of the laietie seeke no lesse for this vertue then the religious doe that by the same ye maie be deliuered from the snares of this sinfull world Of the wipinge of the Apostles feete with the towell This beinge done consider also how after our sauiour had wasshed there feete he wyped them cleane with that sacred towell wherewith he was girded And lyft vp the eies of thy soule somewhat higher and there shalt thou see represented the misterie of our redemption The misterie of our redemptiō is represented in the washinge and wypinge of the Apostles feete Consider how that faier towell receaued into it all the fylthe and vncleannes of those feete which were altogether verie foule and filthie And as the feete were made cleane and faire so the towell contrariewise after he had wyped their feete with it was whollie bespotted and defyled Now what is more filthie then a man conceaued in synne and what is more cleane and bewtifull than our Sauiour Christ conceued of the holie Ghoste My welbe loued is whyte Cantic 5. and well coulored saieth the spowse and chosen out emonge thowsandes This most sweete and louinge Lord then that was so faier and so cleane was content to receaue into him selfe all the spottes and filthynes of our soules to witt the paines which our synnes deserued and that he might leaue our soules cleane and free from them he himselfe remained as yee see him vpon the crosse all bespotted and defyled with the same In so much that the verie angells were as it were astonied and suerlie not without good cause to see their Lord and creator so beraied with this so strange fowlenes And therefore they demaunded by the prophet Esaie sainge wherefore dost thou ô Lord weare garmentes dyed with the colour of bloud Esa 63. all bespotted and beraied like vnto them that stampe grappes in the winepresse Now if this bloude and these fowle spottes be of others to witt of our sinnes tell me o kinge of glorie were it not more meete that men themselues should suffer according to there owne desertes then that thou O most innocente Lorde shouldest be thus defyled and tormented for there sakes had it not bene more decent that this filthines should haue remained vpon his owne donghill and not vpon thee the mirrour of all bewtie What a wōderfull pietie and cōpassion was it that moued thee to haue such a feruent desyre of the cleannes of my soule that thou wouldest with so great charge and losse of thine owne bewtie bestowe it vpon me what man aliue would take a fyne to well wrought with golde and wype therewith a fowle sluttishe dishe espetiallie such a dishe as were greatdlie broken and rente in manie places Blessed art thou o my most mercifull and louinge Lord. All the angells praise thee o God for euermore For that it hath pleased thee to become as it were an outcast of the worlde takinge vpon thee all oure filthines and miseries which are the paines dew vnto vs for our sinnes to deliuer vs quite and make vs free from them After this consider those wordes wherewith our sauiour made an ende of this historie sainge I haue geueu you an example that ye shoulde doe euen as I haue done to you which wordes are to be referred not onelie to this matter and example of humilitie but euen also to all the other workes and life of our sauiour Christ For so much as his whole life is a most perfet pattern of all vertues espetiallie of that vertu which in this place is represented vnto vs The life of Christe is a most perfet patterne of all vertues and especiallie of humilitie to witt humilitie as the blessed martir Sainct Ciprian declareth more at large in these wordes It was cheiflie saith he a worke of great patience and humilitie that so high and excellent a maiestie woulde vouchsafe to come downe from heauen vnto the earth and clothe himselfe with our claie S. Cyprian and that he woulde dissemble the glorie of his immortalitie and become mortall to the end that being him selfe innocent and faulltes he might be punnished for such as were giltie The Lord would be baptised of his seruante he that came to pardon sinnes would be wasshed with the water of sinners he that feedeth all creatures fasted fourtie daies in the wildernes and in the end suffered honger which he did to this end that all such as had a hongrie appetite after godes worde and longed after his grace might be satisfied and furnished with the same he fowght with the diuell that tempted him and contentinge him selfe with the victorie offered his ennemie no further harme but by worde onelie His disciples he neuer despised as a Lord doth his seruantes but enterteined them with great charitie and beneuolence yea he vsed them louingly as brethern Neither is it to be merueyled at that he thus behaued him selfe towardes his disciples being as they were obedient seinge he could suffer that arrant traitor Iudas so patienlie and beare with him euen till the end and suffer him being his ennemie to eate together with him at his owne table and knowinge full well whereabowte he went woulde neuer discouer him but was content to receaue a kisse of him euen of him I saie that had soulde him with such a traiterous peace Moreouer with what great patience did he beare with Iewes vntill that present howre how painfully did he labour to moue those vnbeleuinge hartes with his preachinge to embrace the faith what great trauaille tooke he to allure those vngratefull men vnto him with good workes how meekly answered he to such as contraried him in his speach with what clemencie bare he with the prowde with what a wounderfull humilitie yelded he to the furious rage of his ennemies and persecutors How traueiled he euen vntill the verie howre of his most bitter passion to recouer them that had bene the murderers of the Prophetes and heynous rebelles against almightie God In like maner at the verie howre of his passion before they came to the sheadinge of his most cruell death how great were the opprobrious iniuries they offered vnto him How patientlie gaue he them the hearinge thereof How great were the mockes and tauntes he sufred How patientlie did he beare the vile spittinge of those infernall mouthes that had him selfe not longe before with the spittell of his owne mowthe restored a blynd man to his perfet sight How suffered he their whippinges whose seruantes are wont in his name with mightie power to whippe the verie diuelles how was he crowned with thornes that crowneth his martirs with euerlastinge garlandes How was he smitten on the face with the palmes of mens handes that geueth the palme of victorie vnto such as be conquerors How was he spoyled of his earthlie garmētes that apparaileth the sainctes with the garmentes of immortalitie How was he profered most bitter gaull that geueth vs the bread of heauen How was he offered vyneger
to drinke that geueth vs the cuppe of saluation he that was so innocent he that was so iust or rather verie innocencie and iustice it selfe was accompted emonge theeues the euerlasting truth was accused with false witnes the iudge of the whole worlde was condemned bywicked men and the worde of god receaued the sentence of death with sylence Consider moreouer at what tyme the Sauiour of the worlde was nailed vpon the crosse and at the verie houre of his death when the sterres were obscured the elementes troubled when the earth quaked when the light was darkened when the sonne tourned awaie his eies and would not suffer his beames to shyne vpon the earth least happelie it might see such a great crueltie Consider I saie how euen at this time our Sauiour did not so much as once open his mouthe or moue him selfe how he would not at the verie last howre and point of death discouer the glorie of his maiestie but suffered continuallie that extreme and violent conflict euen vntill the ende intendinge thereby to leaue vnto vs an example of perfect pacience Yea moreouer and all this if those cruell blouddie ministers that crucified and tormented his most blessed bodie would haue conuerted and bene penitente he was readie to receaue them to his grace and fauour euen at the verie last instant neither would he haue shut vp the gates of his church from anie man Now therefore what thinge in the worlde can possiblie be of greater benignitie and patience then the bloude of Christ that giuethe life euen vnto them that shed the same bloude But such and so great is the patience of our sweete Sauiour Christ which if it had not bene such and of so great power the churche had not had Saint Pawle in it at this daie Hetherto be the wordes of Sainct Ciprian OF THE MOST BLESSED SACRAMENT OF THE AVLTAR and of the causes wherefore it was instituted Panis quem ego dabo caro mea est pro MUNDI vita Johan 6 5◠Accipite et comedite hoc est corpus meum Matth. 26.26 § II. ONE of the principall causes of the comminge of our sauiour into this worlde was to enkendle the hartes of men in the loue of almightie God For so said he by sainct Luke Luc. 12. I am come to put fier in the earth and what would I els but that it should burne This fier did our sauiour put in the earthe when he bestowed vpon men such and so manie wonderfull benefittes when he wrowght so great workes of loue emonge them whereby he might steyle awaie there hartes from them and whollie inflame them in this fier of loue Now albeit that all the worckes of his most holie life doe serue to this end Yet of al other those doe most effectually serue for this purpose which he did in the end of his life according as Sainct Iohn the Euangelist signefieth sainge His fryndes that he had in the world Ioan. 13. he loued them espetially in the end For at that time he bestowed greater benefittes vpon them and discouered vnto them greatest pledges and tokens of his loue Emonge which singular pledges one of the most principall was the institution of the most blessed Sacramēt of the Aultar the which thinge shall appeare verie plainlie vnto him that will consider with good attention the causes of the institution of the same But in this behalfe I beseach thee o most mercifull Lord that thou wilt vouchsafe to open our eies and graunt vs light that we maie see what causes they were that moued thy louinge hart to institute for vs this so wonderfull a Sacrament and to leaue it vnto vs. Now that we maye vnderstande some what of this diuine misterie it is to be presupposed good Christian reader that no tounge created is able to expresse the passinge great loue The passinge greate loue Christe bearethe towardes his Catholike Churche and to euerie soule that is in the state of grace Ephes 3. that our sauiour Christ beareth towardes the Catholike Church his spowse and consequentlie vnto euerie soule that is in the state of grace For so much as euerie such sowle is also his spouse For this cause one of the thinges that the Apostel Sainct Paule requested and desired was that almightie god would reueale vnto vs the greatnes of his loue which vndowtedlye is so great that it farre passeth all the wisedome and knowledge created yea thowgh it were euen that wonderfull knowledge of the angelles Wherefore this our most sweete Bridegrome The causes of the institution of this most holie Sacramente The first cause when he minded to depart out of this life and to absent him selfe from the Catholike Church his deere spouse to the intent that this his absence might not be anie occasion vnto her to forget him he left vnto her for a remembrāce this most blessed Sacramēt wherein he himselfe would remaine for he could not beare that betwene him and her there should be anie lesse pledge to prouoke her to be myndefull of him then euen himselfe And therefore he pronunced at that time those sweete wordes Luc. 22.1 Cor. 11. So often as ye shall doe this thinge doe it in the remembrance of me that is doe it that ye maie be alwaies mindfull how much I am willinge to doe for you and how much I goe now to doe and suffer for your saluation The seconde cause Moreouer this most sweete and louing bridegrome intended in this his longe absence to leaue some cōpanie to his spouse that she might not remayne solitarie and comfortles And therefore he left her the companie of this most holie Sacrement where euen the bridegrome himifelfe is reallie present which is in verie deede the best and most delitefull companie that he coulde possiblie leaue her At that time also our sauiour would goe to suffer death for his spowse The thirde cause and to redeeme and enriche her with the price of his owne most precious bloude and to the intent that she might whensoeuer she woulde enioye this most pretious and diuine treasure he left her the keis thereof in this most blessed sacrament For as S. Chrisostome saith S. chrisost So often as we come to receaue this most blessed Sacrament we must make accompt that we come to laie our mowthes to Christes verie side to drinke of his most pretious bloude and to be partakers of this soueraigne and diuine misterie Consider therefore in what a dangerous case those men are that for a litle slouthfulnes doe absteine to come vnto this royall banket and to enioye such a great and most inestimable diuine treasure These be those vnfortunate slouggardes of whom the wiseman speaketh Prouerb 19. sainge The slouggard hideth his hand in his bosome and suffereth him selfe rather to die for honger then he will lift it vp to his mouthe Now what greater slouthfulnes can there be imagined in a man than this is that because he will not
from vs all maner of fyne deyntienes curiositie and superfluities knowinge that our Lorde and maister vtterlie abandoned from him not onelie all maner of deyntienes and superfluities but also euen such thinges as were of necessitie I desire now O Lorde to see also what maner of thinge thy bedde is Tell me ô sweete Sauiour where doest thou lodge Where sleepest thou at noone daie Here I sette my selfe at thy feete Cant. 1. Teache me I most humblie beseeche thee what I ought to doe For this my sensualitie will not suffer me to vnderstande well this language of thy crosse I desire a softe bedde and if I awake early in the mornynge at the hower of praier and diuine seruice I suffer my selfe to be ouercome with slouthe and drowsienes we desire to lye on softe fether beddes and our sauiour Christe laye on the harde bedde of the crosse and I expect duelie for the morninge sleepe that my head maie take an other nappe and so haue his full ease and rest Tell me ô my most gratious and louinge Lorde what rest haddest thou on that harde bedde of the crosse When thou wast wearie in lienge on the one side how diddest thou turne thee on the other to take the better rest What harte is not ouercome and broken in sonder herewith What Is not this enoughe to kill all sensualitie in vs O what a comfort is this to the poore What a confusion to the riche What an encouragement to the penitentes And what a condemnation to nice delicate and sensuall persons Certeinly the bedde of our Sauiour Christe is not for such fyne delicate wantons neither is his glorie in heauen prepared for them Geue me grace ô Lorde that I maye by thy example mortifie this my sensualitie And if it be not thy blessed will to graunte me this request I beseache thee then euen now out of hande to ende my life For it is not meete nor seemelie that thou ô my omnipotent Lorde and redeemer beinge vpon the crosse and hauinge none other comforte nor refress hinge but onely bitter gaulle and sower vinegar I shoude seike for sweete sauoures delicate fare sugered sawces with other curious deynties pleasures and ease in this miserable life It is not meete that thou beinge thus poore and naked I shoulde goe wanderinge and leesinge my selfe after the transitorye goodes and riches of this worlde It is not reason that thou hauinge none other bedde but onely the harde and painfull crosse I shoulde seeke to haue a softe bedde and other delicacie and ease for my wretched bodie Be thou therefore greatelie ashamed How our Sauiour Christe rebukethe from the crosse our pompe delicacie curiositie and superfluitie ô my soule beholdinge our Lorde and Sauiour on the harde paynefull tree of the crosse and make accompte that from the same crosse he preacheth vnto thee and rebuketh thee sayenge O man I haue for thy sake worne a crowne of thornes and doest thou in contempte of me weare a garlande of flowers with golden chaynes aglettes bruches and gaye oystreche fethers I for thy sake haue stretched forthe my armes to be nayled and tormented vpon the crosse and doest thou stretche forthe thyne to pleasante games and pastimes I beinge a thirst at my verie death had not so much as a litle colde water and seekest thou after pretious wynes delicate meates and deyntie sugered sawces I was on the crosse and in all my whole life tyme full of dishonors reproches and grieuous labours and paines and doest thou spende all the daies of thy life seekinge after dignities offices promotions estimations pleasures and delites I was verie willinglie contented that my syde shoulde be opened to geue thee my verie harte and hast thou thyne open to vaine and dangerous loues of the worlde WHAT PATIENCE WE OVGHT TO HAVE IN ALL TROVBLES and aduersities followinge the example of our Sauiour Christ § V. THOV hast taught me now ô Lorde from the chaire of the Crosse the lawes of temperance teache me also at this present the lawes of patience whereof I haue suerlie verie great neide Thou hast cured that parte of my soule which is called concupiscible Cure also I beseeche thee that parte which is called irascible Forsomuch as thy crosse is a medicine for all the whole man and the leaues of that holie tree are the healthe of all nations Sometimes I haue sayd and purposed with in my selfe I will neuer from henceforthe falle out or be angrie agayne with anie man I will surelie keepe peace with all persones and therefore I thinke it good for me to auoyde all companie and thereby to eschewe all occasions of trouble contention and anger But now ô Lorde I vnderstande my weakenes in this poynte For to flee from companie is not a meane to subdue anger but rather to couer and hide myne owne imperfection And therefore I will from henceforthe carie euer with me a mynde readie prepared to liue not onelie with the good but euen with the wicked also and to keepe peace with such colericke waywarde and frowarde contentious persons as doe abhorre peace Thus I purpose from henceforthe to doe grawnt me thy grace therefore ô almightie God that I maie dewlie accomplishe this my good intent If others shall take my landes or goodes awaye from me graunte me thy grace ô Lorde that I be not angrie nor grieued therewith seinge I see thee thus spoyled and naked vpon the Crosse If they shall take my credite honor and estimation frō me let not that cause me to breake peace with them seinge I see thee here ô Lorde so despised dishonored and contemned If my fryendes and acquaintāce shall forsake me let me not therefore be confounded seinge I see thee thus left alone and forsaken not onely of thy disciples and fryendes but also of thyne owne heauenly father And if it shall seeme to me at anie tyme that I am forsaken of thee yet let me not for all that lose my confidence and trust in thee seinge thow diddest not loose thine but after thou haddest made an ende of saienge those wordes Math. 27. My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Diddest forthewith recommende thy spirite into the handes of him who had forsaken thee sayenge O father into thy handes I commend my spirite Marc. 15. Psalm 21. And therefore euen now at this instant I request that from henceforthe all troubles and persecutions maie come and falle vpon me and not to spare me forsomuch as all such thinges con doe nothinge els vnto me but geue me occasion to be a folower of thee my sweete Lorde and Sauiour Iesus Christ But now ô my Lorde what if the troubles and persecutions shal be verie great and longe wherewithall shall I then comforte my selfe For thy passions althoughe they were verie greate yet it seemed that they continued not anie longe tyme forsomuch as all the martirdome of thy passion did not continewe altogether twentie howers Now he that hath
man ought to direct vnto two principal endes emonge others the one to the knowledge and contempt of the glorie of this worlde and the other to the knowledge and contempte of our selues For this consideration serueth verie well both for the one and the other But wilt thou vnderstande in worde what the glorie of this worlde is Marke and consider with attention the state and condition of mans lyfe and thereby shalte thou perceyue what the glorie of this lyfe is Tell me I praie thee can the glorie of man be more longe or more stable than the lyfe of man It is most certaine that it can not For this glorie is an accident which is grownded vpon this lyfe as vpon his subiecte or foundation and therefore when the foundation and subiecte faileth the accidentes must needes faile withall The riches pleasures and delites of this lyfe cannot contynewe anie longer than the lyfe it selfe And for this verie cause no riches no pleasures not delightes can coÌ„tinewe any loÌ„ger tyme with a man than vntill his graue Forsomuch as then faileth the foundation wherevpon all these thinges are built and haue their staie which foundation is our lyfe Now tell me then if this lyfe be such as thou hast now hearde described vnto thee to witt shorte vncertain fraile inconstante deceitfull and miserable how longe can the buildinge endure that shal be framed vpon this foundation How longe can the accidentes continewe that shal be grounded vpon so weake a substance When thou hast considered this point well with thy selfe thou must needes saye that they shall endure no longer than the foundation and substance it selfe endureth and thou must needes confesse that manie times they endure not so longe as we see by dailie experience in the goodes of fortune which with manie men haue an ende before their lyfe endeth Now if that sayeinge of the Poët Pindarus be true to witt That this lyfe is no more but a dreame of a shadowe What thinkest thou then is the glorie of this world which is of shorter continuance than our lyfe What accompt wouldest thou make of a goodly buildinge in case it stood vpon a false foundation What accompte wouldest thou make of an image of waxe very richlie and curiouslie wrought in case it were set against the sonne where it is certayne that so soone as the waxe shoulde be molten forthwith the forme of the image woulde vtterlie be defaced and leese his beautie Whie doe we make so litle accompt of the beautie of a flowre but because it groweth vpon so weake a subiect For so soone as it is nypt of from the stalke incontinentlie it looseth his faire glosse and beautie It is not possible to haue beautie of anie firme continuance in a matter so fraile and corruptible It followeth therefore that the glorie of man is such as the lyfe of man is For although glory doe continewe after the ende of our lyfe yet what shall that glorie auayle him that hath no sence nor feelinge thereof What dothe it auayle Homere now whilest thou so highelie praisest and commendest his Iliades Vndoutedly no more but as S. Ierome saieth speakinge of Aristotle Woo be vnto thee Aristotle that art praised where thou art not to witt here in the worlde and art tormented where thou art indeede to witt in hell Other inestimable commodities mayest thou gather owt of this consideration For if thou doe consider all theise miseries with good attention thine eies shal be opened forthwith and thou shalt wonder at the great blindnes of men yea the verie straungenes of it shall cause thee to saie to thy selfe Good Lorde what cause is there why this miserable lignage of Adam shoulde waxe prowde From whence commeth such puffinge and arrogancie of minde such hawtie and loftie courages so great contempt of others such estimation of our selues and so great forgetfulnes of almightie God What cause hast thou to be prowde thou dust and asshes Why doest thou magnifie and aduaunce thy selfe thou seely wretche of the earthe Why doest thou not holde downe thy peacockes taile beholdinge thy fowle feete to witt the vylenes of thy state and condition What cause hast thou to seeke so carefullie for the glorie of this worlde seinge it is myngled with so manie miseries What thinge is there so sweete but that it maie be made bitter with the mixture of so manie sower and bitter sawces Moreouer if this lyfe be a vale of teares a prison of guiltie persons and a bannishement of them that be comdemned how canst thou settle so greate vanitie so great pompe and pride of the worlde such gaye ornamentes and statelie furniture of houses and families in the place of teares How canst thou imagine to make this a place of pastymes and pleasures of feastes and bankettes How canst thou be so diligente to heape so greidelie together for the prouision of this worlde and be so forgetfull of the worlde to come as if thou were borne onely to liue here in earth with brute beastes and haddest no parte in heauen with the Angels Suerlie I must neides saie that thou art very much wedded to miserie and that thou camest out of a meruaylous miserable stocke if so manie argumentes of the miseries of this worlde be not able to open thine eies and make thee to discerne so grosse and so palpable a blindenes I H S WENSDAIE NIGHTE OF THE HOWER OF DEATHE O mors quam amara est memoria tua homini pacem habenti in substâ—â—â— suis. Eclesi 4â— 1 Gens absque consilio est et sine prudentia vtinam saperent et intelligerent ac nouissima prouiderent Deuter. 32. 28. THIS DAIE WHEN THOV HAST MADE THE SIGNE OF the Crosse and prepared thy selfe hereunto thou hast to meditate vpon the houre of deathe which is one of the most profitable consideratioÌ„s that a Christian man may haue as well for the obteyninge of true wisedome and eschewinge of sinne as also to moue him to begynne to prepare him selfe in time for the howre of death BVT to the intent that this consideration maie be proffitable vnto thee it shall behoue thee to make thy petition vnto almightie God beseachinge him to graunte thee some feelinge of such thinges as are woÌ„t to passe in this last conflicte that thou maiest dispose of thy landes and goodes accordinglie and direct thy lyfe in such sorte as at that time thou wouldest wishe thou haddest done Now therefore that thou maiest haue the better feelinge in this matter thinke vpon it not as thou wouldest of a thinge that were to come but as it were euen now present and thinke vpon it not as of a thinge that apperteyneth to others but as of a thinge that belongeth properlie to thine owne selfe makinge this accompte that thou lyest now verie sicklie and weake in thy bed aÌ„d in such a daungerous case that thou art vtterly forsaken of thy phisitions and that they are all perswaded that thou wilt die within fewe howers Consider
