To whome we may imaâine that our Lord would ansâere Blessed art thou Simeon Bariona beâcause flesh and bloud hâth not reuealed it to thee but my Father which is in heauen S. Iohn like wise would enkindle in himselfe affections of loue seeing his âoueraigne Maister not only to vnite himselfe so vnto him as to permit him to leane on his breast buâ also to do him so great a fauour ãâã to enter into his soule body for morâ perfect coniunction Learne when thou commest tâ receane our Lord to bring with theâ these vertues to wit fayth purity and loue as these holy Apostles did that thou mayst reap such profit â they did follow our Lord as they did follow him â It is to be noted that in the enâ of the ââird booke a ãâã meditation are added for prepatation before ãâã thankes-giuing after we haue râceaâued this most â Sacrameat vvherâ he that is ãâã to know how ãâã prepare himselfe and to giue ãâã thanks after vnto our Lord for ãâã benefit receaued may find them THE XXXIII MEDITATION Of our Blessed Sauiours prayer in the Garden and agony there THE 2. POINT TO consider the great desire that Christ had to suffer for our sake and because the tyme seemed âong till he should be deliuered into âhe tormetÌors hands that they might âee that he did nor shrinke nor yet âây supper being ended he went into âhe garden to pray that being a place well knowne to the traytor Iudas to âhew that of his own free will he offerâed himsâlfe to prison to death it âelfe Ponder how our Lord for no âanner of afflictions or perils would ââaue his good and laudable exercise of prayeâ and meditation for supâer being ended he betooke ãâã âorth with to a solitary place to pray âefore he was to enter vpon his pasâion Be confounded because through thy tepidity and negligence for euery light occasion thou leauest thy prayer and forgettest thy laudable customs whereas thou shouldst do quite contrary because in time of greater perills afflictions and temptations we ought to haue more particuler recourse vnto Almighty God prayer being the only meanes to strengtheâ our selues in them THE 2. POINT TO consider how our Redeemer being come to the garden wenâ aside from his disciples and began ãâã wax sorrow full to be sad Ponder what is that which maâketh our Lord to grieue to be sad and afflicted he ãâã the ioy of Anâgells whom when they behold they are exceedingly reioyced thou shal find that the cause of this afflâctioâ was the feare of the ãâã and ãâã the death which he ãâã to âo staynââ the remembrancâ and liuely appââ hension of the sinnes of all men preâsent pasts and future the multitudâ and grieuousnes of them both waâs the cause of this his trouble griefâ â also the vnspekable domage which ãâã sinne commeth to men in that ãâã it they deserue to be condemned ãâã the euerlasting torments of hell ââat of all this arose his so increââble âârrow Gather hense affections of griâfe ââd sorrovv for the torments death ââhich is euen novv to come vpoÌ thv âord for thâu hast beene the cause âhis pavnes and afflâctions Endeaâour from this day forvvard to abâorre and detest and fly from sinne ââh thou seest in what case thy Lord ãâã to deliuer thee from it and from ââe eternall damnation which for thy ãâã thou dâseruest THE 3. POINT TO consider the ãâã of our Saâuiouâ in his prayer many ââmes crauing of his Eternall Father ãâã the selfe same thing to wit ââat the bitter chalice of his paââion âight passe Ponder the deuotion âwrodââeling the teares and sorrovv of thy âord how solitary destitute comârtles he is in this his so great affliction his disciples were aloofe of fast a sleep his Eternall Father gaue him no answere neither graunted him his petition his most holy Mother was also absent his enemies now ready to come vpon him notwithstanding all these afflictions discoÌforts he remained constant and perseuered in his prayer Gather hence the great esteeme shou oughtst to haue of prayer seing Christ teacheth thee that the only remedy of thy afflictions and sorrows it not talke or conuerse with men but to treat with God continue in prayer confiding that though in the beginning he deây that which thou askest yet at last he will graunt it if it be a thing conuenient for thee THE 4. POINT TO consider how the Son of God seeing his Eternall Father gaue him no answere the first nor second tyme had recourse vnto him the third tyme and repeating the same prayer with great loue and confidence said Father if thou wilt transfer this Chalice from me But yet not my will but thine be done Ponder that the cause why the Eterâall Father did defâr so long to make answere vnto the prayer of his most holy Sonne vvas to let thee know the great necessity thou and all haue of the passion and death of our Sauiour Learne not to complaine not to be weary when thou prayâst if God do not heare thee for certainely he heareth thee But if vnto Christ our Lord who deserued to be heard at the first opening of his mouth anâswere was not made till he had prayed the third time what vvonder is it if thy petitions be deferred who in regard of thy sinnes deseruest not to be heard at all Ponder secondly how Christ many times will not comfort nor remedy thy necessity in prayer that thou mayst perceiue and know the need thou hast to haue recourse vnto him with patiânce and perseuerance THE XXXIV MEDITATION Of the apparition of the Angell and the sweating of bloud THE 1. POINT TO consider how the Eternall Father seeing his most Blessed Sonne in so great affliction and anguish of mind and that according to the inferiour part he feared to suffer and dye he sent him an Angell from heauen to comfort and strengthen him and to propose vnto him the glory of God which thence wold arise the benefit which would follow to all mankind by meanes of his passion and that for humiliation and ignominy of the Crossâ his Name should be exalted and adored of all creatures Ponder how the Lord of Angells as if he had forgotten his owne soueâaigne Maiesty vouchsafeâ to receaue comfort by one of his creatures and being the Fortitude of the Father and he vvho vvith power might gouerneth and suâtaineth the world receaueth comfort and reliefe from an Angell hauing made himself by reason of humane nature which he assumpted inferiour to the Angells Gather hence that the office of the Angells is to assist vs in our prayers to comfort and animate vs and to present our prayers in the sight of God which if they be performed as they ought they haue their effâât for God doth either deliuer vs out of tribulation or giueth vs force to endure it with patience and ioy Trâst in God that thou shalt reap
piety that thou mayst be assured of the Kingdome of heauen for there is no greater wisedome then to reioyce in contempt for the loue of God nor greater folly then to seeke to be honoured without him THE 4. POINT TO consider hovv that amongst so many garments which our Lord changed that night of his Passion his Eternall Father neuer permitted his enemies to inuest him with a blacke one it being the vse and custome among the Iewes that he who went to the tribunal to be arraygned should be clad in blacke which was a signe of a condemned person but would that it should be white in token of ânnocency or ruddy in token of âoue Ponder how that garment which was giuen vnto Christ our Lord in âerision was a figure of the witnesse ând purity of his most blessed soule ând of the innocency of his life as his enemies themselues were faine to confesse saying I haue fouÌd no cause in this man of those thinges wherein you accuse him Gather hence desires that our Lord wold inuest adorne thy soule with the white garment of innocency thy body with his reproaches that in all thou mayst imitate him and so thou shalt become more white purer then snow THE XLIII MEDITATION How Barabbas was compared and preferred before Christ THE 1. POINT TO consider that Pilate defirous to deliuer Christ from death and being to release some one condemned person in honour of the Pasch sayd vnto the Iewes Whom will you that I release Barabbas ãâã Iesus that is called Christ for Barabbas being so seditious wicked a fellow he made no doubt but thââ rather then he should goe vnpunished they would release our Sauiour Iesus Christ. Ponder the vvonderfull humiliation of Christ our Lord who being so great so wise so holy and so great a benefactour of all is novv ballanced and compared with Barabbas an infamous companion a theef a murderer a seditious publik malefactour Gather hence desires not to disdayne grudge or repine when an inferiour and worse then thy selfe is preferred before thee and more honoured and respected if account be made of him and not of thee if another be imployed in offices and busines of thee no mention be made nor thou regarded seeing thy Lord thy God endured all this much more THE 2. POINT TO consider how the vngratefull people and those blind passionate Scribes Pharisies out of malice brake into open iniustice how in their sight Barabbas his life notwithstanding all his murders robberies abhominations weighed more was thought more profitable then the innocency of Christ our Redeemer for all his vertues and miracles Wherefore they besought the iudge to release the man-killer and wicked villaine to murder crucify the author of life Ponder how mutable men are easy to be deceaued for they who a few dayes before vvith common consent festiuall acclamations called Christ their King now with a different note tumultuous clamour say Make Iesus away and release vs Barabbas Gather hence confusion for thy pride endeauour from this day forward to humble aud submit thy selfe seeing that our Lord is held for lesse then the lewdest fellow in the world And heere thou mayst see litterally fullfilled that which our Lord sayd by his Prophet I am a vvorme and no man â reproach of men and outcast of the people And for such he is novv reputed of those vvho ought to honour respect him aboue all men Angells THE 3. POINT TO consider that the more the President Pilate desired to deliuer Christ our Lord the more the Iewes were earnest to haue Barabbas released Ponder how often the like iudgement strife and controuersy passeth betweene thy flesh thy spirit the one making choice of Christ and the other of âarabbas the one of God the other of a creature the one seeketh after the vayne perishing glory of men the other seeketh the glory of God which is perpetuall euerlasting Finally the one enquireth after corruptible transitory thinges the other after things permaneÌt which endure for euer Whence thou mayst gather great sorrow for hauing left Christ thy only and chiefest good for so vile and contemptible a thing as Barrabbas I meane for hauing so often câosen regarded more a creature â little sensible delight and vayne honour then Christ Iesus our Lord In whome be all the goods treasures of the wisdome and infinite knovvledge of God hidden Be confounded in consideration of this thou miserable wreth as thou art THE 4. POINT TO consider how Pilaâe did testify vnto the people the innocency of Christ saying I find no cause in him why he should deserue death but the outragious people raising their voices cryed aloud saying Crucify him crucify him Ponder hovv much those redoubled often repeated clamours grieued our Lord seeing that they did not only seeke his death but that he should dye so cruell a death as the death of the Crosse. Gather hence sorrow for that thy sinnes haue put our Lord to so great straites for they alone vvere those that importuned and cryed out that he should be crucified Wherefore it behooueth thee to abhorre them detest so cruell and bloudy beasts which with so great cruelty murdered our Sauiour THE XLIIII MEDITATION Of the stripes which our Lord receaued at the pillar THE 1. POINT TO consider how the Present Pilate seeing that his former proiect and deuise did not succeed and that all the people began to be in an vproare he tooke another meanes and counsell to appease the fury of those cruell enemies vvhich was to giue sentence against the Lord of Angells that he should be whipped Ponder how vniust cruell reproachfull this sentence was which the President gaue agaynst our Lord notwithstanding he knew very well and was sure of his innocency But our Lord Iesus lifting his eyes to his Eternall Father sayd these wordes of the prophet I am ready O my Lord for scourges desirous to pay the thinges that I tooke not And without appellation or making any other meanes to quit himselfe he accepted that bloudy sentence offering most willingly his sacred body to be scourged in satisfaction of our sinnes Gather hence desires not to complaine vvhen by thy Superiours equalls or inferiours thou shalt be reprehended and chastized although thou be without fault seeing God most free from all fault is not only reprehended but also cruelly whipped and handled like a theefe vvith so horrible a punishment and yet not complayning but as if he vvere âumbe not once opening his mouth THE 2. POINT TO consider how the sentence of his whipping being pronounced those cruell Butchers layd hand on the Lord of heauen the creatour of the world glory of Angells âed him into the court to the place of punishment where with barbarous inhumanity and fury they stripped him naked couered him vvith stripes from top to toe as if he had beene
