, because the things that please him, I do always. Moralities. 1. ONe of the greatest misfortunes of our life is, that we never sufficiently know our own good, till we lose it. We fly from that we should seek: we seek that we should avoid, and never begin to bewail our losses, but when they are not to be recovered. Those Jews possessed an inestimable treasure, by the presence & conversation of the Son of God. But they set light by it, and so at last they lamented amongst eternal flames, what they would not see in so clear a light. Let us take heed of despising holy things, and avoid hardness of heart, which is a gulf of unavoidable mischiefs. 2. It is a strange thing that God is so near us, and yet we so far from him. That which hinders us from finding him, is because he is above and we below. We are too much for the world; too fast nailed to the earth; too much bound to our superfluous businesses and cares of this life; & too much subject to our own appetites. He must not be slave to his body, that pretends to receive good from God, who is a Spirit: He must not embark himself deeply into worldly matters, who desires the society of Angels. He must pass from his sense to his reason, from reason to grace, from grace to glory. If you desire to find God, search for him as the three Kings did in the manger, in his humility: Look for him as the blessed Virgin did in the temple, in his piety: Seek him as the Maries did in his Sepulchre, by the meditation of death: But stay not there, save only to make a passage to life. 3. When you have lifted me up to the Cross (saith our Saviour) you shall know that I am the true Son of God. And indeed ●t is a great wonder that the infinite power of that Divinity would manifest itself in the infirmity of the Cross. It was only for God to perform this great design, and ascend up to his throne of Glory, by the basest disgraces of the world. The good thief saw no other title or sign of his kingdom, but only his body covered over with blood, and oppressed with dolours. He learned by that book of the Cross all the glory of Paradise: and he apprehended that none but God could endure with such patience so great torments. If you will be children of God, you must make it appear by participation of his Cross &, by suffering tribulation: By that Sun our Eagle tries his young ones, he who cannot abide that shining ray sprinkled with blood, shall never attain to beatitude. It is not comely to see t e members of a head crowned with thorn; sit in a rotten chair of delicacies. Aspirations. O Blessed Saviour who dost lift up all the earth with three fingers of thy power, raise up a little this sinful mass of my body, which weighs down itself so heavily. Give me the wings of an Eagle to fly after thee, for I am constantly resolved to follow thee, whithersoever thou goest: for though it should be within the shadow of death, what can I fear being in the arms of life? I am not of myself, nor of the world, which is so great a deceiver. Since I am thine by so many titles, (which bind me to adoration) I will be so in life, in death, in time, and for all eternity. I will take part of thy sufferings, since they are the ensigns of our Christian warfare. Tribulation is a most excellent engine; the more a man is kept under, the higher he mounts: He descends by perfect humility, that he may ascend to thee by the steps of glory. The Gospel upon Tuesday the second week in Lent, S. Matthew the 23. jesus said, the Pharisees sit in Moses chair, believe therefore what they say. THen jesus speak to the multitudes and to his Disciples, saying, upon the chair of Moses have sitten the Scribes and Pharisees. All things therefore whatsoever they shall say to you observe ye and do ye: but according to their works do ye not, for they say and do not: for they bind heavy burdens and importable, and put them upon men's shoulders, but with a finger of their own they will not move them. But they do all their works for to be seen of men for they make broad their Phylacteries, and enlarge their fringes. And they love the first places at suppers, and the first chairs in the Synagogues, and salutations in the market place, and to be called of men Rabbi: But be not you called Rabbi; for one is your Master, and all you are brethren, And call none father to yourself upon earth, for one is your Father, he that is in Heaven, neither be ye called Masters, for one is your Master, Christ: he that is the greater of you shall be your servitor. And he that exalteth himself shall be humble: and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted. Moralities. 1. IT is a very dangerous error to think that our Saviour in this Gospel had a purpose to introduce an Anarchy, & to make all men equal. He showeth in many places, that he would have Kings, Princes, Magistrates, Fathers and Doctors. But he would not have men come to honours by a vain ambition, nor others to honour them but only as they have dependency upon the power of God Almighty. Let every soul (saith the Apostle) be subject to higher powers, for there is no power but it cometh from God: He gives us superiors not for us to judge, but to obey them. If a man cannot approve their manners, he must at least reverence the character of their authority. They should be good Christians for themselves, but they are superiors for us. He that resisteth their power, doth resist God who ordained them. And all the great evils happening by heresies and rebellions, proceed from no other fountain, but from contempt of powers established by the decree of heaven: A man may pretend zeal, but there is no better sacrifice than that of obedience. If great persons abuse their offices, God will find it out, and as their dignities are great, so their punishment shall be answerable. 2. One of the greatest disorders of this life is, that we go for the most part outwardly to please the world, and are little careful of a good inward application of ourselves to please God. Instead of taking the way of God's Image (from whence we all come) we are content to have virtues only by imagination, and vices in their true essence. Nembroth professed himself a servant of the true God, and yet adored the fire in secret. Jesus hath many worshippers in words, but few in truth. Some stand upon formalities, others upon disguised habits, others amuse themselves about ceremonies, others go as upon certain springs to make themselves counted wise. Most men would seem what they are not, and much troubled to be seen what they are. All their time doth pass in fashions and countenances; but death and Gods judgements take of all those masks. 3. To say that we have seen a man exteriously devout and spiritual (except he be so inwardly) is to say, we have seen a house without a foundation, a tree without a root, a vessel move upon the sea without a bottom, and an excellent clock without a spring. For the same which the foundation is to a house, the root to a tree, the bottom to a ship, and the spring to a clock, the same is a man's interior life to all virtue. What is a man the better who resembles window cushions which are covered with velvet, and stuffed with hay; or to be like the picture of Diana, in Homer's Island, which wept to some, and laughed to others. A little spark of a good conscience is better than all the lights of the world. Why do we crucify ourselves with so many dissimulations, so many ceremonies, so many enforcements upon our natures, to serve and please men, only to get smoke? He that sows wind (saith the Prophet) shall reap a storm. Let us live to ourselves in the purity of a good conscience, and of a perfect humility; if we desire to live for ever with God. Those shadows of false devotion proceed from the leaves of that figtree, wherewith Adam and Eve covered their nakedness: do not we know that hypocrisy is the same thing to virtue, which painting is to faces? and that it is the very moth which devours sanctity, and will at the day of judgement make all those appear naked, which to the world seem well apparelled. Aspirations O God of all truth, wherefore are there so many fictions, and counterfeit behaviours? Must we always live to please the eyes of others, and run after the shadow of vanity, which leaves nothing but illusion within our eyes, and corruption in our manners. I will live unto thee (O fountain of lives) within whom all creatures have life. I will retire myself into my own heart, and negotiate with it by the secret feeling of a good conscience, that I may treat with thee. What need I the eyes of men, if I have the eyes of God? They alone are sufficient to do me good, since by the aspect they give happiness to all the Saints. I will seek for thee (O my beloved Lord) from the break of day till the dead time of the night. All places are solitary where thou art not, and where thou art, there only is the fullness of all pleasures. The Gospel upon Wednesday, the second week in lent, S. Mat. 20. The request of the Wife of Zebedee for her sons james and john ANd jesus going up to jerusalem, took the twelve Disciples secretly, and said to them, behold we go up to jerusalem, and the Son of man shall be delivered to the chief Priest and to the Scribes, and they shall condemn him to death, and shall deliver him to the Gentiles to be mocked, and scourged, and crucified, and the third day he shall rise again. Then came to him the mother of the sons of Zebedee with her sons a loring and desiring something of him, who said to her, what wilt thou? She saith to him, Say that these my two sons may sit one at thy right hand, and one at thy left hand in thy Kingdom. And jesus answering said, you know not what you desire. Can ye drink of the cup that I shall drink of? They say to him we can, He saith to them, My cup indeed you shall drink of: but to sit at my right hand and left, is not mine to give to you, but to whom it is prepared of my Father. Moralities. 1. WHat a short life have we, and yet such large and vast ambitions? We fear every thing like mortal men, and yet desire all, as if we should be immortal upon earth. It is a strange thing to observe how the desire of honour slides even amongst the most refined devotions. Some one is counted an Angel of heaven amongst men, who hath not forsaken his pretences upon earth. Ambition sleeps in the bosoms of persons consecrated for the Altars. It overthrows some whom luxury could not stir; and moves those whom avarice could not touch. We desire all to be known, and to seem what we are not: but this seeming is that which doth bewitch us. All passions grow old and weaker by age; only the desire of worldly riches & honours, is a shirt which we never put off till we come to the grave. Why do we so extremely torment our poor life, by running after this shadow of honour, which we cannot follow without trouble, nor possess without fear, nor lose without sorrow? Is it not astrange folly that men love such vanities till the very last instant of their own ruins, and fear nothing, so they may tumble into precipices of gold and silver? 2. What great pains you take for these children, as if they did not more belong to God then you: you cast day and night where to place them when the providence of God (which is the great Harbinger of the world) hath already marked their lodgings. One is settled in a good Religious course, another in the grave, another perhaps shall have more than is necessary to make him a good man. Eve imagined that her son Cain (having all the world) would have become some great God, when ambition made him a devil incarnate. You shall rarely make your children great Saints by getting them great honours. You desire they should possess all that which overthrows them; and pretending to make a building with one hand, you destroy it with the other. By all your earnest wishes, and all your laborious endeavours (for advancement of your children) you effect nothing, but thereby give them enticements to pleasure and weapons for iniquity. 3. Whereupon should we build our ambitions, if not upon the blood of the holy Lamb? At the foot of the Cross we behold a God covered with blood, crowned with thorns, and reproaches, who warns us to be humble; and at the same time we eager pursue worldly glory & ambition: We resemble that unhappy daughter of Miltiades, who did prostitute herself under her father's Trophies. By our unmeasurable hunting after honours amongst the ignominies of jesus Christ, we abandon ourselves to dishonour, and make no other use of the Cross, but only to be a witness of our infidelity. Aspirations. AVoid, be gone you importunate cares of worldly goods and honours; you little tyrants which burn the blood within our veins, and fill the most innocent pleasures of our life with bitter sorrows, what have I more to do with you? My children shall be what God will. They shall be but too rich when they have virtue for their portion, and but too high when they shall see a true contempt of the world under their feet. God forbidden that I should go about any worldly throne upon the holy Lamb's blood, or that I should talk of honours, when there is mention made of the holy cross. O Jesus thou father of all true glories, thou shalt from henceforth be my only crown. All greatness where thou art not, shall to me be only baseness, I will mount up to thee by the stairs of humility, since by those thou camest down to me. I will kiss the paths of mount Calvary, which thou hast sprinkled with thy precious blood, and esteem the Cross, above all worldly things, since thou hast consecrated it by thy cruel pains; and brought us forth upon that dolours bed to the day of thy eternity. The Gospel upon Thursday the second week in Lent, out of S. Luke 16. Of the rich Glutton and poor Lazarus. THere was a certain rich man, and he was clothed with purple and silk, and he fared every day magnifically. And there was a certain beggar called Lazarus, that lay at his gate full of sores, desiring to be filled of the crumbs that f●ll from the rich man's table, but the dogs also came, and licked his sores. And it came to pass that the beggar died, and was carried of the Angels into Abraham's bosom. And the rich man also died, and he was buried in hell, and lifting up his eyes, when he was in torments, he saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. And he crying said, Father Abraham have mercy on me, and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger into water, for to cool my tongue, because I am tormented in this flame. And Abraham said to him, son remember that thou didst receive good things in thy life time, and Lazarus likewise evil: but now he is comforted, and thou tormented. And beside all these things, between us and you, there is fixed a great Chaos: that they which will pass from hence to you, may not, neither go from thence hither. And he said, then, faith r, I beseech thee that thou wouldst send him to my father's house, for I have five brothers, for to testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torments. And Abraham said to him, they have Moses and the Prophets: let them hear them. But he said, no, father Abraham, but if some man shall go from the dead to them, they will do penance. And he said to him, if they hear not Moses and the Prophets, neither if one shall rise again from the dead, will they believe. Moralities. 1. A Rich man and a poor, meet in this world, the one laden with treasures, the other with ulcers. They both meet in the other world, the one in a gulf of fire, the other in an Abyss of delights: Their ends are as different as their lives were contrary: to teach us that he which shall consider rightly, the end of all worldly sins and vanities will have in horror the desire of them. And as there is nothing, for which godly poor men may not hope, so is there nothing which wicked rich men should not fear. He that is proud of riches, is proud of his burdens, and chains, but if he unload them upon the poor, he will be eased of his pain, and secured in his way. 2. The life of man is a marvellous Comedy; wherein the greatest part of our actions are played under a curtain, which the divine providence draws over them to cover us. It concealed poor Lazarus, & kept him in obscurity, like the fish which we never see till it be dead. But Jesus draws the curtain, and makes himself the historian of this good poor man, showing us the state of his soul, of his body, of his life & death. He makes him appear in Abraham's bosom as within the temple of rest and happiness, and makes him known to the rich man as to the treasurer of hell's riches. Are not we unworthy the name which we carry, when we despise the poor, and hate poverty as the greatest misery? since the Son of God having once consecrated it upon the throne of his Manger, made it serve for his spouse during life, and his bride maid at the time of his death. 3. This rich glutton dreamt, and at the end of his dream found himself buried in hell. All those pomps of his life were scattered in an instant as so many nocturnal illusions, and his heart filled with eternal grief and torment. His first misery is a sudden, unexpected and hideous change from a huge sea of delicacies, into an unsufferable gulf of fire: where he doth acknowledge that one of the greatest vexations in misery is to have been happy. Another disaster which afflicts him, is to see Lazarus in Abraham's bosom, to teach us that the damned are tormented by Paradise, even to the very lowest par of Hell; and that the most grievous of their torments is, they can never forget their loss of God, So saith Theophilact that Adam was placed over against the terrestrial Paradise from whence he was banished, that in his very punishment he might see the happiness he had lost by his foul fault. Now you must add to the rest of his sufferings the great Chaos which (like a diamond wall) is between hell and Paradise, together with the privation of all comfort; those losses without remedy; that wheel of eternity, where death lasteth for ever, and the end gins again without ceasing, and the torments can never fail or diminish. 4. Do good with those goods which God hath given you, and suffer them not to make you wicked; but employ your riches by the hands of virtue: If gold be a child of the Sun, why do you hid him from his father? God chose the bosom of rich Abraham, to be the Paradise of poor Lazarus. So may you make the needy feel happiness by your bounty; your riches shall raise you up, when they are trodden under your feet. The Prophet saith, you must sow in the field of Alms, if you desire to reap in the mouth of Mercy. Aspirations. O God of justice, I tremble at the terror of thy judgements. Great fortunes of the world (full of honour and riches) are fair trees, oft times the more ready for the axe: Their weight makes them apt to fall, and prove the more unhappy fuel for eternal flames. O Jesus, father of the poor, and King of the rich, I most humbly beseech thee never give my heart in prey to covetousness, which (by loading me with land) may make me forget heaven. I know that death must consume me to the very bones, & I shall then possess nothing but what I have given for thee. Must I then live in this world (like a Griffin) to hoard up much gold and silver, whereof I shall never have use, & still be vexed with care how to preserve it? O most merciful Lord, suffer me not to be taught by hell fire, that which I may have neglected to learn out of thy Gospel. I most hearty renounce all luxury and pomp of the world, and this carnal life, which would always busy itself about my body. If thou be pleased to make me rich, I will be so for the poor; and if thou make me poor, I will make myself rich in thee, who art the true riches of thine elect. The Gospel upon Friday the second week in Lent, S. Matth. 21. Of the Master of a Vineyard whose Son was killed by his Farmers. ANother Parable hear ye: A man there was, an householder, who planted a Vineyard, and made a hedge round about it, and digged in it a press, and builded a Tower, and let it out to Husbandmen, and went forth into a strange Country. And when the time of fruis drew, nigh, he sent his servants to the Husbandmen, to receive the fruits thereof. And the Husbandmen apprehending his servants, one they beat, another they killed, and another they stoned. Again, he sent other servants more than the former; and they did to them likewise. And last of all he sent to them his Son, saying, They will reverence my Son. But the Husbandmen seeing the Son, said within themselves, This is the heir, come let us kill him, and we shall have his inheritance. And apprehending him, they cast him forth out of the Vineyard, and killed him. When therefore the Lord of the Vineyard shall come, what will he do to those Husbandmen? They say to him, The naughty men he will bring to nought: and his Vineyard he will let out to other Husbandmen, that shall render him the fruits of their seasons. jesus saith to them, have you never read in the Scriptures, The stone which the bvilders rejected, the same is made into the head of the corner? By our Lord was this done, and it is marvellous in our eyes. Therefore I say to you, that the Kingdom of God shall be taken away from you, and shall be given to a Nation yielding the fruits thereof. And he that falleth upon this stone, shall be broken: and on whom it falleth it shall all to bruise him. And when the chief Priests and Pharisees had heard his Parables, they knew that he spoke of them. And seeking to lay hands upon him, they feared the multitudes: because they held him as a Prophet. Moralities. 1. We have reason to fear all that is in us, yea even the gifts of God: All his favours are so many chains; If they bind us not to do our duty, they will bind us to the punishment due for that neglect. Our soul is given us by God as a thing borrowed from heaven, we must not be too prodigal of it. We must dig up ill roots as we do in land cultivated: The time will come, that we must render up the fruits; & shall we then present thorns? Examine every day how you profit, and what you do: draw every day a line, but draw it toward eternity. What can you hid from God who knows all? What can you repay to God who gives all? and how can you requite Jesus who hath given himself? 2. How many messengers doth God send to our hearts without intermission, and how many inspirations which we reject? So many Sermons which we do not observe, & so many examples which we neglect. Jesus comes in person by the Scrament of the Altar, and we drive him from us, to crucify him, when we place the Devil and Mortal sin in his room. What other thing can we expect for reward of all these violences, but a most fearful destruction, if ye do not prevent the sword of justice, by walking in the paths of mercy? Our vanities which at first are like small threads, by the contempt of God's grace, come to be great cables of sin. He that defers his repentance is in danger to lose it, and will be kept out of the Ark with the croaking Raven, since he hath neglected the mourning of the sorrowful Dove. 3. It is a most horrible thing to see a soul left to itself, after it hath so many times for for, saken the inspirations of God. It becomes a desolate Vineyard, without enclosure. The wild Boar enters into it and all unclean and ravenous creatures do there sport and leap without control. God hangs clouds over it, but will let no drop of water fall upon it. The Sun never looks upon it with a loving eye: all there, is barren, venomous, and near to hell. Therefore above all things we must fear to be forsaken of God. Mercy provoked, changes itself into severe Justice. All creatures will serve (as Gods instruments) to punish a fugitive soul, which flies from him by her ingratitude, when he draws her to him by the sweetness of his benefits. Aspirations. ALas, O great father of the world's family I am confounded to see thy vineyard so ill ordered, made so barren and spoiled. My passions domineer, like wild beasts, and devour the fruits due to thy bounty. I am hearty sorry I have so little esteemed thy graces, and to have preferred all that (which makes me contemptible) before thee. I do this day renounce all the abuses of my soul. I will grow and prosper under thy blessings: I will flourish under thy aspect, and fructify under thy protection. Command only thy graces and sweet dews of heaven (which are as paps of thy favours) to rain upon me and water this rotten trunk of my heart. Speak to that eye of love; that beautiful eye of jesus that it will shine upon me but once with that ray, which doth make souls happy for ever. The Gospel upon Saturday the second week in Lent, S. Luke 15. Of the prodigal Child. ANd he said, a certain man had two sons; and the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of substance that belongeth to me: and he divided ● unto them the substance. And not many days after, the younger son gathering all his things together, went from home into a far Country, and there he wasted his substance, living riotously. And after he had spent all, there f●ll a sore famine in that Country, and he began to be in need: and ●he went and cleaved to one of the Citizens of that Country, and he sent him into his Farm to feed swine. And he would fain have filled his belly of the husks that the swine did eat, and no body gave unto him. And returning to himself, he said, How many of my father's hirelings have abundance of bread, and I here perish for famine? I will arise, and will go to my father, and say to him, father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee, I am not now worthy to be called thy son, make me as one of thy hirelings. And rising up he came to his father; and when he was yet far off, his father saw him, and was moved with mercy, and running to him, fell upon his neck and kissed him. And his son said to him Father, I have sinned against heaven and before thee, I am not now worthy to be called thy son. And the father said to his servants, Quickly bring forth the first stole, and do it on him, and put a ring upon his hand, and shoes upon his feet, and bring the fatted calf, and kill it, and let us eat and make merry, because this my son was dead, & is revived, was lost, & is found. And they began to make merry. But his elder son was in the field, and when he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard music & dancing: & he called one of the servants, and asked what these things should be? And he said to him, Thy brother is come and thy father hath killed the fatted calf, because he hath received him safe. But he had indigination, & would not go in. His father therefore going forth, began to desire him. But he answering, said to his father, Behold, so many years do I serve thee, & I never transgressed thy commandment, and thou didst never give me a kid to make merry with my friends. But after that thy son, this that hath devoured his substance with whores, is come, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf. But he said to him, Son, thou art always with me, and all my things are thine. But it behoved us to make mer●y and be glad, because this thy brother was dead, and is revived; was lost, and is found. Moralities. 1. THis parable is a true table expressing the excursions of a prodigal soul and her return to the mercy of God by the way of repentance. Note that the first step which she trod toward her own destruction (as Cain did) was her departing from God, not by changing of place, but of heart. It departed from the chiefest light, which made it fall into an eclipse of reason and so into profound darkness. She diverted herself from the greatest bounty, which made her incline toward all wickedness (being strayed from her sovereign being) which made her become just nothing. 