as it were an other hemespherie where it findeth a new heauen a newe earthe an other kinde of lyfe and an other maner of vnderstandinge and knowledge The sowle then after it is departed out of the bodie entereth into this newe region where those that by liuinge neuer entered a place full of feare and terrour and of shadowes of death But now what shall this new straunger doe in this so straunge a countrey vnlesse it be so that he hath deserued in this lyfe to haue the garde and defence of Angells for this time O my sowle saieth S. Bernarde what a terrible daie shal that be when thou shalt enter all alone into that vnknowen region where those hellishe monsters that are so horrible and vglie to beholde shall encounter and assault thee in the waie Who will then take thy part Who will then defende thee Who will then deliuer thee from those rampinge lions which beinge raginge madde for honger do lie there in waite to deuour thee At the hower of deathe the sowle müst rendre a particular accompte vnto almightie God of all thinges aÌ„d then it shal be iudged what shall become of her for euermore and this is termed her particular iudgemeÌ„t Math. 12.36 1. Peter 4.18 Vndoubtedlie this is a verie fearfull waie but the iudgment that shall then so solemnlie be geuen is farre more terrible Who is able to declare how strait the decision of this particular iudgement shal be How righteous the iudge How busie and solicitous the deuills our accusers How fewe intercessors on our syde What a particuler examination shal be made of euerie point of our accompte And what a longe proces shal be drawen of all our whole lyfe And as our Sauiour affirmeth we must then render an accompte of euerie idell worde Wherefore if the iust man as S. Peter saieth shal hardly be saued where shall the sinner and wicked man shewe them selues It is a thinge trulie verie worthie to be noted that whereas a man woulde thinke that those thinges that we haue most loued and for which we haue taken most paines shoulde most helpe vs in this greate distres it falleth out quite contrarie For they shall not onely not helpe vs but also be an occasion at that tyme of more paine and griefe vnto vs. 2. Reg. 14. 2. Reg. 18. The thinge that AbsoloÌ„ loued aÌ„d esteemed aboue all thinges was his goodlie heare of his head And that verie heare almightie God ordeined by his iust iudgement to be the cause of his death The thinges that we loue most in this lyfe shall make our accompte more dowtefull and be greater greife vnto vs at the hower of our deathe Now the verie same iudgement is prepared for all wicked persons at that howre that those thinges that euerie man most loued in this lyfe and for which he committed most haynous offences against almightie God the verie same thinges shall make his accompt more doutfull and be occasion of greater torment vnto him There shall our children whom we sought to enriche not passinge whether it were by right or wronge accuse vs. There shall the nawghtie harlotte for whose wanton loue we haue broken the lawes and commaundementes of almightie God pleade against vs. There shall our landes our goodes our offices our dignities our pleasures and delightes which were our idolles be our hangmen and tormente vs most cruellie There shall almightie God geue iudgement vpon all the gods of Egipt ordeyninge the matter in such sorte that those verie thinges wherein we haue put all our glorie shall at that tyme be the cause of our ruine Now if the seueritie of the dreadfull sentence of almightie God be answerable to our sinnes who shal be able to abyde it One of those auncient holie fathers that liued in the wildernes was wont to saie that of thre thinges he liued continually in greate feare The first was when his sowle shoulde departe out of his bodie The seconde when it shoulde be presented before the iudgment seat of almightie God The thirde when the sentence of his cause should be geuen and pronounced But now which is most terrible of all what if almightie God shall geue this most terrible sentence ageinst thee that thou shalt be damned for euer and euer to the horrible tormentes of hell fier there to continewe infinite millions of yeares and worlde without ende In what a terrible strait shalt thou then be What sorowe What greife What anguishe shalt thou then feele Againe what ioye and triumphes will the deuills thyne enemies make at that tyme Then shall that sentence of the Prophet be fulfilled sayeinge Ierem. Lam. 2. vers 16. All thine enemies shall open their mouthes vpon thee they shall laughe thee to scorne and gnashe their teath at thee and saie we will deuour him this is the daie we haue so longe loked for we haue found him we haue espied him But thou ô sweite Iesus Psalm 12. Illuminat the eies of my sowle I beseeche thee that I steipe not in death that myne enemie maie neuer saie I haue preuailed against him Amen THVRSDAIE NIGHTE OF THE GENERALL DAYE OF IVDGEMENT Oâ—â—â—â— nor â—â—â—festari Oportâ—t aâ—â—e Tribunal Christi est Refâ—â—â—â—Vnusquâ—â—◠〈◊〉 Coâ—â—â—â—◠〈◊〉 gâ—ffâ—t finiâ—â—â— sinâ— inâ—â—â— sciâ—utes ingo timoteâ—â— domini hominibâ—s sundâ—â—â— 2. Corinth 5.10 Si Justiâ— vix saluabitur impius et peccâ—â—â—Vâ—â— pâ—rrâ—â—â— 1. petr 4. â—â— THIS DAIE WHEN THOV HAST MADE THE SIGNE OF the Crosse and prepared thy selfe hereunto thou hast to meditate vpon the daie of the generall iudgement that by meanes of this consideration those two principall effectes maye be stirred vp in thy sowle which euerie faithfull Christian ought to haue to wit the feare of God and the abhorringe of sinne CONSIDER first what a terrible daie that shal be Of the dreadfulnes and terrour of the generall iudgemente in which the causes of all the children of Adam shal be througlie examyned the proces of all our liues diligently perused and a generall definitiue sentence geuen what shall become of vs all for euermore That daie shall comprise in it all the daies of all the ages and times both present past and to come For vpon that daie the worlde shall reÌ„dre an accompte of all these times And then shall almightie God power out the anger and indignation which he hath gathered together in all ages How violentlie shall the maine floude of gods wrathe and indignation breake out at that daie which conteineth in it so manie floudes of anger and wrathe as there haue bene sinnes committed since the beginninge of the worlde vntill that daie And therefore the Prophet had good cause to saie That daie shal be a daie of anger Soph. 1.15 a daie of calamitie and miserie a daie of obscuritie and darckenes a daie of cloudes and tempestious stormes a daie of the trompette and alarom against the stronge cities and against the highe towers Of the dreadfull signes that shall goe
had bene no sinne to be the meane and occasion of his sufferinge it had not bene neidfull for him to haue suffered as he did It is not agreed emonge the learned diuines whether the sonne of God shoulde haue bene incarnate Summa S. Thomae 3. q. 1. artic 2. 3. quaest 46. artic 1. 2. If man had not sinned Christe had not suffered anie paines or deathe in case man had not sinned for some doe affirme it and some doe denie it but this is holden for a most certaine treuthe that in case man had not sinned the sonne of God shoulde not haue died Whereby it appeareth that our sinnes were the verie cause that moued him to suffer all these miseries and that our sinnes were they that threwe him into this prison and that our sinnes were they that nayled him vpon the crosse And thinke not because they were not thy sinnes alone which were the cause hereof that thou art therefore worthy of the lesse punishemente for accordinge to the lawes of iustice he deserueth no lesse punishemente that killeth an innocente beinge accompanied with manie in committinge the facte than if he alone had killed him So that by this rule thou feest what great reason thou hast to moue thee to abhorre thy sinnes and to be earnestly sorie for them by callinge to minde that they were the tormentours which in verie deede crucified the sonne of almightie God and caused him to suffer so great paines and tormentes This is a greater cause to moue a man to abhorre sinne and to be sorie for the same than all other losses and miseries that ensewe of sinne yea althoughe we shoulde recken emonge our losses the depriuation of the euerlastinge glorie and felicitie which is lost by a deadlie sinne and the euerlastinge horrible paynes which be purchased by the same Now acordinge vnto this doctrine when thou shalt be occupied in meditatinge vpon the holie passion and shalt see how the enemies doe apprehende our Sauiour and how they accuse him and buffette him and how they spette vpon him and whippe him c. thinke for certaine that thou art in verie deede in companie with them and that thou hast ioyned with them in this conspiracie against our Sauiour So that thou mayst treulie saie that thy sinnes doe accuse him that thy dissolute behaueour bindeth him that thy anger and mallice whippeth him that thy presumption and rashenes buffeteth him that thy pride crowneth him with thornes that thy fonde braueries and vanities doe clothe him with purple that thy pleasures and delightes geue him to drincke galle and vineger and to be shorte that thy disobedience nayleth his handes and feete vpon the crosse Forsomuch as the paines which thou deseruest by these thy sinnes he vowchsaffed of his infinite charitie to suffer for thee For it is certaine that the tormentors shoulde neuer haue had power to tormente him as they did in case thy sinnes had not geuen them force and strengthe to doe the same This is one verie profitable waie of meditatinge vpon the holie passion for all kinde of persons but it is much more requisite for such as doe but newlie beginne to enter into the seruice of almightie God and doe endeuour to cleanse the sinnes of their former dissolute lyfe with the holic exercises of Penance Of the passing great benefite of our Redemption § III. THERDLY we ought to consider in the holie passion the greatnes of the benefite which our Sauiour hath done vnto vs in redeeminge vs by this meane And althoughe there be infinite thinges to be saide in this matter yet at this presente I will doe no more but onely note breifly three principall pointes which are to be considered in this most excellent benefite of our Redemption Firste what our Sauiour hath bestowed vpon vs by the same redemption Secondlie what meane he vsed in geuinge it vnto vs. And therdlie with what passinge great loue he gaue it vnto vs. How passinge great that is which our Sauiour hath bestowed vpon vs by this benefite of our redemption there is no tonge able to expresse Howbeit we maie conceiue somewhat thereof by two waies The first waye is by consideringe all the euills and miseries whereinto mankinde incurred throughe the sinne of the first man Adam for all these miseries were sufficientlie remedied by our Sauiour Iesus Christe who bestowed vpon vs all such benefites as were contrary vnto these miseries forsomuch as it is euident that he was geuen vnto vs to be a vniuersall reparer of all the euilles and miseries of the worlde Now he that were able to recken how manie the miseries are whereinto the worlde hath fallen by the sinne of the first man Adam might also vnderstande how many the benefites are that came vnto vs by the seconde Adam to witt by our Sauiour Christe which benefites be vndoutedlie innumerable The seconde waie is by consideringe not all the miseries which our first father Adam brought vnto vs but all the benefites which came vnto vs by our Sauiour Christe Forsomuch as we are made partakers of all those benefittes by meanes of communicatinge his spirite vnto vs For all such as are made partakers of the spirite of Christe are made partakers also of the vertues and merites of Christe Wherefore the Apostle saithe Galat. 3.27 that all such as haue receiued the Sacramente of Baptisme haue put on Christe Geuinge vs thereby to vnderstande that they all are made partakers of Christe and are adorned with his vertues and merites and that so beinge clothed with this liuerey they seeme in the sighte of the heauenly father to be such after a sorte in their degree as his owne verie sonne seemeth before him And therefore for good cause dothe Ecclesiasticus alledge this wonderfull title of the sonne of God in his praier Eccl. 36.14 sayeinge haue mercie ô Lorde vpō thy people Israell whom thou hast made equal and like to thy firste begotten sonne What dignitie what glorie can be greater than this Now accordinge hereunto he that coulde recken how many the vertues and merites of our Sauiour Christe haue bene might likewise vnderstande how manie the benefites haue bene that are come vnto vs by him Forsomuch as we are made partakers of them all by the meane of his passion To conclude by him is geuen vnto vs remission of our sinnes grace glorie libertie peace saluation redemption sanctification iustice satisfaction sacramentes merites doctrine and all other thinges which he had and were behouefull for our saluation And by reason of this his so bountiefull communicatinge he is called in the holie Scriptures the father the bridegroome and the vniuersall head of the Catholike Churche because whatsoeuer the father hath appertaineth to his children and whatsoeuer the bridegrome hath he imparteth to his spowse and whatsoeuer the head hath the members are made partakers of the same These are the benefites which our Sauiour Christe hath bestowed vpon vs. But by what meane hath he
Christian Churches and to terme them in blasphemous manner Antichristian inuentions and to preache openlie in pulpittes and publishe in printed bookes whatsoeuer newe hereticall opinions the ennemie of mankinde sug gesteth into their fantasticall heades the faithe of Christians is thereby generallie become so weake and inconstante and in verie manie or most persons so wholie vndermined and vtterlie ouerthrowne and their hope is so transformed into presumption and their charitie is waxen so colde and so litle pietie loue deuotion reuerence and Zeale remaine in them towardes the seruice of Almightie God and so muche Pride gluttonie incontinencie lyenge detraction disobedience with moste horrible contention schisme heresie infidelitie Atheisme and all kinde of iniquitie doe generallie abounde throughout Christendome that we haue good cause to feare leaste that terrible time approcheth nowe verie neare at hande which our Sauiour forewarned vs in the gospell to wit Luc. 18. vers 8. that at his comminge to iudge he shoulde hardelie finde faithe in the earthe Wherefore we haue nowe verie greate neede of extraordinarie spirituall helpes to strengthen our weake mindes to withstand so manie deceitfull temptations of the enemie of mankinde in this so corrupte and daungerous age And for this purpose I haue translated out of the Spanishe tongue diuers bookes of a verie holie and famous learned religious father called Lewis de Granada whose deuoute manner of writinge hath in my simple iudgemente a singular rare grace to pearce the harde harte of a dissolute sinner and to moue and dispose his minde to the abhorringe of synne to the contempte of the worlde and to the feare lone and seruice of Almightie God And I vnderstande that his bookes haue wroughte wonderfull muche good not onelie in Spaine and Portugall but also in Italie Fraunce and Germanie And I thinke there bee fewe countries in Christendome but haue his Spanishe woorkes traÌ„slated into their tongues And it is nowe about foureteene yeares agoe since the time that Master Doctor Hardinge a man for his greate vertue learninge wisdome Zeale and sinceritie in writinge againste heresies of verie godlie and famous memorie perswaded me earnestlie to translate some of those Spanishe bookes into our Englishe tounge affirminge that more spirituall profite wolde vndoutedlie ensewe thereby to the gayninge of Christian sowles in our countrie from Schisme and Heresie and from all sinne and iniquitie than by bookes that treate of controuersies in Religion wich as experience hath nowe plainelie tried doe nothinge so well dispose the common peoples myndes to the feare loue and seruice of almightie God as bookes treatinge of deuotion and howe to leade a vertuous life doe The dewe consideration whereof hath so prouoked or rather pricked me in conscience that I haue resolued to publishe godwillinge in printe all my translations in case I shall perceiue that suche as be godlie wise and learned shall like of them And first as it were for an assaie I haue here printed his deuoute Meditations of the principall holie Misteries of the Christian Religion which booke I finde greatelie commended by diuers godlie learned men It maie be that some readers of this booke beinge not greatelie acquainted with the holie exercises of a spirituall life Obiection will imagin that the Authour dealeth to austerelie in some of theise meditations as namelie in his Meditations of synnes of the hower of death of òur dreydfull accompte at the terrible daie of iudgemente and of the moste horrible paines of hell And perhaps some politique wise men will saie that for so muche as thè common people in our countrie haue beene for the moste parte of our corrupte age altogether accustomed with hearinge and readinge of diuers other contrarie newe erronions doctrines tendinge directlie to a careles dissolute life thei be therfore nowe waxen so carnall and negligent of the saluation of their sowles that theise Meditations be to full of threateninge and terror for suche nice and lose consciences For answere to this obiection Answere it is to be noted that the Authór beinge as I am informed not onelie a greate learned and religious deuout olde father but also of greate wisdome grautie iudgemente discretion and of longe experience as well in preachinge and hearinge of CoÌ„fessions as in diuers gouernementes in his religious order and perceyuinge verie euidentlie that farre more Christian sowles be loste in this our corrupte age with ouermuche presumptuous confidence and securetie of their saluation than with ouermuche feare of leesinge the same hathe therfore framed his manner of writinge in theise meditations chieflie againste the infinite nomber of presumptuous and careles dissolute ChristiaÌ„s that presume most certainlie and assuredlie to be saued and yet doe liue verie dissolutelie all their whole lyfe time without all care of keepinge gods commaundements and without all feare of their accompte at the dreadeful daie of iudgemente notwithstandinge that our Sauiour Christ himselse who shal be then our Iudge hathe by plaine and expresse wordes forewarned vs in the gospell of saînt Mathewe Matt. 19. vers 17. that if we will enter into the Kingdome of heauen we muste Kepe his commaundementes which euerie Christian maie be able to kepe beinge assisted strengthened and holpen therein with the grace of God which is neuer denied to anie that praâ—eth dulie for it and also that we muste at the daie of iudgemente geue an accompte of euerye idle worde Matt. 12. vers 36. And verelie if we peruse diligentlie the holie scriptures we shall finde that not onely Enoch in the lawe of Nature Epist Iude. vers 14. and afterwardes all the Prophets but also sainte Ihon Baptiste and our Sauiour Christe himselfe vsed the same manner of preachinge that this religious godlie father dothe here And they thought it to be the verie best and rediest waie for conuersion of sinners from their sinfull dissolute lifes to shewe plainelie vnto them the damnable state they liue in and to put them in mynde of the seuere iustice of almightie God at the terrible daye of iudgemente against all suche as endeuour not to kepe his commaundementes Acts 10. vers 42. And saint Peter protesteth as it appeareth in the Actes of the Apostles that our Sauiour Christe commaunded likewise him and the reste of the Apostles to preache and testifie this poynte espetiallye that Christe is appointed to be the Iudge bothe of the quicke and the deade 1. Pet 1. vers 16. And therefore in an other place he requireth all Christians to liue in feare duringe the time of their conuersation vpon the earthe 2. Cor. 5. vers 10. 11. And sainte Paule maketh also the like solemne protestation of the terrible daie of iudgemente and what a straite accompte euerie one of vs muste make at that dreadefull time and exhorteth the Corinthians with the knowledge and consideration there of to perswade all men to liue in the feare of God And disputinge also before the President Felix of the Christian religion Act.
