gold vvhat hope maie I haue vvho haue liued so abominablie and so filthilie After this there folovv the Sacraments of Confession of the Altar and of Extreme vnction vvhich is the last succour that the Catholique Church can help vs vvithal in that trovvblesom time therefore as vvel heerein as in other things thou must consider the griefes and angvvishes of mind vvhich a man shall then suffer for his vvicked life past and hovv gladlie he vvil vvish that he had taken an other vvaie and vvhat kind of life he vvould then lead yf he might haue time to dooe the same and hovv he then vvilen force him self to call vppon almighte God vvhen the paines and increasing of his sicknes vvil scarcelie permitte him to dooe it Consider also those last accidents pangs of sicknes vvhich be as it vvere messangers of death hovv terrible and fearful they be the breastriseth and panteth the voice vvaxeth hoarce the feete begin to die the knees vvax cold stiffe the nostrels runne out the eys fink into the head the countenance seemeth dead the toung faultereth is not able to doe his office finallie by the hast vvhich the sovvle maketh to depart out of the bodie all the senses being troubled doe lose theire force and vertue But aboâ—eal the sovvle is shee that then suffreth greatest troubles for at that time shee is in a great conflict and agonie partlie for her departure and partlie for feare of the accoumpt vvhich she must giue because she is naturallie loth to depart from the bodie and liketh vvel her abode therein and feareth her reckoning Novv vvhen the sovvle is departed from the bodie there remaine yet tvvo vvais to goe th' one is to accompaine the bodie vnto the sepulchre th' other is to folovv the sovvle vntil her cause be determined and thou must vievv vvhat shall befall to ech of these parts Consider then in vvhat sort the bodie remaineth after his sovvle hath forsaken it vvhat a vvorthiegarment that is vvhich they prouide to burie it in and vvhat hast they make to get him ridde ovvt of the hovvse Consider his funeralls vvith al that passeth in the same the ringing of bells the praying for him the doleful seruice and singing of the Church the accompanying and sorovv vveeping of frinds and finallie al th' other particulers that ar then vvoont to happen vntill the bodie be left in the graue vvhere it shall lie buried in that earth of perpetual obliuion and forgetfulnes VVhen thou hast left the bodie in the graue folovv forthvvith the sovvle and behould vvhat vvay she taketh through that nevv region and vvhat shal becom of her and vvhat iudgement she shall haue Imagin that thou art novv present at this iudgemeÌ„t and that al the court of heauen expecteth the end of this sentence vvhere the sovvle shal be charged and discharged of al that she hath receaued euen to the valevv of a pinnes point There shal be taken accouÌ„pt of the life of the goods of the familie and hovvshold of the inspirations of God of the means and opportunities vve had to lead a good life and aboue al of the accoumpt vve haue made of the most pretious bloud of our Sauiour and of the vse of his sacraments And there shal euerie one be iudged according to the accoumpt he shall make of that vvhich he hath receaued Thursdaie night Of the date of iudgment THIS daie thou shalt meditate vppon the daie of the general iudgement that by meanes of this consideration those tvvo principall affections maie be stirred vp in thy soule vvhich euerie faith full Christian ought to haue to vvit the feare of God and abhorring of sinne Consider first vvhat a terrible daie that shal be in vvhich the causes of al the childreÌ„ of Adam shal be examined the processes of al our liues concluded and a definitiue sentence giuen vvhat shal be of vs for euermore That daie shall comprise in it self al the daies of al ages as vvel present and past as to com because in it the vvorld shall giue accoumpt of al those times and in it shall almightie God povver out his anger and indignation vvhich he hath gathered laid vp in al ages Hovv violentlie shal the maine floud of Gods indignation breake out at that daie conteining in it so maine flouds of anger and vvrath as there haue ben sinnes committed since the creation of the vvorld Secondlie coÌ„sider the fearful signes vvhich shal goe before that daie Luc. â—1 for as our Sauiour saith before the comming of this daie there shal be signes in the sunne in the moone and in the starres and finallie in all the creatures of heauen and earth for they all shal haue as