all this but that the holie Ghost intended by all these metaphors to expresse vnto vs the coÌ„tinuall exercise and coÌ„sideration wherewith the iust man is alwaies occupied in searchinge the worckes and wonders of almightie God And for this verie cause Psalm 1. Eccles 31. emonge the praises of the iust maÌ„ this is put for one of the most principall that his exercise is to meditate vpon the lawe of our lord daie and night and that he is alwaies coÌ„uersaÌ„t in the secrecie of parables geuing vs hereby to vnderstand that all his trade and coÌ„uersatioÌ„ must be in searching and meditating vpoÌ„ the secretes and woÌ„derfull worckes of almightie God And euen for this verie cawse also Ezech. 1. were those misticall beastes of Ezechiel represented vnto vs with so manie eies to signifie vnto vs that the iust man staÌ„deth in greater neede of the continuall consideration and sight of spirituall thinges then of a nomber of other exercises By this therefore we see plainlie what great neede we haue of this holie exercise and consequentlie how blyndelie and fowlie they are deceaued that either despise or make little accompt of the holie exercise of praier and meditation not considering that this is openlie to gaynesaie and contemne that thing which the holie Ghost hath with so great instancie commended vnto vs. I wishe that such persons would reade those fiue bookes of coÌ„sideration which S. Barnard wrote vnto EVGENIVS the Pope And there shall they perceaue of how great importance this holie exercise is towardes the obteyning of all vertues Now for this cause manie Catholike and religeous persons vnderstanding what great and inestimable fruit ensueth of this godlie meditation haue gone abowt to exercise them selues ordinarilie therein and haue appointed euerie daie certein speciall times and howeres for the same Howbeit oftentymes they waxe colde and geue ouer this holie exercise by reason of two difficulties they finde in it Two difficulties in the exercise of praier and meditation The one is the want of matter and of consideratioÌ„s wherein they maie occupie there cogitation at that time And th' other is the want of feruencie and deuotion which is verie requisite to accompanie this holie exercise in case we mind to haue anie fruit and commoditie thereby In steed whereof they find manie times great drynes of hart and withall a great combate of diuers and sondrie thowghtes The ordre and diuisioÌ„ of the contentes of this booke For remedie of which two inconueniences I haue ordeined this present booke which is deuided into two principall partes The first part for remedie of the first inconuenience treateth of the matter of praier The firste parte of this booke or meditation wherein are conteined fowertience meditations seruing for all the seuen daies of the weike both in the morninge and euening And these meditations do conteine the principall places and misteries of our faith and especially the consideration of those misteries that are of most force and power to brydle our hartes and to incline them to the loue and feare of God and to the abhorring of sinne In like maner there are sett out the fiue partes of this exercise which be Preparation readinge meditation thankes geuing and petition which is done to this end that a man maie haue great varietie of matters wherein to occupie his hart wherewith to procure and stirre vp the tast of deuotion and withall wherewith to illuminat and instruct his vnderstanding with diuers coÌ„siderations and instructions Besides this there is also treated therein of six kindes of thinges that are to be considered in euerie one of the pointes of the PassioÌ„ of our Sauiour that both they and all the rest maie minister vnto vs more plentifull matter for meditation These three thinges are sett forthe in the first part of this worcke for remedie of the first inconuenience The seconde parte of this booke The second part for remedie of the seconde inconuenience treateth of those thinges that do helpe vs vnto deuotion and likewise of those that doe hinder vs from the same It treateth also of the most common temptations that are wont to molest deuout persons Moreouer there are geuen certein aduices to be a direction vnto vs that we erre not in this waie These fowre articles are sett out in the seconde part of this booke The thirde parte of this booke After these I haue added the third parte in which is treated of the vertue of praier and of her two companions fasting and almes deedes to the intent that when a man seeth that in all the booke there is treated of praier and of the paines he owâ—â—ht to take for the same he maie vnderstand how well his labour is employed which is bestowed in obteining of a thinge of so great and wonderfull profitt Peraduenture the Christian reader wil be offended with the length of the meditations which we