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
is manifest that fayth is the first beginninge and foundation of all the Christian life For fayth maketh vs to beleue that almightie God is our creator our gouernour our redeemer our sanctifier our glorifier to be short our beginninge and our last ende Fayth is that which teacheth vs Fayth bridlethe maÌ„s harte and causeth him to liue in the feare of God that there is an other lyfe after this and that there shal be a generall iudgement of all our workes and that we shall receiue either euerlastinge glorie for the good or els euerlastinge paine for the euill And it is cleare that the fayth and beliefe men haue in these thinges brideleth their hartes and causeth them to stande in awe and to liue in the feare of God For if fayth were not emonge vs as a meane to brydle and directe vs herein what trow ye would become of the lyfe of man And therefore the Prophet saied That the iust man liueth by fayth Rom. 1. Heb. 10. Galat. 3. Abac 2.4 not that fayth alone is sufficient to geue vs lyfe but because faith by meanes of the representatioÌ„ and consideration of those thinges that it teacheth vs prouoketh vs to refraine from sinne and wickednes and to followe vertue and goodnes Ephes 6.16 And this is the cause why the Apostel willeth vs to take faythe as a sheild against all the fyrie dartes of the enemie For certainlie there is no better sheild against the dartes of sinne than to calle those thinges to minde that fayth hath reuealed vnto vs against the same Wherefore that this fayth maye worke this effect in vs it is verie requisite that we doe sometimes ponder and consider in our myndes with good attention and deuotion such thinges as our fayth teacheth vs. Vnlesse we poÌ„dre and coÌ„sider the mysteries of our faythe our faythe is as it were a lettâ—e clovp and sealed For if we doe not so it seemeth that our fayth shal be vnto vs as it were a letter closed vp and sealed in which althowgh there come notable important newes of verie great sorowe or ioye yet it moueth vs not at all neither to the one nor to the other no more than if we had receyued no letter at all And the reason is because we haue not opened the letter nor considered what thinges are conteined in it Now what thinge coulde be said more aptlie or more to the purpose towchinge the fayth of the wicked and dissolute Christians For suerlie there can not be thinges of greater terrour and ioye than those are which our fayth declareth vnto vs. But the wicked Christians because they doe neuer open this letter to see what thinges be conteined in it I meane hereby because they doe neuer thinke and meditate vpon these misteries of our Christian faythe or if they thinke vpon them they passe them ouer verie lightlie and in great hast they cause not in them this manner of motion and alteration to witt of ioye or of feare Wherefore it behoueth vs sometimes to open this letter of our faythe I meane the mysteries thereof and to reade the same very leisurlie and to consider with good attention what thinges are tawght vs in the same the which is done by meanes of the exercise of consideration For it is consideration that openeth that which is locked and vnfoldeth that which is folded together and maketh that cleare vnto vs which is otherwise darke and obscure And so by illuminatinge our vnderstandinge with the greatnes of the mysteries of our fayth it inclineth our will so farfourth as appertaineth to the office of consideration to conforme our lyfe to the same This office of consideration almightie God figured verie notablie in the lawe what was signified by the cleaÌ„ beaste in the lawe Leuit. 11. Deuter. 14. when emonge the conditions that were required in the cleane beast he assigned this for one that the beast should chewe the cudde to witt the meate that it bad eaten before Now it is certain that it was litle to the purpose whether the beast were cleane or vncleane and suerlie almightie God made litle accompt of that But his meaninge was to represent vnto vs in that cleane beast the condition office and exercise of those beastes that be spirituallie cleane to witt of the iust and righteous persons that are not content onelie to eate such thinges as appertain vnto amightie God in beleeuinge them by fayth but after they haue eaten them they doe also chewe them by meanes of coÌ„sideration in searchinge and ponderinge the mysteries which they beleue And after they haue vnderstode the meaninge and excellencie of them they distribute and deuide this meate vnto all the spirituall members of the sowle for the sustentation and reparinge of the same Insomuch that if we marke this matter well A notable similitude we shall finde that it fareth in this case as in the seede of a tree which althowghe it doe virtuallie conteine within it the substance of the tree yet hath it neide of the vertue and influence of heauen and of the benefite and moysture of the earthe to cause the vertue that is inclosed in the seede to come forthe to light and to growe vp by litle and litle and waxe a tree Euen so in like maner we saie that althoughe fayth be the first seede and originall of all our weale yet must it neides be holpen with this benefite of consideration that by the same and by meanes of charitie the greine and fruitfull tree of good lyfe which is virtuallie conteined therein maie growe and come to light HOW CONSIDERATION HELPETH HOPE § II. Summa S. Thomae 22. quaest 17. art 5. quaest 18. artic 1. CONSIDERATION helpeth also no lesse the vertue of hope This hope is an affection of our will that hath his motive and roote in the vnderstandinge As the Apostle signifieth plainlie vnto vs saienge All thinges that are written Rom. 15.4 are written for our instruction that throughe patience and consolation which the scriptures geue vnto vs we may haue hope and affiance in almightie God For vndowtedlie the holie scripture is the fountaine The holie scripture is the founteyne of comfort from wheÌ„ce the iust man gathereth the water of comfort wherewith he strengtheneth him selfe to put his hope and trust in God For first of all he seeth in the holie scriptures the greatnes of the workes and merites of our Sauiour Iesus Christ The workes and merites of our Sauiour Christe are the principall staye and fouÌ„dation of our hope in God which are the principall staie and foundation of our hope There he seeth likewise in a thowsande places the greatnes of the goodnes sweetenes and maiestie of almightie God liuelye expressed and set out to the eie and withall the mercifull louinge prouidence he hath ouer them that be his the gentlenes and benignitie wherewith he receyueth them that come vnto him and the faythfull promises and pledges he
he ryseth notwithstandinge that goinge is a thinge so naturall and so customably vsed Now if the habilities which be so naturall and so much exercised doe so much decaye when they be not vsed what will the supernaturall habilities doe which are but as it were certain proppes and staies adioyned vnto vs Charitie and all other vertues will quicklie be lost vnlesse we exercise our selues verie often in them to supplie the defectes of nature And if charitie with all other vertues infused be in like maner to be reckened in this accompt in what case then shall we be if we doe but verie seldome or neuer exercise our selues in them For if that thinge that is euen naturall will be lost for waÌ„t of exercise how much more will that be lost that is supernaturall And if that thinge maie be lost that is fast riueted euen in our verie bowels what shall that doe that is but as it were onely fastened vnto vs with litle pinnes Againe if it be true that all amitie and fryndshipe is both preserued and increased by meanes of familiaritie and communication and by the wante thereof is vtterlie quenched and lost according as Aristotle affirmeth what shall then become of those persons that haue no maner of communication with almightie God at all And what can we hope of them that do neuer speake with him nor he with them nor so much as thinke consider or treate of anie heauenlie matters Thow seist then deare Christian brother of how great importance the exercise of consideration and communication with almightie God is vnto vs for the preseruation of this vertue of charitie HOW CONSIDERATION helpethe Deuâ—tion and all other vertues affectiue § IIII. AND consideration is no lesse behouefull to be had for all such vertues as are called affectiue that is apperteining to the affection whereof we haue made mention before Emonge which vertues what Deuotion is Summa S. Thomae 22. q. 82. art 1. one of the most principal is deuotion which is a certein heauenlie habilitie and gifte that inclineth our will to desier all such thinges with great affection and earnestnes as appertein to the seruice of almightie God which is one of the thinges that man hath most neede of in this state of nature corrupted For we see by experience that men do sinne not so much for want of vnderstanding as for wante of will I meane hereby that they sinne not so much for wante of knowledge what is good as for that they are vnwillinge to doe the thinge they knowe to be good And this vnwillingnes proceadeth not of the nature of vertue which of it selfe is most sweete delectable and verie agreable to the nature of man but of the corruption of man Now considering that this defect of our will is the verie cheefe and principall impediment we haue Our owne will is the principall impedimeÌ„te that hinderethe vs from vertue to hinder vs from vertue and goodnes our principal care must be to seeke a remedie for the curinge of this defecte For which purpose one of the thinges that helpeth vs most is deuotion For deuotion is none other thing but a heauenly refreshing and a blast or inspiration of the holie Ghost that breakethe and makethe his waye throwgh all these difficulties Note what a wonder full effecte deuotion workethe in a man shakith of this heauines cureth this lothsomnes of our will and causeth vs to haue a tast and sauour in that thinge that was otherwise vnsauorie and thereby maketh vs verie prompte agile and quick vnto all goodnes And this wonderfull effecte of deuotion the seruantes of God do dailie trye and perceiue by experience in them selues at what time they haue some great and singuler deuotion For then they finde them selues more willinge and lustie vnto all labour and paines then they be at other times And then it seemeth that the youth of their soules reioyceth and is renewed and then they trye by experience in them selues the trueth of those wordes of the prophett Psal 102. where he saith They that trust in our lord shall change their strength they shall take winges as it were of an Eagle they shall ronne and not be wearie Esa 40. they shall goe and not fainte Deuotion hath also an other propertie which is to be as it were a certein founteine Deuotion is a continual springe of holie desiers and perpetuall springe of good and holie desires For which cause in the holie scriptures it is commonlie called an oyntment Cant. 1. 4. which is compounded of manie sundrie sortes of odoriferus spyces and thereby yeldeth out from it manie sweete odors Now the verie like operation hath deuotion also for the time it endureth in our hartes for so much as it wholie spreadeth it selfe abroad into a thowsand sundrie kindes of holie purposes and desiers the which the more they increase and are dilated the more doth the stenches of our appetite decrease and diminish which are the euill desiers that procede from the same For like as the euill sauore in a sickmans chamber is not so much perceaued when there is a litle frankencence or some other odoriferus thinge burnt therein euen so the sauour of our euill desires is not so much perceaued so long as the most sweete sauore of this pretious oyntment continueth within vs. And for so much as it is certeine that all the corruption of our life commeth of the corruption and steÌ„che of our appetite and of the euill desires that procead from the same it shal be our part therefore to vse great diligence in procuring this heauenlie oyntment of deuotion which is of verie great force and efficacie to diminishe and consume this pestilent corruption And in like maner as consideration serueth in all the premisses euen so doth it also serue and further all the other vertues before mentioned which are the feare of God the sorowe for our sinnes the contempt of our selues wherein consisteth the vertue of humilitie No good affection can be in the will vnlesse it procede of some consideration of the vnderstanding Summa S. Thomae 22. q. 82. art 3. and thankes geuinge vnto almightie God for his benefites For as we haue said before there can be no good affection in the will vnles it procede of some consideration of the vnderstanding For how can a man haue sorrowe and contrition for his sinnes but by considering the filthenes and multitude of them the losse we receaue by them the hatred almightie God conceaueth against them and with all how polluted and corrupted the soule remaineth by reason of them Aganie how can a man stirre vp his harte vnto the feare of God but by consideringe the highenes of his maiestie the greatnes of his iustice the profoundnes of his iudgementes the multitude of his owne sinnes with other the like thinges How can a man humble and despise him felfe with all his harte vnles he consider the great nomber
corporal foode to maintein her in the spirituall life then the bodie hath of his propre foode for mayntenance of the corporall life If thou thinke otherwise tell me I praie thee why hath the bodie neede of his ordinarie meat euerie daie vndowtedlie the cause is for that the naturall heat continuallie wasteth and consumeth the substance of our bodies and therefore it is nedefull that that be restored againe with daielie sustenance which is consumed with dailie heat For otherwise the naturall strēgth of man woulde verie soone be at an ende and his powers woulde quicklie decaie O that it pleased almightie God that men might by this vnderstand the great necessitie they haue of this diuine sacrament O that they coulde by this conceaue the greate wisedome and mercie of him that hath instituted and ordeined the same for our behoufe Is it not a thing well knowen that we haue within these bowelles of oures a certein pestilent hear that came vnto vs by the occasion of sinne with consumeth all the goodnes that is in man This is that which inclineth vs to the loue of the world of our fleshe of all vices of all sensuall pleasures and delites and so by these meanes seperateth vs from almightie God maketh vs to relente and waxe colde in the loue of him and causeth vs to become verie dull slouthfull and heauie to all good workes and verie quicke and liuelie to worke all wickednes If than we haue this continuall waster and consumer so rooted within vs were it not good reason trow ye that there should be some restoratiue prouided to restore that alwaies againe which is alwaies wasting and consuming If we haue a continuall consumer The cause of the greate feruēcie and zeale of Christians in the primetiue Church ād of the littel or no zeale of Christians in our corrupt age and haue not withall a continuall repayrer what maie be loked for of vs but a continuall decaienge and with in sort time after a most certeine and vndowted ruine For proofe hereof it shall suffice to consider the course of the Christian people by comparinge the great feruencie and zeale in religion of the Christians in the primetiue Churche with the littell or rather no zeale of the Christians in our corrupt age For in the primitiue Churche when the Christians did eate contiuuallie of this diuine meate they liued therewith a verie spirituall life and had thereby force and strength not onely to obserue Gods lawes and commaundementes but also euen to die and suffer martirdome for Gods sake But now alas in this our corrupt age the Christians for the most parte are founde to be verie weake and feable in their faythe and verie dissolute and licentious in their liues because they eate not of this diuine foode and therefore in the end they perish and die for honger Esa 5. As the prophet signified when he said Therefore was my people caried awaie into captiuetie because they had no knowledge of God and there nobles perished for honger and the multitude of them died for thirst For this cause therefore hath that wise phisition our Sauiour Christ who had also felt the pulses of our weakenes ordeined this most holie and diuine sacrament and for this purpose hath he instituted the same in forme of meate that the verie forme wherein he instituted it might declare vnto vs the effect it worketh and withall the great necessitie our soules haue of the same Consider then now if there maie be found in the whole world anie greater showe of loue then that almightie God himselfe should leaue vnto vs his owne verie fleshe and bloude for our susteynance and releefe We maie reade in manie histories Iosephus that some mothers beinge constrained with intollerable honger haue embrewed their handes in the fleshe and bloude of there owne littell children to susteine them selues with feedinge vpon them and that for the great desire they had to liue they haue bereued their owne verie naturall children of there lifes thereby to preserue their owne life This haue we red ofentimes But who hath euerred that anie mother hath fed her childe that was readie to perish and die for honger with her owne verie fleshe or that she cut of one of her owne armes to geue her childe to eate and that she would be cruell vpon her selfe to shewe her selfe pittiefull towardes her childe Certeinlie there was neuer mother liuinge yet in the earthe that euer hath done such a dede But our most louinge and sweete sauiour Christ farre passing anie mother in loue perceauinge thee to be readie to perish and die for honger and seinge withall that there was none other better meane to maintein by life then to geue thee his owne verie sleshe to eate commeth downe from heauen and yeldeth himselfe here to the cruell bouchers and tormētours to be put to deathe that thow mightest preserue and susteine thy life with this diuine meate And this he doth not at one time onelie but his blessed will is that it shal be done continuallie and therefore he ordeineth this most blessed sacrament that thou mightest hereby vnderstand an other degree of greater loue which is that as he geueth thee alwaies the same meate to witt his owne verie bodie in this most blessed Sacrament so is he readie alwaies to paie the same price and redemption if it were necessarie for thee Besides all this thou must consider Note that our sauiour hath restored man vnto his aunciēt dignitie so muche by grace as he had fallen by sinne that so by grace he maye be able to liue a holie and spirituall life that this most holie reformer of the worlde intēded to restore man vnto his auncient dignitie and to raise him vp againe so much by grace as he had fallē by sinne And therefore as his falle was frō a life that he had of God which life our first father Adam before his falle had enioyed to the life of beastes wherein after his falle he remayned euen so contrariewise his will was that he should be raised vp againe from the life of beastes in which he remayed to the life of God which throwgh sinne he had lost and so for this ende hath our sauiour Christ ordeyned the communion of this most holie and diuine sacrament by meanes whereof man atteyneth to be partaker of God and to liue the life of God as our sauiour himselfe signifieth in those most high wordes which he said He that eateth my fleshe Ioan. 6. and drinketh my bloude dwelleth in me and I in him And like as by the dwellinge of my father in me the life that I liue is altogether conformable to the life of my father which is the life of God euen so he in whom I shall dwell by meanes of this diuine sacrament shall liue as I do liue and so shall he not now liue the life of a man but euen the life of god For this is that most highe diuine sacrament wherein God
vpon thee For the one I will reioyce and be glad and for the other I will sorrowe and lament And so with ioye and lamentation together I will singe and bewaile the misterie of thy most dolorous passion and I will studie continuallie in that booke of Ezechiell the contentes whereof arâ— songes Ezechiel 2. and lamentations When our sauiour had spoken these wordes he departed from his disciples a stones cast where lyenge prostrat vpon the grounde he begane his praier with verie great reuerence sayinge O father if it be possible Matth 26. let this cuppe passe from me howbeit not as I will but as thou wilt Lucae 22. and after he had made this praier three times at the third time he was in such a great agonie that he beganne to sweat euen droppes of bloud which ranne downe all a longe his sacred bodie and trickeled downe to the grownd The causes of our Sauiours greâ— te agonie and sweâ—tinge droppes of bloud while he was prayinge in the garden Consider now attentiuelie in what a dolorous case our sauiour was and how there were then represented vnto him all the cruell paynes and tormentes he had to suffer euen as thowgh they had bene then presentlie in doinge before his eies all which he apprehended after a most perfet maner in his most excellent imagination eache one in such sort as they were prepared for his bodie which was certeinlie more tender and delicate then euer anie other bodie was in the whole worlde He set also at that time before his eies all the synnes of the worlde or which he should suffer and withall the greate vnthankfulnes and ingratitude of so manie soules as he knewe would neuer acknowledge this his singuler benefit nor further aid helpe themselues with this most pretious aid so costlie remedie These thinges being profoundelie wayed and considered by our sauiour at this time his soule was vexed in such sort and his senses and most tender fleshe were so wounderfullie troubled that all the forces and elementes of his bodie were distempered and his blessed fleshe opened on euerie side and gaue place to the bloude that it might passe and distille throwgh all partes of his bodie in verie great aboundance and streame downe to the grownde Now if the fleshe suffered suche greuous paynes with the onelie remembrance and imagination of that which as then was to come in what a dolefull case then trow ye was his soule that suffered those paynes euen directlie in it selfe In other men we see when they are disquieted with anie suddaine and great anguishe the bloude vseth commonlie to haue recourse vnto the hart leauinge the other members of the bodie colde and destitute of theire streÌ„gthe to comfort the most principall member Our Sauiour suffred his greauous paynes without anie maner of comforte But our sweete Sauiour Christ contrariewise because he would suffer without anie maner of comfort thereby to make our redemption more aboundant such was his passing loue towardes vs that he would not admit so much as that little releefe and comfort of nature Beholde our sweete sauiour now in this dolorous agonie and consider not onelie the paynefull anguishes and greifes of his soule but also the forme of his sacred and reuerent countenance The sweare is wont to haue his most cheefe and principall recourse to the forehead and to the face If then the bloud issued out through all the bodie of our Sauiour in such sorte that it trickeled downe to the verie earthe in what plight then was that goodlie cleare forehead thinke you that geueth light to the verie light it selfe And how was that face beraied which is so reuerenced of the heauens beinge as it was all in droppes and couered ouer with a blouddie sweat If such as be kinde and louinge are wont when they come to visit theire frendes being sicke and in danger of death to beholde theire countenance aduisedlie and to marke the colour and other accidentes that proceed of the disease tell me o my soule that beholdest the face of our sweete sauiour what thinkest thou when thou beholdest in the same such wonderfull strange and deadlie signes What painfull fittes and dolorous greifes are those like to be hereafter if in the verie beginninge of the disease he suffer such a great agonie In what dolorous panges is he like to be when he shall feele those most greuous paynes and cruell tormentes themselues if in the onelie thinkinge of them he sweateth euen droppes of bloude If thou be not moued to take compassion of our sweete sauiour seinge him in this dolefull case for thy sake If now when he sweateth droppes of bloud throughout all his bodie thou canst not sheede anie teares from thyne eies thinke verelie with thy selfe that thou hast a verie harde and stonie hart and if thou canst not weepe for want of loue towardes him yet at the least weepe for the multitude of thy sinnes forsomuch as they were the verie cause of this his agonie Our synnes were the verie cause of our Sauiours blouddye sweare and greife Now the tormentors doe not whippe him neither doe the souldiars crowne him with thornes It is not now the nailes nor the thornes that do cause the bloud to gushe out of his bodie at this time but it is thy verie synnes and offences those are the tormentors that doe torment him those are the heauie burden that cause him to sweat this so straÌ„ge and wonderfull blouddye sweat O my sweete sauiour and redeemer how redemption O my true Adam that art comme our of paradice for my synnes and labourest here in earth with thy blouddie sweat Of our Sauiours agonie and watchinge aboute our saluation whilest his disciples be in a heauie sleepe to get the bread that I must feede vpon Consider also in this place on the one side the great agonie and watchinge of our Sauiour Christ and on the other the sownde and deepe sleepinge of his disciples and thou shalt see here represented a great misterie For trulie there is nothinge more to be lamented in the worlde then to see how careles and negligent men be in there liues and how little accompt they make of a matter of so great importance as is theire owne saluation What thinge is more to be bewayled then to see men so careles in such waightie afaires Now if thou wilt vnderstand both the one and the other consider in this matter the doinges of our sauiour and withall the doinges of his disciples See how our sauiour applieng his minde earnestlie to this busines of our redemption is in such a great care and agonie therewith that it maketh him to sweate euen droppes of bloude and see on the other side how his disciples do lie a longe on the grownd and are so heauie a sleepe that neither theire maisters rebukynge of them nor theire ill fauoured aÌ„d harde lodginge on the bare grouÌ„de nor yet the obscure and darcke dewie night are able to
