and also to loue them with hert and continually that doth suche wronges vnto vs and to do good to them whiche all our sauiour Christe fulfylled here in this lyfe leauynge example vnto vs to folowe his steppes whiche steppes and examples the more narowe and paynfull or strayt they be in this lyfe the more they shal be ampliate coÌ„fortable ioyful in this lyfe to come And therfore the prophet Dauid sayth In tribulatione dilatasti mihi In tyme of tribulation thou hast opened and spred abrode to me thy consolations and comfortes And therfore the holy seruauntes of god whan they perceyue them selfe to abounde in the prosperities of this worlde then they be very ferefull suspectynge leste that they shuld receyue here in this lyfe the frute and reward of theyr labours fearyng leste that the iustice of god shulde se in them any priuy or lorkynge wounde of synne For the whiche of the ryghtuousnes of god they ought to be dampned And therfore he rewardynge theyr good dedes here in this lyfe with temporall pleasures wyl expel them from y e true inward eternal pleasures ¶ How we may coÌ„sidre the passion of Christ with a mynde to haue compassion therof The .ii.. Chaptre SEcondly we shulde considre the passion of our lord to haue compassion therof that is to say we shulde ofte remeÌ„bre in our hertes his beatynges and woundes mockes and rebukes and euery ymaginyng in ourself what deiection coÌ„tempt sorowe and affliction he suffred in his herte and in his bodye as we sayd before O how then the swetnes and pleasure of aungelles Iesus Christ was replenisshed with great bitternes and sorowe of payne O howe moche that payne dyd greue hym but moche more our vnkyndnes And aboue al dyd greue hym the trouble and affliction of his mother whom he so teÌ„derly dyd loue and agayn was so derely loued of her that for compassion of his payn and dethe she was in a maner as deed or semed to dye In remeÌ„braunce herof we haue great matter and cause to wepe for our synnes were the cause of his passion and deth and also of her compassion and great dolore or heuynes Wherfore to haue coÌ„passion of Christes passion let vs depely and inwardly coÌ„sidre that we were the occasyon of the deth of the onely sone of god we were false tratours vnto hym and so deserued deth but he of his inestimable charitie wolde suffer that shamful deth to deliuer vs from eternall dethe Let this charite his scourginges wouÌ„des mockes rebukes and deth perse the inward depnes of our hert let there be nothynge in vs but that it be anoynted with this coÌ„passion and also be wrapped with sorowe and heuynes for that deth and so we shuld dayly mourne as the louing mother mourneth the deth of her onely and teÌ„derly belouyd sone O how moch ought we to loue hym and to be kynd to hym which suffred so shamful a deth for our redeÌ„ption Therfore let vs studye and labour in all that we may to be associate and ioyned to hym with a most feruent loue For the more feruently we loue hym the more shall we haue compassion of his passion and so this feruent loue and compassion shall so moche encrease to gether and be augmented that they shall brynge vs to the perfection of loue and to the fruition of our louer Wherfore let vs be sory with hym trustynge verely and that without any doubte that if we be founde here to be partakers of his sorowe in sorowynge for his deth and passion we shal be made his felowes and companyons or partakers of his ioy and consolation For surely he that wolde nat hyde his resurrection from Marie Magdalene that with sorowe sought hym he wyll nat denye his glorie to vs that religiously and deuoutly do mourne with hym for his passion And therfore saynt Paule sayth Si tamen compatimur vt et simul glorificemur If we here suffer with Christe we shal be glorified with Christe Also our sauiour Christ saith Beati qui persecutionem patiuntur propter iusticiam quoniam ipsorum est regnum celorum Blessyd be they that suffer persecution for iustice that is for Christe for they shall haue the kyngdome of heuen And contrarie wyse saynt Austen sayth If thou be excepte from passion and payne that is if thou suffer nat here some payne thou shal be exempte from the nombre of the chylderne of god For as saynt Paule sayth Quem dominus diligit corrigit castigat flagellat autem â—â—ominem filium quem recipit Whom our lorde loueth hym he doth chastyse he correcth euery one of them whom he receyueth to his mercy and fauoure Therfore if ye be nat vnder correction as all the chyldern of god be ye be nat the childerne of god but of the deuyll Hereby ye may perceyue that good lyfe doth nat stand principally in good fare or wel liuynge but rather in paciently sufferyng wronges for Christe though it be a comen prouerbe that he liueth well that feadeth well Sed mentita est iniquitas sibi but carnall men speke carnally and so deceyue them selfe with lyes for as Gerson sayth the more that sensual nature is oppressed and ouercome for god the more grace we receyue our inward man is dayly reformed vnto thimage of god with newe visitations of grace And therfore I may say that man is conformed vnit and incorporate to god by werynge that moste noble and precious garment of payne and passion whiche our sauiour Iesus lorde and maker of all creatures dyd were and suffer in his owne bodye in this lyfe Hereunto sayth saynt Gregore The torment and payne that our lorde suffered gloryfyeth hym bothe inwardelye and outwardelye In vs also it compelleth hym to come to grace that wolde nat come It teacheth and enformeth the ignorant it kepeth vertue it defendeth from sekenes of synne it quyckeneth the dull person it meketh the proude persone it crowneth and rewardeth thinnocent and it stirreth or moueth man to suffer gladly dethe wherby he may come to euerlastynge lyfe Prayses and thankes be to god the father whiche hath gyuen vnto vs the victorie thorowe the deth and passion of his sonne Iesu Christe Amen ¶ Howe we may consydre the passion of Christ with a mynde to meruayl therof The .iii. Chap THyrdly we shulde considre the passion of Christe to meruayl therof It is a wonderous thyng to consydre who suffered what he suffered and for whome he suffered Fyrst I say it is a meruaylous thynge to consydre who suffered It was the sonne of god theternall and onely sonne of god very god and man all good all myghty all wyse the kynge of glorie And what dyd he suffer to be layd and to abyde as an infirme and frayle chylde .ix. monethes in his mothers wombe to be poorly borne to be chased and dryuen in to a straunge couÌ„tre he sufferd hongre thrist heat colde penurie pouertie tempestes stormes persecutions lyenge in
treasure that is with thabundauÌ„t remeÌ„brauÌ„ce of the passion of Christ through the plentuousnes therof they speake wordes of swetnes and comforth and ioy in a great iustice for they haue the great plentuousnes of graces And herunto the prophet Esay sayth Gaudete super eam gaudâ—o vniuersi qui lugebatis super eam et vt sugatis et repleamini ab vberibus consolationis eius c. All ye that in tyme past mourned or wept in the coÌ„sideration of the passion of Christ ioy now therof in coÌ„siderynge the great profites that cometh therof sucke them that is depely and inwardly considre them that ye may be replenisshed with the teates or pappes of his consolations And also ye shall mylke those pappys that ye may abouÌ„de in all spirituall pleasure by the consideration of his great glorie In the remembrauÌ„ce of the passion of Christe when we considre his most greuous paynes and how y t we were the cause of them thorowe our vnkyndnes and synnes then we sucke out of it sorowe and heuynes And when we considre what profit comethe therof vnto mankynde then we suck out of it great comforth and ioy And these two be the teetes or pappys of the whiche the prophet Esay speaketh and of the whiche the faythfull people sucke great comforth in receyuynge the sacrament of the bodye of our lorde From these pappys whan they be sucked cometh the mylke of chastitie and puritie of lyfe and also the swetnes of all vertue And when they be milked with our handes that is when nat only we considre the passion of Christe as is before sayd but also in our lyung and werkes we coÌ„forme our self therunto and werke therafter Then we mylke and drawe them and so shal we flowe in thaboundaunce of spirituall pleasures thorough the consolation of the holy gost We myght also here for our purpose bryng in the saynge of our lorde in the gospell where as he sayth Gaudium erit angelis dei in celo super vno peccatore penitentiam agente quam super nonaginta nouem iustis There is more ioy in heuen vnto the aungelles of god vpon one sinner conuerted from synne and doyng true penaunce then of nynety and nyne iust and ryghtuous men that nede no penaunce Who is this one synner but our sauiour Iesu Christe whiche thoughe he were no synner in dede yet he was reputed as the most great