consolation Admire heere the benignity of Christ and pray him that he neuer suffer thee to be tempted aboue thy power but that he will encrease his grace in thy temptation that thou maist be able to sustaine it And Peter answearing said vnto him Mat. 26. Mar. 14. although all shall be scandalized in thee I will neuer be scandalized Iesus said vnto him Amen I say vnto thee O Peter that in this night before the Cocke shall twise giue foorth his voyce thou shalt deny me thrise Peter said vnto him although it behoued me to dye with thee I will not deny thee and al the disciples said the like THe Apostles after the Cōmunion of the body of our Lord had made a firme resolution to liue well and were feruent and followed Christ as thou often times especially after the receauing of the holy Eucharist dost seriously resolue to amend thy life but in time of consolation thou must also thinke of the time of desolation and of the expectation of contrary things least thou shouldst desist from prayer through vain confidence resolue therfore to doe well but before God praying for his helpe be vigilant and obserue all thine owne actions be not rash nor negligent for if the prince of the Apostles did slip being the foundation rock of the Church who spake confidently out of his loue and charity how can he stand that through pride and ambition or for some other cause hath too much confidence in him selfe that doth seldom resolue to amend his life nor set God before his eyes Contemplate heere also that the sorrow of Christ was not small to leaue his Disciples whome he loued so dearely troubled sorrowfull for his departure This place is very fitte to meditate vpon those things which a man feeleth in time of consolation as quietnes of minde ioy illustration of the vnderstanding c. And contrarywise on such things as he feeleth in time of desolation as perturbatiō sowrenesse and darknesse of vnderstanding to the end that he may in time of prosperity propose vnto him selfe such good things as in aduersity he shall not change Pray vnto Christ that hee neuer forsake thee in time of aduersity The second Meditation of his entrie into the Garden Then came Iesus with them into a village which is called Gethsemani Mat. 26. Mar. 14. Ioan. 18. where was a garden into which he entered and his disciples BEhold the place where Christ began his passion First neare vnto a village or farme Secondly in Gethsemani which signifieth a fatte valley Thirdly in the Garden For through sinne we got an vnclean village that is worldly and frayle things which by their own instinct and nature slide down to the earth again and Christ would begin our redēptiō from thence whence we were fallen through sinne Gethsemani or the fatte valley as it doth rightly signifie the valley of mercy so it doth plainly declare that the passiō of Christ had neede of great mercy and clemency which changed this world being full of miseries into a place flowing with mercy Consider then that this world is like vnto a durty valley in which is much durt and filth with which men being polluted do forsake God but to such men as follow Christ this fame world is like a shop of the mercies of God of our merites in which so long as we liue mercie is offered aboundantly and such rewards gotten by good workes as neuer shall haue end But it was a garden wherin Christ prayed for Adam sinned in a garden in a garden wee haue all offended For what is the world but a little garden pleasant to behold wherin diuers herbes and faire flowers doe delight the eyes but not the minde All things which the world admireth are buds flowers which as they take their beginning from the earth so in a short time they wither away to be briefe Christ caried his Disciples foorth to the place of his passion being the last place to which he lead his Apostles that thou maist knowe thereby that Christ doth earnestly require of thee that with great diligence and study thou shouldst meditate and imitate his passion Pray vnto thy Lord that thou maist despise this world which was all the cause of the passion of Christ Mat. 26. Mar. 14. Luc. 22. Then he said vnto his Disciples sit heere whilst I goe yonder and pray pray yee least yee enter into temptation COnsider that if thou wilt not enter into temptation that is if thou wilt not be ouercome and swallowed vp by temptation thou must sit downe and pray but wee sit when we enioy quietnesse of minde and that inward peace which true humility bringeth for he which sitteth humbleth his body that he may rest in quiet we must pray because by prayer victory is obtained against the Deuill and we must pray as long as Christ prayerh for vs. Heere againe consider thine owne slouth and sluggishnes which art not touched in conscience when as Christ is carefull for thee how thou maist be saued and sitting at the right hand of his Father prayeth still for thee To enter into temptation is to be occupied and drowned in wickednesse both inwardly outwardly for he which is ouercome by tēptation hath neither inward peace nor cā enioy any true outward comfort where euery thing oppresseth the minde but nothing can satisfie it whereupon also it followeth that he which in this world entereth into temptation shall in the next enter into Hell euen as hee which in this world is in Gods fauour shall afterwards enter into the ioy of God And he tooke Peter Iames and Iohn with him Mar. 14. COnsider with what great griefe our sorrowful lord left his other sorrowfull Disciples he tooke these three for his companions with him that he might open his heauinesse vnto them who onely amongst all his disciples sawe his glory in the Mount Thabor and who were present at the wonderfull myracle of the daughter of Iayrus the Arch-synagogue being raysed vnto life Mat. 17. Mar. 9. for by how much a man is more perfect and neerer ioyned vnto God so much the more he feeleth the force of the passion of our Lord in himselfe as Saint Paul confesseth of himselfe Consider therfore what manner of men these were whome Christ chose for his companions Peter the Pastor of the Church Iohn a Virgine who afterwards should be the keeper or the Virgin his Mother and Iames the first Martyr of the Apostles That heereby thou maist vnderstand that nothing doth so much lighten our cares ease the labours of any office encourage vs to chastity and to other vertues to be briefe nothing helpeth man so much in al his labours vndertaken for Christs sake as the memory of the passion of Christ he tooke vnto him also his two Cosins that thou maist see to what dignities our Sauiour exalteth his best friends to wit to suffer innumerable calamities in this life that
thou followest pride lust and other vices 3. They mocked him diuers waies as their wanton wickednes did prouoke them He is mocked vpon earth whose Maiestie the Angells in heauen adore But yet because God cannot be mocked doe thou shew thy selfe before him with all submission purity of heart 4. They saluted him saying haile King of the Iewes an excellent speach wherewith thou also maist salute the King of those Iewes which acknowledg their sins sing praises vnto God Blessed art thou if thou hast a King by whome thou maist be sweetly gouernd in this world after this life be made partaker of his Kingdome CoÌ„sider 2. that Christ by seeing and hearing those ignominies did cure all posterity froÌ„ the Serpents hissing into the eares of Eue and from the vanity of her eyes through the curiosity wherof shee infected our eyes Pray our Lord to conuert all these to the profite of thy soule And they spit vpon him and they tooke a reede Mat. 27. Mar. 15. Ioan. 19. and strooke his head with the reede and they gaue him blowes COnsider first 4. other kinds of mockings 1. They spit vpon him defiling in so vnworthy scurrile manner not only his face but his breast also his whole body Yea the body of him Who is the brightnes of glory and the substance of the Father Heb. 1. 1 Pet. 1 whome the Angels desire to behold 2. They take a reede faining to doe him seruice as though they would ease him being weary of the burtheÌ„ of his Scepter 3. They strike his head with the reede that the Thornes might bee deeper fastened into his head Marke how by these blowes the thornes pierced to the very Scull of his head fastned in the ioining of the bones were there brokeÌ„ 4 They gaue him blowes not with their bare hand but being armed against the pricking of the thorns Heer do thou admire together with his other vertues our Lords Charity Patience Meeknes Benignity aboue al his huÌ„ble obedieÌ„ce by which he yeilded himselfe to the will of his tormentors and being commanded to sit downe to lift vp his head to the Thornes to holde the Reede in his hand to expose his Face to blowes hee obeyed without delay Consider secondly that these Ethnicks though they offered many iniuryes to our Lord yet they neuer couered his face that Christ with the eies of his mercy might behold vs louingly and forsaking the Iewes might of Gentiles make vs Christians Thou learnest first not to couer the truth with new opinions nor to decline to Haeresie but openly to professe the true Faith how great a sinner soeuer thou beest Thou learnest secondly not to neglect thy coÌ„science when it pricketh and warneth thee of thy sinnes For the beginning of thy conuersion is when thy conscience reprooueth thee Pray vnto thy Lord that he neuer turne his face from thee that hee preserue thee in the true Faith and adorne thee with true vertues especially with humble and willing obedience that thou mayest faithfully obey thy betters not onely in light and easie thinges but also in great sharpe and difficult matters The 26. Meditation of Pilate his bringing foorth of our Lord to the People Pilate went foorth againe and said vnto them Ioan. 19 Behold I bring him forth vnto you that yee may know that I find no cause in him COnsider first that when Pilate thoght our Lord had beene so cruelly vsed that it would haue moued a stony heart to compassion then hee brought him foorth yet going himselfe a little before to prepare the hearts of the Iewes to pitty The wicked Iudge doth herein condemne himselfe when hee coÌ„fesseth him to bee innocent whome hee had handled so cruelly to please other men Consider secondly Behold I bring for it is a wonderfull thing that God who hath bestowed vpon men so many so great benefits should suffer so many wronges and wounds by meÌ„ Admire thine owne ingratitude God hath brought thee into this world adorned with all goodnes thou bringest him foorth and castest him out of thy heart shamefully misused with thy grieuous sinnes doest not suffer him to rest in thy house which thou hast filled with theft and other sinnes Doe thou rather bring him foorth to bee praysed and adored by the people First by preaching him his will to the people and then by thy good works expressing his holy life That thou mayest say with the Apostles Aâ—d now I doe not liue Galat. 6. but Christ liueth in mee And bringing him foorth let all men vnderstand that there is no cause to bee found in him why he should not be admitted by all men when as thou canst see nothing in him but signes of loue bloud shed for thee stripes and wounds so as it may be truly said of him Cernitur in toto corpore sculptus amor In all his members Loue ingrauen is Then Iesus went foorth carrying his thorny Crowne Ioan. 19. purple garment COnsider first howe thy Lord came forth amoÌ„gst the people Beholde a high place to which they ascended by twenty three marble steps which are kept till this day at Rome with great reuerence and before that a most spacious Court filled with many thousands of people who had assembled themselues out of all Iudaea against the feast of Pasch All these so soone as they espied our Lord coÌ„ming forth with Pilate came preasing nearer that they might better beholde this sadde and horrible spectacle Goe forth also yee Daughters of Ierusalem Cant. 3. and behold King Salomon in the diademe wherewith his Mother the Synagogue of the Iewes hath crowned him Goe theÌ„ also forth O my Soule behold the Diademe and the royall otnaments which thy sinnes haue set vpon thy God Marke attentiuely the whole body of thy peaceable King cruelly torn with his enemyes handes that he might gaine a most assured peace with God for thee for thy conscience Behold his Crowne wouen of boughes decked with thorns and droppes of bloud in liew of precious stones His hands and armes carry cords in stead of bracelets His necke and all his body is tyed with a rope in stead of a belt Chaine of gold The works of his apparrell is scars wounds His diuine CouÌ„tenance with fleame spittings bloud filth is as it were painted or masked and disguised Let these thinges moue horror in others coÌ„passion in thee Mark the words of Isaias Hee hath no beauty nor comelines wee saw him Isa 33 and he had no countenance That is hee looked not like a man and his countenance was as it were hidden looking downe wee esteemed him as a Leaper Doe thou reuerence this attire of thy Lord with the inward affection of thy heart in which hee fought against thy enemies got victory glory for thee For euen as thou esteemest those thinges keepest them carefully by which thy friend hath gotten riches honour for
