The Frst Day of the Moneth. Of the End of our Creation.

1. WE are created for God, God [Page 2]himself could create us for no other but him­self; and we should be­tray our selves if wee did not confesse this truth; our heart tels it us, and we cannot con­tradict it.

2. It is fit that every one should have his own: then let us be for God since we are his: if not, we bely our selves; for if we are not his Children under the love of his Bounty, we shall be his Slaves under the rigour of his Justice.

[Page 3]3. As then Bread which is made to nou­rish, the Sun to give light, the fire to warm, if they should refuse the office for which they were made, would bee as if they were not, or as Mon­sters in Nature, because every thing must tend to that end for which it was made, and cannot decline it without go­ing to its own destru­ction. So the Heart of Man which is only and essentially made for [Page 4]God, if it stray from him, or refuse to go to him, belies its essence, and becomes mon­strous, a scorn to the World, and to all rea­son.

4. Well then, do I carry my self like a Creature that is for none but God? Is my Heart and all my affe­ctions for him? Ah how few things do I, that I can say are truly and only doue for God! Ah, how much time is lost, how much [Page 5]reproach gotten in one day? What do you do upon the Earth, if you do not that for which you are there?

You must here renew your designe of seeking God onely, and your reso­lution to rob him of no­thing that appertaineth to him.

S. Aug. lib. 6. Con­fess. cap. 6. Oh intri­cate wayes of the World! Wo be to that audacious Soul, which presumes to hope that by leaving Thee, it may find any thing else which is bet­ter!

The II. Day. Of Sin.

1. O God, what is it it to lose Thee! To lose God [Page 7]an infinite good, is it nothing? Men that lose their goods by some accident, as by Fire or by Law, seeing them­selves reduced to beg­gery, are so troubled and afflicted therewith, that they lose their sense and grow despe­rate. Ah, what then will a soul do, that hath lost her God!

2. O Sin, too fami­liar, but unknown to Men; in play and di­vertisement to make our selves the object [Page 8]of the infinite wrath of God! God, so good, an Ocean of goodness, becometh to a sinner an infinite ill, and can­not but hate him infi­nitely; to hate [...] little, is to wish a little ill to a Man; to hate to death, is to wish death, and there it ends; but to hate to infinity! O God, what do we fear, if wee do not fear the dreadful hate of God!

3. See the horror of Sin in the sufferings of JESUS. What a spe­ctacle [Page 9]is there ! Yet the state of a Soul in sin is much more horrible then that of a God dy­ing on a Crosse; since that JESUS died to de­stroy sin, that he might no longer behold that which afflicts him more then Death: But alas, can I believe that God will spare mee, who delivered his Son over to such horrid pains?

After this you must make an act of Contri­tion, [Page 10]as well as you can, upon al the sins of yhour life past. We ought not to grieve for any thing else, for nothing else can Grief remedy.

Jerem. 2.19. Know therefore and see, that it is an evil thing and bit­ter that thou hast forsa­ken the Lord thy God, and that my fear is not in Thee, saith the Lord of Hosts.

The III. Day. Of Death.

1. HOw much must that soul appre­hend Death, which all its life time hath been [Page 12]an enemy to God! What regret, for ha­ving for fifty years of life, which is now past away as nothing lost Eternity!

2. If I stay so long, can I be assured to bee delivered from the in­sinite evils that over­whelm a soul which appears before God without repentance.

3. What then would I wish I had done? O God, the great folly of neglecting so long, and providing so late for a [Page 13]businesse of the great­est importance in the world! we dye as late as wee can; but wee should rather think how to die well then how to shun Death.

4. How shall I va­lue then those things which now I love, and esteem the mostin the world? Let us at pre­sent advise with death; he is faithful, he will not deceive us: What will become of this flesh, this money, this pleasure, this honour? [Page 14]How do we judg, what do wee think at our death? the living Man boasts, the dying Man cries. In life one e­steems the world, in death one despises it, who saith truest, which shall we believe, life or death? Whom shal we trust, this living man, or that dying? O the Tapers at our death enlighten all, unmask al! but the misfortune is, that it comes too late; we have not time to undeceive our selvs.

Think what it is that you should fear most, if you were to dye presently, and take order about it from that moment with­out deferring it; but a­bove al things frequent the Sacrament, and in it practise how to dye.

Tertul. l. de exhort. cast. c. 12. A Christian bath no morrow.

The IV. Day. Of the last Judgment.

1. OMy soveraign Judge, I must then one day shew my self before thy Tribu­nal, to receive accor­ding to the good or e­vil done in this life; I beleeve this truth more firmly then if the [Page 17]Trumpet had already sounded for the gene­ral raising of the dead.

2. What shal we say at the view of so many ill thoughts, of so ma­ny evil words, of so many years lost, of so many graces negle­cted, there where eve­ry thing shall be ac­counted for; every moment of time, even to the least sight, and nothing abated.

3. If wee did not know the judgement that shall bee in the [Page 18]other life upon al men, wee might bee excusa­ble; who doth not know it? Let us there­fore govern our selves after the judgement of God, and not after that of Man: For if our pre­sent judgement agree not with that our judg, what a trial must wee expect, what a dread­ful sentence! Go ye cur­sed depart from me, &c. Alas, whither Lord shall they go, who de­part from thee? to what refuge, to what [Page 19]Port shall they retire? In what part of the world may we dwell far from God? where can be that strange a­boad? Far from God, cursed of God: Alass!

Imagine that you were presented to God at the latter judgemnt: of what would you have most fear touching your conscience? Bethink your self.

S. Aug. Confess. 9.13. Wo be to Men who lead a commendable and exemplary life, if thou look upon it without mercy.

The V. Day. Of Hell.