2. She continued in sin, as in a country which was just nothing, where she was vexed on all sides with disquiet, with cares, with fears and discontents. All sins toss their followers, as the ball is tossed at Baloon. Vanity sends them to pride: pride to violence; violence to avarice: avarice to ambition, ambition to pomp and riot: pomp to gluttony: gluttony to luxury: luxury to idleness: idleness to contempt and poverty, and that poverty brings them to all worldly misery. For all mischiefs follow a wicked soul which departing from God thinks to find a better condition. 3. Affliction opens the eyes of man, and makes him come to himself that he may the better return to God. There is no journey so fare as when a man departs from himself not by place but by manners, A sea of Licentiousness interposeth itself between his soul and innocence, to divorce her from the way of goodness: But God's grace is a burning wind, which dries it up; and having brought man to himself, takes him by the hand and leads him even to God. 4. O what a happy thing it is to consider the effects of God's mercy in the entertainment of the good father to his prodigal son: The one had lost all which he had of a good son: but the other had not lost what belonged to a good father. The son had yet said nothing, when fatherly affection pleaded for him in the heart of his father; who felt the dolours of a spiritual labour; and his entrails were moved to give a second birth to his son. Though he were old, yet he went the pace of a young man: Charity gives him wings to fly to the embracements of his lost child. He is most joyful of all that comes with him, even of his very poverty. This without doubt should give us a marvellous confidence in God's mercy, when we seek it with hearty repentance. It is a sea of bounty which washeth away all that is amiss. Since he hath changed the name of master into that of father, he will rather command by love, then reign by a predominant power. No man ought to despair of pardon except he, who can be as fully wicked as God is good, none is so merciful as God, none is so good a father as he: for when you may have lost your part of all his virtues, you can never (while you live) lose the possibility of his mercy. He will receive you between his arms without any other reason but your return by repentance. 5. The same Parable is also a true glass showing the life of those young unthrists, who think they are born only for sport, for their bellies and for pleasure. They imagine their fathers keep for them the golden mines of Peru; and their life being without government, their expenses are without measure. Some of them run through the world; they wander into all places, but never enter into consideration of themselves. They return from foreign parts, laden with debts, and bring home nothing but some new fantastical fashions, irps, cringes, and corantoes. There are many of them in whom pride and misery continue inseparable, after they have lost their money and their brains. Their fathers are causes of their faults, by gathering so much wealth for those, who know not how to use it. Yet if they have the true repentance of the prodigal child, he must not deny them pardon: But mercy must not be had of those who ask it by strong hand, or seek it by a counterfeit sorrow. Aspirations. IT is an accursed wand'ring to travel into the country of nothing. Where pleasure drops down as water from a storm; the miserable consequences whereof have leaden feet, which never remove from the heart. Good God what a country is that where the earth is made of quicksilver, which steals itself from under our feet when we think to tread upon it What a country is that where if a man gathered one bud of roses, he must be forced to eat a thousand thorns, and be companion with the most nasty, filthy beasts in their stinking ordures, and be glad to eat of their loathsome draff for want of other meat. Alas, I have suffered, and such a misery as this, is necessary to make me remember the happiness which I possessed in thy house: O merciful Father behold my prodigal soul which returns to thee and will have no other advocate but thy goodness; which as yet pleads for me within thy heart. I have consumed all which I had, but I could not consume thy mercy. For that is an Abyss which surpasseth that of my sins, and miseries. Receive me as a mercenary servant, If I may not obtain the name of a son. Why shouldst not thou receive that which is thine, since the wicked spirits have taken that which was not theirs? Either show me mercy, or else show me a heart more fatherly than thine, and if neither earth nor heaven can find the like, to whom wouldst thou have me go but to thyself, who dost not yet cease to call me? The Gospel upon the third Sunday in Lent. S. Luke 11. Jesus cast out the Devil which was dumb ANd he was casting out a devil, and that was dumb. And when he had cast out the devil, the dumb spoke, and the multitudes marvelled. And certain of them said, in Belzebub the Prince of Devils he casteth out Devils. And other tempting, asked him a sign from Heaven. But he seeing their cogitations, said to them: Every Kingdom divided against itself, shall be made desolate, and house upon house shall fall. And if Satan also be divided against himself, how shall his Kingdom stand? because you say, that in Belzebub I do cast out Devils. And if I in Belzebub cast out Devils; your children, in whom do they cast out? Therefore they shall be your judges. But if I in the singer of God do cast out Devils, surely the Kingdom of God is come upon you. When the strong armed keepeth his court, those things are in peace that he possesseth; but if a stronger than he come upon him, and overcome him, he will take away his whole armour, wherein he trusted, and will distribute his spoils. He that is not with me, is against me; And he that gathereth not with me, scattereth. When the unclean spirit shall departed out of a man, he wandreth through places without water, seeking rest; and not finding, he saith, I will return into my house whence I departed. And when he is come, he findeth it swept with a bosom, and trimmed. Then he goeth and taketh seven other spirits worse than himself, and entering in they dwell there. And the last of that man be made worse than the first. And it came to pass, when he said these things, a certain woman lifting up her voice out of the multitude, said to him, Blessed is the womb that bore thee, and the paps that thou didst suck. But he said, Yea rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it. Moralities. 1. THe Almond tree is the first which gins to flourish, and is often first nipped with frost. The tongue is the first thing which moves in a man's body, and is soon caught with the snares of Satan. That man deserves to be speechless all his life, who never speaks a word better than silence. 2. Jesus, the eternal word of God, came upon earth to reform the words of man: his life was a lightning, and his word a thunder, which was powerful in effect, but always measured within his bounds. He did fight against ill tongues in his life, and conquered them all in his death. The gall and vinegar which he took, to expiate the sins of this unhappy tongue, do show how great the evil was, since it did need so sharp a remedy. He hath cured by suffering his dolours what it deserved by our committing sins▪ Other vices are determined by one act, the tongue goes to all: it is a servant to all malicious actions, and is generally confederate with the heart in all crimes. 3. We have just so much Religion as we have government of our tongues: A little thing serves to tame wild beasts, and a small stern will serve to govern a ship; Why then cannot a man rule so small a part of his body? Is it not sufficient to avoid lying, perjuries, quarrels, injuries, slanders and blasphemies, such as the Scribes and Pharisees did vomit out in this Gospel against the purity of the Son of God. We must also repress idle talk, and other frivolous and unprofitable discourses. There are some persons who have their hearts so lose, that they cannot keep them within their breasts, but they will quickly swim upon their lips, without thinking what they say, and so make a shift to wound their souls. 4. Imitate a holy Father called Sisus, who prayed God thirty years together every day to deliver him from his tongue, as from a capital enemy: You shall never be very chaste of your body, except you do very well bridle your tongue. For looseness of the flesh proceeds sometimes from liberty of the tongue: Remember yourself that your heart should go like a clock, with all the just and equal motions of his springs, and that your tongue is the finger, which shows how all the hours of the day pass When the heart goes of one side, & the tongue of another, it is a sure desolation of your spirits kingdom. If Jesus set it once at peace and quiet, you must be very careful to keep it so; and be very fearful of relapses. For the multiplying of long continued sins, brings at last hell itself upon a man's shoulders. Aspirations. O Word incarnate, to whom all just tongues speak, and after whom all hearts do thirst and languish; chase from us all prating devils, and also those which are dumb: the first provoke and lose the tongue to speak wickedly, & the other bind it when it should confess the truth. O peacemaking Solomon, appease the divisions of my heart, and unite all my powers to the love of thy service. Destroy in me all the marks of Satan's Empire, and plant there thy Trophies and Standards, that my spirit be never like those devils which seek for rest, but shall never find it. Make me preserve inviolable the house of my conscience, which thou hast cleansed by repentance, and clothed with thy graces: that I may have perseverance to the end without relapses, and so obtain happiness without more need of repentance. The Gospel upon Monday the third week in Lent, S. Luke 4. Jesus is required to do Miracles in his own Country. ANd he said to them, Certes, you will say to me this similitude, Physician cure thyself: as great things as we have heard done in Capharnaum, do also here in thy Country. And he said, Amen I say to you, that no Prophet is accepted in his own Country. In truth I say to you, there were many widows in the days of Elias in Israel, when the heaven was shut three years and six months, when there was a great famine made in the whole earth; and to none of them was Elias sent, but into Sarepta of Sidon, to a widow woman. And there were many Leopers in Israel under Elizeus the Prophet, and none of them made clean but Naaman the Syrian. And all in the Synagogue were filled with anger, hearing these things. And they risen, and cast him out of the City: and they brought him to the edge of the hill whereupon their City was built, that they might throw him down headlong. But he passing through the midst of them, went his way. Moralities. 1. THe malignity of man's nature undervalueth all that which it hath in hand, and little esteems many necessary things because they are common. The Sun is not counted●rare, because it shines every day, and the elements are held contemptible, since they are common to the poor as well as the rich. Jesus was despised in his own Country, because he was there known to all the world, and the disdain of that ungrateful Nation closed the hands of his great bounty. Is it not a great unhappiness to be weary and tired with often communicating? to be wicked because God is good, & to shut up ourselves close, when he would impart himself to us: Men make little account of great benefits, & spiritual helps for that they have them present. They must lose those favours to know them well, and seek outrageously without effect, what they have kicked away with contempt, because it was easily possessed. 2. The choices and elections of God are not to be comprehendedwithin our thoughts, but they should be adored by our hearts. He is Master of his own favours, and doth what he will in the Kingdoms of Nature, Grace, and Glory. He makes Vessels of Potter's earth, of gold and silver. He makes Holidays and working days (saith the Wise man) his liberalities are as free to him, as his thoughts. We must not examine the reason why he doth elevate some, and abase others. Our eye must not be wicked, because his heart is good. Let us content ourselves that he loves the humble, and to know, that the lowest place of all, is most secure. No man is made reprobate without justice, no man is saved without mercy. God creates men to repair in many, that which he hath made; and also to punish in the persons of many, that which he hath not made. 3. jesus doth not cure his brethren and yet cures strangers; to show that his powers are not tied to any Nation but to his own will. So likewise the graces of God are not to be measured according to the nature of him who recieves them, but by the pure bounty of him who gives them. The humility of some, doth call him, when the presumption of others doth estrange him. The weak grounds of a dying law, did no good to the jews, who disdained the grace of jesus Christ: And that disdain deprived them of their adoption; of the glory of the New Testament; of all the promises, and of all Magistracy. They lost all because they would keep their own wills. Let us learn by the grace of God to desire earnestly that good which we would obtain effectually. Persons distasted and surfeited cannot advance much in a spiritual life. And he that seeks after perfection coldly, shall never find it. Aspirations. THy beauties (most sweet jesus) are without stain, thy goodness without reproach, and thy conversation without importunity. God forbidden I should be of the number of those souls which are distasted with Manna, and languish after the Onions of Egypt. The more I taste thee, the more I incline to do thee honour. Familiarity with an infinite thing, begets no contempt but only from those whom thou dost despise for their own faults. O what high secrets are thy favours. O what Abysses are thy graces We may wish and run: But except thou cooperate, nothing is done. If thou cease to work, all is undone. I put all my happiness into thy hands: It is thou alone which knowest how to choose what we most need, by thy sovereign wisdom and thou givest it by thy extreme bounty. The Gospel upon Thursday, the third week in Lent, S. Mat. 18. If thy Brother offend thee tell him of it alone. But if thy brother shall offend against thee, go and rebuke him between thee and him alone; if he shall hear thee, thou shalt gain thy brother: and if he will not hear thee, join with thee besides, one or two, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may stand. And if he will not hear them, tell the Church: and if he will not hear the Church, let him be to thee as the Heathen and the Publican. Amen. I say to you, whatsoever ye shall bind upon earth, shall be bound also in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall lose upon earth, shall be loosed also in heaven. Again I say to you, that if two of you shall consent upon earth, concerning every thing whatsoever they ask, it shall be done to them of my Father which is in Heaven: for where there be two or three gathered in my name, there am I in the midst of them. Then came Peter unto him, and said, Lord, how often shall my brother offend against me, and I forgive him? until seven times? jesus said to him, I say not to thee until seven times, but until seventy times seven times. Moralities. 1. THe Heavens are happy that they go always in one measure & in so great a revolution of ages, do not make one false step: but man is naturally subject to fail. He is full of imperfections and if he have any virtues he carries them like dust against the wind or snow against the sun. This is the reason which teaches him that he needs good advice. 2. It is somewhat hard to give right correction, but much harder to receive it profitably. Some are so very fair spoken that they praise all which they see, and because they will find nothing amiss, they are ordinarily good to no body. They show to those whom they slatter, their virtues in great, & their faults in little; they will say to those who are plunged in great disorders, they have no other salt, but that they are not sufficiently careful of their own health. Others do correct with such sharpness and violence that they wound their own hearts to care other men's, and seem to have a greater mind to please their own passions, then to amend those whom they would instruct. Correction should be accompanied with sweetness but it must carry with all a little vigour, to make a right temper and to keep a mean between softness and austerity. Jesus in the Prophet Isai is called both a rod and a flower: to show us (according to Origen) that he carries severity mingled with sweetness; to use either of them according to the diversity of persons. 3. It is not a very easy thing to receive brotherly correction patiently, we are so fare in love with being well thought of. And after we have lost the tree of life, (which is virtue itself) we would keep the bark of it, which is only reputation. All shadows proceed from those bodies upon which somewhat shines; honour is the child of a known virtue: and many, when they cannot get one lawful, are willing to have a Bas●ard. This is the cause why so many resemble those serpents, which requite them with poison, who sing to them pleasant songs. Whatsoever is spoken to instruct them, makes them passionate, and dart out angry speeches against those, who speak to them mild and gentle words of truth, and tending to their salvation Rest assured you can never get perfection, except you count it a glory to learn, and discover your own imperfections. 4. There is nothing of more force than the prayers of just men: which are animated by the same spirit, & cemented together with perfect concord. They are most powerful both in heaven and earth. When they desire what God will, they are always heard; if not according to the wishes of their own nature, yet according to the greater profits of his grace. He is always happy, who hath that which he would; because he knows how to wish what is fitting, and finds means to obtain what he desires, by reason of his abstinence from coveting that which cannot be had. 5. We must not offer to limit our goodness, but as it comes from an infinite God, we should make it as near being infinite as we can. He gives the lie to virtues, who will reduce them to a certain number. We must never be weary of well doing, but imitate the nature of celestial things which never make any end but to begin again. Aspirations. O God what spots are in my soul, and how little do I look into my own imperfections? Wilt thou never show me to myself (for some good time) that I may cure myself, by horror of seeing what I am, since I do so often wound myself, by being too indulgent to my own naughty affections. It is a great offence to break the glass which representeth me to myself by brotherly correction, and to think I shall commit no more sins when no body will take liberty to reprove me. I will humble myself to the very dust, and mount up to thy glory by contempt of my own baseness: Alas, must my soul be always so far in love with itself, that it cannot suffer the remonstrance of a friend? how will it then endure the tooth of an enemy? what can she love, being so partial to herself, if she do not love most ugly darkness: O, my redoubted Master, I fear thine eyes which see those obscurities, which the foolish world takes to be brightness. If I cannot be always innocent, make me at least acknowledge myself faulty, that I may know myself as I am; to the end thou mayest know me for an object capable of thy mercy. The Gospel upon Wednesday the third week in Lent, Saint Matthew 15. The Pharisees asked Jesus, Why do thy Disciples contradict ancient Traditions? THen came to him from jerusalem, Scribes and Pharisees, saying, Why do thy Disciples transgress the tradition of the ancients? For they wash not their hands when they eat bread. But he answering, said to them, Why do you also transgress the commandment of God for your tradition? For God said, Honour Father and Mother: and he that shall curse Father or Mother dying, let him die. But you say, Whosoever shall say to Father or Mother, The gift whatsoever proceedeth from me, shall profit thee, and shall not honour his Father or his Mother: and you have made frustrate the commandment of God for your own tradition. Hypocrites, well hath Esay prophesied, of you, saying, This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. And in vain do they worship me, teaching doctrines and commandments of men. And having called together the multitudes unto him, he said to them, Hear ye and understand, Not that which entereth into the mouth defileth a man, but that which proceedeth out of the mouth, that defileth a man. Then came his Disciples and said to him, Dost thou know that the Pharisees when they heard this word were scandalised? But he answering, said, All planting, which my heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up. Let them alone, blind they are, guides of the blind: and if the blind be guide to the blind, both fall into the ditch. And Peter answering, said to him, Expound us this parable. But he said, Are you also as yet without understanding? Do you not understand, that all that entereth into the mouth, goeth into the belly, and is cast forth into the privy? But the things that proceed out of the mouth, come forth from the heart, and those things defile a man. For from the heart come forth evil cogitations, murders, advouteries, fornications, thefts, false testimonies, blasphemies: These are the things that defile: but to eat with unwashen hands, doth not defile a man. Moralities. 1. THe spirit of man is wretched, & makes itself business by being disquieted with petty little things: & tormenting itself with formalities, whilst it lives in a deep neglect of all that which is most essential to her salvation. The Pharises did place their perfections in washing themselves every hour of the day; in bearing writs of the Law upon their foreheads, and thorns upon their heels; but made no scruple to take away the honour due to fathers & mothers from their children; to make spoil of the world by a ravenous avarice (which took upon it the appearance of piety) and to give up innocent blood under show of justice. The world doth now furnish itself with such like devotions. Some make it a sin to look upon a fair flower with delight: to eat with a good appetite: to drink cool wine in hot weather: to burn a paper, upon which the name of jesus is written: to tread upon two straws that lie a cross. But to set money to usury, to remember injuries for ever to keep a poor workman's wages, to oppress the weak, to accuse the innocent, to spoil miserable persons: These are the little sins which pass for virtues in this world. Assure yourself that such proceed are abominable before God; & there can be no better devotion in the world then to have a true and right ceiling of God & to live in honesty, not sophisticated, but such as is produced out of the pure lights of nature. The conscience of hypocrites is a spider's web, whereof no garment can ever be made. Hypocrisy is a very subtle fault, and a secret poison, which kills other virtues with their own swords. 2. jesus is our great Master, who hath abridged six hundred and thirteen Precepts of the old Testament within the law of love. Do but love (saith Saint Augustine) and do what you will: but then your love must go to the right fountain, which is the heart of God. It is in him you must cherish and honour your nearest friends; and for him also you are bound to love even your greatest enemies. Be not afraid to show him your heart stark naked, that he may pierce it with his arrows for the wounds of such an archer are much more precious than rubies. You shall gain all by loving him; and death itself, which comes from this love is the gate of life. If you love him truly, you will have the three conditions of love, which are, to serve him, to imitate him, and to suffer for him. You must serve him with all fidelity in your prayers, and all your actions: you must imitate him (what possibly you can) in all the passages of his life; And you must hold it for a glory to participate (with a valiant patience) all the fruits of his Cross. Aspirations. O Great God, who judgest all hearts, and dost penetrate the most secret retirements of our consciences, drive away from me all counterfeit Pharisaical devotions, which are nothing but shows, & cannot subsist but by false apparencies. O my God, my jesus, make me keep the Law of thy love, and nothing else. It is a yoke which brings with it more honour than burden; It is a yoke which hath wings, but no heaviness: Make me serve thee (O my Master) since thou beholdest the services of all the Angels under thy feet: Make me imitate thee (O my Redeemer) since thou art the original of all perfections: make me suffer for thee (O King of the afflicted) and that I may not know what it is to suffer, by knowing what it is to love. The Gospel on Thursday the third week in Lent, S. Luke 4. Jesus cured the Fever of Simons Mother in Law. ANd jesus rising up out of the Synagogue, entered into Simons house, and Simons wives mother was holden with a great Fever, and they besought him for her. And standing over her, he commanded the Fever, and it lest her: And incontinent rising, she ministered to them. And when the Sun was down, all that had diseased of sundry maladies, brought them to him: But he imposing hands upon every one, cured them. And Devils went out from many, crying and saying, that thou art the Son of God. And rebuking them, he suffered them not to speak that they knew he was Christ. And when it was day, going forth he went into a Desert place, and the multitudes sought him, and came even unto him: and they held him, that he should not departed from them. To whom he said, That to other Cities also must I Evangelize the Kingdom of God: because therefore I was sent. And he was preaching in the Synagogues of Galilee. Moralities. 1. A Soul within a sick body, is a Princess that dwells in a ruinous house: Health is the best of all temporal goods; without which all honours are as the beams of an eclipsed Sun: Riches are unpleasing, and all pleasures are languishing. All joy of the heart subsists naturally in the health of the body. But yet it is true, that the most healthful persons are not always the most holy. What profit is there in that health, which serves for a provocation to sin, for an enticement to worldly pleasure, and a gate to death? The best souls are never better nor stronger, than when their bodies are sick: their diseases are too hard for their mortal bodies, but their courage is invincible. It is a great knowledge to understand our own infirmities. Prosperity keeps us from the view of them, but adversity shows them to us. We should hardly know what death is, if so many diseases did not teach us every day that we are mortal. Semiramis the proudest of all Queens had made a law whereby she was to be adored in stead of all the gods, but being humbled by a great sickness, she acknowledged herself to be but a woman. 2. All the Apostles pray for this holy woman which was sick, but she herself asked nothing, nor did complain of any thing. She leaves all to God, who is only Master of life and death. She knew that he which gives his benefits with such bounty, hath the wisdom to choose those which are most fit for us. How do we know whether we desiring to be delivered from a sickness, do not ask of God to take away a gift which is very necessary to our salvation? That malady or affliction which makes us distaste worldly pleasures, gives us a disposition to taste the joys of heaven. 