sinner and so he wold be reputed and taken for he came to beare our synnes and to do penaunce and to suffer for all our synnes ¶ How we may coÌ„sidre Christes passion to resolue or relent our hertes in to Christe and his passion Chaptre v. FYftly we shulde coÌ„sidre the most blessed passion of our sauiour Christe to resolue and relent our hertes in to our sauiour Christe and in to his passion And that by a perfite transformynge of our selfes in to hym And that is done whan nat only we do folowe that passion haue coÌ„passion therof do meruayll therof and ioy therof But also in a maner the hole man is conuerted in to our lord and sauiour Iesus Christe crucified so that in a maner at all tymes and in all places Christe crucified is present with hym And ferthermore that person is then in his mynde abstract and withdrawen from all thynges and eleuate or lyfted vp aboue all pure creatures and holly conuerted in to his lorde god crucified for vs. But this conuersion and relentynge of our hertes in to Christ crucified can nat coÌ„ueniently be except there be a congruitie or a conuenient proporcion taken of some similitude bytwixt our hertes and the sacrament of the aulter receyued of vs sacramentally or elles spiritually with the remeÌ„braunce of the passion of our lorde crucified for vs. For as the philosopher sayth that nothynge noryssheth but that whiche is lyke vnto the thyng norysshed Wherfore sith this heuenly and spiritual foode that is the bodye of our lorde doth moche norysshe it folowethe that it must be moche lyke vnto the person norysshed The digestion or norysshyng is then whan the meate is altered and conuerted in to the thyng norisshed And therfore for that the materiall and corporall foode or meate is coÌ„uerted in to that bodye that is fedde it foloweth that the digestion must be both of the meat and of the drynke Herunto it is writen in the first boke of the kyngê Digere paulisper vinum quo mades Digest that wyne that thou hast dronke But in this spirituall meate for asmoche as it is nat tourned in to vs but coÌ„trarie wyse we be coÌ„uerted in to it it foloweth that the digestion must be in vs vnto the similitude of this heuenly and holsome meate And this similitude or congruite of this spirituall meate vnto the person fed standeth in .v. thynges that is in our digestion or conuersion in to this heuenly meate in the similitude of ymage in the coÌ„formitie of nature in the fayrnes or good ordre of our coÌ„uersation and in the takynge of our miserie by paynes in a maner vntollerable And these .v. bene more largely declared by the great clerke and noble doctor called Albertus Magnus in his boke de Eucharistia that he wrote of the sacrament in a chapitre of these same .v. thynges ¶ How we may considre Christes passion to rest our selfes swetely therin Chaptre .vi. SExtly we shulde considre this most blessed passion to reste our selfe moste swetely therin And that is whan our herte as we in the last coÌ„sideration sayd relented coÌ„uerted and transformed in to our lorde crucified doth nat yet cease but with a feruent desyre remembreth the sayd passion entryng mekely and deuoutly in to that hyghe and depe treasure of Christes passion as farre as is possible for man meltynge and relentyng thoroughe loue and feruent deuotion in a maner fayntyng or faylyng in our selfe and restyng in our lorde Christe Iesu crucified for vs. And then in how moche the more we faynt or fayle from our selfe so moche the more we rest and cleue vnto our dearebeloued lord crucified for vs. So that these .ii. that is this rest or cleuyng to our lorde and this feruent deuotion of loue do augment and encrease them selfe in them selfe for the one helpeth the other For as we sayd before the more that our nature is oppressed ouercome and doth languysshe or waxe seke for loue the more it approcheth and draweth nygh vnto her dearebelouyd and the more grace we receyue our inwarde man that is our soule is dayly visited with newe visitations and reformed vnto the ymage of god vnto the tyme that it holly faylynge in it selfe be absorpte and taken in to that feruent chymney of loue of the passion of our moste beloued Iesu and there to rest swetely as the spousesse swetely restynge in the armes or bosome of her dearebeloued spouse the whiche sayth thus in his canticles Adiuro vos filie sion ne euigilare faciatis dilectam donec ipsa velit
prophete My god my god why hast thou forsaken me This is the cause The wordes of my synnes hathe put me tarre from my helthe and conforte Heuynes is than for a truthe a laudable commendable passion as saynt Austyn sayeth whan it procedeth of a ryght loue or good cause As whan a man is heuy for his owne synnes or for the synnes of other persones Also heuynes is taken profitably whan it is taken for the satisfaction of our synnes And therefore saynt Paule sayeth Que secundum deum est tristitia penitētiam in salutem stabilem operatur That heuynes whiche is accordynge to the wyll of god doeth worke penaunce into our stable and sure helthe And therefore Christe to do satisfaction for the synnes of all men toke vppon hym the moost heuynes that might be and yet it excedyd nat the order and rule of ryght reason Also he suffered payne in his body for the synnes of all mankynde Whiche payne and sorow excedyd the sorowes of euery person contrite And no maruell that his sorow was so greate for it procedyd of a more depe or inwarde knowledge and wysdom and also of a more perfyte charitie and loue than the sorowe of any otherman And these be the causes whereby the sorow of contricion is encreased Also he suffered sorowed for all our synnes as the prophete sayeth Vere dolores nostros ipse portauit Truely he bare oure sorowes and suffered for vs. Also Christe toke all the causes of our heuines and therfore his heuynes and sorow was the moost It foloweth in the texte Vigilate et orate ne intretis in temptationem He sayd vnto his thre disciples whom he founde slepynge watche and praye that ye be nat ouercum by temptacion He watcheth that doeth good werkes and that kepeth hym selfe diligently that he fall nat into any heresy or derke and erroniouse opinion Spirius quidē promptus est caro autem infirma The spyryte is prompte and redy to do well and to promise great thynges but the flesshe is infyrme fraile to do good or to suffre payne And Christe spake this for the proude folysshe persons whiche thynke that they may do what so euer they wyll And hereunto saynte Hierom sayeth As moche as we trust of the feruour and redynes of our mynde spyryte so moche we shulde feare of the infirmitie and frailtie of our flesshe It foloweth Et positis genibus orabat dicens Pater si vis transfer calicem istum a me Iesus knelynge prayed to his father sayenge Father yf thou wylte thou may take this payn and passion from me Our lorde here prayed after his sensuall wyll to that that the reason of Christ dyd here expresse the affect and desyre of his sensualitie as the aduocate of sensualitie for this tyme. And therefore whan he added in his prayer Verumtamen non mea voluntas sed tua fiat This nat withstandyng thy wyll be fulfylled and nat myne He dyd expresse that this affection in hym was subdued to ryght reason that is to his reasonable and godly wyll by the whiche he wolde the same thynge that god his father wolde from whom by this wyll he was nat diuided It foloweth Et cum surrexisset ab oratione et venisset ad discipulos suos inuenit eos dormientes And whan he rose from his prayer and cam to his disciples he founde them slepynge This corporall slepe was a fygure sygne of the slepe of infidelitie wherwith they shulde be shortely greued and oppressed Peraduenture sum person may maruell how that they myght slepe heryng of the dethe of theyr maister Christe We may answere thus They were very heuy for his dethe and heuines wyll induce and moue a man to slepe Also it was than well forwarde in y e night And thoughe they all dyd slepe yet he blamed Petre rather than the other Fyrst for bycause he boosted and sayde Though all other forsake the I wyl neuer forsake the. Therfore he was worthy more to be rebuked Also bycause he was the capitayne and chefe of thapostles and therfore Christ rebuked hym for them all saynge to Peter thus Sic non potuisti vna hora vigilare mecum What Petre mayst thou nat watche one houre with me As yf he had sayd How wylt thou dye with me that canst nat watche one houre with me And in that that he sayeth one hour he signifieth to vs that the burden and tyme of temptacion is very shorte in the respecte of the remuneracion or rewarde in glory And note how that Christe dyd pray thre tymes one and the same prayer and after euery tyme he cam to his disciples and founde them slepynge He dyd thryse pray the same prayer to signifie to vs as saynt Bernarde sayeth that we shulde dyrect all our prayers to the father to the sonne to the holy goost that we might