haue here sett fourth for the seuen daies of the weike Howbeit for this I haue manie answeres The first is considering that in these meditations is treated of the principall places and misteries of our faith the consideration whereof is of so great importance for the due orderinge and reforming of our liffe it behoueth me therefore to enlarge my style in these matters espetiallie by reason of the great fruit and commodetie that maie ensue vnto vs by the same For in this booke our meaning is not onelie to geue matter of meditation but much more to showe the ende of meditation which is the feare of God and amendment of our liffe The ende of meditation is the feare of God and amendemente of our life For the procuring whereof one of the thinges that most helpeth vs is the profound and long consideration of the misteries that are treated in these meditations For certeinlie these fourtene meditatioÌ„s be as it were so manie sermons in which is laide as it were a certein batterie to mans hart to cawse it to yeald so much as is possible and to surrender it selfe vp into the handes of his rightefull and true souereine Lorde This was the cheifest cause that moued me to make the meditations so longe Besides this I see not why the ghest that is inuited should complaine that the table is to full furnished with manie dishes sith we bynd him not as by waie of constraint to make an ende of them all but onely emonge so manie sundrie thinges to make his choice of that which serueth best for his purpose Moreouer that there might be the lesse occasion of complaint I haue putt the somme of each meditation at the beginninge thereof to the intent that such as minde not to passe anie further might there haue such thinges breiflie abridged as be necessarie for the time they intend to bestowe in this holie exercise THE ENDE OF THE PROLOGE THE FIRST PARTE WHICH TREATETH OF the matter of consideration THE FIRST CHAPTER Wherein is treated of the great profitt and necessitie of
that you maie haue euer one windo we open towardes the heauenlie Ierusalem Dan. 6. vers 10. as Daniel had in his chaÌ„ber in Babylon prayinge there three times in the daie towardes the earthelye Ierusalem And in case your worldlie impedimentes be ouer greate then wisdome requireth that for saluation of your sowles you doe caste them awaie from you And imitate herein the worldlie foresighte of wise Marchauntes when they be in daunger of drowninge in a stormie tempeste vpon the sea who vse at suche times for saluation of their liues to cast into the Sea their ryche merchaundise and all their troublesome heauie encombrances thereby to cause their shippe to saile more safelye And I doe also humblie beseache all good Christian readers that shall like well of theise spirituall exercises to remember me in their deuoute praiers that I proue not like vnto those foolishe carpenters that made Noes arke who made it to saue others from drowninge in the generall fludde and yet were drowned them selues Thus with all due humble submission of my self and my trauailes herein to your honours and woorships I humblie craue pardon for passinge here somwhat the bowndes of my profession and treatinge as a diuine of spirituall matters accordinge as since my departure from the Middle Temple by some studie and readinge of diuers spirituall bookes and continewall conuersation theise fifteene yeares with manie vertuous and Learned Catholike Priestes in these partes I haue bene instructed And I moste humblie beseache almightie God that theise Godlie Meditations maie woorke so good effecte in all your myndes as I haue often times verie earnestlie requested of his dâ—uine Maiestie From Paris vpon the holie festiuall daie of Pentecoste In the yeare of our Lorde 1582. AN ADVERTISMENTE BY the translatour to the Learned Reader FOr so muche as the Author of this booke hath published at diuers times seuerall editions thereof in the Spanishe tongue and in the later editions hath from time to time verie muche and often corrected altered and augmented the same not onelie in manifolde wordes and sentences but also in diuers chapiters otherwise than in the former editions that were printed either in Toledo Salamanca Lisbone Andwarpe or in anie other place before the yeare of our Lord. 1567. I thinke it verie conueniente to giue notice of it to the Reader and withall that in my TranslatioÌ„ I doe folowe the edition in the Spanishe tongue printed at Andwarpe by Christopher Plantine in the yeare of our Lorde 1572. For I perceaue that the frenche TraÌ„slation differeth in duers places from this best corcted edition of Plantins and so doe likewise all the Translations that I haue seene in the Italian tongue printed in diuers yeares at Rome Naples and Venice by Michaël Tramezzino Horatio Saluiani IouaÌ„ni Baptista Guerra and Gabriel Iolito vntill that