3. How many sick persons in the heat of a Fever promise much, and when they are well again perform nothing. That body which carried all the marks of death in the face, is no sooner grown strong by health (which rejoiceth the heart & fills the veins with blood) but it becomes a slave to sin. The gifts of God (being abused) serve for nothing but to make it wicked, and so the soul is killed by recovery of the flesh. But this pious woman is no sooner on foot but she serves the Author of life and employs all those limbs, (which Jesus cured of the Fever) to prepare some provisions to refresh him. He that will not use the treasures of heaven with acknowledge meant, deserves never to keep them. When a man is recovered from a great sickness, as his body is renewed by health, so on the other side, he should renew his spirit by virtue. The body (saith Saint Maximus) is the bed of the soul, where it sleeps too easily in continual health, and forgets itself in many things. But a good round sickness doth not only move, but turn over this bed, which maketh the soul awake, to think on her salvation, and make a total conversion. Aspirations. O Word Incarnate, all Fevers and Devils fly before the beams of thy redoubted face. Must nothing but the hea● of my passions always resist thy powers and bounties? To what maladies and indispositions am I subject? I have more diseases in my soul then limbs in my body. My weakness bends under thy scourges, and yet my sins continue still unmoveable. Stay (O benign Lord) stay thy-self near me. Cast upon my dull and heavy eyes one beam from those thine eyes, which make all storms clear, and all disasters happy. Command that my weakness leave me, and that I may arise to perform my services due to thy greatness, as I will for ever owe my salvation to thy infinite power and bounty. The Gospel upon Friday the third week in Lent, S. john 4. Of the Samaritan woman at jacobs' Well, near Sichar. HE cometh therefore into a City of Samaria, which is called Sichar, beside the Manner that jacob gave to joseph his son, And there was there the fountain of jacob. jesus therefore wearied of his journey, sat so upon the fountain. It was about the sixth hour. There cometh a woman of Samaria to draw water, jesus saith to her, Give me to drink: for his Disciples were gone into the City to buy meats: therefore that Samaritan woman saith to him, How dost thou being a jew ask of me to drink which am a Samaritan woman? for the jews do not communicate with the Samaritans. jesus answered and said to her, If thou didst know the gift of God, and who he is that saith unto thee, Give me to drink, thou perhaps wouldst have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water. The woman saith to him, Sir, neither haste thou wherein to draw, and the Well is deep. Whence hast thou the living water? Art thou greater than our father jacob who gave us the Well, and himself drank of it, and his children and his cattles. jesus answered, and said to her, Every one that drinketh of this water, shall thirst again; but he that shall drink of the water that I will give him, shall not thirst for ever: but the water that I will give him shall become unto him a fountain of water springing up unto life everlasting. The woman saith to him, Lord, give me this water, that I may not thirst, nor come hither to draw. jesus saith to her, Go call thy husband, and come hither. The woman answered and said, I have no husband. jesus saith to her, Thou hast said well, that I have no husband: for thou hast had five husbands, and he whom thou now hast, is not thy husband. This thou hast said truly. The woman saith to him, Lord, I perceive that thou art a Prophet. Our Fathers adored in this mountain, and you say, that jerusalem is the place where men must adore. jesus saith to her, Woman believe me, that the hour shall come, when you shall neither in this mountain, nor in jerusalem, adore the Father. You adore that you know not: We adore that we know: for salvation is of the jews: but the hour cometh, and now is, when the true adorers shall adore the Father in spirit and verity. For the Father also seeketh such to adore him. God is a spirit, and they ●hat adore him, must adore in spirit and verity. The woman saith to him, I know that Messiah cometh, (which is called Christ) therefore when he cometh, he will show us all things. jesus saith to her, I am he that speak with thee. And incontinent his Disciples came: and they marvelled that he talked with a woman. No man for all that said, What seekest thou, or why talkest thou with her? The woman therefore left her water pot, and she went into the City, and saith to those men, Come and see a man that hath told me all things whatsoever I have done: Is not he Christ? They went forth therefore out of the City, and came to him. In the mean time the Disciples desired him, saying, Rabbi, eat. But he said to them, I have meat to eat which you know not. The Disciples therefore said one to another, hath any man brought him for to eat? jesus saith to them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, to perfect his work. Do not you say, that yet there are four months, & harvest cometh? Behold I say to you, lift up your eyes, and see the Countries, that they are white already to harvest: And he that reapeth, receiveth hire, and gathereth fruit unto life everlasting, that both he that soweth, and he that reapeth, may rejace together. For in this is the saying true, that it is one man that soweth, and it is another that reapeth. I have sent you to reap that which you laboured not: others have laboured, and you have entered into their labours. And of that City many believed in him of the Samaritans, for the word of the woman giving testimony, that he told me all things whatsoever I have done. Therefore when the Samaritans were come to him, they desired him that he would tarry there. And he tarried there two days. And many moe believed for his own word: and they said to the woman, That now, not for thy saying do we besieve: for ourselves have heard, and do know, that this is the Saviour of the world indeed. Moralities. 1. THe God of all power is weary, the main sea desires a drop of salt water: the King of Angels becomes a suppliant for a little part of all that which is his own. This Gospel shows us clearly the love of God toward humane nature and the infinite zeal which he hath to the salvation of souls. Is it not a thing which should load us with confusion, to see that he who is filled with all felicities hath only one thirst, which is, that we should thirst after him, and that we should make chief account of that living water which he carrieth within his breast, which indeed properly is grace, the only way to glory. 2. Behold the difference between jacobs' Well, and the Well of jesus; between contentments of the world, and the pleasures of God. The Well of jacob is common to men and beasts; to show unto us that a man which glorifieth himself of his sensual delights, makes a Trophy of his own baseness and a triumph of his fault. It is just as if Nebuchodoneser forsaking his crown and throne (to transform himself into a beast) should brag, that he had gotten a handsome stable, and very good hay. But the fountain of Jesus holds in it the water of graces, a wholesome water pure and Crystalline; which brings us to the society of Angels. The water of jacob though it be but a water for beasts, yet it is hard to obtain: There are many which run mad after riches, honours and contentments of this world, and can never come to possess them: They live in a mill, and gain nothing out of it, but the noise and dust. They turn round about upon the wheel of disquiet, and never rest. But if a good fortune some times cast them a bone, there are a hundred dogs which strive to catch it. All their life is nothing but expectation, and their end only despair. Whereas the Well of jefus is open to all the world; he seeketh, he asketh, he calleth, he giveth gratis he requireth nothing of us but ourselves, and would have us for no other reason but only to make us happy. The Well of jacob begetteth thirst, but doth not quench it. Do not you consider that the Samaritan woman left her pot there and did not drink? After so many fantomes and illusions, which do amuse worldlings, they must part from the world with great thirst. But the fountains of our Saviour free us from the desire of all creatures, and do establish within man's spirit, an object of which the heart can never lose the delight. O happy Samaritan! (saith Saint Ambrose) which left her pot empty, that she might return fall of jesus Christ. She did no wrong to her fellow citizens, for if she brought no water to the town, yet she made the fountain itself come thither. 3. Is it not a shameful thing that God should seek us amongst the heats of his love and sufferings, desireth nothing but us; is contented with the possession of our heart, and yet we cannot be content with him? Shall not we forsake all the discorders of a sensual life which hinder the effect of God's grace? Shall not we forsake and leave behind us our pitcher, bidding farewell to all those occasions which lead us to sin, to avoid that fire whereof we have reason to fear the smoke? Aspirations. O (Unexhaustible fountain of all beauties that my soul hath been long alienated from thee. I have so many times run after the salt waters of worldly pleasures and contentments, which have not ceased to kindle a wicked thirst within my veins, in such a violent proportion, that I could not quench it. now (O sweet Saviour) my soul (being weary and distasted with all the fading delights of this transitory world) doth languish incessantly after thee. Whether the break of day begin to gild the mountains with his brightness, whether the Sun be advanced high in his course, or whether the night do cast a dark vail over all mortal things. I seek and desire thy entertainments, which are the only sweet Ideas of my soul. I plunge myself within the contemplation of thy greatness, I adore thy powers: The thirst which torments me (by loving thee) is so precious, that I would not lose it to drink Nectar; and I can never quench it, but in the strean s of those delights and pleasures, which proceed from the throne of the holy Lamb. The Gospel upon Saturday the third week in Lent S. john. the 8. Of the woman found in adultery. ANd jesus went into the mount Olivet, and early in the morning again he came into the temple, and the people came to him, and sitting he taught them. And the Scribes and Pharisees bring a woman taken in adultery, and they did set her in the midst, and said to him, Master, this woman was even vow taken in adultery. And in the law Moses commanded to stone such. What sayest thou therefore? and this they said tempting him, that they might accuse him. But jesus bowing himself down, with his finger wrote in the earth. When they therefore continued ask him, he lifted up himself, and said to them, He that is without sin of you, let him first throw the stone at her. And again howing himself, he wrote in the earth. And they hearing, went out one by one beginning at the Seniors, and jesus alone remained, and the woman standing in the midst. And jesus lifting up himself, said to her, Woman, where are they that accused thee? Hath no man condemned thee? Who said, No man, Lord. And jesus said, Neither will I condemn thee. Go and now sin no more. Moralities. 1. MEn naturally love better to censure the life of another, then to examine their own. The Ravens accuse Doves, and he sits often upon a Tribunal to condemn vice, who doth lodge it in his heart. Many resemble the Cocks which crow against a Basilisk, and yet bear the seed of it in their entrails. Reason would always, that we begin to reform others, by the censure of our own life. No word can carry such life & vigour with it, as that which is followed by action. To talk all and do nothing, is to build with one hand, and destroy with the other. The land of the living shall never be for those, who have their tongues longer than their arms. 2, To what purpose is it to speak good words, and yet lead an ill life? A man can neither hid himself from God not himself: his conscience is a thousand witnesses. Those who were ready to lift up their hands to stone the adulterous woman, were diverted, and departed with confusion, seeing their sins written in the dust, with certain figures to express them. If we could always behold our own life before our eyes (as a piece of Tapestry) we should there see so many Serpents amongst flowers, that we would have more horror of our own sins, then will to censure those who are like ourselves. 3. God shows mercy, but will not suffer his mildness to be abused, sin must not print its steps upon his clemency. It is a false repentance for a man to act that which himself hath condemned; and after so many relapses, to take but one fall into everlasting pain. The ordinary Gloss observes, that our Saviour bended down, when he wrote upon the earth, to show that the remembrance of our sins lay heavy upon him: But when he began to pardon, he arose up; to teach us, what joy and comfort he takes in the Kingdom of his mercy. Aspirations. O Sovereign Judge, who sittest upon a Tribunal seat, born up with truth and power; make me rather judge mine own life, then censure the lives of others. Must I be full of eyes without, and blind within? Show me my stains, and give me water to wash them out. Alas, I am altogether but one stain, and thou art all purity. My soul is ashamed to see itself so dark before thy light, and so smutted over, before thine immortal whiteness. Do not write me upon the ground, as a child of earth; writ me in heaven, since I am the portion which thou hast purchased with thy precious blood: Blot out my sins, which are but too deeply graven upon my hands, and pardon, by thine in finite mercy, what thou mayest condemn by justice. The Gospel upon Sunday the fourth week in Lent, S. john 6. Of the sieve Fishes, and two Barley Loaves. AFter these things jesus went beyond the Sea of Galilee, which is of Tiberias; and a great multitude followed him, because they saw the sigus which he did upon those that were sick. jesus therefore went up into the mountain, and there he sat with his Disciples. And the Pasche was at hand, the Festival day of the jews. When jesus therefore had lifted up his eyes, and saw that a very great multitude cometh to him, he saith to Philip, Whence shall we buy bread, that these may eat? and this he said, tempting him, for himself knew what he would do. Philip answered him, two hundred pennyworth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every man may take a little piece. One of his Disciples, Andrew the brother of Simon Peter, saith to him, There is a Boy here that hath five Barley Loaves, and two Fishes: but what are these among so many? jesus therefore saith, Make the men sit down. And there was much grass in the place. The men therefore sat down, in number about five thousand. jesus therefore took the Loaves, and when he had given thanks, he distributed to them that sat. In like manner also the Fishes, as much as they would. And after they were filled, he said to his Disciples, Gather the fragments that are remaining lest they be lost. They gathered therefore, and filled twelve baskets with fragments of the five Barley Loaves which remained to them that had eaten. Those men therefore when they had seen what a sign jesus had done, said. That this is the Prophet indeed that is to come into the world. jesus therefore when he knew that they would come to take him and make him a King, he fled again into the mountain himself alone. Moralities. 1. WHat a happy thing it is to serve God, whose conversation is so worthy all love? See how he carried himself toward this poor multitude which followed him with such zeal and constancy. It seems they were his children, that he carried them all upon his shoulders, that he had their names, their Countries, their qualities, and the conditions of their small fortunes graven in his heart. He is so tender over them, he so afflicts himself about them, as a Shepherd over his poor flock. He instructs them, he speaks to them of heavenly things, he heals their maladies, he comforts their sadness, he lifts his eyes up to heaven for them; and for them he opens his divine hands (the treasures of Heaven) and nourishes them by a miracle, as they had wholly resigned themselves to him with such absolute confidence. O how are we cherished by heaven, since God doth bind himself to help us! And we should be unfaithful not to trust him, who makes nature itself so faithful to us. It is here much to be observed, that God doth no miracles for his own profit; he doth not change stones into bread in the Desert to nourish himself after that long fast which he did there make; but for his faithful servants he altars the course of nature, and being austere to himself, he becomes indulgent to us; to teach us, that we should despoil ourselves of self-love, which ties us to our own flesh, and makes us so negligent to our neighbour. 2. What precious thing is to be gotten by following the world, that we should forsake Jesus in the Desert, and run after vain hopes at Court, and great men's houses, where we pretend to make some fortune? how many injuries must a man dissemble? how many affronts must he swallow? how many deadly sweats must he endure to obtain some reasonable condition? how many times must he sacrifice his children, engage his own conscience, & offer violences to others to advance the affairs of great men? And after many years' service, if any fore-●ird or ruinous business committed to his charge (in the pursuit whereof he must walk upon thorns) shall chance to miscarry, all the fault must be laid upon a good officer; and if he prove unlucky, he shall ever be made culpable, and in the turning of a hand all his good services forgotten and lost: and for a final recompense, he must be loaden with infinite disgraces. It is quite contrary in the service of God: for he encourages our virtues, he supplies our defects, governs our spiritual, and yet neglects not our temporal occasions. He that the flowers of the Meadows more gorgeously than Monarches, who lodges so many little Fishes in golden & azure shells, he who doth but open his hand and replenishes all nature with blessings, if we be faithful in keeping his Commandments, will never forsake us at our need. But yet we find all the difficulties of the world to put our trust in him, we vilify our cares of eternity: and by seeking after worldly things whereby to live, we torment ourselves, and in the end lose our own lives. A man that must die, needs very few worldly things; a very little will suffice nature, but whole Kingdoms will not satisfy covetousness. 3. Jesus flies from Sceptres, and runs to the Cross; he would have no worldly Kingdoms, because their Thrones are made of Ice, and their Crowns of Glass. He valued the Kingdom of God above all things, that he night make us partakers of his precious conquest; and infinite rich prize. But now it seems that heaven is not a sufficient Kingdom for us; men run after land, and itch after the ambition of sading greatness: and sometimes all their life passeth away in great sins, and as great troubles to get a poor title of three letters upon their Tomb. Alas! do we know better than God, in what honour consists, that we must seek after that which he did avoid, and not imitate that which he followed? Let us follow God, and believe that where he is there can be no desert or solitude for us. They shall never taste the delights of virtue that feed upon the joys of vanity. All worldly pleasures are Comets made fat with the smokes and vapours of the earth; and in stead of giving light and brightness, they bring forth murders and contagions: but the following of God is always sweet, and he which suffers thereby, changes his very tears into nourishment. Aspirations. O My God Shall I always run after that which flies from me, and never follow Jesus who follows me by incomparable paths, and loves me even while I am ungrateful. I will no more run after the shadows of worldly honour, I will no more have my own will, which both is, and hath proved so unfaithful. I will put myself into the happy course of God's disposition, for all which shall happen unto me, either in time or et rnity. His careful eye watches over me, it is for me that his hands have treasures, and the very Deserts possess abundance. O crucified love, the most pure of all beauties, it is for thee that so many generous Champions have peopled the Deserts, and passed the streams of bitterness and sorrow, bearing their crosses after thee; and thereupon have felt the sweetness of thy visits amongst their cruel rigours. God forbidden that I should give the lie to so great and so generous a company. I go to thee, and will follow thee amongst the deserts; I run not after bread, I run after thy divine person, I will make much of thy wounds, I honour thy torments, I will conform myself to thee, that I may find joy amongst thy dolours, and life itself amongst thine infinite sufferings. The Gospel upon Monday the fourth week in Lent, S. john. 2. Of the whipping buyers and sellers out of The Temple. ANd the Pasch of the jews was at hand and jesus went up to jerusalem, and he found in the Temple them that sold Oxen, and Sheep, and Doves, and the Bankers sitting. And when he had made, as it were, a whip of little cords, he cast them all out of the Temple, the sheep also and the oxen, and the money of the Bankers he poured out, and the tables he overthrew. And to them that sold Doves, he said, Take away these things hence, and make not the house of my Father a house of Merchandise. And his Disciples remembered that it is written, The zeal of thy house hath eaten me. The jews therefore answered, and said to him, What sign dost thou show us, that thou dost these things? jesus answered and said to them. Dissolve this Temple, & in three days I will raise it. The jews therefore said, in forty and six years was this Temple built, and wilt thou raise it in three days? But he spoke of the Temple of his body. Therefore when he was risen again from the dead, his Disciples remembered that he said this, & they believed the Scripture, and the word that jesus did say. And when he was at jerusalem in the Pasche upon the festival day, many believed in his name, seeing his signs which he did. But jesus did not commit himself unto them, for that he knew all, & because it was not needful for him that any should give testimony of man: for he knew what was in man. Moralities. 1. PIety is a silver chain hanged up aloft, which ties heaven and earth, spiritual. and temporal, God and man together. Devotion is a virtue derived to us from the Father of all light, who gives us thereby means to hold a traffic or commerce with Angels. All which is here below, sinks by its proper weight, & leans downward toward natural corruption: Our spirit though it be immortal, would follow the weight of our bodies, if it were not endued with the knowledge of God which works the same effect in it, as the Adamant doth with iron: for it pierceth and gives it life, together with a secret and powerful spirit, from which all great actions take their beginning: You shall never do any great act if the honour of God, and the reverence of sacred things shall not accompany all your pretences. For if you ground your piety upon any temporal respects, you resemble that people which believes the highest mountains do support the skies. 2. There are no sins which God doth punish more rigorously, nor speedily, than those which are committed against devotion and piety: He doth not here take up the scourge against naughty judges, usurers and unchaste persons, because the Church is to find a remedy against all faults which happen in the life of man. But if a man commit a sin against God's Altar, the remedy grows desperate. King Ozias felt a leprosy rise upon his face at the instant when he made the fume rise from the censor which he usurped from the high Priests. Ely the chief Priest was buried in the ruins of his own house for the sacrilege of his children, without any consideration of those long services with he had performed at the Tabernacle. Keep yourself from simonies, from irreverence in Churches, and from abusing Sacraments. He can have no excuse which makes his judge a witness. 3. jesus was violently moved by the zeal which he bore to the house of his heavenly Father. But many wicked rich men limit their zeal only to their own families. They build great Palaces upon the people's blood, and they nothing care though all the world be in a storm, so long as they (and what belongs to them) be well covered. But there is a revenging God who doth insensibly dry up the roots of proud Nations, and throws disgrace and infamy upon the faces of those who neglect the glories of God's Altars to advance their own. He who builds without God, doth demolish, and whosoever thinks to make any great increase without him, shall find nothing but sterility. Aspirations. O Most pure Spirit of jesus, which wast consummate by zeal toward the house of God, wilt thou never burn my heart with those adored flames, wherewith thou inspirest chaste hearts? Why do we take so much care of our houses (which are built upon quicksilver, and roll up and down upon the inconstancies of humane fortunes) while we have no love nor zeal towards God's Church, which is the Palace we should choose here upon earth, to be as the Image of heaven above? I will adore thy Altars (all my life) with a profound humility. But I will first make an Altar of my own heart, where I will offer sacrifice; to which I doubt not but thou wilt put fire with thine own hand. The Gospel upon Tuesday the fourth week in Lent, S. john 7. The jews marvel at the learning of jesus who was never taught. ANd when the festivity was now half done, jesus went up into the Temple and taught. And the jews marvelled, saying, how doth this man know letters, whereas he hath not learned? jesus answered them, and said my doctrine is not mine but his that sent me. If any man will do the will of him, he shall understand of the doctrine whether it be of God, or I speak of myself, he that speaketh of himself seeketh his own glory. But he that seeketh the glory of him that sent him, he is true, and injustice in him there is not. Did not Moses give you the Law, and none of you doth the Law? Why seek you to kill me? The Multitude answered and said, thou hast a Devil, who seeketh to kill thee? jesus answered and said to them, One work I have done, and you do all marvel. Therefore Moses gave you circumcision, not that is of Moses, but of the Fathers, and in the Sabbath ye circumcise a man. If a man receive circumcision in the Sabbath, that the law of Moses be not broken, are you angry at me because I have healed a man wholly in the Sabbath? judge not according to the face, but judge just judgement. Certain therefore of jerusalem said, Is not this he whom thy seek to kill: And behold, he speaks openly, and they say nothing to him. Have the Princes known indeed that this is Christ? But this man we know whence he is, But when Christ cometh, no man knoweth whence he is. jesus therefore cried in the Temple, teaching and saying, Both me you do know, and whence I am you know; and of myself I am not come. But he is true that sent me, whom you know not. I know him, because I am of him, and he sent me. They sought therefore to apprehend him, and no man laid hands upon him because his hour was not yet come. But of the multitude many believed in him. Moralities. 1. IT appears by this Gospel that jesus was judged according to apparences, not according to truth. It is one of the greatest confusions which is deeply rooted in the life of man, that every thing is full of painting, and instead of taking it off with a sponge, we foment it, and make our illusions voluntary. The Prophet Isay adviseth us to use our judgement, as men do leaven to season bread. All the objects presented to our imaginations, which we esteem are fading, if we do not add some heavenly vigour to help our judgement. 