it vvere a feeling of their end before they end in deede and shal tremble and beginne to fal before they fal in deede But men saith he shal goe dried vp and vvithered for feare of death hearing the terrible rorings of the sea and seeing the great vvaues and tempestes vvhich shal rise in it and foreseeing by this the great calamities and miseries vvhich such feareful signes dooe threaten to the vvorld And so shal they goe astonied and amazed their faces pale and disfigured them selues dead before death and condemned before sentence be giuen measuring the perils imminent by their ovvne present feares euerie one so occupied vvith his ovvne affairs that none shal think of others no not the father of his sonne None shal then haue to doe vvith anie or for anie because none shal be sufficient for him self alone Thirdlie consider that vniuersal floud of fier that shal com before the iudge and that dreadful sovvnd of the trompet vvhich the A changel shal blovv to sommon and call al the generations of the vvorld to assemble together in one place and to be present at there iudgement and aboue all that dreadful maiestie vvith vvhich the iudge shall com After this consider the streight accoump vvhich shal there be required of euerie maÌ„ Trulie saith Iob I knovv it is so Iob 9. and that no man can beiustified yf he be compared vvith God If he vvil conted vvith him in iudgement of a thovvsand things that he shall charge him vvithal he shal not be able to ansvvere vnto one VVhat then shal euerie vvicked person think at that time vvhen God shal enter vvith him into this examination shal there vvithin his ovvne conscience saie thus vnto him Com hither thou vvicked felovv vvhat hast thou seene in me that thou shouldest thus despise me and goe to mine enimies side I haue created thee to my image and likenes I haue giueÌ„ thee the light of faith made thee a ChristiaÌ„ redeemed thee vvith mine ovvne propre bloud for thee haue I fasted traueilled from place to place vvatched laboured svveat droppes of bloud for thee haue I fusfred persecutions scoutgings blasphemies reproches buffetings dishonours torments and the Crosse VVitnes be this Crosse and nailes
not suffering that betvveene him and her there should be anie other pledge to renevve in her the remembrance of him then euen him self Moreouer this bridegrome in his long absence vvas desirous to leaue som companie to his spovvse that she might not remaine solitarie and comfortles and so he left her the companie of this most blesed Sacrament vvherein he him self remaineth reallie present vvhich vvas in verie deede the best companie that he could leaue her At the same time also he vvould goe to suffer death for his spovvse and to redeeme and enriche her vvith the price of his ovvne bloud and that she might as often as she vvould enioy this treasure he left her the keys thereof in this most blessed Sacrament For as S. Chrysostom saith So often as vvee com to receaue the most blessed Sacrament vve must make account that vve com to laie our mouthes to Christes very side to drink of his most pretious blovvd to be partakers of this soueraine and diuine misterie This heauenlie bridegrome desired likevvise to be loued of his spovvse vvith an exceeding great loue and therefoâ—e he ordeined this mysticall and mysterious morsell consecrated vvith such vvoords that vvhoesoeuer receaueth it vvoorthilie is foorthvvith touched and vvounded vvith this loue Besides this our Sauiour vvould assure his spovvse and giue her a pledge of that blessed inheritance of eternal glorie that vvith the hope of this felicitie shee might cheeresullie passe throvvgh al the trovvbles aduersities of this life And that the spouse might haue a firme and assured hope of this felicitie he left her heere in pledge this vnspeakable treasure vvhich is of as great value as al that vvhich is there hoped for and this that she should not mistrust but that God vvil giue him self vnto her in glorie vvhere she shalliue in spirite seeing he denieth not him self vnto her in this vale of teares vvhere she liueth in fleash Moreouer our Sauiour purposed at the hovver of his death to make his testament and to leaue vnto his spovvse som notable vvorthie leagacie for her releife and so he left her this most blessed Sacrament vvhich vvas the most precious and most profitable bequest that he could leaue vnto her for so much as in the same God left him self To conclude our Sauiour minded to leaue vnto our sovvles sufficient prouision and foode