nowe of late all the Authors workes haue bene newlie translated into the Italian tongue and printed at Venice by Georgio Angelieri in the yeare of our Lorde 1581. AN EXHORTATION TO THE CHRISTIAN Reader made by the Righte Reuerende Father in God BERNARDE de FRESNEDA Bishoppe of CVENCA one of the priuie Councell of Estate to the mightie KINGE PHILLIPPE OF SPAYNE c. And his Ghostly Father to read this booke with good attention and with a desire to profite and procede forwardes in godlines Three thinges necessarie to preserue Iustice to wit prayer readinge and good woorkes IT is the doctrine of the holie fathers that there be three thinges verie necessarie and of inestimable importaunce to the iust man to preserue him in his iustice to witt Praier Readinge and doinge of good workes In these three thinges ought the iust maÌ„ to exercise himselfe euerie daye and deuide his tyme so discreetelie and so like a good Christian that he be euer founde occupied in some of them Prayer illuminateth purgeth comforteth reioyceth obteyneth feruour causeth all traueile to seeme sweete and lighte breedeth deuotion engendereth coÌ„fidence in case our owne spirite doe not reproue vs Prayer bannisheth awaie slouthe frayeth the ennemie and ouercometh temptation And therefore a certaine wise man saide Non te pigeat orare si vis à vitiis liberari Be not slacke to praye if thou wilt be deliuered from vices Prayer is verie necessarie towardes the obteyninge of the grace of God without which the spirituall life will vtterlie decaye and perishe And therefore prayer is preferred before readinge Tertullian speakinge of prayer saithe That thinge is alwaies to be vsed which is alwaies good And he addeth furthermore and saieth If prayer be necessarie in all places and at all tymes Continencie necessarie vnto prayer then is continencie necessarie also vnto prayer for so much as praier procedeth of continencie wherefore if thy continencie hath cause to be ashamed then shall thy prayer likewise be ashamed The spirite carryeth our prayer vnto God and if the spirit finde it self faultie then our prayer ascendeth with shame vnto him Againe Cassiodorus saieth that perseuerance in prayer auaileth much to obteine firmnes of harte By meanes of continuall prayer the deuills and their deceytfull snares are ouercome and by the same the iust man weakeneth their forces and vexations By meanes of prayer he maketh them become weake cowardly and easie to be conquered and by the same he maketh himselfe also become stronge and a conquerour ouer them If thou praye with perseuerance thou shalt obteyne sweetenesse and withall a more feruent desire to praie And then doe we praie in trueth when we haue none other thinge in our mynde but doe applie all our intention vnto heauenlie thinges and haue our harte wholie enflamed with the fyer of the holy Ghoste 1. There be three effectes of prayer The first effecte is common vnto all workes done in charitie Three effectes of prayer S. Thomas 2.2 quest 83. artic 1â— which is to be meritorious And for this effect actuall attention is not of necessitie required in prayer but it is sufficient to haue an habituall attention as in all other meritorious actes The second effecte is proper vnto prayer alone Our firste intention when we beginne our prayers muste be to attende to the seruice of God by them and â—f we doe nothinge willinglye whilest we praye contrarie to this our firste intention We shall obteine our Lawfull and necessarie requestes which is to obteyne of almightie God the thinge we desire And for this effecte it is sufficient also to haue the first inteÌ„tion which is the thinge that God respecteth in our workes for if this first intention fayle we shall not obteyne the thinge we require because almightie God will not heare his praier that seeketh not the thinge he asketh of him in such sorte as he ought and for such end as he ought 3. The thirde effect of praier is a spirituall refection of the soule And for this effect it is necessarilie required to haue an attention in praier and not onely such an attention as is attent to
triumphant conqueror goeth downe into hell clothed with brightnes and strēgthe whose entrie Eusebius Emisenus describeth in these wordes O beawtifull light which shininge from the highest parte of heauen diddest geaue light with a suddaine and vnwonted brightnes to them that were in darckenes and in the shadowe of deathe For at the verie instant that our Sauiour descended thither immediatlie that euerlastinge darke night shyned verie brightlie and the noyse of them that there lamented ceassed forthwith and all that cruell route of tormentors trembled Exod. 25. to beholde our Sauiour Christ present There were the princes of Edom troubled and the mightie of Moab quaked for feare and the inhabitantes of the lande of Canaan were sore amased and