tounge how is it that thou arte become domme What harte is not broken What hardnes is not mollified What eies can absteine from teares and lamentation beholdinge such a pittiefull and dolefull sight as this is O my most sweere sauiour and redeemer when I open myne eies and doe beholde this dolorous Image which is here set before me how is it that my harte doth not euen cleaue and rente in sunder for verie anguishe and griefe I see the most tender head of my Lorde and sauiour pearced with crewell thornes at whose presence the powers of heauen do tremble and quake I see his diuine face spitted vpon and buffeted I see the lighte of his goodlie brighte forehead obscured I see his cleare eies dimmed or rather blinded with showers of bloude I see the streames of bloude tricklinge downe from his head which faulle ouer ouer his eies and stayne the bewtie of his diuine face How happeneth it o Lord that the cruell whippinges thou diddest suffer before and the death that ensueth and the great quantitie of bloude that was so cruellie shed did not suffice but that the sharpe thornes also shoulde now perforce let out the bloude of thy head which the whippes and scourges before had pardoned If thou diddest receaue those reproches and buffettes to make satisfaction by them for such blowes and buffettes as I through my sinnes haue laid vpoÌ„ thee haddest thou not receaued enowghe of them all the nighte before If thy death alone was sufficiente to redeeme vs what neded so manie kindes of most shamefull villanies and reproches To what ende were all these newe inuentions and strange deuises of contemptes and mockeries Who hath euer harde or red of such a kinde of crowne or of such maner of tormentes Out of what harte came this newe inuention into the worlde that one punnishement shoulde serue in such wise as both to tormente a man and withall to dishonor him Were not those cruell tormentes sufficiente that had bene vsed in all former ages but that they must also inuent these newe and strange punnishementes at the time of thy most bitter passion I see well ô Lorde that these so manifolde iniuries were not necessarie for my redemption for euen one onelye droppe of thy most pretious bloude was sufficient for the same The causes why out sauiour woulde suffer so manyfolde paynes and iniuries for our redemption howbeit it was verie conueniente that they shoulde be so manie and so greate that thou mightest thereby declare vnto me the greatnes of thy loue and by meanes of them lincke me vnto thee with chaynes and fetters of perpetuall bonde and dewtie and confounde the gaye braueries and fonde showes of my pride and vanities and teache me thereby to despise the pompe and glorie of the worlde Wherefore ô my soule that thou maist conceaue and haue somme feelinge of this so dolefull passage set first before thyne eies the former shape of this Lorde and withall the excellencie of his vertues and then incontinentlie tourne thy selfe and beholde him in such pitiefull forte as he is here represented vnto vs. Consider therefore the greatnes of his former beawtie the modestie of his eies the sweetenes of his wordes his awthoritie his meeknes his mylde behauiour and that goodlie countenance of his so full of grauitie and reuerence Beholde how humble he was towardes his disciples how faire spoken towardes his ennemies How stowte towardes the prowde How sweete towardes the meike and how mercifull towardes all sortes of persons Consider how mylde he hath alwaies bene in sufferinge how wise in answeringe how pittiefull in his iudgemeÌ„tes how mercifull in receauinge sinners and how free and bountiefull in perdoninge theire offences When thou hast thus beholden our Sauiour and delighted thy selfe with beholdinge such a perfect forme tourne thyne eies and beholde him in this pitiefull plighte wherein he is here set out to the worlde clad in most scornefull wise with an olde purple garmente holdinge a reede in his hande in steede of a royall scepter Beholde that horrible and paynefull diademe of thorne on his head those hollowe and wanne eies and that dead countenance Beholde that strange forme of his wholie disfigured and begored with bloude and defyled with the spittle which they had besmered all ouer his face Beholde him in all partes both inwardelie and outwardelie his harte pearced with sorrowes his bodie full of woundes forsaken of his owne disciples persecuted of the Iewes scorned of the souldiers contemned of the Busshoppes baselie reiected of the wicked kinge accused vniustely and vtterlie destitute of the fauour of all men And thinke vpon this not as a thinge past but as a thinge presente not as thowghe it were an other mans payne but as thowghe it were thyne owne Imagine thy selfe to be in the place of him that suffereth and thinke with thy selfe what a terrible paine it woulde be vnto thee if in so sensible and tender a parte as the head is they shoulde fasten a noÌ„ber of thornes yea and those verie sharpe which shoulde pearce euen to the sculle But what speake I of thornes If it were but one onelie pricke of a pynne thou couldest hardlie abyde the paine of it And therefore thou maist well thinke what a sore greuous paine that most tender and delicate head of our sauiour felte at that time with this strange kinde of tormente Wherefore o brightnes of the glorie of the father who hath thus cruelly delte with thee O vnspotted glasse of the maiestie of almightie God who hath thus wholie bespotted thee O Riuer that flowest out of the paradice of delightes and with thy streames reioycest the Citie of God who hath troubled these so cleare and sweete waters It is my sinnes o Lorde that haue so troubled them Our synnes were the onelie cause of all our sauiours paynes and my iniquities haue made them so muddie Alas poore wretche and miserable caityffe that I am Woo is me how haue my sinnes bespotted myne owne soule seinge the sinnes of others haue here so fowlye bespotted and troubled the verie cleare fountaine of all bewtie My sinnes ô Lorde are the thornes that pricke thee my folies are the purple that scorne thee my hipochresie aÌ„d fayned holines are the ceremonies wherewith they despise thee my gaie garmentes and vanities are the crowne wherewith they crowne thee So that I ô Lorde am thy tormentor and I am the verie cause of thy paines and greiffes 2. Paâ—â—l 29. The kinge Ezechias purified the temple that had bene prophaned by wicked persons and commaunded that all the filthe that was therein shoulde be cast into the riuer of Cedron I O Lorde am this liuely temple that is prophaned by the diuells and defyled with infinite sinnes and thou art the cleare riuer of Cedron that doest with thy ronninge streames susteine all the bewtie of heauen In this riuer o Lorde are all my sinnes drowned In this riuer are my iniquities washed awaie in somuch
as by the merite of that vnspekeable charitie and humilitie with which thou hast humbled thy selfe to take vpon thee all my sinnes thou hast not onelie deliuered me from them but also made me partaker of thy graces and treasures For in takinge vpon thee my deathe thou hast geuen me thy life in takinge vpon thee my fleshe thou hast geuen me thy spirite and in takinge vpon thee my sinnes thou hast geuen me thy grace So that ô my mercifull redeemer all thy paines Our sauiours paynes are our treasures and riches are my treasures and riches thy purple clotheth me thy crowne honoreth me thy strookes bewtifie me thy sorowes comforte me thy angwishes susteine me thy woundes heale me thy bloude enricheth me and thy loue makethe me dronke And what wonder is it if thy loue make me dronke seinge the loue thou barest towardes me was able to make thee also dronken and to leaue thee like an other Noe to appeare dishonored and naked Geness to the open sighte of the worlde The purple of bourninge loue causeth thee to susteyne the purple of shame and reproche the earnest zeale thou hast of my profit and furtherance causeth thee to be contente to holde this reede in thy hande And the compassion thou hast of my losse and damnation moueth thee to beare this dolorous crowne of ignominie vpon thy head OF THOSE WORDES OF THE GOSPELL ECCE HOMO Beholde the man Opprobrium hominum et abiectio plebis psalm 21.7 J◠〈◊〉 presturam habâ—bitis sed 〈◊〉 ego 〈…〉 Johan â—6 33 § II. VHEN they had thus crowned and scorned our Sauiour the Iudge tooke him by the hande in such euill plight as he was and leadinge him out to the sighte of the furious people said these wordes vnto them ECCE HOMO Beholde the man Whiche is as much as if he had saied If for enuie yee seeke his deathe beholde him here in what a pitiefull and dolefull case he is A man vndowtedlye not to be enuied but to be pittied If you were afrayed least he shoulde haue become a kinge beholde him here so wholie disfigured that scarcelye he seemeth to be a man Of these handes so faste and stronglie bounde what cause is there why ye shoulde feare Of a man in this wise so sore whipped and scourged what woulde ye require more By this maist thou vnderstande ô my soule in what a lamentable case our Sauiour was at his goinge out of the iudgement haulle seinge that euen the Iudge himselfe verelie belieued that the pittiefull case in which he was mighte haue suffised to mollifie and breake the vnmercifull cruell hartes of his ennemies Whereby thou maist well perceaue what a dangerous and vnseemelie thinge it is for a Christian not to haue compassion of the most grieuous and bitter paines and sorowes of our sauiour who so loueth Christ taketh greefe and compassioÌ„ of his bitter paynes and sorowes seinge they were so great that they were able as the Iudge was perswaded to mollifie those most sauage and cruell stonye hartes of the Iewes Where loue is there is also sorrowe How can he then saie that he loueth our Sauiour Christe that beholdinge him tormeÌ„ted in this most pittiefull and dolefull plighte hath no coÌ„passion of him And if it be so wicked a thinge not to haue compassion of our Sauiour Christ what a heynous matter is it to encrease his paines and martirdomes and to adde thereunto sorowe vpon sorowe Suerlie there coulde not be anie greater crueltie in all the worlde than after that the Iudge had shewed our sauiour Christ vnto them so pittiefullye berayed for his ennemies to answere with such cruell wordes Crucifige Crucifige Crucifie him Crucifie him Now if this was so great a crueltie in the Iewes what a crueltie is that in a Christian who in his deedes and workes saieth euen as much as the Iewes did althowgh he expresse it not in wordes Heb. 6. The wycked Christians doe as it were crucifie Christ againe by theire euill and synnefull workes For dothe not S. Pawle saie That he that sinneth crucifieth the sonne of God againe Forsomuch as towchinge his parte he doth a thinge whereby he woulde binde him to dye againe if his former death had not bene sufficient How is it then ô Christian that thou hast thy harte and handes readie bent to crucifie our Lorde and redeemer so often tymes in this wise with thy sinnes Thou owghtest to consider that like as the Iudge presented that so pittiefull forme to the Iewes supposinge there was none other more effectuall meane to withdrawe them from theire furie than that dolefull sight euen so the heauenlye father presenteth that same dolefull sighte daily vnto all sinners meaninge thereby that in verie dede there is none other more effectuall meane to withdrawe them from sinne than to set before them this so pittiefull a forme Make acompte therefore that euen now the heauenlie father laieth also the same pittiefull forme of his most deere and onelie begotten sonne before thy face and that he saieth vnto thee ECCE HOMO Beholde the man As thowghe he shoulde saie Beholde this man in what a dolorous case he standeth and remember withall that he is God almightie and that he standeth in this most dolefull and lamentable plighte as here thou seest him not for anie other cause but for the verie sinnes of the worlde See into what plighte God is browght by the sinnes of man Consider how necessarie it was to satisfie for sinne And consider also How abhominable a thinge synne is in the sighte of God how abhominable and horrible a thinge sinne is in the sight of almightie God seinge it so disfigured his owne onelie sonne to destroye it Consider moreouer what a sore reuenge almightie God will take of a sinner for such sinnes as he himselfe committeth sithe he hath so sharpelie punnished his owne most dearlie beloued and innocent sonne for the sinnes of others Last of all consider the rigour of the iustice of almightie God and the fowle stayninge malice of sinne which appeareth so dreadfullie euen in the verie face of Christ the sonne of God Now what thinge coulde possiblie be done of greater efficacie both to cause men to feare God and also to abhorre synne It seemeth hereby that almightie God hath showed him selfe towardes man as a good louinge mother is wont to doe towardes her wicked dawghter that seeketh lewde meanes to plaie the harlot For when neither wordes nor punnishement be able to diswade her from her wicked diuelish purpose she tourneth her rage against her owne selfe she beateth her owne face and teareth her heare and when she is thus disfigured she setteth her self before her dawghter that thereby she maie vnderstande the greatnes of her offence and that at the least for verie pittie and compassion of her mother she maie be moued to leaue her wicked purpose Now it seemeth that almightie God hath vsed the verie same remedie here
breefelie the tenne commaundementes and the seuen deadlie synnes and thou shalt see that there is no one of them wherein peraduenture thou hast not offended more or lesse diuers and sundry times by thought worde or deede Our first father Adam did eate but of one onely tree forbidden him Genes 3. when he committed the greatest sinne of the worlde But thou hast set thy eies and handes infinite times vpon all sinnes How thou hast vsed the benefites of almightie God In like maner ronne ouer all the benefites of almightie God and all the times of thy life past and consider wherein thou hast emploied them forsomuche as thou must vndowtedlie geue an accompte at the verie hower of thy deathe of all these thinges And therefore it were well done that thou shouldest first take an accompte of thine owne doynges and enter into iudgement with thy selfe 1. Cor. 11. vers 31. that thou be not afterwardes iudged of almightie God Of mysspendinge thy tyme. Wherefore tell me now wherein hast thou spente thy childehoode Wherein thy infancie Wherein thy youth To be short wherein hast thou spente all the daies of thy lyfe past Wherein hast thou occupied thy bodely senses and the powers of thy soule which almightie God hath geuen thee to this ende Of the bodelie senses and powers of the soule that thou shouldest knowe him and serue him Wherein hast thou employed thine eies but in beholdinge of vanities Wherein thine eares but in harkeninge after lies Wherein thy tonge but peraduenture in all kinde of swearinge backbytinge and most vnhonest talke Wherein hast thou occupied thy rast thy smellinge and thy touchinge but onelie in pleasures and delites and in sensuall and fleashly allurementes What benefite hast thou taken by the Sacramentes which almightie God hath ordeyned for thy remedie and comforre How thankefull hast thou bene vnto him for his benefites How hast thou answered vnto his inspirations Wherein hast thou spente thy healthe thy naturall forces and habilites How hast thou employed the goodes which are tearmed the goodes of fortune How hast thou vsed the meanes and oportunities which almightie God hath geuen thee to leade a holie and vertuous lyfe What care hast thou had of thy neighbour whom almightie God hath commended vnto thee And of those workes of mercie which he hath appointed thee to vse towardes him Now what answere wilt thou make at that dreadfull daie of thyne accompte to wit at the hower of thy deathe when almightie God shall saie vnto thee Luc. 16. vers 2. Geue me an accompte of thy stewardshippe and of the landes and goodes that I haue committed to thy charge For now I will that thou shalt haue no more to doe therewith O drye and withered tree readie for the euerlastinge horrible tormentes in hell fier What answere wilt thou make at that terrible daie when an accompte shal be required of thee of all the time of thy life and of all the minutes and momentes of the same And assure thy selfe that it will so certainlie come to passe for euen our sauiour Christ himself who shal be our Iudge hath plainlie protested it and forwarned vs beforehand thereof Math. 12.36 sayenge Euerie idell worde that men haue spoken they shall render an accompte of the same at the daye of Iudgment Of the synnes that thou hast commytted synce the time thou hast had more knowledge of God Secondly call to minde what sinnes thou hast committed and doest commit euerie daie since the tyme thou art come to a further knowledge of almightie God And thou shalt finde that euen now presently all that knowledge notwithstandinge olde Adam liueth in thee with manie of thy lewde corrupt maners and auncient customes Wherevpon thou mayest take occasion to runne ouer the negligences and defectes wherein thou doest dailie offende against almightie God against thy neighbour and against thy selfe For in each of these pointes thou shalt fynde thy selfe to haue failed verie much in thy dutie Cōsider then how vnreuerent thou arte towardes almightie God how vnthankefull for his benefites how rebellious and stife necked to yeelde to his inspirations how slouthfull and negligent in matters apperteininge to his seruice which either thou had left vndone or els if thou hast done them it was not with suche a readines and diligence as the thinges required nor with such a pure intention as thou oughtest to haue had but the verie true cause why thou diddest them was for some other respecte of worldlie commoditie Consider likewise how harde and seuere thou art towardes thy neighbour and contrariewise how pittiefull and fauorable towardes thy selfe what a louer of thyne owne proper will of thy fleashe of thy estimation and of all thy worldly profites and commodities Consider moreouer that whereas thou sayest in wordes that thou arte now conuerted vnto almightie God thou art yet notwithstandinge in thy deedes very proude ambitious angrie rashe vaineglorious enuious malitious delicate inconstant light sensuall a great louer of thy pastymes of pleasante companie laughter iestynge idell talke and of vaine bablynge and pratlinge Consider also how vnconstant thou arte in thy good purposes how vnaduised in thy woordes how headlonge in thy deedes how cowardly and faynte harted to doe anie matter of weight and importance Thirdly Of the greeuousnes of synne when thou hast considered in this order the multitude of thy sinnes consider forthwith the greiuousnes of them that thou mayest perceaue how thy miseries be increased on euerie side The whiche thinge thou shalt the better see Thre circumstāces to be considered in sinne if thou consider these thre circumstances in all such sinnes as thou hast committed in thy former lyfe to witt Against whom thou hast sinned For what cause thou hast sinned And in what maner thou hast sinned If thou consider against whom thou hast sinned thou shalt finde that thou hast sinned against almightie God whose goodnes and maiestie is infinite whose benefittes and mercies towardes mankinde doe exceede the sandes of the Sea in whom alone are all excellencies and titles of honour to be fownde and to whom all dueties and homagies dewe to anie creature are due in the highest degree of bounden dewtie If thou consider the cause that moued thee to sinne it was for a poynte of estimation for a beastly delight for a trifelinge worldly commoditie and for other thinges of no weighte whereof almightie God him selfe most greuously complaineth by one of his Prophettes Ezech. 13. saienge They haue dishonored me in the presence of my people for a handfull of barlie and for a peece of breade But if thow cōsider after what maner thou hast sinned Suerlie it hath bene done with such facilitie with such boldnes so without all scruple so without all feare yea sometimes with such contentation and ioye as if thou haddest sinned against a God of strawe that neither knewe nor sawe what passeth in the worlde Now is this the honour that is due
strowtinge and aduancinge thy selfe verie prowdlie like an Elephante to the others But now if thou wilt take a vewe of thy selfe and put thine hande into thine owne bosome ô how leperouse shalt thou plucke it owt againe and what deepe festered woundes shalt thou finde within thee How greine and liuelie shalt thou finde within thee the rootes of pride the loue of honor and estimation the tycklinge of vaine glorie and hypochrisie priuelie dissembled wherewith thou labourest to couer thy defectes and wouldest gladly seeme to be an other maner of man than in verie deede thou arte What a louer arte thou of thine owne worldlie gaine and cōmoditie and of the pleasures and delightes of thy fleashe Whereunto oftentymes vnder the colour of necessitie thou doest not onely prouyde but also serue thou doest not onely sustein it but also pamper and cherishe it with great delicacie Againe if one of thine equales doe but take the right hande of thee or set his foote somewhat before thee or sit aboue thee at the table howe quickly doe the rootes of enuie bud forthe and shewe thēselues And if an other doe but a litle touche thee in a poynte of estimation good Lorde what a sodaine and furious cholericke rage doest thou falle into But emonge all other euills who is able to expresse the losenes of thy tonge the lightnes of thy harte the stubbornes of thine owne will and thy inconstancie in good purposes How maine waste and voide wordes doe issue from thy tonge How much vaine and needles language doest thou fondelie lauishe out in a daie How muche doest thou bable and talke to the derogation and hinderance of thy neighbour and to the praise and commendation of thy selfe How seldome tymes doest thou denye thine owne will and geue ouer the praie whereupon it feedeth to fulfill eyther the will of almightie God or of thy neighbour Consider this point attentiuely and thou shalt fynde that it is verie rare and seldome that thou hast obteyned the victorie ouer thy selfe and thyne owne peruerse will It is necessarie to haue the victorie ouer our selues if we mynde to be perfectelie vertuous Whereas in very deede it is alwaies necessarie for thee to haue this victorie in case thou minde to be perfectly vertuous Now what shall I saie of thy inconstancie in thy good purposes but to conclude in fewe wordes that there is no wethercocke that so lightelie turneth with euerie wynde as thou doest with the least puffe of euerie tryflinge occasion that is offered vnto thee What els is all thy whole lyfe but verie childishe toies and as it were a weauinge and vnweauinge Purposing a thinge in the morninge and breakinge it at eueninge yea and sometimes thou tariest not so longe but changest and alterest thy determinations if not out of hande yet the verie same howre Now what other thinge is this Math. 17. but to be like vnto that Lunatike man mentioned in the gospell whom the disciples of our Sauiour coulde not heale for that this disease was so great In like maner the lightnes of thy harte the fickelnes mutabilitie vnstedfastnes and pusilanimitye thereof are such as they can as hardelye be expressed For it is manifest that thy hart chaungeth and varieth into so many diuers shapes and formes as there chaunceth diuers occasions and accidentes vnto it euerie howre of the daie and that without anie firmenes or constancie at all How soone is it distracted with euerie triflinge busines How lyghtelye powreth it out all that it hath And how litle trouble and aduersitie is able to vexe and tormente it yea and vtterly to ouerwhelme it To conclude when thou hast well examined and made thine accompt arighte and seest what thou hast and what thou wantest thou shalt surelie finde that thou hast good cause to be afrayed least all that thou hast be but onely a verie deceit and a mere shadowe of vertue and euen a false and counterfeit iustice forsomuche as thou hast no more in thee but a litle taste of almightie God which maie perhappes sauour more of the fleash than of the spirite And yet it maye so be that herewith thou thinkest thy selfe to be safe and secure yea peraduenture thou wilt not sticke to saie with the proude Pharasie Luc. 18. That thou art not as other men be Because they haue not that taste and feelinge that thou hast Whereas on the other side thou hast the bosome of thy soule full of selfe loue and of thine owne obstinate will and of all the other fowle defectes and inordinate passions before mētioned So that all the substance of this thy gaye shewe of vertue and goodnes is no more in effecte but to saie Lorde Lorde and not to doe the will of our Lorde This is to imitate the counterfeit Iustice of the Pharasees and to be that lukewarme man to witt neyther hoate nor colde in the seruice of God which is spoken of in the Apocalipes Apocalip 3. whom almightie God vometeth out of his mowth All these thinges Christian brother thou owghtest to consider verie diligently with thy selfe and to direct this consideration to this ende that thou mayest hereby procure sorrowe and griefe for thy sinnes and atteyne to the knowledge of thyne owne miserie that by the one thou mayest desire pardon of our Lorde for thine offences past and by the other vertue and grace neuer to offende him anie more Of the accusation of a mans owne conscience And of the abhorrynge and contempte of him selfe § III. VHEN a man hath thus considered the multitude of his sinnes and seene himselfe how he is on euerie syde verie sore loden and ouercharged with the burthen of the same his parte is to humble himselfe and to haue as great a sorrowe and compunction as he maie possiblye and to desire to be contemned and despised of all creatures for that he hath thus despised the creator of them all For the furtherance of which desire he maye helpe him selfe with a verie deuout consideration of S. Bonauenture wherein speakinge of this confusion of conscience and of the contempt of our selues he saieth thus Let vs consider my brethern our owne great vilenes and how greatlie we haue offended almightie God and let vs humble our selues before him as much as we can possibly let vs be affrayde to lift vp our eies towardes heauen and let vs strike our brestes with that publican of the gospell Luc. 18. that almightie God maye take pittie and compassion vpon vs let vs enforce our selues and take armes against our owne malice and wickednes 1. Cor. 11. let vs become iudges ouer our selues and let euerie one of vs saie within himselfe If our Lorde hath bene so reprochefullie handeled for my sake if he haue suffered so great tormentes and most grieuous paynes for the sinnes that I haue committed why shoulde not I abase and despise my selfe beinge the verie person that hath synned God forbid that I shoulde euer presume
