and made a peace and reconciliation with his Father Hee sayeth therefore O Father forgiue and that by and by For the time of hauing mercy on him commeth Pâ—al 101. for the time commeth to wit the houre of sacrifice the day of satisfaction the time of forgiuenes the last instant of my life in which being presently to yeeld vp my breath I now propound my last petitioÌ„ and intreat onely this O Father forgiue them Fourthly hee saith not forgiue the sinnes already committed but onely forgiue euen those euills which they shall hereafter coÌ„mit against mee their irrisions their blasphemies the bitternes of the vineger my death and the wound in my side that thou also shouldst quickly forgiue thy enemies and remit all thinges keeping no rancor at all in thy heart Fiftly hee sayth not I forgiue both because the offence against his Father grieued him more thâ—â— his own torments and also because being intentiue vpon the happines which should redound to all the world by this his Passion hee seemed to esteem all the euils which the Iewes did vnto him rather as a benefite then any hurt Like as a man hauing a grieuous vlcer in his side if his enemy thinking to kill him should wound him in that place whereby the vlcer should be opened and the corruption let out would bee glad of that wound which was the cause of his cure So desirous was our Lord of thy saluation that hee reioyced at those his paines which were the cause of so great good vnto thee Them Note first that hee sayeth not these wicked Crucifiers these Hangmen these aduersaries and enemies both because thou shouldest refraine from all euill wordes and reproaches and also because thy Lord reputeth no man his enemy who payed the price of his death for all men and offereth saluation to euery one louing dearly euen these very Iewes his executioners Rom. 11. not for their owne euill workes but for their Fathers sakes who were holy and iust men and therefore speaking of his stripes Zach. 13. I was whipped saith hee in the house of them that loued mee Not by them that loued me but the Sonnes of them that loued mee that good might be done vnto the Children for their holy Fathers sakes Secondly them in the plurall number not onely those which conspire now against my death but also to all those who at any time by their sinnes haue giuen cause of this my Passion For thou shalt not bee excluded from this prayer whose sinnes haue been cause of our Lords death and thou mayst haue hope of pardon if thou wilt ioyne thy prayer with the prayer of Christ For if the prayer of Christ did profite them which neuer required it doubtlesse it will profite thee requiring it of him and praying together with him For they knowe not what they doe Luc. 23. COnsider first that Christ to whome all iudgement is giuen and whome his enemyes had offended did not take vpon him the office of a Iudge or an accuser but rather of a defender patrone The Iewes sought how to accuse him and found nothing worthy of accusation in him Our innocent Lord that was offended seeketh how to excuse the offence and the malice of the offence was such that nothing could be alleadged for the extenuating therof but onely ignorance And yet this ignorance being voluntary could no more excuse the Iewes then him who wittingly and willingly hideth his eyes because he will not see him whom he striketh or killeth If Christ then in the midst of his torments mittigateth the sinnes of his torturers will hee not now before his Father excuse their sinnes who call vpon his name with faith deuotion and sorrow for their sinnes Consider secondly that the Father answered not his Sonne by worde and yet Christ was heard for his reuerence Heb. 5 For God when he denyed his Sonnes request answered in the garden by an Angell but when hee graunted it hee answered not in worde but in deede Ioan. 19. For first hee restrained all creatures froÌ„ rising against his enemies in reuenge of his death all which would haue fought for their creator if this prayer of Christ had not stayed them Secondly hee reduced one of the Theeues vnto pennance Thirdly at the death of his Sonne he changed the minde of the Centurion and others Fourthly vpon the solemnity of Penticost hee conuerted sometimes three somtimes fiue thousand of the same Iewes vnto his faith Therefore God the Father not by outward words but by inward consent answered his Sonne in this manner O my Sonne I grant that which thou requirest laying aside all wrath I open the fountaines of mercy and I offer grace and pardon of sinnes Iustice and adoption of children as wel vnto these who haue afflicted thee as also vnto all the Nations of the world for euer and euer so as they will admit mercy offer'd vnto them For I will compell none against their will but I giue power to all to returne into grace and fauour with mee if they will and to be made the Sonnes of God and to come into my inheritance in Heauen so as they will be partakers of the merit of this my Passion through faith and the Sacraments Doe thou cry out now with great affliction great are thy mercyes therfore we giue thankes to thee our Lord God And pray him to bestow the guift of wisdome vpon thee that thou mayst know and admire his bounty and goodnes and driuing away all enuy to giue vnto thee the vertue of charity that thou mayst bee inflamed with the loue of thy neighbour The 36. Meditation of the diuision of his Garments Ioan. 19 Then the Soldiours when they had crucified him tooke his garments and made foure partes to euery Soldiour a part and his coate And the coat was without seame wouen all ouer COnsider first the pouerty of Christ thy Lord hee had not change or many suites of apparrell nor the same of silke and other costly matter but his garments were fewe and poore to defend him only from the cold and to couer his nakednes And by tradition it is deliuered as Euchemius witnesseth that his coate without seame was the worke of the mother of God In Mat. 27 which she did weaue with her owne hands for her sonne when he was a little infant which grew miraculously as our Lord grewe and was not worne nor torne out in all that long time the like whereof is rehearsed in holy Scripture to haue happened to the children of Israell that thou mayest learne by the example of thy Lord to forsake all curiositie and superfluity as well in apparrell as in other things Consider secondly the liberality of thy spouse he had already giuen his body shedde his bloud and spent his youthfull yeares for thee and now he giueth a fewe poore garments leauing nothing for himselfe but nayles thornes spittings and bloud clodded on his body Behold the riches of thy
after his bloud Consider thirdly this tytle of Iudas who was called Iudas that is he which a little before was knowne to the Disciples and to good people when by the commandement of Christ he distributed the almes whē he wrought myracles when he followed Christ he is now renowned amongst knaues and famous amongst theeues Be thou carefull to celebrate thy name in Heauen rather then in the world or in hell Cōsider fourthly what a grief it was to Christ to see him who was one of the principall of the Church to become chiefe amōg knaues do thou take heede least by the like change of thy selfe thou giuest him cause of sorrowe by falling from being the sonne of God to be a slaue vnto the Deuill and pray with all thy heart that it neuer happē vnto thee The eight Meditation of the falling of the Iewes to the earth Iesus therefore knowing all things which should come vpon him went forward and said whome seeke yee they answeared him Iesus of Nazareth CHRIST went forward to meet them that he might teach thee first that he was not ignorant of the practizes of the wicked Secondly that he made hast to die of his own free wil Thirdly that he is ready to receiue a sinner if he wil reclaime himselfe Wherefore stirre vp thy selfe to the loue of Christ and offer thy selfe wholy vnto him who yeilded himselfe cheerefully into his enemies hands for thy sake whom seeke yee as if he should say cōsider I pray ye whom ye seeke a iust innocēt man who hath vsed to doe euery man good to hurt no man who for your saluation descended down from heauen who at last shall come to be iudge ouer all creatures Doe thou consider these things whensoeuer thou shalt be tēpted to offend God Heb. 10. For as the blessed Apostle St. Paul saith By sinning the son of God is trodden vpon ignominiously vsed Iesus of Nazareth they knew not that he was present for they did not say we seeke thee but Iesus of Nazareth Note that for thee Iesus is sought for to be put to death that is a Sauiour and of Nazareth that is flourishing and adorned with all vertue for none else by his death could deliuer thee from the flames of hell fire Therefore in all thy necessity thou must seeke for him and pray him that thou maiest not seeke him to his shame and death but to thine owne saluation and in seeking thou maist finde him and hauing found him thou maiest alwaies keepe him Ioan. 18. Iesus answeared them I am he and Iudas who betrayed him stood with them Therefore as he said vnto them I am he they went backward and fell vpon the ground COnsider first the power of Christ ouerthrowing a whole company by his worde onely His wrath therefore is to bee feared when hee shall come to Iudge which shewed so great power being ready to suffer Learne hereby to esteeme much the worde of God which bringeth saluatiō to the belieuer perditiō to the incredulous Cōsider secondly the miserable change of Iudas who a little before sate at our Lords table with the Apostles is now ouerthrown amongst the wicked For neither shall the dignity of thy order or religiō excuse thee nor the goodnes of others defēd thee nor the piety of thy former life profite thee whensoeuer thou shalt forsake Christ and follow his enemies and sinne Consider thirdly that one and the same word is a comfort to the good and a terror to the wicked This word I am he did comfort the Apostles sayling on the sea Mat. 26. Ioan. 18 prouoked the Pharisees to watch and heere ouerthrewe the armed men Thou therefore if thou beest good land wilt receiue the word of God with plentifull fruit but if thou beest naught thou wilt take hurt by the best seede Consider fourthly the difference betweene the ruine of wicked men and the fall of the iust the wicked man falleth back not vpon his face because when he suddenly goeth out of this life he falleth shamefully vpon thinges which he seeth not and vnto punishments which he was ignorant of For to fall vpon the face is to acknowledge our sins in this life by pennance to lament them D. Greg. lib. 31. Mora ca 18. ho. 9. in Ezechielem The wicked man falleth backward because he becommeth worse by that which should amend him that euen against his will he shal be compelled to looke vp to heauen Do thou admire the goodnesse of Christ who by so many meanes sought the saluation of his enemies and pray him that he will so strike thy heart with his word that falling vpō thy face thou maiest by humility reconcile the Maiesty of God who is offended with thy sinnes Therefore hee asked them againe whom seeke yee they say vnto him Iesus of Nazareth he saith vnto them I haue told you that I am hee If therefore yee seeke mee suffer these men to goe away that the Speech may bee fulfilled which saide Because whome thou gauest vnto mee I haue not lost any of them COnsider first the malice of the wicked which is pacified neither with sweetnes nor punnishment For the blindnesse of indurate malice doth increase as in these men who being taught admonished who Christ was did not yet acknowledge him For they answered not wee seeke thee but speaking as it were of another they saide Iesus of Nazareth Consider secondly the great care which Christ had of his people of whome in so great perils he was more careful thē of himselfe This is the perfect loue of our neighbors to helpe them though it be to our own losse Thirdly if in so great aduersity he had care of a few Apostles wil he not now being free frō all perils quiet be careful in heauen for his only beloued spouse the whole Church Yes verily he is carefull desirous to helpe euery particular mēber thereof This place is full of comfort to cōsider that our Lord thinketh on thee Consider fourthly how our Lord doth glory in this that hee had not lost any any of his Disciples In like manner how much cause of ioy maiest thou conceaue if no man be the worse by thy words example or negligence but thou hast rather gayned and preserued many Lastly pray thou vnto Christ that hee will neuer cease to haue care ouer thee The ninth Meditation of the kisse of Iudas Mat. 26. Mar. 14. And the Traytor had giuen them a signe saying whome soeuer I shall kisse that is he hold him and carie him warily THe great name of an Apostle wherewith Iudas was honoured is now turned into the name of a Traytor and so this name Iudas which amongst the ancient Israelites was most honourable is become through detestation of that sinne almost ignominious amongst Christians This is the fruite of sinne that good men auoyd all conuersation with the wicked Consider the carefull diligence of this traytor