✚ I H S. MEDITATIONS of the whole Historie of the Passion of CHRIST Written by the Reuerend Father F. Francis Costerus Doctor of Diuinity of the Society of IESVS Translated out of Latine into English by R.W. Esquire 1. Pet. 4.1 Christo igitur passo in carne vos eadem cogitatione armamini Christ therefore hauing suffered in the flesh bee you also aâ—med with the same cogitation Printed at Doway 1616. The Preface To the Sodality of the most blessed Sacrament in Aquicincts Colledge in the Vniuersity of Doway Of the best manner of Meditation of the Passion of Christ IT is manifest that the end for which Almighty God created Man was that beeing indowed not onely with that inferiour part which is common to him with other Creatures but also with the peculiar priuiledge and preheminence of a Coelestiall minde hee should onely imploy his exteriour sences in the mannaging of outward and transitory thinges and with his minds surpassing all humane affaires should aspire wholy to God and bee carryed to him as to his first beginning Wherefore it is wonderfull and much to bee lamented that some being vnmindefull of their condition and end doe with such earnestnes follow these temporall Vanityes as if they wanted this diuine vnderstanding hauing not their mindes eleuated on high but fixed on the earth and creeping like Wormes vpon the ground so as the very bruâ—e Beastes accuse them of ingratitude which by a certain instinct of Nature seeme to retaine a memory of the benefite they haue receiued Whom least you should seeme deare brethren to resemble you are accustomed together with the frequent participation of the holy Sacraments to giue your selues daily to the pious meditation of Heauenly thinges That although in your bodyes you bee heere on Earth yet your minde is transported into Heauen where you conuerse with the blessed Saints and with Christ himselfe labouring to vnite your minde to him from whome at first it did proceed This Godly endeauour both of you and all pious persons that I might in some sort promote and further I haue gathered together diuors Meditations of the Passion of our blessed Sauiour which may minister vnto you occasion and matter of many deuoute and profitable contemplations Which Meditations I haue thought good to commend vnto you for diuers reasons First because nothing is of such force to mooue mens mindes and to inflame them with the fire of the loue of God as the serious cogitation of benefites especially such as are so great and proceed from so great a Lord and God Some indeede whose consciences are oppressed with the burthen of sinne are oftentimes reâ—laimed from their wickednes with the horror of Death Iudgement and the paines of Hell bâ—t the vertuous sort and such as serue Almighty God rather for loue than feare are wholy set on fire with the loue of their Redeemer through the remembrance and meditation of his Death and Passion Secondly because nothing doth so easily present it selfe vnto our vnderstanding as the meditation of the paines torments sorrowes and tribulations wherewith in our whole life we are enuironed and beset on euery side As for Heauen Hell and the last Iudgment because they are not subiect to our sight and seeme to be a farre off we doe not sufficiently conceiue or apprehend the same but for the afflictions of the body and the anguishes of the minde we vnderstand oftentimes by experience more then wee would Thirdly because I know no meditation to be more acceptable to our blessed Sauiour then that which wee conceiue of the bitter passion that hee suffered for vs. For as a Conqueror doth reioyce at the remembrance of his battaile so we may well thinke that Christ our Lord is delighted when wee doe often remember his Passion both because by so bloudy a combat hee hath obtained a perpetuall and renowned victory both for himselfe and vs and also because herein hee seeth our thankefulnes which wee render vnto him for so great a benefite Fourthly because I perceiued that the meditation of no other thing could bee so necessary for Man-kinde as of that from which alone is deriued vnto vs the remission of our sinnes our iustification our workes of merite and our whole saluation Which certainly is the principall cause why the Catholike Church according to the institution of the Apostles hath ordained that the memory of this Passion should by sundry wayes be so ofteÌ„ iterated as by making the signe of the Crosse with our handes by Pictures and Images of the Pâ—ssion which the Laye people are accustomed to vse in stead of Bookes by fasting on Fridayes and Saterdayes by the yearely celebritry of the Passion in the end of Lent by Sermons by Lessons by sounding of Bells and such like yea Christ himselfe hath instituted a most sacred and daily remembrance of his Passion to wit the holy Sacrifice of the Mâ—sse wherein his deaâ—h and shedding of his bloud is most clearly represented vnto vs. Fiftly because greater vtility redoundeth vnto vs by these Meditations then by the contemplation of any other thing whatsoeuer For as all good thinges are purchased for vs by the merites of our Sauiours PassioÌ„ so in the same as in a wel furnished shop all precious wares of vertues and good examples are to bee found But that you may more easily reape these fruites I thinke it requisite to propose vnto you certaine aduertisements touching the best manner of Meditation For many are deceiued which thinke it is sufficient to repeat in their mindes the history of the Passion or by consideration therof to feele an inward delight whereas notwithstanding that auaileth little to their saluation if withall the affection and wilâ— bee not thereby mooued For meate neuer satisfieth a man if hee onely looke vpon it and doe not put it into his mouth chewe it with his teeth and let it downe into his stomacke The knowledge indeed of the History is the ground of Meditation and the discourses of the vnderstanding doe affoord the matter but all the profite consisteth in this that the will which beareth the greatest sway in man bee moued with many affections for she onely meriteth she onely loueth she onely directeth all our thoughtes and actions towards God Therefore to comprehend all in fewe wordes those which haue treated best of this matter of Meditation haue designed and set downe vnto vs seauen affections of the minde which may bee moued with this consideration of the Passion To wit Compassion Compunction Imagination Thankesgiving Admiration Hope and the Loue of God Which I will explicate vnto you briefly and in fewe wordes to the end you may vnderstand after what manner you may bee imployed with profite in these ensuing Meditations For by these seauen wayes as by seauen teeth the matter ministred by these Meditations may bee chewed and with the affection tasted and d â—gested The first therefore is Compassion Compassion that is an affection of the minde by which we
participate of other mens griefes and afflictions feeling the same though not in body yet in minde by which affection the griefe of the Patient seemeth to bee diuided and communicated with another and is thereby greatly mittigated and asswaged as on the contrary side it is much augmented and increased if either we â—eride him or bee not moued with his afflictions Chr st our Sauiour to diminish our sorrowes would suffer for vs and condole also wish vs as the Apostle saith Wee haue not a High Priest that cannot haue compassioÌ„ on our infirmities but tempted in all thinges by similitude except sinne And truly although we cannot lessen by this our sorrowe the most grieuous and exessiue sorrowes that our Sauiour suffered for vs yet this our compassion is most gratefull to him whereby we make his dolours ours and apply his suffrings vnto our selues Wherefore the Apostle hath said very rightly We are coheires of Christ yet if we suffer with him that we may be also glorified with him For hee that will not bee a partaker with Christ in his sufferings cannot be a partaker with him in his kingdome There are two thinges which are most availeable to prouoke this commiseration First the condition of the person that is to say his nobility his goodnesse his piety towards men and such other things which doe aggrauate the indignity of his inflicted miserie Secondly the cruelty and immanity of his torments If therefore we desire to feeâ—e in our hearts this coÌ„miseration we must consider in euery article First who it is that suffereth As first that it is God who with his Maiesty filleth Heauen and Earth secondly a most honorable man descended of the house of Dauid and conceiued by the holy Ghost in the wombe of the Virgine thirdly one most learned in his vnderstanding and most holy in his will who by no error or sinne did euer offend either God or man fourthly most graue and sober in his conuersation being neuer seene to laugh but often to weepe and that for our sinnes fiftly more beautifull in his body then all the sonnes of men and of a more tender and delicate complexion Secondly wee must set before our eyes the greatnes of his torments and with what particular payne euery member was afflicted Considering first that all the sences of his body and all the powres of his soule sustayned their proper and peculiar tortures Secondly that his tormenâ—s were most grieuous both by reason of the most tender constitution of his body and also because he wanted all interior comfort to indure the same Certainly it is the vndoubted opinion of all Diuines that neuer any creature indured such paynes and torments as our blessed Sauiour did If we see a wicked man suffer such punishment as he hath most iustly deserued we cannot but be moued to compassion and griefe and if we see but a Dogge or an Asse cruelly whipped or beaten we are presently touched with commiseration Ought we not then to condole with the Son of God suffering so vnspeakable tortures and that for our sakes The second affectioÌ„ is Compunction Compunction or sorrowe for our sinnes when we are induced to an horror and detestation of our sinnes by the remembrance of our Sauiours passion which may easily be done if we ponder what the malice of sinne is and what torments it hath drawne