this worlde And espetially remember thy kynsfolke thy companions and familiars and some of the worshipfull and famous personages of great estimation in this worlde whom death hath assaulted and snatched awaie in diuers ages and vtterlie beguyled and defeyted them of all their fonde designementes and hopes I knowe a certaine man that hath made a memoriall of all such notable personages as he hath knowen in this worlde in all kinde of estates which are now dead and sometimes he reedeth their names or calleth them to minde and in reheresall of euerie one of them he doth breifly represente before his eies the whole tragedie of their lyues the mockeries and deceites of this worlde and withall the conclusion and ende of all worldly thinges Whereby he vnderstandeth what good cause the Apostle had to saie That the figure of this worlde passeth awaie 1. Cor. 7.31 In which wordes he geueth vs to vnderstande how litle grownde and staie the affaires of this lyfe haue seinge he woulde not calle them verie thinges indeede but onely figures or shewes of thinges which haue no beinge but onely an apparance whereby also they are the more deceitefull Thirdly consider how fraile and bryckle this lyfe is and thou shalt finde Of the frayletie and brycklenes of this lyfe that there is no vessell of glasse so fraile as it is Insomuche as a lytle distemperature of the aier or of the sonne the drinkinge of a cuppe of colde water yea the verie breathe of a sicke man is able to spoyle vs of oure lyfe as we see by dailie experience of manie persones whom the least occasion of all these that we haue here reheresed hath bene able to ende their liues and that euen in the most florishinge tyme of all their age Fourthly consider how mutable and variable this lyfe is Of the mutabilitie of this lyfe and how it neuer continueth in one selfe same staie For which purpose thou must consider the great and often alterations and chaunges of our bodies which neuer continewe in one same state and disposition Consider likewise how farre greater the chaunges and mutations of our mindes are which doe euer ebbe and flowe like the Sea ād be cōtinuallie altered and tossed with diuers wyndes and surges of passions that doe disquiet and trouble vs euerie howre Fynally consider how great the mutation in the whole man is who is subiecte to all the alterations of fortune which neuer continueth in one same beinge but alwaies turneth her wheele and rowleth vp and downe from one place to another And aboue all this consider how continuall the mouinge of our life is seinge it neuer resteth daie nor night but goeth alwaies shorteninge from time to time and consumeth it selfe like as a garment doth with vse and approcheth euerie howre nearer and nearer vnto death Now by this reckenynge what els is our life but as it were a candle that is alwaies wastinge and consuminge Our lyfe wastethe awaye lyke a burninge candle and the more it bourneth and geueth light the more it consumeth and wasteth awaie What els is our life but as it were a flowre that buddeth in the morninge and fadeth awaie at noone daie and at eueninge is cleane dried vp This verie comparison maketh the Prophet in the Psalme where he saieth Psal 89. The morninge of our infancie passeth awaie like an herbe it blosommeth in the morninge and sodeinlie fadeth awaie and at eueninge it decaieth and waxeth harde and withereth awaie Fiftly consider how deceitfull our life is which peraduenture is the worst propertie it hath Of the deceytefulnes of this lyfe For by this meane it deceaueth vs in that beinge in verie deede filthy it seemeth vnto vs beawtifull and beinge but shorte euerie man thinketh his owne lyfe wil be longe and beinge so miserable as it is in deede yet it seemeth so amiable that to mainteine the same men will not sticke to ronne through all daungers trauells and losses be they neuer so great yea they will not spare to doe suche thinges for it as whereby they are assured to be damned for euer and euer in hell fier and to loose lyfe euerlastinge Sixtly consider how besides this that our lyfe is so short as hathe bene saied yet that litle time we haue to liue is also subiecte vnto diuers and sundrye miseries as well of the minde How that litle tyme we haue to lyue is also subiecte to many miseries both of bodie and mynde as of the bodie insomuche as all the same beinge dewlie considered and layed together is nothinge els but a vale of teares and a maine Sea of infinite miseries S. Ierome declareth of Zerxes that most mightie kinge who threwe downe mountaines and dryed vp the Seas that on a tyme he went vp to the toppe of a highe hill to take a vewe of his huge armie which he had gathered together of infinite nombers of people And after that he had well vewed and considered them it is said that he wepte and beinge demaunded the cause of his weepinge he answered and saied I weepe because I consider that within these hundred yeares there shall not one of all this huge Armie which I see here present before me be lefte aliue Wherevpon S. Ierome saieth these wordes O that we might saieth he ascende vp to the toppe of some towre that were so highe that we might see from thence all the whole earth vnderneath our feete From thence shouldest thou see the ruins and miseries of all the worlde Thou shouldest see nations destroied by nations and kingdoms by kingdoms Thou shouldest see some hanged and others murdered some drowned in the Sea others taken prisoners In one place thou shouldest see mariages and myrthe in an other dolefull mourninge and lamentation In one place thou shouldest see some borne into this worlde and caried to the Church to be christened in an other place thou shouldest see some others die and caried to the Church to be buried Some thou shouldest see exceadinge wealthie and flowinge in greate abundance of landes and riches and others againe in great pouertie and begginge from dore to dore To be short thou shouldest see not onelie the huge armie of Zerzes but also all the men women and children of the worlde that be now aliue within these fewe yeres to ende theire liues and not to be seene anye more in this worlde Consider also all the diseases and calamities that maie happen to mens bodies Of the diseases and calamities that happē to mens bodies and of the afflictions and cares of the mynde and withall all the afflictions and cares of the minde Consider likewise the daungers and perilles that be incident aswell to all estates as also to all the ages of men and thou shalt see verie euidentlye the manifolde miseries of this lyfe By the seinge whereof thou shalt perceaue how smalle a thinge all that is that the worlde is able to geue thee and this consideration maye cause thee more
colde drinke in a sweat or by surfetinge at a supper or of some other great pleasure or greife and some times they can geue no cause at all but that he went to his bed saffe and sounde and the next daie in the morninge was founde starke dead at his wiues syde Is there any glasse or earthen vessell in the worlde more brickle or subiecte to breakynge than this And certainle it is not to be wondered at that man is so brickle consideringe that he is also made of earth but it is rather to be wondered at that beinge of such stuffe and makinge as he is he is able to endure so longe a time as he doth Why is a clocke so often times disordered and out of frame The reason is because it hath so manie wheeles and pointes and is so full of artificiall worke that although it be made of yron yet euerie litle thinge is able to distemper it Now how much more tender is the artificiall composition of our bodies and how much more fraile is the matter of our fleashe than is the yron whereof a clocke is made Wherefore if the artificiall composition of our bodies be more tender and the matter more fraile why shoulde we wonder if some one pointe emonge so manie wheeles haue some impediment by reason of which defect it stoppeth and endeth the course of our lyfe Trewlye we haue rather good cause to meruayle not why men doe so quickly ende their liues but how they endure so longe the woorckmanshippe of their bodies beinge so tender and the matter and stuffe whereof they be compounded so fraile and weake This is that miserable frailtie which the Prophet Esaie signifieth in these wordes Almightie God saied vnto his Prophet Crie Esay 40. the Prophet answered what shall I saie God saied vnto him All fleash is haie and all the glorie thereof is like vnto the flower of the feild the haie wythereth the floure fadeth awaye but the worde of God continueth for euer S. Ambrose Vpon whiche wordes S. Ambrose saieth thus Trulie it is euen so for the glorie of man florisheth in the fleashe like vnto haie which althoughe it seeme to be great it is in verie deede but litle like an hearbe it buddeth like a floure and fadeth like haie So that it hath no more but a certain florishinge in apparance and no firmenes nor stabilitie in the fruite For what firmenes can there be in the matter of fleashe or what good thinges of anie longe continuance are to be founde in so weake a subiect To daye thou mayest see a yonge striplinge in the most florishinge time of his age with great strēgth lustie and iettinge vp and downe in the streetes in great brauerie with a iolye loftie countenance and if it so fall out that this verie next night he be taken with some disease thou shalt see him the next daie with a face so farre altered and chaunged that whereas before he seemed verie amiable and beautifull he will now seeme euill fauored miserable and verie irck some to beholde Now what shall I saie of the other accidentes and alterations of our bodies Some are sore broken with troubles and aduersities others are weakened with pouertie others are tormented for want of good digestion others are distempered with drinkinge of wines others waxe feeble with age others become tender and ouer delicate by much cherishinge them selues and others marre their complexion with vsinge ryotous behauiour Now then accordinge to this reckeninge is it not true trow ye that our fleash withereth like haie and that the floure thereof fadeth and vanisheth awaie Thow shalt see some other who beinge descended of a verie honorable parentage what greate alteratiō and inconstancie is in this worlde of noble bloode and of a verie auncient howse and familie wel friended and hauinge good store of kinred both by father and mother and keepinge a great howse and attended vpon with a great trayne of his tennantes and seruantes and rulynge the whole countrey where he liueth and who there but he yet neuerthelesse if a contrarie winde of fortune blowe but a litle against him then is he forthwith vtterlie forsaken of his friendes euill entreated of his equales and litle regarded of all the worlde insomuch as then verie fewe or none will put of a cappe vnto him but rather comtemne him Thou shalt see an other that hath now abundance of landes and riches and is generallie reported in all mēs mowthes to be a very courteous liberall and bountifull man and of great renowme and estimation exalted to honorable dignities and promotions and preferred so highe in the common wealth that he is a great ruler and mightie gouernour and hath the commendation of all persones to be a verie wise happie and fortunat man thou shalt see I saie the times so to alter and chaunge that euen this man who is now so highelie exalted to great dignities and offices and magnified in the mowthes of all men shal be vtterlie disgraced and thrust into that verie prison where he himselfe had heretofore imprisoned manie others and shall there ende his lyfe in verie great infamie miserie and wretchednes Vnto how manie also doth it happen to be wayted vpon and brought home to their howses this daie with a nomber of goldē chaynes footeclothes and seruinge men and with all the gaye pompe in the worlde and the verie nexte night followynge either by means of treason of some one of his owne howsholde or familiar acquaintance or by other misfortune to haue all this glorious pompe obscured yea it maie so falle out that euen a litle stitche comminge in his syde maye marre the fashion of all this gaie ruffelinge shewe wherein he tooke so great delighte O how deceitfull are the hopes of men saieth Tully how fraile is fortune how vaine are all our contentiōs and strifes which manie times doe breake and falle in the middle waie and are ouerwhelmed and drowned in saylinge before they can come to the sight of the hauē Now what a fonde madnes is this in the children of Adā vpō so weake foundations to buylde such highe castles and towers They consider not that they buylde vpon sande and that euen when the weather is most fayre a wynde will come and blowe downe all that standeth not vpon a sownde and stronge foundation O what fonde accomptes doe men make often times because they will not tourne their eies and looke into their owne consciences and take first an accompt of them selues And if this be thought so great a blindnes how much greater is the blindnes of those wicked persones that are so bolde as to continewe manie yeares in synne knoweynge that there is no greater distance betwene them and hell gates There is no more distaunce betwene vnrepentāt synners ād hell fier but onelye this brickle and shorte lyfe but onely this brickle and short lyfe Let vs imagine now that there were a man hanginge by a smale twyned threede
vnweldie olde man but euen a sacke stuffed with greifes and diseases The greatest desire that men haue is to liue vntill they be olde at which age a man is in farre worse case than in all his lyfetime before and then he standeth in most neede and hath least helpe and succoure For the olde man is forsaken of the worlde He is forsaken of his owne kinsfolke friendes and acquaintance He is forsaken of his owne members and senses yea he forsaketh himselfe in that the verie vse of reason forsaketh him And he is onely accompanyed with his paynefull aches greifes and diseases For his companie and conuersation is then verie ircksome and troublesome to the whole howse where he dwelleth This is the marcke for sooth wherevpon the eie of man is so earnestlie fixed this is the happie state which all men doe so griedelie desire and hereunto tendeth the worldlie felicitie and the ambition of longe lyfe As concerninge the states of men we shoulde neuer make an ende There is litle conteÌ„tation in the states of men and eche one desireth to chaunge his state with the states of others if we shoulde rehearse the litle contentation that is to be founde in each of them and the great desire that euerie one hath to chaunge his owne state and condition with the state of others thinkinge that he shoulde haue greater hartes ease in an other mans state than he hath in his owne And thus doe men continually vexe and turmoyle themselues like vnto a sicke man that doth nothing els but tomble and tosse in his bed from one side to an other perswadinge himselfe that by meanes of these often chaunges and remouinges he shall finde more ease and rest than he had before and yet he findeth in verie deede that he is fowlie deceyued Forsomuch as the cause of his disquietnes resteth within him selfe which is his owne greife and disease To conclude such is the miserable state and condition of this lyfe that the Wise man had good cause to saie Eccles 40. Great and heauie is the yooke that the children of Adam carie on their neckes euen from the daie they come forth of their mothers wombe vntil the daie of their burial which is the common mother of all S. Barnarde And S. Barnarde was not affraied to saie that he thought this lyfe litle better than the lyfe of hell it selfe were it not for the hope we maye here haue to atteyne vnto the kyngedome of heauen The miseries of this lyfe are ordeyned as a punnishmente for synne and to withdrawe our hartes froÌ„ the inordinate loue of this lyfe And albeit all these miseries doe come vnto vs as a punnishement for synne yet was it a verie mercifull and medicinable punnishement For the prouidence of almightie God did so ordaine it meaninge thereby to withdrawe and separate our hartes from the inordinate loue of this lyfe The verie cause why he put so muche bitter mustarde vpon the breastes of this lyfe was to weane vs from it The cause why he suffered our lyfe to become so filthie was that we shoulde not set oure loue vpoÌ„ it The cause why he woulde haue vs to be molested and vexed so often times in this lyfe was that we might the more willinglie forsake it and sighe continuallie for the true lyfe whiche is in the worlde to come For if we be so vnwillinge to forsake this lyfe Exod. 16. beinge wholye so miserable as it is if we be now euer whymperinge and whyninge for the fruites and fleashpottes of Egipt what woulde we doe if al our lyfe were sweete and pleasant And what woulde we doe if it were wholie likinge and delitefull to our taste and appetite Who woulde then trowe yee contemne it for Gods sake Who woulde then exchaunge it for heauen Philip. 1. Who woulde then saie with S. Paule I haue a desire to be loosed from this fleashe and to be with Christ Of the last miserie of man which is deathe § VIII AFTER all these miseries succeedeth the last and of all others most terrible which is death This is that miserie whereof a certaine Poët lamented sayeinge The best daies of mortall men are those that passe first awaie and then succedeth a nomber of sicknesses and diseases and with them heauie and dolefull age and continuall trouble and aboue all the sharpenes of cruell deathe This is the lodge and ende of mans lyfe whereof holie Iob saied I knowe well ô Lorde Iob 30. that thou wilt deliuer me ouer to deathe where there is a howse prepared for all men liuinge How manie the miseries are that be included in this miserie alone I will not take vpon me to declare at this present Onely I will rehearse what a certaine holie father saieth by waie of exclamation against death in this wise O death how bitter is the remembrance of thee How quicklie and sodenly stealest thou vpon vs How secrete are thy pathes and waies How doutfull is thy houre And how vniuersall is thy seignorie and dominion The mightie can not escape thy handes the wise can not hide them selues from thee and the stronge loose their strengthe in thy presence Thou accomptest no man riche forsomuch as no man is able to raunsome his lyfe of thee for money Thou goest euerye where thou searchest euerye where and thou art euerie where Thou witherest the hearbes thou drinkest vp the windes thou corruptest the aier thou chaungest the ages thou alterest the worlde thou stickest not to sup vp the sea all thinges doe increase and diminishe but thou continuest alwaies at one staie Thou art the hammer that alwaies striketh Iob. 1â—â— thou art the sworde the neuer blunteth thou art the snare whereinto euerie one falleth thou art the prison wherein euerie one entereth thou art the sea wherein all doe perishe thou art the paine that euerie one suffereth and the tribute that euerie one paieth O cruell death why hast thou not compassion of vs but commest stealinge sodenlie vpon vs to snatche vs awaie in our best times and to interrupt our affaieres when they are well begonne and brought to a good forwardnes Thou robbest from vs in one houre as much as we haue gained in manie yeares Thou cuttest of the succession of kinredes and families Thou leauest kingdomes without anie heires Thou fillest the worlde with wydowes and orphanes thou breakest of the studies of great clerckes thou ouerthrowest good wittes in their rypest age thou ioynest the ende with the beginninge without geuinge place to the myddle To conclude thou art such a one as almightie God wassheth his handes of thee and cleareth himselfe in plaine wordes sayenge Sap. 1. 2. That he neuer made thee but that thou haddest thine entrie into the worlde by the verie enuie and craft of the diuell What fruite and commoditie maye be taken of the foresaied considerations § XI THESE are the miseries of our lyfe with infinite others the coÌ„sideration whereof a
now first how vncertain that houre is Of the vncertaintie of the houer of our deathe in which death will assault thee For thou knowest not neither what daie nor in what place nor how thou shalt be disposed when death shall come vnto thee Onely this thou knowest for most certain that die thou shalt all the rest is vncertain sauinge that ordinarily this houre is wonte to steale vpon vs at such a time as a man is most careles and thinketh least of it Secondlye consider what a separation shall then be made Of the separation from all worldlie thinges and of the partinge of the sowle from the bodye at the hower of our deathe not onely betwene vs and all the thinges we loue in this worlde but also euen betwene the sowle and the bodie which haue bene such auncient and louinge companions If it be thought so grieuous a matter to be banished out of our natiue countrie and from the naturall aier in which a mā hath bene bredde and brought vp although the banished man myghte carie awaye with him what soeuer he loueth how much more grieuous then shall that vniuersall bannishement be from all thinges that we haue from our landes from our goodes from our howse from wife father mother children kinsfolke friendes and acquaintance from this light and common aier yea to be short from all thinges of this worlde If an oxe make so great a bellowinge at what time he is seperated from an other oxe with whom he hath bene vsed to be yoked and to drawe in the ploughe what a bellowinge will thy hart then make when death shall seperate thee from all those thinges wherewith thou hast bene yoked and carried the burthens of this lyfe Consider also what a grieuous paine it shal then be to a man Of the payne that is at the houre of our deathe to consider what shall then become of our bodie and sowle when a certayne representation shal be made vnto his mynde foreshewinge in what case his bodie and sowle shal be after his death For as towchinge the bodie he knoweth for certaine alreadie that though it hath bene heretofore neuersomuch cherished and honored yet there shall no better prouision be made for it but onelie a hoole seuen foote longe where it shall remayne in companie of other dead bodies But as concerninge the sowle he knoweth not certainlie what shall becomme of it what considerations maye moue vs at the houer of death both to hope and feare nor what lotte shall fall vnto it For although the hope which he hath in the mercie of almightie God maie strengthen and comforte him yet the consideration of his owne sinnes maie dismaie him and make him afraied especiallie if he consider withall the greate iustice of almightie God and the profoundnes of his iudgementes who vseth oftentimes to crosse his handes and to alter the lottes of men Luc. 23. The theiffe went vp from the crosse to paradise Math. 27. and Iudas fell downe from the honorable dignitie of Apostelshippe into hell fier Manasses also after his so manie abhominations 2. Paral. 33. and wickednes obteined grace to become repentant And as yet we knowe not whether Salomon obteined the like for all his vertues This is one of the greatest grieffes and angwishes that men are commonlie trowbled withall at the houre of death to vnderstande that there is to ensue glorie euerlastinge and paine euerlastinge and that then a man is so neare both vnto the one and to the other and yet knoweth not whether of these two lottes beinge so farre different as they are shall fall vnto his share Of the particular accounte we must make to almightie God at the houer of our deathe of all our whole lyfe Arsenius After this angwishe there followeth an other no lesse then this to witt the particular accompte of all our whole lyfe which at the verie hower of euerie mans deathe must be made vnto almightie God This accompt is so dreadfull that it causeth euen the most stowtest men that are to tremble and qwake for verie feare It is written of the famous holie father Arsenius that beinge at the point of death he beganne to be afraied whereat his schollers meruayled and saied vnto him What father are you now afraid of your accompt Vnto whom he answered yea yea my sonnes this feare is no newe thinge in me for I haue alwaies liued with the same At that time all the synnes of a mans former lyfe are represented vnto him lyke a squadrone of enemies readie sette in battayle arrye to assaulte him Then are the greatest sinnes and those wherein he hath taken greatest delight represented most liuely vnto him and are the cause of greater feare Then commeth the yonge virgine to his minde which he hath dishonored Then come the maides and howsholde seruantes whom he hath solicited and prouoked to lewdnes Then come the poore folkes whom he hath iniuried and euill entreated Then come his neighboures whom he hath offended Then shall there crie out against him not the bloode of Abell Genes 4. but the pretious blood of our Sauiour Iesus Christ which he shedde when he gaue scandale and offence to his neighbour And if his cause must be adiudged accordinge to the lawe that saieth Eie for eie Exod. 21. tooth for tooth and wounde for wounde what shall he looke for that by his euill counsell or lewde example hath bene the occasion of the losse of a Christian sowle if he be iudged by that lawe O how bitter shall the remembrance of the delightes and pleasures past be at that time vnto him which at other times seemed so sweete Vndowtedly the Wiseman had verie good cause to saie Prouerb 23. Looke not vpon the wine when it is redde and when it shewethe his coullour in the glasse for although at the time of drinkinge it seeme delectable yet at the ende it will byte like a serpent and poison like a cockatrice O that men woulde vnderstande how true a sayinge this is that we haue here rehearsed What serpentes stinge is there that doth so prycke and and vexe a man as the dreadfull remembrance of his pleasures past shall doe at the howre of his death These are the dregges of that poisoned cuppe of the enemye Ierem. 51. These be the leauinges of the cuppe of Babilon Apoc. 14. that seemeth so gaylie gilted in outwarde apparance After this there followeth the Sacrament of Confession the blessed Sacrament of the Aultar and last of all the Sacrament of extreme Vnction How the Catholicke Churche cōforteth ād helpeth the sycke person with Sacramētes and prayers at his departure our of this worlde which is the last succour and releefe that our mother the Catholike Churche maie helpe vs withall in that troublesome time And as well herein as in the other thinges thou hast to consider what great greiffe and anguishe of mynde the sycke person shall then abide in