2. To judge according to apparences is agreat want both of judgement and courage. The first makes us prefer vanity before truth; the second gives that to silk and golden clothes, which is properly due to virtue: We adore painted coals and certain dark sums covered outwardly with snow; But if we did know how many great miseries and what beastly ordure is hidden unde cloth of gold, silk, and scarlet, we would complain of our eyes for being so fare without reason. It is a kind of Apostasy and rebellion against God's providence, to judge without calling God to be a precedent in our counsel; or to take in hand any humane inventions without the assistance of his Spirit. 3. God is pleased to lodge pearls within cockles; and bestows his treasures of wisdom and virtue, many times upon persons, who have the most unfashionable outsides, to countercheck humane wisdom. He makes his orator of those who are speechless; and numbers of frogs and flies to overthrow mighty armies. He makes Kings out of shepherds, and serves himself of things which are not, as if they were. The most pleasing Sacrifice which he receives upon earth, is from the humble; and when we despise those, we divert the honours of God. We offer Sacrifice to the world's opinion, like the Sages of Egypt; who did light candles and burn incense to Crocodiles. The Jews lost their faith to follow apparences: and there is no shorter way to Apostasy then to adore the world and neglect God. 4. An ill opinion make folks many times pass a rash judgement: They mount into God's chair to judge the hearts of men: The chaste Doves are used like Ravens, and Ravens like Swans. Opinion puts false spectacles upon our eyes, which make faults seem virtues, and virtues crimes. Yet nevertheless we should think that virtuous persons will not conceive an ill suspicion of their neighbour without a very sure ground: St. john Climachus saith, fire is no more contrary to water, then rash judgement is to the state of repentance. It is a certain sign, that we do not see our own sins, when we seek curiously after the least defects of our neighbour. If we would but once enter into ourselves, we should be so busy to lament our own lives, that we should not have time to censure those of others. Aspirations. O Judge most redoubtable, who do plant thy throne within the heart of man; who judgest the greatest Monarches, without leaving them power to appeal; Thy judgements are secret and impenetrable: That which shines to our eyes like a Diamond, ●s like a contemptible worm in thy balance. That which we value as a Star, thou judgest to be a coal. We have just so much greatness, virtue, and happiness, as we have by entrance into thy heart. And he whom thou esteemest, needs not the judgement of mortal man. No innocent is justified, nor guilty person condemned without thee, and therefore I will from henceforth judge only according to thee. I will lay down all ●y: affections, and take thine, so far as I shall be able; and I will account nothing great but what shall be so in thy esteem. The Gospel upon Wednesday the fourth week in Lent, S. john 9 Of the blind man cured by clay & spittle. ANd jesus passing by, saw a blind man from his Nativity: and his Disciples asked him, Rabbi, Who hath sinned, this man or his parents, that he should be born blind? jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned; nor his parents; but that the works of God may be manifested in him. I must work the works of him that sent me whiles it is day, the night cometh when no man can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world. When he had said these things he spit on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and spread the clay upon his eyes, and said to him, Go, wash in the Pool of Siloe, which is interpreted, sent. He went therefore and washed, and he came seeing. Therefore the neighbours, and they which had seen him before, that he was a beggar, said, Is not this he that sat and begged? Others said, that this is he. But others no, not so, but he is like him. But he said, That I am he. They said therefore to him, How were thine eyes opened? He answered, that man that is called I●sus, made clay, and anointed mine eyes, and said to me. Go to the Pool of Siloe, and wash: and I went and washed, and saw. And they said to him, Where is he? He saith, I know not. They bring him that had been blind to the Pharisees. And it was the Sabbath when jesus made the clay, and opened his eyes. Again therefore the Pharisees asked him, how he saw. But he said to them, he put clay upon mine eyes, and I washed, and I see. Certain therefore of the Pharisees said, This man is not of God, that keepeth not the Sabbath. But others said, How can a man that is a sinner do these signs? And there was a schism among them. They say therefore to the blind again, Thou, what sayest thou of him that opened thine eyes? And he said, that he is a Prophet. The jews therefore did not believe of him, that he had been blind, and saw, until they called the Parents of him that saw, and asked them, saying; Is this your son, whom you say that he was born blind? how then doth he now see? His Parents answered them, and said, We know that this is our Son, and that he was born blind: but how he now seethe we know not, or who hath opened his eyes we know not, ask himself, he is of age, let himself speak of himself. These things his parents sa●d, because they feared the jews: For the jews had now conspired, that if any man should confess him to be Christ, he should be put out of the Synagogue. Therefore did his Parents say, that he is of age, ask himself. They therefore again called the man that had been blind, and said to him, Give glory to God, we know that this man is a sinner. He therefore said to them, Whether he be a sinner, I know not; one thing I know, that whereas I was blind, now I see. They said therefore to him, What did he to thee? How did he open thine eyes? He answered th●m. I have now told you, and ye have heard, why will you hear it again▪ will you also become his Disciples? They reviled him therefore, and said, be thou his Disciple; bu● we are the Disciples of Moses: we know that to Moses God did speak: but this man we know not whence he is. The man answered and said to them, For in this it is marvellous, that you know not whence he is, and he hath opened mine eyes. And we know that sianers God doth not hear. But if a man be a server of God and do the will of him, him he heareth. From the beginning of the world it hath not been heard, that any man hath opened the eyes of one born blind; unless this man were of God, he could not do any thing. They answered and said to him, T●ou wast wholly born, in sins, and dost thou teach us? And they did cast him forth. jesus heard that they c●st him forth, and when he had found him, he said to him, Dost thou believe in the Son of God? He answered and said, Who is the Lord, that I may believe in him? And jesus said to him, Both thou hast seen him, and he that talketh with thee, he it is. But he said, I believe Lord: and falling down, he adored him. Moralities. 1. JEsus the Father of all brightness (who walked accompanied with his twelve Apostles, as the Sun doth with the hours of the day) gives eyes to a blind man, and doth it by clay and spittle: to teach us, that none hath power to do works above nature, but he that was the Author of it On the other side, a blind man becomes a King over persons of the clearest light: & being restored to light, he renders again the same, to the first fountain from whence it came. He makes himself an Advocate to plead for the chiefest truth, and of a poor beggar becomes a confessor; & after he had deplored his misery at the Temple gate, teacheth all mankind the estate of its own felicities. We should (in imitation of him) love the light by adoring the fountain of it, and behave ourselves as witnesses and defenders of the truth. 2. God is a light, and by his light draws all unto him: he makes a break of day by his grace in this life, which becomes afterward a perfect day for all eternity, But many lose themselves in this world, some for want of light, some by a false light, and some by having too much light. 3. Those lose themselves for want of light, who are not all instructed in the faith and maxims of Christian Religion; and those instead of approaching near the light, love their own darkness. They hate the light of their salvation, as the shadow of death: and think that if you give them eyes to see their blindness, you take away their life. If they seem Christians, they yet have nothing but the name & the appearance, the book of Jesus is shut from them, or if they make a show to read, they may name the letters, but never can produce one right good word. 4. Others destroy themselves by false lights, who being wedded to their own opinions, & adoring the Chimaeras of their spirit; think themselves full of knowledge, just & happy; that the Sun riseth only for them, and that all the rest of the world is in darkness; they conceive they have the fairest stars for conductors; but at the end of their career they find (too late) that this pretended light, was but an Ignis fatuus, which led them to a precipice of eternal flames. It is the worst of all follies to be wise in our own eye sight, and the worst of all temptations is, for a man to be a devil to himself. 5. Those ruin themselves with too much light, who have all God's law by heart, but never have any heart to that law. They know the Scriptures, all learning & sciences: they understand every thing but themselves: they can find spots in the Sun; they can give new names to the stars; they persuade themselves, that God is all that they apprehend: But after all this heap of knowledge, they are found to be like the Sages of Pharaoh: and can produce nothing but blood and frogs: They embroil and trouble the world; they slain their own lives; and at their deaths leave nothing to continue but the memory of their sins. It would be more expedient for them (rather than have such light) to carry fi●e, wherewith to be burning in the love of God, and not to swell and burst with that kind of knowledge. All learning which is not joined with a good life, is like a picture in the air, which hath no table to make it subsist. It is not sufficient to be elevated in spirit (like the Prophets) except a man do enter into some perfect imitation of their virtues. Aspirations. O Fountain of all brightness, before whom night can have no vail, who seest the day spring out of thy bosom, to spread itself over all nature, wilt thou have no pity upon my blindness? will there be no medicine for my eyes which have so often grown dull and heavy with earthly humours. O Lord I want light, being always so blind to my own sins. So many years are past, wherein I have dwelled with myself, and yet know not what I am. Self-love maketh me sometimes apprehend imaginary virtues in great, and see all my crimes in little. I too often believe my own judgement, and adore my own opinions, as gods, and goddesses, & if thou send me any light I make so ill use of it, that I dazzle myself, even in the brightness of thy day; making little or no profit of that which would be so much to my advantage, if I were so happy as to know it. But henceforth I will have no eyes but for thee: I will only contemplate thee (O life of all beauties) and draw all the powers of my soul into my eyes, that I may the better apprehend the mystery of thy bounties. O cast upon me one beam of thy grace so powerful that it may never forsake me till I may see the day of thy glory. The Gospel upon Thursday, the fourth week in Lent, St Luke the 7. Of the Widow's Son raised from death to life at Naim by our Saviour. ANd it came to pass afterward he went into a City that is called Naim, and there w●nt with him his Disciples, and a very great multitude: And when he came nigh to the gate of the City, behold a dead man was carried forth, the only Son of his Mother: and she was a Widow, and a great multitude of the City with her whom when our Lord had seen, being moved with mercy upon her, he said to her, Weep not. And he came near, and touched the Cousin: And they that carried it stood still: and he said, Young man, I say to thee, Arise, And he that was dead sat up, and began to speak. And he gave him to his Mother: and fear took them all; and they magnified God, saying, That a great Prophet is risen among us: and that God hath visited his People And this saying went forth into all jewry of him, and into all the Country about. Moralities. JEsus met at the Gates of Naim, (which is interpreted the Town of Beauties) a young man carried to burial, to show us that neither beauty nor youth are freed from the Laws of death. We fear death, and there is almost nothing more immortal; here below every thing dies, but death itself. We see him always in the Gospels, we touch him every day by our experiences, and yet neither the Gospels make us sufficiently faithful, nor our experiences well advised. 2. If we behold death by his natural face, he seems a little strange to us, because we have not seen him well acted. We lay upon him scythes, bows and arrows; we put upon him ugly antic faces, we compass him round about with terrors and illusions, of all which he never so much as thought. It is a profound sleep in which Nature lets itself fail insensibly, when she is tired with the disquiets of this life. It is a cessation of all those services which the soul renders to the flesh. It is an execution of God's will, and a decree common to all the world. To be disquieted and drawn by the ears, o pay a debt which so many millions of men (of all conditions) have paid before us, is to do as a frog that would swim against a sharp stream of a forcible tor●ent. We have been as it were dead to so many ages which went before us; we die piece-meal every day; we assay death so often in our sleep; discreet men expect him, fools despise him, and the most disdainful persons must entertain him. Shall we not know and endeavour to do that one thing well, which being once well performed, will give us life for ever? Me thinks it is rather a gift of God to die soon, then to stay late amongst the occasions of sin. 3. It is not death, but a wicked life we have cause to fear. That only lies heavy, & both troubles us, and keeps us from understanding and tasting the sweets of death. He that can die to so many little dead and dying things (which make us die every day by our unwillingness to forsake thë (shall find that death is nothing to him. But we would fain (in death) carry the world with us upon our shoulders to the grave; & that is a thing we cannot do. We would avoid the judgement of a just God, & that is a thing which we should not so much as think. Let us clear our accounts before we die, let us take order for our soul by repentance, & a moderate care of our body's burial: Let us order our goods by a good and charitable testament, with a discreet direction for the poor, for our children & kindred, to be executed by fit persons. Let us put ourselves into the protection of the divine providence, with a most perfect confidence; and how can we then fear death, being in the arms of life Aspirations O jesus, fountain of all lives, in whose bosom all things are living; jesus, the fruit of the dead, who hast destroyed the kingdom of death; why should we fear a path, which thou hast so terrified with thy steps; honoured with thy blood, & sanctified by thy conquests? Shall we never die to so many dying things? All is dead here for us, & we have no life, if we do not seek it from thy heart. What should I care for death though he come with all those grim, hideous & antic faces, which men put upon him, for when I see him through thy wounds, thy blood, & thy venerable death, I find he hath no sting at all. If I shall walk in the shadow of death, and a thousand terrors shall conspire against me on every side to disturb my quiet, I will fear nothing, being placed in the arms of thy providence. O my sweet Master, do but once touch the winding sheet of my body, which holds down my soul so often within the sleep of death and sin. Command me to arise and speak, and then the light of thy morning shall never set: my discourses shall be always of thy praises, and my life shall be only a contemplation of thy beautiful countenance. The Gospel upon Friday the fourth week in Lent, S. john 11. Of the raising of Lazarus from death. ANd there was a certain sick-man, Lazarus of bethania, of the Town of Mary and Martha her sister. (And Mary was she that anointed our Lord with ointment, and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick,) his sisters therefore sent to him, saying, Lord, behold, he whom thou lovest is sick. And jesus hearing, said to them, This sickness is not to death, but for the glory of God, that the Son may be glorified by it. And jesus loved Martha and her sister Marie, and Lazarus. As he heard therefore that he was sick, than he tarried in the same place two days: Then after this he saith to his Disciples, Let us go into jewry again. The Disciples say to him, Rabbi, now the jews sought to stone thee, and goest thou thither again? jesus answered, Are there not twelve hours of the day? If a man walk in the day, he stumbleth not, because he seethe the light of this world: but if he walk in the night, he stumbleth, because the light is not in him. These things he said: and after this he saith to them, Lazarus our friend sleepeth; but I go that I may raise him from sleep. His Disciples therefore said, Lord, if he sleep, he shall be safe. But jesus spoke of his death, and they thought that he spoke of the sleeping of sleep. Then therefore jesus saïd to them plainly, Lazarus is dead, and I am glad for your sake, that you may believe, because I was not there: but let us go to him. Thomas therefore who called Didymus, said to his condisciples, Let us also go, to die with him. jesus therefore came, and found him now, having been four days in the grave. And Bethania was nigh to jerusalem, about fifteen furlongs. And many of the jews were come to Martha and Mary to comfort them concerning their brother. Martha therefore when she heard that jesus was come, went to meet him: but Mary sat at home. Martha therefore said to jesus, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died. But now also I know, that what things soever thou shalt ask of God, God will give thee. jesus saith to her, Thy brother shall rise again. Martha saith to him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection in the last day. jesus said to her, I am the resurrection and the life: he that believeth in me, although he be dead, shall live. And every one that liveth and believeth in me, shall not die for ever. Believest thou this? She said to him, Yea, Lord, I have believed that thou art Christ the Son of God, that art come into this world. Moralities. 1. OUr Saviour Jesus makes here a strong assault upon death, to cure our infirmities at the cost of his dearest friends; He suffered Lazarus, whom he loved tenderly, to fall into a violent sickness, to teach us, that the bodies of God's favourites are not free from infirmities; and that, to make men Saints, they must not enjoy too much health. A soul is never more worthy to be a house for God, then when she raiseth up the greatness of her courage, the body being cast down with sickness. A soul which suffers is a sacred thing. All the world did touch our Saviour before his Passion; The throng of people pressed upon him, but after his death he would not be touched by S. Mary Maudlin, because he was consecrated by his dolours. 2. The good sisters dispatch a messenger, not to a strange God, as they do who seek for health by remedies, which are a thousand times worse than the disease: But they addressed themselves to the living God; the God of life and death, to drive away death. And to recover life, they were content only to show the wound to the faithful friendship of the Physician. Without prescribing any remedies: for that is better left to his providence, then committed to our passion. 3. He defers his cure to raise from death. The delay of God's favours, is not always a refusal, but sometimes a double liberality, the vows of good men are paid with usury: It was expedient that Lazarus should die, that he might triumph over death, in the triumph of jesus Christ. It is here that we should always raise high our thoughts, by considering our glory in the state of resurrection; he would have us believe it, not only as it is a lesson of Nature imprinted above the skies, upon the plants or elements of the world, and as a doctrine which many ancient Philosophers had by the light of nature; but also as a belief which is fast joined to the faith we have in the Divine providence, which keeps our bodies in trust under its seal within the bosom of the earth, so that no prescription of time can make laws to restrain his power, having passed his word, and raised up Lazarus who was but as one grain of seed in respect of all posterity. 4. jesus wept over Lazarus, thereby to weep over us all. Our evils were lamentable, & could never sufficiently be deplored, without opening a fountain of tears within heaven, and within the eyes of the Son of God. This is justly the river which comes from that place of all pleasure to water Paradise. How could those heavenly tears come from any other than the place of all delight, since they issued from a brain and from eyes which were united to the divinity? And how should they not water Paradise since for so many ages they have flowed over the Church for producing the fruits of justice. The balm of Egypt could not grow without water of that well Which was commonly called the fountain of Jesus: because the blessed Virgin had there washed the clothes of her dear Son: And we have no Odour of virtue, nor good conversation, which is not directly barren) except it be endued with the merit of our Saviour's tears. Aspirations. O Eyes of my Saviour from whence the sun receives his clearest light: fair eyes which only deserve eternal joys and delights. Why should you this day be moistened with tears? Thou didst give me (O only love of my heart) the blood of thy soul before thou sheddest that of thy body. There are so many things to make me weep and I feel them so little, that if thy tears do not weep for me, I shall always be miserable. Water then (O my sweet Master) the barrenness of my soul from that fountain of blessing, which I have opened within thine eyes and heart: I have opened it by my sins, and let it I beseech thee bless me by thine infinite mercies. The Gospel upon Saturday the fourth week in Lent, S. john 8. Upon our Saviour's words, I am the light of the world. AGain therefore jesus spoke to them, saying, I am the light of the world, he that followeth me, walketh not in darkness, but shall have the light of life. The Pharisees therefore said to him, Thou givest testimony of thyself, thy testimony is not true. jesus answered and said to them although I do give testimony of myself, my testimony is true; because I know whence I came, and whether I go: but you know not whence I came, or whether I go. You judge according to the flesh, I do not judge any man. And if I do judge, my judgement is true, because I am not alone, but I and he that sent me, the Father. And in your Law it is written, that the testimony of two men is true. I am he that give testimony of myself: and he that sent me, the Father, giveth testimony of me. They said therefore to him, Where is thy Father? jesus answered, Neither me do you know, nor my Father: if you did know me, perhaps you might know my Father also. These words jesus spoke in the Treasury, teaching in the Temple, and no man apprehended him, because his hour was not yet come. Moralities. 1. THere is in the blessed Trinity a communicating light, to which nothing is communicated: another light which is communicative and communicated: and a third light which is communicated, but not communicating. The first is the heavenly Father, who gives but takes nothing. The second is that of the Son, who takes from his Father and gives to the Holy Ghost all that can be given. The third is the Holy Ghost which receives equally from the Father & the Son, and doth produce nothing in the Trinity. But Jesus illuminating from all eternity, this state (for ever to be adored) did vouchsafe to descend into the Country of our darkness, to scatter it by his brightness. It is he that hath thrown down the Crocodiles and Bars from profane Altars; who hath broken so many Idols; who hath overthrown so many Temples of the adulterers and murdering gods, to plant the honours of his heavenly Father. He hath invested the world during so many ages, with the shining of his face. He doth not cease to give light, nor to kindle in our hearts many inspirations, which are like so many stars to conduct us to the fountain of all our happiness. You are very blind if you do not see this, and much more miserable if you despise it. 2. It is most dangerous to do as the Jews did, to speak every day to the light, and yet love their own darkness. Screech-owls find holes and nights to keep themselves from day, which they cannot abide. But he that flies from the face of God, where can he find darkness enough to hid himself? When he shall be within the gulf of sin, his own conscience will light up a thousand torches to see his punishments. It is the worst of all mischiefs, to pay for the contempt of the fountain of light by suffering eternal darkness: 3. Let us behold the conversation of Jesus Christ as a sea mark, sticked all over with lights: his life gives testimony of his Sanctity: his miracles publish his power; his law declares his infinite wisdom, his Sanctity gives us an example to imitate, his power gives the strength of Authority, to make him the more readily obeyed; and from his wisdom faith is given us to regulate and govern our belief. Aspirations. O My Lord Jesus, the spirit of all beauties, and the most visible of all lights, what do the eyes of my soul, if they be not always busied in the contemplation of thy brightness. When I find thou art departed from me, methinks I am buried within myself, and that my soul is nothing else, but a Sepulchre of terrors, phantomes and deaths; But when thou returnest by thy visits and consolations, I am cheerfully revived, and my heart leaps in thy presence, as a child rejoiceth at sight of his dear nurse. O Light of lights, which dost illuminate man coming into this world, I will contemplate thee at the Sunrising above all creatures. I will follow thee with mine eyes all the day long, and I will not leave thee at Sun setting, for there is nothing can be in value near like thee. It belongs only to thee (O Sun of my soul) to arise at all hours and to give light at midnight, as well as at noonday. The Gospel upon Passion-Sunday, S. john the 8. Upon these words, Who can accuse me of sin. WHich of you shall argue me of sin? If I say the verity, why do you not believe me? He that is of God, heareth the words of God: therefore you hear not, because you are not of God. The jews therefore answered, and said to him, Do not we say well that thou ari●a Samaritan, and hast a Devil? jesus answered, I have no Devil: but I do honour my Father, and you have disshonoured me. But I seek not mine own glory. There is that seeketh and judgeth. Amen, Amen, I say to you, if any man keep my word, he shall not see death for ever. The jews therefore said, now we have known that thou hast a Devil. Abraham is dead, and the Prophet's, and thou sayest, if any man keep my word, he shall not taste death for ever. Why, art thou greater than our Father Abraham who is dead? and the Prophets are dead. Whom dost thou make thyself? jesus answered. if I do glor●fie myself, my glory is nothing. It is my Father that glorifieth me, whom you say that he is your God, and you have not known him, but I know him. And if I shall say that I know him not, I shall be like to you, a liar: but I do know him and do keep his word. Abraham your Father rejoiced that he might see my day, and he saw and was glad. The jews therefore said to him, Thou hast not yet fifty years, and hast thou seen Abraham? jesus said to them, Amen, Amen, I say to you, before that Abraham was made, I am. They took stones therefore to cast at him. But jesus hide himself, and went out of the Temple. Moralities. 