abide to take so littell labour as he should bestowe in preparinge him selfe for the receauinge of this most holie Sacrament he will rather want the benefit of so great and inestimable diuyne treasure which is of greater valewe then all that euer almightie God hath created The fower-the cause This heauenlie bridegrome desired also to be loued of his spouse with a passinge great loue and therefore he ordeined this diuine misticall morsell consecrated with such wordes that whosoeuer receaueth it worthelie is forthwith towched and striken with this loue O wonderfull misterie worthie to be engraued euen in the innermost parte of our hartes Tell me o thou vngratefull man if a prince should beare such a great affection and loue towardes a seelie wenche that were his bond slaue that he coulde finde in his hart to take her for his spouse and make her quene and ladie of all he is Lord of how great woulde we saie that the loue of that prince had bene that woulde doe such a deede And if peraduenture after the mariage solemnized this slaue should showe her selfe coldlie affected towardes the prince her husbande and he vnderstandinge the same woulde as a man forlorne goe to seeke with all diligence for some pretious morsell and geue it her to eate whereby to winne her loue vnto him how passinge great would we saie that the loue of that prince were that should be thus affected towardes her Now therefore O kinge of glorie what meaneth this that thou for the entiere loue thou bearest vnto me hast vouchesafed not onely to take my soule to be thy spouse beinge as she was the verie bonde slaue of thine ennemie the deuill but seinge her also all this notwithstandinge verie coldlie affected towardes thee hast ordeined for her this misticall and diuine morsell which thou hast transformed with such wordes that it hath vertu in it to transforme such soules into thee as shall feede thereon and make them to burne with liuelie flames of loue There is no one thinge that declareth the affection of loue more euidentlie then when a man hath a desire to be beloued Considering therefore that thou hast bene so greatlie desirous of our loue that thou hast sowght it with such strange inuentions who shall from hence forth stand in dowte of thy loue we be certayne that if we loue God God will loue vs agayne Certayne I am o may most louinge and mercifull Lord that if I loue thee thou also louest me And certayne I am also that I neede not to seeke anie inuentions to allure thy hart to loue me as thou hast sowght toi allure my harte to loue thee That most sweet bridegrome would also be absent from his spouse The fifte cause and yet because loue cannot abide to be absente from the beloued he would depart in such wise that he might not altogether departe from her and he would so goe awaie that he might also remaine with her wherefore consideringe that it was not expedient for our Sauiour to tarrie here still and the spouse mighte not as then goe from hence with him he deuised a meane that althowgh he went his waie and his spouse remained still behinde yet should they neuer be seperated and set a sonder For this cause therefore he instituted this diuine sacrament that by meanes thereof the soules might be vnited and incorporated spirituallie with Christ and that with such a stronge bonde of loue that of them two there should be made one thinge For like as of meate and of him that eateth the meate there is made one same thinge euen so likewise after a certeine maner is there made of the soule and of Christ sauinge that as Sainct Augustine saith Christ is not changed into our soules S. August but our soules be changed into him not by nature but by loue conformetie and likenes of life Moreouer our Sauiours will and pleasure was to assure his spouse The sixte cause and to geue her a pledge of that blessed inheritance of eternall glorie that she being fortified with the hope of this felicitie An assured hope to enioye the felicitie in the kingedome of heauē maketh a mā to despise all worldelie thinges might passe chearfullie throwghe all the trowbles aduersities afflictions and persecutions of this life For trulie there is no one thinge that causeth vs so muche to despise all thinges that are to be had in this life as a assured hope of that blessednes and felicitie we shall enioye in the life to come According as our Sauiour signified vnto vs in those wordes he spake to his disciples before his passion Ioan. 14. If ye loued me said he ye would be right glad of my departure because I goe to the father As thowgh he had said it is a great felicitie to goe to the father For althowgh the waie to goe to him be throwgh whippes thornes nailes crosses and all other tribulations and martirdomes of this life Yet all that notwithstanding it is a thinge of inestimable gaine and cōfort to goe vnto him Wherefore to the intent that his spouse might haue