Mount Caluarie THE SECOND PART Compyled by the Reuerend Father Don Anthonio de Gueuara Bishop of Mondonnedo Chronicler and preacher vnto Charles the fift In this Booke the Authour treateth of the Seuen Words which Christ our Redeemer spake hanging vpon the Crosse Translated out of Spanish into English IL VOSTRO MALIGNARE NON GIOVA NVLLA LONDON Printed by Adam Islip for Edward White and are to bee sold at his shop by the little North dore of Pouls at the signe of the Gun Anno. 1597. ⧠A Table of the Chapters contained in this Booke PAter ignoice illis quia nesciunt quid faciunt Chap. 2 How the sonne of God said vnto his Father that those which crucifie him bee not his enemies but his friends Fol. 7 Chap. 3 How the son of God put himselfe a mediator betwixt God and mankind and what torment he receiued therby Fol. 13 Chap. 4 Of many qualities conditions which the praier of Father forgiue them had in it how it is meet for vs to follow it in our praiers Fol. 20 Chap. 5 Why the father answered not his son when hee praied for his enemies Fol. 24 Chap. 6 How Christ praied for his enemies on the crosse more heartily then hee did in the garden for himselfe seeing the one praier was made with condition and the other not Fol. 30 Chap. 7 How God is more mercifull now than hee was in time past and why Christ did not say that he did pardon his enemies when hee asked pardon for them of his Father Fol. 35 Chap. 8 How our Lord reckoneth with the Synagogue and of fiue cruelties which the Iewes vsed in the death of Christ Fol. 42 Chap. 9 How that Christs mercy was farre greater towards the Synagogue than their naughtinesse towards him seeing hee pardoned her though she desired no pardon Fol. 51 The Contents of the second word OF the conuersion of the good theefe and of the great wonders which our Lord did vnto him in this case Fol. 64 Chap. 2 How Iudas Iscarioth was a great theefe of the thefts hee committed and how hee fell from the apostleship Fol. 69 Chap. 3 Here are reckoned many other great offences which Iudas committed and diuers treasons which he did against Christ. Fol. 76 Chap. 4 Of the great vertues which the good theef had which died with Christ and how he beleeued of that which the Prophet Ieremy speaketh to this purpose Fol. 83 Chap. 5 How three houres in which the good theefe was with Christ vpon the crosse did profite him more than the three yeares profited Iudas in the which he followed Christ and how some steale vntill they come to the gallows and how this theefe stole vpon the gallows Fol. 90 Chap. 6 How the good theefe had nothing remaining on the crosse but his heart and his tongue and that by these two hee gained glory and there are curious points vttered touching the heart Fol. 96 Chap. 7 How the naughty theefe lost himselfe onely for want of faith and of two chalices which the scripture maketh mention of of which both the theeues dranke of Fol. 105 Chap. 8 Of the great charity which the good theefe had towards the naughty theefe in correcting him of euill doing and in aduising him of the good which he lost Fol. 113 Chap. 9 Why the good theefe did not chide with the naughty theefe because hee did not loue Christ as hee did chide with him because hee did not feare God there are many notable things brought touching the feare of our Lord. Fol. 121 Chap. 10 How the son of God was more grateful vnto the good theefe which bare him company on the crosse than Pharoahs cupbearer was to Ioseph who accompanied him in prison Fol. 130 Chap. 11 Of these words Domine memento mei Lord remember mee which the good theefe spake vnto Christ the which words are deuoutly and deepely expounded Fol. 139 Chap. 12 How our Lord heard the theeues praier vpon the crosse and how Christ answered in the seuen wordes for siue which he spake vnto Christ Fol. 149 Chap. 13 How the son of God neuer vsed this word Paradise vntill he promised it vnto the good theefe of many learned expositions of this saying Hodie mecum eris Paradiso This day thou shalt be with me in Paradise Fol. 157 The Contents of the third Word THat the loue which the mother of God had did exceed the loue of all other men also the loue of Angels Fol. 174 Chap. 2 How that if the loue which the mother bare vnto her sonne was great so likewise the loue which the son bare his mother was no lesse and to proue this there is expounded a saying of the Canticles Fol. 181 Chap. 3 Of the first and second word which holy Simeon spake vnto our Lady and how many fall from the law of Christ without his fault Fol. 189 Chap. 4 Of the third word which old Simeon spake vnto the Virgine in the Temple and of three authorities touching this purpose Fol. 195 Chap. 5 How Salomon did inherite the kingdome of his father Dauids pleasures and how Christ did inherit the kingdome of trauails Chap. 6 Of the sword of griefe which killed the son of God and went through his blessed mother Fol. 212 Chap. 7 How the Virgine and her family stood hard by the crosse and others sate a farre off Fol. 220 The Contents of the fourth Word HOw Christ in this speech more than in all the rest seemeth to change his stile of speaking Fol. 233 Chap. 2 How Christ doth complaine vpon his father because he doth breake all his anger vpon his body Fol. 242 Chap. 3 How Christ complaineth of his Father because he took all his friends from him in his passion and all others which he knew Fol. 247 Chap. 4 How Christ complaineth on his Father because he bathed his body with the bloud of his vaines and drowned his heart in waters of distresse Fol. 255 Chap. 5 How Christ complaineth of his Father because he did permit those to crucifie him which were wont to bee his friends and how he calleth them friends Fol. 260 Chap. 6 How Christ complaineth vnto his father because they made more account of Iepthes daughter in the Synagogue than they doe at this day of his death in the church Fol. 265 Chap. 7 How Christ complaineth vnto his father because they did open his wounds through malice as they did stop vp Isaacs wels through enuy Fol. 273 Chap. 8 How the son of God complaineth to his father because they did load his body with stripes and his heart with care and anguish Fol. 286 Chap. 9 How the son of God complaineth vpon the Synagogue that hauing carried them vpon his backe yet they bee vngratefull vnto him Fol. 297 Chap. 10 How Christ complaineth vnto his Father vpon vs for our vngratefulnesse considering that he hath taken vpon himselfe all our offences Fol. 303 Chap. 11 Christ complaineth vnto his Father how badly
patiens est dominus indulgentiam fusis lachrimis postulemus ab eo said the holy woman Iudith speaking to the inhabitants of Bethulia in the eight chapter of her booke as if she would say It seemeth best vnto me O ye citizens of Bethulia that we kneele down vpon our knees our hands ioined together and our eies full of teares and craue pardon of our Lord for our sinnes and that it would please him to deliuer vs from our enemies Holofernes the Tyrant had so narrowly besieged the city of Bethulia that within fiue daies they would haue deliuered themselues vnto the enemie if the siege had not been raised or some new succor come vnto thē There was in the same citie a widdow named Iudith who was beautifull in her countenance chast in her body rich in estate and of great fame and credite among the people This holy Iudith perceiuing that the captains of the city were dismaied on one side and the neighbors dispaired on the other said vnto them as followeth Who are you which dare tempt the great God of Israel and will giue your selues to be slaues if he do not deliuer you from the Assyrians within fiue daies Wil you prescribe fiue daies to the infinit mercy of the Lord who hath neither beginning nor ending Doe you not know that such a promise and vow made against our Lord doth rather stirre him to indignation than appease his anger Care not then to load your selues with armes but with larmes care you not to make prouision of victuals but to weepe for your sinnes because you should be more afraid of your sins than of your enemies The warre which you endure and the hunger which you suffer the God of heauen and not Holofernes maketh against you and with no other weapons but with your owne offences and you must learne that the enemies who besiege you are rather executioners of Gods diuine iustice than enemies of your Commonwealth All the time that our forefathers were at peace with our Lord they did well and when they neglected their duty vnto him it went not well with them and as it fared then with them so doth it now with vs in so much that all our paines and trauels come from the hands of God either to punish vs or for to make vs merit Tell me saith Dauid what are wee able to doe what are we able to performe or what doe wee know if we bee not guided by the hand of God If thē our ablenesse must come from God to doe any thing and our strength from him to be able to performe any thing and our knowledge from him if we will guesse aright at any thing in whose hands should wee put our hope but in the hands of his diuine mercy Let it bee so then that there bee a proclamation made throughout all Bethulia that the old men fast the yong mē giue themselues discipline the Priests pray and all weepe together that it would please God to keepe and deliuer not the wals from enemies but our hearts from sinnes All the citizens were very much amazed at that that holy Iudith counselled them and all accepted her counsell by reason wherof within fiue daies Holofernes was beheaded he and his defeated the city vnburdened and the countrey pacified To returne then fitly vnto our purpose agreeablie vnto this aduise our theefe behaued himselfe on the crosse with Christ for first he desired our redeemer of the world to forgiue him his sinnes