same thing For not content to haue prayed once vnto his Eternall Father he repeateth the ââme the second and third tyme ââea and the holy Euangelist addeth ââat towards the end longer then beââre And for this our B. F. S. Ignatius ãâã his Booke of Spirituall Exercises âoth make so great account of the reâetitions which after euery Exerââse once or twice he ordaineth to be âade for that which at the first is âot found may be afterwards found ây repetition of the same And so our âord himselfe affirmeth He that seeâeth findeth and to him that knocâeth it shal be opened So it hapned ânto that woman of Chanaan who âor her perseuerance in renewing oft âer petition vnto our Sauiour obâained of his Diuine Maiesty the deââred health for her daughter So also ãâã will happen with vs in Praier that âeturning thereunto once or more âften if need require and for seuerall âayes renewing and perseuering in âhe same consideration we come to âiscouer more_vnknown grounds or ãâã to say better more heauenly misteâies not knowne to vs before Much like as entring into a darke chamber at the beginning we see little or nothing but staying there a while wââ come to see that which we could not see before THE XI ADVERTISMENT How we are to begin our Prayer This is generally speaking of all those who giue theÌselues to the practise of this holy Exercise that in the beginning and entrance therof they alwayes make for the space of an Aue MARIA the Praier commonly called Preparatory which is as it were a preparatioÌ to begin Prayer saying thus I beseech thee O Lord to direct this houre or time of Praier to thy greater glory bestowing vpon me such plenty of thy grace as shall be necessary to performe it and I humbly offer vp vnto thy Diuine Maiesty whatsoeueâ I shall thinke say or do according to thy holy will and as it shal be most pleasing vnto thee THE XII ADVERTISMENT How the Powers of our Soule are to be exercised in Prayer MENTALL Prayer whereof heere we treate is the worke of the three Povvers of the âoule to wit of the Memory Vnâerstanding and Will Noting by âhe way that in euery Mistery and point we take in hand of all the Meâitations of the books following we âre to exercise these three powers in Prayer in manner following First with the Memory we âre to call to mind Almighty God our Lord with whome we speake setâing before our eyes the point or Mistery on which we are to mediâate belieuing with a liuely faith the âruth thereof Secondly with the Vnderstanâing we are to discourse and consiâer those things which best may help ãâã moue the Will pondering and as ãâã were chewing them againe and aâaine by leasure to the end we may find our selues moued with the vertue and fruite included therein For that which is not well chewed is neither bitter nor sweet and so ney ther Sinne nor Death nor Iudgment nor Hell it selfe is bitter or loathsome vnto the sinner because he doth not ruminate and chew these things but swalloweth them whole running them ouer rashly without any mature consideration at all and little to his profit Hence it is also that we take no gust nor haue any feeling in the Misteries of the Incarnation Passion Resurrection of Christ because we doe not throughly ruminate chew them Let vs therefore bruize and chew with our Vnderstanding this graine of mustard seed searching out the precious diuine vertue which therein is hidden that is to say within this holy and diuine Mistery and we shall see by experience that it doth not only heat and bite vs but also prouoke and cause in vs teares of deuotion Thirdly with the Will we are âo draw out of that consideration âundry affections some belonging to âur selues and others to Almighty God for example Detestation of our âelus in regard of our offences against God Sorrow for our sinnes the Loue âf God and his diuine Precepts the âiuing of thanks for benefits and faâours receaued Desires of true and âolide vertues of imitating Christ âesus our Lord in those which he exârcised in his most holy life to wit ân Charity Mercy Humility Patiânce Meeknes and Pouerty and so ân all the rest Neglect Contempt âf all that the world esteemeth and âoueth seeing the small account this âur highest Lord made of them in his âife and death great longing and ferâent desires to suffer and shed our âloud for his diuine honour pondeâing with attention and leasure in eâery Mistery some one of these verâues vntill we imprint and settle in âur Will an earnest desire to obtaine ãâã And these be the acts which we âre to exercise with the power of our Will in the consideration of the life PassioÌ of Iesus Christ our Sauiour therby to come to the true imitation of his most perfect vertues And this third of our Will is the principall that wherin we ought to make most stay as a thing whereof most reckoning is to be made in Prayer this being alwaies in our power to perform how dry soeuer wee be or full of desolation All these and the like affections and desires of true and solid vertues we must put in practise so that we may profit our selues in some of them by one Meditation and in some by another according as the matter of Meditation shall require THE XIII ADVERTISMENT The fruit which is to be gathered out of Prayer IT is a thing of speciall moment and which maketh much to the purpose that before we begin our Prayer we forsee know the fruit which we ought to gather thereof For it is to be presupposed that we âo to seeke remedy for our spirituall âecessities to obtaine victory of our âassions and peruerse inclinations ãâã procure sorrow for our sinnes to ââote out vices to plant vertues to ââbdue all difficulties which may ocâurre in the way of vertue weighing âârst with our selues and very seriouâây what is the greatest spirituall neâessity we haue what is that which âindereth most our progresse in verââe and that which assaulteth most âur soule And this is that we ought âarticulerly to forethinke haue in âreadinesse therein to insist and to âbtaine that our desire in Praier âs if we find our selues to want the âertue of patience thither to direct âur considerations for the attayning âf a true desire to suffer and endure âr the loue of God thinges painfull ând contray to our liking If our âhiefest want be Charity then to âake firme purposes to shew our ââlues affable courteous and sweet ânto our neighbours not to contriâate or do them any harme but raâher all the good we can c. For it were a great folly deceit for one when he goeth to prav to lay hand vpon that which first offereth it selfe and not that whereof he hath most need For we see the sicke person going to the Apothecaries shop doth not
themselues with exteriour purity alone as the foolish virgins and Pharisies did but much more procuring the interiour Because all the glory of the daughter of the King which is euery pure soule as the Holy Ghost sayth is within Gather hence a desire if thou desire to ascend vp to the mount of God and enioy his blessed sight to obtayne not only corporall but also much more spirituall purity for it is not fit that the TeÌple of God should be polluted or not pure seeing therfore thou art his Temple as S. Paul sayth and the Holy Ghost hath his aboad in thee endeauour and striââ alâayes to be pure and cleane both in body and soule that in thee the beames of the diuine light may appeare and shine as in a very clean pure christall glasse for if thou loue this cleanesse and purity of hart thou shalt haue the King and Lord of heauen for thy friend and enioy his sight THE 7. BEATITVDE TO consider how God calleth the peace-makers the children of God for not only those who haue peace in their soules with Almighty God but those chieâây who also procure to haue the same with their neighbours shal be the children of God and of our Sauiour who with special prerogatiue is called the peaceable King and ordained that when he came into the world his Angells should salute men with this peace and made so much reckoning thereof that he vsually saluted his Disciples with this peace saying vnto them Peace be with you Ponder the innumerable perâecuâions afflictions which Christ Iesus our Lord sustained to make peace betweene his Eternall Father and vs purchasing for vs true peace and sheâing himselfe peaceable euen with those who did hate him Gather hence how behoofull it is for thee to haue peace with thy self and with thy neighbours Thou shalt haue it with thy selfe if thou be carefull to breake and subdue thine inordinate appetites attending to the contituall exercises of mortificationâ and vvaging continuâll vvaâre with vice for peace is gotten by warre With thy neighbours thou mayst haue peace if thou endeauour neuer to giue them occasion of offence or trouble but rather to agree make peace with euery one and so doing though shalt be the beloued child of Almighty God THE 8. BIATITVDE TO consider how Christ our Lord calleth those Blessed which suffer persecution for iustice that is for verâue and sanctity sake which perseâution is not vnderstood to be suffeâed in one or two things only but in all kind of iniuries to wit in lands liuings honour content life and death c. Ponder how our Saâioâr Christ from his very cradle till his dying day suffered for iustice and sanctity the greatest persecutions and ãâã which were euer endured and with the greatest patience that eues any had and for the most iust and innocent cause that could be to wit for reprehending vice and sinne and for the saluation of soules Gaâher hence a great desire to suffer persecution in imitation oâ Christ neyther esteem it any wonder sith his enemies persecute him that thine also persecute thee but remâebring that if it was necessary that Christ our Lord shold pass through innumerable tribulations and affâactions and so enter into his ovvnâ glory it is euident that neyther thoââ not any other shal enter into the glory which is not thine but only bâ this way of