vpon Christ our Sauiour As God is infinite so the malice of sinne which is committed against God is also infinite and this malice in the iustice of God which ought not to be violated could not by any satisfaction be taken away but by that which was infinite Wherfore either an infinite paine was to be endured which no finite creature could endure or for an infinite time which the damned in hell endure or by an infinite person which is God himselfe Hence let vs proceede and consider what it was that drewe God from Heauen to earth and induced him to vndergoe his passion which was nothing else but our sinnes For if man had neuer sinned God had neuer been incarnated nâ—uer suffered neuer dyed Wherefore like as for the sinner his sinnes prepare a place in hell for the thiefe his theft prepareth his punishment so for our blessed Sauiour our grieuous sins haue procured a necessity of suffering death The malice therefore of sinne is aboue all things to bee detested which caused euen our Lord God himselfe to bee crucified But least thou shouldest imagine perhapps that the grieuousnesse of sinne is heereby extenuated because Christ did not suffer for thy sinnes alone but for the sinnes of all the world be thou assured of this that the malice of sinne is not thereby diminished or impaired but the singular vertue of our Sauiours passion is declared which hath washed away the sins not of this or that man but of all the men in the world For the merite of his passion is infinite and no malice whatsoeuer is able to counteruaile it which thing alone doth sufficiently discouer the grieuousnes of sinne because without the infinite merite of Christ it could not be forgiuen As therefore if one only man see the Sunne it will shine no more to him alone then it would doe to him and all other men together and as a man doth no lesse kill another when alone he stabbeth him to the heart then if he should take ten or twelue others to assist him in the same so euen one mortall sinne for redeeming whereof the death and passion of the Sonne of God was necessary is no lesse the cause of our Sauiours death then all the sinnes of the world ioyned together Neither doth the passion of our Sauiour bring vs lesse profite being vndertaken for the vniuersall saluation of the world then if it had beene vndertaken for mee alone The third affection is Imitation Imitation whereby wee desire to followe and imitate those rare excellencies which we discouer in Christ as the Apostle teacheth vs Christ suffered for vs 1 Pet. 2. leauing you an example that you may followe his steppes And againe Christ hauing suffered for vs in the flesh be you also armed with the same cogitatioÌ„ 1 Pet. 4 There are two thinges principally to bee imitated in our Sauiours Passion The one is a desire to suffer for vs. The other is a great heap of vertues which appeared so plainly in this his Passion that though our Sauiour spake nothing yet by his example from the Pulpit as it were of the Crosse he taught all kinde of vertues yea and taught them most perfectly both for that hee was destitute of all interior comfort which doth ordinarily accompany our vertuous acts and also because there wanted not meanes whereby hee might haue resisted his Passion Wherefore in euery Meditation wee must search out First what vertue is chiefly coÌ„mended vnto vs therein Secondly how our Sauiour exercised the same And lastly wee must stirre vp a desire and firme purpose to obtaine that vertue deuising the
comfort by his prayer though hee prayed with great affection nor yet could be refreshed by the presence of his Disciples euen as sicke folkes are wont to turne this way and that way to ease their wearines Consider secondly that Christ was neuer so troubled with any occasions no not now whē he was ready to suffer but that he alwaies thought vpon thy saluatiō Yea euen now when he is in Heauen hee hath his eyes alwayes bent fauorably towards thee Cōsider thirdly how little man can doe without Christ how soone he falleth a sleepe how soone hee fainteth if Iesus depart neuer so little from him Consider fourthly what it is to haue our eyes heauy that is when wee are not so apt ready to meditate on diuine and heauenly thinges by reason of earthly cares which hinder the mind As the immoderate desire of honor riches ambition the vanities of this world such like affections of the minde Therfore thou must pray vnto God to take from thee that slouthfulnes heauines and accōmodate thee to his owne will Cōsider fiftly how much ashamed the Apostles were who being admonished now the second time could not yet contain themselues frō sleepe wherfore amongst themselues they did carefully both accuse and excuse their own infirmity Note also this they did not knowe what they should answere vnto him For if the Apostles themselues being men excelling others in sanctity holines of life in a matter of no great fault wherein they might haue aleaged their owne frailty were so sorrowfull knew not to answere what answer wilt thou giue to Almighty God when thou shalt be cyted before him for matters of great moment and many grieuous sinnes shall be obiected against thee which thou hast committed not only by frailty but also craftily maliciously Consider sixtly that our Lord did not complaine that hee was left alone in prayer and labor Because thou shouldest resolue not to be grieued if at any time thou beest inforced to take great paines whilst others bee idle And pray vnto our Lord that hee will stirre thee vp when thou art slouthfull And hee prayed the third time Mat. 26. prayed the same speach saying O my Father if this cup cannot passe from me but that I mmst drinke thereof thy will be done COnsider first that Christ runneth againe to his Father and crauing still one and the same thing is not heard This prayer comprehendeth the wonderfull submission of Christ yeelding himselfe and all that he had into the hands of his Father taking it in no euil part that he was not hard Learne thou hereby not to be troubled in thy minde when things succeed not according to thy desire when thou hast done thy best endeauours Consider secondly the great necessity that Christ should suffer For the eternall Father would neuer haue suffered his sonne to haue prayed so often vnto him if thy saluatiō might haue been gottē by any other meanes Consider thirdly this māner of speaking if it cannot passe except I drinke it for hee would be vnderstood that all the benefit of our Lords passiō should passe vnto vs who are the mēbers of his body but as it were drawne through our mouth that is through Christ who is our head Moreouer as a potiō is bitter vnsauory to the tast yet very profitable for the mēbers of the body So the dolours of Christ were bitter vnto him and profitable vnto vs. And the passiō of Christ passeth vnto vs partly because his merit is cōmunicated and imparted vnto vs and partly because our tribulatiōs labors are sanctified Therfore so often as thou shalt suffer any aduersity so oftē do thou think that thou doest participate with the passiō of Christ And pray him to mittigate thy miseryes through his dolours which hee indured The sixt Meditation of his agony bloody sweate And there appeared vnto him an Angel frō heauen cōforting him Luc. 22. COnsider first that though in Christ the diuine nature was ioyned with humaine nature into the same person yet in this time of his passion hee tooke no comfort at all from thence Consider secondly how great and grieuous those torments were that man was not sufficient to mittigate them but that it was necessary for an Angel to come from Heauen Cōsider thirdly what was the cause why Christ wold be comforted by an Angell to wit because he wold know to suffer with vs when we are afflicted and teach vs not to haue recourse to fraile vain delights such as are cōmonly drawn from creatures but vnto spirituall angelicall heauenly things Cōsider fourthly that God neuer forsaketh them that trust in him For although he doe not alwaies free vs from our troubles yet he doth euer giue vs his grace and strength that we may be able to beare them Consider fiftly that Angells are alwaies present at our prayers therefore thou must be carefull and diligent to worship them being present in a religious and comely manner and pray vnto God according to the Psalme in the fight of Angells I will sing vnto thee Epiph in an corato Haeresi 69. Consider sixtly how the Angell did comfort Christ for he did it not by any inward comfort or grace because Christ admitted no comfort in all the time of his passion but vsed some outward wordes wherin hee propounded vnto him both the absolute necessity of such bitter paines and the great profite that shall come thereby and also the resolute will of his Father the oracles of the Prophets c. Consider seuenthly whether there bee any thing wherein thou maiest comfort and confirme Christ and incourage him to doe something for thy sake which will be effected if he shall see thee behaue thy selfe well wisely to imploy the tallent which he hath deliuered vnto thee and that thou doest indure thy labours couragiously For then hee will behold thee louingly exalt thee to higher honour In the meane time do thou pray vnto Christ to comfort and instruct thee not onely in outward words but especially in inward vertue and wisdome Luc. 22. And being in an agony hee prayed longer THis agony was a certain inward striuing not of the flesh against the spirit but of nature against Death and in all this bitter time Christ was to fight in three seuerall cōflicts and he was superiour in euery one First with nature abhorring to dye so cruell a death Secondly with the iustice of his Father exacting grieuous punishment Thirdly with the most cruell enemy of man-kinde But hee began with the battel against nature that thou mayest knowe how to behaue thy selfe in thy cōflict for thy saluation that is that first of all thou must indeauour to subdue thy inclination to restraine thy desires which being ouercome thou shalt finde God pacified and the Deuill will flye from thee Consider first with what contention with how great labour Christ thy Captaine doth fight and