before hee asked him that it would please him to take him with him vnto the kingdome of heauen This theef did not say vnto Christ When thou commest into thy kingdome Lord remember me for so hee might haue seemed to aske for heauen before he had asked for the remission of sinnes but he said Domine memento mei Lord remember me when thou shalt come into thy kingdome In which words hee first made his confession and then formed his petition What doth it auaile thee to ask of Christ if hee bee angry with thee first make Christ thy friend then aske fauour at his hands For it is the manner and condition of our Lord that first thou giue thy selfe vnto him and then for him to giue himselfe vnto thee Vbertinus sayth That it is greatly to bee noted that the good theefe did not say vnto Christ take me from this crosse help to vnloose me giue me life restore my credite but hee said Lord remember me seeing that thou knowest better what to giue me than I. to aske of thee S. Ambrose vpon S. Luke sayth That this theefe was very happy and glorious seeing hee taught the church how to pray as he had taught the Synagogue how to steale considering he said nothing in his petition but Lord remember mee the which praier although it were short yet it was full of mystery because that we need not to be very importunate with God to win his fauour but remember him of our busines with Domine memento mei What saiest thou good theefe what saiest thou Domine memento mei dum veneris in regnum tuum as if he would say O holy Prophet O Iesus of Galily by the bloud which thou sheddest I beseech thee by the loue with the which thou diddest shed it I pray thee that thou wouldest be mindfull of me when thou shalt come into thy owne proper kingdome If wee will reckon the fiue words they are these Domine the first memento the second mei the third dum veneris the fourth in regnum tuum the fift Now it is to be noted who spake these words that is a theefe vnto whom he spake them which was Christ where he spake them which was vpon the crosse and when hee spake them and it was when hee was ready to die insomuch that if they be easie to be counted they are hard to be vnderstood Hee dooth begin his praier like a curious Orator with this word Domine Lord wherein it seemeth that hee dooth confesse in Christ his Deity and diuinity his essence and power his authority and rule his iustice and liberality Origen sayth If the good theefe should beleeue that Christ was a mighty and great king yet would he aske him no lesse than a whole kingdome This word Lord is a high beginning of a petition for if he who asketh do not beleeue that all things are vnder his mighty hand he could not thinke that he should obtaine any thing O glorious theefe sayth Anselmus and happy martyr what doest thou see in this Lord which is crucified what dost thou see in him on the crosse why thou shouldest commend thy selfe vnto him Who euer saw or heard the like that one which was bound should commend himselfe vnto another which was also bound and one which was crucified vnto another in the same case Doest thou aske that those confederacies and friendships which end in death should begin with Christ and thee in death Seeing hee who should be a Lord should bee at
I die by thy commandement and to obey thy will and because so it is needfull for the world why should I call them enemies which execute thy commandements Giue me leaue O my father giue me leaue seeing I must die to sell my death deerely giue me leaue seeing I lose my life to employ it well which I shall thinke well bestowed if thou pardon those which take my life from mee and haue pitie on those which offend thee for what doth it auaile that I die for sinners if thou wilt not forgiue them their sinnes Thou knowest O my good father that by pardoning and suffering the redemption of the vvorld must bee vvrought If thou shouldest not be satisfied vvith the death vvhich I suffer and with the life vvhich I offer thee in giuing mee another life I vvould offer it vnto thee giuing me another death I vvould accept it to the end O my good father that thou shouldst be wholly appeased and all mankind pardoned O euerlasting goodnesse O infinite charitie O inspeakable clemency showne in this answere calling that a house of friends vvhich was a fortresse of enemies and going about to excuse those vvhich he should accuse and in purposing to appease him vvhome hee should haue stirred vp to vvrath and indignation Fulgencius vpon this place sayth Notwithstanding all the enemies and persecutors vvhich the sonne of God had in this vvorld yet he neuer vsed this vvord Enemie vvhich is euident by this demand of his fathers vvho asking him vvhere hee had ben so euilly handled and wounded sought out a new deuise because he vvould auoid this vvord of enemy and lay the fault vpon his friend rather than confesse that he had any enemies because God vvas vvont to haue many familiar friends in the house of the synagogue vvhich vvere holy men our blessed sauiour vvould not account of the iniuries vvhich the Iewes did presently vnto him nor of the vvounds vvhich they gaue him but respected rather the seruices vvhich the old Patriarkes had done vnto him It is greatly to be noted and weighed that in the answere vvhich the sonne gaue vnto the father he did not say that he had been vvounded in the house of those vvhich then loued him but in the house of those vvhich vvere vvont to loue him for hee sayth In domo eorum qui me diligebant and not qui me diligunt yet notwithstanding all this he doth not only not call them enemies but telleth his father that they did vnto him the vvorks of friends What meaneth this O sweet Iesus vvhat meaneth this If those of the house of Israell vvere thine in times past I pray thee diddest not thou vnto them more good turns than they did seruices vnto thee If thou doest reckon of the seruices which the fathers did vnto theâ—â— a thousand years agoe why doest thou not make account of the vvounds vvhich their children gaue thee not longer than one houre agone O good Iesus O redeemer of my soule vvhat humane iudgement yea vvhat angels vnderstanding is able to conceaue or reach vnto this vvhy thou shouldest rather respect old seruices vvhich ordinarily other men forget than thy owne iniuries vvhich run freshly from thy blood like streames Seeing we haue already told you vvho praied vvhich vvas the son and vnto whome he praied vvhich vvas the father and vvhere hee praied to vvit vpon the crosse it is time now to tell you vvhat praier he made and for whom he praied for seeing the sonne of God betooke himselfe to praier in such a narrow extremitie it is to be thought that hee entreated some great and vveighty matter Vbertinus sayth That vvhen the diuine vvord vvas nailed vpon the crosse as it vvere almost dead hauing his flesh pierced vvith nailes his bowels burning vvith the loue of charitie forgetting his owne selfe and hauing his enemies in remembrance lifting vp his holy eies vnto heauen said Pater ignosce illis qui nesciunt quid faciunt vvhich is as much as to say O my eternall and blessed father in recompence of my comming into the vvorld preaching thy name appeasing thy vvrath reconciling thee vnto the vvorld I desire of thee this one thing for a spiritual guerdon and reward of all my trauailes that is that thou vvouldest pardon these sinfull Iewes father I am very vvell pleased that thou vvouldest not yeeld vnto my naturall desire of life vvhen I praied vnto thee in the garden if it vvould now please thee to heare mee in praying for them for I thinke it a farre greater benefit that they liue in their soules than a hurt vnto me to die in body Pater ignosce illis Father forgiue them for I die because they sinned and if I die it is because they may liue and in so difficult a matter as this it is far greater reason that thou haue more regard vnto my new death than vnto their old fault Father forgiue them seeing the death vvhich preuailed on the wood I haue here crucified with mee vpon the crosse the vvhich being so it is far greater reason that thou esteeme more of the charitie vvith the vvhich I die for them than of their malice vvith the vvhich they put me to death Father forgiue them for if thou vvilt punish these Iewes with all rigour of iustice it will bee but a small punishment to condemne them for euer to hell but if thou doest otherwise as there was neuer any wickednesse done like vnto this so likewise thou shalt neuer bestow thy accustomed mercy like as in forgiuing these their offences Father forgiue them for if my death be sufficient to redeeme all those which shall hereafter be borne or be already borne it is not reason that these vnhappy Iewes should vvant the benefit of it and so much the more because that if my blood be shed by thy holy will and consent it would be reason that it should bee well emploied by thee Forgiue them O my father forgiue them for seeing the partie iniuried which am I do pardon the iniury why wilt not thou O my father pardon that which concerneth thy iustice What hath iustice to doe there where there is no complaint of one against another Father forgiue them seeing the time is now come whereof the Prophet speaketh Tempus miserendi deus tempus miserendi Time of forgiuing good Lord a time of forgiuing it is neither iust nor reasonable that rigor should take place there where mercie by thee hath ben publickely proclaimed If it be true as true it is that misericordia veritas obuiuerunt sibi and also that iusticia pax osculatae sunt Why wilt thou execute iustice vpon this people seeing the Prophet sayth that peace and iustice haue embraced one the other Father forgiue them seeing I aske it in the end of my life and intreat thee at the houre of my death thou must thinke my father that it behooueth me very much that they be pardoned because that by my example none should