persecuion Wherfor animate thy selfe to suffer persecutioâ and affliction because our prefeâ tribulation which is momentary and light as also our life is workeâh aboue measure as the Apostle âaitâ an eternall weight of glory in vs. THE XXIII MEDITATION Of thetempest at sea THE 1. POINT TO consider that our Blessed Sauiour being entred with his Disciples into a little boat he fell a sleep forth with a great tempest arose on the sea Ponder two things first that if the ship wherein Christ sayled be tossed and couered with waues what will become of that wherein the Diuell is Pilot that is if the soule of a just and holy person be persecuted afflicted with temptations the soule of a wicked man and of a sinner what shall it endure What will become of such a one Secondly ponder how that all those that betake themselues to the seruice of God ordinarily sustayne tempests and tentations for so the Holy Ghost sayth Sonne comming to the seruice of God stand in iustice and feare and prepare thy soule to temptation Wherfore many times Almighty God permitteth great teââpeâtuous stormes of temptation and pârsecutious to be raysed against vs and he semeeth to vs as if he were a sleep neglected vs. Gather hence purposes to ãâã the fury of thy temptations for God will assist thee and relieue thee in time of thy greatest need and deliuer shee out of danger as he deliuered his Apostles when they came vnto him and craued his help and assistance THE 2. POINT TO consider how the Apostles seeing all their labour to be in vaine went presently to our Sauiour foâr help and awaking him sayd Lord saue vs we periâh Ponder how our Sauiour made as though he sleept and did not presently deliuer his Apostles albelt he saw the danger in which they were partly that they might know and vnderstand how little they could doe without his help and partly because he would they should call vpon him in time of their greatest necessity Ponder furthermore how negligent thou hast beene in stormes of temptations wherein thou hast byn often tossed and how sloathfull thou hast been in hauing speedy recourse to Christ our Lord in beseeching him to fauour and ayde thee And hence it hath come to passe that the little boat of thy soule hath beene often plunged and ouerwhelmed with the waues Gather hence purposes to run to God at all times for his help but especially in time of temptation and affliction saying vnto him O Lord deliuer me from this temptation that âauseth this tempest in my soule delyuer me from this vice from this perill and affliction For if thou call vpon him with fayth and confidence he will ayde and succour thee as he did his Apostles And will command by the vertue of his diuine word the blustering winds of thy temptations tribulations which are those that raise these stormes in thy soule to cease and be quiet presently great tranquility and peace of mind will follow THE 3. POINT TO consider how Christ our Sauiour awaking reprehended his disciples sayd vnto them Why ase you fearefull O yee of little faith as if he should say I being in your company you need not feare Ponder the loue that Christ sheweth to his Disciples and how he requireth the like loue of them againe and that they trust in him fasten the anker of their hope in him for they shal be secure in the middest of the raging and tempestuous sea of this life though the waues should riss to the very clouds Gather hence a great desire to
store Ponder the great pouerty of our B. Lord and of his Disciples ãâã the small care they had of their owne comfort and corporall sustenance seeing for thirteen persons others which might ioyne themselues vnto them they had only fiue loaues and those also made of barley vvhich was the most vnsauory bread that then was in vse and peculiar vnto poore people hauing fed in the desert that vngratefull Nation vvith bread from heauen whereas him selfe his Blessed Apostles were fed with barly bread Purpose firmely to choose for thy selfe such thinges as Christ our Lord did choose for himselfe intreating thy body with like seuerity and rigour where with he treated his being ashamed from this day forward of thy ouer much solicitude in seâking after supersluitieâ and dainties in meate and drinke otherwise then is pleasing to our Lord who reproueth these things THE 3. POINT TO consider how that our Sauiour and Lord of all things taking the bread into his holy and povverfull hands blessed it and gaue it vertue to be multiplied and become better so that though euery one did eat therof it was not consumed but rather did multiply increase Ponder first the omnipotency of God which so easily could conuert a few vnsaucry loaues into thousands those most sauory toothsome bread Ponder secondly the prouidence of God resplendent and manifest in this miracle For wheras those vvhich did eate of this bread were many thousands of different ages complexions yet all of them eating thereof of the selfe same kind of bread were notwithstanding satisfyed as well content with a small portion as with a great quantity therof Gather hence a great desire wholy to rely trust on the omnipotent hand of God for they can neuer want but will increase and prosper alwaies whose Lord God is Christ our Saâiour THE 4. POINT TO consider how this heauenly bâaquet being ended our Saâiour commanded his Apostls to gather vp the leauings they therefore gathered them and filled twelue baskets with the fragments of those fiue barly loaues which remained after all had eaten Ponder the goodnes bountifulnes of our Lord in rewarding the liberality and free hart wher with his Discipls offered him their fiue loaues for he restored them twelue baskets full of most delicate hrââd that they might vnderstand that as they were twelue so he would that the baskets of the remnant should be twelue as it were to bestow vpon euery one of them a whole basket full for the smal part which each of them had renouâced in the fiue loaues they had before presented him Gather hence a desire to be mercifull and bountifull towardes the poore of Christ because all those who offer him any thing for his seruice he rendreth them much more then they gaue him as it is manifest in the mercy he âvsed with that widdow which âed Elias the Prophet who for a little meale which she had freely libârally bestowed vpon him in the name of God multiplyed the same making it to Iuffice for many dayes And for one glasse of bad wine which was giuen vâto Christ our Lord at the marriage wherennto he was inuited he bountifully rendred six vessells full of most excellent wine And if this our Lord dealt so liberally in this life with sinners giuing â hundred sold for one what will be giue in the eternall to the iust Good measure sayth S. Luke and pressed downe and shaken togeather and running ouer shal be giuen in their bosome infinitely surpassing that which is or can be done for him in this life THE XXVII MEDITATION Of the Transfiguration of our Lârd THE 1. POINT TO consider that when Christ our Lord transfigured himselfe and vouchsafed as it were to make a heauen heere vpon earth manifesting his glory and heauenly beauty vnto men he retyred himselfe vnto an high mountayne taking with him only three of his best beloued and most familiar disciples toâ place where no body but only they might enioy those diuine comfoââs fauours which in the night of his transfiguration he was to impart vâto them Whereas to shew himselfe disfigured in Mount Caluary there to suffer a most painefull and oppâobrious death he would it should be at midday in the fight of the whole world Ponder how that God doth not bestow these graces fauours such as was to be preseÌt at the glory of hiâ transfiguration vpon all those that are iust and holy but only vpon the most feruorous and his best beloued and peraduenture he tooke not the rest with him not because they were lesse seruent in his loue neither were they so but because Iudas was amongst them who deserued not to enjoy so great a fauour neither wold he exclude him alone not to defame him Whence thou maist gather how much it importeth thee to be feruorous in the lone of God and how much harme one bad member doth vnto a whole community of good men being the cause why they are depriued of such sauours and benefitâ which Almighty God would do theÌ if such a one were not in their house company THE 2. POINT TO consider how that Christ our Lord transfigured himsâlfe in praver permitting the glory of his soule which was hidden âhen and restrained to communicate it selfe to the body though for all small time Ponder how that thy sinnes were the cause why that most holy body of thy redeemer was deprtued all the time he liued in this world of that glory which he made known in this his transfiguratioÌ as also why it as passible and mortall albeit now he admitted that glory it was but for a very short space choosing rather to prosecute the worke of our Redeâption and to suffer and dye with great âgnominy and shame for men then here to haue rest enioy his glory Gather hence two things firsts desire and loâe rather of paynes and tranells and to suffer with Christ in mount Caluary then to enioy the quiet of mount Tbabor Secondly how it importeth thee to be a great louer of prayer and to profit therein if thou desire to be transfigured into the image of the Sonne of God for by prayer our life is tranâformed changed from terrene and worldly into a celestiall and diuine consolatiâion THE 3. POINT TO consider how our B. Sauiour being in so great glory and Maiesty there appeared Moyses Elias and spake of his death that he was to suffer in Hierusalem Ponder how that the reason why Christ our Lord made choice of those two Prophets before many others and to honour himselfe and them by this communication was because they were eminent in sanctity and zealous of the obseruance of the Law and withall very much giuen to fasting prayer Gather from hence two things first a great desire of those vertues which these Saints had thereby to be So inward familiar with our Lord as they were Secondly how our Sauiour in the middest of