miserable and so many wayes afflicted canst call thy selfe King of the Iewes Answere thou for thy Lord yea certainly he is King of the Iewes whome the true Iewes doe acknowledge that is such as knowe and confesse their sinnes For they will obey this King that being brought out of sinne and deliuered out of the hand of their enemyes they may serue him Admire thou this King whose beauty consisteth not in golde and precious stones outward ornameÌ„ts but in contempt disgrace and externall ignominy For these things haue both made Christ famous through the whole world and also haue beautified thy soule Consider fourthly the answere of Christ the sence whereof is this did you euer see or heare any thing of mee whereby I might be suspected to seeke for a Kingdome This question signifieth the absurdity of the accusation Ponder heer with thy selfe whether thou dost know thy Lord Christ that is whether thou doest feele Christ raigning in thy minde or else whether thou art a Christian without any outward sweetnes Consider fiftly the proud answere of Pilate disdaining and taking it in euill part that a guilty person durst aske him a question He excuseth himselfe with ignorance of the Iewes causes I knowe not saith hee what your Nation dreameth of the coÌ„ming of a Messias Thou canst not plead ignorance in Gods cause to whom Christ hath made manifest euen the secrets of God And if ignorance did not profite Pilate how can it profite any Christian to whom God hath giuen so great knowledge Consider sixtly What hast thou done the great innocency of thy Lord that when accusations failed hee himselfe must be asked Answer thou what he hath done Hee hath made Heauen Earth and all Creatures hee hath done all good and no euill But for the good done for thy sake which thou doest abuse vnto sinne hee must suffer the punishment which thou didst deserue This place is fit to meditate what Christ hath done for thee and what thou hast done againe for him that admiring his bounty thou mayst giue him thankes detesting thy owne ingratitude thou mayst bee confounded with shame Iesus answered my Kingdome is not of this world If my Kingdome were of this world my Soldiours would fight for me that I should not be deliuered vp to the Iewes but now my Kingdome is not from hence Pilate said vnto him then art thou a King Iesus answered thou sayest that I am a King COnsider first the Christ answered Pilate plainly who dealt sincerely with him but to the Iewes who went about to intrappe him hee would not answere but adiured For our Lord detesteth fiction and with the simple in his speach Consider secondly that hee applyed himselfe to this Ethnicke deriuing his argument from the vse and custome of men You may vnderstand saith hee by this that I seeke not a Kingdom of this world because I haue no Soldiours nor ChaÌ„pions for my defence But with the Iewes that knew the Lawe hee vsed the Scriptures Thou maist learne hereby that God vseth all waies reasons to conuert thee and others If thou wouldst consider those meanes which our Lord vsed to helpe and cure thee thou wouldest admire Gods prudent loue and charity towards thee Consider thirdly My Kingdome is not of this world He doth not say in this world For hee raigneth in his Church and in thee But hee saith of this world that is to say It is not like the Kingdomes of this world neither doth it consist in the multitude of Seruantes and Soldiours nor in solemnity and pompe nor in ryot and brauery of apparrell But in the ornament of the soule in voluntary obedience and multitude of vertues And perhaps in this Kingdome of Christ there are more poore beggerly weake and vnlearned then rich noble mighty and wise people Be thou careful therfore that Christ may rule thee and thy affections and raigne in thee For if to serue Christ is to reigne then Christ reigning in thee will make thee a mighty King ruling ouer thy selfe the whole world I was borne in this and to this I came into the world Ioan. 18 that I may giue testimony vnto the truth And euery one which is of the truth heareth my voyce Pilate saith vnto him what is the truth COnsider first for what cause Christ came into the world to wit first that he might free the world from the falsenes of Idolatry and of diuers errors and of sinne Secondly that he might declare the vanity and folly of those things which the world admireth set before our eies those things as they are indeede and not as they seeme to be Thirdly that by this truth he might rule the mindes of men Thou maist learn hereby First what thou oughtest chiefely to seeke for in the kingdome of Christ to wit to be deliuered made free from al vanity falshood and sinne 2. That they are the chiefe seruants inlargers of the Kingdome of Christ which labour in teaching the truth 3. That it appertaineth especially to the charge of Christian Princes and superiours to keepe increase their subiects in the faith of Christ For they are not superious like Gentiles to maintain their people only in a ciuile peaceable gouernement but they are also Christian Princes ouer Christians that they may enlarge the Kingdome of Christ Consider secondly I was borne in this and to this I came into the world A high sentence which Pilate might haue vnderstood if he had persisted in simplicity I am not borne saith hee like other men for I was now before I was borne of my mother I was borne not thorough the necessity of nature but of mine owne will and for certaine causes which moued me to take humane nature vpon me to wit that I might teach men the truth If therefore thou wilt listen vnto Heauenly Doctrine and deale sincerely with God Christ will reueale vnto thee the secretes of Heauen Consider thirdly I was borne and I came For by his birth he is our Christ and also hath done all his actions for our profite that thou again shouldest referre all thy time thy studies and thy labours to his glory Consider fourthly that Christ did answere secretly to the question propounded by Pilate What hast thou done for I haue taught the truth I haue reprooued vice For this was the onely cause that moued the Iewes to put him to death Doe thou seeke out the truth and pray vnto God to lighten thine eyes that thou sleepe not in death consider earnestly with thy selfe whether thou be of the truth that is whether thou beest mooued with the truth or with pride lust auarice and other passions of the minde For he which is of truth Ioan. 18. he is of God but he which followeth lyes is of the Deuill his Father whose will he fulfilleth The 21. Meditation of the second accusation before Pilate Pilate went forth againe vnto the Iewes Ioan. 18 â—uc 23. Mar. 27. saying
I finde no cause in this man But the high Priestes accused him in many things and Iesus answered nothing Then Pilate asked him saying to him Dost thou not heare howe great testimonies they speake against thee dost thou not answere any thing behold in how great things they acuse thee But Iesus answered not him to any word Mar. 15 so as the President wondred greatly COnsider first that Pilate expecting no answere to this question what is the truth went foorth either because he thought that question appertained not to him or else that it was not conuenient at that time To whom thou maiest knowe thy selfe to be like so oft as thou passest ouer lightly heauenly things or as oft as thou shalt thinke that those things which are spoken of euerlasting life of perfection or of christiaÌ„ life appertain not vnto thee or as often as thou dost lightly leaue that which before thy God thou hadst iustly purposed Thinke no time vnfitt for diuine instructions Consider secondly that Pilate found no cause of death in Christ the Iewes a false cause and God the Father a true cause to wit the purging of thy sinnes for the saluation of thy soule Ponder earnestly with thy selfe vpon this cause For the reason why thou louest not Christ so well as thou oughtest nor art so thankfull as thou shouldest be nor art sufficiently moued with this his so great and bitter paine is because thou doest not earnestly acknowledge nor reuolue in thy minde that thou wert the cause of these his bitter paines Consider thirdly the great and manifould crimes obiected against thy Lord in the sight and hearing of all the people who wondred exceedingly at such new and strange things Doe thou patiently suffer for thy Lords sake all slanders iniuries and reproches Consider fourthly the deepe silence of our Lord wherein Pilate the Gentile admired the wisedom of Christ and the Iewes were made more audacious to adde more and more grieuous accusations Admire thou the patience of God who beeing hetherto offended with so many and so grieuous sinnes both of thee and of other men doth not onely still holde his peace winke at them parâ—oÌ„ them but also doth bestowe many benefites vpon thee that thou being moued with his bountifull liberality maist at last remember thy felfe But they were more earnest saying Luc. 23. He moued the people teaching through all Iurie beginning froÌ„ Galilee euen hither COnsider first the clamors of the Iewes who hauing no hope to effect any thing by truth raised vp troubles tumults and clamours like those which defeÌ„d an ill cause wherein they imitate the Deuill who when he can doe nothing by his owne suggestions theÌ„ he stirreth vp friends parents and companions he moueth the inward concupiscâ—nce he hindereth and darkneth the vnderstanding Doe thou nothing impatiently imitating our Lord who was not prouoked nor moued by any iniuries except to loue the more dearly Consider 2. that Christ was heere reputed captaine of the sedicious Thou knowest say they O Pilate the Galilaeans to be factious people whose bloud thou didst lately mingle with their sacrifice behold hee is the head and Ring-leader of all mischiefe borne to raise sedition among the people Verily O Lord thou doest moue the people but not to sedition treason robberies and man-slaughters which is the property of Heretiques which stirre vp such motions in their Sermons but to the change of their life and manners that forsaking their pleasures and sinnes they may all giue themselues to the exercise of vertue Thou fillest the Monasteries with religious people the Deserts with Anchorites the Prisons with Confessors and the gallowes with Martyrs Through thy motion Virgins cast away their braue artyre Rich men choose pouerty Noble men submit themselues to the wills of others and young men by a vowe of religion offer themselues as a Holocaust vnto thee Pray thou also that our Lord may mooue thee Consider thirdly whome he is said to teach to wit the Galilaeans that is Passengers and Iewes that is Confessors and praisers of God But hee began from Galilee For the beginning of Christian doctrine is to passe from sinne the middle is to confesse our dayly defects with sorrowe of heart and purpose of amendment and to praise God in true obedience and the end is to behold the face of God in Ierusalem in the vision of peace Pray our Lord to bring thee to the perfection of this wisedome And Pilate hearing Galilee asked if the maÌ„ wer a Galilaean as soon as he knew that he was vnder the iurisdiction of Herod Luc. 23. he sent him to Herod who also in those dayes was in Hierusalem GAlilaean is heere to bee seperated from the man in this sence whether this maÌ„ be a Galilaean Consider first that either Pilate did not knowe the name of Iesus or else that he disdained to name him Wicked men knowe not Iesus suffering mocked and bound they knowe the honours of the world but not the ignominy of the Crosse Therefore they shall not bee knowne of Iesus that is their Sauiour and they shall neuer reape the fruite of saluation which reiect the Passion being the instrument of saluation Consider secondly that Herode the Iewe came to Hierusalem against the feast of Pasch For sinners vse to celebrate the Feastes of the Faithfull with outward ceremonies onely in brauer Apparrell with daintyer Dishes c. But they doe not receiue the inward fruit of the Feasts neither doe they labour so much for the inward ornament of their Soule to the which they ought to bee caried from the outward ceremonyes Consider thirdly thy Lord is saide to bee vnder the iurisdiction of Herode a wicked man Incestuous Adulterous and a Murtherer that thou mayest willingly obey thy Superiours though they bee not very good hauing respect not to their vices but to the vertue of obedience Consider fourthly the sower Iudges of Christ two Priests Annas Cayphas and two secular men Herode the Iewe and Pilate the Gentile For Christ was adiudged to death by all states of men hee was slaine for the sinnes of all men hee suffered and dyed for the saluation of all men Therefore doe thou confidently lay all thy sinnes vpon him that being free'd from them thou mayest receiue eternall saluation prepared by him The 22. Meditation of the acts in the house of Herode Herode when he saw Iesus reioyced much Luc. 23. for hee was desirous a long time to see him because he had heard many thinges of him and hee hoped to see some signe done by him And he examined him with many questions but hee answered nothing vnto him COnsider first that this Herode neuer came vnto Christ neuer heard his wordes nor neuer saw his miracles but yet hee knewe many things of him by the report of others Wherefore he was glad that hee had occasion to see and behold him but he was not moued with hope or desire of saluation but with a