haue spirituall strength of the father wysdom of the sonne and a good wyll of the holy goost Or therefore he prayed thryse that we shuld excercise the thre powers of our soule in prayer that is that our reasonable power shulde be diligent in meditacion our affection and concupiscible power shulde be feruent in desyrynge and our wrathfull power shulde be stronge in auoydynge all euyll Christe also after euery tyme of his prayer cam to his disciples and founde them slepynge At the fyrst tyme he rebuked them as we sayd before At the seconde tyme he suffred thē And at the thyrde tyme he commaunded them to slepe sayenge Dormite iam et requiescite Slepe now rest And this was to signifie thre maner of slepys And that the fyrste whiche is the slepe of synne correspondynge to the fyrst slepe of the disciples is to be reproued The seconde that is naturall slepe is tollerable and to be suffered And the thyrde whiche is the slepe of contemplacion and glory is to be desyred of all people ¶ Here foloweth a lesson or instruction OF this artycle we may take this lesson that whan we wolde pray deuoutly that we shuld go to sum secret place from the noise or cumpany of men Also that we commyt all our tribulacions heuynes paynes and infirmities vnto the wyll of god as Christe dyd after his prayer thoughe it so be y t we praye and desyre to be delyuered from theym as Christe dyd yet let vs submyt our wyll to the wyll of god Also let vs put all our tribulacions and paynes as it were into the herte of Christe desyrynge and prayenge hym that he wolde performe and make our pacience perfite in the vnion of his passion and so offer them to y e laude and glorye of his father For hereby oure tribulacions and paynes shall be greately dignified For as the passion of Christe brought great fruite and conforte bothe in heuyn and in erthe so our paynes and tribulacions what so euer they be yf they be in the foresayde maner commytted and commendyd in the vnion
a woman was the first mouer of man vnto synne so a woman compelled the first prynce and prelate of Christes churche to denye Christe openly so that by this exemple the infirmite of Petre myght more clerely appere to hym selfe And this is it that we sayde in the .ix. article that Christ suffred in the house of Annas the denyeng of Petre which was shamefull to Petre and moche paynfull to Christe and that for .vi. causes Fyrste for the multitude of people that were then present for he denyed Christe in the bysshopes palace where as was at that tyme moche people gathered and therfore this synne was moche more greuous than if it had ben done in a pryuate and secrete place Secondly it was the more shamefull to Petre for his slaknes in folowynge Christe for he folowed a farre of thoughe before he had spoken and made his boste that he wolde rather dye then denye hym The thyrde cause was the vylenes of the persone that moued the question vnto Petre for it was a woman nat a noble woman but a seruaunt and other vyle seruantê which was so moche the more to y e rebuke of Petre that he wolde denye his lorde god at theyr questions Fourthly for Petre shortly and lyghtly denyed Christ at one worde of a pore and vyle seruaunt The .v. cause is the periurie and cursynge of Petre for this made his synne moche greuous And therfore sayth Symon de Cassia Petre in his wordê his threfold negation dyd greatly rebuke Christe whiche had chosen so inconstant and vnkynâ—e a person to his disciple and to his chefe apostle c. And sextly the greuousnes of Petre synne dyd appere by his great and coÌ„tinuall wepyng for a great synne requireth great coÌ„trition and penauÌ„ce There be .iii. thynges in this gospel that moued induced Petre vnto penaunce The fyrste is syngynge or crawynge of the cocke The seconde was y e respecte and beholdynge of Christe And the thyrde was y e remembraunce of the wordes that our lorde sayde to Petre at the supper the same nyght that was that Petre shulde denye Christ thryse that nyght before the cocke crawe Our lorde suffred Petre to fall for our example that no man shuld presume of hym selfe seynge that the prynce of thapostles dyd fall And also that no man shuld dispeyre syth that Petre after so greuous a syn was made y e porter of heuyn And thyrdly that Petre shuld lerne to haue coÌ„passion of his subiectê For shortly after he was to be made the chefe prelate of the churche But where dyd Petre deny his mayster Christe Not in y e mount nor in the temple nor yet in his owne house but in the bysshopes palace standyng and warmyng hym selfe by the fyre with the ministres and seruauntê of the bysshoppes What signifyeth this palace or court of the bisshoppe but worldly couuersacyon and maners These ministers signify deuylysshe persons The feare signifyeth carnall concupiscence and desyre who so euer abyde with these companyes he can not wepe and do penaunce for his synnes And therfore it is very daungerous and perilouse to be conuersant in the courtê of prynces for Peter dyd but ones entre in to the palace of 〈◊〉 bisshop and anone he lost the vertu and strength of his soule and also denyed Christe What suppose you wolde he haue done if he had longe continued there I feare that he wolde haue then ben as our preestes be nowe in great mennes houses that is worse in al poyntes than lay men But Peter went thens to do penauÌ„s for there he could do none In lyke maner the sterre that appered to the .iii. kynges in the Est whan they entred in to Hierusalem in to thepalace and court of Herode the sterre vaynysshed from theyr syghte and whan they were departed from thens it appered to them agayne ¶ Here folowe .vi. lessons THe first lesson is this that the prelate of the churche shulde be suche a person as can haue compassyon of the frayltyes and infirmities of his subiectes The seconde is that no man shulde presume of his owne vertue The thyrde is that we shulde resist and with stande synne in the begynnynge for one synne if it be not shortly put a way by penaunce it wyll drawe to it an other synne more greuous exemple herof we haue in Peter which at the first tyme he onely denyed his mayster without ony oth or other wordes And the seconde tyme he denyed hym with an othe And at the thyrde tyme he cursed he sware and also he denyed Christe Here ye may se howe one synne bryngeth in an other synne more greuous than the first The .iiii. lesson is that if we fall in to ony synne though it be but a small synne to our thynkynge and also done of onely frayltye yet for no cause we shulde perseuer and cotynue therin For to perseuer in synne as the glose sayth it gyuethe an encreasynge to the synne For as the wyse man also sayth He that dispyseth or lytyll regardeth small synnes by lytyll and lytyll he shall fall to moche more greuouse synnes The .v. lesson is that no man shulde dispeyre of the mercye of god what so euer synne he hath done but let hym wepe do penauns for his synnes c. The .vi. that we shulde neuer deny Christ who so euer committeth ony mortal synne he denyeth Christ for he consentynge to the deuyll forsaketh Chryste ¶ A prayer O Iesu whiche suffred thy selfe to be denyed thrice of y e prince of thy apostles whom also thou mercyfully beholdynge made hym to wepe bytterly for his synne I beseche the beholde me with the eye of thy mercy that I maye worthelye wepe in thy syght for my synnes and that I neuer denye the my lord god neyther in worde nor in dede Amen ¶ Howe our lorde was smyten vpon the cheke The .xi. article THe .xi. article of the smytynge of our lorde for in meane tyme that Peter outward in the courte denyed our lord iii. tymes our sauyour Iesu was in the house present before the bysshop Annas where as Annas moued vnto Christ an vnwyse and folisshe question before and in the audience of all the people that were there present that was of his discyples and of his doctrine and Iesus answered not one worde of his discyples for as at that tyme he could speake no good of theÌ„ for they all had forsaken hym that nyght teachynge vs therby that whan we can nat truely speake ony good of our neyghbours then we shuld kepe silence and speake none euyll of them though we knowe it But to the other question of his doctrine Iesus answered shewynge that it was not euyll nor suspecte but good and holye and that he proueth by the place and the compeyney where and amonge whome he spake it saynge Ego palam locutê° sum mundo c. I spake openly to the people I euer taught in the sinagoges and in the temple where