the like comfort and benefiâ by thy paines afflâctions if in them thou haue recourse to prayer as our B. Sauiour had in his THE 2. POINT TO consider how the Sonne of God praying with more force earnestnesse the anguish sorrow feare of death and the manifold torments which he was to suffer did so wonderfully increase that his sweat became as drops of bloud âtickling downe vpon the earth Ponder first the greatnes of the torments which our Sauiour suffered for if the only representation of them wrought so strange an effect in him who is the vertue and fortitâde of God what may we thinke it was to endure them Ponder secondly the example which our Lord giueth thee to striue strongly with thy passions and bad inclinations withstanding them all valiantly euen to the shedding of thy bloud if it be needfull for the ouercomming of them Gather hence desires to fight against them propâsing to thy selfe all those things which may terrify thee or cause thee any way to shrinke in the way of vertue or in the accomplishment of the diuine will whether ât be feare of pouerty dishonor sicknes griefe torment or vvhatsoeuer other difficulty that thus preparing thy selfe thou maist preuaile and get victory ouer them THE 3. POINT To consider the immensity of the loue of Christ our Lord and the great liberality vvhich he shevveth thee in shedding voluntarily his precious bloud for thy sake not staying till the tormentors should doe it vvith their stripes thornes nailes Ponder hovv great the agony sorrovv of our Lord was though the apprehension of all the torments vvhich he vvas to suffer in euery part of his body sith it vvas of force to make a bloudy svveat to fall dovvne from his face necke breast shoulders leauing him vvholy bathed and embrued in his ovvne bloud Gather from hence desires that all the parts of thy body might become as so many tongues to praise magnify the loue and mercies of thy Lord or so many eyes to weep tears of bloud for thy sinnes or so many hands to chastise reuenge thee on thy flesh by rigourous and sharp pennance it hauing beene the cause why thy Sauiour suffered so much especially at that time all at once and vpoÌ a heap all that he was to sustaine after at seuerall times THE 4. POINT TO consider the vigour and force which the most holy flesh of Christ receaued by praver to encouÌter with the many griefs torments of his passion it being strengthned to vndergo that which before it did naturally fly from abhorre Ponder that the causes of courage and strength of mind and body which our Lord shewed hââre were tvvo First because he saw that by his death and passion he was to heale al the mortal soares wounds of the mysticall body of the Church which are the faithfull Secondly to giue vigour force courage to his elect to vanquish and subdue their spirituall and corporall enemies vâdergoing for him and for his honour and glory afflâctions persecuâions reproaches torments Crosses and death as Saint Peter and S Paul S. Andrew S. Steuen S. Laurence many others did imitating like faithfull souldiers their valiant Captaine who went before and gaue them a liuely example of suffering patiently constantly Gather hence a desire to arme thy selfe like a true souldier of Christ with the armour of prayer which is the aâmour of light that in all thy labours and afflâctions thou mayst fight and get the victory ouer thine enimes the world the flesh and the âiuell THE XXXV MEDITATION Of the comming of Iudas of the inturies done vnto our Sauiour THE 1. POINT TO consider how that our Saulour hauing ended his prayer that salfe traitor âained friend Iudas approached with a great multitude of armed men making himselfe the leader and Captaine of them to apprehend Christ our Lord. Ponder the extremity of euills wherinto this wretch is falleÌ because he did not resist his couetousnes at the beginning and vvhat may be expected from thee if thou resist not that which thou feelest in thy selfe especially hauing got so good meanes of vertue as he had for thou dost not learne in such a schoole thou seest not such miracles neither conuersest with such a Mayster nor with such school-fellowes Yet all this was not âhough to restraine this accursed conpânion and keep him from falling like another Lucifer from the highest degree in the Church to the deepest bottome of all wickednes to wit to become the head conspirer of the death of Christ. Gather out of all this a great feare of the iudgements of God beseeching him not to leaue thee least thy impiety proceed so far as to work thine owne ruine by the benefits which he bestoweth vpon thee THE 2. POINT TO consider that the signe vvhich this traytor had giuen to the Ministers of Sathan to betray his Mayster was this Whomesoeuer I shall kisse that is he hold him fast Ponder that the enemies of the authour of life could entrap him by no other wile then by shew of loue And âe accepted this cruell kisse that with the swetâes thereof and of his meeknes he might soften the rebellious and obstinate hart of Iudas From thence thou maist gather a great confidence in the mercy of this our Lord that he will not refuse nor disdaiâe thy kisse nor of those sinners which desire to reconcile thâselues to him renew their friendship with him which they haue lost seeing he did not reiect the kiââe of him who so cruelly betrayed him sold him as Iudas did THE 3. POINT TO consider how Christ our Lord encountred those impiouâ officers of iniustice and demanding of them Whome seeke yee they answered him Iesus of ãâã and âur Lord said vnto them I am ãâã Ponder first that word of Christ whome seeke yee as if he should say âake heed you seek a iust innocÌetââan who doth good to al ãâã no man You seeke him who descended from heauen to earth for your eternall weale and saluation and you seeke him to depriue him of his life Gather from hence desires to seeke this thy Lord but after a far different manner to wit for thy saluation and remedy for his honour and glory thou mayst be assured that seeking him after this manner thoâ shalt find him Ponder secondly that word I am he A vvord which vnto his good Disciples vvas alvvayes a great comfort in their trauailes and afflictions but vâto the bad it is of so great feruour and dread that it alone did fell them flat to the grouÌd neither could they haue risen agayne if the same our Lord who ouerthrew them with one only word had not giuen them leaue to rise Gather hence desires to seeke God and note by the way that vnto the good who seeke him in prayer he is a Father and protectour he is their repose and ioy But vnto the euill vvho seeke him to offend him and
thou desire to haue pardon very seriouâly âo bewayle and hartily to repent for thy sins do pennance for them THE XL. MEDITATION What happened vnto our Sauiour in Caiphas his house of the thinges he suffered that night THE 1. POINT TO consider the answere vvhich our Lord gaue vnto the demaund of Caiphas the high Priest I adiure thee by the liuing God that thou tell vs if thou be Christ the Sonne of God And our Lord although he knew right vvell the great iniuries reproaches and torments which his coÌfession would cost him yea death it selfe he plainely ansvvered and told the truth and savd what was be fitting his person The high Priest blinded with splendour of so great light and being in passion iudged that he had blasphemed and so he and all the rest of his Counsell condemned our Lord to death And hauing no respect to the innocency of his life nor to their owne state and quality treated him most vilely Ponder the meâknes wherwith our Lord suffered these affronts and iniuries and heard that vniust sentence He is guilty of death O how that immaculate lambe hearing this sentence wold offer himselfe willingly to death to giue life vnto them who gaue sentence against him and condemned him to death Gather hence desires alwaies to say of our Sauiour the contrary to that vvhich these his enemies pronounced of him to wit such innocency such a Lord such a benefactorâ such a Sauiour and Maister deserueth life Such a God and Redeemer is most vvorthy to liue and all those which condemne him or offend him or accuâfe him are worthy of euerlasting death THE 2. POINT TO consider that it being now late and tyme for the high Priest and his fellowers to rest they deliuered vp our Lord to the souldiers to watch him they to keep themselues from sleeping did deride scoffe mocke at our Lord and couering his eyes with a shamefull ragge smote his diuine face saying voto him Prophesy vnto vs O Christ who is he that strooke thee Heere thou mayst ponder Christ our Lord full of payne and affliction reiected despised and contemned of all great and little neyther was it the least cause of griefe to haue his diuine eyes couered that his enemies might the more freely strike him on the face perswading themselues that so he could not see them for it is the property of great sinners to desyre not to be seene that they may sinne more freely and without restraint But he savv them notvvithstanding with the eyes of his soule and of his God-head because he vvas God whose eyes sayth the Wiseman behold in euery place the good and the euill which euery one continually doth Hence thou mayst gather that vvhen thou sinnest forgetting that God doth see thee thou art as it were hood-winked deceauest thy selfe couering thine owne eyes vvith this false and blacke veile for Gods eyes are most cleare and open vpon thee beholding thy thoughts words and deeds Wherfore from this day forword be affrayd to offend our Lord carrying euer in thy memory this admirable saying Behold God beholdeth thee THE 3. POINT TO consider now that after this inâury those cruell fellowes deuoid of all humanity did vnto our Sauior another no lesse affront spitting in his face and couering it with their âoathsome and stinking spittle for all of them and they vvere many striuing who shold do worst did cast their spittle vpon him wonderfully defiling and obscuring that beauty which reioyceth the heauenly court company Ponder whose face it is that is âhus defiled spit vpon as if it were he most vile contemptible corner of the world and thou shalt find that it is the face of the God of Maiesty of whome the Prophet sayd Shew thy face and we shal be saued It is the face before whom the Seraphims out of due respect reuerence do couer theirs It is his face vvherevvith his diuine spittle gaue sight to the blind hearing to the deafe and speach to the dumbe It is his face whom the Angells of heauen continually beholding and adoring are neuer satiated From hence thou mayst gather abundant motiues and affections of compassion and sorrow grieuing to behold the face of such a Lord defaced and spit vpon by such and so base miscreants to see the Creator so abused by so vile creatures his diuine maiesty permitting himselfe to be obscured defiled that thou mightst become pure and cleane THE 4. POINT TO consider the iniurious disgracefull words that euen the very Kichen scullians of that pallacâ gaue vnto Christ our Lord and also how they layd load vpon him with blowes buffets spurnes asked him Ghâsse who stroke thee seeing thou sayest that thou art Christ a Prophet who gaue thee this blow on thy care who this spurne with his foot who this kick who this cuffe in the necke And laughing aloud ãâã iesting at him they manifestly declared that they held him for a faigned Christ a false Prophet Ponder the inuincible patience the inestimable meeknes the most louing hart wherwith God our Lord suffered all this as also that patience with which he supporteth thee seeing that as much as ly eth in thee thou hast far oftener scoffed at thy Redeemer âffending him with thy manifold sinnes and yet his mercy is so great that he grieueth more at thy offences at the harme which commeth to them that torment him then at the paynes which he himselfe sustayneth Gather hence affections desires to suffer something for this thy Lord vvho endureth so much for thee louing him vvith all thy hart who gaue thee such to many signes of loue ioyning with coÌtinual thanksgiuing continuall seruice for them THE XLI MEDITATION Of the presentation of our Lord before Pilate what questions he asked him THE 1. POINT TO consider how much Christ Iesus our Lord also his enemies desired the coÌmming of the morning but for very different ends Our Lord to suffer dye they to put in execution their damnable intent which was to murther him and forthwith in the morning the high Priest Caiphas and the whole Counsell assâmbled togeather calling our Lord Iesus the second tyme he asked him Art thou Christ the Son of the Blessed God but our Lord answered him not to his demand Ponder how much it importeth thee to aske our Lord this question but with a different meaning and desire from that which his enemies had âaying O my Lord if thou art Christ ãâã thou art the promised Messias if ãâã art the Sonne of the liuing God ând the splendour of the glory of ãâã Eternall Father as it is most true ãâã thou art how commeth it to âasse that thy diuine face is so disfiâured how is it defiled with spittle ãâã is it bruised with buffets And âaming hence affections of tender âue and compassion acknowledge at thy sinnes haue beene the cause âhy thy Sauiour Christ and Lord is that