a verie firme and assured hope of this felicetie he left her here in pledge this inestimable diuine treasure which is of as great vallue as al that is there hoped for that she should not mistrust but that almightie God will geue himselfe vnto her in glorie where she shall liue whollie in spirite seinge he denieth not himselfe vnto her in this vale of teares where she liueth in fleshe Our Sauiour purposed also The seuenthe cause at the houre of his death to make his testament and to leaue vnto his spouse some notable legacie to be as a releife and comforte for her at all times and so he left her this most blessed sacrament wherein Christe himselfe is trewlie and reallie presente which was the most pretious and most profitable bequest that he could possible leaue vnto her 4. Reg. 2. Elias when he woulde depart awaie from the earth left his clooke to his disciple Elizeus as one that had none other riches whereof to make him his heire But our most sweete louinge sauiour and master when he woulde ascende into heauen left here vnto vs the clooke of his sacred bodie in this most holie sacrament appointing vs here to be his heires as by the right of children of this so great and inestimable diuine treasure With that mantell Elizeus passed the waters of the floude Iourdan and was neither drowned nor wetshod and with the vertue and grace of this most blessed sacrament the faithfull do passe the waters of the vanities and tribulations of this life without sinne and without danger To conclude The eighte cause our Sauiour intended to leaue vnto our soules sufficient prouision and foode wherewith they might liue forso much as the soule hath no lesse nede of her proper sustenance The soule hathe as greate neede of spirituall foode as the bodie hathe of
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
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
hande that shall betraie me And whiles he yet spake lo Iudas one of the twelue came and with him a great multitude with swordes and staues and torches and lanternes beinge sent from the highe preistes and elders of the people Now he that betraied him had geuen them a token sayinge whom so euer I shall kisse that is he laie handes on him And forthwith he came to Iesus and said hayle maister and kissed him Then Iesus said vnto him Freynd Ioan. 18. wherefore art thou come And Simon Peter drewe out his sworde and strooke a seruante of the high preiste and cut of his right eare This seruant was called Malcus Then Iesus said vnto Peter put vp thy swoord into the scabbord The cuppe that my Father hath geuen me wilt thou not that I drinke it And he towched the eare and forthewith made it whole At that time Iesus said to the high preistes Luc. 22. and to the officers of the temple and to the elders that came vnto him Ye be come out as it were Math. 26. against a theefe swoordes and staues I sat dailie emonge you teachinge in the temple and ye laid no handes on me But this is your howre and the power of darkenes Ioan. 18. Then the souldiers and the captaine and the officers of the Iewes tooke Iesus and boūd him and led him awaie to Annas first for he was father in lawe to Caiphas who was the high preist for that yeare Math. 26. Then all the disciples forsooke him and fled MEDITATIONS VPON THESE POYNTES OF THE TEXT VHAT doest thou o my soule what thinkest thou It is no time now to sleepe Come with me I praye thee into the garden of Gethsemanie ād there shalt thou heare and see great misteries There shalt thou see ioye stroken with sadnes fortitude waxen afraide strengthe discomfited maiestie and omnipotencie confounded greatenes and mightines verie narrowlie streytened and glorie it self obscured and darkened Of Christes prayinge in the Garden Consider now first how after that supper which was so full of misterie was ended our sauiour went with his disciples vnto the mownte Oliuet to make his praier before he would enter into the combat of his passion In all troubles and temptatiōs of this life we must haue recourse to praier as to a holie ancker and refuge to geue vs thereby to vnderstand that in all troubles and temptations of this life we must alwaies haue recourse vnto praier as it were to an holie ancker by vertu whereof the burden of tribulation shall eyther be taken quite awaie from vs or els we shall haue strength geuen vs to be able to beare it which is a farre greater grace For as S. Gregorie saith our Lord doth vs a greater benefit S. Gregorie when he geueth vs force and strength to be able to susteine troubles and temptations then when he taketh the same troubles and temptations awaie from vs. Our sauiour tooke with him to accompanie him in this waie three of his best beloued Disciples to witt S. Peter S. Iames and S. Iohn which three a little before had bene witnesses of his glorious transfiguration And this he did that the verie same persons might