astonied Incontinently all those infernall tormētors beganne in the middest of theire obscure darkenes to murmure emōge themselues and to saye Who is this that is so terrible so mightie and withall so bright There was neuer seene anie man like vnto this in oure quarters There was neuer the like person sent into these dennes from the beginninge of the worlde vnto this daie What he loketh as one that woulde rather assault vs than paie here anie dette and as one that woulde soner geue vs an ouerthrowe than be punnished as a sinner He seemeth to be a Iudge and no guiltie person He cōmeth with great might to fight and not to suffer anie payne Where stoode our garde and the porters of our gates when this conqueror brake our stronge inclosures and entered thus perforce vpon vs What maie he be that is of such a mightie puissance If he were faultie he woulde not haue bene so hardie And if he had broughte with him anie obscuritie of synne he coulde neuer haue thus geuen light to our darkenes with his brightnes If he be God what hath he to doe in hell If he be a man how is it that he is so bolde If he be God what hath he to doe in the sepulchre If he be a man how happeneth it that he hath spoyled our stronge prison of Limbus O Crosse that hast after this maner defeyted our hopes and bene the cause of this our great losse Genes 3. and dammage Vpon a tree we gayned all our riches and now vpon a tree we lose them all againe Suche wordes as these murmured those infernall feindes emonge themselues at what time the noble triumphant conqueror our Sauiour Christe entered therein to deliuer his prisoners There stoode all the soules of the iust gathered together that had from the beginninge of the worlde vntill that howre departed out of this lyfe There might yee haue seene one Prophet sawed a sonder an other stoned an other hauinge his necke brokē with a barre of yron and others that had with other kyndes of death glorified almightie God O gloriouse companie O most noble treasure of heauen O most magnificent and riche parte of the triumphe of our Sauiour Christe There were those two first persons to wit Adam and Eue who in the beginninge peopled and increased the worlde whiche two as they were the first in synne so were they the first also in faith and hope Genes 6. There was that holie olde man Noë who by buyldinge of the great Arke preserued seede that the worlde might be replenished and peopled againe after the ceasinge of the waters of the floude There was the Patriarke Abraham the first father of the beleeuynge people who deserued before all others to receiue the testament of God and the signe and separation of his familye from others by the marke of Circumcision in their fleashe Genes 22. There was his obedient sonne Isacke who in caryenge vpon his shoulders the woode wherewith he shoulde be sacrificed represented the sacrifice ād redēption of the worlde Genes 27. There was Iacob the holie father of the twelue trybes who by puttinge vpon him an others apparell and straunge garmentes gayned his fathers blessinge which figured the misterie of the humanitie and incarnation of the euerlastinge worde Luc. 2. There was the holie S. Iohn Baptist also as a guest and newe inhabitor of that lande and likewise the blessed olde man Simeon who woulde not depart out of this worlde vntill he had seene with his eies the redeemer of the worlde and receyued him in his armes and songe like a swanne before his death that sweete songe Nunc dimittis c. Luc. 15. There had the poore seelie Lazarus mentioned in the gospell his place also who by meanes of his soores and patience deserued to be partaker of that so noble companie and hope All this quyer and assemblie of holie soules were there mourninge and sighinge for this daie And in the middest of them as maister of the chappell was that holie kinge and Prophet Dauid who without ceassinge repeted his auncient lamentation As the hart longethe after the fountaines of waters Psalm 41. euen so doth my soule longe after thee my God My teares were bread vnto me daie and night whiles they saie vnto my soule where is thy God O holie kinge Dauid if this be the cause of thy lamentation now maist thou cease from singinge this songe for here thy God is now present and and here is thy Sauiour whom thou maist now enioye Chaunge this songe therefore and singe that other songe which thou diddest singe longe before in spirite Psal 84. Thou hast blessed thy lande ô Lorde thou hast deliuered Iacob out of captiuitie Thou hast pardoned the iniquitie of thy people and hast dissembled the multitude of theire sinnes And thou holie Ieremie that wast stoned to death for the same Lorde shut vp now thy booke of lamentations which thou diddest wryte when thou beheldest the destruction of Ierusalem and the ruine of the temple of God For euen within these three daies