we maye take that there be .ii. thynges requyred to the kyngdom of Christ the first is truth y t it be hard and the second is obedience that is y t the truth herd be fulfylled Then Pylate sayd Quid est veritas what is truth Pilate dyd not here inquire the diffinition of truth but what is that vertue of truth thorough whose perticipation and vertue men be taken and made of the kyngdom of god The solution of this question Pylate wold not abyde to here for seynge that he was not of the kyngdom of christ nor wold intricate hym self with spuÌ„all thynges therfore he had no cure or desire to here it and also he cared not for it bycause he shuld shortly coÌ„dempne the truth And also bycause he herd a great murmur trouble of the people without forth feryng some busynes or insureccyon bycause he differred y e deth of Christ so longe and for these causes he hasted hym to the Iues and sayd to them Ego nullam causam inuenio in homine isto I fynde no cause of deth in this man Here as Chrisostom saith Pylate dyd substancyally alledge for christ that he nother knewe or coulde fynd any cause of malice in hym And then the Iues for asmoche as they fayled in theyr proue for wante of resonable causes wolde haue preuayled by theyr multitude cryeng and at laste they brought agaynst hym this accusacyon He hath troubled al the people from Galilee vnto this cytye wyllynge so to aggrauate theyr accusacyon bycause it appared contrarie to the peace of the emperour vnder whome Pylate was the hyghe iudge in Hierusalem that therby Pylate shulde be the more moued agaynst Christe But you wycked Iues howe dyd he moue the people to sedicyon and warre that euer preached and taughte peace and came to make peace bytwixte god and man But spyrytually we maye saye that he moued the people and troubled them frome theyr synfull lyfe by hys holsome monicyon teachynge them the way of vertue and truth Of the whiche mocyon and also trouble the prophete Dauid sayethe Commouisti terram et conturbasti eam Thou hast thou hast moued the erth that is erthly persons and thou hast trobled it that is put them from theyr erthly and synfull lyfe cure and heale good lorde his woundes for he is moued to goodnesse and vertue And Pylate then herynge them speke of Galilee and knowynge that Iesus was of Galilee he sent hym to Herode as ye shall se in the next article ¶ A Lesson IN this article we may lerne this lesson that we shulde beware that we accuse not our sauiour Christ falsly or of false-thynges They accuse Christe of false thynges whiche impute or put any false thyng vpon hym as the Iues paganes and heretykes do For the Iues put vpon Christe that he was the naturall sonne of Ioseph the carpenter and that he was a gloton and a drynker of wyne that the deuyll was in hym and that he subuerted the people whiche all were false The paynyms impute to hym that he was a pure man and not god and that it was inpossible that god shuld be incarnate The heritykes put to christ that he had no true bodye but onely a fantasticall body and that he was no very true man but onely apparent c. There be other y t accuse god falsly as these euyl false christians which accuse god as the cause of theyr synnes saynge God hath made me of that compleccyon that I must nedes synne the constellation or coniunccyon of suche planetes or sterres made me to synne and god made the sterres therfore he made me to synne Thou dost falsly impute thy synne to god True it is that god made the sterres and also the of that compleccyon for he create all thynges and they were good But all these can not compell the to synne for it is onely the malice and frowardnes of thy wyll c. Also a man to conforme hym selfe to this article shulde remember how he that is the very truth dyd pacyently suffer to be falsly accused for vs that he myght founde and grounde vs in the truthe ¶ A prayer O Iesu whiche wolde for me be falsely accused in many false thynges before the iudge Pylate teache me to auoyde the disceyres of wicked men and truly to professe thy faith with good werkes Amen ¶ Howe Christ was sent to Herode The .xxiii. article THe .xxiii. article is the sendynge of Christe to Herode For whan Pylate herde that Iesus was a man of the countrye of Galilee and so vnder the power of Herode whiche was the captayne and the reuler of Galilee vnder the emperour hauynge this occasyon to delyuer his handê of Christe sent hym to herode whiche was the ruler of Galilee and at that tyme he was also in Hierusalem Pylate wyllynge herby to do honour vnto Herode that he beynge the capteyne of Galilee shulde delyuer or condempne Christe beynge a man of his countrye so wyllyng that euery man shulde be examined and iudged of his owne iudge accordyng to the lawes of the Romanes and whan Iesus was thus sent there was a greate coÌ„curse of people folowynge hym O blessed lady Marie howe wente thou in suche a multitude who helped the in that great thronge of people Surely thou was then the example of sorowe and heuynes to all that loueth the or Christe thy sonne and whan Herode dyd se Iesus he had greate ioye therof not that he thought to wynne ony thynge therby but for that he was curious to se a straunge man and suche a man whom he had longe desired to se that is from the decollacyon or behedyng of saint IohnÌ„ the Baptiste for that tyme Christe beganne to preache openly and to do many miracles whiche al Herode herynge was moch desirous to se hym and to se hym shewe some wonderous signe or miracle not for any deuocyon but for curiositie and to proue hym what he coulde do for he thought that Christe had ben a iugler or any gromancyer and for this cause he desired to se no miracle of our sauiour Iesus This sendynge is conueniently accompted amonges the articles of Christes passyon for it is a great displeasure for any man to be sent from one iudge to an other how moch more then was it paynfull to this most swete and innocent lambe our sauyour Iesu Herode asked of Christe many questyons as we shal se in the next article Also there were CC. passes from Pylates house vnto Herodes house by the whiche space bothe goynge and comynge he suffred many despytes and rebukes ¶ A Lesson IN this article we may lerne this lesson that is to suffer pacyeÌ„tly if we be shamfully sent from one iudge to an other for the loue of Christe seynge that our sauyour Iesus was so serued And specially religyous ê‘sons which shuld be the folowers of Christe shulde not be troubled if somtyme for obedience they be sent from
quia potestatem habeo crucifigere te c Why wylt not thou speake to me dost thou not knowe y t I haue power to crucifye the or to dimisse and delyuer the In these wordes Pylate coÌ„dempneth hym selfe And therfore Chrisostom sayth O Pylate in this worde thou condempnest thy selfe If thou haue this power wherfore then dost not thou delyuer hym thou knowyng and so oftymes openly sayng that he is innocent If thou reioyse or bost thy selfe of thy power that thou haste to kyll Christe or to delyuer hym may not Christ then laufully say vnto the De ore tuo te iudico serue nequam I iudge the by thyne owne wordes thou wycked seruant and then Iesus to reproue the bostynge and pryde of Pylate sayd Non haberes aduersuÌ„ me potestatem vllam nisi datum tibi esset de super Thou shulde haue no power ouer me except it were gyuen to y e from aboue or from an hygher power Fyrste from god of whome is all power as saynt Paule sayth And secondly from the emperour which at that tyme had the dominion ouer the Iues. And in these wordes Christ reproueth couertly or secretly the synne of Pylate for nother god nor yet the emperour had ordred Pylate there a iudge to condempne or punisshe the innocentes but rather to defende and delyuer them And notwithstandyng the synne of Pylate was great yet it was not so greuous as the synne of the Iues or of Iudas And this our lord sheweth in the wordes folowyng Propteria qui tradidit me tibi maius peccatum habet Therfore he that dyd betray or delyuer me vnto the his synne is the more great and greuous and that well apereth for Iudas dyd synne moued of a couityse mynde the Iues synned moued of malyce and enuy but Pylate onely for feare of the emperour fauour of y e Iues. It is more greuous offeÌ„ce to sinne of a couetyse mind and of rancor and enuy than onely of feare for feare accusethe the synne in a parte though not in the hole and here Pylate consideryng that he was reasonably in a maner conuicte of synne in this cause for he as a wytty person perceyuynge that he shuld be noted of synne if he shulde condempne the innocent therfore he sought oportunitie and occasion to dimisse and lette hym go as he dyd before in sendyng Christ to Herode and also in sayng that he founde no cause of deth in hym But the Iues anone perceyuyng the mynde of Pylate returned to theyr first accusacyon and cryed saynge Si hunc dimittis non es amicus cesaris If thou dimisse this man thou art not true to the emperour c. as in the next article shal apere And here note that there ware about lxxx M. people that cryed Crucifige crucifige Of the whiche Peter conuerted in one day .iii. M. shortly after .v. M. vnto y e fayth ¶ Here folowe .ii. Lessons IN this article we may take first this lesson it is no difference or diuersitie to speake of the intente of synne whether thou kyll a man with thy tongue or with thy swerde