see what a farre different shape he tooke nowe vpon him for the loue of men from that glorious shape wherein he had shewed him selfe vnto them at his transfiguration And because they should vnderstand that the inward troubles and agonie of his soule were no lesse then those that begane to be discouered outwardly he spake vnto them those sorowfull wordes My soule is heauie euen vnto death tarrie me here and watche with me That verie God and trewe man that man that farre excellethe both our humane nature and all thinges created whose de alinge and conference was with the verie breste of the highe Deitie it selfe with whom onelie he communicated his secretes is now fallen into so great sorrowe and heauines that he is contented to geue part of his paines vnto his creatures and to require of thē theire companie saying tarrie me here and watch with me O treasure of heauen o perfet felicitie who hath browght thee o Lord vnto such a narrowe straight who hath driuen thee to seeke at other mens gates who hath caused thee to become a beggar euen of thine owne creatures who hath done all this but onely the verie greate loue thou hast to make them riche Tell me o most sweete and mercifull redeemer wherefore art thou now so much afraide of death which before thou diddest so much desire seinge the fulfilling of the desire is a cause rather of ioye then of feare Verelie the Martirs had neither the fortitude nor yet the grace that thou hast They had onelie a little portion which thou beinge the fountaine of grace diddest impart vnto them and yet they with that onelie smale quantitie of grace entred verie cheerfullie into the combat of there martirdomes and atcheiued the victorie And art thou o Lord beinge the geuer of strength and grace sad and fearfull now The verie cause both of Christes feare and of the fortitude of the Martyrs euen before the battell beginne Assuredlie o Lord this thy feare is not thyne but myne as likewise the strength and fortitude of thy Martirs was not theires but thyne The feare that thou hast commeth of that thou hast of vs and the strength and and fortitude that the martyrs had came of that they had receiued of thee The weakenes of my humane nature is discouered in that God was afraide and the strengthe of thy godhead is showed in the fortitude of man So that this feare is myne and that fortitude is thyne And therefore thy reproche is myne and my praise is thyne There was taken a ribbe bone out of the side of our forefather Adam Genesis 2. to forme a woman thereof and in steede of the bone that was taken awaie there was put weake and feeble fleshe Now what elles is signified hereby but that the euerlastinge father tooke from thee beinge our second Adam the force and strengthe of grace to place the same in thy spouse the Catholick Church and tooke from her the feeble fleshe and weakenes to place it in thee by meanes whereof thy spouse remayned stronge and thou weake she stronge by reason of thy strength and thou weake by reason of her weakenes Thou hast herein o heauenlie Lord bestowed a dowble benefit vpon vs in that thou hast vouchsaffed not onelie to clothe vs with thee but euen also to clothe thy selfe with vs. For these two so singuler benefittes the angelles praise thee for euermore for that thou hast bene no niggarde in communicatinge thy benefittes vnto vs nor yet disdayned to take vpon thee our miseries Now when I consider these thinges o Lord what ells should I do but seinge my selfe as it were loden with thy mercies glorie in thee and seinge thee to be likewise replenished with my miseries for my sake take compassion
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
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
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
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
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
fiue kindes to witt to the benefites of creation conseruation redemption vocation and to the secrete benefites that euerie one hath receyued particulerly in him selfe As concerninge the first benefite which is of creation The benefite of creation Consider first with great attention what thou wast before thou were created and what almightie God hath done for thee and bestowed vpon thee before thou diddest merite or deserue anie thinge at all to witt he gaue thee thy bodie with all thy members and senses and thy sowle which is of so great excellencie created after his owne image and likenes for so highe and excellent an ende as to haue the fruition of almightie God And withall he gaue thee those three noble powers also of thy sowle which be Vnderstandinge Memorie and Will And cōsider well with thy selfe that to geue thee this sowle was to geue thee all thinges For it is cleare that there is no perfection nor habilitie in any of all the inferior creatures but that man hath the same in him in a