deceites Hereof commeth our presumption our pride For wante of consideration of our death doe growe all our fonde errours and deceites our couetousnes our pleasures our nicenes and delicatenes and the vaine castelles and towres of winde which we builde vpon sande For if we woulde consider in what case we shal be after a fewe daies whan we are once lodged in that poore selie cottage of our graue we shoulde be more humble and more temperat in our lyfe How cowlde he possiblye haue anie sparcke of presumption that woulde consider that he shal be there dust and asshes How cowlde he finde in his harte to make a God of his belly that woulde consider that he shall become there wormes meate Who coulde euer be perswaded to occupie his brayne in such loftie and phantasticall thoughtes and deuices if he did but consider and wayghe how fraile and weake the foundation is wherevpon all his fonde designementes are grownded Who woulde endaunger the losse and destruction of himselfe in seekinge for riches both by lande and Sea if he considered that at his death he shoulde carie no more with him but a poore windinge sheete To conclude all the workes of our lyfe woulde be dewlie corrected and framed in good order if we woulde measure and square them out by this rule The lyfe of a wise mā is a contynuall thinkinge of deathe For this cause the Philosophers saied that the lyfe of a Wiseman was nothinge els but onely a continuall cogitation and thinkinge of death forsomuch as this consideration teacheth a mā what thinge is somewhat and what is nothinge what he ought to followe and what to eschewe according to the ende whereunto he must certaynelye arriue It is written of those Philosophers called Brackmanni that they were so much geuen to thinke vpon their ende that they had their graues alwaies open before the gates of their howses to the intent that both at their entrie and goinge forth by them they might alwaies be mindefull of this iourney and passage of death Almightie God saied vnto the Prophet Ieremie Ierem. 18. that he shoulde goe downe into a howse where earth was wroughte for that he woulde there speake with him Almightie God coulde haue spokē with his Prophet in anie other place but he chose to speake with him in that place to geue vs to vnderstande that the howse of earthe which is our graue is the schoole of true wisedome where almightie God is wonte to teach those that be his There he teacheth thē how great is the vanitie of this worlde There he sheweth vnto thē the miserie of our fleashe ād the shortnes of this life And aboue al there he teacheth them to knowe themselues which is one of the most highest pointes of Philosophie that maie be learned Wherefore ô thou man discend downe with thy spirite into this howse and there shalt thou see To knowe a mans selfe is one of the highest pointes of philosophie who thou art whereof thou art come where thou shalt rest and wherein the bewtie of thy fleashe and glorie of this worlde do ende so shalt thou learne to despise all those thinges that the worlde hath in reuerence for wante of dewe knowledge how to consider it Because the worlde considereth no more but onely the paynted face of Iezabel that shyned verie bewtifully and gaylie at the windowe 4. Reg. 9. 3. Reg. 21. It considereth not the miserable extreme partes of her which after that her bodie was deuoured with dogges almightie God woulde haue to remaine whole that thereby we might see that the worlde is an other maner of thinge in deede than it appeareth in outwarde shewe and that we shoulde in such wise consider the face of it as to be mindefull also of the extreme greifes and sorrowes wherein the glorie of it endeth Secondlye this consideration is a great helpe to cause vs to eschewe and forsake sinne accordinge as Ecclesiasticus witnesseth sayeinge Eccles 7. Remember the last ende and thou shalt neuer sinne It is a great matter not to sinne and a great remedie also for the same is for a man to remember that he must die S. Iohn Climacus S. Iohn Climacus writeth of a certaine monke that beinge sore tempted with the bewtie of a woman whom he had seene abroade in the worlde and vnderstandinge that she was deade went to the graue where she was buried and rubbed a napkin in the stinkinge bodie of the dead woman And he vsed alwaies afterwardes whensoeuer the deuill troubled him with anie euill thought of her to take the stinkinge napkin and to put it to his nose and saie to him selfe Beholde here thou miserable wretche the thinge thou louest and beholde here what ende the delightes and beawties of the worlde haue This was a great remedie to ouercome this synne And the deepe consideration of death is of no lesse importance than it S. Gregorie as S. Gregorie saieth There is nothinge that doth so mortifie the appetites of this our peruerse fleash as to consider in what plight the same shal be after it is deade The same holie father rehearseth a like storie of an other monke who hauinge his table readie prouided to goe to dinner to eate somewhat for the refresshinge of his weake and wearie bodie chaunced sodenly to haue a remembrance of death which cogitation euen as though it had bene a constable or other lyke officer there readie to attache him put him in such a terrour and feare that it caused him to refraine from his meate Consider therefore how much the remembrance of the dreadfull accōpte that we must make at the houre of our deathe is able to worke in the harte of a iust man seinge it caused this holie monke to abstaine from a thinge that is so lawfull and necessarie to be done Certainlie this is one of the most wonderfull thinges in all the worlde that men knowinge so assuredlie Math. 12.36 Hebr. 9.27 1. Pet. 4.18 Apoc. 14.7.13 that at the verie howre of their death a particular accompt shal be required of them of all their whole life yea and of euerie idell worde will notwithstandinge ronne headlonge with such facilitie into sinne If a waiefaringe man hauinge but one farthinge in his purse shoulde enter into an inne and placinge him selfe downe at the table shoulde require of the host to bringe in Partridges Capons Phesauntes and all other delicates that maie be founde in the howse and shoulde suppe with verie great pleasure and contentation neuer remembringe that at the last there must come a time of accompt who woulde not take this fellowe either for a iester or for a verie foole Now what greater folie or madnes can be deuised than for men to geue them selues so looselye to all kindes of vices and to sleepe so sowndlie in them without euer remembringe that shortly after at their departinge out of their Inne there shall be required of them a verie strayt and
suerlie not without good cause when he saide Iob. 14. The tree after it is cut hath hope to reuiue and springe againe and if the roote of it doe rott in the grownde and the stocke be dead in the earth yet with the freshenes of water it springeth againe and bringeth forth leaues as if it were newlie planted But man after he is once dead withered and consumed what is become of him Great vndowtedlie was the tribute that was laide vpon the children of Adam for sinne And the euerlastinge Iudge vnderstode verie well what penance he gaue vnto man when he saide Thou art dust Genes 4. and into dust thou shalt retourne againe Of the great feare and dowte the sowle hath at the hower of deathe what shall happen vnto it after it is departed out of the bodie § III. HOWBEIT this is not the greatest cause of feare that a man hath at the hower of his death but there is yet one farre greater and that is when the sowle casteth her eies further and beginneth to thinke vpon the daungers of the life to come and imagineth what shall become of her hereafter For this is now as it were to depart from the hauen mowth and to launche into the mayne Sea where none other thinge is to be seene on what side so euer ye looke but onely heauen and the water the which is woūte to be occasion of greater feare in such as are but newe Seamen For when a man considereth that eternitie of worldes which followeth after death and withall casteth his eie into that newe ād straunge region which was neuer knowen nor traueyled by anie man aliue where he must now beginne to take his iourney when he considereth also the euerlastinge glorie or paine which there must fall to his lotte and seeth that wheresoeuer the tree falleth Eccles 11. there it shall remaine for euermore and knoweth not on which of the two sides he shal falle whē he considereth I saie all these thinges he cannot but be in a verie great feare and trouble of minde We reade that when Benadad kinge of Siria was sicke 4 Reg. 8. he was in so great anguishe and greife of minde for that he knewe not whether he should die of that sicknes or not that he sent the generall of his armie with fowertie Camels loden with treasure vnto the Prophet Elizeus requestinge him with wordes of great humilitie to rid him out of that perplexitie he was in and to put him out of all dowt whether he shoulde recouer of that sicknes or not Now if the loue of so short a lyfe as this is be able to cause a man to be in such a greate care and pensiuenes how great care will a Wiseman take when he perceiueth him selfe to be in such a case as that he maie trulie saie that within two howres he shall haue one of these two lottes to witt either lyfe euerlastinge or death euerlastinge and that he knoweth not certainlie whether of theise two shall come vnto him What martirdome maie be compared to such a painfull angwishe and greife as this is Put the case now that a kinge were taken prisoner emonge the Turckes and when his Embassadours shoulde come to raunsome him the Turckes woulde propounde that the matter shoulde be determined by castinge of lottes and that if he happened to haue a good lotte he shoulde be raunsomed and goe home with his Embassadours to his kingdome but if contrariewise that thē immediatly he should be throwē into a great fyerie furnace which were there prepared burninge and flaminge before him Tell me I praie thee at the time when they shoulde be castinge the lottes and puttinge their hande into the vessell to take them out and all the worlde in great expectation waitinge what shoulde be the ende thereof and the kinge him selfe standinge there present beholdinge the doutfull happe that must be alotted vnto him in what a dolefull case thinkest thou woulde he then be How troubled How fearfull How quakinge and tremblinge And how readie to promise and vowe vnto almightie God all he cowlde possiblye doe to be quite ridde out of that terrible angwishe Now what is all this be it neuer so great but as it were a shadowe if it be compared with this daunger that we speake of How farre greater is the kingdome that we seike How farre greater is the fierye furnace that we doe feare How farre more greiuouse is the perplexitie ād doutefulnes of this matter thā of the other For on the one side the angels shal be there expectinge for vs to carrie vs to the kingedome of heauen and on th' other side the deuills to cast vs into the horrible furnace of hell fier and no man knoweth whether of these two lottes shall happen vnto him which shal be determined eyther the one waye or the other within the space of one houre after his death Consider therefore in what a heauie plight thy harte shal be at this last instant how fearfull how humble how abased before the face of him who onelie cā deliuer thee out of this daunger Suerlie I am of this opinion that there is no tonge in the worlde able to declare this matter as it is indeede How we come to vnderstande hereby the errours and blindnes of our lyfe past § IIII. AFTER this anguishe there followeth yet an other as great as it namelye in such persons as haue liued a wicked and dissolute lyfe which is to come so late to thinke vpō the accōpt they haue then forthwith to make of all the disorders and offences of their former lyfe At the houer of deythe it is a great greife to a sicke man if he haue liued licentiouslie that he thinketh so late vpō his accompte O how wōderfullie shall the wicked be confounded at that time when the griefe of their paine shall cause them to open their eies which heretofore the delight and pleasure of sinne had closed vp insomuch as they shall then clearlie perceiue what false goddes those were which they haue serued and how deceitfull those riches were which they haue so greidelie gaped after and how by followinge that waie whereby they thought to haue fownde rest they finde in conclusion their vtter ruin and destruction The seruantes of the kinge of Siria came to apprehende the Prophet Heliseus and when almightie God had stricken them all blinde by meanes of the praier of the Prophet the Prophet said vnto them Come goe with me and I will shewe you him whom you seeke 4. Reg. 6. And when he had thus said he caried them with him vnto Samaria and brought them into the market place of the cittie in the middes of al their enemies And then made his praier againe and saide O Lorde open the eies of these miserable men that they maie see where they are Now tell me I praie thee when those men opened their eies and sawe whither they were come beleuinge certainlie before that
spetiall friendes can doe then vnto him besides prayinge for his sowle is to honour him with castinge a handfull of earthe vpon him And therefore the faithfull people are wont to vse this ceremonie towardes the dead that almightie God maye dispose others to doe the same vnto them whē they shal be in the like case Now what greater confession and acknowledginge of our miserie can we diuise than to see how men doe preuent before hande that they may not want after their death so smalle a benefite as this is O greidie couetousenes of the lyuinge and great pouertie of the dead Why shoulde a man desire and gape after so manie thinges for this presente lyfe beinge so shorte as it is seinge so litle will content him at the howre of his death Then the graue maker taketh the spade and pykeaxe into his hande and beginneth to tumble downe bones vpon bones and to tread downe the earth verie harde vpon him Insomuch that the fairest face in all the worlde the best trimmed and most charily kepte from wynde and sonne shall lye there and be stamped vpon by the rude graue maker who will not sticke to laie him on the face and rappe him on the sculle yea and to batter downe his eies and nose flatte to his face that they maie lye well and euen with the earth And the fyne dapperde gentleman who whiles he liued might in no wise abide the wynde to blowe vpon him no nor so much as a litle heare or moore to falle vpon his garmentes but in all hast it must be brusshed of with great curiositie here they laie and hurle vpon him a donghill of filthines and dirte And that sweete mynion gentleman also that was wont forsooth to goe perfumed with Amber and other odoriferous smelles must be contented here to lye couered all ouer with earthe and fowle crawlinge wormes and maggottes This is the ende of all the gaie braueries and of all the pompe and glorie of the worlde In this plight doe all his freindes nowe leaue him lyenge in that strait lodginge in that earthe of obliuion and in that darcke prison where he shall remaine accompanied with perpetuall solitarines vntill the generall daye of Iudgment O worlde what is become of thy glorie O yee my howses landes and riches where is your power O my wyfe my children my freindes and kinsfolke where haue ye now left me How happeneth it that yee my olde freindes and companions doe so quickly forsake me and leaue me here in the earthe thus solitarie alone How chaunceth it that the wheele of my so great prosperitie and felicitie is so quickly ouerturned and defaced They that sawe Quene Iezabell when she was by the iust iudgement of God eaten with dogges 4. Reg. 9. when they sawe that there remained nothinge els of her bewtie but onelie her sculle and the extreme partes of her feete and handes those I saie that had knowen her before in so greate flourishinge and royall estate and sawe her at that time in such a miserable plight wonderinge at that so great alteration and chaunge demaunded and saied Haeccine est illa Iezabel Is this that Iezabell 4. Reg. 9.37 And as manie as passed by that waie and behelde her thus eaten with dogges repeted the same exclamation merueylinge at so great a chaunge and saied Is this that Iezabell Is this that great Quene and Ladie of Israëll Is this she that was so mightie that she vsurped and seased the landes and goodes of her subiectes by sheedinge of their bloude Is death able to bringe the mightie and puissaunte Princes to such a base and miserable calamitie Now therefore my deare brother goe downe I praie thee with thy spirit into the graues and Sepulchers of such Princes and great noble personages as thou hast either harde of or knowen in this worlde and consider what a horrible and deformed forme of their bodies is there to be seene And thou shalt see that thou hast good cause to make the like exclamation and to vse the same wordes and saie Is this that Iezabell Is this that amiable face which I knewe so faire and liuelie Are these those eies that were so cleare and brighte to beholde Is this that pleasaunt rowlinge tongue that talked so eloquently and made such goodlie discourses Is this that fyne and neyte bodie that was so trimlie pollished and adorned Is this the ende of the maiestie of Princes scepters and roiall crownes Is this the ende of the glorie of the worlde O how often times saieth a Wise man hath it bene my chaunce to enter into the sepulchres of some dead bodies where wonderinge or rather beinge greatlie astonied at the sight that I sawe I fixed mine eies aduisedlie vpon the shape of the dead corps I sette the bones in order I ioyned the handes together and sette the lippes in their proper places and spake thus secretlie to my selfe Beholde these feete that haue trauayled such crooked pathes and waies These handes also that haue committed so manie wicked actes These eies that haue behelde so manie vanities This mouth that hath eaten and deuoured so manie delicate and superfluous meates Beholde this sculle of his head that hath built so manie vaine castels and towers in the aier This dust and filthie skinne for whose pleasure and delight he hath committed so many sinnes and wickednes and for which cause the sowle of this bodie doth and shall perhappes suffer euerlastinge horrible tormentes in hell fier This done I departed out of that place wholy astonied and amased and meitinge with certain persons both men and women yonge and olde I behelde them likewise and considered that both they and I shoulde shortelie appeare in the like vglie forme and sieme as vyle and lothsome to beholde as those dead bodies are now presentelie Wherefore what a fonde wicked wretche am I to liue in suche wise as I doe To what ende is my purchasinge ād heapinge together of lādes and riches ād my buildinge of such sumptuous howses seinge I shall shortly be here so poore and naked To what ende are my gaie braueries and gorgious ornamentes in my apparell and furniture of howsholde stuffe seinge I shall shortly be here so filthie and lothsome to beholde To what ende are my delicate disshes my sugered sawces and deyntie fare seinge I shall shortly be here meate for the wormes and maggottes of the earthe Of the waie that the sowle taketh after it is departed out of the bodie And of the dreadfull iudgment and sentence that shal be geuen vpon it at that time § VIII Note that there be two iudgemētes one is at the hower of euerie mās deathe which is called the particular iudgemente And the other is at doomesdaye which shal be the vniuersall iudgmente of all mankinde together S. Bernarde LET vs now leaue the bodie lyinge thus buried in the graue and let vs see what waie the sowle taketh throughe that newe worlde which is
this time the feare and terrour of the wicked shal be so great that as the Prophet Esaie saieth Esa 2.19 they shall seike the cliftes of stones and the hollowe places of the rockes to hide them selues therein for the great feare they shall haue of oure Lorde and of the glorie of his maiestie when he commeth to iudge the worlde To conclude this feare shal be so great Apoc. 20. that as S. Iohn saieth both the heauens and the earthe shall flye from the presence of the iudge and shall finde no place where to hide them selues Now ô ye heauens why doe ye flye awaie What haue ye done Why are ye afraide And if by the heauens be vnderstode the blessed spirites that are in heauen O ye blessed spirites that were created and confirmed in grace At the daye of generall Iudgmente euen the blessed spirites shal be afrayde to see so greate maiestie and indignation in Christe the iudge why doe ye flye awaie What haue ye done Why are ye afrayde Vndowbtedly they are not afrayde for anie daunger that is towardes themselues but they be afrayde to beholde in the iudge such a great maiestie and indignation the greatnes whereof shal be able to stryke all the heauens with terrour and admiration When the Sea is outragious and tempestious euen he that standeth safe vpon the shore is in a kinde of feare and admiration When the father goeth like a lion about his howse in punishinge his bond slaue his innocent sonne is also afraide although he knowe right well that his fathers rage is not bent against him but against the slaue Now what shall the wicked doe at this time when euen the iust shal be so greatly afrayd If the heauens flye for feare what shall the earthe doe And if those that be wholly spirite doe tremble and quake what shall they doe that haue bene wholly fleashe Esa 64. And if as the Prophet saieth the mountaines shall melt in this daie before the face of almightie God What stonie harde hartes then haue we that for all this be nothinge at all moued The holie crosse shall come before Christe the Iudge at the daye of generall iudgemente and be a witnes againste the wicked Math. 24.30 Before the Iudge there shall come that royall standarde of the crosse to be a witnes of the redemption and remedie which almightie God sent to the worlde and that the worlde woulde not receiue it And so the holie crosse shall there iustifie the cause of almightie God and leaue the wicked voide of al maner of comforte and excuse Then shall all nations of the earthe saieth our Sauiour weepe and lament and they all shall stryke and beare vpon their brestes O how great cause shall they then haue to weepe and waile They shall weepe because at that tyme they can neither doe penanceÌ„ nor flye from the iustice of almightie God nor appeale from his sentence They shall bewaile their sinnes past their shame present and the tormentes that are to come They shall bewaile their miserable happe their vnfortunat birthe and their cursed ende For these and manie other causes they shall weepe and waile verie bitterlie and as persons whollie dismayed and fettered in all partes and without all maner of comforte and remedie they shall wringe their handes and stryke theÌ„ selues vpon their brestes Our sauiour Christe the Iudge shall make a seperatioÌ„ betwene the good and the wicked Math. 25. Then shall the Iudge make a diuision betwene the euill and the good and place the goates at his left hande and the sheepe at his right hande O how happie and blessed shall those persons be that shal be though worthie to haue a place emonge those elected sheepe O Lorde I most humblie beseeche thee let me haue tribulation here in this worlde Punishe me here cutte me in peeces here burne me here so that I maie there be placed at thy right hande Then shall the generall iudgement beginne to be solemnised and the causes of each one shal be throughlie scanned and examined Accordinge as the Prophet Daniell writeth in these wordes Daniel 7.9 I stode saieth he attentiuely and I sawe certaine seates set in their places and the auncient of yeares sat downe whose garmente was white as snowe and the heare of his head like the pure wolle The throne wherein he sat was like flames of fier and the wheeles thereof like burninge fire And a riuer of raginge fire issued and came forthe from before him Thowsande thousandes were attendant to serue him and tenne hundered thousande thowsandes stode waitinge before him c. I behelde all this in the vision of the night and I sawe one comminge in the cloudes who seemed to be the sonne of man Hetherto are the wordes of the Prophet Daniell Wherevnto S. Iohn addeth and saieth Apoc. 20.12 I sawe all the dead both great and smalle standinge before this throne and there the bokes were opened and an other boke opened which is the boke of lyfe and the dead were iudged accordinge to the contentes in those bokes accordinge to their workes Beholde here deare Christian brother the measure whereby thou shalt be iudged Beholde here the taxe and prices whereby all thinges that thou doest shal be valued and esteemed and not by the fonde iudgement of the worlde which hath the false and counterfeit weightes of Canaan in their handes Osâ—â— 12. in whose ballance vertue and vice are iudged to be of smalle weight and accompte In these bokes are written all our whole lyfe and that with such care and diligence that a worde hath no soner passed thy mowth but it is foorthwith noted and set in his proper register But of what thinges trowe ye will the Iudge require an accompte of vs Of what thinges we must giue an accompte Iob. 31.4 O Lorde saieth Iob thou hast nombered all the steppes of my lyfe Certainly there shall not be somuch as one idle worde nor one onely thowghte whereof an accompte will not be required in that iudgement Yea Math. 12.36 and not onely of those thinges that we either thinke or doe but also of those that we leaue vndone of such thinges I meane as we are bownde to doe If thou saie at the daie of Iudgment ô Lorde I haue not sworne the Iudge will answere that thy sonne or thy seruant hath sworne whom thy dutie was to haue chastised and corrected And we shall geue an accompte not onely of our euill workes but also euen of our good workes with what intention and after what maner we did them Finally as S. Gregorie saieth S. Gregorie Math. 12.36 An accompte shall there be required of vs of euerie point and moment of our lyfe how and after what sorte we haue spente them Consideringe therefore that such a strait accoÌ„pte shal be required of vs how happeneth it that we that beleue this as a most certaine truthe doe neuerthelesse liue with such securitie and