for thy intent in both these .ii. is to kyll hym And therfore the profyte Dauid sayth Lingua eorum gladius acu tus Theyr tongue is a sharpe swerde and this was spoken of the Iues that dyd cry Crucifige crucifige And of this text saint Austen sayth Loke not vnto the vnarmed handes of the Iues but to theyr armed mouth for frome thens came y t sharpe swerde that slewe Christ Therfore lette all bacbyters and sclaunderers of theyr neyghbours beware that they do not make theyr tonges sharpe as a swerde for as a swerde kylleth the body so the sclauÌ„derer tongue sleyeth the fame and good name of a man And herto sayth Salomon Mors et vita in manibus lingue Deth lyfe be in the handes or power of the tongue The seconde lessone is that we shuld not alwayes answere to euery question for here in this passyon of Christe we rede that thryes he kepte his scilence Fyrst before the bisshop and that was to teache vs pacyence agaynst contumelyes and rebukes Secondly before Herode and that was agaynst curiouse questyons to teache vs for to serch for true and necessarie thynges and not for vayne curious thynges Thyrdly before Pylate agaynste vayne laude or prayse to teache vs to folowe the true laude of god and to auoyd all vayne praysynges And a man to conforme hym selfe to this article shulde remember howe terrible ware those cryenges of the Iues. And remeÌ„ber also if he at any tyme hath cryed agaynst his neyghbour by consent vnto the wicked iudgementes of men or to theyr detraccyons sclaunders spoken agaynst theyr neyghbour And then pray as foloweth or in lyke maner ¶ A prayer O Iesu whiche for me was not afrayd to here the terrible and fearfull voyces of the Iues cryenge Crucifige crucifige That is crucifye hym crucifye hym graunt to me that I be not afrayd of the cursed and malicyous wordê of myne enemyes and that I neuer hurt my neyghbour with my speche Amen ¶ Howe Christe was brought vnto his iudgement The .xli. article THe .xli. article is the bryngynge of Christe before the iudge for when the Iues dyd perceyue y t Pylate wold haue delyuered Christe they returned to theyr fyrste accusacyon and cryenge sayd Si hunc dimittis non es amicus cesaris If thou delyuer this person thou art not the frend of the emperoure nor true to hym for who so euer maketh hym selfe a kyng he is a traytour to the emperour This they spake to make Pylate afrayde and here sayth Symon de Cassia that the Iues serched all the false craftes and deuyses that they could ymagyne and all to put Christe vnto the deth And then Pylate hearynge these wordes beganne to be more afrayd for he myght not contempne the emperour that gaue hym his power and auctoritie as sayth saiÌ„t Austen And therfore he brought Iesus forth and sat downe to gyue sentence openly and this he dyd that the sentence of Christes dâ—th shuld not be imputed to hym but to the Iues. And when Pylate sat downe to gyue sentence it was the syxte houre of the day that is .xii. of the clocke And then his wyfe sent to hym saynge Nihil tibi et iusto illi Mel not thou with the deth of that rightuous man this night I haue suffred many thinges in my slepe about hym for as the glose saith there the deuyl perceyuynge that he shuld lese his kyngdom power by the deth of Christ was sory that he made Christ to be taken and therfore he shewed certen visions to Pylates wyfe that by her the death of Christ shulde be letted as in the begynnynge he brought deth in to the worlde by a woman Then Pylate commaunded that Iesus shulde be presented before hym where as he sat in iudgement and then he sayd
without the castels or cities And also he wolde suffer without y e citie to declare shewe vnto vs howe y t the vertue of his passion shuld not be included within the coostes or bouÌ„des of the Iues but that it shuld be knowen to be a comon sacrifice for all the worlde And thyrdly to signifye and shewe to vs that who so wolde haue the effecte and vertue of this passion he muste go forth or go from the worlde at lest in desire affeccyon or loue that is that he haue no inordinate loue to the worlde the gooddes or pleasure therof Wherfore let vs folowe Christe and go vnto hym frome our carnall frendes and worldlye conuersacyon bearynge with hym and for his loue rebukes and sharp paynes And herunto saynt Bernarde sayth Christe suffred his passyon and deth without the citye therfore let vs go to hym from the cytye that is by the contempte of worldlye conuersacyon and that may be done by .iii. maner of wayes In affeccyon or loue that we loue not inordinatly the world In effect dede that we vtterly forsake the worlde both in wyll and also bodye And thyrdlye by profytynge that we desyre and labour to be made one spirite with god For as saynt Gregorie sayth The more that a man is separate from the loue of the worlde the more nygh he is to god This ledyng aboue al the other .viii. of which we spake in the .viii. article was most paynfull and shamefull to Christe and that for many causes and therfore conueniently it maketh a specyall article Fyrst by reason of his rebuke and shame for it was moche shamefull to be led vnto hangynge Secondly for that he was copled and ioyned or led with .ii. theues and mischeuous persons and that was done to his more confusyon shame that the people shulde thynke there was no difference bytwixte Christe and them Thyrdly for the greate noumber of people that se hym and folowed hym and that not onely of men but also of women as the euangelist sayth But they all dyd not folowe hym of one intent and one mynde for some were moche ioyfull of that syght as the moste parte of the Iues. And it is no small payne to a man to behold and se other men and specially his enemyes gladde and ioyfull of his affliccyon and rebuke There were also some that dyd wepe and were sorye for that syght as the blessed woman And also this was moche paynfull to Christ to se his frendes louers in sorowe and heuynes for hym Saint Bernarde describeth this ledynge and procession in this maner folowynge When Christ sayth he was broughte forthe to be ledde vnto his passion there was gathered about hym a greate multitude of people as ye comonly se when theues and murderars be had to hangynge Some went saughynge and some cast clay or durte vpon his most blessed hed and face If Christe loked before hym he sawe them cast durte vpon hym If he loked aboue hym he sawe the heuy tre of the crosse lyenge vpon his necke and greuously oppressed hym If he loke behynd hym he sawe his mother with a great nomber of men and women wepynge and lamentynge for hym And as some doctours do say his most sorowefull mother wolde haue come to hym to haue helpen hym and myght not be suffred the whiche her swete Iesus seynge and consederynge her great heuynes fell downe for sorowe and werynes vnder the crosse And that seynge his moste louynge mother for sorowe she fell to the erth as deade And in the remembraunce of this swonyng there was afterwarde a chapell buylded by the faythful people in the same place in the honor of our lady whiche is called sancta Maria de Spaâ—mo and after this Iesus turnynge hym selfe to the women that wepte sayd Filie Hierusalem nolite flere super me sed super vosipsas flete et super filios vestros O ye doughters of Hierusalem wepe not vpon me for I take these paynes and deth with my good wyll for it is the wyll and ordinaunce of god my father that I shulde thus dye and also for the great profet y t shall come therof to mankynde for by my deth I wyll ouercome euerlastynge deth but wepe for the cause of my passyon and dethe that is the synnes of the people which cause me to suffer deth by the order of iustice And thus to wepe it is necessarie for you and therfore it foloweth Sed super vosipsas flete et super filios vestros But weape for your selfes and for your chylderne Herin Christ doth not rebuke theyr affeccyon and compassyon that they had to hym but he doth teche them an order howe to wepe that is firste to wepe for them selfe and theyrs for it is a vayne thyng and of no profyt to wepe for the passyon of Christ and therwith to despyse hym with our euyl dedes and lyuyng Also he byddes them that wepe for hym to consider what paynes be lyke to fal vpon them selfe And therfore they shuld wepe for them self and for theyr childern and therfore Christe saythe Quoniam ecce venient dies in quibus dicent beate steriles c. For the dayes shall come sayth Christ when they shall say Blessed and happy be the baren and tho that brought forthe no fruyte and those pappes or teates be happye that neuer gaue sucke or mylke then they shall begynne to saye to the mowntes Fal vpon vs and to the hylles Couer vs. And thsi he spake for the tyme of the seage of Hierusalem by the emperours Vaspasyan and Titus his son for then the Iues were in great distresse as it appereth by the histories of Iosephus and Egesippus or els we may say that Christe spake this for the extreme and last day of iudgement And the cause or reason of both these he addeth and sayth Quia si in viridi ligno faciunt in arido quid fiet For sithe so greuous paynes and shamefull despites be done to me whiche am a grene tree florisshyng and quicke in the roote of my diuinitie in the charitie of my manhode in the branches of my vertues in the leeses of good wordes and the fruyte of my good dedes if I say they do these thynges to me that is condempne me to the shamefull deth of the crosse without all iustice what shall they do to the drie tree or stocke that is to the synner whiche wanteth the moisture of grace the fruyte of iustice the grenisse or florisshynge of the conscience what payne thynke you be they worthy to haue O Iesu thou grene tre O our hed O thou glorie of all meake persons O thou cedre of clenlynes Palme of pacyence Olyue of mercy Vyne of gladnes shewe to vs what was done to the And he answering saith this grene tre is pilled or the barke pulled of it is shred lopte it is cut downe and cast vpon the erth Marke this well frendes sith he that came