who least he should not haue his money taught them the way how to apprehend him and also how to keepe him and so of a maister of vertue he became a maister of iniquity He was before sent for the conuersion of people now he teacheth others to destroy the Author of life Thou doest learne heereby the qualitie of sinne which resteth not in this to make a man a sinner but proceedeth further to make him also a teacher of wickednesse Pray thou vnto God that he neuer suffer thee to be drawne from him least thou fall into sinne like Iudas Luc. 22. Mat. 26. Mar. 14. Iudas went before them and drewe neare that hee might kisse him and comming presently hee said haile Rabbi he kissed him HEere admire the goodnesse of Christ who admitted him to kisse him whō hee knew to be a traytor Neither do thou flatter thy selfe if thou beest called into Religion or by Gods permission exalted to diuine misteryes Ecclesiasticall offices or Holy functions dignityes because Christ doth suffer thee as hee suffered the kisse of Iudas It seemeth that the Apostles vsed to kisse Christ when they came from any strange place For otherwise Iudas wold not haue dared to doe it Christ obiected vnto the Pharisee saying thou hast not giuen mee a kisse Luc. 7. Heere thou mayest learne the facility of Christ in admitting sinners and his great desire to bee with the sonnes of men Come therefore with great confidence for hee will neuer reiect thee who addmitted a traytor Secondly doe all things sincerely for he betraieth Christ with a kisse which vnder pretence of holynesse deceiueth his neighbours and hee which receiueth the body of our Lord in the Eucharist with an vnclean heart is guilty of the body bloud of our Lord which hee putteth into the fowle sinke of his naughty conscience And Iesus saide to him Friend wherfore art thou come Mat. 26. Luc. 22. O Iudas doest thou betray the Sonne of man with a kisse MArke euery worde Friend First hitherto thou hast beene a friend Secondly thou commest in the habite of a Friend offering a kisse a token of loue Thirdly I doe not hate thee but offer thee reconciliatiō am ready to shed my bloud to offer my death also for thy sake which I must now suffer if thou thy selfe wilt I desire not that thou shouldst deliuer me out of the handes of these Iewes for I am borne to that end to suffer death but that thou shouldest repent thee of this thy great sinne returne into grace and fauour Wherfore art thou come First I am not ignorant with what mind thou art come hither I haue searched already into the bottome of thy heart returne againe therfore vnto thy selfe for I thy Iudge am not ignorant of thy fraude Thou wretch whither art thou fallen Late an Apostle nowe a traytor of late a principal pillar of the Church now chiefest amongst Thieues behold thine owne basenes now at least repent thee of thy fault Iudas If thou likest not thy name of a friend because thou wilt not be a friend yet heare me calling thee in my accustomed māner Secondly remēber thy ancient parents Iudas the Patriarch and Iudas Machabeus from whose manners thou doest degenerate The Son of man him who is admirably the son of man begottē in heauen by his only Father borne in earth by his onely mother who did neuer any euill vnto thee but laboured three thirty whole yeares for thy sake is now ready to dye for thee what cause haue I giuen thee that thou shouldest betray mee an innocent with a kisse thou doest abuse the signe of peace turne it to a marke of treason as Ioab in times past kissing Amasa 2 Reg. 20. killed him Thou knowest that nothing is more deare to me then to be ioined in firme loue with thee doest thou conuert this coniunction of loue to my death dost thou betray doest thou giue me to them that hate me deadly which will doe me all māner of hurt which will neuer be satisfied with my miseryes Admire in al these things the benignity of Christ imitate it suffer with thy Lord who suffered so many indignities by his seruant on whō he had bestowed so many benefits and neuer hurt him in any thing cōsidering what how effectually he spake for the cōuersion of the wicked traytor thou mayst be assured he will neuer forsake thee if thou commest vnto him with a contrite hart Pray therefore to Christ that he wil remaine thy friend and giue thee grace to suffer al iniuryes patiently and to loue them that offer any vnto thee The tenth Meditation of the eare of Malchus being cut off They which were about him seeing what would come Luc. 22. Mat. 26. Ioan. 18. saide vnto him Lord if wee strike in the sword behold one of those standers by which were with Iesus Simō Peter drew his sword and striking the seruant of the chiefe Priest cut of his right eare the name of the seruant was Malchus COnsider first the feruor of the Disciples who being but a few in number feared not to oppose themselues against two companyes and to aduenture present danger in defence of their Lord that thou spare not thy selfe when soeuer Christ his cause shal be handling Secondly And behold a new thing that the Apostle of our Lord should vse his sword Christ taught mildnesse not fight which neuerthelesse is to bee vndertaken when Gods glory is in danger Thirdly Peter the chiefe of the Apostles drew his sworde whose office is to cut off the rotten mēbers frō the body of the Church with his spirituall sword Fourthly he cut of the right eare because all which are excōmunicated by Peter are excluded frō the diuine premises of heauenly things they keep the left eare with which after the pleasures of this life they may heare the maledictiō of the seuere Iudge Fiftly Malchus which name signifieth King is the seruant of the wicked Priest for they which in this world are delighted with vain tytles of honours are indeede the bondslaues to vices Consider sixtly the power of Christs word suffer these men to goe away For by the power therof all that great cōpany of men did his disciples no hurt at all Cōsider seauenthly the goodnes of Christ who would not suffer Peter to doe any more harm least by his passiō which ought to profit all men hee shold seem to haue hurt some mā Pray thou vnto Christ neuer to depriue thee frō the hearing of heauēly things nor to shut thy eares against good things but rather to open the eares of thy heart that thou beng deafe to the babling of wicked men maist heare what our Lord shal say vnto thee And Iesus answering said suffer now Luc 22. Then Iesus said vnto Peter put thy sword into thy scabbard Mat. 26. For all which take the sword shall perish with the
one sinne is increased by another if thou dost not preueÌ„t them in time Consider secondly how wickedly the Apostataes from faith and religion doe commonly perish Take thou heede least thou forsake the Church or thy vocation For thou shalt fall into the snare of the Deuill and the Deuill will stand at thy right hand which Dauid fore-spake of Iudas tossing thee heere according to his will Psal 108. and at last casting thee downe into Hell Consider thirdly what is the end of sinners Euen this that hanging in the ayre they shal touch neither Heauen nor Earth and possesse nothing but the rope For rhey reiect heaueÌ„ly things and are depriued of temporall goods which onely they sought after and being inchayned with the chaine of sinne they are detained and held vp by the Deuill the Prince of this ayre And certainly at the end of their life these thinges doe alwayes happen to sinners oftentimes euen in this life to some who being despoyled of their earthly goods are â—â—uertheles so choaked vp with wicked desires that they can hardly lift vp their eyes to Heauen Consider fourthly that hee cracked in the midst and his bowels powred out that hee which had lost the bowels of charity might also loose his owne bowels that hee which imployed all his care to inioy many thinges might loose also his owne entrels Doe thou with Iudas cast away money riches and all worldly things but goe to no other tree then the Crosse of our Lord and pray him that he will tye thee fast vnto him and loosing all the knottes of thy sinnes binde thee with the chayne of his loue For if Iudas himselfe as St. Leo affirmeth had obtayned remedy from Christ crucified Ser. 11. de Pasc DoÌ„ if he had not hastened to the halter thou maiest haue an assured hope to obtayne pardon and grace But the chiefe Priests taking the monye said Mat. 27. It is not lawfull to put it into the treasury because it is the price of bloud and taking counsell they bought therwith a potters field for the burial of strangers and for that cause the field is called Haceldema that is the field of bloud euen to this day Then it was fulfilled which was spoken by the Prophet Hieremy And they tooke thirty peeces of siluer being the price of the appriced whome they priced of the Sonnes of Israell and they gaue them into a potters field as our Lord hath appointed me COnsider first the goodnes and gentlenesse of God who would haue his seruants so farre from all effusion of bloud that in the old lawe he would not permit them to haue the money wherewith the death of any man was procured Consider secondly the preposterous religion of these Priestes which feared not to defile their consciences with innocent bloud and yet were affrayd to pollute their treasury with the price of bloud Thou art like vnto them so oft as thou makest great account of small things and hast small regard of grieuous sinnes against God strayning a Gnat Mat. 23. and swallowing a Camell Consider thirdly the Iewes conuerted not this money to their own vse but to the behoofe of other men That by this thou maist learne 1. That Christ was wholy giueÌ„ vnto vs his very price also being bestowed vpon vs. 2. The liberality of couetous men who giue Almes not of their owne but of other mens money CoÌ„sider fourthly that with this money a field was bought for the burial of strangers that thou mayest learne first that not onely our soules but our bodies also receiued great benefite by the death of Christ For whatsoeuer good is bestowed vpon man wee ought to acknowledge all to proceede from the passion of Christ Secondly that through the death of Christ wee haue true euerlasting