Mat. 27. Mar. 15. Luc. 13. called Simon comming from the countrey the Father of Alexander and Rufus him they compelled to take vp his Crosse and they inforced him to carry the Crosse after Iesus COnsider first that the Iewes perceiuing the weaknes of Christ being spent with labours paines and with the losse of so much bloud and fearing least he might dye before he suffered the most grieuous torments of the Crosse being moued not with pitty but with cruelty caused this Gentile to carry the Crosse after Iesus But God directed this acte of theirs to another end For he signified hereby First that the Crosse being consecrated with the bloud of our Lord was giuen to Christians conuerted from Gentilisme who followed Christ going before them loaden with his Crosse being themselues also loaden with their crosses in sundry manners as some by Martyrdome some by fastinges some by watchinges and by other voluntary afflictions some by conquering themselues and subduing the wicked motions of the minde Secondly that it is not enough that Christ carry his owne Crosse and that wee onely beholde it by faith and contemplation But it behooueth vs to set our hand to it and in holy workes to follow Christ which saith Hee which will come after mee let him deny himselfe and take vp his crosse daily and follow mee Consider secondly who hee is which doth profitably carry the Crosse of Christ First Symon that is to say obedient to the Commaundements and suggestions of God Secondly Comming from the Countrey who putting off the rudenes of sinnes forsaketh his vnciuill manners Thirdly of Cyrene of Pentapolis that thou shouldest carry the Crosse of Christ in thy fiue sences Consider 3. that this Symon was constrained euen against his wil to lay this crosse vpon his shoulders to teach thee First to offer violence to nature which abhorreth such a crosse and the change of manners and mortifying of thy sences Secondly not to thrust thy selfe rashly into perils but patiently to suffer the euills which others doe vnto thee The Soldiours lay the Crosse vpon him for wicked men by their vexations and torments giue occasion to the iust to suffer with Christ Consider fourthly the profite which this Symon had as a reward of his labour though hee carryed the Crosse euen against his will First his name by the diuulging of the Gospell through the world is consecrated to eternall memory Secondly his Citty Country is made knowne to all Christians Thirdly his children were not onely Christians but also famous amongst Christians Do not thou therefore feare the Crosse troubles for Christ his name Chris hō 1. ad Pop. Antio for the Crosse of Christ maketh men glorious and bringeth many commodities with it But thou must follow after not runne before Iesus nor choose what crosse thou likest but accept of that which hee sendeth And pray him to lighten thy burthen with his grace to strengthen thy shoulders The 32. Meditation of the Women following Christ And there followed a great troope of people and of women which mourned Luc. 23. and lamented him and Iesus turning vnto them said O Daughters of Hierusalem weepe not ouer mee but weepe ouer your selues and ouer your Children COnsider first that an innumerable multitude of people flocked together to this sorrowfull spectacle to whō perhaps as the custome is in some places at this day there was some signe giuen of the future execution And because the womē only are said to lament weepe it is an argument that there were many mockers curious spectators according to that saying They spake against mee which sate in the gate Psal 68 But with what affection wilt thou follow thy Lord With what minde wilt thou suffer with him With what eyes wilt thou beholde him Doest thou want occasion of sorrow teares in this spectacle since our Lord goeth thus loaden and deformed for thy sake and not for himselfe Thou didst play abroad in the streete Beat. Ber. ser 3. in nat Dom. and in the Kings priuy chamber sentence of death was giuen against thee The onely begotten Sonne of God heard it and hee went forth putting off his Diadem cloathed in sackcloath wearing a Crowne of thornes vpon his head barefooted bleeding weeping crying out that his poore seruant was condemned Thou seest him come foorth thou askest the cause hearest it What wilt thou doe wilt thou still play and contemne his teares or rather wilt thou not follow him and weepe with him and esteeme the greatnes of thy danger by the cōsideration of the remedy Cōsider secondly that the teares of these women were gratefull vnto our Lord who in signe of loue turned himselfe towards them in the midst of his torments Yet hee reprooued them because out of a wrong cōceipt of humane pitty they lamented his death as the greatest euill and extreamest misery without any benefite at all Do thou mourne lament and weepe First because thou wert the cause of all these so great paines Secondly because thou hast hitherto born an vnthankefull minde Thirdly because perhaps this death of thy Lord will not bee the cause of thy saluation glory but of thy greater damnation Consider thirdly the difficultie of this thy Lords iourney which caused the women to follow him with teares Remember thou the seauen hard wayes which thy Lord walked for thee in this his Passion that hee might stop vp the seauē wayes of the seauen deadly sinnes which lead thee vnto Hell might open the way to euerlasting life by the seauen guifts of the holy Ghost For hee went First from the house where he supped to the Garden Secondly from thence to Annas Thirdly to Cayphas his house Fourthly to Pilate Fiftly to Herod Sixtly again to Pilate seauēthly to the Crosse Do thou in all thy trauailes meditate vpon these wayes and and for the loue of thy Lord runne in the way of his Commaundements For behold the daies shall come in which they shall say blessed are the barren Luc. 23 the wombes which haue not brought foorth the breasts which haue not giuen sucke then they shall begin to say to the Mountaines fall vpon vs and to the Hills couer vs. COnsider 1. the goodnesse of thy Lord who in the middest of his paines seeketh by his admonitiō our saluatiō and by the terror of future miseries endeauoreth to moue vs to pennance He speaketh also to women not to men 1. least because he was punished by men he should seeme to threaten reuenge Secondly that by these euills foretold vnto women who had offended lesse men might vnderstand that the like at the least should happen vnto them 3. By this prediction to comfort those women which lamented so much the death passions of our Lord signifying thereby both that he did vniustly suffer this death which in a fewe yeares should bee so deepely reuenged and also that they might escape this reuenge which would leaue to bee
the children of this earthly Hierusalem conuert themselues to the faith of Christ Consider secondly whereas in former times the barren were accursed now the barren in Christ are blessed For there is giuen to Eunuches that is to them which liue chaste and single in the Church Isa 56. a name better then from sonnes and daughters Consider thirdly that in all troubles of this life wee must say vnto the mountaines fall vppon vs and to the hills couer vs that is to say we must haue recourse to the helpe of Saints who in the Scriptures are called by the names of mountaines and hilles as in Isaias Isa 2. the house of our Lord shall be a prepared mountaine that is to say Christ the head of the Church in the toppe of the mountaines and he shall be eleuated aboue the hills exceeding in dignitie and worthynes all Saints great and lesse Consider fourthly although these predictions of our Lord pertaine cheifly to the ouerthrowing of Hierusalem yet they may and ought to be referred also to all sinners who by their sinnes were cause of the death of our Lord and yet are not made partakers of his merits nor returned into Gods fauour by his death For they which now liue securely and whome no danger will make to refraine from sinnes shall then runne into the dennes and Caues of the earth Isa 2. Osea 11. Apoc. 6. as the Prophets haue forespoken From the face of God sitting on the throne and from the wrath of the Lambe For there shall come a great day of wrath on them and who shall be able to stand The countenance of the Iudge shall be terrible to the wicked and his sentence intollerable Then the barren shall bee called blessed that is they whome the world accounted vnprofitable and the wombes which haue not brought foorth that is which haue not followed the concupiscence of the flesh but haue subdued the vices of their belly and throat the pappes which haue not giuen sucke that is the humble and such as are not high minded Pray thou thy Lord that thou maiest not feare the face of his fury in the day of wrath and last reuenge whilst time serueth bee reconcyled vnto Christ For if they doe these thinges in greene wood Luc. 23 what shall bee done in the drye Consider first Christ is the wood euer greene and flourishing delectable to behold moderating the great heate with the shadowe of his thicke leaues bringing foorth fruit pleasant both to the taste and smell delighting the earth with the singing of birds For by his diuine nature and by the inward grace of the Holy Ghost hee doth not onely exceede all beauty but also preserue chearish and comfort all creatures Thou also art wood but dead without the sappe of Grace barren without the fruite of charitie naked and vnprofitable without the leaues of good workes Consider secondly who they are which doe these things in the greene Wood that is which gaue these torments and death vnto Christ thy Lord. First Rom. 8 God the Father who spared not his owne sonne but deliuered him vp for vs al. Secondly the Deuill who prouoked his sernants to put Christ to death Thirdly the Iewes and other ministers of his death But all these did not concord in the passion of Christ to one end For God the Father punished his Sonne for the loue of thy saluation Gen. 22 and like Abraham carrying the sword of iustice in his hand against his sonne and the fire of Charitie towardes thee hee layed the wood vpon his sonnes shoulders to be carryed by him for the burning of the holocauste The Deuill greiuing at the conuersion of many indeauored to hinder the course of his preaching to intangle the Iewes in the most grieuous sinne of innocent death and to ouercome the patience of Christ by his torments And the Iewes being moued by enuie could not indure to be admonished to amend their liues by the wordes and example of Christ Consider thirdly the argument of our Lord If they doe these things in greene wood what shall be done in the drye First if I suffer this for other mens sins what shalt thou suffer for thine owne Secōdly if the Father doe so grieuously afflict his innocent and obedient Son what will he do against his wicked and disobedient serūat Thirdly if the deuills could by their officers doe these things in another kingdom against the sonne of God what will they bee able to doe in hell in their owne kingdome against their owne bond-slaues Fourthly if by the permissiō of God wicked men raged thus against the onely begotten Sonne of God for the sinnes of men why shall any man meruaile that God will permit men to vexe and molest men when their sinnes deserue it Pray thou thy Lord to ingraft thee into himselfe being the green wood and that neuer more punishment bee exacted of thee then that which he himselfe suffered for thee The 33. Meditation of the crucifying of our Lord. And they came