ãâã thy selfe poorely apparelled and to want necessiâies seeing so rare an example as Christ our Lord hath giuen thee of sâfferances nakednâsse pouerty in all his life and specially in his death for his nakednes must be thy garment his dishonour thy liuery his pouerây thy riches his conâusion thy glory and his death thy life of grace glory THE 2. POINT TO consider how Christ our Lord being now naked the souldiers âaying the Crosse on the ground they commanded him to lye downe vpon it on his backe that he might be nayled to it so he did Ponder first the most excellent obedience of thy Sauiour which shined most in hearing and obaying in whatsoeuer hard difficult matters those cruell tormentors proposed vnto him giuing thee an example to subiect thy selfe to euery humane creature for his loue where there is no sinne Ponder secondly âow our Sauiour lying vpon that bed of the Crosse which thy sinnes had prepared for him lifted vp his eyes to heauen and rendred thankes to his Eternall Father for hauing brought him to that point wherein he beheld himselfe so poore so dishonoured and misused for his loue Gather hence whân thou shalâ see thy selfe in adâersity and distresâe to be resigned to the diuine vvill in thâ giuing Almighty God due thanks for them for once giuing thanks to God in aduersity is more worth and of mâre merit then many tymes iâ prosperity THE 3. POINT To consider how Christ our Lord was mayled on the Crosse the âxâessiue paines which he felt when those rough and boisterous nailâ eâtred breaking the veynes piercing ãâã sinewes and renting thâ most tender parts of the most delicatâ body of all bodyes enduring with great patience and loue to see himselfe so loaden with painââ ful of vââpeakable sorrowes Ponder how our Lord permitted the nayles to pierce his sacâed hands and diuine feet to shew theâ that he should haue thee alwayes imprinted in his hands feet so great was the loue and holy zeale whicââe had of the saluation of soules and of thine in particuler Gather hence deâires of thy he owne saluation and of thy neighbours setting light by whatsoâuer difficultyes paynes and trauells which to deliuer them out of siâne may befall thee that by this meanes as a souldier of this spirituall warfare thou mayst imitate in some âort thy Captaine Iesus who vvith so great loue gaue his life for them hanging on the Crosse. THE 4. POINT TO consider that after Christ our Lord was nayled to the Crosse his enemies lifted it vp on high with that true lambe of God vpon it who taketh away the sinnes of the world letting it fall downe voilently into the pit which they had made for the purpose Ponder the paine confusion and shame vvhich Christ our Lord had when he savv himselfe on high naked in the middest of an open field full of innumerable people and as another Noe exposed shamefuâ to the sight of all without any thing to couer his nakednes withall noâ hauing any to affoard him any thing but many who were ready to take from him all that might be giuen him Gather hence a great shame confusion at the small griefe sense feeling thou hast of the paynes of our Lord not shedding so much as onâ teare of compassion wheras he powreth out all his bloud And seeing the insensible creatures which want both reason and feeling made so wonderfull demonstration of sorrow at the death of this our Lord that they were âorne and rent in pieces for euery griefe it is good reason that thou who art his creature and the cause âhy he endured that which he did shouldst acknowledge be thankeâull for it and haue a speciall and inâard feeling thereof seeing he suffeâed it in benefit of thee THE XLIX MEDITATION Of the seauen wordes which our Lord spake hanging on the Crosse. THE I. WORD TO consider the great charity of our Lord which waâ such that before he vvould comfort his Mother before he vvould prouidâ for his friends before he would coÌmend his spirit to his Father he promideth his enemies of remedy Wherfore the first word he spake on thâ Crosse was to excuse his enâmiââ who crucified blasphemed murdered him Ponder how Christ Iesus our Lord being full of grieâous dâlors paines in euery part of his body noâ finding any place of rest in that harâ bed of the Crosse euen then did lifâ vp his diuine eyes to heauen shedâding teares of most tender loue anâ compassion opening his diuiâ mouth not to commaund that firââ should câme from heauen as Eliââ prayed but to beseech his Eternall Father to pardon those which were there and the sinne they committed in crucifying him Gather hence how exactly our Lord God fulfilleth the precept he bath giuen thee To loue thyne enemyes to pray for them that persecure thee that by this example thou mayst learne and know to doe the like THE 2. WORD TO consider how that the second Word which thy Redeemer spake from the chayre of the Crosse was to pardon the Theefe graunt him heauen Because he confessed his fault and declared the innocency of Christ our Lord and freely and plainely âalling him King craued fauour aâ his hands saying Lord remember âe when thou shalt come into thy Kingdome And so our Lord Iesus âid honouring this thâeâe before his âternall Father aâ he conâessed him âeforâ men ânduing him with so exceeding great graces priuiledes that being the last ãâã made him of all mortall men the first who departing this life should presently reâeaue the reward of glory Ponder that if God rewarded him with so great liberality who did only follovv him not fully three houres hovv will he reward those who shall serue and follow him vvith perfection all the houres dayes of their life And if our Lord shewed himselfe so gratefull to this sinner who had iniuried him innumerable tymes for one only time that he confessed and honoured him what manner of gratitude will he shew to him who shall spend his vvhole life in seruing and honouring him Gather hence desires to serue him alwayes that securely vvitâ confidence thou mayst haue accâssâ vnto him and aske him thââ vvhich this good theese did aske him saying Remember me o Lord that is remember not my sinnes nor the robberies which I haue done but that am a frayle man and infirme that am thy creature made to thy imagâ likenesse wherefore I beseâh the to remember me THE â WORD TO consider that the third word which Christ our Lord spake froÌ the Altar of the Crosse was to recommend his B. Mother to Saint Iohn S. Iohn vnto his Mother And from that houre the disciple tooke her to his owne and loued her with speciall loue Ponder the exceeding great griefe vvith vvhich this vvord of recommandation pierced the hart of the Blessed Virgin for she throughly weighed the inequality of the change which
for according to the measure his Mother sorrowes he gaue her ãâã sâlation and ioy so if thou accompâ nie Christ crucified in his paynes â Passion thou shalt also be partak of his rest shalt rise as he did to new life of glory THE 3. POINT To contemplate the most Blessed Virgin enioying those graces and ââuours which her most Blessed SoÌne had done her and what tender pleasant and louing discourses he held vvith her perchance these or such like Mother behold thy Sonne I doe not now recommend thee from the Crosse to my disciple Iohn I doe not call thee woman thou dost not hold me dead in thine armes but âehold I am aliue and risen agayne â come to bestow on thee a thouând imbraces and to shew thee the âpeciall loue affectioÌ which I beare âhee Ponder the ioy that wholy posâessed the soule of this most Blessed âady when she saw her selfe so fauoâed honoured and cherished and âvith such loue vviping avvay the âeares from her virginall eyes full of âeuotion doubtles and prostrating âer selfe vpon the ground she would âdore him and say O my Sonne ây God I giue thee infinit thankes âr that according to the multiuude of my sorrovves my consolation haue abounded And making no enâ of kissing those Blessed signes of thâ sacred wounds which yet remaynâ In his glorious body and had cause vnto him so great payne in his passâ on and seeing them now so beautâ full and shining they were a cause â great confort vnto her Gather hence desires to giââ thanks vnto this Lord for so special and singular sauours done vnto hâ Blessed Mother as to one most woâ thy thereof for disposing thy selâ to a good life holy desires workâ he will doe thee the like fauour aâ graces albeit thou be vnworthy the of THE 4. POINT TO consider how well accompaned Christ our Lord was when came to visit his beloued Mothâ with that most bright shining squâ dron and troupe of so many Saiâ which he had deliuered from Limbâ where diuers of them had for so mâ ny thousands of yeares expected enioy him in heauen Ponder how that when all those ââints saw themselues in presence of ãâã B. Virgin our Lady acknowleding her for the mother of their Reâeemer bruizer of the infernal serâents head they would kneele down âprostrate themselues vpon the groând yielding her a thousand thankes â congratulations for such a Sonne â she had there for the paines she âad taken in the worke of their Reâmption Ponder secondly how glad and âyfull the Blessed Virgin was to see âe fruit of the PassioÌ which now the âred tree of the holy Crosse began yield in so many soules ransomed ãâã with O how well imployed did â B. Lady then account all those afâtions sorrowes labours trauaills paynes which pierced her soule all life tyme seeing that which then saw enioying that which then enioyed Hence thou mayst gather deâ to associate and ioyne thy selfe âh this holy company to adore ârence this most Holy Virgin for the Mother of such a Redeemer aâ knowledging that by her meames thou take her for thy Patronesse anâ become truly deuout vnto her thoâ mayst by the grace of God be paâ taker of the glory and eternall blissâ which thou hopest to enioy in heââen THE III. MEDITATIONâ Of the apparition of Christ to S. Mâ ry Magdalen THE 1. POINT TO consider how S. Mary Mâ dalen vpon Sunday very eaâ came to the monument briâ ging with her odoriserous oyntmâ and aromaticall spices to anoynt maysters body and not finding hiâ she thought that he had been stollâ vvhich occasioned in her soule nâ griefe sorrow for before the wâ because her Lord was dead and because they had taken him a way put him she knew not where Anâ she stood at the monument coâ not depart thenâe but sayd O mayâ ãâã where art thou where shall I seeke thee my ioy my life where ãâã they put thee O Lord whither shall I goe where may I seeke thee ââome shall I aske for thee Ponder how muoh the earnest ând longing desire the âboundant âeruent teares of this holy sinner ârought in the louing breast of God âr by her tears she obtained pardon âher sinnes by teares she obtained âhe resurrection of her deceased broâher by her teares she deserued to âue Angells for her comforters yeal âd the Lord of Angells himselfe âbe the first vnto whome our Sauiâr did appeare Gather hence a great shame and âsusion for that thou so little feelest âd lamentest thy sinnes hauing by âem so often lost God and his grace ât if thou desire to find and not to âse him imitate this holy and sferâât woman not taking comfort in thing vntill thou find possessd Creatour for if thou seek in âsort thou shalt find him and he will comfort thee with ãâã sight anâ presence THE 2. POINT To consider how that our Sauiouâ seeing the holy desires of his diâciple would now without further dâ lây fulfill them appearing vnto he yet disguised so that she might ãâã know him and speaking vnto heâ ãâã a different voyce from that he vvâ wont to vse vnto her he sayd Wâ man vvhy weepest thou vvhomâ seekest thou And she answered him Because they haue taken a way mâ Lord I know not where thâ haue put him Ponder that when this sinner bâ fore wept at the feet of Christ wâ shed them with the tears of her eyâ our Lord said not to her Why wâ pest thou nor whome seekest thoâ because those teares proceeded frâ the selfe knowledge of her sinnes from a liuely fayth and loue of Lord whome she had present wâ knew and approued them but inâ gard these teares proceeded out of norance and want of fayth bewâ âing him as dead who liued and seeâung the liuing among the dead he sayth Why weepest thou whome âeekest thou For doubtlesse thou snowest not because knowing thou wouldest not lament for me in this manner neither wouldst thou seeke him as absent whome thou hast preââm with thee Gather hence desires to examine and discusse wel the cause of thy âeares because many tymes thou wile âârswade thy selfe that thou weepest âr thy sinnes and thou dost not ât for the temporal losse which they âaue caused thee And other whiles âhou wilt thinke that thou lamentest âith desire to see and enioy God yet ââou dost not but only tofly the traâell which thou endurest And in like âanner thou wilt thinke that thou âokest God his glory in very âed thou seekest thy selfe thine âne honour and commodity And ââking God in this âort with good âson he will aske thee Whom seeâ thou Seeke therefore Gâd in âth sore that he may approue thy teares and say vnto thee and vnto all Blessed are they that mourne for they shal be comforted THE 3. POINT To coÌsider the mercy of our Lorâ vvho vvould not long concealâ himselfe but