1. IF we could hear by some vent, & lend an ear but a quar­ter of an hour to the groans and pitiful cries of the damned! In [Page 21]that bottomless pit, they confess their most secret sins; they sigh, they beat their breasts, their fast is perpetual, they do penance in flames, but too late. Pe­nance in this World is hard, but much more grievous in Hell.

2. The wicked rich man curseth and com­plaineth that so many thousand years his fer­vent thirst cannot ob­tain one drop of wa­ter: so small a matter, so long a while, and in [Page 22]so extream misery and in vain!

3. They are tormen ted one with another; and after judgement their bodies shall bee tumbled one upon a­nother, and thrown like coals into a fur­nace. They shall trans­mit the heat one to a­nother, in such man­ner, that by the com­mon oppression, every one shall burn in the flames of all.

4. Tel me, have you a breast-plate before [Page 23]your heart, able to withstand Gods fury? Tell me the secret that gives you this assu­rance? we are most of us as it were returned from Hell which wee have merited, at present where are we!

Make often this visit to the Damned;; see them; speak to them, and learn by their misery to fear God, and the danger wherein you are.

Luke 12.5. Fear him, who after he had killed, hath power to cast into Hell, yea I say unto you, Fear him.

The VI. Day. Of the Eternity of Hell.

1. TO have no com­pany but that of Devils, darkness, rage, dispair; and in a word, never to see God, ne­ver to have one drop of pleasure or release; [Page 25]what is this? Do I be­leeve it rightly? How do they who suffer it, apprehend it; alass I cannot endure the flame of a Candle one minute at my singer, what then will this be?

2. O Eternity! The time will come, that a damned person, after the succession of many ages, shall have shed more tears, though he should shed but one a day, more tears I say, then would make all the Rivers and Seas in [Page 26]the world: and when he hath done so; hee shall begin again a Hundred Thousand times, and shed as ma­ny more: not once one­ly, but as many times as there are sands in the Sea: and at the end of all this it shall bee accounted nothing; the pricking of a thorn though never so little, if it should last to eter­nity would be intole­rable: Alas then, &c.

3. Eternity, alwayes before their eyes, char­geth [Page 27]every one of their evils with al its weight, they count all the coals which shall burn them; all the fiery stripes which shall tear them, al the remorses of con­science which shall gnaw them, &c. Of all our tears (say they) might be made an O­cean, in comparison of which, all the Oceans in the world would be but a drop: Of all our flames a Furnace, &c. Of all our poysons, e­nough to destroy an [Page 28]infinity of lives: An Eternity to burn; an Eternity to weep; an Eternity to howl; an Eternity to rage, and rage, and rage, and ne­ver, never to behold the face of God.

See if you are in the condition of those who damn themselves, and leap smiling into the midst of the flames: if you have no fear you are very insensible; & if you have any, & yet provide not effectually against the future, you are a great Fool.

To perish once, is to perish ever.

The VII. Day. Of Paradise.

1. I Hope by the grace of GOD that a I shal see one day, & for ever, him whom whom my heart loves. My Lord that hath so tenderly loved me. Ah, we have but few dayes more of Exile and Pil­grimage, and then we [Page 30]shall be eternally with Jesus.

2. Paradise, that great word, the best of words! the assembly of all good things to be wished for, and that to Eternity! O what is that! What is the earth and all its weak allure­ments, in comparison of such vast and solid delights?

3. What matter is it that wee are here be­low, so that we bee e­ternally with God? Have I reason to com­plain, [Page 31]that for one mo­ment of pain I am made capable of an eternity of good with­out measure; O most happy eternity! O life eternal!

E cite in your self a very great desire of see­ing God, and suppress all the vain hopes of the World, and all fears of ills in this life, with the thoughts of Paradise.

S. Aug. in Psal. 26. Let your heart transcend all things visible, and let your intention tran­scend your usual carnal cogitations that arise out of corporeal sense and i­magination. Cast all this out of your minde; what­soever you meet with de­ny; say it is not that it seems, for if it had been that, it had not been pre­sented to me; so shall you desire some good as good, the best of al good, &c. That which is purely [Page 33]good, whereby all things are good, &c. This is that wherein the Lord delighteth; this is that we will contemplate.

The VIII. Day. Of Faith.

1. I Beleeve (my God) that I am of the true Church; the greatest of my joy is, [Page 34]that I hope by thy grace to dye therein: I would dye willingly with all Martyrs for a­ny one or the least of those truths she hath taught me, because they all invariably rest upon the authority of a God who cannot lye.

2. I make much more esteem of one truth of our faith, then of all Sciences and Maxims in the world, and that which it con­demnes I condemn ab­solutely, in despight of [Page 35]all the contradictions and repugnances that I meet with: I wil op­pose from hence for­ward upon all occasi­ons, where Faith in­structs me what I shall do; I will oppose this cursed world: God saith thus; God did say it; so I shal quiet al the interiour murmurs that trouble me, and I will follow faithfully this direction; O the great secret!

3. As for a particu­lar instance; the world [Page 36]saith this, and that, as that we must suffer no­thing, that we must set our selves out, &c. And what saith God, what doth my faith teach me? &c. My God encrease my faith! this is a prayer which thou wert wel pleased with­al, when thou wert up­on Earth, &c.

Say the Creed leasure­ly, as to make a solemn profession of Faith.

Tertul. de praescr. ad Haer. 14. Faith is ap­pointed for a rule, &c. Let Curiosity give place to Faith. To know no­thing beyond this, is to know all things

The IX. Day. Of trust in God.

1. SOoner shal Hea­ven and Earth pass away and be anni­hilitated, then God wil leave to protect a heart [Page 38]that trusts in him.

2. God nourisheth and defends to the ve­ry Snail, and least root of Grass; to Serpents, to Crows, and to his very Enemies; what then will his infinite bounty do to those that hope in him?