into the place which is called Golgotha which is a place of Caluaria Luc. 23. Mar. 27. Mar. 15. and they gaue him wine to drinke mixt mith gall and when he had tasted hee would not drinke and it was the third houre COnsider first the ascending of this hill howe painfull it was vnto thy Lord how hee inforced his tender and consumed body that it should not faile to procure thy saluation but that in the mountaine nearer vnto heauen he might stande before God the Father and offer Holocaust as a sauor of sweetnes for thy sinnes Follow thou the Lord ascending his hill as neare as thou canst and stand by him in this hill euen vntill death Consider secondly how the executioners made ready the Crosse how they bored the holes for the nailes and prepared nayles hammers and ropes thy Lord behoulding them with his eyes Doe thou also behold them and lament and beware because thou doest prepare a Crosse for thy Lord as often as by thy sinnes thou deseruest a place in hel for thy soule which is created to his owne likenes Consider thirdly that according to the custome of such as were put to death they offered a cup to Christ but much differing from that was vsed to be giuen to others The drinke was mixed with wine Myrre gall and vineger for St. Mathew vseth in stead of wine this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vineger that none of his sences should want his paine and punishment His cruell enemies compasse him round about troubled his sight their cruell wordes vpbraydings and blasphemies tormented his hearing the stench of the of the place and of the filth which couered his face offended his smelling his touching suffered most grieuous paines all ouer his body and because no sence should bee without his tormēt this most bitter drinke was giuen him to afflict his tast Is it not reason then thinkest thou that thou shouldest suffer some affliction or trouble
they call for helpe and neuer forsake them as long as they liue Consider secondly that hee chose to dy amongst theeues rather thē amongst other sinners First that whereas theft is a most grieuous sin which both offendeth God whose image it taketh away and also hurteth our neighbour whom it depriueth both of goods and life he might signifie that there is no offence so great which is not cleansed by this his death nor any man so wicked which may not obtaine remission of sinnes Secondly because euery sinner is a thiefe and a robber which by his sinne killeth his owne soule taketh away honour frō God defileth his creatures and depriueth the Church of a liuely member that is of himselfe whome hee hath bereaued of spiritual life Consider 3. that the good theefe as well as the bad suffered the punishment and death of the crosse with Christ but the one turned his punishment to the benefit of his own saluation and the other to the hurt and losse of his soule That thou shouldest vnderstand that Christ is alwayes present both to good bad in their afflictions and doth send them troubles and miseries to this end that they should remember themselues and lift vp their eyes and hearts vnto him Doe thou then pray vnto God that in all thy tribulations thou mayest haue recourse only to his diuine help and not bee ouer carefull to vse other meanes The 34. Meditation of the Title of the Crosse And Pilate wrote the title of his cause vpon his Crosse Mat. 27. Mar. 15. Luc. 23. Ioan. 19 and the superscription was ouer his head and it was written in Hebrue Greeke Latine COnsider first that Pilate set vp the Title of the cause of his death and vsed the words following First that thy Lord might bee thought worthy of this death as a traytor arrogating the name of a King vnto himselfe and that Pilate might be cleared before Caesar of the cryme of not condemning his competitor of the kingdome Secondly to bee reuenged of the Iewes who had threatned to complaine of him for hee mocked them that hee had crucified their king and that king also whome their auncestors had fore-tolde so many ages before and had expected with so great affection and desire These were the causes that mooued Pilate to make that tytle And Christ also our Lord ordained this tytle for himselfe but for farre other reason drawne from the mysterie of our saluation First that thou shouldest knowe that hee suffered this death of the Crosse not as a guilty person but as a Sauiour adorned with all vertues that he might rule thy soule and that thou shouldest submit thy selfe to be wholy gouerned by him who being nayled both hand and foote cannot hurt his beloued people but offereth thē all saluation from his open woundes Secondly to let thee vnderstand what merchandize are offered to thee to be solde out of this shop of his Crosse For all houses and shops haue commonly their signes Heere then thou mayst finde all saluation in Iesus all flowers of vertue in Nazareth and all security in the King Runne thou hither in all thy necessityes Isa 55. and buy and take what thou list without money or any other exchāge for this marchant requireth nothing of thee but thy company and thy loue Thirdly that thou mayest know by the Table set before the house what doctrine and Artes are read taught in this schoole For Schoole maisters vse to write before their gates what things are taught within their houses Heere thou mayest learne to bee saued to follow all vertues to rule thy selfe to conquer thy enemyes to gouerne wisely others that be vnder thy charge Our Mr. Christ doth now teach from the chayre of his Crosse euen as hee taught being an Infant in the manger of the Stable But thou perhaps desirest an easier chaire But such doctrine is not taught hut out of such a chaire for there is no way to saluation but by the crosse and by many tribulations and the habits of vertues are obtained by painfull actions If thou wilt rule thy selfe perfectly and subdue thy enemies the world the flesh and the Deuill thou shalt not seeke after the ease of thy body but thou shalt bee seuere against thy body and pull it out of the power of the Deuill by fasting watching workes of humility contempt tribulations according to the example of this Maister Neither shalt thou bee able to gouern others rightly if thou relyest onely vpon thy power and authority except according to this lesson of Christ thy teacher thou doest out of the very bowels of thy charitie apply thy selfe wholy and all thinges in thee to the profite and good of thy subiects Fourthly that by this tytle thou mayest feele of what force the sign of the Crosse is which thou makest with thy handes For it is not a iugling tricke or a flye flappe as the blaspheming enemies of the crosse doe tearme it But it is the vertue power of Christ for the safety of all beleeuers that thou being signed therewith mayst be knowne by thy badge to bee the seruant of the Messias thy King and be a terror to the Deuil and haue entraunce into the house of Christ and that all thy actions may tend to the glory of God and to thy owne saluation Consider secondly that this Tytle was written in diuers languages First because it concernes all men to knowe this King and therefore it was set in a high place that thou mayest beholde it a farre off stand still read vnderstand and follow this King forsaking all other maisters whom thou hast hitherto serued Secondly because the crucified Messias is to bee knowne and praised in all Languages Cōsider thirdly the māner of the writing A part of this Tytle being preserued with great deuotiō of Christians at Rome in the Church of the Holy Crosse in Hierusalem doth declare vnto vs First that the Title was of wood Secondly not written with a pen but grauen with iron Thirdly that the Hebrue was first then the Greeke and lastly the Latine Fourthly that the Greeke and Latine was written like the Hebrue from the right hand to the left SVNERAZANEI ALL which thinges are not without their mysteries For first these three languages onely were set vpon the Crosse which were most vsuall at that time and so continue vntill this day the Hebrue for the Iewes the Greek for the East Church and the Latine for the West For seeing that all Learning is written in these tongues the Scriptures in Hebrue Philosophie Rethoricke in Greek and Latine Christ taught vs hereby that there is neither any diuine knowledge nor humane learning and eloquence of any force except it bee sanctified by the bloud of Christ and referred to the glory of him crucified And therefore the holy Church vseth these languages onely in her diuine seruice as the most common and those that are consecrated with the bloud of our Lord. Secondly the
them to mocke and deride the sonne of God the king of kings and man trusting in God Consider 4. their euill collections First if hee haue saued others he ought to saue himselfe also 2. If hee be the king of Israell he ought to descend down from the Crosse Thirdly if he trust in God as the Sonne of God God will deliuer him But first he did not therefore saue himselfe because he would saue others by his death Secondly he did not therefore descend downe from the Wood because the King of Israell should raigne from the Wood. Thirdly God did not therefore deliuer his Son because he trusted not to be deliuered by him from the Crosse but by the Crosse to be exalted aboue al creatures and to place thee in glory with him Consider fiftly that euill men giue councell to descend the deuill being the author who said If thou art the Sonne of God throwe thy selfe downe Whereby thou mayest learne that all those descend from the height of perfection which cast away the Crosse from them Doe thou pray deuoutly vnto Christ to rule and guide thee from his Crosse that is from his throne of mercy and also to take thee vpp with him vnto the Crosse The Soldiers also mocked him comming and offering Vinegar saying Luc. 23. if thou art King of the Iewes saue thy selfe COnsider first the great contempt wherewith our Lord was mocked by these base tormentors both in words and deedes First they mocked him vsing wanton and scurrile gestures towards him Secondly they came nearer to him being naked and looked more curiously vpon him according to that of the Psalmist Psal 21 But they considered and looked on mee Thirdly they offered him vineger like Cup-bearers offering a cup to their King Fourthly in their wordes they allude to the tytle of the Crosse King of the Iewes they say he is a rediculous King which cannot saue himselfe vppon whome dependeth all the safety of his subiects Consider secondly that wicked men do acknowledge no other commoditie or saffetie but only in this life but good men desire and seeke after the saluation of their soules as a thing which is common to them with the Angels respecting lesse the safetie of their bodies which the beasts doe inioy as well as they Consider thirdly the infinite loue of Christ thy Lord and spouse of thy soule towards thee who hauing once ascended the Crosse for thy sake could neuer be moued to come downe from thence neither by torments nor by mockings nor by the sorowe of his mother standing by him nor by the teares of Iohn his kinsman nor by the tears of Marie Magdalen nor by any sorrowe of his friends although he knewe that thereby he might easily end all their troubles Doe not thou therfore when thou hast vndertaken any thing for the loue of thy spouse and for his honor leaue it off for any cause although the world frowne thereat although thy flesh be repugnant although thy mother shewe thee her breasts wherewith shee gaue thee sucke and although thy olde Father lye in the gate passe thou on and tread vppon thy Father for it is piety to bee cruell in this cause Pray vnto God to giue thee this constancy of minde and setting before thine eyes him