rest Thirdly according to St. Ambrose and Saint Hierome Ser. 51. in Luc. In Mat. 27 that this word which in another place is called a field which God the workmaÌ„ made of nothing was bought with the price of the bloud of Christ not for the buriall of all men Mat. 23. but only of strangers that therein only they should rest with a quiet coÌ„science who making themselues strangers on earth looke still to the heaueÌ„ly country Therefore if thou intendest to bee partaker of this price be a straÌ„ger shut thine eyes to worldly things desire no earthly goods to be briefe dye vnto the world that thou maist rest sw◠〈◊〉 Christ Consider 5. That this was confirmed vnto vs either by the prophesie of Hieremy in those bookes which came not to vs or of Zacharie as the common opinion is the name of Hieremy being put in not by the Euangelist Hiere in Mat. 17. Zach. 11 Aug. lib. 3 de coÌ„sensu Euang. Haere 38 Gen. 37. but by some other writer or of both as Epiphanius affirmeth Thou maist learn hereby that the price of Christ was not onely prefigured in the price for which Ioseph before time had beene sould but foretold also by the Prophets with admiration that for the price of thirty peeces of siluer whereof euery one is valued at halfe a Doller the Messias expected so many ages should be bought and sould Doest not thou sell Christ and euerlasting life for a baser price when thou refusest and reiectest his grace for a little filthy lust for money or vaine desire of honor Returne then vnto thy selfe consider the inestimable value of the bloud of Christ and suffer any thing rather then he shall be taken from thee The 19. Meditation of the first accusation of our Lord before Pilate Then they brought Iesus from Caiphas into the Palace Ioan. 18. and it was morning and they entered not into the Palace because they would not be defiled but that they might eate the Pasch COnsider 1. that they made hast betimes in the morning to procure the death of our Lord least perhaps if it shold be deferred it might be hindred throgh the fauour of the people for it is the subtilty of the deuill to carry men headlong into mischiefe least by delay they might alter their purpose Be thou on the coÌ„trary part quick to good for the grace of the holy Ghost admitteth no delay and slowe vnto euill for the feete of wicked men are swift to do mischiefe Take heed therfore that thou omittest no occasion to doe good and in temptation resist expecting Pro. 1. that the Deuill being driuen away Christ may come and helpe Consider secondly that Christ thy Lord being the louer of purity was put into the house of a Gentile as an vncleane person guilty of many crymes which house the Iewes of Religion refused to enter into least they should be defiled with some spotte wherby they might be forbidden to eate the Pasch was thought vnworthy to be nuÌ„bred amongst the children of God or to bee put to death by the hands of the Iewes If thou beest accounted base or a sinner imitate this patience of
I finde no cause in this man But the high Priestes accused him in many things and Iesus answered nothing Then Pilate asked him saying to him Dost thou not heare howe great testimonies they speake against thee dost thou not answere any thing behold in how great things they acuse thee But Iesus answered not him to any word Mar. 15 so as the President wondred greatly COnsider first that Pilate expecting no answere to this question what is the truth went foorth either because he thought that question appertained not to him or else that it was not conuenient at that time To whom thou maiest knowe thy selfe to be like so oft as thou passest ouer lightly heauenly things or as oft as thou shalt thinke that those things which are spoken of euerlasting life of perfection or of christiaÌ„ life appertain not vnto thee or as often as thou dost lightly leaue that which before thy God thou hadst iustly purposed Thinke no time vnfitt for diuine instructions Consider secondly that Pilate found no cause of death in Christ the Iewes a false cause and God the Father a true cause to wit the purging of thy sinnes for the saluation of thy soule Ponder earnestly with thy selfe vpon this cause For the reason why thou louest not Christ so well as thou oughtest nor art so thankfull as thou shouldest be nor art sufficiently moued with this his so great and bitter paine is because thou doest not earnestly acknowledge nor reuolue in thy minde that thou wert the cause of these his bitter paines Consider thirdly the great and manifould crimes obiected against thy Lord in the sight and hearing of all the people who wondred exceedingly at such new and strange things Doe thou patiently suffer for thy Lords sake all slanders iniuries and reproches Consider fourthly the deepe silence of our Lord wherein Pilate the Gentile admired the wisedom of Christ and the Iewes were made more audacious to adde more and more grieuous accusations Admire thou the patience of God who beeing hetherto offended with so many and so grieuous sinnes both of thee and of other men doth not onely still holde his peace winke at them parâ—oÌ„ them but also doth bestowe many benefites vpon thee that thou being moued with his bountifull liberality maist at last remember thy felfe But they were more earnest saying Luc. 23. He moued the people teaching through all Iurie beginning froÌ„ Galilee euen hither COnsider first the clamors of the Iewes who hauing no hope to effect any thing by truth raised vp troubles tumults and clamours like those which defeÌ„d an ill cause wherein they imitate the Deuill who when he can doe nothing by his owne suggestions theÌ„ he stirreth vp friends parents and companions he moueth the inward concupiscâ—nce he hindereth and darkneth the vnderstanding Doe thou nothing impatiently imitating our Lord who was not prouoked nor moued by any iniuries except to loue the more dearly Consider 2. that Christ was heere reputed captaine of the sedicious Thou knowest say they O Pilate the Galilaeans to be factious people whose bloud thou didst lately mingle with their sacrifice behold hee is the head and Ring-leader of all mischiefe borne to raise sedition among the people Verily O Lord thou doest moue the people but not to sedition treason robberies and man-slaughters which is the property of Heretiques which stirre vp such motions in their Sermons but to the change of their life and manners that forsaking their pleasures and sinnes they may all giue themselues to the exercise of vertue Thou fillest the Monasteries with religious people the Deserts with Anchorites the Prisons with Confessors and the gallowes with Martyrs Through thy motion Virgins cast away their braue artyre Rich men choose pouerty Noble men submit themselues to the wills of others and young men by a vowe of religion offer themselues as a Holocaust vnto thee Pray thou also that our Lord may mooue thee Consider thirdly whome he is said to teach to wit the Galilaeans that is Passengers and Iewes that is Confessors and praisers of God But hee began from Galilee For the beginning of Christian doctrine is to passe from sinne the middle is to confesse our dayly defects with sorrowe of heart and purpose of amendment and to praise God in true obedience and the end is to behold the face of God in Ierusalem in the vision of peace Pray our Lord to bring thee to the perfection of this wisedome And Pilate hearing Galilee asked if the maÌ„ wer a Galilaean as soon as he knew that he was vnder the iurisdiction of Herod Luc. 23. he sent him to Herod who also in those dayes was in Hierusalem GAlilaean is heere to bee seperated from the man in this sence whether this maÌ„ be a Galilaean Consider first that either Pilate did not knowe the name of Iesus or else that he disdained to name him Wicked men knowe not Iesus suffering mocked and bound they knowe the honours of the world but not the ignominy of the Crosse Therefore they shall not bee knowne of Iesus that is their Sauiour and they shall neuer reape the fruite of saluation which reiect the Passion being the instrument of saluation Consider secondly that Herode the Iewe came to Hierusalem against the feast of Pasch For sinners vse to celebrate the Feastes of the Faithfull with outward ceremonies onely in brauer Apparrell with daintyer Dishes c. But they doe not receiue the inward fruit of the Feasts neither doe they labour so much for the inward ornament of their Soule to the which they ought to bee caried from the outward ceremonyes Consider thirdly thy Lord is saide to bee vnder the iurisdiction of Herode a wicked man Incestuous Adulterous and a Murtherer that thou mayest willingly obey thy Superiours though they bee not very good hauing respect not to their vices but to the vertue of obedience Consider fourthly the sower Iudges of Christ two Priests Annas Cayphas and two secular men Herode the Iewe and Pilate the Gentile For Christ was adiudged to death by all states of men hee was slaine for the sinnes of all men hee suffered and dyed for the saluation of all men Therefore doe thou confidently lay all thy sinnes vpon him that being free'd from them thou mayest receiue eternall saluation prepared by him The 22. Meditation of the acts in the house of Herode Herode when he saw Iesus reioyced much Luc. 23. for hee was desirous a long time to see him because he had heard many thinges of him and hee hoped to see some signe done by him And he examined him with many questions but hee answered nothing vnto him COnsider first that this Herode neuer came vnto Christ neuer heard his wordes nor neuer saw his miracles but yet hee knewe many things of him by the report of others Wherefore he was glad that hee had occasion to see and behold him but he was not moued with hope or desire of saluation but with a
desire to see some sign Thou mayest learne first what this King thought our Lord to bee an Inchaunter a Iugler a Foole. Secondly that the custome of worldly men is more willingly to heare newe thinges which may delight then good things which may profite Cōsider 2. that Christ admireth not the outward pompe and royall dignity but beholdeth the beauty foulnes of the heart neither would hee vouchsafe to speak vnto him seeing hee expected no profit therby Learne thou 1. not to esteeme too much these outward shewes for in the future examination of the Iudge the humble poor man shal be better esteemed then the proude rich man 2. Not to vtter thy wordes in vaine but to direct thy speaches alwayes to some good purpose remembring that in the day of Iudgement thou shalt render an account of euery idle worde 3. To flatter none to auoyd ostentatiō not to expose Religious and Holy things to be laughed at not to abuse the Scriptures or diuine ceremonyes to Iests and prophane matters Consider 3. what questions were propoūded to Christ by Herode to wit vnprofitable curious Perhaps whether hee were Iohn Baptist whether he could destroy restore the Temple whether his Father in times past killed the Infants for his cause Do thou ask profitable things of our Lord pray him to answer to thy questiōs for the profit saluatiō of thy soule And the chiefe Priests and the Scribes stood constantly accusing him but Herode despised him with his Army Luc. 23. and mocked him cloathing him in a white garment and sent him backe to Pilate COnsider first that Christ suffered 4. thinges in this Kings Pallace For 1. hee was grieuously constantly accused by the Priests Secondly he was despised and mocked by Herode Thirdly hee was euil intreated by the malepert Soldiours no lesse then by the Seruants in the house of Cayphas Fourthly hee was cloathed in a white or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is