goodnesse and mercie although he haue ben neuer so great a sinner so as he liue and die a Christian for seeing he pardoned those which would not bee pardoned hee will much rather pardon those which aske for pardon S. Barnard as if hee were in a maze sayth thus vnto Christ O good sauiour O my soules delight if thou wilt pardon thy death why doest thou pardon it before thou bee dead they tooke thy life from thee to the end that thou shouldest forget such a greeuous iniury done vnto thee and make no reckoning to be reuenged It is a tollerable thing to forgiue the iniury done vnto thy self but why doest thou forgiue the iniury done vnto thy sorrowfull mother and thy blessed father not calling the parties offended vnto it Thy mouth is now ready to receiue vineger thy person to be mocked thy side to bee pierced thy bodie to bee buried and yet doest thou make intercession for that wicked people Doest thou entreat for those which crucifie thee and doest thou not remember those which weepe by thee Now that thou hast pitie on the offences of the synagogue why hast thou not also compassion of the tears of thy blessed mother S. Cyprian vpon the passion of our Lord sayth All things end with thee and all forsake thee O sweer Iesus vpon the altar of the crosse sauing only thy patience with the which thou did dest suffer thy torments and thy charitie with the which thou diddest forgiue thy enemies seeing thou doest pray for those which crucifie thee entreat for those which blaspheme thee hold thy peace against those which spit on thee excuse those which accuse thee and pardon those which pardon not thee O my redeemer what a pitifull heart hast thou that considering how the Iewes themselues gaue thee licence to take reuengement on them saying Sanguis eius super nos His bloud vpon vs yet thou diddest not only not vse this libertie giuen thee but forsookest it there pardoned thy iniury O how contrary these two speeches are Sanguis eius sit super nos Let his bloud fall vpon vs and Ignosce illis Pardon them seeing that by the first the Iewes craue punishment of God and in the last Christ asketh pardon of his father for them in so much that the bloud of Christ which they asked to bee against them the son of God asketh that it may be for them What hast thou to do O good sauiour what hast thou to do with the Iews sayth Vbertinus and hangmen and torturers They goe about to condemne thee and thou to saue them they to accuse thee and thou to excuse them they to carry thee to Pilate to bee condemned and thou to thy father that they may be pardoned they to say crucifige crucifige crucifie him crucifie him and thou to say Ignosce ignosce Pardon them Pardon them At what time the son of God hanging vpon the crosse praied on one side vnto his father and on the other side the Hebrews praied Pilate there was a great conflict betwixt Gods iustice and mercie for iustice willed the praier of Sanguis eius Let his bloud fall vpon vs to be heard and contrary mercy forbad it and would haue Pater ignosce illis but in the end mercie had the vpper hand and reuengement had no part therein Whose heart saith Bonauenture would not bleed and who would not loue thee O good Iesus to see thee say to thy father my father forgiue them and not my father examine them and to see that thou doest forgiue theÌ„ without asking yeeldest vnto them without entreaty and pardonest them without amendment It is such a high mysterie sayth S. Augustine and a hidden Sacrament to see the sonne of God release iniurie with mercie and clemencie and not punish their crime with reuenge and that the praier of Ignosce illis Forgiue them preuailed against that of Sanguis eius His bloud light vpon vs that although it may well be rehearsed yet it cannot bee well comprehended and vnderstood CHAP. IIII. Of many high qualities and conditions which the praier of Father forgiue them had in it and how it is meet for vs to follow it in our praiers CVm clamore valido lachrimis efferens preces supplicatienes exauditus est pro sua reuerentâ—â— sayth the Apostle in his Epistle to the Hebrewes chap. 5. as if hee would say When the sonne of God was crucified vpon the tree of the crosse hee made many requests vnto his father with many supplications entreated him praying vnto him with a loud voice and pouring down many tears before him This praier was well heard of the eternall father and very acceptable vnto his diuine clemencie partly because hee who praied was a person worthy of great reuerence and partly because the praier which he made was founded vpon great pitie and mercie It appeareth well that he which praied was of an excellent and perfect condition and hee very mighty vnto whom he praied and that which hee praied of great merit and the manner which hee obserued in praier a perfect platforme of praier seeing that the Apostle in this place laieth down such high conditions of this praier which Christ made vpon the crosse Whereof although much be spoken yet there remaineth much more not spoken of First then he saith that Christ praied once on the crosse because he saith Cum clamore with a crie and with a high and loud voice because he saith valido strong and that with tears Cum lachrimis and that hee praied and offered his praier at the same time vnto his father and that the quality of the praier was to entreat and beseech preces supplicationes and that his praier was heard of his father at that very instant when hee made it because hee sayth exanditus est pro sua reuerentia The condition and qualitie of the praier which the sonne of God made vpon the crosse which the Apostle toucheth here is very great and worthy to bee marked and obserued with great heed and followed with great diligence for if we faile in any one of these conditions we are said rather to crie out then to pray Theophilus vpon the Apostle sayth That when the Apostle saith that the sonne of God praied with a loud voice vpon the crosse hee meaneth that hee offered and directed his praier with all his heart and with all his will vnto God only and vnto no other For to say the truth hee is said to pray aloud whose mind is not distracted and drawne into many thoughts When the Apostle saith that Christ praied aloud on the crosse and with a strong voice he letteth vs vnderstand with what a feruent desire and great deuotion he praied for there is nothing requested aloud and by crying out which is not either through abundance of loue or ouermuch griefe Both together forced Christ to crie out vpon the crosse that is the great loue he bare vnto his friends and the ouermuch paine
lodgings but they remeÌ„bred to kil him in the day time betwixt three four of the clock because that at that time al men go abroad to walke in the market place It was an old plague of the Synagogues to embrue flesh theÌ„selues in the bloud of the prophets holy men as of Esaias whoÌ„ they sawed in peeces Ieremy whoÌ„ they drowned in a wel Micheas whom they buffeted to death Zachary whom they stoned to death Ezechiel whom they imprisoned and because the curse of their predecessors should reach vnto those which were theÌ„ aliue they be thought theÌ„selues to take Christs life froÌ„ him blemish his good name credite DamasceÌ„ saith that wheÌ„ the Iews crucified Christ they chose a bright a fair day without cloud darknes because Christ should be seen of al meÌ„ not vnknown of any because their purpose intent was aswel to discredit him as to kill him For wheÌ„ the EuaÌ„gelist saith that wheÌ„ Christ gaue vp the ghost the sun was darâ—â—ed it is an vnfallible argumeÌ„t that it was a bright a clear day but the sun waxed darke vpon the sudden because he would with his shadow haue couered him whoÌ„ the Iewes had put to open shame S. Ciprian saith That when the Iews put Christ to death they were not coÌ„tent only to make choice of a bright day cleare but also they would haue a long day as coÌ„monly the daies are the 25 of March because they might haue time in one day to accuse him giue iudgement on him crucifie him The 4. point was that although they could haue put him to death alone yet they would not do it without coÌ„pany the coÌ„pany they gaue him was not of honest meÌ„ but of two arrand theeues It is to be weighed that the Iews neuer gaue Christ the prehemineÌ„ce or highest room but only vpoÌ„ the crosse and gibbet where they crucified him betwixt two theeues they put him in the midst as if he had ben the greatest theef among theÌ„ al the most notorious offender Albertus saith That the Iews hanged our good Iesus betwixt two malefactors as if he had ben a captain a ringleader of theÌ„ to make vs think therby how bad a person that Prophet was seeing that in comparison of him the theeues were of a better life Put the case saith S. Ierom that al the testimonies which they brought against Christ had been true and that they had proued by sufficient witnesse those crimes which they laid against him yet notwithstanding hee deserued not that kind of punishmeÌ„t nor to be executed with such infamous theeues because the Imperiall laws doe command such only to be partakers of equall punishment which were confederates in the offence If the sonne of God drew sinners vnto him receiued them truly it was not for that he would helpe them or further them in sinne but to draw theÌ„ to good life in so much that by his blessed company they were not peruerted but much more conuerted The fifth wrong was that although they might haue put him to another kind of death which was not so scandalous to heare of nor so cruell to bee endured as the death of the crosse yet they would put him to no other death but that because hee should end his life with great cruelty smart For the torment of