vvherevvith they might liue because the sovvle hath no lesse neede of her proper sustenance to mainteine her spiritual life then the bodie hath of his foode for maintenance of his corporal life For this cause therfore this vvise phisition our Sauiour Christ vvho had also felt the pulses of our vveaknes ordeined this diuine Sacrament and for this hath he ordeined the same in forme of meate that the verie forme vvherein he instituted it might declare vnto vs the effect it vvorketh and vvith al the great necessitie our sovvles haue of the same vvhich is noelesse then the necessitie that our bodies haue of their propre foode Tevvsdaie morning Of our Sauiours praier in the garden his apprehension and presentation before Annas THIS daie thou hast to meditate vppon the praier of our Sauiour in the garden vppon his apprehension and vppon his presentation and euil vsage in the hovvse of Annas Consider heere first hovv after that this supper so ful of misterie vvas ended our Saui our vvent vvith his disciples vnto the mount Oliuet to make his praier before he vvould enter into the combat of his passion thereby to teach vs that in al the trovvbles and tentations of this life vve must still haue recourse vnto praier as it vvere to an holie ancker by vertue of vvhich the burden of tribulation shal either be taken quite avvaye from vs or els vve shal haue strength giuen vs to be able to beare it vvhich is an other greater grace To accompanie him in this vvay our Sauiour tooke vvith him those three of his best beloued disciples to vvit S. Peeter S. Iames and S. Iohn vvhich had ben vvitnesses of his transfiguration that the verie same persons might see vvhat a far different shape he tooke novv vppon him for the loue of men from that glorious shape vvherein he had shevved him self vnto them at his transfiguration And because they should vnderstand that the invvard troubles of his sovvle vvere no lesse then began to be discouered outvvardlie he spake vnto them those sorovvfulvvoords Matth. 26.38 Mie soule is heauie euen to death stay heere and vvatch vvith me Our Sauiour vvhen he had spoken these vvoords departed from his disciples a stones cast and lying prostrat vppon the grovvnd he began his praier vvith verie great reuerece saying O father yf it be posstble let this cuppe passe from me neuertheles not as I vvil but as thou And hauing made this praier three times at the third time he vvas in such a great agonie that he began to svveateuen dropps of bloud vvhich ranne dovvne al along his sacred bodie and trickled dovvne to the grovvnd Consider novv our Sauiour in this dolovvrous case and behold hovv there vvere represented vnto him al the cruel torments vvhich he vvas to suffer and hovv apprehending in a most perfect manner such cruell paines as vvere prepared for his bodie vvhich vvas the delicatest of albodies and setting before his eys al the sinnes of the vvhole vvorld for vvhich he should suffer and vvithall the great vnthankfulnes and ingratitude of so manie sovvles as he knevv vvould neuer acknovvledge this benifit nor profit them selues of this so greate and so pretious remedie his sovvle vvas vexed in such sort and his senses and most tender flesh vvere so troubled that al the forces elements of his bodie vvere distempered and his blessed flesh vvas opened on euerie side and gaue place to the bloud that it might passe and distill throvvgh al the same in great abundance and streame euen dovvne to the grovvnd Novv yf the flesh suffred these grieuous paines vvith onlie remembrance and vvas in so piteous a case in vvhat a dolefull state then trovv ye vvas the sovvle that suffred those paines directlie in it self Consider moreouer hovv vvhen our Sauiour had finished his praier that counterfaict frind of his came thither vvith that hellish companie renouncing novv the office of Apostleship and becomming the ringleader and Captaine of Sathans armie Behold hovv vvithout al shame he set him forvvards before al the rest and comming to his good maister sold him vvith a kisse of most traiterous frindship At the same time our Sauiour said vnto them that came to lay hands vppon him Tovv ar com ovvt as it vvere to a theese Matth. 26.55 vvith svvordes and clubbes to apprehend me I sate daily vvith you teaching in the temple and you laide no hands on me But this is your hovvre Luc. 22.53 and the povver of darknes This is a mysterie of great admiration For vvhat thing is more to be vvoondered at then to see the sonne of God to