that was crucified take courage before him and in his presence determine of all thy busines The 38. Meditation of the second worde of Christ And the same thing did the Theeues Mat. 27. Mat. 13. which were crucified with him vpbraide vnto him and one of the theeues which were hanged blasphemed him saying If thou art Christ saue thy selfe and vs but the other answering blamed him saying Neither doest thou feare God which art in the same condemnation Wee indeede suffer iustly for wee receiue worthy punishment for our facts but this man hath done no euill COnsider first the ignominy offered to our Lord in this place either by one theefe according to St. Epiphanius Haere 66 8. lib. 3. de conâ— EuaÌ„ c. 16. â—â—oÌ„ 7. ad Phil. and St. Augustine or else in the beginning by both acording to St. Chrysostome but the one repeÌ„ting the other perseuering For they were most wicked and infamous men and did worthily suffer the accursed death of the Crosse But it did much more afflict our Sauiours heart that hee for whome and with whom hee did shed his bloud should presently bee carryed headlong into Hell Learne hereby that commonly hee which liueth ill dyeth ill as he liued ill except he be changed by Gods speciall grace For a sinner is stricken with his iudgement Aug. ser 3 de num that dying he forgetteth himselfe who liuing was forgetfull of God Consider secondly the wordes of the euill Theefe If thou art Christ saue thy selfe and vs First he wanted faith who desired a miracle that hee might beleeue Secondly he desired temporall life and safety after the manner of all sinners who haue no care of their euerlasting life to come Thirdly he spake this perhaps to please the Iewes which stood by but it profited him nothing to get their fauour because the world euer giueth a false reward to her followers Fourthly hee once vttered this rayling speach but being rebuked he held his peace being better then thy selfe who art neither amended by good admonition nor well pleased with him that aduiseth thee Consider thirdly the mercy of Christ in the good Theefe whose heart hee did not onely instruct by outward signes but also did mollifie it by inward grace so as he profited more in three houres by hearing him teach from the chayre of the Crosse then the Apostles did in three yeares by following our Lord continually and seeing his miracles For so great is the force of the crosse of our Lord that it doth nor onely mooue the sence but also giueth vnderstanding to the hearing and addeth affection to the vnderstanding Therfore this good theefe being depriued of all outward thinges and hauing his body stretched vpon the Crosse gaue openly all that was left vnto him to wit hee consecrated his heart and tongue vnto Christ For hee beleeued with his heart to iustice Rom. 10 and with his mouth hee confessed to saluation being made a teacher from the chayre of the Crosse openly confessing Christ and freely reproouing the vices of the standers by Consider fourthly the wordes of the good Theefe First with great charity hee rebuked his companion when he sinned before hee craued any thing for himselfe of our Lord and hee putteth him in minde of his iminent death for sinners ought to be repressed with the feare of Hell when they will not be moued with Gods benefites Neither doest thou feare God a bolde worde but worthy of a Martyr None of these saith hee feare God and darest thou imitate them being now presently to goe before God thy Iudge Secondly he confesseth his sinne and receiueth the punishment of the Crosse in satisfaction For it is a signe of a good man to
my Crowne and that thou mayst not seeme to haue suffred as a theefe but to haue triumphed as a Martyr with mee Thus Christ conuerted the punishment of the Theefe into Martyrdome so as he which was brought as a Theefe vnto the Crosse did by this his notable and publike confession receiue the Crowne of his testimony Aug. lib. 4 deami eius originie cap. 9. as a Martyr with Christ the Prince of Martyrs Thou shalt bee to remaine for euer In the ioyes shall bee so great that thou shalt not cōprehend them but they shall receiue thee entring into thē they shall fill thee within and cōpasse thee without according to that saying Enter into the ioyes of thy Lord. Mat. 25. Paradise hee saith not an earthly Paradise wherwith the soules and spirits of the blessed are not delighted but the contemplation of the diuine nature in which is a full satiety and delight of the minde He calleth it not a Kingdome as the theefe had requested but Paradise which name he had neuer vsed before First because by this key of Dauid to wit the Crosse of our Lord the gate of Paradise is opened vnto vs with the wood of the knowledge of good and euill being violated by sinne had locked vp Secondly because after forty dayes he was to ascend into his heauenly mansion the place of the blessed Behold heer the liberall guift of Christ thy Lord bee of good courage for hee which promised a kingdome to the penitent theefe on the Crosse will render no lesse reward to thee for thy labours spent all thy life time in his seruice But because Paradise is not promised by the crucified but onely to him that was crucified doe thou if thou wilt bee a partner in this Paradise crucifie thy flesh with the vices and concupiscences thereof and pray the spouse of thy soule to call thee to Heauen with these words at the houre of thy death The 39. Meditation of the third worde on the Crosse And there stood by the Crosse of Iesus Ioan. 19. his Mother and his mothers sister Mary of Cleophas and Mary Magdalene COnsider first that when the Apostles fledde the women followed our Lord euen vnto the Crosse And his Mother is first named both because she was more feruent then the others and remained more cōstant also because it was strange that a mother could indure so great torments especially of such a Sonne and lastly that thou mayest learne hereby that it is not comely for womens modestie to bee present at the death of guilty persons and yet that it is very glorious for them to stay with the Mother of our Lord before the crosse of Christ and to set that alwayes before the eyes of their soule Cōsider secondly why the Mother of our Lord would bee present at his execution surely not of curiosity or lightnes but First that shee who loued such a Son so dearly and had followed him in all places might not forsake him at his death Secondly to be ready to doe him any seruice or to giue him any comfort which lay in her power Thirdly that shee might beholde not onely the death of her sonne but also the manner of the redemption of man by the cōtemplation wherof she might inflame her zeale of the loue of God Consider thirdly why Christ would haue his Mother present at this spectacle First that she should be a witnesse that hee had payed the price for the sinnes of all mankinde Secondly that shee might see the feruor of his loue towards vs thereupon vndertake to be our Patrone Thirdly that the Queen of all Saints should not be depriued of the crowne due vnto Martyrs but that shee should suffer the most noble martyrdome of all others For other Martyrs suffered their own torments inflicted vpon thē by the hands of the executioners But the Mother of our Lord suffred the torments of her son being deriued vnto her from the body of her son as Simeon prophesied of her Luc. 2. And thine owne soule shall a sword pierce Fourthly that the presence of his mother might increase the matter of his paine For the Euangelist did not without cause say His Mother signifying therby the mutuall affections of them both Admire thou here two great lights obscured Christ the greater light the sonne of Iustice Which illuminateth euery man comming into this world Ioan. 1. and the lesser light Mary faire as the Moone The Sunne is made black saith the Apostle as a sacke of haire-cloath Apoc. 6. and the Moone is made all like bloud the mother bleeding with the bloud of her sonne Consider fourthly that shee sate not idly nor lay downe as halfe dead nor ran vp and downe amazedly but she stood First for reuerence vnto her Sonne whome shee saw hanging straight vppon the Crosse for thy sake Secondly as one ready to obey and doe any seruice Thirdly constant and of a good courage with an assured faith of the redemption of man and of the resurrection of her Sonne Fourthly as prepared herselfe ro goe vp to the crosse and if need were to suffer death for sinners Consider fiftly that a fewe others stood by the crosse with the Mother of our Lord a Virgin a Widdow and a Sinner being sorrowful and destitute of all comfort that thou mayest learne First that our Lord crucified on the Crosse was giuen vs by God the Father to bee a comforte to the afflicted a Patrone to Widdowes Orphanes and a preseruer and protector of Virgins Secondly that Christ did communicate the feeling of the griefe of his Passion especially to those whom he loued most dearely Marke therefore whether thou beest mooued with this passion or not for thereby thou mayest vnderstand how much hee loueth thee Consider sixtly There stood by the Crosse of Iesus Fewe doe stand by the crosse of Christ Some onely walke by it and lightly passe ouer the mysteryes of Christ others stand a farre off looking so vpon it as if the mysteries of the Crosse did not appertaine vnto them others stand by the Crosse of the Theeues who suffer the troubles of their pride their ryot their couetousnes of their other vices Neare the crosse of Christ no sinners are tollerated no light behauiour is committed nor no pleasures are sought after Heere is whatsoeuer the world abhorreth pouerty subduing of the flesh contempt and reproach and all thinges are wanting which the world desireth and esteemeth Come thou to the Mother of Christ as neare the Crosse as thou canst because this way onely leadeth those that weepe and mourne vnto Heauen whilst others laughing iesting and blaspheming fall downe into Hell And pray the virgin Mother to assist thee at the houre of thy death and to comfort thee in thy troubles who with such constancy did suffer the sorrowes of her Sonne Therefore when Iesus sawe his Mother and the Disciple whome hee loued Ioan. 19 standing hee said to his Mother woman behold thy