the crosse was holden to be the terriblest that was to suffer the least pitifull to giue and therefore they crucified none vnlesse it were such a one as without amendment did breake the law or such a one as durst be a traitor to the king Was hee pardie a breaker of the law who said openly Non veni soluere legem sed adimplere I came not to breake the law but to fulfill the law Is he pardy a traitor who said openly Reddite quae sunt Caesaris Caesari Giue that which is Caesars vnto Caesar and that which is Christs vnto Christ They not the sonne of God were breakers of the law they were Traitors vnto the king they caused sedition among the people yea they stole away the sacrifices in so much that against all order of iustice those transgressors murdered him which was holy the Traitors put to death him who was loiall the guiltie crucified the innocent and the theeues crucified their iudge Chrisostome sayth That as the hatred which they bare vnto Christ did passe al other hatred in the world and as the enuie they bare Christ was far greater then any other which could sinke into mans heart so also they would that the death which they gaue Christ should exceed the deaths which all other men did suffer Who doubteth but if a worser death they could haue inuented a worser death he should haue had It is to be weighed that being an old custome that the iudges which giue senteÌ„ce and not which accuse should appoint the maner of death which the party which offendeth should endure yet the Iewes would not leaue Christs death vnto Pilates arbiterment but they themselues would presently design appoint what death he shold die Tel me I pray you what death did they appoint him or what torment did they chuse out for him Barrabas the theefe being loused let free by the common consent agreement of them al Pilat asking theÌ„ what they would doe by Iesus of Nazareth they cried all aloud with one voice Crucifie crucifie him because hee is guilty of death with few words they condemn Christ vnto many cruel terrible torments that is that he should die quickly seeing they say that he is guilty of death that he should die vpon the crosse seeing they said crucifie him that hee should bee twise crucified considering that they say crucifie crucifie him As touching the first they entreat Pilat to put Christ to death and Pilat said that he found no cause in him why hee should die but in fine his resistance preuailed not so much as their importunity The Iews did not request of Pilat that he would whip Christ or banish him or obiect any reprochfull crime against him but that he would immediatly put him to death that because the holy doctrine which he preached and the euill life which they led were imcompatible the one with the other And as for the second the forsakeÌ„ Iews were not content to demand of Pilat that Christ should be put to death and with that death which they themselues desired but that they should immediately crucifie him on a crosse which kind of punishment was neuer giuen but vnto very naughty wicked persons and for very heinous and enormious saults S. August vpon S. Iohn noteth that the Iewes were not conteÌ„t to cry vnto Pilat once that he would crucifie him but they doubled their cry said crucifie him crucifie him to let vs vnderstand that they meant aswell to crucifie his fame and credite as they did crucifie his person Origen saith That by entreating Pilate twise to
euerlasting damnatioÌ„ obtained with his mother that she shold not challeÌ„ge hisdeath before any iustice But what iustice could she ask of those malefactors seeing they had been already pardoned of her sonne Anselmus saith That wheÌ„ Iesus gaue vp the ghost vpon the crosse he left no death for his mother to reueÌ„ge nor iniury to forgiue but only a bitter passion to weep and bewaile which shold be great inough to rend her bowels in sunder dry vp the tears of hir eies The 4. goodnes which Christ shewed the Iews was in that he gaue pardoÌ„ to his enemies which did not demaÌ„d it yeelded that vnto his crucifiers which they wold not haue For how is it possible for those men to seek for pardon which will not acknowledge themselues culpable And how should they acknowledge theÌ„selues culpable which cast al the fault vpoÌ„ him which deserued it not The Iews were so fleshed in the bloud of Christ so far out of their wits that they did not not only procure ask pardoÌ„ for their offeÌ„ce but rather hindered it put it froÌ„ theÌ„ when it was offered theÌ„ taking delight in the hurt which they did vnto Christ griefe that they were not able to do him more When they led the innocent lambe to be crucified for very ioy they said O thou which doest destroy the Temple of God And when Pilat would haue deferred his crucifying with great enuy they said If thou let this man goe thou art not a friend vnto Caesar in so much that if they did shew themselues grieued and sorrie it was not for that they thought themselues culpable of any crime but because they had deferred and prolonged Christs life so long time The wickednesse of the Iewes was not content in not hauing pardon of God for their offences but they demaunded openly vengeance for them when they said vnto Pilat Let his blood fall vpon vs and vpon our children and therefore by these dreadfull words they desire to be punished of God and at no time pardoned at his hands O wicked Synagogue O impious saying Let his blood be vpon vs. Tell me I pray thee why doest thou desire that the blood of Christ which hee shed for to redeeme thee be â—urned to condemne thee The sonne of God appealeth from these words which they speake and he will not stand vnto that agreement which the Iewes made with Pilat hee will not agree that his blood should be shed against them but for them and therefore as they said Let his blood fall vpon vs so contrariwise he said Father forgiue them O wicked Synagogue O vnfortunate Iewish nation saith Remigius who hath led you vnto such great folly and madnesse that you should more esteeme of the blood of kine which your priests shed in the Temple than of the blood which Christ shed in the mount of Caluarie Saint Ierome saith On the altar of the crosse the Prophecie of Simeon was fulfilled who said that Christs comming into the world was to some mens good and to others hurt seeing that wee doe pray that the blood which hee sheddeth should be in the remission of our sinnes and the Iewes doe intreat that it turne vnto their condemnation and vpon their children It is much to be noted that wee see it often times fall out that one enemy hurteth not another and that a good Christian doth pardon another of his offence when hee repenteth wee see it also by experience likewise we see it fulfilled that a perfit man doth loue his enemy but yet wee neuer saw that euer any but Christ pardoned him which would not be pardoned And how would they be pardoned who pardoned Barrabas and condemned the sonne of God What contrition of their sinnes haue they who desired of Pilat that the curse of God should light vpon them and vpon their children O infinite goodnesse O vnspeakable charity did they say pardy with king Dauid Tibi soli peccaui To thee alone haue I sinned or with the thiefe Domine memento mei Lord remember me to the end that he should say God be mercifull vnto you Misereatur vestri What wit is able to conceiue or what heart able to acknowledge such great mercy when thou saidst Forgiue them in stead of their sanguis eius His blood light vpon vs O my good Iesus O my soules health who is hee who dare say that hee hath enemies now seeing that thou doest make cleane the vncleane settest those at libertie which will not be free loosest those which wil be bound vnburdenest those which will bee burdened and aboue all giuest pardon vnto those which will not be pardoned If thou doest pardon that people which would not be pardoned wilt thou not with a better will pardon him who hath repented him of his sinnes and whome it grieueth with all his heart to haue offended thee Saint Augustine vpon S. Iohn saith Will not he who meant to meete them who came to apprehend him in the garden of Gethsemani come out to receiue and embrace those who goe to serue him Will not he who defended the adulterous woman from outrage and pardoned the wicked people not beeing thereunto asked pardon and defend that sinner whome hee seeth amended and hath beene of him with many teares thereunto entreated CHAP. X. How it is meet for vs to conforme our wills vnto Christs will to the end that we may know how to loue him and serue him COr tuum numquid est rectum cum corde meo sicut cor meum est rectum cum corde tuo Wee reade in the fourth booke of the Kings that a certaine king of Israel called Iehu going from Samaria to kill the children of Achab and the priestes of Baal met on the way with Ionadab vnto whome he spake these words Tell me I pray thee Ionadab is thy heart and mind so faithfull and vpright with mine as my heart is with thine Ionadab answered him vnto these words Know thou O king Iehu that my heart is conformable vnto thine Iehu replied and said Seeing it is true that thy heart is agreeing vnto mine giue me thy hand and come to me into this charriot where we will talke and communicate of things profitable for vs both This is a wonderfull figure worthy of great attention and consideration seeing that our Lord doeth teach vs by it the great good turnes which hee doth vnto vs and that which in recompence thereof wee are to doe vnto him againe Who is that king Iehu who taketh his iourney from Iudea vnto Samaria to kill and to take vengeance vpon the wicked men which were there but onely the sonne of God who came downe from heauen aboue to destroy our sinnes Assure mee saith Saint Augustine that there be no sinners in the world and I will assure thee that there be no naughty men in the world for as in heauen there is no sinne remitted nor any wicked man there suffered and as contrariwise there is nothing but