a bright garment in signe of an affected Kingdom or of folly as one that was able to say nothing before the King in his owne defence Consider secondly that Herode was offended at the silence of Christ lesse then the Priests who pronounced him guilty of death but more then Pilate who by his silence admired the prudent grauity of our Lord. Thou mayst learne that by the same causes some fall more grieuously then others those most grieuously which are in highest estate and calling Pilate was a lay Gentile Herode a laye man but a Iewe Cayphas the high Priest of the Iewes Consider thirdly that Christ is a King but such a one as the world knoweth not but doth accuse laugh at and dispise By these irrisions our Lord deserued for himselfe to bee exalted aboue all Kinges and for vs that wee should bee indued with true wisdome bee made immortall Kings in the Kingdome of Heauen bee cloathed with the white garments of immortality Reioyce therfore if thou dost suffer irrision and persecution with Christ for iustice because thine is the Kingdome of Heauen And beware least Christ be mocked by thee if thou dost contemn the poore and his Seruants neglect his Sacramēts words Cōmandements Lastly do thou accōpany the spouse of thy Soule cloathed in this scornfull garment in his iourney to Pilates house marke what scoffings hee heard obserue his eyes what countenance hee shewed pray vnto him with thy whole heart that thou maist be a foole vnto the world so thou bee accounted wise vnto Christ And Herode and Pilate were made friends in that day Luc. 23. for they were enemyes before one to another COnsider first a double mistery 1. That wicked men agree together against Christ and his followers Heritiques oppugning the Church and the Deuills vexing the iust man The other that the death of Christ made peace betweene the Iewes and the Gentiles and so that the first and principall Office of the passion of our Lord was to bring and maintaine Peace Therefore presently after his Resurrection in his first second meeting hee said to his Disciples Peace bee vnto you Hee would that wee should haue peace with God to whō hee payed the price of our sinnes with our own conscience which he deliuered from sinne and filled with inward grace and with our neighbours whome hee commaundeth vs to loue hauing infused his diuine loue into our hearts As often therefore as thou feelest inward war within thy self as oftē as thou seeest that thou hast lost peace with God as often as thou shalt perceiue thy neighbour angry at thee or dost experience his hatred against thee Presently turne thy selfe to the Crosse of Christ as to him which is thy onely true Mediator and will restore thee vnto peace with all men Consider secondly In that day that is the very same day That thou mayest learne how easie it is for our Lord to make peace and to pacifie mindes that are most incensed and to helpe thee in thy greatest afflictions although there bee no humane meanes Pray therefore vnto God that hee will bring tranquillitie vnto the Christian cōmon wealth cease the troubles of warre and giue a constant Peace vnto his Church The 23. Meditation of the requiring of Barrabas But Pilate calling the chiefe Priests Luc. 23. and the Magistrates and the people sayd vnto them yee haue offered vnto me this mā Mar. 27. as auerting the people and behold I examining him before you Mar. 15 finde no cause in this man of these things in which yee accuse him no nor Herod neither For I haue sent yee vnto him and behold nothing worthy of death is done vnto him therefore I will dismisse him being corrected And on the solemne day the President had a custome and must of necessity dismisse one of the prisoners whom soeuer they should require And he had thē a notable prisoner called Barrabas who was takē with the seditious who in the sedition had committed murther Then Pilate said yee haue a custome that I dismisse one in the Pasch whome will yee that I dismisse vnto you Barrabas or Iesus who is called Christ for he knew that the high priests had deliuerd him by enuy COnsider first that Herod though he sawe nothing worthy of death in Christ yet he did not deliuer the innocent out of the handes of the Iewes but to gratifie the Priests and the President hee referred the knowledge of the cause to Pilate In like manner euery one desireth to please man but none to please Christ Consider secondly that so many Iudges sought the life of Christ and nothing was found worthy of death or of imprisonment Doe thou so order thy life like vnto Christ that the Deuills at the houre of death may finde nothing of their owne on thee Purge thy soule with daily examination of thy conscience and often confession of thy sinnes so as nothing passe out of this world with thee but that which is holy
death or stripes Doe thou inquire the cause in the opened bowells of Christ to wit his burning loue which cutt brake asunder this sacke of his body poured foorth his bloud so pleÌ„tifully What will the holy Angels do which were astonished in the natiuity of this Lord at the wonderfull loue which caused almighty God to take vpon him a frayle and infants body How will they be amazed both at this loue of God which for man was coÌ„tent to be esteemed a worm rather then a man to be the scorn of men and the outcast of the people the scum and laughing stocke of all men also at the raging malice of the Iewes who would neuer bee satisfied with the paines and punishment of their Messias which so many ages before was expected promised vnto them and likewise at the hardnes of thine owne heart which is not softened and melted with this burning charity of thy Creator Admire thou these thinges and pray thy Lord to inflame thy heart with the loue of him Ioan. 19 The Iewes answered him we haue a Lawe and according to the lawe he ought to dye because hee made himselfe the Sonne of God COnsider first the proud answere of the Iewes we haue a Lawe They belieued in the lawe which they had in writing and did not fulfill it in worke Those men doe imitate them first which boast of the word of God and continually obiect the same and are wholy in the commendation of faith when in the mean time they do nothing worthy neither of faith nor of the holy Scriptures nor yet of a Christian man Secondly they which place all piety in outward ceremonies onely and not in the worship of God in brotherly charity Consider 2. That according to the Lawe Christ ought to dye For the whole lawe of Moses and of the Prophets foreshewed the death of Christ for all the sacrifices of the old Law were shadowes of the sacrifice of the Crosse and all the Prophets referred their prophesies to the death of the Messias Therefore the Iewes said true but not according to their owne intention whose meaning was that the sinne and blasphemy of Christ deserued death by the Lawe that thou maiest learne that God turneth to thy good those things which are badly spoken or done by the wicked and also that thou shouldest drawe goodnes euen out of wicked men Consider third-the cause of his death Because hee made himselfe the Sonne of God A most true cause of death First if thou doest consider God the Father for the Son of God being made man made man the Sonne of God assuming humane nature into one person of the Sonne of God For wee should neuer haue come into grace with the eternall Father but by the death of that man who was the true and very Sonne of God Secondly if thou consider the Iewes because hee liued the life of the Sonne of God For therefore their enuy was exasperated to the death of Christ because his most Holy life reprehended their wicked behauiours Take thou heede that neuer any other fault bee noted in thee but onely that thou art the sonne of God For if thou doest suffer for that cause thou art happy and the faithfull Disciple of Christ And because the Sonne of God did vndergoe this death to make thee the Sonne of God pray him that hee will lighten thy soule with his Grace and exalt thee to bee the Sonne of God and after this life by communicating his Diuinity vnto thee he will number thee amongst the Sonnes of God and graunt thee thy portion among his Saints which shall bee called the sonnes of God The 28. Meditation of the second examination of Christ made by Pilate When Pilate heard that speach hee feared more Ioan. 19 and entred againe into the Pallace and said vnto him whence art thou but Iesus gaue him no answere COnsider first that Pilate being an Ethnicke and possessed with the error of the Gentiles feared least Christ was the Son of some God as perhaps of Iupiter or Maâ—s For so the Poets faine of Romulus and Remus and of diuers others and Christ his modesty in answering and his grauity of manners confirmed this opinion Hee feared therfore the indignation of the God his Father whose Sonne hee had so vniustly whipped The Gentile feared the vaine wrath of the Gentile God and feared not the grieuousnes of his sin neither did the Iewes feare the most iust wrath of the true God Thou likewise doest feare sometimes shadowes dreames and childish fancies and art not affraid of the Deuill who is alwayes at thine elbowe when thou sinnest nor the district iudgment of Christ whome thou doest offend nor Hell mouth gaping for thee Consider secondly Whence art thou Euill men neither knowe God the giuer of all good thinges nor from whence any good commeth to them The Oxe knoweth his Keeper and the Asse the manger of his Lord. Hennes Cattes and Hogges when meat is cast vnto them lift vp their heades and looke vpon them that cast the same And man who hath receiued so many benefites froÌ„ God doth neither thanke nor knowe God Consider thirdly that Christ made no answere First because it was not necessary seeing hee had manifested his innocency before and also satisfied this question saying My Kingdome is not of this world I was borne for this and for this I came into the World c. For our Lord spake but seldome and necessary thinges and as St. Chrysostome saith least hee might seeme proude by his continuall silence Hom. 87. in Mat. Secondly least by his answeares hee might bee thought desirous to escape and to auoyde death which he might easily haue done if either hee himselfe or any other for him had seriously defended his cause Thirdly least hee should giue holy thinges vnto Dogs For at this time Pilate by his great sinne of whipping him had made himselfe vnworthy of an answere at Gods handes Fourthly because an Heathen man could not vnderstand the answere of that which the Angells cannot conceiue For from whence is that Person which with his Maiesty filleth both Heauen Earth which alwayes springing in the bosome of the Father Isa 53 is alwayes borne and perfect whose generation noe man can declare Thou therefore pondering in thy minde the Maiesty of thy Lord and seeing him before this wicked President thus fowly torn deformed with so many stripes and couered with so many spittings filth and torments admire and aske him whence art thou Art thou hee whose Father is God whose Seruants are the Angels and whose Kingdome is Heauen For if wee may Iudge of a man according to his habite thou seemest to bee a Worme rather theÌ„ a Man brought forth of the durte rather then comming from Heauen Then Pilate said vnto him Doest thou not speake vnto mee Ioan. 19 doest thou not knowe that I haue power to crucifie thee and power to dismisse thee COnsider first the