1. THe Saviour of the world being resolved to suffer death as the Priest of his own sacrifice, and sacrifice of his Priesthood; shows that it is an effect of his mercy, and not a suffering for any fault. He doth advance the standard of the Cross (which was the punishment of guilty persons) but he brought with him innocence, which is the mark of Saints: he honours it with his dolours, and sacrifices it with his blood, to glorify it in the estimation of all the just. He is without spot, and capable to take out all stains, by his infinite sanctity: and yet he suffered as a sinner, to blot out all our sins; It is in this suffering he would have us all imitate him. He doth not require us to make a heaven, nor stars, nor to enlarge the sea, or to make the earth firm; but to make our selus holy as he is holy (according to our capacity.) And this we may gain by his favour, which he hath by his own nature. No man is worthy to suffer with Jesus, who doth not purify himself by the sufferings of Jesus. If we suffer in sin, we carry the cross of the bad thief. We must carry the Cross of Jesus, and consecrate our tribulations by our own virtues. 2. It is said that the venomous serpent called a Basilisk (which kills both men and beasts by his pestilent breath) kills himself when he sees a looking glass, by the very reflection of his own poison. The Jews do here the very same; They come about this great mirror of sanctity, which carried all the glory of the living God; he casts his beams upon them; but envy the mother of murder (which kills itself only by the rays of golden arrows) makes them dart out venomous words to dishonour him: yet his incomparable virtue kills them, without losing any of his own brightness; to teach us, that the beauty of innocency is the best buckler against all slanders. Though it seem to be tarnished for a time, yet her brightness will thereby become more lively: for it is a star which the blackest vail of night cannot darken. 3. Abraham did rejoice at this day of God, two thousand years before it was manifested to the world: All the Patriarches did long after it; and did anticipate their felicities by the purity of their thoughts. This blessed day hath been reserved for us, & yet many of us despise it. We so much love the day of man, that by the force of too much love to it, we forget the love of God. We should, and must contemn those perishing days of worldly honours and pleasures which are covered with eternal night, that we may partake the eternity of that beautiful day which shall never have evening. Aspirations. O God of purity, in whose presence the Angels (ravished with admiration) do cover their faces with their wings, and have no sweeter ecstasies than the admiration of thy beauty: The stars are not pure enough before thy redoubted Majesty. The Sun beholds thee as the tr●e Author of his light. Thou only canst purify all humane kind, by a sanctity which spreads itself over all ages. Alas, I am confounded to see my sinful soul so often died black with so many stains, and beastly ordures, before those most pure beams of thy glory. Wash, O wash again out all which displeaseth thee. Regenerate in my heart a Spirit that shall be worldly thyself. How shall I follow thee to mount Calvary, if I be pursued with so many ill habits, which I have often detested before thine eyes? How can I go in company with the first and greatest of all Saints, drawing after me so many sins? The increase of my offences would multiply thy crosses: I will therefore do my best to drown all my imperfections within thy blood. I will procure light to my nights (by that bright and beautiful day which Abraham saw) from that glorious day which took beginning from thy Cross. I will no more care for the day of man, that I may the better apply myself to the day of God. The Gospel upon Monday the fifth week in Lent, St. john 7. Jesus said to the Pharisees, You shall seek and not find me: and he that is thirsty let him come to me. ANd the Princes and Pharisees sent Ministers to apprehend him. jesus therefore said to them: Yet a little time am I with you, and I go to him that sent me: you seek me, and shall not find, and where I am you cannot come. The jews therefore said among themselves, whether will this man go, that we shall not find him? will he go into the dispersion of the Gentiles, and teach the Gentiles: what is this saying, that he hath said? You shall seek me, and shall not find: and where I am, you cannot come. And in the last, the great day of the festivity, jesus stood, and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come to me and drink. He that believeth in me, as the Scripture saith, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. (And this he said of the Spirit that they should receive, which believed in him Moralities. 1. TAke for your comfort this excellent word of our Saviour: he that is thirsty, and desires in this world to thirst after God, let him come unto me, and he shall quench his thirst at the chiefest fountain. S. Augustine saith, we are all here as David was in the desert of Idumea: our life is a perpetual alteration which will never be settled while we live. If we be weary we desire rest, and if we rest over long, our bed becomes troublesome, though it should be all of●oses. Then again, we thirst to be in action and business, which also in a short time tires us, and puts us into another alteration; and that carries us again to a desire to do nothing. All our life goeth like Penelopies web, what one hour effects, the next destroys. We do sufficiently perceive that we are not well in this world? It is a large bed, but very troublesome, wherein every man stirs and tumbles himself up and down, but no man can here attain to his perfect happiness. 2. This shows us plainly that we are made for God, and that we should thirst after divine things, if we desire true contentment. There is no default in him, because all that can be desired is there, & yet there is no superfluity, because there can be nothing beyond him. There only we abound without necessity, we are assured without fear, & glorious without change. And it is there only where we find all our sa isfactions perfectly accomplished. For to speak truth, contentment consists in four principal things; which are, to have a contenting object; to have a heart capable to apprehended it; to feel a strong inclination to it, & to enter into an absolute full possession of●. Now God hath provided for all this by his infinite bounty. He will not have us affect any other object of pleasure but his own He is God, & therefore can have nothing but God for his satisfaction, & intends graciously that we shall have the same. He will have us thirst after him, and quench our thirst within himself: & to this, our soul is singularly disposed; for as God is a Spirit, so is our soul only spi itual. We have so strong an inclination to love God, that even our vices themselves (without thinking what they do) love somewhat of God. For if pride affect greatness, their can be nothing so great as the Monarch of it. If luxury love pleasure, God containeth all pure delights in his bosom: and this which I say may be verified of all sins whatsoever. If the presence of a right object, and the enjoining be wanting, we have nothing so present as God. St. Paul saith we are all within him, within him we live, and within him we have the fountain of all our motions: we see him through all his creatures until he take off the vail, and so let us see him and taste of his Glory. 3 A true and perfect way to make us thirst after God, is to forsake the burning thirst which we have after bodily and worldly goods: Our soul and flesh go in the several scales of a balance, the rising of one, pulls down the other: It is a having two wives, for us to think we can place all our delights in God, and withal enjoy all worldly contentments. A man must have a conscience free from earthly matters, to receive the infusion of grace; we must pass by Cavalry, before we can come to Tabor; and first taste gall with jesus, before we can taste that honeycomb, which he took after his resurrection. Aspirations. O God, true God of my salvation, My heart which feeleth itself moved with an affectionate zeal, thinks always upon thee, and in thinking, finds an earnest thirst after thy beauties, which heats my veins. My soul is all consumed, and I find that my flesh itself insensibly followeth the violence of my spirit. I am here as within the deserts of Aff●ica, in a barren world, the drought whereof makes it a direct habitation for dragons. O my God, I am tormented with this flame, and yet I cherish it more than myself. Will there be no good Lazarus found to dip the end of his finger within the fountain of the highest heaven, a little to allay the burning of my thirst, Do not tell me (O my dear Spouse) that there is a great Chaos between thee and me; Thou hast already passed it in coming to me by thy bounty: and wilt not thou lift me up then by thy mercy? The Gospel upon Tuesday the fifth week in Lent, S. john 7. Jesus went not into jewry, because the jews had a purpose to take away his life. AFter these things jesus walked into Galilee: for he would not walk into jewry, because the jews sought to kill him. And the festival day of the jews Scenopegia was at hand. And his brothers said to him, Pass from hence and go into jewry, that thy Disciples also may see thy works which thou dost. For no man doth any thing in secret, and seeketh himself to be in public: if thou do these things, manifest thyself to the world: for neither did his brothers believe in him: jesus therefore saith to them? My time is not yet come: but your time is always ready. The world cannot hate you, but me it hateth, because I give testimony of it that the works thereof are evil. Go you up to this festival day, I go not up to this festival day; because my time is not yet accomplished. When he had said these things himself tarried in Galilee: But after his brothers were gone up, than he also went up to the festival day, not openly but as it were in secret. The jews therefore sought him in the festival day, and said, Where is he? And there was much murmuring in the multitude of him: For certain said, that he is good. And others said No, but he seduceth the multitudes: yet no man spoke openly of him for fear of the jews. Moralities. 1. IEsus hides himself in this Gospel (as the Sun within a cloud) to show himself at his own time: to teach us that all the secrets of our life consisteth in well concealing and well discovering ourselves. He did conceal the life which he took from nature when he might have been born a perfect man as well as Adam, and yet did he hid himself in the hay of a base Stable. He concealeth his life of Grace, dissembling under silence so many great and divine virtues, as if he had locked up the stars underlock and key, as holy job saith. He keeps secret his life of Glory retaining for thirty three years the light of his soul, which should without intermission have glorified & cast a divine brightness upon his body. But when he concealed himself the stars discovered him at his birth; the Sun at his death: all the Elements did then confess him, and all creatures gave testimony of his divinity. 2. We should be well known of God, if we did not so curiously inquire into the knowledge of the world. Vanity at this day opens all her gates to manifest divers men to the world, who should otherwise be buried in obscurity and darkness. It maketh some appear by the luxurious excess of their apparel, as so many sale creatures, whose heads (being high and co●ly dressed up) go to the market of idle love. Others by the riches & pomps of the world, others by honours and dignities, others by the spirit of industry, and others by the deeds of arms and policy. Every one sets out himself to be seen and esteemed in the world. It seemeth that life is made for nothing but to be showed, and that we should always live, for that which makes us die. We are a kind of walking spirits which return late to our lodgings: But yet nevertheless giving ourselves so continually to the world methinks we should at least stay with ourselves every day one short hour. It is said that the Pelican hides her eggs, and that they must be stolen from her, to make them disclose: But vanity is an egg which all the world hatcheth under her wings, and none are willing to forsake it. 3. If it be needful to show yourself to the world, be then known by your virtues, which are characters of the divinity. Let men know you by your good examples which are the seeds of eternity, and of all fair actions. You must be known by your alms and bounty, which are the steps with God left imprinted in this world. If you must rise to honours and dignities, take them as instruments of holiness: and be not powerful, but to be more obliged to do good by so being. Aspirations. O God which did conceal thyself; how comes it about that I desire so much to be seen, and make myself known to the world? What can I discover if I show that which I am, but only sin, vanity, misery, and inconstancy, which make the four elements of my life? To what serves this itch of seeing, but only to receive into our eyes the seeds of curiosity? Why do we cover to be so much seen, but to expose ourselves to vanity, and to carry a Torch in a blast of wind? Alas (O Merciful Lord) I have very long lived for myself, and for the eyes of the world, when shall I begin to live for thee? Shall I never see those happy moments of my life which will receive light only from the day of thy face? Let me (O most beloved of my heart) be bind to all the world, so that I may have eyes for thee. If the condition of my estate must needs show me to the world, let it be to give it part of thy light, without receiving any part of that darkness which covereth it. Let me be in the world to do good, but let me dwell in thee, as within the fountain of all goodness. The Gospel upon Wednesday the fifth week in Lent, Saint john the 10. The jews said, If thou be the Messiah, tell us plainly. ANd the Dedication was in jerusalem, and it was winter: and jesus walked in the Temple in Solomon's Porch. The jews therefore compassed him round about, and said to him, How long dost thou bold our soul in suspense? If thou be Christ, tell us openly. jesus answered them, I speak to you, and you believe not. The works that I do in the Name of my Father, they give testimony of me. But you do not believe, because you are not of my sheep. My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me, and I give them life everlasting, and they shall not perish for ever, and no man shall pluck them out of my hand. My Father, that which he hath given me, is greater than all, and no man can pluck them out of the hand of my Father. I and the Father are one. The jews took up stones to stone him. jesus answered them, Many good works I have showed you from my Father, for which of these works do you stone me? The jews answered him, For a good work we stone thee not, but for blasphemy, and because thou being as man, makest thyself God. jesus answered them: is it not written in your Law, that I said, you are Gods? if he called them Gods to whom the word of God was made, and the Scripture cannot be broken: whom the Father hath sanctified and sent into the world, say you, That thou blasphemest, because I said, I am the Son of God? if I do not the works of my Father, believe me not But if I do, and if you will not believe the works, that you may know and believe that the Father is in me, and I in the Father. Moralities. 1. THe Wolveses encompass the good Shepherd, counterfeiting Lambs, to draw truth out of his mouth which they would persecute. They resembled a certain Plant which carrieth the name & shape of a Lamb, but hath a contrary substance and different qualities, for it is ravenous as a wolf & devours all the herbs which grow about it. So are there many who do insinuate themselves into the friendship of good men, by fair (but counterfeit) respects, to the end that afterward they may be made the object of their cruelty. Those men look after the Messiah in the Porch of Solomon, as Herod sought after him in the manger, not to adore, but to kill him. Their mouth carries honey when their heart hatcheth poison: but nothing is unknown to God from whom hell itself hath not darkness enough to hid itself. 2. Jesus knows his flock, & his flock reciprocally knows him, and in that consists all our happiness, to know God, and to be known of him. The chiefest of all wisdom is to know him, and to be known by him, & to be written in the Book of life, which is the last & chiefest of all felicities It is true, that he knows all things by the knowledge of a clear intelligence; which serves the wicked only to discover plainly their crimes: where as he knows the just by a science of favour and approbation, which indeed is eternal predestination. If we be unknown to God we must make ourselves known to him by some good virtue, which doth not depend only upon us. The first beam is of prevenient grace, and our vocation to Christianity which is part of our predestination, and is not at all within our power. We have not been elected, because we have believed in God, by our own forces; but we believe, because we have been elected. The first knowledge comes purely from God, but it is in us by his grace to pursue this first light, and to advance our predestination to glory, by forcing ourselves to know him perfectly, who hath known us so liberally. 3. jesus will not be known singly by his words, but by his works. Our words must agree with our good actions, as the needle of a clock agrees with the springs, When we have heard, or read some good doctrine; that Sermon, or reading, must pass into our manners. It is surely a strange thing, that many employ that leisure to know much, and yet will not spend some considerable time, to make themselves good Christians. We must be Philosophers more by imitating the example of God, then by any curious enquiry of his greatness. Our Christianity teacheth us, that we should be more knowing & skilful in the practice of our life, then of our tongue; and that we are rather made to perform great actions, then to speak them. We must have a special care that our hands do not give our mouth the lie. What can we gain (in the judgement of God) by being like those tres, which have a fair outside, garnished with leaves, yet good for nothing but to give a shadow, and to make a little noise when the wind blows? God requires of us fruit, since he is the father of all fertility, & nothing is barren in the land of the living. Aspirations. O My God, I know thee, because thou was first pleased to know me; Thou hast known me by thy goodness, and I will do my best to know thee, that I may obtain all happiness. O that I might know that my name is written in the book of life, and also know the life which I may possess within the heart of jesus, in which so many lives do live. O how should I then find my spirit ravished in those beautiful Ideas of glory? Fix thine eyes on me (O Lord) and thou shalt thereby bring me to the fountain of all happiness. The Father hath given me to thee, & I am the conquest of thy precious blood; Suffer not a soul to be taken away from the, which hath cost thee so many sweats & sufferings. I am thine by so many titles, that I will be no more mine own, but only to have the right of renouncing that which I am, and to establish what shall be thine in this little kingdom of my heart. The Gospel upon Thursday the fifth week in Lent, S. john 7. Upon S. Mary magdalen's washing our Saviour's feet in the Pharise● house ANd one of the Pharisees desired him to eat with him. And he being entered into the house of the Pharisee, he sat down to meat. And behold, a woman that was in the City, a sinner, as she knew that he set down in the Pharisees house, she brought an Alabaster box of ointment; and standing behind, beside his feet, she began to water his feet with tears, and wiped them with the hairs of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with ointment. And the Pharisee that had bid him, seeing it, spoke within himself, saying. This man if he were a Prophet, would know certes who and what manner of woman she is which toucheth him, that she is a sinner. And jesus answering said to him, Simon, I have somewhat to say unto thee. But he said, Master, say. A certain creditor had two debtors, own did owe five hundred pence, and the other fifty: they having not wherewith to pay, he forgave both, whether therefore doth love him more? Simon answering said, I suppose that he to whom he forgave more. But he said to him, Thou hast judged rightly. And turning to the woman, he said unto Simon, Dost thou see this woman? I entered into thy house, water to my feet thou didst not give: but she with tears hath watered my feet, and with her hairs hath wiped them. Kiss thou gavest me not; but she, since I came in, hath not ceased to kiss my feet. With oil thou didst not anoint my head: but she with ointment hath anointed my feet. For the which I say to thee, many sins are forgiven her, because she hath loved much. But to whom less is forgiven, he loveth less. And he said to her, Thy sins are forgiven thee. And they that sat together at the table, began to say within themselves, Who is this that also forgiveth sins? And he said to the woman, Thy faith hath made thee safe, Go in peace. Moralities. 1. SAint Mary Magdalen is under the feet of Jesus Christ, as is that work of Saphires (mentioned in Exodus) under the feet of God. It is a work wrought by the right hand of the Highest, the wonder of women, the most happy of all lovers; who made profit of sin, which destroys all; who sanctified that love, which so little knew the way to any sanctity. This is the fountain mentioned in the Book of Hester, in the vision of Mardocheus; A fountain which became a River, and after changes itself into the Sun, which gives beams and showers at one instant. She is a fountain at the Pharisees table, she is a ●iver in her solitary grove she is a Sun both in Paradise, & in that great exaltation, wherein the Catholic Church now beholds her. Being now in glory, she doth not yet forbear to open fountains of tears, (by imitation of her) within the souls of repentant sinners, of whom incessantly she procures the conversion. Happy is that heart which is pierced with the imitation of her virtues, thereby to gain some part of her crowns. 2. Every thing is admirable in her conversion: A sinner wounded with love, cures herself by love. She changes the fire of Babylon, into that of jerusalem. She plucks out of her wound the venomous dart of worldly love, to make large room for the arrows of jesus which pierce her heart; and at an instant make a harmony of heavenly passions within the bottom of her soul. She holds the wound dearer than life, and goes straight to her conqueror, ro desire death, or increase of love. 3. She appears most ingenious in her affections, to provide no water wherewith to wash her Master's feet, since she could draw it so fitly out of her own eyes. This was the water which jesus did thirst after, when he asked of the Samaritan woman some to drink; But the poor woman was so astonished, that she forsook her pitcher, & forgot that which jesus asked. Now the holy Magdalen brings her eyes to the Pharisees table, as two vessels full of crystal water, which was of that pu●e stream which comes from the holy Lamb. Heaven is wont to water the earth, but here the earth waters Heaven. A soul w ich was before black, and burnt up with the fi e of concupiscence, provides a fountain for the King of highest Heaven. She draws tears from her sins, to make them become the joys of Paradise. 4. She sanctifies all that which was esteemed most profane. Her hairs, which were the nets wherein so many captive souls did sigh under the yoke of wanton love, are now (as the ensigns and standards of wicked Cupid) trampled under the feet of her Conqueror. Those kisses, which carried the poison of a luxurious passion in her hear●, do now breathe from her nothing but the delicacies of chastity. Her pleasing odours which were before vowed to sensuality, are now become the s●veetest exhalations from that Amber oil which brings an odoriferous perfume to jesus Christ. She brings with her Aromatic spices, to burn herself at the mountain of her Sun, who makes himself her Priest, her Advocate and Brideman. 