thou shalt see an other temple builded vp farre more beawtyfull than that was and thou shalt see an other more goodlie Ierusalem renewed through out the worlde Now when those blessed fathers sawe their darkenes chaunged to a goodlie bright light The greate ioye of the olde fathers in Limbo patrū at the descendinge of our Sauiour thither to deliuer them frō thence Exod. 14. Exod. 15. when they sawe the tyme of their bannishemēt expired and their glorie now begonne what tonge is able to expresse the passinge inwarde ioye that they felt O how glad were they to see themselues now deliuered out of the captiuitie of Egipt and their enemies drowned in the redde Sea How hartelie did they singe altogether and saie Let vs singe vnto our Lorde for he hath gloriouslie triumphed He hath ouerthrowen both the horse and the horsemen into the sea With what inwarde affection trowe ye did the first father of all mankinde prostrate him selfe before the feete of his sonne and Sauiour and saie vnto him Thou art now come my dearlie beloued Lorde whome I haue so longe tyme loked for to redeeme my synne Thou art come to fulfill
for the sighte onelie of immortall eies And if we see that by the handieworke of men certaine workes are made here so sightlie and so bewtifull that they astonishe the eies of them that doe beholde them what a worke must that be which is wrought by the hande of almightie God himselfe in that royall howse in that sacred pallace in that howse of ioye and solace which he hath built for the glorie of his electe Psal 83.1 O how amiable are thy tabernacles saiethe the Prophet ô Lorde God of vertues My sowle desireth and feinteth in beholdinge the pallaces of our Lorde The state and condition of the citizens of heauen The thinge that most principallie commendeth a cittie is the state and condition of the cittizens to witt if they be noble if they be manie if they liue in peace and concorde emonge them selues Now who is able to declare the excellencie of this cittie in this behalfe All the inhabitantes therein be noble personages there is no one emonge them of base linage forsomuch as they be all the sonnes and children of God They be so frendly and louinge one towardes an other that they be all as it were one sowle and one harte And they liue in so great peace and concorde that the verie cittie it selfe is called Ieruzalem that is to saie the vision of peace If thow desire to vnderstande the nomber of the inhabitantes in this cittie vnto this desire S. Iohn maketh answere in his reuelations Apoc. 7.9 The nomber of the blessed inhabitantes in heauen where he saieth that he sawe in spirite such a great companie of blessed Sainctes that no man was able to recken them gathered together of all kindes of nations people and tonges which stode before the throne of almightie God and of his lambe appareiled in white garmentes and with triumphante palmes in their handes singinge vnto almightie God songes of praise And vnto this sayeinge of S. Iohn doth that agrie verie well which is signified by the Prophet Daniell concerninge this holie nomber where he saieth Dan. 7.10 Thowsande thowsandes serue the Lorde of maiestie and tenne hundered thowsande thowsandes stande before him And thinke not because the nomber is so great that they be therefore disordered For there the multitude is no cause of confusion but of greater order ād harmonie For almightie God that hath with such a wonderfull consonance and agrement disposed the mouinges of the heauens and the courses of the starres Euerie one of the Sainctes hath his place and glorie in heauen accordinge to the degrie of euerie one of their merites in this lyfe callinge them euerie one by his proper name hath also ordeined all that innumerable armie of blessed Sainctes with a most wonderfull goodlie ordre and disposition appointinge to euerie one his place and glorie accordinge to his merite And so there is one place for the virgins an other for the Confessors an other for the holie Martirs an other for the Partiarkes and Prophets an other for the Apostles and Euangelistes and so forthe in all the rest And in like sorte as men are there diuided There be nine orders of Angels in heauen and placed euen so after their maner are the Angels also which be diuided into three Hierarchies and those three Hierarchies into nine orders And aboue all the Sainctes and Angels is placed the throne of that most excellent Quene of Angels The blessed virgin Marie is placed in heauen aboue all the Angels and Sainctes the mother of almightie God who alone is an order by her selfe forsomuch as she hath no peere nor anie one that is like vnto her And aboue thē all the holie humanitie of our Sauiour Christ hath the cheife place and preeminēce who sitteth at the right hande of the maiestie of almightie God in the highest Now thou Christian sowle take