1. POINT To consider the desolation and sorrow wherewith the two disciples going to a towne called Emmaus talked and reasoned with themselus of the paines and Passion of Christ our Lord who approaching went with them and vouchsafed to accompany them in this voyage but their eyes were held they might not knovv him meaning to discouer vnto them in the end of the iorney his glorious Resurrection Ponder the loue of Christ towordes these two disciples sith the small slânder faith they had of his Resurrection was not a cause to with dravv him from their company beâcause he is infinitly delighted to ãâã with them who speake and discoursâ of holy thinges vvho sayth Wherâ there be two or three gathered in my name there am I in the middest of them Gather hence how fit and beseeming a thing it is euer to talke of God and to entertayne thy selfe in like discourses with thy companions especially in tyme of affliction sith our Lord is at hand to comfort them conuerting their sorrow and deâolation into ioy and content And contrary wise hovv ill it is to speake of prophane and bad matters because such do banish exclude Christ Ieâus from their company he flyeth from them THE 2. POINT To consider how Christ our Lord encountred these his two seruantâ ãâã a pilgrimes weed as if he had âot known sayd vnto them What ãâã these communications that yoââonferre one with another walking ãâã are sad Ponder that our Lord is not ânly glad and recreated for that haâ ãâã endured so much as he hath yea ãâã death it selfe being so reproachfull and ignominious but desireââ that all should heare it recounted anâ spoken off And therefore he asked hiâ disciples which he as an eye vvitâ nesse knew right well of what they only by hear saâ treated off for theiâ feare cowardlines had caused theâ to fly Gather hence confusion and shame considering hovv forgetful thou att of vvhat our Lord suffered for thee whereas thou hauing donâ sustayned so little for him noâ withstanding most mindfull therof expecting that he reward crownâ thy flender seruice desirous to bâ esteemed as one who hath trauelled and endured much for the loue oâ God yea art discontented to be oâ therwise reputed THE 3. POINT To consider how our Lord haâ uing heard them forthwith beâ gan to rid deliuer them from theââ ignorance and reprehending theâ for their incredulity and hardnes oâ hart proued vnto them by authoritâ out of the Prophets hovv Chriââ oughâ to haâe suffered so to enter into his glory Ponder that if it were necessaây that Iesus Christ should suffer such so grieuous iniuries reproaches thereby to enter into glory which was his by inheritance as being the âaturall Sonne of God how will it be possible that thou who art a seruant ãâã spendst all thy life in coâtentmeÌts pleasures vanities shouldst enter into glory which is not thine but that it must cost thee a Crosse mortificatiââs and afflictions for costing God ãâã this âhouldst thou enioy it at free âost that is for nothing From hence thou mayst gather âesires to imitate in some thing thy Captaine Iesââ with a great feare least âhy want of fayth be a iust cause why âhou deseruest to be reprehended of âs diuine maiesty and held as foolish ând slow of hart to belieue vnderâând his diuine Misteryes THE 4. POINT To consider that as these holy pilgrimes drew neere to the tovvne vvhither they vvent our Lord made femblance to goe further but they with much instance and intreaty forced him saving Tarry because it iâ towards night and the day is novâ far spent Ponder that howsoeuer Chriââ our Lord made semblance to go further his intention and desire was tâ remaine vvith them to impart vntâ thâegrave e that toothsome repast to opeâ their eyes and manifest himselfe vnââ to them as he did in this occasion râfreshing feeding them with his ââcred body for his delights are to bâ and conuerse vvith the children ãâã men Hence thou maist gather coâfusion and shame that thy delighâ are not to be with God nor to draâneere and conuerse with him but withdravv thy selfe from him ãâã to discourse and treat of him but the vayne transitory and periââââ thinges of this world not reflecâââ hovv that the day of thy life passeth on and hasteneth to an end the night of thy death approcheth wherin thou art to giue an account to God of all THE VI. MEDITATION Of his apparition to the Apostles upoâ Easter-day THE 1. POINT To consider hovv Christ our Lord appeared to his Apostles being gathered togeather vâon the day of his Resurrection Ponder the great care our Saâiour hath to visit his beloued disâiples forgetting the small âidelity âhey shewed him in his Passion when â leauing him in the handes of his ââemies they all fled and forsooke âim Gather hence desires of gratiâde to this Lord vvho many times âoardeth thee spiritually that which did to his Apostles visibly corâally for albeit thou hast beene so vngratefull and dislovall vnto him shonned forsaken fled from him many tymes he neuertheles omiteth not oftentimeâ to visit âhee with his diuine inspirations giuing himselfe also vnto thee with great lone corporally as often as thou commeââo receaue him in the most B. Sacrâment THE 2. POINT To consider how our Lord entred in to his disciples hauing the dores of the house shut wherâ they vvere retyred for feaâe of thâ Iewes our Lord entring in far betteâ then the Sunne entreth through thâ chinks of the windows to awakâ thâ sleepy to rid the fearefull of theiâ dread Ponder that the causes why ouâ Lord entred to visit his disciples thâ dore being shut amongst otherâ were these The first was to manifeâ vnto them that his body being glorifyed he could enter and penetraâ by the grace of subtility whitheâ foeâeâ he would without any obstâcle or let at all The second to maâ knoâne vnto them the efficacy of his ãâã The third that which maâeth most for thy purpose is to teach thee that Gods ' holv will pleasure is thou shouldst keep shut âhe gates and windows of thy harâ which are thy senses that theeues may not enter therat which are the âiuells to robbe spoyle the fruit of a good conscience Gather hence liuely effâctuâll desires from this day forwardes to be very vigilant and circumspect ââer the guard and custody of thy âoule powers senses not permitâing them to wander without bridle ãâã pursuit of creatures And so doing ââe Lord and owner thereof will entââ to replenish her with true ioy âomfort THE 3. POINT âo consider how our Lord the disciples being thus gathered toâather came with a cherfull counâance and placing himselfe in the âiddest of them which is the place him who maketh peace to infiââte thereby that for this effect he had come into the world that this vvas which
he had negotiated and broght to passe by his death said vnto them Peace be with you Ponder how great a friend Christ our Lord is of peace sith the first word he vttered by the ministery of his Angells when he came into the world was giuing peace to men And being in the world he sayd to his Apostles My peace I giue vnto you And being to depart out of thâ vvorld My peace I leaue to vouâ purchased by my death and Passion Whence it followeth by good conâsequence that our Lord recommended vnto vs in life death nothing so much as peace and because sinnâ had beene cause of so great emnitâ betweene God and man Christ ouâ Lord vouchfased thereby to reconcile and set vs at peace with his Eternall Father to receaue the blowes oâ his rigorous iustice vpon that sacreâ humanity rent and torne in a thoâsand places and setting himselfe ãâã the middest to say Peace be vviâ you Hence thou maâst gather two thinges the first how often thou being at emnity with God he hath inââted thee to peace thou hast not âdmitted it nâuer ceasing to warre âgainst him with thy sinnes The seâond how little peace thou hast kept with thy neighbour falling out with âim for matters of small importance ând trifles Beseech this Lord who is God of peace to come into thy soule â graunt thee that which the world âannot giue establishing peace beâvvene thy soule and thy spirit beâeene thy powers and senses beâeene his Eternall Father thy breâren THE 4. POINT To consider how Christ our Lord entring the disciples were troââed and affrighted imagining that âey saw a spirit and our Lord sayd them Why are you troubled and âgitations arise into you harts See ãâã handes and feet that it is I âdle and see for a spirit hath not ãâã and bones as you see me to ãâã Ponder the sweetnes of his voice which was sufficient to appease them rid them of all feare to makâ them to know him as who shoulâ say My deerest disciples I am thâ same I was wont to be in my nature in person in quality I am you Sauiour your Master your brother your God feare not the fury of thâ Iewes nor the indignation of thâ Gentills nor the cruelty of Kings Princes who haue risen against me nor those who oppose theÌselues anâ persecute you for I being in your câââpany you are secure in safeguard Gather hence security confââdence for thy soule timerous feaâ full through the manifold sinnes thâ hast committed saying to her O mâ soule feare not for although thy ãâã be many this Lord promiseth sureth thee of the pardon of them This Lambe is he that taketh avvâ the sinnes of the world and he ãâã will take away thine if he be protectour of thy life of who shouldst thou be afrayd âHE VII MEDITATION âf Christ his apparition to the Apostles Saint Thomas being present THâ 1. POINT TO consider how our Lord the disciples being gathered togeather entred and sayd to his âisciple who had not belieued the Miâââery of his Resurrection Put in thy ânger hither see my handes being hither thy hand put it into ây side be not incredulous but âithfull Ponder the infinite charity oââod in being solicitous for the vvellâre of his sheep for hauing expected ãâã dayes to see if Thomas vvould call himselfe and acknowledge the ârdnes of his âart he would not âferre the remedy any