them that hate him Consider fourthly that the place day and houre of the condemning of Christ is distinctly noted first to declare the greatnesse of the sinne when the onely begotten Sonne of the true God was condemned to dye on the Crosse Secondly to signifie the mysterye which is contayned in the same It was the day of the Paraseene that is the sixt day in which man was created in which man was to bee redeemed in which the true Lamb was to be immolated and in which the typicall Lamb was slaine About the sixt houre that is a little before noone in which houre the typicall Lambe was prepared to be sacrificed and men doe commonly pamper and cherish their bodies The place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is strowed with stones and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is high because Christ was condēned by men more hard and more proud then the very stones and did receiue this sentence of death for thy pride and for the hardnes and blindenes of thy heart Pray vnto thy Lord to lighten thy blindenes to mollifie thy hardnes and to suppresse thy pride And Pilate said to them behold your king Ioan. 19 and they cryed away with him away with him crucifie him COnsider first that Pilate preuailing nothing by other reasons began to prouoke them to mercy by laughter as if he should lay behold your great King whō yee accuse of aspiring for he which scarce looketh like a man how can he hope to be a King or else that he spake these words to make them deny their Messias and to submit themselues to the bōdage of the Romanes which was hatefull vnto them For yet there remained a little sparke of pietye in his minde that thou mayst learne how hardly our Lord forsaketh vs. Consider secondly the three names giuen to Christ in this time of his passion by Pilate and the Iewes A man a king the sonne of God Mat. 2. which three names the Sages acknowledged by their offerings For saluation could not be giuen vnto vs except God and man should suffer who by his Passion tooke away the kingdome of the world from the deuill Consider thirdly the word full of comfort behold your king by which word the conditions of our King are shewed vnto vs who is not a sowre hard and importunate exactor oppressing vs with labours and leading vs with great burthens and imposing a grieuous yoake vpon vs but louing and gentle bestowing on vs through his aboundant charity his owne labours dolours bloud and life and that bloud by which alone all the filth of our sinnes is washed away who caryeth also our sinnes beareth our burthens briefely who refresheth vs with his body and bloud and lifteth vp his sweet yoake vpon our shoulders Osea 11 To this King thou hast giuen thy name in baptisme thou hast begun to fight vnder his banner behold therefore diligētly his armour and obserue the manner of his fighting with his enemy For thou must vse the same weapons fight in the same māner and if thou dost desire to be rewarded with the like Honours thou must striue for the victory by humility contempt Charity and other vertues Cōsider fourthly the vnbridled rage of the Iewes who reiected the King of glory together with his Kingdome Away with him Luc. 19. away with him say they we will not haue him reigne ouer vs. But do thou take this king of the Iewes reiected by the Iewes and giuen to the Gentiles Cant. 3 and bring him into the house of thy Mother and into the chamber of her that bare thee Make him thy King and not the World nor the Deuill nor thy Belly nor Mammon And say not now Behold your King but beholde our King yea my King who hath loued me and giuen himselfe for me And beware that thou doest not againe by any sinne crucifie this King whome thou hast once admitted least hee complain of thee saying Yee all yee people Mala. 3 Galat. 2. Psal 118. doe nayle me But rather being fastened thy selfe vnto the Crosse with Christ pray him that hee will fasten thy flesh with his feare Pilate said vnto them shall I crucifie your King The Priests answered wee haue no King but Caesar COnsider first in this question of Pilate howe vnworthy a thing it was that the Messias who was promised to Man-kinde from the beginning of the world and expected so many ages and at last thorough the mercy of the eternall Father sent for the saluation of the Iewes should come to such and so miserable a death and as an vnworthy accursed person should bee demaunded to the horrible punishment of the Crosse Do thou look vpō thy selfe mark whether perhaps thou art not in the same error Thou knowest that thou wert borne into this world to this end that at the last thou shouldest enioy God in euerlasting and heauenly felicitie Thou knowest that all the whole world was made and framed by God for thy sake and that for the same cause the very Son of God discended down from Heauen was borne of the Virgin Mary and consecrated all his labours yea his Passion and Death vnto thee But thou hauing no consideration of all this doest by thy sinnes driue away God from thee when thou oughtest to imbrace him thou shuttest vp heauen neglectest wholy thy saluation Consider secondly the franticke choise of the Priests They refuse the Messias sent by God as if it were in them to choose a Messias according to their owne will and pleasure not rather to receiue the Messias whome God gaue vnto them O intollerable madnes of mē who will make to themselues a God according to their owne will or deuise a newe Religion or frame the manner of seruing God out of the holy Scriptures wrested and interpreted according to their owne fantasies Wherefore they are truely called Haeretiques that is choosers It is Gods office to appoint Religion and the manner how to serue him and not ours to choose Consider thirdly the nature of enuy which seeketh the hurt of another though it bee to his owne losse The Romane gouernment was very grieuous and hatefull vnto them and yet the Priests both for themselues and for the whole people preferred it before the sweete yoake of Christ Learne first to lay aside all euill affections of thy minde least thou fall into more grieuous sinnes Secondly not to esteeme so much of outward Nobility or power that thou shalt therefore breake the least Commaundement of God or swarue one iote from truth and iustice For Nobility power and authority are of no estimation except the same be vnder Christ and for Christ from whom all power proceedeth both in Heauen and Earth and vnto whom all Honour and power is due Consider fourthly that this foolish election of the Iewes is cōfirmed by God Mat. 22 Mat. 24. Psal 78 for they haue beene both deptiued of their Messias nowe so many yeares and also giuen
Christ But Iesus said COnsider first what thy Lord in these great paines of the Crosse did doe say or thinke when as amongst all those torments he found no comfort neither outwardly by men nor inwardly in his owne soule Yf he moued his body the woundes of the nayles tormented him if his head the thorns ranne in deeper and pricked him if he stirred not at all his torment was intollerable ouer his whole wearied body Thinke thou yppon these things in all thy labours and afflictions which thou sufferest for thy Lord. Hee reproued no man although he were slaundered diuers wayes But because the mouth speaketh from the aboundance of the hart his wordes euen vppon the Crosse were directed to thy profite and saluation and doe declare most manyfestly that he prayed to his Father incessantly for thee when by reason of his torments he was not able to vtter one word Consider secondly his swan-like song and note the last words of thy Lord which he spake to thee at the poynt of death For euen as the voyce of the Serpent hyssing out of the Tree of the knowledge of good and euill instilled the poyson of sinne so the last wordes of Christ from the Tree of the Crosse were very effectuall for our saluation and full of burning feruour as proceeding from the depth of infinite charitie Hee spake with a loud voyce and weeping teares with great affectiō and deepe sighes in fewe words but with many teares mixed with bloud streaming downe from his head His teares watered his prayers Heb. 5 and his bloud adorned them his eyes pierced his Fathers eares his sighes moued his heart Doe thou listen to these wordes marke them diligently and gather the fruite thereof For by these seauen wordes the wordes and formes of the seauen Sacraments are sanctified the seauen guiftes of the holy Ghost are obtained and the seauen deadly sinnes are driuen away Consider thirdly but Iesus said First whilst the Iewes were busie in crucifying tormenting mocking him Iesus as if he had not marked these thinges yea rather that he migh render good for euill said Secondly hee who hetherto in his owne cause to the admiration of all men held his peace and could not be brought to speake but being adiudged and had also abstayned from the most iust defence of himselfe now in the middest of his torments is not silent in thy most vniust cause but being not intreated intreateth yea and intreateth with most effectuall wordes Iesus said who the Sonne of God To whome to God the Father Where vpon the Crosse When being ready to dye and his vitall spirits being spent How not sitting nor lying easily but vpright vpon his feete with his hands lift vp and spread abroad like Moses in former times Ezo 17. and all bleeding For whome for sinners who were carelesse of their owne saluation for Christ and his frtends pray for sinners Heb. 5. before sinners pray for themselues What he craueth mercy offring his prayers and supplications appealing from this cruell sentence of the Iewes his bloud be vpon vs and vpon our children to a better sentence and full of mercy and desiring that this cruell sentence might be made frustrate Before whome openly in the hearing of his enemies to teach them mercy sweetnesse and in the presence of his Mother and of his friends both because they should bee witnesses of his pardoning them also that they should neuer pray for the reuenge of this sinne O excellent speach of highest merite and worthy to be imitated by all men full of labour charity mercy and piety Haue confidence then in Christ and pray him who by speaking first for sinners before he spake for his Mother left to vs a testimonye how much he esteemeth the saluation of sinners that hee will vouchsafe to haue continuall care of thee now in Heauen Luc. 23 Father forgiue them PAuse vpon euery word Father he doth not say Lord which is a name of seuerity and iustice but Father which is a name of mercy and of the newe Testamēt giuen vnto vs in this place by the bloud merites of Christ that euen as he would be our Brother so we should haue all one father in Heauen He saith therefore O Father knowe me thy Sonne the Father will denye nothing to his sonne I came into the world to this end that thou shouldest receiue thine enemies for thy children Heare me then praying for them For euen as the prayers of the Priestes in the Church shall hereafter be very effectuall which shall conclude in my name in these wordes through Christ our Lord so I doe now pray vnto thee my Father thorough me thy onely begotten Sonne Therefore as thou louest mee thy Son so receiue these my prayers For I ascended this crosse haue suffred all these stripes that I might obtaine mercy and pardon for them If therefore thou doest reiect the prayers of thy sonne and not hear thy sonne thou shalt impose a greater torment on mee then the Crosse it selfe which I suffer that I might take away a greater euill that is that I might turne away thy wrath from them Spare therfore the great dolors of thy Son least he seeme to haue indured them in vaine Thou giuest reward to others labours I desire onely this reward for my paines that thou wilt forgiue these men Forgiue heer our Lord doth the office of a Priest for he prayeth for the sinnes of the people and he cryeth Heb. 5. not only as a Priest but as a sacrifice desiring not a free pardon but offering a full satisfaction His wounds crye his bloud cryeth his spittings his paines and all his members crye Forgiue accept of these torments for their sinnes I haue paied their debtes I giue my bloud for the pryce my paines for the ransom my life in satisfaction my body soule for a sacrifice Be thou therfore merciful for this is a copious redemption A hard thing is required to wit that the Father should forget the death of his onely begotten Sonne and of such and so gteat a Sonne but the Sonne beggeth and hee beggeth with his bloud Secondly hee asketh it not conditionally as he praied for himselfe in the Garden If it bee possible if thou wilt if it may bee done but absolutely Forgiue Both that thou mayest learne to pray to God for pardon of thy sinnes and for his diuine grace without any cōdition because that hath alwayes relation to Gods honour And also that thou shouldest freely forgiue thy neighbours faultes without any condition Thirdly hee prayeth to haue them forgiuē presently and not to bee deferred till after his death For hee would not leaue this life till peace was made with God Parents when they are dying doe often leaue vnto their children small store of goods and those intangled with many difficulties charges debts and contentions But Christ before his death payed all debts with his owne bloud took away all difficulties and charges