a vewe of all these orders walke through these streates and waies consider the order of these cittizens the bewtie of this cittie and the noblenes and worthines of these inhabitantes Salute them euerie one by their names and desire them to helpe and succour thee with their praiers Salute also this sweite and pleasaunt countrey and as a pilgrime beholdinge it as yet a farre of directe thine eies and withal thy harte vnto it and saie Alhaile sweite countrey the lande of promise the hauen of securitie the place of refuge the howse of blessinge the kingdome of all worldes the paradise of delightes the garden of eternall flowers the market place of all treasure the crowne of all iust persons and the ende of all our desires Alhaile our mother and our hope After thee haue we sighed a longe time For thee haue we mourned and doe mourne euen at this presente For the loue of thee haue we foughte and doe still fighte a longe battell in this our transitorie lyfe For we knowe assuredlie 2. Tim. 2.5 that none shal be rewarded and crowned in thee but onely such as haue here fowghten faithfullie Of the seconde Ioye that the sowle shall haue in the kingedome of heauen which is the enioyinge of the companie of the Sainctes § II. VHO is able after this great ioye to declare what a further ioye the sowle shall haue by beinge in this most happie and blessed companie For there the vertue of charitie is in her full perfection the propertie of which vertue is to cause all thinges to be common There shall that petition be perfectlie fulfilled which our sauiour made sayeinge I beseech thee ô father Ioan. 17.11 All the electe in heauen shal be more streitlie vnited together in one than the members of one bodie because all shall participate of the spirite of God that they maie be one by loue as we are one by nature For there shall the electe be more streitlie vnited together in one than the members of one same bodie because all shall participate of one same spirite which geueth vnto all one same beinge and withall one blessed lyfe If thou imagin it to be otherwise tell me what is the cause why the members of one bodie haue so great a vnitie and loue one towardes an other The reason is because they all are partakers of one same forme that is of one sowle which geueth one same beinge and one lyfe to them all Now if the spirite of a man liaue power to cause so great a vnitie betwene members that are so different in offices and natures is it anie wonder if the spirite of almightie God by whom all the electe doe liue which spirite is as it were the cōmon sowle to them all shoulde cause a farre greater and more perfecte vnitie emonge them espetially consideringe that the spirite of God is a more noble cause and of a more excellent vertue and power yea and geueth also a more noble beinge Well now if this maner of vnitie and loue doe cause all thinges to be cōmō as well good as euil as we see in the
who when he was euill spoken of did not speake euill againe and when he was tormented did not threaten them but deliuered himselfe vnto him that did most vniustly condemne him And albeit that all vertues shined so brightly and in such excellent wise in all the lyfe of out Sauiour Christe yet did they much more perfectlie shine in his holie passion And therefore in his passion principallie it behoueth vs to beholde the bewtie and excellencie of his vertues the which doe much more euidentlie shyne there emonge his paines and tormentes than doe the flowers emonge the thornes Consider therefore first of all that so profounde humilitie Humilitie wherewith the most highe and onelie begotten sonne of almightie God vouchsafed to be contemned and lesse esteemed than Barrabas and to be crucified vpon a crosse betweene two theiues as though he had bene a Captaine and ringleader of malefactours Consider his so wonderfull patience in the middest of so many reprochefull iniuries Patience and tormentes and withall his so passinge great magnanimitie Magnanimitie in that he offered him selfe so willingly into the handes of his enemies and to suffer the greatest paines and conflictes that euer were suffered in this worlde Consider that so constant perseuerance Perseuerance which he had from the beginninge to the ende yea euen to suffer death vpon the crosse and to descende into hell and to finishe the worke of our saluation Consider his most feruent charitie Charitie which passeth all vnderstandinge by the which onely he was moued to offer him selfe in sacrifice for the sinnes of the worlde and to suffer deathe that he might geue life not onely vnto his freindes but also to his enemies yea euen to those very persones that shead his most pretious bloude Consider his most abundante mercie Mercie which extēded it selfe so farre forthe as to take vpon him all the miseries and debtes of the worlde and to make