longer but me in pârson to cure this his ãâã and lost sheep and taking him by âhand desired to put place him his hart Gâther hence hovv great the mercy of God is graunting thee ãâã infallible promise and assurance ãâã he will not conceale himselfe froâ thee if thou seeke him yea albeit thâ hast been as incredulous as S. Thââ mas confessing him for thy ãâã thy God as he did he will grauââ thee that which he afforded him thââ is his body not only to touch hiâ but also to receaue and enioy him thy brest THE 2. POINT TO consider how that our Lorâ who permitted not himselfe to ãâã touched by Mary Magdalen louiâââ him so deerly and seeking him earnestly taketh Thomas as we ãâã being incredulous by the cold ãâã froâen hand maketh it warme ãâã cherisheth it and putteth it into bosome heaping vpon him so maââ benefits Ponder how that whatsoeâââ S. Thomas desired and asked ãâã Lord graunted him as if by his liâuing some profit were to ensuâââ Christ whome loue made to ãâã for gaynes as his owne yea ãâã procure them euen with his losse Gather hence an exceeding deââre to beare with the defects of thy brother not to be slacke nor weaâyed with seeking his redresse but euen leauing thy owne right to goe vnto him if he will not come to thee ând with breach of thine owne will âo coÌdescend vnto his perfectly imiâating Iesus Christ our Lord who alâeyt he was triumphant and glorious âet did he not omit to come and doe âaint Thomas so great and speciall âauours and priuiledges And as he âid with him so doth he also dayly âith thee when thou commest to reâeaue him corporally and spiritually âarne to be gratefull and seruiceable âerfore THE 3. POINT TO coÌsider S. Thomas his worthy ãâã confession for as soone as he touââed as piously vve may belieue âe precious wounds of his Sauiour had his eyes enlightned with that ââuine Sunne he became so illumiâââed with the rayes beames of his ââuine light and splendour that he confessed plainly clearly the articlâ of his resurrection which he had noâ belieued before Ponder the loue which Chrisââ our Lord hath to sinners and whicâ himselfe shevved to haue to this hiâ incredulous and sinnefull Apostleââ sâth the sinne of his small sayth waâ not inough to make him leaue to bââstow such fauours and benefits vpoâ him as being impâssible gloriouâ to vouchsafe him his diuine hands ãâã feet bowells and hart to touch anâ handle Ponder secondly how the Apââstle seeing himselfe so honoured anâ fauoured of our Lord brake out iâ to these tender and deuoât vvord saying My Lord and my God ãâã with good reason he called him hiâ and not our Lord because he louâ him so tenderly that for his good loue âe appeared to all the Apostleâ and forgetting as it were all the ãâã vpon him alone bestovved the ãâã and benefit to inflame him in his ââuine loue From hence thou mayst ãâã desires to confesse with S. Thomas that Iesus is thy Lord and thy God for his loue is so exceeding great that âhe is ready to do for thee alone that which he did for Saint Thomas sith that as well for thee as for him he deliuered himselfe vp to death to purchase for thee eternall life THE 4. POINT TO consider the worder which our Lord said to his Disciples Becausââhou hast seene me Thomas thou haââ belieued Blessed are they that haue not seene haue
and humbled wherefore replenished vvith excessiue ioy and comfor they vvould say to ech other Ascend o Lord ascend not to mount Caluary to be crucifyed betweene two theeues on a tree but vnto the holy hill of Sion iâ the heauenly Hierusalem to be glorified betweene two diuine persons by the quyers of Angells and blessed soules that inuisibly accoÌpany thee Ascend O Lord ascend to this soueâaigne Court not to suffer and dye âut to triumph ouer death it selfe sinne c. From hence thou mayst gather how well afflictions endured for the loue of God are imployed seeing he can and will reward and recompence them so largely magnifying and exalting aboue all creatures him vvho humbled himselfe and suffered more then all Beseech him that sith he saith by Saint Iohn If I be exalted from the earth I will draw all things to my selfe it may be fulfilled in thee that thy mind and affection being separated from earthly vanities thou maist ascend with him his holy company to heauen THE 3. POINT TO consider how the holy Apostlâ after they had lost the sight oâ their God and Lord they vvenâ backe to Hierusalem with great ioy because the same loue that caused them so much to lament their losse enforced them on the other side to reioyce at his glorious triumph entrance into that celestiall countrey where he should be receaued of thosâ courtiers of heauen with singuler ioâ exultation triumph some singing others playing on their admirable melodious instruments Ponder how different this Thursday in mount Oliuet was from that Friday in mount Caluary there solitary heere so well attended there nayled on a Crosse heere exalted aboue the clouds there cucified betweene two theeues heere enuironed with quiers of Angels there blasphemed and scorned heere honoured renowned finally there suffeing dying heere reioyeing tryumphing Gather hence great comfort to see this so wonderfull a mutation change and reioyce in this day of Christs Ascension into heauen to be thy aduocate feare his Comming to be thy Iudge THE 4. POINT TO consider the ioy of Christ our Lord in this triumph of whome it is sayd God is ascended in iubilation seeing the happy end of his trauels Ponder how much the Eternall Father exalted him aboue all vvho humbled himselfe more then all giuing him for the throne of the Crosse a throne of Maiesty for the crowne of thornes a crowne of glory for the company of theeues companies of Angells for the ignominies and blasphemies of men honours and prayses of celestiall spirits And because he descended first into the inferiour parts of the earth he made him ascend aboue all the heauens In conclusion that nature vvherto it vvas sayd Dust thou art into dust thou shalt returne now is raised from the dust of the earth aboue all the heauens Gather hence how requisite it is to humble thy selfe for Christ so to be exalâed vvith Christ because if thou wilt not be like vnto him in debafing and humbling thy selfe in vaine hopest thou to follovv him in ascending raigning ¶ After the Meditation of the Ascension of Christ our Lord to heauen it vvere much to the purpose to set downe the meditatioÌ of his glory but in regard vve haue treated therof in the first Booke togeather vvith the last things of man we remit him who desireth to read medicate thereon to that place THE X. MEDITATION Of the comming of the Holy Ghost THE â POINT TO consider how after our Sâuiour was ascended into heauen his disciples retyred themselues into an vpper chamber in Hierusalem where they all perseuered in continuall prayer expecting the Holy Ghost Ponder that the strongest and most effectuall meanes that may be to procure the comming of the Holy Ghost into thy soule is a continuall inflamed and feruent perseuerance in ârayer for otherwise if when others pray thou sleepest if when others aââend and are carefull of their saluatiân and spirituall profit thou remayââ carelesse negligent of thy owne if when others haue their minds and conuersation vvith God thou hast thyne with men although thou be in company of the good and holy in one house and residence in one same Religion this diuine spirit vvill not come vpon thee Gather hence desires to perâeuere in prayer and to be frequent therin that this diuine fire of the holy Ghost may come also vpon thee as it came vpon the Apostles who with so many sighes longing desires expected its comming THE 2. POINT TO consider how there came sodeÌly a wind that filled the whole house vvhere the Apostles vvere in prayer Ponder first how this vvind and coole ayre of heauen did noâ leaue any chamber roome closet oâ corner of that house which it did noâ penetrate to signifâ that this quikninâ spirit is offered giuen to all meâ generally in whatsoeuer part or coââner of the world they are Ponder secondly that when thâ Holy Ghost entreth into a soule it filleth all her faculties by his power vvith verities and celestiall vârtues not leauing any part voyd or vnfurnished From hence thou shalt gather that if thou desire this soueraigne spirit should replenish the house of thy soule vvith his diuine graces and gifts thou must not wander out of it distracting busiyng thy thoghts about creatures but remayne setled and quietly reposed therein imploying her in good desires thoughts works for doing so this diuine spirit vvill fill thee vvith his aboundanâ loue grace THE 2. POINT TO consider how the Holy Ghost desceÌded in forme of fiery toÌgues vpon all the Apostles and disciples that were retyred in that house verifying that vvhich Christ our Lord sayd vnto them I came to cast fire on earth and what will I but that it be kindled and inflame the harts of men Ponder that the cause why this Lord commeth in forme of ãâã vvas that the Apostles might be like vnto burning torches which should set on fire the vvhole vvorld that they might illuminate inflame the harts of men with this fire of diuine ãâã making them of wolues to become sheep of crowes doues of lions lambes of brutish people and infernall monsters spirituall Angella Gather hence great desires that this fire would vouchsafe vnto thee one sparke of his âeat that thy lips being purified as were those of the Prophet thou mayst hence forward neither speake nor discourse of vainâ base thinges of the world but oâ God and his prayses endeauouring with thy speuches and conâersation to inflame thy selfe and those vvith whome thou conuersest with the fire of thy diuine loue THE 4. POINT TO consider that albeit the discipleâ which were in that chamber werâ more then an hundred and all of ãâã different merits yet that pure spiriâ replenished all with his diuine gifts ând graces imparted himselfe entierly to euery one Ponder that although all were full of the Holy Ghost yet some reââaued greater grace benefit then others that is