3. A Man will trust his health to a Physiti­an, his Process to a Lawyer; his life, if he be blind, to a Childe, and sometimes to a Dog that leads him; and a wise man some­times [Page 39]to his Horse, if he think that he knows the way, &c. And wee shall make a difficulty to trust our selves to the bounty & conduct of God.

4. The Crown of the Motives of our hopes, is the example and love of Jesus. Let us therefore with him repose our trust in the communications of his heart to his Father: And since he is wholly with us and for us in this union, and under [Page 40]this shelter, what can we fear?

Examine here your heart, to see if truly it conside in the bounty of God, and in the merits of Jesus Christ, and if wee have confidence worthy of two such strong up­holds.

S. August. Tract. 49. in Joan. 11. Behold, O Lord, he whom thou lo­vest is become infirm; it is enough that thou know it, for thou doest not love and leave.

The X. Day. Of love to God.

1. IF God could have given us any thing more then his life and himself, without doubt he would have given it us; and is not our love dear enough, that is bought at this price?

2. To what end should I distract my heart, in pursuit of so many created goods? [Page 43]let us satisfie our selves once and for ever with the love and possession of God; If it be just to love a mean finite goodness, why should I not love a beauty & goodness infinitely a­miable? For being in­finite doth it cease to be amiable?

3. Hee commands me to love him with al my heart: do I com­prehend this obligati­on rightly? hee that saith al, leaves nothing: and whatsoever part I [Page 44]give, if I give not all, I give not that he asks: and hee doth not hold himself loved, think we that we should love him, like a Husband, like a wife, like a child, like a friend, like our selves, like the goods of the world which we love with so much pas­sion? O what compa­rison!

4. If Eternity could have an end, there could not be too much of Hel in the judgment of the Devils them­selves, [Page 45]to obtain this inestimable grace of loving God. Ah, of the damned there is not one, but at the ex­pence of dying eternal­ly if he could, or at the expence of suffering in time all he should suf­fer in all Eternity, but would think after this that he obtained God at an easie rate; and at present he is mine, and I may love him; what right, and what power!

Apprehend rightly here the infinite merit of God, and make it al your whole study to love him above al things, and dis­avow al other love.

S. Aug. Confess. 13.8. Thee it is that I love, and if that love of mine be too little, do thou make it more, &c. This I know, that I am never well but in thee, not one­ly in things without my self, but even within my self; and all that abun­dance which is not my God himself, is to me but extream poverty.

The XI. Day. Of our acknowledgment to Christ.

1. NEver was any thing bought so dearly as my soul: and though I did not belong to God as my Creator, yet I should to Jesus as my Redee­mer; Satan and all his Creatures clemand vē ­geance for my crimes; he rather harkened to the voice of his own [Page 49]heart, that said unto him, he should have pity of me, and hath redeemed mee; I am truly his; his servant; the use of all that I am belongs to him; he is the King of my goods, of my sense, of my soul, of all; I avow with my whole heart this dependance.

2. Then what a hor­rible deplorable shame will it be, for him that appears before the tri­bunal of Iesus, having lived threescore yeers [Page 50]in quality of his ser­vant, not to be able to produce one day, nay perhaps not one good hour of faithful ser­vice: not able to say that hee hath truly lo­ved him: what wil then become of me?

3. I give a Dog a bone that to mee is worth nothing, for this nothing he flatters me and keeps to me, and doth mee a thousand services: Iesus gives me his heart, his blood, his life, and all his trea­sures, [Page 51]and I am insensi­ble of it: Learn, learn ingrateful, see thy Dog, thy Iudge, go to school to thy Dog, he may be thy Master, to instruct thy reason and inform thy heart.

4. Finally, there is not one hour, nor one moment in which wee are not indebted to Ie­sus Christ for an eter­nity of good, or for preserving us from fal­ling and losing it, and for giving us grace to obtain it: were not hee [Page 52]worse then a bruit beast, that would not esteem these things, & thank and love him?

Examine seriously, if in your heart there is a true love to Iesus: and what assurances you have of it. If there is none, what are you? How hard!

S. Aug. Ep. 52. Of that Wisdom which alone is true, what I have, I have from God, &c. Not incredulous of that which he hath not given, nor unthankful for that which he hath given.

The XII. Day. Of Conformity to the wil of God.

1. THat which GOD wills or permits, is willed, permitted, & done, out of a most particular designe of his glory, and with re­sentments of infinite goodness towards us. I beleeve this (O my God) most firmly: And how can it bee o­therwise: [Page 55]that thou shouldst bee (as thou art) our most dear Fa­ther, if thou didst use us otherwise?

2. All things should be alike to us in God; why should not wee loye even his Iudge­ments, which are good and amiable? why should we separate our selves from them by bitter thoughts, which make us afraid, and to them are injurious? Let us put our selves on his side, and his [Page 56]judgements will please us; our disquiet comes from this, that we will that God be, and our selves also: there must be but one, God, and wee in him. To will this, and will that, as if it were ours and our business, is to make something of our selvs besides God; that will must perish; there must bee none but that of God.

3. I will then onely what God wils; I have nothing to say or ex­cept [Page 57]against any thing in the world: all is to my liking: see, am I more wise, more clear of sight, and better then God who governs all? I am on his side: I will never say, O un­happy time, it is too hot, it is too cold: all things praise God, why should I find fault? What is it to me? My little Bark is not so difficult to steer; and if it were, God could well manage it, she wil get to the Haven in [Page 58]spight of the tempest. to conclude what ever happens, though hee should take the sword to kill me, I know his hand is guided by his heart, and that heart loves me: ought I not therefore to live con­tent?

Put your self in the posture that is requisite to conform your self to the wil of God. But give it not over til you finde your heart turned [Page 59]straight and even to­wards him, and in quiet.