Sun no lesse dependeth then the light of the other starres depend vpon the brightnes of the Sunne Thirdly that thou shouldest knowe the greatnes of this sinne from which the Sunne abhorring did as it were turne away his face and withdraw his light and shewed himselfe ready to reuenge and offered to his Lord and creator to perish for his death Thou learnest hereby that euery mortall sinne is so grieuous that it were better the Sunne and starres should perish then that the maiesty of God should bee offended by one sinne For by euery mortall sinne God is put to death whose death cannot bee recōpenced with the perishing of all creatures Fourthly that thou mayst know that Christ suffred this death for the great and thicke darknes of sinners and of the Iewes that this darknes being driuen away throgh the death of our Lord there might a nowe light of faith diuine wisedome be restored vnto the world as at the 9. houre the light appeared againe Fiftly that thou mayst vnderstand that the fruite of our Lords death consisteth in the cōtempt of the splendor fauour of the world for they which are crucified with Christ reioyce not in Honors Nobility but in obscurity neglect contempt Consider 2. the manner of this Eclipse with St. Dionisius Areopagita being an eye witnes Epist 7. ad policarpū 11. ad Apolloph hath described 1. The Moone being at the full and opposite to the Sun returned from midnight to noone 2. It returned not by his ordinary motion from the West but by a contrary motion to himselfe from the East Thirdly the Sunne it selfe lost his light in it selfe Fourthly not in one only part of the earth as in other Eclipses but ouer the whole world this darknesse of the Sunne was seene in like manner as of the Moone eclipsed and depriued of her light by the shadowe of the earth falling vppon her Fiftly this eclipse continued three whole houres which vsually lasteth but a small time All these thinges are not voide of their reasons and considerations Christ is the Sonne of Iustice the Moone is the world and foolish sinners Eccles 27 For a foole is changed like the Moone Therfore our Lord dyed when the world being opposite to God did shine in glory riches and wisdome The world also came to this eclipse that is to the death of our Lord to which not onely by other sinnes but also by this seeking of the death of Christ it had giuen cause But because the maiesty of Christ is not subiect to humane power hee could neuer haue beene obscured put to death by the power of man except hee had bin deliuered to death by the diuine will of God Therfore the Sunne is truly obscured and Christ is truly slaine both by the malice of the world by his Fathers wrath For our Lord was like vnto him which standeth between two men a fighting and receiueth both their swordes into his owne body The world fighteth with God and our Lord receiueth in his body both the wrath of God and the fury of men Thy wrath saith hee hath passed through me Psal 87. and thy terrors haue troubled me Therfore when the Sun of Iustice was eclipsed the Earth was couered with darknes both because by this grieuous sinne there was newe matter giuen of lamentation and reuenge and also because by the death of our Lord all power ouer men was taken away from the Prince of the world and in stead thereof he was bound in chaynes of fire and condemned to the darke prison of Hell But whereas the Moone by a contrary motion came from the East to the Sunne in the South thereby is signified that the Iewes without all consideration of equity and iustice hastened the death of Christ contrary to Law contrary to the right of nature and contrary to their owne conscience and did violently suppresse all good motions in themselues To bee briefe the Sunne was eclipsed three houres because our Lord lay hid three whole dayes partly in torments and in the handes of the Iewes and partly in the Sepulcher Pray thou vnto Christ to preserue the true light of faith and grace in thy soule About the nynth houre Iesus cryed out with a loude voyce saying Eli Eli Mat. 27. Mar. 15. lammasa bactani which is interpreted My God my God why hast thou forsaken mee COnsider first why thy Lord at the end of his life made this crye Certainly not to escape the paines like vnto vs who crye out assoone as wee feele any paine for now the end of his paine approached nor to bee reuenged on the Iewes for this his death for the bloud of Christ speaketh better then the bloud of Abell But first that hee who by the space of three houres being couered with darknes had giuen no signe of life neither by worde nor groane might be knowne to bee still aliue Doe thou consider with thy selfe what hee did all the time of his silence in the midst of his torments surely hee prayed without ceasing vnto God for thee in that admirable lyturgie and sacrifice and hee rehearsed the holy wordes of the Psalmes for thy saluation speaking some with a loude voyce that he might be heard of the standers by Secondly least by the continuall silence of Christ and his admirable patience and constancy of minde hee might erroneously be thought to be but a vision and no man and not to haue felt any paine at all For hee did truly suffer feele paines but the loue of thee restrained him from complaining Thirdly to teach thee in all thy miseries to crye only and with all affection to almighty God Fourthly that thou shouldest learne by this loud voyce to obtaine of God the Father through Christ the fruite of his Passion Fiftly that thou shouldst earnestly pōder with thy selfe what thinges how great for whome and by whome our Lord suffered For our Lord saith St. Epiphanius spake these thinges in the Syriack tongue Haere 69 that all the standers by might vnderstand him Consider secondly and marke the wordes O God hee sayeth not Father First because hee was ashamed representing the person of all sinners to call him Father that thou setting aside all pride shouldest learne humility Secondly least he should seem as a Sonne to complaine of his Father but rather as a naturall man of his affliction My that is though thou art the God of all creatures yet thou art peculiarly my God for many respectes both because thou wouldest haue humane nature assumed into the person of the Son and mee to be exalted aboue al creatures and because thou with thy owne handes didst frame this body in the Virgins wombe and also because I haue euer loued and obserued thee sincerely without any vice The repetition My God my God sheweth the great affection of this speach Why hee asketh not the cause least the perfection of his obedience shold be diminished but hee complaineth out of a
application of them to thy selfe Thy dinner indeed is ready but thou must goe to the table and put the meate in thy mouth thy medicine is made but it is kept in the shop of the Church inclosed in seauen boxes to wit in the seauen Sacraments the price is payed for thee but not yet applyed vnto thee Doe not thou thinke that onely Faith as some Heretiques would haue thee belieue is sufficient for thee thou must goe with thy feete to dinner thou must take thy meate and medicine with thy handes thou must put them into thy mouth and receiue them into thy stomache that is thou must frequent the Sacraments and be diligent in the exercise of vertues that that which was effected giuen for all mankinde may bee accepted for thee applied to thee and profite thee Pray thou our Lord that hee who spent and consummated all his dayes with infinite merits of good works will neuer suffer thee to spend and passe away thy dayes idly and in vaine The 4◠Meditation of the seauenth worde of our Lord on the Crosse And crying againe Mat. 27. Mar. 15. Luc. 23. he saide with a loude voyce COnsider first that as often as Christ spake for himselfe vnto his Father hee cryed with a loude voyce but when he spake to others or for others hee vsed a lower voyce to teach thee First that thou must alwayes deale with God with great affection To others thou openest thy griefes with teares but when thou speakest with God thou art so drye that thou hast scarce any feeling of deuotiō Secondly what grieuous paines the Son of God suffered who with the violence thereof was forced to crye out Consider secondly that Christ for diuers causes cryed out in his prayers when hee was ready to dye Ioan. 11. First to shew that he was Lord of life and death hauing power to yeeld vp his soule and to take it againe at his owne will and pleasure Therfore hee called for death as Nazianzen saith which durst not come In Christo patiente except it had been called Secondly to mooue God the Father to mercy For seeing all mankinde being oppressed with grieuous sinnes was farre off from God hee who carryed the person of all men ought to cal vpon God with a loude voyce being so farre absent Doe thou therefore knock at our Lords eares not so much with loudnes of voice as with affection of hart Thirdly that this voice being sent through the whole world might moue mens hearts and that hearing of the death of God for their sinnes they might be penitent for their offences For at this voyce the Earth was shaken the Rockes were cleft in sunder and the Monuments were opened that thy stony heart might also be broken by the force of this worde of God Not without cause did Marke say his voyce being sent forth that thou shouldst vnderstand that being sent into the world it worketh still in the heartes of men Fourthly that Hell should tremble at this voyce and euen as at the crye of our Lord calling Lazarus the soule of Lazarus returned without delay into his body so now euery one there should prepare himselfe to receiue their Lord being ready instantly to come vnto them The holy Fathers therefore in Limbo reioyced at this voyce and the Deuils in Hell trembled Fiftly to teach thee how to meditate on death not remisly or negligently as of a thing little pertaining to thee nor slowly and dully as of a thing a farre off but often and earnestly of a thing most certaine and at hand so much the more feruently because it is the onely gate to saluation Consider thirdly that in the ninth houre our Lord brake forth into this clamor in the houre I say of prayer and of the euening Sacrifice For then the true hoast was sacrificed vpon the Crosse and being cutt into two partes that is into body and soule was immolated to God the Father by the high Priest with a loud voyce and great labour Ioyne thou thy prayers with Christ his prayer that with his voice they may pierce the Fathers eares Luc. 23. O Father into thy handes I commend my spirit COnsider first that Christ prayed not vnto his Father vppon the Crosse but in the wordes of the Scripture First because hee knewe that these wordes were most acceptable to his Father beeing written by the holy Ghost to teach vs to pray Secondly to teach thee to worship God not according to thy owne fashion vnderstanding but in such manner as the Church indued with the holy Ghost hath appointed thee Consider secondly that Christ vsed this word Father onely twise vpō the Crosse in his first in his last prayer but in his middle that is in his fourth prayer hee called him not Father but God First that thou shouldest like a Son willingly accept that punishment which thy Father sendeth and in thy punishment confesse thy own basenes who art not worthy to bee called the son of God and like a poore creature call vpon God thy Creator for tribulation and aduersity doe teach good men their owne fraile estate and vnworthines and thereby perswade or rather inforce them to mend their liues that in the end hauing ouercome all aduersities thou shouldest take courage reioyce as a Son For probation worketh hope Rom. 5. which confoundeth not Secondly because the beginnings of Gods word doe most sweetly affect the minde the progresse is hard to sensuality but the fruites which are gathered are most pleasaunt The booke was in the mouth of Iohn sweete as hony Apoc. 10. but being deuoured it made his belly bitter Thirdly because in his first prayer when hee prayed for sinners hee was to gaine authority to his prayer through the loue of a Sonne for none but a sonne could bee heard for so great wickednes In the middle he complained as a man And in this last hauing fulfilled his embassage he desires as a Son to bee called home to his Father Consider thirdly that Christ made this petition to his Father not for feare of iudgment for now his Father had committed all iudgement to him nor for feare of the Deuill whose forces hee had already broken nor for feare of the paines of Hell which now hee came to take from good men and to carry away the spoyles of Hell But first to teach thee neuer to remit or slacke thy inuincible spirit from prayer Secondly that thou shouldest knowe with what confidence he went vnto his Father For hee sayeth not anxiously after the māner of a suppliant I pray thee Father but as it were of mine owne right and authority I commend my spirit Consider fourthly marke euery word of this last prayer which before had bin made by the holy Ghost to this purpose Psal 32. and is now recited by the Son to the Father with addition onely of this word Father Father First I haue remained thy Son in all these so great