liberty and in freedome why doest thou call him Lord which is fastened to the crosse and crucified like thy selfe Seeing that he who should be a Lord ought to bee mighty and rich why doest thou call him Lord who was poor in his life time and naked in his death But this Prophet whō I call vpon and vnto whome I commend and commit my selfe is a mighty Lord and a king of great power seeing the son lost his light for compassion the stones broke with griefe the vaile rent in sunder for a mystery the graues opened with feare and the Centurion confessed him to be Christ O great God of Israel O great Lord of the house of Iacob◠for this cause thy name is admirable and worshipped in all the circuit of the earth because thy power and dominion is doubled and redoubled more than any mans in the world Cassiodorus noteth vpon this matter That the holy scripture doth neuer call any twise Lord Lord but Christ alone because he alone and none with him is Lord of heauen and earth of life and death body and soule and of peace and warre Wee cannot call Hector the Troian Anchises the Grecian Alexander the Macedonian and Caesar the Romane Lord more than once because they were kings onely of their owne kingdomes but vnto the sonne of God wee say twise Domine domine noster Lord our Lord because his siegnory is so great that no man is able to limit it nor set any bonds vnto it Euery other Prince hath his kingdome limited and set with bonds either to the top of a steeple or couering of a house and if it bee not so let him send a post from thence vpward and hee shall perceiue that his kingdome reacheth no higher which cannot be said to be true of the sonne of Gods Empire seeing it goeth from one end of the world vntill the other and reacheth vp vnto the highest heauen Considering that Dauid calleth Christ Lord Lord twise why doth he call him only once Lord. The mystery of this mystery is that Dauid called him Lord Lord twise because hee should keepe his body from his enemies and cary his soule vnto those which are blessed but the good theefe did call him but once Lord because his intention was not that Christ should keepe his life but only that hee would vouchsafe to saue his soule Why doest thou thinke sayth S. Basil vpon the Psalme that Dauid said vnto our Lord Lord calling him twife Lord but because he was Lord of the truth and of the figure of the church and of the synagogue of the Prophets and of the Apostles and of the old Testament and of the new The good theefe would not call Christ Lord twise because hee would let vs vnderstand that the figure is fulfilled and the truth come that the church is come and the synagogue ended that the Prophets are dead and the Apostles succeeded in their place that the old law is buried and the Gospel proclaimed Why think you doth the good theef call Christ Lord but once but because we haue but one Lord to beleeue one redeemer to worship To say once Christ remember me was to say that hee would haue him and no other for a master to serue for God in whō he would beleeue for his Lord whom hee would obey for a friend whome hee would trust vnto for an aduocate in whose hands he would put himselfe into The second word which the theefe said vnto Christ was Remēber me as if he would say Seeing that I doe confesse thee here before all men to bee my Lord and vpon this crosse acknowledge thee to be my redeemer haue mee in remembrance my good Lord seeing I haue remēbred thee and turned vnto thee Remember me O sweet Iesus seeing thou hast created me remember me seeing thou hast redeemed mee remember mee and seeing thou hast lightened me remember mee and seeing thou hast chosen me remember me for it would auaile me very little that thou shouldest giue me light to know thee if withall thou shouldest not giue me grace to serue thee Remēber me O good Iesus because I am hard by thy side remember me because I beleeue in thee remember me because I trust in thee remember me because I hope in none but in thee and seeing I haue offered my selfe for to be thy perpetuall seruant remember I beseech thee to accept me for thine Remember mee because thou hast raised me from the dust remember me because thou hast made me a Christian remember me to make mee good and remember mee to giue mee heauen and aboue all things I beseech thee that seeing thou hast giuen thy life for me remember me that I lose not my soule O good Iesus giuer of life with my tongue I beseech thee and with my heart I aske it of thee that seeing thou doest shed thy precious bloud vpon the crosse for me remember me that it be not euilly bestowed on mee and when shall thy bloud be euilly bestowed on mee but when it is not by thee accepted for me Seeing thou hast sweat oft for me suffered most grieuous pains for me endured inspeakable persecutions for mee and hast dissembled my abominable offences what doest thou gaine O good Iesus what doest thou gaine if I lose my soule and thou the fruit of thy precious bloud Remember me O Lord seeing that in pardoning my fault and by sauing my soul thou shalt make a Christian people heauen the more enrich thy church spread abroad thy fame and exalt thy mercy Remember the sabboth day said God in the law remember the daies past said Moyses vnto God remember because my life is a wind said holy Iob remēber how I haue walked before theesaid king Ezechias when he was sick and remember me said good Ioseph when he was in prison and remember mee when thou commest into thy kingdome I say vnto thee here now crucified vpō the crosse What should I say O the light of my life What doest thou aske me that I haue not giuen thee and what doe I possesse that is not thine I haue already giuen my money to the iailor my coats to the hang man I haue salne out with my companion who iniuried thee I haue made the best answere that I could for thy honour and therefore I can do nothing more but say Lord remember me Domine memento mei and seeing I offer thee the confession of Miserere that vpō my knees and my eies washed with tears why shouldest thou shut the gates of thy mercy against me my confession being thus iust being condemned for a naughty person as thou art my members disiointed the one from the other like thine crucified vpon the crosse like thy selfe I beleeue faithfully in thee and commend my selfe wholly vnto thee saying Lord remember mee Lord-remember mee and I beseech thee haue pitie on me seeing that in suffering I am like vnto thee I dy for being a theefe and thou for the same cause they
from the other because that in their embracing the one the other they change their hearts in so much that this mans heart goeth away with him and his heart remaineth with this man It seemeth that Dauid and Ionathas vvere great friends seeing that they did embrace one another so heartily and wept so tenderly Dauid did much more esteem of the friendship of Ionathas than of the hatred of his father king Saul the which was easily seene to bee so considering that when Saul made a truce betweene them Dauid presently departed out of the kingdome Dauid vvith all his wisedome and force durst neuer abide the persecution of Saul his enemie vvithout his friend Ionathas aid vvhereby vvee may inferre that there is no griefe in this life equall to the losse of a friend Bee hee saith Seneca poore or be hee rich be hee great or be hee little how is it possible for him to liue without a friend Horace sayth That if a man be in prosperous estate he hath need of one to giue him counsell if in meane to comfort him for I haue heard sayth he my maister Menander say that a fortunate man hath as great need of good counsell to gouerne himselfe by as the needy man hath need of helpe to lift vp himselfe by If then the mighty haue need of good counsell and the poore of helpe and succour who can better giue vs good counsell or supplie our vvants than a friend Eschines in an inuectiue against Demosthenes sayth That an enemy can doe his enemy no greater vvrong than take his good friend from him because hee taketh away the secret of his heart the refuge of his trauails the remedy of his necessities and reliefe and cherishing of his persecutions Plutarch maketh mention that when Denis the Tyrant did scoffe at Phocion the Philosopher for that he vvas poore hee made answere thus I confesse vnto thee that I am poore but yet Denis is poorer for although hee abound in money yet hee vvanteth friends and I haue friends inough but vvant money That Philosopher thought it a greater pouerty to want friends than to want money wherein hee had great reason because that in tribulation or sicknesse it doth ease a man better to see two or three friends at his beds head than to haue his chests coffers full of gold and siluer There are many sayth Vbertinus vvhich are poor of money not of friends and others which are poore in friends and not in money and there are some which are poore in the one and in the other of which sort Christ is the chiefe seeing that on the crosse he had no man which vvould bestow a cup of water vpon him nor any one which would giue him one word of comfort Christ complaineth of the Apostles because they fled complaineth of his parents because they did hide themselues complained on his acquaintance because they did not sticke vnto him because that in all the conflict of his passion hee had no friend which followed him no kinsman which defended him nor acquaintance which backed him Christ had sayth Rabanus very honourable and vertuous friends and valerous acquaintance but vvhen they saw him weake in strength and poore in wealth all of them left him in his troubles because they vvould not