S. Aug. in Psal. 122. He onely securely plea­seth, who pleaseth God; and who is it that plea­seth God? He that is pleased with God.

The XIII. Day. Of Imitation of Christ.

1. NO Man that is predestinated but ought to wear the Livery of Iesus Christ: and above all, his Hu­mility and Cross: Our eternal Father hath set him before us as a Pat­tern: Though I should have all other perfecti­ons that can be imagi­ned, if I have not this, I [Page 61]cannot please him; this is a necessity undispen­sable: He that is not for him, is against him.

2. But what a mise­ry is it, and how de­plorable, that so many souls study the fashi­ons of the world to conform themselves to them, and so few cast their eyes upon the in­comparable Model of al vertues Iesus Christ! We should be Images of him; Ah, the Image, if it were capable of sence, would it not bee [Page 62]ashamed, not to be like its Prototype?

3. What wrong do we do the Son of God: to his Wisdom, as if he could not choose the best life? to his Good­ness, as if he should counsel us to that which is the worst? to his Power, as if he had commanded us, with­out fortifying our weakness? what a re­proach is it, to have Iesus go before us, and hardly one follow him?

[Page 63]4. O what shal I say at the day of judgement, when I shall come to bee conferred with my Law and my Pattern Iesus? When my life shall be compared with his; his Humility with my Pride: his Wounds with my Delicacy; his Sweetnesse with my Anger? &c. Ah what a Monster! a Christian without Christianity, the Slave of the Devil, under the Character of the Cross!

Wel! I must choose [Page 64]one of these to bee my rule, either my own sancie, or Iesus: wee cannot live with both, and we cannot live without both: what choice shal we make?

See if there appear in you any resemblance of the Son of God: if hee that looks on you would take you for a Disciple of Jesus Christ: The same way that the Head hath gone, the other parts of the Body must follow: If [Page 65]the Head go in at the Gate, the Arm goes not in at the Window.

Iohn 12.26. If any Man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be.

The XIV. Day. Of Love to our Neigh­bour.

1. Who loves not his Neigh­bour cannot say truly that he loves God: if we do all, and not love our Brethren, wee do nothing: all the devo­tions in the World without that, are but deceit.

2. This is my com­mandment [Page 67](said Iesus our most amiable Sa­viour,) that you love one another as I have loved you. Though there were nothing to be loved in all persons in the world, but the cordial desire thou hast that I should love thē, O Iesus I would love them with al my heart! But besides this, they are all thy Children, all proceeding from thy bosom: I were ve­ry nice if I did not love that which thou cheri­shest [Page 68]shest more then thy self or life.

3. Do I love my Neighbours (truly without exception of any) as Iesus loves us? that is to say, to be rea­dy to give my life for them and my own goods, &c. This devo­tion is very rare: this is that which is proper to Iesus and his Gospel.

Endeavour to possesse your soul with such affe­ctions as Jesus Christ [Page 69]hath for all souls: to love them with tendernesse, and not to have an in­difference for any.

S. Aug. Serm. 42. de Temp. If thou love all mankind as thy self, there wil remain no gate for Sin to enter into thee.

The XV. Day. Of Love towards Ene­mies.

1. GOD did so love the world (though it was his mortal Enemy) that he gave his only Son in testimony of his Love, even to the ter­rible death of the cross. [Page 71]What a prodigious love was this? do I tru­ly believe it?

2. Upon this JESUS commanded me, that for love of him I should love my Ene­mies: to this example & command what can I answer?

3. As I forgive, God will forgive me, & not otherwise; I must then either hate my self or pardon others: thus I am obliged by all Mo­tives that can be ima­gined to wish well to [Page 72]my Enemies; after all these reasons and allu­rements can our Ene­mies be so odious in our sight? Shall wee renounce God our selves, and all, or shall we love them?

4. Two Christians, Enemies, seem as if they were not of the same flock, nor of the same Religion; for what means is there to unite under the obe­dience of one Law two souls that are rent a­sunder? And to joyn [Page 73]together in one belief at the same altar two hearts, whose approach to one another is mor­tal, their sight killing, & their remembrance execrable? we are not allowed to hate any but the Devils and the damned, who hate one another.

Examine well if you have no bitterness to­wards any: & never suf­fer that cursed passion to take root in you. There [Page 74]is no greater signe of re­probation, then not to forgive; a soul that hath this mark, is marked for Hell.

S. Aug. c. 74. En­chirid. If you forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses, Mat. 6. He whom this great thunder awakes not, is not asleep [...], but dead.

The XVI. Day. Of Example.

1. IL example hath damned an infi­nite number of Soules. If we could search hel, we should hardly finde any but say, such a Man or such a Woman hath damned mee; what an account! wee are commanded to love our Enemies, why then should we massa­cre [Page 76]souls that do us no hurt?

2. They who have destroyed any, had best look to their conscien­ces; we scarce ever see such come to a happy end: what can we hope of Jesus Christ, having ravished from his hands and his heart that which cost him so dear?

3. O. Fathers and Mothers! it were bet­ter that your Children had been stifled, or that they had never [Page 77]been, then to have had you for Parents, and for Masters, who in­stead of life have given them death, eternal death by your exam­ple! when they shall accuse you of their loss of Paradise at the day of Judgement, what will you answer?

4. Let us put on Je­sus Christ saith S. Paul, that we may be known by his Livery, so as all that see us may re­member him; at pre­sent Jesus is dishonou­red, [Page 78]and as it were de­spizable in the impuri­ty of his Images; he is disfigured in his Mem­bers; Christians show themselves no longer Christians; to see them one would take them to be clean contrary to what they are. O my God pardon mee the sins of others which I have been cause of, and grant that henceforth none of my actions may contribute to the damnation of any.

Consider whether you do any thing, the sight whereof may make an ill impression upon others? Are not our own sins e­nough? Let us not make our selves guilty of the sins of others.