farre more highe and greater perfection and by meanes of the vertue and habilitie of his sowle he is able to attaine vnto it Whereby it appeareth that by geuinge vnto vs this thinge alone to witt our sowle he gaue vs therewith at once all thinges together As concerninge the benefite of conseruation The benefite of conseruation consider how all thy whole beinge dependethe of the prouidence of almightie God How thou art not able to liue one momente nor to steppe so much as one steppe were it not by meanes of him Consider also how he hath created all thinges in this worlde for thy vse ād seruice insomuche as he hath appointed euen the verie Angels of heauen for thy garde and defence Consider moreouer how he hath geuen thee healthe strengthe lyfe sustenaunce with all other temporall helpes and succours And aboue all this consider well the manifolde great miseries and calamities into which thou seest other men falle euerie daye and how thou thy selfe mightest also haue fallen into the same had it not bene that almightie God of his greate mercie preserued thee As concerninge the benefite of redemption thou mayst consider therein two thinges The benefite of redemption First how manie and how great benefites almightie God hath geuen vs by meanes of the benefite of redemption And secondlie how manie and how great miseries he hath suffered in his most holie bodie and sowle to purchase these benefites vnto vs. As concerninge the benefite of vocation consider first of all The benefite of vocation what a great benefite it was of almightie God to make thee a Christian to calle thee to the Catholike faith by meanes of the holie Sacramente of Baptisme and to make thee also partaker of the other sacramētes And then if after this callinge of thee thou hast fallen into deadlie synne and thereby loste thyne innocencie in case now our Lorde haue raised thee vp from synne and receyued thee againe into his grace and fauour and set thee in the state of saluation how canste thou be able to geue him sufficient praises and thāckes for this so inestimable a benefite What a great mercie was it to expecte thee so longe time to suffer thee to committe so manie synnes and in the meane time to sende thee so manie diuine inspirations and not to shorten the daies of thy lyfe as he hath done to diuerse and sundrie others that were in the verie same state and laste of all to calle thee with so mightie a grace that thou mightest ryse vp againe from death to lyfe and open thyne eies to beholde the eternall lighte What a great mercie was it also after that thou wast conuerted to geue thee grace not to returne vnto deadlie synne againe but to stande and vanquishe thyne enemie and to perseuere in good lyfe This is that morninge and eueninge dewe that almightie God promised by the Prophet Ioel sayeinge And yee sonnes of Sion reioyce Ioell 2.23 and be glad in our Lorde God for he hath geuen you a teacher of iustice and he shall cause the morninge and eueninge dewe to rayne and poure downe vpon you Meaninge hereby that almightie God geueth vs firste his preuentinge grace 1. Grace preuentinge wherewith we beginne to sowe the seede of vertues and afterwardes he geueth vs his grace subsequent 2. Grace subsequente and finall and final which bringeth this seede to his full rypenes and happie ende These are the publike and knowen benefites Of secrete benefites But besides these there be other secrete benefites which no man knoweth but he onely that hathe receiued them Agayne there be other benefites also so secrete that euen he himselfe that hathe receiued them knoweth not of them and he onely knoweth them that is the geuer of them How manie times hast thou deserued in this worlde either throughe thy pride negligence or vnthankfulnes that almightie God shoulde haue withdrawen his grace from thee we falle frō God eyther throughe our pride negligēce or vnthankefulnes and vtterlie forsaken thee as he hath done to manie others for some one of these causes for whosoeuer they be that doe falle from God they falle by some of these meanes and yet hath not almightie God dealte thus with thee How manie euilles and occasions of euilles hath our Lorde prevented and turned awaye by his prouidence in ouerthrowinge the snares of the deuill thine enemye and stoppinge him of his passage and not permittinge him to execute his wylie practises and deceites vpon thee How oftentimes hath he done for euerie one of vs as he saiede he did for S. Peter Luc. 22. Beholde saiede our Sauiour how Satan goeth busilie aboute to sift you as corne in the barne but I haue praied for thee that thy faith faile not Now who knoweth these secretes Benefites positiue but onely almightie God The positiue benefites be such as a man maie sometimes vnderstāde and knowe them but those benefites that are called priuatiue Benefites priuatiue which consiste not in doinge benefites vnto vs