vve maie bee thankful for it The magnificencie of the goodnes and charitie of almightie God vvhich is heere discouered that vve maie hartilie loue the same The conueniencie of this mysterie that vve may admire it And the multitude of the vertues of our Sauiour Christ vvhich dooe shine heere so brightlie that vve maie be prouoked thereby to imitate them Novv according to this vvhen vve goe to meditate the Passion vve must endeuour to incline our hart som times to haue compassion of the paines of our Sauiour Christ for that they vvere the greatest that euer vvere suffred in this vvorld as vvel for the tendernes of his complexion as for the greatenes of his charitie and also for that he suffred vvithout anie manner of consolation as in an other place is declared Som other times vve must procure to dravv out of this holie passion motiues of sorovv for our sinnes considering that they vvere the very cause vvhy our Sauiour suffred such so grieuous paines as in deede he suffred Som other times vve must take from hence motiues of loue and thanksgiuing considering the greatenes of the loue vvhich our Sauiour by this meane discouered vnto vs the greatenes of the benifit vvhich he bestovved vppon vs redeeming vs so liberallie vvith so great cost of his and so great commoditie of ours At other times vve must lift vp our eyes to consider the conueniencie of the manner of this misterie vvhich almightie God did choose to heale and cure our miserie that is to satisfie for our debts to succour our necessities to merite for vs his grace to beate dovvne our pride to induce vs to the contempt of the vvorld to the loue of the Crosse of Pouertie of Asperitie of Iniuries and of all other vertuous and laudable labours Som other times vve must fix our eys in the examples of the vertues vvhich shine in the most holie life and death of our Sauiour in his Meekenes Patience Obedience Mercie Pouertie Charitie Humilitie Benignitie Modestie in al the other vertues vvhich in al his vvoorks and vvoords shine more brightlie then the starres in heauen to the intent vve maie imitate somvvhat of that vvhich vve see in him and that vve receaue not in vaine the spirite and grace vvhich he hath giuen vs for this end but that vve endeuour to goe to him by him This is the highest and most profitable manner of meditating the passion of our Sauiour Christ vvhich is by vvay of imitation for that by imitation vve com to be transformed and so to saiâ— vvith the Apostle I liue novv not I Galatâ— 2.20 but Christ liueth in me Beside that vvhich vve haue hitherto said it is verie expedient in the misteries of the holie passioÌ„ to haue Christ as it vvere present before our eyes and to make account that vve see him before vs vvhen he suffereth and to haue an eye not onlie to the historie of the sacred passion but also to al the circumstances of the same especiallie to these fovver as vve haue touched before that is vvhoe suffereth for vvhorne he suffereth hovv he suffereth and for vvhat cause VVhoe suffereth Almightie God vvhoe is infinite immense c. For vvhome suffreth he for the most vngrateful and vnmindful creature in the vvorld Hovv suffreth he vvith exceeding great humilitie charitie benignitie meekenes mercie patience modestie c. For vvhat cause suffreth he not for anie commoditie of his ovvne nor anie merite of ours but onlie for the bovvels of his infinite pittie and mercie Moreouer vve must not be content to consider that onlie vvhich our blessed Sauiour suffred outvvardlie in his bodie but much more that vvhich he endured invvard lie because vve haue much more vvhereof to contemplate in the sovvle of Christ then in the bodie of Christ and this as vvelin the feeling and compassion of his paines as also in other affections considerations vvhich vvere in him Novv this litle preambule or preface being thus presupposed let vs begin to separate put in ordre the misteries of this most sacred and holie passion HEERE FOLOVV THE OTHER SEVEN MEDItations of the holie Passion Mondaie morning Of our Sauiours entring into Ierusalem vvasshing his Apostles seete and institution of the most blessed Sacrament THIS daie vvhen thou hast made the signe of the crosse vvith such preparation as aftervvard shal be declared thou hast to meditate vppon the entring of our Sauiour into Ierusalem vvith boughs vppon the vvasshing his Apostles feete and vppon the Institution of the most blessed Sacrament of the altar Of our Sauiours entring into Ierusalem VVHEN the lamb vvithout spot had finished his sermons preaching of the ghospel and that the time of that great sacrifice of the Passion vvas novv neere at hand it pleased him to com to the place vvhere he vvas to make an end of the Redemption of mankind And that it might be knovven vvith hovv greate charitie ioy of mind he vvent to drink this chalice for vs he vvould be receaued this daie vvith great triumph the people going foorth to meete him vvith great acclamations and praises vvith boughs of oliue trees and palmes in theire hands manie spreding their garments in the vvaie vnderneath him and crying vvith one voice Matth. 