satisfaction for them as if they had bene peculiarly his owne debtes Consider that so perfecte obedience which he vsed towardes his father Obediēce whom he obeyed vnto deathe yea euen to the death of the crosse where finallie bowinge downe his head he offered vp vnto him his most holie sowle geuinge vs thereby to vnderstande that the worke of his obediēce was then perfectly fulfilled Consider that so passinge great meekenes Meekenes which he shewed in all the processe of his passion sufferinge him selfe to be caried like a sheepe to the bocherie and like a most meeke lambe that holdeth his peace when he is sheared Consider his so wonderfull silence emongest so manie false accusations Sylence and lyinge witnesses which was so greate that it was able to bringe the verie Iudge him selfe that condemned him in a great admiration of him Now if thou be desyrous to see a most perfecte paterne of the contempte of the worlde Cōtempte of the worlde and of all the honours riches pleasures and delightes that be therein beholde our Sauiour vpon the crosse so dishonored tormented and naked that he had none other bedde to lye vpon but onely a crosse none other pillowe to rest his head vpon but onely a crowne of thornes none other delicates to feede vpon but onely galle and vineger none other persons to comforte him but onely those cruell scoffinge ministers which wagged their heades at him Marc. 15. and saiede Fye on thee that destroiest the temple of God and in three daies buildest it vp againe c. I conclude therefore that the Euangelicall pouertie abstinence and austeritie of lyfe with all other vertues doe no where shyne more euidentlie than in the crosse But emonge all these vertues humilitie and patience doe shewe them selues most notablie in the bitter passion of our Sauiour For patience as the holie fathers affirme was the weddinge garmente wherewith the sonne of almightie God clothed himselfe when he came to be affyaunced with the Catholike Churche and to be maried with her By which Metaphore they geue vs to vnderstande that albeit our Sauiour Christe shyned most brightly with the garmente of all vertues when he came to celebrate matrimonie with the Catholike Chyrche vpon the bedde of the crosse yet did he most principally shyne there with the robe of patience For by meanes of the acte of this vertue which is to suffer he dranke the bitter cuppe of his passion by the valewe and merite whereof the Catholike Churche was redeemed bewtified and espowsed by our Sauiour Christe Now in these and other the like vertues we ought to fixe our eies when we meditate vpon the holie passion of our Sauiour to the intent that we maie be thereby prouoked to imitate somewhat of that which was there done not onely for our redemption but also for our example For the greatest glorie that a Christian can atteine vnto in this worlde is to haue a semblaunce and likenes vnto our Sauiour Christ Esa 14.14 Howbeit not such a likenes as prowde Lucifer desired to haue but such a likenes of life as our Sauiour Christe him selfe commaunded vs to haue when he saide Ioan. 13.15 I haue geuen you an example that as I haue done so shoulde ye doe likewise Of the conueniencie of the misterie of our Redemption § VI. THE sixte poynte that we haue to contemplate vpon in the holy passion Summa S. Thomae 3. q. 46. art 3. 4. is the conueniencie of the misterie of our Redemption to witt how cōueniente a meane this was which almighie God chose whereby to worke the saluation of man and to heale and cure him of his miseries This maner of contemplation serueth to illuminate the vnderstandinge to confirme it more firmelie in the faith of this misterie and to lift vp the harte of man into a great admiration of the goodnes and wisedome of almightie God who chose so wonderfull and conuenient a meane to heale our miseries and to relieue our necessities This is so copious and so plentifull a matter to meditate vpon that certainly if a man shoulde continewe thinkinge vpon it vntill the ende of the worlde he shoulde alwaies finde newe reasons of the conueniencie of this holie misterie and newe causes to induce him to lifte vp his spirite more and more in admiration of the high wisedome and prouidence of almightie God herein But because this volume woulde be to great in case I shoulde treate of this matter at large I will therefore at this presente onely shewe the order and foūdation of this consideration to the intent that the deuout and religious sowle maie hereby haue a waye opened vnto her to prosecute all the rest Wherefore it is to be noted that if we will see what proportion and conueniencie a meane hath with his ende it is necessarie to make a comparison betwene the same meane and the ende and the greater helpes that the meane hath towardes the atteininge of the ende the more proper and conueniente is the meane