but in deliueringe vs from hidden and secrete euilles that were comminge towarde vs who is able to vnderstande Wherefore as well for these benefites as for the others it is reason we shoulde alwaies shewe our selues thankefull to our Lorde and vnderstande how farre in arrerages we be in our reckeninge with him and how much more we be indetted vnto him than we are able to paie consideringe we are not able so much as to vnderstande what they are THE SEVENTHE TREATISE OF THE CONSIDERATION OF the benefites of almightie God Wherein the former meditation is declared more at large ONE of the greatest complaintes that almightie God maketh against men and wherewith he will most charge them at the daie of their accompte Almightie God will charge vs at the daye of our accompte with our vnthankefulnes and ingratitude for his manifolde benefites Esa 1. is their vnthankfulnes and
ingratitude for his manifolde benefites With this kinde of complaynte the Prophet Esaie beginneth the first wordes of his prophecie callinge heauen and earthe to witnes against the ingratitude and vnthankfulnes of the wicked Hearken saieth he ô heauen and thou earthe geue eare vnto my wordes for our Lorde hath spoken it I haue nourished children and exalted them and they haue despised me The oxe knoweth his owner and the Asse his masters maunger but Israell hath not knowen me neither woulde my people vnderstande me Now what thinge is more straunge than that men shoulde not acknowledge that thinge which the verie bruite beastes doe acknowledge And as S. Ierome saieth vpon this place S. Ierome The Prophete woulde not compare men with other lyuinge beastes that are more quicke of sense Ingrateful and vnthankefull persons are more brutishe than the most brutishe beastes that are as with the dogge that for a litle peece of bread defendeth his masters howse but euen with the Oxe and Asse which are more heauie and rude geauinge vs hereby to vnderstande that ingratefull and vnthankefull persons are not to be likened to euerie kinde of beastes but that they be much more brutishe thā the most brutishe beastes that are Now what punishement trowe ye doth so great beastlines deserue Almightie God hath prepared many punishements for ingratefull persons The ordinarie punishemente of ingraful persons but the most iust and ordinarie punishement is to spoile them of all those benefites they haue receyued because they woulde not geue thākes to the geuer of them as of duetie they ought to haue done S. Bernarde For as S. Bernarde saiethe Ingratitude is as it were a burninge winde that drieth vp the riuer of Gods mercie the fountain of his clemencie and the flowinge streame of his grace Now as vnthankfulnes is the cause of so great euils The consideration of Gods benefites moueth vs to loue God euen so contrariewise thankefulnes is the beginninge of verie great graces and especially of three The first is the loue God For as Aristotle saieth goodnes is amiable of it selfe and euerie man is naturallie most inclined to loue his owne proper weale Seinge therefore that men be naturally such louers of them selues and of their owne proper commoditie when they see plainlie that all that they haue cōmeth of the gracious goodnes of that cheifest benefactor forthewith they be moued to loue and wishe well vnto him whom they perceiue and acknowledge to haue bestowed so great benefites vpon them And hereof it commeth that emonge the considerations that doe most helpe vs to attayne vnto the loue of God one of the most principall is the consideration of the benefites of almightie God For euerie one of these benefites is as it were a fyerbrande that quickeneth and enkendeleth more and more the flame of this loue and so consequently to consider many of these benefites is to ioyne manie fyerbrandes together whereby the flame of this fyer is enkendeled more and more in vs. This consideration helpeth also to stirre vp a desire in a man to serue almightie God when he considereth the great bownden duetie The consideration of Gods benefites stirreth vp a desire in a man to serue God that he oweth vnto him vnto whō he is so much indetted For if the verie birdes ād bruite beastes be moued herewith to answere vnto the voice of him that calleth them and doe obeye as though they were reasonable creatures vnto all such thinges as are commaunded them how much greater prouocations haue we to doe the like vnto almightie God that haue receiued farre more than they and be able to vnderstande farre better then they what greate and inestimable benefites we haue receyued of God This consideration is also profitable to stirre and prouoke in our sowles a sorowe and repentance for our synnes The consideration of Gods benefites stirreth vp a sorowe ād repentaunce in vs for our synnes For when a man considereth and weigheth deepely on the one syde the multitude of benefites he hath receyued