and sorowe hope is the parte that is vpwarde feare is downwarde loue of the ryght syde and sorowe of the lefte parte the roote wherof all these do sprynge is charitye And herunto sayth the apostle In caritate radicati vt possitis comprehendere c. Be ye founded in charitie that ye maye comprehende and clerely se with all sayntes what is the length the brede the hyghte and the depenes In these wordes as saynte Austen sayth and also the glose ordinarye is playnly expressed the figure of the crosse and the misterie therof And a man to conforme hym selfe to this article shulde ofte remember howe Christ dyd hyng bitwixt .ii. theues and remeÌ„bre therwith this lesson pray thus ¶ A prayer O Iesu whiche for me a wretche wolde be crucified bitwyxt ii theues and wolde be reputed as one of them graunte that my spirite may be crucifyed bitwixt the flessh and the world that I may reste quietely in the in the middle the extremes that is the flesshe and the worlde crucified to me Amen ¶ Howe the saugiours diuided Christes garmentes The .liiii. article THe .liiii. article is the diuision of Christes garmentes for when the saugiours had crucified Christe they toke his garmentes deuyded them in to .iiii. partes to euery saugiour one parte for there were iiii hangmen and besydes those .iiii. partes Christ had an other cote that was hole vnsewed or without any seame for it was wouen or knytte Of this cote the saugiours or hang men sayd Non scindamus eam sed sottiamur de ea cuius sit We wyll not cut this cote but cast lottes who shall haue it and herin was fulfylled the scripture whiche sayth Diuiserunt sibi vestimenta mea et super vestem meam miserunt sortem The hangmen deuyded to them selfe my garmentes and they cast lottes vpon my garment This was a great abiection and vilanie to Christ as Crisostom saith for they dyd not so to the theues This thyng is onely done to vyle abiecte and condempned persons that haue nothynge but his garmentes And Theophylus sayth they dyd this to the rebuke and shame of Christ and of a wantones as yf they shulde say scornfully bicause he called hym selfe a kynge we wyll haue iche one of vs some of his royall or kynges roobes O meruelous pacyence and dispensacyon of the mercy of Christ whiche is the very lambe of god a shepe or a lambe doth bothe fede and cloth them that clyp hym and sley hym he feades them with his flesshe and body and clotheth them with his flees So our true lambe Iesu Christe dyd cloth those saugiours with his garmentes and also he feades vs daylye in the sacrament of the aulter with his precyous bodye flesshe and blode ¶ A Lesson OF this article we may note that charitie which after saynt Austen is signifyed by the cote without seames can not be deuyded and yet that same charitie doth knytte vertues togyther And also by that same cote is signifyed one holye catholical and vniuersall churche whiche gathereth all faythfull people in to one fayth which churche faith No man ought to deuyde by any scisme or heresye Of this churche speaketh the spouse in his canticles Vna est columba mea vna est perfecta mea My douue that is my spousesse symple as the douue is one my perfecte spousesse is but one and so theyr is but one churche as theyr is but one god one fayth and one baptisme ¶ A prayer O Iesu whiche for me wolde haue thy garmentes deuyded amonges thy crucifiers and wolde haue them cast lottes for thy vnsewed cote that was wouen or knyt and without seames graunt to me to take parte with thy saintes and to folowe theyr examples in the kepynge of thy commaundementes and that I maye euer keape thy charitie in me Amen ¶ Of the writynge of the title aboue Christes heade The .lv. article THe .lv. article is the superscription or wrytynge of the title for Pylate at the desyre of the Iues wrote a title expressynge the cause of Christes deth and this was it Iesus nazarenus rex iudeorum Iesus of Nazareth kynge of the Iues as if he shuld say Iesus of Nazareth was crucifyed bycause he is the kynge of the Iues. And this title was writen thus to separate the cause of his deth from the causes of the other .ii. that were crucifyed with hym and that for theyr euyll dedes and lyfe The Iues intended by this title as Theophilus sayth scornfully to rebuke the person of Christ which as they sayd made hym selfe a kyng so that the people passynge by and redynge this title shuld haue no compassion vpon hym but rather rebuke hym as a tyrante that wolde haue vsurped the kyngdome But Pylate wrote not as they wolde haue had hym to write that is that he made hym selfe the kynge of Iues but he wrote playnly that Iesus is the kynge of Iues. And herunto saynt Hierome sayth the Iues of enuy and to scorne Christe dyd speake for the writyngâ—of the title but the vertue and secreate power of god dyd ordre it otherwyse in the herte of Pylate thoughe he were ignorant and wyâ—t not what he dyd as the glose sayth For it was god that procured suche a title to be put aboue Christes heed that therby the Iues myghte knowe that Iesus was theyr kynge and that they culd not auoyde though they slewe hym for that purpose y t they wolde not knowe hym for theyr kynge that notwithstandynge it appered by the title that he was theyr kynge for his kyngdom or dignitie was not lost or hyndred by the deth of the crosse but rather confirmed stablysshed and the more strengthed as Bede saythe Also by this title Pylate commended Christe in .iii. thynges thoughe Pylate dyd not so intende for the deth of Christe was firste the cause of the remission of our synnes and that is noted in this worde Iesus a sauiour Secondly the deth of Christ is the cause meritorious of our grace that we haue aâ—d that is noted in this worde Nazarenus that is as moche to saye as florisshynge for by grace we florisshe in all vertues Thyrdly by the deth of Christe we be made enheritours of the kyngdome of god noted in these wordes Rex iudeorum The kyng of Iues that is of all faithfull people that truely confesse god and by this kyng we all shal be kynges in glorie And when many of the Iues had red this title and perceyued that it was to theyr infamy sclaunder sayd to Pylate Noli scribere râ—x iudeorum sed quia ipse dixit rex sum iudeorum wryte not thus the kynge of Iues but that he sayd I am the kyng of the Iues then Pylate sayd Quod scripsi scripsi That I haue writen I haue writen as if he shuld say It is true that I haue writen and therfore I wyl not chauÌ„ge it I wyll not
his mother This thyrde worde or sentence of Christe Mulier ecce filius tuus woman beholde thy sonne this I say was a worde of great dilygence loue and pitie for as moche as Christe beyng in so great anguisshe and sorowes of death wolde yet remembre his moste heuy and sorowfull mother and prouyde her of a sonne or minyster to attende vpon her to her comforth And herin he taught vs to haue compassyon of the afflyccyon of our parentes and to prouyde for them in theyr necessities O swete lorde Iesu thy crosse and passion doth torment the greuously but the compassyon of the mothers sorowe is no lesse payne to the and no meruell O good chylde if thou sorowe if thou suffer and haue compassyon of the heuynes of thy mother of her separation from the of her commendation to a straunger And here doctours done say and specyally Bonauenture that the sorowe that Christe had in the compassyon of his mother was more intense and more greuous to hym then the sorowe of hys awne payne and passyon THe mother of Iesu stode by the crosse She stode for she neuer fell by synne she stode to the great glory and prayse of al women where as his discyples that shulde haue ben men of gostly strengthe vertue dyd flye awaye and leaue theyr maister alone She onely abode with hym constantly in all his greuous panges and paynes wherin was fulfylled the prophecy of Esaye sayenge in the persone of Chryst complaynynge