make briefly this coÌposition of place with the petitions adioyning The composition of place MAKE account that thou art in the presence of Christ Iesus our Lord true God and Man seeing with the eyes of consideration hovv he is really and truly enclosed In thy breast as in a pix or reliquary with innumerable Angells there on their knees adoring him The Petition BESEECH our Lord God to giue thee eyes to see the great good that is entred into thy house as he gaue to S. Simeon hauing him in his armes that thou mayst regard esteem him as the Sonne of whome he is And to giue thee grace to bestow that small tyme profitably and fruitfully as his diuine Maiesty requireth THE I. MEDITATION How Christ our Lord is a Phisitian THE 1. POINT TO consider how that Christ our Lord came from heauen into this world to be the Phisitian of soules and to cure the sicke therin seeking them out and offering them health as he did with that sicke bed-rid man in the Ghospell whome our Lord himselfe sought out at the Piscina or Pond of Probatica to cure him Ponder the loue and charity of this great Phisitian thy coldnes and negligence in being thankefull for the good he desireth to bestow vpon thee for wheras he would cure all thy infirmities and spirituall diseases thou like a foolish and frantike person vvilt not permit thy selfe to be cured but wilt rather perseuere in thy bad estate Gather hence to desire to subiect thy selfe to the vvill and pleasure of such a Phisitian seeing thou art and fândst thy selfe sicke in all thy powers and senses and in regard he is so excellent an one that he healeth all of whatsoeuer infirmities take him by the hand and guide him to all thy diseased parts saying as if he knew it not good Lord come and see this my memory vnmindfull of thee and of the âauours and benefits thou bestowest vpon it cure it I beseech thee Behold Lord these infirme eys of mine and louers to see that which is not lawful for them to desire heale and oure them Behold o Lord this murmuring talkatiue and vnbridled tongue of mine Behold O Lord this wretched man poore and miserable on euery side and haue compassion on him for if I could touch thee with âayth thou wouldest heale me sith as many as touched thee were made whole THE 2. POINT TO consider hovv that the sacred flesh and bloud of this most wise Phisitian ioyned to thyne is an vniuerâall medicine to all thy euells which is of such vertue that with his humility it cureth the swellings of thy pride with his sorrowes paths thy vnreasonable pleasures and delights with his merits thy diffidence and mistrusts thy soares rancled and putrifyed by the inueterate and continuall custome of sinning with the sweet and fragrant balme of his precious bloud Ponder the mercy and bounty of this benigne Phisitian which was such and so great that not content to be only the Phisitian as is manifest by that which he said to the disciples of Saint Iohn to wit The blind see the lame walke the leapers are made cleane the dease heare the dead rise againe c. he made himself also the medicine and giueth himselfe vnto thee to be eaten there by perfectly to cure thee of all thy infirmities Gather hence an earnest desire to haue frequent accesse vnto this heauenly Phisitian and beseach him that although it be vvith the cost of thy affections honour life and contentments to heale and cure theet sith thou preceiuest thy selfe to be ful of infirmities of sinns and inordinate passions in regard that there is not any medicine able to cure thee but only this soueraigne antidots THE 3. POINT TO consider the worth and price of this medicine sith it cost this celestiall Phisitian so many labours and paynes yea euen his life to leaue it thee so prepared tempred and seasoned that thou mightest take it with gust sauour profit in this diuine Sacrament Ponder that the Phisitians of this vvorld most commonly commaund some chickin or âoule to be killed dressed giuen to the sicke to âate but this Phisitian of heauen was not content to ordayne command alone but would also as his Prophet sayth become sicke to cure thee be wounded to heale thy soares dye vpon the Crosse that thou mightest liue eternally in heauen From hence thou mayst gather a liuely seruent desire to come neere vnto this heauenly Phisitian for he alone can giue thee health and life prostrating thy selfe at his feet say vnto him Haue mercy on me o Lord because I am vveake Heale me o Lord and I shal be healed For thou knovvest that from the sole of my foot vnto the top of my head there is not health in me And be assured that if thou come with desire of health with the faith cofidence wherwith the woman which was troubled with an issue of bloud came touched him thou shalt be freed of thine infirmity â as she was for if the garment of Christ had this vertue Christ himselfe can do much more whome thou hast within thee THE II. MEDITATION How Christ our Lord is Fire THE 1. POINT TO consider that Christ Iesus our Lord whome thou hast inclosed in thy breast is the fire of diuine loue whose property and excellency is to consume the humidities of vices to rayse the soule to heauenly desires making her despise those that are terrestriall Ponder that the vertue quality of this celestiall fire is not only to inflame the harts but to giue light also and open the eyes of him who receaueth him worthily as he did to those two discipls that wet to Emaus for sitting at the table in breaking the bread which he gaue them which as some Holy Fathers say was his holy body their eyes were opened and they knew their God and Lord and inflamed burning with this diuine fire which they had in their breasts they returned from Emaus far different changed from that they were vvhen they came thither that is of doubtfull they became faythfull of timerous couragious of ignorant learned well instructed Gather hence desires to come from the sacred Communion conâerted and transformed into another man I meane from proud to humble from incontinent to chasts from engry to patient and from wicked and sinnefull to iust and holy beseeching this Lord seeing he is a consuming fire to purify all thy imperfections and to open and illuminate thyne eyes that comming often vnto him thou mayst know him and knovv thy selfe for heerin consisteth thy eternall felicity THE 2. POINT TO consider that the cause which moued Christ our Lord to come form heauen to earth was the desire he had to cast fire into the harts of men and his will is that it euer burne Ponder the property of this soueraigne fire vvhich is to purify whatsoeuer mettall is cast into it conuerting it into selfe
plight in which thou seest âm and his vnspeakable charity giâth testimony of him that he is the ânne of the liuing God For no oââr then he could haue vndergone so âny torments for the sinnes which neuer committed And adoring ãâã with all thy hart thou shalt say âou o Lord art my Christ my ââd my Sauiour my Redeemer he who thirty and three yeares âst so great and earnest desire and âging to see this day of payne and âction once come to deliuer me from the eternall affliction and payne THE 2. POINT TO consider hovv the high Priest hearing the answere vvhich our Lord gaue afterward to his demauÌd he and all the rest that were present being vnworthy to heare that which they deserued not to vnderstand they treated him as a slaue And thinking any punishment that they coulâ inflict vpon him by their lavv to little they yielded him vp to the seâcular power of the president Pilate that he might sentence tormeÌt hiâ more cruelly Ponder the prouidence aâ vvisedome of our Lord God vvââ would that the Iewes and Gentiâ should concurre to the death of hiâ who dyed for the saluation of all ãâã his death is our life his condemâtion our saluation Gather hence compassion griefe to behold thy Lord ãâã God hated of all as well of these his owne nation as of strangers ãâã lament for that many Christians the like through their sins if those who haue obligation to serue honour him do this what wonder is it iâ the Turkes Gentills who know him not do offend him THE 3. POINT TO consider the presentation and accusation of Christ before Pilate as if he had beene a malefactour and a seditious person being accused as one vvho prohibited Tribute to be giuen to Caesar making himselfe the Messias promised of God Ponder how Christ our Lord in all these accusations and calumniations ansvvered not a vvord in his âvvne defence shevving heerin his great meeknes and patience and declaring in fact how earnest a desire he had to dy for our saluation seeing he would not by speaking for himselfe cause his death to be one iote deâayed From hence thou mayst gather âhat the strongest armour to resist ây enemyes in the midst of the temâests of aduersity and persecution ãâã confidence in God such as our Lord had whose name is Admirable for he is not only admirable in perfections miracles but also in humiliations and afflictions Admirable in meeknes admirable in patience in suffering admirable in silence giuing thee example how thou oughtst to keep silence and not excuse thy selfe when thou art reprehended for thy misdeeds sins albeit thou find not thy selfe in conscience guilty of any thing THE 4. POINT TO consider hovv Pilate hauing heard all these accusations entred vvith Christ our Lord into the Pallace to examine enquyre of him concerning all that vvhich vvas layd to his charge hauing heard all his diuine answers from the mouth of God in whome neuer was found deceit perceiuing his vprightnes integrity iudged him to be an innocent man Ponder the desire our Lord had that that miserable iudge would open the eyes of his soule to receauâ the beame of his diuine light But thâ vn happy wretch although he began to haue a desire to know the truth yet he did not expect answere because he deserued not to heare it from the mouth of the true God Gather from hence desires to know the truth and that God as the Father and author thereof will reach it thee beleeuing that his life is truth his miracls truth his SacrameÌts truth truth all that he taught preached Wherfore seeing this is the most certayne truth although the defence thereof cost thee thy life as it cost thy God his life be glad to loose it for him neyther loosing it shalt thou loose it but gayne it euerlastingly THE XLII MEDITATION Of the presentation of Christ our Lord before Herod THE 1. POINT TO consider how Pilate vnderstanding that our Sauiour was borne in Galilee and vnder Heârods iurisdiction who was come to Hierusalem in those days to celebrate the feast of the Paschall Lambe sent him vnto him that he might iudge discusse the processe of that prisoner whome he held as his subiect Ponder the paines and ignominy our God endured betweene Pilats house and King Herods pallace those his cruell enemies carrying him with great violence tumult and noyse through the middest of the market place streets of Hierusalem that he might be seene noted of all esteemed guilty Haue compassion to see the Son of God haled to so many Tribunalls and Iudges euery one vvorse then the other his diuine maiesty ordayning it so that he might haue abundant matter wherein to shew his inuincible patience humility and longanimity giuing thee an example that thou mayst know wherein to imitate him and follovv his vertues THE 2. POINT TO consider how glad King Herod was when he saw our Sauiour because he had heard many thinges of him the wonders he wrought the miracles he did so desired that he would do some before him Ponder how Christ our Lord to eschew death or any other torment would not do any miracle before Herod also because he knew that he was moued to desire it through pride and vaine curiosity not of a desire of his own spirituall benefit neyther would our Lord speake one word in defence of himselfe or to that he asked him all which redounded to hiâ greater reproach Gather from hence a desire that God would vouchsafe to graunt thee the vertue of silence make answere for thee in all thy doubts difficulties for the benefit of thy soule thou being full of darknes ignorance of thy selfe art not able to giue any answere to the purpose nor to rid thy selfe of the questions impugnations of others THE 3. POINT TO consider how that Herod seeing our Lord not to yield to his desire nor to satisfy his curious leuity did contemne him and with all those of his court held him for a simple foolish fellow and therefore not so much worthy of death as to be mocked scorned at so in derision mockage put on him a vvhite homely garment Ponder hovv Christ our Lord ãâã heere mocked disgraced by the King and all his Courtiers who made a foole of him stood plucking him pinching him iesting at him in most rude vnciuill manner And when they had done the King sent him backe to the President Pilate as if he should haue sayd vnto him Loe I send you backe this foole idiot From whence thou mayst gather desirs to accompany in spirit thy true King Lord vvho suffered all these opprobrious things with admirable patience teaching thee to make small reckoning of the iudgements opinions of this world which are meer folly what people say or do desire to suffer for iustice