of almightie God and on the other syde the great nomber of offences he hath committed against him how can he chuse but be ashamed of him selfe How can it be but that he must needes be confounded and discerne muche better the blacke by comparinge it with the white I meane hereby he shall much better discerne the greatnes of his owne wickednes by cōparinge the same with the greatnes of Gods passinge great goodnes who hathe continued so longe time in doinge good vnto him that contrariewise hath continued euermore for his parte in heapinge synne vpon synne against almightie God For these three endes therefore owght a man to cōsider the benefites of almightie God and withall in the consideration of them to geue him most humble thankes for the same So that when he setteth him selfe to meditate vpon the benefites of almightie God he must then be carefull to haue his recourses vnto these three poyntes in their due places applyenge his harte sometimes to loue him who hath bene so greately beneficiall vnto him some times to desire to serue him sometimes agayne to be sorowfull and repentant for his sinnes yea and sometimes also to offer vnto him sacrifice of praise and thankes geuinge for his so manifolde benefittes These sacrifices are signified by those calues of our lippes Osea 14.3 which the Prophet woulde haue vs to offer vnto almightie God for the benefites that we haue receyued of him True it is that the benefites of almightie God be innumerable but we will treate here onely of fiue kindes of benefittes which are of all others the most cheife and principall and whereunto all the other maie be reduced These fiue are the benefites of creation conseruation redemption vocation and finally the particuler and secrete benefites that euerie particuler person maie recognise and acknowledge in him selfe And it is not required of a man to thinke vpon all these benefites at one time but it shall suffice to thinke vpon one or twoe or three of them and to consider and pondre them well and diligentlie in his minde The exercises of meditation are not to be vsed as a taske but to be taken moderatlie as a daylie foode for the sowle For the exercises of meditation are not to be taken in lumpes as a taske that must be fullie wrought and finished within a certaine time but as a daily foode and sustenance which the more moderatly and temperatlie it is taken and the better it is digested the more profitable and holsome it is to a man Of the benefite of creation § I. TO beginne now with the benefite of creation that thou mayst the better vnderstāde somewhat of the greatnes of this benefite thou shalt doe well to consider firste verie deepely with thy selfe what thou wast before thou were created This is one of the principall aduises that the masters of the spirituall lyfe doe vse to geue in this behalfe as
Wherefore we must vnderstande that there be sixe thinges emonge manie others that maye be considered in the holie Passion of our Sauiour To witt The greatnes of his paines The greiuousnes of our sinnes The excellencie of the benefite The magnificencie of the goodnes of almightie God The multitude of the vertues of our Sauiour Christe which doe verie brightelie shine in his holie passion And the conueniencie of this meane whereby almightie God vouchsafed to worke our redemption These sixe pointes ought we to consider for sixe effectes wherein consisteth all the profite of the spirituall lyfe For we must consider the greatnes of the paines of our Sauiour Christe that we maie take compassion of them We must consider the greatnes of our owne sinnes that we maie abhorre them We must consider the greatnes of the benefite of his passion that we maie geue him thankes for it We must consider the excellencie of the goodnes of almightie God which in this holie passion of our Sauiour is discouered vnto vs that we maie verie hartely loue the same passinge great goodnes We must consider the multitude of the vertues of our Sauiour Christe which doe likewise shine verie brightlie in his passion that we maie be prouoked thereby to imitate them And we must consider the conueniencie of the misterie of his holie passion that we maie be brought thereby in admiratiō of the wisedome of almightie God and be the more confirmed in the faith of this holie misterie Of these sixe pointes we intende nowe to treate and of each one of them in his due place and order Of the passinge great paines and tormentes which our Sauiour Iesus Christe suffered in his most bitter Passion § I. FIRST we must consider the passinge great paines of our Sauiour Christe to prouoke our selues by that consideration to take compassion of them as reason it is that the members shoulde take compassion of their head Wherefore it is to be noted that the paines which our Sauiour suffered in his bitter passion were as the holie fathers saie the greatest that euer were suffered