5. She had gained the great jubilee, and was assured of it by the word of the eternal Bishop; and yet duting all the rest of h●● life, she practised upon herself a sanctified revenge, & her penance never ends, but with her life; to confound our coldness, who know so little what it is to bewail a sin. She is as timorous in the assurance of her pardon, as we are secure at the approach of God's justice. No body could be so patiented, and so constant in her love, but she, that had a holy emulation toward heavenly charity. It is her perseverance which draws to the earth a perfect copy of that life (without limit) which the blessed souls enjoy in heaven It is she alone to whom eternity was then given, because she had power to offer repentant frailty to eternity itself. Aspirations Upon Saint Mary magdalen's great Repentance. O Jesus, my Conqueror, and my Sovereign Bishop, thou art pleased to be satisfied of thy unworthy servant; but I am not yet content with myself. No, no, my life and penance shall end together, since I have lost that which should never have been separated from my body, before the separation of my soul. And since I cannot enter chaste into my grave, I will now go repentant into an obscure & savage Cave, where the sun shall shine no more upon a head so sinful as mine. Mine eyes (O mine eyes) who have first received that fire which hath so passionately devoured my soul, I will make you imitate the pond of Hesebon, and sooner shall those two fountains be dried up which serve the stream of jordan, than you shall want water to wash the steps of your Concupiscences. I will have that neck (which hath suffered itself to be embraced by unlawful Arms) held under the yoke of him that hath overcome me, and so happily subjected me to his empire. These arms and hands which have been the chains of wanton embracements, shall henceforth for ever be lifted up to Heaven in prayer●, and they shall have no other Altars but the feet of my Lord and Master, if I dare think myself worthy to kiss them. This mouth which hath been the gate of unchastity, shall now become a temple of God's praises. And this heart which hath been a burning furnace of worldly love, shall be a burning lamp of holy affections, before God; and shall have no other oil to maintain it, but that water which shall be drawn from mine eyes. O my God since I have so betrayed my heart, abused my youth, spent prodigally thy Treasures, and made crowns to Baal out of thy silver; since I have forsaken thee who art eternal, unchangeable and incomparable Goodness, (without whom all other goods are nothing to sollow a wanton fire, which hath brought me to the brim of an everlasting precipice; where shall I ●nd sufficient tears to wash my offences? where shall I find enough parts of my body to be continually offered up as the sacrifice o my repentance? I would m●ke my life immortal, to have my pains so lasting, and if thy mercy will not let me be the object of thy vengeance, let me at least serve for a sacrifice at thy Altars. The Gospel upon Friday the fifth week in Lent, St. john 11. The Jews said, What shall we do; for this man doth many miracles. THe chief Priests therefore and the Pharisees gathered a council, and said, What shall we do? for this man doth many signs: if we let him alone so, all will believe in him, and the Romans will come and take away our place and Nation. But one of them named Ca●phas, being the high Priest of that year, said to them, You know nothing, neither do you consider that it is expedient for us, that one man die for the people, and the whole Nation perish not. And this he said not of himself, but being the high Priest of that year, he prophesied that jesus should die for the Nation: and not only for the Nation, but to gather in one the children of God that were dispersed. From that day therefore they devised to kill him. jesus therefore walked no more openly among the jews, but he went into the Country beside the Desert, unto a City that is called Ephrem, and there he abode with his Disciples. Moralities. ONe of the greatest Tragedies acted in the life of man, which makes curious persons to question, wise men to wonder, good men to groan, and the wicked to rejoice; is to see an innocent man oppressed by colour of justice. Now jesus being resolved to espouse our miseries, as far as they can reach, was pleased to pass through those rigours and formalities of the wicked, coloured with a pretext of equity. He is not here condemned by a mean people without consideration, without power, without formality of process: But by these chief Priests and principal men of that Nation assembled in Council; they informed themselves, they reason, and conclude his death. The Lions of Solomon's throne, did anciently bear certain Writs of the Law, to signify that it was to be handled by courageous and clear seeing judges. But here Foxes got it into their hands, and did manage it by crafty deceits & wickedness. Alas we are far from the Laws of God, when we cannot abide the least word spoken against our reputation. We are troubled to suffer for innocency, as if it were a greater honour to suffer for a direct offence. Shall we never think that the triumph of virtue consists in well doing, and (thereby) sometimes receiving harm even from those who are esteemed good men? 2. There are some difficulties in affairs where truth is shut up as within a cloud. Wise men can hardly find out where the point lies, but God doth so order it that falsehood leaves always certain marks by which it may be known; and the beauty of truth, is ever like that lake of Africa, which early or late discovers all that is cast into it, and makes all impostures plainly appear, when we think they are most concealed. And this appears by the proceeding of Caiphas, who chose to condemn Christ, for those things which were the certain tokens that he was the true Messiah. He concluded his death by reason of his miracles, and those gave him authority as to the prince of Isfe. A troubled spirit makes darts of every thing (which it can) to fight against reason, and kills itself, not suspecting its own poison. 3. The Devil publisheth jesus for the true Messiah and so doth likewise Caiphas' prophecy the same. It is not always a certain mark of goodness, to speak that which is good, but it is an assurance of virtue to avoid that which is ill. There are many from whom good works do escape, while they both think and do ill. Truth makes use of their tongues, when Devils command their hearts. It is this which makes us see our Saviour's Empire, and the extent of his conquests, which is not limited by time, he being already entered into possesson of eternity: and it is not bounded by place, because it contains all Immensity. Night hath no power to cover it, because it is light itself; It cannot be shut up in any deceitful shadow, because it scatters and discovers all falsehood: It cannot be comprehended within our senses because it exceeds their capacity; and it is present in all places being omnipotent and eternal in all time. Aspirations. O Jesus, Father of all blessed unions, who hast suffered death to unite all the children of God together, who are scattered over all the countries of the world; wilt thou have no pity of my heart, so many times torn in pieces, and strayed among a great multitude of objects, which estrange and draw me from the first of all unities? My soul melts through all the Gates of my senses, by running after so many creatures which do kindle covetousness, but never serve to refresh or cool the heat of it. Draw me (O Lord) from the great throng of so many exterior things, that I may retire into my own heart, and from thence arise to thine, where I may find that peace, which thou hast cemented fast with thy most precious blood. When shall I see the first beams of that liberty, which thou grantest to thy Children? When shall my thoughts return from wandering in those barren regions, where thou art not acknowledged? When shall I be reunited, and so purified by thy favours, that they may celebrate continual days of feast in my soul? I am already there in desire, and shall be there in presence, when by help of thine infinite grace and mercy, I can be wholly thine. The Gospel upon Saturday, the fifth week in Lent, S. john 12. The chief Priests thought to kill Lazarus, because the miracle upon him made many follow Jesus. But the chief Priests devised to kill. Lazarus also, because many for him of the jews went away, and believed in jesus. And on the morrow a great multitude that was come to a festival day, when they had heard that jesus cometh to jerusalem, they took the boughs of Palms, and went forth to meet him, and cried, Hosanna, blessed is he that cometh in the name of our Lord, the King of Israel. And jesus found a young Ass, and sat upon it, as it is written. Fear not daughter of Zion: behold thy King cometh sitting upon an Ass' colt. These things his Disciples did not know at the first: but when jesus was glorified, than they remembered that these things had been written of him, and these things they did to him. The multitude therefore gave testimony, which was with him when he called Lazarus out of the grave, and raised him from the dead. For therefore all the multitude came to meet him, because they heard that he had done this sign. The Pharisees therefore said among themselves, Do you see that we prevail nothing? Behold, the whole world is gone after him. And there were certain Gentiles of them that came up to adore in the Festival day. These therefore came to Philip, who was of Bethsaida of Galilee, and desired him, saying, Sir, we are desirous to see jesus. Philip cometh and telleth Andrew. Again, Andrew a●d philip told jesus: but jesus answered them, saying, The hour is come that the Son of man shall be glorified. Amen, Amen, I say to you, Unless the grain of wheat falling into the ground, die, itself remaineth alone: but if it die, it bringeth much fruit. He that loveth his life, shall lose it: and he that hateth his life in this world, doth keep it to life everlasting. If any man minister to me let him follow me: and where I am there also shall my minister be. If any man minister to me, my Father will honour him. Moralities. 1. ADmire here the ecstasies of our sweet Saviour! He is ravished by the object of his death, and is transported by the Idea of his sufferings. The trumpet of heaven sounded in the voice which was heard by this great multitude. He encourages himself to his combat; he looks confidently upon the Cross, as the fountain of his glories, and planted his elevation upon the lowest abasements. Shall not we love this Cross, which Jesus hath cherished as his Spouse? He gave up his soul in the arms of it to conquer our souls. We shall never be worthy of him, till we bear the Ensigns of his war and the ornaments of his peace. Every thing is Paradise to him, that knows how to love the Cross: and every thing is hell to those, who fly from it; and no body flies it, but shall find it. It is the gate of our mortality, whether we must all come, though we turn our backs to it. 2. What a great secret it is, to hate our soul that we may love it; to hate it for a time, that we may love it for all eternity; to punish it in this life, to give it thereby a perpetual rest in that to come; to despise it that we may honour it: To handle it roughly, that it may be perfectly established in all delights? And yet this is the way which all just men have passed to arrive at the chiefest point of their rest. They have resembled the Flowers de-Luce, which weep for a time, and out of their own tears produce seeds which renew their beauties. The salt sea for them becomes a flourishing field, as it did to the people of God when they came forth of the chains of Egypt. The cloud which appeared to the Prophet Ezekiel, carried with it winds and storms, but it was environed with a golden circle, to teach us that the storms of affliction which happen to God's children, are encompassed with brightness and smiling felicity. They must rot as a grain of wheat, that they may bud out and flourish in the ear. They must abide the diversity of times, and endure the Sith and Flail; They must be ground in a mill, and pass by water and fire, before they can be made bread pleasing to Jesus Christ. Our losses are our advantages; we lose nothing but to gain by it; we humble and abase ourselves to be exalted, we despoil ourselves to be better clothed, and we mortify ourselves to be revived. O what a grain of wheat is Jesus Christ, who hath past all these trials, to make the height of all heavenly glories bud out of his infinite sufferings. Aspirations. O God, I have that passionate desire which these strangers had to see Jesus. I do not ask it of Philip, nor shall Philip have cause to ask Andrew. My Jesus, I ask it of thyself, thou art beautiful even in the way of the Cross; Thou didst show thyself courageous in the Abyss of thy pains: thou art admirable in the contempt of death. The heavenly Trumpet hath already sounded for thee, and cheerfulness gives wings to carry thee to this great combat, where death and life sight singly together: which makes life die for a time, and death live for ever. I will forsake my very soul to follow thee in this Agony, and find my life in thy death, as thou hast extinguished death in thy life. The Gospel upon Palm Sunday, S. Matthew 21. Our Saviour came in triumph to Jerusalem a little before his Passion. ANd when they drew nigh to jerusalem, and were come to Bethphage, unto mount Olivet, than jesus sent two Disciples, saying to them, Go ye into the town that is against you, and immediately you shall find an Ass tied, and a colt with her: lose them and bring them to me. And if any man shall say aught unto you, say ye, That our Lord hath need of them, and forthwith he will let them go. And this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Prophet, saying, Say ye to the daughter of Zion, Behold thy King cometh to thee, mock, and sitting upon an Ass, and a Colt the foal of her that is used to the yoke. And the Disciples going, did as jesus commanded them, and they brought the Ass, and the Colt, and laid their garments upon them, and made him to sit thereon. And a very great multitude spread their garments in the way: and others did cut boughs from the trees, and strewed them in the way, and the multitudes that went before, and that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna to the Son of David, blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord. Moralities. 1. OUr Saviour goes to his death in triumph: he appears to be a King, but a King of Hearts, who requires nothing of us but ourselves, only to make us happy and contented in him. He triumphs before the victory, because none but he could be sure of the future certainty of his happiness. But he watered his triumphs with tears, to weep for our joys, which where to proceed out of his sadness. It is related by an ancient Orator that when Constantine made his entry into great Britain, (where he was born) the people received him with so great applause, that they killed the Sails and Oars of the Vessel which brought him & were ready to pave the streets with their bodies, for him to tread on. If they did so for a mortal man, what should we not do for an eternal God, who comes to buy us with his precious blood, and demands entrance into our hearts, only to give us Paradise. 2. He walks towards his Cross, amongst the cries of favour and joy, to teach us with what cheerfulness we should conform ourselves to abide our own sufferings; imitating the Apostles, who received their first reproaches as Manna from Heaven. He would have us prepared & resolved always to suffer death patiently; whether it be a death which raiseth up our spirit to forsake sensuality, ot a natural death. Whatsoever it be, we should embrace it as the day which must bring us to our lodging after a troublesome pilgrimage. Doth it not appear plainly, that those who are loath to forsake the world, are like herbs put into an earthen pot amongst straw & dung, & yet would be unwilling to come forth of it. The forniture of out worldly lodging grows rotten, the roof is ready to fall upon our heads, the foundation shakes under our feet, and we fear that day, which (if we ourselves will) shall be the ●orning of our eternal happiness. It is not death, but only the opinion of it which is terrible, and every man considers it according to the disposition of his own spirit. 3. The Palm branches which we carry in our hands, require from us the renewing of a life purified and cleansed in the blood of the holy Lamb. In the beginning of lent we take upon our heads the ashes of Palm branches, to teach us that we do then, enter (as it were) into the Sepulchre of repentance: But now we carry green bows, to make us know that now we come out of the tomb of Ashes, to enter again into the strength of doing good works, in imitation of the trees which having been covered with snow, and buried in the sharpness of winter, do again begin to bud in the Spring time. 4. The garments spread under the feet of Jesus declare, that all our temporal goods should be employed toward his glory; and that we must forsake our affections to all things which perish, that we may be partakers of his kingdom. No man can stand firm that is delighted with movable things. He that is subject to worldly affections binds himself to a wheel which turns about continually. Jesus accepted this triumph only to despise it: he reserved the honour of it in his own hands, to drown it in the flood of his tears, and in the sea of his precious blood. If you be rich and wealthy do not publish it vainly, but let the poor feel it. You must live amongst all the greatness & jollity of this world, as a man whose only business must be to go to God. Aspirations. O Sovereign King of hearts, after whom all chaste loves do languish, I am filled with joy to see t●ee walk amongst the cries of joy, and the palms & garments of thy admirers, which served for carpets. I am ravished with thy onours and the delights of thy glory, and I applaud thy triumphs. Alas, that all the earth is not obedient to thy laws, and that the tongues of a●l people do not make one voice to acknowledge thee sole Monarch of heaven and earth Triumph at least in the hearts of thy faithful servants (O my magnificent Master) make a triumphal Ark composed of hearts; Put fire to it with thy adored hand; Send out one spark of that heat which t●ou camest to spread upon the earth. Let every thing burn for thee, and consume itself in thy love. I do irrevocably bind my heart to the magnificence of thy triumph, and I love better to be thy slave, then to be saluted king of the whole world. The Gospel upon Monday in holy week S. john 12. Saint Mary Magdalen anointed our Saviour's feet with precious ointment: at which judas repined. JEsus therefore six days before the Pasche, came to Bethaenia, where Lazarus was, that had been dead, whom jesus raised: and they made him a supper there and Martha ministered but Lazarus was one of them that sat at the table with him Mary therefore took a pound of ointment of right Spikenard, precious, and anointed the feet of jesus and wiped his feet with her hair, and the house was filled of the odour of the Ointment. One therefore of his Disciples, judas Iscariot, he that was to betray him, said, Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence, and given to the poor? And he said this, not because he cared for the poor, but because he wa● a theft and having the purse, carried the things that were put in it. jesus therefore said, Let her alone that she may keep it for the day of my burial: for the poor you have always with you, but me you shall not have always A great multitude therefore of the jews know that he was there: & they come, not for jesus only, but that they might see Lazarus whom he raised from the dead. Moralities. 1. LAzarus being raised from his grave converseth familiarly with jesus, and to preserve the life which he had newly received, he ties himself continually to the fountain of lives: to teach us that since we have begun to make a strong conversion from sin to grace, we must not be out of the sight of God: we must live with him, and of him; with him, by applying our spirit, our prayers, our fervour, our passionate sighs toward him: and live of him by often receiving the blessed Sacrament. Happy they (saith the Angel in the Apocalypse) who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb. But note that he who invites us to this feast, stands upright amids the sun, to signify that we should be as pure as the beams of light, when we come unto the most holy Sacrament. Lazarus did eat bread with his Lord, but (to speak with St. Augustine) he did not then eat the bread of our Lord. And yet this great favour is reserved for you when you are admitted to that heavenly banquet, where God makes himself meat, to give you an Antepast of his Immortality. 2. God will have us acknowledge his benefits by the faithfulness of our services. St. Peter's Mother in law, as soon as she was healed of her Fever, presently served her Physician. And observe that Martha served the Author of life, who had redeemed her brother from the power of death. The faithful Mary who had shed tears, gave what she had more t precious, and observes no measure in the worth, because jesus cannot be valued. Cleopatra's pearl (estimated to be worth two hundred thousand crowns) which she made her friend swallow at a Banquet, this holy woman thought too base; She melts her heart in a sacred Limbeck of love, & distils it out by her eyes. And jesus makes so great account of her waters and perfumes, that he would suffer no body to wash his feet when he instituted the blessed Sacrament, as not being willing to deface the sacred characters of his sacred Lover. 3. judas murmurs and covers his villainous passion of Avarice under the colour of Charity, and mercy toward the poor. And just so do many cover their vices with a specious show of virtue. The proud man would be thought Magnanimous; the prodigal would pass for liberal, the covetous for a good husband; the brainsick rash man, would be reputed courageous; the glutton, a hospitable good fellow; Sloth puts on the face of quietness, timorousness of wisdom, impudence of boldness, insolence of liberty, and over confident or saucy prating, would be taken for eloquence. Many men (for their own particular interests) borrow some colours of the public good, and very many actions both unjust and unreasonable take upon them a semblance of piety. Saint Ireneus saith, that many give water coloured with sleckt whitelime or plaster, instead of milk. * A farce is a French jig wherein the faces of all the actors are whited over with meal. And all their life is but a farce where Blackamoors are whited over with meal. Poor truth suffers much amongst these covesnages; But you must take notice that in the end, wicked & dissembling judas did burst and show his damned soul stark naked. Yet some think fairly to cover foul intentions, who must needs know well that Hypocrisy hath no vail to cozen death. Aspirations. I See no altars in all the world more amiable than the feet of our Saviour; I will go by his steps to find his feet; and by the excellencies of the best of men, I will go find out the God of gods. Those feet are admirable and St. john hath well described them to be made of metal burning in a furnace, they are feet of metal by their constancy, and feet of fire by the inflamed affections of their Master. Let Ind●s murmur at it what he will; but if I had a sea of sweet odours, and odoriferous perfumes, I would empty them all upon an object so worthy of love. Give, O mine eyes) Give at least tears to this precious Holocaust, which goes to sacrifice itself for satisfaction of your libidinous concupiscences. Wash it with your waters before it wash you with its blood. O my soul seek not after excrements of thy head to dry it: Thy hairs are thy thoughts, which must only think of him, who thought so kindly & passionately of thee on the day of his Eternity. The Gospel upon Monday Thursday, S. john the 13. Of our Saviour's washing the feet of his Apostles ANd before the festival day of the Pasch●, jesus knowing that his hour was come, that he should pass out of this world to his Father: whereas he had loved his that were in the world, unto the end he loved them. And when supper was done, whereas the devil now had put into the heart of judas Iscariot the son of Simon to betray him, knowing that the Father gave him all things into his hands, and that he came from God, and goeth to God: he riseth from supper, and layeth aside his garments, and having taken a towel, girded himself. After that he put water into a basin, and began to wash thee feet of his Disciples, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded. He cometh therefore to Simon Peter; and Peter saith to him. Lord, dost thou wash my feet? jesus answered and said to him, That which I do, thou knowest not now, hereafter thou shalt know. Peter saith to him, Thou shalt not wash my feet for ever. jesus answered him, if I wash thee not, thou shalt not have part with me. Simon Peter saith to him, Lord, not only my feet, but also hands and head. jesus saith to him, He that is washed, needeth not but to wash his feet, but is clean wholly: and you are clean, but not all; for he knew who he was that would betray him, therefore he said, You are not clean all. Therefore after he had washed their feet, and taken his garments, being set down, again he said to them, Know you what I have done to you? You call me Master, and Lord, and you say well, for I am so. If then I have washed your feet, Lord and Master, you also aught to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example, that as I have done to you so, you do also Moralities. 1. JEsus loves his servants for an end, and till the full accomplishment of that end. The world loves his creatures with a love which tends to concupiscence; but that is not the end for which they were made or should be loved. There is a very great difference between them: for the love of worldy men, plays the Tyrant in the world; snatching & turning all things from the true scope and intention for which they were made by God, diverting them to profane uses, by turbulent and forcible ways. The world pleaseth itself to set up Idols every where to make itself adored in them as chief Sovereign. It makes use of the Sun to light his crimes; of the fatness of the earth to fatten his pleasure, of apparel for his luxury, of all metals to kindle Avarice, and of the purest beauties to serve sensuality. And if by chance it love any creature, with a well-wishing love, and as it ought to be loved, that is not permanent. The wind is not more inconstant, nor a calm at Sea more unfaithful, then worldly friendship. For sometimes it gins with Fire, and ends in Ice. It is made as between a pot and a glass, and is broken sooner than a glass. The ancient Almans tried their children in the Rhine, but true friendship is tried in a sea of Tribulation. It is only Jesus (the preserver and restorer of all things) who loves us from Eternity to Eternity. We must follow the sacred steps of his examples to reduce ourselves to the final point of our happiness. 2. The water a first was a mild element, which served the Majesty of God, as a floating Charior, since (as the Scripture saith) his Spirit was carried upon the waters, from whence he drew the seeds which produced all the world. But after man had sinned, like a supreme Judge he made use of the gentlest things to be the Instruments of our punishments. The water which carried the divine mercies, was chosen at the deluge, to drown all mankind. Now at this time jesus sanctified it by his sacred touch: He took the Basin, which being in his hands, became greater and more full of Majesty, than all the Ocean. Our spots, which eternity could not wash clean, are taken away at Baptism by one only drop of water sanct fied by his blessing. He prevents the bath of his blood, by the bath of an element: which he doth expressly before his institution of the blessed Sacrament to teach us, what purity of life, of heart, of faith, of in ention and affections we must bring to the holy Eucharist. It is necessary to chase away all strange gods (which are sins and passions) before we receive the God of Israel: we must wash ourselves in the waters of repentance, & change our attire by a new conversation. It is too much for us to give flesh for flesh the body of a miserable man for that of jesus Christ? The consideration of our sins should bring up the blood of blushing in our cheeks, since they were the only cause why he shed his most precious blood upon the Cross for us. Alas, the heavens are not pure before his most pure spirit, which purifies all nature: Then how can we go to him, with so many voluntary stains and deformities; Is it not to cast flowers upon a dunghill, and to drive Swine to a clear fountain, when we will go to Jesus (the Author of innocency) carrying with us the steps and spots of our heinous sins? 3. jesus would not only take upon himself the form of man, but that also of a base servant, as saint paul saith. It was the office of slaves to carry water to wash bodies; which made David say that Moab should be the Basin of his hope, expressing thereby, that he would humble the Moabites so low, that they should serve only to bring water to wash unclean houses. Alas, who would have said that the Messiah was come amongst us to execute the office of a Moabite? What force hath conquered him, what arms have brought him under, but only love? How can we then become proud, and burn incense to that Idol called point of honour, when we see how our God humbled himself in this action? Observe with what preparation the Evangelist said that his heavenly Father had put all into his hands: that he came from God, and went to God; and yet instead of taking the world's Sceptre, he takes a Basin and humbles himself to the most servile offices. And if the waters of this Basin cannot burst in us, the foul imposthume of vanity, we must expect no other remedy, but the eternal flames of hell fire. Aspirations. O King of Lovers, and Master of all holy Loves, Thou lovest for an end, and till the accomplishment of that end. It appertains only to thee to teach the Art of loving well, since thou hast practised it so admirably. Thou art none of those delicate friends, who only make love to beauties, to gold, and silk; thou lovest our very poverty, and our miseries; because they serve for objects of thy charity. Let proud Michol laugh (while she list) to see my dear David made as a water bearer; I honour him as much in that posture, as I would, sitting upon the throne of all the world. I look upon him holding this Basin, as upon him that holds the vast Seas in his hands. O my merciful Jesus, I beseech thee wash; wash again, and make clean my most sinful soul. Be it as black as hell, being in thy hands, it may become more white than that Dove (with silver wings) of which the Prophet speaks. I go, I run to the fountains; I burn with love amongst thy purifying waters. I desire affectionately to humble myself, but I know not where to find so low a place as thine, when thou wast humbled before judas, to wash his traitors feet. Upon the Garden of Mount Olivet. Moralities. 