Torcular calcaui solus et de gentibus non est vir mecum I onely haue troden in the prease of the crosse there was nat one man with me hauyng compassyon vpon me but my mother alone she had compassyon and stode by me And nat onely she stode bycause she dyd nat flye but also for that in so great heuynesse of herte she dyd nothynge vnseamyngly or vnreligyously but ordred her selfe in most godlye behauour without any misorder in cryenge or cursynge and suche other lyke thoughe she suffred in her herte all those paynes that her sonne Iesus suffred in his bodye outwardlye And as we sayd before here she felte and suffred all the panges that she escaped at the byrth of her sonne Iesus Of these .ii. birthes or chyldynges speaketh the prophet saynge Antequam parturierat peperit masculum Before Mary the mother of Iesus hadde any panges or thrawes she brought forth her sonne so that she had her sonne without sorowe then it foloweth in the prophet Nun quid parturiet terra vna die aut parietur gens simul Shall the erth brynge forth with payne all her fruyte in one day or all the people shal be brought forth or borne in one day Note wel these saynges Firste the prophet spake of the birth of Christe which was without sorowe or payne to his mother and with great ioy But nowe at her seconde chyldynge where as at the passyon of her sonne Iesus she brought forth all the electe chylderne of god at one birth she had great panges and manyfolde sorowes And here note that this blessed mother of mercy dyd helpe or assist the father of mercyes in this moste hyghe werke of mercye and so with Christe dyd regenerate and redeme al mankynde and this generation was to the great sorowe and payne of them both and herunto Albert sayth though Marye dyd beare her sonne Iesus in greate ioye and without all payne yet after warde whan she dyd regenerate al the faithful people in faith that was with moch sorowe and of this it appereth that Christ dyd communicate vnto his mother this hygh werke of our redemption for she suffred with hym his passyon in her soule as we sayd before And note me well here for I do not say that our blessed lady dyd redeme vs bycause Christ of hym selfe was insufficient for to say so it ware heresye But I say it pleased our sauyour Christ to haue his mother present at his passyon and there to suffer with hym in soule as he suffred in bodye that so consequently as he is called the father of mercy so she myght be honored and called the mother of mercy and also for other considerations as foloweth First that our redemption might reanswere vnto the first condempnation for in our firste losse and perdicyon both Adam and Eue dyd syn notwithstandynge if Adam had not synned we had not ben condempned and therfore the onely synne of Adam was the cause of our perdicyon but for asmoche as Eue dyd persuade moue and counsell Adam to synne therfore we say that we ware dampned by oure firste mother Eue so in lyke maner though we be redemed by the passyon of Christ yet for as moche as oure blessed lady was consentynge to that passyon and also sufferyde it in her soule we may saye that she redemed vs with Christe Secondlye that as Christe redemyng vs by his passion was made our father by the whiche passyon the sacrament of baptysme wherin we be regenerate taketh his efficacitie and vertue so our blessed ladye myght be called our mother bycause she suffered in her soule the same passion of Christe Thirdly that after Christ we al shulde honoure the gloriouse virgyn as our modre Fourthly for the encrease of her merite And fiftly that y e passion of Christ shuld be more bitter paynful to him thorough the presence of his modre by whom he sheweth his most hyghe charitie vnto vs. She stode also for all other departed from the stablenes of fayth but she onely and therfore it is sayde of her thus O good lorde thou haste stablished thy testament vpon the heede of Marie al waye virgin for after the death of thy son thy fayth onely remayned perfetely in the reason of the same virgyn ¶ Of the sorowe and compassyon of our ladye AS the great clerke Alberte sayth vpon these wordes of Luke Tuam ipsius animam pertransibit gladius The swerde of sorowe shal passe thorowe thyn awne soule It is the more true exposition and sentence when this pronowne deriuatyue tuam is resolued in to his primityue tui so that this is the true sentence of the forsayd wordes of Luke the swerde of sorowe that is the payne of the passyon and deth of thy sonne O vyrgyne Mary which he suffred in his bodye shall perse and passe thorowe the soule of thyne awne selfe Marie So that the sorowes whiche thou felt not at the birth of thy sonne so that therby thou dyd not knowe thy selfe a mother at his deth thou shalt fele them in moste paynfull and sorowfull maner so that thou shalte knowe thy self then to haue had a chylde and to be a mother Our sauiour Iesus her sonne was to Marie his mother as her awne herte and therfore when he was borne of her she felte as if halfe her herte had bene borne and departed from her body And as that thynge whiche is halfe without and halfe within if that parte that is outwarde be
thus for his manhod whiche then seamed to be forsaken of god for it was subdued to intollerable paynes and most shamefull deth Christ was lefte in great paynes that therby and for those paynes we myghte be conforted of god It was done by a greate miracle that the glorie whiche was in the hygher porcyon of the soule of Chryste dyd not descende and redounde in to lawer parte of the soule but was suspended and letted so that the lawer parte suffred all paynes asmoche as is possible any creature to suffer without death for it was hollye lefte to it selfe without all comforthe whiche was not in the holye martirs in theyr martirdom and deth for the comforth that they hadde in the hygher porcyon of theyr soule dyd redownde vnto theyr senses so that theyr martyrdome and paynes was no greate payne to theym but with greate ioye they suffred them as it appereth in the lyues of saynt Laurence Vincente and many other But oure sauyoure Iesus hadde none suche consolation in his senses no helpe of any persone but all lefte to suffer what so euer was put to hym and that to the extremitie And therfore he compleynethe hym selfe to be forsaken of god whiche myghte not in dede be lefte of god for the godhed was euer ioyned bothe to the soule and also to the bodye but this he spake for vs for he knewe that many of his electe membres shulde come to so greate tribulation that it shuld seame to them that they were vtterly forsaken of god Now blessed be our dearbeloued and moste mercyfull sauioure Iesus whiche fyrst in his awne bodye for vs and nowe also in vs and with vs it pleaseth hym to suffer our tribulation for the tribulation that we suffer for iustyce and for god he reputeth it as hys awne tribulation for he saith Cum ipso sum in tribulatione I am with the good person in his trouble and that is that we shulde more surelye and faythfully truste in hym This payne when he sayd hym selfe to be forsaken of god was moste greuous payne to hym aboue al the other for without this leauyng there shuld haue ben no payne for who so is consorted by god there is no torment that can be paynfull to hym Christe sayde twyes My god and that was to shewe the vehemence of his sorowe both in soule and in bodye And herunto saynt Bonauenture sayth He cryed with a great voyce for he felte great sorowe and specyally for the great vnkyndnes of man for though he suffred for al man kynde yet there were very few present there that toke fruyte therof at that tyme as the thefe that hange on the ryghte hande and the glorious virgyne that was full heuye there by the crosse so that our lorde myght wele say why haue I so vaynly and with out fruyte subdued my selfe to so many great paynes and to deth O blessed lady what sorowe had thou when thou harde thy sonne crye so He cryed also with a great voyce for the synne was great whiche was the cause of all that miserie those paynes and deth For as saynt Ambrose saith He wepte and sorowed for the synne and miserie of them whose nature he had taken ¶ A Lesson OF this article we may lerne howe to haue a recourse to our lorde in all our tribulations and by our prayer compleyne and shewe to hym our desolation that it wolde please hym to beholde our troubles and helpe vs for so our sauyour Christ in his troubles and sorowes cryed vnto god his father saynge My god my god why hast thou forsaken me whiche as the glose ordinarie sayth was not onely a compleynte but also a prayer as it appereth in the psalme of the whiche these wordes be taken for there it is sayd thus Deus deus meus respice in me quare c. O god my god beholde me why hast thou forsaken me Also saynte Paule speakynge of the prayer of Christe seameth to speake of this prayer saynge Qui in diebus carnis sue preces cum clamore valido et lacrimis offerens exauditus