The Virgin Mary was, as I have read, The House of God, by Christ inhabited; Into the which He entered, but, the door Once shut, was never to be open’d more.

The Jews their beds and offices of ease, Placed north and south for these clean purposes; That man’s uncomely froth might not molest God’s ways and walks, which lie still east and west.

So long, it seem’d, as Mary’s faith was small, Christ did her woman, not her Mary call; But no more woman, being strong in faith, But Mary call’d then, as St. Ambrose saith.

Sabbaths are threefold, as St. Austin says: The first of time, or Sabbath here of days; The second is a conscience trespass-free; The last the Sabbath of Eternity.

There is no evil that we do commit, But hath th’ extraction of some good from it: As when we sin, God, the great Chemist, thence Draws out th’ elixir of true penitence.

Paul, he began ill, but he ended well; Judas began well, but he foully fell: In godliness not the beginnings so Much as the ends are to be look’d unto.

Speak, did the blood of Abel cry To God for vengeance? Yes, say I, Ev’n as the sprinkled blood called on God for an expiation. Another The blood of Abel was a thing Of such a rev’rend reckoning, As that the old world thought it fit Especially to swear by it.

These temporal goods God, the most wise, commends To th’ good and bad in common for two ends: First, that these goods none here may o’er-esteem Because the wicked do partake of them; Next, that these ills none cowardly may shun, Being, oft here, the just man’s portion.

Sinners confounded are a twofold way, Either as when, the learned schoolmen say, Men’s sins destroyed are when they repent, Or when, for sins, men suffer punishment.

God’s present everywhere, but most of all Present by union hypostatical: God, He is there, where’s nothing else, schools say, And nothing else is there where He’s away. Hypostatical, personal.

God has four keys, which He reserves alone: The first of rain; the key of hell next known; With the third key He opes and shuts the womb; And with the fourth key he unlocks the tomb.

Christ never did so great a work but there His human nature did in part appear; Or ne’er so mean a piece but men might see Therein some beams of His Divinity: So that in all He did there did combine His human nature and His part divine.

One only fire has hell; but yet it shall Not after one sort there excruciate all: But look, how each transgressor onward went Boldly in sin, shall feel more punishment.

Is this a fast, to keep The larder lean? And clean From fat of veals and sheep? Is it to quit the dish Of flesh, yet still To fill The platter high with fish? Is it to fast an hour, Or ragg’d to go, Or show A downcast look and sour? No; ’tis a fast […]

Be those few hours, which I have yet to spend, Blest with the meditation of my end: Though they be few in number, I’m content: If otherwise, I stand indifferent. Nor makes it matter Nestor’s years to tell, If man lives long and if he live not well. A multitude of days still heaped on, […]

Those garments lasting evermore, Are works of mercy to the poor, Which neither tettar, time, or moth Shall fray that silk or fret this cloth. Tettar, scab.

Come to me, God; but do not come To me as to the General Doom In power; or come Thou in that state When Thou Thy laws did’st promulgate, Whenas the mountain quaked for dread, And sullen clouds bound up his head. No; lay Thy stately terrors by To talk with me familiarly; For if […]

Two instruments belong unto our God: The one a staff is and the next a rod; That if the twig should chance too much to smart, The staff might come to play the friendly part.

God is then said for to descend, when He Doth here on earth some thing of novity; As when in human nature He works more Than ever yet the like was done before.

Confession twofold is, as Austin says, The first of sin is, and the next of praise. If ill it goes with thee, thy faults confess: If well, then chant God’s praise with cheerfulness.