neuer gaue sucke After this sorte shall the miserable damned wretches curse and banne all creatures and cheiflie them that were the cause of their damnation And so we read in the liues of the holie fathers of a blessed holie man that sawe by reuelation a verie deepe well full of great and horrible flames of fire and in the middest of them were the father and the sonne both of them manicled together and cursinge one an other with great furious rage and despite The father saied vnto his sonne Cursed be thou my sonne For I to leaue thee wealthie and riche became an vsurer and for vsurie am I nowe here in hell damned And the sonne saied likewise vnto his father Cursed be thou my father for that imagininge to enriche me hast bene the cause of my damnation in that thou diddest leaue me euill gotten landes and goodes and I for the wrongefull keepinge of them and not makinge dewe restitution to the righte owners am here now alas damned euerlastinglie The euill disposition of the will of the daÌ„ned againste the glorie of God and of his Sainctes Aboue all this how great shall the paines and tormentes of the malitious and euil disposed will of the damned be There shal be in the will a continuall and outragious malitious enuie against the glorie of almightie God and his electe which shal be euermore bytinge and gnawinge at their entrailes no lesse than the worme of conscience whereof we spake before Psal 111.10 Of this paine saieth the Psalme The sinner shall see and be angrie he shall gnashe with his teeth and consume And the desire of the wicked shall perishe The malice â—nd hatred of the daÌ„ned againste almightie God They shall haue also such a great abhorringe and hatred against almightie God because he deteyneth and punisheth theÌ„ in that place that like as a madde dogge stroken with a speare tourneth againe in great furie to byte and gnawe it euen so woulde the damned persons if they might possibly teare and rente almightie God in peeces because they knowe that it is he that pricketh them with his terrible speare and that it is he that striketh and tormenteth them from aboue with the dreadfull sworde of his iustice The greate obstinacie of the daÌ„ned in their wickednes They haue also a verie great obstinacie in wickednes for they are not sorie either because they are wicked or because they haue bene wicked but rather they wishe that they had bene worse And if they be sorie for their wicked lyfe it is not for anie loue they beare vnto almightie God but for the loue of them selues that so they might haue escaped these horrible tormentes if they had liued otherwise The perpetual desperation of the daÌ„ned Besides this they haue also a perpetuall desperation For they thinke so euill of almightie God and of his mercie that they haue no maner of hope therein that euer he can perdoÌ„ them and also for that they knowe for certayne that their most grieuous paines and tormentes shall neuer haue anie mitigation or ende This is the cause of their so horrible blasphemies and of their dispitefull raylinges against almightie God For as they haue no hope in him so doe they seike to be reuenged of him as much as they can with their outragious and malitious raylinge tonges Of the paine wich is tearmed by the diuins Poena damni that is the paine of losse of almightie God § III. VHO woulde thinke that after all these paines here before rehearsed there were yet more to be suffered And yet neuerthelesse it is certaine that all these paines in comparison of that which we haue now to speake of are as it were nothinge Consider then what a wounderfull payne this is like to be seinge that such horrible tormentes as we haue before mentioned maie be termed nothinge if they be compared with this tormente For all the paines that we haue hitherto spoken of appertaine for the most parte to the paine of the sense But besides all these there is yet an other paine called the paine of losse which we touched before the which without all comparison is farre greater than all the other as it maie wel appeare by this reason For paine is nothinge els but onely a priuation of some good thinge that was either had or in hope to be had Now the greater this good thinge is the greater paine and greife we haue when it is lost To loose almightie God is the greatest losse for that he is an infinite good thinge As it appeareth plainly in the losse of temporall thinges the which the greater they are in vallewe the greater is the greife that they cause Now then consideringe that almightie God is an infinite good thinge and the greatest of all good thinges it followeth necessarily that the wantinge of him shal be an infinite miserie and the greatest of all miseries Almightie God is the centre of the reasonable sowle S. Chrisostome Besides this almightie God is the center of the reasonable sowle and the place where it hath his perfect rest And thereof it commeth that the separation of the sowle from almightie God is the most grieuous and painfull separation of all that maie possibly be deuised And therfore S. Chrisostome saieth That if a thousande fiers of hell were ioyned together in one they shoulde neuer be so great a paine to the sowle as it is to the sowle to be separated in this wise for euer from almightie God It is not possible for anie man to expresse by wordes the exceydinge greatnes of this greife That seperation that is wont to happen in time of warre when the suckinge babes are taken from their mothers breastes is nothinge in comparison of the perpetuall diuision and separation which shal be from the fruition and separation which shal be from the fruition of almightie God And that thou mayst vnderstande somewhat hereof consider what a horrible kinde of death that was which certaine tyrantes caused some of the martirs to be put vnto They caused two toppes or greate boughes of two great trees to be bowed downe violentlie to the grownde and at the two endes of them they commaunded the feete of the holie Martyr that shoulde suffer death to be bounde this done they commaunded that the two bowghes shoulde sodeÌ„ly be losed with all violence that when they shoulde recoyle and mounte vp againe to their naturall places they shoulde hoyse vp the bodie on highe and so rente and teare it a sonder in the aier each one of the bowghes carienge with it that parte of the bodie that was bounde vnto it Now if this crewell separation of the partes of a mans bodie one from an other seeme so great a tormente what a torment thinke ye shall that be when the sowle shal be separated from almightie God which is not a parte but the whole of our sowle espetially seinge the separation and tormente must endure not onely
did to cause thee to be the more in loue with him by reason of this benefite and to make thee the more beholdinge vnto him by this example ād to make thy redemption the more aboūdant by reason of the great treasure that he bestowed vpon it and to geue thee more clearlie to vnderstande how much good will he beareth vnto thee that thou shouldest beare towardes him the like agayne and to shewe playnlie vnto thee how much interest thou hast in him that thou shouldest repose thy whole trust and affyance in him This is that benefite which the Prophet Esaie extolleth and that for great good cause in these wordes which after the translation of the septuagintes sownde thus In all the tribulations of men he neuer fainted Esa 43. neither was he euer wearie in sufferinge for them Neither woulde he sende anie Embassadour or Angell to redeeme them but vouchsaffed of his great mercie to come him selfe in person to redeeme them and to carie them vpon his shoulders all the daies of this worlde notwithstandinge that they did euill acknowledge this benefite Ephes 4.30 but did greiue and prouoke the holie Ghost to anger How greatlie we are bounde to our Lorde for the maner of our redemption And if thou be so much bounde to our Lorde for that he vouchsaffed to come him selfe in person to redeeme thee how much more art thou bounde vnto him for the maner of thy redemption which was by sufferinge so great paines and tormentes It were certainly a great benefite if a kinge woulde pardon a theife that had deserued to be whipped But if the kinge woulde vouchsafe him selfe to receaue the lasshes vpon his owne shoulders for him this were without comparison a farre greater benefite Consider therefore how manie benefites are comprehended in this benefite of thy redemption Lift vp thyne eies vnto that holie roode and consider all the woundes and paines that the Lorde of maiestie suffereth there for thy sake For euerie one of them is a benefite of it selfe yea and a singuler great benefite Our sauiours bodie Beholde that most innocent bodie of thy sweite sauiour and redeemer all of a gore bloude with so many woundes and bruses on all partes of him and the bloude gusshinge out on euerie side His head Beholde that most sacred head fallinge downe for verie faintnes and hanginge vpon his shoulders His face 1. Pet. 1.12 Beholde that diuine face which the Angels are desirous to beholde how disfigured it is and ouerflowed with streames of bloude in some partes freshe and redde coloured in other partes very fowle and blacke His visage Beholde that most bewtifull visage of all creatures and that coūtenance that delighted the eies of all such as behelde it how it hath now lost all the flower of his former bewtie Ieremie Thren 3. Beholde that holie Nazareth more pure than snowe more white than milke better coloured than olde Iuerie how he is now become blacker than cooles and so much disfigured and beraied that scarcelie his owne fryendes are able to knowe him Beholde that holie mouthe His mouthe His lippes how wanne and deadly it looketh Beholde his lippes how blacke and blewe they seeme Beholde how they moue desiringe pardon and mercie euen for those that are his verie tormentours Finally wheresoeuer thou beholdest him thou shalt finde that there is no one parte of him free from paine and greife but that he is couered all ouer with lashes and woundes euē from the toppe of his head to the soles of his feete His forehead His eies That goodly cleare forhead and those eies more bewtifull than the Sonne are now dimmed and darkened with the bloude and presence of deathe His eares Those eares that are wonte to heare the songes of heauen doe now heare the horrible blasphemies of synners His armes Those armes so well fashioned and so large that they embrace all the power of the worlde are now disioynted and stretched out vpon the crosse Those handes that created the heauens His hādes and were neuer iniurious to anie man are now nayled and clenched fast with harde and sharpe nayles His feete Those blessed feete that neuer walked in the waies of sinners are now deadly woūded and pearced throughe Our sauiours narrowe and harde bedde vpon the crosse without anie pillowe or other thinge wherevpō to reste his head 〈◊〉 His syde But aboue all this beholde the bedde where he lyeth and whereupon that heauenly bridegrome sleapeth at none daie how narrowe and hard it is and how he hath nothinge whereupon to rest his head O pretious head of my sweete sauiour what meaneth this that I see thee thus afflicted and tormented for my sake O blessed bodie conceaued by the holie Ghost how is it that I see thee thus wounded and euill entreated for my sake O sweete and louinge syde what meaneth this great wounde and open cleft in thee What meaneth this so great abūdance of bloude Alas wretche that I am what a pittiefull sighte is this to see thee thus furiouslie pearced with a speare for my sake O rigorous crosse be not now I beseeche thee so stiffe but mollifie a litle thy hardnes bowe downe vnto me these highe braūches let downe to me this most pretious fruite that I maie tast thereof O cruell nayles leaue I praie you those innocēt handes and feete of my innocēte Sauiour and come ād enter into my harte and pearce it throughe for it is I that haue sinned and not he O good Iesus what hast thou to doe with so manie cruel tormentes What hast thou to doe with death With sharpe nailes ād with the crosse Vndowbtedlie the Prophet had good reason to saie Esa 28.21 That his workes shal be verie straunge and farre vnlike him selfe What is more straunge and more contrarie to lyfe than deathe What is more disagreable to glorie than paine What is further of from the nature of most perfect holines and innocencie than the image and shape of a synner This title and shape ô Lorde is certaynlie very straunge for thee O true Iacob Gen. 26. that with wearinge the garmentes of others and with disguisinge thy selfe in a straunge habite hast purchased for vs the blessinge of our heauenlie father For by takinge vpon thee the image of a sinner thou hast purchased for vs victorie against synne O goodnes inspekeable O mercie vndeserued O loue exceidinge all vnderstandinge O charitie incomprehensible Tell me ô most mercifull Lorde what sawest thou in vs What seruice haue we done vnto thee With what workes haue we bounde thee to suffer such greiuous and cruell tormentes for our sakes O wonderfull bountiefulnes that without anie merite of our parte and without anie necessitie of thyne owne parte wouldest vouchesafe onely of thy mere grace ād mercie to purchace our redēption after this sorte Tit. 3.4 The benignitie and clemencie of our sauiour saieth the Apostle hath appeared not in
such feare and reuerence as is behouefull to be vsed before so great a maiestie and withall desire him that thou mayst in such wise perseuere and spende that litle time in this exercise of prayer that thou mayst in the ende arise frō the same with newe force and strength to doe all such thinges as apperteyne to his seruice It is also a good maner of preparation to saye some vocalle prayers before meditation It is thought also to be a good maner of preparation to saie some vocalle praiers before meditation of which sorte there be manie in diuers bookes of deuotion and namely in the meditations of S. Augustine and in the Psalter of Dauid where there be some verie deuout Psalmes that will helpe very much to enkendle and stirre vp deuotion For it is the propertie of deuoute sentences beinge saiede with an earnest minde and attention to wounde the harte and to lifte it vp vnto almightie God the which deuour sentences are so much the more behouefull and necessarie for vs by how much we finde our spirite to be more colde and distracted The sayinge of And these same prayers doe serue much better for this purpose when they be in mitre as are manie Hymnes of the Sainctes Hymnes proses and versicles doe stirre deuotion and the Proses and Versicles Forsomuche as I knowe not how it is that the wordes of God vsed in this kinde of stile and harmonie doe bringe with them a greater sweetenes and delighte to our sowles And therefore we finde in the workes of S. Bonauenture who was a verie deuout holie man manie of these Hymnes The like we finde in the workes of S. Bernarde and in diuers and sundrie other of the holie fathers Likewise there is great commendation geuen by manie learned men and surely not without good cause to those three diuout himnes that Ieronimo de Vida made to the three persons in Trinitie which beinge learned by harte and saiede deuoutly be as it were a most sweite Manna to sweiten the tast of our sowle at the beginninge of prayer and to dispose it to take a delighte in spirituall and diuine matters Here I thinke it necessarie to declare with what intention a man ought to come vnto prayer With what intention a man oughte to come vnto prayer For he must not goe thereunto cheifly for his owne consolation and delighte as some that be great louers of them selues vse to doe but onely to fulfill herein the will of almightie God and to desire of him his grace and to dispose him selfe for the obteyninge of the same And herewith he must submitte him selfe in such wise into the handes of almightie God that he must be as readie and contente to be without consolations in his prayer as to haue them remittinge himselfe humbly into his handes to dispose of him and of all thinges belonginge vnto him as he shall thinke good acknowledginge on the one side that he deserueth not anie thinge of him and beleeuinge on the other that althoughe it be so in verie deede yet our Lorde of his infinite goodnes and mercie will doe whatsoeuer shall be most conuenient and behouefull for his saluation And therefore a man ought to contente him selfe a-like whether the consolations be great or litle and to take in good parte whatsoeuer vsage our Lorde shall shewe vnto him accountinge him selfe vtterlie vnworthie of all those thinges that he bestoweth vpon him and beinge readie to fulfill all such thinges as he shall commaunde him not in respecte of the benefites that he hopeth to receyue but in respecte of them that he hath alreadie receyued and in consideration of his bounden duetie vnto almightie God But we see that manie persones doe quite contrarie to this rule and be like herein vnto yonge shrewde boies who vnlesse they be dandeled and cooxed will not doe the thinge that they are commaunded I thinke it also requisite here to aduertise that when a man mindeth to vse the exercise of praier in the morninge we must be carefull ouer nighte of the meditatiō we intende to make the nexte morninge So soone as we a wake in the morninge it is good to occupie our harte forthwith with some holie thowghte he doe goe to bedde with this care ouer nighte and like as those that intende to bake the next daie doe vse to laie the leuen ouer nighte euen so must a man with a godly carefulnes preuente and recommende ouer nighte vnto our Lorde that thinge which he intendeth to meditate the nexte daie followinge And in the morninge so soone as he awaketh he ought forthwith to occupie his harte with this holie thought before anie other doe enter therein For at that time the disposition of our harte is such that whatsoeuer thoughte doth first enter into vs it seasethe and taketh possession of our harte in such wise that we shall verie hardly afterwardes put it awaie from vs. And forsomuch as the praier of manie persons is very acceptable vnto our Lorde It is good to thinke when we praye how manie deuoute Christians are at that time prayinge also vnto God with vs. therefore thou shalt doe well to consider in thy prayer both in the morninge and eueninge what a nomber of Gods seruantes both mē and women as well in monasteries as without be at that time watchinge and perseueringe before the presence of almightie God sheedinge many deuoute teares yea and perhappes also disciplininge and whippinge them selues and sheedinge great abundance of bloud for the loue of God with which persones thou oughtest humbly to ioyne thy selfe that the presence and sweete remembrance of them maie be vnto thee a prouocation of deuotion and an example of perseuerance in thy praier and also that whensoeuer thou shalt finde thy selfe colde and negligent in this exercise of prayer and that some thoughtes come into thy minde mouinge thee to ende the same thou mayst be ashamed and reprehende thy selfe by the example of so manie good and vertuouse persons which with so good attention and carefulnes doe perseuere so longe time in this exercise of prayer without ceassinge offeringe there their bodies and sowles vnto almightie God in sacrifice OF READINGE CAP. VI. In what maner we must reade AFTER Preparation followeth Readinge the which ought to be done not lightlie as passed ouer in hast but with verie great deliberation and attention applyinge thereunto not onely thy vnderstandinge to conceiue such thinges as thou readest but much more thy will to taste those thinges that thou vnderstandest And when thou commest to anie deuout place thou shalte doe well to staye and pawse somewhat longer therevpon and to make there as it were a station in thinkinge vpon that matter which thou hast read and in makinge some shorte praier vpon it accordinge as S. Bernarde councelleth vs S. Bernarde sayeinge It is requisite oftentimes to gather and procure a litle spirite and deuotion out of the matters that we
the inwarde man consisteth in hauinge almightie God presente in his harte And the composition of the outwarde man consisteth in doinge all thinges in such sorte as is seemely for one that standeth alwaies in the presence of almightie God and that hath him alwaies before his eies as the iudge and witnes of his whole lyfe After these doe followe other fower vertues wherein consisteth the somme of perfection which vertues be in such wise annexed and lincked th' one to th' other that the one can not be had without the other In these vertues consisteth the somme of perfection These vertues be perfecte obedience Mortification of our owne proper will Fortitude to ouercome all maner of difficultie and labour and to haue a hatred and contempt of our selues For it is manifest that the somme of all Christian doctrine is a perfecte obedience and conformitie vnto the will of almightie God as well in all such thinges as he commaundeth we can not haue a perfecte obedience and conformitie vnto the will of God vnlesse we denye our owne will and haue a holie hatred and contempté of our selues councelleth and inspireth as in all that he ordeyneth and disposeth concerninge vs. This obedience can not be kepte vnlesse we haue a knife in our hande to cut awaie all the inordinate appetites of our sensualitie and will which doe withstande the will of almightie God But this stroke no man is able to geue vnlesse he haue great fortitude of minde to fighte with him selfe and to make mortall warre against his owne inclinations and appetites And this kinde of warre none other shal euer make but he that hath for the loue of God atteyned to haue a true and holie abhorringe and contempre of him selfe For looke where abhorringo is there doth easilie followe euill entreatinge and contempt of the thinge that is abhorred but where is nothinge but loue there doth a man very vnwillingly take the whippe in his hande to deale roughlie with that thinge which he loueth Whereby it appeareth that no one of these vertues is able to moue one steppe without the helpe and succour of the others After these doe followe immediatlie other fowre verie highe and noble vertues which be Humilitie both inwarde and outward Pouertie both of spirite and of bodie Patience in all aduersities and tribulations Purenes of intention in good workes doinge all thinge◠that we shall doe all onelie for the loue of God without mixture of anie commoditie or respecte either temporall or spirituall After these doe followe other fowre vertues which are the beginninge and ende of all perfection to witt a most firme faith of such thinges as almightie God saith and promiseth and an assured hope in him as in our trewe and louinge father in all the necessities and tribulatiōs that shall happen vnto vs a loue of almightie God which must alwaies burne in our hartes and iointly with this loue to haue a feare and reuerence of his great maiestie and iustice which must euermore accompanie all our workes And with all these vertues aboue named we must ioyne perseuerance and cōtinuance in the exercise of all these vertues the which causeth a man in a smalle time to attaine to the toppe of perfection In these foresaid vertues doth the somme of all perfection principally consist and therefore all our studie and diligence must be emploied in seekinge them by all meanes possible and espetially by praier which is the principall meane whereby all goodnes is obtayned Here I thinke good to geue this aduise that when a man shall demaunde of almightie God any of these vertues he staie him selfe therein for a time and make as it were a station in euerie one of them in cōsideringe breifly the principall motiues that maie most induce vs to the loue and exercise of such a vertue As for example How to desier of God the vertue of Charitie When we shall desire of almightie God the vertue of charitie which is the loue of God we maie saie in this wise Graunt me grace ô Lorde I beseech thee that I maie loue thee with all my harte and with all my sowle for that thou arte an infinite goodnes and excellencie that deserueth to be loued with infinite loue and besides this for that thou arte my onely benefactor my father my creator my last ende and the spouse of my sowle vnto whom all loue is due In like maner when thou shalt desire the vertue of hope thou mayst saie in this wise How to desier the vertue of Hope Geue me grace also ô Lorde I beseech thee that in all the necessities and tribulations that shall happen vnto me in this lyfe I maie trust in thee seinge thy mercie is infinite and thy promises true and the merites of thy onely begotten sonne be of infinite value which doe speake and make intercession for me After this sorte mayst thou desire the feare of God and humilitie with other vertues The forme of which petitions I thinke not meete to note here particularly in writinge For like as it is saied that that meate doth more profite the sicke man which he him selfe eateth and cheweth with his teeth than that which is geuen vnto him in drincke euen so is that prayer wonte to be more profitable which is framed by him that praieth with such wordes as the holie Ghost teacheth him than that praier which is made and compounded with other folkes wordes which oftentimes be sayed and passed verie lightly ouer without anie maner of attention or affection This last parte which is petition besides that it is verie easie to be done is also very profitable For as we saied before it is not onely an exercise of praier but also of all vertues and as it were a readinge and conference of them all wherein a man reneweth all his good purposes and desires and recordeth in his memorie the principall pointes and articles of the lawe of God which is the continuall exercise of the iust man Psal 1.2 of whom it is saide that he meditateth vpon the lawe of our Lorde both daie and nighte These fiue partes aforesaid maie be vsed in the exercise of praier albeit as we haue saide they be not all necessarie to be vsed at all times For some times all the time of prayer is spente in meditation alone or in petition Neuerthelesse I thought good to specifie here all these partes of prayer that no man might leaue of this holie exercise for wante of matter and also that at such time as deuotion fayleth which is no iust cause why we shoulde relent and withdrawe our selues from good exercises a man might haue matter whereupon to occupie him selfe duringe that time doinge on his parte somuch as lieth in him which is the thinge that almightie God requireth principallie of vs. Here is diligentlie to be noted that emonge all these fiue partes of prayer the best is when the sowle talketh with almightie God as it doth in petition