them to mocke and deride the sonne of God the king of kings and man trusting in God Consider 4. their euill collections First if hee haue saued others he ought to saue himselfe also 2. If hee be the king of Israell he ought to descend down from the Crosse Thirdly if he trust in God as the Sonne of God God will deliuer him But first he did not therefore saue himselfe because he would saue others by his death Secondly he did not therefore descend downe from the Wood because the King of Israell should raigne from the Wood. Thirdly God did not therefore deliuer his Son because he trusted not to be deliuered by him from the Crosse but by the Crosse to be exalted aboue al creatures and to place thee in glory with him Consider fiftly that euill men giue councell to descend the deuill being the author who said If thou art the Sonne of God throwe thy selfe downe Whereby thou mayest learne that all those descend from the height of perfection which cast away the Crosse from them Doe thou pray deuoutly vnto Christ to rule and guide thee from his Crosse that is from his throne of mercy and also to take thee vpp with him vnto the Crosse The Soldiers also mocked him comming and offering Vinegar saying Luc. 23. if thou art King of the Iewes saue thy selfe COnsider first the great contempt wherewith our Lord was mocked by these base tormentors both in words and deedes First they mocked him vsing wanton and scurrile gestures towards him Secondly they came nearer to him being naked and looked more curiously vpon him according to that of the Psalmist Psal 21 But they considered and looked on mee Thirdly they offered him vineger like Cup-bearers offering a cup to their King Fourthly in their wordes they allude to the tytle of the Crosse King of the Iewes they say he is a rediculous King which cannot saue himselfe vppon whome dependeth all the safety of his subiects Consider secondly that wicked men do acknowledge no other commoditie or saffetie but only in this life but good men desire and seeke after the saluation of their soules as a thing which is common to them with the Angels respecting lesse the safetie of their bodies which the beasts doe inioy as well as they Consider thirdly the infinite loue of Christ thy Lord and spouse of thy soule towards thee who hauing once ascended the Crosse for thy sake could neuer be moued to come downe from thence neither by torments nor by mockings nor by the sorowe of his mother standing by him nor by the teares of Iohn his kinsman nor by the tears of Marie Magdalen nor by any sorrowe of his friends although he knewe that thereby he might easily end all their troubles Doe not thou therfore when thou hast vndertaken any thing for the loue of thy spouse and for his honor leaue it off for any cause although the world frowne thereat although thy flesh be repugnant although thy mother shewe thee her breasts wherewith shee gaue thee sucke and although thy olde Father lye in the gate passe thou on and tread vppon thy Father for it is piety to bee cruell in this cause Pray vnto God to giue thee this constancy of minde and setting before thine eyes him that was crucified take courage before him and in his presence determine of all thy busines The 38. Meditation of the second worde of Christ And the same thing did the Theeues Mat. 27. Mat. 13. which were crucified with him vpbraide vnto him and one of the theeues which were hanged blasphemed him saying If thou art Christ saue thy selfe and vs but the other answering blamed him saying Neither doest thou feare God which art in the same condemnation Wee indeede suffer iustly for wee receiue worthy punishment for our facts but this man hath done no euill COnsider first the ignominy offered to our Lord in this place either by one theefe according to St. Epiphanius Haere 66 8. lib. 3. de conâ— EuaÌ„ c. 16. â—â—oÌ„ 7. ad Phil. and St. Augustine or else in the beginning by both acording to St. Chrysostome but the one repeÌ„ting the other perseuering For they were most wicked and infamous men and did worthily suffer the accursed death of the Crosse But it did much more afflict our Sauiours heart that hee for whome and with whom hee did shed his bloud should presently bee carryed headlong into Hell Learne hereby that commonly hee which liueth ill dyeth ill as he liued ill except he be changed by Gods speciall grace For a sinner is stricken with his iudgement Aug. ser 3 de num that dying he forgetteth himselfe who liuing was forgetfull of God Consider secondly the wordes of the euill Theefe If thou art Christ saue thy selfe and vs First he wanted faith who desired a miracle that hee might beleeue Secondly he desired temporall life and safety after the manner of all sinners who haue no care of their euerlasting life to come Thirdly he spake this perhaps to please the Iewes which stood by but it profited him nothing to get their fauour because the world euer giueth a false reward to her followers Fourthly hee once vttered this rayling speach but being rebuked he held his peace being better then thy selfe who art neither amended by good admonition nor well pleased with him that aduiseth thee Consider thirdly the mercy of Christ in the good Theefe whose heart hee did not onely instruct by outward signes but also did mollifie it by inward grace so as he profited more in three houres by hearing him teach from the chayre of the Crosse then the Apostles did in three yeares by following our Lord continually and seeing his miracles For so great is the force of the crosse of our Lord that it doth nor onely mooue the sence but also giueth vnderstanding to the hearing and addeth affection to the vnderstanding Therfore this good theefe being depriued of all outward thinges and hauing his body stretched vpon the Crosse gaue openly all that was left vnto him to wit hee consecrated his heart and tongue vnto Christ For hee beleeued with his heart to iustice Rom. 10 and with his mouth hee confessed to saluation being made a teacher from the chayre of the Crosse openly confessing Christ and freely reproouing the vices of the standers by Consider fourthly the wordes of the good Theefe First with great charity hee rebuked his companion when he sinned before hee craued any thing for himselfe of our Lord and hee putteth him in minde of his iminent death for sinners ought to be repressed with the feare of Hell when they will not be moued with Gods benefites Neither doest thou feare God a bolde worde but worthy of a Martyr None of these saith hee feare God and darest thou imitate them being now presently to goe before God thy Iudge Secondly he confesseth his sinne and receiueth the punishment of the Crosse in satisfaction For it is a signe of a good man to
my Crowne and that thou mayst not seeme to haue suffred as a theefe but to haue triumphed as a Martyr with mee Thus Christ conuerted the punishment of the Theefe into Martyrdome so as he which was brought as a Theefe vnto the Crosse did by this his notable and publike confession receiue the Crowne of his testimony Aug. lib. 4 deami eius originie cap. 9. as a Martyr with Christ the Prince of Martyrs Thou shalt bee to remaine for euer In the ioyes shall bee so great that thou shalt not cōprehend them but they shall receiue thee entring into thē they shall fill thee within and cōpasse thee without according to that saying Enter into the ioyes of thy Lord. Mat. 25. Paradise hee saith not an earthly Paradise wherwith the soules and spirits of the blessed are not delighted but the contemplation of the diuine nature in which is a full satiety and delight of the minde He calleth it not a Kingdome as the theefe had requested but Paradise which name he had neuer vsed before First because by this key of Dauid to wit the Crosse of our Lord the gate of Paradise is opened vnto vs with the wood of the knowledge of good and euill being violated by sinne had locked vp Secondly because after forty dayes he was to ascend into his heauenly mansion the place of the blessed Behold heer the liberall guift of Christ thy Lord bee of good courage for hee which promised a kingdome to the penitent theefe on the Crosse will render no lesse reward to thee for thy labours spent all thy life time in his seruice But because Paradise is not promised by the crucified but onely to him that was crucified doe thou if thou wilt bee a partner in this Paradise crucifie thy flesh with the vices and concupiscences thereof and pray the spouse of thy soule to call thee to Heauen with these words at the houre of thy death The 39. Meditation of the third worde on the Crosse And there stood by the Crosse of Iesus Ioan. 19. his Mother and his mothers sister Mary of Cleophas and Mary Magdalene COnsider first that when the Apostles fledde the women followed our Lord euen vnto the Crosse And his Mother is first named both because she was more feruent then the others and remained more cōstant also because it was strange that a mother could indure so great torments especially of such a Sonne and lastly that thou mayest learne hereby that it is not comely for womens modestie to bee present at the death of guilty persons and yet that it is very glorious for them to stay with the Mother of our Lord before the crosse of Christ and to set that alwayes before the eyes of their soule Cōsider secondly why the Mother of our Lord would bee present at his execution surely not of curiosity or lightnes but First that shee who loued such a Son so dearly and had followed him in all places might not forsake him at his death Secondly to be ready to doe him any seruice or to giue him any comfort which lay in her power Thirdly that shee might beholde not onely the death of her sonne but also the manner of the redemption of man by the cōtemplation wherof she might inflame her zeale of the loue of God Consider thirdly why Christ would haue his Mother present at this spectacle First that she should be a witnesse that hee had payed the price for the sinnes of all mankinde Secondly that shee might see the feruor of his loue towards vs thereupon vndertake to be our Patrone Thirdly that the Queen of all Saints should not be depriued of the crowne due vnto Martyrs but that shee should suffer the most noble martyrdome of all