est pro sua reuerentia Oure sauiour Iesus in the dayes and tyme of his mortalitie offerynge prayers to his father with a greate crye and with teares was harde for his reuerence ¶ A prayer O Lorde Iesu Christe the sonne of the lyuyng god whiche at the .ix. houre of the day for me most wretched hyngynge vpon the crosse cryed to thy father with a great voyce sayng He li heli lamahazastani That is My god my god why haste thou forsaken me graunt to me that in all my trouble and anguysshe I may cry to the my lorde god with the greate voyce of my herte that so thou neuer suffer me to be reproued as lefte and forsaken of thy mercy Amen ¶ Howe they gaue hym to drynke vinegre or asell The .lx. article THe .lx. article is the drynkynge of vineger for Iesus after all the forsayd paynes and labours beynge thurstye or drye for then all that was written of Chryste in the lawe of Moyses or in the prophetes ware fulfylled excepte one that was writen in the psalme In siti mea potauerūt me aceto In my thyrste they gaue to me vineger to drynke therfore Iesus to fulfyll all the scripture he sayde I am drye Not so to be vnderstande that Iesus therfore was thirsty and therfore they gaue to hym vineger to drynke bycause it was so wryten before by the prophet but bycause god knewe longe before that Chryste shulde be drye and also that the Iues or the saugiours shulde gyue hym vineger to drynke therfore our lord wold haue it writen by the prophet and so in this thirst of Christ that scripture was fulfylled and so in lyke maner vnderstande all the other propheties of Christ Christe sayd Sitio I thyrste And this was his .v. worde that he spake on the crosse for after his longe and continuall labour and payne had all the nyght before and also that same day vnto .iii. of the clocke at after none also for his effusyon and sheddynge of so moche blode and for hangynge so longe vpon the crosse in the heate of the day it was no meruell thoughe he ware drye and of this the prophet also sayth in the person of Christe Aruit tanquam testa virtus mea et lingua mea adhesit faucibus meis My vertue or strength of my body was as dry as a shell and my tonge clyued fast to my chekes for drynes and therfore he myght wele saye Sitio I thrist For they that be let blode be more drye then other men but our sauyoure Iesus was let blode that daye both in scourgyng beatyng crownyng with thornes and crucifyeng besydes his sweatyng therfore it was no meruell if he were drye Saynte Bernarde entreatyng this article sayth O good Iesu why dost thou crye and say Sitio I am thristy Dost not thou knowe that thyne aduersaryes wyl ministre and gyue
to hym his dieat Seconly he wyl cast hym in a sweat Thyrdly if these be not sufficyent he wyll let hym blode to correcte the euyll humors And fourthly he wyl gyue hym a pocyon to auoyde all the euyll mater that is the cause of his sekenes So our lorde Christe that he myght cure vs from the infirmitie and seakenes of synne he fyrste kepte a dyeat for he fasted .xl. dayes Secondly he swet blode for vs. Thyrdly he was let blode in all the partes of his bodye when as he shedde his blode without weyght or mesure so that his bodye hangynge vpon the crosse was as drye as a fyrebrand Fourthly and last not content with all the other medicynes he toke a most bitter pocyon when for to cure oure synfull sekenes he toke vinegre and tasted therof and therfore he sayd conueniently Consummatum est All thynges be fulfylled that I shulde suffer for the helthe of man And thus after that he had suffred in all the membres of his bodye the sharpe dartes of moste bytter paynes and passyon he myghte well say the wordes of the prophet Repleuit me amaritudine inebriauit me absinthio He hath fulfylled me with bitternes he hath made me dronke with wormewod and so in his passyon he dranke a bytter pocyon and that to cure vs. ¶ A Lesson OF this article we maye take this lesson that in the ende of euery good werke that we do whiche hath diuerse actes and partes we shulde gather them togyther as it ware in a soÌ„me and so offer that good werke to god and so comonlye we vse in all the seruyce of the churche for euer in the ende we conclude with a collecte whiche is so called for asmoche as in that prayer all the office or seruice said before is as it ware virtually gadred and conteyned in that orison or collect as in a summe And so this worde Consummatum est is as it were the collecte of the hole passion of Christ vnto his death And a man to conforme hym selfe to this article shuld remembre breuely as it were in a summe all the forsayde artycles of Chrystes passion and so gyue thankes to all myghtie god for them and pray as foloweth ¶ A prayer O Iesu whiche offeryng the consummacion of thy hole passion as it ware in a â—ume â—o god thy father for we dyd say Consummatum est it is ended â–ª grant to me that I may dewly consummate and ende all the good werkes and paynes that it shall please thy grace to werke in me and by me and so ended to offre them with due thankes vnto god the father by the. Amen ¶ Of the yeldyng vp of his soule or of the death of Christe The. lxii article THe .lxii. article is the death of Christe for when Christe had sayde It is ended then he criynge agayne with a greate voyce sayd or no necessite but for our example 〈…〉 tuas coÌ„mendo spiritum meum Father I commend my spirite in to thy handes This was the .vii. and last worde that he spake vpon the crosse And by this sayng he wolde declare vnto vs that the soules of holy sayntes be in y e handes of god after theyr departyng from the bodye wher as before y t tyme all the soules ware in the hande power of hell And by this his commendacion he commendeth to his father all his electe people for we be his membres as saynt Paule sayth Omnes vnum sumus in Christo iesu We be all one in Christe iesu Which in the dayes of his mortalitie offerynge prayers to his father with a greate crye and teares was hard for his reuerence And this worde sayd and prayer made he bowed downe his heade and so gaue vp his spirite In criyng weapyng and praing As the glose sayth we that be erthly or made of y e erth do dye or giue vp our spirite with out any voyce or at most a softe or small voyce But Christ y t camme from heuen he at his death exalted his voyce and cried with a great and lowde voyce He that is not moued with this voyce is more heuy than the erth more harde than y e stone and more close and stynkyng than dead menes graues for all these ware broken moued and open by this voyce And note here that amonge al the paynes that Chryst suffered this payne of death was most sharpe and paynefull for as the Philosopher sayth Death is the moste terrible of all terrible or fearefull thynges and that is for the naturall inclinacion that the soule hathe to the bodye But there is a more speciall cause in Christe for as Damasten sayth His godhed was vnit and knyt bothe to the soule and also to the bodye and therfore that separatioÌ„ of his soule from his body was most paynfull to hym Chryste enclined and bowed downe his heade to shewe vnto vs. iiii thynges that is Fyrste the greuouse and heuy burden that was laid vpon him A man that is ouercharged or oppressyd with a heuy burden is wonte to stowpe and bowe downe his heade But Christe was oppressid with the heuy burden of our synnes as sait Petre sayth Peccata nostra ipse pertulit in corpore suo super lignum Christe bare our synnes in his bodye vpon a tree that is the crosse Also Christe sayth by the prophet Conuolute sunt iniquitates et imposite collo meo The iniquites or synnes be folden or lappid vp to gether and laid vpon my necke and therfore no meruel though he bowid downe his heade to shew vnto vs what heuy burden he bare Secondely he enclined his heade to shewe his pouertie for Iesus the son of god at his death was so pore that he had no place where to reste his head and therfore he bowyd it downe Thyrdly to shewe to vs that meaknes is the way to glorie euerlastyng Herunto Hugo sayth We shall returne vnto the heuenly cuntre by the waye of meakenes And the wiseman sayth Viam sapientie monstrabo tibi c. I shall shewe to the the way of wisdom and I shall lead the by the pathes of equitie which when thou arte ones entred in to thy feet shall not letted nor thou runnyng shal haue any let or obstacle This waye is the vertu of meakenes for as Christ sayth Qui sehumiliat exaltabitur He y t meaketh hym selfe shal be exalted as y e ê“phet sayth Non habitabit in medio domus mee qui facit suê‘biam The prowde person shall not dwell in my house Forthly Chryste enclyned his heade to gyue thankes to his father for the victorie he had for by his death he distroyed death And hereunto saynt Paule sayth Absorpta est mors in victoria Death is destroyed by the victorie and triumphe of Chryst And in the same place Deo gracias qui fe cit nos vincere in domino nostro iesu Christo Thankes be to god that hath