geuen vnto vs. And besides this sith the principall ende of these meditations is to obtaine some deuotion and feelinge of diuine thinges it were against reason when we haue alreadie obtained the same with some good consideration that we shoulde goe about to seike for it by an other waie Howbeit althoughe this be verie true speakinge ordinarily yet maie not a man therefore take herein so great libertie as vpon euerie occasion that is offered vnto him to be moued forthwith verie lightlie to forgoe that thinge out of his handes which he hath as it were in possession for some other thinge which he is desirous to haue vnlesse it be at such a time as he perceyueth a more certaine proffit in the one than in the other The second aduise that in our Meditation we must eschewe the superfluous speculation of our vnderstandinge and commit this busines to the exercise of the affections of our will § II. THE seconde aduise is that he labour to esche we in this exercise the superfluous speculation of the vnderstandinge and endeuour to vse this matter rather with affections and feelinges of the will than with discources and speculations of the vnderstandinge It is therefore to be noted that the vnderstandinge on the one side helpeth and on the other side it maie hinder the operation of the will to witt the loue and feelinge of diuine thinges For as it is necessarie that the vnderstandinge doe goe before the will to guide it and geue it knowledge what it ought to loue so when the speculation of the vnderstandinge is ouermuch then it hindereth this operation of the will forsomuch as it suffereth it not to haue place and time to worke And therefore like as it is saied of the poison which is put into treacle that if it be litle it is holsome and necessarie but if it be ouermuch it is hurtfull euen so likewise maie we saie after a sorte in this exercise that the seekinge to knowe God with simplicitie helpeth the will the more to loue him but the seekinge to knowe him with ouermuch speculation hindereth the will and causeth the operation thereof for that time to be the more feeble and weake And the reason hereof is for that the vertue ād power of our sowle beinge finite and streyted within certaine boundes and limittes the more it employeth her vertue and force on the one parte the lesse remaineth to be employed on the other euē like the foūtaine that rūneth throughe two pypes the more water that it dischargeth by the one pype the lesse it hath to yeilde throughe the other And after the like sorte doth the sowle principallie by the operation of the vnderstandinge by the which for that it is so noble and so excellent a power the sowle employeth and powreth out all her whole force in such wise that in a maner she worketh nothinge at all by her other powers at such tyme as the vnderstandinge is verie attente and earnestlie occupied in the vehement speculation of anie matter And therefore we finde by experience that a man maie with more facilitie preserue the affection of deuotion in anie exercise of the bodie wherein he labourethe with his handes than when he hath his vnderstandinge busely occupied and attente in the speculation of anie matter For the vnderstandinge and the will be as it were two ballances of our sowle the which are disposed in such sorte that the ascendinge of the one is the descendinge of the other and so contrariewise So that if the speculation doe increase ouermuch then the affection thereby decreaseth and if contrary wise the affection doe increase then the speculation forthwith decreaseth And this is the cause why the Patriarke Iacob was made lame of one of his feete at what time he receyued benediction Gen. 32. for whereas our sowle hath two feete wherewith to goe vnto almightie God The vnderstandinge and the wil be the two feete of our sowle whereby it goeth vnto God which be the vnderstandinge and the will it is requisite that the one foot◠be weakened to witt the vnderstandinge in his speculation if the will which is th' other foote shall enioye almightie God in the rest and quietnes of contemplation And so it is seene by experience that in case at such tyme as the sowle is enioyenge of almightie God it doe but turne a-side to seke to vnderstande or searche some poynte or matter appertayninge vnto God it loseth forthwith at the verie same instante the deuotion which it had and that souereine good thinge vanisheth then awaie frō him which before he enioyed And therefore not without good cause doth the bridegrome aduise the spowse in the Canticles sayeinge Turne awaie thyne eies from me Cant. 6.4 for they haue made me to flye Wherefore I counsaile a man in this exercise of meditation to occupie his vnderstandinge in speculatiō with as litle curiositie as is possible and to contente him selfe with a simple sighte and knowledge of diuine thinges to the intent that the vertue of his sowle recollectinge all her forces together maie employe her selfe by this affectiue parte I meane by the affections of the will in louinge and reuerencinge the cheefest goodnes to witt almightie God we must not meditate vpon diuine misteries in such wife as if we studied to preache them Whereby it appeareth that those men take not the righte trade herein that in prayer doe meditate in such wise vpon diuine misteries as if they shoulde studie to preach them the which disorderlie maner is rather to cause the Spirite to wander more abrode than to recollecte it and rather to goe out of him selfe than to kepe within himselfe And hereof it commeth that when they haue made an ende of theire exercise of praier they remayne as drie and without anie ioyce of deuotion and as easely moued to followe euerie kinde of lightnes and vanitie of the worlde as they were before their exercise For to speake the verie trueth they haue not praied but rather talked and studied which is a thinge farre diferēte from praier Such persons ought to consider that in this exercise of prayer ād meditatiō we rather come to heare than to speake For as the Prophet saieth Such as come to our Lordes feite Deuter. 33.3 shall receyue his doctrine as he receyued it that saiede Psal 84. I will hearken what our Lorde speaketh within me Wherefore I conclude that all this busines of meditation consisteth in speakinge litle In meditation we must chieflie exercise the affections of our will and in louinge much and in geuinge place to the will that it maie ioyne it selfe with all his forces vnto almightie God And we must not spurre forwardes these two powers of the sowle a-like nor walke in this waie with equall pases but a spetiall dexteritie is requisite to be vsed to stirre vp the will and to quiet the vnderstandinge that it hinder not with his curious discourses the operations of loue And
and if it seeme vnto thee that he commeth not humble thy selfe then before him and acknowledge that thou art not worthie to receiue that thinge which he geueth not vnto thee and let this content thee for that tyme that thou hast made a sacrifice of thy selfe denied thine owne will crucified thy appetite striued with the diuell and with thy felfe and done at the least what thou couldest for thyne owne parte And in case thou haue not adored our Lorde with sensible adoration accordinge to thy desire it is sufficient that thou hast adored him in spirite and in trueth accordinge as his will is to be adored Ioan. 4.23 And trust me assuredlie in this poynte that this is the most daungerous passage of all this nauigation and the place where trewe deuout persons are prooued and tried and that if thou escape well out of this daunger thou shalt haue prosperous successe in all the rest To conclude if all this notwithstandinge it seeme vnto thee that it were but time lost to perseuere in praier and to trouble and wearie thy head without anie profite in such a case I accompt it not anie inconuenience if when thou hast done what lieth in thee thou take then some deuoute booke and chaunge for that time thy prayer into readinge Howbeit with this condition that thy readinge be not passed ouer with to great hast when our harte is verie much distracted it is good then to entermingle readinge and meditation together or speide but leasurelie and with great attention and consideration vnto such thinges as thou doest reade and intermingle now and then in places conuenient praier with readinge which is a thinge both verie profitable and verie easie to be done by all kinde of persons be they neuer so rude and newly entered into this waie The sixte aduise that we must endeuour to haue a longe and profounde praier and great aboundance of deuotion § VI. AN other aduise there is not much differinge from this aforesaied nor of lesse necessitie than it which is that the seruante of God doe not content him selfe with euerie litle tast he findeth in his praier as some persones vse to doe who when they shead a fewe teares or feile a litle tendernes of harte we must seeke in praier for aboundance of deuotion perswade them selues forthwith that they haue then accomplished and performed their exercise But surelie this is not enoughe for the obteininge of that thinge which we here seeke to haue For like as a litle dewe or sprinkelinge of water is not sufficient to cause the earthe to bringe forthe fruite which doth no more but onely alaie the dust and wette the vppermost parte of the grounde but it is neidfull also to haue so great abundance of water that it maie enter into the innermost parte of the earthe and there soke and water throwghe the same euen so if we will haue our sowle to bringe forthe the fruites of vertues and good worckes it is not sufficient to haue that litle dewe and sprinkelinge of deuotion which at the turninge of the head is dried vp with the least blast of wynde or heate of sonne that cōmeth with the which the sowle maketh some outwarde apparance that it is deuout but in verie deide it is not so within but it is also requisite to haue a longe profounde praier and great deuotion which after the maner of a great showre of raine may descende and sinke downe into the bothom of the harte and there cause it to be so well watered and wasshed therewith that neither sonne nor winde I meane hereby that neither anie busines nor cares of the worlde maie be able to drie it vp nor make anie alteration therein Accordinge hereunto we reade of the blessed holie religious woman S. Clare S. Clare that she rose sometimes from prayer and meditation so wholie absorpted in contemplation vpon almightie God that she coulde not but with verie great difficultie frame her harte to deale in such busines as she was enforced to attende vnto by reason of her office This kinde of deuotion is not like vnto that which is caried awaie with the winde and dried vp with euerie aier but it is like vnto that deuotion whereof it is written in the Canticles Cant. 8.7 That manie waters shall not be able to quenche the fier of charitie neither shall the great riuers ouerflowe it In prayer it is better to haue one longe time then two shorte times And therefore we are counselled and that for verie good cause to take as longe a time for this holie exercise of prayer and meditation as we maie And suerlie it is better to haue one longe tyme for the same than two shorte tymes For if the time of prayer be shorte all is spente in setlinge the imagination and in quietinge the harte and then so soone as we haue quieted the same we rise vp forthwith from our exercise at the very time when we shoulde beginne it So that we are like vnto the Miner which in searchinge for golde geueth ouer digginge at the verie time when he findeth the vaine thereof and so loseth his former traueyll when he shoulde presentlie enioye the fruit of his labour For vndoubtedly the fruit and profite of a longe and profounde praier is wont sometimes to be so great that a man hath thereby store enoughe to spende manie daies together 3. Reg. 17. and to goe with Elias to the mounte of almightie God with the vertue and force of the foode and sustenaunce which he hath there receyued One hower and a halfe or two howers is a conueniente time for the exercise of prayer But to descende more particulerlie in limitinge this time I am of opinion that what so euer is lesse than one howre and a halfe or two howres is to shorte a tyme for praier and meditation For often times there is spente more than halfe an howre in temperinge and tuninge our instrument to witt our harte and in quietinge our imaginatiō and so all the rest of this time is litle enoughe for the enioyinge of the fruit of praier True it is I graunte that when we goe to this exercise after some other holie exercises as for example after matins or after that we haue harde or saied Masse or after some deuoute readinge Earlie in the morninge before day is a verie fitte tyme for the exercise of praier and meditation or vocall praiers our harte is then better disposed vnto this exercise For then this heauenlie fier of deuotion is enkendeled with lesse difficultie in our harte which by reason of the former holie exercise is verie apte like drie wood to take fier muche more quicklie therein Likewise earlie in the morninge before daie the tyme of our praier and meditation maie be the shorter because then our harte is much better disposed for this exercise as hereafter shal be declared Howbeit in case it be so that a man by reason
of his manifolde busines and affaires haue but litle time to bestowe in praier and meditation Luc. 21. yet let him not omitte to offer vp his myte with the poore widowe in the temple For if he faile not of his dewtie herein through his owne negligence almightie God who prouideth for all creatures accordinge to their nature and necessitie will prouide for him also accordinge vnto his necessitie The seuenthe aduise that we must not receyue the visitations of our Lorde in vaine § VII AGREABLE vnto this foresayde aduise we will geue an other very like vnto it which is that when our sowle is visited either in praier or out of praier we must not suffer anie of our Lordes speciall visitations to passe in vayne with anie spetiall visitation of our Lorde we suffer it not to passe awaie in vaine but take the commoditie and benefite of that occasion that is offered vnto vs. For certaine it is that with this winde a man shall saile more in one howre than without it in manie daies For as S. Peeter tooke more abundance of fishe at that one draughte when our Sauiour commaunded him to cast in his nette Ioan. 21.6 than he had done in all the whole night before euen so doth it happen vnto vs oftentimes in this heauenly fisshinge in case we knowe how to helpe our selues by takinge benefite of the oportunities and occasions that be offered vnto vs therein And therefore for good cause are we aduised by Ecclesiasticus sayeinge Eccles 14.14 Omitte not to enioye the good daie that God sendeth thee and suffer not the least parte of his good gifte to passe awaie without takinge benefite thereof Opportunitie is of great force and helpeth much in all thinges and more in this exercise of prayer than in any other For herein it seemeth as it were Ioan. 5. that the Angell descendeth to moue the water of the fisheponde and to geue it vertue to heale Or els to speake more plainlie to this purpose it is as it were the descendinge of almightie God to drawe at the plowghe with a man and to helpe him in his labour whose helpe is more profitable and auailable than all the industrie and diligence in the worlde The mariner when he seeth that the time serueth him well to get out of the hauen forthwith he draweth vp his ankers and hoyseth vp his saile and staieth not anie longer for feare of losinge that good opportunetie which the time offereth vnto him The like ought all spirituall persones to doe when they receyue anie visitations from our Lorde in their praier and meditation and their diligence shoulde be so much the greater by how much this exercise of meditation is greater and this diuine blast more necessarie for praier than that for nauigation And so we reade that the blessed holie religious father S. Francis did S. Francis of whom S. Bonauenture writeth that he had such a spetiall care of this poynt that in case our Lorde did visite him with anie spetiall visitation while he was traueylinge by the waye he caused his companions to goe before and he staied alone behinde vntill he had made an ende of chewinge and digestinge that sweit morsell that was there sente vnto him from heauen Whosoeuer they be that doe not well obserue this poynte How such be punished as make no accompte of our Lordes speciall visitations in prayer are wont commonly to be chasticed with this punishement that they finde not almighie God when they seike him because he founde not them when he sought for them These be the principall aduises that are to be obserued in the exercise of meditation and in euerie of the other partes that doe accompanie the same in case we minde fullie to accomplishe this busines and not to leaue it in the midde waie Now it shall doe well that we make hast to proceede forwardes to treat of the rest and so to bringe this first parte to an ende which perhappes hath bene longer than is requisite OF SIXE POYNTES THAT ARE TO BE MEDITATED VPON in the holie Passion of our Sauiour Iesus Christ THE LAST CHAPITER FORSOMVCH as the most holie Passion of our Sauiour Iesus Christe is the principall matter of meditation it is meete that sithence we haue hitherto treated of meditation in generall we doe now treat particulerly how we ought to meditate vpon the holie passion of our Sauiour Christ to the intent that we maie knowe how to behaue our selues in this matter But here we must first presuppose that emonge all the deuotions in the worlde there is none more secure none more profitable or more vniuersall for all kinde of persons than the remembrance of the holie passion of our Sauiour Christe Albertus Magnus saiethe Note what great proffit enseweth by meditation vpon the holie Passion That it is more profitable for a man to meditate euerie daie a litle vpon the holie passion of our Sauiour Christe than to fast with bread and water all the Fridaies in the yeare and to discipline and scourge him selfe vntill he shead bloude and to saie all the whole Psalter from one ende thereof to an other At the least wise this is verie certaine that this holie exercise is a passinge great helpe to directe the sowle in all vertue and goodnes For consideringe that our Sauiour Christe is as he him selfe saieth Ioan. 14.6 The waie the trueth and the lyfe there is none other exercise more fitte and cōueniente to directe vs to goe vnto God to knowe God and to enioye God than to fixe alwaies our eies vpon our Sauiour Christe For though Christe be vnto vs the waie the treuth ād the lyfe in all thinges wheresoeuer we cōsider him yet is he most espetially so vnto vs whē we beholde him vpon the Crosse And therefore S. Bernarde saide verie diuoutly S. Bernarde well maie I ô Lorde compasse about heauen and earthe yet shall I not finde the but vpon thee crosse There thou liest there thou sleipest at noone daie But leauinge now this matter for an other place I will onely treat at this presente after what sorte we ought to behaue our selues whē we meditate vpon the holie passion of our Sauiour Christe For there be some simple persons that seeke nothinge els in this holie exercise but onely to shee l a fewe teares in takinge compassion vpon the bitter paines and sorowes of our Sauiour and so doe staie them selues in this pointe alone without passinge anie further And albeit this takinge compassion of our Sauiours paines be verie good and necessarie forsomuch as it is the foundation of all the rest as hereafter shal be declared yet this is not the onely fruite that maie be gathered of this holie tree but there be others farre greater than this forsomuch as out of the meditatiō of the holie passion doth all the profite of the spirituall lyfe proceede Sixe thinges to be considered in the passion of our Sauiour
compassion Howbeit the paines of our Sauiour Christe are not thus ended there be yet others without all cōparison farre greater than these to witt the paines of his blessed sowle For all these paines aboue-named doe for the most parte appertaine to the paines of the crosse wherein his bodie suffered outwardly but besides this visible Crosse The inuisible crosse of our sauiour wherewith his sowle was tormēted there was yet an other inuisible crosse wherein his most holie sowle was crucified within his bodie hauinge also foure armes and foure nailes which were foure dolorous considerations and these were a farre greater tormente vnto him than theverie outwarde crosse For first of all there were represented vnto him al the sinnes of the worlde that were present past and to come for all which he suffered and that so distinctlie as if they had bene the sinnes but of one man alone Now to him that bare such a passinge great loue and zeale vnto the honour of his father what an vnspekeable greife was it to beholde such an infinite nomber of abhominations and offences committed against so highe a maiestie For it is certaine that the sinnes of one man alone were able to tormente him more than al the tormētes of the crosse The which beinge so what a passinge greate greife woulde the sinnes of all men and of all worldes cause vnto him Suerly there is no vnderstandinge able to comprehende the passinge greatnes of this greife Secondly there was also represented vnto him the ingratitude and damnation of many men and espetially of many wicked Christiās which woulde neuer acknowledge this singuler benefite nor endeuour to profite and helpe thē selues with this so great and so costlye a remedie as he there prepared for them This was also a farre greater tormente vnto him than the tormente of the crosse For it is a greater paine vnto a labourer to be denied his daie wages and the fruite of his labour than the very labour it selfe albeit it were verie great And for this cause our Sauiour complained by his Prophete Esaie of this iniurie vnto his father sayeinge I saiede In vaine haue I trauailed In vaine Esa 49.4 and without cause haue I wasted my strengthe And he complained of this ingratitude not onely to his father but also euen vnto men them selues by S. Bernarde sayeinge O man S. Bernarde consider what cruell tormentes I suffer for thy sake There is no paine that tormenteth me so extremelie as thy ingratitude dothe I calle vnto thee that doe suffer deathe for thee Beholde the paines that doe torment me Beholde the nailes that doe pearse throughe my handes and fette Beholde the shamefull reproches and despites where with they dishonour me And although the paine which I suffer out wardly be so passinge great yet is the paine farre greater which I suffer in wardly when I see thee so ingratefull and vnkinde to wardes me for the same In like maner there was represented vnto him the horrible sinne of that miserable people of Iewrie and the terrible punishement that was prepared for them within a shorte time after which vndoutedlie was a greater greife and tormente vnto him than the cuppe of his bitter passion For if the Prophete Ieremie signified that the sinne which the Iewes committed in goinge about to kille him greiued him much more than his owne very deathe what a greife woulde it be to our sauiour who had without all comparison farre greater charitie and grace than the Prophete Ieremie There were moreouer represented vnto him the greifes and dolefull sworde of sorowe which pearsed the harte of his blessed mother Luc. 2.35 when she sawe him suffer betwene two theiues vpon a crosse the which vndoutedlie was so great a greife and paine vnto him as the loue was great which he bare vnto her which loue was inestimable forsomuch as next vnto the loue of God he loued her most of all creatures Now these fowre considerations and greifes were as it were fowre armes of an other inwarde crosse wherewith his blessed sowle was likewise crucified within his holie bodic So that our sauiour suffered that daie the paines and tormentes of two crosses th' one visible and tho'other inuisible Vpon th' one crosse his bodie suffered outwardly and vpon th' other his sowle suffered much more inwardly Now how passinge great the greife was which proceided of these foure considerations there is no vnderstandinge able to comprehende it and yet we maie coniecture somewhat thereof by that outwarde shewe of his blouddie sweate in the garden Whosoeuer then shall attentiuelie consider all these causes shall clearlie see how passinge great the paines and tormentes of our Sauiour were which is the intente of this first maner of meditatinge vpon his most bitter passion Howbeit this must not be the finall ende of this exercise but rather it must be vsed as a meane to come to other endes to witt to vnderstande hereby what a passinge great loue he bare vnto thee that woulde suffer so much for thee and what a great benefite he did vnto thee in byeinge thee with so deare a price and how much thou art bounde to doe for him who hath done and suffered so much for thee and aboue all this how greatlie thou oughtest to abhorre thy sinnes and be greiued with them sith they were the cause of his so lōge and painfull martirdome Nowe for these foure endes whereof we will intreat in the chapters followinge serueth this maner of contemplation Whereby it appeareth that this first maner of meditatinge by waie of takinge compassion of the bitter paines of our Sauiour is as it were a meane or a ladder vnto all the others And for this verie cause S. Bonauenture made great accompte of this maner of meditation vpon the passion because it is sensiblie seene that this maner of meditation openeth the waie vnto all the other maners of meditatinge vpon the same And the same holie father saiethe that for this purpose it shal be a great helpe also for vs to take some discipline which maie cause some smarte and doe no hurte to the bodie that so by the feelinge of that so litle paine of whippinge and scourginge our selues we maie the better lift vp our spirite to consider somewhat of the passinge great paines and tormentes which the most tender bodie of our sweite Sauiour suffered for our sakes How in the Passions of our Sauiour Christe appeareth verie manifestlie what a greyuous thinge sinne is in the sighte of almightie God § II. THE seconde point that we haue to consider in the passion of our Sauiour is the greiousnes of our sinnes whereby to moue our hartes to be sorowfull for them and to abhorre them Wherefore we must vnderstande that as all the holie learned fathers doe affirme our sinnes were the very cause why the sonne of almightie God suffered such greiuous paines tormentes and crewell death as he suffered in this worlde For it is certaine that if there