2.9 and saying Blessed is he that commeth in the name of our Lord. Hosanna in the highest Ioyne then also my deare brother thie cries vvith their cries and thy praises vvith their praises giue thanks to our Lord for this so great a benifit vvhich he novv bestovveth vppon thee for the loue vvith vvhich he bestovveth it For albeit thou ovve him much for that vvhich he suffred for thee yet thou ouest him much more for the loue vvith vvhich he suffred it And aâ— though the torments of his passion vvere exceeding greate yet greater vvas the loue oâ— his hart and so he loued much more then hâ— suffred and vvould also haue suffred much more yf it had ben necessarie for vs. Goe forth aftervvard into the vvaie therâ— to receaue this nevv triumpher and receaue him vvith acclamatioÌ„ of praises vvith oliâ—â— bovvghs and vvith palmes in thy hands spreading likevvise thy proper garments vppon the grovvnd to celebrate this feast of his entring The acclamations of praises be praier and thanksgiuing The oliue bovvghs be vvoorks of mercie and the palmes be mortification and victorie ouer our passions and the spreading of garments in the vvaie is the chastising and hard vsing of the bodie Perseuer then in praier thereby to glorifie almightie God vse mercie also thereby to succour thy neighbours necessities and vvith this mortfie thy passions and chastise thy flesh and in such manner thou shalt receaue in thy self the sonne of God Thou hast also heere a great argument motiue to despise the glorie of the vvorld after vvhich men runne so desperatelie and for vvhose sake they commit such great excesses But vvilt thou see vvhat account there ought to be made of
the more secure from the greater And by venial sinnes vve vnderstand in this place idle talke inordinate lavvghing eating drinking and sleeping more then is necessarie time euil spent light lies and others the like vvhich although they doe not depriue vs of Charitie yet doe they quenche the feruour of the same The sixt Remedie VVE ar also much holpen hereunto by the seueâ—e and sharp treating of our flesh as vvel in eating and drinking as also in sleeping and clothing and in al the rest vvhich flesh being a fountaine and prouoker of sinnes the more feeble and vveake it is the more feeble and vveake shal the passions and appetites also be vvhich shal proceede of it Forlike as the drye barren ground bringeth fourth plantes vveake and of smale substance but contrari-vvise the batteful and fertile grovvnd especiallie that vvhich is vvel vvatered and dounged bringeth fooâ—th trees very greene and verie mightie so likevvise it fareth vvith oure bodie as much as concerneth the passions vvhich doeproceede from the same according as it is better or vvoorse dealt vvithall or more or lesse subdued True it is that al this must be donne vvith discretion and moderation although this counsel as the vvoorld goeth novv a daies be needeful to fevv Yet to obteine this a man must as often as he goeth to table not onlie blesse the same but also lift vp his hart to God and demaund this temperancie and procure vvhiles he eateth to obserue it The seuenth Remedie IT helpeth also much for this purpose to take diligent and straite account of our toung because this is the part of our bodie vvith vvhich vve offend God more easilie and often for the toung is a verie slippery membre vvhich slippeth verie quicklie into maine kindes of silthie colerick boasting and vaine vvords and somtimes also into lyeing svvearing cursing murmuring slaundering flattering and the like For vvhich cause the vvise-man saieth In much speeche there shal not vvant offence Prou. 10.19 Prou. 18.21 And againe Death and life ar in the povver of the tounge And therfore it is verie good counsel that as manie times as thou shalt haue occasion to talk of such matters and vvith such persons by vvhich thou maist doubte of som perill either of murmuring bragging lyeing or of vaine-glorie