Salvian. lib. 4. de Provid. He who by sin­ning causeth others to blaspheme, is guilty of a crime above humane limits.

The XVII. Day. Of distrusting our selves.

1. THE greatest Saints, that de­fied Tyrants and per­secutions, have trem­bled onely at the thought of the estate of their heart before God; whereof they saw not any thing. They have been heard to sigh and sob at the hour of [Page 81]death in expectation of the dreadfull sentence of Gods justice upon the estate of their con­science, not knowing what they were, not what should become of them. And I, alas, &c.

2. But our frailty is much more extream then our ignorance; there is no creature be it never so little, that cannot encamp before our heart, assail it, make a breach in it, and take it. One sigh, one [Page 82]tear, one penny, &c. Man of himself with­out staying to be sum­moned or assaulted is very ready to run to his ruine; becomes all eyes to deceive him­self, all hands to en­slave himself: is be­trayed by those very actions which he doth to secure himself: what is Man but a Man? Lock up a Glass in a Trunk, it will be there a thousand yeers with­out breaking; but shut up a Man as long as [Page 83]you please, you shall never hinder him from falling & losing him­self: see if you have studied as much as is necessary, to know you are your own Enemy?

3. To adde to our weakness, our selves raise engines against our selves, all our sen­ces and passions are continually employed in secret conspiracies. And they whom per­secutions and tempta­tions could not over­throw, have found in [Page 84]themselves an enemy that hath destroyed them. So that we are more prevalent against our selves then Ty­rants and Devils: and we should in some sort fear our selves more then we fear God: we should be more afraid of our own weaknesse then of the infinite power of God. The Angels fell: Adam sin­ned: Judas betrayed, and S. Peter renounced his Master. Hostus fell into Sensuality, Tertul­lian [Page 85]into Heresie, Ori­gen into Idolatry. O be alwayes in fear of your self.

Here you must make provision against dan­gerous occasions.

Micah 6. 14. Thy casting down shall be in the midst of thee.

The XVIII. Day. Of care of our salvation.

1. O What great fools were the Caesars, the Pompeys, the Alexanders, the Prin­ces, the great ones of the world, that de­stroyed so many lives, spilt so much blood, and those at present who spare none, leave nothing unexecuted to acquire a little vain ho­nour, [Page 87]&c. And have neither the wit nor courage to save them­selves. What doth it profit a Man to gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?

2. All Creatures [...]re made to further our salvation: So that as many drops as there are in the Sea, &c. as many crumbs of bread as I eat, are so many obligations to my sal­vation, all this being made for the good of my soul: And from [Page 88]the very moment that a Man ceaseth to work for his salvation, the Sun should bee eclip­sed, the Heavens should give over their moti­on, &c. All Creatures cease to be profitable to the World for us, when wee make them unprofitable to this end.

3. And for the most part we aim at nothing lesse; wee will do all, and do all very well, and save all but our own souls; this ground [Page 89]must be ploughed, this money put out to inte­rest; we would have al thrive and do well, and wee complain of all losses but this; we find by our account great expences laid out upon our bodies and the world, so much for a garment, so much for a Feast, and nothing for our salvation; and if our soul were not ours, as if it were the soul of one of our mortal enemies; so ill we use it; or rather as [Page 90]if it were the soul of some beast, which hath onely sence and appe­tite, not pretending to any thing further. Nay some there are who are afraid (one would imagine) of being sa­ved; so unwilling they are to think of it, to be touched by God, to endeavour it; what bruitishness!

4. We must make accompt but of two things in the world; to love God and our own salvation; and who [Page 91]doth not, is as mad as unhappy: If I had two souls, said Benedict the fourth, I would give one for Philip, (a King who asked something of him against his con­science,) but having but one I will not lose it.

Search whether your desire of salvation be ab­solute or imperfect. A traveller that when hee should go on the right hand goes on the left &c.

Salvian l. 3. ad vales. What madness is it to undervalue your own souls, which even the Devil accounts precious? &c. They who neglect their soules, have lesse e­steem of themselves then the Devil hath.

The XIX. Day. Of the presence of God.

1. THE eyes of God consider mee at present and alwayes, as attentively as if I were alone in the world; yea he is in me, and every where like an infinity of eyes, an infinity of ears, an infinity of un­derstandings; he seeth with the same sight wherewith he compre­hendeth [Page 94]himself, and with as strong an ap­plication of spirit, as if he left the contempla­tion of himself to reach me with all his beams, to study the depth of me, and to compre­hend me: I believe this; I adore God who is present with me, sear­ching the bottom of my soul!

2. Ah, it is a thou­sand times more shame for me that my disloy­alties are seen by God, then if they were re­presented [Page 95]upon all the threatres in the world, and in an assembly of a Million of Kings, his onely sight and appro­bation or condemna­tion is more to be va­lued then the judge­ments of all Creatures together: Ah, that we should nevertheless so much fear the eyes of the world, & not those of God!

3. Then, when we would offend him, let ut find Curtains to hide us from his eyes; [Page 96] [...]or if he see us, ah what [...]mpudence is it to con­ [...]pire against him, be­ [...]ore him, and by him­ [...]elf, and in his bosome, [...] the place where hee [...]rms and pronoun­ [...]eth actually the sen­ [...]ence of my Predesti­ [...]ation or Reprobati­ [...]n? Were not I out [...]ut of my wits and de­ [...]perate? O the great [...]ye of God; hee sees [...]s, let us bee upon our Guard.

Endeavour to accu­stome [Page 97]your self to this pi­ous contemplation, of the presence of God. To re­spect and love the eyes of God is the mark of a pre­destinated Person.

S. Aug. Serm. 46. De verb. Dom.

If thou wilt sin, seek out a place where God may not see thee, and do what thou wilt.