others For other Martyrs suffered their own torments inflicted vpon thē by the hands of the executioners But the Mother of our Lord suffred the torments of her son being deriued vnto her from the body of her son as Simeon prophesied of her Luc. 2. And thine owne soule shall a sword pierce Fourthly that the presence of his mother might increase the matter of his paine For the Euangelist did not without cause say His Mother signifying therby the mutuall affections of them both Admire thou here two great lights obscured Christ the greater light the sonne of Iustice Which illuminateth euery man comming into this world Ioan. 1. and the lesser light Mary faire as the Moone The Sunne is made black saith the Apostle as a sacke of haire-cloath Apoc. 6. and the Moone is made all like bloud the mother bleeding with the bloud of her sonne Consider fourthly that shee sate not idly nor lay downe as halfe dead nor ran vp and downe amazedly but she stood First for reuerence vnto her Sonne whome shee saw hanging straight vppon the Crosse for thy sake Secondly as one ready to obey and doe any seruice Thirdly constant and of a good courage with an assured faith of the redemption of man and of the resurrection of her Sonne Fourthly as prepared herselfe ro goe vp to the crosse and if need were to suffer death for sinners Consider fiftly that a fewe others stood by the crosse with the Mother of our Lord a Virgin a Widdow and a Sinner being sorrowful and destitute of all comfort that thou mayest learne First that our Lord crucified on the Crosse was giuen vs by God the Father to bee a comforte to the afflicted a Patrone to Widdowes Orphanes and a preseruer and protector of Virgins Secondly that Christ did communicate the feeling of the griefe of his Passion especially to those whom he loued most dearely Marke therefore whether thou beest mooued with this passion or not for thereby thou mayest vnderstand how much hee loueth thee Consider sixtly There stood by the Crosse of Iesus Fewe doe stand by the crosse of Christ Some onely walke by it and lightly passe ouer the mysteryes of Christ others stand a farre off looking so vpon it as if the mysteries of the Crosse did not appertaine vnto them others stand by the Crosse of the Theeues who suffer the troubles of their pride their ryot their couetousnes of their other vices Neare the crosse of Christ no sinners are tollerated no light behauiour is committed nor no pleasures are sought after Heere is whatsoeuer the world abhorreth pouerty subduing of the flesh contempt and reproach and all thinges are wanting which the world desireth and esteemeth Come thou to the Mother of Christ as neare the Crosse as thou canst because this way onely leadeth those that weepe and mourne vnto Heauen whilst others laughing iesting and blaspheming fall downe into Hell And pray the virgin Mother to assist thee at the houre of thy death and to comfort thee in thy troubles who with such constancy did suffer the sorrowes of her Sonne Therefore when Iesus sawe his Mother and the Disciple whome hee loued Ioan. 19 standing hee said to his Mother woman behold thy
naturall affectiō First that he is forsaken through no demerite of his owne Are saith he the words of my offences far from my saluation that is Psal 21. doe my sinnes hinder my saluation and thy helpe but I haue committed no sinne Secondly of the vnworthines of the cause that thou mightest saith hee redeeme a poor seruant thou hast deliuered thy Sonne to his enemies Hast thou forsaken hee sheweth that hee receiued no helpe nor comfort from the vnion of his Diuinity and that all the time of his Passion hee was left as man to his owne power Hee sayeth not doest thou forsake but hast thou forsaken not onely in this passion but in all my life thou hast not assisted mee in my labours Amongst the Prophets many thinges were spoken hereof Psal 87 I am poore in labors from my youth An vnworthy thing I haue a rich Father but hee giueth his riches plentifully amongst wicked men For of thy hidden thinges Psal 16. that is of riches which vse to bee hidden Their belly is filled but I thy Sonne am left in the meane time poore and beggerly from my child-hood am inforced to great labours Thou hast remoued farre from mee my friend and my neighbour who might comfort mee in my troubles Thy fury is setled ouer me Psal 87 and thou hast brought all thy floods vpon mee thou hast oppressed and drowned mee in calamities Mee thy Sonne whome thou hast begotten frō all eternity whom aboue all creatures thou oughtest to holde most deare In these thinges beholde the iust cause of complaint in Christ together with the most ardent loue of his Father towards thee who because hee would heare thy complaint refused to heare the cōplaints of his Son whom hee would haue not onely to knowe but also really to feele affliction and misery both that hee might take compassion vpon thy infirmityes and also bestow on thee the guift of knowledge how to vse all things to thine owne saluation Mat. 27. Mar. 15 But some standing there and hearing said Beholde this man calleth Helias COnsider first that the Romane Soldiours according to St. Hierome being ignorant of the Hebrue tongue for Eli is Hebrue and Lammasabactani Syriack and hauing heard many times among the Iewes with whome they cōuersed mention made of Helias were deceiued by the meer sound of the words and thought that our Lord had called vpon Elias Learne thou not to vse nor interpret rashly the wordes of God which thou vnderstandest not Consider secondly that all those three houres of the eclipse euery man stood amazed without motion and without speach but assoone as the light returned the wicked also returned to their irrisions that thou mayest learne First that the impiety of wicked men may bee restrained for a time but cannot be quite taken away without the speciall fauour of God Secondly to obserue diligently and feare the miracles and thratenings of God For euen as God by this darknes did foreshew vnto the Iewes the iminent darknes wherin for euer they shall remaine except they repent so by his threatning signes by comets thunder earthquakes pestilence famine and other strange thinges and euents he foresheweth the calamity and mischiefe to come Consider thirdly whereas heretofore the Iewes required a signe to bee giuen them from Heauen heere they hauing a signe are made neuer the better That thou mayest knowe that they would not haue beleeued as they promised if hee should discend from the Crosse because the desires of the wicked are not directed to their saluation but to vanity and mocking Consider fourthly what comfort is brought frō the world to wit mocking and contempt for how can they comfort others which want true comfort of minde themselues Consider fiftly that these wordes were spoken by them which stood by and heard that thou mayest learne First the idle men which are not occupied in their own affaires doe nothing but carp and scoffe at the wordes and deedes of others Secondly that such wrest Gods wordes to an euill sence which onely heare them and doe not imploy their time to the study of vertue Consider sixtly that the wicked knowe no difference betweene Helias Eli and the honour which is due vnto God and which is due vnto creatures Therefore some leauing God seeke help of his creatures to which they vse to flye in all their necessities others giue more honor to men then to God himselfe others thinke those thinges to bee done to creatures which by them are referred vnto God as the reuerence worship done to Images Saints obediēce to their Pastors c. But doe thou better interpret the wordes of Christ pray him to informe thy soule with his diuine guift of knowledg The 41. Meditation of the fift worde of Christ on the Crosse Afterwards Iesus knowing that all thinges were now consummate Ioan. 19. that the Scripture might bee fulfilled hee saide I thirst COnsider first that our Lord in all these torments of the Crosse did neuerthelesse in his minde reuolue the Scriptures and diligently view them all least perhaps there might bee somthing in them vnfulfilled for thy saluation that thou likewise being alwayes attentiue to the will of God and to the cōmandements of thy Superiours mayst neuer ouer-flip any thing belonging to thy office duty Consider secondly that Christ neuer spake nor did any thing rashly but referred all thinges to this end that the Scripture might bee fulfilled Blessed art thou if thou doest nothing but of obedience which giueth a great ornament to the dooer and deserueth an admirable recompence for the worke Consider thirdly that this thirst was most grieuous which the kingly prophet Dauid foresawe so many ages before which grewe both from the labours and torments of the Crosse and frō the continuall streams of bloud and from his fasting all the day and night before Mark the wordes of the Psalmist Psal 21. My strength is dryed like an earthen pott and my tongue hath cleaued vnto my iawes and thou hast brought mee into the dust of death that is thou hast made mee like to dry ashes Consider fourthly why the Scriptures that spake of this thirst were fulfilled last after all the rest to wit First that the first sinne cōmitted in the wood by intemperāce which infected all mankinde might as the greatest prouoker of all the rest be last of all washed away and abolished vpon the wood of the Crosse Secondly because this thirst proceeced from the decaying of his strength and from the losse of all naturall moisture that our Lord might declare vnto vs that hee had with a liberall hand bestowed all his benefits vpon vs. Consider fiftly why being inwrapped compassed with so many torments paines on euery side he complained onely of thirst First to show that he did truly and sharply feele the torments of the Crosse for Christ vseth not to complaine lightly but onely in matter of great moment Secondly to commend
miserable and so many wayes afflicted canst call thy selfe King of the Iewes Answere thou for thy Lord yea certainly he is King of the Iewes whome the true Iewes doe acknowledge that is such as knowe and confesse their sinnes For they will obey this King that being brought out of sinne and deliuered out of the hand of their enemyes they may serue him Admire thou this King whose beauty consisteth not in golde and precious stones outward ornameÌ„ts but in contempt disgrace and externall ignominy For these things haue both made Christ famous through the whole world and also haue beautified thy soule Consider fourthly the answere of Christ the sence whereof is this did you euer see or heare any thing of mee whereby I might be suspected to seeke for a Kingdome This question signifieth the absurdity of the accusation Ponder heer with thy selfe whether thou dost know thy Lord Christ that is whether thou doest feele Christ raigning in thy minde or else whether thou art a Christian without any outward sweetnes Consider fiftly the proud answere of Pilate disdaining and taking it in euill part that a guilty person durst aske him a question He excuseth himselfe with ignorance of the Iewes causes I knowe not saith hee what your Nation dreameth of the coÌ„ming of a Messias Thou canst not plead ignorance in Gods cause to whom Christ hath made manifest euen the secrets of God And if ignorance did not profite Pilate how can it profite any Christian to whom God hath giuen so great knowledge Consider sixtly What hast thou done the great innocency of thy Lord that when accusations failed hee himselfe must be asked Answer thou what he hath done Hee hath made Heauen Earth and all Creatures hee hath done all good and no euill But for the good done for thy sake