c. thou doe first lift vp thy eyes to God and commend thy self vnto him and saie vvith the Prophet Pone Domine custodiam ori meo Psal 140.3 ostium circumstantiae labijs meis That is to saie Apoint O lord a custodie or garde to my mouth and a dore of circumstance vnto my lippes And vvith this also vvhilest thou art in communication be vvel aduised in thy vvords as he that passeth ouer a riuer vppon some stones that lie ouerthvvarte the same that thou slippe not into anie of these perils The eight Remedie IT helpeth also verie much to this ende not to entangle thy hart vvith too excessiue loue of anie visible thing vvhither it he honour goods children or anie other temporal thing forsomuch as this loue is a great occasion in a manner of al the sinnes cares fantasies vexations passions and disquietnes that be in the vvorld For vvhich cause the Apostle saieth 1 Timoth. 6. that Couetousnes vvhich is the ouergreedie affection of temporall things is the roote of all euills And therfore a man must liue alvvaies vvith attention and carefulnes that he suffer not his hart to cleaue ouermuch to these temporall things but rather pluck it back alvvaies vvith the bridle vvhen he perceiueth that it rangeth abrode fantasticallie and not desire things more then they deserue to be desyred that is to saie as things of small account as fraile vncertaine and such as passe avvaie in a moment vvithdravving his hart from them and fixing it vvhollie vppon that cheefest onlie and true felicitie He that shal loue temporall things after this manner vvil neuer despaire for them vvhen he vvanteth them neither vvil he be dismaied vvhen they ar taken from him neither vvil he commit infinite sorts of sinnes vvhich the louers of these things doe commit either to obteine them or to increase them or els to defend them Herein consisteth the keye of al this busimes for vndoutedlie he that hath so moderated this loue is novv becom lord of the vvorld and of sinne The ninth Remedie TO this likevvise helpeth exceeding much the vertue of almes-deedes and of mercie by vvhich a man deserueth to obteine mercie at Gods hands and this is one of the strongest vveapons that a man hath against sinne for vvhich cause the Ecclesiasticus saith VVater quencheth the burning fiar Eccles 3.33 Eccles 29.16 and Almesdeedes doe resist sinnes And againe in an other place The almes of a man is a pouche vvith him and it shal keepe the grace of a man as the apple of the eye and aftervvard it shall rise againe and yeeld them retribution to euerie one vppon theire head it shall fight against thine enemie more then the shield of astrong man and more then the speare Let a man also remember that al the foundation of Christian life is Charitie and that it is the marke by vvhich vve must be knovven to be the disciples of Christ and that the signe of this Charitie is Almes and mercie tovvard such as besicke poore afflicted in prison and tovvards alother miseâ—able persons vvhome vve ought to helpe and succour according to oure possibilitie vvith vvoorks of mercie vvith comfortable speeches and vvith deuoute praiers beseeching God for them and releeuing them vvith such things as vve haue The tenth Remedie THE reading of good bookes is also a greate helpe vnto this as the reading of naughtie bookes is a greate hinderance and impediment for the vvoord of God is oure light oure medicine oure foode oure maister oure guide oure vveapons and all oure good seeing it is it that filleth oure vnderstanding vvith light and ouâ—e sovvle and vvil vvith good desires and thereby helpeth vs to recollect oure hart vvhen it is most distracted and to stirre vp our deuotion vvhen it is most sluggish and drovvsie True it is that this reading yf vve mind to take profit thereof must not be a sleightie or negligent careles running ouer of books vvithout due vveighing of the same and much lesse for onlie curiositie sake but contrarivvise it must be ioined vvith humilitie and a desiâ—e to take profit thereby The eleuenth Remedie IT is likevvise a great help for this purpose to vvalke so a though vve vvere alvvaies in the presence of God and to haâ—e him as present before our eyes as much as is possible as a vvitnes of our dooings a iudge of our life a helper of our vveake nes desyring him alvvaies as such a one vvith deuout and humble praiers to help and succour vs vvith his grace But this continual attention ought to be had not onlie vnto God but also to the ordering and gouernment of oure life in such sort that vve