bee the partakers of his daunger Saint Barnard crieth out and sayth What meaneth this O good Iesus vvhat meaneth this There vvanteth not one in Ierusalem to defend Barrabas and dooth there vvant one before Pilate to defend thee Doth Barrabas by stealing find friends and doest thou by preaching get enemies Doth the murderer of the quicke find defenders and doth the raiser of the death find accusers Doe they condemne him who made an attonement betwixt God and man and doe they set him at liberty who disquieted all Ierusalem O vnhappy and wicked Ierusalem will there be alwaies some in thee to persecute the good and defend the wicked Venerable Bede sayth That al those which were Barrabas friends were Christs enemies and all those which were Christs friends were Barrabas enemies for with the same note and voice that they cried doe not let goe any but Barrabas they said of Christ crucifie him S. Augustine in an Homily saith That because the twife doubling of a word is the true token of loue or hatred the Iewes did well shew the loue which they bare vnto Barrabas in desiring Pilute twise to let him loose and the hatred which they bare to Christ in saying twise Crucifie crucifie him For to say twife Non dimittas nobis nisi â—arrabam what else was it then to aske with all their hearts that hee would grant that thiefe his life and send him to his house that feast of Easter And to crie out twise aloud crucifie crucifie him what else would they say to Pilate but that they aske with their tongues entreat with their hearts that hee would put Iesus of Nazareth vpon the gibbet or put him to death vpon the crosse Chrisostome saith The Prince of the Synagogue and the ruler of Capernaum Centurio the captaine Zacheus the rich and Simeon the leaper and Lazarus the knight were not all these trow you Christs friends and acquaintance and of the richest and honourablest among the people Christ did very much for euery one of these wheÌ„ he was aliue but there was none of these which did any thing for him wheÌ„ he died although he went by their gates to be crucified and with their eies they did see him die Christ then had great reason to say vnto his Father why hast thou forsaken me considering that himself had too many enemies and Barrabas wanted no friends CHAP. VI. How Christ complaineth vnto his father because they made more account of Iepthes daughter in the Synagogue than they doe at this day of his death in the church FAc mihi quodcunque pollicitus es concessa tibi victoria vltione de inimicis tuis chap. 12 of the Iudges The daughter of that famous captaine Iepthe spake these words vnto her father when her father returned from the war which the people of Israel had against the king of the Ammonites as though she wold say Do with me O my Father doe with me what pleaseth thee For seeing that thou doest come victorious from the warre it is very iust and reasonable that thou shouldest performe that which thou hast promised our Lord. Iepthe had promised and made a solemne vow that if God would giue him the victory of that warre that he would offer vnto him the first liue thing of his house which he should meet withall and although it were aliue vvhen hee should meet it yet he vvould not offer it but killed and dead Iepthe then returning from the vvarre vvith a great victory his sorrowfull fate vvas that hauing but one only daughter she vvent to meet him receiue him comming home singing and playing on a Taber Immediately as the sorrowfull Father saw his vnfortunate daughter his eies were full
is thankful vnto me for my benefites bestowed vpon him I bewaile my virginity because I haue found none to bestow my virginity on none to giue my innocency vnto none to impart my patience vnto none vnto whome I may communicate my charity nor any one with whom I may leaue my humility in keeping but if I came rich and adorned with vertues in the world so I must return rich again with theÌ„ to heauen The figure which wee haue spoken of saith further that all the maids of Sion did meet in Ierusalem to mourn and weep the death of Iephthes daughter foure daies one after another in the which they made great lamentations so that no yeare did passe in which this solemnity was not obserued It is here to be noted that although there haue beene in the synagogue many personages noble in bloud valerous in warre discreet in the Common-wealth learned in all sciences and cleane and vnspotted in life yet it is not read of any of theÌ„ that after they were dead and buried were mourned for at any other time Al the kings Dukes Patriarks and Prophets were buried by their friends and kinsfolkes and forgotten of them excepted onely the daughter of Iephthe for whose death all the virgines and maids did mourne and weepe euery yeare once by a speciall priuiledge Wee speake all this because that if the daughters of Sion thought it conuenient to thinke vpon and weepe for the death of that virgine once euery yeare should it not bee greater reason that wee should weepe for the death of Iesus Christ euery houre and euery moment of an houre Those virgines did weepe for the death of that young virgine for no other reason but because she was young beautifull and vertuous so that they were induced to make that solemne lamentation rather through compassion than reason What other reason could there bee for that solemne yearely lamentation seeing that the daughter of Iephthe died not for the Commonwealth nor yet had in estimation for any rare vertue aboue the rest Iust occasion and reason doth inuite vs to weep euery houre and euery moment of an houre for the death of Christ considering that he died for the Commonwealth and paied for our offence For the son to say vnto his father Why hast thou forsaken me is to say nothing else but to complaine of vs because wee remember not his precious death as Iephthes daughter was wept for once a yeare Although the sinfull soule doth not remember the death of Christ yet the holy church doth not forget nor omit to celebrate his death once at the end of euery year in the holy weeke And in steed that the daughters of Sion did weepe for the death of that virgin foure times in the yeare the church doth represent vnto vs the passion written four times of the foure Euangelists CHAP. VII How Christ complaineth vnto his father because they did open his wounds through malice as they did stop vp Isaac his wels through enuy HAbuit Isaac possessionâ—â— onium armentorum familiam plurimam ob hoc inuidentes Palestini obstruxerunt omnes putees eius implentes humo Genes 26. The Scripture hath these wordes telling vs of a great discouresie which the king of Palestine did vnto Isaac the Patriarke and it is as if hee would say Isaac was a great and mighty man and had many flockes of sheepe and many heards of kine and many bondslaues both man and woman by reason of which prosperity of his the Palestines did greatly enuy him and did stop vp his wels by casting much earth into euery one of them O that the Apostle said very true when hee said all things happen vnto them in figura seeing that all things that were done in the Synagogue were nothing else thaÌ„ a figure of that which should happen in the Catholicke church For if it were not so there are many things in Scripture which vvould seeme but a iest to write of and a superfluous thing to read If there should not be some deep mystery some hiddeÌ„ secret in this figure what were it vnto vs or what profite should wee receiue in knowing that Isaac had many sheepe kine and slaues What were it also vnto vs if hee had many enemies and that they did shut vp his wels enuy his riches haue an ere vnto his greatnesse considering that it is an old custome that euery rich man is enuied This figure doth lead vs vnto higher mysteries than the letter doth shew and therefore it is needfull to haue a high spirit to declare it and great attention in reading it To come then vnto the purpose Isaac in the Hebrue tongue doth signifie a man ful of laughter and ioy the which ioifull name can agree only vnto the sonne of God and hee only in this world in a high degree can be called Isaac When rhe sonne of God was in heauen aboue and before hee came downe into this world no mortall man knew any cause to laugh nor yet durst not laugh for because that they saw that God was angrywith all the world al the world was in a dump and mourned When God had said vnto Noe the Patriarke Paenitet me fecisse hominem that is I am sorry and repent that euer I made man how could any man dare to laugh and bee merry How durst holy Iob laugh seeing that hee said with many teares Vtinam de vtero translatus essem ad tumulum I would to God I had been buried as soone as euer I was borne His meaning was this O great God of Israel why hast thou brought mee out of my mothers wombe and now that thou hast brought me out why doest thou not destroy me why did dest thou not carry mee presently from my mothers bowels to my graue How could the Prophet Helias laugh seeing that running flying away through the mountains from Queene Iezabel Petiuit anima sua vt moreretur His meaning was Am I better than my predecessors that I should liue rather than they Die then my soule die for because that my life is grieuous vnto me and I would see it at an end How should the Prophet Ieremy laugh seeing that hee said with deepe sighes Quis dabit capiti meo lachrimas oculis meis fontes lachrimarum vt plorem interfectos populi mei His meaning was Who can bring to passe with the great God of Israel that he would make a sea of water of my head change my eâ—es into fountaines of teares to sigh by night and weepe by day for those whom sinne hath deceaued and the sword slaine How could old honorable Tobias laugh when he said Quale mihi gaudium erit quia in tenebris sedeo lumen caeli non video In those pittifull words hee meant to say this What ioy can there be in my heart or what laughter can there bee in my mouth seeing that I find my selfe poore and feele my selfe aged blind and cannot see the light of