which thou doest abuse vnto sinne hee must suffer the punishment which thou didst deserue This place is fit to meditate what Christ hath done for thee and what thou hast done againe for him that admiring his bounty thou mayst giue him thankes detesting thy owne ingratitude thou mayst bee confounded with shame Iesus answered my Kingdome is not of this world If my Kingdome were of this world my Soldiours would fight for me that I should not be deliuered vp to the Iewes but now my Kingdome is not from hence Pilate said vnto him then art thou a King Iesus answered thou sayest that I am a King COnsider first the Christ answered Pilate plainly who dealt sincerely with him but to the Iewes who went about to intrappe him hee would not answere but adiured For our Lord detesteth fiction and with the simple in his speach Consider secondly that hee applyed himselfe to this Ethnicke deriuing his argument from the vse and custome of men You may vnderstand saith hee by this that I seeke not a Kingdom of this world because I haue no Soldiours nor ChaÌ„pions for my defence But with the Iewes that knew the Lawe hee vsed the Scriptures Thou maist learne hereby that God vseth all waies reasons to conuert thee and others If thou wouldst consider those meanes which our Lord vsed to helpe and cure thee thou wouldest admire Gods prudent loue and charity towards thee Consider thirdly My Kingdome is not of this world He doth not say in this world For hee raigneth in his Church and in thee But hee saith of this world that is to say It is not like the Kingdomes of this world neither doth it consist in the multitude of Seruantes and Soldiours nor in solemnity and pompe nor in ryot and brauery of apparrell But in the ornament of the soule in voluntary obedience and multitude of vertues And perhaps in this Kingdome of Christ there are more poore beggerly weake and vnlearned then rich noble mighty and wise people Be thou careful therfore that Christ may rule thee and thy affections and raigne in thee For if to serue Christ is to reigne then Christ reigning in thee will make thee a mighty King ruling ouer thy selfe the whole world I was borne in this and to this I came into the world Ioan. 18 that I may giue testimony vnto the truth And euery one which is of the truth heareth my voyce Pilate saith vnto him what is the truth COnsider first for what cause Christ came into the world to wit first that he might free the world from the falsenes of Idolatry and of diuers errors and of sinne Secondly that he might declare the vanity and folly of those things which the world admireth set before our eies those things as they are indeede and not as they seeme to be Thirdly that by this truth he might rule the mindes of men Thou maist learn hereby First what thou oughtest chiefely to seeke for in the kingdome of Christ to wit to be deliuered made free from al vanity falshood and sinne 2. That they are the chiefe seruants inlargers of the Kingdome of Christ which labour in teaching the truth 3. That it appertaineth especially to the charge of Christian Princes and superiours to keepe increase their subiects in the faith of Christ For they are not superious like Gentiles to maintain their people only in a ciuile peaceable gouernement but they are also Christian Princes ouer Christians that they may enlarge the Kingdome of Christ Consider secondly I was borne in this and to this I came into the world A high sentence which Pilate might haue vnderstood if he had persisted in simplicity I am not borne saith hee like other men for I was now before I was borne of my mother I was borne not thorough the necessity of nature but of mine owne will and for certaine causes which moued me to take humane nature vpon me to wit that I might teach men the truth If therefore thou wilt listen vnto Heauenly Doctrine and deale sincerely with God Christ will reueale vnto thee the secretes of Heauen Consider thirdly I was borne and I came For by his birth he is our Christ and also hath done all his actions for our profite that thou again shouldest referre all thy time thy studies and thy labours to his glory Consider fourthly that Christ did answere secretly to the question propounded by Pilate What hast thou done for I haue taught the truth I haue reprooued vice For this was the onely cause that moued the Iewes to put him to death Doe thou seeke out the truth and pray vnto God to lighten thine eyes that thou sleepe not in death consider earnestly with thy selfe whether thou be of the truth that is whether thou beest mooued with the truth or with pride lust auarice and other passions of the minde For he which is of truth Ioan. 18. he is of God but he which followeth lyes is of the Deuill his Father whose will he fulfilleth The 21. Meditation of the second accusation before Pilate Pilate went forth againe vnto the Iewes Ioan. 18 â—uc 23. Mar. 27. saying
pride of Pilate First because hee thought he was contemned by this silence of Christ hee threatneth him with his power and authority For a proud man is soone angry and will not suffer indignity at anothers hand and yet careth not what iniury hee offereth to them himselfe Secondly that hee attributeth to himselfe the power which hee hath receiued from another that thou mayest learne first to referre all thy good things vnto God from whome thou hast receiued them least hee take them from thee for thy ingratitude Secondly to acknowledge those guiftes and to vse them to the honour of thy Lord least by abusing thē thou beest grieuously punished Consider therefore earnestly with thy selfe thine owne wealth authority learning strength of body and thy other guifts and howe much good thou mayest doe thereby either for the increasing of Gods glory or the saluation of thy neighbours and how much good thou hast done and labour instantly to doe as much as thou art able for neither worke nor reason nor wisdome nor knowledge shall bee in Hell to which place thou makest hast Eccle. 9. Consider secondly that Pilate acknowledgeth free power in himselfe to crucifie our Lord and to dismisse him That thou mayest learne first that thou doest not want free will to doe well or ill and that thou mayest vse it to the exercise of vertue and not to commit sinnes Secondly that it is an euill freedome whereby wee may doe euill Au. Epist 45. and an excellent necessitie which bringeth vs to better thinges Doe thou then ioyne thy selfe so vnto Christ that it shall not bee in thy power to doe ill but that thou mayest will and doe onely good and vertuous thinges For that is true Christian liberty so to bee able to worke through vertue and to effect those things which reason faith doth dictate that wee would not sinne though it were lawfull the will being so confirmed in good that it cannot bee diuerted by any impediments either of concupiscence or any other thing Iesus answered thou couldest haue no power against mee Ioan. 19 except it were giuen thee from aboue Wherefore hee which hath deliuered mee to thee hath the greater sinne COnsider first that by these wordes Christ abated the pride of Pilate teaching him that hee had of himselfe no power but that which was either giuen him from aboue by Caesar whose Vicegerent hee was as St. Augustine interpreteth this place Tract in Ioan 116. or granted him from God in Heauen without whose speciall permission no man could doe any thing against Christ the Sonne of God Pilate receiued this power with the enemyes of our Lord when hee gaue them lycence in the garden to rage against him by these wordes This is your hower and the power of darknes And although it was necessary to haue a more peculiar permission to rage against Christ Luc. 22. then against any other Christian Yet thou mayest learne truely with Saint Cyprian Beat. Leo. ser de pas Dom. that the Deuill can doe nothing against man except God permitt him Consider secondly he which deliuered me to thee hath the greater sin to wit then if he had offered any other man to be put to death by thee or greater sinn then thou partly because thou maist be much moued therevnto by reason of thy authority and by the people and the chiefe men whereas hee did it of himselfe by priuate hate and setled malice partly because thou knowest not the dignity of my person and office which the Iewes must needs knowe by the prophesies of the Prophets hauing seene so many myracles which could not happen but by the Messias so as they had no excuse of their sin Thou seest first that al sins are not alike as some men fayne but that those sinnes are more grieuous Ioan. 15 which come of deliberate malice then those which are cōmitted through weakenes or ignorance and they sin more which mocke and persecute the godly then they which deride wicked men and they offend more which induce men to sinne then they which are induced for the sinne of such redoundeth also to the inducers Secondly thou learnest to abstaine from all sinnes but especially frō those which are committed against God as Heresie blasphemy periury irrision and prophanation of holy and diuine things For althogh in the blinde iudgement of men which thinke nothing to bee a fault but that which tendeth to the hurt of our neighbour those thinges seeme small yet God will reuenge more sharply the wrong done vnto him selfe then to any other creature Admire thou the bounty of Christ who so louingly taught the wicked Iudge pray him that he will neuer giue thee libertie to sinne The 29. Meditation of the fourth accusation of Christ before Pilate From thence foorth Pilate sought to dismisse him but the Iewes cryed saying if thou dost dismisse him Ioan. 19 thou art not friend to Caesar for euery one that maketh himselfe King contradicteth Caesar but when Pilate heard these speaches he brought Iesus foorth and sate in the iudgement seate in the place called Lithostrotos but in hebrewe Gabbata and it was the paraseene about the sixt houre COnsider first that Pilate when he heard mentiō of sinne thoght earnestly of the dismissing of Christ for feare of cōmiting a greater offence that thou maist learne hereafter to absteyne from sinne for the loue of Christ for thou hast offended God long enough and defiled thy conscience with the filth of sinne but be thou more constant then Pilate vpon whom God hath bestowed more grace Consider secondly the burning hate of the Iewes who wanting matter of accusation terrifyed the Iudge with threatnings and as it were inforced him to do wickedly as if they should say Wee will complaine of thee to Caesar whose enemie and competitor of the kingdome thou hast fauoured Wicked men vse to threaten when they cannot preuaile by truth If thou fearest none but God thou shalt ouercome all thy enemies Consider thirdly that Pilate hitherto played the man so long as it concerned not himselfe but when he thought his owne honour and reputation was called in question he yeelded to their threatnings and was quite discouraged like to those who defend the truth as long as they shall suffer no inconuenience thereby but if they perceiue any storme they presently turne sayle and yeeld vnto the tempest and will not suffer any kinde of trouble Doe thou flie the world least it carry thee away from the affaires of Christ to some vniust action For he which maketh himselfe a king and ruleth ouer himselfe and ouer his desires is not a friend to Caesar the deuill I meane the prince of this world whose friendship if thou seekest and dost feare his wrath thou shalt get that which happened to Pilate who by the complaint of the Iewes in another cause lost Caesars friendship dyed miserably in exile The Deuill followeth those that feare him and flyeth and forsaketh