1. JEsus enters into a Garden to expiate the sin committed in a Garden by the first man. The first Adam stole the fruit, and the second is ordained to make satisfaction. It is a strange thing, that he chose the places of our delights, for suffering his pains; and never looked upon our most dainty sweets, but to draw out of them most bitter sorrows. Gardens are made for recreations, but our Saviour finds there only desolation. The Olives which are tokens of Peace, denounce War unto him. The plants there do groan; the flowers are but flowers of death, and those fountains are but fountains of sweat and blood. He that shall study well this Garden, must needs be ashamed of all his pleasant Gardens; and will forsake those refined curiosities of Tulips, to make his heart become another manner of Garden, where Jesus should be planted as the only tree of life, which brings forth the most perfect fruits of justice. 2. It was there that the greatest Champion of the world undertook so great combats, which began with sweat and blood, but ended with the loss of his life. There were three marvellous agonies, of God & Death; of joy and Sorrow; of the Soul and Flesh of jesus. God and Death were two incompatible things; since God is the first, and the most universal of all lives, who banisheth from him all the operations of death, and yet his love finds means to unite them together for our redemption. The joy of beatitude was a fruition of all celestial delights, whereunto nothing which displeased could have access; and yet jesus suffered sorrow, to give him a mortal blow even in the Sanctuary of his Divinity. He afflicted himself for us, because we knew not what it was to afflict ourselves for him, and he descended by our st●ps to the very anguishes of death, to make us rise by his death to the greatest joys of life. To be short, there was a great duel between the affectionate love, and the virginal flesh of jesus. His soul did naturally love a body which was so obedient; and his body followed wholly the inclinations of his soul: There was so perfect an agreement between these two parties; that their separation must needs be most dolorous. Yet jesus would have it so, & sign the decree by sweeting blood. And as if it had been too little to weep for our sins with two eyes, he suffered as many eyes as he had veins, to be made in his body, to shed for us tears of his own blood. 3. Observe here how this soul of jesus amongst those great anguishes, continued always constant, like the needle of a Sea-compass in a storm: He prays, he exhorts, be orders, he reproves, and he encourages; he is like the heavens, which (amongst so many motions and agitations) lose no part of their measure or proportion. Nature and obedience make great convulsions in his heart; but he remains constantly obedient to the will of his heavenly Father: he tears himself from himself, to make himself a voluntary sacrifice for death, amongst all his inclinations to life; to teach us that principal lesson of Christianity, which is to desire only what God will, and to execute all the decrees of his divine providence, as our chiefest helps to obtain perfection. Aspirations. O Beauteous garden of Olives, which from henceforth shalt be the most delicious objects of my heart. I will lose myself in thy walks I will be lost with God, that I may never be lost. I will breathe only thy air, since it is made noble by the sighs of my dear Master. I will gather thy flowers, since jesus hath marked them with his blood. I will wash myself in those fountains since they are sanctified by the sweat of my jesus. I will have no other joy but the sorrow of the Son of God, nor any other will but his. O my sweet Saviour, Master and teacher of all humane kind, wilt thou be abridged of thine own will (which was so reasonable & pure) to give me an example of mortifying my passions, and shall I (before thy face) retain any wicked or disordinate appetites? Is it possible I should desire to be Lord of myself (who am so bad a Master) when I see the Author of all goodness separate himself from himself, only to make me and all mankind partakers of his merits? Of the apprehension of jesus. IN that obscure & dolorous night, wherein our Saviour was apprehended, three sorts of darknesses were cast; upon the jews, upon judas, & upon S. Peter: A darkness of obduration upon the hearts of the jews; a darkness of ingrateful malignity upon judas; and a darkness of infirmity upon Saint Peter. Was there ever any blindness like that of the jews, who sought for the shining sun with lighted torches, without knowing him by so many beams of power which shined from him? They are strucken down with the voice of the Son of God, as with lightning; and they rise again upon the earth to arm themselves against heaven. They bind his hands to take away the use of his forces, but they could not stop the course of his bounties. To show that he is totally good, he is good and charitable even amongst his merciless executioners, and he lost all he had (saung his Godhead) only to gain patience. When Saint Peter struck the high Priests servant, the patience of our Lord jesus received the blow, and had no patience till he was healed. If goodness did show forth any one beam in the Garden, modesty sent forth another in the house of Annas, when his face was strucken by a servile hand, his mouth opened itself as a Temple from whence nothing came but sweetness and light. The God of Truth speaketh to Caiphas, and they spit upon his brightness, and cover that face which must discover heaven for us. The mirror of Angels is tarnisht with the spittle of infernal mouths, & wounded by most sacrilegious hands, without any disturbance of his constancy. That was invincible by his virtue, as the wilfulness of the jews stood unmoveable by their obduration. There are souls which after they have filled the earth with crimes, expect no cure of their discases, but by the hell of the reprobate. 2. The second darkness appeareth by the black passion of judas, who falls down into hell with his eyes open; and after he had fold his soul, sold Jesus, and both all he had, and all he was, to buy an infamous halter to hang himself. A soul become passionate with wanton love, with ambition or avarice, is banished into itself, as into a direct hell, and delivered to her own passion as to the Furies. The Poets Hydra had but seven heads, but the spirit of Avarice (S. john Climacus saith) hath ten thousand. The conversation of jesus, which was so full of infinite attractions, could never win the spirit of Judas, when it was once bewitched with covetousness. The tinkling of silver kept him from rightly understanding Jesus. He makes use of the most holy things to betray Holiness itself. He employs the kiss of peace to begin war. He carries poison in his heart, and honey in his mouth: he puts on the spirit of jesus to betray him. This shows us plainly, that covetous and traitorous persons are farthest from God, and nearest to the Devils. The third power of darkness appeared in the infirmity of Saint Peter, who after so many protestations of fidelity, for fear of death, renounced the Author of life. One of the Ancients said, the greatest frailty of Humanity was, that the wisest men were not infallibly wise at all times. And all men are astonished to see, that the greatest spirits (being left to themselves) become barren, and suffer eclipses which give example to the wisest, and terror to all the world. God hath suffered the fall of St. Peter to make us have in horror all presumption of our own forces; & to teach us that over great assurance is oft times mother of an approaching danger. Besides, it seemeth he would by this example, consecrate the virtue of repentance in this fault of him, whom he chose to be head of his Church; to make us see, that there is no dignity so high, nor holiness so eminent, which doth not owe Tribute to the mercy of God. Aspirations. Upon Saint Peter's tears. IT is most true (saith Saint Peter) that a proud felicity hath always reeling feet. Thou which didst defy the gates of hell, hast yielded thyself to the voice of a simple woman. All those conquests which thou didst promise to thyself, are become the trophies of so weak a hand. Return to the combat, & since she hath triumphed over thee, do thou at least triumph over thyself. Alas? I am afraid even to behold the place of my fall, and the weak snares of a simple woman appear to me as boisterous chains. Yet what can he fear who is resolute to die? If thou find death amongst those Massacres, thou shouldst rather embrace than decline it: For what can it do but make thee companion of life itself? Our soul is yet too foul to be a sacrifice for God; let us first wash it with tears. I fell down before the fire, and I will rise by water. I have walked upon the sea to come to jesus, and I will now return to him by the way of my tears. I will speak now only by my tears, since I have lately talked so wickedly with my mouth. Since that which should open to speak Oracles for the Church, hath been employed to commit foul treason; since we have nothing left free to us, but sighs and groans let us make use of the last liberty which is left us and when all is spent return to the mercy of Jesus, which all the sins of the world can never evacuate. I will from henceforth be a perpetual example to the Church by my fall, and rising again from death; for the comfort of sinners; and the fault of one night shall be lamented by me all the days of my life, Moralities upon the Praetorian or judgement Hall. 1. IN the passion of our Saviour all things are divine, and it seemeth they go as high as they could be raised by that Sovereign power joined with extreme love. jesus the most supreme and redoubted judge, who will come in his great Majesty to judge the world, fire and lightning streaming from his face, and all things trembling under his feet, was pleased at this time to be judged as a criminal person. Every thing is most admirable in this judgement: The accusers speak nothing of those things, which they had resolved in their counsels, but all spoke against their consciences. As soon as they are heard, they are condemned; justice for saketh them, & they are wholly possessed with rage. Pilate before he gave judgement upon jesus, pronounced it against himself: for after he had so many times declared him innocent, he could not give judgement without protesting himself to be unjust. The silence of jesus is more admired by this Infidel, than the eloquence of all the world; and truth without speaking one word triumpheth over falsehood. A Pagan Lady (the wife of Pilate) is more knowing then all the Laws: more religious than the Priests, more zealous than the Apostles, more courageous than the men of Arms: when she sleepeth, jesus is in her sleep: when she talketh jesus is upon her tongue; if she writ, jesus i● under her pen: her letter defended him at the judgement Hall, when all the world condemned him; she calleth him holy, when they used him like a thief: She maketh her husband wash his hands before he touched that blood, the high price of which she proclaimed. She was a Roman Lady by Nation, called Claudia Pr●cula, and it was very fit she should defend this Jesus, who was to plant the seat of his Church in Rome, All this while Jesus doth good amongst so many evils: He had caused a place to be bought newly for the burial of Pilgrims at the price of his blood? he reconciles Herod and Pilate, by the loss of his life. He sets Barrabas at liberty, by the loss of his honour: he speaks not one word to him that had killed Saint john the Baptist, who was the voice. And the other to revenge himself (without thinking what he did) shown him as a king. He appears before Pilate as the king of dolours, that he might become for us the king of glories. But what a horror is it to consider that in this judgement, he was used like a slave, like a sorcerer, like an accursed sacrifice? Slavery made him subject to be whipped, the crown of thorns was given only to Enchanters & that made him appear as a Sorcerer: And so many curses pronounced against him, made him as the dismissive. Goat mentioned in Leviticus, which was a miserable beast, upon which they cast all their execrations, before they sent it to die in the desert. He that bindeth the showers in clouds to make them water the earth, is bound and drawn like a criminal person: He that holds the vast seas in his sister, and ballanceth heaven with his fingers, is strucken by servile hands. He that enamels the bosom of the earth with a rare & pleasing diversity of flowers, is most ignominiously crowned with a crown of thorns. O hideous prodigies which took away from us the light of the Sun, and covered the Moon with a sorrowful darkness. Behold what a Garland of flowers he hath taken upon his head to expiate the sins of both Sexes. It was made of briers and thorns, which the earth of our flesh had sowed for us, & which the virtue of his Cross took away. All the pricks of death were thrust upon this prodigious patience, which planted her throne upon the head of our Lord. Consider how the Son of God would be used for our sins, while we live in delicacies? and one little offensive word goeth to our hearts; to which though he that spoke it gave the swiftness of wings, yet we keep it so shut up in our hearts, that it getteth leaden heels, which make it continue there fixed. Aspirations. ALas, what do I see here? a crown of thorns grafted upon a man of thorns: A man of dolours who burns between two fires, the one of love, the other of tribulation; both which do inflame and devour him equally, and yet never can consume him. O thou the most pure of all beauties, where have my sins placed thee? Thou art no more a man, but a bloody skin taken from the teeth of Tigers and Leopards. Alas, what a spectacle is this to dispoil this silk * Ego sum vermis & non ho●o, Psalm. 21. worm which at this day attires our Churches and Altars? How could they make those men (who looked upon thy chaste body) strike and disfigure it? O white Alabaster, how hast thou been so changed into scarlet? Every stroke hath made a wound, and every wound a fountain of blood. And yet so many fountains of thy so precious blood, cannot draw from me one tear. But O sacred Nightingale of the Cross, who hath put thee within these thorns, to make so great harmonies only by thy silence? O holy thorns I do do not ask you where are your roses. I know well they are the blood of Jesus, and I am not ignorant that all roses would be thorns, if they had any feeling of that which you have. Jesus carried them upon his head, but I will bear them at my heart: and thou (O Jesus) shalt be the object of my present dolours that thou mayst after be the fountain of my everlasting joys. Moralities for Good Friday upon the death of jesus Christ. MOunt Calvary is a marvellous Scaffold, where the chiefest Monarch of all the world, loseth his life, to restore our salvation which was lost, and where he makes the Sun to be eclipsed over his head, and stones to be cloven under his feet; to teach us by insensible creatures, the feeling which we should have of his sufferings. This is the school where jesus teacheth that great Lesson, which is the way to do well: & we cannot better learn it then by his examples, since he was pleased to make himself passable & motal, to overcome our passions, and to be the Author of our immortality. The qualities of a good death may be reduced to three points: of which the first is to have a right conformity to the will of God, for the manner, the hour and circumstances of our death. The second is to forsake as well the affections, as the presence of all creatures of this base world. The third is to unite ourselves to God by the practice of great virtues, which will serve as steps to glory. Now these three conditions are to be seen in the death of the Prince of Glory upon mount Calury; which we will take as the purest Ideas, whereby to regulate our passage out of this world. 1. COnsider in the first place, that every man living hath a natural inclination to life, because it hath some kind of divinity in it. We love it when it smileth upon us, as if it were our Paradise; and if it be troublesome, yet we strive to retain it, though it be accompanied with very great miseries. And if we must needs forsake this miserable body, we then desire to leave it by some gentle and easy death. This make thus plainly see the generosity of our Saviour, who being Master of life and death, and having it in his power to choose that manner of death which would be least hideous, (being of itself full enough of horror) yet nevertheless, to conform himself to the will of his heavenly Father, & to confound our delicacies: he would needs leave his life by the most dolorous and ignominious which was to be found amongst all the deaths of the whole world. The Cross amongst the Gentiles was a punishment for slaves, and the most desperate persons of the whole world. The Cross amongst the Hebrews was accursed: It was the ordinary curse which the most uncapable and most malicious mouths did pronounce against their greatest enemies, The death of a crucified man, was the most continual, languish and tearing of a soul from the body, with most excessive violence and agony. And yet the eternal wisdom chose this kind of punishment, and drank all the sorrows of a cup so bitter. He should have died upon some Trophy, and breathed out his last amongst flowers, & left his soul in a moment: and if he must needs have felt death, to have had the least sense of it that might be. But he would try the rigour of all greatest sufferings: he would fall to the very bottom of dishonour: and (having ever spared from himself all the pleasures of this life) to make his death complete, he would spare none of those infinite dolours. The devout Simon of Cassia asketh o●r Saviour, going toward mount Calvary, saying, O Lord, whether go you with the extreme weight of this dry and barten piece of wood? Whether do you carry it, and why? Where do you mean to set it? Upon mount Cavalry? That place is most wild and stony: How will you plant it? Who shall water it? jesus answers, I bear upon my shoulders a piece of wood, which must conquer him, who must make a far greater conquest by the same piece of wood: I carry it to mount Calvary, to plant it by my death, and water it with my blood. This wood which I bear, must bear me, to bear the salvation of all the world, and to draw all after me. And then (O faithful soul) will't not thou suffer some confusion, at thine own delicacies? to be so fearful of death by an ordinary disease, in a Down bed, amongst such necessary services such favourable helps, consolations & kindnesses of friends so sensible of thy condition? We bemoan and complain ourselves of heat, cold, distaste, of disquiet, of grief: Let us allow some of this to Nature; yet must it be confessed, that we lament out selves very much: because we have never known how we should lament a Jesus Christ crucified. Let us die as it shall please the divine providence: If death come when we are old, it it a haven: If in youth, it is a direct benefit antedated: If by sickness, it is the nature of our bodies: If by external violence, it is yet always the decree of Heaven. It is no matter how many deaths there are, we are sure there can be but one for us. 2. Consider farther, the second condition of a good death, which consists in the forsaking of all creatures, and you shall find it most punctually observed by our Saviour at the time of his death. Ferrara, a great Di●vine, who hath written a book of the hidden Word, toucheth twelve things abandoned by our Saviour. 1. His apparel leaving himself naked. 2. The marks of his dignity. 3. The College of his Apostles. 4. The sweetness of all comfort 5. His own proper will. 6. The authority of virtuos. 7. The power of An Angels 8. The perfect joys of his soul. 9 The proper charity of his body. 10. The honours due to him. 11. His own skin. 12. All his blood. Now do but consider his abandoning the principal of those things how bitter it was. First, the abandoning of nearest and most faithful friends, is able to afflict any heart; Behold him forsaken by all his so well beloved disciples, of whom he had made choice (amongst all mortal men) to be the depositaries of his doctrine, of his life, of his blood. If judas be at the mystery of his passion, it is to betray him. If Saint Peter be there assisting, it is to deny him: If his sorrowful mother stand at the foot of the cross, it is to increase the grief of her Son; and after he had been so ill handled by his cruel executioners, to crucify him again by the hands of Love. The courageous Mother to triumph over herself by a magnanimous constancy, was present at the execution of her dear Son. She fixed her eyes upon all his wounds, to engrave them deep in her heart. She opened her soul wide to receive that sharp piercing sword with which she was threatened by that venerable old Simeon at her purification: And jesus who saw her so afflicted for his sake, felt himself doubly crucified, upon the wood of the Cross, and the heart of his dear Mother. We know it by experience that when we love one tenderly, his afflictions & disgraces will trouble us more than our own, because he living in us by an affectionate life, we live in him by a life of reason and election. jesus lived and reposed in the heart of his blessed Mother, as upon a throne of love, and as within a Paradise of his most holy delights. This heart was before as a bed covered with flowers: But this same heart (on the day of his passion) became like a scastold hanged with mourning, whereupon our Saviour entered, to be tormented and crucified upon the Cross of love, which was the Cross of his Mother. This admirable Merchant, who descended from heaven to acomplish the business of all ages; (who took upon him our miseries to give us felicities) was plunged within a sea of blood; and this so precious shipwrak, there remained one o●ely inestimable pearl (which was his divine mother) and yet he abandons her, and gives her into the hands of his Disciple. After he had forsaken those nearest to him, see what he does with his body; jesus did so abandon it (a little before his death) that not being content only to deliver it as a prey to sorrow, but he suffered to be exposed naked to the view of the world And amongst his sharpest dolours (after he had been refused the drink which they gave to malefactors to strengthen them in their torments) he took for himself vinegar and gall. O what a spectacle was it to see a body torn in pieces which rested itself upon its own wounds, which was dying every moment, but could not die, because that life distilled by drops? What Martyr did ever endure in a body so sensible and delicate, having an imagination so lively, & in such piercing dolours mixed with so few comforts? And what Martyr did suffer for all the sins of the whole world as he did, proportioning his torments according to the fruits which were to proceed from his cross? Perhaps, O faithful soul, thou lookest for a man's body in thy jesus, but thou findest nothing but the appearance of one, crusted over with gore blood: Thou seekest for limbs, & findest nothing but wounds: Thou lookest for a jesus which appeared glorious upon mount Thabor, as upon a Throne of Majesty, with all the ensigns of his glory, and thou findest only a skin all bloody fastened to a cross between two thiefs. And if the consideration of this cannot bring drops of blood from thy heart, it must be more insensible than a diamonds. 