The XX. Day. Of the account we must give of Gods graces

1. WE have not the least sence of God and of our salvation which JHSUS bought not with his blood, and re­quested especially for us of his Father, when he gave up his soul on the Cross. Consider hereupon what obliga­tion [Page 99]we have to make good use of it, we ma­nage his designs and traffick with his blood.

2. Yea, we are in­debted to God for all the Graces which hee intended to have given us, if we had not hin­dred him: we are obli­ged to him, since the fault was not his; the Sun shines, we shut our windows, we are no [...] the less beholding t [...] him for his light.

3. It may be tha [...] this ten or twent [...] [Page 100]years God hath inspi­red me with things that I have not yet had the heart to execute: So long at the School of the Holy Ghost and to have learnt nothing yet? So often sollici­ted, touched, threat­ned, and to have done nothing? Let us re­member that God is a Creditour whom none can make Bankrupt: and though he do not constrain us so soon to the payment of all our debts, hee will ask us [Page 101]interest for them: and besides there is a mea­sure which being filled to the top, God will withdraw himself: A­lass, when we would we shall not then be a­ble!

If our souls be pure never so little, and the ear of our heart atten­tive, God never ceaseth to speak to us: Hearken now what he demands of you, and execute it.

S. Greg. lib. 18. Mor. c. 7. God first cal­leth mildly, then rebu­keth terribly, and lastly, damns irrevocably.

The XXI. Day. Of Fervour.

1. LEt us have such desires as God hath, of our advance­ment: God is alwayes soliciting us, without omitting any moment or the least occasion to furnish us (out of his infinite affection) with all things needfull for our progress in his [Page 104]love; Is it not a mon­strous poorness of spi­rit to cool in the midst of so many flames.

2. When I work coldly, I profess that God doth not merit much, and that his re­compences are slight matters; what can we think of a Master whom his servants e­ven in his presence ne­glect to serve.

3. One act done for God, be it never so lit­tle, is worth more then all the Victories and [Page 105]Triumphs of Alexan­ders and Caesars, and of all the Men in the world. In this employ­ment therefore you must stir up your self with honour and cou­rage.

4. Sin surmounts all in this life, outbraves all, subsists even in the flames of Hell without altering or consuming; what an abominable constancy? The ser­vants of the Devil, of what stamp are they, not to spare themselvs [Page 106]not to complain, what­soever they suffer for offending God, and for the World, and never to change; Ah Hel shal be my School and my Academy, to love God as the Devils hate him, is it too much? To serve God as they do the Devil and the World; is not this pattern reasonable.

Question those actions wherein you are most re­miss, and stir up your self to do them better.

Isaiah 31.6. Turn ye unto him from whom the Children of Israel have deeply revolted.

The XXII. Day. Of the use of the Sacra­ment.

1. THE Sacra­ments are the Fountaines of Grace, the most neces­sary and important that concern our sal­vation, and when wee abuse them, we ren­der [Page 109]our salvation im­possible.

2. How comes it that there are so many Communions, which make so little change in hearts? To dip so of­ten in the blood of Je­sus, to eat that divine food, and nevertheless to live alwayes in the same languishments in the service of God, the same ties to the world? No vertues? Thou hast these ten years confes­sed the same sin, &c. after a thousand con­fessions [Page 110]not to have pluckt away one hair of vanity.

3. O without doubt the fault cannot come from Iesus, next the bosome of his Father: he hath no retreat more agreeable then our Hearts; and he com­municates himself to us, with infinite desire to do us good; there­fore there cannot but be an invincible resi­stance on our part, or some malignant He­ctick-Feavour which [Page 111]renders us incurable; we approach the Sa­crament without puri­ty, without apprehen­sion, without great de­sires, without generous resolutions, without care to hear God, and to apply his graces to opportunities and oc­casions.

He that hath com­municated but once, hath done that for which he is in this life; I have done it so often, what hath Iesus Christ operated in my soul? [Page 112]Let us reflect a little seriously upon our selves: Ah, Lord, why shouldst thou spil the divine unction of thy blood upon a heart so hardned? What hor­rour, when we must make amends to the blood of Jesus Christ, and pay the interest of that infinite debt? And instead of eating the fruit of life, wee shall find that we have eaten our own judgement, and incorporated our selves in eternal dam­nation.

He that hath commu­nicated worthily, is strong enough to sustain Martyrdome; Do you finde such courage in your self: Examine the most notable defects of your Communions.

S. Aug. Hom. 49.50. To Penitents I say, What doth it profit you that you are humbled, if you be not changed.

The XXIII. Day. Of our condition of life and employment.

1. WE are here by the wil of God, let us be well perswa­ded to that, and at pre­sent we can do nothing more agreeable to God, then to acquit our selves well of our obligations and char­ges; it is the work of [Page 115]the Lord, cursed be he that doth it negligent­ly.

2. One of the great­est unhappinesses in the world is the loss of time; the time of this life is so short, our last hour is so near, and for all that we live with as little care, and as un­profitably, as if this life would never have an end, or as if we had no­thing else to do.

3. Alas, if a damned person had but one moment of the many [Page 116]that I lose, how would he profit by it! as many minutes as I let slip fruitlesly, so many blessed eternities I might gain: wee omit no occasion to divert or accomodate our selves, and we neglect the great employment of time for Heaven.

4. The day that is best spent, is not that wherein you have gai­ned most, as to the In­terest of the World, but that wherewith God is best pleased, so [Page 117]order it, that at what hour so ever you meet with any one, if he ask what you do, you may say, I work for God. and for my soul, I gain my living, eternall life.

Renew the principal intentions of the state of your life, and remember that every action which is not conformable to the will of God, or done for him, is at least of no value.

Not how long, but how well.

The XXIV. Day. Of Suffering.