Summa S. Thomae 3. q. 46. artic 6. or euer shal be suffered in this worlde This shall appeare manifestlie to be true if we doe consider fiue principalle causes from whence the passinge greatnes of these paines proceeded The first cause was the passinge greatnes of his charitie which made him desirous to redeeme mankinde most abundantly and to satisfie most perfectly for the iniuries and offences committed against the diuine maiestie And because the greater paines he shoulde suffer the more perfectly he shoulde accomplishe both the one and the other and he wanted not the forces of grace to beare as great a burthen as he woulde therefore he woulde that his paines shoulde be passinge great that so likewise the satisfaction which he shoulde make for our dette and the worke of our redemption might be also passinge great The seconde cause which followeth hereof was that he suffered his payes without anie maner of ease or consolation For accordinge to the reason before mentioned he shutte vp from him selfe all the gates whereby anie maner of consolation might come vnto him either from heauen or from earthe insomuche that he was contente to be forsaken not onely of his disciples and freindes but also of his owne father yea and of him selfe also to the intent that so beinge destitute of all companie he might be burninge in the furnace of his most grieuous paines and tormentes without all maner of refresshinge of anie ease or consolation whatsoeuer that by anie meanes might come vnto him And therefore he saied in the Psalme Psal 87. I am become as a man destitute of all helpe I am left emonge the dead notwithstandinge that I alone am he that emonge the deade by righte am free from sinne and from deathe And in an other Psalme he saithe Psal 68. I am plunged in the bottome of waters and of myre and I finde no place where to staie my feete This is that forsakinge which our Sauiour signified vpon the crosse when he saiede Math. 27.46 My God My God why hast thou forsakē me Psal 21.1 For at that time his holie humanitie was forsakē in the middest of the furious streame of his paines and tormentes and was left destitute of all thinges that might either withstande or mitigate the force and vehemēcie of them Leuit. 16. This was figured in the lawe by those two beastes that were offered for the sinnes of the people of the which the one was killed and offered vp in sacrifice and the other departed awaye and was sent into the wildernes leauinge her companion alone in the tormentes The like was done in this heauenlie sacrifice where God and man was offered for the sinnes of the worlde and the one of the two natures to witt the humanitie was sacrificed and did suffer but the other nature to witt the diuinitie departed awaye leauinge her sister and companion all alone to suffer the tormentes For albeit that as concerninge the bonde of vnion the diuine nature neuer forsooke the humane nature which it had once taken yet as touchinge the consolation and ease of the paines and tormentes in the inferior parte it did wholy forsake the same And therefore we see that the Martirs when they went to suffer death shewed them selues verie courageous mearie and ioyefull as we reade of S. Agnes S. Agatha S. Laurence and of many others but our Sauiour beinge the verie fountaine of grace and of strēgthe through whose vertue the Martirs had such force and courage to be able to doe that which they did trēbled and sweated euen verie droppes of bloude when he wēt to suffer paynes and tormentes for vs. For in the martirs the vertue of charitie which redoūded into the inferior forces of the sowle caused them to haue verie great courage and ioye But in our Sauiour Christ both these and all other influences were by spetiall miracle suspended that so he might drincke the cuppe of his most bitter paines pure and without mixture of anie maner of ease or consolation The therde cause of his so grieuous paynes was the tendernes of his complexion For whereas his holie bodie was formed miraculously by the holie Ghost and the thinges that are done by miracle be more perfecte than those that be done by nature S. Chrisostome vpō S. Iohn 2. as S. Chrisostome declareth speakinge of the wyne which was turned into water at the mariage it followeth that our Sauiours bodie was the most best cōplexioned and most tender of all bodies that euer were or shal be insomuch as a holie father saiethe That if there had bene no externall violence done vnto our Sauiours bodie it woulde haue endured a verie great nomber of yeares by reason of the perfection and tendernes of the composition thereof And not onely the composition of his bodie but also the matter thereof was very tender forsomuch as the matter of
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
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
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