art vnto the children of vanity and lightnesse who doe shew their essence and yet are nothing shew their power and yet can doe nothing shew their wisedome and yet doe know nothing CHAP. XIII Where he goeth forward with the figure mentioned before ADhue sitit expergifactus sayth Esay in the place before named as if hee would say When the redeemer of the world did awake vpō the crosse hee did awake very drie and thirsty which was so great a thirst that it continueth vntill this day it is most certaine that when a man doth suffer many griefes at one time that he speaketh of that which grieueth him most and pointeth with his hand where his greatest paine lieth The anguishes which Christ suffered in his mind were innumerable and the griefes which hee endured in his body were intollerable and that which is most of all to be meruelled at is that his torments being so many and so sharpe as they were yet he complained of none of them on the crosse but only of the thirst which he endured Saint Barnard sayth O good Iesus O redeemer of my soule hauing so many things to complaine on doest thou onely complaine of thirst Thy shoulders are naked and whipped thy hands broken thy head bleeding thy flesh brused and yet doest thou complaine on nothing but of the thirst which troubleth thee and of want of water Doest thou complain that thou art thirsty and not that thou art bloudy hast thou not greater want of thy bloud than of water Seeing the bloud which runneth from thy head doth bath thy face wet thy tongue why doest thou aske againe for water For a quarter of an houre that thou hast to liue doest thou complaine that thou wantest water O that the thirst which I suffer saith Christ is not to drinke wine or water but to see your amendment and carry you with mee to my glory for seeing that I am now taking my iourney to heauen I haue a great thirst to take my elect with mee The thirst which I haue the drinesse which I endure is not so much to drink any liquor as to redeem you and saue you and reconcile you with my Father and therefore if thou haue no pitty on mee yet at the least take some on thy selfe O that I had rather that thou haddest some pitty on thy selfe than on mee because it is a greater griefe to see thee lost than to see my self suffer S. Augustine sayth Thou diddest adde vnto all thy anguishes this word Sitio shewing thereby such a great thirst and representing outwardly the exceeding loue that thou diddest beare me inwardly and vnspeakable charity which caused thee to make but small account of all that thou diddest suffer in respect of that desire which thou haddest to suffer And he sayth further O my good Iesus I know well that thy thirst is not for thy selfe but for me and this thy anguish is for no other cause but for the saluation of my soule and when thou saiest that thou hast a desire to drinke that is as much to say as to suffer more for mee in so much that the care that thou hast ouer me is so great that by meanes thereof thou doest wholly forget thy selfe What meaneth this O redeemer of my soule what meaneth this Thy ioints being loosed one from another thy eies broken thy mother hauing her farewell and hauing complained on thy Father doest thou say anew I am a thirst What pitty may be compared vnto this or what goodnesse equall vnto this Oredeemer of my soule Wee see by this word Sitio that death was sufficient to take all thy dolors and griefes from thee and yet that it was not inough to cut off the loue which thou haddest to redeeme vs. Who is able to say truly that thy loue did end vpon the crosse considering that for the loue of thy elect thou diddest yet thirst after more griefes and anguishes All this Saint Augustine spake Chrisostome sayth When the eternall word said vpon the crosse I am a thirst I doe not beleeue that hee did so much aske for water to drinke as hee did aske for time of his Father to suffer more griefe and torment For as the candle when it is going out doth cast the greatest light so Christ the more his death drew neere the more his loue and charity doth kindle towards vs. Remigius vpon Saint Matthew sayth Although the diuine prouidence did reduce all the trauailes of his life vnto three yeares and that also hee brought all the torments of the crosse vnto three houres yet it is not to bee beleeued that Christ his infinite charity was contented with this short time and therefore I thinke for my owne part that the thirst which hee shewed vpon the tree vvas not so much to drinke of any water of the riuer as to declare and make manifest his loue vnto the world Fulgentius in a Sermon sayth The sonne of God did thinke that seeing his Father had not giuen him charity by waight so hee should not giue him torment by measure by reason whereof hee cried aloud on the crosse Sitio to let vs vnderstand by this thirst that seeing the gifts which hee receiued had no end that the torments likewise which he receiued should not be limitted CHAP. XIIII Of the crueltie and ingratitude that the Iewes vsed in giuing Christ gaule and vineger and how he satisfied for euery sinne in particular DEderunt in escam meam fel in siti mea potauerunt me aceto sayth Christ by the Prophet as if hee would say Being vpon the altar of the crosse full of torments loaden vvith griefes compassed with enemies I had scarsely spoken the word Sitio but they gaue mee gaule to eat and vineger to drinke There is much matter to bee spoken vpon this that is what drinke they gaue him when they gaue it him where they gaue it him why they gaue it him in what they gaue it him and how quickly they gaue it him The drinke which they gaue him was gaule and vineger the place where was vpon the crosse the time was when hee was yeelding vp the ghost the cause why was to helpe him to die they gaue it him in a reed and a spunge and that presently when he had thirst so that all these circumstances doe aggrauate the fault in them Wee find that the diuell made two banquets in this world the one in the terrestriall paradise vnto our Father where he gaue him the fruit of the tree to eat the other to Christ in the desert where he inuited him to stones of the field the which might haue ben ground sifted and so mingled that they might haue been eaten The Iewes gaue Christ worser meat than the diuell offered him in the desart for they gaue him gaule to eat and vineger to drinke which are bitter and soure horrible in tast and mortal in eating For as the Philosopher sayth The truest loue is the loue of children the smell
my hart should dispose my penne write my inke marke and my paper suffer mee to write how happy they are who escape the drinking of this cup and how vnhappy they are which drinke of it With this cup of ire God did threaten Ierusalem of this the Synagogue dranke with this wicked Babilon was drunk yea and this was the cause why all Iudea was lost S. Augustine in an Homilie saith He drinketh of the cursed cup of ire who through his sin falleth from the estate of grace which is an euill aboue all the euils of this life because a soule without grace is farre more deader than a body without a soule When doest thou thinke that God doth suffer vs to drinke of the cup of his ire but when hee forgetteth to hold vs vp with his hand through our demerite When shall wee see whether we haue dronke of the cup of his wrath but vvhen God is carelesse in keeping vs from falling and vvee slothfull in amending our selues S. Ambrose vpon the Psalmes sayth O vvhat a difference there is betwixt the vvrath of God the vvrath of man for they punish vvhen they are angry but God forbeareth to punish vvhen hee is angry in so much that God is more displeased vvhen hee dissembleth a fault than vvhen he doth presently punish S. Barnard sayth That there is no greater temptation than not to bee tempted nor greater tribulation thaÌ„ not to be afflicted nor greater punishment than not to be punished nor yet a sharper scourge than not to be scourged For as there is small hope of the sick mans life vvhome the Phisition doth distrust and despaire of euen so in like manner there is great occasion to suspect the saluation of that man vvhom our Lord doth not punish in this life It is also to be noted that Esay doth not only threaten Ierusalem because she dronk of the cup of the ire of God but because she drunke also the dregs and lees vntill shee left none in so much that if there had ben more more she would haue drunk We call that properly the dregs of the wine that part of the wine which corrupteth and marreth and that which goeth to the bottome and that which rotteth and stinketh and that whereof we receiue no profite What are the dregs which sinke vnto the bottome but onely wicked sinne which beareth vs into hell The dregs of sinne cause vs to rot and with dregs of sinne we sinke and by the dregs of sinne we are damned and by the dregs of sin we are hated of God I will visite Ierusalem and those men which are fastened in their dregs saith God by the Prophet Sophonias in the first chapter as if hee would say I will visite all the dwellers of Ierusalem and I will make no reckoning of other sinnes and offences but of such as I shall find entangled and tumbling in the dregs and lees Who are those which sticke in the mire are bedurted with the dregs but those which stand obstinately in their sinnes and wickednesse God complaineth not of those which are defiled in the dregs but on those which are fastened and fixed in them for our Lord is not so much scandalized to see vs fall into sinnes as to see vs wallow and delight in