3. To conclude, observe the third quality of a good death which will declare itself by the exercise of great and heroic virtues. Consider that incomparable mildness which hath astonished all ages, hath encouraged all virtues, hath condemned all revenges, hath instructed all Schools and crowned all good actions: He was raised upon the cross, when his dolours were most sharp and piercing: when his wounds did open on all sides, when his precious blood shed upon the earth, and moistened it in great abundance; when he saw his poor clothes torn in pieces, and yet bloody in the hands of those who crucified him. He considered the extreme malice of that cruel people, how those which could not wound him with iron, pierced him with the points of their accursed tongues. He could quickly have made sire come down from heaven upon those rebellious heads. And yet forgetting all his pains to remember his mercies, he opened his mouth, and the first word he spoke was in the favour of his enemies, to negotiate their reconciliation, before his soul departed. The learned Cardinal Hugues admiring the excessive charity of our Saviour toward his enemies, applies excellent well that which is spoken of the Sun in Ecclesiasticus. He brings news to all the world at his rising, and at noonday he burns the earth, and heats those furnaces of Nature, which make it produce all her fruits. So Jesus the Sun of the intelligible world, did manifest himself at his Nativity, as in the morning. But the Cross was his bed at noon, from whence came those burning streams of Love, which inflames the hearts of all blessed persons, who are like furnaces of that eternal fire which burns in holy Zion. On the other part admire that great magnanimity which held him so long upon the Cross, as upon a Throne of honour and power when he bestowed Paradise upon a man that was his companion in suffering. I cannot tell whether in this action we should more admire the good fortune of the good thief, or the greatness of Jesus. The happiness of the good thief, who is drawn for a cut throat to prison; from prison to the judgement hall; from thence to the Cross; and thence goes to Paradise, without needing any other gate but the heart of Jesus. On the other side, what can be more admirable then to see a man crucified, to do that act, which must be performed by the living God, when the world shall end? To save some, to make others reprobate, and to judge from the height of his Cross, as if he sat upon the chiefest throne of all Monarches. But we must needs affirm that the virtue of patience in this, holds a chief place, and teaches very admirable lessons. He endures the torments of the body, and the pains of the spirit, in all the faculties of his soul, in all the parts of his virgin flesh; and by the cruelty and multiplicity of his wounds, they all become one only wound, from the sole of his foot, to the top of his head. His delicate body suffers most innocently, and all, by most ingrate and hypocritical persons, who would colour their vengeance with an appearance of holiness. He suffers without any comfort at all, and (which is more) without bemoaning himself; he suffers whatsoever they would or could lay upon him, to the very last gasp of his life. Heaven wears mourning upon the Cross; all the Citizens of heaven weep over his torments; the earth quakes; the stones rend themselves; sepulchers open; the dead arise: Only Jesus dies unmoveable upon this throne of patience. To conclude, who would not be astonished at the tranquillity of his spirit, & amongst those great convulsions of the world which moved round about the Cross, amongst such bloody dolours, insolent cries, & insupportable blasphemies, how he remained upon the Cross, as in a Sanctuary at the foot of an Altar; bleeding, weeping, & praying, to mingle his prayers with his blood and tears. I do now understand why the Wise man said, He planted Isles within the Abyss; since that, in so great a gulf of afflictions, he shown such a serenity of spirit; thereby making a Paradise for his Father (amongst so great pains) by the sweet perfume of his virtues. After he had prayed for his enemies, given a promise of Paradise to the good thief, and recommended his mother to his Disciple, he shut up his eyes from all humane things, entertaining himself only with prayers and sighs to his heavenly Father. O that at the time of our deaths we could imitate the death of jesus, and then we should be sure to find the streams of life. Aspirations. O Spectacles of horror, but Abyss of goodness and mercy. I feel my heart divided by horror, pity, hate, love, execration and adoration. But my admiration and being ravished, carries me beyond myself. Is this then that bloody sacrifice which hath been expected from all ages? This hidden mystery, this profound knowledge of the Cross; this dolorous jesus, which makes the honourable amends between heaven and earth, to the eternal Father, for expiation of the sins of humane kind. Alas poor Lord, thou hadst but one life, and I see a thousand instruments of death, which have taken it away. Was there need of opening so many bloody doors, to let out thine innocent soul? Can it not part from thy body without making (on all sides) so many wounds? which after they have served for the objects of men's cruelty, serve now for those of thy mercy? O my jesus, I know not to whom I speak, for I do no more know thee in the state thou now art; or if I do, it is only by thy miseries, because they are so excessive, that there was need of a God to suffer what thou hast endured. I look upon thy disfigured countenance, to find some part of thy resemblance, and yet can find none but that of thy love. Alas, O beautiful head, which dost carry all the glory of the highest heaven divide with me this dolorous Crown of Thorns; they were my sins which sowed them, and it is thy pleasure that thine innocence should mow them, Give me, O Sacred mouth, give me that Gall which I see upon thy lips: suffer me to sprinkle all my pleasures with it, since after a long continuance, it did shut up and conclude all thy dolours. Give me, O Sacred hands, and adored feet, the Nails which have pierced you: love binds you fast enough to the Cross without them. But do thou, O Lord, hold me fast to thyself, by the chains of thine immense charity. O Lance, cruel Lance, why didst thou open that most precious side? thou didst think perhaps to find there the Sons life, and yet thou foundest nothing but the Mother's heart: But without so much as thinking what thou didst, in playing the murderer, thou hast made a sepulchre, wherein I will from henceforth bury my soul. When I behold these wounds of my dear Saviour, I do acknowledge the strokes of my own hand. I will therefore likewise engrave there my repentance: I will write my conversion with an eternal Character. And if I must live, I will never breathe any other life, but that only, which shall be produced from the death of my jesus crucified. The Gospel for Easter Day, S. Mark the 16. ANd when the Sabbath was past, Marry Magdalen, and Mary of james, and Salome bought spices, that coming they might anoint jesus. And very early the first of the Sabbaths, they come to the Monument: the Sun being now risen. And they say one to another, who shall roll us back the stone from the door of the Monument? And looking, they saw the stone rolled back. For it was very great. And entering into the Monument, they saw a young man sitting on the right hand, covered with a white Robe: and they were astonished. Who saith to them, Be not dismayed, you seek jesus of Nazareth that was crucified: he is risen, he is not here, behold the place where they laid him. But go, tell his Disciples, and Peter, that he goeth before you into Galilee: there shall you see him, as he told you. Moralities. 1. THe Sepulchre of jesus becomes a fountain of life which carries, in power, all the glories of the highest heaven. Our Saviour riseth from thence, as day out of the East, and appears as triumphant, in the ornaments of his beauties, as he had been humbled, by the excess of his mercies. The rage of the jews loseth hear its power, death his sting, Satan his kingdom, the Tomb his corruption, and hell his conquest. Mortality is destroyed, life is illuminated; all is drowned in one day of glory, which comes from the glorious light of our Redeemer. It is now (saith Tertullian) that he is revested with his Robe of honour, and is acknowledged as the eternal Priest, for all eternity. It is now (saith Saint Gregory Nazianzen) that he reassembles humane kind (which was scattered so many years by the sin of one man) and placeth it between the Arms of his Divinity. This is the Masterpiece of his profound humility; and I dare boldly affirm) saith S. Ambrose) that God had lost the whole world, if this Sacred virtue which he made so clearly shine in his beloved Son, had not put him into possession of his Conquests. We should all languish after this Triumphant state of the Resurrection, which will make an end of all our pains, and make our Crowns everlasting. 2. Let us love our jesus as the Maries did, that, with them, we may be honoured with his visits. Their love is indesatigable, courageous and insatiable. They had all the day walked round about the judgement Hall, Mount Calvary, the Cross, and the Sepulchre. They were not wearied with all that: And night had no sleep to shut up their eyes, They forsake the Image of death, which is sleep, to find death itself, and never looked after any bed, except the Sepulchre of their Master; They travel amongst darkness, pikes, lances, the affrights of Arms, and of the night, nothing makes them afraid. If there appear a difficulty to remove the stones, love gives them arms. They spare nothing for their Master and Saviour: They are above Nichodemus and joseph, they have more equisite perfumes, for they are ready to melt and distil their hearts upon the Tomb of their Master. O faithful lovers, seek no more for the living amongst the dead: That cannot die for love, which is the root of life. 3. The Angel in form of a young man (covered with a white Robe) shows us that all is young and white in immortality. The Resurrection hath no old age: it is an age, which can neither grow, nor diminish These holy Maries, enter alive into the Sepulchre, where they thought to find death, but they learn news of the chiefest lives. Their faith there confirmed, their piety satisfied, there is promises assured, and their love receives consolation. Aspirations. I Do not this day look toward the East, O my Jesus, I consider the Sepulchre, it is from thence this fair Sun is risen. O that thou appearest amiable, dear spouse of my soul. Thy head which was covered with thorns, is now ●rowned wi●h a Diadem of Stars, and Lights, and all the glory of the highest Heaven rests upon it. Thine eyes which were eclipsed in blo●d, have enlightened them with fires and delicious brightness, which mel● my heart: T●y feet and hands, so far as I can see, are enamelled with Rubies, which after they have been the objects of men's cruelty, are now become eternal marks of thy bounty. O jesus, no more my wounded, but my glorified jesus, where am I? what do I? I see, I fly, I swoon, I die, I revive myself with thee. I do beseech thee, my most Sacred jesus, by the most triumphant of thy glories, let me no more fall into the image of death, not into those appetites of smoke and earth which have so many times buried the light of my soul. What have I to do with the illusions of this world? I am for Heaven, for Glory, and for the resurrection, which I will now make bud out of my thoughts, that I may hereafter possess them with a full fruition. The Gospel upon Monday the Easter week, St. Luke the 24. ANd behold, two of them went the same day into a Town which was the space of sixty furlongs, from jerusalem, named Emmen. And they talked betwixt themselves of all those things that had chanced. And it came to pass, while they talked and reasoned with themselves, jesus also himself approaching went with them, but their eyes were held that they might not know him. And he said to them, what are these communications that you confer one with another walking, and are sad? And one whose name was Cleophas, answering, said to him, Art thou only a stranger in jerusalem, and hast not known the things that have been done in it, these days? To whom he said, what things? And they said, concerning jesus of Nazareth who was a man, a Prophet, mighty in work and word before God and all the people. And how our chief Priests and Princes delivered him into condemnation of death, and crucified him. But we hoped that it was he that should redeem Israel: And now besides all this, to day is the third day since these things were done. But certain women also of ours, made us afraid; who before it was light, were at the Monument, and not finding his body, came saying, that they saw a vision also of Angels, who say that he is alive. And certain men of ours went to the Monument; and they found it so as the women said, but him they found not. And he said to them, O foolish, and slow of heart to believe in all things which the Prophets have spoken Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and so enter into his glory? And beginning from Moses and all the Prophets, he did interpret to them in all the Scriptures the things that were concerning him. And they drew nigh to the Town whether they went; and he made semblance to go further. And they forced him, saying, tarry with us, because it is toward night, and the day is now far spent, and he went in with them. And ic● came to pass, while he sat at the Table with them, he took bread, and blessed, and broke, and did reach to them. And their eyes were opened, and they knew him: and he vanished out of their sight. And they said one to the other, was not our heart burning in us, whilst he spoke in the way, and opened unto us the Scriptures? And rising up the same hour they went back into jerusalem; and they found the Eleven gathered together, and those that were with them, saying, that our Lord is risen indeed, and hath appeared to Simon. And they told the things that were done in the way, and how they knew him in the breaking of bread. Moralities. 1. IT is a strange thing, that God is always with us, and we are so little with him. We have our being, our moving, our life from him: he carries us in his arms, he keeps us as a Nurse does her dear child; & yet all this while we scarce know what he is, & use him so often as a stranger. He is in our being, & yet we keep him far from our heart, as a dead man who is quite forgotten. And yet En●ch walked with him, & for that he was taken from the conversation of men, and reserved for Paradise. To speak truth, our soul should always be languishing after her jesus, and count it a kind of Adultery to be separated from him, so much as by thought. Let us learn a little to talk with him; we commonly have that in our tongue which we keep in our heart. Let us sweeten the sadness of our pilgrimage, by the contemplation of his beauties. Let us look upon him as God and man; the God of gods the Man of men; our great Saviour and Prophet, powerful both in word and work; for if his word be thunder, his life is a lightning. He hath been here doing good to all the world; and suffering hurt from all the world; doing good without reward, and enduring evil without impatience. We all pass here as Torrents into valleys; the only question is of our passing well: whether we look on worldly goods as on waters which pass under a bridge, and as upon the furniture of an Inn which is none of ours. If we be embarked in the Vessel of life, let us not amuse ourselves to gather Cockles upon the shore; but so, that we may always have our eyes fixed upon Paradise, 2. Two things do hinder those Pilgrims from knowing Jesus as they should. The one is, their eyes are dazzled; and the other is the little account they make of the Cross, which drives them into a mistrust of the Resurrection. And this is it which crosseth us all our life, and so oft diverts us from the point of our happiness. Our eyes are dazzled with false lights of the world, they are darkened with so many mists and vapours of our own appetites and passions, that we cannot see the goods of heaven in the brightest of their day. Worldly chains have a certain effective vigour and pleasure, which is only painted, but they have a most certain sorrow, and a most uncertain contentment: They have a painful labour, and a timorous rest: A possession full of misery, and void of all beatitude. If we had our eyes well opened, to penetrate & see what it is, we should then say of all the most ravishing objects of the world, How senseless was I when I courted you? O deceitful world, thou didst appear great to me, when I saw thee not as thou art: But so soon as I did see thee rightly, I did then cease to see thee: for thou wast no more to me but just nothing. We run in full career after all that pleaseth our sense, and the Cross, which is so much preached to us, is much more upon our Altars, then in our hearts. We will not know, that the throne of Mount Calvary, is the path way to heaven; and as this truth wanders from our hearts, Jesus departs from our eyes. Let us at least pray Jesus to stay with us, for it is late in our hearts, and the night is far advanced, by our want of true light. We shall not know Jesus by discourse, but by seeding him in the persons of his poor, since he gives the continual nourishment of his body. Aspirations. O Only Pilgrim of the world, & first dweller in the heart of thy heavenly Father, what a pilgrimage hast thou made, descending from heaven to earth, and yet without forsaking heaven? Thou hast marked thy steps by thy conquests: made visible thy way by thine own light, thou hast watered it with thy precious blood, & paved it with thy wounds. O what a goodly thing it is to walk with thee, when thou openest thy sacred mouth, as the opening of a temple, to discover the beauties and mysteries of it. O that it is most pleasing to understand that mouth, which distils so much honey through lips of Roses. But wherefore (My good Lord) art thou pleased to hid thyself from a soul which languishes after thee? Take away the vail from mine eyes, and suffer thyself to be seen in the vesture of thy heavenly beauties, If I must bear the Cross, and pass by the throne of mount Calvary, to come to Heaven, I most humbly submit to thy divine pleasure that I may possess all that thou art. The Gospel upon Tuesday in Easter week, S. Luke the 24. ANd whiles they spoke these things, jesus stood in the midst of them, and he saith to them, Peace be to you, It is I, fear not. But they being troubled and frighted, imagined they saw a Spirit. And he saith to them, Why are you troubled, and cogitations arise in your hearts? See my hands and my feet, that it is I myself, handle, and see: for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as you see me to have. And when he had said this, he shown them his hands and feet. But they yet not believing, and marveling for joy, he said, Have you here any thing to be eaten? But they offered him a piece of fish broiled, and a honey comb. And when he had eaten before them, taking the remains, he gave to them, And he said to them, These are the words which I spoke to you when I was yet with you, that all things must needs be fulfilled which are written in the Law of Moses, and the Prophets, and the Psalms, of me. Then he opened their understanding, that they might understand the Scriptures. And he said to them, That so it is written, and so it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise again from the dead the third day, and penance to be preached in his Name, and remission of sins unto all Nations. Moralities. 1. WE think sometimes that Jesus is far from us, when he is in the midst of our heart: he watches over us, and stretches out his divine hands for our protection. Let us live always as if we were actually in his presence, before his eyes, and in his bosom. An ancient Tradition doth observe, that after our Lord's Ascension, the Apostles did never eat together, but they left the first napkin, for their good Master conceiving that according to his promise, he was always with them: Let us accustom ourselves to this exercise of God's presence: It is a happy necessity to make us do well, to believe and apprehend that our Judge is always present. I frespect make him formidable, love will teach us that he is the Father of all sweetness. There can be no greater comfort in this world, then to be present in heart and body with that which we love best. 2. Jesus is taken by his Apostles for a Spirit, because after the Resurrection he pierced the walls, and appeared suddenly as Spirits do. Saint Paul also saith, in the second to the Corinthians, that now we do no more know Christ according to the flesh, that is to say, by the passions of a mortal body, as Saint Epiphanius doth expound it. We must make little use of our bodies to converse with our Jesus, who hath taken upon him the rare qualities of a spirit. We must raise ourselves above our senses when we go to the Father of light, and the Creaton● of sense. He teaches us the life of Spirits, and commerce of Angels, and makes assays of our immortality, by a body now immortal. Why are we so tied to our sense, and glued to the earth? Must we suffer ourselves to enter into a kingdom of death, when we are told of the resurrection of him, who is the Author of all lives? 3. Admire the condescending and bounties of our Lord to his dear Disciples. He that was entered into the kingdom of spirits, and immortal conversation, suffers his feet and hands to be touched, to prove in him the reality of a true body. He eats in presence of his Apostles, though he was not in more estate to digest meat, than the Sun is to digest vapours. He did no more nourish himself with our corruptible meats, than the Stars do by the vapours of the earth. And yet he took them to confirm our belief, and to make us familiar with him. It is the act of great and generous spirits to abase themselves, and condescend to their inferiors. So David being anointed King, and inspired as a Prophet, doth not show his person terrible in the height of his great glory, but still retained the mildness of a Shepherd. So jesus the true Son of David (by his condscending to us) hath consecrated a certain degree, whereby we my ascend to heaven. Are not we ashamed that we have so little humility or respect to our inferiors, but are always so full of ourselves; since our Lord sitting in his throne of Glory and Majesty, doth yet abase himself to the actions of our mortal life? Let it be seen by our hands whether we be resuscitated, by doing good works, and giving liberal alms: Let it appear by our feet that they follow the paths of the most holy persons. Let it be seen by our nourishment (which should be most of honey.) that is of that celestial sweetness which is extracted from prayer. And if we seem to refuse fish, let us at least remain in the element of piety, as fishes in water Aspirations. THy love is most tender, & thy cares most generous (O mild Saviour.) Amongst all the Torrents of thy Passion, thou hast not tasted the water of forgetfulness. Thou returnest to thy children as a Nightingle to her little nest: Thou dost comfort them with thy visits, and makest them familiar with thy glorious life. Thou eatest of a honey comb by just right, having first tasted the bitter gall of that unmerciful cross. It is thus, that our sorrows should be turned into sweets. Thou must always be most welcome to me in my troubles, for I know well that thou only canst pacify and give them remedy. I will govern myself toward thee as to the sire: too much near familiarity will burn us; and the want of it will let us freeze: I will eat honey with thee in the blessed Sacrament; I know that many there do chew, but few receive thee worthily. Make me O Lord) I beseech thee, capable of those, which here on earth shall be the true Antepasts to our future glory. The Gospel upon Low Sunday. Saint john the 20. THerefore when it was late that day the first of the Sabbaths, and the doors where shut, where the Disciples were gathered together for fear of the jews, jesus came and stood in the midst, and said to them, Peace be to you. And when he had said this, he shown them his hands and side. The Disciples therefore were glad when they saw our Lord He said therefore to them again, Peace be to you. As my Father hath sent me I also do send you. When he had said this, he breathed upon them, and he said to them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost; Whose sins you shall forgive, they are forgiven them; and whose you shall retain, they are retained. But Thomas, one of the twelve, who is called Didymus, was not with them when jesus came: the other Disciples therefore said to him, We have seen our Lord. But he said to them, Unless I see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the place of the nails, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe. And after eight days, again his Disciples were within, and Thomas with them. jesus cometh, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be to you. Then he saith to Thomas, Put in thy finger hither, and see my hands, and bring hither thy hand, and put it into my side, and be not incredulous, but faithful. Thomas answered and said to him, My Lord and my God: jesus saith to him, Because thou hast seen me, Thomas, thou hast believed: Blessed are they that have not seen, and have believed. Moralities. 1. JEsus the Father of all blessed harmonies (after so many combats) makes a general peace in all nature. He pacifieth Limbo, taking the holy Fathers out of darkness, to enjoy an eternal light, and sending the damned to the bottom of hell. He pacifies the earth, making it from thenceforth to breathe the air of his mercies. He pacifieth his Apostles, by delivering them from that profound sadness, which they conceived by the imaginary loss of their dear Master. He pacifieth Heaven, by sweetening the sharpness of his heavenly Father, quenching by his wounds, the fire which was kindled of his just anger. Every thing smileth upon this great Peacemaker: Nature leaveth her mourning, and putteth on her robes of cheerfulness, to congratulate with him his great and admirable conquests. It is in him that the heavenly Father (by a singular delight) hath poured out the fullness of all Graces, to make us an eternal dwelling, and to reconcile all in him and by him; pacifying by his blood from the Cross, all that is upon earth and in heaven. This is our josuah of whom the Scripture speaketh that he clears all difference, and appeaseth all battles. No stroke of any hammer or other iron, was heard at the building of Solomon's Temple; and behold the Church (which is the Temple of the living God) doth edify souls with a marvellous tranquillity. 2. The Sun is not so well set forth by his beams, as our Saviour is magnificently adorned, with his wounds. Those are the Characters which he hath engraved upon his flesh, after a hundred ingenious fashions. The Ladies count their pearls and diamonds, but our Saviour counts his wounds, in the highest attire of his Magnificences. It is from thence, that the beauty of his body, taketh a new state of glory, and our faith in the resurrection is confirmed: that the good, fill themselves with hope, Miscreants with terror, and Martyrs find wherewith to inflame their courage. These divine wounds open themselves as so many mouths, to plead our cause before the Celestial Father. Our Saviour Jesus never spoke better for us, then by the voice of his precious Blood. Great enquiry hath been made for those mountains of mirth & franking cence which Solomon promiseth in the Canticles, but now we have found them in the wounds of Jesus. It is from thence that there cometh forth a million of sanctified exhalations of sweetness, of peace and propitiation as from an eternal sanctuary. A man may say they are like the Carbuncle which melteth the wax upon which it is imprinted, for they melt our hairs by a most profitable impression. At this sight the eternal Father calms his countenance, and the sword of his justice returneth into the sheath. Shall not we be worthy of all misery if we do arm these wounds against us, which are so effectual in our behalf? And if this blood of our Abel (after it hath reconciled his cruel executioners) should find just matter to condemn us for our ingratitudes? john the second King of Portugal had made a secret vow, never to refuse any thing which should be asked of him in the virtue of our Saviour's wounds; which made him give all his silver vessels to a poor gentleman that had found out the word. And why should not we give ourselves to God, who both buyeth and requireth us by the wounds of Jesus? 3. Jesus inspireth the sacred breath of his mouth upon his Apostles, as upon the first fruits of Christianity: to repair the first breath, and respiration of lives, which the Author of our ●ace did so miserably lose. If we can obtain a part of this, we shall be like the wheels of Ezekiels mysterious chariot, which are filled with the spirit of life. That great Divine called Mathias Vie●na, said, that light was the substance of colours, and the Spirit of jesus is the same of all our virtues. If we live of his flesh, there is great reason we should be animated by his Spirit. Happy a 1000 times are they, who are possessed with the Spirit of Jesus, which is to their spirit as the apple of the eye. Saint Thomas was deprived of this amorous communication, by reason of his incredulity. He would see with his eyes, and feel with his hands, that which should rather be comprehended by faith: which is an eye blessedly blind: which knoweth all within its own blindness, & is also at hand, which remaining on earth, goeth to find God in Heaven. Aspirations. GReat Peacemaker of the world, who by the effusion of thy precious blood, hast pacified the wars of forty ages, which went before thy death. This word of peace hath cost thee many battles, many sweats and labours, to cement this agreement of Heaven and earth, of sense and reason, of God and man. Behold thou art at this present like the Dove of Noah's Ark, thou hast escaped a great deluge of passions, and many torrents of dolours thrown headlong upon one another. Thou bringest us the green Olive branch, to be the mark of thy eternal alliances. What? Shall my soul be so audacious and disordered as to talk to thee of war, when thou speakest to her of peace; To offer thee a weapon when thou offerest her the Articles of her reconciliation, signed with thy precious blood? Oh, what earth could open wide enough her bosom to swallow me, if I should live like a little Abiron, with a hand armed against Heaven, which pours out for me nothing but flowers and roses? Reign (O my sweet Saviour) within all the conquered powers of my soul, and within my heart, as a conquest which thou hast gotten by so many titles. I will swear upon thy wounds, which after they have been the monuments of thy fidelity, shall be the adored Altars of my vows & sacrifices. I will promise thereupon, inviolable fidelity to thy service. I will live no more but for thee since thou hast killed my death in thy life, and makest my life flourish within thy triumphant Resurrection. FINIS