1. What a sweet ease it is to our pains to be assure that no ill comes unto us, but God our good Father opens the door for it; and that it is for our good! Let us then chang the names of things, let us speak no more after the fashion of the [Page 120]world, afflictons should not now be cal­led miseries, since they come from so good a friend, and conduct us to felicity, they cease to be afflictions, and put on the nature of that good whereunto they lead.

2. Ah! what do wee think we are Christians to be rich, to make a show and take our pleasures? there needed not for this any Chri­stianity, nor that God should come down [Page 121]upon the earth & shed so many tears, so much blood: there needed no more then to let the World go on; the world, without any thing else; to let loose opinion, passion, &c. A Christian is a Chri­stian under another form of life; and un­less he renounce his Baptism, and the Go­spel, and bely his faith, hee must resolve to humble himself to suf­fer, &c.

3. But in what Chri­stian [Page 122]Countrey is that profession made: the Gospel speakes, reade; nothing more express; the Books of all Saints what say they? Yet this now seems an un­known barbarous lan­guage, no more under­stood then that of In­dians, who run to Mar­tyrdom and triumph in Persecutions; but we must blot that Arti­cle out of the Gospel of Europe, it is very little now in use: See! our felicity is to weep [Page 123]to suffer; who believes it, &c.

Endeavour to put your heart into this dis­position, oblige it to love your crucified Lord, to account all dayes of vain delight, dayes of Re­probation, to fear no­thing so much, as that God should give over afflicting you.

Matth. 10.38. He that taketh not his Cross and followeth after me, is not worthy of me.

The XXV. Day. Of Almes.

1. VVHat an infi­nite favour thou hast done us, O Jesus, in substituting the poor of this Word in thy place, to whom we may do good as to thy self: The naked re­present thy nakedness, the prisoners the bands wherewith thou wert [Page 126]bound, the sick thy cruel pains; Let us look upon them so; Ah, who would not see them willingly in this precious relation. If we love the Son of God, let us not shew our selves strange to him in his Images.

2. O happinesse without comparison: That I can give with my own hand to Jesus a piece of bread, a piece of silver, a garment; that I can give him a good word; I resolve [Page 127]that I wil give almes in this sence & no other­wise, and I will consi­der that in refusing it, I refuse it to Jesus Christ, who will have cause enough one day to blame me for it.

3. As on the con­trary at the day of judgement when Iesus shall see himself cloth­ed in my clothes, in a poor indigent person, comforted in one that is sick, lodged in a stranger, when he shall wear my clothes, hold [Page 128]my money, my bread in his hand, what can he say to himself oppo­sed to himself? He that is mercifull shall have mercy.

Here you must exa­mine whether you dis­charge your obligation towards the poor in this point; whether you give what you can, and as wel as you can.

Iames 2.13. He shal have judgement with­out mercy, who hath shewed no mercy.

The XXVI. Day. Of humane respects.

1. THE World speakes; speech is but a little noise, which at the worst on­ly hurts the Ear, and kills not; let a hundred thousand in the world speak; can they hinder you from being reaso­nable, or dispence with your obligation to fol­low [Page 131]the rule of your Conscience? A holy action is propounded, will you suffer your self to be reduced to that pass, that you shall not dare to do good, for fear Fools should say that you are wise? What will they say? This is the Drum and the Trumpet of antichrist in the world, which scandals and carries a­way all souls: Take heed to your self.

2. To blush at the doing of a good thing [Page 132]for fear of what the world will say! nothing is more contrary to Christianity which wears the Cross in her forehead, and is holily confident: To profess a Religion, of which they that are of it are ashamed? And to take rules of life, maxims from the world, the Enemy of Iesus Christ is not this to renounce our faith, and to de­clare our selves Apo­states to the Gospel? That being wicked, we [Page 133]are not afraid to ap­pear such; that the meanest Artisans make open profession of their Trades, and yet we are ashamed in the very heart of the Church to appear Christians.

3. Have you any thing my adorable Sa­viour of which we may be ashamed? Is your name infamous? They are not ashamed of be­ing Adulterers, Blas­phemers, nay they boast of it, yet is it a [Page 134]reproach to your ser­vants to declare that they are yours; Oh, whatsoever they say this is true, the most honest Man in the world, is he, that is the greatest servant of God.

Search all the corners of your soul, to see if this Bug-bear, the World, affright you.

Luke 9.26. Whoso­ever shall he ashamed of of mee, and of my words, of him shall the Son of Man be ashamed when he shall come in his own glory.

The XXVII. Day. Of not deferring.

1. I Defer too long to give my self to God, as if I endeavo­red to escape out of his hands: is it a misfor­tune to bee his? To morrow; to morrow; why not now? Is it a shame to give over a [Page 137]shamefull life? and this hour, is it not a good one to make so happy an end? The morrow when it is come, will it not bee like to day? And the heart of to morrow will it bee stronger then the heart of to day? O, it is ei­ther very blinde, or ve­ry ill disposed!

2. What is it that makes me afraid, that I defer so long to fol­low the voice which calleth mee? If there be any thing to be fea­red, [Page 138]is it not the delay and remisness where­with I requite the Ho­ly Ghost, and my a­buse of so long a pa­tience: There is a great deal of difficulty in changing our life to the better; I will do it; but can that bee reasonable, an excuse for a Christian who adores a crucified God, and hopes for a Para­dise?

3. To defer? is the future mine? Is it a bottom whereof I am [Page 139]master? God stayes for me, it is true, this is in the holy Scrip­ture; but how long I shall live, and how soon I shall dye, that is not; hee hath not promised me so much as the morrow; and if he had, should I fear, beginning to day, to have a day more of good life? wee must have no Buts. Let us do sin no more the ho­nour to excuse it, and to say that it is reaso­nable; nor God the [Page 140]wrong to avouw, that he merits our heart to day, yet put him off to the morrow.

