Passion Sunday The Gospel John. 6.v.1 Friday Meditation


GOSPEL (John 8:46-59) 
At that time, Jesus said to the crowds of the Jews, "Which of you shall convince me of sin? If I say the truth to you, why do you not believe me: He that is of God heareth the words of God. Therefore you hear them not, because you are not of God." The Jews therefore answered and said to him: "Do not we say well that thou art a Samaritan and hast a devil?" Jesus answered: "I have not a devil: but I honour my Father. And you have dishonoured me. But I seek not my own glory: there is one 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 know that thou hast a devil. Abraham is dead, and the prophets: and thou sayest: If any man keep my word, he shall not taste death for ever. Art thou greater than our father Abraham who is dead? And the prophets are dead. Whom dost thou make thyself?" Jesus answered: "If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing. It is my Father that glorifieth me, of 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: he saw it and was glad." The Jews therefore said to him: "Thou art not yet fifty years old. And hast thou seen Abraham?" Jesus said to them:"Amen, amen, I say to you, before Abraham was made, I AM." They took up stones therefore to cast at him. But Jesus hid himself and went out of the temple.

Friday

We must not only examine ourselves of our sins, but even of our good works also, saying unto them, which of you all can accuse me of sin? that it to say, of some small venial sin in that I have not done you so perfectly, I should, but with some ill or vain circumstance or other, or not with so pure an intention as I should. 

When God had finished his work of creation of the world, and all things therein, for the use of man; he took a view of all things he had made, and found, as the scripture says, they were not only good, but very good giving man an instruction thereby to do the like to him, to examine all our works, whether they be not only good in Å¿ubÅ¿tance, but in all circumstances and intentions, which make them very good. 

An artisan, if he make any piece of work, for a prince or great person, he will be much more careful to make it curious and perfect, then for a mean man or plain country fellow: especially if the great person had vouchsafed to do him any favor before in very noble & ample manner, as if he had sought his good will. 

If almighty God being of infinite greatness and Majesty, were so careful out of his love to make all his creatures so very good for such poor miserable sinful wretches, as men are, that we have cause to admire it in every one of his creatures & the sweet disposition & order thereof for our use, & say  with the Prophet David, O Lord, our Lord, that is to say, who art altogether for us, and our good, how admirable is thy name in the universal world? how careful ought we be, poor worms, to give him content in all our works, and to examine them again and again, thinking they are never perfect enough for him. 

When God had made the form or model of the first man Adam in clay, he did not say only, let him receive breath, as he did of other creatures, let it be done; but be breathed into his face or mouth the breath of life, drawing as, it were, from his very heart and bowels, the spirit of life, and putting it into ours: to signify, the unspeakable love he bore unto us, to the end we should live only to love him, from our very heart and bowels, and that we should breathe into our works the spirit of life, as he did into us; that is to say, that we put into our works, the life of true faith and charity, either of which, if they want, they are dead, and if they have those two, and have not a good intention and all other good circumstances - requisite unto them: though they are alive, yet want they that beauty, and comeliness, as is fit to be presented before the face of God, for his honor and glory 

And as if we should present ourselves before some great king or prince, without any decent apparel or dressing up of ourselves. 

And finally God breathed into Adam as it were of his own most precious life, that we should beware how we waste & spend so precious a thing in vain, or, as the Prophet David saith, receive our soul in vain: but that, as Saint Paul saith, we should live, not as if we did live in ourselves, but as if God did live in us.

A Plaine Path-way To Heaven Thomas Hill 1634

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