their dregs and grounds O that wicked is the heart which is fastened and standeth firme in the dregs of sinne because promises cannot allure and entise him nor threatnings feare him nor entreatie conuert him nor punishment amend him nor counsell profite him How badly our Lord liketh of them which are firme in the lees and dregs he sheweth plainly seeing he threatneth such as stand fast in them and those which drink of the cup vnto the dregs wherof we may inferre that wee doe not so much condemne our selues for sinning as because we will not goe out of sinne To drinke of the cup vnto the dregs is as if as there are but seuen capitall sins they were feuen thousand to haue a will to offend in them all before we died To drinke vnto the dregs is that if by deed we commit ten sinnes euery day in thought we commit an hundred euery houre To drinke the cup vnto the dregs is that if wee omit to commit any sinne it is not because wee would not but because we could not or durst not To drinke of the cup vnto the dregs is that not being content to sinne we commend and praise our selues for doing it as if we had done our Lord some notable seruice To drinke the cup vnto the dregs is that when wee haue committed all kind of sinnes yet wee cannot endure to be called sinners To drinke the cup vnto the dregs is to be so gracelesse and shamelesse in sinning that we entise and importunately vrge others to do the like To drinke the cup vnto the dregs is to hate our neighbour with our heart iuiurie him with words and hurt him in deeds Loe thus then haue I told you what is the cup of bitternes which the elect and chosen drinke of and which is the cup of wrath and ire which the wicked drinke of in so much that if wee would know who shall bee saued or who damned wee are onely to mark what cup he dranke of To come then vnto our purpose we must suppose that these two theeues drank of both these cups which are so dreadfull and wonderfull and such as the cup was of which ech of them dranke such was the reward or punishment which on the crosse ech of theÌ„ receiued and carried away WheÌ„ the naughty theefe said vnto Christ saue thy selfe and vs he dranke of the cup of wrath and when the good theefe said vnto Christ Lord remember me he dranke of the cup of bitternesse insomuch that the one drank of the pure wine seeing he went into heauen and the other dranke of the stinking dregs seeing he went into hel What meaneth this O good Iesus what meaneth this Seeing they were both coÌ„panions both the eues both hanged both saw Christ and both were neere vnto Christ why doe they giue to the one to drinke of the cup of glory and vnto the other the cup of ire S. Augustine answereth vnto this sayth Why God doth giue light vnto one and not vnto another why he draweth this man and not that man I pray thee good brother goe not about to seeke out the reason if thou wilt not bee deceiued for all this dependeth of Gods high iudgements the which although they be secret yet notwithstanding they be not vniust Origen vpon Mark saith As there are many things in the heart which are not of the heart and as there are many in warâ—â— which take no pay in the warre so the naughty theefe was vpon the crosse not hauing the fruit of the crosse for in stead of asking Christ that he would pardon him be asked that he would deliuer him and vnbind him If thou bee Christ saith the naughty theefe saue thy selfe
and vs as if he would say If thou bee the Christ which the Iewes hope for deliuer thy selfe from death and quite vs from paine Cyprian vpon the passion of our Lord sayth O that that is a wicked word and a detestable praier which thou O naughty theefe doest vtter with thy mouth when thou doest persuade the son of God to come downe from the crosse for if he do suffer die it is for nothing that toucheth him but for that which toucheth thee and is most expedient for me Why dost thou aske him that hee would saue thee and also himselfe seeing that he suffereth of his owne accord dieth for thy naughtinesse The beginning of this naughty theeues perdition was when he said if thou be the sonne of God and not thou art the son of God in which words it seemed that hee doubted whether hee were the sonne of God or not and so hee doubted in his faith and made a scruple whether he were the redeemer of the world or not and so hee fell into infidelitie which is the highest wickednesse of all other Cyrillus vpon S. Iohn saith That the good theefe said not If thou be Christ neither did S. Peter say I beleeue if thou bee Christ but the one said faithfully Lord remember me and the other likewise said I beleeue because thou art the sonne of God insomuch that no man can be lightened or pardoned which maketh any doubt at all in the faith of Christ The Apostle saith in his canonicall Epistle if any man want wisedome let him aske it of God not doubting in faith as if he would say If any man haue need of any great matter let him take heed that he do not aske it with a faith that is luke warme for if our Lord do not grant vs that which we aske him it is rather because wee know not how to ask him than because hee hath not a desire to giue it Damascen sayth If he who asketh be not a Pagan and that which he asketh bee not vniust and hee who asketh be holy and the place where he asketh be also sacred and he for whoÌ„ he asketh be needy why should he doubt to obtaine it considering that of himselfe hee is so mercifull O good Iesus O my soules pleasure giue me thy grace that I may say vvith the blind man in Ieremie O sonne of Dauid haue mercy vpon mee and keepe mee from saying vvith the naughty theefe if thou be Christ saue thy self and me too seeing that like a true Christian I confesse thy mighty power and call for thy great mercy Christostome saith The naughty theese thought that as Pilate had condemned him for a robber by the high way so he had executed iustice vpon Christ for stirring the people to sedition and that Christ did no lesse esteeme of his life than hee did abhorre death vvherein certainly he vvas much deceiued for he did not so earnestly desire to liue as Christ did desire to die The Iews persuaded Christ that hee should come downe from the crosse and this naughty theefe did also persuade him that hee vvould slie from the crosse that vvhich the sonne of God did not loue to hear of nor would not do for if he had forsaken the crosse all the vvorld should haue beene crucified S. Barnard sayth I doe not desire thee my good Iesus that thou come down froÌ„ the crosse nor that thou slie from the crosse but that thou vvouldest put me there with thee because it would be more reasonable that they should giue sentence vpon me for thee than that they should giue sentence vpon thee for me It may bee gathered of all that which wee haue spoken what great courage we haue need of to begin any good worke and a far greater to finish it for our enemies are ready alwaies about to deceiue vs the flesh to mooue vs men to hinder vs and the world to trouble vs. CHAP. VIII Of the great charity which the good theefe had towards the naughty theefe in correcting him of euill doing and in aduising him of the good which he lost COmmendat deus omnem charitatem suam in nobis saith the Apostle writing vnto the Romanes in the fift chap. as if he would say The God and Lord which I preach vnto you O Romanes dooth commend nothing more vnto you than charity in louing your neighbours with all your heart the which loue you must shew them not so much because they loue you as because they serue God Holy Paule did preach and teach vs many things whereof some were to make vs afeard some to giue vs counsell some to teach vs some to comfort vs as this matter which we now handle the which being wel looked into and read with attention we shal find that hee giueth vs as much as hee hath and loueth vs as much as he ought For the better vnderstaÌ„ding of this speech we must suppose that the loue of God charity and grace go alwaies coupled together in so much that no man can haue heauenly loue without heauenly charity no man can haue heauenly charity but he must haue heaueÌ„ly grace he who hath heauenly grace cannot faile but goe to glory Damascen sayth That Loue and Charitie and Grace are only one gift and the greatest which came from heaueÌ„ is called Grace because it is giuen without any price and it is called Charity because it is high and it is called Loue because it doth ioine and vnite vs with God in so much that when he recommendeth his Charity vnto vs he trusteth his Loue with vs. WheÌ„ our Lord doth commend vs his Loue as a thing left to keepe with vs if we marke it well what else is it but a token whereby we should marke with what Loue he loueth vs and with what Charity he entreateth vs O happy pledge O luckie trust when our Lord credited vs with his eternall Loue his infinite Grace and vnspeakable Charity the which vertues he gaue vs because we should not liue ingratefully with them and that in our death we should buy heauen with theÌ„ When our Lord doth giue vs charge to keepe his Charity what else is that but to doe vs the fauour to giue it vs If he would not haue giuen it vs hee knew well where to keepe it without giâ—ing it vs to pledge but hee saith that hee dooth commend it vnto vs to keepe and not giue it vs because wee should bee very carefull in keeping it and fearefull to lose it because we cannot be saued without it Bede vpon the Apostle sayth One friend can giue to another his iewels of siluer and gold but he cannot giue him the loue which hee hath in his heart for although he can shew it yet hee cannot passe it vnto him but the sonne of God did not onely shew vs his loue but did also giue it vs. He did shew vs his great loue when hee tooke mans flesh vpon him and he doth giue vs his sweet