Examine what there is that you have refused God a long time; to say I will, I will mend, and not to do it, is to be ver­tuous in imagination, and vitious in effect.

S. Aug. lib. 3. de lib. arb. This is the most just punishment of sin, that he who when he hath power will not doe well, when he would, should lose that power.

The XXVIII. Day. Of the Passion of our Lord.

1. AH my good Master, is not the rigorous justice of God weary of taking vengeance of my sins upon your person, e­qually innocent and adorable, even to the drawing of the last [Page 143]drop of blood out of your veins; and as for me, I shall be infensi­ble and stupid, yet my continued sins, and neglect of correcting my self, not weary out your mercy. It is time that I belong to none but thee, and that my conversion be constant; there is a term to thy benefits, as well as to the number of my sins.

2. They tye him feet and hands to a pil­lar, which they force [Page 144]him to embrace: Ah my Saviour, cries S. Augu­stine, what sweet dying it were in thy arms! why doest thou not embrace me, and I thee, that thou mightest have been my Pillar, and I might have received the stripes? How many wounds! one wound covers a­nother; blood on the Whips, blood on the garments of the Exe­cutioners, blood on their hands, in the air, on the ground; my on­ly Saviour, are not my [Page 145]sins laid upon thy shoulders? Is it not hither that thou carri­est the burthen of my crimes?

3. What said hee whilst this storm of blows was discharged upon his back; I will Father; I am here in the place of a sinner; I do not repent it; who ever saw the like Phisitian; to give his life for his Patient? He conside­red all Men; what drop (Oh my Saviour) didst thou destine for [Page 146]me, during the effusion of thy precious blood? Is it possible that I was then in thy thoughts?

We must not think that the only Son of God did resigne himself to such excesse of torment, that we might resigne our selves to pleasure; if I cannot be crucified, I will at least dwel under the shadow of the Crosse, steeping my pleasures in his pains.

Isaiah 53.4. He hath born our griefs, and car­ried our sorrows.

The XXIX. Day. Of the Son of God as Saviour.

1. IF you had been present at his Crucifixion, you had seen the fairest and most innocent of all Men dye, condemned not only by the judge­ment of Earth, but of Heaven for your sake; [Page 150]what thought then would have moved your heart? Infinite Majesty, why didst thou not stay in thy in­accessible light? what need hadst thou of Men, and of me in par­ticular, whom thou hast brought thrust out of nothing by thy breath? Why doest thou not blow them back again into no­thing if they are un­worthy of thee? Is not this a new Subject for thy anger? Thou ma­dest [Page 151]us so excellent O eternal Father, and we bring thee to this sad condition: Ah, it is without question be­cause he will bear the title of Saviour before that of Judge: He will have me to be the fruit and conquest of so many torments; Oh how dear art thou to me in this estate? Since it is by this that thou hast shown mee so much love, how dear I am to thee! But shall I ever be thee and thou me?

[Page 152]2. My Saviour permit me not to have any o­ther judge then thy self; since thou know­est the price of my Soul, thou hast sum­med it up, thou hast paid for it: my onely Redeemer suffer mee not to bee engaged in that unhappy eternity where thou art not lo­ved, where thy holy Name is blasphemed, where in a word thou art no more acknow­ledged a Saviour.

3. Shall I be so mi­serable [Page 153]as to be told one day, since the blood of God was not profitable to thee in thy life, it shall never be profitable to thee? Though the blood of the Son of God profit me nothing, yet will the Creatures at least profit mee? No, no­thing at all, It is true, can it be possible that I shall one day be told, that through my own fault, for a trifle, for a moment, my Saviour shall be no more my [Page 154]Saviour, but changed eternally into my Pu­nisher; the mildest and most patient of al men towards all others, shal become justly terrible and irreconcileable to me: The Lamb shall be turned into the Li­on; what an eternal change! never more shall I call him my Sa­viour.

Such as I mean to have him to eternity, such I must endeavour to have him during life.

Tertul. contra Mar­cionem. The first good­ness of God is according to Nature, the latter Se­verity, according to the Cause.

The XXX. Day. Of fidelity to God.

1. GOD hath not delivered you once onely from great danger: from how ma­ny perils which might have destroyed your soul or your body, you know: hath hee brought you up and [Page 158]consecrated you as one of his eyes, to the end that you might do him most dishonour, dedi­cating to the World, & to the service there­of, that which he loves most dearly? God cannot endure that his servants should go to another Master; what dislike have you found of God? hath not he enough to satisfie your heart, without seek­ing wherewithall to fill it amongst his E­nemies?

[Page 159]2. In a miserable condition is a soul greatly advanced, from which God with­drawes himself, and saith to it for ever, thou pleasest mee no more.

3. You know the design of God upon you; would you be re­bellious? Hee doth you a great deal of ho­nour to make use of you; should you give to others that which God hath designed and reserved for him­self? [Page 160]By the experience you have of his con­duct, do you find it ill? do you retreat? Have you forgotten your fidelity? You re­member to keep it well to Men who passe a­way, but the God of to day is the God of E­ternity: How great are the designs of God upon us if you do not hinder them? And you are an enemy to your self if you do.

4. Enter generously into the designs of [Page 161]God, and go nobly whither you are cal­led; to God, to God, who doth you the fa­vour to tell you that he loves you with the love, wherewith hee loves the children of Election: do nothing unworthy the love of God and of Jesus, knowing how good he is to you: One good faithful soul alone is worth a Million whose languishing lives are interwoven with relap­ses & penitencies, with life & death.

It had been better to have never known God, then having known him, to forsake him. As long as he loves that which he gives, he will hate those who despise his gifts.

Tertul. de Poenitent. It is dangerous to de­spise a benefit which is known; he refuseth the giver, who casts away the gift.